Dreadlords Cordial Affairs

[Saderzaine Vult]

However morbidly interesting the whole thing with Kael and Marcia probably was, it felt like he would miss something big if he failed to take his opportunity to join in on this "bet" thing. Before even going over, though, he tried to get a grasp on exactly who he was dealing with. There was that Limont fellow, Naser, Norah and Yuric. Quite the gathering to walk into, but he figured that he could handle it. He uncorked his cordial and drank from it for a moment, walking over to the seemingly growing group in the corner.

Limont didn't even bother being sneaky about looking over, so Sader guessed that whatever this bet was, it had something to do with what was happening behind him. There was really only one thing that would make for a decent bet, and now knowing what it was gave Sader a bit more confidence. Norah was saying some stuff as he came closer, something about betting Marcia would dance with someone. "I overheard you four making a bet. Can I get in on it?" he asked, deciding that at this point he would have to commit.

There was, of course, always the good chance he would get utterly ignored. However, such a thing didn't quite concern him. If they wanted to keep it closed to themselves, he'd just have to look for fun elsewhere. "If you'd allow it, I'll say...ten gold. I wager she dances with someone, but not Kael." he stated, picking a pouch from his pocket and taking out the coins to display them. Even if this was all just a game to him, that was no reason not to play by the rules.

If Kael succeeded in his quest that would actually be rather funny to watch, but Sader guessed that realistically his friend (probably friend, anyway) had moved a bit too quickly. That was from what he had caught before walking over, at least. He then realized he had sided with Norah but had never outlined quite what he wanted to win. "You don't owe me anything if I win, by the way. I'm just...very bored." He said with a yawn, a bit too tired to remain as formal as he usually was. Those in front of him likely weren't the type to care anyway, so why should he?

 

[Naser]

Nas didn't weigh in on the bet.

After the first few times pretty much everyone had caught on quickly that he'd already know the outcome. So as Norah and the others began to fill out around Limont he quickly stepped away. The flask in his hand was slipped into his coat, though only because of what he saw coming up the stairs in less than a minute. "Norah."

He said her name quickly, though flickered a warning that only the two of them would know.

Proctor. Nas spelled out, not in the flickering hand-signals of Dreadlords, but the Thieves cant both had been taught by the 'robber. The others could figure it out on their own.

Slipping passed the coming teacher with a respectful nod, Naser quickly moved along the edges of the balcony. Leaning against the railing far away from the others and watching the stream of Initiates down below. Amusement flickering through his eyes as he watched more head towards the drinks table.

"Gods." He complained to whatever deity would listen. "Please make this night a little fun."

 

[Kilien Basmarc]

This was the sort of carriage wreck conversation he hadn't seen in a while, and despite knowing social manners dictated he aught to give the couple some privacy, Kilien couldn't metaphorically look away. He nodded along - yes, this did indeed strike him as a date regardless of the fact that only one side of the party was aware of it. And yes, dates did tend to come first... before what? He wasn't sure. Usually before sex, maybe, but - eh, not always.

Honestly, knowing what he did of the hormonal gremlins within the Academy, dates rarely ever came first - usually the gremlins did.

He snorted at himself, lifted his free hand to take up another pastry from his plate only to wrap his fingers around air. When his eyes dipped to look, he surprised himself to realize he'd already eaten everything. Well shit - time for seconds! Maybe he'd get a cupcake for himself now that he'd already delivered Mar's.

"I still got that second dance - you can't hog her all night, Kael," he said to the pair of them with a grin and a wink before doing an about-face and marking his route back to the food table. On his way he happened to stride past where Sirelle de Saubonne and Elseth were engaging in some very serious girl-talk.

"Happy Natalis, ladies-" Kilien saluted them both as he walked by, grin persisting.

Maybe she thought everyone else was having a shitty evening, but not this mongrel.

 

[Marcia]

Proctor Pilleth and Grodt had been engaged in what seemed to be a light-hearted conversation bordering on uncharacteristically gleeful until the appearance of Initiate Larrainth and D'Armour forced them to assume their more serious demeanours of authority.

"Apple and elderflower."

"Spiced pear."

