WARNING! IF YOU ARE IRRITATED BY CLIFFY'S, THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE TO BE! *Insert Cheshire smile* Haha.

Okay guys, this may be short, but hang in there with me! This is going to be a little old-in-the-days kinda thing. I may not be good with staying in the era, but please excuse me if I do lapse back into modern english!

And one more thing, I'm sorry for those who are real fans of Bonnie and Damon will miss them for a bit...this is going to be focused on Meredith/ Aerolis.

Without further ado, Chapter Eleven.

Meredith wasn't herself. Not at all. She was-

"Aerolis! Where are you going! We need to be going if we're going to get there on time!"

"Sorry, I need to go get something!" She ran out the parlor and back into her room. She searched the room, looking for something to go around her shoulders. "Ah, what ...oh! I know. It would be...

"Just give me one more minute, and I'll be done." She searched through the armoire, looking for something specific. "I know it's somewhere in here...I know it's somewhere here-ah, here it is!" She stood up with a shawl clutched between her ivory hands.

"Aerolis, we're going to leave you if-"

"I'm coming!" Aerolis looked through the gilded mirror, adjusting the deep purple shawl around her bare shoulders. The gown was an exquisite dark green velvet ballgown. "Perfect!" She said, she threw her head a little to enunciate the word, and the gold earrings glittered along with the golden necklace with ths stone the same color of her dress sparkling at the base of her throat.

She hurried and joined her sisters in the parlor.

"Finally!" Nadana, her eldest sister rolled her eyes as she walked to the front door, their butler, Heinten, hurrying in front of her to open the door before she reached it.

"Nada, you cannot rush perfection!" Aerolis said, smirking. "And it was your fault. You were the last one to wear my shawl, and I had to go to the back of the armoire to find it!"

"Well, you didn't have to wear that specific shawl."

"Yes, I did. Like I said, perfection takes time."

"Please guys, can you guys live one day without fighting?" Irina, the middle sister interjected. "We're on our way to a ball! Our first ball! And I heard this is indeed a grand one!"

Aerolis smiled. "And that's the reason why I had to look my best, dear sister."

Heinten held the door open, looking as sophisticated as any gentleman. A far cry from how they had found him as a drunkard and slug. He had smelled as worse as a skunk, and yet, father had taken him in, ordered him cleaned up and fed, then gave him a job. The same with their housekeeper, Ms. Knowles who he had found as a prostitute. Most would say that Count Duveaux's hobby was turning the worst person around and making them the best.

Aerolis smiled at him as she passed him on her way to the carriage. Nada stopped. "Heinten, where is our mother?"

"She is in the garden, Miss Duveaux."

"Inform her we are on our way. Tell her to expect us home no later than half past eleven."

"Yes, miss. I shall." He bowed, closing the door behind Irina, who was hiding a book in the folds of her dress.

They all climbed into the carriage, talking about who they thought would be there.

"I heard the Marquis' daughter, Elaina would be there. Do you think she would talk to us?" Irina asked.

"Maybe, although, knowing her status, she may be a snobbish brat." Nada sniffed.

Irina gasped. "Nada!"

Aerolis had to hold her laughter in. "She's probably not lying, Iri. The highest ranks do look down on the rest of us." She shot her sister an apologetic smile. "But who I'm really looking forward to seeing is that handsome man she calls her brother." She leaned in towards her older sisters. "He would make a dashing partner on the dance floor."

Nada raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think he'll dance with you? He'll look at me and forget about even his dear disapproving mother."

They all laughed.

"Keep him. I heard the Duke Santaro's son, the ravishing Monsieur Mikaelo will be there. Now that is my target for this evening. One dance with him is all I ask." Aerolis feigned a faint.

"Lissa, you haven't seen him yet. And you haven't heard anything but gossip. What if he was the most horrendous sight?" Nada shook her head.

"Why would gossip such as I heard be started about someone horrendous as you are saying? I'm telling you, I will know him. He shall be the one surrounded by the ladies. If he is so ravishing as I heard, the ladies will love him, and even his currency status will draw them also. We'll spot him right away."

Irina rolled her eyes and opened her book.

So, this is just leading into the history. It will start making sense real soon. Thank you so much for supporting me.

For now, your favorite author by penname,

~Kyeire~