[As the doors open, she counts to three in her head for the sake of a dramatic pause, then tightens her grip on the staff, carved from a dark wood, designed to look old and weathered. It matches the rest of her costume, from the grey rags and shawl covering her dress, to grey wig, to the mask, made from leather and painted to reflect the face of an old woman, weathered and cracked.
It's not the easiest mask to see out of, but the route from the doors to the dais at the opposite end of the hall is a simple one, and she walks it slowly, leaning heavily on the staff as if for support, her back hunched in imiation of old age. The strangest part is seeing everyone bow, Favrielle and the servers first, and then the rest of the guests as they follow suit, and for a minute she thinks of what it would be like to be a real queen, rather than playing a role in a pageant.
But it's an easily dismissed thought, and she smiles to herself under the mask.
At the foot of the throne, she turns to face the crowd, standing up a little taller as Favrielle directed, then raises the staff into the air to signal the start of the Masquerade. The trumpets sound again, the music starts up, and she takes a seat on the throne.
She stays until the attention is turned from her, then leaves her throne by slipping behind a screen.]
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It's not the easiest mask to see out of, but the route from the doors to the dais at the opposite end of the hall is a simple one, and she walks it slowly, leaning heavily on the staff as if for support, her back hunched in imiation of old age. The strangest part is seeing everyone bow, Favrielle and the servers first, and then the rest of the guests as they follow suit, and for a minute she thinks of what it would be like to be a real queen, rather than playing a role in a pageant.
But it's an easily dismissed thought, and she smiles to herself under the mask.
At the foot of the throne, she turns to face the crowd, standing up a little taller as Favrielle directed, then raises the staff into the air to signal the start of the Masquerade. The trumpets sound again, the music starts up, and she takes a seat on the throne.
She stays until the attention is turned from her, then leaves her throne by slipping behind a screen.]