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<blockquote data-quote="Drusilia Nailo" data-source="post: 494861" data-attributes="member: 2062">A Night at the OperaDru allowed the coachman to help her up into the carriage, even though she was perfectly capable of getting in on her own.&nbsp; She smoothed down her black evening gown, flashing a quick, nervous smile at Papa, who was already sitting in the carriage.&nbsp; &quot;I'm not used to wearing things like this,&quot; she told him, secretly hoping that members of the Watch wouldn't be near the opera house tonight.&nbsp; &nbsp; He smiled slightly, patting her silken-sleeved arm in a gesture that was more paternal than most would think he was capable of. &quot;You look wonderful tonight,&quot; he assured her.&quot;Once again, Nilia has worked her magic.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Just then, the carriage began to move forward, and the sound of the clippety clopping of their horses' hooves was the only sound on the streets of the kesir.&nbsp; Dru leaned back in the seat, ill at ease without her sword.&nbsp; She did have a couple of daggers strapped to her legs, just in case, but she still felt rather vulnerable.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; She noticed Papa watching her, a look of amusement on his face.&nbsp; &quot;Just for tonight, daughter, forget about your rapier. This was your idea, after all.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru laughed.&nbsp; &quot;I know,&quot; she said, glancing at him sidelong.&nbsp; &quot;I remember the times that we'd go to the opera together, when I was still barely more than a child.&quot;&nbsp; Her expression was somewhat wistful, but she shook off the mood before it was able to take hold.&nbsp; &quot;We had fun.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Papa nodded.&nbsp; &quot;Yes,&quot; he said. &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; The two were silent then, neither of them wanting to talk about Dru leaving him five years ago, or the reasons for her leaving.&nbsp;&nbsp; The subject was too painful, and her relationship with Papa was fragile enough without bringing up the past.&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Give Enialis a chance,&quot; he said, breaking the silence so suddenly that Dru startled, despite the softness of his speech.&nbsp; &nbsp; She turned to look at him, her&nbsp; gaze locking with his own.&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;A chance?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Papa arched a brow.&nbsp; &quot;You suspected him of foul play not too long ago...do you mean to say that you consider that to be a fair chance?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru grimaced, and shrugged.&nbsp; &quot;Actually, even my suspicions were a mark of my respect, in a way,&quot; she said.&nbsp; &quot;He was the only one that I could think of that could possibly pose a threat for you.&quot;&nbsp; She eyed him, then.&nbsp; &quot;I knew that you trusted him, and wouldn't be expecting him to move against you.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; He made a noncommital sound, and then said,&nbsp; &quot;He is someone who has earned my respect.&nbsp; I would not have given permission for him to court you had he not.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;I know,&quot; she said, with a sigh.&nbsp; &nbsp; Papa frowned.&nbsp; &quot;I do not want for you to dismiss him because you were hoping for something like true love to come along.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; With a snort, Dru showed exactly what she thought of that.&nbsp; &quot;Don't be silly.&nbsp; I do not believe in true love.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Good,&quot; he said approvingly.&nbsp; &quot;You'll be better for it.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; The carriage stopped.&nbsp;&nbsp; They climbed out, and then Papa took her arm, linking it with his.&nbsp; The two approached the opera house as the coach pulled away.&nbsp; They stepped into the foyer of the building, to see the well-heeled of Freeport mingling, talking in small clusters.&nbsp; One of them was Judge Ubu, dressed to kill in a gentleman's suit. He met Dru's gaze before looking away, eyes widening.&nbsp; He suddenly had things to do on the other side of the room, hurrying away from her. &nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;I see that you've been making friends,&quot; Papa said dryly.&nbsp; &quot;Shall we go to our box now?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; She grinned at him, nodding.&nbsp; &nbsp; As they approached one of the sets of double doors that would lead to the box seats up above, Dru saw a very familiar face.&nbsp; It was Jaffar.&nbsp; Except, he was dressed in the uniform of an opera house guard.&nbsp; She raised her eyebrows without surprise.