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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Nov 15, 2007 0:24:42 GMT -5
D'rorah had been so busy looking for Dylan that she almost didn't notice Zee until they had nearly collided with one another. Even through the mask, her unmistakable style of clothing, which covered nearly all of her flesh, was apparently immediately recognizable. She noted Zee's outstretched hand with completely hidden anxiety. She really had intended to save the first dance for Dylan... now that she had given that away, she really hadn't intended to dance with anyone else until he arrived. She found herself wondering if he even would arrive. He could have at least sent word if he was going to be so late... she wondered what could have possibly captivated his attention for the evening. Perhaps, as so many adults often admonished young couples, the inevitable had happened and he had realized that perhaps a relationship which had moved at nearly the speed of light since its beginning was powered more by lust than love. She refused to acknowledge the though, pushing it roughly form her mind.
Conjuring a polite smile--indeed, polite smiles seemed to be the best she could manage tonight--she accepted the hand offered to her.
"Yes, my dance partner has apparently been delayed," she replied. "I thought I might perhaps have missed him, but he is quite obviously not here. You remember meeting him? Dylan Cooper?"
What was she doing? Going on about her date to someone who had invited her to dance? What the heck was wrong with her lately?
"A dance would be lovely, Mister Bishop. You look rather dashing yourself, I might add." Following him onto the dance floor, she took up the proper position for another formal ballroom dance and waited for him to begin.
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Post by Wysteria Edwin on Nov 15, 2007 0:39:53 GMT -5
Wysteria sat in front of her dorm room mirror and, for once, was actually unsure what to do with her hair. She played with a few hairstyles until finally settling on a demure but beautiful up-do that had cascade waves down her back and a few which framed her face. And of course, her jasmine flowers set throughout her hair. She had adorned them with magical jewels which made them twinkle like crystallized dewdrops. Yes...that would do. She slipped into her black dress and stepped back to observe herself in the mirror. Not bad. She topped it off with her mask: a black eyemask with silver detailing. The silver also sparkled with small gem-like stones, almost like stars set along the far edges of the mask. She walked out of her dorm and the common room and headed to the ball. As she stepped through the door, she arrived just in time to see Zee whisking D'rorah away for a dance. Wyst raised an eyebrow in surprise, looking around for Dylan...who appeared not to have arrived yet. Well, that was uncommonly nice of him to offer her a dance since her date hasn't arrived. I have expected him to be sitting on a self-made thrown and waiting for girls to people to begin worshiping him for his glamorous outfit, wyst thought, observing the extravagance of his attire. She chortled silently to herself, a grin half-hidden behind her hand which she quickly changed into a small smile as she noticed Zee might turn around at any moment and wonder what made her chuckle. She noticed Sebastien was near the entrance, and gave him a small wave to say hello. "Did you have a good time at the trip to Diagon Alley?" she asked, keeping Zee and Dee in her peripheral vision
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Zane Lucifer Bishop
Slytherin
[green]6th Year Slytherin[/green] Elemental Master of Metal
You people all have to learn. This world is going to burn.
Posts: 483
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Post by Zane Lucifer Bishop on Nov 15, 2007 0:52:02 GMT -5
Zee did well, very well, to keep his feelings buried deeply as D'rorah mentioned Dylan. The wrenching pain in the core of his stomach returned immediately. It had been successfully suppressed from the time Zee had dropped the boy off at the hospital wing until now, but was now threatening to overwhelm him. He hadn't expected it to return. He still didn't even have a name for the sensation. He'd hoped it a one time occurrence. Freezing the smile upon his face so that his mouth would not reveal the horror he felt, he was quite glad of the mask concealing the majority of his face. He paused as if thinking then nodded.
"Yes, Dylan. I recall him. That night in your common room. Forgive me but he has not been looking well lately in class. I hope he is not terribly unwell."
