338 replies to this topic

[Sebastien Perrault]

Sebastien looked out at the ballroom, which glittered with the light of a thousand stars. At least, it was how he had always imagined the stars from descriptions in books: a multitude of tiny pinpricks of light scattered across a vast expanse. But none of the books said anything about whether or not the lights flickered and danced in the sky when you moved the way these ones did. The ornate chandeliers were kept to a moderate burn this evening - bright enough to see, but low enough to still create the right atmosphere. There were candles on the tables too, and it was likely their light that was caught on every piece of silver and crystal and scattered across the room. Sebastien had seen it a thousand times, but it still entranced him every time.

Though the hall itself was rented, everything had been arranged to appear as if the ball were being held in Perrault's own (hypothetical) ballroom. The linens, china, crystal, and silver were all Perrault's - only the most desperate of houses rented the use of the facility's own - and the servants were Perrault as well. Well, sort of. They'd hired a number of extra people just for the night, though if they did well enough, a couple might find permanent positions on the staff.

Sebastien himself was standing on the dais where the high table was positioned, adjusting his cuffs while his father made conversation with other important members of the house. They were all dressed in their absolute finest, of course: Sebastien had chosen a classic black suit for the evening, with a green velvet vest rich in silver embroidery and a bright white cravat. The pin, of course, was silver set with obsidian, because, well, what else would it be? He fussed with that for a moment too before he caught his father shooting him a look, and was forced to put his hands in his pockets to keep from fidgeting anymore.

Eventually, though, he grew tired of standing around. Shouldn't they be opening the doors soon? He drew out his pocketwatch, smiling as he recalled Adala's fascination with it, and checked the time. Yes, it would be any minute now. He had better go and find something to do then, lest he be caught gawping at the ballroom like an idiot when Luthadel's best began pouring into the room. So he found a couple of his cousins and eased himself into their conversation, though he kept one eye on the doors all the same.

And sure enough, a few minutes later, the doors opened and people began trickling in.

House Perrault's ball had begun.

[Eliza Fathvell]

Eliza tried her best not to fidget in the carriage seat, but she couldn't help but feel incredibly anxious, even through all her excitement. After all, this was her first public appearance with Caden out of what would apparently be many to come, if she had heard him right. Would people think they were an item? Did he want them to think that? Did he want her to think at? One moment he was looking all awkward at the very thought of how he might feel towards her, and the next, he was practically staring at her. How did he really feel, and what did he want?

Well, he would tell her when he figured it out himself, she supposed. Though the suit he had chosen certainly spoke well for her hopes. She still couldn't believe he had chosen it, and it was a little difficult to look at him without feeling a tinge of pink rising in her cheeks.

"We're almost there," she pointed out, peeking through the curtains. "Looks like the doors just opened recently."

[Isabelle Sureau]

Isabelle waited impatiently for the carriage to stop. She got to see her cousin again, tonight. She had missed Ulrich. She wondered if he had been at the Casuana ball. It was disappointing that she hadn't been able to go, but today she had such wonderful things to talk to him about. Of course, he had not been at the duel she had seen that afternoon. If he had been there she would have actually gone to talk instead of staying awkwardly at the edge of the square until her mother had pulled her away. It meant, however, that Ulrich had to be told all the details. Finally they arrived and she climbed excitedly, yet demurely, out of the carriage and waited for her parents before walking into ballroom.

It was spectacular. Not as spectacular as she had seen before, but still. She loved balls. Sometimes people did not realize it from her love of dueling, but the opportunity to dress fancier than usual was her favorite part. She always had her makeup done much more dramatically. Tonight her eyelids were a dark, smokey black, and her lips were painted the same red as her dress. The dress itself was a dark red with black accents, and black beading over the bodice. She was particularly fond of the way black brought out her dark hair and features.

Her parents had not dressed quite as dramatically as Isabelle. Her mother was actually wearing green, and Isabelle was slightly exasperated about that. Her mother always wore green. Isabelle kept telling her that she should switch it up more, but Gisela was incredibly stubborn. Her father had dressed in much more muted colors. All black and silver. It was impressive, if not as dramatic as Isabelle liked.

Shortly after they entered the ballroom Gareth and Gisela parted. They rarely spent balls together. They would dance, of course, but Gisela seemed to prefer dancing with Isabelle's Uncle Niklaus. As she thought of her uncle, Isabelle looked around at the slowly growing crowd. Surely Ulrich would find her when he arrived, but she was still always on the look out for him. It would also give her an out from talking to a particularly awkward group of her friends. After she had turned one of them down she had started avoiding them, as she could not keep off the awkward feelings. And so she looked for Ulrich and Uncle Niklaus. It should not be that hard to find Niklaus. He was so tall.