&nbsp; It was no secret that with a wife, an ex-wife, a mistress, and six children, Jaffar was always short on cash.&nbsp; For a moment, he seemed to look through her, not recognizing her in her evening finery.&nbsp; And then his eyes widened in astonishment.&nbsp; &quot;Dru,&quot; he rasped.&nbsp; &quot;I almost didn't recognize you without the sword.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; He looked her over, starting to snicker.&nbsp; &quot;Did you run out of uniforms to wear?&nbsp; Or is this gonna be standard issue for the SCU from now on? Di'Fier will look real cute in it.&quot;&nbsp; He grinned, and then faltered when he glanced at Papa.&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru smiled faintly, aware of the fact that Papa was staring at Jaffar with a very unfriendly look in his eye.&nbsp; &quot;I don't think that Di'Fier would like the change very much,&quot; she whispered to him.&nbsp; &quot;I'll see you tomorrow, Jaffar,&quot; she said. &nbsp; &nbsp; Papa led her up the stairs, and to the second floor.&nbsp; Another guard opened a door leading to one of the boxes.&nbsp; &quot;Here are your seats, sir, madam,&quot; he said respectfully.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; They sat down, quite alone in the box, though there were two other seats.&nbsp; Dru looked over the rail at the crowd below, and spotted Kennic immediately.&nbsp; She smiled, satisfied.&nbsp; &nbsp; Papa leaned over, murmuring to her, &quot;Now see if you can spot the other guard,&quot; he said.&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Papa,&quot; said Dru tentatively, not rising to the bait.&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Yes?&quot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Why did you send those people to kill me, all of those times?&quot;&nbsp; She turned to him, frowning in a troubled manner.&nbsp; &quot;I mean...I don't think that you were really trying to kill me, because they were so incompetent, but...&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; There was a moment of silence, and though his facial expression didn't change, she could tell that she had shocked him.&nbsp; Finally, he said, &quot;I do not understand what you mean, daughter.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;The mercenaries?&nbsp; There for awhile, Di'Fier and I thought that it was your way of delivering potions to me without looking like you were giving me gifts.&quot;&nbsp; She grinned a little bit,&nbsp; but stopped when she saw that he wasn't amused.&nbsp; &quot;What?&nbsp; Didn't you send them?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Daughter,&quot; Papa said heavily,&nbsp; &quot;I never sent anyone to try to kill you.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; There was yet another moment of stunned silence, this time on Dru's part.&nbsp; &quot;You-you didn't?&quot;&nbsp; Her eyes narrowed.&nbsp; &quot;Then who did?&quot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Papa frowned.&nbsp; &quot;Who indeed,&quot; he mused, looking down over the crowd.&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru's thoughts raced.&nbsp; Who would have the most to gain from Papa and I being estranged?&nbsp; Or rather, who would think that they had the most to gain from it?&nbsp; Was it Amalyth?&nbsp; The little half-human has gone too far this time, if so...&nbsp; Dru spent the remainder of the opera listening to the elven lyrics with only half of her attention, focussing instead on thinking of ways to kill her sister without incurring her father's wrath.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Drusilia Nailo, post: 494861, member: 2062"] [b]A Night at the Opera[/b] Dru allowed the coachman to help her up into the carriage, even though she was perfectly capable of getting in on her own. She smoothed down her black evening gown, flashing a quick, nervous smile at Papa, who was already sitting in the carriage. "I'm not used to wearing things like this," she told him, secretly hoping that members of the Watch wouldn't be near the opera house tonight. He smiled slightly, patting her silken-sleeved arm in a gesture that was more paternal than most would think he was capable of. "You look wonderful tonight," he assured her."Once again, Nilia has worked her magic." Just then, the carriage began to move forward, and the sound of the clippety clopping of their horses' hooves was the only sound on the streets of the [i]kesir[/i]. Dru leaned back in the seat, ill at ease without her sword. She did have a couple of daggers strapped to her legs, just in case, but she still felt rather vulnerable. She noticed Papa watching her, a look of amusement on his face. "Just for tonight, daughter, forget about your rapier. This was your idea, after all." Dru laughed. "I know," she said, glancing at him sidelong. "I remember the times that we'd go to the opera together, when I was still barely more than a child." Her expression was somewhat wistful, but she shook off