[IC] ♞ T h e M a s q u e r a d e ♞

[Belle]

After giving the ring to Claudia Echo looked out over the crowd. Across the hall something shiny caught her eye and she made a beeline for it. A large glass container stood against one wall. Inside were myriads of brightly colored fish. Echo gave a small squeal of excitement, looking inside like a child looking into a candy store. The fish swam towards her curiously. Moving her finger across the glass, Echo laughed, the sound bell-like, as several of the fish followed the movement.

Her eyes lit up and her smile was serene. It reminded her so much of home.

[Shmektheshmuck]

@Banana@bloonewb
"Welcome, good sir, to the conversation. We were just talking about dares." Trei said as the man walked up to them, "how about we try making up our own won't you say... oh I forgot to ask your names, I am Trei Fulthoth, representative of Theolagius, and who are you two?"

[Gardevoiran]

@bloonewb@shmektheshmuck
"The name is Westley Stride. I'm here on behalf of one of the higher aristocrats in this city. I'll also decorate your house for you." Stride happened to note that the woman of the group was clearly trying to hide something, probably on that sheet of paper that was recently torn by Trei. Shame, really, as the red suited mafioso would've really liked to see what was written on there. Alas, he put that off to the side as he had an idea appear in his mind, one that would hopefully get him started on his task assigned by his employer."Ah, but I'm getting a little ahead of myself. How extreme can we go with these dares?"

[cloudystar]

"Go ahead sir and I may be a guest but a guest doesn't always have to entertain himself. This guest prefers to serve and if the host allows it, I'll gladly do so."

Quinton looks around for a brief moment and notices the young lady friend of Claudia was now on her lonesome...seeming to be lost of sorts.

"Sir Khalid, if there's anyone you should check on is that young madam over there. She is a friend of a friend of mine and seems a little short of company, why don't you acquaint yourself with her? She's is quite the darling."

@SilverFallen@Belle

[bloonewb]

Ara really needed to get what little she could remember down on another sheet of paper before she forgets it all. Perhaps she should take this moment to review them.
4. "Accidentally" knock over a waiter and have him bowl over at least 2 others
5. Put on a different outfit and attempt to reenter the ball
9. Meet with a member of royalty
That sounds about right. As the two men were occupied with each other, Ara took the opportunity to attempt to quietly slip away from them.

[SilverFallen]

@cloudystar @Belle

Khalid could tell when somebody wanted to be left alone and it seemed Quinton did. He glanced over at the young woman Quinton pointed out then nodded his head.

"Of course. Thank you," he added as he got to his feet. "I hope you have a good night, if I don't run into you again." With one last smile at Quinton, he left his side and walked over to Echo.

He stopped briefly, not wanting to startle her. "They're quite extraordinary, aren't they?" he asked, looking at the fish. They were beautiful, but being in a container like that reminded him far too much of his own painful century stuck in a lamp. Why humans had such a fascination with caging creatures, he didn't understand.

[Belle]

@SilverFallen

Echo looked at the deep voice that had spoken to her and smiled brightly at the handsome human man. She nodded at his statements about the fish. "They are so bright! They must be fed well. Although that one is not happy because he is getting bullied," she said, pointing to one small blue fish surrounded by orange ones. Once her finger touched the glass the orange fish scattered and the blue one fish followed her finger along the glass. Echo giggled. "That's better."

Once the blue fish was swimming lively across the tank she looked at the human male. "My name is Echo," she said, dropping into a curtsy as she had seen other human females do. "You are very handsome. What's your name?"
There was no flirtatiousness in the statement. It didn't even cross her mind that her statement might be inappropriate for a woman to say to a strange man. She was merely stating fact as she saw it.

[SilverFallen]

@Belle

Khalid watched in amazement as the woman, Echo, pressed her finger to the glass and freed the blue fish from its torment, then followed her finger around like a toy.

"You have a way with fish," he said, a laugh accentuating his accent.

He smiled at her somewhat brash, but still sweet, compliment, and dropped into a bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Echo. My name is Khalid. And might I say, you are quite beautiful." She was quite the curious little human, but then again, he found them all rather curious.