[Le Cloison] Those Whom Cannot Cry, Weep (Heartbreaker)

[Erenthril Mael'tharias]

Fifth Brightening of the Fourth Cycle of Immanis, Winter, Era XV
Candlemark 2300 – Late at Night

Le Cloison de Pleurant.

The infamous Wall of Weeping.

Erenthril hadn’t bothered to visit it in his previous escapades to Jaedaxia, but now, with the sense of accomplishment and intrigue he’d managed to acquire since last visiting the city, it was small superfluous entities like these that enthralled his interests and consumed his curiosity. Why did they call it the Wall of Weeping? When was it built? Why was it built? What purpose does it hold now? Although brief inquiries made to Jaedaxians with ill common resulted in a few hit-and-miss answers – such as the belief the place was haunted, the suspicion it served as an entryway to a secret society of Borthanists, and the ill-rounded rumor that a mass serial killer had stalked the grounds of the Wall of Weeping eras ago, Erenthril was, for the most part, left without satisfaction to his puzzlement.

Which dictated the need to visit.

So he picked a time of the day where nobody else would bother coming, that is, nobody in their right minds, and he arrived. Pitch black darkness hung over the city, not a star in sight as clouds circled above in dreary overcast, not thunderous, but merely suspended with the purpose of blocking the majority of luminescent rays alighting the path he took. He rounded a corner and saw it – standing there, unmoving, just as it had always been, for centuries it seemed. He was adorned in black himself; hugging the walls, he meshed neatly with the shadows. The tail of his jacket glided gently behind him with his brisk steps, leather boots padding along silently for the most part along cobbled paths as he inched closer.

A thorough inspection would be embarked upon, of course. He’d view it under his dual-perception of Astral and Material, see if there was anything arcanic about the object here, before moving closer for a more literal inspection.

[Heartbreaker]

The city was….semi-quiet. It -was-Jaedaxia after all at the parties in the lively taverns tended to go on till all hours of the night As he stalked towards the wall, he noted a few drunks stumbling towards various destinations…as well as a few ladies, dressed particularly…..well, not particularly anything. The simply weren’t dressed in much of anything. Of course, the wall wasn’t in the best part of the city so that probably accounted for the….’interesting’ characters skulking about.

When he arrived however, his attention focused on the wall and the secrets hidden there. Most of the wall was just that….a wall. But he could tell in his altered state that there were areas that just happened to have something else there. Spells most likely. He’d have to investigate a little further to be sure but there -was- something strange about those spots. Granted, they were usually the same spots that tended to have overgrown vines that liked to attach themselves to visitors that got a little -too- curious about entries into the wall….

After he had stood there for a few moments investigating, he felt a presence in the vicinity. Strangely enough, it wasn’t being as covert as it could be. Whomever it was wanted him to know they were there, whether due to lack of ability or simply a test…but they weren’t ready to announce themselves as of yet.

[Erenthril Mael'tharias]

Erenthril paced along the wall lightly, footsteps padded and soft, ignoring the pompous prostitutes or the stumbling drunkards whom he’d left a short distance back. It was a pity that something of such…character, an item of such personification, enough to bear its own hefty influence upon the city in means of inspiration and revolution, would be seeded with such poor company. He felt a tinge of guilt in merely examining the object, treating it like a specimen, adjusting the nozzles and gauges of his scrutinizing as if it were something in a lab. This was more than just one mere wall. This was a symbol of pride, a brazen reference to Jaedaxia’s testament of history. Perhaps, even, the embodiment of the dying secession sentiments held by the city herself.

He stooped low at one end of the wall, picking up one of the crumbling rocks and tossing it lightly in his hand, feeling its worth, its heft. It was rough around the edges, fairly grainy, not quite smooth at all, and had probably sat there for Ioannes-knows-how-long. He glanced down the end of the wall, watching the lines slant inwards towards some unforeseen disappearing point, admiring the gray, charcoal features it clearly exhibited in this dark light. The vines that grew along it were in patchworks, and he tasted the detection of spells or enchantments lingering within their crevices. His perception shifted, and instead of examining the vis structure of the wall itself, he began to perceive the entire weave, broadening his perception and looking at the wall’s dynamics and architecture itself. Gaps, holes, whatever might lead to the alleged catacombs far below. They would be found.

