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[Aurin]

Palatium Umbrarum
3rd of Frost, 123 of Steel

(...continued from here.)

The ceremony had been fucking ineffable. So many years ago, following a hunch and flicker of compassion, he had offered a young pickpocket an helping hand. He hadn't imagined the wages of that sin would be his attendance at that lad's wedding in a divine realm. He was beginning to trust those instincts, though. Arvine Venasyr had become Phædryn Sol'Zakyrion Arvælyn Princeps. Torin Kilvin had become a Kalzasern kozoku and grandmaster runeforger. The naked elf in the Midden had become Dhruv Val'Esdraelon, marked by time magic and eager to repay his debts. Even Rivin was an investment already paying off and likely to continue to do so...

While he was a bad man, his odd good deeds, all tempered with selfishness, seemed to be the ones that defined him. Of course, he would have rutted in Arry right before he made his vows to the minstrel had he been able to sweet-talk the desert prince into it. Mists, he would have claimed jus primae noctis on Finneas the Fantabulous right in front of Arry had he been willing to pay the price.

Call it caution, but he was behaving himself more or less. The initial reception in the realm of Deus Aværys had become a reception at the Palatium Umbrarum, and people were already speaking about continuing the revels in the Noctis Æternæ. Apparently, Arry's winged half-brother had led the charge.

Only half-listening to the slurring jest of some senator's son or another, he laughed appreciatively, drained his cup, and slapped the man companionably upon the knee.

"Need to find the most scantily clad slave to refill my drink," he said. "Back in a bit."

Aurin wouldn't be back in a bit, though. He hoisted himself up and meandered off, playing more tipsy than he was. That was a habit of his since before even his tenure at the Velvet Cabaret, disarming those around him into thinking he was less capable than he was, less prone to remember secrets shared. He loved secrets.

When his eyes fell on the Vastian woman, a friend of Finn's, he stepped up to greet her. There had been a brief introduction, he remembered, but they hadn't actually spoke.

"Hilana, isn't it?" he asked, his apparent tipsiness mostly fading away. She hadn't seemed like the type to stay up late and debauch. Finn had said something about her menagerie? Her store? Perhaps the day was a local holiday, however, their crown prince being married under the eyes of their gods.

[Hilana Chenzira]

Hilana had been delighted by all of it - she'd been to a handful of weddings, though she had missed those of her sisters - but a wedding of this calibre, with everything that was required in Solunarian custom, was almost bound to be the end of the year. She had been honoured to attend the ceremony and the party, and she had enjoyed it. She did her best to just stay out of the way of any royal Re’hyaeans and otherwise enjoy herself. She’d been happy to be introduced around when it happened, and she wasn’t afraid to introduce herself, but Royals were a different level altogether. She hadn’t imagined they’d have the ceremony in such a place, but it made sense, all things considered. Finn was marked by Avaerys, Arvaelyn by Varvara. Considering what she knew of the Founders, this made sense that His Divine Radiance would host them, even if the higher-caste partner bore Varvara’s Emblem.

The subject of her attire had meant she and Athalia had gone nine rounds over it before settling on navy blue lehenga and choli with a long scarf, all embroidered with many colours of various flora. It was detailed without being ostentatious, luxurious without being overly extravagant, and while some of the other options might have been more showy, she was not comfortable drawing that kind of attention around that kind of crowd. Once one got up close, that was where the details really shone with the exquisite stitching. Her long hair was woven into one long braid, with smaller braids interspersed within, along with crystal and gemstone beads. She hadn't gone overboard with the jewelry either; a pair of elegant earrings matched a number of bracelets on her wrist, and her dragon pendant rested on her chest. Where opportunity arose, she mostly stayed near Raithen, but Hilana did not cling to her Lux. As a member of the Royal Family, there were times it wasn’t appropriate. All the same, if her Lux was ready to go to the Noctis Aeternae, Hilana would certainly go with him.

She had her own drink that she was enjoying; a pleasant buzz that had her hips moving to the music, the scarf draped almost shawl like across her bare shoulders. But when the redheaded Peregrinus approached her, she turned to face him, smiling, and for a man as observant as Aurin, there may have been just a twinkle more in those big brown eyes of hers when she faced him and took him in. “I am Hilana," she confirmed. "And you are Aurin, Finn and Arvaelyn Princeps’ friend from Kalzasi, right? Are you enjoying yourself? How are you finding Solunarium?” Unlike many citizens he had spoken to, the Vastiana’s Common was barely accented, and she didn't miss the "L" like many of her people did when it came to pronouncing "Kalzasi". Either she was familiar with the language and more practiced with speaking with foreigners - and if she had a shop, as per Finn, she possibly was.

