章 52: Party At The Capitol
THE EVENING SEEMED TO RUSH IN.
Nightfall appeared in swift passing and even from the reclused estate of Emberfall, Ravenna heard the festive drums begin to sound. The wind carried the festive air all across from the capitol to the woody rolling moors of the Manor.
Ravenna pulled a curtain and stared out her bedroom window southward. She looked out across the cold lake to the starry yellows light in the distance: torches really, lighting up the entire city.
The Capitol.
"It's starting! It's starting!" Ravenna let the curtain drop back as she shrieked.
"Yes. Yes, party girl." Cora smiled.
The chamberlain was in her room as Mia, the fairy helped make the finishing touches to Ravenna's gown. She was going with pale green, to match her eyes. Corazón herself was dressed grandly, and boyishly—no surprise there in a platinum informal power suit without the jacket. She wore short heels and her white-blond hair carved a recent sharp fade at the left side.
"Come, come girlie. We must get you finished. The others are waiting at outside. His Grace must be at the Landing also. We don't want to keep him pacing. You must remember he dislikes obnoxious occasions. It's a small miracle he is going to this fiesta with us," Cora beckoned Ravenna to the huge vanity.
Mia flew over in a trail of pixie dust. She wielded in her tiny hands a very expensive fluffy white winter coat. Ravenna briefly eyed the material in the mirror. How much did the dress cost? It looked sewn right out of eagle feathers.
"It's just—" She shook away her paranoia. "I have never been to parties unless I'm serving as a wench and have to dodge obstructive fingers all night. This is a rarity for me. AI! I'M SO HAPPY!"
"As you must." Cora fastened the front clip of the cloth.
Gold shined out from her wrists. Rubies dangling down her ears. Diamonds on her neck. Clearly, the Lord of the Manor had spared no expense in dressing his Ladies.
"Does he really hate parties that much?" Ravenna asked. She touched gingerly the PEARL OF THE SEA, the flattering jade drop she wore as a pendant. It costed a whopping [600 000 Eldorian gold coins].
Cora shrugged, stroking her shoulders. Their strange eyes' met in the mirror. One blue as ice, the other green as a leaf.
"I mean... we haven't hosted a party here since his arrived at Emberfall. The former Lord of this house would just about drown himself night after night in the latest offered poison of liqueurs and freshest cuties of the brothels. I think you know: His Grace is different."
"That he is," Ravenna said softly into the mirror.
"Which is why we must show him that we love him and care about him. He sacrifices his own inherent coldness and ruthlessness for us. The least we can do is keep him happy and entertained. I hope to drag him to the dance floor even for a minute tonight. He can resist it when I give him the doe eyes!"
"Hah!" Ravenna brightened.
"You look like a princess," Cora complimented. "—for once."
"Hey!" Ravenna twirled around. But Cora was already out the bedroom door, laughing widely.
His Grace, Lord Israfel BlüdThïrste was donned in a midnight tuxedo and maroon doublet. His red hair was styled with gold pins into a delightful manbun stop his head. He looked both dragon and tiger as he stood in the wide gleaming foyer of his mansion.
He had just noticed the right wall was empty and long; a wonderful spot for a mural. Perhaps that of a Virtue. A [Virtue] was a [Rank B] celestial spirit in angelology. He figured as one of the strongest demons, he should have a canvas of the heavenly opposite. Besides, his gothic home wouldn't hurt with some divine light.
This was when he heard the clicking of womens heels.
He turned from staring at the empty wall to face the staircase. His eyebrows raised instantly.
On the top of spiral gold staircase, by the chic bannisters stood four gorgeous women. Each had an astonishing feature about them that enchanted the eyes. It was a lulling pull. It made Rafel much more happy to know they were his, and also, not human. Corazón, his beautiful androgynous Right-hand led them down the steps.
Aya Naamah, sexy as sin itself was the closest behind her. Ravenna in a sensuous green apparel was taller in her heels. Coming last in the line was his lovely prisoner, Annabelle. He hadn't noticed the Huntress smashing looks until now. He had known she was a knockout when he'd captured her, obviously, but now she was transfigured into Eos, swamped in moonshine and crows.
Looking at the women, Rafel knew he would spend millions on them if they so desired it.
"You all could bring a god to his knees," said Rafel.
The lovely women gathered about him and smiled. Even Annabelle's pale eyes twinkled warmly at him. She had come to respect Rafel since the battle of SKYFALL. A horde of Nephilims was no joke: she had being around at their birth a thousand years ago. She was since attracted to Rafel's dominant strides. Call it the weird psychotic bond that always joined a kidnapped to their captor, call it spontaneous chemistry, call it what you want.
