W O L F B L O O D

    Beautiful, colourful gowns everywhere, men in black, men dressed as deities, the ball was as stunning as a rainbow. She was watching from the inside out, mask removed. Her feet were sore from dancing, her head a little hazy from the wine. Eden was content, still aware, still watching the scenery around her, but content. The people were moving the same as before in unison, no one had left besides her, and Louiza, her wonderful charge was still in her line of sight. For once, her guard was almost lowered.

    Perhaps that was why she didn’t hear the door slide open. Her face was still exposed. She was c a u g h t . And the woman before her was no ordinary woman. No, as fate would have it, she was someone that had known her in another life. She’d known Lady Talia, daughter of the fictional Duke Watson. Had it not been such a small country, her ploy never would have worked. “Queen Amalia,” she said kindly, bowing her head. “It appears that we meet again. I do hope you’ve been well. I also hope that you’ve missed me.”

    “Santonio doesn’t even exist, Eden. Stop.” She replied, her cheeks red as copper. It was rare for Louiza to blush, but when she did it, she’d look immeasurably beautiful; ravishing like the sunrise. And such as it, Louiza could be something new everyday, spreading light to the ones she had touched. And red, red as her gown. Red as her lips and hot blood. Red as her feelings for Eden. Vibrant, passionate and fiery — that’s the way she loved. Those eyes of hers, as green as the limpid oasis’ water, were capable of healing the deepest of wounds and stop the war. Oh, how much the princess craved to drown in those eyes. To keep her close and fill the other’s skin with kisses; to wrap the guard in her arms and make Eden whisper that she was hers, and hers alone. But the room was crowded, so she bit her bottom lip and kept it all to herself. “You’d ask to dance with me one way or another. Don’t even deny it.” The spanishwoman smiled, tightening her grip to the assassin’s hand and caressing discreetly her fingers behind their long silk overcoat. “Gracias, mi paraiso,” She whispered back, “I knew you’d look like an ethereal goddess in that dress. I was right in fetching this for you. Now tell me, how are you feeling about that corset? Enjoying it much? I told it was painful to use, but you didn’t believe me.” She giggled, getting a bit closer to the other’s ears. “Don’t worry, I will rip it off as soon as this masquerade ends and we get some time alone.”

   “Are you trying to tell me that I guessed your name wrong, Your Royal Highness?” The fondness echoed in each of her words. Whenever she spoke to Louiza, she had trouble hiding it. Of course with her rigorous training, she could. She learned to disguise all of her mannerisms. She just didn’t want to. Louiza deserved to hear her affections in each syllable, she deserved to know that in her eyes, no matter her status, she was a queen. It was one of her subtle ways of showing just how much she meant to her. The rest in public were impossible, their touches had to be brief, calculated, hidden from prying eyes. Their gazes had to be short, their eyes void of admiration. If she weren’t so adept at subterfuge, used to living lies, she was sure that the impossibility of them would have driven her mad by now. A chuckle left her lips and she nodded in agreement, “I would have danced with you no matter what. Not even a king could stop me.” When it came to Louiza, nothing could stop her. She owed her the freedom that she’d been granted, although her loyalties went far beyond that. They were won, along with her devotion. The whole world could be burning to the ground and Eden search for her until her body was mere ash. “A goddess? I think that’s a tad dramatic,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek, her lips hidden behind a veil of Louiza’s hair. “I’m not enjoying it all, but the thought of you ripping it off I very much enjoy. In fact, I would like that right now...” She trailed off, a mischievous smile crossing her face. She wrapped her arms around her neck and began swaying to the music, resting her head on her shoulder so she could whisper once more. “Can’t you imagine it, Princess? The two of us, alone, in your room. Your fingers slowly removing the corset, the dress sliding down...”

Slipping away from the bustling hallways, Freja allowed herself a small moment. She knew she was needed by her father in a small while, for what she wasn’t exactly aware of yet, but a moments rest was desperately needed. She’d never knew court life to be so busy and tiring, even if she was hardly doing anything. But as a voice spoke from beside her, Freja’s small moment was already broken. As her attention turned to the girl, her eyes moved over the others figure. From what she could tell, she wasn’t a royal or someone her father would approve she spent her time with. But the invitation was far to good to pass up, “I have a few moments to waste before I’m needed and food is definitley something needed—alright, I may just take you up on the offer.”

