forum The Strangers in the Palace (Closed)(Fantasy)

Started October 31, 2021 by @LovelyRose

tune

“Perhaps I can help with that as well.”

He returned to his wardrobe and began to move shirts around. In the back rack was a row of satchels that he’d acquired over the years. They were mostly useless. Because he didn’t leave the Palace often, he didn’t have much of a reason to own more than a couple. He looked through them until he found a nice yet sturdy leather bag with an adjustable strap and good clasp.

The bag had several pockets. The largest was the main space, which could hold quite a bit, but there were a couple of smaller ones as well. They were all padded inside with plant fluff.

“Would this work? It’s mostly weatherproof, and the outside is thick enough so that it shouldn’t tear easily.”

Rin watched him, considering. "It might, but…I cannot accept all of this." he said slowly, eyes flickering a bit as he watched Arquis. "It's…a lot, and I'm only a bard." he was not used to receiving gifts from those who had hired him. Most of the items he carried with him were things he needed, not things like these paintings, where they were just lovely gifts.

“Only a bard,” he echoed, mouth twitching into a frown. “You are not only a bard.” He cleared his throat and gestured towards the bag. “Listen, I do understand your dismay. It must be unusual to receive a gift from someone you haven’t known all that long, but I promise that there are no strings attached. Truthfully, it will go to waste in my possession. I will never use it. It is much better off in the hands of someone who will. Think of it as a gift for keeping me company tonight.”

Rin carefully took the bag and tucked the paintings into it, putting the strap of the bag over his shoulder. "I must thank you, then." he replied, giving Arquis a soft smile. "I shall do my best to keep these safe." he looked over at the nobleman, still smiling softly.

Arquis smiled in return and murmured a quick thank-you back. He scratched at his neck for a moment bashfully before heading over to sit on his bed. He collected the rest of the paintings and placed them in their proper box with the sheets of glass. Then, he put the lid on, set it on the floor, and sat back up. His gloved hands pressed flat against his comforter as he leant back slightly. The candles cast flickering shadows over him. They highlighted the contrasts of his neck and face, sharpening the ridges of his visible collarbones like he was the subject of a chiaroscuro painting.

“It is very late,” he said, so softly that it could have been a whisper. He felt insecure in that helpless, youthful way, and it was driving him off his rocker. “And you have a performance tomorrow. Perhaps… perhaps I should guide you to your room? Unless you remember the way.”

Rin took a step towards the door. "I do not need the guidance, but I would appreciate the company." he responded softly, looking at Arquis over his shoulder and giving the young man a soft smile. As they were further frmo the candles, the light was dimmer, casting flickering shadows over his cheeks, glittering off the studs in his ears and casting soft, dancing lights over his dark hair.

“I’ll guide you, then,” he agreed, slowly propping himself back up onto his feet. As he neared the door, he found himself wishing desperately that the night didn’t have to end. There was a warmth in his chest that wouldn’t cease; he didn’t think it was from the drink he’d had, as he felt rather sober.

He bit his bottom lip and opened the door. The way to the musician’s room wasn’t that far. They could make it in a few moments if he just started to walk, but his feet felt glued to the floor. He glanced over at Rinlos, a little embarrassed, before saying, “Forgive me. It might be a bit forward, but I am really glad you came to visit.”

Rin smiled softly, adjusting the satchel. "As am I." he replied. "Even if we do not have the time to really talk or get to know each other, it was…lovely, to be able to spend just a bit of time with you and get to know you, even if only a little." he did wish that they could get to know the other man better.

Arquis nodded with a smile, though for some strange reason he felt more like crying. He swallowed around the lump in his throat and walked ahead into the hallway. The corridors were dark this time of night—they would be brightened with candles on the lower floors so that guests could see, but this floor was almost pitch black—except for tiny patches of light let in from the windows. He took the back way through the Palace, winding through another hall and a few sets of stairs before ending up at the musician’s room.

