The Patrician Residence of the Master of Protocol

Isabella Florentina · Post by **Isabella Florentina** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:58 pm

Isabella gave the Heron one last wistful glance, then let go of dreams of that particular hunt.

For reasons she could only fathom she felt like she should be taunting her lover some more, making him jealous beyond reason, force him to shout out what he really wanted from the rooftops. For the life of her she couldn't remember why. There was only this ball, and she was there as his co-hostess, was she not? Other allignments seemed so far away now, yet their shadows ran in a strong undercurrent of the darkest passions.

Isa tossed back her black hair, looking straight up in his wolvish eyes, locking her gaze with the one who held her precious heart in his claws, for better or for worse. It was as if they were both dancing on the edge of a vulcano and they stood in danger of dropping off, yet neither could allow the other to escape their inevitable doom. "A mere demonstration milord?" she whispered huskily, "I will devour you whole if you but give me half chance."

Andolin · Post by **Andolin** » Sat Apr 03, 2004 8:24 am

She had seemingly ignored his slight, but he had appreciated the humor privately. As she threatened to devour him, Andolin found that hardly a reason to be terrified. A challenge? Is she challenging me? He was a man who could resist few challenges, especially when he could turn them back on her.

With a challenging grin, he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Fine. Consider that you now have half a chance." Pulling back he smiled at her smugly. What would she do now? Was she all words this evening?

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sat Apr 03, 2004 7:37 pm

"Shaeliana but most call me Shae," she smiled back at the elfess, reveling in the peace she felt, in such contrast to the hot passions of a few moments ago. Resisting the urge to look back inside to see what the couple were up to know, the healer focused her attentions on Elevie. This one had something she needed and was willing to share what she had.

"I am pleased to meet you Elevie," the healer responded. "Thank you for taking the time to help me. I must confess, I know no magic and obviously nothing about the sheilding you talk about. I am eager to learn however. Things have been rather... " the young woman broke off in thought about the days since the battle of Brie where her wild emotions first surfaced.

"Rather bad since the battle of Brie when my emotional world just sort of took on a life of it's own, uncontrollable by me. I thought I was going mad," she smiled at the elfess. It was a good feeling to find people who knew what she had gone through and understood it.

"What do I need to do?" she asked plainly, eager to make good use of whatever time she might have in this place.

Post by **Syrawenn** » Sun Apr 04, 2004 10:50 am

The butterfly's careless face immediately changed to one of vigilance, her eyes checking out the surroundings while she was being twirled around. "Wow, watch the spinning or I'll spin out of control!" She warned her dancing partner, then leaned in close all by herself. The reason for that particular move was soon revealed when the girl spoke the next words softly: "Mister, I don't know who you are or where you are, but you had better remember this dream carefully...since I'm dancing with you I guess you're the most likely one to die tonight, specially since you've come prepared. When you wake up, watch your back. Don't trust just anybody. If you die in this dream, it will echo in reality."

Her small, strong hands held his arm tightly. "Don't take me for a jester just cause I don't belong here...unless you do not die this time, in which case you are free to forget whatever I rambled."

Elevie · Post by **Elevie** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 4:29 am

Elevie finds herself smiling back at the human girl with openess and candor, surprised at her own feeling of connection. Perhaps it is this odd party, which is beginning to seem more and more like a dream. Or perhaps the lack of entourage and familiar faces around her- both comforting and stifling, carefully sifting through those around her and allowing only limited access to her person during events such as this.

Elevie touches the silver torque at her throat. The girl must not know who she is either, and that too seems oddly coforting as Elevie places her fingers lightly upon Shae's wrist and instructs,

"Close your eyes. I want you first to try and sense my shield around your emotions. It is built up, layer by layer. Some see such things as a wall, built brick by brick, but I prefer to envision it as a weaving, strengthened by warp and woof and built up thread by thread into a strong pattern, that is complex but made up from simple things. Do you understand me so far?"

Elevie's blue eyes meet Shae's as she says earnestly,

"You must reach into your inner self- the core of your being, where your spirit resides. You said that you are a healer? Do you know the place you reach into to knit blood and bones? Try now to find that place- I will hold the shield around you and you will be safe. But you must try to find the wherewithall to create it for yourself."

