Open [The Velvet Ear] Midnight Magic

[Inari Lorak]

Fall, Day 27 to 28, 513 AV Inari stood by the door, accepting money from some while ushering others in for nothing. A few she hugged, a few others she nodded respectfully to, and a good handful she even bumped fists with. As guests and performers alike trickled slowly in, they filled the room with more and more chatter, until at last there were but a couple seats left and the place fair buzzed with excitement. Only ten chimes left before midnight. In the middle of the hearth lay a merry fire, crackling and popping as it made shadows dance against the walls. The air tingled with anticipation, and some fidgeted in their plush chairs, nervous for their first time performing. Others were more confident, neither running through notes nor muttering lines to themselves, just sitting cooly in their smart attires and clever disguises, making polite conversation every now and then. Not all, of course, chose to remain anonymous. There were plenty who relished the attention, especially if they sought to initiate a juicy rumor or two. This was fine by Inari; the more they let their guards down, the more invaluable information she could learn by the end of the night. Seven chimes left. Inari readjusted her white wig and carefully flicked a bit of glitter off of her lashes. Normally, she found make up and accessories to be a complete bother, but that was only for the sake of daily practicality. Occasions like this demanded a touch of flair, and she was more than happy to oblige. Thinking along the same veins, Pina was running about in her fluffy sheep costume, offering refreshments and making sure there were enough chairs for everyone. She was a blur of cream white as she happily performed her duties, smiling brighter than she ever did during the day. At some point, the Lorak noticed Pina had momentarily stopped. She was speaking with a particularly petite and lovely looking Konti woman, who had cascades of pale hair and shimmering scales on her skin. Most likely, Pina was asking of her heritage; the girl had an endless fascination with the Konraths, from which Inari could only assume this woman belonged to. A name was not forming in her head and she made a mental note to remedy that before the gathering was over. Three chimes to go. With a last peek outside to check if there were any stragglers, Inari shut the door and tugged on her wig one more time. She then gave a little cough and Pina appeared at her side, right on cue. Together, they stepped in front of the fire, carrying between them a mysterious box. A series of oohs and ahhs echoed about the room, for it meant something special was to be performed this evening. Inari and Pina set the heavy box down with a thud, just as the clarion voice of the midnight bell rang out into the darkness outside. All at once, the din died to perfect stillness. Every set of eyes and ears were focused up front, the duo standing ready before the flames. "Ladies and gentleman," Inari announced, her voice a bit muted in the small and heavily decorated room, forcing people to strain their ears. She moved her hands as she spoke, her face only half lit by the light of the fire. "And so our show begins, but not without caution...it seems a peculiar sign as marked this night, for good or for ill. A box, of unknown properties and origins, arrived on our doorstep this very day! It bore a note with only one sentence: Open me at midnight, and ye shall findeth true magic. Yesss, peculiar indeed." Together, she and Pina slowly lifted the lid of the box. Wispy smoke curled out in eery tendrils, and though it was only a bit of trickery, several amongst the audience gasped with genuine surprise. And so, let the magic begin...

[Estrellir Konrath]

The curious little shop was a recent addition, but had already wormed its way into the grapevine. They said it involved magic, fantasies no Kenashern had ever dreamed of, tales spun from wondrous and vivid fabric. Estrellir shook her head as she crossed the bridge to Oath Island. Rumors indicated trends and reputations, but those concerned with gathering information never took them as truth. What was known about the shop? It was managed by a Lorak, a Vantha gifted in the visual and performing arts. Carvings and woodworking lessons appeared to be the main attractions, but every now and then it transformed into a stage for storytellers and performers. At midnight. Estrellir knew all that without visiting the shop herself.

It became inevitable soon. To discover the secret of the Velvet Ear, she had to attend a midnight performance herself. Clad in darkness, the bright and dreamy designs of its front appeared wondrous and mysterious. At the door, she paid in tinkling mizas and pulled back the hood of her cloak. As usual, white locks spilled out immediately, revealing her race and family. Briefly she'd considered disguising herself, but then discarded the idea as unnecessary.

