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[IC] |- The Food Kingdoms: Episode One: The Masquerade -|

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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Sonnenschein
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【 The only way two people can keep a secret is if both of them are dead. 】


‗‗‗‗‗‗

The past few months leading up to the masquerade had been unusually cold in Hua'mu. It seemed to match the frigid mood that the eldest daughter of the Cha clan had been feeling as of late. She'd grown bored of the constant requests of suitors that had lined up outside of their door to court her. Their antics especially bored her as a great many of them sought after a submissive wife whose money they could live off of. Minagi only wished to share her wealth and empire with someone that she thought was deserving of such a title. She remembered the conversation with her father about her coming of age and being already becoming a spinster. He quite often mentioned how if she didn't quiet her ambition that no man would ever desire her, but it had never stopped the line of men before, and so she doubted he was right. Though, as he had no male heirs to inherit his name and throne, she wanted to prove to him that she could be better.

Truth be told, the girl hated parties; she hated everything that went along with it. The planning, the conversating, and especially inviting people into her personal space. The only person that the princess ever wanted in her personal space was Yunru, and even then, he had earned his spot. He had proven to her that he deserved to be there at her side as he had never questioned her or gone against her requests- no matter how asinine they may be. Though she knew that if she didn't do something to prove to the other kingdoms that Hua'mu was willing to open their borders and join the rest of the world in technological advancements then her kingdom would never flourish. That was why, the last six years of her life that she had dedicated to planning this out wouldn't be in vain. This party was a necessary evil that only she and Yunru knew all the details of.

She loved her kingdom and its people- probably far more than she'd ever love any living person. Her ambition to bring her people from their sheltered existences to watch them flourish had always been her first and only true love. That, and of course, her younger sisters whom she loved greatly- each one more than the last, and Asami more so than any of the others. She loved her so much that she'd gone to extreme lengths to keep Asami from going through what she had gone through at her age. Their father pushed them all far too hard to marry, and that was something she couldn't abide. She wanted Asami to live a comfortable life and not have to worry about politics. For someone like Asami who had been through so much trauma, the last thing the girl needed was men swarming her with invitations. As the tall girl moved throughout the foyer to make sure everything was in order for their guests, she noticed such a letter and swiped it up from the table- tucking the calling card into her robes. She would dispose of it later, but for now, she had many other things to worry about- like putting her plans into action.

‗‗‗‗‗‗

Minagi had endured the primping and preening by her maids in order to get her ready for the night of her party. Platinum colored hair was tied in a loose braid over one of her shoulders. She wore a green and silver furisode made of heavy silks. The mask that rested across the bridge of her nose tickled her face from the white plumage of feathers that surrounded it. Honey colored eyes looked out amongst the guests that had arrived early. It had been nearly a hundred years since Hua'mu's borders were open to the public other than their political allies, and it made her heart swell with joy that royals and nobles from other nations were attending her party. Not only that, but potentially she could make friendly with their rivals in an attempt to bring Hua'mu out of their sheltered existence.

Even if she could not tell who the people were directly from a glance, it was easy enough to tell what kingdom people were from a glance. Their clothing and mannerisms gave them away. Those from An'elle were versed in manners, but lacked the honorifics that her people used. She had never met someone from Ilepia before, but it had been rumored that the new oracle was to host a meeting with her sometime over the course of the event, and she was intrigued to meet someone from a nation that had been rumored to be wiped out. Those from Graengarder- namely the men who felt entitled to be barbarians were watched with suspicion. Though, she was mostly interested in meeting with those from up and coming clans and colonies as she felt a kinship to those who had a love for their people. People from Starch and Estrye were greeted warmly as they were Hua'mu's biggest allies at this time, and she found their presence here somewhat relaxing to her overactive mind. Minagi spent a good amount of time simply just watching people interact with each other before she had gone out and interacted. Yunru was uncharacteristically late, but she knew that he would find his way to her whenever he was ready.

She caught up to Asami and rested a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Would you like to come with me? I've heard the Guo family is arriving soon, and I'd like to be the first to give them a proper greeting before they get swarmed by the sharks.” A small laugh left her lips and she took a gentle hold of the girl's wrist to lead her toward the foyer where they could meet up with their friends. “Yunru will catch up with us whenever he's ready if it worries you that he's not already here. He's taking care of some things for us right now, and will be here when everyone's arrived. Guess I'll have to protect us now~”
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Otterpop
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A Nostalgic Dream



"Frodo sighed and was asleep almost before the words were spoken. Sam struggled with his own weariness, and he took Frodo’s hand; and there he sat silent till deep night fell. Then at last, to keep himself awake, he crawled from the hiding-place and looked out. The land seemed full of creaking and cracking and sly noises, but there was no sound of voice or of foot. Far above the Ephel Dúath in the West the night-sky was still dim and pale. There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty forever beyond its reach. His song in the Tower had been defiance rather than hope; for then he was thinking of himself. Now, for a moment, his own fate, and even his master’s, ceased to trouble him. He crawled back into the brambles and laid himself by Frodo’s side, and putting away all fear he cast himself into a deep untroubled sleep."

