[Zeo]

Where as some of the guards found the Masquerade Ball a bothersome thing each year, Zeo didn't see the sense in not enjoying a good thing. Here there was dancing, music, people of all shapes and sizes, food...Ooh lords the food. And he didn't have to lift a finger all night.

..Well, hopefully he wouldn't have to lift a finger all night. There was always a drunkard or two out to ruin a good thing- but he wasn't letting that bring his spirits soaring down! Ooh no...if he had anything to do with it, his spirits would be going up. And up. And up. Along with the bottom of a few bottles; if you know what I mean.

Smirking he tugged his gloves off for what seemed like the five hundredth time tonight, folding them neatly in one hand as he skirted the dance floor; heading right for the closest collection of finger-foods and tastefully measured out liquors. Ooh the Queen would never have the stronger, more expensive stuff out for everyone...very snooty servants were handling those. But he always found the cheapest liquor filled your belly and overfilled your head as good as something that cost more than a whole farm.

"Hello ladies.." He cooed to the table, spreading hands across the dainty table-cloth with a smirk. His green eyes glanced up and around the room- and he made a vow to himself to say that phrase quite a bit more often; and perhaps with a smoother tone. There were...some very lovely women out tonight.

((Free for all to play, come in, hang out, and respect your neighbor. Above all- Don't tell Maikan I'm at the drink table. ..No I'm serious. I'll put bullets in your toes.))

[Poggio]

Brandy is dandy but liquor is quicker. The young lady found herself thinking with an untouched glass of burgundy liquid unconsciously swirling in its glass. . She was amused. For a while now she had been watching a guard. His favor seemed to be with a lot of the ladies and he didn't seem to boggled with duties or the queen to not have a good time. She bit her bottom lip nervously wondering if she should approach the man. Or if in the age of Queen Maesha if that was too forward for a lady. For now her indecisiveness simply made her a beautiful wall flower that observed the twirling dancers and other guest.

[Zeo]

Picking his way through this or that selection, Zeo finally found himself a good ale, taking first a single small sip before a much larger; less delicate swig. Nice. He didn't care what anyone said, Alcohol was for drinking. You didn't drink it for flavor, you didn't drink it for ...what was it Maikan always said... Aesthetics. No, this stuff was for getting drunk, and possibly thinking you're the fifth admiral of a flock of birds for a little while. Always an adventure!

Grinning he turned from the center of the room, oh so distinguished as he leaned his rump against the table's edge. He may not have had more than four ounces of real etiquette, but at least he had manners to speak of. ..Well, some.

And that was when he noticed a perfect opportunity to show off his very tasteful set of mannerisms; eyes roving over a rather dark and mysterious looking vixen who seemed more keen to enjoy watching, than sample the actual dancing herself. His lips spread beneath his pale mask, glancing over her from face to toes (as was only polite of course.) before inviting himself to wander over; taking just a moment to grab a second of the dainty little glasses of liquid ambrosia.

"And who is this lovely woman, standing so unjustly alone by the wall?" He asked, voice dripping in intimate sincerity.

[Maikan]

Making his way about the party, the Feryxonis male paused a moment when he saw an all-too familiar flash of white and gold pass through a crowd in front of him. The Lord stopped suddenly, his wine glass still raised a bit. Zeo. That lazy, good-for-nothing drunkard...what was he doing, here, instead of near his post? Maikan's eyes narrowed as his gaze followed the male in white, easy to pick out from his ridiculously-revealing outfit. He had told the other male, time and again that he needed to dress more conservatively, needed to blend into the walls and the shadows. He was security, not some glittering, silly bard!

And why was he going to the -- Maikan's nostrils flared as he took in a sharp breath through his nose, his posture stiffening. A bar! He was going to -- oh that fool, that peasant-blooded idiot. Maikan watched the white and gold male carefully, creeping around crowds of people as he kept a trail on him. He slipped behind a pillar, a master of stealth and stood slightly to the side, watching the idiot attempt to flirt with a female nearby. A frown crossed Maikan's face but he remained still, just watching and waiting for the moment when he could spring upon the other and catch him in the act of being a lazy, undisciplined joke to her Majesty's forces.

