Alexander found himself taken aback for a brief moment, unable to think of anything to say as his intense stare simply took over and he took in her appearance. She had been beautiful at the tavern, but seeing her in the soft light of the morning was a different experience altogether. “Not many people venture this far from the courtrooms and throne room, my lady.” he said, smiling at her. Really, this place had been reserved for the queen and her guards for security purposes should an attack become imminent on the castle as it had a view of the castle walls and beyond where potential attackers would come from. 

Sighing and walking towards her, he stood next to her and leant on the ledge with the top half of his body, moving his sword so that it was not in any danger of inadvertently harming her when he moved. “It is quite the view, isn’t it?” he asked her, showing her that he would not mind them both being up there, and wasn’t about to do anything about it. 

Alexander smiled and shook his head, “Discovered this place when I was a young lad bored and finding more interesting places around the castle. I suspect that’s how you found it as well. This place has a real talent for being found by those who would appreciate it.” He stood straight again, bowing before the lady as he looked up from his lowered position. “We’ve met before..” 

serena grinned at the man, regardless of how she may have tried she had never been very good at hiding her joy when she was further of reassured of the differences between herself and the many. “and not many in this court are particularly eager to see new things.” for they lived in a world which had long ago been carved of stone, and regardless of the beauty that world possessed it was unmoving and unforgiving, and the new was it’s greatest threat. 

the duchess looked back out and onto the sunrise, allowing the various masks within her voice to fall as she did not look at him directly, her wonder seeping into her words, “indeed it is.” keenly aware of his presence beside her, she knew this was the part in their interaction where she was meant to fortify whatever character she had chosen, but with no one other than him to bear witness and sleepiness still clinging to her she did not spare the energy to do so. standing there she was much more herself than most people ever experienced. 

she listened to his words, balancing that with continuing to admire the view outside -which she knew would not last much longer. a grin grew on her bare face as he spoke of their previous meeting, “we have, though i cannot say i ever expected to see you again here.” her eyes moved to look at him, his skin cast in the golden light which filtered through the glass, “you seem to have a talent for finding me when i am not myself sir.”

Alexander for the most part, had recovered from the masquerade ball. Resigned in knowing that he would probably not have to dress up and put a mask on anytime soon. He much preferred his normal clothes anyway, and he wasn’t sure about what real need there was for a General like himself to be dancing and uselessly dressing up for the royal family’s pleasure. 

Shaking off the remaining thoughts of the ball, he did recall speaking to one maiden who had intrigued him. She had seemed very familiar and after a lot of thinking the night immediately following the ball, he had narrowed the possibilities down to one woman - he couldn’t remember her name, but he was sure that it was one that had interested him in its uniqueness- that he had met and conversed with at the tavern weeks before. 

His thoughts had consumed him, muddled with questions he had about whether or not Eliza would actually come through with her promises of being faithful if they did end up wed, and before he knew it he had somehow walked himself to the top of the castle, to the staircase that led to the battlements, where he was confused to see the silhouette of a maiden. “Pardon me, madam.. are you lost?” he asked confused as to why a maiden who was not the queen, had found herself there - albeit quite impressed with her choice of venue to watch the sunrise as the view was quite spectacular. 

@serenaharlow

the excitement serena had first had when first arriving back at court had begun to fade, as the excitement she had often did. it was easy to forget, when away from court, the ordered way in which the days followed suit. one day quickly bleeding into the next, strange faces blending one into the next. and still, to her own surprise, she remained, because even with boredom looming overhead there was a sense of something unfinished, something coming, and she certainly could not leave before she found it. 

so the duchess found new ways to busy herself, to keep herself occupied. slowly but surely exploring every inch of the castle. it had been a few mornings now that she had returned to the place, one of the highest points of the castle, blessed with the best view she had found to date. and standing before the grand windows she stood looking out onto the dawning day. her restlessness was washed away. the usual urge to keep moving was stalled, and serena found herself happily still, a taste of what it must have been like to be at peace. 

but in her stillness, gazing out with wonder onto the fields below, her mind had wandered elsewhere, no longer aware of her own surroundings. when she heard a voice coming from behind her she startled. shaken from her own thoughts and forced to act quickly to calm herself she answered, still facing away from the intruder, “no, i would dare say the exact opposite.”

