[h2]R O W E N A & A L E X A N D E R[/h2] [hr][hr] Rowena watched Elodie stalk off, wondering if it she had anger issues, or something else that would explain her abrupt departure. [i]Adrianna and I will have to address that,[/i] she thought to herself. She would have frowned if she were the type to let such an emotion show on her face. Instead, she smoothed over her expression into one of pleasant curiosity, waiting a few minutes before venturing out from behind the shelves. Rowena cast a quick glance around the room. Most everyone had arrived already; the only newcomer she was able to pick out was Lady Reeza Valarios with her pink hair. [i]Goodness gracious. How, and[/i] why[i], is that atrocious hairstyle in existence.[/i] Rowena let out a quiet huff. [i]If it had been up to me, I would have chosen individuals with more sense than that. But of course, Adrianna has never been particularly good at identifying people with a good sense of style. So there is that.[/i] Rowena had heard about the dollmaker before, yes, though she hadn’t paid her much attention in the past. She had more important things to worry about, such as who she was going to kill next in her uncle’s bid for giving people the ends they deserved. [i]Ut acerbus terminus,[/i] Rowena remembered idly, the motto of Madame Geraldine’s Finishing School for Young Ladies of Quality seared into her mind. [i]To the bitter end.[/i] She noted, with a slight distaste, that Lord Finnegan Oaks had appeared within her line of sight, undoubtedly flirting plainly with both the woman he had brought to the event and Charlotte Vernell. Charlotte’s face struck Rowena as familiar, somehow. [i]Was she not engaged to the scientist who died? Victor Bennett?[/i] As he strode out of the library with the woman (Evelyn, if his thoughts could be believed), Rowena opened her mind and sent feelers in his direction, ignoring, for the time being, what everyone else was thinking and feeling. At the surface, his thoughts were calm and untroubled (though Rowena found herself resisting the urge to wrinkle her nose at what he was doing with Evelyn), but she probed deeper, slightly. There was an emotion that she couldn’t quit identify...ah, there. He had been a little off-put, earlier. A little disturbed. Why? [i]His brother. Walter, is it? Alexander asked about him? How...intriguing.[/i] Rowena retreated, re-focusing her attention on the people in the room around her. She managed to pick out Alexander, alone, and gracefully made her way over to him. “Alexander,” she said by way of greeting, a (rare) sincere smile falling across her lips. “I do apologize for not finding you sooner, my dear. Though I must say, I do very much love the ensemble you have chosen for this occasion.” Rowena eyed the intricate gold embroidery appreciatively. [hr] Alexander knew that, between his hair, his style, and the slight heel that added to his already respectable height, he would he relatively easy to find. He wandered the library a bit, looking for something to lift his suddenly dampened spirits, but turned when he heard a familiar voice. A smile spread across his lips. “Rowena my dear, I was just mentioning you to Finnegan.” He laughed lightly. “Why thank you, my dear. I believe I have already paid you compliments, but if I have not, you look stunning as per usual, though perhaps more so tonight give the drabness of the environment.” His smile adjusted slightly. “You disappeared from view, moonlace, else I would have found you again after dear Finny left to be by his partner’s side once more.” He exhaled long, slow, and audibly. “Perhaps a dance is in order, or do we not think it a good idea given our requests to be present here?” [hr] Rowena rolled her eyes playfully when Alexander mentioned Finnegan. “Alexander,” she chided, her voice lightly teasing. “[i]What[/i] have I told you about your taste in men? You can do much better than the honorable Lord Oaks, my dear,” Rowena continued, wrinkling her nose at the mere thought of being in Finnegan’s presence. When Alexander proposed that they dance, Rowena gave him a mischievous smile. “Why of [i]course[/i] a dance is in order,” she replied, looping her arm through his. The two of them began to make their way to the entrance of the library, Rowena stopping only to give Adrianna a “I’ll-be-right-back” look. She paused, however, when she saw a familiar figure striding almost unnoticed through the doorway. “Doctor Halverson,” she greeted warmly, a welcoming smile falling over her lips, although her eyes remained carefully neutral. The doctor, of course, was as composed as ever. “Lady Imperia-Airwright,” he greeted in return, inclining his head slightly. His gaze shifted to Alexander. Did Rowena detect something more than the polite regard he gave everyone in his expression? Maybe. It was hard to say. “And Alexander. It is a pleasure.” Rowena assessed what Vincent was wearing. As she’d expected, everything on his person was somber and demure, and [i]just[/i] under the height of fashion (which he did intentionally, Rowena knew, though she was sure that it was also a matter of personal taste), and he was as neatly put together as ever. “The pleasure is all mine, I’m sure,” Rowena answered sweetly, discreetly eyeing Alexander out of the corner of her eye. “Have you been enjoying the ball so far?” [hr] He laughed lightly at her chiding, but gladly let her take his arm