• Memory • [Burhan] A Night To Remember

[Vaughn]

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He had approached her like a gentleman does a lady but apparently she was startled by his appearance. She choked on the wine, and desperate for breath set the glass down haphazardly on the nearby tray, which neatly tumbled over and smashed upon the marble ground.

For a good radius of ten or twenty feet people stopped to look at them. Vaughn was too busy to notice. He had reached out towards the young lady to make sure she was okay.

She swore, surprising him with that even more than the glass, and perhaps she stumbled or danced out of the way because suddenly her hands were on his forearms and he put his own hands to her elbows, steadying her. For a brief flash she looked up, straight into his eyes, and only instants later, of course, was when Lorena appeared. He had expected her to follow and wasn't displeased; however, he was displeased for the hurt expression on her face and her muttered words of apology.

"No, don't apologize...!" he called after her, but she was already gone. He watched her go with a touch of frustration, especially when he saw who she was approaching, but turned back towards Elyna, unable to do anything but shake his head. People around him were shooting him dirty looks for having upset the birthday girl and because of that, insolently, he reached out and knocked the champagne flute he had put down off the tray, overbalancing it like Elyna's glass before and letting it fall to the ground.

That made them look away.

"Well isn't this hell in a handbasket?" he asked the lady Elyna, whom he was certain thought he was an ass by now, but no matter. He answered her earlier question like there had been no break in conversation. "Yes, I know your cousin. We're..." Together. Apart. "...we're insufferable, really." He smiled, then grimaced at the glass at his feet.

"Mind if we head over that way?" he asked, indicating where Lorena had gone. Then, "Please?" His eyes were earnest. He made sure to catch her gaze. "She's speaking to my parents and I'm afraid I'm not on good terms with them and you," he said, "would make a lovely distraction."

"Don't say no," he told her, and held out his arm so that she might take it.

Whether or not she complied he himself would wind through the crowd towards the small group of Lorena and mother and father. Getting nearer to his parents his expression grew steadily more controlled, open and polite enough but blank at the same time. His eyes landed on his father and he made a short, clipped bow. "Ser."

"Mother." For her he spared a smile and a kiss on the cheek, but at her obvious state the smile vanished. She was clinging so tightly to Malcolm's arm it was like she was holding herself up. "Mother, you need rest," he said, shooting Malcolm an evil look; didn't the man have any sense in his head? Vanessa looked ready to faint.

"You two shouldn't be here," he said, curtly, then faced Lorena. "We need to talk. In private."

If Elyna had accompanied him he would now introduce her, "The lady Elyna of Burhan," bending at the knee in another short mock-bow. With that, he would grab Lorena by the hand and, if she would let him, drag her away to some secret place.

[Damon Andaris]

Damon watched Vaughn leave, and within a few moments, Lorena left as well. Clearly, then, Damon had been just a distraction, something for her to use in whatever game she had with the Krome man. Damon shrugged, suddenly standing alone. "Suit yourself," he muttered to no one in particular, before casting a gaze around the party.

Everyone was in their own little groups. Kromes, Burhans, Endors, Venoras - everyone in their own little social circles. Damon knew very few people here, and even if there were other Andaris' at the party, he had no real inclination to spend time with his overly ambitious family. The politics of an event like this bored him incredibly. Damon looked to the other side of the room, where Lorena and Vaughn had joined Lord Malcolm Krome and a woman he knew to be a Burhan. He wondered briefly about joining them, but decided it would look desperate.

Instead, Damon moved through the room, picking up a glass of wine on the way. He made eye contact with Lorena as he passed, sending her a smirk and patting his pocket. Out the side door he went and onto a balcony. In the cool air, he brought out his reevi, and with a practiced hand, quickly rolled a joint - half reevi, half tobacco - before striking a match and taking a first hit. The smoke filled his lungs and he smiled, breathing out slowly, enjoying the high that spread through his limbs.