[Aurin]

"The one and only," he agreed, "praise be to the Gods."

His self-effacement was sharpened with a touch of a smirk, which was rather ever-present, though she couldn't know that yet.

"Although, Finn the Fantabulous is the closest of the three of us to being Kalzasern. He grew up, I believe, in a village on Lake Udori. I met him in Kalzasi. I met Arvælyn Princeps in Antiris where, I believe, his mother sent him for safekeeping. I was born, if my parents weren't lying, somewhere in Cathena."

Aurin had dispensed with formality. His embroidered silk coat of Kalzasern cut was draped over one shoulder, his empty drink in the opposite hand.

"I would greet you properly, but my hands are full—oh..." A servus gently took the empty glass from his hand and waited with a tray of fresh drinks, waited patiently now that a desire had implied. "May I?" he asked, offering her his hand. He took her hand firmly, but gently, and bowed over it, kissing her knuckles.

His breath had a bit of the heat of the desert in it. Some called him the Fox in Kalzasern, though Portions for Foxes had been named for the face of the keiretsu, Ashoka Lomri, a fox rathari. Here, some called him the Jackal, perhaps because of his mask at the ill-starr'd masquerade.

"'Tis no wonder Solunarium has isolated itself so long," he continued, releasing her hand and taking a drink from the servus. He paused to thank the man, a Kalzasern habit, took a sip, and continued his thought. "They want to keep all their treasures to themselves." His eyes rolled over her, not lascivious, but certainly admiring.

Then, apropos of nothing, "So His Exalted Highness tells me you tried to murder his husband?"

[Hilana Chenzira]

“Ransera likely could not handle two of you,” she was cheerful when he said that he was the one and only. There were some people that it was far better that they were a unique being in the world. Hilana had heard that more than once growing up. She didn’t mind the comment either. It was all what one made of it - take it as an insult and be slighted, or take it as a compliment and carry on. She chose the former.

She nodded as he explained about their origins - she knew about Antiris from Arvaelyn, Finn had mentioned his village, but she hadn’t known that about Aurin. “A man of the world, then. A number of my father’s business partners are based in Cathena.” When he said he would greet her properly if his hands weren’t full had her about to reassure him that this was plenty. But just as her lips parted, he freed a hand, took hers, and kissed it. The Vastiana had not expected that, but she smiled at him, her brown eyes bright. She could feel just the hint of stubble coming in with his face so close to her fingers, and she lightly brushed the backs of her fingers against his cheek when he released her hand.

She raised her drink to him when he brought it to his lips to take a sip, taking one of her own. Whatever she had was a pale amber in hue, bubbling and effervescent. He might have recognized it as Runeshine, one of the many magical beverages of Solunarium, and it was certainly strong alcohol. But the compliment drew a chuckle from her. She was far from the most riveting that Solunarium had to offer, even amongst the Vastii. Then there were countless luminaries and Royals here with all of their magically-enhanced finery, and here was Hilana… wearing a very different style and a rather understated garment in terms of its effects. Athalia had buried some scrivening on the inside of the floor-length skirt, the blouse, and within the hem of the scarf; namely, repelling dirt and substances. She did not trust her younger sister to keep her garment clean, and whatever might get on it, well…

Suffice it to say that Athalia wasn't worried about dirt anymore.

"Have you come to plunder?" Hilana's eyes danced as he looked her over. With one hip jutting, and a smile on her face, that was a look of invitation of Aurin had ever seen one. The Vastiana seemed to like what she was looking at, too. But when he remarked on Arvaelyn saying she had attempted to murder Finn... That drew a shake of her head, though, and her smile quirked. "He would say that," she agreed. "But no. I had a task to complete, and Finn volunteered to come. It took us beyond the borders of our Kingdom into the Great Darkness... and we were attacked by Voidspawn monsters. One of them cleaved his arm, but the surgical team was able to reattach it."

[Aurin]

Hilana seemed down-to-earth, but also willing to play at verbal sparring. No wonder she vexed Arry; she probably saw through his carefully constructed persona, although he did seem to be becoming the dragonborn prince the longer he was immersed in the sands of Atraxia. And he wondered whether the princeling was jealous; while Finn was a loyal lad, he had eyes.

