Familiar Faces [open]

[Reika]

This was a rare and perfect opportunity, and yet one that caused the quiet woman a great deal of inner turmoil. Being around so many Unseelie was a necessary sacrifice, if she wanted to spot a familiar face it would probably appear here. Anyone who was anyone in either court would most likely make an appearance, however brief. She was no exception. Clad in her usual sparring attire, she had added a long white coat for the sake of conforming and concealing her sleepy mantel. The bat hung from the inside of her coat on a custom perch, content with whatever was going on outside.

Her long black hair was left loose and casual, and her katana sat comfortably on the hip opposite from the side occupied by sleepy Koji. The coat was a cumbersome barrier, but she didn't intend to need weaponry today. It was more of a just-in-case precaution. Reika filtered through the lines of fae like a ghost, not pretending to smile or engage anyone, but rather taking in new and old faces and continuing to move through. Her eyes flickered over the refreshments; one similarity between her and her sister was their fear of how alcohol affected them. Namiko used it to relax with embarrassing consequences, and Reika used it to forget. Her consequences were between herself and the alcohol, however.

Managing to suppress any external reaction to the thought, she took a seat by the side of a relatively empty table. This way, most people wouldn't have a reason to come by, but it gave her a good vantage point while appearing to be socializing. Seeing familiar faces amongst the Seelie also made her uncomfortable, she didn't like feeling connected or known by people, it felt too vulnerable and open. On the other hand, it was unavoidable. To have a total disconnect and sour her reputation would be to dishonor her parents.

Motion from within her coat alerted her to the fact that Koji's waking hours were growing fast upon them, something she was thankful for. Concealing a large bat wasn't exactly comfortable. Watching him during his hunting hours was a kind of relaxation for her. His movements were like a predatory dance, graceful and mesmerizing. She had tried to apply some of that smooth precision to her own movements. In a way, he taught her. Hearing noise from behind her, she did her best to subtly turn and investigate out of her peripherals. No need to look overly curious, but ignoring something behind her went against every instinct in her body.

[Jun]

The Festival of Imbolc was full of horrible memories for Jun. Though the Unseelie male had not attended the festival in hundreds of years, one of his previous ventures out into the thick of Seelie and Unseelie fae had led to the encounter that had eventually destroyed his life. Still, Jun was a social faerie. He had an overwhelming desire to know anyone and everyone, and that included Seelie faerie. Jun naturally held no grudges. While those who knew of his past would have thought the male would naturally harbor an intense hatred of the Seelie, Jun had no such thoughts. He preferred a neutral stance when it came to conversing with others, though ultimately his loyalty was with his own court.

Dressed in a pure white suit with accompanying white dress shirt, tie, and even shoes, Jun practically glowed like a Sidhe in the candlelight. Everything about his appearance was impeccable; dirt even appeared to avoid him. His signature smile was one his face, open and inviting yet not without reservation. He had even drawn upon his slight illusion to bleach the color from his hair, leaving it as bright white as freshly fallen snow. It wafted around his face much like a cloud, contrasting sharply against his skin. Jun strode with confidence, his back straight, every bit the aristocrat he was born to be.

He had spent much time socializing already with various faerie, including the servants that so gleefully served beverages and food. Still, there were plenty of new faces to be seen, particularly of the Seelie, since Jun had had little to do with their court. He was on his way to a nearby table when he spotted Reika’s back. Perplexed as to why someone would prefer to sit alone when such brilliant company was around, Jun shifted directions instantly and came up behind her, snatching two glasses of water in the process. He cleared his throat to announce his presence in a manner that would not excite her.

The moment she turned he recognized her as Seelie, or, at least he was relatively sure. She was currently not recorded in his mental book of memorized faces, of which included practically all of the Unseelie. Still, the nature of her alignment mattered little to him. Jun’s smile broadened and he dipped his head ever so slightly, ”Merry Imbolc M’lady. Might I offer you a drink?” He shifted his left hand out towards her, the glass of water perched neatly in it. As he did so, his sleeved withdrew a bit, just barely revealing a bit of his coiled mantel tattoo. One might have thought the choice in drink quite interesting, though the thought behind it was rather simple. Jun avoided alcohol for the most part, and he often refrained from offering women a beverage that could impede their senses. After all, he knew too well the fear that came from intoxication and loss of control.

