[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/s9kL83Y3/content-10.webp[/img][/center]
[color=lightgray][color=8FBC8B]Time:[/color] Evening 
[color=8FBC8B]Location:[/color] Danrose Castle [/color]
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[color=lightgray]The Danrose Castle was nothing short of overstuffed rich bullshit. As Olivia stared around it, her gaze narrowed. How much money was put into this fabulous grandeur? Her lips twitched into a scowl. [color=8FBC8B][i]How many people could eat from the money wasted here? People are eating scraps… I was eating scraps.[/i][/color] Her reflection stared back at her from one of the overly shiny walls.

Strawberry blonde hair flowed down her back like a strawberry river and olive-green eyes stared back at her. The green dress hugged her figure and hid most of the burn marks, except at the top mesh. She tried finding a long-sleeve dress in the middle of Ignis was next to impossible. Her face carried smoothness and reduced burn marks. It was an image she was not used to seeing yet. The dress, while beautiful and comfortable, caused her pain she would have to endure and ignore. She let out a heavy sigh–this was too much for her. 

[i][color=#000000]"[/color][color=#1A1524]P[/color][color=#352A48]e[/color][color=#503F6D]r[/color][color=#6A5491]s[/color][color=#8569B6]e[/color][color=#A07EDA]p[/color][color=#BB94FF]h[/color][color=#A280DD]o[/color][color=#896CBB]n[/color][color=#705899]e[/color][color=#584577].[/color][color=#3F3155].[/color][color=#261D33].[/color][color=#0D0912]"[/color][/i] Liv shoved her mother’s voice out of her head.

Her mind flicked back to the first ball. Remembering that night, she had to pause and recollect her thoughts: all the crazy shit she was involved in started that first night–reuniting with Kazumin, meeting Lottie, Ruby, and Calbert, and subsequent craziness afterwards. She withheld a sigh and stared into the entryway. The chauffeur waiting to announce her cleared his throat awkwardly. Her gaze snapped to him. 

[color=8FBC8B]”Oh sorry darling, am I keeping you waiting?”[/color] Olivia inquired playfully, her words soft as a breeze. 

Her head throbbed briefly for a moment and she gritted her teeth. [i][color=#000000]"[/color][color=#240505]P[/color][color=#480A0A]e[/color][color=#6D0F0F]r[/color][color=#911414]s[/color][color=#B61919]e[/color][color=#DA1E1E]p[/color][color=#FF2424]h[/color][color=#DC2021]o[/color][color=#BA1C1E]n[/color][color=#97181C]e[/color][color=#751519].[/color][color=#521117].[/color][color=#300D14].[/color][color=#0E0911]"[/color][/i] Olivia ignored the persistent voice of her father.

The man stared at her with blinking wide-blue eyes and nearly choked on his words. [color=tan]”No, no, no way Miss. You are free to take your time.”[/color] 

Olivia turned away, though she knew it wasn’t his fault, and he was likely a servant of this godforsaken Royal family. She took a deep breath and turned back to him. [color=8FBC8B]”You’re a servant, aren't you?”[/color]

The man hesitated, then glanced around, and nodded fervently. His voice was hushed. [color=tan]”Y... Yes I am…”[/color]

[color=8FBC8B]”Make sure you allow yourself a moment to breathe tonight. You’re more than just a piece in their games.”[/color] She then moved forward into the spotlight, her nerves tingling and her mind urging her to run away, to move out of the center of attention and hide, but she held steady.

[color=tan]”Miss Olivia Hawthorne!”[/color] 

[i][color=#000000]"[/color][color=#1D1924]P[/color][color=#3B3348]e[/color][color=#594D6D]r[/color][color=#766791]s[/color][color=#9481B6]e[/color][color=#B29BDA]p[/color][color=#D0B5FF]h[/color][color=#B49BDA]o[/color][color=#9981B6]n[/color][color=#7E6892]e[/color][color=#634E6E].[/color][color=#48354A].[/color][color=#2D1B26].[/color][color=#120102]"[/color][/i]

Olivia sucked in a breath. The room turned to look at her–or gawk, like idiots as though she were some exotic zoo animal arriving in her exhibit. She held steady, waved, and then proceeded down the steps, her flats making next to no noise on the overly shiny floor, her reflection staring back up at her, reminding her the taut line she walked in this extravagant bullshit. 

The pain in her mind briefly returned and for a split second, she saw the remnants of her burning home, the screams of her mother and the yells of her father in the background…. [/color]

[i][color=#000000]"[/color][color=#240503]P[/color][color=#480A06]e[/color][color=#6D1009]r[/color][color=#91150D]s[/color][color=#B61B10]e[/color][color=#DA2013]p[/color][color=#FF2616]h[/color][color=#F63538]o[/color][color=#ED4459]n[/color][color=#E4537A]e[/color][color=#DB639B].[/color][color=#D272BC].[/color][color=#C981DD].[/color][color=#C191FE]"[/color][/i]