And so would he.

After countless bravados across the empire, numerous escapades into reckless situations, hectic as they may be, the air around Eren suddenly chilled. Intuition and instinct took over; he was being watched. Few individuals could ever truly appreciate the sensation of such impulse – rarely did people believe themselves when they felt something was amiss. A person would rather conform to the norms than set aside the unique. Eren, thankfully, wasn’t much of a personable person in that sense.

His entire body tensed, then relaxed visibly – though the game was already up, he’d felt their presence, and if they were here for unfriendly intentions than they would act soon. He’d already given away his suspicion, after all, and so he stood up, dusting off the black cloth skirting his knees and dropping the rock on the ground. He shook his hands free of some of the stone dust and glanced over his shoulder, pausing, looking around quietly. Shadows, shadows, shadows. There were things in shadows, valuable things, he’d come to learn, and they were a favorite for indecisive creatures. After all, a shadow wasn’t exactly pitch black, nor was it really the spotlight either. Dipping into his dual perception once again, Erenthril gazed around the foreground and backdrop, unaware that he was perhaps the centerpiece of a new stage at this point.

“You can come out. I’m fairly amiable,” he joked, taking a step forward before pausing. Something in the back of his mind was nagging him that there was more to this than met the eye, but he was far too preoccupied praying to whatever gods may be that this wasn’t another chance encounter with a little girl.

He deserved some mercy, didn't he?

[Heartbreaker]

Eren’s investigation of the scene yielded a few more clues. As he broadened his view of the wall, he began to noticed differences in the arcanic ‘pockets’. Some were larger, indicating possible openings….some smaller, perhaps enchantments or holes…and then the entire length of vines crawling along the surface seemed to have something interesting woven into them. All in all, a very fascinating find.

Only slightly less fascinating , perhaps, was the company that Eren happened to be unknowingly keeping at that moment. His comment was met with a soft laugh and a form stepped more towards the edge of the shadows, but not completely into the moonlight. He could tell from the form immediately that it was a woman. No missing that. But even if he couldn’t tell that much, the voice would most definitely give it away. Warm and rich, sensual…even sultry, the voice caressed his sensitive elven ears.

“Really now? Most high-level mages I know don’t happen to be very amiable. I just haven’t figured out if you are a Master or Archmage. I’m betting on Archmage as I’ve not felt the pull of arcane so strong in quite some time…and being in a city full of it, that’s saying something.”

The way she spoke was…intriguing. Solid…sure of herself…very unlike those that checkered his past. There were few women that he associated or had associated with that could hold a candle to the sheer amount of presence this one seemed to possess…and that was after simply 10 seconds of listening to her speak.

“ The Wall of Weeping. No one has been interested in it for a long time. Sure, treasure hunters or those stupid enough to not know the history try to breech its defenses every now and then…but they soon learn that its not wise. I trust you’ve already figured out a few things about our mysterious wall, Heru? Yes, I know a thing or two about Syl‘rosya too.”

A few more steps forward…the click of her boots on the cobblestone road…brought her into view. There were many definitions of mercy...and the young elf would have to decide for himself if his visitor qualified as such. As one feisty visitor to the city once remarked regarding the opinion that all Jaedaxians were ‘dipped into the pretty pool’ when they were born, the woman before him certainly did nothing to sway that view. Dusky toned skin with short cropped hair and dark eyes, she was the embodiment of sultry. Perfectly clad in black leather from head to toe, save her deep obsidian and gold hued velvet cloak, she almost literally oozed confidence as she stepped ever closer, keeping her gaze solely on him.

[Erenthril Mael'tharias]

Her voice was…well, exquisite, and quite the pleaser on the ears if anyone were to ask. It was smooth and rich in all the right places, accentuated with a sultry undertone of sensual comfort and confidence in her being. All of this, of course, combined to make a rather smooth criminal in Eren’s opinion, even as her words caressed his ears and grazed his thoughts. The wall wasn’t nearly as fascinating as the woman whom had just stepped into the limelight a bit more than he’d expected – or perhaps her more feminine attributes were getting the best of him and distracting?

