ωнαт'ѕ ℓєƒт σƒ мє ησω?

Seraphina Calore I I feel as if I'm standing in the middle of a crowded room, and I'm–– I'm screaming at the top of my lungs And no one ever looks up.

[ghostofnorta-blog]

claudprovos:

It felt like he was back on the front lines, except this time Claudius was surrounded by diamondglass and marble instead of the suffocating smog of the Choke. As soon as he and the rest of the guards had been informed of the explosion at the harbor, they took the Prince to a safe room where no one could reach him except for family members. Claudius didn’t have time to think of anything but Dom’s safety, but he was still worried about what was happening outside of the palace. Even though he had only met the King’s brother once, he felt distressed by his death, mostly because it meant that the royal family was under a terrorist attack. The terrorists being the Reds. He couldn’t wrap his head around that particular thought. A year ago, he would’ve felt nothing but rage towards those who had red blood running through their veins, but today Claud knew things weren’t that simple. 

“Yes, Dom is fine, the others are with him right now.” he said, a little breathless from running from one place to another. “I came to check up on you, I thought you might want to be with Dom in the safe room.” after a moment of silence, Claud added, “I’m very sorry for your loss.”

"Good,” she said immediately, glad to hear that her brother was alright. She knew he’d come find her once everything was sorted out; she wasn’t concerned about him. Her sisters, however, her ladies ––– her friends. She shook her head quickly at his suggestion, gesturing for him to sit as she did. “No, no, I’m still waiting for Prosperina to stick her head out from some corner,” she joked, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. “And the people need to know that at least one of us is remaining out and unafraid,” she said, her tone logical and detached as she tucked a bit of hair behind her ear. She’d given this some thought, and strategically, it made the best sense to keep Dom safe and let her remain among the rest of the nobility. “If I’m walking the halls, it says I don’t see myself above the rest of the High Houses; it means I don’t think Whitefire is the next place the silly little –– what do they call themselves? The Red Guard? –– will attack. If the whole family remains in the safe room, we label ourselves afraid of them.” 

Sera took a breath, shaking her head. “I didn’t know him well. I’m more concerned about the rest of the family.”

[ghostofnorta-blog]

helenecalore:

The news of Nero Calore’s death—there were countless others, but none quite as significant—rocked the palace into a state of panic, but no one could’ve been struck as hard by it as the princess—the bastard, when the deceased general came into the picture—rumored to have been his daughter. Unable to determine her own feelings on the matter—anger, sadness, and an odd feeling of relief came to mind—, the blonde had taken to the hallways, desperate to get away from herself.

If she stayed in her room and dwelled on it enough, she might actually convince herself that Nero Calore had been more than the uncle she’d never really known, and that his loss should be treated as such. 

It probably wasn’t the wisest decision for a girl with a tendency to ignite random objects to head for the library, of all places, but Helene Calore had never been known for her wisdom. She’d been known for her fire, for her rage, for her uncertain status as Aurelian’s youngest daughter, and now that the man who, in conjunction with her mother, had taken a torch to her reputation before she’d even been born was dead, she wasn’t sure whether to mourn or celebrate.

She sought out a book to occupy her thoughts (the past, at least, was something she could be sure of), but when she unceremoniously pushed through the doors and saw none other than her oldest sister in the middle of the room, the flame of a girl almost caved and stormed off in search of something—anything—else.

Almost. The blast had thrown Helene even farther down her warpath, and although she was a bit dazed, she would sooner light the damn castle on fire than wave a white flag in the face of Seraphina. She would neither leave nor yield to what she could only assume would be attempts by the silence to comfort her.

“Shouldn’t you be with Father instead of hiding in here?” The jealousy that leaked into her tone was every bit as noticeable as the bombs had been; Aurelian hadn’t checked on her once, but she could only imagine how he might’ve reached out to his other children. 

It was no small wonder that Sera sought solace in the library, a white shawl wrapped around her shoulders and her hair undone around her shoulders as she sat among the books. She spent so much time in here with Caius these days that it had become a bit of a safe haven for her, and at the first distraction of the guards her father had INSISTED be put around her room, she’d snuck off, hoping ––– well, it didn’t really matter what she’d hoped.

What mattered was that her youngest sister was here, an odd sight in and of itself, even before this incident occurred. “ Hell, ” she started sadly, her brows pulling together. Of all the Calore siblings, Helene would be the most scrutinized here. Half the world thought Helene a bastard child of the now deceased general; never mind that her fire was just as strong as Dom’s and that it was Eveline’s fire that was the weakest of the family ––– Sera notwithstanding, for obvious reasons. Never mind that Helene had Aurelian’s cheekbones and his temper, never mind that she had the same Calore eyes that Sera herself hadn’t even inherited. Never mind that Helene had always, always been Sera’s sister. 

Even Helene herself didn’t seem to care about that, these days. 

“ Father wants to be alone, ” she finally said, still watching her sister sadly, still wishing she could reach for Helene and not be set alight for the crime of loving her younger sister. “ And I don’t want to see him, ” Sera added, a touch bitterly. She never wanted to see their father, not in public, not in private; Helene, blinded by her need to prove herself, had never really cared to wonder WHY. 

“ Besides, ” she added a moment later, glancing down at her hands clasped loosely in her lap. “ I was more concerned about you, and what people might be saying. ” 

Sera could remember a time, years ago, when some boy –– Oliver Lerolan, that was his name –– had the NERVE to call Helene a bastard where her oldest sister could hear. Sera, always well known for her ladylike behavior and her quiet demeanor, had silenced the young Oblivion bully with both her ability and a well aimed punch to his face. She’d broken the boy’s nose and pushed him down, wrapping silverblood stained knuckles around her sister’s shoulder and yelling that if anyone had something to say about her sister’s birthright, they had to go through her, first.

How times had changed, how things between them had changed –––––– the last person whose nose had been broken under Sera’s fist was Helene, for insulting Sera’s own birthright.  

