---

Max stared wordlessly as Eris... shrunk, hoping that his mask covered up whatever flashes of confusion and surprise were appearing on his face. That was certainly something he hadn't expected to see. The simple absurdity of it was enough to get Max to hold his tongue, at least. He was still hesitant about getting the guard involved, but bat-Eris was already fluttering away before he was cognisant enough to protest.

The mage tucked the thread he'd been given into his jacket pocket and turned to Salem. A picture definitely helped, Max wasn't confident he could replicate the rune perfectly from memory. He wasn't sure how precise they needed to be in order to be identified, but erring on the side of caution was always a smart decision.

"The girl was holding it, I think it's a piece of the murderer's outfit. At least, it doesn't match hers. Could be a weird focus or something too, but..." He finished with a shrug. Speculation was all they could do at this point. That, and get rid of this crowd. The prying eyes were really starting to bug him. Yelling at them might make the more timid ones scatter, but anyone with half a spine would just grow more suspicious. He needed to get rid of the allure of the unknown, hopefully that would cause people to lose interest. But what was he supposed to replace it with? If everyone heard they were out here drinking, they'd just attract people looking for a drink. If they started fighting, people would want to watch - or worse, break it up. He needed something people were fully aware of but didn't want to see.

Motherfucker.

"I hope you're drunk already, Flower Boy, I got a plan to get them to piss off," Max grumbled as he advanced on Salem. Max himself wasn't nearly drunk enough for this, but it was a preferrable alternative to having to explain to whatever rubbernecking idiot finally worked up the courage to investigate behind the ballroom. Maybe. Probably not, actually, but he was rolling with it.

He made a grasp for Salem's collar and leaned his face in uncomfortably close, halting just short of their noses touching. The metal mage ran his tongue over his own lips, locking eyes with his would-be companion. Max put in the utmost care that his body language said romance, but his dead gaze still said nothing but disdain. Hopefully it'd make Flower Boy take the hint.

"If they think we're being gross back here, they'll get bored and leave," He whispered, "Pucker up, darling." What the fuck was he doing?

---

@Hero@Trainerblue192

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Throwing another smile Aaron’s way, Lilie carefully made her way to the nearest hallway, her hands pulling at the string keeping her mask on. She pushed open the door with her shoulder, slipping off the golden peacock mask and tying it to the small purse she wore. She knew it was redundant to have done her makeup when everyone was wearing masks, but she had been told it was going to be pretty fancy, so she erred on the safe side. So safe that instead of going to the bathroom like she had expected, instead she found herself outside.

Aaron watched Lilie go, following the subtle bounce of her mask feather as she threaded through the crowd and feeling like he was on top of the world. It was an unexpected turn, having to lift her up like a ballerina, but he certainly wasn’t complaining; it was more than a little exciting, and the fact that she seemed to be having a good time with him made Aaron’s heart soar. But as he watched her make her way to the edge of the ballroom, his face fell; she wasn’t heading to the bathrooms, but one of the exterior doors, pushing through it and beginning to untie her mask without hesitation.

Wait, she was leaving?

Aaron’s brow furrowed as he watched her disappear, holding his breath in hopes that she’d turn around and come back. Several seconds passed, but she was nowhere to be found. No, she hadn’t just ditched him, he told himself. Right?

She had asked him to wait for her, so wait he did, for all of thirty seconds before his nerves started getting the better of him. Did the lift freak her out? Or tilting her head up while they danced? She had seemed like she was having a good time, but maybe she was just indulging him after all. Maybe he came off too strong and scared her away.

No, no, she wouldn’t do that. Lilie was too sweet for that, he couldn’t even imagine her making a mean face, let alone just ditching him like that. Although, she didn’t actually come to the ball with him, so it wasn’t like she was walking out on a date or anything…

Maybe he should check.

Making up his mind, Aaron made a beeline for the exit, turning down the corridor toward the door and finding it empty. He was a little crestfallen, but pressed on, pushing the door open and peering out into the darkness. “Um, Lilie? Did you come out here?”

Lilie jumped in place, clutching a small makeup palette and brush as she stared at Aaron, wide eyed. She blinked a few times, embarrassed that she had been caught red handed.

"Y-Yeah," She admitted, feeling her face turning red. "I didn't know this led to outside...so I thought I'd just touch up and go back...but you caught me." Oh how she wished the ground would swallow her whole to save face!

Aaron turned his head toward Lilie’s voice, where she was apparently hiding behind the door, and heaved a sigh of relief. She wasn’t leaving in secret, she just made a wrong turn! And judging by the flush gracing her cheeks, she was too embarrassed to backtrack.

Stepping out of the doorway, he let the door close behind him and approached Lilie, smiling once more. “I was just a little worried, I thought you were upset or something,” he half-lied. He wasn’t about to admit he was worried she decided she hated him and wanted to get out as fast as possible.

Lilie's expression fell slightly as she approached him, shaking her head. "Upset? Why?" She asked him, a little concerned.

“Well, I wasn’t sure why else you’d leave the ballroom completely,” Aaron replied, a little bashful as he realized just how big a leap he’d made in retrospect. He peered at Lilie a moment, though, when he remembered that not everyone could see well in the dark like he could—a helpful side effect of his affinity that he often took for granted. Looking around shyly, he folded his hands in front of him and leaned forward, whispering, “Isn’t it a little dark to fix your makeup, though?”

Lilie hung her head in shame, nodding in agreement. Yeah it was, but she couldn't face anyone who had seen her leave! "W-Well, I can kinda see if I turn like this," She resumed the position she had with her back to the party and barely got any light from the window on the tiny mirror of the palette.

Aaron couldn’t help but smile, taking pity on the girl. He could certainly understand her clinging to her pride. “Here, let me help,” he offered, stepping a little closer to her. He held his hands a little higher than her head height, cupping them and focusing for a moment until a little ball of light formed between them. He took a moment to adjust the brightness, bending the light around them to a soft, natural white, before drawing his hands apart and stepping away. “Maybe that’ll help?”

Lilie’s jaw dropped as she looked up at the little ball of light, impressed by Aaron's magic. "Handy!" She grinned, bringing up the mirror and immediately grimacing. She had rubbed off more than she thought, though as she reapplied the glittering gold eyeshadow, soon it resembled the other eye. She drew a thin, white line right at her eyelid and deemed herself finished, looking up at Aaron and batting her eyelashes at him. "How do I look?" She asked him as she stowed everything away in her purse.

“Stunning,” Aaron all but blurted out, realizing his boldness a second later as heat flushed his ears. He chuckled a little, hoping she didn’t think anything of it, and quickly added, “That was really quick, too. You must be good at it.”

Lilie pushed some of her hair off her shoulder, happy to hear his compliment. As she tucked a hair behind her ear, she grinned at him. "I like to play with this sort of thing a lot," Her hand waved around her eyes as she spoke. "Practice makes perfect, and I think I have it down pat by now."

She looked at the ball again as she reached up and poked it, delighted when it flickered slightly. "Amazing," she sighed, her gaze looking out to the sea. "It's beautiful, isn't it? I was looking at it when you found me. This place has a really nice view."

Aaron smiled at Lilie’s delight when she poked the light, even though the flicker she saw was a result of her interrupting the flow of magic within it. He dismissed the light when she turned away, Aaron following her gaze to the glimmering ocean beyond the cliff. It really was quite a sight, the widest expanse of water and space Aaron had ever seen in his life, shimmering under the moonlight.

“It really is,” he agreed, recalling how captivated he'd been the first time he'd taken a proper look at the ocean between classes. “You know, I had never seen anything like it before I came here. I can see why Her Highness chose this spot to build her Academy; she and Princess Nox both hate being cooped up in the forest.”

"Really?" Lilie asked, though she supposed she wasn't too surprised. Even where she lived deep in the valley she had met people that had never seen the sea. The fact that the princess made sure the academy was close was really nice. "There's a river close to where I live, but we used to go to the beach at least once during summer. This beach is a lot bigger, though!" She sighed as she looked at it, though she suddenly got an idea as she looked back at Aaron.

"Let's go down, then," she suggested. "You can see it up close and watch the waves."

Aaron peered between Lilie, the ocean, and the cliffside for a moment, briefly wondering if there was even a way to get down there, but Lilie sounded like she was familiar enough with the place to know better than him. Of course, at Lilie’s behest, he wouldn't entirely object to scaling the cliffside either.

“Okay!” He replied cheerfully, pulling off his mask and hooking it around his arm like Lilie had. “How do we get down?”

The girl took a second to look around, taking a few steps forward as she looked down the cliffside. Climbing down would actually be fun, but she doubted she would get too far in her fancy dress and heels. Considering there was an exit right here, she figured there must have been a way to the beach from where they were. She squinted as she looked for any lights or a mark, though she noticed that there was a dirt path leading downwards, one she realized looked familiar as it was the same she had gone down before.

Lilie pointed it out to Aaron. "That's how we'll get down," she told him excitedly, leading the way. As she approached the slope, she was more cautious, walking as carefully as she could. If she were wearing normal shoes it would be a lot easier and wouldn't require so much thought, but the thin heel made it difficult to balance and kept sinking into certain places.

Aaron followed dutifully, eyes adjusting seamlessly as they left the glow of the ballroom for the darker, moonlit path. He kept a sharp eye out as Lilie lead the way, knowing she probably couldn’t see as well as he could, but while there was nothing in her path that needed warning about, she still seemed to be struggling. She moved at a snail’s pace and kept glancing down, wobbling like her knees were liable to give out. It took Aaron a moment to realize she was struggling because of her shoes, her heels stabbing into the dirt and costing her her balance.

“Do you need some help? Here,” Aaron strode up next to Lilie, offering his hand if she wanted some extra support.

Tearing her gaze away from the ground in front of her, Lilie opened her mouth to assure him she was fine before her left heel sunk deeper than before. She contained her cry of surprise but couldn't quite hide her arms flailing as she rebalance herself, her eyes wide with shock. She stayed still, afraid any movement would send her tumbling down the hill, but after a few seconds she relaxed, sheepishly taking Aaron's hand.

"If you don't mind," she gave him a grateful smile, holding onto his hand tightly as she resumed the trek, though she was happy that she didn't have to worry as much as her steps were easier to make with Aaron helping her balance. She kept her gaze downwards just in case, but she relied on his sturdy guidance as they descended carefully. She figured he had experience helping people down uncertain steps, but even if that wasn't the case she was happy he was so willing to help. He always did, now that she thought about it.

"You know, I was wondering," she decided to voice her thoughts, looking up at him. "You're always helping me out with stuff since day one. Doesn't it get annoying that I'm always bothering you?"

Aaron was happy to help Lilie descend, surprised at just how light she felt, even when she seemed like she was putting a good amount of weight on him. He kept a careful, concerned eye on her to ensure she didn't trip, though he'd have to admit his eyes did wander to her bare shoulders and gently curled hair once or twice in the process.

He raised his eyebrows at the sudden question, a little perturbed that Lilie would feel like she was a bother. He shook his head. “No, of course not,” he assured her gently, “on the contrary, I'm just happy I can help at all.”

