Heiro nearly took a step back as Janu's words snapped at him, her harsh tone unlike anything he had heard from her before, but the immediate look of guilt stopped him. He tensed a bit as she slipped her clawed hand over his, but did not pull back, instead turning his scarred hand over to grip hers properly.

As she spoke, stumbling over her apology his heart clenched painfully. He hardly wanted her to leave, and the fact that she thought he would want her to made the guilt he felt worse. However, she mentioned that she did not belong, he could not help but give a wry smile, she belonged here about as much as he did. The only reason he was here was because he held obligation to the Fae and his... subjects.

He let her hand slip from his, watching her as she drew into herself even more. His mind ran in circles attempting to come up with the best response, but before it could, his body seemed to act of it's own accord, stepping up behind her and wrapping his arms around her shoulders, the large silk sleeves of his outfit covering her like a cloak. Then, his mind caught up, his naturally slow heartbeat quickening to the point of a living person's pace.

"I do not wish you to leave. I never did, and I regret that I had to." He said, voice low. "I never had a chance to tell you..." He paused then, his eyes quickly flicking to the crowds inside. It was risky, what he was doing, he had duties to uphold, the Fae would be furious if they saw him now, yet... part of him really didn't care. He deserved this, as did Janu.

"Aishiteru, Janu." He whispered finally, then let go and took a step back, waiting for her response, whatever it may be.



Sadiya let out a light laugh, the blush on her cheeks not fading. Such a gentleman, this Uriel! She was hardly used to this treatment, as life back in her homeland was opposite of anything one might consider high society, but she had a feeling she could become adjusted quite easily.

Giving another small smile, she placed her hand in his and dipped into a shallow curtsy, "Thank you, Sir Uriel, you are very kind. I am Sadiya Lahab, ambassador of the Kahroba tribe." she said, focusing on her words more than the changeling's slightly flustered appearance.

Again, Calder froze, allowing the conversation to pass over him as he’d taken to staring. Apparently he had taken up a sudden interest in learning how unfamiliar races simply moved. Upon being first asked to join in finding a seat, his awe had driven Calder to respond with a tiny nod that he’d quickly come to regret. That an exchange had sparked between the dryad and siren came as a welcomed change of topic. With too much to be taken in, the first few moments had come and passed too quickly for Calder to really think over.

Noting that again the younger had again proved himself childish in that thoughtlessness, Aden brought his brother back to attention with a secret tap (that was harder than need be). Although Aden was much less obvious about it, he too had taken some relief in having attention drawn from him for at least a tiny moment. Discussion of dresses had potential to temporarily grant safety in invisibility and perhaps clear the card again for another attempt at ‘being himself,’ as Kisala had said.

To the violent gesture from his brother, the younger had immediately responded with his own abuse, an awkward backhanded slap that’d been poorly disguised as a yawn landed upon the elder’s stomach and again a shocked gasp was released (and also poorly hidden as a yawn). This, Calder knew, would later earn him a good hour’s worth of lecturing, but now gave satisfaction of knowing his brother shared discomfort.

Pandora allowed a laugh to make it's way out of her mouth. She hadn't laughed in a while. "People, ranging from humans to harpies and the such, tend to do stupid things from time to time. Even I've had my stupid moments." She kept her gaze locked on him, even as she spun. "I, most likely, wouldn't change my opinion of you if you did something stupid," she said, "But if it happened repeatedly... Well... That's a different story." She smiled once more.

---

Flora smiled at Kisala. "You have a lovely dress as well," she said, "And your name is unique. I haven't met anyone named Kisala up until now!" She noticed that Calder had nodded slightly to her previous question. She turned her attention to the two brothers, watching their actions. "Really?" she said, "Must you both act so immature? It's quite unappealing."

Kisala smiled. It had been a while since she could speak so relaxed with another female. "Thank you. It's a very unique name, even under-water. " Kisala's attention shifted with Flora's, to the brothers. "Oh don't be to hard on them. I'd rather see them being brotherly, then pretending to be more mature than they really are. Stuffy-ness suits neither of them." she giggled. "I'm sorry Prince Aden, Prince Calder, if I offended either of you, but it is true."

