|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 11:57 am
It was hardly a moment after her teasing that Aiden had practically yanked the thirteen year old in the direction of the open bar that her radar had picked up seconds upon entering the ballroom. It within her first steps that Aiden receded her pace into a sudden halt as her presence confronted by that of man so feminine in appearance Aiden was absolutely bound to stare and make a few inside inquisitions.
The setting just begged for class and appropriately, Aiden's word choice would go under heavier selection before being laid out on the table, "I just got here, but would you believe I'm already having a ball?" A palm went up and fingers extended, gesturing towards the room as an entirety.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 5:08 pm
There it is again, she thought. There was something in Maliarc's voice, especially when he laughed, that seemed different. What was it? It was so much more obvious, too, when he seemed in a happy mood, as he was in that moment he sat with her and smiled. Aaren couldn't help but smile back, but her curiosity.
And then it hit her. His voice... it was his voice itself that was different. For some reason, when she lookd at his face, she saw an older man; but when she heard him speak, she heard the voice of someone who clearly didn't match his age, or so she thought. Perhaps he's always had a younger sounding voice? No... she wouldn't say anything. It would be terribly rude. 'Maliarc, why do you sound so young and look much older?' That's uncalled for, Aaren, she told herself. She wouldn't ask, but did actively wonder.
"Oh, I couldn't," Aaren replied as her eyes followed a piece of matuan to the mage's mouth before said eyes looked to his own, "I would be afraid I'd become too dependent, and then you would be focused too much on how tired or awake I am," she chuckled softly.
"But thank you... Maliarc," she said, "and I would counsel you to become accustomed to this kind of familiarity with me; my faction isn't a kingdom. I would say—it's more like a duchy. A territory, and I'm no queen," Aaren grinned at him. "The day I meet a queen, I would be the one bowing to her."
*************************
[ Hah... did Aiden just make a pun? I love puns. ]
Layla strode through the crowd with Aiden holding her hand and pulling her along. She almost tripped over someone's shoe but was able to keep her baance. Though when Aiden stopped to speak with someone, the girl overheard and gave a little snicker. She was having a ball. Layla got that one pretty quickly.
However, the girl was thirsty and tried to coax the young woman forward more before released herself from Aiden's grip. Layla walked the few more yards toward the bar and looked at a male bartender. At first, the girl went unnoticed, but then the bartender glanced in her direction and quickly turned her way completely. "You need something?"
"Uhm," the girl hadn't thought about what she wanted. The bartender noticed the wheels turning in her head and cleared his throat. "We got some juices, teas, cream sodas, regular sodas; I can even make you a custom soda, if you'd like."
"I know! I want a... strawberry orange cream soda. Extra fizzy?"
"Comin' right up," the bartender said with a slap on the bar counter. He turned away and began to make the drink for Layla, who in turn leaned over the counter with a grin on her face while watching quietly.
While she was watching, however, someone was watching her. The girl didn't notice, having gotten used to the hundreds of eyes wandering through the room, so when this person approached her, she was slightly startled by his presence. "Who are you?" the voice said, and Layla turned her head quickly to the side. The voice belonged to a boy, perhaps a year or so older than her.
Layla blinked at him, and pulled herself straight. She could hear Vossler's and her mother's voice in her head telling her to stand straight. She looked at the boy's face, noticing his fair complexion, hazel eyes, and auburn hair. He was slender and very well dressed.
"I'm—I'm Layla."
"Layla... who is your father and mother?" The boy was shamefully inquisitive, but the girl had the feeling that he wasn't aware of his blunt nature. "My guardian is Commander Vossler Stone."
"Commander Stone? The Aes leader?" The boy blinked and looked surprised. "I didn't know that... well, you said he was your guardian, right?" Layla nodded, and felt her cheeks flush a little. "So... that means he's not your father."
