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text
-"Dialogue"-
("Inner thinking")
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CHIT-CHAT AND TANGO
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Aria found herself waking up under warm weight clutching onto her. On her front she felt a head resting between her breasts and hugging her sides. At her back she felt that she was resting over a hard but warm pillow that cuddled her from behind. Very slowly she opened her eyes, and sure as it was, Ace was using her as a body pillow, that meant that the one spooning from behind was Julius.
The mercenary yawned and tried stretching but the clutching hugs became tighter. She twisted her head to crack her neck and then twisted her body to soundly crack her spine. With a deep moan she settled back and closed her eyes again. After all, it was winter outside and her spot on the bed was warm, her Julius-pillow and Ace-blanket may just count as linen and furniture but it simply felt nice.
Aria was barely falling asleep again when she felt her hip being rubbed in circular motions and Ace's strong body, especially his pelvis, being pressed against her.
"Morning, Ari," - The knave murmured from between nuzzling his face between her breasts.
Aria was about to groan when the door banged open.
"You better be here, useless excuse of a knight!"
The screeching voice of Peter White flooded the room. Not a second later Aria was already holding an Uzi submachine gun and pointing it at the entrance. Her body was held in a sideways by Ace's arm around her waist to prevent her from rolling away, while the knave's automatic rifle was being held in his other arm also pointing towards the rabbit. Julius meanwhile put a pillow over his face to muffle the sounds.
"How irresponsible. The queen has sent looking for you, yo-you…," - The rabbit stopped short upon seeing the heap of people on the bed. The female in the middle wearing practically nothing and the two holders in almost equal semi-nakedness.
Aria looked at Peter and lowered her mini machine gun to yawn again, - "Damn perverted rodent."
"You dare call me pervert?" - Peter adjusted his glasses and looked away towards the window - "How indecent"
"You are the one entering people's bedrooms, Sir Peter" - Ace's smile was quite polite. Aria removed his hand from her waist and laid back down again. The knave then looked at Peter. - "So the queen is looking for me?"
Julius groaned, the pillow still over her face as he pulled Aria into a new hug. - "Just go Ace…"
Ace looked down at Aria and Julius and his rifle became a sword, which he pointed to Peter. - "You shouldn't bother happy people sleeping, Sir Peter. That is unknightly."
"It's not as if I want to be here. The queen orders you back or she won't let me go see my precious Alice. -" Peter looked around, taking a lot of care of not touching anything as his mind flew with very unsettling possibilities as to the kind of contaminations this place may had. Then his head turned back to the woman in the bed. She was by far the most unsettling thing in this place and not just because of her awfully scandalous attire. Something about her made his stomach churn and his chest felt constricted, not to mention that there was also something off with her scent. -"So you are the second foreigner?"
"If you want to join Sir Peter, sorry to tell you that all posts for Aria's boyfriend are taken." - Letting out a murderous morning smile, Ace all too politely explained while he gave Aria a sweet kiss in the cheek, which she didn't denied or respond to. He then got off the bed, and while ignoring the prime minister, he headed to the shower at the side of the room, decidedly not happy.
Aria stood on her knees with her legs parted over Julius's hips and crossed her arms while keeping a deadpan look at the white rabbit. Shadows started expanding behind the prime minister out of his sight.- "You are indeed a pervert, White. Not only do you barge into a private bedroom and call its occupant a pervert, but you also stay to watch.." - Her gaze was hard on the rabbit's eyes as she tapped her fingers on her arm. - "Why aren't you gone yet, White?"
The white rabbit's fur stood on edge, he felt a presence at his back but no one was there; there was something wrong here. Unknowingly he took a step back and adjusted his glasses portraying a calm demeanor -"Whatever. The queen orders for the presence of the knight and that of the supposed second foreigner immediately at the castle. I can't leave until I ensure such orders are assured."
Under the pillow Julius murmured something unintelligible. Between falling asleep again, and the reality that he couldn't roll away because Aria was she was seated over a very sensible part, he half woke up and hoped she wouldn't move much, although his sleeping part wished she did.
"Yes, you can, you want and you will. One way or another, I'll accompany Ace to the castle, but first I'll test how deep psychological trauma can persist on someone without memory of it. "- Aria smirked, she then moved slowly up and down on her spot on top of Julius in the most sensual way she could muster. She closed her eyes and then activated her connectivity with her devices to reach her cell phone and select a song, the instrumental version of a really old record that was from a weird movie from more than a hundred years ago about a cartoon white bunny that had was a comedian and had been incriminated.. (* AN: The movie it's "Who framed roger rabbit" , the song is "Why don't you do it right?" by Jessica Rabbit. Look for the song, trust me. It's also the song she used in the M-shot for Peter). Then her voice rose to sing a small tune.
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You had plenty of money in 1922
You let all the women make a fool of you…
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Peter looked at her with disdain then confusion, but when felt a shiver run down his spine and inexplicably cold sweat began to run down his back his eyes widened. He locked gaze with the olive green orbs that kept looking at him intently as she moved her shoulders in rhythm with the soft sensual music. The visage sent chills up his ears.
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Why don't you do it right?
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She winked at him and licked her lips before her eyes closed as she sinuously moved her hips on top of Julius's in slow circular motions, passing her arms over her torso and down towards her hips, slightly extending a hand to caress Julius thigh, while the mortician remained rigid.
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Like some other men do
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Peter closed his eyes, cold shivers ran down his spine as she moaned to catch his attention. He looked at her again despite himself, gulping down at the tone of her voice. A voice like that should not belong to such a shameless creature, and yet, like claws on a chalkboard, it fit and scratched on his senses from a memory he didn't have .
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Get out of here…
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"What is this! Stop it!" -Peter shivered, and not willing to acknowledge the strange effect of this witchery. Ready to get away he took another step back. The music stopped and Aria didn't continued the song. Instead she licked her lips and passed her hands over her chest and down her navel.
With The coldness of a frozen hell she crossed her arms and lost all facial expression-" This is the result of something you don't remember and that you don't want to remember."- Something below her poked her and she remained still. Julius hadn't moved but he was definitely excited by her rounding her hips on his, which make her chuckle. She smirked ferally again towards Peter. -"Leave now, White. I'll make sure Ace and I get to the castle soon."
"Fine."- Peter turned around and walk away, unnerved by the strange sensations he had felt and wondering if the shadows moving were just his imagination.
After a minute or so, when Aria detected Peter's presence leaving the premises completely she relaxed with a deep sight. She got off Julius and moved to get off the bed, but Julius's hand grabbed her wrist before she could get away. His hand was gentle but firm in holding her.
