7475/Conversations with the Contessa

Conversations with the Contessa
Date of Scene:	22 August 2021
Location:	Mystique's Quarters
Synopsis:	Lydia goes over to Isabella's penthouse hotel room to have a pleasant conversation with her. She's been offered to join Izzy's coven, and she finds out what is entailed with that.
Cast of Characters:	Lydia Dietrich, Raven Darkholme

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Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    It took some convincing in order for Lydia to meet Isabella alone, but eventually she pointed out that the Contessa might be more forthcoming with her answers if it was just the two of them. Besides, Lydia can take care of herself. With a kiss goodbye, Lydia sets off to meet Isabella at the Pierre Hotel.
    It always turns heads when a glowing green mutant steps out of a purple portal, but it's not something that Lydia has ever paid much mind to. Really, her mere presence often turns heads and it's something that she's gotten used to over the years. To be honest, she sometimes gets a little thrill over it, especially when it comes to freaking out New York's elite.
    Having stepped out of the portal just outside the hotel, she makes her way in, and goes to the elevator, and hits the very top button. Isabella has settled into one of the penthouse suites, which Lydia finds to be amusingly ostentatious. It seems that Isabella never does things halfway.
    She reaches the door of the suite, and lightly knocks. "Hello, Isabella? It Lydia."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Nope, Mystique did not like it at all, but Lydia was right. Isabella would likely be more forthcoming with just Lydia there. That doesn't mean that she's not popping down to wait outside the hotel, right after Lydia goes inside.

The hotel personnel are in fact not all that happy to see a mutant, but they also are not rude about it. A little staring, but they don't interfere.

The elevator opens at the top most floor where there are exactly two doors in the small hall, one labeled P01, the other labeled P02. Isabella mentioned she was in 01. Even the hall is decorated to the nines in comfortable colors, plants, a small padded bench.

The door opens only moments after Lydia knocks and standing there is a young woman in a maid's uniform. She offers Lydia a smile, then steps back holding the door open to allow the mutant to enter.

"Contessa Esposito will meet you in the study," the woman offers, her Italian accent much thicker. "This way please."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia looks surprised at finding a maid opening the door. Of all the things she expected, this certainly wasn't it. Still, upon reflection it made a certain amount of sense, falling in line with Isabella's tastes.
    Lydia smiles at the maid as she steps in. "Of course. Lead the way."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
The study isn't a large room, but it is comfortable. There are a few book cases along the walls, several large comfortable looking chairs, and a massive oak desk. The windows behind the desk have long velvet curtains in burgundy that block out all light, not even a single hint of the sun outside manages to enter the room.

Isabella is by the desk when Lydia enters, an open folder on the surface has her attention until the door opens and then she is looking toward Lydia with a bright and charming smile.

"Lydia my dear!" She chimes, closing the folder. "I was to pleased to get your call." Her eyes shift for a single moment to the maid, "That will be all Yvette, you may return tomorrow." and then her eyes are back on Lydia.

Today the Contessa is dressed casually, though the articles of clothing on her body still likely cost as much as Lydia's rent. A pair of black cotton slacks sheath her legs, a beaded belt of indigo and sapphire around her waist. The long sleeved blouse tucked into the waist is a pale teal, simple in design but created from pure silk.

"Please, make yourself comfortable," Isabella offers, then adds, "May I get you something to drink, coffee or tea perhaps?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia takes in the surroundings of the study, paying of particular note of the bookcase and the blinds. Hm. In contrast Lydia is dressed simply, a light pleated skirt in a light maroon, and a fitted blouse that looks breezy with it's flared cuffs.
    "I'm glad you agreed to meet me," she says, addressing the Contessa with a warm smile, sliding effortlessly into the voice she uses when dealing with people who are made of money. "It took a bit of convincing to let me come by myself, but I find their overprotectiveness to be quite charming, actually."
    She nods, and settles herself into one of the plush chairs. "Tea would be lovely, thank you."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Isabella offers another smile then slips through a side door as she says, "It will be only a moment."

