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[senna_]

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[senna_]

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✫age: 20xx✫gender: ♀xx✫wealth: ninexx✫kingdom: nearonxx✫location: gardensxx✫mentions/tags: ambrose, aretha, theo / OPEN

The night had been weird, so odd that when Annalise woke up the following morning, she genuinely had a good moment where she believed she'd dreamt the whole thing. But, slowly, as she drew herself away from the comforts of sleep, everything inside of her mind seemed to flicker on their lights, blinding her with the endless amounts of memories from last night's ball. Ah, yes, so it hadn't been a dream. Or a nightmare, she supposed, though it certainly did feel like it at some points of the night. The announcement in particular. How could one rid that from their minds so quickly? Annie was convinced that the only reason she'd actually managed to fall asleep after the activities that went about during the evening was because she had been overwhelmed with colours, noise, and, well, people. She had felt drained, which was unusual, considering the fact that she was used to spending her time in places like a noisy ballroom. Nevertheless, her head felt cleared today, and she felt much more alert, which was surprising, since she absolutely despised mornings. Ironic, it was.

She wasn't too sure she was ready to face Ambrose Carter again. He had been charming with his words the night before, but in a way that made them sound real, genuine; he didn't appear to be like many of the other men, who'd clucked out as many compliments as their mind could master in hopes of wooing her. But she still felt off. She hadn't formally told him she wasn't planning on marrying him, at least not in the way the Royals seemed to hope, given the very limited time they were to spend in the Onryx as a group, and wasn't sure he was aware of that or not. She remembered his words clearly upon gently teasing him about having a line of women waiting for him back home. He'd come here to find a wife, just as she suspected a few others did, too. Did that mean he was comfortable with the announcement, willing to give it a try with Annalise? She supposed that would be rather difficult, since she wasn't as drawn to romance as he may be, and it made her feel guilty, knowing there was a great chance of having to reject him if he came too close. On the contrary, her parents' reminder burned inside of her, and she knew she was going to have to step it up and start attempting to search for a husband; she could only imagine what terrible men they had waiting for her back at home. But Ambrose? For whatever reason, Annie found it very unromantic, forcing herself to not only love someone in general, but to love someone who'd most likely had their name plucked from a hat alongside hers. It wasn't to say he was an awful man, because Annie found herself rather comfortable with him, but knowing there would be eyes watching the pairs at all times now and the stakes were high for marriage, it just seemed like an awful lot of pressure to fall in love. She didn't wish for marriage for wealth; far too many people had that, and if they were to stay side-by-side until death, she wanted someone she could at least tolerate. It seemed challenging, falling in love within a week, but maybe she could do it. Or, at least find a friend she could tell her parents about. Maybe that would buy her some more time.

Her mind wandered onward, skipping towards Aretha and Theodore. She hadn't been able to get a glimpse of Theo since they were practically forced apart (she was practically positive she had a small bruise on her arm from that man's tough grip) and wasn't too sure how he'd found the rest of the night. Did he like his match? He had said only hours earlier he didn't wish to find a woman to court, but maybe things had changed? And Aretha. Aretha, whom she just so happened to be sharing a room with. She also hadn't said much to her friend, for she'd retired to bed before Aretha had, and only realized they were roommates because she had woken in the middle of the night. She knew the man who was eyeing her friend couldn't be very wealthy (he had long hair!), but Aretha was less stubborn when it came to making at least friends than Annalise was. Who knew, maybe her friend would walk away with a ring on her finger. Annie practically shivered at the thought of that. Change. She didn't like that very much.

Sighing quietly, she slowly removed herself from the silky sheets, tip-toeing across the floor so that she didn't disturb her sleeping friend. She was still in her off-white cotton nightgown, but unfortunately, the woman's dressing room was down the hall. Praying no man opened the door as she was walking down, Annalise sped-walked to the room, offering a polite though fatigued smile towards one of the maids. She was older, with caramel brown hair that already seemed to have gained a few silver streaks. She inquired Annalise's name, then headed to the closet and pulled out a dress whose main colour was a beautiful, grey-purple; it reminded Annalise of the lavender stems in her mother's fields, the shade similar to what they looked like on a slightly cloudy day. The woman, who introduced herself as Lorraine Bell, helped Annie into the dress. She hadn't worn this one yet and wondered just how many new dresses her mother had purchased for her for this experience. She'd have to write to her later.

She thanked Lorraine and grabbed her hat, unwilling to yet put it on. She was told they'd be heading to the marketplace behind the Onryx later that day for some fun shopping, so she'd secure it then. For now, she kept it tucked under her arm, bid Lorraine farewell, then departed from the room, heading down the stairs. Few people were up yet, which surprised her even more; Annie was always the last to wake in her family. She felt even more pressured to remain quiet as she floated down the stairs. A young woman not much younger than Annalise was in the kitchen, evidently preparing something, but Annie didn't stop in. Instead, she headed out the back doors, leaping off the last step from the porch. A cobblestone pathway was connected from the eggshell steps, breaking off into three different directions. She chose the one to the right, the one that led to the gardens. It was huge, filled with blooming flowers and shrubs of every colour and breed imaginable. She didn't dare stray too far in, given its size. She found a cute wooden swing that was attached to a thick tree branch and carefully took a seat, her fingers latching onto the rope handles. She didn't swing, just listened to the early birds and their cheers. This was something she could get used to.

