Skulduggery Pleasant Fan-fiction- Love Amongst The Cain (Sequel to The Cradle Of Magic)

Skeletons in Tuxedos

-Raven

The intense hum of it all: the pure essence of the atmosphere and the glittering lights that adorned the ceilings and walls around us reflected the beauty of the dresses and crystal that hung delicately in diamonds of light. The room had a warm feeling, familiar voices humming around from groups of finely dressed mages with glass to many a hand. Others took to the floor, dancing up to exceptional scratch and almost automatic in elegance as the fine dresses cascaded around the couple's feet in a wave of silken cloth. A orchestra played in a distant room, a soft bow passing over several violins and a base to which conducted the dancing towards the centre of the room.
My eyes wandered around the room, aiming to catch the gaze of someone I knew as Corrival and Damien chatted to old war friends, I was not entirely welcome here despite being a war hero myself.
Figures came and went through the oaken double doors of the manor hall, their heeled and fine shoed feet scuffed upon the pine flooring. The place was filling quickly as ivory invitations were handed to the tuxedoed staff at the doors. Women took the arms of men and joined groups to chat and drink together.
I tapped a nearby waiter and gave a brief smile before electing a drink off the platter and proceeding to sip it in a dazed state as a particular couple entered through the door adjacent to where we stood in the near corner of the room.
I was only waiting for one though. A man I had been dying to chat to for months since that last occasion. We were now far better dressed however, which in his opinion would certainly cause a frown. I smiled to myself and sipped the red wine delicately in order not to conveniently spill it down my midnight blue gown, held with a tight sapphire clasp around my bodice.
A pretty blonde entered through the double doors, catching my eye and smiling before taking a glass from a nearby waiter and heading towards me. Her dress was long and faint blue and her hair tied elegantly back in a diamanté clasp with quaint wisps of curled gold falling before her cheeks.
I gave a polite smile and hugged her lightly, drink firmly in right hand.
"Thea. It's been a while."
Etherial Luminosity gave a grin and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear absentmindedly.
"I've been down in England." She explained giving a brief and biting down on her lip before murmuring something into my ear. "Far, far too long."
I giggled lightly and let my eyes wander around the room once more, searching for the man I was praying to turn up. However, I knew him well enough to gather that he was always late; that had become clear from previous dates years before and obviously still evident. I passed a sigh and sipped the sharp yet warming drink raising an eyebrow as she spoke.
"Waiting for someone?"
I smirked and ran a hand over my neck, the cold silver brushing my skin lightly.
"Uh, yeah." Biting on the inside of my lip I gave another glance towards the door.
She smirked a little and downed the glass, almost slamming it on the waiter's tray much to his concern. He staggered a little, glared and merged into the crowd.
"Fancy a walk, Miss Blaze?" She smiled happily and held out her arm.
Sighing, I took it and smiled briefly before she roughly pulled me into the heavy throng of people.

***
-Bliv

"Your hair looks great." His velvety voice murmured softly at my ear, his hand finding my waist. I hid a soft moan and raised both eyebrows to hide a clear blush before looking back into the mirror to watch my reflection redden. Smirking I turned and pulled him close as I realised the corridor had emptied. "Ghastly..." I whispered softly, kissing his ear with a light giggle, "Don't scare me."
"Your pulse is crazy, you're not nervous are you?" He asked, concern breaking unto his facade as he placed a hand to my warm cheek.
I exhaled quickly and pulled away, laughing shakily. "As long as no one asks me to dance I should be fine." Turning back to the golden framed mirror I checked my hair and took his arm. The dress he had made; a well fitted, strapless, scarlet number with black silk and a tight corseted waist that held my torso and let the fabric billow down to my lower legs gushed behind me as we walked. It was beautiful; because he had made it. He found my hand and lightly squeezed it as we turned the corner, fake smiles plastering our faces and walked into the ballroom, soft music ringing in our ears at a mellow pitch.