✧ Tʜᴇ Gʀᴇᴀᴛ Mᴀsϙᴜᴇʀᴀᴅᴇ

[Speak]

ｍｉｒａ ｐｏｒｔａｔｈ

❝ｔｈｅ ｎｏｂｌｅｍａｎ＇ｓ ｄａｕｇｈｔｅｒ❞

[age] twenty [title] lady [ location ] ballroom [ tagged ] open

"No Belinda." Mira said narrowing her eyes at the countless strings of diamonds that her mother was holding out to her. For some reason her mother had thought it a grand idea to try and force her daughter to wear eight strands of diamonds to the masquerade, a thinly veiled attempt to announce her social status to the other masked guests.
"But honey, you'll look sublime with these, at least it'll bring more excitement to your...ensemble." Her mother replied reproachfully glancing at the simple dark blue dress her daughter insisted on wearing.
"I don't care, I like my ensemble the way it is, besides you already altered my dress the way you wanted it." Mira replied instead reaching for a silver choker chain that she carefully clasped into place. The simple chain complimented the deep colour of her gown and would match the mask she'd had made in secret. Standing from her desk Mira couldn't help but glare at the jewels that had been sewn into the bodice of her gown, an alternation her mother had requested that Mira herself had only discovered that morning "Besides it's not you going to this ball." she said casually -though I know you wish you were- she added silently.
"Very well darling, I suppose I'll just leave this with you then." her mother sniffed clearly insulted. Leaving the diamonds and a sleek black box on top of Mira's desk her mother flounced from the room to do whatever it was she did in her spare time.
The sound of her door slamming made Mira sigh in relief, she was gone. Turning back towards the mirror Mira glanced at her own reflection in it's entirety her makeup, dress, shoes, and even jewellery were simple there was nothing outrageous or attention seeking about her and that was the way she liked it. Combing her hair out so that most of it fell on the right side of her face Mira finally took out the silver mask she'd ordered Mira was about to put it on when she felt her blue gaze pulled to the box her mother had left along with the necklace. Setting down the metal mask Mira stood and approached the black box gently lifting the lid to reveal a delicate lace mask that was inset with clusters of diamonds and sapphires. Once again this only proved just how much her parents didn't know her, replacing the lid on the poorly thought out gift Mira returned to her mirror and her own mask quickly fixing it into place. With a quick glance at the clock Mira's heart sunk, it was time to go.
Making her way slowly through the maze of cavernous halls that made up the family estate Mira soon reached the main entrance it's elegance and glamour form another age that should have been long gone. No one was there to see her off, but that was as expected really so no tears were really shed over that. Outside and into the backseat of a sleek black car Mira was soon on her way to yet another social event. Though perhaps it wouldn't be as bad, though she'd been to balls, teas, and other social gatherings for the elite Mira had never been to a masquerade. Maybe this would be different, no one would know who she was and she wouldn't know who anyone else was, with this new hope in her heart Mira felt the car stop and was startled to find that they'd already arrived.
Before he left her driver informed Mira that he would return sometime between midnight and one which would (fortunately or unfortunately) give Mira plenty of time to dance and mingle with the other guests. Now left alone Mira made her way into the ballroom and the throng of people who'd already arrived. The crush of people was something Mira was used to but not something she was fond of, but as usual Mira was perfectly composed making sure to hide any sings of anxiety. Moving through the crowds with ease Mira glanced from face to face but was unable to recognize anyone and it seemed that no one had recognized her. A smile pulling up the corners of her mouth Mira moved to a less crowded section of wall and for the moment settled there watching the sea of masks.

outfit and mask}}

[tsunami,]

