Triple Chocolate Cake

[zozee9]

"And yet this cunning, loner wolf is willing to spend time with my poor self?" Illi asked dramatically with a small gasp and a hand to her heart. "How honored I am! To bask in the company of one so wild and highly regarded such as yourself, why, there's nothing I could dream of that would be any greater!"

She paused and looked at him with a twinkle in her eye as she added, "I am really glad that you came, though." She winked and teased, "Now I don't have to worry about any old women coming in and cooing me—they'll all be scared off by you!"

[visualspice]

"Yes, but I think I've scared off enough for one evening," her told her, his grin uncertain as he studied her. "And you might be the only one to care for my attendance. If it weren't for the nagging of my sister, I would have considered staying at home."

[zozee9]

"A sister?" repeated Illi with a smile. "I didn't know you had a sister!" Though as she said that, she wondered if maybe she had heard that somewhere. "What's her name? Oh, I bet she's quite a joy! All of my siblings came here." She paused before she frowned and lied, "Except, of course, my eldest sister."

"Enough about that, though. Tell me about your sister? Did she come as a wolf, too?"

[visualspice]

At the talk about family, Davishire instantly became soured, and no matter how bubbly and sweet his companion was, she could not deter him from his mood change.
"Yes, I'd much rather forget I have her," he growled, his teeth bared much like a wolf's in warning. "And I'm sure you've heard of her before, Lady Davina Callister." And it made him feel vile to even speak her name as he made a face.
"And only my sister came, but she would ever be caught dead never attending such a party. She loves these sort of events, perhaps too much for her own good. And no," he crinkled his nose at her last statement. "She came as a dessert." He rolled his eyes at that and had to shake his head of it.
"If I could choose a better family I would, but I can not say I am proud of any of my siblings. Though my youngest brother tries, I'm afraid my sister might have poisoned her with her vulgar ideals." And again his face was very bitter from it, that only then did the shake from earlier finally wilt one of his tufted costume ears.

[zozee9]

Illi turned around and sat on the couch, patting the spot next to her. "Sit," she demanded (though kindly so). She cocked her head to the side, wondering why his sister was such a sour subject. Like he said, the name did ring a bell for her. But she hadn't the slightest clue anything about Lady Davina... just that she had heard her name before. In truth, she had probably overheard it while reading.

She weighed her options, debating whether to pry into the story behind the obvious distaste or just to let the topic rest. Illi, being one for stories, figured she might as well try to figure out what happened.

"Why?" she questioned quietly. "I mean, why do you hate her so much? ... You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But sometimes it helps to have someone to talk to, right?"

[visualspice]

Davishire bristled at the very thought to have to bring up the countless reasons as to why he despised his own sister, so when she patted the seat for him to take, stubbornly, he refused.

"It would only bring out my sourest of moods," he informed her. There was no use sugar coating the obvious. "Though if I were to at least save you face and find a way to quickly explain myself, my only answer for you is my sister is the poorest of examples of a woman. In fact, I'm embarrassed to have her be called my sister, though Angsar knows I've tried to reason with her, she always refused. Her ulterior motives always puts our family in the center of gossip, whether she intends to do it or not, and agrees with my mother and father over our family line deserving of the next seat on the duchy of Hellvion's throne." He shook his head. "Not that it's that single action that has me loathing her, but if you'd see or hear the things she's done.." and here, it could be noted, had he been holding something, he would have broken it in one clean motion-
So thankfully he was not, but the anger was there and his muscles tightened for it, even noticeably so beneath the furry costume of the wolf.

"It would be wise of us to change the subject," he then growled, hoping to be rid of the vile taste he got in his mouth whenever he thought of his despicable sister.

[zozee9]

Illi listened attentively as Davishire spoke. She had to take his word for his sister having done other horrible things, because nothing he listed seemed like a reason to despise one's own sibling. She had siblings she liked less than others, of course, but she still loved every single one of them. Clearly that wasn't the case for Davishire, and Illi, not liking the fact that he had so much anger and pain welled up inside of him—even if she still didn't quite understand why that was so—, hopped out of her seat and gave him a big hug.

Her arms wrapped around his lower back and her face pressed into his chest. It was a strange hug for her, since he was so much taller, but she hardly cared. She just wanted him to feel better and to get rid of his hatred. And Illi, being the impulse thinker that she was, figured a nice hug was the perfect way to do that.

[visualspice]

A hug was MOST unexpected, and the moment he felt the woman's arm around him, he clenched his teeth and visibly bristled, and he absolutely NO idea what to do! His mind, most unnaturally to him, was floundering and before he could protest or even consider enjoying such a moment- his sister's voice cut through the room.