Rafel was one hell of an attractive man.
He said, "I have sent for the largest carriage in the kingdom. You all must fit in there with me."
The ladies laughed and he led them out the ornate double doors.
"Happy Feasting, my leige!" Mia the Magnificent called to the backs of her Lord and his consorts.
Their ride to the Castle was a swanky buggy that was pulled in front by eight horses. It was a moving cabin. As they entered the streets of the Capitol, people stopped and hailed the carriage. They noticed Emberfall's crimson colors and the Earl within that had won them the war against the Giants.
The mob lining the streets reached out with their hands, rubbing glitter into the shut glass windows, smiley faces highlighted in comic party paint. Hundreds marched from the undercity, caravans trailed slow in the streets from the Lords District, mighty ships with visitors from the isles were docked on Eldoria's vast ports. Empty of passengers, the hull and beaches were silent in the waning sunset as people trooped to the glittering palace.
The Castle was mighty and glorious, flags whistling in the night wind.
Cheers erupted all around Rafel's monstrous carriage. The common folk hailed and some threw off shirts and tossed at the buggy. Menelaus guided the horses on silently.
In the lavish interior, Rafel sat Aya closest to him. He fondled her surreptitiously as they rode in smiles. It wasn't long till they pulled in through the Castle's gates of pure gold. The Queen's Lieutenant, Ser Romulus awaited them by the watchtowers. He and a couple of Gold Cloaks were Rafel's escorts onwards to the ecclesiastical rise of the palace.
"Just how rich are you again?" Annabelle ripped her head forward to glance at Rafel.
He smiled as Ravenna replied for him.
"Super fucking rich."
The opulent carriage halted by the end of the red carpet leading up to the main Hall Dome of the castle. A uniformed valet, a seductive young blonde, held open the buggy's door as Rafel climbed out in company of his Ladies. He skipped the waiting line and those on it remarked at the four superhot women combing him.
Rafel was a powerful man. He had very good friends among high society, and his affiliates began at the Queen herself.
As they entered into the shiny, flowery innards of the party reception hall, Rafel found that many of the men who stared in his direction looked mostly to Corazón who rattled their teeth walking so confidently in her pantsuit. Most men didn't like a trace of virility in their females.
Rafel didn't mind Cora's dressing. He admired her challenge to the primordial pattern of nature. Besides, not just any women could pull off a pantsuit and rock it like a Ball gown.
"Excuse me, My Lord. We'll get us drinks." Aya Naamah pulled out of Rafel's side. She dragged Annabelle with her to the glittering neon bar.
Ravenna went off to find her friends among the throng. Rafel watched her vanish into the people a moment and later come up clutching Brunhilda. Percival was in company of two svelte redhead twins himself. Giselle, Her Royal Majesty, adorned in a flourish of gold and silver, was at some corner with foreign delegates.
She waved to Rafel. The Countess, Cordelia raised a glass to him. Rafel nodded to the both of them and the emissaries turned to look at him.
Giselle must have said something about the battle of Skyfall because the visiting Islanders began waving and beaming proudly at him.
Rafel was left alone with Cora. She stepped into his side and took his hand.
She whispered, "Let's go before one of them comes over to trade war stories or have you sign his cape."
Rafel turned to her smile. "Yes please."
He let Cora and her hypnotic blue eyes lead him through a side partition to a dance hall. The club lights were disorienting to say the least. They flashed in Rafel's vision like that one time he got clubbed in the head by a Mauler's [Shogun] staff.
He watched scores of bodies entwine and merge and slide into each other. It was a rippling flood that moved randomly in tune to the high music.
[🎶 Tacata (TCM Hardstyle Bootleg) – Tacabro.]
The beats drummed in his ears like thunder. Even Rafel had to admit the song was quite catchy. This club atmosphere collided with the already festive hearts of people and turned the dance floor into a torrid playground. Men danced with women, and then with each other. It was a whole lot of gyrating, clutching, grabbing: hands-on action.
"It's like an orgy but without all the clothes," said Rafel.
He turned to his side to find Cora grinning.
"Exactly! I get that this is not your forté, Your Grace. But please, tonight, dance with me."
Rafel didn't have the frame of mind to refuse—not when Cora did the thing with her ocean eyes. He let her take his other hand in hers and lead him; a cold fucking ruffian, into the hot middle of a circle of five melding females.
The pretty girls opened up like a Brothel's doors on Sabbath's evening. They allowed Rafel and Cora into their sultry embrace, quickly making dance partners out of them.
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