┏--------------------------------┓
ＥＶＡＮＧＥＬＩＮＥ
❝ silver-tongued grifter ❞
▂▂▂ ▂▂▂▂ ▂▂▂
age: nineteen
location: ballroom
tagged: open
┗---------------------------------┛

a ringing filled the air, a sweet chime that echoed through the streets of the city of Thera. a petite young woman stood in front of a well lit vanity inside of rather small victorian styled home. if you got yourself in, then there's no turning back now. she thought to herself, pale grey blue eyes staring back at her through the reflection of the mirror. red lips, eyes lined with black, long lashes and a faint rosy accent to her cheeks, she took a step back to admire her work. with a long royal blue gown that glittered with silver jewels that were embroidered along the top half, heels that added a few needed inches to her small stature, dangling earrings, a shimmering silver necklace, and black lace gloves, she knew she was ready. oh, but how could one forget one of the most important pieces to the outfit?

gliding across the room, she reached her bed and bent down, pulling out a small wooden box. she sat on her bed, the mattress sinking under her weight. opening the box slowly, a small smile fell upon her lips as she reached down to gently pick up her mask, royal blue like her dress, and encrusted with small silver jewels. it was beautiful in her eyes. a quick glance at the time and she knew she should get going. she slipped the mask on quickly, pushing the box back under the bed and grabbing her small black clutch from her on top of her dresser. before she left the house though, she made a quick stop into her siblings' bedroom and gave them each a quick kiss goodnight before closing their door slowly and slipping out of the home into the warm early summer night.

---

evangeline was fairly used to attention and large crowds, as those were some things that allowed her to do what she did. most of the time, it was fairly easy to get away with small things, watches, wallets in back pockets, and everything she took, was always sold for money. now, she never kept this money to herself, she had no use for it, but her siblings did. with both her parents out constantly, and with no income from either side, it was up to her to pay the dues, and having one part time job just didn't cut it. she didn't mind the responsibility much though, despite having to thieve at times, it gave her something to do, and made her feel like for once in her life, she had control over something. currently, she was standing outside where the ball was to take place, keen eyes watching as vivaciously dressed men and women alike trickled into the ballroom. she was securing her options in a way.

taking a deep breath, she knew it was time to actually enter. evan made her way up the stairs, walking into the ballroom with as much elegance she could muster, she had no intention of making a fool out of herself that night. there was a reason she got herself invited to this ball, and she was not going to blow her one chance to be here. there were already a number of people inside, mingling amongst themselves. if any had turned her way when she walked in, she payed no notice, she was determined to keep a low profile to do what she must. a small, rather forced smile played at her lips as she walked further into the throng of people, it was going to be a long night.

[FEMME FETALE]

ｈｏｌｄｅｎ ｇｒｅｙ
❝ black hearted bad boy ❞
▂▂▂ ▂▂▂▂ ▂▂▂▂

Holden's eyes studied his reflection closely in the mirror, scrutinizing every crease and crinkle on his specially tailored silver and black suit. After a few petty adjustments and once overs, Holden deemed himself presentable for the evening's event. He carried himself with pride and self-assurance, his long expeditious strides bringing him to the main entrance of his home were the most essential accessory of his was sat waiting upon the marble table. Holden felt the corners of his lips tugging into a wide grin as he held up the black mask with a silver border embroidered onto it to match his outfit, he studied the piece of art with admiration. He carefully brought the mask up to his face and positioned it correctly, satisfied with the way it felt and looked he tied it securely.

The excitement and eager anticipation for the ball finally settled into the pit of Holden's stomach as he left the cool privacy of his home. As soon as he stepped outside he experienced the pleasantly warm summer air hit him. His eyes squinted slightly as the last flashes of the tangerine sun vanished over the distant mountains, leaving a dim orange and purple radiance in the sky. Holden proceeded to head over to the black luxurious car that was waiting for him at the end of his street. He extended out his hand and let it glide against the soft leaves of the fully in bloom plantation that ran parallel down his pathway.