[Malcolm]

“Lorena!” Vanessa beamed and pressed a hand to the girl’s cheek. “We wouldn't miss your birthday for the world.”
A lie, Malcolm thought, though his smile said otherwise. Vanessa had come all this way to see her son, and wherever Lorena was, Vaughn never seemed to be too far behind.
Vanessa traced the length of Lorena’s arm with her fingers and her smile softened, “you're so beautiful.” She gave the woman an envious look, longing for her own youth to be returned since the day she had discovered her first wrinkle. Malcolm had been a constant reminder, eternal youth bestowed to him, while slowly she had aged and watched the best years pass her by. “Malcolm has something for you, from both of us,” her smile returned with vigor.
Malcolm wore a polite smile, the kind he donned for these types of events, never quite the same as the one Lorena knew, having been a lot closer to the family than most. “Indeed,” he moved to reach into his pocket when they were approached by Vaughn.
“Oh, darling,” Vanessa released Malcolm and braved the few steps in Vaughn’s direction, “I'm fine, don't you fuss,” she kissed the man’s cheek and embraced him.
Malcolm looked over his shoulder at the boy, disappointed that he hadn't made the effort to see his mother sooner, and turned to look at Lorena again.
“And who is this?” Vanessa beamed, had Vaughn found himself a woman, she wondered. “Lady Elyna, a pleasure,” she spoke softly, and took Vaughn’s hand, encouraging her favourite escape artist to stay a moment. “You must tell me all about yourself, how did you meet?”
Malcolm brought forth a small, velvet case of Burhan blue that was long and thin. He opened it up and presented the gift to Lorena, a light, gold chain that played host to a heart shaped locket, tooled with the most delicate design and a small engraving on the back that read ‘LB 18 XX’.
“The lady in the shop said you can open it.” He didn't dare attempt to demonstrate, his fingers far too big, and hands too clumsy to work the catch. “Says the girls in the capital fill them with small sketches or precious stones.” And Lorena would find upon opening it that the couple had purchased a small, blue gem for her.

[Elyna]

Elyna withdrew her hands from Vaughn as Lorena approached, unable to mistake the expression on her cousin’s face. Oh come of it… there was nothing to interrupt, she almost rolled her eyes. There was nothing here to be presumed. He had literally just approached her and offered a dance. Lorena was almost pink with embarrassment and hurt. So there was more to Lorena’s relationship with the young man than met the eye? He wasn’t just a toy for her cousin’s amusement. Interesting.
More fascinating was Vaughn’s reaction to Lorena, his desperate turn after her. Elyna barely flinched as he knocked over the second glass and it shattered around their feet. Instead, she resigned herself to being pulled along after the young man, in his determined approach towards Lorena and whoever she was speaking to. An older couple, a woman with greying hair, clinging to the arm of her husband. He was tall, dark-haired and handsome though worn with responsibility. Hell in a handbasket? From experience, this was exactly how awful noble gatherings were. Someone always ended up hurt, someone else bleeding. For once, Elyna intended to end up drunk, sneaking away with her lover over the lawn. Where was Yoreth anyway? Surely this would be the perfect time for him to sweep in, gallantly, and rescue her?
Vaughn and Lorena insufferable? She could imagine it.
“Fine,” she agreed and collected another glass of wine before taking Vaughns' offered arm. He moved through the crowd with the force of a whirlwind and she could only admire his determination.
Ah, Elyna looked over the older couple as they arrived. Parents. Well that made a lot of sense. It explained the dark look between father and son. She could appreciate a raging disagreement with parents. The skyrider lifted her drink, taking a sedate sip in comparison to ability to drain a glass in a single pour. She managed a curtsey, arm extended and glass poised perfectly as she dipped. Eager to avoid a run in with her own parents, she didn’t want to be rude to the Baron and Baroness. They seemed pleased to see Lorena at least, presenting her with an elaborate and expensive gift. Content to lurk at the edge of the party, with the intention of slipping away and back into the crowd, Elyna took another sip of her wine, then almost chocked again.
Vaughn seemed to free himself from Vanessa’s frail grip, take hold of Lorena, and vanish in the space it took to blink. Elyna was left, staring at the Baroness, horrified.
“You must tell me all about yourself, how did you meet?”
“I was just – we,” she glanced back to the comfortable position in the corner of the room, where she’d been happily lurking and avoiding the rest of the crowd. Now, she was being interviewed as a potential candidate for what, courting? Oh no. No, no no…if she ever saw Vaughn Krome again, she was going to be giving him a piece of her mind.
“Oh…” Elyna took another sip of the fine white wine before offering her largest smile to the Baroness, “well it’s been a long an eventful journey, filled with lots of…heroism and dashing romance as I’m sure you can imagine, you must be so proud of your son,” she drew a deep breath, Elyna was a babbler, especially when she was nervous, and there was nothing she liked more than a good story, “When did we meet? Not so long ago, really,” she gestured in the vague direction of the wall, “and then we were…here…and now I must…I must go. It was a pleasure to meet you, your Grace,” she curtseyed again and tried backing away
“Elyna?”
She spun, tripping over her own feet and straight into Yoreth’s arms and he caught her. “Oh!” She straightened, as was only polite. A flush forming at the base of her neck and catching fire in her bright eyes.
He slid his arm around her waist and turned back to Vanessa and Malcolm, “if you will excuse us, your grace? Lady Elyna is required by her Grandmother.”
Elyna was about to protest that she didn’t even know that her Grandmother was at the party, but chose to remain silent. Mainly because Yoreth was brushing the cool pad of his thumb against the warm skin of her spine and it distracted her.
Hopefully excused, Yoreth, led Elyna back through the crowd of people however he had removed his hands from her person. Walking now with strict adherence to etiquette. She was left wondering why he’d put his arm around her in front of Vaughn’s parents, but chose not to challenge him on the unusual behaviour. Instead, she glanced back at the tall man and his wife, her gaze lingering on his features for a moment.
“He’s too old for you,” Yoreth collected a glass of wine for himsef. A deep red and opened the door to the balcony for her.
“You’re too old for me,” Elyna replied with a grin. She swept through and into the chill night air, sashaying as she went.
“Don’t I know it,” Yoreth shut the door behind them and stared into the dark. A plume of smoke was rising further along the balcony, and a wolfish expression crossed his features. “Maybe you need a younger pup to remind you of what you’ve got…You’d do anything for me, wouldn’t you?” Out of sight of the crowd inside, he curled his hand around her waist once more and stepped closer. Back against the balcony railing, Elyna tried to delay the inevitable by taking a sip of her drink. His lips grazed her neck and she flushed. How much wine had she had?
“Mmm,” she tried to tease him, looking away.
He grinned again and took her chin between his fingers, turning her gaze to the young noble further down the shadows, “why don’t you join him?”
“I don’t smoke,” Elyna studied the youth. He was tall, with dark hair like Vaughns father. Why was she making that kind of comparison? Who knew? Too much wine.
Yoreth slid his hand into hers and pulled her forward, over the balcony towards where the young man leant, he gripped her fingers tight, so that she couldn’t free them and whispered against her ear, “why don’t you try it?”
Giggling, the young woman stepped out of the shadows, almost bumping into the man who’d so recently been wrapped up with her cousin. She glanced back at Yoreth, uncertain as to his intention, but he merely watched, taking a deep draught of his drink.
“Good evening,” she took a bolder step forward. It had a strange smell, what he was smoking. “…could I try? Would you mind?”

