Dressen: *sits, crosses his legs, and glares across the room at the others*
Elaina: *hands Cole his drink and leans close* Charlene really wanted him here for this post?
Dressen: I’d say she knows who the most driven of her characters is. Yes, Elaina. I heard you.
James: Drive has nothing to do with this topic.
Cole: Most driven. *mumbles* Nobody’s more driven than I am.
Dressen: I’ll grant you that you are determined concerning Anna. But you underestimate me, Cole Shilo.
Elaina: *blinks at him timidly* What does that mean?
Dressen: I’ve been at this game a long time. I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up at an early age and I saw to it that I achieved that dream. Weak minded morals never got in my way. And I’ll have one of those fine Ambrosias from Meridian.
Elaina: Oh, sure, Lord Dressen. *rushes to get him a drink*
Vincent: And what would that dream be? A self-serving, manipulative gloat?
Dressen: I get what I want.
Vincent: At the expense of others.
James: *holds up a hand to quiet Vincent* Let’s hold off on all that. That’s not why we’re here.
Vincent: And why are we here? If Charlene wanted Dressen to talk to the blog readers she could have just invited him to her office and leave us out of it.
Dressen And forego all this entertaining bantering? *chuckles* She knows what she’s doing.
James: Perhaps she wanted everyone’s input. Elaina, we’ll start with you.
Elaina: *blinks to the side and turns red* Um, come back to me. I think I need to think about this. *hands Dressen the ambrosia*
James: Okay, Vincent.
Vincent: I used to want to train gilrues. The first time Father took us to a show, I wanted to take one home with me.
Dressen: *cocks an eye* What’s a gilrue?
James: They’re similar to a seal.
Dressen: You wanted to train sea creatures? *nods with a cooked grin* Charming.
Vincent: *growls and sparks dance along his fists*
James: Well, I wanted to travel to the stars.
Elaina: An astronaut? Really, James?
Dressen: Well, Sir Cole, I believe that leaves you. And I must say I’m looking forward to your youthful dreams.
Cole: * looks at his glass as he swirls the liqueur* I wanted to write. Adventure, mystery.
Dressen: *smiles* A writer. I would be very interested in reading one of your works.
Vincent: *scowls* What’s going on?
Dressen: Pardon me?
Vincent: You’re being awfully…nice.
Dressen: *shrugs* You all merely confirmed that Charlene chose correctly when she asked me to do this post. Each of you had dreams as a child that were simply that. Dreams. As a child, I wanted it all. Trained servants to do my bidding. The senior position in the Grand Marshal’s court. *looks into Cole’s eyes* A woman dedicated solely to me. And I saw to it that I achieved it.
Cole: *jumps to his feet and forces his thoughts to their minds* You’ll not have her!
Vincent: *neon flares arch from his fists*
James: *waves a hand and an opalescent barrier divides the room, separating them from Dressen*
Elaina: *gasps, eyes wide* Magic! *all look at her and she nods wildly* That’s what I wanted when I was little. And…and now I see it everyday!
Dressen: *chuckles and stands* It seems I’ve been exceeded. *raises his glass to Elaina then sets it on the end table* I’ll take my leave.