Elevie holds Shae's wrist lightly and looks intently at her, waiting to see if she can sense any change in the girl.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 4:29 am

As the dance ended, Balthasar considered upon the butterfly's words. They turned suddenly serious...very serious indeed...and her grip upon his arm was one that held in it warning. What does she try to say? What would she have me know? It is true that I've come armed, and such a disposition would incriminate me alone in any coming violence, he thought, watching her closely through his long heron's mask. He spoke at last, his voice dry and perhaps strained.

"I will consider upon your words, Miss Butterfly...and heed them as well I might. I am...no stranger to betrayal, and your warnings of this place are...welcome. I hope you will have a pleasant evening. I must go be the social fool for a time, I think...and to reflect for a moment."

The prince bowed deeply to the lady and lead her back to the tables, gathering them both a beer though he would drink none of his. All just a dream? he thought, wandering away on his own, his rapier suddenly a heavy curse upon his hip. And yet the butterfly would advice a mortal caution here. Perhaps her words are wise. Perhaps she knows something more than she's willing to reveal.

Moving away from the party for a time, the Prince found an empty bench upon which he might rest his feet and his beer for a few moments and watch the brightly dressed crowds with quiet distraction.

Klaes · Post by **Klaes** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 4:46 am

"I suppose that may because the Citadel has never felt the One's light upon itself. It is a shame- so many travesties commited because not enough light is allowed to shine." He smiled politely- convinced of his words to the point of conviction. "Maybe nobody has tried the proper way just yet?"

At her mention of the song, he chuckled. "Are you seriously telling me that you can hear the voices of the entire city? Imagine how useful such a thing would be in the event of an election." He laughed- in such a way as he had not laughed in a long time. This woman was somehow so contrary to the women he was used to, and yet somehow so appealing and genuine that talking to her was a pleasure.

He made a note that not all women in the Citadel behaved like harlots or haughty noblewomen.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 1:27 am

Closing her eyes as instructed, the healer took a deep breath and let it out slowly, focusing on the sensation of peace wrapped around her like a blanket. Letting her mind drift, it wasn't so much a blanket as it was... home. Home and her father's arms. Whenever Shae had been frightened or upset as a child, his arms around her always made things better, like now, chasing away the fear and filling her with peace and hope. A small smile curled the corner of her lips as she envisioned herself wrapped up in those strong secure arms.

Now, the second part had been to find her center. That was someone elses shield. She had to make her own. Moving her focus from outside herself to inside, the healer looked to that place where blood and bones were as suggested but found nothing. But what she was looking for wasn't a physical part of her being. It was something deeper, more like the part of her that was unleashed with Rhoddin when she felt as if she was melting into him and he her.

Letting her thoughts settle and still, she looked for that fluttery place, her middle and when she found it, almost gasped and lost it in her amazement. Caught up in the vivid maelstrom of swirling colors, more than see them, the healer could feel them. Laughing, she reached out and ran her hands through the tinted moving mist, the sense of emotion nearly as insubstantial as the mist but undoubtably there though faint.

Yellows and greens swirled together and yet remained distinct and separate emitting the feeling of age, stability, power and joy. Outside floated a rather quiet current of soft blue, peaceful, quiet, at peace. Moving to each color, she tested it to see the feeling attached. Pink seemed musical and active, purple rang of passion for her work, and red, the passion she felt for the bard. Darker colors seemed attached to darker feelings and the healer shuddered as her hand trailed through a dark reddish-brown that returned the feelings of battle with the orc, her desire to see them dead and the taste of her own fear.

Somewhere in all this, she was supposed to find or construct a... what was it the elfess had said? A brick wall or a weaving, the colors woven together to make a barrier between herself and the rest of the world. But how? The way she saw them they were not like threads. How did one weave the misty fog of an autumn morning she pondered as she moved her hands through the colors, sensing the faint emotions attached to each. Frustration grew as she attempted to hold onto the fog, shape it, pull it to herself, all to no avail.

