Echo smiled excitedly at the large castle. This was where the party was to take place. She adjusted her mask and tried to contain her giggles. She had recieved strange looks before because of her neverending excitement over small things, but she couldn't help it. Everything was just so amazing and exciting. How was she supposed to react?

The guards eyed her strangely as she showed them her invitation. The young woman before them seemed too young to be a jewel magnate, but that was what she was. They had heard of her of course. Everyone had. It was rumored that the royal family was looking to invest in her.

The sight of the ballroom made her stop in her tracks. Behind her mask her eyes widened, sparkling with amazement.
It was so beautiful. So grand. Echo hadn't been on land for long, but she hadn't seen anything like this so far. She had listened to the stories of others of their Wander Years and the things they had seen. She had tried to imagine it for herself, but her imagination paled in comparison to the reality before her.

There were lots of people. Men in dashing suits. Ladies in beautiful gowns. Servers gliding among them, offering food and drinks.
One of them offered her a tall thin glass of sparkling gold liquid. She took it and sipped it experimentally. Her eyes lit up and a small giggle escaped her. "It's bubbly!" she exclaimed. "What is this?"
"Champange Miss," the server said, frowning and stepping away from the girl in confusion.
"It tickles," Echo giggled as she sipped more.

Then something caught her eye and she sat her half-drunk glass down pursue her curiosity. The server sighed and shook his head. Eccentric or crazy? He wasn't certain he wanted to know which she was.