ROSALYN GRAYSON
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King's Bastard | The Red Rose
#660033 | [url]Outfit[/url]
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King's Bastard | The Red Rose
#660033 | [url]Outfit[/url]
SERAPHINA GRAYSON
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Eldest True Grayson | The Sweet Pea
#C19A6B | [url]Outfit[/url]
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Eldest True Grayson | The Sweet Pea
#C19A6B | [url]Outfit[/url]
SYLVA THORNE
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Sylas' Twin | The Cobra
#583668 | [url]Outfit[/url]
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Sylas' Twin | The Cobra
#583668 | [url]Outfit[/url]
AURORA GRAYSON
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Youngest Grayson | The Little Petal
#87758F | [url]Outfit[/url]
Seraphina almost snorted when Avery said, “I agree.” Of course he would. He seemed too kind to turn any ladies words down. She pondered this as he continued. “Appearance shouldn’t count so much. Our deeds speak far louder and longer than our outer shells. As for changes and true loves, I don’t think we’ll find true love by pursuing it by force. With everyone here pursuing each other in the hopes of ‘winning’, it will amount to more ‘losing’ and pushing away what is real. Love should flow naturally, if it is there. A friendship can be far more valuable than a romance in strange situations like these.”
Seraphina almost sighed. While what he was saying could be seen as quite noble, she couldn’t follow his words. Seraphina wasn't here seeking love, she was seeking power and would do anything to get it. The soon-to-be-King was going to be hers, he had to be. Seraphina had spent too much of her life wedged between Rosalyn’s shadow and Aurora’s childishness. Rhaegar would be her husband, and she would crush any girl in her way.
Before she could say anything else to the man, the music queued them to change partners. Avery dropped into a bow. “Have a good evening, Lady Seraphina. If there is love here, I do hope you find it in one of these suitors.” She sighed and mentally rolled her eyes. Would there be anyone here that understood love wasn't worth it?
Next to be her partner was none other than the future King’s brother. He was rather handsome too, especially that she saw him up close. She wondered briefly if sharing a bed with him would ruin her plans to wed his brother and decided to think about it at a more opportune time. “My lady Seraphina, you are without a doubt stunning this evening.” He said as he bowed to her and kissed her hand.
Seraphina smiled softly and curtsied as any lady should. “Prince Castillon, what a pleasure… Though from the looks of that fake smile, you are having just as much fun as I am.” She chuckled. “Appearances are quite a hinderance. Especially in front of family.” She teased lightly and got into the position to dance with him.
Sylva avoided being stepped on by the pirate-boy’s clumsiness while listening to him talk. “It’s a myth that we never walk on land, and not a very intelligent one at that. After all, one cannot always look after an entire island from afar.”
Sylva sighed and looked at him with her cold face. “I pity the land you walk upon. Maybe one day you will do the earth a favour and stop walking entirely.”
Whether he heard her or not didnt matter because what he said next made her livid. ”But your lot would know plenty about myths, right?” He grinned at her, knowing well that he was touching upon a forbidden topic. She made sure to keep her appearance in check, making it known that what he said didnt affect her, but when she spoke her voice was as sharp as the most fearsome sword.
“I would hold your tongue, pirate, else wise you may wake up one morning to find that it has gone missing.” She hissed. The music changed and it was time to change partners. Sylva laughed softly and gave him a big, pleasant smile before changing to the next partner. She looked over at Sylas, hopping to catch his eyes. She knew that if he could just see her, he would know something was wrong. They had that kind of connection. She would have to tell him about the threat later on. For now, she was concerned with the new oaf in front of her.
“Good evening, Lady Sylva. You look very beautiful tonight. I do hope you are enjoying the dancing thus far?” he asked her innocently. His hands were rough from farming and the texture was much different from her brothers. Until the ball, she hadn’t truly been around, or touched, this many men. It was odd finding differences in the men. Lord Avery, the man before her, was the complete opposite of her brother. Light haired, kind face, pleasant demeanour.