It was the purple of passion that finally solved the puzzle for her. This time the passion was her frustration, a feeling she'd felt all to often after the battle in Brie. Now, her frustration with this skill caused the purple to grow and as her hand moved through the transluscent color, the sensation of frustration stuck to her. That wasn't the best description of what had happened, but the best she could generate for now. Concentrating on other emotions, she reached out and began to "touch" the other colors, finding that while she couldn't grasp the color, she most certainly could grasp the emotion and controling that feeling controled the colors.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 4:37 am

The Prince reconsidered the party with some reservation. The butterfly would caution me to be careful. And yet I've never been careful in my life. No, I think I might try to enjoy myself as much as I can. The dream will end soon enough. Speaking of which, where did the swan go? he thought, looking around for the dark hair that had long since left the room. Instead, he spotted Shaeliana and the elfess out on the terrace. Perhaps I should welcome the healer at last. She seems to be getting along famously at any rate.

Rising slowly, the heron slid across the room, leaving his beer forgotten on the bench behind him. Moving out onto the terrace, he noticed that Shaeliana had closed her eyes in focus. Magic at a ball? I hope it serves her well, but perhaps there was some need for it. The healer had seemed most...unhinged in recent days, he considered, moving up to the ladies with an assertive presence lent to him by the sharply drawn heron mask.

He waited a few moments until he had been noticed by the elfess before he bowed to her and spoke, his low, crisp words invading Shaeliana's concentration. "A fine evening, ladies. I beg pardon for my interruption, but I could go no longer without greeting madam Caedhan," he said, smiling from under his obscuring mask.

Elevie · Post by **Elevie** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 7:04 am

Elevie sits patiently as Shae discovers her inner spirit and then speaks softly so as not to disrupt her concentration.

"Whatever you see- the colored threads or bricks of your wall- you must build it up piece by piece, carefully and smoothly- for it must keep others out with no chinks. Then only you can remove it bit by bit and allow in what emotions you will. Once you have mastered the shield some can also learn to project specific emotions- although not all. But now- I will relax my shield from you slowly- just remember that what you feel from outside has nothing to do with you. Tell me if you need me to bring it back up once more."

Carefully, Elevie unwinds her delicate coccoon from around Shaelina, strand by strand, letting the healer once more be opened up to the emotions of the party- admittedly less intense since the two powerful empaths have taken their own private game off into the gardens, where Elevie can dimly sense them, but not close enough to be distressing.

She herself is concentrating on Shae and whatever emotions she might feel leaking from her newly constructed sheild when the Heron steps smoothly and confidently towards them, waiting a moment for Elevie to acknowlege him before he speaks.

Elevie looks from Shae to the Heron in surprise then says faintly,

"You know one another? But wait- give her a moment to come back to herself and see if she can hold the shielding in place."

Elevie turns her attention back to the girl in front of her and says.

"Shaelina- now try to visualize your shield still around you- surrounding you like a blanket or soft coccoon even while you speak to me. Once you have the image strong within you, open your eyes and try to hold it there in the background. You must practice this everyday until it is second nature for you. Try now- if it is too difficult I will raise my shield around you once more."

Elevie's blue eyes flicker back to the Heron and she wonders just what he is feeling at this moment. Cautiously, she opens herself to him just enough to try and sense what emotions are hidden beneath his mask as she looks from him to Shae, wondering again just why she is here.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 11:56 pm

Holding the energy was growing easier. Keeping it where she placed it was another issue entirely and she felt the purple frustration growing again as she heard the elfess in the background reminding her to weave it together but it was an image beyond her, this weaving. Going back to her initial perception of Elevie's sheild, that of something wrapped around her, she stopped struggling and let go of the purple mists.

Quieting herself once more, she searched for the peace, for the still place and having found it, began to pull that around her regardless of colors. Focused on the feeling, she began to surround herself with that calm she craved these days. As the elfess took her shields away, Shae was very aware of the holes in her cover though it was nothing like it had been previously. Gaining confidence, she felt a smile tug at her lips just before a familiar male voice spoke up.

Balthasar? Here? Her surprise caused her to lose control of her peaceful center allowing the emotions around her to flood in uncontroled once again. Her eyes fluttered open causing a momentary spell of dizziness she fought as she turned towards the masked man.