He blinked and saw her slightly confused stare- "Aria… where were you?"- He gently asked with concern embedded deeply in his eyes.
Aria tried removing her wrist. He let go and cross her arms - "That is not your business, Julius."
Julius frowned, clearly concerned for his girlfriend. She disappeared for so long so how could he not worry about that? - "You disappear for days, us receiving not even a word from you and you appear back in bed as if nothing."
"I did wait before going to bed, you simply took too long and I got tired" - Aria tilted her head she wasn't expecting a conversation. An argument maybe but not a soft words from him.- "And what you mean? Wasn't the food delivered? It had a note."
Julius sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose before sitting by her side- "That's not the point. We were very worried about you, Aria. It makes us uneasy when you disappear without a trace for so long."- His words were gently and his eyebrows frowned with visible worry-"The next time you leave for so long could you do us the courtesy of letting us know beforehand so we do not worry so much? Please?"- His hand was placed over her shoulder.
"We've been in this relationship thing for a few days only." - Aria looked away.
"Promise me you will at least tell one of us next time, and if we ever leave for an extended period of time we too will tell you." -Julius said, deciding to negotiate a little bit.
"Why? I don't care what you do with your 'Cinq à sept ' affair time, so I expect you leave me alone too' - She huffed just so lightly that it was almost imperceptible.
"Because we care. We were worried, Aria." - Julius said with a bit of a flustered blush before he half sit towards her and leaned forward, kissing her collarbone while his other hand caressed her waist. - "Last time you disappeared the Bandersnatch was about to drag you who knows where; the time before that, you ended trapped in the dream real; before that one you jumped down a window; before that…"
"You care because of the game. Your worry is just instincts regarding the prize" - Aria looked at him, not really knowing how to react.
"I'm worried about your wellbeing." -Julius corrected with a new frown, his expression becoming more grumpy now. His hand coming down from her shoulder to be set over her's-" If you want to take it as part of the deal then do so. People in a relationship are supposed to care for each other." - He yawned - "Go to the castle and settle things there. I will be working today and waiting for you to come back." - He said with a heavy sigh as he glanced away, seeming troubled.
"You always work. No surprises there." - She cracked her neck and removed her hand from under his - "In any case I do need a bath before going to the castle" -Aria sighed and looked at Julius in the face- "And you need to sleep more. You look like a racoon with those dark bags under your eyes."- She then smirked, and noticing Ace coming out of the shower she looked between both men and then towards Julius's pelvis- "Not to mention that you have quite the hard problem. Maybe Ace can help while I take a quick shower" - With that she got off the bed and walked pass Ace into the shower.
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Not too long after A&A got out of the clock tower, Ace had demanded his boyfriend share of hugs and affection to soothe how he felt about her 'prolonged absence', not to mention he wasn't thrilled to get back to the castle and his role there. Since at least he hadn't asked her where she had been, Aria had complied on receiving hugs and holding hands and then holding onto his arms; mostly because that way, whenever Ace tried going in a wrong direction she had pulled him on the right path or else their trip to the castle would have taken who knows how long. But in this way the gates of the castle pretty soon came in view, and just like in the town, everyone turned to see how the knight of hearts had a very goofy smile on his face while an armored girl with distinctive face and eyes was holding onto his arm. The visage wasn't idyllic however because the female was basically dragging the brunette in the right direction of the castle.
"I really should put a leash on you" - Aria complained after Ace tried deliberately or inadvertently deviating again.
"That would be exciting" - Ace grinned with very pervy thoughts in mind.- "Do I get a collar too?"
Their discussion about casual bondage couldn't progress due to they arriving to the castle. A few soldiers were there and immediately greeted Ace with a formal salute and a very nervous stance. One of them, twisting on his feet, seemed eager to speak up first.
"I shall inform of your arrival, sir. The queen ordered to be notified as soon as the presence of Sir Ace and the Lady foreigner was confirmed."
With that the soldier saluted again and ran away really fast, leaving the next soldier to give the knave another announcement.
"Sir … ehhmm … I'm afraid to inform you that someone shot your horse, and although the culprit has already been executed along all the guards in the stables, the stallion is too hurt to survive much longer."
Ace remained eerily silent. His smile remained in place for a couple seconds before his expression darkened, appearing to be cheerful but the entire atmosphere in the air tensed up like a thread about to snap. - "Oh? Really?" - Ace tilted his head slightly as the soldier nervously gulped.
"Unfortunately so, sir."- The soldier shacked in his feet. - "The thief tried to steal it and when he was caught he shot the horses front legs in the knees."
"I guess nothing lasts forever, does it." - Ace rather ominously asked aloud to no one in particular, his eyes appearing dead of any emotion but his posture tense and tall.
Aria, unable to read the mood at all, looked at Ace; her arms crossed and no expression under her raised eyebrow - "You have a horse?"
"Of course I do, I'm a knight " :3 - Ace darkly smiled charmingly at his dame as he pulled his arm from her grasp.-"I'm going to the stables. Bye-be!" - His grin was eerily happy as he turned around and began walking away... right back towards the town.
Aria tilted her head and for once she did seem genuinely baffled.-"Then why do you walk everywhere?"
"Because knights only use their horses to battle or for sweeping maidens off their feet." - He rather proudly grinned, but even she could see past that grin to the rather dark anger his eyes held.
"Sir, the stables are in another direction"- One of the soldiers made the mistake of calling out the knave. Ace turned around and swung his sword to cut down the card, but instead of that, his blow clashed against a non-reflective black blade that sprung from Aria's armor by the side of the forearm while she applied strength to her arm with her other hand while parrying Ace's blow.
"Whoops, my hand slipped."- He cheerfully smiled as he locked blades with Aria. His cool gaze studied her with his smile remaining calm, he lightly pushed forward and she maintained her stance. He was surprised that she had parried the blow, but at the same time he wasn't surprised she was at least this strong.
"As a knight your faithful mount shall be important to you, Sir Ace of Hearts. Killing a simple soldier would be rather unnecessary " - Aria swayed the blade away and sheathed her own to cross her arms and puff at Ace.- "And since you want to waste time, let's go see that horse" - She tapped her fingers on her arm and her foot on the ground.- "If the horse can't be healed, then the least you can do is shoot it yourself, Ace"
The mercenary woman didn't look angry. At much she looked bothered; however the air around became heavy and scary for everyone else. All soldier were shocked into silence. She, the second foreigner many spoke about had fend against the red knave of hearts with speed and strength, not only that, she had fend one of them, had defended a mere card.
