Redfork Menace

Tapestry of Torment pt.2

Inside, the party had ramped up in her absence. The dance floor was so packed with people she didn't see how they were able to move at all. At times she had to physically push through the crowd to make her way deeper inside. She was looking for Martyn, who she still hadn't had a chance to talk to. She felt guilty for leaving him in the dark but there hadn't been any time to tell him anything. A sloshing cup of wine poured out of a hand half holding it and Shanda barely managed to dodge around it. She was thankful to not still be wearing the silver wedding dress. She had changed into another gold gown, one with beautiful pale moonstones sewed into it. The stones glittered iridescent under the torchlight. She deftly moved out of the way of a stumbling Mallister who was being firmly escorted out of the hall. Glancing back she shook her head, she was supposed to start the trouble this time.
She twisted and craned her neck searching for her brother but only a wash of differing house colors met her eyes. She strained for a glint of gold in the crowd but was met with more blood red of the Blackwoods than the familiar color of home. She rubbed her eyes groaning. The crowd moved more restlessly against the music which was so fast paced it would've made her dizzy to dance to. There was no time to wait, the fever pitch of the room was at its peak and she could not miss the opportunity. She muscled her way over to a group of drunken Mallisters who were visibly upset about their friend being ejected from the party. The group was muttering amongst themselves and nursing their drinks, watching the other people with displeasure.

"Threw your guy out too did they?" She grabbed a cup off a passing couple and threw it back, trying her best to look as disappointed as the men around her.

A few murmurs of agreement went up at her words.

"It was that fucking Fisher cunt."

Another cut in after saying, "Tully should ship them all back to that cursed isle of theirs, save the rest of us the pain."

Shanda knew the Misty Isles were probably haunted with something but it wasn't whatever the Mallisters were suggesting. But it did play into her hand, which was to rile the group up. She nodded along with them then looked around conspiratorially.

"I heard something like that about them. Well, I shouldn't say that though." She nervously glanced around again before plucking another wine glass off a serving platter as it went by. She made a show of tossing it back and spilling some on herself. Then she laughed and wiped her face with the back of her arm. "Definitely they are cursed men though." She added as if it were obvious to all of them.

She knew the men were looking at each other, each sizing her up to see if she really knew anything worthwhile.

"What'd you hear?" One finally braved the question.

She waved her hand nonchalantly. "Oh it's probably nothing. My cousin, she just said earlier when all of the couples were gathered together that the Fisher guy was acting odd. Whatever that means."

She let her words hang there a moment, letting their curiosity fizzle out. She hadn't revealed anything after all. Then when they all seemed annoyed she was wasting their time, she continued.

"That was until Lady Smallwood told me what he said about the Misty Isles. No one knows where it's at because Fisher hides it with blood magic."

Their attention was directed back at her though warily.

"Blood magic? Like old gods sacrifice?" The man who asked looked pale at the suggestion.

"Didn't that fisher cunt say something to you as they dragged him off? What was it? Something about the pale wings? No was the white something?"

"The white dawn?" Shanda asked, completely making up the phrase but positing it as a probable answer.

The guy clapped his hands together. "Yeah I think so."