Part 14
Emissary au
Count Darkholme is not an affable man and for several reasons and as the jester of Queen Gloriana is on his front door making an invitation it proves, once again, Dr D did make a wise choice in being anti-social and that he´ll never love this Queen. The jester is an abomination. Literally! and deliver a message to Kurt, his majesty, Queen Gloriana, is throwing a party and will be a delight in see Count Darkholme and his fiance, and, you don´t say no to Queen Gloriana.
“Fine, tell your Queen I´ll be there and Ariel too” he mutters grumpily and closes the door on the abomination´s face, well, technically, the creature does not have a face.
Ariel, for her part, receives the letter as well by the messenger, a creature no one can pronounce the name correctly so they settle for messenger, the messenger, has no face, but seems happier to see Ariel and give the message. The creature is a messenger and a jester and almost, by self-reservation, Ariel asked how it serves Queen Gloriana in all her glory, but, maybe is better left some things unsaid.
“You´ll need a dress, I mean, a really good dress” Kwanon replies once Ariel hands her the letter and she did wave goodbye to the messenger (be polite to the messengers. Is a golden rule for Kwanon) “Going to the boutique at this time?”
Ariel bites her lips as she wants to say a very bad word here, but, in case, Queen Gloriana is listening, better show some self-control. “Thank God, no, I have a good dress for the occasion. Last time I went to those boutiques...”
Kwanon nods as if seeing the whole picture. “Yeah, lucky for that woman, she has regeneration power, otherwise, the dress wouldn´t be so elegant with one arm woman”
Ariel is wearing a modest, but, thankfully elegant blue dress and she really look pretty, not sure if the other ladies will share this idea, but, at very least, Ariel is not here to impress them.
Kwanon borrows her carriage to Ariel. “You´ll own me then. And you know, for someone dressed as a noblewoman, I need to quench my curiosity, are you ready to be Countess Darkholme?” and Ariel gave a vague answer meaning she has no real idea either.
Annalise was there chiding her brother and Ariel receive the same treatment too, turns out that is really impolite for the fiance meet the broom in such events as it is more common for the couple, in this scenario, to use one carriage and be seen together.
“I had no idea!” Ariel replied and Kurt Darkholme said the same thing and Annalise sighs and rubs her eyes for a moment, then, she asks for her brother to not do anything stupid.
“Ariel, look, don´t leave him alone or else...he´ll be a moron” Annalise gives what Ariel labels the Darkholme look to her brother who then retributes the favour until they part their way.
“Not a fan of parties?” Ariel asked somewhat amused as Count D has the typical grimace on his face as he offers his arm to Ariel and both climb the stairs, just because Ariel is in a good mood, she´ll play along and pretend with Count D they´re climbing the stairs and not a big tentacle.
“Not really, especially this one!” Kurt Darkholme replies doing his best to ignore some of the gentries who have tentacles and 4 eyes. They stay still for a moment as Ariel looks around with big doe eyes to everything, maybe, just maybe, is the little girl in her being affected by being in such place(it may as well be one-time thing, but, she´ll remember) and she smiles fondly as this place looks like a long lost sweet dream for her.
Count Darkholme looks at her, not only because this view is free of tentacles, but because he wants to stare at her. “I didn´t have the chance to speak this before, but, you look beautiful tonight” his tone is calmer and less grumpy than usual and Ariel can see why his fans like his accent so much.
“Would you say that blue is my colour?” Ariel asked back joking and the man, full of surprises, offers a smirk as aside from offering an innuendo (”of course you do, wanna see more of the colour blue?”) rose from his seat, still ignoring the tentacles and attempt to ask Ariel to dance.
She accepts, but, then asks. “You seem to give the impression of hating to dance”
“And yes, I´d not like, yet, I would like to compete with.....you know what and win, I think I can be a better dancer than.........you know what” Count D states and Ariel chuckles amused and off they go dancing.
“You´re a strange woman, Ariel”
“Strange because I hate mining or because I´m trying to know who is the nameless killer?”
“Both”
“I´ll take that as a compliment”
“Good that´s the idea, I prefer your originality than cope and paste from.....you know what”
“Thanks, and since we´re being sincere...I think you're connected to the killer somehow”
“And you´re not afraid of me?”
“No, you should be afraid of me, do you still want to be in this engagement?”
“Even if you suspect me? Yes, because, like I say, I like your originality”
“Damn, and here I was hoping it was my sex appeal”
They continue to dance, talk and one of them is ignoring the tentacles monsters and even through Ariel confessed her suspicious of him it hardly matters for the man, maybe, Count D is not linked at all or is not taken her seriously.
Violet eyes watch the couple dancing and are not happy by that. Betsy Braddock was hoping to get Count D´s attention and now...it seems she has a rival.