While Martin went to use the Bathroom, Tomoe went to the bar.
"What will you have... ma'am" The bartender obviously disliked Kusari, however was profesional enough to realize that if she was here, she must be on the rather small list of Kusari decended people that were to not be called Ricers...... to their face at least.
"Gimme a glass of booze"
"Booze... madam ? "
"Yeah, booze."
"Ma'am we have over a hundred beverages immediately on hand that qualify as 'booze'. And several hundred more in storage. "
Tomoe decided there that she may tone down her teasing of Bridge for being late.
// yes folks this is a setup for anyone who chooses to interact with my characther:P
As Salazar started to drink the Champagne, Serena urgently pulled on his arm.
"What?" he asked.
"Look!" she hissed in return, and both of their gazes drifted up to where a large group of security men were working up on the top balcony.
Salazar shrugged.
"Don't worry, let's enjoy ourselves and get our job done."
Serena nodded, picked up a flute of champagne and moved towards a nearby noble. Salazar did the same, moving towards a trio of ladies giggling near the dancefloor.
"Ladies..." he said suavely. They giggled in response.
"May I know the names of you beautiful ladies?" he asked, pushing slightly. They giggled again, and finally relented.
"I'm Hanna."
"I'm Steph."
"I'm Phyllis."
He smiled and bowed slightly.
"My name is George Kestor. A pleasure to meet you ladies."
He reached past Steph to catch a waiter who was moving past with a tray of Champagne flutes. As he did, his wrist lightly brushed the upper arm of Steph, and swiftly transferred a small metal bug, about a millimetre across, to her.
"Oh, my apologies" he quickly said, and handed her the champagne as an excuse for his mistake.
It took him a further 2 minutes to transfer identical bugs to the other two ladies, wives of 3 important ministers.
He smiled and moved back towards the buffet table, heading towards more ladies. Serena had already 'bugged' 2, and was now heading towards another. All they had to do was avoid Nelson, if he was even here...
When Jacob finally arrived, there was already quite a lot of people, or at least it seemed so from all the ships and cars parked outside the manor.
Jacob was wearing his best uniform, the one he usually wore for promotion ceremonies. He thought his own cheap suit wouldn't look well here. The dark blue uniform had Captain insignias on the shoulders and a DFC medal sticked on his chest.
At the entrance, he's shown his invitation to the butler, and then walked in. He saw a lot of unknown people inside, but also a few BAF pilots he knew. He nodded towards them with smile as a greeting.
When looking around more carefully, he saw a man, quite weirdly clothed for this occasion, who was apparently trying to not be seen here. He looked familiar, but he disappeared into the crowd as fast as he has shown.
Jacob has ordered himself a glass of scotch and sat down to the nearest table, waiting. He was already getting quite nervous from the amount of nobles around him.
Lafiel had vanished back to her room after greeting a few of the early arriving guests she had suddenly felt really nervous and had decided she would come back down again later there had been one gentlemen he hadn't felt right being around it had made her shiver was it the fact he was nobility no he just felt sinister and cruel in someway which she couldn't quite place as why she felt this way. She heard the door silently open and close she turned her head as she sat on her bed to see the arrival she had half expected Sophia or her father but before her stood Charles Augustus Tarrant Duke of Arundel in all his aged authority.
He crossed the room to place a comforting arm around Lafiel for all of is one hundred and eleven years he still moved very fast for someone his age he spoke warmly as he questioned her, "Here's the birthday girl. Oh my what is wrong why are you cooped up in here missing your own party my Granddaughter are you alright?" Lafiel looked at him and turned hugging him, "Oh Grandad how do you do it? Swim amongst so many people with such confidence. How do you deal with so many people that aren't what they seem so many people that aren't genuine don't you feel it doesn't it affect you the ones that mean you ill or worse?"
The Duke looked at lafiel his facial expression had become very mixed it looked like concern and worry was threatening to break through that warm old man's expression the one that only someone that has been a parent can give that everything is going to be alright. The Duke looked his granddaughter in the eyes as if observing her for any sign of change in her expression as he spoke, "Well my dear understand that it is perfectly natural you are still young and haven't quite gotten used to the way people act towards one of status. You will of course see that in time it is all just a tedious game of courts there will be people that will mean you ill as well as people that mean you the best, there will be those that want to use you as a means to an end but it is the honest ones that you can trust you will learn that are the people you keep close to you. You are not old enough yet but you will become accustomed to how you deal with the person depending on their purpose you will become accustomed to seeing with your eyes and not feel with your heart the world that is around you like I have its just a matter of knowing the dance and what steps to take next. You are special my dear and your family loves you; know that you are special somethings will happen easily somethings you might struggle but you are unique and that is a blessings do not worry about the moment for it is the shortest place in time. Now listen no more fretting or worrying I want you to go down stairs and enjoy yourself think not of the people being there to judge you but as being there to celebrate your life."
The duke broke his locked gaze with his granddaughter as if he were coming out of a dream, "My my I do ramble on off you go now I don't want to see my granddaughter in here mopping about." Lafiel got up and made for the door he hadn't let her think over what he had said or speak or question she turned back as the words grandad formed on her lips he just gestured with the back of his hand, "Off you go Lafiel your missing out on the party. I will see you at dinner for now I will go find your father."
