OOC: dont forget meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

IC: While it only seemed fair to name the three ballrooms after the Goddesses of Hyrule, perhaps it had been a mistake. For there are some so desperate to feel complete that they'll define their entire being by some arbitrary, outside factor.

Tonight, Nayru was filling those shoes. As ratty and torn as they were.

"Gimme yore 'ands if'n we be--"

*hic*

"--friends!"

A cannonball of matted hair and hops lumbered across the dance floor of Nayru's ballroom. He spied the nearest lady of nobility and grasped her wrist with his barely-gloved sausages. He whipped her around him, bringing shock to her face and whiplash to her neck, her brooch flying across the room. Instead of spinning her into his body as would be expected by a sane person, he then planted his back foot and flung her into the air. She would have screamed if her lungs hadn't swallowed themselves by this point.

"An' Burlo shall make..."

He whipped out his familiar, splintery stick and pointed it at the lady. Her eyes widened in anticipation of the explosion, but instead she found herself surrounded in a blue crystal.

"...er...friends."

He turned to the crowd of terrified onlookers and gave a simple bow, sweeping the frayed top hat off his head and along the ground. Behind him, the crystal crashed roughly into the ballroom floor, shattering and leaving a very dazed woman sitting with limbs akimbo. Burlo's face grew into a toothy grin as he looked at his adoring audience. From among them rang a loud cheer.

"LEAVE."

________________________________________________

Sabertache was back in Hyrule again. Time had continued to change the mercenary. He seemed paler, his eyes stayed lower to the ground, and his steps were more careful, deliberate. It looked as though he hadn't slept in a while. Although this was normal for the mercenary, the deprivation usually didn't leave its mark upon him. He reached the Castle doors, open wide and issuing forth the sounds of celebration, and scratched himself none too delicately. He sighed a little, smiled, and walked in, casting his eyes about.

OOC: SO RUSTY

The young vassal stood along the wall of the hall, supervising the festivities. He had been invited by the King, as all the other adventurers, but chose to keep an eye on the party. An event of this scale was bound to be a target for any nefarious enemy of the king or any noble, and as a vassal he had to keep an eye out for their safety. He was, however, comforted by the sight of other vassals and Nogare and the Blades, along with powerful warriors: Sovelis, Alpha, Arrika, Kasei, Seth, Saber, Keychain, Sakiko, and everyone else, they were all there!

"It has been a while." He thought, as he reminisced about his time in the desert. His personal mission had been to grow up as a person and vanquish any evil that may threaten the kingdom, traveling past Gohma to uphold that principle. Seeing his friends, however, caused him to lower his guard and go for a good mug of ale (the same he drank as a trainee as a vassal).

He watched from a distance, still cautious but more curious as the events that transpired between these adventurers. He saw them all dance and talk, and noticed new adventurers he had never met before such as Keychain, Worru, Pyre, and others through observation. "The king has assigned many good protectors"

He noted Sakiko specifically, bringing bittersweet memories that he shared with her. "I had to do it. I am a vassal." he thought. His job went beyond his personal emotions, despite how strong his emotions were.

He analyzed the situation, and decided to greet his comrades.

"Hey guys, it's been a while. I hope you are all in great health!"

OC: It's been a while, guys
And you're not the only one, Saber. I haven't RPed in a long time haha.

Ooc: SABER! I was wondering when you were going to arrive. YAYYY!

Aurel, prepare yoself.

IC: The flash of anger was forgotten temporarily as a bubble of laughter tickled the pit of her stomach, and the mage succumbed to a fit of hysterical giggles. The imagery that popped into her head when Sovelis made his declaration was so humorous that she lost focus and stumbled on her feet. After moments of confusion and tangled limbs, Sakiko gave up and stopped entirely. Gasping for breath, the girl put a hand on Sovelis’s shoulder and leaned on the older mage for support.

Suddenly, the music changed to a tempo and style, and the girl stamped her foot as if outraged. The laughter had been decapitated from her very throat, and she put her hands on her hips and announced with a drunken slur that she “refused to participate the merrymaking of peasantry.” She stamped off to indulge herself in sweets, and when she was a few steps off, she whirled on her heels and returned to Sovelis. A silly smile on her face, Sakiko leaned in to give a small, endearing peck on Sovelis’s cheek. It must have been his humorous, affectionate wisdom, but he rather felt like a grandpa or someone cute and elderly. “I probably enraged numerous ladies tonight by hogging you this entire time. Hehe.” She blew a kiss and walked off animatedly, the silky black material of her dress shimmering in the golden light.

A waiter passed with champagne, and as Sakiko reached out to grab one, the unaware man passed right by. She chased after him at some length about the room, and at last, he stopped in his tracks to offer a glass. Sakiko glowered at him in punishment for the chase, took a large sip…

“Hey guys, it’s been a while. I hope you are all in great health!”

Sakiko swallowed the frothy, golden liquid prematurely, and began coughing as the large lump of champagne traveled down her throat painfully. Her eyes became wide as she saw Aureliano, standing there, as if nothing was wrong, a smile on his face, ready to mingle… Rage. Alpha’s previous comment and seeing the vassal standing in perfectly good shape shook her entire being, and the alcohol blew the flickering fire out of proportion. She marched up to the young man, swished the glass at his face…but then realized that it was completely empty. When did I finish this…? No matter. Sakiko swiped her cold hand at his cheek, her eyes wild and somewhat unfocused
.
“How dare you? In great health? Oh sure, great health. After you just LEFT ME -“

She turned wildly at a few guests who had stopped to stare, and her voice rose with each word, each syllable a harsh staccato,

“Yeah, Aurel, it has been a while, hasn’t it? I think my hair turned gray in your absence, oh wait, hold on, my hair has been gray all this time. Is THAT why you left, because I look like an old woman? You left me because I’m an old womannnnnn!!”

