'Why, she was amazing; you should have seen it…’ ‘I mean, it is no surprise she is the diamond…’ ‘All eyes on her…’ ‘I’m sure Lord Delaney is proud…’
Adeline’s room was filled with maids, helping her get ready for the queen’s ball tonight. As much as Adeline loved their company, she was still trying to process the events of the hours before. Of course, she was excited to have been chosen as the queen’s diamond this year. This was her longtime dream; it was all she had worked for since she was of age, but now all she could think about was that everyone would be watching her every move tonight and for the rest of the season. With all these thoughts in her head, she started to feel a mix of nerves and anticipation building up inside her, and she began to silently panic before a soft voice that seemed to always calm her down and that she knew she needed most at that moment brought her back to reality. “My dear, are you alright?” Her mother, Amelia, said as she approached her and placed both her hands on her daughter’s shoulders. Adeline’s mother had always been a pillar of strength and support for her, and in that moment, her presence was a soothing balm for her anxious heart. “You look pale; do you perhaps need a moment-” Before she could even finish the question, she had made the decision to send away all the lady maids, leaving just the two of them alone in the room. “You know you can confide in me. I know all of this can be overwhelming, but it will be okay. Just remember, you have waited for this ever since you were a little girl.” Amelia said with a warm smile as she tried to reassure Adeline.“I promise I am okay, mother; it is just the nerves and excitement of today,” Adeline said, removing her mother’s hands from her shoulders and settling into her vanity chair. Adeline smiled at herself in the vanity mirror; she was also excited because she knew she would be dancing with someone she had been looking forward to dancing with tonight. She just knew tonight would be the beginning of something beautiful.“I must finish getting ready or else we will be late to the ball, and we cannot afford to make unfavorable impressions so early, dear mother.” Adeline exclaimed as she adorned herself with a delicate necklace that sparkled in the soft light of the room. She carefully adjusted her hair, ensuring every strand was perfectly in place. “Oh yes, we mustn’t be late!” Amelia said as she quickly rushed to her daughter’s side to help her finish getting ready, her mother stopped for a moment again as she quietly admired her daughter. “You are a gem, Adeline; you shall not worry about tonight as I am sure you will have lots of suitors waiting for you,” Amelia said as she touched up Adeline’s hair one last time.“Thank you, mother.” Adeline quietly said as she smiled at her mother through the reflection in the mirror, and that is when she noticed a tall figure standing at her bedroom door, watching the scene between her and her.
Atlas paced back and forth in his bedroom; he was dreading this day. He hardly wanted to get ready, but he had the constant reminder of his mother and father saying that he must be ready at once and not make Adeline late. He rolled his eyes in frustration, feeling the weight of their expectations on his shoulders, especially now that his dear little sister had been chosen as the diamond of the season. Despite his reluctance, he knew he had to keep his family’s name and reputation intact and reluctantly began to put on his suit. He sat for a moment before he heard footsteps approaching his room. “Are you ready, Atlas? We mustn’t be late!” He could hear his father’s, Eugene’s, loud voice approaching his bedroom. Atlas quickly stood up, and as he heard a knock on his door, he went to open it, revealing a forced smile as he saw his father. “Hello, father, come in.” Atlas opened the door wider to allow his father to enter the room. As Eugene stepped into the room, Atlas couldn’t help but notice the stern expression on his father’s face. He knew that this event was of utmost importance to their family, and he had no choice but to put on a facade of enthusiasm. “I apologize; your mother was hurrying me because she wanted me to check on you. You know how she gets about these things.” Eugene said as he fixed his suit in front of the mirror in front of him. He then turned to look at his son, who just stood there, not saying much. Atlas always thought he could hide whenever he felt upset or mad from his father, but Eugene had always been perceptive and could easily see through his son’s attempts at hiding his emotions. He approached Atlas with a gentle smile and said, “Son, I understand that you may not be thrilled about attending this event, but try to make light of it. Besides, aren’t you excited to meet a special lady tonight?” He teased, “Or perhaps Belle has finally crawled into that little heart of yours?” Atlas blushed at his father’s teasing but couldn’t help but smile. He had known Belle since they were both young children, and Atlas had always been struck by how unique and beautiful she was. Since they shared so many interests, it would make sense for them to be together. However, Atlas was aware of Belle’s feelings towards love and marriage, and so he shook his head and chuckled, saying, “Father, Belle, and I have always been great friends. It would feel odd to think of her in any other way.” Eugene nodded with understanding.“Okay, if not Belle, what do you say of Lady Lydia? Do you really believe I haven’t observed how tense you become when she is close by?” Atlas’s smile faded slightly as he considered his father’s words. Lydia was like a breath of fresh air; she was stunning, and despite the short amount of time he had spent with her, he feared he felt more than just a friendship with her. Lydia made Atlas feel known; he didn’t have to hide his adventurous or reckless side from her. She embraced his spontaneity and shared his love for exploration, making their time together exhilarating and fulfilling. Atlas couldn’t deny the magnetic pull he felt towards Lydia, and he couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps she felt the same way about him. “Father… we should probably start heading to the ball.” Atlas said clearly avoiding the question.
