Diamonds and Dragons (M)

[Lion]

It would have been easier to send the birds.  Why didn't he just send the birds?!  The courier was well beyond exhausted and the horse too.  He had left only a week and a day earlier but it had taken every one of those seven days to make it from the foamy coast of Summervale to the Riverlands through the Highlands then to the flattened valley that opened up to the rising hills and cresting mountains that was the province of Darken Vei.

But even here, he could not rest, not just yet until he reached that westernmost city of stone and snow.

After a night in Tavantax, he was thankful for the Merchant's Road, leading northwest easily and with a fresh horse underneath him, made it to the city of Reichsgard within a day and few hours.  The horse was nearly worn through and staggered at the gates of Reichen-Stone, the keep of the High Lord.

Yes, of course it would have been easier to send the message by bird.  But a bird was certainly less glamorous than a sweaty, stinking courier garbed in House Anell regalia.  He'd made it, nonetheless, in time, and more or less intact.

The message came beautifully embossed with gilded edges and gorgeous feathering in between each section of script.  High Lord Tristan certainly went all out when it came to his birthday.  The courier delivered the message to the elderly valet that answered the door of Reichen-Stone after being thoroughly inspected by the guards.  Precautions could never be too high when entering the abode of a High Lord.

But even after all had been said and done, the courier still had not been permitted to see the High Lord.  "But I have been instructed to give it to his Lordship directly, sir," he explained.

"Understood.  But I'm afraid Lord Acaulian is very busy and will be for the rest of the day," Irvine answered, the old man remaining cold in his politeness.

"Then I shall wait," the courier insisted.

"I'm afraid that's not possible.  But I will see to it that his Lordship gets the message.  Thank you for your diligent service.  Please help yourself to the kitchens and guest rooms for some much needed food and rest.  You'll be provided a rested horse and guard escort to help you on your way back to the border of the province."

The courier accepted the answer with a bow and handed off the message, shortly before being escorted to the kitchens as promised.  Irvine watched him as he went before starting up the stairs to Doryx Acaulian's office.  He knocked softly on the door when a powerful voice came hollering from the other side, exclaiming not to be disturbed.

"My Lord," Irvine explained.  "It's a message from Summervale.  A courier has come a long way to deliver it.  Please sir if you would be so obliged to at least take it from my hands, I would be much more obliged to remove myself from the door."

"All right, Irvine."  Doryx opened the door to his office, looking old and tired and peering down at the invitation that the courier had brought.  He took it from him, the valet bowing and taking his leave.  He had to sit to open it, the contraption in front of him sparking and buzzing relentlessly as the experiment he'd been working on began to fade from the effects of a weak animation spell.

He opened the message and indeed as it was beautifully embossed and made out as he expected it to be.  Summervale was always a much lightened place, compared to the cold, stony land that comprised much of his own province.  "An invitation to his birthday celebration, eh?" but already his face was furrowed in consternation.  Why of all moments did he decide to send such an invitation now?  Doryx already had his mind made up, but he supposed he ought not to come to a conclusion so quickly without first consulting Devaniée; she had a right to know of course.

He got up from his desk and walked down the hallway.  Reichen-Stone was a large castle, broadly built and had acoustics ringing everywhere.  He called for Devaniée but heard no response.  And just when he was rounding corridor he saw Anne coming down the hall.  "Where's my wife?" he asked her adamantly.

The woman bowed and gestured behind her.  "In her tower, of course, Milord.  Lady Devaniée is painting.  Shall I go and get her?"

"Oh...right," Doryx answered, nodding.  "I'll go and get her myself.  Thank you.  Oh, and Anne, could you please see to the courier that delivered this message.  Make sure you show him to the guard quarters."

"Yes, milord."

Doryx nodded to her and headed toward Devaniée's tower...  He paused at the foot of its spiraling steps that whirled upward toward his wife's favorite painting chamber.  He remembered the day when he'd given it to her for her birthday one year.  He couldn't forget the look of sheer ecstasy on her face...and one he'd never been able to duplicate since.

He reached the door and saw that it was slightly ajar.  He rapped his knuckles on it before slowly pushing it open.  "Devaniée," he called.  "Is this a bad time?  Sorry to disturb you...but, I, received something from Summervale, I thought I'd come and let you read it."  He slowly walked in, careful to avert his eyes from the paintings she was so shy about and handed the invitation over to her.