It certainly felt good to be able to help, especially since it felt to Aaron like the only thing he could capably do lately. “Truth be told, I'm flattered you come to me. I suppose I must be doing something right.” He flashed a grin.

Lilie’s followup question seemed to get stuck in her throat, her eyes searching Aaron's expression for a moment. He seemed genuinely happy to help her, his words touching her greatly and adding a little to her guilt. His grin earned him a small smile on her part, most of her concern gone. She seemed to fight herself for a moment, though she figured maybe she had been worried for nothing.

"I'm lucky, then," she admitted. "I felt like I was dropped in a dark cave and you're my flashlight." She didn't want to think about what she would do without him, her hand holding his a little tighter at the thought. "Maybe I can make it up to you someday."

Aaron waited patiently for Lilie’s response, but when it came, he swore he felt his heart skip a beat. He didn’t miss her little squeeze of his hand, and hearing her speak as if she depended on him was gratifying in a way he wasn’t used to (but certainly wasn’t complaining about either). He felt his ears heat up under his hair at the praise, and his grin turned bashful.

“Oh, that’s not necessary…” he murmured, though he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face if he tried. Even though he didn’t expect it, she’d already made it all up to him and more simply by staying his friend after that horrible public apology; he felt as if he embarrassed her even more than he embarrassed herself, but she barely acknowledged it, and it sometimes seemed like she was the only person in the school who didn’t look at him like a freak ever since.

Lilie lifted her free hand to wag her finger at Aaron, her smile wider as she looked at him. "No, no, I'm gonna make it up to you one way or another," she dismissed his comment playfully, stopping at the start of the staircase leading to the beach. Taking a moment to appreciate the view, she breathed in the salty air happily as she looked around. They weren't the only ones enjoying the beach, a flash of flames followed by a loud cheer catching her attention. Her eyes lit up as she knew exactly what was happening, turning to Aaron excitedly.

"A bonfire!" She hopped in place, pointing to the few gathered around the fire. "They do them here, too!"

Aaron laughed good-naturedly, eyes on Lilie as she looked around, before following her excited indication to the fire she was pointing at. It was a fairly large fire on the sand at the foot of the cliff, safely out of reach of the tide. A number of figures surrounded it, though Aaron could only definitively make out the ones in front of the blaze, seated with one of them holding something large in their lap.

While Aaron had never even seen, much less participated in, a bonfire before, Lilie’s excitement was infectious. “Would you like to go check it out?” he asked curiously.

"Yeah! Let's go!" Lilie answered him immediately, practically pulling him along as she descended the steps in record time. She stopped as she reached the sand, stooping down to take off her heels. She loved the feeling of sand, taking a second to enjoy it and waiting patiently for Aaron to take off his shoes.

Taking the hint from Lilie, Aaron took a moment to awkwardly remove his shoes and socks, unable to contain the grin that came with the absurdity of walking in a full tuxedo barefoot. But the sand would damage his shoes and did want to follow Lilie’s lead, so off they went, leaving the man amused by the unfamiliar texture of sand under his feet and the entire situation more generally.

Lilie grabbed him by the arm as soon as she saw he was done and practically dragged him over to the far end of the beach, her previous hesitation apparently forgotten now that her heels were gone, not that Aaron would complain. Aaron couldn’t help but laugh, and Lilie did too, though amusement turned to butterflies in his stomach and a cheerful smile turned bashful as Lilie’s hand slid down from his elbow to his hand.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A smile brightened Amaris' face as the mage hastily tried to reassure her, making a pretty valid point in the process. Unlike half of her peers, the countess was not bound to the same shackles of time as others were. Even if the curriculum was only meant to be so long, there were likely lingering perks to being an alumni of her royal highness' academy. The subjects she could spend her life studying, it was a nice reminder she wouldn't have to do it all at once.

She watched with curiosity as Dennis' face turned away, the blush in his ears growing in intensity as his lips moved silently. Amaris wasn't entirely sure what had caused the shift but thought it might be rude of her to ask. Of what little she did know about the image's chosen path of study it was possible that he was talking to someone outside of their immediate vicinity. Gauging by his reaction, she couldn't help but wonder who and what was said to cause such a reaction.

"So I’m getting a little overheated. Would you like to join me upstairs for a little bit? I, uh, really need some water.” Dennis invited sheepishly, quick to stumble over himself in case the question had been an imposition.

"But uh, you don’t have to! There is still lots to do and I don’t expect you to settle for chilling with me at a party." Truth be told Amaris was having a great deal of fun hanging out with Dennis, and if she stuck around maybe she might discover who the mage had been talking to. Despite her eagerness, however, she still found herself hesitating. She hadn't arrived alone and Cassandra had yet to return.

The countess shifted slightly so she could cast her gaze across the dancefloor once more in the hopes of spotting her partner. She was starting to worry as she hadn't until a glimmer among the dancers caught her eye. Amaris recognized the unique ensemble immediately and relaxed once again. If Cassandra was out having fun, who was she to stop her.

"I would love to continue, how did you phrase it… chilling? Let's go find you something to drink, shall we?" Her tone was light and bubbling with excitement as she motioned for Dennis to lead the way.

Interacting with @Scribe of Thoth@Hero@Trainerblue192

The guard station only had one guard, leaning against the wall as he stared absently out across the campus. Clearly his mind was elsewhere but he snapped to attention when a bat shifted into a student, a hand covering the growing smile as he asked the student if he was okay, but when Eris finally got the words out in a full, complete sentence, the guard… did nothing. He sighed, reached inside to grab a radio, and fiddled with the channel settings for a moment.

“Got a probable 10-58 out of station 9 behind one of the ballrooms. Headin’ out to confirm.” The guard spoke into the radio, offering Eris his other hand to get him back on his feet. Another voice crackled across the radio, a quick “10-18”, and the guard rolled his eyes. “10-4. Now, once you get your legs back under, let’s go see how drunk this person is. Guessing it ain’t one of your friends if you’re making a bit of a fool out of yourself. Lead the way.”

---

Interacting with @WeepingLiberty

“Really?! Yeah, we can totally chill!” Dennis beamed as he lead the way off the dance floor. He wove through the crowd, making his way upstairs and claiming the first table with no one else at it. He drank his first glass eagerly, downing it in one go with a satisfied sigh, and relaxed in his seat. “I don’t know how people do this all the time. This whole event is a lot to deal with.”

“So, uh…” Dennis fidgeted in his seat, the tips of his ears going red again with a frown but he shook it off quickly enough. “Oh! What language was that word you used from? Estrangeo? Eostranger? I’m butchering this aren’t I?”

---

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Interacting with: @Scribe of Thoth

A piece of cloth that the victim was holding? He doubted it was a focus, and had Max not put it away so quickly he could have at least attempted to snap a photo to compare it to other the ensembles of the other guests at this event. Perhaps he could persuade Max to pull it out again so that he could? Then again, if he did trust him enough with that fabric then he wouldn't have placed away so quickly. Of all the people to be wrapped up I'm this mess with why did it have to be the most stubborn, least trusting or open person in this entire school, well besides Varis. Salem began to look around, wondering where Eris had gone off to as well as how long it would take him to get back. There were beginning to be eyes that watched in curiosity and suspicion, two things that would end poorly if either they were accused of murder or a mass panic spread across the party. The former being especially bad for Salem given the fact that he was under investigation for potentially working or coming I'm contact with the Red Hand. There was a short sigh as he tried to think of some other solution, some way to make the others veer away and stay clear of this area all together.

Suddenly before he could even react, Max was grabbing him by the collar and moving closer. His face closer to Salem than it has ever been. As Max spoke he could feel the heat of his breath hitting against his lips, his eyes fixated on Max's and only occasionally moving down to his lips. It appears that Max had the same idea of ushering others away from this area, what he didn't expect was for his idea to involve the pair making out. Max was, however, a very attractive guy and a chance like this doesnt happen often, especially with someone as unmoving as the metal mage himself. Max jested that he hoped Salem was drunk enough for this, and Salem knew he was sober enough to enjoy it yet tipsy enough to actually fall through with it. As soon as Max was about to finish his sentence, Salem cut him "Oh just shut up and kiss me" He pressed his lips against Max's, grabbing him by his waist and pulling him closer so that they were pressed hip to hip. Salem used the momentum to turn the two mages around and pressed Max against the buildings wall, moving his lips from Max's down to his next as he whispered "Are they leaving?" He hoped the answer was not yet, he hoped they could go on for a moment longer, but he knew that they needed this crowd to disperse.

Amaris followed after Dennis, not quite matching his speed but always just a step or two behind him as they made their way through the crowd and toward the stairs. She gracefully swung herself into a seat as the mage finished draining his first glass of water, almost instantly seeming refreshed by it. It was always fascinating to her the powers water had over mortals, one could almost lightly compare it to the blood consumed by a vampire in some ways. Still, it was their differences that really captivated the countess’ ever active mind.

“I don’t know how people do this all the time. This whole event is a lot to deal with.” Dennis’ voice pulled Amaris from her thoughts back to the table with a gentle shrug of her shoulders. Events like these required a great deal of stamina, both mental and physical. Amaris was already somewhat used to these types of things. While never having to face the brunt of the political side of these events, she had still grown up around her fair share of extravagant parties. To her, the masquerade hosted by Ryner was far more relaxed in nature than any of the others she had attended in her youth, but it was understandable how draining it could be for the uninitiated.

“So uh…” The mage started, seeming to struggle for a moment to decide on his words. He seemed nervous, though to be fair it was likely he hadn’t counted on her agreeing to dance, let alone spend extra time with him. She waited patiently for him to collect his thoughts before he finally selected one he sounded particularly excited about.

“Oh! What language was that word you used from? Estrangeo? Eostranger? I’m butchering this aren’t I?” Amaris had to bite back her laughter, thrilled at his attempts but equally amused at his failings. It reminded her of when she first started to learn languages, how she would often mix up her words and speak in sentences comprising of several different made up hybrid conjugations.

“Estraneo. It’s Italian, though I get the feeling you might already have an idea of what the word means. Think of it as less of a butcher and more of a Freudian slip of sorts.” She offered kindly, her smile borderline reminiscent.

“I enjoy languages quite a bit actually, they’re kind of like riddles sometimes. But I find out of all the different ones I’ve tried to learn, Italian just feels… right. Reminds me a little bit of home somehow. Sorry, that must sound really strange to you… So how about you? Are you interested in languages as well, or perhaps the riddles they present instead?” Amaris leaned forward, her elbows on the table with her fingers linked to create a perch for her chin to rest on. With every passing comment, she found herself more and more intrigued by the mage. It wasn’t often that she got the opportunity to have such mundane discussions about pure interests, if she wasn’t careful she might end up scaring the boy off before she had gotten her fill of conversation.

