[center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/T1j1GM3t/Headers-(820-x-1020-px).gif[/img]

[color=#758173][H1]Mina Blackwood[/H1][/color][/center]



[color=#758173]Time:[/color] Evening
[color=#758173]Location:[/color] Starry Night Ball
[color=#758173]Attire:[/color] [url=https://i.postimg.cc/cLnjJxSC/file-00000000bef471f5ba6f42069bba5529.png]Dress & Hair[/url]
[color=#758173]Interaction:[/color]  [@HylianRose] Lucian  
[color=#758173]Mentions:[/color] [@princess] Marina [@Remram] Nolan [@Lava Alckon] Drake

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/BCGMDwO.png[/img][/center]

A gentle warmth began to settle in Mina’s chest as Lucian stood close beside her, the nearness of him almost enough to soften the bitter taste left by the morning and the memory of her uncle’s sternness. She could not help but recall how, only days before, he had withdrawn his hand from her cheek in the sitting room, and she had braced herself for the distance she feared would follow. Yet now, as his gaze lingered on the golden roses she had stitched into her dress, Mina felt exposed in a way that unsettled her, though there was a strange comfort in it as well. Those roses had been sewn with careful hands and a quiet hope she had never dared to speak aloud.

When he leaned in, his breath brushed softly against her ear, and the low timbre of his voice sent a shiver down her spine, making her acutely aware of the tightness of her corset and the way her heart seemed to flutter beneath it.

[color=slategray]“I’ve been waiting all night to say that...”[/color]

Her heart skipped a beat, uncertain and unsteady. For a brief moment, the heavy burden of the Blackwood secrets faded into the background, and the worries that usually haunted her seemed quieter. If Lucian kept looking at her as if she mattered, she was not sure she could keep her composure. She wanted to hold onto this feeling, even if it was fleeting.

Mina slipped her hand into his, her fingers curling around his with a quiet need she could not quite hide. She gave Drake a grateful nod as he excused himself, leaving her and Lucian alone as the music swelled around them.

[color=#758173]"Then I suppose it is a mercy that I saved the best of my embroidery for you, my Prince,"[/color] Mina murmured, her voice dropping into that low, velvety silkiness she reserved only for him as they stepped out onto the glistening marble floor. She allowed her left hand to rest against his broad shoulder, her touch light but anchoring, intensely aware of the stark contrast between her deep midnight gown and the rich, dark tones of his coat. [color=#758173]"Though I must warn you, if the court ladies truly do attempt to copy it by next week, I shall expect you to defend my honor against their terrible needlework."[/color]

A quiet laugh slipped from her, unguarded and genuine. As Lucian guided her into the first slow turn of the dance, the hem of her gown whispered against the floor, but Mina kept her gaze fixed on his face, tracing the familiar lines she had come to know so well.

[color=#758173]"And do not tease poor Lord Nolan,"[/color] she said, her tone lighter than it had been all evening. [color=#758173]"Marina is not easily managed. It takes a certain strength to keep up with her."[/color] Mina allowed herself a small smile, knowing Lucian was only looking out for his sister as always.

[color=#758173]“As for the slumber party... I suppose it [i]is[/i] quite a scandal to unleash upon King Edin's tightly wound court. I can already see the court gossips twisting themselves into knots trying to figure out what political strategies we are plotting over pillows and late-night sweets and talks of who we have our eyes on."[/color]

The dance carried them gently into the center of the marble floor, its surface glistening beneath the candlelight. As the music swelled, the chatter of King Edin’s court seemed to twist and warp at the edges of her awareness. At the periphery of her vision, the air grew dense and heavy, and a translucent, weeping figure began to take shape against a gilded column, threatening to pull her into that overwhelming tide of sensation that so often left her trembling. Mina felt a cold prickle of panic tightening beneath her corset.

[color=#758173][i]Not tonight,[/i][/color] she told herself, her delicate fingers tightening around Lucian’s hand as she forced her gaze to anchor on the familiar warmth of his auburn hair and the steady blue of his eyes, using his presence as a shield against the dead. She needed a distraction, something vivid and intoxicating to drown out the murmurs of the veil and the lingering bitterness her uncle had left behind.

A lazy, brilliant smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as she leaned just a little closer, letting the silk of her gown brush softly against his boots. [color=#758173]"So I know your mother likely has a very specific, very polite checklist for a future bride, Lucie."[/color] Her storm-blue eyes caught the light, a sudden, wicked glint of mischief flickering there as she looked up at him through her lashes. [color=#758173]"But I must ask… do you think your reputation can survive a dance with a woman who refuses to behave at all?"[/color]