Moments later that conviction strengthened. Although she took a seat towards the back of the room, a girl in a sheep costume expressed interest in the pale guest. Not that Estrellir revealed much. Yes, she was a Konti and a Konrath indeed, yes, she'd visited Mura at some point, no, she couldn't read the future. Her answers were precise, although voiced in a pleasant tone.

Eventually the girl left her with a glass of water and joined her mistress on the stage. The latter was wearing a white wig and colorful make-up, so Estrellir couldn't pinpoint her face. Avalis knew she wasn't closely related to the Lorak rulers though. As she spoke, the Konti crossed her arms and leaned forward to catch every word, read intonation and see through the mask.

Her body language differed from the typical listener. Instead of voicing interest or surprise, she stayed silent; instead of fidgeting around, she remained still and inconspicuous. Although she hadn't come in disguise, Estrellir's nature commanded her to play the patient listener at all times.

Still, it'd be a lie to say the beginning of a tale so peculiar didn't fascinate her.

[Inari Lorak]

The wisps of smoke cleared, revealing strange, lumpy objects within the box. One by one, white wigged host and sheepy assistant pulled them out, setting them carefully on a covered table which had been dragged onto the hearth rug. When they were done, a line of four half animal, half human forms sat facing the audience--a granidile, a swamp monkey, a set of two snakes intertwined, and trio of ordinary rats. Each had the face of a man--or men, in the case of the rats--with the exception of one of the snakes, whose face was that of a beautiful, young woman. "Once, long ago" Inari began, her voice hushed, "King Granidile ruled the land of Kesh. He oversaw everything--every friendship, every rivalry, every name ever given to every babe ever born. He was King, and therefore law and life itself." Crouched by the fire, Pina moved the granidile statue forward as her mistress spoke and placed a little, golden crown atop his scaly head. Some candles had been lit to the sides, and the details of each statue could be seen more clearly. The King had a regal, smiling face, and in his clawed hand he held a gold scepter, the ruby at the top bound by a coiled snake. "King Gran had many brothers and sisters, all of whom were married. Kesh was a land of peace and ever growing prosperity, which the King had ensured through his siblings' unions. But, he was not happy. He wanted more, and decided it would be best to decide everyone's unions, be they blooded family or lowly peasants. Every marriage between every creature was then confirmed upon his permission and his alone. Every single one, that is, except for that of Mister and Missus Snake." This time, Pina moved forward the two snakes, who were wound together like sensuous lovers. "Missus Snake was one of many, many nieces to King Gran. She did not know him well, and he knew her not at all. For this reason, it took the King a while to discover what his niece had done, and he did not like what he saw. Not one bit." Pina promptly pushed in King Grandidile's face, rotating it round and round till it clicked in place again. Now, however, his face was not that of a benevolent ruler, but one of a wrathful god. The scepter in his hand had been replaced too, and in its stead was a wooden sword, its edges paper thin and glowing orange as it reflected the flicker of fire behind it. "Oh, how Missus Snake had begged. She had fallen in love with another snake, but he was not of royal blood. Instead, he was a common merchant, one who traveled between many lands. Certainly, she tried to reason, as she was his niece, could King Gran not show a small bit of mercy? She had not meant to dishonor him, that she swore. She had only acted out of love and nothing more." The statue of the grandidile and the snakes were now facing one another, one cowering before the other. There was sudden clarity as to why the face of the young woman seemed so pleading, so sad. A few members of the audience caught their breaths, dreading the fate that was sure to come. "Once, King Gran possessed a heart. Now, however, it was filled to every corner with greed and ambition. He wanted terribly to punish his niece, but knew he had to do so without causing an uproar. Doubt against his powerful reign was the only thing he loathed more than losing money, and he did everything he could to avoid it. Thus, his plan was hatched." This time, Pina slowly dragged the granidile backwards until he faded into the shadows. Mister and Missus Snake now faced east, and up ahead Pina had pushed the trio of rats to block their path. "The King was clever, patient, and oh so very, very sneaky. He knew that Mister Snake was a traveling merchant, so he laid his trap well ahead of time. When Mister and Missus Snake rode merrily out of Kesh one morning in their little carriage, there was not a single thing they could do." The snakes inched forward at a steady pace, slowing only when they were right in front of the rats. Pina suddenly swooped up the rats and smashed them into the snakes, sending pieces of wood flying off the table. A loud, sickening crack filled the room, hideous and jarring in place of the preceding silence. This time, almost the entire audience gasped aloud, those in the very front shielding their faces and lifting their knees to avoid bits of decimated statue. A solitary lump of an object remained at the front of the table, still wobbling from the violent impact. Pina righted it, and it was clear that it was a baby snake who had been hidden, safe, in the bodies of her parents. Something in the background wiggled, its long arms held out in a comedic silhouette against the fire. At long last, it was the swamp monkey's turn. He had a laughing face, full of curiosity and mirth, as he sidled up beside the tiny snake. Inari's voice was shaking now, her mind no longer in the present, but trapped somewhere far, far away. Somewhere dark, and painful. She continued, unseeing, as Pina placed the little snake in the swamp monkey's outstretched arms. "A baby. King Gran had not expected one. He felt a twinge of sadness--just the barest of smidgens--and decided the baby could live. After all, she was still a useful pawn to his game of greed. Not caring how or with whom she would stay, he simply anointed the closest thing she had to family as her guardian and protector. Granddaddy Swampy, an old monkey who was always telling jokes, and whom no one ever took seriously. Swampy took good care of Baby Snake because her mother had been his daughter, and he was very sad for a long, long time. And though they shared as much happiness as could be afforded to them, eventually even Swampy had to leave. He made Baby Snake say goodbye, and then she was alone." Inari took a shuddering breath, then draped the ends of the table cloth over the statues. She was still focused on seemingly nothing, her eyes hard and glassy, as Pina slowly tugged the cloth together and stuffed everything back in the box. Then the lid closed with an audible click, and Inari let go of her breath. She and Pina then turned the the audience and bowed solemnly, their faces hidden beneath half darkness and disguise. Without another word, they cleared the area, leaving the audience to their own devices. The next act had been informed and would be taking the stage--or hearth, to be more apt--in a few chimes. In the meantime, Inari sat in the dark, her hands clutching Pina's as she stared hard at the folds of her dress, every shred of her will pitted against an onslaught of unleashed demons, kicking and clawing and fighting its way to stay above the black waters of half-memories and pain. How it hurt, always, to remember.

