#⚜ ｢ verse • undetermined. ｣

[incarnaet]

" just hold still, please .. " a bag rests at her side, filled with various items : most noticeably bandages, and other first aid items she sometimes carried with her. it was thanks to salome that she was able to know how to clean and wrap an injury. even with being as gentle as she could be as she wipes at dried blood and muck, ceres knows that it must hurt. it wasn't just one wound, but a few -- one of them much deeper than the rest, and the one that she was most worried about. she'd not missed the way they shifted as she barely grazed the area with a wet cloth. " it hurts, doesn't it .. ? i'm sorry, but you'll have to endure it only a little longer. i'll be done soon. " she states her apology with genuine sympathy, even offering a reassuring smile.

open starter, mutuals only, pre established welcome.

[dolcesuono]

" truly, the honor is mine, " she says, grasping the other woman's hand in greeting. she had not been in paris long before the name of young mademoiselle daaé had reached her. and after hearing her perform, she could not deny that the praise was entirely warranted. with her own debut production with the company still in rehearsals, she had been eager to taken in as much as she could. and she had not been disappointed - indeed, the company's reputation was not exaggerated. " you certainly have made it a challenge of us for those of us who must perform after you, " she adds with a wry smile.

𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑪𝑨𝑳𝑳 --> @firstsorrow

[dolcesuono-a]

@highlnderbrn​ said: 💬

                 “  things  aren’t  always  what  they  seem  in  this  place .  ”

[elusivefop]

@aleximedicus​ said:  " the social season is upon us. "

                “  indeed it is, my good man!  ”    there was a good-natured smirk on his lips as he glanced at his companion. one brow raised slowly.   “  and yet, here you stand...  ”    percy lifted his eye glass to peer at the man beside him, a barely disguised tease in his voice.    “  are you well, sir? should i send for someone? i should have thought you’d have run as fast and as far as you could by now, what?  ”    he patted his arm comfortingly.    “  well, my good chap, your bravery is inspiring...  ”

[incarnaet]

" um .. " a long sigh passes through her lips, the bright lights of the crane machine that stood before her reflecting on her face. in all honesty, it was a little difficult to focus. she wasn't any good at this, and it was obvious. there weren't things like this back in arpechele. nothing so bright, nor so loud and raucous, in her opinion. she had even jumped a little at the sound it made when she inevitably lost the first time. quietly, ceres cast a glance back to suchan, clearing her throat. " .. maybe you should try instead, right ? i'm not very good at this. " as if it needed to be said. with each attempt, she was left empty handed with even less money. still, even so, she was enjoying herself .. enjoying learning about these sorts of things after being deprived of them for so long within arpechele's borders.

⚜ | @volonata ﹆ liked .

[dolcesuono]

" if you wish to make a full escape now, i promise your secret will be safe with me... " there was a knowing smile on her lips when the other young woman appeared on the terrace. the party inside was sweltering - too stuffy, too crowded, too full of those fine members of the ton hetty had only the flimsiest ounce of patience for. she would not be expected to sing again for another hour, so she'd beaten a hasty retreat outside to find a moment's peace. she was paid for her musical talents, after all, not her social ones... perhaps this young lady's thoughts ran along a similar line... " whatever you choose, i shall have seen nothing, " she added, making a mock toast with her glass of wine. she'd made off with some her hostess' fine vintage - as much a part of her fee as the coin itself...

@meiquene --> 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙲𝙰𝙻𝙻

[dolcesuono]

" if anyone asks, i'll swear i never saw you. " there was a hint of amusement in her voice, one corner of her mouth turned up slightly as she spotted the other woman. she had to admit, the stranger had found rather a perfect spot. no member of the public was supposed to be backstage, of course, but from the woman's spot in the wings, she certainly had a view that rivaled any in the theatre. the final applause was at last dying down and between the buzz of the crowd and the bustle of the stagehands, hetty felt no need to lower her voice. she was presumptuous with her words, perhaps, but anyone who intended to be seen would most decidedly not be here. " after all, you look far too sensible to be lost... " she added dryly, one brow arched expectantly.

@timesense --> 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙲𝙰𝙻𝙻

[dolcesuono]

@camaradcrie​ said: “would you die for love?” from dorian!

she couldn’t help it - a laugh fell from her lips at such a question. whether he was in earnest or not, she did not pretend to know. but in either case, she could hardly take it seriously.    “  die? for love? something so fickle and inconstant?  ”    she shook her head.    “  i value my own skin far too much for such a thing...  ”    she shrugged then and offered him a teasing smirk.    “  and anyone who would is a fool... well then, sir - are you a fool?  ”

[dolcesuono]

@emcads​ said: emasculation and admiration in equal measure. i wanted to murder the man and i wanted to be the man.

“  indeed.  ”    hetty couldn’t help but smile. in truth, it was a sentiment she understood all too well. men, with few exceptions, had the freedom to do as they pleased - to live however they wanted without the watchful eyes of society staring them down with scorn. they got little more than a slap on the wrist for their transgressions, while women were banished forever for less. it was enough to make any independent-minded woman green with envy - even as men made themselves the most insufferable creatures ever to draw breath.    “  well?  ”    she said at last, one brow raising in amusement.    “  which did you choose?  ”

[dolcesuono]

@righteouskills​ said: ‘ i’m surprised to see you here. ’

“  and why should i not be?  ”    she replies, the ghost of a teasing smile on her lips. in truth, though, she knows he is right. this is far from her usual milieu. but sometimes - whether she’d have chosen it or no - she finds herself dragged by a friend to a different entertainment than the she made her own trade in. and tonight, that meant a fight. but, all the same, there is a glint of amusement in her eye when she greets the man. his reputation precedes him, of course. one brow lifts in challenge.    “  you believe, i suppose, that i don’t have the stomach for all of this?  ”