"River cities have things in common," he noted, though the first thing that came to mind was mosquitoes, second that he was glad he hadn't grown up dodging crocodiles. He rather meant that they had things in common, and not just Arry and Finny. And while he had considered bedding Finny just to get Arry's hackles up, there was something about him now -- he was bigger, stronger, more confident, and there was something about him, which he later sussed out as being god-touched. People seemed of two minds about that: Avaerys' will versus long-standing elven supremacy.

Well, good for Finn and fuck those who didn't like it. Then he wondered if Finn and Arry fucked their gods; he had fucked a god back in Zaichaer and it was chef's kiss.

But... Hilana had the face and body of a goddess, anyway. He smiled.

"Good, good. If Arry loses his lover -- ahem, husband -- he would go positively volcanic." He considered that for a moment, too. Hopefully the boys were off erupting in each other right then and there. He could check via the strange entanglement of his showing trick with Arry's, but while he was incorrigible and sometimes self-destructive, he didn't want to die.

"Ah, plunder... I suppose it could be seen in that light, although seduction is more fun." He offered his arm. "May I escort you to the after-after party? We can decide later if we want to wrestle."

[Hilana Chenzira]

“They do, don’t they? While Auris is now Solunarium’s largest trading partner, many important ties - for the merchant kings and queens of Tertium, at least - have gone through Cathena as a gateway to Ailizane,” she was sure that someone who was so well-traveled likely knew that, but if he didn’t, that may have been a useful tidbit for him. The Vastiana was well-used to playing tour guide for her father’s business associates and their families when they came, and she had taught Finn plenty, especially around Tertium.

She couldn’t pretend to know more about Solunarium proper than Finn’s in-laws, but she did try.

“He really would, though,” Hilana chuckled. “When we first met, he vaguely threatened fire and blood on anyone who might so much as look at Finn with less than noble intentions. I can’t say I’ve forgotten the warning,” she sipped her drink. That connection might have been there, and had Arvaelyn been a bit more open, then they might have tussled. But that wasn’t the way of things, and Hilana preferred to not be a crispy-fried corpse; so she and Finn were simply best friends. “But I’ll be more careful next time.” She might not have been directly responsible for what had happened, but it had happened on her journey and therefore, it was her fault. But they had learned a great deal since then… and Hilana would make sure it didn’t happen again.

Beauty and brains could be a lethal combination.

“Let’s,” she agreed, draining the rest of her Runeshine in a quick swallow, passing the empty glass to a serva. She took his arm, the bangles dancing on her wrist, her long shawl-like scarf around her shoulders. With her heels, she was his height. “You look like a man that has some tricks up his sleeve when it comes to wrestling,” she would fall into step beside him. “Perhaps you’ll teach me one or two, no?” Raithen could find her later if he was looking… and maybe he would join in.

[Aurin]

The thought crossed his mind that she might make a good contact in Solunarium. Now that he had safe and open passage through Tertium to the capital, he did want to consolidate some information gathering there. Arry tossed him morsels, and he was considering installing young Castor Green, who had long been looking for new scenery, but a smart local would be even better. Perhaps they would have some interesting pillow talk.

"I have always drawn bad hands, so I have learned to play dirty," he assured her. "And that includes wrestling as well."

Aurin didn't drain his drink right away, but carried the glass with him. He didn't know about public intoxication laws here, but he figured he was safe given he was part of the crown prince's wedding revels. Having a drink for the road was just proper party etiquette to his mind.

He supposed that, despite the vastness of the Umbrium, magic was employed to keep the air from growing stale and--well--cave-like. The walk was refreshing after the closeness of the air with so many revelers, some growing hot and heavy.

"Anyway, I am certain we could teach each other a thing or two..."

They chatted aimlessly as their feet carried them with accurate aim toward the Eternal Night. They spoke of foreign lands, and he promised her that they did indeed have marshmallows in Cathena. With so many people in Solunarium warded to the gills, he was enjoying the challenge of reading people entirely on mundane cues and his own intuition. Best not let it atrophy, after all. One never knew when another Eclipse-type of thing might neutralize magic.

That was yet another reason he preferred to have magic tricks without being a mage.

...and it didn't seem as though either of them would need the mesmer trick to get each other naked. That made every touch, glance, and word feel like foreplay.

[Hilana Chenzira]

"All one can do is play the cards you're dealt, no?" the young Vastian woman looked on at him with a small smile. "As dirty as one needs to." She didn't seem put off by the statement; but as a poisoner, she really couldn't. There were those that would argue that that method of killing was decidedly dirty and underhanded; and Hilana would certainly agree. But it was another layer to life out here; and ignoring it wouldn't protect one from it. Teachers came from all walks of life... and she would certainly agree that the two of them could learn quite a bit from the other.

