13org

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

&

^{A collab between @SilverPaw and @13org}

---

Wulfric arrived at his destination a minute or two before the announcement for the next dances. Mayet was surrounded by family members, though by the looks of things, whatever conversation they were having had run its course, and the group around her was now dispersing. Some of the regulars of these events had already paired with each other, avoiding the scramble that usually followed right before the free dance started. Others had naturally found one person whom they were currently exhibiting their interest in.
The prince supposed he fell into the latter category, if any. Without interrupting the flow of things, Wulfric stepped closer to Mayet. He offered everyone still in vicinity the proper greetings, though they were not as highly formal as his initial introduction. He was, of course, still appropriately polite – but not overly respectful to the point where it would be seen as obsequious.
Then, he turned the full weight of his attention on his target.

“Shehzadi Mayet, I believe I promised you a dance?” the question was naturally rhetorical. At exactly the moment when Wulfric offered her his gloved palm, an attendant proclaimed the beginning of the second dance.

“Ah, and just in time, it seems,” he smirked. He couldn’t have timed that any better.

Mayet was about to stand up to search for Wulfric after she finished talking with her siblings when, much to her surprise, she found her next dance partner came to her, offering her his hand as he greeted those who were still nearby and hadn't gone searching for their own partners.

”Prince Wulfric. Your timing was indeed impeccable." Mayet said with a satisfied smile as she took his hand and stood up, much to Nala's dismay, who replied with a huff, already knowing she would have to deal with a lot waiting again.

"Oh, don't be like that, Nala! I said this one would be the last dance." Mayet said in a lower tone, gently petting Nala's head as she stood up as well.

Once Mayet was ready, and her animal companion appeased, he lifted his left palm, along with his partner’s right that she’d placed in it. This was to get into the starting waltz position, and along with that, he extended his right arm in open invitation. Once Mayet approached, he wrapped it around her upper back, and began the dance.

"I am glad you didn't forget your promise. Especially such an... unique partner for your first dance... I was afraid I was going to have to go there and forcefully take what was promised me." Mayet said with a mischievous, teasing smile towards Wulfric.

“I am not so forgetful. Neither am I in the habit of reneging upon my given word,” the prince assured her. At the comment of his first dance, his lips quirked.

“It was certainly an unusual match, though not the reason for my delay. That was mostly due to,” he sighed,
“well, ensuring my sister’s wellbeing at first. Afterwards, I was catching up to some acquaintances.” Wulfric then shook his head.
“Ah, but I do not wish to sound as if I am making excuses.”

"Don't worry. There was no delay, Prince Wulfric. Your timing was perfect. I was just about to get up." Mayet said with a smile as she heard Wulfric's explanation regarding the reasons why he was delayed.

A short moment passed as they moved a few steps. “Rather, would you tell me how your own paired dance was? You seemed to be enjoying yourself. Did Lord Ravenwood impress you?” he asked curiously.

There was no hint of jealousy, for Wulfric honestly did not envy them spending a good time together. However, he felt compelled to find out more about Mayet’s tastes in people, whether her interest in them was platonic, romantic, or otherwise. He wished to know her better, and discovering her likes and dislikes would contribute to that.

The moment Wulfric asked about her dance with Roman, Mayet couldn't help but let out a mischievous expression, certainly amused by his question.

"Lord Roman is a... refreshing person. Honest and straightforward, but nothing more." Mayet said with an amused, provocative smirk.

Wulfric hummed thoughtfully. It seemed that Mayet valued such honesty. Given he considered her to be a fairly open person, he wondered if that meant she disliked schemes. But perhaps it was for her as it was for him; that she appreciated the usefulness of sincerity in others.

"His reaction to my small... provocations were definitely bold and risky though. Amusing, but still risky. I am not known to be as tolerant to those who offend me as my sister Nahir..." she said with a dangerous smile.

Wulfric nodded to show his understanding. Truthfully though, he did not yet know where the line between amusement and offense lied for Mayet, especially since she seemed to be implying that Roman had nearly crossed it. Anyhow, she was clearly warning him to keep mindful of this risk.

"With that said... It was quite interesting to know that he is a master smith and know a bit more about his work. I definitely plan to keep him in mind, should I need more jewelry or a new blade." Mayet said as she continued dancing together with Wulfric.

Their steps were slow and purposeful, in accordance with the music. Before changing directions with a turn, Wulfric had them sway to and fro, bodies tilting to one side and another, movements clear and smooth.

