Realistic or Modern ♂ M a s k e d ♀

[KaoriMei]

In Character

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[KaoriMei]

_

• Outfit

• 

  

E V E N T - A N N U A L . B A L L


L O C A T I O N - S C A R S I 'S . P A L A C E


T I M E - 1 0 : 0 2 P M




The Scarsi's house - or should we say castle... - was already swarming with people; kings and queens, princes and princesses, family relatives wearing all sorts of colorful gowns and suits with masks that covered their faces. Some definitely recognizable, however, some not. Whether it was the fact that Valentina did not just know them at all, she barely knew the many people that had arrived to the ball in her own house. On her own birthday... When she could have just been celebrating it with her father and fifteen year old sister. Now she knew how it had felt like being in the same position as the other princess/prince who stood in her exact same position; celebrating her birthday by being married off to a stranger who apparently were enemies for a long time... Logic, right?


No longer did the house remain as it used to be, warm and cozy, but it had been specifically refurbished and decorated for this event that most likely everybody had been waiting for. Fancy plates and cutlery that were only brought out on special occasions sat delicately on top of the table cloths; simply waiting to be used. Soft and classical music filled the house up, giving the room a calm atmosphere with the laughter and chatter of people making it seem more lively. Women walked around swiftly across the dance floor; their dresses being long enough to touch the floor whereas the men wore tightly fitted suits.


"Valentina Ruby Scarsi!" An Italian rich, deep voice was suddenly heard from besides Valentina as she watched from above - almost like a bird - the party. "How have you still not made an appearance yet?" Her father ushered over towards the blonde with a concerned look on his face. She opened her mouth a little, just a little, to come up with a quick excuse, but she somewhat could not think of anything. "It's only been thirty minutes, daddy." She muttered quietly, "Have they arrived yet?" Adam almost immediately understood what his daughter meant by 'they' and straight up understood that she must be feeling terrified. "Look, sweetie, the announcement will be soon. You should go greet a few people before the dance." Leaning down, he began sorting out the golden flower that had been attached to Valentina's dress - letting all the guests know that she was one of the eight to be married.


A simple nod and small smile was all that it took from Valentina for her to begin walking. The sparkling white heels she wore clicked ever so lightly against the marble floor as her customized dress just barely touched the floor. "Deep breaths, Valentina. You can do this..." She whispered to herself, although she struggled to take a deep breath. The black and white dress that wrapped tightly around her bust was definitely not helping though there was not much she could do. The dress was one of a kind; specifically made for this day and for Valentina to wear. Chosen and drawn by her own mother who had almost been waiting forever for this day to come. Shame she wasn't alive to see it all in action.




FORTY FIVE MINUTES LATER


"They'll be announcing who you chose soon..." Maria whispered ever so quietly into her elder sister's ear as she sipped the glass of sparkling water carefully. Her face was hidden behind a detailed mask, crafted by some of the finest hands ever. Sighing, she let out a small sigh. Her sister was far more excited than she ever was. Laughter filled her ears as she turned to glance towards a group of princesses laughing. Shifting a little, she set her glass down when a loud clink against glass could be heard, drawing everyone's attention to the front of the room. The moment everyone had been waiting for had arrived. Valentina's green eyes followed her father as he stepped forward with a friendly smile.


"Welcome everybody... to the annual ball. We are so glad to be holding it here in Italy this year and just as glad that all of you have come to witness the announcement of the pairings." He began to speak, the music lowered as his voice echoed quietly throughout the hall. "Each prince and princess have chosen their partner. A reminder to them; these next two months you will be spending here in Scarsi's royal palace so you have the chance to get to know your betrothed before your wedding day..." Clearing his throat, still wearing that smile. Her father really wasn't sure he enjoyed the idea that his daughter was to marry a prince from a country that was classed as an enemy though going against the law would be worse.


As he spoke again, he began to open a small yet big in his eyes, golden letter. "Now... For the announcement you have ALL been waiting for. Prince Bo Mats Sorenson of Sweden has been paired up with Princess Jubilee Iribelle Lontaine of Louisiana. Prince Dominic Zoran Vukovic of Serbia has been paired up with Princess Valentina Ruby Scarsi of Italy. Prince Luka Opasnost Volkov of Russia has been paired up with Princess Cosmina Luminita Adela Dragomir of Romania. And last but not least, Prince Rudolph Lukas Genty Hapsburg of Austria has been paired up with Princess Anna Malou Alexander of Netherlands." He brought his eyes to the crowd and set the little slip down, forcing up a smile.


"Now, I ask that all guests clear the dance floor so that each pair may have their first dance of the night with their chosen partner." Valentina's father smiled and stepped down. The silence, barely lasted in the room a moment before each noble who had attended began to whisper as they made space and cleared the room for the royal children.


The color on Valentina's face drained a little as she turned to look at her younger sister, "How do I look?" She asked almost immediately - for once in her lifetime. Her blonde hair had been left down in her natural curls, though a couple strands had been clipped back so that they were not to fall in front of her face. The mask she wore had matched her dress perfectly and made her eyes only stand out more than usual. "You look beautiful, sis. Now go before your prince runs off!" A small appeared on her face when her sister told her this, a little weight being held off her shoulders as she headed to the middle of the floor; head up high.




@Annabella @oOBubblesOo @Asylumnated @AlwaysYours @SpectroVector

 

[Nap]

Bo Sorenson

The sound of laughter greeted Bo's ears has he and his party of four entered the Scarsi's palace. Having arrived as one of the later guest, they met a swarm of people dancing and mingling. Sights such as those were almost foreign to the young male because the last time his family hosted a ball was just before his mother died. Seeing it now, he couldn't help but reminiscence and he soon found himself drowning in his own thoughts and memories.


"Bo."


Jumping slightly and feeling the stiffness of his tuxedo, the brunette turned to the left, seeing the disapproving look of his father even through his mask. Helpless and weak was what his father's gaze made the boy felt. It was almost sad how he didn't feel like a son to the older man. "Yes, Far?" He replied, feeling a soft tug on his sleeve. Bo looked down and gave his younger sister a small smile before returning his eyes to Janz.