Interacting with @Scribe of Thoth@Hero@Trainerblue192

The guard followed Eris closely, the air of disbelief still hanging around him. The man had only quirked an eyebrow at Eris’ instance and gestured for him to lead. When they arrived at the scene, however, the man only scoffed at what he saw. Two students pressed against each other as a bunch of others made more than a few comments as they passed by. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of alcohol and paused at the edge of the grass.

“Seriously? This is what you wanted to show me?” The guard grumbled at Eris irritably, rubbing at his temple. “If you just wanted me to pull some guy off your mage, you could have just told me. None of this murder bllshit. You could cause a serious problem saying things like that. I’ll split them up for you but after, the rest of your reveling will be in your dorm, understood?” He frowned but turned his attention to the pair, crossing over and grabbing Salem by the back of his shirt and yanking him back like he barely weighed anything. He clapped his hand on the back of the plant mage’s neck, a clear sign that he wasn’t going anywhere.

“Name and year, both of you.” The guard snapped. “Which one of you is Mr. Samuel’s par…” He trailed off as he sniffed the air. “What is that smell?”

---

Interacting with @WeepingLiberty

“Riddles, huh? I’ve never thought about languages like that.” Dennis tilted his head thoughtfully, resting his cheek on his hand. “But uh, not really? Maybe when I was younger, it was always kinda cool. Being able to talk to someone without people eavesdropping was always cool and sure, it’d be nice to read some of the original translations of books cause translators always censor things but I’ve never put any effort into learning any of it.”

“And maybe it’s kinda lazy but with magic, I can just kinda pop into someone’s head and read it as they read.” Dennis admitted sheepishly. "Sorry, that's kinda creepy. I don't just jump into random people's heads if they don't want it. That's way too invasive. Or at least now I don't."

---

---

That son of a bitch.

He'd kill him. He'd rip him apart right here and blame it on the leech. Someone needed to tell Salem there was a difference between convincing acting and sucking on his face like some brain-eating alien from a crappy sci-fi movie. The fork up Max's sleeve trembled in anticipation but didn't make its presence known quite yet. Salem might've been going overboard but he was putting on a convincing show for the crowd. If he could handle Eris putting his mouth on his crotch, he could handle this. And, technically, Max did ask for it.

Max kept his teeth clenched and his lips pursed in case the other mage got any ideas about tongue, but otherwise played his part dutifully. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around Salem as he was pressed into the wall and tilted his head upward as the kissing started moving downward. Max was partially afraid Salem might notice his pulse racing and take it as an indicator of arousal instead of rage.

"Are they leaving?"

"Enjoying yourself, you fuck?" He grumbled in response, ignoring the question at first. He had a string of invectives he felt he needed to get out before he returned to the business at hand, but with some stragglers still around, he didn't think he could get away with yelling. Seriously, did these literal cuckolds have nothing better to do?

"No, they're just doing a bad job of pretending not to stare. Fucking pervs."

Max closed his eyes to spare himself the embarrassment of watching a bunch of tools gawk at him - and worse, watching Salem suck a fresh mark onto his neck like a starving vampire - playing it off as another outward indicator of enjoyment. Fortunately, the weight pressing up against him was yanked away shortly after. Not that he was complaining, but he really would've liked the satisfaction of shoving Flower Boy on his ass himself. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted with some idiot guard and - oh, wonderful, Eris saw that whole romantic display.

“Name and year, both of you. Which one of you is Mr. Samuel’s par… What is that smell?”

"Probably the body, genius," Max responded after wiping his lips with the back of his hand, "Isn't that why you're here?" In any other scenario, he would've been revelling in the smug knowledge that he was right and the security around here was full of inept morons. Either that or Eris dropped the ball and didn't tell this guy anything, which Max doubted. The leech seemed eager to wipe his hands of the whole situation as soon as possible.

---

@Hero@Trainerblue192@Achronum

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As they drew nearer, the figures around the fire were more easily deciphered, and the chorus of voices began to overpower the murmur of the waves on the sand. Louder still, though, was music; a figure seated with his back to the cliff wall strummed a guitar and sang, the words becoming audible in a smooth, low voice as Aaron and Lilie approached.

“...I need you,
Like a needle needs a vein,
Like my uncle Joe in Oklahoma needs a rain;
And I need you,
Like a lighthouse on the coast…”

Aaron kept a hold of Lilie’s hand as they neared the edge of the fire, placing a finger over his lips so as not to interrupt the musician. A few of the other people at the fire, vampires and mages alike it seemed, looked up on their approach, but they responded only with a few smiles before turning their attention back to the guitar. One girl waved the pair over, patting an empty stretch of one of the logs situated around the blaze. As they quietly took their seats, a girl sitting next to the guitar player smiled deviously at him, the two sharing a light-hearted kiss through a bridge in the song before the girl continued with the next verse in a voice much more powerful than Aaron expected.

“I wanna get lost in some corner booth, Cantina Mexico,
I wanna dance to the static of an AM radio,
I wanna wrap the moon around us, lay beside you skin on skin;
Make love ‘til the sun comes up, ‘til the sun goes down again,
Cause I need you…”

Lilie took her seat as quietly as she could, setting down her heels and purse on the sand. Everyone was so relaxed, happily listening to the song playing. She was completely at ease, swaying a little with the music before taking a quick look around. There were more people than she thought, though she did notice the more distant people were probably vampires steering clear of the flames. One guy briefly tapped the bottle he was holding before taking a swig, and Lilie looked back at the couple as the girl sang. It was such a cute display that she openly admired.

Listening dreamily, even Aaron could relax at the fireside, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and watching the guitarist’s fingers skate expertly over the strings. The acoustic sound was warm and inviting, much like the fire, but as he let himself relax Aaron found himself paying more and more attention to Lilie rather than the singers. He watched her sway with the music without a care in the world, saw how the firelight bloomed over her skin with a warm richness moonlight couldn’t give, saw the flames reflected in wide eyes that shone like jewels as they took in the performance. It was a good thing she was wrapped up in admiring the music, or she might have noticed him admiring her.

After a few minutes the song came to a close, Aaron joining the rest of the people around the fire in gentle applause before talking picked back up again.

“Hi!” the girl who had offered Aaron and Lilie a seat piped up next to them, offering a wide, cheerful smile and a hand. “I’m Meghan, sorry I didn’t say hi before but, well, you know!” she laughed and gestured to the singers, who had become embroiled in a lively debate over which song to play next. “Happy Revel!”

Aaron smiled back, taking Meghan’s hand and shaking it. “Happy Revel to you too!” he replied, attempting to mirror the girl’s enthusiasm, “I’m Aaron. Thanks for letting us join in, we’d hate to impose.”

Meghan scoffed. “Impose? Please, those two are begging for an audience, and we’re glad to have you. The more the merrier!”

She did peer at the pair’s outfits, though. “Oh man, you two must have come from the ball, right?” she exclaimed, pointing up at the cliff where the lights from the ballroom could be seen. “Oh, you look so nice! How is it up there?”

Lilie wasn't sure how to respond to that question at first, briefly looking at Aaron with a small frown on her face. "Well, it's nice to watch everyone dance and there's a great view of the sea," she said. "But it's kinda stuffy. Everyone else looked like they were having a good time, at least!"

She nudged the blonde, giving Meghan a cheeky look. "This one here is one heck of a dancer, though! I felt like I was Madame Angelique from that drama Storm of Love when she's dancing with Sir Frederick!"

Aaron beamed down at Lilie with the nudge, but shrugged to Meghan. “She certainly makes for a captivating dance partner,” he added, butterflies jumping in his stomach with the more direct compliment.

Lilie smiled bashfully, tucking a hair behind her ear. Goodness, Aaron was just showering her with compliments tonight! Without her mask, she was sure he could see her blushing, biting down lightly on her lower lip as she tried to control her smile. What could she even say to that? She fanned herself for a moment, trying to think of something and finding it hard to make eye contact.

"I was only able to keep up because of you," her voice came out a little softer than intended, and she cleared her throat as she caught herself. "It was nice. Really nice! And fun! I'm going to need some lessons so next time I can keep up better!"

As the three of them talked, Aaron noticed a young man across the fire staring at him, studying his face suspiciously. When he looked over properly, the young man sat up, but didn’t move his eyes away.

“You look… familiar,” he explained slowly, gesturing lazily at Aaron with a near-empty bottle of liquor. “What was your name again?”

Aaron inwardly groaned. Of course, without his mask he was open to the ostracization he’d grown accustomed to after that apology disaster. He should have known better, but he still wanted to see if he could stretch this one evening of anonymity a little longer before he had to face the looks and whispers again.

“Aaron Martoch,” he replied smoothly, quirking a brow and hoping one change would be enough to throw the guy off the scent, “why, have we met?”

The man with the bottle peered a moment longer, seemingly debating something, until he slowly began to nod. “No, you just look like someone I guess,” he conceded in a tired voice, before giving his bottle a shake and downing what was left in it.

“Stop harassing the new dude, Sean,” a guy to his left chided him, grinning good-naturedly at Aaron and Lilie. “He’s like this whenever he drinks, thinks he knows everyone,” he explained to the pair, chuckling. “I’m Manpreet, call me Manny, nice to meet ya.”

Barely waiting for a response, Manny started digging in what must have been a cooler behind the log he was sitting on, and after a moment pulled out a pair of coolers by the neck and held them out to the pair. “You guys want a drink?”

Lilie barely contained her surprise at Aaron's introduction, pretending she was more interested in the fire as she tried not to react to much. Fortunately, she was quickly distracted by Manny's offer, her surprise turning to that instead as she shook her head. "I'm Lilie, but um, no thank you," She politely declined. "We didn't really bring anything to share."

Manny waved the idea away, scoffing. “Oh man, don’t worry about that,” he insisted, “We kinda... bought way too much and we need to get rid of it before morning, I’d rather give it away than dump it.”

Maybe getting rid of it should have caught her attention first, but hearing that it would go go waste did make her feel bad. She had previously encountered alcohol in parties before, but she'd be lying if she said she was a hard party drinking kind of person. A little uncertain, she looked at Aaron for confirmation, met with a smile and a shrug. Well, if he wasn't declining, then it was okay, right? Everyone seemed relaxed and having a nice time, no one was too rowdy, either, so she felt comfortable enough accepting with a nod. Reaching out and taking a bottle for herself, she pressed the top down until she was able to twist it off. Deciding to take a cautious sip, her eyebrow twitched slightly at the taste, not really used to it.

Aaron took the second bottle, more hesitant than his outward confidence might have betrayed. As a matter of health he avoided alcohol outside of royal functions - granted, there wasn’t much alcohol to avoid at Noila Castle in the first place - but Manny’s mention of waste made him feel like it would be impolite to decline. Besides, it was Revel! Of all nights to cut a little loose and try something new, tonight it was practically mandatory. He followed Lilie’s lead, twisting off the cap and taking a drink, only to be blindsided by a sickly-sweet-but-somehow-tart concoction bubbling over his tongue like worse champagne. It was unlike anything he’d ever tasted; he could practically feel the sugar in his teeth and he couldn’t help but imagine his insides being dyed the same dark purple as the cooler, and if not for the label he wouldn’t have guessed it had any alcohol in it at all. He’d put it squarely in the category of “far too much for him”, but nonetheless when he lowered his bottle he found himself raising it again for another drink, and another, until it was suddenly half empty.

