Hero

[c a n c e l e d]

Are you still accepting?

𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒚

---

As Nadia got comfortable in her seat, the light tapping of a fork against a champagne glass caught everyone's attention. Victoire and Lucas' father, Sebastian, stood in the middle of the room, a jubilant expression on his face. Once everyone's chatter dulled to silence, he freed his hands by placing everything down and took a look around the room. He chuckled to himself for a moment, as if he forgot something, and he gestured to her mother. The woman rose to her feet gracefully, and Nadia had to stop herself from rolling her eyes as she spotted the lovestruck expression on her face.

"Thank you all so much for coming," Sebastian spoke to the room as Elizabeth stood next to him. "It's not always easy to get the most important people all together--God knows our schedules just refuse to match--but really, this is just another sign for me that the time has come."

Nadia looked at Victoire, whose expression spelled out little more than complete confusion. Well, at least she wasn't the only one wondering what the heck he was talking about. She straightened up as he continued, "Three years ago, I had a meeting with a client that we had arranged at a Starbucks. She informed me that she would be sitting in the closest seat to the window and would wear a hat for attention. Taking that information for granted, when I had arrived, there was a woman sitting at the spot with a hat, so I sat myself down," He looked down at Elizabeth. "Do you remember what I said to you?"

"You said, 'I thought your hat would be fancier' with the biggest, most beautiful smile, and I burst out laughing," She said, shaking her head. "Considering you insulted my favorite sunhat, however, I informed you that you were mistaken."

"And I insisted I wasn't. Because instead of asking for a photo of the client, I went with my gut," He said, earning a few scattered laughs through the room. "We spoke for hours. I missed the appointment, but honestly, it was worth it."

"I don't like where this is going," Victoire muttered under her breath.

"What? Where is this going?" Nadia quietly asked.

"Three years later, and here we are. I decided that last night I would take Elizabeth to dinner and ask her something very important. She accepted, and going forward, we will tackle on life and all its ups and downs together."

Elizabeth proudly brandished her left hand, and honestly, Nadia isn't entirely sure how she managed to miss that huge rock on her left index finger--"Wait a minute..." Nadia blurted out, the realization slamming her as Sebastian put his arm around her mother.

"We'll be married in June!" She proudly announced.

What?!

Nadia's jaw dropped, shock taking over completely. Married? They were getting married?! The first thing that came to mind was that she was going to drown in wedding arrangements. Bridesmaid dresses, flowers, catering, music, dancing--and of course, her mother would want her opinion for some reason. She was deaf to the celebrations until she felt Lucas pull her to her feet, a champagne glass shoved into her hand before she snapped out of it.

---

The Festival of Destiny

@Th3King0fChaos that's great to hear!

The Festival of Destiny

@Th3King0fChaos It's goin' it's goin', can't complain. Hbu?

The Festival of Destiny

ＦＩＮＡＬ ＦＡＮＴＡＳＹ Ｘ｜Ｖ： Ｔｈｅ Ｂｌｅｓｓｅｄ Ｔｗｅｌｖｅ

---

@Valor

---

Rika nuzzled her face into Suki's shoulder, quietly murmuring something to her mother. Suki let out another heavy sigh, carefully placing her down. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she gave Byssu a frightened look, promptly bolting off into the house and slamming the door shut behind her. Suki'a's jaw dropped, his ears flattening as Suki would gently stroke his head. The Miqo'te woman looked at the two younger boys, kneeling down in front of them and beckoning Nikulas to come closer.

"I'm going to go search for Eji," She told them gently, placing a hand on Nikulas' arm. "Stay here, and stay together, please. No one's going to force us to leave, and if anyone shows up, wait here for my return. Alright?"

"But--" Suki'a went to immediately protest, wincing as Nikulas elbowed him. "--ow. Okay, Ma. We'll stay here and keep watch."

Nikulas nodded solemnly. "We'll wait for you here. Promise," He assured her, gesturing for Suki'a to follow. "Let's go, we can wait inside with Rika."

Suki straightened up, watching the pair of boys go inside. Once the lawn was free of children, she let out another sigh, shaking her head. She looked up at Byssu, giving her a slight shrug. "Forgive me, but I must find Eji. I'm sure Lyveva will be coming sooner than later. If you'd like, you can wait here," She nodded, walking off.

---

@Obscene Symphony @Achronum @Bounce @Trainerblue192 @Amalyra

---

Lyveva beamed with pride, sighing happily as she patted the cart. Things were finally looking up, it seemed. She took off her backpack and placed it carefully with the rest of the belongings, looking to the group as she clasped her hands together.

"Right, then! I'll rent a chocobo to pull this along, and everyone can get into a carriage--we go straight to the Goblet!" She announced.

---

_{Region: Thanalan}

Location: Ul'dah - The Goblet

---

As the carriage pulled into the Goblet, a small Auri boy of Xaela descent was looking at something over the railings. His blue hair was neatly brushed, tiny stub of a tail slowly moving from side to side. At the sound of the carriage approaching, he jumped in place, whirling around. He stared at the group with large, golden eyes, bright blue limbal rings giving them a distinct look. As the carriage neared, he took off in a sprint, practically hopping down the stairs and making a beeline away from the group.

Lyveva had been going over the list of belongings, making note of what had already been sold. Fortunately, nothing too noteworthy was gone, much to her relief. She held the list to her chest and sighed happily, perking up as she spotted the boy. "...was that...?" She muttered to herself, squinting in the direction the boy ran off to. She frowned, gripping the papers to her as she carefully moved over people to the edge of the cart.

"That looked like Eji," She frowned. "Um, excuse me! Could you stop?" She called out to the driver.

Once the carriage came to a halt, Lyveva jumped out, scratching her head. "Uh, sorry about that, but that boy looks like one of the orphans my friend watches over. It looks like he was headed to the Brimming Heart," She shook her head. "If you want, you can keep going with the carriage, but I think I should make sure to follow him, just in case."

---

---

Of Blood and Magic

_{Dates: September 21st - October 7th}

September 24: Solo

The Duke of the At’Lathian Territory was known in the political circles as a fair weather traditionalist. When the political tides of his surrounding territories favored one side or the other, Duke Liam Horvath could be seen waving its standard high and proud in public. His personal opinions, spoken passionately at length behind tightly shut doors, stayed in stride with Astorios and more than one of his close friends thought his ideas for reverting back to the old ways extreme. The older vampire hailed from before the Treaty, made a vast fortune off the fledgling council selling weapons to the allied forces against the werewolves, and since lived an affluent and lavish lifestyle. Duke Horvath adorned himself in precious gems and opulent clothes, surrounding himself with symbols of his wealth.

As one of the wealthiest dukes outside of a noble family, Duke Horvath drowns himself in the luxuries of life. Food, men, women, entertainment, and other more questionable delights fill hsi halls and most of his territory is dedicated to the earthly pleasures. Since his reign as a weapons supplier, Duke Horvath transformed his territory into a world of distraction: Casinos and bars, arenas and art galleries in every city. Rumors suggest the vampire runs several underground brothels and one of the Astorio’s premier fighting rings. His reputation would definitely suggest this but several Council inquiries have found nothing. Publicly at least.

The meeting with the duke was set for only a few days into the break. The vampire had been positively ecstatic, at least according to his secretary who knew how to use modern day technology, to receive such a well known socialite of the up and coming generations. The correspondence originally included the phrase “Nouveau Riche”, although his secretary made it clear that it wasn’t meant as a derogatory term as many of the older wealth used it but rather only his vampire’s enjoyment of how the phrase rolls off the tongue. The Duke booked his midevening for Eris and extended an offer to tour his largest city that included a wide variety of complementary services after their official business concluded.

Eris himself had dozed off after the first ten minutes on the road, the sound of his mage's voice waking him up. He let out a small groan of protest before making himself more comfortable, though a quick glance at his phone told him they were nearly there. Stretching his arms out in front of him, he slumped back in his seat as he watched the back of Antigone's head. His voice sounded exasperated, mentioning several fees in tow. Either someone was trying to back out of a deal or Harmonia was scrounging around trying to get someone to pay for her driving violations. He lazily fixed any part of his hair that wasn't pointing in the direction he wanted it to before looking out the window. If his mother knew where he was, she'd get an earful for going without inviting her. But today was strictly business, not for pleasure, and after the car came to a stop at a red light, the blond made a last second decision.

"We're nearly there," Antigone announced, looking back at Eris.

"Looks like it," Eris agreed, taking advantage and took out his phone, angling it to take a picture of the area behind him as he winked at the camera. Once satisfied, he uploaded it, putting in some nonsensical babble about the life in luxury or something, tagging the location before putting his phone in his pocket. "How do I look?" He asked, smoothing out his suit.

"Dashing as always," Antigone grinned, turning to focus on the road as the light turned green.

Eris wanted to be annoyed at the uncreative response, but he would let it go for now--if only because he had bigger fish to fry. His hand toyed with one of the lower buttons as his eyes narrowed at the area outside. Ismene had gotten him this far, and while he was confident in his negotiating, he had to wonder why the trail lead here of all places. It wasn't too surprising to see that such a well established Duke was shutting down rumors, but the severity was what really made Eris curious. But a slip up like this was too good to pass, and so there he was. Last he remembered, the territory was under Countess Nintrella Sinnenodel's perview, and he wasn't a stranger to their tactics, though he did admit he rolled his eyes at the Nouveau Riche comment. The clash of new versus old wealth was an eternal struggle, and somewhat ironic considering the sheer number of casinos around here. But all in good fun, he was being welcomed, after all.

The Horvath estate, covered in more pillars and columns that necessary, sprawled across several acres of well kept gardens, clearly shaped for hosting magnificent parties of all sizes. A few pagoda’s broke the colorful foliage. Vines artfully covered each one and curtains on each entrance could be pulled to provide privacy for whatever meetings its occupants held. The drive was lit with soft golden light and ended in a multi tiered fountain that depicted various vampires and wolves fighting across its basins. A mage wearing a simple black suit bowed to Eris upon his arrival and a quiet “This way please, sir” had them moving into the entry.

The inside, much like the outside, was primarily constructed of marble, though far more black marble made an appearance to accent the white. The entry opened immediately into a massive foyer, six pillars supporting the room and various scenes throughout history painted onto the floors and walls. Two staircases mirrored each other as they rose up from opposite sides of the room and met on the back wall, framing a series of stained glass doors that seemed to open back outside. Paintings hung in jewel encrusted frames adorned the walls where the floor to ceiling mirrors left space.

“Eris Samael! In my halls!” Duke Horvath boomed from the top of the stairs. The heavy set vampire grinned, all fangs, as he made his way down excitedly, hands thrown up in the air in apparent surprise. He wore a simple tunic and breeches, though clearly made from incredibly expensive fabric, with a long trailing fur robe. His fingers were covered in jeweled rings and no less than three necklaces adorned his neck. Two piercings in each ear glinted with precious metals as he approached, clapping Eris heartily on the back with a laugh. “Never would I thought I’d see the day! Your trip wasn’t too taxing, no? Can I offer you a bit of blood before business? We can’t have the Eris Samael suffering the slightest bit of discomfort. Come on, the vampire is hungry!” As he spoke, a line of men and women appeared in various states of undress. Each one held a leatherback menu describing the flavor of their blood. “If you prefer it bottled, choose whichever one catches your eye and I’ll have one brought out for you.” The duke added.

Would he ever tire of the attention? Never. Should he probably see a therapist as to why? Probably, but that was neither here nor there, and as much as he would have liked to lap it up while he could, Eris reminded himself that he needed to stay focused. A humble and polite stance would be best until he could be sure what he was dealing with, although the duke's offer for blood did earn him a chuckle. He would give Varis a run for his money on trying to get Eris to choose an actual flavor. It would be rude to decline, however, so instead the star gave the duke an appreciative smile before looking around briefly, at least reading a few menus before making his decision on a lovely young mage that caught his eye. He didn't care much on what she offered, but she had a particularly attractive hourglass figure that he knew even vampires would kill for.

"If it isn't too much trouble, a glass from this one would do nicely," He threw her a wink before turning his attention back to Horvath, doubly ensuring he paid careful attention to the duke. Feeding directly would be quicker, but he didn't want to get too distracted. "The drive in was splendid, seeing the fruits of your labor and just how quickly you expanded has left me in awe. I'm certain I'll have to schedule a get away just to have a chance to experience it all." Not that he was a huge gambler, but he could see himself bringing a date to the museums.

“It is stunning, isn’t it? It warms my dead heart to see all my hardwork and dedication pay off. You schedule that time off and I’ll treat you to the VIP experience!” The duke agreed as he waved off the mages. “Bring his glass to the west drawing room.” The Duke led Eris upstairs and through the mansion, periodically pausing to explain a painting or mosaic on the walls as they made their way. The west drawing room was open already, two mages bowing as the pair entered, and the room boasted several plush couches and sitting chairs, all a rich purple and contrasting the rug on the floor. A fire in the hearth at the end of the room crackled and popped silently as another servant played a piano in the corner.

“Sit wherever you please. We have more than enough space for just the two of us!” The Duke said as he sunk into one of the couches with an appreciative sigh. The woman Eris’ chose from brought two crystal flutes of blood for them and left, the doors shutting behind her quietly. The Duke sipped at his glass, hummed appreciatively, and relaxed, an arm running along the back of the couch. “Now I expect you to know, first names only here! What do I owe the pleasure of a private meeting with one of the industry’s premier actors if he isn’t here for the fun I’ve made?”

Taking a seat, Eris perched his elbow on the armrest, taking a second to stare at the hearth. It was gorgeously made, much like the rest of the room, but fire had always made him just a touch antsy. He took note of the servant playing the piano, pushing away a bitter thought before giving the duke his full attention. He may as well get right to it, as he didn't think dancing around the topic was going to get him anywhere.

"I think my mother's pianist has played this song," He said before leaning back slightly, watching the blood in the flute move. "Her parties are always a beehive of buzzing, I'm sure you know how it is. Catching up on other businesses, off-the-table negotiating, and of course, the gossipmongers."

Eris held the flute with both hands as he paused for a moment. "I heard one of the more unique ones from...was it Fernidad or was it Gretchen?" He tried to think, but seemed to decide it wasn't entirely relevant. Yet. "A prophet is due to appear before long. Isn't that something?" He asked, deciding to see what sort of reaction he would get.

The duke’s smile didn’t waver but there was a tension around his eyes that wasn’t there before. “Prophet? You mean the rumors about Tribelt’s insane ramblings? At the end of his days, the vampire could barely read a sentence much less pronounce the coming of the mouth of the sisters, whatever that is.” The duke dismissed the rumors with a wave of his hand. “The damn idiot lost his marbles to the inexorable march of time and ended it in a vainglorious suicide in front of some impressionable mages. Nothing more. He’s already created enough of a headache for me.”

Well, that was disappointing to hear. A crazy guy saying crazy things wasn't the crazy story Eris had hoped for, the thought disappointing. At least, until he noticed the tension. Okay, so maybe there was something missing from the investigation. If it really was just a rumor, Horvath likely would have laughed it off, or at least have dismissed it a little more convincingly. At minimum, the rumor was a sore spot for the duke.

Eris let out a chuckle, his shoulders relaxed as he held out his flute to the duke. "The things people come up with...worse still, the audacity they have, making you out as some sort of villain shipping people away at the mere mention of it," He brought the blood to his lips, eyes flickering to Horvath for a second. "You must have caught someone's attention if they're so willing to point the finger at you."

"The list of those who won't point their grubby claws would be shorter." The vampire groused. He shook his head and sighed. "I've only shipped off one person. Wouldn't stop making a fuss about it since it happened in his establishment. Countess Nintrella thought it might attract more rebellious humans, act as a rallying standard of sorts, so I cut that off at the head. Two birds with one stone really. Nelson may have been the proprietor of one of my favorite bath houses but his accountant tipped us off to his modernist sympathies. Favoritism can only go so far." The duke sighed but waved off the subject.

“Speaking of rumors, I heard you’ve decided to take some time out of the spotlight.” The Duke asked. “You turned the entertainment world on its head with that decision! Attending the Princess’ pet project too no less. People are speculating you have your eye on the Princess, with the Sinnenodel heir otherwise occupied at the moment and all that. Prime opportunity to woo the woman. I know a few others have their eyes on her as it is but you’ve got a direct line.”

So Nintrella sought to act anyway? Eris didn't know what to think about that. His disappointment seemed to grow more as Horvath spoke, and he suppressed a sigh, occupying himself with drinking out of his flute. So much for itching his curiosity, this was a complete let down. Before he would linger on it for too long, however, Horvath turned the subject onto him, informing him of one of the funnier rumors circulating. Sure, he liked to play with fire, but he only played when he was absolutely certain that he had a chance at winning--trying to win over the princess was as good as deciding to go out into the sunlight with a clear, plastic umbrella.

That said, he was happy to play the fool. “The spotlight is my favorite place to be, but there are other avenues of revenue that needed my attention. Truth be told, I had been neglecting my businesses for some time, taking a few years off acting and using getting an education as an excuse was as good an out as any,” He leaned back slightly, a fond look in his eyes.

“Photos don’t do the princess justice, her presence alone lights up the room like no other,” Eris mused, laughing quietly as he recalled his slightly flirty line. She was beautiful, sure, but he hadn't cemented his opinion of her just yet. “We’ll just have to see what happens.”

That said, that wasn’t exactly what he was here for. Was there a way to salvage the conversation? He may as well get a little satisfaction out of stirring something up--if he couldn’t gain anything, then at least seeing others lose would even things out in his head. “Was Nelson really so impressionable to believe Tribelt’s ramblings?” He decided to ask. “He had to have said something that would convince him.”

"Believed that fool ramblings about Morgan le Fey's progeny? Yes, he did." Horvath laughed. "Ser Bordeleaux confirmed that in interrogation. The look on his face when we told him that the bitch lost it and killed herself without so much as a friend to her name. Priceless." He put the empty glass on a side table and waved at the pianist, the relaxed music switching to something more energetic. "The one time she had a suitor and he picked the vampires over her. Became a bitter old hag right after."

