At the mention of that name, Veronika stopped in her tracks.
Mother. Little princess. Sinclair. Piecing those together, this snow-haired woman must have been Catherine's rumored daughter.
'Oh?' A smile tugged at the corner of Veronika's lips, but she was neither happy nor amused by this newly gained information.
The Sinclair Foundation ran one of the largest criminal organizations. Their clan was the polar opposite of what the Night Order stood for, and Veronika disfavored them even more so than Sanguine Moon. They were engaged in all types of heinous crimes. While Alexander and his people were impetuous bloody troublemakers, the Sinclairs were profoundly more immoral and wicked in Veronika's books.
The Night Order should have squashed them like bugs back in the late 14th century, but despite receiving word of the Sinclairs' criminal activities, they had left them alone in order to keep the hunters' attention elsewhere. This past error in their judgement had allowed the Sinclair Foundation to grow into the powerful clan that they were today, conducting unspeakable crimes around the globe. Veronika felt partly responsible, but despite it, they had achieved the desired effect. It had helped divert the attention of those hunters who began to grow suspicious of the Apothecary Association.
Thanks to that, the Night Order was able to remain incognito. As it was, Veronika was guilty of being a bystander to crime. It left a bad taste in her mouth, but the clan's safety was still of utmost priority. In that sense, they were hypocrites. But that was a burden to be carried by Veronika and the founders on their own.
Veronika's brows furrowed in contempt, but she immediately dismissed her thoughts and rearranged her facial expression. Before Veronika could ease a step further along the path, a new vampire approached the group with familiarity. There seemed to be no shortage of vampires on this fine afternoon.
This vampire was clearly older and more perceptive than the two. Despite masking her powerful presence, the newcomer had sensed it. Veronika noticed the way her body had tensed ever so slightly - an indication that she had put her guards up. The vampire paid attention to Veronika's presence despite keeping her away from direct line of sight. However, she couldn't hide her growing suspicion from Veronika's keen perception. At the very least, this woman was the clever one of the group.
During the short encounter, Veronika had deduced the following: Helene Sinclaire was timid and inexperienced. Marius was sly with a devil-may-care attitude. The newcomer was cautious and discerning. They were an odd trio - they didn't mix. They were obviously driven by different motives and interests. Despite having ties to the same clan, Veronika wondered to what lengths they would go to protect each other - if they'd even bother at all.
Without further ado, Veronika casually approached the group. She kept her expression neutral, and her body language didn't hint at anything out of the ordinary. Veronika flashed them an unsuspecting smile before introducing herself.
"Greetings, my name is Rose." Veronika's demeanor was not friendly enough to spark suspicion, but she also showed no signs of malicious intent. Her movements were graceful and effortless, and her speech polite.
It was uncharacteristic of her to approach others and strike up a conversation, but so was coming to Ember Grove to personally asses Alexander's scope of influence. Perhaps it was time for a change of pace. Veronika was starting to grow bored of the monotony of everyday life.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I'm just pleased to see others of the same.. kind." There was a slight hint of playfulness in her tone. Veronika didn't bother to conceal her British accent. Today, she would play the part of a tourist.
》A p p e a r a n c e[ ⍚ ] Height: 5'7ft [ ⍚ ] Weight: 50kg [ ⍚ ] Hair Color: Snow white [ ⍚ ] Eye Color: Ruby red [ ⍚ ] Skin Tone: Fair and pale
Brief Clothes Description: Zephyrin is narcissistic and known for her flamboyant and sartorial style. She loves to be dressed elaborately in fine silks embellished with golden embroidery. Her vibrant red irises are one of her most noticeable features — they are a stark contrast to her pale skin and white hair — so she loves to complement her eyes by adorning herself in rubies and emeralds. Zephyrin is most often seen wearing a flowy red dress, barefoot, and bejeweled from her head to her ankles. 》P s y c h o l o g yLikes: ♡ Fancy clothing and jewelry. ♡ Dancing, parties and music. ♡ Animals. All of them, especially the fluffy kind. ♡ Flowers, especially red roses. They are uncommon in her area.
Dislikes: ♡ Gender roles in fae culture. ♡ Boring and tedious tasks. ♡ Being nagged and chastised. ♡ Anything that isn't interesting or lacks entertainment.
