The Selection [RP] discussion
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introduction room
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(last edited Dec 04, 2018 08:01PM)
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Nov 24, 2018 04:12PM
there is no longer a "women's room" at the palace since there are two genders participating. instead, they all meet in the palace's sun room as they await news of the prince and princess. during the selection, this room will serve as a hang out space for the selected.
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((I do believe this is where it said to start, correct me if I am wrong.))
Luciana entered the introduction room and as she did so her sapphire blue eyes took in the room calmly drifting from one side to the other. She was the first person to arrive, exactly how she liked it. Luciana intended to win and she'd need every advantage she could get to guarantee that she was picked. Being first not only meant she got to see the room first and acclimate to her surroundings, but she'd also get to see each person as they entered. She'd have the opportunity to talk to more of them and get to know her competition.
In preparation for the oncoming onslaught of superficial and uncomfortable pleasantries that would soon be rampant through the quiet room, she had already taken to the time to put in place her signature faint yet regal smile. Luciana slowly drifted over to the window, slowing here and there to take a closer look at certain things in the room. As she had expected the royal family took good care of their home, the room was near spotless and the furniture was all of good craftsmanship. She stopped at her destination and gazed out the window at the what was happening outside. Her eyes followed a small yellow bird as it flew by, but her mind was elsewhere.
This could very well be the beginning of the rest of her life which meant from this point on Luciana could not risk a mistake, this was her chance to claim the respect she always wanted, the respect she needed and she could not let it slip away. In her head, she ran over how to conduct herself, what to say and what not to do. Based on appearances one would not assume so much was going on in her mind as she looked as peaceful and serene as a person could be, the result of careful practice and habit.
Luciana was in general geared for victory, clad in an expensive gown. It was as pure white as snow and was finely decorated gold with and from the shoulder fell a sleek and elegant cape. It was fit for a queen, it was fit for The Queen. The Selection would pick not just spouses for the Prince and Princess, but also people to rule at their sides and Luciana would prove that she could manage the emotional burden of marriage and the political burden of being royalty. On her right hand, she wore an ornate ring adorned with a ruby and diamonds. The ring was a refurbished piece that had once belonged to her mother, it glimmered like a star on her finger, it was a gorgeous ring, in fact, it was used in several of her mother's movies. Even Luciana's shoes were chosen just for her and matched her ring to emphasize the beautiful piece of jewellery whilst still bringing to the table their own level of refinement. Her makeup was done perfectly and her hair neatly done in a simple yet elegant braided crown.
(view spoiler)
(( yes, you are correct! i will post a reply later today, and i love your long posts!! ))
Isadora had nearly thrown up several times on the journey to Angeles due to nerves. First, it was the lightning fast train to the airport that made her nearly lose her breakfast of toast and tea. Then, it was her shock at her first time on an airplane. Then, in the limo to the Selection, she had accidentally broken a champagne glass, which was absolutely mortifying.
Hoping nobody was there-- alas, there was!, she inched her into the room. She poked around in Ambrosia and Cecily's closets for the cast offs that she could pack for the Selection. Her family may have been struggling, but with Ambrosia and Cecily's entire paychecks going towards clothes, you'd never guess. She had picked a deep purple gown that was, according to Cecily, "sooo last season with the bow waist." Isadora had to admit it was one of their frumpier dresses, which was exactly the reason she had picked it. Never in a million years would she have the confidence to wear a skin tight gown with a slit or something like that. With her hair tucked into a neat low bun that had taken her the better part of an hour to perfect, she steeled herself and finally entered the room, mustering as much strength and courage as she could.
Wiping her clammy palms on her dress, Isadora walked up to Luciana. Biting her tongue to prevent any stuttering, she began. "Hello, I'm Isadora. Pleasure to meet you." she said, extending her right hand out for a handshake.
((I've been in a bunch of rp's recently where the other person starts with five paragraphs so I suppose I've just gotten used to writing longer ones, but thank you!))
Luciana could hear Isadora's footsteps from behind her the second she stepped in the room, but Luciana knew better than to turn around without being prompted to. She waited quietly to be addressed, leaving her thoughts behind. She stood silently until arose the voice of the young woman who had entered the room. Luciana gracefully turned around allowing the fabrics of her outfit to whirl about until everything was once again still and serene. With her delicate smile and glittering gaze, she flickered from Isadora's face to her outfit and then to her hand.
