Dreaming Makes For Sweet Escape

Fairy Tales.

A smile was adorned on the woman’s face as she strolled along the corridors of the massive establishment, the place overtaken with time but no less bustling and beautiful. Like the stories she stowed away under the merits of more philosophical literature that might stem more meaning and structure for a scholar’s mind, the childish tales of true love, fantasy and passing of wine in the dim moonlight with much merriment were her greatest prize. They had often been her salvation from the strict studies and lack of pious views, a trip away from what was and more into what wasn’t. Torches lighting the halls and bringing a sense of mystic splendor as the flame sputtered and flashed like a thousand fireflies swarming to a single post or perhaps a fountain of pixie dust. A drum of aristocratic voices and political drabble echoing along the chambers followed closely by the happiness of those less stiff on parliament affairs and were more here for their leisure and entertainment or simply some food. It was everything if not what she dreamed her life to have been like as a child, only for it to fall so far away. Nobility meant nothing but a title and maybe respect one did not deserve.

Amethysts flickered as she entered a large room once again, peaking past the feathering of her mask; an elegant yet hauntingly beautiful gothic accessory made of an assortment of materials. Petals, leaves and clay crafting the main structure as feathers brought a sense of mystery and a lone bird skull dressed the center of her forehead, ash was brushed along her cheeks to mimic bone. Her ears flickered as she watched the guests for a moment, taking in their varied appearances, many masked from blatant recognition but not all of them were so quick to mask their identities. Frolicking was plenty but sophisticated, some a little more energetic than the masses as they danced while others were far more in tune with the wines and mead that would drunken them.

It all still felt like a hazy dream as she was not one to shy away from more frowned upon pleasures, wishing to dive into it all as she waltzed and made merry with some of the patrons. It took little time for her to be swept away into dance and quickly forgetting her whole reason for coming in the first place. Cheerfully laughing while being passed from one partner to the next, wishing to suck out each one’s very essence as they got close then parted ways.

Etiquette was not wholly wasted on her, keeping to the beat of a free spirited maiden, though it did not come without looks from more crass individuals that would cause her shrink away ever so slightly and remember just where she was. That scorn, one she knew too well from her budding youth, the reason for her angst as a teen the moment she got a taste of freedom. Those stares only brought it back as she started to drift more toward the edge of the hall. Anger rising up, wishing to see their bodies all painting the castle a beautiful scarlet in the form of a mass sacrifice, a proper offering to the fae and Moon Goddess to sooth the restlessness within the very earth. Maybe lace all the food with poison to watch them fall one by one or all at once like a cult to their unison consumption of punch.

Soon she would be loomed over by cracked and weathered stone, glancing up toward where the Royal family resided upon their pedestal as she was passed one last time; going so far as to snag a sprig from the man guiding her steps as she made her way around, staining her lips with the sweet kiss of wine. She recognized the king to some degree, age having sunk in and stole some of his youth but as for the rest, she hadn’t much knowledge of, having never been a fan of politics. Due to her distraction she would suddenly feel herself knock into someone and a wall as her unknown suitor faded back into the crowd, left in a corner of the castle. She canted her head, muzzle just missed grazing the victim to her misstep, nearly leaving a wine stain upon his freshly washed coat of mostly untainted ivory. At least for his sake, let's hope she missed.

The castle was decorated in a similar gaudy fashion to the masks perched upon the faces of the strangers crowding the hall. Argent did not decorate himself with splendor, deciding that his attendance was enough of a commitment. His face remained bare, earning stares of disapproval from the masked party goers. Some were curious to ask why he did not participate in the masquerade, but they quickly scuttled away when they were greeted with a scowl. He hadn't meant to frighten them away yet didn't apologize when they excused themselves from the surly man brooding in the corner. The former captain was content to survey the crowd in silence, watching out for potential dangers to the king. It worried him, seeing how easy it would be for a rogue Jacobite to strike at him. He had already confirmed with the soldiers about which exits they should watch. All the masks made it difficult to know who was who. Argent even lost track of the king more than once in the crowd.

He felt the sudden impact of a body knocking into his chest, causing him to grunt with pain. A frown hardened his features, wondering who had pushed him. Looking down he saw familiar purple eyes peering out from a masked visage. Wisteria? he said, a question dancing on his tongue. Of all the people he'd expected to bump into she had not been one of them. If indeed it was her under the disguise and not some doppelganger. It made sense that she might be intrigued especially since he had informed her of current events. Perhaps she had come to see the king for herself.

