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Dresses, Dances and Debauchery - Part 3

In which guilt is hidden, memories revisited, things are mostly wrapped up...

The 1st Day of Descending Wood, Realm Year 763

The party, or rather the intimate gathering of potential friends and allies, is slowly winding down. Asura sits on a chair, one leg up on Sian's lap while he dutifully massages her foot while trying not to look too obviously up between her legs as Cassia and Venia return. The two of them talk softly, with the young girl apparently having given the newest Exalted arrival to Tideholme a guided tour of the Iceflower Palace.

Asura looks up and waves, half-empty glass in hand, "Welcome back, Sian was just displaying his mastery of foot massages." She smiles, "He's very good."

Sian accepts this with nothing but a tiny smile.

"Oh? Must have gotten better recently. I recall limping before." Venia takes her seat again.

Cassia takes her seat next to Asura again, inwardly a little nervous of if she will notice the dress, but outwardly trying not to show it.

Sian merely lifts an eyebrow at the comment.

Asura looks up as Cassia sits down, her amber eyes darting quickly over the dress and body of her protege, and then a few seconds later she looks at Venia. She takes a long sip of her drink, now well above the freezing temperatures that ice-wine should normally be served at.

Venia smiles at her, taking a sip. "Nice palace you have here."

Cassia keeps breathing throughout the inspection, picking up her own glass and sipping, wincing at the taste of the now warm liquid.

Asura nods, "Thank you. I had it built for me when I arrived. I could hardly be the new Satrap without a home worthy of my title, could I?"

"One could, but it would tacky, and that would hardly be your sort of thing." Venia eyes Asura in return, letting her eyes drift obviously over her dress, smile quirking in what is either a rebuke or second compliment.

Asura smiles archly, "You are quite correct, it would never do to be tacky." The irony of this statement in juxtaposition with her apparel seems to miss her entirely.

Sian switches feet calmly, apparently oblivious to the entire conversation.

Cassia glances between Sian and Asura, taking another nervous sip of the ice-wine. They didn't. Asura is going to be annoyed. Oh, she better not have noticed...

"Now, since I have freshened myself up, I assume that you have something in mind for this mutual arrangement," Venia notes.

"At present there is nothing firm. However," she switches feet in Sian's lap, her movements smooth and graceful, and showing a hell of a lot of leg, "My duties here in Tideholme keep me tied down here, to a degree that I find an annoyance. You three are not so constrained, being free agents of a sort."

"Of a sort."

"Well, of course." She smiles, "Cassia has been in my employ for a few years now, but her status has recently changed," she nods towards the girl, "Her Exaltation means that her previous duties are beneath her now."

"Ah, yes. We talked a bit about that along the way. Still, I can hardly think you see no threat this alliance is meant to remedy."

Cassia nods a little, keeping her head in her glass.

Asura sighs and slides her foot from Sian's lap, to sit up straight, "You are correct. There are changes afoot in the world, things are happening that people in my position hear about, but do not necessarily tell others. I cannot act directly for... many reasons," she looks for a few seconds directly at Venia, "But I can help those who can."

Sian sits up himself, properly listening for once.

Venia nods. "Better. Help is, as always, appreciated."

"Sian, you have diplomatic status and contacts across the North. Surely you must have noticed that things are becoming more chaotic of late?"

Cassia just listens, quietly.

Sian nods slightly at this. "The spirits and gods seem to be a great deal more restless than usual. The courts are full of them."

"Venia, have the politics and intrigue of the Blessed Isle become more... convoluted of late?"

"You could say that. I'm here, aren't I?"

Asura nods, "Now, I am not an astrologer or a diviner, but the world we have now is not the world it was even ten years ago." She leans back, "Change is coming, and if you can grab hold of it, it can make you great."

"Or it can kill you." Sian gives her a serious look.

"Then you don't have to worry about failing."Venia says, "I think I see where this is going."

"This is the essence of my offer of mutual assistance. Apart, the best we could hope to do is ride the wave of change and survive it," Asura nods to Sian, "But together, we may be able to control it."

"So where do we start?" Sian pours himself a modest glass of the mostly-fruit juice.

"For now, we wait. Patience and discretion are virtues, or so I was told," she smiles somewhat self-mockingly, "We wait, and we watch and we learn. Even the frozen North cannot escape what is coming, I fear."

Cassia holds out her glass for some of the fruit juice Sian is pouring with a small smile.

Sian fills up said glass with a smile in return.

"Thanks." She says softly, taking a sip, wondering what Venia is going to say to Asura..

"You? Fear? Then it is important." Venia smiles wryly and sets her empty glass down. "Now, if I might speak to you in private, Asura?"

Asura's looks puzzled for a moment, which may be the ice-wine, and then nods, standing up, "Of course," she leads Venia over to the corner next to the orchestra stand.

Sian settles back to sip his drink, putting his feet up in Asura's vacated seat.

Asura nods, "We can speak freely here. This room was designed to spread the sound from the orchestral platform out. Interestingly this means that this corner is acoustically dead to the rest of the hall."

Venia smiles. "So, how was Sian? Does mutual interest define we take turns shagging each other?"

Asura looks up and then smiles, "I thought we concealed it better than that. And, to answer your questions, very good and I don't mind if he doesn't," she stretches out a hand to rest it on Venia's shoulder, "We did have some good times, didn't we, cousin?"

Cassia takes a larger gulp of the fruit juice, nervously glancing over at Asura and Venia, unconciously re-smoothing her dress straps.

Sian lifts an eyebrow at her. "Something the matter?"

Standing in the corner, Asura places her hand on Venia's shoulder as they talk.