Fears: ♡ Fire ♡ Being forgotten or becoming irrelevant. ♡ Fearful Avoidant Attachment
A fear of intimacy, which makes the person unable to achieve a deep connection with others. It may even lead them to reject close bonds.
Sexuality: Demisexual
A sexual orientation where people only experience sexual attraction to folks that they have close emotional connections with. In other words, demisexual people only experience sexual attraction after an emotional bond has formed.
Zephyrin is a mischievous sort and is usually somewhere causing trouble or poking fun at people. She does not need a reason or justification for doing anything beyond the amusement of the act itself. Therefore, it is inevitable for her to do things that might be harmful — maybe even cruel — but not outright evil. Plenty would say that Zephyrin lacks a moral sense. She doesn't think about the rightness or wrongness of something before she acts (she may not know or even care about the difference) she just does whatever she finds amusing and lives in the moment. She is also quite the social butterfly, but she doesn't stick around anyone long enough to be able to call them a friend. She disappears once the fun is over and moves on to her next agenda, whatever that may be.
Zephyrin is not hotheaded, but she is prone to holding grudges once she is spited. She will never forget an offense until she is able to call it even! However, she is surprisingly patient when dealing with other problematic people, most likely because she is problematic herself and finds amusement in it. When Zephyrin finds something she likes, she will obsess over it for a period of time until she gets bored and drops it for the next thing that catches her eye. She is typically engrossed in something new every week as she loses interest fairly quick.
As it is, Zephyrin is keenly aware of her features and charms. She cunningly makes use of these to manipulate people in such a way that they can't help but be drawn to her despite her amoral character. She knows exactly what to say, how to smile and bat her lashes in order to get herself out of trouble. All the same, Zephyrin is sprightly and prone to daydreaming and exploration. 》B a c k g r o u n dOccupation: ♡ Assistant Botanist
-She helps in plant studies and research.
Living Immediate Family Members: ♡ Father ♡ Grandmother
Dead Immediate Family Members: ♡ Mother ♡ Grandfather
Current Companions: Zephyrin's only companions are the animals she had befriended in the forests, and there is a plethora of them. Although Zephyrin is sociable, she doesn't have friends. She doesn't let anyone get close enough to know her on a personal level. However, she has plenty of acquaintances.
Current and Past Lover(s): None. Although she can be a playful flirt, she finds real affection and intimacy awkward. She finds forming intimate relationships difficult.
Are you a loner or with a group? Have you always been in this place?: Zephyrin has lived in the same place all her life, but she doesn't care much for friendships. She jumps from one social group to another but never stays long. She is what others would call a fair weathered friend. She only sticks around for the exciting moments, then disappears once she's had her fun.
》H i s t o r y
Lonely ⋆ Sheltered ⋆ Monotonous
Alkenroth's rule:
Shortly after Alkenroth's rule began, the Winter Fairy settlement had been thrown into disarray. As the evil forces grew more powerful and active, it restricted their movements as they lived in fear of being hunted down. Businesses shut down and most families locked themselves up in the safety of their homes, leaving only when they needed to procure some food. Eventually, food became a scarcity and rations ran out. It had left the village in an impoverished state. A majority of the population was starving, and several bigger families even gave up some of their children for the reason that they were no longer capable of providing for them. As it was, the number of children in the orphanage rose, and they could also no longer provide enough food for all of the children. A number of fairies — those brave enough to venture out — even left the village to look for a better life elsewhere.
With the lack of proper leadership and guidance from the previously elected leaders, the discontentment grew and they had been forced to step down. The village had elected 20 new leaders whom immediately got to work, forming concrete plans that would turn the state of the village around before it was too late. Their first priority had been relocation. With the dark elves constantly chipping at their numbers and the looming threat of the lich, they had to move deep into the woods of Area 2, further away from Daka Island. They abandoned the old village and lost quite a few of their numbers for the journey had been thwart with so many dangers. They eventually found a new settlement, hidden away from the rest of the world, up until the recent attack.
Their beginnings at the new unnamed winter fairy settlement:
After they settled in, they spent the initial weeks foraging fruits and berries from the surrounding forests. Class system was also abolished, so titles like nobles no longer existed and fair equal treatment was to be expected amongst everyone in the community. As they worked together and slowly built their village from the ground up, they were able to find unity within one another. They became a tight-knight village as they helped each other flourish.
