harry could not claim to be anything but surprised - albeit delightedly so - when she took a seat beside him, half - expecting the nervous dove of a woman to shatter into a thousand shards of glass when spoken to. a scarlet brow steadily made for his forehead, he observed as she divested of her mask, revealing altogether alluring features beneath the feathered facade. “ in that case, you’re free to stay as long as you wish, madam - so long as i am permitted to know the name of such a pleasing creature. ” his own mask having been discarded long ago, harry wore both his countenance and his heart proudly upon his person - when it suited his intentions, of course. “ it has barely begun. soirees such as this last long after the sun has risen in england - few are granted clemency in the days following for their lethargy. ”
───╰ … ✩ PERHAPS SHE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT THIS OUT BEFORE accepting the offer from her new company. he seemed kind enough, but the ending of his ultimatum had her suspecting him of motives that emmeline did not want to advance on tonight. nevertheless, the blonde grinned -- more so to herself -- at his ultimatum. ❝ i shall divulge my name so long as you do the same. ❞ sweden was far off, and emmeline was not royalty so she did not have the duties of traveling for foreign meetings and was not familiar with most people here. the man was certainly someone she’s never seen before, but not she knew that he was in fact english. ❝ ah, then i suppose you are tasked with making this ball look like afternoon tea with your experience, ❞ emmeline chuckled, head shaking slightly. ❝ and, i am called emmeline ahlström. ❞
Monstrous dancing? That had to be hyperbole for sure. Clearly James had underestimated her - he had not expected her to agree to his suggestion so easily. He kept his features schooled in a mask of reserve as she grinned at him. He wouldn’t crack so easily, or at least, he would not make it so obvious. But it was always a near impossible task to deny someone when they offered such a winning smile. “My price, be it small or not, that is for you to decide,” He began, a small smile twitching at the corners of his lips. “is your name, milady. I require little else.” He was quiet for a moment, allowing her to mull it over. “Is that agreeable enough to you? Or am I asking for too much? You may always tell me a name you wished to be called for tonight, if your given name is too high a price.” If she were to ask the same of him, he supposed he would be a little reticent to give his name, but that was only because of his position. He feared that it would be too much of a giveaway. Although, that being said, James was a common name. After all, he was far from the first King James of Scotland, in fact, he was the fifth of his name.
───╰ … ✩ THROUGHOUT THEIR FRIENDLY CONVERSATION, EMMELINE HAD BEEN observing the moss green shade of his eyes to the inflections and rhythms of his voice to the way he composed himself in stature -- simply everything she could notice without being obvious about it. part of her had her guesses as to who he was, but she wanted to be certain before she spoke his name. no, she did not want to ask the man of his name as well -- the woman wanted to figure it out on her own. emmeline wanted to use her own wits to reveal his identity though the blonde knew she was halfway there. his offer was flattering and a bit uncommon which had the swede chuckling to herself, blue diamonds of eyes glancing to the floors before looking back up to him. ❝ you are not asking much of me at all, ❞ she started, eyes squinting in the slightest as she studied what she could see of his features behind that mask. ❝ emmeline. and that is my given name as well. but i suppose your price has been paid, and i would like to redeem my dance now. ❞ unlikely of a woman, emmeline offered her own arm for him to take with brows arched in anticipation while waiting for him to accept. would he? perhaps women should not be so forward, but their friendly banter so far made her think that he too was more relaxed than most. ❝ shall we, then? ❞
the stuffy atmosphere of the ballroom had begun to wear on harry, though in all honesty perhaps it was the wine he guzzled that was partially to blame for the pounding headache leaping just beneath his skull. goblet in hand (after all, alcohol was the best cure for alcohol-related illnesses) he meandered outdoors, planting himself in the grass and observed from afar the waves roaring against the rock-strewn coves and lapping against the shore. when he heard the familiar rustle of footfalls, he acknowledged the on-comer by taking another swig of his drink. “ you’re welcome to join me so long as you weren’t sent here to retrieve me - or make too much noise. ”
───╰ … ✩ SUCH VAST AND CROWDED BALLROOMS WERE NOT familiar with emmeline who had forgone parties for the most part before arriving here in sardinia. but this seemed required -- how would she make a good impression if she was known as the recluse? the blonde was, by no means, reclusive. she simply had duties to tend to for years that prevented her from putting efforts into socialization. still, the bright chandeliers and resonating strings of the orchestra paired with endless small talk was making her head begin to hurt. the wine did not help too much either. so as she untied her mask, emmeline made her way outside to the garden to catch her breath when an unfamiliar voice seemed to be conversing with her already. ❝ oh... i do not make much noise. and i was not sent to retrieve you either, ❞ the lady spoke -- pausing a moment to think over her next action. it would be odd if she did not sit with him, wouldn’t it? if a man offered his company, she shouldn’t be so quick to refuse -- particularly when she needed to be acquainted with more people here. taking a seat beside him, the blonde set her mask to her side and took a glance over at her new company before focusing out to the waves. ❝ long night. i did not expect this ball to endure for as long as it has. ❞
“I’m sure that’s not true.” James replied kindly. “I’m sure that you are a fine dancer.” He shook his head. “I’ll need more convincing than that, I’m afraid.” He replied jokingly. In truth, he wouldn’t mind a dance. He had been on the outskirts for too much of the evening, perhaps it would do him some good. If anything, it would provide his son with more material to tease him over, as if Calum did not have enough already. “There is, perhaps, a price that I would be willing to settle on in exchange for publicly humiliating myself for your amusement.” He grinned. “But I supposed it would depend on if you were willing to pay or not.” A dark brow raised behind the cover of his mask. “If you wish, you may think on it. The night is still young, after all.” Even if he was not so, anymore. The young Swede, whoever she was, was certainly a welcome change in company from both his family and the mass of monarchs he spent the majority of his days with, locked away in chamber rooms. “In any case, I will be here.” It was far too early to retire for him to just yet. James needed to put the effort in to make connections, otherwise the trip to Sardinia would easily become a waste.
