"Who walks there?" the voice emerged, surprising Sandra and Jaime slightly.
Frozen, they saw a uniformed soldier walking towards them. At first, his face wasn't all that pleased, but as he noticed the cloak, the uniform and Jaime's slouched position, he was starting to get an idea of what's going on. Or what should be going on.
"Division?" the guard asked, quite firmly, almost out of nowhere. Jaime's stare stayed on the ground while he reached out for one of Sandra's knives. He coughed as he grabbed it.
"Three" Sandra guessed swiftly.
The guard paused, and continued walking after a moment.
"You're a noble one." The guard said while switching his gaze between the hooded Jaime and the disguised Sandra.
"Why are you being escorted by a rookie?"
"Short on guards." Sandra said, in a semi-convincing manner.
The guard stopped for a moment, his eyes examining Sandra.
"Who's your superior?"
"John." Sandra said.
The guard's face softened almost immediately, "John? That old bastard. He was my direct commander for quite some time." He said, quite the smile building up on his face.
He stared at Sandra for a few short moments with a blank look on his face, his thoughts wandering around memories that he forgot even existed.
"Well, I'm headed to the party myself as a part of the security forces, why don't we walk together?"
"Sure, lead the way." Sandra said, almost as if she knew what he was talking about.
A few moments after he started walking, Jaime followed his lead, along with Sandra. They walked closely, but not too closely.
"Was that really just luck?" Jaime whispered towards Sandra.
"Lies and luck, as you know, can set everything right." Sandra said, looking almost unimpressed.
"You were probably shaking when you answered him." Jaime grinned.
"You probably soiled yourself." Sandra replied.
-----
"This is horrible. I've never seen so many fake people in one setting. We could arrange a mass killing here and get rid of most of Ginia's corruption."
"If you actually succeed in ignoring the guards that seem to hover around in every corner, sure, we could try that." Jaime said, his eyes slowly and carefully looking for anybody that might listen in on his and Sandra's conversation.
"Still---" Sandra paused, halfway through her sentence.
*Clang*, *Clang*, *Clang*. The glass broke just a bit, but the woman that held it didn't seem to notice. Everyone was at attention to her, and she seemed to be enjoying the attention for a simple moment.
"Hello!" screamed the lady, surprising some, but not others. Jaime almost turned his head up, as he heard her slightly familiar voice.
"Tonight we gathered here, to congratulate one of us for, well, becoming one of us!" She smiled, and for just a moment, Sandra's skin shivered.
She scoured the room with her eyes, strangely satisfied from atop the chair.
"As you know, the council awards only the best the great honor of joining Ginia's elite family. All of us here have been there, if by birth or by privilege."
A few whispers were heard from the crowd. Not everyone seemed to like the lady's definition of being born into Ginia's elite. She seemed to almost disrespect the people who were born into luxury and riches.
"This should all settle down once she's done speaking and the new rat gives his little speech." Sandra whispered towards Jaime.
"We would be wise to get out of here right when people start drinking, which should be soon. Nothing beats sneaking past some groggy guards."
"Sandreen! Please, stop whispering, I know you're eager but that's no reason to intrude the introduction." The lady atop the chair said with a one-sided, sharp smile.
Sandra's face had moved backwards as she digested what just happened. Jaime opened his mouth to speak, but stopped, for fear the lady would put more of the spotlight on both of them. He was just about ready to signal Sandra they needed to leave, as the sound of a few extra 'Clangs' were heard from the lady's already cracked wine glasses interrupted his delicate thought process.
"I present to you the newest addition to our family! Get on up here, Jaime!"
