Red/Juliette | early in the evening - COMPLETE
Redwald wasn't unaccustomed to mixing business with pleasure—not that spending time in his family’s company was ever particularly pleasurable—but it was proving to be much more difficult than usual tonight. Perhaps it was the presence of his brother’s fiance that had her so fixated on finding a “special” someone for Red, too. The thought was enough to make him gag. In fact, in a stunning display of maturity, he actually had gagged at her when she brought up the idea of him seriously courting one of the many eligible women there.
He did his best to escape from Lady Vannes’ clutches when he could, but there was only so much avoiding he could do. Not if he wanted to avoid a shrill earful about it later. He was on his way to the refreshments table for more champagne (not that he was actually drinking it, of course) when his mother appeared from nowhere and hooked her arm through his. “I’m cutting you off for now,” she hissed under her breath. “There are still too many people we need to say hello to.”
Red followed his mother’s line of sight and cringed at the sight of the family she wanted to greet. The idea of chatting with the Demiels made him wish he was actually drunk. They weren’t the most intolerable family, but he wasn’t especially fond, either. Then again, he wasn’t fond of most of the uppercrust families his mother made a point of associating with.
“Must we?” he asked, practically in a whine.
His mother didn’t bother to respond. She simply dragged him off in the direction of the Demiels with a broad and friendly (and fake) grin plastered on her face.
This early in the evening, Juliette knew there was no conceivable way she could excuse herself from her guardians; accordingly, she followed along in their stead, a frilled and primped little shadow, glad at least for the mask that hid half of her face from view. It was flimsy armor, but it was the best she could command this evening.
“Ah,” Lady Demiel said softly under her breath, so that only Juliette might hear, “look, there are the Vannes; Juliette, dear, do try to be charming. I know it is difficult for you, darling, but we must all do what we can, after all. Surely if you put in a little effort…” That was all she had time for, for they had approached the other family, and the next few moments were taken up with kisses to the air near cheeks and hands, followed by exclamations over how very lovely the ladies looked and how very handsome the gentlemen, and fortunately all that was required of Juliette was to murmur agreement to all of this and not to cringe away when the ladies placed their cheeks against hers or when the gentlemen’s lips brushed her knuckles.
They arranged themselves in a misshapen circle as they began to speak of typical, well-worn subjects; Juliette found herself (unsurprisingly) standing across from Lord Redwald, the son who was as yet unattached. With Lady Demiel’s meaningful look in her direction, Juliette nodded her head, put on a smile, and said, “A pleasure to see you this evening, my lord.”