Of all the names Eris hadn't been expecting, Morgan le Fey was one he never even considered popping up. Historically, her part in founding the Treaty was probably the only reason her name stood out, but as far as he was aware, she didn't have descendants. The Starag was another story, of course, but what tugged at Eris was the supposed prophet being connected to her--suddenly, he felt like there was some actual credibility to the rumor. If Morgan le Fey was connected, then it explained why Nelson was taken out when he was, at least. Landar was hailed as a hero, but his descendants were wrapped around the royal family. No doubt mortals would rally around an actual descendant of one of the strongest mages in the last few centuries. And the thought of that happening on Sinnenodel territory was heresy at best. It was all clicking together, at least, and suddenly the blonde felt invigorated. Now he needed to see how much more he could get out of Horvath.

"C'est l'amour," Eris sighed, punctuating his statement with a laugh. "The one thing every being with two legs has in common is the glorious rise and fall of the heart. The differences come in how it's handled, and mortals are obsessed with the idea of 'true love' and all that other nonsense."

He waved his hand dismissively as he sipped at his glass. "I know you remember Duchess Fernidad's massive meltdown after she found her husband in bed with that lesser family's son, instead of hiding it, she somehow thought exposing him would help, and what happened? He seized her assets, turned the narrative in his favor, married the other man and left her with nothing. She made a complete fool of herself! And all because she couldn't keep her head straight." The fallout from that particular show had been spectacular for him. And the duke was lucky he had no heirs at the time.

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, however, something clicked in his head. Despite not knowing if it was the right direction, Eris continued, "I'm sure Morgan le Fey became bitter because she ended up carrying his child. You hear it happen all the time with maids gallivanting with the higher positioned servants." At the very least it would explain where the line started. His head whirred with possibilities, almost possessing him as he stared at the ceiling for a moment.

The Duke's smile fell as Eris continued to contemplate the idea; though it returned shortly after, harder, colder. Horvath leaned forward, hands pressed together as he leveled him with a serious look. "Mr. Samuel, I'm not quite sure your interest in my humble territory's affair but I believe we've spoken enough on the subject. The issue was closed and I've moved past it. Any lingering whispers are nothing but hearsay and I recommend you remember that. The royal hounds aren't nearly as lenient as me." Horvath sat back and the warmth and cheer returned.

"Now, let's put the unpleasantness away! What's done is done and nothing we can do about it!" The Duke exclaimed jovially. "Perhaps you'd care for a tour of one of the local bathhouses? It isn't as grand as some but the natural hot springs it is built on are top notch."

If that was a threat, it was a poor one.

Eris had to hold in a laugh, positively delighted as he reached out into his jacket. The insistence was enough to convince him that looking into the rumor was worth it after all, and it was anything but that. If there was some way for him to actually find this so-called progeny, it would open up a world of possibilities in his favor. But for now, he would play nice as he removed a business card and tapped it twice.

"In case you hear it from anyone else, this one was the culprit mouthing off at Mother's party," He winked at Horvath, brightening up alongside his enthusiasm and holding back a muffled chuckle of delight. "A tour sounds lovely, I haven't been to a proper bathhouse in decades!"

Horvath took the business card as he stood, waving Eris to follow. "Thank you, I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Now, I'll have the car pulled around and we'll be off to the Crescent!" The Duke pushed out the room and took them back through the mansion. "Now the Crescent only has three proper springs and six rooms. All private with access to the springs and a beautiful view of the Selph Valley. Sadly, it's a little early in the year for viel moths but you can see them migrate in droves some nights." He snapped at a mage in the main hall who scampered away.

Outside, a car idled. Lucan Bordeleaux stood outside, reading a piece of parchment, as a Noila servant opened the door for him. As he made to get in, another one of Horvath's servants bolted out the front door, out of breath. She held an envelope as she made her way across the drive and bowed. "Ser Bordeleaux, one moment please! I'm so glad I managed to find you. A letter arrived this evening addressed to you and we were concerned that you'd left for town already!" The servant held it out for the vampire who accepted it. He examined it for a moment, a sigh escaping with a brief flash of weariness, and he tucked it into his jacket before letting himself be herded into the vehicle and driving away.

Horvath stopped the servant as she passed. "Who did that letter come from and why wasn't I informed?" He demanded.

"My apologies, Duke Horvath. We prioritized finding Ser Bordeleaux before his departure. It was sealed with a Starag crest so we assumed it to be relevant to his assignment." The woman responded with a curtsey. The duke considered that for a moment and then waved her off with a grunt as the car came around.

"What a waste of opportunity." The vampire grumbled as he stepped aside for Eris to enter the open door. "However, neither here nor there. Tonight is about showing the great Eris Samael a pleasant and relaxing evening!"

Must be nice to go to a bathhouse and skip all classes, though Eris assumed that was a guard dog's privilege. He knew for certain that Bordeleaux hadn't been to the Academy in some time, having all but abandoned it. It made certain things easier, at least not having to worry about any more authoritative eyes looking where they shouldn't be. But the timing was a little odd. A Noilan lapdog hovering around long after an arrest had been made. He'd have to see if Horvath would take the bait before getting solid evidence that the two were linked.

"Housing Ser Bordeleaux must have been fun. I didn't know he knew what it meant to relax," Eris joked as he turned his attention back to the duke. "Coming in with a pretty escort, perhaps?"

"Ha! Escort! The only thing he bought was a loud mouthed new mage that he had promptly sent away. Damn thing was practically a puppy, yapping away when it was supposed to be quiet. Rented a room for it in Nalcha with orders for it to stay in the park." The Duke shook his head in disappointment. "No, he has his nose to the ground the entire time. Men, women, money- name a luxury and I tossed it his way. He came in on a favor Princess Nox owned the Countess a week or two ago and now he's doing who knows what. The arrest was made and the rumors discouraged. I have no idea why he's here. Just told to keep him alive and stay out of his way." Horvath shrugged.

That sounded incredibly cumbersome--no wonder Horvath seemed relieved that he finally left. It was too bad, at least if the Bordeleaux had brought something hanging off his arm, that would have made for something interesting to spread. "The Noilan thoroughness always leaves something to be desired…" The blonde emphasized, running a hand through his hair as he laughed. "It must have been an eventful week, but…"

But the arrest Ismene had informed him of had taken place two weeks ago. The realization slammed him for all of two seconds before he noticed, feeling as if he was suddenly very close to something. There was a slight touch of tension as well, looking around. Well, he wasn't going to get hauled away by the [lucan title] at the very least, but getting arrested would probably put a damper in his plans. He did update his location before he arrived here, but Antigone wouldn't be able to bail him out if things took a turn for the worst. It looked like he was going to have to make a decision: either try to play it safe and get out, or take the plunge and see what else he could dig up.

"...at least he's gone. Can't say I'm a fan, much too serious," Eris concluded, wrinkling his nose in disdain. "We shared a few classes and you could feel the 'holier than thou' attitude. He accused me of disrupting the peace just because a few fans wanted some autographs. I'm not going to say 'no' to them just because he doesn't like it!"

He kept himself jovial, toning it back slightly as he rubbed his neck. "The size of this place is massive, how many amenities are there?" He asked.

"He's far too solemn for my tastes. I thought taking the stick out of his rear and putting something else there would help but clearly he enjoys what he has." The Duke gripped along side Eris, clearly less reserved on the matter now that he left. "Oh, the mansion? It has basically anything you may need. Did you want a tour of everything before we go out? I'd be more than happy to show off some more! Maybe even interest you in an invitation to a private event hm?" The Duke wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Very well, you twisted my arm! Take it to the lot, Mr. Samael is interested in exploring!" His cheery disposition changed as a mage appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Sir, you still need to approve the alterations to the Diamond Top. They've requested your immediate attention since it's been so long." The man spoke evenly despite the scowl leveled his way. He remained completely unperturbed, clearly used to the job. The man seemed a little over thirty and cut a lean figure like most of the Duke's mages. Unlike the others, this man was dressed in traditional finery rather than the typical revealing outfits if the others.

"I'll be right there, you wretched taskmaster. You'd think he fancied himself a vampire with how he pushes me around. Please accept my apologies. I just have to sign this and I'll be right back." The Duke told Eris and then snapped his fingers at the mage. "Adam, keep Mr. Samael company until I'm finished. Anything he needs, you provide." Adam bowed and held the door open as the Duke stormed upstairs.

"If you would Mr. Samael, please allow me to provide you something to keep you occupied while the Duke handles his business. I'm sure it won't take more than a moment." Adam requested. "What would you like in the meantime?”

The Head Butler? Maybe, it seemed like a safe bet judging by how he was dressed. Eris feigned slight disappointment as Horvath informed him that his attention was needed elsewhere. The fates were smiling down on him, at least. Now to see if the opportunity would actually get him anywhere.

Eris openly let his eyes rove over the composed mage, the tiniest smile on his lips. “If I had a little more time, I’d be more than happy to ask you to take care of me,” He winked, pausing for a moment before continuing, “But tell me something if you don’t mind. I’d like to take him up on his offer, but I prefer as much privacy for as long as I can afford, if you catch my drift. How long did the Duke’s previous guest stay with him?”

“If that is something you desire, Mr. Samael, then I will oblige you as soon as I arrange someone to handle my duties in the meantime. The Duke certainly won’t protest your choice.” Adam spoke without missing a beat. “However, the recently departed Ser Bordeleux stayed with us for 13 nights and 12 days, technically. We primarily served to host his belongings rather than the vampire himself. Though it is erroneous to consider him a previous guest. Ser Bordeleux requested a room in the capital for another week and so long as SerBordeleux is in the territory, the Duke considers him a personal guest.”

Tempting, but Eris couldn’t afford distractions. Maybe after. No, he needed to focus. Only if he got what he wanted and was sure that everything was alright, then he would think about it. That was a compromise he was willing to work with. With that out of the way, at the very least the timelines were matching up. And he was going to stick around for another week--was he going to make another arrest? There was the possibility that he was next, but he wasn’t planning on getting arrested, so the only way Lucan Bordelaux was getting near him with a pair of handcuffs was in the bedroom.

Fuck, okay, maybe that was too far, he needed to get back on track.

Snapping himself out of his thoughts, he raised his shoulders for a moment before dropping them. “Think he’ll be coming back? He makes me...uncomfortable,” He lied, although he shuddered slightly to add to it.

“Not to my knowledge, sir. He instructed us to return part of his belongings to Her Majesty’s castle and the rest to his current accommodations. You’re safe from him for the duration of your stay.” Adam said. The Duke came bounding back, a sealed letter clutched in his hand and he shoved it off onto the mage as soon as he could.

“There! I’m done with the whole thing so take it away.” The Duke waved his hand and turned his attention back to Eris. “I hope he didn’t bore you. He can drone on for days. Did you still want a tour of the grounds?”

Eris shook his head, chuckling slightly. The royal dog was lingering for some reason. There were too many coincidences, and with Adam's confirmation, he felt like he had taken a step in the right direction. “He reminds me of my Ismene--serious mages are always so adorable,” He said, dismissing the duke’s concerns. “A tour sounds lovely.”

“Excellent! Since we’re here, we’ll start in the garden.” The Duke exclaimed, wasting little time as he set off. “My groundskeepers collect plants from all over the world and bring them back here to flourish at my home. They’re segmented based on the colors of the entertainment space. Out front, we have two sections. The far pavillion is the Nightingale Gaze. We’ve surrounded it with high shrubs that conceal trellises for a variety of flowering vines. The roof opens up and with a little light magic, it’s difficult to find a better view of the stars. For the romantic types if you will.”

As the duke spoke, he guided Eris to the pagoda closets to them. The flowers around them faintly glowed red and pink. A small pool of water surrounded it and lily pads dotted it’s surface. Two stepping stones led them across the water and to the steps of the pagoda. Inside, a large basin sat in the middle of the room and several heavy drapes were rolled up. “This is one of my favorite entertaining spaces. This little place turns into a gorgeous sauna just hot enough to make it interesting for a vampire. I had it made to figure out why mortals enjoy those saunas so much. I still don’t quite understand but it gets the blood pumping! Metaphorically of course.”

Eris thought he would be more interested in this, but he couldn't quite understand why anyone thought boiling themselves was a good idea. He supposed it was one of those things you had to experience to understand, but it didn't quite grab him. At least the area was gorgeous to look at, and he had to admit the idea of a romantic night was much more appealing.

"If only being a bachelor didn't work so well for me, I could see myself bringing someone here on a date," He joked, running a hand through his hair.

“Haha! The night you settle down is the night I greet the sunrise. Though with your success, I doubt anyone in the realm would turn you down.” Horvath chuckled as he continued through the mansion. He pointed out various other establishments in the garden: a section for art, a specialty greenhouse with a table setting in the middle, and various other places to mingle. The tour of the gardens ended in the central courtyard, where a three tiered fountain bubbled and pieces of shaped glass caught the moonlight in the trees. Most of the illumination was from the windows surrounding the yard but a corner held a group of lit lanterns where three mages worked diligently at their students under the eye of a tutor. All three stood and bowed as Horvath and Eris entered but returned to their duties quickly enough. One of them kept stealing a few glances at Eris from the corner of her eye.

“The outside is spectacular, no?” Horvath boasted, unaware of the attention Eris was getting. “Is there anything you’re interested in indulging in your first night here? I’ll make it the first part of the indoor tour.”

Eris bit back a wistful laugh--he would like nothing more than to settle down, but that wasn't happening anytime soon. Instead he grinned, joining in what he assumed was the camaraderie as he continued to enjoy himself. Hm, maybe he was enjoying himself too much, he was starting to get distracted from his main goal. Horvath was doing a good job shooing him away from any suspicions, but he just needed one solid lead to go off of. He should have grilled Adam more when he had the chance, but he seemed a little too obedient--no doubt Eris could get what he wanted and more, but he would probably find himself in cuffs after the ordeal was said and done.

As the thought crossed his mind, he noticed the three mages bowing. Giving them a small smile, it hit him: he was aiming too high, he needed to swing a little lower. His smile grew, and he shuffled over to Horvath. "And who might these lovely ladies be?" He asked, quiet enough to be mistaken as genuine interest.

“Oh, these three? They’re newly Awakened. Still getting a handle on their magic.” Horvath snapped in their direction repeatedly. “Come here, all of you. Our guest is interested in you.” The girls looked at each other for a moment but hurried to follow the Duke’s instructions, coming around the fountain and offering the pair a curtsey.

“My name is Annabell, sir.” The blonde one spoke as they curtsied. “These two are Farla and Carla, sir. It’s our honor to meet you.” All their eyes stayed firmly fixed on the ground except Farla who couldn’t resist flicking up to look at Eris. The three of them wore a similar style dress, black with gold accents and the twins wore a few pieces of gold jewelry: earrings, rings, and bracelets. Annabell went without, only a small set of silver studs on her ears.

“Have I finally found something that piques your interest?” Horvath chuckled excitedly. “If so, I’ll have to keep that in mind for future visits.”

Mages weren't usually something that caught Eris' interest, but he wouldn't be the first or last vampire to say otherwise. It came off as a little strange to him whenever vampires had a little too much interest in them, but that was neither here nor there right now. They were newly Awakened, huh? Just beginning to get training--no wonder the one was doing a poor job in hiding her excitement. Perfect.

"How exciting. Congratulations, ladies," Eris told them politely, chuckling to himself as he looked at Horvath. "I have a new mage myself--it'll be just a few weeks since my darling Maxwell Awakened." He could practically feel every metallic surface buzzing--if the kid ever heard Eris utter those words, he was sure he would be skewered--but he would have to play it up while he could. He hesitated for a moment, gesturing to the mages. "May I have a look?"

"Be my guest! I've only encouraged it since you came here." Horvath laughed as he slapped Eris on the back. "It seems at least one of them has taken an interest in you already." Farla flushed and her eyes shot down while her sister's shoulders shook with poorly contained laughter.

Good grief, the man was desperate to have something catch Eris' attention, wasn't he? He shook the thought off as he flashed a smile, using every ounce of his being to keep it as genuine as possible. Maybe he should request a massage as penance. It was an idea, at least, but if he went about it the wrong way, he'd come out looking bad. He needed to make it seem as if he had genuine interest in the little ones. There was a detail that caught his attention, and while going to the most eager was the obvious choice, he needed to play it off.

He took a few steps towards Annabel, lifting her chin gently. He eyed the silver studs, his eyes darting to the twin next to her, and as he moved down to the next, he looked back at Horvath. "Are you allowing them personal taste?" He asked, lightly touching Carla's earring.

“To some degree. They are permitted more flexibility than others since they haven’t been fully trained for their roles yet.” The Duke explained, gesturing at the twins. “However, the amount of gifts I bestow on them vary by their usefulness. These two earned their gifts after they pleased the Dutchess with a demonstration of their dancing. As you can see, she is still lacking. A decent mind but we don’t keep most mages for their intelligence. She’ll likely be given away in the next few years. Healthy genes, excellent bone structure, blonde hair and blue eyes. Almost makes you think of a certain breed of mages, eh? Perfect for breeding but little else honestly.”

Aww, just like Sunny, except he was sure the kid’s genes were much more in demand. Tucking in the possibility for Varis later, Eris looked between the three mages, eyes landing on Farla. “Beautiful,” He made sure she was aware when he said it before looking back at Horvath. “We’ll have to keep in touch when the time comes, I’ll be looking to continue my mages’ lineage in that same timeframe.” He’d have to get Antigone a bride soon, so it wasn’t a complete lie.

Now that he knew what he wanted, he’d have to carefully lay things out. Eris did look back at Farla, reaching out to tenderly raise her face to his, giving her a gentle expression. His look lingered for a few seconds longer than it should have, and when he released her, he made sure his touch was remembered, fingers lightly brushing her skin as he let her go.

He made a noise in his throat as he turned back to Horvath, arms open. “Honestly, the more I hear about this place, the more I’m thinking that getting an education was a mistake. I need to book a getaway here the first chance I have instead of dropping everything like I usually want to,” He said, though he flashed another brilliant smile. “Then the next time I get dragged to my mother’s parties I’ll have something to talk about."

The Duke watched the little exchange with poorly concealed interest as Farla watched Eris openly, stunned at the attention. Annabel flushed with embarrassment and she unconsciously leaned away from the other two. “Well, well! Flattery will get you everywhere here.” Horvath chuckled, bringing Eris in close. “Why not try our facilities first. Maybe a beauty or two on your arm rather than an old vampire will make the evening more enjoyable, hm? And once you know what there is, maybe you could bring someone to share it with.”

