Dreadlords To the Ends of the Earth

[Edric]

Edric offered Alistair a thumbs up, and then went back to being alone. Something he was coming to find was actually his preferred state of being at parties like this. With a breath, he took up position a few meters away from Al. Leaning against one of the nearby pillar as he watched Lord Krixus approach the lone woman.

To her credit, the Tyrian didn't even seem to blink as Alistair came close. Only smiling at the young man. "Well, you're in the wrong Palace if you want to be a foreigner and feel welcomed."

She purred, her voice even and soft.

"But from what I understand." The woman seemed to give Alistair a knowing look. "You're not here to make friends anyway."

Something was left unsaid in that, as though Alistair had already somehow revealed his purpose in being here. She lingered for a few moments, glancing over his shoulder before letting her gaze settle back on his own eyes. "Not to worry though, I think you're about to have a thrilling conversation."

A small laugh echoed passed her lips as she spies Ral and the Princess approaching. Her head shook and she gently patted Alistair on the shoulder.

"Perhaps, after you find what you seek, and if you're still looking for conversation." She began to walk past and away from him. "I can find you someone to talk to."

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair could not help the smallest of involuntary gulps before a smile pressed back onto his face. He wanted desperately to look over his shoulder and see what she was referring to, but he kept his cool.

She was gone just as soon as the conversation started, but he turned to watch her leave calling out to her.

"Making friends is always a beneficial side hobby of mine."

Of course, that was when he spotted Ral and...the Princess coming his way. Fuck, what had she gotten them into already?

Alistair stepped to meet the approach and offered a respectful bow to the Princess. Before shooting Edric a quick glance before turning back to the pair. His brain hurriedly dug into its memories of earlier in the day when the Herald had tutored him on the name of important guests at the party. Judging by the outfit...a princess.

"You must be Princess...Amassir. A pleasure to meet you." He eyes Ralene, hoping to be given confirmation that his guess had been right.

Ralene Edric

 

[Samantha Black]

Amassir gave him a considering look from toe to top, her eyes carrying the judgemental weight of a royal who had only ever been offered the creme de la crop her entire life, "Well, he's not dull, is he?" she remarked to Ralene over her shoulder.

Ral's smugness became her, though she attempted to tether it in her expression as she returned Alistair's look with her own wry stare. She leaned forward and down to speak into the Princess' ear from behind, "Sharp as a pin and a good dancer, too, your Highness..." then firmly pressed her hand at the small of Amassir's back to encourage her before stepping away.

Amassir sideglanced the guard with intrigue and deigned to offer Alistair her hand, "I refuse to give Lord Nerus the first dance of the night. Lord Krixus, you are to escort me to the dancefloor at once."

Ral joined Edric at his pillar, looking as pleased as the cat who ate the canary and washed it down with a bowl of cream. She turned and assumed a watchful stance of her liege like any good Guard would do, eyes tracking Alistair and the Princess wherever it was they went.

"Ten o' clock, green and yellow tunic - that's Nerus," Ral leaned to casually utter to Ed, her eyes lingering over the cling of Amassir's dress on her backside, "Horns is likely stirring the pot on House Krixus with him. We need to move quickly..."

At that very moment the horned Vizier looked their way and pointed straight at Ral, to which Lord Nerus turned with curiosity.

 

[Edric]

Edric's eyes flickered to the figure Ralene has identified as Lord Nerus', noting the horned shitstirrer already talking to him.

There wasn't really much they could do in the moment. Confronting the man in any way seemed folly, but neither could they simply walk away. A frown pulled at Edric's lips for a moment, realizing more and more than he really preferred the missions which were more straight forward.

A nice siege, perhaps a battle, at least then he knew what to do the whole time.

"So." Edric said, letting his eyes flicker towards Ralene. Knowing it was best not to look at Lord Nerus for too long. The man might know of the other Anirian's now in the room, but there was no need to poke the bear more than they needed to. "I run across the room screaming and attack him, get him into a headlock and then we go straight out the gates?"

It was obviously a jest, even Edric wasn't that thick. "All you'll have to do is keep the ogres off me."

Unfortunately, these ones looked a lot better trained than the last bunch the two Initate's had taken on.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair did not let the smile drop from his face but would have pummeled Ral if that wouldn't have just meant he would have been beaten within an inch of his life.

Dancing? Really? When would Alistair have had time to learn how to dance, actually dance? He had learned the basics to try and impress people, but most of it came from books. Describing Alistair's dancing style in the best way...minimalistic?

But the Princess did not need to know that.

"It would be my pleasure. It looks like we both dislike the man. I believe that makes us allies."

He gracefully took her hand and led her out to the dancefloor. Al managed to sneak in one last glare at Ralene.

Ralene Edric

 

[Samantha Black]

So far as she could surmise, there was little reason for Nerus to be anxious about their presence. For all he knew, it was simply a young Lord with too much time and money, come to sate a curiosity halfway across the world. It wasn't too far fetched ... she didn't think so, anyway. Unless, of course, Nerus was quite well aware of House Krixus' standing.

In which case, he had every reason to be suspicious. Ralene didn't put a lot of stock in hope, but she sure as shit was hoping for the former possibility here. Alistair Krixus' backwards glare got an errant smirk out of her and a contained chuff - cut short by Edric's murmurs of a plan.