∎

Asami's green eyes were glued to the page, she had just flipped open a brand new book and wanted to do nothing more than to sit in her room and discover what adventures it held. Unfortunately it did not seem like she would get to do that. A maid gently knocked on her door, four small knocks and than two louder ones. Because she could not tell them to enter they had made up a special knock to inform her when they were entering. She thought it was incredibly stupid, why make a special knock when she couldn't even say anything for a plain single knock? But Asami knew why the maid was knocking and when she opened the door the dress that was draped over one arm only confirmed it. She frowned slightly, she honestly didn't want to sit for hours - hours that could be spent reading! Though she couldn't lie to herself either, this massive party her sister had decided to hold was exciting and she was thrilled to be able to meet so many new people.

"Come now, Princess. If we are to make you look like a Princess than we must hurry, it take time to look beautiful." The maid said, taking the book that was in Asami's hand and setting it on a nearby table. The red-head stuck her bottom out in a pout as she let the maid usher her towards the mirror. "Now stop that, dear. I know you've been looking forward to this, who wouldn't? It's been much too long since we've held such an affair. Just think of all the handsome men you'll meet." The maid chuckled, dabbing Asami's face with a wet piece of cotton. Asami had to admit that she was looking forward to it, she hoped that maybe she could meet someone special. She was 18 already and had not had a single suitor, her elder sister Asami had dozens by the time she was 18! Sometimes she wondered if it was because she couldn't speak that no one wanted her.

∎

A smile decorated Asami's face as she stared at herself in the mirror. It had taken awhile but she actually was happy with how she looked, for once she didn't look like a child! Her messy red hair was pulled up into an updo, an ornate pin given to her by her mother held it all in place. She wore a white, red and yellow furisode that was light and flowy. The mask in her hand was the same red color as her hair and was accented by yellow feathers, she thought it was a but gaudy but didn't care enough to do anything about it. A little laugh escaped her lips as she twirled around, while she may not speak words Asami often showed her emotion through the noises she made. Laughing, huffing, sighing or even groaning were the one most often heard. "Well I think my work here is done, Princess! I'm glad you liked what I picked out, those colors go wonderfully with that fiery red hair of yours." The older maid said with a proud look. She had been Asami's personal maid ever since her incident, she could probably tell what Asami was thinking with a single look. "Now come, this took much longer than I had anticipated and I'm certain that guests will begin to arrive soon. It would not look good if a Princess was missing, come now dear." Asami was rushed out of the room and into the hall.

Asami stood there in awe at all the people who were already arriving, while she could not see their faces the variety in clothing was different from Kingdom to Kingdom. The poor Princess was beginning to grow overwhelmed with that amount of people and found herself wanting to escape, it didn't really help that she couldn't even introduce herself properly or greet anyone. Already she could see judgmental eyes from people and she hated it. Her kidnapping was something that her family had wanted to keep to themselves and it was something she was thankful for, the last thing she needed was someone trying to ask her what had happened. Asami tried hard not to let it show but she still had trauma from the three days she was held captive - nightmares, lingering fear of the dark and her inability to speak. The doctors said that she hadn't been injured so it was all psychological, though nothing they've tried has worked so far.

The redhead sighed as she adjusted her mask, jumped when laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. Instinctively she knew it would be her sister and upon hearing her voice she smiley lightly. She nodded to her sister request to go greet the Guo siblings, her heart skipping a beat just hearing their name. While she had never interacted with them too much she had watched them from afar and they were all wonderful looking. She giggled as she followed Minagi, she was glad that the older girl seemed to be enjoying herself. She knew that her elder sister tried hard to keep her safe and she always worried about her, but she hoped that maybe this party would allow her to let loose a bit. Heck maybe it's a good thing for all these royals.
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Bambluezled
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To say she was ecstatic was an understatement. Eulalia could barely contain her excitement throughout her entire trip. Hua'mu was such a beautiful country to travel through; she couldn't pull her eyes off of the wonderfully crafted buildings as she went further into the city. She was probably going to be late to the party, with all the times she'd stopped to admire the scenery. With that thought crossing her mind, Eulalia finally forced herself to focus the rest of the way to the masquerade hall. She tightly gripped her small suitcase and continued on her way. She would be meeting so many people here, from so many other countries. She couldn't pass up the opportunity to show off some of her creations again!

Eulalia still couldn't quite believe it. Her and her family had climbed their way up to their social status in their country, so to receive an invitation to such a noble gathering was truly an honor. The red-head tied her hair up with her own metallic hairpieces, resembling vines that kept her hair out of her face. She picked out her prettiest red dress, adorned with gold trim and a flowery design flowing through the gown. And of course, she had to make her own mask for this party too! Eulalia went all out–crafting a light metal mask that just covered her eyes and her nose. Its color matched the gold of her dress, and included an intricate design of swirling vines to match her hair pieces. It even had carved flower petals sticking out from the tips of the mask. She hadn't been wearing it yet, so she could better take in her surroundings as she traveled, but now that she approached the front entrance, Eulalia slid the mask down over her face.