───╰ … ✩ IN FACT, EMMELINE WAS A FINE DANCER, but she would not let him know about that small area of her life in case he became intimidated. her new goal of the night would be to find a way for him to get on the floor during a song, and this offer of his was her doorway to that. smile widened -- eyes squinting slightly and bridge of the nose scrunching up as a result of his teasing offer he had held back from her for the time being. he seemed like a kind man and not one to ask something vulgar of her as so many others would, why not accept? ❝ i would not use you for my amusement, i was offering to further take attention off of you with my monstrous dancing! ❞ she chuckled at the thought of the two of them stomping around during a waltz, but it was still something she’d like to see. ❝ i do not need time to decide -- i will agree to whatever your demands are of me. ❞ head held high which illuminated her lily smooth neck that boasted a single silver necklace as she responded in that oh so refined way. a tease of course, and he might’ve been able to see that given that grin of hers. ❝ what is your price, sir? ❞
“I suppose, but there are so few Scots here, it does make working out who I am a far easier task.” He chuckled. Really the only options were himself, Calum, or Alasdair. It wouldn’t take much to guess. But still, he would enjoy the anonymity for a little while longer. “Ah, Sweden.” A fellow northern country. Certainly one of the ones that James had an interest in. “Far more enjoyable that way, I believe. Less circumstance and ceremony.” There were so many protocols to follow at formal balls, it was hard to keep up sometimes. “Some would say that I was.” And by some he meant most. It was the sudden death of his first wife that had shocked him into finally growing up. “I like to think I have worn myself out, but I believe that’s up for debate. I rarely make a habit of dancing. It would do me little good to embarrass myself out there. And yourself? Surely a young woman such as yourself would enjoy it.” His wife certainly did - he had barely seen her that evening.
───╰ … ✩ ALL HER YEARS OF MISSING OUT ON balls in her own home country left her rather behind when it came to connections. again, her father was the most important thing to her so there was not a day that emmeline regretted caring for him instead, but she did wish things were different. scotland was small, but sweden was smaller here. at least they had a strong reputation to back them. she nodded her head in agreement to his preference for smaller celebrations -- emmeline herself actually missing those festivities at a time like this. vivid memories of herself aged ten or so holding on to her father’s hand or coat while he made his rounds in swedish parties came to her, she she so wished that she had someone there to provide a comfort such as that. but it was his next declaration that had her grinning once more, this time with a new found blush lingering on pale skin. ❝ i do, though i cannot say that i am as graceful as other women here... ❞ blue eyes chanced a glance back at the many dancers on the polished floor before looking back up at the scottish man, rose lips tilting into a glowing smile. ❝ well... i would be glad to make a fool of myself with you on the ballroom floor should you change your mind and decide to try a dance tonight. ❞
“It’s easy to find fault in hindsight.” James offered. “But these things can be easier said than done. And I don’t believe that any of us will be returning home just yet.” He laughed. “Is the accent really that obvious? Perhaps I should have tried a little harder tonight. Nothing quite like this. We hold far more simpler parties in Scotland. All you really need is a fiddle and some fine whisky. And in your country? Forgive me, I cannot place the accent. I’m not as widely traveled as my brother.” Not that that was a great surprise, it was not easy for a King to take leave of his country unless it was of great importance. “Perhaps some party could have rivalled this before I be-” he stopped himself, reluctant to reveal his identity just yet. “when I was younger. But even still, this is something else entirely. The whole palace is, rather.”
