The small, quaint village of Riverside had always appealed to Shinnston's sensibilities. It had that lovely Dutch-German architecture that made it feel warm and inviting, just enough amenities to get whatever you'd need, and was simply clean and well kept. The cobblestone streets were a nice touch as well. However, Daston Shinnston was on duty tonight, as with every night. He was standing just before the local docks, right in the center of town, on Main Street. His hair was cropped short and neat, atop his dark eyes and surprisingly charming smile, finished off by his Italian dinner suit, navy pinstripe, designed to minimize his musculature and bulk.

He'd been here all day, over-viewing the decorators that turned the marina from a bland public gathering place into a rather lovely homage of a Moroccan market. The lamps and torches even helped to dull the bite of the crisp winter air. Shinnston had to give it to his employer, not only did he have fine taste, but his accuracy was spot on. The marina reminded him so much of Marrakesh, he found himself remembering the women he'd met there. The guests had been told to arrive at 8:00 pm, but as with all gatherings, there would be early birds. So he and Charlotte stood down at the entrance, her with a tray of fine champagne in hand. As the guests arrived, he greeted each of them with his handsome, disarming smile, calling them by name with the appropriate title. He'd worked for enough politicians and royalty to find this particular responsibility rather second nature. "Welcome Mrs. Harborough, looking lovely as ever. And I assume this love miss is your daughter Tanya?"

During this time, he gave incredibly discrete once overs checking for the usual dangers, guns, bombs, lumps in clothing. The guests never even knew he was looking. After all, he wasn't simply Mr. Acheson's Personal Assistant, but also his Head of Security. He knew every guest and every single one of their plus-ones, even those that had changed last second. It was his job to know. He'd delivered the invitations in the mysterious fashion at the request of his employer, and finding out about fairly normal people was a lot easier than his previous lines of work.

After the guests entered the marina, they'd be greeted by light music from a string quartet placed in the center of the space, warm lighting from the Moroccan lamps, and a few servants, all dressed in fine black tuxes or dinner gowns, with trays of drinks and hors'doeuvres, warm smiles, and the occasional seductive glance. As the twentieth hour came closer, the guests could first hear the arrival of their ferry, signaled by music playing, that accompanied the quartet. A male was singing, and it was a song that many of the younger adults would know, but with a more orchestral feel in the instrumentals. The tune was warm, romantic, and slow, and as the large ferry neared, it soon became evident who was singing. It was Jennings Taylor, the latest music sensation. A young, classically good looking man, whose soft rock ballads and fast dance music put his group, For You, at the top of pop and rock charts. The true fans would be incredibly surprised, as Jennings was supposed to be on tour in Europe.

As the ship docked, the song came to a close, and Jennings could be seen on the upper deck, smiling down at the guests. With microphone in hand, "My good friend Mister Acheson welcomes you all to his ball, and hopes you all will have the best night of your lives. So come aboard, allow me to serenade you, and enjoy the ride to Isle Potestas."

The marina's Moroccan theme transitioned pleasantly into the ship's more modern, Southern European feel, lots of Greek and Italian adornment. It was kept warm, plenty of seating and standing room, drinks, food, and a special seating section designated for the younger men and women just in front of Jennings and his band. Once all the guests were aboard, the ship would be ready to depart.

"We're late..." Adalinda Jones spoke from behind her sister as they walked toward the docks. They still weren't even close to Riverside and the last ferry was off in the distance. With a dull expression on her face, Ada sighed. This was what Lorelei got for taking so damn long with her makeup. It would just rub off on the way there anyway.

"It'll be fine, Ada. You worry too much!" Lorelei called back to her sister as she paced down the docks, looking for a boat.

"You do realize what you're saying, right? That was the last ferry, Lorelei." Ada barked back, obviously frustrated with her sister.

"But there are plenty of other boats here!" Lorelei called out with a grin as she found her target, a nice looking elderly gentleman boarding his boat. "Oh, sir!" She called out, waving the white handkerchief in her hand quite daintily.

Within the next few minutes, Ada sat on the front of that man's yacht that smelled of smoke and hookers. Great. This was going great. What a genius Lorelei was. Ada sighed and rolled her eyes before turning away from the sight of Lorelei whispering things into that man's ears. She knew her sister did things like this to get what she wanted, but this was, surprisingly, the first time she'd actually seen such a... disgusting display. Was she really that desperate to get to this party? She didn't even know the guy that invited her.

Suddenly, Ada was getting a very bad feeling about this trip...

"Wow, you're such a good driver, Mr. Steve..." Lorelei told the man, her voice like honey spilling into his ears.

"W-Well... I've been driving for a long time, miss." He returned, smiling up at her. It wasn't too long before the lights of Riverside came into view. Lorelei grinned and raced off to the front of the boat.

"How beautiful!" She shouted, smiling down at her sister as if waiting for a response.

"It's... certainly that." Ada replied, sighing. The bad feeling just wasn't going away. She just knew Lorelei was going to get herself into trouble with some rich dude. Would she be able to save her?

"You can let us off on this dock over here, Mr. Steve! I can see someone holding up a sign for the party. It has to be it!" Lorelei shouted from the front of the boat, grinning like a schoolgirl. Even someone like Steve Cartwell couldn't very well say no to a face like that.

"Certainly, miss." He told her as he steered towards the docks. Even he found the docks to be rather mesmerizing. He hadn't seen them look like this is a long time. He had to wonder who's doing it was but before he could even ask, he was being pushed away by one of the helpers on the dock and asked to leave so that more boats could dock. Damnit, he didn't even get to ask that pretty girl for her number!

"Toodles, Mr. Steve!" Lorelei called out, giggling as if she'd just gotten away with some sort of grand prank. Ada simply rolled her eyes as she followed, her dress already getting on her nerves. She didn't know how Lorelei dealt with it. Maybe she just liked pain. Ada already wanted to take her high heels off.

They were greeted well and sent into a Marina where soft music was playing. There were already a few people here, talking and drinking wine. However, they'd seemed to arrive just in time as the ferry neared. Lorelei stood in the doorway of the Marina, her mouth agape as she stared at him.

"J-Jennings... Tay-Taylor!" She shouted before letting out a shrill screech that could bust any ear drum. Having heard him before entering the Marina, Ada had already covered her ears. She liked her hearing and took pride in it. Which was why she often fought her sister in the car to keep the volume low. Lorelei could not hear very well, whereas Ada had exceptional hearing. It was frustrating.

Even through her plugged ears, she could still hear Lorelei nearly hyperventilating as she rushed down the way, past the tables and wine, towards the ferry fast approaching. Ada uncovered her ears and sighed again. Lorelei was going to take five years of Ada's life away by simply being too excitable.

Lorelei was standing at the dock as the ferry docked, her eyes wide. She didn't care if there were other people here, Jennings was talking to her.

"My good friend Mister Acheson welcomes you all to his ball, and hopes you all will have the best night of your lives. So come aboard, allow me to serenade you, and enjoy the ride to Isle Potestas."

"Oh, you can do more than just serenade me..." Lorelei mumbled, a dreamy look in her eyes. She didn't even notice when her sister came up behind her and pulled her away.

"Lorelei, it's only fair that we let the people that were here before us board before us. Come on, let's go sit and wait for a bit. We'll board once a few of these people have gotten on." Ada told her, pulling her sister away from the boat kicking and screaming.

"NO, ADA. HE'S GOING TO SERENADE ME!" She shouted, twisting and moving as to try and break away from Ada's grip. It was fruitless though, Ada was simply too strong. Ada sat down in one of the many cushioned seats and pulled her sister into her lap, hugging onto her waist. It was the easiest way she knew to keep Lorelei where she wanted. However, she hadn't expected what happened next.

