The Selection: Semi-Advanced Roleplay discussion

High arched ceilings, the ballroom is simply breathtaking. This is where all the balls will take place.

Echo had wondered off exploring the castle by herself and had ended up getting lost. While lost she happened upon the Ballroom. She decided to stay and admire all the unique detail that this room had to offer, so as she walked around the spacious room she hummed. As she walked she listened to her footsteps and tone echo off the walls.

There was someone already inhabiting the space, though. It was a boy, dressed in a uniform of high ranks, identical to that the princes wore. He sat on the piano bench in a corner, playing such perfect music it was like a dream, his fingers ghosting over the piano keys as if he were stroking the fur of a gentle creature. She could only see his back, and the soft curl of dark hair on his head, his tall frame, tall even when he sat. He was a lovely young man, and much lovelier when one was able to see his handsome face. He didn't seem to notice anyone in the room, absorbed in his work.

((sorry i'll be just a second))

(( It's quite all right, dearie. ))

As she walked around the room it donned on her that she was humming to a tune that was already there. She was shocked at herself for not noticing, yet she thought at how she was so accustomed to music in such an elegant room. As she recognized a rhythm she began to sway and dance a simple sequence she knew, one of the few she was willing to learn in her lessons. While she danced she was pulled towards the source of the sound. When Echo had gotten closer with her invisible partner she noticed the tall man who was playing. She had never seen someone play with such grace, nor with such an alluring person. Echo was so captivated she nearly tripped and when she was catching herself she hit a pillar with a loud
wack.

The music stopped abruptly, and the boy sprung up, startled. Yes, indeed. He was incredibly handsome, just as a prince should be. His eyes were a dark, dark blue that was almost unnatural, like the deep ocean, or the night sky early in the evening. She was being helped up by this boy soon enough, a concerned expression on his lovely face. "Are you all right, Miss? Nothing broken? Noting bruised or bleeding?" He smiled slightly, a small tug of his lips that looked more like an attractive smirk than a smile.

Now she had never been one for caring about men and marriage or finding anyone, but her heart skipped when she saw him.

"Yes I'm fine," she said warily.

"I don't suppose you have a concussion instead?" The boy chuckled, shaking his head, sitting her down on a lovely chair a few feet away from the piano. "Would you mind telling me what happened to you?" He didn't speak with an accent any different than hers, that being American, or, in this case, Illéan, or however one refers to people from this country as. He spoke properly, elegantly, though, and it just made him sound entirely unlike a man from Illéa. It was strange... Must be his education, though he sounded more proper than the other princes.

(( Shoot! I just now saw your new post! Allow me to fix this first! ))

((Ok :) haha it's fine))

(( I fixed it. ^^' ))

She didn't want to seem like a damsel in distress so she tried being confident, even though she was entirely not so when it came to the discussions with others. She thought to herself, I just have to fake it till I make it. "I was dancing to your music," she only slightly smiled with a chuckle, "when I saw you on the piano I was startled and almost fell. But when I was catching myself I ran into a pillar. But I'm fine really." She said that last part with real confidence and sternness hoping to see she wasn't just some lady. Which she wasn't, she did a mans work for her own liking. She thought to herself if this man was really this proper or if she was in a game of masquerade.

The boy nodded. "All right, then. I'm not sure whether you were complimenting me or insulting me," he smirked slightly, moving away to bow respectfully. "But nonetheless, let me introduce myself. My name is William. I'm a cousin to your probable future husband. I'm not very important, just a duke, so not knowing my name is quite normal around here. I'm not featured much on the television."

She tried not to blush, but a blush was unusually from her so it was hard to control, because the truth was it was his startling appearance that through her off. She rushed in her words as she thought of what to say, "No! I-I mean no..," she said more quietly now confused as what to say her face was probably almost as red as her hair. "Never mind," she finally answered and stood and curtsied, "My name is Echo, Echo Dyer. And no, I highly doubt I am the future princess, I'm not much for marriage and have barely considered a prince as my husband. He would be much more suitable with a woman of class and energy." She thought of how she would probably bore the prince if she were to encounter him longer than a minute.

William looked confused then, tilting his rather adorable head to the side. "Well, you don't sound very enthusiastic about the Selection. Tell me, if you don't really want to marry my cousin, why did you enter the Selection?" he asked her, his hands clasped behind his back.

After another blush from his look, she thought of her answer to that question. "For one you never know what may happen. But I did this really for my mother," she finally replied, "I'm her only daughter, and she never got to participate in the Selection so she wished me to. I did it for her." As she carried through that sentence her stature fell and for the briefest second a miserable look flashed across her round-smooth face. She raised her mixed grey eyes back up to his, "She isn't well, even though I didn't want to, it was something I wanted to do for her."

(( I edited it, it didn't seem completely fitting yet.))

William nodded. "I understand. I'm sure that, once you really meet my cousin, you'd like him. Do be confident. You're a very lovely woman, and I wouldn't count you out of the competition. Most girls I've encountered are ridiculously boring to talk to. Something about you strikes me as interesting, though," he told her, honesty in his voice. One thing about William was his honesty. Even if he loved you he would never lie to you to make you feel better. One could always count on him, though.

(( That's fine. ^^ ))

She chuckled a little. "Ya," she agreed. "You could say I'm not like most girls. But you are not like most boys. Do tell me what do you do in your spare time? Other than play the piano of course," she laughed and her full lips parted into a smile. She was most definitely different, one of her greatest hobbies was probably the biggest turn off for every man out there, it was the reason for her exceptionally short hair.