"Your laugh is beautiful." the words slipped from his mouth before he realized it. "Uh, I have a pretty big record of doing stupid things repeatedly for the sake of looking much cooler than I already am." Cyris pulled the woman back and continued the dance. "So tell me Pandora. What was your stupidest moment?"

Pandora almost didn't catch what he said about her laugh, but once she dud, a blush spread across her cheeks. "My laugh isn't that beautiful," she said, "And, really? Doing things to make you seem cooler only make you look like an idiot. I've seen too many people who did stupid things that they thought would make them look cool. Some of their stunts almost had a few of them near death." She fell silent as she thought over what her stupidest moment was. It had been so long that she couldn't even remember. "I'm not too sure," she said, "It's been a while. The memory has seemed to escape me."

Winking at the curvaceous woman on impulse, he titled his head forward slightly. "Again, a pleasure. Now shall we dance?" Tugging Sadiya into the dance carefully, Uriel grinned. A friend, most definitely someone he wanted to befriend. That wasn't a horrible thing, but anything more might be stepping across bounds the courts had told him to keep. Besides, though this fae was enchanting like many of her kind, there was still the fact that she was an immortal. Or at least, she would live for centuries longer then Uriel ever would.

This of course was the major problem with being a changeling living within the fae courts. It didn't matter whom he met, whom he became friends with, they would all live longer the him. Crowding those thoughts out with the dance, Uriel guided his partner with a slight awkwardness that was born more from nervousness then inexperience.

Standing, Stuart offered his hand as invitation to the dance. He wobbled slightly on his legs before getting used to his own body weight again. "Aye, Ah kin mind yer clumsyness if ye kin mind mine. Nay yet us'd ta mah lain legs, they're still new." He didn't mention how he knew no common dances as the ones he was used to involved the free floating sensation water allowed. "Noo, kin ye teel me a wee bit aboot ye? I kinnea teel ye tha last time Ah got ta chance a talk wit' a human. An ifin ye want Ah kin spinna tale or so aboot mah clan." He moved slowly if not a bit awkwardly towards the dance floor.

Cyris mearly shrugged. "yeah some of my mates and mine have been a little touchy, but thats half the fun." Somehow he continually had a smile on his face. "I think it's a good thing when you can't remember your last stupid moment. It means your a lot more mature, or at least smarter, than I am." Cyris laughed at himself. "I have no problem admitting my faults, I just don't like to focus on them."

Pandora listened to him, nodding every now and then. "Mature, huh?" she said once he had finished talking, "I'm at least nine hundred years old... Think that gives an individual enough time to mature or become smart?" She couldn't help but let out a chuckle, which was just a softer, and shorter, version of her laugh. "I think the reason why I don't remember my last stupid moments is because I don't think about them all that much."

That Aden was the one of the two more ashamed of his actions was clear in his sudden inability to form coherent thought patterns. It was a first, that Aden wasn’t the one left to act as the head and brain of the beast that was the Dumitru brothers. His face flushed red as heat crawled up and radiated from beneath his skin. Although he’d long been taught how to act with proper manners, Aden quickly realized how lacking such an education was. No one had ever bothered to prepare him for what to do when a force as stubborn as his brother came along to constantly bring his pride down several pegs. It’d always been sufficient to just threaten the younger back into line, but even that would place him under the risk of again being called immature.

So, that was how it had been to be his fearful younger brother. It was no wonder that the younger had worked so hard and become so good at clinging to him. This had all been too much, though. Calder had stepped over that invisible line drawn over the years of brotherhood, meant to keep both parties relatively safe. Much to Aden’s frustration, the younger still failed to take the ball at all seriously.

It was much to Aden’s surprise that Calder had taken it upon himself to keep him from being forced to stutter stupidly until words were formed somewhere in a mumble. It was the younger’s form of surreptitious apology.