Sakiko wailed the last word, stretching out the ‘n’ as long as humanly possible. She pushed her hands against his chest, sniffling and crying and yelling and wailing and just being an overall mess. She cried thickly, "Okay so maybe I'm not beautiful but you know what you're just a jerk because ok so I have flaws *hic* but you know what I was SO *hic* hurt when you left and and and and *hic* and I wanted to track you down and kill you but I'm not that kind of person well you know what you walked right into your grave -" She flailed her arms as though attempting a final big burst in her assault, and shouted, “I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! *hic* I hate *hic*-"

Ooc: Oh my gosh, guys. I'm so amused right now. I hope y'all have a wtf face on right now, because then, mission totes accomplished.

A smile and a sigh came upon Kasei's face as he held Keychain at arm's length briefly, before she disappeared into the fluid crowd. Mere moments later he was able to spot her again; conversing with another girl he did not easily identify, Arrika, perhaps? He had interacted with her often, though he saw her in town on more than one occasion. Nevertheless, the two of them seemed to be content - he should be going about his own business.

The Rebel Flame moved back into the crowd - cane in front to help prevent any wayward waltzer from spinning backwards into him - to see if he could not find some other way to enjoy the evening. He noticed that he was getting steadily closer to Alpha, another individual with whom Kasei rarely spoke, but one who's history was no secret to the Rebel Flame. He motioned, for a split second, a wave of the hand as if to get the man's attention, before his hand shot down to his side once more. Pain, the unbearable pain had returned.

Chair. I need to sit down.

He swerved off to the side, eyeing the edges of the room. For such a luxurious and sizable chamber, there were noticeably few seats available - perhaps the King believed all his quests would be too busy frolicking to have a rest? Whatever the case, Kasei made a beeline to the nearest available seat, moving in long, graceful steps, a dance of his own between the crowd, as he made his way to the seat.

The Shiekah collapsed in the chair, gripping his side with with a momentary grimace. He rested the cane upon his lap, and rested for a moment. Surely this would not last. If it did? Oh well, he was more than content to enjoy the party from this angle.

OOC: Because just encase I need to duck out of the topic; now I have an excuse!

OC: I wasn't actually planning on replying today, I've been busy painting. But I decided to sit down with a cup of coffee and see what has been up. You don't know how hard I laughed, Sakiko.

IC: With a small nod at Arrika, wondering if she even noticed that she was still there, Keychain turned away to find some refreshments. It was about time to relax. Her feet were killing her. She rested her back against a wall near glasses of wine. She took off her flats and rubbed her feet.

"What I wouldn't kill for my boots right now," Keychain mumbled. "And maybe my trousers and a shirt. A thinner dress would do good, too." Suddenly realizing that she spoke out loud, Keychain glanced around the ballroom to see if anyone had noticed that she had been talking to herself. The last thing she needed was for a person that she didn't even recognize to think of her as crazy. She wasn't crazy!

Not yet, at least.

From where she stood, Keychain noticed that Sakiko was going on a rampage of her own. Bemused, Keychain quit what she was doing and just stared and listened. Keychain also couldn't help noticing that Sakiko had an empty glass in her hands. The woman had been drinking. Drinking!

"It seems like as if everyone but I have had at least one glass of wine tonight," muttered Keychain. She stared, bemused, wondering what on earth was going on with the people at the party. "I wonder if tonight maybe, just maybe, Kasei and Sovelis are the least crazy people here."

And with that comment from her lips, she swiped a glass of wine and took a long sip.

OOC: Have I ever mentioned how much I love Burlo? I'm so glad to see everyone back. What an amazing Christmas present =D

And to Alpha: Ohhh... How could I forget?

IC:

The trio, along with the gathered crowd listened intently to the Sage's tale. It wasn't so much Taint's story as it was Lilly's.

In a story, the Zora craved adventure, exploration, danger, explosions, and action.

In a story, Lilly enjoyed beauty, symmetry, wonder, and magic.

Taint grew restless as the story continued, and gazed across the room, tuning the story out. Darkin and Lilly however, both found great fascination in the man's words.

"Incredible!" Lilly commented, "Is this all true? Please, continue."


* * *

These people.
These places.
These situations always seem to find themselves going from bad to worse...
Like the tic that bit the rat- the rat that bit the rabbit, and the snake that ate the rabbit- these kinds of sicknesses often begin from an early waypoint- festering from within for ages upon ages.
It was how Ganon liked to operate.
Something was different about tonight.
He could sense it. A foul aura among the masses of jolly party-goers.

An entity rested deep in the blackest of shadows. Encapsulated by darkness, one mind worked rapidly to piece the situation together. He floated in the abyss, arms crossed, eyes closed. His lip was curled up in concentration, his teeth gritted as he probed the crowd for malintent.

If Ganon has anything planned, he didn't inform me about it... He thought carefully, mentally backtracking. If he planned to destroy those here, he would need me, lest he vastly underestimate the sheer power within these walls.

His eyes opened, a red beacon in the darkness that surrounded his body. He turned his eyes upward at the masses of people, the bottoms of their boots the cornerstone of his view. He unfolded his arms, and propelled himself through the shadows, up through one of the castle walls, and into the ceiling, where he watched carefully for any out of place movement.

Then.
He sensed it.
Only for a moment, but it was unmistakable.
That twisted abomination of a Zora. He reflected back on his meeting with the creature. Those soulless black eyes... That upbeat, yet macabre dance that had become the focus of sleepless nights in the weeks after their meeting. The kind of creature that could find happiness, joy, and fun in Kakariko's ancient well of horrors.

A myth as it may be, he could swear that would be the spawning point of such a mad man.

Javelin.

