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[color=BBC7E1]Time:[/color] 7pm
[color=BBC7E1]Location:[/color] Damien Estate
[color=BBC7E1]Mention:[/color] [@FunnyGuy] Lorenzo [@PapaOso] Cassius [@Tpartywithzombi] Violet
[color=BBC7E1]Attire:[/color][url=i.imgur.com/R0Bp8Cm.png]Bun[/url]--> this is undone and her hair is now down, [url=i.imgur.com/VLoLGta.png]Dress[/url], [url=https://i.etsystatic.com/12443370/r/il/453c4f/3928939420/il_1588xN.3928939420_tmsy.jpg]Gold haircomb[/url]
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Charlotte trembled in the chilly night air, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around herself, seeking warmth in her own embrace. Her fingers brushed against the softness of the velvet fabric that adorned her sleeves, offering a tactile comfort that eased her senses momentarily. Her gaze, heavy with unspoken sorrow, remained fixed downward, unwilling to confront the world rushing past her.

The rhythmic galloping of horses reverberated through the night, their powerful hooves striking the ground with an unrelenting intensity. The sound reverberated in Charlotte's ears as she came to the realization that not only had Lorenzo harbored such feelings for her, but he had also had no protest to her departure.

[color=BBC7E1][i]I thought you were different.[/i][/color] 

She felt a surge of emotion welling up inside her, threatening to spill over. Her eyelids clenched tightly, forming a barrier against the tears that threatened to escape. With a heavy heart, Charlotte gradually slowed her steps, her feet coming to a halt on the worn cobblestone beneath her. The silence enveloped her, punctuated only by the faint sounds of her own steady breaths.

A question rang out in her mind. 

[i]Was Lorenzo right?[/i]

She could imagine her mother might have finally agreed with him had she been here. There had been no pleasing her either. The onslaught of criticism was something that was so familiar yet so distant. Thinking back over the day, she supposed perhaps she had been inconsiderate of Lorenzo's feelings. It was both their house now after all. Her brows furrowed further. Maybe it was just his. It wasn't like women had a right to anything, and how cruel of a thought that was, that as long as a man over-ranked her, her own home was no longer hers. Who she welcomed in, even a small animal, was not supposed to be up to her. 

Still, Lorenzo wasn't normally like this and she knew that in her heart, he was different than the rest of those nobles, different than her mother.

He was kind, caring, and always unapologetically himself. 

The world had beaten him down to the point he had convinced himself opium was prescribed medication. Her thoughts whirled for a moment longer as she stood in that spot until her gaze finally lifted to the stars above, which twinkled beautifully in the clear night sky. 

A hushed confession escaped her lips, carried on a whisper that blended with the gentle night breeze.  [color=BBC7E1] "It is I that failed you then."[/color] A fleeting smile danced upon her otherwise melancholic countenance. [i][color=BBC7E1]I won't give up on you that easy. I... I don't know what you know or what you're dealing with, but I will find out before it's too late.[/color] [/i]

As her footsteps continued on once more, she found herself rounding in front of the Damien Estate and she hesitated. 

[color=#A3E4D7][i]"...I saw… I saw… V-V-Violet D-D-Damien’s dead.. Dead body… With an ax to the face.. ”[/i][/color]

The night had been such constant chaos, she hadn't been able to truly take in the gravity of those words. A sinking feeling of dread gripped her, making her wonder if she might fall ill right then and there.

[color=BBC7E1] "...Are you really gone?"[/color] Charlotte whispered despairingly. Her arms tightened around herself, seeking solace, but finding only the chilling touch of solitude. The emptiness of the night grew more eerie and intimidating, the shadow of every step filling her with a sense of foreboding. Walking alone, when she was aware of what had transpired just the previous night, seemed like a questionable idea. She needed to return home, but the uncertainty about her friend's fate made the thought of sleeping tonight unbearable. 

The idea of knocking on Calbert Damien's door after all that had transpired gave her a headache. She reached up removed hair comb, and then unraveled the locks of her bun, allowing her black tresses to cascade down, framing her face and brushing against her collarbone. With a deep breath, summoning courage from the depths of her being, she pushed open the gates that guarded the path to the Damien estate.

As she ventured forward, her gaze met the unwavering eyes of numerous guards, their presence more conspicuous than usual. Familiar with the features of the black-haired woman, they recognized her and offered a nod of acknowledgment as she hurried past them.

Her footsteps quickened as she made her way toward the imposing doors of the estate. With a trembling hand, she knocked upon them, her knuckles rapping against them and echoing through the quiet estate.

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