Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ben's eyes followed the drunken man as he came down the stairs, eventually taking a seat at a table near his own, apparently in a reserved seat. He looked over at Asher, but focused his attention on what was being said at the table next to them. Without looking over at the drunken man, he noticed movement from his peripherals, indicating that the drunken man had turned his body around in his chair to face the table that himself, Lady Aaren, and Mairead were seated at. Asher felt the mans eyes on him, and the wolf's comfortable grin faded, as the wolf turned its head toward the man staring at him. Ben heard the man say something about Asher not wearing a dress, and he followed Ashers gaze towards Manson as a perplexed expression came about his own face.

Asher's breathing slowed, and his mouth closed, and a very low growl uttered from his throat. Ben continued to rub the wolf's ears to calm him, but he stared at Manson, as if giving a silent warning to the drunken man not to do anything stupid. The last thing Ben needed was a drunk man trying something stupid that would provoke Asher. It was apparent that Asher was uncomfortable by the man looking at him.

After a few seconds, however, a woman came up behind the drunken man, and proceeded to answer his question as if it were directed at her. Ben studied her for a moment, before glancing at Asher, who had now grown silent. Asher tilted his head a little, its attention now on the woman behind the drunk. Asher lifted his snout a little, sniffing the air. Ben's perplexed expression returned, as Asher's tail began to wag. Ben could tell that Asher wanted to get up to meet this woman, though the reason for this was unclear. Ben kept his hand on the wolfs head, a motion the wolf understood as Ben telling him to stay put.

As Ben wondered why Asher had an interest in the woman behind the drunk, he spotted another drunk standing in the midst of a crowd not too far from him. He watched the man closely, seeing that the man was holding his head with a rather unbecoming smile upon his face. Ben continued to watch as the man regained his composure, and started forward, maintaing a complex, yet proud stature as he did so. Ben knew this man, from somewhere. While trying to put a name to the man's face, the man turned his head towards Ben's table, locking eyes with him for a split moment, before turning his gaze on Asher, who still had his attention on the woman behind Manson. Then, it all clicked.

'Ah, Mr. Godfrey...' he thought to himself, as the memory of meeting this man came to him. He knew full well of Chances position as a crime lord in Thesaurum Oppidum, for The Agency had done business with his Crime family in the past, selling them weaponry from Aes and Novum Fulgar that were gained through Black Market trade in the Agency. Chances crime family was renowned for its influence throughout Thesaurum. Ben's Agency, however, operated from the shadows of the Merchant's guild. The two sub factions had a rather interesting relationship, though the Agency never bothered the Crime family, and the Crime family never bothered the Agency.

Ben's thoughts were interrupted when he heard Mairead speak about him playing the violin. Ben turned his attention to his table again, raising an eyebrow at the statement, for she was mistaken.
"Actually I play the Cello, Ambassador." he said mildly, correcting the woman as a smile found its way on his face. "And I would hardly consider myself 'brilliant' Miss Thaeis, though I am flattered." Ben did have a reputation of being a talented player of the Cello in Thesaurum, though he rarely boasted about it. Ben was a rather humble individual, rarely boasting of his wealth or power, and never being a cocky individual.

Ben glanced down at Asher, who finally lifted his attention from the woman behind Manson to look back at Ben. Somehow the wolf and Ben could feel each others emotions, and the wolf stood up with a calm demeanor, somehow knowing what Ben was about to do.

Ben looked back at Mairead, and Lady Aaren as he stood up, grabbing his glass of champagne as he did so. "Now, if you'll excuse me I have more catching up to do with some of the other guests here. You're not the only one I was looking forward to meeting, Lady Aaren." He flashed a quick yet charming smile at Aaren, and turned to Mairead and bowed his head at her politely. "I'm sure we will all have more time to get further acquainted during the festival. Until next time." and with that, he turned and made his way from the table, with Asher in step next to him.

As the two of them passed the table where Manson sat, Ben glanced at the drunk as he passed him, committing his face to memory with his bionic eye. He did the same with the woman, who once again grabbed Asher's attention, though Asher did little more than turn his head at her as the pair passed them.

Ben glanced down at Asher curiously, still contemplating the reason for his direwolfs interest in the woman. After a moment, he returned his attention to Chance, who was a handful of yards ahead of him, passing out what seemed to be invitations to random guests.

