Welcome To Paradise. (Open)

[Anonymous]

"Yes, they're colorful to say the least," Larian said dully, as she looked out over the bustling port city of Cerenis. The marble covered porch on which she stood belonged to her newly built villa, the glass-pained double doors of which stood behind her, open to allow the breeze to clear the stuffy air from within. Beside the duchess stood the head of the household, Sylvia Bernard, a letter delicately held in one hand.

"They are not so different from the citizens of Arca, my lady.  You will know that when we venture into town."

"We'll see then, hm? What is it you have in your hand, Ms, Bernard? It bears my seal." Larian nodded to the paper as Sylvia lifted it in the duchess' direction, the amber colored wax bearing the Serleun seal of a Unicorn surrounded by a crown. She took it from the lady's hand and broke the seal; unfolding the paper to reveal a letter she had written herself.

"I wanted to give you this one, so that you would remember what was said to the guests who are due to arrive today," Sylvia smiled, knowing that Larian would have asked for a letter sooner or later. As her lady's eyes moved about the page, reviewing what she had written, she waited for the thanks she knew would come.

"Thank you, Ms. Bernard, you know me too well," the chuckle that came from Larian was easy, relaxed. She wasn't terribly stressed about her guests arriving, she knew everything was in order and the event was not one of importance, simply a housewarming soirée. The letter had been sent to the nobles of Serendipity and a similar announcement had been posted about Cerenis, inviting all to visit the duchess' new getaway.

About them the breeze, blew carrying upon it the scent of the ocean and the gritty, damp feeling that was always in the air near water. A few moments of silence passed between the two women as Larian lost herself in plans of decoration for her new villa and Sylvia worried about the upcoming evening, which was only the beginning of her new responsibilities as the head of household for the Serleun villa. She worried about failure, about situations that had not arisen yet, but might in the future. Glancing sidelong at Larian she wondered what the young duchess was thinking. Her eyes hovered on Larian's face for a while before finding their way to the city below. "Well, I best head inside to make sure everything is in order. My lady," she curtsied and turned, disappearing into the entry hall. Larian followed shortly after, admiring her rooms as she wandered throughout the new building.

The atmosphere was soothing and open, unlike the gaudy, overwhelming beauty that was her estate in Arca. There were no strong colors or gold-gilded things. Instead everything was pastel; white molding carved into simple floral designs cutting out shapes of pale blue, sea foam green, baby pink, and soft yellow on the walls. The floors were either white marble tile, or a very light wood to match the furniture. The said furniture was sparse, the walls hung with very few decorations. The chandeliers hung about were made of gold, with long clear crystals hanging below, white candles settled into the niches awaiting the dusk so that they may be lit for the very first time. The villa was anything but quiet, however, as staff bustled around preparing the ground floor for the guests. They set out trays of goodies, bottles of wine in small buckets of cold water and vases of exotic flowers. The mixture of salt from the nearby ocean and the heavy flora scent from the exotic arrangements was surreal. Larian felt as if she were in a dream.

At her ankle a dog yapped, demanding the attention of the duchess. When her head turned downward she couldn't help but smile at the small creature that was nothing more than a ball of fur with four skinny legs protruding from the bottom. "Oh, Sebastian!" she said as she knelt to pick him up. He licked at her face, his small curled tail flailing wildly behind him. "I had forgotten all about you, you silly thing." She allowed the licking to continue for a bit longer before placing him back on the ground. He followed her as she continued her aimless wander.

[Anonymous]

"Get back here you theivin' bastard!" The shopkeeper practically roared after Callen. The thief only grinned back at the plump man as he fled down the road. It truly was a sight, all his fat jiggling as he tried to keep up with Callen.
Facing his deep pink eyes forward, Callen flew down the roadways, pushing gently past the civilians, his black coat flying out behind him. He couldn't help it, the sensation of sealing.. made him feel alive. A laugh bubbled past his lips and he let it out. Gripping the box of chocolates he had snatched.
They were expensive, and expensive meant delicious!

Once he made it out of the main town, and onto the beach, he flopped forward onto the sand. Still laughing breathlessly. His shoulders quaking.
Anyone who passed then would find the sight of the teenager, bent on all fours, looking as though he was insane, with a box of chocolates beneath his right hand, his blonde hair hanging over his quartz pink eyes, that were shut. A long sleeved black jacket, with a white sleeveless shirt beneath, and plain brown trousers with feet encased in leather boots.. One could hardly tell he was a thief just by looking at him. He did well with his 'job' only stealing from the rich... they tended to have things worth more.

Eventually, he pushed himself back up, facing the setting sun, as it slowly sank below the horizon. He stood again, lifting the chocolates, searching for a good place to eat them. His eyes caught on something.. Something that hadn't been there for his last visit.
Sure it had been under construction.. A villa it seemed.
He blinked.
It belonged to someone with a fair bit of money, that was for sure. Deciding to take a look at it, Callen stepped from his spot on the sand and slowly strode over. He paused by the gate, the courtyards looked exquisite. With the flowers that seemed to have been arranged perfectly.
He continued along, his eyes flicking over everything he saw. Till he stopped. A dog. It seemed busy with itself.
Callen hesitated, and approached the animal, it barked... and fled.

"H-hey!" Callen started after it, unsure where it was headed.

Eventually he stopped, realising he had pretty much walked right into the villa. People where everywhere, talking to one another and seeming to be preparing for something. The dog had stopped by a woman. Dressed like she was... very wealthy.
She picked up the dog and exclaimed his name. Sebastian? heh..

It didn't seem likely that he would be thought very out of place here.. there where so many people, it was unlikely he'd b kicked out. He shifted the chocolates to his other hand and stepped into the crowd. Still following after the dog.

He hesitated by the lady, he liked her clothing, the colours seemed to suit everything she wore.