Conversation around the fire got a little louder as one of the vampires a bit farther from the blaze recounted a story, prompting raucous laughter and one indignant shout, and Aaron used the din to nudge Lilie with his shoulder, tapping his bottle against hers. “So, is this how these bonfires usually go?” he asked, chuckling a little at his own ignorance, “Sitting around talking and singing and drinking…” he peered at his bottle’s label, “...‘hard black cherry fizz’?”

Suppressing a giggle, Lilie nodded, her free hand rubbing her arm. "It's nice, isn't it?" She asked, encouraged by his own swig to take a braver sip of her own. The coldness sent a chill down her spine, and she scooted a little closer to the fire. "I think the best ones are the spontaneous kind, where you just get a bunch of friends together and light something up. I don't usually drink, but there's nothing wrong with a little drink to pass the time." She joked.

Aaron nodded, grinning, opting to follow Lilie’s advice. She was the expert of the two of them, after all. Leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, he clinked his bottle to hers, raising it up. “To passing the time, then,” he toasted, finishing off the last few mouthfuls of his cooler.

When he came back down to jam his bottle in the sand by his seat (a method employed by most of the others at the fire for their empties), he noticed Lilie huddling close to the fire, and his brow furrowed. “Are you cold?” he asked, though he didn’t wait for an answer before taking off his jacket. “Here, let me help.”

Before she could properly protest, anything she could have said died as he draped his jacket over her shoulders. The warmth was a little too good to pass up, even if she felt bad. "Are you sure?" Lilie decided to ask, trying not to get too used to it in case he changed his mind.

“Yes I’m sure,” Aaron chuckled in response, unbuttoning his sleeve cuffs so he could roll his sleeves up to his elbows. Although the heat wave had passed, it was still pretty warm for a September night, and he was nowhere near cold at his size. Lilie, though… “Not to offend, but... you’re tiny.”

He couldn’t help but laugh again; he didn’t think the alcohol was affecting him with any significance, but maybe it combined with the relaxed atmosphere of the fire was loosening his lips a bit. “It’s the least I can do,” he added more sincerely.

Lilie pouted at the initial response, displeased at...actually, it wasn't like he said something that wasn't true, but still! She straightened up slightly, pushing aside any previous hesitance as she drank. His next words were a little weird, but she didn't pay too much mind to it. After all, she was the one constantly in his debt. But he seemed to be having a good time, and it was nice to see the other side of the perfect gentleman persona.

Downing the rest of her drink, she cleared her throat as she buried the bottle into the sand. "Alright, but no asking for it back if you get cold," she replied, pulling the jacket closer as she decided she wanted another bottle. "Could you pass another pair this way? We have some catching up to do!"

Bottles were passed around as requested (Manny looking decidedly relieved as his cooler full of contraband began to empty) and conversation flowed, the group around the bonfire relaxed and enjoying each others’ company. Several of them, the pair found out, didn't even know each other; Manny, Sean, Meghan and the pair of singers had lit the fire and the rest had either been friends-of-friends invited through lengthy message chains or had simply seen the glow on the beach as Aaron and Lilie had. Aaron had never seen such a sincere gathering of strangers before; where he came from, you either grew up with everyone or put on a courtly facade to make a good impression on visiting guests. But here there was no facade, the class difference between the mages and vampires blurred as laughter flowed and stories were exchanged. It was unlike anything Aaron had ever taken part in, and two more coolers in, he decided that he liked it.

“Alright that's enough out of you,” the man with the guitar finally decided, promoting a laugh from the vampire that had been telling his third embarrassing story in a row. He took up his guitar and looked around the group insistently, asking, “Any requests?”

“Yes!” Aaron replied immediately, only realizing he'd spoken after the word came out, but continuing on anyway. “Do you know Home For A Rest?”

“Where have you been all my life?” The man with the guitar replied enthusiastically, grinning wide and tapping his guitar. “Finally, someone else who knows good music!”

Aaron had to chuckle, knowing the song as he did, and he felt a distinctive burn in his ears, though whether it was from the alcohol or speaking up, he didn't know.

The guitar player’s expression grew focused as he looked down at his strings, and the group went quiet as he began to play. The tune was slow and thoughtful, plucked rather than strummed, and Aaron felt a nostalgic calm wash over him. He hadn't heard this song in years, but he still knew every word. After several measures of intro, the guitar player nodded to Aaron; it seemed, as the one who requested the song, it fell to him to sing it.

A familiar quiver of anticipation rose in Aaron, but the usual nervousness that accompanied singing didn't come; with the alcohol’s help no doubt, it felt more like playing his cello than his previous, less-than-impeccable attempts at singing.

Taking a breath as his cue came, Aaron began.

“You'll have to excuse me, I'm not at my best;
I've been gone for a month, I've been drunk since I left;
These so-called vacations will soon be my death,
I'm so sick from the drink I need home for a rest…”

Lilie sat up straight as Aaron began to sing; despite having suggested it, for some reason she wasn't expecting to hear it. He sang slow at first, voice solemn as his voice carried the notes well. As he came to a pause, she noticed a few others looking at one another, a few smirks exchanged and even a little excitement passing, but before she could question it, the song exploded, the tempo picking up considerably and rising in volume as others joined Aaron in singing the song. She jumped a little, pleasantly surprised by the sudden change. She found herself joining some people in clapping the beat, the joyous mood infectious even if she didn't know the song. The lyrics themselves fit the current mood, the crowd singing about the drunken adventures of a few men causing trouble. It was hard not to get swept up in the song, only pausing once in a while to keep drinking.

Aaron’s face split into a wide smile as the song went on, pleasantly surprised that so many others at the fire knew the old folk song he’d suggested. Clapping, singing and occasionally laughing, he felt almost at home. The masquerade was charming and fun, but this was the sort of Revel he was used to.

The song came to an end in a chorus of laughs as the verses ended and the guitar player decided he didn’t want to play the solid two minutes of bridge afterward, earning some teasing before someone suggested another song and he started back up again. Aaron didn’t know the song he played next, so he opted to sit it out, leaning back on one arm and finishing off his… third(?) cooler. Airy grin still crooked on his face, he looked over to Lilie, pleased to see she seemed to be enjoying herself. Despite the gold glow of the firelight, though, he didn’t miss the subtle blush on her cheeks and shoulders, eyes lingering perhaps just a little longer than was polite.

“This was a good idea,” he finally suggested, lifting his bottle again only to chuckle when he realized it was empty.

Lilie's agreement came in a feverish nod, the tiniest sway as she leaned back. She was disappointed to find that she had finished her drink so quickly, leaning back more and more until she could confirm that no, there was no last drop hiding from her in the bottle. Casually dropping the bottle on the ground, her fingers rapped against her knees as she considered asking for another one. The fire did well to hide the building pink on her face, though with the way she hummed to herself and often broke into a fit of giggles for no reason made it obvious that it was time to cut her off.

She was pleased that Aaron was having a good time, giving him a giant grin. "I'm glad!" She said a little louder than usual, catching herself at the end as she bit her lip to control her own laughter. With her free hand, she lazily waved at Manny. "One more, please!" Her voice was lighter than usual and sickenly sweet, wanting nothing more than just one more cooler. Just one, the heat was starting to get to her.

After some rummaging, Manny offered a sympathetic shrug, missing Lilie's pout as someone else caught his attention. She bent down to collect her things, standing from her seat. "Let's go down to the water," She told Aaron, fanning herself lightly. His jacket nearly slipped off her, though she surprised herself by catching it. Displeased, she slipped her arms through the sleeves, the size difference comical as she bid the party farewell and began the short walk to the water.

Aaron’s eyebrows shot up at Lilie’s demeanour, but the grin remained, the blond not knowing what to think of her state other than to be amused by it. Realistically, he should have known that her drinking the same amount as him would have affected her more strongly, but having never really been around much drinking beyond a glass or two in royal company, he supposed he hadn’t expected so… much. He couldn’t help but chuckle as she pouted, clumsily covering his grin as she promptly stood with a bit of a sway. He rose with her, momentarily afraid she’d fall over, but she turned out to be more steady than he anticipated, navigating the sand pretty well as she made her way away from the fire.

A little surprised at Lilie’s sudden conviction, Aaron shook his head, grinning as he bid thanks and farewell to the people at the fire before hurrying to join her. “Okay!”
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Interacting with: @Scribe of Thoth

Salem groaned as Max informed him that the onlookers hadn't decided to move away. A simple act to show his disdain for this plan even though it wasn't fully honest. He ignored Max's comment about him enjoying himself, deciding it didnt need an answer. A few moments later before Salem was about to remove himself from Max and tell the crowd to leave, he felt a strong tug at the back of his collar, forcefully removing him off the metal mage as the voice demanded his name and year. Salem wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve as he stared deadpan at Max. "Thank goodness the calvarys here. I was just about to try plan B when suddenly I felt a great weight lifted off my shoulders. I'm sure I dont have to reiterate this but perhaps you may want to check beneath the mound of tall grass." Salem turned to face Max and rolled his eyes at this whole fiasco. "Eris mind asking him to let me go? Hes wrinkling this expensive fabric and I'd hate to see him ruin it beyond what damage may have already been done." Honestly he didn't care for the material or outfit too much, but he hoped that Eris would care enough to have him let go. It was bad enough being tied to this mess, now hes being seen man handled by a guard and that could only further hurt his place in the investigation. Salem needed to appear to be a well rounded student after all.

The countess found herself the slightest bit disappointed that Dennis did not share her love for language yet somehow, she wasn’t all that surprised. Perhaps it was that she had always had unique outlooks on otherwise mundane subjects… any which way, she understood there was a difference in being interested in something and bearing the desire to delve deep into that same thing.

Her short-lived disappointment quickly turned to intrigue and again to concern as Dennis spoke his thoughts on the matter. Amaris had to admit that her fascination with magic left her rather blind to the potential dangers, a naivety she could afford as a non-user but less so as a person of her position. She had been so caught up in the adoration of the boy for taking on such a workload for such a complicated magic, that she hadn’t stopped to think about how little she actually knew about it. And from the way that Dennis spoke, his sheepish expression to pair, it sounded his uninvited presence in the minds of others had once been a problem.

“Well, I can’t exactly fault you for using a tool at your disposal, but you’ve got me curious now. Is that something that can just… happen? I can’t imagine there would be many who could tell you were ever there in the first place.” Amaris spoke before an expression of dawned realization overtook her morbid curiosity.

“Ah, please pardon my impertinence. I’m not trying to shame or judge you on the matter, so please don’t feel obligated to answer if my questions were out of line.” The countess diverted her eyes from the table, seemingly embarrassed with herself for forgetting herself in such a manner. Still, Amaris knew she couldn’t let her guard down anymore… at least not until she could confirm whether Dennis could share her thoughts or if he even would.