Good grief, this man was so touchy! Eris was probably hanging around the nobility too much, he wasn't used to getting so close and personal just from talking. Unfortunately, he needed to play along, though if Horvath was offering his facilities, he could take advantage and scrub himself clean.

"What can I say? You've won me over, and I'd be lying if I said the idea of a little relaxation wasn't tempting," Eris lied, taking a peek over his shoulder at Farla once again. "Maybe trying out one of the more...private facilities. Just to have a little fun."

“Fun is the name of my business, Eris!” Horvath chortled, snapping his fingers at Farla. “Since little Farla caught your eye, we’ll have her accompany you. Come, come!” Farla curtsied at the command, stepping in to take the Duke’s place as he stepped away. “Don’t hesitate to correct her if she falls out of line. Anything that doesn’t leave a mark is acceptable. And I’ll expect a full review of her performance since this will only be her second time entertaining alone.” Horvath waved the other two away and they scurried back to their corner. Carla watched her twin with worried eyes and Annabel turned all of her attention back to her studies.

“What should I call you, Sir?” Farla spoke softly, tentatively placing a hand on Eris’ arm. The girl was clearly enamoured and thrilled he chose her. “If you follow me, I’ll happily show you a few of our private rooms to choose from. Unless you have something specific in mind, Sir?”

Did he look like a test dummy?! Well, it couldn't be helped, Horvath did say all three had recently awakened. He needed to count himself lucky that he didn't get both twins, working one on one was likely to be easier. All he had to do was turn up the charm some more, quietly get in her good graces, get what he needed, then ask for that massage since his back still felt weird after that slap.

Eris snapped out of his thoughts as Farla touched his arm, holding back a laugh. She was eager. He put his hand over hers, leaning in close. "Just remember not to touch until you're given the okay. I'm alright with it, but others won't like that," He gently reminded her. pulling back slightly as he put a finger to his lips "I won't say a word. It'll be our little secret."

He straightened up and offered her his arm, making good on his words. "Do you have any recommendations? I've been in meetings nearly all week, I could do with something quiet, tucked away somewhere we can be alone--to relax, of course," He said, correcting himself.

“I’m sorry, Sir. I’ll remember that, thank you.” She replied meekly to the reprimand as she took the offered arm. “If it pleases you, I think I know something that you’ll like.” She smiled shyly at Eris before leading him into the mansion, passing several other servants who stepped out of the way and bowed although eyes lingered curiously in their wake. The building got quieter as they moved further in and the air cooled. Bright lights switched to dimmed crystal sconces and the art on the all took a surreal quality. Farla detached herself from Eris’ side with a curtsey and opened a plain wooden door.

“Would you find this pleasing, Sir?” Farla asked quietly. The room beyond was quiet except for the murmurs of water flowing down the back wall. Bonsai trees of various shapes and sizes sat on shelves on another wall with one large one boasting cascading branches that followed the circular cubby in a half moon pattern. Two crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, styled like vines and the lights leaves, that shimmered with soft silver and blue light. Two chairs sat in the center of the room facing the wall of water.

“The waterfall can be opened to a view of the stars. This room faces over days of undeveloped forest so the light pollution is minimized. I can adjust the lighting, colors and brightness both, to your liking.” Farla explained. “I thought a massage would give you the peace and quiet you wanted, if you please.”

Eris let out a low whistle, looking around as Farla spoke. He knew someone who night actually enjoy this, but trying to wrangle some free time out of him for a glorified date would probably be tricky. But that was neither here nor there. This place was probably a little too quiet, but it would do nicely for now. The hard part would probably be not letting his guard down for too long or he'd end up falling asleep.

"This is a good suggestion," He told Farla, loosening his tie slightly. "I'll take you up on that offer, if it pleases you."

“Your pleasure is my pleasure, sir.” She followed him into the room. Her voice was low and calm but she couldn’t keep the excitement out of her eyes. “Whenever you’re ready, please feel free to use the changing room to put on a robe. If you leave your clothes on hooks, we’ll have them ironed and hung. If you prefer to stay in your clothes, you can take a seat and we’ll begin with your feet.”

"I'll be just a moment," Eris said, freeing himself of his tie as he took her advice. Once he was sure he was out of sight, he began to undress, only pausing for a moment to send a text to Ismene. Even if she was busy, he was certain she would see it. After a few seconds of deliberation, he decided having a backup plan would probably benefit him, sending her some instructions. Once he finished, he put his phone on a shelf as far back as possible, snatching up the robe and sliding into it. It was soft to the touch, and he had to remind himself not to get too carried away.

As he returned, he slicked his hair back and off his face, stopping to look at the waterfall. "Your duke has good taste and an eye for design, I'm not sure if anyone else could have thought of any of this. Though, with such a beautiful mage like yourself, I couldn't imagine it being any other way," He said, taking a seat. "He mentioned you have little experience entertaining others, right? Who are the lucky ones that got to see you before me?"

While he was gone, Farla set a foot rest out in front of the chair and a towel and silver bowl full of a viscous liquid next to it. She had taken one look at him in the robe and her eyes snapped down to the floor, her flush only growing stronger at his compliments. She placed a remote on the arm of the chair and guided his foot onto the stool, dipping her fingertips into the gel and then working it over her hands. “Before we Awaken, we’re only allowed to entertain as a part of a group. Dancing, serving, and other activities but nothing hands on like this. I’ve been dancing since I was thirteen but I’ve only done this for a business partner of the Duke’s a few months ago. He’s interested in harnessing solar power.” She started rubbing the bottom of his feet, using her thumbs to press into the muscles and the rest to press into the sides.. She kept glancing up at him shly, admiring him as he relaxed. “If you wish to recline or open the waterfall, that remote will allow you that sir.”

Harnessing solar power, that could be anyone. Eris briefly tried to think if it could be someone he knew, but there weren’t too many vampires who would talk freely about anything up and coming like that, usually preferring to keep things to their chest unless they were pitching the idea to future partners. He briefly wondered if the Ghanie family was involved, but another name popped into his head.

Eris briefly fiddled with the controls, opening the waterfalls. As the mechanisms out themselves to work, he focused back on Farla. “That wouldn’t have been Nelson, would it?” He asked.

“Nelson? Oh no, sir. He barely commanded enough social standing to call the Duke, much less be considered a business partner. He owns, well owned now I guess, a few high end businesses in the territory. Now, the Duke controls it.” Farla said as she worked, still stealing glances up at Eris to gauge his reaction. “It was an Astorio. He talked a lot on the phone while I served him. He seemed pleased he’d gotten an audience with the Duke. He was grumbling about overly demanding board members and his business card was for Green Vision, Inc.”

Eris nearly blurted out a 'what?' of surprise, not having expected to hear a company he actually knew of. He wasn't sure if that helped or hindered him, but subjectively he didn't like it. Especially since he would bet his entire estate that he knew exactly who one of those overly demanding board members were. But he would much rather keep things going at his own pace and avoid dredging down that path if he could help it.

More importantly, Miss Farla was loose with information. Either she didn't realize it or it meant she was comfortable enough to talk freely with him. Whichever way it was worked for him, but if he was going to ask more, he needed to keep her attention on him and not on what he was saying.

Eris wringed out his hand, pressing a thumb to his wrist as he looked down at Farla. "I hate to be a bother, but do you think you could do something about this annoying prickle I have here?" He asked before looking down at his hand. "I must have flicked it one too many times tonight. But come sit next to me, it feels wrong to look down while we're talking to one another." He patted the seat next to his.

Farla flushed at the comment and froze like a deer in headlights at Eris’ suggestion. “I’m not sure the Duke would approve of that, sir.” She looked around, clearly nervous at the idea of raising herself to Eris’ height. “But I was also told to serve you and if it pleases you, sir, then perhaps it’s worse to tell you no?” Farla worried but slowly crept up to sit on the very edge of the chair, taking Eris’ hand and massaging circles into his hand.

"Smart girl," Eris winked, letting her remain where she was and shuffling a little closer. "That sort of thinking is exactly what you need to get by. Anticipate your master's needs, know your place, and you will be rewarded. Your duke may say there is no place for intelligence here, but clearly, you're already steps ahead of the other two."

He placed his free hand over hers, pausing her movements briefly. "This is why you caught my attention, after all," he lowered his voice as he spoke.

Farla bit her lip to keep from smiling as Eris complimented her but let out a startled squeak when he covered her hand and she couldn’t stop herself from looking up at him, staring openly. “Thank you, sir.” Her nervousness was clear in her voice but she couldn’t stop the proud little gleam in her eye or in the way she sat up a little straighter. Her mouth quirked up on one side in a shy smile. “I’m thankful to have the opportunity to please you, sir. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you happy. That’s why I’m here after all.” She swept her eyes down him and then kept her eyes firmly on where his hand covered hers.

He lifted his hand from hers, raising a finger to her lips for just a second. "And I'm very glad you are," He said cheerfully, resting his hand on his knee.

Eris let her work for a little while longer, thinking of how to carefully broach the topic. Fuck if he knew how much a just-awakened mage knew, but he wouldn't squander the opportunity just yet. The Noilan dog's arrest, Green Vision Inc, Tribelt...he couldn't quite connect the dots on what any of this had to do with some prophet, but he had to admit he was having more fun digging than he anticipated. Farla was cute, too, so he could say he was enjoying himself. He supposed he may as well get his fill so he could actually relax.

"Whatever happened to Nelson, anyway?" He went for the casual route of asking. "He was supposed to meet with my father for a potential trade, but then we heard that he had gotten wind of a scorned mistress or something or other. I don't suppose you've seen him, have you?"

"No one's seen Nelson since Ser Bordeleaux arrested him. He was saying the craziest things about the crown and some long dead mage, sir." Farla shook her head, her scorn for the vampire clearly apparent as she relaxed more into Eris' friendly attitude . "But Nelson was the desperate sort, Sir. Forgive me but I'm glad you didn't sully yourself with him. Now you can do business with someone worthy of your status, Sir. Nelson was a rogue mage apologist so the rumors say. Most people think he made this whole business with the prophet up and killed the poor vampire. Mr. Tribelt lost everything about ten years back, left, and came back changed for the worse."

Eris had no reaction to that, although it matched what Horvath said. He watched Farla work as the clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "Lucky me that the problem resolved itself, then," He mused, deciding to get into a little repetition. "Don't tell anyone, but in old age, vampires do tend to go off the rails, their interests becoming bizarre. Even one of my professors at the Academy has a weird obsession with pineapples. Now I'm wondering what was it that he said…" He shook his head. "He had to have said something completely outrageous, right?”

"Well, yes. He told anyone and everyone about the lineage of Morgan le Fey, about how her brood would consume the world, and how some child or another would usher her in with dire warnings." Farla spoke softly as she worked, eyes glancing around. "But most people just assumed it was the inevitable path for him. He was always a little loose in the head and wherever he went, bad luck always followed it seemed. Plus, more than one suggested there was some sort of shadow always lingering around him. People said it was a curse but the Duke doesn't like people talking about that."

Of course not, because a curse means someone was responsible, which in turn meant that not only was it done to silence the duke, it was done because he was on to something. And if Eris chose to continue to investigate, he may very well be traversing the same path. It was a great risk that to most simply wasn't worth it; Duke Horvath was intent on silencing any murmurs of it, and if Eris' hunch was correct, then Duke Fernidad would either receive a threat or would vanish altogether from talking about it. And of course, Eris speaking of it right now was very well painting a path of doom.

But he'd be damned if he were to stop now.

Eris almost relaxed, but there was one more question he couldn't quite stop himself from asking. "And this so called child...what makes them different from the rest?" He made sure his tone gave Farla the impression that he took none of this seriously. "A mage is a mage. Magic is magic...even if there was such a thing as a prophet, there's nothing that they could do that can't be done now, right?"

“I’m not sure, Sir. I don’t know much about her but I think so. I only ever heard that he said they’d usher her in, whatever that may mean. Unless he means necromancy.” Farla’s hands tensed and stopped for a moment before resuming. “What if he did mean necromancy? How else could you usher in a 500 year old mage? That’s a horrifying thought.”

Necromancy was one way to go about it, but if that were the case then no one would be talking about it seeing as every necro mage was seized. Besides, that was too easy of an answer. “Oh, no no no, don’t you get those nasty thoughts in your head,” Eris hurriedly assured her, patting her hand. “I was simply thinking out loud, please, trouble yourself no further with any of those silly thoughts.”

At this point he felt that there was nothing more to be gained from the mage without putting her in a tizzy, or at least without making it obvious. But he learned a lot, and had a few ideas on where to head next. He’d have to make sure to step carefully, otherwise he was sure he would end up like poor Nelson.

But he couldn’t relax just yet. Now that he got what he wanted, he needed to make sure that their conversation was never repeated. Aside from some sort of memory-altering magic, the only real way to ensure that nothing would get repeated was to make the night memorable in other ways; after all, all anyone cared about were the highlights.

He gently took a hold of both her hands with his, lightly pulling her towards him. Gazing into her eyes deeply, he put on something resembling a shy smile. “Honestly, every time you touch me makes me wish you’d do it in other places,” He told her, placing her hands on his shoulders. “Excuse my poor topics before...but if you’d let me, I’d very much like to make it up to you somehow, Farla.”

Farla’s confused look at the sudden closeness melted away at his words, want and embarrassment playing across her face in equal measure. She worried at her bottom lip as she searched his face, looking for anything that might suggest a setup, but the tension eased out of her when she found no trace of deception. “I’m just a mage, sir. A vampire as prestigious as yourself couldn’t ever do anything that needs making up for. I’m only here to ensure you enjoy your evening, Sir.” Her eyes darted down to his lips and up again. “However that might be.”

Eris shook his head as he released her hands, wrapping one around her waist as the other one stroked her cheek. “I insist,” His voice was quiet, words only for her to hear as he closed the gap between them. He didn’t mind indulging her, the experience one she would likely gossip about for days with pink cheeks, and just for that little while he would make sure to focus entirely on her. It was the least he could do as thanks, after all.

September 28: Solo

The sound of his phone going off shocked Eris, the vampire jolting awake. After a few seconds, he groped the area around him, keeping his eyes closed until he felt the smooth rectangle in his hand. He didn’t bother picking up, his finger pressing onto one of the buttons on the side and silencing the phone. He let out a groan, dropping back into the warmth of the blankets until a light bothered his eyes.

“Rise and shine,” Ismene’s voice was accompanied by the lights turning on, and Eris pulled the blanket over his head. She was merciless tonight, yanking the blanket off and away with a surprising amount of strength. “You have forty-five minutes before Angelique arrives with the paperwork I need you to sign. Everything must be completed before four o’clock, and once that is sent out, I’ll lay out the schedule until Moon’s Mirror.”

Eris turned onto his back, reluctantly opening his eyes. “This is supposed to be the one day that I get to sleep in,” He whined as he reached for the blanket.

Ismene took a step back and made sure to stay out of his reach. “I would have let you sleep in if they had been done yesterday like I had requested,” She replied, tossing the blanket onto a chair. “Your sister also called, she needs you to bring something over to your mother’s manor.”

The blond forced himself to sit up, stretching his limbs and briefly contemplating going back to sleep before finally getting up. Ismene didn’t budge--a wise choice since he did consider just going back to sleep without his blanket. He threw her a look as he stood, and only then did she finally leave the room. Normally he loved her efficiency, but he was really looking forward to just doing nothing. Nothing that required much thought, anyway.

Going through the motions was easy, taking the advice given and revising any changes he didn’t like. He let Ismene talk to her little heart’s content, letting himself doze off once in a while only to get rudely awakened by a whack upside the head. After a few disagreements and some more discussion, they managed to finish before the doorbell rang.

Eris leaned back in his seat and let his head and arms hang off as he waited. He learned his lesson a few years back not to assume they were finished until Ismene would specifically give him the okay. As he listened for her approaching footsteps, however, he suddenly felt a burst of mischievousness. Waiting until he was certain she was close enough, he suddenly came alive and snatched her waist, pulling her to him.

She reacted predictably, mainly with a shriek of surprise followed by a hard elbow to the rib. An excellent reflex, except he was a lot sturdier than any idiot mortal. He hugged her happily, finding delight in her deadpan expression. “You’re the best, have I ever told you that?” He asked her.

“You have. Multiple times. Mostly after forcibly grabbing me,” Ismene replied dryly, clearly resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

“I can’t help it! You have the cutest expression when you’re caught off guard!” He squealed as he hugged her a little tighter.

Ismene squirmed for a few seconds before ultimately giving up, slouching against him. “How long are you going to hold me hostage?” She asked.

“Hostage? How rude!” Eris gasped, carefully standing up and still holding the shorter girl. “I prefer to consider you the equivalent of a teddy bear. Except you walk and talk and do stuff.”

“That makes me sound more like a pet.”

“No, no, you’re...a step above a pet.”

“And that would be?”

Eris gave it a thought as he carried her out of the study and into his bedroom. He whipped off his blanket back onto the mattress and settled her down on it. “A mage,” He said cheerfully, throwing himself onto his bed.

“Mhm,” She smoothed out her hair and outfit before crossing one leg over the other.

He frowned at her lack of an actual response. “You don’t seem too happy about that.”

“I have no opinion on something I’ve long since accepted from a young age.”

“Aren’t you like twenty-five or something? You’re still young!” He scoffed.

“Says the century-old vampire. I’m twenty-three.”

“See? We’re young!” He winked, crawling over to the edge of the bed and batting his eyelashes at her. “But you’re happy with me, right?”

Ismene eyed him warily for a moment before rolling her eyes. “Sure.”

Eh, that was good enough. He made a show of sighing happily, propping himself on his elbows and gazing at her lovingly. The brunette had neither a reaction or a response to that, staring blankly at Eris. So cold, so professional, but something about her look just made him want to poke at her. Now that he thought about it, Alderman reminded him of her. “What do you think of your future assistant?” He asked.

“Pardon me?”

“Maximillian.”

“I believe it’s Maxwell. I think he would make a better bodyguard than assistant,” She said with a slight shrug. “Aside from lacking some refinement, he’s alright.”

Eris sat up a little, eyebrows shooting up. “Wow. That’s almost a compliment,” He teased.