“Ha, you should probably get out more,” Eren responded with a sheepish wave through his hair before his hand settled awkwardly into his pocket. It was rather unusual to talk to someone whom refused to be seen, that is, directly, and given her face was ambiguous as her name at this point, the Elflord really was rather caught off guard by this unexpected assault upon his rationality. Far too concerned with not making a fool of himself, the wall lay cast aside for the moment, all but forgotten, as his attention instead riveted upon this odd but quickly enjoyable confrontation. A small smile fleetingly flashed through his lips, displaying pearly whites in obvious bemusement when she pegged him for what he was. “ Guess you know best, then,” he shrugged, letting the issue roll off – she could suspect what she wanted, he’d neither confirm nor deny it. Wasn’t how he played. He preferred to keep his cards close rather than flash them pompously – something that made him quite a bit different from his peers or colleagues in such regard.

Still, it occurred to him he might walk away from this conversation losing face, that is…throwing all sense of hubris and pride out the door in order to make a proper fool of himself. She had a presence that was more dominating than his own, and that was saying something of monolithic proportions when a stranger forced him to check his own self. It was both simultaneously intriguing and exotic; and he liked it.

The conversation spun back to the wall, and the Elf glanced at it somewhat dismally, frowning in its impotent ugliness compared to the voice that was gracing his ears. The antithesis of beauty, and yet she seemed quite concerned about it. Should he be as well? Feth, he was questioning himself already. “Just a few, Arwen, I must say you’ve commandeered my attention from it for the moment,” he chuckled quietly before she stepped into the light, ridding himself of the instilled self-doubt her own personality had seduced into his own.

And then, mercy was thrust down upon him, wanted or not.

If there was ever a handful of women to bring Eren to his knees, this was one of them. It was all he could muster to keep his jaw from hinging open, to slow that small gape into a concealed yet boyishly charming smile, to check himself mentally and physically as he basked in her presence. She was drop-dead gorgeous, and given the way she’d approached him, he suspected a few men had indeed dropped dead in one way or another. Still, it was time to up the moxie, and even though Erenthril lacked the sure-footed confidence in his image and rugged looks that she seemingly embraced in her own sultry appearance, he still possessed that elfin flair and subtle grace that accompanied all of his movements.

“Erenthril Mael’tharias – a pleasure to meet you Miss…?” he paused, watching as she continued to step forward. Breathing shallowly as she stepped closer to him, Erenthril took her right hand lightly in his own and held it up, planting a soft and subtle kiss upon it, before retreating a step respectfully. Child’s play, but the epitome of courtesy nonetheless.

“I take it you’ve been here for a while?” he asked, gaze averting briefly back to the wall before enthralling itself in her own eyes.

[Heartbreaker]

His mysterious visitor grinned softly as he lifted her hand, kissing it. Nodding her head gently, she greeted him back in his maiden tongue.

“Saesa omentien lle, Heru Erenthril Mael’tharis. Amin Danique Cartier.”

She gave him a few moments to take that in before resuming, fully aware that she had his complete attention…and not being ashamed of it in the least. Wasn’t every day that one got to converse with an Archmage and besides, he was interesting to her…which was something that rarely happened. Besides, she was enjoying the game.

“ I suppose that is true but then again, I’m not the only one striding about in the darkness. One needs to be careful in this part of town…never know when you’ll meet up with something that you might regret later on.”

His question regarding the length of time she had been there was a bit confusing, but she managed to reply all the same.

“ Do you mean how long have I been standing here watching you….or in the city? Jaedaxia is my home and I’ve never been elsewhere, so you could say I’ve been here for a while…and as for being here watching you…well, that goes along with the whole interesting Archmage discussion. Besides, you are rather easy on the eyes.”

The thing about women that were confident and sure of themselves is that most of the time, they inspired people around them to be the same way. There was an equal possibility that instead of falling apart in front of her, he would rise to the challenge.Her eyes never left him and were rather enjoying sliding up and down his form...something that was not very common among females...so openly appraising another. However, the way she did it was almost....natural. When a man looked a woman up and down, most would say it was vulgar...but with Danique, it was just downright sensual.