[visualspice]

OOC: I was litsening to this music while posting.
IF YOU CARE
XP
IC:


Like the reverberated breath of music, the pop of a note struck against the dulcimer, echoing in a light carousel of noise about the air; her paint brush moved, furious and fast. First to water, then to paint, then to canvas as waters dribbled together in undefined unity, streaking this way and that as blue took to paint the air, and yellows ribboned together as sunlight in the skies and greens flourished, breathing, growing, churning into vivid interpretations of life.  Then dancing, bouncing, strings and lights and colors drifted off the brush and moved, lapping, slipping, groping at the air, popping into an unknown dance, an unseen jig as life was breathed and life would come, animating the pieces of canvas to life, as figures, images, mere blurs and specks of figure would dance off the page, peel itself off the fabric of the canvas and dance around in the air, ina  swirl, in a blur around her; all of it in a display a surreal rainbow of paint, water and light.

And then with a flick of her eyes, to the canvas they went, the colors would flood and splat, and river and collect onto the canvas again, making a unique style, a unique taste and interpretation of how she felt, the inner most workings of her minds of doubts, missing love, pain and fears.  And it would always turn out to be empty; the painting always 'half full' of longing, a lonely feeling with only the fading sound of the song that once burned inside her heart to paint it.  But it was the heart that was always missing, and no lyrics to these painted songs.  And so, as it was with almost every piece she made, never to be finished, always seeming empty, alone; she stood back, paint brush dripping in her hand, while the daylight spilled into the room to where the now calmed canvas rested on it's stand.  Though it was impressionistic, not holding all of the vibrant and realistic details that a painting could, it held enough emotion to display a hunger unseen, a desire unknown, and the ideals of unfullfilment.

And just like everyother painting, her magic would fade away, and the light in her eyes sparkling once from the passion of colors, to the passion of something more distilled.
And then she heard the knocking at the door and nearly jumped out of her skin and whirled around, skirts barely settling against her legs like a gasp of breath, as she stared in surprise to see her husband. She backed up meekly against her new painting, her body half hiding the canvas from view as she peered at him, her blonde hair, a slight mess in her face, curling lightly at her chin so that it's curls peeked at the corners of her lips, and a streak of green paint was smudged across her cheek, and her dress splattered with multiple colors, especially up the sleeves, on her arms and layering her fingers in cakes of drying colors.

She pressed her lips together, flattening her lips and fluttering her long, pale lashes before forcing a smile and nodding her head.

"Yes, news from Summervale?" she questioned softly, repeating his question and raising her brows and taking only but a single step away cautiously from her canvas before pausing a moment to tuck back some of her hair, streaking it with some of the remnants of colors still embedded into her finger nails. She was a timid thing, and looked at her husband so, almost as meek as a mouse. "Did the messenger disrupt your work?"s he asked, with some concern. She knew he didn't like to be disturbed. He never did.

[Lion]

[It's pretty awesome!  I liked it!]

He knew she'd be in her tower.  That was where she usually could be found these days.  Doryx found it odd even that she would sleep here sometimes.  But he knew this was her sanctuary, her safe haven where she could be free from the prying eyes of the world, of being disturbed by anything...or anyone.  His own stomach sank a little at that as he watched her, timid, meek, almost nervous by his mere presence.  He didn't understand why she'd be such a way.  He wasn't some stranger that came before her, but at her last words he had a feeling why.

"Um, no he did not.  Irvine gave me the courier's message.  Open it up, if you please," Doryx smiled at her and stepped closer to her, handing the message over, or rather setting it on a desk beside her and leaning against it.  As he did so, he looked her over, taking in the paint splattered on her dress, her hair, her hands, her eyes and his smile only grew.

"Well, what do you make of it, dear?" he asked, cross his arms over his chest.

[visualspice]

She blinked and looked down at the letter on her desk and hesitated at first. She always felt embarrassed for her paintings and her cheeks heated with color, as did the back of her neck, burning as it always did when her world, her thoughts, her emotions were displayed in pictures. SHe could only be thankful her husband seemed not to notice, or.. more or less, he seemed kindly enough not to press... even if part of her wished, and dreamed, that someone would.

