The smirk that had been teasing the corners of Cambria's mouth as she watched the exchanged suddenly vanished. She stood abruptly and slammed her hands on the table. Leaning towards the Prince she hissed, "You sent our men away?! The men that are supposed to be guarding not only this castle but also your father from future harm?? How dare you think to give my men orders, Verrian." By the gods, what was he playing at?
Edith folded her arms. "I know my men didn't leave, they take orders from no one but me." she growled. "You are trying to leave us bare, my Prince? What's wrong? Are you afraid we'll overtake you? Can't handle this without tying our hands as well?" She laughed. "The little Prince is scare…" she cooed.
Edith did her best not to rage. She was losing her patience. This was a waste of time. Why couldn't they set extra protection about the King and be on their way?
"No, though the king may not trust me completely. He still trusts me more than you." Verrian said he could sense the frustration building in the nobles around him. "Anyhow-" He was cut off from his talking by a page nervously approaching him and whispering something in his ear. "I must take my leave, don't do anything drastic." And just for fun, he added. "Children."
Cal sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I suppose we are left to use our own talents." He said glancing about. "We are a formidable army by ourselves, ladies. You will be fine without your spies for the next week. One of us will need to be beside the King at all times. Our traitor will begin to feel the pressure and make a mistake, of this I am certain."
There went his plan to mingle among the masses and perhaps find a partner to bring home so that his sister would leave him alone about being lonely. Such a pest that one. He couldn't help that his eyes cut to Cambria and Edith. Maybe there was a chance after all.
Edith sighed, slowly returning to her seat. Hugo pulled out for her, and she sat. Running a hand through her black hair. "So, we wait." She crossed one leg over another. "Or at least we're suppose to."
I don't want to wait. I have things to do, time is being wasted. She shook her head as she began playing with the shadows about her, watching them swirl and dance about her fingers as they slithered across the floor and up her body. She called them from the crooks and crevices of the meeting room. "I cannot sit here and do nothing…"
Cambria's eye tracked the moving shadows. In response her flames licked up around her wrists before pooling into the palm of her hands. She hoped Edith didn't think of it as as threat. Her flames sometimes had a mind of their own.
She stood abruptly. "I, for one, will not still on my ass and let events unfold chaotically. We have the Queen's memorial ball this evening. I expect everyone will be there?" She looked down her nose at the room. She nodded firmly before gracefully slamming out of the chamber. She followed a servant up to her rooms within the castle. She didn't take the time to admire the structure for is beauty, she had been here enough as a child to know what it looked like from memory. Thankfully, when she reached her rooms there was already a donor waiting. She barely hesitated as she moved to his side in a blink of an eye. Nor did she wait for him to introduce himself before sinking her fangs deep into his throat.
The war begins now.
Cal had made his way out of the chamber shortly after Cambria had made her rather abrupt exit. He strode through the castle, observing. Servants still milled about, preparing for the ball. He was almost disgusted with the thought of attending such a celebration this evening, but he would do as he must. A son of Marcellus was duty bound. But to put of such a show, to have the king's life hang in the balance… There were other powers at play here. Ones with even greater sinister means than they probably originally thought.
Cal sighed as he stopped by a window and watched the night roll in. These next few evenings are going to be bloody and chaotic. The ancient gladiator smiled.
Edith watched the two go before making her exit as well. Her shadows dissipated in smoke as she stood and made her way to the double doors. "Until this evening, Lord Calistos." She gave him a nod and left. Unlike the others, she would not be rude. There was no need to.
She passed Lord Marcellus on her way to her bed chambers, amid Hugo and Gunther. She gave him a small smile and continued on her way. War had been waged and should she need some allies, she decided she wanted nothing but the best.
As long as they are as innocent as they say… She added in her mind. She held her suspicions, but she would not act on them until she had more proof of this murdered. She scaled the steps and followed a trail that was the same for each and every trip she had ever made to the Palace. Her bedchambers were always the same. Dark and alluring. A fire roared to the far right of the room, much to her satisfaction. Hugo and Gunther took their posts outside her door as she prepped for the night's event.
Whatever it beheld… She smiled. Tonight was bound to be more than anyone could expect.
