[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/pH2Aivs.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/djYFSK8.png[/img][/center] [color=A63AB7]Time:[/color]Afternoon [color=A63AB7]Location:[/color]River Kingdom Plaza [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/N1WeLRn.png[/img][/center] [color=8882be]"It [i]smells[/i]."[/color] Pyria was doing that dreadful thing where she spoke so unpleasantly through gritted teeth. Helio rolled his eyes over to glance once more at her. [color=92278f]"Like what? Good?"[/color] [color=8882be]"Horrid."[/color]She snapped with a glare, [color=8882be]"The throne."[/color] [color=a187be]"It really does smell bad, Helio. Look at them all."[/color]Lamaia agreed gently and gestured to a couple of dark elves stationed near them holding their noses. [color=92278f]"You all don't enjoy the stench of death?"[/color]Helio asked in dismay and genuine surprise, craning his head to acknowledge the others. They stared at him blankly. [color=92278f]"Ugh. Fine. I have a solution."[/color]He rolled his wrist in a circle as a couple of flowers began to grow along the area. For a moment the smell improved and everyone sighed with relief. Then the flowers started to instantly wilt. Everyone groaned. [color=92278f]"Oh yeah. Sorry. Forgot that doesn't quite work anymore."[/color]Helio said with a sigh and shrugged [color=a187be]"I got it."[/color]Lamaia said and focused her energy on reviving the flowers, and growing lots more than the sad handful Helio had produced, [color=a187be]"Why don't we go sit in the hall or something? Why out here anyway? What if it rains?"[/color] Pyria grumbled immediately under her breath in reaction to that question, [color=8882be]"If it starts to fucking rain, I swear..."[/color] [color=92278f]"We can later. I'm waiting for something."[/color]Helio replied impatiently, [color=92278f]"Stop complaining. It's like keeping children for company."[/color] [color=a187be]"Wasn't so long ago-"[/color]Lamaia began, but he shut her up with a glare. She sighed and looked down for a while. [color=8493ca]"Helio! Thank God you're back."[/color]Words filled the air that made Helio giddy with delight as a male fairy came running down the road. He halted to a stop in front of the throne, out-of-breath as he spoke, [color=8493ca]"A village in our Kingdom along the main road was attacked! Terribly! All four families dead."[/color]He trembled with wide-eyes. [color=92278f]"How awful! Who would do such a thing? I'll send some help over right away."[/color]Helio feigned empathy in his voice and terror on his expression as he spoke. He glanced over and looked at Pyria, [color=92278f]"Fetch some back up and go check that out."[/color] Pyria shrugged, probably happy to not have to stand there anymore, and stalked off, gesturing for a couple of the elves to follow her. [color=8493ca]"Oh thank you! Thank you!"[/color]He bowed multiple times before hastily making his way. It got quieter after that, even within the town itself. Many were fearful of coming outside after seeing so many dark elves march down the street. Lamaia had been quiet too and deep in thought for few minutes. She suddenly sat on the edge of the throne and touched Helio's hand, giggling as she recalled, [color=a187be]"Remember when we danced together. We'd attend that silly Roshmi ball every year."[/color] Helio looked at her and grinned, pulling the black-haired girl onto his lap as he straightened up, [color=92278f]"Ah yes... I can still remember that waltz they always played."[/color] He started to hum the waltz as he recalled it, the memory of the ball painting itself on the canvas of his mind as he hummed. His smile faltered slowly as it did. [hider=Helio Flashback Part 1] [color=92278f]Time:[/color] [b]10 years ago [/b] [color=92278f]Location:[/color]Roshmi Grand Hall [color=92278f]Music:[/color][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hTvc3f83Ws&ab_channel=Ma%C3%81ngelesCaroLassodelaVega] The Second Waltz[/url] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/N1WeLRn.png[/img][/center] Not attending the Grand Roshmi Ball as a nobleman or woman was blasphemous. With its gold and glittering atmosphere, it was truly magic at work. Beautiful, shimmering gowns and dashing young gents danced all along the glistening floor, which was intricate with detail. The wealthy attended the bi-yearly event from all over Avalia, for a multitude of reasons like finding appropriate suitors for their offspring or negotiating with fellow successful businessmen. The Millinia family always attended the Roshmi Ball. Though the ball was a masquerade, all could recognize the Millinia violet eyes if one were to dance with one. The dashing Cedar Millinia was drinking wine with a couple of other men, talking politics and what have you, while Elyna sat off at a table in a beautiful dark blue gown that sparkled like the night sky, her wavy red hair in an elegant bun. Her mask matched her dress perfectly. She was engaging in conversation with Camellia Sycamore, while nine-year-old Risa, in her floral emerald dress, was hard at work peering over her chair at all the dancers, awestruck, not yet allowed to run off onto the dance floor without someone to accompany her. Of course, Helio Millinia had already taken her out for a dance or two by now. The band began to play a waltz, which guests gradually started to step in rhythm to as they moved across the room. Helio Millinia had dressed a bit down this year, to everyone’s surprise, opting for a [url=https://i.imgur.com/9WNge5c.png]simple black coat with gold detailing over his suit[/url]. His match had a similar fashion to it, with golden detailing on the edges. Girls brushed through the crowd, spotting his red hair or gossiping to one another. He hadn’t attended in years while off training, and not only was he the wealthy, would-be prince of the River Kingdom, but he had always been a marvelous flirt and catch, charming women with his words and a devilish smile, which both promised them a good time. However, he was rather distracted this year, switching after only a few moments from woman to woman until he collected the hands of a wolf demi-human with dark hair and a grey suit, with a matching top-hat. The two grinned at each other. The two were known for their mischief when they were up to something. [color=92278f]“Oh Bastian. Thou make my heart flutter.”[/color] Helio greeted dramatically as he spun him around with his hand. Bastian laughed, [color=gray]”But Helio, it was thee who rescued me so heroically last year from the dark elves. How could I ever repay you?”[/color] He batted his eyelashes at him. [color=92278f]“You could keep an eye out for an elf with blonde hair and blue eyes. Kind of an asshole and probably not very expensive looking. You’ve never seen him here before.”[/color]Helio pulled back toward him to meet his eyes as he spoke. Bastian raised a brow,[color=gray] “Is he...”[/color] Helio seductively, jokingly, put a finger to his lips, [color=92278f]”Hush. Why waste those lips for talking when we could…”[/color]He winked at him before stretching him outward and letting go. Bastian tipped his hat as he locked hands with a girl and began mimicking Helio’s way of gradually moving partner to partner to get a better scope of the room. Helio took the hands of a female fairy, who complimented his outfit. He distractedly thanked her, craning his neck to try to look around, as he swung her in a circle. Then he felt his heart nearly stop in place as he laid his eyes on a beautiful young girl in a purple gown, with a transparent veil over the entirety of her. Her dark hair was in a curly bun with little stray curls coming out of it. She was enchanting. He muttered his apologies to the woman he danced with as he let go of her hands, catching a slight glimpse of his father giving him a disappointed look. The fairy girl he had been dancing with was Lamaia Vianen, daughter of a noble family right from River Kingdom. Helio had slowly recognized her in his distraction. His father had been pretty pushy about looking for a possible wife tonight, and had probably favored the girl. If he was disappointed, then what was new anyway? Helio joined hands with a few people who reached for him but only used them as a means to move across the room toward the girl. With the crowd thick and constantly moving, it proved to be challenging, but he was relentless.[/hider]