With that, he smirked to himself and decided to play the part, he'd come this far, why not?
"Good evening, m'lady" he bowed low, hiding his grin, and stood again. He held out the chocolates for her to take, they were in good shape, and worth a fair bit. She wouldn't know he wasn't a noble.
"Care to join me in indulging in these?" he still found the proper tongue amusing to use, aside from his usual drawl, added with the cutting off and shortening of most words. Heh but still.

[Anonymous]

The voice that addressed her was not a familiar one and when Larian turned to see who it was her eyes found themselves examining a young man with the brightest pink eyes she had ever seen. "Oh, hello," she said, caught off guard by the sudden presence of the stranger in her home. In his hand was a box of chocolates and he was apparently offering them to her. She looked him over before answering, wondering to herself why he would be offering her the chocolates. She did not know him. Odd. Was he staff, a boy from in town, someone from Arca come to visit for the party? She did not know. His appearance didn't give any indication as to where he hailed from. Dressed in brown slacks, a white shirt underneath a black jacket, and simple boots; not out of the ordinary for both common and noble alike, he didn't look like bad news, but it was odd for him to offer her chocolates randomly. "No, but thank you," A friendly smile played on her lips as she declined his offer politely. "Please, you may do so," she continued, motioning to the box in an indication for him to eat them. "I've never been one for sweets. It's kind of you to offer, though." Their haphazard meeting was awkward; he hadn't been introduced properly by the doorman, meaning he did not enter through the front doors. Did that mean he had snuck in? Giving it a second thought Larian realized that amidst the chaos it would be hard for the man standing guard at the door to be able to tell the difference between a newcomer and a member of the staff coming and going. This young man very well could have entered through the front door.

Either way he was here now, and was conversing in a friendly manner. She would be rude to send him away, and if he was a Cerenis citizen, then he'd be the first one she met. She would hate to give these people a bad first impression! No, she'd be hospitable to this boy with pink eyes. He hadn't introduced himself, she realized. That was odd. If he were a noble of Arca he would know that it was proper etiquette to introduce oneself before initiating any kind of conversation. Hm. "What brings you to my villa, Sir..." she paused waiting for a name. He was not from Arca but he surely could be someone of importance in the area due to the expensive chocolates he had in his possession. Someone of low stature would not be able to afford such chocolate as he had. Larian waited for a familiar name; she may not recognize the face, but surely, if he was of noble birth, she'd recognize the name. She was very familiar with the nobility of Serendipity, after all.

About her wide skirts, Sebastian romped, yipping at whatever imaginary creature he was chasing, his small legs carrying him quickly in circles. Every now and then he'd attempt to slide under the hem of her dress unsuccessfully. There was a thick wall of crinoline between the tiny dog and the cave created by Larian's skirt. Her hands clasped themselves neatly before her, sinking into the cushioned cream silk that was the top layer of her dress. About one wrist a bracelet, full of jeweled charms hung, light from the setting sun dancing off the many faces of polished gemstones. The overly extravagant bracelet looked out of place in the simplistic villa, and even against her dress, that was much simpler than one she would usually adorn herself with.

[Anonymous]

his face fell a little when she turned the chocolate down, but Callen made no indication that he minded. All the more for himself... right?
He tucked them under his arm instead and nodded to her. The sunlight that caught on the contours of her bracelets stole Callen's gaze. The thief eyed them curiously. Judging by this woman and what she wore... and where she dwelt, he assumed that they were real. How could they be anything but?

He did wish he had enough money to spoil himself with such materials, but it was a futile wish, he knew that. He'd never be rich, not unless he managed to steal a diamond as big as his head, that was for sure.

Then she made an inquiry for his name, and Callen paused. He hadn't thought this through.. it was her villa, and now he was sure. As much as he wanted to lean in and whisper, "aye, sorry bout' that, but... m'not a noble," he resisted. She'd probably kick him out... he'd learnt that from past experiences.
Plus he felt no reason to leave, there were plenty of pretty noble boys around here. Who knows what could happen.

In the midst of all that, Callen was still thinking of a name to give her. He couldn't give his real name, 'Eerie' wasn't exactly a noble name.. not in the slightest. He had chosen the name, his proper last name was... not a nice one. His father had scaffolded it with a bad reputation, what with all his reckless drinking.

He could give Lavender's name... but she was an elf, and most nobles knew that and he was clearly human.
So he settled for, "Fair" he said, giving Theo's last name, the boy he had met in Ketra, his mother was a noble... aand she resided in Serendipity. Callen mentally slapped himself, but he continued speaking, "Callen Fair, this place caught my attention," he grinned and winked at her.
Trying to hide his momentary slip. Thank god he was the one granted with true sight, this woman hadn't spoken a single lie.... not yet anyway.
The golden light around her figure that he saw stayed that colour. Behind her he saw some of the noble men's aura's flaring up in a blood red shade... as they lied.

She had elven blood in her too it seemed, the golden tinge to the usually tranquil green aura's of humans told him that much. Her mane of hair covered portions of her ears. Hiding the slight point he knew would be visible beneath it.

"Might I ask for your name, my lady?" though if he'd really been invited, he'd know whose villa this was.. But he hadn't said he was invited...
A bark drew his attention back to Sebastian, who had gotten him into this mess to begin with, and he leant down to scratch the dog's ears.

At the level he was at, he got a closer look at the lady's dress. Indeed it was made of such... gorgeous fabric. Like the entire villa she lived in, it all flowed and suited so well.
He resisted the urge to reach out and stroke it, to see if it was as silky as it looked, and kept his hand on the dog, the other holding the chocolates in place.

[Anonymous]

"Ah, yes! I know the Fair name. It's good to have you, Callen," she said, recognizing the name. Not new money, then. The Fair name had been around for at least two generations, She couldn't be sure how much longer than that, however, not having conversed with a Fair family member, but learning things through the grapevine. The small pause after her question seemed like nothing suspicious to the duchess, as sometimes people will do that when asked a simple question by someone they are not familiar with. It was odd for him to inquire about her name, however as he was standing in her villa, having come there on his own accord. He didn't know who she was? Larian found herself somewhat offended before realizing that she hadn't known his face either. She was new to this part of Serendipity and people outside of Arca may not know of her...he was in her home, however and if people in Cerenis gossiped as much as they did in Arca he should know who owned the villa.