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♚age: 22xx♚gender: ♂xx♚wealth: fivexx♚kingdom: arkleyxx♚location: back roomxx♚mentions/tags: effie / OPEN

Lauren was exhausted, completely wiped from last night's event. Never the one to attend parties often, he hadn't really realized just how much energy it sucked from a guest until the following day. The curtains were still closed, and although the sun's blaring rays were desperate to slink into the room he was in and light it up, the curtains won the battle, and the only thing the sun could manage was to make the floral material glow. He let out a soft sigh, flipping onto his back, fingers drumming against his bare chest. He wasn't too sure he had the motivation to get up and go downstairs, greet new people and put on a happy face, but he knew he didn't have much of a choice. Once again, he was desperately wondering why exactly he'd given in to Rhonda's request. That woman knew how to play with his buttons, that was for sure. Not quite a push, but enough for him to squirm.

His mind traced back to Effie, one of the few people he'd actually had a conversation with. The pretty, quiet girl in pink had managed to plant a spot inside his mind, though out of respect, not lust or rage. He knew he had disappointed her, that went without a doubt, and wasn't too sure he wanted to see her again today. He was surprised to admit that he did enjoy her company, but he felt guilty. Guilty knowing he couldn't give her what she wanted. She was innocent, sweet, and Lauren's calmness was only a thin sheet, a disguise, for the monster that clawed at his insides. He didn't need her to see his anger, his pain, his frustration. She was far too naive for that, and he didn't wish to scare her off. He had figured he'd done a good enough job at remaining fairly neutral for most of the ball, unwilling to give away too much. Hopefully that attitude was enough for those he'd conversed with to leave him alone. He didn't need to feel any more conflict than he was already dealing with.

Running his palms lightly down his face as his insides turned redder, Lauren quickly left his bed and changed. He wasn't sure how hot it was, but he decided to go without a jacket for the time being. The raspberry-coloured velvet was surely enough to keep him comfortable. His dark eyes quickly flickered towards Theodore, his roommate, making sure he hadn't woken the man, then slipped past him, carefully closing the door behind him. The hallway was much brighter, and Lauren had to take a second or two to adjust his eyes to the light. Then he headed downstairs in total silence. One of the maids greeted him with a shy smile, and he accepted a tea with a smile of his own, carefully carrying it to one of the back rooms, where he could read the paper in peace. He wondered how long it would take before the others woke up, though, in all honesty, he wasn't sure he was ready for the city events that were to soon go down.

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☇age: 21xx☇gender: ♂xx☇wealth: sevenxx☇kingdom: nearonxxlocation: upstairs hallwayxx ☇tags: OPEN

Vincent had been bummed to realize he wasn't going to make it to the infamous masquerade party the Royals had put on at the Onryx. He'd received his invitation just as everyone else had, but due to some confusion in the addresses, it hadn't arrived on time. In fact, the only reason it arrived at all was because someone in town just so happened to know of Vincent's father, and crossed paths with him on the way to work. He'd assumed the young woman was just going to deliver it to the post box, especially since she had written in large, bubbly letters, "Wrong address!" on the back, but luck had been on the Sinclair's side that day, for the only place that letter went to, other than the woman's house, of course, was into the hands of Vincent. He had been absolutely ecstatic when he read it. He was to attend such a place, and for more than a few hours, too? He had a room there. Who could believe it? It was his perfect chance, he decided, to find himself a lady to court. His parents had been on it for quite some time, and his grandfather, too, since he was of age. Of course, men didn't have it nearly as tough as women did, for if women weren't married by twenty-three they were considered far too old, but Vincent was no rake, and he surely didn't find pleasure in such scandalous acts with women he barely even knew. His friend Joaquin, twenty-seven, hadn't ever courted a single woman, and given the acts he'd performed, Vincent wasn't sure he'd ever settle down. Vincent was different. The only person he was to give himself away to was one woman, the woman he would marry. Vincent hadn't lived in Nearon for nearly enough time to get a decent idea of the women around (he was no animal, he'd befriend as he did with everyone!), but he made a promise to his grandfather that if he didn't find anyone suiting around by the time he turned twenty-three, he'd return to Versailles. That wasn't exactly his ideal choice, for Versailles was a bit much for him, so he hoped things would work out in the end.

He didn't want to seem desperate, but Vincent wanted a family. He wanted to love and cherish and support someone and the children they were to have together. It was unfortunate, how many men his age tossed that aside until they were older. Vincent did suppose work often came first in the minds of men, but it didn't help Vincent much; he was a teacher for younger students, he was practically living with young children at all time. It had to have been a sign, no? He thought that was a bit funny to think about, but his mother was convinced he had a good point there. His father had rolled his eyes at his wife's enthusiasm and gave Vincent the "ignore the crazy lady" look, a look Vincent and his younger sister Yasmin knew all too well.

