RP:Murder Mystery Dinner
Part of the Lunar Tides and Silver Linings Arc
Synopsis: You all guessed it, Lanara and Tiber get tickets to a Murder Mystery Dinner! Only odd thing is... the venue changes at last minute. Who will solve the mystery? Will anyone? Find out!
Some Creepy Rynvalian Mansion
(Post 1 of 2) Following the events of the duel between Meri and Haakon, the couple had grabbed a late dinner, and finally left Frostmaw after spending nearly a week in that frozen tundra. The romantic getaway, the ball, seeing friends and family, and a night of cheering had brought the lycan and witch much closer than either had thought possible. A promise of a future together, living side by side and loving until their last breath, followed by a night of unprecedented passion, had unified the pair. However, an obvious shift in the woman’s mood happened moments before Meri cast her finishing blow to her opponent, as Tiberius hinted that he knew Brennia more than he had originally let on, and sensing that there were secrets between them had Lana rebuilding those walls of mistrust. The witch held secrets of her own, and rather than bicker with her beloved, she instead drank herself into a stupor and fell asleep in her cheerleader uniform. As usual, a nightmare had woken her in the middle of the night, but thankfully her screams were muffled by pom-poms, and Lana had marched into Nadine’s room to cry herself back to sleep and curl up in the closet. Tiber would find his girlfriend the next morning, hugging her pom-poms, pigtails falling loose from their ties, wearing a single cowboy boot, and looking completely disheveled. The witch would claim that it was merely a night of drinking that had her in such a state, but the damp lashes, quivering jaw, and trembling hands are an indicator that something is -very- wrong in the world of Lanara Banks. That night, after barely touching her dinner, the witch would tearfully relay tales of horror to Tiber, explaining in vivid detail the abuse she endured during her time in Kelvar. The beatings, the burns, the broken bones, the macabre tasks she was forced to complete, the trauma she had to witness firststand, the mind tricks, the endless torture, and the sickening way in which she nearly begged to be healed, going as far as thanking her sadistic captor for tending to her wounds so that he could inflict more pain on her the following night. After this confession, Lanara matter-of-factly changed the subject to their mission for locating Alastor and rectifying the past of Tiberius Lowell and the future of those that are being held against their will, at the lab in Venturil. It had been decided that Tiber would recruit Meri and shake down Skitch to learn the whereabouts of Alastor, and he would hunt down a frost hare and keep the pelt for the spell. Meanwhile, Lanara had already gotten the amulet from Svard, and she would busy herself with gathering the rest of the materials necessary for casting the Spell of Undetectable Lycanthropy.
(Post 2 of 2) Lanara sits at the kitchen table with a mug pressed against her lush lips and her gaze trained to an envelope that she holds in her free hand. Cinder is lying at her feet, batting a catnip toy between her paws, and Salem watches on with an envious gaze. “Be sure to share with your brother, Cinder…” The witch then covers her mouth with a napkin, trying her best to control the hacking cough that shakes her slender frame and stings her throat to the point that she’s practically living on liquids. A few moments pass before the cough settles, and Lanara nurses a teaspoon of honey to hopefully keep it at bay. She doesn’t even bother with excuses at this point, as the bloody noses happen about three times a day, and are now accompanied by a cough that has her fighting to breathe, and migraines that nearly blind the woman. Gone were the moments where she could blame salt from the ocean, a change in altitude, or a bout of allergies, for her symptoms. The nightmares had worsened during the week, too, and rather than lay awake for hours or give into her fears, she would wake up Tiber with kisses and a tantric massage that would lead to lovemaking. Some nights she took the lead and left the lycan with bite marks and scratches along his chiseled physique, as though she were trying to fight her inner demons and wouldn’t be sated until they were both driven over the edge. Other nights she was so tender with the male, her dark gaze begging him to slowly bring her to oblivion and back again, where she would fall asleep cuddled up in his arms. Lana doubts she will hear any complaints from Tiber, because she makes certain they are both satisfied, and she’s always eager to explore every inch of his body. Memories are all she will take to the grave with her, and by now she has memorized every freckle, scar, and feel of the lycans form. Clad in underclothes and a gray robe, she rubs her bare foot over Cinder’s belly, and finishes her coffee. “Tiber, Honey? Can you come in here? The tickets for that murder-mystery dinner finally arrived, and the show is tonight!” Leave it to their landlord to deliberately keep their letters for a few extra days, but have no issue sliding complaints beneath their door! Lanara is delighted to have something fun to think about and a smile is splayed on her unpainted lips as the lycan enters the kitchen, “It’s going to be so much fun! We can put our sleuthing skills to the test.”
(1/2) Tiber made the wrong move with keeping secrets. After the duel, the man knew that he was in for a whirl of trouble--especially when Lanara had walked away from him after sharing those exchanges of glances with Brennia. Did the man want the witch to know that he had played in nightly drunken stupors that screamed heartbreak? Of course not, for if the secret was out, there might have been embarrassment to follow. Tension to follow with describing who Augustus was. He, instead, would push it away, and try to lighten the mood after the duel with the woman he cared for. The night was a blur, for with Lanara’s drunken stupor came an idiotic boyfriend to follow until they passed out. Tiberius more-so than Lanara, for the next morning when Tiberius lurked about the apartment to find the witch in Nadine’s old bedroom with a gaze that was blurry from hang-over, he would frown from the state she was in. Amber eyes observing the reddened puffy eyes, the nervous ache that Lanara always suffered after a long night of terror. The Catalian always tried to be tentative. Gentle. Cautious. The man never asked much from her, for prodding a tense memory was the last thing he wanted to trigger from her. They had time, right? So that night when she did spill the words on the table, the man would stonely stare at her with a clenched jaw, a tense fist wrapped around a glass, but she would know clearly that a brooding gaze was not for her. No… it was for the captor. Natianara’s beloved. Tiber did not eat much that night either, but he did hold the witch. Keep her tight in his arms when they laid down for an unrestful night of sleep. Sleep. Sleep had been hard to come by for the both of them. Lanara had been up--making excuses on why she did not rest sooner while Tiber would fall into slumber before her. Until he was awakened again with the tender touches until they swarmed themselves beneath sheets. The moment that he got to caress every inch of her. Bask in the waves of her touch, her body, her mood. Her mood. Some nights the man was not sure where the tide of aggression was coming from with the bites and scratches. In fact, he liked it, but a part of him thought that there was something underneath the surface of their lovemaking. It was as if Lanara was hiding from her demons when she woke him in the midst of the night, but he was not complaining by any means because he, too, had been swallowed whole by the darkness before.
