forum This Union Means Nothing. There is No Love, Only Hate. (Closed with Dancing_With_My_Demons) (1/1)

Started April 19, 2023 by @RhysTheFirebird group

tune

Char shook his head and leaned on the balcony next Cassius, tilting his head, ever so slightly at his soft laugh. "Who is forcing you to be here?" he asked, forgetting his goal to find his fiancé and completely missing the fact that he was already talking to him. "It's not like this is your party and have a legal-ish obligation to be here so you can host." Char looked at the man again, there was something familiar about him that Char just couldn't place his finger on. He shrugged and looked over the crowd.

He was already tired of this party, and he had only been here for maybe ten minutes at most. There was amilian other things he could be doing right now but instead he was here, conversing with a man who was holding his glass wrong. Char sighed and turned to the man, took his cup, drank out of it, and gave it back to him, readjusting his fingers as he did so. "Hold it with your index and pinky are resting on the base. It looks better and you have more control that way." He told the man before returning to his scanning the crowd.

Cass sighs, grinning at Charles, “Actually, I am. . . Or moreover, my parents are forcing me here. Because they want more money.” He sighs, “It is my. . . our party, Charles.” He looks back to the floor for a moment, watching the people below for a moment before looking back at Charles.

Cass blinks, watching at Charles took a drink from his glass and then readjusted his hand around it. He sighs, “Keep the damn thing. I don’t want it anymore.” He puts it back into Charles hand and steps back, “Cassius Hawkins.” He decided against bowing, knowing his balance was horrid and didn’t feel like falling on his face. Instead, he flashed a smile and dipped his head slightly, “Pleasure to meet you.”

Charles's eyes widened, this was the man he was supposed to marry? What were his parents thinking? There is nothing in this for them, nothing but an excuse to get him out of the way that is. Cass gave the glass of wine back to him and char drank out of it again before holding it up in one hand and snapping with the other. A servant ran out and took the glass from him before disappearing again.

"So," Char started after Cass had introduced himself. "You are my fiancé." It was a statement not a question. He placed two fingers under Cass's chin and gently lifted so as to see his face clearly. He raised one eyebrow and tilted his head again as if thinking before letting go and smiling. "how does it feel?" he asked slowly. "You. You are being elevated several social stations higher than you are used to. So tell me, how does it feel?"

Cass stays still, swallowing for a moment and thinking. He wasn’t quite sure of he liked the guy in front of him. His fiancé. The man to which his parents had somehow, gotten him engaged to. He understood how much money they’d had before his father became an idiot and made stupid and reckless deals, but that didn’t explain how this marriage was possible.

He sighs softly, “I’m not sure yet, I wasn’t looking to marry for a while.” He looks at Charles, “I’m not sure I care much besides perhaps better parties. And that’s it.” He flashes a grin, “Other than that, it seems pretty boring.”

Char watched Cass. For some reason, he couldn't form an opinion about the man. Usually it was like or dislike right off the back. But Cass was harder to read. He took a step back and leaned on the opposite wall, his arms crossed. "I wouldn't peg you as a party goer." he said arrogantly. He looked at his watch and sighed. Just an hour plus dinner left.

Looking around again, Char caught the eye of his mother who was talking with who he assumed to be Cass's. His mother shot him a glare that reminded Char that Him and Cass were on the balcony. A place where everyone could see them. He rolled his eyes and turned back to Cass. He knew that he should at the very least, try and look like he was in love. Only a few people knew that this marriage was arranged after all. Charles placed his arm around Cassius's neck and whispered into his ear, "Smile for the parents."

Cass laughed softly, “I am, believe it or not. It’s your choice.” He stays quiet for a moment thinking, “Really, I’m just not pleased with this party, if I don’t like it, why would I act like I’m having fun?” He watches Charles, looking towards his mother. His mother smiled warmly up at him, thinking she was doing Cass a favor with this marriage. She wasn’t.

