a thorned rose

“I am a knight so it is only fitting the lady make the choice,” Ingrid says, trusting Dorothea not to point out she was still only in training as some would.

Their fingers meet for a moment as they exchange cards and Ingrid maks sure not to back down or look away - it’s a matter of pride after all; though, when Dorothea offers to go for photos first she does feel relieved. She may not admit defeat but dancing with the opera house’s best is sure to be a challenging time.

“The photograph booth it is then. I was here before with Prince Dimitri and we were both impressed by how large a landscape it creates! How would you like to pose? I never did pay much attention to paintings focused on dresses rather than chivalry.”

To Dorothea, Ingrid is as much of a knight now as she may become in the future. Dorothea never fusses too much about technicalities- For a girl who’s weight lay on her songstress career, she is rather turned away by people who walk around as if their status places them above others.

“Oh? If the two of you found it fascinating, it must be a sight worth seeing!” Ingrid’s question sparks a plethora of ideas in Dorothea’s mind. Although she may not have posed for a stuffy portrait to hang in the Imperial Palace, she knows her fair share of ways to look presentable. 

When the songstress found herself dancing with Bernadetta, she couldn’t help and let the smile on her face shine bright. Dancing with her, there was no need for the brunette to allow the pressures of her future to weigh down upon her. For once, she can dance with a friend as simply that. As much as they had been sticking to traditional Adrestian techniques, Dorothea did have another trick up her sleeves. At least, so she had planned.

Dorothea had been anticipating on lifting Bernadetta in the air- Much to her surprise, the other way around occurred. There was a look of surprise on her face as she felt her feet lift off the ground while the two spun in a quick little circle before Dorothea was back onto the ground once more.

 “What? Don’t tease me like that, my heart really skipped a beat for a moment!” She playfully holds a hand to her heart and laughs along with Dorothea, relieved to find that the other girl was fairly down-to-earth. Some performers could get swept up into the fame and glamour of showbusiness, and Lene figured that might be especially true for a diva from a rich country like Adrestia.

    But sometimes, it was the opposite. Sometimes, a person in the limelight needed to stay grounded, else they lose sight of themselves and their goals, and be crushed underneath the weight of scrutiny and expectation.

    Lene pulls out her card and offers it to Dorothea, taking that moment to stamp the other woman’s with her own initial: ‘L’. “I’ve got that look about me, huh? Must be my amazing legs.” She chuckles, “But no, you’re right. Dancing’s my trade! I pretty much do it for a living. Never been one for court waltzes, though.”

[x]

With a smile, she tucks her newly signed card away after doing the same to Lene’s. Even if these cards are so simplistic in nature, she’s sure there are people here only wishing for specific people to sign theirs. Those of status, of power- She can’t stand nobles like that.

Although Dorothea’s expertise lies within singing and her operatic experiences, that hardly means to say her dancing talents are subpar. Though, if it’s Lene’s livelihood, Dorothea can’t help and grow even more curious at how fantastic she must be. “Oh yeah? What’s your specialty, then? Quick-paced? Improvisation?” Much as she harbors knowledge about waltzes herself, often did they lie within the noble family’s ideals. If she couldn’t shine, she’d only end up stuck in an eternal loop of staring off into the stars at a dimming light.

“As far as flattery goes, I think myself quite horrible at it,” Ingrid admits, lips upturned into a wry smile to go alongside Dorothea’s laugh, “particularly when it’s exaggerating or parroting someone’s words.”

She follows the other’s gaze out onto the dance floor, paying attention to the way the candelight and chandeliers shine bright reflected in Dorothea’s eyes. It was certainly no lie to say the woman as at home in this environment as Ingrid was not.

“All of the above then? I certainly have the time but do let me know if you are needed elsewhere.”

Ingrid goes for the stamp first, holding out her card for Dorothea and producing her own signet ring; it’s her first stamp for the evening and Ingrid thinks that if the other names were merely also those of her friends she could be none the wealthier.

“The photo then, or the dance floor? You… may have to lead in both endeavors so I shall leave it up to your discretion.”

Dorothea has danced with plenty of faces at this ball, their words sounding similar come a certain point. Ingrid might be modest, but Dorothea takes it as a roundabout compliment all the same.

She readily stamps Ingrid’s card with her own ring, holding her own one in her free hand as she playfully waves it in the air before turning it to face her friend. 