Perhaps the Fair family did not reside in Cerenis. When she thought about it, she hadn't heard news of the Fair family in some time, and so they may have taken residence in a rural area away from the politics of large cities. Callen would surely know of this, but those questions were ones to be saved for later when they were more than acquaintances. "I am Duchess Larian," she said giving a shallow curtsy. "This is my villa, am I wrong to assume you are here for the housewarming party?" She thought it silly to point out that it was her that owned the villa, but he may have not known that. "Perhaps you did not receive an invitation and have wound up here purely out of coincidence," she mused, "wouldn't that be something?"

Callen had squatted down to give Sebastian attention, scratching the small dog's ears. His eyes fell on her dress and she became self-conscious. Perhaps it was a mistake to choose a less formal dress. Would she judge someone for wearing something like the dress she wore now? She mulled the thought over in her mind before she decided that in such a warm place as Cerenis, and in such a simple atmosphere a gaudy dress would seem improper. That was her opinion, but what mattered were the opinions of her fellow noblemen and women. Larian watched Callen's eyes for a sign of distaste; did he find her dress too informal? Her fingered rubbed the fabric, her eyebrow knit into a frown.

"Well, since you are here, whether it be by fate or by invitation, I would like to offer you wine and treats, regardless that you seem to have brought your own along," she teased as she turned about the room in search of the table she knew held the tray of arrayed snacks, and chilled bottles of wine that had been set their earlier. She was not accustomed to where everything was, it being only her second day in the spacious place and so it took her a second to locate the table in the corner.

[Anonymous]

Trying not to make his nerves visible, Callen shifted from foot to foot, she had believed him when he had said he was a part of the Fair family.
Theo was going to kill him if he found out...
She stated her name and Callen was pulled up short once again. She was a duchess... and what a nice name she had...
Though the thief she had herself in company with, was going to have a lot of trouble pronouncing her name. Larian. It sounded simple in his mind, but he didn't know how he'd go about saying it...

"Indeed I am, lady Lar..ian" he smiled, more at himself, proud that he had only managed a slight pause in her name. Coincidence sounded more believable, so he nodded, "the last time I was here, this place was under construction" he spoke the truth that time, for it was, "It's good to come back and see it built into something beautiful" rather than a hunk of building that spoiled the scenery, as he had been expecting.

His eyes skimmed the crowd, there were so many people, some he'd seen before.. some he'd remembered stealing from and others that he had never come across. though, all were dressed like the nobles they were.
A serving boy bustled past, and Callen's eyes slipped involuntarily to his backside as he walked away. The blonde sucked in a breath as he remembered the lady... duchess he was with, and he composed himself, fighting the heat that fought its way onto his cheeks away.

As he had crouched to pat Sebastian, he had noticed her discomfort as she noticed his eyes on her dress, and he looked back up to her, grinning, "It's a lovely dress, don't you worry" he stood again, and cleared his throat.
Then she invited him for.. wine and treats? Oh, this had turned out rather well for Callen.
He chuckled and nodded, eager to eat something.

"That's very kind of you, my lady" he said, following after her, still feeling odd for speaking like such... a gentleman. He'd seen many and knew how they acted, perhaps that was why he had gotten as far as he had.
He noticed Larian take a moment to find the table she was looking for, and he sighed softly to himself.
This place was new it seemed, even to it's owner. She must have a heap of other estates in other cities.
Callen mused on what that must be like.. Far better than sleeping on rooftops and dingy inn's that was for sure. Yeah, so occasionally, Chime or Theo'd let him stay the night, but.. he'd never owned his own place. Even when he lived with his parents, they payed rent... So he'd never had a secure roof over his head. He'd never really paid much mind to it. Not until now anyway.

"All the people here seem so... blank" he said, murmuring softly to the duchess. That was true, all the people here seemed like this was a daily thing for them. Like they didn't really give a darn about anyone but themselves. Like they were only here because it was expected.
That thought was rather sad as well. Maybe it was a good thing Callen wasn't really a noble...

[Anonymous]

She felt wonderful when Callen had said he was glad the building had turned out to be something beautiful. She felt such pride then, owning a home such as this. It exuded nothing of the wealth and intricacy that her estate in Arca did, but it was much grander than many of the other homes in Cerenis. It was her first secondary home built. Past family members had built their own, of course, and they still belonged to the family and thus Larian, but this villa was her own. She had chose the location, the furniture, the floor tiles, everything. Of course, she'd done it all from Arca, but that had not hindered the process in any way. Now, she was here, in her beautiful villa, awaiting guest from around Serendipity to arrive to welcome her into her new self-made paradise.

Again he complimented her, having seen her uneasiness when he had examined her dress. She smiled, nodding slightly. "Thank you, I was worried that it may be unusual."

Having just located the table she crossed the floor to reach it. A he followed, Callen thanked her for the offering of sweets and alcohol. "No, no. It is my duty to be hospitable toward my guests, I am the lady of this house, after all," as she removed the cork from the wine she retrieved two of the delicate crystal glasses from nearby, they clank as she held them both in one hand briefly before setting them down closer to herself. "And please, call me Larian. We are of the same noble status and in an informal place, why use titles and such? It'd be different had you been a townsperson, or staff of my home, but as it is, you are a fellow noble and there is no need for titles among equals."

Larian worried for a moment. She was unsure of how many of the nobles from Arca would show up. She hadn't asked for an RSVP so it was a toss up really. With the current situation with the king, and all there would likely be a few families who would not be coming. There were several families all scrambling for the open throne and in their frenzied contest for power they may not find the time to travel to Cerenis. She understood what it was like to be ambitious and determined to have something, but the king had only gone missing, he was not dead. Perhaps, if she were married it might be a different story. Ah, well, Larian wasn't a huge fan of 'what if's,' in cases where they could not be turned into actualities, so she pushed the thought to the back of her mind as she poured the wine into a clear glass, setting it out where Callen could grab it.