Why is he here? The man masked in shadows wondered, as he suddenly became nervous. He shook the feeling off as soon as it had come. It wasn't Javelin's power that shook him to his soul- it was the man's nature. That twisted unpredictability. The madness that seemed the ooze out of every pore...

It was a bit of a relief, however. It gives a good explanation as to why he hadn't been informed of anything on Ganon's end. It was likely that Ganon wasn't even informed. It shook his other thought from the center of his mind- the idea that Ganon wanted rid of him too.

This situation is troubling... But the idea that Ganon may not be overseeing this is soothing...

The samurai snickered, closed his eyes, and folded his arms. He took his relaxed floating pose as he let himself relax.

Let's just see how things unfold then... Your move, Javelin. I'll be watching.

He then opened one eye, and let it fall on Alpha.

And as for you... I trust you've already noticed... Keyru.

He silently chuckled from the blackness...

Lilly wrote:"Incredible!" Lilly commented, "Is this all true? Please, continue."

Moments passed before Artorius fully shook himself from his reverie, but once done the man grinned excitedly. "Oh, it's very true, my dear. Unfortunately, all things must end...but these, at least, went out in spectacular fashion.

"It started off simply enough." Artorius leaned inwards, a conspiratorial look flashing over his face. Few of those gathered round realized that they all leaned in as well in anticipation, but it was indeed a near-universal response. Surely this would regain Taint's attention. "A mage wanted to impress a young duchess he had been trying to court, so he used his Light magic to create the illusion of the stars of the sky floating overhead. It was a beautiful thing, one which drove everyone in the room to silence as they observed it -- well, almost everyone.

"A handful of mages saw not beauty, but a challenge. From all corners of the room suddenly erupted similar displays -- one man danced in the midst of a sea of flames, remaining unsinged even as the display drew onlookers to amazement. Another called forth the power of wind, lifting himself until he could dance in midair. The other elements all came into play...and then, when they realized they were not alone in the room, a few got a bit more...competitive."

Sage Artorius raised his hand in a sudden, swift motion. "The man of flames threw his magic about the room, a series of fireballs that looked as if they would crash into the wall -- until he caught them with his mind and swung them back around. Not to be outdone, a second mage began to launch bursts of water out, hitting and extinguishing a few. The two sparred with their spells for a time, and only were interrupted when a third joined the mix: a woman with the power of Lightning on her side. It shattered both magics...as well as parts of the ceiling." A small little smirk appeared on Sage's lips. "It was about then that the other guests realized that this was not all part of some prearranged show.

"People fled amidst the flames and waves and thunderbolts, the chaos only exciting the mages further as they fought a war which would determine the strongest mage of the nobility!" He finished that line with a flourish, voice rising in intensity with each word. Even amidst the tale of potential horror and destruction, many listeners found themselves caught up in the tale, excitement filling them too. "Locked in a stalemate, the three did what all competitive beings do in the heat of war: they sought a greater strength."

His smile grew wide. "Fire was the first to think of it: his magic called out to Din's flames, and tore them from their wallbound dance and into the air. Water and Lightning -- or should I call her 'Nature' -- responded with the water of Nayru's Falls and the life in Farore's flowers. Waves drove back the blaze; flowers soaked up water; and flame scorched the vines. And from the three of them, only one sound could be heard."

He paused, reveling in the suspense of the silent moment.

"Laughter.

"Not the manic sound of crazed fury, but hearty laughs of three beings basking in the release of their great power. They were still so caught up in their merriment that they failed to notice as the walls and the ceiling came crashing down all around them, the onslaught too much for the chamber to sustain. Minutes after that first Light show, the entire chamber had crumbled to the ground, yet the three mages and their magics continued on -- for a moment, that is. For as soon as the last wall fell... Control passed on to higher beings."

He gazed skyward, past the ceiling to the unseen stars beyond. "The fire, water, and plantlife all suddenly coalesced together, forging a river of these three elements, all three somehow existing in perfect harmony with one another. Flame no longer burned; plants no longer absorbed; water no longer extinguished. The three elements of the goddesses shot up into the sky in the shape of a mighty, tri-colored dragon. Ascending higher, higher, higher... Until they passed from sight entirely." He sighed and lowered his gaze back to those gathered about him. "I believe the goddesses decided to retrieve their magics, rather than let them die with the ballroom, and even though we lost such wondrous decorations, I daresay the sight of that elemental dragon was well worth the price.

"And that is the tale of the Ball of the Magics."

Silence followed for several seconds, all the listeners caught up in the amazing tale, each trying to imagine that amazing final sight -- none, Artorius was sure, even coming close to picturing the true majesty he had beheld. It was only broken after a second by the voice of a nearby Rito: "What happened to the three mages? How were they punished?"

Artorius glanced his way, taking a second to try and remember the name of the questioner. In that second, though, he lost the chance to respond.

"Well, Lord Graywing," a new voice spoke -- an instantly recognizable to anyone in the kingdom, no doubt. Dozens of faces spun about to see the owner standing at the edge of the circle of listeners: their host and king, Harkinian II himself. "One of them had to marry me." The surprised look on the Rito's face was more than enough to send both King and Sage into a round of laughter, which continued long after His Majesty turned and walked away to go speak with other guests.


OOC: And I thought the last post was getting long... XD;

OoC: Saber! Like ZV said, it's really great to see you all again.

Godmodding with Alpha's blessing.

IC:

"Goodbye," she called after Keychain, but the girl had already departed.

Unable to hide her smile, Arrika linked her arm through Alpha's, and the pair exited the ballroom, but not without noticing a new racket only several degrees more socially acceptable than Seth's outburst.

"Is that... Sakiko?" Arrika said out loud. Whoever that woman was, she was obviously very, very drunk. Nah, couldn't be. Sakiko was not one to make alcohol a hobby, and certainly wouldn't have cut loose in such an undignified manner. She had spotted gray hair, though, and that was uncommon. Maybe it had been another witch she knew by the name of Mirielle. "Never mind," she sighed, for she really had wanted to see her old friend again. It had been two years...

