Oh we're together... He just doesn't know it yet. (Private)

[Codex]

The streets lit up with the blazing fires of various lamp posts and windows of the buildings lining the cobblestone. The hard 'clack' of horse shoes hitting the stone echoed throughout the rather large plaza. Followed closely by the sound of carriages rolling across the wet cobbled ground. The town was very lively today. Why that was? The answer was simple really. A young new Lord had recently been coronated, and this was his coronation day. Merely hours before, he took his families inheritance, and now this small town belonged to him. News had traveled fast, so much so that the Lords and Ladies along with their followers of the surrounding regions had all come to celebrate his ascendance.

They weren't the only ones...

Standing along the side of the street as people pushed their way forwards to gaze at the passing carriages, Cyn watched carefully with a dark smirk across her lip. The young girl was wearing her casual outfit, as the minister of Shadowfen was reported to be in the capital... Apparently not. At the end of the street was a rather large manor, belonging to the new lord. That's where all the other nobles were headed for a fancy ball. While the girl had no particular interest in the fancy gatherings that took place within these events, she did have an interest in this one.

So without thinking much of it, the eyepatched girl slowly meandered to the edge of the block, where many lords and ladies were being escorted from the road up to the manor's entrance under the torchlight. Spotting a man suddenly, she'd walk up behind him and slip her arm through his. "Follow me handsome." She said quietly and with a rather seductive tone. Slowly walking with him towards the entrance if he did not resist.

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

"So just sneak in and steal some food if you're so hungry."

Belladonna the cat stared up at Eckhart with her one good eye. The boy had run out of food for a third time, and to make matters worse, he was flat broke. He had stopped in the town of Whiteleaf in hopes of finding somebody who needed healing services- anything that would earn him some money. He had stumbled upon a party being thrown by a local nobleman in the richer part of town, and Eckhart's sense of morality was in a heated argument with his stomach. "But what if I get caught? I don't want to get arrested, Bella."

"Pfft, you're such a wuss." the cat meowed disparagingly. "Watch and learn, Tuna Boy." With a flick of her tail, the cat disappeared into the crowd of people heading towards the manor.

"Bella, wait!" Eckhart groaned. "Why me? Why was I stuck with her?" he thought to himself. He began to move towards the crowd, and then stopped himself. "No, I'd stick out like a sore thumb in there.' he finally decided. "It would be safer if I just waited for her to come back. I'll find food somewhere else."

Suddenly, Eckhart felt an arm slip underneath his own. Startled, he whipped his head around to see a girl about his age. From the dress she was in, Eckhart assumed she was upper class if not outright nobility. "Follow me, handsome." she said as she led him slowly towards the entrance of the manor. Eckhart blushed. "Oh gosh, does she really think I'm handsome?"

"Probably not." said a cynical voice in Eckhart's head. "She's probably desperate not to be seen at such a big event without a date. Since when was I somebody's first choice for anything?" Deciding to ignore this thought, he leaned slightly to whisper into the girl's ear.

"Oh, um, hi. My name is Eckhart. What's yours?"

[Codex]

This was an odd feeling, wasn't it? Cyn had never even considered what it may feel like to be dependent on someone else. As her arms wrapped tightly around the boy's she felt out of place. But reality had called to her, and she realized this was the best course of action she could take for this situation.

"Home to you?" She whispered again, still staring at the large manor's entrance near the peak of the stairs. It was the least she could do anyways, trying to get to know her escort. After all, this night could go either way. The future was always unpredictable.

"Parents called me Cyn. Don't suppose you'be heard the name. My family isn't very popular after all." She said with a fake sigh. Soon the two got to the entrance where two lightly armed guards stood. They were looking over invitations and passing people through. She pull him closer. "Well Eckhart, we're going to have a grand time together." She giggled.

