Their Masquerade

*Knock knock knock*

Despite her efforts to close out the waking world with pillows and blankets, the polite knocking on her door was finally enough to stir her. Hours ago, she had closed the thick canopy over her bed, but light was quickly taking over her cove.

Rose was not yet ready to leave her dream and was certainly not ready for what the day promised to bring. She turned over and drew the pillows and blankets further up over her to become one with the bed.

Still clear in her mind, she was able to return to her fantasy that felt all too real. She returned to the same spot she left, standing on her family’s boat, dressed in her pale peach gown with delicate jewel embellishments and off the shoulder cap sleeves. She was off to the first ball of the season, The Russo Spring Masquerade.

The gown fell at the perfect height to just kiss the floor as she stood, but enough to cover her peach satin shoes. The dress was fitted at the top, which pressed her bosom forward and up, much to the delight of some gazes, and her skirt billowed out into layers of fine tulle that moved with her stride.

She was petite her whole life, lacking the curvature her mother wanted for her, but in this dress, she finally felt like the powerful and strong woman that she was.

Her normally out of control hair seemed easily wrangled into the style of the season; soft brown curls framing her face with the rest of her hair piled into perfect coils, seemingly held in place with white and blue wildflowers.

She stepped out of a covered Bucintoro, a gift from the Doge to her family, generations ago. To arrive, they had been slowly paddled through the grand canals from their estate to the party.

Rose walked up the stairs from the canal side garden of the elegant Russo Estate towards the main house.

Perched at the meeting of the main canal and the sea, the house seemed to have been lifted out of the water to tower over her city.

As she approached the main entrance, she saw the restored columns again ran the width of the façade, each decorated with large blooming flowers and exotic foliage that would not survive till tomorrow, all imported just for this spring solstice event.

She had arrived late and took just a moment to drink in the moonlight and warming air on her bare face before pulling her mask from her handbag and putting it on. It fit perfectly.

She walked in through the front doors and into the grand foyer lit with candle sconces and moonlight streaming in from the windows. Rose handed her overcoat and bag to one of the footmen at the door and stepped further into the room.

To each side of the foyer were hallways leading to rooms which made the corners of the U-shaped building. Each arm of a hallway from these corner rooms had access to further side rooms. Rose knew that most rooms were open for the event, but some would remain closed to the public.

Rose was sure that if she were to look, each room would be successionally more opulent than the last; the trappings gilded and countless tapestries depicting the hunts of the Russo family or engagements with various royals. Exotic wonders would line the tables to show the estates prowess and the family’s storied lineage.

Having walked this building about a hundred times before, Rose knew that each time, the rooms would be a little bit different. She loved seeing what adaptation her mind would create each slumber. However, tonight she did not have the luxury of time to wander the halls again.

She knew where she needed to go to get her answers. Moving straight forward from the foyer, into the heart of the house, she walked onto the loggia, the open gallery hall looking over the open courtyard.

By dream magic it seemed, suspended over the courtyard was a magnificent chandelier, sparkling, and radiating delicate light over the ornamented attendees of the event.

Tonight, the chandelier was composed of a thousand slender white candles, complex weavings of flowering vines, large hanging gemstones and flourishing peacock feathers.

Most of the guests had already arrived and filled the courtyard. But Rose had grown to truly relish making her entrance. From this vantage, she could see the crowd and they could look up to see her.

As Rose descended into the courtyard, she heard whispering words of admiration, she received nods, and many women would draw their fans across or touch their right cheek undoubtedly to signify their acceptance and respect.

Rose had bloomed and everyone knew it.

Parting the crowd easily, she knew where she needed to go next. She moved over through the open halls on the ground floor along the courtyard side. Through this area, servants circulated around with prosecco and antipasti for guests.

Rose found her way to the far end of the building, where the courtyard opened to the grand garden. She spotted the fountain just off the patio, which tonight, was a collection of sirens beckoning her to join their waters.