“Oh? You’re letting me choose? That’s quite the honor, Ingrid.” There is a certain softness to her tone, distinguishable from others she has spoken with over the course of the evening. When Dorothea is here with her, she feels a certain relief of pressure- Her beauty may not always be there, but her friendship will be. At least, she hopes so.

"Dorothea! I hope I'm not bothering you right now darling," Elincia greets one of her newest friends warmly. She hasn't taken her cat ears off but holds a ruby red pair out for the spellbinding mage. "I thought we could take a photo together? That's sure to set sparks flying for everyone!"

Elincia takes Dorothea's hand in hers, leading her towards the artifex machine. A devious glint sparkles in her eyes as they sit together, just before she turns her head and presses a swift kiss to the side of her friend's cheek. It's her own face however that flushes crimson as she hides her giggling behind her hands.

Putting on the pair of cat ears, Dorothea's smile is as bright as a twinkling star lighting a darkened night. She finds the ears and their radiant red color complimentary to her outfit- A fun decoration for a lovely moment. "You could never bother me! Why, I'd be just delighted to take a photograph with you. Maybe.. A stamp too, if you’re feeling so inclined!" Dorothea could spend all day at the photo-artifex, both fascinated with its complexity and simply for the sake of memories. Of course, she can never do that. The time here is valuable- There are only so many opportunities she can grasp. If she can have a physical memory of her friendship with Elincia, she'd cherish that opportunity as much as she can.

petrykos​:

𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 specific way, they would catch the light and reflect back on otherwise dull, almost gray colored bark. Her fingers twiddle with the head of the arrow while she waited for Dorothea to come closer. Would she strike if given the chance? Maybe. She suspects the mage was quite skilled at dodging already, but that didn’t mean she was invincible. 

          The birds sing and the wind whistles, if barely, but it isn’t long that Petra waits. She would normally admire and bask in the forest’s unique and peaceful song while waiting in a tree’s top for a rabbit or some animal to show its face so she may strike. Her ears are instead focused on rustling, Dorothea came closer, she could hear that much. It was a mistake on her end to set the mock distraction so close to her whereabouts; moving to another spot would be more difficult. 

          She waits a moment longer to listen for any more movement in her direction. Now would be a crucial time to change her spot as her enemy draws nearer. Petra takes a couple of steps forward and—Ah.

          Carelessly, she trips over a fallen tree and her breath is caught in her throat as she desperately tried to not make a noise. Making noise was the least of her worries though. Her hands splay in front of her to break her fall, but completely exposes her previous hiding spot. She glances up at Dorothea. Perhaps if she were to be more careful, she could still escape unnoticed. Or if she were quick enough she could avoid any incoming attacks. The game had been called hide and dodge after all.

For a girl from the streets of Enbarr where she only had minimal items on her person, a bow and sword always seemed so far out of reach. Even with her failure of an attempted shot mere moments ago, Dorothea can’t help and wonder just what might emerge if she were to practice it more- She considers herself very skilled in many aspects, but what she lacks is a clear foundation for the future. Even here and now, she cannot predict the outcome. That is the fun of it, though! At least, in this scenario.

As luck may have it, the songstress finds herself looking directly at Petra. Tempted as she is to smile and speak, perhaps now is hardly the time. This isn’t the place for idle chatter- That isn’t to say she’d refuse to do any later, though!

This is... supposed to be cute, right? Katarina stares down at her hand curiously, flexing her index and middle finger as if making the bunny's ears wiggle will somehow give her an answer. It doesn't, but as keenly aware as she is of the time she's wasting, she flusters and holds up the bunny ears to Dorothea herself before awkwardly holding it behind her head.

Oh. That's the answer. She smiles for a second, a laugh silently huffed before she looked to the photo-artifex, eyes crinkling at the corners.

Dorothea notices Katarina's movements, tilting her head slightly upwards in an attempt to see what she was doing. Even if quick, the expression on Katarina’s face results in a similar one onto the songstress. Much like a melody embracing its warmth on the songstress, she feels a certain sense of happiness when the image is taken with a bright flash.