James smirked and pressed a brief kiss to he knuckles and then released her hand. Something about the woman was familiar, though what exactly it was that drew him to her, he wasn’t positive. 

“Well, I’m glad to see that my charm is going to good use. May I interest you in a drink?” He asked, one eyebrow arched as he looked over at her. “Or perhaps you were running away from something as well?” He teased, a glance behind him having reminded him of the woman he’d been fleeing. 

“who could refuse the chance for a drink with a handsome stranger?” the duchess answered with a grin, and if the man proved himself a horrible bore it still would not be a waste, merely standing in his presence would surely be enough to dissuade any scorned courtiers from ruining the celebrations. “i am especially incapable of doing so knowing you are on the run milord, it must be quite a fearsome beast capable of sending you running.” though she need not send a glance behind him to know the only fearsome creatures to be found there would be the desperately romantic sort. 

Alexander had been distracted, making a game for himself by trying to figure out who was who with everyone dressed with the purpose of masking their features. He thought he had done quite well, with some figures having physical attributes that he could pin point to exactly one or two members of court, but there was one maiden that he could not seem to place, and as he stepped closer to her to try and observe her from a better vantage point, it seemed that he had been clumsy enough to tread on the delicate fabric of her gown. 

“My apologies,” he said, stepping off of the fabric almost immediately as he bowed down before the woman, unable to shake the feeling that she was someone he’d met before, increasing his frustrations to do with the fact that he couldn’t place her. “No, I daresay it is not.” he said, chuckling at her wit in a situation that most women would have cried in outrage about. “Again, I offer you my sincerest apologies and my admiration for your speed and reflexes, my lady.” 

it was horrible luck for a woman like serena, that the night had called for such costumes and masks. beneath them every face bore some kind of familiarity, but such twinges had unremarkable origins. whether she had played some horrible game at their expense or in their company she could never tell. but there was one silver lining in the dark and concealed evening, serena had always enjoyed a gamble. 

the duchess released her grip on the man, grinning as she replied sardonically, “what is a lady who cannot face off any foe to save her train?” of course serena could face of foes in much more dire circumstances, but even she knew that was not a fact to be shared. “have i caught you on the run from something my lord?”

Cass always liked to find other women who didn’t hide their spirits. Cass often pretended to be more demure and innocent than she was, when it was the best business choice, but there was always a light in her eyes. She’d seen too many women have that light dulled, and that would never be her fate. Marriage was inevitable, but it was something she would still choose. Finding women who had something free about them like she did was always one of her most sincere pleasures. 

“Oh goodness, he is most certainly the wrong choice for the wrong time and place.” She followed suit, taking a fresh drink so she could sip at it. “They only say they are concerned with right. Appearance is what they really care about.” She didn’t speak the words too loudly, not wanting them to be caught by anyone else. “Tonight, appearance doesn’t matter. There could be kings finding that wrong time and place with someone, just as there could be knights. So many choices, so little time before the game is over.” She smirked, even though she wasn’t one for careless affairs. When she went to bed with someone, it was done with careful thought. 

the duchess was not lacking in familiarity with such brazen conversations, but she had been missing them since her return to court. the english court, where appearance and opinion stood so clearly above god or anything else, and yet everyone seemed to be lacking in the good sense to admit to that fact. it had not taken her so long to remember why it was she remained away so long, what with the fair features of a damsel and a lion’s heart, it was rare she found any kind of real company. 

a devilish grin appeared on serena’s lips as she took a drink from the chalice between her fingers, “well, on that i must say i certainly hope you are right, the selection of such eligible men is far too impressive to go unexplored.” suddenly, serena was reminded of the mask which was fastened to her face, and concealing the most recognizable of her features. “but there are so many forms of disguise milady, and the game continues on for those familiar with them.”

James had been attempting to get away from a lovely lady who had decided that he must be her masked hero, or soul mate, or some other fantastical idea that belonged in a story book. He even thought of ditching the mask that he was wearing, though he figured it had saved his identity already. 