The irony of his own statement burning his innards, Zee led D'rorah onto the dance floor. He bowed appreciatively to her comment before taking her hand in his and placing his other on her waist. Taking two deep breaths before the music began, Zee managed to steady himself a bit before guiding the Ravenclaw away into the first steps. He prayed it would not be a long song, but then pushed that thought down as well. He turned his thoughts to the steps of the dance, letting that focus distract him from everything else. While his eyes remained on D'rorah's, he wasn't truly seeing her. He'd tuned out even that as the sight of her was dreadfully painful.
One two three. One two three. One two three. What is this damning feeling???!!! Why will it not go away??!! When will this song be over??!!
Wyst's entrance was completely unnoticed as Zee had just about turned off all his external senses. He kept himself just aware enough to know when the dance was over and to register anything his partner said.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Nov 15, 2007 1:15:50 GMT -5
He might have at least said something if he was too unwell to come, thought D'rorah, not having truly considered the possibility that Dylan was still not recuperated enough to function at Hogwart's. They had, after all been back for several days; and he had had time to recover in Tel Aviv. Well, she'd never really been one to share her woes with anyone before and she certainly didn't intend to now. "If you do happen to see him before I do, please tell him I was looking for him," she asked before falling completely into the rhythm of the music.
She gave up on any further conversation, noticing that Zane seemed slightly distracted. Perhaps he was simply having to concentrate on the dance steps. She was having to concentrate as well to avoid taking the lead. She moved in time with the music, managing to correct herself fairly quickly when she felt herself trying to take control.
She just couldn't believe how thoughtless Dylan was being. He was the one who had wanted to go to the dance to begin with. And now, after she had gone to so much effort, he wasn't even here. She could have easily spent the evening sequestered in the library without bothering to dress up. She found herself thankful for the masque, certain that a trace of sadness might be visible amongst her features for anyone accustomed with her face.
When the song ended, she curtsied once more to Zane. "Thank you for the dance, Mister Bishop,"she remarked, the hint of smirky teasing she usually held with him not present. "I suppose I should circulate in hopes of finding the inconsiderate person who invited me here to begin with."
Quietly, she turned and made her way toward the entrance. She had no wish whatsoever to remain. Perhaps, if she moved stealthily enough, she might escape without being noticed. Still keeping an eye out, she headed for the door, destined for the library if Dylan did indeed prove impossible to find. As she headed that way,she spotted Wysteria and Sebastien. As they were already in the path of her exit, she thought she might at least ask Wysteria if she had any idea where their newest Elemental Master might have gone.
"Pardon me for interrupting," she remarked, nodding to both Wysteria and Sebastien. "Miss Edwin, have you seen Mister Cooper this evening?"
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Post by darko2 on Nov 15, 2007 1:20:38 GMT -5
As the waltz had ended, D'rorah was immediately swept up by another student, and whisked away. Sebastien felt a slight pang of lonliness as he barely knew anybody here at Hogwarts. To his relief, someone he did know came right in through the entrance he was standing next to.
She had dark, beautiful hair that looked quite marvelous this night, ornamented with Jasmine flowers, this time embellished with sparkling jewels making them look crystalline and sparkled when the light touched them just so. He took in a deep breath as he recognized the girl to be Wysteria Edwin, Hufflepuff Prefect. She had spoken with him a couple days after his arrival and invited him to an outing with some friends. She inquired if he had fun on said outing.
"Mon dieu..." He breathed with a smile. "The epitome of a coquette approaches..." He chuckled. British girls definitely had a different sort of elegance about them when it came to formal events.
"Yes, I had a nice time...your friends are very nice. What was the dark haired boy's name again? The one that seemed to be looking at his reflection all the time? Muttering about his hair?" He asked not being able to remember his name. Sebastien though he was funny and smiled as he remembered him.
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Post by Wysteria Edwin on Nov 15, 2007 1:44:51 GMT -5
Wysteria turned to D'rorah, seeing a slight nervousness behind her questions and wondering why Dylan was causing Dee to wait for him. He certainly didn't seem like the type of fellow who liked being fashionably late. She shook her head, furrowing her brow a bit as she tried to recall the last time she saw him.
