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Kayna put on the delicate beautiful silver gown designed by renowned seamstress Madame Trish. The gown was a piece of artwork, made in the softest and smoothest satin material. The back of the gown was cut low to reveal a hint of the half-elf's fabulous bottom. The front of the gown was covered in black lace and exposed the half-elf's cleavage.
Imoen gasped when she saw Kayna's costume. "Gods. I wish Kelsey would let me wear something like that," she remarked approvingly. Imoen wore an elegant blue velvet gown. Blue was Kelsey's favorite color and he had insisted Imoen looked beautiful in blue.
"You're not bad yourself, Immy. Blue suits you," the half-elf complimented.
"I wish I can look as scandalous as you, Kayna. You have even dyed your skin black and your hair white..."
"Ebony, not black. Its just a little magic dye, it'll fade after tonight. I'm a drow tonight! I'm a beautiful drow princess," the half-elf did a little dance and put on a tiara on her long silver hair which she wore in a bun.
"I don't know any drow princess, Kayna. Even if there are any drow princesses, I doubt they wear a tiara.." the mage advised the enthusiastic half-elf.
"So? The tiara looks good on me and compliments my new hair color. Ahhh.. Let's go, the party has already started. I can hear the music." the half-elf swept her mask off the dressing table and dragged the mage out of the house.
~~~(@@)~~~
The party had already started when the two girls arrived at the town center. It was a windy night and the sky was filled with sparkling stars. Huge caldrons of fire lit up the town center and the merchants paraded their food and drinks along the roads. In the middle of the town center was the dance floor and it was already crowded with people in all kinds of outrageous costumes. Surrounding the dance area was tables of food and ale for those who preferred less strenuous activities. Many older citizens of Trademeet and merchants were engrossed in story telling and exchanging gossips.
The two girls laughed at a man in black giant peacock costume. His costume was so heavy and awkward that when he moved in the dance floor, the wings and tails slapped several nearby dancers. In a few moments, he was promptly ushered out of the chaotic dance floor by the guards.
As the two girls walked though the busy streets, several men eyed them with curious and gave appreciative looks. Their female companions scowled at Kayna's costume and dragged their male partners off with them. Kayna laughed at the helpless men.
"You are really enjoying the attention, aren't you?" Imoen noticed.
"Of course. I'm beautiful and they can't have me. Haa. Its fun to be in control, Immy," the half-elf answered.
"No wonder you are driving Jae crazy..."
"Stop! Don't even bring it up. I haven't meet anyone that I really like, so don't tell me that same thing Jae preached," the female retorted.
The mage wisely held her tongue and turned her attention to the party. She caught sight of Lord Lauroxxle, one of the nobles in Trademeet. The two girls despised the snobbish man and had seen the noble abused his servants many times. Earlier in the day, they had conspired to play a prank on the noble, determined to get some fun at his expense and to teach him a lesson. Imoen had slipped into the compound and mixed the noble's daily tea with a potion of delayed firebreath. The two girls had timed the potion to take effect during the party for maximum entertainment.
Lord Lauroxxle was busy bragging to a group of bored looking men of his trade success when his face suddenly reddened and his voice became deep and harsh. The surrounding men perked up immediately at the change. The noble cleared his throat and opened his mouth to continue bragging, instead of his voice, out came a breath of fire. The ale and flammable spirits on the table caught fire immediately, setting the tables on fire and sending the surrounding men running for cover. The guards soon arrived with water and soot to extinguish the minor fire. Not much damage was done but Lord Lauroxxle was soaked from head to toe with soot and he never quite recovered his former voice. He also became the joke of the event for many years to come.
The two girls held their stomachs while they laughed till tears rolled down their eyes. After wiping the tears of her eyes, Imoen remembered the stranger that the half-elf had mentioned.
"Where's this handsome stranger of yours? From the way you dazed the whole afternoon, I can't wait to meet him." Immy pulled Kayna from the commotion and tapped her foot impatiently.
"I don't know. I told him to look for me, if he was resourceful enough," the half-elf smiled.
"Oh great. Here comes one horny looking male, obviously looking down at your cleavage. On guard," the mage whispered.