"His proposal was quite interesting though... He offered to make me a custom piece in exchange for a sparring session with me, with the condition of me helping him, should he win." Mayet said with an amused chuckle, almost as if she found the idea of someone asking to spar with her and thinking they had a chance to win against her something worthy of laughter.

“Oh, a spar between Lord Ravenwood and yourself?” Wulfric’s interest was sparked. He’d known Mayet was a warrior herself, and had meant to ask for a duel himself, though as he’d already invited her to hunting, he’d intended to suggest combat at some future date.

“If I have the time, and if you allow it, I should like to observe,” he requested. “We could arrange for a match between the two of us, as well,” he added.

Mayet let out a mischievous, amused smirk as she listened to Wulfric's request for observing the spar and even try sparring himself as well.

"Oh, now that would definitely be interesting. I am sure Lord Roman wouldn't mind as well." Mayet said with a smirk.

"No need to be jealous though, Prince Wulfric, as you are definitely the one I'm more curious about at the moment." Mayet said, with a mischievous smile as she held him closer to her.

“I shall endeavour to keep it that way,” he smirked. Of course, he would strive to keep her attention only as long as his own interest in her did not wane.

“You are a man shrouded in secrets, aren’t you, Prince Wulfric?” Mayet asked, looking at him with sharp, but undeniably amused eyes.

The prince intentionally smiled mysteriously. “You could say,” he answered, with the slightest teasing drawl. He subtly gathered Mayet closer as he lead them into a double turn.

“I do believe there is no one without their share of secrets,” he confided in a whisper.

“Though most mysteries tend to resolve themselves with growing familiarity,” he gazed into Mayet’s eyes meaningfully. He did wonder if there was anything in particular she wished to know of him, though. He considered it natural to reveal little to those you did not trust, and the two of them had barely met today. Depending on what level of transparency she expected… well, there might come a time when she judged whatever kernels of truth he decided to offer as disappointingly little. But that should not be anytime soon - if ever.

Mayet heard his words with sharp, curious eyes, analyzing him as he spoke. Despite the rumors and secrets that seemed to surround him, Prince Wulfric was still an deeply interesting man.

"I don't dislike secrets. Unraveling them, most of the times, proves to be quite exciting." Mayet said, accompanying Wulfric as they danced.

"Although... I do hate being used..." Mayet said with a piercing glare as she suddenly made her grasp on Wulfric firmer, spinning along with him, breaking the tempo of the dance due to her sudden, quick turn before swiftly returning back to the same rhythm from before.

Wulfric tensed briefly when he was suddenly gripped more tightly, but that was enough of a cue for him to follow Mayet’s faster turn. He noted her warning, but merely smiled in response.

"I learned a few things by watching the other nobles dance and after practicing with Lord Roman." Mayet said with a mischievous smirk and a chuckle.

“So I see.” Raising a brow in challenge, he brought them into an even more pronounced oversway, his left leg crouched in front of him, his right extended behind. The position was mirrored for his dancing partner. They were quite deeply into each other’s space, thighs and abdomens brushing against each other as they rotated their upper bodies to one side. In time with the music, they rose once again, extended arms sketching an elegant ellipsoid as they swayed to the other side. They did this a second time, then lunged back in the previous direction. The last move was similar to the first one, though quicker. Afterwards, as the song was due to end soon, Wulfric eased them into simpler steps.

Despite the complicated movements, Mayet was able to follow Wulfric's steps, although that demanded absolute concentration and even then, due to her being largely unfamiliar with Caesonian dances, there were a few occasions where she had to quickly correct her steps in order to not step on Prince Wulfric's feet. After all, not counting the dance she had with Roman earlier, it the first time she was dancing the Caesonian dances. The only experience she could count on was her own agility and footwork, developed due to the years and years of combat training.

While Mayet's movements were agile and graceful to the other nobles that were watching her and the corrections she had to make to her own movements done in a discreet and almost imperceptible manner, Prince Wulfric would certainly be able to feel the sudden shift in her muscles and center of mass, due to how close they were to each other.

Still, Mayet couldn't help but find that dance rather exciting. Not due to the music or anything, but more due to the partner she was dancing with. The elegant movements had to be performed carefully and precisely, with little room for error so they could flow perfectly with her own partner's. In some aspects, it was somewhat similar to a sparring session.

"Quite a show-off aren't you? Or perhaps did you forget that this is only my second time dancing the Caesonian Waltz?" Mayet asked, laughing as Wulfric led them back to the previous rhythm and way easier stept. It didn't take much to notice that Mayet was enjoying herself quite a bit.