(2/2) The next morning came too soon. The lycan stared in the mirror with a tired gaze, but he was not phased. Like before, he was not complaining by the honeymoon phase of exploring his significant other. A splash of water on the face, and a clean up of shave, and he would look alive again. Eyes stare at the bite on his shoulder before he smirks. The man shrugs a button up around his shoulders, and walks while he buttons the shirt. He stands before the witch still buttoning his shirt. His gaze flicks up while his chin remains down. A swift observation of the girl who sits at the table. With his senses, Tiberius hears the coughing from Lanara constantly, and sometimes he catches her with a bloodied nose before she runs away. How long would he have to keep his mouth shut? Everytime she said it was nothing, curiosity crept behind him. “How are you fee--” he is cut off by the mention of murder mystery tickets and a smile stretched on her face. He did not want to kill a moment. “Tonight? Are you serious? I’m going to have a talk with that son-of-a--” he watches his tone for once before moving to grab a mug of coffee. “Well, when one plays criminal from time-to-time, how hard could it be to be the mastermind of it all?” He smirks. He was not really excited for the dinner, but he knew that in order to be Lanara’s boyfriend, he would have to put up with the ‘fun’ of it all. The man would turn before moving to Lanara to reach a hand down towards her to cup one of her cheeks. "It was Mrs. Smith with the candlestick," he smirks before pulling away and sitting across from her. "Want me to treat you to get a new dress or something? I won quite a bit at Meri's duel," he grinned wickedly.
Lanara grows giddy as Tiber smiles upon hearing of their plans for the evening, as she’s delighted that he’s equally as excited to attend the murder mystery dinner. “I know! I wish we had known sooner, but I’m sure we have enough time to prepare everything…” A final sip of coffee is taken before Tiber lightly caresses her cheek, and she gives him a come hither look, before pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. “It was -Mister- Smith, with the cue stick, in the den!” She giggles, loving their moments together, as she truly cherishes waking up beside the lycan each morning and falling asleep at his side each night. Even if she had night terrors and would soon be facing death… Being the lady of Tiberius Lowell means the world to Lanara Banks. As the male sits across from her, Cinder quits swiping her toy back and forth and hisses, batting the small ball across the room in a fit of rage. “Why is he -still- here?” The witch presses her foot slightly harder on the tender part of the feline's belly to shush her, as their telepathic bond is tiresome, at times. The cat hates dogs, especially the werewolf that her mistress is cohabiting with and all gaga over. Why couldn’t Lanara be a strong, independent woman? Or better yet, a crazy cat lady! Cinder storms into the next room and allows Salem a turn with the toy, as Lana continues with the playful banter, “You don’t have to treat me to anything, Babe!” He had already spent a small fortune on their getaway in Frostmaw, coupled with paying the exorbitant fines due to Lana’s disturbing the peace in the complex. Sure, he won some of that back by betting on the psion, but the witch isn’t one to take advantage. “We have something even -greater- to discuss than our clothes! We need to come up with aliases for tonight! The flyer states that we need to make up names, professions, backgrounds, all that good stuff!” Chocolate hues pin Tiber to the chair, “So. Are you going as my brother? Husband? First date? Gay best friend? And shall we dress to the nines and behave as though we are filthy rich, dripping in fake diamonds, and eating all the caviar? Or… Shall we smoke cigarettes, dress like we live in a hobbit hole, and sip cheap champagne? Does one of us have a disability? Are we amongst the famous and elite? Are we trashy? Do we fall somewhere in between? Am I a pampered princess or a prostitute? Are you a hard worker or a sleazy broom salesman? Tiber! This will be so much fun!” Squealing, Lana claps her hands and imagines all the endless possibilities, as they can literally be whoever and whatever their hearts desire. “I am so excited! Once we decide on all of that -then- we can plan our costumes.” It’s refreshing to see the sickly witch so over the moon about something, as color floods her cheeks and the gears continuously churn in her pretty head. “It’s strange that they changed the venue last minute, but who knows? Maybe that letter was sent earlier and we never received it.” Nothing seems amiss. For the moment. Lana rises and quickly washes her mug, leaving it on the drainboard, before she flops onto Tiber’s lap and inhales the scent of his aftershave. She aches to take things back into their bedroom, as her desire is insatiable when in the arms of the male, but she knows they have things to plan. Toying with the collar of his shirt, she cuddles close, “Who are we for tonight? I can’t choose one scenario over the other, so it’s all in your capable hands, Babe.”
Tiber sips on the coffee before picking up the Cenrilian newspaper on the table. As Cinder trots, there is an instinct to boot the tikiflhee with his foot, but he refrains. “I just thought you haven’t been feeling that great… I thought you might just want something to make you feel… better. Maybe you should talk to your hippie friend about your nosebleeds?” He lowers the paper in his hand, “I know you said it was the altitude, but I don’t know. Isn’t that what doctors, and mind you, your tree-hugging friend is for?” Could he just be nice for once? The lycan then listens to the witch before him and a small playful smirk settles on his lips before he frowns at her comment of him pretending to like men. Was she still insinuating that he was into dudes? Or was it a slip of the tongue? His face appears flat and his brows furrow as he stares at her from beyond that newspaper. “I don’t think people want to see a brother putting hands all over their sibling.” His tone is stoic, and he shakes his head as he finally breaks her piercing gaze. “We could be whoever you want,” he says. The man takes another drink of the steaming caffeine before quirking a brow, “They changed the venue?” He squints. “Eh, they do that kind of stuff all the time. Perhaps there were some building technical issues. Natural damage or something,” the Catalian waves off. As Lanara then slips into his lap he sort of places his hands out to invite her instantly. He grins and leans to place gentle kisses against her neck, “Or maybe we don’t have to go at--” he pauses as he pulls back. The happiness that wafts off of her from talking about such an event, he lets out a loose breath. “We can be like badass gothic pirates or something? Drink cheap alcohol, super pierced out and intimidating, sleazy, drunk and really no good mannerisms as they come in a purposeful way. We snagged some tickets, and we are there for a good, obnoxious time.” There was one idea from him. “Or we can play a high-society couple who have been arranged to be married. Your character is not so interested, but we were sent because our families thought it would give us time to bond. Poised. Proper. Snobby. And I can wait on you hand and foot all night,” his hand would grab her own before planting a cheesy kiss against her knuckles, “Wishing you would be mine forever and eternity. Caviar and glitz and glamour. Your choice between those two.”