It disgusted her, yet she tried to keep her appearances as best as she could. Causing problems for her brother and making more enemies would get them nowhere.
“Thank you, Lord Avery. You also look… quite fetching.” She said and curtsied before beginning to dance with him. She had nothing in common with this boy, so it would be quite interesting to see what small talk he would come up with.
When Rosalyn had been brought to the castle, she really hadn’t expected herself to be having any fun or making any friends. Of course, she couldn’t say if she truly considered Jonah a friend, but he certainly was fun at the very least.
”The best advice I've ever receive tumbled from the lips of a woman, I trust her words more than my own." He said. Rosalyn hummed in curiosity, wondering what kind of woman would give him advice. He seemed like quite the flirt, and thus she knew that the woman he talked about could be anywhere in the world.
"I will say, though, My Lady, A mysterious woman such as yourself, tend to arouse curiosity. Though your advice is sound, I'm sure, you should know it will be very difficult to heed. Especially when the mystery dances just out of my reach.” He said, and Rosalyn found herself laughing again at how ridiculous he was. She could only hope that other people were half as interesting as he was. If so, things might become more interesting. She was about to say something when he pulled her closer to him, gently resting against his chest. Most girls would gasp and blush, but Rosalyn just found herself laughing. What an interesting man. "It would make any man risk an arrow to solve it.”
With that, the song ended and Jonah swept back from his hold on her, bowing and kissing her hand. ”We should hunt together, I imagine it would be great fun, I will be sure to wear my armor, should there be any stray arrows flying my way." He said and spun her out of his arms and into the next man in line. Rosalyn laughed and watched him strutting away. Well, if anything, she had found herself a hunting partner. She wondered how long that would last though, when her plans unravelled.
Next in line to dance with her was a boy with some of the longest hair in the room. He looked as though he was a tad younger than her and she recognized him as Elliot Thatcher. “Ah, Lady Rosalyn, it is an honor,” He started and gave her a low bow as he took her hand in his own. He kissed her skin and smiled brightly at her.
“My lady, forgive me if I am being rude but it is not often to see a woman so well-trained with a weapon. I do hope the reason behind your training was a simple desire and eagerness to learn it, and not one of dire necessity. I hope to see you in your element one of these days.” He said, and Rosalyn realized he must have also felt her rough fingers. She dwelled on his words for a moment; why had she learned to shoot a bow? Desire or necessity? At first, it had been necessity. She needed to learn how to defend herself. The desire came soon after she realized she had an aptitude for the bow and rather enjoyed it. Of course, these were things she could not tell him.
“A weapon? And what, may I ask, makes you believe that it is a weapon I wield instead of a trade? I know many a women with rough fingers due to cooking and needle work.” She said as she curtsied and began to dance with him. “What about me says that I would know how to wield a weapon? I am just an innocent lady of course.”
Aurora was pondering whether what she had said was too odd for Frederick to handle, as it wouldn't be the first time her words had confused and turned those away from her. Most men, or really people in general, find her a bit weird. She could understand why; even she knew that she had a unique way of being. Nevertheless, she was pleasantly surprised when the man almost agreed with her.
"Not at all, in a sense it is true.” He said, ”I suppose it depends on the person, and why they're drinking." Aurora nodded. She supposed she would try drinking sometime, maybe even that summer. It would be an interesting experience to say the least.
The music slowly faded, thus marking the end of their dance. "It would appear our time has come to an end, ’tis a shame, I was rather enjoying the discussion." He said and bowed, letting go of her. She had found it rather enjoyable too. "It was a pleasure to have danced with you, lady Aurora, hopefully we shall see more of each other over the Summer.” Aurora smiled and curtsied. He was very kind, it seemed. She wouldn’t mind speaking to him more. He seemed to have experienced things she would find interesting to learn about.