“It was meant to be taken as one,” She replied. “I prefer interacting with people who can think independently, although if I were you, I would work on getting on his good side.”

“He has a grump side and an angry side, there is no ‘good side’ to get on,” Eris said as he sat up. “He interacts with those he has to, if it were up to him, he’d spend the day sulking in his room.”

“Except it isn’t up to him. It’s up to you,” Ismene pointed out.

Eris threw himself back on his bed, throwing his arms up. “I really don’t feel like putting in the effort if all I’m going to get back is sarcasm and uncreative insults,” He admitted.

“Then why bother going out of your way to fulfill a request of his?”

“It’ll buy me at least a week of reduced commentary. After that, I don’t know.”

“You don’t believe in long-term effort for short-term gain.”

Eris let out a groan, turning onto his side. “Eh, that’s what I get for buying a pretty face before talking to it,” He muttered.

“Then put in the proper effort. If you’re going to keep him around you may as well try to get along.” Ismene told him.

It wasn’t that she was wrong, but that just sounded like something Eris didn’t really feel like doing. He would have to think about it some, though he had a feeling if he didn’t give it a token try, Ismene would start prodding and poking until he conceded. Ugh, what was it about this mage of his that he couldn’t resist? Ironically, he should probably be just as enchanted with Alderman since he was just as serious, but it was hard to explain what was so different. Maybe it was the contempt. Or something, who knows.

Either way, he supposed he should let her know that she had a point. To his surprise, however, Ismene would stand up and speak first. “Since we have nothing else on the agenda, I think I’ll take it easy today,” She said, pushing her hair off her shoulder. “A short nap would do nicely.”

Eris perked up, enthusiastically waving an arm to catch her attention. “We can go to a spa!” He suggested. “I have to go to Mother’s anyway, we may as well have a little fun before going over for a minute.”

She shrugged. “Sure,” She replied, this time a little more earnestly. “I’ll make an appointment and come wake you. Sleep well.”

How was he supposed to sleep when he was excited? It had been a long time since the two had gone out together purely for pleasure. Some of it died down once Ismene left and turned the lights off, quieting further when he realized he had to see whatever the hell his sister wanted. He would make a quick trip, in and out. He settled in and let himself relax, dozing off shortly afterwards.

---

Stepping out of the car, Eris took the bag Angelique held and strolled up the walkway to his mother's mansion. Ismene had wisely chosen to return to the flat instead of accompanying him, but now he wished he had dragged her along for support. As he walked, he couldn't help but stop and stare at the horde of humans and mages carrying in lights and an assortment of bottles and furniture. The sight was puzzling, especially as a quick look revealed that not all the bottles were of blood; wine was included as well. He closely followed, a few humans bowing to him while others were directed. Pausing once again, he realized that some of them were wearing uniforms, and suddenly he understood what was happening.

Eris audibly groaned, continuing to the front door. He didn't bother saying a word to the silver haired woman that had opened the door, ascending the stairs as he noticed several servants draping crystals along the chandelier. It looked like she had redecorated since he last came, no doubt a new theme for her party. Pandora Samael was a force to be reckoned with when it came to socializing, and she loved to be the benevolent hostess. She was well known for doing little in the entertainment industry despite her father's influence, but no one could deny that she always threw one hell of a party. Invitations to her home were often sought after, she knew everyone she needed to know through someone, and she prided herself in her family's reputation.

That said, Eris wasn't a huge fan. He hated to admit it, but he shared his father's distaste for her mother's frivolous parties. They were often crowded circlejerks of vampires bragging about their latest accomplishments. The only parties he was interested in were ones where he could indulge in his taste for finding something pretty to hang off his arm, and these events of his mother's were usually people trying to rub elbows with him to gain her favor. If they wanted to impress her so badly, why didn't they go bother her and leave him alone?

"Master Eris," Another silver haired woman greeted him at the top of the steps. She was beautiful by human standards even in her age but Eris couldn't stand the sight of her, doing his best not to show his distaste. "Shall I call for your mother?"

"No, Penelope, I'll see myself to my sister's room," He replied curtly, ignoring her bow and heading straight to Harmonia's room.

The place was clean, at least, if cluttered with a variety of mages tending to a single vampire. She was perched on her seat, an arm out as one worked on her nails, two more on her hair, while another was carefully slipping her feet into a pair of heels. One was at the vanity scrutinizing a selection of makeup, looking up when Eris entered.

"Good evening, Master Eris," She greeted him in a clear tone that alerted the rest.

Each mage looked up for a second, returning a chorus of greetings, though the vampire gave him a rather amused smile. She looked very much at ease, platinum blond hair and striking green eyes being the first thing anyone would notice. She waved a manicured hand at him, crossing one leg over the other as soon as her heel was put on. Her sparkling gold dress hugged her well, though he felt it made her look pale. But like always, she just had to be the center of attention. Or at least try.

"Look who showed up," She commented airily. "What a surprise, I never thought you'd show up to Mother's party."

"I didn't know she was having one," Eris said dropping the bag onto the nearest seat. "Is that why you asked me to bring this over?"

"My exact words were 'at your earliest convenience' if you recall," She pointed out.

"Considering I’m only out of class for two weeks and I’ve had every other day booked solid, I'm pretty sure you did this on purpose," He retorted.

"Mmm, I guess you have a point," Harmonia mused out loud. "I guess you can just leave, then."

Eris rolled his eyes, though as if on cue, the door opened. A gorgeous woman with blazing red hair pinned back from her face entered, her blouse ruffled beyond all belief and a stark contrast from the straight black dress pants. The few jewels she wore only served to add to her elegance, her stride into the room confident and demanding attention even without an audience. The mages all immediately stopped what they were doing, but she extended her hand to signal them to continue whatever they were doing. She stopped in her tracks as she saw Eris, a brilliant smile on her face as she looked at him.

Fuck. "Hello, Mother," He greeted her, bracing himself.

"Darling, how are you?" She greeted him warmly. "I didn't think you were going to attend."

Eris held back his groan, throwing a quick look at his sister, who was rather smug as the mages finished her hair. What a trap. "I wasn't aware that you were having another...event," He ended up admitting.

Surprisingly, it didn't seem to phase her, although she did tug at his sleeve. "I would love it if you would attend," She said, adjusting his collar. "Since you're already here, I can see if your father has something in his closet for you."

"Mother, no," Eris protested, swatting her hands away. "I don't have the time to be standing around listening to Duke Frederick talk about the 'good old days' or whatever he calls it."

Pandora looked at Eris curiously, ignoring Harmonia's snickering. She smiled at him warmly, tilting her head slightly. "But it would be so nice to have you here," She replied simply. "I haven't seen you since you decided to enroll in Her Highness’ school."

"It's only been about a month," He pointed out.

"That's almost an eternity for a mother," She informed him, taking a moment to inspect him carefully with chartreuse eyes. "I don't think your sister has enough sway to put you in such a mood...things are going well for you. What troubles you so?"

Eris tried not to roll his eyes. Great, she was getting ideas that something was wrong when everything was fine. Sure, he was a little stressed out, but it really wasn’t anything worth talking about, less so with the harpy sitting in her seat with the stupidest smirk on her face. Of all the things to be petty about, why this?

"I'm a little tired, that’s all," Eris said.

"You look it," Pandora replied, frowning.

"Maybe he’s cracking under the stress of keeping his grades up," Harmonia commented.

Pandora ignored her, taking Eris by his arm and gently leading him out of the room. He couldn't bring himself to properly fight it, but he supposed that this was inevitable. They entered into an empty room, and she situated herself at the edge of the bed, giving him her full attention. His mood soured as he realized this was his father’s room--she was getting better and better at manipulating things the way she wanted.

"What is it, my darling?" She asked him.

"I really don't have the energy to mingle tonight," He replied. "The phone has been ringing off the hook since everyone knows I’m on break, I'm completely swamped."

Pandora took pity on him, standing up so she could get closer to him. She placed a kiss on his temple, giving him a warm smile. "You know what would help?" She asked. When he shook his head, she squeezed his hand. "Taking a night off and having a little fun."

"No, Mother, please," Eris whined, pulling his hand away from her. "I do not--”

"And what better way to recover than with a blonde or two?" She countered. "Just think of it, darling, you would be the star of this party. The last sparkle to make this place shine like a crystal chandelier."

Eris scowled at her, crossing his arms tightly. He should have known she was going to try to twist this to her advantage. The door opened and Pandora stood as a vampire strolled in, paying no mind to the pair.

"My sweet, your son will be joining us tonight," Pandora said before Eris could stop her.

The vampire stopped, looking over at the pair with a confused expression. His sandy blonde hair was slicked back and away from his blue-green eyes that flickered between the two, landing on Pandora. After a moment he raised his eyebrows as he loosened his tie. It was difficult to believe that the man was married to such a vibrant woman, with Eris constantly wondering why the two even got together.

"Marvelous," He commented dryly. "I need to change."

Eris rolled his eyes as he stood from his seat. "I'm not staying, so don't worry about that," He said, giving his mother an apologetic look. "I'll see you later, Mother."

Pandora snatched his arm as she gave him a pleading look. "It's been three decades since the four of us have all attended together," She said. "You'll be occupied at the academy for the next few years, your father has just closed on a big deal, and your sister has promised to behave. Stay with us. Please."

His eyes flickered to his father, the man watching Eris. "Fine," Eris conceded, much to her delight and apparently his father's amusement as he swore he heard him chuckle.

"Oh, perfect!" She clapped excitedly, turning him around and pushing him out the door. "Wait for me in the guest room, I'll be right over with a few options."

"But--" Eris' protest was met with a closed door, leaving him alone in the hallway. He bumped his head against the door, wondering why he caved in so easily. The thought of having something physical at the end of the night did help, but he wasn't looking forward to this at all. He pushed himself off the wall, turning towards the guest room as he watched a few more servants scurry past, bowing their heads to him before continuing. At the end of the hall, Harmonia emerged from her room, leaning against the wall as she looked at him.

"Got roped in, didn't you?" She guessed correctly.

"All that hoopla just because you didn't want to be the only attendee with Mother," He decided to call her out. "How did you manage to drag Father into this?"

"Because her theme is 'Celebration', apparently," Harmonia said, waving her hands. "And what better way to celebrate your accomplishments than with a party?"

"You must be really bored," Eris replied, earning a scowl from her. "You hate these parties, too."

"Well, I'm actually hoping that you being there takes the attention off of me. I'm hoping a certain someone shows up so I can have a little snack." She confessed, twirling a lock of her hair between her fingers.

Of course. "Have fun with that," He said, shaking his head.

Harmonia let him take all of two steps before she blocked him. "What's going on with you?" She suddenly asked.

"Nothing, I’d rather you not cause a headache for Mother and Father to clean up," He snapped, walking around her. "And if you're going to continue to pull stupid ploys like this, at least have the deceny to pretend you're being sneaky."

"It worked, didn't it?" She called after him as he entered the guest room.

He closed the door behind him, ignoring her completely. He stopped as he noticed Penelope folding clothes, the woman slightly startled by his entrance. She bowed to him, straightening up as she smiled at him. Eris stared at her for a moment, wondering why she was doing laundry. From the look of it, she had been folding men's clothing, but the last time he was around he recalled his father getting upset over that for some reason.

"I'm guessing this isn't my old closet anymore," He sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Your mother decided to move your things into your old bedroom, sir," She informed him politely.

Figures as much. It was like she was trying to trap him here in case he felt like running out. Letting out a low hum, he shook his head as he looked at her. "Penelope, I thought Father had asked you to leave that to one of the servants," He said, putting his hands in his pockets.

"I'm only getting his bag ready, sir," She assured him, gesturing to the open luggage on a seat next to her. "He'll be leaving at sundown tomorrow. I thought it best if he had it ready so he could enjoy himself tonight."

"So he could enjoy himself, or to enjoy you?" Eris asked, raising an eyebrow.

Penelope frowned at him, lowering her head. "That isn't what I meant, sir," She said.

It was uncalled for, sure, but his mood had soured enough as it was. But something about this woman had always irritated him, so he didn't think twice when he continued as he approached her. "Still, he wouldn't want you to overwork yourself. Too shy to ask the maids? I'd be happy to help. I'm sure the favoritism has left you with few friends here," He offered.

She shook her head. "That won't be needed, sir," She declined.

As Eris opened his mouth the door opened, his jaw snapping shut as he looked over his shoulder. His father stood in the doorway, eyes narrowed at Eris.

"I need Penelope," He said simply.

Eris took a step back, gesturing towards the woman. "She's all yours, isn't she?" He replied.

"Watch it," He warned, catching the implication immediately. For someone who buried his nose in paperwork all day, he still had an ear for underlying insults.

"Vincent, please," Penelope said quietly.

Eris rolled his eyes, knowing how his father positively melted anytime the woman used his name. And sure enough, his look softened as he approached her, ignoring Eris entirely. "The servants can handle this. Come," He urged her gently.

"No, you stay," Eris insisted, pushing past him as he made his exit. Watching those two together in the same room was just too much for him. He shuddered as he made his way back to where he thought his old room was, only pausing as he noticed two servants bringing in a rack of suit jackets. Great, his mother was going all out and playing dress up with him again. Tonight was going to suck.

Let's Gush!

_{Shout out to the cast: Lite Brite Aaron @Obscene Symphony Flower Boy Salem @Trainerblue192 Careful-He'll-Stab-You Max @Scribe of Thoth Pouty Boy Jory @Jade Blades Vicious Executioner Victor @ReusableSword Likes to Read Amaris @WeepingLiberty Shooketh Ben @Bert Macklin and Still That One Asshole Varis @Achronum feat Water Tribe Lilie and Eris (who had to be the responsible one to everyone's shock)}

600 posts!

Of Blood and Magic

_{Dates: September 21st - October 7th}

9/22: Lilie and Ben

As the last of the workers gave their completed report, Ben thanked them once again before dismissing them. Their hard work had not gone unnoticed, and they had everything set up with time to spare. Part of his plan had been to switch the two rooms to give Lilie the bigger bathroom, as he genuinely felt he had no need for it, and offered to switch the rooms and personalize it with a new bedspread. The disastrous first impression had left lingering doubts everywhere and it simply wouldn't do; if Miss Dionne was to be one of his mages, he needed a positive, beneficial relationship. Of course, he had hoped his little surprise would be that way. After laying down some rules, she had expressly pointed out that she didn’t have a wardrobe to his specifications, and so he took the liberty of replacing it. Everything she had owned was respectfully packed and sent away, her closet filled with the proper luxuries a young lady deserved. He had no doubt in his mind it was the least he could do, enlisting a few trusted servants for a little help, but overall, he had to admit he was proud of himself.

That said, there had been the tiniest bump in the road after he had stumbled upon a notebook in her nightstand’s drawer. Journals and diaries were things he had only heard of, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little curious about it. He understood it was personal, a line that shouldn't be crossed, but he had caved in a moment of weakness. Fortunately for him, his mage was ever the organizer, neatly printing dates on each page; for him, there really was only one date he wanted to know. And perhaps he did read more in hopes of understanding her. He read what he wanted and immediately placed it where it belonged, as if it would cancel out the injustice. But what she didn’t know wouldn’t harm her.

The bedroom was set up with everything in its place. Now the room looked like someone was actually living there as opposed to a temporary stay. Ben smiled to himself as he patted down the bedspread, admiring the pattern. Performing a final check in the closet, he nodded to himself in approval of the much more modest wardrobe. He had complete confidence in Eleanore and only hoped that his gesture of goodwill would suffice to mend their relationship. Or at least it could take them a step in the right direction. His words to the princess would be meaningless if he couldn’t get his own mage to at least tolerate him. Was it too much to hope that this would end in a genuine friendship?

The knock on their door had Ben genuinely excited, the vampire almost running to the door. He made sure to catch himself before he would open the door, but he couldn’t quite hide his eagerness.

Stepping into the dorm, Lilie couldn’t help but notice the over eager vampire. Well, at least he was in a good mood, even if that left her a little uneasy. Or he was planning something, because he wouldn’t stop staring at her. He was like a little kid at a candy shop!

Dropping her backpack onto the kitchen counter, she took in a breath as she eyed him. “Uh...hi.” She greeted him. “What’s up?”

Ben cleared his throat in an attempt to quell his excitement, but truly, he couldn’t help himself. Instead, he would gesture to her new room, motioning for her to follow as he quickly took the lead. He opened the door to the bedroom, stepping in after she did as he patted the bed.

“I took the liberty of setting it up,” He said as he stepped backwards towards the closet as he placed his hand on the handle. “After our previous conversation, I realized that you were right.”

Lilie’s eyebrows shot up as she looked from the bed to Ben. He was agreeing with her? What? Was this a trick? Her jaw dropped as she stared at him. “You did?” She asked in disbelief.

“I do,” Ben repeated himself with a nod. “It is completely unfair to assume that you would comply with such little resources at hand. As my mage, it is within my duty to prepare you for the life of nobility; I realized your initial response was born of frustration and a lack of understanding, to which I sincerely apologize. You will find that I have taken extra steps in addition to an apology.”

He turned to the closet, brandishing the door open with a theatrical flourish that the Samael would have scoffed at. He proudly showed off the entirety of the closet, entering. “Everything in this closet was chosen to both comply with my rules and stick to a style for a blossoming young lady,” He seemed proud as he spoke. “I noticed your preference for heels and picked out admissible ones, though I did have a great deal of long distance assistance from one of my mages to ensure that everything chosen was both appropriate and fashionable.”

Lilie didn’t get a chance to ask why Ben was in her closet before he launched into a confusing sort of explanation. Yeah, okay, it was nice to see he listened to one of her points, but she was distracted by the sheer amount of clothes hanging. Before, she couldn’t even fill half, now it was completely full! The rack of shoes was surprising, too, and apparently even each drawer had something.

She was staring at the shoes when she noticed that her sneakers weren’t there. Actually, neither were the heels she had used for the opening ceremony. Or...any of her old ones. Her head snapped up to the hanging shirts and dresses, and just by looking, she didn’t recognize any of them, either. Her eyes widened, and she started pulling out the drawers and checking them. Everything was brand new, a much better quality than anything she could have ever dreamed of owning, but none of it was hers--she didn't see anything that had previously belonged to her.

