A glint of steel and the red paint flowed upon the Palette.
A humming tune as the artist prepares herself mind enwrapt so dearly upon her subject.
Each spreading stroke, circular motions, mixing in the crimson and the green.
Two houses, both alike in dignity, joined into one by a single family.
And so too were the colours mixed into the fold, producing the deep green of grass.
Grass, that which did not grow upon these lands so freely and burned in heat.
Grass which made itself into the subject of this painting study of a garden.
Another glint of steel, and the scarlet paint flowed upon the Canvas.
But the humming now a sudden gasp.
And Then?
Silence.
Lady Hanoxx lies dead, the paint brush tipped with the grassy green of her unfinished painting dropped from her hand. Her lifeless body bearing the expression of shock. Her burning amber eyes staring at the faceless face of her killer. The marks of a Neron Assassin, to bear such a sudden death. Or perhaps not? To the untrained eye, the hallmarks of a Nero kill were present, the twin slash marks cutting into the sides of the neck just near the nape of the neck and base of the skull to sever the vital nerve which dictated speaking, breathing, heart rate, and so much more. A hand pressed over the nose and mouth to suppress anything more than a gasp escaping as the blade found its way around the neck. Blood barely spilled, but rather flowed down her neck regardless as toxins began to increase her heart rate without the regulation of the nerves. Gasping for air and bleeding, voiceless and helpless, but dead in minutes. Her fading consciousness made to get a good glimpse at the attacker, dressed in the outfit of Nero though masked in anonymous wraps. And not only her, but those who would find her, for now anointed upon her head, the telltale sign of a single Ruby Droplet. A gruesome calling card.
Yet, it was not a Nero assassination. No, for certainly as elaborate as it was, there was one vital element missing from the equation for this to be the work of the Dolofon. It was clean, but not clean. It was quick, but not quick. It was unnatural as if it was deliberately staged, with perfect execution. As if someone wanted it to be made clear who it was that did it and incite enough intrigue to perhaps start a war when the accusations start flying. But this injustice could not be met with impunity, for Lord Niscent did not spare a moment to mourn the women he had began to love. There would be no funeral for this investigation. If they wished to declare war, then so let it be done as the machinations and political maneuverings begin the house of Niscent-Hanoxx.
---
Meanwhile, in Paradise, or at least in the Vrondi lands. At a bar where the drinks flowed like water over the falls of Tearandri, where laughter and gossip became the talk of place, and a strange bunch of the strangest strangers appeared. But Eden's focus was not on the camaraderie surrounding them, but rather at the angelic girl before him. Ripped from the plane of reality, everything else fades into distant memory. The bar disappearing piece by piece, the patrons like ghosts suddenly invisible as his attention became ensnared into Astrea. So enamored by her charms, and grace, or perhaps was it that irresistible scent of dark sweetness that intoxicated him far quicker than the draught? Deeper he drank of her, like sweet nectar dripping off the tongue of this golden angel shared in a lover's kiss with every breath he took before her. Soon enough only three of them remained, Eden, Astrea, and of course Eve who clambered up his shoulder and knew what would come next.
Their eyes met, gazes fondling each others desires far quicker than their minds could betray their wanton lust. Aversion was no defense for the gravity of mutual attraction, their gazes lingered not elsewhere but followed the lines which made their bodies. Gazes creeping, ever creeping up towards their eyes to take in the sights. Eden's electric blue scanning over Astrea with his ever-so-cocky smile as he followed her form up and down and up again. Just as she had stared into his chest, it was only fair that Eden got to take a glimpse at hers, was it not? Tracing her assets over those curves to her bare collar and from her collar to her alluring neck, and from the neck then to her beautiful face once more. Those caramel eyes were not the only things to catch his, for between those pearls were her button nose, and beneath that, her luscious lips. On either side like palace guards were her rounded cheek bones and defined but invitingly-soft jawline, and her dark chestnut locks flowing free over her otherwise bare shoulder. Yes, definitely his type of girl, even now as a flash of vermillion flushed those cheeks.
“..it would be an honor to be able to spend but even another moment within your company, my Lord…”
My Lord? Eden's smile widened, perhaps wide enough to match his stoked ego. Such formalities were greeted warmly, with a his index finger and tip of his thumb careful not to claw her supple flesh with his stoney talons. A slight nudge lifted up Astrea's chin as she nodded down and returning her eyes to his, as before her gaze cast down followed her face in recognizing Eden's nobility. A glint in his eye, a mischievous sparkle twinkling a dance across the icy turquoise of his irises, could she prepare herself for him? To have touched her so gently, and yet all the same so authoritatively, a simple tipping of her chin, but control over her wandering eyes. From this move, perhaps like how he had used such subtle motions to defeat a dragon-breed moments ago, did Eden now establish his finesse over the body for Where the chin goes, the face must follow. And now, to finish the power move.