"Excited for the evening, sir?" The middle-aged chauffeur asked as he opened the backdoor for Holden to enter. "Absolutely," The younger man chimed with a cheeky smirk. He plopped down on the comfortable leather seating, his head rested against the window. The journey was quick and within no time at all Holden was making his way up the grand entrance of the building which the ball was being held within. As he walked he kept one hand tucked behind his back and the other placed over his mid stomach; his posture was impeccable, allowing his charming dominance to be noticed straight away. He had already managed to swoon a few women with eye contact and mischievous smirks, which boosted his already enlarged ego. Holden maneuvered his way through the occupied crowd, his light blue eyes scanning the premises for a girl he took a fancy to, much like a predator stalking for his prey.

[olivionary]

Victoria Paisley ball room • open


'Hurry up!'

Victoria sighed as she stared into the full height mirror as her mother pulled the zipper of her dress up, 'There you go, Hun. I'll tell him to be more patient. She told Victoria before walking from the room and out of sight. A small sigh escaped Victoria's lips as she looked into her reflection. Did she look okay?

Carefully, Victoria completed the final touches. She lined her lips with re and filled the shape with easy strokes. She slipped on her boots, tying them in a neat bow. She applied a final spritz of hairspray to her hair before taking her mask in hand and slipping it over her eyes. A weak smile formed on her face, 'I think I look alright.' She told herself before running her hands over the material of her dress. She walked down the stairs to the main room where she was met by her parents.

--

After some time spent driving from the family house to the location, Victoria stepped out from the vehicle. She looked over the people entering as she made a minor adjustment to her mask. She walked into the entrance, she walked with some type of elegance. She grew comfortable after some time to walk around and grow accustomed to the room and people that she saw. Victoria now felt relaxed, however didn't seek attention as she kept to herself, seeking out a drink.

[Shadō]

╓⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯╖
Adam Spencer
The Secret Prince

xxmale // 21
xx» romantic interest;; Open
xx» location;; The Ballroom
xx» tags;; Evangeline
╙⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯╜

The low hum of voices had steadily grown into a fairly noisy chatter, and it was only increasing, though not uncomfortably so. The room temperature was rising as more and more people began arriving. It seemed like everyone was a little unsure of quite what to do at the moment, at least from what Adam could see at the moment. While it was fairly noisy, it wasn't exactly that noisy type that one would hear when walking into a large group of people who knew each other. Young women with beautiful gowns seemed to glide around the room while sturdy young men quietly socialized with each other and watched the lovely ladies. Adam adjusted his mask slightly and set a half-full champagne flute on a passing tray. To be honest, he had never really been one for drinks, or even parties like this, for that matter; however, because this was a once-in-a-lifetime thing, he decided to make a few exceptions.

I'd best get going, he thought to himself. The point of this ball was not only to celebrate the young adults' entry into the adult world, but it was also to get them to meet people, and if one was lucky, maybe even find someone extra special, but that wasn't going to happen with him just standing around. Let's just start off easy. At a leisurely pace, Adam adjusted his golden mask slightly, turned, and started walking in a random direction, his main goal being to sort of do a walk-around and get a general view of what the people here so far were like. He wasn't quite sure what he would do after that, but he would figure that out later when that time came. Right now, going with the flow and seeing where it took him seemed like a good option, and it seemed like a few others had similar ideas. As he moved, he gradually started to see other people start to move and sort of timidly mingle.

A ballroom is very, very large, a fact Adam quickly learned as he started walking. At his leisurely pace, it took him almost five minutes to get from the one end to the other. Since he wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere or do anything at the moment, it wasn't too big a deal, but he kept that in mind just in case. Nearing the end with the staircase, he paused, deciding whether or not to go up it. Eventually deciding he'd explore the upper level later tonight, Adam turned around and walked back the way he came, continuing to casually scan the crowd with his eyes. People now seemed to be warming up to the idea of talking with one another, which was nice.

