✦ sovereign

[panorama,]

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◜⋆ ＣＥＬＥＳＴＩＡ.ＲＯＮＡＬＤＩ
ｔｈｅ ｄｅｖｉｌ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｈａｄ ａ ｐｒｅｔｔｉｅｒ ｆａｃｅ
( lady of morland )xx( tagged - ivan )xx( 1316 words )
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words

words wCelestia's eyes were tired, and she felt an incessant pain in her shoulders. Taking a deep breath of air was next to impossible, given that her corset was relentlessly constricting her rib cage, and if she wasn't too cautious, the dress that adorned her figure could easily cause her to collapse under its weight. Stand up straight. Keep your chin parallel with the floor. Smile. Her mother's voice had begun to permeate through her skull, a lucid reminder of how Celestia was somehow always at fault, never doing what she was supposed to.
words wI need a drink. she thought, clenching her fists as she eyed the steps that she was somehow supposed to maneuver down. Incandescent blue irises widened as she momentarily faltered in her facade of calm and collected. How could she possibly get her body down these steps without misstepping in this god-awful anchor of a dress? What was to prevent her from misjudging where the steps lie, letting gravity bring her hurtling towards the floor?
words wThe girl desperately searched for Florence's eyes, in an attempt to share a comforting gaze, but found that her far more capable friend had already begun descending. Florence looked so beautiful, so confident, so graceful. Celestia smiled, not because she remembered that she was supposed to, but because watching Flor dazzle those who set their eyes upon her was always something that she loved. Florence had been that way for as long as Celestia could remember, so naturally congenial and enchanting. Watching as the Aurelians were so delighted in Celestia's friend almost made her forget that she too, was expected to have the same effect.
words wAs Celestia began to descend, she began to feel her feet betray her. Quickly, she corrected her balance, recovering in a manner that she hoped only a few, if any, noticed. The girl felt eyes burn into her skin, could almost hear an eruption of soft whispers among the court. Stand up straight. Keep your chin parallel with the floor. Smile. She recited this mantra, trying and failing to focus solely on her feet as they made contact with the stone steps in awkward rhythm. Celestia clenched her jaw, as if that would reverse the blooming of pink on her powdered cheeks.
words wIt would be at this time that she would want to take a deep breath, collect herself, and summon confidence so that it could mask the utter embarrassment that coursed through her. But the dress prevented the deep breath, and without that, collecting herself would remain a proposal and not an action. Her normally obnoxious confidence seemed to have taken the day off, and she almost felt as if it would be best for her to just leave now.
words wIf she were to leave, walk right back up those steps and return to where she came from, Ellamore surely wouldn't have to be any more embarrassed by Celestia than she likely already is.
words wAnd it wasn't like she was any stranger to storming out of a court, either, as she had done so on several occasions.
words wBut that was the reckless thing to do, the messy thing to do. And Celestia already promised herself that she'd make her best effort to be anything but herself tonight.
words wCelestia obediently ceased her movement once she reached the grass, and turned her face towards the top of the staircase, awaiting a brilliant shock of blonde and the most gentle eyes to ever exist.
words wEllamore was born to be a queen. She was radiant and graceful and compassionate, and everything that Celestia's parents had hoped for their daughter to be. It had always been challenging for Celestia to run around with Ellamore and come home to her parent's snide remarks of "hoping that Ellamore's manners had rubbed off on her" and "if only you could be more like Ellamore." Throughout the entirety of Celestia's young life, Ellamore had been held up to her as the perfect model. If Celestia could just be like Ellamore, all of her problems would be resolved. If anything, it was Celestia that influenced Ellamore; encouraging her to frolic in the meadows instead of study in the library, dressing down and mingling with commoners in the village instead of attending to her duties as the princess and heir of Morland. Maybe it was moreso out of curiosity, to see if this seemingly perfect girl could indulge in the same things that Celestia did, giving her hope that maybe she wasn't a lost cause after all.
words wWhatever it may be, the two seemed to have enough in common to become incredibly close friends, something that Celestia still finds herself doubting from time to time. If Cel was as misguided and dishonorable as her parents had insisted, why would Ellamore want anything to do with her? It was this question that only persuaded Celestia to cling to Ellamore; entrust her with her deepest, darkest secrets, not falter in being one step behind her wherever she may go, and always being ready to pick her up and dust her off after every encounter with an obstacle.
words wCelestia stood perfectly still, as if any slight movement would prove that she was unfit for the title she bared. She knew that's what people thought, what her parents believed. But she refused to feed into it, refused to show even the slightest sign that she believed, too. She hated when she fell into bouts of self pity; it made her feel weak, selfish, annoying. There were far worse problems to have than for people to dislike her. She was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to wear ornate dresses, never worry about hunger, feel confident that whatever the future may bring, she was going to still enjoy these luxuries. If loneliness and constant criticism was the price to pay for a comfortable life, Celestia would just have to show a brave face and deal with what may come to her.
words wCelestia let her gaze fall upon Ellamore as the young woman glided down the stairs. She couldn't help but match the infectious smile that adorned the soon-to-be-queen's painted lips, and quickly fell in place once Ellamore approached the royal family, all the while struggling to look half as graceful as the princess and her other lady.
words wGreeting those with titles far greater than her own had become second nature, only thanks to having practiced doing so time and time again. It was something Celestia excelled at, putting on her brightest, most convincing smile that emphasized I am capable of handling this. The star of the show, Cassius, seemed to be absent, along with his younger sister, not that Celestia could say she wished they were present. She was already urged time and time again to stay away from Cassius, that they wouldn't have anything in common anyway, and that she'd just make a fool of herself. But she had heard the whispers, she knew that he was cursed with having his name in other people's mouths just like she was. It only made her more eager to meet him.
words wAfter the seemingly artificial niceties were exchanged, and soft music began to caress the court once more, Celestia turned to Ivan, who now seemed to be partnerless and vulnerable. Adorning a playful smirk, the girl maneuvered towards the knight, utilizing her usual confident gait that was nowhere to be seen only moments ago. "Oh, Sir Ivan," she began, speaking as she delicately grasped the fabric of her dress and curtsied before him. "It would be lovely if you'd accompany me in this dance." she held back a giggle, knowing that the poor knight wasn't used to being asked to dance. It was him that was supposed to ask her,which was exactly why she beat him to it. That, and she'd much rather spend her time teasing poor Ivan than drowning in uncomfortable silence with Andreas.