“I actually thought the freedom of action- or immaturity- had its own little charm to it,” Calder tossed in a half chuckle for effect, again making Aden’s eyes widen. It was rare the younger took on such a worry-free act. In fact, Aden had been convinced he would be the only one to ever hear his brother succeed in speaking without hesitation. Apparently, the younger had watched and copied their father just the same (though had done a better job, as Aden could only begrudgingly admit to himself). “And I don’t see where there is any offense to be taken. I heard, just through the grapevine, that really no one appreciates that proper old man act.”

((edited))

Estella blushed deeply as she realized he was watching her. She glanced up and her eyes met his a moment, uncertain. She was too naive about romance, real and true romance, to really understand what this ball truly meant but that didn't mean certain things didn't get to her. Then again who didn't love to be doted on? Especially when they'd never really been doted on before...

Sure Karlina had tried her best but she was a poor, aging old woman for much of Estella's life, so she had still always felt like a burden. She always felt like she had simply made everything more difficult for Karlina but when the fae prince looked at her like that she felt like everything but a burden. It made her feel...special, like she was some treasure to really notice. The feeling was so new to her that she really wasn't quite sure what to do with it.

"Are you though? I mean, I'd understand if you needed to go talk to some other guests... Judging by what Audrial said and how the others are looking at you I'd hazard a guess you're fairly important... I'm just an adventurer nobody to my knowledge so know you probably can't spend your whole night with me." Estella asked with a slight smile, hiding her uncertainty. She inwardly wondering if she was just imagining things... he was probably this way to every guest. Perhaps it was part of being a prince to make people feel comfortable. She always wondered what a prince's job was. She realized she'd added the phrase 'to my knowledge' as she thought about it. That wasn't how she wanted to broach the questions about her father... She was starting to lose courage to bring up the subject at all.

As she'd stated her observations she had realized just how bad it would look.... For a prince or someone important to spend their evening with some unknown fae's bastard child. Her father had not been married ot her mother though he had promised he would wed her eventually. Whether he had simply been trapped until her mother's death or was dead or had even cared she couldn't even answer... She had a small ring that he had given her mother, that was all. It had a strange insignia on it but some people had reacted badly on seeing it so she never liked to show it to people until she was sure she could trust them and that they cared about finding who her father was.

***

Janu couldn't help but let out a soft gasp as he gripped her unexpectedly from behind. Still, despite her surprise her body didn't seem to care about the time passed or the hurt. It did much the same as it had that night, it melted into him and his embrace like they were simply two puzzle pieces meant to be eternally side by side. She closed her eyes and tried to tell herself that she shouldn't let herself fall into this trap again... but she realized within moments that it was too late. She was already bound to him by a silken rope, despite her earlier certainty that she had snapped that rope years ago.

She hid in the real silk wrapped around her and suppressed a sigh. She couldn't help but turn her head slightly so she could lay it against his shoulder for a moment. If she had to be trapped she may as well enjoy it, even if she didn't know what to expect next. She bit her lip as he began to speak and opened her eyes as she lifted her head to try and see what of his face she could from her angle. He had to leave back then? He hadn't just wanted to? None of this made any sense!

Inwardly she cursed herself as she felt her heart beat grow even faster and felt a tiny bit of hope flare back to life within her. She wouldn't... she couldn't let this happen again. Still, even as she tried to rally her strength against him he would destroy it. She did not know the direct translation but she knew it held the word love and had heard people use it to confess to one another in her travels. She felt dizzy, uncertain. Could he? Could he have loved her then and still love her now...? there seemed little other explanation....but...why hadn't he tried to find her? Yet even as she asked herself this she realized something. It didn't' really matter, she had been constantly on the move to avoid her father's men so she would not have known if he had.

