paint it black.

❛   disrupting the status quo ?  the fuck does that mean ?  ❜   a thinly veilled attempt at blowing smoke over an entirely selfish and unilateral move.    ❛   do you think there is a solution ?  to nullify whatever he’s signed ?   ❜   he has half a mind to pose the question to their legal team, but that would be a misuse of resources for a personal curiosity.  how much money had he squandered ?  the swiss royals must have deep pockets surely they’d intervene.  ❛   these small businesses… it’s not fair.   ❜  they were good people. some of his fondest memories were of fetching cheese or chocolate straight from the factories or confectionaries.  ❛   how is your transition progressing ? your formal residence in alsace all settled ?   ❜

 ❛   oskar has been calling mami. she hasn’t answered.   ❜   however confused and agitated he must be feeling,  his mother must be feeling worse in ways he will probably never be able to comprehend.  michelle soland would have been the natural leader if she hadn’t met dietrich zielcke.  michelle soland, would not have done such a foolish thing. it is embarrassing for the swiss.  ❛   i’m starting to think my mother giving up her title and claim is the worst thing that happened to the cantonment, maybe even the worst thing she did.   ❜   kaspar wouldn’t exist, but look at how her life had turned out in return !

❛   i don’t understand how the family let this happen.❜   he can understand,  what he is struggling with is the willingness to accept it.   ❛   i didn’t want to believe the tip i got yesterday, this is almost worse than i expected, this is too easy to read between the lines.❜   he had acted in self-interest.  ❛what did he need more money for ?❜

❛   who could have predicted this ?❜   the paper is strewn on the table. it won’t take her long to put together who eric soland is.  ❛   i never thought a single human being could have this much capacity for stupidity or lack of consideration.❜   a good amount of his childhood and youth had been spent there.  /.   @nikaplays​

“Um..Hello?” Mimi twists to give Nika a look, both amused and bemused, “I don’t think this can be good for my body dysmorphia, you know…What are you hiding from?” She shoots a glance around the room, somehow making a great show of doing so surreptitiously, and lowers her voice to a whisper, “or should I ask, who are you hiding from? –I didn’t think anyone could send you running,” she teases. “Are we going to have to squirrel you out to safety in a dumb waiter?”

“I have a nice back?” She quirks a brow, and breathes a laugh around the rim of her drink as she takes a sip. “I thought it might still have a couple of knives sticking out of it…Speaking of, why don’t you come look over the buffet with me?” It would give her a chance to slip out of the room, at least. 

---

“   i might’ve gotten carried away with a round of strip-poker,  ”  nika in her natural habitat   is a fairly different persona than the one mimi had met :    the one that had stood with her shoulders back and spine straight as a razor, refused every drink and measured each word before taking small sips of tea.  her astuteness and cunning nature were wired towards something else tonight, and for all she knew,  this answer was alive, but there was no denying her relaxed demeanor:    “    that’s a lie --- you already know tiny, tiny puppies can send me running .    how’s that thing,  by the way?   ”     she means well --- for the most part.   she’d never cared about a dog’s wellbeing before, arguably still doesn’t, but it’s a start.

“  sure ,   sounds like you could use a little escape yourself.  ”      knives,  huh?    she takes mimi’s thin little arm and laces it within her own ,    “   i was planning on stealing a champagne bottle ,   and regretting my choices  all by myself tonight but ...     you do sound more fun .    so ,   rough night then?   ”​

&     @hshqstarters​     .

     “   i’m not sure who i took a picture with but they had the most horrid perfume on.   it smelled like absolute death or maybe they were actually dying,   who knows.   tell me you have something that i can use to clear my senses.   ”     she was growing nauseous,   hand waving right in front of her nose.

----

“   if you stand over there for a minute or two ---   ”     she nudges in the direction with her cheek .    “   you might walk out smelling like a cuban instead of ...         whatever it is you have going on.   ”​​

Giselle had a way of making every line from her mouth sound like a short song. Notes going up and down, clear and enjoyable voice. Fanni felt blind for not being able to sense coldness in it. She stood stiffly with the side of her arm being flushed against Giselle’s. She wished it had been just her and the German. The German she could have handled with grace. She actually seemed fun! “Have you two played anything tonight yet?” ( @giselledorleans​ )

“ OH ! don’t you worry, dear. ” she laced her fingers with kannika’s and patted the hand with her other. “ he’ll drink to forget and we’ll get a show… if past experiences serve as proof. ” which woman did she despise more ? kannika malee who was smugly sitting on the throne of alsace, or fanni croÿ who even now was trying to be so kind and polite that giselle couldn’t help but to hold her tongue. “ i don’t waste my time with these men ! why would i when i can challenge the two of you to a private game of poker ? ” [  &&. @nikaplays​ ]

“ faber est quisque fortunae suae, ” arnauld mused slowly. “ how is it said in english… bah… ” his hand drew circles in the air. “ men make their own luck ? ” his smile did not quite reach his eyes as he studied the woman. “ i’d think you’d agree. going from an assistant to a duchess. that doesn’t happen by chance. how is your stay in alsace going ? ” 

he hardly budged with the collision, ettore moving more just to see who was behind him. “wh—o… kay?” his height was an advantage, people could easily live in his shadow if they wished. “am i supposed to be on the lookout for someone?” he kept himself facing forward, scanning the area to see if anyone abnormally upset stood out. “did you bet away someone’s yacht?”

“ And there we meet again! ” Vitória grinned. A long time had passed since their shopping date. “ I have a nice front too .” She had nice everything. Except for her personality maybe but she would not admit it. 

“Oh– ah…” Wiebke’s lips were a thin line and she stood there like a steel pillar, rigid and straight. “Why are you doing this?”

HMM. when good company was abandoned, it was replaced by bad company. giselle eyed the german next to fanni and couldn’t help but to shook her head disapprovingly. “ everyone except the winner loses everything every time in poker, ” giselle cut in. she pushed herself between the two women and turned her head from one side to another. fanni. kannika. kannika. fanni. her smile revealed her teeth and created lines on her face. “ that’s the marquis of zaragoza. i wonder if he just lost his next year’s allowance. ” [ &&. @fannicroy​ ]

“ i’ve never understood gambling, ” he mused as he watched the crowd cheer around the several tables in the hall. “ everyone knows the odds are against them, and most of these games are games of chance. ” [ ;; @hshqstarters​ ]

A gasp escaped as she watched the players around the table push two deep stacks into the middle on the table one player at a time. “I can barely watch this,” Fanni muttered, one hand on her cheek and the other holding her glass. She had stopped calculating the size of the pot for her well-being. “This has to count as masochism.” 

 the slight collision wasn’t enough to lose footing and for a domino effect to unfold around them and cause a scene. maybe it was a bit packed. “guess it was a good night to wear an open back then, uh?” but more than the compliment, was flattering that someone wanted to use her as a hiding shield. “but why am i serving as a pillar for?”

----

cat-eyed and sleek ,     nika rolls her tongue over the roof of her mouth ,      beady black eyes peering over the bump of maite’s little shoulder like a pair of black holes .    “  it’s always a good night to show off your best assets.  ”      it’s only 50% mindless flattery ;    braziian girls really are something else.    she bares those pearly teeth like a wolf trying to mold them into a smile .    “    why?    ‘cause i can’t get beat up, i’m cute as a button.  ”