Her ethereal countenance was something to marvel at; like the emotion trapped in a painting –emotions relating to an agonizing love and secrecy shared only between a man and a woman. Such was the picture her face painted in the soft glow of the fire and the darkness of the night; surrounded by her light made apparent in the darkness. His darkness.
“I don’t care about Daika; the darkness can be very possessive when it comes to things like these,” Charon whispered, enjoying her closeness. What a change from when they met for the very first time –how different were their sentiments now. They danced akin lovers where just a few days ago Vendetta would rather eat his heart than have anything remotely to do with the injured Shade. Murderer; she had called him with right, a horrid and despicable creature whose sins should be avenged, rewarded with death, or worse.
“Your guardian; as heavy as the memory might rest upon your soul; so I shall guard yours and you, without you I might as well be dead,” the dark man cooed gently, his hands once more returning to her hips. The time had nearly ended for their one song, and though everything seemed perfectly all right, Charon wasn’t about to aggravate their bliss by pushing his luck and the time limit she extended. A deal was a deal, a promise a promise, a pact a pact. The thought made Charon grin in delight.

Her lips distracted her, but the music stopped; skipped for a moment, and then under the agreement of the musicians started another beat. Charon smiled faintly, “That was one song, perhaps I should leave you now to get back to your ‘observing’ game.”
His voice was low and teasingly drawling out the words as his arms slipped from Vendetta’s side. Patience, he ushered the darkness as if it were a disobedient child who needed to be taught this vital lesson; and he would set the perfect example. Good things always came to those that wait.
The night was passing, ever so slowly without his notice, his worries momentarily forgotten –drowned in wine, dance and fire; and Vendetta. With but a slight shake of his head Charon let go, leaving the Rose to her kindred in exchange for yet another glass of the intoxicating liquid and in her absence allowed for someone else to distract him.
“Why don’t you dance another song?” Arine asked him coyly.
“What use is it? Only jealousy and wary eyes, heated emotions would be lured out to play; the darkness and shadows will feed of off these and only grow to dim her precious light –your light as well,” Charon said, tipping his glass into her direction without caring whether or not anyone saw him; or heard him speak to the thin air. Let them think he had lost his mind, he cared for it not. Besides, of all those dancing now, some had paused and slowed down, just as drunk as he was.
Arine shrugged, following Charon away from the crowd as she did before, though now she was watching the stars, “Sometimes, we have to be told in order to acknowledge and act,” she spoke softly to no one in particular. It was obvious however she mean what was flickering between Vendetta and Charon however, as the Shade knew hardly anyone else could see or even feel the presence of Arine close.

“Why are you still here?” Charon asked, sipping from his glass. Arine sighed and stopped walking, turning to face the, with darkness infested, Shade once more.
“Take care of her; make sure you don’t lose yourself in this battle, and you will have my blessing.” Confused, the darkness shimmered in the depths, trying to reach out tentatively in order to consume the light before them. Charon did little to stop it, but Arine merely smiled; “You cannot reach me from there, but I can reach you, in time. For now, however, the night is at an end.” The mysterious words accompanying her smile made Charon narrow his eyes, “Wow, wait, you can’t just …” “Go?”

Her light intensified; growing until it was something akin Titov’s presence before and more, like a burst of flames before they were extinguished, and the Shade had to cover his eyes as it felt like the scorching of a dozen suns. And then, darkness once more. Arine had left –leaving behind a befuddled Shade and more than a hundred celebrating people dancing in her honour.

The rest of the dancers may as well have dropped down dead for all Vendetta cared, right at that moment, she found everything she needed with Charon. His grey eyes enchanted her and she had to admit, he surprised her with his dancing skills, not a foot out of place. He seemed to always be able to surprise her in some way or other and she smiled up at him, keeping her own feet steadily focused on the rythm and Daika was a simple memory fading fast in the background with the blurred dancers, he meant nothing.

