Phantoms of Hell [M] [Acheron]

[Wild]

A few weeks after her wedding Lady Flavia Syron, as she now was called, was invited to the wedding of one of her best childhood friends.  With the permission of her kind mother-in-law, Flavia attended to the wedding reception ball.  The ball was glorious, the ballroom filled with guests in glittering outfits and with smiling faces.

Flavia needed some time to laugh and have fun after being forced into a marriage of her own with a man she did not love. She and her female friends laughed and danced with each other.

The group of young, beautiful girls were soon discovered by other men, who started flirting with them. Flavia giggled and flirted back, but it was all in very modest forms, just stolen glances and secret smiles.

The young girl suddenly felt as if something... or someone was watching her. She turned her head and looked around, but she couldn't see anyone. So why did she feel so... watched?

[Medievarad]

A man. Clad in a black cloakwith crimson clouds imprinted on them was attending the party, his entire body hidden by the long cloak. A handsome face with smooth features and a pair of odd, red yet intruiging and beautiful eyes. A neutral and stoic expression caused an aura of mysticism around him. An aura that made him look untouchable.

Yet his gaze crossed Flavia's for a brief second. The odd and handsome man would smile gently at her, before turning his attention elsewhere. Little did she know her mind, after such short glance,  was his target of amusement tonight.. A prey. Yes. A new fledgling? Perhaps. Amusement? Most certainly yes.

After a brief talk with some of the notables, Acheron turned to Flavia, walking over with graceful and light steps. A hand would extend from the cloak as he reached her. A soft hand grabbing hers as he bowed down, placing a gentle kiss on the back of her hand in greeting. "Acheron Whitemoore. A pleasure to make your acquantaince, my lady." He imprinted the smooth texture of Flavia's skin in his mind. This was certainly going to be amusing. His hand retreated back into the black cloak, hiding his features underneath. All she could see was the cloak and his face. With another touch of his illusion magic, he attempted fof Flavia to be more nervous. To become flustered at his presence.

Oh, how he enjoyed bending the weak to his will.

[Wild]

Flavia's eyes sparkled as she caught a short glimpse of the handsome man in the long cloak.  She  sensed the aura of mysticism around him and wondered who he was. She whispered with her friends, but they didn't seem to know the man either. The man smiled at her, but then turned away. Flavia blushed when she met his gaze, wondering why she suddenly felt so excited.

My husband must never know of this....

Why her husband must never know, she did not know herself. She had told her mother in law, Lady Syron, that she was invited to her best friend's wedding. and Lady Syron had allowed her to leave home to come here for the ball. Surely her husband would be understanding when Flavia wanted to be with her best friend, wouldn't he? Flavia decided to wait with the worries until she returned home. What could possibly happen to her here? In this ballroom with guests in glittering outfits, the candles shining from every candleholder in the room...

Her heart skipped a beat when the handsome stranger came towards her, his footsteps graceful and light. She blushed when he bowed and kissed her hand so gallantly, and she offered him a deep curtsy like she had been raised to in formal situations.

"Lady Flavia Bathory-Syron. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Whitemoore," she replied, wondering why she all of a sudden felt so flustered.

But in the back of her mind she already knew the answer. She had a feeling her husband would not like it if he ever found out that another man kissed Flavia's hand in her best friend's wedding. Even if she didn't know her husband very well yet, she already feared his reaction, even if this meeting with the stranger was completely innocent.

"What relations do you have to the bride and groom, Lord Whitemoore?" she asked, trying to start a conversation. "I am the best friend of the bride, which is why I am here. We have been friends since our early childhood."

[Medievarad]

"Oh, no. The pleasure is all mine." He said, giving another warm and gentle smile to the woman, lowering her hand gently. Intentionally letting the contact between their hands linger. A gesture that would be able to say a variety of things. And that would cause at least an awkward situation. Acheron shook his head slowly. "My apologies." He said, pulling his hand away from Flavia's again.

"I am a close friend to the groom. I helped him out several times in the past." He smiled gently, tilting his head slightly.

[Wild]

Flavia smiled and blushed as she received a warm smile from the young man in front of her. His hands felt strong and warm against her own, and she was confused by the fact that she enjoyed his touch. She didn't dare to think of how her husband would react if he found out about this...

"It's okay," she replied when he pulled his hand away from hers. "No harm done..."

At least not if my husband didn't see us....

She listened and nodded when he said he was a close friend to the groom, having helped him out several times in the past. "The groom - he has a habit of getting in trouble?" she asked, concerned for the future of her best friend."

[Medievarad]

He nodded slowly with the same gentle smile. "Ofcourse there isn't." His hand dissappeared underneath the cloak once more. He shook his hand slowly, the raven hair gently swaying to his movements. He closed his eyes as he shook his head.

"No, he is a good man. He was merely met with some misfortune in his past." He said. "I hoped I didn't inflict any discredit on my friend." He said, the red eyes testifying of genuine and legitimate concern.

[Wild]

Flavia wondered why she felt disappointed when Acheron retrieved his hand and hid it under his cloak. She felt pretty annoyed with herself. Why did this stranger have such influence over her? She didn't even know him...

