Chapter Text
Clink! Outlying, obligatory laughter surrounds the ballroom, as scattered noises of glass flutter in patterns. Marches of many dances echo through the walls in-sync, symbolising the love and emotion intertwining through each and every movement. Strings of the orchestra-like instruments gliding against their bows, while flutes and sounds of the wind follow. Majestic, heavenly voices of the angels mellow faintly, painting a scene of pure lust and intoxication. Such moments could be mistaken for simple euphoria, day dreams, even.
Within a far garden, the straining notes and voices of the room begin to mute from outside. Different grasses and the loving touch of mother nature flow through the wind, being led by the ocean’s breeze from a distance. In the heart of the garth, a lonely victorian gazebo shaded with faint, wooden whites’ sat between various varieties of roses; A forsaken colleen, dancing to the vague and obscure music. Just herself, and the breeze to accompany her, as if she were swaying with a gentleman, sweeping her off her feet, waltzing into the stars. Only such could be fantasies, she’d never find someone so perfect, having an analogous conflicting weight, heeding her heart and soul.
“Ehem… M’lady, perhaps I’ve intruded, my dearest apologies.” The maiden, caught off guard by the gentle voice, abruptly stopped her motions putting her hands in a formal stance. She bowed, lifting the fabrics of her dress and adjusting her legs, of course, if formality was required in the moment. The man had a shadow-like figure in the distance, the glistening stars being the only source of light. As he quaintly began to approach her, it was as if sounds dimmed only listening to his footsteps on the marble tiles. Face to face, feeling the heat from another— What is this feeling? Will this be love?
The bloke gently clasps the woman's hand, as the colleen, hesitant to touch such a man, responded with a brisk flinch flowing through her fingers. Lifting her hand, he pressed his rough lips to her knuckles and ring made of vines and flowers; A sudden blush flooded her cheeks as droplets blood streamed into her heart, pumping for a paltry moment. Such a moment felt like forever, or, she’d wished.
“I won’t hurt you. There’s no need to fear." The gentleman paused, skimming the women's dress and all. "You're quite beautiful, I must say. What is a fine woman like you doing in such a garden?" He bluntly placed his hands on her waist, beginning to fluently move with the breeze as she did before. It was a rather uncomfortable feeling, almost as if something about this sirman felt quite off to her. Perhaps, this wasn't what she had wished for.
An unclear, brief attempt was momentarily shown; As the notion of the cold, overwhelming palms began to slide below her waist, such touch consciously began to transform from ignorant bliss to uncertain, intolerable pain. The colleen held back her voice, ongoing the silence she’d introduced to such a fiend; As her hands leisurely clasped his own, she lightly tugged his fingers off her frame; His grip began to visibly tighten against her delicate physique.
A white snake, suffocating a blind, lost sheep within the deep grasses. She’d only hoped this was a simple nightmare. Just maybe, everyone was right, she did have the choice to blend in with the crowd, although once again, she’d been stubborn. Escaping such intoxicating people, only caring for wealth and sex, wasting their lives away with such sins; The snake bluntly cleared his throat, “Ahem… I see you do not possess a ring. Would you happen to be alone, dear?” His nails were almost stabbing into her dress, as if there was a lingering desperation to rip it apart.
She began to shutter, furthermore her voice was stuck in the walls of her throat, unable to escape her breath. The escalation in events was almost baffling, she should have known better to go to such a party of pure lies… Slowly taking action, making an almost pitiful effort to fight back, there was no use. Then, an idea ventured to her mind.
“Mmm… I—” Nonsensical words began to escape from her lips. The maiden leaned against him, chest to chest, looking up to his level eyes gazing through the other’s. “Perhaps… I am alone…? You must be too.” Her tone began to soften, as her hand slid down from his torso, down to above the bridge of his trousers. “What are your plans tonight, mysterious?” Her hand slid lower as she spoke.
“A-ah. I don’t have much going on, really.” He leaned in with her, following her flow in measure, almost pressing his lips against hers as she followed along—
POW! Taking her knee to his crotch and pushing him off of her, the young women clumsily fled the scene, hiding within the garden’s deep labyrinth of grasses. Fearful of glancing back at the retch of a man, she joyfully smiled as she ran. “Fuck…” She quietly huffed under her breath as she sped through the mazes, escaping the grasps of the dread surrounding her. Pulling her masquerade mask back to fit her face as it was when her arrival was expected, she thought it may be best to retreat to the mixture of folks invited alongside herself.