His pelt remained unblemished by wine smears, but the soft scent of berries still clung to his fur no matter how hard he tried to wash it out. A lingering reminder of that one unfortunate experience.

Art by Ashon

It wasn’t until her name was spoken that the masked woman would give any solid recognition to the figure she had crashed into, her ears curving and tipping at the familiar voice and for a moment confusion slid like a fog behind her eyes as she slowly raised her head. Her name was seldom whispered upon the winds as of late, most have long forgotten about her or simply addressed her by a different name altogether; often one she had imparted rather than that of a mistake, though she could not deny the handful of wolves she did not know calling her by her sister’s name within the halls. Nothing uncommon, they did look nearly identical, especially when the only thing most witnessed this day was their pelt. Their largest differentiator being their eye color; her own a soft shade of wisteria like her namesake while her dear twin’s were more of an indigo pansy. It would not take long before those same amethysts would meet that of stormy clouds, leaving her in awe for but a moment before realization kicked in.

A pet that didn’t stay but a favorite nonetheless.

At first she wanted to play dumb but the chance he’d think her words true would be quite the surprise on their own. How tempting, however, if he were to believe her. The idea danced in her head for a long moment mixed with the astonishment to see him standing there in the first place. Who was lying to who? If he was no longer a soldier then why would he be standing here as if a guard on duty. “Wisteria who? I’m not sure I can help you but a smile may do you a thousand favors, darling,” she cooed, taking a step back before turning her head away from him to look among the crowd, able to see some women tensing as they glanced over their way. A smile curving her lips as she watched their gazes quickly turn away as if pretending they didn’t see a thing though there was a couple that looked a bit more mischievous that challenged Wisteria’s gaze before vanishing into the crowd.

Her ears flicked a couple times before she might focus back on Argent. “Though maybe keeping that glare is a good thing so I may keep you to myself,” she teased just a tad but not nearly how she did back at the Lake, even if she wanted to invade his space and return to their warm embrace from that night. A dirtier thought sneaking into her mind for but a moment, amused at the idea, imagining the faces of the guests should it ever come to fruition. Carefully her tongue would swipe her lips, though not all the wine would fade so easily, leaving a blush that blended well with her mauve skin into the lighter shades of fur. She would lean in just a little, her tail giving a few light sways. “You don’t seem to be enjoying the festivities over here, all alone. Where’s your spirit for the brilliant Lord and his Lady?” she asked with a pout turned smile, recalling how much heart he gave when talking of the King.

A brief flicker of confusion touched stern features when the masked woman played her games, pretending not to answer to the name she had given him. He could tell it was her by her voice alone. She had a sweet way of speaking to him, as if honey and sugar dripped from her tongue which each word that rolled off of it. How much of it was a performance he couldn’t tell. Wisteria was an enigma and she wore her masks well. He was not a fly that could be lured by the honey she lay out for him however. He was well aware of the way she liked to tease him and toy with him. Not tonight. He knew what to expect from her now and would not be played again.

Smiles should be honest. Too many wear them like masks, he answered, grey eyes glancing over the one decorating her face. His choice of words was ironic to say the least. His face remained a sullen scowl, lips downturned into the opposite of a smile. It didn’t twitch or change even as she teased him, claiming that she might keep him for herself if nobody else dared approach. He wondered if she might find watching him stand guard boring, but figured she could do whatever pleased.

I support the king and queen in my duty as a guard, he informed her, proud to be part of the security detail even if it was just keeping the drunks from causing chaos and escorting wayward children back to their parents. He didn’t have the rank or authority to arrest anyone, but he was big enough to look menacing and most of the time that was enough to deter trouble makers.

Art by Ashon

It seemed he wasn’t much for riddles and teasing as he was in their last encounter, already making him rather boring as it was more pleasant when he played along with her antics, even if unwillingly. There were no funny looks, no flustering and it just made him appear like every other stiff here. She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised as they were in a public populated place now, for him to falter would be him showing more than just her his vulnerability, that meekness that made him who he was deep down inside. Did he hate her? That was the question that was only shown as a haze that flashed over her eyes for a moment as she wanted to bring a hand up to his face and hold it there to stare into his eye indefinitely in hope it brought answers without words. As much as she was a troublemaker, she knew where she should behave and a party such as this was one of them; for one wrong move may be her last as far as the army was concerned. She didn’t trust the army after being attacked while pregnant so long ago, which only brought further oddity as she had kept him alive that night in a place she could have so easily made look like an accident and pleased the fae all at once.