When he'd arrived at the Onryx, it was late at night, nearly midnight. Because he'd received his invitation so late, there hadn't been enough time to get an outfit purchased and tailored for him and a masquerade mask sparkled and cut to perfection. Thankfully, those who had also received the letters joined him only an hour or so later. Beside his bed was an odd note that told him that the reason for his presence was actually for marriage, which made his heart leap, both in shock and in joy. So this was a match-matching event... How thrilling! Of course, Vincent couldn't help but feel bad for the woman whose name was listed below, Emmelyna, for now she was forced into something. And, truth be told, Vincent wasn't sure he was cut out for an arranged marriage. He came here to look, not to be tied down to the first name that popped into the writer's head. He told himself he'd explain that to her when he met her; she'd surely understand.

He'd had an awfully brief chat with the two men he was sharing a room with, June and Lucien. Both seemed like pleasant people and Vincent was sure they'd get along fine. He'd ended it with a quick "good-night," eager for the following day's events.
When he awoke, a fresh wave of nerves rolled over his body, something unfamiliar to him. He supposed his week at the Onryx had officially begun. He was eager to meet everyone, but also a bit nervous, too; would he be the outsider because he arrived late? He had a good reason for it, but people liked to judge. He hadn't met many people from Nearon or Arkley and hoped they were nice enough. He had to get along with them, after all; they were spending the next few days together.

Vincent decided to change in the spare room because June and Lucien were both sleeping when he awoke. He grabbed hold of the clothes he'd set down the night prior and departed the room. Shirtless, and awfully cold, despite the season, he hurried into the extra room to change into today's clothes. Though he decided on a chocolate brown coat, Vincent was sure he'd rid it later that day. For now, though, it was alright. Taking in a deep breath, he quickly combed his hands through his golden curls, then turned and left the room, eager to explore what the day had to offer.

[poppyxoxo]

ARETHA - tagging: -

When Aretha finally woke up, slightly earlier than what she normally woke, she forgot where she was for a small amount of time before spotting the sleeping figure of Annalise to which realisation kicked in. Aretha hadn't been able to enjoy her sleep much as to her dismay, she discovered that she would be sleeping in an unfamiliar bed which kept her awake a while before sleep finally came. Aretha woke as though she had not gotten more than an hours sleep but thankfully she was gifted with the skills that would help her to hide any signs of eye bags. Even though Aretha did feel safe to have her lifelong friend in the room with her, Aretha could not help the nerves that swarmed in her stomach alone with the sense of being homesick.

Aretha sat up slowly, gently rubbing her face while thinking of what the new day might bring. She only hoped that whoever's mansion they were in had a playable piano. The feeling of cool keys on her fingers, of the music that swirled around her ears always calmed Aretha enough to clear her head. Perhaps whoever else who cared to listen would ease up too. If Aretha could just get up and get dressed, she would set out on her adventure to find her beloved instrument. The young women made her way to the shared dressing room in which she began to prepare herself for the day, pulling on her dress with ease while slipping on her shoes followed by gloves. Perhaps she would go outside but for now the thoughts of a piano would not unstick.

The young women found one in the room that the masquerade had been held. She wasn't sure if she was meant to be in here but didn't particularly care, finding it funny if someone where to go mad at her giving the current circumstances. Aretha sat down at the small bench and took of her gloves, stretching out her fingers before beginning to play random melodies that swam into her head.

AMBROSE - tagging: - mentions: Corrin, Annalise

Ambrose got himself up, the previous nights events playing over and over in his mind as Ambrose got himself ready. Ambrose made his way quietly towards the spare room that was allocated for the men to get themselves dressed so that he would not wake Corrin who slept soundly in the same room as Ambrose. Checking to make sure no one was in the spare room, Ambrose dressed himself in his chose outfit of plain pants and undershirt with a signature red overcoat. While getting himself ready for the day, Ambrose tried to think of what his parents must of been thinking by now and he could only hope they had not worried themselves into a heart attack. Ambrose's thought wandered back to the face of Annalise, already set familiar in his brain.

He couldn't help but wonder how the others were taking the news. Ambrose was sure that most if not all had had a pretty rough night, finding it difficult to settle in a place foreign to them. Ambrose shrugged the thought away and left the room he had just changed in before making his way down the hallway. Upstairs to the masquerade ball was just as elaborately decorated and Ambrose was sure that if he had been here on a visit or holiday, he would have enjoyed it more. Ambrose found himself wandering the stairs before finding a door that led to a beautifully kept garden outside. He did not particularly feel like sitting down, his thought running far too much to settle sitting down.

DANIEL - tagging: - mentions: Royce

Daniel still felt rather uncomfortable with the previous nights events could not sleep and so he had risen with the sun or maybe an hour or so after. Daniel groggily got up, sleep clinging to his brain as he spotlessly made his bed, quite as to not rouse his sleeping roommate Royce. Although Daniel could not sleep in a bed other than his own, he was able to get a few winks. Daniel thought of home and suddenly became heavy with dawning; with the fact that he was practically being forced into a marriage he may not want. Daniel had heard of those and although arranged marriages were common these days, the methods that was being used was not the most tactful. Daniel finished with dressing himself before walking to the closest window, starring out across the land bellow his eyes.

Daniel had somehow found himself in the garden, walking around with his hands tucked behind his back, thinking over everything that had just happened.

