Upon Cassian's arrival, any cares were wholly soothed out of memory by the dreamy, prurient world he'd been willingly pulled into. If there were aphrodisiacs in the air of some sort, he'd not have been surprised - nor put off.
The atmosphere simply scintillated at the collision of lambent light, glinting crystal, and overall refinement. More, elegant snobbery of a typical soiree was absent. Instead, sensuous silhouettes cast in red and black eased through the grand venue, and the melody of their collective presence sang through quiet sighs, subtle laughter, and inviting notes of conversation. Although shadows pooled in just the right places by his consideration, none held the cold notes of rejection here. Cassian had entered a sparkling world cast in an artistic hedonism.
Within his normal life, he was a shrewd personal investor. The majority of his clientele tended to be of a celebrity personality in some form or another who each possessed large financial resources for him to work with. He was good at the calculated risks that he tended to successfully make on behalf of their deep funds, too. It was a world where decisive choices in a shifting landscape of numbers, forecasts, and fortunes gave someone an edge - which he had. The ability to scheme against predictive models intersected with a need for comfort with (and an intuition for) posh personalities. Cassian, thus, was acquainted with refined society and its inhabitants, so he felt no discomfort at present.
That he was an invited guest, meant to be here by his own right, made this entire affair something wholly exceptional. He still carried himself through the varied, aesthetic clusters of guests with a dignified poise, but there was no requirement for him to wear whatever masks that best suited any of his financial clients. He could be himself. How delectably novel.
While Cassian pursued the environment in passing, servants offered epicurean temptations on silver platters - food both savory and sweet; alcohol of every ambrosial shade. He politely plucked a glass of a red wine in one hand, and moments later, his other hand was persuaded to collect a small, chocolate delicacy. While he didn't make a glutton of himself, Cassian had no intention of wasting a moment of this fleeting dream to hesitancy.
He made no immediate rush toward the private suites either, though his was on his mind nonetheless. His letter had burst into cool flames earlier, revealing that he'd been matched with not one, but three others. He was distantly aware of one name - Rhydian; unfamiliar with another - Frey; and a unique intrigue lay upon the final name: Elouan. Cassian knew Elouan, at least across the degrees of business contracts and distance between himself and the man. Elouan was a client of his. Thus, Cassian found it a curiously set fate by The Lady Mar'irath's hand to include Elouan within Cassian's grouping.
'Curious' did not mean 'undesirable,' however. Elouan presented with high appeal through his public persona. Who would he be behind the closed doors of the Lily Room? Who would
any members of their group truly prove to be? - and what would they be collectively? Cassian trusted in The Lady's reputation and expertise in such a way that he held no suspicions toward those internal inquiries nor the potential outcomes.
After an introductory period filled by easygoing pleasures (between delicacies and conversation alike), Cassian concluded his time in the larger communal areas of the gathering. His mind eased toward the Lily Room and his future companions - even as his steps followed that inclination. It wasn't difficult to find his designated room, and the journey there led him by hints of other's pleasures yet to be literally unlocked, too. Here and there, a figure waited near to a door, or pairs discovered each other and made introductions. Occasionally three gathered before disappearing into their private worlds.
At the tastefully embellished Lily Room door, Cassian found himself alone. He'd had a tightening hope that he'd catch a glimpse of at least one of his future companions - though he accepted
he would be who the other three would espy on
their arrivals.
Patient and content to bask in anticipation, Cassian turned his back toward the door and remained standing nearby. The man was long and lean, a figure that was silhouetted by a black suit etched with minute accents of silver at the shoulders and cuffs. His light brown hair had been styled into loose waves to his shoulders, which framed a fair, narrow face. He might have been a green-eyed fox in a past life for the percipience that sharpened an intelligent awareness about his eyes.
Someone approached. Might he be one of his partners for the evening? Cassian realized that he was more eager to meet them than he'd let on even to himself through earlier diversions. Alas, the figure had glanced at his room's name and eased on. The two warmed in friendly politeness before Cassian found himself alone again.
Soon.
Anticipation was a wonderful spice to life and he would not begrudge it - he chose to enjoy its buzzing crescendo. Cassian's slim hands languidly shifted forward and folded one over the other while he waited.
