[Private] The Vixen's Secret

Ivory was well aware the venue may have allowed her to wear a cocktail dress for entry, but... frankly Ivory knew well enough that Evelyn would not do the bare minimum. Thus, neither would she. 

Instead, Ivory slipped into a deep silver gown, gave herself a killer smoky eye, and did up her hair in an elegant bun. Accessories were minimal at best, the dress' design was busy enough without such distractions. Thus, only a pair of silver tear drop earrings and a silver bracelet were all she used to complete the look. 

Spying Evelyn at the entrance, Ivory would pause. Taking her in with a long glance, Ivory would let out a sigh in relief. 

"Simply stunning," she said, complimenting the Avowed with a sweet smile and warm voice.

At the gift, Ivory looked astounded and... slightly guilty. Certainly, she had already sent Evelyn a gift in the form of the flapper statue, but, even though, she was kicking herself for neglecting to bring another.

"This is absolutely beautiful," she said, her tone grateful and quiet, "Thank you... Did your gift arrive alright? Perhaps, I should have delivered it in person."

Light laughter followed in tandem with Evelyn's as pleasant memories played in her mind.

"How could I forget? We were fighting daylight as I recall," she reminisced, "I'm surprised you were able to nab something! A shame I wasn't as thorough."

It was a good memory. A memorable holiday with the three of them - and a rare incident for Arthur to steer away from something daring. Perhaps it was the current or the unknowns that could have dwelt beneath the surface. Like crocodiles or snakes.

With the table reached, Ivory took her seat, settling in as he gaze looked up to Evelyn, her expression one of adoration. 

Ivory leaned into the touch a soft smile hitting her lips. She missed this.

"I'm glad you liked it," Ivory cooed, a hand reaching to softly grasp Evelyn's own one she had finished her touch, "I'll spare the tale of how long it took to attain. I wanted something perfect, but seeing you now it still falls short of the mark."

The compliment was paired with a wide smile of Ivory's own, her nose slightly wrinkling with the gesture. It softened though as Anthony was mentioned.

"He's... getting older. I think he wanted space," she said, "He asked to go to New York with some friends and I didn't want to coddle him, so I let him go."

Then there's a pause.

"I gave him P-" she stopped herself, they were in public after all, no matter how separate from the guests outside of their space, "Arthur's watch. I sent it along via the mail so it could get to him in time for the holiday, but... I haven't heard anything from him yet."

"It... felt like the right time," Ivory said of gifting the heirloom, "I just hope he feels the same. And... yeah, I think you're right. But, hey, this is new to me too? I still don't really think I know what I'm doing."

Lifting her glass in time with Evelyn, she smirked. "I was suitably inspired," she said, "What else can I say?"

Soon concern lit the Pale Dragon's face, noting as she did the nervousness of her lover.

"Darling," she said, her voice low and gentle as a hand moved to squeeze one of the Vixen's, "I said what I said because I knew that I must... but I don't want you to feel forced to grant the same. If you need time or you have doubts..."

Ivory trailed off as the server arrived, ordering the steak, medium rare, though more on the rare side. The carnivore in her liked it bloody.

As they waited, she granted Evelyn a soft smile.

"I don't want you to feel forced to say anything," she concluded.

The word's came and Ivory felt the lump in her throat. 

She wouldn't have kept it from you unless...

"Ah, I see..." she said, her tone turning solemn, "I would assume he doesn't know about me? Is... is that why you didn't mention it before."

For a moment the glance shifted to the tabletop, but then Ivory breathed out and cleared her throat. The gaze returned to Evelyn proper. Her hand remained where it had been, a sign she was willing to let Evelyn speak her piece. It would let go if Evelyn had wished it, but for now the grip only weakened.

"I shouldn't have assumed," she admitted. Ivory's own sexuality was more fluid than some and she had never felt the need to question Evelyn of hers. The guilt was plain.

"I know your connected to another or perhaps more? I don't know more than that," she said, "I would like to, but before we go on I do need to know. And I'm sorry if it's abrupt or rash, but there's something that's scaring me and with all the changes that have happened I just need an answer before you explain... Is this goodbye?"

Ivory's eyes spoke of her emotional fear, she was desperate that the answer was not what her mind was currently dreaming, but the scars of deaths and abandonment had left their mark. For the dragon, they were difficult to shake.

Ivory sighed, her breathing creeping down from her own panic back into some semblance of normativity.

"Thank fuck," she whispered, her usual decorum slipping as the term signaled her relief.

"I'm sorry," she offered, apologizing yet again, "I just... it creeped in and..."

There was a pause. It didn't matter, not right now. Ivory had her damage just like everyone else.

"Please, explain it to me," she said, returning the topic back to what Evelyn had wanted to discuss - and away from her less-than-stellar mentality, "I want to understand. Truly."

Ivory listens. Her expression speaking of her deep investment. Evelyn's hand was released as Ivory's own finally moved to the forgotten cabernet that Evelyn poured.

"So you are tied to her by a tether in a sense," Ivory offered, showing her intent to understand, "but what do you mean that one leaves the path to make their way back? Is she... gone?"

Ivory's voice was not hopeful, instead it was tinged with an element of concern. She was, despite Evelyn being her only current partner, polyamorous herself. If this was someone Evelyn loved, Ivory would be a poor partner not to try and help or, at least, understand the situation.

"That," she says at the mention of dreaming, "That is something I can kind of understand. Though I imagine your tie is possessive of something more than the shattered things I have seen."

Ivory dreamt of shattered memories of Arcadia, of figures once known but forgotten from the fog of the Return, and, naturally, Pendragon. What Evelyn described seemed... hard, mournful even, but almost pleasant? Was it worse to yearn for love separated by fate or to wake from terrors you scarcely remember?