"My, my, what a sweet scene here. Who would have thought Lord Callister would find comfort in a lady all alone in the Grand Duke's private study."

At Davina's voice, Davishire pulled away from Illi to growl.
"Davina."
And his sister merely laughed as she approached.


"Come now my big brother. Don't growl at me like a wolf," she said with a tart-like pout. "Besides, that is no way to introduce me to your friend." ANd here Davina gave Illi a once over before she stepped in between the pair of them. She didn't want them any closer than that after all.
"Lady Davina Callister, sister to Lord Davishire Callister," Davina said, and curtsied elegantly before her.

[zozee9]

Illi jumped when a voice cut through the silence and gasped when Davishire said the voice's name. It was his sister. The very same sister that he had just been complaining about. And she had just caught them hugging—surely her imagination assuming something much different than the reality. Davina was a beautiful woman with a mocking tone, and Illi couldn't help but feel bad for Davishire.

So she decided to do what she could do best: tell a story. With a polite curtsy and a sad smile, Illi said, "I am Lady Illi Treyburn, sister to, well, a whole lot of Treyburns. I must apologize for the situation you walked in upon, however. It wasn't Lord Callister that was finding comfort... it was myself."

She paused and lowered her eyes to the ground. "Let me explain. You see, we were in the midst of a dance in the ballroom when I started to think about my sister. I'm sure you know her... after all, everyone does. I'm talking about the one that was exiled so many years ago. I rather miss her. You see, I used to follow her all over the place—like a little duckling, she said." She laughed sadly and her eyes started to well up. "She told me once when I was little that I would grow to be a queen." She looked back up at Davina and tears started to flow down her face. Sniffling, she added, "I dressed like this to honor her, but I can't handle the pain. I'm sorry, I'm crying again. I can't help it, I just miss her so so so so so much and the tears won't stay in." And with that, Illi collapsed onto the ground and starting bawling into her hands.

[visualspice]

Davina, not at all amused by the girl's display of tears, only held a facade that she did when Illi was on her feet, but the moment Illi Treyburn's face was in her hands and she- on the ground sobbing, she grit her teeth into a cringe and peered over at Davishire as if she were about to laugh.

Davishire glared at her like the wolf he was dressed as before getting to one knee.
"Please, Miss Treyburn," he said stiffly, going back to a more formal phrasing since his sister was around (and still, as which, Davina found herself rolling her eyes over anyways, since seeing her brother make a fuss was embarassing enough. After all, she was a Treyburn! Who cared about her exiled sister anyway?)

Davishire placed a large hand upon Illi's shoulder before glaring a second time towards his sister who rolled her eyes again and tugged a kerchief from her bosom.
"Here, deary, cry into one of these. No need to smear your make up," she said, but Davishire knew she was being patronizing, and that the kerchief would reek of her perfume if Illi accepted, but even still, his sister was being civil for now, so he didn't snap at her...
yet. In fact, he was still perplexed over what Illi had said, though he supposed he'd inquire more into this later- perhaps after he shooed his sister away.

"And that ground is positively filthy. There are fainting couches around the room that I'm sure are more than adequate for such an out burst."

And at that comment Davina made, Davishire did glare at her and even growled her name in warning, but Davina kept her cool. It wasn't like she was afraid of the big, bad wolf.

[zozee9]

Illi kept up her act of crying even as Davina's fake words made their way to her ears. In fact, she found that she was rather fond of the current situation. If the girl was going to act pretentious—even discreetly so—then she could do the same. Plus, it was clear how much Davishire didn't like his sister with the words he had just been spouting.

Illi took the opportunity of being hunched down in a ball to secretly stick her writing into her own bosom before taking Davina's handkerchief and blowing her nose into it. She then blindly (since her eyes were all blurry from fake tears) reached up in front of her and grabbed onto Davina's dress, pulling herself up weakly.

Her still crying self sniffled, "Okay... I'll go to a couch." Her hands started to unclench from Davina's dress and she moved to take a step before pretending to collapse again... but this time Illi fell onto Davina, giving the snobbish girl a hug of her own.

[visualspice]

Davina's temper was being tried, and if there was one thing about the Callister's- it was that every one of them had a short fuse. Though Davishire was normally the one under gossip, Davina wasn't without an occasional outburst of her own, but when pathetic, Illi Treyburn threw herself at her with her tears, Davina recoiled back and began to push her away; and it was Davishire who stepped in to catch Illi.

"Are you sure you're not drunk?" Davina said, a bit in a huff, but she tried to keep herself as calm and collected as she could while she smoothed back some of her dark hair and gave a bitter and scrutinizing gaze over the Treyburn girl.

"Davina," her brother growled, baring his teeth at her as he held Illi towards him. "If you've come in here to stick your nose in business where it does not belong, then be off with you. I have no patience for a woman of your kind."