There are two reasons for this departure. One, to actually get the tea, and two to give Lydia a moment to take in her surroundings. It could be a test, or perhaps it really is just getting tea.

The woman is only gone for maybe seven minutes, and when she returns she has a tray with silver tea pot, matching cream and sugar containers, and of course two porcelain tea cups.

"Forgive me, Yvette had just put the water on," she offers, carrying the tray to a small table between two of the chairs. "There is cream, sugar and honey if you prefer."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia waits patiently as Isabella goes to make their tea. She doesn't want to pry into the woman's personal business, but she /is/ curious as to what kind of books are in the bookshelf. However, a curious glance reveals that the books have paper covers on them, hiding their titles.
    "Oh, no problems," Lydia says, gratefully accepting the cup of tea. She forgoes the cream and sugar an instead adds a dollop of honey into the cup, stirring it until it's all dissolved.
    "Is this your private suite?" She asks curiously after taking a tentative sip of her tea, testing how hot it is. Finding it still a bit too warm it settles into her lap with her hands wrapped about it for warmth. "There are quite a lot of books, here."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
A hint of honey, a splash of cream, and Isabella stirs her tea as she sits back in the chair she has chosen.

"For the time being, yes," she answers with a soft sigh. "Finding apartments in New York is nearly impossible, especially ones that meet my requirements. So for now I have rented this suite on a permanent basis."

The spoon is set on the side of the saucer, so proper in how it's done, and then she merely holds the cup and saucer to let it cool. Sitting back she crosses her right leg over her left, watching Lydia.

"Feel free to ask your questions any time," she smiles. "We do not need to stand on ceremony or act like there is any other reason for the visit. We handled the pleasantries."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia chuckles, and sets aside the tea onto the little table and reaches down to her oversized purse and pulls out a journal. "I was hoping this could be more of an interview than an interrogation," she says with a warm grin. "Do you mind if I take notes?"
    "But before I do," she says, keeping the journal closed, "There is a bit of unpleasant question that I don't think I got the full answer for." She leans forward, "I have to admit that I'm /very/ tempted by your offer, but the one thing that I want to know is what are you getting out of this?"
    She shakes her head, "Don't get me wrong. If I do this, I don't want to be wondering if there's any ulterior motive behind your intentions as we proceed along with our lessons. That and I'll be able to put Raven's mind at rest."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
The saucer gets rested on her upper knee, her other hand holding the tea cup. "Interview, interrogation... the only real difference is the use of ropes and whips," Isabella offers with a playful grin, then takes a sip of the tea.

She seems relaxed, in a rather jovial mood. She was Lydia with a sparkle in her eyes, impressed by the woman and not afraid to show it.

"What makes the that question unpleasant? If it is something you want to know, then you ask, the worst that could happen is I tell you no. However, I did answer that question in a way. What I get from this is someone to pass my knowledge on to Lydia, someone who will use it for good and not evil. That is the purpose of this Coven, for the magic we use, to maintain the balance by using it for good."

She takes another sip of the tea, "You want to hear that I have personal reasons? Is that what you were expecting?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia laughs at the mentions of ropes and whips. "It's only an interrogation if the person doesn't actually /like/ the ropes and whips," she quips. "The difference, really, is just a matter of tone. I felt that our last interaction came off as mostly hostile, and I want this one to be on more friendly terms."
    She lets out a sigh, and settles back into the comfortable chair, "It's unpleasant because it's questioning your motives. I admit that there's a cynical part of me that believes that there is a deeper motivation beyond altruism. It's the same part of me that keeps asking, 'why me?' when you've already demonstrated the /why/."
    "I suppose that it's just that I have a hard time believing that I'm that special," she muses, "even though I am in many respects. My mutation, for one is rather unique, and while my books will never land on a top seller list, they still do well, and are mostly well received. Then there's B. How many people in this day and age can say they've built a working golem?" She shakes her head, "And yet, I don't /feel/ all that special."
    "And to circle back to this being an interview," she says, holding up her journal, "I'm curious about you. I want to find out more. How many centuries old magi do you meet?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Another sip of the tea is taken as Isabella watches Lydia, a smile playing on her lips as the woman holds up her journal.