“Where’s my stuff?” She asked as she kept checking, assuming that maybe her older things had been put at the bottom or maybe pushed behind everything.

The lack of reaction was concerning, but Ben stayed optimistic, simply watching Lilie. Her question was a little odd, but he decided that she was worried he had gotten rid of everything. “Your old belongings are in storage as I didn’t have your old address,” He kindly explained as he walked around her. “If you’ll check the bathroom, I made sure to replace everything with top-of-the-line products as well.”

Lilie froze--what did he just say? Storage? What storage? The dorms didn’t have any storage! And what did he mean replace?! She got up so fast that she almost made herself dizzy, walking right into the bathroom. Sure enough, all her old skincare products were gone, her makeup was gone, and when she checked the shower, even her haircare stuff was gone! Everything was different and new and not anything like what she used to have. Walking back to the room, Lilie noticed that her weapon and its case was missing too--she usually kept it at the foot of her bed. “Where’s Zantedeschia?” She asked, slightly panicking.

“I’ve sent it for some minor maintenance,” He kindly explained. “Nothing like a good polish to get it as good as new.”

She was speechless, trying hard to say something, anything. She looked at Ben briefly as she tried to grasp what had happened, her head a whirlwind of emotion as she tried to sort things out. "This...this is not okay,” She managed to stutter that much out, shaking her head as she finally got herself together.

Just as he couldn’t hide his excitement, he couldn’t hide his disappointment (and confusion) at her reaction. She must have misunderstood him, he had no right over anything that wasn’t his and could not just throw out her belongings so carelessly. Ben shook his head as he decided to properly explain himself.

“I didn’t get rid of anything,” He assured her. “Anything that was here previously that didn’t pertain to any of the rules was packed and sent to an Eve storage facility.” This wasn’t the reaction he had been hoping for at all. She also seemed to be missing the point, but he could see she was upset. “Your personal belongings are still in their places, I assure you. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Lilie wasn’t happy, and she had every intention to make that crystal clear. “I don’t understand why you did this...just because they weren’t good enough for you doesn’t mean you have the right,” She was probably harsher than she meant to be, but she didn’t have any patience for this guy anymore. “I'm not comfortable with any of this.”

“What?” The response was blurted out with Ben entirely confused with everything Lilie said. “I was doing you a favor.”

“You were doing me a favor?” Lilie slowly repeated his words in disbelief. How dare he be so condescending, who did he think he was?! “You were doing me a favor?! Are you serious? I didn't ask for this! This is--This isn’t a favor!”

“Of course it’s a favor,” Goodness, he was never going to understand this child. “You said I was the one with the problem. I resolved the problem.”

“That’s not the point!” Lilie tried to point out, frustrated. “The point is that you don’t have any right coming into my room and messing with my things!”

She stomped towards the closet, her arms waving around wildly as she gestured to it. “You didn’t just mess with them either, you went through everything I had! That’s so wrong and gross and--so disrespectful!” She exclaimed. “You can't just go around doing whatever you want!”

Ben pinched the bridge of his nose as he let Lilie yell, trying to think of the proper way to correct her. She was entirely in the wrong, but he felt that saying that would only worsen the situation. They seemed to disagree on the topic of disrespect, but obviously saying that would also further aggravate her. Honestly, at this point there was little he could do or say that wouldn’t cause her to continue to lash out at him. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t insulted, his hopes long shattered and whisked away by the wind.

Choosing to at least try to go the gentler route, he decided that a proper explanation was due, even if he was well aware of the consequences. “Actually, Miss Dionne, I do have the right if I feel that your choices or garb could endanger you in any way,” He stated slowly. “I understand you come from a background with few rules and many liberties, but that simply isn’t the case anymore. You are a mage of the noble house of Eve, and you serve me. Your wardrobe was inappropriate and I took measures to correct it, plain and simple.”

“That being said, I will reiterate that nothing of yours is gone. If you want everything back, I will send for it,” Ben was weary as he spoke, his disappointment paramount.

Lilie huffed, uncrossing her arms as she glared at Ben. ‘Endanger’ he says! He was so full of it! “You’re not getting it,” She said. “You can’t do that! Why do you think you can just do what you want and then act surprised when I get mad? What happened to us being a ‘team’ and all that other stuff?”

“We are a team as vampire and mage, as master and servant,” Ben stated pointedly. “As much as it pains me to admit it, you and I are not equals, Miss Dionne. I can do ‘that’ and ‘this’ as I please, though I would much rather not exercise it, that is my right.” Her cluelessness was worse than he had imagined, he would have to focus on properly educating her sooner than later, lest she get eaten alive at his house.

Narrowing her eyes, the one thing Lilie was glad for was that at least Ben showed her where they stood. She couldn’t even begin to describe the hypocrisy or how he had already went back on his word about them acting like a team. Raising her chin, Lilie almost went off again, but decided it wasn’t worth it. Instead, she spun on her heel and went straight to her nightstand. She grabbed her diary and backpack before he would send that away, too, slamming the door on her way out as hard as she could.

Ben was glad she was gone as it liberated his groan. Why, oh why had Her Highness paired him with such a clueless young girl? It must have been a test of patience. He was so sure this was going to be a step in the right direction. How wrong he was.

---

Lilie had no idea she could get so steamed.

The absolute nerve of that jerk had riled her up to no end, and the more she thought about it, the madder she got. She didn’t acknowledge anyone as she stomped to the pagoda, making a beeline for the closest open table. Practically throwing herself in her seat, she dropped her backpack as she whipped out her phone. Despite feeling like she was going to explode, she needed to vent, and she knew just the person she wanted to hear her out.

Meanwhile, the dining hall had filled up with students for dinner, a low, welcoming buzz of conversation and clinking silverware filling the hall as students settled in with their friend groups and caught up; though the main topic on everyone’s lips was, of course, the suspicious events of the recent Revel. Opting to avoid the ever-churning rumour mill—and not having much other choice, given his reputation—Aaron chose a table to himself near the wall, as far as he could get from plain view. Varis’ temporary wardrobe adjustment surely wasn’t going to help his reputation, and of course there was no small amount of embarrassment attached as well; he felt cold and indecent sitting there in just an undershirt and slacks. Ironically, his best hope was that anyone looking his way would assume he simply hadn’t bothered changing after a workout session or something, rather than thinking he was some weirdo who got his kicks by going around campus half-dressed. He kept his eyes on his food and his journal as he ate, doing his best to ignore any weird looks thrown his way, and was in the middle of his meal when his phone and watch buzzed with Lilie’s pattern.

> Can you come to the picnic area in the woods? I really need to ask you something

Aaron peered quizzically at the message, re-reading it a few times and wondering what it was about. What was so important that she had to ask him in person rather than over text? He was used to Salem’s (justified) suspicion over leaving a digital trail, but Lilie had never seemed that way to him. It worried him a bit, and after tapping out a quick “Okay, be right there” and quickly finishing his meal, he was on his way across campus.

He hadn’t been to this picnic area before, but a quick question to a passing guard pointed him in the right direction. Within a few minutes he was striding into the clearing, searching around the pleasantly lit pagoda tables until he found a head of white hair sitting at one, looking decidedly (and if he had to admit, kind of adorably) angry.

Putting on his best comforting face and inwardly begging that she wouldn’t mention his weird outfit, Aaron crossed the clearing and sat down opposite Lilie at her table, giving her a concerned look. “Okay, I’m here. What’s wrong?”

Her hands had been wrestling with the hem of her shirt, occasionally running over her face. As she lowered her hands, she nearly let out a yell before catching herself. Fortunately, Aaron arrived before she could wind herself up more, and she deflated slightly as she realized she must have pulled him out of his workout. Right, okay, she could totally have some kind of composure. But just thinking about what happened was enough to rile her up again, her face scrunched up in anger in no time.

“The Count decided to replace my whole closet without telling me!” Lilie blurted out, leaning forward as she tried to keep her voice down, even if she felt like screaming. “He took everything without telling me and tried to act like it was some kind of good surprise!”

It was getting her angrier just thinking about it. “He went through all my stuff--all of it, not just my closet, but my bathroom and even my diary--and then didn’t get why I was mad!” She huffed, crossing her arms. “And when I told him it wasn’t okay, he was all ‘Miss Dionne, I have the right, you are my servant,’ and I just--just--” She cut herself off as she silently fumed, clearly worked up.

A sympathetic expression sank into Aaron’s face as Lilie told her story, the blond genuinely sad to see her so upset. Shamefully, the thought did cross the back of his mind that Lilie wasn’t the only one to have her things rifled through and taken away; still, it didn’t seem like the new Count to be so cruel.

“Hey now, just take a deep breath okay?” Aaron led with that, hoping to bring Lilie’s anger down a touch so they could talk more calmly.

After a moment, he continued. “Did he tell you why he replaced your things? What did he do with them?”

Taking in a deep breath at his suggestion, Lilie felt herself deflating at Aaron's question. She dropped her gaze to the table, staying quiet for a moment, though after a little bit of silence, she met his gaze again.

"After you had left on the first night of Revel, we got to talking," She explained quietly, looking a little ashamed. "He had a lot of...things he didn't like. How I dress was one of them, and when he said something about it, I said it wasn't like I could just replace my whole wardrobe."

She let out a sigh as she uncrossed her arms, resting them on the table instead. "My family doesn't really have a lot of money to spend like that. Not for something like clothes, anyway," She admitted. "I guess he took it to heart. He sent everything away to some storage, and he said he could get it back but...but he didn't have to do that. I don't see anything wrong with what I had before."

Aaron nodded along, although… well, the more Lilie explained, the more the Count’s choice started making sense. He kept his expression carefully neutral, but even before she finished he was formulating a plan for breaking the news to her gently.

“Sometimes vampires don’t realize the sort of impact their actions can have,” he tried to reason, folding his arms on the table in front of him. “And Count Benjamin seems like he means well. I don’t think the Princess would have taken so well to him if he didn’t. He probably really did think that you’d appreciate the gesture.” He offered a weak smile, realizing there wasn’t much of a nicer way to put what he had to say next, and looked away. “And, well…”

Lilie watched Aaron as he talked, a little surprised that he justified Ben's actions. When he trailed off, she looked at him expectantly, leaning forward. "Well, what?" She asked.

Aaron shifted uncomfortably in his seat, shrugging and spinning his ring. “Well… he also is… technically right.”

Her jaw dropped, his response being the complete opposite of what she was expecting. Here she thought she was going to get some validation, but apparently Aaron didn't think so. "What do you mean, he's right?!" Instead of being angry again, she felt a little desperate, her voice high pitched as she felt betrayed by his admission.

Eyes flying wide, Aaron instinctively reached for Lilie’s hand, his usual default when his aunt Dora got emotional. She sounded like she was going to cry! “No no no, hey, I’m not saying you’re wrong,” he tried to save it, “I understand why you’re upset, it makes perfect sense, and the Count should have consulted you before replacing your things!” He wasn’t sure if he 100% believed that, but he wasn’t about to say otherwise.

“But the thing is,” he continued after a moment, more solemnly this time, “well, at the end of the night, you are his mage, and he does have the authority to make these kinds of choices if he sees fit.” Aaron offered Lilie a sympathetic look. “I suppose we all hope that we and our masters can see eye-to-eye on these things, but unfortunately that isn’t always how it works.”

Feeling her eyes getting watery, she tore her gaze away from Aaron for a moment. She didn't really know how to feel about this, her chest feeling tight with dread. When she looked at Aaron again, she didn't know what to think, either. "Do you agree with him?" She asked, already feeling her heart sinking with dread. "About my clothes."

Aaron straightened up, a bit taken aback. Lilie kind of had him backed into a corner, and a lifetime of growing up around women told him there was probably no good answer to that question.

“...Well, keep in mind that Count Benjamin is an Eve,” he tried to rationalize, “they’re traditionalists, for the most part. With that comes a certain… well, traditional way of seeing things.” His answer was already a trainwreck, but there was no going back, and lying to the girl would only serve to hurt her more later. “So while I don’t think your clothes are bad, it’s true that a lot of your outfits would be… inappropriate for a mage in a traditionalist House.”

Lilie took her hand away from the table, surprised as she straightened up. Maybe she really did underestimate the differences between them. Of course he would be in agreement, he grew up around all this. Once again she was reminded that she was the outlier, the thought depressing her immensely as she looked down at the table. She never thought about this sort of thing before, her father always making what he thought was appropriate for her. She didn't even see what was so inappropriate about what she wore!

Rubbing her arm, she looked down at the lace on her skirt, her free hand tracing the pattern. She honestly didn't know how to respond to that.

Aaron deflated as he watched Lilie, feeling sorry for the poor girl. She really was in over her head, wasn’t she? Still figuring things out, and with yet another new master no less. He could sympathize with the yearning for stability she no doubt felt, the craving for normalcy, but even he couldn’t pretend to understand the complete uprooting she must have been feeling. Everything was new to her, everything was different and strange, and the truth of servitude would surely sound doubly harsh to someone who grew up ignorant of it. His own world had been turned upside-down when he came here, sure, but the changes Lilie faced were on a whole other level.

“Well, what sorts of clothes did Count Benjamin give you?” he asked hopefully, thinking he might possibly cheer her up. “He seemed like a well-dressed guy, and clearly went to a lot of trouble if he was so excited to show you your new wardrobe. Surely they can’t be that bad, right?”

She shrugged slightly, still staring at her lap. "Maybe. They were mostly long sleeves and long skirts. I didn't get a good look aside from the ones I threw at him," She felt embarrassed admitting it, feeling extremely foolish for her reaction in hindsight. "The ones I saw were all below-the-knee skirts, and I don't think I saw any shirts with sleeves below the elbow."

“Oh, well that doesn’t sound too bad,” Aaron replied, doing his best to sound reassuring. Admittedly, Lilie’s definition of “long” sleeves and skirts was a little funny in how wildly it conflicted with what he grew up with. “Count yourself lucky, you should see the dress code at Noila castle. Believe it or not, I’m the daring one in the family.” He offered her a chuckle. “Back at home, it’s all full-length sleeves, high necks and floor-length skirts, always formal. The queen even prefers women to cover their hair. Flashing so much as a wrist or an ankle is considered racy; even Count Benjamin’s choices would never fly there.”

She was sure he meant well, but everything he said made her feel so much worse. This was normal. This is what it was to be a mage. This was her life now, whether she wanted it to be or not. Aaron was absolutely right, she no longer had a say or choice in anything anymore. If the count wanted her dressed up head to toe in some stupid, impractical Victorian dress, she had to do what he said and that was that. There was no arguing, no negotiation--that was that.

Looking away from Aaron, Lilie bit back tears for a moment before she put a hand over her eyes. It was so hard to come to grips with it, and as stupid as the topic sounded, it felt like it was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"I just thought--I just…" She couldn't stop herself, a small hiccup escaping her as she tried to control her crying. "I...I can't handle this."

Aaron felt his heart crack when he saw Lilie finally lose her composure, a painful lump growing in his throat. Realistically, he knew that it wasn’t the clothes that were the problem, but he thought maybe comforting her about them might at least help take her mind off the real issue. What else could he say? He couldn’t promise her that things would get better, and he’d be lying if he said that things didn’t have to be this way. Honeyed words wouldn’t change things. All he could tell her was the truth, and it was the truth that was killing her.

With no more words left to offer, Aaron simply stood and crossed over to Lilie’s side of the table, sliding onto the bench beside her. Silently, he simply wrapped an arm around her, and then the other, letting her lean into him and let out her anguish. Surely if he couldn’t make reality less painful, being a shoulder to cry on was the least he could do. “I’m so sorry.”

Despite knowing she was probably making a fool of herself, all she could do was cry like a little kid. It was so stupid! Why couldn't she just get over it and just fall in line like everyone else?! It felt impossible, and as much as she tried to bottle it up, it looked like she just couldn't take it anymore. How was she going to survive if she was breaking down less than a month into the semester?

Still, it did feel good to finally let it out, unintentionally gripping Aaron's shirt as she held him close. She felt safe with Aaron, a little embarrassed that he had to comfort her like this, but it was nice. There was a little guilt there, too; even with this he didn't seem to judge her too harshly, or at least was being nice about it. He probably thought she was silly or had more faith in her than she did.

After what felt like forever, Lilie tried to quiet her sniffling, lightly wiping her face as she took several deep breaths to calm herself. "I'm sorry," She apologized meekly.

---

After Aaron finished gently explaining Benjamin’s point of view, she figured she might as well face the music sooner than later. She tried to walk slowly, hoping she’d buy some time for her puffy eyes to completely go away. The walk back to the dorm was harder than she thought it would be, her pride practically in shambles. As much as she wanted to whine, though, Aaron reminded her that this was normal, and she just needed to suck it up.

Ugh.

Lilie opened the door, letting out a sigh of exasperation. At least he wasn’t hovering around waiting for her, so that was a plus. She walked to the first bedroom, forgetting that they had switched rooms, and dragged herself to ‘her’ room and dropped her backpack off. As she left and closed the door behind her, she spotted Ben sitting at the dining table.

Taking in a deep breath, she cautiously approached him. “Hi,” She said. “Can we talk?”

Ben straightened up as he heard Lilie enter, hoping she would approach him. He held a box on his lap, waiting patiently as he listened to her footsteps. Luck was on his side as she appeared shortly afterwards, giving him a small greeting. She still looked upset, but at the very least she wasn’t angry anymore

“Hello,” He returned her greeting. “Of course we can. Please, sit.” He gestured for her to take the empty seat, waiting until she did and taking the box off of his lap and placing it on the table. He gently traced the Eve symbol engraved in the middle before folding his hands neatly on the table and turning his attention fully to Lilie.

Lilie sat down, fidgeting with her skirt for a few seconds before she finally looked at the vampire. “I guess I should start by saying...I’m sorry,” She said, figuring that was as good a place to start as any.

Ben appreciated the apology even if he felt he should have been the one to apologize first. While she was gone he had time to reflect on the entirety of the interaction and decided the delivery is where he had failed. Had he properly explained himself, perhaps the argument could have been avoided. He overestimated her understanding, forgetting that perhaps she had yet to adhere to the mage life. She had previously mentioned that she had little guidance from her previous partners and while his attempt at bridging the gap between was sincere it missed the mark. Above all, he needed her forgiveness so that they could move forward.