[Reika]

Before the eyes even fell onto her back, she was aware of whose eyes they were. Jun did indeed glow, and while it would have been impressive and breathtaking to the right people (or in particular, women), to Reika it was just another shiny white outfit in a sea of other shiny white outfits. Nice, but a little too forced. There was no way he dressed like that normally, it was so impractical. Or maybe he just tended to get stained with blood less than she had. He did hold a certain air of sophistication that made her think he was either someone important, or aspiring to be someone important. Maybe a face worth remembering, time would tell.

At the sound of the man clearing his throat, Reika turned as if she hadn't been watching him out of the corner of her eye as much as possible. She quirked an eye in feigned surprise, flicking her attention from the offered glass to the man, and back again. Immediately she took note of the tattoo. Unseelie. Or a man with a fondness for snakes. But his impeccable appearance made her believe he wouldn't be much for body art unless it was out of necessity. She would be very like-minded in that case, and her back itched as if in cruel reminder that some things were just beyond ones control.

"Maybe. Maybe not."

With that cryptic response, she took the glass from his hand gently and brought it under her nose inconspicuously. No immediate scent of anything. Not alcoholic, though it was uncommon for someone to present water on first instinct. She tried to keep her suspicions at bay and assume the man knew as much about her as she knew of him- that being nothing at all. In order to explain her previous actions, she stated simply "I don't drink.", and then proceeded to take a light sip of the water. The raven-haired woman often stayed well hydrated, so it was for his benefit that she drank it at all.

The cup sat in front of her chest for a moment before a head poked out of her coat and inspected the glass, sticking his face in to drink deeply. "Thk. Koji." She made a soft sound with her tongue and the bat startled, blinking around in the dusky light. Apparently it was to his liking, because he took that time to fall into the woman's lap and then lift up onto the table with a few short wing flaps.

Apparently not bothered by the sudden interruption, Reika sat the mostly empty glass on the table and crossed her long, leather-clad legs. Settling the white coat atop the exposed stark black of her outfit, she placed her hands on her knees and looked at the Unseelie man expectantly. Surely he had some purpose in approaching her.

[Jun]

A master of empathy and body language, Jun could easily decipher the facial expressions of those he came in contact with. Unlike his little brother, Jun had spent years perfecting his ability to read others, knowing full well that it would come in handy in the future as he attempted to secure himself in the Unseelie court. Plus, the capability gave him an edge when it came to confrontations and even combat, though Jun preferred to fight with tongue and wit rather than blade. He had not drawn blood via a weapon for several hundred years, and had absolutely no intention to do so in the future. Still, the lady before him had the look of an experience warrior, and that much he admired.

As she accepted his drink he watched her calmly, his gold flecked bronzed eyes flickering softly in the candlelight. She was definitely easy on the eyes, though this was not a rareness amongst the faerie. Still, Reika had a harshness to her, a sharpness that suggested she would not hesitate to cut his tongue from his maw should he say something to offend her. This thought made his smile stretch just a tad more.

Jun rose an eyebrow as her mantel emerged and she murmured it's name. Though he could have easily guessed at her heritage, the utterance of her mantel's name gave him further indication that they shared common blood, despite their different courts. He cocked his head thoughtfully, contemplating whether or not to comment on it, yet stayed his tongue. Instead, he simply shifted forward and placed his glass on her table. Then, with little flourish, he took one step back and dropped down into a partial bow, his eyes never straying from hers. It was not only a more formal greeting than before, but it was his way of expressing his gratitude for her acceptance of his offer.

He straightened, his hands clasping gently in front of him, "I go by Jun, of the Unseelie court. I saw you sitting here and thought perhaps you might enjoy some company. This is, after all, a joyful occasion. One shouldn't spend it alone." He gave a cant of his head, his eyes twinkling, a sense of wisdom far beyond his age adorning him. His voice was soft and soothing to the ears, with absolutely no ill intent veiled behind his words, "However, if I thought wrong M'lady, you only need say it and I shall be gone."

