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The dress was uncomfortable. Not because of the fabric, but rather because of how ornate it was. She picked one she thought had been modest, but even it had lace, frill, a few gems here and there. Green and white, hits of gold- it was far more colorful than her ruddy working dress.The dress itself was more than her month's wages.To own such a thing, much less wear it? What if it got ruined? Could she keep it? She might be mugged. Or worse. It was out of her element.

Hair pinned up, makeup long having been removed, (after all the feeling of cake on her face was hardly pleasant), and a mask that was just as ornate as her dress has Merry awkwardly attempting to stay out of sight from anyone and everyone. No one seemed to know he and while that was good, it was also frightening. No one she knew in a place she didn't belong. Guardians or not, a ball was no place for a bar wench.

Eris was just a reserved as her, skittishly trying to avoid the other guardians. Or she was, until a buck came into view with a few familiar markings. "Eris?" Merry said, wondering what had gotten her attention from across the area. A masked man in red, and looking at the buck near him, Merry had a guess to who it was. Hand on Eris's back she let the doe lead her to the pair, looking at the obscured man. "Gabriel?"

The sudden nibbling of her fur had Eris make a small happy grunt. Morai had grown, and- a shake of her head she huffed over his horns. He needed to be careful with those. She didn't mind them long, looking him up and down before contenting herself to measure just how much larger he was to when he'd been a near fawn.


"Yes. That's me, Merry." Oh so contrary to the setting. She was a bar wench, what was she doing at a ball of all things? "And... A bit. It's just odd. I mean, A girl just hears about balls, you never expect to attend one. A girl like me anyway."

She sighed, wishing she had pockets to put her hands in. An apron would even help. "And you? You... don't seem to the the social type for ball if you don't mind me saying."
[quote="grasshopper pie"

"Class would make everything easier I think. I keep worrying that I'm going to run into someone and offend, or worse, end up breaking some social taboo of upperclass snootiness." She looked at and him, trying to hide the sudden blush with a laugh.

"Not that, uhm, you're like that. Quite the opposite really!" Eris huffed to her chosen now warden. She needed to worry less. Usually it was the other way around. Returning to the buck, the doe looked Morai up and down before stamping her hoof in approval.

Merry fidgeted, fingers trying not to tangle or pick at the fine lace. "I'm used to crowds, to people. But that is when I'm at market, or in the tavern. This ball is.. well it like it's own world. You're grandmother is here though?" She wasn't sure if she should meet her. Part of her thought it odd. She didn't recall her in the manor.

"And it's alright. I don't think they have a strong enough wine to make my nerves go away. The food... maybe when the nerves have stopped making me feel like I'm going to faint." It was utterly a different world. "You think it's real then? The wolves and a war?"

Merry hoped not. Parties she was used to. Drinks and food. She was okay with. This party just had... the queen, and nobility.

No biggie.

"I see. She must be a lovely woman with you for a grandson." She shut her mouth, blushing slightly to what she'd said. "Er, really? I haven't seen anything, but then doubt I'd want to. Eris is skittish in a bar, hate to see her on a battlefield... which is very well where we might end up." Food was being brought out and she wasn't sure she had the will to eat.

"Would you mind my company for the evening."

Merry couldn't guess why she'd been chosen. A bad roll of the dice for the guardians, all the luck for her. After all, Eris helped her gather the courage to move around. Gabriel might be right, and she hoped so. She did tend to waver on the subject.

Shaking her head at the waiter, she looked to the older man, wondering if it was poilte to do so. Still, she reached over, meekly trying to snake her arm into his. "Hardly. I rather enjoy your company." Eris gave Morai a nudge, looking to their chosen.

"And Eris likes Morai. So er- what does one do exactly, at a ball? "

Stand around, act charmed, look pretty? Say no more, Merry was fine with that. As soon as a server came around with a fresh glass of wine she quickly took one, not even bothering with looking dainty as she took a few healthy mouthfuls. She was too sober for this. That and wine was oddly weaker than what she was used to. Still, it left a tingle on her tongue- Eris clicking her teeth at the chosen's choice of 'dealing with the ball' had Merry just taking small sips after.

The wine did help for a while, eyes looking from fruit to people to Gabriel. She was just going to trust his advice and stay close to him. As the festivities began to shift, Merry shifted in turn, hand squeezing Gabriel's arm as she stared forward. Just ignore what you saw and block it out- just like any horror.

"....I take it that balls are not normally like this."

Eris had begun to pace behind Merry, nervousness making her want to flee, loyalty keeping her pinned by her chosen.

Fear kept a person rooted, fear and caution. Merry usually was first to flee at the signs of guns, of things she couldn't handle, but with Gabriel, at the ball, she was so far from her element she did not know what to do. Part of her said to move forward, to try and help, yet as people fell, Eris gently sent her soothing thoughts, contrary to the doe's normally overly flighty nature.

It wasn't safe, this was not her matter to interfere with. Not yet, now now.

The man shot was stared at, blindly, dumbly almost. He should have been dead.
He wasn't.

For a while Merry wondered if she had lost the ability to even breathe, her body refusing to move, her mind screaming at her to run. Gabriel's voice roused her, and she jumped, tense and unsure. The unwanted guest was gone, as was any mirth Merry might have had. It took a moment, Looking at the man before she reached out, gently touching his front, eyes cast down.

"Thank you." She berated herself for it, for her own weakness. "I don't think I can move much myself actually." She tried to laugh, but it came out forced. Eris lingered, looking only to Morai's running off briefly before looking to her chosen.

The buck's return prompted her to shake at him, clearly fine. As was he obviously, and good for it, he shouldn't have run off, what if something happened? Besides their chosen might need them. A small lick to his face, Eris motioned at said chosen. They would be needed soon enough.