“Your apology is accepted, and I would return it with my own,” he started there, finding it a safe place as any. “I sincerely believed I was helping and had no intention of upsetting you. I should have tried to calm you down instead of further aggravating the situation, and my inexperience with emotional mages shouldn’t be an excuse. I wanted to amend our relationship and only made things worse. I am truly sorry.”

Oh. Lilie wasn’t expecting that at all. Not the apology, not his explanation, not his comment...she didn’t really know what to think of that. It’s not that he was wrong, or at least, maybe she did overreact, but did he really think she was emotional? Was she? He didn’t seem like he was saying it maliciously and she felt really bad hearing that, but maybe he was saying it for a reason.

She looked down at her lap for a few seconds before looking at him again. “It’s fine. Like I said, it was my fault,” She replied. “You can do whatever you want. I won’t be so troublesome anymore. I promise.” She hoped he would see that she meant it, a little nervous that he wouldn’t.

The apology was accepted, much to his relief, but Ben was unsure how to respond to everything else. Troublesome wasn’t how he would describe a normally sweet girl; it was clear he had crossed a line and she had reacted accordingly. The next course of action was to lay out his solution.

“I was sincere when I told you I wanted us to be a team. I am not a man that goes back on his word so easily,” He decided to begin calmly. “You informed me that you were uneducated and I greatly overestimated to what degree. Instead of moving forward and assuming you would follow, I should be leading you. And I promise you that I will from now on.”

“We’ll set up at least an hour a day for some extracurricular studies: etiquette, a brief history on the Eve family, and of course, vampire-mage cultural norm. The last will be our main focus and bleed into proper etiquette, and the history will be for fun.”

Lilie slumped her shoulders slightly at the mention of extra studies. Didn’t he know she had enough homework already? At first she wanted to protest, but she deflated as she remembered what Aaron said. If that was what the count wanted, then that was what was going to happen. Even if she did argue back, it wouldn’t accomplish anything. The best thing to do was to keep the peace.

“Okay,” She nodded in agreement.

Must she look so disappointed? Ben felt like he was kicking a young puppy with the way her expression changed. Fortunately, he figured he had a little something that would hopefully level the playing field, so to speak. Or at least rid her of that dreadful expression; the guilt seemed to eat at him from the inside. He would need to learn how to handle that for the future so it wouldn’t be used against him. A cynical thought, but he didn’t need to be at the whims of his mage.

He picked up the box on his lap and turned it so it would open and face her. “I had planned to give you this before, but now is as good a time as ever,” Ben said. “I had a pair of cufflinks made as well in case I ended up with a male mage, but I think this fits a young lady.”

The box opened and revealed a white-silver pendant sitting on top of a dark velvet. The Eve insignia was carved into the metal, intricately detailed and adorned with a pair of rubies where the apples would be. The line of tiny diamonds glimmered in the light, the delicate chain resting neatly around it.

Ben carefully lifted the pendant from its resting place as he would stand from his seat. He motioned for the girl to move her ponytail and fastened the chain around her neck. “This symbol is one to wear with grace and beauty, as is thy right and noble duty,” He said.

Lilie couldn’t help but feel that she had heard that line from somewhere before, but she kept the comment to herself. As she looked down at the pendant, she couldn’t help but feel like it was a mark of some kind. “A symbol of servitude?” She asked, watching him sit back down.

Ben hesitated for just a moment, but continued with, “A symbol of promise, of change, and of excellence,” He chose to correct her.

She didn’t really know how to respond to that. It looked so expensive she was afraid to touch it. What if she broke the chain? She got uncomfortable really quickly, but she felt like if she said anything, she’d come off as ungrateful. “Thank you,” She replied quietly.

“You are welcome, Miss Dionne,” He replied, although he didn’t know what to say, either. The silence that fell between the pair was excruciatingly uncomfortable, and he felt that he needed to say something to break it. “I can’t help but feel as the gift has caused you discomfort,” He stated the obvious with a frown.

“No, it’s not that,” Lilie said a little too quickly--why the heck did she say that? She was uncomfortable! But there was more to it, too, right? The count meant well, even if it kept hitting her the wrong way. He was trying, that had to count. Maybe. This whole thing was weird. But pushing him away would be just like having Mariette all over again. She didn’t want a repeat of her other partners, she actually wanted them to get along, too.

“I get that we should get along, but I feel like--do you want to be friends? I feel like you want us to get along, but ‘Miss Dionne’ is really distant. I get that you’re my superior, okay, but...I don’t know how to act around someone who won’t even use my name,” She started there, wanting to at least air her biggest gripe first. “I don’t know how to act around vampires, let alone a noble. I really don’t know what the princess was thinking, but I hoped that--I don’t know, someone would tell me something. Anything. Just a nudge in the right direction so I don’t embarrass anyone, or that I can at least pretend I know what I’m doing.”

It felt really good to let everything out, but she caught herself and felt embarrassed that she went on that whole rant. She dropped her gaze, feeling her face turn red. “Just...at least call me Lilie. We can start there. Sir,” She finished meekly.

Ben listened carefully and gave her his full attention. This sort of response would never have been tolerated at home, but it was what he needed; he was not at the Eve manor, he was at the Noilan Academy. The princess entrusted a young lady who needed guidance. And for him, that was all he really needed. He sincerely came to regret his actions and previous thoughts, but no more. Going forward, he would treat her just as he did Noah, and would strive to make this a beneficial relationship. The small drop into timid was absolutely adorable, and he could not hold himself back from a short laugh. What a passionate girl.

“I will ask that you do the same, then,” He only spoke when he was sure that Lilie had no more to say. “When we are alone, I’d be pleased if you called me Ben.”

Lilie perked up immediately, surprised, but after the realization set in she nodded, clasping her hands together happily. “I can do that.”

9/25: Solo

“Last stop, Madison Ave, Glendale. Last stop, Madison Ave, Glendale…”

Her knuckles were white from gripping the handle of her luggage, her eyes not leaving the spot on the ground that she decided to stare at the whole ride. It was hard to believe she had actually been excited to come home considering all she wanted to do was throw up now. As soon as the train pulled into the station, she lowered her head. Ugh, she really was going to be sick.

Eventually, she forced herself to get up, pulling her luggage along. Her chest felt tight as she kept her eyes forward, although her flowing dress did help distract her. She thought prettying herself up would help her confidence, but all it did was give her a lot of unwanted attention. All she wanted to do was crawl into a hole and hide from everyone, but her brother promised to pick her up, so all she had to do was find him and then she could hide in her house for the next two weeks.

Lilie looked around for her older brother, having to get on her tiptoes to see if she could spot him. Maybe calling him to see where he was would be easier, even in heels she had a hard time trying to pick him out of a crowd. She decided to put herself close to the stairs as she pulled out her phone, hoping he would use his height to his advantage and be able to pick her out from the crowd.

“Lilie?”

She looked up at the sound of her name, coming face-to-face with a pair she honestly didn’t think she would ever have to see again. She’d recognize that shade of sandy blond anywhere, especially in a sea of dark haired people, but she really wished she had run into any other person in his family instead of Jason Powell. Of course, the only thing worse than that was running into the darker haired and cold-staring Helena Miller. Judging by the way she had herself wrapped around his arm, it was safe to assume that she had finally made her move on him. The thought made Lilie queasy, but at this point, it wasn’t any of her business.

“Hi,” Lilie finally spoke, slowly straightening up.

“What are you doing here?” Helena asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

There was a split second that she thought she was going to get nervous, but right now, she wasn’t doing anything wrong. “It’s the first break of the semester, so I’m visiting my family,” She explained calmly.

Jason nodded, but while Lilie thought they would either ask something else or go away, they did neither. The three of them stood there awkwardly, and suddenly Lilie wished that she was back at the academy; at least there she could say she had homework or something and leave.

As she thought of politely excusing herself, she noticed that they were examining her. She looked down at her dress, only realizing that they were probably shocked to see her in something so refined. Maybe the grey linen dress was a little formal, but she thought the petal sleeves made it more casual despite the length.

They noticed that she definitely noticed their staring, and while Jason tried to laugh it off, Helena gave her a pointed look. He noticed her look, deciding to speak up first. “Mage life suits you, you look amazing,” Jason complimented Lilie, missing Helena rolling her eyes.

“Thank you,” Lilie replied quietly, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

“It’s a nice improvement. I’m sure your vampire wants you to look as good as possible, no matter how much it costs,” Helena decided to comment.

Oh, she forgot how not-fun it was to talk to Helena now that they weren’t friends anymore. Being on the receiving end of her commentary was definitely different, but it wasn’t like Lilie knew what to say or do in response. She could only keep her head down, unsure if she was annoyed or hurt, but she felt like talking back would probably make things worse.

Her phone buzzed in her purse, reminding her that her brother was somewhere around here waiting for her. “W-Well...I should, um, I should find my brother, he’s waiting for me,” She said, forcing a smile. “So...”

“Spooked after one interaction? Seriously, Lilie?” Helena released Jason as she stepped in front of her. “You can’t even pretend to have some dignity?”

Lilie quickly shook her head. “That’s not--I don’t mean it like that,” She said, wishing she didn’t sound so meek and flustered. “I didn’t think I’d even see any of you.”

As soon as she said that, however, she could see more familiar faces, all in the same group. To her absolute horror, there were more of her classmates, more people she used to talk to. Once the realization hit her, she felt like someone was pushing down on her chest and squeezing the air out of her lungs. They were getting together! And they were all looking right at her!

Jason was talking, but Lilie could barely register it until he said, “We’re all going to go to Allendale, you should come with--”

“No!” It came out so quickly it took her a second to realize she blurted it out. She couldn’t think straight, she couldn’t breathe, she could feel herself shaking and any coherent thought she had was yelling at her to leave. Panic quickly set in, and she took a few steps away from the pair. “I can’t--I--I have to go, I’m sorry!” Lilie turned around and immediately bolted from the area, only giving hurried apologizes as she bulldozed through the crowd.

By the time she wrapped her head around what happened, Lilie had run out of the station and had made it into town. She eventually slowed down as her heels started to pinch her feet a little, taking a second to catch her breath. That was so dumb! Why did she run away like that? She didn’t do anything wrong, she just made herself look like a scaredy cat! She brought her hand up to her face as she leaned against a building, exhaling slowly.

She jumped as her phone rang, fishing through her purse with shaky hands until she found it. “H-Hello?” She winced at her voice wavering, clearing her throat to try again. “Hello? Ren?”

“Where did you run off to?” Her older brother forgoed the greeting. “I saw you run out of the train station, are you alright?”

She held in the whimper of embarrassment, letting out a sigh instead. “Yeah, yeah, I’m okay. Sorry, I’m um…” She paused to look around, spotting a nearby clothing boutique she used to go to. “I’m across the street from Gia’s Closet.”

“You made it that far?!” Ren asked in disbelief. “Stay there, I’m coming now.”

Lilie hung up and dropped her phone back into her purse, letting her head hang for a moment. She didn’t even make it back to her house before making a fool of herself, how embarrassing! She was hoping to quietly arrive and quietly leave, but it looked like she was particularly unlucky today. It wasn’t too long before the familiar family car pulled up next to her. She quietly threw her luggage in the backseat before entering the front, surprised to see a box of pizza.

His dark brown hair was a mess, likely from him messing with it as he usually did when he was stressed, blue eyes unamused with life. His scowl could give Max a run for his money, staying on his face even after he finally looked over at her, taking the box and carefully placing it behind them.

“Welcome home,” Ren said as he drove off. “I take it you saw someone you didn’t like or a ghost. You’re paler than usual.”

Lilie leaned back in her seat and openly groaned. “I ran into Jason and Helena. And they’re together-together, so that was...so uncomfortable,” She outright admitted.

As the car stopped at a red light, Ren gave her a wary look. “That sucks,” He said, doing a double take as he looked her up and down. “...you’re just coming home, not going to any fancy party.” He commented.

“You know, this is probably the least fanciest thing I own now,”Lilie said as she rubbed her temples.

“Ah, to be swathed in luxury...or did your leech try to buy your loyalty?”

“Can you not?”

Ren shook his head, noticing the pendant. He reached over and picked it up, raising an eyebrow at her. “Even without the fancy clothes, you’re going to get plenty of attention from this thing alone,” He said as he dropped it, hands on the steering wheel as the light changed. “Might as well have tattooed ‘I’m a mage to a fancy vampire’ on your forehead, that would’ve been a little more subtle.”

Why was she surprised that her brother would immediately notice the pendant? “It’s the symbol of serving the Eve house,” She muttered what Ben had said, crossing her arms.

“Oh, so it’s your brand. Gotcha,” Ren said in understanding. Lilie gave him an entirely unamused look, holding it on him until the next time he stopped the car. He caught her look, shaking his head. “What? I’m not wrong.”

“You don’t have to be such a jerk about it,” Lilie said, feeling her mood souring.

Fortunately, the rest of the ride was relatively peaceful, with the exception of Ren consistently poking her side. Her annoyance fizzled out eventually, and she had to admit it was nice to catch up. He mostly complained about having to take so many classes unrelated to his major, but it was still nice to hear about it in person instead of getting it through voicemail or text. Seeing all the familiar houses in her neighborhood threw her homesickness into overdrive, but soon enough they pulled into the driveway, and her chest swelled with happiness the second she got to see their little home.

Ren offered to get her luggage and let Lilie go into the house alone with pizza in hand. Pushing the front door open, seeing the cluttered walls and feeling the warmth coming from the kitchen gave her a weird sense of relief, like the past two weeks were just temporary. The familiarity was comforting, at least until she saw a bassinet next to the couch. She was taken out of her headspaced until she realized what it meant, quietly hurrying to it. Inside was a sleeping infant swathed in a pink blanket snoozing away.

“Hello, Daisy!” Lilie squealed in a hushed voice, ecstatic to see her little cousin.

After a few seconds, she thought it was weird that no one was in the living room, catching the sound of two voices coming from the kitchen. When she got there, the smell of something burnt hit her, and she quickly realized her parents were quietly bickering. She put the box down on the dinner table and quietly tiptoed towards the kitchen.

Standing over a clearly-lost-cause dinner over a stove was a tall, dark haired man with an exasperated expression on his face, one hand stroking his beard. His other hand poked and prodded at the completely scorched bird--she couldn’t tell if it was chicken or turkey or what--a look of pity crossing his face. He wore comfortable, casual clothing, though there were specks of what looked like dough on his jeans.

“I just wish you would’ve told me, Fi,” Her dad, William, sighed. “Now what?”

The woman next to him looked like she had absolutely no shame, but she avoided looking at her mistake all the same. Her short, chestnut colored hair had been chopped to chin-length, her own clothes a mess of ingredients and the edge of her sleeves burned. She sported a majority of the same features Lilie did, mainly with her eyes, round face, and large cheeks, though she was anything but gentle with her expression, looking more annoyed than anything.

“Listen, the effort is what counts here,” Her mom, Felicia, told him, fanning the kitchen with a magazine. “And it’s fine, I had Ren go get a pizza before picking up Lilie.”

“The effort is what resulted in everything getting burnt,” He sighed, scratching the back of his head. “You could’ve been hurt.”

Lilie couldn’t hold in her giggle, alerting the two of them that she was there. Felicia threw her husband a look before making her escape, hugging her daughter tightly. “I tried to cook. And failed,” She sighed.

“Yeah, I figured when I saw the pizza in the backseat,” Lilie grinned. “At least you tried.”

“And that right there is why you’re my favorite,” She beamed.

Lilie’s grin only grew, especially when her father came over and swept her into a tight hug. Once Ren came in, they all sat down, chatting away happily. She had to admit this was probably one of the things she missed most; eating with others always killed her loneliness. They asked her a lot of questions about school, about the friends she made, about the vampires she interacted with. Eventually, the topic landed on the Eve she served.

“I have a dress code now,” Lilie pouted.

“I imagine that can’t be too bad,” Will chuckled. “Dressing up in fancy clothes sounds like fun.”

“Yeah, I guess, but I didn’t really like him deciding that my whole closet wasn’t good enough,” She shook her head.

“The least he can do is get you a new wardrobe,” Felicia argued. “He wants things his way? Okay. Then he needs to get you everything--shirts, shoes, bags, accessories. And if you want something extra, then get it.”

“Mama…”

“Lilie Lyra, I’m not joking. And it’s not wrong because you’re complying.”

“Pretty sure that’s called ‘malicious compliance’,” Ren said.

“Compliance nonetheless. You should see if you can get those pumps that Rosaline Blackdale wore in that one movie with Eris Samael, I’ve always said they match your eyes.”

Lilie tried not to react too much to that, letting out a sigh. “I’ll think about it. But he already got me a new wardrobe. That’s why I had to bring everything back,” She shrugged. “Nothing I had met his standards. Well, except for grandma’s necklace and the dress you made me, he really liked them. But I can give them back if you want, Papa.”

William shook his head. “Nothing would make me happier than if you kept them with you,” He told her, waving away her concern.

Lilie beamed, delighted that she had his blessing, especially since she had left them in the dorm feeling they were safer there. As she looked over at her brother, she noticed he seemed more unamused than usual. Before she could ask him what bugged him, she was interrupted by her own yawn. Her sleep schedule was all sorts of messed up and it would stay that way for a long time, unfortunately.

“Bedtime already?” Felicia lightly teased.

“No, not yet,” She shook her head. “But, um...aside from that, I think I’m going to try to keep an open mind about Count Benjamin. It’s a little weird between us right now, but as long as we meet each other halfway, I think it’ll be okay.”

Ren scoffed, muttering something to himself. Before he knew it, the other three were looking at him expectantly. He kept eating, chewing slowly to avoid talking, but the quiet continued. “I just think you should be careful,” He shrugged. “Vampires in general are pretty scummy, associating with a noble is just asking for a bad time.”

“I don’t really have a choice,” Lilie laughed. “That’s what the princess wants, so there I am. Can’t really argue with that decision.”

“Until he decides to throw you away,” Ren commented.

Lilie wasn’t really sure how to respond to that. There had been this tiny hope that if she couldn’t do magic she could return home, but Professor Sinnenodel made it clear that that would not be the case. Besides, Ben wouldn’t do that. Hopefully.

Felicia threw a glare at Ren, reaching over and rubbing Lilie’s arm. “That’s not going to happen,” She assured her.