"M'lord?" she curtsied low, eyes down as she wondered just how to address him here, masked as he was, her cheeks blushing gently as she looked down and recalled the outrageous dress she was poured into.

"A pleasure to find you here," she replied quietly a note of question in her voice to match the wild thump of her pulse as she was indued with emotions again. Turning to Elevie, she smiled and shook her head.

"I think I am going to need a good deal more practice before I am able to maintain it milady," she felt her cheeks growing warmer.

"Thank you for the lesson and your assistance," she wasn't sure how to ask her to pull the sheild back up, wasn't sure she wanted the king to know what she had struggled with for all this time. She'd not shared it with anyone except Rhoddin.

Elevie · Post by **Elevie** » Sat Apr 10, 2004 9:23 pm

Elevie watches Shae carefully, alert for signs of distress and pleased when the leaking edge of frustration seems to alleviate, replaced by a calm sense of peace. Although it is nothing like complete, the elf can feel the human woman gaining confidence and murmurs encrouagingly,

"Yes- that is it! That is the key to how you must shape it, I think. I can still feel you, but much much less than before."

Elevie herself starts though at Shae's surprised exclaimation and blinks slightly up at the Heron, saying with a little amusement,

"Milord? And here I thought you a simple marchland bird, sir. It seems there is more to you than first appears, is there not?"

But then Elevie senses an anxiety coming from Shae. A hint of wanting to keep something hidden, of insecurity once more- and so the Tarien obleigingly brings her own shields back up around the girl once more, saying seriously,

"You have found the way of it, I think. But you must practice on it everyday, until you can call them up and drop them at will- or instinctively even, without thinking about it consciously. But I will help you to hold them steady for now."

She smiles and presses Shae's hand once more, then turns back to the Heron, regarding him with a little confusion and perhaps even disappointment.

Another courtly lordling then? No wonder he was so practiced in his compliments. But then, what else might I have expected- although this gathering does seem to have produced an odd assortment of guests to be sure. Still, he had seemed to be... different, somehow, from all the others. But I suppose not...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 5:19 am

"I find myself interrupting you, mylady. I apologize for this. I could not pass on the opportunity to ask you how you do this evening..." responded the prince, casually including the noble honorarium that came to his lips easily. He lifted his hat off his head and raised his mask, revealing a kindly smile upon his lips and genuine warmth in his eyes. "Have you met Princess Elevie of Tel' Aranae Quessir? You would most likely have met her eventually, given that she's my betrothed."

Turning to the elfess, the Prince bowed to her very deeply. "Your highness. I think perhaps I'm far simpler than the marchland bird I appear to be, I think. At least I feel as much in your presence. May I present Lady Shaeliana Caerdhan, a friend, companion, and a master healer in her own right?"

His introduction delivered, the Balthasar considered the ladies with some interest. Shaeliana's dress seemed rather scandalous, an unusual look for her, but one that became her well. Or perhaps I'm foolish enough to believe it becomes all women? No, I think I'm wiser than that. She would never wear such a thing, and that makes such a vision all the better, I think. And a lot might be told from the response he witnessed from the elfess as well. His guess that she truly was the elven princess was a good one, but it was still a guess. How will she react to me? Does she chafe her betrothal as I have? And does she suddenly find hope in it tonight as I have as well?

Elevie · Post by **Elevie** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 7:11 pm

Elevie can feel the warmth from the Heron as he looks down at Shae and herself- he must be genuinely fond of the human woman. His pleasant words have barely hit her ears though when she hears her own title coming from his lips and feels a stab of amusement, mixed with irriatation- it would seem that he knew who she was all along then!

But the end of his sentence drains the color from Elevie's face and she swallows, looking at him in disbelief and then dropping Shae's hand as she says slowly,

"Did you both.. know who I was all along? And you- Prince Balthasar? Is that how I have come to be here then? Through some plan of yours?" Elevie is feeling a bit thickheaded and out of the loop- not something she is accustomed to, nor, she is finding, enjoys very much.

Her brain tries to run back through the dance she and the Her- no, she and the Prince had shared, wondering what she had said and she feels a faint flush of embarassment rising on her cheeks and throat as she stands abruptly and takes a step back from the two, not sure what to say.

