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It was a particularly cold, chilly night where all the nobles had gathered. There were the dukes and their duchesses, the mistresses, and of course, the beautiful ladies in waiting, eager for their Prince Charmings to come their way. Then we have Sonetto, who wasn’t expecting anything at all. This was the biggest event of the year, and the whole of Vienna was there; it wasn’t just the people from the city; there were outsiders too– god knows how, yet they still appeared, each and every one of their presences welcomed into Vienna’s ballroom of dreams.
The sound of the violin played in the background as everyone conversed with each other; some were already drowning themselves in the champagne offered by the waiters, others were gossiping and giggling in different corners of the building, and men were flirting with the women that they wanted to take home tonight.
All of this was a sight for sore eyes to the orange-haired girl.
She was standing at the top of the room in front of the doors that led to a balcony outside. She was wearing her mask, like everyone else. It was in the shape of a hound with a feather on the right, drenched in white, matching her dress yet highlighting it simultaneously. Her hair was pleated in an orange braid adorned with white moonflowers, making her look even more elegant than most present in the room. The dress was short with golden stars at the hem, her boots up to her knees, covering the excess skin of her porcelain legs, and the white satin gloves on her hands added a delicate touch to her overall beauty. Yet, there was no one to admire such a vision, as everyone was busying themselves with the ones they desired.
She had no intention of coming to this ball in the first place, but Madam Z had insisted.
Something about socialising with others instead of clinging to the timekeeper the entire time and getting out of her comfort zone.
For a girl who has been following rules her entire life, you wouldn’t exactly expect her to know what freedom feels like, let alone how to use it. Her hands were tightly clutching the cold railing as she watched everyone with an unsettling anxiety that was rising in her stomach. She dared to hope that no man would come her way, and she wouldn’t be able to handle it if any of them did. Why? It wasn’t because of her shy nature or that she couldn’t converse with one; it was because her whole body would be filled with disgust whenever they attempted to flirt with her.
At times, she’d rather run away for dozens of miles than be in the same room with a man who called her beautiful.
Suddenly, the walls of the room echoed a soft melody. Suitors started to give their hands to different women all around the floor. Soon enough, everyone fell into a slow waltz—everyone except her. The girl's green orbs darted around, trying to be aware of her surroundings, hoping she wouldn’t catch anybody in the corner of her eye trying to approach her; but she did.
Before they could even approach her, Sonetto spoke.
“Dear Sir, I appreciate your interest in me, but I have to apologise, as I would be unable to fulfil your request.”
The person chuckled lightly before responding, “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not a ‘sir’, miss.”
Sonetto’s head quickly whipped up, seeing a woman standing before her.
Her dress was constituted of a deep navy blue bodice with black chiffon wrapping her shoulders and a fitted cuff around her forearms, her skirt ruffled with layers of turquoise organza with a clock beneath, a top hat on her head of grey hair, and a golden rabbit mask covering her face.
Sonetto couldn’t help but stare at the mysterious yet extraordinary sight in front of her, her mouth slightly agape and her pupils dilated.
“Are you entranced by me, miss?” The woman replied teasingly.
Sonetto blinked twice before shaking her head and responding, “I truly apologise for my behaviour, my dear lady; I didn’t mean to–”
“Don’t be; it’s alright,” the grey-haired woman interrupted.
She took a deep breath and sighed heavily, trying to regain herself from her embarrassing encounter as she stared at the moving figures on the dance floor, the soothing sound of the cello and violin filling her ears, before curiosity took over her.
“I haven’t seen you around since I first arrived here—perhaps you have come just recently?”
A subtle smile crept up the girl’s face as she replied.
“I was on the balcony behind you earlier, and then I noticed your beautiful, long braid and decided to give you some company.”
“My beautiful braid?” Sonetto blushed as she responded.
“Your hair is quite beautiful, if I say so myself. I admire your orange locks, especially how the flowers highlight them,” the woman said in awe.
Sonetto’s pale face turned into a crimson hue after the other girl's words had registered in her mind. She quickly averted her gaze and cleared her throat before speaking.
“Thank you.” Her voice was shaky.
The woman was amused by the sight in front of her; it was truly adorable.
“It’s not just your hair that's beautiful; it's you as well,” she added.
Sonetto could barely contain herself from the earlier comments, but this made her heart beat even faster than it already was; she could feel her face getting warmer, her hands holding the railing even tighter—she was utterly speechless.
“It’s a shame that no one has asked you for a dance yet,” the grey-haired woman said as she watched everyone in the ballroom still swaying to the music. Sonetto just stared at her in disbelief as the other girl was completely oblivious of how her behaviour was affecting her; her calm demeanour frustrated the orange-haired girl.