Lafiel wondered were the best place was to start. She nodded and greeted the few stray guests that were wondering around the halls as she past them as she came to the the fork in the road the Grand staircase would she head upto the great hall on level five were everyone would be eating or head down to the lower levels were there would be most definitely a lot of people by now. She sighed she knew going to the great hall would be pointless no one would be in there yet she leaned against the banister and looked down to the people below were she saw a few familliar faces she smiled to herself was it cheating she wouldn't judge herself so but she would start there. Her dress was flowing as she gracefully descended the stairwell she didn't realise how picturesque the moment actually looked as she arrived on the ground floor she saw one of the few people that had made her feel really uncomfortable she couldn't put her finger on it why she felt terror looking at the odd figure she ignored it as best as she could as she duct and dodged past people like a dancer till she saw a few armed forces officers she knew by the bar if she was not mistaken Police Commissioner palmer as well though she had only seen him in a picture or on the news and never met him.
He had pushed his way quickly through the crowd, mumbling little random rants about nobility along the way. His goal was the elegant bar, though on his way into the room prior to actually entering the great hall, the bar was on his left though he had quickly went to his right.
Austin decided it was best to circle around and make sure no one had spotted him. Though he knew that he stood out the most, after all he was a Cambridge farm boy that was mumbling random little rants about nobility. So far he was surprised that a noble hadn't lashed out and smacked him yet.
Continuing to weave through the crowd, Austin had bumped shoulder-to-shoulder with someone. He didn't glance back to see who he ran into as he continued forwards to the bar. Which was now a few steps away, spying an empty barstool, he smiled in general and took it before anyone else could.
The bartender had walked over causally, "Good day to you, what would you like to drink? Sir." He said, Austin looked up at the bartender and nodded. "Glass of water, if that's not hard for you to get, knowing Nobility and all." Austin replied with grin on his lips.
The bartender had only laughed and walked away, coming back a few minutes later with some water which Austin had gladly picked up, took a sip, and got up to leave the bar, glass and all.
This time, he had decided to melt back into the crowd and hide somewhere near the stairs, probably not the best idea, which is why he changed his mind and headed for somewhere towards the middle of the large mass of nobles and commoners, hopefully to find someone to talk to, that wasn't an annoying young girl.
He also hoped to find someone to pour his half-empty glass of water on, or 'accidentally' spill it. He mused at the thought, and gave a light, and quiet, laugh.
Lafiel stopped at the entrance to the hall were the bar was setup and sighed she saw everyone at the bar they hadn't noticed her yet she twirled and headed back the way she had come to the throng of people in the entrance hall. Do the hard stuff first talk to the strangers she thought to herself or should I say strangers and the strange guy. She immediately began speaking to the first person that was free to talk to.
********************************************************************************
Lady Sophia Mertel was wandering in search of Lafiel she had vanished from sight there was a debate raging in her mind that she might have left the party she wandered back inside from the courtyard with the fountain. It had been almost half an hour since she had seen the young countess just as she finished checking the lower levels she spotted her coming from upstairs satisfied that the countess was part of the party she headed left into the hallway with the bar upon arriving there she gave her command to the bartender over her side of the bar, "One scotch on the rocks please bartender if you would be so kind." The bartender bowed as he replied, "Certainly Lady Mertel it will be with you momentarily." Sophia turned observing the scene before she suddenly felt a glass being placed in her hand, "Here you are my lady." Sophia was impressed the barmen had made good on his word. She gingerly walked over to the fireplace that was crackling on the far side of the room were she took up a position to observe the crowd.
********************************************************************************
Oblivious to the party the library of Araluen Manor was all but silent there was no guests whom had entered it there was a light that crept from underneath the door to Lord Tarrant's study two muffled voices were heard from beyond. If anyone had dared to travel into the library let alone come waltzing into the office they would have found the Duke and Marquis in deep discussion. The Duke was helping himself to one of the cigar's his son kept for especially for him as no one else in the family smoked and a glass of scotch. His son sat in the incredibly high backed desk chair as he sat behind his desk with his own glass of scotch. Charle's took a puff of his cigar before he continued, "You must tell her my son, you must tell her everything or I will, tell them both and this very evening."
Sebastian glared imperiously at his father in defiance, "I can't tell them not now they are both not ready for it just imagine the shock such a thing would do to them both they are only eighteen merry children we should wait four more years."
Charles who had been pacing suddenly stopped slamming his fist down on the desk as he yelled, "For gods sake man pull yourself together I will not stand by and watch as I can not love and acknowledge my own Granddaughter nor watch either of my Granddaughters suffer day by day from secrets that should never have been held in the first place. You can not protect them forever my son they are young ladies now adults in their own rights you will not be around for them forever. Did you know you know both daughters are suffering greatly from the head ackes of such side affects take just the other day when I took your daughter horse riding she collapsed from the saddle after giving minor warning that she was suffering from such a headacke."
Sebastian face looked pained as he sat back in his chair, "No I was unaware father she didn't tell me."
Charles gaze was fierce but gradually relaxing as he calmed down, "No I imagine there is a lot your daughter doesn't tell you!" Sebastian let out a sigh his face collapsing with remorse, "You are right father, I must tell them I will find an apropriate time to tell them this night it is high time it was known to them both. Even if the only positive thing from this revelation is that there natural affinity for one another is not misplaced and that they know now that they are sisters. I believe this would bring much joy to them both if nothing else does."
Charles went around the desk and placed his hand on his son's shoulder, "I know it's hard son but you will see that you are doing the right thing.
![[Image: SethSig.png]](http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p272/Sedrander/SethSig.png)
![[Image: sig-15633.jpg]](http://www.clintonio.com/sig-15633.jpg)
![[Image: L4Dc5Fv.png]](http://i.imgur.com/L4Dc5Fv.png)