#carnival

"You guys better be using a damn rubber. You got about an hour, maybe two, before the grand finale. Try to be awake for it."

(Blunt, as always)

"We're not... Ice, we aren't!"

"Not my business, just be out when it happens, vershtay?"

"Leaving now."

Thirteen continues meeting with people. Swiftly. Whispered conversations. Envelopes handed over. These are quickly tucked away while Ice searches for the others. She looks with disgust in the direction of the stage, where the -king- is almost swelled with glamour.

"Get your mind out of the gutter... " Nevermind where his mind went its' still not nice to bring it up THAT way, then he turns to Zara, "That was a fantastic first kiss. " A wistful sigh

(And just as he said he would, they both likely hear the crunch of his footfalls moving away)

-Now- she blushes, finding no words. She takes his hand, giving it a little squeeze.

She moves more into the open when she notes that Ice is making his way back. She has one of those daggers, and an extra few. "You do not have to join in if you do not want to. Perhaps we should send the others home."

He squeezes back, and once they are both presentable guides her out to see the scene

(He stops on the way, and eyes the daggers, thinking with narrowed eyes)

"The troll should go, yeah."

"Think it might be good for Ghost. Why we wanted to bring her, nu?"

"Any ideas on how to un-troll?" She asks in her soft rasping whisper.

"Ask him to go get something for Ghost? Coffee? Or could just tell the truth. He does those paintings. Might be okay."

"I'll try honesty." (A shrug) "I can lie to drunk chicks, not so good with sober trolls."

(A flick of eyes back, then forward again) "Half sober trolls."

(Ice is also shirtless, with only a sequined vest on, his cane and tophat lay down nearby. He takes three daggers, and shrugs, then heads over to the two)

Zara picks her way through the detritus of the crepuscular party scene, content.

"Psst, Ghost?"

She nods and she moves with him. Perhaps not wanting him to have to face the two alone.

"Earl?"

"Hey, what's up? " smiling

(He studies the smile, narrow-eyed) "You trust me?"

(Says the guy holding three daggers)

She raises an eyebrow at the daggers, then looks over at the drunken "king."

He looks to Zara, then to the daggers, then to the king, "I trust you but... those daggers? Are they..." He looks over to see if they are chimerical

The daggers look very much real. The Ailil noble is walking gracefully across the stage, plucking his 'crown' from the passed out man. A man that now wells with glamour. With more glamour than a naked human body should be able to hold.

"You trust me, then, when I say you might be happier, if you leave now to go get us some tea, nu?" (His black eyes dark and intent in the early morning light. His breath steaming lightly the late February air)

"Or you can stay." (A shrug)

"I'm go where she goes," He says with a side head nod to Z

there's a certain stubborn trollishness to it.

"I..." she falters. "I said, mayhaps, you would... would not like what you found..."

"You did, and it's okay," He says to her, "I'm not staying to protect you." Honestly. "I have, other reasons to be with you whether you choose to stay or go."

She weighs the dagger in her hand, uncertain.

Thirteen looks to all of them. "If you choose to stay. You cannot stop the ritual. You can choose to not take part. But do not attempt to stop it." She whispers as she points to the stage. "He has had a good life for a year. A year of glamour, money and women and a night of being king of all. Now the court believes he must give back to the dream that gave to him. Understand?"

(He shrugs at Earl's insistence, and offers the dagger)

"I've let mortals suffer before when I could have tried to save them," He says with no pride. He takes the dagger and looks to Z, "If you want t watch here, then I watch with you." Honest offer, "if you want to go, I go with you. I have my reasons."

"I don't -want- to." (Blunt, honest) "But, thinking, I kind of should."

She shakes her head, still turning the dagger in her hands.

"Okay, then I can take you home, let's go make a dragon laugh..." He says to Zara

taking her head shake for a 'not wanting to be part of this'

(His eyes on Zara, dark, intent. Waiting)

(Then) "Why don't you sit this one out, Ghost? Always next year, nu?"

Slowly the what is left of the party is circling the stage. Everyone is still masked. Included the Ailil that rules them all. It looks like they are waiting. A redcap group looking more than excited.

A look to ICE, "Next year waits for you too, ICE? Sure you don't want to hold off on it this go round?""

"Don't make him try to prove something, he don't want to."

(A flick of eyes to Earl. He really doesn't look enthused) "No. Can't."