"Hmm... until we both started hiding weapons under the pillows. To which, I remind you. I know you. I know everything you were, and why you're here... I will know everything you are soon enough. In light of that... perhaps a more meaningful truce?" Venia pauses, "Something that doesn't remind me of what people say back home befor stabbing each other in the back."

"Well, I am equally sure that you are not here by choice, dear cousin," a hint of bitterness creeps into Asura's voice, "I remember your dislike for the winters we had back home, so of all the places to come to, why choose here? But, I agree, if we are to assist one another, there must be trust. To a degree."

Venia shrugs, stepping a tiny bit closer to Asura when she mentions the cold. "Oh, I'll admit now. I got Belar angry at me. Which is why it's important that we don't spend our time worrying about what the other has planned."

"I agree," Asura smiles, "Besides, with this dress it's not like hitting my back would be at all difficult."

Cassia looks back at his eyes and shakes her head a little "No." she smiles only a little nervously "Thank you."

Sian just sips his drink a bit more, waiting for the pair to return.

Cassia bites her lip, then "..Whats it like?" a small gulp "Being a diplomat for whitewall I mean.."

"Boring at times, to be honest. I spend months just travelling across the snow and ice."

Asura moves in closer to Venia, wrapping her arms around the back of the other's neck.

Sian notes this with mild interest.

Cassia is not so subtly watching them

Venia chuckles. "So, what would seal the trust? How far are you willing to go?"

Asura steps closer to Venia, wrapping her arms around the back of her cousin's neck, "How far do you think I am willing to go?" she breathes.

Venia settles a hand at the base of her spine. "Tsk. As if that was enough last time... we've had years to think about this. It will take more than a pleasant romp to ease our minds, I imagine."

"What then? While I have a degree of wealth and power, they are limited in scope," Asura whispers into Venia's ear, "And they were more than pleasant, I hope."

From their vantage, Sian and Cassia see Asura apparently kissing Venia's neck.

The two seperate some seconds later, although Asura keeps her hands clasped behind Venia's neck.

Cassia murmurs to herself about the pair, taking another gulp of the fruit juice.

Sian smiles slightly. "Go easy with the drink. Even the Chosen aren't immune to that level of alcohol." His tone is fairly mild.

Just as Venia turns to leave, Asura pulls her back for a long kiss. When they finally part, both are somewhat flushed, and Asura returns to her seat with a smile.

Venia shivers. "Here is not the place to reminisce..."

She stands back, her hands still around Venia's neck, "True." Asura looks into Venia's eyes, looking for... something, "What can I offer you as a token of trust, then?"

Venia smiles at her. "Ah, but that would be telling. Consider that part of it. Making sure we understand each other well enough to know we need each other here and now."

"You always did like your mysteries, Venia. Just be careful they don't catch up with you."

Venia smiles, giving Asura a quick kiss before turning to go to her seat. "They will eventually. But I'd best have my fun before then, no? And we'll talk it over sometime later. When Cassia isn't staring at us hungrily."

Asura smiles, catching Venia as she turns to leave and kissing her back, a hot and heavy embrace filled with remembered passion.

Venia manages a blush after that, ridiculously appealing as she fixes her hair.

"You taste just like I remember," Asura whispers, and walks back to her chair, sitting down daintily.

Venia is more straight faced, sitting down again and pouring herself some fruit juice. "Sorry about that... now were we?"

Cassia smiles a little overwidely at Sian, and then at Asura, trying to hide her nerves..

"I believe we were talking about waiting to see what happens," Sian says.

Asura picks up her glass and sips it lightly, "And the roles that each of us would play."

Venia nods. "That seems obvious on the face of things... but I'm sure you have a plan there as well." She takes a breath, "I have ideas and information, plans at this stage are... fragile. Beginnings are delicate, as I'm sure we all know."

Venia nods, offering Cassia a little more juice while she has the pitcher. "Of course. Mind sharing an idea for now?"

Cassia accepts with a small "Thank you." and a large sip.

Asura nods, "Tideholme, while stable, is not really a sufficient power-base. Unfortunately, Marama's Fell blocks any hope of expansion northwards, so that leaves the coast."

Sian recalls his mental map. "The only major city I can think of along the coast is Cherak."

"Cherak is, perhaps, too big a bite for now. But, in the future, perhaps..." she nods, "For now, though, we had best keep doing what we were doing. I very much doubt that I am the only representative of the Realm in Tideholme."

"That would amaze me, yes."

"I have my suspicions, but that is all that they are. For now."

Sian rolls his shoulders a bit. "So, should we keep around the Tideholme area, or can you contact us at distance? I may have to return to Whitewall soon, you understand."

"I have some few means at my disposal, yes," she gestures vaguely, taking in the vast construction that is the Iceflower Palace.

Venia nods at that.

Sian acknowledges this with a nod himself. "Very well."

Asura looks at everyone, "So we have an... understanding then?"

Sian nods, "We do."

Venia smiles, and nods.

"Cassia?"

Cassia is slow at nodding, but she does "..yes.." a smile "Asura."

Asura stands, still looking as stunning as she did a few hours ago, although perhaps not as pristine, "Then I think I can declare that this little party was a success." She smiles at everyone in turn.

"A well designed coming out party." She applauds lightly, making clear it's for Cassia just as much as Asura.

Cassia blushes rather reddly at that, but smiles at Venia in thanks

"Indeed it was." Sian pushes his chair back, standing as well. "Cassia, it was a delight to meet you. Venia, good to see you again. And Asura, thank you for a most enjoyable evening." He bows to them each in turn.

Venia stands, offering her arm to Sian. "Walk me to the inn?"

"Thank you ..Sian. Was a pleasure to meet you tooo." Cassia smiles at him.

What happened between Asura and Cassia...

What happened between Sian and Venia...