However, he had not noticed that he’d stepped on the train of a lady’s dress until she’d grabbed his wrist. Grinning down at her, he rose an eyebrow. “It’s not is it? That’s quite a shame, I’m sure you’d look even lovelier unwrapped,” He smirked, though he did step off of her gown, in no mood to have to pay to replace it. 

the man before her bore some kind of familiarity, but faces were so quick to come and go in serena’s life it was quite difficult to discern where she had seen the man before. if she was as sensible as she should of been, this uncertainty might have caused her some kind of discomfort, but instead it served as a source of adrenaline. it was a fun kind of gambling game, when the feelings the men of the court had for her were so varied. 

slender fingers lingered a moment longer than what could be deemed accidental before releasing the man. a smile stretching across her face at his words, “mm well, flattery will get you everywhere milord.”

The ball had been the talk of court since it’s announcement, which had given Cass excellent business opportunities. Everyone had wanted new clothes and new masks, and she had been all too happy to organise for her father to make all the sales. They’d done well, since a servant had tipped them off two days before the announcement, which meant they’d had enough in stock. 

Unlike the usual masks which everyone wore, Cass wore one which was far more exotic, mirroring the unusual dress she wore. Anonymity didn’t serve her purposes at all. In her Chinese dress and mask, she made a statement wherever she walked, and it did exactly what she wanted, causing people to talk to her. 

Spying a man about to stand on a woman’s dress, she winced sympathetically for her, but the blonde managed to stop the man, causing him to bow and apologise. Amused by what she’d said, Cass made her way closer. “I always thought that it could be fun, finding the wrong time and place.” A wicked grin was playing across her face. She had been in court long enough now to know how much she could get away with, and how to smooth over when she did cross a line.

serena watched as the man, now obviously red in the face and shaken by her remark wandered off. she believed he had a rather easy time disappearing on any given day -bearing no quality unique enough to distinguish him from dead air- but the crowd in the room certainly made it easier. but her attention was not allowed to linger too longer on the ghostly figure of the man nearly credited with the destruction of her gown. her attention easily stolen by the soft voice of the woman who appeared before her. some might have labelled the young duchess as having a remarkably short attention span, thus was not the case -at least not entirely- her attention, once caught was a rather simple thing to keep, one must only be intriguing. and that, the young woman seemed to be, bold words pairing easily with her own. 

the blonde haired noble girl grinned, more than just a touch of the devil in her blue eyes. “that it certainly can be”, she answered suggestively, “but i doubt very much he would be one i’d want any part in finding that wrong time and place with.” plucking a thinly stemmed chalice from a tray which floated by, “but that is the struggle of this court isn’t it? too many wrong places presenting themselves, and far too many people concerned with right.”

the purple silk which flowed from an intricate bodice trailed behind her, the light fabric nearly fluid in it’s motion. if she had been the cautious type she might have kept a wider berth between her and the other ball’s attendants, for fear it might be stepped on, but in a rush to dodge a conversation with a familiar and dull baron it was the last thing on her mind. weaving through the guests she was more thankful than ever for the delicate mask which concealed her features, anonymity would prove a great friend on that eve. and just as she had put sufficient distant between herself and the dreadful man she felt the tub of a foot landing on the trail of her gown, spinning just in time to catch the offender by the wrist and keep the fabric from tearing. 

looking up at the masked face she managed a composed grin despite herself, “it is hardly the time or place for that kind of undressing”, she remarked in amusement. 

Her answer made no sense, which in a way, made perfect sense. She clearly didn’t want to be the perfect noblewoman, nothing but a daughter and then a wife and a mother. He had never been anything except his own person, even when he’d craved something more. The story he had built of his life as the huntsman’s son was the one he wished could be true. It was better than being unwanted, being nothing. 

He felt her gentle touches, her fingers soft compared to the callouses on his, and raised an eyebrow at the way her foot brushed against his leg. “Oui, you do.” He could see it in her eyes, in the way she smirked. “But I could tell you.” He drank some more. 

“Men would look at you and see you as the damsel to be saved, non?” She was pretty, blonde, delicate. He was sure she had her sharp edges. “But you are not. You are the enchantress. One mistake, and a man would be ruined by you. He would thank you for the pleasure of being ruined by you, and every woman he spoke pretty words to after you would wonder why he sounds like he talks to a ghost, not them.” In his own way, he meant it as a compliment, not a criticism. He saw no point in apologising for the truth of being herself, not when it didn’t hurt anyone. It was only fair that a woman wielded some of the power that men took for themselves. 