But even still, she had to step away from her painting as she moved forward, picking up the letter and was awed by the light scent of the ocean and the sounds of the cool breezes and sands. The the music played and she smiled softly, just enough for dimples to cut into her blushing cheeks.

Then, clearing her throat, she lifted up the letter to catch the sunlight and read it outloud:

"You're invited to Lord Tristan's Annual ball The fifth of the first month of spring
In order to Celebrate the Lord's  birthday!


  Please arrive with any immediate family you wish, and keep servants to a minimal "

Lowering the letter, she looked towards her husband, a hand going tenderly over her lips as she gasped.
"Oh, Doric. It's a ball. Can we go?" she asked, forgetting she normally asked him opinion first, but these past many months, or many years, had been trying on her, and even a woman who held up such a facade, such a whim to her husband's will, that even she dropped it for a moment to play the woman who loved a dance (for she did..), as she approached him, taking his hands softly, crumpling the letter a little as her painted hands met to his, and her lilac eyes, so soft and sweet, sparkled excitedly, swelling with more vibrancy than normal; even a color to dwarf the paintings that were hung about the room in disarray.

"It would be most fitting. You have been traveling for so long and now that you are back and have the time,"s he began, choosing her words carefully and speaking lightly, as if each word she spoke were carefully carved crystal. "It would be a wonderful oppurntunity for us to keep diplomatic relations open."  She would, of course, omitt the details that the last such occasion they declined, and the ten before that, due to the fact her husband just wasn't home-
and now that he had returned, she found herself more anxious than usual, more on edge and more antsy to get out herself-
a feeling she had always felt but..
Now that he was near and in the house more often, she found herself so jittery on the inside and so much more tired, that she was nearly exhausting herself to keep up her perfection.

Even still-
balls, dances.. parties..
These were things she felt more in her element, where she could curve her tongue creatively, speak her mind openly with the other women (even some men) and delight and tickle and charm those around her-

And it was in such a circumstance she had won her husband.

"Oh, Doric, can we go?" she asked, squeezing his hand lightly, hoping he would say yes, and fearing at the same time, he might say no.

[Lion]

He'd only done so because he knew she had a right to at least read it before he disposed of it in the waste bin.  But then the question came that he'd been dreading every step up his way to the tower.  Doryx had his mind already set on his decision.  But he knew that look in Devaniée's eyes; he'd seen it before and knew a challenge was ahead of him.   He could only hope he could surmount it.  But again...how could he say no...

"No, Devaniée, oh, goodness...  I don't know how I could possibly have time for the ball.  It's at least a week's travel away.  Unless you'd like to warp there, but I don't think you'd like that at all.  By the time we get to Summervale, we'll be a disheveled mess.  We can't go...we can't.  I-I....I have a speech to make at the college in the next few days alone.  I hear the astronomer's found an anomaly in the sky a few months ago and have been tracking its movements.  A red star, fascinating...but..."

Doryx could find no more words to back his claims but he continued to shake his head and held her hand.  He knew she already detected the weakness and cracks in his voice.  "No, it's out of the question.  I'm sorry."

[visualspice]

As quickly as the stars had formed in her eyes, they were snuffed out. Her lips, which had once remained open, quickly closed and her demeanor seemed to wilt just slightly as a blush graced her cheeks. Oh! How dreadful of her to put her husband in such a predicament, but had her mind, her heart not been so restless from how she had been living for so long-
oh! Why could her husband not be the same as the rest? One who loved to go dancing and held great parties. How she missed those days in Jadenshine. A part of her regretted never following up on a love she had back home and had been sweet upon, but even she knew she was destined for things far greater than she, and even she knew she prided herself on the husband she had taken-f or she had loved him, she did..

But perhaps, even she was a fool to think she still might. Oh, if only she was a man like he- then perhaps they could have gone on those adventures together and shew ould not have to find herself held captive in this castle, so utterly, utterly alone.


