[SRP] Bernese Ball

[Cevian]

Ah. Good. The invitation to the ball extended to the two of them. Not that Lita had any doubt that their tendency towards lucky coincidences had worn off already, but it was good to have confirmation. They wouldn't get too long to rest though for as quickly as they had sat down they were rounded up to ride wyverns off to where the ball was to be. Lita went along and of course where she went Goldhardt followed.

____________________________________________________________________________________

The trip went fine for Lita. The wyverns seemed well trained and it wasn't like they had taken them anywhere where they needed to really know how to ride them. In a sense the trip was too short as they never really got a chance to experience the freedom given by a winged beast, but this was neither the time nor the place for that. Sadly.


Goldhardt's wyvern was not having as good as a trip as Lita and hers were. They normally didn't carry people wearing that much armor. The trip not being as intense as it could have was probably a good thing it didn't last any longer than it need to.


The two of them landed and dismounted. Lita gave hers a bit of a pat on the head in thanks while Goldhardt merely nodded at the exhausted steed. Looking over at Goldhardt and then to one of the servants that moved around to help them. ”It would be a good idea to let that one rest. I am surprised that it managed to make the trip. It deserves it.”

[Magatsu]

As the lot of them went down to the garden, Azel quickly made his way over to his wyvern, quickly sitting atop them and moving a hand along their head. "I'm back now, so don't worry yourself." The wyvern then glanced over at the crew it didn't recognize, snarling for a moment before Azel calmed them down. "Hold on boy, they're just newcomers. Not bandits. Don't worry about over here, he's just got some... Not so good memories with new people." Azel then kept quiet and looked over the others once more, now staying on his wyvern and being ready to move out on a whim.

[Swift_Assassin]

Shad didn't like the sound of riding a wyvern to the ball. The idea gave him flashes of his arrival to Pharae, staring down a meteor, pelting it with magic on Kalin's pegasus. He looked at Grey on standby. "Tell Maisie to arrange a travel bag. We'll be leaving sooner than I thought." Grey nodded and chased after Maisie. Shad turned to Maria who, again, seemed excited about the idea of flying. He sighed, thinking about how naive she was.

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Shad honestly felt surprised by how the flight was. Perhaps it was due to a more level headed rider, lack of immediate threat, or perhaps wyvern's were just better at flying than pegasi, but this was a better experience than before. He didn't like not having Maria ride with him, but considering Grey everywhere with Maria, it probably wasn't a good idea to toss four people on one wyvern, even if the later two were pint-sized by comparison. When they arrived, Shad hopped off the wyvern and notice the servants take his bags. He began looking around and noticed how grander this mansion was compared to his own hold. It, unfortunately, was typical Bernese design, but it still had an air about it that he felt his own home lacked. Although, considering how long it had been abandoned between Daren's death and Faust seizing it, that probably didn't help any.

When Maria ran over to Shad, he motioned towards where Cecily was with, presumably, Lord Faren. The pair walked over, with Shad offering a bow to the Lord. "Greetings, Lord Faren, I presume? I am Baron Shadrach Hyperion and this is my younger sister..." He looked back at Maria. Shad noticed that she was had put on her coat and scarf. She tilted her head, eyes closed. She pulled the sides of her coat up as she curtsied, revealing her skirt underneath.

"Maria Hyperion." Shad noted how much she enjoyed this. She was way more of a socialite than he was, for sure.

"We're Etrurian. So, my title has about as much worth as you weigh any other Etrurian nobles post-annexation. Considering my family's history of overhyping our title, however you think it is is probably accurate."

[WyvernSlayer]

Satsume hated flying.

Maybe it was the tendency of his heavy armor to send him to the ground with less than grace.  Maybe it was that pegasus ride he went on as a youth that sent him plummeting into a fir tree.  Whatever the case, he kept his arms clasped around the midsection of the knight in front of him as the wyvern touched down - probably longer than he should have.

"Um... we've arrived," said the knight.  "You can dismount now."

Satsume muttered an embarrassed "oh" as he gingerly swung his leg around and leapt to the ground.  Ahead of him, Cecily was already being greeted by a foppish gentleman with extravagant clothing.

