Having a ball in the late 1800's

Amy always had and knew she always would hate the upperclass 'social events'. Now that she was part of the upperclass by marriage she had to participate in them and even pretend to be enjoying them. It was horrible, especially with all the single noblemen thinking doing her a favour by 'courting' with her. Her reputation amongst the nobles was far from great, with her not mourning her late husband in anyway. And even 'destroying' his reputation after his dead, even though it was merely uncovering the truth.
She let out a sigh and took a sip from her champagne, wishing the night to be over fast. Even though she had to admit the dark blue gown she had picked out for the evening made her look and feel beautifull.

Valdez also attended this specific social occasion, though on a different note.
He was equally annoyed too... he was here on a mission, trying to find some interesting individuals, and surely none of them seemed to be around. The most interesting person he'd met all night was someone who could talk about tweed, appearantly hours on end - the topic was dreadfully boring, as you might imagine, but Valdez was at least a little intriged by someone being able to talk enthusiastically about tweed for more than 10 seconds.

He then noticed Amy, and couldn't help but be a little curious. Not because she was what he was looking for - he couldn't possibly bring back a woman as one of the City's new nobles, but at the least she seemed equally bored as him.

He walked over to her, bowed his head in greeting her. "Goodevening," he said, in the mean time taking a glass of champagne from a passing by servant. He didn't even intend to drink it, he didn't care for alcohol at all, but he considered it would be normal for him to have some kind of drink.

When Valdez approached her Amy could just stop herself from supressing another sigh. Thinking Valdez would be yet another nobleman who would try to court with her.
"Goodevening," she answered politely nonetheless with a curtesy, her reputation was bad enough without impoliteness, "have we met before?"

Valdez frowned, almost unnoticably, at Amy's expression when he adressed her. She tried her best to hide it, but clearly she was less than eager about talking to him. He recognized the reluctantly held-up manners as if looking into a mirror.

Still, he maintained etiquette himself as well, smiled a small smile at her, and replied; "no, I don't think so. I am lord Valdez," he then went on to the inevitable introductions, extending his hand for Amy to put hers it so they could do the whole bowing-curtisying thing.

"And who might you be?" He wasn't being polite or cheeky, he sincerely didn't know who she was, and his sincere ((never thought I'd use that word to describe Valdez)) ignorance of who she was showed.

Possibly luckily for Valdez Amy wasn't paying enough attention to notice the pretence manners. It didn't came as a surprise to her either that the answer to her question was no. She probably would have remembered his style of clothes if they had seen each other before. When he had introduced himself and extended his hand she put her hand in his and curtesied again.
"Good evening Lord Valdez," she answered during the curtesy, "I'm Lady Lock."
She refused to use her late husband's name and she was actually surprised that Valdez didn't know anything of her reputation, yet.

Lock, Valdez pondered, that name did sound vaguely familiar. Hadn't he heard some people mention it before? Fortunatly he quickly decided not to care.

"My pleasure, I'm sure," Valdez replied, making a small bow before letting go of her hand. He then turned away from her a little, before continuing: "at the risk of being inappropriatly straight-forward... you seem a little bored...?"

When the politeness of introductions where over Amy took another sip of her champagne and looked over the rest of the crowd. Her attention was drawn back to Valdez when he was quite inappropriatly straight forward. She couldn't help but be slightly amused by that, it had been a long time since people had acted with annoyingly faked politeness to her.
"Now what makes you say that, my lord?" she asked, honestly curious to his answer.

Trying to find a polite way of saying 'well, the big FUCK-OFF on your forehead is a dead give-away' Valdez also turned to taking a (very) small zip of his champagne. He then smiled (to be fair, it was more of a small grin), made a small shrug and replied; "I'm not sure... perhaps I'm just bored myself..."

He turned his head towards her, and added; "besides, with all the attention you've been getting all night," he said this in a slightly sarcastic tone, "I can't imagine a young woman like yourself to be bored anyway."

It was almost interesting to have a more or less polite talk with someone while still being sort of honest with each other. It was also nice to finally hear someone actually admitting they where bored as well.
"How could you possible be bored on such a wonderfull party as this?" Amy asked, her voice held enough faked shock to be believable for eavesdroppers. Her face on the other hand which she had turned away from the crowd showed her true feelings. She raised her brows in slight amusement when Valdez mentioned all the attention she was getting.
"Ah so you've noticed," she answered, "well what can I say... People don't think highly of you if you speak ill over the dead."