As the two got to the entrance a guard stopped them. "Lord and Lady..?"
"Veros! The minister's nephew is my escort." She smiled, patting his hand. The guard eyed him suspiciously, mostly because of his clothing. "Got proof, aye?"
"Of course!" She reached into a purse and pulled out a roll of paper with a rather intricate seal on it. The guard took it and looked over it for a moment before nodding. "Well then, Lord and Lady Veros, enjoy your time." He said, waving the two through into the massive foyer.

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

Eckhart felt a pang of sympathy for Cyn when she told him that her family was unpopular. "So that's why she couldn't get a date- that must suck. Still, she can afford clothes like that..." He frowned- he had never had much money growing up, and certainly not enough to buy clothes like that "I suppose she's not that badly off."

Eckhart grimaced when the guards stopped them. "Aw fuck, here it comes- the part where they turn us away. I suppose it was too good to be true anyway." To his surprise, Cyn managed to procure what Eckhart assumed was an invitation! Then she claimed that he was "the minister's nephew", and that's when Eckhart got really confused. "Wait, what minister is she talking about? Damn it, why didn't I read up on Serenian politics before leaving Hyoite?" Before Eckhart could question it, the girl had led him into the building.

It was the sheer size that hit him first. Eckhart had never been inside such a large building before, and he was at a complete loss for words. "Why do nobles need this much empty space? They're not giants." The crowd and the smell of warm food was the next thing he noticed, and his stomach began to growl. Eckhart reached for a tray of h'orderves being carried by a servant, but one of the nobles nearby gave Eckhart an odd look. Realizing that he was completely out of his element, he quickly pulled Cyn aside. The bright lights allowed him a better look at the girl, who he only now realized was wearing an eyepatch. She was still fairly attractive however, and Eckhart figured he could've been stuck with worse.

"Ok, so, I'm not from Serendipity." he whispered. "I appreciate you sneaking me into the party, but I have no idea how the government here works- if I can't hold a conversation with any of these people, they'll get suspicious. He gave the girl a desperate look. "I don't suppose you could tell me about the minister whose nephew I'm impersonating? Like, his name at least? That way I have something to tell these people?"

"Fuck, what if she thinks I actually am the minister's nephew?"

[Codex]

Cyn couldn't help but smile at the anxiety radiating off of Eckhart as the two reached the entrance. And felt his sigh of relief when the guardsman let them pass. As they entered, Cyn's eye had to adjust to the significantly brighter interior. And the new array of sounds and smells. Some classical music could be heard playing from an unseen location, due to the large array of people. She gave a quick assessment of the room, watching the guards lining the walls of the room as the nobles conversed towards the center. However, her attention was drawn back towards Eckhart when he pulled her aside.

She titled her head at Eckhart's worried expression, and simply waited until he finished before putting a hand up to he lip and giving an seemingly innocent giggle. "Relax! The minister of Shadowmyre is currently running the county in Shadowfen. And HER name is Cynthia." She said blushing. "My parents admired her, so they named me with the first three letters of her name." Cyn said again, putting a hand on his cheek, before leaning into whisper something in his ear. "Like I said, we're going to have a grand time together... Now just follow my lead, and try not to make your hunger too apparent." Cyn's vocie trailed off, skipping forwards towards the ball floor, motioning Ekchart to follow.

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

Eckhart blushed madly as Cyn placed her hand on his cheek. "Oh, um, wow. She seems really into me..." he thought as he began to get flustered. The girl was soon skipping off towards the center of the room, and Eckhart began to follow.

"So you came in after all. You're more ballsy than I thought."

Turning around, he saw Belladonna approach him, a freshly caught rat dangling from her mouth. "The nobles who live here don't own a cat, so the pickings here are really good. How goes it with you? You find any human food yet?"

Eckhart's stomach answered as if in reply, and he looked sheepishly at his familiar. "Um, well... I kinda got a date, actually. She's really sweet, and-"

"Eckhart." the cat said sharply, cutting him off. "How did you meet this girl? Did you approach her, or did she approach you?" Eckhart gave her an embarrassed smile, and the cat frowned. "You know she's probably using you, right? Nobles don't just randomly want to hang out with common folk like you. What did she say her name was?"

