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Rosangela Grifone adjusted her silver mask once again, fingering the tiny blue roses along the side, as if afraid they might fall off. Her other hand patted at the matching rose pinned into her coppery bun, then grazed the embroidered ribbon at her throat as both hands fell to smooth the full skirt of her gown, an elaborate confection of white and blue and silver like the mask, also adorned with blue roses, and considerably more low-cut than anything she would normally have worn. She still couldn’t believe she was wearing such a beautiful thing.

She still didn’t know how they’d gotten it. A few days after she’d purchased the Rose Garden oil from Solace Scents, Rosa had come home to discover Tanith grinning madly, an envelope containing an invitation and two golden tickets in her hand. Then she had presented her with the gown. Rosa suspected conspiracy with the hatter downstairs.

"You look beautiful, angel. Stop fidgeting." Tanith Elissar crossed her arms across the bodice of her own elegant black gown, her serpentine golden bangles, perfectly matched to her necklace, clinking together. Her dark eyes watched Rosa through a feathered black and gold mask, which was all that held the waves of ebony hair away from her face.

"That’s what you always say," Rosa replied, blushing, but she dropped her arms anyway. "I’m starting to think I shouldn’t believe you."

The dark-skinned woman rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "Because it’s always true. Would I lie to you? Now—" Rosa opened her mouth as if to protest, but Tanith cut her off with a peck to the cheek and a gentle shove toward the woman demanding tickets of the other guests. "Shall we head in?" The two women presented their tickets to the loud-voiced woman – Rosa shyly, Tanith boldly – and they followed the stream of guests into the mansion.

A surpressed, yet grossly obvious smile surficed on his mouth as the black-haired young man slowly stepped out of his carriage. He took a step forward, and looked around, hands instinctively adjusting every part of his fine coat. The young man's sight shifted from left to right, scanning, with his seemingly calm yet sparkling eyes, about the crowd that surrounded him. He let out a heavy sigh. Hands reached inside of his pocket for his long drag. Taking the cigaratte in his mouth, he smoked a puff or two with leisure, before turning to notice his carriage, his "servant" awaiting for his instructions.

"Why, oh yes! I have almost forgotten!" The young man gave a crisp and abrupt chuckle, and walked back to his carriage. His long coat fluttered with the night wind, glimmering gold under the dim moonlight.

"My ladyship." The young man said with a smooth gesture, and lended out one of his gloved hand. The other hand took off his balck top hat, turning it his back. His body bowed gracefully on a slight angle, matching the curvature of his smile.

"If you will please..."

Heart beating fast, he ran knowing he was late. With one hand, he smoothed his glittering blue sash and with the other he pulled on a mask of silver velvet and blue feathers. A small blue sapphire bounced against his neck and shone in the dead center of his mask's forehead. His soft dress shoes clacked against stone as he ran to the sound of people and what seemed like soft music. His mask finally decided to stay on his face freeing a hand. The hand clenched a small peice of parchment.
"Oh, this is not going good," he gasped from behind the mask. His long golden hair flew behind him like a flag.
"My ticket! Here it is!" he cried handing the woman at the gate the slip of paper with his name on it.
Nicollo.
He caught his breath and brushed himself off before entering the party with his ticket back in his hand. He was shaking, but with nothing but pure excitment.

Was this it?

This was the first thought that occurred to Alch as she stepped carefully from her carriage, landing easily and lightly on her feet and gasping quietly as she looked up at the destination. Was this really where she had been invited? Reaching up with one hand, she carefully untangled a long, black ringlet from her long silver-and-ruby earrings, adding it to the mass of other curls and coils she had that fell down to the small of her back, where a red bow was puffed and brilliant.

Bright blue eyes, filled with ill-hidden nervousness, looked up at the building as the young woman paused amidst the hustle and bustle of those entering the building, not caring about those who cared, beyond a general concern of being bumped into. She was far too thrilled and terrified to care about that just yet. A shaky sigh slipped from red-painted lips, and Alch finally stepped onwards to the door, purring very quietly as she made her way through the people. As she stepped, her tux-jacket whispered lightly against her skin, rich black, with a white shirt beneath, a red tie standing out vibrantly at her throat. Her masculine looking top was countered with a rippled, laced skirt that reached the floor, as black as the jacket and hiding away daringly red high-heels.

"Excuse me, miss," she whispered, looking up at the woman with one visible eye and one eye hidden behind a lovely mask offering a shy smile. "I was invited to this, and... oh. Right. The ticket..." She fumbled through her bag, before offering the ticket up with a hand gloved in rich black satin, a silver bracelet shining lightly in the streetlights. "This is all I need, correct, to get in...?"

Nicollo noticed the lady who had entered behind him. He smiled behind his mask. Thoughts dashed through his head as he tryed to pick out the best course of action. Deciding quickly, he lightly spun around on one of his heels.
"Hello M'lady. How do you fair this evening?" he asked the lady in the plain blue gown. She was pretty. Nicollo bowed slightly at the waist to Keir and extending a hand in order to take hers and kiss it in his little royal custom. He rubbed off as a playboy most of the time.

The young man smiled back at the lady's reply, and took her delicate hand in his, and, perhaps to everyone's surprised, touched it gently with his lips before drawing her closer to him. When she was close enough, that is, her silky blue dress brused against his black coat with gold lining, the young man whispered to the girl, his mouth almost touching her feathered mask.

"You look beautiful in this starry night, my lady."

And almost immediately he withdrew and turned his head so his eyes are focused on what was right in front of him: the glamourous mansion, the beautifully dressed crowd, the well designed masks that hid everyone's face. At the thought of the mask he pushed up the one what was attached to his own face. A fine mask, one that was made with darkest silk and the most bright colored sapphire gems. They seemed to glitter even though many times his long hair covered their glory. This entire place, in fact, was just as glorious, almost...fantasy like. This night...he had a feeling that this night could be a special one, even though he refused to admit that even he, a well educated gentleman, was amused by the aura that this place emitted.

Without further sayinngs, he took the lady's slim wrist and slid smoothly across his elbow. He nodded slightly, once more adjusting his clothings. After he had made sure that he looked fine enough, the young man led his companion through the crowd, careful not to step on anyone's dress (and he had made a mental note to chat with these..oh, lovely ladies when he had the chance), and finally to reach the ticket booth. Using one hand he flashed the brown little ticket as if he was performing a magic trick.

"Here is my passport."

Yiiei wandered around, her eyes darting right and left as people continued to enter the mansion dressed in extravagant clothes with even more beautiful and intricate masks. She blushed beneath her mask at the simplicity of her outfit though she was grateful that she had had the sense to dress up a little. Hands at her side, she weaved her way through the crowd, her eyes drawn to a particular figure. Strange considering there was no one at the party she knew or at least no one she had spotted that she recognized.

She stopped at a distance as she saw the man introduce himself to a young boy. She heard as he introduced himself as Qadir. What a strange name. Yiiei watched from where she stood, no longer confident enough to introduce herself to a perfect stranger in front of another stranger. No matter if that other stranger was a little boy. Her hands clenched and were being wrung as she waited. Perhaps this was not such a good idea.

Eyes searched on as her body slowly turned but stopped halfway as another sight caught her. There were so many people around that were dressed in such elegance. It almost made her green with envy if only had she been the type to like frills and ruffles but she wasn't so she complexion remained a healthy color.