Janz motioned towards the front of the room and Bo's eyes followed. He saw the king of Italy about to make the announcement everyone had been waiting for. The one that would change Bo's life forever. Supposedly, he was to marry the woman who shared the same mask as he did. He didn't agree with the arrangement at first, but he understood his duty and learned to not care. Not caring. Something he'd gotten used to.


The announcement ended as swiftly as it began, leaving Bo slightly in a daze. Was he really about to meet his fiance? Was he really going to have to spend the rest of his life with this girl he's never met?


"Bo!" came an annoyed, young boy's voice. Again, Bo snapped back into reality and faced his brother Finn. Finn wore a look of exasperation before he began pushing his older brother to the clearing the nobles made. "Go meet your princess!" Finn smirked as he left his brother in the clearing.


Right... Bo thought, shooting his brother a head shake. He adjusted his golden mask, which brought out his pale blue eyes. He then glanced around the area and searched for a woman who had a similar mask as his before smiling when he found who he was looking for. Slowly he made his way towards a female whose skin was a rich tone. Once he neared her, he coughed and bent down slightly, offering both a hand and a sincere smile. "Princess Jubille Iribelle Lontaine of Louisiana, would you care to dance? I have to warn you though, I'm not the best."


@Annabella

 

[kou]

-Jubilee Lontaine-

"Regrets collect like old friends, here to relive their darkest moments"


[media]

[/media]

----

Spoiler

Jubilee had become accustomed to the grandiose facades placed upon people daily, feigning intrigue as she glided across the room in the lacy ensemble her mother had carefully selected for her person. Had it been any other situation, Jubilee would have been ecstatic to surround herself with the commotion that came along with this lifestyle but due to the fact that she was less than enthusiastic, she remained silent around others. The woman in question was now glaring at the regal composure of her intimidating mother whom stood merely a few feet away from her, one arm wrapped around her father as she surveyed the possible "competition". Anyone would have assumed that life within the Lontaine Kingdom was truly glorious, Jubilee agreed with the commoners who claimed that she had gotten off particularly easy but it was absolutely horrid living underneath the same roof as her mother. The woman had morphed into a controlling and abusive figure whom had associated herself with the higher luxuries in life in order to maintain control, many had yet to see through the metaphorical mask she donned everyday.


Jubilee's mother belonged in this masquerade. The place was truly magnificent however it was hard to appreciate such meticulous detail when you were to be wed with someone you barely knew, Jubilee could feel her heart thumping loudly in her chest as the moment to announce the wedded partners began inching closer and closer with every passing second. The young woman studied her feet, head lowered as she fixated on the black heels which blended in quite well with the charcoal texture of her dress. She was loathe to admit that her mother had done well in choosing the outfit, it complemented her caramel complexion quite nicely; as if by coincidence, she could now feel the wretched woman's gaze on her now. She willed herself not to succumb to the blatant observation, listening intently for the fatal announcement of her future being discarded in turn for a long-term commitment.


When the pairs were announced, Jubilee froze. It was then that she realized that there was no other possible outcome for this scenario, it was going to happen whether she liked it or now. She could practically hear the uproarious laughter from her mother, she would not allow the woman this victory. Bo, what a strange name. Jubilee focused on the man she was going to marry before feeling slightly anxious as he neared her, refraining from looking away from the piercing blue eyes as he asked her to dance. She took his hand hesitantly, squeezing it in order to adhere to formalities before faking a smile.





"I suppose both of us are guilty of this then, we will have to make do. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Prince Bo Mats Sorenson of Sweden."

 

[Novus]

[media]


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[/media]
H A P S B U R G

Ich will einfach nur gut aussehen, für Sie.

edit= Lukas' tie is a copper color


Lukas was swept up in the theatrics of the event. From what he could see, everything looked magnificent. The ballroom was lined with nobility and names, something Lukas wasn't used to in this quantity. The best of everything was offered as food and drink and the King of Italy was more than welcoming at face value. These things, if anything, were the saving grace of this ploy to keep peace between the lands. It was asinine to expect several young teenagers to commit to being wed so quickly when the world has taught them to wait out for the perfect mate. It was like shooting an elephant with rubber bullets: a lot of effort just to leave you with an enormous problem.


Taking all this into account, the Austrian Prince wasn't surprised when he heard he was paired with the Lady of the Netherlands. He immediately felt the room shift. He knew he was going to have to let the girl down in some way. The price had made himself clear as crystal on the fact that he would not take a queen. Yet, this was tradition and everything hung in the balance with the results of tonight and the next two months. This was going to be a game of strategy and hearts--between him and his father. Lukas could win if he sold out. That would be the easy way.


But it wasn't him at all.


He chuckled, taking another long sip from the crystal champagne flute. The mask on his face couldn't hide the amused expression in his eyes. In the corner of his view, he saw the exiled Prince that was his father. He turned swiftly, pretending to listen to an an older woman talk about her kittens and other drabble. She wouldn't notice that he didn't understand a thing she was saying. Lukas was determined not to let the man distract him. "I'm sorry, madam, but it seems the Court needs me." he almost drawled, leaving the ladies in waiting without breath. It was nice to know he had that effect on everyone.


Brushing the seams of his suit, he approached Princess Anna. She seemed tense, as if she didn't even want to be there--but gorgeous, just the same. Lukas was prepared to wow her to no end that night, being a perfect gentleman and all. Every girl deserves to go to a ball. "Lady Alexander, I am honored to be your consort for the evening." he said smoothly, while bowing out of politeness. He raised his green eyes to hers, letting them smolder just for tonight.


@oOBubblesOo

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

[dwale]

Outfit

Dominic had been easing his nerves by telling jokes. Unfortunately, his jokes weren't tasteful to most of the people within the ballroom. They weren't inappropriate, but they weren't proper either. His sisters kept giving him distasteful looks as they milled about and conversed politely with those who wished to know more of Serbia. His parents stood in a group of others as well, which left him to his own devices. His chest was tight, his palms sweating as he walked about the vast ballroom.



