A Meeting Of Those Who Know

She hated wearing these kinds of clothes. A hefty dark crimson dress with many layers and a corset that tied it tight to her body so she could barely breathe, was what she had to cope with in a boiling Kingdom. She wouldn't have worn the piece of material that went over her shoulders if it wasn't to keep her reputation up. Whenever she could, she'd take a deep inhale so the corset wasn't completely and utterly suffocating her. The annoyance and pain women went through for reputation was horrible, but it had to be done. Of course, what lay under her dress was a different story. But it was so far hidden, the blade would never be seen by anyone else.

She smiled lightly at those who greeted her, pushing strands of her hair behind her ears. Thankfully, her hair was tied up into a bun with light curls either side of her face. Her servants had seen to her hair styling for her, and even helping her get dressed in all the many layers. She'd told them not to expect her home tonight, and to have her meal ready the next eve when she returned. They asked no more questions. In a way, they were frightened of Larina, but respected her all at the same time.

She adjusted one of the rings on her fingers, before looking over her shoulder softly, and almost like she was talking to herself. "You better be there."

The sun beat down onto Cairo's flowing black hair as he stood a top the roof. A plain expression on his face. He detested going out in public. Larina would always make him were "noble man" clothes. To keep up her reputation that she was a lady. He laughed at the thought lightly. The girl was far from it. He looked down to his clothes as he stood himself up properly.

A fancy shirt, covered with a golden trimmed coat. Matching trousers covered his legs as he tutted under his breath. The sodding leather shoes that she made him wear were so uncomfortable. He held his fingers up towards the sun with a raised eyebrow. "Woops." he said as he realised that he was running partially late.

He shrugged it off before leaping across the rooftops. He made seeming impossible leaps from building to building, the years of training had paid off. He then dropped down in front of Larina in a crouch. He stood himself up as he dusted down his clothes. "I'm here."

Larina's blue-grey eyes turned slightly amused as he dropped down infront of him, yet she pointed her finger right at him. "You're late," she accused in her rich Benedictian accent. She then let her amusement disappear just a little. "And don't jump in front of me so suddenly," she murmured under her breath, before turning and continuing to walk. The bloody heels she had to wear were murder. Mind the pun, she thought idly.

It was very rare that the two of them would be seen out together, or together at all. However, Larina was the face of the Vastel family, being in public way more than Cairo and keeping up their noble and rich standing by putting up with the ignorant, arrogant business like people. She half expected people to wonder when she was going to marry.

She was 18 now, and many girls younger than her were already married. They were kept 'pure' up until then. However, Larina had other matters on her mind other than marriage and producing children. She was the youngest Master of Umbra, and fought hard to keep that title.

Cairo shook his head once more at his clothes. "Technically, I said I wasn't going to show up, so how could I be late?" he said with a raised eyebrow. He looked to her lightly. "You should be prepared for such things." he said sternly, as a teacher would his student. He rolled his shoulders lightly. How nobles could wear such restricted clothing was beyond him. He'd prefer plain cloth and a cloak to conceal himself.

He closed his eyes lightly. Every time he met with the merchants and other nobles, they continuously questioned him about his business. More often than not they tried to engage him in business deals. It was true that Larina was the face of the family, but everyone knew where the money was coming from, or so they thought.

He held out his arm to her idly, "My lady?" he said with a fake Benedicitan accent.

Larina blinked at the man she saw as her Father figure, before rolling her eyes a little. She was quite tomboyish when he was around, not having a Mother figure to remember. She slipped her arm around his, her eyes looking ahead as she walked with him, muttering softly under her breath, being careful. Many Benedictians knew who she and he were.

"I was prepared to go alone," she reminded him, before shrugging her shoulders ever so slightly, closing in on the large building where she knew Quiad would await their arrival as the Redemptor of Benedictus. Larinas mind wandered to the other Redemptors before brushing it away. She didn't know them, nor needed to.

"No one has asked you about any marriage plans for me have they?" she sighed under her breath. She'd had many people asking her when, where and who, but she didn't answer any of them. It wasn't in her interests.

He walked with his arm linked with hers. He patted her hand lightly with slightly narrowed eyes. "Is that why you left these clothes in my room, with a note 'Put these on or else'?" he questioned under his breath through gritted teeth that formed a smile. His eyes then moved to the building where'd they'd be meeting Quiad.

His eyebrows rose lightly with a laugh under his breath. "I've had plenty offers for you." he said simply. "People offering me this and that, for you to marry their sons or them." he said shaking his head slowly. "I've promised you to several of them." he said in a serious tone as he looked to her idly.

