Fao & Kendrick: After the Masque

[Kendrick Deveroix]

The carriage ride uneventful, I hopped out and lifted my hand to help Faolan down, keeping my silence for a moment. My eyes took her in, slender in the moonlight, her features reminding me of a girl turning woman, speckled and covered with woad. Likely as not she'd be thrust a knife into my side if I tried anything tricky on her, though I had no intentions on it; the only treasure of hers that I held any interest in was the one between her legs.

"My lady?" I toned civilly, though I offered nothing else but that.

[Faolan mab Ceallach]

The carriage ride was mostly silent, and i found myself growing more and more anxious. I had been so full of confidence back in the Palace, but now we were on his ground, about to be entering his house, where I had no hold, and I swallowed hard when the carriage stopped before it. He dismounted first, looking back into the carriage for me, and i wondered if I should hide in the corner, but then he smiled, though his eyes did roam over me, and offered me his hand with kindness in his tone.

So odd. He was difficult to read. Just earlier he had been full of confidence, and he still was, but.. he seemed different... nicer, and I felt myself easing a bit, though I still watched ihm a bit warily.

"Thank you, my lord," I murmured softly as I took his hand and stepped down from the carriage. I looked up at him in the moonlight, his features were dark, and appeared darker in the darkness with the eerie shadow cast by the moonlight playing upon his features. It made me shiver, but it also furthered to entice me.

I looked in the direction of his home. "It looks lovely from here," I said with a smile. I made a step towards his house, but then remembered that it was indeed his house, and I waited for him to lead me to it.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I watched her like a hawk and a mouse, and it wasn't til she came out of the carriage and peered up at me that I realized how apt that comparison truly was. I half expected her to cower, and I couldn't help but wonder at it; why'd she come with me if she was afraid? And if she wasn't, why did she look at me like she expected me to begin devouring her at any given second?

Wrapping her hand in my arm, I led her to the front doors, pausing only to open it and lead her inside. "It's lovely enough," I said as I stepped from her, taking off my cloak and mask, holding a hand out to her in offer to take her mask and wrap. "It's been in my family for generations; the Deveroix line is an old one."

[Faolan mab Ceallach]

He lead me inside after peering at me for what seemed like forever. I drew myself up as we entered, and he closed the door, stepping from me to take off his outerclothing, and his masque. When he turned back to me, his face bare, I smiled. He was gorgeous, as all d'Angeline men are, but he had strong, manly features, not beautiful like some were beautiful as women, but beautiful in a manly strength. I felt my stomach flutter just a little bit as I looked on him, then, remembering he was waiting for me, I removed my own cloak and my masque, taking a deep breath as I did so. I was not as beautiful as most d'Angeline women, but I did not think I was hard on the eyes either.

"You sound rather proud of your heritage,," I said with a smile as I handed over my items for him to hang or put away. I looked about his foyer, turning from him. I took in my surroundings, smiling.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

She looked at me, and for the second time I wondered what she was thinking before I shoved it out of mind. Her thoughts were just hers, and I wasn't really concerned with them right now; there were other far more interesting things to spend my time on.

I shrugged at her comment, taking her things and laying them across an gilded chair, next to my own. "I should be, I suppose. I just have a hard time finding pleasure in it anymore." Not when I was the only one left, the only one to continue the Deveroix line. What if I were to die tomorrow? It would fall out of existence forever. Pushing that out of mind as well, I frowned slightly before walking up to her, sliding my hand under her chin and tilting her face up. "Besides, I don't really think you're interested in my heritage, or what I'm proud of," I said softly. My lips were inches from hers, and I looked unflinching at her face, cruder than d'Angeline women, but still pretty. "Or am I wrong?"

[Faolan mab Ceallach]

I soothed my nerves, outwardly, though they still jangled inwardly. He was certainly jaded. That was obvious now in what he said, and I wondered at why, what had made him unable to enjoy his home, his wealth, his estate and title. What had upset him, or what events had driven him to become so... uncaring.

Then again, mayhap I just cared far too much.

He moved closer to me, and i had to fight my instincts to move away from him, he seemed to leer, and I was feeling terribly skittish, which never happened. I found it off-setting, and confusing, and rather annoying. "Hmm, well," I murmured, as I tried to regain my inward composure, "small talk is often nice leading up to certain events," I said with a smile, "and you intrigue me. It is a wonder that a man as yourself, with a home like this, is alone, or perhaps I assume too much?" I murmured, my lips brushing against his as I spoke in undertones, my eyes I forced to remain gazing into his. I felt a shiver rush through me, of excitement, and intrigue, and certainly arousal, but it had not peaked yet.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

Small talk? Who needed to talk?

She didn't exactly seem nearly as interested as I could have hoped for. I frowned slightly, wondering if mayhap I'd just wasted my Midwinter by inviting her home when she spoke yet again, and I froze in my advances towards her. I stared at her for a long, cold moment, my features not moving, not lowering, not lifting. When I did answer her, my voice was just as cold as my stare had been, emotionless and biting, my gaze never leaving from her face. "Yes, well. Being alone generally happens when the entirety of your family is ripped from your life."

