SHE SHOULD BE AT HOME WITH THE CHILDREN, but thanks to a long story that involves a thieving child and missing necklace, ariana had no choice but to beg the cook to watch the kids long enough for her to run something to her mistress. her eyes were green with envy as she watched the beautiful ladies and gentlemen disappear into the palace gardens while she swung around the servant's quarters, passing off the necklace off to one of the maids that would give it to her mistress. the party isn't terribly far from the manor she works at, nothing a brisk walk couldn't fix, but ariana only realizes on the way back how dark the night has gottenโand bugger, she should've convinced one of the butlers to do it instead. her assumption is proven correct when two men from the party approach her, having drank clearly more than they can handle, despite the night still being young. it's not the first batch of inappropriate lords she's had to deal with in her lifetime ( nor will it be her last ) , but her tongue feels like putty in her mouth as she tries to rattle off some excuse about having to get back to her job.
thankfully some man shows up before they can start getting grabby, scaring them away. ariana's not really sure if one man is much better than twoโespecially when this one seems far more physical, literally shoving them awayโbut she likes to pride herself on being a good judge of character, and the moment her eyes meet his ari feels a shift in the atmosphere. there's no denying there's something dangerous lurking behind those dark eyes, but it's not her who has to worry. she'd agree with him if she wasn't so shaken up, by the men previously and now this new one, who seems intent on giving her a lecture despite being six-and-twenty and a complete stranger to him. even worse is she knows he's right. " the streets are usually very quiet during palace events, " she tries to defend herself anyway, finally regaining her confidence back as she stands up straighter. ari hesitates for a moment, before adding, " but thank you. that was... far more persuasive than i suppose i could be. " because if there's one thing men respond to, it's a strong grip, not a woman. her eyes linger on his clothes for a second, trying to size him up. " my apologies if i distracted you from your work, sir. " she can't place what exactly he's doing here, but ariana knows her own kind when she sees it.
alonzo remains silent for a beat as she gives her reasoning, features pinched in contemplation.ย with nothing obstructing his sight of her, alonzo can understand why the men swarmed to her like moths to a flame. the woman standing before him is quite beautiful. so much so that instead of dulling her elegance, the dim lighting of the moon only served to compliment her features, giving her dark locks a blueish tint and her doe eyes a gentle glow.ย alonzo doesnโt regret driving those drunkards away but he certainly curses the skies for not having encountered her first. then he could have attempted to woo her with a clear conscious. instead, he now has to resort to nagging the poor woman.ย โquiet nights are just as dangerous. if not more so.โ
amusement flickers in his gaze then as she straightens her posture. he crosses his arms across his chest, leaning back to get a better look at her as if to size her up. โoh, iโm certain you could have handled them. โ thereโs a smile there as he says that, โso maybe i should be thanking you. surely this โplay the heroโ bit has earned me some good fortune for the days to come.โ as if saving a young maiden in distress is enough to absolve some of his former sins. โso in the spirit of tipping the karmic scale further in my favor, i would ask that you allow me to walk you back to your residence.โ and in hopes of not sounding too familiar to the men before, he adds, โor at least to the main road, where the lighting isnโt so medieval. you never know what creatures may be lurking in the dark. best to proceed with caution, wouldn't you agree miss โฆ?โ he lets that hang in the air for a moment, so that she may say her name and or correct the โmissโ part. โas for my work, i doubt they would truly miss me if i were to depart for a few moments. iโm almost certain they forgot why they hired me in the first place.โ
even for a man with no proper education, it was easy to figure out why security was so tight that they felt the need to hire outside help for the event.ย alonzo had heard mention of a lord who was rumored to be an undercover assassin attending the garden party tonight but as far as he was concerned, the notion that any of these lords or ladies would have the capability of doing anything else aside from dancing and eating their fill of overpriced pastries was more laughable than an actual threat.ย alas, the only question alonzo ever finds worthy of asking when taking a job is โhow much?โ so if his keeping an eye on a specific lord is to be his priority for the evening, the hire arm is more than happy to oblige โ nothing like getting paid for doing practically nothing.ย
so he does just that, clinging close to the shadows and away from the bustling crowd all the while monitoring this so-called assassin. as expected, the gentleman doesnโt seem set on making any sort of murderous moves this evening. what alonzo doesnโt expect, however, is for him to actually recognize the lord to be a former acquaintance of hisโฆ lord nadir gulse. now with an added interest, alonzo keeps a close eye on the lord, only deciding to approach him from behind once he strays away to a more secluded section of the party. the snort that escapes him is one of amusement, far too rambunctious not to catch the lordโs attention.ย โmy, my look at what the shore dragged in.โ if nadir turns around, he would find alonzo leaning against a pillar, arms crossed over his chest and wearing his classic, shit-eating grin. โif memory serves me correctly, last i saw you we had just docked in spain. how did we separate again?โ alonzo canโt remember if it was because of a job gone wrong or because one of them couldnโt hold their liquor or their fists back at one of the underground clubs. maybe both?ย
nadir is no stranger of eyes on him. studying, judging, admiring โ has it not been forever that eyes became just eyes for him? but one pair has been following him for enough time tonight and he still cannot seem to figure out what for. perhaps a dance? it wouldn't be the first time, least of all in a ball of this grandeur. it wouldn't hurt to indulge, he supposes. what is tonight for if not for indulgence, after all?