Interacting with @Scribe of Thoth@Hero@Trainerblue192

“Body?” The guard blinked at the blood splattered across the wall and down at the body surrounded by the mound of grass. He dropped Salem instantly and reached for his radio. His hand was trembling as he fumbled with it. “I have a code 9104H behind ballroom 3. I repeat, I have a code 9104H behind ballroom 3.”

“You three start talking. How did you come across this? Who came across this first? Did anyone touch anything or see anyone suspicious?” The guard demanded. Sirens could be heard in the distance.

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Interacting with @WeepingLiberty

“Oh, uh, no. They’re pretty normal. People get antsy around us once they know what we can do and it’s fair! Completely, totally, absolutely fair! Uh, thankfully that’s only really a problem the first year of mental training. Suddenly, you’ve learned that the boundaries of your mind aren’t quite as firm as you thought they were and your magic just runs with it.” Dennis chuckled, waving away the concern. “You kinda just broadcast stuff early on, your own thoughts but since you aren’t actively doing it, you don’t even realize it. Then, you start listening to other people and then you broadcast other people’s thoughts and your reactions. It’s not exactly a people pleasing skill before you control it. And when you start with telekinesis? First semester kineticists have a rule: If you don’t want to lose it, tie it to your body. I thought it was a joke and the first day I flung a fork prongs first into Queeny cause I grabbed it with my magic instead of my hand and freaked but when I could turn it off. I was pretty sure I saw my life flash before my eyes.”

“I promise I can control it now! I don’t just jump into people’s heads unless we need to.” He flushed a little, eyes not quite making contact at the statement. “And vampires are a whole different kinda mind so it’s even harder to wriggle yourself in there if you aren’t practiced.”

---

The vampiress licked the last of the boy’s blood off her fingers. Maybe she’d take a break for a bit, let the little insects figure out exactly what she’d left them to play with. The thrill of the kill was starting to wear off. It was all fine and dandy for the first few kills but just the threat of stealing from Ryner wasn’t enough to make it fun anymore. She shredded the dress until only the top hung from her shoulders and the black pants she nearly always wore were all that remained. The mask went next, torn and crumpled, and she took to the rooftop of the Hall as she waited for something to make this a bit more challenging.

Ryner waited alone at the front gate for her newest arrival. Periodically, she sent the odd group of students trying to sneak off campus back into the campus festivities with a few minutes of conversation and a chuckle. When the holiday first debuted, Lord Marivaldi's festivities at the castle had been fun but far more overwhelming that Ryner cared to repeat. Since then, she's happily played the part of chaperone for those who did find respite during the festivities and tonight was no exception. She'd sent most of the guard on their way for the nights on campus, only a small rotation of them keeping their perimeter, and joined them on duty to help keep the peace.

Ryner forwent her normal dresses and instead opted for a pant suit, Noila blue with a gold dress shirt and a blue and gold patterned tie. A pair of gold earrings hung from her ears, three diamonds ending with a tear drop sapphire shimmered like light beneath the waves. A gift from a friend long gone, she rarely wore them. She couldn't remember the last time she opened the onyx jewelry box but something about tonight suggested their addition. She chuckled softly to herself. It seemed like she was forgetting as much as she was learning these days. But such was eternity.

The low droll of the engine barely registered in Ben’s ears until he sat up, a quick view outside showing that they were almost at the Academy already. After feeling the vehicle come to a stop, he pulled on his collar slightly. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous, but he was a little more concerned about any possibility of looking tired. A short nap was always refreshing and there was little else to do after getting frustrated trying to navigate the smartphone Noah had set up.

The door opened as a crisp breeze swept in, awakening the count fully. Just what he needed. His thumb quickly swiped the corners of his eyes to erase any potential evidence of dozing off as he stepped out of the vehicle. He thanked the driver sincerely as he took the chance to look around. The Noilan grounds were unfamiliar territory, but the gates alone were magnificent. They did pale in comparison to the vampire waiting for him, and it took him longer than it should have to realize that none other than Princess Ryner herself was awaiting him.

Ben straightened up immediately, offering the royal princess a deep bow of respect. “Good evening, Your Highness,” He greeted her cordially.

"Good evening, Count Benjamin. Welcome to the Noila Academy. I'm honored you accepted our invitation." Ryner responded warmly, making her way over to the vampire. "I hope you don't mind the unusual escort. Most of the guards are enjoying the festivities with their families so you'll have to make do with me tonight. I trust the trip was pleasant? Nothing too difficult I hope?"

“The honor is all mine, Highness,” Ben said, his arms bent behind his back. “Very few would mind your company at all, though I was taking in the structure of the gate when I first saw you; it is magnificent.” He gestured towards it with one arm. No escorts, no guards, just him and the princess. It was odd, but he was smarter than to linger too much on it. “I admit I’m excited to see the rest of the grounds.”

"And I am just as eager to show you. Come. Although the night's events obscure some of it, there is always something interesting just around the corner." Ryner turned, leading him onto the grounds with at a leisurely pace. "Although time has stolen some of the wonder I myself have for this school, I still remember the excitement of planning it. The Academy is a little over 330 years old now. Sometimes it feels as if it was just last night I was in my mother's quarters, demanding she allow me to fund it personally. We stayed up four nights bickering before she finally acquiesced. Mostly because she had other matters to attend to but I wouldn't let her out until she said yes." Ryner chuckled and waved to a boisterous group of vampires and mages running from one end of the campus to the other. She steered him along a path that took them towards the various halls and she pointed them out.

"I had your schedule left in your room. You'll be able to select more specific classes next quarter but there are some required classes for the first one. As a noble, I have every confidence you'll have an easy semester." Ryner stopped for a moment and turned to Ben. "I should have asked, is Count Benjamin okay? Most of my students tend to prefer their titles left off but if you prefer it, I will be more than happy to oblige. In fact, I'll admit I'm woefully unprepared for the void left behind by Countess Marinette. If it hadn't been for a timely letter from my sister, I doubt I would have been able to find someone to represent your house quite as quickly. Why don't you tell me about yourself? I'm quite interested to know what you plan to do with the opportunities you'll have here."

Ben followed the princess’ lead obediently and listened with great interest. There was little he actually knew about the academy itself, garnering that he could possibly gain a hint or two to find what his father tasked him with. Her passion was infectious as he hung onto her every word out of pure admiration. Clearly the academy was Her Highness’ pride and joy, the mix of vampire and mage alike an unusual but welcome sight. He stopped when she did, his features surprised when she asked him his choice of address. As far as he was aware, she could call him whatever she pleased. The Countess’ absence had also caught the princess by surprise? That bode ill.

“I suppose...something more casual wouldn’t be so bad. If it pleases you, of course,” Ben said before he paused. “I admit that this chance to attend comes with my sole intention of extending relations with other houses. Fostering friendships and meeting new people...here I am somewhat free of my past transgressions and can make a good impression on most, I hope.”

“Very well. Benjamin it shall be. I hope you’ll extend the same treatment to me.” Ryner grinned as she continued on, laughing as she did. “Have you planned your intentions well? While I’m not entirely sure how Count Victor will react, he seems to have a solitary purpose and socialization is not it, Varis and Amaris will no doubt take some thought. Amaris is friendly friendly enough and an eager mind at the very least but both, and I mean no offense, are higher on the social ladder than you. If you don’t mind, what are your plans to approach them? The two are not on the greatest terms and approaching one may compromise your chances with the other.”

Trying to have it all would end poorly, it would seem. The princess’ advice was probably well-intentioned as the two came from nearly polar opposite families. “In a gesture of goodwill, my aim is for a beneficial, peaceful four years here between the four houses. At the very least, we can all get along,” Ben said, nodding to himself. “Deeper than that, it would be nice if I could get away with strengthening relationships. While my education isn’t lacking, I had only planned to oversee my Luscin heir’s magical progress in person. I have to thank you for giving me the chance to see what it’s like to mingle with those above and below my station.”

“I’m glad you’re taking the opportunity to expand your horizons. I doubt you'll encounter much trouble. Most will welcome a noble's interest, even if they are a bit suspicious, but prove yourself an open mind and few will kept you at arm's length. Marrying Sinnenodel and Marivaldi in anything less than a terse comradery will be a feat in and of itself. Even at Council it is a… challenge." Ryner shook her head ruefully. "The only time I have seen Lord Marivaldi and Lady Sinnenodel collaborate was over a particularly confusing puzzle I encountered in my work outside of the Council. Both Houses prize knowledge and curiosities over even their political bickering but rare do we have the opportunity to twist our matters in that direction. Perhaps you'll have a better time or find a more efficient route and if so, I do implore you share your findings."

Ryner continued them on their way, passing into the administration building. "Here you can find the student housing office, the library, and my campus office if you need anything." She continued to the library, which was locked but she picked a key out of the pocket inside her suit jacket and unlocked it for them. She flicked on the lights and swept her hand across the room. "The library is normally open 24 hours if your mage prefers to do some studying in the daylight. If I recall, the guards have mentioned Lilie does enjoy the occasional sunlit stroll actually. Does your mage do that at home? I always admire how well new mages handle the transition but I can't say I know how often my own enjoy some daylight hours."

Lilie must be his new mage, although the thought made Ben frown. A female mage was often treated differently from a male one in his house, but he would have to meet her first to see if she needed to be looked after. It was strange to hear that she liked to be out during the day as it was a foreign concept to him.

“Eleanore of the Montclaire family-my Geoffrey’s wife-enjoys her sunrises and sunsets, a habit she has passed on to the current Luscin heir. It was a freedom she did not have with her old masters from what she has told me,” He admitted. “But as far as I am aware, none of them are active outside during the day. I’m assuming this new partner of mine must have had the same liberty from her previous vampires.”

Ryner paused a moment, a brief flicker of amusement across her face, and nodded with a contemplative hum. "Some vampires don't care enough for their charges' well being. How disgraceful." Ryner frowned disapprovingly but shook it away and led him back out into the evening air. "But, you aren't here to listen to my opinions on society. Our tour continues with the Arena! We host a variety of competitions throughout the year with different tiers of skill, if that is your sort of pleasure. I myself haven't touched a weapon since the signing of the treaty. My sister is more than capable of handling all the overt threats to the state but I do enjoy watching those with the skill to turn a barbaric necessity into an art. Are you trained in combat? I know the younger generation is a bit more lax in learning and rightfully so. We didn't fight for peace to have our children prepare for war."

“I do enjoy archery and all its forms,” Ben said, failing to hide his interest in the arena. “It is an excellent hobby that keeps me active. I know a little in swordplay, but I suppose I prefer to keep my distance. My mages at home all love it, with Eleanore going so far as being an accomplished duelist. Noah--the heir--has been trained since his youth, having begged me for lessons since he was old enough to hold a sword.” He frowned at that memory for a moment. “If I can be honest, I was reluctant. Aside from the obvious dangers of hurting himself, I feel that he should be enjoying himself, his life, his magic. I’ve been there since his birth, and he has this passion for serving me that I feel is unearned. But I want him to focus on himself first and foremost.”