“Would you like to look around the Wall a bit or are your interests elsewhere at the moment? Either is fine with me.”

Now…-that- comment would surely get his attention…and whatever the intention or connotations behind it, it was a very interesting question…worthy of an equally interesting answer.

[Erenthril Mael'tharias]

“Lle caelquel mapno’ Tel’edhel lammen, arwenenamin*,” the words were silky smooth in response to her own, the elven words slipping off his lithe tongue as quickly as they formulated in his mind. He was immediately nostalgic of Syl’rosya and his homeland, the Elfhame in all its former glory, as attractive and alluring as anything else he’d ever known. A pity it had changed with such political debauchery. Between the haughty Mithanias and the conniving Sy’nores, his taste for the Syl’rosyian Combine had festered into something rather unwholesome, and he was appreciative to talk to another who understood something of common ground.

Danique Cartier. “A lovely name to go with a lovely face, you’re blessed,” he mused quietly aloud, dropping the Elvish tongue for now for his sake. Though she seemed to have a firm handle on how everything worked, he wasn’t in Syl’rosya, and to be honest speaking in his native tongue made him a little homesick. They weren’t exactly standing under cedars and red oaks, after all, now were they? Instead, the scenery they kept was much more unkempt in appearance, the Elflord considered, as he tossed a slow sorrowful gaze at the pitiful wall to his left.

Still, the thing about enticing women were, as enticing and enthralling as they were, they carried with them little red flags that marked them with caution and prudence. Out of all of Eren’s relationships, it had been the ones sure of themselves that had been the hardest to navigate through. If the Elflord had learned anything about women, it was that they were fickle creatures. And as much as he wore his heart on his sleeve, he had an equally apt habit of taking his shirt off. Metaphorically speaking.

“Easy on the eyes? Excellent, we have something in common then – beyond the fact you’re more skilled with your tongue than most,” he shrugged triumphantly, silently pleased with the first retort he’d made to her insinuating barrage that had been launched. A battle of wits might soon occur, he considered, and if such was to be the case he’d need an equally sharp mind as he would tongue if he meant to impress. Which he most certainly did, for it wasn’t every day he met a buxom stunning woman such as this in the dark recesses of Jaedaxia. Most likely a once in a lifetime opportunity, and if such were the case, it wasn’t by mere chance. He’d have to make do with the most of it.

Of course, he couldn’t miss her eyes. Dusky and alluring, they slid over him like a cat’s, as if she was literally taking in every inch of his frame. The Elflord smirked a bit at the thought; he knew he was rather handsome, or at least, had the audacity to call himself such and behave in accordance, but it was truly rewarding when one’s image attracted such wanton attention. Call him arrogant, he’d ride to hell in a handbasket if it meant boasting some inner confidence about himself. Confidence was what brought him the courage to get him where he was today. Without it, he’d be nothing. Well, not much, at least.

“My interests? Oh, I think the wall can wait a bit – you seem more smitten in me than it, so I doubt it won’t mind waiting a candlemark or two more if it’s survived a century,” he flashed another smile. Second successful retort of the night, he was fencing off her comments nicely. Which was..well, relieving, considering he hadn’t met a female whom had actually put him on the spot in a good number of seasons. Nikki had been nice, but never so confident as this, and rather than snuff out like all the other candles Danique undoubtedly encountered, Eren intended to burn ever brighter for the time being.

He was acting rather capricious now, his contemplation before each word he spoke slowly dwarfing as his personality began to peek out. After all, the show he’d put on for most people had been rather dull and simple – the average person was dull and simple, after all – but Danique was evidently different. “I’d ask you out for a drink, but that seems horribly cliché and I’d hate to draw the envy of our friends the drunkards over there,” he thumbed back behind him where he’d left the stumbling fools, “so here’s to hoping you’d a better place in mind. I dare say you've enraptured my attention, and judging by how you stalked me…well, I’d say it’s fair game I have yours,” he shrugged his shoulders, hands crossing comfortably in front of his chest as he eyed her up and down as voraciously as she did him. Well, perhaps not quite as much.

