scftlxves

[scftlxves]

"oh," the word came in a startled manner as gracie turned to face the other. a leather bound book was cradled to her chest, eyes slightly widened at the intrusion from the other. "it's alright, i was just.. in truth, i perhaps should not be in here myself but.. i simply could not help it. i have heard tales of the palace library and, it certainly does not disappoint." gracie mused, tucking a few loose brunette strands behind her ear. "i um.. i could fetch my chaperone to help you find your way outside, if you'd like?"

open starter

"  oh,  pardon  me.  "  his  accent  is  far  thicker  than  he  intends,  but  florian  hadn't  meant  to  stumble  upon  another  in  the  drawing  room  he  entered.  this  palace  was  a  maze,  and  he  wondered  if  the  residents  truly  knew  ever  corner  or  merely  the  areas  they  frequented  most.  "  i  was  searching  for  a  way  outside.  "  admits  he.

[scftlxves]

as the man spoke, then sank his teeth into his bottom lip, inaya couldn't stop her gaze from wandering to his mouth, studying the way his lips curved to form the words. the princess caught herself, then flicked her eyes back up to meet his. then, she responded to his question, a slight smirk on her face. "i believe the correct term would be.. your royal highness but.. that feels like a bit of a mouthful. princess or inaya will do just fine." the woman responded, keeping her gaze focused on his face, wanting to spot any such change in his demeanor, for she did not want to put him off so quickly. as soon as she agreed to dance with him, the empty scotch glass was taken from her, and placed to the side. then, she was being guided to the center of the ballroom. with an arm slipped around her waist, inaya was drawn closer to the man, peering up at him through thick lashes. "keep an eye on those hands of yours." the princess murmured, reaching for his wrist to then slightly edge his hand further up her back, into a little less scandalous position. "my father, the maharaja, wants only to see me happy, though he is very difficult to please. good first impressions do not come easy for him." she hummed, resting one of her hands upon benedict's shoulder, the other returning to find his.

Her comment spurred him to remain quiet, squinting in curiosity at the lady who presented in front of him. For her not to be a lady, spurred two questions, was she too high class to consider him, or was she someone his mother would have stern words about him seeing. However, regardless, he was not deterred by the raven haired goddess in front of him. "If you are not a lady, then how should I be speaking to you?" He exclaimed, teeth sinking into his bottom lip in concern. "I do hope I am not speaking out of turn, or not respecting you how I should." He added, sighing deeply to himself. Her comment spurred a smirk, brows raising slightly. "Perhaps a little liquor will be all you need to persuade you to dance with me." He hummed, filling up her glass with the scotch bottle on the counter. However, as she agreed to dance with him, he retrieved the glass from her hand, slipping his hand into hers, and gentle guiding her to the dancefloor. A hand slipped onto her waist, tugging her closer, but not too much to cause a scene. "I must avoid such , though , my sisters have ensured my dancing is top notch, besides, I would not wish your father to gain a poor first impression."

[scftlxves]

a brow arched at the words he spoke, the compliment sliding from his mouth with such ease. he was charming, there was no doubting that. "i will certainly keep that in mind when my countless other suitors line up and try to win my hand." she chuckled, smirking to herself. inaya then made the decision to reach out her hand toward the man. "are you aiming on introducing yourself to me properly, or were you wanting your identity to remain a mystery all evening?" the princess offered another slight smile, her gaze flitting up to meet his.

rhys  chuckled  at  the  words  from  the  other.  he  wasn't  sure  what  to  expect  from  this  season  at  all,  but  his  first  conversation  was  certainly  an  entertaining  one.  "  i’m  quite  sure  i  won’t  be  topped  in  your  mind  tonight,  but  please  do  warn  me  should  you  think  otherwise.  i  couldn’t  allow  that  beautiful  head  to  forget  such  an  interesting  conversation.  ”  he  was  a  flirt,  and  he  knew  it,  but  sometimes  rhys  couldn’t  help  himself.