The witch falls silent for a moment as she rests on the lycans lap, her fingers ruffling the hair at the nape of his neck, and it’s obvious that she’s deeply deliberating whether she should tell him the truth about her condition. Tiber deserves to know the truth, that she is on borrowed time, and that these side effects are minor, compared to what is really happening to her waning figure. It was just yesterday that she had taken off the necklace and sobbed for an hour straight in the bathroom, as the sickly sight of her reflection had moved her into a hysterical session. Bones were visible beneath her grayish skin, the white of her eyes had turned yellow, organ damage was a certainty, and she had nearly been too weak to clasp the hourglass necklace around her neck once more. The pain, both physical and emotional, had drained the witch, but to the outside world she cherishes each moment that she breathes and a faint smile often hides her true sorrow. Even now, as she makes the decision to continue the charade, she bops the tip of her nose against Tiber’s and offers a reassuring smile, “I’m sure everything will be alright, but if it makes you feel better, I will go and see my ‘hippie’ healer friend, Penelope.” Didn’t the lycan understand that Lanara is a lover of nature, too? Should she be offended or amused? In the past, she would have bristled at such a comment, but the dynamic of the couple had shifted to patience, understanding, and the ability to speak freely. The witch glimpses at the newspaper for a brief moment, listening to Tiber’s ideas about their evening, and she cannot help but laugh at this creativity. “Okay. I wouldn’t even know where to shop for skanky pirate costumes! But you would look adorable wearing an eye patch, and I could totally rock a parrot on my shoulder!” There just happens to be a few macaws that she could ‘borrow’ from the sanctuary for their evening! Lana’s eyes widen slightly as Tiber trails kisses along her knuckles, wishing to have her for all eternity, the combination of his silken tone and soft lips sending a shiver down her spine. It’s the closest he’s come to saying those three words and she half expects him to utter ‘I love you’ but she forces herself to remember that this is merely a game, an idea, a farce they are designing for a night of murder and mystery in a theater-like setting. When did she become equally as wrapped about his finger? How had the playing field become even? Why wasn’t she panicking and trying to run for the hills? The chance that she will be hurt is greater with Tiberius Lowell than with any male she’s ever dated, but instead of fleeing, she snuggles closer and rests her head upon his shoulder. He can feel her grin against his neck, as she teasingly trails kisses upwards, before whispering in his ear, “As much as I -adore- the idea of playing your betrothed, whether she’s obsessed with you or lacks interest… As much as I would relish having you at my beck and call forever… I want tonight to be about fun!” They definitely will be having fun -after- the dinner, that’s for sure, with the way they are continuously flirting! “Last time we played wealthy, royal, couples, when we crashed that wedding. Tonight? Let’s just act and look a little crazy.” They both will have a grand time! “So, Captain One Eyed Pete? Are you ready to go shopping for this gig?” Lana smirks, “I have to get dressed! I doubt you want your First Mate Esmeralda to be sharing her pirate’s ‘booty’ with all of the other attendees.” She laughs again, bouncing a little on Tiber’s lap, the excitement in her expression palpable. “We are going to be skillful, swashbuckling, sleuths tonight!” Cinder hisses in the other room, likely shaking her head and tossing cat-eyed daggers at the back of Tiber, as it’s another night that the male is keeping the witch preoccupied. Didn’t he understand that the feline enjoyed pampering, too? If Lanara didn’t comb all that fur and dole out cuddles, who would?! The witch slides from Tiber’s lap and sprints from the kitchen and into the bathroom, singing ‘A Pirate’s Life For Me’ on the way, and nearly stumbles over the poor tikifhlee. Cinder stiffens and growls, plotting out some evil plans of her own for the evening. While the couple is away, the tikifhlee will have some ‘fun’ of her own with a few of Tiber’s possessions.
Tiber eased his shoulders after her confirmation of taking a Penelope visit. Then, however, he lofts a brow. “An eye-patch?” Should he fight her on it? No, not tonight. No fights today. No ‘testing the waters’. Just a normal day. “I didn’t know you were into eye-patches,” he grinned at her teasingly before that grin wipes away. “I’d rather be crazy too. I’m a fairly good actor,” he clears his throat as if he is high and mighty. As someone who played on the streets, however, you sort of had to be a good actor. “First Mate Esmeralda and Captain One-Eyed Pete,” and as Lanara would get up, the man would reach out to pinch the pirate’s booty. Literally before smirking. “All those attendees would walk the plank, that is for sure,” he then lifts his coffee before finishing off the rest. As Lanara stumbles over the tikifhlee the man grins wickedly before saying, “Whoops,” snarkily towards the feline. All the while, the other cat, Salem, has jumped up on the table to stare at the tikifhlee next to the Catalian. “You know, I’m starting to like you a lot more,” he slowly says to Salem while he gives the cat a stroke.
Lanara can be heard humming as she breezes from the washroom and into the bedroom, a slight bounce in her step, as she excitedly prepares for the day. Tossing on a pair of jeans, a tank top, and a thin denim jacket, she doesn’t spend too much time on her attire. After all, it’s only being worn so that they can buy some -new- clothes for their evening! Pulling the upper strands of her long hair back from her face, she secures the locks with a clip, and gives herself a brief assessment in the mirror. Satisfied, she slips on a pair of sandals and heads back into the kitchen, to find Tiber petting Salem. Lanara blinks, as this is one of the maybe five times that she has seen the lycan showing the animal affection, and she’s wondering if he’s truly feeling up to shopping. Is he feverish? Was the eye patch too much? Cinder is plotting evil deeds in her warped mind, her eerie gray eyes narrowing into perfect slits, though she purrs as Lana passes. It’s strange that out of the five tikifhlee’s that roam Lithrydel, all of which stem from the Shadow Plane and are sentient creatures, yet Cinder seems to have mischief in her veins and envy in her feline heart. Perhaps Lanara’s animal empathy is stronger in the familiar and it causes her to act out? The witch smirks at Tiber, adding on to his earlier flirty comment, “If you wish to swim in my waters after the dinner, you better be ready to go shopping, Cap’n! Otherwise… -You- will be walking the plank with my admirers.” She winks, “I think there’s a costume coop near the Xalious Mountains?” Again, she’s toying with the Catalian, as he already has climbed several mountains to be with the witch. “There is also one by the docks on the way to Rynvale. So, that’s probably our best bet? And since the new ‘venue’ is in Rynvale, we can buy our tickets ahead of time.” She didn’t wish to sail to their location, but she highly doubts that Tiber is going to mount any sort of flying creature dressed as a one-eyed pirate.
Tiber (½):: Tiber cants his head and gives Lanara a squint. He slowly stops stroking Salem before saying a defensive, “What?” Though, all is washed away when she brings of flirty banter. “Aye, don’ you be talkin’ your Cap’n that way.” The man smirks, stands, and holds up his hands. “Alright. Let’s go let’s go.” Before-hand, however, he frowns deeply. A mountain? Really? They would have to travel through the forests and hike up the steeps? Rynvale was -clearly- the only option to him at that point. “Unless you plan on sweeping -me- off my feet and up the mountain with your arms, I say we are hitting the sails, pirate.” The man then nears the door and looks over her outfit. “I like the denim,” he states. The casualness of her. The quick pull-together. The blonde then takes a step forward to continue out the door, and for her to follow--leaving Cinder up to her no-good antics, and Salem to scurry to a secret spot away from Cinder’s wickedness. As they walk the streets hand-in-hand, of course, Tiber continues to practice his mockful pirate banter which is quite obnoxious, to-say-the-least, but this is what Lanara wanted, okay? An obnoxious Catalian, pirate man. The two reach the docks where they sail across the seas, and once they reach port, they find their way to the costume shop Lanara talks about. When Tiber steps on land, he feels swirly from the motion-sickness of it all, but he remains silent on the matter. The pirate antics, however, disperse and he is back to his normal, stern self. Within the shop, plenty of bandanas, pirate tunics and pieces are thrown around. Fake beards. Patches. Stockings. All of the sorts are scattered throughout the shop that it irks the person who owns the place that the two did not clean up after themselves. Once the perfect pieces are put together and the couple is both content, they move on to collect their tickets before heading to the venue deep within the slight outskirts of Rynvale.
