Lost in Eros
Book I: The Manor
The Masquerade, Part I
Tascha was feeling more relaxed about life in the Manor. Somehow, knowing that life here was relatively safe and stable translated into feeling more comfortable with going with the flow. There was also the fact that time was somehow not in sync with their normal world, which meant, Tascha thought, that it didn't really make a lot of sense to worry about how long they were gone. Perhaps she would return to Sarah only minutes after she left, or maybe a hundred years had already passed. This last thought was sad, but there wasn't anything to be done about it right now. She and Don would find a way back if there was one, but for tonight she could relax and enjoy the masquerade party.
Amy, Jamie, Shelonda, and then Ilsa, Natalia and Keiko, helped Tascha and Nicole find costumes. However, Tascha needed less help than before, since, once she had an idea of what she wanted to wear, it became very easy to find appropriate elements for the costume in the immense wardrobe.
As she was adjusting her hat, Ilsa came up to her and said, "Ah, but you must have a mask. Everyone has to wear a mask."
"Why?"
"That's what makes this a 'masquerade' and not just a costume party," Ilsa said with a smile. "The rule tonight is that no one takes off their mask, at least while they're in the ballroom. It's fun to guess who people are. Oh, and, although you can play with anyone, if someone guesses your name, you're supposed to stop whatever you're doing and play with them."
"But, everyone I know is here," Tascha said, disappointed that she wouldn't be able to play this last game very well.
"Well, then you won't have to guess, and we'll have to go with you if you whisper our name in our ear," Ilsa smiled.
"Oh!" Tascha grinned. "I like that. Where are the masks?"
When everyone was done Tascha took stock of the other women's costumes. Ilsa was wearing a sheer, powder blue robe (open, of course), with a small pair of wings cleverly attached to the back, and a little halo over her head, which was kept bobbing there by the stiff wire attached to the little ring she had around her head. Natalia had the "matching" costume: cute little red horns poking out of her auburn hair, which she wore down this evening, flowing over her naked shoulders, a long red tail attached to a black garter belt, red stockings, and very sexy stiletto heels. Keiko was wearing a naughty school-girl costume, complete with plaid skirt, buttoned white shirt, short white socks and patent-leather shoes, and had pulled her black hair into pig tails. Marissa, who Tascha hadn't seen since returning to the wardrobe, was wearing a long black dress with a plunging neckline, a black leather corset, dark eye shadow, and blood red lipstick, and was the sexiest vampire since Elvira.
Jamie was dressed as a pirate wench. Amy had found a surprisingly flexible "armored" top, which pushed her breasts up in a distracting way, and a pleated skirt to go with her warrior sandals, shin guards and arm bands, to complete a very nice warrior woman look. Shelonda was a cute and not at all frightening witch, including a tall, pointed black hat. Finally, Nicole had put together a very good Alice in Wonderland costume, complete with blonde wig. "It seemed appropriate," Nicole laughed. Tascha agreed, even though they were the only two who got the joke. Everyone was wearing appropriate masks -- most quite small and color coordinated, but Marissa's dark red one had extra large eye holes, Natalia's had flame-like points along the top, and Amy's was a shiny bronze and covered much more of her face, though, of course, it left her mouth free.
When they were all happy with their costumes, they went out into the waiting room, where they met the men. The Player wore a sumptuous royal robe, a crown and nothing else. Peter had on a cowboy hat, a vest, and pair of chaps. Igor wore only a Viking helmet with horns. Don was wearing a colorful jester's hat, a matching top, with puffy sleeves and wild coloring, that hung down below his belt far enough to hide his privates (for the moment), and bright red shoes with toes that curled up into points.
"Wow," Tascha laughed, "this is quite a coincidence!"
Don gaped at her and said, "I'd say it's too much of a coincidence."
"What? Don't you like my costume?" Tascha was wearing a harlequin costume much like Don's, except that hers was covered in black and white diamond shapes, had sleeves that fit her slender arms snugly, and had a plunging neckline and was backless.
"Oh, no," Don said, "I like it very much. It's just well... I picked this costume because of a dream I had, about you, the night before we woke up here, and in the dream you were wearing a black and white harlequin costume."
Tascha frowned, "You're right, that is very weird. What do you think it means?"
"I have no idea," Don said. He seemed more disturbed by this than any of the other things that had happened in their time in the Manor.
While they had been talking, the Player, or, as he was styling himself this evening, "His Royal Majesty," had led the whole party out to the spiral staircase and down to the ballroom. The massive hall was much as it had been for the ball several nights ago, but now it was even more crowded, with a wide assortment of costumed characters. Music was playing, and people were dancing, but there didn't seem to be the organized ritual of a particular dance going on, or anything else on the order of a systematic matching game.
Like before, Tascha and Don started with a bite to eat and some water. Shelonda and Nicole followed along. Tascha watched Don with interest. He seemed preoccupied. Finally, as he tossed a banana peel into the waste bin, he said, "I think I know how to find the way out of here."
"What?" Tascha asked surprised. "How?"
Don smiled and said, "I'm not sure, and I'd rather just try it and see, if you don't mind. But there's no point in leaving at night, is there? I mean, we've got a safe, warm place to spend the night and are all dressed up, right?"
Tascha nodded, "That makes sense."