William inspected her carefully before speaking, probably wondering himself if this girl wasn't looking for trouble somehow. "Well, I don't only play the piano, but it is my favorite instrument. As for other hobbies, I really do like to draw, and have a love for writing, reading. I'm not much like other men, that prefer sports and such. I prefer peace by a fire, a quiet ambience," he gave her a smile. "What of you?"

She thought for a moment as she played with her dress. It was an olive green with ruffling layers that just came up to her neck(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]. Her dress flattered her round face and light colored skin. The olive made her cloudy eyes brighten. Out of all the dresses she always liked this one best, it didn't poof out and get in the way all the time, but her big ball gowns never failed to make her feel like a queen. When she was ready to speak she said, "I also enjoy a good book in my hands. Books are always a good way to explore the world when you have no where to go. Writing is an occupation that I have come to love, as well drawing..." She trailed off anxious what the cultured handsome man would say. She lost most of her confidence but nonetheless she spoke shakily saying, "Primarily I am actually an Engineer, I have always enjoyed working with my brothers on all sorts of machines."

She was terrified what he would think, what ever he thought she was shore the prince would think worse.

All her worries were for nothing. William just cracked a handsome smile, one that could probably cure cancer. "I've never met a girl willing to get her hands dirty working with oily machines and such. That tells me you're quite the interesting, if not exquisite, young lady," he told her, honesty in his voice. "It's one thing to meet someone like oneself, but it's much better to meet someone willing to surprise you and not care for it. That's a lovely part of a lady, I must say."

She looked up into his eyes and saw the truth, she beamed. "Thank you very much," she felt so much more comfortable around him now. "You, kind sir have surprised me. Now that I have revealed myself is there anything interesting about you?" She studied his stature, the strong and confident way he sat and a crisp and professional he looked made him all the more distinguished. She greatly admired him for he radiated confidence. Echo watched him patiently for his answer, she wondered if he had any secrets he would share.

Echo turned and looked at Rosie when she came in, broken from their conversation. She saw that something was wrong, there must have been an emergency or something. As she listened to the shaky words of Rosie she knew something was terribly wrong. She looked back at William and stood to leave.

William had been about to answer, but then this announcement presented itself to them, which made the duke frown, confused. "I wonder what it is that's going on," he thought out loud. He turned back to Echo. "I promise to meet up with you later today. Maybe after dinner you can wait out in the hallway for me? I can tell you about the small, interesting bits about me then," he told her, giving her a wink. "Please excuse me," he finally said, then darted out of the room.

((I'll be in the Hallway 2))

(( All righty. Where should they next meet up? I can sense a good friendship between the two, maybe more if it wouldn't get poor Echo killed and William....I dunno, punished severely? ))

((hahahaha you are funny G.d))

(( Haha! Wecho... ))

(( What does "wecho" mean...? ))

(( Oh..... ))

(( What? You don't know...? ))

(( It means William and Echo. ))

(( Oh! Well, it's lovely, then. I forgot how it was that people matched up names. ))

(( haha! ))

Kharo ~ The Dark Brigade wrote: "(( All righty. Where should they next meet up? I can sense a good friendship between the two, maybe more if it wouldn't get poor Echo killed and William....I dunno, punished severely? ))"

(( I hadn't seen this until now. I agree and it would be dramatic and interesting if the relationship went further. ))

Echo walked into the Ballroom where William said they would meet again and she decided to wait, she was bored and didn't know what to do. She went over to the nice plush chairs and pulled out her book and began to read as she awaited William's arrival.

(( Do wait until William is done talking to Louise. I'm sure I can bring him over soon. ^^ ))

(( I'll wait don't worry))

((Kharo, do you want to RP now? Are you available?))

(( Yush, I am. ))

Soon a shadow passed over the pages of her book, not letting her read as well. William could be as silent as a shadow itself if he wanted to be. He was leaning over her and the book a little, smiling down at her, waiting for her to lift her head to greet her with his handsome smirk of a smile.

She looked up at him, her boy-short red hair swishing from her big grey eyes. Echo had looked so peaceful and elegant as she read quietly in her chair. "Well hello," she smiled up at him and his striking face. She closed her book and put it on the table in front of her.

((Shall we continue?? Sorry I feel asleep and woke up after you replied))

(( Oh yes, sorry. I just didn't get a notification. ^^' ))

"Greetings to you too, Lady Echo," William bowed his head slightly, probably just kidding around with her. "Before I proceed to answer your question, could you answer one for me? I'd like to know why it is you're named after a nymph with such a painful fate. Did your parents not know of the Greek myth?"

She laughed at his greeting and then again at his question. Her laugh warm like honey. "Oh they did. My mother particularly, though it had such a sad story my mother loved the name. Maybe she wanted me to be and 'echo' of her, I don't know. She always thought that I could bring a new meaning to the name like the myth did."

((It's fine ^.^))

William nodded. "Yes, I understand that. That's actually a rather good reason," he told her, walking around her chair in circles, since the next seat over was like ten feet away and he didn't really want to pull chairs out of order. "Now, what was that questions of yours for me?"

((Her attire: (view spoiler)[With this head piece (hide spoiler)]))

As William walked in circles she felt bad for sitting without him. So she stood and offered to walk around with him smiling. As she walked her dress swished around her on the ground as she thought. "Hmmm..." pretending to try and remember, "I don't know. Do you? I do not have a clue." She smiled teasingly. She looked forward at the details of the room. "What interesting secrets or anything that has made you such a captivating young man?" she spoke wonderingly.