About them the staff still buzzed, busy with preparation. It had slowed a bit, but not much. Callen must have noticed their vacant faces of concentration, for he made a comment about them being blank. "Some of them are rather vapid, but most of them are lively and colorful usually. They only seem blank at the moment because they have specific duties to do and must complete them before the majority of guests arrive. There will be more noise in here once the party is underway. I am in the privacy of my own home and do not need to adhere to formalities. Formalities make for dull parties, however necessary they may be in most situations."

Her own glass was filled now, the cork replaced in the top of the wine bottle, and the bottle itself floating again in the small pale of cold water. She took a sip, savoring the blend of tart and sweet. She stepped sideways giving Callen room to get to the tray of pastries. She plucked, from the center of the tray, a small cookie with several inches of pink frosting atop it, then bent to set it on the ground. Sebastian appeared in only a few seconds, his mouth quickly biting the treat into smaller pieces so that he would be able to successfully devour the morsel.

[Anonymous]

She had seemed rather pleased with his compliment about her dress, and Callen smiled back at her.
Really, for a noble, she wasn't all bad. Callen was enjoying her company a fair bit. He shook his head then, "Striking, not unusual" he chuckled lightly. Some things about being a woman must have been nice. For one, he might not look so out of place with pink eyes, and it would be easier to get pretty boys to fawn over you. A lot easier.
Rather that waiting till they were drunk enough to have barely any sense left to realize they were with another male. Some actually didn't mind, but very few. Callen knew his looks were a little on the feminine side. His lips especially, naturally tinged pink. As for his muscles, they were not feminine at all.
His eyes returned to the woman beside him, and he felt stupid. One for wishing to be a woman, and another for forgetting exactly where he was. He collected his thoughts again quickly, and turned his attention back to Larian, who was now opening a bottle of wine.

Callen had to clear his throat then, to keep the snort of laughter to himself. Bringing his hand into a fist before his slightly curled lips.
It'd be different if he was a townsperson or a staff member. What if he a thief? One with no home? What would that mean?
It did feel nice to be referred to as an equal. She didn't seem to pick up on his lack of mannerism just yet. It'd only be a little longer before he slipped up, he could feel it coming. But so far he felt he had done well enough.
He lifted the glass she had poured for him and held it at his lips, eyes flicking about the room in search of some other male whom might be drinking at the same point. In case there was some special way to do it.

Larian continued to answer his comment then, and he lowered the glass a little. He blinked and nodded, "I agree, dear Larian" he grinned at her over his wine glass, he watched her place a cookie on the floor for Sebastian, once she was up again he continued, "Tell me, does one tire of these such events?" he asked, gesturing around the room with his free hand. Dropping it quickly as if it had been burned. Remembering a moment too late that the hand he had just lifted was the one with his three strikes. One more and he'd loose a hand. Heh, the law was a troublesome thing. Burning it's criminals when they got caught. It was smart though.
He moved his shoulder so that the web of skin between his thumb and forefinger was hidden beneath the black sleeve of his jacket. Hopefully she had missed it. Callen was having too much fun to give it up just yet.

Then, to cover up the action, he placed the chocolates on the table and removed the lid, leaving them inviting for anyone to eat. There was plenty of food now, and no hurry, he was getting tired of carrying the box anyway.

[Anonymous]

The sound of horses' hooves heralded the carriage carrying Ranar. He had gotten the invitation to the housewarming party some weeks ago and had been preparing for the encounter with the Duchess. It wasn't that he didn't want to be there, necessarily. The fact that he had been staying at his villa for a while, and that that was no secret at court, meant that he really had no creditable excuse as to why he would miss the party.

Not to say he didn't want to go, he wouldn't be here if he didn't want to be, he reflected as he stepped out of his carriage. As relaxing as Cerenis was, he hadn't heard of many nobles living here and even fewer of those held any time of social gatherings, so it was mostly a dull life for a noble. He was glad for something to do besides lounge around. Perhaps it was time for him to head back to Arca. He set that thought aside for later as he approached the door.

Ranar could see the Duchess' servants scurrying to and fro, in and out of the villa. He, however, could not be taken for a servant in any stretch of the imagination. Ranar was dressed in a dark button-up shirt that covered his white undershirt. His leather pants followed the shade scheme of his shirt. It made him feel imposing, really. He didn't know why.

He gave his name to the doorman, along with his rank, and waited while the doorman did his job. This evening should be fairly interesting.

[Anonymous]

"Yes, Lord Ingram, if you would follow me this way, I will show you to the Duchess," The elderly man's hair was combed backwards creating a ridiculous cone-like shape atop his head. His finely tailored suit was impeccable; without a single hair or fleck of dust. His beak like nose which sat beneath two beady eyes was daunting, to say the least. As he turned to lead the guest to one of the open doorways farther down the hall, the tails of his jacket splayed out momentarily only to come flopping down again against his rather flat behind. His walk was stiff, his steps small. The ornately carved entry way led into a large sitting room where only two people stood at the moment, a lady having fled while the doorman had led the guest down the hall.

He stood there for a moment as the duchess spoke to her other guest. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other before clearing his throat, interrupting the duchess. It was rude, yes, but he was sure she would have felt it unnecessary to keep her guest waiting. As the man bent himself at the waist he announced Ranar, title and all. After the announcement he removed himself from the room, returning to his post at the door. The stoic mask pasted upon his face was unwavering, even as the fiery look that had consumed the lady's eyes flashed in his mind.

