Enforcer

Calliope smiled when she saw who she’d bumped into. The werewolf councilman had been nothing but kind to her since her people got here, and it was something she was thankful for. When he let her take the drink she wrapped her fingers around the glass, thanking the waiter softly before looking back to Noah.

“I am, yes. It’s nice to see how everyone enjoying themselves…even if it’s a bit…overwhelming.” She admitted as she looked around, absently taking a sip of her drink. “And you, Mr. Solomon? Are you enjoying yourself?”

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Was there a polite way to tell her he wasn’t much one for parties like this? Probably not. And while there were many circumstances in which he did not care about being polite, this was not one of them. “Good food, drinks free flowing. What’s not to enjoy? Though I can understand it being overwhelming. There is quite a lot happening. My late mate was better at this socialising than I am, I have to admit.” Events like this did make him miss her more than ever. 

The human grinned a little at the compliment, staying close to the the other with an a sense of pride. Kayleigh was going to have a great night, however it ended, and she found comfort in the other’s touch. The compliment brought a smile to her face, considering kissing his cheek but she didn’t want to cross that boundry. 

“You bought it, thank you. I feel…weirdly overdressed. Beautiful, but it’s weird seeing cellmates serving.” She admitted honestly, pausing and looking around. “But grateful to be by your side, your grace.” 

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Noah could have reminded her that she was still serving, but just in a different way – except he thought she knew that and he understood her commentary. He would try not to let himself be terribly grouchy, just because events like this weren’t his favourite. “Overdressed because it’s more than you’re used to – more than other humans here – or because of the... interesting choices some of the demons have made?” He questioned with a low chuckle. 

A waiter brushed his left side and although he let it go, he paused them long enough to pick up two glasses – handing one to Kayleigh. “Don’t go overboard but... enjoy yourself. You’ll come home with me for the evening when we’re done.” He would need some way to relax and decompress after the ball was done.

Standing where she was told, the human felt…out of sorts. In all her years, she had never worn a dress as extravagant as this, and the jewelry that the girls at the store insisted that she wore with it? Felt like they cost more than the wolf probably spent renting her for the night. Coming up on his right as she had been told, the human moved to let her hand just rest on his arm, smiling a little now. “Do you need anything, your grace? A drink?” 

@noahsolomonwolf​

He hadn’t told her to give him any physical cues, so she had no idea how helpful her hand on his arm was even though he had been aware of her presence coming up beside him. She looked beautiful – the store attendants had done a good job helping her, he’d have to keep that in mind. Noah had to admit he hadn’t been particularly helpful with it, so long as the dress fit her, he hadn’t given much instruction. But her all white went beautifully with his all black attire, and she was as respectful as when he’d met her. All in all, a good choice. 

“A drink for as both,” He told her, not minding if she indulged for the ball – so long as she didn’t get drunk. “You look lovely,” He told her – a rare compliment. Briefly, his arm dropped to her waist and he gave her a slight squeeze. 

While it was all admittedly…different, than what she’d envisioned when first planning the ball (really, she should have expected so much..skin when the demons in the city were invited), Calliope was at least glad it was going well. People smiling and dancing, the city, her people, seemingly enjoying themselves. Deciding to indulge a little, Callie eyed a waiter walking around with a last glass of champagne on a tray and she reached for it–only for her hand to bump into someone else’s at the same moment.

“Oh–please. Go ahead. Maybe it’s for the best I don’t have it anyways.”

@firebrandstarters​

Tracking sounds was much harder in such a situation. At least they weren’t all crammed indoors as well, even if being outside added its own challenges. He watched her lips closely, though he only caught the last part – having looked up when their hands bumped. The alcohol was one of the few good parts. Kay had been good for him too, though he’d given her a few moments to herself while he’d gone to seek out another glass of something. 

He smiled politely for Calliope, regardless of his frustration. “I could hardly take a drink from our host,” He told her, withdrawing his hand. “I’ll find something more later. Are you enjoying yourself?” Kay he had told to stand on his right, both in order to make sure he could hear her, and because it meant he had a focal point among this mess. Not that he’d given her an explanation. With the others, he dealt with them as they came – refusing to admit to anything that others might perceive as weakness.

