Sedative.

Miraye's attention directed towards the man who was bowing before Larkin and Tic. This was probably the perfect time to give the heads up to Tic, without the shrike acknowledging it. She slowly placed her left foot in front of her, then her right. The music swelled, people waltzed and spun. The vivid colors mixed and the voices hummed all together. Miraye's eyes glanced at all the ball with much excitment. It shifted colors from periwinkle, to green to brown, again. She felt the music encircle her. It was so soothing. The place was welcoming. Her mind was dazed with the commotion of the ball.

Snap.

Miraye blinked. She was lost in the convention just now, and she didn't like it. She placed her hand on her forehead. It felt hot. Something was about, something painful that was to happen later on that night. Miraye shrugged, and decided to forget about it. The ladies' gowns flared when they spun. It seemed everyone had broad smiles upon their faces except for a few folks. This included her.

The table with wine and drinks nearby caught Miraye's attention. She looked up, and saw the chandelier almost above it. She jerked her head towards the left, abd saw the window's arch. A banner led up to it, with patterns of gold and white. No one seemed to pay attention to that corner. No one at all.

The music seemed louder than it usually was. There was a sudden tap on her right shoulder behind her. Miraye spun around, her eyes widened at the sight. He was tall, wore black robes and had sandy brown hair. There were recognizable blue marks around his deep grey eyes, and his soft smile sent a notion of shock down Miraye's spine. He bowed and asked gently, "May I have this dance, m'lady?"

Miraye never responded, but found herself in a waltz with Seryale. Her eyes continued to stare at him, full of daze and mixed emotions. She heard her white skirt flap, the music roaring. The colors once again mixed in and everything was a blur.

"Miraye, I must advise you again to not go after that boy."
"I will follow your orders, teacher.."
"Miraye, come back to me after tonight."
"Yes, Seryale.."

SNAP.

Miraye's head awoke, screaming at her very being. 'What the hell are you doing, dumbass!?' She blinked, looked up.
Seryale disapeared. She shook her head. Was that a mirage? Was he even there? But she felt everything. She sensed him, too.
He was there. He disappeared after Miraye fought under his mind control. That must have been the reason. She stood, in the middle of the dance floor and looked over to the shrike and Tic again. The man had left. Now it was her turn.

Miraye walked up to the two, calmly. She felt Tic's eyes on her, as she curtsied (which she had to force herself to do, since she was showing respects to such a scumbag). "Lovely ball, sire. Once again, you have outdone yourself." She curtsied again. Miraye turned to Tic, bowing slightly. In a whisper, only heard to Tic, she addressed him.

"Long have I traveled from many miles to return once more to nightmares and lost hope. But, you are safe, and the God of Freedom smiles on you, tonight." She winked at him behind her mask. "Tonight shall be one of most remembered after long and cold years, until death."

Miraye curtsied for Tic, turned and mixed in with the vivid colors of the crowd.