"Yes," Layla replied quite softly, being distracted momentarily when the bartender slid her drink over. She thanked him and took the drink her hands before sipping at it through the straw provided. The boy seemed a bit confused, as though trying to figure out what it meant for Vossler to be Layla's guardian, but then mentally shook it off. "I'm Shalev. My father is a councilman to Lady Aaren."
"Lady Aaren?" Layla almost choked on her drink at the name. "Do you know her?"
"Erh... well, I've seen her," the boy felt suddenly pressured by the pretty girl as she looked to him with an expression of awe. "From far away... so no. But I did see her come into the ballroom about ten minutes ago."
"Really?! Where? Can you show me?" the girl looked about the ballroom and then at Shalev. "Of course," Shalev replied, suddenly felt his pride come back a bit more. "See that table over there, on the left wall there?" he pointed through the crowd. Layla followed his finger narrowed her eyes and she tried to see through the cracks and movement of the people around her. And then she saw the table, and then saw a very familiar lady speaking to an older man. "I see her!" Layla said with a smile. Her heart seemed to skip a beat in excitement.
The boy grinned at Layla. "She's very kind, and if you wanted to speak to her, she wouldn't turn you away," he said, looking at the girl smiling and taking another sip of her drink. Maybe he would get the chance to escort her over himself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 6:02 pm
Listening to Lady Aaren, Maliarc couldn't help but laugh. He was not surprised by her unknowing about the magic from the west, for if she could not make appearances in her own town, surely she could not set out to the west.
Laughing, he replied to the lovely Lady Aaren in a knowing but soft tone. "My Lady, I have magic beyond what this place has. The first time I use a spell is hard, true, but after that, I can copy it easily. It would not require much more attention than thinking of you to help you. I have no intent to try to keep you fed with my magic, for only on your own can you truly be yourself. But I see no reason why I could not help easy your suffering. However, if you insist that I should not help too much, I would be more than happy to obey." Smiling, he simply continued to smile at Lady Aaren.
He knew she had questions. Everybody has questions about his appearance and his voice. It is a story he is very ashamed of, but he has no reason to keep it from people. They can judge his character themselves, and if they no longer like him, then that is their decision. The problem would be how to inform her that she could ask questions without being insisitive or rude. He also did not want to assume. She very well could not have any questions, and he would make a fool of himself, but he would ask anyway.
"My lady, I know you probably have questions about my....predicament. Of course, I am referring to what you have probably already noticed. The difference in my voice and my outward appearance. You may ask away. I prefer to be open, for you to better judge my character. If I am wrong in my assumption, then I apologize."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 6:33 pm
Aaren was quiet and attentive as Maliarc spoke. She grinned when he explained that it really wasnt any issue that if she wanted, he could help to make her feel more awake, more productive. It was a kind gesture, but she felt a tinge of her pride keeping her from leaning on him too much, especially when they were still, in many ways, strangers. However, that didn't and couldn't excuse the truth that she felt comfortable around the mage. His presence made her feel secure, but also less anxious among the ballroom. It was like no one else was there with them.
But the said truth didn't prepare her for Maliarc's bluntness. When he brought up his appearance and voice, the lady blinked and furrowed her brows softly in concern. Why would he bringit up? She hadn't said anything... but then again, perhaps her face revealed despite her thoughts telling her not to speak about it. Aaren blushed a little, looking to the table momentarily in thought. She hestitated for reasons that were good ones: for one, she was a faction leader, and he was merely here to protect her. Why ask? Secondly, it felt... rude still, even as he offered. She wanted to know, though.
"I don't need to judge your character by your voice and appearance," Aarent finally spoke as she looked back at Maliarc, "my only curiosity lies in what could have happened to you to have caused such a contrast. But it ultimately as no effect on my opinion towards who you are."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 8:03 pm
Listening intently, Maliarc waiting until Lady Aaren was done talking fully to completely analyze what she had said. He was glad that she had said it would not change who he was to her. He questioned himself as always, but if he told her, it would take a huge weight off of his shoulders. However, a little bit of him still couldn't help but think him a fool. This was a ruler who had accepted his offer of protection, yet he was treating her like a friend. Ah well, she had no objections so far, he would just have to be more careful in the future.