She felt the impact. One elbow to one jawbone. She could feel the shockwave it sent through her body and could feel her arms letting go of Lorelei as she bolted towards the boat. Ada looked in the direction the impact had forced her eyes, her mouth open from shock. She'd... She'd... SHE'D PAY FOR THAT! A sudden new rage boiled up in Adalinda's system as she quickly stood up from her seat and bolted in the direction of her sister, pushing people aside as she raced to keep up with her sister, all while she tasted the blood from the broken skin on the inside of her cheek.

"Lorelei Elizabeth Jones, you stop right there!" Ada barked, still trying to get past people without knocking them over in the process. "Stop being such a child!" She continued, clearly frustrated.

Lorelei could hear her sister calling for her, but she only had one thing on her mind. Jennings Taylor. She skidded to a halt as she came to the seat just before his stage and he was already singing sweat and soft music. Her mind melted as she, herself, melted into a seat. She didn't even see her sister coming until it was too late. Adalinda rushed into Lorelei, knocking her and the chair she was in over as she tackled her to the ground.

"Snap out of it! This is what you get for elbowing me! See, I'm bleethin!" She shouted at her sister, pulling her mouth open to show her the tear on the inside of her cheeks. Suddenly, Lorelei was laughing, still pinned by her sister.

"It's been a long time since I've gotten you that mad, Ada." Lorelei spoke, grinning up at her now exasperated sister. Ada sighed and slide off of Lorelei. She blinked when she realized the music had stopped and Jennings was currently staring down at the both of them.

"Well, it looks like I helped you after all." Ada told her, chuckling.

"Seems that way." Lorelei replied, giggling as she jumped up to hug her sister. "This trip is for you and me. You've been getting so distant so I figured this would be perfect to get us back together again."

"Distant? What are you talking about?" Ada asked as the music started back up.

"It's nothing. Come on. Let's go see what they have at the bar." Lorelei jumped up, already headed for the bar.

"Wait, we aren't old en-... Oh whatever." Ada called out, finally giving up as she got up and walked after her sister.

Troy Rose felt his wife's ice cold upon him the entire drive to the docks. It was a new thing to him, the look that she gave him, one of almost constant contempt at her husband and his recent antics. Even as he parked the car he could only feel her eyes harden in her glance at him. As he exited the car and locked it, as he moved towards the front his wife did the same, one of her hands snagged onto his, her grip hard and it made her intentions loud and clear to him without saying a single word. He was under her watch the entire time.

As they walked he heard the sound of music, a familiar kind to both husband and wife. They had arrived right as the ship had docked, on time, though if his wife had it her way then they would have been an hour or two early. Troy lightly yanked Maria towards him and caught her in both of his arms, his fingers still entwined in hers. He moved a bit to the music, dancing with her, if Troy was one thing then he was charming. His wife was very familiar with this and was about to roll her eyes at the gesture when he spoke.

"Remember when I took you to see his band a while back? They played that really slow, romantic song that you just love? I thought you were going to undress me right there at the concert with the look you had in your eyes." He said softly. He had didn't exactly love Jennings Taylor's music like some people did, including his wife. But he had bought the tickets for her. Troy always preferred the harder, more raw rock that he had grown up to, but Taylor had some stuff he enjoyed.

"Then you proceeded to throw up all over the floor right after the concert." Maria said back, then stepped away from him and tugged her husband onward, breaking the romantic moment Troy tried to instigate.

"Sometimes I drink a little too much..."

"At least you can admit that."

Troy didn't reply, he simply gazed off towards the singer as he performed. His wife's hand still held onto his own, as she led him in some direction. They were upon the boat a moment later, Maria with no time for getting friendly with anyone off the ship. Her husband snatched a glass from a servant woman's trey, a wink as he did it, he took a sip right as his wife turned towards him and glared at the alcoholic beverage he held.

"You're already getting started, I swear if you embarrass me here." Maria shot, before Troy pulled her in for a kiss right as he noticed some curious eyes land upon them. The last thing he needed was for anybody else to know of their marital troubles. He held the kiss for a few more moments, until the visiting eyes moved onwards, then Troy released his lip grip with a grin.

"Act like you still love me." He whispered to her, then lead her towards the stage where the musician performed.

"C'mon, c'mon! One more and then I swear you can listen to whatever you like."

"No."

"But it's so good!"

"No."

"But it sounds so much better on the speakers, the headphones don't get the bass just right."

Oliver sighed and with a deft flick of the wrist navigated the touch screen on the dashboard to the music screen. Without any hesitation Jonathon leapt at the brightly lit piece of technology and navigated to the playlist associated with his bluetooth phone. Cycling through the tracks he smiled as he came to the right song. Pressing play he sat back onto the brown leather chairs and enjoyed the warmth of the built in heater as the track built. At first it was like any old rock track and Oliver briefly glanced at his brother, as if to say "This is not what I expected..." But then the track begun to build and Jonathon couldn't help but laugh as the bass rose. Sighing Oliver almost cuffed his younger brother as the man slid down the windows in time for the drop. Random strangers looked over at what had disturbed their peaceful night. Clearly drum and bass was not what they had had in mind. The sound echoed off of the beautiful architecture and inwardly Oliver wondered why his brother, of all people, had been invited to this and not himself. The song had reached a crescendo when Oliver turned it off.

"Hey!? Why'd you do that?"

"Because it's my car and we are nearly there. I don't want you making a total tit out of yourself." Jonathon grumbled but his brother was right on both accounts and so he simply shut up and looked at the light that was coming from, what he assumed was, their destination. It certainly looked the part and whilst it certainly wasn't what Jonathon was looking forward too, Oliver was terribly excited, though he tried not to show it. Pulling up the two men got out of the car, straightened their suits and put on the most roguish grins they could. Oliver slammed the door on the silver Mercedes and followed Jonathon in. Oliver already knew, an hour early here was on time. As such they were an hour and a half early. After being welcomed the two brothers simply kept to themselves. They weren't entirely sure what was going on and instead drank champagne and chatted like they had before university. The music was really to neither of their tastes. Too slow really. Whilst Oliver's pallet was more refined than his brothers obsession of 'bouncing', he enjoyed older rock and so the song simply didn't appeal. Though neither argued the singer had talent, as did the orchestra. When the boat finally arrived both of the men had shifted to the middle of the crowd and were doing their best to look over the other guests. Stepping onto the boat both men were slightly intoxicated and neither adapted to their sea legs perfectly. Both, though, were able to make it too the bar and quickly sat down and ordered their drinks.

"Do you see the two hot twins sisters over there?" Without even looking up Oliver responded, he was hanading the barman a tip.

"How do you even know they are sisters, JJ? For all you know they co..." Oliver didn't finish his sentence, they were definitely sisters. Sighing he turned back to his drink. "I am going to wait for our illustrious host to greet us before I really mingle. You can do as you please though."

"I think I will dear brother. Now, if you'll excuse me." And with that Jonathon moved from his brother and approached the two sisters at the bar. Reaching forward he interrupted them, hoping he had interrupted their ordering of drinks. Leaning in and smiling handsomely he put out a generic question to both of the ladies.

"And what can I get you two lovely ladies? It saddens me that two such fine people do not have a gentleman, or two, to make your lives easy." He had no idea that this was the Jones' sisters, of course.

Adalinda scratched her head at the menu, looking desperately for the prices. "Gaaah! Why aren't the prices listed?!" She mumbled in frustration. Lorelei was too busy reading all of the drink descriptions to even take notice of her little outburst.

"Everything is already paid for, ma'am." The bartender explained, turning to face her with a wide smile. Ada just stopped, almost like a deer in headlights.

Free?! Did he say.. FREE?!

Ada's eyes lit up as she quickly picked the menu back up, a bright smile on her face. If Adalinda Jones was one thing, it was frugal. She hummed happily as she skimmed the list of drinks. Both sisters seemed to be moving in tandem, each one humming the same tune, and each one swaying from side to side to the music. Though, Lorelei's was just a bit more passionate, it being Jennings Taylor and all.

Lorelei's head quickly shot up as she began to spew a list of drinks at the bartender who looked at her with wide eyes.