“Shall we say that I felt inspired?” he answered, a teasing note in his voice. It might have been somewhat petty on his part, but he had felt provoked by her claiming the lead momentarily. Her claim of having learned the dance well so far just added to the fact that he wanted to show her something more. “Regardless of your inexperience in this type of dance, your deftness more than makes up for it.” This had been the case with Wystan as well; being otherwise physically skilled, such as in combat, did transfer to some extent to capability in dancing. “Besides, if we ever do an Alidasht dance instead, you are sure to have me at a disadvantage.”

"I never expected Caesonian dances could be this... intense. They do look really boring to watch, after all." Mayet said with a surprised tone and a chuckle.

“Many believe our dances to be boring, either to watch, learn, or dance,” Wulfric shook his head pensively. “I understand that perspective to an extent, however…When you advance beyond the deceptively simple basics, even the waltz can be wondrous.”

"Indeed it is deceptively complex, despite how simple it looks and depending on the partner, it can be surprisingly entertaining as well." Mayet said with a mischievous smirk, clearly indicating that what made the dance interesting for her wasn’t the movements or the music, but the partner she was dancing with.

Far too absorbed into their conversation and their dance, Mayet didn’t notice that they were drawing a lot of attention, earning them a lot of stares and murmurs from the other nobles, both due to the way they were dancing and who were they dancing with. Wulfric on the other hand, did notice the stares, but ignored them. Whatever rumours were forming, he could find out later.

With the dance nearing its end, Mayet looked to Wulfric with a satisfied expression as the music started to slow down.

“I look forward getting to know more about you and your secrets…” Mayet said with an amused smile.

"Spending more time with you will definitely be very... interesting." she said, with a provocative smile.

“Thankfully, we have the whole of summer ahead of us to do so,” his lowered voice nearly resembled a purr. Yes, there would be many opportunities to put to the test this seeming initial compatibility of theirs.

Avalia

Time: Evening
Location: Desert
Interactions: Jomari @baraquiel
Mentions:

Nuallán heard Jomari's words on the background, winded and exhausted. While Nuallán knew that humans had a lot of potential, maybe he was expecting too much from them when he thought Jomari would be able to get a grasp on his powers and already make use of them so quickly, even after he tried explaining it to him. Still, maybe it was for the best. Not only Nuallán had no intention of showing any mercy to her mistress' captors and didn't really know how Jomari would react to seeing that side of him but he also didn't want to be slowed down by him.

Just a few moments after Nuallán heard Jomari's voice though, he started feeling a strange vibration and movement in the sands below him, gradually getting stronger, to the point that it made running impossible due to the shifting and moving sands. The moment he looked back, he was thoroughly surprised to see that the reason for all that was that Jomari was successful in understanding his own element and making use of it.

Riding on top of a wave of sand, Jomari shouted to Nuallán to jump on it, which he did almost reflexively as it approached him. While Nuallán's expression didn't change from the dangerous one he had when he started chasing his mistress' captors, he was still surprised with how quickly Jomari was able to grasp his abilities. In silence, he turned towards Jomari as he gave a silent nod of approval as he looked forward again, making sure to not lose the footprints they were following.

The Friestan Incident, a Fantasy Sci-Fi Fusion RP

^{Interaction: Anki @Medili, Srikandi @Kumbaris, Zavim @Sanity43217, Fei Bai Ho @Shirly Swad,
Almira and Galmira @Kumbaris, Sumiye @King Cosmos, Garret @ShiningSector, Q-T @DracoLunaris}

---

Catherine raised an eyebrow with a skeptical expression as she heard Almira's words. While the offer for transport was indeed welcome, the way Almira was dealing with that whole situation didn't seem very... diplomatic. Not only she seemed to be refusing to cooperate in Catherine's research but she was even prohibiting her to touch their equipment and even seemed to be taking the dragon corpse, that they have killed for themselves.

"Suit yourself... I hope you aren't expecting me to contribute in any kind or way in your own research as well, after all, you not only said that you and your crew wouldn't cooperate and help me with my research, but you have refused to let me make use of your equipment..." Catherine said, looking to Almira with an annoyed, almost hostile expression.

"There will be no information exchange or scientific collaboration if only one side is going to benefit from it." Catherine said with a firm tone.

