One wrong move (Seung)

[Via Clavet]

The freshly turned smell of soil and the smell of clipped grass always tickled at her nose. It was something she was not quite used to in this place, but the new grave before her was something she was not used to either. Here likes Bianca Merzetti, beloved friend and bride. The polished marble was cold beneath her finger tips and it took Via a moment to actually comprehend that her friend was now gone. Her eyes lowered and her fingers traced the script before she glanced at the carriage waiting for her on the path a ways from her. The lanterns were burning brightly as a few people started to leave the cemetary as the chill was pronounced and the sun was now fully down.

"My lady Clavet, we need to leave soon."

"In a moment," her accent was pronounced from the french land across the sea and with great hesitance she set down the bouquet of roses. Dressed in all black, the young woman kissed her finger tips before kissing the top of the stone. "Be well my friend." She brushed some stray leaves from the hem of her dress and she moved from that grave stone to the next one. In her arms she held over five dozen roses, each one prettier then the last, as she looked at the graves next to her beloved friend. On each grave she started to drop a rose, slowly making her way from grave stone to gravestone, setting a rose on each, no matter what their death nor how long they had been resting there.

[Seung Jegong]

Seung stood in front of the gravestone, it was marked with Loyal retainer and friend Gimhae Rhee and then Min-Jee. Basically it read 'Loyal retainer and friend from the Rhee clan of Gimhae, Min-Jee'.
It had her name written in hanja underneath it all. He looked down at the stone that marked the grave, Min-Jee had been both a friend and someone he often went to for advice and just to talk with, she was sent here along with Seung but the climate changes and such had not been kind to her he had wanted to send her back but she was a stubborn woman and wanted to stay. As she put it who would look out for Seung otherwise.

He placed a bouquet of flowers down it was a lovely arrangement made up of lilies, not quite the lilies they had back in their homeland but close enough. He wiped a stray tear from his eye and then placed a ornate dish down in front of the stone and carefully placed incense within it and lit them. He gave a quiet prayer and asked for her and her ancestors forgiveness placing her to rest in a foreign land.

With that he returned to his feet and placed a gentle hand on the stone as if to say 'take care' and turned to leave. As he was headed back to his coach he spotted the young woman placing flowers on the graves. He watched curiously just as someone in the carriage called out to him "Daeliin-nim." He turned back to the carriage but spared a glance at the young woman again, curious as to what she was doing.

[Via Clavet]

Via wandered from grave to grave and absently saw someone out of the corner of her eye. He was dark haired from what she could see in the back with short, layered hair. Strange, most englishmen had long ponytails, and some even had wigs. Shrugging a little bit, Via wandered to another grave and then another, her roses slowly depleting.

She made it to the new grave of Min-Jee and looked at the lilies and the burning incense. With her last rose she set it down on top of the tombstone so the lilies were still prominent in the area. She picked at her black skirts and carefully knelt in the clean grass, her skirts spreading around her as she sat.

Her hair was down but curly, tied back with a ribbon. The sound of someone else's voice though had her looking over her shoulder and she spotted Seung again and looked at him just as equally curious. One of the coach drivers from her carriage moved over to her and stood behind her protectively, glancing at her and then Seung. "Lady Clavet, you're going to be late for your father's own party. The Jejong family has come all the way from the Orient, being late is not acceptable.

[Seung Jegong]

Seung got into his coach he wanted to spent a moment longer at his friends grave but he other matters and duties to attend to. He knew Min-Jee was in another place now he sighed and let such thoughts drift out of mind. His adviser sat beside him and handed him a decorated card it was an invitation to a formal party hosted by one of the noble families. He was personally invited to attend he frowned just as he did his adviser scolded him, saying something along the lines it was an honor and that he was to represent not only his family but his nation and it's people, since he was personally invited he HAD to attend, his adviser kept with his reprimanding chant. He understood, basically he had to go and their was no way out of it, not this time. He had come up with excuses for the last few, such as he was sick or that he was away from his estate on some errand or another for his nation. But this request was one addressed to him and his station.

He wasn't sure what was to be expected. The people in England both fascinated and scared him. The men were built like bears, larger and wider in stature than even his father or the king.

He was thinking of an excuse but as he glanced at his adviser he thought better, the look the other man gave him was like daggers, he new Seung to well it seemed. He chuckled a bit nervously to himself and turned his attention out the window. The carriage was heading up a cobbled street he could see others walking about and other carriages pass him by, all seeming to hurry in a rush to somewhere. And not far off he spotted a gate leading to a beautiful estate surrounded by marvelous garden with a charming fountain in it's center. Other carriages seemed filing into it's gate, he guessed this was where the party was to be held.