Development of the economy:
The winter fairy settlement's economy started to develop through a wide range of activities including agriculture, textile, trade and art to name a few. Along with the advancement of plant studies and research, they were able to effectively increase their harvests during the short growing season. They also built greenhouses so they could grow crops even during the colder weather.
As their population continued to grow, they began cultivating livestock for the collection of their produce. They turned animal fur and plant fibers into threads and fabrics, which brought their attention towards clothing and designs. Since their livelihood became stable, the fairies had more time for hobbies and leisure, which led to the creation of more art forms.
All of these eventually led to economic development and stability. The village flourished, and so did their quality of living. They accomplished all of these in less than a hundred years, an amazing feat whose credit goes to the currently elected leaders.
Brief history of Zephyrin:
Zephyrin's father is one of the twenty elected leaders of the winter fairy settlement. Because of the job's many responsibilities that kept him from being around all the time, Zephyrin felt neglected and became resentful towards him and his job. Her attention-seeking behavior stems from the lack of love and attention she had received from her father growing up. Since Zephyrin's mother passed away when she was only a few months old, her grandmother became her mother figure. She had a soft spot for Zephyrin who looked so much like her mother, so she always let her get away with her shenannigans.
Zephyrin's childhood was pretty normal and mundane. Her father was cold and distant towards her, but he had also been overprotective to a fault. She spent most of her younger years cooped up inside the house, watching the other kids play through her bedroom window. As she got older, she grew more feisty and stubborn, eventually realizing that her father was never going to be around to scold her anyway.
As Zephyrin grew into a young woman, she became keenly aware of her own beauty. She used this to her advantage and captured people's attention with her beautiful face and crafty silver tongue. Zephyrin started dressing extravagantly and adorning herself in jewels. For her, dressing up was similar to wearing a mask. It hid all the insecurities she had deep inside - something she'd never care to admit. She didn't care about people's lack of approval of her personality, they couldn't deny that she was beautiful and that's all that mattered. Zephyrin would rather gain negative attention than be completely overlooked.
Physical Strengths: ♡ Swift and agile ♡ High stamina ♡ Quick reflexes
Physical Weaknesses: ♡ No combative experience or skills. ♡ Healing abilities are average at best. ♡ A weak physique. Zeryphin's body is delicate with very little muscle definition. ♡ Weak offensive magic.
Best Abilities ♡ Cyrokinesis, specialized in Cyrokinetic Armor.
At a young age, Zeryphin was always fascinated with the use of offensive ice magic. But due to the social norms of fae culture, she was forced to focus on healing and foraging. Being the stubborn girl that she was, it did not stop her from forsaking the lessons forced upon her; she practiced Cyrokinesis in secret. She later found that she wasn't very good at controlling her magic past 2 meters away from herself, so she veered her focus towards defensive ice magic.
After years of trial and error, training and guidance from her grandmother, she was able to master the ability called Cyrokinetic Armor. This is achieved by forming ice armor around her body for protection or a physical boost. She freezes air moisture into super-hard ice, creating an ultimate defense against normal physical attacks. She can also create shields and barriers.
Location:Ember Grove Park | Mentions: Helene @Ithradineand Marius@Tae
Shortly after the music had stopped, a young vampire approached – the scent of fresh kill still lingering on him. As soon as Veronika caught a whiff of it, her gaze grew intense but remained steady, watching the newcomer only through her peripheral vision. For a split second, a menacing aura emanated from her, but she supressed it. Veronika looked indifferent; her face betrayed nothing.
From the looks of it, they were quite young, maybe not even 200 years of age. The man seemed to recognize the girl, however, she looked perplexed – even worried when he had asked about her mother. Veronika's eyebrow rose as she pondered their relationship; they were neither family nor lovers. He clearly had not used little princess as a term of endearment. The pair must have belonged to a clan, but more importantly, which one?
Veronika's run-in with the two – less than five minutes upon her arrival – did not bode well for her. Vampires used to hide in the shadows, striking only when it was dark. Now it seemed as though Ember Grove had turned into nothing but a playground for the supernatural. Despite the presence of hunters, vampires nowadays seemed braver and more cunning – they even dared to hunt in broad daylight. Power was clearly shifting. Eventually, something would tip the scale and chaos would ensue. Afterall, nature required balance. Although Veronika detested the hunters, they played a role at cleaning up vermin.