"Y-You want... all of those?" He asked, a bit baffled.

"They're free aren't they? Beside, I only ordered five drinks!" Lorelei explained, giggling to herself.

"Hey, what's the legal drinking age around here?" Ada asked, pointing at the man.

"18, I believe, ma'am." He explained to them.

"Oh, goodie!" Lorelei shouted, spinning around in her chair.

"And what can I get you two lovely ladies? It saddens me that two such fine people do not have a gentleman, or two, to make your lives easy."

He'd walked up to the wrong sister. Adalinda blinked as she turned to look at him. He was handsome, sure. But... very forward. "Oh yes, please do!" Lorelei shouted when she heard him, pushing her sister back as she leaned in to get a better look at him. And what a dream boat he was!

"Lorelei, don't shout quite so loud. Jeez." Ada scolded her sister, leaning closer to the bar. Lorelei pouted slightly, sitting back in her seat. Now ignoring the man, Ada placed her order, calmly ordering an exotic cocktail of some description.

"Why don't you pick something out for me?" Lorelei spoke again, addressing the man around the back of her sister now. "My name is Lorelei, and this is my sister Ada." She added, grinning as she stuck out her hand to shake his. Her hand was held face down, rather daintily too. She was rather hoping he would kiss her hand. What a princess she would be!

Jonathon smiled and accepted the young ladies hand, taking it in his he lifted it up to his lips and kissed the top softly, letting his eyes lance up for the briefest of moments as he did so. Releasing her hand he gave a nod to the other sister who had noticed, seemed utterly disinterested. Perhaps she would be more Oliver's speed? They both seemed stuck up ever so slightly. Turning to the barman Jonathon didn't even have to think about his drink.

"Get me a Macallan neat, single drop of spring water. And for my lovely lady here..." Jonathon stopped and turned, looking Lorelei over once with a charming smile. "I am going to go out on a limb here and say you are not a big drinker? Which is fine of course, I think you should start off slowly though. How about..." Turning back to the barman Jonathon ordered. "...one Sex on the Beach for the beautiful Lorelei here. Don't go overboard with the vodka though. Good man." Jonathon smiled and tipped the barman as his brother had done. He didn't know if it was impressive but he liked the feeling of it. Picking up the glasses he held his own in his left hand and offered the cocktail to Lorelei. Whilst the sister, Ada, hadn't taken to him. He was certain Lorelei must of and mused as to her background. Were they Duchesses? Countesses? Or just those who knew the right people? All he knew is that tey had perked up his evening quite some.

[color=Blue]"My name is Jonny. I see you are here with your sister, I happened to come with my brother. he is the one over there with the glasses. Yeah, the one all alone."[/color Jonathon was pointing at Oliver now, just as Oliver turned around.

"Damn stupid, JJ." Oliver muttered as he picked up his own drink, just another champagne, and sauntered over to the group. "I apologise immediately for my brother. He seems to think that he has a right to talk with everyone here, even without knowing them. I can promise I am slightly more the gentleman."

"Actually Ollie, I was just telling the beautiful Lorelei here about you."

"And the young lady who obviously wishes you would strike out and return to your own business? I assume she is not quite as infatuated with you, JJ?" Jonathon's eyes closed up as he scowled at his brother. He hated being called JJ in front of people. Reaching down Jonathon took Lorelei's hand and led her, gently, off to another part of the bar, but still in sight of Oliver and Ada.

"Sorry about him, he doesn't know how to have any fun at these parties. I thought he might relax by now, however he seems to have only got more up tight." Meanwhile Oliver had started addressing Ada.

"I'm very sorry Miss, Ada was it? My younger brother doesn't quite know when he is encroaching and so gets carried away."

Linda and Cameron walked down the docks, leaving Linda's small red car down the road making the walk a few minutes long and quite dark, using the docks dull lighting and their eyes once they adjusted to the dark. Cameron, whom had linked arms with his sister, walked the path almost wordlessly. Keeping his eyes fixed to the ground that lay before them. Linda, however, looked forward, her chin up and back straight in her usual snobbish walk. Cameron shook his head slightly, glancing at his sister.

After the walk along the dock the pair arrive to their destination. Upon being greeted Linda gave a small, tight smile whilst Cameron nodded a hello, accepting the compliment with a "Thanks,". The pair took in the sight. It was marvellous, well for the local docks. Torches and lanterns were placed in the perfect positions, spreading warmth through the crisp night air and shedding light on the darkening town much better then the lamps that those that were permanently attached to poles in the dock. A string quartet played a slow soft tune. Cameron looked around and noted that there were a couple pairs already at the docks with them, he pulled out his pocket watch. "7:45," He announces to his sister with a smile. Linda rolled her eyes.

"Even that walk didn't hold us back?"

"I suppose not," At this Linda groans slightly then turns around to the waitress behind her, taking a glass of champagne wordlessly. Cameron takes one also with a nod of thanks. “You know you could be nicer,” At this statement Linda takes a large sip of champagne with a shrug. As the docks fill another style of music starts to fill the air. Linda, in particular, knew that voice. It was Jennings Taylor!
"But how? He’s supposed to be touring?" She questions looking at her brother who just shrugged. Soon enough the small party entered the boat. Cameron, linking arms with his sister holds her back. Allowing her to enter before him as the last pair

Tatiana had been looking forward to this day for weeks. Not because it was the day of an elaborate fancy party that promised to be a night to remember for all and sundry invited... but because today would herald the last day she would have to endure her mother's constant barrage of excited tittering, gushing, and all around unhelpful suggestions over anything and everything under the sun: from how to do her makeup, what dress to wear, how to talk to boys, what to say and what to do. The assault was never ending... until at last the day itself came, and her mother was so wrapped up in her own preparations and excitement to do much more than pester her to hurry so that they wouldn't be late. The limo ride had been almost peaceful, once she was able to tune out her mother's unceasing chatter.

They had arrived early, but not overtly so, and Muriel was quick to run the gauntlet of introductions while she still had her daughter on her arm. As it was, it took nearly a half hour for her to break free of her mother's clutches and hide herself away off to the side of the docks.

It was really a beautiful night, the decorations on the dock had been tastefully done, and Tatiana took her moment of peace to simply enjoy the view and breath in the salty air and watch the lights dance on the waves. She leaned carefully on the docks wooden fence guardrails, while she wasn't one for fancy dresses most times she was particularly fond of this one. The entire thing simply done, all soft blues with elegant beading on the bodice, but most importantly... it had pockets!

A fact that she had kept secret from her mother at all costs, as it allowed her to smuggle in small thin books that she could use to break the monotony when she stole away a moment of peace. Much like this one, although it was still much too early in the night to think her mother distracted enough to forget her for long... her hand still stole inside the hidden seam and traced the edge of her poetry book.

Her position on the docks gave her first sight of the ferries arrival however, and she watched it come in with a rueful smile- it was a lovely sight but the ship also heralded the end of her 'free time'... And right on cue, she could hear her mother calling for her over the sound of music wafting from the ship and the ambient noise of the crowd.

"Tattie? Tattie! There you are darling," Madame Rousseau bustled over to her, beaming smiles that almost outshone the coppery gold of her gown. 'Rose gold' rather, as she'd been constantly reminded of over the week, "Did you see the ferry arrive? Oh its a lovely sight isn't it? And did you hear? They have that Jennings Taylor playing! He's supposed to be touring over in England you know. Fancy that, us getting such a lucky opportunity to see a 'secret show'! You like Jennings Taylor don't you? All the young people your age do."

Tatiana just sighed as she withdrew her hand from her pocket book and surrendered herself to her mother's steering clutch about her arm as they donned the ferry, not even bothering to try to get a word in edgewise or try to stop her from calling her 'Tattie'.

"Ah, and speaking of young people!" Mimi continued, leaning into 'whisper' conspiratorially, "There seems to be quite a nice bunch of them over there by the bar. They look roundabouts your age, perhaps a bit younger than I would like but what do you say, let me introduce you? You know I hate to see you sitting all alone at these parties. Come along, darling and do try to have a good time? Please, for mummy? It'll be fun! I promise."