[scftlxves]

entering the store almost felt like a betrayal. usually, her outfits were all made and altered by madame delacroix. however, the seamstress had been all booked up at such short notice, so she thought that she'd try elsewhere. in her hand, she held a dress, on which gracie had noticed a small pucker in the fabric. it was to be a gown for a special occasion, and if she wanted to make an impression, to find herself a good husband, she had to look perfect. upon hearing a voice from the back of the shop, gracie took a seat, silently, and politely, waiting her turn.

open starter @ her shop

“  i  think  this  looks  absolutely  fabulous  on  you,  my  dear.  ”  desmera  praises  as  she  looks  upon  the  newest  fitting  she’s  just  finalized.  the  dress  fits  the  person  like  a  glove,  and  des  can  only  imagine  how  beautiful  it  will  look  when  the  other  dresses  for  the  next  ball.  “  you  shall  be  the  talk  of  the  night.  ”  insists  she.  the  chime  of  her  shop’s  front  door  des  pauses  and  glances  towards  the  closed  curtain.  “  just  a  moment  !  ”  she  calls  out.

[scftlxves]

at the request of her father, inaya had attended the ball, and had even agreed to meet with the queen the following day. she was playing the part of the obedient little princess rather well, for now at least. walking through the palace, with a guard or two in tow, the princess was greeted by the familiar sight of william, without a shirt no less. eyes widened for a moment, and the princess quickly spun, averting her gaze from him. "i know this is your home and all but, william.. please put some clothes on." the princess spoke, chuckling lightly to herself in amusement as she remained with her back to him, her hand covering her eyes for good measure.

open starter

will  was  a  rather....  reckless  sort  of  prince.  he’d  enjoyed  the  previous  night  at  the  ball  a  bit  too  much,  and  found  himself  sleeping  in  one  of  the  guest  rooms  rather  than  his  own.  nothing  too  unseemly,  but  he  also  apparently  lost  his  shirt.  groaning,  the  prince  begins  the  walk  back  to  his  quarters,  only  to  walk  right  into  the  hall  where  another’s  eyes  found  him.  “  well.  this  is  rather  awkward,  yes  ?  ”  he  makes  a  face,  then  quickly  reaches  for  the  quilt  sitting  on  a  chair  in  the  hall  to  cover  himself.  “  my  deepest  apologies.  ”

[scftlxves]

head moved from left to right, hearing the sound of a voice. she did not know whether the words were directed at her, or whether the man had just been musing aloud. "i do not think many would agree with you on that. the courting, the dancing.. that all seems terribly fun." gracie hummed, eyes sparkling dreamily.

open starter @ a park

“  i  hear  this  is  the  best  part  of  the  season,  relaxing  in  the  park  amongst  the  budding  love  birds.  ”  damien  shares,  not  even  truly  sure  who  will  pay  him  any  mind.  people  seemed  to  have  plenty  to  talk  about  after  queen  charlotte’s  ball,  and  he  was  rather  keen  to  soak  it  all  in  simply  by  existing  on  the  grass  atop  a  blanket.  

[scftlxves]

the complex nature of hamish's relationship with amelie meant that he knew her better than most, and was able to tell just how she was feeling by the most simple of things. although his contract with her parents was complete, hamish struggled to take a step back. he'd grown fond of her, and felt very protective over her. so, he'd made the choice to accompany her, acting as her chaperone. "do not fret, my lady, i am sure there will be plenty more opportunities for you to dip your toes into the ballroom." the man spoke, a slight smile crossing his face as he peered toward her. of course, he could never accompany her to such events. although he had made a name for himself in the ton, he wasn't quite at the point in his career where he'd be favored by the queen, or amelie's family. "i have heard a few tales. lords tripping over ladies, toes being trodden on. but, i have not heard of any such scandals yet.." hamish spoke, chuckling lightly to himself.

"it seems as though i have missed the first dance of the season." the comment was a strange tone, a mix of disappointment and relief slipping into her usual collected appearance. the idea of attending had filled her with excitement, and yet the moment she drew closer and closer to town an uneasy knot of apprehension had formed in her stomach. she was unsure whether it was too soon, too sudden to return to the society in which her parents wished for her, and upon arrival to find the event over, the pressure to conform to their expectations eased, giving the brunette a moment of brief respite. "i suppose there were several interesting moments to hear of?"

[scftlxves]

location: the park open to: all

"out of curiosity.. if, following an invite to promenade, one was then left waiting.. how long would they wait before assuming that they had been.. stood up, so to speak?" gracie fumbled with the intricate lace detailing on her dress, a sign of her ever growing anxiety. she wondered why a gentleman would invite her to only then decide not to show. was it something she'd said?