He was close enough to overhear Zeo's words and rolled his eyes; if he were a different person he'd have made a gagging gesture. He was so, so...
infuriating!

[Poggio]

For a moment, She had lost her amusement until a voice crept up beside her. She didn't visibly jump though it made her brows furrow in anger that he had managed to catch her unaware. Her eyes shifted from one side to another to make sure he wasn't merely talking to some one else. When she was reassured a thin smile crept over her lips. “Charming, and as bright as the sun”She mused looking over the strange mans attire till finally her sight found a pair of pale green eyes veiled behind a mask. So far it was the only clue she as to who the man really was. For all she knew he could have been a devilish delinquent that murdered children. “The wall says her name is Synila and that you should be careful not to spill your drink.” It was a shame that a lie rolled much easier off her tongue then the truth but better to not know the real lady behind the mask

[Zeo]

Zeo smirked, this woman's comment on his outfit making him feel...well, not quite so bad about it. At least he wasn't the only one who thought it was a bit overdone- but the Queen had said 'your finest and brightest' when he had asked, and that was what he had worn. Granted, the jacket was new; expertly fashioned. But the rest...well, there was little sense in spending all night uncomfortable, wasn't there?

"The sun and the moon...that's a very convenient metaphor right there." He spoke low, taking in what of his features he could- and the air of thicker mystery on her was breathtaking. A hint of face, a slope of a shoulder, the swell of her-...Sultry voice. The nuances of a masked ball were not lost on him, no they were not.

Her last remark made him grin and flicker eyes over his own drink (s?) and carefully adjust the glasses, shifting his hold so they were positioned correctly in his grasp so he wouldn't have to pay them so much mind, and then gave her his attention once again. "And so you're right, Lady Synila. And what a lovely name that is." His grin seemed to widen in a mischievous fashion below his mask, the corners almost twisting up far enough to touch it. "I am the wandering Sun- cursed to always travel the sky; never finding my moon." He said the last with a lilted whisper, voice practically caressing the last word with deep meaning before he took one of his glasses and slowly but determinedly drank down the meager contents.

[Kaguya]

From her spot at the wall she looked to the goings on at the bar and seen one of the soldiers dress in white, her eyes where drawn to his top and the wonderful detail to the stitching, her smile growing a little 'perhaps the trip wasn't wasted' she thought to herself and closed her eyes a little as she tried to drown out the music in her mind, sighing she opened her eyes and shook her head a little a few loose strands of her ivory colored hair flowing around her face as if it was newly fallen snow 'no good, I might as well pretend' she thought to herself looking around once more to the goings on.

[Maikan]

Maikan had a thought he rarely had, strange enough that the novelty of it brought a brief smirk to his normally stony face. A thought of mischief in fact and he was not a mischievious man. However, he still found himself slipping around a group of people in garish, heavily feathered masks, blending in with them as they made their way to the bar behind Zeo and the woman he was speaking with. He stayed amongst them, hidden from view of Zeo who was too preoccupied with flirting and settled himself almost right behind the male, shooing away the bartender with a cold glare, holding up the glass of wine he already had.

He watched Zeo out of the corner of his eye, hiding his smirk in the act of taking a sip of the dark burgundy liquid; the man really was an idiot. He almost wanted to laugh at his attempts to be deboniare and flirtacious, but held it in. Maikan wasn't as outright flirtacious as Zeo but he had no shortage of women who half the time literally threw themselves at him and fancied himself quite the ladies man...Zeo just made him want to wince and laugh at the same time. He was highly enjoying his eavesdropping.

[Ludovico]

This made her laugh, as she eyed the man, not sure if he was drunk or not. Mentally she was applauded his use of metaphor and wondered what witticism she could give him in return. “Of course you'll never catch the moon, what fun is the chase if the goal was too easy?” The young ladies lips curved into a smirk. Not only amusing but fun to tease. She reached out in a gesture to tap his shoulder but then quickly pulled back. “The sun is always to hot, it burns everything.” With that remark she reminded her self it was best to keep her distance. Synila finally took a sip of her wine she had been nursing all night and made an attempt t o steer the conversation back to something a little bit more casual. “And yet it is the light of life, its funny I do not know your name Mr. Sun.”