I run across the room screaming and attack him, get him into a headlock and then we go straight out the gates?

It was obviously a jest, even Edric wasnt that thick. All youll have to do is keep the ogres off me.

What the fuck? Ralene's smirk wilted into a pinched-brow scowl. Was he ... was he joking? Edric joking. How fucking novel.

"Hilarious," she hissed back at him, "the last time I pulled ogres off of you, you whined like a mule. Fuck you Ral, put me down, myeh myeh myeh..." Vel Janix had not gone well for any of them. Ral could still feel the deep pang of agony in her shoulder from time to time after having been put up on a pike by that fucking giant and left to bleed out.


"Well it's certainly a place to start," Amassir replied sharply, humor barely touching her eyes over the slight curl of a smile on her lips. The Princess gracefully swept upon the dancefloor, the lengths of her dress billowing about her as she turned to join up with her first partner of the evening. On cue, because naturally things revolved around her, the band shifted into the music of a local forte waltz.

"My lead," she said to Alistair, and took his hand as well as the leading step, "I should like to find a reason to send him back to your kingdom. He has quite overstayed his welcome far beyond whatever value his miserable gift held."

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Shit, she was good at dancing. Of course, she was good at dancing, she was a princess. Alistair had no problem letting her lead as that left him with just the task of not stepping on anyone. He was mostly just hoping natural dexterity would help him avoid that problem.

"I believe we are in agreement then. He has overstayed his welcome, and I would hate for him to ruin the reputation of us Anirians."

The last sentence was the part that actually interested him, but he did not want to immediately give away that that was his objective. He settled into trying to dance with her before asking.

"A gift? What sort of gift? I'm sure I could acquire something worth more than whatever Nerus brought."

Ralene Edric

 

[Edric]

"Because I could've killed more of them." Edric grunted, his head swiveling around the ball room for a brief moment. Lips thinning. "I'm not so sure about these ones."

The Ogres in Vel Janix had been brutal savages. Barbarians who had fought like madmen, but with little to no coordination. Their club swings had been wide, their great fists clumsy, and their general tactic had always seemed to be nothing but savage murder.

Killing them had been easy, in a way.

The Ogres who stood around this room? They were armored, each one with a unique weapon. They stood at attention, their backs straight, and from the trailing of their eyes Edric could all but guarantee their discipline. He was still entirely sure he could kill a few of them, no one could stop him from doing that, but if it came down to it?

They needed to be careful.

His head shook, and he gestured over towards Alistair. "How do you think our boys doing?"

Things with the seneschal had gone well, perhaps it would be the same for the princess.

 

[Samantha Black]

"Because I could've killed more of them."

"Uh huh," Ralene rolled her eyes, "yes you're very effective at killing while laying about like a sack of moldy potatoes."

He had a point though. These ogres were not the same as those ogres. Those orgres had been oppressive for their sheer dumb scale of overwhelming numbers. These ogres looked as though they could pose the same challenge with a fraction of the count.

"How do you think our boy's doing?"

Our boy? That earned him a hairy raise of a brow. Ralene snorted, "Well," she said with a vague gesture in his direction, "he hasn't dropped her yet."

She'd not been present at the first dance of the Academy but oh boy had she heard all the stories, "Or made her scream bloody murder." Yeah, that one's on you big fella.

~~~

Amassir's will to have this first dance go well was strong enough to not allow a single misstep. Though she moved with the grace of a royal, her strides and steps were direct and calculated. She could do this in her sleep and high on Tyrian Hash needs be.

"You may be too late for saving first impressions," replied the Princess on the subject of reputation, "he'd presented one of the most inelegant amulet necklaces I've ever seen. It was hardly fit to present to a minor Tyr noble, let alone my father and King." A terse sigh followed, "I cannot believe he is actually wearing it."

 

[Alistair Krixus]

It took every ounce of self-control for Alistair not to crane his neck and look directly at the man and his amulet, but he just smiled and continued the dance. However, as the dance brought them near Edric and Ralene once again, he pulled the princess close so that she could not easily see his lips, and then making sure to lock eye contact with Ralene and Edric, he mouthed the words.

The Amulet.

Quickly pulling back and steadying himself and continuing with the dance.

"Sorry, m'lady. It seems my months at sea have given me quite the sea legs. However, I will admit that our fellow Anirian's poor showing is a disappointment. I would hope his sense of decorum would be better."

Ralene Edric

 

[Edric]

"Probably doesn't know how to talk to women." Edric said in a retort that almost made it seem like the had missed Ralene's jape entirely.

Almost.

He stood beside her, watching as Alistair and his new girlfriend danced about the room. His arms crossed and boredom setting in just as the two came sailing by him and his companion. The initiate's caught Alistair's look, read his lips. Eyes darting immediately towards the King.

"Fuck." Edric swore under his breath immediately. Spotting the King, the Necklace, and the Seneschall standing besides him all within the span of a second. "So uhh..."

He said to Ralene. "That plan from earlier isn't looking too ridiculous now, is it?"

Edric joked, knowing how fucked they were.

As far as he could tell; it was either he do something insane to peel the Necklace off the King, or it was Ralene's turn at attempting seduction.