---

Larian's eyes followed Callen's hand as it swept its way across the room; she hadn't been paying close attention however, still wondering about guests. She returned to the conversation on the downward motion of his hand and for a moment she thought there was something odd about it. She would have liked to get a closer look but the young man hid his hand, and Larian knew it was impolite to stare. She made a mental note to peek later if he was not paying attention. A few seconds later as Callen was setting his box of chocolates next to the tray of sweets and wine the duchess thought to answer his question. She shook her head slightly while formulating an answer. Her lips parted slightly and stayed so for a few short moments. "Some do, I am sure. It is something we simply do, though..." her eyebrows came together in a frown. Why would he be asking such a question when he himself was a noble? Would he not know the answer if he had to attend such events? Larian looked at Callen again, confusion plain on her face. He hadn't known that the villa belonged to her, he hadn't known who she was, she hadn't known him, his clothing was a bit under par, he had fumbled when asked his name...

Larian's eyes narrowed toward her guest, her head cocking to one side. She had every intention to question him on his family to catch him in a lie. If he was who he said he would be able to answer questions with the answers she knew were correct, if he was not then he certainly had some explaining to do. She wouldn't have minded if he had been honest upon introducing himself and had given her the proper greeting as was essential to someone of her ranking, but he had deceived her and impersonated a noble. In some places that was treason. "Tell me, how is your mother, Lady... Oh, I've forgotten her name. How embarrassing! If you could remi-"

The doorman, who was clearing his throat, cut the duchess' interrogation short. Larian's eyes tore from Callen, resting upon the elderly man with a faint look of annoyance. "Announcing the entry of Lord Ranar Ingram," he gave a deep bow and stepped away from the doorway and out of sight. The man who he had been previously blocking was dressed in an extremely regal outfit of dark hues. Larian gave a curtsey, showing her guest the respect he was warranted upon his announced entry.

"Lord Ranar," she said with a smile. "It is wonderful to have you." His eyes were piercing, giving Larian an uneasy feeling. She felt young and inexperienced when looking at the man. Her eyes did not turn away from his though, they remained locked on his face; her bitter blend of blue and gold verse his sharp green. What had she heard of this man? She wracked her brain for bits of gossip she had obtained that would tell her more of this noble. He had a villa in Cerenis as well, that she knew. She had heard he had been spending a great deal of time there. He'd been away from Arca for some time, avoiding the politics was the answer most readily given by gossipers. He was here to welcome a fellow vacationer, then. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked taking the chance to look away from the man and turn her head slightly to the side, toward the wine. It crossed her mind to introduce Callen but she wasn't sure if he was who he said he was and Larian was not about to embarrassing herself so she avoided the initiation.

[Anonymous]

Ah, it had seemed Callen's question was not the right thing to say. For he could almost see Larian putting the pieces together in his mind. He shifted slightly.
The duchess clearly was, her eyes flicked to Callen's clothing, while clean it would seem he was dressed as a common person. Nobles often dressed like that though, he'd seen them.

Larian continued to speak, and Callen froze. Oh heck.. what was that woman's name? He'd met her a few times...
He blinked, and his lips parted as his mind fumbled to remember Theo's mother. He had her face in mind, but no name was coming.

Apparently, luck was on his side though, for an old man interrupted the duchess, introducing yet another visitor.
Callen threw his eyes heavenward, mouthing a 'thankyou' as Larian turned to welcome the new guest. Though, Callen occupied himself with trying to remember Theo's mother... Her name was just as odd as his... Isabell? Bell? something-Bell...
He nodded as it flashed back to his mind, Orabelle.. yes... that was right. Well, if Larian brought up that question again, Callen'd have his answer ready.

He turned his attention to this new man, who was... rather pretty. Despite the facial hair.. of corse. Callen had never been fond of that.. But he didn't mind going through the 'roughs'. It seemed Larian was rather distracted by this man's appearance. As was Callen. He grinned, looking from the Duchess to... Ranar. Again, an odd name as any. He was tall too, taller than Callen. Most people were, he was terribly short for a male.

Casting an anxious glance to the door, Callen bit his lower lip slightly, people were arriving now that the party was beginning. More and more people. He didn't know if Theo had gotten an invite... He hoped to the gods that he hadn't, it would make things odd if two boys of the 'Fair' household showed up, when most knew that there was only one son.

He shook his head and looked away, running a hand through his blonde hair, moving his deep pink eyes back to Ranar. Meeting the emerald gaze the man held. He resisted the urge to wrinkle his nose, this man held that uptight look. That look that he thought he was so much better than everyone else. Larian, thankfully, didn't seem to be as bad. That was probably why he had been able to take a liking to her as fast as he did.

Noticing that Larian had kept his introduction to herself, Callen stepped forard, holding out a hand for this.. Ranar.. to shake, grinning despite his distaste at the man's posture, "Nice to meet you, Lord Ranar," he cleared his throat slightly, "I'm Callen Fair." He raised his other hand, the one that held the wine, back to his lips, still making sure that the burns were safely hidden. He had followed Larian's example, using the man's title to address him with.

Who knows, maybe if Ranar and Callen drank enough, the thief would be able to show him why the streets were such a good place to live sometimes.
But something told Callen it would take Ranar to drink a hell of a lot for that to happen. Not that Callen minded either. He was a man, it wasn't exactly hard for him to keep these thoughts out of his mind. Besides, he liked Ranar's eyes..

He looked away then, realizing, that like Larian, he too had found the mans stare a little too intense and engaging.

[Anonymous]

"Yes, Lord Ingram, if you would follow me this way, I will show you to the Duchess."

There wasn't much he could do, really. It was either follow the doorman or stand there looking the fool, so off he went. Watching the man as Ranar followed him, Ranar tried to think of a stereotype this man didn't fit into, to no avail. In all truth, he found it comical. Ranar kept his smile to himself, though, taking the chance to idly observe the parts of the villa he was being led through.

Everywhere he looked, he was met with something pleasing to the eye, some of the servants notwithstanding. It all fit into what he had heard about the Dutchess from various rumors, gossip, and his eyes and ears in Arca. He had heard, among other things, that she was nothing more than a girl, barely into womanhood, that would discard toys once they outlived their usefulness. Still, she was a powerful young woman. He would have to be careful.