"Besides, I do believe that the dragon's corpse isn't yours to do as you wish, is it? After all, it wasn't you who had to fight with it. You did hear Galmira's words about the 'dragon code' as well as we did, didn't you, Almira? You didn't ask if we were okay with you using it, did you?" Catherine said, with a smirk.

"I heard a lot about the dragon's code and how honorable they are. I believe a dragon such as yourself wouldn't go back on their word, would you, Galmira?" Catherine said, this time looking at the dragoness who was near the other group.

"Definitely not a very... diplomatic approach from your side, is it?" Catherine said, looking at Almira with a piercing stare towards Almira, one that made clear that she didn't see them as allies or anything. While her words were brief, the unsaid implications that were implied by that particular phrase were very serious.

"We are all representing different kingdoms. Our words and our reports do carry a lot of weight and will definitely influence the political decisions that will be taken regarding your presence on Friestan, Almira. While I couldn't care less about what the kings, queens, emperors and nobles will decide, it's probably on your best interest to maintain friendly relations, isn't it?" Catherine continued.

"Despite you saying that you don't want any trouble, I can't safely trust someone who is simply taking what they want and refuse to exchange information." Catherine said with a smirk and a provocative expression.

"I hope you will understand my concerns... Given the current situation." Catherine finished, deliberately using almost the same phrase Almira herself used.

While Catherine herself couldn't care less about politics, diplomacy or what decisions the rulers of each country would take, she had to constantly deal with scientists, nobles and powerful people who might get in the way of her research. It wouldn't be the first time she had to throw the weight of her backer's influence around to get what she wanted. But again, it was definitely better than throwing her fists or her explosive mixtures...

"She might not be showing any hostile intentions, but she is definitely not seeing us as her equals, is she?" Catherine said, turning to Srikandi as she expressed her worries about Almira and her team in the common tongue instead of Pataliputran.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: Early Evening
Location: Caesonia Castle Ball Room
Interactions: @Tae Saiya, @Rodiak Nahir, @Potter Layla, @Infinite Cosmos Munir, @ReusableSword Roman
Mentions: Ryn @JJ Doe

---

"I can say the same, Lord Roman. I hope you will be able to further entertain me then." Mayet said with a brief nod as the dance ended and each one of them went their own way.

As she approached Nala, she couldn't help but to notice the other Alidasht servants with bewildered expressions as they looked to a certain noble. At first, Mayet thought Nala's patience with some of the ignorant nobles who tried to approach her had finally ran out and she mauled someone, but after a single glance, looking at the noble's satisfied and triumphant expression, she knew exactly what had happened.

"Did you make a new friend, Nala? Normally you would just scare any stranger away with a growl... Even if they offered you some food..." Mayet said, teasing Nala as she looked at the empty plate on the noble's hand.

"I wonder what did cause such a change of heart..." Mayet said, laughing as she teased Nala, whom replied with a huff, pushing her away with her head as she stood up and looked at her again.

"I know it's boring but we have just one more dance, okay? Thank you for looking out for me while I was dancing." Mayet said, chuckling as she leaned down and gently pressed her forehead against Nala's.

"Now, we have some time before the other dance. Let's get ourselves something to snack. Besides, I'm pretty sure Munir, Layla, Nahir and Saiya have a lot to talk about after this first dance." She said to Nala as both of them made their way to the dining table, where Mayet could already see her siblings starting to reunite again.

---

While Mayet had already dined earlier with Wulfric, she still grabbed herself and Nala a steak for them to snack at, albeit smaller than the first one they ate. The moment Munir began talking, Mayet couldn't help but let out a smile. While she was busy with her own dance and with her little meeting with Wulfric, she did take a quick glance at what her siblings were doing.

"I was honestly surprised you didn't eat him alive, Layla! Although he did seem to be an interesting person to talk with." Mayet said, with a smirk, looking at Layla.

"He certainly didn't look like a noble. Was he a scholar of some kind? The mannerisms and introverted behavior surely seemed like one. He has my congratulations if he managed to dance with our dear sister Layla without being completely dominated by her, right Munir?" Mayet said, playfully teasing Layla as she looked at her and Munir with a mischievous smirk.

"Meanwhile, sister Nahir seemed to have already found a kindred spirit among the guests! She did seem to be quite entertained when talking to him." Mayet said, just as Munir mentioned something about a secret party, which definitely made her curious, certainly paying attention to Nahir's reply.

