* 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 / 𝒕𝒐𝒐 / 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡

Ser Artys shrugged his shoulders and took another sip from the horn of ale. He never cared much for finery. Most of his closet contained clothing that had some practical usage or another. He didn’t take any offense, however. This was a ball, and an expensive one at that, with the richest lords, ladies, and nobles in the realm all gathered in one place. He expected to look rather drab in comparison to most of them. 

          “I appreciate the compliment.” Artys said, glancing sideways to meet her eyes. “Though I look rather sorry standing next to you. Nice dress.”

He was not so adept in flattery, these days. But he tried. 

          “I don’t believe I recognize you underneath that mask, m’lady…?”

at his compliment, emeline looked down at her gown, hands patting the skirt in admiration. most of the time, an average dress would take several days to complete – but as they got more and more detailed, days would soon turn to weeks. so when someone commented on her work, it was difficult not to grin, immediately proud of her accomplishments. “you’re too kind, thank you.” she returned with a smile, going to lift her mask just slightly for a second before fixing it back over her eyes. “there’s no need for titles or formalities here, i’m afraid,” emeline said simply with a light shrug. “i must say you don’t seem to be having the greatest time, though.”

           viridescent  orbs  scanned  the  hall with  excitement  ,  adrenaline  conquering  his  veins  ,  the  anticipation  of  what  exactly  the  event  will  have  in  store  for  him  caused  a  cascade  of  thrilling  sensations  ,  buzzing  him  awake  and  alert  .  the  celtigar  boy  has  always  had  quite  the  affinity  for  balls  ,  the  lovely  gowns  ,  the  lovelier  women  and  the  sweet  ,  sweet  warmth  of  alcohol  settling  at  the  pit  of  his  stomach  before  swirling  around  his  veins  and  drowning  away  all  traces  of  despondence  or  melancholy  .  and  he  would  enter  a  state  of  mind  where  every  sound  was  a  song  ,  every  face  was  a  beauty  ,  every  movement  was  a  dance  ,  the  euphony  of  oblivion  .  it  was  a  state  of  mind  that  he  constantly  and  desperately  craved  .  his  hands  shook  at  his  excitement  .

           his  heart  leaped  at  the  voice  beside  him  and  his  wine  -  stained  lips  slithered  into  a  smile  as  he  discovered  the  identity  of  the  person  beside  him  . “  emeline  ,  ”  he  said  her  name  in  a  whisper  ,  with  a  touch  of  desire  and  a  hint  of  an  almost  blasphemous  reverence  .  but  the  softness  in  his  eyes  was  quickly  eclipsed  with  the  shadow  of  a  cold  -  hearted  charm  . “  yes  it  is  quite  the  event  –  but  we  could  always  go  somewhere  quieter  ?  ”  he  turned  his  stance  so  he  was  fully  facing  her  and  lowered  his  voice  ,   “  my chambers perhaps   ?   history  does  have  the  tendency  to  repeat  itself .  ”

out of all the nobles she had the possibility of running into tonight, the last person emeline would’ve expected was lord eddard. he was the one person that, as much as her heart wished to see again, her head worked around ways on which to avoid the lord of amaranth. hearing his voice, she had to remind herself how to breathe, especially given the fact that their surroundings were very public. even if it has been a year now since the two last engaged in any sort of physicality, the seamstress could still recall the way his skin felt on hers. and it would be a lie if she said she didn’t long for it time and time again.

If it were up to him, Ser Artys would not be here. What the hell did he look like coming to a damned masquerade ball? He fidgeted uncomfortably, standing off to the side. He wore simple clothing. A plain leather doublet and a black mask that didn’t do much to draw the eye. There was a horn of ale clutched tight in his hand and held close to his chest. Lord Brannon said he had to attend, but he never seemed to care how much Artys drank, so long as the job was done well. He swung back another gulp then another, before he made a long, drawn out ‘ahhh’ sound.

It was then that he noticed an approaching figure. A woman, and a familiar one too, he thought. 

        “I reckon it is.” He agreed. His thoughts aside, the event was stupendous. 

