Chapter Seventeen

There is a moment of complete silence before the presentation begins. First music starts playing softly, and from the side I can see the ones responsible for it, some at the drums, other at a string instrument that is played over a table, plus someone at the flute too who, beyond playing the instrument, would sing in between a soft lullaby were no words would be formed but meant and say a lot nonetheless.

Then a round, soft light flashes at the center of the stage, illuminating a bent figure on the floor that by the sound of the flute, as if a string was attached, starts moving with grace, the long, silk-like vest, flustering like feathers with every smooth move as even the fingers danced together, the sleeves floating in the air like wings as, steady and only in only one leg, White Lily stands like an elegant white swan.

As she stands and comes to view, to my surprise the light reveals that her face is half covered by a veil, giving only an outline of the beautiful appearance underneath. Her eyes, black and round, gave her a petite image that is brought forth by all the clothing handpicked that adorner her.

First there is the blue and white vest, looking to be the same style as the man from before, closed at the front by a belt, but this one seems to have even more layers on top of each other in a such complex look that I could stare for hours and not be able to take that all in, the white on blue drawings of flowers, the sleeves that almost reach the floor caring full paintings on each, but all in light colors to make a harmonious image.

Even the veil, slightly transparent, had white embroidery on the edges, as the hair took almost all the jewelry in form of golden crowns, the black raven hair up in a mixture of hairstyles with buns and braids that makes arches with the locks of hair.

As the blue light shines over her it almost looks like she is underwater, the swift moves and changing lights adding to the harmonious dance, and yet, even though the dance is sophisticated and elegant there are small parts where she would provoke too, bending her knee up and moving it like a swan's neck, but quietly pulling the clothing up with her hand to show some skin with the alluring moves.

And yet it contained some sort of… sadness, longing, probably because of the choice of instruments and the slow-paced dance, how she would slightly rest her hand under her chin and reach out with her other hand to the men below.

After flustering her sleeves in the air and cutting the image of something goodly on stage she takes something of the ground in the middle of the dance, a paperwhite umbrella that is brought to the dance with grace, firstly closed and held with both hands, softly, almost as if she is holding a lover, only to be open while spinning, making herself join in and dance around the stage, small feet appearing briefly as she paced around.

She ends her piece at the same position and place she started, only that his time her figure is hidden behind the slightly transparent paper umbrella so that only her dark shape appears to those in front of her before the light goes out again.

As it comes to an end all around cheer and applauds, some more enthusiastic than others, and some, to the very far side, look with hatred in their eyes.

And that is one of the people who approach after the man in black appears again and says:

"Such grace! Truly a heavenly beauty! Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, one of you can be the lucky one to bloom such beautiful flower for the first time! All of you are welcome in our household, and us, the Phoenix, will be waiting for you all in our nest…"At that he haft bows, making so that his loosen black cloth slips and gives off a little bit of skin, his white tender shoulder blades and neck appearing, very appetizing, very tasty…

I sniff the air as he walks out of the stage. Yes, very tasty indeed…

Seems like I found another fancy meal around these parts… now now, should I taste him already or maybe… no, I think, I have been denied of one gourmet meal already, not going to happen twice now, after all they are so rare to find, would be a waste, no, a sin even to let this one slip by…

As the crowd from before starts to move on and free the streets I start to focus on my new target, hands and feet moving in coordination as I approach by the rooftops without taking my eyes off of him.

And yet I do not approach, for the lady who kept staring daggers at him finally gets close enough so she can start speaking, followed by other opulent ladies who walk beside her.

"You keep dirtying our stage with your filthy whores do you not tiny man?" At that she sneers, an ugly face plastered in such frivolous woman, so much perfume going out of her pores that I'm almost unable to focus on anything else.

And there is no need to understand nor hear her words to feel the tension between the two as she keeps her nose up and stares the other down.

The man in the black clothing looks at her with a smile on his face, but one could see the scorn in his eyes as he opens up a fan in a loud manner and starts fanning with face slowly, not at all bothered by the other's behavior since seemly it wasn't the first time it occurred.

"Lady Karina, what an unpleasant surprise to see you here. Is such an 'honor' to you have you down of your high castle only to speak to this lowly one." He says ironically.

"Yeah, you should feel honored indeed!" One of the woman say, looking all like vultures surrounding a carcass, well, at least they smell as bad as one.

And worst after passing the strong perfumes too I realize, twisting my nose.

"Shush it!" The Karina one says to the other, making her flinch and fall back. "You and your filthy kind are not welcomed here."

"Oh really, if you haven't said so I would have never realized…" He says calmly, the fan coming and going in front of his face to cover his foxy smile.

"Mark my words filthy man, your days of luxury will come to an end soon."

"Oh really? Karina, Karina, those wrinkles of jealously won't do good to your face milady… But what can I say, men have a taste for the unusual, for the mystical… they may want something different once in a while, perhaps something more… fun, that's why the Phoenix Nest was born, but if such a unusual fresh way of business bothers milady then you should considerate retirement so the younger generation that take over."

"Y-you! How dare you! Your 'girls' will never be able to compete against mine! Mark my words! Mark them! " At that she turns around, flustering her long dress as her other girls follow right behind her, but not before giving the man a stern glace.

"Oh, honey, on that we can agree upon, none of your girls will ever be on the same league as my 'girls'. Ha, as I always say, only a man can give real pleasure to another man…" Even though none were close to hear his words the man, Takamori, deepens his foxy smile, the shadows bringing an eerie expression to his face as he walks away, not aware of the shadows that followed close behind him.

Especially the one of them with a pair of red eyes who carried a fang full smile