───╰ … ✩ FAR EASIER SAID THAN DONE -- PARTICULARLY IN her own situation. emmeline grinned at his question. was his accent obvious? possibly the most obvious of anyone else’s. that deep, throaty voice much like a harsher irish was one that the blonde was rather intrigued by. not as melodic as the irish, but still poetic in a way. its roughness seemed to be intertwined with his country’s headstrong past. william wallace certainly was a figure. a light chuckle escaped, emmeline smoothing the skirt of her dress absentmindedly. ❝ i am afraid the scottish have a very dominant voice. why should you try to hide it? your accent may be recognizable, but your identity is not so long as that mask stays on, ❞ she teased -- turning to glance back at the ballroom floor when she heard a group of quick, roaring laughter from across the room. focusing back on her company again, she resumed that sun ray of a smile. ❝ swedish. we have similar parties then, i believe. music, food, and a barrel of wine is all that is required. ❞ far less extravagant, but also more communal. at his next comment, emmeline raised a brow in curiosity though an amused smile illuminated her. ❝ ah, yes? quite a wild one back then, were you? have you worn yourself out since, or do you usually refrain from dancing? you seem far too young to have worn out already, i would assume the latter. ❞
James couldn’t say that he had also felt terribly lost in Sardinia, but he had felt overwhelmed. For a kingdom that had been so reclusive, James had started on the back foot, compared to other kingdoms that already had connections and alliances. There were countries that James was interested in extending a hand of friendship towards, but it was just a case of making that first step. “It has? Well I’m glad to hear it. If nothing else comes of this night, that is a success enough. It can be difficult, sometimes, when there are so many people you do not know.”
───╰ … ✩ SWEDEN HAD NEVER BEEN A COUNTRY AT THE FRONT LINES of any global conference. sweden was rather off to itself -- focusing on the peoples’ well-being trying to find a middle ground to further unite the rest. emmeline had spent eight years from her twentieth birthday caring for her sick father, and that had kept her from most social events that she should’ve attended since many distinguished guests made their rounds. of course her father’s health was more important than social climbing. but this had left his behind as well and in need to reacquaint herself to this life. her company’s comment earned a warm smile from her -- emmeline looking up at the stranger’s mask to further examine his eyes in particular in the hopes of guessing his identity. ❝ i suppose that is my own fault. i should have introduced myself far more than i did earlier on. ❞ the blonde shrugged a shoulder, turning her attention to the spinning dancers. ❝ it is a lovely ball though... have you many parties in scotland? that is where you are from, yes? ❞
It was a fine ball that had been arranged. James hovered around the perimeter of the ornate ballroom - dancing was not a priority for him that evening. It was the first time all the attendees were together socially as opposed to politically, and he was curious to see how this would change things. Turning to the masked figure next to him, he gestured with a sweep of his arm, his brocade cloak billowing with the movement. “It’s quite something, isn’t it?”
───╰ … ✩ A BALL, SHE THOUGHT, WAS A CLEVER IDEA FOR WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES were at hand. with so much devastation in the midst of all things, a moment of relief and lightheartedness was certainly needed. emmeline enjoyed watching the rest dance and drink, but she herself was a bit too timid to push herself into anyone’s fun. the night was spent with the swedish attendees and few germans who knew her late mother until a stranger appeared at her side -- voicing just what she was thinking. ❝ it is. unifying, i think, ❞ she responded in that soft tone she possessed. ❝ these past few weeks i have found myself terribly lost here, yet this ball seemed to have helped. ❞
alasdair missed feeling … jovial. even at a masque, he had trouble finding his smile. so he sought out the easiest way to remedy that, at least in his experience. cup after cup of expensive italian wine, he was finally feeling loose enough to make a fool of himself on the dancefloor and even rub a few elbows. after a particularly uproarious dance, alasdair practically collapsed against a table on the edge of the room, reaching for another glass of wine. he panted slightly, wiping away the sweat around his mask. “they really don’t consider how hot these things are, do they?” he couldn’t be sure who he was talking to, with the masks and all, but he didn’t care much at this point.
───╰ … ✩ EMMELINE HAD NEVER BEEN A HEAVY DRINKER. her youth and what kind of life she had lived did not allow her much time to do such things. caring for her late father had consumed most of her prime years of her twenties, and of course she could not be intoxicated while doing so. besides, emmeline wanted to remember each moment with him. but that sort of life did not experience her for parties such as these where people were filled with liquor and roaming about with such behaviour. still, emmeline loved the happiness that flourished in the room -- it seemed accentuated by the sparkling crystals of the chandelier and the bright colors of all the ballgowns. the lady in waiting was enjoying everything completely though she may have seemed a bit to herself at the moment. cup of water in hand, the blonde chuckled to herself as she noticed a man make a fool of himself on the floor with that dancing. but then he was moving closer. surely he wasn’t talking to her? that grin stayed on her lips while she watched the other take another glass. ❝ perhaps they do, but there is nothing to aid the heat. i would say to spend a minute on the balcony, but i am afraid that you should have an escort to do so in case you feel unstable- ❞
HEAR YE, HEAR YE! Allow me to introduce EMMELINE AHLSTRÖM of SWEDEN. The 32 year old LADY is known to be PERCEPTIVE and IDEALISTIC, but rumors about court claim SHE can be PRIVATE and SPITEFUL when crossed. Only time will tell where their interests belong.