“I know,” Lilie said.

“Do you?”

“Yeah, I just said it.”

“I just don’t want you stewing and suddenly getting doubts.”

“I’m not stewing!”

“Not right now, but you have this really bad habit of getting too into your own head and spiraling at the worst times, I just don’t want you punishing yourself because of something someone said. Especially when that something is stupid and shouldn’t have been said,” Felicia’s glare on Ren hardened before she relented, looking at Lilie. “You’re fine. You’re a perfectly healthy, normal girl. You have a good head on your shoulders. You’re going to be great.”

Except for the fact that her vampire openly commented on her albinism. But Lilie wasn’t about to open that can of worms right now. A tiny wail brought the conversation to a screeching halt, with Lilie jumping out of her chair immediately. “I’ll get her!” She half-called, half-squealed as she went to the bassinet, gasping at the crying bundle. “Oh, don’t cry, it’s okay.” She picked her up as she tried to soothe her.

The rest of the table dispersed, with her parents telling her a few things that happened around town while her brother went to the backyard. Lilie put herself on the couch and was all too happy to watch over the baby. The adorable bundle of life in her arms had every ounce of her attention, the occasional movement and tiny yawns melting her heart over and over. Daisy was just about two months old now and no longer looked like a wrinkled potato. She had these giant, curious blue eyes that seemed fascinated with her, and her little fingers and hands grabbed at her hair and clothes. After taking a ton of pictures she settled on just lightly prodding the little one and talking, watching her reactions.

Eventually, she realized Ren never came back inside. He was probably moping, but she felt bad. She thought maybe the idea of her magehood was something he was used to, but then again, she’d be lying if she said she was completely used to the idea.

Unwilling to part with Daisy just yet, Lilie decided to take her outside with her. Ren sat on the deck, staring out into the backyard. It was starting to get dark, and the fireflies were just beginning to light up. After carefully taking a seat next to him, she watched them fly around, the two sitting comfortably next to one another. At least, until Daisy started to fuss a little.

Ren sat up, looking at her. “Want a break?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m okay,” She said, sighing happily as she gently pulled back the blanket away from Daisy’s head. “I’m trying to savor it while I can.”

Ren paused for a second. “Well...even if you were going to college, you wouldn’t have been able to see her every day,” He pointed out as he shifted so he was partially facing her. “So...no need to get all resentful.”

Lilie looked up from Daisy at his comment. “Oh, no, I mean...you’re right, but she’s not gonna stay little for so long, that’s what I mean,” She quickly corrected herself as she smiled. “I actually really like the academy.”

“Really now?” He asked, surprised.

“Yeah! I’ve made some friends, and I got a vampire that isn’t too bad,” She told him. “He’s kinda stiff, but he’s okay. But the best part has to be all the magic.” She swelled with pride at the thought, wondering if maybe he wanted a demonstration.

Ren’s expression went blank, and he turned himself to look out into the backyard. “You like it?” He asked.

“I do,” Lilie frowned, wondering what was up with the sudden change. It got quiet, the only sound between them being the crickets and buzzing of whatever bugs were still out there. Did she say something wrong? He usually didn’t hesitate to tell her what was on his mind, but he wouldn’t look at her. Lilie carefully nudged him with her foot, getting his attention, but when he looked at her, he seemed to be thinking about something.

“Come on, spit it out already,” She told him as she nudged him again. “What is it?”

He took in a deep breath, shaking his head. “I never thought you’d like it over there,” He said with a shrug, quietly cracking his knuckles.

“What, did you expect me to stay all mopey?” She joked. “I mean, it’s not all bad. I’m actually getting a hang with my affinity, too. Soon, I’ll have a lot more control, so…”

“It’s not that,” He interrupted, his tone a little harsh.

“Then what is it?” Lilie asked with a huff. “Come on, tell me already.”

He opened his mouth to respond, but closed it. After a solid ten seconds of struggling, he finally said, “I just don’t understand how you can like the thing that ruined your life.”

Lilie’s eyes widened considerably. “What?”

“You like magic? You cried that you didn’t want to be a mage--”

“Yeah, but that’s--I was scared,” She said, a little flustered that this is what was apparently concerning him. “If it was my choice, I wouldn’t, but...I can’t change that. Embracing it is probably for the best, and maybe I’ll actually be good at it, too.”

Ren didn’t seem to like the idea, narrowing his eyes in clear disapproval. That riled her up a little. “What do you want me to do? Make no effort and just cry in my room all day?” Lilie huffed at him.

“I didn’t say anything,” He muttered.

“It’s written all over your face!” She pointed out.

“Alright, I’m sorry that I’m surprised,” He snapped. “I thought you’d take more time to warm up to the idea, I didn’t think you’d be singing its praises so soon.”

“I’m not--you are being ridiculous,” Lilie said, shaking her head.

“Am I?”

“Yes! I thought you would be happy for me!”

“I’m not happy that you’re gone. I wanted you to be here. I wanted you to follow your dreams and meet someone nice and build your life here.”

“Well, that’s not an option anymore. This is my life now.”

Once again, silence fell between them, but this time, it was cut short by a quiet whine. It evolved into crying, and Lilie started rocking gently again to try to soothe the baby. She must have agitated the poor thing without noticing, but she would get up from the chair and go inside. She walked over to the crib set up in her former bedroom, setting Daisy there. Unraveling her from the blanket, it calmed her down, and she dozed off once again.

Lilie sighed, leaning over the crib. She wished she could read her brother’s thoughts and saw why he was acting the way he was. She thought he was going to be proud of her for not being such a crybaby! But he was just mad, or annoyed, or frustrated, or just throwing a tantrum. She was actually annoyed, too, but after a few minutes, she realized she was sad. Maybe this was just happening because they were both sad.

After making sure the baby monitor was on, Lilie returned back to the porch, this time kneeling down behind her brother. Without giving him a chance to question her, she gave him a very tight hug. “I’m sorry,” She said. “I miss you guys like crazy. And I’m pretty sure it’s going to get worse down the line. But don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. I can do it. Okay?”

Ren didn’t respond right away, not even after Lilie released him. She was worried that maybe she said the wrong thing, but just as she went to speak again, he turned and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. He didn’t say anything, but at this point he didn’t need to--she got it.

The back door swung open, making the two jump, and when Lilie looked, she watched her mother throw herself onto the chair with a cigarette in hand. She paid little mind to the pair, focusing more on getting a light, and only after she took in that first drag did she finally eye her two children.

“What’re you guys getting all emotional for?” Felicia asked, leaning back fully in her seat.

Lilie bit her lip, shaking her head as Ren scowled at her. “Nothing!” She giggled.

_{Dates: October 8th - November 4th}

10/8: Eris and Lilie

> Sorry I kinda ditched you last night. But tonight I'm going to a concert, wanna come with?

> I'm going to hang out with some upperclassmen and would love if you came!

> Hope you have a good break! Cya when we get back!

> I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have left you. Are you okay? Can you call me?

> If you're mad at me, that's okay. I'm sorry. I just want to know you're okay.

> Are you back? I didn't see you in Affinity Mastery.

> I'm sorry.

Lilie stared at her phone for a good minute before closing the conversation, putting her phone down and placing her head in her hands. She didn't have the slightest idea what had happened until the broadcast, and all she could do was spam text Cassandra's number. At first she thought that maybe she had been in recovery and couldn't get to her phone, but her guilt told her that obviously Cassandra didn't want anything to do with her. She hoped that she could catch her in class, but she was then told that she was getting a new partner.

But Cassandra wasn't in class at all, and Lilie knew that her injuries must have been bad if she still hadn't returned to school. Her guilt had been gnawing at her the entire day--well, night--but between adjusting back to a nocturnal schedule and trying to practice stupid arcane magic, she had successfully avoided it until she was alone. She felt terrible that she had a nice night while her poor friend had been attacked, feeling like the entire thing could have been avoided if she had taken Salem's suggestion and stuck together as a group.

Well, she would hear something eventually, right?

A shrill bark snapped her out of her thoughts, though she had been thinking so hard that it scared her. She looked around, another bark catching her attention, and she saw Maxie sitting in front of her, happily wagging her tail.

"What are you doing here?" Lilie asked her, getting off the bench she was sitting on and kneeling down.

The Pomeranian was all too happy to have her attention, nuzzling against her hand. It did make her smile, and she happily obliged as she pet her. What a needy girl! Maxie was all too happy to receive her affection, only looking away at the sound of a whistle. Lilie saw an exasperated Eris approaching the pair, leash in hand. He looked a little annoyed, but as he approached, his face smoothed out.

"She was doing well until she saw someone she recognized," He muttered, kneeling down and pointing a finger at the dog. "Bad. No running off like that."

Lilie stood, frowning at Eris. She assumed he was trying to teach Maxie how to walk without the leash, though at least the pup did a good job not going anywhere, remaining seated and looking between the two. When Eris stood, he gave her a look over, making her a little uncomfortable.

"Well then, looks like I wasn't the only one looking to improve on my mage's poor choice in clothing. You almost look like a real mage now, little one," He said cheerfully, lightly tapping her chin with the leash. "What, old Benji burn your wardrobe? He did you a favor if you ask me."

"Who--no, and his name is Benjamin, not Benji," Lilie shook her head, letting out a huff. "He just...wants me to look like a 'proper' mage."

Eris grimaced, reaching out with his free hand and gently pulling her ponytail into view. "He really missed out on a vital aspect of that," He replied, letting her hair run through his fingers. "Frowning and moping around isn't ideal, either. A mage should keep any feelings or personal thoughts to themselves, you know."

Lilie hung her head in defeat, crossing her arms. "I was just thinking about what happened. With the mages that got hurt. My friend was one of them."

Eris wrinkled his nose, shaking his head. "That worry is pretty belated, don't you think?" He asked as he threw himself onto the bench, patting the seat next to him. Lilie thought he wanted her to sit next to him, but Maxie hopped up instead, curling up next to him. "With all the magic in the world, mages are fragile, aren't they?" He asked, scratching Maxie's chin.

She didn't know what to think about that, or at least, she didn't want to admit how worried she was. Taking a seat next to Maxie, she looked at Eris worriedly. "Did you get to see them?" She asked.

"See who?"

"The people that got hurt. The princess mentioned you and Count Victor, and…" Lilie paused, feeling anxious, but she needed to know. "I just...I haven't heard from my friend, and she was one of the victims, and…"

Eris' expression went neutral at her words, and once she stopped talking, he threw his head back. "It must be nice to live in such an ignorant bliss," He said to himself, shaking his head. After a few seconds, he sat up straight and turned towards her, giving her an unimpressed look. Lilie deflated at Eris' look, looking down at her lap. "So, you don't hear from your friend, you see an announcement on what happened, and you're wondering why you haven't heard from them. Right?"

"Yeah…"

He pinched the bridge of his nose as she squeezed his eyes shut, but he then relaxed, giving her a smile. "Mon chérie, you really are one of a kind. I mean that in every sense of the word, truly," He sighed, reaching out and tucking a hair behind her ear. "If it falls to me to be the bearer of bad news, well...I'm just not sure I have what it takes to break your heart."

"What do you mean?"

Eris picked up Maxie and shuffled closer, placing her on his lap. He leaned in close, looking directly at her. "The victims were critically injured, chérie. If they haven't returned, then it's safe to assume that they did not recover," He told her gently. "I think that's something you didn't consider, is it?"

What?! No, that couldn’t be right! But even as the thought crossed her mind, she felt this terrible dread pulling her stomach down. Why wouldn’t they tell anyone if that was the case? She looked at Eris, trying to formulate the words, but her throat just refused to make any noise.

Eris, on the other hand, understood that she seemed to get it. "I thought only children can be that naïve," He chuckled to himself, pausing as he felt his phone buzz. "Watch her for a second, I need to take this." He instructed as he placed Maxie on Lilie's lap, standing up to answer the call.

She couldn't find any way to protest, staring down at the pup. How could this have happened? How did he know? Was this one of those things that everyone knew but just couldn't say? For a moment, Lilie wondered why she wasn't crying, but she didn't know what to think. Paralyzed by shock, she barely registered when Eris came back and took Maxie, though at least she did get up. Vaguely giving him a thank you, she walked back to the dorm, trying to rationalize how she could have missed it. Now that she really thought about it, it made more sense. Maybe she had just been in denial the whole time.

The sound of a door closing scared Lilie, and she realized she managed to get all the way to her room without realizing it. Her hand was clutching her phone so tightly that her knuckles hurt, and as she looked back down at the messages, a horrible thought hit her. Was this her fault? If she hadn’t left Cassandra alone, could her death have been avoided? As soon as the thought crossed her mind, however, she felt her knees give way and she slumped down against the wall.

It took her longer than it should have for her to realize she could hardly breathe, but she just sat there, heaving sobs as she held her head in her hands. How could she have been so stupid?! Of course something like this was going to happen, vampires didn’t care about mortal lives! The one night she let herself get comfortable and something horrible happened--why did she expect anything different? And now, poor Cassandra was just gone, and nothing could bring her back. All she could do was imagine how terrible it must have been. And how terrible she was for leaving her friend behind.

Aaron and Lilie

“Ausculto.”

Three taps of a foot and a quick breath in, and Aaron was in his own little world again. This time it was plucking instead of bowing, but he lost himself in it nonetheless, running a couple different harmonies in his head and plucking in time. For a little while, he got to forget about everything, the only thing occupying his mind a steady beat.

All too soon the part was over, and Aaron returned to the world, glancing down at the page on the table in front of him. Like the others scattered around, it was covered in notes that had written themselves while he was playing, and Aaron smiled. Without a doubt, he considered that “listen” spell to be the most useful one he’d learned so far.

Putting his cello aside for the moment, Aaron leaned over the patio table, looking over the collection of sheets he had amassed with a critical eye and picking one up from time to time to compare it to another. After a few minutes he nodded to himself, taking up his cello and bow once more. Extending a hand, his eyes flashed for a moment and the notes on each sheet began to faintly glow.

“Cano.”

One by one, lines of music began to play; they were small parts individually, but together they wove a solid harmony, waiting for the melody line to come in. Just by playing to some enchanted paper, Aaron had made himself a little cello ensemble, all on his own.

He tapped his foot gently to the music, poising his bow, and when the time came took a quick breath and started to play. Being that he was mostly improvising to the melody of an old lullaby, Aaron had no music to read, so instead his eyes fell to his hands, one dragging the bow smoothly across the strings and the other moving expertly over the fingerboard. Without realizing, he began to sway a little with the bowing, sinking into his own little symphony. The crisp night air, the slight breeze, the rustling of the trees... they all fell away. All there was in the world was him, his cello, and the music, free and uncaring no matter who might hear.

Walking up the block in somewhat of a hurry, a very upset Lilie was fighting back tears of frustration. Why did she have to get assigned to a noble? She could barely keep up with her classes, now all of a sudden she needed to be ‘cultured’ and have some hobbies to hide that she was an uneducated hick from Nowheresville. She thought her ballet and fencing were enough, but considering she wasn't an expert on either and usually combined the two, Ben had decreed that they didn't count and she would need to ‘broaden her horizons’.

Except, she was never really good at anything else. Or rather, the only other thing she was actually talented at was not something impressive by vampire terms: and she couldn't argue considering that even the most beautifully made food was pointless to them. She loved music and could hold a tune, but she wasn't amazing at it nor did she play any instruments. She liked sports but didn't excel in anything in particular. She couldn't draw if her life depended on it, her crafts were just things she did for fun, her grades sucked, she sucked at school, and she was getting more frustrated the more she thought about it. Ben had given her a list of things to try, but none of it was anything she could have had a talent for. It was just hopeless. She was hopeless.

As she looked down at the paper filled with crossed out words, another flash of anger hit her, and she found herself crumpling it up, as if that would erase the words and failures. Approaching the cul de sac, Lilie took in a deep breath to calm herself. No doubt Ben would want to talk about what she decided on, so she figured she would take the free time to think. The closer she got to the dorms, however, the more she thought she heard music. Either she left her phone playing or was going crazy, but it turned out to be neither; she had been so wrapped up in her own thoughts that it wasn't until she was nearly back that she noticed the music.

Honestly, the sight was one to behold. She had often heard Aaron practicing more than once, but getting to see him play again was a real treat. It was soothing, a quiet moment where she held her breath just to make sure she didn't take him out of his element. He looked very much into it, swaying as he played, expert hands performing for an audience that wasn't there. She felt entranced, though she entered her own property before approaching the wall that separated theirs. Leaning on it, she simply watched, amazed that what sounded like something she would hear from a CD would be coming from Aaron.

Once the last note rang, Lilie snapped out of it, hastily wiping her eyes before applauding Aaron with much enthusiasm.

The applause pulled Aaron out of his head a little faster than normal, the blonde looking around for the source before he found Lilie, leaning on the stone wall that separated their properties. Apparently she had been listening, and Aaron’s eyes lit up when he saw her, despite the flash of embarrassment that burned at his ears. Smiling bashfully, he gave her a little wave, setting aside his cello and stacking his papers neatly before hopping off the patio and joining Lilie at the wall.

“Hi!” he greeted cheerfully, placing a hand on the wall between them. “Were you listening the whole time?”

The girl found herself getting rather excited as Aaron smiled, waiting eagerly as he decided to come over. That smile of his alone managed to lift her mood in ways she didn't think was possible. Shoot, she hoped she looked normal, but there was no time to check as he approached her, greeting her happily.

“I wish,” Lilie was honest, frowning slightly as she realized she wasn't sure where in the song she had started paying attention. Perking up slightly, she hopped in place as she looked up at him. “But what I did hear was fantastic!”

And she meant it. She wasn't an expert, but she recognized talent when she saw it. Getting to watch Aaron had been a real treat, nearly making her forget about everything that had happened.

“It's nice to actually see you play,” she found herself admitting. “Sometimes I hear it when I'm in my dorm, but you're usually done by the time I finish."

Aaron’s smile only widened as Lilie spoke, and he leaned on the wall as well to listen. His ears burned as she praised him, and he had to look away, feeling bashful. “I’m surprised you haven’t seen me more often, I always practice outside.”

Fiddling slightly with the hem of her jacket, Lilie let out a short, somewhat anxious laugh. She wasn't about to admit that she sometimes watched him through the window; there was no way she would live that down if he ever found out.