"Well, my lady it is a shameful story, truth be told. However, I know it's a bit startling to hear such a voice come from a man as old as I. Truth be told, I'm only twenty three years of age. Though my body looks like I'm much, much older." This story was always hard for him to tell. But for some reason, he felt much better telling it to Lady Aaren. Possibly because she had said she would not judge him. When told to other people, there was always the fear that he would be judged, or shunned. "When I was ten years old, my mother left me and my father because she wanted a normal life....and if you haven't been able to tell yet, I am anything but normal." Maliarc laughed at himself for that. He had never thought of himself as normal, and for anyone to do so was absurd. "My father fell into depression when she left, and eventually became ill. It was then that I developed my magical prowess, to take care of him. However, he never recovered from his depression, and gave up fighting his illness, and took death as a better option than to live without his beloved." He would normally be crying by now, or at the very least tearing up. However, miraculously, that was not the case here. Taking a deep breath, Maliarc readied himself, for the next part was the part that usually made people judge him.
"It wasn't until then that I took a look back and looked at my life. Depressed by the loss of my parents, I decided to turn to sorcery. I.......I decided to try to bring the dead back to life. While I was close to succeeding, something went wrong, and because of my foolishness, my body aged many years almost instantly. I have looked and lived like this for many years. I have yet to find a way to reverse this...if there even is one."
Maliarc sat back, and let the news sink in. "I feel bad my lady, do not allow me to drag such a party down with a somber story. You have an answer to your question, and I feel much better that you know my secret." Maliarc was satisfied now, as he hoped Lady Aaren would be.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 8:42 pm
It was a story that Aaren couldn't prepare herself for, but found that listening wasn't the issue. If anything, it was listening and finding herself relating to certain parts of Maliarc's past that caused her to feel more than sympathetic—she felt, at times, total empathy for the mage. The lady felt her heart sink in her chest when she remembered the passing of her own father; barely remembered, as she was shielded from it by her guardians and mother. In a way, she lost her mother, too.
Her attention was brought back into the present, from both her and the mage's past, when he revealed why his appearance didn't match his voice. His confession of dabbling with darker sorcery, and how he failed—she understood why he had felt so desperate at one time to turn in that direction. He must have felt terrible agony in losing his family to take such risks.
"No need to apologize; I was the one who wanted to know," Aaren replied. Her gaze fell back onto the table while her mind processed what he said a bit longer.
",,,I think I'm more startled by the fact that you're four years younger than I am," her eyes glanced at him, and a grin spread over her lips as she chuckled in amusement. "You seem very wise for your age, Maliarc. I'm sure I may not understand things that you do, as well, but I feel for what you've experienced to some extent.
"I lost my father to illness. People still talk about it often enough, it's no secret—the death of a Lucidus leader by the hands of cancer... in a healers' faction," her last words held a slight tone of bitterness. Her eyes watched as one of her hands brushed its fingers over the lace of the tablecloth. "My mother committed her life back to the healers temple my father had found her in. I was too young at that time to understand what it all meant. All I knew is that I was sad, and so was she.
"Ah, anyway," Aaren said and then sighed, "the past cannot change, no matter how much we talk about it. Needless to say, I do not blame you for your suffering, Maliarc. As well, we all make mistakes, some that many people try not to accept as their own, or want to face. But you haven't done that—a very exemplary quality," she looked to him and gave a little smile. "I'm glad you told me."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 9:04 pm
((Computer is acting funny. My post is not as full as I would have liked.))
He was outside of the perimeter of the ballroom, past the steps and where the line of vehicles were met by the valet. In his hand, he held yet another one of the cigarettes provided to him by Malhi, which Manson had been saving for this particular moment and took upon himself to take deep, full drags of the stick. Again, his body was enriched by the sensation of the taboo magic and under the drunken spell, Manson felt especially invincible.
