A Banquet Fit For an Absent King [open]

[Deleted]

The mild smirk that had adorned his face up to this point suddenly flashed into a full grin at her sharp barbs. "Perhaps. I like to think so, at least." He paused a moment, still smiling, seemingly proud at seeing further evidence of a backbone in the woman. "You might like it..." he adds with an offhanded shrig. "..if you've an eye for a land that is beautiful without needing to be perpetually green and lush. That can be unforgiving, even cruel...and yet is beautiful anyway. Not inspite of it's harshness, but rather because of it." His voice had become softer, lower. It was find, almost like one would speak of a lover. "The winter lands are not for the faint or meek." as he spoke, his eyes had drifted from hers over her shoulder, staring without seeing, as though he saw the snow swept mountains and black shadows of the forests there. Now he returned his gaze to hers. "For your sake, I hope you are neither." The music came to an end and he released her, stepping back to bow once to her, and then to the guests who were applauding them. Then, with another nod to her, he slips into the crowd as it moves in to fill the empty space with dancers.

[Cera Le'Orin]

This land of his began to sound just like him- mysterious, cold and unrelenting. It was a place that sounded rather unappealing and she silently hoped she would never have to go there, to Arcisea. Perhaps, her fiancé would have the heart to remain within Teronna just long enough to have the wedding here where the sun would eventually warm the lands again.

Those thin brows furrowed in her confusion before he drew away. It was only then, when she felt the light coldness sting her skin from the absence of his body heat did she realize the music had stopped. Automatically, she fell into a small curtsy. Jezebel's voice broke her further from that reverie, eyes slowly searching the sudden sea of dancers for the girl's face. Hands reached out for the chalice her handmaiden brought, following alongside her companion as she led her away. "Watch yourself..." the girl whispered.
That questionable expression painted her face once again, "Watch what?" Clearly Cera was obvious, her mind racing with too many silent questions that she couldn't comprehend.
"Him, of course."