"Dorothea!" Ingrid calls out to her friend, finding the other miraculously free of suitors for the moment. Her smile is true as she hurries over (taking care not to trip in her dress) but she stills upon seeing the look on Dorothea's face:

"I'm beautiful, you're beautiful. Yes yes. I am sure we've both heard it far too many times this evening," she says quickly, managing to keep her blush at bay. Goddess knows what Dorothea could get up to when she was in the mood; Ingrid thinks she fears the tongue on the woman even more than her magic prowess at times.

"Even so… I was hoping we could take one of these "photos" together? I am not used to," she gestures to her garb and the atmosphere around them, voice faltering for a moment, "all this. So I thought to ask for your help. Not for free of course! I'll owe you a dance or a stamp gladly."

Dorothea is often in the spotlight, praised for her looks and vocal talents. When she sees Ingrid, her first thought is to comment on how stunning she looks. Ingrid steals the words right out of Dorothea's mouth and the songstress doesn’t find herself minding for once. In fact, much the opposite. “Oh, Ingrid.. You really do know how to flatter me, don’t you?” A soft giggle sweeps past the songstress’s lips, her earrings bouncing with each movement.

Interlacing one of her hands with Yuri’s, she keeps her facing head on towards the device- What kind of pose should she do this time? “I can’t wait to see how this will turn out, Yurikins. What do you think? Should we go for a fashionable pose or more simplistic?”

The songstress hums in thought, keeping herself close to Yuri as she awaits the bright flash of the photo-artifex. A brief turn of the head towards them later, she finds their entwined hands raised up as her gaze strikes Yuri’s. The look in their eyes never fails to leave Dorothea wondering just what they might be thinking. She takes a step closer, eyes widening as she embraces a sudden and gentle moment.

"Hello!" She singsongs as she approaches the, well, singer. Lene doesn't immediately use her name—she doesn't want Dorothea thinking she's some crazed fan. "I was wondering if you'd like a dance? My ring's got plenty of stamping ink left too, if your card needs filling."

Dorothea's purpose at the ball vastly differed than any nobles she may find. If this event can serve as a window of opportunity for the songstress, she must scoop it within her grasp. She is not here to sing or perform, but a part of her cannot help and wonder what she really will gain from the grand layout. Love, friendships or otherwise, she must try.

Although there is an abundance of props to choose from, Dorothea can't quite settle on one. She playfully picks up a pair of cat ears, laughing to herself as she puts them down. Perhaps something for later, if the mood so strikes. No matter what she might be doing in this moment with Bernadetta, she’s positive it will be one worth remembering. If she’s lucky, she can even keep the photograph for herself!

“Should we grab one of the props, Bern? Or, maybe.. We could stand side by side and link arms! How does that sound?” Dorothea settles to sit atop a nearby stool, hands folded neatly in her lap as she looks towards her classmate in wait. This event is large, filled with people and nobles to talk with all over the place. She may be a commoner, but Bernadetta doesn’t seem to mind. It’s quite nice.

Dorothea finds herself rather intrigued by the contraption presented by the projectionist. Why, if only it could illustrate her voice- A visual representation of something she may not always have. It could only last so long, she reminds herself. Now that would be truly something! Still, the thought is pushed aside when Sharena presents herself by the brunette’s side.

"Why, don't you look cute? You even know how to pose, too.. Call me impressed!" The songstress grabs a pair of matching glasses, pushing up onto the bridge of her nose with a giggle. The pattern of the frames clashed with the dress Dorothea opted to adorn, but this was only for a fun picture. “Look at us! We match. It’s a shame the photo-artifex is only just now in existence, though.. “ A pause, her eyes twinkling.

minorindech​:

What Bernie wanted…nobody ever really asked what Bernie wanted. And yet here was Dorothea, not only asking what Bernadetta wanted but insisting on it. Promising her that they would find it and look at it and maybe even get it…Bernadetta felt her face get warm as her vision started to swim a little with the familiar gathering of tears. Bernadetta quickly ducked her head and nodded before Dorothea could see her ugly, gross crying face. “O-okay…thanks!”

Bernadetta quickly distracts herself by looking through the dresses. She still isn’t compeltely sure about the idea of purple. It might be too much of just one colour. Maybe something simple, like black or beige, or oh…maybe a nice green. Bernadetta liked green. It reminded her of her garden and happier things. She was sure if she looked, she could find something nice.

“Oh, I can imagine! I’ve heard that they were the most beautiful costumes at the opera.” Things that were carefully crafted and delicately made with the intention of making the actors shine in their rolls… “I would’ve loved to have seen you perform, I bet you looked incredibly amazing!” Bernie’s father didn’t bring her to Enbarr often, so she had never had the chance to see the opera.