He proceeded in his walk and his mind only went to the gateway which Manson knew full well was protected. His stride was slow and casual and in this motion, Manson stuck his hands rested in the deep of his pockets. A car honked and proceeded to get to it's destination before Manson could disturb the system, but Manson who experienced no intimidation stepped right into the line. He was met by yet another honk and the sight of a fearing silhouette.
Manson was gone by the time the man in the car's reaction became whole. In the sense he'd been a ghost, one reported again by the bouncer at the gate who'd described the appearance of a man with hair like ink who'd blown smoke onto the bouncer's face before pulling yet another disappearing act.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 9:18 pm
Maliarc was surprised to hear about Lady Aaren's father. He had not heard of that. The only thing he had heard was about Lady Aaren's illness. It did seem to have a sense of irony to it. Though magic was known to create miracles, it could not cure the incurable. However, he knew nothing of "healers". He knew only of regular mages. Though, if he had to make an assumption, he would guess that healers were magic users that could use only healing spells.
Upon hearing Lady Aaren say she was glad he had told her, Maliarc smiled. "I'm glad, my lady." He was secretly very glad to hear everything she had to say. Though he hated to hear that someone else had to share his pain, he was glad because it put them on the same boat. Looking down at the table, Maliarc truly observed the room they were in for the first time. It was far more beautiful than he had given it credit for earlier.
"I'm flattered that you consider me wise for my age, but I am a mage. If I were not wise, I would not have lasted long in this world." It was true. He had not the brute strength to survive without his magic. Taking another look around to ensure there were no suspicious activities happening at the party, what with the plethora of people being here and all, he sat back in his chair, barely containing a small grin on his face.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 1:20 pm
( Dang. Missed out on quite a bit. I think I might have to bow out. My life has gone into like overdrive. )
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:15 pm
(Mmm, that's pretty discouraging, but you haven't missed anything besides an isolated conversation.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:22 pm
Arcine (Mmm, that's pretty discouraging, but you haven't missed anything besides an isolated conversation.) [This. You haven't missed anything, Frenzy. ♥]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:37 pm
kdke Arcine (Mmm, that's pretty discouraging, but you haven't missed anything besides an isolated conversation.) [This. You haven't missed anything, Frenzy. ♥] (Yea, check that ♥ out.]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 3:18 pm
♞ K.A.I. listened to the woman's inflection and watched her movements with a slight sense of awe, it was intriguing how humans could do such things without any previous programming. They could change their emotions and persona at will and even to a dramatic portion. K.A.I. smiled in response to the woman and her excitement concerning the ball. If only she knew things were going to take a drastic turn soon enough. This entire ball was nothing more than a facade to everything hiding under the surface. Each faction was present in an attempt for peace but how was such a thing to be attained if an unknown power lurked within the west. Had everyone forgotten about the rush to power they all wished to attain for their own purposes? K.A.I. had not forgotten what Obsidian had told him the power could bring Novum Fulgar, no he kept that aspect dear within his mother board.
"That is good you are enjoying yourself. My name is Reni, it is nice to meet you miss" He took hold of her hand and kissed it briefly before releasing it. "Which land do you hail from?" He asked, an innocent smile plastered upon his expression.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 6:05 pm
( Well s**t. How can I leave now? xF I'll try to post later tonight to get back into the groove hopefully. )
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 7:52 pm
(It'll happen.)
On Aiden's skin, K.A.I.'s lips were chill to the touch and Aiden couldn't help a light twitch of her index, a product of nerves, as it happened and then more quickly than slowly Aiden retracted her kissed hand, which then in an effort for good placement, grabbed hold of the forearm of her other arm. Proceeding, Aiden then smiled with a short bowing of her head, a presentation of gratitude for the gentleman. The trader hadn't had such an elegant moment in a good minute.
"Ah, formalities. They're not so easy yah know. I'm Aiden. I'm from Thesaurum Oppidum, my little savage utopia. And you, sir, Reni I mean, what land do you hail from?" Her tone had become of her norm, challenging for a work of good words.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
