Marjorie pursed her lips, watching her siblings and the guests start to mingle. She shook her head as two apparent klutzes decided to try to dance, and let herself just scan the room, waiting for someone to notice her. "I'm not particularly pretty, I snap at people too much, I'm not ladylike. Nope, I'm not what most people are looking for here," she said to herself quietly. "And even if I did fall in love, they'd probably die before all of us did." She shook her head again, then straightened and walked across the room, her forest dress flaring behind her. "It's pointless."

Xandith's near repeat of her own misfortune caused Orelia to smile brightly. It was good to know she wasn't the only uncertain one there. "What do you mean you aren't used to legs?I'm a young woman,human ,...Why all these strange questions?" A puzzled look crossed her face,half obscured by the mask she wore. After stepping on her partner's toes a little at every move Orelia spoke again. "Sorry!I did say I didn't know how to dance. And umm,I like your name, it's very unique." With that said Orelia averted her eyes from Xandith's and tried to look around them at the other party goers without maiming both of them with her clumsiness.

Two women , dressed in pink and black respectively stood in a corner. There where people clustered together around a noble seeming man and the dresses! O how they made Orelia jealous , and made her blush with shame. Her own musty borrowed thing was a rag compared to what others wore. Those other's dresses had probably been tailor made too, especially that woman with the beautiful robe-gown and pant combination.

Codette watched women glide into the ballroom, men that seemed over confident, and a few that actually tripped, or bumped into others. Handing her empty glass to a passing servant, she chuckled. It seemed that Urik-Uri, she reminded herself, since her brother was appearing as a woman for the evening- had made a new friend. Father was greeting a guest, thanking him for something, she was too far to tell.
Codette had to admit she was jealous of a few outfits. She was quickly falling for the woman in combat boots. Giggling, the sorcerer imagined her mothers reaction if Codette had dared dress in such a way.
She supposed she might as well stop hiding in the shadows and be seen. Father had gone through such trouble to attempt to find them love. As much as many of the children may hate the thought, Codette loved her father too much to let him down, not that she'd admit it outloud. A sorcerer of the dark arts must have her pride. Codette took a few steps out into the open. She stood by the balcony door, enjoying the cool breeze, yet standing in a way to make herself seem open to conversation or a dance invitation. "The only question now, is someone brave enough to ask me." she whispered to the moon.

Nereus, using his magical talents flashed, into the ballroom firmly holding onto his younger brother. Zeph scowled and tried to break out of Nereus' grip but to no avail. Scanning the room Nereus looked for any sign of his siblings and spotting Urik he steered Zeph over to him. "Go hang out with Urik since neither of you are here to look for suitors and please try to stay out of trouble. Just because you dislike the ball doesn't mean the rest of us do." Nereus said and Zeph simply grunted in response as he made his way over to Urik.

"Hello sister. Having a nice time?" Zeph said with a noticable grin as he took in Urik's appearance. He then turned to the woman his brother was conversing with and bowed. "Hello miss. I'm Zephyros Wellington. Sorry for the interrupting your conversation. May I get your name?" He took in the girl and wondered if she was one of Urik's suitors who had figured out his ruse.

Nereus nodded to himself once Zeph made it across the room. He turned back to the rest of the ballroom and looked for someone who seemed interesting. Finally he spotted a woman whose green dressed made it appear as if she were floating around the room. He watched her for a little while longer and realized that she was looking for something. Walking up to her Nereus gently got her attention and bowed before her. "Good evening. I am Nereus Llew Wellington. I couldn't help but notice that you were looking for something. Tell me what it is and I'd be happy to help a beauty like you."

Diandre Percival Eneas Wellington watched quietly from behind a pillar as more people arrived for the ball.He was torn between going out to meet the people his parents had invited,and staying there in the shadows.Instinct made him hide away from any prying eyes.Years of being told to stay hidden no matter what ,and of studying potions making in the library,had ingrained a fear of crowds in Diandre.

