The Royal Gala (Present Day)
Sevran and Orpheus disguised as Lord Winthrope still stand next to each other with glasses of wine in both their hands. Standing away from the crowd of dancing and chattering nobility, Sevran speaks up regarding the tale he had just heard. "I see, so you aim to create conflict within this peaceful kingdom, set the nobles against the crown and divide the kingdom." Stating a summary of what he just learned, Sevran turns his gaze to the crowd as he passes his voice to his right.
Orpheus smiles at his straight to the point and without any hesitation statement, he then cracks his neck to the right before replying. "Exactly, do you have a problem with that." He replies as he brings the glass of wine to his lips and takes a short sip, gulping in the contents as the bitter flavour encircles his mouth causing his expression to stiffen.
Turning his gaze to the right towards Orpheus, Sevran grunts softly with a mild smirk before commenting on his reply. "Of course not, in fact, conflict in any form is good for business, especially within an aristocracy, I have never met a more prideful breed of people, that hire assassins when said pride is wounded, however minor that wound maybe." He states as his stern and sharp gaze passes from right to left, in full view of the crowd before him.
Orpheus chuckles softly at Sevran's statement as he passes his gaze to the crowd as well. With his eyes affixed to the overwhelming pressure of grandiose and wealth, he swirls the wine in his glass in a clockwise motion. "I'm glad we understand each other." He states with a cold and predatory gaze before scanning the room like a hawk selecting his prey from above.
Sevran turns to his friend immediately after hearing his statement and spots him gazing intently at the crowd, waiting a moment he begins to speak once more causing Orpheus to turn in acknowledgement. "I'm glad too... and it seems this is what you meant when you referred to that noble as a candidate, you wanted to assume his identity, but whatever happened to Lord Winthrope... is he dead?" He speaks with a one-sided smirk as if he already knew the answer, Orpheus then smiles in response.
He then peers back at his friend with a relaxed expression upon the façade that is his appearance, pausing a moment he comments in a strict tone. "Sevran... I was getting to that." His striking statement causes Sevran's eyes to widen in shock but immediately soften as begins to listen to Orpheus's explanation.
The Royal Palace (Four Days Prior)
A fogging vision of a dull world appears before Orpheus's eyes, the faint appearances of misshapen objects exist surrounding him, moving his left palm to his face he begins rubbing his eyes. A clear vision of the world begins to return before he witnessing a wooden canopy above him, he rises from his slumber and looks around at the palace room surrounding him. Stretching his neck from side to side he turns slightly to the left as he attempts to vacate the sheets of the luxurious bed. Feeling a slight tug on his right arm, he turns his gaze to his right side, before his eyes is a sleeping woman curled up within the sheets, her dark hair twisted and messy upon her pillow. Looking down he sees her arms clutching his like a vice grip holding him in place, he sighs at this adorable sight before carefully removing his arm from her grip. With the successful freeing from his bonds she turns over in her sleep and continues lightly snoring.
Placing his two feet upon the floor on the left side of the bed, he sighs once more before thinking to himself upon last night's memories. "Huh... I said I would take the couch and she can sleep in the bed, but it only took five minutes before she dragged me to the bed." With a smirking expression, he continues his thought as he looks back at the sleeping Susanna. "What an odd sight, to perceive a vulnerability in another and have no desire to exploit it... is that compassion... or perhaps mercy." Still eyeing the sleeping Susanna, his smirk morphs into a tender smile, he then turns back and moves to an upright position. Now upright he moves to the small side wardrobe just to the left of the bed, it is a two-metre-tall expertly carved wooden wardrobe. Four small draws appear at the bottom with two large handles above, grasping the handles he opens the wardrobe.
Situated within are several hanging clothes, a dark surcoat, a few silk dresses and several multicoloured tunics and doublets. His right-hand reaches forward towards the unfamiliar noble attire and grasps a dark coloured doublet. Grabbing this manner of clothing his mind flickers to a memory of the butler Walter providing these fine clothes as a gift of his majesty. Grasping several other pieces of clothing he begins to dress, several minutes later Orpheus moves to the small mirror placed on the desk. Reflected in the mirror is himself wearing a cream coloured doublet with several weaving patterns vertically aligned, a thin black belt around his waist, black pants and brown boots. Peering at his appearance as if sizing up his fashion he hears a rustling sound to his right.
