This Is How You Remind Me

The Ball(sy Mori)

   Ness merged with the crowd, talking, smiling, laughing and chatting with ultimate social graces.
   She had an ease with these people, and she knew her part and duty, show off just how kind and pretty and harmless she was. Carlisle was in a side room with all leaders, including Kieran, the butthead had forgot to mention his presence here to me, I made a mental note to kick his ass in training. Gosh, it would have been amazing to have him next to me right now, but even better if he could get to me within the next ten minutes, Ness was getting dangerously close to a group of Mori.
   I was still at her shoulder, and could have asked her to go in a different direction, but it would happen sooner or later, and I rathered it be now when we still had minimal Guardians.
   I had just caught sight of the familiar heads of blone and brown hair, thought maybe, just maybe I'd actually enjoy this, when the door to the side room opened and Princess Solange Drake entered the room, a smile bright on her face, dark blue eyes wide and honest.
   "Good evening and welcome to this historical event. The importance of this and the next several nights cannot be over stressed. However, that does not mean we must conduct ourselves in a stiff and unyielding way." She paused and glanced around, as if expecting a response. "I look forward to an enjoyable night of revelry, and the foundations of firm alliances. Your leaders have met and will address you now with all the laws and precautions that will be enforced this month. Now, if you have any arguments or are unsatisfied with anything you hear, please approach you representative and they will bring it to our attention. Now, a hand for your leaders!"
  Polite applause followed as Solange stepped aside, replaced by Carlisle, Lissa, Helena Drake and Kieran.
  Carlisle was the first to speak, his golden tones capturing the crowds attention immediately.
  "Good evening, it has been a long time since I've interacted with many of your species, and never together in this way. We hope to keep the peace here in the following weeks, and to do so we have set some ground rules for the general public and private communities.
   "Firstly, blood drinking is necessary for survival for most of us and not many of us can live on anything but human blood, and so first rule, There will be feeders generously supplied for us by the Mori government. To access these feeders you must be a Raktapa or Mori, no Elder may feed from a human, we will console our thirst with the blood of wild animals, Raktapas may join if they wish."
   There was some mutters, but no one spoke against Carlise.
  Lissa spoke next. "I am Queen Vasalisa Sabina Rhea Dragomir, I rule the Mori world and will give you your second law. While romantic relationships between to races will not be frowned upon we do caution all of you think before you act, and so rule number two; Any romantic or physical advances made upon a party that does not wish for them will be held as major charges, the offender will be removed and judged by the people of the offended and then their own."
   That one got an interesting reaction, murmurs and shuffling all around.
   "And keep in mind, attacks of any kind are held under this law, not just shameless flirting."

  Helena didn't bother stepping forward, she stood tall and strong. "Helena Drake, representative of the Raktapa People.Keep the peace in these coming weeks. I will have to deal with the skirmishes from my people. If you wish to blow off steam, get to the training room. I'm sure you'll find someone down there you can beat."

  Kieran now. The only human before the crowd. "You will follow these and any rules set down by your own people. If you do not conform to any one government, but chose to be here still, you are by the decision of this council, under the jurisdiction of your people. Failure to follow these laws, or any, will result in you removal or, if great enough, the punishment will come from the Hunters, Guardians, and personal safety teams brought by others."

  Here he stopped, eyes glancing around the room, taking in faces and making mental notes. "Few here have had much experience among other races, let this be a learning experience for you all."