She wondered if she was the only person that could see past Charon's rather anti-social demeanor and she smiled some as she danced with him, listening to his words and pausing a little, keeping in time perfectly however.
"You've impressed me."She said, finally, very quietly as if not daring to shatter the moment as his hands found her hips and she wound her arms around his shoulder gently, the material brushing his cheek and she smirked some, eyes dancing a little, reflecting the fire a short distance off as she listened to his words and rested her head against his chest, sighing, "He gave his last warning, offer as he called it."She mumbled and looked up to Charons face, extracting every detail, imprinting his image into her mind as she kept her smile in place."I rejected his offer."She said finally. Not a wise choice face to face but he had backed off. "And no, Daika isn't quite aware of it yet. His temper might flare and he will learn of it when morning breaks."She smiled, wickedly.

Vendetta didn't even look over her shoulder to see if Daika was watching as she swayed neatly with Charon, enjoying the hum of the music and the comfort of having Charons arms around her as she let a very small blush cross her cheeks and she smiled, lowering her gaze slightly, watching his shoulder as she thought,"My warden?"She questioned, seemingly to nothingness as she then sighed ever so softly. There was an odd tranquility about her this night, no tense muscles, no alertness and certainly no readiness for battle. She was calm.

The fire beat off the side of her face and felt a safe wamrth seeping into her, but not just from the fire. She shook her head a little , clearing herthoughts slightly before realising she had been watching his shoulder for a few minutes but the music had lulled her into a sort of daydreamy state and she reluctantly pulled herself out of it, dazed looking as her thoughts dissolved into the air around her.

She pondered, looking back to his gray eyes, emerald meeting a blaze of stormy cloud coloured eyes and she smirked, keeping her arms loosely around his shoulders as she tilted her head, raven hair falling over one shoulder.

"My warden?"

“Not enough, obviously,” Charon replied in jest at her inquiry to the amounts of wine he had consumed. It was true –usually he prided himself on remaining the last one left with a sober view on the world but this time he had been tired to start out with. The physical balance of one’s body was a tricky game to play sometimes; yet despite all of that Charon still knew very well what he was doing, and smirked at her words transmitting she believed him. Foolish, off course, he had never even considered she would not hold truth to his story, realizing it did sound improbable –even to his own ears. Yet what reason could the Shade possibly have to lie against the one safeguarding the last bit of his sane soul?
“I could care less about Daika,” Charon muttered as he searched for his balance after getting up, finding stability in Vendetta’s touch, “If he is too filled with pride and ego to realize he is playing with both his own and your emotions by dancing and flirting with other women, he has no right to claim that which is rightfully mine. I take it the symbol hasn’t been noticed yet by him then, hmm?”
Like a child having won a match decided by a parent, Charon smiled at Vendetta, knowing he had won this battle by default; though there was always a possibility the Rose would hate him for his victory and choose instead the renewed underdog.
“One dance,” the Shade whispered to himself, “Better make it last while you confidence in me is still low –I might impress you that way.” Cocky, confident, and all too possessive. Every sin appeared to be magnified into excess, and Charon found himself longing for something more than just a subtle rhythm played out against the music by their bodies entwined. Patience, he ushered the desires, this night was not his –it was the smiling light of Arine, her party, her feast, her celebration of death.

