Pandora's Box

She’d watched the exchange between the two for quite a while, a look of amusement firmly on her face despite her best efforts to hide it. “You know, as scintillating as that story is - I think I’ve got one that can trump it.” Her interruption was prompted by the realisation it was probably high time she helped the poor boy out of his misery. “Only I’m not much good at public speaking, I prefer one on one. If your lovely companion could spare you a few moments I’d be happy to share it.”

Penny hovered in the doorway for a second before moving into the room. She wasn’t a girl who lacked confidence, knowing that her lithe movements turned heads and she could hold her own in almost any conversation, but the man before her had a knack of unnerving her ever so slightly. But she needed to be closer to say her piece, there was just much risk involved to let her hesitancy win out. After closing the door behind her, she walked smoothly towards him, her steps filled with conviction. “I just came to update you on my findings. I won’t keep you long.” 

“Oh is this a bad time?” Perhaps to anyone else it might have been but to Penny it was just one more thing to add to her ever going list of crimes committed. “I can always come back later. It’s just that it’s been so awfully long since I last saw you.” Simpering. That was how you could describe her words, never something she’d particularly liked but apparently it go the job done. “I couldn’t help but drop by.”

“I have cleanly cut an arm or two off!” he insisted. His expression was mixed with amusement and mocking shock. “My blade’s sharper than most swords. Gift of the risen dead King himself.” He grimaced at his own jest. It wasn’t funny at all.

“Are you telling me this in some futile and hopelessly misguided attempt to impress me or are you just vain enough to enjoy recounting your triumphs to strangers?” Penelope couldn’t help but frown at him, there was nothing in his words she wanted to hear. “Either way, I don’t believe you. From what I’ve heard, not a lot of people would boast about receiving something from him.”

Shifting her shoulders slightly, Penelope regarded the woman out of the corner of her eyes - distrust filling them. Despite the seemingly truthful words there was nothing about their speak that put her at ease. “I’d gathered that much already. But, out of curiosity, is anyone here truly honest?”

“Well I, unlike you, don’t take liberties with the truth. I call it like I see it. And what name would that be, exactly? Doesn’t one have to know the identity of someone before they can sully their reputation.”

“Hey, I’m just telling it how I heard it. Rumor has it, they aren’t really alive, but a sort of machines with a woven skin. That’s why they’re so cold, because they’re actually metal. But, I don’t believe it either. it’s a fun thought, though.”

“I’m not sure I’d count that, or any of that situation, as fun. I guess it’s interesting to speculate though. Machines wouldn’t be my first choice, magic seems to be everyone’s first pick and while I don’t always like believing the masses it’s what akes most sense.”

“’Tis the truth!” he replied with a chuckle. “I swear I saw ‘t moving, though the moment I stopped playing, the rock ceased its dance,” he insisted, not expecting her to believe him, but he thought it would be fun to share such a curious event. 

“A dancing rock? You’re really sticking to that story?” Despite herself, Penelope found that she was able to give a slight chucle. As far fetched as it was, there was something in his earnest re-telling that made her want to believe him and having heard him play there was maybe a glimmer of truth to his words. “So is it just rocks you can make dance or have your melodies affected more?”

“I certainly wasn’t calling you honest. If it’s the word you have an issue with I could always substitute it for ‘bender of the truth’ or ‘almost convincing storyteller’?”

Madison rubbed his eyes and looked up from his place. He had been curled up in the patch of sunlight on the floor. “I never mean to fall asleep like that. Did I scare you?”

Eyeing the young boy, she decided he posed no threat but did spike her interest. “There’s worse places to sleep than in the sun. And no, you didn’t scare me. Just made me curious.”

“You best be careful what you are implying. I would hate for you to humiliate yourself further.”

“Humiliate myself further? I don’t recall implying anything other than I’d appreciate it if you could move to let me through.”

Her cup was refilled countless times but it simply wasn’t enough. Ashlynn sighed as she finished yet another, eyes scanning the nearby area for a passing servant to fill hers again but saw none. She was not the only one drinking to ebb the nerves. The crowd seemed to grow louder and more robust with celebration and excitement every passing minute, and all those that held the jugs were captured elsewhere. She gave a kind yet strained smile to a familiar nobleman at her side before politely excusing herself, departing in search of more–perhaps, if she was lucky, something harder to help her deal with this crowd when she stumbled against someone, knocking their arm. Her reflexes kicked in, the speed in which she knocked arrows into place on eher bow coming in handy as she snatched her hand forward, grasping the bottle before it could shatter onto the floor. “Oh–”she exclaimed, straightening to examine it, then to its’ owner. “This may be … terribly forward, but would you mind sharing?”

It was rather impressive how quickly the girl managed to react to the falling bottle, she doubted she’d ever seen anyone move so fast. Though it did make her wonder how someone with such impressive reflexes managed to stumble into her in the first place. Penelope supposed that the whole atmosphere was dizzying and more than enough to unsteady anyone enough to lose their usual grace. For a brief moment she was too lost in thought to realise the girl had spoke to her - something about sharing. Glancing down at the bottle that rested in her new companion’s hand she considered it, she supposed that she had no reason to believe that the blonde meant her any harm (not that she had the last time either) and if there was any day to give the benefit of doubt it was today. “Not at all.” Some company might at least distract her from the crowd that seemed to just keep swelling which naturally only made her anxiety grow. Holding the bottle out to the blonde she introduced herself, curious to see who she’d be sharing her drink with. “Penelope.” 

The room seemed to glitter and twinkle before his eyes. Aethan walked slowly through the crowd to where the food was in order to catch his breath. He was to show his face for only a a few dances and retreat to his chambers again. He normally avoided attending events, but it was an excuse to leave the suffocating supervision of the staff. 

The ridiculousness of what had just happened made her smart and wonder if there’d ever be a day that someone could touch her without her shooting out of her skin. She loathed how flighty her experiences had made her and how they’d tainted a day that was supposed to be as lovely as this one. Still, the silver lining proved to be the fact that someone had come to her rescue and prevented the smashing of the bottle from announcing to the world that she was having to drink to numb her hesitancies.