Ace remained still for few seconds, then he knightly bowed to his dame. - "As my lady wishes"- He again turned around and began walking back into town, causing everyone to sweat drop.
"Sir … the stables are this way." -Another card rather bravely pointed out again, this time more sure about managing to survive this, but for safe measures he backed away to a presumably safer distance from the knight.
"Huh? But this way is a shortcut." - Ace cheerfully pointed out.
"Urghhhh… Ace, let's just go, ok? "- Aria grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him. he sheathed his sword and this time he did followed.
The soldier who gave the news about the horse soldier led the couple towards the stables, all the while wondering if the rumors about the mysterious second foreigner were true, for what had transpired at the gate he was starting to believe them. As soon as they arrived to the stables, he pointed towards the place where a big horse was indeed laying on its side on the floor with not one, but a couple shots that had torn its front legs. The bleeding had been stopped at least and the soldier briefly mentioned that the reason why the animal hadn't been put down was because no one had dared to kill the knave's steed. After saying this, he quickly disappeared so the couple were the only people there.
"So people were afraid of you getting angry for mercy killing your wounded horse?"- Aria sighed, understanding that a warhorse wasn't cheap or easy to train and keep at all, even in this world where every clock could be replaced. She moved closer to the animal and examined it. The shots had gone straight through tissue and ligament and it had lost too much blood. There was no way to save those legs or the horse.
Ace walked up silently to his loyal steed, gently rubbing his snout with a smile as he pressed his hand against the hilt of his blade and rolled the pummel in his palm.- "Awe~ why'd you have you go and get yourself hurt? Now I have to kill you." - His voice had a fairly tone but his expression was rather cold.
"Didn't think you cared for anything besides Julius "- Aria observed this. By her recorded interactions with Ace, she determined that he was pissed and as unstable as always, if not more so. She should have gotten on guard given that he could retaliate towards the only other living thing around here, but instead, she moved forward to stand by his side. If he actually cared for the horse then … well, he looked more pissed about having to kill it than about it getting hurt, or perhaps about someone getting it hurt; so who knew? Ace was unstable and unpredictable in those ways.
From nowhere in particular, Ace got a pistol and aimed it at the horse's head - "Then I should kill it myself, right, Ari?" - The knave had a rather strange smile as he cocked the pistol. Before he could shoot, Aegis's deeply accented voice interrupted.
"Since the horse can't be saved, can I assimilate it? I think I can do so."- The A.I. parted from Aria's armor into the form of a tiny bat that flew to stand at the tip of the gun's barrel. It looked at Ace and then at the horse.
"Aegis…"- Aria's eyes widened and she took a step back in surprise. She knew what her A.I. meant. Aegis wanted to try devouring the animal's existence like it had done with all the foes in the nightmare trapt. Except that this time, it was with a living being of considerable mass.
"Eh? Assimilate?" - Ace appearing curious and gave a tilt of his head while observing Aria's weird reactions.
Aria on her part gaped and gulped, her eyes wide as she looked between Aegis and the horse. Something she normally would never do, but what Aegis was proposing had very deep repercussions and even bigger implications. Regaining her composure she crossed her arms -"You can try that outside the dream realm?"
The little bat nodded- "That's what I want to test. I should have gained enough versatility to attempt such in the real world"
Aria paled but understood the importance and necessity of this test. If Aegis could do that, then her shadows could at the very least erase existences in this world, just like the Jabberwocky; and Aegis then could level up in other ways, but that would be a very bad idea, especially because that meant that she would be performing atomic fusion or at least molecular decomposition and manipulation. She hesitated before looking at the knight. -"Ace, can we try that? For science?"
Ace's expression remained smiling and difficult to read as he stared at his horse, then examined Aria's nervous posture. She looked meek. After a few moments he tilted his head -"Huh … well, go ahead Ari. That sounds interesting" - He lowered the gun and closed his eyes for a second while smiling darkly.
The bat flew back to Aria's shoulder where it melted into her armor and Aegis's deep voice came next from Aria's neck speakers.- "Thank you. It will be mostly painless for the horse, I assure both of you.- He then dealt a small and encouraging electric jolt to Aria's spine. - "Dear master, if you will?"
Aria swallowed. This was crossing a line, this was far more than life and death, it was existence and non existence, managing of energy, matter and reality. True, she had achieved it at the end of her journey in Spades, but that had taken a lot of random converging factors to even be feasible. This was replicable and a direct advantage she would get over this world. A very dangerous one given that she was already on the border of madness. Gloved fingers extended from her open palm in the direction of the horse and her cold solemn gaze lowered in a nod. - "Lets program the command first and add it to the library."
The female voice changed tone and pitch, becoming ageless, genderless and digital; void of any intent as she chanted:
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public static void viewTable(Connection con, String dbComandos)
throws Exception {
Statement stmt = null;
String query = "select ACTION, " +
"FORM, SHIFT " +
"from " + dbShadow_melt + ".shape_reform";
do {
stmt = ();
ResultSet rs = (query);
while ( ()) {
String ShapeName = ("Ahuizotl");
int sizeD = ("size_greatnum");
int total = ("2T_bigger_than_prey_size");
} catch (Exception )
} finally
{
if (stmt != null) { (); }
}
/
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Ace had no idea what she had said, but the moment her words ended he was surprised. He had already seen her armor melt from her body but this time he did so in detail. For a second he didn't breath at the mesmerizing almost liquid quality of the darkness that expanded across the floor under the whining horse. It took one second for the shadows to rise from the floor to form the enormous prismatic jaws of a big, vaguely reptilian or draconic creature that in one gulp the wounded war horse that didn't even have a chance to screech. Of the horse nothing remained; not even a clock was left of his loyal steed, and Ace realized he hadn't breathed during those seconds. He seen this through screens back in the dream trapt; it was different than when Aria's pet shadows formed an object or a body; and seeing it in real life was definitely far more interesting. As the shadows waved in twists of dark mist back into Aria's armor, Ace´s voice sounded rather cold.- "Did horse meat taste well?"
Aria didn't say anything. Under a hugging dark mist her face was blank like a doll's, and her fists were shaking. Over her shoulders Aegis formed a marten body that looked even more real and defined than the other bodies the A.I. had used before and nuzzled its small snout against her cheek while coiling around her neck like a fluffy scarf. Quite absentmindedly Aria raised her hand to scratch the critter's head.