Clutching his gold mask in one hand,and his silver one the other,Diandre decided he wanted to be mortal.He wanted to stop having to hide from every eye not of his family,he wanted to go out in the word unafraid of being called a monster.Elves ,many said they where strange cruel creatures,monsters in the guise of beauty.Sighing Diandre put on his silver mask,and tied his golden one to his belt. His piercing gaze found a young seeming woman alone,she had pink hair and wore red and black exclusively. The elf was nearly certain she was a vampire,if anyone could accept his less desirable traits it would be one of the darker denizens of the world.

Walking to her side he bowed."I am Diandre Wellington,would you dance with me and honor me with your name?"The words came out smoothly if edged with a little anger at having to go trough this to find someone who would accept him.Diandre was sure he would have to dance with every female there save his sisters,and even then his mind told him there was no one who would take him.

Xandith chuckled a little as he got the hang of his human legs. "Yes, it means young prince in an ancient language." he twirled them about, elegantly now. "I ask such odd questions." he dipped her downwards in a tango-like manner and said. "because i am an odd person." soon the song ended and he pulled them to the side. "You look like you come from a respectable family." he tried to recognize her face but couldnt. he certainly hadn't met her before.

Urik smiled to Zeph, glad he hadn't blown his cover. He waited for the woman to answer them, he thought absently how being around so many wellingtons might make the lady uncomfortable. He patted zephs shoulder in a quick greeting, knowing that zeph was as uninterested in the ball as he was.

A laugh escaped Orelia's lips."I'm no noble,if that's what you mean."He was absolutely enchanting,the way he was trying to see her face.Slowly and carefully the young woman took off her mask.Brown eyes wide she wondered if something to do with magic was going on.The thought was too absurd,Orelia shook her head .It just wasn't possible."Could you tell me why we're here? You said something about the Wellingtons earlier...I don't mean to be rude."She just wanted to know why they where all there.

Xandith shrugged absently, he didn't think the wellingtons would invite humans to their masquerades. He thought everyone who walked through the door knew of the magic that was inside. Perhaps this girl was just terribly uninformed. Because everyone else he'd talked to knew of the wellington family, and that their was magic running through their veins due to their fathers ill judgement. "It's nothing." he waved it off. "Just an old fish tale." he used underwater slang, he wasn't quite accustomed to everything the humans said and did. "Are you thirsty? Perhaps i could get you something to drink." he tried for a subject change.

Orelia was sorely tempted by the offer,but she wanted to know what was going on even more."Later,tell me please?I found the invitation in the university courtyard.No one gave it to me,so I really have no clue about what this whole ball is about.I came because I wanted to do something crazy and unexpected for once in my life." It was more then she told herself most of the time. It seemed almost like she couldn't lie in that place,everything in her screamed that no one was quite normal except for her.Orelia had gone and gotten herself into trouble by being impulsive.

Xandith stepped away from her as if she had some wretched plague. "Mr. Wellington will kill you if you find out....i knew everyone was supposed to know! stupid human don't you know not to take things" he whispered fiercly at her. His eyes had gone an even brighter shade of red. "You stay with me, else you will be discovered." he gritted his teeth and took her hand. "Come, take a stroll outside and i will tell you more."

Fear gripped her just as much as Xandith's hand.Orelia wasn't sure what she was more afraid of,him or the death that seemed to await her at Mr.Wellington's hands.She let herself be dragged away a little while before speaking up."I'm not stupid!I just wanted to get away from my normal boring life,haven't you ever felt that way?" Not daring to say anything else she gripped her mask tightly as they seemed to reach a place where they could talk near the freezing cold of the outdoors. Orelia kept wishing she'd brought a shawl,or preferably never come now that she knew death might result because of her foolishness.

Xandith sighed putting a finger to his temples. "Oh jeeez, wont a fishermans hook nab me already!" he threw his hands up. "Look around you, don't you see things that are odd!" he pointed out creatured with wings, pointy ears. Glowing auras, fangs, ears, tails, whiskers, four legs! "The wellington family is a family of immortal beasts, the only way to break their curse is for them to find someone to love them truly, which is why mr. wellington holds these dances." he let out it all in a wild huff of breath. "I myself am a merman." he confessed. "I thought perhaps you were a mermaid, not yet used to her legs the way you walked in."

