There was a beautiful ball being held in Pemberton, it was famous for it’s events, all the men and women were invited to attend to the event there, usually couples. So why would Elizabeth be attending this ball ?

She had nobody to go with and she wasn’t as rich as the other people that went there, not to mention, she was younger than most of the other people of whom had been invited to attend to the ball.

Her hair was pinned up loosely in an complicated bun. There were pins stuck in it with little glittering stones on the ends. Her dress was a light gray colored gown, rather smoky looking in color, though not depressing.

The drop shoulder sleeves were short, and the neckline was fashionable low. The skirt was hung with pearls every so often and billowed away from her body. The waist formed a V with small precious stones studded along it. Her corset that was tightly fastened, her matching shoes clicked slightly on the cobble stones as she made her way inwards.

She slowly walked down a long corridor. The noise of the party growing in her ears. She smile widely, she loved parties, for the most part that is.

She looked out a window as she passed. It was a festive scene: men and woman talking and laughing, people dancing, a man already swaying as he stood. She laughed a little and a tall man turned to look at her.

The precious in her hair and on her dress glinted in the lights of the party making her look slightly atherial.

Ewan had come to the celebration only with great reluctance, and he did his level best to remain in the shadows. When his sister went off to dance with a lord, however, he stepped forward to keep a closer eye on her, and accidentally brushed into the gray skirts of a blonde maiden. She looked young. Younger than Aoife, perhaps.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, taking a step back. "I, ah..." He trailed off, looking desperately for some way to escape. He didn't want to dance. He didn't want to dance. But she seemed to be looking at him so very hopefully. And his sister would give him Hell if he didn't dance and she did. Oh well. Just once then.

"If you want to dance--" The words were dragged past his lips. "I'm Lord Ewan Kinnear." He bowed.

Elizabeth wasn't paying much attention when she had felt someone brush against the skirts of her gown - she had been somewhat distracted by the chandelier. Easily amused, Elizabeth was, or not so much as it happens, but for the occasion, yes, she had been sucessfully bedazzled by all of the decorations.

She looked up as she heard someone apologizing, and gave a slight smile to whomever it was that had bumped into her. "My apologies sir, I wasn't exactly paying much attention to where I was heading." she said softly. Not that she was really heading anywhere - just msort of wandering around, but then again, what else was new?

Lissie smiled slightly. "Pleasure to meet you, Lord Ewan." she said with a nod of the head, before curtsying respectfully herself, her head dipping slightly. "I'm Lady Elizabeth Gray." she said with a small smile. She knew some people would already know her here, or at least heard about her somewhere through the grape vine, for gossip was enevitable, especially at events such as these. Elizabeth didn't mind being gossiped about all that much, as long as the words didn't sting and smart as though she had been slapped upon hearing them.

Lately, most of the gossip was just about her family - her brother being at a higher education these days, and of course she and her sister's appearances; after all, her family was rather well known for producing some of the most lovely young ladies in the entierty of their Duchy.

"Pleasure to meet you, Lady Elizabeth," Ewan said. He'd heard her name before. Her family was far more well-born than his own. And the things his friends were always saying about her looks, he was unsettled to notice, appeared to be true. It was different, though, to joke with friends friends about pretty girls and then, in the loneliness of his room, pray for unGodly lust to leave him be, and to actually encounter one. He felt his palms grow sweaty with nervousness.

But he knew he and Aoife were representing the Kinnear family. And he wasn't terrible at dancing. He was one of those men at home in his own body and capable of whatever physical task was demanded of him. And his own restless nature demanded motion much of the time. That could help. He led the Lady Elizabeth onto the dance floor and settled himself awkwardly with her. The awkwardness was somewhat ameliorated when they began the dance, but still he tried to keep his eyes away from her, though they continually slid back.

Elizabeth had yet grown accustomed to meeting people. Well, that wasn’t entirely true, yes, she had met people before, of course she had met people, but she wasn’t as good at getting to know them well. She was fine when it was just idle chit-chat, but otherwise, well, she seemed to shy away – that was a flaw of dear Lissie’s. She often shyed away from things that could do her good – like friends, for instance.

“You’re a very good dancer.” She commented with a fleeting smile. She couldn’t dance entirely well herself – just the basics. She knew the steps and the timing, but she found it difficult to add her own personal effect to the dance – while this seems to be the easiest thing to do for most people, it was always quite the opposite with Lissie.

"Thank you," Ewan said stiffly. This was going to be an agonizing dance if he had to spend it all silently trying to avert his gaze from his dance partner. But if he didn't, what if he started to react in absolutely ungentlemanly ways? No, no, the only thing for it was to distract himself somehow with conversation. And distract her from his obviously palpable fear. She seemed to be treating him like a nervous horse to be soothed. Maybe it was in his head. But he felt embarrassed and discomfitted.

"You're a good dancer too," he added, belatedly. "So, ah... how do you like Marcheford?" He'd seen her a few times at Court, of course, but not terribly often. He'd been at court for four years now, he realized, and managed to pass the time much as he had back home, fencing or jousting.

Elizabeth smiled slightly and shook her head as a step to the left was made in the dance. "That is kind of you to say, though I admit whole heartedly that dancing is not amongst that of my more refined skills." she said with a nod of the head. And that was true, she knew, and anyone who knew her well knew.

She was better at many things besides dancing - singing, and drawing were specialties with her. And she could ride a horse, that was a decent talent. She was rubbish at embroidery, but she could do simple things, which suited her well - she didn't like to over do anything, as it tended to make people look rather gaudy.

"Marcheford is lovely," she said with a smile. "Though, I suppose I've been there long enough to have grown accustomed to the atmosphere there." she admitted with a nod. Pemberton was new, she had to admit, but she liked it. It was bright and colorful - a little too lively for her taste, but then again, Elizabeth did like things to be at least somewhat quiet.

"Dancing," Ewan said with a shrug at their present activity. "It's well enough. I prefer things that aren't quite so boring and planned out, though," he went on, relaxing into the conversation. "Like jousting... or fencing... though actually I do like chess, despite all the rules. Do you play chess?" She'd have an even chance of doing so, given she was from Marcheford. She'd be well-educated at least. That was one thing he could say for the ladies of his duchy. Most weren't as empty-headed as they could have been, though some persisted in tittering at him and asking him how he liked their dresses.

His opinion was: it's a dress. What am I supposed to think? For him, clothing was simply something to keep him warm, though others seemed to deck themselves out gaudy as peacocks. At least the Lady Elizabeth seemed unostentatious. Really, he could have chosen to dance with much worse.

Elizabeth nodded. "Agreed. I'm not allowed to do such activities myself, most unfortunately. I've been told time and time again how inappropriate it would be for someone of my age, stature and gender," she admitted, rolling her eyes slightly in annoyance. She wouldn't dare disagree though, at least, not in the sight of those such as her father, of whom thought the same way of women's abilities. Elizabeth smiled. "Oh yes, I play chess quite often, usually with my brother. He gets so upset when I find one way or another to outsmart him." she said with a slight nod.

Elizabeth was actually quite adept when it came to doing things such as reading, writing and even some arithmetic - and her talents of which she was allowed to develop, she made sure that she was of her own highest ability to perform them - she would prove that she was good at something, nay.... completely masterful of something.