Luciana wasted no time to evaluate her, she seemed sweet enough, but she was not bold, her outfit showed that. It was lovely on her, that was true, but it was understated and modest. Luciana knew better than to base her opinions solely on a person's outfit and gently took Isadora's hand gave a firm handshake bringing her gaze back up to Isadora's eyes. "Luciana Aldaine and the pleasure is all mine, I assure you." She greeted her voice smooth and composed. She carefully retracted her hand and let it rest at her side. "I assume you too have been selected," Luciana began, a note of pleasantry in her voice as she spoke. "it really is quite the whirlwind of change isn't it?" She asked, her smile widening ever so slightly to accompany her question.
Luciana spoke with the intent of making a good impression, to make an enemy of the first person she met would be unwise. She knew how to manage such superficial matters well, the parties her father threw when she was younger taught her how to handle meeting people well so it was second nature. The question she asked had also left an opening in which she could try and learn more about this Isadora, the possibility of learning what exactly she was up against. Such was the thought process of the general's daughter, for the selection was a war of social graces and wordplay and to win you have to know your competition.
Isadora was immediately in awe of Luciana. Everything about her appearance was so polished, so poised. She already looked like a Princess, and not all the contestants were here yet. Dropping Luciana’s hand, Isadora smoothed down the fabric of her dress, fumbling for something to say or do. “Oh, uh, it is indeed.” Isadora managed to eek out. “The palace is really an entirely new ecosystem. It’s like a little microcosm of romance and luxury!” She said, letting out an awkward laugh. Drat. Barely a minute in and making a fool of herself in front of who was probably the most eligible contestant. Isadora was looking forward to the make over a little bit, because it might give her a bit of an edge. Her step-mother had told her in the last Selection, a lot of girls tended to change their appearance to help snag the Prince. Anything that would help her stay longer and get more money, she was down for. Of course, not dying her whole head of hair fuschia or anything like that, but some basic makeup skills and style tips could give ger a slight edge.
Twisting the jade bangle that rested on her left wrist, Isadora figured it was better to stay mute and be thought of as stupid, rather than say something utterly idiotic and be known as stupid. She knew she’d rather be in her room (or maybe at the gargantuan palace, rooms) reading some textbooks or the news. Isadora had figured that in the palace, news would be scarce, so she had put as many books as she could cram into her tiny valise so she’d have something else to do besides observe world happenings. She had found some banned textbooks on something very interesting — American History, but figured it was too risky to bring them into the palace. She had instead stuck them underneath a loose floorboard in her family’s pantry, hoping she could read it when she came back.
Isadora’s greatest dream was to attend university the next fall, hoping to study history or politics, or even philosophy, and become a professor like her father. However, money was scarce... but the Selection stipend was legendary, practically mind boggling in its amount. It was really the only reason she had signed up, petty as it may be. She was sure the Prince was a nice person, (even though she had never read the tabloids detailing his latest exploits) but she needed her education before she needed a husband. Maybe she could talk to the Prince into letting her stay for at least a few weeks, enough time to save money for tuition and help pay off her father’s debts.
For a split second, Luciana's eyes took note of Isadora's frantic search for something to do with her hands. Nerves. Luciana could understand why someone would be nervous, the events that were soon to come would likely be amongst the most important in the lives of all the selected. She listened intently to Isadora speak and when Isadora said it was like a new ecosystem Luciana tilted her head ever so slightly, expressing her curiosity. Even for Luciana, it was different, but to describe it as a new ecosystem seemed perhaps a tad much. Based on her answer Luciana assumed that Isadora was of a lower caste than herself which is why it seemed to be so vastly different to her. When she heard the young lady laugh Luciana too allowed a soft laugh escape her lips, bringing a hand up to her face, loosely over her mouth. Her hope was that it would appear that she too found some degree of entertainment from the remark.
Luciana lowered her hand somewhat, stopping near her chest. "What a delightful way to think of it," Luciana commented, a brilliant smile gracing her features. "may I ask where you are from? It mustn't be quite like Angeles." She asked offering up an explanation for why she displayed this interest. Luciana didn't think of Isadora as a major threat, she seemed very unused to the way of life of the higher castes which would likely make certain aspects of the prince's life difficult for her to grasp therefore creating a rift between the two. Luciana felt her kind nature would allow her to coast through the early stages, but she wasn't sure she'd be able to hold together later on, but of course, all the greatest losses occurred when the enemy was underestimated, Luciana had learned that from her father.