With her on his arm, Aurin could likely tell that under that long skirt and shawl was a woman who was used to being on the go - what was exposed on her showed it, and up close, with her step equal to his, Hilana wasn't someone who laid about. And if he could charm his way under those skirts, he might be in for a very wild night. Despite her finishing her drink there, she didn't seem to have any signs of inebriation to her, and plenty of energy to boot.

She had as many questions as he did, if not more, but she didn't necessarily hammer him to make the flow of conversation uncomfortable or stilted. She was inquisitive and curious, about the places he had been, about his life up in Kalzasi, and the Golden Peacock Theatre. Hilana wondered what drew him to that, what he liked about it, what sorts of shows were his favourites. One thing was very readily apparent, and that was that unlike a great many here, the girl seemed to like to talk. She also knew well where they were going, but if he was inclined, she would let the handsome redhead lead the way.

"Is there a type of club to your taste here?" she wanted to know. In this district, there were endless cabarets, clubs, tabernas, some bigger, some smaller, some more intimate, others less so. If in doubt, she would take him to one of the bigger ones that offered tables where they could watch, talk, and listen as well as dance. The very same one that Arvaelyn and Finn brought her to after the Equinox in which Her Argent Luminescence had whispered to them following their sacrifices at the Temple of Midnight's Mother.

[Aurin]

While quite clearly not of Vastian stock or of the local culture, Aurin did seem to have made some wise clothing choices. The materials were light and flowing, allowing for air flow to wick away perspiration, and the way the fabric was styled, it managed both to create interesting silhouettes, falling pleasantly, as well as offsetting his rangy frame and whipcord muscle. He was a stranger who had quickly adapted—not a desert fox, but perhaps a jackal.

He answered her questions truthfully and replied with thoughtful ones of his own. Mostly, he steered his own story toward the time it had aligned with the grooms'. Before Kalzasi, he offered tidbits of truth, but far less of the whole story. His banter was playful, and he played perfectly into what stories Finn had told her, though Finn knew him far less than Arry did.

When she asked about specific clubs, however, he glanced at the party goers whose steps he had been doggedly trailing. He had already done some reconnaissance in the debaucherous neighborhoods, but was open to following her lead. In any case, there were clumps of party-goers and they weren't all going to the same place. There was no requirement to stay with any particular group. In any case, they wouldn't see dawn down here, but it was about time to focus on where he wanted to spend the night—and with whom.

"Take me where you will," he said. "An innocent lamb to the slaughter." His smirk wasn't innocent, though—not even a little bit.

Aurin was suitably impressed by Equinox. There was an attempt at grandeur in everything they did in Solunarium and they had achieved a mastery of their aesthetic. While that aesthetic was somewhat alien to him, the primal thrum of life was not. There were those on the dance floor, connecting via rhythms and beats, all but rutting on each other. There were others circling the large room like predators around a watering hole. Intoxicants and ambiance concentrated the urges underlying the omnipresent Mesmer.

"What does a nice girl like you do in a place like this?"

[Hilana Chenzira]

Oh, Hilana didn't think there was any innocence in the fire-kissed redhead that came from the foreign lands across the Crystal Sea. But he was fun to talk to, and he told her plenty of what she wanted to know. He had a lot of stories, and he fascinated the nomad, who very much wanted to pin him down somewhere and just talk where there wouldn't be too many to interrupt. Aurin seemed to have travelled far and wide, and while Hilana had gone great distances... her own adventures had rarely led her beyond the borders of her homeland.

"A nice girl like me does whatever she damn well wants," her dark-rimmed eyes danced, closer to him now that they were inside, full lips inviting. It was and wasn't true; many others outranked her and that certainly limited the Vastiana in some ways, but for now, here, it didn't really matter until or unless she stepped on someone that she was going to have to bow and scrape to to make apologies. And with luck... she could avoid all of that. This wasn't an exclusive place, and there were far more humans than Re'hyaeans here. "Are you ready for another?" Hilana indicated his glass, knowing servii would be circulating to bring libations around. She could dance in her long, embroidered skirt if he was of a mind to do so. She had learned to dance in taller heels than this, and she had energy and to spare to go all night. They might not stay here; but it was a fine place to start.

"Are your feet as smooth as your tongue? Do you like to dance?" The shapely young woman wanted to know. It may have been a long day of interplanary travel and ceremonies and parties, but Aurin could see that Hilana was just as she had been when the introductions had first been made. Her fingers trailed down his arm to find his free hand, interlacing with his. No, Mesmer likely wouldn't be needed, not with this one.