And Davina, taken back by his words, stared at him then down at Illi.
"Yet, you have the patience for her?" And at those words,s he seemed quite amused, especially when Davishire's face went red as wine. "Oh, stop your growling or people will think you truly are a wolf." And though she pouted, Davishire knew better and Illi would have been able to feel all of Davishire's bulky muscles tense as he held her. If he was the type of man to throttle his sister, he surely would! For it seemed no amount of shouting would ever keep Davina in line.

"I won't spell it out, Davina," he growled. "Now you can leave this study now, or I can show you to the door."

Raising both of her brows, a small smile spread across her lips.
"And appear so rude to your own sister infront of a friend?" And Davina was careful in her word choice as her eyes glittered as she peered from Davishire down to Illi in his arms. "Perhaps you should let your temper cool, my dear brother, and I could escort the lady elsewhere, where rumors are less likely to spread? Or have you not realized the pair of you are alone here in the study?" ANd she looked around thoughtfully before glancing over towards Ill, a cat like expression on her face. "Unless that was Miss Treyburn's intentions?"

"Davina! You will leave this study now or so help me, you will be thrown out this very instance!"

"Temper, temper!" his sister said, chastising him with a click of her tongue. And she had only backed up just two steps as she continued to grin at the pair. "And don't be so haughty towards me, I am only thinking about the poor girl's reputation."

And as Davishire was seething mad, he realized, through his rage, Davina had a point. He should not have cornered the poor girl alone.

"I can escort her out myself," he growled, not about to trust his sister with anything.

"And you think that will quell the rumors?"

"No, but I'm sure whatever fiasco you've dug yourself into this evening will outshine the one time Lord Davishire Callister was sharing a quaint conversation with a lady in the Grand Duke's study. I'm sure the war going can't compare either, so why don't you stop making suggestions where they are not wanted and get out of here before-"

"Before you throw me out?" she seemed to tease, a coy grin on her face as she laughed through a closed lipped smile. "Though I suppose it wouldn't do any harm for me to escort you both out of the room...."

"Davina.." And as Davishire growled back at her in protest, poor Illi would feel those muscles shaking with intensity yet again.

[zozee9]

Illi stood in surprise at the argument going on. It seemed his sister really was an antagonist kind of character. She couldn't tell if it was a misunderstood antagonist or a real antagonist, but that didn't matter much at the time. Was Davina accusing her of being loose? Of wanting to lure Davishire in unholy ways? A blush spread across her face and she pouted as the tears kept coming. They still weren't real tears—after all, she wouldn't let something someone bad said make her cry. But she had to admit, the words did hurt.

The hurt didn't last for long, however, since she noticed Jana was standing by the door. Her sister stayed there, mostly hidden from sight, for most of the conversation between Davishire and his sister. But then she walked towards them, wine in her hand. And before Illi quite realized what was happening, Jana had poured all the contents of the glass onto the Tart.

Illi gasped, wondering how her sister was going to play that one off. Weren't they not supposed to know each other?! But as her sister proved shortly afterwards, she shouldn't be underestimated.

"Oops, my hand slipped," Jana said bluntly before walking around Davina to Illi and planting a kiss on her shocked face. "Are you okay, milady?" She took a handkerchief and wiped off Illi's tears.

Illi looked up at Davishire and then back down at her sister. "I'm sorry, Ezekiel, I've just been missing my oldest sister... you know, the one that got exiled?" In other words, the one that was right in front of her.

[visualspice]

Davina, stunned into silence the moment the wine was dropped onto her costume, stood there while it dribbled down her dress and hair, soaking into most of it but a few red droplets had gotten onto the floor. It seemed Davishire wouldn't be the only Callister 'killed' by wine that evening. But even as it came so suddenly, Davishire himself wasn't sure if he should be angry or elated, considering how close Jana was suddenly with Miss Illi. He found himself blushing and feeling awkward for this 'Ezekiel's' attentions, so much that none of the words were properly heard-
Except his sister's.


"My, my, so I suppose I was right on your affections towards Lady Treyburn," Davina said, running a finger down her chest to draw up some of the wine before she placed her wine-laced finger into her lips. "The wine seems a bit too sweet to have wasted on a tart like me,"s he informed, still smiling now for reasons the other two would only realize after the fact, for Davishire wasn't as ignorant as some might assume him to be about relationships, and he knew the admirations from another. That, he did not necessarily need Davina to point out, but her words definitely influenced him.