They had both said in unison before looking at one another, barely suppressing the amusement that tickled at the edges of their lips, which, again, was rather peculiar. In a turn of great fortune, there were two favoured flavours and two Initiates, so the Proctors took the initiative to pour a glass of each before setting them before the girl.

"It's quite refreshing."

"It's warming."

They once again said simultaneously, causing Proctor Grodt to snort. His bald head bobbled as the man began to chuckle, Pilleth's moustache twitching as he barely kept it together.

How strange.

---

It wasn't a definitive answer.

Whether or not a date occurred before or after a dance was not really what was being called into question, and Marcia did not want to figure out the details, not now, not tomorrow, not ever. Before even replying to Kael, her strangely sweaty hands clamped down hard on his wrist to stop him from claiming her with the corsage.

Honk!

Basmarc was about as helpful as a bag of dicks, as he spoke about hogging her as if she were a commodity for boys to hog in the first place. She was a fucking Dreadlord Academy Initiate, moulded as a weapon of war to be wielded against Vel Anir's enemies! She wasn't some... girl... to be danced with! Her head swivelled, and she observed the arse-polishing bandit abandon her, swanning past Sirelle, who got the full brunt of her perplexed, distressed, and furious stare.

Honk!

"Kael," she began, looking back at his still-perplexingly radiant visage. Was he glowing? The edges of the Initiate's head seemed to emanate a soft light. Marcia couldn't help but wonder if he was using his powers of transformation to appear more appealing in pursuit of a dance and a date. Or a date and a dance. Or... fuck it. Her brow creased, face turning stern (her natural expression), and she opened her mouth to deliver the verdict.

"This is not a date, and I do not-"

Honk!

"Is there a fucking goose here?!" Marcia suddenly hissed at Kael, pulling him closer (if he hadn't evaded her sweaty hands) to her face, her eyes shifting back and forth on the hunt for a goose.

A goose that did not exist.

 

[Kael]

There was a flurry of emotions going through the shapeshifter. Kilien had left the pair alone, but the covering of her wrists? The tone she held afterwards?

It must have been like that, hunh?

But then her expression changed, and Kael was rapidly pulled to Marcia’s face with sweaty palms. And what’s more, she mentioned the goose.

Unfortunately for all parties involved, Bhelen Kraghammer was the author of How to woo Human Women as a Dwarven Man. Bhelen was not a sociologist, psychologist, therapist, or anyone who approached a problem with statistical significance. Instead he wrote his treatise based on his lived experience. Specifically romancing his wife Beatrice in the village of Dulak. Dulak was very dependent on the Reik, a domesticated herd animal, economically. The Reik would only mate once a year, specifically when the local species of goose returned from migration. Thus the goose became a revered symbol of fertility. Bhelen thus generalized a local custom, the private mentioning of a goose being an extremely aggressive signal, to all humankind. Kael took this as gospel, and was notably took phrases such as ‘your goose is cooked’ very differently than their true meaning.

Thus, when Marcia pulled him close to her face and mentioned the goose Kael got the very explicit message to skip the foreplay of a dance. Which, to Kael’s understanding , was rather on brand. Kael responded by wrapping a hand behind Marcia’s head, pulling it forward, leaning in, and pressing his lips to hers.

Assuming of course Marcia hadn’t laid him on the ground.

 

[Fabien 'King' D'Amour]

King's smirk lingered on Avery as she fled. Pursuing wasn't his style, and the point had been made. So arm in arm he traipsed across the floor with Vittoria, the drink table before them.
"I suppose," he answered her question in a bored tone, watching as the two odd proctors filled a pair of cups. Their demeanor seemed strange, but perhaps they were just enjoying the night. King didn't really care.

"The pear, if you would," he said flatly, accepting one of the cups. More initiates filtered in, and King continued to observe. Sirelle and Elseth stood out among them, King's eyes trailing after the blond over the rim of his cup as he took a sip.

By now Avery's mention of Marcia receiving a corsage had finally set in, and his gaze snapped in that direction. That Kael boy (of all people) was chatting her up, and while initially King's thoughts settled immediately to "barking up the wrong tree..." he couldn't help but notice Marcia's face going red and her distant shouting.

"By the fucking gods, is Marcia getting flustered by a boy?.." King mused to Vittoria.

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

Her hands held her cup, poised at her lips by the time King brought to her attention to Marcia.