With a grin Charon pulled Vendetta close, twirling the woman to rest against his chest, before guiding her steps slowly, following the dull large drum at first before upping the tempo to the more whimsical instruments. Daika hadn’t even been brought to his attention as the Shade led their dance, entranced by Vendetta’s fluttering dress and the subtle sway of her muscles, her hair weaving on the wind as if in tune. The Shade found a state of dreamy perfection which was bound not to last forever.
Perhaps Daika would disturb it, or Titov –if he dared show his face again. With the Rose pressed close Charon whispered to her, “What was Titov doing here? Did he think it would go unnoticed in this blackness –his light? Like a beacon.”
Charon’s voice was seductive, but his words were laced with a sharpness his drunkenness belied. There was nothing that could stop him underneath the stars –so much unlike the day in which he felt tired and lazy. Obviously the darkness favoured a different rhythm he had been used to and he wondered whether the same applied for Vendetta. Titov would die, soon, and if the man knew what was good for him he would do so sooner rather than later. But no; that would be unlike the trickster master of the Roses –he would use a strategy to revert Vendetta, for hers was a presence to precious to lose. The master would want to ensnare her instead, bind her with guilt. A flawed thought since that took out of account Charon.

The rhythm changed, and Charon danced closer to Vendetta, his hands on her hips as they swayed to the beat together and it was as if all of the darkness focused on Vendetta; increasing her light due to the contrast the two formed. A balance, precarious –but still a balance, like a Ying and Yang. She was so tempting; everything was so tempting, the urge to slaughter all dancing around him was only absolved by focusing his full attention on their movements, the intoxicating sway of their feet –improbable elegance and drowning out everything around them. This night belonged to them still.
One hand strayed towards Vendetta’s cheek, slid up through her hair, where her long dark locks parted for his slender fingers. Closer and closer he danced, his grey eyes boring into her emerald mirrors with a passion which could be dangerous as well as loving –if that could ever apply to a Shade.
“Forget about Daika, I will be your warden from here on out. You have already chosen,” Charon said with a sly smile, and the symbols they shared were punctuations to stress the statement he made.

"In the most respectful sense possible, just how much have you drank?"She asked him, raising her gaze to the Shade before her, eyes tracing his form and she frowned a little. How could he have possibly seen Arine? Vendetta had seen her body mutilated and there was no way the girl could have lived unless...

No such things as ghosts or spirits, Vendetta. She told herself harshly and thought. Why wasn't it possible? Charon had little reason to lie to her and what he had said di sound like something Arine would say and she smirked a bit, "Okay, if you say you saw Arine, then I believe you." it was unclear if she was jesting with him or just agreeing but she didn't want to argue, seeing very little point in it right then. She frowned at him when he mentioned her sitting and watching, brow furrowed as she stated, rather matter-of-factly, "I am watching willingly."

For s split second it even looked as if she was going to deny and reject the Shades offer of a dance. Part of her wanted to, to see his reaction but then no doubt Daika would end up sniffing around her for a dance and she planned on keeping her temper as she spotted Elii's son dancing with a pretty red headed girl and she smirked a little, "Daika won't like it."She warned and then shrugged slightly, obviously not caring too much what Daika cared about and what he didn't. She graciously took his hand and pulled herself up and smiled at him, "One dance."She said and nodded.

Daika's quick eyes swiftly caught sight of the Rose and Shade, a little jealousy flaring within him and he lost track of the dance, losing out on a few beats, stumbling and nearly tripping as his eyes flashed with embarassment and humiliation, cheeks going slightly red as the flame haired girl before him raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Sorry."He mumbled, apologetically and sprang easily back into the dance, catching on with the beats as they began their cycle once more. It would seem the man was quite the popularity with the ladies and yet the only one he wanted, seemed to have unwisely fallen for a Shade, a stubborn one at that; Or so he thought.

Vendetta swept some hair out her eyes and drew breath,"I didn't think you'd know how to dance."She said, a smile playing on her lips rather deviously and she Charon into the dancing crowds, a little hint of cheekiness in her wake and she clasped his hand, "Or must I teach you?"She questioned, teasingly. The glitter in her eyes was something new, happiness and contentment at being around others in an atmosphere where no harm could befall her or those she cared for.

She felt eyes on her and turned over her right shoulder, hair rippling and catching off the flames, gleaming like freshly preened ravens feathers, as she caught Daika's eyes she half challeneged him with her gaze to say anything and the man reluctantly turned back to his new temptress, a blonde girl with mismatched irises. Vendetta looked back to Charon and smiled.

