A Game of Lies || Roderich

[Elizaveta Héderváry]

INFINITY (n.) the state of being limitless Parties. Elizaveta hated parties. This thought seemed to resonate in her mind as she adjusted her midnight blue dress for the last time in the mirror and tucked a dark blue flower into her hair. Perhaps if she hadn't been basically forced to attend, Elizaveta wouldn't have minded as much. There were nice parts about parties. The food, the drinks, the ornaments, the music. The music was usually good. Elizaveta loved to dance. The people and company though? Terrible. And the fact that Elizaveta had to pretend to be nice and kind to people who only cared about using her? She wasn't excited about having to play that role. She could be kind normally, but with her job and everything, Elizaveta didn't exactly specialize in it. Once, in Hungary, Elizaveta had been to a real party. A real party, by which she meant an uninhibited one, where people danced freely, talked freely, loved freely. The thought made her chest ache. How she longed for that sort of freedom. Elizaveta walked into the party, waving and greeting people that she'd met from time to time. She remembered their names only so that she could actually pretend to care about them. She laughed a little at something one of the female politicians said and Elizaveta chatted with them a little before excusing herself. She lifted a glass of champagne off a server's tray and began to scan the party. When her mother had phoned her, informing her that her presence at the next party was required, Elizaveta had attempted to squirm out of it. Naturally though, her mother wouldn't take no for an answer. She was the Governor after all, and Elizaveta was her daughter, not to mention the Head Guard. She had never realized how that position could be so political when she'd first been offered the job. It was too late for regrets though. However, an important announcement was to be made, which almost certainly meant that one certain person would be there. Elizaveta had met him several times before during parties or with her mother. He was the legal advisor to the Governor after all. Maybe even more than that, Elizaveta never really knew with her mother. And she didn't really think too highly of the other politicians. Most of them would do anything for success. Roderich Edelstein was not exactly an exception that rule. Certainly, Elizaveta had seen the ambition in his eyes. But he didn't quite conform to it either. Really, Roderich Edelstein was somewhat of an enigma. They weren't friendly, necessarily, but they weren't complete strangers either. Roderich had been the one to secure Elizaveta's current job for her, and though now she found herself rather disillusioned with the paperwork and the scandals, at least she was away from her mother. For that, she was grateful. Elizaveta didn't trust him, exactly. Roderich didn't strike Elizaveta immediately as the sort of person she typically considered to be ruthless and power hungry, but he was so high up and Elizaveta's view of politicians were skewed. Even she admitted that. And Roderich was a politician, through and through. Which probably meant that he wouldn't be the easiest to get information from. But he was also basically her mother's right hand man. And Elizaveta wanted information. The Governor kept many secrets, even from her own daughter. Though perhaps that was for good reason. Elizaveta was not the ambitious politician that her mother had dreamed of. Nor was she the obedient girl who would marry herself off to the finest suitor (though her mother tried). She was a rebel in the worst kind of way, less so than in her late teenage years, but still, she remained. Elizaveta remembered her mother's lessons though. For a while, she had adhered to them, had tried to be the daughter her mother wanted. Honestly, if Elizaveta had never found out about her mother's past, she might have become that very girl. In her heart of hearts, she knew she probably still could be. But that wasn't what she wanted from life. This was why she was seeking out Roderich Edelstein. Elizaveta, despite her disregard for these events, knew how to make allies. Roderich, however, had never been a target for her, perhaps out of respect for his help in her job, perhaps because he tended to be less sociable and outspoken than the rest. But Elizaveta needed his critical eye. She wanted information she could use against her mother, to whisk her away from here. Would she get it today? No, perhaps not. But Elizaveta could wait. She could be patient. Like her mother, she could flirt, could manipulate, could lie her way to success. The only difference was how the two of them defined success. She socialized for a bit, flitting in and out, greeting all the men and women that helped shape "the future of Archadia." It was an easy game to play, one she was all too familiar with. And when she had spent enough time that it would not seem odd, Elizaveta made her way over to Roderich with a smile. "Hello, Roderich," she said, smiling brightly at him. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Mind if I join you?"

words 870 tags #Roderich Edelstein notes And...it's been resurrected! Not 100% sure where Liz and Rod's relationship stands...I'm kinda assuming that they're more acquaintances than friends, but have spoken more than we had them before.

