Chapter 10: Faction 3: Greetings
"I swear the reason for full moons is so the gods can more clearly see the mischief they create."
- Michael J. Sullivan, "Age of Myth"
-Faction 3: Dance Hall-
The night was colder than usual, the stars not shining as bright, a cool mist covered the ground. Kari was the first to step out of the carriage, pulling her dark purple cardigan closer to her shoulders. Weird, the night feels… heavy, she shivered at the thought. Someone, or something, was making certain attendees were aware that this ball would not be the usual fun. "Hm. Dark night," Tai said as he stepped next to Kari, his eyes surveying the area.
Behind the siblings, Joe stumbled out of the carriage, barely catching himself before falling into the dirt. Standing and steadying himself, Joe shrugged off Tai's comment, "This whole faction is dark…" He closed his eyes, shaking his head as the three stood in silence, each taking in the front of the Ministry decorated for the ball. "Wow… Myotismon really knows how to impress his guests…" Kari said sarcastically, her comment aimed towards the large, black vines and flowers that curled around the white columns of the Ministry. A long, black carpet was laid out for guests to walk on, leading to the ceiling high doors, which were held open by two tall doormen clad in the black uniforms. Darklings, Tai noted in his mind, recognizing the creatures from the dark corners of the other two factions.
It was always easy to tell when Myotismon was around, he never travelled without his Darklings. No one really knew what Darklings were, but rumors surrounding their origin pin them as fallen soldier from faction 1, their minds lost to the darkness. Some men who have faced a Darkling say their eyes are just black, swirling black clouds.
"You guys all set?" Joe asked, beginning to make his way up the steps, his feet heavy in his shoes from nerves. Tai reached to his side and slid his eyes to Joe's, checking to make sure the swords the two always carried weren't left behind. "As ready as we'll ever be…" Tai replied, nudging Kari before joining Joe on the carpet. The trio passed the Darklings, avoiding their eyes the best they could. "Evening," Tai said to the one on the left. The Darkling stood, staring at him before forcing his lips into a smile. Sharp teeth lined his gums, his eyes darker than the sky, "Evening…" It whispered. Tai's eyes widened as Kari tugged him away, pulling him into the building.
"Tai! We don't want any attention on us tonight. So, please do us a favor and not have discussions with Darklings," Kari quietly scolded him as she smiled at the nobles waiting to enter the ballroom. Tai gave her an apologetic smile, his attention being averted to the giggling women on his right. "Oh great. Tai's fan club is here," Joe sighed, annoyed by the unwanted distraction. "Don't worry pal," Tai said, placing a hand on Joe's shoulder, "You can have ALL of them." Brushing off Tai's hand, Joe turned to reply, "Oh how generous. Too bad I'm not a fan of those in noble positions. They tend to expect too much a-" Joe was interrupted by Kari quieting the boy's discussion as they entered the ballroom.
The ballroom was huge. White tile spread across the floor, reflecting the colors of the clothing the guests were wearing and the diamond chandeliers that hung from the high ceilings. A large balcony swept across the back and sides of the room, accessible by a large staircase. The round tables for guests to sit at were covered by black table clothes, red roses with dark green leaves were arranged in tall glass vases in the centers. "In case you guys were wondering," Tai whispered, "All of faction 1 looks like this one ballroom." The other two nodded, Joe giving Tai a curious look. He knew Tai was a Jumper, but he didn't know he had frequented faction 1 enough to get a gist of its aesthetic. He raised an eyebrow at the brunette, his look being waved off.
Tai studied the room, searching for familiar faces. Marla was standing along the wall with her guards, her cold cape brighter than usual to alert the guests to not act out of hand. The Ministry is really pulling out all of the stops if they have the royal guards here, Tai thought as his eyes followed the line of golden armor along the wall. "I think Myotismon is trying to stir something up tonight," Tai quietly said to his companions, "He definitely stocked up on guards and extra protection." Kari shook her head, "He's not worried about an attack, he wants to appear powerful." "Instill fear," Joe added, a bit overwhelmed himself at the facade.