She sensed more eyes upon them than ever; though, truth be told, they were all directed towards Alpha, but through association she had garnered her own attention. The normally overlooked, diminutive thief could not deny that it felt rather good.

In the halls of the castle, they walked upon plush red carpets, the fibers interwoven with gold. Guards stood ramrod straight with spears at generous intervals, and the many windows lining the hall reached as high as the cathedral ceilings. The halls were lit by torches, giving off a honey-warm light, and there were far less people here; it was less hectic than the ballroom, and those who walked here spoke in hushed tones.

The people who passed them nodded curtly in greeting; she nodded back and felt like a lady.

The gardens were not dark and empty as she expected; there was a string quartet in the corner, a fountain that trickled and bubbled, and other pairs making their rounds about the flowers. The moon shone down brightly, giving the scene a silver hue, and the sound of laughter could be heard. The air was calmer here, sweeter and stiller but far from dead.

"I'm so happy I came tonight," she said to Alpha, squeezing his arm tightly. But was he?

In the desert, she had known solitude and the peace it could bring. It reminded her of cooler nights spent on her roof, a book in one hand and a flame for light in the other. There was nothing to be seen for miles, just dunes upon dunes, and she liked to imagine she was surrounded by the sea.

"I hate to be fatalistic, but I'm quite ready for something to go wrong," she added lightly. "Trouble appears to be a trend among gatherings of adventurers."

***

Seth felt terrible.

He had sobered up enough to recall, with dawning horror, his loud monologue in the ballroom, and his and Netta's very conspicuous exit.

"I brought you some water."

He looked up and did not immediately recognize his surroundings. He was sitting on a stone bench, chilled from the night air, and he appeared to be somewhere to the side of the castle. Netta slid onto the bench beside him and handed him a goblet.

"Thanks." He took a sip, fumbled, and the rest spilled across his lap.

Netta was looking at him apprehensively, and this did not surprise him. He did not like it when she cried, and that did make him feel guilty, but he was not sorry for what he had said. It had only been the truth, which he had been forced to keep to himself and live with for too long. It had only been a matter of time before it escaped him.

"I'm sorry," she said.

A still considerably drunk Seth dimly recalled that she had also apologized earlier. "Yeah, alright," he said noncommittally.

"So I was thinking, maybe we should just pick up after the party and live in Saria Town! We were cooped up in Ruto for so long and Saria would be a nice-"

"What?" Seth interrupted. His vision swam, then grew dark- ah, he was only closing his eyes. He opened them, straining to focus on her. "I never... didn't say... Where did you get the idea that we would still live together?" His tongue felt heavy, and he found it increasingly difficult to form words.

"But Seth, I..."

Seth swooned and fell unconscious on the spot.

***

When Seth opened his eyes, he was in a familiar grasp.

"Oh no," he groaned, and let out another wail of frustration when he found that he was still very drunk, and had the urge to vomit. "Rhyss," he managed to say before turning away and doing just that.

"I let you out of my sight, and look what's become of you," Rhyss said, running his fingers through Seth's hair.

Seth gathered that he was on Rhyss' lap, his head propped up again his chest. He did not have the energy to push him away.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was invited by the King," Rhyss replied. "It would have been quite senseless to overlook the Royal Apothecaire."

So that's what had kept the mage busy.

"Let me go." The words had no effect.

"Interesting. I would have thought you would have kept away. You must have Seen that I was coming, even without hearing about my position in the castle," Rhyss said, brow furrowing. This simply did not add up. "What have you been drinking?" he asked with concern, peering into his eyes.

Seth tried to slap him away, but his arm fell limply to his side.

"Errrrything," he slurred.

"Yes, yes. But what else?"

"What?"

"Seth?" Netta came from around the corner, bearing another cup. "Oh, hello," she said, drawing back at the sight of Rhyss, who held Seth drawn close to him like a child.

"Who's this?" Rhyss smiled broadly.

"Netta," Seth croaked. "You leave her alone."

"Seth, come on!" she said, beckoning to him.

He tried to rise but couldn't, and was so weak that Rhyss did not bother trapping him.

"Seth!" She seemed unwilling to approach the strange, red-haired mage, but drew nearer. "Arrika's looking for you."

It was a lie.

"Ah, the little devil's here too?" Rhyss said with false cheeriness.

"Help me up," Seth tried to bark at him, but the words came out as a strangled whisper.

Rhyss' eyes narrowed as he looked the thin girl up and down, and noticed the cup clutched in her trembling hands. "Come here, girl. What have you been feeding him?"

A dark look crossed Netta's face, one that Seth had never expected to see on the delicate mouse of a girl. And then she bolted.

OoC: Fo' real though, I actually haven't seen Saki in that long.

OOC: Honestly, Pabru, I haven't the faintest idea. ;

IC:
Alpha and Arrika strolled through the castle halls and out into the garden, only pausing once along the way when Arrika thought she saw...Sakiko? Goddesses, it had been a while since he'd seen the silver-haired mage; nevertheless, she was one of the last Adventurers he had interacted with before his self-imposed hermitage, and he wouldn't have minded seeing her again... In fact, after their adventure in Rauru that one time, he very dearly wanted to. But no, Arrika dismissed it as being her before he could even get a clear view at...whatever was going on over there, so he merely continued towards their chosen destination, thinking little more of it.

In fact, as they stepped outside, there was but a single thought on his mind: relief. He had done a fantastic job hiding it, even from himself, but here and now, he realized just how suffocating all those people had been. Something about being in the middle of a crowd just...frustrated him. Being freed from it so suddenly, on the other hand, was a true breath of fresh air.