He realized he may have spoken too much, bowing his head apologetically to Her Highness. “Forgive the rambling, I admit both Noah and Lilie will be the first ones that I will be training entirely on my own and I worry about striking a balance between duty and private living,” He sincerely apologized. “Just as they dedicate their lives to serving me, I want to return the favor the best I can.”

"Speak your mind as you see fit. I won't take insult or be bothered if passion takes you further. It's both my duty and pleasure to listen to my students and frankly it is a welcome reprieve from the myriad of complaints from my contemporaries and seniors. Which means whenever you need a friendly ear, you are free to, Benjamin. Especially for someone so dedicated to the true spirit of the treaty." Ryner gave him a warm smile as they continued into the Arena, circling up into the stands. Below them, a few small barriers and obstacles had been set up and people screamed in delight as water balloons flew through the air. The arena barrier shimmered periodically as balloons slammed against it. "This barrier is the oldest of its kind in existence and arguably the strongest. Every graduating class infuses a little of their magic so everyone has an opportunity to leave their mark on the campus, even if they were denied the opportunity through their years. Little in the way of remembrance but it is something lasting.” She took him downstairs through the underbelly of the Arena, pointing out the various training rooms and explaining how to reserve them if he so desired, before she took them up and out back into the night air. They exited on the back side of the Arena, looking over the ocean as it stretched into the distant darkness. Ryner paused a moment as she scanned the horizon but quickly pressed on, heading back towards the various halls.

“Given your disposition towards your own mages, I think you’ll find Lilie a pleasant addition. She’s a sweet thing. She sent me a bouquet of paper folded flowers in the Noila colors and Aaron Starag mentioned she sent one to all of the noble mage students. I keep them on my desk in my office.” Ryner chuckled as they walked. “I’m just glad Aaron found someone as nice as her to befriend. Aaron hasn’t been outside the castle in a social situation… ever if I recall. I’m grateful they managed to connect. I’ll admit I wasn’t above exploiting my position to ensure he had a support network but after speaking with Lilie on campus, I decided to still my hand. I think she’ll be a wonderful influence on him.”

The princess’ compliment was truly wasted on him, but Ben was happy nonetheless. He followed her obediently, taking note of anything that caught his eye as they continued. The view from the academy was astounding and he genuinely wished he had figured out how to take pictures on the smartphone just so he could try to capture the sky’s resplendence. He would just have to settle for a memory for now, as Princess Ryner would shift the topic onto the one he was most anxious about. Accepting a new mage whose background he was unfamiliar with was a test to him. So far Noah was a shining example of what he wanted his mages to be: talented, loyal, and with a zest for life, but he was there to help raise him from birth. Taking in a mage from another family would have a few challenges that he would need to divert his attention to. On top of that, the little lady would no doubt draw attention, both good and bad, due to the change in social status. But it was a welcome trial, if he was honest.

Benjamin did a poor job containing his surprise, however, once it was mentioned that his new mage had already gotten attention from a Noilan mage. And a Starag at that! He wasn’t aware that the heir was attending the academy, but his new mage had laid out the groundwork for them to meet. A freshly new friendship between the two was sure to have a positive outcome.

“That you’ve chosen to educate him at your side is a wonderful idea,” It was almost what he wanted to do with Noah, he mused. And if Lilie was already in her highness’ good grace, it was definitely another positive in his mind.

Ryner's shoulders slouched at the comment and she gave a rueful chuckle. "If only that were the case Benjamin. He would still be safely in my household if it were my decision." She sighed but composed herself as quickly as it fell, her smile back firmly in place. "I'm sure the socialization will be good for him. Regardless of the intentions, his absence from his family will be brief. One way or another." Ryner walked him through the halls, pausing to introduce Ben to whatever students called to her. She stopped for everyone and more than once caught an inebriated student before they introduced their face to the ground. Each time, she sent them all on their way with a fond shake of the head.

"Now, I believe all that is left are the dorms! Normally, I'd take you to the infirmary as well but I have a feeling we'd only get underfoot." Ryner laughed as they looped back around the various stalls and games and rides back to the student housing. "Do you have any questions for me?"

Ben’s shock was poorly hidden as he felt both sympathy for the princess and the tiniest hint of shamefulness. Jumping to conclusions like that never ended well, why in the world did he assume that? He almost wanted to apologize, only keeping it to himself because she moved on quickly and kept the conversation at a positive. It would be a lie if he said he wasn’t curious about the circumstances; the Starag family was the Noilan treasure of mages, to think they would give their sole heir to another family was baffling. Princess Ryner didn’t seem too happy about the decision being taken out of her hands, either. He would have to see if his mage knew something to sate his curiosity.

Watching her highness address her students was a treat. He fell into place next to her, returning any greetings as he was introduced. Wearing the mask of politeness hid his eagerness to mingle, the vampire greatly enjoying talking to new people. At the princess’ question, he gave some thought to it.

“I did want to ask about visitation,” Ben decided to start with something simple. “If it pleases Your Highness, I’d love to show the grounds to one of my mages someday.”

“Visitors are allowed on property given we receive at least a week’s notice and only when classes are not in session, submitted to the student housing office. I personally recommend at least a week and a half since we do reserve the right to deny visitor permissions and it normally takes a few days to review those requests. However, we rarely do. Most guests are permitted entrance to the grounds from 9pm to 6am and must be escorted at all times. Afterwards, they must find accommodations off grounds. If they know someone in the town, they may stay there otherwise they’ll have to leave and return if they are staying multiple days.” Ryner explained as they walked, passing the administration building and making their way through the gates that lead to the campus dorms. “Nobles are allowed to have one guest stay in their home for the duration of their stay as long as they have authority over that individual. Otherwise, they are subject to the same rules and regulations as any other student. If, for example, your father wanted to stay on the grounds, he would have to petition me directly and then he would need to stay at my home on property. Security purposes and all that.”

Unlike campus, the dorms were far quieter. The sound of the Revel bounced between the buildings, only a few lights on in the dorms for those who decided to handle the Revel in the comfort of their own homes or skip it entirely. Ryner guided Ben through the dorms and down to the Noble cul-de-sac. “Now, the Nobles have their own section, courtesy of the Sinnenodels. It’s at the very end of the dormitories with a garden and a relaxing view of the forest in my opinion.” The Noble dorms loomed ahead of them quickly enough but Ryner stopped before they reached them. “What else can I clear up for you before we end our tour?”

The rules were fair enough and Ben made sure to commit them to memory. The thought of his father visiting almost made him laugh; no doubt that he was relieved to be free of his son for the brief duration at the academy. Still, he appreciated the tour and would be loath to let the princess leave without some sort of gratitude.

“None that come to mind; I’m sure I’ll fill your post with letters once they do come to me,” He chuckled before straightening up. “I do, however, wish to give you a sincere apology on behalf of the House. It is not my place, I know, but it is common knowledge on how many of us have come and gone from here already. I can promise you that I will make the best of everything you offer here.”

“I’m glad. I do hate to see wasted potential. Now, let me show you where you’ll be staying. The accommodations aren’t as grand as your private ones I’m sure but they’ll serve their purpose for your time here.” Ryner lead them into the cul-de-sac and up the way to the Eve dorm, nestled comfortably between the Marivaldi dorm and the Sinnenodel dorm. Ryner pulled out an envelope, pulled out a key to unlock the door, and tucked it back into the envelope before passing it to Ben. “If you ever need a replacement, please feel free to use the student housing office to request a new one.” She opened the door and walked in, gesturing for the noble to enter.

“And while I’m sure I don’t need to tell you, I’ll cover it for formality’s sake.” Ryner stared directly at Ben, making sure they made eye contact and smiled sweetly as she spoke, raising her voice just a bit. “Refusing a mage a key to their dorm is highly frowned upon, regardless of the reason.” It seemed directed at Ben but her voice carried much further than the edge of the Eve property.

“Now, why don’t you come in and make sure that your belongings are in order? We can discuss a few more points on the school and what is expected of you after you are satisfied.”

Wasted potential was certainly one way to put it, but it was not his place to vocalize his opinion. Instead, he took advantage of the stroll to admire the dorms. They were quaint things, much more personal than any grand castle or manor. His symbol on the mailbox brought him a touch of comfort and he openly admired the landscaping. There was something just a little different from his new dorm than the others, although it wasn’t until they approached the door that he finally noticed. There were many more flowers planted around. It must have been the work of the previous Eve, or so he assumed.

Ryner’s sweet smile had thrown Ben off, and for a moment he had assumed he said something wrong. He gave her a short, curt nod, hearing her crystal clear. He didn’t see why a mage wouldn’t have their own key. Why waste time having to let them in and out? The only possibility he could maybe argue was if the mage was exceedingly irresponsible, but he couldn’t help but feel that was not the princess’ intention. Speaking of frowned upon, however, she did bring a question to mind.

“I am well aware you bring together a myriad of students from both high and low born, but I feel I must ask,” He frowned to himself before continuing with, “The mages here should be treated with dignity, but that view isn’t shared throughout the academy, is it?”

"It is not." She hesitated before continuing. "As much as I encourage that view, I'm afraid it is difficult to enforce. One of the principle requirements before I won funding for the school was that so long as there was no threat of death or significant injury, my staff and I were to remain removed from interpersonal affairs. I would greatly prefer to encourage mutually respective relationships between my students but it is difficult to sway those raised for a century in this age. Bringing a variation of social classes is meant to expose the more traditionally minded individuals to modern mortal views but it seems exposure reinforces the narrow views of vampire mage relationships more often than not."

A noble effort on the princess’ part, or so Ben truly thought. Why would those from above dare to lower themselves? It was a shame, really, but change had to be slow and steady. At the very least, he would make sure to set the proper example. Being one less person for Her Highness to worry about would hopefully do some right, and if there was a Marivaldi present, he was certain they could lead by example.

“The vampire’s greatest weakness: their insufferable inability to budge from already-formed habits,” He would jest, hoping to lift the mood. That said, however, there was a small curiosity poking him in the back of his mind; if he was to lead by example, he hoped his new mage wasn’t too unruly. “Fortunately, I do believe kindness does spread more than vitriol, or at least that it has a more lasting effect. Even compared to a few decades ago, there are small improvements and progress.”

"It is, isn't it? Our fear of eternity, our desperate need to create order in the chaos that is inevitable existence. Actually, that makes me think of when I was a little girl. Vampires were nothing more than shadows on the wall or monsters under the bed meant to scare us into behaving. My little brother lived those stories though. He went out of his way to hear them because at the end of every story there was always the vampire hunter there to save the day." Ryner chuckled. "We all thought they were stories, silly bedtime tales. Until my own Sire found our farm. We learned very quickly that they existed and that vampire hunters, as few as they were, existed too. That was how they killed us. Simply watching until they discovered our daily, weekly, monthly routines. And then we'd find ourselves with a stake in our hearts and a torch at our feet." A fond look came across her face.

