↘ ғᴀᴛᴇғᴜʟ ᴀʟʟɪᴇs

[onion]

❧ effie jo / 20 / pansexual / wealth 3 / the foreigner
kingdom: nearon
location: ballroom
tags: open for lauren, kass mentioned

effie had left kass not long ago. the two had a nice conversation, though the lady was of higher status. she was, yet again, by the window, looking out at the night stars. she wondered how her horse, taiyang, was doing. it probably wasnt normal for a girl to come to this mansion upon a horse in heels, however thats how effie had made it there, dress and all.
the commotion of people in the center of the ballroom was brought to her attention as the crowd thinned and women began to hover towards the front. "marriage?" effie asked near silently, eyes widening. she was much too young for marriage! however, she was afraid of any punishment that may occur if she didnt comply... so, the pink haired girl click clacked her way to the front of the ballroom, taking a spot a few feet away from kass in the line. she looked around nervously. lauren? who was he? which man would come forward to her...?

♦️ june park / 18 / bisexual / wealth 8 / the athlete
kingdom: arkley
location: ballroom
tags: open for agnes

a few hours passed and junes ears were sparked by a microphone across the room. he looked in the direction of the voice and listened intently, then adjusted his mask. he smirked. marriage? yeah, right. like he was getting married any time soon. his family simply wouldnt have it with him so young! so confidently, june strutted up to the line of women with the rest of the men, standing on the tips of his toes, embarrassingly enough, to see his choices.
that was when the man explained pairings. pairings? were they kidding? june furrowed his brow beneath his mask and straightened himself, taking a single stride forward in front of the rest of the men. he held out a hand and bowed slightly, a foot stretching back behind him. "and so... which of you lovely ladies might be miss agnes?" june asked kindly, but loud enough for all of the women to hear him.

[senna_]

──

♚title: the ghost xx♚wealth: fivexx♚kingdom: arkleyxx♚tags: louise, effie

The drawn-out sigh that left Louise's lips easily had enough audibility to draw in the attention of another person or two around them, and for that, Lauren smirked. Her words were all carefully selected, but it was evident she wasn't speaking to simply please him. He didn't know her very well, but her words were very her; Lauren did not doubt for a second she was the type of woman who would switch tones depending on whom she was chatting to. Those people were so fake... So much like his ignorant father. One who did not feel trust was relevant took that path. Those who were too oblivious to see the different sides ate the sickly sweetness up like dessert. It was revolting.

He didn't doubt for a second that Louise's mother was indifferent. Louise was good-natured and down-to-earth, but he couldn't see a woman like herself having rich parents that had a similar personality. It wasn't to say Lauren had anything against the Cowen family, especially since he'd never met them before, but all rich parents entered the same. Desperate to get their children started on a new journey, and a bit too obsessive with the matter. He supposed, in a rather bitter manner, that he was glad his father had spent all of his money and vanished from his life before that could happen. Lauren did not consider himself struggling and poor, but he did not have nearly as much wealth as the Cowen family had, or a number of other families in this room, for that matter. Though he did not comment directly on his status, he did hum an, "Ah, I suppose your acceptance means I am enough for your pass a good number of your parents' expectations?" It was lightly spoken, just another thing to play at her parents' situation, for although they were probably tiresome to deal with every now and then, Louise didn't seem to mind the comments about them too much. Lauren was confident she'd snap at him to back off if she wasn't comfortable with the subject, anyway.

He was oddly delighted when she accepted his offer, which threw him off guard even more. Truth be told, Lauren couldn't say he'd expected either side of a response from Louise after spontaneously tossing the question out there, but he was going to have to work a bit harder at not getting too attached to any woman at this party. It wasn't that Lauren despised love and vulnerable emotions, but he had a harder time convincing himself he'd be able to show them off well, and he didn't want to hurt a lady's feelings if he were to reveal his vows. Louise was lovely, that went without a doubt, but she didn't seem too thrilled about marriage. Unfortunately for him, that made her all the more captivating. Perhaps that was why his friends had fallen into the pit of love so quickly.