After greeting the front guards, showing her invitation, and being welcomed into the foyer, Eulalia immediately began to scan her surroundings. There were definitely a lot of people here already. Nobody she recognized yet–but that was probably a good thing. New contacts to establish, and new friends to make! Just by looking at their attire, she could tell that this was a gathering of all the different nations. Eulalia couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated at this point now. She was confident when it came to sharing her work on business trips, but this was no business trip. How should she even start to introduce herself and mingle with the other party-goers? "Maybe I should have taken some more lessons from mother before I came here..." she thought aloud to herself with a nervous smile. After all, her mother definitely had more people skills when it came to interactions such as this. Eulalia was always more focused on the physical part of her aspiring career...

Shaking her head in an attempt to dismiss her nerves, Eulalia stepped further into the party, continuing to take in all of her surroundings: the beauty of the building's architecture, the lovely dressed guests, the fancy decorations hung around the room and along the tables. She stopped near a vacant table, setting her suitcase in one of the chairs before she turned to look over the party again, attempting to skim through the crowd to find a friendly face–although the masks made that a little more difficult. There was an internal debate in her head on whether she should just approach someone and introduce herself. But again... how?
Hidden 5 yrs ago → 5 yrs ago Post by Emma
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The voyage to Hua’ma had been extremely dull and uneventful. Her traveling party was on the smaller side, elegant and modest as her brother instructed. Mierea had been accompanied by a handful of knights, and her most trusted handmaidens, Chloe and Darla. Only five days into the journey, and she quickly had gotten bored of embroidering patterns on cloth, taking naps, and re-reading the same four books over and over again. Long distance traveling was not something she had done very often, and the expectations she had had about her adventurous journey were crushed as each day was filled with bumpy roads, boredom, and no baths. Three weeks in a carriage did not make for a happy princess. Thankfully she and her entourage had arrived at the Hua’mu palace three days ago, and Mierea had been incredibly thankful to finally have a bath, and sleep in a bed.

The Hua'mu royal family had greeted her properly, and she them. Gifting the king and queen with lavish silks and a hand carved ivory box of An'elle's famous chocolate truffles. Each Hua'mu princesses received a gem encrusted brooch created by the famous An'elle designer Sylvester Jiminy. The three days before the masquerade were spent relaxing and recuperating in the Hua'mu Palace. She was escorted around the grounds by a duke who had the kings ear, and show the gardens she remembered from the last time she has come to Hua'mu as a child. She later had tea with two of the middle princesses, and was entertained during a dinner by the palace musicians.

As for the day of the ball, she spent it lazing around in her room, rather than preparing like most of the noble ladies had been. Mierea smelled like she had rolled around in vanilla cake thanks to the bath she had just stepped out of. “I really don’t see a need to rush.” She said as Darla and Chloe ran about the room trying to make sure Mierea was on time and presentable. She only just began getting ready an hour before the party was meant to start, much to her handmaiden’s annoyance. Drapped in a thin towel she walked over to one of her trunks that held some of the books and things she had brought with her from home. Gently she took out a linen bundle, and placed it on the bed. “I will also be wearing that tonight.” She said as she smiled at Darla who looked surprised at and addition to Mierea's attire for the ball.

“Princess do you really think this is a good idea?” Darla said unfolding the linen bundle and staring at the item inside. The questionable idea that her handmaiden was concerned about, was a long brunette wig. She had decided that since this was a masquerade, she would not only wear a mask to hide her face, but also a wig to hide her short honey blonde hair. “It’s a brilliant idea Darla, no need to worry. I’ve already heard that some of the masks tonight will hide the wearer’s face completely, from forehead to chin. Covering my hair is no big deal.” Mierea said trying to assure Darla, who was a notorious worrywart.

Darla and Chloe helped Mierea step into her gown, and began lacing her into it for the masquerade had already started by now. The silk gown had been specifically made for this evening. It was created in a typical Albine style, though Mierea had decided to forgo the corset that was normally worn underneath. The dress was mainly made up of a pretty mauve silk, and trimmed in gold and silver thread. Her favorite part of the gown was the flowy sleeves, and gold beading around the hem.

Her handmaidens fixed the wig to her head and brushed out the curls. “I look a bit mysterious as a brunette, don’t you think?” She asked her ladies, as she peered at herself in the mirror. Both of the girls nodded in agreement, and Chloe handed Mierea her mask. It was made from gold wire, tiny diamond beads, and shaped to look like butterfly wings. It matched her jewelry perfectly. “You should get going now Princess, the ball has already started.” Darla said quickly as she opened the door to the hall. “I don’t think there is a huge need to hurry, it only started a few minutes ago, from what I’ve heard there are some guests who have yet to even officially arrive in Hua’mu. Apparently they decided to arrive during the party.” Mierea explained as she tied her mask on and stepped out into the hall.

