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"Can you believe she actually showed up?" one woman whispered, her voice laced with a hint of horror. "Pale as a ghost, she is. You'd think she'd never seen the sun"
The other ladies giggled, their whispers turning into a chorus of disdainful murmurs. Eloise, seated amongst them, felt a prickle of discomfort. Lilith Grimes, the recluse who lived in the shadowed manor on the edge of town, had been a subject of gossip for years. Eloise, however, wasn't interested in the whispers. She preferred the quiet company of her books, not the gossip of society.
"I daresay she hasn't" another continued, her voice dripping with judgment. "Some say she is a sinner"
Eloise couldn't take it anymore. Her face felt flushed, not from the heat of the ballroom, but from the stifling atmosphere of gossip. "I believe I need a breath of fresh air" she declared, standing abruptly.
She rushed down the hallway, past the dancing couples and the swirling silks and satins, seeking solace in the quiet. A nearby room, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight, beckoned her. Eloise pushed open the door and closed it softly, resting against it while trying to catch her breath.
A sudden gasp escaped her lips. She only blinked once, and a few inches away from her stood Lilith Grimes. Slim as a willow, with skin as pale as the moon itself, she looked like a creature of the night. Her eyes, piercing and intense, met Eloise's with a chilling stare.
"Are you alright?" Lilith's voice was rich, she sounded like a coldhearted villain, yet it seemed to comfort Miss Eloise.
Eloise felt a strange pull towards the woman. It was as if Lilith's gaze held her captive, her words a hypnotic whisper. She could only nod, unable to speak.
Lilith turned back to the moon, her silhouette a dark and imposing figure against the silver glow. Eloise, entranced by the woman's ethereal presence, hesitated for a moment before slowly joining her on the window ledge. She found herself drawn to the quietude of Lilith's company, the mysteries she held, and the allure of her silent world. For the first time, Eloise felt a strange sense of peace, a feeling of being understood in the midst of the chaotic ball.
Eloise felt a strange pull towards the figure seated beside her. The woman, Lilith Grimes, was a study in contrasts ~ pale as moonlight, with eyes like icy pools, yet strangely alluring in her stillness.
She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "I... I haven't seen you before" she ventured, her voice a mere whisper.
The woman finally turned, her eyes catching the faint moonlight that filtered through the window, sending a shiver down Eloise's spine. "I do not usually attend such lavish gatherings" the woman replied, her voice low and melodious, like the rustle of dried leaves.
Their knees brushed, sending a jolt of electricity through Eloise. "And might I ask your name?" she pressed, her curiosity piqued.
The woman tilted her head, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Call me Lilith" she answered, her eyes holding Eloise's with an intensity that made her breath hitch.
"Lilith Grimes"
"Lilith," Eloise repeated, the name sounding like a whispered secret. A moment of silence stretched between them, broken only by the distant strains of the waltz.
"What are your dreams, Eloise?" Lilith asked abruptly, her gaze shifting to the distant trees outside.
Eloise felt a blush creep up her cheeks, surprised by the question. "My dreams?" she echoed, her voice barely audible. "Well, I suppose... I dream of a life filled with adventure and meaning" she finally admitted, her voice gaining a touch more confidence.
"And you, Lilith? What are your dreams?"
Lilith's eyes returned to Eloise, a flicker of something unreadable in their depths. "I dream of dancing," she said, her voice tinged with a fleeting sadness. "Of swirling and leaping, of expressing myself through movement... of divine music"
Lilith pulled out a small silver clock pendant from her neckline, its intricate carvings gleaming in the moonlight. "It is late" she murmured, standing up with a grace that seemed to defy gravity.
Eloise, captivated by the woman's ethereal beauty, instinctively reached out and grasped Lilith's arm. "Wait" she pleaded, but her voice was barely a murmur.
Lilith turned, her index finger lifting Eloise's chin, her touch light yet insistent. "Farewell, Eloise" she whispered, her lips brushing against Eloise's cheek.
The touch sent a wave of heat through Eloise, leaving her breathless. Lilith then stepped back, her figure disappearing into the darkness. Eloise watched her go, her heart pounding like a drum, her mind reeling from the encounter.
She had never met anyone like Lilith ~ mysterious, alluring, and utterly captivating. The fleeting glimpse of a woman who dreamt of dancing, a woman who seemed so out of place in this world of balls and societal expectations, left an indelible mark on her soul. Eloise knew she would never forget Lilith, or the strange, beautiful dreams they had shared on that quiet window ledge.
