Ryan arrived as a black knight should, IN STYLE.

 

 

 

Ryan's arrival was preceded by a floating, black, miniature zeppelin that had an oddly shaped box suspended below it. From said box flowed music. Music that no one present had ever heard. It was none other than the theme song to James Bond.

 

Standing in a midnight-blue silk suit with black highlights, his white frill shirt with a peaked lapel and black bow-tie stood out in a room with more traditional men's outfits. The low slung, single breasted jacket had a slimming effect showing off the "V" shape of an ideal male torso. Onyx buttons added just a hint of flare to the outfit as they were glossy enough to glint as he moved. Combined with black facings, it was clear that his suit wasn't in any style anyone in the kingdom had ever seen, and yet made out of the most expensive of materials.

 

Normally Ryan didn’t care much about his appearance. He was of the opinion that a man looked best when he was a little rough around the edges. A scruffy man was a real man and Ryan was far too child-like in his appearance to be able to look manly while ‘done up’. He worried that he already was too effeminate. However, for this party, he went all out. His silvery hair sparkled and shined. His skin was flawless. He used a hint of make-up here and there to hide any exposed tattoos on his wrists and neck, as well to better define his eyes. All those cosmetics he had been developing for noble ladies worked just as well on Ryan. He might not be able to pull off rugged masculinity, but he certainly could pull off adorable.

 

If he wasn’t so short, he might be one of the most attractive bachelors in attendance.

 

Ryan calmly walked in during the slow start of the song and posed to give everyone a chance to check him out. He took a moment to smell the bright red carnation in his lapel, the only bit of color on his entire outfit. This inadvertently caused everyone present to collectively hold their breath. While Ryan picked it because he liked the color red, his carnation inadvertently matched the color of Lilith's dress. For a moment, the queen's calm demeanor had a ripple that did not go unnoticed by those around her.

 

Once again, Ryan's ignorance was having unintended consequences.

 

As soon as the trumpets started blaring, Ryan leapt. Creating a bubble of water under his black shoes, he slid down the stairs and effortlessly coasted across the area. As he passed the other partygoers, he ignored gravity and gave everyone a sweeping bow while keeping his legs straight. It was an act that defied physics just enough to disturb without being quiet clear in what was wrong with what you were observing. He came to a stop at the risers where the band had set up. He hopped off the bubble of water and greeted the conductor by shaking his hand and clasping him on the upper arm.

 

The queen blinked as she refused to believe that what was happening was actually taking place. Many guests started looking at one another in confusion as a couple of the band members got up and went off stage. Ryan took out a flask and chugged it before tossing it off the side. By this time the song had finished and the zeppelin had caught up with Ryan.

 

Two of the musicians presented a cello and a violin to Ryan. At the same time, two full sized, misty duplicates of Ryan bubbled into existence and took the offered instruments. The trick was to use a thin layer of water to levitate the instruments while the mist was just for show. It certainly looked like he had turned into triplets, even if two of them were ice-white albinos.

 

All three turned to face the crowd that was beginning to gather close. The crowd seemed hopeful it was about to bear witness to something amusing, and possibly scandalous. The three gave the crowd a bow. Ryan spun around and took his place at the piano while his doppelgängers sat down in their own chairs, ready to play.

 

You could have heard a pin drop.

 

Queen Igraine slowly walked to the front and glared at Ryan. Ryan looked at the queen and bowed his head with a smirk, "Greetings my queen." He raised his head slightly to look at her with laughing eyes, "My word! One might think you were-" He rammed his fingers down on the piano to play a major chord.

 

"Thunderstruck."

 

---

 

For the next half hour Ryan treated the guests to an assortment of orchestral versions of songs from Earth. He didn't sing any words because he knew they wouldn't translate well, but the music itself, as far as the audience was concerned, was certainly novel. They had never heard anything like it, nor had they ever seen anyone play a trio by themselves. For Ryan it was simple. His gift from the All-father of perfect recall simply required him to watch someone else play it, then he could 'pre-program' the music in his head. For everyone else it was a brilliant live performance, but for Ryan it was just a recording.

 

It blew everyone's mind.

 

As he wound down to the last song, he finally dismissed his watery companions and rolled his fingers along the keys. There was light applause as he spoke to the crowd. His flying speaker amplified his words to carry them across the garden, "Thank you! Thank you! You've been a wonderful crowd! I'd love to take you home with me, but I took home the last crowd and there's no more room."

 

This caused scattered laughter that the queen and Lilith felt compelled to echo. Like it or not, Ryan was running roughshod over everything they had planned for the party. They were thus forced to pretend it was all part of the plan. Still, the guests were enjoying themselves, so at least this wasn't a disaster... yet.

 

"And a special thanks to the royal orchestra, especially Eighty Eight Fingers!" Ryan jogged his head at the pianist who had been waiting nearby, "A special thanks for allowing me the use of his ivory! Everyone, give it up for Eighty Eight!" The crowd applauded as the musician took a bow. Ryan rolled his fingers across the keys one more time, "And now, for my final song, I'd like to dedicate this one, to someone special." Ryan pointedly refused to look out to the audience, "You know who you are. I hope you enjoy this song which I made..." His fingers flew across the keys in an ascending roll.

 

"Just for you."

 

Lilith blushed furiously as a wide number of eyes turned to look at her. She forced herself to smile and hide behind her fan. She was expecting a sappy love song. What happened next was totally unexpected as Ryan's music morphed into a slow and rather depressing song.

 

---

 

How you doin'? How you been? How's the weather?

Doin' fine. Never been any better.

Is what he said because he had to say it.

No one knows that he had to fake it.

 

One foot outside, as he stares in.

The one winged angel, born out of sin.

Half of a person with half of a name,

Half of a smile gets half of the blame.

There is only the battle and never the win.

Half honored hero, half a has-been.

 

and as he takes the stage we ask...

 

How you doin'? How you been? How's the weather?

Doin' fine. Never been any better.

Is what he says because he has to say it

No one knows that he has to fake it

 

Did she choose to be alone?

Does she have a beating heart of stone?

Half hearted, half remembered,

Half-blooded, head bowed and surrendered.

She lost her love along with her shame

Confessing the truth, will anything change?

 

And so she asks of all of us...

 

How you doin'? How you been? How's the weather?

Doin' fine. Never been any better.

Is what we say because we have to say it

Hope no one knows that we have to fake it.

 

God bless our ministry

Putting the infant in infantry

If we'd been twice half scared to death,

Would there be any of us left?

If we try hard can we make it?

I suppose we will just have to fake it.

 

No one can know.

No one can know.

No one can know.

 

---

 

With one final chord that echoed on and faded out, Ryan quietly closed the piano and stood up. He gave a silent bow and was about to leave the stage when there was a single hand clap, then another, and another. Apparently his song had struck quite close to home for the audience and many were energetically applauding.

 

Ryan looked a little shocked at the response, but took it in stride, bowing for the audience repeatedly while waving. The conductor walked over to mirror the handshake and arm grab that Ryan had given him at the start. Ryan up until this point had been cocky and arrogant, but now seemed like he was squirming under all this positive attention. Eventually he fled the spotlight and moved away from the crowd while the conductor announced there would be a ten minute break while the band got ready.

 

 

While all of the attention was on Ryan, Lilith and the queen moved next to each other and began a conversation.