        “I don’t come to these things very often.” Artys admitted then, gesturing down with his free hand to his clothes. “But I suppose it will all make for a pretty painting.”

emeline watched as he gestured down towards his closing, eyes giving his plain leather doublet a quick scan before falling back on his black mask. in an effort to hold back any serious laughter, the brunette brought her glass of wine up to her lips and took another sip. “i take it you don’t own any... i suppose, better suited clothing for the night? appropriate sounded a bit harsh.” she took a look around, her head automatically ranking the gowns from best to worst without saying a word. “you’re in luck, ser artys” she finally chimed after a quick study of the mansion’s guests. “there are plenty of beautiful gowns here tonight for anyone to quickly dismiss a plain outfit worn by a knight. but if it’s any consolation, i don’t think you look so bad.”

Em hadn’t changed in the slightest; his face warmed up with the teasing, although he tried to ignore the fact that his face had to be turning pink now. It wouldn’t be safe to really acknowledge the statement though, not in public when anyone could hear. “I can’t really argue with that, actually. I prefer it this way, especially now that half of my letter writing time will be negated.” A smile crossed his face; writing to Em had been wonderful but this would be much better. “I’m glad to hear that. I was worried about it. And yes, after you.” He began walking again, with a sidelong look at Em and a satisfied smile. “Aye, the city has changed a lot, but I’m glad I haven’t. You’ll find your way around again in no time, I’m sure.” The changes had seemed so small as they came over time, but he could recognize the sum of them. As they reached the door, he opened it and waited for Em to step inside. “Do you think you’ll be able to settle in easily?”

“are you saying i won’t have any new letters to add to my collection?” emeline quirked a brow, stepping inside the pub and walking towards an empty table before taking a seat. “what am i supposed to read over and over again when not feeling my best? i suppose i could simply walk over and bother you on your days off.” it was true, she had his letters to thank for some emotional support during the past several years. now that she was back, however, there would be a different way. “as am i,” she answered with a smile. “i don’t think i’d be able to bare you changing much.” as a server walked up to their table, emeline order a pint of ale and some dinner for herself, allowing rafe some time to put in his own request before jumping back into their conversation. “i believe so. i’ll have to find a place to stay soon, but i did want to run an idea by you.” she sat up, leaning forward a bit. “do you think it would be alright to ask if the crown is looking for another seamstress? i just don’t want to seem like i’m overstepping.” 

Calida was relieved to see Emeline’s familiar face. Even with her frequent trips with her father to Aros, it was always nice to have a comfort from home, especially in someone that Calida considered a close acquaintance. Emeline had crafted Calida’s favorite dresses, and the young Lady made a mental note to thank Rafe for introducing the pair. “I’m afraid I may have to fight with ladies from all over the kingdoms to get your dresses now!” She laughed, before raising a brow. “Do you think so? It seems I will need new dresses soon…” Her voice trailed with her thoughts, before she returned her attention to her friend. “You’re far too kind, Emeline. Though I think anyone would look grand in a gown of yours.”

emeline’s brows raised at the mention of a fight, mind flashing back to a bit earlier in the day when two ladies did in fact go head to head for one of her designs. “was that you who brought up the idea to fight over a dress?” she teased, a laugh escaping her lips. “poor ladies didn’t understand i could very simply make another dress just like it with a bit of time. of course, i’m not so sure they would be okay with someone else having a replica.” she leaned in a bit closer towards calida, bringing her voice down to a whisper. “but shh, i’ll give you first choice so long as you come visit often.” emeline walked around the table to set the piece of lace down, looking back up towards the lady at the mention of new dresses. “most definitely. no matter the occasion, i’ll be here. i could always get started on the first one, if you’d like?”  

          though  surely  one  for  a  good  time,  when  it  came  to  rather  formal  festivities,  madalena’s  interest  dwindled.  how  was  she  to  have  fun  if  she  could  barely  move  a  muscle  ?  of  course,  tonight’s  breathable  attire  is  credited  to  emeline  herself,  who  madalena  will  boast  about  to  others  throughout  the  evening.  a  golden  mask  covers  her  features,  though  anyone  who  can  tell  another’s  identity  through  their  eyes  will  be  given  away  immediately.  her  siblings  would  be  easy  to  find,  certain  companions,  frequent  visitors  …  madalena  has  always  been  better  at  remembering  faces  than  names.  not  like  it  mattered,  as  giving  away  someone’s  identity  ruined  the  point  of  the  evening,  did  it  not  ?  she’d  play  along,  for  now.