But the woman- this Lady Shaeliana- her pain was real. Of that I am sure. I do not believe she made to dupe me with that, whatever other game they meant to play.

She drops a low curtsey to the Prince and then says cooly,

"Highness. I hope whatever sport your little joke has afforded you serves your good humor well. Naturually I had not expected to meet you here. I have, after all, only been waiting for most of my life for the momentous event to occur." She cannot keep a slight tartness from her voice as she adds,

"I pray you pardon me, highness. I must find my own friends here somewhere."

And with the privilege of rank, she turns her back on him-surely a most unthinkable insult from anyone else- and gathers up her skirt in one hand to stalk gracefully down the terrace and towards the garden, pulling her shields carefully after her like winding up skien of silken yarn, glad that her confused and boiling emotions cannot be sensed behind them.

Post by **Syrawenn** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 8:22 pm

The fun was taken from the strange evening for the chaotic Butterfly. After having scared off the funny Heron with her tales of death and destruction she decided to find a way out of the crowded room. Syrawenn headed for the garden and noticed another lady hurrying that way. There was something about her pace that was not exactly languishing as a lady was supposed to do.

The girl frowned. Isn't that the one that silly Heron referred to? Now what did that oath do, spoiling the good mood! Quickly she grabbed the yellow folds of her costume and went after the woman. "Hey! Wait up!" She called, taking great pains not to stumble over the elaborate fabrics. "No good walking around alone!"

Elaine · Post by **Elaine** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 8:29 pm

â€œIâ€™m not sure.â€ Elaine admitted to the Imp. â€œI am not that familiar with the cityâ€™s history. I do agree that light is always a good way to go. If no one has tried the right way yet, perhaps you have come to the right place to set an example? I would be most interested to learn how you would go about bathing the city in a healthy light.â€ The blind woman was indeed genuinely curious. If this man could possibly help against the darkness he would be so welcome! Yet it was important to know exactly how tolerant he was. What if he thought her a dark mage for listening to a song as ancient as the world?

She laughed together with the Imp at his implication of her abilities. â€œNo, no, good sir, maybe I did not make myself clear. It is not the voices of an entire city I hear, it is the voice of the city itself...or at least that is what it seems to be to my ears...quite a beautiful song if only it was left alone by the dischord of darkness.â€ Now we will have it. The girl thought. Will he condemn me or accept the possibility of a truce?

Post by **Shaeliana** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 2:13 am

Already in a mild state of shock, seeing the king here, she couldn't help but look at him puzzled as he introduced her as lady. As bewildering as that was, the healer was not at all prepared for his next revelation - the elfess who was helping her was a princess. Worse, it was the princess who would be his bride. Eyes wide, Shaeliana looked at the elf and started to execute a formal curtsey and express her honor at meeting her when Elevie went off on what the healer could only think of as a rant.

No, she hadn't known all along. How could she? She didn't know the king was here, didn't know that anyone she knew was here and wasn't entirely sure where here was or how she arrived. But before she could answer the clearly upset woman, she had gathered her skirts and swished off, leaving Shae standing with her mouth open. With the elf's departure came the surge of emotions once again.

"No, Elev... your highness. I didn't know..." she insisted, her voice much softer than intended as the lady swept off towards the gardens. Torn between the urge to run after the elfess and a sense of propriety at abandoning the king, the healer looked at the king and then back at Elevie.

"Forgive me m'lord," she bobbed a curtsey trying unsuccessfully to regain the calm by sheilding herself. "I need to talk to the lady," she stammered as she lifted her skirts above her ankles and raced after the elfess.

"Elevie, wait!" she called out to the lady, cursing the contraptions on her feet that hurt and made running difficult. "Your highness, please..."

Elevie · Post by **Elevie** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:37 am

Elevie steps down the stone steps towards a path winding into the garden and pauses as she hears two female voices imploring her to wait. One is Shaeliana's and she feels a twinge of guilt, suddenly realizing that the expression on the healer's face as she had spoken to the Prince was as surprised as her own must have been.

And truly she had no shields at all. You did wrong to withdraw as you did, Elevie! Selfish... even if she is pledged to the Prince's service and not to yours.