Aegis affectionately rubbed on its master, the small tail wagging with excitement - "The additional mass and structural knowledge should permit more finite forms; an equine wouldn't be trouble at all" - After pressing his nose against her skin, the marten jumped from her shoulders and landed on the ground in front of both humans. It jumped in the air, arching its back and then diving into a pool of shadows, its body dissapearing in it as more darkness gathered on a growing blob on the spot, and although Aria's armor did diminish somewhat, it didn't disappear like it had done before. As the blob growed, it began shifting into a big black war horse whose withers, the base of its neck at it's back, reached a height tall enough to equal at least an average person's shoulders.
As a knight, Ace immediately identified the form of the horse as a fine destrier. Walking around the creature his critical eye examined the steed. The equine had powerful hindquarters, able to easily coil and spring to stop, spin, turn or sprint forward. It also had a short back and well-muscled loin, strong bone, and a well-arched neck with the head having a slightly convex profile, strong, wide jaw, and good width between the eyes.
Aegis gave a tap to the floor with the heavy hooves and flailed the long tail once.-"Is this body good, Mr. Knight?"
"Yes, you did well." -Ace nodded while still pacing around the warhorse. In ways it was finer than the one he previously had but there were some details off. With a frightfully freezing smile he gave his professional observations.- "Except that the size is between a medium and heavy weight horse but not well defined between any of those. This body would be agile in combat, though not that fast or resilient in a run as a lighter horse." -The knight patted the horse's neck.- "You need to slim a bit to get more speed." - Taking a step back, he nodded again.- "This is useful. Perhaps you can make this form even better, mmhhh?"
Ignoring them, Aria's face was pensive, until with a snap of her fingers she turned around; the horse disappeared and her armor readjusting into a nice formal sui. Even her hairstyle changed to french braid that connected all her hair to the normal braid at her nape.- "Let's go to the tea party before Vivaldi wants my head off my shoulders".
She began walking towards the gardens and Ace caught her hand into his. She didn't do anything, yet Ace noticed she chewed on her lips and breathed deeply, not putting any resistance as he was the one pulling her this time. He didn't comment on it, but he pulled her closer and had her hold onto his arm again. His grasp, she noticed, was rather stiff and firm, holding her tightly without giving her any leeway.
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The tea party was set in the middle of the castle's gardens waiting for them. When the closest guard looked at the new arrivals, he slammed the bottom of his lance on the ground to announce the guests.
"Arriving now, Sir Ace of Hearts and Lady Aria Hadron Scherzi, foreigner."
The attendants, Vivaldi the queen of hearts, The king and the prime minister, looked at the couple, and before the guard could finish announcing their presence, The prime minister interrupted with a huff while glancing at his pocket watch.
"It was about time you arrived. You are late" - Peter returned to his tea, but he kept a steady glare on the couple.
"And why had we've not been visited sooner?"- Vivaldi scowled while waving her scepter but her eyes were curious and expectant as they evaluate the second foreigner.
"I'm afraid I've been under recovery and thus I hadn't been able to roam around, Vivaldi" - With all calm and due dignity, Aria walked to reach the empty seat besides the queen, and Ace, oh so surprisingly knightly, moved her chair to help her seat before he sat across from her.
"You address us by our name?" - Vivaldi raised an eyebrow and smirked. - "Then we must have already met, if the rumors are true. If not, then your head could roll."
Ever polite polite and diplomatic, Aria let the queen guide the conversation. -"Rumors are true, at least in the part where we've previously met."
As she rested her chin over the back of her royal hand, Vivaldi eyed the newcomer with the corner of her eyes. -"And it seems your game has taken a liking to our knight. Must I attribute his recent tardiness to such?"
Aria looked calmly at the pastries on the table and signaled to a red velvet cake. Immediately a maid set it in a plate in front of her.- "His tardiness is his sole responsibility to whatever may entertain him." - The mercenary and ex-junior diplomat knew well how to play the diplomacy game and how not to tangle herself in other's words. She took a small bite of the cake. -"As for my game… It is simply broken. "
"And yet your game is still continuing, broken or not."-The normally ignored voice of the king was heard. Unlike his normal ignorable tone, just now it sounded quite assertive as he looked at the foreigner intently. - "Is true that news of other's proposals have reached you?" - He looked at Ace and decided to drop the royal 'we' - "It seems my message was not passed out."
Aria's eyes widened for a second. She had perfectly caught the 'other's proposals' . She slowly lowered her fork and looked at the king in the eyes. The question left unsaid but clear in the air.
The king winked before he closed his eyes and smiled at Aria.- "Yes. I do remember my own proposition and I assure you it still stands."
"What is the meaning of that?"- Vivaldi grunted. She didn't like not knowing what the bearded simpleton spoke about.
"You… you do remember" - Aria eyed the king carefully. He had been the only holder to propose a 'formal alliance' to her back when she wasn't aware of the truth about not being able to go back to her world; back before everyone sent her to die in that suicide mission to get Alice out of harm.
The king nodded and took a sip of his tea, secluded in the further corner of the table while everyone was at the other end yet for the moment the unusual focus of attention.
During this exchange Ace remained oddly quiet, not saying anything and not looking at anyone. He merely continued to gaze in one direction, appearing to zone out the conversations around him while smiling rather creepily to himself.
Meanwhile Peter did his best to dissimulate how he eyed the foreigner. She was nothing like his sweet Alice, and for some reason he was glad about it.
Aria looked down at her plate and took some silent bites before she raised her gaze to look first at Ace and then to see the king in the eyes. She seized her ground and calculated variables, this wasn't an answer or decision she could postergate. As Niccolo Machiavelli said, you must take sides, because if you do not, the winner will threaten you, and the loser will not befriend you. Whether or not your ally wins, he will be grateful to you. However this was not about belligerence. It was about personal relationships. With a new glance at Ace she took a decision and spoke, her voice proper, not too high nor too low, and with no indication of any hidden meaning or emotion. - "Before Diamond, I was to consider such offer because of the the mutual convenience on a temporary basis in the premise that I was to go back to my world. However, given the current circumstances and my now permanent stay in this world, I must say that I can't accept the offer. " - If she refused then she had more lease for action.
"What offer is this?" - Peter removed his glasses to clean them. He was ignored again.