OOC :

awww my god I'm sorry this is so long...I started the post thinking "oh this will be just a fun little story" and ended with "AAAHHH WHAT HAS THIS BECOME?!"

[Estrellir Konrath]

There was a special kind of magic to stories. They even fascinated Estrellir, if only for the marvelous obscurity that allowed them to contain messages not so fantastic. Although their garments were of fantastic materials and patterns, the core applied to every sentient creature. Nobody could evade their influence. Above all, Estrellir's fascination with stories and tales stemmed from the influence they held over their audience.

As the tale of the Lorak advanced, Estrellir was amused by the discovery of several similarities. Kesh and Kenash, two sides of the same coin? She'd visited Konti Isle and watched a society of equals, so she knew the pyramid with Dynasties on top was special, if not unique in Mizahar. The king changed from benevolent and just to twisted and selfish over the course of the story. There were snakes that reminded her of the Rajors, although they played a different part here. There were carriages.

As the snakes shattered, however, she gave a start and her arms twitched to protect her face. The sudden crash pulled her out of the tranquil land of stories and back to the dimly lighted room. As she continued, the storyteller's voice was shaking.

And then the story came to an unexpected end, leaving the little snake alone and clueless. The dark past didn't disappear in the light, the protagonist never arrived at their happily ever after. The soft voice simply faded into the darkness. Nobody applauded, yet the performance was clearly over.

While other guests were whispering among themselves or waiting for the next act, Estrellir stood and made for the back next to the stage area. There the storyteller sat with her sheep assistant, overwhelmed with emotion, mental exhaustion or some other thing the Konti couldn't guess.