Really, Cass had wanted to join one of his father’s ships. Be a sailor, go off across the world and help bring his family’s wealth back up. He may have mentioned the latter to his mother and father, hinting that he wanted to be helpful, but he hadn’t predicted it would land him here. Marrying someone who thought the world revolved around himself.

Cass tenses just for a moment when Charles put his arm around his neck, but the relaxes, laughing softly, smiling slightly, leaning into him ever so slightly, “Next time, warn me before you touch me. . .” He murmurs, pulling away slightly, the smile still on his face.

Char felt Cass tense under his arm. And for a moment, he couldn't tell if he was scared or if he just didn't like being touched. Cass relaxed and Char let out a tiny sigh of relief. It was difficult to portray love from a distance without touching, and Char couldn't think of a different way anyhow.

He leaned down ever so slightly to hear what Cass was saying when when he leaned in. Instead of replying, Char removed his arm from around Cass's shoulders and slid it down his arm, ending by holding his hand. "Better?" he asked as he led them over to their mothers.

Cass sighs softly, rolling his shoulders slightly, smiling, "Yes. . . a little. . ." He moves with Charles, not wanting to see his mother, but not wanting to stand on the balcony any longer either.

His mother smiles and moves over, "Ohh, my boy! I'm so proud of you. . ." Proud of the money I'm bringing probably. . . he thinks to himself, smiles and shifting on his feet, slightly uncomfortable with the situation at hand, but going with the flow anyways. At the moment, the path of least resistance was the best one at the moment. For all of them.

Charles let go of Cass's hand and moved to his mother. "Hullo my dear." she said with a heavy accent. "I see you've met Cassius." She said slowly, as if testing the waters of her son's mood. "Yes mother." he said briskly. "I have." She looked at him, her eyes almost pitious. Char looked over to Cass to see how he was fairing, saw how uncomfortable he looked and sighed. He leaned down and kissed his mother's cheek before going over to Cass to save him from…whatever that was.

"May i show you something?" He asked, his hand out as an invitation to escape. He looked up at Cass's mother and smiled. Acknowledging her with politeness, but nothing more.

Cass keeps the smile on his face, keeping anything but joy and love from showing as he quickly hugged his mother, “Of course you are, Mam. After all, are we not benefiting from this in a way for the family? And am I not happy?”

His mother tilted her head slightly, “You always seem happy Cassius. Even when I know you are upset. So, for now, I cannot tell.”

Cass knew his mothers words to be true. He was always with a smile and ready with a laugh. It made everything seem perfect rather than his family’s world crumpling beneath their feet. Their ‘friends’ were turning their backs on them as they lost money and prestige. Cass hadn’t seen his childhood friend, Wren, in almost a year. In his last letter, dating three months back, he’d said his parents were cutting ties with the fallen merchant family. Cass had hidden the heartbreak from everyone, including his multitude of siblings and mother. His father though, had seen right through the mask as always. That conversation had ended with Cass yelling at him and blaming him for the steadily decreasing numbers in their accounts.

Cass had regretted yelling at his father, but the loss of his friend, and lover, he’d lost it. In the three months though, he’d become resigned with the fact of never seeing Wren again. A month ago, he’d fallen out of love, stopped pining like a kicked puppy and decided he’d become a captain on his fathers main ship, La Mer.

He’d worked hard for it, to gain his father’s notice and give him to position. But he’d made one off handed comment and that had him here. Getting married.

He looks at Charles and nods, taking his hand and smiling. His mother smiles brightly at CHarles, dipping an elegant and perfect curtsy before turning away. Cass wished he had that kind of balance, but alas, he didn’t get his mother’s grace, instead, he got his father’s horrible balance.

(happy backstory noises)

Charles returned Mrs Hawkins's curtsy with a nod and led Cass farther along down the balcony, passing his own mother as is she wasn't there.

