A Winged Masquerade [one x one]

[Rivkah]

Face going red where she touched it, his hand jerked nervously up and rested over hers. "I - thank you," he stammered, at a loss for words.The both seemed to be doing a lot of blushing and awkward silences. Clearing his throat, he instead tried to focus on what she had to say next. He had no idea why she was being so affectionate, and even though he really did like it, he was nervous she was twisting him around her finger like any other girl would, because they had never once been kind to him just to be kind. It got a bit old, honestly.

He nodded quietly, thoughtful. "Well," he started softly, "the way I figure it, is our society has taught them not to. Most Winged here don't pay attention to their servants save for screaming orders at them. So why would a servant complain if they were only going to be looked down on? It's rather sad, really." He tilted his head, sighing for a moment. "Sure, this is my family's mansion, but I don't really agree with much of the customs. I mean, we're technically cousins with the humans, and yet we treat them as if they are below us." He smiled at her weakly. "It's like punishing yourself, even. So they don't have wings - most of ours aren't good for anything anyway. I think I'm the only one here who can actually fly, and I'm cast out because of that, even." He shook his head, but tried to focus instead on the dancing they were doing.

At her question, Kane remarked, "Yes, my mother got me a tutor. Her excuse was that every gentleman should know how to dance. She mostly did that because my father didn't know how to, and it irritated her." He grinned at the thought of his father stepping on his mother's toes all the time. Every time she stumbled he would catch her gently by the arm, and help her do the steps again. "You're most welcome. It's the least I can do," he said cheerfully, squeezing her hand in a reassuring manner.

[rose;]

Rose ha surprised herself with boldness, and she fell silent, hoping to just keep quiet once more. She didn't want to seem too pushy- after all, it was more customary for the men to approach the women, although the girls seemed to make it clear when they liked someone. Rose still heard of parents arranging marriages too, but they caused more problems than anything else- running away being the most prominent.

The young girl glanced up more often as her feet memorized the pattern, and she listened closely to what he had to say, her eyes growing wide. "I've never known anyone who thinks that way," she said, awe in her voice. She ceased her dancing to just stand and look up at him, eyes searching. She needed to know he was telling the truth. Rose reached out and took his hand, rendering him unable to pull away easily. "Are you lying?" She demanded, her tone guarded, but possibly... Hopeful. She wanted him to be telling the truth, so she might have someone to talk to and feel better about not slipping up. Of course, she would still have to be careful, just not as careful.

As if just realizing what she was doing, Rose stepped back, quickly dropping his hand. She ducked her head, giving it a bit of a shake. "I'm sorry," she said, quickly. "I just..." She ended up trailing off again, biting her lip. "Sorry," she said again, taking a small step back, sounding resigned. "Most people lie about that though... I haven't come across anyone who thinks that way. I didn't mean to sound so demanding, or abrupt."

[Rivkah]

As she accused him of lying, he went red. "No," he said defensively, though it was so quiet that it was hardly rude. "You can ask anyone in there, all they'll say is that humans were made to serve us." He then rolled his eyes at that. "Frankly, it's stupid. They were here first. What if they actually created us to serve them?" He sighed bitterly, glad when they stopped dancing. It was not really something he was focused on at the moment.

At her apology, however, he quickly took her hand back, pulling her closer. "I promise I'm not lying. Why would I? I have no reason to. You wouldn't judge me for it, so I have nothing to be ashamed of. It's simply my opinion." He gave her a little twirl under his arm and then pulled her back against him. He planted a small kiss on her nose, whispering, "That will make us even, alright?" He then let go of her, stepping back, slightly embarrassed. He cleared his throat, turning as the song changed. "Since you are not well, would you like to stop dancing? I don't mind, I can get you some dinner if you would like." he could certainly use something to nibble on and tide his hunger over. He was a guy, so he ate a lot naturally.

He smiled, bowing his head in a polite, respectful manner. He then yawned softly, realizing maybe half an hour had passed already. His eyes looked lazy and peaceful. He mused to himself, lost in thought and absentminded for the longest time before he finally focused his attention upon McKenzie once more with a broad smile.

[rose;]

Rose watched him with wide eyes as he explained himself, in quiet disbelief. "I wasn't saying you were lying about that," she explained quickly, shaking her head. "I meant about you thinking... they weren't put here just to serve us. Not many people think that..." Rose shook her head, her curls falling to hide some of her face. She didn't want him to see her expression, the pleased look she held that she'd finally found the one person she new must be out there that didn't think the humans were there to just serve the winged After all, they had been there first. Perhaps there was a small amount of hope...

The hand at the wrist rather startled Rose, and she didn't resist the tug forward. She smiled softly, a blush rising to her cheeks as he placed a light, almost teasing kiss on the tip of her nose. She laughed too, but looked down again, not used to being able to look people in the eye. It was a nice thing to be able to do, but she felt wrong doing it, like she might get yelled at. "They created many a things to serve them, but not.. us," she said, more absently than anything. Saying us, referring to herself as winged also felt wrong, but she forced the word out, hoping like it hadn't sounded too much like she had just been about to say you. She'd actually done research on it, sneaking the books from the library to read at night. "No, we weren't there to serve them, nor were they to serve us..."

