West meets East

[crimsonflower]

[Ostania — an eastern country that is said to have a rapidly developing industrial revival after the war with Westalis. While this is largely propaganda, it is believed that bitter elites who are still upset over the removal of the National Unity Party threaten the peace between Westalis and Ostania.

Which is where Twilight comes in. The National Unity Party may no longer be in power, but they still exist. The head of which is Donovan Desmond. A lanky man whose gaunt appearance may liken him to a ghoul. A funny comparison when you consider his niece, Edelgard. Pale with unusual white hair and lightly colored eyes. A ghoul and a ghost. Twilight's mission will be to get close to the niece as a means to getting to Donovan.

Despite being so close to the head of the previous ruling party, not much is known about Edelgard. She was born with brown hair, and seemingly disappeared when she was nine. When she returned at age 14 she had white hair, and stayed under supervision of her uncle. Not long after her return did Edelgard's father pass away, and Donovan took her in until she was an adult.

Because of her upbringing was mostly done by the Desmond family, Edelgard is very rigid. While admired for her exemplary performance in academic fields, most who meet her say she comes off as cold and unapproachable. This may make his task difficult, but there's an art exhibit with a few of here pieces featured. It's the debut night and a party is held for all those involved. He can use this as a means to get close.

After all, she's of marrying age, and rumor has it her uncle has been pressuring her to shack up. It's weird to be her age without a relationship in the works, after all.]

Comments

[fauxther]

[ This operation was integral to maintaining peace between the West and the East, a fact that had been completely drilled into Twilight's head as he naturally, accepted. The information that WISE had acquired all but pointed at Donovan Desmond's intention to foster distrust between the bordering nations, re-establish power within Ostania, and restart the war.

A war that Twilight had no intention of seeing come to light. Never again.

The plan itself was risky in an assortment of ways: the disturbing lack of deeper information on Desmond's niece, yet the insistence that this was the best way to infiltrate his inner circle. It sounded challenging to say the least. However, WISE trusted no one else to accomplish this mission. Failure wasn't going to be an option.

That made this initial meeting between the two that integral. Attending the exhibit, contemplating his cover, he's already had a chance to verify which pieces she would have contributed... and certainly, there'd be no better time than the present to act.

If she's close by to one such piece, he carefully approaches, eyes focused more on the art in front of him than the woman beside him. After all... Edelgard was hardly going to respond to a simple "hello". ]

It's striking.

[ He states, a casual observation as he peers over the artwork. ]

I don't know what it is, but I keep coming back to this one. It stands out compared to most of the others in this exhibit.

[crimsonflower]

[Edelgard smooths the skirt of her dress. The dangling gold pieces making a delightful little noise as knock together with their movement. It seems she too is disinclined to peel her gaze away from the work.]

Does it evoke any emotion?

[Edelgard struggled really hard. She started off quite bad at art — her peers sometimes asking, "whose child has ruined this expensive canvas?" Today she stands in the exhibit proud of her work. Edelgard has a very calculating and technical mind, so a lot of her best pieces are recreations from real life. From towering buildings to exacting still life portraits. Realism is her forte, and she struggles with the abstract. Though since she works with a self-made color wheel some of her pieces can have surreal hue shifts to create the illusion of something abstract.]

[fauxther]

Let's see. I'm not much of an art critic myself, however...

[ He takes a long look at the painting once more. It seems as if she's willing to converse about it, as he hoped. It'd be hard for him to miss the light sound of those accessories, which would at least make it easier for him to keep tabs on her in a crowd. Potentially. ]

Faint melancholy. The urge to want to express yourself, but not knowing the best way to do so. I believe the artist may have felt that this was the best way to let her own emotions come out, but may have been holding back.

[crimsonflower]

"Her"? I suppose you're familiar with the artist, then?

[Or had he glanced at the name and assumed it was a feminine name? Though she knows she stands out. White hair on a woman her age isn't very common. She wouldn't be surprised if he already knew who she was.]

[fauxther]

Of course.

[ There was really no need to keep up the facade of speaking to a bystander then. ]

Your reputation precedes you. It's a pleasure to finally meet you.

[crimsonflower]

Does it? And what reputation would that be, sir?

[Since he knows her name, but she isn't able to say the same.]

[fauxther]

[ Edelgard. An up and coming scholar within the inner workings of the Desmond family. Someone Donovan Desmond himself had taken under his wing, and may in fact be the key to keeping peace between the East and the West. ]

Someone that doesn't seem too comfortable drawing too much attention to themselves, despite the exhibition.

[crimsonflower]

Clever answer. Would you like to get a drink?

[fauxther]

I'd love to.

[ He's in. ]