Lauren did not have much more time to speak to her after they'd begun a dance, unfortunately, for only a few moments after his hands had slid around her waist and rested comfortably enough against the passionately-coloured velvet, the music died, and a man's booming voice took its place. Genuinely curious, Lauren allowed his hands to slip from Louise's body, and he faced the front. His face quickly paled at the announcement. There was no way this stranger was being serious. Arranged marriages by people who weren't of the same bloodline? Impossible. And worse, he'd made a vow! Lauren was not about to get on one knee and purpose not only in general but to a complete stranger. His dark eyes lingered on Louise, trying to catch her expression, but her mask hid too much. His attention felt like it was being tossed around like a playing ball, for it fell right back into the hands of the speaking man as he announced Lauren's name. Lauren and Effie Jo. Jo... did he know that last name? It didn't seem familiar, but then again, a name as successful as Louise's didn't, either.

"I am afraid I am to leave you," he murmured to Louise, his voice almost cracking. His throat felt dry and he was desperate for a glass of something cold. He was not going to marry this woman. He just had to get away with one dance, then he would never have to see her again. Who was to tell them what to do, anyway? He took in a deep breath and bowed down to Louise, offering her a twitch of a fairly emotionless smile before reluctantly making his way up to the forming line. Effie Jo was the eighth called; the second last woman in line. Lauren supposed he was rather grateful for the mask situation - he wouldn't see enough of her face to feel guilty, and she wouldn't catch a good enough glimpse to know who he was in the days to follow.

He spotted her quickly, and a curious frown tugged at the corners of his lips. Her hair was an unusual colour, and she was awfully tiny; he was easily a full foot taller than she was. Given the nervous look on her face, Lauren took she didn't want to be there, either. That made it easier for him to get away away things.

"Miss Jo," he addressed lowly, dipping his head in greeting. "I believe we are to share a dance, as the gentleman said."

[sunhorsestar]

Kassandra DeMarks | 21 | Wealth 7 and a half | Arkley | Tagging: Theodore


Kassandra has enjoyed her conversation- however simple and brief it had been- earlier with Effie before the man who had called to the group had spoken...of marriage. That had thrown Kass for a loop to say the least, but at the same time, it made her smile. She’d never had a serious romance, she’d never quite PLANNED on it, but if she turned out to like her partner well enough, she’d have no issues giving up her ways of idle, casual flirting in favour of a real relationship. Then a young man had approached, returned the greeting with a curtsy and a smile. "Mr. Lefeuvret, I presume?" She asked. Certainly, it felt odd, the idea that perhaps she was supposed to find her future spouse amongst the ball, but she would be polite, she would be respectful of the other guests, she planned to have fun and enjoy herself, but she would take things seriously as needed. The man who had spoken earlier hadn’t appeared to be joking.


Lucien Tandler | 19 | Wealth 4 | Nearon | Tagging: Fleur, Royce, Aretha


"A pleasure, Mister Royce." Lucien offered a small smile to the young man. He was aware that likely he was by far below the wealth of both Royce and Fleur, but being of lower class had not, would not deter him. He had been invited for a reason to this ball, so surely he had a place there. Surely he was allowed to approach the other party guests. Perhaps he would have said more, but then a man announced they’d been there to dance with the person they were expected to... marry? Marriage?!? Well. Lucien hadn’t expected THIS coming into the party, but he said nothing for the longest time. Then matches for the dances were announced. "Ah, it appears we have to part ways to find our own pairs. It was lovely to meet the both of you, and I do hope you enjoy your time with your partners." He smiled softly before stepping away and to the woman whom had been called Aretha Ode, though she was occupied with Annalise, so he hung back, not wishing to interrupt their conversation. The night was young, there was still plenty of time.