[Ulrich Venture]

Ulrich jiggled in his seat, he was not burning pewter but still he could not sit still. It was all simply so exciting! The first real ball after the events of Casuana’s ill fated party. So much to see, to talk about, and (sadly) to catch up on! He glared at the reason he would need to catch up very sternly, but his father was not even paying attention. Niklaus stared out the window with a dispassionate gaze, watching the mists swirl by without a trace of interest. Ulrich knew that look, that, like so many other looks, meant his father was brooding again. He really needed to stop doing that, Ulrich would say he was in danger of his face staying stuck like that, but that time seemed long past nowadays.

"Father, I have something important to tell you." he said grandly, gesturing nothing in particular and managing to nearly punch himself in the face with his wild gesticulations.

Niklaus’s eyes, and then head, turned to look at him, one corner of his mouth quirking up in amusement when he nearly injured himself, but as usual he said nothing. To many people the silence was disconcerting, among many other things about his father, but Ulrich had figured it out. Niklaus did like talking, so long as he was being talked at. Conversation was something he didn’t like very much, but he was quite a good listener, so long as you did not mind your listener to be almost completely silent.

"I am completely behind on current events and it is all. Your. Fault." He jabbed his finger in his father’s face as he denounced him, but Niklaus merely rolled his eyes.

"Not this again..." He said, settling back in his seat, a good choice, since Ulrich had just begun.

"I know Aunt Sela wasn't at the Casuana Ball but still Father, how could we not have gone? They had everything. Dueling, dancing,” He really wanted to keep with the alliteration, but his vocabulary simply wasn’t up to it, “rebels, the whole keep got set on fire... and I missed all of it!"

Niklaus gave a disgusted sigh and seemed about to turn back to the window when he caught the overblown and completely heartbroken look in Ulrich’s eyes. He arched an eyebrow at him and Ulrich merely made his eyes bigger. Niklaus continued looking at him and Ulrich added a pout, holding his hands together under his chin, the very definition of hammy acting.

“Stop, you look ridiculous.” Niklaus said, but it was actually him admitting defeat.

“Aha! Not only the Captain of the Coinshots, are you? You are also Captain of the Obvious!" Ulrich said, jumping on the opportunity.

“That is among my titles, yes.” One day Ulrich would learn how to keep a perfectly straight face when jesting. No time soon, he was sure, but eventually.

“What else can you tell me, oh captain?”

“To straighten your tie, we are almost there.”

“No we are no-” Ulrich started to say, fingers going to his tie to straighten it by reflex, but then he noticed that is was certainly getting much more illuminated. He flared tin to get a better look at how close, and had to clap his hands over his ears as the sound of the carriage became unbearably loud.

“Very smooth.” Niklaus whispered, and it was amazing how sincere he could sound when he wanted. Ulrich glared at him, but at least his father had not talked normally just then, it would only have made the din more annoying.

Ulrich crossed his arms and huffed a breath looking very hard done by until the carriage rolled to a stop, at which point he hurried to get out, "No matter, at least I will-" He sat back down, giving Niklaus a withering glare and seriously confusing the footman. "Father!"

Niklaus raised his eyebrows fractionally in his version of a spoken yes, and Ulrich wasted no time in continuing.

"We aren't first! The doors are open! How am I supposed to make an entrance without being the very first person?!" He almost grabbed Niklaus’ lapels when he said the last to get his point across completely, but somehow he thought that was going slightly too far.

"The way you always do."

"But that's boring!" To do something so- so mundane! It was just simply beneath him, completely and utterly, couldn’t his father see that?

"You'll survive, now get out of the carriage."

Sighing, defeated, dejected, and some other morose D word, Ulrich got out of the carriage, shoulders drooping and kicking a stone around aimlessly. At least until his eyes fell on a familiar tall, dark haired figure. He almost shot forward to catch his cousin when his father’s heavy hand landed gently on his shoulder.

“Walk.” Was all Niklaus said, and with another dejected sigh Ulrich turned his dash into an amble and went to meet his cousin, his father close behind.

[Caden Hasting]

Caden tried his best not to fidget in the unfamiliar southern clothing. After seeing Eliza, it had seemed natural that he should attend the ball in similar dress. Appreciating the style and wearing it to a formal ball, however, were two very different things. Caden was just glad that the Perrault Ball would be a smaller affair, and that Colette would not find a way to use his fashion choice against him.

One more look at Eliza was all it took to remind him of some of the positives of his decision. "Yes, it does." Caden adjusted his collar slightly. The southern cut on both shirt and jacket were looser than he was used to. As he spoke, the carriage clattered to a halt. "It's looks like we have arrived." Caden stepped down from the carriage, and held out his hand to Eliza. "Shall we?"

[Aveline Sureau]

It felt strange, Aveline noted, stepping into a ball after having missed one held by a Great House. She understood her Father's decision, of course, but especially for someone as busy as her, missing even one important event could put her dangerously out ofthe loop. Almost as bad, it reminded her of her difficult transition back into public life after her recent illness, which wasn't something she wanted to experience again. Perhaps if Father decided to host another substitute event, he would allow her to talk him out of it.

