Blackburn's Crossing Chapter 3: A Ball to Die for

Status
Not open for further replies.
Arissa beams at Léone as she approaches. “I knew that dress would look absolutely fantasierijk on you tonight. I am not certain that I speak for Bernard in this regard, but this is a night I will certainly never forget. Absolutely life changing.” Arissa sighs happily before turning a bit pink at the mention of dancing and romance. She smiles sheepishly. “I suppose you could say there was a fair bit of each... to varying degrees of success.” She glanced over to Bernard and couldn’t help but to giggle as she remembered his tumble earlier that night.

“So, why is it that you are all alone, Léone? Has your date not had any time to spare for the greatest woman at the ball? If you wish, I could go talk some sense into the man.” Arissa put a hand on her sword and looked around as if to hunt down James before breaking into a smile and laughing. “I must apologize, however. I did not know that you were unaccompanied for so long, lest I would have sent Bernard to keep you company.” She tugged on Bernard’s arm playfully.
 
Ballroom:

"Ah apologies again, my name is Brian Wescote. I'm from up near the Great Moor, and the Forest of Ancients. My family owns a manor up there where I live with my sister," says Brian happily explaining who he is. "We're mainly hunters though we've made quiet a bit of money through our trade, or so my families vault seems to imply."

Brian laughs a bit and Shih takes an interest for a moment. "Hmmm... Hunters you say...? I would enjoy a hunt if your house would welcome me," says Shih starting with almost a purr at the beginning of the sentence. Brian looks over to him and scratched the back of his head. "I think that could be arranged."

"Eexxcellent." he says continuing to purr happily. His tail behind him also flicks back and forth. Marcus shakes Yelcan's hand giving him a nod. "Good to meet you, I hope you are all good friends with Kallisto."

Brian seems to give Perian's questions a bit of thought before answering. "I'm not sure whether I'll be around for too long, maybe I'll stay and see some of the sights around here," says Brian giving it a serious thought. "As for the fortune.... I'd rather not know. I know a few people who have gotten it done and they were never the same."
 
Last edited:
Kallisto smiled as she listened to the purr from Shih, reminding her of her growling.

She bowed her head again towards Brian, "It is nice to meet you then, Brian Wescote. The 'Forest of Ancients' sounds interesting -- does its name come from it's age?" Her eyes glaze over slightly, "I wonder what the trees must be like ... to carve something from a tree that could be called 'Ancient' ... I'd have to truly make sure it would be interesting." Reaching towards Perian's staff she gently tapped the small fox totem, making it swing on its leather cord, "Something more than just a small totem..."
 
Bernard thanked Petyr and mentioned looking forward to the book should he ever receive one. As they parted Bernard held Arissa close, happy that she was apparently have a better time. When Arissa stopped to address Leone he paused, standing next to her studious, but relaxed and with a smile, an attempt to be the best escort he could.

"I hardly think I can forget how gorgeous you look in that dress, and how your eyes sparkle with your smile." Bernard commented to the side, not really addressing either of the ladies, more of a thought to himself out loud. "Well the first dance went well, but I am no Carmanthian." Bernard jested and grinned as she glanced to him.

As she continued the conversation Bernard watched the two. "I'm sure I could pull off another Mordentish dance without knocking into another server if you'd like the company Leon? We could dance our way into the host and his current attraction. Competition drives some men mad and it might give Arissa the chance to speak with Jonathan." Bernard smirked.
 
Ballroom:

Esmerelda approaches Bernard, Leone, and Arissa with a large mischievous smile while the fireworks are going off. "Do either of you mind if I borrow Arissa for a small moment for something private? It should only take a few moments," says Esmerelda smirking.
 
Peri smiled in greeting Kallisto and Marcus as they approach. With Brian immediately introducing himself she was happy to not have much to do. Hearing the sound of purring upon the cat like person speaking with Kallisto Peri’s eyes grow wide not having ever seen something so magnificent.