“Oh, okay, but I must remind you that you are not getting any younger. Perhaps it’s time to start looking for a bride.” His father responded; however, Atlas couldn’t shake off the feeling that settling down wasn’t what he truly desired. He yearned for a life filled with adventure and passion. Without saying another word, he exited his room, going outside to check on their carriage, but stopped as he noticed Adeline’s bedroom door was open. He could hear his mother’s and Adeline’s voices, and he quietly approached her bedroom. He stood at the doorway and just observed the two of them; it had been a while since Atlas and Adeline had a proper conversation. He knew he was at fault for that, and although he did miss the bond they used to have at times, he couldn’t forget about what happened a long time ago. When Atlas saw the queen choose Adeline as her diamond, he couldn’t help but feel proud and happy for her; he knew she deserved that title the most.“Ato?” His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Adeline’s voice say his nickname, which Adeline had given him when they were younger. Atlas cleared his throat as he fixed his composure and made it seem as if he had just walked by. “I-Uh, Father is waiting for us already. He just asked me to relay the message. I’ll be going now.” He quickly said before speeding off, “Ato, wait!” He could hear Adeline calling out to him, but he didn’t stop. Atlas felt a mix of emotions as he continued to walk away: guilt for not staying and talking to Adeline, but also relief for avoiding a potentially awkward conversation.
Finally, they had arrived at the ball. Adeline was filled with nervousness again, but she felt excited at the same time. Atlas helped her get off the carriage and offered his arm to her, and she wondered if he did this because he knew everyone was already starting to see the Delaney family arrive and they had to act as the loving brother and sister. Their mother and father led the way inside, as Adeline and Atlas followed behind. Adeline couldn’t help but take in the vista as they entered the ballroom, and as they moved deeper inside, she started to see prying eyes at every turn. "Just relax."Atlas simply said as he noticed Adeline hold his arm tighter. Adeline looked around more with her eyes, and soon she began to relax as she saw many men and women dancing on the dance floor; it seemed as if they were having a great time. Adeline was soon surprised as her best friend Orpheus suddenly approached her with the same energy that he always had. She was delighted to see him. “Of course, please do find me later!” She told him, but he had already left through the crowd, away from her sight. "That boy, so much energy he has."Atlas said under his breath, which Adeline was able to hear, causing her to silently laugh at her brother’s remark.
When Adeline saw Belle coming toward them, she released Atlas’ arm. She was aware that as soon as Belle came, he would forget about her. Without another word, she walked towards her mother and father and continued to watch as couples danced, waiting for suitors to approach her because, for the time being, all they did was stare at her.
“I’ve missed you too, my dear Belle.” Atlas said as he danced with Belle, he must admit he was caught by surprise as she dragged him to the dance floor since he did not expect to dance much tonight but he could rarely say no to her. At first, dancing with her was enjoyable, but when she inquired as to how he felt about his sister being the ball’s “diamond and fairest lady,” he was taken back. “Belle…” Atlas started to respond, but he hesitated, unsure of how to answer. “It is an honor to be the queen’s diamond; therefore, I believe it is great that she received the honor, and I’m certain whatever happens… Adeline will know what is best for her.” He said not fully answering her question, which he knew she hated, but before she could ask more, he decided to speak first. “How do you feel about tonight? Do you think someone will finally catch your eye and make you fall in love, possibly changing your mind about marriage?”
orp: @Kristi Belle
mentioned:
@novella Lydia
@DandelionKate Orpheus
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