She entered the ballroom behind a herd of other ladies, and her eyes brightened at the sight of the party. Fashions from every place danced around the room. It was beautiful, and Mierea was excited.
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Sonnenschein
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【 I can finally see
it's not just a dream
when you set it all free, all free ❤ 】


‗‗‗‗‗‗

Chartreuse colored locks fell into the face of a petite woman who jolted upright in her bed. She clutched plush, wrinkled bed-sheets against her body that was clad in an equally as wrinkled nightgown. The straps on one of her shoulders fell down her arms that prickled with goosebumps from the sudden change in temperature. Calloused digits reached up to brush the mess of green locks from her face as she panted softly. Cold sweat covered her entire body, and she wiped the sweat from her forehead away with the back of her hand as she pulled her the mess of tangles back into a loose ponytail. The night terrors that had plagued her the last few months were seemingly only getting worse as time went on. The repressed trauma of her childhood still haunted her- something that she had yet to even tell Willa about. Seeing as Hanne had told Willa about nearly everything that went on in her life, it was extremely hard to keep this from her for very long, and it was only causing her a lot of internal stress by keeping this from her. Though, she did so for a good reason. Willa was unlikely to tell people her secrets- especially one so big, but if anyone else was listening in to their conversation, there was a possibility that she might lose more than her status that she didn't quite care about; her life, on the other hand, was another matter entirely.

Grey eyes looked at the sleeping form of her lady-in-waiting. On nights when the princess didn't want to be alone, she asked Willa to sleep in her room, and made up a bed for her on the comfortable window sofa nearby. That bed was likely more comfortable than the one that she was given to sleep in in the maid's quarters. Her unwillingness to sleep alone seemed to be more often than not these days. Hanne knew that it was selfish to keep her from her own living space, but being left alone with her thoughts terrified her more than she would ever be willing to admit. There were a great many things that Hanne had kept from Willa, and she knew that it was only a matter of time before the girl began to ask the questions that she'd skirted around answering for so long. For now though, she would only say it was a bad dream and leave it at that.

She pushed the sheets from her lithe frame and moved to sit at her desk- turning on the dim light so that she could see the handwritten notes for the contraption that she had been tinkering with for the past month. “ If only I could perfect this. It would make our lives much easier...” She muttered to herself- trailing off from the unfinished thought. She wanted to create some sort of device that would provide public transportation across all seven of the allied kingdoms. It would be a way that would be less expensive than horses for the common people- not to mention easier on the horses that were used. It would also bridge the gap that would have required a boat to get to the mainland for Graengarder. “ I won't have time to mess with the schematics tonight, but when we get home, I think this should work.” After making a note in the margin of the book, she scratched her nose with the eraser. Maybe if this crazy scheme of hers worked, she could finally gain the respect that her older siblings got from their father, but she truly doubted it.

‗‗‗‗‗‗

Later that afternoon, Hanne had dressed herself for the masquerade party that she and her siblings had been invited to attend. She'd always dressed and bathed herself- giving Willa the same excuse that she wanted her privacy and that she didn't need a babysitter to help her do everything. From what she knew, her family and the Cha Clan were close friends and allies, and had been ever since the end of the last Hundred Year War. She wasn't the best versed in history- despite all of the tutors that had taught all of the Guo siblings. She was more the type to want to get her hands dirty. A little oil and grease never really bothered her all that much- likely to the chagrin of Willa who always scolded her for not acting quite like what the people expected of their princess.

Before they'd left, Hanne had tested out one of her more notorious inventions that she'd yet to test on her siblings before. It had worked like a charm, and left both Cyrus and Alois stunned with her childish behavior. She loved the looks on their faces when they realized they'd been shot with a water balloon cannon. The accuracy of the cannon could have been improved just a tad, but for this purpose, it had been perfect. Their clothes had been ruined and soaked thoroughly to the point where both of them had to hurry to change into a different set of clothes before they were able to be free from the palace walls. While they hadn't known it was Hanne and Willa who had done it as neither of them had been punished for it, she had a feeling that they knew it was her because very few people had such disdain for the golden children of the Guo Dynasty. She felt as though she was one of the few that disliked the two as everyone looked up to them both.

The trip to the Hua'mu Palace was only a few hours, but for the honeydew girl, it felt like ages. She and Willa shared a carriage between themselves while Alois and Cyrus were allowed the other to themselves. It was an inkling of privacy that she felt as though she never got with eyes and ears all over the place. Even now, she hesitated to say anything to her companion. A soft smile pulled at the corners of her lips in an effort to reassure her. “ Willa, I wanted to talk to you about the nightmares,” Hanne drew the curtains to the carriage windows. “They've been really bad lately, and I feel terrible for being so selfish asking you to spend so much time with me. Being alone with my thoughts is terrifying, and you're really the only one I can trust. You're the only one who treats me like a person, and not just a nuisance that my family thinks that I am. I just want you to know that I really appreciate your being there for me, and when we have more time, I want to talk more in length about the 'bad dreams'.”

The carriage jerked to a halt and almost sent her flying right into the lap of Willa. She regained her composure and brushed chartreuse, pressed curls out of her face as she smoothed the skirt of her dress over her legs. The porter opened the door to the carriage and helped them both down. Hanne had witnessed the fog of Hua'mu before, and it still made her feel a bit uneasy as Estrye very rarely ever had this type of weather. It seemed almost ominous in a way. She adjusted the lace mask over her face and gave the eldest princess of Hua'mu a courteous bow. The last time that she was here, Hanne had learned some of their mannerisms after spending a good amount of time in the library in the palace as she searched for books and information on potential new inventions or materials that would help her with her goal to create public transportation.