          there’s  already  a  glass  of  wine  in  her  hand,  chest  heaving  from  a  dance  moments  before.  it’s  merely  an  attempt  to  catch  her  breath  and  have  a  sip  of  alcohol  to  make  the  evening  more  enjoyable,  but  lena  finds  herself  in  good  company.  even  if  she  hadn’t  already  spent  time  with  the  woman  earlier  in  the  day,  the  princess  would  certainly  have  known  it  was  her.  “  oh,  it  certainly  is,  ”  she  grins,  nodding  toward  emeline.  “  thank  you  for  the  dress,  em  …  no  one  understands  my  specifications  better  than  you.  it’s  also  good  to  have  you  back,  i’m  looking  forward  to  hearing  about  your  time  in  amaranth.  tell  me,  do  those  snobs  know  how  to  party  ?  ”

as a seamstress, there were few things in life that made her feel as proud as when someone complimented her work. it was evidence that the past seven years of making a name for herself hadn’t been for nothing, and that the move to amaranth had been worth it after all. seeing a princess in her designs, however, was a completely different feeling. eyes were constantly on them, and as long as they felt both beautiful and comfortable throughout the night, emeline would go to bed satisfied. judging by the gown itself, the brunette already knew who was behind the mask. even if the princess had been wearing a different design altogether, it would’ve been difficult to mistake her for anyone else. 

“you know it’s always my pleasure, your grace,” she answered with a kind smile. “if you ever require another dress, i’ll be a lot closer now.” the move back to aros was something she had planned for some time now, finally deciding to act on it after her life yearned for a change of pace. emeline laughed at madalena’s question, taking a sip of her wine before replying. “well, i wouldn’t necessarily call them boring, but i don’t believe anything compares to the celebrations thrown in kingsport. even this one is rather grand. i’d be happy to introduce you to some of the nobles, if you’d like? that is, if you haven’t already met.”

the number of balls she had attended throughout life were limited. after all, it wasn’t common for a seamstress to be amongst a list of nobles and royalty, her presence not having as much of an impact on others when compared to ladies of a higher status. still, having friends and frequent customers that were among that crowd meant that an invitation was sometimes extended to the brunette – tonight being one of those occasions. gathering the front of her skirt in one hand, emeline made her way up the steps of the grand mansion, brown eyes admiring the structure for a moment before entering the building. 

He threw his arms around her for a tight hug; Rafe didn’t begrudge his family their happiness, and had been glad for Em to pursue her craft just as he’d been glad for his parents to move to Belhaven with their new partner. But it did his heart good to see Em again, and know that he’d get to see her again so much more frequently now. He had no more wish to let go than Em did and kept his arms looped around her, in a slightly looser grip now. “Busy, and I know it won’t get any better,” he said with a laugh. “But since you’re here, everything is better. How did the travels go? No trouble?”

hearing his answer, emeline joined in with a laugh. “better to be busy than not, in my opinion. besides, i’m sure it won’t be too bad this week with certain nobles in town.” she gave him a knowing look, hands finally falling off to her sides. “as good as they could go, but no trouble thankfully. just long.” she turned back towards the pub for a second before looking back at rafe. “shall we?” catching up over dinner seemed like a better option than standing outside. “i must say, you haven’t changed one bit in the past seven years. kingsport, on the other hand, seems like a completely different place.” 

Who: Rafe & Em ( @emcline​ ) When: Evening, the first day of the celebration Where: Kingsport

Rafe had hardly believed the news when Em wrote that she was coming home again, but his excitement could hardly be contained now. Thanks to his reputation, he’d managed to score an evening off tonight - in exchange for working later in the celebration - and he was to meet Em in the city, at a pub where they could have a fairly private meal. He was just a little late as he made his way to the pub; Em was just up ahead and his pace increased to a jog. “Em!”

for the whole duration of her travels back to kingsport, all emeline could think of was reuniting with her brother. while they had kept in touch via countless of letters, it had now been seven years since they last saw one another. so many things could happen in that amount of time. making her way to the pub they had agreed to meet at for dinner, she turned around at the mention of her name, the voice sounding much too familiar. seeing rafe’s figure jog up to her, the corners of her lips stretched into a grin as he got closer. “oh, rafe!” she opened her arms to welcome him in a hug, putting in all the effort to close the gap between the two. “how have you been?” she questioned, leaning back a bit to get a good look at his face as her hands rest on his arms, not wanting to let go.