It was as if something possessed him almost, but Charon was unsure what –at the very least the sensation prevented his desires from making themselves public in the throng of people dancing and laughing, basking in the light of the waning moon. Arine never left his side, and like Vendetta before it sent all of his senses reeling, a constant uncomfortable awareness forcing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end.
Another drink was offered, and another, and despite the constant changing of dancing partners, all he could see were the blond curls cascading down illuminated shoulders, creating a halo around her perfect face and stressed her otherworldly eyes.
Eventually something shifted, and Charon’s eyes fell on the still figure at the sidelines –much like he had been at the start of the night. Unsure of how much time had passed the Shade confidently strode over to the sulking Rose, although perhaps his judgement concerning her emotions had been of kilter.
Crouching down before Vendetta proved more difficult than it should’ve been and Charon opted to just rest on his knees unsteadily, effectively blocking Vendetta’s view of the festivities and far too close than perhaps just.

“You’ll never guess who I saw just now,” Charon started with a grin, grey eyes slightly unfocused and all the while unsure whether seeing Arine was a good thing or not. Somehow though, despite the awkward situation he had found himself in, there wasn’t anything to really tick him off yet –aside from the ill-mannered Daika maybe. But he was someone easily dealt with would he have disregarded his promise towards Vendetta. Darkness or not, Charon still retained a sense of honour.
“I was sitting here, no, well, not exactly here, but close, and this woman came up to me,” the Shade told Vendetta –Mercy- leaning in close to her ears so he wouldn’t have to shout and fear someone else would overhear. “And it became obvious that she was in fact a Rose; and she smiled and asked me why I wasn’t dancing.”

Charon paused, hesitating, and allowing for Vendetta’s proximity to distract him momentarily before sitting back on his haunches, “She said her name was Arine.”

His dark unruly hair fell in front of his eyes, but the Shade had his eyes averted anyway; feeling behind him her presence once more –though he very much doubted others could see the spectre, and he nearly flinched when her hands pressed down on his shoulders. A gesture of comfort, no doubt, but as it was her touch sent cold shivers down his spine. Death had never before ventured this close in the form of something more. New questions rose within the Shade about how the after life was given form and purpose and the darkness –being what it is- tried to conjure up ways with which to abuse such power.
Charon felt tired and sighed deeply to steady the coiling and whirring thoughts within, currying his face in his hands before raking his hair back with one fell motion. The grin was back in place, the strings of the mask pulled taut and Charon stretched out his hand in offer, “I don’t think she’d want you to keep watch at the sidelines –she didn’t even liked it for me to watch so; come, please? One dance, that’s all.”

The clearing was so peaceful and part of Vendetta didn't wish to venture back to the celebrations but she sighed and forced her feet back anyhows. She swallowed and sat on the grass some way off the crowds, not particularly watching anything as Elii sat by her side, quietly and watched aswell.

"Mercy, I'd expect you to be dancing, no? Not ill are you, my pet?"He asked, hair falling into his face but he swept it back as Vendetta tilted her head, "Why should I be dancing? I'm fine, Elii, I promise you."She assured with a soft smile to enhance the honesty of her words but Elii didn't look at all convinced, "Why not seek out Daika? He was looking for a dance with you." He pointed out and Vendetta rolled her eyes and fidgeted uncomfortably.

Elii watched her and sighed, shaking his head before standing up and remarking, "Well, Mercy my dear, do not be the only girl tonight who refuses a dance."He smirked somewhat, jesting with her before leading a woman into the crowds aswell. Vendetta watched him. Then what do I do? She asked herself quietly, her mind whirring before she looked to each individual group. Dancers, singers, the band, children and elders and all of them seemed to elate at this time, joined in their unison of happiness and rejoice. She smiled to her self and brought her knees up slightly, hands clasped around them delicately.