[Kim Jongdae]

ＩＶＡＮ ＳＥＯ
❝ ｄｒｅｗ ｙｏｕ ｉｎ, ｃｌｏｓｅ, ｗｉｔｈ ｅｖｅｒｙｔｈｉｎｇ ｉ ｈａｄ !! ❞
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tagged;; celestia|oc;; 765, me, sighing as I attempt to write coherently

A knight's place was tough at a royal event like this. His duty was to make sure that his princess and the ladies from Morland were safe, first and foremost. Was it his duty, or his goal? (Were they different?).

Standing towards the sidelines of the party, the young knight finds himself leaning against the walls, a drink in hand, and an ever signature smile hanging on his lips. Although Ivan's been to many royal parties in his life- having to supervise royalty had its perks, the young man couldn't exactly claim to enjoy them all. Perhaps this would be one of those... less enjoyable royal balls. It's not that he dislikes these events- well, rather quite the opposite. Large, upscale parties are where someone like Ivan has the most fun; mingling with new and old acquaintances and chatting away with strangers kept his life busy and to be quite frank, alive. Not that his occupational choice didn't keep him lively and on his feet, of course.

But this ball was different. This event was where the royal "kids" would be intermingling with one another and- surely something big was going to happen? The knight's not quite sure everyone will be able to get along; he half wonders if they (himself and the other knights) would have to step in between at some point during the night. He's not exactly partial to the other royals aside from his own alliances. And Ivan's not sure the others are partial towards Morland, either.

Ivan is quiet, unlike most occasions. He's usually not so keen on the protection of the royals (ok, that sounds bad, but he doesn't mean it in that way, promise), but with such grandiose events, the usually bright male couldn't help but worry. Like a small pinprick of anxiousness that's wormed its way into the back of Ivan's mind. The knight isn't sure whether to mingle with the others- though most guests are higher in status than him and most likely disinterested, or stay put and watch from a tolerable distance. Ivan most definitely isn't so contemplative. But circumstances have changed.

However, as if fate had heard differently, soon a familiar voice beckons Ivan's attention and the knight heeds it immediately. The man is quick to set down his drink and is soon turning towards the owner of the voice; Ivan is met with the face of Celestia, lady of Morland, looking as classy and put together as ever. The knight gives her a slight nod in greeting, before proceeding to bow at the waist as she curtsied. Not a moment later, the young man responds to her request, "It would be my pleasure, my lady." Not the most customary for either of them as Ivan traditionally should've asked first, but he doesn't mind much. Or- well, not in the given situation. Normally, the knight would most definitely had more than one thing to say, but with such a big event, Ivan figured it'd be better to just swallow his pride and accommodate accordingly. He'd been on his feet for the duration of the event, hoping that chaos wouldn't break between the two kingdoms. Surely Ivan wouldn't be the one to start a commotion. Besides, he's not in any position to turn down a lady requesting a dance, of course. And Celestia isn't terrible by any means- other than one-upping him in this situation.

Formalities aside, Ivan couldn't help but allow a smirk to etch upon his face as he extends a hand out for Celestia to take. "Though, I'm surprised you're asking me of all people to dance with you, wouldn't you be more interested in maybe one of the royals?" he teases with a lilt in his voice. "Not that I mind, of course, but wouldn't you be more interested in sealing some sort of deal with a royal, than dance with some knight? You know, maybe charm some prince into your arms with just one smile of yours. After all, you don't seem to have any qualms taking the lead, my dear."

He briefly wonders if he could spare the time for a dance; his attention would be inevitably lured away from any potential escalations in the situation. However, Ivan's never been one to deny royalty or one of the ladies, either. Just one dance should be fine; surely the royals could be more rational than that? Of course, there are other knights who are undoubtedly on the watch; he's not alone. But Ivan's never been the one to push his responsibilities onto another's shoulders. He enjoys his independence and responsibility.

