Fingers thrummed the silk chaise. Her finely manicured nails hit the seating in a rhythmic pattern far more comfort to her ears than the gossip and light fanfare. She gazed around, searching for someone familiar, someone to possibly talk to, and caught sight of her sister just down the table, red hair pinned into a flamboyant hairstyle, small red curls framing her face. It appeared she was busy with two men, one from under the table and one standing beside her, a notion that made her feel lonely for a moment or two.
Suddenly, a particular male made a rather grand entrance. She felt the hair on her skin rise when the orchestra suddenly stopped playing for the idiot. Who were these people? Who was he? A growl resounded and Elise immediately felt more self-conscious. The orchestra began to play again as he disappeared into the crowd. Her teeth grit together in annoyance. She shook off the stress and stood up. It seemed this ball was too much for her and if she could, perhaps it would be best if she spent the night studying.
She figured Annalise would be better off without her. Her sister seemed to be having fun, even if Elise didn't really understand why. The rich grandeur was fake. They were still slaves; this was just a fancy, less than appropriate way of mocking their servitude towards Satan. Another figure catches her eyes in midst of the crowd. A tall man with a white and gold baroque-esque mask. He appeared charming and mysterious, able to talk his way through anything involving women. Elise scrunched her nose up and turned away. Men.
The door was nearby and the ball room was flooded with a sea of demons. She figured no one would notice her leave. After all, she was just a person of low status. No one cared about her or any of the girls, for that matter. Elise's heart raced as she walked silently towards the door, almost running. The pale skinned girl hadn't realized Verdelet, a plump woman with vivacious curves was just around the corner, keeping an eye on every single slave.
One of the guards reached out to stop her and she lashed out, justifying her reason for leaving."I just need some fresh air," she countered, irritation laced in her voice. "I'm sorry, my lady. You can't leave. His Majesty's orders," The guard stated smoothly, and nodded towards Verdelet. Elise turned around. Before any words could leave her lips, Verdelet was already dragging her to a corner of the ball room. Elise winced at her immense strength and wondered if it was due to an ability of hers or if she took some kind of magical potion.
"Ow, ow, ow."
The woman released her iron grip and placed her hands on her hips. "Elise!" she scolded under her breath. The young woman glanced up, a mask of resilience and fear mixed in. Suddenly, she felt a hand strike her cheek. In that moment, she was glad Verdelet couldn't see her face, only the red hand mark on her left cheek. Hopefully, it would go away soon. Elise rubbed it as Verdelet began to scold her. It was nothing new, for her at least.
"You aren't to leave the ball room, you hear me?" Elise was shook, but nodded silently, hoping no one had seen her get reprimanded. It appeared everyone was busy at the moment, so she silently thanked God that it wasn't noticeable. "Yes, Mistress," she mumbled. "Good, now go and get something to drink. You're parched." Elise swallowed the bile that rose in her throat. Was she really that pale? She dug her nails into her dress, feeling embarrassed, but let go of the incident and began walking over to the other side of the room.
"What a daring move," she muttered under her breath, grabbing a glass of champagne from one of the servants nearby. A drink couldn't wait. She tilted the glass back, finishing it in three sips and let out a huge sigh. By the end of the night, she would be well off with a headache and confusion. Elise grabbed a small purple and magenta colored tart. Mint garnish topped the fruits off and she ate the small pastry in one bite. What else to do other than eat?
LOCATION: Ball Room INTERACTION: Verdelet (NPC), Guard (NPC) MENTION: @ Shayla @ Viscera @ Akashi