It took only a second to understand what was truly happening, and the boy held the girl firm and left no room for error as he placed his lips onto Marcia's. A devil's smile curved upon Vittoria's lips, her smile wicked and laced with awaiting taunts. Oh! This would be quite the source of entertainment this night!

Vittoria was unabashedly watching, waiting and witnessing what was to happen next. Lifting her cup back to her lips, the Unmaker took a hearty swig of her beverage. "Thank you most kindly for your recommendations, Proctors."

Her arm locked with King's drawing close enough and slowly that Marcia would be able to spy them both from her peripherals if she panicked enough.

But if not...

"Well, I thought the tradition was to kiss the nearest person after cutting the birthday cake, that is if the knife touches the bottom of the cake..."

 

[Avery]

Avery had finally braved approaching Limont.

She had to quickly finish the contents of her wine that Kael had handed her, but it seemed to give her a rush of courage with the lingering bitterness in her mouth. Kress. This certainly was a bad idea.

Clearing her throat, loitering nearby, Avery was staring at him. "Happy Natalis, Limont. I think Kael got me a glass of... wine? I think... And I was wondering, no... I was thinking... what were the chances of getting another? I really think a second would help me put up with the Terrible Two on their rounds."

Then, she smiled. Avery had a very pretty smile. Perhaps that would sweeten the deal?

 

[Marcia]

Limont joined the others in nonchalantly leaning against the balcony railing in a scattered formation to observe the absolute disaster unfolding below them. He did not need to hide the drink in his hand since he'd enchanted his flask with his powers of invisibility.

A glance over his shoulder a few moments later revealed that the Proctor patrol had passed but now lingered the hesitant form of Avery, clearing her throat as if it would have killed her to say 'hey'.

What a fuckin' wreck. At least she was easy on the eyes.

He offered her a crooked grin that revealed a flash of a silver tooth, courtesy of a sparring session in which he was paired with Blake. He'd swallowed his real canine, but what better excuse to get a sterling replacement?

"Not enough wine in the world to put up with those wankstains," he drawled before pushing himself off of the railing and wandering over to the obscured bottles and picking up, well, one of them. The drawback of invisible bottles. "I'll top you up, love," Limont continued, his hand feeling out for the rim of the enchanted glass in her hand, "but you're going to owe me a favour."

A devious wink as his lanky frame towered over her, a fresh glass now poured for the walking tragedy.

"I'll cash out when you come back for your next one, eh?"

---

It happened in a flash.

The moment Kael's hand touched the back of her head, Marcia was already reaching for the knife that usually occupied a space at her belt, the instincts of rigorous training kicking in. Unfortunately, there wasn't a knife. There was, however, a boy now firmly attached to her lips.

Honk!?

Had she died?

Was this one of the fabled realms of hell, more specifically, the one with all the shame and humiliation?

For the longest three seconds of her life, the diminutive Initiate was stun-locked, caught somewhere between the surreal unravelling of this evening and the absolUTE FUCKING AUDACITY! Both of her sweaty hands shot up and clamped onto the side of Kael's head (unless he had the foresight to dodge), and she moved to pull his head (and, more importantly, lips) away from hers.

Marcia's eyes were wide and wild, fully dilated pupils now boring a hole of barely tempered fury through Kael. Were her hands still gripping the sides of his head, he might have noticed her thumbs hovering, resisting the urge to press through his eyes and into the boy's brain. His eyes. Irises swirling in a hypnotic rhythm. Something was wrong. However, there were more pressing matters to attend to.

Honk!

"WHY?" Came the strangled word from her throat before a familiar voice pierced the scene and turned the girl's blood to fucking acid. No. Not now. Not Vittoria fucking Larrainth and perpetual bum chum Fabien D'Amour. It had to be the hells. It couldn't be real life.

Still holding his head (had he not evaded or escaped), Marcia turned like a possessed owl to look upon the smug cunt of a sociopath who was making blithe remarks about cutting cakes. Even those rancid twats were exuding a radiance that far outweighed their rotted fucking souls. Was the world always this colourful? The Initiate now deeply regretted her promise to herself not to be a source of violence tonight.

"Would you kindly fuck off and die?" The Initiate responded in a barely restrained hiss, the words only slipping through the gaps in clenched teeth.