"I...I don't know the direct translation of that... I only know enough for it to awake an old lov-...an old emotion and an old dream I thought I had killed so long ago. I ...I care for you so much, time has changed nothing. Please... If... If that means what I think it means, if you care for me like i do you then say it again and promise me that you wont just leave me again. I'll be yours as long as i breath and ask you no more questions. But if ... if it doesn't and I've just managed to make a fool of myself again, please don't touch me or try to console me. If you don't...don't care for me like that, please don't touch me. It's cruel." she whispered the emotional plea and leaned her back against the balcony edging and placed her hands against it to support herself.

Her claws made a soft sound against the concrete as she bit her lip and gazed at the ground. She was afraid... so afraid she misunderstood and that he was just trying to make her feel better because of that kindness in him he often seem to try to hide. She couldn't take the heart break of another false hope, another moment of bliss only to have reality crash around her ears like a hangman's noose. How could she want him so badly it hurt? Still love him so much her heart skipped at a phrase that only might mean he loved her too?

Lifting her head with a rather nervous smile, she placed her hand almost fearfully in his as she stood. It felt strange to be holding something so fish like. "There isn't much to say. I'm a self proclaimed dreamer with her head always in the clouds." There was more to Rose then that, but nothing else seemed important enough to mention. It was always so awkward trying to decide what to speak of when someone asked you about yourself. So many things made up a person, that it was impossible to pick what interested another.

Smoothing down her butterfly like dress, Rosellen took in a deep breath. Embarrassing herself was out of the question! Though if she fell, she had the feeling that her dancing companion would soon follow. "Dancing like this, at a ball, I've never done it before so I don't even know any of the steps." Getting that quickly off her chest, she grinned. Her blue eyes caught sight of a group of people sitting at a nearby table. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves so much! Perhaps later she could suggest talking with them to Stuart. He was a nice guy, a potential friend certainly, but she wanted someone she could kiss without worrying about jutting teeth hurting her. Maybe she could find someone who wouldn't mind that though, mused Rose silently with a small smile.

Cyris chuckled as well. "Nine hundred? Why you don't look a day over 899." Still with a smile, Cyris' eyes softened. "Perhaps thats the trick to forgetting them. Now enough serious talk, we're at a party, aren't we?" He twirled her again, faster this time than before. "Are you still doing alright Pandora, or would you prefer a rest?"

Kisala gave a soft giggle. "To true Prince Calder. An old man act is just that, for old men, not for young princes." the Siren twirled on the spot, ecstatic that at least one of the brothers had taken her advice.

He had hardly realized he hadn't said the words in English like he had intended until she spoke, a rare pink flush threatening to breach his composure. It died quickly however as he listened to her words, his chest feeling like it was swelling and caving in at the same time.

He hesitated, his mind once more thrown into wheels of thought, over complicating everything, as per usual. What would this mean for him back in Japan? The court would be in an uproar, none of them would approve of such a relationship. Then again, none of them really approved of him at all, so... it didn't really matter, did it? He never wanted to fill these shoes in the first place.

Looking her half-hidden face over for what felt like the dozenth time that evening, more intimate thoughts swelled up, throwing him into a reverie, a clash of memories both good and bad of Janu as well as... Her.

He had felt this too many times before, the unwanted and uncalled for guilt. The past threatened to ravage his mind again, but this time he fought it instead of letting it suffocate and consume him. He had Janu standing right before him, and the words had already left his mouth once.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed all thoughts to the back of his mind, and looked down at Janu with a genuine smile. He then stepped forward and carefully reached behind her and untied her mask, pulling it away from her face. "I can't promise I will never leave again, but I can promise I will return as long as you are there to return to. I love you, Janu, and I wish I had said it sooner." He said, voice still low. His heart was still pounding, at least for him, but it felt like a weight was lifted off of him.

The freedom was short-lived in his mind, however, and he fought not to glance back into the ballroom again. By doing this, he was breaking a rule of servitude, and the night had barely begun. Why is it the best things for him always seemed to be at the wrong time or in the wrong place?