The woman turned to face Sonetto completely; she took her hat off the top of her head and held it behind her back while her other hand extended toward the girl in front of her.
“Would you like to have this dance?” she asked softly.
How could she refuse? This random stranger, who came absolutely out of nowhere, was commenting on her beauty in a way that made butterflies fly rapidly in her stomach to the point that all the rush of adrenaline in her body made her head spin so much that she could barely hold herself up. She desperately needed to find out more.
Finally, after giving a weak nod, she gave her hand to the other girl.
“You may, my dear lady.”
A lazy grin was plastered on the other girl's face as she felt a sense of victory at being able to charm the gorgeous woman in front of her. She slowly lowered her head to the other girl's hand, which was placed in hers, and gave it a gentle kiss.
As soon as her mouth had made contact with the back of her hand, she felt the slight warmth of her lips through satin gloves on her hands. A shiver travelled up her spine, letting out a soft gasp which could only be heard between the two women.
The grey-haired girl peeked up from below, amused by the others' reaction. She let out a low chuckle as she straightened her back and put her hat back on the top of her head, leading her to the dance floor.
People stared at the two girls walking hand in hand; some were curious, others were judgmental. Sonetto felt all their eyes bore holes into the back of her head while the other girl seemed blissfully unaware of her surroundings. She turned around and held Sonetto’s waist while she took her other hand in hers. Sonetto did the same by putting her free hand on the woman’s shoulder, and then they moved.
Sonetto had never experienced such proximity before in her entire life; the fact that it was with this mysterious lady was certainly an experience, but not an unsettling one. The way her hand felt on her waist, its warmth, the way her hold on her was gentle, and the way they both just stared at each other in comfortable silence as they swayed soothed her.
Sonetto notices the details of the other girl, the curve of her nose, her slightly full cheeks, and her light pink lips. Her eyes then darted to her grey hair, which was tied up in a low bun, just like someone, except it was adorned with luminous pearls that shone softly from the warm light emitted by the chandeliers above.
“The pearls in your hair look lovely,” she said before she could even stop herself.
The other laughed softly as she responded.
“So you have been observing me, hm?”
“W-well, that's because you’re the only sight in front of me,” she retorted.
The woman let out a low hum as she danced elegantly with the orange-haired girl.
The more Sonetto stared, the more questions filled her head; this woman's features were the same as the timekeepers. The structure of her face, her tied-up hair, not to mention the shade of it as well, and her eyes; Sonetto tried to gauge the colour of her eyes without having to lean closer than she already was.
The music in the background began to reach a crescendo, and everyone started to move faster. The stranger smiled to herself as she increased her pace along with the others. Sonetto's eyes widened a fraction as she was startled by this quickness, as she tried to keep up with her partner.
Sonetto had her suspicions, but they couldn’t possibly be right. Madam Z did tell her that Vertin had gone on a mission 2 days ago; she even remembered saying goodbye to her when she had left, yet all of this was too much of a coincidence. Even the way this woman had dressed was similar to the timekeeper's fashion choices.
Could it truly be—no, there's no way. Would Vertin even compliment her the way she did? Would Vertin kiss her hand the way she did? Would Vertin ever hold her the way she was at this moment? Would Vertin really ever call her beautiful?
“You seem to be lost in thought, miss; are you alright?” The woman had finally interrupted.
The climactic music was pulsing in her ears as she heard her question. She felt her head grow heavy as her eyes explored the other woman's face. Even if the woman in front of her was truly the one she had been pining for her entire lifetime, she’d lose it right then and there.
“Why are you doing all of this?” she said weakly.
“I beg your pardon,” she replied.
Sonetto took a deep breath before lifting her head and steadying her eyes on the other girl.
“What is your purpose behind all of this?” she elaborated.
The girl’s hand tightened on the orange-haired woman's waist gently, helping to match their pace, and feeling the soft material of the other's dress as she thought of what to say.
“Can’t I be interested in someone who looks as magnificent as you?” She finally said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Sonetto was truly at a loss for words, her brain short-circuiting to form a response. She instead took deep, shallow breaths as her grip on the woman's shoulder tightened.
The song was beginning to end; she had to know before this moment would slip past her fingers, before they could part ways.
“Who are you?” She said, her voice firm yet low.
The woman smiled brightly before she twirled the other around gracefully and then dipped the girl in her arms low when the sound of music blurred out in the distance.
Sonetto could smell the faint scent of aquatic woody musk on her as she leaned close to her, which made her feel giddy.
“I think you can take a guess, my dear friend,” she said sweetly as her grey eyes fixated on her green ones.
That was when she knew.
This stranger wasn’t a stranger at all.