[haru ;]

┏ ＨＡＮＡ ＩＧＡＲＡＳＨＩＨＡＮＡ ┓

✧ ＦＬＯＲＥＮＣＥ ＨＵＮＴ
x role; lady of morland xxxxxxx age; twenty-three xxxxxxx location; aurelia gardens

┗ ＨＡＮＡ ＩＧＡＲＡＳＨＩＨＡＮＡ ┛

[ tagged ] ander / mentions celestia

The early dregs of morning flew by in a blur of hurrying handmaidens and last minute dress-checks, with barely a moment for herself. Florence was hoping that as time wore on the nerves that flitted in her belly would gradually dissipate, yet unfortunately that wasn't meant to be. Hardly anyone saw her as anxious before — She was always confident-looking, graceful as a swan and full of character. Lady Florence never faltered in her steps.

But Florence alone did, and she was beginning to worry about the elaborateness of her dress when slow, steady music heralding the Morland court's arrival began to croon from the violins. It was nothing particularly out of the ordinary. The Basque waist was snug and the silk, earthy-toned skirt full and lightly patterned with delicate sprigs of flowers, melting into a little train at the back. Her curly raven locks were coiffed in a stylistically messy chignon, tiny pearls adorning every dip and loop in the thick braid around her head, like stars in a velvety night sky. An ivory-backed comb with intricate carvings that opened like a fan topped it all off. Spiraling wings of hair framed both sides of her face, softening her features and balancing out the entire updo. Very Florence-like. Though she had grudgingly accepted the fact that most of the ladies at the ball would probably be more well-dressed than she was, she couldn't help but feel beautiful in that dress, and to her that was enough.

Florence stole a glance at Celestia. Her face was a mask of panic, something so very unlike her dear friend it was almost shocking. Shooting her a small but discernable smile, Flo reached out and lightly squeezed her slender hand before turning back towards the stone staircase. They were going to need all the strength they could get if they were going to face Aurelia, with whom Morland had been on edge with for years. It was all for the best after all, better than to lose their dignity in the clutches of the despicable Roan. Smoothing down non-existent wrinkles on the front of her dress, Florence began her descent down the steps, a radiant smile curving her rosy lips, cheeks lightly tinted with rogue mildly flushed in a mixture of nerves and excitement. As she rounded the bend, intrigued faces swam before her very eyes as they indiscreetly craned their necks to snatch a look of the Morland party: willowy ladies in dresses of lace and flowers and with such towering hairdos they put hers to shame, men with jewelled lapels and satin vests and crisp tuxedo coats. Toe to heel, toe to heel. Her heels clicked soothingly in her ears.

She found a comfortable rhythm where she could keep her balance and mimick floating down the stairs simultaneously.

Deep down, Florence wondered what Celestia would think of this. Was Flo too much of a poster child for her now? It was so much more comfortable to just toss her skirts and petticoats up in the damp earth and wear her hair loose, or conveniently forget the ever-resolute cage of her corset and receive lashings from her mothers.

But now they were older, and Florence had learned to mind and portray herself well. Morland's reputation was something she had to help upkeep.

With accompanying guard Andreas firmly by her side, Florence felt a stirring of ease within her as her foot touched ground and the blood flooded back into her trembling hands. All around her, Aurelian nobility smiled and nodded their heads (whether in approval, acknowledgement, or masking something much more scornful she didn't know). It made her skin prickle with inevitable self-consciousness. As they neared the Aurelian royalty, Ellamore at the head instinctively sank into a brief curtsey, which was soon followed suit by the rest of the ladies. Casting a look over the royal family, Florence quickly noticed that one of the princes and the princess were absent. Perhaps they thought themselves too mighty to simply greet the arriving party from Morland? Feeling a slight twinge of annoyance in her heart, she focused back on Ellamore and was appalled to already see her waltzing away with the Aurelian king.

Oh no. She loosely knotted her hands in front of her, her smile becoming rather fixed as she tried not to let her gnawing anxiety show. Her heart beat quickened against her ribs like a hummingbird's wings. Would no one come to her for the first dance? On normal circumstances, Florence would be the life and soul of any occasion, but in the face of so many strangers, she couldn't help but stand rooted to the ground, momentarily at a complete loss. This was supposedly enemy territory. Supposed no one thought her dress fine enough to dance with her?

A young, finely-dressed young man stopped right before her. Florence would not have expected herself to have caught his eye if he had not demurely uttered a polite invitation for the first dance. She gave a small start, before realising it was the younger Aurelian prince. Lysander, she remembered, his name was. When he took her hand and his lips gently brushed her knuckles, some of her natural, confidence-infused warmth was injected back into her system. Unable to push back a full-blown smile of half relief, half gratefulness, Florence dipped her head in respect. "I would love to, Prince Lysander."

[nocturna.]