She stops in the moonlight and lets her shielding extend once more, enveloping the young woman again, the walls becoming more steady and muffling as Shaeliana gets physically nearer to her.

The owner of the second voice is less expected however. It is the woman in the fluttering bird's garb, the silly conciet of its feathers flying into the air as she runs down the terrace to catch up to them as well.

Once they are all three standing in the moonlight, Elevie surveys them and raises her brows with a shrug, saying with a wry smile,

"Twere no great boon to you to follow me when I am in so ill a temper. I am not so accustomed perhaps to ... being the butt of a joke as his Highness is at playing them, I think. But I do not think it was any of your doing."

She looks around once more and wonders- just for a flash- if perhaps a third, more masculian set of feet might come running up to them? Then she sighs, suddenly tired, and says,

"La, this is a wearying party, is it not, ladies? Let us walk in amonst the trees and take in the cool air and fresh grass. I mislike the heats and fervors of that ballroom. And if my own entourage is nowhere to be found, then it seems a new one has been created for me?"

There is a hint of a question in the last sentence- a hint of unsurety- as if Elevie realizes that these women have no reason at all to accompany her beyond their own desires, and is wondering if they will stay to do so or not?

Post by **Syrawenn** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 9:14 am

â€œWoha!â€ The impulsive butterfly replied at the unexpected use of titles and honorifics and stopped dead in her tracks, her yellow wings fluttering with every move. â€œOkay, thereâ€™s more people surprised I guess...highnesses all around...well, pleased to meet you. Iâ€™m a definite lowness and could one of you please release me of those stupid wings? By the way, your kingperson is actually really very much looking forward to getting married to you, miss.â€ Syrawenn nodded at Elevie, remembering the Heronâ€™s comment on marriages. It had seemed to fit perfectly, no matter the distress of the other woman present. â€œBut of course now I might have upset you...â€ She looked at Shaeliana. â€œSorry if I did. Anyway, yes, letâ€™s walk. Clears the foggy minds and misunderstandings too. Wow, you sure made one great exit, lady!â€

Princes, princesses...what kind of party is this? At least I was right in thinking the guy actually belonged at a party like this. Next to that: letâ€™s face it, these two are infinitely more suited to these gowns than you are. Didnâ€™t that just about give away what people attended the festivity? Silently she laughed, then remembered the ill feeling of before and the rapier on the Heronâ€™s side. She frowned.

â€œScuse me...sorry for being such a blabbermouth, I might be completely bonkers, but I gotta tell you.â€ Her stomach protested. â€œYou both did realize by now this is some kind of weird dream, right? I mean, how else would a person such as myself be able to get in? One problem...Somehow I got this nasty feeling that the fact that the Heron is armed in a dream means heâ€™s gonna get into trouble. Deadly trouble. Other problem is that when people die in a dream, they usually got a really big problem in real life, so I can only hope that the two of you are actually gonna get near him cause I sure as the Seven Isles wonâ€™t ever be let in! Pardon for that lovely moodbreaker.â€

The girl looked at the two women intently, looking for some sign that they wanted to have her arrested and thrown out, ready to bolt if they did. If only they would get those wings off my back! She wished fervently. Those things were as annoying as her own presence!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 9:22 pm

Good! Yes...that went WELL. Go up and introduce yourself. Talk to her. She was already talking to Shae, so what could go wrong? he thought, watching the two ladies leave. He might have followed after her...that would have been the gallant thing to do. But he did not care to do so, and he did not fully understand why.

The Prince turned to stare out into the gardens, an ironic grimace on his disappointed face. Disappointed he was, both in this dream and in the princess. It seems things are far worse than I feared. She must learn to handle disappointment far better than this to manage at my court. Perhaps I should have introduced myself as an ogre? Yes, an ogre. That might have gone better.

Looking down, he caught sight of his forgotten mask as it hung in his hand near his rapier. A mask and a sword. Yes, I know now why I'm not in such a hurry to be gallant tonight. And now I understand this dream perfectly. I had believed that the sword was out-of-place upon me in such a dream as this. But it was never the sword at all, was it? It was the mask...