Valdez grinned at Amy's faked exclamation, in doing so keeping an amused chuckle from leaving his mouth. "Indeed," he said sarcastically - though in such a low voice he could feel secure no one but Amy would hear; "how could I not be entertained talking hours on end about the Queen's favorite hat?" He rolled his eyes at the memory - no I'm even joking, someone seriously tried to have a conversation with him concerning the Queen's favorite head-wear.

When Amy briefly remarked that she wasn't exactly in high standing, and why she wasn't (sortof), he closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. Finally a small grin returned to his face as he mused; "it seems an odd criterium to me, that one couldn't speak ill of the diseased. From a logical standpoint, it seems the best time to bad-mouth anyeone would be when they're dead - for one, you can feel quite secure that they won't make you pay for it, and it sure as hell isn't going to bother them then, is it?"

He paused for a moment, realizing this was quite dark talk, and Amy might feel uncomfertable with him saying these things, even despite (or maybe because of) the nonchalant tone he'd said it in. "But then," he therefore added jokingly, "I might just be saying that because I'd rather speak ill of the dead right now than spend another moment talking about royal head-gear.

Amy didn't care if it would damage her reputation more she rolled her eyes at the queens favourite headdress subject. She had actually overheard someone talking about that and quickly stirred away before she could have been involved on the conversation.
"I'm lucky enough to not get involved with conversations like that," she answered with an honest smile, "I'm not English by birth."
She even actually just let out an amused chuckle at Valdez's point of view on talking ill of the dead. She hadn't looked at it from that point of view.
"The dead in question is my late husband," she informed him, "who was twice my age, an agressive drunk and beated me. So I will never shed a single tear for him."
She looked at Valdez with a sweet smile, honestly curious to his reaction.

Valdez just smiled in reply to Amy's rebound on his hat-dillemma. If anything, he was just happy that was over and didn't want to waste much more words on it.

He was pleased, relieved almost, that she didn't seem to mind his logical - read: coldhearted - point of view on speaking ill of the dead. Usually, that would be considered a mood-killer.

Then Amy explained that the diseased in question was her late husband, who appearantly accepted his unfavorable qualities even more than Valdez did his. "An old, agressive drunk who beat you?" he repeated to himself in a soft voice, as if he was trying to form a picture of this man in his mind. Then Amy smiled at him, in a way that he could only describe as honestly interested. Somehow this made him a little ill at ease, though the couldn't possibly explain why and tried his very best not to let it show. Finally he just smiled and shrugged, very non-challantly once more, and concluded; "if we'd start shedding tears over the downfall of those who've harmed us, we'll never stop crying."
Then he looked Amy in the eye for a moment, a truely gentle expression on his face for only a moment, as he added: "your honesty is refreshing."

There was something strange when Valdez looked her straight in the eye, but Amy couldn't pin point it easily. So instead she just smiled at his compliment, at least she considered it a compliment.
"I wasn't born in a noble family," she explained, "so I haven't been raised to think lying pretty much all the time is normal. Which doesn't help with my reputation, but I don't really care."
She smiled honestly not caring in the least bit about her reputation. Then she suddenly was capable of pin pointing the strange thing about him.
"Are you're eyes red?" she asked, actually already knowing the answer, but curious to his answer nonetheless.

When Amy stated she wasn't born noble, and thus had not learned to 'think lying pretty much all the time was normal', he grinned. He was very amused that she considered it as such, it was very similar to how he described it in his younger years. With age he'd grown more poetic though, to the point where he now called it 'creatively re-interpreting his version of the truth to accomodate to the faint of heart'.

He was about to react to this, when Amy asked him about his eyes. Fortunatly, he'd faced this question and questions alike before, so her curiosity didn't break his calm. In reply to her question, he let out a chuckle. "I highly doubt that," he awnsered, "but it's not the first time I heard that. My eyes are brown but in the light of fire, appearantly they look quite red."

He was quite confident that this would elude all questions Amy might have; it had satisfied all suspicions in the past too. He got curious about something else though...
"If you don't mind me asking," he started, to add in a grin, "and even if you do... how is it you don't care about your reputation? I mean- I could understand how it doesn't matter to you personally, I've never spent much time brushing my halo myself, but still... how is it you seem so at ease not conforming to this? Aren't you afraid of what might become of you?"