[ghostofnorta-blog]

flamesofnorta:

In an instant, it felt as if Dom had been thrust back into the war. The chaos in the Palace, people running around him in a frenzy as he was pushed to safety. He didn’t WANT safety –– he wanted to check on his PEOPLE. It took him more than few moments to fully comprehend that the threat wasn’t near; that it wasn’t at his DOORSTEP. He sought her out immediately, his sister, the only who understood him so wholly and completely without him ever having to speak a word. He needed to see her, to know that she was safe, and to know that HE was as well. He pushed past the guards stationed outside her door - guards, he thought she she’d surely denied. The RELIEF he felt in seeing her was palpable, and he strode across the room in a matter of two steps, wrapping her up into a familiar embrace. 

    “ I think so. ARE YOU OKAY? ”

Upon realizing it was her brother that walked in, Sera stood up immediately, crossing the extra bit of space to reach him. She had her arms around him before she inhaled, the pose and posture as familiar to her as taking steps forward. She’d relied on Dom for as long as she’d been alive, and she’d been his strength in the same way since they were children. Finding SOLACE in him was as natural to her as breathing, but for the moment, she knew he needed it more than she did. After all, he was the one who just returned from a war zone, and his position in the military meant he’d known their uncle better than she had. 

“ I’m fine, ” she PROMISED, resting her hand gently on her twin’s shoulder as she pulled away from him, her other hand coming up to wrap her shawl more firmly around her nightgown. She’d barely had time to change out of her gown from the ball before everything went to hell. “ Have you seen Hell? Eve? ” Sera asked, her eyes wide, CONCERN for their sisters evident in her face.

[ghostofnorta-blog]

                                She’d heard the news, but frankly, it still didn’t feel QUITE REAL. The palace was in a frenzy, her stepmother had locked herself away in her room, her father was raging and destroying half of his quarters, but Sera simply...sat. She hadn’t been close with Nero, but their relationship had always been amicable, and it was distressing to think she’d never speak to him again, but overall it felt more –––– odd, than anything else. Like it was happening on the other side of a diamondglass wall, and she was merely observing it all come about. She’d been told by someone that this was what SHOCK felt like, but she couldn’t be sure. When the door opened, she spoke before she turned, knowing her question would be the same regardless of who she asked it of. 

                               “ Did you hear? Is everyone alright? ”

[ghostofnorta-blog]

ofsamos:

     It took all of his prior training to remain still; to not flinch or recoil instinctively from her delicate touch. Even though thick fabric separated skin from skin, the moderate pressure sent waves of panic down his nerve endings, adrenaline saturating his system in response. “ RUN ” it said, “ FIGHT ” but he did neither. This was not bloody and gruesome war, there was no threat here.

     Hand on her waist and another underneath her palm, Augustus felt acutely aware of the curve of her spine and the steadiness in her posture. His own touch was barely perceptible and if he ever thought gentleness was an attribute that could be ascribed to him, he would then regard this moment as a prime example of the extent to which he could be.

    “ Are you asking because you care to know or because the lessons you’ve been taught tell you to? ” Augustus retorted, honing in on her voice, the banter, and the way she spoke in tune to the music, rising just as the orchestra softened. He needed the distraction. “ Regardless, it is going as well as can be expected, ” a breath, a pause, a moment of hesitation later, “ It’s different here, quieter — although, I’m not sure if I prefer it. ” 

     His feet moved but not in conjunction with his own body of knowledge, however sparse it was. He coordinated with her steps, it was her domain after all.

                  She almost smiled ( really, it took all her self control the stop the quirk of her lips, and even then, it was too late to hide the full motion ) at his retort, and she glanced away for a moment. He saw right through her. GOOD. She didn’t want him thinking she was ENJOYING this. “ Both, ” she admitted a long moment later, looking down to watch his steps for a moment, idly worried she might trod on his foot. Sera hadn’t stepped on a dance partner’s foot since she was a child, but you never knew with those military minded types. “ We’re at that age, Lord Samos, where we’re all poised to take over the legacies our parents have left behind, ” she explained, her voice cool and detached. “ My mother didn’t exactly leave me much, but contrary to what my ability might say, I’m still my father’s daughter. I don’t sit in on tax councils for my health, and with how much resources we’re pouring into the Sentinel program, I’d HOPE you’re not about to drive it into the ground, ” she finished, looking back up at him as she finished, wanting to gauge his reaction. 

                 The admission caught Sera off guard, and her eyes lingered on his for a heartbeat before she looked away again. “ I prefer the quiet, ” she offered, almost contrarily, as though she was saying it just to spite him, though it was the truth. “ But don’t mistake it for PEACE, ” she finally added, her voice low and almost kind. “ Whitefire’s just as much of a war zone as what I’m sure the Choke is. Everyone’s just...better at hiding their gunfire, ” Sera finished bitterly, her fingers tightening against the fabric of his suit over his shoulder reflexively before they relaxed. 

                 The music continued for a few more bars before it started to melt back into silence, and she stepped back quickly, nodding respectfully at him as she did. “ Thank you, ” she said softly, glancing around and breathing a sigh of relief upon realizing that the one person she’d tried to avoid was nowhere to be found. A pause, and then, “ give your sister my love, when you see her? ”

[ghostofnorta-blog]

siinger:

                      ❝ I’m glad that you’re glad, ❞ is all that he can find to say, more clever words evading him. Smooth. He fights the habit to run his fingers through his hair, instead keeping both hands firmly placed on Sera. Still, there is an honest truth in them. The amount Caius would endure the ensure Sera’s happiness is no small list. The Calore princess has given him the closest thing he can find to it for himself in her friendship – he owes her nothing less. Even now, she does what she can to set him at EASE, already taking away his power in the blink of an eye before he had even fully made it over to her. 