As far as the makeover went, Luciana wasn't willing to wait for it, she wanted to ensure that everyone recognised her as a contender from the start and a strong first impression was key to that, hence the reason she had accounted for every detail in her outfit. Luciana knew very little of her movie star mother, but old magazines and such always described her as someone who was impeccably dressed no matter the event and that was something that Luciana admired. To earn respect you have to look the part and as Luciana understood it her mother always looked the part. Of course, no outfit could ever earn you the respect that being royalty would and so Luciana knew that if there was ever a time to pull out all the stops it would be during her time in the selection.
Isadora paused to center her thoughts. Anxious fretting was driving her wild, and it simply wouldn't do. Taking a steadying breath, she formulated a cohesive and comprehensible thought.
"Carolina." She replied smoothly. If she could assume, she would say Luciana was from Angeles, or at least fantastically rich. Isadora had read many books about emotional intelligence before arriving at the palace, in some desperate bid to get rid of her social anxiety, and she could tell from Luciana's body language that she was confident, without a doubt. And her clothing showed her high status: the opulent fabric, the tailored fit, the sumptuous jewelry dripping from her fingers. She even sounded rich, with her prim little accent and soft, refined titter. Isadora simply knew the competition would be stiff.
"Carolina." She replied smoothly. If she could assume, she would say Luciana was from Angeles, or at least fantastically rich. Isadora had read many books about emotional intelligence before arriving at the palace, in some desperate bid to get rid of her social anxiety, and she could tell from Luciana's body language that she was confident, without a doubt. And her clothing showed her high status: the opulent fabric, the tailored fit, the sumptuous jewelry dripping from her fingers. She even sounded rich, with her prim little accent and soft, refined titter. Isadora simply knew the competition would be stiff.
Luciana let her brain mull over what it knew of Carolina as she prepared her next words. "Ah yes... I do believe I met an older gentleman from Carolina a while back, a curious man he was... He had this unusual habit of gesturing wildly when he spoke, though I admire how he managed to have such a grand presence at his age." Luciana responded, her tone reflective as she recalled the funny older gentleman she had encountered at one of the parties her father used to throw. She personally thought the man was far too much, but it was true that she admired his ability to command the attention of others when he spoke even in his old age, it was always when someone of old age managed to keep up with those younger than them.
"Are the elderly not the most resilient? They've lived through more than we can imagine, yet they still fight as fiercely as the best of us." She remarked, her tone sugary and cheerful allowing her sparkling cerulean eyes to meet Isadora's brown eyes. Luciana may have intended on analysing the competition, but she couldn't be too obvious about it so tossing in a few anecdotes and harmless questions would keep her in the good graces of those around her, at least for the earlier parts of the selection.
Mercedeses didn't want to be here. She found no point in this, and romantic love was an illusion to her. So why was it that when she got up in the unreasonably early morning, it was to prepare for her journey here? Her mother of course. Mercedeses knows fully that she was the one who was supposed to be six feet under, but of course it was somewhat like a last hurrah to her mother. She talked about this for ages, Mercedeses knew that while it was highly unlikely that either prince or princess would want to marry her, and she didn't expect them to, but it couldn't hurt to try this could it? The moment she stepped into the room, she felt homesick, all she wanted was to lay back down in her bed. Her guitars had been taken to God-knows-where, and out of her hands. Her amplifiers were said to be well taken care of, along with the rest of instruments.
Like the rest of the women in the room, Mercedeses was in a gorgeous gown rocking her natural curls as the bounced with every controlled step she took. If you looked at her, you wouldn't be able to tell that she felt as if she was mentally spiraling not having anyone close to her from home. All of her so called friends had disappeared after her mother's death. Instead of supporting her, and being a shoulder for her to cry on, when she stopped partying, they dropped her like she was worthless. Her money, fame, and fortune was still there, but none of them were emotionally equiped to handle something that serious. Imbeciles the whole lot of them.
Without saying a word, she smiled and nodded at the others in the room charming as always, not really interested in joining their conversation. She was pretty sure that they knew who she was, just as she understood their titles. The Palancos were known worldwide, a family of preformers and artists, but two years ago, they went dark. Only occasionally leaving their house for the necessities. Mercedeses wanted to go, sleep, pet her cat, play some music, and then promptly pass out in her suite.