Aria took a breath and continued. She needed to be carefull and keep on the diplomacy to maintain her neutral stance. Unlike everyone else, she didn't underestimate the king and was well aware that one should be careful of whom to ally oneself, else you could end under your allie's power. -"Yet, in spite of this decision, the current circumstances also play good for the castle of hearts." - Her expression was completely controlled and void of expression. She knew the king was no fool at all and this could still play good for her or at least would set her into an advantage political point with the castle without compromising her. - "I am still recognized as a neutral party under armed peace status, and through the current position of my relationships, I am in de facto concordance alliance to a neutral territory as much as with a member of the castle at the same time"- She looked at Ace and then back at the king. Aria knew she was a power of her own here in a strange way and her neutrality status gave her more freedom. That same neutrality also gave her a slightly bigger security. - "The opposed territories won't get the benefits of this foreigner and yet the castle will still get some of it through my association with whom I'm in liege even though I hold no allegiance to any belligerent party."
Vivaldi raised her scepter and was obviously getting angry. -"We demand to know what is this being spoken about" - The foreign girl had skillfully said that she was not gonna meddle in benefit of any of the quarreling territories but was receiving protection from the clock tower, while at the same time she was on good terms with the knave of hearts and thus with the castle itself. That was fine, but what bothered Vivaldi was that 'proposal' or anything of that she didn't knew about.
Aria eyed Vivaldi. The queen's temper was bothersome to calm and dangerous to invoke.-"This is a private matter Vivaldi, but perhaps I can request a private 'female' conversation with you?" - There was no way getting out of this easily, but a female conversation would take the field out of direct politics and into a personal approach, something that she knew the queen appreciated as she didn't need to play her royal role in a private girl chat.
Vivaldi stood up abruptly -"Then we shall hold this audience right now. We shall have it in my quarters." - As soon as Vivaldi moved away from the table, the servants quickly cleaned her spot. The queen began walking away and Aria was dragged by Vivaldi and her female committee
The tea party but the male attendants remained at the table to continue the tea party. Ace's sunny smile waved his girlfriend goodbye. The king stood up to give a small curt bow to the foreigner. -"We would like to speak to you in a later occasion"
Aria could only nod.
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Very soon, the mercenary found herself inside Vivaldi's room, and after the servants had left them alone, Aria moved towards where she knew the secret entrance to Vivaldi's super secret girly room was.-"Perhaps you'd like to speak inside 'that' room?"
Ariawaited patiently for the Role Holder to speak, but was surprised to see a smile on her regal face instead of a surprised scowl.
"It appears that you truly know Us. And if you do speak about it, you are aware that we will personally remove your head, correct?" - Aria just shrugged her shoulders as the Queen of Hearts pulled out a small golden key and unlocked the nearby hidden door, revealing a very girly room filled with stuffed animals and cute things.
Both females entered and Aria's olive green orbs blinked in surprise when they landed on a miniature goat plush. -"I remember this little guy."-She murmured and raised the soft plushie to examine it and, knowing nothing that whatever happened in this room stayed in this room, she hug it.- "It's still just as soft"
Vivaldi raised an eyebrow in curiosity at the Outsider's words. -"Oh? Do you now?" - The foreigner, while hugging that plushie, still had a distant air like when she spoke so formally well during the tea party, yet here she seemed more at ease, something only natural to females in female company, something she personally knew all too well and craved all too often.
Aria shrugged again, her voice neutral. - "Yes, but you don't. It happened around the same time period that Alice Liddell was also visiting this territory. Since I had never been in a sleepover previously, you and Alice insisted on that. I admit it was fun. That was when you officially declared it to be an 'all-female only' sleepover."-The merc chuckled.- "I'll admit it was fun."
The purple-haired Role Holder waved her scepter and her regal clothes changed into a lighter gown. She walked towards the four-poster bed and sat, patting over the mattress with a wide smile and keen eyes. - "Let us speak, as I'm sure that there is much to be said." - Vivaldi was eager to gossip around and have a female moment, that was clear.
The mercenary sighed heavily at Vivaldi's enthusiasm but quickly joined her. Sitting cross legged on the opposite part of the bed, she turned towards the older woman with the little goat plush over her lap. -"What do you want to talk about?"
Vivaldi crossed her legs and took her hand to her chin. - "Why not start with the king's offer? We are curious as to what such a spineless wretch could offer to someone such as yourself."
"Such as Myself, huh?" - Aria waved her hand and passed her fingers through her hair.- "Long story short, given that I was not going to stay in this world for very long he suggested a political marriage between us."
Vivaldi's eyes widened and her cheeks inflated and reddened with her pout, her brow furrowed and her eyes narrowed before she explode. - "What?! How dare that ignorant clot propose such an alliance when he has US?!"
"So you DO want to marry him?"- Aria watched with slight amusement as the Queen's face reddened in subtle but existing jealousy. - "Calm down, Vivaldi. " - The foreigner put the plush goat in the queen's arms for the woman to squeeze tightly like a much needed stress ball. - "It was just a political move. Plus, it doesn't change the fact that he likes you or that I can't accept such offer now that I'm staying in this world. I rejected it at the tea party before we came here, remember?"
Vivaldi looked at her in shock. - "That fool likes us?"
"Quite so, apparently." - Aria waved that little information off with calculated uninterest.
"He is useless!"- Vivaldi looked away with a blush and squish the plush in her arms.
"If you want the average macho alpha holder who will fight brutally but little more, then yes, he is useless."- Aria couldn't help but roll her eyes and made a pause. - "But I've got to say that in this side of the mirror he is also the only holder that can provide a satisfactory intellectual conversation on topics like, history, politics, economy, architecture or similar. He is also quite calm and has no need to prove anything. " - Aria set her elbow on her knee and leaned to rest her chin on the back of her palm -"At least he serves as a topic for conversation, don't you think?"
That offhanded comment caused Vivaldi to release a small laugh and loosen her grip on the stuffed animal. - "That is true. Now tell us, what about our knight? Have you taken a liking to him?"
"Ace?" - Aria blinked and straightened. - "Well, for the time being he is my boyfriend."
"So it could be said that he is your knight too"- Vivaldi had an internal laugh at the sudden horrified expression on the foreigner's pruning face, her head shrugging over her shoulders. Not even after swallowing the sourest of lemons would a face made such an visual statement. Which was understandable given the obnoxious man spoken about. -"And the gloomy Clock Master?" - Vivaldi asked with pursed lips. - "Word go that you have been residing in the tower, with both of them."
Aria leaned sideways and flopped on the soft mattress face up, folding toned arms below her head. -"Yeah, he is my boyfriend too. All because a discount card for couples. Since I have 2 boyfriends it gives me 75% discount in the amusement park territory." - She rummaged in her suit to take it out and showed it proudly to Vivaldi.
"That is quite unusual yet not far fetched." - Vivaldi examined the discount card and struggled not to laugh. She lost that battle and then her laughter filled the room.