Yet the moment was better than any other, so she approached from the side. She would've come like a shadow in the night if her white locks hadn't shone in the twilight, if the scales on her cheeks hadn't reflected what little light there was. Her voice was came like a soft whisper. “What happened after that, if I may ask? Were the snakes avenged, was the king punished? The end came so suddenly...” It sounded like an apology, almost, but veiled in questions was a demand. She needed to know more.

[Rowan Morealis]

Rowan had worn a mask to the performance, bringing Eyasia with him on what he'd promised to be a romantic evening of new beginnings. Together they had dined in a fine Kenashian restaurant, trading tales of their own lives and of the past they both knew by heart. Neither of them were fully in the moment of the courtship however. Rowan moved with a limp that he explained as a simple twist he'd sustained on Blacksugar the earlier morning and Eyasia was still not completely herself. Both spoke as if they were, laughed as if invested, but neither of their minds were on the meal in front of them.

Perhaps that was why Rowan struggled to remember exactly what they'd spoken about when dessert had finally arrived. All he could remember were pale suggestions resembling conversational topics. He remembered her smile, the suggestive way her curves presses against the fabric she wore...but nothing else.

If she had noticed his distance, she had chosen not to say. It wasn't often Rowan allowed himself to be lost in a social occasion. On the contrary, Morealis directive demanded a strict adherence to complete awareness during any social venture.

Something weighed heavily on his mind.

Together they had come in to watch Inari perform her little puppet and story show. This wasn't the first Rowan had been to and he found the performances were usually light and diverting...entertaining for adults and children alike. But today the story was short, almost painfully short, and there was no laughter, no grins, and a quiet applause to accompany her tale of woe.

He drifted again as she spoke, remembering the look of terror in the eyes of the slave. He could feel the hot Kenash sun on his back, the warmth of blood on his clenched fists.

Again. His father commanded him, Again.

And the story was over.

Rowan was startled from his daydream by the applause and stood swiftly, covering his lapse in attention with an overbearing clapping. Had the story ended well? His mind suggested it did not, and it was only a moment to realize he was the only one standing and clapping, like a buffoon.

He paled, smiled, bowed as a hot blush crept into his cheek.

"My apologies, Lady Eyasia," he said, bending to take her hand and kiss it gently. "I will regrettably need to cut this evening a little shorter than I had planned...I fear I have taken ill." Offering her an apologetic smile, he turned and swiftly pushed through the remainder of the guests to the embrace of the heavy Kenash evening beyond.

He tore off his mask, stumbling to where the river kissed the banks and cupped water, splashing it against his face. Gods, what was wrong with him? Sitting back on the bank, he stared almost reproachfully at the moon above.

"You've seen nothing, Leth," He challenged the moon quietly, "A moment of weakness, nothing more. I HAVE taken ill. Is there some protocol against illness? Is there Leth? Father!"

He paused, sighed, and put his arm over his eyes. He may have been feverish after all. The night before he found no sleep and tonight may be no different. Perhaps he should send a messenger to apologize to Inari, skip their plan to infiltrate the Rujaro and lay abed instead. It wasn't that he doubted her conviction, it just felt like so many of the other play-pretend stories they enacted as children.

You shall be the Rat prince and I will be the Heron Queen. Our love is forbidden across all the swamps, and my husband Lord Night Lion will certainly kill you if he found out. Now, we must play plans for poison, but first...to get past the guards...

"She was not upset." He said it to himself more than the moon. "It was a story. I did not hear her tremble, she was not upset."

But he did and she was...he just didn't want to be involved. Inari was such a curious creature to him, more brother than a woman had been to him before and so seeing her weak or vulnerable only filled him with nervous unease. When they were little, she punished his every hug by stomping on his foot. No sissy stuff, they were always tough and even when she played a queen or princess, it was only to buck the tradition of needing to be saved to rewrite her own ending.

Honestly, Rowan often played audience to her escapades.

He was too busy fantasizing to follow her wild abandon, but for some reason she had always deigned to slow down for him.

Maybe he should say something.

