Mael X Cossette Chapter one

Chapter one (Mael)

France. March 30, 1700.  
The garden of Versailles, how I wished I could see the flowers in the daylight. I could imagine the pinks, greens and yellows reflecting in the mirrored walls behind me, flooding the crystalline décor with a riot of rich colors. Sadly however the sprawling garden was covered in a veil of night and the hall was filled with the writhing mass of the French Monarchy, so inevitably the only reflection was that of fat, pompous aristocrats stuffing their already floated gullets with overly rich food. I sipped lightly at my wine, the taste left a bitter remembrance on my pallet of why I detested mingling with the human condition. And yet some small part of me needed it, somehow required the loathsome act of interaction with these people, any people. Women, in dresses that pressed their breasts to their chins, watched me as they hung on their men. Their eyes caressing ever so gently over my image, already wanton and ready to be called away from the pitiful excuse of a man they clung to. It was a shame that I wasn’t able to play tonight, no, I was here on business you could say. Cossette Delacroix, Duchess of Forêt en Chêne. I snorted running the name over again in my head. You might ask yourself what a simple Duchess of a little known Duchy would mean to me, well, tonight she meant the life of one my own or possibly more. Word had reached me in my home in … where was I at the time? Perhaps it was Germany or England? I suppose it didn’t really matter. As I was saying, news reached me that a, of all things, Vampire was conspiring with the King of France, to what end I was not sure but from long experience I could tell you that a Vampire conspiring with a human of power was not a good thing. In fact it was disturbing. This Duchess of Forêt en Chêne had, according to my sources, been harboring Vampires in her Duchy for quite a while and I had little to no doubt that I would find my little rogue hidden inside the walls of the sanctuary. If this Cossette Delacroix was involved with the conspiracy I would have no choice but to silence her and the betrayer instantly. That is if the woman made an appearance. I had been wandering the hall for what seemed like hours and had yet to come across the Duchess. Though I had not a clue what the bloody woman looked like, I was informed that she was tall with dark hair by a, oh so helpful, servant that coughed up the information after a little persuading. It was amazing what gold could buy you and in rare instances pain. I downed the last drop of my wine, ignoring the wet promising gazes of several generously endowed women. I’d have to remember them for later; it was unfortunate that I had already fed tonight.
The promises of that did quirk my lip but as I scanned the crowd something caught my eye, a woman. Her head bobbed above many of the men that mingled about. I waited until I could perceive a better look and when she passed a slight opening in the great mob I tilted my head ever so slightly to have a better look at her.
Her skin was pale, naturally so and her hair was dark and tied up so that ringlets of chocolate bounced as she moved. She had a long elegant neck that sloped to almost wide shoulders, shoulders that hinted at muscles beneath. Intriguing… I found myself pushing past people to get closer to her. She wore blue, it seemed to fit her yet it was such a cold colored for a body as full and female as hers. She moved swiftly through the crowd, as if with purpose. What on was she up to? What on earth had me wondering about a perfect stranger? I licked my lips and decided that I would detour her with the offer of a dance, surely she would say yes and I could get a better look at her. I had yet to get a good look at her face. I could hear the awes and giggles of the women around me but they could all vanish, I wanted the blue maiden…
I tried to pick up her thoughts but all I heard were the people right around me, even when I concentrated. She must have been blocking me somehow, either her mind was extremely powerful or she trained it to avoid mental attacks, even more interesting. Suddenly she turned; I swore that my breath caught. Her eyes, they burned with something, blazing amethyst, her face delicate yet hard and stubborn. She was beautiful and was made even more so when she scowled at me and then went back to her previous mission. She looked right at me and turned away… perhaps the night would not be a total loss, I had yet to find my Duchess yet I had found something indeed. The fate of the world could wait a dance, I thought and grinned.
After slowly stalking her throughout the hall I noticed that she talked to certain men and women and in exchange they passed to her a small item of which I did not know the contents. She slowed her hurried pace then and I assume that her task, whatever it was, was now finished and so I made my move.
“Bonsoir mademoiselle, could I trouble you for a dance?”