Offering a somewhat trembling smile, she nodded to his words. "Ah, we can all have misfortune," she replied, remembering her own unwanted marriage and the husband she had been forced to marry. She had no right to judge the groom, and she hoped he would be a good husband for her best friend.

"No, it is fine," she assured the man she was conversing. "I am certain he is a good man and that he will be able to make my best friend happy. I just tend to be a tad overprotective since she is like a sister to me..."

[Medievarad]

"Understandable." He smiled the same gentle smile again. "It is merely natural to care for those close to yourself." He nodded slowly to enstrengthen his argument. "It is a beautiful trait. Although a treacherous one aswell. When you remain vigilant over others, the possiblity that you forget yourself may arise." Acheron chuckled softly. "Tell me, my lady. Have you forgotten yourself?" He asked, smiling warmly once more. A simple question. Yet a myriad of answers and emotions.

[Wild]

Flavia was annoyed by her own reactions to Acheron's smile. Why did she feel so flustered? Why did she blush like a young maiden every time he smiled? She was a married woman now, she was supposed to stay loyal to the husband her parents had forced on her.

Flavia fanned herself rapidly with her fan, hoping that the handsome man in front of her did not notice her blushing - and if he did, she hoped he wrote it off to the heat in the room rather than his own presence.

A soft smile lit up her face for a moment as he spoke of caring as a beautiful trait. She agreed, as she remembered the kind face of her childhood nanny, who did her best to raise Flavia like her own child when her parents had no time for her.

Her face reddened even more when Acheron asked if she had forgotten herself, and the fanning became even more rapid.

"I... errrr.... I......" she stuttered, in a manner that only could be taken as a "yes".

[Medievarad]

He did notice the blush. A he knew why. Yet Acheron kept the same composed outlook, acting as if he hadn't noticed. He merely smiled gently in return to her own soft smile, folding his hands underneath the cloak. He breathed in slowly to formulate his own answer, before he was called upon. He smiled softly towards Flavia. "My apologies. Lord Daracen wishes to speak to me. And he does not like waiting." With a short bow, he turned to where he heard his name being called. Acheron.glanced back at Flavia, the gentle and soft, red eyes crossing hers for just a momentt. "Untill we meet next, my lady."

At that, he broke eyecontact and walked off.

[Wild]

Flavia felt confused. Why did this man have such an effect on her? Not even her own husband had made her feel like this... Though she had to admit that her husband had been forced on her, chosen by her father - not by her. Besides, she doubted her father knew what her husband put her through behind closed doors when the young couple were alone...

A part of her felt relief when Lord Daracen called on Acheron Whitemoore, the other part of her felt strangely disappointed. Why? She did not like the effects he had on her. She was a married woman. She was supposed to stay loyal to her husband. Even if - she was sadly to admit - she doubted this loyalty would be mutual.

"Oh," she said, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. "Well then, don't let the good Lord Daracen wait...."

She smiled and gave him a deep curtsy as he walked off, before returning to her girlfriends to chat and laugh with them. The group of young men had come closer, now surrounding the young women as they exchanged pleasantries in a nice conversation. One of the men politely asked Flavia for a dance, and she gave him a deep curtsy and followed him to the dance floor.

[Medievarad]

Acheron was talking with a group of notables, including the groom. A pleasant conversation, occasional laughter coming from the group. They seemed to be having a good time as they talked, being poured wine and such. Yet, after a while, the halls were silenced and the performing group silenced themselves.

The dance of the bride and groom. A glance affirmed his suspicions, someone else had asked his prey to dance. Unforgivable. A weak-willed mind. His primary objective was not the joy of dance or company. No. The disgusting thing wanted to touch his prey, sleep with her. A disgusting and vile man such as him. The very nerve. It was unforgivable. Acheron looked forward as the bride and groom started their first dance. His smile widened only a slight bit as the man that asked Flavia to dance grew pale, apologised and left without a word. A haunting image was what placed in his mind, one that sickened him. One that threatened his dear old and beloved mother.

Acheron put on his oblivious guise, glancing at Flavia, arching an eyebrow and walking over. "Seems like your partner left, my lady.." He merely stated softly with a gentle smile. He looked back at the dancefloor as the bride and groom finished their dance. Acheron raised his hands from his cloak, starting to clap. Soon, the entire hall was applauding the two.

Yet, the applause slowly died down as more people joined on the dancefloor. "May I have this dance, Lady Bathory-Syron?" He asked, bowing slightly, extending his open palm for her to be guided towards the dancefloor if she accepted it, his other hand folded behind his back.

[Wild]

From her place among her group of childhood friends she could see the stranger talking to the group of notables. She wondered why he had such an influence on her. Why did she turn her head to look in his general direction just by the sound of his voice? In the back of her mind a tiny voice gnawed: She was a married woman now. She was supposed to stay faithful to her husband. Flavia tried to tell the voice that she was faithful. She was here to celebrate her best friend's wedding, nothing more. The tiny voice laughed, as if it knew something Flavia didn't.

