𝖊𝖗𝖞𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖔𝖘

𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄

The announcement for the crown princess will be declared at an annual ball held by the empress in a few weeks. Knowing the inflated egos of the many nobles attending, their prospective daughters will surely attend, candidate or not, in hopes of catching the Crown Prince's attention. Similar to those of fairytale and romance books they love so much - since love was a tantalizing topic for their gossip.

Because who wouldn't dream of true love when you're surrounded by the people who extorted from it? Pairing their daughters and sons like madmen trying to find the perfect match to take advantage of their children's demise and the riches that came with it.

(Name) sighed as she looks away from the mirror, only staring at her hands, the perfectly manicured nails, and various rings distract from the fact that she was trembling like a leaf. She was nervous, yes, but only because she knew what comes next after she exits the safety of her room.

"Aren't you glad, my lady?" Chloe chirps happily, dragging a hairbrush along (Name)'s strands. "You're having dinner with your family again, isn't that great news?"

"Ah, yes." (Name) blinks, meeting Chloe's eyes in the mirror. "It's been a while hasn't it?"

"Only a week since the first one, I think." The young maid stops her brushing, fixing her lady's hair one last time before backing away and sighs in satisfaction. "All done, my lady."

(Name) takes one last look at the mirror, before hiding her shaking hands within the folds of her dress and leaves the room with Chloe in tow. She finds herself seated between her parents, both sitting at the ends of the long dinner table. Her brother has yet to arrive, and so was the food so her father took it as liberty to start a conversation.

"Well (Name)," He cleared his throat, earning everyone's attention. "Your birthday is coming near, and so is your societal debut. Any plans for your celebration?"

The topic instantly brightens her mother's face, "Oh, heavens yes!" She exclaims with a small grin, clapping her hands together. "I was thinking of a large ball in our other estate in the north where (Name) spent her childhood in. Didn't we have that spacious greenhouse built a few years ago?"

"Ah, yes my darling." The Grand Duke gives her a crooked smile as his wife continued to spout various suggestions for (Name)'s birthday plans. Yet when he turns his head towards the debutant, she had an unreadable expression on her face, as if she was waiting for something grim to happen. "(Name)?"

"Yes, father?" (Name) looks distracted, but immediately shows a patient smile to hide her unease.

"Everything alright?"

"Of course," She grins up at him reassuringly. "I'm just thinking of the people I'm going to invite for the celebration."

"Yes yes, by all means, you can invite everyone you know my dear but," Then his face of concern quickly shifts to one of seriousness as he darts his eyes towards his wife to get her attention. She goes silent, her face mirroring her husband's. That was when (Name) knew it was coming. "We have more important matters to attend to-"

"Good evening everyone." The door suddenly opens, revealing Edward Stahal's knowing smile entering the room. Yet his beautiful grin falls when his eyes meet (Name)'s across the room, but he quickly recovers to bow his head towards the Grand Duke, who looks a little peeved at the sudden interruption. "Good evening, father."

"Yes, good evening." He mumbles, gesturing his son to take a seat before nodding to a butler a few feet away from the table. "Nevermind that you're late. We were talking about your sister's upcoming social debut."