Ministry Ball Welcoming Fall ~August 29, 2025 ~

The Ministry Ball Welcoming Fall...

Because of the rather dark times, the Ministry thought it would be good for the people's morale to host a Ball.

Though, its mostly the Wizarding socialite's been invited.... afterall the Ministry needs some... donations.

All of the socialite's has agreed to come. And donate a surmountable sum. Just to secure one or two things.

Darien sighed as he returned to the world of society. Only because his father and Celina had forced him to attend.

Celina was ecstatic. After Darien's ditching of Diana, she was once more hopeful. She was also once more hanging off his arm as he entered the party.

After much convincing on Ferderico's part, Diana finally agreed to come to the party, only after Nicolas promised that he wouldn't leave her side for a moment. She didn't think she could handle facing society alone... especially after what had happened... she'd know what the whispers would say. Oh she wouldn't be able to bare it! Why had she agree to come again?

"Because Grandfather said he'd disown you?" Nicolas offered.

"Why does he always use that excuse? Honestly I've done everything he's asked." Diana muttered.

"I think he just wants people to see that you're alright and all those rumours about you going crazy wasn't true." Nicolas said smiling at a rich old couple. "Really we can go after an hour. We just need to show face."

"There are rumours that say I'm going mad?!" Diana said alarmed.

"Not anymore." Nicolas grinned.

"How can you take it so easily?" Diana asked genuinely. "Don't you care what they say?"

"No, not at all." Nicolas said honestly. Then suddenly his eyes caught the new arrivals. "Oh no..."

"What?" Diana looked at him slightly concerned. He grew very pale... then he grew red, with apparent anger.

"I thought he wasn't coming!"

"You thought who wasn't coming?" Diana asked about to look around.

"Diana don't." He said stopping her.

Suddenly it hit her, and she knew exactly who he was talking about.

"He's here?"

Nicolas nodded looking at her carefully.

Then she went very quiet.

Celina smiled and simpered, dragging Darien through the throng of people, introducing him to as many as possible.

Darien sighed, mentally of course, and was glad Celina was very talkative. It made his job so much easier.

So he just stood there blankly, hiding his boredom behind a facade of interested smiles, disguising disinterested gazes as sweeping glances. No wonder Ana hadn't wanted to come. This party was as dull as slimy brown stagnant pondwater in the middle of winter. And equally unappealing.

Diana felt... she felt conflicted. Half of her wanted to escape the vicinity immediately. But the other part... the part that secretly wanted to go to the ball, the small part of her that knew... somehow knew that he'd show up, that part wanted to turn around and run into his arms...

What was stopping her?

The fact that she wasn't entirely sure that he'd open his arms for her.

Three months ago, Merlin... has it been that short? It already felt like a horrible eternity. Three months ago, she would have, without a doubt. Three months ago, was the last time she'd really smiled. Three months ago... She stopped thinking about that. Tears were starting to form in her eyes. She blinked back tears. It just wouldn't do if she started to fall apart... especially in a Hell - Hall full of people.

Three months ago, he hadn't ignored her owls. Three months ago, he didn't leave her. Three months ago... She wished she could go back to three months ago.

Now it was different. She wasn't sure of anything anymore. She wasn't sure what was up and what was down. She wasn't sure what would happen if she looked at him. She wasn't sure what she'd see if she looked into his eyes. Regret? Longing? Love? Hate?... Apathy? She knew she wouldn't be able to handle that.

The inner conflict was just too much to bare. She started to feel very nauseous and her knees gave way. Nicolas was able to sense, being primed for a reaction such as this, and was able to catch her.

"Diana?" He asked concerned. "Are you okay?"

Diana had her eyes close considering the room was spinning. "Diana?"

Diana nodded her head slowly... which was a bad idea, it didn't help much with her head ache.

"I think we should go." Her eyes were still shut tight.

"I couldn't agree more." Nicolas said looking up to see if anyone had noticed Diana, and if they could go away without any trouble.

Celina glimpsed someone fall and gasped loudly.

Darien's attention was claimed, and without thinking he began to move, gliding through the crowd purely on instinct. Celina swore and followed, grabbing his elbow with some difficulty.

The hand on his elbow jerked Darien's head back into gear and he remembered.

He remembered why he left.
He remembered why he constantly felt empty and alone.
He remembered why his heart ached with guilt.
He remembered why he had to stop.
He remembered why he couldn't be the one to catch her.

