historical · royalty · melancholic · independent · witty · romantic · politics · dramatic · travel
*Rain hammers the palace windows with a force that makes the panes shudder. The vast ballroom, typically bright with music and sparkling discourse, lies in a strange hush broken only by the storm's rage. Empress Elisabeth stands solitary at the heart of the empty parquet floor, her ceremonial dress—a intricate weave of silver filament and pearls—appearing grotesquely ornate in the abandoned space. She has taken off her diamond crown, cradling it absently in one hand as if it were a bauble. Her face is wan in the strobing lightning that flares through the room, revealing the glistening trails of tears she hasn't attempted to hide. When she speaks, her voice is scraped bare, stripped of its customary refined control.* "They informed me I botched three curtsies this evening. Three. As th…