Chapter 29 – It is what it is.
Makatza looks over and sees that Garrett is speaking to the Prosper and receiving accolades and a gift of a Wyvern skin belt by the looks of it. She sighs, this wasn't the part of the celebrations that she wished to dawdle on but it looks like she had no choice by to start mingling like her cousin and Tallis. 'The last thing I want to do is have to talk to all these snobs,' she mutters under her breath, she had been watching them interact with each other and it seemed like they were one word away from declaring war with the other houses.
Fenris nods and stands ready to simply be a presence by her side to deter those who had drunk too much when an idea hits him; it was something that wouldn't help the entire situation but could give them both a reprieve of this particular bit of the evening. 'We could dance,' he suggests. 'You would avoid having to speak to anyone,' he adds. He kept telling himself that he was just trying to blend in and it wasn't an excuse to dance with her, trouble was he didn't find himself very convincing.
Makatza smiles and brushes down her skirts as she stands up, 'are you asking me to dance with you, Fenris?' She teases lightly as she looks over to where the band was playing and seeing other couples sway.
'I just thought it would be a good excuse not to have to-'
'I understand, I'm only pulling your leg,' Makatza laughs lightly and rolls her eyes in amusement. 'You take everything so seriously, learn to relax a little, not everything has to have consequences. Sometimes a dance is just a dance,' she says as she lightly loops her arm through his like she watched the other ladies around her do. They walk over to the space where others were dancing feeling a little awkward, 'I really only know the waltz,' Makatza says quietly. The foxtrot and tango aren't going to help me here, though we would get some looks. God, imagine doing the tango with Fenris? I think I would just melt, she thinks making her face flush and her pulse race.
'The waltz will suffice,' he murmurs as he takes her hand and places the other on her waist. She smiles brightly at him making his breath catch as she holds his shoulder lightly. They wait for the beat of the music to come around and then gently begin to dance in time. He desperately attempted to ignore everything about her in this moment but he was finding it difficult.
'Looks like Tallis and Garrett are having trouble,' Makatza says as she watches her cousin. 'That's the second person that Tallis has taken into the kitchen,' she comments as she looks back at him.
'I hear that there is a door that Tallis is trying to get unlocked,' Fenris nods as he looks over to the lord that Hawke was now talking to. They were following a trail of some sort, Maker knows where it would lead to. It was a brief distraction but a welcome one, Makatza danced well and fitted the role perfectly.
'I thought you would be more stiff,' Makatza teases lightly as she ignores her cousin and his debacle for a minute. 'I didn't think you would be comfortable dancing,' she adds. 'I'm not hurting you in any way am I?' She worries.
Fenris clears his throat and shakes his head. 'No, no, I am perfectly fine. I am no stranger to dancing, though I am grateful that you have not trodden on my feet,' he jokes making Makatza giggle lightly. He fought the smile that tempted his lips and lost, giving her a genuine smile that made her knees weak. The song comes to an end and they part, Makatza gives him a curtsey as he bows in response. Her mood had lightened and it was contagious, there was a light clapping from the lords and ladies around them and Makatza couldn't help but blush. 'No doubt you will be asked to dance again,' Fenris warns as a man walked over.
Makatza plasters a fake smile on her face as the Lord comes over, he was conventionally attractive but it was clear that he knew it which was a turn off. He completely ignored Fenris and spoke straight to Makatza. 'Ah, forgive my ignorance,' he says beaming at her. Makatza's smile turns a little brittle as they walk to the fountain out the way of the other couples who wished to dance.
'You are forgiven, though I am not sure why you are asking for it,' Makatza said politely.
'Well you see I thought I was versed in all the court of Kirkwall and Orelais but I am having trouble putting a name to your exquisite face,' he says taking her hand and kissing the back of her fingers.
'Then I must ask for forgiveness as well as I know nobody,' she said as he dwelled a little longer on her hand than she liked but tried not to be rude and pull her fingers from his. 'I am Lady Lorias, cousin to Lord Hawke,' she explained.