he turns, gaze meeting those pair of eyes. one step, two steps, three. it's enough that his fingers would graze the fabric of her skirt if he reaches out. isn't that just the perfect distance? he holds out his hand. "a dance, my lady?" he asks, and it is exactly thatโa curious question more than it is polite courtesy.
soraya is distracted. has been all night really, thanks to a new bachelor having caught her eye almost immediately โ but not for orthodox reasons. discretion is a practice soraya is well acquainted with so by all means she should know better than to allow her gaze to linger on the man for as long as it has but curiosity ( and perhaps wariness ) had taken precedence and now that he has noticedโฆ sheโs paying the price for it. her breath hitches quietly when he begins to close the distance between them and she finds herself looking away for a split moment to steel herself before allowing her eyes to meet his once more, now standing directly in front of her. however, instead of a greeting or a knife, she is met with a question. one that serves as a reminder of where they are, the event they are currently attendingโฆ and how improper it would be for her to decline. even if the manner in which he asks is less than formal, she responds with a practiced smile.ย โof course.โ itโs uncustomary on her part to not bow her head as she says this but the gentleman is standing so close to her, soraya worries her cheeks might flush if she becomes too aware of the proximity.ย
ย a delicate hand reaches out to place over his, the fine satin of her gloves smoothing over his open palm. โlord gulse, is it?โ albeit a little cautious, she allows him to take the lead, following him towards the dance floor.ย โyour reputation certainly precedes you. stories of your grand ventures out at sea have been quite the topic of conversation since your arrival.โ and soraya is determined to find out if they are all true, particularly, the rumors of his undercover work. โmay i ask, what do we owe the pleasure of you joining us this season?"
Jung wasn't rushing. According to his mother, it was undignified and suggested that he was not in control of the manner in which another prioritized their time. Also, it messed up his hair. So, not rushing, but proceeding rapidly through the department store, such that he did not miss the scheduled shift of the only jewelry counter attendant he had not yet... come to know biblically.
"What do we think?" He held the necklace they had put away for him up to the light. In truth, it looked the same as all the other necklaces in the display windows. "Does this say 'sorry, I missed your opening night at Drury Lane because I was teaching my niece to gamble?'"
โlord jung.โ she bends her knees slightly, bowing her head as any polite lady of her standing is expected to do. there's a glimmer of amusement in her dark as he presents his question, however. so much so that soraya canโtย help but ask, โdo you make it a habit of wrapping your apologies in pretty gifts, my lord?โ itโs not a bad one to have by any means, she thinks. as her parents might say, there is little a grand gesture or a fine luxury canโt fix. the lady leans in slightly, sight lingering on the jewels of the necklace as if to genuinely inspect it. a beat or two passes before her gaze flutters up to meet his, lips curved into a pleasant smile. โthe necklace is lovely. this cut in particular seems to be the trend these days.โ that is her nice way of saying it looked just like all the other necklaces in the shop, but maybe that is what he is going for.ย ย
โsometimes it is not about the gift but rather the sentiment behind it. are you truly sorry you missed the opening?โ a dark eyebrow raises inquisitively at the question,ย "and should we expect to see your niece dominating the gambling tables any time soon?"
itโs not alonzoโs habit to involve himself in business that doesnโt pertain to him, which is why he doesnโt offer much of his attention to the two gentlemen stumbling past him out of the gates. if there isnโt a coin to be won, he could care less about what drunken trouble those two get themselves into after leaving the comfort of the queen's garden party. he might have even been so inclined to rob them had he not been on security duty for the event. strangely enough, he finds comfort when they approach a woman โ a sex worker he assumes โ who might do the job for him. he looks away, so as to give the woman the space to do her work when her voice brings him to pause. it doesnโt hold the same sultry tone heโs accustomed to hearing from women of her line of work. instead, she almost soundsโฆ panicked. alonzo glances in their direction, catching a glimpse of the woman just past the menโs shoulder.ย
โmy lords.โ he calls, leaving his position by the gate to approach the trio. โit seems you have strayed away from the party. i advise you return to the garden at once, should the noble ladies start losing their heads wondering where you fine gentleman are.โ pretty words, heavily laced in sarcasm and accented with a vice grip on either of the men's shoulders. he all but shoves them back in the direction of the gate, but attempts to play it off as their stumbling being of their own accord by muttering a cautionary โbe carefulโ their way.ย it isnโt until they disappear that alonzo speaks up again. โdamned bastards. as if any woman would spare them the time of day when theyโre drooling about, pink-faced and mumbling like newborns." it's embarrassing, really. how little these lords can hold their liquor. "speaking of time.โ that's when he directs his attention to the brunette, any disdain in his features melting away into an inquisitive expression.