She was attending this ball, like always, unaccompanied save by her faithful steward. It was difficult enough for women of high rank to find suitable dates, but while most of them could pair off with various heirs of high or even middling rank, that was not a possibility for Aveline. Being an heir herself, she couldn't afford to get involved with a man who had his own house to look after. Sure, she had gone on a couple dates with other Great House heirs as a courtesy to them and a diplomatic gesture to their houses, but it had never gone farther than that. No, there was to be no serious courting for her until she found a suitable husband who was capable enough to stand by her side but wouldn't get in her way.

But that hadn't happened yet, so here she sat, alone. Her circle of friends had broken apart after Ora's death, and she would be lucky if she got to dance more than a couple times this evening. A few men would do her a courtesy by asking, but many of them were intimidated by Great House women, and she stood out even among those.

Lonely as it was, though, she wouldn't change her position even if she could. It was an empowering thing to be a female heir in a man's world, and nothing made her happier than her Father's faith and pride in her. And she would do him proud. She would take over Sureau when his time as Lord was done, and restore them to their rightful glory. If that meant feeling a little lonely at balls then so be it, but she refused to feel sorry for herself over it.

And so today she had dressed in one of her favorite gowns - a silvery silk brocade of a modest but flattering cut - styled her hair in her trademark updo, and finished the look with heirloom jewelry from her great grandmother: a matching set of necklace, bracelet, and earrings, all of worked platinum set with rich amethysts. It was a little opulent for a mid-week ball, but she hadn't had a chance to wear it to the Casuanas', and she wanted to feel beautiful tonight.

She had already been seated, her steward standing over her shoulder in case she required anything, so she took this opportunity to simply relax and watch the crowd of people flooding into the ballroom. They looked stunning, of course, at least to Aveline's eyes; seeing the effort put forth for balls by even the lower ranked members of society always made her smile.

Perhaps this wouldn't be such a bad night after all.

[Gisela Sureau]

Gisela could tell that Isabelle was excited. She did not blame her, though she thought that perhaps her daughter could restrain her excitement a little more. Unrestrained excitement was cute at Ulrich's age, but Izzy was much older than he was and should be able to remain properly happy, but not overly so. When Gisela spotted her brother in the crowd, she shot Isabelle a look to remind her to not run off. Isabelle rolled her eyes a tiny bit, but stayed where she was.

Hopefully tonight she and her brother would not have to worry about their children too much.

Balls were always a tricky thing for Gisela. Before Ulrich had debuted, Gisela had always waited before going to talk to Niklaus. It was part of the game that was maintaining a relationship with someone who was technically the enemy. Not that she cared very much for the game, but sometimes she did at least try. However, now, as Ulrich moved quickly towards his cousin she could tell that trying to not seem too eager to talk to her brother would not work. It did not matter so much to her, but she had been playing this game long enough that sometimes she wondered if she occasionally stepped over the invisible line between a proper amount of conversation and too much. It was not as if she and Niklaus could ever talk about anything incredibly personal, but still, she wondered.

Gisela was, in fact, more worried about Isabelle. It was probably not best for her to spend her time at balls talking to a Venture, even if that Venture was her cousin. Following that train of thought, Gisela spoke softly to Isabelle. “Belle, I know you are excited about seeing your cousin again, but please try to dance with someone your father approves of.”

“I know, mama. Dance with at least one man father approves of and don’t spend the entire time fooling around with Ulrich. I am twenty-three. You do not have to worry like this.” Isabelle said, her attitude showing to an extent that Gisela wished it wouldn’t.

“Just don’t forget and I will not worry.” Gisela said, turning back to Niklaus, who had gotten much closer, and rolling her eyes a little bit at him, in Isabelle’s direction. He would understand that look.

Edited by MozytheHealer, 30 September 2014 - 04:40 PM.

[Eliza Fathvell]

Caden stepped out of the carriage, his long Islands style coat flaring handsomely with every move he made. She had seen him fussing with his collar just a moment ago, and could tell he probably wasn't very comfortable dressed like that, but Lord Ruler he looked amazing in it. Well, he looked amazing in anything, but that was beside the point. She had thought of reassuring him again, but pointing out that she had noticed his discomfort would probably just make him more uncomfortable. Better to just leave it alone, she decided, and make sure they both had a good time.

"Shall we?" he asked, holding his hand to her, and just like that, she was smiling like an idiot again.

"We shall," she said happily, placing her hand in his and letting him help her down. It was, of course, infinitely easier to get out of the carriage in this dress than the one she had worn to Keep Hasting, and the result was a far more graceful entrance than she was used to making in Luthadel.

As they made their way to the door, however, she couldn't decide which was more surreal: walking into a ball on the arm of Caden Hasting of all people, or having so many eyes pointed in her direction. People were staring, as they had both known they would, and she quite nearly lost hold of her newfound confidence.