Wren slipped into the room, a small smile still lingering from a short chat she had held with the guard outside the room. Her eyes were alight in amusement, dark eyes glittering amid a faint application of makeup. She felt so out of place, like she had been swept away into an entirely different universe. And in a sense she supposed she had, but somehow things felt oddly familiar. After all, this was little more than a stage, was it not? One look at the stuffy individuals and the showy surroundings and all she could think of was the reality they could be hiding behind the facade. However, where in her world it all truly was an act with tricks of light and makeup, this was an act of poise and sophistication. Only it definitely was not an act. The gold here was real, for one. The power was real, for two. And where an act in the circus finished with no real consequences this act carried on rippling outward and influencing the lives of many. It was a scary thought, in a way. She didn't know if she could handle that kind of stress. Wren had submitted into the Selection on a whim, hoping to experience an adventure and see what life was like beyond a circus. Never in her wildest dreams did she actually think she would be selected. Yet here she was, a hop, skip, and a jump later. The plane trip had been particularly exhilarating and the train positively dull, but the flurry around her after arriving reminded her of home as she was prepped with the others.
Now she stood in a skin-tight dress of golden-beige. It was more casual than the dresses of the other ladies, but it was quite flattering for her figure. Gold accents studded the dress, catching the light in subtle ways. The dress had been strategically chosen to take attention away from her well-defined arms - a feature she tended to be self-conscious about. What if the prince wanted a lady of soft curves and delicate frame, and not someone who spent hours a day working out? At least she had the curves down, even if she was muscular. The dress clung to her chest and butt, accentuating her thin waist. The V-line neck was low enough to capture interest but not low enough to come across as an attempt to show her goods to the world. Her sleeves went clear to her wrist while the dress ended a few inches down her thighs in order to show off her legs. It may be more casual than the formal gowns favored by the other women, but it felt familiar in its resemblance to the skin-tight, showy leotards required in the circus. For shoes she had settled on a comfortable pair of gladiator sandals in a gold to match the accents of the dress. Gold could also be seen on a small necklace around her neck, a small tiger outline dangling from the chain. Her father had sent it with her to remind her of home, with the soft words to remember to have the strength, bravery, mystery, and grace of a tiger.
As she made her way further into the room she found her fingers softly tracing the form on her necklace, mentally prepping herself for the situation. Her smile had yet to falter upon entering the room, but she let it ease away into a more restrained smile as she surveyed the others in the room. She had contemplated going and greeting some of the people, but the metal between her fingers reminded her to maintain that sense of mystery. Let them come to her.
(view spoiler)
Roderick walked into the room briskly, his hands raised to do one last adjustment on the silk tie at his neck. He had opted for a classic grey vest and pants, the lines perfectly ironed and every inch built for his frame. The dress shirt beneath his vest was flawless white and accented with a silk tie of deep purple. He had opted to skip the hot suit jacket, and was already glad in his decision as he felt the first beading of sweat from nerves. He was excited to be here and honored by the opportunity, if suffering from some minor jet lag. Roderick had never been one for flights. Or trains. Or any long distance travel, for that matter. Just the thought made him feel motion sickness. A soft breath escaped his lips as he took in those already in the room. It figures he would be one of the first men in here. The ladies all looked lovely in their gowns and the room was comfortably decorated even in its elegance. 'Get off your lazy ass and go socialize, he chastised himself.
A small, friendly smile tugged on the corners of his lips and his hand slid comfortably into his pockets. Slowly he meandered over to another recent arrival. Stopping a comfortable distance away from Mercedes, he leaned in slightly to say, "You look lovely, ma'am." Always terrible with names he couldn't quite place her, though the face was familiar. Never hurt to lead in with a genuine compliment. "I'm sure the prince will love the dress." He subtly wiped his sweaty palms on the inside of his pocket as he removed his hand from its sanctuary to offer a polite shake. "Roderick Silver. Pleased to meet you."
The last thing that she had expected for anyone to do was go up to her and actually talk. She had hoped that the vibes that she was putting out had been enough to let others know she wasn't here to make friends, or even to compete. In addition to honoring her mother, she may have a bit of fun before being disqualified, but she wasn't actually expecting any actual results. Glancing at boy, er well, man in front of her, she gracefully looked him up and down, before mentally preparing herself for what was to come good or bad. A gentle smile was place upon her lips before she answered. Placing her hand in his, she playfully furrowed her brow before speaking. Her voice as well as her appearance was gorgeous, the words as simple as they were flowing off her lips.
"Well, I am not quite sure if I am old enough to be called ma'am yet. Mercedeses will do." She chuckled. An accent unlike the others was prominent, yet still absolutely gorgeous. "Ah, well it would be a shame if he didn't wouldn't it? Maybe I can take my luck with the princess if not." She laughed, before placing her hand back in her lap. "So, Roderick, what made you want to come here?"