[harrington]

❖ ❛ ── agnes gladwyn, the tailor, wealth of two, kingdom of nearon. tags ;; june (ment.), fleur (ment.)

indentalthough she'd hate to admit it, agnes had quite a bit of fun last night. dancing was not her strong-suit, and although the ballroom's lights set the mood for the evening, they were also quite distracting, causing her non-accustomed feet to trip and slide every which way. june didn't seem to mind, though, and like a true gentleman, he helped her back on her feet and caught her before she fell. it was like those storybooks she would read to her younger siblings, and for the first time in her life agnes felt like a princess.
indentregardless, agnes pushed these feelings aside. there was no reason to get attached to an arranged marriage, especially with someone she had not met before. she assumed that june was of a higher-class just based on how he dressed, and his mannerisms suggested that he may be a wealth of around seven or eight. something inside of her hoped that maybe june would be different then the other men of his social class, but she wouldn't hold out too much hope. disappointment was all too familiar for agnes.
indentagnes awoke quite early on in the morning, and although she hadn't had much alcohol or anything to make her memory hazy, agnes couldn't completely remember why, or how, she had gotten into this room. regardless, she appreciated the change of scenery and the room was quite beautiful - nothing like what she had at home. silk curtains adorned the windows and fluttered in the breeze. she did, however, notice one thing off in the room, and that was a second bed. there seemed to be a blonde woman sleeping near her, and although she wasn't turned off by the fact she had a roommate, it certainly took a bit of the magic out of the room.
indentshe couldn't say she had met the woman beside her before, but something about her struck agnes as incredibly familiar. perhaps when she awoke they could engage in some small-talk over morning tea, and maybe agnes would remember her face then.

[sunhorsestar]

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


Corrin woke just after Ambrose had gone, in time to see the door shut, and hurriedly dressed himself before making his way out of the lavish room. Certainly it made him just a bit uncomfortable, being in such beautiful, luxurious surroundings, after having a life spent more or less in a state of relative poverty, Corrin was unused to such things. However, he was determined that he’d been chosen for a reason, of all the men available in Arkley.

Corrin thought back to the night before, dancing with Miss Fleur, and speaking with Miss Aretha, two of the loveliest young ladies he had met in a long time. Oh he hoped to speak with them again, but perhaps...after he’d wakened a bit more and the brain fog had cleared.


Sterling Rena Robin | 22 | Wealth 8 | Nearon | Tagging: Open


The night of the party had been nice despite the startling revelation of the true nature of their gathering. Sterling herself had been more or less indifferent, if not curious of the situation. It had been explained, but she couldn’t help but wonder why they all had been the ones to be chosen. She cared not for marriage unless it was to a man who would respect her and her studies, for she had no interest in playing the role of a common housewife.

Sterling dressed and headed downstairs quietly, tying her hair back into a braid as she descended the staircase, noting several of the other guests whom had already awakened and made their way downstairs.

[AlphaOfThePack21]

19||Female||Demisexual||Wealth: 2||Nearon||Paired: Kristoff Monette||Tags: [Ment. Kristoff, Louise, Kassandra] Lauren
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She had hoped she gave that man a run for his money. She did give him a hard time if anything but he seemed to be able to match and keep up with her energy. She was intrigued by him being able to keep up. But she cleared her mind as she looked in the room to the two other girls she shares a room with. They both were asleep, but then again Elizabeth was always someone who rose really early. She looked at them for a moment more, taking in their features, both were stunning. But before one of them could wake up and feel awkward about her watchfulness from across the room she stood up. Slowly and quietly she walked to the door barefoot and as quietly as possible she went out into the hall and into the dressing room where she threw on a brown dress. When getting changed she could see the irritation and sores on her feet from the heels she wore last night. She cursed under her breath before she slipped on some flats, which even those hurt to wear. She sighed to herself before exiting the dressing room and heading downstairs, looking for anything to stick her nose into.

With the search, she happened to find a book, "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen. She had read Pride and Prejudice time and time again until the pages wore and she couldn't anymore. So picking out another book of hers seemed right. She opened the book and headed towards a back room reading as she walked, only to find the room she went into was occupied by a man. She had narrowed her eyes for just a moment, it would be quite awkward to have just entered the room and without a work walkout so she walked to a chair as she passed the man she dipped her head slightly "Good morning..." she said as she sat in a chair. It was really not the time for her to push buttons and cause problems simply because she just wanted to read in peace, like him it seemed. She continued to read the page quietly. Though if he questioned her lack of mannerisms because she didn't fully curtsy to him, she wouldn't hold back, though she doubted it.

21||Male||Heterosexual||Wealth: 9||Arkley||Paired: Kassandra DeMarks||Tags: Open
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He had slept in just a little, waking up to an empty room he had just the night before had another man whom he vaguely remembers is named Lauren. Seemed like an intellectual fellow, someone he could have quite the conversation with given the chance. But no matter, that time would come if it chose to, he did not want to seem too eager and approach the poor guy. Best to leave him in his peace for the moment.

He stood and got changed in the room as it was empty. Running his hands through his hair. Flashbacks of the ball played in his mind. The shock. It nestled within him again. But if he was being honest, Miss. DeMarks was not bad company, she was very beautiful so he couldn't say that the night was completely horrible. Even though he was not ready for himself to court a woman. Especially one he does not know. He wouldn't mind having another conversation though with the woman. Though he could feel the presence of another woman on his mind. He wondered how Annie's night went, when she had left him to go line up he could feel the shift from her. It was a side that he had never seen from her. Maybe he would run into her again today at some point. He shrugged to himself before he walked out of his room and down the hallway before reaching the stairs. He went down them to be greeted by a few of the staff who he declined the offer of tea.