When Bernie glances over, she spots the dress that her friend holds up against her and gasps softly. “Ooh, that looks so pretty!” Bernie tells her. Her own hunt is abandoned as she turns to Dorothea. Bernie carefully pinches the edges of the dress to hold them more accurately to the shape of Dorothea’s body. “It really suits you…oh, and you could get a pretty necklace and it would compliment it nicely!”

She finds it a shame her friend never had the chance to see her perform on stage, but Dorothea isn’t going to pry. Although the brunette may have left the opera company to become a student, she always would have the spark of a songstress within her. Even now, she hummed as she perused the racks with a smile. “Thank you, Bern. I would’ve loved to have seen you there, but who knows? I’m not opposed to putting on a show at the monastery!”

Dorothea is sure the children would enjoy it, if nothing else. She giggles as Bernadetta praises her choice of dress, finding herself agreeing at the idea. “A necklace, hm? You know.. You’re right about that! You really do have a keen eye for fashion,” she says with a playful wink. “This dress looks like the perfect choice to me. Simple, yet elegant. Stylish.. And unique.” Her words soften to parallel her happy expression, intent on keeping it for herself.

Walking up to make her purchase, she fiddled with her small bag. Dorothea didn’t have much money on her, but she did have just about enough to make the deal. It is much cheaper than if it had been at some fancy store in the Empire, that much is certain.

Edelgard- Ethereal Ball shopping & timeskip AU! I’d like to plot any timeskip au shenanigans a little bit, though.

Dorothea- Sword +1 prompt!

minorindech​:

Bernadetta squeaked and tugged the ends of her hood further over her face. “B-Bernie’s not sweet! Bernie’s just Bernie! Boring! If Bernie had to be a flavor, it would be something boring like…like mold!” Nobody wanted to eat mold, except really weird nobles with way too much money who tried to say it was fancy and not like…mold! 

Thankfully the walk to the market didn’t take long enough. Soon enough they were surrounded  by dresses and accessories and all kinds of pretty things that were way more attention grabbing than dumb little Bernie! She was even able to peek out of her hood a little as they looked at the dresses.

“F-for me?” Bernie stared at Dorothea with wide eyes. She thought for sure Dorothea would want to focus on getting a dress for herself first before even thinking about Bernie. “Oh, um…I dunno. Dresses always make me feel so…stuffy. Father always picked what dresses he thought I should wore, and they were never very comfortable.”

They were fancy things, made to make her look like a puffed up doll. What she wanted didn’t matter, so long as Bernadetta looked like a good noble child and potential future wife. Dorothea cared about those kinds of things too, but not in the same way. She probably would get it though.

“I, um. I’m always scared to wear purple. I worry it might make me look like an eggplant. B-but I like seeing all the different kinds of dresses, to get ideas for what I can try to make in my room.”

Bernie is silent for a moment, gently grabbing onto one of the dresses on the rack before clearing her throat. “Wh-what about you, Dorothea? Do you have something in mind that you want?”

The songstress couldn’t help and let her face fall into a sympathetic stature. Even if her own situation was different than Bernadetta’s, she insists on staying by her friend’s side. “I see.. Well, in that case, today will be the day we’ll change that. You’ll pick out what you want- Not for him, or anyone else. How does that sound?”

Dorothea’s own actions mimic Bernadetta’s, green eyes peering towards a long, dark red dress. If she didn’t know any better, surely this outfit would be way out of her budget. She could already imagine it pairing well with a nice set of earrings and a necklace to match. “If you want my opinion, I think purple suits you just fine! Why, I can’t imagine who better to pull off that color than you!”

Much as she aims to help Bernadetta, she needs to find a suitable dress for herself, too. “Me? Hmm, well.. Back in the opera, I was used to wearing outfits that really made me stand out.” She pauses, trailing her fingers over the simplicity of the red in front of her. “But.. I’m thinking of something a little more.. toned down, this time. Of course, I do want to make my mark and all- It’s just.. Never-mind me.”

Taking it off the line it sat upon, she pressed it against her person in an attempt to visualize herself wearing it. It was a bit shorter than she had imagined, but the way the dress flowed so softly against the light breeze made up for it.