and started to walk with her from the library. However, when they stopped, Alexander was confused. Until of course he saw [i]why[/i] they had stopped. For a moment, the shock registered on the blond’s face. His eyes were wide, and his jaw fell slack while holding just enough dignity to keep his mouth closed. However, when the doctor looked his way Alexander swallowed, taking good measure to smile more on the polite side to avoid suspicion. “Dr. Vincent Halverson, it [i]is[/i] a pleasure,” he said, bowing his head in acknowledgement. He glanced at Rowena before looking back at the man before him. Now if [i]this[/i] wasn’t a surprise…As per usual the man looked less than what could be said was his best, but he still looked…well, quite nice. Despite not dressing noticeably, he looked good. Though Alexander would be lying if he didn’t wish to see this man dress in a way that would make himself [i]truly[/i] look…irresistible. [i]Rowena, I swear, stay out of my head as promised,[/i] Alexander thought as a precaution. [hr] Was she just imagining things, or was Alexander slightly less composed than usual? Rowena eyed Vincent curiously. He was a [i]very[/i] unassuming man, though skilled at his job. Which was why Rowena had insisted that he try to help Alexander with his condition. Rowena sensed something akin to surprise in Alexander, though she did not pry any further. At events such as these, Rowena had her mind open slightly, at all times. Not enough to read thoughts, no, but enough to gauge the general emotions of those around her, to an extent. She wasn’t getting anything from Vincent besides a bit of cautious hesitancy and unease. Still, his composure was impeccable. If Rowena had not been a telepath, she might not have picked up on anything at all. [i]It makes sense, mmm. His family is far from the kind that would be invited to events such as these.[/i] Vincent’s calm voice shook Rowena from her thoughts. “Indeed, Lady Imperia-Airwright,” he answered neutrally. “The ball has been quite...delightful. I do hope that the two of you have been doing well.” He gave a quick, almost imperceptible glance at Alexander when he said this. [hr] Alexander gave Vincent a pleasant smile (or at least he [i]hoped[/i] it was pleasant; it felt positively terrifying on his face) and nodded. “Quite well, thank you, doctor.” He glanced at Rowena, then back at the man before him. “I owe the lady a dance, but perhaps afterward a better conversation is in order?” he asked. “Unless of course there is nothing to really discuss, in which case I will have us forget the offer.” He offered another un-Alexander smile—too kind, not at all flirty enough, and his eyes were far too wide—before glancing at Rowena. “Does that suit you, moonlace?” [hr] Rowena watched, intrigued, as Alexander spoke to Vincent. There was something that seemed slightly [i]off[/i] about the way he was acting. She could not quite put her finger on it, and yet… She shifted her focus to Vincent as he replied. “Oh, but of course,” he said smoothly, smiling slightly. “I would not want to impose. I do imagine that we will be hearing from the captain regarding our invitations in a short while.” Rowena nodded. “Indeed.” She turned to Alexander, smiling warmly. “And a dance sounds lovely. Shall we take our leave, then?” [hr] Alexander nodded. “We shall.” He adjusted his head to the air of superiority he usually seemed to hold and bowed slightly to Vincent. “Until later, Dr. Halverson. If you’ll excuse us.” He led Rowena away and prepared to whisk her around the dance floor when the musicians changed their tune to something slower. “Well, that’s a shame. This is [i]clearly[/i] meant for individuals of romantic interest to one another, something neither of us shall ever find at our going rate.” He sighed wistfully. “Ah well. Each other will do, I suppose.” The blond offered his hand, bowing to her before pulling Rowena into his arms and starting to dance. [hr] Rowena followed Alexander into the Supreme Commander’s rather unimpressive ballroom. As the two of them began to dance, Rowena thought she caught a glimpse of Finnegan with—Evelyn? Yes, that was her name. She laughed lightly in agreement at Alexander’s wayward comment. “Indeed. Though I am not entirely certain that our dear Lord Sullivan would be particularly pleased by this...mmm, [i]arrangement[/i].” A mischievous wink. “It is fortunate that he is not present.” [hr] He raised his brows. “Sullivan? Is that his name now?” Alexander hummed as if trying to think of an opinion to give. “And here you say I have terrible taste. The men you end up engaged to, my dear…” He chutted, giving her a look before a mischievous smirk appeared on his lips. A chuckle, then no more. “At least you manage to get them,” he muttered, shaking his head in miniscule motions. [hr] Rowena had to chuckle along with Alexander. “Yes, well, the men I end up being engaged to…” Rowena gave a nonchalant shrug. “They are what they are.” Her voice was lightly teasing, and her eyes shone with mirth. However, there was something hard in her expression behind her wry half-smile and twinkling brown eyes. She did what she did because it was the only thing that would bring any semblance of justice for what those men had done twenty, thirty years in the past. Some would have said that she should let it go. Perhaps. But that had never been in her nature. [i]A character flaw, I suppose,[/i] she mused idly to herself. [i]Though I have never thought of myself as a particularly...moral person. Perhaps that is where Alexander and I are fundamentally different.