'Ma'am? Really, Rui?' Instantly he felt stupid, regretting his decision to speak with her. His thoughts never once crossed his face as he dipped into a small bow, murmuring, "My apologies, Mercedeses." As he straightened he released her hand, resisting the urge to straighten his tie again. Back the hand went to its sanctuary before the traitor it was revealed his nerves.A faint curiousity slipped into his eyes at her soft accent, his mind running a mile a minute as he struggled to place it. Her words, however, were far more interesting. He couldn't help but wonder to himself if they both had bisexuality in common, or at least some standing in the LGBT+ community. That or she was simply power hungry. It was hard to tell this early. Regardless, he refrained from asking questions.
"Well," he rocked back on his heels slightly, gaze flickering to the window as a bird flew by, "what made everyone else want to come here?" He posed, avoiding the question. "People are either here for a better life, an adventure, the chance to marry royalty, or for power." Finally he looked back at her, a slight challenge in his eyes. "And you, Mercedeses?"
"Aww, come on now, you really can't expect me to answer the question that you evaded." She laughed, noticing the transition in his behavior. "If it is really that big of a secret, then I guess I will keep it to myself." Mercedeses shrugged, uncrossing her legs only to let them face another direction. "Has anyone here ever actually met the prince or princess? Of course I know of them, and I have visited Illéa before, but I've only seen, or I should say, met, the King and Queen, but not the rest of the royal family. Glancing around the room she noticed how few were in here. "So, is this the first selection where male participants were in the running? I mean, I want to say no, but I'm genuinely not sure."
The idea that she had already met the royal family led him to be even more curious about the lovely figure before him. Who was she that she had met them before? Even worse, what if that gave her an advantage? She really did look perfectly at ease in that proper, careful way important people had. Roderick found himself readjusting his tie, suddenly self-conscious, though he masked it well. "I would assume they kept the next heirs to the throne away from us lowly folk," he said with a small, amused smile, attempting to lighten the mood. It seemed to stuffy in here. "And yes, I believe it is. They had to have us men take over part of their guest wing, from what I've heard. Usually they arrange marriages for the daughters but I assume this is an attempt at appeasing the masses, or of showing off gender equality." He shrugged, leaving the tie alone to loop his hands through the belt loops. "Either way, this should prove an eventful Selection."
Adrien and Evangeline continued their walk down the castle hallways to the introduction room, where the selected were waiting. Adrien was a bit nervous, admittedly. He didn’t show it at all, keeping his usual confident aura in place. “After you, dearest sister.” The prince said, opening up the door to the sunroom for Eva.
A single glance around the room told Adrien what he needed to know. There was people, but not too many. A perfect situation to get to know some of the Selected without feeling overwhelmed or overcrowded. Adrien walked into the room behind his sister, a smirk on his face.
Evangeline stepped in front of Adrien at his insistence and stood in a perfectly placed ray of sunlight. If nobody noticed her arrival, she’d be royally pissed off— a tad ironic, but Eva was rather obtuse when it came to irony. She decided to not speak for at least a few seconds, at least until all eyes were on her.
“Welcome to the palace.” Eva began, clasping her hands lightly in front of her and putting a gracious smile on her face. “My brother and I hope to make your acquaintances shortly, as time permits of course. I dearly hope thst all of your accomadations have proved suitable. If in some way—“ and this part of her statement had a little more edge, as which dunce would say their room was far from perfect?!,” your accomadations are lacking, please take all queries and concerns to the royal secretary.”
Luciana's attention was drawn immediately to the opening doors when the princess and her brother stepped into the room. The conversation she had been having, as delightful as it was was greatly overshadowed by the importance of this moment and thusly she politely ended it. Gracefully, with the gold heels of her scarlet pumps quietly tapping on the wooden floors, she made her way to the front of the group. Her pace and movement were deliberate, it was still dignified, but it also caused her gown to flow elegantly as she walked. She stood beautifully dressed in white and gold with tempered poise as though she were already royalty.
Luciana's sapphire eyes appraised the prince and princess. What was obvious was their good looks, carefully tended to by a retinue of servants no doubt, she would expect no less of royalty. She listened to the princess speak, her signature serene smile on her lips as she thought. The princess was respectable, or at least it seemed as such, Luciana noted her manner of speaking, she was clearly well adjusted to being the centre of attention. The prince, on the other hand, had an expression that indicated he may not have been as proper as his sister. Luciana made sure to remember that fact, she'd have to consider toning down the formality for him, though for the beginning she didn't think it would be a problem.
When Evangeline finished speaking Luciana took the opportunity to speak before any of the others, to represent the group and make an impression. She gave a small curtsy to the siblings. "Thank you, your highnesses." She spoke, her tone as smooth as silk and filled with gracious warmth as she thanked them for sharing with them the information they would need for later. As she rose from the curtsy she clasped her hands together and offered the prince a glittering smile.