Within moments he was outside, the sun rays poured down. It was beautiful outside, quiet, peaceful. How long would it remain like this? How long would Arkley and Nearon be able to deal with eachother? His mind always going when he is awake. Would any of these "marriages" actually end up working out? He shrugged to himself before adjusting his jacket sleeves and walked heading towards the garden, he had seen a few people off in the distance heading the same way.

20||Female||Heterosexual||Wealth: 8||Arkley||Paired: Corrin Elmer||Tags: Agnes
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The night from before felt all like a bad dream. That night she had problems falling asleep, and at some points staying asleep. She had so much anxiety even though her interaction with Corrin was not bad. This whole ordeal still tugged at her. She was sure everyone else being forced into this situation feels the same.

With little to no sleep, she woke up groggy and gross feeling. But had made sure last night that she did not bother the girl who slept just across the room. When she awoke the girl across the room seemed to be already awake. She sat up slowly in the bed, the sun shining through the room. The onryx was quite beautiful, even under the circumstances. The sheets were silk, the finest of quality on the beds. Her hand slid across it as she looked at the bed that was messily thrown around. It really showed how rough of a nights sleep she had. She only had one thing she was excited about....the onryx garden. She heard it was beautiful and she wished to see the flowers that bloom within it. So with that she stood from the bed, her sleeping gown falling down before she heads over and in privacy of the changing room changed into a beautiful elegant red dress, she didn't really feel like getting all dolled up and have a dress with a cage so she chose to do a dress that didn't need one. Her wild auburn hair falling in waves to one side of her head. With that she returned and approached Agnes, she figured it would best to introduce herself, as they had slept right across from each other that night.

But with that thought came her anxiety again, she internally rolled her eyes at herself because of it. Forcing herself to stand near Agnes and with quiet words and a curtsy "Good morning. I...um. I am Fleur Disraeli, it's a pleasure to meet you, please feel free to call me Fleur. Also I do hope I did not disturb you at any point in the night." This girl had looked approachable enough, so she wondered how her personality is. Could they be friends? She was getting ahead of herself, one step at a time.

[onion]

❧ effie jo / 20 / pansexual / wealth 3 / the foreigner
kingdom: nearon
location: bedroom > hallway
tags: open

she remembered little about the night save for her dance with... lauren shaw, was it? effie opened her eyes. it was early morning and she was lying on her back when the door shut quietly. 'she must enjoy the early mornings...' she mused internally.
effie sat up in bed, holding her head for a moment while memories flooded back. lauren... he was tall. and kind, too, she remembered that much... after picking her brain for a few minutes, she remembered their conversation and his compliments, his words, his... indifference. it wasnt what she had expected from a man of higher wealth, which, by the way he had dressed, she assumed was at least seven.
standing up on the left side of the bed closest to the window, effie flattened her white nightgown. the last thing she remembered lauren mentioning was her accent, however anything after that was gone. her hands drifted to her stomach where she set them and felt it rumble ever so slightly.
so, with a sigh, effie began to dress in the room assigned for it. she wore a dark pink plaid checkered dress with a more plain piece of fabric half way down the middle of her front. she tied a small bow with the waistband and called it a day before slipping into some dull black flats. it was nothing fancy, but looked nice enough, she supposed...
effie exited the fitting room and walked to the window, looking out at the view of the beautiful garden. she spread the curtains ever so slightly more, and turned for the door. she didnt have time to enjoy the scenery sadly; from what had been said the night before, there were more important things at hand.
she left the room quietly like a mouse, shutting the door with a soft click. effie looked around. most of the doors were still closed, save for one or two that were cracked open. she crept into the hall and began to head towards the staircase.

[senna_]

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✫age: 20xx✫gender: ♀xx✫wealth: 9xx✫kingdom: nearonxx✫location: gardensxx✫mentions/tags: Theodore

The singing voices of the birds and the gentle humming of a few honey bees nearby were enough to settle Annalise's anxiety nerves so that she could focus on something other than the nagging thoughts of marriage. She'd always been one to overthink, but the overwhelming amount of everything that had been thrown at her the night before unsettled her. She hadn't had a chance to really explore the house, but she hoped there would be some extra quills and paper around so she could write to her family. That was something she was going to have to search for before their city trip so she could figure out whether or not she needed to make some purchases or not. Agestin seemed charming, as small as it was and as little as Annalise had seen, and she wished to get something for her family. Perhaps a China set, or something to do with the body of water that surrounded them; it was always what everyone thought of when Agestin popped into a conversation. That and the Onryx, but Annie supposed that was probably because, besides the market behind them, there wasn't much more to experience in the town.

She wished she'd brought her sketchpad along with her that morning. Although this wasn't something she'd create for the empty spot on the wall in the main hall, it would be a nice addition to her memory collection that was bundled inside her busy mind. She knew she had practically all day, though, so coming out later didn't seem like the worst option. Better yet, coming out here just as the sun was rising would be a perfect picture to capture, but that just seemed like an awful lot of effort for Annie, who usually snoozed until mid-morning.