She leaned against one of the columns supporting the balcony and looked back into the party, searching for his eyes.

She felt his gaze as soon as it landed on her. The man she dreamt about every night for the past three months.

She felt the buzz of his electric gaze rock through her body before it found purchase. Just the thought of him near her sent shivers down her spine.

He had found her.

Tonight, he wore a dark emerald waistcoat and perfectly white shirt. The embroidery on his matching cravat echoed the white and blue flowers in her hair.

As he made his path through the crowd, she could see that he was the tallest man by at least a head.

He moved with grace and oozed experience. This was not his first turn around the room, as he had been searching for her since he arrived but based on either the undressing eyes or jealous stares of both women and men alike, they were always aware of where he was.

Each night they were so in sync that it only ever took minutes for them to find each others’ eyes. When his eyes landed in hers, Rose felt him take in her figure. He would only ever look into her eyes, but she knew he was drinking her entire body in.

Once she knew he was in motion to her, Rose quickly moved from her column to the steps down to the garden entrance. She was being summoned to the fountain sirens, as she knew he was too. She would meet him again here.

She waited for him. He would come to her, and she knew it.

To her right, out through the rows of hedges was the stillness of the sea. Back to the left, was the pier where she arrived where she could see the sprawling canals in the distance that made up her grand city.

In the fountain well, Rose found her reflection staring back at her. Her soft brown eyes with long thick lashes, were encased in an ornate half mask.

Her mask was the same as it always had been to her, white feathers plumed out from the black around her eyes. Her mask was bejewelled with fire opal, pearls, and tanzanite. This was an antique but perfectly adapted to her visage. It represented the animal chosen for her before her first ball, a swan.

Her gentle curls fell forward towards the still water and left her shoulders feeling exposed. The cool spring breeze caught her and she felt the chilled air move across her skin. Pushing her shoulders forward she was about to start shivering. She pushed her cap sleeves up to cover more skin and wondered why he was making her wait.

Her question hung for a moment before getting her answer, she immediately sensed his eyes resting on her from the garden steps.

After a breath, she finally felt the warm presence behind her. She instinctively leaned back and dipped her head into a hard body, breaking her chill with its warmth.

She felt his fingers drop her sleeves back down. With one hand he held her waist and pulled her in close to his body. His warmth was nearly overwhelming, there was nothing like it in the waking world.

With his other hand he traced a line from her arm, up and across her back to the bottom of her neck. She felt his breath against her neck, and felt his heartbeat quicken through his chest. He pressed his cheek against the top of her head to gaze at the trail of his touch.

He paused at her neck before dropping his fingers down along her collarbone and to the chain that dropped into her dress. He gently pulled the chain necklace out of its hiding space to reveal a simple pendant. He held it up to his eyes to inspect it more closely, then pressed the cool metal to his lips for a moment before letting it gently fall back at the top of her bosom.

Rose shuddered with anticipation; this is always the best part. Her instinct now was to look over her shoulder and take in his deep green eyes and become lost in his scent.

But tonight, she needed answers. She needed to know more, or else how could she survive what was to come.

She kept her stare outwards, and spoke, “Will I find you tonight? Will you come back to me like you promised?”

He lifted his fingers from her and took a step back. Rose spun around to look for him, but he was feet away from her now.

She asked again “Will you come for me? I can not face this without knowing!”

He turned slowly and put his hand on the stone wall, looking as if he were to return to the party. Rose was about to run to him when he reached up to his face, he was going to remove his mask. She was about to see her wolf for the first time.

*BANG BANG BANG*

…

“Leave me alone, Gabi!”

“Rose! I swear to Dionysus, if you do not stop your moping, I will pull you out of your bed myself!

If my presence is required at this humiliation of a ball, I am surely not going at it alone!

Get out of bed now!”

Knowing she would have to comply eventually; Rose took one last moment and curled up and held her pendant close. She could still feel its warmth.