The Sculptor ~Me x Illusionfish~

The small city they lived in was less then plentiful. The poor were on the streets, unable to feed themselves, or selling their bodies for money. They did what they could to get by. They would steal, murder, blackmail anyone to get any little bit of gold they could wrap their fingers around to eat. Not many of the middle class blamed them. Everyday people would past them in the streets to go to work, to do their daily duties of making bread or making shoes. Whatever they had to do, fetching water, the poor were all forgotten. Except when their corpses were dragged out by the soldiers or civilians who could not stand to look at their rotting corpses. The richest of the people in the city, seemed to be in a particular area of the city.

There was a particular structure in the east of the city, that held most of the fancier events that lasted all night and day. Usually parties that no one ever got invited to. However, her family had often spent months on preparing for certain events, that Ivora had never seen.

She had grown up in this city, holding onto her mother's dress as she fetched water. She had gotten so tired of the simple things her mother would do, to try to teach her how to be a proper woman for a proper her man. Ivora could still remember the first day she had ran off to her father's sculpting shop hiding from her mother. She had stumbled upon her father working on a sculptor of a baby girl and her mother holding her. Ivora was so awe struck with how he worked, stabbing at the rock and forming shapes and faces that she had begged her father to teach her.

Over the years things had been calm. Ivora had grown up in the shop from then on, learning all the little tools, what they did, how to use how to form beautiful things. After a while, her father would only sculpt with her, letting her make what ever she wished unless someone requested otherwise. Years had seemed to go by with one thing in particular, a party for a wealthy child they would always sculpt something small for, something for his birthday, but this year was different.

Ivora had finally had a grand idea for a present, especially when her father had stated the family wanted a big surprise for the child this year. So months in advance they had worked, creating a grand sculptor for the boy. Ivora had been so pleased with what they had created and this year her father had promised to bring her along, stating that she was old enough to attend.

She had never really attended any parties, and her mother tried her best to dress her up, but Ivora had fought with her. The dress was too much and she had picked one of her work dresses, less fabric, easier to move in. Her mother tried putting up her hair but Ivora had declined, preferring her hair stay down and wavy like it always was. Her gray eyes had stared at her mother in a bit of anger, slapping her hands away. Her father had merely laughed at the display, commenting that she was just like her mother.

Her work boots had clicked against the ground as she had followed her father up the trail to the building, a large one with monuments on the outside of it. They were of angels, holding swords, great wings and golden eyes. How beautiful and graceful they looked, and they walked past them closer to the doors. Their creation had already been taken inside, a large blanket was thrown over it hiding it as it sat in the middle of the room. People were already inside, gathering and chatting as they walked in. Her father pushed her strawberry colored hair out of her face as they walked in and he moved to greet some friends. "Come here Ivora, meet some old friends of mine." She smiled lightly as he dragged her over, he was dressed so formally, everyone was, except her of course who had dressed in such a casual manner. "Sorry, you'll have to excuse my daughter. She has her mother's heart." The couple laughed as they looked at the young girl who wasn't paying much attention. Her father tried to grab her to join the conversation but Ivora held no interest. "When do we unveil our masterpiece?" She asked looked at her father who smiled down at the young woman who only stood at 5'3. "When the boy comes out for his birthday celebration of course!"

Adrian tipped his akubra at the doormen as he entered, partly to conceal his face slightly, but mostly to look awesome. Even with his favourite suit on, the akubra worked, adding the extra bit of charm to the handsome, self-appraised "ladies man". Or it made him look like an idiot, depending on who you spoke to. Adrian tapped his fingers together reflexively as he looked at the amazing creations that were the angels by the door. Impressed, he entered the room.

And couldn't believe his eyes. Or his nose for that matter. The scents that were in the room were amazing. Not only did it seem like every flower was represented, rose, jasmine, orchid and all the rest, it seemed like an entire town was in the room with him. He took a deep sniff, savouring the feeling. Sawdust, orange, polished metal, burning demon flesh. He wrinkled his nose. That was not supposed to be here. He followed the scent out a backdoor and into the grounds. Seeing a small fire, he jogged over, eager to know what was going on. The pungent smell of dead demon pervaded the area around a small group of about six.

"Ahh Adrian, you finally deemed fit to join us" came a voice he knew well.
"That's right Seth, I gotta be here so I can claim part credit" he laughed, embracing the other werewolf. After a few more remarks, and his thirst for knowledge on the issue sated, Adrian returned to the party. And in doing so, he passed the kitchens, so he would have an excuse for his suit slightly smelling of smoke. Mingling with various people, he gradually drifted to where a remarkably pretty girl stood in a remarkably casual dress.

"Why hello there." he said to the girl when he made his way over. He casually tipped his hat at her grinning in a very debonair way. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure. I'm Adrian, and you are?" he smiled, his jet black suit and red tie contrasting with his brilliantly white teeth and lightly tanned skin.

Ivora knew now why her father had not wanted to take her to this place. It was painfully boring for a girl of her age, or for any age for that matter. The people were all laughing and chattering about old things Ivora had no interest in. She had pulled away from her father. Food was being served on platters on a fancy table to the right, flowers were decorating the room. There seemed to be a throne at the top of the establishment, probably where the birthday boy would sit. This seemed so barbaric in how things were set up. Ivora wondered if things would get any more interesting. At least no one was bothering as she weaved around the room to examine things.