Eckhart's shoulders slumped- despite what he wanted to think, deep down he knew Belladonna was probably right. "Her name is Cyn, she's the one in the eye patch over there." He gestured to where his date had pranced off to. "She's having me pretend to be a politician's nephew, some minister she was named after. Name was Veros, I think."

"Veros, huh?" Bella meowed. "I heard some women gossiping about somebody with that name. I'm going to go see if they're still talking about her." The cat scampered off, and Eckhart began to rush in the direction Cyn had went- he didn't want her to think he had ditched her.

Finally he found her in the center of the room. He grinned sheepishly. "Haha, sorry about that. I got hungry, and that plate of stuffed mushrooms was too appetizing to pass up..." Eckhart lied. "I probably shouldn't tell her my familiar is suspicious of her, that'd just cause trouble."

"So, what did you want to do first?'

[Codex]

Cyn continued to gaze gleefully around the room, outlining certain spots for her plan to work, and finally turning back to Ekchart when he caught up. She could admit to herself she was a little confused as to why he took so long, but he answered her query before she could even inquire about it. Smiling she put a hand on his shoulder, and quickly moved his onto her slim waist. "I thought we'd dance first!" She said cheerfully, slowly taking a few steps in the traditional dancing pattern, wrapping her fingers around his hand.

It was apparent Cyn had practice in the field, and she was expecting Eckhart to have next to none. So she naturally took the lead as other nobles did the same around them. "So peaceful isn't it? How we can all get together to celebrate minor events while the world around us falls apart. It's almost sad." She told him through a whisper. "If only we could turn back the clock on all our mistakes.. and forgive those who broke us..." Cyn's red eye glinted in the torchlight. "But it's nice that we're still here." She told him a gain, closing her eyes and resting her head on his chest.

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

Eckhart went red in the face- he had never danced before in his life. As he clumsily tried not to step on Cyn's feet, he let himself relax. "I don't think I have to worry about her using me. I doubt she would want to dance if she wasn't at least comfortable with being seen with me in public." He smiled as he let the moment wash over him. "Maybe this will lead to something lasting!" he thought. "I hope so, she's really cute." Eckhart's face turned an even deeper red when Cyn rested her head on his chest...

And then his face paled as he processed what she had just told him. "That isn't romantic. That's creepy. I think Belladonna may be onto something after all, something isn't right here." Still allowing Cyn to lead him in their dance, Eckhart calmed himself down. "Alright, so she said something weird. I say weird things all the time, it doesn't mean I'm secretly a psychopath. I'll just... get her to elaborate."

Taking the lead in both the conversation and the dance, Eckhart spoke in a soft, yet assertive voice. "I think that mistakes are just another part of life. It can hurt, but I've yet to seen pain that makes a person weaker. I wouldn't undo the mistakes I've made- because in a way, my mistakes made me."  Trying his hardest to emulate the romance novels he secretly enjoyed reading, Eckhart would gently lift Cyn's chin with his thumb so as to look her in the eye. "But... yeah. I'm glad we're here."

[Codex]

Cyn allowed herself to get lost in the moment for a few seconds, simply enjoying the peace. But then Eckhart responded to her speech. Slowly she'd allow him to move her chin upwards towards his face, gazing into his eyes. But what he said had triggered a smirk in Cyn's innocent smile. Intentional or not, it still appeared and she couldn't help but force the next sentence from her throat.

"And how did that work out for you?" She said again, referencing his sentence on how his mistakes made him. From her perspective, Eckhart didn't seem very happy. He appeared alone and broke. Of course, her curiosity could've instantly been satisfied with a quick glimpse into his past... But she couldn't risk any other unknown magic users in the area to pick up on her rather strange, and abnormal magical aura if she chose to ignite it.

Instead she'd keep dancing with him. "Regret has meaning Eckhart.. Sooner or later you'll learn it... After all we all have those whispers in our heads... But only some of us choose to listen.."