serena only grinned as he raised an eyebrow at her touch, as if daring him to acknowledge it. whether they were any longer accompanied by the people who had once sat at the table was beyond her, attention transfixed -as it so often was. the young woman could be called a great many things, but attentive was rarely one of them, her attentions flitted so often from one interest to the next it might be hard to keep track of. always some part of her existed outside of the conversation, considering some other interest. 

she watched him most curiously then. she had heard herself reflected in the words of others countless times before, those who believed something completely different than she was, and those already burned by the spark with flickered on behind her blue eyes. the first told tales of a beautiful and delicate woman, to be protected, whose angelic graces deserved every ounce of praise. and the second told tales of some mythically cold and demonic woman, as if she were some siren who had urged them onto a path they would have never chosen for themselves. both as untrue as the other. so she could not conceal the awe which overtook her features as he recounted his vision of her. perhaps it was this place, without the eyes of court she had unveiled herself so plainly for any to discern the true content of her spirit, or it was a gift the man himself had for telling the truth which she so often kept veiled in silk like charm. she counted it as the second. 

“you must comprehend a great deal in my abilities”, she answered taking another drink from her cup. “and what would it make me if all those things are true? surely not someone any cautious man would risk a moment on”, her words a question and comment simultaneously. she did not take the stranger before her as any kind of cautious creature, he could hardly have stolen her attention so easily if he were. if she held any apprehension in her heart that in and of itself might have been enough to cause her fear. 

“It is because whenever I hear it from you, it means you are definitely not on your best behavior, Serena,” e said, shaking his head. He was sure that if it were ever left to him to be the excitement of the Harlows, they would fall out of favor, exiled from court. He didn’t have the energy to play the games of court, had never entertained them. “You are only a hazard to my money and my health,” He joked, looking down at her once more. He’d made a vow to not remarry after his wife had died, but it seemed that there was no choice in the matter. There needed to be some continuation of the line and he doubted that it would ever come from Serena. 

“it is my definition of what is best brother”, she grinned winking. if she was grateful for one thing it was his indulging spirit, if she were stood here with her parents she would not dare taunt them in such a manner. “please victor, i keep you young”, she answered skipping slightly. “if you could manage to find me a husband even half as entertaining as myself i would take on that burden for the both of us, but seeing as the skies and people of this place are as grey as they were the last time i inhabited this place i would that a much harder task than finding a woman who would be glad to have you.”

Tomas didn’t pay any attention to the others, not even when they shifted, clearly hoping that the beautiful blonde would turn her charm back onto them. “Not tonight, you’re not one of them.” He imagined she might behave differently once back at court. He’d seen how people changed around others. He had done the same, although his blunt nature always ended up seeping back through. 

He tutted with a shake of his head at her question. “Non, of course not.” He had the utmost respect for women. His world had mostly been crowded by men, by thieves or soldiers, but the women he had known, that he cared about, they had all been remarkable in their own way. “Every woman has her intrigues. Her allure. Not just whether she will come to my bed.” 

He reached across the table towards her hand, his calloused fingers gentle as he touched her palm. “But touching is fun, non?” It was a little test, Tomas unwilling to be the first to back down in this little game they were playing. He withdrew his hand so that he could pick his cup up again. “You know what your allure is.” She was too confident to fall for easy flattery, and that in itself was her allure. The contrast of propriety in how she looked and the freedom in every other part of her he’d seen. 

the spectacle of court was a great one, where each of it’s inhabitants wore a mask of propriety and position. there was a time she’d sound some amusement in stripping those masks away, in delving deeper, but it seemed such a cause only led to her disappointment. beneath each mask seemed to always await another, just as dull as the one before it. serena on the other hand had always enjoyed the game of acting a role, the only difference being that it was she - and no one else- who crafted the masks she wore, and as a result they all bore her flare. regardless of how hard some had hoped they wouldn’t.

 “perhaps i never was”, she answered grinning. of course it was an idea which had existed her entire life. her parents fear that somehow their infant had been replaced by some otherworldly child, their sweet and precious daughter replaced by the fairies in the night. but her parents fear had always been her hope, and in every way she could she sought to define herself as something other than the title which hung neatly overhead. 

her legs crossed beneath the table, slender fingers gently moving across the exposed skin of his wrist as he withdrew his hand. her foot slipping from beneath her skirts as it gently grazed the man’s leg, a silent response to his question about contact. “i do?” she asked, head tilting to the side.