After slipping the master key into the lock and opening the door, he murmured a gentle, “Goodnight, Rinlos.”

Rin followed him quietly, wishing that he had more time here to get to know Arquis and perhaps explore the Palace; it seemed like a fascinating place that they would not mind spending hours exploring. "Goodnight, Arquis." he said the nobleman's name tentatively, unsure if this would be seen as an overstep. Sure, the entire evening had technically been an overstep, but he did not know what Arquis would consider to be too much.

Hearing his name sent a shiver up his spine, and he rubbed at his elbows to rid himself of goosebumps. He smiled anxiously and fidgeted for a few seconds before heading back the way he’d came. For some reason, the dark halls on his floor looked a tad brighter than they had before. He chalked it up to his drink addled mind—knowing, of course, that it was a bad excuse at best—and threw himself down on his bed. His eyes closed before he knew it, and he accidentally drifted off to sleep in his full attire.

[Day Two]

It was two hours into the party, and everything seemed to be proceeding fine. The ballroom was alive with the sounds of dancing and music. Young children giggled as they stole pastries from the thin dining tables surrounding the large room. Teenagers gathered in clusters, breaking off only to slow dance or sneak out of the sight of their parents. Adults, depending on their age and status, either drank, performed formal dances, or gossiped. There were a few older folk that were particularly nosey, and they took up a corner of the floor. Most people tried to avoid them.

Arquis would admit that he’d done well with the decor if he had been in an admiring mood. Despite the polite, attentive look on his face, he was actually feeling awful. Crowds tended to frighten him, and he felt constantly on the border of hyperventilating. He would’ve ducked outside if possible, but to do so as a host would have been incredibly rude.

There was a part of the ballroom that was slightly elevated. That was the stage where the musicians played, and right before it was a set of thrones where he and his siblings could sit if they so desired. Marsiquia was sharing hers with Carsui, her boyfriend. They were cute together. He was in a black suit that went well with her pink dress. Her arm was around his shoulder, and they were nibbling off a platter of hors d’oeuvres.

Quirisa was somewhere in the crowd. Her short hair was pinned back into a tight, glossy bun, and her eyeliner was dark and sharp. She was in a tight, shimmering dress the color of dark steel. He had last seen her in a dramatic argument with two guys about her age, but she’d stormed off somewhere and hadn’t returned.

The suit Arquis was wearing was rather elegant, though it was also quite stifling. His jacket was black on one side and beaded with silver swirls on the other. The vest underneath, undershirt, and matching pants were all black, but his gloves were silver. He wore a ring with an obsidian gem over his thumb that he’d gotten ages ago.

After taking some time to greet guests and set everything into motion, he’d gone to settle in his chair. It was on the right side of Muria’s throne. Hers was made of natural wood and enchanted by an old family acquaintance to blossom with different plants. His was a simple black.

She was sitting in her throne. He had to admit that she looked nice. Her dark hair was back in a loose braid that paired well with her olive green gown. She was sipping casually from a flute of champagne and smiling—laughing, even—with a few men. He looked away before she could notice and got up, feeling more shaken than before, and began to weave his way through the crowd to find some water.

(later works!)

Rin was wandering the crowd right now, striking up conversations and laughing with different guests. Their instrument was set aside on the stage, out of the way where he could grab it later. He was dressed in a white shirt, dark slacks, and a crimson coat; he did his best to keep his nice clothes, well, nice, and this one was in a good condition, save for a few rips that he had discovered when he got it out earlier. He had stitched those up quite well, and they may as well have never been there, but he knew he would need a new formal coat soon. This one was reaching the end of its life, and sooner or later they were going to cut it up into scraps to use for other things. Waste not, want not.

The crowd was beginning to feel like it was closing in on Arquis. A young woman stumbled into him and spilled her sparkling water on his coat sleeve. She immediately apologized and tried to dab it off with her sash. Her touch made him jolt backwards into a different person, this time a taller woman with braids. She apparently recognized him and clamped a welcoming hand on his shoulder. He stepped in the opposite direction, trying and failing to nudge her off.