And then she looked back up at Caden.

Did he even know how priceless a gift he had given her, helping her find herself again? Whether he realized it or not, his acceptance - dare she go far as to say fondness? - of her differences, and even his help finding a dress, had helped her finally get her feet back underneath her again. Could she really pay him back for that by showing up here clinging to his arm in front of the entire court like a frightened kitten?

Of course she couldn't. That would be stupid, and unlike her anyways. Since when did Eliza Fathvell cling to anyone? So she held her head high, pretended there were a few pirates hidden in the crowd watching her, and slipped as well as she could back into her confident self. You can do this, Eliza. You made it through an entire afternoon alone with Caden, didn't you? You can handle one little ball.

She wanted to say something, but just couldn't find the words to speak. So instead, as they walked, she began scanning the crowds and trying not to see just how many people were staring at them.

[Marceline Dumont]

Marceline took a deep breath before stepping out of her carriage. She was here alone, like usual. Just her and her steward. She didn't necessarily want to be there. Usually she was excited for balls, but tonight...well, after the last ball and tea with Colette a few days ago, the last place she wanted to be was around both Eliza and Colette. Like always, she wished she had gotten a date to this ball, but only because then she would have an excuse to talk to someone else.

And so Marceline stepped out of her carriage, dressed in white and gold, and lost confidence with every step she took towards the doors. She had dressed differently from what she had planned. It was not a bad change, but the blue dress she had planned on had turned out to be much too eye-catching for tonight. So instead she wore a dress she had gotten purely because she could. She liked it enough, especially the shimmering gold overlay, but she thought that it showed off her top half too much. After realizing this she had gotten white ruffles added to the neckline, but it did not actually do that much good. Her long blond hair was half curled, and half in an up-do. Instead of wearing a long necklace she wore a short chocker of sorts. It was painted gold, and matched the pins in her hair. She really didn't want to draw attention to her neckline. All in all, it was nothing overly fancy. Tonight was about not sticking out.

Upon entering the ballroom, Marceline saw that Lady Eliza had an entirely different idea tonight. Marceline had a hard time not staring at her, and for a moment her brain was incapable of forming a complete sentence. Lady Eliza was here with Lord Caden Hasting and he was looking majestic. Lady Eliza's dress was incredibly pretty as well, and Marceline found herself wondering how she had found a dress so...well, it wasn't necessarily Luthadel fashion, but it was amazing.

And suddenly Marceline realized that this meant she couldn't go talk to Lady Eliza quickly without Lord Caden hearing her. That was definitely disappointing. Besides, Lady Eliza probably didn't want to talk to her. Not after the tragedy that had been tea a few days ago. But hadn't that been the point of talking to Lady Eliza now, before Lady Colette arrived? As her resolve dwindled into nothing, Marceline assumed that she could always find Lady Eliza later, perhaps when Lord Caden was not around. Of course, that would probably be never, and then she would have to wait for a different time, and Lady Colette would probably be around and that could never happen. The last thing she wanted was for Lady Colette to see her being openly nice to Lady Eliza right now.

And with that thought, Marceline realized that she had been doing the exact opposite of what she had wanted to do and was staring. Maybe Lady Eliza would notice her and save Marceline the trouble of awkwardly asking if she could talk to her....But, of course, Lady Eliza did have more serious things to notice, like how fabulous Lord Caden looked in that coat. So Marceline carefully looked away and acted as if she had much better things to do.

[Jasun Vallace]

Jasun was in a supremely bad mood and it was made all the more frustrating because up until yesterday he'd been looking forward to the Perrault ball. Oh how expectations could be shattered from just one conversation. This was supposed the night he and Lysette finally got to spend together in public. It was going to be glorious! And now...

He pulled his mind from that for a moment, turning his tin and copper on to look around for Lysette. She was no where to be found just yet, but people were still arriving, it was to be expected. Still he would so very like to see her, to be reminded why he was going to do this. But no, instead he got to stew, he'd been doing an awful lot of that in the past day and a half.

With a imperceptible sigh he started walking towards the entrance to the ballroom, eyes now looking for a different blonde head. Unfortunately he found it and he groaned when he saw the beautiful woman on Caden Hasting's arm. Frantically, he tried to make sense of it in a way that would work out how he wanted. Yes, she was wearing exotic clothing just like Caden, and she was arm and arm with him before he'd even entered the ballroom, and yes she looked quite taken with him. But surely he wasn't escorting her. Right? Right? ...Maybe? Jasun had agreed to kill Caden, not whoever this woman was.

He was not the only one looking at the couple, and he heard mutterings. A name drifted up to him. Eliza Fathvell. He almost punched a wall as he realized what that meant. A Great House Lord's daughter? He ground his teeth and dragged his eyes away, resisting the urge to rub his temples at the sudden headache that was beginning to assault him. Perhaps... perhaps he could spare her, somehow. He had all night to think of a way to not kill her, after all.