“ Happy birthday, Minagi-Chi~” She offered the greeting before taking Willa's hand and pulling the girl into the throng of people. It was Alois and Cyrus' job to stay and be formal with the Cha's. As grateful and excited as she was to be invited, she really was in no mood to stay and talk further. In her haste, the tall woman hadn't been watching where she was going, and bumped into a small red-head who stood nearly ten inches shorter than her that stood near a table. “ Oh shit, I'm so sorry. You're so small, and I wasn't watching where I was going. You... seem a bit lost. Would you mind if we joined you?” She asked curiously- hoping that they weren't invading her space. Hanne resisted the urge to reach out and give the girl a pet as though she were some cute animal. She was so small, and she had a bad habit of invading other people's personal space. From the way that she was dressed, she guessed that she was some noble-woman from An'elle, and her petting likely would just offend the poor girl. “If we're bothering you though, we can leave you be~”
Hidden 5 yrs ago → 5 yrs ago Post by Roseate
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The ball grew nearer and Caslan made his way to Sindia's room. He wasn't sure why he was being made to wear a mask. While his title would easily afford him an invitation to attend, he wasn't going as a guest. As a member of the palace guard, he would spend the night assuring the event and all those who arrived were safe and secure. In all honesty, he preferred it that way. Caslan Fang may have been a Count, but he was very poor at small talk and relaxing. Even so, the princess required everyone in attendance to dress for the occassion. As she was his princess and it was her birthday, he could hardly refuse her. It was quite difficult to find a mask that fit his face. Everything just seemed so small on his larger than life frame. That's why he was going to see his sister.

After giving a few short but firm knocks, Caslan entered the room, ducking his head slightly as he walked through the door. He offered his younger sister the most genuine smile. She was truly the only person that made him happy these days. Well... perhaps not the only one. "Shouldn't you be getting ready by now?" Caslan asked playfully. Sindia suited this lifestyle much better than he ever could. She was undoubtedly a lady and he was only happy that his appointment meant that she could live in the palace as well. He'd never seen her shine quite so much at home as she did here. It made him feel much better than leaving her so far away from him. At least here he could watch over her.

Looking at the table, he noticed the leather raven mask staring back at him. "Is this it?" Stepping forward, he picked up the mask and examined it. The detail on the feathers was exquisite, though he expected nothing less. He turned it around in his hands and then walked over to the mirror and held it up to his face. It fit him like a glove, like anything his sister made for him. She knew how difficult it was for him to find things that fit his frame. She'd always been so good about accommodating him. He couldn't help but smile at how perfectly it sat against his skin, even hiding the scar that lay along his cheek. After a moment, he slowly lowered the mask and turned again to look at Sindia, his smile more sheepish this time.

"Thank you for this. I'll feel much more at ease knowing I don't look like a total idiot out there." He pushed his fingers back through his white hair, something else on the tip of his tongue. She probably knew what he was going to say by now, but he felt the need to say it anyway. "Listen, I want you to be careful tonight. There are going to be a lot of people... a lot of strangers. If you need me for any reason..." He tapped the mask gently with his fingertips. "Well, you know how to find me." She wasn't a child anymore, but he still felt it was his duty to protect her. She was the most important thing to him. He could never forgive himself if anything were to happen to her. Not again.


Even with the mask that fit him so well, Caslan felt out of place in his outfit. The blue tunic suit fit his 6'7" frame perfectly, having been custom-tailored just for the occasion, and yet it felt restrictive. Caslan didn't normally wear sleeves to make it easier to move, and the lack of any form of armor just made him feel naked. At least he was allowed his retractable bo staff in case anything were to get out of hand. The fabric of his suit hugged his muscles like a second skin, accentuating how big he really was. He'd come to terms with his size by now. He no longer felt like some kind of circus act being paraded about, even if he was used primarily for show at these types of events. What trouble could a bunch of lords and ladies and royals really cause? Caslan didn't see any reason they should need him or his bo staff.

As was usual, Caslan was placed in full view at the main entrance of the ballroom. He was one of the first things the guests saw as they entered, more than likely as a way to dissuade them from trying anything that would require him to intervene. He stood straight and tall, a drink in one hand. He was meant to be blending in and not looking so much like a guard, but he was doing very poorly. He was lingering on his own, not talking to anyone, like a well-dressed statue. Caslan made it a point, at least, to greet guests as they entered the ball room. He would offer a short and simple "Welcome." as they passed. His dark eyes wandered, unable to help himself. He'd never met a good number of them and there was a lot to see. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful the ladies looked in their gowns and how the well-tailored suits of the men fit so well. He kept himself preoccupied by imagining what they might look like strewn on floors. It was a welcome distraction from how awkward he felt.

