[indent][indent][indent] [table] [row] [sup][h3][b][color=2e2c2c] ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ [right]▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅[/right][/color] [/b][/h3][/sup] [/row][row] [cell][color=2e2c2c]______________________________________[/color] [right] [img]https://i.imgur.com/vz3gTHR.png[/img] [/right] [/cell][cell] [color=2e2c2c]__________________________________________________[/color] [color=2e2c2c]__________________________________________________[/color] [sup][h2][center] [color=black][sub]L A D Y Z A R A I L E S D E M A N[/sub][/color] [color=95AA71][sub]L A D Y Z A R A I L E S D E M A N[/sub][/color][center][sub][sub][url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/38/62/b0/3862b0231b42bcaf0c65068114615c3e.jpg][i][sub]♖ o u t f i t ♖[/sub][/i][/url] [/sub][/sub] [/center] [/center] [/h2][/sup] [center][color=gray][sub]-- E N T R A N C E H A L L --[/sub][/color][/center] [center][color=gray][sub][sub]I N T E R A C T I O N S :[/sub][/sub][/color][/center] [center][color=gray][sub][sub]M E N T I O N S :[/sub][/sub][/color][/center] [/cell] [/row] [/table] [/indent][/indent][/indent] [indent][indent][indent][indent][indent] [img]https://i.imgur.com/eHHlypM.png[/img] [/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent] [indent][color=gray] Francesca had not slept since she realized Zarai had slipped away at night. She'd search the guest house, the royal palace, and streets before one of the guards informed her of the situation. She'd paced the halls, gnawing on her nails nervously as her mind raced through the many possibilities of what could be or may be happening to her daughter. Francesca didn't say a word nor accept any of the coffee the servants offered her, afraid she would crack if she were to mutter even a word. It was well into the night when the missing children were brought in. The Duchess had rushed to the guard who had carried her daughter's battered body into the royal infirmary. Upon seeing the state of Zarai, Francesca stared while the man gently placed her on the bed. She watched as nurses rushed around the room to tend to everyone needing immediate attention, Zarai being one of them. Upon examination, one of the doctors confirmed his suspicion of a fractured rib and a mild concussion being the worst that Zarai had sustained. Her lip had been cut, her neck and knuckles bruised, and she had a few other minor cuts over her body that Francesca had not been able to see. Blood, vile, and dirt were cleaned off Zarai, and when all the wounds were tended to, she was changed into a sleeping gown. Ice was also brought in from the ice boxes, pressed against the swelling flesh, and salves were rubbed. "Que desperdicio." Francesca looked down at the discolored face of her daughter, next to her the nurse frowned but said nothing. "You can leave now; I'll hold the cold press." The nurse glanced at her uncertainly but nodded, afraid she would upset the Duchess and left. She stayed there, sitting next to Zarai's sleeping body staring at every bruise and cut on her face. Francesca's hands shook as the pressure in her chest grew stronger until it spread to her back and stomach. Her mind already running through various resources at her hand to find out who had done this to Zarai. The first step was finding out who had orchestrated this so-called after-party and who had attended. [center][color=95AA71]—[/color][/center] She had been trying to roll on her side but the sharp stinging pain that rippled from her sides over her body echoed through every nerve. Zarai gasped, hands flying to her side to try to do anything to help the pain but the movement only worsened it. Once it had subsided from her sides, she noticed the numbness of her face. She reached up, touching her face lightly only to recoil with a hiss at the pain. What had happened last time? What had she done to wind up like this? And who had been the one to do this, to her face?! Next to her a figure moved and sat up, Zarai quickly closed her eyes again and laid still. [color=AA7195]"Don't act."[/color] Zarai sighed and opened an eye to look at her mother staring down at her. A shiver ran down her spine seeing the lack of emotion on her mother's face. She'd grown so accustomed to seeing anger and disappointment in her features that Zarai was almost disappointed herself when she saw nothing. [color=AA7195]"Get up, we have to go to the hall."[/color] Zarai didn't move, which only seemed to annoy her mother. She opened her mouth to talk but she could only make incomprehensible sounds, making her finally sit up. [color=95AA71]"You're—"[/color] Clearing her throat felt like taking a shot of sand, [color=95AA71]"You're not... not going to ask me what happened?"[/color] Of course, she didn't remember much. Nothing of importance, as a matter of fact, anything she could remember was covered by a layer of fog. There was a crowd, a ring, fists, and insults. It all meant nothing to Zarai at the moment, just fragments of memories that did not feel her own. Commotion erupted a few beds over, and Zarai caught the glimpse of King Edin bolting out the door, eyes lining up directly with a mirror in front of her bed. Before she could really look at the damage she had sustained her mother stepped in front, staring down at her with the same blank stare. [color=AA7195]"Get up."[/color] Francesca said again, this time her tone firm but Zarai only stared back. Her mother sighed and raised her hand towards her, making Zarai brace herself and close her eyes. Zarai opened her eyes when she felt the warmth of her mother's hand on her cheek. [color=AA7195]"We should hurry, almost everyone is awake and in the Entrance Hall."[/color] What was going on? Why is she acting like this? Questions kept running through her mind, one after the other trying to ascertain why her mother was acting so... normal? Zarai did as she was told and got up, clutching her side and swallowing down a wince. The questions only grew in confusion when her mother draped a shawl over her shoulders and offered her hand for support while she sat on the offered wheelchair. Zarai had to bite the inside of her cheek to make sure she was not dreaming. She was not. [color=95AA71]"Why is everyone meeting at the Entrance Hall?"[/color] Zarai asked once they exited the infirmary. She pressed a cold rag to her face, closing her eyes at the coolness against her warm face. [color=AA7195]"Queen Alibeth and King Edin requested it."[/color] Francesca replied and continued to push the wheelchair down the hall. [color=95AA71]"Oh."[/color] She replied, lowering the rag to her palm and trying to steal a glance of her battered face from the windows to the left. [color=95AA71]"Is everyone going to be there?"[/color] Her mother didn't respond, so Zarai tried to ignore the growing headache. They joined the rest of the nobles in the Entrance Hall a short walk after. Her mother pushed the chair towards the crowd of young nobles that had attended the after-party. Zarai looked at Anastasia and Callum first, wondering if their mother had already given them a lecture before coming here. Then it was Leo, who was not wearing any shoes. If it wasn't painful to laugh, she would have already, so she settled with an amused look shot in his direction. [/color][/indent]