"Those who are less worthy of my hand, yet still worthy of serving me, for the most part."

"I had heard rumors you were traveling with a mortal pet, my dear. Did you grow tired of it so quickly?"

"Well, you know mortals. So sadly fragile."

"You always were one to break your toys."

Her hands clench at her sides before she forces them back into relaxation.

"I trust you've been making progress on our great work?"

"As much as I could alone, my dear. Our Lord wishes us to rule together, though, and the road is not meant to be walked by one." He gestures to a throne beside him - her mother's, once. "Come, join me."

She takes a step into the room, stops. "I've never liked that chair."

"A remodel will be easy enough," he says. "You may stand by me instead, if you wish."

"Hmm." She walks slowly along the side of the room, looking down her nose at the lesser vampires filling the court.

He tolerates this, smiling to himself. (The lesser vampires eye her, but don't challenge her - not here.)

She pauses by one-

-and rips their head off.

The vampires nearby flinch away from her, some gesturing as if about to attack, but -

Harkon laughs. Those near her target seem suddenly more wary of opposing her, giving her a wide berth.

"Really, dear? At the dinner table?"

"I didn't like the look of that one."

Small smile. "A fitting punishment, for not looking upon you with respect. But, come. No more of this dawdling." He gestures beside him.

"No."

"Oh?"

"No, I will not be joining you."

"I would not have thought you one to repeat your mother's folly."

"You never did understand me very well."

"A pity. You could have ruled, and yet you have chosen weakness."

He gestures with both hands, sending a powerful thunderbolt lancing at her, and dark shadows writhe around him like a cloak as he begins shifting into his Vampire Lord form.

She slams up a ward and starts her own shift.

He takes off into the air and follows it up with a storm of lightning, curling around her ward. The vampires around them scatter.

It hurts-

-but not enough to stop her. She rips the energy from the other vampires to bolster her ward while she gets in position to set up an attack.

He reaches out one clawed hand, a red haze wrapping around her throat, yanking her toward him - even if briefly, just enough to disrupt her - 

Her ward falters as she bats it away-