When he arrived at the little pond his eyes were shadowed. He was dressed casual. He had been standing here a half hour before formal conventional dinnertime. She showed up fifteen minutes later. A different grey silk cloak hung over her arm.
Her hair was in ringlets and she wore a tight sparkling periwinkle dress that flared at the bottom and had a slit up to her thigh on the left side. The dress made her eyes look a purplish pink and they also matched her grey ankle boots. They had shiny silver chains hanging from them decoratively.
She looked stunning.
"Hello Nadine."
"Hello," she said after lightly placing a kiss to his jaw.
His face tingled pleasantly, and he offered his arm. She showed off her little boots. Her feet were so petite he thought as she talked,
"I came prepared this time," they both chuckled as they walked toward downtown Reavador.
"It's only a few blocks away." They fell into a peaceful quiet and his thoughts became dark as they entered the dimly lit streets.
"You should put on your cloak."
She looked at him, curious, and did what he asked of her. She pulled up the hood, and took the mask he gave her. Watching him put on his. His was black and plain. Hers was white and decorated with silver and light purple, jewels and patterned stitches. Feathers softly brushed her skin from the top left corner of the mask.
They were ball room masks that covered most of their faces.
"Embarrassed to be out in public with me?" She teased as she situated the mask on her face.
"We really should not be seen together." He said shortly. She was suprised at his seriousness, but she said nothing as she took up his arm. He stuck his hand in his pocket. The new capsule he had procured found its way to his hand.
"Is somthing wrong Edward? You do not seem yourself tonight."
Before he could think of a lie the truth was on his lips, "I did some very bad things today."
She calmy processed his words, he waited for her to become alarmed. Instead she nodded,
"What kind of bad things?"
For a long while he was quiet and then in a whisper he said, "I killed somone. I badly hurt two others."
She was shocked by this he could tell by the way her eyes shot open. He waited for her to look at him in disgust. He was afraid he would see fear in those beautiful violet grey eyes. She stopped and grabbed his hand in hers. "Why?" she whispered softly.
He closed his eyes, there was somthing worst than disgust in her eyes, a gentle calm that he couldn't bear.
"They raped somone I care for, and brutalized her. I tortured them. Spilled one of their guts out in the streets and left him to die a horrible death, alone."
His voice was rough and gravelly and she pulled his chin up gently. He opened his eyes to see her there. A small twinge of pain in her eyes. She smoothed a hand across his cheek.
"They sound like horrible men. Is your friend okay?"
He looked at her deeply, a big part of him expected she would leave, but here she was, still standing in front of him.
"She is. She was cut up pretty bad. She's resting now."
"Good, are you okay?"
"Nadine, I killed somone. Why are you worried about me?"
"I know the kind of man you are." she said simply ignoring his cold state and pulling him along again. They resumed their quiet walk. He asked her in a deadpan manner, "Where does your father think your off to tonight?"
She glanced at him and kept walking after a while she answered him casually intertwining their hands as she went, "He thinks I'm off having dinner with a suitable match. A marriage prospect. Boren Deramus."
His hand tightened ever so slightly and she smirked, "He's the most insensitive person I've ever met. His eyes are cold and stern, and I dont think he ever learned how to smile when he was young. He's ten years older than me and has a wandering eye for other women when were together."
He cracked a real grin at her description of him.
"So you've met many times?"
She nodded without further explanation.
They were both silent for some time. Two hooded figures in the night strolling in the dark alley ways of downtown Reavador.
The strolled through the door to find a casual lounge. Smoke filled the right side of the place and sultry women whirled through the place with trays. Some danced to the right side for men twice their age. She smiled as she noticed everyone wearing masks and he steered her to the left. They took a remote seat in the back corner and a blond slid up to them.
"What can I get you?"
He looked at her, "Wine?" she nodded at him with a smile remembering the last date they had.
"A bottle of whatever sparkling wine you recommend please. The lady wants a dark or clear?"
They both looked to her. "Dark please."
"Anything else?"
"Not right now." She said and he smirked at her assertiveness.
"Sure thing,"
"They have some interesting delicacies here," he said after the blond had left.
She leaned forward and whispered to him, "Do you come here often?"
He flashed her a smile."Yes, although if it makes you feel better it's usually business, and even when it's not I dont visit the stage that's tucked on the far back right."
Her eyes widened, "Theres a stage?" she hissed.
He chuckled, "I'm sorry Nadine, discreet and classy dont always walk hand in hand," he leaned forward, "If your uncomfortable we can leave."
"No, no, no." She said but she looked around uneasily.
"Hey," he took her hands in his, "Relax, your here with me, there's nothing to worry about."
Her face softened as she smiled and visibly relaxed. For a split second she could hear peaceful street music floating in from the outside before the noise and music of the right side of the restraunt took over.
Edward looked as comfortable as always. Even after today she doubted she would ever really figure him out. Not without asking some questions she smirked deviously. His eyebrows rose at her curiously, but he remained quiet.
She sat back politely as the blond came back with glasses and a chilled boddled of sparkling dark Ceaverian wine.
He paid her for the wine and poured two glasses of it.