[Reika]

Reika would be the opposite of the man before her. Her words were usually still and reserved for times when they seemed important. If something needed to be said it was often done by her expression, body language, or a weapon. Those were her prime conversational skills. It wasn't uncommon for her to be approached on the basis of combat, many Seelie had inquired as to her training. The sword usually went unconcealed, so it was kind of inviting for questions. It wasn't something Reika particularly relished.

He had already noticed they shared the same golden flecks in their eyes, curious that. Of course she had noted he was handsome in that very topless suave romance novel kind of way. Some had probably even been written about him. Even his very mannerisms reminded her of that same comparison. Charming, chivalrous, every woman's natural wet dream. She mentally scoffed at it, it was exactly her younger sister's style. Her eyes darkened a touch when she realized the young woman shared the same court as this man; had they met before? She resisted asking, no need to sound like the girl had personal ties to her.

When he went into the bow, she dipped her head politely, a force of habit. He was right in assuming her heritage, and though she'd only spent a small portion of her life there, she'd adapted to a few human customs. Some of them were quite similar to that of faerie. He was also very correct about the cutting off the tongue idea. That would be very much her style.

"And I am Reika, of the Seelie court." His name was familiar to her, perhaps they had more in common. She paused to consider his words with a slight eyebrow raise. "Is it? I'll take your word." This time to her held no significant meaning. It was a time where the world changed just as it always did, a natural progression. AKA: an excuse to make a big deal out of nothing. His voice was pleasant enough, it gave off a warm sensation the way all good voices did. When she spoke, it tended to be smooth and quiet, but with a certain tenseness.

Her mouth itched to confirm his suspicions but she sighed inwardly. He had done nothing to warrant her scorn... except being an Unseelie. Her mouth almost quivered at the thought but she managed to stay blank. Koji had wandered over to Jun's glass and began to consume the man's water while he was distracted. She could not, for the life of her, curb this creature's impolite manners. Her fingers rose to one temple and rotated in place before she stared at the bat. "I apologize for him." She offered, and then noticed she'd dodged his earlier indirect question.

Settling on using him as cover (sitting with someone off to the side was much less suspicious than sitting alone off to the side), she decided to respond. "It's fine."

[Jun]

Jun’s attention never left the woman before him. Once Jun entered a conversation with a person, be it man or woman, his attention became entirely devoted to them. This was particularly apparent when he conversed with women, as he had a habit of attending to their every need, whether they asked for it or not. However, Jun always heeded the actions of his temporary companion, make-shifting his own personality around what he deemed they would most feel comfortable with. While Reika was indeed a beautiful woman, stunning in a fierce way, Jun pegged her as a warrior and as such a woman who would prefer not to be wined and dined in a superficial manner. Jun had the feeling he would have to tiptoe around her outer defenses if he truly wanted a meaningful conversation, but for now he was content to merely remain in her company.

The male Nimbus smiled and allowed a soft chuckle to escape his lips as Reika’s mantel took to his glass of water, ”Far be it for me to deny a thirsty creature water. He may drink as much as he wishes.” Jun found the Seelie court faerie mantel’s quite fascinating, and a part of him wondered what it would be like to have a creature so deeply bonded to you. Despite the variety of pets Jun had owned while on Earth, his bond with them had never exceeded the pet-and-master relationship. On the other hand, Ren had easily adapted to the animals and they had similarly taken to him. Jun thought perhaps it was the innocence that Ren embodied that attracted their pets so, or, perhaps it was Jun’s own guarded personality that kept him from allowing even animals to enter his heart.

At her acceptance of his veiled proposal, Jun deftly pulled out the closest chair, shifting it so that it faced her a bit more and then nestling into it smoothly. He sat with his back straight, his hands folded in his lap and his eyes on her. His simple smile never strayed from his lips. Jun already knew that this was going to be a one-sided conversation, but he was willing to put the effort into making a new acquaintance. At this time Jun recognized her as a woman, not a Seelie, and the gentleman in him wanted to make her feel as at ease as possible, whether through company or conversation.