Her thoughts were pulled on a tiny string as his voice broke in, her gaze shifting between him and the crowd, still finding him the most odd one out in this situation. “It’s the aristocracy, a mask is how we function. It’s how we pretend we aren’t all in cages,” she stated absentmindedly, her gaze going half lidded as she stared at some of the parliament that hadn’t changed since she was a child. “Some believe nobility and royalty come with freedom to do what they please, titles and economic gain keeping them immune from laws but that’s as far from the truth as it comes. Always watched, always scrutinized; there is a reason they are guarded. They are the biggest puppets of all. Something even I can’t outrun it seems, no matter how hard I try,” she breathed, recalling the magpie from her mother not long ago demanding she come to this ball. Surely the guild had informed them of her return for she hadn’t touched the Redwood till her travels here this evening, there was likely no other way they would have known she was back in Rionnach. It dulled her mood the more she thought about it, the more she sunk into herself, the less she felt like herself but rather what she was groomed to be. That staunch pampered pooch that cast her gaze down her nose at commoners and held herself in great egotistical pedigree.

The more she looked at the crowd though, the more she was starting to realize how many of the sideshow were peasants, too much life in their eyes to be anything else. They were the true free ones but it seemed they wanted to be placed in bird cages as she glanced up at the ex soldier that stood here now. He was free and yet he continued to serve, it only solidified as he gave his answer of being a guard instead of pillaging what was given to him for his own pleasures. He was a self made puppet which garnered no sympathy from her. “Can you do your duty and dance at the same time? We never got to finish ours, it would be better for your ribs than standing in one place endlessly,” she inquired, any glimmer of happiness turned to dust with the prior conversation and realization, she wanted some kind of merriment again.

The ex-captain listened to her in thoughtful silence, expression retaining its intense focus as he watched the crowd around them. At first he thought she was alluding to the king and queen when she spoke of the nobility and his grey eyes flickered with realisation when she revealed herself to be a highborn lady. It made sense. She was well spoken and educated. Was that what she was hoping to find in his company? A distraction from the social expectations that came with being from a noble bloodline? Did you want to come here? he asked, wondering if she had been pressured to attend by one of her relatives. It was different for him. He’d had a choice and chosen to come even though he hated gatherings like this. His duty to the king came before everything and that hadn’t changed even in retirement. I’ve memorized all the exits if you need an escape route, he offered, being entirely serious about helping her leave if she needed to.

He was taken aback by her interest in dancing with him. It would likely be the first and only time he’d ever be asked and he was surprised that it was him that she chose as her dance partner. There were plenty more capable men or women if she desired to take to the dance floor. Argent danced like a bear with its feet on fire, awkward and heavy footed. I never learned, he admitted gruffly. Dancing hadn’t been a necessary skill as a soldier so he’d never had to.

Art by Ashon

She didn’t expect much after her little rundown about the common facade that nobles wore in front of others, both around themselves and around those that looked to them as if any misstep they made would be ruin for them. It wasn’t a fun life but one she had drifted away from time and time again to the point she evaded it altogether before it had caught her again. Amethysts shifted to him with silent appraisal, her lips parting just a little as he seemed to be hypnotized by her presence this time around rather than panicking over every twitch she made. It almost brought a smile back to her face but she could not will it to form in the height of the moment but his question would bring some of the torch glow back into his eyes, no longer entirely hollow. “Yes and no,” she answered without needing to think about it at all, her ears twitching gently to the echoes of those around them ringing up along the towering spires that seemed to go to the heavens.

A smile did surface after he made her aware of his little knowledge of a map he had personally formed within his mindscape about where to go, finding it quite the silly concept. “An escape?” she humored, glancing down to the ground bashfully, feeling like a damsel the way he made it out, entertained at the idea before she’d straighten herself up again. “Would you run away with me or would you leave a lone maiden to be by herself in such a quest?” her head tilted as she moved just a tad closer to him, though got distracted by the sight of wine at the banquet, more berries that might stain her lips. There were some wonderful things here she could take advantage of but maybe she’d take his offer if he was part of the bundle, though she highly doubted he’d pardon himself from his duties so hastily for someone he nearly left in the Alpine soaked and tired with only the winter chill to keep her company.

