Work Text:
Tara handed her invitation to the young woman at the door to the great hall. She got a nod of approval before it was handed back and she was able to enter the masquerade ball. As she entered the ballroom she adjusted her own mask one last time.
It was a large event and she was going to make the most of it. There would be many chances for her to find new potential marks. Who wouldn't even know her face thanks to the masks everyone was wearing. It was a grifters dream.
But first she needed to scope the room. There were a lot of people there and even more were still arriving. It was still early in the night after all.
She spotted a man who had a watch that said money but quickly crossed him off when he had a date appear at his side. Too much work when there were easier marks to be had. She then contemplated an older gentleman sitting alone but then also marked him off when a young couple joined him. They would be too wary of her even if he wasn't.
A few more men caught and then lost her eye for a variety of reasons. So she stopped looking at them and switched over to looking at the women. She preferred men since they were much more likely to be distracted by her attempts at seduction than women were. Which made her job all the more easy. But this time she was going to have to try and find a woman that would either be receptive or be able to be tricked in another way.
And she spotted the perfect chance nearly right away.
She was alone, which was the most important thing for her purposes. As well she looked to be about the same age as Tara which was always great. It made the seduction much easier if they were similar in age. And Tara was sure that seduction was on the table. She could see the way that the other woman was looking at both herself and the other women in the room. It was almost similar to what Tara herself was doing.
The woman had dark hair done up in a very high up do. And it was adorned with a bunch of different ornaments. It was one of the more elaborate hairstyles in the room. And it went very well with her dress. Though her dress was much simpler in style than the hairdo was. But the purple complemented her skin beautifully. Tara was almost upset that she had to use her as a mark.
Before she could approach the woman herself, the woman came over to her.
"I couldn't help but notice you from across the room" she said. "You seem to quite as taken with me as I am with you."
How could I not be? Tara told her.
the woman laughed and it was a beautiful sound. And they fell into a pattern of flirting with each other. It was much easier than Tara was used to doing. But something about it just felt right.
-
It wasn't until the next morning that they realized that they were both after the same thing. That Tara had ended up trying to con Sophie Devereaux who was trying to con her in return. But instead of getting upset, they just went their own ways. Ready and willing to meet again another time. And not just to work together.