Truthfully, he was waiting on someone in particular to arrive. They weren't supposed to know who anyone was, that was the point of the masks. But Caslan would know him anywhere just by the way he moved. He'd known him too intimately not to recognize his lover in any disguise. And who wouldn't know Caslan upon sight? He wasn't exactly normal.
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Cyrus stood in her room, a look of annoyance and anger plastered on her face as she stared at herself in a full length mirror. The outfit that she had spent so long deciding on was now dripping with water, the wet little drops soaking into the rug that she stood on. The green-haired girl had to take a deep breath and slowly let it out as she calmed herself down. Her and Alois had been ready to go and waiting for their younger sister when the duo were hit with water balloons, massive ones. Everyone acted like they had come out of no where, poor maids had begun running around fussing over the dripping princes and while no one else knew she and Alois were certain about who the culprit had been. Cyrus huffed as she pulled the black top over her head, letting the wet garment fall to the floor. She would have to talk with Hanne later, she didn't care that the younger Princess was a bit...wild, but that didn't mean she had to play idiotic pranks right before they needed to leave. Now she had to find something else to wear quickly so that they wouldn't be late. The last thing she needed was their father getting on her ass about why they didn't arrive to the celebration on time.

After she had re-wrapped her chest, Cyrus managed to find a decent outfit to wear. A slim black top that was reminiscent of a split qipao, it was adorned with gold trim and went well with her vivid green hair. To offset the dark top Cyrus decided on a pair of white pants and a simple pair of shoes. She did her best to dry her hair, she was lucky that she didn't need to do anything with it. A plus side of the whole "being a boy" thing was that she didn't need to spend ungodly amounts of time trying to do her hair. Once she was at least partially satisfied Cyrus made her way back downstairs, Hanne was lucky that she was going to ride in a different carriage or else she'd be hearing Cyrus' lecture all the way to Hua'mu. She hated the idea of having to scold her sister and honestly she wasn't too sure of the younger girl would even listen. She really didn't want to have to scold her at all and wished she could just let her sister do what she wanted...but as a Princess there were standards and Hanne just couldn't do as she pleased.

∎

Inside the carriage Cyrus stared out the window, her chin resting in the palm of her hand. This wouldn't be her first time in Hua'mu and it most definitely wouldn't be her last, though she couldn't remember the last time she had been to an event that was hosted by them. In all honestly she always thought that Princess Minagi hated social events, when they had received the invitation from their allies it had been a surprise. The girl let out a sigh, something she seemed to be doing a lot of today, and settled into the plush seat. Cyrus took a moment to look at her older brother Alois for a moment, a cheeky smile spread across her lips. "I must say, you certainly look more like a prince than I do. I wouldn't be surprised at all if I get mistaken for a girl again...even if I am one." The girl teased. It was difficult to play the role of her fathers perfect "son", his successor. The only people in the world who knew of her real gender were her siblings and parents, not even the maids were allowed to know about it. It had been a struggle as a child, she would see adorable little girls running around in frilly and cute dresses and knew that she would ever be allowed to wear anything similar.

Cyrus' teasing ended quickly as the carriage came to a halt and upon looking out the window she could see that they had arrived at their destination. "Who knows, maybe tonight won't be a complete mess and everyone will get along for once." Wishful thinking on her part, while there was peace among the Kingdoms tensions had slowly been rising among some of the Kingdoms. While a party like this is meant to allow everyone to interact it also allowed some to possibly antagonize others, she wouldn't be surprised if something happened.

Upon stepping out of the carriage the first think Cyrus noticed was the eerie fog that lingered, it made the hairs on her arm stand up. Golden eyes scanned around until they landed on a familiar face, a polite smile gracing her features as she approached the Eldest Princess of Hua'mu. She gave a slight bow in greet before speaking, "Happy birthday, Princess Minagi. We from Estrye greatly appreciate the opportunity to have an enjoyable evening. It will be nice to get away from the political side of things and to have a good time, no?" She asked in good fun. Cyrus watched as Hanne gave her greeted and went on her way, Willa following after her. Hopefully she would be able to stay out of trouble for the night. Cyrus' eyes then moved to the smaller princess who was silently waiting by her sisters side, she also gave a bow to her. "And Princess Asami, it is good to see you again as well." The little red-haired princess gave a polite nod with a gentle smile but did not speak a word. She never did and while Cyrus was always curious it wasn't her place nor right to ask why.
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Bambluezled
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Time: Evening
Interaction: @Sonnenschein


Having been so distracted by watching the crowd and the party guests continuing to arrive, Eulalia had no warning of the taller girl coming towards her. That made it even more of a surprise when she was bumped into, and the red-head couldn't help but stumble sideways ever so slightly after losing her balance. Her head quickly turned towards the source in her shock, but there was not a hint of anger on her face. "Oh, please don't worry! It really is quite crowded in here," she replied calmly, regaining her stance almost instantly as she faced the stranger and her companion. "I wasn't exactly paying attention either. This is all a bit overwhelming, if I can be honest!"

Although it was someone unfamiliar, Eulalia was just relieved that she had bumped into a friendly face. Ask and you shall receive, she thought. This was pretty much the exact situation she was looking for; an opportunity to interact with someone, without just butting in with an introduction. "I would be delighted if you joined me! I didn't come with a party or anything, and I'm not from around here... so I guess I am a bit lost." A nervous chuckle escaped with her words. It's great to be here, but social gatherings like this aren't my strong suit. Maybe you could show me around?"