"I am sure our beloved sister Nahir wouldn't hide such an interesting event from us, right, Munir? Besides... You know well it's impossible to hide such things from him, sister Nahir. If there is one thing our brother Munir is expert at is getting himself in trouble and on parties." Mayet said, laughing as she looked to Munir and Nahir.,

"Oh, but I believe you should know well about Lord Roman Ravenwood, right, my dear brother Munir? I've heard from him that a certain someone from Alidasht hired him as a blacksmith to make a very... interesting piece of jewelry... A gold, jewel encrusted bracelet in the form of a scorpion with an mechanism on it's tail hiding a needle on the very tip of it's stinger and a compartment for certain... 'fluids' inside... Whoever it was that ordered such bracelet had quite an... unique taste..." Mayet said, looking to Munir with a smug smirk of someone who had just discovered a secret.

"And what do you mean by trouble? I haven't done anything... yet... Besides, you know well I would never let anyone tame me. Whoever has the privilege of one day being chosen by me and becoming my partner should know that one must treat a lioness very carefully." Mayet said to Munir with a smirk.

While Mayet did hear Munir's comment about Saiya dancing with Amir and that being the best chance she had of being the Sultana, Mayet simply stayed quiet about it. While Amir was her brother, she and him were never too close and their opinions greatly diverged on a myriad of matters. The thought of having him as a Sultan or even considering what he was capable of doing to attain the seat of Sultan wasn't something Mayet was particularly fine with, nor the thought of seeing her dear siblings fighting against each other and dragging down the mighty kingdom of Alidasht down with their petty squabbles.

Her brother Munir's flirtatious comment to sister Saiya soon took her mind off such dark thoughts, making her chuckle as she leaned closer to Saiya.

"Sister Saiya, you shouldn't feel bad about rejecting brother Munir. I am sure he can take it." she said with a mischievous smile to Saiya, teasing Munir as she said so.

The Hunt, A Modern Fantasy Smorgasbord RP

^{Interactions: Amanda @Kumbaris, Micheal Crane @BigPapaBelial, Scarlet @AWACS}

---

The following hour or so passed for Faye as a mere blur, hazy images, sensations and sounds from the brief moments she opened her eyes before being drowned in the sea of unconscioussness again, thanks to the high fever caused by the extreme magical overload in her body. The scene around her changed radically every time she opened her eyes. In one moment she was inside a car, being shot by all sides before she teleported everyone, the other she was laying down below a tree, with no gunshots or sounds of fighting. Faye had no idea of how much time had passed between the times she opened her eyes, how many times she heard gunshots and fighting before it stopped and began again, never being able to keep her eyes open past a few seconds.

It was only after a good time Faye was able to wake up for good. Once again, the scene had completely changed once more and she was laying on the back of an old BMW with the rest of the team. While still dizzy, a single glance was all it took for Faye to realize that they were all in a bad state. Wounded, exhausted and tired.

"...Ugh... What is happening...?" Faye said slowly, grunting a bit due to the state her body was as she looked around.

"Agh! I... don't think I can move myself that well yet... Let alone use my magic..." Faye said as she tried to move, only to be surprised by a sharp wave of pain going through her body, both from the bruises and impact from falling to the ground and the high fever, caused by the magic overload.

"How long was I sleep for? Are we still being hunted? I'm sorry for not being able to help that much..." Faye said with a forced smile as she looked to Scarlet, who had a big bullet wound on her arm.

Avalia

Time: Evening
Location: Desert
Interactions: Jomari @baraquiel
Mentions:

Nuallán could feel his heart beating stronger and faster every single time his foot touched the hot sands. The amount of feelings on his mind were making it hard for Nuallán to keep calm. To make things even worse, the desert was not a place he was particularly familiar with, which meant that not only he wasn't able to move himself as freely as he usually did and that he would have to adapt his fighting style to that environment. Still, those worries were next to nothing for Nuallán at the moment as the only things in his head were rescuing Rosaria and slaughtering those who were responsible for that.

It was at that exact moment he heard a voice calling him from behind and telling him to wait. Nuallán didn't have to turn his head to know it was Jomari. Truth be told, he wasn't exactly thrilled to know Jomari would be accompanying him. He could only hope Jomari wouldn't slow him down.

"You should have gone with Uzul and Kuroi..." Nuallán muttered to himself before he slightly turned his head towards Jomari.

"One strong gust of wind is all it takes for these tracks to be gone! You might not care about Rosaria, but I do... I don't have time to waste." Nuallán shouted in a brief, direct manner.

"You are surrounded by your element, Jomari. Use it. Think about each grain of sand in this vast desert, how soft they can be when together, how the strong winds are able to move entire dunes of sand and how easy it is for one to lose their footing, slip and fall." Nuallán shouted.