Her mother lead her on towards the group regardless, and Tatiana sent one pleading glance heavenward for strength
and prayed that this ordeal would be over quickly.

"Well hello darlings," Mimi called out to them in a saccharine tone, "My, what charming young men and women we have here tonight. I was just saying so to Tattie- Oh, but where are my manners, let me introduce my daughter Tatiana Evangeline Rousseau."

"Pleasure," Tatian said with the barest of smiles, fully aware of the embarrassment her mother was causing.

"And I am Madam Muriel Rousseau," She continued, before sending a near flirtatious wink towards the boys, "But you fine young gents can call me Mimi."

'Please somebody, kill me now.' Tatiana pleaded silently.

Erica pulled her small red car into the marina's parking lot. She turned towards her friend Denn, who let out a yawn and a stretch. He turned to her too, looking bored and tired from the long drive, and Erica got out of the car. She stood next to her closed car door and smoothed her jacket while Denn took his time getting out. When she finally saw him emerge, she started to walk towards the party.

Denn matched stride with his friend. He checked his phone as he walked. "8:10... Looks like we're right on time," he commented. Rica didn't answer, of course. Good thing he hadn't been expecting her to. As they approached the docks, Denn heard some music coming from a boat on the water. The tune was familiar, but he didn't recognize the singer. Probably something he'd heard on the radio without really paying attention. Erica, on the other hand, recognized Jennings Taylor. She liked his music well enough, even if she wasn't particularly a fan of his. She thought she remembered hearing something about a tour in Europe, but she didn't really follow celebrity news. It must have been some other singer who'd gone to Europe.

Erica walked past a man who greeted her, and she nodded in response. Denn flashed a smile at him when he heard his name. Erica wondered how the man knew Denn's name, since there had been no RSVPs, and her name was the only one on the invitation.

Denn looked around, aware of how high society everyone seemed, hoping nobody would notice how cheap his suit was. Luckily for him, Erica was the one attracting all the glances -- her manly dress style prompted some curious looks. She didn't mind. She ignored the looks. She followed Denn as he noticed the bar and promptly bee-lined to it. She wondered if drinks were free. She didn't usually drink, but Denn did.

Approaching the bar, Denn and Erica both noticed a small gathering of people close to their age. Another woman and a girl who was probably her daughter had just joined the group. After ordering a drink -- they were indeed free -- Denn sauntered over to them.
"Hi everybody! Isn't this a nice bar? I'm Alden Taverner, but feel free to call me Denn." He turned around and ushered Rica, who was lingering one step behind him, into the circle. "This here is my friend Rica Allie. Just friends, mind you," he winked at nobody in particular.

Erica wondered if she should correct him about her name. She didn't really feel like saying anything. "I am Erica.", she interjected anyway, which earned her a surprised glance from Denn. Better to set them straight now than later. Leaving Denn to continue the conversation, she stepped back again. She smiled sympathetically at the girl in the pretty light blue dress, who looked kind of stiff, like she had to force herself to look like she was enjoying the party. Erica understood the sentiment, even though she did not share it. It was actually shaping out to be a pleasant evening. Such a pretty little town, and so many new faces to take in.

((edit:typo))

Kest stood on the dock next to a very unhappy Odette. He knew why. She hated boats. He smiled, trying to reassure the woman that she was in no danger, but her gaze never left the incoming boat. He could hear someone singing, but neither he nor his companion knew who it was. They were both far too busy these past years to know anything about new talents.

The pair had arrived before anyone else and watched as the others started to trickle in. Kest found the tussle between the two girls a welcome distraction, but Odette was not amused.
"Its really unbecoming of two people to be fighting in a place like this.." her voice had been soft enough that only Kest had heard and he smiled.
"Careful, love, you are starting to sound like my father." his words caused Odette to turn red from anger and embarrassment.

The others didn't really draw attention to themselves, but one seemed rather snotty. Odette nudged her partner and gestured in the womans direction.
"She seems nice, doesn't she?" Kest raised his eyebrow at the woman and smiled at Odette's now obvious sarcasm. Instead of replying, he held out his arm to her.
"I believe we are needed on the bridge."
Her smile disappeared immediately and was replaced with a frown.
"Can't we just stay here?"
"My dear, we came all the way out here! If we left now, what kind of message would that send?"

With great disdain, Odette took Kest's arm and walked onto the boat.
"Would you like something to drink?" He asked, looking around. He himself wasn't interested in drinking, but if she was, he might as well. After a moment, she nodded and was swept away to the bar. There was already a small group forming, apparently everyone else wanted a drink also. They recognised the girls from the scuffle earlier, but everyone else was unfamiliar.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." Kest spoke politely, "Its a wonderful night for a ride, isn't it? I am Kest Pierce and th-" he was cut off by an elbow in his side.
"I'm Odette Westfall." she finished with a false smile. There was one think she hated more than boats, and that was being introduced to people like she couldn't speak for herself.

Arriving a bit late, A red and black motorbike of some description pulls into the parking lot, the vehicles rider dismounts, quickly shedding his helmet and leather jacket, stowing them in a lockbox behind his seat, pulling an outdated mobile from one of the pockets and quickly dialing the one who had invited him "Hey, I just got to the pier. you gonna be here soon?" he asks the moment it picks up "Yeah, should be. was having a bit of car trouble at my hotel." his cousin agrees
"And don't call people when they might be driving." Garen adds before hanging up, the red haired man works for a bit to to straighten out his dress clothes, ruffled from being under his riding jacket for the long drive.

A few minutes later, a dark blue van pulls into the lot, its sole passenger disembarks after a few minutes of changing into his tux "Did you really have to ride that thing all the way? must have taken you a week."
"Only five days." Agrus growls defensively before extending a hand to his better groomed cousin "Been awhile, huh?" Garen says, shaking his ocusins hand firmly as the dreadlock wearing man nods "My retirement thing." he affirms "May as well get to the party, huh? he finishes, pointing over his shoulder to the waiting ferry
"That we should. Garen agrees as they make there ways to the dock.

The author cringes slightly at the music choice, while Agrus shudders "Uhg, can't stand this stuff." he mutters as they board the ship. Garen gives a silent nod but doesn't openly complain,
"You can behave, right? We're not going to have a repeat of the book signing?"
Agrus turns and gives his cousin a flat glare
"I punched a guy out one time."
"It was a security guard for the event."
"He wouldn't let me in."
"Never mind, we're here. just promise to play nice."
the ex-champ gives a halfhearted grunt in agreement as they disembark, spotting a buffet table and wandering his way over as Garen steps towards the bar "rye and ginger, please." he says, glancing over at another group for a moment, looking for familiar faces.

The little orange AMC Pacer sped down the road on the boys’ 5-hour road trip to Riverside. The two had prepared well for the journey with copious amounts of cheese-flavored crisps, grape soda, and gummy bears, the packages of which now littered the floor of the vehicle. Chester had justified the purchase of these items as a way to get all their immaturity out of their system before arriving at this fancy soiree. Binging on childish snacks would for-sure expend all their immaturity for a time, leaving only their mature, sophisticated sides left. That was how that worked, right?

Chester, seated in the passenger seat, stared at himself in the small sun visor mirror while he wrestled with his dark grey necktie in an attempt to knot it properly. “Hey, how did that third step go? Once around the tree the fox chased the rabbit? or was it the rabbit scooted under a bush?” He pantomimed the children’s rhyme that they were taught by the condescending clerk at the menswear shop as he further tightened the grey silk noose he was fashioning around his neck. Glancing at Gerald, who was already fully dressed and focused on the road, Ches turned to show his friend the mess he had made of his tie. “This isn’t right, is it? How did you do it?”