Ranar was led to an open doorway, where the man he had been following stopped, unsure if he should interrupt his mistress or wait for her to finish what she was saying. Ranar was content to wait. He was in no particular hurry and he had the whole evening ahead of him to get acquainted. The doorman, however, was not as content to wait.

After his introduction, and the subsequent removal of the doorman, he was greeted with the sight of the Duchess along with a guest. Ranar returned the Duchess' curtsy with a bow of his own. "It is wonderful to be here Your Grace." He replied after straightening himself. His eyes flicked to the person the Duchess had been talking to and back again in an instant. "Let me be one of the first to welcome you to Cerenis and congratulate you on the completion of your villa." How he hated formalities. He firmly grasped the hand the Duchess' guest had offered. "A pleasure to meet you too, young Fair." Fair, he had heard that name before. It tickled his brain but was gone as the young man raised his glass to take a drink.

"Yes. I think a drink would be good right now." He said, responding to the Duchess' question. He moved over to the table where the refreshments had been laid out and poured himself a glass before turning back to his two companions. "I trust Cerenis has been good to you so far, Madam." He took a sip of his wine and turned to the young man. "Forgive me for prying but I had not received word that the Fairs had arrived in Cerenis. Pray tell, how long ago did you arrive?"

[Anonymous]

Ranar returned Larian's curtsey and polite greeting with his own bow and statement. Of course he probably didn't really find it wonderful to be in the home of someone else while he could be lounging informally in his own villa, but it was only courteous to return a warm greeting. His offer to be the first to welcome her to Cerenis, too, was expected. Larian offered him a warm smile, thankful for the welcome, despite it being routine.

Callen introduced himself to Ranar; whether it was done deliberately because Larian hadn't, or because he simply thought it important to do so himself, Larian didn't know. She cared greatly, though, and her eyes followed the younger blonde as his hand clasped with Ranar's. The fellow vacationer greeted Callen before replying to Larian's drink offer. She would have filled a glass for him but before she could turn to do so he was already at the table helping himself.  The duchess had made a move toward the table but stopped, leaving her partway between the two men. Ranar turned toward her, the glass of wine in his hand.

"I trust Cerenis has been good to you so far, Madam." Ranar said to her briefly before turning his attention to Callen. She nodded, her smile still playing on her lips. He spoke to the young man next and much to Larian's joy, it seemed that the lord's curiosity could potentially settle Larian's suspicions for her. "Forgive me for prying but I had not received word that the Fairs had arrived in Cerenis. Pray tell, how long ago did you arrive?" What a perfect question. She hadn't known enough about the Fairs to ask a question like that and know whether Callen was being honest or not. Larian's eyes fell upon the blonde's face, searching for a spark of fear or trepidation.

Her smile deepened, the dimples in her cheeks showing now. It was hard for her to keep a look of smug expectation from her face. She didn't want to seem silly if the boy really was who he said he was, but she was fairly sure that he wasn't. She would know soon, wouldn't she? An anxious feeling washed over her, the warm tingle that often accompanied dramatic situations flooded Larian's body. Perhaps it was wrong that she found the possibility that there was deception mouth-watering, but she didn't care. She would be extremely angry with Callen, if he proved to be someone other than a Fair, but it would quench her thirst for excitement.

[Anonymous]

Callen looked over at Ranar as he spoke, asking about Theo's family again. The thief lowered his wine and ground his teeth together in annoyance. But he nodded, and smiled back at the man despite this. He knew Theo well, and he knew the boy was a mercenary. Despite Callen's lethe build, he could pass as one.

It seemed his greeting had been adequate. For Ranar hadn't picked up on anything wrong with it, and simply returned the same that Callen had given.
In Callen's own opinion, he was doing alright.. But he knew something wasn't quite right with Larian, she had fallen silent as Ranar had spoken to the thief.

"Yes, mother is staying home, in Arca," he looked to Larian, who looked oddly gleeful, but he continued speaking, "I'm always traveling though," he pointed to his chest and grinned, "Mercenary. Hard to get jobs in Serendipity." that was what Theo would have said, he was sure of it.

It was possible that the court didn't know about Theo's job. But like it mattered! He was hardly at home, his father had been a mercenary as well, had died as one. Not many people had known about his job....
Callen dismissed that, and drank more of his wine.

But he was still worried that Theo would arrive, the possibility hadn't crossed his mind until a few moments earlier. But the last time he'd heard from Theo, the boy had been in Ketra. That was over two months ago, who knows where he was now.
But Callen didn't let his discomfort show, he just stayed where he was, smiling at Ranar with his wine glass in his hand.

He was still trying to figure out why Larian was smiling like that. She looked like a little girl who had just gotten away with a crime. Callen looked between her and Ranar, resisting the urge to chuckle at the duchess's expression.

[Anonymous]

Bandages, a brown linen cape torn to rags, all in all Tony's elf body worked perfectly but these where not party clothes. Chopping his way trough bandits and whatnot had taken its toll. Forced to live in the woods and hunt because of his plight. Its not like she cared anymorereally, immortality had come at a price and this was one she was willing to pay out fully.

Bloody King had to go vanish on her and untill she got what he wanted there would be no peace for any high ranked nobles.

So swaggering into the town of Ceneris after having walked the entire way on foot became a troublesome affair. First she had been forced to take care of the guards this had in return lead to bigger problems and before Tony knew it he had been forced to relinquish his priced bone bow for the time being at least. It was their fault for being perverts in the first place. She would have her answers, that was her job. To find the answers and to avenge.

There it was. Following the directions given by a pair of beggars he soon found it. The duchess Larian Serleuns villa. Doubtless protected by humans and magic, no match for the stealth of an elf.

Killing innocent servants would be bad, for reputation and for the steadily increasing bounty on Tony's head. She had already drawn that share of innocent blood. No need for more.

Finally! A lone servant. Given the chance this girl would raise the alarm. They always did, a hand in front of her mouth and the sight of a knife took care of that. «I wont harm your mistress, I just need to talk to her.Give me a direction and ill find her myself.»