R ᴏ ᴡ ᴇ ɴ . F ʟ ᴇ ᴛ ᴄ ʜ ᴇ ʀ
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[ twenty-four ] • [ knight of aurelia ] • [ courtyard gardens ] • [ tagged: cass, ely / mentions: celestia, florence, isabelle ]
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- - - -As part of the host kingdom, all of Aurelia's guards were on duty in order to keep a watchful eye on everyone. Someone had to while the nobles were at play. Rowen had heard many stories of neighboring lords' heirs being dispatching during a celebration. It would be the easiest time to do so really. Everyone was distracted with drink, dancing and gossip. An assassin could easily slip a dagger near their target. Or not to mention the popular option of poisoned wine. Such morbid thoughts... Rowen yawned briefly and glanced around the courtyard. Perhaps such thoughts were important to take into consideration. He once was in the position of guard, well when he was quite young and in training. Thankfully his talents were seen by his superiors and the previously scrawny lad was allowed to squire under the then head knight of Aurelia. Sir Thomas Seymour was a gruff and domineering old goat. But, Rowen had learned everything the man had to teach; and he soaked it up like a dry sponge.

- - - -After Sir Seymour's passing, Rowen was promoted to the head knight position. The title gave the man more than he'd ever dreamed of... he would have never reached any status based off his family alone. His older brother William was in line for their father's wealth. Rowen was content though. He had found happiness in his duties and position within the court. All the food and wine he could ever want, the finest weapons and armor and not to mention the endless line of noble ladies to choose from. Cassius and himself knew of these privileges all too well. The pair had been almost inseparable when they first met. As the eldest son, it was important for Cassius to be skilled in combat as well. The pair bonded through training and again, drinking. Which lead Rowen to his current thought... Where was Cassius?

- - - -Surely he should have been out mingling with the Morland court by now. It was the heir's duty after all. The sandy blonde man continued to scan around through the crowds of people, occasionally gulping from a large silver embossed mug of ale. Which was the knight's fourth mug already. Probably not the best idea, but this was a feast and he intended to as such. His deep hues lingered over each of the Morland ladies as they presented themselves to the King and Queen. They each were pretty in their own way, and the man couldn't help but stare. It was nice to see such new fresh and beautiful faces for the celebration. Hopefully he'd get the chance to speak with at least one of them before they were snatched away by other men. Rowen's gaze was locked on a fair blonde beauty for a few moments. She later was introduced formally as Lady Celestia Ronaldi. Such an interesting name, her family must have traveled far to join the court of Morland; the man thought to himself.

- - - -The blonde beauty was quickly whisked away by one of Morland's own knights. Although it appeared the lady chose this rather than the knight. Rowen couldn't help but chuckle and take a few more sips of ale. With his mug now empty, Rowen's attention turned to find the closest courtier serving drinks. A mug full of red wine was the knight's current chase. After a quick few strides through the maze of nobles, the knight flagged down a young servant lady offering refills with a sliver pitcher. "Please tell me that has wine..." Rowen pleaded to the red-headed courtier, his voice cracked only briefly. The young lass nodded quickly and poured the dark liquid into the knight's empty mug. Without hesitation, Rowen gulped a large drink right away before reaching the mug back towards the girl. "Bit more for the road?" He winked with a sly grin as the girl giggled, adverting her eyes. She obliged the man's request and then turned, another noble wanting her attention. Rowen took another sip of the pungent wine. This would hit him harder than the ale did...

- - - -Feeling the drink a bit more, Rowen turned and started to head out of the courtyard. He'd find Cassius; as someone should. And he'd start at Princess Ely's room. Cass was most often with her for advice when he couldn't be found. By the time the now buzzed knight reached the princess' door, the silver mug was nearly empty. "Caaasssiuss!! Ohh Caasssss?!?" Rowen called out loudly, his voice echoing off the stone walls. The blonde man leaned against Elyana's door for support and pounded against the ornate wood with his free hand. "Youu two hiding in there..?" He asked, with a long, drawn out laugh. Man, this wine was good.

- - - -{ Word count: 791 }

[the 1975]

❝ ＩＳＡＢＥＬＬＥ ❞
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( role. lady in waiting ) ( age. 19 ) ( location. the palace gardens ) ( tags. rowen, ely, cass )

isabelle huffed as her hand maiden pinned up her curls. this was all too much, this aurelia and morland charade. belle honestly had no ill feelings towards morland herself but growing up in aurelia, you pick up habits. she thought that florence and her company were nice people, probably the nicest and classiest morland had to offer. isabelle grew up with the aurelia royalty, she felt as if she were an adopted sibling of sorts, though she would not deny in her youth she was absolutely in love with cas. she would have loved for him to pursue her but he always felt like a brother and not a lover. cassius was a character and he constantly made isabelle laugh. his sister, elyana, was her upmost best friend. they gossiped together, had fun together. ely was basically her other half. she adored her with every breath she took. they had known each other since they were in diapers and would know each other when they needed them again.

isabelle looked in the mirror and winced. a pin stanned her scalp and she nearly yelled. belle was tinder headed and her hand maiden knew this. as she quickly apologized, belle smiled softly, "it is okay adrianna. i can handle it." she placed her hand gently on hers and pat it softly. once her hair was complete, isabelle slipped on her shoes and dress. she smoothed the fabric over her hips. the pastel was beautiful on her caramel skin, which made it one of her favorite colours. she spun around slowly, "adrianna, is this a good look?" she asked her and looked down at her dress. she guessed that it was a little revealing because of the shoulders but she kind of liked it.