"It's proper for a father to find his daughter a good husband." he said, his face and tone still serious.

Larina tried her best not to laugh, but she couldn't help it. "Yes it was," she grinned, looking up to him from the corner of her peculiar looking eyes. "Are you mad at me?" she asked curiously, lightly nudging his side with her elbow, but her eyes then moved back to the building as he spoke about marriage. Her teeth tensed together harshly and her jaw twitched, but she remained calm looking.

"Oh, is there anyone who stood out in your eyes?" she asked lightly, looking up to the tall building they were now in front. She glanced to him expectantly for the door, a raised eyebrow matching her expression as she smiled at him ever so sweetly.

"It's very good of you, Father," she added with a light teasing tone toward the end. She, despite loving him as one, didn't usually call him her Father. She addressed him by his name, when not in public.

Cairo nodded lightly. "I'll remember." he said with a light smirk. "You'll see my girl." he said as he rose his eyebrows. "But of course, they were mostly innocent young women in the crowd. I doubt that would be any use to you?" he smiled to her lightly.

"I'm sure some of the men I've promised you to are good looking.." he said with a tilt of his head before shaking it lightly. "Nope." he said with a shrug. "Well, I do my best. What with being away on business all the time.." he said with a slight sigh. "It gets tiresome having all this business.. type.. stuff.. away from Benedictus."

He looked from her to the door before sighing slightly. He pushed the door open, holding it for her.

Larina rose an eyebrow to him curiously, tilting her head to the side. "Innocent young women? What use would a woman be to me in the first place?" she tutted, shaking her head at him, the curls that were styled shook side to side as she did. "You've promised me to many?" she questioned, biting the side of her tongue trying not to narrow her eyes at him.

She grinned at him ever so slightly as she stepped through the door and into the building. She glanced around gently, keeping her elegance about her. She had a nickname to live up to. "Of course you have a lot to do, but sometimes you need to realise, it's suffocating being by myself," she said slowly, looking at him as she did amused, before away once more.

"But it's alright. I keep the vultures at bay," she said quietly, looking across to a rather plump couple who were already laughing in how much money they had.

Cairo rose an eyebrow to her lightly. "Who said anything about them being for you?" he muttered lightly. "And by the way, they're no longer innocent." he said with a slight nod. He looked to her as hie eyebrows drew together. "Of course I did." he said with a shrug. "You get to pick." he smiled to her lightly. "A father's gift to his only daughter." he smirked lightly.

He tilted his head slightly. His eyes moved to her corset. He then moved in to what looked to everyone else, to kiss his daughter on the cheek. As well as doing that he whispered in her ear. "Looks like that's not the only thing suffocating you." he laughed lightly.

"I've taught you well." he said as he stood back once more.

Larina looked to him lightly, her eyes curious. "My my, you dog," she taunted good naturedly, before blinking lightly, her eyes then turning dry. "I shall. And dispose of him when I'm bored," she sighed, but said this very quietly of course. Her eyes shifted around, smiling lightly at those who looked at her, commenting on her dress, her face, her hair. Anything they could look at to soak up, and of course, the exact same with her Father. Many spoke about how similar the two looked and how they were rarely seen together.

She then blinked, speaking slowly. "I can barely breathe," she murmured, looking down to herself. The corset was designed to push her bust up and bring her waist right in with a washboard stomach. It hurt like crazy but she got used to it after a while.

Hearing his last comment when he moved, she laughed lightly, looking around for anyone she knew, which was quite a good deal. "Like Father like Daughter," she slyly returned the comment, her eyes searching the crowd.

Cairo smiled to her lightly. "That's your father you're talking about." he said with a stern tone, smiling ever so slightly. "That shouldn't take long then." he said quietly, nodding his head to anyone to comment on him. Many of the noble men came over to him, asking him about his business. He gestured them away lightly, saying he was speaking to his daughter.

He turned back to her slowly. "Take the damn thing off then." he whispered to her. "You've got a flat enough stomach as it is." he said as he looked around once more. "You'll look no different." he said lightly.

Quiad was dressed in his full priest robes. Speaking to anyone who wanted to come and receive his blessing. This, after all, was a party to celebrate the engagement of two noble families. His eyes then caught Larina and Cairo on the other end of the room. His face turning serious, before the smile returned as he remembered who was around him.

Larina looked to the nobles who approached, smiled at them sweetly, before watching them disappear. She glanced up to him with a grin. "It is, but who am I to insult you," she sighed, waving her hand side to side, before her eyes turned amused. "Oh you are saying I get bored of my suitors?" she questioned calmly, but then she laughed.

