"Did you enjoy the show?" Kres sneered to Aquilo as they stood outside the tall black iron gates that shielded the arena's entrance. The smug Lord waited for them with his stained hands outstretched. Human servants worked quickly to scrub away the blood. The house of Kres and their lesser cousins Kratz valued physical appearance more than any other house. Nearly everything he wore was either a distinguished black or boisterous gold. They were the polar opposites of everything the house of Augusta stood for. Simplicity, order, and restraint. Something Adela was finding very hard to do right now. She was always taught to keep her emotions in check but seemed to have forgotten her lessons. She opened her mouth to protest, to tell Kres how disgusting she thought he and his kin were but held her tongue as her father exhaled.

Being undead Aquilo had no need for air, but it wasn't uncommon for him to inhale and sigh. It was perhaps the most human thing or sentient thing he ever did, and Adela despised it. Though it appeared as though he did it mainly to organize his thoughts, she knew the actual reason. He most frequently would let out a breath to silence her. It was a method of keeping her quiet in the oh so important presence of other Nobles and Lords. Making her appear like a good little girl in front of important company. Adela kept her mouth straight and stoic but she couldn't hide the hatred in her eyes.

"Cassius's display was a sad show of power." Aquilo's icy voice echoed off the corridor walls beneath the stadium seats. Adela glanced at her father beside herself with rage.

Kres wasn't just some Noble or a High Noble like herself, he was a Lord. Hence his title Master Kres and Cassius had held his own. He even managed to land a few strong blows. If anything it showed why the Augustan bloodline was the strongest. She tried not to tense at the thought of this likely being another perk on her father's hidden agenda, showcasing their House's strength to keep the other families in check. She shifted her gaze back to the tall slender figure of Master Kres. She wasn't supposed to let her guard down ever but this rule was never as important as it was in the presence of Kres's House. They were as slippery as they came.

"If he was to put on such a sad show, then perhaps you should have sent someone with more gusto; more power, more... beauty to do your dirty work." Though he spoke to Aquilo his eyes stared directly into Adela's. She made sure not to let her disgust show replicating the stoic composure her father wore at all times. Besides she had too much to ponder to allow the likes of Kres to bother her. Too many things didn't feel right, and she was still fighting hard to suppress tears. As the princess of the Augustan House, weeping publicly would show weakness, something her father would never allow. So she would have to wait to mourn Cassius's death in secrecy while keeping up appearances in front of his murderer.

Aquilo also disregarded Kres's jest and comment towards his daughter and simply asked a question to an argument he knew was coming. "Dirty work?"

"Yes! Dirty work!" Kres shouted, shoving a servant who'd just finished putting golden rings and diamonds back on his master's hand. The human stumbled several feet backward. Adela resisted the urge to check on him, though her father showed little affection towards the human race or anything for that matter he still acknowledged their importance. To him, they were no more than a mere food source, cogs in the system, subjects, and citizens with roles to fill out in society for the good of the kingdom. He'd sooner number them than name them. However, Adela viewed them in a different less oppressed light.

As her superiors bickered she continued to look at the human. He was pale for a man that wasn't a vampire, and he wasn't "powdered" like some humans did to show their longing to be more like her race. He looked as though he had a severe case of poison ivy or some other rash. She turned her head as a cough sounded. Another human servant, this one female but she too looked a little ill. It was possible Kres kept them in poor living conditions. This was exactly the injustice she wished to see undone.

"Don't think I didn't know this was all just a ploy to sweep my throne right out from under me." The unsavory voice of Master Kres cut through her thoughts. "Honestly, I'm not dumb. I'm more than a couple of centuries-old! First, he's sneaking around my estate, then he's befriended my niece and worse."

Kres's last statement caught her interest in particular but he didn't elaborate any further and he didn't need to. He spun around a regal cape traveling behind him, in his wake. The garment was black with a white tuft of fur that lined the edges and adorned with a golden thread intricately woven into it. In the middle, a large insignia of a "K" was embroidered in yet more gold. True to the Crichton way it was absolutely boisterous.

"Admit it. You sent him to infiltrate my empire! Well, how did your little pet work out for you?"

Aquilo followed calmly beside Kres, his hands tucked neatly into each other behind his back. "Cassius was exiled and acted of his own accord. So naturally whatever he chose to do was his own bidding. You needn't concern yourself with uprisings." Aquilo's voice was calm as he spoke bored almost, a stark contrast to that of the other lord. "Our estates are both prosperous entities. Our kingdoms both... thriving. Why would I wish to change that?"

"Don't play dumb with me you want my land, my humans, my power!"

Adela let herself roll her eyes. His power? Her father was the supreme ruler of the vampires, second to none. What was more powerful than that? Her home province of Teyrnon was at least two times the size of Crichton as if the Augustan estate needed more land. Although... she shifted her eyes looking at the back of her father as they walked. Kres wasn't wrong, Aquilo always seemed to have hidden motives.

"Calm yourself Kres." Aquilo's voice was hardly as vocal as his colleagues but managed to carry more power. "I have no desire to steal your estate. Cassius was unfit, and I owe you a small debt in removing him for me."

Adela's face twisted in anger. Unfit? Cassius was a great vampire, and powerful too. Aquilo himself had handed him many missions directly. So why did he now speak so ill of him? Was he simply just saving face with Crichton, and to the point of actually indebting himself to another?

Kres stroked his black pointed goatee, obviously pleased with the thought of a favor from the unquestioned ruler of the vampires. "Yes, a favor-"

"-A party.-" Aquilo swiftly interjected. Of course, her father was manipulating the entire situation. He'd never actually put himself in a position of obligation to another and least off all Kres. "-In your favor. Honoring you, and celebrating the removal of that pesky anarchist." His eyes flicked to Kres his bait set.

Kres smiled. He loved a good party. One Adela assumed he could show himself off at, strutting around like a vain peacock. "That does sound like quite a fine idea, Master Kres kills Cassisus sower of chaos. I can see the headlines now. We'll have invitations sent out in the papers. Everyone shall know how I prevented what could have been a bloody war."

Adela's cold blood began to boil, it just wasn't fair. Nothing about this was right. Adela couldn't remember the reason Cassius was exiled in the first place. It couldn't have been a very good one if it skipped her mind. If it was for loving her then her father was more petty and protective than she believed possible. In any case, there needed to be justice. She took an extra step, catching up to the two lords. Mentally prepared she opened her mouth to protest.

"Adela." The chilling voice of Aquilo called.

She froze, almost colliding with her dad, as he stopped abruptly.

"Yes, father?"

"I have a special task for you."

"What do you ask of me?" Adela, inquired, her father's back still to her as if turning around would waste more of his precious time.

"You are to help plan this special occasion."

What? Why her? Wouldn't such a gesture be better received if Aquilo himself attended to the matter? At the very least a court planner would do a better job. She was absolutely appalled. What was his reason for putting her through such torment, for forcing her to plan a party for the one who murdered her love? Was it a test? A game?

"Yes, father." She said, shock keeping her tone neutral for her.

"Spare no detail." He said, his voice sounding to her both cold and uninterested. With that Aquilo proceeded down the cobblestone corridor once more, his footsteps hardly making a sound, next to the heavily adorned boots Kres wore.