"Um...no, I'm sorry Dee. I haven't seen him for a couple days actually. But maybe he's just been busy, perhaps check on him in his dorm if you're worried?" Wyst suggested, shrugging her shoulders. She turned to Sebastien to answer his question, noting his smirk as he asked about Alessandro. She thought it was kind of cute that he had already found someone he could make good friends with at Hogwarts.
"Oh, that's Alessandro Darko. He's probably my best friend int he school. Really nice and smart. A bit vain at times," she said laughing a bit, "but he's really a good guy. Did you two hit it off when we were shopping..." the last words dropped off a bit as she noticed Zee's distracted demeanor. At times he looked perfectly fine, but every once in a while she glanced at him and his eyes seemed troubled, almost worried. Wyst gazed at him for a moment, trying to decide if it was all in her head. Probably so, he may just be concerned for Dylan as well. Where IS he, anyway?
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Zane Lucifer Bishop
Slytherin
[green]6th Year Slytherin[/green] Elemental Master of Metal
You people all have to learn. This world is going to burn.
Posts: 483
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Post by Zane Lucifer Bishop on Nov 15, 2007 4:54:29 GMT -5
Zee nearly fainted with relief when the music came to an end and D'rorah released him. He bowed in return to her curtsy and managed what he hoped was a sympathetic smile. Nodding, he offered her words of comfort that likely rang nearly as hollow to her as they did in his own ears.
"Good luck in your search Ms. Philosophy. Perhaps he is merely experiencing a wardrobe malfunction and will be along later."
As she walked away from him he couldn't help but look the other direction, hoping he would not be forced to look at the pained disappointment he was just able to detect in her face. He did however miss the presence of his own escort due to his decision to turn his eyes away from the entrance where she stood. He took a few steps toward the edge of the dance floor but stopped, feeling weak. It was as if his lungs simply refused the oxygen he was attempting to provide them. He closed his eyes, standing there rather stiffly, trying hard not to panic.
How could this have happened? What changed in the past forty eight hours that you are such a mess? Stop thinking about Dylan and D'rorah if you're going to wince whenever you do. And get some liquid down your throat. I swear you should have let the shadows get you. That fate would have been preferable to this.
Zee finally managed to desperately to go to herstride over to a beverage table and grab a butterbeer. He wanted to flee. He wanted to run from the room and back up to the Astronomy tower. That place had become his sanctuary, but he knew that even there the nameless pain would find him. Popping open the bottle, he poured the contents into an ornate crystal goblet and took a long draw of the revitalizing liquid. It did him good to feel the warmth the drink had placed in his belly. It reminded him distinctly of the feeling he got when near Wysteria. And speak of the devil . . .
Looking up and around the room as he took a second sip, he finally saw her in all her radiant beauty. The eye mask hid her features somewhat, but even from a distance there was no mistaking the jasmine in her hair. Something besides the flowers was apparently present in her luxurious black tresses, something that caught the light and intensified it. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but it looked to Zee as if a glittering halo adorned the girl's head.
A wistful smile came to his lips as he watched her from across the room. He wanted desperately to go to her. She was absolutely stunning in her dress, her graceful, pale shoulders liberated from their usual sleeves. But standing close by her was the Ravenclaw prefect whose presence was nearly intolerable for him at the moment. He could not walk back over there. For a moment he thought he caught Wyst's eye, but he lowered his head to gaze at his drink a little awkwardly, and far more awkwardly than the usually suave Zee had ever moved before. He wished that she would come to him. Nothing of late served as a more effective or more pleasant distraction than did Wysteria's proximity.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Nov 15, 2007 6:59:28 GMT -5
D'rorah nodded briefly to Wysteria's suggestion that she check on Dylan in his dormitory. Offering a polite nod to Sebastien as well, she turned away, not wishing to intrude upon their conversation any more than she already had. Perhaps she could find Alessandro and ask if he knew anything of the whereabouts of his dormmate. She was quickly resigning herself to the fact that Dylan would not show. It was not like him to be late and the time he had said he would meet her had come and gone long ago.