โare you not aware of the dangers that come with traveling alone at this hour?โ
[ medalion rahimi, she/her, cisfemale ] โ was that SORAYA DAVANI? The TWENTY SIX year old is the LADY, how exciting to see them this season! rumors have it they are CUNNING and TALENTED, but iโve heard they are JUDGMENTAL and DECEITFUL as well โ maybe thatโs why theyโve been called the PRODIGY. I have even heard that SHE MAY HAVE HAD A HAND IN HER TWIN BROTHERโS SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE โ only time will tell.ย
thereโs not much to say about sorayaโs background.ย mother and father joined in a mutually beneficial marriage and while there was never true love between them, there was respect and perhaps most importantly, there was MONEY. the davaniโs have never been very active in social circles, usually preferring for everyone to associate them with their abundant wealth rather than their personality or achievements.
thereโs nothing a stupid amount of coin can't fix โ that's the attitude they implemented on their children, with the youngest of the two armin, being the most receptive to it.ย soraya on the other hand, always knew the importance of participating in such events. being rich is nice and all, but having allies matters just as much.ย
soraya was born five minutes before her brother armin was. itโs not a big difference but it was clear that she was the older of the two by how she always seemed to follow closely behind her younger siblingโs trail of destruction, patching up whatever she could along the way.ย
an ongoing joke between the family was that soraya was brought to this world to clean up after arminโs messes. a joke that absolutely infuriated her, mind you. she hated how it always feel onto her to get armin out of every spat and scandal he found himself or risk their family's reputation.
it was no secret among noble society that soraya was much better suited to be the head of the household. she was the older one, the one who handled all the finances, the one who knew how to navigate through social circles. but alas, customs are customs and it didnโt matter how intelligent or how talented soraya was โ she wasnโt a man and therefore could never be the head of the family. untilโฆ
๐ซ RUMOR HAS IT
the night before arminโs disappearance it is reported that he had approached his sister to beg for her assistance on a grave matter, one that seemed to have him on edge, but soraya had refused to help him. the result was a nasty argument between the two siblings before armin stormed out of the house.ย that was a couple of months ago and armin has yet to show up again.
nobody is uncouth enough to say it outright, but it is awfully convenient that arminโs disappearance means that soraya is now the sole heir of her familyโs fortune. so did she have a hand in his disappearance? maybe, but not a direct one. soraya has no idea what actually happened to her brother, just that he had gotten mixed with some unsavory sorts.
๐ซ PERSONALITY
to noble society, soraya is nothing sort of enchanting. an intelligent girl, easy to get along with and even easier to pity after the poor tragedy her family is going through.
a master at making people feel good. knows when to stroke an ego and when to uplift an insecurity.ย
soraya portrays herself to be kind, charitable, and an all around lovely woman.
that isnโt to say that she is above twisting the truth or planting rumors to get what she wants though. sheโs just real tactical and lowkey about it.ย
ambition is the key word for her. angelica schuyler vc: never satisfied
the important thing to note about soraya is that she wants you to like her. firmly believes that a womanโs best asset is her allies.
๐ซ PLOTS
chamomile โ a confidant, someone who soraya can trust. maybe someone who has darker connections and can help soraya find out what happened with her brother,
earl gray โ on the flip side, someone who was closer to armin than soraya and who believes soraya was responsible for arminโs disappearance. even if they canโt prove it, thereโs a clear disdain between the two.
chai โ a courtship gone wrong! maybe the courtship ended after her brotherโs disappearance.ย more than happy to make soraya the bad guy lol but we can totally plot something out
jasmine โ girl gang! besties who go to museums together! and have afternoon tea parties! and gossip!ย
hibiscus โ a lady or a maid who she may be especially close to. her best friend if you know what i mean ๐
IN SUMMARY : charismatic and rich, soraya has been given everything in life except for her familyโs respect. now officially the sole heir, her goal is to mend her familyโs reputation after her missing brother almost burned it to the ground. all the while still trying to find out what exactly happened to him.
inspired by โ blair waldorf ( gossip girl ), margaery tyrell ( game of thrones ), shiv roy ( sucession ) , tahani al-jamil ( the good place ), lady macbeth ( macbeth )
[ luke pasqualino, he/him , cismale ] โ was that ALONZO DE LUCA? the TWENTY EIGHT year old is a HIRE ARM / BODYGUARD, how exciting to see them this season! rumors have it they are COURAGEOUS and JOCULAR, but iโve heard they are SELF-SERVING and MERCILESS as well โ maybe thatโs why theyโve been called the OPPORTUNIST . I have even heard that HE USED TO BE IN A NOTORIOUS GANG OF MERCENARIESย โonly time will tell.
