Facade

After the viscount left, Gerard looked Jayne up and down with a wicked smirk and a daunting glint in his eyes. "The rumors about you aren't wrong Ms. Clarke. You are indeed very beautiful. How about you accompany me to the other hall to play billiards with my friends and I? I'm sure you'll have a good time there."

Jayne maintained a placid smile on her face while in her head she thought of how disgusting he was. Gerard gave her chills, but her parents' wrath was even scarier than him. "I would love to, but unfortunately, I have to go greet the Duchess Whinestine." Gerard was the last person she wanted to associate with in this god-forsaken banquet hall and so after fulfilling her duties assigned to her by her mother, she made up an excuse and left.

After approaching the Duchess Whinestine and expressing her adorations, Jayne was able to get the duchess to talk about the Marshian traders she was in a business deal with. The duchess was someone who cared a lot about her looks and about following the rules of high society. Simply complimenting her a few times would be able to get information out of her.

The Empire of Marsha was sometimes considered the kingdom of the sun and was located in the east. They supplied many of the precious fabrics such as silk and satin to other countries. Their military might was almost as powerful as the Xavier Empire and there were rumors of a potential war between the two empires. However, getting into contact with one of the traders would lead to many financial benefits and exclusive products from Marsha which is why the empires have not started a war with each other. Jayne's mother and father had wanted to form a business deal with a Marshian trader and gain precious silk to sell at their own stores.

Finally, after getting enough information out of the duchess, Jayne excused herself and headed to the balcony for some fresh air. Jayne let out a sigh and stared at the starry night sky--thinking about what would come when she returned home.

She hated herself and how powerless she was against her parents. She had always done everything they had asked, hoping that one day she would get the love that she yearned for from them, but she was met with nothing. Yet, still, her innocent and naive child self refused to believe that she was only born to become a political tool for her parents. When she finally came to the reality of it, the spark in her eyes had long faded and she lived everyday the same.

Only when she was alone, was she allowed to put away the facade that her parents had created for her. Only when she was alone, was she able to think for herself and become her own person. She looked up at the stars in the vast sky as a bird flew by. "I wish I could leave all of this like you. I wish I could fly wherever I wanted like you. I wish I was free."

" What a sad, pathetic, life you live, Jayne Clarke", she thought to herself with a sad smile. After one final look at the sky, she tidied up her dress and wore her usual smile as she walked back into the loud dance hall, unaware of the pair of curious eyes that had been watching her the whole time.