"Hey! It's 75% discount" - Aria pouted and carefully put the card back in her stuff.
Vivaldi struggled to calm down and then removed a little tear from her eyes - "It's just that all those fools can do is fight and yet you accepted the knight and the clockmaster's combined advances for such different motive."
Aria crossed her arms and looked aside with her nose up. -"Well yes, it was convenient."
Vivaldi finally calmed down and raised a well-manicured palm over her chest.- "Still, we feel a great weight on your heart."
"A heart is just a piece of flesh that pumps blood in along the system that supports the brain." - Aria released a small yawn and stretched over the bed like a cat.- "Nothing else to it."
"Be that as it may for you foreigners, we insist that you inform us about your stay in Wonderland. Even though we do not remember, we do acknowledge you've been here before." -The queen gestured her hand over the stuffed animals in her room with a fond smile and slight blush on her cheeks.- "Knowing about 'this' room is proof enough."
"I don't want to talk about it, Vivaldi. It's really irrelevant anyways. For me it's in the past and for you it never happened." - Aria's speech sounded strained.
"True, but whatever happened is affecting you more than you try to hide, and it affects your present and future too. So why not talk about those things with us?" - She asked, seeming to be getting annoyed by the foreigner's attitude but hid it well.
Aria studied the queen, recognizing her attempts towards some 'girl bonding' time. Being the queen she did not often get to spend down time with a fellow women and around a foreigner she could drop the status facade and just be another girl. Female bonding was too a gender necessity that involved social contact and interactions with other females, yet, as a queen Vivaldi couldn't just do so with anyone, but foreigners provided the perfect outlet for her. Aria reconned this analysis and decided it was fine, some female social interaction could perhaps provide a small outlet for her too. -"Very well. What you want time to tell you? There might be some things I can't or won't answer though."
"It has come to our attention that your favor to not one but two Role Holders may not be just for convenience." - She said, seeming eager to speak. - "News about about it has reach our ears"
"Favor?" -Aria asked with a raised eyebrow. - "You mean the agreement I have with them?"
"It is well spread in wonderland that you are favoring our knight and the clock master to become the victors in your game. What has compelled you to decide on such unsightly men?" - Vivaldi eagerly asked, still hugging the plushie to her chest and awaiting the response of the second foreigner. Alice had chosen Blood, by why would a foreigner choose more than one holder and so opposites to each other?.
"It's ... convenient." -Aria reaffirmed, avoiding the queen's staring. - "That's all. At least for the time being."
Vivaldi knew there was far more regarding Wonderland' newest soap opera drama, but she choose not to insist this time. There were more things to speak about. - "You said that you are staying in this world, yes?"
"Affirmative."- Aria grabbed a random plush and hugged it.
"Then we must inquire whom you are going to favor at the end. Is it our obnoxious knight or the boring clock master?" -Vivaldi asked, raising a slight brow.
"What makes you ask?"- Aria noticed that there was some hidden meaning escaping her here.
"We are curious. In the end only one can be the winner." -Deep red lips asked with a cool smile.
Aria blinked and then gave a prolonged sigh. Judging from the queen's body language alone, Aria silently concluded that Vivaldi seemed eager to get into the gossip.- "Most probably neither. They are already warned about it."
"So there is someone else that you desire to have? You said 'most probably', thus they still have a chance." -The woman pointed out with a cheerful smile.
Aria's eyes stared for a silent fraction of a second. Then sat up and took a defensive stance. -"What!? No and No!" -Aria waved her hands in front of her. -"I'm really not interesting in settling down or anything long term. I have things to do and see and I'm not planning to accept any connector nor am I…"
"You know about connectors?"- Vivaldi looked at her straight in the eye with a grim frown.
"Yes. more or less." - Aria stopped squirming and regained her aloofness.
"What you know about them?" - Vivaldi seemed a tad more serious now. Connectors were not spoken about unless the relationship was becoming serious. Perhaps the foreigner was far more involved with the knight and mortician than everyone in the country realized.
Aria sighed heavily as she went through her database and with a very monotone voice recited the information she had obtained about the said item but kept to herself some inserts. - "A connector in the game is what ends the game once a foreigner accepts it (and her potion is used). A connector would seal the connection between the foreigner and the holder, possibly through the role itself and thus to the territory, (channeling mana directly to that particular territory and country). Thus, a connector, although can be put on women of this world it would have no effect whatsoever, only on a foreigner would it have any effect." - Of course, Aria kept the data about the potion and the mana to her own mind and away from her lips.
Vivaldi nodded solemnly. -"Very good. And what will happen once you have it in your possession?" -Vivaldi pried, wanting to know how much this atypical foreigner knew.
Aria continued with the same secular tone. -"Once a foreigner has someone's connector, that holder will stop being devoured by his role, or at least the process would would significant slow, allowing him to 'be himself' for longer. (plus it would be ensuring a direct source of mana, which means more power and longer life to enjoy). Whatever the effects of the game, the forced love keeps going for the holder that placed the connector and stops occurring in the rest of the holders."
"How unusual for a foreigner to know so much,"- Vivaldi was genuinely surprised but also pleased.- "But that's not all" - She grabbed a fluffy plush raccoon to play with, gently pinching its paws - "The more time it passes without the foreigner accepting a connector or going back to her world, the more potent the impulses of the game become for holders. This will sound crude, but it's like a mating instinct, they would be wanting to just put their connector on the foreigner."
Aria growled with a bit of exasperation at the prospect- "I know, and if this grows too strong perhaps some holders would get desperate enough to instead make their connector into a relic item just to get rid of the sensation, which ends the game for them and banes them from future games as they have nothing to participate with."
Vivaldi looked at her with narrowed amethyst eyes. -"You know all this?" -She looked suspicious now towards the mercenary. -"You know why a connector is important for a holder and this world; but do you know why it's important for a foreigner?"- That was one of the most important things and the queen wasn't sure if the girl knew.
"Besides what I said about getting it on with someone specifically and ensuring that holders commitment, I guess because when connectors were devised, foreigners needed some form of proof of this pact." Aria replied nonchalantly.
Vivaldi smirked and stroked the stuffed animal's furry cheek. It appeared that the foreigner did not know everything.- "Foreigners are fleeting; without a connector and someone's support, they may wander adrift" - Vivaldi could not say more, but this should suffice. - "A connector would also form a tie so the foreigner or her mind does not 'wander' out of wonderland adrift or back into her world."