"In answer to your previous question, no. I do not mind if you take notes," she comments, then rests the tea cup back on the saucer.

"The mind always plays games with us, especially in regards to ourselves and what we do. Artists are their own worst critics, nothing they create it ever good enough. It passes in the end, only because it is 'close enough'."

Setting the cup of tea on the table, she stands and walks over to the books shelf nearest the chairs. Her eyes scan over the nonsense names until she finds what she is looking for and pulls it off the shelf. Walking back over she offers the book to Lydia.

"You will find in this old tome the signature and a spell from every magi I have ever met."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia chuckles, "Don't I know it. I never really feel that my books are ready to be published but my editor insists when they are, and I trust her judgement better than mine."
    She sets her journal aside for now, when Isabella gets up to retrieve her tome. She takes this time to test her tea again, and this time finding the warmth acceptable takes a bigger sip. When Isabella returns with the tome, she puts down the tea cup and takes the tome gingerly in her hands.
    She opens it carefully, and starts to flip through the pages, occasionally stopping to read a spell or two. "My goodness," she breathes. "There are some amazing things in here." She gets to one page and chuckles, "And some not so amazing things. A spell to ward off weasels. I suppose if you raise chickens this /would/ be handy."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Isabella sits herself back down, crossing her legs once again.

"VonBueller was terrified of weasels, I have no idea why," she comments with a sigh, rubbing her temple is if just talking about the man made her head hurt. "He considered that his signature spell, thankfully his apprentice, several pages later, was more creative one VonBueller passed away, and used his magics for better spells."

She falls silent there, letting Lydia search through the book and see just a piece of history in the magi world.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    "Phobias don't have to make sense," Lydia says with a shrug. "Maybe he was bit by one when he was a child." The world may never know. She continues to flip through the pages, mostly in silence, occasionally taking a sip of tea. She gets to a particular page which causes her to stop, and read thoroughly. "These other warding spells would be useful," she says. "Even though I think the Asteroid to be save from magical attacks, I'd like to set up some magical wards just in case. You never know."
    She looks up, hopeful. "Do you mind if I copy this down?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Isabella cants her head slightly, "Which wards are you interested in? A couple in that book are weaker in nature than others."

She stands then and walks back to the shelf running her hand along the shelf until she pulls the book she is looking for.

"These are far better, and stronger, but you are welcome to copy any you would like. Some might be more difficult to learn than others." She offers the second book to Lydia then sets herself back in her chair. "So answer me a question Lydia, what would you like to learn?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia folds the book closed and sets it aside when Isabella brings her a second. She opens that one and scans the pages. "These are far more advanced," she says. "I can see why they'd be better."
    As for her last question, Lydia looks up, her lips pursed in a moue of thoughtfulness. "I don't know," she admits. "There's just so much, I wouldn't know where to begin." She studies the book in her hand. "Really, I think the most useful thing for me right now would be learning more about the astral plane."
    "There are tears that are happening all over New York," she explains. "Another magician showed me how to close them but what he taught me was more of a brute force method and it's rather draining. It's quick and dirty, but it keeps things from escaping while I close it. I don't really /do/ brute force."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Isabella hmms softly, sitting back in her chair.

"Are they tears or is someone ripping them open?" She asks simply. "There is a difference, and thus a difference in how to close them. I suppose I should get out more, perhaps introduce myself to others in the city, but I am not really looking to make friends. I try not develop too many relationships as I will live on and loath watching those I care about die."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia lets out a wry chuckle. "I doubt you'd make friends with this Constantine fellow. He's not very likeable." As to Isabella's question, Lydia ponders a bit. "I believe they're being torn open by somebody... or some/thing/."
    She looks up and looks a little sad, "That's a lonely way to live," she says. "And while I think we'll go our separate ways before I reach my end, I'd like to think that she'd cherish the time we'd spend together for however long it lasted."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Isabella cants her head again, her brown hair falling over her shoulder. "So ready to be rid of me? I have no intentions of leaving until you tell me I must go Lydia," she says softly. "There is a lot for you to learn, not merely from these books. The Covens magic is entirely different from all... this," she gestures to the shelves.