Her next partner was her sisters previous one; Jonathan Allyrion. Tall, dark, handsome. He was sure to sweep someone off their feet, and with one look to her sister’s unusually cheery eyes, Aurora knew this man was one of the good ones. It took a miracle to actually make her older sister cheer up. She watched his face as he peered past her at first, looking over at the Princess, and Aurora giggled softly. She could see right through him, to the butterflies flying around in his stomach. A few moments later he seemed to snap out of his dreamy state and focus on her.
"My lady, Aurora.” The man said as he came up to her, clearing his head from his prior thoughts. He bowed and kissed her hand softly. “Such a fitting name, It reminds me of the lights that dance in the sky in the North. Might I have this dance?”
Aurora nodded to him and rested her hands in the right places. “Of course you may, Lord Jonah.” He was much taller than her, and lankier than most men, so it felt rather funny to her that she would dance with him. It was like a small fairy was dancing with a giant. Instead of telling this to him, she focused on his prior comment.
“My Father once told me that I was named after the night skies lights. He said that my Mother wanted me to be just as bright and beautiful as them one day… So they named me after it.” She grinned. “I have never seen the lights myself though, as I rarely left the Riverlands.”
They spun around to the music and Aurora looked at him curiously, “I must ask, Lord Jonah. Why did you not go to her? I am not the one you want to be dancing with right now. I can tell, I’m very perceptive.” She said bluntly. “The Princess is very beautiful, but that should not deter you or make you nervous. If you are smart enough to make even my older sister laugh, you can make the Princess smile as well.”
The subtle harshness in the words dug deep. But he keep the smile upon his face and let his hand finally rest upon hers. His gaze fell as he hesitated before speaking in a hushed tone. ”Would it be too forward of me to say because I missed you terribly?”
He finally looked back up and met that gaze of hers that made him fall in love those many years ago. Magnus made sure to do nothing to draw attention their way, he didn’t want scandal or to disgrace Elizabeth. ”I know I shouldn’t speak of such things,” he concluded as he continued to lead her about the ballroom.
Magnus remained silent for a long while until they stood on the far end of the room where no one lingered and their voices could not travel. He kept his gaze forward, fixated on his children’s merriment but he spoke towards her, his hand lightly grasping hers tighter. ”I’d be lying if I said my heart did not yearn for you every waking moment since the day you left.”
Elizabeth felt like she was on the verge of fainting due to the anxiety. Why had this man decided to do this to her? She had just hoped to quietly co-exist with him during the summer, never getting close enough to even talk. With their past, it was dangerous for them to even be speaking to one another, much less walking together arm-in-arm. What could he want from her?
”Would it be too forward of me to say because I missed you terribly?” Magnus said. Elizabeth’s legs felt terribly weak in that moment and she had to stop herself from tumbling down as they walked. Those words hit her heart deep. It felt like old scars on her heart were being reopened. Their eyes met, and for a moment she saw him as he was when they were young and in love. He still had those same eyes.
”I know I shouldn’t speak of such things,” He said to her after her long silence, and he slowly lead her to a more quiet corner of the room where they could speak and not draw any attention to themselves. They watched their children spinning around the room with their partners. It all reminded her of when she had spent her own time in the castle. She had been so young and gullible.
”I’d be lying if I said my heart did not yearn for you every waking moment since the day you left.” His warm hand was on hers, gripping her tighter, and Elizabeth felt her knees shake beneath her dress. She was a strong woman when it came to most foes or enemies, but this man had a way of unhinging her with just a single glance.
Tears threatened to spring forth, just as her emotions that had been so well kept all of the years were unlocked and came pouring out. Elizabeth spoke so quietly, it was barely a whisper and she wasn’t sure if he would hear her. “You know it was not I that left you…”
They had been in love. So deeply in love. Elizabeth had thought her and Magnus would be together for ever and have the type of life that you only heard in stories. He would be a great ruler, and she would be beside him helping him through all the hardships. It would have been perfect, if it had not been ruined.