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

Eckhart's hopes of salvaging the dance were dashed as soon as he saw the expression on Cyn's face. The smirk alone caused his blood to run cold- he had seen it before. This was the face of somebody who thought they were better than you- a face that said "I've cornered you". Most of all, it was the face of somebody dangerous. Images of his older sister Hildegarde and the dragon known as Kaida flashed through his mind. "This is wrong. I shouldn't be here."

Eckhart's fear only grew as Cyn began to speak. His eyes widened slightly at the bit about listening to voices, and his breathing grew sharp. "Sweet Ansgar, she's fucking crazy. Why did she drag me here? I need to find an excuse to leave, now."

As if his own body was trying to rescue him, his stomach growled loudly. He flashed an embarrassed grin at his date. "I'm really sorry to cut this short but..." Eckhart said, trying his hardest to seem nonchalant. "...Can we get some food?"

[Codex]

The air quickly grew dense around the two, as Cyn felt her words burrow into Eckhart's mind, and translated that into his face. Cyn of course, pretended to ignore it and continue her dance with him. But that didn't stop her from retaining her shadowed grin as her face leaned against his chest... Sensing his heartbeat rise. That only made Cyn wonder who exactly this man was. What was his story, and why did he have reason to fear Cyn's cryptic words? The only explanation was that he had seen it before... And it didn't work out very well in the end.

Soon the boy decided he needed to take a breath, and asked to step out of the conversation by asking to get some food. She simply replaced her sinister grin with an innocent smile and nodded. "Of course!" She said, ignoring his nervousness as she slipped her arm underneath his and began walking towards the main table. Upon it we're mounds of food of all different kinds, and most weren't even going to be tasted before the servants decided to throw it away to the streets.

As Eckhart collected himself she put a hand on his cheek. "I'll be back Ser Veros. I'm gonna go catch up with an old friend, alright?" She didn't even wait for a response before disappearing into the crowd...

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

To Eckhart's relief, Cyn agreed to cut the dance short. "Thank Ansgar that's over." As his date led him to the main table, Eckhart's mouth began to water- he had never seen so much food in one place before. Eckhart was soon stuffing his face with deviled eggs and stuffed mushrooms. He heard Cyn say something about going to meet up with a friend, but he didn't really care. "Good riddance."

"Date abandon you already, Tuna Fish?" meowed Belladonna, who had just crept out from under the table. "Good, we need to talk about her."

Eckhart looked at the the cat, still in the middle of a chewing. "You don' need to tell me tha' she's a creepy fuck." he said with a mouth full of food. After swallowing, he continued. "The stuff she was telling me on the dance floor, things about turning back the clock..." Eckhart shuddered. "She clearly has some issues she needs to work out."

Pfft, wait till you hear what I found out!" Belladonna replied excitedly. "That minister she claims to be named after? The one whose nephew you're pretending to be?" The cat paused dramatically. "She also wears an eyepatch. She's also only a few years older than you are, so it makes no sense for your date to be named after her- the minister would have been a kid when our Cyn was born." Noting the confused look on Eckhart's face, Belladonna gave an exasperated sigh. "Eckhart, your date is the minister."

Eckhart was dumbfounded by this sudden discovery. "But... why? Why lie about that?"

"That's what I plan on finding out." the cat said. "She said she was going to meet a friend? I'm going to listen in on their conversation, I bet she's talking shit about you!" With a laugh, the cat scampered off in the direction that Cyn had walked off in.

Eckhart wasn't hungry anymore- just angry. "What the fuck is her problem? And why make me say I'm her nephew? I swear, if it turns out she's living out some bizarre incest fantasy..."

A voice from behind him made Eckhart jump. "Excuse me, but were you just talking to that cat?" said a very posh looking nobleman. "I couldn't help but overhear, is she your familiar?"

"Oh, um, yes. Yes she is." said Eckhart nervously. "Oh boy, this is going to get awkward..."