My lip curled into a sneer, and I turned my back on her, striding off to move to the reception room. A bottle of brandy was in there, I knew, and I poured myself a glass of it without bothering to ask her if she wanted any. I didn't know whether I wanted to shove my prick in her so hard it made her weep for days, if I wanted to connect the back of my hand to her cheek, or if I simply wanted to kick her out. Tipping my head back, I drank all I'd poured in one fell swoop, letting my mind concentrate on how it burned my mouth, my throat, my chest. I turned back to her again, my face a mask, no emotion. "I think it's time for you to go. My carriage will return you to wherever it is that you stay."

[Faolan mab Ceallach]

I had obviously hit a nerve, for he went from grinning at me with that look of a predator to complete and untter blankness. Darkness entered his eyes as darkness takes over the day, and he walked away before I could even think at what it had been that I had said that had brought on such an outburst. I knew now why he was alone, but that was hardly the way to go about explaining it. He walked away, and I went to follow him, my feet moving freely now, not so much afraid as I was apologetic. Before I could enter, however, I saw him down his glass and turn in my direction, kicking me out of his home.

He was kicking me out! For such a small misstep? And it was obvious he did not want to talk about it, probably never had talked about it, and certainly was not about to discuss it with me, a stranger. But then again, in his anger, he presumed I did not know how it felt, his brand of pain. In his anger, I felt as though he had drawn the conclusion that I could never get it, could never udnerstand his loneliness. And then instead of feeling ap0logetic, I felt angry. I narrowed my eyes at him, keeping my ground.

"I am sorry for having brought up something, unknowlingly, that would hurt you, Kendrick," I murmured, my eyes not faltering as I stared into his face. "And I am sorry for the loss you have suffered, that I could not have known, for I do not know you, nor do I know of your family," I sighed softly, letting my anger slip away. "And I can understand that it makes you angry to be reminded of it. But perhaps you ought to face me instead of just throwing me out," I suggested. ""You canot expect me to know what has happened to you in your life, as I could never and would never expect you to know what has happened in mine, without having it mentioned first. And though it is likely we may never set eyes upon each other after this night," I said with a ssoft smile, "I should hate to leave it in such a shambles as it is now. So, will you kick me out, and in doing so, run away from having it brought up and discussed, or accept my apology and move on with the evening." He was angry, and I knew my words were not the nicest ones, but Dagda Mor! I was not about to be thrown out for something I did not mean to do, whether it was his house or not!

[Kendrick Deveroix]

She talked.. and talked and talked. I just stared at her, a scowl growing upon my face the more she spoke. It didn't matter what she said, or the look on her face. I didn't care that she'd gotten angry with my throwing her out and then tried to collect herself again. It really made no impact on me, and when she'd finally run out of breath, I closed the distance, stopping a good arms length away from her, drawing in steady breaths.

"What you want, or don't want, really makes no difference to me. I told you before that I'm not the type of person you would want around forever. Or did you think I was jesting, an effort to lure you with danger into my bed?" I smirked, setting my empty glass down on a table near by. "No. I told you once it was time for you to go. Make me say it a third time and you'll be walking instead of enjoying my carriage."

What was she going to do? Slug me? No matter the strength that hid behind that little frame, and I was sure there was some, it wouldn't bother me or change my mind... and in good honesty there's a good chance she'd have to think quick to avoid my own hand from backhanding her across that mouthy little face. "Your wrap is on my chair. Don't forget your mask."

[Faolan mab Ceallach]

He approached me and I stood my ground still, not shrinking back from him, even though he looked about ready to raise hell adn highwater, though he did not look angry, and that was probably the worst part. He was emotionless. I furrowed my brows as I contemplated him, saying nothing yet, as I had nothing in my mind to say. And then:

"You have not always been this way," I said, and I spoke it, not as a question, but as a statement, something true and sure, and I knew it to be both true and sure.

At that my brows raised and I felt myself growing uncomfortable, not because of him, but because of my own words. And I did not want that feeling to take hold of me, and to start seeing his truths as they had happened to him, or what would happen to him in the future. I knew that it would come next, and so I turned on my heel and, without another word, I grabbed up my shawl. I walked quickly out of his door, out of his house, and onto his porch where I stood for a few seconds to take in large gulps of the cool air, letting it wash over me and cleanse any possibility of that from happening. I closed my eyes, and then opened them, and walked. I did not need his carriage, would not ask him to call it, I just walked. I suddenly had a feeling of homesickness but bit it back with the other emotions that roiled through me. There was something about him, and I knew that there was a reason for it, but I did wonder whether he was calmer, niceer, caring, whether he had loved before this had changed him. And then I thought no more on it.

What a way to spend an evening.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

You have not always been this way.

Her words sounded like they were from someone else, and she looked as if she didn't want to even say them. The coldness I felt throughout me, from the base of my spine and radiating outward, saved me from making any sort of expression. I just looked at her, unresponding, unfeeling, uncaring, waiting for her to make the intelligent decision and vacate my premises... and she did, snatching up her shawl and turning on heel, walking out the house without another word.

"Dorian!"

I snapped his name, and cautiously a greying head peeked around the corner of the hallway; no doubt he'd heard everything. "Catch the carriage before it's completely dismantled and follow her. If she refuses to ride, at least stay with her until she gets wherever she's going. She can't stop a matched team following her," I spat as I turned and started to leave. Her mask glimmered at me, and I snatched it up and threw it at the man in one fluid motion as I took my exit from the entry way. "And give that back to her, too."