For probably the first time ever Jasun wished he had been trained like Lysette so that the idea of killing an innocent young woman who's only crime was to fall for the wrong man did not give him pause or plague him with guilt. It would certainly make things a lot easier.

Almost without realizing it he entered the ballroom. The chandeliers hung high above, their light doing a passable impression of bright, wavering stars. He was surrounded by the splendor and beauty of a noble ball, the colors, the light, and the glamor. He took it all in, but felt himself unable to enjoy it at all. With a sigh he hurried onward, looking for a good vantage point to view the entrance. Surely if he saw Lysette make her entrance his mood would shift.

[Lysette Hasting]

Lysette, for as long as she could remember, had been living a double life. She was supposed to be the height of popularity amongst the female nobles in Luthadel (those allied with the proper houses of course), but she was also a killer. A tool to be used by her family. To complicate things even further she had a secret love affair that no one knew about until recently... And Colette would never betray her confidence. Even if it benefited her to do so. Still Lysette had what felt like a stone sinking to the bottom of her stomach. She had been worrying herself sick since she told Colette about Jasun... and now she would see him tonight as an actual noblewoman, not as the waif in the mists.

Not to mention everything that was happening in Hasting itself. So much was going on, and it was all simply too complicated to think about. Every time Lysette tried to wrap her mind around everything that was happening, she felt dizzy and had to lie down.

This was a night to forget all of that. She could put it all out of her mind until she made it back to the keep.

Lysette, dressed as her first persona, sat in a carriage, dressed in the latest fashion. She barely had any say in the dress or the colors. She went with something classic, flirty neckline full skirt. She had a few pieces of accent jewelry and her hair was artfully swept back into a classic updo.

"I can't wait to see Lady Sisson's new dress. My seamstress has been talking about it for weeks. Her family owns a quaint little shop in the Commercial district, but apparently Lady Sisson came to them for a commission. Of course the Sisson's aren't likely to be invited to many Great House balls any time soon," Lenne Hoyle was saying. Lysette was riding in a carriage with her so-called friends. Lysette was a member of several social circles. This was one of her lower circles. She told Colette's friends she had been spending far too much time with them recently and the other girls would get jealous. She really just wanted an easy out when she saw Jasun later. She could leave this lot and they wouldn't care. They wouldn't know the difference to be honest.

They'd just continue gossiping about Lord Beadle, Lady Sisson, and the lot of lesser nobles that Lysette didn't even know, let alone care about.

Her heart started to flutter as she thought of Jasun seeing her as a noblewoman, but a practiced calm kept her hands from shaking as she stepped from the carriage.

She made her way -- with her hangers-on in tow, confidently toward the entrance. Tonight would hopefully be a night to remember.

[Grandell Tekiel]

The carriage rolled to a halt and Grandell glanced up from her lap to Cyril, who was very carefully not looking at her. He was dressed in navy. She thought the color looked good on him, and though they had not discussed it, it looked good with her dress, which was turquoise. She had dressed fancier than usual for a ball this size. The dress itself was two layers. A solid, shiny layer underneath and a beaded overdress with long sheer sleeves in the same color. Of course, she was done up with her long brown hair curled and pinned tightly to her head, not that that would do anything in the long run. No amount of pins ever kept her hair in place. However, tonight she wanted Cyril to notice her and so she would endure it.

There was a reason for her wanting to look good tonight. They were well into the second week of him avoiding her like this. The first two months of the engagement had been wonderful. Grandell had not been expecting that. But he had been so nice at first. So...affectionate. She had been so comfortable with him, and that had been odd to her, but she had faced it bravely instead of drawing away from it. She sometimes had wondered if Cyril realized how hard it had been for her to open up after so many years of avoiding contact with men she was not related to.

But now he avoided looking at her during balls, and every time they talked was so professional, and polite. It was so much more distant. He had flirted with her so blatantly at first and she had, surprisingly, responded to it quite well. But now the playful flirting and affection that had been there at first. The unlooked for and yet not unwelcome affection that had made Grandell so happy and so comfortable had disappeared completely. With a start she realized that she had been staring at him and so she gave him a small smile as he stepped out of the carriage and silently helped her out, her turquoise skirts rustling a little.

The silence was partially her fault. Ever since Cyril had become more distant she had retreated back into herself. Grandell had never known someone she could be that open with and who didn't see her anxiety as a problem. Of course, he had gotten exasperated sometimes, and she had definitely annoyed him once or twice, but after being sheltered for her entire life and hiding from social contact, that was nothing. All the progress she had made, however, had now shattered and she was back to her old self. It was not a particularly fun change. Having someone she was not scared of offending had been nice, and he had been helpful. But now she avoided making eye-contact with him and worried. What had she done wrong?

