The pair moved to the dance floor after talking for some time. Rickard certainly likes to talk and Asteria almost pulled out one razor-sharp pin from her hair and put it on his neck because one more sentence about his excellence at this and that would drive her insane. At least while dancing, all she has to do was charm him.
And that's what she did. Her skirt danced and twirled around her beautifully as they danced like a snowstorm from above, beautiful but deadly. The crystals glittered under the lights, giving her an ethereal glow that stood out with Rickard's indigo tunic. The guests watched them, tranced by the pair. Even though her muscles ached, she didn't let her smile falter one bit while dancing and she has to give it to him, he's an excellent dancer, he never made a mistake or a misstep all while dancing with grace.
Another song started and Rickard doesn't seem too keen on letting her go which was good because she has no plans of letting him go yet. This one required the female's hands around their partner's necks and the male's hand on their waist, the perfect song. Asteria started her work, her fingers moving quietly to unclasp the vial from her bracelet to let the poison out. The poison flowed out of the vial on to his neck, easily mistaken for sweat and a drop of it touched her skin. Asteria reminded herself to drink the antidote she brought later.
"Why do you hide your eyes, my lady? I bet they're beautiful," Rickard mused, brown eyes searching for hers. Asteria just gave him a mysterious smile.
"Later, my lord," she purred and in her peripheral vision, she saw Erwan dancing with the girl who have been eyeing him since they arrived. A slight nod was all he needed for confirmation.
Three songs later, Asteria excused herself to the powder room and waited until the room is empty before locking the door. She removed the skirt gently and revealed a midnight blue underside with gold flowers embroidered on the hem and then removed the bodice with difficulty, a simple midnight blue underside revealed. Asteria put the dress on again, another masterpiece and discarded her white mask and looked for the black mask that Erwan hid beneath the counter.
Mareena is a genius that the three of them ran to whenever they needed special clothes like this and they are eternally thankful for the talented child. Mareena was just eleven when she came to Erwan's services and after three years, she improved a hell lot. Asteria slid out of the powder room, approached Erwan who's leaning against a wall to leave but instead of going to the doors, Erwan asked her a question she wouldn't say no to.
"Shall we dance?" a smile was her only answer and they went to the dance floor, savoring the warmth of his hand.
The two of them danced, none of the guests recognizing Asteria as the woman who glimmered under the lights, not even Rickard whose face looked pale . They danced with lethal precision and grace that beckoned every eye to watch them. No one could decide if it was the music or them that was beautiful but none of the attention mattered to Asteria. Just the feeling of his hands holding her and seeing that smile that is thrown just for her was enough. She didn't care for the music, the lights, the fancy dresses and the people around them because in her eyes, there was only him and her. Their borrowed time only lasted for long and when the clock chimed, they knew it is time to leave.
"Thank you for accompanying me tonight," Asteria said as they walked in to Erwan's house. As much as she wants to go straight to her house, the lavish gown would raise many questions from her mother so changing here would be better and maybe crashing for the night too, if she still has the energy to come out of the room and ask permission from Erwan.
"I'm actually the one who should be saying that." A small smile appeared in Erwan's face that reached his eyes. "You can sleep here if you want," he suggested, eyes on the clock that struck one.
"Thank the Gods," Asteria rejoiced, darting to the stairs, not bothering to let Erwan go first. Manners be damned but she could really use a good night's sleep right now. "I would end up sleeping here anyway. And I am so tired." A low laugh came out of Erwan as he followed her.
"Nothing new, Asteria." He witnessed how many days Asteria could go on without sleeping while her sense are still as sharp as the blades she wield. But at times when she could be a normal girl again, no one can stand between her and her sleep that will walk away alive.
Asteria just sauntered into the dining room next morning while still rubbing sleep off her eyes when she heard a choke. Erwan was gulping down a glass of water while his butler, Devos, an old man with graying hair and excellent taste in fashion, held his laugh.
"What?" Asteria inquired, looking at them innocently.