Hesitant at first, yet given enough incentive a finger was pointed. Smelling her fear, you could tell that this wasnt a lie.Knocking her out afterwards was simple enough. There would be no need to hide the body, The intention was to be discovered. By takeing stealth out of the picture and steadily walk towards the target. While letting the screams and blunders of servants announce ones arrival.

Who could blame them, her clothes where shredded, held together with poorly stitched needlework and tons of bloodied bandage. The feminine features of this body where way too exposed to be shown in decent company.

Reveling in the chaos yet gathering focus and courage. Wrapping herself in the pride of Adela, the unimaginable red dragonflame before entering. Usually reserved for fighting, However often used in Adelan court's to intimidate or command respect.

After getting their attention she bowed as low as decency would permit. The stitching mere inches from tearing. When that was not enough she knelt. Even in another body, she couldnt forget her knightly manners.

<Duchess Larian Serleun and guest's. My name is Tony Darius bother not with the name. it is one of humble origins. I seek your forgiveness and your aid.>

[Anonymous]

She stayed in Arca? The Fair family had been so close and she hadn't even known it? They stayed out of the public eye, but she had no idea that it was to the extent that she wouldn't even know they resided so close. It should have been obvious, a great deal of the Serenian nobility resided in the capital city. He was always traveling, he said, that would explain his clothing. Someone who was not in one place for a long period of time would have no need for elegant clothing. A mercenary especially, would find elaborate dress nothing but a hindrance. Wait, he was a mercenary? She hadn't known that. Her confidence in her gossip sources was dwindling. They had been holding out on her, or weren't as informed as they claimed to be. Learning that he was a mercenary snubbed many of her suspicions. The smug look was wiped from her face, replaced with one of contentment. Callen was watching her, perhaps because he had noticed the change in her attitude. She averted her eyes, fixing them on the doorway, her free hand smoothing the skirt of her dress; the wine glass that had gone forgotten was still in her right hand.

A commotion echoed from the hall, shouts and crashing permeated the otherwise quiet estate. Alarm filled Larian as she looked to her two guests and then back to the doorway. She waited for whatever was causing the commotion to come bursting through the open doorway and into the room. It seemed like forever before the dark-skinned female came into view, giving a low bow. Her tattered clothing barely covered her voluptuous body and one could practically see it tearing in the elongated bow.

It wasn't what Larian had expected, but it was terrifying nonetheless. She was about to address the woman when she moved fluidly from the bow into a kneel. Alright, that was not something that was normally done. Perhaps by a knight, but this lady was clearly nothing of the sort. Behind the kneeling woman the door filled with staff, unsure of whether to remove the intruder or to allow her to bow. Larian shook her head slightly to them to tell them to leave the female be. After she had done so the woman spoke, but not aloud. The voice filled her mind, bouncing off of her skull and demanding her attention. She had never been spoken to in a telepathic manner, and found it to be violating and unpleasant. Her nose wrinkled from the sensation as she waited for the feeling to dull.

"Tony Darius, what is it you seek forgiveness for? Heed your words, for your answer will greatly effect whether or not my aid will be given," she replied rather coolly, which surprised Larian. She was shaken. She wanted to scream to Tony Darius, "Why in the gods' names have you burst into my villa? What right do you have to do so? Who are you?" She wanted to tell her to get out, to tell the guards to please escort this animal back outside where it belonged. She didn't though, and for a moment she worried that Tony Darius would know what she had thought. As quickly as she could, Larian pushed all negative thoughts of the woman out of her mind and focused on the woman kneeling before her, keeping her thoughts empty. The elf in tattered clothing had addressed her guests as well, asking too, for their forgiveness and aid. Larian was the head of the household however, and took the situation into her own hands like was expected. The duchess waited for Tony Darius' reply.

[Anonymous]

Ranar smiled some at Callen's reply. He remembered being around his age. Wanting to set off for adventure, rescue damsels in distress, be the hero the bards would sing of for ages. "Your mother must be worried. Nevertheless, I remember the days when adventure and glory were all that I cared for, so I won't try to convince you to go back." He chuckled. "You'll come to that decision yourself eventually." He drained the rest of his glass. "Madam, if I may ask, what seems...."

He was cut off as the screams and crashes echoed from outside of the room. He set his wine glass down and reached for his rapier. The rapier that was still back at his villa. Damn! The one time he didn't take his weapon somewhere is, of course, the one time he would really need it. It would have been political suicide to bring it, he knew this, but the point still held. He quickly glanced around the room, racing time as the commotions got nearer.

Wine glass? Too small.

Damn.

Platter that the food was on? He played out that scenario in his mind, seeing himself trying to fend off anything from assassins to unholy spawn of the netherworld with an ornate serving plate. No. Even if it did work, slim the chances were, the scenario looked much too ridiculous for his taste. Gods forbid he should be forced to look below his image when his very life could be on the line but there it was.

Ranar reached a decision on what to use, the stands the candles were on would do nicely as a staff, when the very female intruder was in view. He had to look away when she made her bow, lest he become distracted from the dire matter at hand. He was still on edge, there was no mistaking that. He was ready to defend the Duchess should the need arise for it and he didn't let his guard down even when she knelt.

The telepathic message almost threw him for a ringer though. He wasn't exactly used to that any more, so it took him a second to process the request. Forgiveness? The Duchess put his thoughts into words and in a very steady way. There was definitely more to this young woman than what he had heard. He made a note to be even more careful when dealing with the young duchess.

There he went again, plotting, planning, and evaluating at the worst time. This woman, Tony she had - said? Sent? - was still a very real threat and he still had no means in which to protect himself, let alone the Duchess. This was definitely not good. Damn him for leaving his rapier back at the villa. Damn this woman for bursting in. Damn the Duchess for doing this to him. Damn everything on general principle. Just for good measure.

He wanted another drink.

[Anonymous]

Hah, they had both eaten up what Callen had said. He was doing well with taking on Theo's persona. Ranar seemed to be able to realte to the real Fair son. Yeah, Theo was like that, always telling Callen his dreams about becoming a hero. That Callen should remember his name long after he died because he was 'gonna be a hero someday.' The thief shook his head, a light smile on his lips.