She forced herself to smile, as she always did, sweeping her hand casually through her hair, then lightly fluffing it in the cradling palm of her hand with a delicate motion, just at the tips where it became soft curls.
"Oh, I was not made aware it would be such an inconvenience. Are these new plans I was not held aware?" she held her hands together, lightly so, craning her neck, her lips parting open just so to expose her teeth behind gentle, soft pink lips, her lilac eyes meeting his, holding his and nothing more-
except within them held a stirring, a hope chained back, repressed but yearning to escape after years of never seeing real freedom, to never being expressed on the true wishes of her heart.

"Are these events so constricting of your time we could not spare some expense to attend? Lest I remind you, the last time we had to politely decline. You were.." her eyes wavered, going slightly gray, but she forced that sparkle back into them to save face. "You were entertaining some more of your collectoral finds." She pressed her face out as her smile broadened just so, for him. "And what finds you did. It was a very prosperous and good reason to decline."

[Lion]

Dammit!  She'd seen it!  She'd seen through the cracks of his defense, and knew exactly what to say to slowly chip away at it.  Doryx steeled himself however and wouldn't let her through so easily.  He didn't have any interest in parties or dances or using them as a form to establish diplomatic connections.  There were better ways to do that than dinner and dancing.  Why contracts for jade shipments just came in from Jadenshine a month ago alone!  Oh....why did she have to go to this party?

"These are plans I've had in mind for some time," Doryx admitted, stepping away from her, trying not to meet the intensity of her gaze.  He cleared his throat.  "I, erm, just hadn't made you aware of them until now.  But you know how important my work at the college is to me!  I don't want my province to be filled with nothing more than inbred, one-tooth, pig-headed fools like those hicks in the Wester Highlands...  Oh, but I'm just tired.  I've only been back a few days, Devaniée.  It's hard when you travel as much as I do already."

Doryx leaned back against the desk and sighed heavily.  "Why are you so eager to go?  Is the castle no longer suitable for your enjoyment that you have to all the way to the ocean to ease your passion?  If you want, I'll build you another section.  A personal garden, perhaps, just for you."

[visualspice]

Devaniée felt herself tense at her husband's words, and though they hurt her, she wore her mask well, but even she felt her own self clawing beneath it, hungering to come out. If she could just be herself, she would have slapped him and made off to the party on her own and dance with a hundred handsome, charming men! But as a respected woman, a woman, married to this... this man...
She held her place with dignity. She had, after all, worked all of her life to obtain such a place, and this is where she was to remain. Bonds and Chains. And she would revel in it, would pride herself in it, even if it killed her.

Placing a hand gently on his arm, she offered him the sweetest smile, no sign at all of her war within.
"I am sorry if I have upset you, my husband." She moved to kiss him coolly on the cheek, for warm kisses rarely came these days, as well as warm beds.  "It has just been sometime since you and I could grace the dance floor." She smiled at him admiringly. "You forget it might have been one of the methods where you swooned me. But perhaps I am just being a silly girl." She sighed, dreamily and turned away from him, then noticed her canvas, the one screaming with color, screaming to be heard, screaming for someone to lift it off it's world and cull it, nurture it, let it go free....

"I.." she began, hesitating, then stood infront of the painting so he could to see it past her frame. "Perhaps there will be next year for dancing." she said, feeling, somewhat embarrassed she was having a hard time looking at him and composing the sadness in her voice.  Then she cleared her throat when the strength returned and forced up a wonderful sweet smile, just for him.

[Lion]

At her smile, Doryx only frowned further, feeling the ice in her lips when she kissed him.  Something was wrong.  He wasn't a fool; he knew when there was something amiss here.  You didn't spend years of your life wasting away in courtly matters without learning to read people.  And to tell when certainly something wasn't quite adding up.  Perhaps she didn't quite know it, but the pain was quite evident in her eyes.  And the knot that was brewing in his stomach grew into strangulation.

"Devaniée, wait," Doryx said suddenly, casting his eyes past her to the painting that she'd recently been working on.  The colors were striking, powerful, with a hidden intensity that desired to be understood by someone worthy of its message.  Doryx had to take a few steps forward, looking at it with a scrutinizing gaze and trying to figure out it's message.  The water...it wanted to rage, but something was holding it back.

