Private Tales The Finer Points

[Eamon Thorne]

Alliria
House Archton's Keep

This was not his usual scene.

He didn't really enjoy feasts and parties where the wine flowed and people made merry. But ever since he returned to the city after his long absence he had been reconnecting with people from his past. Specifically the ones who knew who he truly was. People like Nat and people like the Lord Archton, who several decades ago had first given him an introduction to the Rangers.

After all this time the Lord had grown old and weary, but he had been happy enough to find out that Eamon was still alive after his disappearance.

An invitation had been sent fast and Eamon couldn't very well decline. But at the very least he stayed to the sidelines. A quick greeting at the start with the old Lord, a promise that they'd have a longer discussion about everything Eamon had missed after the party was over, it was all the socialization that Eamon had to put up with.

So he stood there at the table with the drinks and the food.

A tankard in his hand and he barely noticed a woman settling in next to him. Not until he bumped into Aristeia Darke when he turned for another refill. "Oh, excuse me." Then a blink as Eamon took Aris in.

"Damn, are you a princess or something?"

It was immediately clear that Eamon had little to do with the finer points of diplomacy and grace.

 

[Aristeia Darke]

Being guests of honours to a party was well and good, but the commotion and the large quantities of bodies about was only a recipe of disdain for the younger Aszai. Lorelei knew how to command a room, and with all her wishes to be like her sister, Aristeia had a different path in life.

A Priestess that liked her rituals, but in this city it proved difficult to upkeep the same habits.

Until this party. Cosmetics, dresses, and shoes, all of which had been offered to her to pick and choose and Aristeia felt like her old self again. Until the very party... She kept to the edges, walking about the room for the umpteenth time before someone turned into her. She scowled, ready to smite the offender with a scathing look, but the man had been the first to speak.

Surprise fluttered across her face, and she blinked at the man. "A Princess?" She laughed derisively. "Not quite."

 

[Eamon Thorne]

He looked her up and down.

"You sure? You have the look of it." Said lightly as he went back to pouring himself another tankard while carrying the conversation. "As if one of your gazes could burn a person alive... and that that is only correct." Taking a sip from his tankard and smiling softly.

"My name is Eamon Thorne. You having as much fun here as I do?"

Thorne didn't offer a hand because frankly he wasn't sure if that would be welcomed. That scowl that had been about to rip his throat out was gone for now, but that didn't mean much.

It could always return.

Aristeia Darke

 

[Aristeia Darke]

Perhaps she should be impressed his compliments and expectations of a princess was to be nothing frilly and all parties as she had thought he meant. The fact he saw her as something dangerous only humoured the Aszai, and her eyes shifted to the dancing and partiers.

"Fun at these sort of soirees?" There was a heavy judgement in her voice, and her expression showed that she did not believe such a thing could happen on this night. "There is a difference on spectacles being made. Parties are an illusion, and all that attention expected..."

She had not introduced herself. Aristeia now had no intention of having this man know her name, or what she was. Alliria at least was full of strangers, and it was easier to remain just that.

 

[Eamon Thorne]

Aristeia Darke

He smirked there.

"Yeah, I don't find much enjoyment out of these places either." Eamon drawled as he watched her closely. She did seem a touch judgemental, which only underlined the possibility that she was a princess. But the shock had seemed genuine when he offered it as a possibility.

High nobility then?

"Oh, are they, yes?" Said with a smile as he shrugged. "If parties are an illusion, what is real then, my Lady?"

A little bit of a challenge.

Something told him she wasn't used to being challenged in any way.

 

[Aristeia Darke]

Her eyes narrowed as her head whipped to pierce him with her pale grey stare. "Oh?" She feigned sweetness to her voice, not needing to use her allure to wrap his attention to her words when it seemed she had already piqued his interest. "Is it not that obvious, Eamon Thorne?"

She shook her head so that the waterfall of white hair glistened at her back, her eyes now looking back to the people. "The reality of all of this is that everyone here is being watched. Futures could be made here on this night, but no one knows what for or why."

Her eyes flicked back to his general direction, but her head still remained still. "What do you have to offer, Eamon Thorne?"

 

[Eamon Thorne]

He smiled softly.

"In my experience the future is such a malleable and enduring thing..." Eamon shrugged. "What is made in one night, can be unmade just as well."

What did he have to offer?

Eyebrows quirked up.

"That depends on the recipient, Princess." Darke had refused the title of Princess, but equally refused to replace it with anything. Be that name or title. So for the time being Eamon kept it up. Kept calling her princess. At least until she inspired him with another word.

"Some recipients deserve a boon... others a punishment." Smile turned to smirk. "Which one are you?"

Aristeia Darke

 

[Aristeia Darke]

Playing diplomat had always been Lorelei's expertise as Aristeia had barely begun to learn the field of favours and promises. As a Priestess, there were certain lessons she had been sheltered from, had been encouraged to be thoughtful and holy. And yet, since they had awakened a year ago, Aris had to learn quickly just how to curry favour and have anyone fight for their cause.

"I cannot imagine I have done anything to warrant a punishment. So a boon, then." She quirked a brow, watching him idly. "Although I must ask, are you gifted in battle?"

 

[Eamon Thorne]

"I see, but then again... who deserving of punishment would admit it?" Teasing her again but looking surprised and then interested at her follow-up question.

"I am better than most."

This would sound like a boast. Except that Eamon didn't look very boastful. It was delivered as a matter-of-fact with little in the way of arrogance. He was strong, he was fast, he was durable. Even if he lost his sword, he could use his hands to tear people apart.