Quietly, she made her way to the edge of the dancefloor once again to wait. She avoided standing near anyone, positioning herself so that she had a clear view of the dance floor and somewhat hoping no one would intrude upon her small block of claimed space. If she had to be miserable inside, at least she could do so without having to subject herself to pointless polite chatter. Was it typical male behavior to so openly profess love for another and then simply abandon the object of those whispered professions? She wasn't really sure, as she certainly had nothing in her own catalogue of experience to compare it to.
Even standing here without him, she could feel him with her if she concentrated. A slew of memories were in her mind, but she carefully pulled herself back from them. She had no intention of losing her thoughts in happy feelings while she was so pointedly anxious. So she stood, mostly unmoving as she watched the door and hoped that the next opening would reveal her date with an apologetically impish look on his face and a simple or perhaps even humorous explanation for why he was late. Perhaps it was a tall order, but it was what she hoped for, nonetheles.
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Post by Dylan Cooper on Nov 15, 2007 7:21:40 GMT -5
Only half aware of his actions, all Dylan knew was that he needed her with him. His hand sliding listlessly toward the wand on his bedside table, he emitted the words necessary to create a patronus. The result was something feebler than a ghost, a feat he hadn't believed quite possible from himself. Somehow, he managed to focus his will all into one spot briefly, though long enough to conjure a decent patronus. Desperate circumstances called for desperate measures, afterall.
Speaking weakly to the thing, it strolled off happily even as his hand dropped to his side, exhausted from the effort. This had been the first opprtunity that had truly presented itself in which he could communicate with her in such a way that it could not be intercepted nor his message altered by external forces or other persons. He'd tried to reach her mind with his own, but in his weak and broken state, he hadn't been able to collect his thoughts enough in previous times to do much of anything. The fact that she almost constantly had mental barriers around her mind didn't help, either.
The patronus left an elegant trail of silver as it travelled through the vastly empty corridors of Hogwarts, heading from the Hospital Wing and intent on finding the intended recipient. Entering the crowded ballroom, its unsubstantial form easily managed to flow through the students, eventually finding the Ravenclaw Prefect at the egde of the dancefloor. The silver beagle ceased displaying kinetic energy in its limbs and used it instead to motor the mouth, which soon emitted Dylan's weak voice. His voice itself was barely audible over the orchestral music of the Masquerade. "I need you," the small dog echoed quietly, turning to leave and lead her back to his owner.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Nov 15, 2007 13:24:31 GMT -5
D’rorah watched as a patronus made its way to her across the ballroom. She had watched it enter and followed its progress, curious to see where such a thing was headed. To her surprise, it seemed bound directly for her. Having never seen Dylan’s patronus before, she hadn’t recognized it; though, recalling the beagle who seemed to have been Dylan’s best friend for many years now, the pieces all fell together in her head as Dylan’s voice issued forth from the small silvery protector. The weakness in his voice cut through her, to her very soul. She did not look around to see whether anyone had noticed her messenger. She was certain they would have. At this point, however, it did not matter. She needed to know where Dylan was and hoped fervently that he was safe… certainly, he sounded very weak.
Quickly and quietly, attracting as little attention as possible, she headed off after the beagle patronus, her expression set into its indiscernible mask. The heavy doors of the ballroom closed behind her with a resounding thud. She held herself in check until she turned the end of the corridor, waiting to be away from any lingering eyes. As soon as she was certain she was not being observed, she broke into a run, flying down the hallway in a rustling swish of formal robes. The patronus seemed willing to oblige her wish to greater speed, and led along as quickly as she could keep up in her dress shoes and robes, which was rather fast, all in all.