[Codex]

Looking back to make sure Eckhart was preocupied with the food on the table, Cyn would slowly meander her way through the nobles. Few noticed her as the girl's shorter status put her out of their site, therefore out of mind. She'd walk through the the conversing crowd until she reached a large flight of stairs in the main foyer, leading to the upper levels of the manor. The upper levels had several balconies overlooking the main ball room, which Cyn was careful to watch as she walked along them. Even up here it was still quite lively. It was, after all, a very grand party.

After a few more minutes of walking, she ducked into what looked like a small back stairway. The ones the servants often used to navigate between levels so they don't interrupt the guests. She'd walk quickly down the steps, using her precognition to tell when someone was coming up the stairs. Hiding behind a corner as a pair of servants passed from the kitchens, she quickly run through the doors. She entered another stairway, leading up this time, until finally she found herself in a long empty hallway. The living quarters.

Cyn would hum a silent and playful tune as she walked among the torchlight, down the hallway, seemingly unafraid if her presence was noticed.

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

Leaving Eckhart behind, Belladonna scampered off after the minister. Once she was within a few meters of the girl, the cat slowed down and began to stealthily follow her. "I wonder if this friend she's meeting knows that Cyn is the minister." Bella thought curiously. "Or maybe she lives some kind of double life, and nobody knows about this side of her!"

The minister seemed to know where she was going, which was odd. Belladonna had assumed that she had seen her friend in the crowd while dancing, but that theory fell apart when Cyn began to walk up the staircase in the foyer. Belladonna's good eye narrowed as she slowly ascended the stairs after her. "Well, she is a strange one. Did she plan this meeting in advance?"

As she continued to follow the girl, Bella tried to keep her distance. Cyn seemed... off somehow, as if she was the type who could fly off the handle at a moments notice. Belladonna's eyes widened when the minister ducked into one of the stairwells meant for the mansion's help. "Well, I don't think she's supposed to be here." Bella thought to herself. "Maybe she's having an affair with an attractive young servant boy?"

Cyn herself was beginning to move more stealthily now, hiding behind a corner so as not to be spotted by a couple of passing servants. Bella simply allowed the two women to pass her- humans never payed her much attention, and usually just assumed she belonged to somebody else.

Belladonna had to run in order to get inside the door the minister had just entered before it closed behind her. Looking around, she saw Cyn walking briskly down the hallway humming a tune. "I recognize that song." Belladonna realized. "That's "Trapped in the Hourglass"- it's an old tavern song. How does a noblewoman know it? It's not exactly high-class." As the cat slowly followed the girl from the shadows, a sudden realization dawned on her. "She may not be a noblewoman at all." Belladonna began to grow nervous. "What have I gotten myself into?"

[Codex]

Cyn's fingers traced along the edges of the walls as she walked by them, continuing to hum the same steady tune. The stillness of the hall carried her tune throughout the quarters, echoing through the hallways. It was clear by now, she had no problem with being spotted. As it was most likely these hallways were patrolled by guards. And sure enough, a pair of lightly armed soldiers with the Lord's crest rounded a corner, and stopped suddenly at the site of this rather unusual looking girl. Cyn herself, did nothing in response. She simply kept walking and turned in the other direction.

"H- Hey! Ma'am!" One called under the muffle of his helmet, nodding to the other as they quickly chased after her around the corner. What happened next was too quick for mortal eyes to see. Within the second after they ran around the corner of the hall, a muffled blood curdling scream could be heard from the two. If anyone came across the spot, they'd see the hallway soaked in red, with the two men hanging from the ceiling by chains... They're faces masked with terrified expressions, as it looked like both had aged rapidly. Little more thank skin and bones covered their aged complexions. Cyn could still be heard humming her tune as if nothing had changed.

"Wh- What was that?" The man asked suddenly, leaning up and moving the woman's shoulder aside. "What was what?" She asked curiously, looking down at him. They had both been lying in a massive bed. The man was younger, so was the woman. Both were half clothed as they appeared to have nearly began some sexual activities. Before he could answer however, Cyn opened the door to the bedroom and walked in. A wicked grin on her face as her black and white dress was now partially stained with red splotches.