With his mind focused on other things, he forgot one important thing: look forward when you walk. He turned his eyes ahead just in time to see himself walk into someone, a woman to be specific. Stopping himself and stepping back after accidentally bumping into her, he said, "Ah, I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you all right?" There was a worried look in Adam's eye as he scanned her up and down, hoping he hadn't hurt her. It wasn't a particularly hard bump, but he was cautious and still wanted to make sure. As he waited for her answer, he couldn't help but take note of the beautiful royal blue dress she was wearing. The detail was quite elegant, and the mask she wore almost looked like it had come with the dress.

[Lady Poppy]

.
.
┏──────────┓
tagged: open
female
The lowly peasant
nineteen
┗──────────┛

xxx

Mirena .

It was already getting quite late,the sun already going down and the moon,as well as most of the stars were now clearly seen able. The sky wasn't completely dark yet and it was in fact very beautiful mix of dark blue and orange/pink around the sun. At this time,the young lady was supposed to be at home ,considering she avoided to walk alone around the dark streets of this town. They were not only dark,to the point where it was impossible to see your own feet,but creepy as well thanks to the mist that often crept around the town during night,drunk men weren't a rare sight too ,not beautiful one either. She didn't feel safe around those streets and that's why she preferred to get back home before sunset. Now she was late,but who'd miss a beautiful view like this one? The only place she could see the whole town and the mountains surrounding it was this balcony, in the mansion she was working at. It was old styled building ,that'd be just a ruin by now if it wasn't Elizabeth, the elderly woman owner of this place. She was old,rich and lived for gardening. Oh,yes the second thing Mirena loved about this place - the garden,filled with roses,all sizes and colors . Elizabeth wasn't one of those snobby old ladies,she was in fact very loving and always helped the staff that took care of the house with whatever she could. Some requested her help, while others were left surprised when she offered her hand to help them with something.

One of the 'victims' of the old lady,that didn't even suspect anything was Mirena. A girl,that grew up in rather poor family on the end of the town, struggling to buy simple things they needed for everyday life. She gladly served the old lady and sometimes was even considered as a 'daughter' from her. Mirena was still standing on the balcony, enjoying the amazing sight, when a group of four people stormed into the room,making her jump slightly. Poor thing was afraid from a lot of things and people, who scared like that risked to make her think they wanted to kill her from heart attack. So,they had a staring competition for about a minute, Mirena's eyes still wide open while she tried to catch her breath again. After she finally did,the young female looked over to the people ,that just entered. It was just Elizabeth, holding a large, beautifully decorated wooden box and a couple more servants with wide grins on their faces. Mirena didn't know whether she should fear them or follow their example and grin as wide as she could until her face muscles started aching. She smiled inwardly and slowly stepped closer to the small group."W-what did I do?" Was the first thing Mirena managed to muster up. None of them seemed to have any plans to reply to her simple questions, the old lady was the only one ,who simply shook her head.

Long story short, Mirena ended up in a very beautiful dress she knew was expensive, so she didn't dare to move much or bent down. She had to take a bath before this, of course, something that she's normally did at home after a long day at work. After this,two of the female servants joined the fun,one braided her hair,while the other decided to deal with the make-up. Something, that Mirena highly disapproved of,but at the end she said yes to the eyeliner and that was all about it. Nobody and nothing could make her put anything else on her face.She was then given the light pink/golden mask and carefully placed it on her face,before going to the nearest mirror to check herself out. For the first time,she looked and felt like a real princess. "Have fun my dear and remember to come back home " the old lady finally spoke again, smiling lightly at Mirena. While she saw Elizabeth's reflection in the mirror and immediately turned around to hug her. She was thankful ,for everything, she really was but couldn't find the right words to say it out loud. No surprise tough,the young female preferred actions instead of words, she wasn't very talkative.

~
Luckily the location of the building the ball would be held at wasn't too far from the mansion Mirena worked at. The chauffeur of lady Elizabeth didn't waste time to take her there. The journey was qick and smooth. After the vehicle stopped right in front of the entrance, she stepped out and wasted no time to enter the building, filled up with people and little air. This was already too much for her,but oh well,it was for just one night so she better enjoy it. Mirena adjusted her nask slightly and gracefully ,as always began to walk towards the drinks.