Pandora laughed at what Cyris said. "I may not look it now," she said, "But I'm close to it." She paused for a moment to think if she would need rest or not. "I think my I can last a little longer," she said, "I don't tire easily, after all."

---

Flora nodded slightly. "I see what you mean Kisala," she said. She looked around for a moment, not seeing many open seats. She sighed softly, turning her attention back to the three. She didn't say a word, not sure what to say.

[[merr.... short. >A<;;]]

Janu shivered as he removed her mask as what little protection it offered would be removed with it. She tried to say something but the words died as he spoke. Her heart seemed to skip a beat at his words and for a moment happiness and fear fought within her. She loved him so much it was hard to think around him, to even breath but to let her heart be broken again seemed foolish. Yet even as she fought it she knew she was already defeated. She had already been his ever since they met at the inn and always would be even if he hadn't chosen to claim her until now.

" So it...it does mean- ...Heiro, I ...I love you too. W..What ...what do we do now?" She whispered softly as she gave in to her too full heart. She blushed deeper as she spoke, her mind providing an answer to the question that was far from....lady like. She had never really been in a relationship so she didn't really know what she was suppose to do. She knew only that whatever he asked of her it was his and there was little she could do to stop it. She was the kind of person that when she gave herself to someone she gave her whole self, unable to hold anything back.

She studied his face a moment, searching for some clue of what was to come. Part of her wanted to just throw herself in his arms right then and there but he seemed ...wary. She thought back to the fae and how they had announced her, did that change something? Did that make her someone he wasn't suppose to love? Had some unspoken rule been broken that she was too naive to understand? He acted almost like they were doing something... forbidden.

Letting a smile cross his lips, the prince gave Estella an obviously flirtatious look. "A fae never lies, especially not a prince. And though I may need to go greet others eventually, I can dance with you now and return later to continue our delightful conversation. If you will save another dance for me Estella." Perhaps he was laying it on just a tad thickly. Ignatius had to check himself, it was so early in the night and there were so many other guests!

Even so, he knew that Estella would stay in his mind even as he spoke to those other people. Shifting slightly, the tall fae pulled his dance partner closer with a delighted smile. One song had flowed smoothly to the next already and he didn't want this to end so soon.

For a moment he cursed the masks they wore which only allowed him to see her amethyst eyes. But perhaps later tonight he would be able to see her face. Latching onto the thought Ignatius could feel impatience rising, but shoved it down. He was obligated to speak to others and so he would. If any others caught his eye, well he would still dance with Estella again.

Glancing up from his companion as they twirled gracefully upon the dance floor Uriel found his steps faltering. A narrowing of his dark grey eyes and a thinning of his lips showed his displeasure of something which had caught his attention. A smile, a shortening of distances and a gentleness that a friend had never before shown.

Confusion slipped like an eel into the young man's mind. What should he do? The courts wouldn't be pleased but at the same time it would ruin the happiness he'd read in Heiro's face. They'd met before at a previous ball, and at times at other courtly meetings. A twinge of another unnamed emotion flitted trough Uriel's heart but was shaken off easily enough. Instead of doing anything, he righted himself and his thoughts to smile once more at the lady he danced with. Later, he would speak with the other man later.

Estella blushed so much at the look it would spread beneath the edge of the mask and onto her neck. She wasn't use to such a look and it made her breath catch in her throat. Now she began to understand why Audrail was worried... A fae's honeyed words were a thing her life had failed to prepare her for. As he spoke the blush deepened and she put her head against his shoulder to try to hide it. She was too honest to be able to hide what she felt in almost any other ways.

"o..of course i will, you did teach me... I wouldn't have it any other way." She whispered. A soft gasp of a sound escaped her as he pulled her closer and for a moment she closed her eyes. She wasn't use to being held so tenderly, even in a dance. She had been certain that all tonight would be was some more questions and various resentment of her questions. She hadn't expected she'd even get to dancing... let alone enjoy it so much.

