#theton;event

[everlcsting]

soft  moonlight  streams  over  the  garden.  RAMÓN BESSETTE  leans  on  the  railing  from  the  balcony  above,  cigar  dangling  between fingers  as  he  watches  the  glimmer  of  the  diamond  masks  circling  their  prey.  in  the  next  breath,  the  swell  of  music  rings  louder,  and  he  straightens,  dark  gaze  landing  on  the  newcomer.  //  accepting  replies

"mind  shutting  the  doors  behind  you?"  the  night  has  dragged  onward,  and  exhaustion  clings  to  ramón's  shoulders.  but  his  eyes  remain  bright,  steady.  he  takes  a  puff  of  his  cigar,  smoke  billowing  around  him  as  he  exhales  through  his  nose.

"if  you're  seeking  a  moment  of  escape,  i'm  unsure  how  long  it  will  last."  he  tips  the  butt  of  the  cigar  over  the  rail  and  toward  the  garden.  "diamonds  are  on  the  prowl,  and  i  think  they  may  expand  their  hunt  up  here."

[v1dua]

𝐰𝐡𝐨? leonora & open. 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞? the gemstone ball, barnett house, mayfair.

the memory of the giddy young girl stepping into a ball of glittering gems, handsome suitors and the chance to dance the night away was long bidden within her mind, now entering the ball as a widow - a somewhat lived woman not ready to see faces of old familiars. shoulders roll as the amber ring on her right hand is spun round and round, an anxious movement developed over the years in france and away from home. hazel eyes glide over the decorations that were both gaudy and beautiful at the same time, a false push of presence to create influence and inspiration; sights set towards a secluded corner, far from the moonstone room and close by a table of drinks in case such vices were needed to survive one of many societal events she was sure to return her face to.

slowly, slipping her way through the crowd of faces, nora finds her position for the event - not secluded to far to cause gossip and commotion, but enough to still show her face and polite smiles. "keep me safe, amber," a low whisper of a prayer to the amber ring is her only hope of a pleasant evening right now.

[youngoconner]

who: Anyone in the Ton where: The Barnett House(for the gemstone Ball)

Frederic took a few steps into the ball alongside his brothers. His clothes made him stand out- red and a bit flashy. He thought he looked rather good in the ruby-colored suit. What he hadn't expected was seeing a glimpse of Mary, and she was also wearing red, and because of that. It felt like his brother had him on a tight leash. He was not going to have a good time if this kept up

He only barely managed to slip away from him while he was stuck talking to some women about their daughter being a match for him. He could finally breathe now that he was alone. His eyes weren't forward, and he had glanced behind, making sure Dominic was far enough away. He bumped right into someone. He made a noise, and he glared at the other- He actually managed to bite his tongue and not say anything rude. He’s sure his glare spoke for him. “Hello to you too,” He said as he crossed his arms. He took this as a chance to speak with someone- maybe if his brother saw, he’d leave him be....maybe he could act a little less cross...

[lorddominic]

who: dominic & open! where: The Barnett House (event)

Everything about the Barnett’s success offended him. It wasn’t earned, but Dominic understood the reasons behind this show. By wearing masks adorned with jewels, the Barnetts were demonstrating to the world that they now had money. Dominic knew the truth. Just like the moissanite’s pretending to be diamonds, the Barnett’s were trying to put on a facade. Eight masked figures stood in the room, supposed to be Moonstone’s, rolling out their judgements of others. Dominic hadn’t gone for his appraisal yet; instead, he just stood and watched. His gaze followed others who sought their evaluations, trying to determine if his marchioness was in the crowd. It was difficult to hear, with all the sniggering while the masked people finished their speeches. It was exhausting. When someone approached, Dominic didn’t turn immediately. “Have you been appraised?” He asked, his eyes not leaving the judges. “Or did you come to offer an appraisal for me?”

[lavieenton]

|| open starter || Ceara

|| LOCATION || The Barnett Gemstone Ball

Somewhere along the way, Ceara lost sight of Kitty and decided to traverse the Barnett residence on her own. She wasn’t sure where to go or what would await every corner, but it was better than the strange tension between her and her supposed new friend. She hadn’t seen Tim, which worried her. And she had yet to see Dominic, which made her stomach turn uncomfortably. There wasn’t anyone she could turn to with a familiar face and, for the first time in seventeen years, her vulnerability was at an all-time high.