Maybe she shouldn't assume that the taller girl knew her way around either, though. Taking a moment to look her over, she seemed to be of noble status, though that was just like all the rest here. Eulalia simply thought her lucky to have a companion, especially here. Judging by their attire... were they from Estrye? She wasn't all that good at distinguishing the nations that way. And Estrye was one she had not visited much herself. Apparently her nation wasn't on the best terms with theirs, though Eulalia never looked into why. Thinking about their homelands was a sudden reminder, and Eulalia perked up to speak again.

"Oh, where are my manners first! I should introduce myself!" The excitement of the party, the new location, and the possible new friends must have had her distracted. The red-head took a step back, bowing her head in a curtsy to her new acquaintances. "My name is Eulalia Sideris. I'm an inventor coming from the kingdom of An'elle. I'm hoping to learn a lot from my visit here in Hua'mu!"
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Sonnenschein
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Interaction @Roseate ; open



【 Do you look only through rose tinted glasses? I crushed mine so that I could see the truth. 】


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Sen had truly been surprised when he had been invited to the large party that the princess had been planning. From all of his experiences in meeting with her, she seemed to carry a disdain for the social events, but he wasn't one to question her decisions. It was a party for her birthday, after all. Though, he was a simple lower ranked noble that had only come into his position in the last couple of years after the death of his mentor, so the fact that she was acknowledging even him was surprising.

He was all too used to parties and formal events from the younger teen years of his life before his injury. He was just thankful this time that he wasn't the entertainment, and could just enjoy himself this time. He did, however, have something he'd like to ask Caslan if the two had the opportunity to talk during the event. He knew that the man worked as a royal guard, but he did hope that he would be allowed at least some time to himself.

It had been mostly quiet the last few days- his only visitor being Caslan. These visits were to be expected at this point as he'd come to not only desire them, but expect that the man would be in to see him at some point throughout the week. A smile creeped up and pulled the corners of his lips into a cheeky smile as he pulled himself from the daydream he'd lapsed into. The boy closed the book and placed it onto the nearest stack of books that sat near his bed before standing up to move toward the vanity. His living space was the exact opposite of the neat and orderly library only a few rooms away.

Gentle fingers pulled the lid off of a small box that contained a hairpin that he'd never gotten to use. It had come from one of the many “suitors” that he'd had as a courtesan. It was made of a fine jade and painted using vibrant colors that matched the ones of the kimono that he'd chosen to wear for the party. It was made from a heavy violet silk material with golden butterflies embroidering the sleeves. Traditionally, he would have worn the obi tied in front as this too was a gift for a courtesan, but for this occasion he would have it tied in the back. Chocolate colored strands of hair were tied back loosely with a ribbon and the hairpin was put into place. He admired himself in the mirror- knowing that he looked nice, beautiful even. He wouldn't say he was vain, but rather that he could admit that he was beautiful if he were asked.

‗‗‗‗‗‗

The boy slipped a golden mask over the slender bridge of his nose as he made his way toward the doors to the palace. He could hear the murmurs of people conversating and the swell of the orchestra playing music in full force as he inched his way toward those checking invitations at the door. When it was his turn, he made his way towards the tall man with his gaited limp from a previous injury that'd never healed properly. Sen placed the invitation in Caslan's hand and turned his face up to him with a soft smile.

“If you're ever released from door duty, you should come and have a good time. It is a party after all~” He reached a hand up to gently place his hand against the side of the man's face before he moved along. There was no sense in harassing him while he was working; he only wanted to give Caslan a hard time.

Already, there were people from other kingdoms there- taking in the refreshments of Hua'mu. Several people who he thought he recognized, but couldn't quite put his finger on their identities. That was half the fun of a masquerade though, right? He smiled and moved over to lean against a railing that lead to the outside gardens. It was still close enough to the throng of people where he could watch and hear conversations as well as the performing orchestra while still being out of the way. The boy was out of his comfort zone with so many people, but it did still excite him to be there. Though, he would have been just as happy at home with his cat and a book.
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Sonnenschein
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Interaction @Otterpop ; open



【 Need something that I can confess
Til' all my sleeves are stained red
From all the truth that I've said 】


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Upon receiving the invitation to Minagi's birthday party, both Alois and Cyrus had been elated to see their friend once again. It felt as though it'd been ages since they'd been to Hua'mu. Their kingdoms were allies, and yet, Hua'mu seemed so closed off even from those that wished to see them open their doors once more. Lately though, he'd been put in charge of making sure that Starch's new nobles were set up properly to rule their kingdom. After overthrowing their previous leader who had not ruled the country as he should, the new noble-people of Starch had a lot on their plate.