Once they had reached the opposite side of the balcony, Char led Cass down a hallway, and then another, and one more after that. They were significantly far from the grand ballroom at this point, so far in fact, that they could barely hear the music coming there. Charles stopped in the middle of a hall and let go of Cass's hand. "You said you like to party right?" he asked, leaning on one of the walls. He looked at Cassius before tapping a brick and the section of the wall he was leaning against flipped around. Depositing him on the other side in a dark room. He sighed audibly and waited a few seconds before pushing the same section open a little and inviting Cass into the dark room.

Cass followed Charles, confused. He casts a look back at his mother, smiling softly at her and then looks to Charles, or moreover, his back. Which was just fine. He was following the man, it’s not like he knew where they were going. He watched the wall move and frowned, intriuged an confused.

He hesitated, unsure if he should follow. That was Charles. The tyrannical lordling. He sighed and followed him into the dark room, looking around. Reckless. . . His older sisters voice floated into his head, Following a man you just met into a secret and dark room. . . He shook his head slightly, waving the thoughts away, looking at Charles, “I mean, I did. . . What is this place?” He asks softly.

(I would say it’s a fantastical world, no magic or anything, but defiantly made up, an 1700’s technology and styles)

(you too)

Charles rolled his eyes and pulled him into the room, shutting the door behind him. He lit a torch that was hanging on one of the walls and smiled at Cassius. "What's a party without drinks?" The room was a secret warehouse of sorts, about the size of a large bedroom and filled with barrels of various alcohols. Each with a different color splashed on the side to indicate what was inside. A small cabinet full of glasses and mugs was standing off to the side. Char grabbed one of the glasses and walked up to the closest barrel marked with red. He pulled a knife from his belt and stabbed about halfway down the side of the barrel, caching the wine that flowed from it in the cup and held it out to Cassius before filling another one for himself. "To our marriage."

Cass looks around, noting the different colors and such on the barrels. He watches Charles, slightly confused, but takes the glass. He sighs, “You can’t be happy to get married to me.” He looks at him, leaning against the wall and taking a deep drink, not bothering to hold his glas ‘appropriately’.

“We’re not as rich as we used to be, we’ve lost seventy-five percent of out money due to my father making reckless deals. And apparently I have no class.” He looks down into his glass, watching the red liquid as he swirls it slightly, “My family has lost almost all social standing. There’s nothing for you or your family to gain from this. So why did they agree?” He looks back to Charles.

(Ooo, fancy. I love the 'for dragon's sake' thing)

Charles looked up at Cass and swirled his own drink before taking a sip. "Oh, I'm not." He said after swallowing. "Not in the least." He quickly downed the rest of his cup, nodding along with what Cassius was saying. "I see." He said, not correcting the 'no class thing'. He held his cup back to the barrel and refilled his cup.

"Let's see. what is in it for me." he took a drink. "Short answer, nothing. Nothing at all. But for my family…" Another drink and a few more swirls. "It's getting me out of their hair. Once I'm married, I will no longer be their problem." Char sighed and looked into his drink.

(It was supposed to be ‘for drama’s sake’)

Cass set his glass down after finishing the wine, and looking at Charles, silent. So, the man thoroughly agreed that Cass and his family were of a lower class than him. And though it was strictly true, his mother and father always bragged about brushing shoulders with the king and queen. As well as their court. But Cassius was born shortly before the family fortunes had began to decrease. Only his older sister and brothers had ever met the king and queen.

Cass had also never cared to pay attention in the etiquette classes his parents tried to make him go to. He’d never cared about the higher class, preferring he live his life on a ship, where there was no such thing as a ‘correct’ way to hold a glass. On the ship was where he felt most at home, and he knew he would have loved the life of a sailor. But that was torn away from him and he supposed he should at least try. He wasn’t going to try, he would be himself.

He tilts his head, “So. . You’re my problem now?” He laughs, tipping his head back, “No way in hell am I going to just. . .” He shakes his head, “Hah. . . No, I’m not letting someone dump you on me just because they find dealing with an entitled ‘prince’ difficult. You’re a narcissist.” Them being alone, Cassius didn’t bother to hold his tongue, even if it would probably be the smarter thing to do.