open starter / fifth day 

   asha was beaming as she stepped off the stage with a bouquet of flowers in her hand. as soon as her silken slipper touched the ground, she looked around for rúairí as he was the only reason she had even volunteered to perform the role of lyria, but soon friends and well-wishers flocked around her and she got lost in endless conversations about the music, the death monologue of her character and her newly announced betrothal to lord eddard celtigar. when she finally broke free from the small crowd, she went straight to one of the servants carrying a golden tray stacked with goblets of red wine. she downed almost half the goblet in one gulp and turned around to go back to her small group of friends, but asha ended up colliding with a body and almost spilling the precious red drops on herself. “oh sh- i mean forgive me,” she apologised thoughtlessly with an automatic smile before even registering whom she had rudely stumbled into.

the way the whole city of kingsport seemed to light up with visitors was enough for emeline to find herself constantly roaming the streets, moving from event to event until her eyes could no longer stay open. she watched from a distance as the play came to an end, palms coming together to join the rest of the spectators in elated applause. she had been looking to her side when asha’s body collided with her own, emeline quickly turning to apologize as well even though it wasn’t her doing. “oh, my lady, apologies.” after seeing the entirety of the play, it was impossible to mistake her for anyone else. “i’m glad to see none of the wine was spilled.” emeline managed a polite smile, “i wouldn’t want to keep you from your friends, though. please.” 

who: lady calida celtigar and anyone when: queen constanza’s name day celebration, day two where: the merchant stalls in kingsport

“The grand square is always bustling with activity, who could have thought there could be more?” Calida mused as she ran her fingers over a piece of lace. With Eddard’s betrothal announced the night before, and her own wedding looming on the horizon, it would seem that there was a need for plenty of new dresses. “I couldn’t imagine a celebration as grand as this for me.” She mused to the person next to her, before offering a sheepish grin. “Though I suppose I’ll never be quite as grand as Queen Constanza.”

after seven years of living in amaranth, kingsport almost seemed foreign to emeline. it was her home, yet nothing but a handful of those who resided there had a familiar sense to her. perhaps her move back was perfect timing with the queen’s celebration, allowing those she had grown close with to make the transition easier. “i suppose no one wanted to miss the queen’s festivities, though i also can’t complain at the peak in business,” the brunette aded with a soft chuckle. she watched as the lady’s fingers ran over a piece of lace, picking it up soon after. “i could make something out of this, if you’d like? both delicate and grand.” she couldn’t help but shake her head at her friend’s words. “my mother always cautioned me never to compare myself to others, so i’ll say the same to you. yes, queen constanza is grand, but so are you, my lady. and i’ll make as many gowns as you’d like to prove it.” 

♛ 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓 ♛ — EMELINE ALLARD the SEAMSTRESS from AROS. tales of this TWENTY-FIVE year old CIS WOMAN tell of their PERSISTENT & NURTURING nature, but beware, for they are also HASTY & ADAMANT. the gossips whisper they use she/her pronouns and look strangely like ADELAIDE KANE. but i’ve also heard they bring images of DELICATELY PRICKED FINGERS ON THE LEFT HAND, A WELCOMING SMILE EASILY ACCEPTED BY OTHERS, AND A STASH OF LETTERS KEPT SAFELY GUARDED to mind. how will their story unfold? 

a historical / fantasy / period / medieval friendly character survey.

reblog and bold your muses preference.

roses / cherry blossoms / orchids / tulips

winter / summer / autumn / spring

thunderstorms / sunshine / snow 

indoors / outdoors

meat / fruit / sweets

extravagance / traditionalism / minimalism

god fearing / non god fearing

cats / dogs / horses / birds

sunrise / sunset

day time / night time

fire / earth / water / wind 

reading / writing

rising early / sleeping late 

wine / ale / neither

fur / silk / satin / lace 

rubies / pearls / sapphires 

horse back / walking / carriages 

love / power

having company / being alone 

lakes / rivers / oceans 

knife / sword / bow / poison 

╰   ･ﾟ   𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖊 𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖗𝖉 .   —   𝐑𝐄   :   visage . 

╰   ･ﾟ   𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖊 𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖗𝖉 .   —   𝐑𝐄   :   musings .

╰   ･ﾟ   𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖊 𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖗𝖉 .   —   𝐑𝐄   :   aesthetic .

╰   ･ﾟ   𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖊 𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖗𝖉 .   —   𝐑𝐄   :   interactions .