Corrin Elmer | 20 | Wealth 3 | Arkley | Tagging: Aretha, Fleur


Corrin nodded to Aretha politely. He quite enjoyed talking to the young woman, but it had not been her name that had been called as his match, and he would respect what had been set up for them. "Lovely to talk with you, Miss Aretha. I hope we talk again at some point, and I hope you enjoy your dance." With that, Corrin turned and went off to find the young woman known as Fleur, who had been called to the front. He bowed to her with a smile. "I’m Corrin Elmer, but please, call me Corrin. You are miss Fleur Disraeli, yes?" He asked. How embarrassing it would be to have approached the wrong woman at a time such as this! Corrin had personally never been to such a big, important event, being...not particularly high class and as such, was rarely invited to high class parties like this one, and the absolute LAST thing he wanted to do was mess something up.

[onion]

❧ effie jo / 20 / pansexual / wealth 3 / the foreigner
kingdom: nearon
location: ballroom
tags: lauren

effies eyes shifted downward to the floor. she didnt want to look whoever this was in the eye- she just didnt have the confidence. but when a dark colored shoe entered her vision and a deep voice sounded, she was forced to look up, her bangs bouncing a bit.
lauren... was beautiful. her eyes glittered slightly as she nodded and let out a hoarse "hello." effie held out her hand shyly. it was shaking and she couldnt stop it for some reason.
this definitely hadnt been expected. effie hadnt planned on dancing with anyone, or even her name being called out like that. she just thought she would show face and make an appearance quietly, then leave. but... that wasnt the way it was going.
"yes," effie spoke after clearing her throat. she lifted her chin and tried to stand a bit straighter. it was best to make a good first impression, and lauren looked like he was at least a bit wealthier than her- certainly not originating from a foreign country and an orphanage. he was dressed fantastically, his mask almost whimsical in appearance.
the girl chewed at the inside of her lip silently. what next? she didnt know how to dance!

♦️ june park / 18 / bisexual / wealth 8 / the athlete
kingdom: arkley
location: ballroom
tags: open for agnes

a few hours passed and junes ears were sparked by a microphone across the room. he looked in the direction of the voice and listened intently, then adjusted his mask. he smirked. marriage? yeah, right. like he was getting married any time soon. his family simply wouldnt have it with him so young! so confidently, june strutted up to the line of women with the rest of the men, standing on the tips of his toes, embarrassingly enough, to see his choices.
that was when the man explained pairings. pairings? were they kidding? june furrowed his brow beneath his mask and straightened himself, taking a single stride forward in front of the rest of the men. he held out a hand and bowed slightly, a foot stretching back behind him. "and so... which of you lovely ladies might be miss agnes?" june asked kindly, but loud enough for all of the women to hear him.

[senna_]

──

✫age: twentyxx✫gender: femalexx✫wealth: ninexx✫kingdom: nearonxx✫tags: aretha

Annalise was practically fuming. She stood as stiff as a board, arms rigid at her sides, fingers curled into tense fists. An evidently annoyed, grim expression was sprawled across her face; the mask she wore could not seem to cover up her anger. Her cheeks had to have been as red as the dress Louise Cowen - or maybe it wasn't her - was wearing at the ball. It was an ugly combination with her peacock-blue dress and silver mask, though, if one were to look on the brighter side of things, it made her mask stand out even more. Her breathing was uneven, coming out in rigid increments, and her chest heaved as much as it could against her corset. She had known that if she didn't find herself a suitor by the end of the trip out to the Onryx, her parents would round in a few of their top male choices and make a decision for her, but it hadn't seemed real. None of this seemed real. She had passed it aside, though with no intentions of searching for a potential husband, for it wasn't to happen at the present moment and therefore didn't come across as too big of a concern. But now the time had come, far too quickly, and it was not in the hands of her parents. Did her family even know that these were the intentions of the Royals? Annalise had been the one to open and read the letter first, surely there were no extra bits of information that her family managed to hide from her; that was impossible.

On the other hand, surely this was not definitive. Who was to know whether or not they wedded or not? Even the man himself had said they had hope that some pairs would remain together. Annalise promised herself right now that she would not be included in one of those.