isabelle finished dolling up and decided to search for ely. she looked out of her window that looked over the gardens. she didnt really see her but then again she couldnt really tell. everyone kind of looked like ants. belle made her way down the hall and heard a familiar booming voice. she smiled to herself and smoothed her dress. rowen, rowen, rowen. isabelle was basically in love with him. not really but she had a thing for knights and he is very attractive. she sped up her walk a little bit. she smoothed her hair before she turned the corner and saw him standing in the doorway. ”sir rowen. are you impaired and this early in the evening? did you at least save some for the rest of us?” she asked teasingly. she placed her hand on her hip and tilted her head to the side. he looked so handsome in his clothes and belle wanted nothing more than to be closer to him.

she took a few steps forward, slightly opening the door then peeking inside elyanas room. ”elyana darling, we mustn't keep the handsome men of morland waiting. you know how... rowdy they can get.” she joked and giggled. isabelle looked over rowen. “you must save a dance for me this evening. i know last time i stepped on your toe but it wont happen this time, i have been practicing.” she spoke with a sweet grin and a wink.

this evening was supposed to be a celebration of two kingdoms coming together but isabelle had a feeling something bad was going to happen. she hoped those closest to her wouldnt be affected. there was a lot of bad blood between her home and its rival, maybe bringing them here wasnt a good idea. of course being the person she is, she is nice to everyone and wished good for everyone. but sometimes bad things come out of good intentions.

[romeo;]

ｔｈｅ ｈａｂｉｔｓ ｏｆ ｍｙ ｈｅａｒｔ
ＦＥＥＬＩＮＧ jovial but still v dramatic ━ ＴＡＧＧＥＤ elyana, rowen, isabelle ━ ＣＵＲＲＥＮＴＬＹ fashionably late
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Cassius grumbled as Elyana said, in that familiar tone that reminded Cas of their mother: "You know that you must, Cas."

He rolled his eyes, which he hoped she couldn't see beneath his hair. He did know that, that's exactly why he had a sick, turning feeling in his gut. What he felt but lacked the words to articulate to his sister, who at times like these felt so much older than him, was that he understood the marriage was inevitable. He'd managed to dodge three before, but now there was something on the line. Even he wasn't selfish enough to put Aurelia under fire at Roan's hands. His avoidance of the problem was not because he didn't believe in the necessity of it, or even because he was opposed to the idea of marriage. Once, when Ely asked him why he seemed to fight it so hard, he told her that anyone who was good for him wouldn't be good for Aurelia. Aurelia needed someone smart, sensible, kind, compassionate. Cas did not. Lest he spend the rest of his life like an apology.

So he waved the issue off like some petty turmoil over not wanting to be with a woman who was better than him. Cassius was of a dramatic nature. The ups and downs of his emotions were the likes of which, in his mind, no human could have possibly experienced before. He was dramatic, yes, but asking him to be vulnerable was something else entirely. He would scoff, roll his eyes, wave his pretty hand and kiss you on the cheek the moment you touched on something that truly upset him. And before you knew it he'd be back to making jokes at his own expense, putting together one of his famous midnight parties, or singing a raunchy song of his own composition poking fun at one of the nobles he and Rowen disliked. He told himself he wasn't made for hardship - he was built to look nice and charm women and put people at ease.

Elyana ran a hand through his hair, and he could hear the worry in her voice. It was there, between her words of comfort. Though she hadn't spoken of it at length, he knew that she feared her parents would marry her off just as they were doing to Cas. He shook off his troubles and reached for her other hand, giving in a firm squeeze and a reassuring kiss.

"There now, Ely, I'm supposed to be the one throwing a fit. Can't have you upstaging me on my big night." He was smiling, all of his typical good humor returned.

Just then, Rowen's booming voice echoed against the walls of the hall outside the chamber door. Cassius broke into a full grin and shook his head with a soft chuckle. Cassius took two leaping steps for the door, but before he could open it, Isabelle peeked her head in.

"Ah, but what about the handsome men of Aurelia my dear Belle? Rowen here is an absolute animal." Cassius pulled the door open all the way and scooped her up in a hug, twirling her in a circle. "Look at you!" He set her down and gestured approvingly to her dress. "You're bound to catch something showing off those shoulders, but I can't guarantee it'll be a husband." He teased, walking two of his thin fingers along her collar bone.

He gave Rowen a firm clap on the shoulder. "Glad you found us when you did. You know you're no fun until you've had a few drinks. And tonight you're my saving grace." Cassius had moved out into the hallway, and began to do up the laces of his doublet. "Let's be off then. It seems I have a bride waiting for me, and poor Lysander will probably burst a blood vessel if we're any later."

Cassius skipped down the steps two at a time, and yelled out to no one in particular, "Tonight we are the only love gods!"