Veronika noted that the man was a problematic sort, and if the girl was somehow involved with him, it would be fair to assume that she was the same. At the thought of that, Veronika clicked her tongue and started to walk towards their direction. She held her chin high as she rested both hands behind her back.
However, intervention was not necessary. He did not reek of good intentions, but he also didn't seem to have intentions of hurting the young woman, at the very least. Later, Veronika would check the clan's archives to see if they had files on these two. For now, she would enjoy her afternoon stroll. She gave the man a small knowing smile – a flash of amusement in her eyes – as she brushed past the two, humming the tune that the girl had played with her violin.
》A p p e a r a n c e [ ⍚ ]Height: 6'2ft [ ⍚ ]Weight: 83kg [ ⍚ ]Hair Color: Blonde [ ⍚ ]Hair Length: Short [ ⍚ ]Skin Color: Fair [ ⍚ ]Eye Color: Emerald green [ ⍚ ]Skin markings: Night Order Insignia on his chest 》R e l a t i o n s h i p s [ ⍚ ]Sexuality: Heterosexual [ ⍚ ]Relationship Status: Single [ ⍚ ]Any pre-determined friends?: Veronika Cleveland [ ⍚ ]Siblings' Status: None [ ⍚ ]Parents' Status: Deceased [ ⍚ ]Pets: A horse and parrot [ ⍚ ]How open is your character to friends from 1 to 10?: 5 [ ⍚ ]How open is your character to romance from 1 to 10?: 3 》I n t e r e s t s Likes: ✡ Birds and horses ✡ Art, music, poetry. ✡ The Night Order
Dislikes: ✡ War and violence ✡ Ill-mannered people ✡ Loud places and people
Skills: ✡ Martial arts or hand-to-hand combat ✡ Specialized in the use of knives and blades ✡ Administrative and organizational skills
》P e r s o n a l i t y
"Laws exist to keep things in order."
Loukás is a man with moral integrity. He places a lot of value on what is right and wrong, and he does his best to follow his moral convictions in all circumstances. He likes to do things by the book and always tries to keep things in order by ensuring that people's actions are in accordance with the rules. His moral alignment is lawful good. He does not like it when the guilty go unpunished, and he is adamant in his belief that people must always act with fairness and honor. Loukás, however, is completely devoted to the clan, so he would never take any action that would go against the clan's best interests. His loyalty for the clan is unwavering, and he would set aside his own personal convictions if it involved the safety of The Night Order.
Despite his upright and serious nature, Loukás is capable of having fun here and there. He is warm and inviting when he's around people he can trust, but he is cold and distant when it comes to outsiders of the clan, especially vampires. His distrusting nature leads him to question everyone's intentions, and he always suspects that others may have a hidden agenda. Loukás is someone that others can rely on, and he is protective over Veronika and members of his clan.
》H i s t o r y
WIP
》C l a n The Night Order. Right-hand of Veronika Rose Cleveland.
Location: Ember Grove Park | Mentions: Helene Sinclaire @Ithradine
It had been early afternoon when Veronika and her entourage had approached the town of Ember Grove, the car a blur of metal as it drove along the woodland path. Road 70 wasn't easy to traverse, and the journey from the estate had been long and arduous. As soon as the tree line of The Night Order's territory ended, the car slowed down to a comfortable pace.
"We should have taken the chopper," Loukás commented as they entered Ember Grove, relieved that the long drive was finally over.
Veronika shook her head but didn't say anything. It was beyond doubt that the long drive had been far from pleasant. The path was narrow, jagged and rocky. The journey back home was not something she looked forward to, and the idea of taking a chopper back to the estate was rather tempting. For security reasons, Veronika decided against it. She did not want to draw unwanted attention - or worse - give away the estate's location. Road 70's treacherous path played a role in keeping their estate safe and hidden. Most humans stayed away for it was thwart with dangers.
As the car headed for the park, Loukás' concern did not go unnoticed by Veronika. She could tell by the occasional sideway glance, tight jaw, and his hard grip on the car's roof handle.
"If you don't ease up a little, you might break that poor handle," Veronika remarked.
Loukás immediately let go of it and sighed. "It has been a decade since you last set foot into Ember Grove. What is the reason for your visit?" He asked. With the recent happenings in town, he felt uneasy. Veronika was not the type to do things without reason. He searched her face for answers.