“Lord Faren,” she said politely.  Satsume noted that her tone of voice was the same she used with him when she was being sarcastic.

“If I may be so bold to ask how you ended up in this motley company?” asked Lord Faren, as the remainder of the party gathered before him.

I should make a mental note of how many times this guy is gonna talk down to us, thought Satsume.  He took his place by Cecily’s side and folded his arms.

“Satsume Hinoka,” Cecily said, gesturing in Satsume’s direction.  Satsume’s expression contorted as he heard his surname mispronounced.  He opened his mouth, but stopped short of speaking.  Later, he told himself.

He nodded in Faren’s direction.  “Milord.”

Faren gave Satsume a brief glance in acknowledgement, then turned his attention to receiving Shad and Maria.  I’m already not a fan of this fop, Satsume decided silently.

“Please, Lady Cecilia – do stay for the night.  I have already made arrangements for your lodging prior to the ball.  And besides,” he took her hand and gently kissed it.  “…we have much to catch up on.”

Satsume looked past Faren, to the pair of halberdiers standing guard at the castle’s entrance.  Their armor was decorated with various studs and ribbons in the colors of Faren’s own elaborate garb.  Their stern, level expressions were the only thing that wasn’t loud about them.  My condolences, gentlemen.

As a couple of castle pages tended to the group’s belongings, Satsume and the group followed Faren into the castle towards their quarters.

[Swift_Assassin]

The response they had received was telling enough as it was. Lord Faren's primary interest above all others was the Lady of Laus. They lacked the age or gender to illicit any response. Given Sir Alan's reception to them, it would seem systemic of Lord Faren and his men that they highly value attractive women, probably to their detriment. After all, 'Etrurian royalty is always welcome, especially when they travel with such beautiful women.' Sir Alan probably meant nobility, but considering how little he actually acknowledged them probably just proves how easily distracted he is.

He hadn't said a word to Satsume before he received them. Shad couldn't even remember what was said. The disregard for them was all he took note of in his tone of voice. When he turned his attention back to Cecily, Maria grabbed Shad's hand. "He can't get a marriage alliance out of us. Politically, we are nothing to him." Maria was right, but it kinda hurt him to hear her say that. Just what did Tyber teach her? But it was true. Even though he wouldn't know of Maria's existing betrothal, she is a little consequence compared to Cecily, who is of age, of a powerful house, and one that actually still has power to exert. Alternatively, he must not have any immediate single female relatives he could marry off to Shad for an alliance there. His actions made political sense, if anything.

Shad looked at Satsume, who was looking at some of the soldiers that Lord Faren had posted. Their armor looked pristine and ornate. That must be ceremonial armor...right? Once the guests have come and gone, they'd return to actually battle ready armor, right? But considering this is his personal garrison, it might not be, or rather, they barely wear such armor because they barely see combat. Comparing his men to that of Lord Faren's with the stereotypes of their people, you'd think Faren was the Etrurian with his refinement compared to the rough Hyperion family who constantly fails at maintaining a refined image. Shad and Maria had nothing else to do but to follow the group to their quarters.

[Lavi]

The lack of response to the Etruscans was cruel, but not surprising. Cecily would not have chosen to acknowledge their origins either, considering that it would suggest Bernese acceptance of Etruscan refugees. That would encourage more Etruscans to flee and earn the Emperor's ire in an already precarious relationship between Bern and Lycia. She did not believe that their attempts to advertise their nobility is doing them any favors

Lord Faren's fawning left little room to give herself a breather: she only had a moment when Faren's gaze was turned aside to get her attention to some of the new decorations added to the estate to look at Satsume with an exasperated look.

'Kill me,' she wished she could say. When Faren turned back to her, Cecily already returned to a weary smile.

"Perhaps we can catch up with each other over tea?" Faren asked.

"Tea sounds refreshing, but I would very much like to rest. It has been a long journey," Cecily replied. Of course, she left out that the 'journey' that she was referring to was no longer than the garden to the mansion.

"Ah! I suppose that is true," Faren lamented (exactly as she planned). "May I escort you to your quarters?"

"That will not be necessary," Cecily waved him off. "Surely the ball's success is more pressing than myself. It is tomorrow, is it not?"