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Post by Wysteria Edwin on Nov 18, 2007 1:23:39 GMT -5
Wysteria watched as the beagle made its announcement to D'rorah, the weak voice of Dylan causing danger sirens to sound in her mind. Something had happened, that was obvious. She watched D'rorah mask what must have been a deep sense of worry; her icy features showed only a small flicker as the patronus lead the way out of the ball room. If anything had happened to Dylan that involved the Mage's influence, D'rorah would let all the Shadow Warriors and Elemental Masters know straight away. But he seemed....stable, at least. Enough so to send a patronus as a messenger. If an attack had occurred, it must be over by now. But Wyst could still feel a small inkling to follow D'rorah as she made her way out of the ball room. Her mind reeled with possibilities of a trap or set-up.
You're being paranoid. You can't fake a patronus, that's the whole point. Wyst nodded to herself in agreement as she remembered this important fact. She couldn't help but wonder about what had happened...but decided that if Dylan had wanted other people around he would have asked. Still...something about the entire thing was unsettling to her.
Her gaze drifted around the ballroom and landed on Zee looking...was that a sheepish expression she just saw? Wyst's mouth hung open for a moment, having never seen him without an almost tangible air of arrogance and self-possession. She smirked a bit as she walked over to the food table, running her hand along the side of it as she kept her eye on Zee. Wyst found herself suddenly glad she had taken the extra time to do her hair and make-up. The girlish notion of being seen as "pretty" by the boy she had feelings for began to bubble up almost uncomfortably in her stomach. Her hands felt sweaty...and her hear rate was getting faster...
What is going on with you? Have some smidgen of bravery for goodness sakes. You can send a silver stake into the heart of a vampire but you feel nervous around Zane? Do you have any idea how ridiculous you're acting?
Wyst winced a bit at her own thought, clearing her throat and tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. She took a quiet, deep breath to push down the whatever was making her stomach clench and put on her best, most confident smile.
"Well well well, you promised me an unforgettable evening and here you are standing by the punch bowl," Wyst said, picking out a cube of cheese and popping it into her mouth. She smiled coyly as she chewed, sensing a rare opportunity to catch Zee in a vulnerable moment. Wyst turned back to look at the empty doorway and was immediately reminded of the patronus that had left only seconds before. Her smile vanished.
"I hope Dylan's alright. I don't know him well but...well, D'rorah will handle the situation I'm sure. She is a prefect after all," Wyst said, careful to avoid any hint of deeper feelings between the two classmates. She turned back to Zee, doubting her would know any more about the situation but giving him a look which implied a shared feeling of concern for their classmate.
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Zane Lucifer Bishop
Slytherin
[green]6th Year Slytherin[/green] Elemental Master of Metal
You people all have to learn. This world is going to burn.
Posts: 483
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Post by Zane Lucifer Bishop on Nov 18, 2007 12:37:02 GMT -5
Zee was much too far away from the silver beagle to hear it's message or the weakness of the voice that would have been so painfully familiar to him. Not knowing Dylan very well he also had no knowledge of the boy's patronus, but suspected that this may have been his. It had gone straight for D'rorah and seemed to be leading her away. Zee was particularly glad he had not left nearly any evidence that he had perpetrated Dylan's torture. He knew of D'rorah's mental abilities, both her telepathy and the sharpness of her mind. She would not need much evidence to piece it all together.
Perhaps you should find a way to silence the boy before he reveals anything. Who's to say she won't find some little seemingly insignificant detail in his memory that leads her straight to you? You should ensure that doesn't happen. Kill the boy!
"No!"
Zee's defiant rebuttal had been but a whisper, albeit a fierce one. He'd covered it with his glass as he took another sip of his butterbeer. The thought of inflicting anything further on the Ravenclaw boy was inconceivable to that part of him that was slowly taking over. It would not allow him to further harm Dylan.
He caught Wyst's approach in his periphery but pretended to not see her coming. He took the few moments before she reached him to compose himself and push all thoughts of his heinous deed from his mind. He returned her grin with one that she had likely expected to see on his face when first she entered, confident and dazzling.
"My most sincere apologies Wysteria. I thought it perhaps would be insensitive to come greet you before Ms. Philosophy's eyes as her own accompaniment seems to be missing in action."