"Mm, I would you see, but it involves a lot of undoing strings, lace and clips. I'll be fine. Plus, it'd be bad for me to be seen without one," she sighed under her breath, her eyes shifting to the other women. Some, definitely needed the corsets, but then again their weight spilled over the top and bulged under it. Larina cringed at them before looking back to him.

She glanced from the corner of her eyes catching Quiads eyes. She stared at him intently, before back to Cairo, she smiled softly to him. "He's seen we're here," she whispered, then looked for the couple who was going to get married idly, staying by her Fathers side as expected unless he dismissed her.

Cairo folded his arms lightly. "Exactly." he said with a firm nod. "Who can blame you, really? With all these stuffed shit pomp-" he began before he was cut off by an overly large lord. "Cairo!" he said as he came over to him, embracing him in a hug. The look on Cairo's face was unimpressed. "Roland, you old dog." he smiled lightly. "How was your latest business trip? You must take me with you next time." Roland said with a red face and a large grin.

Cairo looked to him. "There will be time for that later, Now I am spending some much needed time with my daughter." Cairo said gesturing to Larina. Roland bowed his head to her, taking her hand and kissing it. "Who wouldn't want to?" he said with a chuckle. "I will speak to you later then my friend." he said as he strode off.

"That's if you don't suffer a heart attack you fat bastard.." he muttered before he turned to Larina once more. "I've got my blades, I could just cut through the thing." he said with a tilt of his head. "I'm sure it would.." he said with a roll of his eyes. Cairo then turned in Quiad's direction with a smile. "Good."

Larina blinked lightly, going to laugh loudly, before she bit down on her lip hard to stop her doing so when the man, Roland, came over. She smiled at him ever so softly, looking up to him under her eyelashes and not directly in the eye of course. She didn't want him to get the wrong idea. She held back any of her cringing when he took her hand and kissed it. She nodded her head to him softly. She watched him go away and then looked up to her Father.

She blinked at his mutters, before laughing brightly at him. "I also bring something in case," she murmured, signalling to the top of her thigh, then brushed her hand away from it. It was common for something to happen to women at things like this, like proposals and such, hence her being armed.

She glanced over to Quiad and stepped a little in his direction. "Reckon we should go greet him, Ca- Father?" she corrected herself the moment it left her lips, smiling softly, her fingers brushing the red rose in her hair.

Cairo looked to her with a tilt of his head. "Well, I'm sure that's very useful for cutting strings." he said with a laugh and a wink. He of course knew what she meant, but wear it was just amused him. He then looked from Quiad to her lightly. "Of course, we should go pay our respects to the holy man." he smiled lightly as he offered her his arm once more.

Quiad made a cross sign in the air as he smiled to the lords and ladies. "I'm sure they will be very happy, god smiles down upon them on this sun." he said nodded his head. "Now if you'll excuse me." he said as he stood himself up. He moved over to ta large table with food and the like. Picking up a few things as he placed them onto a plate.

Cairo moved over to him with a smirk. "Evening." he said, making Quiad jump slightly. "You stupid son of-" he began before realising where he was.

Larina pouted at him lightly, before nudging him slightly in the gut. "Tch," she muttered, but slipped her arm back into his once more, and her eyes turned to Quiad and she became suddenly serious once more. More an assassin than ever, but she'd joke with him to keep up her image. She passed a few nobles and nodded her head to them gently, telling them she was going to speak to Quiad, it was why she couldn't stop.

She got some distasteful looks from others, but she brushed them off idly. She stood directly behind Quiad as Cairo spoke, making the other man jump. She beamed happily, suddenly filling in for Quiad. "A dog. It's very rude to scare people like that Father," she scolded slowly, before slipping her eyes to Quiad, she smiled at him feline like.

"Hello, Quiad."

Cairo smiled lightly. "You're right, I apologize." he said earnestly. Quiad looked at the two of them with a face like thunder. "You're late." he said simply before turning back to the food and gathering some more. Cairo looked to him plainly before back to Larina. Quiad then turned back to the two of them, speaking in a low whisper.

"This is the perfect opportunity to gather information on the nobles of the richest kingdom." he said, taking a bite of a turkey leg before continuing. "Benedictus is the kingdom that we get most contracts for these shines." he said looking between the two of them. "I don't need information, par who to slide my blade into." Cairo said under his breath.

Quiad looked to him with narrowed eyes. "This isn't a request." he said simply. "Get to it." he said as he pushed past them, back to the people he was with previously.