A hand brushed her glove and Annalise snapped her arm backward until she realized who it was. As relieved as she was to note that the face staring back at her was nobody more than Aretha, the sight of her best friend wasn't enough to settle her burning rage. "I had been with another friend," she admitted. "Though I had had the intentions of searching for you, too." She only gave a shake of her head in response to her close friend's quivering question, her eyes narrowing and her lips thinning. "I haven't a clue, but I will make it very clear to that man who approaches me that I will not ever be pleased to be in his presence." The man at the front seemed to be escorting the ladies who hadn't spread into the line, and Annie's shoulder was gently pushed to the right before she even had a chance to bid her farewells to Aretha. She prayed her friend would be alright, though; she knew she, too, wasn't as keen on an arranged marriage as some were.

Annie didn't often hate without a valid reason to, but she was far too angered over the situation to give the man a chance. She felt even more taken aback by the fact that he hadn't even approached, though not at all because she wanted to be near him. She was going to make it very clear where she stood. In all honesty, she hoped he wouldn't show. She could slip out and head home, then, and everything would be much better. The exiting doors were so close... Annie didn't believe for a second she'd be unsuccessful once the dancing begun.

──────

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♚age: twenty-twoxx♚gender: malexx♚wealth: sixxx♚kingdom: arkleyxx♚tags: effie

Lauren was nearly convinced for a second that the petite young woman in front of her would turn and run off elsewhere. Her head was down (and due to Lauren's height in comparison to her own, it was almost impossible to see anything more than the top of her head) and she seemed to have a sudden fascination with the polished floor beneath their shoes. Maybe if she stared hard enough and concentrated for a good amount of time, she'd be able to see her reflection. Though, Lauren supposed he had just ruined that for her, for his shadow surely ate up the reflected face in the ground the moment he stepped closer. He took in a deep breath through his nose, as if that would grab her attention a bit more than his sudden appearance.

He quirked a brow as she held out a hand, almost in a bit of a manly way, prepared for a handshake. Or maybe she was just going to skip the curtsey and wish for a kissed knuckle. Based on the tiny voice she used, reminding him of a little bird using its voice for the first time, Lauren didn't quite think it was the latter; those types of women were often very full of themselves, and this one seemed a bit too reserved for that sort of attitude. Finally, she looked up, and Lauren realized without missing a beat that she was of Asian descendence. It was difficult to know for sure what she looked like, but her eyes were dark, probably only a tiny bit lighter than his own, and her skin was pale. And, evidently, she was fond of the colour pink. Her dress was poofy and bright; perhaps this was what she expressed her bolder side was? His eyes noticeably lingered on her hair. Romans and Egyptians used to colour their natural hair, he'd learned that somewhere as a young boy, but he also knew that, more often than not, the toxins either destroyed the hair or the person themselves. Was it a wig, maybe? Wigs were often powered and stacked high, but he supposed it wasn't impossible to get one coloured and looking as natural as possible. He was not thrilled on the idea of dancing with a stranger and spending extra time with them, but at least he had something to speak of if she was too quiet to say anything.

Fishing her hand with his own, seeing how it was still outstretched and lingering in mid-air, Lauren lightly pressed his fingers to the bare skin, then placed her hand back at her side. "A waltz, then," he decided when she didn't say anything further on the matter. "The music has begun once again." He let his dark eyes linger on the musicians as they began to play around with their instruments, then offered an elbow for Effie to take. He supposed the cards the women carried on them were practically useless now, anyway, so he did not bother asking for it to sign his name. The strange gentleman had made it perfectly clear what they were to do now, and Lauren couldn't back out of it now.