"Drinks to wet the pallet?" A tall man interrupted the conversation between the three, his servant clothing now a deep gold rather than the usual dull brown. He was holding a silver saucer with multiple flutes of what looked like to be champagne. Not wanting to seem suspicious, the three grabbed a flute and bowed their heads in thanks.
Tai yawned as he tried to inconspicuously toss his drink into the planter on his right. Kari blinked at him, giving him a did you really just do that look. "… I don't trust that shit! Don't come crying to me when there's some secret poison in those bubbles!" He harshly whispered, watching disbelief as his sister took a small sip to spite him. "O-Oh my gosh…" She grabbed her throat, her eyes widening. "Kari? I told you! Are you okay?" Tai placed a hand on her shoulder. She shook her head, "It's almost like… It's actual champagne!" She gasped, taking another sip. Tai crossed his arms, anger on his face. Joe chuckled, sipping from his flute and nodding in agreement. "Funny. Wow that was so funny. Funniest joke you've ever told, actually!" Tai said to his sister, grabbing a flute from a saucer that passed near him.
"What can I say," she tilted her flute towards him, "I'm a natural comedian." Winking, Kari turned to walk away to mingle with the many groups, hoping to pick up on some new leads into the rebellion. Tai sighed, looking to Joe. "Well, guess that leaves us." Joe shook his head, turning on his heels to join the scholars with their books, most likely discussing publishing as Roul's vendor.
Tai scrunched his face, annoyed that his group had disbanded so quickly. He wasn't in much of a mood to mingle, he started to grow tired of holding up the Lord Roul act. "Lord Roul," a feminine voice purred in his direction, "Why, I haven't seen you at a ball in weeks. We all thought you fled." The voice belonged to a woman a long, ruby green dress. She was taller, her brown hair falling down her back in heavy curls.
"Oh, hey Lani." He sipped from his champagne, angry that it was just simple champagne. "Yep, believe your eyes. Roul is at a ball. How could I miss out on Myotismon?" The woman shrugged, "Well, you've missed out on things before." He fought back an eye roll, knowing she was referring to the date her House had offered him. Sipping his drink again, Tai flashed her a smile, "Oh c'mon. You know no one would really benefit from having an alliance with House Roul. We only have books."
The brunette chuckled, shaking her head as she looked to the ground, "Oh Tyler, not everyone is in it for alliances. Believe it or not, some Houses find you charming and fresh." She smiled at him, resting her hand on his arm. He smirked, his eyes moving from her hand to the rest of the ball. "Do you know what's going on here? This doesn't feel like the usual get together." Lani shook her head, lowering her hand. "I know what you mean, the air is heavier," she heavily sighed, "but can't say I know anything on the source." Tai nodded, sipping his drink again. He stiffened as he saw a woman approaching him. Clarissa.
"Lord Roul! You didn't tell me you were coming…" Clarissa was tense, her eyes traveling between Lani and Tai. "Oh yeah? I could've sworn…" He scratched his head, trying to act like he had forgotten. Clarissa shook her head, smiling at Lani. Tai noticed that her smile held a warning for the other girl. Jealousy? I barely even see this girl. Tai was a bit confused, "Didn't you come with someone, Clarissa?" Taken by surprised, Clarissa stuttered and shook her head. "Well yes, my father thought it would be best if I shifted my interest towards a more successful House."
Ouch. Alright, then. Tai gave her a stiff smile, congratulating her on the upgrade. He felt Lani try to stifle a laugh, not very successfully. The awkwardness between the three grew, not looking like it was going to get better as another woman approached them. This is gonna be a long night.
"I'm telling you Sam, high heels were invented by the devil himself!" Sora complained as she leaned against the balcony, trying her best to pull her weight off of her feet. Sam rolled his eyes, chuckling at his friend. "Sora, hun. Out of all of the intense training Linus has put us through, you would think high heels would be nothing." She scrunched up her face playfully, drinking from her glass.
The two had arrived at the ball with Linus before the crowd, giving them the perfect opportunity to climb the long staircase to the balcony. Being assassins, they enjoyed keeping out of the business up on the balcony where they could observe and not, well, socialize. They both weren't fans of the people with money in faction 3.