HONK!

 

[Avery]

Were her cheeks red from blushing or this sensation that overcame her? She had thought the wine would not truly affect her so soon, but Avery's face broke into a too wide grin as Limont invited her to see him for another round.

And to collect on a favour.

Was it to dance? In Proctor Urahil's Etiquette lessons, the dancing classes were always her favourite to learn. She was good, making the connection between footwork in combat with dancing, and always knew how to move her body to the tune of the song being played. Of course, there was no pianoforte being played by the Proctor, but there was to be dancing.

That had been a change this Natalis, with the musicians providing some slow songs that accompanied the first hours of mingling.

"Of.... course...." She trailed, watching after Limont as he went on his way.

 

[Norah]

Norah's eyes watched where Saderzaine Vult took out his coins. Limont looked mildly interested.

"It's a bet," with a chesire grin, Norah swiped those coins away. A glance up at Naser's warning. And like Limont and the others, she scattered. With hands shoved in pockets that were fuller than when she came here, she offered a polite nod to the proctor and hurried down the stairs. Ducking past Avery as Limont made his moves on her.

Just in time to see Marcia go full-on lip lock with Kael. She didn't stare, though. She focused on those who were staring and went to brush by them. Quick hands dipping into pockets as she went. Looking for the key she knew was out there and one she very much needed.

 

[VigiloConfido]

Up high and clinging to the edges of a tall window's nook an innocent creature gazed with its independent eyes, now into the hall hosting the Natalis celebration, now into the night's gloom behind it.

A simple chameleon. Loose on the Academy grounds. It had a name: Komuni. For many days had it wandered about the Academy, masterless, and it had gone largely unnoticed.

It climbed now with its grasping hands away from the window, outside the hall and down the building's exterior, bobbing back and forth as it went according to the curious nature of its kind. It disappeared at its leisurely pace into the dark.

But the night of Natalis would mark the last night Komuni would spend on the Academy grounds. The small creature would not be seen again. No final glimpses.

For it would be taken.

 

[Kael]

Kael made no attempt to move away from the physical direction provided by Marcia. It was perhaps more direct than was typical on a first date, but neither of them were typically people. Not to mention the confusion behind if this was a date in the first place. The girls eyes were filled with a fury and passion that were almost intoxicating. In another venue Kael would have recognized the girl was not herself, but here and now? Every oddity could be swept under the rug of a new experience for the both of them.

She asked the simplest, yet most open ended question in the world. Why. It was a question he could have discussed over the better part of an hour, if not more, but Kael knew instinctively he had only a moment, a first impression.

“To put it as simply as possible.” He said, hinting at more, but keeping brevity. “You’re the toughest son a bitch in this place by a country mile.” He looked over Marcia 's face, tracing her scars with eyes. “And nothing could be more attractive to me.”

He then saw her skull move in a way he didn't think humans could normally, before cursing Larrainth and D'Amour. He pondered for a moment how to help her, and decided it was her fight, to be fought on her terms.

"If you need to fight I'll stand with you. However you choose to engage the field."

 

[Saderzaine Vult]

A lot of things happened all in a moment. Marcia became increasingly flustered and then asked loudly about a goose, which was not quite the super-romantic direction he imagined Kael wanting this to go. In fact, it didn't sound all that romantic at all. From what Sader could see of Marcia's face, it wasn't. Well, that was that, huh? He hadn't heard any news that Marcia and Kael had ever really done much hanging out together, so it was no wonder he was effectively shot down. In a place as scummy as this, gossip always followed a good match.

Well, that's what the boy thought before his expectations were shattered. Kael did perhaps the stupidest thing Sader could imagine doing and kissed her. He did what? Kael did...what? Sader momentarily blinked just to make sure he wasn't having a hallucination and walked back over as he had already done once before. He arrived just in time to hear Kael make a comment about fighting alongside her and how attractive she was. Those words from his mouth after what he just did had a special interaction with Sader's logic-focused mindset, in that they were hilariously, incredibly wrong.

Beyond that all, there was a feeling of creeping anger. It didn't really matter that it was Marcia, even. He guessed he probably would've felt the same way if Kael had done this to Vittoria. Well, in that case the boy would posthaste be a bag of inverted skin and bones, but the scenario still applied. He stepped forward, determined to stop the situation. "Kael. A blind person could read a book better than you have read this situation. She is not happy, and you did an awful thing." he spoke, just imagining Eli getting harassed like this only deepening his emotions.