"That is true..." Faren's laments extend further. "I presume you are prepared as well?"

"I am in need of a dress, at the very least," Cecily obliged him.

"Then I will send a seamstress up later to take your measurements later today!" he smiled before kneeling to kiss her hand.

"Your hospitality is as generous as ever," Cecily replied.

Even so, Lord Faren only departed after he escorted them all to Cecily's guest room. Not only was it unsurprisingly roomier than the others, it also happened to be the only one fully prepared for its occupant. Cecily noticed this, but made no effort to bring it up to the Bernese lord on the spot. Instead, she humored his personality until Faren tore himself away to return to the last-hour preparations of the next day's ball.

If Satsume was quick enough, he might have caught a glint in her eye as Cecily thought of something mischievous. It has been too long some she properly teased someone beyond the verbal jab.

With her heavy smile still on her lips, and without another word to her companions, Cecily stepped into her room and closed the doors behind her. She waited a few seconds, predicting when the others would resign themselves to their half-ready guest rooms before she reopened the doors.

"I suppose I can host guests in the meantime," she smiled, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

Her room not only was large enough for herself, but it essentially had its own dining table and wait staff. She expected nothing less. Sadly.

[Cevian]

Lita was beginning to see just how accessory her and Goldhardt seemed to be to the group. This Lord Faren seemed to only have enough attention span for Cecily, which Lita wasn't too bothered by. As much as she wouldn't mind some rich man fawning over her like that it was a bit much given it seemed like his motives weren't the most flattering. It didn't take long before they began to make their way further inside. “Come, Goldhardt,” she said as she went along with the group. The suit of armor followed.


The rooms for the rest of them weren't ready yet, which was annoying, but there were still hours left in the day. As long as they were ready by nightfall then everything would be fine. Faren didn't seem like such a bad host that he would completely ignore his other guests, but it was obvious where his focus lay.


As Faren left and Cecily went into her room, Lita began to think about what to do. She couldn't really discuss plans with Goldhardt so it was up to her to figure out what to do for the two of them. Thankfully that delayed the two of them walking off until Cecily opened her door again and said that she could host guests.


Moving over in front of her, Lita said, “Ah! Excellent! I was hoping to have some more time to meet with others in the group. It just seems like since we met things have been moving too fast to really sit down and talk. We barely know each other! I feel that we should at least get to know you better as we are a guest here on your behalf.”

[Swift_Assassin]

Shad took in the guest room that had been prepared for Cecily and it seemed almost as big as his safe house in Ostia. Which considering it was an actual house which four-to-six people lived in at any given time and this was a guest room, it really showed the divide between the Etrurian baron and the elites of Bern. It also reinforced the fact that Faren cared very little about the rest of the group as their rooms weren't even finished being set up. When Cecily made a comment about hosting guests, they took up her offer. What else were they to do anyway?

"I wish Auntie Maisie came with us. She could have made you a dress and Lord Faren wouldn't be able to find out your measurements." Maria's comment to Cecily caught Shad off-guard. Shad shot a look at the precocious pipsqueak. "What? With how little regard he gave the rest of us, they least we can do is deprive him of that." It was true enough, Shad thought.

"I especially liked how he figured you'd be ready for be a ball you found out about hours ago." He thought of making a preemptive comment to Maria, but she just nodded in agreement. "Lord Faren is just too much. He seems so entitled that I wouldn't be surprised if the help wiped their ass with silk. He wouldn't have survived the last two weeks Maria went through." Shad just looked down at the ground, collecting his thoughts. "No wonder my family makes poor nobility. We're way too rough for this lifestyle." He looked up at the group. Lita brought up how little she knew the group, which made Shad continue. "You know what. Enough about us. You all spent the last week dragged into our issues, so we Hyperion's are going to take a back seat on this one." He turned back to Lita, "You alright with that?"

"Can you tell us about the cat man?" Shad glared are Maria who left in a huff and found a seat just out of Shad's immediate view. Where did she get this 'cat man' nonsense from anyway?

[WyvernSlayer]

Satsume wearily endured Faren's voice as they approached the room that had been set aside for Cecily.  Her occasional anguished expressions back to him as they walked weren't wasted on him, so he assumed this was just as grating for her as it was for him.  Finally, mercifully, they were left to their own devices in front of a gaudy, spacious guest room.