Zee winced when Wysteria turned away and mentioned Dylan, glad indeed that she was not looking at him to catch the reaction. The face beneath his mask assumed a concerned expression that held more truth to it than he would have expected.
"So the patronus was Dylan's? I had hoped as much as Ms. Philosophy was considerably upset about his absence, far more than she would show of course. I also don't know the boy well, only having met him once. I'm sure Ms. Philosophy is more than capable though, yes."
His stomach was clenching again and he sincerely hoped they would soon find an unrelated topic for discussion. He would let her shift the conversation though. It might have appeared suspicious if he let on his desire to talk of something else.
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Post by Wysteria Edwin on Nov 18, 2007 18:18:58 GMT -5
Wysteria listened to Zane's musing about Dylan's condition while keeping her eyes on the now empty doorway. She reached without looking for another cube of cheese and chewed it thoughtfully, turning back to Zee and shrugging her shoulders. There was no way to tell at this point what Dylan was weak from and why he needed Dee. Wyst looked at Zee and tried to read his reaction...he didn't seem too concerned. But then again empathy was not his strong suit.
"Well most of what I know about Dylan comes from other people. But I recognized his voice and knew that was his patronus. He sounded so weak...like he was exhausted, upset, or even badly hurt. It was hard to tell from the short message." Wysteria tapped her finger on the table slowly, running through the past few minutes' events in her mind, carefully trying to catalog them so she could put puzzle pieces together if need be. She turned back to Zee and gave him a small smile so he didn't think to be too worried. That might arose suspicion concerning why she might think someone would want to harm Dylan.
"I suppose you're right though. D'rorah is able to handle herself in almost any situation so I'm sure she'll be fine." Wyst gave Zee a reassuring smile while casually feeling along the side of her neck as if rubbing a sore muscle. The fresh vampire bite scars from the past summer were being covered with a type of second skin which didn't allow much movement for her neck but would last a couple hours. She could feel that the malleable mask make-up was still there...although she knew if Zee looked close enough he would see that something wasn't quite...right with the skin near her collarbone. ((OOC: I meant to put that detail in her entrance, sorry about that lol))
She nudged Zee with her elbow as she side-stepped toward him. "So I was curious...you told me a bit about your father. How do you got along with your mother?" Wyst asked conversationally as she examined her fingernails. She was planning to put off the "dancing" bit of the evening for as long as possible.
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Zane Lucifer Bishop
Slytherin
[green]6th Year Slytherin[/green] Elemental Master of Metal
You people all have to learn. This world is going to burn.
Posts: 483
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Post by Zane Lucifer Bishop on Nov 19, 2007 14:18:06 GMT -5
Zee did not enjoy talking about his parents, particularly now when his ability to lie utterly convincingly was impaired by his tumultuous emotions. Compared to continuing the conversation about Dylan and D'rorah though, this opportunity was worth every Galleon in the Bishop vault at Gringotts, and that was saying something. He was somewhat surprised that she would bring up the subject after the implications he had made concerning his father. Indeed he wondered if perhaps she were doing so specifically in the hopes of producing discomfort and vulnerability in him. Perhaps she enjoyed those few moments when he had let down all pretenses. Forcefully pushing all his turmoil away, he shrugged as he gazed down at her. His lips couldn't keep from curling into a smile. He did so love it when she stepped close to him.
"Well enough I suppose. Now my father has . . . calmed, she tries hard to be the doting mother that she was always too scared to be in the past. She didn't want my father's enthusiasm turned on her I suspect, and it likely would have been had she provided the soothing touch that is associated with mothers, or so I hear. My father's misogynistic sensibilities would have taken great offense I'm sure if my mother had stepped in and "kept me from being a man" or somesuch. I believe she's trying to make up for her maternal failure in the past. I . . ."
His smile had gradually faded as he spoke, and now he turned his eyes to the goblet in his hand, unable to look into those green eyes. The grief and guilt (which he still hadn't quite identified as such) from inflicting such pain on Dylan returned as he considered that which he had inflicted upon his mother the night his transfer to Hogwarts was requested. Channeling that shame into his words, they rang with a strong degree of truth, even if the words themselves weren't entirely accurate.