                      Whenever he’s with Sera, he doesn’t have to fear himself. He can look anywhere, speak to anyone, knowing that she makes it all go away – that part of himself that he’s so afraid of. He could do so now, if he wished. And yet, when she’s around, he rarely ever finds himself wanting to. She holds his attention so  t h o r o u g h l y, sometimes he thinks the room could burst into flames around them and he would scarcely notice, save for how the light it casts DANCES across her eyes. ( Kieran has teased him of it before, the way he lets her pull him in, hardly capable of focusing on anything else when she’s in his peripheral. )

                      Perhaps this is what it is like, then, to have a true friendship. Don’t mistake him – he loves Kieran dearly, and considers the man the closest thing he has to a brother. But with Sera, everything is just  d i f f e r e n t, in a way that he can’t explain. Every touch, every word, every action she does, she elicits a different response. It used to confuse him – sometimes, still does – but he’s learned to accept it as simply a part of their relationship. ( Maybe he doesn’t need to. What does it matter, after all, to have explanation, so long as it all works in the end? ) She is his solace, of that he is aware, even if it puts him on precarious ground in the long run.

                      ❝ More-so now, ❞ he says sincerely, as they waltz around the dance floor. And it’s true. Though he’d found moments of reprieve earlier in the evening, among friends and less-than-friends, it was not until Sera that he felt a sense of peace. ( As peaceful as he can EVER BE, at any rate. ) ❝ It’s of no matter, really. ❞ Caius doesn’t want her worrying about him; doesn’t want his discomfort to ruin her night. He’s done this before, and will survive tonight as well. What matters to him is that SHE is happy. 

                      ❝ As for Kieran and the sweets, I’m afraid I can make no promises. ❞ Caius grins warmly, and he feels the tension slowly  r e l e a s e  from his shoulders as they move across the floor – with Sera leading every step of the way. It’s a fact that amuses him, something endearing, and he wouldn’t DARE correct her on it. He’s never been much of a dancer anyhow; much better to let the one that knows what they’re doing take the lead, so far as Caius is concerned. 

                       He hardly notices when the music slows, a soft switch to a new melody, and the pairs around them come to a halt. The end of the dance. But he finds he isn’t ready to let go of her yet; to relinquish her company to another, and is hesitant to release his grip on her hand. Funny how, in any other circumstance, he would be looking for this opportunity to flee. To get out of this ENVIRONMENT with a polite bow and quiet exit, perhaps now finally capable of escaping the masquerade entirely. But he has spent too much of the night avoiding her, trying not to monopolize her time with his selfishness, that now that it is his, he wants to hold onto it. Hold onto her, his friend. Just a little bit longer.

                      Caius decidedly leaves it to her then. He looks at her quietly, questioning, willing to turn and leave at her word. Stay. Or Stay. He wants her to be happy, after all; he’ll do whatever she wants of him. 

                     Dancing with Caius is like nothing she’s experienced before. Dancing has always been Sera’s domain, more so than any one of her ladies, more so than most of court, and music has always been an IMPORTANT part of her life. She can’t remember a time when she wasn’t dancing across her room and singing to her sisters, to her ladies, along with Juliana’s violin. But even with all of that, even with all the dancing partners she’s had, this moment with Caius ranks at the top of her list. He’s not the most talented dancer, he’s not leading her across the floor and spinning her around and lifting her, but he’s staring at her like she’s somehow managed to set all the planets into alignment for him, following her steps like he’d follow her to the end of the world. And somehow, that means more to Sera than any amount of talent. He cares about her –– of course he does, he’s your friend, a TERRIBLE voice in the back of her mind that sounds suspiciously like Reason reminds her –– and that’s e v e r y t h i n g to Sera. 

                    She would never say it out loud to him, she can’t, but she wants, more than anything, to thank him for this moment, for the fragile and careful way he holds her against him as they dance. She wants to thank him for being the man she loves and letting her pretend, for a few minutes, that there is more to this friendship than a few stolen moments in a library every once in a while. He’s speaking, he’s smiling, and she wants to weep. She’s always loved his smile; always loved the sound of his voice, whether he’s teasing Kieran or he’s reading to her or saying her name, her name, just the simple litany and the rise and the fall of her name. “ I KNEW it, ” she laughs, laughs! She’s struck suddenly with the realization that she’s laughed more since her brother returned that morning than she has in the last two years. “ I should never have left the sweets unguarded. I’ll never get my almond cakes now, ” she grins, though if she’s being honest, the little almond cakes that she loves so much are the last thing on her mind. His eyes are so green, so bright behind his mask, and she is so happy.

                   The music stops soon, too soon, and Sera’s startled by it, standing in the ballroom in Caius’s arms like it was the center of a blast radius. His grip is getting more and more tenuous, like he’s ready to let go and walk away –– and that’s what people do at the end of dances, that voice called Reason reminds her –– and she tightens her grip on his hand, for just a moment. 

                   “ Wait, ” she asks, her voice shaky and careful, not wanting to ask too much more of him but not yet ready to let him go. Sera barely has time to form another sentence before the band starts up again, a livelier song, one that requires close dancing and a lot of lifts. Too many things crowded on the tip of her tongue, clambering for her to give voice to them. Stay with me. Don’t go. Don’t leave me yet. Stay by my side. Dance with me until dawn is rising and everyone else is gone, so everyone knows where I want to remain. “ I love this song, ” she tells him instead, a hopeful smile blooming across her lips. Hopeful that he’ll say yes, hopeful that he’ll hold her tighter, hopeful that he UNDERSTANDS that when she says I love this song, what she means is I love you. 

                   His hand tightening around hers is like a weight off her back, and she spins out and back in to the beat so quickly that her forehead touches his, their masks bumping and knocking hers askew. She LAUGHS again, bright and loud and melodic, and she’s never been this close to his lips before, and she has to tell herself to tear away, to rest her hands on his shoulders and enjoy this friendship for what it is, not what it is not. Still, for the moment, it is enough. 

                   Then again, Caius always has been. 