A couple of servants beckoned to Lita and Shad.  One also tried to draw Satsume's attention to the room nearest to Cecily's.  "Shall I show you to your room, sir?  It's right over here."

Satsume looked over his shoulder for Cecily's implicit approval to leave her briefly unattended, but she had already vanished behind the doors to her room.  Sigh... great.  He assured the servant that he would be able to accommodate himself, then waited outside of Cecily's room as she got settled.  Gods know how much she'll lay into me if that Faren fellow gets her ear alone.  Lita and her animate suit of armor lingered nearby.  Satsume flashed a polite smile to them.

A moment later, the doors opened again.  Satsume was about to take a step in, but Lita seemingly paid him no heed, waltzing in with her mighty bodyguard close behind.  Hmph.  Manners much, miss-

He stopped mid-thought.  A familiar scent followed in the wake of Lita and Goldhardt.  A sort of… musk?  Faintly floral?  Satsume involuntarily shook his head.  It was very familiar.  He just couldn’t place it… He sniffed.  It was already gone.  Weird…

“Ah! Excellent! I was hoping to have some more time to meet with others in the group,” said Lita.  “It just seems like since we met things have been moving too fast to really sit down and talk.”  Satsume quietly stepped into the room, making sure Cecily knew that he had not left her unattended.  Shad and Maria soon joined them.

“Can you tell us about the cat man?” Maria chirped.  Satsume furrowed his brow, not immediately realizing the question was directed at Lita.  As Shad death-glared her away from the conversation, Satsume walked over to Cecily’s side, taking care to give space to Goldhardt’s considerable frame.

Again, that strange scent clipped Satsume’s nose.  Ugh, what IS that?!  I know that smell, I just can’t seem to place it!  Standing next to Cecily at last, he finally joined the conversation.

“I admit I’m curious about your friend, myself,” said Satsume to Lita.  “How did uh... I mean, the two of you are certainly not of the same craft.  What brought you together?”

[Lavi]

"I would be more open in sharing hidden sides of ourselves if your companion could at least have the courtesy of sharing his face," Cecily replied to Lita.

Perhaps it was worded a little strongly, though Cecily had not seen Goldhardt wearing anything other than the full suit of armor. Although her distrust in them has faded since their apparent willingness to help back then, there was something that bothered her still. Was it the way Lita spoke? Or the blank slate that is Goldhardt seemingly drilling through her composure with unseen eyes? Her contemplation was broken by Maria's remark. A chuckle slipped through her lips.

"You have it wrong. A seamstress of my own would prevent him from knowing if they changed," she corrected the Etruscan.

She could not deny Lord Faren's advances crossed far beyond the line of embarrassment, but it is so well known in various circles that there was no point in hiding it. It would not surprise her that Etruscan nobles like Maria and Shad may not have the same level of familiarity with the relationship between Cecily and Faren. Cecily rarely traveled to Etruria on political visits; the most time she spent in the country, prior to its annexation, was when Cecily took a break from public life to pursue personal study in the magical arts. That study was broken by Lycia's declaration of war.

Cecily rang a bell, summoning a servant who took her order for tea and scones. Enough to feed the company, of course.

"I especially liked how he figured you'd be ready for be a ball you found out about hours ago. Lord Faren is just too much. He seems so entitled that I wouldn't be surprised if the help wiped their ass with silk. He wouldn't have survived the last two weeks Maria went through. No wonder my family makes poor nobility. We're way too rough for this lifestyle," Shad said.

"Lord Faren may appear pompous and foolish, but he is powerful and influential. It would be wise to steady your tongue, Baron of Arretium," Cecily said, turning to scold him.

Calling him by his title is supposed to remind him that being of noble birth meant differing expectations than a commoner, but Cecily realized after saying so that Shad is probably too dense to make the connection. He may be the son of Tyber, but he acts like he has never been raised in a noble house. But it seemed that a rebuke would be drowned out by everyone's curiosity of the man in the suit.

Cecily took a seat at the head of the table, gesturing for the others to join her.

