Having taken at least half of the day to get ready for the ball, Arianne glanced one last time in the floor-length mirror and decided everything was perfect before exiting her quarters.

Truth be told, she didn't know Monsieur Strelnikov all that well, they had met at some functions, exchanged pleasantries and perhaps a flirty glance or two, but she really knew no more than the rest of the world... or, perhaps, a bit more. Ladies of the English society certainly found gossip a favorite pastime, and there were some whispered rumors about Mr. Strelnikov's activities, some of the darker variety. She was reluctant to accept him as her date at first, but he was  handsome, very handsome... and, ah, those gorgeous green eyes were hard to pass. In the end he would be a great accessory, she decided. He also had impeccable manners and a certain charm that would complement her beautifully.

So, when she eventually made her way to the Great Hall and laid eyes on his handsome face, she couldn't help but smile demurely. She walked towards him, with perfect poise and a slightly heavier sway of her hips, perfectly conscious of the many see-through lace patches of her dress and extended her hand to him with a flashy smile. Her French mannerisms were sometimes frowned upon by, what she perceived as the frigid English society, but nonetheless, once her hand was secured in his, she pulled herself closer and kissed both his cheeks.

"Monsieur Strelnikov, you look positively... splendide! Pardon my late entrance, I do hope I have not kept you waiting long. But you know how it is with women and ball preparations" she said jokingly in her poignant French accent.