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[Roderich Edelstein]

A most dishonest waltz On any different occasion, Roderich would be in his element. A black-tie event like this, full of the elite of Archadia, the so-called ‘movers and shakers’, was most certainly where he aspired to be all those years pouring over law textbooks. He’d even enjoyed these events generally, but not tonight. Tonight all he could feel was utter disdain for those around him and, more importantly, himself. The jackals had come out in full force, draped in finery that cost the average citizen’s yearly salary, cordially regarding each other like wolves fighting over a scrap of meat. Their smiles were fake, forced, and while that was usually the case anyway, Roderich knew better as to the real reason their smiles were false. Roderich knew why better than anyone else. A letter, hand-written and delivered to him privately burned itself in his pocket, reminding him of his task, the real reason he was here (besides the announcement the Governor was sure to make). A task he’d be given, a most unfortunate one but one that he had no choice in obeying. His eyes could sweep the room right now and pluck out several people, who like him, had fought their way up the ladder. But he’d been given a hand up it, managed to push several people back down as he went up, and now, enjoy his brief moment at the top of the mountain, was so sorely reminded of how much he owed to someone to be allowed here. But even that letter wasn’t solely behind the foul taste in his mouth, that taste which made the wine sour and the hors d’oeuvres inedible. Roderich felt like Icarus, managing to overcome the sun’s heat and fly into the sky only to realize the gods had fire, too. He felt like he built Babel only to be notified of the demolition date just right after. And everyone here most likely felt it too. It had been a wild past few months since the breakout, scandal after scandal, none so much as bad as the most recent one, the one they tried to keep the quietest. The same scandal weighing heavily in his pocket. He could still hardly believe it, in all honesty, despite the letter and knowing for certain. Just thinking of it and what was expected of him – the foul taste in his mouth reminded him suspiciously of bile. And that’s why he was standoffish tonight. Normally he’d be dancing the game as the best of them, flitting from group to group, hoping to catch some information, some favor that would be beneficial to him. But there was so little will too do that when he woke up this morning glancing at the news on his phone and wondering if his days, and Archadia’s, were numbered. No. He looked at the Governor, wrapped up in conversation. He wouldn’t allow it to crumble, no matter what. He’d overcome the threats hanging over him and the social order of their region. And he’d start with making sure the contents of the letter were fulfilled. Now where was she – there! He handed his glass to a waiter and made to disappear into a crowd of merry people, blending in and yet keeping sight of her. Roderich barely needed to bother, as their eyes met and she came over, smiling brightly up at him. "Hello Roderich, do you mind if I join you?" Elizaveta Héderváry was a curiosity to him. The past few years serving under her mother had definitely enabled him to hear some more unsavory things about her, as told by her rather acerbic mother. His interactions had been brief, light, with the exception of being directly responsible for her current occupation – a very neat idea of his, he had thought at the time. Plug one scandal with the Governor’s daughter, save his boss a bored and potentially rebellious headache, and get some order in that Underground. But the man didn’t know her on a personal level. Their conversations since he’d nominated for Head Guard had been fairly professional, regarding business and, of course, the aftermath of what had been going on. And Roderich thought himself too smart to try and pander or gain favor with the Governor using her daughter, not when he personally understood there were strains in that relationships. So why then was she seeking him out? When it was her favor he needed? She was quite pretty, though his informants at the Underground told him that the Head Guard ran a tight ship and was highly respected by her workers. Like mother, like daughter, Roderich supposed. You could say many things about the Governor but one of them was that she commanded both fear and respect. The interesting thing was that she didn’t look it in the slightest. Not that she looked fragile, no, but there was a natural sweetness to her face that Roderich had a little trouble coinciding the stories of her strength with the woman before him. It was almost…intimidating. He bowed his head to her, offering an open palm to take her hand and adopting a sweeter tone to his voice. "Why, Fraulein Héderváry, you look absolutely radiant tonight. You may join me of course; do you wish to talk or dance?" With how clearly he could feel the letter in his pocket on his mind, Roderich resigned himself to the role of sycophant – a role he knew all too well. 904 Elizaveta Héderváry this is terrible

