The Riders' Rebellion (Scarsmate and DH)

[Scars Mate]

Well, it tells you all you need to know about how he feels, Rivera responded cheekily, before cutting off the connection. She didn't particularly want to hear Rhinnëa's reaction to that.

She was content in Zaq's arms, but found her mind wandering towards the girls, and more importantly, the dragons. She wondered aimlessly as to what they were doing, but she couldn't be bothered to talk to them. The song had changed, anyway; it was more upbeat now, and Rivera found herself moving faster and faster.

[Dark Huntress]

Rhinnëa's eyes widened at Rivera's seemingly offhand comment and gazed after her in wonder, curious as to what precisely she had meant. She didn't not have much time to do so however, for the music changed and she found herself hardpressed to predict Eyulf's movements. The dance ended and she found it was rather hard to dance and breathe at same and gulped air.

"This is the most dreadful event of my life," she muttered to no one in particular and narrowed her eyes as the corner of Eyulf's full lips kicked up slightly.

Her retort, however, died on her lips as a young man approached her and solictied the next dance. Embarrassed at the sort if spotlight, Rhinnëa blusteringly accepted and shrug slightly at Eyulf, who glared as she was led onto the floor. Rhinnëa could feel the daggers as a hand when somewhat lowered than necessary or appropriate.

As the music started once more she thought, [i]We'll have a demi-war if Rivera is treated this way...[i)

[Scars Mate]

Rivera watched Rhinnëa coldly, eyes narrowing every time her partner was mildly inappropriate . She was almost as angry as Eyulf was. How sweet, she mused. Well, not really, Rhinnëa is practically being groped.

'I think I've had enough dancing,' she told Zaq awkwardly, extricating herself unceremoniously from his arms. She scurried away, hiding behind a large drapery. Even Zaq's protective arms hadn't stemmed the rude stares of some of the other men, and she felt suddenly very vulnerable. She didn't have Rhinnëa's pure elven beauty; people weren't wary of her like they were her friend. She worried at her lip, before grabbing a glass of ridiculously strong wine that smelled bad. She drank it in one, feeling reckless.

Careful now. Lyrea's voice came unbidden into Rivera's consciousness.

Sorry, she mumbled. I don't like human men, she decided. Well, with the exception of Zaq. And I suppose Eyulf.

She felt dizzy all of a sudden, and then light headed. Looks like I'm stuck behind here. And damn, we were supposed to negotiate terms! Or were we? She couldn't remember. A string of curse words ran through her mind. Where are you, Zaq?

[Dark Huntress]

Zaq could feel Rivera's distress pulling him towards her, but he couldn't find her. He couldn't see anything through the throngs of people and the laughter and scenets overwhelming his senses. Then, suddenly, he glimpsed her, standing near a large drape, and he instantly pushed through the crowd. By time he'd nearly reached her, several men had closed in, obviously unafraid of her, despite her unusual appearance.

Rhinnëa's obvious elven heritage had protected her mostly, perhaps not a from a drunken man who preferring to handle his dance partners inappropriately, but Rivera stood in great danger. Or, the men stood in great danger of being roasted. And Zaq was completely ready to encourage, except that she would torute herself with guilt afterwards. He would just have to skewer them, because he surely would feel no misplaced guilt.

He pushed up next to her, roughly shoving two men out of the way and standing slightly in front of her, glaring coldly at them.

[Scars Mate]

Thank God, Rivera breathed as Zaq appeared. She had forgotten how unafraid human men were. They had crept up on her like a cats on its prey. And then, in her moment of need, Zaq appeared.

The men scattered, acting like they hadn't even be there. One lingered; he was drinker than the rest, and sweating like a pig. He leered at her, before staggering away triumphantly at having terrified her.

'Thank you,' she mumbled, latching onto Zaq like a child. No one had noticed; all too blind drunk. She tugged his arm, hiding herself behind the drape shyly. 'I don't want to be here. Can we go outside for a bit?' She looked up at him beseechingly.

[Dark Huntress]

"We could go to the moon if you wanted to," Zaq replied, half-teasing, half-sincere. He took her by the elbow and guided out of the crowded ballroom onto the terrace, the air cool and inviting compared the thick atmosphere of the interior.

"I'm sorry I didn't get there faster," he apologized, "the room is very crowded."

*£*

Rhinnëa had never been more relieved than when she was released from the confining arms of her partner and to Eyulf's side. She clung to his arm indiscreetly. "Don't let go of me," she begged, wide-eyed.

He quirked a brow gently and she relaized the irony of her statement. But she quickly acknowledged shed rather be anchored to Eyulf than anyone but Gweir. "Oh, shhh," she replied cockily, "you may be the werewolf, but the humans are the ones that paw me.' He wasn't amused by her little.play on words at all, growling slightly and glaring at her ex-partner.

[Scars Mate]

'It's okay,' Rivera replied breathily. 'Not your fault.'

Despite being out of the heavy atmosphere of the hall, she still felt dizzy and unstable. One of her better decisions of the night was reaching out to clutch the cool metal rail, her fingers like vices around it. She glanced about the village; it was nothing special. They just needed to find some volunteers, and then they'd be gone.

'Zaq?' She asked after a minute. 'Can we just, uh, stay out here for the rest of the night? I don't feel so great.' Her cheeks were flushed. 'Because, y'know, alcohol.' She blushed.

[Dark Huntress]

Zaq smirked. "Somebody doesn't drink much," he chuckled, but leaned against the railing as if to signal the beginning of a long stay. Which was precisely what he was doing. "So, did you ever go to parties like this when you were younger? Or did you live always with the elves?"

*£*

Eyulf, as a few more guests gave Rhinnëa marveling looks, led her to a pair of drapes similar to ones Rivera had hidden behind. He then attempted to block her from the view of others. It irritated him how she was examined like some great artifact of wonder instead if what she was: a Rider. A n elven, beautiful Rider...but a rider nonetheless.

Rhinnëa whirled a brow in a amusement, for he had quite forgotten to hide his thoughts. "Thinks the man that stared at me as if I were a castle to be conquered," she laughed harshly.

"Not a castle to be cknqyiered," he corrected, "an elf to br persuaded. And we both know which is more difficult and stubborn."

[Scars Mate]

'Well,' Rivera began, and then stopped. It was hard for her to string together thoughts when it came to her parents; not only was it a touchy subject, but she had suppressed many memories of them in an attempt to help her own mental state.

'Yes,' she said after a while. 'My parents were very friendly. We lived in a human village- uncommon for an elf like my mother. And it wasn't as large as this, but it was sizeable.' She smiled to herself. 'Obviously, I wasn't allowed to drink this much.' She grinned into the darkness. 'And you?'

[Dark Huntress]

Zaq laughed. "Until now, my idea of a party was a Rebel meeting in the back of a tavern." He smiled softly, "Mother and Da were pretty passionate about overthrowing the King. It cost them their lives, but they considered it worth it, I suppose." He looked after at Rivera after clearing his throat roughly, "How did your parents meet. I don't think elves and humans are exactly the most normal of couples."