He took a deep breath and calmly exhaled, almost as if building himself up to what he wanted to say. Still, his words were not nearly as dramatic as the breath might have indicated, ”Have you resided in the Seelie court long M’lady? Though certain obvious restrictions have kept me from completing my knowledge of the Seelie court fae, I have met a few in passing, though never have I seen your face.” He did not care to mention his previous absence. Jun may be adept at prying even if he didn’t appear to be, but he was not a faerie that casually released information about himself, especially not to a faerie of the neighboring court.

[Reika]

Reika had a feeling most girls would have swooned in Jun's presence. He was everything a woman would want: polite, gentlemanly, attentive, engaging, handsome, and potentially intelligent (they hadn't talked extensively enough for her to be sure). The Seelie woman had experienced a certain disconnect, and truth be told she was no longer certain if she knew how to love. Not in the way that a good person would deserve from her. She didn't have the time, barely had the experience, and she couldn't remember if she'd been a good girlfriend even when she was a softer kind of person.

Why she was thinking about this was a mystery, the man was an Unseelie. His laughter was true to his character- the deep shiver-inducing kind. It made her raise an eyebrow curiously; was he trying to get a reaction from her? Her long fingers snaked out to flick at the bat's tail, something she knew irritated him. The fox-faced creature turned with a loud cry of annoyance, stalking away from the mostly emptied cup. He looked to the sky, evidently waiting for night to fall so that he might go hunting. He rarely left her side during the day. She'd never had a pet of any kind before, so it had been an entirely new adjustment to her. Maybe she wasn't as loving as she should have been, but their connection seemed good regardless.

She watched the man make himself comfortable, though in her opinion it seemed very uncomfortable. He was staring at her as if he was getting ready to interview her, or ask about her life's story. Neither were particularly up her alley. She didn't like to answer a lot of questions about herself. The deep breath made her turn to watch him directly, what was he about to ask that required so much effort? She tried not to let her suspicion show and calmly waited for him to speak. He was right about it being a mostly one-sided conversation. But then he was also right about assessing her personality.

"I pass through on and off." She offered simply, guardedly. Now realizing the flaws of being the one not asking the questions- that she had to be the one answering them, she debated allowing herself a slight distraction in asking him questions in return. There wasn't much to see right now anyway, and it would buy her some time from being dissected. "What is your mantel? I hear Unseelie wear them in tattoos?" That was a lie- she'd seen it, she hadn't heard it. And she'd been tattooed by Unseelie to look like them. Although not living, there was a perfect replica of Koji on her back.

[Jun]

Jun allowed a momentary silence to set in as he pondered her question, his eyes watching her though their gaze was not harsh. He took note of her discomfort and inwardly frowned, somewhat distressed that the woman before him seemed irritated. Had he perhaps done something wrong? Was there a way he could rectify this? Though Jun didn’t know of Reika’s past, he knew of two possible reasons for her guarded nature. Either she had been born that way –which Jun highly doubted- or something had happened in her past that had secured her such a personality. Jun understood that path completely. His own past was so riddled with pain and suffering that even he struggled now to allow anyone to grow close to him, save for his little brother. That boy meant the world to Jun.

The Nimbus tilted his head ever so slightly as he watched Reika. She was stunningly beautiful, a trait that many Nimbus possessed but did not fully utilize. Reika was comparable to most Sidhe in Jun’s eyes, and he had a feeling that this warrior of a woman would be quick to come into power, much unlike himself. He looked forward to the day that he could see her in her shining glory, despite the fact that she would be lending that newfound strength to the Seelie court.

He seemed somewhat shocked when she asked about his mantel, blinking at her in surprise before he simply smiled. The question was warranted of course. He knew of hers, why not she of his? ”The Common Indian Krait.” Jun said smoothly as he used his right hand to push his left sleeve up. The cobalt blue reptile purled around his left forearm only, in constant movement. Unlike his brother’s tattoo, Jun’s was far less deadly and a great deal smaller. Still, the mantel said a lot about Jun’s character. Indian kraits were known for their reluctance to bite unless repeatedly provoked. Jun was naturally a passive male; he was hard to anger and possessed an extremely clear mind. Though this meant he had little skill with the sword, Jun’s strategic intelligence was undisputed, and his constant thirst for knowledge had turned him into a walking encyclopedia of knowledge.