Although she hadn't heard anything more than what had been accompanying her already, Annalise's body began to stiffen ever-so-slightly, and she sensed someone else had stepped foot in the garden. It wasn't hers and she therefore didn't feel possessive or angered that someone else had a similar idea as herself, but she'd come out here to avoid socializing, and it seemed that probably wasn't going to happen; she'd landed a spot right near the entrance, after all. Pushing herself up to her feet quickly, Annalise nearly toppled forward out of shock. Much to her luck, the corner of the chair managed to catch onto the end of her dress, as if to claim Annie for itself. Her cheeks flushed as one of her stockings showed to about mid-calf and frantically yanked her dress free before anyone could see. Though she didn't suspect he saw, it was just her luck to note that Mister Ambrose Carter was taking a stroll on the other side of the dolphin-structured bush in front of her. Breath hitching, Annie turned and scurried away before he could notice her. It wasn't that she disliked him, but she wasn't yet ready to face the awkwardness of the first after-night conversation.

Luck most certainly was not on her side today, or maybe it was, in an odd sort of way, for she just about collided into the body of Theodore, her gaze having been over her shoulder instead of in front of her. "Dear me, I'm so sorry," she sputtered, practically leaping backward. She shook her head and sighed at her clumsiness, then let a smile slip up onto her features. It was small, distracted, but still genuine enough for Theo to sense it wasn't forced. "Good morning."

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♚age: 22xx♚gender: ♂xx♚wealth: 5xx♚kingdom: arkleyxx♚location: main housexx♚tags: Elizabeth

Settling back in the somewhat uncomfortable chair, Lauren let a leg prop over the other, and his shoe tapped gently against the wooden leg of the table he was perched at. The tea he was given was still hot, the temperature strong enough to allow for an elegant sway of steam to emerge from the surface. He watched for a brief moment as it danced its towards the tall ceilings of the Onryx, slowly dying off in the process. It seemed to have cooled to just above room temperature rather quickly, and, setting the newspaper down, he cautiously took a sip. He was surprised by how tasty it was; Lauren had always made his own tea back at home, but it was put together quickly and he'd never dressed it properly. This satisfied his tastebuds, as much as he didn't want to admit to it; servants and maids reminded him all-too-well of his father. But now he was beginning to understand why his father had so many of them.

Carefully putting the teacup back down, Lauren drew the paper back in. His eyes grazed over the words lazily, jaw tightening ever-so-slightly as he did so. At first, as per usual, the words were ants, cheekily scrambling across the off-white sheet, frantic to find their right placement. Years ago, they never did. Most of them, anyway; Lauren had figured that out the hard way. He'd attended school, though, and although the scampering black fuzz never truly came to a halt, it had improved enough for Lauren to be able to get a good few minutes out of whatever was written down. Relaxing as the words calmed down, he leaned back in his chair once more and began to read.

The sound of scraping chair legs drew him out of his thought bubble, and although Lauren's head did not move, his dark gaze flickered upward. A woman, probably a few years younger than he was, with hickory brown hair and chocolate brown eyes, had plopped down a little ways away from him. The table was big enough to share, but it still caught his attention quickly. "Good morning," he returned briefly, his voice still deep and drowsy, for he'd yet to fully awake. He continued his reading, but his stubborn mind had become occupied elsewhere, and the ants had returned. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he slapped the paper down and ran his hands over his face. The woman, too, had something to read with her, though it was more than just a simple newspaper. He watched her for a moment, unsure if he should leave or not. He decided against that, at least for the time-being. "Do you read a lot?"

[AlphaOfThePack21]

19||Female||Demisexual||Wealth: 2||Nearon||Paired: Kristoff Monette||Tags: Lauren
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The man seemed like he was a little annoyed, at her? She wasn't quite sure, but she continued on with her journey in her book. As she read she fell into the world of the book, ah this was why she loved reading so much. It took her to a place different from now, she could pretend to become anyone she desired, once she was sucked into a book she could hardly call it reading, more like living, it was like words jump out of the book and she could feel herself drifting away from reality. If only she could write such beautiful stories, she wished to make people feel the way she does when she reads.

She was quite a fast reader as well, well when you get so consumed by the story it was easy. She had been reading since she could remember, but being in the lower class and with little access to books she was usually stuck reading the same thing over and over again. Some of the books in her home were faded from constant use. To the point, they didn't even look like they could be read anymore, but that didn't matter. She had read them so much she had them memorized. She could recite a lot of pages, and when reading she didn't even need to look at the words really. This was her peace, this was her comfort. Yes, she gets annoyed that a lot of books are based on a "mans world" and the men being the saviors but, books were something that can be told throughout centuries, through lives. To think someone could have lived these lives, to be so happy and accepted. It brought her a calmness.

She had a small smile upon her lips as she read, but the world of the book melted away when the man spoke again. Her eyes flicked up from the book and to him as she closed it on her thumb. "I do indeed, well at least I do my best to." She replied. She could see the frustration, not just in his face but in his body language as well, she can thank reading for that. It seems to help her be able to read people as well, at least to a certain extent. "I take it you don't. Or rather you don't find it too enjoyable?" she said as she gestured to the newspaper with her free hand. People are usually surprised by how unfiltered she is, to nearly all, those words she asked would be seen as rude and unladylike, but she just calls it as is. "Though I don't think getting mad at the paper will do you any good." she had to admit she was quite curious as to why he was so frustrated. Was there something in the paper that he didn't quite like? Men were such confusing creatures, she could never see herself slapping down a book, as she would be afraid to damage it. But she supposes that he only has a newspaper so that was different.