Gerald grinned, but did not take his eyes off the road. This was his newly-restored car and there was no way he was going to even ding the paint. “I told you how to do it already, idiot” he replied, “Twice now, actually. You’re hopeless, you know that?”

Ches returned to struggling with the knotted mess with the aid of the tiny 3-inch mirror. Since he obviously wasn’t getting any help from his friend, he turned to muttering his frustrations under his breath. “Who the Hell comes up with this stuff, anyway...formal parties. This is the last time I ever wear formalwear, I can tell you that.” He heaved a sigh and slapped the sun visor back into its stowed position, his exasperation reaching its peak. “Well, I just hope they serve those little bacon-wrapped cocktail weenies. That might just make up for all of this.”

The car slowed as they approached the marina. Gerald chose a parking space far from the other cars in an attempt to prevent accidental scrapes and scratches from other car doors and discourteous folk. There were actually quite a number of vehicles already parked there, including a little red compact, a dark blue van and a rather attractive motorbike. A handful of limos loitered by the curb, their uniformed drivers sharing a smoke and a chat under a streetlamp. Gerald avoided their gaze as he ogled the motorbike.

“Come on, Ger, we’ll miss the food--er, I mean party.” Ches said, renewed enthusiasm enriching his tone and parting his lips with a smile. He grabbed hold of his friend’s shoulder and dragged him away from the red-and-black motorcycle just before the man had a chance to lay his hands on it.

The faint sound of music lead them to the ferry. The song was familiar. Jennings Taylor, was it? An odd choice for a fancy party, Gerald thought. He somehow expected to only hear stuffy old baroque tunes at this shindig. While not really a Jennings Taylor fan, he had to admit that the man did give a bit of life to what he feared might be a major drag. Alright, fancy party, that’s two points for you. Maybe he won’t be surrounded by fossils after all.

The two boarded the ship and immediately noticed a large group forming around the bar. Not a bad idea. They exchanged glances, Ches still manhandling his tie. Ches yelped as Gerald slapped his hands away from the silk accessory, and the latter, but not without an over-dramatic sigh, helped retie it properly. “Come on, let’s go see who we’ll be stuck at this mansion with.”

Gerald and Chester arrived at the rear of the group. “Howdy, all!” Ches exclaimed cheerfully and waved. “The name’s Chester, and this here’s Gerald.” Ches turned to point at his friend, but found the man gone. Typical.

Gerald had become distracted by a buffet table on the other end of the room and wandered off in that direction. He was surprised Ches hadn't seen it first, as the man usually was the first to spot food, but the again Ches wasn't the most observant in general. Now at the table, Gerald noticed another man surveying the hearty spread laid out in front of them. Trouble seems to seek out other trouble, so they say, and it appeared to be true in this case.

"Hey, looks like this party will be worthwhile, eh man?" Gerald asked the dreadlocked man cheerfully, rubbing his hands together with anticipation for the upcoming feast. This buffet wouldn't know what hit it. "I don't know about you, but I think I am going to live a little and start with dessert first." Picking up a plate, he began sawing off a slice of a fruit tart. "Name's Gerald, by the way. What do you call yourself?"

Agrus turns his eyes upward, mouth already full of smoked ham. the red haired man swallows forcefully, coughing slightly around the mass of half chewed meat "Agrus," He says cheerfully, putting on a public face "Not big on the sweet stuff. More of a meat and potatoes type. comes with my line of work."
The retired champ says, scanning the table more thoroughly "Surprised at the variety of food," he continues "Usually these fancy events only have stuff I can barely pronounce the names of." the man finishes, spotting his quarry on the table, "Speaking of meat and potatoes..." he trails off, grabbing a proper plate, the red headed man heaps on roasted red potatoes before picking up a knife, roughly hacking off a turkey leg "Glad to know they have real food, letting my cousin drag me along wasn't a loss after all." he says, examining Gerald "So, you a guest or a plus one like me?" the man backs away from the table, a fork in one hand as he begins to stuff potatoes into his mouth, looking around at the crowd. "What's up with this music, though? I expected, like, classical. something a bit more palatable, you know?"

Across the room, Garen sits silently at the bar, sipping on his drink and slowly drifting off into his own thoughts, he mutters under his breath a bit, seemingly about some story or another.
(I can expand if need be. my weakest point as a writer is padding out paragraphs. need to work on that...)

Jennings could only chuckle as he saw the two sisters squabbling in the front row. It was rather endearing, especially with as young and beautiful as they were. He paused for good measure, knowing that a look from him could easily stop most young ladies in their tracks. And sure enough, it had. As the two girls left, he led the band into his first hit, For You, the song that his band was named after. It was slow and melancholic, though he upped the tempo just a bit, to keep the crowd in a better mood, a song about his fiance that he'd lost just before going into music. His true fans knew that she was a teacher, and had died protecting her students during yet another school shooting. He'd always wanted to get into music, and she'd always supported him and pushed him to get into it, but stuff always got in the way; bills, jobs, life. But her death was the catalyst for him to pursue his passion. It seemed only fitting to dedicate it all to her.

And even though it was two years ago, and he was still single, this song always got to him. As the song winded down, he decided it was time to give the guests one last surprise, a special request from Mister Acheson weeks ago, one he was more than eager to fulfill.

In a soft, seductive voice, through the microphone, "I have a small gift for you, for several of you beautiful young women. I'm releasing a new album very soon, titled 'For Them'. And the reason for that name is because each and every song on it, is dedicated to one of you."

For the next hour, he shared his new songs with the group. For Lorelai was fun and lively, about a girl enjoying her youth as she allured and pushed away men at every turn. For Ada had no words, but Jennings used his voice as another instrument through hums mostly. It was more emotional, primal, with the cello standing out first and foremost. For Erica spoke of a smart, isolated girl just waiting for the right man, one as smart as her, to come along. For Tatiana brought forth the image of a girl escaping chains and finding new found freedom and searching for love. This went on for several young women, and as the shore approached, Jennings spoke, "This last one is my favorite." He then led into 'For Odette' started off a bit sad, a girl struggling through life, but eventually started seeing the light ahead. Then it became more lively, revealing two paths to the girl, one known and one unknown, ending with her left with the decision of having to choose.

"Thank you all, as you can now see, we have arrived at Isle Potestas. Every person here will receive the first copies of my album in the mail, signed by me. Enjoy your night, and I shall see you in the ballroom."

He stepped off the stage, a parting glance at Odette, before he and the band disappeared. After the ferry was moored, Shinnston could be seen once more guiding the guests off the boat, to a long line of closed carriages. There were made of a dark wood, adorned with lines of silver and blues, 2 horses each, a driver atop, and a servant to open the door, and offer his hand to help the women in. Shinnston made sure to inform them that the carriages were only large enough for six occupants each, and that they would take them all to Castle Acheson. The carriages were heated, though not uncomfortably so, with incredibly comfortable cushioned seats, a deep blue interior.

Lorelei and Ada would find a young man in Air Force blues, their formal wear, inside. He was tall, tanned, a closely cropped haircut, and a broad, white smile. "Good evening ladies." Despite his youthful appearance, he had many badges, including the star of a Brigadier General. As the carriages filled, and lurched up the chilly path through the woods, passing around the first turn, Castle Acheson came into view. It was atop a hill in the distance and was absolutely massive. Snow was just now beginning to fall, and the castle was very well lit, the moon rising just behind it. It included a large outer wall and gatehouse which the carriages passed through into the decorated courtyard. The driver pulled up to the steps to the massive front door, and opened the door, helping the occupants out.

A deep, booming voice, "Welcome to Castle Acheson, please, step inside and enjoy my home. The ballroom is straight ahead. If you need anything at all, do not hesitate to ask any of the staff. The men are in the deep navy ties, and the women have matching corsages. This is the Acheson Family's Winter Ball, have fun, let loose, and most importantly, meet new and interesting people." The voice came from, as one could assume, Mister Acheson, standing there in a dark silver suit, with a blue tie and handkerchief in the pocket. A dark woman, who appeared to be of Indian descent stood with him, in a dress that seemed made of platinum, and adorned in diamond jewelery. As each pairing of people made their way up the steps and through the doors, they were greeted by name by Mister and Missus Acheson. "Welcome, this is my wife, Divya. Thank you so much for coming. Please, enjoy yourselves. If you'd like a personal tour, please do not hesitate to ask myself or Shinnston."

