The Lady of Schwanase smiled serenly as she heard his curses, then spun roundin fury as he grabbed her arm, slapping him round the face hard. "'Ow dare 'ou, 'ou charleten, 'ow dare 'ou touch a gentle lady so!!" The volws fell off her lips like petles, her rrr's rolling into iternity. Her eyes flashed in mock anger as she slapped him agiain and burst into tears, falling into his arms as she did so.

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Made by Lembas

A bit startled by this sudden, almost brash movement, Alaina went rigid for the briefest of moments, then relaxed just as quickly. All her brain could register was startled pleasure..and she was vaguely aware of either smelling or tasting(which sense, she wasn't really sure) wintergreen..

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"Yes, I had gathered," said Rilion, speaking like an actual human being (or more accurately, elven being) for once that evening rather than a robot he'd enlisted to take his place so as to avoid being stultifyingly bored. "How awkward for you - though one might assume he is rather scatterbrained, would one not?"

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Jeral looked at the Lady Diana hopelessly, his eyes round as solar planets. His mouth opened a little in shock, when the lady, after slapping him hard twice, fell right into his arms.

Egads, what a spectacle! he thought to himself. Here he was, with a dream of a girl beside him, another beautiful girl in his arms, and his shirt clawed to pieces and revealing too much, and his face red with embaressment... and not to mention the slapping.

Once again, he gave Diana a wordless, What on earth should I do? look, and the words spilled out gently to the woman in his arms...

"My lady, I give you my humblest apologies, when you, um, did my shirt so, I took no thought for whether you might be heartless fellow or genteel lady. I shame myself. Forgive me?"

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"The piano is able to communicate the subtlest universal truths by means of wood, metal and vibrating air."

"No, it is I who should be sorry, it must 'ave been my ring see?" she held up her right hand, and indeed the dimond was ringed with crule spiks of iorn. "'e is my familly ring, i aw'ways 'im, i is so sorry to hurt you. I would never want to hurt one like you, so strong, so handsome, so much...man!" she rested her head on his shoulder, yet her eyes sparkled.

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Made by Lembas

Diana's moment of euphoria figuratively burst out of her chest and landed, with a sodden plop, at her feet. First, the brazen woman had ripped Jeral's shirt. While she didn't particularly object to this - she was provided a most wondrous view of Jeral's muscular chest, after all - her falling into his arms?! And him actually sucking up to her?

This was outrageous! This was absolutely uncalled for! Lady Diana hadn't borrowed the toothpaste, ate the Cheez-its, and shoplifted Pets Mart for nothing!

She tinted her cheeks with a sanguinary but beautiful flush, enflamed her eyes with a vindictive but lovely rage. Tears threatening O so touchingly, she cried, "Oh, abandon me to exist upon this hollow earth alone, why don't you? And you!" She whirled upon the offending noblelady. "Beware the wrath of my sword, for my memory is long!"

Bursting into sobs, she turned and ran.

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Duke John melted into the kiss before pulling away with a face of utter adoration. Everything (almost) was going exactly (almost) the way he'd planned (almost).

Now all he had to do was figure out how to get down...

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Still a bit shaken by the kiss, Alaina licked her lips after pulling away, then took a few calming breaths. Just breathe..think about getting down from this great height.. Her heartbeat refused to slow down for a few moments, however, and she had to positively keep herself from gasping for breath. Her irrational fear of heights had just kicked in at the most opportune time ever, and it had her nearly in tears.

"If only I had thought to bring my dragon along.." she whispered after a moment, sounding as if she were speaking to herself.

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"I 'av zee long memory also Lady" she replied raising her head, whilst encircling her arms round his waist. She truned back to him, "I seem to upset everyone today, i t'ink must be very very bad luck." she stared up into his eyes adoreingly.

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Made by Lembas

Duke John flicked an oblique glance at Alaina and felt his heart constrict with concern. He pulled her closer and squeezed her shoulder. "Worry not, my lady, for I possess somewhere on my person a length of rope..."

He was yet again rudely interrupted by a blinding searchlight.

Oh, look. Helicopters.

"PUT YOUR HANDS OVER YOUR HEAD AND DON'T MOVE. WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED," commanded a rather tactless voice over the loudspeaker.

Duke John, who'd never in his life been spoken to this way, was just about to tell the stupid peasant exactly how he felt -

- until a squad of commandos in black fatigues and carrying AK47s poked their heads out the helicopter doors and sighted them down on their assault rifles.

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Alassea glanced over at Jeral-his shirt was laying in shreds about his feet, and a beautiful (of course) woman laying in his arms. She turned back to Rilion and smiled a bit. "I would say that's a safe assumption." She paused and looked around the room. "I was about to get some refreshments." she said. "Would you like to join me?"

"Assuredly," said Rilion, and offered her his arm out of politeness. "So you have not come with an escort, then?"

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Azura took the offered arm, out of politeness. "No, I'm on my own here." She smiled briefly. "And you? Do you have an escort here somewhere?"

((Methinks you mean Azura))

Rilion smiled wryly. "No. In fact, if it weren't for Father's riding accident, I wouldn't be here at all - he can't even walk, much less dance. It's disappointing for me - I find this sort of thing desperately tedious."

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((woops! I'm bad at getting my RP names mixed up. lol))

"I must admit I do find it a bit tiresome as well." Azura said. "All these balls are always the same." She picked up a small plate and put a few dainty morsels on it.

"No," said Rilion, "some are more dismally tedious than others. Though I can honestly say I've never been to a ball I enjoyed. Too many maidens fluttering their eyelashes."

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Azura nodded in agreement. "Perhaps we could step outside for a few minutes? Get away from the tediousness and stuffy air."