21||Male||Heterosexual||Wealth: 9||Arkley||Paired: Kassandra DeMarks||Tags: Annie
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Theo had been walking, slowly. He was taking in the garden, it was so beautiful. He never saw anything quite like it as he mostly is stuck doing his work. He never really was able to take in the colors of the world which is why he relates people to colors. He sees their color instead, but without needing to do that at this moment he found himself in awe of how colorful the world really is. The last time he looked at it this way was....when he was a kid before his mother died, maybe a few times after she did. But most of the time his father was shoveling his business and tactics down his throat so he didn't have much time to appreciate it.

His admiration was interrupted by a body running into his. He couldn't help but let out and laugh at her. "Good morning." it was odd seeing her in this way, she always portrayed this elegance in the open, but it seemed something was off, which cause him to grow a little more serious.

"Are you okay? You seem....rather flustered?" he asked as he adjusted his clothes. Ah, now he could ask her how her dance went, her partner. He offered her a smile. "I know...last night was a big shock to everyone. I could see that you were...freaking out. How are you now?" he paused for a moment, last night was the first time he had seen her like that. What would he say about his night? Tell her he had a nice dance partner but he was worried about her all night? That sounded ridiculous, she would get rather mad at that, he knows she is able to take care of herself fully. Plus that would sound like he had intentions with her. Would it? He's just her friend, he worries for her. And by the way, she ran up, it was almost like she was running away from someone, she was looking over her shoulder as she ran into him or at least that's what it looked like at the quick glance he caught of her seconds before she crashed into him. Or was he just overthinking things? Was she out here with someone already? Ambrose?

"What was that Ambrose guy like?" why did it matter? Was he hoping she would say she hated him? Why was he feeling so protective over her, it had to be because of them being friends for so long, right? He cleared his head, there was no need for all these invasive thoughts, he would just enjoy the conversation he is having with her. She was dressed as elegant as ever, a sight for sore eyes really. But she always had beautiful clothes, a sense of fashion. She stood out against the brightness of the garden.

[senna_]

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✫age: 20xx✫gender: ♀xx✫wealth: 9xx✫kingdom: nearonxx✫location: gardensxx✫mentions/tags: theodore

A new bundle of guilt flooded her when Annie watched Theodore fix his sleek black tailcoat. She supposed their collision hadn't been much more than a clipped shoulder, but it was enough to take him by surprise, too. Annalise herself hadn't even bothered to check if her dress had been messed up, either from the bump or from the catastrophic incident she had had with the wooden seat just moments prior. She dismissed his question with a wave of her hand, but it seemed she wasn't able to avoid it as easily as she'd originally presumed, for his followed-up question was indeed regarding the exact reason why she'd run off from her previous spot like a frantic doe in an open meadow. "Grand you've noticed," she responded, emphasizing on the word "grand" in a way where it sounded like enthusiastic sarcasm. Her smile dipped just slightly as he continued on about the dance. She really didn't have anything to be miserable over, but she couldn't help it. Her shoulders drooped and her head dipped just in the slightest bit every time she thought about it. It was simply a big change from all the other parties she'd ever attended in the past. A change that was enough to dim her mood, though surely all for the wrong reasons. After all, she wasn't tied down the way some women of lower wealth were. She couldn't be frustrated with the situation, really.

"I appreciate your concern," Annie found herself saying, and she meant it, too. That warmed her, knowing Theodore was looking out for her; despite her stubborn teasing in regards to handling herself, it did mean a lot to her. It also made her feel even more guilty, though, for she'd felt so cluttered and lost last night that other than her occasional attempted glances in Theodore's and Aretha's presumed directions, Annalise had found herself stuck more on the thought of Ambrose than her two close friends. Goodness, that really did make her a terrible person, didn't it? She averted her gaze sheepishly at that, focusing more on the hat that was still clutched in her hands. "I suppose I simply do not handle unexpected news too well, hm?" A hum of a laugh followed at that, and she tiled her head back up to meet his gaze, feeling warmth in her cheeks at the evident concern in his gaze. "I do hope your night went well, though. I'm afraid I hadn't much time to look out for you; those dancers were far too tall and much too close to me to even get a glimpse of anyone other than my dance partner."

She pressed her lips together, then gently chewed the corner of her bottom lip. She could hear the permanent voice of her mother in her mind, and Irina's, too, scolding her over how chewed lips took away pretty, full lips. It hadn't ever mattered to Annie, but of course, a man's seeking desires came before Annie's coping habits for her awkward, anxious moments. As did everything else in regards to a man.

That usual smirk of a smile, the type Annalise found herself wearing when struggling to bite back a laugh, rose to her face at Theo's choice of words. "That Ambrose guy," she echoed, amusement audible in her tone, "was not the worst person I could have been stuck with." Although her parents would have to approve regardless, she supposed Ambrose was a nice, approvable man, a man she could find herself getting to know better- as a friend, not as a future spouse- if she had the time for it. He was calm, quiet, reminding her an awful lot of the settled energy Theodore carried. Horror fell upon her when realizing what she'd just done. She'd just compared Ambrose to Theodore. Was that the right thing to do, accidentally comparing one of her closest friends to a man she was somewhat supposed to marry? What exactly did that mean? Nothing more than what she'd just thought, right? Annalise hadn't thought much of marriage, let alone with anyone in particular. Although...