As they entered the ball, even the distance Cyril kept between them was professional. He had never stopped being polite to her, but still. It was such a change.... As she sneaked a glance at him she noticed that he was scanning the crowd. Of course. Anything to keep him from looking at her, apparently. His eyes seemed to pause on someone and she followed them and then wished that she hadn't. That woman looked familiar...Grandell supposed she would know who Cyril was watching if she paid any attention to society, but as she did not all she could do was be irritated for a moment until she remembered. Eliza Fathvell. Was this it? Was Cyril really just not interested in Grandell? What if he had been faking the entire time? No wonder he had not kissed her in almost two full weeks. Had he thought to just pretend enough and then drop the act and go around looking at other women?

"Do you recognize the style that Lord Caden is wearing? I've never seen it before." Cyril finally said. It was very nearly the first words he had said to her all night, apart from greeting her and asking her small questions about her day. So was that really it? Grandell almost sighed in relief. Cyril had just been confused about Lord Caden Hasting's coat. Right?

"I do not..." Grandell replied as she got an idea. If he really had just been confused, then Cyril would have no reason to react oddly to her mentioning Lady Eliza...."I do not recognize the style of dress Lady Eliza is wearing either..."

Fortunately, and unfortunately, Cyril didn't react oddly. "Oh you're right. They're both wearing strange styles." He said, and Grandell was very nearly disappointed. This meant that she still didn't know why Cyril was acting so oddly. "Wonder where it's from."

Grandell frowned a little as they sat at a table. Cyril sat away from her, which was also mildly disappointing. It meant she couldn't ask him anything personal. She couldn't finally find out why he was being such an idiot. "Isn't Lady Eliza from the Islands?" She asked after a minute, hoping to keep the conversation going.

"That's what they wear in the South, do you think?"

"Why else would they be wearing it...?"

"To be trendsetters?" Cyril said with a shrug. Grandell looked at her lap, making a noise that could be either agreement or disagreement depending on how one looked at it. But Cyril kept talking. "Hopefully it doesn't become a thing. That long coat is a little ridiculous."

Grandell didn't think so. In fact, she thought Cyril would look rather good in one. However, she merely made another small noise in response and Cyril shrugged again. Is there really something wrong with me? She thought as Cyril began watching the crowd again. She inched closer to him, but he didn't seem to notice and so she gave up trying to get his attention for the moment and focused on her lap.

Edited by MozytheHealer, 03 October 2014 - 03:44 AM.

[Ferrah Brehaut]

Ferrah exited her carriage, taking in the assembled nobility with a glance. Colette was tending to Lord Sheldon this evening, so it would be Ferrah's job to take command, keep the circle under control, and keep an eye out for anything worthy of Colette's notice.

She caught sight of Caden and Eliza almost immediately. How could she not, everyone else was staring at them, in their outlandish outfits. Colette would not be pleased. Perhaps they would be able to use Caden's little fashion experiment to undermine his reputation, but from the looks of it, the couple--and Ferrah could hardly call them anything else--were getting far more looks of approval than she or Colette would like.

Marceline was the next familiar form Ferrah picked out of the crowd. Not wasting any time, she glided over to her friend, hoping to intercept her before she could do something foolish. Thankfully, Marceline seemed to be avoiding Eliza and Caden. Hopefully, that meant that she had learned her lesson.

"Marceline, darling! Thank goodness you are here. When Lady Colette said she had to stay home to tend to her Lord father, I was worried I would be spending this ball alone. As she approached, Ferrah gave Marceline's outfit a quick once over. The ruffled neckline was a tad over dramatic, likely added to assuage some of Marceline's insecurities. Ferrah filed the detail away, just in case she would need it for an insult later. Her own gown was a classic cut in a shimmering shade of pink, with full skirts and an elegantly embroidered bodice. Her throat, ears, fingers, and hair were adorned with gold and gemstones that glimmered in the light of the heated limestones.

"Shameful, isn't it?" Ferrah continued, nodding in Caden and Eliza's direction. "I wouldn't be surprised if Caden planned to make a scene tonight, knowing Colette wouldn't be around to stop him. It's awful really, though not really surprising. Leave to a bastard to put garnering attention for himself over the needs of his own house. I would have hoped at a time like this, he would at least think of the needs of house Hasting..." Ferrah trailed off, and raised a hand to her mouth, hoping Marceline's taste for gossip would kick in at the scent of a juicy secret. "Oh, but I've said too much. I must apologize, Marceline darling, but Colette would never forgive me if I told. I shouldn't have mentioned anything in the first place. It's just that, ever since she told me I've been ever so worried. After all, our houses depend on the Hastings, and everything that is happening to them will affect us as well."

Hopefully that will make her remember her place, and help her to realize why Caden is so dangerous. For all she knew, it was likely Marceline had already heard about the Hastings and the Elariels--virtually all of Luthadel was buzzing with the news, but Ferrah wanted to be careful, just in case. Besides, Marceline didn't know how much Ferrah knew, so even if she knew everything, Ferrah could hopefully still string her along by pretending to know more.