"But if you only wish to learn this, so be it. I will teach you this."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    "Oh no!" Lydia says with eyes wide, shaking her head. "I was talking about Raven. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. I /do/ wish to learn!" She leans forward eagerly. "There's just so /much/. I doubt that I could learn all that you wish me to know, though. You've lived several lifetimes to pick up on the knowledge and I've only got the one."
    "But how does the coven's magics differ from this?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Isabella's ohs softly, then picks her tea cup back up.

"A hundred and forty something," she begins. "That is the rumor regarding Raven's age. I am certain, given how she looks at you, that she will cherish the time the two of you have together. That is not something you should worry about, she loves you very much."

Now she sits forward slightly, "The Covens magics are never written down, and once you know the fundamental base of how the magic works, you can create anything and everything you want with the magic. Warding spells, protecting spells, even life spells for healing if you wish."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia nods, "One hundred and forty two." She gets something of a sappy smile when she thinks about Raven, "I don't think we'll get tired of each other any time soon."
    This information about the Covens, however, pulls Lydia out of her reverie and has her full intention. "Oh really? I admit, that sounds more useful than learning individual spells. I think I'm /very/ interested in this." She cocks her head curiously, "I suppose there's some rite that one must perform to join the coven? Or some kind of requirement?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
The look on Lydia's face had made Isabella smile softly, that look of love and sappiness just melted the Italian's heart to see. It had been a long, long time since she let someone into her personal space, to get to know and trust. Taking a sip of her tea to conceal her smile, she rests the cup back on the saucer.

"It requires a ritual involving all thirteen of the senior members, performed on a specific night of the month, in Egypt. You already passed the initial test, you learned the first spell of the Coven without troubles."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    "Oh!" Lydia says in surprise. "I didn't realize that was a test." The books in her lap, and the tea cooling on the counter are all but forgotten. "What else is involved?" There's a gleam in Lydia's eye, as the prospect of learning new magics have gotten a hold of her. Isabella has her, hook, line, and sinker.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Although Isabella had hoped the offer would be tempting enough to draw Lydia in, she hadn't expected it to be that easy. Mystique's paranoia most certainly has not rubbed off on the green mutant yet, and that made the Italian so happy. There was no reason for Lydia not to trust her, she honestly had no intentions of anything more than teaching her the strongest and most ancient magics on the planet.

"The ritual takes three days. One day of preparation, one day for the ritual, one day of recovery, which really is just a day to wind down from the magics thrown in the air and to ensure if you are tracked, you have others to defend you. Once that is done, every incantation that is the foundation of our magics can be taught to you."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia nods, and leans back in her chair, thoughtfully. "It may be a bit of a hard sell to Raven, but this really seems like the way to go." She shakes her head ruefully, "What little I know I've had to piece together from ancient texts and kind of extrapolate the basics. It's worked out well, so far, but it does have it's limitations."
    She scowls as a sudden question occurs to her. "Will I be able to remain kosher once I join the coven?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Of all the thinks to ask, Isabella was not prepared for that one and laughs.

"Of course you can remain kosher, Lydia," she chuckles. "How you live your life is entirely up to you. We are not intending to suck your soul out or sell it off to some demon. The only thing the ritual does it link you to the power that is offered by the whole of the Coven. I believe one of them is Mormon, we do not judge."

She pours a touch more tea into her cup. "I can explain every single step of the ritual to you, from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave, if that will make it easier for you and Raven." A touch more cream is added and she stirs. "But this is your decision, not Raven's."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Isabella touches on a point that Lydia has been considering. Of course she wants to respect the wishes of her lover, but she also wants to be able to live her own life. She doesn't want this to cleave a divide between them. And yet...
    "Will I be able to meet the coven before I commit?" She asks. "I think I'd like to get to know them a little bit better before I bind myself to them." This seems like a reasonable request to her. "I'd also like to know more about the ritual. I'm burning with curiosity about it."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
The Italian woman nods, "Of course. If that is what you wish to do, arrangements can be made, though again, it would have to be in Egypt or any where in Africa. One of the members cannot leave the African continent."