Arrika wrote:"I'm so happy I came tonight."

He smirked despite the sudden gripping of his arm by hers. "As am I," he replied softly after a moment. Thus far, it had been going better than he'd expected, though that was largely due to Arrika keeping things interesting, rather than being subjected to the anticipated drone of chit-chatting with various noble 'fans' of his. On the other hand, thus far he had only seen one of his old allies besides the thief...and Nogare hadn't really been that talkative. 'I wonder how many others came tonight, or how many the postmen even managed to find...'

Arrika wrote:"I hate to be fatalistic, but I'm quite ready for something to go wrong. Trouble appears to be a trend among gatherings of adventurers."

He chuckled nervously; he couldn't really agree with her desire by any means, but he did have to admit that her second sentence held a good point. And now that he thought about it...he supposed that it would be nice to go ahead and get whatever trouble may come out of the way now. It was still relatively early in the evening, so if evil struck now they'd be able to spend the rest of the night in peace...

Heh, as if he would actually be able to rest after one mere fight.

"I'd rather prefer things to stay this calm, honestly," he said after a few moments spent thinking further on it. "With a gathering like this, any threats that came forward would likely be very powerful. And I don't want to waste a good night on the kind of bloodshed that would bring..."

* * *

Pabru wrote:"Come Farore, why don'tcher share some of that there radiance with the rest of us guests. No need teh leave it propped against the wall, eh?"~

Kyune had been just about to depart from the wall in question, actually; already, the other three Assassins had wandered off into the crowd. And while Serul was still easy to locate -- one only needed listen for his laughter -- the other two had blended in perfectly. She had stayed put for a few extra seconds, with the intention of beginning her own search in the area around where they'd been standing. And now, someone had suddenly decided to make her the center of attention.

...She might be able to use that...

A faint blush rose to her cheeks as she lifted herself from the wall and took a step out to meet the man, simultaneously drawing a hand to her lips to cover her soft giggles. "Such flattery," she said in an approving tone, voice perfectly tuned to that of a dainty, lifelong member of the nobility. It was the kind of speech that stereotyped those who were used to getting their way because they had the beauty, charms, and Rupees to always get it. "But surely you exaggerate, comparing me to the great goddess. Otherwise..." her eyes glittered, "...you would have to be the Hero himself, would you not?"

It was a sentence with a meaning that only one of Ganon's followers could lace into the words, but she made sure that her true feelings towards that wretched Hero or the goddesses who commanded him remained hidden. Quite the contrary, her eyelids fluttered with excitement, as if the very idea of him being the Hero would be enough to send this shy little flower running into Pyralin's arms.

So caught up was she in her little act that she failed to realize something... She could no longer hear Serul's laughter...

* * *

The Zora assassin peaked out around the doorway leading out into the gardens. 'Oh-ho-ho, just who does our little Wraithy have here~?'

It took all his willpower -- and possibly a bit of aid from Ganon himself -- to keep himself quiet. Rolling on the floor laughing would hardly be a good thing, seeing as he was spying on two Sheikah and had been specifically instructed to not use magic in tonight's hunt. Frankly, even from the moment he'd seen Wraith and the little fox on his arm, he'd known that sneaking off after them was a terrible, horrible, no good, very, very bad idea.

Which was, of course, exactly why he'd done just that.

OOC: RG, did you come up with all of that on the spot?:shock: That was pretty epic.

IC:

The Zora's A.D.D. vanquished, his mouth was agape by the end of the story. Lilly smiled in amazement, "What magic!" She cried out happily. "A DRAGON!" Taint called out, "That's incredible! A magic dragon, wow!" Darkin folded his arms, smiled, and cocked his head. "Even I hadn't heard that one. I'll have to pass that on the next time I'm prompted for a campfire story." Similar things were said in the surrounding group, until one voice piped up: "What happened to the three mages? How were they punished?"

Before the old Sage had time to respond properly, a new voice rang out in the group- easily the most recognizable voice in the kingdom.

King Harkanian II wrote:"Well, Lord Graywing, one of them had to marry me."

There was a silence around them all. Having never met the king before, one would assume that he's a serious type of person. But when it finally sunk in, the group erupted in laughter. Darkin let go of his sides long enough to wipe his eye, "An instant classic."

"Who'd have figured the king to have a sense of humor?" Taint asked as he looked around the room. Suddenly, his eyes widened. Lilly followed his gaze to the doors, where a plain looking man with scruffy brown hair stood.

"Do you know this pers-"
"SABER!!" The Zora interrupted Lilly as he shot across the room. Against his instinct to tackle the man, he stopped short of his run before arriving in front of him. "Saber! You're not an easy man to contact! Great to see you, how've you been?" He held out a hand, and smiled warmly. Lilly and Darkin landed to the left and right of the Zora, both of them happy to see the man. Lilly bowed politely to the mercenary, "I'm not sure if we've met. I'm Lilly." Darkin decided not to crowd the boy. He simply waved from behind the Zora, "Hey there. It's been quite some time."

OOC: I'm obviously rusty too- or maybe impatient. I'm sure if I slow down...

"I'd rather prefer things to stay this calm, honestly."

"I was only joking," Arrika said. "No, I'd much rather stay... here..." And she took Alpha's hands and guided them to the small of her back. Her own hands settled on his shoulders, fingers clasping loosely together. She swayed her hips to the steady pulse from the string quartet, enticing him to dance again. It was much easier to do so here, with no sharp elbows or other bodies to bump into, and no overwhelming streams of chatter and sounds to bog them down.

"I don't know what I'll do after this," she said. "I accomplished what I wanted in the desert. I used to live with Seth, but I don't think I could get along with his... wife. And to go back to Castle Town and pick pockets... that feels too petty now. What if I became a mercenary? But I heard most employers don't like to hire women... I don't need much, I just need... something..."