When Kallisto plinked the small fox totem Peri chuckled, “It is good to meet you Mr. Suren ,” Looking from Kallisto to the man again as she curtsied. “I am Perian Marsh Guardian of the Fen.” Smiling brightly she completely forgot the rest of the title Arissa had given her but it didn’t matter in this moment she was staring probably impolightly up at a tall humanoid cat.
 
Last edited:
Léone smiles widely. "I'm not surprised you managed to work your magic on me, of all people. Thanks for picking it out, though." She rolls her shoulders, still trying to get a fit on the bolero wrapped around her. "It's glad to hear you're having such a great time - though I wonder what you've been doing that makes the unforgettableness so onesided." She flashes a teasing smirk. "I'm sure you both danced wonderfully - in your own ways, of course."

At the mention of James, she chuckles and shakes her head. "He's everyone's date at this point, I'm afraid. I've barely been able to catch a glimpse of him under all that attention he's been getting." Her mind flashes briefly to the card Arabelle had pulled, but she pushes it to the back of her mind. She winks at Arissa, barely visible under her mask. "Besides... it's only right that he save the best for last, after all."

She laughs again, before finally stopping to catch her breath. "Are you in on this too, Bernard? Though I'm sure he'd be amused by the 'chance encounter', heck maybe even make it the reason why he made his choice if he wanted to be cheesy." She smirks back, then turns to Arissa. "I know you wanted a dance as well, but I'm sure Jonathan would appreciate the talk after everything happened today. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

At the approach of Esmerelda, she turns Arissa with a shrug. "I should be more worried about you not having enough time today. Seems someone's too popular, eh?" She thought back, wondering what it could be about... then recalls the incident, and the deck. She raises an eyebrow underneath her mask, but decides against speaking up.
 
Last edited:
Bernard grins and chuckles at Leone, "Where there is good, beauty, love, and laughter in the world, stand against the wickedness that would swallow it. Love, it's in the job description."

As Esmerelda approached asking to steal away Arissa for a moment Bernard smiles, "Sorry, I'm Father Bernard, and you are?" Bernard looks to Arissa, unsure of how she might react to the Vistani approaching her.
 
Arissa smiles at Léone, glad to see that her friend seemed to still be having a good time despite the absence of her betrothed. She turned in surprise at the sound of a familiar voice, and immediately felt a sense of shame as Esmeralda approached. She turns to Bernard as he asked her identity and smiled to him. “I suppose you two had not met on the day of James’s homecoming, ja? This is Esmerelda Dizaverni, daughter of the late Raunie Rozalina Dizaverni. I owe her and her family a great deal, of course I can spare her a few moments.”

Arissa turns to Léone, her smile slipping slightly as she recalled the circumstances of the last time the two of them had seen Esmerelda. “I suppose the two of us will have to wait for our performance, ja? Bernard may be first and James last, but I will be certain to make ours the most memorable.”

Arissa turns to Esmerelda meeting her eyes for the first time, and her smile dims. “Well, I am at your disposal. What can I do for you, Esmerelda?”
 
Ballroom:

"I am Esmerelda Dizaverni, as Arissa has stated. We were the original ones that brought her to town and found her out in the woods, when she was disoriented among the woods," says Esmerelda nodding her head momentarily to Bernard. "It is nice to meet the man who has captured Arissa's heart." When Arissa turns to Esmerelda asking what she can do she frowns. "If you are too busy I understand, and can come back later..."
 
Arissa nods to the story of their first encounter and smiles to Bernard. “I am afraid that you were not my first savior in these lands. It is thanks to Esmerelda and her people that I ever made it to Blackburn’s Crossing to begin with.”

At the mention of Bernard capturing her heart, Arissa blushes but says nothing. Why deny the truth of the matter? She then looks over to Esmerelda curiously as she frowned. “No, it is no trouble at all. I would be happy to come with you, Esmerelda.”
 
Ballroom:

"Yes the forest of Ancients has some of the largest tree's known to man, we believe it has been there for a very long time, or that's at least what scholars who come out to examine them tell me. I expect you could make a large totem if you really wanted out of them," says Brian to Kallisto. Meanwhile Shih turns to Perian looking down at her. He smiles down at Peri. "Hello it is a Pppppleasure to meet you Ppppperian." Shih exaggerates Perians name playfully before giving her a deep bow.
 