Wren turned her head toward the door as it opened again, turning the rest of the way as she caught sight of the twins. 'Let the show begin,' she thought to herself, dipping into a curtsy. The movement was unfamiliar to her, as dramatic bows were typically more highly favored in her line of work. She mimicked the other girls soft curtsies, starting to wish she had opted for the lovely floor-length dresses it seemed everyone else had opted for. Well, at least her legs looked amazing. And she was comfortable, which was more than could be said for most of the other women in the room. She assumed, that is. As Wren straightened she found her eyes glued to the princess as she offered a brief word of welcome. Of the two twins she looked so poised and elegant, just like - well, just like royalty. Her brother carried a similar aire about him, but the smirk on his lips spoke of a different personality entirely. Something about the whole scene seemed strangely amusing to Wren, her eyes crinkling slightly as she contained her laughter behind a small grin. The way the light was hitting the princess, the way the prince stood there in his handsomeness surveying the room, and the way the others were already clamboring for attention in the most restrained way she thought possible. What a different world this was.
Roderick offered his companion a polite nod to end their conversation as the room stilled upon the arrival of the twins. He turned towards the door to offer a bow, only taking in their appearance once he had straightened back up. They both looked quite attractive. The princess in her gorgeous dress, the light playing wonderful things with her features. The prince in his very well-made and stylish suit, promising to be an interesting character with his unexpected smirk.
Roderick kept his own face impassively smooth as he took in the scene, opting to stay further back and let things progress of their own. He'd much rather make a first impression of his own chosing, without trying to overshadow that of royalty.
Evangeline’s eyes scanned the nametag of the girl who came to the front of the group. Luciana. Hm, she’d have to remind Adrien of this Luciana. “Thank you, Luciana.” Eva said indifferently. After all, to show bias or blatant enthusiasm would be quite tacky at this part of the Selection. Evangeline’s gaze flitted over the crowd, quick to pick up flaws and the fatal error of forgetting to curtsy or bow in the royal family’s presence.
Evangeline waited a few seconds for the murmurring of the crowd to subside. “I hope you found your makeovers suitable, as they will be premiered tonight with the preliminary interviews on the Illéa Report. My brother and I will also try to meet all of you by this evening.” Evangeline finished off the statement with a small tilt of her lips, a mere hint of a smile. She eas annoyed at the prospects of greeting so many people, half of whom were here for either the paycheck or the crown, when she just knew that a third would be cut by tomorrow, as soon as her father let her eliminate people really.
((I'm waiting on Artemis, Jay, or Alexandra to post.))
((I thought I'd give the other two a chance to post before I post again.))
Mercedeses turned her head to glance st the prince and princess of Illea. They were gorgeous as the rumors had said, but neither of them looked genuinely interested in this whole escapade, and could you blame them? I mean, this entire things felt like a sophisticated beauty pageant. Preform best in looks, talent, and personality and you will a crown title! Neverthelesss, she stood and curtsied as one should do when in the presence of royalty before listening to what they have to say. It was interesting watching the two. Both seemed similar at least, yet still portrayed many differences. The prince portrayed a playful smirk while the princess retained a curtious smile. She hadn’t expected them to be the same of course, but in the back of her mind she genuinely wondered if they got along or not. Who knows? Maybe she would be sent home first, or win? Maybe have a little fun, but all of this was for her mother. It’s not the end of the world if she lost. Mercy glanced at the woman who had spoke up first, before noticing the line of direction that her sight had taken in.
The prince of course. Mercedeses wanted her guitar back, or her drums, drumsticks would even do. Maybe even her bass guitar? Anything so that socializing with the others would be avoidable. Except for Roderick perhaps? He seemed interesting enough, plus perhaps it would be somewhat nice to have a bit of acquaintances in this game they were making themselves pawns to.
Oh my, the royal twins were here. Isadora didn’t even notice when Luciana ended their conversation, because she was both awe-struck and petrified in fear. The both of them were undeniably gorgeous, but Isadora knew she was here for the Prince. Isadora wasn’t surprised when Luciana spoke for the group, it seemed like the sort of thing she’d do: act perfectly poised in a stressful setting and wow everybody with her glossy, coconut scented hair. Hastily remembering she was in the presence of royalty, Isadora sunk down into a deep cursty she had been practicing since she had found out she was to be the Carolinas female selected.