{ end }

[ghostofnorta-blog]

ofsamos:

     An entire decade passed by before he was inevitably called back to play the part of the dutiful son. “ Come home, ” his parents had both urged, first in letters then through emissaries who in turn just read off what he would crumple and toss without so much as a second glance, “ come home WHOLE and COMPLETE. ” It was an extraordinary request, especially since prior to deployment he had been neither whole nor complete — honestly, he doubted that had ever been true of him. But despite his best efforts to refuse them, they chipped away at his resolve piece by piece until eventually he obliged as he always did, eager ( too eager ) to please. And though, he had spent more than a third of his life on the warfront, watching dolefully as men filed in and out, taken from their ranks from either a bullet or mortar fire, Augustus gathered what was left of his sanity and marched back, hair clipped and beard gone, ready and willing to fill his role. 

     However, as he stood in the outskirts of the circle of partygoers, mulling over former lessons on etiquette and footwork that had been long forgotten, Augustus felt like a TANGENT. He didn’t belong. He didn’t want to belong. That is, until a familiar voice cut into his thoughts, melodic yet still insistent, demanding a dance of all things. Sera. He had caught glimpses of her throughout the night, her moon white gown distinctive amongst the blacks, crimsons, and indigo blues that seemed to litter the room, adorning just about every high-born woman. The word “ beautiful ” came to mind, but when he attempted to say it, the descriptor got caught in his throat. The timing didn’t seem right, the adjective seemed too shallow — if he were to make an impression, he needed something less contrived. 

                          ❝ Is that an order, princess? ❞

     He said half-jokingly, the corners of his lips quirking into the beginnings of a smirk. Without pausing for an answer, Augustus held out his gloved hand, partially expecting her to push it away. He didn’t belong, but he had to act like he did. He didn’t dance, but tonight he would.

           She hesitated –– not long, of course, not with the threat of Cavan Welle at her heels –– but after a moment, rested hers on top of his. The leather of his glove was well worn and warm, but still odd. Sera had to think for a moment to try and remember a time when she’d seen him without those gloves, but she came up empty. Then again, he’d only been back at court for a year; there was still time for her to see him without that sort of ARMOR.

          “ Request, ” she corrected, though they both knew that the gritted teeth of her jaw said everything. She’d just picked the lesser of the two evils in this venture. The journey back to the dance floor was a short one, and the feel of that skin warmed leather on the bare skin of her back sent a quick shiver down her spine, one that she didn’t comment on. Her posture was stiff, her jaw set, and aside from that momentary lapse, she was the picture of porcelain Silver strength. The nature of the dance required her body to remain closer to his than she would have liked, and she cast about for a topic of discussion –– anything to distract her from the warmth radiating from his chest. It was surprisingly difficult; after all, she didn’t often have cause to converse with Augustus Samos. The amount of things they had in COMMON began and ended with his little sister...and even then, Sera wasn’t sure she could count Alessa anymore. 

         “ I trust things are going well with the Sentinel training? ” She finally asked, remembering WHY it was he came back from the Choke a year ago.

[ghostofnorta-blog]

siinger:

                     ❝ I am sorry for the delay. ❞ He didn’t mean to abandon her to the wolves – he just didn’t want to be in the way. Surely she’s had more important people than him to spend time with throughout the evening, her own brother and the returning war heroes, among them. And yet, she seems JUST as happy to see him as he is to see her, and he knows that if she were to ask, he would remain by her side for the rest of the night.

                     Caius leads her to the floor, and doesn’t miss how the crowd seems to part a bit in order to give them space. No doubt there are eyes all over the two of them right now, and yet, he doesn’t care. Not entirely. Sure, when everything is said and done, and a few eyes linger when he’d rather just fade from their thoughts – when there is no more  b u f f e r  to block them out, that will be a time for anxiety. But for now, he does his best to ignore everything else that isn’t Sera.

                     As a new song begins he wraps his arm around her back, hand placed delicately against her smooth skin. It’s a STRANGE feeling, the sensation that it brings, and it’s one he’s uncertain how to process. He fights the instinct he has to withdraw, to pull away from the touch and RETREAT back into himself when faced with anything unexpected and rattling. Caius’s fingers flex as his pulse quickens, no doubt a silver blush painted against his cheeks. ( She is soft; of course she is. He doesn’t know why he would have expected any different. )

                    ❝ I never thought I’d be doing this, ❞ he admits quietly, intent on keeping their conversation just between the two of them. For as much as people liked to  p r y, stick their nose in everyone else’s business, Caius has always appreciated how private their relationship has been, and he isn’t intent on changing that now.

                   ❝ Dancing. Here, with you. With anyone. ❞ It’s true that a ballroom has never been a place of comfort for Caius. In fact, he’s rather gone out of his way of avoiding them, usually. Before his friendship with the princess, at least. It is because of her that he TRIES, of that he’s well aware. ❝ But… I can’t regret that I am. ❞ Not with her, anyway.

                   ( There are many, many things in his life that he regrets. The list is as long as it is suffocating, weighing down on his mind in a constant  s t r u g g l e. But he can’t bring himself to add her, or the friendship they’ve fostered over the years, though he knows it is selfish of him to do so. She’s become such a constant for him, a steadying force in his life, he doesn’t know what he’d do without her. Doesn’t want to consider the inevitability of it, even if he knows that what she deserves is so much more than he can give. )

                      Instead, he concentrates on her. And that, for now, it is as simple as two friends sharing a dance – nothing outside of it matters. Everything else just falls away.

                     “ It’s alright, ” she says instantly, immediately. There is no rancor, no blame between them, not even for a moment, not even in jest. Sera can’t even ENTERTAIN the idea of being angry at him, not when she understands just how much he doesn’t want to be here. She can’t help her smile, no matter how wide and white it flashes. Her cheeks will hurt from the strain soon, she’s sure, but she can’t bring herself to stop smiling at him. The crowd parts in their wake, but she only has eyes for him; in a lot of ways, she always has. 

                    His hand is warm on her back. She can feel his muscles TENSE for a moment before they  r e l a x, his touch light and ready to be released at any moment. It’s so different from anything she’s used to. Her friends and her brother are solid and dependable when they take her hand or wrap their arms around her shoulder; her father is harsh and biting when he grabs her wrist and then false and soothing when he strokes her face. Caius is careful, Caius is gentle, Caius does not demand or even ask anything of her. He simply takes what she gives him with reverence and fear, like he’s afraid she will revoke her decision at any moment and change her mind. 