"Thank you...by the way. For everything... " she added with a soft smile. She didn't mean just teaching her the dance but also just making her feel welcome. Raised by a human woman but never human enough for anyone else she never seemed to quite fit in the magical community or the non magical. She always seemed to stumble over unspoken rules or they'd get mad about her father's ring and just tell her to leave, she never knew why. They wouldn't really speak to her after that... which was one reason she was so afraid to bring it up now and ruin this perfect moment. She may have been as common as they come but every girl can't help but dream of being treated like a princess and she was no exception

A look of complete surprise crossed Ignatius's features as he felt a head nestled against his shoulder. He'd not expected such a thing. It made him reconsider certain things that he'd been thinking. The fae needed to get away, and quickly so he could return to his first companion without remorse.

"Of course, it has been a pure delight. There's no need to thank me." Offering a smile to prove his point, Ignatius did his best to show that his every word was true, both with tone and body language. Shifting with the music, moving gracefully back and forth to sway this way and that... It was magic, though many called dancing nothing more then mundane.

It was a sad thing that this had to end so soon. With a sigh, Ignatius turned amber eyes from his partner to look across the dance floor at others. "I apologize, but this dance has come to an end." Returning his gaze to Estella he bowed elegantly at the waist and brought her hand to his lips once more. "Please Lady Estella remember me as I wander to greet others. I promise I'll return for another dance."

Estella looked up as he spoke and withdrew from his shoulder with a little embarrassment. Still, at least she wasn't red as a tomato anymore and he seemed to have missed the fact she ever was so she also felt a little relief. She couldn't help but offer him a warm, if slightly shy, smile as he said he'd enjoyed it. She was glad he had as part of her was afraid he'd get bored or think her less then well practiced mannerism were crude. Audrial had warned her that some of the people here were use to more elegant behaviors and might not like hers very much. For all her arguments with the haughty spirit she did know she could trust it.

As he spoke she couldn't help but feel a bit of disappointment even though she knew it was bound to happen. Any one with power like he had would be required to 'work the room' so to speak. She blushed as he took her hand again, thinking absently it was something she'd never get use to. Audrial had warned it was considered 'gentlemanly' but a man she didn't know putting his lips against her skin even if it was only her hand and polite would always feel just a little intimate to her. She returned the bow with a curtsy that Audrial had talked her through before and ran a nervous hand through her hair.

"I understand... and of course I will. Somehow I doubt many people could forget you" She answered quietly, with just a touch of amusement but also a little shyness. He had made far greater an impression then she expected... even though audrial was currently chiding her for being to easily swayed. He was just acting 'like a prince' Audrial repeated, sounding like a huffy and over protective father. She couldn't help but giggle a moment at the sound, though considering her earlier statement she probably seemed like she was doing it to be coy. Even if Estella didn't have a coy or false bone in her entire body...

Stuart laughed, it was deep and gurgled as if heard from underwater, and it was loud. "Lassie, Ah dinnea know tae dances meself! We'd be a rightly pair a dancin' ta aur own moosic. Ta tell a wee bit o'truth, alla tae dances Ah know a'for water kin." He told this as if it was a secret when really it only made sense. "Sae, jest a dreamer, uh. Weel, Ah've got a sister loch that. Actually Ah've got aight sisters. Fife older an' three yoonger. An' Ah've got ta see 'at they've all bide weel. Head o' tae clan, yanno?" he took a finger to tap the side of where his nose should be.

They danced awkwardly when he noticed that her eyes were wandering the floor as well. It was a charm to be able to talk with someone without having them run away and it was a great way to start the night. But he knew that there was more people to meet and couldn't hog her attention. "Och, weel Rosellen, tis bin a great time but we hae mair tae explair an' Ah wooldnae want tae keep ye frae meetin' others."

He bent forward to press a light kiss to her cheek. Bowing once more the prince excused himself. Ignatius moved gracefully trough the crowd until he met a white haired dark elf speaking with a rather tall man. The two seemed to be deep in conversation, but with a polite sound he tried to get their attention. "Excuse me, my name is Ignatius. I just wondered how you two are enjoying the ball so far?" Smiling genially, the fae prince tapped a foot almost impatiently upon the marble tiles of the room.