The mask was uncomfortable. It wasn't as uncomfortable as the present situation, but it was scratching at his face and that bothered him. He hadn't shaved either, like his mother had requested, so that wasn't helping matters either. He cleared his throat before he heard the voice that he was positive belonged to the king of Italy. His eyes turned towards the man and his stomach leapt into his throat as the man announced not just his future spouse, but the spouses of all the masked princes/princesses in the room.




Dominic's eyes found his mother, who gave him a slight nod, before they both turned their attention back to the man who owned the illustrious home he, and the rest of the princes/princesses, would be staying at. Then, the announcement was made and Dominic was positive the outcome couldn't have been worst. Not that he despised the Italian Royal Family, but this was their home and now he would be staying here to get to know their daughter. The pressure was immeasurable.




"To c?e biti kraj mene," He murmured under his breath. This will be the end of me.




The king called for the others to clear the dance floor and for the young princes/princesses to take to the stage and meet their future spouse. Swallowing his nerves, Dominic pushed a smile onto his lips and made his way out onto the dance floor. Dom caught sight of his family, now gathered together, with his mother wearing a gentle smile and his father standing stoically all the same. His hands ran over the jacket of his suit in an attempt to look more presentable. His eyes danced to a pair to his right, greeting each other for the first time out of many, and then straight ahead as he waited for his future wife




Once Valentina had taken her place in front of him, he bowed, before speaking. "Spero che la sera ti ha trattato bene finora, principessa. Sembri bella," He told her, the words feeling like tin on his tongue as he spoke. I hope that the evening has treated you well so far, Princess. You look beautiful. He hadn't spoken Italian in several months and had found it a bit difficult to come up with the words to speak his mind, but he had managed. "Would you mind dancing with me, Lady Scarsi?" He asked, his tone smooth and level.

@KaoriMei
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[dva]

Luka

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~

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It was an hour until the ball. Behind him was a soft and shaky purr of humming. He felt a comb run through his long, dark hair repeatedly. He sighed as a pair of hands patted down his suit and wiped off any stray hairs. Two maids whispered in the back of the room while another opened the window. "Luka, my dear," The comb was set down with two careful clinks. Luka opened his eyes and lifted his chin. His reflection stared back at him, but he didn't process it as himself. He never recognized himself after other people did his hair. He opened his mouth but before he could say anything, the door swung open. His mother strode in to stand behind him and she placed her hands on his shoulders. He dared not to move a muscle as the czarina scanned him from the top of his hair to the bottom of his chin.

"Oh, Luka," She said with a caring smile. "You've never looked good in white,"


The woman stood up straight and nearly flew to the two maids sitting in the back of the room and picked up the small rectangular box from their frail hands. She placed it carefully in front of Luka on the makeup table. "Here it is. At least your hair and eyes bring out the gold," She pulled the white ribbon and stepped to Luka's side.


He still hadn't taken his eyes off of his reflection. The maids had made a great attempt at lightening the circles beneath his dark eyes. From the lights above the mirror, his cheekbones stood out and led to his jaws that framed the bottom of his face almost perfectly. He couldn't recognize himself even more than normal. He closed his eyes as his mother lifted the golden lid of the box and carefully handled the mask. "How gorgeous," She sang in a loving sigh. As the mask was placed over his eyes, Luka swallowed hard. Somewhere, a girl was experiencing the same thing. She was to be married to him in two months time. When he opened his eyes he saw that the cheekbones that he had admired on himself had been hidden. He stood up and his mother kissed his cheek. "Alright, Luka, make your country proud," She grinned and stood behind him. Luka drew a large breath and shakily exhaled, closing his eyes.


At the ball ...


Too many lights. People talking. Music thudding and resonating from tall wall to tall wall. Glasses already filled with wine clinking. Lights. Laughing. The sound of high heels hitting the tile. Plates being placed on tables. Blinding, bright lights. Girls talking about how cute one of the princes is. A sharp note coming from the violins. More laughter. More lights. More music. More-


"Luka," The Russian blinked and shot his head up. "Luka, chin up," His father patted his back. Luka nodded and straightened his back. The lights dimmed and he turned his gaze over to the Italian king as he began to read off names. Luka's eyes dropped to stare at the white cloth covering the table. "Prince Bo Mats Sorenson of Swedan has been paired up with Princess Jubilee Iribelle Lontaine of Louisiana." His head began to get heavy and he gripped the bottom of his sleeve. He swallowed hard and closed his eyes, somewhat relieved to know that his mother's eyes were on the Italian man and not her son. "Prince Dominic Zoran Vukovic of Serbia has been paired up with Princess Valentina Ruby Scarci of Italy." Luka could feel his arms get hot and he opened his eyes. He cleared his throat and moved his hand to the glass of water - "Prince Luka Opasnost Volkov of Russia -" His hand knocked the glass, and it teetered to the left before falling. The water soaked the tablecloth and a shriek came from his mother. "has been paired up with" Luka's ears drowned out the scoldings of his mother and his eyes stuck to the king. "Princess Cosmina Luminita Adela Dragomir of Romania."


The name echoed through his mind and suddenly a hand rested on his right arm. "Luka," A soothing voice cooed. It was his mother's friend, who Luka never saw at any occasion but at parties, but she always seemed to have the voice that one could only describe as maternal. It woke him up from his anxieties, and instantly his shoulders relaxed. He hated parties. He hated loud music. He hated crowds. He hated strangers. His eyes softened, and then narrowed, and he stood up as soon as the king mentioned everyone meeting their partners. He stepped away from his family and wove through the other tables. He could feel eyes digging into his skin as he found the ballroom floor. He kept his eyes down as he stepped into the middle of the area. He didn't want to be first to talk. He didn't want to be first to look. He heard heels stepping towards him and he closed his eyes, waiting.