"Get away before you embarrass yourself and your name any more than you already have. What the fuck were you even thinking?" His voice was calm, but his expression was darker than he was willing to bet (once again, haha) anyone had ever seen before. It wasn't even that he was trying to be some kind of knight in shining armor, because he knew Marcia would hate that (Hell, she couldn't even handle the word "lady"). It was just that this whole thing seemed so weird. The man he had become friends with had to be better than this, right? Were his character-guessing skills truly so off?

Kael

 

[Fabien 'King' D'Amour]

By far the funniest series of events King had witnessed in years unfolded before his very eyes. He wasn't sure what the best part was, the kiss itself or the reactions to it. All he did know was that he thought he might die from second hand embarrassment if it weren't so gods-be-damned hilarious.

King had to try very hard not to choke on his cordial as laughter shook him. He pointed at Marcia as he did, pausing only to wipe a tear from his eye.
"Her face! Kress, that was fucking priceless! And here I thought this whole thing would be a massive waste of time."

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

"Would you kindly fuck off and die?"

Vittoria grinned widely, charmed and entertained by the smaller Initiate.

It would seem the quartet hired for this Natalis not only supplied music for the event, but now moved towards more lively music meant for dance. She threw a perplexed expression towards King, "Do you ever remember Natalis to ever hold dancing?"

After all, Proctor Urahil's classes had covered plenty of dances in her bi-weekly classes. One class was always dedicated to dancing and ball etiquette, the other on theory, history, and demonstration. Vittoria always adored such order and manners, and had some hope for her classmates for their attention to such a class.

"I am afraid I will not partake in such an activity this evening." She murmured, pausing by the outskirts of activities and released her friend's arm. Vittoria took another measured sip from her cordial, enjoying the flavours. A better choice than wine, a better evening that will be spent on having entire control on herself. "But if someone here catches your fancy, then I encourage you to enjoy yourself at least, King."

 

[Marcia]

In another place, in another time, Marcia might have actually been flattered by Kael's confession. Who didn't want to be called the toughest son of a bitch? Being attractive was irrelevant; being acknowledged as tough was meaningful, at least through her eyes.

Would it have given him a chance at dating her? Never. Still, it was the thought that counted.

Honk!

Even the goose agreed.

Vult interjected, much to her horror, as the zone of attention seemed to be a vortex she was currently sitting atop. Marcia only had herself to blame, having admonished the boy for not stepping up and standing out. It was a black hole of infinite, beautiful terrors. She wanted to scream, 'NOT NOW' but found her mouth agape as D'Amour pointed and laughed like a dickhead, and Vittoria just gave her a smile that was as unnerving as it was infuriating.

HONK!

The music picked up pace. She was sweating. Kael was ready to do battle? The hall was too bright. The people in it were too colourful. Could they do battle? Her palms were sodden, still attached to the other boy's head, and yet her mouth was so very dry. No, no violence tonight. The goose was so loud.

"I am in a nightmare," she hissed, turning back to look at Kael before shaking his noggin a bit. "None of this is real."

Did she just say that? Out loud? What the fuck was going on!?

"I need to go." Marcia suddenly scrambled, practically tripping out of her chair while letting go of the boy and getting to her feet in a movement that was quite unlike the usual blunt girl whose mistakes were even made with iron certainty. "I'm coming down with something." She made it about three steps away before turning on her heel and lunging back at the table to grab her cup. "It could be contagious." It was all very frantic and messy; she spun too far and found herself facing Sader. Even he was consumed by the angelic, ever-shifting prism of light and colour. "Fuck!" Marcia pivoted once more and made her escape. "If any of you follow me, you will die."

HONK?

She hadn't really planned on fleeing, not accounting for where her feet would carry her. The diminutive Initiate found herself scurrying to one of the corners of the hall, where she promptly slid down against the wall and took a long, hard drink of cordial.

 

[Colt Pirian]

Colt let out a deep breath as he walked onto the stage. He sat down alone on an empty stool, taking another breath as he pulled his guitar from behind his shoulder. Magic should coarse through the air in the dining hall as a an articulate air seemed to create a wall for his instrument to echo upon.