"Wh- WHo are you?! Guards! Guards!" He yelled with a hint of fear in his voice, as his lady cowered behind his shoulder with the drapes covering her chest. Cyn simply put a finger to her own lips. "Shh." Suddenly, a massive yellow clock materialized out of thin air next to the bed! The long hour, minute, and second hands of the clock extended and twisted like tentacles and quickly latched onto the man and his woman, covering their mouths and keeping them still as they muffled to scream. Cyn simply stretched her arms and took a seat at a nearby table.

"Now then Lord Fallrin... Let's talk business."

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

Keeping a safe distance from the girl, Belladonna's fur was beginning to prickle- not from fear so much as from anticipation. Belladonna knew something was going to happen, she just didn't know what yet. When a pair of guards turned a corner and saw Cyn, Bella smirked. "Ha! This should be good. What will your excuse be I wonder?"

To Belladonna's surprise, Cyn had no tall tale for the two men. She instead simply walked past them and turned a corner, disappearing from sight. The two guards gave chase, and the cat found herself running so she could watch what happened. "Come on, make up some crazy bullshit to tell them, I wanna hear-"

A bloodcurdling scream cut off her train of thought. Stopping momentarily, Belladonna slowly turned the corner to see the connecting hallway was covered in blood. In the distance, she saw Cyn walk through a doorway and disappear. A steady dripping from above led Belladonna to the source of the blood- the two guards were hanging from the ceiling, dead. "Oh. Well then." thought Belladonna flatly as she walked next to the door the girl had just entered and sat down. "I suppose whatever happens in here should be interesting enough to listen in on then."

[Codex]

Cyn wiped off her hands on her dress, and stared at them distastefully for a moment, as they were still covered in red. Evident she had somehow gotten a more personal touch involved with those two guards. Sighing for a moment, she lowered her head as the Lord and his "lady" watched in terrified suspense. Helpless to do anything but stare, as they were at her complete mercy. Finally, she looked up again, her red eye gleaming in the candle light.

"I'm sorry for barging in like this. Truly. I- It wasn't right of me, and I should've been more polite." She started, gripping the edges of the chair tightly. "It's.. It's just... Ugh." Her grin faded into a look of displeasure, and then irritation. "I can't STAND it when people try to keep secrets! Especially from me!" She now sounded angry. Slowly standing up, Cyn began to walk forwards to the bed, her nails latching onto the edge of the wooden chair and dragging it across the floor, making a rather loud sound as it did so. She stopped near the front, as the Lord and his lady stared at her terrified. The sweat was enough to fill a small basin. "Do you UNDERSTAND how infuriating that is?! HUH!?! ANSWER ME!" She yelled, her hand flipped the chair over and threw it at the two, directly hitting the wall behind them and shattering the wooden seat into several peaces. She seemed unaware that the two's mouths were still covered. The woman quickly flinched and ducked her head, she could hear the faint, muffled whimpers from her mouth.

Soon, as Cyn's emotion boiled, a faint glow could be seen from underneath her eyepatch. She then slowly meandered her way along the edges of the bed, walking closer to the Lord. "The very thought of it sickens me! Nobody should keep secrets! We weren't given mouths only to hide their presence!" She stopped next to him, the restraints tightened slightly. Enough to cause a inaudiable sound to erupt from him. Cyn thought it was pain. She stared at him for a moment with a reddened face, only to have it fade quickly. "Oh.. But that's right... I can't go ahead and contradict my very own actions..." She said, in a more friendly tone now. Sighing, she leaned in to the Lord's ear and whispered. "I know you've been keeping secrets... Let's shed some light on those, hmm?" Her tone had instantly changed from a rage, to an innocent child. She took a few steps back, and then the clock hand guarding his mouth slowly left its place. Snaking down to wrap around his arms.

