Like a Raven in the Snow (Technoblade X Oc/yn)

Chapter 6

Time, as it grows old, teaches all things.

Eris stood on the balcony in front of one of the glass doors leading inside the ballroom. She was dressed in a blue ball gown that hugged her body tightly, with a slit on the side showing off her long legs, the fabric shimmering with gems like stars in the night sky, her fur coat hanging loosely off of her shoulders to not disturb her wings. She had flown up there, knowing full well no guard would let her in if they were to recognize her. Now it was time to execute her plan.

The ballroom itself was the type of sight Eris hadn't witnessed in some time: decorated in gold and marble, matching the aesthetic of its exterior, it boasted the kingdom’s opulence in the crystal lights hanging from the ceiling, reflecting every vibrant color in the room. It felt light, almost like the soft night sky in the snowy tundra that she oh so loved to fly through. The person who designed it clearly had a good eye.

The people inside had something to prove, too, all of them wearing what were clearly their best outfits. Some wore bright coloured dresses, some neutral color suits, but almost everyone had jewels and chains decorating their costumes to show off their status - all of them competing for a sense of superiority. 

But Eris wasn't here to enjoy the glamor. She was here on a mission, one she was sure would be achieved with no questions asked, but as soon as she entered the room, her body froze in place.

“Tommy, stop stuffing your face; we didn't come here to eat!” She heard a shout from somewhere nearby.

It didn’t take her long to find the source - glancing to the side, she spotted Tommy and Wilbur by the buffet. Tommy looked as if he had not been fed for days as he kept shoveling more and more food into his mouth, sometimes even shoving it into his pockets for later. It looked embarrassing, and it didn't help that both Tommy and Will had decided to attend with their usual clothing - stained, ripped up and stinking to high heavens. They did not fit into the classy environment around them, sticking out like a sore thumb.

Eris knew that if they were here, then at least Phil would be here as well. That made a shiver run down her spine, and after some internal debate, she settled on approaching them for information.

Finding Phil wasn't difficult. As soon as she neared the embarrassing group, she spotted Phil standing nearby with his back pressed against the wall and wings folded in front of himself so as not to catch any wandering eyes. To Eris’ surprise, Phil wasn't dressed in his usual clothes. For the first time, she got to see him in a suit - a green jacket decorated in gold chains, with a heart firmly sewn into the fabric right on his chest. He hadn’t ditched the hat, of course, as he never went anywhere without it. That’s what made him so immediately recognizable to Eris. 

“Yea, but this food is so good! And it's free, Will!” Tommy sputtered out between chomps as Eris quietly approached the table, poured a glass of wine and went straight up to Phil.

He did not notice her at first. It seemed like he was buried deep in his thoughts, hypnotizing the clock so prominently displayed in the middle of the room, like trying to make the time go faster or meet some deadline unknown to Eris. If she had to guess, he probably wanted to be at home - and to speak with Kristin again.

She reached out with a glass of wine in her hand, and once Phil glanced at her, she offered him a smile to remind him of the good old days, back when everything was easier - back when Eris was just a kid playing in the snow or staring longingly into the sky. Of course, he hesitated, but that also was something Eris expected. After all, it wasn’t too long ago that she’d tried to kill his best friend. 

“What are you doing here?” he asked almost in a whisper. Perhaps to him it was more believable that he was hallucinating than seeing Eris really before him once more. And yet he was, and she seemed to act the same way as she used to - calm, collected, calculating and at ease. He wouldn’t know how much of it was an act.