As his carriage came to a halt and he stepped out he hoped their was no fanfare or announcement as to his arrival, he didn't want all the attention. What was it about the people her in London thinking that it was grand to announce his arrival it made him feel like a goat presented to the tiger before a hunt.

[Via Clavet]

The man disappeared into a carriage and her eyes followed him curiously for a moment. The exaggerated cough behind her had Via sighing and she moved to her feet. "Alright, Alright, I'm up. Let's go."

The carriage ride to her home was quick although the streets were clogged with them. Vaguely she wondered where each carriage was going to, whether they were important or not. Some carriages she imagined small stories for them and wondered who they were, if they had lovers waiting for them, or were they just cold hearted. She spent the next thirty minutes fantasizing before the gates opened and she was drawn into the home that was her father's. There was already a line of carriages and she knew she was going to catch hell later for being late to her father's party, but at the moment, she didn't rightly care all too much.

Pursing her lips lightly as she was drawn out of the carriage, she handed her shawl and long gloves to a servant as she entered through the back door and grabbed her skirts and jogged up the stairs to her room. Her mother was waiting for her and started rapidly spouting off at her in French as they got her dressed. Off went the black gown and on went a pretty blue one instead. Her hair was piled up ontop of her head and elbow length gloves were pulled back on before she was ushered downstairs.

Unfortunately for Seung, there was fanfair, as everyone who was anyone was here and wanted to meet the foreign diplomat. They stirred excitedly on the floor as they waited for him to descend the grand staircase from the front door. Some were shaking in excitement while some of the more younger ladies were fanning themselves prettily as they practiced batting their eyes at one another. Once Seung reached the top of the stairs though, there would be someone waiting for him.

Via waited in the hallway right before the stairs, her dance card dangling petitely off of one wrist along with a small blue fan in her hand. Fall had come in swing but with so many bodies, it would be hard to keep cool entirely. She was to be his escort for the night, as her mother had briefly instructed her with some firm detail, and whatever the diplomat wanted, she was to cater to.

[Seung Jegong]

Seung winced internally as he heard the fanfare announcing his arrival, what was this the inner-chamber court to the royal palace? His father would love the attention but he, well he could never get used to it, if he could meld with the walls at this moment he would as he reached the top of the stairs.

His outfit felt suddenly to warm, though it was fashioned in his families colors and adorned emblems and designs like that of the orient it has a western cut and make to it. The officials that he answered to had said it would help with his position, wearing clothes similar to theirs. How he wished he had his hanbok on, his retainers and advisers got to wear their traditional clothing but he had to wear this stiff thing.

Seung noticed the young lady waiting for him at the top of the stairs, it was the girl from the cemetery. He noticed the blue dress, it looked well marvelous on her. He recalled that he was going to be escorted during this party but he wasn't expecting this.

"Hello." He wasn't sure what else to say, he hoped he wasn't blushing.

[Via Clavet]

Via waited patiently as the people stirred and buzzed down the hallway in the ballroom and glanced at the grand father clock in the hall. Five minutes until eight o clock, they weren't late, but they were pushing it. Perhaps he had gotten lost?? She bit her lip in thought and shifted a little bit on her feet before she heard more footsteps down the hallway.

Via turned to her left and saw Seung approach and gave him a brilliant smile. This must be the diplomat, she mused, as she looked over his obviously different attire before looking at his facial features. While she didn't see if he was blushing or not, color dusted her face. "Good evening sir." She dipped into a light curtsy before pulling herself back up with a sway of her skirts. "You look very handsome this evening. Are you ready to head down?"

[Seung Jegong]

"Good evening, and no I'm not ready but I doubt many would be happy if I was to leave." He'd give a smile and put out an arm for Via to take as he escorted her down. "I'm sorry but I wasn't aware of the time, it's nearly time for the event to start. I was giving prayers to a friend. But then you saw." He remembered her being at the cemetery, was she there visiting a friend or perhaps family? He wondered but that wasn't really something one asked at a party so he moved it out of his mind.

As they made it down to the ballroom Seung could feel the eyes of the other guests on him, he felt like a beast on display like at market back in the imperial city, such as a horse on sale and those in the crowd on the ballroom floor being the merchants calculating in their heads if he, the horse was worth purchase.

"Are you nervous?" Seung asked only for Via to here. "Your father invited many to this party." He continued as if suggesting that it was OK to be nervous due to all the guests. He continued to whisper. "I'm nervous to be honest." He didn't feel ashamed to say so, at least not to Via.