"He always wanted to be a vampire hunter. What child doesn't want to be the hero of their story, elevated above their station to riches and glory that only fables held? He never quite got the chance." Ryner blink led a few sparkles of blood away from her eyes. "But you are quite right. We must believe that our kindness and our efforts to better the plight of those whose lives we are charged with will eventually change the views of our colleagues. And I fully believe they will."

Ben nodded in agreement. Hearing of the princess’ past had his guilt prick slightly; was it right to be so casual when his father’s task was held over his head? It was naive to think whatever he was searching for wouldn’t affect Her Highness. For now, his flimsy justification was that he had no reason to be unpleasant. If it came to it, he would simply have to find another way to curry his father’s favor. He did find himself sympathizing with the brother mentioned, the idea of being some sort of hero common in children, himself included.

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, offering it to the princess. The optimism they shared was genuine, at least. “As do I,” He found himself admitting it out loud.

---

This guy was a fucking moron. Max hoped he wouldn't have to follow this clown back to the station for more questioning or anything asinine like that. How hard was it to sneak an anonymous letter to Ryner? He had a few choice words on how much of a joke her police force was.

"That'd be me," Max raised his hand to make a point, "I was going for a walk and smelled something weird so I went to take a look." Not a complete lie, but it wasn't like how he ended up back there was any of this guard's business. "She was like this when I arrived, but there was a glowing rune on one of her hand and she was holding this," He fished the bit of cloth out of his jacket pocket and presented it to the guard, "I went to find Eris and when I came back she'd dropped it and the rune was gone."

There were sirens going off already, which meant the murderer was probably tipped off that someone had found their handiwork. The situation could go any number of ways from there, but Max really didn't want to stick around and find out. If the culprit actually was suicidal, there's no reason they might not just turn to wholesale slaughter in the ballroom to have as much fun as they can before they're inevitably killed. It'd save them from a potentially more painful punishment after a trial, after all. On the other hand, if the murderer had some political connection to get away with it, having his name associated with the crime might just paint a fat target on his head.

Now he'd have to start talking to Eris about buying weaponry and self-defense and he'd probably get thrown into more stupid swordplay classes. Hopefully with a teacher that was less of a hack than the Retriever. That, or start finding creative ways to hide forks on his person; the one up his sleeve was getting annoying.

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@Hero@Trainerblue192@Achronum

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Interacting with: @Scribe of Thoth@Hero

Salem rubbed his wrist from where he was being held, watching the guards trembling hand and how it is he was finally reacting to the gravity of the situation. This man was a fool, and he was more of a mall security than any appointed official by the queen. He sighed softly trying not to be too loud with his exasperation at the bumbling child. "My stories not too far off from his." He said as he pointed towards Max. "I had just got done with a spot of dancing and had decided to step outside of the ballroom for a bit of fresh air. I spotted the glow of her Rune before it faded, taking a picture of the mark so that I may show the appropriate authority's. I overheard Max here telling his partner about what he had found and I decided to help with their investigation in any way I can. That's when I covered up the body to keep others from viewing it and potentially starting a mass panic as well as alerting the murderer that they've been found out. An idea we had all agreed upon." Salem gave the guard a look, never pulling out his phone to show the Rune. He was hoping that even though his incompetence may have alerted the killer, perhaps it would bring more suitable minds for this investigation and they would be the ones to view his findings. "I suppose I can drop the grass now if youd like."

Amaris could not catch her laughter in time as she pictured a fork flying through the air at a faceless acquaintance. She could see how inconvenient it might be to have to literally tie objects down to prevent their escape, and even more to have one's personal thoughts broadcasted without knowledge or intent. She felt bad having assumed the worse.

“I promise I can control it now! I don’t just jump into people’s heads unless we need to.” He followed up, though for some reason he had swapped his subject from personal to plural. Perhaps the mysterious behind-the-scenes friend? Amaris might have guessed Queeny to be the other identity in question but that was mostly because it was the only other name he had mentioned.

“Well, I certainly hope Queeny didn’t take it too personally. Must have been quite the year having to chase down lost belongings. It’s no wonder you didn’t have time for much else.” She responded lightheartedly before her expression fell, a tinge of regret tainting her tone.

“As normal as the questions might have been though, they were still rude. I, of all people, should understand having my intentions judged because of the actions of others. That in mind, I appreciate you taking the time to explain it to me. It was very thoughtful.” A portion of her smile returned before she sat back in her seat, eyes scanning the rest of the environment out of habit. Cassandra had still not made an appearance, perhaps still held up by whomever she had selected to dance with. She considered checking in with the mage but was worried about overstepping her bounds, after all, she was already starting to make amends for her earlier blunder. Deciding to leave the mage be for the time being, Amaris turned her attention back to Dennis.

“Well, now that you have a small break from your studies you might as well enjoy yourself. Was there something in particular you were hoping to see during The Revel? I can’t imagine the ballroom was the peak of your excitement.” The countess teased.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lilie’s humming was easily swept away with the breeze, her swaying more noticeable as she walked. Instead of toppling over, however, instead she swung her arms out, doing a dance as Aaron’s jacket and her dress billowed out around her. Despite the uneasiness of the sand, she found herself having little trouble, the sand cushioning her toes as she lifted herself on them. Spinning on her heel, she attempted to perform what looked like a pirouette, though she made it about halfway through before leaping ahead. She landed on both feet, throwing her arms in the air as if giving a performance, but dropped her arms as she looked out to the ocean.

The waves gently lapped the beach as Lilie stood a few steps away. The breeze did wonders to soothe her as she breathed in the salty air. Before she would decide to dip her feet, however, she turned back towards Aaron, hands behind her back. “So…‘Martoch’ is your secret agent name?” She joked lightly.

Aaron followed, dumbfounded, behind Lilie at a safe distance as she traversed the sand, watching in delighted wonder as she performed what he could only describe as a drunken ballet for some unseen audience on the ocean. More than once he had to smirk at how his jacket seemed to swallow her up, remarking once more just how strikingly small she was compared to him, though in the back of his mind there was also a less recognizable satisfaction at seeing Lilie wearing something of his.

Lilie paused, and for an alarming moment Aaron thought she was going to walk into the water, but instead she turned, chuckling out a question. Aaron grinned, drawing nearer and absently untangling his earring from the hair the wind had started twisting it up in. “Nah, I’m not that cool,” he joked back, shaking his head. “I figured that guy might have recognized me from the, well…” He cleared his throat, reluctant to rehash the humiliating incident. Lilie knew full well about it anyway, seeing as she’d been directly involved. “Well, you know.”

Refreshing his grin, he moved right along. “But yeah, Martoch is just my father’s last name.”

Raising her eyebrows, they knitted together soon after as she casually stepped to his side. “I thought your last name was Starag, though,” She tapped her chin, squinting at him.

Aaron raised an eyebrow of his own. “That’s correct,” he replied, close to laughing a bit at the end of it. The alcohol must really have kicked in.

Raising her free hand to her head, she poked her temple. “Yeah but, if that was the case, then your name would be Aaron Martoch,” She informed him, punctuating her sentence with a gasp. “I mean...unless your dad isn’t in the picture anymore?” She asked slowly, wincing slightly as she caught her lack of tact.

Aaron had to snicker at Lilie’s outward reasoning, giving her a warm look when he saw the realization cross her face. “Oh, I get it,” he replied kindly, realizing where the confusion lay. The two began to walk parallel to the ocean, Aaron careful to make sure Lilie stayed steady as he explained. “The Starag family is a bit different than regular mage families. Since it’s so important that the Starags serve the Noilas specifically, we don’t get our last name just because we have a Starag parent. The last name goes to whoever is in the family and belongs the the Noilas.” He offered a smile, checking to see if Lilie was following along. “So for example, my grandmother was a Starag, but since her twin sister went to their mother’s family instead of the Noilas, her last name ended up being Smart.”

“So in my case, I got my last name from my mother because I stayed with the Noilas,” he concluded, hoping that would clear things up. “You’re half right, though,” he added, cracking a cavalier smile, “I never met my father anyway.”

“You never met--” Lilie managed to (miraculously) keep up with Aaron’s explanation until he dropped that anchor of information on her. Normally she would have known better than to openly show surprise, or at least politely apologize for her assumption, but this was shocking! “What do you mean you’ve never met your father?!” She sounded genuinely distressed as her voice took on a slightly higher pitch, her hand on his arm in worry.

Brow furrowed, Aaron looked to Lilie in abject confusion, utterly unsure why she was so distressed. “I suppose it just never came up!” he replied with a shrug, though he did smirk, placing what he hoped would be a comforting hand on Lilie’s. “Honestly, until a few years ago I had a hard time remembering his name. I think he belongs to the Astorios, but honestly I never really looked into him much.”

She supposed that she was thinking about her own relationship with her father. She genuinely couldn’t imagine growing up without having him around; he had always been her rock and biggest supporter! Something about hearing Aaron having the opposite experience tugged at her heartstrings, her eyes searching his for what to say as she tried to piece together some kind of response.

“How come?” She found herself asking. “You’ve never wanted one?”

Aaron regarded Lilie for a moment as he thought of a response, still unsure why she was so broken up about something so common. He chalked it up to a difference of norms between mages and humans. Thinking back, though, he couldn’t really place a time when he could pinpoint wanting a father. He supposed that was probably because he had the royal institution itself to serve that purpose; it administered all the structure in his life, taught him right from wrong, helped him grow and disciplined him when needed. He had never felt like there was anything missing until… well, until coming to the Academy, he supposed. If he was being honest with himself, that was the only time he could think of having the rug ripped out from under him and really feeling as if he was missing something to fall back on.

Still, he pushed those thoughts away; now was not the time to dwell on his own difficulties in adjusting. Instead, he offered Lilie a comforting look. “I guess I never gave it much thought,” he told her nonchalantly, “I was perfectly happy with my mom and aunts and tutors, I didn’t really think there was much else I could want.”

Aaron seemed sincere, and she genuinely couldn’t see him lying about that. Still, even if he didn’t feel bad, she certainly did. Or maybe she felt guilty, especially considering how lucky she felt to have her own dad. Taking his hand, she pressed it against her cheek for a moment, wishing there was something she could do or say. Well, not that he needed it if he was serious, but she wasn’t entirely thinking straight, and it felt right.

Still believing that Aaron needed cheering up, she started gently pulling him closer to the water. “That’s good,” She said as she beckoned the waves to come in as softly as possible, motioning for Aaron to follow her lead as she stepped on the wet sand. “Now you can want new things.”

Aaron’s cavalier attitude flew away when Lilie lifted his hand to her face, a quiet awe and anticipation replacing it, not unlike the feeling of watching something rare and beautiful, nervous to disrupt it. Something he said must have touched her, and the alcohol was probably helping, but Aaron still savoured the moment, briefly committing the softness of Lilie’s skin to memory before she let their hands fall again.

