Thread: In a Twisted World {Prince x LeatrixSage}

When he repeated her name, she heard the question in it. He knew it wasn't her name, but he seemed to let the question go when she wasn't inclined to answer it. He instead turned his attention to the display pieces around them. Sad? she gave the couple a closer look. At first glance, she thought it looked romantic, but as she examined the pair, she could see where he was coming from. Was it a loving embrace, or where they embracing each other because that was the only choice they had? The parallel to her own world was... a little too vivid. Maybe they are all they have. No so much that they are forced together, just... they have no one else to turn to. Even with the full mask, she worked to keep her face neutral. It was a natural self-defence mechanism to hide her true feelings. Someone bumped into her side, and she pressed closer against Brent's side. His strength was comforting, and the source of an unusual sense of safety that was settling over her. It should have been strange to feel so comfortable with a stranger. Hell, if she was honest with herself, it was likely incredibly stupid. She wasn't about to ruin it, though. The next display was strangely shocking against the rest. Somehow it had all seemed chaste and modest before. This one felt... raw, natural, and somehow like an invasion of privacy as you looked. Sort of like seeing something you knew you weren't supposed to see. Brent's thoughts on the display made her chuckle, but she gave him an apologetic look when his attention swung back to her. I'm sorry, I wasn't laughing at you, she promised before looking back at the woman before them. I was laughing at the different things a single work can make people feel. You see her as trapped, helpless, vulnerable to your gaze, your hands... she can't stop you from doing anything you would want to do, this is true. But, I don't see it that way. I don't think she does, either. She isn't unhappy, because she isn't afraid. She's free. You may think she's vulnerable to your every whim, but she knows the truth. Her eyes were bright with something wild when she looked up to him again, their silver depths somehow brightened by whatever was going on behind the mask she wore. The fact is, she exposes you and your desires far more than she herself is exposed to you. Beneath her mask, her smile faded slowly. He was watching her closely, with more intensity than before. He was looking for something, and the hairs on the back of her neck went up. A thousand questions and possibilities went through her mind and she held her breath. Did someone figure out what she was up to? Had he been sent to bring her home? Was he from her fiance's family? Did they know she was against the match? They hadn't even seen each other yet, could anyone really know who she was and what she was doing here? And why are you here? he asked in a tone very different from what he'd spoken in so far. He turned to fully face her, and Aislinn's heart skipped a beat. Shit, shit, shit! I already told you, she answered, as crisply and cleanly as she could. Thank god, her voice remained strong and confident, even while she felt anything but strong or confidant. I don't mean to be forward, but a woman alone at a Rose Thorn event usually has an agenda. Are you looking to explore an interest? To meet someone? Or just a voyeur? Beneath her mask, Aislinn flushed darkly. She wasn't entirely sure what she meant to do. She definitely had an agenda, which was little more than a childish rebellion against things she couldn't change and had no control over. He was watching her too closely, and she forced herself to breath. I told you, she repeated, I came to learn about the artform. I hadn't really considered much beyond that. Okay that was true. She hadn't really entertained the idea of maybe trying out being in those ropes until now. She was going to ask him if he was playing some kind of good cop, bad cop routine here when his next question made things a little more clear. And... why would a man be following us? Don't look now, but he is over your right shoulder, about thirty feet away. Aislinn almost laughed, but she cleared her throat to kill it before it came out. Is he dark haired, mid forties, and sweat profusely despite being fit for his age? Oh, and drinking a lot. She inquired, fairly confident she knew who was following them. If so, than he is the worried Rose and Thorn member I talked into bringing me along so that I could be here tonight. If not, well... her voice trailed off as she weighed her options. She wondered if she should be suspicious about how observant he seemed to be. She hadn't noticed Mallory, but she hadn't been looking. There were plenty of people following them around the room, how... why... had he been looking for someone among them that was actually purposefully following them? If not, any of those, then I don't know him, and I don't know why he'd be following us, she finished. It was mostly true. While she had theories on who it could be and why they might be following her, she didn't really know for sure without looking to see who it was and if she knew them or not. What about you? she turned the tables with a playful tone. Is there a reason someone would be following you, perhaps? An ardent fan, perhaps? Ah, or the jilted lover of some girl you have tied up somewhere dark and foreboding? 'Okay, is it really wise to be teasing this man?' she wondered at her own behavior. His mouth was a firm, unrelenting line, and his eyes were positively predatory, but she couldn't seem to resist poking the angry wolf with a stick. After all, in a room full of people, what exactly was he going to do about it, anyway?