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Post by koya304 on Jul 14, 2008 14:24:13 GMT -5
Alexandra smiled as she primped herself in the mirror, as one the dressing maid brought out her dress, laying it on the bed. Just below her she could hear the waiters and the maids getting everything ready. The decorations had taken almost all of the week, but it had worked wonderfully, beautiful cream gardenias hung in and from lace and ribbon. Pink tinted roses and lilies and every other flower imaginable filled vase after vase. She herself had her silky red hair carefully curled and piled on top of her head, and a few gardenias added a bit of a feminine touch. Her dress was also beautiful, with a bellowing skirt, with a hight just right for dancing, and a beautiful cream color base, draped with blue gauze and lace. As she stepped into it and had it laced around her corset she felt like a princess, and couldn't wait for the ball to begin. Alfred and her brother tom, sat at the top of the stairs, prim and proper. Tom in a black suit and Alfred clean and brushed, with a single tie of ribbon around his neck.
When Alexandra left her room, moving to the hall just by the stairs, she called her brother and Alfred over to her smiled, for she could already hear the first quests entering the hall below, which was just adjacent to the ball room, which everyone would enter once Alexandra was announced. But as she and her brother waited for the hall to fill with all of the guests, she couldn't help but sneak a peek down to see if Marcus had yet arrived.
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Post by bandit on Jul 14, 2008 17:15:23 GMT -5
Marcus of course was one of the first to arrive. He was wearing a white suite and stood near the stairs. He was smiling and nodding to the men and few women. He started to converse with this one blond haired girl in a pink dress. He just nodded and smiled laughing when appropriate. He was not intrested in her and wished that Alex would come downstairs.
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Post by koya304 on Jul 14, 2008 17:23:28 GMT -5
When at last all of the guests had arrived the doors were closed and one of the waiters, who had a rather booming voice stepped onto the last step of the stairs. Alex smiled and stood her brother up, smoothing out his suit. Then she heard the waiter speak, " May I present Mr. Thomas Barstow. " he said, and she pushed tom out to walk down the steps, Alfred trotting down by him, both stood at the bottom of the steps while the waiter spoke again. " Presenting, Gran Duchess Alexandra Barstow. " he said and Alex stepped out into the light of the hall, placing a hand on the rail and gliding gracefully down the steps, smiling as she looked around at all the guests. Almost all eyes were on her, as she had expected but as she looked around, she paused her eyes on Marcus. Who looked rather dashing in a unique white suit, she smiled and dipped her head to him. When at last she reached the bottom of the steps, she took Tom's arm and they lead the rest of the group into the ball room. The orchestra started playing as they all filled the room, some looking at the refreshments, just visible through the door. Alexandra smiled again as she saw the usuals hurry there while Tom took her hand and they started to dance.
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Post by bandit on Jul 15, 2008 14:46:19 GMT -5
Marcus stood off to the side watching Alex as she danced with her brother. He sipped the wine that he was holding and sighed softly. He looked at the floor for a moment trying to spot the fox but then he figured it would be ok since it seemed to be smart. He focused his attention on Alex again.
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Post by koya304 on Jul 16, 2008 10:35:19 GMT -5
Alfred had dived into the group after his charge had gone to dance, and now sat in a chair beside the refreshments, his eyes too trained on the young duchess. The dancing continued as the songs changed and couples joined the brother and sister. Soon Alexandra was being bombarded by the many young suiters, all wishing to have a chance to dance with her and talk. She accepted politely for the sake of her father, who sat in a very similar fashion as Alfred, watching the men approach and ask the current to step aside. All the while Alexandra couldn't help but peek over their shoulders from time to time, looking to see if Marcus was in the audience, but with all the people she couldn't tell. She could only wait, as she danced, not really stiffly, for she was a good dancer, but politely, never really falling into the timing of the music, or the arms of her partner.
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Post by bandit on Jul 16, 2008 20:35:20 GMT -5
Marcus waited until that song was over and walked over to Alex. He tapped the guy on the shoulder who bowed to him and walked away. He took Alex in the dancing stance and smiled at her. He stood with her then the music started and he swept her around the dance floor " So how is your night so far." He asked her.
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Post by koya304 on Jul 16, 2008 20:37:58 GMT -5
Alexandra couldn't help but smile, giving a polite curtsy to the man she had been dancing with before she raised her hands in the waltz position as she waited for the music to start. She began her reply just as it did, " It has been the same as many others until now. " she said with a smile as she looked up to Marcus.
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Post by bandit on Jul 16, 2008 20:47:32 GMT -5
Marcus looked at her and smiled " So you think I changed your night." He asked her teasingly. He held her at a polite distance though he wanted to just have her pressed against him. He did not intend to do anything to her until he was sure she liked him enough. He glanced across the room at Alfred and her father then back at her.
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Post by koya304 on Jul 16, 2008 20:57:21 GMT -5
Alexandra laughed, her stance much easier as she dance with him, accepting the distance between them as her feet gliding along, a much smoother and more graceful dance than she had before. It helped that the waltz was a more romantic dance and she was glad that Marcus had chosen now to cut in. " Indeed you have Mr. Nightrider. " she said keeping a more formal speech with so many people around.
Both of the males, Alfred and her father, noticed the change in her body as she began the dance with this new man. Only Alfred knew who the man was but it seemed strange for her to act in such a way.
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Post by bandit on Jul 16, 2008 21:01:52 GMT -5
Marcus smiled at her " Yes well I am indeed glad for that." He smiled then the song ended. He was tapped on the shoulder and he gave Alex a bow " Another dance another day." He said to her. He then moved and walked back to where he had been standing before. He watched as Alex danced with the suitor that had stepped in.
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Post by koya304 on Jul 16, 2008 21:05:39 GMT -5
Alexandra curtsied, sad that the song had been shorter, for she had hoped the waltz to go on and on as it usually did. All the same she took up the dance again with this new suitor, her stiffness returning as she chatted with him, though she found it rather dull.
Alfred sighed as the dance ended and hoped from his bench, trotting easily through the feet of people to her father, where he perched himself at his feet, sending his own thoughts to the man.
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Post by bandit on Jul 16, 2008 21:12:30 GMT -5
Marcus watched her become stiff and dull. He sighed and wished that he could remedy that forever. He sipped his wine and looked over at the fox. He did not know what he was doing and watched Alex. He hated the way she was around the others he loved her when she was happy and free willed.
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Post by koya304 on Jul 16, 2008 21:16:21 GMT -5
When at last the song stopped Alexandra smiled and curtsied to the next man, and again with politeness, declined him. Instead she went to the refreshments room, getting herself a small glass of wine and a few of the delicacies before she passed through a door to the adjacent library, where the fire was lit. Here she hoped she might be able to get away for a least a few moments and rest her feet.
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Post by bandit on Jul 16, 2008 21:17:37 GMT -5
Marcus slipped into the library shortly before she had. He was sitting there reading and sipping his wine. He heard her enter and looked at her " It seems you do not enjoy the company of the others." He said to her standing.
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Post by koya304 on Jul 16, 2008 21:23:13 GMT -5
Alexandra looked up just as she was setting down her wine, and was grateful she had for it would have spilled on her gown. " Mr. Marcus. " she said, less formally than she had in the ballroom as she allowed her eyes to adjust to the dim room. " Well, its not that they aren't nice people. Its just, I have to be so polite all the time, so ladylike. " she said, moving to sit in a chair just before the warm fire.
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