[center][color=#B3EBC0][h1]Nolan Edwards[/h1][/color][/center]
Location: Grand Ballroom 
Attire: Attire: [url=https://i.imgur.com/8JdKRkn.png]Starry Night Attire[/url]
Interactions: [@Lava Alckon] Drake [@princess] Marina [@Tae] Mina  
Mentions:
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Disarming was the term that most befitted the princess. Everything about her was designed to knock him off balance from the lack of restraint in her words to even how she carried herself. Almost everything about her was a left turn and it was becoming hard to determine if he was actually like this or if she was just messing with him. Or maybe both things were true? He would have to thank her for the mental image of a raccoon with red luscious locks and a princess' tiara sitting on a pile of trash munching on a half eating apple. 

Whatever the case was, his simple question had caught her off guard. Even the agent of chaos like her could be caught off guard too though the problem was that he could not predict how she would respond. Nolan felt like his heart was beating between his ears as he waited for her answer once she came out of slack jawed bewilderment. If there was any hell that he wished not to endure again, it was that gap of silence of waiting in anticipation for her answer. 

And then her expression lightened and she offered her hand. His heart fluttered in a way that was not unpleasant, but alien to him. 

When Marina had finished her business, Nolan gave everyone—especially Mina and Drake— an appreciative bow of the head. Of course he appreciated his brother for giving him a push, or well, dragged him across the ballroom to put him in this position, but he was grateful for Mina who gave Marina encouragement to dance with him. So, he took her hand and led her away. It seemed like the Prince and that lady had much to talk about anyway.

[hr]

He could feel it, the eyes of the people staring at him as if this was kindling for their gossip. The Edwards boy that never dared to shine now stood with a princess of Varian to dance. How could he not draw their attention and their ire and envy? He did not care what they said about him, however. One did not survive this world if they crumpled to every rumor and slight. No, he only cared about damaging Marina's reputation and...

What in the hell was she doing?

Nolan's face flushed with an intense heat when he was handed the piece of cloth from her dress. His eyes averted away as to not stare at her exposed thigh though his curiosity got the better of him. He took a peak and saw... pouches? And she opened one up and there was a bracelet studded with beads and two different kinds of beetles and to his surprise, she [i]made[/i] it.

He continued to listen to her and the one moment where her smile dimmed had not escaped his notice though he dared not to press. This wasn't the time or place and he had no desire to coax that information out of her when it was obvious it was not something she wished to walk about.

Nolan slid on the bracelet and held it up to show it off to her. [color=#B3EBC0]"I think it's a wonderful thing, Marnie."[/color] His smile was warm, kind though it held no condescension towards her sentimentality. In fact, on the contrary it was something new about her to appreciate and in a way, he wished he had something like that for himself. [color=#B3EBC0]"There's nothing to be embarrassed about wanting to maintain that connection, to value it dearly. You never know its value until you lose it."[/color] 

His hand found hers, his fingers intertwined with her while his other gently rested on her lower back. A pit in his stomach sat in his stomach, an anxiousness all too familiar to him that reared its head at a terrible time. 

[color=#B3EBC0][i]Don't ruin this for yourself, Nolan. She wants to dance, she isn't [b]her[/b]. Just focus on her.[/i][/color] He blinked and took a good look at the person who he was going to dance with. This unpredictable, adorable woman that was so close to him. [color=#B3EBC0][i]Just focus on her.[/i][/color]

Nolan took a deep breath and steeled his nerves. The ensemble had just begun to play a waltz.

One, two, three, one, two, three...

He leaned in and with a low voice said, [color=#B3EBC0]"Follow my lead."[/color] 

Nolan led them into the dance with a trained elegance of a dancer. His feet almost glided along the floor and his posture noble and regal and yet, rather than stiffness one would be associated with those that danced with a stiff upper lip he was relaxed, powerful, but not overpowering. After all, he wanted to dance [i]with[/i] her. She was not an accessory to bolster his status or some bragging right to be earned, she was someone worth being around for the sake of her company alone. 

He smiled at her, a small, yet fragile one, but a smile nonetheless.