[color=#D4987F][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/P7enTOf.png[/img][/center]

[color=#035E7B]Time:[/color] Evening 
[color=#035E7B]Location:[/color] Banquet Hall
[color=#035E7B]Interactions:[/color] [@Helo] Leo, [@Lava Alckon] Drake,  [@princess] Charlotte & Duke Edwards
[color=#035E7B]Mentions:[/color] [@samreaper] Kazu
[color=#035E7B]Outfit:[/color] [url=https://i.imgur.com/QoPP1pz.jpeg]Dress, Hair, and Makeup[/url]

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Thea was just about to pull out and settle into her seat when Leo arrived right behind her and leaned in with his remark about the feast. It gave her pause, and she smirked, plucking a grape from the nearest platter with the practiced ease of someone who had already indulged in a bit too much wine. [color=#035E7B]“Indeed they have,”[/color] she mused, twirling the grape between her fingers before popping it into her mouth.

And then, her gaze landed on [i]him.[/i]

Drake.

The shift in her chest was immediate—something light and startling all at once. He was dressed in sharp black, his polished look effortlessly refined, but it was the orange rose that struck her first. [i]Her[/i] color. The realization sent an odd warmth through her, quick and unbidden.

She swallowed a little too fast, coughing lightly against her fist as he approached with that easy stride. By the time he reached her and pulled out her chair, she had just barely managed to recover…or so she thought.

Still, she hesitated, glancing up at him. [color=#035E7B]“Matching me, Lord Edwards?”[/color] she teased, her voice coming out in an odd-sounding rasp to her. She attempted to cough and clear her throat again, a small blush creeping into her cheeks, before playfully continuing. [color=#035E7B]“How bold.”[/color]

And then she saw the cufflinks. 

Her breath caught for half a second. The stones gleamed under the light, the soft gold setting unmistakable. She reached out without thinking, brushing her fingertips lightly over the cool metal. [color=#035E7B]“You wore them.”[/color] The words came softer than she intended, almost a gasp, as she felt her heart skip a beat. Slowly she looked up at him with an excited smile.

[color=#035E7B]“They suit you,”[/color] she murmured and then caught her mother’s shocked, judgmental stare. She quickly realized she had all but grabbed his wrist and withdrew her hand, finally sitting down. [color=#035E7B]“S-sorry.”[/color] she said as her face turned the color of the fashion trend of the night.

She watched Drake and Leo get acquainted for a moment, observing Leo’s [i]‘hurt my sister and I will throw you into the nearest body of water’[/i] testing handshake, which only made her blush deeper. [color=#035E7B]“We were just discussing the color trend of the night.”[/color] She tried changing the subject quickly.

Before she could steer the conversation any further, a new voice cut through the din of the hall. A voice that carried the weight of title and expectation. Her stomach clenched in nervousness as she realized it was Drake’s father, Duke Edwards.

Thea’s lips curled into an appreciative smile as she dipped her respectfully to him. [color=#035E7B]“You flatter me, Your Grace,”[/color] she responded lightly, tilting her head as she held his gaze. [color=#035E7B]“Though I do fear if I set any more trends, poor Leo might never recover.”[/color] She giggled while glancing at her brother impishly before actually turning to him to address him.

[color=#035E7B]“To answer your question, dearest brother, it seems everyone has been set on fire in the name of fashion. A most noble sacrifice.”[/color] She glanced down at her own orange dress. [color=#035E7B]“I was merely scorched.”[/color]

She then giggled before continuing. [color=#035E7B]“Maybe you’re just starting the next trend. Green is the new red. You’re a visionary.”[/color] She tried to say it with a straight face but snorted instead. [color=#035E7B]“Or a lost little leprechaun.”[/color]

She took a sip of wine, then leaned toward him slightly, a small smirk playing at her lips. [color=#035E7B]“But really, I think you chose a complimentary color. See? You match that pretty lady with the [i]very[/i] large fluffy puppy! Do you think she'll let me pet him?”[/color] She nodded toward Torvi and her dire wolf before looking between Leo and Drake as she asked the last question.

Leo’s attention shifted, and Thea could see him looking at something. It was a man in an incredibly colorful suit, and while she could see why Leo found it offensive to fashion, she didn’t entirely mind it. It was certainly… bold.

Thea hummed in mild amusement but shrugged. [color=#035E7B]“At least he looks comfortable. Maybe he’s onto something.”[/color]

Before the conversation could continue, a familiar figure appeared beside them. Lottie approached with her usual grace, setting a small, ribbon-tied box before her.

Thea blinked.

A gift.

Charlotte’s voice was warm, and the soft touches to her shoulder and Leo’s arm felt genuine and nice. For a brief moment, Thea simply looked at the box, running her fingers over the ribbon. Then, she glanced up at Charlotte, her expression quieter than before as she gave her an adoring smile. [color=#035E7B]“Thank you so much, Lottie!”[/color] she said happily, genuinely grateful as she pulled at the ribbon and began opening the present.

A gasp escaped her as she glanced into the box and saw the most beautiful [url=https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/619241131355537409/1357479157004505138/7BB649B7-918D-4810-8FFD-D030F1CE2A3E.png?ex=67f05a7b&is=67ef08fb&hm=a901cdcf3244ec5ee2ed2bbc27e24c01f1a43b59c36988e3f0aa0c7f7f2e4185&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=809&height=809]hair clip[/url] she’d ever seen in her life. [color=#035E7B]“Oh my goodness, it’s absolutely gorgeous!”[/color] she said excitedly as she pulled it out and then clipped it into her hair.

[color=#035E7B]“How does it look?”[/color] she asked, looking at Charlotte, then Leo, and finally looking at Drake as her eyes lingered on him, grinning happily.[/color]