[Lorena]

Dazzling in its grandeur, Lorena gently took the beautiful present into her hands and studied the object with piqued interest “It’s beautiful uncle mal,” she said, wrapping the young looking Baron in a warm hug “thank you so much.”

Much to her dismay Vaughn appeared again with Elyna still hugging his arm. Vanessa was quick to favour the skyrider, causing Lorena to wince. Other than the gift and uncle Mal, so far this party had been the worst ever. Taking a step back from Malcolm, Lorena narrowed her eyes at Vaughn wondering why he even bothered to follow her. “Wh-” before she could begin to even protest the man took a hold of her arm and dragged through the crowd, through the doors into a small hut Lorena had once designed outside her house as a refuge. Clutching the precious gift close to her with one hand and begrudgingly following behind Vaughn in the other Lorena was lost for words.

When he finally let her go she slumped beneath the vines through to her secret little garden of flowers and treasured nik-naks. Dark beneath the moonlight, the space was delicate and tranquil. Bright with unearthly white flowers and the sound of trickling water from a tiny natural fountain coursing along the rocks. Her heart raced. Why had she taken her here of all places? Clutching her wrist Lorena lowered her gaze to floor. She had ruined the moment that she wanted, the fun she planned to have all because she wanted to tease Vaughn with some boy. “We should have at least given him some attention,” she muttered beneath her breath “even though I…” Lorena stopped herself, she chose not to speak those words. Words were just words. They didn't mean squat.

The young noble returned to Vaughn's side and squeezed her fingers through the gaps of his hand, looking up at him with confused golden eyes that were gradually regaining their usual colour.

[Vaughn]

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His mother stepped forward to embrace him and Vaughn gave her a warm hug. But he still managed to snake out of her grasp when she reached out to take his hand. He made sure she had his father's arm again before stepping swiftly out of reach.

He knew she would be disappointed but outwardly she didn't seem so much to mind, positively beaming at the young Elyna, who looked about ready to throttle him. Vaughn cocked a grin. "Mother," he said, "Find a place to rest and I will meet with you later." He paused a trill, then begrudgingly added, "And with father. For now I must be off."