[fruitbat]

𝑳𝑶𝑼𝑰𝑺𝑬 𝑪𝑶𝑾𝑬𝑵
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Kingdom Nearon. Wealth eight. Title the concerned. Mentions Lauren, Elizabeth, Daniel. Tags Lauren > Daniel
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All Louise could do was laugh at the mans remark about parental expectations. She rarely acted upon the wishes and desires of her parents, as most of her decisions were made on her own accord. When Louise was younger it was easy for her parents to manipulate her into a bubbly, bright and budding woman of wealth, but now, with more knowledge and independence, they found themselves in despair as their daughter grew distant. She was the eldest of four children, so to Louise, she was just a lost cause. Luckily for her parents, three sons came after her: Jack, Charles, and Nathan. Jack was the eldest of the boys and was already prepared to take over his father, even though that was not in the foreseeable future unless their father fell ill. Like Louise, Jack was independent and stubborn to a tee, but was incredibly obedient because he didn't want to ruin his chances of continuing the Cowen legacy. Charles and Nathan were twins, but only in appearance. Charles was much like his sister and loved the thought of a rebellion to "cure" the kingdoms of their unjust ways, however, Nathan was the odd-ball and liked to do whatever he wanted as long as he wasn't spanked. Even though Louise had not been away from home for long, she still missed her brothers dearly. Yes, they annoyed her, but she was still there for each and every one of them, no matter what.

Louise was hoping to get to know Lauren a little more during their dance. She wanted to know more about where he came from, and even if he had any siblings. She already knew that Charles would get along swimmingly with Lauren, but why did she even consider that? It's not like she'd be taking the gentleman home- she was not here on the hunt for a potential partner. Louise shook the thought from her mind, opening her mouth to spark conversation again. As soon as she did, a voice of authority rumbled through the room like a heard of wild horses. It was loud, and could even be considered intimidating by the younger or more introverted persons in the room. In almost perfect synchronisation with Lauren, Louise stopped dancing and unlaced herself from him to face the front. She listened with curiosity, which quickly transformed into anger and concern. As this voice spoke of not only arranged dances, but also marriages, between people of differing kingdoms, Louise became just as shocked as the rest of the men and women in the room. She turned to the only one she knew, a concerned look plastered beneath the mask. Like the rest of them, she did not want to do this, but as Lauren left, Louise had no choice.

Slow footsteps made their way to the front of the ballroom, head hanging low with hands folded neatly in front of her. She was to line up in order of being called- fourth, behind a women called Elizabeth Chambers. No sooner to lining up was Louise approached by her "partner", Daniel Bishop. He seemed eager, something Louise was not enthusiastic about. She looked him up and down, rather emotionless, as she leaned in to say "is this some kind of joke? Shouldn't we contest?"

𝑹𝑶𝒀𝑪𝑬 𝑪𝑼𝑵𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑯𝑨𝑴
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Kingdom Arkley. Wealth five. Title the virtuoso. Mentions Fleur, Lucien, Sterling. Tags Fleur, Lucien > Sterling.
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As the three of them stood together, accumulating more time together, Royce could tell Fleur was growing more comfortable in the space she occupied. It brought a faint smile to the young man, as he was aware of how difficult situations like these were for her. The young man was polite and didn't see like a threat to either himself or Fleur. His head spun back around to his friend as she spoke of her father, silently agreeing that Fleur was the type to take Mr. Disraeli with a pinch of salt. Royce was going to investigate further into the archery matter, and even try to spark conversation between himself, Fleur and Lucien, but those plans suddenly came crashing down when an announcer's voiced echoed throughout the ballroom. Royce quickly looked in the genera direction the voice came from, then looked back at Fleur with major concern. Royce's ears perked when the man spoke of marriage, causing his head to instinctively turn and face the announcer.

Royce was aware that he was not the only one in shock about the current situation. The quiet mummers and the loud, disruptive shuffling of uncomfortable feet made it as clear as water that the whole room was in either confusion or dazed excitement. Royce found himself on the confused end of the spectrum, with many other emotions dipping in and out of thought. He was not ready for a relationship, nor was he ready to even consider marriage as an option. He had never experienced the pressure of being wed, and he was oblivious to the same pressure that many wealthy women had to endure. So to Royce, this hit him like an out of control carriage. What was he to do but follow instructions? Surely, if someone wanted to rebel, they would, and those who felt the same way would happily join. Perhaps some of the ladies found themselves excited, or a good kind of nervous, to meet "the one".