<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2015_09/2.png.2a90fbdb6220abc9866ce453482f0fa5.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="75874" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2015_09/2.png.2a90fbdb6220abc9866ce453482f0fa5.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p> <p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2015_09/3.jpg.0f8b6baf8c4777b51e997670bf4f5522.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="75875" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2015_09/3.jpg.0f8b6baf8c4777b51e997670bf4f5522.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>

 

[spectro]

??C O S M I N A | L U M I N I T A | A D E L A | D R A G O M I R??

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Mina stood in the corner of the room, waiting anxiously for the results to be read out. She was excited, obviously. This was the biggest day of her life. Well, the second biggest day of her life. But the first was just around the corner; her wedding day. And, today, she was to meet her true love. At least, she was optimistic that whoever her suitor was would be her true love. Clasping a glass of cranberry juice, she watched as regal men and women danced about. There was chatting and drinking and twirling. Mina had never seen so many gorgeous gowns in her lifetime. In reality, she had never seen so many people. Her Father would never allow dances or balls, even though they had a whole hall dedicated to them. And, without siblings, Mina began to get very bored.





As the room began to darken and the dance floor emptied, Mina braced herself. It was time. Time to find out who her life partner would be. Mina was stupidly optimistic. She put her hand behind her back and crossed her fingers. Biting her lip, she waited for the results. Scarsi, the man who had arranged the even this year, approached the stage. Mina, a very patient person, was shaking with anticipation. She felt like running on stage and grabbing the results for herself.


Of course, her name was read out last. Her heart fluttered as she found that her betrothed was to be the Prince of Russia, Luka Opasnost Volkov. She gulped. She had memorised the names of who was her potential future husband, but she had no idea as to what he looked like. She could only hope that he knew her face. Swallowing a mouthful of cranberry juice, she put her glass down on the table in front of her and let her hands fall elegantly at her sides.


She saw that the other Princesses who had entered earlier were talking or dancing with their princes. Mina gulped. Where was her prince?

@beehivecult




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Spoiler

 

[Psychedelia]

Anna had merely been observing since the moment she arrived. Her mother and father were off mingling, making nice with people she was sure to hear about later. Propping her head in her hands, she let out a soft sigh, closing her eyes and taking in one of her last few breaths as a single woman. Oh, how she dreaded hearing the announcer, and the exclamations of joy, and the awful music they would be forced to dance to... But this was all necessary. The ball, the fake smiles, the dancing -- It all would lead her down a path straight to the crown and that was what made it important. Not that 'daddy' wanted her to be married and to fix their broken kingdom. Not that her mother insisted that she would grow to love whomever she was paired with. It was the promise of the crown and nothing more.





"Anna... There isn't a doubt in my mind that you remember our conversation about isolating yourself at social gatherings..." Closing her eyes and cursing to herself, she told herself to remain calm and turned to face her father. "I'm just admiring the party from a safe distance." She retorted, gesturing towards the crowd below. Watching the man run a hand through the non-existent hair atop his head made Anna audibly choke on her laughter. "I won't bother to ask what it is you are laughing about, Anna, but I will ask you to stop. This... Immaturity you still possess needs to be dealt with by the time your wedding comes around. Speaking of which... Maybe you should think about moving downstairs to 'observe the crowd' instead of pouting up he-" "I'm not pouting," Anna scoffed, clenching her jaw as she noticed her mother approaching as well. "... But I will head downstairs," turning to leave, she paused mid-step, spinning back around to get in a last few words. "... And I am NOT going because you told me to. I'm going because mother doesn't want to see us fight and I want to meet my fiance." With that, she continued on her way.


Now much more officially joining the party, Anna couldn't help but feel out of place -- even for a princess at a ball. Everything was so lavish and perfect, she almost wasn't sure why they were allowing her presence to clutter up the space. Feeling as discontent as she was, Anna had made a pact with herself a long time ago to not let this day be anything but an incredible experience. So, she would just have to find a way to make herself feel a bit more at ease.


Glancing around, she spotted her family's table and made her way over. Taking up her seat, she casually swiped a partially empty glass of wine off the table and downed it in one fell swoop. Placing it back on the table, she looked up just in time to notice everyone starting to focus in one area. Swallowing hard, she slid back in the chair and prepared herself for the announcement.


For the next few minutes, everything became a blur around her. Her parents had returned to their seats before the announcement and immediately noticed the missing drink. Luckily, the announcer interrupted her father's start of a scold, forcing the middle-aged couple to quiet down. Once the names had been announced, her mother congratulated her several times while her father began expressing how he felt she didn't deserve the boy she had been paired with. Standing from the table and smoothing out the front of her dress, she took a deep breath and set forth onto the open floor, not bothering to say a single word to her parents. She was ready to get this done and over with.


On her way out to the floor, she was caught off guard by the sound of a male's voice speaking her name. Turning to face him, a soft smile crossed her face as she eyed him up and down. At the very least, she was lucky to have been paired with someone as handsome as he. Clearing her throat, she had never really been one to keep track of when to use her manners... "Honored or otherwise, I just hope you know how to have a good time, Hapsburg," she responded, a hint of both mischief and playfulness in her tone. Glancing over onto the floor, then back to him, she extended a hand, "I suppose we should get to dancing, then?"

@AlwaysYours

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[Novus]

[media]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdWdGpbHbjM[/media]


H A P S B U R G

Nur wenn für eine Nacht...

Lukas smiled in response to Anna's playful invitation and took her hand. he then swept her into a circle with a grand flourish that raised the eyebrow of guests and servants alike. Keeping with the rhythm of the music, Lukas executed turns and dips like a pro. he couldn't help but let himself smile in the act. It was fun and he really missed moments like these. As the two twirled around the ballroom floor, he caught the face of the Russian prince and suddenly felt guilty of the fact that he'd rather be dancing with him as opposed to his betrothed.


Eventually, the guilt got the better of him. "Anna...please don't get too attached." he whispered into her ear after twirling her lithe frame. That was the most he could say without ruining his plans. The thought that she might be an asset crossed his mind, but first he wanted to get to know the girl. He wasn't too keen on using people if he didn't have to. And, by the superficial looks of her situation, she probably felt just as opposed to this union as he did. Her father gave Lukas the willies with his gaze, alone. It looked like he wanted to rip the skin from the young couple's backs.


