Drizella was always looking for new things. She wanted to introduce the next big thing to the top circle all of the time. Whatever she was doing, a group of people were sure to follow her soon after, especially if she made a second appearance. She was known for it, having always been able to pick something that had great potential if it got the right clientle. Some people had thought her crazy over the years but time and time again, she had proven her worth to the cause. After all, the long-lived Hayllians required something new to keep them from boredom and trouble.

She happened to be visiting a small little restaurant that she had overheard some other minor aristos talking about. They had happened upon it and needed some food but it had been the only place around. They had mentioned some swarthy looking characters and they didn't think they would be going back even if the food had been excellent. As Drizella sized up the plump witches, she imagined their standards probably weren't all that high but she made a note to check it out.

She waited almost a month so that no one would connect her with those two before she went for her visit. There was only the smallest sign on the outside saying "Serendipity." She couldn't help but roll her eyes at the name. It was one of those cushy names that gave you a flighty idea which was probably why so many aristos had looked it over.

The inside was surprisingly busy and cozy, nothing like its name. She was seated at a table that was decently placed in the restaurant. She looked the menu over, evaluating the variety and descriptions of each dish as she waited for someone to come and take her order.

She waited.

And waited.

Finally she gave up. What was waiting without wine afterall? She stood up and walked smoothly to the bar, her crimson dress flowing a little behind her as she stepped between the tables. She instantly caught the eye of the bartender who obviously had more sense then whoever her waitress was. She sat next to a male and smiled at the bartender. "If I sit at the bar, will I get service?" She asked, crossing her legs carefully and resting them on the rail below.

Once she had assurance that she would indeed be served, she continued. "Could I start with a glass of red wine please? The best you have." The warlord bartender nodded his head and excused himself to the back where the best wines were kept. Drizella nodded her head in a dismissal and turned her seat to face the restaurant, wanting very much to take in who was here and trying to invision who could be there.

Angel found he sometimes needed to get away from his office and find someplace else to get work done. Staring at the same four walls for hours on end could make a body go crazy and Angel had been working in that office for two hundred and eighty-two years. It would be two hundred and eighty-three years in the spring, he thought idly, playing with a pen instead of working. Hmmm, perhaps he just wasn’t in the mood for work. Wait, in the mood? What the hell, since when was there a mood for working? Mother Night, he could almost hear his grandfather rolling over in his grave.

He leaned back in the booth and closed his eyes. He had chosen Serendipity because it was relatively unknown and close to one of his hideaway houses. He had been at the restaurant since early that morning, having paid the owner handsomely for the booth, he had consumed cup after cup of coffee as he plowed through piles of paperwork he had then banished to his desk in his office for his assistant to deal with. Really, what was the point of being a criminal mastermind if you had to deal with stacks and stacks of paper?

He had a few files left and he could call it a day. Rubbing the back of his neck, he opened his eyes and looked around the restaurant. It had gotten busy since he had come in. It seemed the place was well known in the neighborhood. He nodded to a few people under his “protection” and on his payroll before turning back to his papers. Narrowing his eyes, he studied a sheet for a moment before making a notation on it. There was no way the numbers on this thing were right. If his math was right, and it usually was, they were short a few thousand marks. That was not acceptable. All branches of the Aeroloth empire kept careful financial records and were required to turn in their financial reports every six weeks. Angel himself kept those records and at any time could recall those details. Missing money meant someone was skimming off the profits and that would not due, no sir.

Angel smiled to himself as he finished that file. While he did not usually like making an example of his employees, those who stole from him, always, always, paid, and paid dearly. Kaine Aeroloth, the former head of the family, had been known for striking out at the littlest infraction, but Angel was much more subtle. Things his grandfather had blown up over, Angel let slide, but those he did not…

When he finished and vanished the last file, he sat back with a sigh. After a moment he stood and went to the bar, ordering red wine. The owner, a Warlord he had helped out a few decades before, was quick to bring up what he requested. As he sat at the bar, sipping his wine, Adonis let his gaze travel over the crowd. It was the same as earlier, neighbors and other thugs eating with friends, business partners or family, sharing a few drinks over conversation. Then she came in.

A tall, curvy woman with the Hayllian complexion and bold red dress. She walked as one would expect such a beautiful woman to walk, with a distinct sashaying sway to her hips that was as much an invitation as a beckoning hand. Adonis watched appreciatively as she walked to her table and waited for waiter. He probed her and smiled when he found her Jewel of rank and caste. A Red Jeweled Black Widow Healer? He had heard of such a woman in the aristo circles, she was known for being a bit of a trendsetter. How odd that an aristo witch like her would be in a little hole in the wall like Serendipity.

On a whim, Adonis asked the owner to hold off on sending a waitress for a while. He watched her as he sipped his wine, watched as she seemed to grow frustrated then stood and made her way to the bar. He hid a grin in his glass as she spoke to the bartender. At a slight nod from Adonis, the Warlord went to fetch another bottle of the same vintage that Adonis was drinking. He smirked to himself, pleased with his little experiment.

