Of Deceit and Tricks.

Orena was seated in a tavern, with little to nothing to do with herself rather than watching people. Watching the way everyone laughed or flinched or moved. Watching was her job – one of her jobs, to be precise. She observed people, circumstances and surrounding, calculating the best move and the best way out unseen, if the laughter becomes too loud or the movement too aggressive.

Milo surveyed the other with careful eyes, trying to decipher whether she was telling the truth or not. Whether he was off due to the lack of sleep or with a rare occurrence of someone actually telling the truth, he decided to believe her. She seemed like she was in a deep trance about something and he interrupted her as she interrupted him. “It happens...” He spoke, a smile playing on his lips, “I found that the people who calculate the most in their lives are always the ones to space from time to time more often than the day dreamers...”

Aurora wasn’t sure why she found herself at the tavern, it wasn’t normally her place. Still while she wasn’t working she was beginning to find herself at places like these. Paying special attention to the men who were alone and drinking, giving them any attention they were hoping for. She found very little information here, but still enough to put together with anything else she had gathered. It was there that she found a familiar face sitting by himself and staring off into the distance, seemingly distracted. 

Milo watched as the courtesan sat across from him, eyeing her slightly. He knew her, he remembered her. They talked, not too long ago at the pits. The little bird as he called her, was dancing around the pits waiting for the brute himself. He put his hand down and smiled to the girl across from him. “Is this the beginning of the statement; penny for your thoughts? Because you’re quite good at it, however-- I do not have any thoughts to sell at the moment. Just some peace, some rum, and good company.”

Sloane needed some fresh air and the Pits had anything but fresh air, so it has resulted in her locking the place and heading for a stroll around the city. Initially, she planned to visit a tavern, perhaps to sulk a little and then return to her ‘home’, but upon spotting a familiar person, she paused, a smirk growing on her lips. She waited for a long moment before he finally spoke and Sloane laughed, approaching her friend.

“Your back handed compliment on my less than godly physique is why I adore you and will take your hand for marriage eventually, trouble maker.” Milo responded back to Sloane, a smirk forming on his lips. He would never admit it openly, but he did appreciate Sloane’s presence more than others. For how much he loathed everyone in Valencia, she was bearable. “Clipped my wings? Now who would have that kind of power to do that? Surely, no one that I know of any more.”

“Say it again, I dare you.”

“Ow.” Milo muttered as Clara slapped him across the face. He moved his jaw inspecting her damage. It wasn’t hard, not at all, but it was a good smack -- he’ll give the woman that. His cheek even tingled a bit. “The lack of manners that you have. Didn’t anyone teach your infuriating self some lady like etiquette?”

“See? That was much better.” She ignored the tone of his voice and decided to play along on his little games while rocking Beroe in her arms. “I always know who the father is, you can tell by the baby’s energy, but I am curious to see who you think is the father. Let us play your guessing game. Every time you guess wrong, you have to pay me a compliment. If you guess right, I might consider inviting you to my bed. Shall we say three guesses?”

“Compliments? You barely got one out of me as I am not familiar with this so called ‘flattery’.” Dolos complained, narrowing his eyes at the goddess. But as he did love playing games, he agreed to do so. He eyed the baby, pursing his lips before returning back to his smile. “Is she the daughter of that one caveman that you just adore. What is the name-- Ares. Ah yes, that so called god.”

“Are you seeking an audience with the king? Because sneaking into the palace isn’t the way to do that.”

“Hm... Dolos, do you seek an audience with the king, is that why you just came in? ... No, I don’t think so Dolos. Just because I can.” Dolos looked over at Patroclu and gave him a subtle wink before continue to roam the castle. 

Helen hadn’t expected the shadow of the person to answer her so quickly and stepped backwards slightly; her hood falling off in the process. She had never seen this man before, never had seen anyone just lounging around the court yard either, but she supposed you saw new things every day. “I suppose so. But you must be known otherwise the guards would not allow you to stay in the castle court yard let alone grounds. Have you come to visit my father?” She asks, stepping closer to him as if to see his face more clearly in the moonlight. 

Milo scoffed when she talked about him being known, “I am not known, only by the few who truly notice. And me and the guards have an understanding, you see. They leave me alone, I don’t turn them into croaking toads. Though some do like to test my very thin patience.” He shrugged before eyeing the girl as she came closer but made no movement to move away. “The king? No, I don’t feel like dealing with his majesty. This night is far too beautiful for that nonsense.”

Aphrodite simply raised an eyebrow and rocked the baby calmly. She was so used to dealing with Hermes and Dionysus, comments like that did nothing to anger her. “You are the worst at this, Dolos. Next time you see a mother with her new-born, you should react like this: ‘Oh, what a truly beautiful baby. Did you just give birth? You look radiant!’” She shot him a pointed look. “She is the daughter of me so she could never be disgusting - although I will admit to her being smelly from time to time. Babies poop a lot.”

“Sounds uncharacteristically nice for me to say it. Just pretend I said it yea?” Milo waved Aphrodite and her pointed look off. Though he could be rather kind to her with her new born ‘bundle of joy’, it was way less fun for him. “A girl? Hopefully she just as radiant and kind as her mother. Now, do we know who the father is or shall I play a guessing game?”

“You tricked your way into the palace? Why? I should just call for the guards myself.” 

“I wouldn’t say tricked, more like out witted the dumb baboons-- why not?  Please do. I could use a bit more entertainment around here...”

[Greek Week]

“Surprised?” Dolos laughed, “Dress an old hag to be a courtesan and those guards were gone in a second. You need better staffing.”

The princess of Troy didn’t often come out by herself; then again, she didn’t get to do it very often in general. The hour was late, but the howling wind had kept her up and almost called to her. The court yard seemed to be empty, but on a second glance, there was a figure. “Are you alright?” She called out, not sure if the individual was hurt or not. “Hello?”

Dolos lounged on one of the benches in the courtyard of the palace, gazing up at the stars. Usually, whenever he lounged out in the open of the mortal world, especially around their fancy buildings where their ‘kings’ lived, one of the guards would try to shoo him away. But he would only scare them off with his tricks anyways. So when he heard someone approach, he almost set off on his traps to scare them out of their wits end, but when he heard a soft voice, he looked over. The princess of troy, he heard a lot of rumors about her and her future, so this was going to be interesting. “Didn’t your parents ever teach a pretty little thing like yourself not to talk to strangers at night?”

[GREEK WEEK]

“Disgusting little smelly creature, is it?”

Nobody knows your entire life story but you. They may have heard pieces of it, but no one will ever know you like the way you know yourself.

“No, I suppose you wouldn’t. Anyone who is as feckless as you seem doesn’t have the strength for it.”

“Feckless? Oh, darling. I like to think I have intellectual strategy.” Milo hummed gently. “See, a young strapping lass like myself, with no force that’s keeping me down with it’s high maintenance issues and demand for attention, is far more happy than one who likes keeping your species around.”