                    It’s silly, to Sera –– she can’t imagine wanting anything other than a moment like this, with one of his hands wrapped around hers and the other pressed against the bare skin at the small of her back –– but it’s still a feeling that she  u n d e r s t a n d s. She’s still startled in her own ways when anyone doesn’t flinch away from her touch. His voice is grounding, taking her away from her lingering thoughts. It’s still quiet enough to share SECRETS between the two of them, and if she blocks out the music, she can pretend that it’s just the two of them. But Sera’s always been too FOND of music to do that. 

                    “ I’m glad you are, ” she tells him, still smiling as she follows the steps of the dance. It’s an old one, one she knows well enough to do in her sleep, and that’s all the better, because she can’t focus on anything other than him at the moment. If she were paying attention, she’d realize she fell into the role of the lead, instinctively and naturally. “ Here, I mean. With me. ” 

                    Sera flushes, bright white under her mask, and shakes her head a touch, though she still can’t stop the damn smile on her face. “ I just mean –– I’m glad to be here, dancing with you. ” It’s odd. She’s never been this tongue tied around him before. Maybe it’s the champagne that made her bold and silly enough to wear a mask in his house colors and a dress that exposes her bare back, maybe it’s the fact that it’s very difficult to remember why she doesn’t allow herself as many INTIMACIES with him as she’d like when her chest is so close to his. 

                    ( And there is a reason that the two of them do not talk about this, there is a reason why they don’t go there, but in this moment Sera can’t seem to remember what it is. There is just the music and the feel of his skin and the color of his eyes and the sound of his voice, and it’s easy, it’s so easy, to think about all the reasons why they SHOULD. ) 

                    “ Are you enjoying yourself, at least? I saw Kieran monopolizing the desserts earlier; I hope the two of you left enough for me. ”

[claudprovos]

Tonight’s masquerade ball was meant to celebrate the safe return of the Crown Prince back home and that should’ve been more than enough to put Claudius in a good enough mood to attend the ball. He had to remind himself of this several times throughout the evening as he got ready for the event, trying to get rid of that sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that made him feel like he was doing something terribly wrong. Claud had just lost the girl he was in love with, how was he supposed to dance and laugh and enjoy himself? It seemed impossible, but when Claudius looked in the mirror, dressed in a gold and black suit that brought out his finest features, the medal still hanging from his neck, he didn’t look like he was falling apart. Claud looked normal, happy, even, if he dared to lift the corners of his mouth in a perfectly practiced half-smile.

When he made it inside the ballroom, a number of people turned to look at him, and Claud greeted them with that same smile, but if anyone thought to look closer, they’d be able to notice how dull his blue eyes looked – lifeless and tired, having lost the sparkle that they once had. Moving deeper into the crowd to find a friendly face or a drink – both would do just fine in temporarily numbing the ache in his heart – Claud found himself standing merely a few feet away from Seraphina. 

Remembering her promise to him, he approached her, tapping her gently on the shoulder. “I believe you owe me a dance.” Claud smiled, extending a hand for her to take.

[ghostofnorta-blog]

The emergence of Claud was a welcome respite to the rest of the ballroom. Claudius, in all his genuine earnestness, had always been a breath of fresh air in regards to the mannerisms of the rest of the world, and she smiled back at him as she took his hand. “ I didn’t forget, ” she promised lightly, reaching down to lift the hem of her dress as she stepped up onto the ballroom floor. They hadn’t had a chance to really talk yet, and though she’d never been as close to Claud as Dom was, the Provos siblings and the Calore twins had always been rather closely aligned. And –– well, for all that it was a terrible time, she wanted to know more about what had happened in the Choke, outside of what Dom had thought to share in his letters. ( Which, admittedly, was quite a bit. )

As the dance started, she rested one hand gracefully on his shoulder and followed the steps of the waltz, an easy and uncomplicated piece. “ I trust you had a safe journey back to Archeon? ” She finally asked, assuming that was a neutral enough place to start.

[generalmacanthos-blog]

They made their way toward the crowd, setting about the proper form that was reacquired of a song like this. He led them through the mass of other dancers, careful not to go too fast. He couldn’t help but grin at her response a moment later, dipping his head as if to hide it. “I’m sure he’ll be here at any moment,” he said, voice lowered. He hoped the same could be said for his partner. It seemed they were in the same boat tonight.

It was difficult to remember that he didn’t know everything about the princess. Rumors and her high standing made it easy to forget that his image of her was only formed from others’ talking, besides bit and pieces here and there that he’d gathered from the prince’s conversations and his own letters from her. And Graham’s own observations that she was very, very quiet, very solemn. He saw eyes like hers when he looked in a mirror.

He bowed his head in acknowledgement. “Sera,” he said, testing the name. “It’s only fair you call me Graham, then.” He smiled, spinning with her as everyone else did. “I’m flattered. I’ve heard a lot about you as well, though I’m sure you hear that far too often,” he said, returning her sympathetic smile from earlier. “Maybe we should see if our sources are reliable.” His mouth broke out into a broad smile; incapable of keeping his tone serious when he thought of even half the silly things he heard people whisper. “Like…is it true that your hair is made from bottled sunshine?”

[ghostofnorta-blog]

She dipped her head, cheeks flushing as she hummed a noncommittal agreement. A moment passed, and she lifted her eyes to peek around his arm carefully. “He’s not one for parties,” she said simply, her tone soft and secretive, but...hopeful. “What about you, General? Waiting for someone in particular?” Sera asked curiously, cocking an eyebrow. She was curious, of course, but had also delved enough personal information regarding the object of her affections for the moment; the court already likely had a rumor or two as to why she spent so much time alone with Caius; she didn’t need more rumors spreading around. 

Not that she thought Graham was the kind of man to discuss idle gossip, but with how close he was with her brother –– well, Sera didn’t particularly care to gamble with fire. 