Alois had returned to the palace to bathe and change his clothing for the masquerade only to be drenched from head to toe in water. The impact of the large waterballoon had knocked him from his feet in the process- leaving a huge puddle of water from both of the two Generals as they stood, fuming in the parlor. He knew it was Hanne; the prank was too childish to have been anyone else. By her age, both he and Cyrus were decorated Generals with heavy responsibilities, and while he understood that his siblings couldn't exactly follow the same footsteps, he wished that some of them would learn to grow up and act their age. It didn't help that her lady-in-waiting didn't keep her in line as their father had wanted her to. She seemed to go along with Hanne's childish pranks and behavior- even to the point of encouraging it sometimes. It was maddening to say the least. For now, he'd let her be while he and his sister went to change out of the soaked clothing.

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Alois gazed out of the small window of the carriage. Hanne was lucky this time that they were in separate carriages or she might have to endure a lecture from both Cyrus and himself. “Well, we both would have looked the part if Hanne hadn't decided to be a child. Honestly, at this point, she should act like an adult or she'll never find someone who will find her desirable. She's good at tinkering and making things, but her primary role is a princess; she represents our family just as much as we do, Cyrus,” He breathed out a sigh- brushing wayward platinum colored bangs from his forehead. “I worry about our family. How we come off to the rest of the world- especially Hanne. I know she hates us- or at least it seems so, but I truly only want the best for her. I truly believed that if you and I took the brunt of the responsibilities, we could make it easier on our siblings, but I think we've just made them resent us.”

Perhaps they felt as though the two of them thought they couldn't do anything when the opposite was true. He and Cyrus wanted what was best to make their lives easier in hopes that they wouldn't have to work nearly as hard to please their people and their parents. “Cyrus, let's just enjoy ourselves tonight. If you really want to lecture Hanne, wait until we get home to do it. For now, we'll be on our best behavior in light of the fact that it's our friend's birthday, and she would want us to enjoy it.” He knew that if it was his party, he would want to wait until all the celebrations were finished to do any sort of punishment seeking. That, and he hoped that this would be a bit of a wake-up-call for their younger siblings.

Alois waited for Cyrus to get out of the carriage before he followed. Their porter grabbed their things, and went to put them away in their suite that Minagi always prepared for them when they visited. They'd be there at least a few days. He joined Cyrus and gave the well dressed women a gentle bow before brushing a kiss against their knuckles. Always the gentleman. “We're both pleased with the opportunity to be here in Hua'mu for your party, Princess. I hope you and Asami have both been well. Your outfits are very becoming on you, if I may say so.” He stood up straight and produced two small boxes from the breast pocket of his suit jacket and handed one of each to the princesses before him. “We know it isn't much, but please do accept these as gifts from your humble allies of Estrye.” Inside the boxes were hand crafted hair-pins. One was a fox and the other a koi fish given to Minagi and Asami respectfully. Both were painted in the oriental style of Hua-mu.
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【 I can finally see
it's not just a dream
when you set it all free, all free ❤ 】


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Despite the size of the ballroom, it really was quite crowded there. Taking a look behind her, she noticed that she'd lost track of Willa- which was strange as the girl was usually always right behind her regardless of where they were. Hanne didn't have time to panic as the excitement of the smaller girl in front of her was rather contagious, and she too smiled. She was quite giddy to have met a friendly face in the crowd of people who milled about the ball room. Some dancing, the others standing around or sitting at the tables. It was an embarrassing thought, but she hoped she wouldn't have to dance. It had never been her strongest suit, and everyone always complained about her stepping on their feet- sometimes purposefully.

“I can't say for sure that I know where everything is around here since this isn't my home, but my siblings and I have been here enough that I know where most things are,” Hua'mu wasn't her kingdom, and this certainly wasn't the palace that she'd grown up in. Realizing she'd been rude, and hadn't given the red-head her name in return, she was a little embarrassed for having spaced out yet again- thinking about where Willa had run off to without her. “Sorry for being a little spacey. Please forgive my lack of manners; I'm not usually this rude. My name is Hanne Guo, and it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm from Estrye. My siblings, my lady in waiting, and I all came here together, but Cyrus and Alois would rather kiss ass than have fun. You haven't happened to see a blue haired girl running around have you? It's not like her to run off like this...”

If this girl wanted her to show her around, then she could potentially use it as an excuse to get someone to help her find the friend that had seemingly, out of character left her side. All sorts of thoughts filled her head, but she didn't exactly have time to dwell on them. What on earth could Willa be doing? The two had more or less been attached to the hip since they became friends, and so it was strange without her. “Wait,” The weight of Eulalia's words cut through her thoughts finally. “Did you say Sideris?” She rested her hands gently on the smaller girl's shoulders- giving her a gentle shake. “Sideris as in An'elle's greatest inventors Sideris? No way. The man who mentored me mentioned that when he lived in An'elle, that's where he trained. It's always been one of my dreams to train there too. Pleaseyouhavetotellmeeverythingyouknow.” The sentence was breathed out excitedly, and for a moment, she forgot how to breathe normally. Not even caring about their societal differences, and that their kingdoms political views didn't always mesh well. Hanne never really cared about that sort of stuff anyway.

Hanne had nearly forgotten completely about looking around and showing Eulalia around the palace- far more enthralled in the prospect of picking the brain of Eulalia for anything and everything she wouldn't mind sharing about her thoughts and inventions. This was something she had wanted since she started in this field, and she wasn't wont to let something like this slip through her fingers.
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