Though she found it more curious that he didn’t question her status at all. Was it not odd to him? She certainly felt out of place but maybe it didn’t appear that way to him.

As she asked for him to pull her into the active function that made a ball a ball, she watched as his features grew with a delicious amount of surprise, causing her to giggle because the reaction both confused and entertained her. Though it came full circle when he spoke uncomfortably, making her grin only grow wider. “I couldn’t tell, you were so graceful in the embrace of the lake. Hmmm I can be your teacher,” she cooed, giving a light wink behind her mask.

The offer of an escape route seemed to both amuse her and encourage her interest in him. A dark ear flicked, features hardening once more as his offer to assist her was playfully turned against him. Her playful words didn't fluster him as it had before. He was expecting her to try to get a reaction from him, but he would not give it to her. This job, even temporary as it was, was simply too important to him to put at risk. I'm needed here, he stated firmly, grey eyes showing how resolute in his desire he was to stay until the end of the night when the castle finally closed its doors. Maybe it was paranoia, but he was expecting some trouble. It wouldn't surprise him. All it took was a loud obnoxious drunk to start a fight or for the king's enemies to use the ball as a platform for their chaos. All the more reason that he needed to be vigilant.

He didn't need to see her smile; he could hear it in her giggle. Argent was wary of her offer to teach him. The last time he had allowed her to get close flashed through his mind like a warning sign. That and the countless eyes that would be watching him stomp around like a fool well it was too much. I can't. I need to stay focused, he declined her offer, trying to let her down gently. It was the truth. He wouldn't be dancing with anyone tonight.

What made you want to come? he inquired, wondering what the yes of her yes and no answer was. It was easy for him to answer. She probably already knew why he was here, perhaps more willingly than she was.

Art by Ashon

Her playful banter of trying to drag him away with her was quickly declined, causing her to look at him with a bitterness deep within her gaze, knowing he wasn’t a joker but he could have at the very least played along a little rather than shutting her down. Offering help yet not even providing a different kind of outlet beyond leaving entirely, it made her start to think he only saw her as a mischief maker. Which she was as of late but she knew better than to act out more than she already was doing, especially when so many eyes knew of her here, her parents holding too much status for her to create a scene without everyone in the process dying. As tempted as it was, poisoning every single organism here wasn’t something she could pull off this late into the ball, she lacked the means and leaving to come back wouldn’t likely be met well. Maybe it was something else, she wasn’t fully sure and she wasn’t sure why it was bothering her so much but it made her want to be wicked if only to prove him right by making him underestimate just how much chaos she could cause. She would let it simmer though, for now.

Argent was a former soldier that valued the king highly, she remembered that much, she would decide to take his answer at face value rather than anything personal. He wasn’t a monster but those loyal to a make believe crown tend to be irrational in protecting someone they don’t even know over those that were in reach. So maybe it did make him a monster in a way because his eyes were studded for a man of a throne with countless personnel to protect them over the ones that had no one at all. She was insignificant even as a noble it seemed. How very cold.

It was the second push away that took any bit of enthusiasm in seeing him here away, the smile vanishing and any light quickly fading as she stopped the fur from bristling up along her spine, unable to do anything that crossed her mind in that moment. When she had asked for the dance initially he had not said he couldn’t, he simply said he didn’t know how, which didn’t add up. The light buzz wasn’t enough to push back the bite as she swallowed and took a few steps away, itching to disappear into the crowd before the feeling that blossomed could consume her every thought. “I guess it was too good to be true, thinking I found a man that actually cared…how unfortunate. Then at least speak your mind and tell me to leave directly,” she’d finally say, glancing at him with the faintest bit of hurt in her eyes much like when he had snapped at her on the mountain.

Surprise would cross her features when he’d try to start small banter with her, now even more confused on what was going on in this man’s head. “A corvid will always find its way back to the one holding the teether, perhaps I just wanted to see what my teether; my cage has become since I was away,” despite herself, she answered with an honesty that also harked back to something she told him upon first meeting him that probably meant nothing at the time. Maybe even now it would go over his head but she didn’t take him for a smart man to begin with.