Jun allowed her to gaze upon it briefly before he slipped his sleeve back down and replaced his hands in his lap, ”I hardly ever put it to use, save for the nights I am struck with insomnia.” Those nights were, unfortunately, quite often. It was at that moment that Queen Annette arrived and gave her toast. Jun shot a casual look towards the Queen, nothing more. She was striking, but unlike many, Jun was somewhat blind to beauty. He could recognize it, appreciate it, but it never incited anything in him. ”Your Queen has quite a demanding presence.” This was the first time he had seen Annette in person, though he had read up on her and knew of her. Her Goblin Blade title was admirable, as was her clear-headedness. Jun knew immediately upon seeing her that the Seelie court was in good hands- perhaps far better hands than the Unseelie court, governed by their somewhat immature and easily angered King.

”Then again, so do her subjects.” Jun was praising the Seelie court, yes, and his words were honest. However, there was no doubt in his mind where his loyalties lied. He would be forever attached to the Unseelie court unless some major upset gave cause to change his mind. ”I can only assume the court is just as beautiful.” The open-endedness of his comment made it quite clear that he wished Reika to elaborate on his assumption if she felt so inclined.

[Reika]

If they were ever in a position to open up more about themselves, the two would find that they had much in common. The biggest difference between them was their courts, and how they handled their past trauma. Jun's easygoing persona (or perhaps it was his true nature) was something Reika's acting capabilities were not able to reproduce. She couldn't act in a way that she didn't feel, at least partially. And she didn't feel like letting anyone get in the position to sweep her world from under her feet again. Jun could easily be the kind of man who would take her dignity from her if she let him, it was almost too easy to let her guard down around him.

Trying to ignore his calming aura, she arched her back against the table and let the wood dig into her back. As well as Koji's claws, as he took this as an invitation to climb up her back, and down the crook of her right arm where it was bent along the table. He dropped down from it, leaving slight angry red marks on her skin. The woman seemed entirely fine with it and didn't so much as flinch. In fact, the lines of discomfort seemed to ease from her face. For some reason, small pricks of pain had always brought about clear-mindedness to her. Exhaling lightly, she regarded Jun with a cool but more relaxed gaze.

He was watching her in a way she was unaccustomed to, but one that she was too sharp to ignore. Her sister's naivety meant that the woman never noticed when she was being admired, but Reika's skills with eye and body language meant it didn't go unnoticed by any means. It was natural, especially for the fae. While aware that she was attractive, she never utilized it for any manipulative purposes, not even related to battle. In her eyes it was a fairly useless trait- there were many beautiful people in Alanor. Being beautiful only garnered so much respect amongst certain people, but being strong of heart, mind, and body... now that had so much more widespread potential. She gave a one-sided smirk despite the situation, and in a moment it was gone.

Lowering her gaze, Reika took in the blue serpent with curiosity. She had always liked snakes, the way they moved, their mannerisms. Even their very appearance was intriguing. It honestly made quite a nice tattoo as well, and the way it moved was almost hypnotizing. Though she was unfamiliar with the specifics of the species, it seemed to be a solid mantel in terms of usefulness. "A fine mantel." She offers honestly, watching the sleeve slide back into place.

Jun's comment about insomnia made her give him a quizzical look. What would living in his mantel's form provide him in that situation? Maybe she'd have to experience the transformation to understand. The idea of being a bat herself was interesting, amusing, and a little strange all at once. Koji certainly had some distasteful habits that she wouldn't like to repeat. "Is that often?" Best to keep him talking, it was helping to relax not being in the spotlight.

Reika's eyes had already trained on the form of the Queen, taking in her voice and title with a head bow of respect. "That she does." And the warrioress was appreciative of that. It was something she aspired to. Not to be a Queen herself, but rather to have that kind of presence. A Goblin Blade title wouldn't be bad, but that was perhaps dreaming a bit large. For now she sought to have a duty and purpose to her skills.

