June 21st, 1894 - Solstice Ball

Despite her recent news, Torie had done her wallowing and how she was decidedly Not letting it bother her. The dress was new, a bright purple and a little more low cut than she would have normally gone for, but she was feeling vindictive and she wanted to make sure she looked as eligible as she was. She didn't feel it, but she could sell it.

With her hair swept back and some gorgeous amethyst teardrop earrings, she left her neckline bare, leaving little to the imagination. It was draped to perfection, her waist cinched tightly and the color the perfect backdrop to her once-again-red hair. It wasn't a revenge dress, because they had chosen to end things amicably, except she still felt a little jilted. Maybe it just wasn't the right time or maybe they weren't meant to be, but the heartbreak had settled in deep and she was left a little raw from it.

Torie had taken a few spins around the dance floor and as the quartet paused for a break, so did she. Despite the serene smile on her features, she was still feeling a little surly and she hoped it wasn't showing. Her mother had been less than helpful throughout the whole thing and so she was avoiding her too, hoping to skirt around the edges of needed to be constantly in her presence if at least, constantly in her view.

Thinking some champagne would do the trick, Torie made her way over to the refreshments table, but it seemed the staff had just gone to get more. "Rotten luck," she sighed heavily, knowing lemonade would not cut it and she had sworn off wine for the moment. It took a minute to school her features into something that did not resemble a petulant child, using her fan as something to do with her hands while she waited. "The staff went to get more," she said offhandedly as someone else approached the table.

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Open! Hurling preferred, 28+ UCAB, but open for whatever!

  

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Red again! June 1894

He would have an easier time finding a wife, August knew, if he could dance. He had born his injury since he was twenty years old, long before he was seeking a wife — and he still had not entirely figured out how to operate at a ball in a way that did not feel comfortable. So: he hovered on the edges, and he tried to make sure he had a flute of champagne in his hand.

He had to stop himself from sighing in turn at the young woman. "Did they say how long it would take?" August asked, sounding mildly discouraged.

  

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set by Bree

"Just a few minutes, I'm sure, Mr. Echelon-Arnost." Torie assured the man with a smile. She knew most of the people in the room, if not personally, at least anecdotally. She was in the business of knowing who was who and how they were connected. For the most part, it made moments like this easier, but also, Torie simply enjoyed people.

If they were to wait those few moments in one another's company, Torie figured they may as well have a little conversation. "Did you enjoy the show? I thought the blooming of the flower was quite lovely." Never mind that it smelled of Anthony's cologne and red wine to her. That dead end seemed to be in her past, and she would move on somehow, despite the reminders, like tonight. "I've never seen anything like it before." Herbology hadn't been one of her stronger suits at school, a little too hands-on for her, but she did enjoy flowers and gardens more now than she had back then.

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Red again! June 1894

To August, the plant had smelled like Scots pine — evocative of Lyra. He missed her, and so much of Hogsmeade reminded him of her — but he could not long for her forever, and Lysander needed a maternal figure.

"It is new to me as well," August said, with a slight smile. "Very lovely. And — I must admit that I do not know your name." She had the look of being from a good family, with her amethyst earrings, but August was not sure who she was from a good family.

  

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set by Bree

Torie smiled softly, thinking it made sense that Mr. Echelon-Arnost did not know her; he hadn't been very present among society in the last few years, so she could hardly hold it against him. "Victoire Malfoy, the youngest sister." She chuckled. "My friends call me Torie. It's nice to make your acquaintance." He was easy on the eyes, had a good reputation among his peers, if she remembered correctly, had a career. Lots going for him.

"I'm not sure I have been to any other events here at Evergardens, I feel as though I should endeavor to visit more often." She said of the backdrop to their evening. Small talk came easily to Torie, she could pull topics out of nowhere. However, tt was a magnificent building, impressive in stature and content, she would have to make a daytime visit to see more of it and so it became an easy segue. Tonight's theme and decoration were all very alluring and Torie was taking notes for future events thrown by her mother.

