Time passed in a blur, much to Hadama's bemusement. The narration was not exactly audible, having more in common with Attuned telepathy than anything else, but it gave the gist of what happened in the ensuing span. He certainly breathed a very quiet, subtle sigh of relief when sixteen 'years' elapsed in the space of a few minutes, though it was disconcerting to have the sense that he had done all that the tale required of him without having the concrete memories to accompany it.
Nevertheless, he once more found himself at the Palace.
And oh, he certainly did have an invitation. Not addressed to 'the Dark Fairy,' of course! Rather, his face and form were cloaked in illusion as he accompanied a venerable dowager baroness as her 'plus one' for the evening. A small enchantment had - apparently, in his convenient 'memories' from the Dark Fairy's side of the story - befuddled the baroness's mind into thinking that the plainly unassuming man at her side was some distant nephew who had come along to assist her for the evening.
Only his bright emerald eyes remained the same as he moved with solicitous slowness at the old woman's side, steadying her tottering steps as they joined the glittering swirl of color and light that was the grand ball.
Nevertheless, he once more found himself at the Palace.
And oh, he certainly did have an invitation. Not addressed to 'the Dark Fairy,' of course! Rather, his face and form were cloaked in illusion as he accompanied a venerable dowager baroness as her 'plus one' for the evening. A small enchantment had - apparently, in his convenient 'memories' from the Dark Fairy's side of the story - befuddled the baroness's mind into thinking that the plainly unassuming man at her side was some distant nephew who had come along to assist her for the evening.
Only his bright emerald eyes remained the same as he moved with solicitous slowness at the old woman's side, steadying her tottering steps as they joined the glittering swirl of color and light that was the grand ball.
