
Ara is utterly and completely bored and right now she wishes she wasn't even at the Ball. The York Ball was the first ball of the season and it is no fun once so ever. The musicians kept playing off key and out of tune. The food is terrible and the men ever worse than the food. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAuNbLqfWfap
304Please respect copyright.PENANAut5Oz9ordD
304Please respect copyright.PENANAixsAnc2sE5
Ara would love to leave even though it's only been an hour. So instead she hides on the sidelines near the walls. Trying to hide from any men who may want to ask her to dance. Hopefully no one will realize her dance card is empty. 304Please respect copyright.PENANADwiVqKKOxZ
304Please respect copyright.PENANA7vwbPjTm9A
304Please respect copyright.PENANAHcVTULpacl
"Do you want a husband or not?" Ara hears Theo chuckle as he sneaks next to her. "Am I your sister or not?" She snaps back at him and Theo's smile fades. "No one can know yet" he lowers his voice and takes a step closer. "I know you excepted to be accounted with us" Theo glances around the room to make sure no one hears. "We couldn't risk anyone being suspicious until the accountment" Ara tries to calm the anger building inside her. 304Please respect copyright.PENANA1WChBCg8UX
304Please respect copyright.PENANAO8kLlTpR68
304Please respect copyright.PENANAfCz9e84LGK
"You so happened to forget such information?" Ara looks at the crowd of dancers. Some part of her yearns to go over to the dance floor but her fear stops her. She doesn't have the greatest record of making friends. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAOqaOPG4YkU
304Please respect copyright.PENANAL1MHSn1Jwo
304Please respect copyright.PENANAvJ8JL3eCbA
"I need to leave" she knows if this continues she shall lose her temper. None of them can afford her to make a scence. So she sneaks off to the drink stand to where her sister Gina is standing. She is trying to avoid the offer of a gentleman.304Please respect copyright.PENANAj1vYRQ8dne
304Please respect copyright.PENANATJbOiyQSpb
304Please respect copyright.PENANARKIuHitPDX
"Pardon me, sister" Gina and the man she is talking to turn to her direction. The man in question is no other than the Duke of York himself. "Your Grace" Ara cursty to the Duke, "I have come to ask my sister to escort me outside". Ara offers her arm to Gina which she gladly takes. "I cannot handle a crowd very well, unfortunately". 304Please respect copyright.PENANAJTLWyeKdRB
304Please respect copyright.PENANA1JRNIOB8lN
304Please respect copyright.PENANATG8fqqsYow
The Duke of York just laughs and brushes it off. He truly could not care for he himself does not like Balls much either. "It is no problem" He steps closer and whispers so no one can hear. "You ought to call me Jonathan" he bows his head in respect to Ara and smirks, "Your Highness". 304Please respect copyright.PENANAAS9PNArxKS
304Please respect copyright.PENANAjXbzvIDUjK
304Please respect copyright.PENANAVuDLKFQ7h3
Both girls look to one another, no one is meant to know that Ara is the Heir to the Avalorian throne. "One of your brothers must have said something" Gina whispers as they walk to the outside halls. The music and light getting fainter and the only light comes from the moon above. "Thank you for coming over" Gina says leans her head closer to see. "Your more than welcomed" Ara says, I thought he was asking you for a dance and that he was an unwanted suitor". "Not at all" Gina laughs, "You always count your chickens before they hatch". 304Please respect copyright.PENANAxf4gjPu3Q0
304Please respect copyright.PENANADSMUDhUVJW
304Please respect copyright.PENANAkqwpH83JiC
"That is a ridiculous thing to say" Ara counters and Gina shakes her head. "No you always assume things before you get the entire truth". Ara wishes she could disagree. "Do I need to remind you of the time when we were.." Gina suddenly trails off and Ara almost trips. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAmXdwg76Fzu
304Please respect copyright.PENANAugetTUGrS2
304Please respect copyright.PENANAyVHi1Y1VJA
304Please respect copyright.PENANAowxUzljwF0
Looking back Ara sees Gina has frozen in her place and looking at the dance floor. Gina seems almost dumbstruck and almost green in the face. Tears fill Gina's eyes and she says a name unfamiliar to Ara. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAQs8RGr8q3n