"How did uh... I mean, the two of you are certainly not of the same craft.  What brought you together?" Satsume was saying.

"I echo Satsume's observation," Cecily added. "It is not the sort of pairing that one would commonly find in Lycia."

[Swift_Assassin]

"Oh...poor thing," Maria replied to Cecily.

Before Shad could really say anything along that train of thought, Cecily called him out. "Ah-...um. Well. Eh..." This was really awkward for him. He's used to being called 'Pup' when he says/does something stupid or reckless. But this, well. This was almost the equivalent of a parent calling you by your full name. And from someone who he doesn't really know that much about, it felt weird. He didn't really know what to say to it. It took him a second or two to internalize the 'steady your tongue' part of the comment. And while Cecily was right on that, Shad felt that he was justified in his words. He gave him the same amount of respect as he was dealt. But on the other hand, Shad and the group needed Bern's help with Lycia far more than Bern needs a reckless, impetuous 'pup' with claims to conquered lands. He just looked down at the floor, defeated.

"That's why you surround yourself with smarter people. Like me," Maria teased, enjoying his embarrassment. He couldn't even refute it, as Maria skipped past him to sit at the table. He took solace in the fact she said 'smarter' people. If only she knew that she inherited their mother's brains. The rest of the family were either like himself or meatheads. No real middle-ground. He slowly approached a chair and sat down in it, looking at the table. Even the guest table looked better than their table back home. Although, now that he thought about it, Lennox put their cousin Faustus through the original table, so it only made sense. He didn't really have anything to ask Goldhardt and Lita. They helped save Maria and that's all he needed to know




((OOC: Shad's father is Daren. Tyber raised Maria after they were orphaned, but Shad was already living in Ostia at the time. Also, this isn't the same Tyber that met Cecily. It's his brother who suffered identity amnesia and believed himself to be Tyber and himself to be his 'dead' brother. That's why Tyber left to become Urai, who met Cecily in And a Toast to Our Victors. You don't have to change it. I've been wondering if her meeting the original Tyber would ever come up. Shad never really got around to explaining much about his childhood.))

[Cevian]

Ah, yes. The double-edged sword of wanting to learn more about these interesting new traveling companions of hers. Well Goldhardt was the more mysterious of the two of them so it made sense that the enigmatic armor was the one who was drawing the most curiosity.

"Ah. As they cannot speak for themselves I must explain the situation." Lita paused for a moment, placing a finger under her chin as she thought. Goldhardt was as stoic as ever. "Well, for starters, for reasons outside of my control I can't tell you the whole truth. It's not that I am sworn to secrecy but they are and well it would be rude of me to just let loose with secrets that I am suppose to make sure they don't say. So, here is what I will say. I can either give you a simple, comfortable half-truth that explains things well enough and you'll just know that there's more to it, or I can tell you a much harder to believe half-truth that explains why I cannot explain more. If it is the latter then I would really like at least a half-truth in return for my troubles."

[Toogee]

While Cecily and the others were getting to know each other, Paige had already snuck off to her room. The journey to Faren’s mansion took quite a toll: she had never gotten over her fear of heights. Hanging onto the wyvern captain Alan for the entire trip likely gave him the wrong impression. That was quickly cleared up upon landing, when Paige vomited all over the wyvern. Needless to say, the librarian opted to stay in her room and rest.

Paige sat on her bed and examined the intricate runes of her light brand. The sword rested in both her hands as she read over the text. As soon as the sword showed signs of glowing, Paige dropped the sword on the floor with a loud clank. She laid back on her bed in frustration.

“I’m a scholar, not a warrior,” Paige thought to herself. “Surely this wasn’t the life I was meant to lead…”

[Swift_Assassin]

Shad looked at Lita, a bit confused. Did she say...anything? Like anything of note? What in St. Elimine's name did she just say? Maria looked over at Shad and noticed his confusion. As the youngest there, she figured she had to step in. "Can you say that again so an eleven-year old can understand it?" Shad looked at her as if she just said this as a continuation of her teasing from before. She gave him a smug smirk and began to speak again. "From appearances, he seems to be your bodyguard. Perhaps he swore an oath of silence or lost his tongue as some punishment. In such chaotic times, a traveling dancer would need a bodyguard. If you were only a dancer, that is." Shad turned his head back to Maria again as she starts to spout out her interpretation of the pair. "Father...rather, Baron Tyber, told me to be wary of traveling entertainers. With the knowledge I have now of my own families predilection to spies, I understand that profession is a common cover. And your answer there makes me think that you are a spy."