Those lips she eyed parted. Not in speaking, but ever so slightly dividing revealing a flash of teeth. His head crane forward, tilting right, as the suggestive machinations of his hand began to move Astrea' to her right as well while drawing them closer together. It was inevitable, that their lips would meet as his curled away from his signature smile into a pucker. And there it was, the kiss to begin and end things. They graced each other upon their lips, strangers becoming all too familiar. And with it the exchange of their desires, gnawing and biting into each other as wanting becomes satiation, over-indulgence and over-eating. He had forgotten about the girl he had upstairs already. For there was one here, locked with him as his other arm wrapped around her shoulder, reaching over her heavenly wings and drawing their bodies even closer together. Eden's hand had left her chin now and brushed over her cheek, fingers running through the hair Astrea had brushed aside as they wrapt themselves around the back of her head and then down her back following the path under the wing to around her waist as their kiss broke.
It was neither a quick peck, nor a long kiss, but it would leave them both breathless enough. And more so, leave them both wanting more of each other. As Eden drew himself back and smiled so coyly at Astrea with the same spark in his crystalline pond eyes as before. A quick kiss stolen in broke the moment once more, but just as it was so rapidly given, so too was it taken away. A nibble, a sip, not enough to satisfy the craving which demanded more, much more. And this was the edge from which Eden left them, mounting the tension and riding the embers of their mutual attraction as the rising heat and warm air would cause them to ascend into the clouds high above, if not at least the second floor...
"So, M'lady care to accompany your patient today? In case anything comes up?" he works fast, very fast. Perhaps too fast for Eve's liking, as she was probably the only one to remember that there was still someone sleeping in the bed upstairs, and made her protest known by prodding Eden's back with her tail as if that would remind him. She was also probably the only one who had noticed Rai and Sai as being the ones in the Poster, although they seemed to be gathering quite a small troupe of men, well men and at least one woman, okay two women. As her attention left the kiss and was directed at the events happening in the bar and not between Eden's new interest. Catching these thieves would be the responsibility for Eden to uphold being in the Fotian army, and cousin to Lord Hanoxx, but not with these odds. Plus he would probably try it too, being so bold as to fight one person not so long ago. When his attention finally turned to her and as Eden stroked her head with a finger much to her discontent but conflicted pleasure, she could have him back from Astrea. "Eve, we are definitely going to need some souvenirs of this place, care to join us in the marketplace? Or will you just stay in the room?"
---
The marketplace, a wretched den of thieves behind stalls, and across them. Alive in the morning hours of sun, high in the tree-city. Into the crowd they mingled in, disappearing amongst the busy marketplace as hagglers called out over prices, shoppers browsed wares and merchants peddled goods. barrows of pottery, wine and wood, barrels filled with every fruit or vegetable imaginable, and exotic spices from around the world gathered here. Fine spun fabric, precious stones sparkling in the sunlight, gold and silver gleaming, the hammering of hot metal, the smell of baking breads, and The warbling of animals a feast for the senses all. The natural breeding ground of a empty pocket, and a heavy purse all the same.
"Eden, I think I saw those thie-" A finger was brought to her lips to end her line as Eden whispered regarding not to speak of it now or in this place, for he did too on the way out, but where they were was where the T word may be a watchword given the nature of the marketplace. Besides, it seems beside him was Astrea, who was currently being all too pampered by Eden who had made sure she would have an enjoyable time playing doctor. Anything her eyes lingered on, well anything that wasn't him, he bought, his heavy satchel of currency fattened quite well from the family coffers. Some new garments? Jewelry? Fine wines? Name it, and had she given it more than a second thought it was purchased and gifted to her, usually amassing in some poor market boy having to carry it all. Eden referred to it as some sort of healer's fee or something, but they both knew what he was doing. And after all, Eve did mention he was well endowed.
"So, M'lady, what do you think of this?" Eden slipped on a locket around Astrea's collar with a single Lassan silver scallop shell, opened to reveal a trinity of pearls in white, pink and black off the leather cord to hang just above the start of her cleavage. "Or perhaps this one to match your gorgeous eyes?" A pure copper diadem inlaid with designs of golden leaves like laurels and capped with a single deep green emerald cut to resemble a turned leaf. Word would soon spread however about Eden and his consort, like wildfire through the market, all the merchants waiting to get their cut of that heavy load Eden had.
Which may warrant some unwanted attention which Eve was keeping an eye our for as she settled herself around Eden's neck. Someone had to keep Eden out of trouble, and that was her responsibility.