The ballroom was vast, elaborate, and matched the blue and silver theme. There was a small orchestra off to one side, tables and seating lining the walls, with one reserved for the proper dinner food, complete with the chefs on hand, smiles abound. The fully stocked bar was in the back corner, complete with stools and servants to deliver drinks. The music, a healthy blend of classics and moderns, of many dancing types played softly in the background. Mister and Missus Acheson could be found mingling among the many guests, whereas Jennings could be found seated at the bar, whiskey in hand.

Agrus and Garen share a collective eye roll as the singer performs, both of them wearing unimpressed stares

"Wonder how much they paid him to write an entire album about guests at a random party?" the red haired athlete mutters, somewhat louder than necessary and received a chuckle from his literary companion.

"Probably more than I make in a year on royalties," Garen replies coolly under his breath, "And keep it down. Mister Acheson basically owns me, if we offend his choice in music he might stop publishing."

"As if you don't have enough to retire." Agrus retorted, flashing a charming grin at a passing lady all dolled up in a peach-coloured dress..

"Unlike some people, I plan to have a family some day.” Garen chided his cousin, subtly turning away from the scene of his cousin flirting with a stranger..

"Please, I've seen the book signings. If you wanted to a wife you would have one by now." Dark red dreadlocks swung slightly as the man waved a dismissive hand in his cousin’s face and scoffed.

"I said eventually. I'm not going to settle for the prettiest fangirl to throw herself at me. Remember what happened when you tried that?”

Agrus scowled darkly at Garen, turning away from the young lady to face him. "You promised never to bring that up again."

"She sold half your wardrobe in a virtual auction." Garen reminded him idly, pretending not to notice the angry look on his shorter cousin’s face as he gave a polite smile to a pair of passing gentlemen.

”Shut up. How was I supposed to know she was a stalker?” The dreadlocked man grunts angrily. Not bothering to wait for a reply, he abandons his cousin, strutting off towards the bar. Dropping into an empty seat, he flagged down the barkeep. ”You got rum?” he asks bluntly.

“Yes, sir.” the man responds politely, receiving half nod back from Agrus.

”Know how to make bumbo?” He requests, turning towards another guest at the bar. ”So, nice place, huh?”

Across the room, Garen stands in front of a large portrait, pretending to observe it as he ponders the possibility of requesting a tour, looking for an excuse to probe his patron for opinions on his bibliography. ”Probably should. Can’t hurt to know what the guy who prints this stuff thinks about it. With that thought, he turns and makes his way towards his host, waiting a moment for his current conversation to end before introducing himself. ”Excuse me, Mister Acheson, but I don’t think we’ve met.” the brown haired man says, ”My name is Garen, you own the company that publishes my books.” He extends one hand to shake, smiling politely. ”If you don’t mind, I was interested in that tour.”

Lorelei giggled as the man took her hand and kissed it. Oh, how lovely it was to feel like a princess! She listened and watched him with stars in her eyes as he ordered for himself and then for her. She wouldn't tell him she was actually well acquainted with alcohol and had been for sometime. She'd just let him assume she had no tolerance built up. Still, a Sex on the Beach was a fantastic choice, she couldn't deny him that. Though, she might have to order a shot of whiskey later or something. Even with her weight, she liked the extra buzz.

Lorelei grinned as she watched him tip the barman, obviously impressed by him. Ada was still in the process of ignoring him. She listened with a quaint smile as he introduced himself and then his brother. Her face fell for a moment, before it perked up again. How many brothers were there that thought their brother was perfect for her sister. This one was probably no different.

Ada was... still ignoring him but she started listening in when the brother began speaking, looking at him from the corner of her eye. Oliver? Hmm... She turned her attention back to the napkin in front of her, folding it absentmindedly. He was certainly less obnoxious than his brother, that much she could attest to.

"But, if you didn't talk to people, how would you ever meet them?" Lorelei asked, giggling to herself as she leaned backwards to get a better look at Oliver. She felt herself blush as Jonny complimented her, calling her beautiful. "Oh, stop it." She squealed, hitting Jonny on the shoulder playfully.

Ada snorted at the obviously older brother's next comment. She pulled up her hand to cover her mouth, desperately trying not to laugh. She had to admit, the bluntness of him was rather refreshing. Still, she hadn't come here to get picked up by rich assholes.

Lorelei's eye went wide as Jonny took her by the hand and led her a ways down the bar to speak with her in private. She nodded as he spoke to her. "It's the same with Ada. She's not the social type like I am." Lorelei returned, smiling up at him. "Still, you can't help but love 'em, you know?" She added, folding her dress as she took a seat at the bar.

Ada turned as the brother addressed her. She looked him up and down for a moment before responding. "Adalinda, but yes. Feel free to call me Ada. And... don't worry. I'm quite adept at drowning out the sound of idiots." She told him, smilingly at him, almost as if to say, "I'll do the same to you should you give me reason to."

Both sisters turned as another pair walked up to the bar, a mother and her daughter. As her name was given, Ada raised a brow. So, she really was out of her element. She sighed and turned back around, her heart sinking into the pit of her stomach. She did not belong here. Lorelei, however, sent the girl a delicate wave and her brightest, most charming smile.

"Good evening, Tatiana and Mimi. I'm Lorelei and over there huffing and puffing like she'd just run a race is my sister, Adalinda. But please, she prefers Ada." Lorelei explained, her voice small and delicate. A few moments later and the drinks for the sister's arrived as too did another pair. Ada raised her hand to send a lazy wave as her lips found the rim of her drink. Time to get shit faced drunk so she could forget she was even here.

Lorelei ignored her drink for now, and greeted the two entering the group. "Evening to you two as well, Denn and Erica! I'm Lorelei and the anti-social blonde over there is my twin. Fraternal, obviously." She explained, brushing aside her red hair with the back of her hand in a mock diva fashion. She giggled to herself before turning back to her drink. "Oh, Jonny! This is delicious!" She exclaimed after a few sips. It really was a lovely Sex on the Beach, very well made and not too sharp or bitter.

However, as she sipped, another paired entered the bar. "Ada, I think we're trend setters." She said, giggling to herself as she sent a smile to the next pair that showed up. Kest and Odette. "What a lovely name, Odette. I'm Lorelei and the blonde over there is my twin. Excuse her rude behavior." She explained as Ada raised her hand again to wave without turning from her drink. Of course, a few minutes later and someone else appeared introducing himself and his non-existent friend. "Hello there Chester. Is... Gerald your imaginary friend?" Lorelei asked, giggling to herself.

When Jennings started talking, Lorelei shot around, knocking over the rest of her drink onto the bar. Her eyes went wide as he made the announcement. An entire album for some of the girls at this party? She didn't honestly believe it until he started the first song, For Lorelei. Without a word, she stepped off of the bar stool and walked over closer to Jennings, almost like a zombie. The song spoke to her on levels she didn't even know existed.

Ada rolled her eyes at the song for her. The cello was nice, but it could do without his awkward humming. She sighed and continued to sip her drink, feeling the heat rise up to her face as the alcohol set in.

Lorelei frowned at the last one, his 'favorite' and turned to look at the girl with jealous eyes. Odette, huh? Hmph... With another sigh, Ada stood from her seat and walked over to grab the arm of her sister.

"Come on, les go." Ada told her sister, a slight slur to her words.

"Oh. My. God. You only had one drink, Ada!" Lorelei grunted, frustrated with her sister as she was pulled toward the exit of the boat.