"No." Rowan pointedly told the river, the moon, the Kenash air, "If I return, it would be a lie to Lady Eyasia. Dare I risk the passion with a woman so beautiful to get my foot stomped again?"

She hadn't stomped on his foot since they were fourteen, but it helped to use as an excuse.

He rolled across the bank, then back.

"Damn you, damn you, Inari. One night! The one night I expected comedy and you lay a thick tragedy. Damn you."

He stood up and sauntered back to the Velvet Ear, a shadow in the doorway, content to watch the performance at a distance than risk the social ramifications of re-entering after being the one man standing ovation in a one act sob story.

[Inari Lorak]

Inari snapped back to the present as a soft voice emerged from the darkness. It was the ethereal Konti woman Pina had spoken to earlier, her pale, snowy hair a match to the Lorak's own, though it was far more delicate and beautiful, like rivulets of moonlit water flowing down her scaled shoulders. Out amongst the audience, some idiot was clapping loudly by himself long after the others had stopped, but Inari paid him no mind. Beside her, Pina stood in awe at the Konti. Her eyes were widened to the size of saucers, drinking in all the lovely, unearthly details of the slim woman. Enchanted as she was, though, the young girl said nothing, looking up at her mistress instead for a proper reaction. Inari gave a wan smile, clearing away some of the raw emotion in her throat. She then settled her inner turmoil, patted her assistant reassuringly on the back, and spoke quietly to indulge the woman's curiosity. "No, the snakes were never avenged, the king never punished. Although, I heard he did suffer from a nasty, fungal infection in his old age, if that counts for anything." She was about to leave it at that, then realized the answer seemed rather pathetic, given the eager glint in the Konti's eyes. "Um, well, yes the ending was a bit terrible...I tried to think of a different approach but nothing worked. If it's any consolation, the little snake turned out quite happy. She gets to do all the things she likes, dress up like a lunatic now and then, and has some of the best friends a girl could ask for." Before Pina could dodge her, Inari wrapped the girl in a huge, bear hug. The child's cheeks burned as she buried her face in her mistress's skirts, mortified to be caught in such an embarrassing display before the bewitching Konti. "But enough about that. Is this your first attendance here? I've never had the pleasure of meeting you before, and you'd seem hard to forget. The name's Inari, Inari Lorak. How about your...self..." The Lorak trailed off, her eyes narrowing to venomous slits. Even through the glitter, she could make out the source of a subtle commotion near the exit. Someone had just snuck out the storage room, pushing through several guests standing near the door and pelting out of the shop. Someone tall and dark haired, wearing a mask. Someone suspicious. Her nostrils flared, and she barely heard what the Konti was saying as, moments later, the dark figure returned, this time maskless and looking more peeved than ever. Rowan. Inari's eyes glittered with instant annoyance, staring at the rather perturbed looking Morealis from the darkness as though trying to drill little holes in his shiny head. A thought struck her. She flicked her gaze over the audience and, now that she knew what to look for, picked out her lovely aunt almost at once. So, that's what was going on. The nerve. She rose, entirely forgetting her present situation. If the piece she and Pina just performed had troubled her, it was nothing compared to the rage she felt now. Inari's fingers twitched in the dark, itching to grab the nearest, heaviest carving and fling it at Rowan's head. It was tempting, so very, deeply tempting. Unfortunately, she could not risk hitting someone else by accident--though her aim seemed to improving every time she found out about yet another one of Rowan's unsavory trysts--nor cause reasons to spark more unseemly rumors. That, and the next performer was already taking his place before the hearth. Inari suddenly remembered the Konti woman and whispered an apology, babbling something about needing air and not wanting to ruin the rest of the show and promising to return soon. Sensing her mistress was already miles away, Pina urged the Konrath to come watch the next act, though Inari failed to see if she was successful or not. Casually, the white wigged hostess snaked her way around the throng of guests, still hidden in the darkness, until she was standing right in front of Rowan Morealis, Bane of Her Very Existence. She scowled, slapped a hand on his chest, and pushed him back through the doorway, closing the door quietly behind them. Only then did she lose some her composure, one hand planted on her hip as the other pointed accusingly at Rowan's face. She hissed, as loud as she dared, her indignation. "What the gods do you think you're doing here? And with my aunt, too, for petchsake?! You're going to end up making me kill you one of these days, I swear it!"