"I apologize, Miss Treyburn," he said with a partial, rigid bow. "It seems I need to escort my sister out. I hope the rest of your evening goes well."
And before anyone could rightly protest, Davishire snatched onto his sister's wrist and dragged her out of the study. This night had gone on for far too long, and as much as he'd love to spend time with Illi, the moment was ruined and his sister needed to be taken as far away from here as possible. Yes, the Callister's were through with such an event, or so he thought, as Davina spared no expense to smirk over her victory. At least, for now, she had gotten her brother away from that wretched Treyburn. So it might have cost her this dress. She wouldn't have worn it again anyways.

OOC: If I keep them a little longer in the ball thread I'll let you know XD other wise we can plot things to happen after said event :3
Just let me know, zoz <3

[zozee9]

Illi gaped at Davina, wondering if the woman had no limit to what she would do. She practically just licked wine off of her breasts. Her words were still sharp, but Illi hesitated to speak up since she knew Jana was playing the lovesick angel. Such an odd thought.

It seemed like Davishire and Davina were leaving before she knew it, and Illi looked frantically at Jana. This wasn't the right way for the night to end! Would she really never see her... the wolf again?! That just didn't seem right, though she couldn't figure out why.

Jana, on the other hand, completely saw what Illi seemed to blind to notice. She smiled and playfully nudged Illi. "Go on, go chase him! I'll go moan in despair that my 'one true love', Jillian Treyburn, doesn't love me!" she stated dramatically but quietly enough that the Callisters shouldn't be able to hear her. Jana's words were enough to push Illi to trust her instinct, and she took off without a word of thanks to her sister.

Jana snickered as she watched Illi trip over her own dress onto the floor and promptly pick herself back up before running again. That girl never seemed to stay upright... or run out of energy. She debated going back to the ballroom, but instead decided to just stand and wait until her sister was farther away. There was no predicting what Illi would do or how much attention would be called to it.

It seemed like Jana made a wise decision, too. By the time Illi got far enough to see Davishire again (which was in the hall directly outside of the study), she shouted his name as loudly as she could. She continued running towards him, not caring the slightest about the few guests who had been passing through the hall but were now watching her with curious eyes.

She caught up to him quickly and placed a hand on his torso to stabilize herself while she caught her breath. Running in heels was tough work, especially for a girl who did as little exercise as Illi. "Davishire," she repeated, panting. Her big, green, pleading eyes looked up at him as she continued, "May we meet again?"

[visualspice]

Davishire's brows dipped upon his head as he looked at the woman as if she were mad.
"Miss Illi, what is the matter with you? Your all flush. Have you been running?"

Davishire Callister had made it all the way to his personal carriage by the time Illi had caught up to him. He had forced Davina into the carriage, who was trying to peer out to see who was causing the commotion and glared daggers at the girl from the shadows. But she probably couldn't see her as Davishire fully turned around to face her, his body blocking the carriage door.

"Miss Illi, -" he began, drawing in a long breath as if ready to give her a lecture, but surprised himself when he replied with a wolfish girn, "But of course, Miss Illi. But all you needed to do was call."

[zozee9]

Illi laughed, still a little short of breath, and repeated, "Call. Of course." Then she paused, tilted her head, and added, "Wait, what? Call?" She felt foolish, not quite comprehending what he meant. Maybe she could blame the wine. The wine that she didn't drink. Maybe she couldn't blame the wine.

OOC: tiny post... sorry D:

[visualspice]

"Yes," Davishire replied with a wolfish grin. "Send word via letter to request a meeting. You know, formalities in writing." He gave a nod of his head, his warm brown eyes taking in her blush and admiring the way she had exerted herself for something so foolish. "Or are you afraid such a request would be denied?"

[zozee9]

Illi froze and her eyes went wide. A letter?! That wouldn't do... not at all. A few seconds passed before reality came back to her and she laughed nervously. Her family had long since accepted that they would never get to read what she was writing (though a few of them still tried just to see her fluster), but it had been a while since a stranger had mentioned writing.

Realizing that she would have to say something to not come off as even more strange, she replied, "But I don't know your address." Well, that was true. It probably wouldn't be hard to figure out, but it was true. "Plus, I don't know how to write. Wait. No. That's false." She mentally slapped herself for telling such an obvious lie—he had already seen her writing! "But my writing is horribly messy and I don't let anyone read it. Not even my family."

She paused, trying to think of more to say. Her mind racked through all the excuses she could make. "And, um, you've met my family! If they got ahold of a letter, there's no knowing what would happen. Especially Janette... she'd probably burn it just to bug me. Or have her snake eat it." Illi wrinkled up her nose and shook her head. "No, letters aren't really the best option..."

[visualspice]

Davishire let out a laugh, a sound that came out sounding rich and deep.
"Then perhaps I will have to simply send my requests personally? Or would my presence appear too forward, my Queen?"