But these were all details that he wouldn't share with Aristeia just yet.

"Why do you ask, Princess?"

Aristeia Darke

 

[Aristeia Darke]

"Hmm... he may very well be useful, after all." She pondered aloud, her eyes appraising him to see that his physique did lend to being built by a history of warfare. "That is very well and good, but I am not an expert myself on what we are asking of those that wish to assist my sister and I."

Her eyes flicked to Lorelei, engaged with conversation as much as she could. She had a friend at her side, magically inclined and therefore acting as her sister's spokesperson. Everyone flocked to Lore, but never did Aristeia feel envy for such a thing. She witnessed the wit and character her sister possessed, more suited to ruling than she ever would be. Aristeia was more suited to bending wills, whether through force or mere words.

But she had not had reason to use her magical gifts since she had woken. Had not dared to even attempt using her alluring compulsion on any poor soul.

"Do you know who I am?" She asked Eamon, her eyes still on the party.

 

[Eamon Thorne]

His eyes followed hers to her sister.

Not in a million years would he have assumed they were siblings. For one, her sister was huge, secondly her hair was as red as Aristeia's was white. All-consuming. But he was not one to start asking too many questions about these sort of things.

"You are not a Princess." He says airily, pondering about his supposed use to her. "You have a name you do not wish to share with me."

Eyes flicking back to her.

"You need assistance of the martial kind and your sister is busy courting favor in the same way." Eamon looked at her seriously.

"Are you in the business of reclaiming territory, princess?"

Aristeia Darke

 

[Aristeia Darke]

Eamon's words rewarded him with a small smile that amused her face.

She turned, eyes piercing him with their pale colour as she lifted her chin and simply said. "Aristeia Darke. My sister and I hope to claim new land to become our home. The the royal family have done an atrocious job in keeping things running smoothly and there is now unrest."

Guidance. That was what the people of Kuait needed.

"My home cannot be recovered. Believe me, I tried in vain. I woke up thinking everything would return to as it was, but I only awoke to my sister screaming my name. Sometimes I wish she had not, therefore I would not have seen the destruction. Seen the deceased that had remained that way for years." Cold, hard grief lingered in her gaze. "If I cannot have my old home, then I will make anew."

 

[Eamon Thorne]

Claiming new land.

In other words, wage war, to carve out a kingdom of their own. "So if you aren't a princess right now, you certainly have designs to be." Half a tease and half just an observation of fact. But then his expression grew more serious when she dug into what had happened.

"It is painful to lose your home." Sympathy coloring his tone born out of personal experience. "But it takes courage to look at it clear-eyed and demand a new one for yourself and those you love."

He sipped from his glass, thoughtful.

"You realize though, that an existing Kingdom already has rulers, right? That's the point of it. They will not go easily... and they have allies of their own."

He gestured towards the broader hall.

"You are risking a lot by moving relatively open."

Aristeia Darke

 

[Aristeia Darke]

Priestess, she wanted to say, but she knew if Lore needed her to be a Princess, then that was what she shall be. Faith can always be taught to others, but royalty was by bloodline.

"That is very well and true, although it has been near three centuries since anyone alive today has seen my kind." She turned to Eamon, a ghostly smile on her res stained lips. "They would not be prepared for us."

Despite the passive nature the temple taught their faithful, Aristeia had been part of a prestigious family and coven, had learned of their histories. She knew how to manipulate, how to compel, and how to keep up an act. Aristeia knew she preferred to be a Priestess, but when the time came and she needed to become more, she accepted it. Knowing she could stomach what may be asked of her.

"As for now, news has not traveled beyond our circle. Perhaps I am merely hiring for my own protection. If you wanted my title, it is Lady."

 

[Eamon Thorne]

Aristeia Darke

Near three centuries? Her kind?

His eyebrows could not climb any further up his skull, but by the winds they tried.

"And what sort of kind is that?" Eamon asked curiously. He wasn't a stranger to strange things. Up until now Eamon thought that he was the strangest thing in the room. None of them knew that, of course. He looked, breathed and talked like a human.

Now he was curious what she was, because she seemed as human as him.

Lady.

No, that wasn't right. Her lips curled the same way they did when he called her princess. "Oh, I already have a title for you. Princess." He says with a smile, since either was the same, since neither belonged to her. "So you require a bodyguard?"

 

[Aristeia Darke]

"Lady Darke?"

A young, and very handsome man smiled as Aristeia's attention was pulled to him. "I was hoping to have your hand for this dance."

Her first instinct was to look to her sister, but Lorelei was nowhere to be seen nor did she answer Aris' questioning thoughts. Then her pale gaze turned back to the young man, still patiently awaiting her answer. "Oh..." Rarely did anyone think to approach her. She was the quiet one, the sickly looking sister. Where Lorelei was filled with life, Aristeia had been filled with peculiarities that put off a great many.

"I..." Then she looked to Eamon. "I was in the middle of conversing with my new friend here."

And the young man gave her a polite smile, and yet she did not miss the way his eyes narrowed slightly at Eamon before returning to Aristeia. "Zeviir said it was a good idea for you to be seen on the dance floor... but I am not the kind of gentleman to force a lady into dancing. Come find me when you change your mind." And he gave her one last smile before bowing and moving on.

Aris frowned. "Did he not know I was speaking to someone? How rude of him to interrupt..." But her gaze returning to Eamon had her stare at him a moment, recalling the last question he had asked.

"Hm... only the pretense of a body guard. I am quite capable of holding my own... but whatever my sister and I plan now, must be held with utmost secrecy." Her gaze narrowed at Eamon.