[Eyasia Lorak]

The night was spectacular. Rowan was now the man she remembered meeting just years ago. During their meal Eyasia told him how it was not her but her mother who grew ill. She also told him how she became related to the Loraks. Eyasia was not accompanied by any slaves, she had to force Dyanna to stay home. It took a distraction from Eia to get her out the house. She left the house in a lovely blue dress and the same black shoes from a couple days before. Like always her make up was flawless but it was all thanks to Eia. One of Eyasia's favorite slaves who's done so much for the night. The beautiful daughter of Leth used the right foundation, eye shadow and even the blush for the dra's elegant face. She tried to give her different lip shades but Eyasia refused keeping her lips red. Eia was not only skilled with the blush and other make up products. She was great with hair. The Ethfael pulled Eyasia's long hair back and separated some parts. Without using any hair supplies or even products, she manage to twist the three parts together into one bun. Perfection it was on the top of Eyasia's head, sleek and shiny too. "Finally, we're inside." Eyasia whispered to Rowan, she was cold. This is what you get for trying to be cute and not warm. The Lorak woman thought to herself as she looked around. There was a large audience which is why it was hard for her to spot her niece. She's found her all along but didn't notice her in a white wig. Must be part of the performance? Inari was talking to a lovely konti woman at the time but when she heard Rowan and Eyasia barging in, she was quick to look in their direction. The beautiful vantha made her way towards them but she did not look please."Hello Inari." Eyasia curtsy but Inari ignored her and attacked Rowan. She pushed him out the door with force and than odd enough, she brought him back in. " What the gods do you think you're doing here? And with my aunt, too, for petchsake?! You're going to end up making me kill you one of these days, I swear it!" She heard Inari scream at him through the door. Eyasia couldn't help but re-open the door. "Please don't."Eyasia said softly."He invited me here to prove something."

[Estrellir Konrath]

OOCNot much I can do for now, so I kept it short.

Fungal infection? Estrellir blinked. That wasn't the answer she'd expected, so she waited for more. The next words sounded vaguely familiar. Although the Lorak girl didn't resemble a snake, neither in appearance nor in temper, she did dress up during the midnight performances and treated the sheep girl like a friend. What an odd couple! The abandoned snake and the innocent sheep, now what would the second act bring?

The offered name brought Estrellir back to the dimly lit room. She'd remember that name. There was a curious exemplar of the Dynasties, one that didn't hesitate to lose herself or keep her heart wide open in public. Extraordinary. “Estrellir of the Konrath family and pleased to meet you. Now that you've explained a bit, it does seem like a fitting end for the story.” Suddenly Inari's eyes focused on something behind her back, so she bit back the rest and looked.

There stood a man, shrinking into the shadow to avoid attention. Yet Inari recognized him which seemed to be just what he'd wanted. When the girl rose, there was energy bristling and all previous conversation forgotten. Even the stammered apology sounded distant. “Of course, I'll not be angry with you for sorting out your matters. I'd rather enjoy watching the next act.” With the last words, she turned back to the sheep girl and rose from her kneeling position. Like before, she preferred to stand against the wall in the back. Whether the next act on stage or behind the curtains had caught her interest, she hadn't specified...

Wood clattered as the second performer entered the stage. Silver strings were dangling from his fingers and before his feet a pair of painted puppets came to life. While he told the story in two voices, one for every character, Estrellir inched closer to the door. With one ear she listened to the act, but with the other she tried to catch what was happening between the three that had left. Rowan Morealis, Inari Lorak and Eyasia Lorak, the storyteller's aunt and Lorana Lorak's... sister? Curious. Due to her age and past absence, Estrellir had built no personal connection with any of those yet, but instinct told her of precious secrets boiling under the surface.