@oOBubblesOo
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[dva]

Luka



​

No one approached him; the steps must have walked elsewhere. His eyes scanned the floor. Brown heels. Black dress. Brown pants. Black dress shoes. Another black dress. Brown shoes, black heels, black, golden details, black, brown, brown, black - red. Red? Red. Why red? Was there a red couple? He raised his chin to the 7 princes and princess' faces now: black, golden embroidery, brown, black ... white. White - that's Cosmina. She is the woman wearing the red dress. Was it a statement?


Luka exhaled and pulled his shoulders back; the people staring at him posed no threat anymore. He took a step towards Cosmina as he pushed the crowd and the sound out of his mind. As he walked the few steps towards her, he looked at her dress. It must have been a traditional dress. His mother, who was not originally Russian, did not fuss over tradition. She wanted him to look handsome - well, as handsome as he could in the color white.


His mother's nagging voice rang into his mind. Etiquette. This was something that he was actually quite good at. He had lessons about it ever since he was young. He could be quite charming - if you excused the emotionless eyes and the nonexistent explicitness of wanting to be interacting with someone.


With a long sigh he took his last step. He cleared his throat and held his hand out to her. "Miss Cosmina," He said gently. His accent was strong but understandable. His head dipped in a shallow bow and as his head rose his glance returned to her. "I am Luka Volkov," His voice was like cold water; it was hard and low and it made one want to reply but not sure if they should. "It is a pleasure, Cosmina,"

@SpectroVector
​

 

[Nap]

Bo Sorenson


Resisting the urge to raise an eyebrow, Bo gingerly took the princess's hand and led her to an area that was unoccupied by the other royals. Slowly and carefully, he took the hand that wasn't holding Jubilee's and placed it on the nape of her back. Though the position was a bit uncomfortable to him, he couldn't help but admire her height. Bo was quite a tall fellow and Jubilee was clearly a mere two or three inches shorter with her heels.


"You look lovely this evening, by the way." Bo finally said after a few silent steps. Which was true. The dress fit her body enough to show slight curves while the mask complemented her complexion. He had hoped he didn't sound fake when he told her that because he was being truthful.


The eerie feeling of stares and whispers forced the tall male to quickly think of something to talk about. If his father saw that he wasn't making an effort to converse with his fiance, he'd throw a fit. Maybe even two, if Bo decided not to listen. "So, how are you enjoying this... event, so far?" Bo asked as he led them to enter a comfortably paced four-step. He completely lied when he said he couldn't dance earlier because he was leading like a professional, even if the dance was simple.


After hearing Jubilee's reply, he nodded slightly whilst letting out a light puff. "Me? I'm fantastic, but I'd rather be outside playing with that canine I saw on my way here." He chuckled softly, hoping his comment would lighten the tension. Honestly, he was fairly good at doing that, but for some reason he was having a difficult time trying to think of topics to talk about.


Probably because you're dancing with your fiance.


@Annabella

 

[Psychedelia]

[media]

[/media]

Being swept around in the first circle, Anna nearly lost her breath. Biting her lip to keep from laughing at herself, she tried to remain as poised as possible. So far, she liked this guy. He was quite the gentleman, but not annoyingly so and he was certainly proving that he did know how to have fun. She knew, most certainly, that she could have been paired with worse, although, after glancing around the dance floor, she could have chosen at least one other she would prefer to be with. As they continued dancing, she grew increasingly impressed with Lukas's skills and, she had to admit, it felt rather invigorating to dance with him. With a smile spread wide across her face, she continued letting him lead her about, thoroughly enjoying every moment of it.





Feeling him begin to lean in, she braced herself for whatever was to come. In a way, she hoped his words would match his moves in being so riveting. In fact, she was almost hoping for something a bit more intimate, if you catch her drift. However, what he had expressed was not so exhilarating. Fortunately, Anna found herself delighted by what he had said. Letting out a sigh of relief, she let her smile soften as she leaned in to whisper her response into his ear. "Don't worry, darling... I hadn't planned on it," she stated simply, gently readjusting her posture beneath his hands. She had known from the beginning that the whole arranged marriage business was strictly for the birds but, now, that was clear. At the same time, she genuinely appreciated that he didn't seem interested in her, either. This would certainly make things far less awkward, in the end.

@AlwaysYours

​

 

[kou]

-Jubilee Lontaine-

"We can't lose touch but we can't let go."


[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZf8hOz4-OY[/media]

Bo was more skilled than he had initially claimed and Jubilee found it rather mesmerizing to keep her eyes on his feet from where they moved gracefully across the floor, it was rather rude but Jubilee was nervous and rarely anyone ever touched her. The compliment she received had been unexpected, causing the woman to look up in befuddlement before nervously grinning. "I suppose I should say the same of you, you look handsome as well." It was true, the suit on the man was doing Jubilee no justice to prevent herself from admiring although she would have preferred keeping that particular thought to herself. As they danced, she found herself once more focusing on the floor and could practically feel the glare from her mother being burned into the back of her neck. The woman had always claimed that eye contact was highly encouraged in such situations seeing as it served to make one look regal and composed, Jubilee had to refrain from saying that it must have not been working because it made her mother look like a bitch. Jubilee chuckled quietly, nearly missing Bo's question before reflecting upon the answer. Truth be told, Jubilee would rather be attending one of her mother's pity parties..it would be better than having to come to something as tedious and ridiculous as this event.





"To be honest I find this all to be a publicity stunt of some sort. None of it feels genuine and all of it feels forced, it is quite appalling how they assume two people could so easily fall in love..or perhaps they do not care." Love was an invalid and weak emotion, it would only serve to harm those who tried to harness it and Jubilee had learned this rather quickly by watching the abusive exchange between her mother and father. How could two people who were meant for each other transition to hatred so quickly?