Turning his gaze to the right he sees the appearance of Susanna rising from her slumber, her messy and misshapen hair similar to his frazzled hair, is the first to be seen. Her squinting eyes with obvious sleep and fatigue portrayed within, desperately attempt to grasp reality. Orpheus smiles at the sight as Susanna stretches her arms and yawns loudly before speaking. "Why are you up so early?" Asking an innocent question as she hangs her head low.
He thinks upon her question for a moment before quickly replying. "I have several things to do today, you can go back to sleep." Narrowing her eyes at his words she quickly throws the blanket to the side and stands up. Planting her feet firmly on the ground she begins stretching her arms towards the ceiling. With her thin nightgown rising revealing her bare legs, Orpheus pays no mind to the sight and continues adjusting his belt as he gazes at the mirror.
After she finishes stretching, she turns to Orpheus, steps forward and turns to the left towards the wardrobe, speaking as she manoeuvres. "If you're going out you should do something about that hair." Passing him by she points at his uncouth and messy hair with her right index finger in a nonchalant manner.
Orpheus immediately turns to her as she reaches the wardrobe, chuckling slightly before making a retort. "I'm aware, but have you seen your hair, it's like a bird's nest." With a sarcastic smirk, he glares back at Susanna in a mocking but friendly manner.
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Susanna returns his gaze as she orientates her face towards him with the wardrobe handles within her grasp. Her eye's narrow as she projects sheer annoyance towards his comment, spurred by this gaze Orpheus again chuckles slightly. Susanna's gaze remains ever hostile before calming into a gentler appearance with a slight smile, she then turns to the wardrobe and opens the doors outward. Gazing inwards at the various lined up clothing she immediately selects a dark blue gown and pulls it forth before laying it atop the bed. Her right hand holding the gowns arm as she rustles the fabric in-between her fingers, spurring a pleasant sensation as she looks towards Orpheus.
Raising his right hand in the air near his temple he aims is out-stretched fingers to the left towards his scalp. Imperium Corpus. His fingers reverberate and constrict as he chants a spell. Suddenly the hairs upon his head, stand on end as if connecting to his fingers via several invisible wires. He begins twirling his fingers in a smooth and wavy motion as his hair contorts into a flattened state, strands of hair drop behind his ears and streaked back with a short part on the left side.
Her jaw drops a few centimetres at the odd application of magic within her sight, immediately she shakes her head and asks Orpheus a question. "How... how did you do that?" Turning his gaze back to her, he exudes a blank expression as if the action he performed was not strange to him.
Orpheus thinks for a moment and then answers. "It's merely the application of a spell that imposes an external force upon the human body, in this case manipulating strands of hair, stretching and flattening them." Halfway through his explanation he turns back to the mirror and streaks his right hand through his hair then immediately shakes his head, rustling his hair from side to side.
Susanna then drops her gaze in deep thought as Orpheus turns around and makes his way towards the door, stopping halfway. He turns his gaze to the left towards her, tilting his head to the left side in an adorable manner before asking her a question. "Do you want me too?" With his left palm stretched forward as it faces the ceiling, he offers to apply the same effect to her.
With her deep thought suddenly cut short she raises her head and replies quickly. "No need, I'll be having a bath soon anyway." With a nonchalant attitude, she turns down his offer and begins tending to the gown upon the bed. Orpheus witnessing her refusal begins walking towards the door, places his left hand upon the door handle and turns his gaze back to her.