“Your first time here?” he asked conversationally, turning on his stool to face the room, like her. He gave her his best smile and lifted his glass, watching her over the rim. “Name’s Adonis. Might I ask yours, lady?”

Drizella had yet to make her decision about this place. The menu was up to par with the other high class establishments and even had a few daring dishes that Drizella could be very interested in trying another day. If she came back of course. Drizella needed a reason to come back and help bolster their reputation and business and food was not the only important thing. Of course food was important but it was far from the only thing that Drizella looked for in a restaurant. She had overlooked plenty of incredible eateries but they had poor service, dismal decor, unsightly regulars or someone pissed her off.

At the moment, Serendipity had the food and the decor but lacked the name and the waitstaff. From what she could tell, the costumers weren't too bd yet. They were leaving her be which was pretty impressive considering her jewels and castes. There was actually only one person who was watching her that she could tell. Of course, Drizella didn't mind that he was watching, she enjoyed attention which was good considering everything.

The warlord prince seemed to have a very intense interest in her though and a close connection to the bartender. It was possible for him to be the owner of the place and he was wondering if she wanted to create trouble. It was always a possibility but not one that she saw as being very possible. It was that simple glint in the eye that told her he was a mischevious one at the very least. Something told her that he was more than that though.

When he began asking questions, she sized him up again, now closer. He was far from unfortunate but a little too, innocent, for Drizella's immediate liking. He did have acceptable taste in clothing and a descent jewel strength but the look in his eyes made her want to slap him.

Not that she showed her annoyance though. She did not need the aid of a web to hide what she felt. She gently leaned one elbow on the bar, turning to face him with a warm smile. "Yes it is. I overheard some witches speaking so highly of the food, I couldn't resist myself." Her painted index finger moved lightly over the bar top, the tiniest scratching sound emitting as well.

As he introduced himself, she saw the smile and really began to wonder what he knew. She could easily rip his mind apart to find the answer but where was the fun in that? It didn't pose a challenge if she just ran through his mind. "Drizella." She said, following the example that he had set with name introductions. "You look as though you are a regular however. Perhaps you can help me." She batted her eyes once as a wine glass was placed in front of her. Her fingers lightly wrapped around he stem of the glass as she thanked the bartender and turned back to Adonis. "Is there a trick to getting a waitress to serve you at the table or is there some ploy to get me to the bar?" She said, following where instinct led her. Something was just a little strange. Ignoring red jeweled black widow healers? Not normal.

Adonis couldn’t help the small smirk that tickled his lips. The witch was feisty; he had to give her that. He saw her looking him over out of the corner of his eye and his smile widened. There was no way she could find fault in his appearance. Despite the hours he had spent over frustrating paperwork, the numerous times he had run his hands through his hair in irritation, his hair was only slightly mussed, as if he had just come in from a hard ride or gotten up for the day. His clothes, while not the best he owned, were still custom tailored and made of the best fabrics. He flashed her a smile in return.

“Aristos are always looking for new entertainments. I’m surprised they haven’t exhausted all avenues of amusement. The way they go from fad to fad, trend to trend, you would think they would have covered everything pretty quickly.”

He glanced down at her nail, frowning at the tiny grating noise. It didn’t bother him that much, but after a while, it was going to get irritating.

“Drizella,” he repeated, lodging it firmly in his memory. “A beautiful name for a very beautiful witch.” He winked, knowing the line was overused and enjoying the cliché.

“As a matter of fact, I do come here occasionally. It is quiet and as yet, rather unheard of beyond this neighborhood, though I supposed, since you are here, that must have changed.” He watched as she picked up her wine before sipping his own.

“Well, usually the women have to take of their clothes and give someone a lap dance, but for you…” he winked. “…I think we can dispense with the pleasantries. Stella,” he called to a waitress who was waiting just inside the doorframe to the kitchen. She scurried over, eyes bright. “Please make sure Lady Tremaine is served. Only the best for our guest.” He smiled charmingly at her. “What is your specialty, Lady Drizella? I am told most Black Widows have them.” His eyes glittered as he sipped his wine. He knew just what kind of game he was playing and it was going to be amusing to see how the witch reacted.

Drizella was trying to make a decision about this man. She knew he was up to something but she wasn't exactly sure what. There was always the chance that he had figured out who she was and was trying to make sure that she had a bad experience so that no one came back. It was a possibility but the way his eyes held a very quick glimmer in them, she was pretty sure that wasn't the case.

The way he moved, the way he watched, she was sure that this Adonis was the reason she wasn't being served. While she hated not being served, she was intrigued for who this obviously idiotic male was. Did he have a reason for messing with her? Why did he have so much control here? How had he come to be able to own such high end clothes? SO many questions and she would have fun getting the answer from him, whether it happened easily or not.

She smirked when he complimented her. It was a very overdone compliment, one that almost meant nothing. Almost. No matter how false the claim may be, every woman enjoyed being called beautiful. Even if it was delivered in a corny way, it still made females feel special. The question was whether or not the compliment was able to cloud one's mind. Drizella's wasn't. She heard the compliment, let it stroke her pride a moment and then forgot about it. "Thank you Adonis but I'm sure you just flatter me." After all, it was the effect of the compliment that was important.

