Masquerade - These Masks We Wear

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

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Time Skip!

Awwww, I'm her man

The sunlight peaking through the poorly covered up window had been slowly shifting over the last few hours that Caden had been sitting at his desk unnoticed until it was angled perfectly to land right in his right eye, causing him to blink and shake his head. With a quick glance to the small clock on the wall, he got up sighing in resignation. Caden rolled his shoulders slowly, trying to work out the soreness that had been building up due to those accursed hours that he had spent reviewing the seemingly endless reports that made their way onto his desk. He hadn't been told when precisely she wanted to leave, so he had decided to be ready a half hour before he normally would have been for one of these insufferable events. He strode to the door, deciding to stay in his current uniform before making his way out towards the carriage to check if the Raveness was waiting for him already, it honestly wouldn't have surprised him, given how insistent she was over going to this thing.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

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Who else would be my man? 

“Caden?”

Riva Praetorium regarded her husband sourly from the top of the stairs. She sported a magnificent blue gown that left her back, shoulders, and an impressive amount of her chest bare. Current fashion stated that chubbier women were more desirable - having enough money to maintain that was quite attractive, after all - but Riva had never hidden her defined cheeks and collarbones. It made her stand out and connected her with death; a silent yet overt reminder of her power. If she was going to be feared, she would like to look incredible and noteworthy doing it. 

Unfortunately, her date did not appear to share that sentiment to the same degree.

“I believe there is a ball tonight,” Riva growled, one eyebrow raised. “Being fashionably late is one thing, but barely getting there in time to see the king lock up for the night is quite another. Unless… You don’t seriously plan to attend wearing that, do you?” I had always imagined my knight in shining armor to be wearing sleeves. She paused. “You… you are coming, aren’t you? You promised over dinner.”

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden didn't speak for a moment as he regarded his wife before shaking his head, as if clearing it from some sort of mud. He straightened himself, and sub consciously brushed off a bit of filth that had found its way onto his bone white armor plating. "I am coming," he asserted, "and I will attend in my uniform, as I always have."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“But dressing up is part of the fun!” She straightened out his cape, continuing the job he’d started by wiping him down for dirt. 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

He stared at her dead in the eyes, "this whole experience has been like someone ripping my teeth out one by one, why would you or dressing up make this any more bearable?"

Edited July 26, 2021 by The Ward's Guard

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Awww, poor Caden.” She giggled, but smiled at him lovingly. “This really does mean the world to me. I hope you know that.” She took his hand. “Let’s go out to the carriage now, shall we?”

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden sighed, any hope of wriggling his way out of this diminishing instantly. "If we must."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Thank you. Truly.” Riva took her husband’s arm and the two of them walked out to the carriage together. “Help me up?” She asked, offering her hand 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Will it get us moving faster?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“Maybe not, but it’s courteous.” Please, Caden. This is my dream come true. 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

He rolled his eyes, but relented and raised his own hand to help Riva up.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

This carriage wasn't nearly as crowded as the ride Riva had taken to Keep Praetorium, but she leaned into Caden anyway. 

 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden lifted his arm as if to push Riva off of him, but decided against it at the last moment. Justifying that it would do no good to get the Raveness angered at him at this point.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

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Timeskip for the carriage riiiiiide. 

A few hours later, the newly-wed couple arrived at the palace. There were plenty of people there already and as they pulled up, Riva had a wide-eyed look about her. She'd attended balls for eighty something years, yet for some reason, the experience felt totally and completely new. She'd never arrived by carriage before and certainly not with a date. She was, after all, the Raveness. Who in their right mind would go out with her? 

A small gasp escaped her when the door was opened by a coachman and she smiled, strapping her raven mask on over her immaculately done makeup. "By the Stars..."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden groaned at the opening of the door, "by the Stars . . ."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Oh, c'mon, Caden!" She practically pulled him out of the carriage. "Isn't it wonderful?" The smile on Riva's face was an expression with joy the likes of which Caden had never seen before, at least not from his wife. 

[Channelknight Fadran]

Ivian growled quietly to himself in his throne as the party fell into full swing aorund him. A band had struck up an appropriately slow and somewhat subdued tune to which the young noblemen and ladies danced. There had already been three toasts to his... what, forty-somethingeth birthday? Louis would remember, but she was too busy hanging around the liquor table and most likely harrassing the server men standing there.

Balls are stupid. Ivian thought to himself, watching a young couple blush at each other as they danced. They were so... caught up in it. And the night's festivities had only barely begun. He severely hoped that neither of them were engaged--it would be a pity if they were executed for infidelity.