And then she noticed something.

Her hand curved around his neck, pulling him down and closer. To anyone else, they appeared to be a couple in an intimate moment, but she took the opportunity to whisper in his ear, "We're being watched." And not by any regular awed party guest, or she would not have mentioned it.

Their stalker was crafty, and it was mostly due to luck that she sensed him. Or her. Whoever it was lent the night a sinister air that made her uneasy. Unknown to all, except perhaps Alpha, Arrika's shadow disappeared. It swelled and expanded across the garden, searching and probing for one who did not belong. For good measure, and for reasons that included, but were not limited to, keeping the stalker's attention from her shadow, she pulled Alpha even closer and kissed him.

***

The witch Mirielle, former mentor and impulsive companion of the mage called Rhyss, was bored.

Four sittings with the tailor for her watered silk gown, and the lack of entertainment she'd gleaned from the event made the time decidedly not worth it.

"You're at the most important event of the season and you want to leave. Nothing pleases you," Rhyss said in frustration, dropping the plate of strawberries and cream she'd wanted on the table.

"It's all so droll!" she whined impetuously. "No one's near as drunk as they should be, and since this is a royal party everyone's prim and proper, with their mistresses tucked out of sight. I want to see wigs in the punch, men being slapped across the face, corsets on the floor..."

Rhyss muttered something about going out for a smoke, and then it was as if the Goddesses had granted her wish.

"Well, if it isn't my eerily similar doppelganger," Mirielle said, watching Sakiko's drunken antics in amusement. The buxom, silver-haired witch sauntered over, concealing her glee at the scene that was being caused. "Darling, you're ruining that lovely dress," she simpered, throwing an arm around Sakiko's shoulders in a grand show of familiarity, as if she was her younger sister. At first glance, one really would assume they were siblings, if not perhaps the same person, depending on their level of intoxication. "It's a shame you don't fill it out very well."

The smirking witch who reveled in scandals had a whole barrage of retorts ready for Sakiko's response, but she suddenly dropped her arm, looking away as if she had just heard a silent signal.

"Excuse me," she said distractedly, stalking away with a pronounced sway to her hips.

And that was how Mirielle found herself outside in the nippy winter air, and nearly collided into Rhyss.

"What's wrong?" the witch asked, looking annoyed.

"The witch! Where is she?" Rhyss scanned the ballroom. "And what took you so long?"

"...Sakiko?" Mirielle asked, and was surprised at having remembered the little nymph's name. "I was starting to have a good time!"

"Never mind that. And it's not Sakiko we're after."

"Then who?"

Rhyss growled in frustration. "We're wasting time. Around the corner. Take care of Seth. I'm going to-"

"I'm fine," Seth said, hurrying over. His pupils were still dilated and blown wild, and his gaze was unfocused, but Rhyss was relieved to see he had at least recovered his basic motor functions.

Mirielle practically purred in false delight. "We've been looking all over for you, sweetling."

The pair openly shared disdain for the other, but Rhyss was not in the mood to sit through one of their tousles.

"Where did you meet her?" Rhyss asked.

"The Den."

"She's a Seer too, isn't she? That's why you didn't Know we were coming."

"What happened?" Mirielle asked, examining her nails.

"A girl hung around him and kept him Blind for a year. And tonight, ensured he got too drunk to function and started slipping sedatives into his water." Rhyss held out the cup for Mirielle's inspection; she sniffed it and wrinkled her nose. "She's up to something. Why else would she go through all that trouble?"

"What's it matter? You got your pet back, he's alive. Take him home. I'm sure whatever it is doesn't concern us," Mirielle said dismissively.

"I'm curious," Rhyss replied, with a dangerous glint in his eye. He vowed to find Netta before the end of the night.

The beating, tired heart of a young scholar throbbed in the chest of a young man who couldn't have been older than twenty-two. Even now, after all this time had passed. How many years was it now? Simon could not remember. The apprentice scribe stood outside the West Entrance to the palace of North Castle. Simon Grendel realized how much time had passed, and yet, how much still needed to be done. It seemed that, if there was truly a Goddess of Time, she was cruel in not granting enough of it.

Besides his apprentice stood an older scholar. He looked a bit wilder than how he went about publicly in the past. He looked to be in his thirties to forties, and although he had spent less than a decade in Hyrule, he was certain that others who knew enough of his story would know that he was a bit older than he let on. To this day, the scholar still refused to be called anything but Orpheous. While being the older member of the two, he was however, far more nervous.

Orpheous fear was rooted in that, many years ago, before the harrowing journey to Hyrule, he wasn't a very humble or kind individual. In fact, he was egotistical, arrogant, and he associated himself with some rather scrupulous characters. But that was behind him, and his time in Hyrule proved just that, or so he hoped. The problem lie then strictly with his absence. The People's Front had gone into a bit of a stasis; there was simply very little to do, or at least the things that were within the People's Front's power seemed taken care of. Greater threats loomed though, like the disciples of Ganon. Not to mention that enigma, Vilk, or, the seemingly eternal problem of regaining the South. Dark realms, the South. Orpheous pushed the thought out of his mind. He had shut himself up in a study for twelve months, or perhaps it was twenty-four. Time really did seem to fly by. And besides a very seldom encounter with the outside, he saw nobody besides Simon, his apprentice, his fiancee, Silna, Markus Stewart, the young lord of the manor, and his own personal guardian, Adwenyl Fantle.

The irony, was, perhaps, that, of all the adventurers that Orpheous used to travel with, he very well deduced he actually was living the closest to the festivities. Markus Stewart's manor was, after all, well within the walls of North Castle. Orpheous had barely left North Castle at all over the "adventuring gap" for lack of a better time, a time period that while it only seemed to begin yesterday, definitely had it's weeks and months were it felt like an eternity before he had donned sandals and hit the open road. Perhaps he felt he never fully recovered the incident in the North-South pass, with that dreadful arachnid. Even now, Gohma haunted his nightmares, and it's spawn were lurking in the shadows of every dark corner. Or at least, that's how it felt - on some days.