“Graham,” she corrected herself, smiling slightly as she spun under his arm and landed lightly back in his arms. She almost laughed at his next question, her lips twisted in a smile and her eyes darting to the walls to try and maintain her composure for the moment. It’d been a while since she’d heard that one. “I stole it from an ear of corn, if you must know, but you’re not to tell anyone,” she informed him a moment later, a laugh bubbling up in her words, unbidden. “And you must tell me, is it true that you and Augustus Samos have been known to drink the blood of our Lakelander enemies under the light of a full moon?”

[ghostofnorta-blog]

siinger:

& @ghostofnorta

                       Caius TRIES to keep his distance. He really does. Though he wants nothing more than to find a place at Sera’s side, and stay there for the entire night, it isn’t possible. So he sticks to the corners, the shadows, places out of the focus of all the party goers. He wills time to move faster, for everything to just end already, and he can search for some kind of TRANQUILITY in the quiet aftermath when he’s alone again. But alas, the night is not kind, and is sure to be long. And it’s all he can do to not seek her out for as long as he does. 

                      ( She is a sight to behold, t r u l y. Her entrance caused many heads to TURN, and still she captivates the attention of her subjects, his own included. Caius’ heart stammered in his chest with a sensation that was familiar and yet confusing as he watched her move with grace, emotions stirring within that he had never properly recognized, ultimately being chalked up to nerves from the masquerade. )

                      Eventually he gives up his hopeless attempt. When he’s worn out his patience, tired of waiting and eager to talk to his friend – to one of the few people that would make this bearable –, Caius uproots himself from his position against the wall and makes his way across the room, careful to avoid disrupting any dancing Silvers. He can’t help it; she pulls him in like a beacon, with an offer of safety and unfailing gentleness he could never resist. The closest thing he has ever felt to PEACE is when he’s around her. Though circumstances are not ideal, in the busy ballroom with all the eyes of the Silver Elite watching every move made, he would still rather spend the time with her than anywhere else. 

                      Caius bows before her, all the formalities they usually forego put on  d i s p l a y  for the sake of the Court. ❝ Your Highness. ❞ Sera. The words feel foreign on his tongue – he hasn’t used the title since she first began to seek him out. There has never been a need to between them; when they’re alone, they’re just Sera and Caius.  ❝ You look… ❞ he trails off, finding no words that would adequately fit. His cheeks tinge silver, though likely unnoticeable in the lighting of the grandiose room.  ❝ You look extraordinary. ❞

                      Hesitantly, Caius offers her his hand. He has never been much for dancing, would never even consider it with anyone else, but this is different. Sera is different. And if he wants to spend time with her tonight, he must do it in the way of the Court. ❝ Would you still care to dance ? ❞

                It only takes a few hours before she feels foolish in her dress, with only a few seams holding a row of buttons up her bare back and lace hugging the curve of her hips. It feels impractical, it feels exposing, and she is struck, suddenly, by the notion that she must look like a young girl, tottering around in her mother’s high heels. Her TIARA feels heavy on her head, her dress feels tight, and her brother is far too busy entertaining the ladies who were supposed to be her friends, once upon a time. She’d never blame Dom for that rift; she knows it’s not his fault. She knows what they’re expecting him to give up in all of this, but...

               Sometimes it’s hard for her to FORGET that if her brother wasn’t the prince, if she wasn’t the princess, their lives would be a lot different. If she wasn’t a Princess of Norta, maybe she wouldn’t be dancing with man after man after man after man, constantly looking over their shoulders for the one person she wanted to see. Maybe it’d be different, she thinks, maybe he would feel differently if I weren’t who I am.

               Or maybe she’s just lying to herself, filling her head with nothing but wishful thinking. Caius is her FRIEND, nothing more than that, no matter what she wants, what she wishes, what she hopes. It’s unfair of her to try and expect more from someone who so clearly does not want the kind of life she has to lead, and she doesn’t –– for the most part. Sometimes, though, sometimes he looks at her and she can  a l m o s t  convince herself that maybe he feels it too. It’s enough, for the most part, to keep her brave. To keep her bold. It’s enough encouragement to keep her reaching for his hand, in the quiet moments between just the two of them. 

               Sera almost gives up looking for him, convinces herself that he’s had enough for the night, that he’s long since left, when she FINALLY spots him. His ability dissolves before he’s within a stone’s throw of her –– she’s been practicing, and she’s always been attuned to Caius’s aura –– and she smiles in spite of herself at his bow, at his use of her title. It’s so often that she hates her title, so often that she wishes she was just Sera, like he is just Caius, and that whatever it is that LINGERS between them is simple. But when he says it, it doesn’t sound like anything except  P R A I S E; like he sees the princess who takes her title seriously, the princess who cares about her people. 

               He’s never been more HANDSOME than he is in that moment, in the same tone of gold of her mask, holding out a hand to her and asking her to dance. “ I was beginning to worry you’d never ask, ” she finally manages, her voice quiet enough to remain between the two of them, even in such a crowded room. “ I thought you might have left me all alone to the wolves, ” Sera teases, stepping into his arms like it’s EASY, like it’s NATURAL, like it’s something they do ALL THE TIME. ( And maybe they do, in their own way. ) “ I was going to be very cross with you tomorrow, if you had. I’m  g l a d  that I won’t have to be. ” 

[ghostofnorta-blog]

ofskonosblood:

He didn’t think his face was angled towards her this time, but despite her steps being lost, he believed he was at least turned toward her. Usually, he would try to align his stature to another’s, to give the air he was looking at them even if he couldn’t see. Conversations bloomed when the visual cues were present, when people believed they were being heard because all eyes were on them. Though he could be off the mark, Kieran did his best to provide that cue, if only to gain fruitful conversations rather than awkward stumbling.

                      ( at the end of the day, he would remain blind                            if others could recognize that as he did, the days would be better                                then again, he wouldn’t have an upper hand if they did )

At least at the present, at least in front of Sera, he wasn’t too far off; the touch at his elbow brought clarity, and he adjusted accordingly. There was appreciation to be had over the subtle action, and how it didn’t break the flow of their interaction. It was an example of what he wished from everyone nowadays; he knew better than to expect it, and was content in who understood, but he wished all the same.  