Tiber (2/2):: The mansion where the dinner theater was held was kept within an eerie fog which really set the tone. The mansion was huge and built of cobble. From the windows were faint candles that lit to show that the place was not vacant. Upon the sides of the ‘venue’, however, were old ivy vines that crept up the sides. Crows in the distance would caw, but crows were crows and Tiberius was not bothered by this. The mansion was not very inviting, for there was a stiff sense in the air. No one seemed to be around, but within the windows there were a few shadow figures. Both of them approach before Tiber looks at Lanara, “Spoooooky murder!” He wiggles his fingers almost to make her feel the heebie jeebies before cackling. Tiberius pauses and pulls out the tickets and hands one to his girlfriend. Tiberius’ outfit of choice was, of course, an eyepatch and a long tousled wig that had dreads with beads embedded within it. Around the wig was a bandana, and the rest of the outfit had him in a white tunic, with a pirate coat, and some brown pants with brown boots. There was a mock-sword, for the theater did not let them have -actual- weapons on them, so Tiberius had to make-do to play the true role. “Here’s the ticket. Here we go,” he then walks up to the door and gives it a knock and who opens it is a butler. A bald, elder butler who is very proper and poised. “Welcome, and who are our guests this evening?” The elder’s voice was stiff and hoarse, but proper all the same as it has wore down with age.
(Post 1 of 2) Lanara had a field day at the costume shop as she tried on about forty different sexy pirate styles until she found one that seems suitable for the event. Seeing as the couple forgot to swing by the sanctuary, she begged Tiber to fork over some coin so she could ‘rent’ the stores mascot, a large parrot. The bird sits upon her right shoulder, having to awkwardly shift every few seconds as the witch is tiny and her bony arms aren’t strong enough to support both of its legs. The shopkeep clearly didn’t want to hand over the bird, and after Lana threatening the poor salesman, he eventually settled on lending the bird to Tibara’s care for the night… For a mere fifty gold coins. The price of the parrot was nearly as much as their costumes! Still. Tiberius didn’t have to climb a mountain, nor did he have to sit his grumpy arse on the back of an ill-mannered reindeer. It’s a win-win in Lanara’s eyes. At least the witch showed some sympathy as Tiber looked a tad queasy from the ship, and so she slipped him a sprig of spearmint to chew upon as they shopped.
(Post 2 of 2) At long last, Lanara walks hand-in-hand with her Catalian Captain, the woman admiring his dread locks and eye patch, “As long as you never wear one of those ridiculous man buns, I can deal with this…” She curves her vibrant red painted lips into a smile and winks, gently dipping the brim of her oversized cavalier hat. Lana wears a fitted black off-the-shoulder blouse, with billowing white sleeves, and a crimson sash is tied loosely about her waist, along with a bandolier of daggers. Of course the blades are dull, as the costume shop didn’t sell anything that could wound their customers, much to Lana’s dismay! A pair of black braided leather pants cling to Lana’s curves, and knee-high boots with small anchors in the leatherwork are worn on her feet. She looks like a ‘classy’ pirate, if such a thing exists, and she runs her fingers through her long hair which has been tousled in loose waves, and tied into a low ponytail which hangs over her left shoulder. Large gold hoops hang from Lana’s ears and heavy bangles adorn Lana’s wrists, the woman making ‘clinking’ sounds with each step she takes. As the butler ushers them inside after taking their names, the parrot begins to repeatedly poke Lana in the temple, “Stop it, you scallywag! Keep it up and you’ll be shark bait!” The bird bobs its head up and down, “Murder. Murder. Murder. Shark Bait.” Scowling, Lana tries to tuck her loose locks back into place as they find themselves in the dining room. Apparently, they are the second to last couple to arrive, as three other sets of people have already been seated and are ordering drinks. The couple to their left looks as though they are royalty, while the couple to their right refuses to glance their way and seems to suffer from some sort of muteness. The ‘couple’ at the opposite end of the table, a pair of female twins that is conjoined at the torso, seems to fixate on the parrot that is screeching ‘murder’ at the top of it’s lungs and causing a ruckus. Lana is trying her best not to giggle, as she waves a hand and heartily laughs, “Ahoy, Matey’s! They call me Esmeralda… This here is Captain Pete, mind the eye, he will have you walk the plank! He’s my second love… My first being the sea.” Clapping excitedly, Lana sits down and tugs Tiber’s chair a little closer, as she’s making certain the conjoined twin isn’t making eyes at -her- man. “I’ll take some rum!”
Tiber was not a fan of the squawking bird next to his ear. “Aye, I’ll make that there bird walk the plank if he does not shut the hell--” his tone is flat and halts the over-exhilarated pirate vocals, but he cuts off as he gets a loud “Murder!” screech again in his ear. Throughout the halls of the manor, there is a faint glow from candlesticks, and the building is utterly quiet. Even those thick senses cannot make much of anything within the deep, shadowed halls. All the while, Lanara is having a hoot of a time, so Tiberius shrugs this off. He has never been to some murder mystery dinner theater, so he does not know what to really expect. Walking into the dining room, Tiberius puts on his best sly face. Two fingers tap his head before lowering down in a bow towards the group of odd pairings within the dining room. Thankful they were not those royals. Otherwise they would have had to have a snob-off. Now, Lanara and Tiberius could be two swaying, unsavory, loose pirates. “You all best call me, Cap’n. And if I hear word of a Petey, I’ll have you bilge-sucking below the decks. Even you two proper landlubbers,” he points to the royals sitting there who are now glaring and clearly agitated by the couple’s arrival. Tiber then plops down lazily before banging an elbow on the table and staring down the mutes before waving the butler. “Rum for the two. Bring the bottle!” Oh my… What party crashers. The last couple finally enters who look human, but have very pale blue skin. The two look ghostly, and both of their faces look very stiff. The woman has long black hair and is dressed in a white gown, her mouth is painted red, and shaped in a stiff ‘o’ like she is some sort of strange ghoul. The man is also thin and also strange with huge, piercing; blue eyes. The two do not say a thing as they saunter past the rest of the group until they are opposite of the pirates. As they sit, they stare at Lanara and Tiber with wide eyes and that o-shaped mouth before saying a straight, forced “Oo!” Tiber just sputters before almost throwing his face to the table due to the lack of normalcy. All he could think of was: who were all these weirdos?