She placed the glass of wine down on the bar top and her fingers ran over the rim in a rhythmic pattern. With a little more pressure, she could have the glass singing a tone but she choose not too. At least not yet. It was one of those things that started beautiful but could end up becoming irritating to all those listeners. She raised an eyebrow at him as he explained the best way for service. "Well, if that is the case, I know plenty of men at court who will be here on a daily basis." It was a very intriguing premises though and she enjoyed the play he was giving her.

She watched Adonis a moment after he asked which area of craft was her specialty. What game was he playing? She began probing the area around him, wondering where else he would have been in the restaurant. "I have two actually. I spend most of my time looking into people's minds and creating poisons. The most delicate parts of our craft in my opinion."

She found the area she had been looking for and decided to turn the tables on him. "What brought you here today Prince? You sat in that booth for quiet a while today." Her smile grew, a sassy edge adding onto it as if begging him to lie. "But now you're here. Next to me. Helping me get service. I'm very grateful for that."

Adonis smiled back when Lady Drizella flashed a smile at his compliment. He had meant it to be funny, to compliment her while letting her know he wasn't interested in anything more than a drink and hopefully he had succeeded.

He refilled his glass, admiring the way the wine caught the light, sparkling like...well, like Lady Drizella's Red Jewel. He sipped the liquid and smiled to himself. Serendipity was a little hole in the wall, but Lord Thom, the owner, knew how to get good wine. He watched Drizella set her glass down and trace the rim with her finger. Idly, he thought about the stories he had heard of people who could make music by rubbing their fingers around the edge of a glass. Was the sound affected by how much liquid was in the glass, or did it all sound the same? He smiled to himself and raised the bottle.

"Can I refill your glass?" he asked.

He laughed at her comment about the males of court. "I'll have to agree with you on that one, I know a few who would be here as well." He snorted. "Sorry sods."

“The delicate workings of the mind, I know a bit about that, from my own business. Not anything like a Black Widow would know, but a bit about how people think and how to manipulate them.” He smiled. “As a Black Widow and a Healer, do you often do mind healings? Trying to reach someone who was broken or driven into the Twisted Kingdom?” He was genuinely interested in her response. Since he had met his little Healer, Quinn, he had wondered about such things. He wouldn’t change Quinn for anything, she was perfect the way she was, to him, but he wondered how Black Widows dealt with making that mental step into madness, knowing they might never come back, or how they were able to retrieve people who were lost to the Twisted Kingdom.

He started when she commented on him being there a while. How had she known that, she had…

“I’ve been here most of the day,” he said smoothly, covering his shock. “Had a lot of work to get sorted through.” He shrugged. “I could wish for the world to stop all I want, but there is always one more thing that needs to be done.”

“And you, Lady. Are you here for business or pleasure?”

Drizella's finger slowed to a stop as she nodded her head slightly. "I would appreciate a refill." She said sliding the glass closer towards him. After all, it was a very delicious wine and Drizella very much enjoyed her wine and this was an exceptional wine.

She couldn't help but wonder how this man had come to have such a strong appreciation for the way the mind worked. Some people were sincerely interested in the mind while others just had a morbid fascination with it, wanting to learn how it worked to better destroy it. He seemed sincere in his words though, not a hing of deception in his voice, carriage or psychic scent could be found. "I do find people call on me with more frequency for mind healings. I am more qualified because I understand the healing process but there are very few successful mind healings."

She took a sip wanting to see the level of interest the man had in the topic. She dabbed at the corner of her lips with a napkin she called over from behind the bar before she continued. "You see, the twisted kingdom, while wild and unorganized, it also offers a certain amount of safety from this world. Your cares are different. People mean less. In some respects it is easier. By the time I find people, they will not leave with me and they never follow the bread crumbs out more then a few steps, remembering how stressful life in the real world was." It was sad, even Drizella had to admit that, but it was so very true.

Drizella caught a glimpse of shock before it was quickly covered. Impressive. She thought. There were so few people who were able to recover so quickly. She approved greatly and figured they could make a great team if their goals were aimed in the same directions. "It so true." Was the only comment she could make. There was always something else to accomplish. A new little socialite needed to be investigated. The newest drama needed to be exploded. One just had to lean to let go and have a little fun sometimes.

She smiled, taking a glance around the place. Was this business or pleasure? Was there really a difference? "Well, its become a little hard to distinguish between the two when it comes to restaurants and other places like that. People look to me for new and interesting places to eat and spend their time so its an unofficial job. However, it has been very pleasurable." She glanced to the waitress who hadn't waited on her. "For the most part." She gave him a little wink to show him that she was just jesting."

She began running her finger over the edge of the glass again, this time making the quietest hum resonate from its contents. "So I assume this is your place of escape then? It is very nice. Quiet usually?" She wondered what he would do to keep this place quiet. She had the ability to completely destroy that atmosphere, no craft required.

(Sorry this took so long. Drizella was not good for me lately.)