The Winter Veil Party

[felknight]

((Feel free to post in any order, and multiple threads at once is fine. I'm not picky.))

Midnight

It was the night before Kirenestus's banquet, and already his estate was a flurry of activity. Small runestones dotted the grounds. Their glowing runes cast blue light on the plants that the Tauren tended. Due to the corruption in the soil, the effect of

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[rosevinco]

Rosefica adjusted the lay of her deep violet dress and cape, and looked nervously at Lilitharien again. Her dark, curly hair had been bound up with gold ribbons banded over the top of her head and woven through her thick hair. Her usual golden hoop earrings were missing, in place a pair of gold, threaded earrings were pushed through the tiny holes.

"We still have time to flee the scene, you know," she joked weakly as her dreadsteed stepped forward confidently. If Rosefica was over-warm due to its fiery mane, she didn't complain. Though she had started out in high spirits, the closer to the Ghostlands they got, the more her good mood had ebbed away. She hoped she would be able to rally herself up again, once they got to Kirenestus' manor.

Even the air seemed heavier to her, and she began to think she knew what Sunthistle had been talking about when he said the Ghostlands were "cold." The two of them approached the gates of the manner, somewhat behind the last group. "I wonder if we're late."

[lilitharien]

Lilitharien rides next to Rosefica on her white talbuk, her gloved hands holding the reigns tightly. She is dressed in a turquoise frock with a high collar, white and gold accents along the neckline, a dark navy velvet cloak clasped around her to ward off the cold wind. Her hair billows out from the cloak's hood, red curls catching the wind and blowing back into her face. She sighs and moves the hair out of her face with one of her hands, though she never lets go of the reigns.

"Relax, Rose," Lilith tells her friend calmly, giving her a reassuring smile. "And if we're late, we'll be fashionably so."

She eyed the manor as they approached, noting it's majesty and the extensive decorations along every tower and window. "It seems your instructor outdid himself on the Winter Veil decorations."

[rosevinco]

"And the guards," Rosefica added under her breath. She didn't need to look very long at the guard to catch the lichfire blue color of his eyes. "It is really is lovely though, for all the gloom." She forced herself to smile cheerfully at Lilitharien and nudged her dreadsted along.

[lilitharien]

"Well, to be honest, the guards are probably a good sign. Ghostlands still have a scourge problem." She gestures around at the decrepit forest surrounding the path.

[felknight]

"Rosefica. I assume the person riding with you is your friend?" Solandis stood in front of the gate, runeblade drawn, tip resting lightly on the ground. "You are not late yet. Please, come inside. Your friend is quite right. The Scourge get restless after dark."

Behind Solandis, one of the two gargoyles on the manor took off from its perch, flew a circle around the grounds, then settled to rest on a different spire.

"Stables are adjacent to the main house. You should both have a stall for your animals. Kirenestus waits at the door to the main house." Solandis opened the gate and stepped aside for them.

[rosevinco]

She was glad no one could read her mind, lest they be exposed to the screaming her brain was making. There was a momentary flash of something across Rosefica's features, but it was smoothed away in an eyeblink as she smiled at the death knight and showed him her invitation. "She is, yes. Thank you."

[lilitharien]

Lilith eyes the runeblade but says nothing to indicate any discomfort. She's worked with enough death knights and forsaken that the allied undead of the Horde do not phase her in the slightest. "Yes, I'm Lilith." She gives the death knight who's name she does not know a warm smile and follows Rosefica to the stables.

[segoryder]

The hooves that clopped on the hard, dead earth of the Ghostlands indicated the next guest arriving was a bit late, considering everyone else that had arrived were already exchanging greetings, glares, smiles, and even gifts. The steed was one a death knight would have been riding, though her death charger had more vibrant armor, and though she normally matched her mount, Cirys had actually taken time to look decent.

Normally completely covered, she wasn't wearing a mask or helmet, her hair wasn't hanging in ragged clumps filled with mystery black grease, it was clean or once and some poor unfortunate creature had even styled it up for her. There would be no empty sockets staring at the guests, because Cirys even took the time to pop in dark glass eyes, which would mean the yellow forsaken glow wouldn't be shining through that night.

Even at a formal gathering, Cirys is not dressed in robes, but she wears tight fitting embroidered leather instead. This style makes her skeletal, emaciated figure all the more obvious and reveals the

[lilitharien]

Lil eyes the forsaken women with curiosity and wrinkles her nose. After a moment a flicker of recognition crosses her expression. "Cirys?" she asks, blinking, surprise clear in her tone.

[segoryder]

Her head snapped to the red headed elf, her head turning more than what would be comfortable for anything living. Her black eyes blinked for a moment and she looks the woman over who had said her name, the smile widened.

"Ah right! I don't remember your name, but nice choice on the dress! You look quite healthy?" She nodded, causing the beetle earrings to flicker in the rune light from the property.

"You also look healthy," the forsaken said to Lilith's dark haired friend, then patted the undead horse solidly no the side. "I'm going to put this brute away, give me a moment!"

Clack, clack, clack, she went into the stables, depositing the obedient horse into a stable large enough for it.

[lilitharien]

Lil dismounts from her talbuk, her booted feet make only a soft thud on the ground as she lands. She looks at Cirys strangely, as if she has no idea how to respond to that. "Lilitharien, but you can call me Lil or Lilith if you prefer. I'm the one in charge of the healers of Vindicated. And, uh, thank you? You look quite... nice, yourself." Nice, sure. About as nice as a forsaken woman can look, anyway. She shakes her head softly as Cirys walks off into one of the stalls.

She tugs her talbuk by the reigns into the stable and secures him in a stall, patting the purple and grey armor over his nose gently and slipping him a treat, a sugar cube she kept in her cloak's pocket. The talbuk bleats appreciatively and laps the treat out of her hand in one lick.

She turns back to Rosefica once her mount is settled in his place and tied up safely.

[rosevinco]

"How?" Rosefica tilted her head at Lilitharien and then laughed lightly. "You know what, I don't want to know, I am happy in my ignorance."

She offered Lilitharien her arm, as had become their custom when walking. "I hope my dreadsteed doesn't try taking a bite out of anyone. It wasn't especially fond of my last trainer."

[lilitharien]

Lilith shrugs. "Cirys is a rogue in Vindicated's employ. I'm just trying to be polite."

She takes Rose's arm and follows her lead, glad that she had chosen boots with a bit of a heel so that the height distance between them was slightly less. Even still, Rosefica stands taller, and probably everyone else at this party will as well.

[rosevinco]

"Ah! I see!" Rosefica smiled and momentarily forgot about the gargoyles flying overhead, her friend's presence bolster her mental guards finally.

"Well, let's get inside before Kirenestus believes we've gotten lost somewhere on his property." She shuddered as they walked, the gentle click of her heels announcing themselves.

[felknight]

((Continuing in a thread below.))