[/i] [i]Ah, well. At least I have a better taste in gowns than Adrianna.[/i] “Oh, there is no need to be so despondent, my dear,” said Rowena. Another wry half-smile. “I am sure you would not want them, anyway.” [hr] He raised his brows. “Well, I would like to have [i]someone[/i], moonlace,” Alexander replied. “At present there is no one, but you and Lord Oaks, and of course Elric and the rest of my staff, and that is a very lonely existence.” Alexander sighed dramatically. “Though I suppose you are right. Most men of age are rightfully [i]boring[/i] these days.” He shook his head. “Absolutely useless.” [hr] Rowena nodded in agreement. “You are, of course, absolutely correct,” she said solemnly, though there was an amused smile on her face. [i]Boring, and useless, and arrogant, and used to getting everything they want, when it comes to women. Violent at the worst, and controlling and possessive at the best. Mmm. One could argue that I have worse taste in men than Alexander, and that is[/i] really[i] saying something. He’s infatuated with our insufferable Lord Oaks, for goodness’ sake.[/i] The first man she had been engaged to was slightly older than her-which was the only good thing that Rowena had to say about him. Mr. Henry Lewis was the son of the man who had orchestrated her parents’ execution, and he was the type who found expensive gowns to be…[i]hindrances[/i] to certain actions that Rowena preferred not to think about. His plan, Rowena knew, was to marry her for her inheritance. Once he had claimed that, he would have poisoned her. Of course, that had never happened—instead, Rowena had coated her lips with a poisonous lip tint and watched the life seep out of him as he sloppily smashed his lips against hers. The second had been twice her age, and he had no interest in women. No; Rowena had been [i]much[/i] too old for his tastes. She poisoned him too, slowly, with a bit of foxglove in his every meal, and once he was dead and gone she was quickly engaged to another man, who was killed in an unfortunate airship malfunction. The slow song came to an end, and Rowena raised an eyebrow in Alexander’s direction. “One more dance, my dear? Or shall we rejoin the others?” Rowena’s thoughts drifted to Robert Sullivan, who had outed her parents and arranged for her aunt’s murder. But his past had caught up to him, and now Rowena and her uncle had him wrapped around their little fingers. He, too, would die. He was old enough to be her father, and Rowena found it quite a test of willpower to loop her arm through his and to smile prettily as if she were nothing but a decoration at every ball and tea party they went to. But she knew how it felt to want to kill a man, and wait. She knew. And she could endure it one more time. [hr] Something occurred to him: the only reason Rowena seemed to have worse taste in men than him was because these men were horrible. She didn’t love them in the slightest. The engagements had existed solely for her to dispose of them. But Alexander had the misfortune of being attracted to truly terrible people. Rakes with fair faces, slobs with good bodies, and bores who happened to be fairly exciting in bed. He hated himself for it, but no one in his circles would be much better, so he suffered through it. After all, he was not meant for love. He often pondered suggesting an engagement between himself and Rowena if they were still unmarried by 35 (or rather, if [i]she[/i] was still unmarried by 35), just so they could both have heirs, but he couldn’t seem to bring himself to do it. He couldn’t think of having to make the heir with her. It didn’t seem right to even [i]think[/i] of the terms for such an act. But Alexander knew. He just [i]knew[/i] a man like him was no good for love and happiness. [i]She deserves better than me as a husband.[/i] Alexander bowed to her as the song finished, offering his arm. “Perhaps we should rejoin the others. You mentioned Captain Kingsford would be speaking to us soon, after all, and as much as I would love another, more lively dance with you, I do not wish to be the reason everyone is held up.” [hr] “Oh, but of course, my dear,” Rowena said gamely, smiling as she accepted Alexander’s proffered arm. They began to make their way back to the library. Rowena glanced imperceptibly in Adrianna’s direction as they entered the room, noting Elodie’s continued absence. [i]Will this be a problem?[/i] she thought, raising an eyebrow as she passed by the doorframe. [i]She does seem to be rather...volatile.[/i] Upon entering the library, Rowena’s gaze flitted around the room, going from Lady Valarios with her floating doll to the Lockhearts and Alyssana Grey. She spotted Vincent lingering in the corner, almost unseen, and resisted the urge to glance towards Alexander. “I should see if Adrianna needs anything,” she murmured, regretfully taking a step back from Alexander. “We [i]must[/i] have tea together sometime, though. There is much that I would like to discuss with you.” Rowena’s voice was light and playful, but she knew that Alexander would know what she was speaking of. “I will see you later, yes?” And with that, Rowena glided away from her friend, making her way through the library to Adrianna.