A/N: Please read and review what you think about the story!

~X~

Vasilisa

After her debut for the season with the queen, Vasilisa was once more swarmed by possible marriage prospects. And thus her torture began. First day after the palace, nine suitors. The day after that? fourteen!

"My lady! It's time to wake up!" Her maid Yvette knocked on her door before entering. It was to no surprise that the maid saw her mistress swaddled like a newborn in her sheets. Vasilisa loved a warm bed, and while others would boil to death in the sheer amount of fabric, she sighed with content.

"What is the time?" Vasilisa asked as she tried her very best to get out of her cocoon on her own, which was not an easy feat.

"Just around 7 in the morning, my lady," Yvette said and rushed to her side to help her get loose. After some twists and turns, Vasilisa was free and was immediately rushed into the bath.

"You know I'm not a child, I can bathe myself Yvette" Vasilisa said, and still closed her eyes as her maid worked out all the knots and tinks in her long ink black hair. Yvette rolled her eyes and continued to do her job most diligently.

"But you shouldn't, not a woman of your standing" Yvette almost gushed, for oh how she wished to be in Vasilisa's position.

"It is sad, if you spoil me too much I will perish once you leave with the stableboy" Vasilisa teased, making Yvette stop what she was doing and blush something fiercely. It was known throughout the household that Vasilisa knew everything. How she knew everything no one knew, most of them suspected each other as a rat. But no one was brave enough to ask.

"My lady!" Yvette's heart raced and she stood up from her stool by the tub. Vasilisa only laughed, and turned her head towards her maid. The poor girl had started pacing back and forth, scared of the consequences of her actions. Not that they had done anything scandalous, they had only shared some sweet kisses, some sweet whispers in the shadows.

"No matter, don't think about it" Vasilisa dismissed, not one to ever act upon the gossip that she heard. She, like any human ever, was a curious creature. She was also mischievous, and loved to tease those close enough to know the true Vasilisa Burton.

"But if anyone finds out-"

"Noone will, I was just acting upon my sneaking suspicion, my friend" Vasilisa said and shrugged her shoulders. Not seeing the huge issue of her maid being in love with the stableboy. She had read more scandalous things by the dreadful Lady Whistledown, her mother had started to read that trash every morning once it was delivered to the household.

"Please keep it a secret" Yvette whispered, her throat closing with tears. She once again sat by the tub. Ready to finish her work, but Vasilisa turned fully towards her maid. The young lady took her maid's hand in her own and looked Yvette deep in her eyes. To show her utmost sincerity behind her next statement.

"With my life"

~X~

Anthony

It was the Danbury ball, Anthony loathed balls. It was always stuffy and caused him several headaches, one after another. Getting his family ready, one. Getting them all from their home to the ball, that's two. Eloise, just her general behavior and loud mouth, a solid third. And on and on it went.

The stares and gossip of the ton, make that a plus five.

Arrogant men trying to woo his sister, that just makes him want to go right back home.

He stood in the corner of the ball, his name wasn't on any of the ladie's cards for the evening. He had found a strong drink, and would savor it slowly. As Lady Danbury had found Daphne and basically called him a cockblock, he was in no mood to continue being at the event for the evening. But that's when his eyes found her once more. Vasilisa Burton.

The girl was immaculate, her hair and dress elegant but simple. The very air around was calm and collected, like a fresh spring breeze entering the hall. She carried herself with a strong poise and mischievous eyes, she seemed to be looking for something. Their eyes met. And Anthony psychically swallowed. His adam's apple bobbed against his collar, and he felt flustered. Her black eyes were too erotic to not feel bewitched. Her pink lips smiled, no, smirked, and she turned to walk to the other side of the room, out the balcony. Away from him. He felt compelled to follow.

Where was her chaperone? She was being highly inappropriate by acting this way. He hurried amongst the crowds, weaving through like a mad man. But he was mad, she made him mad. Suddenly he stopped, the balcony was empty except for her. She looked like a maiden statue from Rome, delicate and perfectly cut. Galatea.

She turned her head to him. He realized his mistake. She was no Galatea, nor a goddess or a maiden. A striking marvel, a porcelain

siren. A storm contained within a human shell. Her eyes told him of her victory, she had lured him out here into her trap. Now he was hers.

"Good evening, Lord Bridgerton" Her raspy voice said in a somewhat broken english and nodded his way, Anthony tried to muster up anything coherent but his brain was broken. He looked around the balcony and the entrance back into the beautiful halls filled to the brim of perfectly proper couples courting and conversing. He knew that he wasn't a good man, good men don't want to ravish a woman like Vasilisa Burton. Good men didn't want to worship every inch of her, but she made turning away from god a very easy choice.

"That Ms Burton would hide away here seems like a crime" Was the words that finally came out of him. He cleared his throat as Vasilisa raised her eyebrows at him, not saying anything as to let him do all of the talking. What Anthony didn't know was that she was deeply shy of her rough accent, and didn't want to show her inability to speak 'proper english' as her mother had said.

"But alas, I guess I'm the lucky one. For getting your beauty all to myself then" He was shameless, but couldn't help himself.

"The things Lady Whistledown will write about us, how scandalous" Vasilisa teased as she leaned as carefully as she could against the rough stone railing of the balcony. Anthony now realized how utterly reckless he had been, he knew he needed to turn around and go right back to his family. At his uncertain facial expression, Vasilisa sobered up. Maybe she had gone too far, maybe he would run away and never see her again. But Anthony stepped closer to her, so close, that if anyone were to just turn around and look out on the balcony where they were and saw them, they both would be dragged through the muddy streets of London. Harlot, Rake.

"I assure you, Ms Burton, that I would be most delighted to be scandalous with you" Anthony whispered into her ear, his hand skimming the length of her arm. Leaving goosebumps in his wake. Vasilisa blushed, not knowing what to do next. Lord knows she had no real experience with men, much less the seemingly fiery passion of Anthony Bridgerton. All of her suitors that came to her door were more often than not just after the Burton title and money. They wooed her with flowers that made her sneeze and conversations that bored her to sleep. It was exhausting to always hear how great of a man they were, over and over and over again.

"Would you come to me tomorrow?" She whispered back, her heart beating fast and most carefully she pressed herself lightly into him. Anthony sucked in a breath as her body was felt against his.

"I-"

Suddenly he saw an old friend, Simon Basset, by his dear sister. Suddenly, he realized his true job for the evening. And it wasn't to act like a fool around Vasilisa Burton. Without warning, and most rudely, he left her on the balcony. Feeling like an utter fool, Vasilisa could not do much but slightly gape at the man that left her. She felt the tears and the nakedness she felt wash over her was not her own fault, but it was nonetheless a shameful experience. Her head hung low as she navigated back into the hall. She ignored her mother and Lady Danbury, she didn't care how rude she was. Let the papers rip her to shreds in the morning, she just wanted to go home, go to bed, and not wake up for the foreseeable future.