Being a witch Amy didn't buy the howl firelight turns my eyes red thing. Though the only thing that showed about that was a slight narrowing of her eyes, that could be considered thoughtfullness or something alike. She did get sidetrackted when he asked her why she didn't care at all about her reputation. She just didn't get why so many people cared so deeply about their reputation.
"I've never cared about my reputation," she answered, "being a noble by marriage now doesn't change that. Because it hasn't changed who I am and how I look at the world. Or how the nobles always looked down on me and my family when I was growing up. The worst a damaged reputation can do is take away my 'noble standing' and if that happens so be it."

Not noticing the sutble signals that would’ve given away how Amy didn’t really buy his explanation about the red color of his eyes, Valdez assumed his lie had worked. Either way, the conversation moved on to a different topic.

He listened to Amy explaining that she really didn’t care about her reputation and why. All Valdez could think was that he thought all of it was a very ‘middle class’ way of thinking. He didn’t reply immediately after she’d stopped talking, trying to find a more pleasant way of saying that. Finally he just shrugged, rather nonchalantly, and replied: “I’ve always been of noble blood,” he said, “so I guess it’s hard for me to think of it that way.

He had to admit though, to himself as least, that he hadn’t exactly taken good care of his own reputation himself. Or well, he had built up a reputation over the years alright, just not a good one… When he was still human this didn’t really bother him; being feared got him just about as far as being loved – and between the two options, being feared sure as hell came come natural to him.

"Still," he insisted, "a good reputation can be a big blessing. Matters ranging from marriage to business tend to proceed easier, for one." He looked sideways at Amy and insinuated: "but then... I imagine that marriage isn't the number one thing on your mind, right now..?" He then had to repress the urge to add to that: 'though I don't think the other male guests have come to that conclusion yet.'

During the silence that fell after Amy had had expressed her opinion and motivation about her reputation she took a mouthfull of champagne. She wasn't sure why she was telling all of this to a man who clearly wasn't from around here, or human for that matter. But then again it was nice to have someone at this boring party to actually share her opinion to without having to expect overdramatic reactions.
When Valdez said that a good reputation was a blessing for business and marriage she rolled her eyes, talking another sip of her glass. He was right when he guessed that marriage wasn't he first thing on her mind at the time.
"Indeed marriage is somewhere at the bottom of my list at the moment," she answered, "and business is not something I will be taking serious in no matter what my reputation seeing as I am a woman. So at the moment I don't see why I should care about a good reputation. But if I may be so bold why are you attending this party? And if it is for business reasons then why are you talking with me?"

Valdez pondered Amy's reply, comparing the content of what she explicitly said - that she had no reason to care about her reputation - and what her entire attitude communicated, namelijk that she couldn't be bothered. He didn't get a chance to comment on that though, as she surprised him with her next questions.

Well, the term 'surprised' may have been a bit overboard; he could and had naturally expected people to ask him about the first after all. "I'm attending this party," he replied, sort-off honestly, "looking for new, interesting contacts. Business-related socializing, as you already guessed." He then sighed and (still quite honestly) went on: "no one interesting managed to present themselves though..."
This last sentence made for a nice transfer to her next question; "well, you did actually," he said, a small polite smile at her, "as a conversation partner, at least, not so nuch on the business-side." He had to think about why exactly he'd started talking to Amy, but found he couldn't really recall a good reason. Well, he could think of one reason but it was so incredibly honest (read: crude) that he wasn't sure if he should speak it out.

But, being his usual impulsive self, this reason that popped up into his mind was out of his mouth before he'd fully well re-considered it; "perhaps it was because you - in contrast to most other party guests currently present - gave me the impression of being more intelligent than say... a rock."

It didn't came Amy as a surprise that Valdez found her interesting as a converstation partner but not for whatever business he was here. Well it was still nice to actually have an interesting conversation to pass the time. She couldn't suppress a small chuckle though when he said that she had seemed more intelligent then a rock in contrast with the other guests at least. It was nice to have someone actually care about her intellect rather then her appareance, manners or reputation.
"You really know how to make a girl feel special, don't you?" she asked him with a hint of sarcasme shining through, "Though I have to admit it's nice to talk with someone that is a little more... open minded..."

In reply to Amy's comment about making a girl feel special, Valdez merely pulled a small smile. Both his attention as his good mood were taken aback for a moment, as he realized he was actually being nice to someone - for no other reason that because he felt like it...!

"Dios... Lo qu'este país hace de mí,*" he muttered to himself under his breath.