* – You have a good grasp on the Elfin language, my lady.

[Heartbreaker]

Languages were easy for Danique, but then again, she had a lot of time to learn them…along with everything else. She had been a bright girl to start with and her thirst for learning had never quite gone away. Being in Jaedaxia was a blessed of sorts because it allowed her access to material and tomes that were simply unavailable in other areas. One language was like any other to her and she could switch easily back and forth and hop from one to the next without any difficulties whatsoever.

But then again, it wasn’t the time to go boasting about in regards to how smart she was. He would find that out in time.

The compliment wasn’t lost on her, lowering her head gently in thanks. If she was anything, it was polite. Another Jaedaxian trait rubbed off on her. She hadn’t always been…but there again, there were many things that she hadn’t always been.

Life had a way of changing…and she had learned to just roll with the punches. That’s all she could do.

The mysterious elf was getting more and more interesting as the minutes rolled along. He seemed to have recovered from whatever had ailed him to begin with and was now quite completely with the program. His retorted elicited wide grins from her, delighted to have found someone willing to verbally spar with her. She found it, quite simply, stimulating…

“You don’t know the half of it, Heru…but perhaps one brightening….and besides, I’m not the only one smitten lest you wouldn’t have so quickly forgotten the one thing that was attracting your attention. I know that you were examining the wall. Besides, I’m somewhat a study of body language and the nervousness you experienced when we first spoke is indicative of an attraction. “

“And…I’m not ashamed to admit that I like something when I see it…Many can’t claim the same.”

Grinning at him, she listened to his explanation about getting a drink. Perhaps clique but charming nonetheless. Despite her outward demeanor, Antique was a creature of intriguing inner conflicts. She loved the game but was a romantic at heart. Loved the passion and fire of lust but also craved the intimacy of the most illusive of all loves.

And being what she was…who she was….-that- was saying something….but a story for another time.

“ I can help you out with that problem I believe. I don’t live far from here.”

She didn’t wait for an answer…didn’t really need one. Danique knew that he would come along with her. It was just a matter of how much verbal sparring he wanted to do before they got there.

With her boots clicking along the cobblestone road, she led him to what appeared to be a small mansion that was almost literally right around the corner. Even though it wasn’t the most upscale part of town, her house was nothing sort of spectacular. They approached the gates slowly and were greeted with a gruff-sounding voice.

“ Didn’t know you were out and about, Mademoiselle Danique. You really should let us know when you plan on leaving the house.”

The gates swung open and as they went through, Eren was afforded a glimpse of the one speaking to her. Muscular and large, the human gave his employer a tired look…and a very hostile look at Eren. She, in turn, simply smiled and patted the human’s cheek.

“ But, it wouldn’t nearly be so much fun if I did that, now would it Travis? Besides, keeps you on your toes. Tell the others that we have company. Wine is a must, as well as some appetizers. He might even still be here in the morning...so hard to tell at the moment.”

Mercy was a funny thing.

[Erenthril Mael'tharias]

It was funny how she phrased that. Somewhat a study of body language. Not quite a studier, which would have been no doubt appropriate, but the inadvertent implicit insinuation (anyone could delve into alliteration when they so pleased) that she herself was the study. It wasn’t lost upon the Elflord, even if he suspected it had been on her, and that drew a quiet, confident smirk of his own to match her grin. Brushing a hand through errant chocolate tresses of hair, far shorter than they were accustomed to being, he adjusted his black silk jacket a bit and fumbled with the buttons. All of a sudden, he was somewhat uncomfortably hot, and felt the need for a bit of breeze to make its way along his neckline and down his shirt. No need to perspire after his first initial bout of nervousness; he was on solid ground now, or so it seemed, and he felt as if he could hold his own here.

After all, it wasn’t all together too unfamiliar a place.