Nicolas sensed some movement amongst the crowd and found Diana's cause for fretting attempting to reach them. He glared at him, he'd never been so furious at Darien Vaight in his life. Sure they'd never really gotten along, but this... this was something else. Nicolas hated being wrong about Darien, he thought that him marrying Diana would have marked a change in Darien, and sure he didn't exactly greet their relationship with open arms - it seemed to make his cousin happy. And he... he could accept that. But the problem was, Nicolas was right about him. And Nicolas hated that even more than being wrong about him. And Darien showed just how right Nicolas was by leaving Diana all on her own.

"Let's go?" Nicolas said to Diana but he locked gazes with Darien.

Darien sensed Nick's anger, but felt...nothing. Just cold.

A lump of ice settled in the centre of his eyes, locking his soul away. Because it hurt too much.

He glanced at Diana with fear in his eyes, then closed them sharply, trying to detatch himself from everything. Only then would the pain stop.

Celina noticed Darien's stone expression, and decided he needed a hug. One milisecond later and she had latched onto her target.

Darien blinked in surprise, feeling increasingly awkward. And cold. Incredibly cold.

Nicolas returned Darien's unaffected cold stare. So he was over her already? Scoffed at Darien and Celina. He couldn't believe the nerve of that bloke. He'd have to make sure Diana didn't see him. She had their back to them and it was only Nicolas who was witnessing this.

Diana was not feeling well. "Yes... just give me a moment." She did not think she could do anything at the moment. One thing at a time. First she just needed to re-learn how to breathe. Then she felt an odd sensation in her belly. Her hand fell to her abdomen. "The baby's kicking." She said barely above a whisper.

"Come on," Nicolas said leading Diana away. "Let's go to the car..."

Diana followed Nicolas submissively.

((Yes they have an awesome magical car))

(( :O Darien is so jealous. lol))

Darien's brain flickered into existence. Diana...was she...no...she couldn't be...

...Pregnant?!...With Nick?!

...Diana...Pregnant...With...Nick's...baby?!

He turned on his heel, dislodging Celina, who released him, sensing a change of mood.

"I'm going home." Without another emotionless word, Darien stalked out of the room. So...Diana was over him already. Starting a family with someone else.

What was left of his heart shattered.
He was finally cold, emotionless and almost dead.
Wouldn't his father be so proud?

Celina caught up with him in the cloakroom...by the coatrack. "Vere are you go-eeng?!"

"Home."

"No! Reg-ee-nald 'as told us to repes'a'nt 'eem! Tu cannot leave now!"

"I don't care." Darien's progress was stopped by a death grip on his arm.

"Vell you should! Ve are staying right 'ere! Zey are gone anyvay, why are you afraid?"

"Afraid?!" Darien glared at her.

She didn't even flinch. "Grow zome backbone Dari-en! Zey are gone! Now come back to ze ball!"

Darien remained where he was, now glaring fixedly at the floor.

Diana left with Nicolas but not before glancing at Darien's way. She just couldn't help it. She needed to see him again, if even only for a moment. Even if she regretted it afterwards. And she did regret it, she saw Darien with... again her throat constricted making it difficult to breathe. She closed her eyes and let Nicolas lead her to the car.

Nicolas opened the door for her and helped her go in. He was about to close the door when, "Wait Nick! I forgot my coat."

Nicolas blinked several times to register what she said. "Right, I'll um... I'll get it, just stay here." And he gave her the keys so she could start the car.

He on the other hand, returned to the Hall, looking for Diana's coat...

"You are not the boss of me." Darien snarled.

Celina glared back. "You are pase-t-ee-c!"((a.k.a. Pathetic))

"I don't give a damn!"

"Your fatheeer-"

"Can go to hell!" Darien interrupted, half-shouting.

(lol Cel. She funny.)

Nicolas, as he entered the Hall, heard voices he didn't welcome.

Vaight Nicolas thought with a snarl.

He should go back, he was sure he was going to pound the guy into oblivion if he didn't. Now that Diana was safely away, he could kill him...

But he shouldn't he was representing his family, he shouldn't.... Actually his family would probably want to kill him too.

This inner conflict left Nicolas standing motionless.

"Darien you are ba'av-eeng like a child! Come back to ze ball!" ((be'aveeng=behaving...lol))

Darien snarled and turned on his heel, stopping abruptly as he noticed a familiar face in the hall.

Celina stopped glaring at the back of Darien's head for long enough to glance a swift glance in the newcomer's direction.

"Darien..." She hissed. "Come back to ze ball!" Her voice was much lower now she knew someone was within earshot.

"... Vaight," Nicolas said with societal politeness. However his eyes told a whole other story. He was emitting an under current of rage that he's salutation sounded a lot like a growl.

Darien's reply was almost emotionless, coloured slightly by anger at Celina. "Ca-Casillas."

Celina blinked at the two growled greetings and tugged on Darien's arm. "Come back Darien, ve 'ave to return to ze ball!"