[scftlxves]

a smirk crossed the princess' face at the words the man spoke, a brow arching in response. he was intriguing, to say the least. during her previous seasons spent in london, inaya had been made away of the bridgerton clan and, while the majority would mention the viscount, some would whisper about the mysterious younger brother. the one with whom she was faced. "lady is not my correct title.. but, to answer your question, yes. should my father have anything to do with it, i will be betrothed and wed by the close of the season." eyes roll following the words. truthfully, her father had been attempting to see her wed for a number of years, but inaya had always managed to somehow get out of it. she was growing tired. eyes flicked to the scotch glass in his hand, eyes sparkling as she glanced back toward him. "are you trying to get me drunk, mister bridgerton?" the princess spoke, voice filled with amusement and a slight air of flirtation. in response to his next comment, and just chuckled, then shook her head. lifting the tumbler, she downed the bitter liquor with a grimace. "i do not recall asking you to dance. but, who am i to deny a face like that?" she mused teasingly, reaching up then to lightly tap the tip of his nose, chuckling to herself. the glass was placed down, and a hand held out toward him. "be careful not to step on my toes, for my father may take your head if you do. and that would certainly be a shame.." perhaps the princess was a little on the tipsy side already. she wasn't usually so openly flirtatious.

He did not wish to sound distant, though with every waking moment, his mind fell deeper into such slumber. He was elsewhere, mind preoccupied with the possibilities, his mind taken by the possibilities of art college, and what this would mean for him. He often felt lost, hopelessly searching for a purpose, something to ground and guide him, and he had not yet put his finger on it , until now. "I can imagine, a lady such as yourself should be in search of a husband , am I right?" He asked, tilting his head with a smile. "This time of year is certainly a spectacle." He did not envy her, and the expectations it held for a lady. "I can imagine such expectations are gruelling." He handed her a glass of scotch with a smirk before signalling at it. "For the nerves." He chuckled, gnawing down on his bottom lip with a smile. "I am honoured you are asking me to dance, how long have you pined for me?" He teased, reaching out his hand for her to take.

[scftlxves]

inaya could sense the sarcasm in the other woman's words, and almost felt as though she'd found a kindred spirit in the other. a chuckle left the princess' lips in response. "oh, undoubtedly! i mean, who would not want the entire population to bear witness to their undying love?" her tone is laced with playful mockery, a smirk still dancing on her lips. "truly, it is a public service they're providing.. educating us all on the intricacies of romance with each stolen glance and tender caress.." she continues, rolling her eyes playfully.

" who would wish to keep it secret? public displays of affection are sweet, are they not ?" She was clearly being sarcastic, a chuckle leaving her lips as she grimaced upon the view.

[scftlxves]

a slight roll of his eyes was given in response to her comment, shrugging it off casually. his smirk softened into a grin as he listened to her speak. "ah, you've got me there, love," he admitted with a shrug, his eyes alight with amusement. "a bit of charm and a dash of daring can get you past most guards, and servants too, especially when they are too busy gossiping to notice someone like myself slipping by." theo smirked, though was quick to shake his head in response to her pinning him as a thief. "you have, however, got me all wrong with that. i am no thief." theo's expression turned thoughtful at the stranger's pointed question, her skepticism evident. "a pity party? nah, not my style, sweetheart," he replied with a playful wink. "though, a little compassion wouldn't go amiss."

His mock hurt allowed a scoff to flee through her lips, eyes rolling in retort. "Surely it is not the first time you have been emotionally wounded." She teased, a smirk lacing her lips despite her attempts to dismiss it. She was not accustomed to speaking to someone of his station, her father prohibited such. Their wealth often meant such security, dismissing those around them. She however, would not choose to live such a way, though she remained with limited choices as a woman of the household. "I can imagine, it likely gives a thief like yourself an easy job, does it not?" She rested her hands on her hips, brows quirked in curiosity. His comment spurred her to roll her eyes, scoffing in return. "Would you like me to host you a pity party?"

[scftlxves]

confidence radiated from the man, and the princess couldn't quite decide whether she found it to be intriguing, or irritating. perhaps a little of both. then, he spoke. a brow arched in response to his question, lips stretching to form a slight smirk. "well, one never knows what the future may hold, or whether another may round that corner performing an even bigger spectacle than yourself.. so i cannot say for certain. but, rest assured, your presence as of right now, has certainly made its mark." inaya admitted with another slight smile.

rhys  couldn’t  help  but  enjoy  the  joke  that  he  could  be  the  diamond  of  the  season.  perhaps  it  would  be  a  change  of  pace  this  year  and  he  truly  would  earn  the  eye  of  the  queen.  the  thought  made  him  smirk,  the  other’s  words  made  him  chuckle.  “  i  certainly  think  i  shall  have  no  problem  leaving  a  lasting  impression.  do  you  think  you’ll  forget  me  that  easily  ?  ”  he  was  probably  setting  himself  up  for  failure,  but  rhys  couldn’t  help  but  drop  the  bait.