Hand grasping at Lorena's, he whisked her away through the crowd, out the door, and across the grounds. Soon enough they came across a small, secretive garden. He knew this place to be her hideaway.

It was a beautiful little summerhouse, enchanted with ivy and flowers and nearby stream. Overhead the moon was bright. Vaughn stepped closer and Lorena intertwined her hand with his. She looked up at him with golden eyes which quickly shifted into her usual warm brown. His own eyes were green, the golden flecks in them almost mischevious. All forgiven then?

He leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her cheek. It was as much of an apology as she would get.

"What attention would you have liked to give him?" he asked then, drawing her closer, humor in his voice. He looked at the fancy locket his father had presented to her, clasped in her hand, and offered to place it round her neck. His knuckles brushed feather-light at her skin.

"Speaking of gifts," he reminded her, once the locket was in place. "Anything you want, my lady. Until midnight I am yours."

[Damon Andaris]

Damon was lost in the sensations of the high, loving the way he felt the smoke fill his lungs with a heady, smoky feeling, heavy in his body. His head was swimming, and it brought a smile to his face, even as he stood alone in the cool night air.

He was beginning to regret coming. Yes, he had come to enjoy the free drinks and free food, and see what had become of little Lorena Burhan. She had indeed grown into a beautiful woman, and Damon had relished the feel of her body against his, but he now realised that yes, she was only interested in him as a piece in whatever game Lorena and Vaughn had going.

Still, the reevi helped, as it always did. A brief thought came into his mind, that perhaps he was using it far too much, but he pushed that aside. Now was not the time to be bogged down in such thoughts. And then a voice broke through his haze, and he looked up. A pretty girl, perhaps a little older than he, stood before him tentatively, asking to try the joint. Damon raised an eyebrow, and then noticed the man standing in the shadows, his face a mystery, watching the woman carefully.

His hackles raised. Who was this man and what was his intention? Damon looked back to the girl, before nodding, slowly. "Sure," he said, passing the joint forward. "Have you done this before? You smoke it like you would tobacco, but hold it in your lungs for longer than you normally would. Make sure you enjoy the smoke, not rush to get it out of your body." Damon gestured for her to take the joint, but kept a wary eye on the man, waiting to see what would happen next.

[Malcolm]

Vanessa was glad to see her boy, but confused by the events that followed, Lorena, Vaughn, and lady Burhan coming and going like a whirlwind. She folded her left arm around Malcolm’s right, and looked up at the man, a soft frown twisting her features.
“You've seen him,” Malcolm said, “we should go.”
“But he promised to see me later,” she begged him to stay with a look. “Did Lorena like her gift?
“She said it was beautiful.”
Vanessa smiled, content. “Did you see the woman with Vaughn?”
“No,” Malcolm answered honestly, he had glanced in her direction, but not taken pause to study her.
“She was beautiful,” Vanessa said, almost distant. “I'd like to meet her parents, I bet they are in attendance.”
Malcolm looked skyward, he could see where this was going, another arranged match for their son, who never took any interest in the girl's Vanessa tried to partner him up with. “A break,” he said, “and then we leave.”
He followed her to the edge of the room and out through one of the exits into a quiet space where some of the older nobles were mixing.

[Elyna]

Elyna was grateful that the young man extended the offer so freely. She could feel Yoreth’s gaze on her back, this was a challenge and she never back down from a dare. The rolled paper and tobacco mixture felt awkward between her fingers and she tried to copy the motions of the young man. Brows drawn together in a frown she studied the reeve and sniffed the air. It was potent, whatever the smell. Just like tobacco? Elyna shook her head, she’d never done anything like this before. A blush started spreading across her cheeks. It was now or never, there had to be a first time for everything, right?

The young woman felt clumsy holding the joint and lifted it to her lips. Mouth pursed as she inhaled and the sensation of burning air moved down her throat and into her lungs. She choked, pushing the reevi back towards the young man as she wheezed. The sensation of burning remained and she held her hand over her chest.

“Wow,” she coughed as though something had gotten stuck in her throat, “I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that,” the words came fast and quick, nervous as she rubbed her chest and tried to straighten, “you enjoy that?” she marvelled at the young man. Her lips felt a little tingly and her mind a little fuzzy, perhaps air deprived more than anything. She doubted that she’d inhaled enough of the smoke to cause any effect, but still struggled to breath, “did I do it wrong?” She frowned and Yoreth advanced from the shadows and curled a possessive hand around her hip.

“Good evening,” he smiled at Damon.