Peri can’t help but bow their head again quickly. The grin on her face pulled at her cheeks as she bit her lower lip trying not to cheese out. She wanted to reach out and touch him but she knew it would be impolite he was a person. “I’m sorry for staring she blushes, i’ve Just never met one of your kind before. Are you part of a traveling troupe or are your talents specifically sought after for the event?” Her eyes finally tear away from their stare and settle upon him for naturally for conversation though her chin still tilts up to see him.
 
Léone looks between Esmerelda and Arissa and slowly nods. "Alright, we'll leave you to it. I'm sure you'll be able to find us later, Arissa - we'll probably stick out like sore thumbs. Don't take too long, now." With one last look, she nods at Bernard and gestures for him to follow so the two could be alone to talk.

Once they were a few steps out of earshot, she glances briefly over her shoulder. "... I suppose their business is their business. Esmerelda is one of the nice ones... at least, seemed that way when we visited." She shakes her head, then turns back to Bernard with a half-smile. "I'm sure they'll be fine, right? We're supposed to enjoy this night, after all." She slowly leads him onto the dance floor, and greets him with a mock curtsy and a chuckle. "I'm a bit rusty - haven't practiced for three days I think. Let's see who the worse dancer is, shall we?"
 
"I don't know her specifically, but once you get past the generally differences and distrust, the Vistani aren't that different from us. Good people and bad people, everyone." Bernard smiles, "Arissa's a smart and tough woman, I'm sure she'll be fine. I'm also sure we won't survive the night if we're not having a good time when she's done with her chat."

"I wouldn't worry too much, I can lead a simple waltz and it can't be worse than earlier when I ran in to a waiter earlier. Wine and glass everywhere." He grinned again as they took their places and he wrapped an arm around her, taking her hand. Bernard was glad for a slow song as it gave them time to speak as they danced a simple Mordentish waltz, "So, how has your evening really been? Did you get that nap you needed?"
 
Ballroom:

A bird chirping whistle is faintly heard [DC20] through the ballroom. Arabelle, and some of the other Vistani hear it and start to leave towards the exits. During most of the commotion no one seems to notice this happening.
 
Watching Perian and Shih interact Kallisto smiled again before turning back towards Brian. "It would be interesting to see trees as old as that ... to imagine what all has happened during their time. If only I could ... speak to them too, I'd love to learn how they view things. I ... wonder how the animals that live in and around them think about them? Do they call them 'Ancients' too, or another name ..."

Kallisto shook her head slightly, "I'm sorry ... I ramble sometimes. I -- I've asked questions of you, do you have any for me? I've ... lately I've been spending most my time asking questions, I feel it's only fair it gets turned back on me."
 
Not even minutes after Arissa left, she returned to the man room of the ball. She glanced around as the Vistani left around her, still hurt and confused by what had just happened. She wandered over to the food tables and began to pick absentmindedly at the assorted pastries there, the deck of cards in her flute bag feeling as if it weighed a dozen times it’s weight. What... why would she have done that..?
 
Léone nods with a chuckle. "I suppose you're right about that. Ought to make sure we enjoy ourselves then." Just as they're about to start, she notices James finally sitting down to eat and smirks, winking if he glanced in her direction. She then turns back to Bernard and grins. "That dance sounds like a lovely story, do tell some other time." She took his hand as they began, slowly yet surely moving to the beat. She sighs with a smile at his question. "It's been a day. Lots of talking to my family. But I got a little bit of shuteye right before I started dressing up for this, so I'm fine now."

Having arrived late to the song, it ends early as they stop in a mid-dance position. She looks back to Bernard with a slight shrug. "Ah, darn. Maybe we'll start the next one on time, eh?" As she says that she glances over in the direction Arissa had left and... sees her coming back, deflated and disoriented. She shoots Bernard a worried look, then begins to hurry back over to the table where she stood. "Arissa? Did something happen?" She waves to catch her friend's attention, unsure of what had happened in those few moments they had separated. "... Where's Esmerelda?"
 