"Anyways, we must turn our minds to happier things. Shall we find a table?" Not waiting for a reply, Ferrah began to glide towards to door, motioning for Marceline to fall into line and follow.

[Caden Hasting]

Caden tried to ignore the stares as they made their way to the keep. More than once he wondered what had possessed him to risk making such a fool of himself. However, one look at Eliza was all that he needed to remind him. She still looked radiant, of course. No, she didn't just look radiant, she was radiant. Light seemed to glimmer behind every shy smile, and shine from her brave eyes. Somehow, seeing her like this seemed to be worth a small hit to his precious reputation. Indeed, it almost made his quest of respectability seem trivial. What need did he have for the approval of liars and cheats when an honest woman like Eliza Fathvell was looking at him like that?

Not knowing what to say, Caden held his tongue, enjoying the feel of Eliza on his arm as they made their way to the door.

[Daerra Elariel]

Daerra accepted JinJin's hand as he helped her down from her carriage. Normally, a ball like the Perrault one was only of trifling interest; somewhere to keep busy if she had no where more important to be. However, after the Casuana ball, all of the Luthadel was buzzing, and Daerra didn't want to miss any chances to keep an eye on her peers. Furthermore, he spies had indicated that Aaron was planning to attend, and while her brother still refused to acknowledge her, that wasn't going to stop her from keeping an eye on him as well.

She was wearing her third gown of the day. This one, like the one she had worn to her meeting with Wylden Sortell, was black, out of respect for her recently deceased cousin, made slightly more interesting by the silver and lilac embroidery that framed the diamonds sewn into bodice. Aside from a few strands that were left down to frame her face, Daerra's hair was done up, secured with a silver hair net set with amethysts. Her rings and necklace were also silver, set with more amethysts and diamonds.

She eyed the assembled nobility with only a passing interest. While Caden Hasting and Eliza Fathvell briefly caught her eye, with their exotic outfits and obvious affection for each other, they didn't hold her attention for long. After the Casuana ball, Caden Hasting was one of the last people Daerra wanted to waste her time on, except, perhaps, for Damien Deveaux. And Riordan Casuana. Riordan could relocate to the Southern Isles and he would still be too close for Daerra's taste.

Lysette Hasting was also present, surrounded by one of her usual groups of hangers on. Other than her, Caden, and Eliza, Daerra could see no other nobles of rank in her immediate vicinity. Still looking around, Daerra made her way into the hall before she caught sight of a familiar face.

Aveline was already seated, watching the bejeweled crowd filter in. Not seeing anyone else she particularly wanted to talk to, Daerra nonetheless hesitated. It had never been her intention to avoid Aveline these last few years. It was simply that she hadn't really found any reason to approach her. At first, she had been worried that Aveline had been in cahoots with Camille, and later on, it had seemed strange to meet with her alone without the other two girls. Then, life had just gone on, and Daerra had gotten used to running in separate circles from her old friends. It hadn't helped, of course, that the Sureaus had been the prime suspects behind the attack on Daerra and Vivian.

Now, however, with Aaron going rogue, and Vivian returned to Keep Elariel, Daerra found herself in need of powerful allies. Perhaps Aveline would suit her purposes. At the very least, perhaps she might need to garner some hints about Vivian's capture and subsequent escape.

"Is this seat taken?" she asked, allowing a measure of hesitance to enter her voice. It had been two years, after all. Daerra noted with annoyance that Aveline was also wearing amethysts, but thankfully, their gowns were different enough to set them apart. "How have you been?"

[Eliza Fathvell]

Eliza couldn't help but blush when she met Caden's gaze. What in the Lord Ruler's name did he see to make him look at her like that? It was like something out of... what, really? She'd only heard about romance novels and love poems, but never read them. And this certainly wasn't like any of the pirate shanties she'd heard.

It set her cheeks aflame just thinking about those things in tangential relation to her and Caden, and she quickly had to start talking about something, lest her expression completely and utterly betray her. Those songs were colorful enough to curl even a pirate's chest hair; the last thing she needed was to have to explain to Caden why she had even heard them.

Or why she was using metaphors about a pirate's chest hair, for the Lord Ruler's sake! Ash, watching her mouth tonight was going to be difficult!

"Looks like we've made quite an impression," she said softly as they were shown to their table. "I'd say that makes our venture a success, wouldn't you?"

As she scanned the crowd, she wondered if Felix had arrived yet. He usually wore Islands-style clothing to balls, he'd said. Maybe seeing someone else dressed this way would help put Caden at ease.

Besides, she couldn't wait for her Best Cousin to see her like this. The real her, not the scared girl he'd been escorting around Luthadel.

This was going to be great.

