[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/PLyfcLV.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/7CEeryv.png[/img][/center] [color=lightgray][color=E77298]Time:[/color] Evening [color=E77298]Location:[/color] Her bedroom --> Castle Hall [/color] [hr][color=lightgray] The party in Anastasia’s lavish bedroom was already in full swing, though the night had only just begun. Her room had morphed into a whirlwind of delightful chaos. The intoxicating aroma of expensive perfumes mingled with the sharp tang of spilled wine, while silk cushions and velvet throws were strewn about haphazardly. Beautiful trays overflowing with delicate pastries, fresh fruits, and gleaming goblets of wine adorned every available surface. There were perhaps six guests already, a motley crew of men and women who had all been drawn into the revelry. It had been easy to sneak them into her bedroom; convincing the guards to let them in was far simpler than getting permission to step outside. They were under the impression that a silly sleepover was occurring, though a few had raised brows at the “women”—men struggling to breathe in dresses, some spitting out locks of wigs they had clearly borrowed for the occasion. Now, as the night began, she was the center of attention, the life of the party, exuding a charisma that lit up the room. Draped in a dress that would have made her mother faint, she laughed and joked with her guests, cheeks flushed with the thrill of it all. [color=pink]“Gods, princess, how are you so perfect?”[/color] she lamented. [color=pink]“I wish I looked like you.”[/color] Anastasia waved her hand dismissively, though her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. [color=E77298]“Oh, stop it,”[/color] she teased. A young man on her left, already shirtless, leaned in, his gaze drinking her in. [color=f49ac2]“You’re more than perfect,” [/color]he whispered, his words slurred but sincere. The heat of his body radiated toward her as he leaned in a little too close for comfort. [right][sub][i][color=f6989d]"...Do they know the real [i]Princess Anastasia[/i]?”[/color][/i][/sub][/right] Her pupils dilated, and for just a moment, she hesitated. [color=E77298]“...Careful, or I might start to believe you,” [/color] she flirted back, leaning slightly toward him. [right][sub][color=DAF6C7][i]Darryn's dead. Murdered.[/i][/color][/sub][/right] With each round, more clothing was shed, laughter bubbling around the room like champagne. Anastasia felt the energy surge, the excitement intoxicating her more than the wine. But just as she reveled in her role, the young man beside her leaned closer, his hands wandering in a way that felt more demanding than playful. A woman ran her fingers gently down her arm, seemingly drawing a line from freckle to freckle on her skin. She whispered, [color=pink]“You’re the real prize of this party, you know?”[/color] Anastasia feigned innocence, giggling as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. [color=E77298]“Oh, darling! I thought you were here for the pastries!”[/color] she teased, but her laugh held a slightly brittle edge, a flicker of something deeper momentarily crossing her face. [right][color=f6989d][i][sub]"...Do you?"[/sub][/i][/color][/right] It was at that moment she realized she had been dealt a bad hand. [color=E77298]“...Oh no! I lost!”[/color] she exclaimed dramatically, her heart racing. The guests cheered, and Anastasia felt a rush of daring. [color=E77298] "This must be some sort of rare event, like a solar eclipse! Someone grab the parchment; we need to document this historic occasion!”[/color] [color=magenta]“Your turn, Princess!”[/color] one of the girls cheered. Anastasia couldn’t help but play up her role, throwing her hands up in mock despair. [color=E77298]“But what a tragic fate! My reputation will be tarnished forever!”[/color] She rose up and spun around, her dress flowing dramatically, drawing gasps and giggles from her guests. [color=f49ac2]“Let’s see what you’ve got, Princess,”[/color] the man at her side practically purred like a cat. A familiar feeling rose in her stomach. The same feeling that gnawed at her as she woke up in the middle of the night in a stranger's bed, somewhere she didn't recognize. That feeling of being utterly alone in the dark that prompted her to lay back down and clutch the stranger close. [sub][i][right][color=f6989d] “Do you think they'll still like you once they realize how [i]fake[/i] you are?”[/color][/right][/i][/sub] The laughter around her felt distant as she forced a smile, the joy of the moment fading into a dull thrum. The room spun slightly as she caught her breath. With a cheeky laugh, she recovered quickly, [color=E77298]“Alright, alright!”[/color] she called, her voice bright but trembling slightly. The moment hung heavy around her as she wrestled with the shadows that threatened to pull her under. She climbed up and stood on her side table. Standing atop the table, she felt both powerful and exposed, her heart racing as Farim's face formed in her mind. [sub][color=D173A5][i]Did you think I really loved you? Do you really think anyone would? That anyone would want you for anything other than to take you to bed?[/i][/color][/sub] [i][right][color=f6989d][i]…Maybe that’s why you've been living your life like a whore instead of a princess…[/i][/color][/right][/i] And she continued to stand there. [color=DAF6C7][i]Clearly, you’ve taken those hard-learned lessons to heart and wouldn’t dare risk getting another lowborn beaten and killed just so you can keep having fun with your friends, right?[/i][/color] Perhaps she hadn't quite shed the dress off her body this time, something she had done countless times with no regret, but it was only now as she stood above them all that she had ever truly felt the feeling of being naked. In a sudden rush, Anastasia bolted toward her bedroom door, throwing it open with fervor. Without hesitation, she sprinted down the hallway, her heart pounding in her chest, the guards' startled protests echoing behind her as their armor clanged and rattled in their frantic attempt to catch up. Behind her, the party guests stared in bewilderment, their laughter dying down as they tried to comprehend the abrupt change in the atmosphere. [center][i][b][color=f6989d]"Oh, poor princess.”[/color] [/b][/i][/center] [/color]