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Music bounced around the bathroom, lively and spirited, as she finished the finishing touches on her hair. It helped settle some of the anxiety in her. It had been clawing up her throat all night, the very idea of walking into a dorm full of [i]nobles[/i] terrifying her, but school had kept it under control. Her affinity instructor had been sympathetic to her plight and worked with her tirelessly on what she wanted to accomplish and it demanded all of her concentration; anything less and her stay at the Sinnenodel dorm would be cut short. That much concentration kept the sense of impending doom at bay until the door of the dorm shut behind her with an ominous thud and she’d rushed to get ready. She clipped the silver ring that would help support the high ponytail she’d made, a careful mix of mousse and hair spray keeping the curls intact despite the length, and turned her attention to the next task.

It was a delicate balance, making sure Amaris was the better dressed of the two and still looking presentable for the event. Amaris wasn’t one to dress up, making it clear she’d prefer something more casual when the invitations came in, and it showed in the simplicity of her choices. The Countess would still look stunning but it meant Maddie had to do some outside research to figure out what would benefit the Countess more. It took her longer than she cared to admit but it was an important event and she wasn’t about to let Amaris walk into the Sinnenodel’s game already behind. After pouring through enough fashion advice to last her a lifetime, Maddie decided a black A-line dress would work. She kept the neck high and the sleeves long with a lace flower design sweeping up from the waist and down the right sleeve. Paired with similarly colored heels and only two other accessories, she’d be a perfect contrast to Amaris’ modern style and should keep eyes on the Countess. 

And it served another purpose as well. Maddie had told her about most of it, politely asking her for the money to cover the expenses because there was no way her family would be able to cover that cost on such short notice, but she kept a crucial piece secret. Along with the hair piece, she’d ordered simple silver and emerald earrings to match Amaris’ color scheme. She’d asked Amaris for her recommendations on a jeweler for that. But the third and last piece was probably the most important. It took a little bit of snooping but Maddie finally got all the pieces, or as much as the student body knew, of the Countess’ previous partners. One was supposedly sleeping with Aaron, which she found amusing because Aaron was as traditional as traditional got, but hadn’t been heard from again and the last one was viciously attacked. Both of them were taken from her, one less than loyal and the other leaving Amaris feeling helpless. The conversation about trusting Aaron sparked the idea. Maybe if she felt closer to Maddie, Amaris would be more willing to believe Maddie would consider her safety and privacy before involving herself in things after she saw what hung voluntarily around her neck.

The Marivaldi crest, carved out of delicate emerald and amethyst, rested just beneath the hollow of her throat on a silver chain. It wasn’t a collar but the solid black of her dress ensured the piece stone out against everything out. It was her own way of telling Amaris that she wasn’t just here because she had to be.
She checked herself one last time when Amaris called, smoothing out a non-existent crease, before picking up the small case of supplies she’d need for her display. She smiled when she stepped out of her room and curtsied briefly to the Countess. [color=FC8686]“You look beautiful, Ari.”[/color] Maddie complimented the Countess. The little gift bag caught her eye and she felt an odd pang of unease, knowing her blood was in a bottle inside. She knew that was required from the invitation but it was one thing to know you’d have to offer a bottle of blood and another to actually do it. Amaris preferred to feed directly from her and now looking at something containing the thing that kept her alive, she was certain she preferred it too. 

[right][sub]Interacting with: [@WeepingLiberty][/sub][/right]