THREADS | MIRROR | MUSINGS | WC | PINTEREST
gonna try to keep it somewhat short for my sake lol refer to the bottom for a summary <3
๐ก๏ธ BASICSย
nicknamesย โ lonnie, onzo
mbtiย โ istp
zodiac โ ariesย
sexuality โ pansexual
d.o.bย โ april 3rdย
p.o.bย โ some whorehouse in italy
๐ก๏ธ FAMILY
father : unknownย ย
mother : giana de luca ( deceased )ย ย
siblings : domenico de luca ( younger brotherย // deceased ),ย allegra de luca ( younger sister )
๐ก๏ธ STORY
its not often that someone grows up and chooses to become a mercenary. that line of work tends to come from having no other option at all and for alonzo that was very much the case. his mother was a sex worker, father was absent. that didnโt leave alonzo or his siblings with many options for their future.ย
he wasnโt smart enough to become a scholar, wasnโt noble enough to become a soldier, wasnโt talented enough to become a creative. the one thing that alonzo was good atโฆ was fighting.ย
taught himself, actually. from fists to sticks to actual blades. thatโs the thing about not having a fancy tutor โ all the skills he gained came from real-life or death situations.
he and his brother were in their teens when they left home, off to find less-than-desirable ways to make money. thatโs where his rumor comes in.ย
alonzo made his way to britain for a fresh start a few years ago. the only contact he has is his sister. thankfully she was the one de luca sibling to have any actual brains, so instead of committing to a hard life of crime and murder with her siblings she decided to use her pretty looks to marry a wealthy merchant. alonzo and allegra still communicate via letters.
๐ก๏ธ RUMOR HAS IT
anyone looking for intel on him would come to find out just how dirty his past is. that mercenary group he ran with did everything from mugging to assassinations. he only quit that lifestyle when his younger brother got caught up in a complication and ended up losing his life because of it.
๐ก๏ธ PERSONALITY
a smug son of a bitch โ knows that heโs good at what he does. and heโs pretty? how could he not have an ego lol.
not a man of honor and he doesnโt pretend to be. what alonzo lacks in manners he more than makes up in prowess. actions speak louder than words.
that doesn't mean he isn't able to talk his way out of situations if need be. now that he's working with upper society instead of against them, alonzo knows the importance of being 'agreeable' enough
doesnโt believe in doing things out of the kindness of his heart. always has to have some sort of motive, the most common one being money lol. want to order him around? you better throw some coins his way.
he isnโt the type to go out of his way to stir shit either though. heโs way past his petty thievery and crime-committing ways. instead of robbing a noble blind, now he just has to promise to protect them.ย
a man ( derogatory ) so he says and thinks some out-of-pocket shit.
streets smart not books smart. doesnโt know how to read or appreciate the fine arts.ย
loves to whore around when he isnโt on duty lol
๐ก๏ธ PLOTS
goldย โ his current employer! would love for this to become a best friend type of deal! that the two speak very candidly with one another behind closed doors. maybe they even give him a lil training on how to speak to high society lol
steelย โย someone who had hired alonzo for a job before. maybe it was a one-off job, maybe it was something the employer would very much like to keep under wraps, maybe they went their separate ways after their relationship took a less professional note? something spicy !ย
ironย โ someone he offended. someone who hates his guts and thinks that he is just the most vulgar man to walk the planet.
cobalt โ working-class friends! people he feels comfortable talking shit about the upper class with. if they are business owners maybe he hangs around their establishment when he should be running errands and shit lol
titanium โ someone treat him like the lil homewrecking slag he is and put him in an affair pls and thank you
IN SUMMARY : alonzo is just a man who is very aware of where he stands in the world โ with the crooks and bastards of the ninety-nine percent. not a man of much depth, believes it's a dog-eat-dog world and only the most vicious ones make it out. has very little respect for the upper class but will do anything they ask of himโฆ for the right price.ย
inspired by โ bronn ( game of thrones ), reggie mantle ( riverdale ), noah puckerman ( glee ), ryuk ( death note ), flynn ryder ( tangled ), hector barbossa ( pirates of the caribbean )
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