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Ara is utterly and completely bored and right now she wishes she wasn't even at the Ball. The York Ball was the first ball of the season and it is no fun once so ever. The musicians kept playing off key and out of tune. The food is terrible and the men ever worse than the food. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gPyMgzAWy
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Ara would love to leave even though it's only been an hour. So instead she hides on the sidelines near the walls. Trying to hide from any men who may want to ask her to dance. Hopefully no one will realize her dance card is empty. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BOvPszFCE
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"Do you want a husband or not?" Ara hears Theo chuckle as he sneaks next to her. "Am I your sister or not?" She snaps back at him and Theo's smile fades. "No one can know yet" he lowers his voice and takes a step closer. "I know you excepted to be accounted with us" Theo glances around the room to make sure no one hears. "We couldn't risk anyone being suspicious until the accountment" Ara tries to calm the anger building inside her. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvLRzZVx5Q
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"You so happened to forget such information?" Ara looks at the crowd of dancers. Some part of her yearns to go over to the dance floor but her fear stops her. She doesn't have the greatest record of making friends. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwF7AZEhQPv
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"I need to leave" she knows if this continues she shall lose her temper. None of them can afford her to make a scence. So she sneaks off to the drink stand to where her sister Gina is standing. She is trying to avoid the offer of a gentleman.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdV6fx2WQSL
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"Pardon me, sister" Gina and the man she is talking to turn to her direction. The man in question is no other than the Duke of York himself. "Your Grace" Ara cursty to the Duke, "I have come to ask my sister to escort me outside". Ara offers her arm to Gina which she gladly takes. "I cannot handle a crowd very well, unfortunately". 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7wyB2iFjy
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The Duke of York just laughs and brushes it off. He truly could not care for he himself does not like Balls much either. "It is no problem" He steps closer and whispers so no one can hear. "You ought to call me Jonathan" he bows his head in respect to Ara and smirks, "Your Highness". 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxc23XfgsSl
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Both girls look to one another, no one is meant to know that Ara is the Heir to the Avalorian throne. "One of your brothers must have said something" Gina whispers as they walk to the outside halls. The music and light getting fainter and the only light comes from the moon above. "Thank you for coming over" Gina says leans her head closer to see. "Your more than welcomed" Ara says, I thought he was asking you for a dance and that he was an unwanted suitor". "Not at all" Gina laughs, "You always count your chickens before they hatch". 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuJuF6jHcA
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"That is a ridiculous thing to say" Ara counters and Gina shakes her head. "No you always assume things before you get the entire truth". Ara wishes she could disagree. "Do I need to remind you of the time when we were.." Gina suddenly trails off and Ara almost trips. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxSvrz84JI
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Looking back Ara sees Gina has frozen in her place and looking at the dance floor. Gina seems almost dumbstruck and almost green in the face. Tears fill Gina's eyes and she says a name unfamiliar to Ara. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEN8MYYvdA
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"Claudel". 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzROEhltPK
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She can't believe what she is seeing, Claudel, he is here. How is he here? She has so many questions and no answers. "Might he have a doppleganger?" Gina thinks to herself as she calms her heart.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMfWw5tImb
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This cannot be Claudel, she can't let herself hope it's him. If she did and it wasn't she would be sorely disappointed to say the least. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡveivqVvYhK
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If he was than she could marry him like she has been wishing she could. Gina shakes her head and scoffs. It's more than silly to keep your head in the clouds. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lHalc94wJ
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Gina heels quickly turn around as if to walk away and just as she is to do so, she stops. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6g4RARbvf
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She can feel 𝒉𝑖𝑠 eyes on her. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbU5aVXycF
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It sends shivers down her back. "Someone must be walking on my grave", Gina thinks as she turns and returns his stare. The corners of her mouth widden as she plaster in her polite smile. Hoping that she doesn't show how nervous she feels. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2X1TmEMIoB
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The closer she gets the more details she can see. Gina sees that the man is wearing a fine linen white shirt and black breaches. Both are embroidered with purple designs along the seames. Status of money and power. Quite the contrast to Claudel who wears the same shirt again until it's torn and completely covered in ashe. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUospKrO1M