In his own humble opinion, love was overrated. Either you were in love or not; no use wasting time courting dozens of people. Though, of course, that meant he believed in fate; and fate was far too religious for his liking.

Bah. Whatever. No use thinking about that now. He had other things to worry about; the ball wasn't the only negative right now.

---

"Wendy!" Katie chastised, using every ounce of her tiny nine-year-old figure to push the young woman back down. "The doctor said that you have to stay in bed!"

Grabbing her arms, Wendy swung Katie over her shoulders, making the younger girl giggle in spite of herself. "I'll be fine, Kate. I can do my job even if I have a little bump on my head."

"But Sarah says that bruised heads can knock you out at any moment." Katie protested.

"Oh, don't listen to what Sarah tells you. You know how much she likes playing tricks." Wendy swung Katie over her head then dropped her back down onto her feet. "I'll be fine, sweetie. You go play with Arabella, alright? And I'd keep off the third floor if I were you."

"'Zat what Reyna said? Stay off the third floor?"

"Yup." Wendy adjusted her apron and started tying back her hair; something she hadn't done in over a month, so she was a little rusty. "There's a group of drunks up there and she just barely escaped. Thank the stars they gave her the night off." She planted a kiss on Katie's forehead. "Now go have fun and be in bed by ten o'clock, you understand?"

"Aw, Wendy!" Katie pouted.

"Fine." She booped Katie's nose. "Ten thirty."

"Yay!" Katie zipped off to find Arabella.

As soon as the younger waitress was gone, Wendy finished tying back her hair and immediately let out a loud yelp of pain that she'd been holding in for roughly two minutes. Despite what she'd told Katie, her head was definitely not in a right place. But waiting around in the dormitories while the rest of the waitresses served up the king's own birthday celebration just didn't sit right with her.

Besides, she thought to herself, humming as she watched herself do her hair in the mirror, Nicolae'll probably be there.

 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Nicolae Kimby stood by his king's side as always. His wounds from the day previous had since scabbed over and he was right back to his normal, cheery self. Allivia hadn't shown up to sleep with him the night previous and though he had his meeting with Fischer coming up to hang over his head, he was right giddy looking for a face in the crowd. He hadn't seen her yet, but Wendy should be here eventually. Cuddling with her yesterday had made Allivia's threat seem far away and he was determined to ask the girl to dance tonight. But in the meantime...

"Uh... sir? You don't look so happy, 'specially considering it's yer birthday."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Tell me the last time I've looked happy, Nicolae. Please, think long and hard."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“That’s fair, yer Highness, but this is different. I’m worried about you.”

Edited July 26, 2021 by Zephrun's Imperium

[Channelknight Fadran]

"I'm just stressed, Kimby."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"And wha's causin' you stress on your special evenin', sir?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

1 hour ago, Zephrun's Imperium said:

"Oh, c'mon, Caden!" She practically pulled him out of the carriage. "Isn't it wonderful?" The smile on Riva's face was an expression with joy the likes of which Caden had never seen before, at least not from his wife. 

Caden allowed himself to be dragged along by Riva, doing his best to look disinterested despite wondering how the blazes his wife had so much energy for such pointless things like this ball. He batted away the serving men who attempted to help him with his cape, determined to keep it on for the night. "Definitely not."

[Channelknight Fadran]

7 minutes ago, Zephrun's Imperium said:

"And wha's causin' you stress on your special evenin', sir?"

"A lot of things. And it's not my special evening. My mother planned it for me." Ivian glanced over at Louis, who was currently making a young man in his early twenties look very uncomfortable.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

2 minutes ago, The Ward's Guard said:

Caden allowed himself to be dragged along by Riva, doing his best to look disinterested despite wondering how the blazes his wife had so much energy for such pointless things like this ball. He batted away the serving men who attempted to help him with his cape, determined to keep it on for the night. "Definitely not."

"Oh, stop being such a downer, Caden!" She laughed, running up the steps with Caden's hand in hers. Somehow, the lights of the castle seemed brighter than ever. "C'mon, they're going to announce us!"

Just now, Channelknight Fadran said:

"A lot of things. And it's not my special evening. My mother planned it for me." Ivian glanced over at Louis, who was currently making a young man in his early twenties look very uncomfortable.

"Ah, tha's sweet of her, it is. But anyway, I's sorry, Highness. Um..." He shifted uncomfortably. "This mighta be a bad time, sire, but... You said you'd a-get back to me 'bout Alienor..."