“W-Well, sometimes I listen as I do my homework,” she decided to admit that much. “And it always helps me concentrate. But you usually finish before I do.”

“Aw,” Aaron couldn’t help but exclaim, though his ears got a little hotter when he realized it. “That’s really flattering, thank you.”

He tapped his fingers on his arm for a moment. He didn’t know what else to say, but he didn’t want Lilie to leave just yet. “Would you like to see what I’ve been working on?” He finally asked, looking hopefully to Lilie.

Lilie didn't think she had ever agreed to something so quickly, nodding enthusiastically in response. “Yes!” It was a very welcome distraction, the girl unable to contain her excitement. Catching herself, she cleared her throat, blushing as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Wow, she really needed to calm down. “If...if you don't mind, I mean!” Her response was still excitable as she placed her hands behind her back.

Aaron lit right up again, standing back up to his full height excitedly. “Of course not! Hang on,” he smiled at her before jogging back to the patio, scooping up his music in his hands and returning to lay it out on top of the wall.

“It’s not so much a project as it is me just messing around, but I found a way to use some magic to play multiple parts at once, watch.” He held a palm over the pages, and the notes began to faintly glow as before. “Cano.”

Like they had before, each part began to play itself, a harmony waiting for a melody. “...And then I play the final part, once I’ve prepared the rest. It’s a really fun exercise, especially for otherwise simple pieces like this one.” He talked about it animatedly, but also casually, as if he’d been waiting for a chance to talk to someone about it. Probably because he had. He didn’t often get to go into detail on his interests. “Isn’t it cool?”

Absorbed in every word Aaron spoke, Lilie listened intently, making sure she paid careful attention. Clearly a lot of thought had been put into this, a wonderful combination of music and magic resulting in a rather beautiful result. Part of her had assumed he played along with his phone or something, but the truth was so much better! He must have been a genius or something, she probably wouldn't have been able to come up with this sort of thing.

“It is!” Lilie agreed, absolutely fascinated by his work as she watched the notes light up. She supposed she liked it more because it was night; his efforts wouldn't have looked as nice during the day. As she watched the notes, she noticed how what she heard didn't match what she read. Oh, right, he played the cello, that was an entirely different clef. “Mmm...you write it on your own and everything, right?” She asked, lifting her gaze from the pages to Aaron. “Like, you don't just play?”

Aaron chuckled a bit, looking down at his music and waving his hand to dismiss the spell. “Honestly, not really. I’m actually kind of garbage at composing,” he smiled down at his music as he collected it. “I don’t know what it is but I usually just don’t feel the need to write music, I guess. But lately I have nothing new to practice, so I’ve been playing around with pieces I already know, like this one. It’s actually just a lullaby.”

He smiled again, eyes flicking up to Lilie’s. He got caught up in her eyes for a second, before he realized he was staring and came to his senses. “I’ll show you!” He suggested, gesturing for her to stay as he retrieved his cello, a chair and some more sheets of staff paper. Waving his hand over one of the new sheets, he muttered, “Ausculto,” and the staff lines began to glow a little, pulsing slightly.

Taking up his bow, Aaron played a quick little melody, just one verse of a common folk song. As he played, the notes wrote themselves on the paper. When he stopped, the glow faded. “How cool is that?” He asked Lilie excitedly, “Way easier than playing, pausing, copying, all that nonsense.”

It was hard to miss Aaron's staring, but she hadn't noticed she was staring back until he spoke. Lowering her face into her hands as he ran to get his instrument, she mentally berated herself. She needed to get a grip, Aaron was going to think she was weird if she kept staring at him!

Lifting her face as she thought she heard him coming back, Lilie smiled politely as he demonstrated for her. He might not have thought it was much, but it was genuinely one of the most amazing things she had ever seen. It was hard not to stare, the joy and passion he had for his playing slightly infectious. But after a few seconds, she realized she had gotten absorbed in his eyes, completely missing what he had said.

“It's…” She screamed at herself, begging her mind to come up with something. What was wrong with her today? “I mean, I just...can't believe you thought of it yourself,” She said sincerely.

Aaron smiled bashfully again. All this praise was a rare thing in his life, and he was sure he could have melted. “Well, I didn’t invent the spell or anything,” he explained, leaning back in his seat. “It’s a pretty simple spell, a lot of people use it to take notes. But I thought it might be useful for this.”

He chuckled, albeit slightly less animatedly than before. “I bet Lucan is jealous he can’t do it.”

Looking up at Lilie, his expression grew more sincere. “Do you play an instrument?” He asked, surprised it had never come up before.

Lilie shook her head, fingers drumming against the wall. It was a genuine question, but hearing it a second time had caught her off guard. “No,” her response was a little on the quieter side, feeling like she was talking to Ben all over again. And like before, she figured she may as well continue the same way. “I like music, but I don't really...I'm not good with my hands.”

Aaron quirked a brow, tilting his head a little and turning in his seat. He could still cradle his cello between his legs, but now he could hook an arm around the back of the chair. “So?” He asked, as if it were obvious, “You don’t need hands to play music. Do you like to sing?”

“Well, yeah, but…” Lilie scratched her cheek for a second, letting out a slight huff that blew her bangs off her face. She supposed that Aaron was just being curious, not judging her every move or seeing her as uneducated. Throwing that aside for the moment, she dropped her arms to her sides. “A little. Mostly in the shower and anytime my friends did karaoke.”

Aaron thought for a moment. He wasn’t sure exactly what karaoke was, but he was certainly intrigued. Lilie was so beautiful, he had no doubt in his mind she would sing like a siren.

Maybe it was a little forward, but he had to ask. “May I hear?”

Lilie was surprised by Aaron outright coming out with it. Shifting her weight from one foot to another, she opened her mouth to respond, but she was at a loss. “I...you want to?” She asked, a little disbelief in her voice. Feeling a little bashful, she let out a laugh. “I don’t know, I’m not incredibly talented or anything, you might regret asking.”

Aaron chuckled. “I sincerely doubt that,” he told her. And it was true; he was pretty sure he could listen to her read off a grocery list and be captivated from start to finish.

“Tell you what,” he suggested, shifting in his seat and picking up his bow. “I can play harmony. So you’re not just singing to nothing, how about it?”

Torn between not wanting Aaron to hear her mediocre singing and very much wanting to hear Aaron play more, Lilie took a moment to consider it. Singing with her friends back home was one thing, but with an instrument and actually talented musician was another thing. But what really seemed to weigh in was not wanting to say ‘no’ to Aaron, not with the way he was looking at her right now.

“...um...okay,” she quietly agreed, giving him a small smile.

Aaron smiled wide, adjusting himself in his seat again and poising himself to start. But as he counted in his head, waiting for a moment to begin, he realized he’d forgotten something rather important.

“...I don’t know what song to play,” he laughed, glancing down at his instrument before looking back up at Lilie. “Any ideas?”

That smile was going to be the death of her if her nerves didn’t strangle the air in her lungs first. Clearing her throat in an effort to compose herself, Aaron brought up a good point. Part of her wanted to use that as a means to escape, but he was so good-natured about it that she actually took a second to stop and think.

“...what was the song you played before?” Lilie decided to ask, having recognized some of it.

Aaron thought for a moment. “The lullaby? That song isn’t in English-- Oh, you meant this one,” he laughed a little at his own mistake, tapping the paper he’d used to demonstrate his spell. Something about this girl always threw him off. “That’s just a folk song, The Parting Glass. Do you know it?” Ever since starting at the Academy he had been learning that a lot of the things he grew up with weren’t exactly commonplace elsewhere, and part of him wondered if the song was too old for most people to know it.

Lilie made a nod of understanding, nodding in response. “Yeah, my grandmother had the record playing the last time I went to see her,” she said, as she pulled out her phone. Granted, it wasn’t something she had expected Aaron to know, but he was just full of surprises. Her eyes lit up as she looked at the lyrics, giving him a rather excited smile. “We can make it a duet!”

Now it was Aaron’s turn to be shy. “You think?” He asked, smiling down at his cello. “Because I actually am a bad singer so you’ll have to be prepared for that.”

Though he was outwardly hesitant, he was more than willing to sing with Lilie if it made her more comfortable. He was willing to do a lot of things to make her happy, he supposed. He lived for that smile of hers; sometimes it was all that got him through the night.

“Alright…” he conceded, looking to her. “How should we split it? Take turns on the verses and do the chorus together?”

Unable to contain her grin, Lilie hopped in place as she agreed. “Sounds good to me!” She said, taking a step back before lifting herself onto the wall, cautiously pulling herself into a seated position as she smoothed out her skirt. It was an excellent trade off in her opinion, though it was mostly comforting that she wouldn’t be going at it alone.

“On your mark, maestro,” she bowed her head to him.

Aaron glanced down again. He could feel his ears burning, and once again he was glad for his moderately long hair. He couldn’t consciously put his finger on it, but there was something about being the one deferred to that made him feel important.

“I’ll even do the first verse for you,” he offered, smiling. He wanted to do everything in his power to make her feel comfortable enough to sing.

Straightening his back, Aaron took a playing posture, taking a moment to remember the tempo. Clearing his throat and tossing a stray lock of hair out of his eyes, he tapped his foot three times and inhaled, starting with a long tone to introduce.

“Of all the money, that e’er I had, I spent it in good company...” It was only after he started singing that he began to play more harmoniously, keeping it simple. He could hold a pitch with his voice, but that was about it; he couldn’t do the fancy riffs that the song was usually sung with, and he’d never been able to figure out vibrato with anything but his cello, but he was more than happy to do it if it meant Lilie would soon be joining him.

“And all the harm, that e’er I’ve done, alas it was to none but me…”

Lilie watched Aaron as he started off, once again mesmerized by the unity of both cello and his voice. He said he was a bad singer, but she found his voice rather pleasant, the baritone going well with the instrument as the song went on. As she listened, she had to consciously remind herself to pay attention, nearly losing track of where he was in the song.

Taking in a breath, she found herself getting somewhat nervous, fingers pulling at her dress, though it was far too late to back out now. “And all I’ve done for want of wit, to memory now I can’t recall…” It started a little quietly, her nerves winning out for a moment until she adjusted herself, their voices singing the melody together. “So fill me to the parting glass: goodnight and joy be with you all…”

Realizing that his voice would be leaving hers on her own, she sat up slightly, unintentionally meeting his eyes and hoping she would steal some of his confidence. “Oh all the comrades that e’er I’ve had, are sorry for going away…” Despite knowing that she probably should have lost it, something about watching Aaron made her feel warm, her heart racing in her chest but doing little to deter her. “And all the sweethearts that e’er I had, would wish me one more day to stay…”

A smile played on Aaron’s lips when he heard Lilie join him, stealing the occasional glance up to her between watching his fingers and the pull of his bow. She outshone him by a lot in the singing department, and he was happy to let her take the lead, considering himself lucky to have been able to hear her.

Their eyes met for a second when it was her time to come in, and Aaron had to look quickly back down so as not to stare. Instead he listened intently, pouring a little more heart into his playing as he began to sway in his seat, wanting to do her voice justice during her solo. When it came time for him to join her again, he instead sung harmony, letting her voice take the spotlight.

“But since it falls unto my lot, that I should rise and you should not;I’ll gently rise and softly call: Goodnight, and joy be with you all…”

He couldn’t help but look back up at her at the end, struggling to stop the smile that tugged at his lips. “Goodnight and joy be with you all.”

Their eyes met once again, and it took Lilie a moment to realize that the song had ended. The quiet that fell between them made her realize just how loudly her heart was feverishly beating, something inside her that felt warm and comforting bursting forward as she unabashedly stared at Aaron. Her hands were to her chest, maybe an unconscious effort to calm herself, though after a few seconds, she finally dropped her gaze, letting out a chuckle.

“That was...you were amazing,” Lilie told him, shaking her head as she looked at him again, her eyes lit up with something resembling admiration.

Aaron held Lilie’s gaze once he stopped playing, an oddly comfortable silence stretching between them. It was as if they were both in their own little worlds, not realizing the other hadn’t said anything. He blinked a few times when she spoke, and shook his head.

“Me? Are you kidding? You sing so beautifully!” He sang her praises shamelessly, leaning back once more in his seat. Maybe it sounded like he was just being nice, or maybe even patronizing, but he meant every word. “Does Count Benjamin know about your talent?”

Whatever high Lilie felt from Aaron praising her suddenly came crashing down as he asked if Ben knew. Her expression fell slightly, and while her smile didn’t go away, it lost a lot of its energy as her eyes darted to her left. Should she be honest? It wasn’t like she had any reason to lie, but it was a sharp reminder of her nights’ events.

After a few seconds, Lilie looked at Aaron again, trying to keep her smile up. “He does, but...He, um, didn’t share your opinion,” She told him quietly, lowering her hands onto her lap. “I got too nervous, so I just stumbled over myself. It was sad, if I’m being honest.”

Aaron’s face fell more pointedly than Lilie’s, and he worried that he’d accidentally struck a nerve. But he could understand completely if she had fumbled in front of her Count; he remembered the evening before the party where he’d played, when Varis had handed him a completely foreign piece and told him he’d be playing it for their guests in just a few short hours. The Count had made Aaron sight read it in front of him, and the sheer weight of his gaze had been enough to make Aaron trip over his own fingers.

“I know the feeling,” he told her, hoping to comfort her. “But Count Benjamin seems understanding, maybe if you explained that you were nervous? I--”

Aaron cut himself off when an alert sounded in his pocket, Varis being his only contact that made a sound rather than just a vibration. Hurriedly he checked his phone, eyes widening.

“--I’m sorry, I have to go,” he rushed out, hurrying to his feet and collecting his things. “But I’d love to do this again sometime, maybe?”

Lilie jumped when she heard the door slam, eyes wide as she spotted the vampire. Aaron’s suggestion made her heart skip a beat, returning some of her enthusiasm as she nodded. “Y-Yeah, of course!” She told him, giving him a genuine smile once again. “Anytime. Ah, anytime you can, I mean, I know you’re usually busy,” she corrected herself as she watched him gather his music.

Aaron smiled, nodding in turn, but turned again to look at Varis, who seemed to be waiting for him. “Great!” He replied simply, waving as he hurried back to the house, belongings in tow.

Lilie returned his wave rather happily, and even though she knew she probably should head back to her own dorm, she stayed where she was for a moment, simply watching Aaron. She wished she had recorded their song; she was much too distracted by Aaron himself, wishing she could have heard his voice on a continuous loop. She wasn't sure what she liked more, his voice or his eyes. The more she thought about it, the more she came to realize that she really liked his eyes. Their color was so peculiar, something that she didn't catch the first time they had met but only when they became friends. They had this brightness to them, making him seem innocent and genuine. Which he was, of course, but she had seen it in his eyes before the rest of him could assure her of that fact. Even when they had been cold in the arena, they were still so full of life. It was hard not to stare, but fortunately he looked at her a lot, so she got a chance to commit the color of his cerulean eyes to memory.

Beep!

Lilie jumped, having been so absorbed in her thoughts that her own text tone had spooked her. As she looked at her phone, she let out a groan. Ben was asking what talent she had chosen so that she could take the appropriate steps to teach her. She didn't want to think about a hobby or talent. She wanted to think about Aaron--

Whoa, that was a first.

Lilie surprised herself with that thought, letting it sit for a while. She wanted to think about Aaron. For some reason that made her feel giddy, or something along those lines as she felt her heart race in her chest. It certainly explained all the fluttering in her stomach as they sang together. But was it right? She felt like it was one sided. They spent a lot of time together, but it was mostly because she often asked for his help. He probably thought she was a burden, or was just too nice to say no. What a depressing thought. But if there was even the slightest chance, wouldn't that be something?

She found herself holding on to that chance a little tighter than she probably should have, even as she finally got down from the wall and returned to her room. Especially as she indulged herself in thinking about his cerulean eyes.

---

When Aaron and Varis finally got back that morning, Aaron took some time after he was dismissed before bed to put his cello and music all properly in order, having had to stow it away in a rush before he left. But as he was organizing the sheet music he’d been working on, he came across the sheet he’d used to demonstrate his technique to Lilie. To his surprise, the page was full, instead of just having the short excerpt at the top of the page as he remembered. It took him a moment of staring for it to dawn on him: he’d forgotten to de-activate the spell!

He read it over multiple times, just to confirm. Indeed, it did look like all those notes came from their duet, with a part for each of them and another underneath for his cello harmony. At first he was ecstatic, glad to have this accidental reminder of their song together. After all, all he could think about the whole night afterwards was her voice, and the way she looked at him as she sang, perched on their property wall like one of the delicate marble garden statues back home. But as he remembered, he realized that there might be a better use for it.

---

Humming to herself, Lilie had to admit that it was hard to get the song out of her head. This time, she left the music for her shower, finishing just as she turned off the water. Grabbing her towel, she mentally went over the night’s events, remembering the way Aaron played. He wanted to do it again, but honestly, if she just got the chance to watch him practice, she would have counted it as a blessing.

Exiting her bathroom, she nearly screamed as she spotted Ben sitting on her bed, completely concentrated on a letter with a curious expression. It wasn’t until her shock wore off that she heard music, and after a few seconds of listening, she realized it had been the duet between herself and Aaron.

Once the last note played out, Ben finally looked up, unphased by her shock and confusion. “This is leagues better than your initial performance,” He said, folding the letter back into the envelope with care. “I'll get in touch with a voice coach, it's safe to say that this will be the skill you'll be refining."

Lilie wasn’t entirely thrilled to find that their talk of privacy went nowhere, but being greeted after a shower to get complimented was a new one. At least he didn’t walk in on her again. Hugging her towel to her, it took longer than it should have for the pieces to connect, Lilie’s face flushed red. “I...okay?”

Taking her words as acceptance, Ben would stand and walk to the door. “If you were nervous before, you should have said so," He said. "I'm happy to get the chance to hear you at your best."

The white haired girl took a second to wrap her head around what happened, having to wait until he left as she smiled to herself. That Aaron was too much, she was going to have to tell him off for recording her like that. Still, she was unbelievably happy, jumping around the room until she found her phone, sending Aaron a quick text:

> Maestro, I’m going to have to pay you back for that! Thank you!!! :D

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