"Eight years," Veronika corrected. "I'm here for a change of scenery."
Loukás was not convinced, but he knew better than to question Veronika. She always had a reason for doing things, but she never shared said reasons. He had given up long ago on trying to figure her out. It was pointless trying to get inside the mind of someone who has lived for almost 2 millenniums. Perhaps anyone who hasn't lived that long would never truly understand what went on inside the minds of those who have.
"You worry for naught, I'm only here for leisure." Veronika assured him before looking away, signaling she was done with the conversation. She could not fault him for being concerned about her safety. Ember Grove was infested with hunters, and the density of supernaturals in such a small town only attracted trouble.
Loukás decided not to press any further. Instead, he reached into his pocket and took out a ring she had given him for safekeeping. He opened the red box and handed it to her. "The ring, my lady."
Veronika took the ring from its box and held it up to the light, the stone glittering as she moved it. She gave it a quick look over before slipping it into her ring finger.
In the blink of an eye, Veronika appeared to be a few years older. Her main features were the same, but her body and facial structure changed to that of a woman's. She looked more mature, which better matched her sophisticated demeanor. The illusion looked so real that Loukás was taken aback for a moment.
"You haven't worn that ring in awhile," he commented as he continued to stare for a second too long. Veronika gave him a half hearted smile as her mind went to a trip down memory lane. The ring had been a gift from a friend she had centuries ago. A powerful witch who died in the hands of hunters; betrayed by her own coven.
The car pulled over to the side of the road, pulling Veronika away from her thoughts. Loukás exited the vehicle first and opened the door for her. She took his outreached hand and got down the car, giving the driver a quick thank you before closing the door behind her.
The first thing Veronika noticed was the crowd of people gathered at the park, mostly families enjoying a picnic. Although she would've preferred a more vacant setting for her afternoon stroll, the crowd was to be expected on a Saturday afternoon.
As Loukás excused himself to pick up a phone call, Veronika's ears picked up on a melody not too far away. It was a beautiful song, and as a musician herself, Veronika could not help but perceive the emotions the violinist tried to portray behind every note. It was a melody of sadness - and perhaps longing. Veronika found herself walking towards the direction of the song, curious to see the face behind the melody. It led her to the center of the park, where a woman sat on a bench, playing her violin. She had snow white hair and a somber expression to match.
Veronika kept her distance, standing a few feet away as she watched and listened with interest.
Location: Night Order Estate Interactions: Loukas Clermont News of Alexander Drake's charade reached Veronika's ears in the middle of last night's feast. Her suspicions about his art exhibit had been right, much to her displeasure. Veronika has never been a fan of Alexander's barbaric ways and antics. For this reason, clan members were not allowed to engage with Sanguine Moon's lackeys. They were ordered to avoid them at all costs. They only spelled bad news.
"Are we going to turn a blind eye? Again?" Lucas asked in a hushed tone, afraid he might cross a boundary. He has been Veronika's right-hand man for centuries, but he reminded himself not to get too comfortable. As close as they were, Veronika was still the leader of the clan.
"If we intervene, there will only be more bloodshed." Veronika replied curtly as she scanned through the pages of a book she was reading. Veronika had always been a person of few words, and Luca wished she'd be a little more generous with her thoughts. It was always hard to get a read. He'd often find Veronika in deep thought, but he never knew what plagued her mind. Everytime he dared to ask, he was only met with a small smile.
"However.." he paused, unsure if he should continue. Did he really have the right to burden her with his foolish concerns? She was much older and wiser. She had been keeping the clan safe for more than a millenia. Perhaps he wasn't looking at the bigger picture.
"I'd like it if you continued." Veronika urged him with a small smile, now closing her book. It was that small smile he was so familiar with. Warm and gentle, yet it never reached her eyes.
"This isn't real peace." He said, referring to their luxurious lifestyle at the estate. They were living their best lives within these walls. Wearing expensive clothing, holding festivities, not having to hunt or fear for their lives. But a storm was brewing outside.
"The war just happens to be outside our walls. And what about his victims? We can't simply call them collateral and move on. Everytime Alexander kills, we are thrown further away from our goals of co-existing with humanity."