Without so much as a word or an announcement Colt would begin to play. Initiates would reach hands to one another as they joined for the first dance of the night.

 

[Kael]

Well, that didn't go as expected. In retrospect, nothing really had. He had been prepared for failure. From Kael's perspective Marcia was a highly desirable mate, and he understood not being similarly high on the social ladder. What he did not prepare for was such indeterminacy. He expected that Marcia would react violently, or passionately, or both, or taciturn, but not try to escape. Nor was he prepared to deal with wonder-boy playing white knight for the woman with a reputation for keeping a headbutt count.

Then the music began to play, and Kael recognized his opportunity was gone.

"I see my mistake." He replied to Saderzaine Vult, before a hand, or was it a claw? grabbed at Sader's lapel, bringing him closer to Kael. The shapeshifter's left hand turned a molten brown as it launched at Sader's gut. Armed with the strength of a stone djinn, earth genasi, rock elemental, or whatever human's called the creature, Kael exhibited considerably more strength than anyone at the Academy had ever seen from him before. Shifting only parts of his anatomy, and borrowing strength from a creature of some magical inclination.

If Kael attained the strength of his wildest hopes Sader would have flown backwards, away from the shapeshifter and right into Fabien 'King' D'Amour. Of course, he might not have achieved that much strenght, and Sader might have been able to avoid some or all of the blow.

In any case, Sader now had a fight on his hands. It was time for the Goblin to demonstrate some strength.

 

[Kilien Basmarc]

"I am afraid I will not partake in such an activity this evening."

"What activity?" said the voice of Kilien Basmarc from behind Vittoria Larrainth and Fabien 'King' D'Amour. While stopping by the food table again, he'd laid eyes on her through the crowd not far away from the area he'd only just left. Navigating behind them to get around the other people, he nabbed a cut flower from a vase along the way.

It was just a small flower, one of the sprigs used to balance out the larger and more robust blooms. White of color and delicate of petal, he'd stripped away the multi-stems to leave just a single bunch of three at the top.

His arm looped around Vitt's open side, hand holding said flower as he leaned in over her shoulder to speak a few low words in her ear, "You look really pretty."

A glance was given next to Fabian with a casual nod of greeting and a grin, "Hey. Happy Natalis, man."

 

[Avery]

"Hurry now!" A Proctor smiled too wide than normal. "Time to dance! All of you! Yes, you, Initiate Cathaior!"

Her hand tightened around the unseen glass, smiling sheepishly and nodding. The Proctor ushered her back into the fold of the main area of the celebrations, where the floor was clearing for dancing. Avery had somehow promised to dance with Kael, but before she could beeline for him, the Proctor drew her up before King, Vittoria, and Kilien.

She stiffened, downing her drink before them all but the Proctor did not catch the strangeness of her drinking nothing to be seen. In fact, they smiled upon King. "Perfect! You two may partner and start us off!"

And promptly left, leaving Avery feeling a buzz she mistook for adrenaline. "I should go see if Kael wanted that dance he asked for... Better him than you, D'Amour." But if she walked away, the Proctor would return and leave no choice between both Initiates.

Perhaps too insistent, but they had been drinking the cordial with Pilleth and Grodt, not Limont's wine reserves.

 

[Fabien 'King' D'Amour]

King wiped a tear of joy from his eye as Marcia fled the room, his raucous laughter finally dwindling away. He hardly noticed the odd way that light was refracting through the little bead of liquid on the end of his figure as he washed his little giggle fit down with another mouthful of cordial.

With a sigh of relief he glanced to Vittoria.
"I can't say that I do, no. I imagine they want to socialize us more at these sorts of things, keep us from turning into sociopaths and all that," his gaze returned to the crowd in front of them, harsh and judgmental. "Please...I doubt anyone here will meet my standards. I believe I'll spend the night here by your side, in actually good company."

"What activity?"

The D'Amour boy's entire body went on edge as he recognized the sound of that voice. He turned and watched with barely disguised animosity and disgust as the mongrel himself, Kilien Basmarc, dared to lay hands on Vittoria. If he didn't know that his dear friend fancied the vagrant he might have gutted him on the spot.