'Ah! That would be it, I had heard rumour of a beautiful cousin that he had been hiding away. You have my forgiveness and more, I am Lord Charles Bavent,' he says proudly. 'I have been watching Lord Hawke's rise to upper society for many years. His mother Lady Amell is a lovely woman,' he converses. Makatza has to tactfully remove her hand from his thankfully having an excuse as Fenris passed her a drink from a tray that floated past with a servant. She locked her facial expression into polite interest, he dished out compliments as if they were an active part of his personality. 'So now you are entering the courts yes? I would suggest finding a more... tasteful escort,' he comments looking Fenris up and down.
'Oh,' Makatza says with her eyes narrowing. 'I don't see anything wrong with my companion, may I ask what the issue might be?' She said with a little ice. Anger was beginning to bubble in her chest and she could see that Fenris had taken the stone approach.
'Well an elf isn't suitable company for a woman like yourself,' he says bluntly as Makatza takes a sip of her drink to quell the burning in the back of her throat.
'An elf? That is the issue here?' She says with false humour. 'Oh, well my Aunt would hate me to dispel the notion that I am a woman of any quality but I will take joy in doing so,' she says as she brushes her hair over one shoulder revealing a pointed ear. 'My father is an elf,' Makatza says simply. Although her ears weren't quite as prominent as a full blooded elf they definitely couldn't be mistaken for human.
Lord Bavent was clearly taken aback and his eyes narrowed a little, 'nobody has spoken about that,' he says bluntly.
'They haven't? Maybe it isn't as big as an issue as you think it is,' Makatza smiles brightly at him enjoying his discomfort. 'I certainly don't think that it devalues me in any way, do you Fenris?' She asks perkily.
'Not at all,' Fenris says a little smug at how she slapped this Lord into place with words.
'Ah, see, there we are. No issue, correct? Lord Bavent?' She asked sickly sweet.
He clears his throat and stands up straight, 'with a beauty like yours, your heritage can be ignored,' he says simply. Makatza pursed her lips and squinted her eyes a little at his reply, she could feel that Fenris was bothered by the presence of this man and to be honest he left a bad taste in her mouth as well.
'Thank goodness for small mercies,' Makatza said a little tartly. 'I can see my cousin wishes to talk to me, good afternoon Lord Bavent, it's been a pleasure,' she says forcing herself to be civil.
'The pleasure is all mine,' he replies giving Fenris a glare as he follows Makatza to where Garrett was waving at them. Makatza was almost stomping her feet as she moved away from the Lord and Hawke saw the look of annoyance across her face. Tallis was sulking in a corner muttering something about it not being her night and why things were so complicated.
'Wow, you look pretty pissed,' Garrett said simply as she got near and inhaled deeply before knocking her drink back.
'If this is what you have to put up with all the time I don't want it, Aunt Leandra will just have to put up with me being in the shadows,' Makatza grumbled as she grabbed another glass of wine from a tray that was wandering past. She breathed in deeply and calmed herself down, 'so, what's the issue here? Why does Tallis look like she's sucked a lemon?'
'Ah Lord Bavent, he's a acquired taste,' Garrett says carefully, thinking that the man was an ass. 'We found the key for the door, first it was given to a guard who gave it to a maid who gave it to the berk that's in there,' Garrett motioned with his thumb. 'Tallis tried to get it off him but she thinks he's not into elves or something, so I was hoping-'
'That Makatza try to seduce him to get the key,' Fenris finished bluntly.
Garrett had the decency to look embarrassed. 'I spoke to him and he asked me to get him a glass of wine, I tried to flirt with him but I don't think he's into men either. I was going to drug him but I can't help but think it will be more noticeable if he's passed out drunk,' he explains. 'I'm sorry Katza but I can't think of any other way.'