Picking up the tea pot she adds a little more tea to Lydia's cup, before resting it back on the tray.

"I can tell you they are all female, as the power of the blood travels through the women of our lines, not the men. They have their own powers," she snorts at this, but doesn't go into more details. "I am the oldest of the Coven, but I am not the Elder. I held that honor for a time, but Kazia, the current elder, earned the right by sacrificing so, so much for the Coven."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    "I could tell that from the genealogy spell you showed me the other night," Lydia says. "The line ran straight through the women until it reached to me." Of course, Isabella probably already knew this. "Speaking of which," Lydia says, tilting her head curiously. "How did you end up finding me? I mean, besides being a fan of my novel."
    She waves a hand dismissively before picking up her tea. "Location really isn't an issue," she says. "Through our portals I can reach anywhere on Earth. I would love to arrange a meeting. And then we can go over what the ritual entails, and assuming everything goes well, we can schedule for that, too."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
"I knew you would eventually ask that question," Isabella sighs, setting her tea cup down. "It is not an easy answer."

Standing herself up, she lets out a slow breath as she starts to walk the length of the room. "Someone owed me a... favor," she begins. "Not an ordinary sort of favor. I had saved his life, though I should have let him die. In exchange, he owed me a blood oath, to be returned to me when I requested it or he did something of great importance for me." She pauses to look back at Lydia. "At once time he and I were close, but with all things that go on for too long, we grew apart and... he hurt me. Anyway, he made an attempt to win me back by indicating that he had found you."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia crosses her legs and takes another sip, thoughtfully. "Hunh," she muses. There are several implications of this, one of which is that her importance to the Contessa is of great value. That's good to know. The second thing that this means is that more than one person had been looking for her. Maybe not her per se, but the inheritor of the lineage. That means...
    She scowls at the thought. "How many other people would be looking for me?" she asks. "Should I be worried that I might be a high value target?" See? /Some/ of Mystique's paranoia has rubbed off on her. "How did /he/ find me anyway? If we know then maybe we can erase my tracks..."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
The pacing resumes, though she moves slowly, a sauntering pace really.

"As I told you before Lydia, there are enemies to the Coven," she begins. "There are those who would like to kill you before you can gain access to your ancestral power, thankfully for you however, you do not radiate that power like a lighthouse."

When she stops this time, she is directly behind Lydia's chair. "He found you because he had access to my blood, and we are linked in our ancestors. Other would not have been able to find you without that key, thus you need not worry about them at this time. Once you have joined the Coven however, it will become something to concern yourself over, but only when you are on this planet. In space, obviously you are free of that. There are a number of incantations and wards that will protect you, and you will learn them."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    So this is the downside to joining the coven. Something Lydia will have to consider before doing so. "I don't really relish the thought of spending most of my time on the Asteroid," she admits, turning in her chair to face Isabella. "I love my apartment and the homey feel of it. Don't get me wrong. I love the Asteroid but it still feels alien to me."
    "I don't want to bring the coven's enemies to the Brotherhood, either." she says. "They're two parts of my lives, sure, but I'd rather that they remain separate. Just as I wouldn't ask the Brotherhood to become involved with Coven business, I wouldn't ask the Coven to be involved in the Brotherhoods." She turns back around, and takes her tea, scowling. "I'd rather not have to choose between one or the other."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Isabella returns to walking, making a dismissive gesture with her hand.

"Do you really believe I would leave you unprotected, Lydia?" She offers, then turns so she can see the woman's face. "They are few and far between, and most reside in Europe. They still believe the 'New World' is filled with dangers they cannot fathom." She snorts softly, then returns to pacing. "You would be able to live your life as you always have, that is what the wards and incantations are all about. Once they are in place, you live as you always have."