It appeared as if Bo seemed to somewhat believe the same, he wished to be elsewhere as much as Jubilee did and the woman rested her head on Bo's shoulder in order to mask the less than polite expression on her face. She laughed once more, it was so ironic that this had to happen. "Although I take a disliking to animals, I find myself agreeing with you. Do you truly want to be wed so soon, Bo? We seem to be in quite an awkward situation if you don't mind me saying so."


@Raphael

 

[Novus]

[media]


​

[/media]
H A P S B U R G

Es gibt etwas über die Art und Weise Sie verschieben ...

"You could sound a little less enthusiastic about it, darling. I am quite a catch." he replied, keeping up the rhythm of their dance. The situation had relaxed a bit at her words though, and inturn so did he. "I hate the formality of it all." he thought out loud, comfortable enough with the girl to discuss the contents of his head with her. "I get that we are supposed to be wed. It's an old fucking concept. But, don't piss in a golden chalice and expect me to drink it."


He kept his tone low as not to startle someone who would truly take an insult to his words. A gentleman could express himself from time to time. Looking into her eyes again, he was a little more of a regular guy than the Prince of Austria. "Would you like to eat? I never get to eat at these things." he asked. They could have their conversation sitting and grubbing on good Italian food. He was tired of whirling anyway.


@oOBubblesOo

 

[KaoriMei]

_

The only sound that filled Valentina's ears were her heels. The annoying clicking sound of them hitting against the shiny, marble floor. Suddenly, everything around her had disappeared and all that really was there was herself and him though she could feel the hundreds of eyes staring at her and the other princesses and princes; almost as if they were being sentenced to death or something. Except, they weren't. They were meeting the person they would be spending almost the rest of their lives with... the person they'd be sharing a house with soon, maybe even a family... and they had no choice whether they wanted to marry this person.


Before Valentina could drown herself in her thoughts, she stopped in track. Right in front of the Prince of Serbia. The first thing she noticed were his brown eyes. After all, they did stand out to her because of the mask he wore; which was almost identical to hers. Not only that, but his height too - he was definitely taller than her by a couple inches. But the little scar that stood out if you looked closely made the blonde princess know more.


"Grazie. Sembri molto focoso te, principe." How Valentina had managed to speak those words, she really had no idea. Thank you. You look quite dashing yourself, prince. A small smile crept upon her face as he offered to dance and without an option, she gave a small nod. "I would love to dance with you, and please, call me Valentina. I sound older than my age when you call me lady."


Valentina slowly extended her hand to meet Dominic's as the two connected and began to dance at a slow pace, joining the others. Her left hand rested on his shoulder, raised up to chest level as her right hand locked with his. There was at least six inches of distance between the two, except it felt less to Valentina, especially knowing that loads of people were probably watching them right now.




@Asylumnated

 

[dwale]

-place- Ball Room
​

Dominic

"Grazie," Dominic said in turn, forcing a small smile from his lips as they began to dance. He took note of her comment about just calling her Valentina, and would keep it for future purposes. His leading was stiff, almost as if he were made of stone, but he soon relaxed and set about moving the two of them around the dance floor. He was careful to avoid the other dancers, as he feared the embarrassment it might cause if he were to waltz the two of them into another couple.

Dominic was sure to keep his hand firmly placed just below the middle of her back, while the other remained tightly grasped in hers. "Do you enjoy these types of things," He asked, brown eyes falling to meet her's that shone so verdantly beneath her mask. He was asking out of curiosity. They were to be wed, so he should get started on knowing her. It could be important later on to know whether she preferred social events, to smaller gatherings.





Dominic's gaze kept falling to his father's, who shone with mild indifference, and then to King Scarsi, who he feared would suck the life out of him if he made a sour move. He wasn't going to lie, the distance between the two of them was bugging him, but it was only appropriate to dance like this with a stranger. Even if she was his future wife. He'd have to get over his small quirk when it came to distance.


Dom hated the slow pace of the song they were playing. Growing up, he'd been taught how to do fast paced dances to fairly old songs, both from his country and others. He was never the man who enjoyed the waltz, or the awkward middle school shuffle. He liked to be spinning and dipping and jumping, but that wasn't the appropriate dance for this time. That's what it all came down to. Whether it was appropriate or not. This certainly wasn't the event for him, but only because every smile in the room was being forced as they all stood in a room full of proclaimed enemies.

@KaoriMei
​

 

[Psychedelia]

At his response, a smile tugged at the corners of her lips and she shrugged her shoulders faintly, "I suppose you're right..." Now that the ice had been officially broken between the pair, she felt no need to hold back -- not that she had been holding back much, before. As he continued speaking, she listened intently to his every word. Her eyes were merely lingering before her, scanning his for emotion as he expressed more of what he was feeling. Once he finished, Anna was left to express her own thoughts on their situation; something she had always been deterred from doing. It had suddenly struck her as being both delightful and dreadful that they seemed to be getting along so well. That she had found herself relating easily to this man, yet, still wanting to turn and run meant that this would sooner become an issue than later. Stifling a laugh at his chalice comment but nodding in agreement, she was hesitant to let herself respond. "I couldn't have said it better myself," was all she allowed to escape her lips before she let her eyes part from his gaze.


Keeping her eyes off to the side momentarily, she was studying those around them. Well, more specifically, the Prince of Serbia. Dancing around with that little Italian blonde, there looked to be plenty of space between the two for Anna to squeeze in... You simply can't help herself, can you? She closed her eyes tightly as her father's voice echoed in her mind. Collecting her thoughts, she forced open her eyes and lifted her gaze to re-align it with Lukas's. "Hapsburg, if you plan to continue offering me food, I'm going to have a hard time not getting attached, here," she paused for effect, "... Of course I would like to eat." Removing the hand she had resting on his shoulder, she let it fall to her side, while her other hand was left in his. "Wherever you choose to go, I shall follow," her gaze then drifted from him to her father, who looked to be on his way outside for one thing or another. Straightening her posture, she worried not about anyone but herself and Lukas, for the time being.