Grinning as she tried to decipher Stuart's words, Rosellen moved beside him awkwardly. It was strange but nice. A small blush crossed her cheeks when the blonde realized he'd noticed her wandering eyes. "You should go meet some other people too. After that maybe we could talk again." Giving one of the merrow's hands a friendly squeeze, she waved genially as she walked off.

Moving towards a group of four people, two men and two women, Rosellen pursed her lips a little as she tried to think of a way to introduce herself. Shrugging, she decided on the direct approach. "Hi my name's Rosellen, what are all of yours?" Was one of the women a dryad? It certainly seemed so with her green skin.

Estella blushed at the kiss on her cheek and turned her head toward him slightly to look at him. He really was too charming for HER own good she thought absently. She muttered a soft bye as he left, feeling a few people look at her and one or two glare while another chuckled. She blushed deeper and lowered her head to hide behind her hair before she moved to the refreshments again. She bit her lip as she got another drink, hearing Audrial mope. He was pouting... and calling the prince a 'player' and other names. She was too average for the prince to just like her that much in audrial's opinion. The sword didn't say so but Estella knew him well enough to know that was what it was thinking. As far as what she thought... she wasn't sure...

Stepping away from the dance floor, he found his way back to the refreshment table. He poured himself another cup of tea when the merrow's eyes caught the glint of metal at someone's hip. His eyes trailing up he noticed that the girl seemed mildly upset with something.

"Och, Lassie. Wha' seems tae be th' matter? It dinnea suit a lassie loch ye tae wear a froon. An' pardon me but ye willnae be usin' th' sword tonecht? Ah'd loch not tae be aroond whin weapoons be drawn." Having so many sisters with terrible powers he had learned to be weary around upset women, and especially upset women with weapons.

"Front Wing? Jacky Corvus"

Bouncing past the announcers, she imagined that all eyes were on her. She basked in the attention for a brief moment before bounding down the steps in a few jumps. Her hot pink skirt bounced with her as she made her way into the main room. She didn't want to be here but she was going to make the best of it. A party is a party after all. And Jacky wouldn't miss a party, it wasn't in her style.

Maybe she'd be able to do Daddy proud by at least making a friend or two even if she wasn't going to be looking for someone to take home. She knew she could make friends, as long as they weren't stuffy, she thought they were boring.

Estella nearly jumped as she heard a voice speaking clearly to her. She blushed faintly at being noticed but forced a smile. She shook her head at the question of the weapon and gave a glare at the sword as if it was person, which it pretty much was. She found his accent strange but was a bit of a traveler so could decipher it...if barely. She wished she'd spent more time in Scotland right about now as he did seem to be a sweet guy.

"I'm just finding this place a little...overwhelming. I'm not use to so many people, especially so ... well dressed and with such manners. You don't have to worry about the sword... It's name is Audrial and there's a spirit in it. He seems to think he's my dad so thought I could do with an escort." She explained with a shrug, even if there was more to it in that. The truth was she just didn't want to stop dancing with Ignatius...not that she'd admit it or really knew why. There was just something about him that made her happy. Maybe it was because he was the first to welcome her... Before she could think about it too much though the sword decided it was tired of being teased. The scabbard lifted slightly and then let itself fall to hit her in the leg, not enough to injure but just enough to hurt.

"Ow! ...Hey Audriiii, i didn't mean it..." She mumbled as she reached down to rub her leg. She didn't think about the fact that the motion would show a little more cleavage then she would have liked until Audrial mentioned it with a superior tone. She blushed and stood, fixing her dress a little bit and mumbling an apology. She wished she could wear her usual far simpler clothing... She tended to wear a lot of jewelry but plain, almost masculine, yet fitted clothing.


((yes he ALMOST got a free show :P because she's not use to wearing a dress XD)