"Don't think of 'earth' as just something solid, hard and firm. The earth has many states. Mud, sand, rocks... No matter how different they are, they are still the same element." he finished as he turned forward again, continuing running as fast as he could.

Offering some advice to help Jomari with his powers was all Nuallán could do at the moment instead of simply continuing running and leaving him behind. If he was able to understand his words and use his powers, he would be able to catch up with him.

The Friestan Incident, a Fantasy Sci-Fi Fusion RP

^{Interaction: Anki @Medili, Srikandi @Kumbaris, Zavim @Sanity43217, Fei Bai Ho @Shirly Swad,
Almira and Galmira @Kumbaris, Sumiye @King Cosmos, Garret @ShiningSector, Q-T @DracoLunaris}

---

Catherine kept taking notes, lost in her own thoughts and theories as the others continued to talk, still focused on Q-T, much for her dismay.

"A fully artificial life-form... Much like the Oberian 'Living Dolls' then... Fascinating!" Catherine said as she, for the first time, looked directly towards Q-T's face for a second, before she resumed taking notes.

"The evident disparity between our technologies hint that a completely different creation method was used when compared to Oberia's 'living dolls' but the results achieved were quite similar..." she mumbled to herself.

"Q-T... is it? Those automatons all have an 'artificial intelligence' such as yours?" Catherine asked as she looked to the armored figures, carrying weapons behind them, curious about the difference between Q-T and the other 'automatons' design.

When they revealed themselves to be humans, wearing complex suits of armor, Catherine raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"Those were simply suits of armor? Curious... It seems to be a compound material... Light but incredibly resistant..." She said, approaching Garret and closely examining the chest and the other exposed parts of his suit of armor.

"Almira's escort... Hm... I assume Almira has quite a high ranking then? Interesting. That might make the negotiations and exchange of information much easier." she said after Garret introduced himself and the rest of the team.

It was at that moment that Catherine just happened to overhear Almira's words about her age. The number alone was more than enough to spark Catherine's interest but the very moment she turned towards Almira, seeing her rabbit ears, only made her even more interested.
At first, Catherine had considered the hypothesis that the place that Almira had came from was inhabited by different species with different lifespans, but when she mentioned 'medicine' and 'life extension' Catherine immediately knew that there was something more than just a long lived race's lifespan..

Catherine's mind was working at full capacity after she heard those words. Theories and hypothesis going through her head as she continued thinking about what Almira had said. Truth be told, normally Catherine would have immediately dismissed anyone who said such absurdity to her as a liar or a madman, but considering the situation they were in, that wasn't completely impossible.

"What Anki said is correct. Both regarding the alchemical procedure and the fact that there is currently no means of extending someone's life this much..." Catherine said, turning towards Almira.

"Assuming this isn't all just due to a difference between the number of hours in a day and days in a year between our planets, of course... It would be boring, but it's still a possibility..." Catherine said, raising an eyebrow as she looked towards Almira.

"But... If we assume this isn't the case... Then things get much more exciting!" Catherine said with a fire in her eyes as she opened her notebook once again as she started to furiously make calculations and annotations, writing far too quickly for anyone but her to understand.

"It is quite evident that Almira isn't fully human... There is still the possibility that, just like Anki said, she is a member of a long lived race, native of her home planet... Which is unlikely, since she mentioned 'medicine' and 'life extension'..." Catherine said, clearly referring to Almira's rabbit ears as she continued writing, occasionally taking glances towards her, making it impossible to know if she was indirectly asking Almira questions and waiting for her replies or simply 'studying' her anatomy.

When Q-T mentioned that their biologists were about to come, Catherine turned towards her with her eyes shining with excitement.

"Do you mean you have already established a complete and fully working lab? Perfect! I am sure your scientists will be as thrilled to meet me as I am to meet them! Besides, it will be way easier to work with fresh samples." Catherine said, closing her notebook and putting it inside her bag.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: Early Evening
Location: Caesonia Castle Ball Room
Interactions: Wulfric @SilverPaw
Mentions: Lorenzo @FunnyGuy, King Edin.

---

The dinner with Wulfric went on without any issues, in part thanks to Mayet's choice of seats but it was also largely thanks to Nala as well. After all, not many were foolish enough to approach the tigress while she was eating. Many people around still found curious to see the huge tigress eating from a plate but none of them seemed to want to disturb her meal. The raw meat was delivered to the table by a rather nervous servant, not knowing if he should put the plate in front of the tigress or on the table near Mayet. It was only after a nervous exchange of stares between himself and another servant and an audible, annoyed sigh from Mayet that the servant simply put the plate on the table and quickly went away.