(Post 1 of 2) Lanara is desperately trying to shush the bird that continues to chant ‘Murder’ at the highest decible possible, causing a faint ringing sound in her tapered ears. A piece of bread is snagged from the basket atop the table and the witch offers it to the bird, in an attempt to quiet him down long enough that she can place her order for soup, salad dressing, and the main course, as quite a few varieties are being offered. Oddly enough, she chooses a chicken dish with wild mushrooms and rice, and her gaze once more trails to the vibrant bird. If he doesn’t pipe down he will be the poultry that they serve at the next show! The quiet couple stares at Tiber as he shouts out that he desires a pitcher of rum, and the strange conjoined twin batts her lashes at the Catalian in a suggestive manner. One of her heads begins to speak, addressing those gathered, though it’s obvious that it’s a poor attempt at picking up the rowdy Captain Pete. “So, do you all come here often?” Lanara is quick to answer, tossing in a little drawl in her statement, as her hand that isn’t shoveling bread into the bird's mouth begins to gently rub Tiber’s thigh. The male is -hers- and she has no intention of sharing him with some double headed weirdo! “Actually, it’s our first time! So we are truly looking forward to this evening… By the way, we didn’t catch your name, or erm, names? You know, I always wondered about your sort… Assuming you ever manage to get yourself a date, how exactly does that work during intimate moments as you share a body? Do you both get the signal to pee or poop? I bet it’s difficult to decide on fashion or what to eat, as you both have different likes and dislikes?” Is Lanara truly fascinated by the girl's condition, or is she being cruel? It’s hard to tell, and her attention wavers as the new couple arrives. Their ‘O’ shaped mouths are met with a raised brow, and as they dare to murmur ‘Ooh’ they would find that Lanara’s quick reflexes and lack of manners kicks into action. “A target! Get ‘em Pete!” The bowl of olives is inched nearer, before the woman plucks a few and tries to make it into those circular mouths as though she were hoping to make a slam dunk and choke the ghoulish guests. One of the olives bounces off of the woman’s forehead, while another strikes the male on the tip of his nose and bounces against the table, only to land somewhere in the cleavage of the hoity toity woman that hasn’t cracked a smile or uttered a word since their arrival. She gasps and glances down at the oily residue on her expensive blouse, while her husband clears his throat and offers to retrieve it, much to Lana’s amusement.
(Post 2 of 2) The wealthy couple bickers in whispers, but all of the excitement comes to an abrupt halt as a stunning woman enters the room, her extravagant black gown making a swish sound as it trails behind her in a small train. With pitch black hair, stark white skin, and piercing blue eyes, she curves her crimson lips and gives a small welcome speech to those gathered. Lana tunes her out for most of the speech, aside from noticing that her name is Mistress Bianca Forsythe, and that there is some sort of magical enchantment on the windows and doors so that none may leave until the ‘murder’ is solved. The mistress speaks, commanding all to pay attention, “Enjoy your meals, everyone, and pray it will not be your last! For there is a murdered amongst us… It could be one of the staff, it could be the person sitting next to you, heck, it could even be that -you- are the chosen killer for this evening. Only time will tell! For now, mingle amongst yourselves and try to look for clues in every room, as the first ‘murder’ will happen within the hour. I wouldn’t trust -anyone- if I were in your shoes…Only one couple will be marked victorious and win the grand prize of the evening.” At her last word, the dinner bell chimes and several waiters enter with the first course. The ‘show’ is about to begin, and Lana lifts her gaze to look into Tiber’s one visible eye, “I wonder what the prize even is? She seemed a bit vague.” She doesn’t like the fact that they are locked inside for who knows how long, until someone figures out who the murderer is, and she sneakily ogles each guest from behind her soup spoon.
Tiber (1 of 2):: Tiber is just staring at the couple with the ghostly faces. His gaze looks questionable, and the question of the flirty conjoined twin goes through one ear and out the other. Well, until Lanara begins asking questions. It was rare, but something had to shut Lanara’s yap, so a shove of the elbow is given to her--gentle enough to only bring the witch back to reality. “Esmeralda be havin’ alcohol withdrawals,” he says stiffly to the conjoined twins before shooting daggers for eyes at Lanara. He leans in to whisper, covering his lips with a hand from the others, “Are you insane? Maybe they’ll kill us off because of you,” and then olives are being thrown towards the ghouls. Honestly, that was more amusing, and the twins are sent to the back of his mind. The rum finally makes the table, and a loud ‘argh’ is given, and a cheer is given to Lanara’s glass with his bottle. Clink! Before he takes a swig. Then, he grabs an olive, closes one eye, and tosses it towards the man where it lands straight into the hole of his mouth! The ghoul-like human that contains the olive is frozen for a moment before his neck begins to twist in different angled directions before he closes it and just stares at Tiberius. “What… no olives for ye?” The lycan taunts. The blue human, however shifts his wide eyes to the woman and both give each other a nod as if they are agreeing to their own thoughts. Were they telepathic?
Tiber (2 of 2):: As Bianca Forsythe sways in, the room stops to listen. After the intro, of course, and the explanation, Tiber shifts his own curious eyes to Lanara. “How long is this thing, anyway?” He questions before shrugging at Lanara’s question about prizes. There was an oddity to the atmosphere, yet the man was trying his best to put on a happy attitude for the woman beside him. “Look, we’ll solve the mystery, get the prize, and scram. Let’s just eat. Then we can break away from some of these weirdos to look for clues.” Amber eyes look furrowed as he stares at each pair along the dinner table. Tiber looks down at the first course which appears to be a soup, and focuses on slurping down his bowl like the animal he is. Plus, he was a pirate, so really he did not have to show dainty etiquette like the aristocrats to the left of them. The couples do their weird fidgets as they eat each course. The aristocrats eat dainty. The ghouls sniff the food before they eat it. Last, the conjoined twins feed each other. It is an odd dynamic at the table, but eventually the two “pirates” suffer through it. Tiberius orders the same thing Lanara does and the couple converse and continue to be obnoxious in their own ways, and Tiberius continues to keep Lanara from being too nasty to the twins to their right. Eventually, all courses pass through and the couples begin dispersing from the tables to search for clues. Some start in the dining room while others wander elsewhere. The blonde turns to his girlfriend and leans to lower his voice, “Maybe we can find a hint in a bedroom,” he grins slyly before rising to his feet to wander down the hall, all-the-while, looking back at her. Did Lanara know what he meant? Spontaneity? Then again, good luck with that thought process Tiber because the two were in for a different treat tonight.