[scftlxves]

as he continued to speak, the corners of the princess' lips tugged up into a smile, nodding along with every word he spoke. "it truly is refreshing to know that chivalry is not entirely lost in this world, your cousins are lucky to have you." inaya mused with a slight bow of her head, something she'd been taught as a mark of respect for others. as he mentioned being a good teacher, the princess couldn't help but laugh, nose wrinkling ever so slightly. "i appreciate the offer, truly. besides, it would be considered poor form if i was to decline." inaya spoke, reaching a hand out toward him with yet another gentle smile.

nicholas just smiled ❝i can not speak for all men, as i know a great many who are not, but i always try and treat others with respect. i have two younger cousins who are like sisters to me, and i would never want them to feel as if they were treated poorly❞ then nicholas looked at her and said ❝i have been told i am a good teacher, if you wish to learn or have a new teacher. if not, i do not mind keeping you company.❞

[scftlxves]

a laugh escapes his lips in response to the woman's words. "and what gave you that impression?" theo asked, a smirk settling on his face, features dancing with intrigue as he moved to lean casually against the wall next to her, arms folding over his chest.

francesca took one look at the other and held the idea that perhaps he was not here to attend the ball. she didn't quite care, unafraid of people simply for existing. she did, however, wonder what brought the other here. she offers a laugh at his question, and shakes out her head to allow her strawberry locks to bounce in the wind. " hypothetically one would need to learn who my mother was, but you do not strike me as one who desires to charm and chat with the ladies inside. " she challenges back.

[scftlxves]

a brow arched as the woman lowered the hood of her cloak, a slight smirk crossing theo's face at her words. the question amused him, then made a light chuckle pass his lips. "not at all, love." theo quipped, his words tinged with a playful edge. "but if you do find yourself in need of a bit of company or a guide to navigate these winding alleys, i'd be more than happy to lend a hand. can't promise it won't be an adventure though." eyes sparkle with a slight air of mischief, as a brow is arched in the woman's direction.

isabella had a penchant for exploring, a dangerous thing that her father had feared when sending her to london to find a match. the lectures she'd received did nothing to sway her otherwise, and the lady soon found herself dressing in one of her handmaiden's gowns and cloaks and simply walking streets she probably ought not. coming to a stop, bella glanced around to try and assess where she'd managed to get to, how she might find her way home. another's words don't really scare her, she knew where she was. well, she knew where she'd gotten. all the same, bella slips off the hood of her cloak and looks at the other. " do i appear to be a damsel in distress ? "

[scftlxves]

"mayfair?" theo repeated, his voice tinged with a hint of curiosity. "quite the distance from here, especially at this hour. you must have quite the green thumb to keep you occupied in your greenhouse until nightfall." the words were playful, and a smile danced across theo's lips as he took a step closer, his demeanor relaxed, choosing to assume that the man was merely a lost soul, and in need of assistance. "i can offer you some guidance if you'd like. mayfair's a fair trek from here, and the streets can be a maze if you're not familiar with them. wouldn't want you stumbling into the wrong alleyway, now would we?" with a casual flick of his wrist, theo gestured for the stranger to join him.

philip had been working in his greenhouse, the one he was renting while in london, late. he always worked late, and he loved it. he loved to get lost in his work, observe his plants at different times of day. plants were easier than people. he didn't have to worry about speaking in a way that might offend someone. if he didn't understand a plant, he could figure it out, people were different. philip had only been in london for a week, and this was the first time he had stayed at the greenhouse past dark. he was getting lost, when he heard a voice and he looked up ❝i am trying to get back to mayfair. i was at my greenhouse.❞ he explained.

[scftlxves]

location: mayfair open to: all

with ocean hues trained on the sign that sat upon on the stone wall beside the door to his new office, hamish tapped his chin thoughtfully, brows furrowed a little as he studied the sign. it was a strange feeling, seeing his family name displayed there. it was a moment of pride, for the gentleman had come so far from where he began. his family had been one of poverty, but he had made a name for himself, and was now celebrating five years of being his own boss. eyes then moved around the street, calling out to the first person he laid eyes on. “excuse me, sir/ma’am.. apologies for the interruption but could i perhaps ask a favour? the sign here.. does it look straight to you?” hamish directed the other’s attention to the sign, humming softly to himself.