the mood before it was able to take hold. "We had fun." Papa nodded. "Yes," he said. The two were silent then, neither of them wanting to talk about Dru leaving him five years ago, or the reasons for her leaving. The subject was too painful, and her relationship with Papa was fragile enough without bringing up the past. "Give Enialis a chance," he said, breaking the silence so suddenly that Dru startled, despite the softness of his speech. She turned to look at him, her gaze locking with his own. "A chance?" Papa arched a brow. "You suspected him of foul play not too long ago...do you mean to say that you consider that to be a fair chance?" Dru grimaced, and shrugged. "Actually, even my suspicions were a mark of my respect, in a way," she said. "He was the only one that I could think of that could possibly pose a threat for you." She eyed him, then. "I knew that you trusted him, and wouldn't be expecting him to move against you." He made a noncommital sound, and then said, "He is someone who has earned my respect. I would not have given permission for him to court you had he not." "I know," she said, with a sigh. Papa frowned. "I do not want for you to dismiss him because you were hoping for something like [i]true love[/i] to come along." With a snort, Dru showed exactly what she thought of that. "Don't be silly. I do not believe in true love." "Good," he said approvingly. "You'll be better for it." The carriage stopped. They climbed out, and then Papa took her arm, linking it with his. The two approached the opera house as the coach pulled away. They stepped into the foyer of the building, to see the well-heeled of Freeport mingling, talking in small clusters. One of them was Judge Ubu, dressed to kill in a gentleman's suit. He met Dru's gaze before looking away, eyes widening. He suddenly had things to do on the other side of the room, hurrying away from her. "I see that you've been making friends," Papa said dryly. "Shall we go to our box now?" She grinned at him, nodding. As they approached one of the sets of double doors that would lead to the box seats up above, Dru saw a very familiar face. It was Jaffar. Except, he was dressed in the uniform of an opera house guard. She raised her eyebrows without surprise. It was no secret that with a wife, an ex-wife, a mistress, and six children, Jaffar was always short on cash. For a moment, he seemed to look through her, not recognizing her in her evening finery. And then his eyes widened in astonishment. "Dru," he rasped. "I almost didn't recognize you without the sword." He looked her over, starting to snicker. "Did you run out of uniforms to wear? Or is this gonna be standard issue for the SCU from now on? Di'Fier will look real cute in it." He grinned, and then faltered when he glanced at Papa. Dru smiled faintly, aware of the fact that Papa was staring at Jaffar with a very unfriendly look in his eye. "I don't think that Di'Fier would like the change very much," she whispered to him. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jaffar," she said. Papa led her up the stairs, and to the second floor. Another guard opened a door leading to one of the boxes. "Here are your seats, sir, madam," he said respectfully. They sat down, quite alone in the box, though there were two other seats. Dru looked over the rail at the crowd below, and spotted Kennic immediately. She smiled, satisfied. Papa leaned over, murmuring to her, "Now see if you can spot the [i]other[/i] guard," he said. "Papa," said Dru tentatively, not rising to the bait. "Yes?" "Why did you send those people to kill me, all of those times?" She turned to him, frowning in a troubled manner. "I mean...I don't think that you were [i]really[/i] trying to kill me, because they were so incompetent, but..." There was a moment of silence, and though his facial expression didn't change, she could tell that she had shocked him. Finally, he said, "I do not understand what you mean, daughter." "The mercenaries? There for awhile, Di'Fier and I thought that it was your way of delivering potions to me without looking like you were giving me gifts." She grinned a little bit, but stopped when she saw that he wasn't amused. "What? Didn't you send them?" "Daughter," Papa said heavily, "I never sent anyone to try to kill you." There was yet another moment of stunned silence, this time on Dru's part. "You-you didn't?" Her eyes narrowed. "Then who did?" Papa frowned. "Who indeed," he mused, looking down over the crowd. Dru's thoughts raced. [i]Who would have the most to gain from Papa and I being estranged? Or rather, who would think that they had the most to gain from it? Was it Amalyth? The little half-human has gone too far this time, if so...[/i] Dru spent the remainder of the opera listening to the elven lyrics with only half of her attention, focussing instead on thinking of ways to kill her sister without incurring her father's wrath. [/QUOTE]

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