The dance of the bride and groom. Flavia enjoyed the sight of her best friend as a bride - being just as beautiful as Flavia always knew she would be on her wedding day. The groom looked into the eyes of his bride when they were dancing - and for the moment it looked like the two newlyweds were deeply in love with each other. Flavia wished she could have a dance like that in her own wedding... But she knew it was impossible. Shaking off the depressing thoughts, Flavia clapped her hands and applauded the bride and groom when the dance was over.

The young man standing by her side got a funny face expression and seemed clearly uncomfortable as he stood there. Excusing himself to Flavia, he rushed off, and she looked at him for a brief minute, wondering why he had to rush out of the room. Then she shrugged and forgot all about him for the joy of seeing bride and groom kissing each other.

Her cheeks flushed when Lord Acheron returned to her side, and she offered him a trembling smile. Again she felt slightly nervous, wondering what was wrong with her. She had never reacted like this because of a man before - not even her husband during their first meeting.

"Who?" she asked when she heard Acheron's comment, then remembered the young man who had asked for a dance. "Oh him! He isn't my partner, I barely know him. He just asked for a dance, and I didn't think I could say no to a relative of the groom... He looked a bit green when he left though. I hope he's alright..."

The smile returned to her face as Lord Acheron bowed slightly towards her, asking for a dance. "It will be my pleasure, Lord Whitmoore," she replied and gave him a deep curtsy before placing her tiny hand on top of his, allowing him to guide her towards the dance floor.

[Medievarad]

"Ah.. I see." Acheron chuckled slowly. "He looked the type of person that would have you ending up with bruised toes.." He stated with a soft smile. "I imagine he will be."  He nodded slowly. His face not deviating an inch from his friendly and social guise. Internally, he was frustrated. Perhaps he had to snap the man's mind and turn him into a vegetable for touching his quarry. But it would cause distress. Frustrating.

Acheron stood up straight again, his hand gently gripping her hand and guiding her to the dancefloor gently. His other  hand appeared from the cloak, putting a hand on Flavia's waist as he slowly started to waltz along with the slow rythm of the music, keeping Flavia at a respectable and honorable distance. Yet he remained smiling softly, looking at her and guiding the dance.

[Wild]

Flavia laughed when Acheron spoke of the type of person that would have her ending up with bruised toes. "Perhaps I should thank you for saving me from dancing with him then," she said gently. "Bruised toes do not go well with this type of dress, do you think?"

Little did she know what would happen to the runaway dancer who had tried hitting on her in Acheron's absence. Just as little as she knew what Acheron planned for her. She was just a young woman, happy to be out on her own and celebrating her best friend's wedding.

Placing her hand on Acheron's she allowed him to guide her to the dance floor, blushing lightly as his other hand was placed on her waist. Even if he kept her at a respectable and honorable distance she had a bad feeling, thinking that her husband would be furious if he found out that she was dancing with another man. But she forced herself to smile back at the other man, allowing him to guide the dance as she waltzed with him.

[Medievarad]

"I do not think it would fit with your dress. It would also cause a rather funny walking." He chuckled slowly.

He noticed the blush, the soft smile only widening slightly. "My apologies, lady Bathory-Syron. Do I make you feel uncomfortable?" He asked, his concern genuine. The smile slowly fading. Yet he kept leading the soft and gentle dance. No doubt that he was adept at it.

[Wild]

Flavia laughed heartily as Lord Whitmoore joked about a rather funny walking. "You may be right," she replied, her eyes sparkling after their funny jokes.

She looked up at him and shook her head when he asked if he made her feel uncomfortable. "Oh no, not the least," she replied with a smile, her blushing deepening as she lowered her gaze.

My husband on the other hand....

She shook off the thoughts of her husband, not wishing the thoughts of him to ruin her best friend's wedding. This was a day for happiness and laughter, not for tears.

"It feels a bit hot in this room," she told Lord Whitmoore as she fanned herself. "Perhaps some fresh air would help?"

[Medievarad]

His prey was flustered at his presence. This would only grow more and more interesting. How he looked forward to making this woman collapse. How interesting it would be to destroy her entire life. His thoughts were called back to the room again as he nodded. "Do you wish for me to accompany you?"

[Wild]

Flavia felt the heat of the room unbearable. The air felt tight, and the perfumes of the other ladies smelled horrible while mixed together in this tight air. Flavia fanned herself rapidly while every fiber of her being pleaded for some fresh air.

She smiled and lowered her head when Lord Whitemoore asked if he should accompany her. So far he had been kind and galant towards her, so what could possibly go wrong? There wasn't much that could happen to her on a balcony when there was a crowded ballroom right inside the windows.

"If you wish," she said as she took a shaky step towards the double balcony doors. "But don't let me keep you if you have other duties to attend to..."

[Medievarad]

He shook his head with a gentle smirk. "This is a party. I have no duties here. And what manner of gentleman would I be if I left you on your own?" He chuckled slowly, the dance slowing down and ultimatly stopping. He went over to the doors, opening them for Flavia.