Calistos nods back to her and exits as well. Struggling to keep his straight face amongst the anxiety rising in his chest. A war. He thinks to himself, A true war. Again, after so long? It’s a waste. A waste of a beautiful, peaceful, woman’s legacy. All because someone couldn’t keep their power hungry mitts to themselves. He continues down the hall, he wonders if he should’ve brought protection with him but initially saw no cause for it. Though he definitely does now. Who would be willing to be an ally with me? He asks himself, No one would be half as willing…this is war however, everyone Needs allies.
Later that night
~
Cambria stood just on the outside of the grand ballroom doors, watching the hundreds of vampires within dance and celebrate. Having this event was in poor taste, she was sure, but still she had to make an appearance for the sake of House Vocorix. To honor such a female with a week long celebration. Pah. Hardly anything she would have wanted.
She crossed her arms, her long elegant dress whispering against the ground as she moved. She would be announced shortly along with the other nobles gathered near by. Such a farce, to capture that assassin. What is the King thinking? He should not be so reckless with his life. Yet, a broken male would do anything to be reunited with his mate. She knew that pain first hand, watching her brother cast himself into a flaming bonfire after the end of the second war.
She shook herself out of the memory. Not was not the time to be thinking such things.
Cambria refocused her gaze on the vampires within the ballroom. Now which one of you will meet my blade?
Edith strode towards the ballroom doors, skirts glissading against to stone floors. She wore a burgundy ballgown with off-shoulder sleeves and intricate swirls of silver embroidery threaded along the skirts. Her hair hung loose, curly ends tickling the skin of her bare shoulders. Her gaze skimmed along each and every noble that waited to be announced.
She hands rested against her navel as she halted beside Cambria. She followed her gaze to the crowds who danced with joyful steps, but their giddiness was forced and fraying. Tension grew all around them and it reflected in their eyes. Edith smirked. This is bound to be a very exciting night.
"So, you have already ruled each of us out?" She inquired of female aside her.
Calistos looks around the ball room, he always hated balls. The large amounts of people bothered him greatly. He frowns, he knows no one all that personally, No one here knows me. I must find some allies soon, before I’m cast out from the group. Then they’d hurriedly think of me as the murderer. He fixes his bow tie and walks towards the center of the room. Nodding to several people as he walks, catching many a people’s eye.
Cambria remained still as Edith spoke beside her. She cut a glance to the lady, smiling ever so slightly. "Oh I still have my conjectures when it comes to each of you, but to answer your true question baldly…" She turned to face the other woman full on so she could see how serious Cambria was, "No. I do not think it was any of the nobles that committed this treason. Least of all you Edith. I know of some of your history with our late Queen. Seems we had a common ally at one point."
She saw Lord Calistos milling about in the crowd of celebrating vampires, over Edith's left shoulder. She hoped he too had come to the same conclusion as her. Despite his rather turbulent past with her family, he was not someone she wanted to make an enemy out of. "Such a dangerous game…" she murmured.
Calistos makes his way to a butler bringing about drinks, he takes one. Spiked blood.. He thinks with a slight wrinkle of his nose, he drinks it anyways.
I’ll need more of this if I want to survive my stay here.
He glances at the ladies against the wall and ponders what they could be planning. Obviously they’re close. They must be, but are they planning? And if they are, what?
Edith's smile was feline and mischievous as she glance back and took two cups from a passing butler. And for a moment, her eyes clashed with another noble's, Lord Calistos. He was looking at them. She couldn't help but wonder why. She gave him a wink and turned back to Lady Cambria. She handed her cup.
"My dear Lady, you much more intelligent than I perceived, honestly." She took a small sip from her own cup. "There mere thought of challenging the king, and then sitting in front of his face and lying to him is utter stupidity and to think he'd assume that of us is quite offensive. So no, I don't think it was any of us, either. The males don't seem as dimwitted to do such a thing." She stated. Her nails clicked along the outside of the glass as she looked about. "It had to be someone who would not fully grasp the severity of their decision….not yet, of course."
Verrian lurked in one the corners, watching all the nobles speak. This whole thing is idiotic, why in the name of hell would we have a ball. It's like we're celebrating mothers death. He thought crossly, his narrow eyes peering out over the room.
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