"N-Nothing," Erwan stammered out. "Your breakfast will be served shortly." Asteria just brushed the oddness and sat beside Erwan, ignored everyone as she devoured her breakfast.
The moment she entered the bathing chamber was the moment she realized why Erwan acted like that throughout breakfast. She wore nothing but an oversized shirt that fell in the middle of her thighs and her undergarments. Heat crept on her cheeks as she slid in her tub, honeysuckle and lilac filling her nose. Everytime she'd crash here in Erwan's chateau, which is at least once a week, the servants spoil her, whether it is Erwan's order or not. One way was to make sure the stock of fragrances is always full in her bathing chamber.
Asteria emerged from the bath after an hour, fresh and smelling like flowers and wore a black and violet tunic, trousers, and boots, a stash that she kept in here. She was weaving her hair into a single plait—
"Surprise, suprise!!!" A groan came out of Asteria's lips upon hearing his voice. A peaceful time is certainly gone.
"Hi, Jacques," she faced the door to her bedroom where a certain brunet male is leaning on her doorway with a roguish grin.
"Good morning to you too, my dear Asteria," he crooned and sat beside her on the bed. "Let me do that for you," Jacques said and started to braid her hair in a much more intricate way. The two of them always fussed with Asteria, much to her chagrin but after losing someone so close to a brother, the attention is much appreciated.
"Why are you here anyway?"
"Hmm?" Jacques hummed. "I have no one else to bother."
"Figures," Asteria grumbled and Jacques chuckled behind her and placed her hair on her shoulder that snaked on her torso.
"Why don't we go for a run? I missed my children." With that, the two of them laughed. Jacques may be the oldest between them at twenty-two years old, Erwan following at twenty and Asteria is the youngest being barely eighteen.
The three of them went for a run in the woods, using their abilities and training throughout the run, dodging branches both overhead and under her, sidestepping for water that Jacques flung at her or leaves that Erwan threw at her face. In turn, she would throw rocks or branches or air or water or fire. The run made her feel alive that she had ever felt, even though her legs burned beneath her, she still went as fast as she can, savored it and craved for it. The freedom she felt was exhilarating and all the exhaustion that she would later feel is worth it. More than worth it. As always, Erwan arrived at the cliff first, Asteria and Jacques following closely behind. Asteria complaining about the twig that Jacques may or may have thrown in her way.
This is their place.This is the place where they train, not only their body but their abilities as well, a place where they are comfortable with themselves. The sun is at it's highest, even with glistening sweat on their foreheads and the sunlight glaring at them, the three of them still fought by the cliff, their abilities shaking the ground beneath them but despite of all of that, they fought with wicked grins on their faces, loving the thrill that fighting gives them.
The three of them danced in a lethal dance, a blade in one hand and their chosen element or ability in the other. In this small game of theirs, no alliances exist, it is two to one. Asteria against Erwan and Jacques, Jacques against Erwan and Asteria and Erwan against Asteria and Jacques. Things always got messy, a deep cut or two at the least and a splinter on a limb as one of the worst outcomes.
Blades glinted wickedly under the sun, drops of blood flowing out of them, soaking their white shirts, preferring their tunics tucked away. Jacques snarled when he stumbled after Erwan kicked him on the gut. Jacques then crouched, his leg swiping Asteria from the under and fire shot out of her palm, hitting Jacques and Erwan. She could heal that later. Just as she stood up, a knife grazed Asteria's ear, cutting off some hair to her dismay so she threw a tendril of water in that direction, soaking Erwan's shoulder. Jacques threw a little bit much of water that sent Asteria at the edge of the cliff and the two reached for her arm and pulled her back before it's too late.
Living as an assassin gives one more enemies than friends, the reason why the two males roasting rabbits while threatening each other to poke each other's eyes with a stick is so important to her despite of all their fussing and flaws. She looked at the horizon and at the dark clouds brewing far, far, away.
"Let's go back. It'll be dark soon."