Lanara glares right on back at her beau because she feels that he is taking the conjoined twins' side, and the witch doesn’t play nice when her jealousy strikes. She’s seething as she daintily sips her soup, though she knows that ‘Esmeralda’ wouldn’t be dabbing at her lips with a napkin and so she forgoes the spoon and slurps noisily. No one makes small talk with them, so she testily replies to each of Tiber’s questions, and thankfully the food is delicious so they aren’t forced to endure that along with the strange company. The twins gave her their name at some point, but Lanara hardly gets anyone’s name right, so she passes some more bread their way, “Here… Lacey and Casey. Be careful one of your heads doesn’t choke…” How would they do CPR on a conjoined body?! Oddly, the thought of a real murder at this event is hilarious and the witch snickers and finishes her meal. Eventually, the ‘mock’ murder occurs in the living room and upon seeing the butler bathed in his own blood, everyone disperses to hunt for clues. Lanara pauses near the body, her chocolate gaze taking in each detail and she spies that a bloody footprint is leading down the hall and towards the bedroom that Tiber is hoping to lure her into for a bit of spontaneous naughty behavior. Pleased that they are rid of the other guests, she trails after the lycan and maintains a whisper, “That scene looks so real back there! I bet they used pigs blood… Or perhaps an illusion.” It leaves her feeling slightly unsettled, but they had literally bought tickets for this event, so she knows her qualms are likely silly. The door opens to the master bedroom and she sidles up to Tiber’s back and wraps her arms about his waist, huskily whispering, “So… Is One-Eyed Pete going to introduce me to his one-eyed…” Lana’s voice trails off as she spies a bloody handprint on the ceiling, just to the left of a pull-down hatch which likely leads to a secret room. This room also is as frigid as Frostmaw, and she senses a dark presence lurking in the shadows. Any attempts at flirting are gone now, as she hugs Tiber a little tighter around the middle and casts a glance around the dimly lit room, though her intuition keeps focusing on the bed. “Is there someone-” Her voice cuts off again as a sound of a nail scraping across the floorboards answers her call, and without further delay the woman cautiously approaches the bed and lifts the bedspread before she kneels and takes a peek. “Oh my Goddess!” Lanara shrieks and clambors back, the parrot flying from her shoulder and landing on the curtain rod, where he continues to blare at the top of his lungs, “Murder! Murder! Murder!” It takes Lanara a moment to catch her breath, and if Tiber asks her what’s the matter, all she can do is point for him to take a look. If the lycan obliges, he will see that the wealthy woman who had earlier had an olive land in her bosom lies dead beneath the bed, with a scarlet line across her throat.
Tiber, eventually, sinks into the background of the rest of them. He lets ‘Esmeralda’ go ahead of him as the butler appears to be bathed in blood in the living room. Odd, however, because the blood that was used smelled of iron and musk. The smell wafts around Tiber’s nose. It smelled and looked like real blood. A red flag in the lycan’s mind almost went up, but Lanara waves the smell off as pig’s blood, or an illusion. “Yeah… heh, maybe they did… Sort of drastic you think? Splashing the man down with pig’s blood of all things?” His voice is slow, but they are headed to the master bedroom anyway. Automatically, Tiber’s mind is filled with male thoughts and thoughts of Lanara’s curves. The man grins as they head behind the door of the next room and the man wastes no time of lowering to trail kisses upon the witch’s throat. The clues that surround the room go unnoticed only for the fact that there is one thing on his mind--until Lanara hugs Tiber tighter. Enough for his nose squishes into her neck. “Ugh, babe, I can’t bre--” he cuts off as nail scrapes against a surface and he pushes the girl back to hold his ears with his palms. “The hell!” And then Lanara screams and the man moves to grab ahold of the woman who appeared to be startled by something. Reality sets and he looks up on the ceiling as the smell of blood begins to waft throughout the room. How did he not notice this until now? Oh, yeah, sexy time brain. “Uh,” he stammers before he broadly walks forward to check where Lanara’s shaky finger points before kneeling to check underneath. The wealthy woman lay dead, her neck soaked in blood from the clean cut from her throat. “Oh, shi--” he falls back before looking at Lanara. “Babe, this is not a game anymore. That’s real. I thought the butler’s was real… but you said pig’s blood, but it didn’t smell that way. Someone is out for a bloodbath. We got to go.” Though, the two were trapped with the rest of the crew. Suddenly, Tiber pushes the bed with a foot to see if there are any clues on the body of the woman, and in that moment, the two “ghouls” walk in. They walk stiffly before yelling “Oh!” Again, and then once that happens… One of the ghouls scream. Actually scream which pulls the male “ghoul” out of their acting trance. So it was an acting gig for them. “What the hell did you do?! Who are you pirates?!” Well, they were not weirdos afterall. In fact, they were just two Cenrilian actors trying to get their kicks as well as the two acting pirates.
Lanara wishes that Tiber had finished his statement earlier this morning, when time was a lot simpler, and she was sitting on his lap and making up stories and costumes. They could have stayed home, spent some time lounging around the apartment, maybe spending -most- of their time in bed, and catching dinner at one of their favorite beachside locales. But no, she had insisted they attend this muder-mystery event, as she promised to fulfill Belgemine’s bucket list! It dawns on her that this isn’t a game, and how had she not questioned the change in venue, or the fact that they were magically bound to this manor until they caught the killer? Was this even an adventure anymore, or were they seriously locked up with a murderous villain?! “I can’t smell blood like you can, I was just assuming this was a harmless event… I’m sorry.... She’s really dead, Ty...” She feels awful that she had drug poor Tiber into this, and she nervously glances at the parrot, wondering if his shouts were a premonition all along. “I can’t use my magic and you don’t have any weapons.” In a nutshell, they are screwed, with little to do than figure out -who- is the killer in the foreboding mansion. Lana glances up at the attic door and stands on her toes, though she’s too petite to reach. Ready to ask for a boost, she is interrupted by the two ghouls that enter the room and accuse them of murder. “What?! No! We should be asking you two freaks the same thing! What sort of show is this?!” The woman continues to scream and tries to make a break for the room, but the witch swiftly blocks her path. She wouldn’t be tried for murder again, nor would she allow her lovers name to be tarnished. The male ghoul readies himself into a fighters stance and aims to tackle Tiber, in an effort to perform a citizens arrest, and the witch and the female ghoul are forced to face off. The witch glances at the parrot and focuses her energy, while taking a few slaps to the face and a rough yank of her hair, before the bird is filled with fury and issues an attack of his own, fueled by Lanara’s will. Seconds later the woman’s ‘O’ shaped mouth is wide open as she continues to scream and claw at the feathered fiend, which pecks at her eyes and savagely flutters his wings in the woman’s hair. One of the eyes begins to bleed and tears stream onto her cheeks, and Lana is pretty sure she’s going to lose an eye, “Pete, we may need that eye patch…” The faux female pirate presses all her weight against the door, barring anyone else from entering or exiting, as she worriedly gazes at Tiber and the aggressive male, “We can lock them up in the armoire!”
