skulduggery x Valkyrie

the golden sorcerer ball.

Skulduggery and Valkyrie walked down the corridor of the sanctuary down to the conference room. When they got there Ghastly, Ravel and vex were already there. "Hello Elder bestoke, Elder vex and grand mage ravel" said skulduggery happily. "Shut the Fuck up" said vex. "Dead men are not made for being elders and grand mages. We are made for fighting and death and just looking cool in armour. Not these robes that look like a rainbow unicorn has come over and puked all over us" vex said and crossed his arms, huffing. "You can tell who's had their coffee this morning and who hasn't" said Ghastly with a laugh. "Anyway hi" he said and turned to Valkyrie and gave her one of his good smiles. She smiled back and then looked up at skulduggery who was tapping his foot. "You ok?" Valkyrie asked him. Skulduggery looked down her and nodded. "Really?" She asked and once again he nodded. "Well I've called you here today to give you your invitations for the golden sorcerer" said ravel and passed them an envelope each. Valkyrie went to open her mouth to ask the question but Ghastly beat her to it. "It's a dance for famous sorcerer. We celebrate their achievements with rewards and stuff" he said and looked to skulduggery. "This will be old bag of bones 4th one" ravel said and grinned. Valkyrie stared at skulduggery. "How old are you?" She asked curiously. He sighed and crossed his arms. "I'm 457" he mumbled. "What?" She cried In disbelief. Skulduggery wasn't happy about talking about his age and he never was. "How old are you guys?" She asked the elders and grand mage. "Ravel is 424, Ghastly's 433 and vex is 432" said skulduggery smuggly. "What! But still your almost 460!" Valkyrie said and started laughing. "Shut up! I hate you" skulduggery and turned from her in a sulky way. "I know you love me really" Valkyrie said and threw and arm around his shoulder. "Suuurrree" he said and chuckled while rapping an arm around her shoulder. 

Back at skulduggery's, him and Valkyrie were getting ready for the ball. Valkyrie ran around her room grabbing make up, clothes, shoes and bags. She had no idea what to wear for a rare event as this. "Val are you almost ready? We have to leave in half an hour ok?" Skulduggery asked from behind the door. "I don't know what to wear" Valkyrie exclaimed. "Well, I can help if you want? So it matches my tux" he said and opened the door. He was wearing a navy blue tux and a matching hat. "Well then, when I say that I'll help to choose something to match my tux I mean I want to look better than you" he said and walked over to the pile of dresses. "Wow" Valkyrie said with a giggle and joined him by the pile.

In the Bentley Valkyrie kept looking herself up and down to see if she looked ok. She was wearing a red, strapless dress that went down until just above her knees and black heels. Her hair was down and straighted and she had a black shoulder bag on her lap. "You look fine. Don't worry. If you stand next to me all night your look even better because well I'll be there" skulduggery said and gave her a quick glimpse before looking back at the road. Valkyrie gave a little laugh and looked out of the window. "Who's getting awards?" She asked. "I only know one who's getting a reward" he said. "Who?"
"I'm not telling you"
"Why?"
"Because it's called a surprise"
"Do I know them?"
"Definitely"
"Do I like them?"
"Definitely. Maybe sometimes a little too much"
"Who's presenting it?"
"Well it's someone you look up to. Someone you think is the most fabulous man alive. Someone who you look at and think 'damn he's so amazing' and then you feel guilty of his amazing looks" he said. Valkyrie thought for a moment but couldn't think of anyone. "Who?" She asked and looked over to him. "Oh. My. God. It's very obvious!" He said sounding very offended. "Ghastly?" She asked. Skulduggery turned to her. His voice went cold. "How dare you think Ghastly could ever be better than me. I am very ashamed of you Valkyrie Cain."
"Wait! Your giving the award?"
"I made it very obvious by saying all those things"
"I've never thought of those things" she said and started laughing. "Well I guess I won't be telling you who the award is going to" he said with a smile in his voice. She stopped laughing and looked at him. "No no no tell me. Tell me! TELL ME!" She Screeched. But skulduggery shook his head and kept driving.

When they arrive Valkyrie hopped out the car and slung her bag her left shoulder and walked up to the sanctuary door. "Are you sulking because I won't tell you who's getting the reward?" Skulduggery asked after he caught up with her. She nodded and opened the door and walked down the corridor to the reception. "Well you'll find out soon" he said and walked over to tipstaff who was sat at his desk tapping at a keyboard. "Ah Mr pleasant, Miss Cain let me show you to where we are hosting the ball" he said and stood up and motioned for them to follow him.

In the hall it was full of famous and smug looking sorcerer's. There was a band playing music in one of the far corners and some people dancing in front of it. "It looks very fancy in here" Valkyrie said above the chatter and music. "Indeed it does" said skulduggery and took her hand and lead her through the tables and people to a table right by the stage. Valkyrie sat in the seat with her name on it as skulduggery sat in his which was to her left. "Hey Val, skulduggery" said fletcher walking up behind them. Valkyrie turned to face her boyfriend and smiled. "Wow! Your wearing a tux" she said and grinned. But then burst out laughing when she saw his hair. "Are you laughing at my hair? Yeah I know. Ghastly said I should probably flatten it because its all very important and fancy tonight" fletcher said with his own little chuckle. Then he took his seat which was three seats done from Valkyrie. She peered at the name of the person who was going to be sitting on her right and smiled. On the card it read out 'Tanith Low'. If anyone was going to make this night a bit more interested it was Tanith.

After talking and listening to the band play for 30 minutes ravel walked into the stage. "If everyone could take their seats please" he said over the crowd. Once everyone had taken there seats he started talking again. "I just want to thank you all for coming tonight. We've got some great awards to give to people who have done some incredible things. So I would like to first call up to the stage my dear friend skulduggery pleasant." At his name people clapped as skulduggery walked onto the stage. "Thank you ravel. I am going to present the award of the youngest hero tonight. I would first like to say that this award couldn't go to anyone else. She has saved the world more than twice and is a great partner. Without her I don't think I would even be in this dimension. She saved me from the faceless ones and brought me back here. I probably wouldn't even be alive without her. So I would love to invite Valkyrie Cain to the stage to accept this award" said skulduggery and looked down at Valkyries surprised expression. She stood up after Tanith had tapped her shoulder and went and joined skulduggery on the stage. "Here you go Val" said skulduggery and shook her hand while handing her a trophy.

After all the awards had been given out it was time for some more dancing. "May I?" Asked skulduggery and held out his hand to Valkyrie. She grinned and took his hand as he led them to the dance floor. She placed her hand on his shoulder and the other in his hand. He then placed his other hand on her waist and they started drifting around the room. "I can't believe I got an award!" Valkyrie said and with a big smile. Skulduggery chuckled "you should of seen the face when I said your name. And how many people do you know who has saved me from the faceless ones? Oh I don't know let me think. No it's just you" he said and then bowed to her as the music stopped. "Mr pleasant, Miss Cain there is a man in the hall who wishes to speak to you" said tipstaff as he pushed through the crowd. "Ok" said skulduggery and they walked out of the hall and into the corridor. Tipstaff ran back down the corridor back to the reception. A man stood leaning on the wall. "Finally" he said and punched skulduggery in the face which made him hit the back of his head on the wall making him unconscious. Then Valkyrie got hit from behind and everything went black.