Surprise flitted through her eyes like a ghost flame, not expecting him to praise her people or the court. Unfortunately, she couldn't say anything in return because it would be a sour lie in her mouth. Apparently there were exceptions... or just really good actors. She looked at Jun for a long moment before speaking, still unsure of how to react. "Depends on your tastes, I suppose."

[Jun]

”More often than I would like,” Jun admitted truthfully with a smile. For once his mask was even more complete than ever before. Jun was a man of truth; he rarely said anything that he did not mean. On the other hand, his expressions, save for when he was deeply troubled about some external matter, were hardly ever truly readable. On occasion he slipped up, revealed the tormented creature he really was, especially in the face of something that reminded him of the horrific past he couldn’t forget. Aside from those slim times, Jun hid his weakness, kept his fears wrapped up behind a mask of smiles. He had become a creature so fake that he hardly even recognized himself. Subconsciously he envied just how free Reika seemed to be. She was a stronger faerie than Jun would ever be.

Jun found that for once he had nothing much to say. He was content to stay in Reika’s vicinity, even without speaking, but the lull in conversation did urk him a tad. He had expected Reika not to yield much, but Jun, already troubled, couldn’t quite bring himself to think of anything to blabber on about. Instead he cast his gaze across the tent, allowing it to linger on the faerie present. He recognized a fair few, and nodded at them when they caught his gaze, but nothing more. For a split second he thought he caught a glimpse of his brother, but soon after could not locate the boy due to the crowd. Jun severely hoped the younger one had come out like he had previously requested of Ren. It was imperative that they make appearances in order to secure their place in court life.

As his eyes rotated back to Reika, blinking behind a few wisps of white hair, Jun started again, ”I suppose. If it is anything like the splendor of the Unseelie court, I am sure I would find it to suit my tastes.” Jun was a man who enjoyed high-end items, as dictated by his mode of dress. ”Might I ask, Reika, why you ventured out this day? You seem quite uncomfortable in social situations.” His tone was soothing, much like the psychiatrist role he had used to play back on Earth. Still, there was a bite to it, slipped in there to prompt a retort. Jun was, in essence, suggesting that Reika was not suited for the area if she insisted on maintaining her aloof aura.

[Reika]

Reika gave him another long stare without blinking- somehow she'd mastered the art of blinking very little. "And what keeps you up at night?" Anything else like a smile or a purr to her voice might have made that seem like an obvious come-on. With her fairly closed off and deadpan expression however, it was up to interpretation entirely. Many things kept her up at night, things her family would never know about and then simple things like training or writing. She kept a very secretive journal of her thoughts to reflect on later.

Content with letting the man prowl the crowd with his eyes, no doubt for someone more interesting, she took in the silence and did a quick look around herself. Still no one she was looking for, it was a good and a bad thing. She wanted badly to know where she stood in terms of being able to get her revenge, but it would be so tempting to make a scene if they were spotted. Her feelings might be uncontrollable, she wasn't sure. She'd never been able to test how well she could keep control in that particular situation because it was impossible to replicate. Seeing those faces... imagining it didn't do justice to how she would feel.

His comment was not unanticipated, he seemed like the man who enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle. "You do seem to have refined tastes. Your king must enjoy that." Were she in Cel's position, she'd most likely use him as a host for entertainment. He was well put together, good looking, and a great conversationalist. He also never broke his 'poker face'. He would probably do well in his court. His next question made her eyes darken, considering the undertones of his words.

She didn't like to be assessed. Though truth be told, if he were a Seelie in the Seelie court, he'd see a bit of a different side to her. She was uptight as hell today because she was anticipating seeing some very bad fae. Being around so many Unseelie was unsettling, anyone could turn around and ignite that memory...

"Do I? A bold statement for a woman you've known less than an hour." It was dodging the question entirely, but in her opinion it was the best answer. However, if she didn't give him something solid he might just pry more. "I'm here to observe the interactions of the new generation of Seelie... and... Unseelie."

[Jun]

Jun rose an eyebrow as Reika prodded deeper into the topic of his insomnia. Still, he decided to humor her with his classic chesire grin in place, ”Hrm?” He tilted his head, his eyes twinkling softly from behind wisps of white hair, ”Worries, dreams, restlessness. A myriad of reasons.” Mostly the dreams, but Jun wasn’t about to spill his life secrets to a woman he had just met.