"Maria."

"And I think that's cool! Do you have a code name? Is his 'Cat man'? Does he meow to signal if the coast is clear?" Maria's tone shifted from serious to playful in a heartbeat. Shad just stared at her, mouth hanging open. Forget inheriting her mother's brains, being raised by Tyber Fen might have just made her smarter across the board. Without even looking at him, she pushed his mouth closed. "Don't want a fly to land in there, do you? Hehe," she laughed.

[Lavi]

As Lita explained herself, Cecily crossed her arms and her expression soured. Being told the blatant truth, that Lita has no intention of letting on Goldhardt's and her own nature, did not make it any better. Although Maria was wholly willing to let on her wild theories, Cecily wasn't the type to jump to fantastical conclusions.

It is too early to tell why Lita and Goldhardt has followed them around, though it seemed that Cecily's suspicions regarding their convenient arrival were not without merit. Given that they had ample opportunity to kill her before they were whisked away to the Faren estate, Cecily felt sure that they were not in league with Laus at least.

The smell of freshly baked treats broke the unease before the servant did so himself. After ensuring that everyone's cups were filled, the servant bowed out of the room.

"May someone check upon Paige? It would be a shame if she could not join us," Cecily asked.

Cecily stole a glance at Satsume, gauging his expression, as she raised her cup to her lips. Perhaps he saw something that she overlooked.

[Cevian]

Lita sighed as it looked like her ultimatum wasn't taken as well as she had hoped that it would be. ”Oh, I guess not everyone is having as much fun with my coyness as I and Maria seem to. Very well, I suppose I do owe you some semblance of truth after pulling that.”


Lita reached down to the parts of her outfit that could be described as a dress and then pulled a slim sword out from somewhere before sliding it on the table. She pointed the blade towards herself, disarming herself in front of them. ”Let me start by saying that spy isn't too far off the mark, but it is not exactly what my profession is. Is it safe to assume that you have all heard of The Black Fang? Well perhaps the version of them that existed shortly before they were destroyed where their founding principles were eroded and the group collapsed. The original group that fought corrupt nobles and helped the poor. I am a part of a new Black Fang formed by one of the founder's descendants in an attempt to restore honor to his legacy.”

Holding up her hands to show them still unarmed and not nearing the sword the had placed on the table. ”You don't need to worry. I am not here with any target in mind. I assure you our meeting was completely coincidental but it would be a lie to say it wasn't fortuitous on both of our parts. I was sent out to learn about the goings on in Lycia and Bern due to the increasing risk of war. Goldhardt over there is in fact a new recruit whom I have been tasked with watching over. For all intents and purposes whoever or whatever is in that armor no longer matters. Who they were is dead now and part of their initiation is that no one is to find out who they were. Certainly I could tell you as it is not my job to hide that from you, but it would be in bad taste. I have to set a good example after all.”

Returning her hands to the table she said, ”Now, are their any questions?”

[Toogee]

As Paige heard the commotion nearby, she broke from her thoughts of uncertainty. She had stayed away for a bit too long lost in her thoughts all alone. If she was to be attending a ball, she needed to be a bit more joyous after all. Perhaps being surrounded by companions would ease her mind. Leaving her sword behind, the librarian exited her room and joined the others. She had arrived just in time to hear the origins of Lita and "Cat Man".

As it would turn out, Lita was no mere dancer but as an associate to an ancient league of assassins. She knew her fair share of history, enough to know that they had plenty to worry about. Opening declaring one's allegiance to the Black Fang in the house of a man who could have been easily one of their targets? It was a good way to get thrown in a dungeon. They would be so lucky if the servant was already out of earshot. Paige was waving her hands around in order to stop the discussion.

"Lita, I'm sure you have good intentions, but that name might still be remembered differently, especially among Bern nobility. We'd be wise to stop talking of the matter."