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ｉ ｃａｎ'ｔ ｓａｙ ｎｏ

[Keriae]

♕xＥＬＹＡＮＡ ❜
───────────── princess of aurelia! ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
xxxxxxx[ female ] - [ twenty three ] - [ tagged: cassius, rowen, isabelle ]
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xxxxxxxIt was remarkable, the way her brother could change the tides of his emotions with almost a click of his fingers. One moment, he was moping around like a lost puppy, eyes glistening with his chagrin, and the next he was the life and soul of any event, kissing jewelled fingers and playing the part of a prince relatively well. But he played the part of a party animal even better.

xxxxxxxAs their lady mother had said before, at least he knew how to relax. It was something she herself struggled with on a daily basis. Duty and honour were the currency of the realm, and more so the currency of royal women. Ely had no doubt that Princess Ellamore was no stranger to that. And now came the real test for the Morland heir; to marry a man whom she had never met, but likely had heard of his string of failed engagements, pretend to be joyous and marry him with a smile, all in an attempt to save the blood and lives of her people. In one fatal stroke, Aurelia and Morland would be one joint kingdom, with the money and the armies to face Roan. If that did not work, Ely would be packing her bags, sent to do the same task as her soon to be sister-in-law.

xxxxxxxNo doubt Cas knew of her trepidation. For someone who was such a carefree glutton, he was indeed smart. They would be in much the same boat, in time, she was sure. A princess rarely managed to marry for love, as in the romances she loved to read. Her father had scoffed when she was little, at her wishes. She had always been destined to marry for duty, and her brothers knew it. She doubted that, even if Cas took the throne sometime soon, he could stop it.

xxxxxxxHis lips were soft as he kissed her knuckles, a silent reassurance. His words dripped with jest, and a smile pulled at her lips. There was no use in moping around, for either of them. They had a party to attend.

xxxxxxxThe princess' lips parted to answer him, but the sonorous voice of a familiar face broke through the silence, closely followed by a drawn out laugh. A second later, her brother had bounced off and reached for the door handle. That was as far as he got as the door opened. Ely had never been so relieved to see not only her lady in waiting, but a very drunk looking Rowen. If anyone could help her brother get over his fear and back to himself, it was these two. Isabelle looked simply darling in her dress, and the pastel blue was similar to the powder blue of Ely's own - though her's was broken with white and ivory, the bodice lined with delicate lace and a sweeping pattern down from her left shoulder.

xxxxxxxHer smile grew and she stood, making her way over gracefully. Rowen stunk of alcohol, a sour note in their joy, but the masses in the garden would be worse. Besides, he looked terribly jolly, and it warmed her heart.

xxxxxxxThat didn't stop her warning her brother, however.

xxxxxxx"Cas, she'll have your fingers." She warned lightly, though she knew that Isabelle was the one woman he would never touch. He would have done so by now, after all these years, and he had more important things to think about at that moment. In his wake, she stepped forwards, linking her arm with that of her dear friend's, trying not to laugh at her brother. What a change from feeling sorry for himself on her bedroom floor.

xxxxxxx"You look gorgeous, Izzy. You're going to leave the Morland men swooning." She praised, lacing their fingers together. "Sir Rowen, if you would escort us down to the party, I would be eternally grateful. You might even get a dance, if you're lucky." She loved to dance, and dancing with the knight was always a fun affair. It was all fumbled steps and giggling, and once everyone was drunk enough no one would care.

[Legend.]

♢ 𝕰𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊 ♢
Tags- Celestia then open // Feeling - nervous & worried // Location- the dessert table
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Ella felt that she was back in her mothers comforting arms as her mother ordered servants around and continued on her busy life, but somehow still kept Ella stable and safe. Except she wasn’t with her mother, she was being held stable by her best friend as she stuffed Ella’s face with food and water, which had never tasted better. The bread seemed to soak up the alcohol and the water to dilute what was left. Ella pictured herself as a bubbling toddler waddling around aimlessly, looking for trouble to get into, but as Cel rubbed rose water onto her blue dress and preventing any stains, she noticed the music became quieter and her vision improved. Before she could thank her, Cel shoved Ella toward the stairs where the prince was descending. Gulping Ella silently muttered a prayer to ancient gods. Looking straight ahead, she still had a little buzz but it would just make her less worried and more fun to be around. Her once perfect curls were now slightly messy but it actually looked better and more natural. Most of her makeup had been wiped off, especially the powder that was pounded on her cheeks to make her seem lighter and more feminine, but now it was gone and her normally tan skin now showed and a sprinkle of freckles dotted her small nose. Her eyes still watery made her blue eyes pop, along with her water colored dress which smelled like a field of roses. Somehow Ella looked more beautiful then when she was all made up and looked like a porcelain doll. Glancing back at her beloved friend she shot her a loving smile before proceeding to walk toward the prince, hoping to catch him before some other young woman caught his eye and stole his attention. To say she was glowing was an understatement, maybe it was the little buzz still remaining or her new found beauty, but Ella felt as nothing could bring her down.
Her breath hitched as she caught sight of the prince once more, he looked as if he was a god somewhere on Olympus but was banished down to live amongst the mortals. His strong stature and his handsome height made him even more attractive not to mention the curls that flowered his head. If only Ella believed he could truly love her and they would be happy but she heard of his reputation and how all his engagements ended before the wedding ceremony. Taking a deep breath she let the troublesome thoughts fade away, tonight she would put them behind her and just enjoy the celebration and have fun.
Deciding it wasn’t exactly welcoming to approach him as soon as he entered, Ella turned slightly and found the dessert table, full of enticing colors and smells. Making herself seem to be just so intrigued with the desserts she waited for the young heir to approach her or at least settle in before she started a conversation.