Larina's expression fell flat, her eyebrows dropping down. "How rude of you to speak to us like that," she said plainly, before grinning a touch. However, hearing the information, an eyebrow rose back up ever so slightly. "Information seeking?" she commented idly, of course very quietly so. She kept her eyes peeled for anyone who was looking at them too much, or maybe even assassins from other Brotherhoods that planned anything.

She smiled at him idly, her lips tugging up. "How terribly ignorant," she said over her shoulder as he pushed past them, causing her to step back a little. Her eyes slipped up to her Father once more.

"Ah, he didn't state what information he wanted," she sighed, her eyes narrowing after him a little. "Be on the lookout for other Assassins, Cairo. I hear they gather at places like these, especially those of the other Brotherhoods," she murmured.

Cairo's eyes narrowed at Quiad as he barged past. "He's not a patch on his father." he said simply. He looked down to Larina lightly. "I'm guessing any information that would be of interest, if I were to do it of course." he said with a light shrug. His head the turned to look around the room. "Indeed they do." he said in a whisper that was barely louder than his own breathing.

"They'll be looking for the chance to put the knife in either one of our backs." he stated simply. "Avoid a fight if you can." he said slowly. "We don't want to ruin that splendid reputation of yours." he said with a smile as he looked back to her.

His head lifted as the music began to play. "But first, I think it's 'proper' for a father to have a dance with his daughter." he said as he offered her his hand. "The sacrifices I make.." he muttered idly.

Larina shrugged her shoulders softly. "But we have no choice but to do what he wants," she said lightly, her eyebrows raising slowly. "Anything is good?" she laughed idly. "Who knows whos favourite colour I'm going to find out," she teased, but then her eyes shifted around the room with him once more, then back quietly.

"Of course. They could be anyone," she said softly, rubbing the scar on her face and she smiled softly. "I will defend myself if anything occurs, reputation will take a dint," she said slowly, but then smirked at him at his offer.

She took his hand lightly in her own and stepped towards him, narrowing her silvery blue eyes. "I could say the same, old man," she teased.

Cairo looked to her simply. "Mores the pity." he laughed lightly. "I'm looking forward to finding out their favourite animal." he said with a slight raise of his eyebrows. His eyes then moved over each person in turn. He laughed slightly. "Are you sure you want to ruin this.. sword proof reputation of yours?" he asked with a light smile.

He took her hand, placing a hand lightly just above her waist. "I'm sure you could, little girl." he smirked, before he began leading her around the dance floor to the music. "You keep an eye over my shoulder and I'll do the same."

Larina smiled ever so slightly, tilting her head to the side. "What, do you want me to play damsel in distress then Daddy comes to my rescue?" she questioned amused, moving with him as the went around the dancefloor. Her eyes shifted up and above his shoulder, but she made it seem like she was looking at his face.

"Do I damage my reputation or lose my life pretending to be a sheltered rich girl who knows nothing?" she sighed under her breath, still looking around curiously as she danced with him, stepping to and fro but her eyes keeping a look out like a hawk.

She leant back a touch according to the dance before she laughed lightly, straightening her body up once more. "Besides. If they don't attack us first, it means we'd just have to find them," she murmured quietly. "If anyone offers a dance to either of us, we'll have to accept it."

Cairo kept his eyes over her shoulder, making it appear as he was looking down at his daughter. "And what makes you think daddy would come?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. He laughed under his breath. "Now that's up to you, if you killed whoever attacked you, you wouldn't be the rose of Benedictus any more." he breathed, "At least not a thornless one." he remarked.

"That's what you damn well think." he said as she spoke of dancing. "This is my first and last." he said slowly. He leaned his mouth to her ear lightly. "The man behind you, stood to the far left of the group of women. He hasn't taken his eyes off you." he looked down to her slowly.

"And I don't think he'll be asking for your hand." he added.

Larina tutted under her breath as she tilted her head. "Because I know you wouldn't abandon me," she said matter-of-factly, before her eyes narrowed a little and one of her shoulders shrugged. "Of course, but Roses have thorns no matter what," she smiled slightly, her eyebrow raising up as she leant back a little.

She sniggered under her breath at what he said about dancing, leaning towards him as she realised he was going to whisper to her. She nodded softly leaning back away once more. "Reckon he knows?" she questioned, before letting herself spin out. As she spun, she looked directly at the man who was staring at her.

She smiled over at him softly, looking to him curiously as if she was a woman interested in him, before of course she had to spin back to her Father in the dance. "I doubt that too."