Why was it then, that should he be living so close to the palace, that he waited so long to attend the Yuletide celebration? Shame was a word he could use. He'd received the invitation at least a few weeks ago, and yet he instantly felt compelled not to go. "Other adventures would be there," Simon had told him.

"It'll be good for your heath to attend a party," mentioned Silna. Fantle had casually mentioned that while it would give individuals who had the motive to attack and kill Orpheous a decent chance of doing so, it would so much more beneficial to attend. To show that he hadn't died. To show that he still cared for the well-being of Hyrule. To show that he still wished to adventure.

In the end, Orpheous agreed, but only should Simon Grendel, his apprentice who had been Orpheous' greatest companion through thick and thin, additionally attend. After all, Simon was invited. Simon, unlike Orpheous, had continued with the adventuring while Orpheous was cooped up in his study. Well, perhaps he hadn't been effective as his master, and taking week long leaves from the field to visit North Castle certainly wasn't beneficial, but that didn't mean that Simon hadn't been slightly beneficial. Of course, maybe the powers that be realized that Orpheous would not attend without his loyal apprentice, and therefore, sent Simon the invitation as well for political reasons.

Whatever the reason, Simon was much more up for celebratory balls, feasts, and general party atmosphere the palace, and for that matter, all of North Castle, had to offer. When the time came, it made sense then that Simon had dressed up in his best for the Yuletide cheer. He wore a deep sapphire traveling cloak, and under which, he wore the basic attire expected of nobles at the time, as to not seem out of place in a party. A party mostly full of old, rugged adventurers who might not look at their best. Simon didn't care that he felt overdressed for his role in society now though; he was finally here after all.

Orpheous on the other hand, hadn't seen the barber since he decided to attend, all of four days ago. And even when he last saw the barber, he decided against getting his hair cut. So now, his lower half of his face had a bit more hair on it than usual in terms of his past public appearances. Scraggly hair that seemed, if anything, fitting for somebody who'd been a nomad out in the Papara who only packed the rudimentary supplies and didn't shave often. Definitely not befitting for one living so comfortably in North Castle. His hair had grown out down to his shoulders, and it all appeared rather black and bleak. But perhaps that was because of how dirty it might be from neglect. After all, most of his friends probably remembering having brown hair, dark brown, albeit brown.

Simon in comparison looked like the nobles he was trying to fit in with, with his clean shaven look and his sleek, trimmed dirty-blond hair. Not to mention the fact that he out-dressed Orpheous in every regard. Orpheous wore a dusty, ragged, old travelers cloak, faded brown robes underneath that, and sandals that definitely appeared as though they'd seen better days. On his watch was still his favored watch, which appeared beat up, but apparently still functioned. Such an extensively rare commodity these days.

They had journeyed about town, barely skimming over the sights and wonder that the town had to offer, despite how long they lingered there. When Simon left the house with Orpheous, he was convinced they were going to be early to the main events at the palace. He hadn't counted on Orpheous dallying about town, talking to some of his favored tavern keepers and servers from his time before the great seclusion. This talking went on for hours, but eventually Simon realized that Orpheous was taking the time to stay informed. After all, when you're cooped up in a manor for months, with your main source to the outside worth four people and two newspapers, one can't quite catch every piece of news. Or it seemed that's what Orpheous was doing. Simon couldn't be sure anymore. He would never doubt Orpheous, but Orpheous had said many times out of late that he was out of touch with who he was.

But here the two stood at the West Entrance. As they approached the door, the guard seemed to nod in passing to Simon, who, perhaps looked like enough of a nobleman to be passed into the party. Yet, when Orpheous tried to pass the guard, the guard simply scoffed. "Sir, I can't allow this ... person, who is following you enter the premises, not without an official invitation."

Orpheous said nothing. It mattered little to him. He was certain he'd run into some people from his past about town. No need to bother with the silly festivities on the inside. Then again, a voice in his heart spoke. It told him to make a public appearance, to reassure the people, to rededicate himself to his craft and his goals and aims. To answer the call of the Royal Family.

Simon spoke first however, "Not only does this man bear an invitation from King Harkinian II himself, he is also a hero in the eyes of Hyrule. I'd think that this would be proof enough of who he is." Simon reached into his cloak and drew out his hand again in an instant. It was a shiny-polished medal awarded to each of the party who went to slay Gohma. "That is the medal awarded only to those who fought the Great Arachnid Gohma," he began, so loud it was practically causing a scene. "This particular medal belong to my master, Orpheous of the People's Front - the man you just insulted by nearly calling him riff-raff." The guard began to shrink back, even though being berated by a twig of a young man who he could easily take on in hand-to-hand combat. "But if that isn't proof enough," added Simon, a moment later, his voice growing calmer. "Here is his invitation, right here," he said, putting his hand into his cloak and procuring an invitation. The guard didn't even investigate it as a potential forgery; he merely saw a glimpse of it, and quietly made his statement.

"You may pass, Sir Grendel and Sir Orpheous."

Orpheous spoke, his voice as beautiful as it was the first time he ever coaxed a character out of storybook, for whether it be word-mancing or common speech, Orpheous dedicated himself to the application of words.

"Please, it's just Orpheous, I'm far from deserving of being called Sir."

Simon cringed as he heard his master of many-years berate himself, but Orpheous did not notice. The guard nodded at the comment made the elder scribe. Orpheous and Simon passed into the West Entrance. Where they were greeted by the staff who seemed to be in charge of cloak and travel-vestment collection. Simon handed over his cloak to them, but Orpheous said basely, "I'd prefer to hold onto it myself, thank you."