[panorama,]

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◜⋆ ＣＥＬＥＳＴＩＡ.ＲＯＮＡＬＤＩ
ｔｈｅ ｄｅｖｉｌ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｈａｄ ａ ｐｒｅｔｔｉｅｒ ｆａｃｅ
( lady of morland )xx( tagged - ivan, ellamore )xx( 1381 words )
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words

xxxxxxxCelestia stifled her laughter as she watched her dainty fingers become engulfed by Ivan's hand. As he led her to a somewhat vacant pocket amidst the faceless mass of people, Celestia stole a curious glance at the knight before her. He seemed distracted, his mind probably attempting to remain focused on keeping the peace. One corner of Celestia's lips raised into a half-hearted smile at the thought of Ivan being so adorably responsible and focused at a time like this. What did he think could possibly go wrong?
xxxxxxxAs the girl processed the knight's banter, Celestia let a laugh escape; a wholehearted, genuine laugh, which would certainly cause for her mother to be appalled had she been there. She shook her head, before reaching up to tuck a stray golden strand of hair back behind her ear. "Sir Ivan, why would I endeavor to seek the superficially pleasant company of a royal when I have a genuinely lovely knight at my disposal?" Celestia inquired, flashing one of her renowned smiles his way. "Besides.." she momentarily poked her head out of their conversation, exaggeratingly shifting her gaze from one side of the room to the other. "I hear these royals have already been filled in on plenty of fiction from home that revolves around yours truly.." she whispered softly, her breath fanning across the knights face due to their close proximity. "Meaning that I am really incurious as to meeting them, as they sure likely are in regards to me." She finished, shrugging the statement off as if it was of no big deal to her.
xxxxxxxCelestia was, in fact, heartbroken as to the news that, what felt like the whole kingdom of Aurelia, knew of her questionable decisions of the past. Aurelia was supposed to be a place that was devoid of critical eyes and harsh canards, and yet her past mistakes continued to loom over her, constant reminders of how she didn't deserve to be at Ellamore's side.
xxxxxxx"Your observation proves true, Sir..." she spoke airily and with mock reverence, knowing that Ivan would eventually catch on that the formal way in which she was speaking was just a part of the game for the night. "I love to take the lead." she spoke softly before leaning in to the knight, her soft pout almost grazing his ear. " You can't trust anyone anymore, Ivan."
xxxxxxxBefore Cel had the opportunity to follow up on her rather out of place statement, feminine hands seemed to grab hold of Celestia's current focus of attention, causing for her to quickly turn evaluate the situation. "Excuse me, but I was speaking wi-" Celestia let the words tumble from her mouth before recognizing the blonde ringlets and doe eyes.
xxxxxxxEllamore looked absolutely exhausted, and profusely apologized for interrupting. Cel dismissed her friend's words, "It's quite alright El, Ivan isn't much fun, anyway." she grinned, glancing Ivan once more before returning her attention to Ellamore. Celestia could only imagine what Cassius' incredibly palpable absence was doing to the poor girl.
xxxxxxxIt was then that Celestia smelled the sweet alcohol that swam in the air around her. Her brows furrowed as she reevaluated Ellamore's appearance, and suddenly her eyes widened. "Ella, have you.. been drinking??" Celestia asked incredulously, knowing that the small girl was never a big drinker, and would always prefer to watch Celestia down drink after drink without any concern for the consequences. After she admitted that she might be drunk, Cel released her grasp on Ivan and turned to the girl, taking hold of her shoulders in an attempt to straighten her posture. She couldn't help but laugh, reveling in her friend's inebriation. "You know, I said that I wanted to see you in this condition, but now is definitely not the most ideal time to show me?" she teased. As she was formulating how to make the best of the situation, her bright blue eyes were drawn towards the staircase at the mention of love and gods.
xxxxxxxCelestia could feel the blood drain from her face as she slowly returned her eyes to a very tipsy Ellamore. The whole kingdom was currently riding on this very drunk girl, and it would somehow turn into Celestia's fault for letting her fall into this state. Hastily, Celestia turned to Ivan with frantic eyes. "Find Florence. Bring her to me. Please." she pleaded before animatedly waving a servant boy carrying a tray of hordeurves on a silver platter. Cel took two tiny sandwiches by the fistful, ignoring the boy's unsettled expression, and demanded that he get one of his servant friends to bring a flute of water for the Princess.
xxxxxxxWhile the servant boy matched Celestia's frantic manner and weaved through the sea of people, the girl turned to Ellamore, pulled apart the tiny sandwiches and shoved the bread into her mouth. "Please chew. This is high quality bread, you are going to love it." Celestia held Ellamore's face in her hands, gently swiping her thumb under her eyes to smooth out her makeup. She then tucked stray pieces of hair back in to their rightful place, and smoothed out the dress that adorned her friend's body. As the boy returned with water, Celestia accepted it graciously and then proceeded to shoo him away. "I hope you liked the bread, because here is my next favorite thing, waaater." she spoke as if talking to a child, taking Ella's hand and placing it on the glass, then cautiously tipping it so that enough would fall into her mouth, but not onto the beautiful fabric of her dress.
xxxxxxx"You know, you should be lucky I have had to sober myself up in order to address my parents on several occasions." she tried to keep the mood lighthearted, knowing that nothing good would come from Ellamore being stressed and nervous. She began patting down the small wrinkles in the dress and swiping bread crumbs away from its surface. "I'm thinking that you are going to owe me an immense favor... I am talking about something grand, like a "Thank you for saving my dignity" party.." she spoke, then proceeded to nervously laugh. Celestia's eyes landed on a bowl of roses off to her left, and so, she momentarily left Ella, scooped up the roses with her one hand, sandwich contents still in the other, then proceeded to return to her side.
xxxxxxxCel insisted on pressing her light, one way conversation a bit further. "I'd like for there to be plenty of what you drank at this party, both to show the guests what I had to deal with, and so I would not have to worry about remembering any of it." she spoke, spreading her fingertips on the delicate pedals (which was no small feat, considering she was doing so while simultaniously supporting the weight of Ellamore leaning against her, and holding food in the other hand).The pads of her fingers caught small droplets of water, and after her hands were properly smelling of the brilliant folliage, she turned to make eye contact with her friend. "I am so sorry for this, but you smell quite charmingly like a village pub." and with that, she rubbed her rose water covered fingers on parts of Ellamore's dress, and the frantically fanned at the spots so that they wouldn't appear to anyone that had not known of their presence.
xxxxxxxCelestia knew that it was only a matter of time until Ellamore inevitably interacted with her betrothed, and figured that the most effective thing for her to do at this point was to raise her confidence. "Trust me, no one is going to know, alright?" she rested a hand on Ellamore's shoulder, guiding the girl's eyes to meet her own. "Now, you go out there, enchant everyone as you normally do, and show that entitled boy the radiant young woman that he has been missing out on for the last half of an hour, okay?" And with that, Celestia pushed Ellamore off in the direction of the staircase.
xxxxxxxNot knowing what to do with the contents of the sandwich that she had stripped away in the process of sobering Ella up, Celestia shoved it all into her mouth, shuddering at it's overwhelmingly salty taste. So this is what I do for my kingdom.