Event 002: Faeball

Rented: @kaystover

“I’m still one of you even if I’m a traitor, as much as you don’t like it I’m still a wolf” She said proudly “ Do what you must, I’m not afraid of you” She said in a growl “And I won’t run because I’m no prey”

The man’s words surprised her. They were so…kind. Calliope let out a breath, her expression softening as she looked down for a moment and she nodded, “It was the only home my people have known for..centuries.” She replied softly before she pushed away the thoughts and looked back up to meet the man’s gaze, smiling again. “I know your people shared the forest with us, in a sort of way.” she explained, and at the offered hand she looked to it for a moment and then reached over to shake it in greeting, “Calliope. I’m the queen of my people. But on your council, I’ve taken the position of deputy.” 

“We did. I’m grateful for that. It was a wonderful place for us to be able to shift and be free under a full moon.” It hurt them not to have it now. “If your people are interested in spending time in the Woodlands as well as your Riverland territory, I see no issue with that.” Particularly not when they seemed to have such a good effect on the nature around them.

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Kade could feel the superior’s gaze on him and already he could tell that without doing much, he’d pushed the guy’s buttons in some way. But there was something else to it, something perhaps that he owed to his family’s reputation. Plenty stared at him but very few had this weird air of recognition about them. Itching beneath his collar with an unimpressed expression on his face, Kade turned to face the creature directly now. Rebel? So he did know.

They really liked to rub his face in the ‘failure’ of the attack despite the amount of chaos that had been stirred up by it. He flicked away the old piece of wire he’d been using and rolled his eyes. “Take it easy, old timer,” Kade tutted. “Don’t get yourself all worked up.” He smirked again. “Where’s your off button?”

Noah gave a low, and rather dark chuckle. “Oh you want to know about my off button? I can show you that much.” He warned. “I could scratch an itch and fulfil my duties all at once. After all, as a councilman I have a duty to make sure we have both gotten all the information we can from you, and that you’re in line.”

“It’s a copy of Dorian Gray.” She hummed, watching him pick it up. “Someone requested my help while I was working through it, and I didn’t think I would be as long as I was, sir. I didn’t want to bother you further, but my break is ending and I was hoping to take it with me.” When he asked her name, she smiled a little. “I’m Kayleigh. But most just call me Kay, sir. Either if fine with me.” 

It was the wrong title, but he didn’t expect a human to know who he was until he told them. She was polite enough though, he supposed that might explain why someone had given her a book. Noah supposed he’d let her keep it. But he might take up some of her time first – even though he knew that would end up on his own dime. 

Reza gained a small smile while she took a seat when he indicated she could. “I know my manners. I think my mom would be pretty upset if I didn’t.” She liked to remember her mom for the woman she was when Reza was a child though opposed to the person she knew after the war. That was the worst. “How are you doing today? Work not stressing you too much I hope?”

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Still no titles. But otherwise polite, even though this little chat wasn’t exactly what he’d expected. Noah cleared his throat, “Well,” He decided to give her a hint, “I work as a councilman, so that does tend to keep me busy. Has been a little stressful lately.” He’d decided to see if she would catch herself and the need for titles but he’d only let that go for so long before he reminded her. But maybe she had no idea she was being tested (although perhaps that was always a condition of speaking with Noah.)

“No,” Came her quiet answer. She had simply been passing by. “Did I do something wrong?” Talia couldn’t help but question. Knowing that she had wandered further than she usually did on her day off, she was uncertain if she had crossed some sort of line. However, she had been restless and hadn’t been paying as much attention as she should have been.

As she normally would have. 

A fact for which she was quickly kicking herself. Talia had no desire to be punished, again. But, her very existence was often the excuse used to punish her. Because she was a traitor. No matter how well she did in her fights, she still wasn’t ever going to be good enough. 

“I think,” Noah said, “We both know that you did. Or else you wouldn’t be where you are.” At least she wasn’t a werewolf. Werewolf traitors drew the most ire from him, right off the bat. But at least she was quiet and not combative. That helped his mood. “But if you are asking about right this moment? Not yet. Though it would do you well to keep titles in mind.”

