forum Fancy Deaths (Reboot) (Closed)

Started February 23, 2023 by @DancingWithMyDemons business

tune

(Maybe we should establish an order /lh, this is all getting a bit jumbled.)

(i like that idea)

Reyna chuckles and shrugs.

"Actually, I have something slightly stronger. You see, shapeshifters have their own special Kłunsen rum." she grins, procuring a bottle, but taking the glass Claude had poured her and downing it in own go.

She then fills it with her own brew and downs that. She then grabs Claude's glass and fills it with the same brew, handing it back. "Bottoms up, Claude."

Claude frowns at her, but nonetheless downs his own glass as quickly as possible, not spilling a single drop. He's had a lot of practice downing drinks due to his bad ideas, so at least he can look good doing it. It tasted worse than regular Kłunsen rum, but Claude was not going to admit that. He merely took another sip of wine to wash it down, trying to make it look as inconspicuous as possible. He was not giving up.

"So, you came to this ball only to find a bastard and have fun, is that right?" he asked, staring at her levelly for just long enough to make it uncomfortable before looking at Floris. He still had to defend his honor on that front. Fishing family! How insulting! "And what exactly brings you here, Mr. Duke?"

Floris looked down at Claude, raising an eyebrow at the lack of formality. This man really was arrogant. "I was invited, the King wished for me to be here to explain some of my inventions and discoveries." He smiled slightly, he was well known, not by his name, but by his accomplishments.

Reyna snorts.

"Can't be all that great if I've never heard of you." she mutters, just loud enough for the arrogant Duke to hear.

She looks back over at Claude to answer him. "To answer your question, yes, that is pretty much exactly why I came here. Plus it's also my civil duty and blah blah blah. Mainly here for appearances, since your King and the Shapeshifter Unions are negotiating."

Claude did have to admit that he was impressed by that, but of course he wouldn't admit it. Not so soon after referring to the man so ineloquently. God, Véronique would laugh at him if she were here, but thankfully she was uninterested in things like drinking competitions. So he kept his same unimpressed expression as the duke talked. Though he couldn't help his interest…handsome and smart. Hm.

Clearly, Reyna was just as arrogant though. Claude tried to stifle a smirk at her comment. "Inventions, hm? Like what, exactly?"

As Reyna droned on, Claude became less interested. Civil duty? That was boring and not what Claude was interested in. He wasn't really privy to most matters of state unless he looked for them himself. Véro was the one to go to about politics out of the two of them. "So, if you don't mind me asking, why are you looking for that man? Surely someone of your status has better things to do."

After a few minutes of standing still and watching her siblings chat with other nobles, Eilwyn began wandering the ballroom, hoping she could find someone interesting to talk to. I could at least get some food. It's better than doing nothing all night.

She made her way across the room, adjusting her mask as she went. It was the same light blue as her dress, and had rose gold detailing. Distracted with fixing her mask, she didn't notice the three people by the refreshment table until she bumped right into one of them.

Floris shrugged at the comment from Reyna, smiling a bit. "It's alright, I'm sure there are few who aren't very educated," He turned to Claude, his smile turning a bit more real, though leaning to be a tad flirtatious when it came to the vampire. "Ah, I combine magic and science, recently I've been working on a salve that takes components from healing spells and mixes it with actual medicinal knowledge to heal wounds without exerting ones own supply of mana!"

He was so caught up in his explanation that he barely noticed the woman bumping into him until he felt the weight of another being against his side. "Oh dear, are you alright?"

Eilwyn looked at the man in front of her, feeling rather embarrassed. "I am so sorry, sir! I should've been looking where I was going. I, uh… got a little distracted."

Floris awkwardly pat the woman's shoulder, trying to comfort her a bit. "It's okay, I was distracted as well, don't worry."

Floris shrugged at the comment from Reyna, smiling a bit. "It's alright, I'm sure there are few who aren't very educated," He turned to Claude, his smile turning a bit more real, though leaning to be a tad flirtatious when it came to the vampire. "Ah, I combine magic and science, recently I've been working on a salve that takes components from healing spells and mixes it with actual medicinal knowledge to heal wounds without exerting ones own supply of mana!"

He was so caught up in his explanation that he barely noticed the woman bumping into him until he felt the weight of another being against his side. "Oh dear, are you alright?"

Reyna narrows her eyes.

"Oh, I think you may be the uneducated one." she smiles, though the smile was sharklike.

She steps right up to the snooty Duke, invading his personal space so thoroughly that it was beyond disrespectful; she places her lips right next to his ear. "Trea Merlocke does not take kindly to being insulted by a simple-minded nematode such as yourself. Check yourself before I check you."

She steps back and smiles graciously, as though she'd let Floris in on a secret. She knew that everyone in every kingdom had at least heard the whispered rumours about the Shapeshifter Union's most feared assassin.

Floris chuckled a bit, seemingly unphased. "You think I care about whatever threat you're attempting to make? Miss Trea Merlocke? I have a lot more at my disposal than one such as you could imagine." He smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Now I usually don't make threats, but I suggest you move further back before I make you a bloodstain on this pristine marble." The Pact-blood hummed before the other stepped away. He had no fear of death, not after what he had been through in order to prove himself to his mother.

There was so much happening at once it was getting a bit difficult for Claude to process it all. Damn it all, he could feel the liquor starting to dull the edge of his movements now, well on his way to being drunk with the way he had been guzzling the rum. As if it would somehow help that problem, he continued to sip on his wine as the scene got more chaotic. It didn't go unnoticed that Reyna had failed to answer his question. He would get the truth out of her one way or another.

But as for the Duke, he had been genuinely interested in his explanation when the woman had crashed into him. Did his fun always have to be ruined? Perhaps if he could get the man alone, this might prove to be a much more interesting evening. As Reyna ducked in close to Floris, a slight brush of jealousy made its way through Claude's veins. Why did she get to have all the fun? He was really starting to dislike Reyna. First try to play him for the fool, then make comments which could easily be about Neo, and now this? She was quickly getting on his bad side.

After giving himself a moment, he turned to the newcomer. The woman seemed a bit flustered. "Sorry that you had to walk in this disaster of a conversation," he said haughtily, with an annoyed glance at Reyna. "What was a drinking competition is slowly derailing into…this. At any rate, I hope you're having a lovely time."

"I don't make threats. I make promises, Duke." Reyna snorts. "As for your resources, my people have been monitoring them and you since we heard about your little. . . trick with that funny little stone you found. By the way, the leader of the Shapeshifter Unions would like that back."

"As for your threat, I'd love to see you try. It's been a while since I've had a good fight." she growls, shifting to her true form - in its full 7'9" glory and white radiance.

Eilwyn looked up at the taller man. She was just about to walk away but she couldn't really ignore him, could she? "Well, it isn't the worst night I've had." She replied, smiling. It certainly wasn't the best night either, but she'd had worse.

She tilted her head a bit. "I'm sorry have we met? You seem familiar." She was sure that she'd remember speaking to him. Maybe she had just seen him from across a room once?