[J. S. Darling]

There wasn't much to be said for balls. Heh.
Balls. OF THE DANCE VARIETY. He wasn't drunk. No. That would be unseemly. He was toting about a glass of red wine in a not so straight line through the stringlets of people. Persons huddled in solemn pairs, small groups tittering like birds on a wire...

His walk slowed, then stopped as he stared in open fascination at the person in front of him. So... so white. There was so much white. Darling was content to stand and listen and STARE at this Zeo, until a wobbly step taken to correct his poor balance sloshed a few drops of ruby red wine onto that immaculately white jacket.
In bemused horror, he licked a thumb and attempted to do something about it, and managed to rub the color in instead.

"There's only one thing to do about this," he murmured, and promptly downed the rest of his wine, "'nd further cri- crisis, averted."

Darling raised his empty glass and gave a lopsided smile, "No need to thank me."

[Zeo]

Zeo grinned; he may not have been exactly 'catching the girl' as it were, but she was at least entertaining. Far more so than the usual vapid courtesans he usually had the displeasure of speaking to on a typical day.

"Perhaps it's better then if the Sun does not catch the moon; if only to admire her from afar; lest he find himself unwittingly destroying such beauty." Maybe he was conceding too easily, but there wasn't much merit in acting the pushy man- now was there?

Her statement however, that made him let out an actual laugh- nothing false about it. "So you've caught me then. I won't expect you to know it- but my name is Zeo." He smiled, eyes lifting to scan the room again; no sense putting off every single duty.

That was; until his eyes fell on the deliriously drunk man in front of him, head cocking slightly to the side as his eyes slid down and back up. Nice.. what? It was a habit.

"Sir, are you alr-" He only began his question when suddenly he was quite a lot closer; Zeo's hands with the two glasses going up ever so slightly, attempting to keep them from being spilled only to have wine sloshed across his front. He wasn't quite sure what to do, but the intoxicated man seemed to have every intention of helping, as he smeared and ground the stain in quite wonderfully. He stood in mute confusion for a moment as the purple haired beast drank down what was probably his fifth step over the 'too much' line. Save for anything better to say, he smiled; an almost heart-breakingly charming smile that reached all the way to his eyes.

"I'll thank you regardless of course; for having the decency to save the alcohol a most terrible fate, as it would have surely met if it were left to wander on it's own for much longer. Better in the belly than on the floor, of course." Would it ever come out..? Maybe. Would the Queen be angry he had ruined the specially made jacket? ....That was debatable. Did he find the whole thing funny as hell? ....Yes. Oh Lords yes.

"Though...I think a Merlot would have done the embroidery more justice.." He fussed, making a mock frown of distaste.

[Sora]

A celebration?

This was her first thought as Sora came to stand and watch from afar. There was dancing, conversations off to the side, as well as plenty of food placed out for the participants. Would she be welcomed here? It looked like a special occasion where people would have been invited to and she did not recall ever receiving an invitation.

". . ." For the meanwhile, Sora would move to stand near one of the walls of the well decorated ball room and she would go about with "people watching". She wasn't much for talking. Sora wasn't shy, no. Nor was it that she didn't know how to. She was just reticent.

[Poggio]

“Its...” Her response was cut off by the sudden intrusion of a drunken man spilling his drink on Mr Zeo's jacket. She quickly stepped back avoiding getting the dripping liquid on her own garments. A lighthearted chuckled escaped her lips at the mans misery. Synila listened to his slurred speech but her attention turned back to Zeo. “Its not that bad.” Looking around she didn't see a place where she could put her own glass down, so she set it on the ground. Pulling out a black handkerchief, that was neatly tucked away in her bra, Synila applied a little spit to the cloth then grabbed Zeo shoulder. While the stain was still wet she started to rub it hoping to dull the stain to a pink blemish making it easier for him to wash. “Yes your quite the hero.” She said to the drunkard wondering if he was beyond sarcasm. “Even more of a hero, if you could see if that bartender over there has club soda.” Using her head she gestured towards the man with blue locks behind the bar.

[Maikan]

Maikan was usually good at controlling himself; self-discipline was his mantra, almost to an obsessive degree but he still felt mirth regardless -- especially when an irritating colleague was splashed with red wine on his white coat. The Feryxonis male's face lit up as a grin cracked his stony demeanor and he actually laughed, guffawed in fact behind his gloved hand. "Hah!"