Despite the surprising variety of dishes, Mayet's choice was strangely fitting to someone who had a tigress as a companion, a sumptuous steak, seasoned with wine, fine herbs and accompanied with roasted potatoes with rosemary. Much to her surprise, the moment she was about to ask for a drink, another servant suddenly appeared, carrying a glass filled to the brim with wine, sent by no one other than Duke Vikena himself.

Raising an eyebrow, Mayet looked back to where Duke Vikena was, finding it strange that someone whom she had just humiliated would send her a glass of wine... Unless there was something on it.

Normally, having been raised on Alidasht, which was no different than a nest of vipers, Mayet's first thought would be that the wine was definitely poisoned. But if there was one thing Mayet had learned about Duke Vikena after what happened was that even though the man was a fool, he was a good-natured fool. Not only it was extremely unlikely for him to do something like that, but there was simply no reason at all for anyone to use him to harm Mayet for the simple reason that it was extremely unlikely that she would accept anything coming from Duke Vikena... After the huge commotion he caused. In the end, while Duke Vikena's gesture was a mystery for Mayet, she had no reason to refuse the wine and ended up simply accepting it.

Just the moment both Mayet and Nala had finished eating, servants started going around the ballroom, carrying beautiful bowls of fine porcelain, filled with small slips of paper inside. The explanation of what was happening came soon after as Wulfric, whom apparently seemed to have already seen such event happening many times, told Mayet that it was a random draw for the first dance.

"A curious custom, although not a boring one. I will play along. I am curious to see who will be my partner for this first dance." Mayet said with a curious, but amused expression as she grabbed one slip of paper from the bowl.

"People do often say to save the best for last, don't they?" she replied to Wulfric as they said their farewells.

The very moment Wulfric started walking away though, another servant approached her. Mayet was about to say that she had enough wine when the servant started speaking.

"He is not who you think he is. Be careful." the servant said in a mysterious tone, clearly referring to Wulfric before walking away as suddenly as she had approached Mayet, not giving her time even to talk or question them.

Mayet's reaction to the servant's words weren't one of surprise or apprehension but instead, of amusement. Whoever gave sent that servant to gave her that warning, they only made her even more interested on Wulfric.

"Oh? They say I should be the one to be careful? I think some of these nobles might be underestimating us, Nala..." Mayet said with an amused chuckle.

"If he really isn't whom I think he is, we just have to figure out his true self... And should he try to deceive us... Well... He will have the same end as so many others who defied me already did... Isn't that right, Nala?" Mayet said, gently patting Nala as she looked towards Wulfric in the distance with sharp eyes and a dangerous smile.

Avalia

Time: Dusk => Evening
Location: Desert
Interactions: Rosaria @Potter , Jomari @baraquiel, Mikazuki @Tae, Uzul @dragonpiece, Kuroi @hide on mana
Mentions:

Nuallán couldn't help but let out an amused, mischievous grin as he heard Jomari's reply, going as far as letting out a very discreet chuckle as he watched his reaction, getting away from him. Things only got even more amusing when Rosaria mentioned that, much to Jomari's own dismay, Jomari was a Geomancer. The desert he hated so much was, in fact, the element he should be more attuned with.

While it was true that Jomari had a very sharp tongue and didn't seem to have an ounce of respect towards others, it was undeniable that Nuallán was indeed finding his reactions entertaining. Especially after provoking him a bit. Regardless of how disrespectful Jomari was and how amusing it was to provoke him, Nuallán knew well that the trip through the desert was far from over and if he had any intentions of protecting his mistress and her guests should any danger arise, he would need every single bit of energy he could save. Besides, due to his position as Lady Rosaria's butler, Nuallán had to maintain his reputation as spotless and impeccable as his very image, something which would be hard to do if he made an habit of provoking Jomari.

---

As the sun began setting and the evening began, much to Nuallán's surprise, the temperature began to rapidly drop. While at first it was a good thing, a well deserved break from the heat, as the last bit of heat that the sand trapped from the scorching sun began to dissipate, the cool and refreshing climate began to get dangerously cold as the temperature showed no signal of stabilizing, instead only getting colder and colder.