• emmeline kirsten ahlström was born in uppsala, sweden to the duke of uppsala and a countess from germany. they tried for more children -- a boy in particular, but the countess seemed to have exhausted herself after the birth of emmeline and so they remained a three person household.
• at four years old, her mother passed as a result of another attempt at childbirth, and emmeline was then raised by her father alone who chose not to take another wife. the two moved to another home a bit further from the center of the city for a more peaceful life, and emmeline enjoyed the acres of land that came with it.
• most of her childhood was spend near the sea or with her father who always entertained her with either a flute or a violin. her interest in music stemmed from this, and emmeline soon received an education which was heavily centered on performance. vocal performance was where she was most gifted, but she could also play the harpsichord, violin, and harp. areas of interest aside from music are art and sciences -- especially astrology and biology.
• per her late mother and her father’s wish to preserve her memory, he continued to use swedish as well as german when speaking to emmeline. alongside these two languages, she can also speak scots and intermediate french.
• at around the age of twenty, her father fell ill with a sickness that seemed, and inevitably was, incurable. it was a slow-eating sickness that had her father sluggish at first, soon progressing into permanent bedrest. since emmeline did not want to commit herself to marriage and have to leave her father, she held off an engagement that was in the works and instead stayed at home to care for her father. he lived for eight more years until finally passing.
• even with her father’s passing, emmeline is still lighthearted though she maintains her level of intellect that had been gifted to her from years of sweden’s best education. she is comfortable being on her own since she grew up away from the large city, but she is always up to speak to others about whatever topic may be in question.
• when she learned about her having to go to sardinia, she was very much willing although her country is something that makes her homesick regularly. but since she had no immediate family nor a husband, emmeline transitioned relatively well. now in italy, her time is largely consumed with scholarly and non-scholarly discussion with others, reading on the shores of the beach, and exploring the grounds.
• she does not try to push herself into other peoples’ business and is a bit more to herself, though she is incredibly perceptive about the happenings of her environment. unlike many, emmeline is rather optimistic about this event and trusts that the leaders will come to a conclusion to benefit all.
THE BASICS
Name: emmeline kirsten ahlström
Age: 32
General physical description: shorter stature and rather lean. she is 5′3, pale, and light blonde as well. emmeline has blue eyes and takes the physical attributes of her mother more than her father aside from her coloring.
Hometown: uppsala, sweden
Type of home: townhome in the center of the city, then a country house alongside the sea.
Relationship status: single
Current family: none
Family background (parents, previous marriages, etc.): she is an only child and lost her parents years before arriving in sardinia. though there were plans for an engagement and marriage, emmeline abandoned those plans to take care of her ill father.
Other close relationships: tbd
Relationship with men: normal. sexual/romantic/platonic. she was engaged to a duke who had her affections completely, but she unfortunately ended it due to her father’s illness.
Relationship with women: platonic. she’s had many female friends in her life, especially her childhood.
Job: lady
Dress style: different levels of blues are her favorite, though she often wears mint a lot as well. her dresses are slightly less extravagant than others as her dedication to her father on her deathbed prevented her from updating her wardrobe as frequently as she should have. she is currently commissioning for more gowns in sardinia.
A BRIEF LOOK
Religion: catholic
Attitude to religion: practices regularly
Favorite pastimes: wandering the palace grounds, writing.
Hobbies: singing, playing violin or other instruments she is familiar with
Favorite foods: berries, bacon, kallops (stew), smoked salmon on toast
PERSONALITY
Strongest positive personality trait: perceptive
Strongest negative personality trait: spiteful
Sense of humor: can be lighthearted and almost childlike, but also intellect based and smooth depending on her company
Temper: rather level-headed. she bottles her anger and wouldn’t burst on anyone in the moment. she instead becomes quiet and removes herself from the situation most times. however, she may argue if needed.
Consideration for others: very considerate -- sometimes she will step out of her way to assist others she barely knows
How other people see him/her: she’s really pale, but also a very warm person who may sometimes come off as a bit to-herself.
Opinion of him/herself: independent and versatile to what life brings.
Other traits, especially those to be brought out in story: opinionated, caring, empathetic, spiteful, expressive, devoted.