She fidgeted her fingers, eyes darting from corner to corner until she found an empty hallway to breathe in. Sagging against the wall, she finally took a deep breath. Perhaps this was a bad idea. She wasn’t fit for this sort of thing. Or maybe it was the fact that so much had happened leading up to this ball and her mind was warping all the things that could possibly go wrong.

Ceara began muttering an Irish lullaby to herself, recalling the one her mother used to sing. She hummed the tune, shutting her eyes until she felt another presence and softly said, “I found this hallway first. So, if you do not intend to share it with me, then I suggest walking away.”

[therailroadheir]

who: Anyone in the Ton where: The Barnett House(for the gemstone Ball)

Junho could feel the tenseness of everything at the ball. It always surprised him how a simple ball could have tension. He thought balls weren't meant for fun, but no. English society always needed to cause trouble whenever they are. How pitiful. He's settled next to the rows of sweets.

He hadn't even realized he didn't really know anyone. He knew of people, but friendships weren't his strong suit. He can talk and treat people like friends, but that was different from having real friends. It didn't trouble him most days, but being in a social event showed the evidence of it.

He's chewing on a sweet as he looks at the crowd. He felt someone standing next to him, and he slightly perked up and looked over. He was eager to speak to whoever was nearby. "Enjoy yourself this evening?" he always speaks as if he knows the person next to him, whether he actually did or not.

[thornykitty]

Open starter: The Gemstone Ball | The Pearl Dance

Katherine did not care much for the softer, quieter dances. They could definitely be intimate but that had to be at the right time with the right person. She much preferred the more energetic dances, dances where she could show off her flirty and playful side. That tended to draw people in much better.

She watched as couples twirled around the floor, softly talking and laughing. A small pout on her face as she turned to the person next to her. "I don't know about you, but I wish the orchestra would play something more lively. This is a ball, where people are meant to dance."

[edgaroconnor]

Who: Genevieve de La Croix, Edgar O'Connor Where: The Gemstone Ball at Barnett House, Mayfair When: 17th of May, 1814

The ballroom at Barnett House glittered like a jeweller's case. Candlelight spilled across marble and crystal, catching on gowns sewn with sapphires and emeralds, on diamonds bright enough to outshine the women wearing them. The Gemstone Ball felt less like society and more like a competition, and Edgar had never cared for contests he hadn't chosen. Still, he'd spent most of the evening wandering through the crowd searching for Genevieve. At first he'd expected to find her easily near the dancefloor or maybe the lemonade table, but every familiar silhouette turned into another stranger draped in jewels and perfume. Too many people stopped him along the way, trapping him in conversations he had no interest in enduring.

By the time he slipped outside beneath the pretence of wanting air, he was already exhausted by the evening. The gardens were quieter. Moonlight silvered the pathways while the orchestra faded into distant violins behind him. Edgar wandered aimlessly for a while, taking a long drink from the hip flask hidden inside his coat. Crowds like this always left him restless. He preferred movement, trouble, purpose. When he finally stepped back inside, he was nearly ready to give up searching for her altogether and instead find Frederic, Dominic, and their mother to announce his departure. His dark blue evening clothes caught flashes of green and red beneath the candlelight, his loosened cravat and windswept hair leaving him looking more like temptation than propriety. Then, wandering down one of the quieter hallways away from the ballroom, he finally saw her. The irritation vanished instantly.

For a moment, Edgar only looked at Genevieve, relief and warmth arriving so quickly it almost amused him. She seemed untouched by the exhausting vanity of the evening, calmer than the rest of the house somehow. "Well," he said warmly as he approached, "there you are." The smile lingering at his mouth softened as he reached for her hand, lifting it easily to press a kiss against her knuckles; just as he had the first time they met. His voice lowered with familiar ease. "I was beginning to think you'd abandoned me to suffer amongst the Ton." His gaze flicked briefly back toward the ballroom with theatrical misery before returning to her. " I've spent the entire evening waiting for you to appear and rescue me from it."