Makatza shook her head and finished her wine putting the glass into Garrett's hands, 'fuck it,' she said simply surprising all of them. 'Seeing you flirt with a man would have been funny,' she said as she brushed her hair over her ears and adjusted her dress further down so she was more on show which made the men avert their eyes. 'A lord yes?' She asks as Garrett nods. 'Know where the key is?' She asks Tallis.
'On his hip,' she explains.
'Good, get me another glass of wine,' she says simply. Garrett does as she asks and nips off before coming back with another.
'You should take it easy-'
'I'm not going to drink it, I'm going to spill it,' she says rolling her eyes. 'Watch and be amazed,' Makatza said hyping herself up. She opens the door rather roughly and wanders into the room where a man with dark hair was leaning against the desk. 'Oh, my Lord, there you are,' she giggles as she wanders over to him, a smile crawls across his face as he takes in her drunken demeanour.
'You were looking for me?' He asks in a heavy Orlesian accent.
'But of course! Oh how rude of me, I am Lady Lorias, Lord Hawke's cousin,' she says with a wobbled curtsey, allowing him a full view of her cleavage as she leaned down. 'He said that you wanted a glass of wine and of course I offered to bring it to you, I've heard so much about you,' she says walking closer to him and pressing both herself and the wine glass into him. 'All your endeavours,' she whispers into his ear. She could feel his heavy breathing on her neck as he smelled her perfume. She moved away to look at him with a bright smile.
'Ah, the elusive cousin,' he says as he realises who she is. 'Your reputation precedes you,' he says as his face takes the tinge of red. Makatza giggles and covers her mouth with her hand accidentally knocking his glass of wine down herself. 'Oh my lady!' He babbles as she squeals in surprise.
'Oh! Oh! Messere, that's cold!' She says as she bounces. He swears and pulls out a handkerchief trying to mop down her chest without it being too direct. 'My lord,' she gasps breathlessly as he brushes one of her breasts, making his face inflame.
'Ah! My apologies!' He turns to grab the ink cloth off the desk to hand to her and Makatza swiftly plucks the key off his belt and shoves it into her cleavage. When he turns to see her adjusting her bosom he thinks nothing of it. 'Please it was an accident,' he says thinking that she could get him into a fair bit of trouble.
Makatza smiles as she dabs her collarbone and moves closer until she can speak softly. 'I won't tell anyone if you don't,' she whispers before giving him a sly wink and walking towards the door. Once outside she ignored Garrett and the others as and crossed the gardens until she was a fair distance away and hidden. They had followed her of course and were waiting for an answer to their questions. Once they had quietened down Makatza gave Garrett a look and pulled the key out from between her breasts. 'Never. Again,' she says simply.
Garrett punches the air in happiness and snatches the key from her. 'Yes! Well done Katza, we did hear you giggling and then a squeal? He didn't notice did he? Didn't do anything... untowards?' He asked. Fenris wouldn't tell them but he had practically heard the entirety apart from a few moments where she was speaking too quietly.
'He was distracted by the fact that he had spilled wine down my boobs,' Makatza said simply. 'No, he didn't try anything, if anything I was the one being forward,' she explains.
'At least we have the key and nobody suspects anything,' Tallis praises. 'Come on, I'm ready for this part of my life to be over.' She mutters to herself as they walk over to the door.
Fenris managed to catch Makatza as they moved, 'are you alright? That can not have been comfortable,' he says surprising himself with his question. Makatza smiles at him and nods.
'It's like I said earlier, sometimes a dance is just a dance. An act is just an act,' she says reassuringly as they made their way through the crowd. 'It means nothing and you needn't take it so seriously,' Fenris couldn't think and grabbed her hand pulling her to a stop as he spoke. She jolts a little but saves her stumble as she moves closer to him, clearly for whatever reason he stopped her it was urgent.
'And a kiss... is just a kiss?' He asks quietly.
Makatza's eyes widen, she knew that he was talking about Sebastian. She didn't know how she really felt about that situation but at this moment all she could rely on was honesty. 'Yes, sometimes a kiss is just a kiss.'
