Storm and Silence (FANFIC)

02. Another Night, Another Ball.

Another ball. Oh thank you Lady Metcalf for saving me from my aunt's wrath! Indeed, my aunt was rushing about, shouting out orders and fixing dresses and hairs. According to her, this ball was the main ball of the month, the annual Masquerade Ball and Lady Metcalf held. It was the one thing she was most famous for, and everyone went to it every year.

"Oh Lilly there you are! Quickly now, change into this gown we have made just for you! Hurry up dear, no time to waste. Ella! Ella darling where are you?" my aunt called and walked down the hallway. Dear? Darling? Has she too lost her mind? Shaking my head, I gathered up the thin skirt of my normal dress (I had managed to change out of that soldier's outfit quickly enough!) and walked up to my room, where on the bed lay my dress. It was a... Pretty decent dress. An extremely light yellowish white it was with gold fabric embroidery and it's skirt was big and poofy. A mask was beside it as well, the mask being a bit more whiter, yet still with the golden embroidery. I sighed, closed the door and started to undress as fast as I wanted to, which really wasn't very fast, and put on the white and gold gown. And my arms weren't able to tie the corset well enough. Blast! I needed someone's help.

"Ella! Aunt Brank? Anyone there?" I called out the door. Gertrude appeared instead.

"Hello Lillian. Do you require my assistance?"

"Yes Gertrude. Thank you." She entered my room and helped tie the corset. Gertrude's voice was partially airy, yet lyrical and lovely. She hardly spoke at all, was quiet and shy. She wasn't married either.

"There. All done." I turned around and smiled at her. She wasn't going to the ball, neither was Gertrude. Well I didn't think they were anyways. I didn't know.

"Thanks Gertrude." I turned away and continued to dress up. Aunt Brank showed up right then and harped at me to hurry.

"Gertrude go get dressed and also tell Lisbeth the same. Hurry up now! I need to get dressed myself, dear me, I had almost forgotten!" she muttered to herself and dashed away and I had stopped moving when she told Gertrude and Lisbeth to go get dressed.

"You're going too?" I whispered to Gertrude who looked right back at me, eyes wide.

"It looks like I am. I guess I'll go get my gown on.. If I have one..." Gertrude then left and I stared after her. I came to my senses quickly enough and finished dressing up. My, my, who know that it'd take so long?

* * *

We'd arrived at Lady Metcalf's ballroom within minutes. The ballroom was dark but there were candles lit to give it a "mysterious setting" according to my aunt. It was... Mysterious. Just like Lady Metcalf wanted I guess. I sighed, getting out of the carriage with Ella at my side. It was going to be quite a boring night tonight. I knew that it was going to be ultra boring.

How wrong I was. Upon fifteen minuets of arrival and the dancing starting, one of the men had somehow found me and asked to dance. Knowing that my lovely aunt was watching my every move, I accepted and was led to the dance floor.

"I'm surprised that you do not recall me, Miss Linton." the man said has he steered me around. He wasn't very forceful, just enough to make sure I knew that he was the leader around here. Ugh. People like him made me mad.

"Oh please. I've met so many men at balls that I've never ever kept track of any of them. I don't even remember half of their names!" I said airly. Ooh, but except for that one. Mhmm, you know who I'm talking about. the nasty voice said in the back of my head. No not him again! I've had enough of that man.

"Really now? Well... Maybe if we both took off our masks, you'd remember me. I remember you of course." At those words, I started to feel a little uncomfortable. Was he pursuing me? Like Lieutenant Ellingham? Oh poor bloke. I still wonder what happened to him. The Waste Disposal file in Am- err his office had ticked me off, but then Simmons came round and spilled his vegetables.

"Yes, well to do that, we'd have to be near candles, which, as of now, we are not. So... Maybe I'll just leave you as my mysterious man. Just, leave it like that eh?" Although someone even more mysterious is him. Better than this bloke I assure you. The evil voice cackled in my mind and I mentally told myself to shut up. Great, I'm mentally talking to myself. Fantastic.

"Well why don't we go near some?" And he steered me through the throng of dancers towards a set of candles on a candlebra. Lovely. "And now we remove our masks." With one flourish he let go of my hands and removed his mask as I did the same. I gasped.

"Captain Carter!" I cried hand over my heart. "Oh it's you! My, I'd thought you'd been some strange and scary pursuer that I never knew of!" He laughed.

"Always the one to make me laugh aren't you? May I?" He held out his hand again, yet unlike before, I was a bit hesitant to take ahold of it. But after a moment of pondering, I took his hand. Yet the music soon ended after a couple measures and we weren't able to dance much.

"Aw no. The music ended too early! May I have the next dance?" Captain Carter said.

"Erm, sure but just wait a moment, I'll need a refreshment first..." I curtsied and hurriedly left to the table of refreshments. At the table there was a bowl of solid chocolates. Drawn to it, I took a smal handful and popped one into my mouth. I closed my eyes smiling to myself. I chowed down the rest of the chocolates and licked my hands clean as they'd been covered in some of the chocolate that'd melted. I grabbed a napkin to completely dry my hands and make sure they weren't sticky. I knew that wasn't what I should've been doing, but who knows? A man could easily ask me to dance and once he took ahold of my sticky hands he'd be disgusted and my aunt would know. Honestly I just didn't want her to give me hell.

I found a chair next to a large potted plant and made sure to avoid Captain Carter at all costs. I did not want to dance with him again. It was just so awkward! And he really liked to lead and make sure the whole world knew that he was a man, I was a woman, and that he was the controller here. I shuddered, thinking about how he'd claimed to know me without even seeing me! Had he really been pursuing me?

I was so lost in thought, that I didn't happen to hear someone in front of me, calling my name continuously. I jumped and looked. It was a man, not a woman, and he had his hand extended towards me. I immediately knew that gesture. But when I took ahold of his hand I was taken by surprise, for he'd decided to lead me out of the ballroom through the back.

"Hey! What are you doing? Let me go!" I cried, struggling within his grasp.

"Mr. Linton shh! I don't want to be seen, and I don't want you to bee seen or heard either! Now come quickly! I have something to do for you!" It was Ambrose. What in the world? Only one phrase had caught onto my brain. I wrenched my hand out of his.

"You still dare call me Mr. Linton, even as I'm not wearing clothes that a man would?!" I said, angry. "I am a woman! I am wearing garments made for ladies! It's a dress! What is wrong with you?"

Ambrose sighed, exasperated. "Alright I apologise Miss Linton," he said with emphasis on the miss. I pointed an accusing finger at his face. 

"Say it nicely," I snarled. He backed away one step.

"I apologise Miss Linton. Now can we please get going? We're wasting time here!" He turned and started walking away. What was it that he needed me for? I stomped after him, seething.

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YAY! Another chapter down and published! Sorry, there'd been a little technical sort of difficulty, but it has now been fixed! cx I must say, this end part is better than I expected. c: 

I hope you liked it!!! Thanks for reading!

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See you later!!!