Ari/Aspel (+Ric) | 2:00am
Well past midnight, the party had deteriorated from mostly elegant to somewhat rowdy. She had seen it happen at balls before, but this one in particular had likely been doomed to this fate from the start considering the sheer number of guild members, most of whom had risen to Reinholdt’s challenge. By this time of night, the remaining guests were drunk and far less discriminating, and the orchestra’s efforts were almost perfunctory, with longer breaks given to the performers and music selections trending towards the common and simple.
Ari took what she hoped might be her last break of the night -- it was about two in the morning now, and when she returned to the stage she assumed another two hours at the most would see the guests departed or unconscious, at which point the musicians would finally be dismissed.
For now, she took her ease in one of the chairs lined up against the walls, meant for resting dancers and wallflowers, and watched the remaining crowd with curiosity. She had spotted familiar faces here and there throughout the night, but it was harder to recognize people under their masks. She had seen Aspel earlier, twirling around the room with Rictor, but she had lost sight of the other woman over two hours ago. Then, just as Ari was wondering with some disappointment whether Aspel might not have gone home already, she spotted a familiar dress through the crowd and felt her expression brighten.
Apparently, she could squeeze just a bit more enjoyment out of her break, after all.
She stood and made her way across the floor, sidestepping any drunken dancers and revelers who came into her path. Rictor was there too, she realized, standing next to his sister and looking quite dapper in his suit, much as he had at the opera.
Even better.
She made her approach from the side, looping an arm loosely around Aspel’s waist and momentarily resting her head against the other woman’s arm, her face lit with a slightly mischievous smile. “Fancy meeting you two here. May I cut in to this conversation?”
The ball had been terribly entertaining in one way or another. Between the plethora of entertainment, the lovely music, interesting assortment of guests, and strange host seeming to nearly prance about as if he owned the place - which in reality he did, so perhaps it was entirely appropriate - the evening had been anything but dull. That was, thankfully, one of the greatest saving graces of the night thus far.
However, a moment was to be stolen between conversations with overly pompous and self important nobles - along with a slew of dance partners which had been more than happy to take up stance with ‘Councilor’ Cassul - to spend time with her brother, the illustrious Silver Blade, Rictor Cassul.
Though, there was notice of someone out of the corner of her eye. Perhaps, this was a new challenger to approach. With the sound of the voice - and obvious accent - Aspel knew who it was in the bat of an eye.
“I fear I may be terribly mussed with such sudden interruption as you have proposed.” The smith’s tone easily teased, and a hand fell to rest over Ari’s on her hip. “Pray tell, how may we amuse you this eve?” A smirk crossed her face as eyes fell down to gander over the other woman planted against her side.
“I dunno, man,” her brother added, “I’m all tapped out, amusement-wise, so you’re pretty shit out of luck.” The man was starting to slouch where he stood, his cuffs undone and energy flagging, but he mustered some extra gusto to greet their new arrival: “Hey, Ari.”
Rictor tried to keep his tone light and unaffected as if there were nothing remarkable going on, as if Aspel snuggled women in public all the time, but his gaze couldn’t help but pan slowly from left to right between the two of them. The immediate effect of Ari on his sister did not go unnoticed; she was far more playful than what seemed usual to him, and easygoing and comfortable with this physical intimacy.