She was well aware of Elii's lingering gaze on her, he was concerned for her, he didn't want her to lapse into anything other than herself and he wanted her to find happiness, much as the girls chatting with the men on the sidelines of the dancing crowds did as they flirted with each other. He shook his head a little and averted his eyes back to the woman he was dancing with, twisting her under his arms and grinning at her. Vendetta watched him and smiled a little, tapping her fingertips on her knee's in tune with the pace of the song being played.

It would seem everyone was at ease, even Vendetta despite her run in with Titov. She was quite proud of herself infact. He had backed down to her, and that was something she had not expected. She had expected him to keep going at her, to unsettle her. Maybe it was her new found power, the darkness that gelled with the light and it could have been fear she had seen in his gaze. It could have been but she could not be sure.

For now, everything was still, the sounds of the music filled her ears and she smiled to herself, sat on the grass, content to watch.

The shudder travelling through his spine had nothing to do with the absence of the fire, the chill in the night’s sky or the dark energies prowling the landscape, no, these were because somehow everything was bent much as Imaroch’s presence would whenever he venture too close for comfort. Charon realized that he would have the very same effect on many of the bystanders were he to unleash his full potential and his grey eyes darted back and forth in search of Vendetta. She had said bravely and with a serious demeanour that she could handle Titov, but Charon’s lack of trust was born from the fear it was a courageous and stupid lie.
Peering thoughtfully in the second glass of wine the with darkness impregnated Shade contemplated on whether or not to tug the bonds of the pact to ease his search and his conscience, or to merely leave Vendetta be for now. Her death however would have consequences for the both of them –things he rather not thought about, but surely he would know when she was in actual danger?

“Why are you here, so secluded?” a woman’s voice broke his musings, and Charon glanced up, not bothering to tilt his head back before snorting a little, nose still trapped in the glass, savouring the scent of wine.
“You know, mourning is done before the celebration in private, didn’t anyone tell you?”
Now that grabbed Charon’s attention and he tilted his head back, draining the glass of the final remnants of dark-red liquid. She was beautiful in her own way –not like Vendetta at all, but she had dark blonde hair curling down her back. Her light skin, complemented by the silver symbols on her wrists, and carrying an expression which seemed all too innocent, aided by her azure eyes, made it seem as if she strayed from heaven down onto earth.
“I don’t know the girl that died; I was travelling with Vendetta, and escorted her here,” Charon said, hoping the woman would understand what he implied. However the other Shades were down there celebrating, so he must’ve seemed like an odd one left out.
At least the air changed back to normal –indicating that Titov had left, indeed without trying anything on Vendetta.
“You could still celebrate, you know?” the woman said with an angelic smile, “My name is Arine, what’s yours?”

“What?” Charon nearly dropped the glass as a wave of realization passed his limbs, turning some parts into water –it was a good thing he was sitting down. The Shade coughed a little, swallowing compulsively, “Sorry, I thought you said your name was Arine, wasn’t the woman that died…”
She merely nodded, and Charon fell silent for a moment, scrutinizing the woman before him with a bit more suspicion. “I didn’t drink that much, or not enough; or you are just messing with me.”
“I make no joke, I am her; I am exactly what you think, but you can see me this night because the darkness holds no secrets for you,” she said, with the certain wisdom of someone well beyond her age.
“Right, my name’s Charon,” Charon said, shaking his head, “Well, it was nice to make your acquaintance,” he said and got up, light-headed from the wine and more than a bit discerned by the appearance of the smiling Rose calling herself Arine.

