“The difficulty of your challenge is very tempting, but I want to know first what you would expect from me if I lose. Forming a hypothesis from both of your demeanors, I feel that neither of you have made thine choices out of personal affection for me nor, Miss Makeo, can I hardly expect you would want the same from me if I am unsuccessful,†the Duke replied in a factual manner. Slowly, he finished off the last of the water in his wineglass and set in back on A’ih’s tray and made two hand motions to her.
It translated roughly to: “Find Darius Fallstone, bring him to me.†Yes, tediously enough, the Duke had actually made a sign for his name out of necessity. A’ih immediately recognized it and took off at her swift pace, an almost grateful look showing in her eyes while her face remained expressionless.
Uncrossing his legs, he gracefully ascended from the throne he had been resting in, showing his actual height to be about half a head taller than an average Hyur Midlander. Giving a jesting smirk, he looked to Muijh. “I should hardly think she has saved your life here, Miss Mewrilah; what I had planned for you was much less painful than a romantic dinner.â€
Though, to Muijh’s disadvantage, there were very few things in this world that would be less excruciating than a romantic date with someone you had no chance of having feelings for. Even he would only have fun with it because he could make her nervous.
The Hyur girl interrupted briefly, excusing herself from the table with something along the lines of “Dear Prince, there’s someone I need to check on; I’ll be right back,†likely with a shred of sarcasm in it that she could not resist. It made the aching she was suffering from start up again where the long period of relaxing in the seat had muted it to mild discomfort, but she was not exactly in the best of moods. Today had simply been a rough day at work and she had been looking to relax and she was very quick right now to take compliments as flirting. She had heard the name Bloodsands Consortium a few times before, and it was not something she had interest in anyhow.
Was it a bit rude to up and leave him like that? Sure it was. She would just have to figure out a way to explain herself later if she got tracked down. Luckily, she had left with her glass, so she did not have to worry about getting any more of…Malbec, he called it? Eh, to her it was simply a drink that the Duke had recommended to her very early in the ball for the low alcohol level. She did not want to get herself drunk or anything tonight, she knew she would be hurting enough in the morning as well and the hangover would not do very much for her.
Every step hurt, so she walked very slowly across the ballroom to a bar where she was hopefully out of sight of the Elezen who had introduced himself as Prince Klari. Then a familiar voice she had not wanted to hear either assaulted her ear.
“Ah, madame, I do hope your radiant eyes do not ignite my clothing again,†said the familiar voice of Darius Fallstone. She struggled to withhold her groan of despair, managing to muffle it into a sigh.
“What do you want this time?†she asked exhaustedly, too far in disbelief to make any sarcastic responses.
She did have to figure, as vain as it was, she must clean up very nicely if these people honestly thought she was high class.
The aged Elezen man had finally finished with his book around this time and began inspecting the bindings on it. He had actually had not been reading it, but instead had been allowing the glue in the bindings to set right and prevent the pages from not opening fully. It was not exactly his plan to have taken his work with him, but he had entirely missed out on the news of the ball until only a few hours before it was to begin. He had come here in hopes of finding some more scholarly types like him and perhaps to get an idea of who this Duke was in person. So far he had done neither of those and he really felt like some wine first. He would have to figure a nice place to put the book at though, it was actually quite rare.
It translated roughly to: “Find Darius Fallstone, bring him to me.†Yes, tediously enough, the Duke had actually made a sign for his name out of necessity. A’ih immediately recognized it and took off at her swift pace, an almost grateful look showing in her eyes while her face remained expressionless.
Uncrossing his legs, he gracefully ascended from the throne he had been resting in, showing his actual height to be about half a head taller than an average Hyur Midlander. Giving a jesting smirk, he looked to Muijh. “I should hardly think she has saved your life here, Miss Mewrilah; what I had planned for you was much less painful than a romantic dinner.â€
Though, to Muijh’s disadvantage, there were very few things in this world that would be less excruciating than a romantic date with someone you had no chance of having feelings for. Even he would only have fun with it because he could make her nervous.
~*~*~
The Hyur girl interrupted briefly, excusing herself from the table with something along the lines of “Dear Prince, there’s someone I need to check on; I’ll be right back,†likely with a shred of sarcasm in it that she could not resist. It made the aching she was suffering from start up again where the long period of relaxing in the seat had muted it to mild discomfort, but she was not exactly in the best of moods. Today had simply been a rough day at work and she had been looking to relax and she was very quick right now to take compliments as flirting. She had heard the name Bloodsands Consortium a few times before, and it was not something she had interest in anyhow.
Was it a bit rude to up and leave him like that? Sure it was. She would just have to figure out a way to explain herself later if she got tracked down. Luckily, she had left with her glass, so she did not have to worry about getting any more of…Malbec, he called it? Eh, to her it was simply a drink that the Duke had recommended to her very early in the ball for the low alcohol level. She did not want to get herself drunk or anything tonight, she knew she would be hurting enough in the morning as well and the hangover would not do very much for her.
Every step hurt, so she walked very slowly across the ballroom to a bar where she was hopefully out of sight of the Elezen who had introduced himself as Prince Klari. Then a familiar voice she had not wanted to hear either assaulted her ear.
“Ah, madame, I do hope your radiant eyes do not ignite my clothing again,†said the familiar voice of Darius Fallstone. She struggled to withhold her groan of despair, managing to muffle it into a sigh.
“What do you want this time?†she asked exhaustedly, too far in disbelief to make any sarcastic responses.
She did have to figure, as vain as it was, she must clean up very nicely if these people honestly thought she was high class.
~*~
The aged Elezen man had finally finished with his book around this time and began inspecting the bindings on it. He had actually had not been reading it, but instead had been allowing the glue in the bindings to set right and prevent the pages from not opening fully. It was not exactly his plan to have taken his work with him, but he had entirely missed out on the news of the ball until only a few hours before it was to begin. He had come here in hopes of finding some more scholarly types like him and perhaps to get an idea of who this Duke was in person. So far he had done neither of those and he really felt like some wine first. He would have to figure a nice place to put the book at though, it was actually quite rare.