Looking up, Rose gave a small shrug. "I wouldn't mind getting something to eat, if that's what you'd like." she said, too use to just going along with whatever someone else wanted. She had never been one for needing things to go her way though, and usually just agreed with whatever the other person wanted to go do. "I don't mind, either way." She wasn't getting too tired, nor was she feeling the best, but either thing they did, she'd be fine.

[Rivkah]

Kane smiled at her warmly. "Well of course not. Humans shouldn't really be our servants, we are more than capable of surviving on our own. It's the laziness that's the problem." Rustling his wings, he repositioned them so they weren't so cramped, and stuck his hands in his suit pockets. "Really?" he said softly as she spoke of the fact that neither was created to serve the other. "You are right about that. How'd you know? Speculation, or did you read it somewhere? We have it in our libraries, but I'm the only one who goes there..." He shrugged softly. Wait... How could she have read it from his library if she didn't live here in the mansion? He had to admit, that was peculiar.

He smiled as she told him she was complient with getting something to eat. "Oh, you don't have to, I just though you might like a rest." He went over to the refreshments table with her, poured two glasses of punch - thankfully not alcoholic - and loaded a plate with a few cookies and small sandwiches. However, he did not stay long inside there with her, as it was too crowded for his taste. He led her back out to the garden, setting the plate on a bench and handing her a glass. "They need a bigger ballroom," he joked to her, smirking sheepishly.

The music wafted through the air, now a calming, light-hearted song. He smiled at the sound of it, before taking a deep breath and inhaling the drifting scent of blooming flora all across the garden. It was mesmerizing, almost too good to be true. He picked up a cookie, taking a bite and thoughtfully chewing as he gazed over at the windows of the ballroom. This was so much better than being on the crowded dance floor. On top of it all, he got to spend time with her. McKenzie, who had brought a bit of excitement to his life.

[rose;]

Rose nodded in agreement, and she did have to agree that they were a bit if a lazy race. She wondered (and always had) wondered how things had come to be this way though. There were no records of it. From her readings she understood that the humans had been a very disagreeable race though, so perhaps there had just been a winged that had come along, perhaps looking like the brings that they used to worship, that brought peace to the land, and things came from there. Or she imagined they hadn't been entirely welcoming to a new species (they didn't seem so kind to new things from what she had read) and perhaps it had been the only way for the winged to survive. It was something she longed to know, but probably never would. "I've done reading on the subject, in many different libraries. The books are scarce and expensive, but worth it," she told him, giving a small shrug.

"Oh, its all right, of course," she said, following him quite willingly as he went back to the ballroom. She reached out for his hand right before they entered though, gripping his hand almost a little too tightly. She didn't want to be separated from him in the crowd, not did she want to even be in the mass of people. When they reached the table she took only a small sandwich on a plate- they were so prettily put on the plate and put together that it seemed absurd to want to eat one. She didn't want to not take anything though, and make him feel as if he'd brought her in here only to get himself food. "I agree," she said in response to his remark about the size of it, even though it was a very large room.

When they sat down, Rose let go of his hand, though she knew she had been holding on to it for a little too long for it just to have been so they didn't get separated in the crowd. She fiddled with her sandwich, but she didn't quite want to eat it. She ended up just setting it back down, smiling slightly. "Kane?" she asked. "Why do you hide your wings?" She realized it was a rather abrupt question, and realized it might be a bit too personal. "I'm sorry... if that was too personal. You don't have to answer, I was jut curious."

[Rivkah]

Kane sat there, more nibbling on his food than actually eating it. "Yes," he said softly, impressed by how intellectual she seemed. Most girls were nothing more than painted dolls - at least the winged girls were. They cared nothing of impressing men with knowledge - only appearance and talent. Thoughtful, He stroked his thumb along the rim of his glass and gazed out absentmindedly at the garden. Fireflies blinked at him cheerfully, and the thick aromas of the flowers were intoxicating to him. He frankly loved it.

His mind was in a different place, and he found his gaze never staying in one place for long. He was rather distracted, his mind jumbled from all the confusing thoughts. He glanced at her, going a bit red. She was a beautiful girl, he had to admit that. Well, not to her, she would think him foolish. But she was not only forgiving for his accident on their first meeting, but she was tolerant of him, friendly, and even kind enough to compliment him. He found her rather sweet, altogether, but he was too sheepish to admit that to her. He was still afraid she would think badly of him - despite how gentle she was in her tone, she could be only pitying him.

The silence was awkward and friendly, and Kane found himself lost in his own thoughts. He was abruptly pulled out of this daydream as McKenzie spoke. At her question, he went red and looked down. "No, no, it isn't personal at all," he said quietly, "The other winged find my wings too practical, for if I wanted to, I could fly a couple feet off the ground. They are also too big, so I must keep them against my back, or I knock things over constantly. They are also... frowned upon. Ugly, and modeled off of a bird that feeds on the dead. They do not approve of this. Come to think of it, neither did my family." Wistful now, he sighed, taking a long drink of his beverage and finishing up his food. "To them I might as well be human. And yet I envy the humans. So much simpler and less obsessed with vanity," he mused.