In fact, at the very least he wanted to deliver some very choice words to him. "Don't fucking address me, you cur," sprang to mind, in that order, but Vittoria had asked him to be civil with Basmarc. He instead produced the most forced, pained smile Kilien had likely ever seen and managed to speak politely through his grimace.
"Yes...well met, I'm sure..."

Without warning and before King had any time to process the sudden intrusion, a Proctor had practically shoved Cathoir into his arms and instructed them to dance together. His grimace morphed into an irritable sneer.
"Oh, you must be fucking joking," he openly complained, but the Proctor would hear none of it.

"I'm not asking, D'Amour. Evangeline was very clear that you were to participate. Defy me and you'll be dealing with consequences from both of us," the Proctor retorted.

King's disgusted mien fell back upon Avery once more. He reluctantly offered his hand to dance, looking as though it physically pained him to do so.
"If I catch some sort of flesh-eating disease from this I'll make sure yours is a thousand times more painful, Lowborn."

 

[Avery]

Kress, must be quite the grief to have one's sister be a Proctor, but Avery was never going to afford that sort of pity on King D'Amour.

Their expressions matched, like two cats curling their lips back to reveal their teeth moments before they hissed at one another.

Against all sense, Avery put her hand in his. She rolled her eyes, expression turning sour as turned to face the space dedicated to dancing. "I am sure I can muster up something gods awful with my magic if you say please." Scathing, she reserved her words with a sidelong glance towards him. It was not the first time King had called her as such, for in fact she was low of birth, besides growing into features that were favoured of the nobility.

Her eyes then dart to Vittoria, and the hand Kilien Basmarc had around her. "Oh. Well isn't that something?" Avery never thought she would ever see the day, in fact, it was hard not to stare at the oddness of such a coupling. "How long ago did she replace you as her favourite?"

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

How Vittoria Larrainth's face turned warm, smiling as Kilien Basmarc whispered at her ear.

She had become so entranced by him that she entirely missed the scene of a Proctor shoving Avery Cathaoir into King's arms to dance.

"Well... Now that I know there is someone of significant skill in dance, perhaps I may change my mind on the thought."

Strange... here arms felt weightless. In fact, she was so focused on the oddness that she brought them up slowly before dropping them onto Kilien's shoulders with a love drunk grin. "You are not going to refuse me a dance, are you, Kilien?"

Her cup, now unattended on a nearby table, was only left with a quarter of what she had been served, but unbeknownst to her, it was strong enough to effect her thoughts. Of course, she would blame it all on the newfound feelings uncovered by spending time with Kilien, and despite the stares they would receive, Vittoria leaned forward to kiss the tip of his nose.

 

[Marcia]

In the corner, Marcia remained static.

It was more than evident that something was horribly wrong. If the phantom goose that honked from unperceivable directions had not made that obvious, then the fact that all of her peers had become resplendent beacons of light and colour cemented that fact.

HONK!

She was torn into several parts.

The Initiate, Marcia, whose priority was to seek out a Proctor and inform them that she was either very sick or had quite possibly been poisoned. Although, looking up at the drinks table, there was a distinct absence of Proctor Pilleth and Grodt, who, unbeknownst to her, were crouched down behind it and giggling like churlish girls as they traded the uncharitable nicknames they had personally assigned to eat Initiate.

Then, there was the teenage girl buried deep beneath layers of duty-hardened steel who had just received her first kiss from a boy she had no romantic inclination towards in front of not only her peers but two of the people she detested the most in the entire realm. Mortified. Humiliated. Frozen.

H o n k !

Lastly, but most prominently, sitting on the floor in the corner was a person beginning to feel the full effects of the blotched belly mushroom. She stared down at the cup still in her hand, her throat incredibly dry but her mind suspecting she had found the culprit.

Her reflection in the cordial stared back.

Suddenly, her perspective split into two, four sets of eyes caught in a feedback loop that stretched into eternity. Normally, it felt as natural as breathing, but now, under a maddening shroud, it was different. Her thoughts were going to places ridiculous and sublime. Was a reflection just a reflection? Or was a mirror image another entity entirely?

"Hello," Marcia whispered to her reflection, leaning her head closer to the cup while her mirror image remained static in silent appraisal. "Are... are you me?"