Fiddling with her bracelet, Isadora intently clung on the Princess’ words, hoping to glean something of importance from them. The Illéa report, tonight? Showing off their makeovers? Oh, Isa had been so stupid to turn down more of a makeover— her before and after photos would be practically identical, with the exception of a haircut and minimal makeup application.
All eyes were on Adrien and Evangeline, as they should be. After all, the two of them were the center of attention for the entire Selection process. Giving the room another sweeping glance with his clear blue eyes, Adrien pursed his lips a bit. The candidates looked alright, no one particularly stood out to him just yet.
“In addition to welcoming you to the castle, my sister and I would like to wish you all the best of luck in this years Selection.” Adrien said smoothly, flashing a grin. His blindingly perfect teeth- laser whitened, of course- were enough to send any girl in all of Illéa reeling. “We hope to meet you each individually very soon.” It probably wasn’t likely to happen, Adrien would go through and eliminate people based solely on their looks as soon as possible— if they weren’t attractive enough, they’d be gone, but if they were too attractive (if that was even possible), they’d also be gone. Adrien hated being overshadowed, and simply wouldn’t allow his wife to be better looking than him.
Turning to her brother, Evangeline spoke. "I think that's all we have to say. no?" Turning back to the crowd, Evangeline began to make her exit speech.
"Dates will be arranged by the royal secretary and you will be notified. Thank you, and we look forward to your presence on the Illea Report this evening." Exiting the room. Eva swept by the guards as they gave a bow.
((ooooof this was short i am sorry))
"Dates will be arranged by the royal secretary and you will be notified. Thank you, and we look forward to your presence on the Illea Report this evening." Exiting the room. Eva swept by the guards as they gave a bow.
((ooooof this was short i am sorry))
An eyebrow rose unbidden as Wren watched the princess exit. All this commotion for that tiny speech? It was times like this where she was glad not to have been subject to such boring theatrics for her entire life. At least the theatrics in her life had been ones of danger and mystery. One wrong move and someone could die. She had had her fair share of injuries, and seen plenty of people lose their jobs and livelihoods due to accidents. A couple times people had even died on the job, which was always bad for business. At least the most dangerous thing here was fanatics and people getting their knickers in a twist. Wren shook her head slightly and turned her focus back to the prince, curious if he would follow his sister out. He seemed a little less stuck up so perhaps he was less likely to rely on secretaries in his love life?
As the princess turned to sweep out of the room, Roderick took a quick step forward as though to follow her. Was that really all there would be to this first meeting? A hand reached up to smooth his dark hair back as he let out a slow breath. No, it would be too much to follow. They would meet in time.
He cleared his throat and dropped his hand down to straighten his tie out of habit, brown eyes flickering over towards the remaining member of royalty in the room. The prince looked quite dashing and Roderick couldn't help but wonder which designer had made that suit. It was very well made. Prince Adrien looked straight out of a magazine from polished shoes to pearly white smile.
With a bored expression, Adrien listened as his sister finished. “I believe that’s all, yes.” He said. As Eva walked out, Adrien lingered for a few moments longer. His sister was the epitome of graceful royalty, everyone could see that. Adrien was similar, but sometimes his not-so-traditional tendencies injured his royal reputation. Demonstrating this, he used his time in the room with the Selected to stare at everyone for a moment longer. As Eva walked out, Adrien turned to leave as well, but caught sight of a male with dark hair straightening his tie.
It was only a quick wink, but it was enough. Particularly scandalous, because it was directed at someone who was competing in the Selection for his sister, but it was entertaining to Adrien. Like a cat playing with a mouse before he devoured it. With that, Adrien left the room right behind his sister.
(( yes! we are also doing interviews tho ))
Roderick walked quietly into the room, hoping there were not too many people here at this time of day. It seemed like no matter where he went there were crowds of people, and after his last attempt at solitide left him lost and somehow down by the kitchens, he stuck to the familiar. His soft brown eyes took in the other occupants in the room chatting near the windows. A low breath escaped his lips as he turned towards the corner in the room away from the windows. Some plump chairs nestled around an unlit fireplace, and a piano sat near the corner for the performers to use. His mind flashed back to memories of piano lessons with his grandfather and a smile settled on his lips. The kindly old man shared the golden brown eyes of Roderick's mother, though his hair had slowly become more white over the years.