Aria just blinked owlishly at the role holder and released another yawn to hide a small sneer. -"In sum it's getting chained down to this world. I doubt I'll live long enough to get to that point. If I do, we'll see what happens."- Stretching over the bed, she set her palm over her hip and pushes forward to crack her spine. - "I can't go back to my world anyways. That's part of the deal I have with this world."
"You believe that those two cannot protect you? There are others who quite capable of doing so." -Vivaldi noted with a raised brow. Perhaps the girl doubted the capabilities of either or both of her lovers.
"Well … it's more like I believe that they will be the ones who are gonna kill me." - Aria waved it off.
"How so?" - Vivaldi asked with a rather curious smile.
"Listen Vivaldi, Ace may be already unstable and all, but there are other multiple reasons and factors. For one, no one before had ever survived the madness. I certainly didn't do so unscatched." - Aria admitted with a deep frown.
"The madness?" - Vivaldi understood then why the girl was so serious and how dire things were for her mind and heart. And if the foreigner knew and understood the madness as much as she did connectors, then the game was truly dangerous for her and her existence was threatened as much as it threatening to Wonderland.
The foreigner mercenary lowered her gaze solemnly - "I know what happens to a foreigner in this sort of circumstance; and I know it is for the best." - With a demeanor full of proud yet knowing dignity she raised her head. - "I'm also dangerous in various ways to this world, and if this game goes on then holders might get so desperate they'll kill me just to end it… or I might be the one to decide to end it. I have live enough already. It doesn't matter. Everyone is going to die eventually"- She shrugged her shoulders - "I already used my life twice at least. One in my world and one in this, so I don't care. Its is fine."
"Perhaps. Or perhaps you are underestimating your lovers." - Vivaldi said with a cool smile before letting out a slight sigh. -"Perhaps a relaxing bath will help the both of us."
"Perhaps it would." - Aria agreed.
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Some time later and after finishing the 'audience' with Vivaldi, Aria found herself walking through the corridors towards Peter's office. She was wearing a nice formal dress, not too fancy yet quite elegant, that the queen had graciously given her. It was a nice detail, but rather than wearing it out of proper courtesy or because it enhanced her figure, Aria was using it like a political statement. It was a flag to signal everyone that she was in close terms with the Queen Of Hearts, and that might come useful in a moment when she settled some stuff with the prime minister. It was time to get to work in her own favor now that she had the chance.
After a heavy confident knock on Peter's door followed by the prime minister's 'enter' from the other side, Aria came in and caught Peter with some papers in his hands. He turned to see who it was and blinked in surprise to see her.
"What is it that you want here?"- He eyed her cautiously.
She very casually looked around. - "I just wanted to check on some projects; like the new underground sewage system, which designs for the 3th and 6th pumping plant are not done yet; or the outer roads for the northeast via, whose arc for lesser roads was yet to be designed." - Tapping her finger against her chin she avoided smirking when his recognition at the projects was clear. - "I think I also didn't got the time to set up the numbers for the south district's market in its new distribution grid too."
Peter grabbed some papers from his desk and read them. His eyes narrowed at the correct information.-"How would you know any of that?"
"Because I'm the one who proposed, designed and planned the projects based on the obvious needs of the country of Hearts."- Aria's smile radiated confidence. - "And it seems you have not started on the public transport central either, nor the composting projects for public garden out of the separate trash collection policies either."
Now Peter really started to wonder. Those projects were in his drawer and no one but him had seen them. He took the documents out of the drawer and noticed the sign at the bottom, it read: 'Aria Hadron Scherzi.' - "I suppose that perhaps you can explain this in more detail." - He knew the projects looked good in their drafts, but some of them seemed surreal with such reduced costs and strange concepts which he had no idea what the proposed methods were about. In numbers they looked efficient, but that didn't explain what those were. Now it made sense. Since they were not from this world, he could not have an idea of it. A moments of careful deliberation led him to a startling discovery. He hadn't hesitate on believing her. His clock refused to disbelieve her, and after the king's assurance of her previous presence and services to the country in the past game he could not find herself doubting. -"If you explain properly then I can consider ..."
Aria got an electric jolt on her spine that made her jump aside justin time to avoid being hit by the door banging open and a large horse jumping into the room, rearing on its hind legs and neighed while its red eyed rider laughed madly.
"Found you Ari." - Ace sat proudly on the back of the large horse rather skillfully while looking down at Aria with a charming and calm smile.
"Get out of here!" - Peter screeched and fired both his pink revolvers towards the lousy intruder, while the foreigner jumped further aside. Ace, who was in front of the entrance blocking the way out, found himself under direct fire from the Prime Minister's guns, but even at such short distance and while riding the horse, he easily parried or deflected all the shots.
"Ace, what are you doing with a horse in the middle of the castle!?" - Aria had taken cover behind a column near the door and waited for a chance to run away out of the room.
"I'm sweeping my dame off her feat." - The knave changed his sword into a rifle to return fire to the prime minister and force him to take cover, moment Aria took to run out of the room and seconds it took for Ace to turn around and get out of Peter's office, grab Aria by the waist, and set her onto the horse in front of him while galloping along the corridors.
Aria accommodated to ride in a sidesaddle way and held onto the horse's mane while Ace's hand secured her waist. - "Do you even know where we're going, Ace!?"
"No, but this is a shortcut!" - The knave laughed and Aria growled. She grabbed the reins from him and began directing the horse in it's run, out of the castle and back to the stables while Ace pressed against her to hold her steady, noticing her riding skills for managing to direct the horse over the tiled floors.
Once they were out in the patio and reaching the stables, Aria slowed the horse, and when they stopped, Ace dismounted and held her by the waist to help her down. They left the animal in its space and then walked out as the time changed to night.
Aria sighed and rubbed her temples.- "What a day. "
Ace grabbed her hand and began dragging her away, pulling her at his side and setting his hand over her waist to keep her close.
"Where are we going now, Ace?" - She didn't exactly resist. Ace had been oddly quiet during the day and she suspected she was about to find out why.
"To my office, I think it's closer than my room."- He had a cold glare in his eye as he held her firm about the waist.
Aria matched his pace and pulled him to a stop, forcibly removing his hand from her waist.-"Have you ever stepped into that place?"- She doubted he had, at least not for job reasons. She however acknowledged that it had been quite a day and he had contained himself in many ways. Right now, he was looking at her with some anxiousness in his eyes. She couldn't decipher it but augmented reality information about his state flashed in front of her vision, indicating that this moment and situation with the knave required some 'girfriend' involvement. With a new sight she gave a held his hand in hers and gave a slight reassuring squish, then attempted a crooked smile - "Fine. I know where it's supposed to be. So let's go. "- With that, she pulled him again and began leading the way.