Tiber shakes his head at the situation. “Yeah, but we aren’t completely hopeless… We still got, well..” His other part of him. The aggressive side of him he kept tucked away. The man stands abruptly when the two ghouls walk in, and Lanara is quick with the defense. “You heard her. Are you kidding me? Do you think we are -really- pirates? It’s a dinner theater for the Gods sakes. If I really was some psychotic murderer,” he points to the dead woman, “I would have done it at the table when she was being a complete snob in front of everyone for the sake of us all, but no… maybe I don’t want blood on my hands? Sven forbid I get thrown in the clinker.” The blue-painted man begins to point at Tiber. “That’s exactly what a -killer- would want you to think!” Then it is a show-off! Ghoul girl against pirate lassy, and ghoul boy against the captain! The male ‘ghoul’ ducks and blows against Tiber’s torso to take him down which makes the two fall both into a nearby dresser before Tiber swings the Cenrilian actor down in the process. “I’m,” grunt. “Not,” grunt. “A,” grunt. “Killer!” The lycan fusses out as he tries to pin the man’s hands down. He does not exactly want to hurt the guy below him because then the accusations would appear true! Tiber’s knees lock onto the man’s biceps below him. “Calm down, you idiot!” The stranger begins to try to twist and turn under Tiber’s frame before the actor’s legs come up and wrap around Tiber’s head. “What the--” In the meantime, a bird is pecking out the ghoul girl’s eye and she is screaming. “Lanara get that bird and chick to shut up before another stupid couple comes in here!” Tiber gasps as legs are wrapped around his head. Tiber then pulls back and throws a fist forward to knock the guy below him in the temple to hopefully knock him out. Legs limply fall, and Tiber is released. Well, it worked. “Armoire it is.” The man stands, “Quick though, this moron can wake up any second.” Eyes then trail to the woman with the eye that was completely bloody and mangled. “Uh…” Tiber awkwardly pulls off his eye patch before handing it off to Lanara to put over the woman’s eye. He then takes the feet of the male and begins to drag him towards the armoire before lifting him and tossing the man inside. Knowing Lanara is quite petite, Tiber offers to do the same with the girl before holding the door to the closet shut. “Here, find something to lock this thing, please?”
Lanara tries to shush the screaming woman, but her efforts are worthless, as the shrieking continues and the blood and tears continue to gush from the mangled eye. At least the parrot responds to her efforts, as it awkwardly perches atop the armoire where they will be keeping the actors prisoner. “Shut up. I’m trying to make it better! See what happens when you run your mouth and make false accusations?!” Tearing the bandana from her ponytail, Lana rolls it into a ball and shoves it into that eerie ‘O’ shaped mouth, before she slides Tiber’s eyepatch over the severely wounded eye. Leaning in, she whispers to the traumatized ghoul girl, “Seek out Penelope Halifax in Sage Forest. If anyone can restore your sight or work some sort of transplant magic, it’s that girl!” As if on cue, the witch starts to cough, and she glances apologetically at Tiber, “I know, I know. I will see the hippy healer, tomorrow, in fact.” Thankfully, it’s a short spell, and she quickly assists Tiber by securing the armoire shut with the thick leather belt around her waist. “I’m losing vital parts to my pirate costume… The bird, the bandana, and now the sash.” The couple barely fit inside the cabinet, so it’s unlikely they will be able to maneuver too much and spring free. To further lock them inside, the witch rolls an ottoman over and places it before the lock. The witch then grabs Tiber’s hand and assesses his injuries after his scuffle, “Are you okay? Hey… I hear some sort of commotion in the hall, so maybe we can sneak up into the attic and wait until it passes.” If the lycan obliges, she will wait for him to unlatch the hatch and the pair can climb up the rickety ladder. Once up there, they will find out that it’s not an attic, but a crawl space that will give them a path into the next few rooms. “This is probably how the killer moved so quickly…” Are they retracing his steps or falling into a trap? Lana bites her lower lip as the hatch is closed behind them and they have no choice but to continue onwards, “But… The parrot is still down there…”
Tiber grabs the belt and begins to wrap it around the two handles. The coughing throws him off, but the reassurance of visiting Penelope makes him lose the concern in his gaze. Once the sash is tied, Tiber darts a glare at the Kelvarian. “There is a murderer about, and you care about your pirate costume?” Eyes watch as the ottoman rolls up to secure the armoire shut. “Yeah,” he hollers, “When the guards come, just scream for help, eh? Told you we aren’t murderers, you dipwads.” The man then looked down as Lanara touches his bruised knuckles, but really, he had worse. “I’m good,” amber eyes slowly shift towards the door where the hall relies. “I think you’re right to hit the attic. Let’s go.” Once up, they crawl through tunnels above. “Well, if the killer is going through these crawl spaces, we need to figure out a clear room to hide in or create a plan in. Because it’s likely they will move up through here again.” When the hatch closes, Tiber looks behind himself. “I am not going back for the parrot!” He loudly whispers almost exasperatedly. “You saw it peck the girl’s eye out! For all we know the parrot is the murderer! The murder parrot is -fine-!” The Catalian then shuffles onward. Nope, he is not going back for that bloody bird. The man moved and with each corner came a new slow movement to make sure no one was around the corner before moving forth. Looking through lit spots to see what room was below. “I see… bookshelves. It looks like a study. Studies usually have clues. Let’s lower down so we don’t get caught up here with Gods know who. Also… remember that Bianca chick? You think she’s behind it?” If Lanara would follow, Tiber would open the next hatch to lower down into the next room, and he would assist her down as well.
(Post 1 of 2) Lanara rolls her eyes at Tiber as he scolds her over the costume comment, the fashionista momentarily peeved, “Well. Excuse me for wanting to look like a sexy pirate on our date! You’re one to talk, Petey! You only lost your eye patch, but -Esmeralda- lost three pieces of her costume.” The venom in her voice isn’t all that forced, as the realization hits that Tiber isn’t going back for the parrot. “We can’t just -leave- him down there, Tiber! He saved my life against that shrieking freak! He warned us about the murders… Is that how you treat those that help you?” The lycan is crawling around in the tight space and she is at his back, mumbling in heated whispers, “I wish that bird were here right now to peck at your ass, because you are being such a jerk! That parrot…” Eventually, she stops being a brat and her anger turns to sniffles. Lanara is a true warrior for the animal kingdom and wholeheartedly believes in the no-pet-left-behind mantra, and she vows to flee into the master bedroom before they escape this mansion. Plus, they only rented the parrot for the night! It’s owner fully expects the parrot to be returned in the morning! “I don’t know who the killer is, none of this even makes sense, but it’s probably that four-eyed double-headed sideshow attraction, that is behind this!” The pirate witch is -very- salty right now, as she lost half her costume, the parrot had been left to face a sure death, the conjoined twin wanted her man, and they are crawling around a killers walkway looking for clues. As they ready the study, she gives a nod and bops herself so forcefully on the head that she nearly loses consciousness, so she dazedly falls from the opening and into Tiber’s waiting arms. “We can’t leave him behind…” Is she seriously -STILL- going on about the parrot?!