Peering back at Susanna he watches her neatly lay the gown out upon the sheets, he then begins speaking. "When you finish meet me in the foyer, we have much to do." Without turning around Susanna nods in acknowledgement, Orpheus witnesses this before opening the door and stepping out with his gaze turned backwards. Exiting the room, he turns his gaze forward and suddenly stops in his tracks, outside the room he comes upon the visage of a young woman. Her long wavy golden hair and vibrant green eyes are the first characteristics Orpheus sees, she is wearing a black and white maid outfit, with a small bow at the front and frills at the end of her knee-high skirt.
Both her hands firmly holding her skirt as she curtsy's gracefully immediately as Orpheus exits. Taken aback at the sight Orpheus narrows his eyes in confusion as the smiling maid bows her head in respect. Still confused at these events he turns his gaze to behind the maid and see's two other maids in similar outfits. To her left a short-haired brunette with tanned skin, hazel eyes and delicate features, to her right a ginger-haired woman slightly taller than the others with green eyes and fair skin.
All three women bow deeply as they speak in unison as if this action was rehearsed thousands of times before. "Good morning Sir Orpheus, his majesty has commanded us to tend to his most illustrious guest The Great Mage Hero Orpheus, how may we be of service?" With a tender and almost compassionate voice, the maid at the front speaks up just before raising her head towards the end. Finishing her curtsy, the maids ascend together, folding their hands in front of them with one palm upon the other, their backs standing up straight like a soldier at attention to a commander.
This somewhat familiar sight grants Orpheus a small degree of nostalgia as he quickly regains his jostled focus and calmly replies. "His majesty is a most gracious host, but I am quite well and do not need assistance." Forcefully putting an amicable smile upon his façade, he immediately and cordially refuses their assistance, upon those words reaching their ears they sigh as if saddened. Orpheus witnesses the sudden change in mood and quickly ponders this moment, with his gaze upon the ground he suddenly turns to Susanna behind him. Gazing at her as she looks towards the maids, Orpheus returns to the maids and quickly gives a further response with a genuine grin. "Actually, I believe my friend here may need assistance with her morning preparations." Parting from the doorway he palms his arm towards Susanna as if inviting the maids to enter. All three quickly enter the room as an annoyed and disgruntled expression appears upon the dishevelled look of Susanna, with hostility emanating from her directed at Orpheus.
The three maids jovially enter the room and surround Susanna with gleamingly happy looks upon their faces, Susanna still glaring at Orpheus spurns his words to part from his lips at the pressure of her intense gaze. "What... it will make things quicker; I'll meet you in the foyer, goodbye." Orpheus immediately exits the room as Susanna's gaze turns to the maids with their faces coming into her immediate view.
Memories of last night quickly appear within her mind as she recollects the faces of the three women. "Eloise, Jasmine, Kaitlyn I thought you three were tending to other members in the palace." All three women chuckled at the words she just stated, causing Susanna to cast an extremely confused expression.
When the three women ceased their laughter, Eloise stepped forward as the other two remained at a distance of a few feet. "We requested this privilege; Walter began selecting attendants for the Hero Mage and since you had been so kind to us, we all jumped at the chance." The two other maids nodded in agreement at the heartfelt words of Eloise as if to acknowledge there most astounding agreement.
Susanna's confused expression slowly forms into one of joy and happiness at the conviction these three women shared, solace then begins to grip her heart. But at the same time anger begins to slowly bury deeply at how these three women seemingly attached to her so easily as thoughts permeate her mind. "What kind of people did these women serve before, that would make their eyes so vibrant at the prospect of tending to me, a woman who gave them false tenderness and care all for the sake of collecting information?" Her thoughts quickly capture her gaze as she slowly descends from reality, before reaching the dark abyss of contemplation, she hears soft words from behind her.
"What a beautiful gown, we must have you try it on." Jasmine caresses the gown laid out on the bed as Eloise turns her gaze to the in-awe Jasmine and claps twice in a soft manner as if signalling the ladies present.
"Jasmine, Kaitlyn let's get started." Eloise stated in a commanding tone as both immediately turn to her in a swift but graceful motion. Susanna peering at the three women as she turns her gaze left to right, still in a confused state as the women appear as if they're about to command an army to march upon a blood-stained battlefield.