“Why won’t you celebrate?” she asked, and walked alongside him back towards the group, hands tucked behind her back and smiling coyly. She bent forward and tilted her head to look Charon in the eyes, before twisting to walk backwards playfully. There was a wind he couldn’t feel ruffling her hair and dress, and somehow she appeared at peace.
“I…just don’t feel like I should be part of this,” Charon admitted finally, hoping to get rid of the woman to seek solitude once more, “These are all your family, your friends, I am but a stranger and I get that no one would mind, but it’s … private to them.”
“You know me now though?” she said with a gentle laugh, and for a moment Charon found within him a sorrow which was something only the one’s that knew her should feel.
“Your light is my enemy though –enemy of the darkness.”
“Not today, not this night,” Arine said with a smile, taking his hand and guiding him into the dancing crowd.

The flames eventually lost their interest and Vendetta turned away, meandering her way away from the crowds and smirking as she bumped into the little girl from earlier, Faith. She tugged two tall, red haired men with her and giggled, "Ven wanted to see you!"She decalred before jumping back into the crowds. Children were so fascinating, everything about them so animated and they had futures, their paths not quite set at their feet and Vendetta watched the little blonde girl go, a smile in place.

She was brought to when Genna rolled his arm around her, in a boysih sort of way and she smirked some, rolling her eyes at his attitude. "I have been looking for you. It's been a good few years and I guessed you'd be here!"She grinned and nodded to them, exchanging a quick few words before hain, the taller twin raised a palm,"We have a sister to look after. And she seems to have vanished. We'll continue this later, Vendetta."He dipped his head, placing a kiss to her cheek and Genna did the same, chuckling before they both vanished within the tide of crowds.

Vendetta smirked a little and felt her white dress being tugged on and she frowned as Faith appeared by her legs,"Your brothers are searching for you, Faith."She smirked a little at this as Faith cringed and mumbled,"They are too cuddly. I want to play and dance."She giggled and Vendetta raised an eyebrow,"All right. But stay out of trouble, Little Miss."She teased and hugged the girl swiftly before ushering her into a small cluster of children who were listening to Elders stories around a very small fire. Everything here seemed so peaceful and soft, as if it was an illusion that would ripple and fade within seconds. Vendetta feared it was a dream.

New movement caught her eyes and she looked towards an enclosed part of woodland, glancing around before approaching it, the sounds slowly dying out in her eardrums and she peered through, moving a branch as moonlight flitted down on her and everything was really quite eerie. She tensed and looked around before a vice like grip grasped her wrist and she whipped around,"You!"She snarled and backed away several steps, wrenching her wrist free and glaring.

Before her was a tall, thin man, wearing black trousers and a white unbuttoned shirt, riddled with the symbols of the Roses and he smiled, teeth jagged and uneven, pale, almost blind looking blue eyes piercing through Vendetta as he leant on a tree trunk, "Relax, little Mercy."He smiled, maliciously, "There's a truce this night, no?"He quirked a brow and Vendetta glowered, keeping her distance from the man as she uttered, "What do you want?"She snapped, irritably and warningly, "There's no welcome for you here, Titov."She balled her fists, ready to fight but Titov's eyes danced over her, eyeing the newest symbol to her body,"So it is true then. Here was me thinking my messenger had told me a lie. Shame, I should have found out the truth before...Ridding myself of him."He chuckled darkly and Vendetta growled,"Leave. Murderer."

Titov couldn't help but laugh at her, "Arine? Oh but she was just a feeble pawn, the first of the deaths to affect you, my dear."He smiled and continued, pacing and circling her but not daring to touch her incase she raised the alarm and he didn't want that, not yet anyway. "Now... Every person you ever cared about will be picked off, one by feeble one."Titov threatened and it hung in there air for a few seconds before his claw like fingers snapped and he chuckled as Vendetta glared, "The Shade you cling to so dearly, little Faith, Genna, Haine, Daika, Elii..."He half cackled and Vendetta looked him up and down, "But, should you join me...Things would be so different. Come now, I only ask once."He cooed softly and breathed in her scent, perfume like, feminine.