304Please respect copyright.PENANAGjJnqQSFd1
304Please respect copyright.PENANASF2q8zclGe
"Claudel". 304Please respect copyright.PENANAB1RPrQypU2
304Please respect copyright.PENANASiHg73EKmx
304Please respect copyright.PENANAcMAID9t3UR
~~~~304Please respect copyright.PENANA1wNFbkLwMu
304Please respect copyright.PENANADhQHG443Xv
304Please respect copyright.PENANADENjij34WP
304Please respect copyright.PENANAyLUzHvgR17
She can't believe what she is seeing, Claudel, he is here. How is he here? She has so many questions and no answers. "Might he have a doppleganger?" Gina thinks to herself as she calms her heart.304Please respect copyright.PENANAyFxRWST1T3
304Please respect copyright.PENANALOoOzueFfC
This cannot be Claudel, she can't let herself hope it's him. If she did and it wasn't she would be sorely disappointed to say the least. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAE4Sh2x4FJo
304Please respect copyright.PENANA38PzwNPE7E
304Please respect copyright.PENANAu9N01TvYxQ
If he was than she could marry him like she has been wishing she could. Gina shakes her head and scoffs. It's more than silly to keep your head in the clouds. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAOLFr2cDJtB
304Please respect copyright.PENANAF8CqyG1sI2
Gina heels quickly turn around as if to walk away and just as she is to do so, she stops. 304Please respect copyright.PENANA7F6PX6eTsT
304Please respect copyright.PENANAFWX3WpJEx6
304Please respect copyright.PENANALUSFFW4KsP
She can feel 𝒉𝑖𝑠 eyes on her. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAUNmaNdss7a
304Please respect copyright.PENANAlrOzcohlFo
304Please respect copyright.PENANAsoP7RzaUti
It sends shivers down her back. "Someone must be walking on my grave", Gina thinks as she turns and returns his stare. The corners of her mouth widden as she plaster in her polite smile. Hoping that she doesn't show how nervous she feels. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAUTJlDRWwEz
304Please respect copyright.PENANA0SN6FsXY1Z
304Please respect copyright.PENANABGs7llyaXH
The closer she gets the more details she can see. Gina sees that the man is wearing a fine linen white shirt and black breaches. Both are embroidered with purple designs along the seames. Status of money and power. Quite the contrast to Claudel who wears the same shirt again until it's torn and completely covered in ashe. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAnXPp1LHVn1
304Please respect copyright.PENANAGkwF2L1S7a
304Please respect copyright.PENANA92KJFJpV63
He has the same cutt and shade as Claudels hair but his is tidy and clean. Because Claudel unlike this man was working class, his hair often went unwashed. 304Please respect copyright.PENANA5nwwtB5kud
304Please respect copyright.PENANAABK4RtfKxc
304Please respect copyright.PENANAPMEVU6lL38
Gina and the man meet and at first no one says a thing. "Hello Gina"his voice is filled with emotion. Gina feels her eyes water and chokes on air. "Claudel" she whispers and he cringes at the name. How are you here?"Gina asks in a low voice. "That is a long story, I have something for you". 304Please respect copyright.PENANAtP9xe0k8Ok
304Please respect copyright.PENANAYu98pN5xrr
304Please respect copyright.PENANADYkHbjTz7c
304Please respect copyright.PENANA1DOiClPFQL
304Please respect copyright.PENANAGgRkEFpULK
Claudel reveals a letter and she gingerly takes it, her hands shaking. Gina puts it in her red reticule to match her marron and burgundy dress. She didn't have enough time to choose her dress. Her mother picked a dress with marron undertones and the main tones on top were burgundy. Layered on each other they turned into the most beautiful shade of purple. 304Please respect copyright.PENANA6o504hJpBO
304Please respect copyright.PENANALkNjDALahg
304Please respect copyright.PENANAntz9WKRbG6
"Wait, how did you have time to go from my house and here" Gina hisses at him and looks at him disapprovaling. He just shakes his head and thinks. "𝐼 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝒉𝑦 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝑜 𝑖𝑛𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒." Instead of saying that he offers her hand, "May I have this dance?". She contemplates saying no but figures she can get more information by saying yes. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAoMVjRHR4qB