Nicolas locked gazes with Darien and waited for Darien to move. Dared. Dared was a better word. Nicolas squared his jaw and his eyes glittered with silent mockery. Go ahead, go back to your silly little ball with that stupid wrench on your arm. Shy away from me, I wouldn't be surprised 'cause your nothing but a cowardice dog. It wouldn't be the first time you ran away from something you could not handle.

Darien didn't move.

The anger in Nick's eyes made him cringe inside. Mostly because it was true.

It was all his fault.
It had always been his fault.

...Diana...him...why...why did I ever leave?!...It...It was for the best...I swear...It...was...It has to be.

His thoughts were fragmented, a conflict of emotion and reason. A never-ending stream of confusion that blurred his feelings and smeared them over the canvas of his face in a blurred and misted stream.

Why can't anyone see? I did it for her...for her...I didn't...mean...to hurt her. I just want her to be safe...Why doesn't anyone besides me see that?! Why do they all hate me for trying to protect her?! Why....It isn't my fault...It's the purgers. It's always the purgers. They can burn in hell.

Confusion morhped to anger, two halves of his mind colliding in a wall of emotion. The steel wall of indifference and cold emotionlessness cracked slightly as depression smashed into anger born of anguish.

Pain and fury.

They weren't really that different anymore...

Celina said nothing, but raised an eyebrow at the cascading emotions on Darien's face, now an open book. What was he doing? She was barely able to begin to identify a slight sadness before his eyes changed, anger appearing briefly, then disappearing again, giving way to confusion, pain and coldness, all blurred together. It was almost impossible to identify which emotion was where...or what Darien was thinking.

((Sorry, got carried away with the "cascading emotions". I blame cheese sandwiches. And the fact they aren't well-represented by sandwich industries! JUST CHEESE IS A GOOD SANDWICH. IT DOESNT NEED ANYTHING ELSE! WHY CAN'T THEY SEE THIS?! Cheese and Ham however, is GOOOOOD. ))

Noticing Darien's apparent inner conflict, Nicolas felt the need to... egg him on. It was... in Nicolas' nature. He wanted Darien Vaight to explode in anger. He wanted to fight him. It wasn't really about Diana anymore. Nicolas just wanted someone to blame. He wanted someone to blame about everything that had happened. He wanted a release from all of the anger he felt. And he found his opportunity in Darien. Old feelings of rivalry had returned to Nicolas like a flash.

Diana'd made sure, made him promise not to start a fight with Darien if ever they met each other in public. He promised easily enough, really the furtherest thing from his mind then was the well being of Darien. Diana's seemed to be more important so he did as she asked. However, he made sure to leave himself a loophole. He had promised not to start a fight, she didn't say anything about fighting in one. Thus was his only chance: make Darien throw the first blow.

"Would you mind moving? I need to get my wife's coat." He said it politely enough, but he made sure to put particular emphasis on 'my'. Diana was his now. Well she wasn't really, the wedding as just a show, but Darien didn't know that. Actually the only people who knew that was himself and Diana.

Darien did not move.

Nick's wife...Diana...She...wasn't his anymore...

How he hated that thought.

How he hated Nick. Anger mounted, conflicting with the coldness which was beginning to slip away.

The thick fog of confusion began to clear slightly, burned by anger.

Celina smiled, a fake smile which did not touch her eyes. "Mais of course!" A swift tug on Darien's arm forced him to move about two paces to the right.

Nicolas never broke away from Darien's glaze until the last second. A happy sneer plastered on his face. "It seems I am in a position to thank you yet again, Vaight."

Darien glared back. "Thank me? When have you ever thanked me?!"

Celina maintained a grip on Darien's arm.

"Oh right," Nicolas faced Darien again, feigning forgetfulness. "I haven't thanked you for Diana."

Nicolas smiled impeccably and then turned to find Diana's coat hanging near by. He reached for it with one hand and continued to talk. "After all, if you hadn't... well broken her completely, she never would have agreed to marry me."

Celina jumped, releasing Darien's arm as he shoved her in the ribs. Stumbling backwards, she glanced up in time to see him lunge at Nick.

Darien didn't notice he was moving until he saw his fist swing at Nick's head.

Nicolas was anticipating the attack however, wasn't ready for Darien's intensity and dodged back just in the nick (haha get it?) of time. He wheeled around and drew out his wand. Nicolas' eyes shown with joy at Darien's loss of control.

"Don't take your anger out on me Vaight," Nicolas mocked pointing his wand at Darien. It was exactly what he wanted Darien to do but he wanted to play with him more. "You practically gave her to me on a silver platter."