As the red eyed man pointed out the things she'd attributed to good makeup and wonderful illusions her eyes grew wider and wider."So it's all real?Wow...Looking up at Xandith she couldn't help but wonder what his tail looked like.Then her thoughts strayed back to the story of the Wellington family."This is just like Beauty and the Beast,so what did Mr.Wellington do to garner this curse for his whole family?What will happen if they don't find love!" Orelia promised herself she would go speak with each and every male she could to see if she was anyone's Beauty.

Kikiyo blushed. No one had ever told her her name was pretty. "Well I just arrived, and I'm a little shy around new people." She looked down at her dress when the boy commented about it. To her, it was plain and boring compared to everyone else's. Even his was better than hers, though she never liked the colour pink. Then another Wellington walked over to them and introduced himself as Zephyros. She quickly curtsied before saying, "My name is Kikiyo Iragashi."

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Takayumi curtsied the best she could in her short dress. The man was quite adorable...for an elf. She never really liked elves. She had a long history with them, and it wasn't pretty, but there was something different about this one. "The name's Takayumi, and I'd love to dance with you, but you must tell me a little about yourself. Maybe your favorite colour to begin with."

Lanalee quickly tired of the apparently very noble, very wealthy vampire she was currently dancing with and said that she needed to get a breath of fresh air. Running in high heels throughout the Wellington's garden, she immediately felt relaxed. "Ahh...way too formal and stuffy in there for me." The dancing demon plucked a rose from it's thorny bush and picked off the blood red petals one by one while strolling through the garden. Then, without looking at where she was headed to, she bumped into somebody, nearly knocking them over. "Owww, watch it!" Turning her head and standing up to see who it was, she saw that it was one of the guests, Xandith. "Oh, it was only you, Xandith." Seeing him with a girl, she grinned. "Who's this pretty lady?"

Zeph nodded to Urik. His brother's secret was safe with him. After all Zeph loved a good scam as much as the next guy. Plus it was on of the only intereting things going on at this ball. He watched as the woman introduced herself and smiled. "Nice to meet you Miss Kikiyo. My sister's right though you do have a stunning fashion sense." He commented giving her a once over glance. "Are you perchance a member of the Fair Folk?" Zeph asked when his eyes fell upon her wings. He was hoping they were more than just decorations for her dress.

Diandre took Takayumi's hand in his own gently and began to dance with her before answering her questions,"My favorite color?It is the green of newly budded leaves,or the color of freshly fallen snow.And you,tell me about yourself Lady Takayumi...You seem to have already gotten past my fear of meeting new people."What a strange young woman,a smile flitted across his face.This night he might just find the one,now if the circumstances where right he would know if love was on it's way.He chuckled a little when he noticed Urik masquerading as a woman again,and Zephyros encouraging him as usual.

The woman in the red and black dress looked stunning,and the fact that she knew Xandith sent a shot of jealousy trough Orelia for no apparent reason.Then she noticed the garden full of roses in the middle of winter.She'd been far too preoccupied earlier to see such wonder right before her eyes. "How did these roses grow at this time of year?They're wonderful!" As an after thought Orelia answered the woman's question herself."Orelia Hilliard,and what's your name?" She wanted to ask how she knew Xandith,but she didn't dare for fear of letting her suddenly new found attraction show.

Charlotte really wasn't comfortable with so many people around. It was actually making her shake, and sweat slightly. Charlotte needed to relax a little, and that meant a little taste of home...saltwater. Being stuck at the dance she made her way to a servant grabbing a glass of water, and added her own salt to it. Gulping it down, feeling the small undissolved grains trickle down her throat she almost calmed down instantly.

Finally regaining her composer she made her way across the room hoping to find someone to talk to, and find Mr. Wellington. Walking around she soon found a young lady dressed in a soft pink gown, and though the sweet look reflected her personality. Moving closer she smiled only to realize it was a man...in a dress!? Not only that he was ranting about something, but she couldn't figure out what since she'd come in at the end of everything. Charlotte tapped Xandith softly on his shoulder, and blushed slightly seeing just how cute he was in a dress. Some guys could just pull anything off, and it wasn't fair to some girls.