The fear in Fleur's eyes upset Royce deeply- he did not like to see anyone in such a sate of helplessness. He watched her curtsy, wipe the tears off her face and hang her head in obedience to the royals. Before she could get out of his reach, Royce grabbed her palms tightly and pulled her in for a -hopefully- comforting hug. "It's going to be okay, I will find you soon enough" Royce whispered with reassurance, letting her go, but only to watch her line up as the first to be called. He then waited patiently for his own name and who he was paired with. He was paired with Sterling, who was to be the fifth women in line according to the announcer. Shortly after the announcer disappeared to leave everyone in shambles, Royce slowly approached the fifth women in line who he hoped was Sterling. He bowed politely to the women in front of him, offering his arm for a dance. "As per the announcement, would you like to share a dance?"

[poppyxoxo]

ARETHA - tagging: Annalise, Lucien

In the time that it had taken Aretha to find and quietly speak with Annalise, a young but handsome man had approached Aretha from a distance. He obviously aimed to not interrupt the two women's conversations to which Aretha felt slightly guilty about. In thinking that, Aretha would kick herself later if she knew this was the only time to the would speak. Nonetheless, Aretha turned slightly and offered a kind smile in Lucien's direction to also let him know she wouldn't be long. If it weren't for the current circumstances, Aretha wouldn't have felt this tense but it had happened and now she was jumpy. However, she did not like to turn down the opportunity for a dance with a perfect stranger, as he appeared to be.

She was always quick to judge or at least did so until proven otherwise. Her mother had always scolded her on this and advised that if she were to ever get anywhere in life, she should be more accepting. Aretha had always reasoned that this was how hurt was experience more easily and foolishly. When the man had first announced the true motive of the ball, Aretha felt rigid with anger but was not quietly planning to offer a verbal scolding to whoever's decision that was. What right did they have to force couples together outside of their own will? Anyhow, that sort of thing had to happen on its own, or at least Aretha thought. She returned her attention to Annalise when she felt her hand pull away from Aretha's which initially made an eyebrow perk up until she realised she had slightly startled her tense friend.

This was a slight relief to Aretha as she was glad she wasn't the only one who was more than mad towards the trickery that was pulled over them. "I noticed that, but I didn't want to interrupt you" Aretha assured her friend. "If we get split up, as soon as the first dance ends make your way off to the side for a "drink" so we can get time to talk" Aretha suggested, shooting a secret dirty look towards the man at the front as he ushered her friend into the line. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, obvious to her outrage and surprise. Never in her life did Aretha think that she would be confronted with such a situation, one that forced her into possible marriage. She offered an exasperated smile towards Annalise before she was directed to face Lucien.

"Good evening" she greeted him, dipping her head slightly.

[harrington]

❖ ❛ ── kristoff monette, the "sweetheart", wealth of nine, kingdom of arkley. tags ;; ambrose -> liza

indent"Really, a man as fine as yourself has never found himself at a party? Even one not of this caliber?" He offered a soft smile, intending his quip to be nothing but just friendly banter. Soon after speaking, Kristoff's attention was driven towards the man that had interrupted their conversation. He listened intently, and his demeanor quickly changed as he learned of the true intentions for holding this masquerade. "Of course,"he seethed under his breath, "there were unintended consequences of attending this party. There always are," Kristoff pursed his lips together, trying to ignore the sour taste in his mouth. "Pardon me, but I must excuse myself. Good luck with your ventures."
indentMemories flooded Kristoff's head as he walked up towards the line of women. Firstly, he remembered the first time his father had ever set him up with a girl; Kristoff was only a wee lad at the time, about sixteen years old. The girl he intended to marry was his childhood best friend, Mary, whose family were among the most well-respected in his large town. Kristoff had openly rejected this idea, but to no avail. Unfortunately - or, fortunately for him - Mary died of Smallpox just weeks before they were set to get married. This was only his first, and there were many more to come.
indentThe other three were... less eventful. The second woman, Sarah, had run away just days before the ceremony. She had a secret lover, and although nobody had realized, Kristoff had actually orchestrated the escape. Not a single woman who he had been set to marry he found remotely interesting or engaging romantically, he much preferred their company as friends and allies. His final two arranged marriages ended the same way, and that was the parents of the poor girl he was set to marry pulled her out of the arrangement last minute. Although this should have been a deterrent for many of the women in Arkley, plenty were still interested in courting him. Unfortunately, this usually caused Kristoff to lock himself in his room, and he would often find himself in a good book instead of conversing with the locals as he had so often done years prior.
indentKristoff convinced himself to snap out of his haze, and approached the young woman who he only knew as Elizabeth Chambers. "Elizabeth Chambers," Kristoff spoke with a slow and meticulous tongue, "may I accompany you for a dance?"