Her reaction to his last inquiry humored him and he had to hold back a soft chuckle. Jun raised an eyebrow and slowly leaned forward, closer to her. His face was inquisitive, his eyes searching her, dissecting her motions, every bat of her eyes and twitch of her lips. Jun tilted his head ever so slightly, and were it not for the welcoming mask on his face his move could have easily been considered threatening. He drew close enough to cause discomfort, his rear shifting forward in his seat to close the distance between him and her.

Jun’s voice was soft, purling through his lips like liquid honey, sweet, with a pure enticing allure, ”I do apologize M’lady. My assumption was quite brash and uncalled for.” He allowed his gaze to trace her face, lingering on the way the light reflected across her flawless skin. And then he was gone, shifting backwards in his seat to resume his original posture. He held a hand out to gesture towards the crowd, ”Pray tell me, what do you think of your fellow faerie?”

[Reika]

Although he hadn't spilled his life's story, he had let on that he was feeling troubled in some way. It was curious, either he'd done it on purpose to instill a false sense of trust in her to get her to confess something similar... or, he was loosening up a bit. But the second one was probably unlikely, he seemed the kind who would play the court games. She wasn't fond of it, Reika didn't play games, she just made people work for her trust before showing her true colors.

"Sounds troubling... I hope you find answers to your worries." The thought was sincere, though it was hard to tell from her lack of change in expression.

His sudden reaction was unexpected, and a little strange. Ignoring the natural pull of faerie attraction, she steeled herself in place and gave the man dead eyes. Whatever he was looking for, he wouldn't find here. As he was a mere inch away from her, her eyes broke contact to search his face, find a smile, twitch of lip, anything to indicate the purpose for this stare down. She could feel the slight breeze of air against her skin when he breathed, a small tick of irritation in her mind at the thought that he was testing her somehow. Regardless, he'd be disappointed at the outcome most likely.

She took in the voice for what it was and managed not to show any outward reaction at the darkly seductive mental images. What strange games he played. "And this isn't uncalled for?" Her eyebrow tilted up with a look suggesting that she was highly unimpressed. Whether his antics had gotten to her or not, the man might never know. If he was into girls who were hard to get, Reika would have probably been quite the ball of fun.

When he moved back, her chest expanded to draw in the air she'd been lacking, the atmosphere feeling lighter and more comfortable at last. Glancing at the same old people, and lack of new entrances, she shrugged apathetically. "They're faerie. What can you expect of them in public but this?" If she were really trying to study their personalities, this would be the worst setting for it, when everyone was on their fanciest behavior. But that had been a little white lie.

[Jun]

Had Jun been more intune with Reika’s thoughts he would have found them quite comical. His previous action had been uncharacteristic of him, of course, but he had done it to elicit a reaction from her. Jun would never, ever threaten a lady, but he was prone to occasionally toying with them, especially the ones so closed to the world. He didn’t do it to mess with their psyche or upset them. He did it to bring about a reaction, to break their stoic exterior. He wanted to see them react, to be more than just a stony façade of their actual selves. Unfortunately he had failed to get this from Reika; the only reaction she had given him was the holding of the air in her chest.

The concern she had showed him momentarily before his little experiment was taken to heart, but he said nothing to indicate such. Instead he leaned his back against his chair and simply watched her, smiling, ”Perhaps uncalled for, but entertaining none the less. You intrigue me M’lady.” It was the absolute truth. Reika was enticing to Jun, who though numbed to any sexual desires of his own, couldn’t help but think that she would make a great companion if she broke down a bit and opened herself to the opportunity. Jun was a lonely creature who constantly sought a stable means of true and honest communication. Reika was the type of faerie he relished- straight forward and true to herself. Still, her steely outside demeanor was something he would have to get through if he were to pursue an actual friendship with this woman; though he doubted her could ever truly be friends with a Seelie.