[dolcesuono]

@fivepaces said: you make it sound so easy.

she nods, acknowledging the compliment, but shrugs away the sentiment. " that is only because i first spent years making it sound painfully difficult. " she cannot but reflect somewhat harshly on those early days of her career. perhaps she could be kinder to herself, remember that skill is developed and talent honed. but she will not. it is only one step from such an attitude towards complacency - and that is the surest way to see a career crack and flounder. " i'm sure you understand, " she adds. " after all, no one who does make your work look easy would be in service of the queen... "

[dolcesuono]

she is not nervous. she has no reason to be. after all, this is not the first time she has sung for the queen. indeed, not a season had passed since she first stepped on the london stage that she had not seen the royal box occupied. but this was the first time she was to sing at the palace. for a private party of her majesty's, no less...

there is no reason for her nerves, she repeats to herself for the hundredth time in as many minutes. she is talented, is she not? she has worked hard. entertained princes and dukes alike... but still she finds herself standing at the open window of the musician's green room, taking deep, calming breaths of the cool air. it is only the sound of a footstep behind her that pulls her from her thoughts. she backs away from the window quickly, doing her best to hide her nerves beneath studied reserve. is that not what is expected of a prima donna?

" you're early, " she says, looking over the man - clearly one of the queen's many minions. " surely we are not meant to begin for an hour... "

starter call. --> @fivepaces

[dolcesuono]

" you're ready to crawl out of your skin, aren't you? " there is a mischievous glint in her eye as she approaches the man. she'd noticed him first during her performance. it would have been impossible not to, towering as he did over the the crowd of pampered society dilettantes. and he was as out of place as he was eye-catching. she cared little who he was, only that he might prove an interesting diversion. now that she had sung for the gathered company, they would fawn over her for a few minutes, paying lofty compliments to her artistry, before forgetting her unworthy presence as easily they did the footman who ladled out their soup at dinner. their hostess would brag that she'd had a famous singer perform at her soiree, but she would never deign to consider her of equal society...

but this gentleman did not have the same pinched look about him that came with pampered wealth. perhaps his taste in company and conversation would be equally refreshing. she tips her head up to meet his gaze, one brow raised coolly. " was my performance so very unbearable? "

𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑪𝑨𝑳𝑳 -> @frser

[dolcesuono]

with a barely concealed smirk on her lips, hetty slipped her arm through the young woman's. " come, " she said, guiding her through the the throng. " sadly, none of this is nearly as frightful as it appears... " indeed, these masquerades had long-since begun to feel tired and familiar. but then, working as she did in the opera house for hours on end, she supposed seeing it thus transformed for a lively public ball could not quite inspire the magic for her that it undoubtedly did for others.

whether the costumed young lady at her side had ventured out alone or had been separated from her party, she did not know. but whatever the case, she appeared at least to require a momentary helping hand. it was a rare twinge of sympathy that had drawn hetty's attention, and so she resolved to see her at least through the crush of the entry hall. the place had been done up lavishly tonight, and as it was already long past midnight, the revelry was well underway. " forgive me, my dear, but you looked rather lost, " she added dryly once they'd made it through to the assembly room.

𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑪𝑨𝑳𝑳 -> @wornkindness

[dolcesuono]

effusive praise was not in her nature, but neither was dishonesty. and there was nothing in this world she appreciated more than talent. which is precisely what the young miss daaé possessed. she herself had only arrived in paris a few days earlier, ready to begin rehearsals for the opera populaire's next production. but for all the entertainments the city boasted, there was none she would have chosen over attending the opera currently on offer.

" with a voice like that, mademoiselle, " she said, a sly smile on her lips, " i can only be grateful the managers in london have not tempted you across the channel... i rather fear would find myself without any engagements at all. "

𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑪𝑨𝑳𝑳 -> @swede

[incarnaet]

@d-ensetsu sent : " you're not a very convincing liar. " / gepard

a chuckle falls from her lips, apologetic in nature, only to die in the cold, stale air of belobog's overworld. only a fool would be convinced by her lies. anyone other than that was probably indulging her ( and why anyone might indulge death, she doesn't quite understand. )

at a distance behind her, two children cowered around the corner of one of the towering buildings, one of the two's gloved fingertips covered by remnants of snow. both were under ceres's care while their mother had some work to attend to in the overworld. it was through connections, and a bit of convincing from a friend that the children's only parent was willing to hire her as a nanny to make things easier on herself.

it was only fortunate that given the divide between the underworld and overworld, the people of the overworld were left unaware of the fact that misfortune walked among them. ceres kept her head low, a bit of internal guilt kept locked away at the way she felt that she was deceiving the people around herself. as long as she kept everyone at arm's length, it would be alright, she was certain.

she looked up at the guard before her and sighed .. the two children in her care had become a bit too frivolous, and began a half hearted attempt at a snowball fight. one throw that had missed its target had instead hit another : one of the silvermane guards. ceres had only caught it through her peripheral vision before the children were quick to scurry and hide, leaving the woman to speak for them -- and even try to take blame at first, as she knew that they hadn't intentionally hit him with the snowball.

" .. i'm sorry. " she finally answers him, her voice tinged with embarrassment. she didn't even look to the two children. they did well enough to give themselves up with their whispering and staring from their poor excuse of a hiding spot. her purchased books rest in her hands. both textbooks to help her tutor the kids. " for trying to lie to you, and for them hitting you with that snowball. i'll have a word with them about it. i'm sure they didn't mean it. " she explains, hoping that might suffice for an apology. the last thing that she wanted to do was explain to their mother how they were scolded by a silvermane guard of all things. " i should have been keeping a better eye on them. "