304Please respect copyright.PENANAXmUnwTYVqX
304Please respect copyright.PENANASSvOMNjW5H
"Of course" She takes his hand as they glide to the middle of the ballroom. "What should I call you, now?". He thinks on her question before replying, "Well my name is actually Edmund". Her eyebrows scruntch together and her lip pouts. He finds her very adorable when she thinks. "Yet you let me call you, Claudel" she pointsout as her hand goes in his and the other on his shoulder. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAhIzDsbzAPC
304Please respect copyright.PENANAvFrR2jXnFf
304Please respect copyright.PENANAkadkypIJtI
"You just assumed, my name is Joshua" he tells her as his hand is place on the middle of her back. Gina body feels hot and yet she shivers. She isn't use to a man this close to her. "I suppose their is alot you don't know about a person. I thought I knew you quite well". 304Please respect copyright.PENANAt1fDUcsHp1
304Please respect copyright.PENANA8UJnXcyquy
304Please respect copyright.PENANA5qoQiVtEfk
304Please respect copyright.PENANAtBPzFi4Jgu
He laughs he shakes his head, "You can't know someone within six months". The dance end and they move to the drink stand. "Maybe or maybe not" she says she frowns to herself,"It seems we weren't as close as I thought". 304Please respect copyright.PENANAV6XeTcvaGR
304Please respect copyright.PENANAF1GkD3IGJs
304Please respect copyright.PENANAbGlWt0TMFe
"That's not at all the truth. Something happened, something changed.. I can't say in person" he explains. "Please read that letter". The grandfather clock chimes twelve and fear appears in Joshua's eyes for a second. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAFho6SZaG1b
304Please respect copyright.PENANAwCjZWoE0I0
304Please respect copyright.PENANAo3I3xYKyyu
"I have to go, I'm sorry" Joshua steps back and weaves between the crowd. Gina tries to keep up but with cluster of people it's impossible. It doesn't help Joshua's legs are longer than her own. "Georgina" she hear Fitzwilliam call her. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAOucjAbq0Dv
304Please respect copyright.PENANAlYALj64Jgp
304Please respect copyright.PENANA2L2vf58pC6
She doesn't even think when her snaps towards her brothers voice. Fitz seems dazzled and nervous. She looks back to where Josh was and he is gone. "We have to go" Fitz grabs her arm and through the crowd. To the front doors of the York Mansion and the Darcys carrige is ready. 304Please respect copyright.PENANA7sM46b9PnQ
304Please respect copyright.PENANAHKjKXgTNob
304Please respect copyright.PENANAoqKjtRrBcI
Her sister and mother are already there and they both look sickly pale and as if they hadn't slept for days."𝑊𝒉𝑎𝑡 𝒉𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝒉𝑒𝑚? 𝑊𝒉𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛?" Gina thinks as she sits down and her brother follows suite. 304Please respect copyright.PENANA2RGfWTM6HF
304Please respect copyright.PENANAut8p6S7AHx
304Please respect copyright.PENANAu5UtWSAjtP
"I know you want to know what's going on but it isn't safe here" Miranda explains as the carrige goes twelve miles per hour. They have never had the horses go this fast. "I wish eveyone would stop saying that" Gina huffs in frustration and crosses her arms. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAacXXJ9SOlX
304Please respect copyright.PENANA37PfO3yFrr
304Please respect copyright.PENANAxlcfhdP8Cu
"What do you mean" Ara asks, "Did it have to do with that man at the ball?". Gina thinks for a second, the letter is to private until she knows what's going on. "Oh, we had a lovely conversation and then ran off when the clock stuck twelve". 304Please respect copyright.PENANANlx2SPPBHj
304Please respect copyright.PENANA3MYw1lE9dh
304Please respect copyright.PENANAZDFjBpfWuX
The three of them all glance at one another with anxious faces. Gina is getting tired of being the only one to not know. "We are home, Your Grace" the horseman tells them as he opens the door. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAglhE0jgLJa
304Please respect copyright.PENANA5sUJ0ELjF2
304Please respect copyright.PENANA2CKh9W2AuM
All of them quickly exit the carriage and into the house. Her mother orders tea as they all sit on the sofa. Finally the answers she has been waiting for. 304Please respect copyright.PENANAofNgt32zyC
304Please respect copyright.PENANAHfonnzlC50