“A talented tongue and a watchful eye, my my what have I stumbled into,” he chuckled as he rubbed his temples for a moment, clearing his mind of the beguilement that had fallen over him. It occurred to him something was a little bit…off, with the forwardness she was showing. Almost predatorial. After all, it wasn’t as if she hadn’t been watching him since he came in – and goodness knows how long she’d been stalking him. Not that he minded. He was confident to the point where he was sure he could handle anything he got himself into, where experience in one subject circumvented the lack of some in another, but it was a good instinct that led him to believe he should be more on his toes than usual.

Watching the sway of her hips for but a brief second as she pivoted and began to walk off, he sighed underneath his breath and followed, momentarily submissive. She knew he was going to follow her. He knew he was going to follow her. The status quo wasn’t exactly tilted in his favor at the moment, but he played it all the same; why disappoint expectations?

He was, however, a good deal surprised from the sheer proximity of the small mansion. “Ioannes, Danique, did you just glance out your window and happen to see something you liked? If I’d known I was tromping around in your backyard I would have been a bit more…” he searched for the word, “prudent.”

Of course, the security detail was rather unexpected. Eren viewed the human male rather unimpressively, for good reason too. He’d seen a number of these bulky junkies, these bodyguards per say, and had seen a number of them be hardly effective in stopping him of what he wanted. Really, the proper security detail was the sort that wasn’t seen whatsoever. Not even by those they guarded. Fortunately, few boasted such abilities as that, and although Eren’s knowledge of such individuals was limited to Nimavel and a few cohorts he’d met during his studies, he found this Travis fellow to be a rather irrationally hostile fellow. Considering the Elf could snuff out the man’s life in little more than a second.

“Vedui,” he responded simply to the man’s glance, before following the alluring figure of Danique up the steps and into the home. He’d been in the presence of luxury before – hell, he’d been in the Imperial Palace’s official quarters more times than he could count – so he wasn’t exactly blown away by the lavish portraits and busts and statues that adorned the room. Jaedaxia naturally had a certain zest for its various art forms, of course, but having acquainted himself with these before, he allowed himself to be led like the puppy on a leash she probably presumed he was to wherever she had planned.

“I have to admit – I didn’t peg you to be spoiled,” he grinned a bit, quietly wondering if the fortunes he’d amassed during his brief time on Telath compared to what he was viewing here.

Money could buy happiness, but some things were just beyond its grasp.

[Heartbreaker]

The thing about Danique’s overt nature is that while it was very straight forward, it wasn’t….what was the word…arrogant. Nothing near it. While she was sure of certain aspects of the situation, she wasn’t at all certain as to how it would end…although a bit of teasing here and there didn’t hurt things. Of course she knew she was beautiful but there was a problem with beauty in her eyes. It made one begin to depend on it…and that was something she would never do. She enjoyed learning and strove to be as intelligent as she was beautiful. In her opinion, the former was much more important.

But, the elf had shown an interest in playing a bit with her and it was too good an offer to pass up, regardless of how the night turned out.

And for the record, it was his wit that attracted her more then his looks.

As they entered the house, he would note that Danique apparently had a thing for candlelight…for it was everywhere. The entry foyer was bathed deeply within the sweet, sensual light of several candelabras. As well, her love of flowers was evident with just as many arrangements scattered about the room in elegant displays.

His tease regarding the situation wasn’t lost on her. She simply turned and regarded him with a soft grin.

“ Probably nothing close to what you had expected, Heru. As for my house, tis been in my family for many generations and I couldn’t bare to sell it. Too many memories here…good and bad….but memories that shaped where I came from and who I am.”

It was a rather insightful comment from her considered some of her previous comments, but showed her capacity to be introspective. She continued to guide him through the halls until they reached a small room that would be described as ‘cozy’. One thing he would notice gazing about is that while she did have a few ornate things, for the most part she seemed to be more concerned with comfort then showing off her wealth. The room itself was beautiful but not gaudy and overdone like many with wealth could be accused of doing. No…there was something about her…so many faucets…inconsistencies. Something to engage his mind with.

Once within the room, she quickly shed her heavy cloak and bade him to do the same, should he wish to.

“ Please excuse me. I’ll be but a moment.”

Leaving him alone for the moment, he was given time to explore the immediate surroundings and wonder just what he had gotten himself into. She certainly was mysterious and intoxicating but what he didn’t know is that he had just scratched the surface of those traits.