        Saoirse planned to visit the gardens, knowing it was the only part of Rome that she didn’t despise. She praised her ancestors for building their castle outside of Dublin rather than directly in the city. But as per usual the princess was barely allowed to breath alone, going anywhere in or out the castle was out of the question. She leaned against the wall waiting for one of her ladies to arrive as an escort. The other girl complained of the sun and rushed back to Saoirse’s chambers for a hat. She idly wondered if she should just leave without the lady. It wouldn’t have been the first time. It was then a voice cut through her thoughts, and Saoirse glanced to her side. She didn’t even know someone else was there just seconds before. “I-” The redhead was puzzled. The other girl must have been speaking to someone else. Saoirse had never come across her before. “Do you always offer to have lunch with strangers?”

her face was stoic – like a stone. like her name – as the person beside her –– someone obviously from a lower position that her –– turned to her, SPOKE to her. in such a casual manner as if she was addressing a friend. petranka was not her friend nor did she has any intention to be one. “excuse me, darling. but did i give you permission to speak?” arched a regal eyebrow. perfectly shaped, perfectly trimmed. her blue eyes like ice as she stared at the other and though she was shorter in height, she somehow managed to stare the other down. “and no. i do not with to dine with you.”

“How could I possible be opposed to something like that.” He grinned and offered her his arm to escort her to the drinks table. Victor wasn’t sure who this woman was, but she was indeed lovely and he would be foolish to refuse a drink with her. 

“It’s beyond me, but some people are simply fools,” Eden replied. She accepted his arm and allowed him to lead her to the drinks table with a smile on her face. This was fun, the mystery of all was enticing. “I like red wine best.”

     “Care to guess who I am?” The crimson lady blurted playfully, a charming grin showing up on her lips as she laced her arm with the other’s. She had probably alarmed her new companion or at least made them pay attention to her. Louiza hated to admit that her mask was making it way harder to see all the steps under her feet. The castle’s stairs were frightfully enormous —- as they should be —– and she couldn’t afford to stumble and fall before all those foreign royals. “I bet a dance that you don’t even know my name.”

      The entire evening Eden’s eyes had been scanning the crowd, measuring the flamboyant patrons up. Who lingered too close to the Princess in Red, who was on their sixth glass of wine, who scowled at their fellow party goers, whose eyes kept darting to the door. You see, people said a lot in their simple boy language. Even so much as what direction they faced spoke volumes. This was what she had been trained for, and this was why she was a personal guard to royalty.

      But she could only gaze upon them for so long before she deemed things safe. This was her night, too, and she planned to enjoy it. Two hours total was dedicated to monitoring, not a whole lot in the grand scheme of things. Now was her fun.

      In her surveillance, she’d been able to pick Marcos out in the crowd. It was the little things he had done, the stolen glances at one woman in sky blue with a white lace mask. The way he held his drink, knuckles occasionally turning white with grip. Perhaps the two of them spent too much time together.

       The masquerade ball was beautifully decorated, there was no denying that. In Eden’s time touring courts, filling the dark wishes of her clients, she’d been to many balls. Few were as extravagant as this one. It almost -- almost -- made her dress feel worth it. The material was clingy along her waist, earning appreciative gazes. She bore more skin than most ladies in attendance. The whole getup made it challenging to conceal her weapons. Luckily she’d purchased the overcoat to hide them underneath, and there were one in her boot, and another secured around her thigh. Of course security had questioned her, and ass Louiza’s personal guard, she was allowed weapons.

       Eden had observed the guests numerous times, few grabbed her attention. No one seemed suspicious, they all seemed to be enjoying themselves, and seeing that forced her to slowly begin relaxing. Her paranoia still ran high, but who was she to waste an evening that could be filled with entertainment?

       Her eyes landed on a woman dressed in vibrant red and she smiled to herself. She had a nice smile. Honestly, she was beautiful, even in such an exquisitely dressed crowd. Eden approached her quickly, before someone else and smiled. “I’m desperate to dance tonight,” she told her. “And since we’re both alone, admiring the decor and patrons, I was wondering if you’d fulfill my one request of the evening.” 

       A terrible line. Awful. Disgraceful. 

       (But it had worked before).

Entering the ball room, Victor surveyed the sea of people and sighed deeply. “I need a drink… Or several.” He mumbled to himself as he searched for the nearest staff member. 

“I hope that you aren’t opposed to getting one for a lovely lady such as myself as well,” Eden said with a slow, mischievous smile. As uneasy as everyone hiding behind masks made her, it also made interaction with people more fascinating.

Eden Melody Archer + The Masquerade Ball

The dress is lined with daggers hiding beneath the robe, and in her shoes. She hates the fabric, and she’s dreading the entire evening.

     matthias enjoyed many things. a r t  was one of them  &  perhaps the one he liked the most. he often found himself painting or drawing.  ( drawings that he wouldn’t look at again, most of the time. )  he was contemplating the landscape that he had began to sketch once he spotted what he considered a great addition to his illustration.  ❛            excuse me, would you mind sharing a few minutes of your time with me? i’d like to DRAW you. unless you mind me doing that, of course. ❜