[Adair Askara]

When Inari had informed Adair that some of the people that attended her midnight performances came in disguise, he had decided that he would wear the most spectacular and unexpected disguise of all. He wasn’t simply wearing a wig and some glitter (although he occasionally liked a bit of glitter). He had put on a dress, a beautiful, very fashionable and expensive dress of crimson silk that wouldn’t have looked out of place at a ball. Underneath he was wearing a tightly laced corset to give himself the illusion of a narrow waist and feminine curves. Across his shoulders was a cloak that was trimmed with black fur. He’d curled his hair and put a mask over his face, and he also wore a necklace with precious red gems. He looked like quite the elegant lady (if you didn’t look too closely, of course).

He wasn’t nervous at all, although his disguise was uncomfortable and slightly itchy, his breathing somewhat impaired, and he had never performed here before. He also wasn’t nervous about being found out (even though his voice wasn’t exactly a lovely feminine soprano). No, he was merely excited, very, very excited. He could barely keep himself from grinning as he sat down in one of the plush chairs. Since the high heeled shoes he had put on were a little painful to wear, he took them off and quietly pushed them behind the chair. The dress was long enough that people wouldn’t notice. At least he hoped so.

Once he had done that, he leaned back and enjoyed Inari’s performance. The Lorak was just as good as he had thought she would be, although, he had to admit, the ending was a bit disappointing. „You should have turned the story into a tragedy!“ he suggested. „Happy endings are overrated. The little snake could have grown into a very big snake, her snake instincts could have taken over, and she could have eaten her monkey caretaker. And everybody else.“

At the entrance of Rowan and his female companion his eyes widened. Oh, this was going to be a fun night! He should have brought that Morealis boy he had been seeing or maybe one of his female relatives, and they could all have enjoyed their scandalous relationships together!

He could barely keep himself from clapping his hands and screaming, „Kill him, kill him!“ even though that wouldn’t have been a very ladylike thing to do. But then he was not a lady and had no desire to be one either, so it was all good. He was just here to cause as much mischief as possible and entertain people.

[Rowan Morealis]

It wasn't often that Rowan disliked the touch of a woman on his person. Somehow, Inari could turn the very act he most enjoyed into a castigating punishment with little more than a storm of expression and a surprisingly strong arm.

Pushed out the door, he found it wasn't that she was strong at all, but more that his own body played a treasonous game and allowed her power over him. When her hand slipped away form his chest and found perch on her hip, Rowan was trying to compose his features. For whatever reason, it was hard for him to figure out whether he was angry, concerned, or innocent of her wrath. Those emotions warred across his features in rising brows, narrowing eyes, and a mouth that settled somewhere between a frown and a smile...more an awful combination of the both that he dropped for a helpless laugh.

"My, my, Lady Inari, must we do it here? Now? What will the nobles think? What will your guests thi-" But her cold glare caught his joke and murdered it on his tongue. Swallowing the last of his words, he spread his hands helplessly into a shrug.

"Dinner and a show, nothing more. I did not think to inform you of our event...well, honestly because I was not aware you would react so negatively."

Eyasia pushed opened the door and quietly spoke, giving Rowan the time to gesture toward her wildly, almost desperately, "See? See? She corroborates my story. We...I...I was something of a brute in our past, you see, and I had wanted to show her I could change and simply take her out for a nice meal and a show, YOUR show I might add, I could have easily attended an Askarade banjo performance in the-" He backed up, composed himself, and closed his eyes.

When they opened again, they were as cold and angry as Inari's own. Stepping forward, he laid a gentle hand on Eyasia's shoulder, steering her from inside the performance hall to the outside air. "But I can see that we are not welcome, an unfortunate wound to our otherwise perfect evening. Lady Eyasia, if you'll permit me, I'd like to escort you to the Fox carriages and buy you a ride home. We can leave your Aunt to her tragedies and accusations."

As he passed Inari again, he leaned in, as if to say something, thought better of it, and only glared at her reproachfully. He had come back to speak with her, ask what was the matter, and she had reacted as if he had slapped her.

Fine, let the bitch act the wrathful granodile, he'd have no part in it.

"Shall we go, Lady Eyasia?"