"I'm sorry...Do you know if Mr.Wellington is here at the moment." She asked him shyly, the aroma of salt and sweet flowers lingering on her skin from the water. Normally she wasn't this timid, but all the people were getting to her.

Urik turned around looking at Charlotte. "Oh hello." his glamoured voice was flawless, the pinacle of feminine beauty. "My Father, Mr. Wellington." he put his hand to his chin and smiled looking about the room. "What ever do you need him for?" he asked the beautiful woman.


Xandith turned around seeing Lanalee Wellington had bumped into him. "Oh hello Miss Wellington." he bowed formally before turning back to Orelia. "I come to these Masquerades often, I have talked to Lanalee quite a few times." he looked down at Orelia with an odd gaze, he hoped that Lanalee hadn't heard their conversation and would mistake Orelia for a human in the know.

(Xandith isn't a wellington Lanalee, XD but he and lan can be 'friends' Urik is the wellington boy, he's the one in the dress. Xandith is a merman guest :) )

Orelia stared a little,so this was one of the much talked about Wellingtons. She didn't seem monstrous in the least.Now she was curious about her other siblings. They all seemed to be fascinating people."It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Wellington,I do wonder if you would mind introducing me to your siblings? Well your brothers actually!I hope I'm not being rude,but I would love to be someone's Beauty .You'll understand my reference if you read fairy tales,there's actually this polish,or Russian version of Beauty and the Beast that I find quite good."Maybe Orelia was being a little too blunt and forthcoming...But she didn't care,because she really did want to live her favorite fairy tale in some way or form.

Xandith chuckled and patted Lanalee lightly on the back. "I'd do it, I think Orelia would make a nice match for one of your brothers." his eyes though were downcasted. he let out a small sigh. "Well, i suppose i will leave you ladies to roam about." he smiled weakly before taking a farewell bow.

Orelia looked at the merman's retreating back with a puzzled frown.Could he have felt that twinge of attraction too?"Wait!It came out forcefully,almost a scream."Please don't go yet,you're the only person I know here Xandith." She would feel lost without his guidance.Orelia felt selfish,here she was trying to see if she could break someone's curse stopping someone else who could do the same for another.All because she didn't feel safe without him there in that strange place.There was also the fact that she had to know if he might feel just a little attracted by her,if he did then the Wellingtons might not match up completely with their guests..But in the long run that wouldn't matter much would it? There might be other ways of breaking the curse after all..

Marjorie shook her head, slipping past a small group of people and outside. She took a deep breath of the cold air, letting the smell of the snow calm her. It had to have something to do with being a snow leopard. She walked back inside, not because of the cold, but because she thought she might as well try. "But who to ask? And how on the sweet earth's face am I supposed to know if they're a match for me?" She sighed, then walked back over to a stretch of wall, leaning against it and pondering who she would ask, or if anyone would ask her. She looked at Urik, then down at her own dress. "Even he's prettier than me, but I've got more colors in my dress, and they match me," she whispered. "Though he does look good in pink."

Xandith turned around when Orelia called, in a few steps he was standing next to her again. "Alright, i shall stay to guide you through this strange place." he would have been very guilty if something happened to her and he'd been the one to leave he unwatched. He looked back to the wellington girl, wondering what she thought of this human girl, surely a wellington would know who was human and who was not.

"Um..." Charlotte really couldn't get a word in with so many people. Still at least this man new who she was talking about; although she was sure everyone here did.

"Could you direct me to him please?" She followed close to him. her dress nearly tripped her when she turned to keep close to him. It was just lucky for her she didn't make a full step or she might have ended up face first on the floor. Why did her mother encourage her to go? This wasn't her idea of a good time. Charlotte liked a small cafe, or local street festival; a place that isn't so crowded. Not only that, this young man was strange. He seemed almost flirty with her, but he really wasn't dressed right for picking up girls, at least not straight ones.