@AlwaysYours

​

 

[Nap]

Bo Sorenson

The Swedish male couldn't stop the smile that crept onto his face. Princess Jubilee clearly felt the same way he did, be it the marriage or the awkward tension that filled the air, and they both appeared hesitant.


"Well, Princess," he began slowly as he felt the warmth from her head through the fabric of his suit, "I don't believe anyone in their right mind would want to wed abruptly." He took a moment to carefully think about his next few words and in an almost serious tone he continued. "But as the sons and daughters of royalty, all we can do is be the chess pieces to our parents' games." Those words were probably the most honest ones that ever left his lips, even more so than the time he told his father he'd agree with the arrangement if that made him happy.


Bo cleared his throat as he felt himself warming up. The suit had already begun to make his temperature rise and the dancing wasn't helping at all. He only hoped the dance would end soon so he could leave and find a cooler place to rest because if it got any warmer, he'd probably have a panic attack.


To keep his mind off the dreadful feeling, he returned his attention to his dance partner and decided he didn't care about the judgmental eyes at that moment. "Would you care to end this dance and possibly devour some of that delicious looking Gelato I passed by while entering the room?" He offered a side smile, wondering what her response would be. Would she be an uptight princess and judge him or would she accept the offer and go against the onlookers' views?


@Annabella

 

[KaoriMei]

_

Valentina felt it. The stiffness of the man, and although he somewhat already felt as though he worked out from what she could see and feel, she could definitely tell that he was not having the best time of his life. That made two of them. He was tense. Whether it was because they were to be married soon or he hated to be close, she really had no idea. Her light green eyes stayed on his; watching his deep brown pupils move around the room almost as though he was cautious of something. Or someone.


As he began to speak, his eyes now fixed on hers, her own green orbs dropped down to his lips as they moved for a split second, watching them. "Believe it or not, I do." She replied honestly, her eyes glancing towards her fathers; who had been eyeing them throughout the whole time they had been dancing. "Maybe not so much today." A forced smile appeared on her face as her father gave her a simple nod before she turned to look back at Dominic.


The song had maybe only lasted three minutes and a half but believe it or not, it felt as though it had lasted a good fifteen minutes for the princess. A dance never lasted that long. Maybe it had been the serious look her father gave the two. Or the fact that the awkward tension flying in the room was just too much for everbody to handle. One step backwards and a curtsey.


"It was a pleasure dancing with you, Prince."




@Asylumnated




After the dance that the princes and princesses had done, the party ended shortly and the castle was cleared out. However, the seven royal families had stayed; as they'd be staying the night over for lunch tomorrow to get to know the rest of princesses and princes. Who wouldn't want to get to know the wife/husband of your son/daughter?


The early morning had was already well risen and the spring grass shone like it had its own gentle glow from within. It had just hit eight in the morning. The bells rang in a peal. Normally this would signal the time for breakfast.


"Mmm," Valentina slowly rolled in the bed, a small sigh escaping her lips as the loud banging sound filled her ears. She brought her hands slowly up to her face, giving her eyes a small rub as they began to slowly open; adjusting to the sunlight shining through the window. Blinking, she took one small glance at Dominic before bringing her feet towards the edge of the bed and standing up quietly, slipping her feet into her slippers.


She patted her hair down for a moment and took a look over at the clock. It had just hit five past eight. For once, Valentina had never ever wanted to get out of bed so soon. Except with a stranger sleeping right next to her, you would want to do that.


One more glance at Dominic and that was it before she left the room to head downstairs into the main room where her father and possible a couple others of the royal family would be waiting.


As she walked into the room, her father stood there, awaiting everybody's arrival. "Dad, what's going on?" She asked, a small frown on her face. Usually the scent of pancakes and waffles would be flying around however there was nothing.


"I've got news for you all." Her father replied with.




@Annabella @Asylumnated @AlwaysYours @oOBubblesOo @beehivecult

 

[dva]

l u k a




The light from the window burned through Luka's eyelids until he couldn't help but open them. He felt the morning's chill creep over his shoulders as his vision began to clear. He stretched his limbs, feeling the stiffness slowly dissolve from his muscles. He didn't remember what he dreamed about last night; he never really seems to, but he always hopes that maybe one morning he would recall a dream about his childhood or his uncle like he did before the last summer ended. He sat up, his arms pushing the mattress. It was huge, especially only for one man. He looked at the empty space next to him. He remembered the shock of hearing that his princess was not present. He didn't know if he was disappointed or relieved. Of course, this saved him from the horrors of a few weeks of having to be with someone he didn't know basically all the time. His eyes wandered to the window.


Maybe the princess felt it coming. Maybe she is lucky.


Much to no one's surprise, this sent Luka's mother into hysterics. She kept her calm at the party, but as soon as it was over, she wept. She sobbed and cried for her bednykh , neschastnyy rebenok (poor, unfortunate child)! Luka was still in shock. He didn't know what emotion was acceptable to show. Sadness? Anger? Why did he feel relieved? The look of confusion didn't attract rumors, but it definitely gave him pity and sympathy from those who looked.


Luka knew that his mother would be angry next. Probably at him, too. She had been waiting for this moment. Though, Luka didn't know whether his mother would demand for the runaway princess' head or for her person.


Luka's legs found their way from underneath the covers and onto the white tile. The cold stung the soles of his feet as he straightened himself up. He pulled his robe off of the chair at the foot of the bed and reached into the sleeves with his arms before stepping into the bathroom. He must have slept heavily; his hair was displaced and there were imprint lines on his cheeks from the pillow cases. He let out a long sigh that he didn't know he was holding and turned on the water to splash in his face. Somewhere in the castle, bells rang. Luka lifted his head to see his reflection. This meant breakfast. He took a towel and patted his face dry before running his hands in his hair to straighten it and he walked into the room. He popped his slippers on his feet and opened the door.