While his eyes were still glued to the painting, Doryx reached for her hands, holding it in his own and pressing it to his belly.  "Devaniée," he said again, looking at her this time.  "You know better than to lie to me.  I've never kept anything from you.  What's on your mind?  Do you really me to take you to this ball?"  He sighed, feeling the world suddenly being thrown on his shoulders.  "It's just that...ugh, I've got nothing left.  If you want to go, we'll go to the damn ball.  We'll go.  But preparations have to be made for all the things I had scheduled beforehand, so that I have someone to cover for me."

[visualspice]

Devaniée visibly tensed. She had been shocked to hear that her husband had caved, and had noticed the lie and felt immediately upset, then angry, then ashamed, all of it swirling within her eyes before she blinked, and settled herself as a few tears pierced her eyes.
The tears...
She realized they were there, as well as a hot blush as she fluttered her lashes prettily to bat them away, keeping them at bay.

"Oh, no really, I could not trouble you for just some fancy for dances," She told him, taking his hand and squeezing it lightly between her own and against her chest. "If you do not wish to go-" but even her voice began to break off at the end-
and internally she was growing angry at herself for breaking her own charade, her own mask. What was wrong with her!?
She was born and bred to give her husband everything he wanted, to be his perfection- to stand and be all that he needed.

And here she was letting her own selfishness seep through! But oh! How she wanted to go! How she had been crying out in silence for so long just for a dance..
just for a walk..
Just for a dream.

[Lion]

"Enough with the lies.  Is this what it really comes to?  Trying to be demure and collected.  It's hard to hide the fire in your eyes when it burns in your belly with so much intensity as yours does.  Do you think I would have married you if I didn't know the woman i was marrying?" Though even he realized he only knew a fraction of the woman he called his wife.  "Look, the notion stands.  I don't want to go, honestly.  I've got enough to worry about here and to have to deal with all those stuffy barons and dukes and other high lords and talk of bandits and quests and taxes, it really seems like an awful lot of trouble just to celebrate somebody's birthday, don't you think?  But I want you to be happy, and it's plain to see something is bothering you a great deal.  So I'll make this very simple, if you want to go, give me a great big kiss and if you don't want to go, just give me a tiny little peck on the cheek and it'll be settled.  So what'll it be?"

[visualspice]

Devaniée was shocked at her husband's claims, but then a fire brewed inside her belly as she internally chewed over herself.
No.. NO NO NO!
He did <i<not know the woman he married! If he did, surely they never would have wed!! Occasionally, at times, she'd let herself slip through, but that was barely a taste, just the surface of all of the feelings, the expressions she hid deep inside, sparkling only on occasion within her eyes; and it was her eyes that deceived her.
But after realizing the hoax was not up, she stiffened her lips and shoulders before her face softened back to the mask she always wore.

"Oh, Doryx," she siad, approaching him and kissing him softly on the cheek. "You know I would never want something if you did not." Here, she wrinkled her nose as she grinned, her cheeks dimpling. "But no more of it, what is it the servants might be preparing for dinner?" Then she realized with a gasp and horror as her hand came to her lips.
"Oh! I have forgotten to place in the order to Ann! Oh!" and from that, she tore away from Doryx suddenly, only to freeze in horror at the door, realizing how incredibly dirty she was. Spinning on her heals, she wrung her hands together fitfully.
"I am sorry. I have gotten so caught up in my painting I did not remember to inform the servants what we wanted to eat." She deflated before him, almost appearing like a wilted flower. "Oh, can you ever forgive me? At this hour we will not be eating until well into the night!"

[Lion]

She kissed him on the cheek.  Thusly, in his mind, the matter was settled.  Perhaps he didn't know his wife as well as he thought he did.  But that thought didn't sit well with him.  He didn't like the thought of being married to a complete stranger, to somebody who would hold secrets from him, who would willingly lie to him.  What was this really about? 

Oh, you're being foolish, Doryx.  This is Devaniée, you're talking about.  You've been married for years, she loves you, you love her.  This is nonsense.  Doryx shook his head of the terrible thoughts and smiled at her and for her.  He laughed when she'd forgotten about dinner and got up, following her to the door.

"I think Ann is smart enough to know to prepare dinner in your stead.  Why do you think I had this studio built for you?  So that you could work without being disturbed.  It's all right, darling.  Let's go eat dinner."  A loud bell rang down the hall, resounding once, twice, then three times to signal that dinner was indeed ready.  "Besides, I took the liberty of asking for turkey, if that's all right with you.  Come on now, before it gets cold."