❖ ❛ ── agnes gladwyn, the tailor, wealth of two, kingdom of nearon. tags ;; liza, june

indentAgnes let out a harty laugh after Liza had compared her fellow party-goers to sheep. She quickly covered her mouth after this exclamation, not wanting to draw attention to herself and to hopefully keep their conversation more intimate and private. Agnes had already grown quite a liking for Liza; even though she hadn't come to this ball with any intentions of building a relationship, she could see herself and the woman she knew as Elizabeth becoming fast friends.
indentAll of the joy in Agnes' eyes drained out as the man announced the real reason they were all brought to the ball. Not unlike the two kingdoms to trick their own citizens for political gain and benefit. As she turned back to Elizabeth, likely to make a quick and witty comment on the state of things, her partner seemed to have disappeared. She watched as Liza walked to the line of women with little resistance. Perhaps she had misjudged Elizabeth, for she was not expecting the woman to comply with such outrageous demands.
indentAlthough her mind and heart told her to turn and run, run out of the ballroom and into the night, Agnes' feet carried her to the line of women waiting for a dance with their 'assigned' men. She made note that she was the last woman to line up, and hoped that this didn't cause her any negative stigma down the line. As Agnes waited, she felt like a prop... an object waiting to be used. She watched as a young man, only a bit yonger than her, approach the line and ask for an "Agnes". Of course, he had been referring to her. Agnes took a small step forward in the direction of the stranger.
indent "That would be me," she breathed out, hoping to mask all emotions in her voice. "That would make you June Park, then."

[onion]

❧ effie jo / 20 / pansexual / wealth 3 / the foreigner
kingdom: nearon
location: ballroom
tags: lauren

effie simply nodded. a waltz? they were starting with a waltz?! she took his arm and stepped out of the line of women who slowly left with their own men, and she cautiously moved her feet in line with his. the music was loud, but not blaring, something signature of a choir or chorus though it was just strings it seemed. effie glanced over to the musicians for a moment. how she longed to be one of them, simply sitting there doing their duty as if nothing else mattered, completely lost in the music and the beauty of it all. but instead, she was here. so she would just have to endure it.
the girl looked up at lauren again, staring at his nose like she had with kass. "mr. lauren..." effie started quietly. raising her hand to meet his. "i suppose... you do not want to do this, either?" she tilted her head slightly, moving in perfect sync with him though she would still swear she didnt know how to dance. perhaps it was something akin to her horse riding, the way she moved so well with the man. but she could tell by the plain look on his face that he was not interested in her in the slightest. no, he was almost bored, agonizingly bored, effie decided. 'well, i suppose its my job to change that, then...' she thought silently to herself as she looked to his jawline.

♦️ june park / 18 / bisexual / wealth 8 / the athlete
kingdom: arkley
location: ballroom
tags: agnes

the man grinned when a pretty girl- well, they were all pretty, but this one caught his eye as she stepped forward. "miss agnes, that would in fact make me june park," june started, gently reaching for her hand. "may we share a dance? something simple, i dont plan to trip you of course!" he said with a chuckle. agnes... her face had bold features, her cheek bones sharp but not cutting, the same went for her jawline, and her lips a pale color. her skin was slightly tanned, perhaps she did that herself or it was natural, he didnt know, but he quite liked it in comparison to his pale self. his favorite part was her eyes, though. they were a rich brown color that you didnt see often, maybe only in one of the other women standing there, and they pierced right through him when he glanced up at her from his bow.
while june wasnt much of a ladies man, he did know how to flirt, and enjoyed doing so as well. "beautiful..." he murmurred towards her as he took a hold of her precious hand with a gentle touch.