A male in an elven costume approached the two girls; his eyes were hovering around the half-elf, eyeing her exposed cleavage while he spoke to the girls. "Beautiful dark elf lady, may I have the honor of dancing with you?" he asked politely.
The half-elf eyed him in distaste. All elves were graceful beings and this man was anything an elf was not. He was fat and clumsy; his face was oily and sweaty. Kayna could have rejected him but to Imoen's surprise, she curtsied and accepted his invitation. As she followed the clumsy man to the dance floor, she winked at the mage and shook her head. Imoen understood that the half-elf had something up on her sleeve and that the man was not the stranger she had met.
Imoen was not alone for long; her husband saw her and swept her into his arms, kissing his wife lovingly. "You look beautiful, my love. Told you, blue is your color. Shall we?" he bowed and offered his hand to the female, whom took it and followed the sorcerer into the dance floor.
~~~(@@)~~~
Kayna had been dancing for the last couple of hours, her feet hurt and she was getting tired. She had repaid her first dancing partner, the clumsy man in elvish costume solely by stepping on his feet repeatedly until the poor man was too sore to dance anymore. The party was nearing the end but none of the males that approached her asked her the password question. She found herself looking around more frequently to look for the stranger she had met earlier but she did not see anyone resembling him. She declined the latest invitation politely and turned to walk to the nearest empty table. It was then she noticed another drow smiling at her from one of the tables. He raised his wine cup at her as a gesture of invitation. Kayna did not expect another to share her creative idea in a drow costume and she nodded her acceptance of the invitation, and walked towards the male drow.
The male drow rose from his seat and pulled a seat for Kayna. The half-elf accepted it politely, all the time, she acknowledged in approval the costume her companion wore. The male had ebony skin, familiar silver hair tied to a ponytail and a silver earring on his left ear. His silver eyes gazed into the half-elf's emerald orbs and held her gaze. He looked familiar and Kayna suspected she had found her 'stranger'.
"What color is the dragon, my beautiful princess?" the male drow asked in a knowing tone, his fingers boldly traced the outline of the dragon tattoo on the female's ebony back.
Kayna blinked in surprise and tried to ignore the drow's touch. "Blue! It is you! How did you find me? I thought you weren't coming in a costume?" The female had expected that she would be the one to find the male.
"Well, I've managed to come up with a costume just before the party, my princess. Its easy to find you, beautiful. I just looked for the most beautiful female in the party," the male explained. With a deft hand, he held the female hand up and planted a soft kiss on it, before the half-elf could react.
Kayna suppressed a moan from her lips and she took back her hand too quickly. Her abrupt actions pleased the crafty drow and he smiled at the half-elf. They stared at each other for a moment and Kayna felt her cheeks blushing the third time this day.
"Nice party, my princess.. Some wine for you?" the drow offered a cup which the half-elf took gratefully as a distraction.
"We think alike.. You and I.. We are the only drow in this party. I would have really thought you are a drow. You got the hair and skin color right. No drow has emerald eyes though," the male boldly touched the female's fake drow ears.
Kayna swiped the dark elf's hand off in reflex and focused her attention on the male's costume. He had a lighter ebony skin color, the silver eyes and hair that most drow have. He even had two blades tucked at his belt that looked like drow blades. He wore a cloak that resembles a drow piwafwi. The male had fashioned a drow disguise that looked just like the real drow except that his ears were not pointed like a drow. They were only slightly pointed like hers. Kayna would have think the male as a real drow if it were not for the ears.
"You almost looked like a drow. Your costume is very good. You could almost walk in the Underdark, I doubt even the drow can see through your disguise, if you cover your ears." the female said in a wary tone.
"Very good. You have been to the Underdark and survive? I'm impressed Kayna. You looked like a seasoned adventurer who can take care of herself and maybe a few others. I have an offer for you, if you are interested."
"Speak, I will listen," the half-elf nodded.
"I told you this morning that I'm meeting a contact. This contact is bringing some goods my client desires. I expect this contact to be fully armed and bringing some company with him. I do not know how many. He is also a sorcerer and I can use some insurance. The payment will be good. Are you interested?"