She cut short of that path, quickly veering onto a new one. "But enough about Mr. Carter and I, I heard you had a brilliant time last night." She spoke quickly, though a devilish grin had spread across her face, an indication that she was still deeply engaged in the subject. "Miss Kassandra De-something, was her name? Do you think Kassandra Lefeuvret has a nice ring to it, or is that just me?"

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♚age: 22xx♚gender: ♂xx♚wealth: 5xx♚kingdom: arkleyxx♚location: back roomxx♚tags: elizabeth

Lauren's steady gaze continued to study the woman, whose every little bit was evidently engaged in the book that was laying in the palms of her hands. A tiny, tiny smile was playing at her pale lips, and her dark eyes skimmed each page generously, swallowing up everything the story had to offer. She seemed experienced, like she knew what exactly she was doing, even though her eyes were moving far too quickly for someone like Lauren to have the ability to properly process the words. So she was educated, or at least enough to know how to read, and probably write, too. Yes, there were schools for girls around, but they had only recently opened up; Lauren didn't expect her to have attended one of those, unless she was far younger than she looked. Maybe she was wealthier than the outfit she wore, just as Lauren was poorer than what his clothes gave away.

Her smile had faded, though her lips hadn't pressed into a scowl or a grimace. Lauren's own expression remained just as neutral before; one wouldn't be able to get any more emotion from him as they would from the stones laid out down the pathway to the Onryx porch steps. A brow quirked at her cheeky comment, head bobbing enough for it to support the breath that had escaped his lips, something enough to weakly represent a laugh. "I believe it would be much more enjoyable if the words on the pages cooperated a bit better," he leered, eyes drifting over the abandoned newspaper in an unpleasant way. "Although I do suppose a newspaper isn't something I do find the most enjoyable; it gets repetitive. King Alexander has a rumoured new mistress or a dog spooked a driving horse. Its' dramatics are about as high as..." He glanced at her book. Sense and Sensibility. Ah. "...a romance novel, I suppose."

He picked up the newspaper in one hand, giving it a flap to straighten it out, then picked up his untouched glasses in the other hand and motioned to the first, as if to prove his point, despite not having pointed out anything in particular. He set it back down a second later, though not nearly as harshly as the first time. He'd experienced enough embarrassment and shame from his dyslexic issues from his father, he didn't need to be taunted by a woman he didn't know. "Novels are interesting things. It takes a certain person to pay them mind. And from a woman, too... I've come to the conclusion that you aren't the typical lady who passes the hours with embroidery."

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☇age: 21xx☇gender: ♂xx☇wealth: 7xx☇kingdom: nearonxxlocation: ballroomxx ☇mentions/tags: effie / aretha (no official tag)

Stretching his arms up towards the ceiling, Vincent let a lazy yawn escape his lips. He traveled down the stairs, hopping over the last one, landing rather gracefully on the polished floor below. Mumbles had turned into full-voiced chatter, indicating more people were now awake, thanks to the delightful, nearly blinding gleam of the sun. He leaned carefully against the supporting wall of the staircase, sticking his hands in his pockets. Though the sound of voices echoed out around him like ghosts, he was unable to track down a single person. Well, there was a pretty young maid who was stirring something into the teacups that were lined up on the kitchen counter, but that was about it. He turned and took a step towards the main door, bringing one hand up to whisk away the lacy curtain that had been blocking the glass window. Perhaps it was there for privacy reasons, but Vincent wanted every bit of sun imaginable inside the room. So he tied it back with the hope that nobody would protest, and swiveled back towards the main corridor. A cute, petite Asian girl was taking her time down the stairs in a pretty pink dress, Vincent noticed. He shot her a friendly smile, but she was too far up the staircase for him to start a conversation.

He took off in a stroll instead, drifting by the working kitchen. Vincent, never the one to really obtain an appetite until closer to noon, slid past the woman with a polite smile. He couldn't help but feel slightly bad for her, but he took she had friends nearby that would come join her once their chores were done. If Vincent hadn't been invited to the Onryx for a reason, he'd offer his two working hands, but he had a feeling that most likely was not the most appropriate thing to do. So he resisted and carried on walking.

Vincent had no idea where he was going, but he found the adventure thrilling. Most of the rooms had closed doors, and the ones with opened ones were locked. He took yet another turn, finding himself in an eerily silent hallway. He had been followed with a thick, quiet air the entire walk around, but this particular spot was even quieter. As if it was restricted. That being said, there was nothing locked, so Vincent took it was okay to browse.

A sweet sound lured in his attention, and it only took a second for Vincent to comprehend it. He followed it, like prey to its bait, and found himself near two large doors that were unlike any of the other ones. He hesitated, then gently curled his fingers around the brash door handle and gave it a tug. His eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets; this was the ballroom. The sound continued, certainly from a piano. Though her head was down, in the distance, a young woman with nearly snow-white hair was playing. Mesmerized, Vincent slipped in, resting his back against the closest wall. He didn't wish to interrupt.