Sora eyed Sam, watching him finish his glass. "Slow down. We're still 'on the job' remember?" Sam rolled his eyes, picking up on her sarcasm as she finished her drink as well. "Oh yeah," he replied, leaning his arms over the edge of the railing, "we're really going to slice up some mean on these white tiles." Sora smirked, "Don't tempt me… It's been awhile."
Sora looked up at the ceiling, her eyes tracing the crisp lines the gave away that it was made of black tile. A bite extensive, Sora's taste wasn't the expensive kind. "Do we still know why Linus dragged us here? He usually likes coming alone." Sora asked, turning herself to face the room with Sam. "Who knows. Maybe he just likes to show us off." Frowning, Sora stretched her arms. She longed to jump from the rooftops, and at least punch somebody, to stretch and engage her muscles. "Ansty, want me to start a fight?" Sora shook her head, "Nice of you, but I think I'll be okay."
The two flinched as classical music blared into the room, singling the official start of the ball. "Holy. Shit." Sam said, rubbing his ears from the sudden noise. Sora laughed, her crimson orbs watching as pairs began to spin across the white tile. "Hm," she said, "it's actually kind of pretty from up here with the white tiles… Still, I think it's look better with some red." Same nudged her, gasping excitedly.
"Well, well my man seems to have arrived," he pointed in the direction of a tall, brunette man in a dark blue shirt, "Lord Roul." Sora follows his finger, her breath catching as she spotted the figure. Sam clicked his tongue, "and he doesn't seem too entertained by the ladies. Maybe he needs some male attention." He winked as he began to head towards the stairs. Feeling herself grow anxious, Sora grabbed Sam's arm. "Wait! What am I supposed to do while you go swoon over one of our top targets?" Sam raised an eyebrow, swatting away her hand. "Maybe try socializing? I know it's hard for you to venture out of dark corners, but maybe we could learn more about the other factions." She quickly shushed him, knowing they shouldn't be openly discussing factions. "Are you crazy? Roul will know who you are." Shaking his head, Sam continued his descent, "No no, hun. He'd probably know who you are, since you guys made that 'I couldn't finish the job I hesitated' eye contact."
Sora blushed, accepting defeat as she watched Sam head out onto the floor, passing around the dancing couples. She let her eyes take in more of her surroundings, checking for fast exits and escapes. The thoughts of an assassin, she sighed, recognizing the vendor from the market. Vendor my ass. A vendor would never be invited to a ball. "Neither would an assassin," she said to herself, straightening her dress and checking her hair as she stood her tallest. She made her way down the stairs, falling into her act of a very intimidating woman. A Darkling guarding the staircase looked at her suspiciously. She stared back, no wanting the creature to know how nervous it made her. "What?" She snapped at it, the creature averted its gaze back to the dancers. Smirking, Sora turned to walk to the scholars table, a feline-like smirk on her red lips, her hips swaying.
Joe was deep in conversation about modern medicine, a topic he was often drawn to, when his eyes saw a flash of fire red heading his way. He swallowed nervously, realizing it was the hair of the woman he saw in the market. Straightening his jacket, Joe cleared his throat. She moved with a grace, but not the average grace of a noblewoman. Her walk was stealthy, quiet, dangerous, like a silent killer, Joe finished his own thoughts, trying his best to not let his eyes take in her figure in the tight black dress. He licked his lips nervously, fidgeting with his thumbs.
"Weren't you in the market today?" Her voice purred. The woman smiled at him, daring him to say no, her champagne flute gripped between delicate fingers. Joe blushed, stuttering as he tried his best to pull himself together. "W-Why yes, that was me. Just selling books was all." He didn't want her to know he was terrified. Terrified of the ease she had with movement, terrified of how she could kill him with words.
She raised an eyebrow, moving her glass to her lips with a grace even cats would envy. "Did you need something, miss?" Joe asked nervously, wondering of her intentions. "Me? Oh, yes. I was looking for someone to accompany me with getting some fresh air." Her words were a request, but the smile that followed told him he didn't have a choice.
Joe stood, closing the book he was currently discussing and dismissed himself. Why am I sweating? She's not going to kill you. He followed her closely, the woman moving with a confidence that turned heads. She barely fits the assassin description Tai gave us… Right? He remembered her eyes, shivering form the resemblance.