**
"Maximilian?"
I blink at her silently. She just called my name. By my name. Instead of feeling repulsed and detested by that sound I instead can't feel anything anymore. All I can see is her.
My breath stops for a moment again. Just like back i...
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Elizabeth was slowly putting her earrings on, embedded with little flower-like designs. Her father was waiting downstairs for her, she was the only one taking forever to come down. She vacillated in her mirror, wondering which ear piece to wear. These one's were her mothers, they were the one gift given by her mother before she passed away giving birth to Albrecht.
Which one would look better?
But time didn't allow her to ponder on it for too long, as the party was beginning soon. Her family had arrived in a carriage at the Imperial palace, all dressed up like they were the royals instead, Elizabeth wearing a tight black and red dress tatted with dark patterns all over the dress, it showcased the curves of her body perfectly. The neckline dipped down to her chest, an extravagant necklace covering her neck. The dress was long, reaching down to the floor and probably bigger than her figure, it created a train of pooled up clothing in the back of her dress, and her back only fixed with a lacings, the sleeves of the dress like veils starting from the shoulder down.
There was a pounding in her chest as the doors opened to the grand ball, she was mortified with how revealing this dress was, but her maids told her it was the perfect fit for her. She trusted her maids at the moment.
The chattering suddenly went silent when her family name was announced, she stood low behind the three men walking before her, her two brothers and father, standing proud and tall, using a cane to walk. He could easily silence an entire room with just his face, it was that frightening to look at.
Elizabeth kept her eyes low, feeling exposed as the cold breezes in the air hit her skin hard each time; She drew a silent breath, and set her gaze high, she almost gasped seeing that a lot of people were watching her specifically. She walked mortified through the crowd, breaking into a sweat only she could notice. But then her eyes settled on the noticeable silver hair, and brown eyes, that weren't looking at her yet. The Crown prince was dressed up formally, as it was his ball today, he had Ludovika by his side and they both looked like a picture perfect couple. Two people with the most lethal face's that could make anyone fall in love with them, standing next to each other.
Elizabeth somehow felt light, the heaviness taken off her chest and she could breathe more normally again after seeing him. There was at least someone familiar here, so she has no reason to be scared anymore. There was also Roman there, speaking to his fellow colleagues, a bright smile playing on his lips.
But who could Elizabeth speak to in this ball? She didn't know many girls, as many girls were weary of her back then. She was too focused on studying anyways to be joining with girls and having social time with them.
Elizabeth realized how much she missed out on while preparing to be the perfect Empress. Maybe she could try to strike up conversations with some woman here, and introduce herself more this time. She was finally free from the shackles of becoming the Empress, her father wouldn't care anymore what she does as long as he gets married to a powerful family.
