Death Returns

Strangers In The Night

    After the king explained the rules of the game yet again, they began. Calian and Evita were paired first and they decided to brave the dance floor. The quartet began to play and they eased into a calm waltz, the other couples swaying around them to the rhythmic beat of the music.

"Were you talking to someone just a minute ago?" Evita asked suddenly as Calian was watching the king and queen dance. Calian looked back to her and paused, wondering if he should tell her the truth or not.

"No. Why?" He said, deciding against it. She frowned, glancing away for a moment and then continuing.

"It seemed like you were. I heard voices, and when I found you it seemed like you were a bit shaken. What were you doing?" She asked. He breathed out, slightly nervous, still not knowing how to explain what had happened.

"I was just- I thought I saw something moving behind the stairs. I called out because I thought it was a person but it must have been my mind playing tricks on me." He chuckled nervously, shrugging a little.

"Oh.. alright." She muttered, eyeing him suspiciously. She obviously didn't believe him, but she was letting it go for now and he was happy to do the same.

They continued to dance, and the night progressed as usual. Dancing, mingling, drinking. Calian was ready to retreat to his room not long after his third dance partner, but he thought it would draw attention to him so he forced himself to continue dancing long into the night. After getting dragged across the ballroom by a rather large and thoroughly liqueured broad, Calian thankfully got to switch to a much more sober companion. Though when he realized who it was, he wished he could go back to the drunken woman.

"Calian, oh how good to see you again. We didn't get to dance last night though I wished we had. How are you enjoying your stay, darling?" The queen asked, beaming at him. He forced himself to grin back politely and answer with as much enthusiasm as possible.

"Very much, your highness, I'm very grateful for the invitation, thank you." He responded.

"Of course! We simply couldn't have gone through with the celebration if you had not attended." She said. He figured this was something she'd already told very guest here.

"Well, I am truly honored. And are you enjoying the party as usual?"

"Why of course, thank you for asking. Florian and I look forward to this little get together every year. You should see us when everyone leaves, we simply don't know what to do with ourselves!" She laughs and he chokes out a small chuckle.

"And I'm sure all your guests feel the same." He couldn't believe she'd just called it a "little get together."

"Oh, you are too sweet my dear. How are you getting along with the other guests? we haven't seen you much since last night so we figured you were socializing well. Any new friends or.. interests?" She looked at him suggestively and he knew she was wondering about Evita.

"Yes, many friends. I met a lovely man named Rudolph and he just introduced me to his wife. And of course Evita and I have been chatting quite a bit, thank you for introducing us."

"It's my pleasure. I can't help but fix up the two most adorable little lost lambs. You wouldn't believe who comes in here alone and leaves with a new bride. I just love bringing people together who are obviously meant for each other." She boasts.

For having a hobby in match-making you sure did a fine job ripping apart an already happy couple. Calian thinks sourly.

"How wonderful for them. You truly are a saint, your highness." He says through gritted teeth, wanting to rip the words from his mouth and burn them as soon as he says them. She just laughs again and denies it. They dance for another minute and then switch. Another unfriendly face meets Calian's. He was definitely going to bed after this.

"Hello, Mr. Banik." Siersha says in her low seductive voice. It never fails to make Calian sick. He refrains from rolling his eyes and smiles.

"Hello, Princess." He greets her as they begin to dance.

"How are you doing this evening?"

"Well. And how are you?"

"Just fine." She responds. She's not as chatty as usual, which is puzzling, but he's not complaining. She suddenly gives him a strange look and sighs. "Are you and that blonde girl an item?" She asks, rather bluntly. He's surprised and caught a bit off guard.

"Well, even though that is private information, no, we are merely friends." He responds calmly.

"Ah, interesting. Very well, then." She says slowly, then smiles her usual smile and seems to regain confidence. That must have been why she was so quiet at the beginning, she was still insecure about this morning. He allowed himself to roll his eyes this time and luckily she didn't notice.  They danced for about three more minutes and then switched, to Calian's joy.

This time, he was met with an older woman, maybe fifty or sixty, looking rather anxious. Her attire was strange and it made Calian wonder more. It looked like an interesting hodgepodge of bulky fabrics and accessories, like a small child playing dress up in her mothers formal wear. Her eyes darted around and then finally met Calian's, looking bloodshot and frantic.

"Sir Banik, you must leave at once, please." She whispered desperately. "Before they realize who you are!"

"What are you talking about? Before who realizes? How do you know who I am?" He asks, extremely confused. She sounded like the old man who had confronted him before. Did they know each other? Did they both know what happened to his parents? How did they know who he was?

"The King and Queen! Please, you must, you must! Leave now, or forever wish you had!" She whispers, getting less than an inch away from his face, her breath smelled of stale bread and rotten meat, causing him to flinch backwards.

"Who are you? Do you know that old man? How do you know me?" He asked, more forcefully now, but she ignored him and looked around at the other dancing couples again.

"Get out before it's too late." She whispered again, then slipped away and into the crowd. He tried to chase after, but lost her after a few seconds. He looked around, spinning in circles trying to relocate her, but gave up.

He was so flustered after the strange encounters, he decided to just go back to his room and sleep off the strange evening. He didn't even bother saying goodnight to anyone, he just wanted sleep.

As he walked to his room, he made sure to check around corners and certain doors, looking for strange people who looked like they didn't belong. He found none. But he did find a few interesting rooms devoted to certain worship practices of the cult. He made a mental note not to go back into any of those rooms.

He reached his room and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him and sighing heavily. He removed his formal clothes and dressed in his usual sleep attire.

Before laying down, he wanted to g0 out onto the small balcony that was included in his room. He opened the glass doors and a wave of icy night air hit his face, making him shiver and wrap his arms around himself. He leaned against the marble railing and stared up at the moon absent-mindedly. It was bright and full, casting odd shadows across the courtyard and pillars of the castle. He scanned over the village just beyond the cobblestone path, and wished he were with his aunt and uncle right now instead, enjoying soup and pie, talking about his travels and their plans. But he knew this would be worth it. It had to be, he had been waiting for this since he was a child.

He shifted his gaze to the walls surrounding the castle, made of dark stone and brick, tall and sturdy. The guard towers were almost as high as his room was, but they were still a considerable amount of centimeters shorter. He could see the guards standing at the top, staring out into the black horizon, holding their weapons lazily as sleep crept close.

He realized, it would be rather easy to sneak in if it were later. They would be tired, sloppy, unprepared, maybe even sleeping, and anyone could just slip right in—or out.

This made him think. Thought at this point he was also very tired, so he went back inside and curled into bed, setting the hot bladder of water that had been waiting for him by his feet and closing his eyes. He fell asleep quickly, and dreamt of the strange events that had occurred within the past few days