He was relieved though, that Amy was only joking when she said that. And the next thing she said did pull him right out of his moment of dissatisfying self-awareness. He smiled, grinned actually, more lively at this second comment. "Likewise," he agreed, "that's a very... well-considered way of putting it."

He got a little curious then though. "Now I have become curious... you are not here on business... you are not here because you enjoy being here... so what's brought you here then, exactly?"


* "Good Lord! Look at what this country does to me."

Amy tilted her head a little when she heard Valdez mutter something in a language she didn't understand. She didn't gave it much thought though. Instead she looked over the crowd of people that where either talking in groups or dancing in pairs. Her attention was drawn back to her conversation partner when he asked her why she was here. The memory that it triggered caused her to take another mouthfull of her nearly empty glass of champagne. Admittedly not the best move and she noticed the effects of the alcohol taking a hold of her. Which also caused her to be a little more loose lipped.
"Blackmail," she answered calm and honestly, "and getting even with the man that is blackmailing me. Who happens to be this evening's host."
She gave Valdez a sweet smile, not sure and not really caring at the time if that would make her statement less believable or not.

"Ah, I see," Valdez mused, nonchalantly nodding his head, as if being blackmailed and revenge were just two of those normal reasons to attend a party - admittedly, to him they were!

"Can I ask what you're being blackmailed with?" he asked, his voice calm but with a little amused curiousity sounding through, "or is this thing you're being blackmailed with a secret?"

He tilted his head a little at Amy gulping down an impressive mouthful of champagne; "as for that revenge of yours... unless you are planning to get back at this person by drinking all his champagne, you have me at a loss. What are you planning on doing?"
He didn't sound disapproving, as one might expect (unless you knew him, of course), but just casually interested, entertained.

As Amy gave him a sweet smile, only just after stating she was here for her revenge, he couldn't help but feel a pinch of af affection for her ((nothing like that, stop being gross!!)). He didn't know a lot of people with whom he could have a sophisticated talk about disliking a social occassion, blackmail or revenge, without disapproval reigning surpreme. It was quite pleasent.
Still, catching himself thinking such positive things - and feeling embaressed and foolish for it - he quickly dismissed it to alcohol consumption. Still, he couldn't deny but being at least a little intrigued by how Amy would reply.

Amy twirled the glass between her fingers and stared into the crowd again. Any moment now. Her eyes flashed to Valdez for a moment and then back at the crowd.
"It's not a secret," she answered her eyes still on the crowd, ignoring the alcohol comsumption comment, "our host has fabricated some 'evidence' that I would have slipped toxic in the last drink of my late husband. And before you ask, yes I have thought about doing that or something alike so many times, but I didn't. I was visiting my parents all evening when it happened. And you'll notice... right about..." the clock started chiming the hours, "now."
As the clock chimed the hours away a small rippling of energy, unnoticable for humans, passed through the crowd. And then suddenly everybody in the crowd (excluding of course herself and everybody that didn't eat anything) felt sick and hurried off to somewhere they could throw up. Most ran into the garden.

Valdez' eyes widened when he noticed the inexplicable energy wave going through the room. Then everyone started acting strange, gagging, croaching, running for the garden.

At first he didn't know what to think, startled mostly, but the pieces quickly fell into place. He stopped to 'admire' the image of a sea of barfing people for a perplexed moment longer, then - without turning his head towards Amy - asked; "you did this??"
There was a notable amount of impression in his tone.

Amy couldn't help herself from having some feeling of satisfaction as almost all the people present suddenly needed to throw up. Even if the host would suspect her there was no way he could pin this on her this time. And even if he did, it would just look like him trying to give her blame for what had happened. Without a doubt people would soon or already where suspecting that there was a problem with the food.
Such a scandal at such a high standing party, people would be gossiping about this for months to come. The host's reputation was going to be severly damaged and possibly never fully restored.
A statisfied smile curled her lips upwards. That is when Valdez asked her if this had been her doing and she was brought back from her thoughts. For a moment Amy thought about 'adjusting' Valdez's memory so that there truely was no one that could pin it on her. But she decided to wait with that. He wasn't from around here and probably wasn't going to be staying for a long time either. She could always 'adjust' his memory if it would turn out he could not be trusted with the truth.
"What?" she asked with faked insult, that would look real to any eavesdroppers, "How dare you even ask me such a question? How could I even possibly have anything to do with this tragedy?"
She looked at Valdez with honest interest and faked insult, wondering what his answer to her second question would be. What kind of explaination for this vomit festival would he think of?