[nocturna.]

R ᴏ ᴡ ᴇ ɴ . F ʟ ᴇ ᴛ ᴄ ʜ ᴇ ʀ
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[ twenty-four ] • [ knight of aurelia ] • [ courtyard gardens ] • [ tagged: cass, ely, isabelle ]
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- - - -The sandy blonde, now somewhat impaired, man leaned his back against the stone wall, waiting for any response from within Princess Elyana's chamber. For a moment Rowen thought he could hear slight movement and voices, no louder than that of playful children hiding from their parents. The notion sent Rowen back to the days when the three of them would play in the castle gardens. Ely always finding the best hiding spots and leaping from them to scare the two older boys. Truth be told, she always had appeared much wiser than her age. Cassius always was with her for advice, or to indulge his melodramatic tendencies. There were even a few times he, Ely and Isabelle had long intellectual conversations; though those times were now few and far between. The girl was quite smart, perhaps too smart for her own good... Rowen desperately hoped that this marriage between the kingdoms would hold. He'd hate to lose Ely to a far off Roan suitor, their friendship was too important to him. It was bad enough that Cas was being tied to the Morland girl.

- - - -A gentle, yet teasing familiar voice chimed in from around the hall. It was another of the trio's pals, Isabelle. She walked, well rather almost appeared to glide over the polished marble floors in a brilliant bright blue dress. There was a bit of a twinkle about her dark eyes as she spoke about his current impaired nature. He had to admit, there was something different about Belle, or perhaps he didn't notice it before... but that thought would wait for later.

- - - -Isabelle pushed her way past the large wooden door and into Ely's room. The door, which Rowen had now just finally noticed, was somewhat ajar. Must be the wine. Speaking of, as Belle continued her teasing to the two siblings, Rowen followed into the room gulping down the remainder of his wine. A sudden clap of the man's shoulder pulled him from the silver mug. The lion-maned heir grinned widely, he too began to poke at the number of drinks already downed. "Oh come off it you two. You're just jealous I got a head start!" Another joyously loud laugh came from Rowen as Elyana crossed the room, her heels clicking against the floors. She joined the three already starting to crowd the doorway, her and Belle making adoring comments towards one another.

- - - -Cassius was soon bounding down the hall screaming about being love gods. Rowen chuckled loudly and called after him, bringing a large hand cupped around his mouth. "Cupid is no longer an archer! His glory shall be ours!" By now both ladies were standing out in the doorway alongside the burly knight. They both wore Cheshire-like smiles, looking up at him in unison. A bright and clever grin grew across his blonde whiskered jaw, as he wobbled slightly into a bow before them both. "I'd love to your grace." Rowen stated, walking towards Isabelle and then slowly around and behind the two. He popped his head in-between their shoulders and weaseling his way into the middle of both Ely and Belle. He outstretched his arms, offering one to each. They soon were wandering down the halls after an overzealous Cass.

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