Beneath the Chandeliers PV Kahira Valerian

July 12, 2026 | London | word count: 291 | outfit | speaking:#520000

The manor glittered like a jewel against the darkening evening sky.

Rows of enchanted lanterns floated above the long stone pathway leading to the entrance, casting golden light across perfectly trimmed hedges and gardens that looked more sculpted than grown. Because that's how it always was—perfect.

Vivienne was attending an event tonight. A ball, if you may. Balls of such sort weren't unusual, there always occurred one around this time of the year, based on what Vivienne remembered from her last 5 years of experience. As soon as the girl had become old enough to accompany her parents, she had done so.

Initially, Vivienne had convinced her parents to not make her attend. She'd planned out her evening already; two hours of piano practice, a well-written novel, and then maybe a few hours of the enchanted board game her brother Atlas had been begging for her to play with him for weeks now. It was then that her parents decided to drop the bombshell on her, they'd changed their minds about letting her pass an event just this once. Typical.

So now she stood near the edge of the ballroom, hands neatly folded behind her back as she watched dozens of witches and wizards glide across the polished floor. Vivienne smoothed an invisible crease from the sleeves of her yellow dress. It was, again, not something she'd been given the liberty to choose herself. Which, along with all of the other things that had been forced upon her tonight, admittedly set her in a very sour mood. It was unusual for her to mind her parents, but tonight seemed to be testing her patience to the limit.

It was safe to say that Vivienne could not wait to go home.

@Kahira Valerian