After a few long strides, Ben stopped a few feet away from Chance, looking at him with a familiar expression. "Good evening, Mr. Godfrey. It's been a while since our last meeting." Asher stopped as Ben did, the wolfs attention now on the man Ben was speaking to. Asher did not smile at the man, nor did he growl. It was clear that the wolf's view of Chance was neutral, if anything. After Ben spoke he lifted his glass of champagne to his lips, but never took his eyes off the crime lord in front of him. Ben could tell that Chance was a little flustered from a probable excessive intake of alcohol, though if Chance was any more intoxicated than Ben thought, the gangster sure as hell hid it well.

After bringing his champagne down from his lips, he extended his right arm out for a handshake that someone from Thesaurum would find to be familiar.

As Ben offered a handshake to Chance, a woman's voice caught his attention, and he dropped his arm, and turned his body slightly to face Moa. Asher did the same, though with a bit more excitement. The wolf tilted its head slightly, and wagged its tail with interest.

Ben glanced down at Asher for a moment, before replying to her question.
"Well, honestly we chose each other." he replied smoothly, scratching Asher behind the ears. The wolf continued to look at Moa with apparent curiosity.

Ben glanced back up at Moa, his own curiosity beginning to peak. "Who might you be? And what is your interest in Asher?" Ben's first instinct would have been to be rather careful around this woman, for she obviously had some sort of connection to the drunken man he saw come down the stairs earlier. The man had given Ben an uneasy feeling, which is why he was having one of his spies watch the man from afar.

Asher's apparent curiosity towards this woman made Ben wonder if she wasn't a threat.

Ben raised an eyebrow as she finished her second statement. His curiosity swelled. "I see. Well I am Benjamin Black, and this is Asher." As he finished his statement, he looked down at asher, who sniffed her hand eagerly as she reached out to scratch his fur.

Ben paused for a moment, before looking at her, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
"In what way?" he said bluntly, in reference to what she said about her and Asher being alike. If there was anything that Ben especially liked, it was information, regardless of who it was of, or what source it came from. Plus her reply of the fact that her and Asher were alike had him wondering what she had in common with his companion.

Ben studied her as she said her courtesies, before continuing on with her reply. As she continued to speak, Ben raised an eyebrow. It made sense now, that Asher had such an interest in her. Back when Ben spent 5 years surviving in the West, he had come across a few individuals with the power to transform into animals. These individuals had extensive knowledge of dark magic as well. It was actually because of these people that Ben was able to bond with Asher. Surviving out in the west required a lot of mental strength and determination, as well as the ability to rely on what survival training he had received during his time as an Agency assassin under his uncles command. The way he managed to survive, however, was to learn the locals ways, so that he could take whatever the west threw at him.

As part of a sort of ritual these particular western dwellers performed, they had Ben go out to find an animal that mirrored his soul with its own. After a week out in the desert, thats when Ben and Asher came across each other. Ben remembered it like it had been a mere day ago. The way Asher circled Ben, as if Ben were prey, while Ben fought him off in a feral manner, proving that he could be the dominate one to the 350lb direwolf. After hours of challenging each other, the wolf finally seceded to Ben, and followed him back to the camp where the skin changing Western Dwellers stayed. They rejoiced upon his return, and proceeded to bond Ben with Asher using a dark magic spell Ben never knew existed. The things he saw during that night still gave him chills to this day, 12 years after that night. The magic relied on power from dark entities, things that existed in a different plane of reality. Things people believed to be nothing but fairy tales and stories used to scare children into being obedient. Ben's entire outlook on what he believed were changed forever on that night. After the rather painful ritual that bonded Ben and Asher together for life, Ben found surviving in the west in the desert to be astonishingly easier while a 350lb direwolf accompanied him. They hunted together, they ate together, kept each other warm during the freezing nights of the winter, and ultimately grew as best friends over those 5 years. 12 years later, their bond had grown extensively, and they were both one in the same.

After reminiscing on the past, Ben returned his gaze towards Moa. "Interesting. I've met people like you before, in the West." he said, taking another drink of his champagne, before continuing. "Thats where I met Asher here, as a matter of fact." As he spoke, he took another look around him, watching for anything that may have escaped his attention while he had been thinking of the times he spent out West. Satisfied that he hadn't missed anything, he continued. "Well, Miss Moa, it seems Asher has taken a liking to you. I suppose I can't argue with his judgement." He grinned at Asher as he spoke, then proceeded to down the rest of his champagne. As he downed the rest of the liquid, he could feel the effect of all the glasses he had been drinking during the evening.

