Kaylin tucked a platinum blonde curl behind her ear, before taking the deep azure lace between her fingers. She proceeded to twirl the delicate fabric around her index fingers, one piece for each hand, then tugged, tightening the corset-like piece of the dress, as she had been instructed. Kaylin tied the laces together, the bow resting just at the small of Claire's back, the left over pieces of lace left to reach for the floor. The maid stepped back as her princess stepped out from behind the screens.<br/><br/>The glass slippers her father had also gifted her clacked with the marble floor quite audibly, seeming to echo about the large chamber as the princess twirled about. The dress fluttered, the thin, light fabric unlike the regular, much thicker, fluff of her usual attire. Kaylin imagined waves, like the ocean, as the dress fluttered and caught light from the sunlight streaming through the windows, the thick velvet curtains parted.<br/><br/>"Well, then. How do I look?" Claire's bell-chime voice snatched Kaylin from her reverie, the bright smile which then greeted the maid upon looking up to meet Claire's eyes bringing about a smile on her own pallid lips.<br/><br/>"Beautiful, Princess." And she was, Kaylin could not help but marvel at her highness's angelic appearance, proud that her work, doing the princess's hair, and decorating an already beautiful dress with various jewelry and little added bows to which she fashioned upon the waistline and one shoulder strap. Kaylin, earlier, had braided the princess's long black tresses from the strands of ebony framing her pale, porcelain face, from the part on the left side of Claire's head, up until both pieces of braids met at the nape of her neck. She had then merged the two pieces into a single, long braid which ended just above the bow at the small of Claire's back.<br/><br/>Claire would capture all of their attention tonight.<br/><br/>Kaylin followed, head bowed, as the princess left her chambers, walking towards the ballroom. The corridors were lit brightly this day, unlike any regular day, where the statues and sculptures that sat, perched atop the pillars that reached the ceiling, appeared less haunting. The curtains were pulled apart wide, letting the high-noon sun stream through the large windows. The light was strange, something out of the norm, and it hurt Kaylin's eyes a tad. She'd gotten so used to scurrying about the palace in the darkness that the Queen had made every servant get used to, that happenings such as these tend to give her a head ache. Much like the one she knew Claire was feeling.<br/><br/>As they arrived at the large golden doors of the ballroom, Kaylin slowed her hurried steps, allowing a few feet of distance between her and her beloved princess, as the servant, James, pushed the heavy doors ajar. She would have to enter through the sides of the ballroom, through the dark unlit corners where servants like her were instructed to enter through.<br/><br/>Claire, with steps confident and graceful, swaggered into the gold-encrusted ballroom, and though she could not see just yet, she knew that every eye was on her. More so as James announced her arrival.<br/><br/>Kaylin turned upon her heel as the golden doors shut once more, to join the other servants waiting the nobles and royals.<br/><br/>~~~<br/><br/>Augustus scowled at his food, wishing nothing more than being able to return to his sword practice. In fact, at this very moment, in his heightened irritation, he would love nothing more than to beat down his middle aged mentor. The energy in which built up in his muscles screamed to be released, it was a chore even just sitting here.<br/><br/>To add to his displeasure, it was unnecessarily bright in this godforsaken room, much too happy for what he was feeling, much too cheery. Every smiling face, every laugh, every chatter that came from the mouths of the attendants was striking a miffed nerve in him, but for what reason, he wasn't sure himself. Maybe it was the fact that there was just too many people in one room, and the quiet in which he enjoyed so much was absent. Maybe it was just that his sword practice was interrupted for such a trivial thing. He didn't celebrate his birthday, or his mother's. How was this any different?<br/><br/>Or... Maybe it was that, ever since he had entered, a cool pair of cold, dark, eyes of night had not left his chiseled face.<br/><br/>Augustus felt as if she was dissecting him under her wintry scrutiny, as if she was reading into his discomfort. And she was aware of the irked feeling her stare was giving him, he was sure. This added knowledge only helped to peak his irritation and discomfort. She was mocking him.<br/><br/>Augustus almost growled as the horned blared, signalling his step-sister's arrival. The prolonged, unnecessarily long note, seeming to pound hammers into the back of his head. Much too loud. MUCH too loud.<br/><br/>He then realized a little sword practice would not suffice, this pent up energy would not just simply go away. And as his sister sat down beside him, the seat between his own and the King, his ice blue eyes would drift about the round tables that littered the ballroom in systematic patterns that he could not figure out. He would meet several females' eyes, the depths of which seeming to scream at him to be noticed, to meet with two green ones.<br/><br/>She sat just two tables away, her hands folded upon her lap, her dress, green, laced with gold, was tight, the corset hugging her every delicious curve, and the top of which showing off her breasts. She was dressed to catch attention. Only unfortunately, the Princess had dwarfed such an attempt. She was only fortunate that Augustus was in such a mood.<br/><br/>The woman--she seemed young, maybe about his age--leaned upon the table, letting her breasts almost spill out of her corset at a pathetic attempt to seem irresistible, and although she would catch the attention of a few nearby nobles, she had eyes for one man only. Augustus wasn't as impressed as he guessed she hoped he would be, but just to keep her interest, he flashed her a signature one-sided curl of his lips. A half-smile. And the resulting reaction would be a stupidly large grin that spread across her too-red tinted lips.<br/><br/>He would have company tonight.<br/><br/>"I would like to welcome you all to this special occasion. As you all hopefully know, today is my lovely daughter's 21st birthday. She is now of age and eligible for marriage and ruling the kingdom." Augustus felt a shift in his mother's mood, her stare holding something else besides her usual scrutiny.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"You will come to power. In one way or another."</span>Augustus felt a cold shiver crawl down his spine as he met her stare once more. those dark depths of her eyes seemed to repeat those words she had whispered into his ears so many times. He seemed to hear her whisper this, even as he glared back.<br/><br/>"Now without further ado, let the feast begin."