He retraced his steps from finding his room to the entrance of the dining room. He pulled open the door enough for him to slide in and gently shut it behind him. He raised his head to see the Italian king and his daughter, and instantly thought of his parents. He would rather them not feel obliged to enter the room to pester him. Luka stepped closer only to stand a good distance from the two. His eyes traced the tables that had a lack of decoration, and he noticed the absence of any maids rushing to fill the table with grand breakfast dishes. He turned to eye the Italians once more, realizing that this wasn't breakfast.


"I've got news for you all," Luka heard the king's voice resonate through the dining room. He felt his eyebrow raise in immediate reaction.


What else? Honestly, what else? He thought to himself. He already felt somewhat overwhelmed from lacking a princess. What could he possibly do with three couples? Luka didn't feel particularly fond of being a seventh wheel.

 

[dwale]

​

Dominic

The night had gone rather well in the opinion of his parents. Although, they had a few criticisms as always for him. He wasn't surprised and took them like he took everything else. His sisters said nothing on the matter, too busy eyeing the others in the ballroom to watch him and Valentina dance. When they'd retired to their rooms for the night, Dominic said nothing. He didn't speak a single word as he changed from the stiff suit and into a loose t-shirt and a pair of grey joggers.


He'd fallen asleep almost immediately, even if he had been laying half-way off of the bed. It was awkward, sleeping in a bed with a stranger and he didn't want to make it more awkward by accidentally brushing against her, so he stuck solely to hanging half off the bed.


He felt the bed shift when she rose and was immediately awake, but didn't open his eyes until he was sure she'd left the room. After, he rose from the dark bed and made it up, out of courtesy, he got dressed for the day in casual-formal attire. He wasn't sure he was comfortable enough to dress as he would at home, just yet. He quickly buttoned the middle button of a black suit jacket, that was over a plain white dress shirt, and pulled on a pair of khaki colored pants.


Dominic feared that his hair would not be helped today, as it was rather poofy and without a shower it would remain that way, so he merely pushed it back from his eyes. It fell back in them a moment later, but he wouldn't be bother by that. It didn't look awful or anything, after all. He left his feet bare, preferring to be so, as he exited the room and attempted to navigate the vast halls of the Scarsi's palace.


It took him ten minutes before he found the stairs and made his way down, albeit slowly. He arrived in the room that the others had met in, spotting his parents and sisters look crisp as ever, and frowned slightly. The air was serious and had a note of tension to it, he observed as he stared at the King of Italy.


Dominic feared the news that would come next.

 

[kou]

-Jubilee Lontaine-

There were many things in this communal marriage that Jubilee did not want to participate in; sleeping with another happened to be one of them. With that being said she was glad that Bo seemed to be in mutual agreement that sharing a bed was not needed however she had turned off the lights before there could be any further conversation, sleep had not come easily but eventually she was able to rest. It was waking which was the more complicated part. The sunlight seemed to filter through the slightly cracked curtains and Jubilee could practically feel it burning through her eyelids which was certainly not pleasant, the young woman did not groan nor complain seeing as that would be discourteous and instead willed herself to open her eyes. Moving was somewhat of a compromise and Jubilee could feel every ounce of her body protest as she rose, a bony hand wiping the sleep from her eyes as she stared straight ahead at the wall. Time seemed to drag on before Jubilee slid out of bed.


She took a few steps before drowsily yawning and protesting loudly as her foot hit something and she fell towards the ground, the woman landed with a short huff of breath before resisting the urge to swear. What had she--


Oh.


That explained that. Prince Bo was stretched out on the floor. What on Earth had gotten into the man to make him sleep on the damned floor? Jubilee wondered whether it was simply a formality or whether it was for his own personal reasons.


@Raphael

 

[Nap]

Bo Sorenson


The night had come sooner than Bo had expected, which meant it was time for a restless night. He assisted that Princess Jubilee take the main bed while he slept elsewhere due to formalities and his own personal reasons. Almost everyone at the Sorenson castle knew he couldn't sleep in a room warmer than 65 degrees Fahrenheit and if he had shared the bed, well... again, personal reasons.


It took him three hours longer than usual to fall asleep, whether it was due to the unfamiliar setting or the warmer temperatures, either way, he hadn't expected something to wake him up by falling on him. Correction, someone.


A groan escaped Bo's lips as he brought a hand to his eyes, rubbing them open. The light was unbearably bright and he wasn't used to waking up to such circumstances. Normally, the windows of his room were covered with dark curtains and the servants knew not to wake him until a bit before noon. From how sluggish he felt at that moment, Bo guessed it to be near eight.


"W-what...?" Bo asked lowly, his voice scratchy from still being half asleep. He lifted his head slightly to see Princess Jubliee on top of him and for the moment, he forgot he wasn't wearing a shirt. "Oh... good morning Princess Jubiliee. Are you practicing your morning greetings or did I just look comfortable enough to lay on?" He offered a half smile, but he felt too weak and so his head fell back to the pillow on the ground.


After a few moments of awkward silence, Bo sighed deeply and covered his eyes with an arm, "I suppose I should get up and clothe myself before we make our way down stairs."


@Annabella

 

[kou]

-Jubilee Lontaine-

​

Jubilee momentarily forgot the process of breathing before she realized that Bo was indeed shirtless. Extraordinary. The woman quickly scrambled to her feet before mustering the courage to speak. "I was not the one sleeping on the ground, I simply had not seen you there and I deeply apologize for waking you up." Jubilee held out a hand in order to assist the man before allowing a brief smile in his direction. There was no need for this to be any more awkward then it should have been and Jubilee had been around enough people in order to keep her wits about her, she was more concerned about what her mother would be doing as of this moment. Her father had been reluctant in even allowing her to attend the masquerade the previous night however Jubilee knew that it was not concern for her well-being, her father feared his wife and would not be able to maintain any form of sanity within her presence.


She was even more nervous at the fact that Bo was possibly going to come into contact with the wretched woman, her mother had a bit of a sadistic streak when it came to meeting with others and she would no doubt exploit any weaknesses she saw in the man. "Did you sleep..well?" It appeared that Jubilee had developed a knack for speaking of useless topics.


Aggravating.