Still, Sera knew. That was what mattered. Despite what had transcribed – despite what he suspected she still thought about ( because of course he did too, always, forever ) – she didn’t treat him as if he was limited. 

“Oh, I absolutely insist you lead,” he chuckled, shifting his grip on his cane. He wasn’t comfortable leaving it behind where some other Silver would surely take it for entertainment, and could only hope it wouldn’t impede too much on their steps. He followed her, matching pace until they were further into the dancing area. “And don’t tempt me with opportunity, your highness, I have to be on my best behavior, despite how enticing that sounds.” If she could see it, he would wink to inform her he would JUMP at that tempting offer. But his mask still covered his eyes, and Kieran was only left with words. “That isn’t to say my cane could tangle in his legs by accident. Highly, highly likely if he draws near.”

Sera had known Kieran since she was young, and their friendship had always been clouded with the amount of power her family had over his. Kieran, though, had never seemed to hold that against her, something that Sera remained grateful for as an adult. She wasn’t as close to him as she was to Caius ( but then, she wasn’t as close to ANYONE as she was to Caius, except, of course, for her brother ) but it was still an important friendship to her. It reminded her that no matter what her father forced her hand in, the rest of the world –– part of it, at least –– still believed her to be something other than Aurelian’s weapon. 

Kieran treated her like a person. Not a princess, not a weapon. Not someone complicit in a MURDER. 

“ Sera, ” she corrected quietly as she tugged him onto the ballroom floor. She knew this was a far more formal setting than the normal time spent in the library, but she wasn’t about to let him get away with such formalities. She had no right to hold that sort of POWER above his family. Not anymore. If anything, she should be bowing to the Skonos brothers; she should be paying penance and kneeling to Aetius. They deserved nothing less after what her father took from them, but for now, small liberties would have to do. Start with small kindnesses. The rest would fall into place one day.

Once they were in the correct position and frame, his cane tucked safely between his hand and the small of her back, Sera began to lead them in the steps, counting under her breath and still smiling in spite of herself at his joke. “ He’s always near, ” she finally murmured, pressing her lips together. “ He and Lord Welle, ” she whispered, snark and disdain coating the word like poison. “ Always lurking, always waiting to snap up a chance to have a moment alone with the princess, ” she sighed, shaking her head – though he couldn’t see it. “ It’s exhausting, Kieran, truly exhausting. ” Sera paused, biting down on her lower lip. There was MORE she could have said, things she could have delved into, but she did her best not to burden others with anything she carried around, so she smiled instead, letting it color her words so that he could hear it. 

“ I’m sure someone’s already told you, but I can promise you in all genuine honesty, you look splendid tonight, my friend. ”

[ghostofnorta-blog]

generalmacanthos:

Graham’s rigid back was plastered to the walls as he watched the people dance, laugh, ogle each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking. In his hand was a flute of rich champagne, almost too sweet for him to swallow. He felt like he knew so many people here, yet at the same time, didn’t know them at all. He’d busied himself with small talk, but it all felt hollow. It was too hard for him to focus on what they considered to be interesting topics tonight. Once he’d gotten a legitimately good night’s rest, he might be refreshed enough to pull this charade off better. Tonight, he felt exhaustion tug at his eyes though.

There was a momentary relief when he saw the back of one girl, blonde hair elegantly done up, but his hope was squashed almost as fast when he noticed the girl’s body was much too small to be the same as the one he so often dreamed of. He had memorized the contours of Juliana’s body so well that it would be difficult to truly not recognize her. Then again, it had been two months. He shook the fearful thought away as soon as it dared come.

If he hadn’t been so excited, he would’ve noticed that white was not her house color, either. Graham smiled at the tiny princess searching the dance floor. Being around Domitius for so long, he thought it appropriate he get reacquainted with the sweet girl he remembered. He walked away from his cozy wall and didn’t stop until he was standing beside her.

“Your Highness,” he said gently, giving a deep bow in genuine respect. The change in song prompted him to extend a hand toward her, palm up. “Would you please honor me with a dance? If you’re not waiting for someone else, that is.”

She looked, she did, but she didn’t see Caius anywhere. She couldn’t BLAME him if he was off hiding somewhere, frankly, but she couldn’t hide the bit of disappointment that gripped her stomach. Sera sighed softly through her nose and pressed her lips together, ready to head to find herself a glass of wine and bother her brother –– if he wasn’t already busy ‘entertaining’ Laelia –– and leave it at that for the moment. Graham’s presence threw her for a bit of a startled loop, but she nodded immediately, giving him a slight smile as she did. 

She’d never known Graham as well as she knew Griffin, but she’d sent him a letter or two during his time at war. Nothing much of substance, mind you, all of them mainly concerning of his siblings and her brother, but they were something, at least. For all that Graham was a well respected soldier –– and a very capable one, if Dom’s stories were anything to go by –– she’d always found his presence to be very quiet, and calming. So she took his hand, walking out to the dance floor with him, and rested her hands in the proper frame. “ I don’t know that he’s here, ” she confided a moment later, offering Graham a COMMISERATING smile. After all, she wasn’t blind enough to assume he’d been lurking around the edges of the ballroom without good reason. It was far more likely he was waiting for someone as well, but who that could be was beyond her. 

“ And you can call me Seraphina, General, or just Sera. Dom speaks of you so highly that I feel as though I already know you on a far more personal level, ” she told him quietly, reminding herself firmly to follow his steps rather than lead as they began the dance. 

[ghostofnorta-blog]

ofskonosblood:

He had hoped that this time, the noises wouldn’t be so overwhelming. It was amazing how many distinct sounds were in a single, empty hallway; to be placed into a filled ballroom was as amazing, but wholly jarring. His efforts to concentrate had to be multiplied tenfold if he wanted to survive the night without accident. It was the first grand ball since his blinding, and he wanted to, at the very least, not whack his cane against somebody’s cane.

Well, actually, he could wish not to accidentally hit someone, but could purposefully jab his cane into someone’s leg. That would be a highlight of the night.