It was only after much insistence from Rosaria and Mikazuki that Nuallán accepted to leave the first watch to them and it was only after they mentioned that they had some catching up to do that he reluctantly, accepted. He knew how close Rosaria and Mikazuki were and while it was his job to protect them, he didn't want to deny them some alone time for themselves.

Unfortunately, a small moment of carelessness was all it was needed for a disaster to happen. All it took was for Nuallán to let them have the first watch, give them a few hours of alone time for them to talk to their hearts content... Nuallán shouldn't have agreed with letting both of them taking the first watch, he should have been secretly watching them or at least he shouldn't had let his guard down and slept... But he didn't. For the first time, he had failed.

The moment he opened his eyes, still inside the tent, he knew there was something wrong. Even though he was undeniably tired as he laid down to sleep, he knew that Rosaria and Mikazuki would have to wake him up after some time for him to take the second watch. The moment they didn't, his brain refused to let him sleep even a second more and instead, made him wake up with an adrenaline rush.

Almost tearing the tent apart as he rushed outside with his sword already unsheathed, Nuallán quickly looked around him. The moment his eyes met Rosaria's bow, laid in the sand, Nuallán's heart sank. He felt his chest, his throat and his heart tightening as he frantically looked around, a deep sense of dread overcoming him as he saw the footsteps on the sand, each one of them going to a different direction. He had no way of knowing which one of them had taken Rosaria, no way of knowing what would happen to her.

Nuallán opened his mouth to try to speak, to warn the others but no sound came out. Instead, he simply let out a loud whistle, loud enough to echo through the empty desert as he looked to Jomari, Uzul and Kuroi. The calm expression and the pleasant smile that could always be found on Nuallán's face were gone, giving way to a cold expression unlike any other that Nuallán had made before and eyes that were enough to make anyone have nightmares.

Still without uttering a single word, Nuallán simply turned towards Uzul, Kuroi and Jomari as he pointed towards one of the group of footprints.

"...We split. I will go after those." Nuallán said as he pointed towards one group of footprints, his voice shaking in a low, menacing growl and his hand clearly trembling with anger and hatred as he did so. It seemed as if every second that passed, Nuallán grew more impatient and nervous.

Raising his sword, Nuallán quickly turned his wrists, making the reflection on the blade of his sword flash, waiting for two seconds and then doing it again.

"Flash once should you find Rosaria, twice if you find Mikazuki, thrice if you find both. Flash once and hold if you are going back to the camp with only one of them safe. Twice and hold if going back with both of them safe. Hold twice if going back by yourselves." he explained, telling them a simple and direct code to communicate with each other.

Without saying anything more, Nuallán turned towards the direction one group of footprints went and began walking at first, then trotting and finally running. It took a few moments for him to pick up speed, given how unfamiliar he was with the terrain but after a few seconds, when he seemed to finally get accustomed with the sand, he began running at full speed.

The Five Senses

Karina Frost

---

At first, Karina was genuinely worried Týfurkh walked inside together with the disguised soldiers. While the plan was undeniably a good one, it was still a very risky move for Týfurkh and the soldiers disguising themselves as cultists. The longer they stood inside, the bigger was the chance the sightless would realize there was something wrong.

"Come on... Come on! Where's that damn signal!?" Karina mumbled, carefully watching for the soldier that was going to signal them if their bait had worked.

Only a few seconds after, a cultist came out to stay on the lookout. The moment he did, Karina immediately recognized him as one of the disguised soldiers. A few seconds after, he stopped and adjusted his boots, the signal they had decided for them to do if their plan had worked.

Just as that happened, Chres quickly looked to Octavio, signalling that it was time for him to do his part of the plan. As Octavio began concentrating, one after another, illusions started forming outside of the church, their inflamed voices fanning the fire of rebellion among those who had also fell victims to the cultists.

Just as if a small ember was thrown in the middle of dry grass, soon after Octavio's illusions stopped speaking, more voices joined, agreeing and shouting. One after another, until there were enough people that it would be simply impossible for the cultists to ignore.

"Perfect. We need to act quickly if we want to take full advantage of the distraction." Karina said, nodding towards Chres and agreeing with him as he said for them to storm the back of the church while the angry mob Octavio had started would go for the front entrance.

Unfortunately, it appeared it wouldn't be as easy as they had thought. Despite the huge confusion going on in the front of the church, the cultists still had left four of them to be on the lookout on the back of the church.

Just a few steps behind Chres, Karina simply nodded as she unsheathed her rapier, a thin layer of ice forming around it's blade as she lunged towards one of the cultists.