Oath of Steel

6 |The Gilded Phantom|

"Lucy's gonna leave you, and if she takes Hans and Sylvia with her I wouldn't be judging her," but all that Gregor did once more was laugh at the mere thought of his wife leaving him.

"You don't understand Heliot, I found them, you heard me? I'm one of them"! He'd tried keeping his voice low, but the emotion in his voice failed him.

That was the perfect moment to step in.

Rosalynde pushed her back off the wall, stumbling towards the duo as her hands went to grab Heliot's sleeves, balancing herself as she prepared her best smile.

"Goodness Gentlemen, you seem to have saved me from falling to the ground in front of a judging crowd," Rosalynde smiled sweetly at the duo, trying to balance herself without apparently needing help.

"Don't even say that lady, the dignity of a noble to help the people in need, in every moment," Heliot said, helping her balance herself.

"A true gentleman to my ears," her eyes then shifted to Gregor's, who still had to start a conversation with her.

Rosalynde, however, didn't have time to lose.

"Now that we're past presentations, lend me your ears." She mentioned Heliot to come closer with her index finger, waiting till he's ear were two fingers away from her lips.

"Would you be so kind in telling me about the best place for an... outstanding investment?" Heliot looked at her up and down, getting a good look on what she'd decided to wear to go to meet Hector Grey.

A silvery gown, a corset thinning her figure and a thin veil of lace to cover her shoulders. An attire that only high society of that time could afford without subsequently having financial problems.

She had to thank Pharah for insisting on having this gown realized for her twenty-fourth birthday. Who would have thought that it would have proven itself so useful?

"That depends, my lady, how much did you bring today?" Heliot asked her as she took out two chips the young attendant on the higher floors had given her.

The man's eyes widened in surprise after seeing the chips in her possession, his stare from amused morphing into one tending more towards the words people would call interested, tilting his head to a side as a new smile graced his clean beardless face.

"Waiter, here," Heliot said as a waiter ran past them, spinning around with a plate full of chalices.

As Heliot offered her a new glass, he turned to his friend Gregor, who finally had conceded and had opened up a little, a charming smile fit for a young scalpel in search of a bride in high society.

"How much are you willing to bet?" This time it'd been Gregor that had spoken, making Rosalynde smile at his efforts in trying to keep a straight face on.

She had to distract them, and fast.

"All." She placed a chip in both men's palms, slowly folding their fingers around it, their fingertips hitting the cold layer of the chips.

"So, thought of a place already?" Rosalynde asked as she finished her new glass before asking for a second one. Heliot went to exchange gazes with Gregor, who nodded just once before turning around, entering the room they'd exit before Rosalynde had gotten to them.

"I believe we have just the place for someone as eager as you."

Extending his arm towards her, Rosalynde gladly went to circle her arms around it, her lace veil covering her shoulders doing its job as Heliot's other hand went around her shoulders, grazing the curves of her back with a blossoming intimacy they'd never had before now.