Paige looked nervously outside the room to make sure no one was listening on their discussion.

[Swift_Assassin]

The name sang to Shad. Of course, he already knew about the old Black Fang, but he felt he remembered something, someone. Ambrose Frederick Locke, their partner in crime from Pharae to Tania. He seemed to want to start his own Black Fang in Lycia. If only he knew one already existed, or at least the sparks of a new one did. Coincidentally, Paige arrived as Lita explained herself. "Remember Ambrose, Paige? He seemed to want his own Black Fang in Lycia, if you recall. He'd be very interested to find out it actually exists again." He looked back at her and saw a maid walk in behind her. Considering how touchy the subject of the Black Fang would be, his heart almost jumped out of his chest until he recognized the maid as Maria's bodyguard Grey. She seemed very uncomfortable in the get up and made her way to Maria's side. She whispered to Maria her situation, which caused a laugh. Shad looked at her and she waved him off. Apparently an explanation would come later.

"So...why can't anyone find out who he is? I guess that'd make sense if he was on a job with someone who knew his affiliation, but if no one knows that, wouldn't he draw more attention to him like that instead of being just another face in the crowd? Unless he's some noble who can't risk the exposure, it makes no sense to me. But I'm only eleven so what do I know?" Maria questioned. Shad had to give it to her there. Something doesn't sit right with that. Unless his has the mark of the Black Fang tattooed upon his face, his anonymity seems rather arbitrary. Unless it's some kind of hazing ritual.

"You didn't have to do that when you joined, did you?" Shad asked, rather curious about the whole affair. "No...stupid question. I don't think you'd be able to move in that much armor."

[Lavi]

Cecily had to place her hands on her lap, under the table, to hide her clenched fists. The nobles back home laughed about the Black Fang like a ghost story for adults. They decided whether you were on the naughty list or not and whether you were too naughty to live. But the history of the Black Fang, as told by Lycians, was always lurking beneath the surface. It was impossible for any noble to not have heard anything about them.

"You sit before me and say 'Black Fang' and 'honor' in the same breath? The same organization that has neither accountability nor respect for the laws that govern us? And you think that I would just... go along with it?" Cecily asked through gritted teeth.

At first, Cecily wanted to call Lita out for her bluff, but Shad's confirmation that a Black Fang revival was in the works, brought an immediate end to those thoughts. It took everything she could muster to keep herself from exploding in fury. Lita's confession confirmed her suspicions and yet utterly confounded her. Why would she reveal her affiliations now, within the house of nobility?

"For what reason should I not call the guards to lock you and your companion in a dungeon?" she asked.

[WyvernSlayer]

Satsume's brow wrinkled. Black Fang, huh? It was a name he had only been familiar with in passing, and only very recently - overhearing the children in his village shouting it during their playground games. He assumed it was just some sort of myth. But here were two unlikely allies - the provocative Lita, and her silent titan bodyguard. It seemed ridiculous. But just ridiculous enough to be true.

Cecily's demeanor flipped like a switch. Satsume could see her fists ball up underneath the table. "What's the matter?" he asked.

Cecily paid him no heed. "You sit before me and say 'Black Fang' and 'honor' in the same breath? The same organization that has neither accountability nor respect for the laws that govern us? And you think that I would just... go along with it?"

"Milady-" he started to say.

"For what reason should I not call the guards to lock you and your companion in a dungeon?"

"Now hold on just a minute!" Satsume stepped forward and laid a hand on Cecily's shoulder. She glared at him with a gaze that could melt steel. Crap. Think fast, Satsume! He lowered his voice a bit to keep away prying ears.

"Listen - I don't know anything about any Black Fang or spies or criminals or anything. But what I do know is that Lita and Goldhardt helped us take back Shad's castle. Total strangers!" He gestured to the two of them. "Didn't need to help us! But... they threw their lives in harm's way for us anyway." He walked to the other side of the table and picked up the sword. He admired its edge for a moment, then offered it to Lita, hilt first. "...and that's good enough for me. Besides-" he turned to face Cecily again.

"Have you seen the guards around here? All their frills and decorum? Probably couldn't fight their way out of a linen closet, much less arrest Goldhardt over here."