Roderick stepped up to the piano, running a hand along the casing covering the keys. His grandfather would have loved to play on a piano this nice. Though Roderick hadn't played piano in a couple years, he found himself sitting down at the bench and flipping through the songbook perched in its rest. Most of this looked beyond his skill, but a slightly more simple tune caught his eye. As a child he had frequent piano lessons from his grandfather. Once his mother had remarried, however, his stepfather found it a waste of Roderick's time and the lessons were few and far between. Roderick had some of the natural talent of his musician grandfather, but without the years and years of practice and performances to make a living, it was little more than a fond pasttime heavy with nostalgia.
He carefully moved the casing for the keys out of the way before letting his fingers dance over the keys, testing the sound in a simple scale while reminding his body of the movements necessary to play. Once he felt satisfied and thoroughly thrilled at the sound quality, he started to pick his way through the sheet music, making mild errors here and there as he warmed up. By the second run through the tune he was playing without error, if at a touch slower a pace than meant by composer.
The introduction of Princess Evangeline and Prince Adrien had caught Brynn up into somewhat of a frenzy. The Princess's dress was gorgeous, and Brynn wanted to have a conversation with whoever made it for her. It was obviously custom, and looked absolutely gorgeous on her. Brynn aspired to make clothes as gorgeous as that. Her own dress was an original piece that she had designed and executed herself, and that she had paired with jewels from her parents' shop.
After they had left, Brynn let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, and looked about the room. Everyone was dispersing into smaller groups, doing their own thing. She saw a girl slip out into the halls, and a boy make his way over to the piano. Brynn wasn't a musical person herself, but loved listening to it being played. When the man started playing, she was automatically drawn to him. Standing by the piano, she listened to him play, waiting until he finished before telling him that the piece was beautiful.
Roderick started slightly, not having heard anyone approach. A faint red flush came to his face, ears going a couple shades more red. "Oh, ah, thank you." He cleared his throat and took a short second to recover his composure. "That was," he glanced at the sheet music, flipped to the front of the book, and read off which composer it was. "I'm afraid I don't do her any justice. It has been awhile since I played. She'd likely roll over in her grave to hear it played so slowly," he joked lightly at his own expense. Realizing he had lost his manners, he pushed himself to his feet and offered his hand in greeting. "Roderick Silver." A faintly embarrassed smile touched his lips as he took the time to properly address the individual before him.
Brynn looked a bit startled at what he had said. It had been a while since the man had played, and he still sounded like this? It was amazing, and Brynn couldn’t picture what it would be like if he had practiced more. “I think you did a beautiful job,” She said honestly, her voice feathery light as always. Extending her hand and shaking Roderick’s, she gave him her own name. “Brynn Hall. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Roderick.” She said, a pleasant smile gracing her lips.
He ducked his head in embarrassment, a more genuine smile lighting on his face at the compliment. "Thank you. You as well." The name seemed faintly familiar, something tugging at the back of his mind. Roderick glanced back at her, taking in her appearance in a quick glance. "Hall as in the jewelers family?" He guessed cautiously. ((Sorry so short, I don't have the motivation to make it longer))
Brynn was quite surprised that he recognized her name. Not many people did, unless they were from the same province or caste. She didn’t know exactly which caste Roderick came from, though. “Yes sir.” She told him with a bit of a grin. “That’s me.” Well, it was her parents, but Brynn liked to think that she was well involved too. She was always fascinated by the jewelry market, constantly admiring the shiny things her parents would sell, but never actually became a jeweler herself. If castes were no object, Brynn would love to be a fashion designer of some sort, or perhaps a stylist. She looked forward to being able to converse and interact with the royal stylists and fashion designers.
"I thought so," a faintly relieved smile crossed his face. He was quite glad he hadn't entirely screwed up in his first interaction with this lady. "You look a lot like your mother." Realizing that comment needed explanation, Roderick added, "I'm a model. I was in one of your ad lines last year. I had the pleasure of meeting her once when she stopped by the studio." Roderick ran a hand through his hair, brushing it back. He always felt awkward saying he was a model. What if the person couldn't see it in him? Modeling was such a harsh career - everyone always had their own opinions on how one should look.
"Interesting..." Brynn tried to think back to the particular ad line he was referring to, but came up with nothing. "I'm not quite sure I remember which one you're referring to, but I'm sure that you performed well in the advertisement. It's always a pleasure meeting people who are passionate about their work." That was an assumption, of course, but Brynn figured it was accurate. After all, models had it all, didn't they?
Roderick's gaze flickered away for a split second at that comment, a carefully guarded expression flashing through his face even as he nodded. Skirting around that comment and attempting some humor, he said, "Thanks. It was for the watch line so they probably didn't include much of this handsome face." His gaze met hers again as he swept a hand up to frame his face, adding an eyebrow wiggle.