[visualspice]

Devaniée flushed with embarrassment, but nodded at her husband's command.
"Oh, Ann, whatever would I do without her?" she said, slipping her arm into his as she gestured for him to lead them off and down to supper. "She really was the best hire we have here. Even as much as I gush about our cooks. I could not do much here without her." she praised, realizing, sadly, that in this world of stone and riches, Ann was the only one who knew her face.
Ann was the only one that knew the truth, and as much as the girl pressed for Devaniée to change, to become more natural for her husband-
the woman simply could not.
After all, how embarrassing would it be to suddenly turn into something else? A wretched, selfish girl who wanted to play in the mud along with the rest- and lest she admit she had read almost HIS entire library in his absence. Why, she was almost as well versed on his archaeological expeditions and findings as he was (and , little did she know, perhaps even more...)

and oh..
if he ever DID find out who she was...
would he even still love her?
And that very real fear always clung to her like ice, and could keep her mask frozen readily in place.
"Oh, I can smell the turkey! It smells so divine!"

[Lion]

Doryx was busy sorting out all he had to do in his mind.  At least she didn't want to go to that dreadful ball anymore, finally settling it to rest.  He wouldn't have minded so much if it hadn't been for all the politics he knew would surround such a setting.  He had enough to worry about in his own province, he didn't need to be bothered with the problems of trade and diplomacy at this moment.  There would always be time for that.

Trade in itself always flourished well in his own province and bandit raids had been kept to a minimum thanks to new regiments he'd had deployed to patrol the roads, and protect the smaller settlements.  And there was always a need for some aspiring wizard somewhere in need of magical reagents and supplies.  Doryx had lived long enough to make sure every aspect of his province's need was taken care of...  Little did he know it was at the expense of his own household.

Whey they arrived at dinner, Doryx nodded in agreement with her, walking her to the great dining table, ridiculous in length particularly just for the two of them, but he helped her into her usual chair, pulling it out for her and pushing it in.  A valet came around and did the same for Doryx as he sat at the head of the table.

The servants brought in all manners of food including the main course, the turkey steaming underneath the silver lid when it was finally revealed.  His stomach rumbled at the sight of it and the servants came around preparing plates and pouring wine.  He reached for his glass and raised it to his wife.  "I present a toast...to my beautiful wife and her unfailing support.  I love you, darling.  Thank you."  He smiled at her with a grin of relief, taking a sip of his wine.

Yes, with one dance less to worry about.  The world was made just a little easier.

[visualspice]

She could stab his eye out with a fork!
BUT OH! How dreadful of her to think of such things, as she smiled the idea away prettily and raised her glass, blushing.

"Oh, there is little reason to toast me with so few at the table," she said, though she had to wonder if her words sounded more biting than sugary as she grit her teeth, but kept her plastered smile. She obliged him, however, clanking glasses and drinking just.. a little bit more wine than she intended before setting it down and smiling again.
"You know I would support you as always, my love."

But she really wanted to call him Stupid head.
And almost choked on her own spit at the childish comment inside her head.
It had been over a decade, really, since she had ever formerly thrown a tantrum,a d she felt her skin crawling to have another one this instant. But instead, she only laughed.

"So, do go on and tell me what you have been working on all this time, darling."
Something that was probably boring anyways, she thought.  Though far more interesting than my life.

And sadly, she rather lived for this moments, enjoying his stories with poisonous envy.

Even if she wanted to stab his face with her fork. She was so mad at him. A toast! Really!?
GODS HE WAS IMPOSSIBLE!
Her eyes might have flared a bit, evne her cheeks at the sensation of rage within, but well..
it only served to make hre seem more charming and perhaps, the delicate fool- he would just assume it was the wine as she took another delicate sip.

[Lion]

Doryx smiled at her.  How could he ever have entertained a doubt against the woman that sat across from him?  He was a fool.  She would never hold anything against him.  He'd asked her not only once, but twice if that was her decision...there was no way...  right?  Doryx took a drink from his wine before he began to dig into his plate.

He went on to tell her about the latest findings at the college, the star the astronomers found at the orrery and what it might mean.  He didn't expect her to understand anything he was talking about, but he wished that she did.  They would have so much to talk about, so much to discuss.  He wondered what it was that she did all this time that he was away.  Hopefully she didn't lock herself away in tower all that time.