(Post 2 of 2) Just then, they hear the door opening and the couple is forced to hide behind one of the antique bookshelves, where they silently wait to see what unveils. A pretty blonde slides into the room, alongside Bianca Forsythe, and the two giggle and carry on a cryptic conversation, “I’m sorry! But putting her out of her misery is the least I can do! It’s a shame the other two women and male have to perish, but you know that when a ‘hit’ is ordered it has to look natural. So long as the two on the list are murdered, I don’t mind what methods are used.” As the spokeswoman turns, Lanara has to bite back a gasp, and she clutches Tiber’s forearm tightly in shock. Sylvi is behind this?! Bianca nods her head in complete agreement to Sylvi, “Yes. Our hired actor for the evening is swiftly killing everyone as we speak, but we should probably head on out before we witness too much gore. I will have confirmation in the morning and contact you, and again, it’s such a pleasure doing business! I honestly didn’t think Lowell would fall for the change in venue, but I assume it was his date that changed his mind.” Sylvi stops Bianca at this, “What? He brought a date? You didn’t tell me he was here with someone… Well, I suppose she must die, too. Did you catch the woman's name?” The two gather their belongings and close the door behind them as they exit, leaving Lanara and Tibara speechless. “Someone... Put a hit on you?”
Tiber holds his breath at Lanara’s complaining about the bird and that her outfit was now not ‘sexy’? Really? Does that really matter right now? Should he say that she is hot during this escape? He forgot he had been dating ‘the call of the wild’. Once down at the bottom in the study, he blows out a breath before watching Lanara bonk her head. “Lana!” Muscles tighten as he reaches out to catch her. “Be careful, babe…” Was she okay? With all the guilt over the fuss she was in, he caves, “We will go back for the bird, okay? Can I just make sure that you won’t die until I go back for it?” Lanara did have a point that the bird had been a helping hand during the conflict in the master bedroom. The door then begins to open, and Tiber dashes stealthily behind the shelf before putting his finger up to Lanara’s lips. He gently lowers her down to her feet ever-so-carefully. The other voice besides Bianca Forsythe’s sounded so familiar. Sylvi… Sylvi Rosett? Amber eyes are stone as he looks at the backframe of the bookshelf. He then looks at Lanara with a look of concern. Tiber was a target, and because of that, Lanara would be one too. Knuckles clench as the two women speak, for it would not be easy to end their lives right there and now? Then, they leave. “Damnit,” a hand runs and pulls the bandana and wig off his head to run his fingers through his hair. “We have to get out of here. Because didn’t you hear her? If you’re here, they will kill you too. Sylvi and Franz never messed around, Lanara. They did some twisted things, and so did I. Especially when you were away. I did things I never should’ve, but I was a drunken idiot for not playing cards right.” This was not a new game, however, for Tiberius Lowell. “We need to find which actor is killing people. Who is left? The wealthy man and the conjoined twins… and… wait…” He pauses. “Weren’t there two people who did not talk at all…?” The man then breaks away to rifle through an old antique desk. A letter opener is found. “Idiots.” The man then hands the opener to Lanara. “You need this more than me. Tuck it so it’s not visible. If anyone attacks you, stab them. We need to find the killer or killers before they find us.” Unless Lanara had a better idea. What a date night this had been.
Lanara is stunned that Sylvi would follow out the orders of someone that had placed a ‘hit’ on her boyfriend, and even more so when she hears that she is to be killed, too! Two men were targets, Tiber being one, and another of the men being the other. “Okay. So we know it’s not the ghoul actors, and obviously not the conjoined twin… I’m assuming she’s the ‘put out of misery’ guest of honor.” Running her fingers through her now untamed locks, Lana idly rubs the bump forming on the back of her head and tries to think of a solution. The lycan is visibly nervous and confesses that he had carried out orders and worked alongside Franz quite a bit, marking him with an obvious bullseye and she shakes her head, “I don’t care what sort of dirty work you did in the past, Tiber.” She’s reassuring him that this scenario isn’t changing her opinion of him, because the witch also has worked in the shadows, though only a select few had witnessed her dark side over the years. The letter opener is pressed into her palm and she widens her eyes, “I don’t know much hand to hand combat, Ty… I’m a witch, remember? Without my magic or an animal, I’m pretty much open season.” Tucking the newfound weapon into her waistband she nods, and the pair make their way through the rest of the study and towards the door that Sylvi and Bianca had earlier entered. A candlestick from the study table is grasped, and after blowing out the flame, Lana hands it over to Tiber. “Just in case.” The lycan was a weapon, true, but if he didn’t want to shift and run naked through Rynvale and board a ship back to Cenril in the nude, he’d have to use his strength, wits, and possibly a candlestick! Inching the door open, the witch peeks out and sees the finely dressed couple lying in the center of the hallway. A puddle of blood is beneath their joined forms, as they had shared their last breath in an embrace. “It’s the quiet ones…” She whispers to Tiber, peering over her shoulder to lock eyes with her beloved. Are they next? They slip into the foyer and are nearly to the front door where a flurry of footsteps rapidly approaches from the left and right. The man lunges at Tiber with a dagger in his palm, while the woman shoves Lanara into the wooden door and aims a kick at the woman’s torso. The well seasoned assassins continue their onslaught, and the witch is left regretting that she didn’t kiss the lycan or tell him she loves him one last time. Her vision is blurry as she retrieves the letter opener and wildly swings at her assailant, “I never should have wished the parrot would bite your ass!” She’s speaking to Tiber over the sound of flesh against bone, worriedly hoping those won’t be her last words to the male.
Tiber grinds his teeth at her comment of not being great at hand-to-hand combat. The man believed they would be okay, hopefully. Lanara normally pulled through, right? As the candlestick is passed off to him, he hesitantly grabs the bottom leg. The door opens, and Tiber peeks out above the woman to see the deceased joined twins. He pulls back with a grim line on his lips and he closes his eyes to give off a nod before squeezing Lanara’s shoulder with one hand. “We’ll be okay. I got you.” They slink out of the study before creeping down the hall to the foyer. Then, like the footsteps were right next to his ear, Tiber turns around to backhand the mute assassin coming towards him, but Tiber second-guesses as his senses are far too profound! The assassin is still lunging towards him mid-air! “You’re joking!” Tiber is knocked to his rear-end before almost being stabbed. He rolls before standing. Feet squeak across the freshly polished floors as the couple dances about the assassins. “I should have gone back for the parrot!” He shouts back at her in an apologetic panicked tone. Both regretting their decisions as they fight their way out of death. Eventually between the four, two bodies collapse to the floor simultaneously before the two who won the fight turn the knob to the mansion door that was not-so-magically locked after all.
Aftermath
As the Cenrilian guards arrived at the scene, the mansion was vacant besides the bodies that were left behind. Two bodies were found and it seemed two dead on the floor did the deed to themselves in their own quarrel. One lay with the letter opener in-hand covered in the other’s blood while the one with the opener looked as if they had fallen into an end table with a candlestick on it to knock the person in the temple to kill him. When the Cenrilian guards located the rest of the bodies, it was a bloodbath--even the armoire had been opened where the two ghouls had been killed after screaming for quite some time.The parrot found would flap its wings drastically as the master bedroom door opened and flee through the front door of the foyer out into the world to find it’s owner. It was a murder mystery that the guards would not be able to solve, for the two mutes had done the hits well despite not receiving their last one. There in the mansion, no one would know that there, in the last two pools of blood, it had, in fact, been Lanara Banks with the letter opener, nor know that it had been Tiberius Lowell with the candlestick.