"I'm ashamed to say I have not been very forgiving. She was afraid, and justifiably so, but I have not . . . she has not been treated as she should, in the past by my father and now by myself."
He shrugged again weakly. He was actually beginning to enjoy these times when he could honestly share his emotions with her. The true reasoning for the emotion was still veiled of course as he could not very well tell her that he felt bad about cruciating his mother, but he could express the sorrow in another fashion that made him feel connected with her in a way he hadn't experienced before. A problem with such sharing though is the awkwardness he felt afterward, unsure what to say, which was also a new experience for Zee. Swallowing, he looked back into her eyes to see what he would find there and, smiling a little weakly, returned the question.
"So do you have any uncontrollable urge to reveal your own mysterious past?"
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Post by Wysteria Edwin on Nov 21, 2007 0:04:57 GMT -5
Wysteria looked around at the other people in the ball room, occasionally sending a glance Zee's direction as he spoke. She was not trying to appear unkind, but she knew this wasn't easy for him to talk about. Wyst did not want to give Zee the impression that he was under any obligation to say anything. She didn't want him to think she expected him to reveal sensitive details about his life. And based on their past encounters, her expectations were low in terms of what she might learn about his life.
So when he broke into and open and honest monologue about his mother and his own interpretation of her actions and inaction, Wyst's head turned to observe Zee for a few long moments as she listened. She then looked away and didn't try to catch his eye as he continued about his own attitude toward his mother. He actively averted his gaze away from her, so she didn't encourage eye contact. His mannerisms were less graceful tonight, almost hinging on awkward--which Wyst had never known him to be...at least that he was aware of.
Hearing about Zee's troubled home life shed more light on how Wyst sensed some darkness within him. She was well aware that she did not pick it up in others unless it was actively on display, which made the fact that she detected something of it in Zane surprising. But whatever her own past, Wyst was glad she always had a "safe" place to go back to. She couldn't imagine what it would be like if your own house was the place you had to fight your battles. But even with all the sympathy emerging from her as he spoke, Wyst did not detect the uncomfortable sting of pity that she sometimes felt for others. Perhaps because Zane seemed to be so matter of fact about it, or because he was not going into gruesome details in order to gain more sympathy from her.
Her green eyes emitted the sympathy she felt, a small crease in her brow presented as the silent communicator for what she wanted to say but had no words for. How can anyone with loving parents ever even try to empathize with someone who has that sort of past? But when he asked her about her own mysterious past, she decided to avoid the question entirely for a moment while she prepared an appropriate answer in the back of her mind.
"I'm so sorry that's what home was for you. But mothers are forgiving, and unconditional love is their specialty," she said, giving him a small smile. "If you feel you need to apologize to her, do it as soon as possible. You never know when they'll be gone." Wyst's smile did not falter as she said this, not wanting Zane to think she was upset at the idea of him having arguments with his mother when she had already lost hers. "But all children rebel, surely she knows this, so don't feel too bad. I'm sure she knows deep down that you love her. I'm glad your father has calmed."
Wyst took a breath, knowing that if she ignored his question any longer it would only make him more eager to ask it again. "My mysterious past isn't all that intriguing." Wyst said half-heartedly. She was never a very good liar to people she cared about, and here it showed.
"Look...um..." Wysteria looked around briefly to make sure no one was within earshot before she began to speak again. "I have skeletons in my closet just like anyone else. Let's just say that my my family is somewhat...divided along blood lines." She said this without looking at Zane, unsure if she even wanted him to understand the extremely vague reference to vampirism. "Besides, this is not the place to be...you might have an odd reaction and I don't want everyone to see it."
Wyst said that last sentence very fast as if she would lose the nerve is she dragged it out for too long. She turned her head in his direction and did not look away from his eyes. She didn't know why she was looking at them so intensely, and the longer she stared the harder it was to look away. Locking eyes was a way for her to feel like she was touching Zane without actually having to do so.
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