Smiling to himself with this new insight, Prince Balthasar tossed the silver heron mask out into the gardens with casual negligence, watching it fall to the garden floor with distracted pleasure.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 10:42 pm

The sense of dismay and disappointment was strong and knowing now that it wasn't her own feelings, but emotions of those around her, it had to be Balthasar. She didn't understand exactly what had just happened and certainly didn't know why the princess thought she had been the butt of a joke. The king wasn't like that at least not the one she'd grown to know. Still, it was a relief when she felt the elfess's shields go back up around her shutting off all emotions but her own which were quite enough to deal with at the moment. Nodding at the butterfly and motioning her to turn around, Shae turned her attentions back to Elevie while she attempted to pry the wings off the costume.

"Milady, what do you mean by joke? Baltha.. his highness isn't like that. He'd not do something meant to be harmful even in a small way." The healer didn't understand this tension between the two, unless it was simply the fact that they were promised to one another and yet, had never met... until now. Once she'd finished with the cumbersome wings, she took the princesses hand.

"Much as I would enjoy your company and appreciate the lesson on shielding milady, I was rude in darting off from the king as I did. I feel I should return," she squeezed the princesses hand lightly.

"He is a good man milady and a good ruler. Don't be too hard on him. Whatever happened was not meant to hurt or embarrass you. Thank you for your lesson and I shall practice often each day," she smiled warmly, resisting the urge to hug the lady as she turned loose of her hand, curtsied and made her way back up to the king.

"Milord," she bobbed a quick curtsey as she arrived. "Forgive me dashing off. The lady had been teaching me... to shield," the healer blurted out in her typical straightforward manner.

"I did not realize you would be here," she looked back at the yellow winged woman frowning slightly. "The one in the bright yellow costume seems to think you are in danger, milord," she mused and turned back to the king.

"Then again, she doesn't know what you've come out of..." she trailed off. Were they out of it or still in it? All at once things were confusing.

"She says this is a dream?" the young healer laughed at the absurdity of that. Dreams were disjointed thoughts and memories not something one felt so strongly as she had with the emotions tonight.

"Why did the princess think you had played a prank on her, sir?" she asked plainly only considering that it might have been a private matter between them and not open for discussion after asking the question.

Elevie · Post by **Elevie** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 4:10 am

Elevie finds herself arrested by the butterfly's words as they trip out of her mouth even as the trailing wings trip up her feet. She spouts like a brook in the spring and Elevie wants to ask how she should know such things, but is not sure if she ought- wondering if the woman is Goddess-touched, particularly when she claims that they are all in a dream.

Instead she bites her lip at the butterfly's words and takes hold of one wing, while Shaeliana reaches for the other, trying to loosen and free the wire framework and finally reaching for the slim dagger against her thigh and using its point to twist some of the knots loose so that she can unfasten the stretched gauze.

The Lady Shaeliana's words are another revelation entirely and as she tells Elevie that the Prince would not have played such a joke on her, the elf feels a flush rising upon her cheek once more and stops a moment with the long knife glittering in the moonlight, looking across the butterfly's wings and saying slowly,

"Then- you do know one another? All of you?-" she looks to the butterfly, not sure if she is chance met or another comrade of the Prince- "But, you were not in league to trick me out? I thought... he seemed so practiced, when he revealed he had known who I was. I thought you had meant to dupe me into thinking he was someone else- a sort of test for me. To judge me without my knowlege. Or perhaps just to... make sport of me. "

She takes a deeper breath and then adds a little hesitantly,
" Draesl and Cerulien have oft told me that I had an... overly rosey idea of the Prince, compared to the gossip we have heard of his... behaviors. When actually confronted with him, I suppose I decided to believe the worst, instead of being-"

She looks from one woman to the other before finishing almost inaudibly,

"More romantically inclined. I did not think he knew who I was. I thought I was just being... myself. And so I did not like feeling that the Tarien was just being assessed once again."

Shaeliana gives her polite words and excuses herself to return to her lord and Elevie smiles faintly at her, not sure now what to say.

Have I now isolated one who might have been a friend in a strange Court? Still- she does not seem to be overly angered. I was over-hasty in many ways, it seems.