Ballroom:

Shih shakes his head in the negative. "No not part of a traveling troupe, but I was sought out for this party. A few people reached out that I trusted and I decided to come as long as there was coin," says Shih shrugging his shoulders, but looking over to a particular female gnome in the distance stealing some pastries from the tables. He shakes his head looking back to Peri. "It is nice when your oddness is appreciated instead of feared."

"I do not know, we've not had a druid up north for as long as I can remember, and perhaps even well into my parents time as well, I just know they are some of the oldest trees. I'm not even sure if the depths of that forest have ever truly been explored, considering the closer you get to the center the thicker the canopy gets until it blocks out most of the light," says Brian going on about his family home. "I thought about trying soon but my sister has grown ill as of late, and if I were to get lost I'd rather not let the care of my sister lapse. Enough of that however, what about you? What do you do around town?"
 
Bernard follows close behind Leone, approaching Arissa. His brow furrowed as he was filled with concern, "What did she want to speak about? What's happened Arissa?" He reaches out to touch her, draw her attention, but he's worried she'll snap at him. His hand finally rests on her arm, he smiles down at her.
 
Peri smiles leaning her staff against her shoulder while digging throgh her little wristlet the adder head pouch tumbling to Suren’s feet as she dug for a thistle bud.

Finding one she hides it in her palm before crouching down to pick up the snake head blushing up at him as she placed it back in her bag. The wristlet wasn’t convenient like her wrap shirts for storing components. Cinching the bag back up she takes the takes the bud offering it to him taking his palm and gently placing it.

Whispering a few elven words a warm light emits from between their hands. Pulling hers away the flower slowly twists and blooms. “I too am a bit strange, but as long as I have those around me who care my differences bloom.”
 
Arissa looks up at Léone and Bernard as they addressed her, still attempting to process the past few minutes. “I... I followed Esmerelda, expecting to be headed into the hallway for some quiet, perhaps, but she led me to a dark room. I would have no reason to suspect her, had I not noticed an ominous shadow beneath the door. I... I tried to be diplomatic with her, ask her what was wrong, but she simply up and left with those two rauws who questioned Léone and I before...” Arissa looked down at Bernard’s arm and patted it lightly as she struggled to keep her composure. “I trusted her... what happened? What did I do?”
 
"I'm ... probably one of the more boring people here, to be honest." Motioning towards Marcus she continued, "Usually I'm helping Marcus with dockwork, or making small carvings when I can, though recently I joined the town guards. Part of why I mentioned lately I've been asking so many questions -- probably the most I've ... really had to speak in a long time."

Again she went to pick at her beads but only found the wooden bracelet instead, "Though there's a dog in town named Ocer, well ... at least I named him that, most people call him less nice things, sometimes I help people get back things he's stolen. Sometimes he's not very keen to tell me where he found his objects ... or the way he describes people doesn't match up easily to return the items ..." Kallisto gave a slight laugh, "Maybe in a roundabout way Ocer was training me for the guard?"
 
Ballroom:

"Town guard is respectable, could even potentially earn enough from that to enter into noble status if you work hard enough and solve enough cases. If your really good you might even get an invitation from the Lamplighters. If you ever make it into their ranks please let me know, I would love to be able to say that I knew someone that got into their ranks," says Brian suddenly more animated by the thought. "Dogs can be finicky. I have a lot of hounds trained for hunting back home, and we keep them disciplined but they are lovely cared for, and I often go down to visit them and play. They are like a pack of humans really."

Shih takes a look at the bud and then back to Peri for a moment before she speaks and then eats it, crunching through it and swallowing. "Hmmm.... definitely don't recommend eating them," he says opening his mouth and licking the air a few times. "Ah yes, friends are very good to have. I have a few myself, though they are in very short supply."
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 3 (members: 0, guests: 3)
Back
Top