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He has the same cutt and shade as Claudels hair but his is tidy and clean. Because Claudel unlike this man was working class, his hair often went unwashed. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlGd26t4jR
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Gina and the man meet and at first no one says a thing. "Hello Gina"his voice is filled with emotion. Gina feels her eyes water and chokes on air. "Claudel" she whispers and he cringes at the name. How are you here?"Gina asks in a low voice. "That is a long story, I have something for you". 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBhejPJEQL
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Claudel reveals a letter and she gingerly takes it, her hands shaking. Gina puts it in her red reticule to match her marron and burgundy dress. She didn't have enough time to choose her dress. Her mother picked a dress with marron undertones and the main tones on top were burgundy. Layered on each other they turned into the most beautiful shade of purple. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIkSVNMFE6
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"Wait, how did you have time to go from my house and here" Gina hisses at him and looks at him disapprovaling. He just shakes his head and thinks. "𝐼 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝒉𝑦 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝑜 𝑖𝑛𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒." Instead of saying that he offers her hand, "May I have this dance?". She contemplates saying no but figures she can get more information by saying yes. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtC8oRVgKR
247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5TaltRA0H
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"Of course" She takes his hand as they glide to the middle of the ballroom. "What should I call you, now?". He thinks on her question before replying, "Well my name is actually Edmund". Her eyebrows scruntch together and her lip pouts. He finds her very adorable when she thinks. "Yet you let me call you, Claudel" she pointsout as her hand goes in his and the other on his shoulder. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgfdnrWWgl
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"You just assumed, my name is Joshua" he tells her as his hand is place on the middle of her back. Gina body feels hot and yet she shivers. She isn't use to a man this close to her. "I suppose their is alot you don't know about a person. I thought I knew you quite well". 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHeaMTMWOM
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He laughs he shakes his head, "You can't know someone within six months". The dance end and they move to the drink stand. "Maybe or maybe not" she says she frowns to herself,"It seems we weren't as close as I thought". 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcNZMdK8Df
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"That's not at all the truth. Something happened, something changed.. I can't say in person" he explains. "Please read that letter". The grandfather clock chimes twelve and fear appears in Joshua's eyes for a second. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYRDUTbwAz
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"I have to go, I'm sorry" Joshua steps back and weaves between the crowd. Gina tries to keep up but with cluster of people it's impossible. It doesn't help Joshua's legs are longer than her own. "Georgina" she hear Fitzwilliam call her. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglwrmFFVmR
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She doesn't even think when her snaps towards her brothers voice. Fitz seems dazzled and nervous. She looks back to where Josh was and he is gone. "We have to go" Fitz grabs her arm and through the crowd. To the front doors of the York Mansion and the Darcys carrige is ready. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpq57lTnZ4t
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Her sister and mother are already there and they both look sickly pale and as if they hadn't slept for days."𝑊𝒉𝑎𝑡 𝒉𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝒉𝑒𝑚? 𝑊𝒉𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛?" Gina thinks as she sits down and her brother follows suite. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUQURR8FiS
247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAY6ao2fB67
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"I know you want to know what's going on but it isn't safe here" Miranda explains as the carrige goes twelve miles per hour. They have never had the horses go this fast. "I wish eveyone would stop saying that" Gina huffs in frustration and crosses her arms. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaMtg6bkHP
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"What do you mean" Ara asks, "Did it have to do with that man at the ball?". Gina thinks for a second, the letter is to private until she knows what's going on. "Oh, we had a lovely conversation and then ran off when the clock stuck twelve". 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVpwvfznQx
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The three of them all glance at one another with anxious faces. Gina is getting tired of being the only one to not know. "We are home, Your Grace" the horseman tells them as he opens the door. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVdJBRlVB0
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All of them quickly exit the carriage and into the house. Her mother orders tea as they all sit on the sofa. Finally the answers she has been waiting for. 247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhYfj7W0sq
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