After a few moments, a young maid came into the room, carrying what appeared to be the wine and appetizers that Danique had ordered when they arrived at the house. A canter of red and a canter of white, along with a pair of glasses…and a few trays of breads, meats and cheeses…whose wonderful smells tickled Eren’s already heightened senses. As quickly as she had appeared did the maid disappear…..but he didn’t need to fear because it was only a few moments more then his exotic friend reappeared…and once again, mercy came for the elf lord…in spades.

Clad now in a tight, shimmering dress of black and gold, the material seemed to know just what parts of her lithe body to cling to and which to flow gently away from. A curious mix of leather and silk, but sensual nonetheless.

“ Forgive me…I felt the need to change given the company I have this evening. I hope you don’t mind. Wine?”

[Erenthril Mael'tharias]

“Of course,” Eren dipped his head in a short nod as he examined the flora that seemed to decorate the house more so than any portrait or statue he glimpsed in the backdrop. The candlelight flickered on whim with the draft, a constant mirage of fiery dancing that was both alluring and relaxing to his eyes. He’d played with fire and been burnt before, but this was nothing like such child play; it was much more real, much more…thrilling. A sense of exhilaration seemed to swell up inside his chest as he watched how she moved about her domain, like a queen, gracefully conducting a swift tour absent of words as she led him from one room to the next. “You certainly have a knack for collecting things of beauty,” he remarked dryly with a subtle wink as the extravagant flower displays continued to impress no less than what they had before in the foyer of the manor.

As she hung up her cloak, Eren acted as if he were to take off his jacket while she excused herself from the room. He stopped, though, contemplating, deciding it best to leave the silk material on for the time being as her swaying figure departed from the room. He clucked his tongue in quiet thought before turning away from all the introspecting, instead deciding to learn a little more about the woman whom held his attention – and quite clearly, some degree of infatuation – by examining the contents of how she immersed herself in her environment.

Beyond the décor and flora, the room itself seemed to harbor the sort of wealth he’d found in the de Lylles’ estate. Old wealth. That was the thing, the difference between old nobility and new nobility. The new ones showed it off. They were gaudy, ceremonial, and quite to the point blunt about what they possessed. The old ones? They’d been down that road for a while, and had turned onto a new one; more traditional, subtle, they possessed the grace that one came to expect having held onto a title for so long. And although Danique might not necessarily be of a noble birth line, she certainly exhibited the same sort of qualities he admired the de Lylles for, and that in and of itself was rather provoking to his interests.

He turned at the sound of footsteps, and nodded silently to the maid whom came in sporting a tray of wine, bread, and cheese appetizers. A nice touch, really, but a glass of wine was all the Syl’rosyian Elflord really required if he wanted to feel at home. He folded his hands behind his back patiently, his breathing shallow, taking in not only his surroundings in this room, but the other rooms of the house as well. That was one of the many benefits he was beginning to reap as an Archmage; his capacity to not only view the Material Plane for face value, but also the intricate structure and weaves along the Astral as well. For every existing entity on the physical plane was a corresponding pattern within the Astral, and after many eras of being able to recognize these weaves and the structures they highlighted, he was able to pierce through the veil of ara around him and examine the more exquisite vis patterns that were housed around him as well. Dual perception, surely.

Dual perception couldn’t save him from the mirage that walked in soon afterwards, though.

He swallowed hard when his eyes first traced up the silk and leather patterns of the dress, gold and black, a fitting attribute given the rich mystery she represented to him. Her lithe and slender frame drew more than enough wanton attention from his gaze as his eyes followed up her curves until resting upon her face. Well, okay, perhaps just below the neckline, but they rose soon afterward, and he smiled appreciatively. “Well, you’ve certainly outmatched me in my own attire. I feel under-dressed now,” he grinned, reaching deftly for the wine before she could serve him so that he could, in turn, serve her first – removing the red bottle’s cork arcanically before pouring her a glass.

Few things fascinated him more than the swirl of burgundy crimson that glided into the crystalline vessels before he drank them, and one of them was standing right before him.