Yuki's Story

Gloves in one hand, Tersius bit his lip as he walked through the halls. Truly, the extravagance of this place was something else. The masquerade would be something else entirely, though what that might be would have to wait. He smiled to himself, wondering if his mask would obscure the strictly combed strands of brown hair poking from under his tricorne hat.

There didn't seem to be any immediate threat - obviously the Kingdom of Shadows was hedging all their bets here. Smiling to himself, Tersius realized that he had wandered afield without thinking; he had found himself in a vast and busy kitchen, servants scurrying to and fro to prepare the vast feast that would accompany the coming masquerade. He closed his eyes and basked in the myriad scents of warm baked breads, appetizers of fresh meat and chilled cream, topped with spices he did not know the names of.

So lost in thought was he that he didn't notice as he walked into two individuals talking about something or other - a maid, and a uniquely dressed man Tersius couldn't place. Perhaps another servant, a butler or steward of some kind. Tipping his hat and offering profuse apologies, Tersius stepped back and let the maid continue on her way - she seemed to be stuck in the rush of duty, a feeling that itched at the back of his skull. He should probably check the other hallways for possible traps, but he felt certain that there was no conspiracy or danger - that he did not know of, at least. Turning to address the unknown servant, he gave a stiff, military bow.

"My apologies for the distraction. I was with the Light envoy, and under command to inspect the arrangements - I've got to say, it's easy to get lost here. It's very impressive how much sweat and gold has gone into this place, am I right?" Laughing amicably, Tersius slipped his gloves into a jacket pocket and held out his hand.

"Tersius Helva, man at arms. Though I don't want to distract you during your duties, I was wondering if you might have a few seconds to spare for my questions about the Masquerade; you know royalty, they like and deserve only the very best. Of course. I couldn't help but notice you seem to be shorthanded - certainly, it is the duty of servants of our two fine nations to help one another, just as our betters do above. Is there anything I could do to assist before returning to my cohort?"

Pleasantly smiling, Tersius mused that it was the perfect chance to gather information on the dispositions of the staff here - a thought that might have just been visible, reflected in the inquisitive chill of his stare. As he grew accustomed to the scents of the kitchen, several other familiar scents were discernible to Tersius - most noticeably, the scent of bitter almonds...

█♞ ⊰ ωнєяє αм ι؟ :: The Kitchens
█ ♞ ⊰ ωнσ αм ι ωιтн؟ :: NPCs (servants), Yuki
█ ♞ ⊰ ωнαт'ѕ ση му мιη∂؟ :: An intuitive feeling of wrongness... More information can never hurt. Besides, overworked staff are practically kindred spirits.
█ ♞ ⊰ συт σƒ ¢нєѕѕ-ριє¢єѕ :: Just excited to be here!