He rose an eyebrow at her statement and couldn’t help but chuckle, ”So very true M’lady. I must admit I too fall prey to the inclination to hide oneself in public. It is a nasty habit, one you don’t seem to be plagued with.” He winked at her. Then, without warning, Jun smoothly slid from his seat and came into a standing position, his shoulders straightening. He adjusted his white tie and smoothed the wrinkles from his jacket as his eyes studied her, ”It has been a sincere pleasure speaking with you Reika. I would love to continue to sit here and enjoy what could possibly become an amazingly deep conversation,” the twinkle in his eyes and the laughing nature to his voice revealed the joke his statement was, ”But I’m afraid that I have other duties to attend to and must leave you.” He dropped into a deep bow, his right arm crossing his chest in the process. As he straightened again he offered her one last dazzling smile, ”Take care M’lady. I do hope to have the pleasure of speaking with you again.” And then he was gone, vanishing into the crowd.

[Namgil]

Reika was not alone for long. As Jun vanished into the crowd, a dark cloud arrived to take his place. The aura and lighting around Reika’s table darkened, giving the area a feeling akin to a thunderstorm rolling in on an already cloudy day. Namgil was completely silent as he approached from the direction of the woods, where he had just moments previously been perched in his eagle form. His steel-gray shadow of a sidhe glow encompassed his skin, though the viscosity of it is was quite low, eliminating the actual visual and allowing it to be sensed rather than seen. It was an ominous feeling, the type that caused hairs to stand on end and goose bumps to prickle skin.

There was a smile on Namgil’s face, though it was anything but warm. It was a cold, cutting smile, an expression that when paired with his onyx eyes penetrated whatever came in their way with a ruthless and silent fury. The little touch of insanity that garnished his expression was vague in its entirety, but not completely unnoticeable to the most perceptive of Fae. In any case, despite the calignosity that practically seeped from his pores, there was an enticing allure to Namgil that most faerie could not deny. The way he walked – long-legged strides full of confidence, power – the way he held himself, and his dominating presence was intimidating but captivating at the same time.

His attire for the night was out of character for him. Namgil had opted to replace his usually black shades with an all-white ensemble, save for his black tie and black and white dress shoes. White dress pants, perfectly pressed, combined with a white button-down shirt, tucked in with the top few buttons left unbuttoned. His tie was slung about his neck, loosened and apparently there only for show rather than purpose. His entire appearance suggested a collected laziness, a rugged-carefree attempt at conforming to the event.

Without a word, Namgil dropped into Jun’s previously occupied seat and leaned back into it, crossing his legs in an incomplete fashion, thus allowing his ankle to rest on his knee. His fingers wove together as they folded into his lap and he looked to Reika, a smile caressing his lips. Namgil’s unruly black hair had some sort of order to it at that time, the majority of it flopping to one side, obscuring his right field of vision. His gray-rimmed black eyes were nevertheless apparent as he –rather rudely- ran them up and down her frame. They showed a casual disinterest; Namgil found her attractive and wouldn’t hesitate to bed the woman of course, but he had no real interest in her as a person, and she was not the reason he had chosen to take Jun’s abandoned seat.

Namgil had watched Jun and Reika since the beginning of their conversation. In reality, he had been watching Jun since the Nimbus had arrived at the festival. The only reason Namgil had even taken notice of Reika was because Jun had chosen to speak with her. Still, his primary focus had been on Jun. Namgil had been pleased to see that the male had hardly changed since the last time he had saw him. He was as prim and proper as he had once been, much to Namgil’s delight. However, there had been one moment of concern for Namgil; the moment Jun had significantly decreased the distance between him and Reika. Namgil had found himself involuntarily ruffling his feathers in what could have been considered a bout of distress brought on by a subconscious feeling of jealousy. So now here he was, attempting to rectify the situation. He would find out just exactly what had attracted Jun to this Seelie woman.

”Evening.” Namgil plucked Jun’s discarded glass from the table and held it up, tilting it from side to side as he examined it. ”I sincerely hope you’re not yet tired of Unseelie men basking in your beauty.” There was a sort of devil-may-care nonchalance to his words as the sides of his lips upturned. He dropped his eyes from the glass and looked to her, one eyebrow perked, further adding a slight sardonic flare to his words.