The herald asked for confirmation as to who the two were who just entered before giving his announcement for who would give ear in the West Entrance Hall to listen.

"Announcing Orpheous the Wordmancer and Sir Simon Grendel, of the Adventures."

OOC:

Sorry if it's not very sharp. I'm a bit rusty. Additionally, I'm sorry I'm late. Beak's been busy. I've had to catch up on a lot of missed sleep from school. I have to take care of a family member with Bilateral Achilles Tendonitis, and now it would seem I'm sick. I'm rather looking forward to this topic though, and as soon as I heard about it, my heart did indeed skip a beat. Nice to see you all again, and I'm sorry I've been so absent. I hope to post in this topic as often as I can over it's remainder. We'll see how well I do.

OoC: Argh! I'm so behind! My original idea has fallen behind, and now I need to rewrite what I originally planed to match up with the new events! CURSE NO INTERNET AT MY OWN PLACE!!! >_< Okay, just take it bit by bit...

IC: Zach and Luu arrive in the Golden Ballroom of Nayru (After what seemed to be an eternity of walking; Luu spent some time window shopping and buying some fancy rings) And the two were amazed. the decor, and the nobles, the foods and entertainment. This was surely a night to remember. Luu grew ecited. "Our first ball! How exciting!" she said. Zach's left arm twiched. "Whoa slow down, sweetheart. Keep your mind clear, and we keep our sanity for the event, okay?" he said. Luu looked at Zach. "But Zach...Our first time at such a big event!" Zach sighed, and smiled. "Well, as long as I'm not sent flying from one end of the room to the other, that's fine with me." he said. He took a few steps, and bowed at Luu. "If you'll excuse me, m'lady." Luu followed suit, and the two went their seperate ways.

OoC: I'll have to try and finish later :/

They had not been out in the gardens for more than a few moments before Arrika drew him into another dance. It was far simpler, matching with the slow sound of strings and the lack of other dancers around them, and he found himself enjoying the easy motions much more than even the waltz which he and Arrika had first danced too. The newfound intimacy between the pair seemed to prompt his companion to open up a bit more, voicing her fears for the future -- she had nowhere to go, no place to belong. It was a sensation he knew all too well, and so he listened in silence, allowing her to speak her concerns without judgment or pity.

A part of his mind urged a response nonetheless, something along the lines of 'I have a nice isolated cave to the south you could stay at sometime,' but even as the words flashed through his head he knew they would be a mistake. When the battle with Dogura came, it would likely be somewhere around his home, hence the entire reason for his hermitage. Inviting Arrika to his home would completely counteract that decision.

Suddenly, her expression changed slightly. Her hand reached up and drew his face down to be right next to her own, and she whispered into his ear:

"We're being watched."

He blinked in surprise, and tried to draw away so that he could study her expression -- was she serious? No...it wasn't possible... He, of all people, would have sensed if there was someone paying them any undue attention, and right now he felt nothing. Just to make sure, he spread out his magical senses, searching for anything that seemed off...

Wait a secon--

And then Arrika was kissing him.

The suddenness of the act caught him quite off-guard, and he may well have torn himself away from her if not for the fact that it provided an excellent distraction for whoever was observing them. And indeed, there had to be something wrong nearby -- he'd sensed it. Or rather...failed to sense it.

A few meters away, just a short way into the castle's doorway, existed a patch of reality that he could sense nothing from. He brought a hand up and used it to prop Arrika up as he pressed his lips back against hers, buying himself a few additional seconds to study the void in his senses. 'Certainly not natural... Shifts position every few seconds...' He spent a few precious moments studying the movements, before reaching his preassumed conclusion. 'Moving like a person.

'And Arrika noticed him but I didn't... Could...could this void be stopping me alone from sensing it..?'

* * *

Serul couldn't help it. He snickered. The sight of Wraith, of all people, kissing a girl was simply too much for him to take. 'KihihahaHA! Oh, just wait until the other three hear about this one! Even Ulfie won't be able to keep from laughing! Hahahaha!' Suddenly a new thought struck him. 'But Hauntry will be quite upset, won't she...' He snickered again. 'Oh, that'll be a sight to see! HihiheheHAHAHA!'

Suddenly, something caught his attention. '... Why hello there... What have we here~?'

It was a shadow, moving all about the courtyard in search of something. Oh, it thought it was being so clever, zipping in and out of the darkness, trying to disguise itself, moving with such speed in the dimmed light... But he spotted it nonetheless. And, given the beings present in this area of the castle, there existed a rather finite number of possible sources. Both of whom happened to be standing right next to one another. A simple glance at their shadows revealed who still had theirs...and, to be honest, it wasn't the one he'd expected.

'Oh-ho-ho! So the little fox has some tricks up her sleeve too. Suppose she'd have to to get this far with Wraithy...'

Part of him knew he should leave. Leave now, let the whole thing pass, get back to work... But where would the fun in that be?

A few moments later, Arrika's shadow came upon Serul, down on one knee and staring directly at it. "Helllllllllo~, little Sheikah! And how are you today, hm~? Enjoying Alphie's lips quite a bit, aren't we? Hihihihi..." He barely kept his volume at a level that Wraith wouldn't be able to pick up immediately...

And nothing that happened or was happening at the party was of intimidate concern to Sovelis. Mostly because he had wandered from the party and found a small sitting room to hid away in. He was sitting in a very comfy chair, reading from a book he had found and smoking from his pipe while keeping warm near another fireplace. Relaxing in such a luxurious setting was too tempting for him since he had been roughing it for so long.

Another reason that he had was because the troubles of the world seemed so distant now, as if Sovelis had become detached from the world that he was as he saw once as a dream. Or he was just being lazy. (OoC: and thus, so is his author) Lets just go with lazy. Its easier that way.