His behavior was drawing eyes. Someone asked if he wanted to dance to cool off, and that set a few people laughing. An older man was looking at him sternly. For a long, terrifying moment, he thought it was his father, and he could feel his chest tighten. Black dots were appearing in the corners of his vision. People were still talking. A voice asked if he’d had too much to drink, and someone else began to giggle under their breath.

He was beginning to feel dizzy; the polished floor was swaying under him. He could hear somebody apologizing rapidly. It was him. Even in a crisis he was still playing host, still trying to appease his guests.

Rin heard people beginning to talk, and his eyes drew to the center of their attention until they landed on Arquis. "Oh, excuse me." he said to the person he had been talking to. He wove through the crowd to come up beside the nobleman, setting a hand on Arquis's shoulder in a gentle but firm manner. "There you are! You promised to show me the garden, my good sir, and I should like to see it." he relied on the reputation of bards in order to be so familiar and rude, leading Arquis through the crowd and out a side door before they could become too much of a spectacle. Once away from prying eyes, he gently pushed Arquis down into a chair. "Sit, you look like you need a minute."

As soon as he was seated, his hands began to scrabble at the collar of his suit. He desperately tugged on his tie until it came loose; the two ends of it fell limp to his chest. The ring on his hand glinted as he rubbed at his throat, his breathing rapid and shallow.

After a few minutes, the room slowly came into focus. He blinked the dots away from vision and took one last shuddering breath before looking up to his savior.

“Rinlos?” He was surprised, grateful, and ashamed all at once. His voice was a pathetic, unsteady wheeze. “Thank- thank you. I am sorry that you had to see that.”

Rin shook his head faintly, pulling a second chair over so that they weren't standing over Arquis. "It's alright." he replied softly. "I've been the one to…melt down in a crowd before. I know what it's like." they gave the nobleman a soft smile. "Take a minute to breathe, Arquis." he didn't move to grab Arquis or touch him in any way. He didn't know if the nobleman just had really bad anxiety or if there was something else at play here, but either way, he didn't want to force anything on Arquis.

Arquis settled his hands onto his knees and tipped his head back a bit. His breathing was still a tad fast, but he was much less dizzy than before. A thin layer of sweat had settled over his skin, which was pale and splotchy.

He lowered his head and surveyed his surroundings again. Nobody was around. There was a solid, plush chair underneath him with firm armrests. Nobody was around. The wood under his shoes was sturdy. Nobody was around. Nobody. There were no eyes on him except for the musician’s gaze.

He looked away, pinched the ring on his finger, and fidgeted with the gem. “Thank you for your assistance. I feel much better. You can return to the party—I do not want to keep you.”

Rin waited quietly until Arquis spoke again, tipping their head faintly. "I don't need to leave. If you want me to go, I can, but if you would like company, I can stay as well." he replied, hoping that that made sense to Arquis, that Rin was explaining this well. He did not want to leave Arquis unless Arquis truly did not want his company.

“You will be performing soon,” Arquis reminded them, though he didn’t shoo him away. In a quiet way, he admitted, “Your company is nice. Thank you.”

A door squeaked down the hall, but no one walked through. Or that was what he thought until the someone materialized in front of him. Quirisa. She gave him a quick look over.

“Saw all that back there.” Her face was unreadable. “You alright?”

“I am now,” he replied.

She glanced at Rinlos, her jaw working. Her posture was hostile, but her eyes were soft. She shrugged and started to walk slowly the way she’d come.

Rin was about to reply when Quirisa appeared. He leaned back in his seat, trying not to look too close to Arquis. He didn't want to cause trouble. When she looked at him, he blinked at her innocently. He didn't have a thing to hide, of course he didn't. He had never once lied to anyone.