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Red again! June 1894

Miss Victoire Malfoy. August was certainly familiar with the Malfoys — an institution of a family — even if he was not familiar with their girls. And it made sense that Miss Victoire knew his name; the Malfoys certainly had trained their debutantes well.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Torie," August echoed — with youngest sisters, it always felt odd to say their first names, even if his own multitude of sisters had ensured that he witnessed others do so on countless occasions. "I should visit Evergardens more myself as well — I have spent the past few seasons in Berlin, so have not been here as much as I would like."

  

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set by Bree

Berlin, an interesting place to spend some time in. Torie hadn't traveled much beyond France, but had always loved foreign cultures and cities. "I have never been, what is it like?" She wasn't quite so forward to ask why he was there, even though she was curious to know what it was about men and having other cities to constantly flit off to. That could be her newly-found cynicism talking however and she was not about to show it, not when Mr. Echelon-Arnost might have had a perfectly reasonable excuse to be there.

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Red again! June 1894

The word August was looking for occurred to him swiftly. "Berlin is striving," he said. He explained: "It's the capital of a relatively new country, and you can tell that is a key part of its identity. It wishes to be modern, and singular." This was similar to what he'd said to Miss Callisto Adebayo — but he had enjoyed his conversation with Miss Adebayo, so August was hoping that this one would play out similarly pleasantly.

  

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set by Bree

Torie didn't quite understand Mr. Echelon-Arnost's description of the city, but she nodded along anyway. She could feign her way through just about any conversation aside from politics, from which she generally and politely excused herself from. "Is that what brought you there?" She hoped it came across as in innocent enough question, without it being too forward. If it had been for his work something of the like, surely it wasn't out of line. "I must admit, I wish I had the opportunity to travel more." She added, hoping it helped keep the conversation flowing.

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   August Echelon-Arnost

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Red again! June 1894

"Partially that," August said with a smile. "And my ward was born there — I thought it would be beneficial for him to spend some time in his parents' country." The lie was getting smoother — of Lysander's origins, and of his reasons for going to Germany. He was sure that some people had heard of the debacle in his attempt to court Grace Greengrass — but he was hoping that two seasons were enough time for everyone to move on.

"If you could travel anywhere," August asked, "Where would you go?"

  

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set by Bree

"Oh, that's lovely." Torie didn't know much of the details of Mr. Echelon-Arnost's ward, but it was kind of him to give the child an experience like that. "I'm sure that must have been a wonderful experience then." She smiled softly.

His question was one Torie had several answers to, but the arrival of the staff with more lemonade gave her a moment to think about a good answer. She took a flute and sipped delicately at the edge. "Somewhere far away, I think." Wherever that might wind up being, but Torie rather thought she would like to get far, far away from here as of late. The farther the better at this point. She desperately needed a new adventure.

"Have you traveled other places? Any suggestions?" She recovered a little bit at the tartness of the lemonade. It brought her back to the present with the tang.

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The following 1 user Likes Victoire Malfoy's post:1 user Likes Victoire Malfoy's post
   August Echelon-Arnost

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Red again! June 1894

Far away. August didn't know Miss Victoire, other than by her family's reputation, but her words brought some concern to his chest — for reasons that were beyond him, she was going through it. It was considered impolite to ask, but he wished that it wasn't.

"I did a bit of a tour, after Hogwarts," August answered — not uncommon, for men of his status. "But it was primarily Europe. I enjoyed Bohemia."

  

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set by Bree

"I'm sure it was lovely," Torie was envious. Men always got the luxury of such expeditions. She wished ladies of her station could be afforded the same. There was nothing to be done about if of course. Perhaps someday if she managed to marry, she would convince her husband to take a nice, long honeymoon abroad.

That melancholic feeling was taking over again, and Torie tried to shove it down with as much fervor as she could, but she was getting less and less successful with it these days. Picking up the pieces and carrying on after thinking her life was set was truly more difficult than she would care to admit. She should save Mr. Echelon-Arnost from the worst of her moods, now that she had acquired her drink. "I must thank you for the conversation, it has been most enlightening. My mother beckons from across the room, I beg your pardon." It was a little white lie, but very believable. Mothers were demanding after all. "Enjoy the rest of your evening." She smiled, doing her best to get it to fill her features, but it wasn't her best.

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Red again! June 1894