[center][color=#C84808][h1]Askel Camila[/h1][/color][/center]
Location: Grand Ballroom 
Attire: [url=https://imgur.com/pIXFlLx]Starry Night Attire[/url]
Interactions [@Tae] Ranya
Mentions:[@princess] Hafiz
[hr]

His hand settled on her lower back with great familiarity; his fingers having already memorized the gentle curve of her figure and how she rested against his palm, not delicate, but something that he knew was valuable and needed to be treated with absolute care. And then they joined the swelling rhythm of strings, brass, and woodwinds playing in time, playing their parts with perfect precision to the fine people of the royal court who in turn were playing their parts with perfect precision though his focus tunneled on her. 

She was close, as close as last night and just as warm. It was the warmth, tinged with the scent of vanilla and jasmine, that eased his soul and calmed the very nerves that steeled against Hafiz's fangs. He wanted to lean into it, for her to envelope him, and preserve this singular moment in time. 

And then her voice anchored him back to reality. 

Her apology made his heart strain with equal parts woe and anger. Woe for the fear that lived by her side; the fear of losing whatever bits of happiness she could gleam before being snatched away and the pain that resulted because of it. Anger for how her agency and person had been stripped away by people who saw her as something to use or something to preserve so it could never break, never tarnish, never live. 

His violet eyes locked on to her emerald eyes—those eyes that he adored so welling with tears, softening his gaze. Askel's lips curled into a smile, warm and tender. [color=#C84808]"Wildflower, you have nothing to apologize for. After conversing with your uncle I can understand why you'd want to keep me out of his arms' reach. He is an odious creature, but he won't sway me."[/color] 

If Ranya's movements were edged with desperation then he was of reassurance, of measured temperament that belied the fire beneath it. He leaned in towards her, their lips a breath apart only separated by her veil. [color=#C84808]"I told you did I not? I will endure and I will fight for you."[/color] His words were colored with devotion, ever steadfast and true. [color=#C84808]"I refuse to let that snake of an uncle ruin tonight, not when I have the most beautiful woman in the room in my arms."[/color] 

He pulled back and looked at her with an admiring gaze. She was beautiful, unbelievably so; the veil did absolutely nothing to hide it though it was a different kind of beauty than last night. [color=#C84808]"Though if you were to ask me I think the Ranya dancing with reckless abandon, smelling of wood smoke, and tasting like beer is just as beautiful. Maybe more so,"[/color] he said with a playful, yet honest. grin. 

He could not say that he presented himself as he did last night either; the man with wild messy hair and sleeves rolled up now dressed as a prince, immaculate in presentation.