He smoothly reached to his left, and snatched two full glasses of champagne off the serving tray of a passing waitress with finesse, taking care to not spill a single drop. He set down the empty glass in his right hand on a nearby table to his right, taking one of the full glasses from his left hand and handing it to Moa with a slight grin at the corner of his mouth. "It's a party. People drink champagne at parties, Miss Moa." He spoke with a charm he had gotten from his uncle, who was the previous head of the Merchants guild, and Head of the Agency. Everything he knew now as a leader, had come from his uncle, and every bit of charisma as well.

Part of him knew it wasn't a good idea to become intoxicated, for it would do nothing but hinder him if something were to go down in the ballroom that evening. The other part of him, however, knew that with his spies lurking throughout the party, and asher at his side, that he would be fine if he had a few more glasses. Thus, he chose to indulge himself in some of Lucidus's finer concoctions.

Ben grinned slightly as she spoke of him not needing to be formal to her. He took a drink of his champagne, and immediately began to reply. "Well my dear, what kind of Merchant Guild leader would I be if I didn't treat lovely women such as yourself with formalities?" His smile grew slightly, and he took another drink of his champagne, the glass now a little less than half full. Ben had a terrible habit of drinking champagne and wine quicker than was considered proper of someone of his position. He also had a bad habit of being charming and flirtatious when he drank. He could feel his stomach get warm as the moments passed, knowing that he was getting near the point of being drunk.

"And to answer your question, yes, I have been to the West Lands. Dangerous place, though I'm sure you know more about it than I." He grinned again, taking another sip. "This is your first time drinking champagne, Miss Moa? I can honestly say I am surprised!" He chuckled a bit, his playful side becoming more apparent with each drink. He brought the glass back to his lips, but before he took another sip he looked at her with a slight grin, and said, "You should allow yourself more pleasures of the Eastern world. We may be pompous liars and schemers, but we do know how to enjoy ourselves." he chuckled again, finishing the glass, and setting it gently on the table next to him. He began to crave a cigar, as he hadn't had one in a few days. He cleared his throat, ensuring that no leftover champagne would enter his windpipe, and glanced down at Asher with a smile at the corner of his mouth.

"It's too bad you don't like champagne, Asher." He said playfully, continuing his statement. "I have always wondered what a wolf does when he's drunk ." He chuckled at his own jest, and Asher looked up at him with a goofy grin, once again letting his tongue flop out the side of his mouth, also with his tail wagging.

It was clear that Ben truly loved his companion, Asher. The wolf had never let him down, and was always by his side, as was Ben always by Asher's side. The Agency leader glanced back up at Moa, his grin now more subtle than it was before.

"So what brings you out here to Lucidus Magus? Are you the West's representative?" His question was made out of curiosity, but it was also slightly a joke. Either way, Ben was getting a bit of enjoyment out of it.

Ben's expression was soft, and did not harden as she finished her explanation, though in his mind he was competent and aware of what she was referring to. It was no secret that each faction desired the crown. He desired it as well, but he had his own long term plan on how to get it, and his own reasons for wanting it. Thinking on what she said, he could only guess that Vossler was one of the individuals she would lead west. That warmongering man was not someone Ben held in high esteem. He disapproved of Vossler's motives, as well as his cocky demeanor. As much of a distaste he had for Vossler, he would not show it. Instead, he silently nodded, and continued to play the part of the self indulgent Merchant Guild leader. Though Vossler had not met Ben directly, Ben's Agency spies in Aes were always relaying new information on Vossler's every movement. Ben took great interest in the man, for he knew that one day Vossler would be a threat that could be tolerated no more. He also had similar views of Novum Fulgar, for they were similar in their warmongering standpoints. Ben suspected that either Vossler, or the one representing Novum Fulgar would make a move tonight. In fact, thats the entire reason he was here at this party, and the reason he was taking such precautions as having eyes and ears scanning the party for anything out of the ordinary.

As Ben was in thought about what she had relayed to him, Asher cocked his head to the left, clearly understanding what she had said to him. The wolf grunted a bit, something that Moa would understand as him saying, "He's not all that bad, trust me."

Ben returned his attention back to Moa, clearly unaware that Asher and Moa had just communicated. "I see. I can only assume this group of yours wants the crown?" He was now being rather straightforward, letting his facade as a self indulgent merchant die for a moment, before grinning again, and putting the mask back on. Though Ben seemed to be a simple man of wealth who enjoyed his luxuries, he was much more than anyone in the ballroom could comprehend. He intended on keeping it that way.