She was really out of place in such a fancy party. Ivora was examining a weird plant she had never seen before. She lifted it, smelling it and put it down uninterested. Still, the plant seemed to be everywhere, and most of the guests seemed to be smelling it like she had enjoying it.

Her head turned in the direction the voice came from. For a moment she figured he was addressing someone else and had merely turned to see someone start another boring conversation. To Ivora's surprise the face of a man stared back at her and cleared her throat. "I don't believe I'm who you must be looking for." Ivora smiled lightly, plump pale pink lips tuggin at the corners but it was a fake smile. She began to move, into the middle of the room where the sculptor was still covered already bored with the flowers. She was not the best with talking to other people. Day after day she slaved away in the workshop, creating sculptors in silence, to perfect beauty. Normal conversation..seemed worthless to her at any point in time. She still wondered why her father loved engaging in it as she played with the fabric covering their masterpiece. Ivora was ready to display it herself even if the birthday boy would not show up to witness it with everyone else.

Adrian was confused about this one. He followed her to where she was fiddling with the birthday boy's present. "Well actually" he said, raising his hat so she could see his deep blue eyes and he could see her grey ones.

"I'm not looking for anyone, but seeing as I either know or don't want to know most of the people here, I figured I would introduce myself to the one person I've found so far who I don't know and would like to" he said, flashing her the same debonair grin as before. "You have beautiful eyes. Did you know that?" he said, forgetting he was staring into the grey orbs. He pulled his eyes away.

"So, what's actually under this here covering eh? A massive pile of money? Jewels? A statue of that guy who did something?" he asked changing the subject abruptly. "I am a werewolf, I do NOT comment on how beautiful a girls eyes are, especially a girl I don't know who possibly isn't even legal yet." he thought silently.

Ivora looked at him as he followed her, introducing himself to the one person he did not know? Ah this must have been an extended family or a lot of friends. She stared into his eyes, there was something odd about his blue eyes, the way they sparkled. There was something about primal about the way he looked, even though he was being so formal to her.

"Thanks." Ivora said lightly. "Yours aren't too bad either." Ivora was staring at the fabric before looking around. Where was that bastard child? When was the party going to begin? Well technically it pretty much had already started, people were chatting, but the band had not come yet and no one was dancing. She could not help but smile when he talked about what was under the fabric.

"It's a sculptor my father and I did together." She looked at him, letting go of the fabric. "For the birthday boy." Ivora could see her father in the distance, and he smiled at her before moving away from his friends to come towards her. "Ivora, darling! Come meet some of my friends!" Her father wrapped his arm around her neck drawing her in. "Not interested." Ivora said not looking at her father. Her father looked at the man with her and smiled politely. "Making new friends?" Ivora grunted looking away. Her father laughed patting her on the back. "Just like your mother! The party will start soon. They got caught up in town."

"Really? A sculpture? Well, I'm sure the little,guy will be impressed to say the least" Adrian said dryly. He heard someone behind him Adrian turned to see a man who was evidently the girl's father talking to her. "Ivora. Huh, nice name" he thought before the man looked at him. Adrian's eyes went wide for a second in shock. This man..he looked exactly like someone he had heard of growing up.

"Excuse me sir, but your name wouldn't happen to be Tolon would it? Only you are the spitting image of a man my parents told stories about." said Adrian, trying to maintain his nonchalant attitude and tone, despite a note of surprise creeping into it.

"If this is indeed the Tolon of the stories" Adrian thought to himself, "then he is a man to be respected for all the things he has done for us."

Tolon, Ivora's father was rubbing her head, messing up her hair when Adrian spoke to him. He looked up, the same grey eyes Ivora had staring back at the man. Tolon's thin lips pulled into a smile at the surprised expression. Ivora only crossed her arms over her chest, huffing that her father had messed up her hair. Quickly, when his hand was removed from her head, she smoothed down the mess her father had made. "Yes, I am Tolon. Tolon Nethkin." He gripped Ivora's shoulder turning her to face Adrian. "This would be my lovely daughter Ivora."

Ivora huffed crossing her arms over her rather large chest as she looked away. "Who are your parents boy? I meet so many of your...family that I forget whose who anymore." Her father laughed, but the way he worded his sentence was like he was covering something up, not wishing to bring it up around Ivora. He patted Ivora on the back who yawned in boredom. Great, now for another boring conversation she had to listen to. "Why don't you go grab something to eat pumpkin? They'll be here with in the hour, or sooner." Tolon winked at Adrian as Ivora shrugged and moved to one of the tables gathering a drink and sipping on it.

"Wow" Adrian said softly in awe as Tolon identified himself. And as father of the most beautiful girl at the party no doubt. "Nope, bad thoughts, no thoughts like that" he internally muttered to himself, shocked at how this girl was making him feel. He cleared his throat.

"Uhh, my parents were..umm..Seth and Aubrey. Sir.." he replied to Tolon's question, still in a bit of shock at meeting the man himself. Ivora moved off, leaving the two men to their talking. "They didn't come today however.. Anyway. Before we go further, can I ask..How many of the stories are true? Did you really fight demons years ago?" he asked, his youth showing through once Ivora left the conversation.

He grabbed a drink from a passing waiter carrying a tray and sipped on the beverage. It was sweet, but had a nice kick to it.
"Your daughter was saying you built a sculpture for the birthday boy. What's it like..making something so beautiful out of a hunk of stone?" Adrian said, actually more curious than his tone suggested.