304Please respect copyright.PENANAJhBt1FcuTu
304Please respect copyright.PENANAhW0vgCmSyW
304Please respect copyright.PENANAVRnnRtmKeL
304Please respect copyright.PENANArRLxwWzqt1
304Please respect copyright.PENANArZH7L4NZT1
304Please respect copyright.PENANA4CAzDlyDj1
304Please respect copyright.PENANA021hDHFAX5
304Please respect copyright.PENANA82mptsqlTY
304Please respect copyright.PENANAVzPcJNmu97
304Please respect copyright.PENANAgvJGU5oAOO
304Please respect copyright.PENANAh1hC06RuSf
304Please respect copyright.PENANAGisto4VCRS
304Please respect copyright.PENANAvGoPTlFmp1
304Please respect copyright.PENANAsxelq7eYmG
304Please respect copyright.PENANALOvd2gJR1d
304Please respect copyright.PENANAcFCZv7cRWe
304Please respect copyright.PENANAIWwzmfE7a7
304Please respect copyright.PENANA6mjIylDEri
304Please respect copyright.PENANAxt7sdJvWyv
304Please respect copyright.PENANA8voBOr12al
304Please respect copyright.PENANAGj3g3CV8B7
304Please respect copyright.PENANALFBoejjHOz
304Please respect copyright.PENANAqWYeRwe4CF
304Please respect copyright.PENANAC2D1OzuOR3
304Please respect copyright.PENANAMYycMYgAHX
304Please respect copyright.PENANAEegQEZ5QXd
304Please respect copyright.PENANAvmCS3s0Jfi
304Please respect copyright.PENANAnr1PFkmKs0
304Please respect copyright.PENANAPMFw9nGgOL
304Please respect copyright.PENANAdJHFEwvT7o
304Please respect copyright.PENANAN1Q7WR4Uow
304Please respect copyright.PENANAwvAlupQtX0
304Please respect copyright.PENANAWSGLYqgKlC
304Please respect copyright.PENANAj5zpvTnv4L
304Please respect copyright.PENANAhD275Ph9NJ
304Please respect copyright.PENANAVhWtsdLeUM
304Please respect copyright.PENANAyUXHHv8ggM
304Please respect copyright.PENANACkmimA1xLm
304Please respect copyright.PENANAMq6I8btfQ6
304Please respect copyright.PENANADcWVcjYjok
304Please respect copyright.PENANAeZBPkoWo6D
304Please respect copyright.PENANAEIsu151KNl
304Please respect copyright.PENANAdMXnHZF7zS
304Please respect copyright.PENANAbhp2BVyd6X
304Please respect copyright.PENANAxZfBjLFXLn
304Please respect copyright.PENANAk0Fv89obNB
304Please respect copyright.PENANAnpAq3djglb
304Please respect copyright.PENANAbufUW5L8JY
304Please respect copyright.PENANAL2uXjc1gCz
304Please respect copyright.PENANAJK4byjFXER
304Please respect copyright.PENANA5X5vD7ioaj
304Please respect copyright.PENANARZzVaRiBUP
304Please respect copyright.PENANApiCBJS2dTr
304Please respect copyright.PENANA6L9ILxOBDo
304Please respect copyright.PENANA9FOTzqH7Fk
304Please respect copyright.PENANAj4YYPxeLxA
304Please respect copyright.PENANA5XiVvXvVUa
304Please respect copyright.PENANAtPSlxM86jq
304Please respect copyright.PENANAQuoRORgZsT
304Please respect copyright.PENANACq791xf36S
304Please respect copyright.PENANA6KedhwSmkc
304Please respect copyright.PENANAWG85JeovN6
304Please respect copyright.PENANACBchoQgN4f
304Please respect copyright.PENANAFksEqHVFdk
304Please respect copyright.PENANAIvdmWA2LLM
304Please respect copyright.PENANAP26wIu2mnZ
304Please respect copyright.PENANAWuK0QoOpQV
304Please respect copyright.PENANAzO5d16TXYs
304Please respect copyright.PENANA9Xycy5iULq
304Please respect copyright.PENANA3EVBJJT0pb
304Please respect copyright.PENANADrFjYmw2Og
304Please respect copyright.PENANA5fCSuZmDs7
304Please respect copyright.PENANA53xtbQul1s
304Please respect copyright.PENANALHtJr1yYVf
304Please respect copyright.PENANAWEMJrHctQN
304Please respect copyright.PENANA7nczltkSfx
304Please respect copyright.PENANAVtTPJZSsJ4
304Please respect copyright.PENANAHSp7lA0uZ6
304Please respect copyright.PENANAgvsv4B9zUx
304Please respect copyright.PENANAN0N6EoXkal
304Please respect copyright.PENANAy1sM3fmm8H
304Please respect copyright.PENANAUxXUkhzHMo
304Please respect copyright.PENANATurtlQJgMF
304Please respect copyright.PENANAHbiyb2L3Zq
304Please respect copyright.PENANASZGu6Ek63R
304Please respect copyright.PENANAWUgy8z5orI
304Please respect copyright.PENANAPjs0ygXZ1G
304Please respect copyright.PENANAsGiBJdeMzy
304Please respect copyright.PENANA6fueChDJ4d
304Please respect copyright.PENANAKgQgREJY54
304Please respect copyright.PENANAvBZHq97oHT
304Please respect copyright.PENANAQiCRxixpvZ
304Please respect copyright.PENANAdcdxl7nHcS
304Please respect copyright.PENANAKRaEgCxK7m
304Please respect copyright.PENANAsLC4LpyYAZ
304Please respect copyright.PENANAdvDiVyBQdU
304Please respect copyright.PENANAvKSVUvaI22
304Please respect copyright.PENANAoIecWdS36T