Jesus Christ. I could have lost everything.
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As the time grew closer to midnight, excruciatingly unhurried, she found herself back in the ballroom she’d been introduced in, drowning herself in the flow of the crowds. It was rather disgusting to her. First, she may have been in the most uncomfortable and worrying moment of her life with an unknown man, and now, suffering with people without standards, almost as if they were brainwashed through the drinks being acquainted by each husk. Disturbed, watching each and every individual’s patterns, all were the same. None were different. There was no difference in any of them.
Except for one in particular. Standing out of the batches of men and women almost like an ugly duckling.
And then, as soon as she’d discovered such a being, they were gone. Swallowed by the crowds of pride and greed, laughing, dramatically exclaiming their miserable lives; The only emotions flooding throughout her heart and mind was curiosity and confusion. Who even were they? Or even, what?
Impelled to find such a mystery, she let out a quant sigh, enclosing her eyelids to memorize the side profile and gaze they’d casted. And with that, she shoved through the formalities and varieties of colors, as different smells of perfumes and drinks filled the air. Yellow dresses, pink dresses, blue… Rose, coconut, even lilies. Although, within the hundreds and thousands invited, none had worn white except for her; Many finding themselves almost taken aback by her look as though she was a lost forest bride. Whenever she’d find herself passing, she’d get gazes of disgust or pity, perhaps ludicrous bringing upon laughter to some.
Two braids covering each ear pulled together with grass-tied ribbons, and a single, thick strand in the middle of her face, accompanied with plant accessories to aquant her hair. Short hair in the back and unexpected long strands behind with a bun behind her head, and two leaves, almost mimicking the look of a bunny. And the dress? A short, knee high dress with many ruffles, with splattered pinks and tans, home-made and even necklaces, and a pocket watch tied alongside all, being held up with a vine ribbon. And all ends with uneven socks, one long with green ribbons, and the other tattered and worn out. You could possibly say her budget wasn’t exactly liquid.
Although, compared to all of these major details, there was a minor detail being left out, finding many confused. Her mask. Covering a brow, flowing to the bridge of her nose, to the other half of her face. It was… Oddly dented. Different, to put it simply, to the point it may have been seen as hideous for the thought of making such shapes; The colleen didn’t mind all this, though. All that mattered to her if she liked it.
Making her way to the floors she’d found such to be minutes ago, she attempted to ask others where they had gone. Seeing how selfish all seemed to be, all had forgotten their appearance, forgetting they’d existed beside them, or perhaps they found themselves occupied, gossiping about the newly wedded and what had been awaiting spring season. Odd, really.
She continued to look.
And look some more.
About 15 minutes pass, cluelessly roaming for someone who may as well not exist.
Why did she even want to see, hell, meet this odd fellow, anyhow? For the love of God, they could be another wealthy psychopath on the inside like everyone else invited. Perhaps, it was purely boredom and desperation to leave such a devil’s cavern, she’d just wished to go home and cuddle with her dog.
Losing hope, she decided to head to the ante room of the castle, and to the maiden’s surprise, there had been no one within the room. She let out an exaggerated sigh, relieved to gain such silence, laying on the window seat cushions admiring the moon’s stare. Even if the silence was only something that would last a moment, it was better than nothing.
Checking her pocket watch along her waist, she was met with pure disappointment. 7:25PM. Great. Great! Maybe she’d become a psychopath like everyone else if she stays in this castle for any longer. Nobody is admitted to leave the gates until 1AM, the only exceptions are families including a child. How dreadful, really; May as well sleep while the room is empty.
As her eyelids softly close, and her lips loosen, body melting into the cushions and pillows, her mind leisurely trance— The door creaked in a sudden manor, then began to delay it’s opening; Out of pure irritation, the colleen picked herself up from the bed-like seats, firmly turning her body towards the door, before her mouth could form words to speak purely out of her mind, she felt almost stunned.
It was them.
The ugly duckling.