Ada grinned at the man in the carriage with them and sat down near a window before setting down to stare listlessly out the window. Ada raised a brow before rolling her eyes and stepping inside. "Evening." Lorelei replied curtly before laying a hand on her sister's back. "Seriously, are you okay Ada?" She asked, a bit worried that her sister couldn't handle alcohol. This was probably her first time drinking it. She should have been watching her but instead she was drooling over Mr. Smooth back there.

"Ahm fine, Lorelay!" Ada replied rather angrily, waving her sister away. It wasn't long before a building came into view, one that seemed to be the house they were meant to stop at.

"Wow, that's... huge." Lorelei whispered, leaning over her sister to look at the mansion. Ada simply nodded in agreement, a silly smile on her face. The sisters were helped out of the carriage and up to the door of the mansion where they were greeted by a loud voice. The sister watched in amazement as the host himself greeted them. "Too beautiful for words..." Lorelei whispered both at the building and at the host's beautiful wife.

"Don' stare at the shun too long. You'll go blin'." Ada commented, grinning to herself as she walked back to the ballroom and let herself lay out along several chairs along the wall, her smile suddenly gone. What was she even doing? She probably looked like a fool... Still, she didn't belong here. At least Lorelei lived with mom. That was probably why she got the invitation. Ada had grown up with their father, away from the glamor and the glitz. She lived with her father, the hard worker desk job kind of man where as Lorelei grew up with their mother who lived in the riches of their grandfather who made his living with stocks and his one great investment, the Lofton Corp, a business that dealt with furniture and interior design. Their mother was one of the designers and Lorelei was studying design to become just like her.

Ada blew out some air from her lungs, trying to cool herself down before sitting up to stare at the dance floor. Maybe she should dance or something...

Lorelei had followed her sister into the ballroom but that stopped when she noticed Jennings. Her eyes went wide and she fought the urge to race over to him. Instead, she sauntered, looking from side to side as if she were a child sneaking a hand into the cookie jar. She slipped herself neatly beside Jennings and calmly greeted him. "Oh. Good evening, Mr. Taylor. Those were some lovely songs you played for us back there." She greeted, sending the man a soft, sly smile.

Kest nodded in greeting to the newcomers, but remained ultimately silent. Odette muttered a thank you and had taken a whiskey and wandered toward the stage to listen to the music. Finding himself alone, and rather hungry, he made his way to the buffet. It was filled with a variety of foods, but he wanted something light. Music had started again, songs about the passengers. He rolled his eyes as he scoured the tables.

The vocals to "For Odette" had just started as Kest found some fruit to munch on. The song was familiar, telling her life story. He looked over to Odette, who had crossed her arms and now gazed at the singer with an amused expression. The alcohol had certainly loosened her up. When he sang to her, he usually got an icy glare. Though he was suddenly jealous, he couldn't help but admit it was a good song.

Odette could already feel the whiskey working on her. She didn't usually drink, but tonight was a special occasion. The boat was pulling into port, a fact she was happy about. Solid earth beneath her feet was very much welcome. She was so focused on the island, she didn't even realize a song about her had started. A smirk spread across her face as the song told its story. When it was over, the singer gave her a look. She shuddered and walked to Kest.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked as he passed an apple into her hands. Odette took a bite of the crisp fruit and smiled. "Looks like we've docked, ready to go?"
"The sooner the better." she replied, "Let's go!" They left the boat to find carriages waiting. The ride wasn't too long, and before they knew it, they were entering the beautiful building. They both greeted the host and his wife as they stepped inside.

What they spotted had been completely different. Kest saw Jennings and, narrowing his eyes, was about to go over there and give him a piece of his mind. Odette, however, noticed the dance floor and grabbed his arm before he had gotten too far.
"Oh please, Kest, can we dance?"
"I don't see why n--" Odette whirled him away before he could finish his sentence. He looked back to where Jennings was, planning to talk to him later.
"This isn't as bad as I thought it would be." Odette said with a smile, making Kest smile as well. At least she didn't ask that singer to dance! He immediately slapped himself mentally. He shouldn't be acting like such a child.

"I'm glad you are having fun, I thought maybe you would be uncomfortable around all these strangers." Odette said nothing, as her smile said more than she could. The pair swung around, and he dipped her at the end of the song. Kest's mind ventured into the romance area and for a moment he thought about kissing her. He stopped himself, though, as he preferred that his first romantic kiss with Odette not be in front of people he had only recently met. He lifted her back up to her feet and she laughed.
"That was fun!"

Gerald cast an amused glance at the man called Agrus’s plate that was being enthusiastically filled with various meats and hearty potatoes. He was starting to like this guy already. From what he could gather, the man was here with his brother, who still remained unknown. The two at the buffet table seemed to be in the same boat, not entirely sure they wanted to be at this shindig. Still, Gerald was at least curious to see “how the other half lives,” as it were. Thus far, this was nothing like anything he’d seen in little Pocomoke City.

Gerald replied to the man’s question about his invite as best he could without explaining the whole odd story behind its acquisition. He still did not really know who the man was who gave him the invitation that day. All he knew was he was one of those stereotypical eccentric old rich men who wear too much cologne and were overly attached to their old cars – probably the car they had in their heyday when they had a dozen girlfriends and more than a few swaths of hair left.

Now that he thought about it, it was odd that the staff here even let him and Ches on board this ferry, since they weren’t explicitly mentioned on the invite, and they obviously weren’t the intended recipients...or at least not that he knew of. His stomach suddenly sunk as the thought of the staff turning him and Ches away at the door of the mansion crept into his mind. How the Hell would they get back? And they would have driven all this way for nothing, not to mention they’d be denied any more food and sent back hungry. Oh no, no no. No way were they cheating him out of a good meal. Not on his watch. Paying no further mind to Argus or the other gentleman who had appeared at the buffet, Gerald began filling his plate to the rim with food of every variety. Driving all the way out here for 5 hours...Bah. This Acheson guy isn’t going to get away with sending me away hungry. If he has the nerve, he’s going to pay in food. That’s for damn sure.

During his mad dash to stock up on sustenance, as if he were about to be trekking through a desert, Gerald overheard the announcement about reaching the dock and transferring to carriages. He glanced over his shoulder at the bar and noticed many of the other passengers rising from their seats and filing out to the dock. Chester stood awkwardly in the rear of the group, unsure how to interact with these folk who were obviously much more sophisticated than he and Gerald put together. He met Gerald’s gaze and shrugged, a goofy smile still on his face. Nothing ever seemed to get that man down.

“Guess we’re here.” Ches muttered as he approached his friend. “Should we – wait a second there was a buffet table here!?” His eyes widened as he beheld the generous spread that had been waiting for him just feet away. His face screwed up into a humorous scowl, “Shit, and I missed out.”

“Well, while you were rubbing elbows with the elite, I had enough sense to scavenge some food for us. You realize that our names aren’t on this invite and we might be thrown out?”

“Shit!” Ches repeated, a lot louder than was probably wise. It was clear that these two were not even half as well-bred as the other guests, and if it was not clear previously, it was glaringly obvious now. They stuck out like a sore thumb. First their ill-fitting suits and mangled ties, and now their poor choice of appropriate language for society. The two normally swore like sailors, which was fine in a garage, but not in high society.

Gerald smacked Ches on the shoulder with the back of his hand “Why the Hell didn’t you think of that before dragging me all the way out here, making me take my new car and everything?”

“Me? Why the is this my fault? You could have thought of it, too. And we both got the invitation from that weird dude.”

Gerald groaned, “Great. Now I have to deal with you for another 5 hours on the road while also starving to death.”

“Hey man, we could always stop for McDonalds...I hear the McRib is back...”

“Shut up...just shut up.” Gerald's exasperation left him momentarily and he looked up to shoot a confounded look at Chester. "Wait, there is no way I am letting you eat a McRib in my car. Are you out of your friggin' mind?"

Ches shrugged. "Eh, I thought I'd just put it out there."