Veronika looked at him for a moment before opening her book to resume her reading. "If there's one thing I have learnt during my long years of life, it's that you can't save everybody. Even if vampires did not exist to wreak havoc, humans would still find a way to kill and wage wars against eachother," Veronika replied, her eyes still glued to the pages. She understood Luca's frustrations as she also despised how Sanguine Moon did as they pleased. However, they must only watch for now and allow the hunters and Alexander's pets to chip away at eachother's numbers. That way, she would not have to sacrifice the blood of her own clan. If anyone hated the hunters more than she did, it was Alexander Drake. It was more beneficial to have him around, for now.
Luca sighed in defeat. Veronika was right. This was the unfortunate reality, and his idealism would only put the clan at risk. He knew Veronika hated violence more than anything, but she remained patient and focused on the grand scheme of things. So must he.
As he bowed his head and moved to take his leave, Veronika signalled for him to stop.
The sun slowly began it's decent, painting the sky with rich hues of red and lavender. A young woman sat by a large piano with her blue eyes steady on the horizon, face aglow with the last orange rays before night fall. As the girl slowly dropped her delicate fingers on the pure ivory keys, a sweet melody filled the large hall, setting a romantic refrain. The music flowed through the air like waves; the sound rushing in and around every person in the room, putting them in a merry trance. As the beautiful melody filled their ears, a wave of tranquility washed over them, warming their hearts. The room lit aglow with warm light, painting a beautiful scene that every artist would love to reproduce on a canvas.
The sunset marked the beginning for the creatures of the night. The mansion slowly came to life as the light of day drained away, replaced by a beautiful crescent moon that loomed proudly over them. The victorian lamp posts that surrounded the mansion slowly lit up one after another. The marble fountains sprung to life, the soft gurgling water resonating in the surrounding silence of the garden. The chandeliers lit up the grand halls of the mansion, highlighting the ostentatious furniture that was all handmade by masters of the craft.
The night had finally arrived, and every corner of the mansion was filled with music and wild merriment. It was a stark contrast to its atmosphere during the day; most of the mansion's inhabitants would be asleep, and the large halls would be awfully quiet and empty. From the outside, it would look as if nobody lived there, save for a few housekeepers. Though it was beautiful and well kept, it almost looked abandoned.
The nights, however, were different. The mansion bloomed with life. It was filled with warmth, music, laughter, and parties. The Night Order placed great importance on building and strengthening relationships between clan members. They accomplished this by holding fun activities and events where everyone could gather and bond. After all, the Night Order was not just a clan. They were a family. It had been a long tradition of theirs to start every evening with a lovely feast. Friday nights, especially, were special. It always called for a grand feast.
Three long tables stood at the center of the main banquet hall, each laden with delicacies. There were enormous platters of savory fruits, large baskets of warm bread, and waterfalls of wine. There were bowls of pumpkin soup, large shrimps fried to a crisp, and rare roast beef sliced as thin as paper and drizzled in rich sauce. There was an array of various cheeses, platters of sushi, and lobster tails coated with garlic and butter. Every dish you could dream of, laid in wait.
More vampires flocked to the banquet hall, clad in luxurious white dresses and suits. Each one of them looked elegant and regal. They walked to their respective seats and started filling their plates, eager to begin the feast, but none of them touched their food as they waited for the signal. The servers, dressed in white tunics, moved fluidly to and from the tables, keeping the platters and glasses full. The rich aroma of the dishes cut through the soft fragrance of lavender that came from the dimly lit scented candles. Everything was set to perfection.
The beautiful melody continued at a fixed tempo, and among the chatter of merry conversation, occasionally a loud bellow of a laugh would rise above the general chatter. The girl's fingers continued to dance gracefully across the glossy white keys. She gently closed her eyes as she felt each note reverberate within in her soul, losing herself in it. She felt one with the music.
The girl wore a lace appliqued dress with white airy tulle. It draped down her ankles, paired with white sandals adorned with small beads of pearls. Her dark hair flowed to her hips in voluminous waves, and around her neck was a beautiful pearl necklace. Everything about her from head to toe was polished.
The tempo picked up its pace as she was nearing the end of the piece. The attendees listened in awe, and finally, her fingers hit the last notes. There was complete silence as the music came to a halt. Veronika hoisted herself up from her seat and gracefully walked towards the center of the hall, her heels clicking against the marble floor.
"Let's begin." Veronika smiled.
At the signal, everyone raised their glasses and cheered.
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