[rose;]

Rose didn't view the silence as anything uncomfortable, and it gave her good time to think about just being out here, where she didn't think she'd ever be. One random act of kindness for the day had landed her here... She'd freed a caged little dragon, similar to her own, who looked as if he'd been trapped in there for far too long, when the circus was in town for the festival. There were two types of dragons that she knew about- the companion ones, and the powerful, awe inspiring ones of legends. They were real, but little had she known that at that moment. She'd been visited by one two nights after that- massive and gleaming, apparently that small dragon she'd freed was that big ones son, or daughter... she wasn't sure. She was offered one wish, and she had wished to see what it would be like to be liked for some time, but made it clear she did not wish to stay like that. She'd earned herself a smile, and now here she was.

When he answered her question, Rose turned to look at him, her eyes widening just slightly. "Why is being able to fly anything bad?" she asked. "That's the whole point of them..." She looked rather confused for a moment, before shaking her head. "I say they're jealous," she declared, her tone firm. Hesitantly, she reached out, placing her hand against his wing where it was visible at his shoulder. "Will you let me see them?" she asked softly, not quite sure that he'd let her. She would not say a bad word, obviously, but did her trust her not to? "Don't say that," she said hastily as he said he wished to be human. "I-I'm sure that's not true. Would you really want to serve them?" she asked, trying to hastily cover up her own slip up.

Rose looked away once more, drawing her hand back. What she knew was done through observation, and she had never really observed them touching each others wings. She hoped it would not be something discouraged or even sort of frowned upon, or she might be having to explain why she'd done it, and that wouldn't be working out too well... She was just unsure of herself now, and him too, her thoughts trailing back to what she'd thought at first- was this some elaborate ttrick..? No, it couldn't be.

[Rivkah]

Kane shied away slightly the moment that she touched the joint of his wing where it was visible from behind his shoulder. "Nay, I can't say anyone would be jealous when they have delicate, beautiful wings that seem to show off the meaning of dainty and superior. It's like comparing my clothes to that of a monarch's," he said softly, not looking at her, though he didn't mind so much that she was touching his wing, just as long as she didn't harm it like some of the Winged liked to for fun. "They're supposed to be pretty, not useful. Most can't get more than a hover," he murmured in response with a sigh, still avoiding looking at her directly in the eyes. He didn't want to see her expression.

When she asked if she could see them, he said softly, "Yes, but I have to stand so they don't hit you or get tangled in the branches." He hesitantly got up just as she pulled her hand away, standing where there was merely cobblestone, but no plants or trees around, unlike the bench, which was sitting under the weeping willow. He tentatively spread his wings, which spanned out much larger than most winged. While some Winged were lucky to get four feet, his was easily eight or ten in span. They were actually less awkward than many people thought of them, but they were plain, their feathers sleek and a purplish-black. In no way were they as graceful as the other Winged's.

Chewing on the inside of his cheek for a moment, he stared at his feet, embarrassed. When she responded to his wish to be human, he went red, sheepish. "No, you have a point, but at least I would have something to keep me busy. With no one to talk to and nothing to do, days usually become really boring," he admitted in a soft tone. After a hesitant moment, he half folded them so they were loosely hanging at his sides, before he sat back down beside her, silent and awkward.

[rose;]

Rose drew her hand back quickly when she felt his wing move, assuming it was because he did not want her to be touching him. It was understandable, but her fingers still curled together, and she looked away. "But yours, they could keep you warm, you can fly with them, and... Their's, like mine... They don't do much," she argued, looking up for a moment. Her own wings opened against her back and then closed together, and she turned her head to see them. "Useless," she said, her tone almost bitter about it. The dragon at her shoulder cooed and rubbed his head against her cheek, and she smiled softly, patting his back. She did really wish her wings were bigger, better for doing what wings were for. They were almost transparent for goodness sakes, too easily harmed and caught against things, threatening to be torn.

Nodding, Rose looked up at him as he said he'd show her, and she scooted ahead on the seat sightly, adjusting her dress as she did so. She didn't want it to be too revealing, too reserved for that. She definitely wasn't like those other girls who liked to bend over just so they could show a bunch of skin, or chose the most revealing dress in the store in hopes to impress the boys. She ran her eyes over his wings appreciatively, and she didn't think they were ugly at all. "Well, why don't you talk to them then- they humans, I mean," she said without thinking too much about it. "I'm sure that none of them would really mind, if they realized there weren't malicious intentions behind it... I bet some of their jobs are quite boring... I talk to them, and a lot of them are quite... interesting. They aren't afraid to be rude, that's for sure."

When he sat down again, Rose hesitantly reached out her hand, placing it against the feathers of his wing lightly. They were soft, and she softly drew her fingers through the soft underside of them. "They're not ugly," she said firmly. "They're majestic. They're not plain, they're handsome," she told him, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. "They really are... they're sleek and smooth, and soft... Much better than mine," she said honestly, drawing her hand back with a slight blush. Had she gone too far? She could never quite tell.