Lilie took Aaron’s hands gently in her own and started pulling him toward the water, close enough that the waves gently lapped at their feet, warmer than he would have expected. But beyond the sudden change in tone, it was her words that captivated him. She had a point. Everything was different now, new, and on a night like tonight when he had the rare freedom to do as he pleased it was especially apparent. And now, looking at the beautiful girl in the surf, he could admit to himself that there was at least one new thing at the Academy that he wanted.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Nodding in agreement (to her own statement), Lilie sighed as she looked down at the waves. They were pretty small at the moment, but the water was nice and warm. Curling her toes in the sand, she beckoned a wave to come in with more water, watching as it crashed ashore and pooled around them. She hummed to herself again, waiting for another wave before pulling more of it towards them. Just as it looked like it was coming, she threw her arms up, and it was like the tiny wave had hit a wall, surging upwards and lightly raining down on them.

Dropping her hands to her sides, Lilie seemed displeased. "I'm still getting the hang of it," She admitted, lazily flicking her wrist as she would gather the droplets on her in the palm of her hand. She dropped it as she walked forward, the water pushed aside with each step she took. "I still can't believe I can use magic. That's just something we used to pretend we could do. I'd sit on the beach and look at the waves, pretending I was pushing and pulling them...I didn't ever think I could actually do it, though. It's so surreal."

She paused as she stared at her feet, the water avoiding her. She grinned as she looked up at Aaron. "Did you ever do that?" She asked. "When you were little, I mean."

Aaron was a lot more impressed by Lilie’s demonstration than she was. He wasn't overly familiar with water magic, and she was clearly getting the hang of using it. He suddenly felt very behind as he watched her push and pull the waves while he'd been proud of managing to get a little bit of distance from a ball of light. He knew the two couldn't really be compared, yes, but that didn't quell his awe and envy as he looked on.

“Pretend to have magic?” He confirmed, thinking for a moment. “Well… I grew up around magic, so… yes.” He laughed a bit at the memories. “But my mom and aunts could actually do it, so they kept me busy most of the time.”

He smiled. “She would put on these little shows for me, like shadow puppets, but made of fire. I was so jealous,” a fond look crossed his face. “I used to mime what she did - not that there was much to copy, she doesn't move much to cast - and pretend I was doing it, or try to put out candles with my mind. I would hear these stories about my grandfather and his magical prowess and I wanted to be just like him.”

Aaron let the memories wash over him for a moment before he returned to the present, sheepishly adjusting his tie and clearing his throat. “I think everyone wanted magic as children.”

Lilie watched Aaron as he spoke, fascinated with the idea of magic growing up. He seemed to remember his home fondly, giving her a moment of her own homesickness. Perking up, the waves resumed their push and pull as she approached him, hands behind her back as she giggled.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” She replied, straightening up as she pretended to wield a weapon. “When I was a kid, I didn’t think about magic--I wanted to be just like my mom and dad. Strong like her and kind like him,” She spun around as she spoke, kicking the surface of the ocean. “No magic in Hillsdale, that stuff was only on TV. It was this thing that existed but was so far out of my reach that I didn't even consider the chance of it ever being a part of my life.”

Smiling, Aaron watched Lilie’s theatrics, nodding along with her story. “I was just the opposite,” he replied, “For me, not being a mage was the thing that seemed impossible. It was my worst nightmare, used to keep me up during the day. I was so nervous on my Awakening night I could barely see straight.” He shook his head fondly, recalling the miles of Noila Castle halls he’d nervously paced through as he waited for the ceremony, a concerned Lucan hot on his heels trying to calm him down.

Lilie’s initial response was a slightly impolite laugh, her hand flying to her mouth. Pushing down some old, bitter feelings, instead of going on a rant on how much different their point of views were, she decided to see why Aaron thought that way. "Oh yeah? Scared you'd end up a servant instead of a mage?" She couldn't help the tease in her tone, lazily walking along and kicking water out of her way.

Aaron almost burst out laughing, but contained himself to a muffled chuckle, clearing his throat as he shook his head. “No no, you have to be a mage to be a servant. No humans allowed,” he told her, a bit of that laugh still present in his words before a breath cleared it completely. His smile remained, but he grew a touch more somber. “If I wasn’t a mage I would have had to leave, and since I trained my entire life for this, I don’t know what I would have done.”

He was quiet for a moment as the old familiar dread from three years past washed over him once more, but promptly pushed the feelings away with another breath, allowing the cool breeze from the sea to bring him back to the present. “Luckily, I don’t have to worry about that!” he added brightly, creating a quick little ball of light between his palms for emphasis before allowing it to fizzle out.

Lilie's expression fell out of concern. Would they really have just kicked him out? For some reason she couldn't imagine the princess ever letting that happen, let alone his family. It was too mean, establishing your life just to get kicked to the curb. She stopped in place, the waves crashing against her ankles as she turned to Aaron, deciding to take a few steps towards him and stopping at arm's length. As the wind blew between them, she stared hard at him.

"Aaron...I don't know what I'd do without you," She flat out told him. "You don't have to feel like you're not wanted or needed. I--"

Her words were cut off as she took a step forward, suddenly jumping as a sharp pain came from her foot. The sudden imbalance cause her to drop her shoes as she let out a cry of shock, her foot still on the ground deeper in the sand as she fell back.

Aaron looked back quizzically as Lilie approached and took a moment to just stare, wondering if he had somehow said something to upset her. Her next words, though, crashed through him like a wave, that same giddy fluttering in his chest returning from when he’d first asked her to dance. Somehow, even in her state, she saw right through him, and managed to find just the right—thing to step on in the sand?!

Aaron’s thoughts were cut off when Lilie yelped, the blond lunging on instinct to catch her when she pitched backwards and quickly lifting her up off the sand and away from the spot she’d stepped on. He placed her down gently next to him, keeping a hold of her so she wouldn’t lose her balance as she favoured her foot, and looked to the spot where she’d been. There, revealed by her footprint, was the jagged point of a broken bottle almost entirely buried in the sand, along with a dark spot surrounding it that must have been Lilie’s blood. A by-product of some earlier Revel beach activity, no doubt. Aaron was suddenly a lot less impressed with the group at the fire and their questionable disposal of bottles, though his concerns quickly returned to Lilie. “Are you okay?!”

Clinging onto Aaron for dear life, she tried not to move too much, but being intoxicated didn't really help. She swayed a little after Aaron put her down, letting out a tiny whimper as she looked at her foot. A tiny drop of blood fell on the sand as she kept her leg up. "I--I think I cut myself," She replied, clumsily trying to lift her foot to see the cut and nearly falling over, haphazardly grabbing Aaron's arm to keep herself from falling.

“Yeah, I think you stepped on some glass,” Aaron offered, holding Lilie to him by her waist so she could lean on him for support. Leaning over as best he could without toppling Lilie, he was grateful for his night vision as he did his best to examine the damage. From what he could tell, she was at least bleeding, a few more drops of blood falling onto the sand.

“Here, you’ll want to clean that,” he suggested, looking around for a second and realizing that the only real option was the ocean. He had heard somewhere before that salt water could wash wounds, though, so he supposed that was as good an option as any. He looked to Lilie for confirmation. “Ocean?”

Lilie nodded, leaning on Aaron for support as she half hobbled, half tried to hop a little deeper in. Fortunately he didn't let her fall, and despite the stinging when she lowered her foot into the water, she figured it was better than nothing. Seeing her shoes floating on the water, without thinking she went to try to snatch them. Aaron beat her to it, managing to keep her steady and prevent her from falling headfirst in.

"I should...probably head back to the dorm and wrap it up," She said, dejected. As much as she didn't want their time to end, it was hard to continue the walk.

“Yeah, probably a good idea.” Aaron was similarly crestfallen, but he didn’t let it show, offering Lilie a comforting smile as he helped her hop back onto dry land. “Oh, this might help until we get there,” he added, getting an idea. Fishing his handkerchief out of his pocket, he shook it out of its meticulously neat fold and bent to tie it around Lilie’s injured foot. “This way at least sand won’t get into it,” he explained as he finished.

Letting out some sort of odd mix of a whine and maybe an 'aww', the girl greatly appreciated it. It was awfully kind of him, even if in the back of her head she felt like she was inconveniencing him, but she wasn't going to turn his help away. The dorms were a little too far to hobble back on her own, and if she was being honest, she didn't want to leave him just yet. Or something. Despite not saying a word about her thoughts, Lilie was oddly embarrassed, tucking some of her hair behind her ear as she clung to his arm and the pair carefully traversed the sand.

They made it to the foot of the cliff path when Aaron paused to straighten up and stretch his back, a little sore already after only about a dozen yards of walking stooped over to help Lilie balance. The difference in size between them was becoming painfully clear, and their progress was slow. Climbing the cliff path and getting all the way back to the dorms this way would take forever.

Getting an idea, Aaron placed Lilie’s hand on the path railing so she could balance and turned away from her, crouching down so she could get onto his back. “Hop on, we’ll get up faster this way.”

It took a little longer than it really should have for Lilie to realize what Aaron suggested. For some reason, she found the idea greatly amusing. She hadn't really done that in a really long time, though she found no reason to decline as she cautiously leaned onto him, probably a little clumsier than usual. She wondered if she should hold onto his shoulders or carefully wrap her arms around his neck, but the decision was made to the latter as Aaron standing was apparently unexpected. Because she was overthinking. Then again, she was easily distracted by how much higher she was, erupting into a burst of giggles.

"So this is what the world looks like for tall people!" She found her joke hilarious, happily leaning on Aaron's shoulder with a happy hum as he started to walk. She really liked this. Aaron smelled like the forest, his soft hair tickling her cheek as she sighed. "Getting carried by a handsome guy...I bet anyone would get jealous." She said.

Chuckling softly, Aaron tried his best not to let the comment go to his head; of course, he wasn’t above tucking it away for later either. Lilie was even lighter than he expected her to be, and carrying her was way easier than hobbling alongside her. Plus, he certainly didn’t mind the feeling of her head on his shoulder, or the few locks of hair tumbling down over his chest. He didn’t even mind the lingering smell of alcohol on her breath, mixed as it was with the alluring scent of her lavender perfume.

“Even if cutting your foot is the price of admission?” he joked at her comment, adjusting her weight a bit as they crested the top of the cliff path and made it back to even ground.

Taking a second to think about it, Lilie ended up nodding as she held on just a touch tighter. "Hmm...I think it's worth it," She replied cheerfully, lightly nuzzling Aaron's shoulder. "Dancing, drinks, a walk on the beach...getting carried home? Yeah, it's definitely worth it." Her tipsy talk made her voice a little sweeter, but she was genuine.

A bit of heat flushed Aaron’s ears at the comment, and he was glad Lilie was behind him and couldn’t get a view of his bashful smile. He tried not to get carried away with it, reminding himself that Lilie still had some alcohol in her, but that didn’t stop the warm feeling spreading through his chest. “Well, I’m glad you had a good time,” he replied, a bit quieter. He couldn’t wipe the grin off his face if he tried, and instead focused on putting one foot in front of the other in the direction of the dorms.
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