[Marceline Dumont]

Marceline very nearly jumped when Ferrah approached her. Ferrah was, of course, looking much nicer than Marceline did and she wondered if maybe she should have worn more jewelry tonight.... However, she had been so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice until Ferrah was speaking. However, she managed a small smile and tried to focus on what Ferrah was saying. It was luckily not all that difficult and it took her mind off of other things.

"But of course, if Lady Colette wishes it to be kept secret....however, some of the things I have heard are simply atrocious and I do hope they are not true." Marceline said, falling into her usual personality as they found a table. She did want to know if Ferrah knew more of the truth behind the rumors, though she was fairly certain that she wouldn't get anything out of Ferrah about it.

"And I would agree. In light of recent events, the show that Lord Caden is putting on tonight is simply terrible. Only someone truly desperate would go to such lengths for attention." Marceline did not particularly enjoy talking like this, but it was necessary. She just had to get back on Colette's good side, and she knew she could do that through Ferrah, and if that meant talking bad about something she thought quite interesting, she would do it. "And I cannot believe that Lady Eliza is okay with this. Though she may wish to feel rebellious, she should know full well what attention-seeking rebelliousness can do to a woman."

[Felix Fathvell]

Felix had not been allowed to attend the Casuana ball, in favor of being the Fathvell's presence at the Sureau dinner. Which was entirely less fun than a keep being set on fire and a Terrisman telling his Best Cousin that she packed a mean wallop. He had no end of amusement at that story -- even though he wasn't there to enjoy it. This was his first ball in a few cycles.

It hadn't taken him long to get ready, but he did choose to wear his customary Southern Isles garb to the ball rather than his usual mixture of Southern Isles and Luthadel fashions.The suit itself was black and the coat tails were long of course. The vest was violet brocade with embroidered grape patterns in champagne. He made the final adjustments to his collar and coat tails as he descended from his carriage. He was confident and sure of himself as he walked with the crowd, trying to find someone he knew.

He heard a few nobles whispering about Eliza and Caden as he entered, but didn't realize what they were talking about until he saw them. They were in full Southern Islands fashion and it was almost the most glorious thing he had ever seen. Caden Hasting wearing a suit very similar to his own was not something that Felix thought he would see in his lifetime. Not only that, but it was the first time he had seen Eliza looking so confident since she made it to Luthadel. He had hoped that she would find herself again and he was pleased. He didn't want to escort a mousey shadow of his Best Cousin around Luthadel forever.

When he spotted them, he had to approach. With an easy grin, he found his way through the crowds.

"I think we might have been the only ones to get the memo," he said. "But we are the best looking, so it's only fair that we're the best dressed, isn't that right Caden?"

Felix had only met Caden on a few other occasions in the year he had been in Luthadel, not enough to really get to know him well. He had the feeling that was all about to change. Eliza's opinion of Caden would likely sway his own, even if his sole job was to protect his cousin as best he could. Most of the time it seemed like Eliza could take care of herself.

[Caden Hasting]

Caden nodded to Felix as he approached before there was an opportunity to respond to Eliza's earlier comment. "If you say so, Lord Felix. I'm afraid I'll have to trust your judgement. I can't say my usual stylists would recommend the ensemble, but it certainly does have flair." Seeing Felix wearing similar garb made Caden feel a little less self conscious. While it was perhaps unusual for a Luthadel native like himself to experiment with fashions from other parts of the empire, that didn't mean said fashions were taboo. He was already feeling more comfortable in the clothing Eliza had helped him choose, and as looking forward to see how it felt to dance in.

"I suppose this only a preview for next week. Keep Fathvell will be holding its first event this time next week, will it not?"

[Ferrah Brehaut]

Ferrah smiled as Marceline fell back into line. "Indeed. It really is a shame. She certainly has potential, but if she does not learn her place, I don't think it will go well for her here in Luthadel." It would seem Ferrah and Colette's plan was working out nicely. With Marceline back under control, next they could turn their attentions to curbing Eliza. From the looks of things, things were moving more quickly than expected between the Fathvell girl and the bastard. Ferrah only hoped Colette would be able to use their connection against them like she claimed.

Watching the couple, who were now chatting with Eliza's cousin Felix, Ferrah felt a hint of jealousy rise within her. While she herself would never dream of attaching herself to Caden Hasting of all people, she had to admit the pair certainly did look happy together, and seeing them made her wonder why she had never had a man look at her the way Caden looked at Eliza.

"Let's get some wine, shall we? I've had enough of letting that bastard spoil our fun." She turned to Marceline's steward. "Fetch us something sweet please, or just anything the Perraults are serving that wasn't made by the Fathvells. We want to have some fun, after all, not spoil our mood with indigestion." While under other circumstances it might have been considered rude to comandeer another person's steward without permission, Marceline still had to make up for her bad behaviour, and the steward knew the order of things with the clique.

"Now Marcline," Ferrah continued as she brought out her fan and began scoping out the ballroom, "I'm in the mood for dancing tonight. Do you see any favorable partners?"