CODED BY MIDDY OF GS

[Elizaveta Héderváry]

INFINITY (n.) the state of being limitless Elizaveta surveyed Roderich carefully. A neatly pressed suit and tie, perfect really. Roderich was the epitome of prim and proper. Not a hair out of place. So carefully groomed. Roderich clearly was a man who cared about his appearance, just like every person here. Even Elizaveta, with her disdain for such political socialization, cared about how she presented herself. If you couldn't beat them, join them, and then twist them until they worked for you. It sounded far too much like her mother's philosophy, a thought that made Elizaveta uneasy. She refused to be like her mother in that regard. Yet manipulation was not difficult, and it was so effective in producing results. Perhaps that was why her mother had fallen so deeply into its trap. No. That could not be the only reason. People did not simply change. Her mother had been born this way, with ambition running through her veins. It had ruined her, corrupted her, and manipulation had simply become a tool in her hands. Roderich, like all the other people in this room, was certainly ambitious. He was her mother's right hand man. So perhaps it was odd that Elizaveta had rarely ever approached him before tonight. He should have been the first person Elizaveta went to, for if her mother had anything worth exploiting, Roderich likely knew it. Yet, Elizaveta had always kept her distance. Roderich was somewhat of an anomaly. She would never have pinned him as a politician. Though he could be as charismatic as the next, it did not seem to come as naturally to him as it did others. Not to mention, she felt as if Roderich must be cruel in some way, to be so close to her mother. Yet she did not sense anything malicious from him, and that was curious to her. Curious, and it made her wary. Those who were arrogant were much less dangerous than those who seemed genuine. Roderich was not particularly masculine. Not that that was a bad thing. There were plenty of masculine men to go around, and most of them were complete douchebags. He was sort of cute in a way, a prissy and high society sort of cute. Perhaps this could be fun. The man bowed his head before offering his hand, which Elizaveta easily accepted. What a gentleman. It seemed so oddly old-fashioned, and Elizaveta heard that in his words as well. In Eliza's younger and more naïve days, she would have accepted it at face value. Yet now, it was easy to see beyond the flattery. Everyone wanted something from Elizaveta, and Roderich was certainly no different. Though perhaps he was simply making small talk, because Elizaveta could not fathom anything Roderich would want from her. He had her mother's ear in a way that Elizaveta did not, and he was a powerful man at such a young age. There was little that Elizaveta could achieve that Roderich could not. Elizaveta couldn't help but wonder if Roderich had slept with her mother, and if that was why the governor fancied him so much. They were both ambitious after all, and Roderich had a pretty face. It would not have been the first time that her mother had slept with an advisor of hers, and Elizaveta doubted it would be the last. Elizaveta smiled, setting her glass of champagne on a passing waiter's tray. “Why not both?” she asked. “Seems like a waste to simply stand around when we could be enjoying the music. I could use some company, and you'll do just fine.” Elizaveta did not lead him onto the dance floor immediately, though she could have. People liked feeling as if they were in control of a situation, as if they had the upper hand. Which was why Elizaveta always played the sweet daughter of the Governor at these events. She was never naïve, and she did not act like a child (though there were some patrons who had drunkenly told her they wish she did), but she kept her manipulation and true goals far from the surface. It wouldn't do to have her mother hear of her actions after all. Who knew what the woman would do...probably have her locked away forever. She refocused her attention on Roderich. There was something about him. A determination in his eyes, a resolution. A man on a mission, though what mission, Elizaveta did not know. She was curious enough to find out though. What made Roderich tick, what motivated him... If Elizaveta could figure that out, then this would be a very productive evening.

words 764 tags #Roderich Edelstein notes bleghhhh sorry this took so long

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