Clockwork(Julius Monrey x OC)

♣Five♣

When the time changes reached the one for the ball, Arianell and Julius hadn't talked that much at all. It finally came time for them to leave and she spotted him dressed up. She looked down at her outfit. It was a dress that Julius had given her. His eyes widened slightly. He tore his gaze away reluctantly. 

"You look nice,"he told her. She sensed an unidentifiable feeling in him, but didn't say anything about it. She nodded and he moved, hold his hand out for hers. She accepted it and he opened his office door. Her eyes widened. A castle was in view. He pulled her through it and the door slammed shut. She wasn't quite sure how that had worked, but it was almost like with Boris. He released her hand, digging in his inner jacket pocket for their invitation. They walked all the way up to the castle-through the maze and then up the stairs to enter. They were greeted at the door, and when they entered, Arianell felt a little self conscious. 

The truth was she didn't really want to meet a bunch of people who would hate her. She paused. Julius turned.

"What's the matter?"he asked. She stayed silent. They'd made it to the room outside the ballroom and only had yet to enter. Arianell looked down, a little frustrated. Julius frowned. "Arianell." She seemed to shrink away a little more. He sighed at her. He reached out and gently placed his finger under her chin, tilting it up so their eyes connected. "What's the matter?"

"There's something I haven't told you...or anyone for that matter,"she murmured. He rose an eyebrow. She pulled her chin away and sighed. "I can feel other peoples emotions." He blinked at her, trying to understand what she just said. She noticed his obvious confusion. "I mean, I can literally feel what other people are feeling. There, see..." She gestured to Blood Dupre, who was entering the ballroom at another doorway. She had no idea that it was him, but assumed he was another role-holder. "He doesn't want to be here. He's feeling conflicted about meeting me, and like everyone else, doubts I can replace Alice." He disappeared into the ballroom. Julius' eyes flickered back to her with surprise.

"What do you mean, like everyone else?"he asked. Arianell sighed and reached up, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"All of you...miss Alice. I can feel it. And none of you want me around. Ace hates me, he's disgusted. Gowland believes I won't be good enough. Everyone else is just very sad, but they all doubt me." Arianell looked down at the end of her words. She clenched her fist. "And that's just from whomever I've met. I don't want to feel anymore...I hate to be hated. And I've lived with it all my life. I don't want to go in." Julius frowned. He felt sympathy for this girl. She'd been brought into something that she would automatically have difficulty adjusting into and she'd been born with this and lived with it all her life? It was awful. He wanted to pull her to him and tell her it would all be okay, but part of him knew that might not even work.

"I know it must be hard for you..."he began. She looked up at him. "For what it's worth, I haven't a doubt you'll be perfect for a replacement Alice. Aside from that...you've been invited by the queen herself. You sort of need to go, it's in the rulebook of our game." Arianell blinked at him in surprise. She felt a little uplifted that he was trying to make her feel better. She sighed.

"After this...can we go back to the tower quickly? I'm already tired from being stressed, so I'll be dead tired later,"She murmured. He nodded at her. He went to walk in but she caught the elbow of his sleeve. He turned and looked at her in surprise. "Do you care if I hover?" He blinked.

"Hover?"he repeated.

"You know...stay close to you tonight,"she answered. Arianell looked down. She seemed a little shy all of a sudden. "You're the only one that I've been able to feel doesn't necessarily hate me." Julius felt warm all of a sudden and his gaze softened at her. He closed his eyes and held his arm out to her.