Left alone with the Butterfly, Elevie feels her face giving way to an expression of dismay- even as she wonders why she has had the urge to confide in these women at all. But then she recalls something else that the Butterfly had said and looks at her own long dagger, shining faintly in her hand with the moonlight and she asks softly,

"You say it is an ill omen that the Prince goes armed in this dream? But- so do I, always." She lowers the dagger and looks down at it, before asking the Butterfly,

"But- do you really believe him to be in danger? Real danger?"

Post by **Shaeliana** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 4:20 am

Shaeliana shook her head at Elevie's questions.

"Yes, I know his highness and have traveled with him. I did not know he was here until he revealed himself," she assured the young elfess.

"I had no idea you were a princess or I would have acted much differently milady. And I am afraid I've not had the pleasure of meeting our delightful butterfly," she laughed before taking her leave to return to her liege to see how he fared.

Post by **Syrawenn** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 4:52 pm

Much to her delight Syrawenn felt the troublesome wings being removed from her back. "Oh, thank you!" She replied with heartfelt relief. "Now I feel somewhat like a human again. Mind the 'somewhat', other people would rather call me a nuisance." The girl grinned. It turned into a huge smile when being called delightful by the elegant lady. "Wow...thanks! You're not half bad yerself and I agree: the princy guy is actually quite nice from what I've seen. Anyone daring to take me to the dancefloor has a courageous heart and a great sense of humour!"

Shaeliana left. There was something about the way she moved towards the Prince that made Syrawenn slightly suspicious. What's that between those two? She wondered, but cast it aside when being asked another set of questions by what seemed to be a real life princess!

"At least you believe me when I say it's a dream..." The girl started, looking around the room for all those people that were convinced this was for real. "The best evidence is simply in me being here. I'm a no one, one of those you'd rather ignore on the streets cause I speak too plainly and don't care for that hypocrisy some people call decency. I do not have access to these parties and second...do I look like a dressup person?"

Her eyes lit up with a kind of frustrated fanaticism. "This..." She took the folds of the dress in one hand as if it were a disgusting thing. "This is not what I wear! And then there is another little detail and since you were so nice I'll just chance it and try to explain...you see, when I dream it's supposed to be nightmares. This is still nice and pretty next to the occasional run in between noble pigheads -present company excluded- but there are people with weapons and since usually the person that I try to get to know better gets it, well...princeman is up for it. So are you now, I guess, but somehow I think he has a better chance at getting in trouble. You see..." It was harder than she thought to tell someone about her experiences with nightmares.

"Well..." The wingless butterfly scratched herself behind an ear. "When people die in my dreams, they die for real." Quickly she looked at the princess for any reaction. "I'm not kidding, although I might be quite mad. So yes, I believe him to be in very, very real danger. Dunno how or when, prolly will never meet him again, but still. You or that lady still have a chance to save the guy if he needs it...funny, you got a weapon, but still you don't feel like a victim. So, did I freak you out yet?"

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 5:01 pm

Glancing over at Shae's arrival, the monarch gave her a polite yet haggard smile before he turned his attention back to the shimmering mask on the garden grounds some distance away. A subtle hint of bitterness, irony, and anger could be felt from him, strange only in that they were mixed with resignation and perhaps contentment.

"Madam healer. No apologies are necessary, of course. You've always had a knack for finding those in need and helping them to the best of your abilities. I think perhaps the princess needed you just then, and perhaps even now," he said, remembering the cryptic names she dropped on the dance floor earlier when he was still uncertain of her identity. "And never mind the butterfly's words, for I only have a vague recollection of a time when I wasn't in some type of danger."

Turning to the healer, Balthasar's bitterness began to ebb quickly as did his anger. It was a cool, acidic anger that boiled under the surface, hidden well by the pleasant smile before it. "I'm not certain why she felt practiced upon. Perhaps she's had little reason to trust in the past, and she does search for offence overmuch? Regardless, the result is the same: I have been dismissed. Which leaves me free to escourt you. That is, if you would not find my company too onerous as well..." offered the monarch, his ironic joke delivered with a crooked grin.

"Tell me this, Shae. If we had been practicing upon her, and had constructed some elaborate joke at her expense, how do you consider her response just now?" he asked, nodding once more in the direction of the elven princess.