Lance hung off towards the side of the room. These parties were exhausting. So much socializing to be done. Reputations to be upheld. He runs a hand through his dark hair as he looked out over the various pairs of dancers.
There was only a small sparking of longing. He wished he had been able to at the very least invite Miu to attend with him. It might not have worked out between them romantically but at least they were still friends. Then he would not be at yet another party alone. At least someone to speak with that was not seeking an easy way into the graces of his grandfather.
“I don’t think we’ve met yet.”
Lance slipped back into that calm and charming demeanor he usually wore when dealing with people at these parties. His eyes settled on the woma… No that was definitely a man. A very feminine one at that. Shorter then himself. He had to mentally scold himself for mistaking the man for a lady at first glance.
“No I do not believe we have. Well then it is an honor to make your acquaintance. Lancefer Aurifore of House Haillenarte at your service.” He gave the man a polite bow, keeping a charming smile on his face until he knew if the man just wished to be pleasant or if he was after something. Though he had a feeling this was more to just be nice then anything else.
Lance let out a heavy sigh as he looked into the room of people gathered for the ball. He had endured so many of these over the years. Well balls. Not really Masquerades. So thankfully even if he had to endure yet another party for the sake of appearances, he was hidden behind a mask of black and gold.
Sure this was yet another way for his family to try an get him situated with a bride. He wasn’t interested in the ladies they tried to pair him with. They were all so fake and weak. Not to mention none of them had really caught his eye. If he was going to take a mate, he wanted someone who could stand beside him. Not someone who would cower behind him. Twenty eight an still unmatched. No wonder his family considered him unfit to be the heir. That was fine with him.
He spotted his mother in the distance speaking with a lady in red. He grimaced. Probably another attempt at his family to make a match for him.
“Have we met before?”
Lance quickly forgot his thoughts as he was spoken to. Sky blue eyes looked out from the mask to the elezen woman who had spoken to him. His head tilted in thought as he tried to remember if they had ever met before. However it was hard while wearing masks.
“I’m afraid I can not say with these masks everyone is wearing this evening. It is quite possible we may have met in passing yet not actually ever met in person.” Lance told her as he bowed politely. His eyes caught his mother an the lady in red moving their way. Lance gently took the arm of the viscountess with an apologetic smile. “Pardon my forwardness. You may have just become my saving grace. It seems my mother have taken it upon herself to try an pair me off again. I do hope you don’t mind playing along for a moment for the sake of this poor knight?”
Karigan couldn’t remember the last time she had been made to wear a dress. Oh wait she could. It was back before she had left home. It wasn’t that she hated dresses… They were just not very suited to her choice of profession. Thankfully she had found a way to strap at least one of her favorite daggers to her leg under the fabric of the skirt. As if she would go anywhere unarmed completely. Even a party.
Though she did feel sort of out of place at such a party. Even hidden behind a green mask with gold accents. Her dress was in similar tones of green. The dress and mask had been gifts from a mystery person. Only a note came with them. It had been vague at best. Not even handwriting she recognized. Part of the reason she came armed with a hidden dagger.
“These skirts make it so hard to move.”
Karigan’s ears twitched at the sound of someone speaking to her. Her tail swished back an forth gently. Her eyes looked the elezen woman up and down with interest. A bright smile forming on her lips.
“Aye. Can’t say I’m a fan either. When ya used to dressing in clothes for movement, dresses feel so… Restrictive.”
Basteaux pulled at the tight collar of the crisp white shirt, the starched fabric stiff and itchy beneath the green suit jacket. He’d caught a glance of himself in the mirror when he’d been getting dressed and had to admit that he did clean up nicely, but that didn’t mean it was anything like comfortable to wear. He missed his own clothes rather fiercely already – but the worst part was the mask. He’d seen that in the mirror, too, and vehemently hated both the mask itself and the way it looked on him. For all its differences and decoration, it still reminded him too much of the Wood Wailers.
The kid who’d hired him didn’t seem to share the same sentiment. The boy couldn’t be more than twenty, full of energy and youthful enthusiasm. He’d quickly located the young lady he’d been hoping to meet with and left Basteaux to his own devices. The older Duskwight kept an eye on the younger from a distance, watching for any that might take exception to him. The overwhelming majority of Gridania’s Elezen citizens in particular had, in Basteaux’s eyes, never given him any reason to trust them.
So far Basteaux’s crossed arms and cold gaze had deterred most of the other attendees of the masquerade party from coming within less than a few fulms of him. It took him a few moments to register that the sweet female voice was speaking to him.
“I never thought I’d see you in something so fancy.”
He turned slightly to regard the woman who’d spoken. The first time they’d met she’d been masked as well, so it was actually easy to identify her with one now. “You thought right. It’s not something I would choose.” He offered the barest of smiles; it could almost be better described as his frown becoming less severe. “You look very nice.”
Destiney was beginning to think she was going to have a nice collection of new masks till she was done with attending these balls. Her dress had been simple yet elegant in it’s own fashion. The material soft against her skin. Lighting made it hard to tell if the dress was silver or silvery blue.
A smile curved her lips as she spotted his familiar form. From a distance she knew who it was almost immediately despite the mask and fancy clothes. There was only one person she knew that physically reminded her of Leon from this distance.
She moved to stand beside him as he answered her in return. Her hands loosely clasped together behind her back. Not exactly a very feminine way to stand while wearing a dress. But this was Basteaux and they were both hunters in their own ways. She wasn’t surprised he recognized her even with the mask. Even if it was a different mask then when they met. A mask was still a mask.
“Thank you.” She accepted his compliment with a warm smile. “I hope you don’t mind the company. I’m not exactly a fan of large gatherings like this myself. An you looked like you could use a companion who understands. That an we haven’t had a chance to discuss when we were going for drinks.”
Another party. Another time dragged into one by a friend. She was not naturally a party kind of person. Not without a specific reason. Like this past All Saints’ Wake when she dressed up for the party at the company house. Not that she hated dressing pretty. She had grown quite fond of the cute clothes. Something she had ignored quite well growing up. It was one thing Leon had done in his short time of helping her. Gave her a love for clothes she never cared for before because they were rarely practical.
As usual she remained off to the side. Admiring all the others dressed up for the
Masquerade Ball. The different an elaborate masks. The clothes from silk to cotton. A sea of colors. Herself clad in shades of purple. Mostly lilac and lavender.
“I’d know those dazzling eyes anywhere.”
Destiney blushed at the comment. Smiling warmly as she turned to face the smiling elezen man hidden behind his own mask. “An I would know that charming smile from a mile away. Good evening, Riski. It is lovely running into you here. Might you grace me with a dance?”
Spirit of the Warlock 