[tsunami,]

┏--------------------------------┓
ＥＶＡＮＧＥＬＩＮＥ
❝ silver-tongued grifter ❞
▂▂▂ ▂▂▂▂ ▂▂▂
age: nineteen
location: ballroom
tagged: adam
┗---------------------------------┛

for a while now, evangeline had been watching silently from afar, grey blue eyes sweeping across the ballroom in hopes of finding an easy target. at the time though, she didn't feel like thieving just yet. there were a few people that she had been eyeing for a while, but hadn't made a move until she saw a man, in his older years, with a wallet poking from his back pocket. an easy swipe, and he looked like he was rather wealthy, so it must have been filled with a hundred dollars or so in a variety of bills. he seemed preoccupied, so if she could just get herself over there and close enough, she would be able to take it and disappear into the crowd quickly. perfect. she unraveled herself from her position and began to walk swiftly in the direction of the man, that is, until she felt a bump and the heat of another that pushed her off course.

her head snapped towards the direction the small bump came from, ready to lash out at whoever it was for being so rude, until she noticed that it was just a rather harmless looking man that was already apologizing before she could utter a word. she pulled back into a more submissive position before replying in her usual, smooth tone. "It's alright, I'm fine." a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "And you?" she asked, wanting to be polite. a dainty, black lace gloved hand reached up to push up her intricately designed mask so that it wouldn't fall and reveal her identity. although she didn't think she was very well known, she knew she had a bit of a reputation with some of the townsfolk for being a little sneaky. evan always wore something that would cover most of her face without it seeming suspicious when she had to steal, words could get you far even without a pretty face to look at.

a wandering mind lead evangeline to think back to her younger siblings that were hopefully still tucked into bed and off to a peaceful sleep. it always worried her to leave them at home alone, seeing that they weren't big enough yet to fend for themselves if god forbid someone came to their home looking for her parents. they were on a little trip of their own, most likely captured within a drunken spell she presumed. rarely did she let her true emotions show other than with her siblings, they were what kept her going day after day. she thought about running away once actually, the day she turned eighteen. her parents weren't home, of course, and she was old enough to do things on her own. she didn't need them. but her siblings needed her, and she couldn't leave them. she spent the rest of that day treasuring every moment she had with them.

pulling herself away from solemn thoughts, she refocused on the task at hand. she eyed him for a moment, looking down from his shoes until she reached up to his face, concealed by a gorgeous golden mask, trying to see how well she could read him. as she waited for his answer, after she had finished giving him a once over, her gaze wandered over to the bar. considering that she was underage, she couldn't buy a drink, though she didn't really mind. she didn't particularly enjoy the taste of liquor, and after seeing firsthand the effects it could have on people with her parents, she tended to avoid it unless it was really called for.

[Speak]