Running his tongue over his teeth, he scratched at the skin under the mask. Compared to his glasses, it was highly uncomfortable to wear, the material irritating his scars with every shake of his head. It was tolerable, yes, necessary when he thought of Hector, but if he had a choice, he would have chosen to forgo the mask. The only amusement he could take was how the edge was etched like there were feathers sprouting from the mask. And they were in red glory, as the red servant assured when he unwrapped the mask. 

He wondered if he had to spell out that red and wings were reminiscent of a phoenix, and there was CLEAR SYMBOLISM in what he wore.

Perhaps he wouldn’t, with how the crowd parted for him. No one wanted to step too close, and he knew for most it wasn’t to keep from blocking his path. He was a Skonos, and on top of that, few could handle a conversation in which they were placed in a dimmer light should they forget he was blind. Tonight, he imagined, he would only converse with a select few.

Which wasn’t unfortunate at all, especially when he was attuned to who they were. And that was enforced tonight, when distinct space between steps rang close. His pace slowed, cane soon stilling, and he let a smile grace his features.

“Sera? Are you near, or are you stepping to the dance floor, as you should be?”

Her eyes lighted on Kieran a moment after he spoke. She flushed bright white with embarrassment that she hadn’t caught him before now. ( If she was being honest with herself, which she WASN’T, she was too busy looking for Caius to see anyone else. ) “ Hello, Kieran, ” she said quietly, a smile playing across her lips. She adjusted her path to put herself at his side, angled slightly towards him, and touched his elbow lightly once to let him know, slyly, where she was. She didn’t think she needed to –– Kieran seemed to have an odd and innate sense of where anyone was at any given time –– but it was polite all the same. She constantly felt like she was trying to catch up to Kieran in their friendship. After all, her family had taken so much from his. 

She still had nightmares about what her father had forced her to do to his sister. 

But when she was around Kieran, she tried not to think about those moments in the Bowl of Bones with Eirene. All it ever did was send her into a panic, and she didn’t need Kieran witnessing that. She had no right to make this about her pain. She’d spent too much time apologizing already, and it was best not to bring it up. There were too many ghosts in both of their lives; she didn’t need to bring them up tonight. 

“ I was hoping to, ” she told him, tugging on his elbow as she did. “ Come on, Kieran, dance with me. I’ll lead, ” she promised with a TEASING grin. Her voice lowered conspiratorially. “ And I can tell you when we pass Augustus so you can take him out at the kneecaps. ”

[ghostofnorta-blog]

                            –––––––––––– MAN MADE MADNESS && THE ROMANCE OF SADNESS

           One of the more primary objectives of Sera’s night at the ball –– like one of her more primary objectives in life –– was to AVOID Cavan Welle. Something about the governor’s son gave her chills that ran down her spine like ice water. Maybe it was the way he looked at everything like it was already his; maybe it was the way he looked at her, and her sister, as though he saw right through them. As though they weren’t  R E A L  in his eyes. Maybe it was just something about the aura that he gave off. Whatever it was, Sera wanted no part in it. She was, quite genuinely, scared of him, and wanted no part in anything that he was pursuing at any given point in time. Unfortunately, at that moment, it seemed like she was on the agenda; she’d made the mistake of making eye contact with the Welle heir from halfway across the ballroom. The second he started to walk towards her, she could feel something akin to panic grip her system, and she blinked to the left and to the right before making up her mind in an instant. 

             Nothing about Augustus Samos was IDEAL, if she was being honest, but he was a better alternative than Cavan. For all that she disliked Alessa’s older brother, for all that his blunt mannerisms and harsh lines and sharp edges irritated her, he didn’t UNNERVE her the way Cavan did. ( After all, there might have been anger lurking behind his eyes more often than not, but at least it was SOMETHING there. ) In any other situation, she’d find any excuse to get herself out of a dance with Augustus, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Quickly, she crossed the ballroom to where he was situated, leaning against a wall with a cool regard for the rest of the room. 

             “ Lord Samos, ” she said, inclining her head. It was POLITE to curtsey when one was requesting a dance, regardless of rank, but Sera wasn’t requesting. 

❝ Dance with me. ❞

[ghostofnorta-blog]

         Contrary to popular belief, Seraphina Calore actually enjoyed parties. She wasn’t one for this many people, granted, but the silent princess hadn’t always been so withdrawn. She’d always been a dancer, and though the waltzes and foxtrots that the Elite favored weren’t exactly the ballet she was at home in, she excelled at them all the same. Well –– in her own way; she could remember a time a decade or so ago when the girls had first started to learn the ballroom dances. Sera, the best dancer of her age group, had been enlisted after hours by her ladies in her rooms to practice with them, always in the place of the boy. She’d spent most of her teenage years leading around the much taller ladies in waiting she called friends, so much so that now, she still instinctively tried to lead every dance she found herself in. 

                              Memories like these made her feel at home in a ballroom;                                            memories like these made her feel empty.

          She glanced around the ballroom as she entered, feeling exposed in her new dress –– it was one that Alessa had ordered for her a year ago for her birthday, and Sera still wasn’t sure she hadn’t meant it as a JOKE –– and almost wishing she hadn’t found the nerve to change into something so revealing. She felt like an exposed nerve, with the breeze caressing her back like a lover she’d never had. The band was dying down, another song was set to start, and she looked up, eager to get on the dance floor, and hoping to find a partner.

[ghostofnorta-blog]

Seraphina Calore’s attire for the masquerade ball originally consisted of a far more appropriate dress, done in simple white satin with no decorative influences. However, after seeing Prosperina Titanos’s attire change so drastically, Sera joined her old friend in an act of solidarity ( and a bit of selfishness ). The backless gown she wears now is no more or less ornate than her usual attire, simply more revealing than anything Norta’s seen the silent princess in. Her hair remains up, showing off every expanse of her back, and her tiara is one of the only pieces of jewelry she wears. Her mask, however, is the truly startling facet of her outfit –– after all, gold does not belong to House Calore or House Arven, but House Jacos.