"Wh- WHAT do you want?!" He stuttered. "Ohoho! It brings me so MUCH joy to hear you say that!" She clapped her hands like an excited child.  "Very simple actually! And I'm sure a dashing gentlemen like YOURSELF will be able to help with that!" She turned and skipped to a large desk. In front of the desk was a tall window, darkened by the night. She looked down upon it, a single solitary paper lied still, vacant of any writing. This being the Lord's study, she quickly opened a drawer underneath and puled out a stack of old parchment. She began to flip[ the pages and read it carefully. "You see, Lord Fallrin, these secrets you've been keeping..." She looked up to him with a worried look. "They can be very taxing.. Should anyone find out."
"Th- Those are private! I- I could have you arrested and hanged for this!" Cyn simply ignored his threat and went back to looking. "Transactions of illegal substances... Smuggling... Hell, you even HIRED pirates to harass your friend's rivals?" She laughed. "My my... You got your hands deep in everyone's pockets." She stated, looking back up to him. "So here's what's gonna happen Mr Fallrin." Cyn exclaimed in a chipper tone, putting the papers behind her back. "Someone VERY important is going to ask for your help. Very soon... And you're going to help them in ANY way you can!" She said with a sneer. "Or... These will somehow land in the hands of people... Less sympathetic than me."

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

Belladonna listened to the conversation from outside the room. "Well, she sounds charming." Bella thought snidely as she heard Cyn begin to rant about having secrets kept from her. "I wonder why she wasn't able to get a proper date?" Her fur bristled as angry yelling began to come from the room, along with the sound of things being smashed. "That escalated quickly."

As Cyn's tone began to shift into something more pleasant, Belladonna heard a second voice speak in a panicked voice. "Aw, I thought she was talking to herself. Guess she isn't that crazy." As the conversation progressed, it became increasingly obvious what Cyn was shooting for. "Oh, so she disguised herself so she could blackmail this guy?"

"Wait, that's stupid. Is the "minister" going to approach him? "Someday, somebody with a physical attribute exactly like mine is going to ask for your help!" Is she actually that stupid?" Belladonna got up and began to walk away. "I don't think I need to worry to much about her, she'll shoot herself in the foot eventually. I'll just warn Tuna Fish to stay away from her and let the problem rectify itself" As she went back the way she came, Belladonna heard a bloodcurdling scream come from the room. She shook it off and kept walking. "It'll solve itself. I have nothing to worry about."

[Codex]

Cyn simply wiped off her hands on her dress as the steady dripping echoed through the room. She then looked back up at the Lord, who stared in horror as his lady hung from the ceiling by bloodied chains. "Let that just be a small taste of what's to come, should you cross this person." She sneered, before giving a sarcastic bow and turning. "I'm sure you'll find someway to cover that up." She snickered, leaving the chamber walking back into the hallway, humming the same tune.

"Now then... Where is my date?"

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

Marquis Grimsly, as it turned out, was very nice. Eckhart couldn't help but like the older gentleman, who had taken to giving him tips for managing Belladonna. The conversation had turned to the party itself however, and Eckhart found himself having to explain how a scruffy nobody like himself got in at all.

"So she's really in disguise?" the nobleman asked, frowning. "How odd, I had heard that the Minister turned down the invitation sent to her."

Eckhart nodded. "Yeah, nothing she's doing makes any sense. You should've heard her while we were dancing." He covered one eye with his hand and spoke in a surprisingly accurate imitation of Cyn's voice. "Oh Eckhart, don't you understand? I've been broken, I need to turn back time to fix it! The voices in my head told me so!" The Marquis burst out laughing, and Eckhart followed suit. "At least I got a friend out of this." Eckhart thought happily. "This guy is great!"

Wiping a tear from his eyes, Grimsly clapped Eckhart on the back. "Well Eckhart, I think we both agree you can do better than Minister Veros. You know..." he said, smiling. "... My cousin Penelope is about your age. She's the one in the blue dress over there." He gestured to a pretty redheaded woman on the other side of the room. "She was stood up by her date too. I could introduce you, if you'd like."

Looking at the girl across the room, Eckhart smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that a lot." Grimsly took the lead, and Eckhart slowly followed. "He's right, I shouldn't have to settle for some crackpot like Cyn." he thought, confidence building in his chest. "I'm better than that."