He suppressed a smirk as Ranar mentioned his mother being worried. His mother? She hated Callen! She had spent the first years of his childhood ignoring him, as if hoping that if she did so for long enough, he;d disappear. Though Callen took the liberty of doing that for her, in running away.

But he spoke up anyway, "Mum... mother woudn't be worried.." Ranar continued in speaking with Larian, before screams and crashes echoed through the room.
Callen's head jerked up, and he lowered his wine glass to the table.

He saw Ranar moving out of the corner of his eye, reaching for a non-existent sword that apparently was at his waist. Callen grumbled angrily and jerked two of his daggers out of his sleeve at a lightning fast speed and standing protectively in front of Larian, as he guessed was proper. His daggers flashed off the lighting as they wipped out, their sound of cutting air was oddly loud.

Finally after more crashing and screaming, the intruder came into view. She was... weird looking. Her aura was odd too... not quite elven.. but something else all together. Looking at it made Callen's head ache horribly, he hissed for a moment, before he closed his eyes, mentally shutting off his magic so he could look at her properly.

The telepathic message made Callen jump a foot. Not having expected such a thing. It seemed Ranar had been thrown off by it too. He didn't like the feeling. His mind was his own! This woman had not right to it!

But her words were even odder.
Forgiveness for what? What had she done that needed forgiving?
Larian seemed oddly calm about the ordeal,  and angered. Callen looked from Larian to the elf-thing. His daggers still held out at the ready. He liked Larian, and her Villa. Plus, as a 'noble' he felt it was right that he should protect her.
Though he'd never heard of a mercenary specializing in daggers before.

He growled again, "Aid in what?" he asked, not trusting of the woman at all. He was worried for Larian, and he didn't want Ranar's pretty face to be ruined. Whatever this elf was, she spelt trouble. Callen could tell Larian was angered by Toby's entrance.

As for Ranar? He looked drop dead pissed.

Callen couldn't blame him either.

[Anonymous]

Kneeling like this was probably the ultimate defensive position and the only threat, the kid had played his chances poorly, by protecting the Countess. By standing in the front, he would not get a chance to strike at the back. At the same time crouched like this it gave Tony full access to her entire arsenal. Brimming with focus all she had to do was stay put unless the countess said otherwise and talk. Her eyes and ears ever vigilant and the voice in their heads never wavering. As she spoke, memories where shared of the time he had hunted down his beloved only to find more and more executed, burned, still burning or buried necromancer's.

>You ask alot of of questions countess. I shall answer to the best of my abilities. First. I seek forgiveness for what i have done. I have knowingly infiltrated your villa, imposed my presence, knocked out a servant, shattered plates and glass, and angered your guests. Secondly, I seek forgiveness for what i must continue to do. I hope that you will one day understand that I am just the carpenters hammer, not the carpenter.>

<I have burst into your villa because your sire. King Fenway wasnt home. It was not in my right to burst in but i still did because it was neccesary in order to meet you instantly, naked, angry, exposed and then skip all the formalities. Because this way was the fastest and cheapest and lastly because you will be forced to endure the full extent of my conversation and bear witness to the verdict during its closure.>

<I said i seek aid and it is true. I seek aid in destroying evils offspring because i am bound by contract, drawn in blood and signed in soul. Denied peace until i one day experience death. Until that day i am a hound, ravaging my body for the sake of long dead ghosts. >

He stopped sending images after he had sent them the last part. When he had arrived in Ceneris looking for his beloved only to find her burned to the bone, blamed for necromancy.

Thanks to the Flame of Adela any sort of emotions where negated but while he had full control of the emotions, the body still experienced grief. Shedding what few tears it had been saving up.
<Long time ago. necromancers all around the world where put to the sword and killed. What do you know of that time? Would your family have records of that time? I seek the names of those in charge, because even here in the nation of freethinkers murders happened and i will see to it that justice is served.>

(ooc: dont worry, keep postin ;D )

[Anonymous]

That damned telepathy again. The girl had a mouth, couldn't she speak? Gah! Since the kneeling girl was content to prattle on about forgiveness, Ranar took the opportunity to pour himself a quick drink. Which he promptly downed in one swig. Ranar could feel the soothing liquid take effect on him almost immediately. Or maybe it was the first drink kicking in. Oh well, either way.

He turned back to the scene that was playing itself out right as the intruder was finishing up with part one of the forgiveness speech. "You do realize that you couldn't have picked a worse time to come. More guests should be arriving soon." But the voice in his head just kept on. The part about a 'verdict' unsettled him slightly, reminding him that he was unarmed.

And still the girl prattled in his head! Was there no stopping it? Ranar was just about to let his thoughts be known when an image of an incredibly burned female corpse shoved its way into his head. The intensity of the image and the suddenness of its appearance temporarily rob him of his ability to speak. The girl in the image must have been one of the 'long dead ghosts' this kneeling girl had mentioned.

Ranar's ability for speech came back to him near the end of the telepath's questions. Being the sport he was, and not really having much choice, Ranar decided to put in his two coppers. "I cannot speak for the others but I know that the necromancers had been persecuted to the point where they were forced to flee to the islands now known as the nation of Thanatos. Beyond that, I know nothing about it.

"As for records, I'm not sure my family's lineage as nobles stretches that far back, so it is doubtful that I would have the records you would be looking for but..." Ranar leveled his piercing gaze at the woman. "Whoever you are looking for is long dead along with those they lead and those they hunted." His gaze softened. Slightly. "Besides, you shouldn't hold people accountable for fearing what they do not understand. It is a common flaw of humans and the other races." Gods did he hope somebody was coming with help. Why hadn't the servants gone for any? A quick glance at the door let him see that the servants were almost spellbound by the unusual intruder.

Perfect. Just perfect. Looks like the nobles would just have to buy their time with words and hope somebody else showed up soon.