There was very little hesitation as Vendetta faced him fully, "Leave, now, Titov."She said, clearly rejecting his offer and she shook her head as Titov snarled and kicked a stone, eyes flashind dangerously, "Fine. This night you are safe. Tradition is tradition but tomorrow...And the next day, you won't be."He screeched, blood curdlingly and retreated, vanishing it seemed and Vendetta breathed a sigh of relief, slumping against a tree trunk.

It took her a few minutes to regain herself and she stood fully, adjusting her dress and looking out of the clearing and to the festivites a short distance away. No one seemed to have noticed her abscence.

They were too busy enjoying themselves.

Jealousy was such an ugly emotion –especially in a Rose, and Charon watched the patches of darkness stream through the sea of light conjured up into the air by the conglomeration of Roses and Shades. The sky was filled with colours he could’ve only dreamed of yesterday, and when Daika brushed him by, it was all Charon could do to stop the tendrils of hidden darkness from reaching out for the Rose’s heart and drain all the whimsical colours from his very soul. Darker and darker, his thoughts dwelled –towards the deepest of pits, yet ushering enough restraint to keep from unleashing his power.
Everyone seemed to celebrate after the hypnotizing son Vendetta sang. More of a friend than she had made it out to be then, Charon mused silently, trapped at the heart of the dancing crowd.
If he felt uncomfortable before, the Shade certainly felt set apart now; usually they hid –Shades, Roses- and being like this: open, was a strange awareness indeed. Still, Charon couldn’t say he didn’t completely detested being there, certainly not as he noticed they served drinks as well. A heavy red wine to complement the celebration by the looks of things, served in slender glasses at the sidelines for those who needed a break from the exhausting dance people tried to tug him into.

Not this time however –two times before had he been too distracted by his own lusts and desires to notice another craved his life’s blood and if anything the Shade wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. So instead Charon stalked the crowd of smiling, celebrating kin; feasting on the death of another their own life.
Such a silly joy –such a redundant sorrow.
Perfectly the Shade danced to their tune once more, integrating himself as he had been trained to do with the humans. Life was merely a flawed stage like that, a warped game bent out of perception.
“Don’t I know you?” a female Shade whispered to him in the language of the darkness –though Charon doubted the voice could’ve been heard by any other since the darkness revealed everything which was intended to remained hidden. Spying the source Charon watched cool blue eyes inspect him and eventually his symbols; startled, almost so she faltered her steps. She was quick to recover however and meekly spared him a smile when she noticed his perceptive eyes had fallen on her lean frame.

Tonight was a night of reminiscence, though Charon had no doubt the news would travel fast now as she indeed seemed concerned with his presence –like she should be no doubt. In fact; what with Imaroch’s fleeting appearance in public nowadays she might actually mistake him for the only other she knew carried the darkness in his heart. Hoping the situation wouldn’t escalate Charon wormed his way through the throngs of people towards the sidelines, where his ‘kind’ smile got him two glasses of wine –one for him, and one for the imaginary other- which he took to a quiet place away from the fire and celebrating people.
Overflowing impressions dulling to a display akin firework aimed towards the waning moon Charon took a deep breath and sat himself down onto the grass, carefully placing one of the glasses between the pollen of weeds; where it sat undisturbed for now. From a distance the drums felt more powerful somehow, as if his imagination increased their actual volume the further he went.

“You’re not a part of that –talking about feasting ones death, and now you take no part in it,” Charon chastised himself gently, sipping his wine slowly. The heavy drink was rich with fruit, and floated towards his head in a pleasantly warm way yet also indicated he should’ve perhaps eaten something after travelling soberly the entire day before, although looking back on things their timing forced him to understand Vendetta’s rush to attend.
“Perhaps you favour a more intimate celebration, hmm?” the Shade mused and lifted his glass to the coiling energies playing in the night’s sky, complementing the carious hues on display. “I wonder if Shades and Roses alike would celebrate my death; then again –they are likely to,” the Shade chuckled at his own monologue, “since it would mean darkness’ defeat.”