ｍｉｒａ ｐｏｒｔａｔｈ

❝ｔｈｅ ｎｏｂｌｅｍａｎ＇ｓ ｄａｕｇｈｔｅｒ❞

[age] twenty [title] lady [ location ] ballroom [ tagged ] holden

Holding a tall glass of champagne Mira was taking small measured sips of the sparkling liquid inside, though she had learned to tolerate alcohol over the years the fact remained that it's taste left something to be desired. With a sigh Mira set down her glass on one of the small tables that lined the edge of the ballroom, she'd thought at first that if she had a drink it would make the night easier to handle but now Mira had thought better of it. At all of the parties she'd been to alcohol rarely ever made the evening better, too little and it didn't really effect anything and too much could quickly turn a situation dangerous or unpleasant.
Leaving her drink where it was Mira looked out at the sea of people before her, even though the ballroom was massive in size Mira couldn't help but think that it was a miracle that all of these people managed to fit inside. The low din of hushed voices grew in volume as the many people became more and more confident as time passed. Though she was used to the crush of the elite Mira still had very little desire to join them it seemed despite her hopes that nothing had changed. Eyes roaming over the crowd Mira spotted her escape, across the ballroom was a set of french doors that appeared to open to some sort of garden. Finding her way to the doors however was going to prove a problem, Mira knew going straight through the crowd would be the most logical shortcut however it would probably take more time than going all the way around so that's what she did.
Keeping as close to the walls as was possible Mira walked with the grace and dignity with which she'd always been taught to do so. No matter how much she'd like to think so it seemed that Mira would never be able to completely abandon her heritage. Even though her parents were barely present in her life somehow they had managed to be the biggest impact on her, the thought left a bitter taste in Mira's mouth and an even stronger desire to escape the crowd. In her haste Mira didn't notice the figure in her way and walked straight into a solid wall of human. *gasp* the impact caused Mira to take a few steps back her hands going immediately to her mask so as to correct it's placement, "I'm so sorry, my mind was elsewhere..."Mira quickly apologized her blue eyes wide from the shock.

[FEMME FETALE]

ｈｏｌｄｅｎ ｇｒｅｙ
❝ black hearted bad boy ❞
▂▂▂ ▂▂▂▂ ▂▂▂▂

Holden's eyes individually scoped out each female, the amount of extravagantly dressed women with remarkable dresses and over the top masks overwhelmed the charmer - he was used to being the center of attention but they seemed to steal the spotlight. The dark haired boy almost skipped over the next girl in his line up; she blended in - or was trying to - with her tamed, yet alluring, outfit and mask. He was drawn to her, so he watched her further. She seemed distracted, her eyes were darting around as if trying to find an escape. Something suddenly came over her when her masked eyes locked on a certain thing or person behind him - whatever it was she was looking at she hastily made her way over. Holden wasn't prepared to let her slip through his fingers that easily so he walked into the direction she was approaching, making sure he looked innocent with the accidental 'bump in'.

"My apologies, darling, I wasn't looking where I was going," Holden said in a low voice, finishing his sentence with a small smirk. She was beautiful up close, the more he studied her unmasked features the more his desire to unravel her became apparent. "You leaving already?" Holden asked teasingly, motioning slightly to the garden exit she was heading towards before bumping into him.

[Speak]

ｍｉｒａ ｐｏｒｔａｔｈ

❝ｔｈｅ ｎｏｂｌｅｍａｎ＇ｓ ｄａｕｇｈｔｅｒ❞

[age] twenty [title] lady [ location ] ballroom [ tagged ] holden

Looking up Mira was surprised to see a pair of eyes as blue as her own staring back at her, the man she'd bumped into was tall dressed in an immaculate black and silver suit and the mask that covered the area around his eyes was black with a braided silver and black rope that ran along the outside of the mask. "My apologies, darling, I wasn't looking where I was going,"the man said a smirk dancing across his lips, "You leaving already?" he added teasingly motioning towards the french doors that led to her freedom.
Narrowing her eyes slightly Mira didn't like the way that he was looking at her, reminding Mira of a predator stalking his prey. Almost automatically however Mira's expression changed from one of distrust and suspicion to a small pleasant smile. A trick she'd learned a long time ago when dealing with situations and people she didn't like Mira kept herself calm and composed so as to not make things more complicated. "It seems I've been spotted," she acknowledge with a slight bow of her head, "in truth I've never really found much enjoyment in these social functions so I wanted to go out and grab some fresh air." she explained courteously her blue gaze drifting towards the garden once more. From what she could discern from the man's partially covered face Mira got the sense that with all the women around he would soon lose interest in her. With that in mind Mira bowed her head deeply "I am truly sorry for my little mishap, now perhaps if you'll excuse me." she said raising her head and beginning on her original path to the garden.