As he just about finished he looked at her quizzically, taking a sip of his own wine.  "Is something wrong dear?  Your face...is a little red."

[visualspice]

Devaniée had been thinking how his face would look all scared from the fork she'd rake across it..
and almost didn't hear his words.
She dropped her fork.
HAD SHE JUST THREATENED HIM WITH IT!?
SHe delicately looked away, flushing more so.
"It.. it must be the wine." She turned to him, eyes sparkling with embarrassment (and ok, a little guilt..)  "You know how light a drinker I can be. I was just.. mm. perhaps just more turkey?" she said, and turned back to her plate, tucking blonde hair behind her ear.

Yes, she really needed to get herself under check. Lest this man realize...

Clearing her throat, she moved on to change the subject. Pressing into some more detail than she.. normal ought.
"Which constellation did you say this star was apart of? Perhaps if it was an extention of another it could lead to it's proper meaning, or worse yet, what if this new star broke a meaning?"

Then she realized, to her own dismay, she should NOT have went THAT far into questioning his star. She looked ghastly all of a sudden and stood up before he could reply or protest.
"I.. I suddenly feel ill. Oh, please forgive me. I must lay down immediately!"

Yes. let him think how fragile women could be as she turned suddenly. "Ann! Ann!" and the maid was quick to her mistress's side. "Please, I feel faint. It must be the wine. I fear I'm in no condition to continue this meal!" and she turned to her husband, feigning tears and pity as she took his hand.
"I am just sorry I ruined our meal. Please, do eat with out me!" she pressed, kissing softly to his cheek.

[Lion]

Doryx said nothing, only sat back, eyes shifting around in confusion at her sudden outburst, her dismissal of herself and quickly leaving the room.  He ate a few more bites, but knew then that something wasn't right.  He'd heard what she'd said, every word of it in fact, and knew then that she had been trying to cover up what she'd said.  No, it was more than that.

Doryx looked up at Irvine who'd been watching before reaching for her plate to discard it.  "What was that all about?" he asked.

"My guess sir?  The time of the month," Irvine shrugged with annoyed brows.  "But if you want my advice...I'd go talk to her about it.  You may regret it if you don't."

"Maybe you're right," Doryx said, shaking his head and getting up from the table, thanking him for the meal before departing after her.  But where could she have gone?  Back to her tower?  The library?  No doubt, wherever Ann was, she was likely to be there.

[visualspice]

"What is wrong with me!" Devaniée wailed, pacing about through her room. She knew her husband would never suspect to find her there, so she knew she was safe.. for a time, if he were ever to come. Raking a hand through her blonde locks, she turned teary eyes to her friend.
"Oh, Ann, do you think he knows!? Do you think he suspects!?"

Ann blinked, halting her soothing noises when she realized what the woman was going on about.

"What do you mean, Devaniée? Really, you were acting very civil until that last bit then poof! Up and away! He probably thinks you're mad after a display like that!"

Devaniée wrung her hands fitfully as she continued to pace.
"What should I do!?"

Ann sighed.

"What more can you do? Just, come, let us get you ready for bed. Clearly you are not well, and just play up on it."
As Ann moved to help unlace her mistress from her dress, the woman fell into a fit of tears and for a time, Ann simply held her.
"Don't worry, it'll be alright." Ann soothed.

"But I hate him! I hate him! He makes me so mad! He keeps me caged here.. like some sort of bird! And oh! YOu should have heard the horrible HORRIBLE things he said up in my room! Wanting to build me a garden as an excuse to let me go out and dance!" She paused momentarily, rage becoming her and broiling within her eyes.

"Well, what did you say to him?" Ann prodded.


Devaniee went back to pathetic tears.
"I told him I dind't want to go to that stupid dance. But oh! How I want to! How I yearn to be back out on the dance floor, back amongst the people the guests.. oh ! Even to just dance once more again!" She sighed dreamily, then shook her head.
"Yes, perhaps sleep would do me well. Please, help me into my night clothes." She pressed, and was soon slipping into her silken gown of white.  Ann would help her as usual- and the story was always the same.

She loved him.
She hated him.
then she loved him again.