Lifting his palm to cover his eyes, Gerald shoved the plate of food toward his companion, who quickly took custody of it and shoved a garlic knot in his mouth. “Let’s just go get this over with. If we’re going to be kicked out, we might as well do it before it gets too dark.”

“Yeah, hopefully the ferry doesn’t leave. That’d be a pain in the ass, wouldn’t it?” Chester said cheerfully between bites of the garlic bread, always knowing just how to piss off his friend. Gerald took a swift swing with his right arm and socked Chester clean in the shoulder. No doubt with any other two men, this situation would go south very quickly, but these two morons just ended up erupting into laughter. Soon they boarded the carriage that waited for them. They sat at opposite sides of the bench, both looking out the windows, Chester with the plate of food on his lap.

Once the house came into view, both men were flabbergasted by its sheer size. It was even bigger than Pocomoke City Hall. And people actually lived here? “Well I’ll be...” Ches exclaimed, “This place is legit. You know, I think this is the nicest place I’ve ever been thrown out of.”

The carriage came to a stop, and the footman followed them with a disapproving scowl as they disembarked. This annual event had seen some unsavory characters in the past, but these two were in a league of their own, as far as he was concerned. There were rogues who had scandalous affairs during their stay, thieves who robbed the kitchen of its finest silver, but even they were better than low-class hicks.

Both men took a deep breath and climbed the stairs. The big man in charge had just made his welcoming speech. Now they’d see if they’d get stopped by some big security thugs at the door for not having their ties straight.

The two men had ascended the stairs and stood awkwardly by the door, unsure if they should say something, attempt to enter, or just give up and leave at this point. Chester was eager to try just winging it an waltzing in as if they owned the place. There was nothing like confidence to fix a situation like this. They eyed the older gentleman in the crisp black tuxedo who had his hand clasped behind his back, and the awkward silence grew more intense until Gerald felt a near physical sensation slither down his spine. He opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off unexpectedly.

"Good evening Mr. Calhoun, good evening Mr. Garrett" the older gent said without breaking his gaze from the guests leaving the carriages on the road below. He did, however, nod his head slightly in the direction of Chester when mentioning his name. "Of course you are welcome."

Gerald was taken aback by the fact that he man knew their names. How? They weren't the ones invited. Perhaps that old man who gave them the invite told the host they'd be coming instead? He managed a smile and uttered something along the lines of "Oh, of course. Thanks." before Chester nearly shoved him into the front hallway.

"See? You were worried for nothing." Chester said in his usual cheerful tone, "And now we're here and have these sweet digs to explore! I wonder if they have another buffet. I think the stuff we collected here is getting cold." He indicated the plate with a quick gesture, then tossed it haphazardly on a nearby hall table.

The house was certainly overwhelming. Even just the entryway was huge, gaudy, and dripping with excessive detail. Everything in the place carried forward the blue-and-silver theme, which was both impressive and a tad unsettling, especially to two small-town boys who had only seen things like this on television. Gerald's jaw dropped slightly as he surveyed the room, then began nodding. "Not bad. Not bad at all. If only the music were a little better. "

Chester was only half aware of his friend's words. The promise of yet another-- and quite possibly bigger-- buffet table drew his eyes hungrily around the room. He craned his neck to look over Gerald's head into the ballroom ahead. Thus far no dice. "Mmm, not quite the classic rock you're used to." he muttered.

"Yeah, this definitely ain't Queen, but what's the deal with the songs for some of the guests? This must be costing an arm and a leg..."

Chester nodded in agreement as he continued his search for the buffet, then a sudden thought came to him and he snapped back to attention "Yeah hey, why didn't I get a song?"

"Because you're not a pretty girl? And besides, what would a song for you be? A show tune about hamburgers and cars?"

Chester shook his head emphatically. "No, dude, it would totally be a sick 1980's rock ballad with wicked guitar riffs," he then began gesturing wildly with his arms, emulating an air guitar, air drums, and who knows what else. "Imagine that hardcore beat and yeah, it would be...about hamburgers and cars." As was typical for Ches, he quickly changed his train of thought and just let whatever off-the-wall thoughts in his mind stumble off his tongue, "Hey, do you think they'll do any line dancing at this shindig?" like his mind, his feet began to idly wander toward into the ballroom.

"Dude, if you can get someone to do the Cupid Shuffle with you, I'll give you ten bucks."

Erica was beginning to wonder how much longer they'd be on this boat. Sure, it was nice chatting at the bar -- or rather listening to people chatting -- but she was eager to find out what their mysterious destination was like. Just as she was about to walk away from the bar and wander around the crowd, she heard her song start. She'd heard Taylor's announcement, of course, and had wondered if she was one of the "beautiful young ladies" who would have their very own song. She'd tried to tune out the singer, more interested in Denn's conversation, but the conversation kept on being interrupted by one of the ladies hearing her song.

As For Erica progressed, she smiled wryly. Why must everyone think a single woman was always in need of a man? Yet a small voice inside her whispered that he was right -- wouldn't she love to have someone trust and lean on? Someone as smart as she was, to trade ideas with? Her smile faded, but she kept an eyebrow raised skeptically. Of course she wouldn't mind a boyfriend, but that one desire was by no means an all-important, life-defining quest. Taylor was stretching things into strange proportions.

Denn hadn't been watching his friend's face go from mocking to softened, and back to skeptical, but he was paying attention to the song's lyrics. He turned to her as it was ending, and saw her pscornful eyebrow. He thought he could guess some of what she was thinking: she'd be protesting the idea that she was looking for a man, no doubt. Denn wondered if she really thought that, or if it was a facade in case someone was looking. He hadn't really known her long enough to be able to tell.

A few songs later, the ferry arrived at its destination. Denn offered his arm to Erica -- like a perfect gentleman, he thought -- but she was already walking toward the dock. Luckily Denn's legs were longer, so he caught up easily despite Erica being good at worming her way through a crowd. A line of carriages from out of a fairy tale awaited them on the shore, and Erica and Denn found themselves ushered in with some strangers. Everyone was too busy looking around to talk much, and before long, the castle came into view. Denn whistled, and Erica drew in her breath. They continued to admire it right up until the carriage pulled up to the door, and then they had their breath taken away yet again.

By the time their host's short speech was over, Erica wore her skeptical grin again. What was the point of all of this? Inviting random strangers to a ball just to awe them all with all their wealth? Acheson had stressed meeting people. She wondered why that was so important to him. To be sure, it was a beautiful reception. Almost too beautiful. It was a good thing Denn took her arm as he moved, because otherwise she would have lost him, absorbed as she was in gazing around the room. Everything was assorted, blue and silver, silver and blue, even the carriages were silver and blue. She wondered what the colors were for. The family's coat of arms? Probably nothing, she told herself. It was just a pretty design choice and she was overthinking things, as usual.

"You want to dance?" Denn suggested, kind of at a loss. He had lost his bar "friends" and felt it wasn't quite appropriate to run straight back to the bar or buffet. He'd done his share of gawking at the opulent furnishings, but he thought he should do something now instead of standing around like an idiot. Erica shrugged, still caught up in her thoughts. "We could find some other people to dance with, if you're tired of looking at my face," he teased. She grinned and looked up at him. She probably hadn't even looked at him since they left the boat. Nonetheless, dancing did seem like the sort of thing one should do in a ballroom. And other people were doing it.

She nodded towards a couple she'd recognized from the bar on the boat. They'd just finished a dance, and the girl -- Odette? -- seemed like she wouldn't mind switching partners for a bit. Denn took her cue and made his way to the couple, Erica following quietly. The girl was still laughing. Denn wished that Erica would remind him of their names. He was sure she remembered.

"Care for a dance, mademoiselle?" he butted in with a comical bow, twirling his hand out in offering. No embarrassing "hello, wazyour name again", although he'd probably have to ask her at some point. Erica smiled mockingly at him and rolled her eyes in Kest's sight, but offered up her own hand inquiringly. If he didn't mind dancing with her while his companion was occupied, then she was more than willing.