Given that the office was located on top of the guard's quarters on the other side of the patio, it didn't took them long to arrive, and once inside, Ace closed the door behind them as Aria walked further in.
She turned around. -"Alright, boyfriend. What is it?"
Ace walked up to her and grabbed her by the waist, lifting her up over his shoulder. She didn't protest at all and then he deposited her on his desk so she was sitting at the edge. He stood in front of her, coming up close to her wearing his scary smile over his face, looking more deranged than he had earlier in the day. Any composure he had previously maintained finally gone.
"Where were you Ari?" - He coolly asked.
Aria tilted her head at the obvious question. - "With the queen." - He should know how long a girl's conversation with Vivaldi could last. At the very least, he probably had to seen it with Alice.
"I mean before. You were lost for days."- His smile was not pleasant as he poked her cheek a bit too hard. - "I was worried you were going to get lost without me."
"I wasn't lost. I knew well where I was" - Aria responded with a shoulder shrug.
Ace slammed his hands on the desk by her sides and got his face close to hers. - "You weren't at the clock tower or anywhere else I went."
"So?" - Not intimidated at all, Aria leaned forward and their noses touched.
"I don't like not knowing where you are. You had us worried."- Ace said with a deadened gaze and emotionless smile on his face. - "How will I know who to kill if someone dares approaching you? Or should I just go and kill everyone in this world? That would take too long."
Aria gave a couple pats to Ace's cheek. She didn't doubt he could try kill every single person in the world- "It's not your business, boyfriend. And if you kill everyone then that is only more work and less sleep for Julius"- She poked his foreheadbut he didn't bulge. -" But so you know, after I help Joker I was reclaiming an old job" - That was true. She was back with her faction. Of course, that last part and details were classified information.
Ace moved slightly back and raised his hand to her neck in a gripping pose, but instead of grabbing her throat, he moved his hand aside at the last second and proceeded to give her a tight hug.- "I don't like it when you get lost without me. "
"Ace?" - She remained unmoving for a second feeling his warmth, then she awkwardly hugged him back.
Ace expression softened, surprised that Aria was returning the hug. So making use of his apparent luck, he began passing his hand on her back and reaching for her ass.
Aria chuckled and did the same with him. - "Fine, boyfriend, we need some relationship reinforcing activities, no? "- She tightened the hug before she pushed him back and got of the desk and now he was the one leaning on it.- "Care to tango?"
Ace quizzically looked at her. - "What's that, I hope it doesn't involve this dress. It looks pretty but you'd be better off without it"
Aria walked into the middle of the spacious office. She set one hand on her hip and raise the other to snap her fingers. Shadows reshaped her dress to give it far more leg cleavage on one side and her hair got tied in a fancy bum. A new snap from her fingers and a digital flicker from her eyes, and a figure raised from the shadows, but instead of it being an animal, Aegis was an indistinguishable male figure, tall and muscular, it looked as if it was an after image of Aria's old mercenary partner and lover from her world, the one that Ace had seen and killed in that dream trap. Ace narrowed his eyes at the sight, but he got distracted by music with violins, piano and accordion that began playing.
"Tango is an old dance style from my word. It takes two to tango they say, and I'm sure you'll see." - She winked at Ace and took position in front of Aegis, whom got her close against its shadowy body.
"Sounds like fun." - He said with a cool grin that remained in place asAce crossed his arms and leaned on the desk with a pout, realizing that her shadows could serve as a male body substitute.
Aria's and Aegis voice mixed in perfect synchrony when they explained. - "Tango is danced to a repetitive style of music. The count of the music is either 16 or 32 beats. While dancing the tango, the lady is held in the crook of the man's arm. "- Aegis held Aria's torso with his hand on her back so her side was in the crook of his arm and was pressed over his chest -"She holds her head back and rests her right hand on the man's lower hip." - Aria slid her hand from Aegis shoulder towards his hip. They took a few step, the first one with Aegis moving the right foot back and she her left one up front- " The man must allow the lady to rest in this position while leading her around the floor in a curving pattern."- Then suddenly, Aegis stopped and helped Aria twist from side to side pivoting near him in a gracious arc move.
Rather than speaking, Aria kept looking at Aegis as he danced her with ease and precision as the music continued its pace; walking from stationary positions to linear patterns and arcs, Aegis holding her as she moved away or used his strength to twist and turn with contained but obvious passion in each move that was taken. Aria and her shadow were enjoying synchronizing. This tango dance was a vibrant and playful interchange between two partners and a perfect way for their almost symbiotic existences to be tested.
Ace breathed deeply while taking into the show. Aria seemed far more expressive as the music progressed, she even directed Ace some smirking smiles and Ace felt completely invited to this yet outside of it. It was a sort of dialogue without words, a physical speaking he would surely understand if he tried, plus it looked fun. Sure, he was getting a bit jealous of that shadow, but he knew this was for him and he would be holding her long through the evening. Now that she had given him this chance, he was not letting it go.
The dance ended and the shadows dissolved, yet the music continued with a new song. Ace felt his clock tick in anticipation as Aria walked up to him. The brunette stood up and tended his hand to her, which she accepted without delay, and he pulled her towards him. She leaned on him, her heart beating faster inside her chest from the past demonstration. Her leg raised high and crossed over his tight while one of her hands held onto his shoulder and the other grabbed his hand.
"And it does gets better. Separations, ganchos, high boleos, quebradas, al reves positions… It's really fun dance. You'd like to try?" - Aria purred while moving her leg up and down over his thigh in an inviting manner.
Ace smirked but his eyes remained rather emotionless. - "As long as I get to joust you with my lance and hear you neigh."
Aria flickered Ace's forehead with her fingers and began the lessons began. Never did she gave any indication that she had seen through the window or in the castle's corridors some of her faction's operatives, or that she was distracting the one man responsible for giving the proper security orders to stop anything, if anything was discovered. If no one had dared to kill the knave's horse, no one would dare bother Ace right now that the knight was having some private time behind doors with his foreign girlfriend.
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Hi everyone.
Was that enough fluff? Or was the horse part too much?
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A couple terms:
*destrier -The best-known war horse of the medieval era. It carried knights in battles, tournaments, and jousts. It was highly prized but not that common because the term was given to only the finest and strongest warhorses.
*Cinq à sept - Literally, "five to seven", is a term in french that refers to the time one would take to go and see the lover/affair after work and before going home with their couple.
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