[senna_]

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♚title: the ghost xx♚wealth: fivexx♚kingdom: arkleyxx♚tags: effie

Perhaps the mask that covered a good chunk of their face was doing everyone some good, for Lauren was having more of a challenging time reading what Effie was thinking about and what had been plastered within her soft facial expressions. She seemed to be having more of a difficult time keeping eye-contact, though he didn't think anything negative about the matter; everyone had some sort of tactic they used in social situations, especially those who were evidently introverted. Surely to the young woman, he was portraying himself as a man of less enthusiasm than the amount of energy that had sprawled across the people in the ball when the unexpected announcement was put out. Lauren didn't often smile, especially not around strangers, and although it wasn't that he wasn't pleased to be around Effie, he had personal matters to attend to. Keeping a safe distance was one of them, though more on an emotional level than a physical one. That wasn't to say Lauren was going to get too close to anyone, man or woman alike, for this was a ballroom in the hands of those of high profession and reputation and he had no reason to start something unreasonable, but he needed to focus more on his mentality, and more specifically, the promises he had made to himself. The more he thought about it, though, the more guilty he began to feel; surely neither Effie Jo nor Louise Cowen would even begin to think of thoughts that edged on the romantic side of things when he popped into their minds, but even just a conversation could lead to unsaid actions, hints. Lauren did not believe he was hinting at anything, though his reserved energy could very well give them- or anyone he spoke to- the impression that he was grim and did not want to be in their presence. True to the unwillingness to be where he was part, for Lauren was far more content in his office with some papers to work with, or sharing a tea with Rhonda at her house, but he didn't dislike anyone he'd spoken to here yet. Based on the way Effie was staring at the floor beneath him, Lauren was beginning to suspect his person was making her uncomfortable.

He didn't say anything for a bit, more focused on keeping a good amount of space from the other pairs that had begun to dance. Parents stared from the sides with adoration glistening in their teary eyes, and a warm sense of something flooded through him. That could have been his mother, if she hadn't died the night she'd given birth. Perhaps that could have even been his father, if Lauren hadn't turned out to be as stupid as he was told growing up. Yes, Lauren's suit was of good taste and was more pricey than some of the men's, but that was only because it had been a gift from Rhonda. His father had burned all their money to the ground, so, in all reality, even if his parents had both lived on and loved him well, their wealth and success would still have dropped, and they wouldn't have found a spot amongst the crowded line of wealthy adults. He supposed it was for the best, though; because of his father's errors, Lauren didn't have to follow in his footsteps. It was another comfortable step away from him.

Hearing "Mr. Lauren," was also a bit more pleasing than hearing the typical "Mr. Shaw," a name Lauren was forced to keep but hated, but it added to his predications that Effie was not as wealthy as some of the women in the room. Though he wasn't thinking anything of marriage, wealth hadn't ever mattered to him. In fact, he found those who didn't have a lot of money were much more realistic, down-to-earth. The ladies that grew up spoiled were something Lauren couldn't take. They were often the reason he hid at the parties he attended as a growing teenager.

His dark eyes met hers with ease at her question, which consisted of some words that seemed a bit forced, as if she was timorous to ask such a question. He wasn't ashamed of the blank look that laid across his features; it was easier to slip away from the night without any vulnerable feelings nagging at his mind. "I believe that is a very straight-forward way of putting it," he responded a moment later. "If my lack of interest over this unexpected announcement seems to be addressing you in particular, Miss Jo, I do hope you can believe me when I say it is not you that I am unimpressed by. I do not wish to marry and I believed I had made that very clear to the woman who had convinced me to attend this party. It is simply much to take in." His eyes lingered on her person, even though her gaze was elsewhere yet again. "Though I am getting the impression it is not only I who wished things had turned out differently this evening."