Moving back around, she sits in the chair and offers Lydia a smile, "I merely mentioned the Asteroid because there, none of those things required there."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia considers this for a while. "That's good to know," she says. She's silent as she thinks about these things, weighing the pros and the cons. "I think," she says eventually, "that the next step for me is to meet the Coven, and to find out what the ritual entails. Then after that do a bit of thinking.
    She looks up at Isabella. "This is a big step. I have to weigh my options, and think on it." She allows herself a small grin as she admits, "I doubt that I'd think too long on it. There's only so much to go over, and I'm not one to be wishy-washy."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Isabella sits back in the chair and folds her hands in her lap.

"You have to go speak to Raven and determine if she finds the risk worth the reward, then you will decide for yourself if you agree or if it will be something you fight over. If it was just about learning magic, then you would merely accept, right here, right now. You would agree to meet the Coven and begin learning the foundation spells."

The expression on her face does not change, it remains that same smile and her eyes sparkle, "In your heart Lydia, you have already decided, but as I said before. I am patient, and in no hurry. Take care much times as you feel you need."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia winces, since Isabella seems to have hit the nail on the head. This /is/ something that she wants to do, and the question isn't whether or not she's deciding to go, but whether or not she can convince Raven the merits of it. She has to admit that the prospect that this could be their first real conflict has her nervous.
    "You seem to know me better than I know myself," Lydia says with a rueful grin. "I /do/ want to meet the rest of the coven, though. We can set that up at least."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
The Italian woman's head tilts slightly as she watches Lydia, studying her, and then she merely nods.

"I know you because I have seen your soul," she comments with a smile. "Your soul is not all the different from my own, we /are/ family after all."

Standing up again she walks over to the desk and opens one of the drawers, from it she pulls a tablet. "We must give them at least a week to gather, so when would be a good time to ask for them to gather?"

She looks up from the tablet, "Also, I know Raven, or rather those like her. She would protect you from yourself, and attempt to keep you as far away from danger as possible. She may permit you to do some things, but when it comes down to it, as you will see, the truly dangerous things she will do alone."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia sighs, as she stands, putting the forgotten books in the chair, and stowing away the journal, unused. This wasn't exactly how she expected the conversation would go, but it had been enlightening nonetheless.
    "You're right, of course. She hasn't felt this way towards somebody in a long while and she's afraid of losing that." She gives Isabella a sad smile. "We'll have a talk. I'm sure that I can convince her."
    "As for when we should meet up with the coven..." she thinks, "Perhaps a week and a half from now? That would make it the Wednesday after next. That should give us plenty of time."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Isabella gestures toward the books as she says, "Feel free to take them with you." then she types something into the tablet.

"Love is sometimes the most powerful magic of all," she continues, then sets the tablet back in the drawer. "It can be used for good or evil, just as any other emotion or power can. Ten days from today, Cairo, Egypt. I can allow you to teleport there, but from there you and I must go by camel to the sacred location to meet them."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    "Oh!" Lydia says in surprise, not expecting to be offered the books. She takes them and slips them into her oversized purse to nestle in beside her journal. "Thank you! I'm sure I can learn a lot from those alone."
    She pulls out her phone, and enters into it the time and place in which they meet. "I've never ridden a camel before. This should be exciting! I truly can't wait."
    When done, she puts the phone away and clasps her hands in front of her at the waist. "Thank you for meeting me," she says. "And for the books. It's been a pleasure."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Isabella walks around the desk and offers her hand to Lydia.

"For you Lydia, I am always available. Take great care of the journal," she indicates the one with all the signatures. "And do not leave it in the sun, it is older than you can can imagine. I hope that your talk with Raven goes well, and that there are no problems between you because of this."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
    Lydia takes Isabella's hand in her own. "I'll be careful with it," she promises. "This isn't the first book this old that I've gotten a hold of, so I've got just the place for it where it won't see any daylight." She shakes her head ruefully, "I don't have anywhere that's humidity controlled though, to keep proper care of it."
    "I'm sure there won't be any problems," Lydia says, perhaps naively, as she moves to go. "Have a good night!"