He'd blown his cover, something he never did, but it just amused him too much. A smirk planted itself on his lips as he watched the scene, leaning upon the bar.

The woman then made a comment about club soda, directing a hand towards him and he blinked, affronted. A bartender? A servant?? -Him?!?- His lips set in a thin line briefly and he had an urge to chastise the woman for even thinking he, Lord Maikan, could be as lowly as a servant; however, she was dressed in such finery and behaved so properly he was convinced she was a woman of high breeding. No need to be rude, then. Instead his expression eased and a soft chuckle passed his lips as he snapped a finger at the bartender to get his attention.

"Ah no, milady," he said, moving closer to them. "I am, alas, not the bartender but I can procure your club soda for you all the same. Tender! A glass of the sparkling, please," he grinned and took it from the man when he offered it and walked over, thrusting the glass in Zeo's hand. "Better get to that before it stains horribly; her Majesty would be so dissappointed," he said, overpoliteness dripping from his words as he smirked at Zeo -- you could just sense the underlying 'Ha ha!' in his tone.

He then turned to the woman, ignoring the drunk that had caused this hilarious scene and stepped subtlely in front of Zeo, almost hip-checking him as he bowed low to the woman. "Good evening madam, I hope you are enjoying your evening here. I am Maikan, the Lord of the House of Esthial, if there is anything you require, do not hesitate to ask. I consider myself something of a welcome wagon for newcomers to the Kingdom. Are you from here?"

[Espy]

((Using this male avi for the time being.))

Sen walked, no, he almost glided, through the crowds, with a glass of Pinot Noir in hand. He knew his cousin was here; he'd spot the red-sheathed sword, identical to his, sooner or later. The girl was clumsy and shy, and had always scolded him for his mischief. Not that he didn't deserve it...

His stowed blade hit softly against his knee as he did a weaving waltz through the multitude of masked guests towards the bar, but Sen ignored it. Stopping to take a breath, he pulled his mask up and sipped briefly at the pinot, glancing at the people close to him.

[Zeo]

If Zeo had been entertained before- This wonderful Synila woman's motion at Maikan of all people as the bartender made him snort with laughter- an unexpected spill of real amusement; not any of those cultured and ridiculous laughs that were all well and goodnatured for social occasions; this was the kind of laugh that was for homes, surprises of happiness, and the world's most inane inside joke.

"Yes, Bartender- serve me." He called jovially and in the lightest of tones. It wouldn't do for Maikan to pout...It was never fun if the pointy eared cretin pouted.

Aaand there went the snub-nosed brat, doing what he did best. Acting the perfect and hoity-toity gentleman. Uhg..Dirty tricks for fiendish fiends. He about brought a hand up, drew eyes on it, and mocked every word Maikan spoke; but didn't. Restraint was always the better part of valor. He smiled politely, all charm and grace as he let them both fuss over him. Well...let Lady Synila fuss over him- let Maikan give him little orders to satisfy his need for control. That was alright..they both knew who had more authority.

That's right, Zeo. Zeo with his special coat. Zeo zeo zeo. Mmhmm. Zeo.

He was going to tattoo it on that Feryxonian's hide. And then maybe pull out all the hairs on his fluffy fluffy oh so manly tail. The thought made him grin in his own little wonderland, about the same time that Maikan bowed- having to sway to keep from brushing against him as he did it. He scowled, shifting to hold both the liquor and the club soda in one very dexterous hand as he reached out to trail fingernails across the back of one of Maikan's ears- just along that edge that connects to the skull.

And in a very light and conversational tone, he added- "And that right there, your mighty lordship- is why the women want to use your sweat for shampoo, and forever smell of sweaty furbag." Before turning to waltz a half a step away- spinning to face them once more as he walked backward a few paces. "And you know you only helped because it gets me one step closer to naked." Uncouth, rude, vulgar, and most likely inclined to fall in bed with anything warm, sentient, and with only half a brain to speak of; that was Zeo to a T. And let's not forget his wonderful sense of humor!

...Ooh he was going to get into so much trouble later.