"We had a nice vintage blue in the back. Not many people order wine here so I took the liberty of grabbing it for you."
She sauntered a few tables down and started doing body shots a few minutes later with another uniformed girl. The men at the table they stood in front of were practically drooling. They paid them and Nadine lost sight of the woman as she rounded the corner to the right side of the joint.
She pointed stunned, "Did they just...Did they just pay those women to drink in front of them...scantily?"
She finished her sentence so quietly he erupted into laughter.
"Men here pay for a lot, but a lot less than at some other places I know."
She blushed and took a sip of her wine.
"So, Edward, Do you ever pay beautiful woman for odd tricks?" Her gaze was level ,and he choked on his wine.
"I uh.. am not like that. No."
She smirked suspiciously, "Not even once?"
He coughed and muttered somthing, "What was that?"
"I have," he raised his arms, "but it was not for me. I paid for a women before, for a friend at the time. Once." He emphasized. Internally; he screamed at his inability to lie to the woman in front of him.
She giggled, "What a good friend you are," If only she knew it was nothing like that. He winced at the memory. She leaned forward her glass in her hand, "So, does that mean you've been lacking... romance?"
He frowned at her, "Are you sure you want to know."
She paused, thinking about it. She did want to know. If he was seeing somone now... She didnt complete the thought.
"Yeah, I think I would like to know."
He sighed, "Well I've never paid for a women's services...but a lot of the woman I have...are paid... those services. I've had a few one night meetings, but it's just that. Even the rich women. I've never stuck around for regular conversations with a women, beside gan... friends."
He paused trying to push through the hard part, "This," he gestured between them, "Is somthing odd for me, and entirely new to be honest."
He stared at the button that he flipped over and over in his hands. A small hand daintily fell atop his, stopping his movements. He looked up at her and she removed her hand,
"That doesn't bother me, I understand that your a man that lives a life... quite different from mine."
He smiled, "What about you?"
She blinked, "I've kissed a few men, which if my father ever found out I... well let's just say I haven't done much else." She blushed and took a long sip of her drink. She looked away from him for the first time shy.
"Are you... seeing anyone now."
He looked at her in the eye when she rose her head up. "No."
She smiled content with his answer.
He took a drink, "and you?"
"Well as you know my father is expecting me to meet with Boren, but I dont want to."
It was the best answer she had. It left the table feeling gloomy.
"Want somthing to eat?"
They ended up ordering some delicious sides that were common Reavadorian favorites, but some things she had never had. A lot of the food she ate on a regular basis was imported delicacies and exspensive local dishes.
By the time they were leaving they were laughing again, and they stepped into the street to walk to a carriage station.
A picture of what had happened to Ghost flashed through his brain. His gang needed him, and he had enough time fooling around. He pulled out the capsule as they walked. Suddenly he grabbed her arms and pushed her up against the building they were next to. She grabbed the collar of his cloak, thrown off guard, he brought his hand up and froze as she leaned into him and kissed him hotly. He pushed her into the wall and kissed her back. He was trying to abduct her and she was trying to kill every bit of will power he had. She started full on laughing and they had to break away.
"Edward, I have to get home. Let's go." She lightly pushed on his chest, and then she did somthing that made him lose his mind. She bit her lip and trailed a finger down his chest. She was slightly drunk. He swallowed as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
What a lightweight. He smirked.
"If you dont get off of me I'll never make it home at a reasonable hour."
He pushed off the wall abruptly and she pouted.
He reached up and untangled her from his body before shoving the capsule back in his pocket and giving her an arm.
"Well come on then."
He could do it tomorrow he thought. Let her have one more night of thinking he was a good guy. At least she could walk mostly straight, mostly.
They took a carriage to the estate next to hers and got out to walk. He paid the carriage extra to wait for his return, and hopped back into the street to find she had wandered off up the little hill and sat in the grass.
He came up behind her to find her gaze much clearer. She was looking at the stars.
He took a seat beside her, "Its beautiful." She leaned on his shoulder. "My mother use to take me out on her balcony at night and tell me stories under the stars. I always fell asleep before she could finish."
He tucked a piece of her hair behind her head and kissed her jawline. She sighed with delight as he stood and pulled her up beside him.
"Come on. Let's get going."
When they finally stood out side the Raven glass estate she was sober but her mood was solemn, "Can I see you tomorrow morning. Briefly."
She went on to explain, " I just want to see you before I have to meet with 'Boren'" she spoke his name like it was a nasty word that left a sour taste behind, and he laughed.
"Ofcourse, I'll see you off to your real life. Anytime," he bowed to her jokingly but she frowned at him.
"You really will come right?" she blushed, "I rather you be the first man I see in the morning." A cold hard stone fell into his gut and pulled her into a slow embrace to hide the feelings on his face. His hold on her waist was firm.
"I will be here Nadine" He released her quickly and took a step back. "Right in this very spot on the edge of your estate, as the sun rises."
He looked up, "Under this magnificent tree wearing a smile and nothing else, " He winked walking backward and she erupted into a fit of giggles as she hurried away from him.
"Goodnight Edward."
"Goodnight Nadine "
He turned and jogged back toward his carriage.