Reza stood aside and gave the man his space. She did debate speaking up but it appeared he caught on before she could. A shift in her footing and she shrugged her shoulders. “It’s a nice day out. Guess I was bored and seeing if you needed the company,” she told him. She was far too needy sometimes she noted but she had a craving for company. She couldn’t help it. “I can go if not.”

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Kade had decided to roam around in his free time to try and find a so-called superior dumb enough to take off the stupid collar around his neck. The damn this was a nuisance and was beginning to get on his damn nerves. Finding what he thought was a private place, he slipped a piece of wire beneath the collar to scratch an itch that had been irritating him all damn day.

When the creature without a collar offered his help, almost randomly, Kade stopped for a moment and appraised him with a clearly judgmental eye. Letting a soft breath out through his nose, he shook his head in amusement. Given his age, or at least the age he appeared to be, he doubted this guy had any sympathy whatsoever for the likes of him. “I seriously doubt it,” he responded dryly with a smirk. “But thanks anyway, pops.”

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Noah let out a low chuckle, shaking his head slightly. “Some of you just don’t learn.” His eyes narrowed as he studied the other – something about his face was familiar... Rebel. While Noah had some more patience for humans than traitors (very little more, but more), that was erased in the face of what this human stood for and how recent the attack had been. 

The human smiled a little, her eyes on the book just close enough to the other that she wasn’t comfortable just grabbing it herself. She stood patiently as the other wrote his note, eyes falling to her shoes until he spoke again. “Oh- Yea. I just didn’t want to interrupt you again. You’re kinda sitting on my book. I didn’t want to invade your space.” 

Corrin often found himself walking around in circles after work, trying to understand the layout of the city. He needed to know it should danger occur, and his queen need him to protect his hive as well as her. But no matter how many times he walked it, he struggled finding any pattern to follow. The street signs told him nothing, and the surroundings were all so similar. Maybe it was because he really couldn’t find it in him to like or admire anything about this place. Having finished his rounds for today, he was looking for what these people apparently called a hardware store.. the thing that gave water in his and Vereds apartment was broken and he had been told he had to buy a new one to fix it. Why there was no stream to bathe in he couldn’t fathom.. Unable where to look, he noticed a guy that looked somewhat important and walked over to him. “Yes you can. Could you point me towards the nearest ahm, hardware store?” 

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For a long moment, the wolf studied the other, making sure they were both on the same page about the particular kind of hardware the other was after. Noah shifted slightly on the bench, “I could. But seeing as you’re new to the city I imagine you may get lost again anyway if you don’t know exactly what to look for. I could use a walk though. Maybe I can point out some other things to help you get used to the place.” He didn’t like the city as much as he enjoyed The Woodlands himself, so he could understand why the fae were struggling to grow used to the place. 

She always tried not to get in trouble, bowing her head when needed but at that moment? She sent all that to hell “Still intact as ever, Sir” She said almost snarling, if she ended with her ass handed to her, she didn’t care.

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Zephira had been called away on Angel business for the past couple days, and honestly it was a much needed break to visit her old home, to catch up with old friends. Since the attack things had been busier than usual in Firebrand. All the rounded up rebels had to be relocated to The Gutters, not to mention the Fae who were getting settled in the city. Fee loved being busy, and she loved to help, so she’d spent all her hours doing just that, flitting about, using that seemingly unlimited store of energy to do whatever she could- which was why she jumped at the chance to take a much needed break. 

Back in Firebrand, Zephira spotted the wolf from the sky and easily changed course towards him. “Perhaps you can,” she returned with a sunny smile as her bare feet touched down on the grass, her large wings spread out behind her, “anything exciting happen while I was away?”

He shut the notebook and put it, along with the pen, in a pocket for the moment. “That depends on what you consider exciting.” Noah told her. “There’s a ball approaching, if you find that kind of thing exciting.” He did not, but he would of course, be attending the event regardless. Noah would show up for his kind, and to make sure their newest citizens felt welcomed and appreciated.