Baby blue eyes flutter open as the chiming bells of her alarm break the silence of the early morning hours, announcing without requiring the young woman to glance at the illuminated screen of her smartphone that it was nine o'clock. On most days, she didn't seem to need that alarm on her phone to be set with the assurance that she would awaken at any given time in the morning. More often than not, the blue-eyed blonde found herself awake about thirty minutes before her alarm would go off, but last night had been a late night for Beylani. A soft groan ushers from her as she stretched her arms over her pillow covered with disarrayed blonde locks still managing to hold some of the elegant curls she almost always styled them in, slender legs also stretching themselves out beneath the warmth of her blankets she lay wrapped in. Feeling a little more awake now, she reaches over to the nightstand beside her bed and swiped a fingertip effortlessly over the screen to silence the onslaught of bells so that her bedroom is once again quiet save for the loud purring of the tortoiseshell feline that lay next to her. The cat lay there with jade eyes half opened and paws perfectly tucked beneath her mottled body, fluffy tail wrapped precisely around her flank as the tip swished this way and that contentedly while watching the young woman stir until she was laying upon her back with head turned and baby blues resting on the tortoiseshell."Good morning, Chika", she greets her dearest companion while taking her left hand and stroking the cat's fur. A soft and almost sleepy "mrow" was given in reply as the two best friends exchanged their ritualistic morning greetings to one anther. However silly such a thing could be considered did not matter to Beylani for she had always treated her feline friend with the same love and respect she had those human friends she once held dear before moving to Sacrosanct. At least she knew that Chika would never forget about her, like those so-called friends she'd had in school.

Friends. The very word brought to the forefront of her thoughts the very reason she had made sure to set her alarm in the first place last night and she can feel a warm excitement seize her as she sits up in her queen-sized bed and turns to throw her legs over the side, rising to her feet and moving through the doorway of her bedroom and across the living room to the bathroom on the other side of her small apartment. Today was Saturday, and according to the invitation that she had received from a well-dressed gentleman only a few days earlier, Dorian had arranged for afternoon tea today. It was impossible for Beylani to keep that small smile from dancing across those blush-colored lips as she turns on the shower and waits for the water to get warm. She'd had such a wonderful time with the kind and proper man that autumn afternoon when they'd encountered each other in Hyde Park, the memory still as fresh within her mind as it had been the day it had been made. He had been the first kind spirit to "welcome" her into the big city and he had even allowed for her to take photos of himself and that adorable little rottweiler pup, Maxwell when she had spoken of what she hoped to one day be able to do as her sole source of income. She'd taken one of the photos that day to a nearby magazine stand, having kept her absolute favorites to herself, and Dorian had proved right when the owner of the stand asked how much she would take for that very photo. Dorian had not been wrong when he had told her that she would make a fair amount from the single photo, the man then immediately asking if there was any way she might be able to provide more as well as asking of her relationship with the man in the photo whose own smile seemed just as radiant as the young woman's own. She'd simply said that perhaps in time she might obtain more but that she was not about to go assaulting the kind man for more opportunities. It was only then when she'd learned of Dorian's reputation throughout the city, but that hadn't had the slightest affect on how she felt about the dark haired man with stormy grey eyes. She would admit that she had been surprised to learn that he was a king , but something told her that the Dorian she'd spent the afternoon with was no illusion and that they truly did have a connection of some level that she hoped would develop into a strong friendship. After all, just how much did wealth and title truly mean in the end?

She emerges from the bathroom, steam falling out into the living room as she walks back into her bedroom with a towel wrapped around he slender frame. Moving over to the nightstand and clicking on her phone to check the time and reading it as 9:26am, she opens the door to her closet where a beautiful baby blue and block polka dotted party dress hangs. She admires it for a moment, recalling just how many of the department stores downtown she had scoured through to find something suitable for the occasion that awaited in the coming hours. She'd fretted so many times over how one dress had seemed either too formal or too casual, but this one... this one was perfect. Or so she hoped it was, anyway. She'd never been to a tea party before, let alone in the presence of royalty and she so dearly hoped to make a lasting impression on Dorian and his fiancé. She wasn't any sort of nobility herself, but she didn't want to appear as common as she had grown up feeling. Disappearing from her bedroom once more to dry and curl her golden locks accented with milk chocolate undertones, the young woman silently gives herself a pep talk to calm her nerves that she isn't even entirely sure why they exist. Perhaps it was normal? She tries not to think too heavily on them however and instead replays that fall afternoon, distracting herself from that smallest inkling of doubt that Dorian had only just been acting kind to a common girl. After she is satisfied with her hair and thankful that she was one of those women that did not need makeup to feel content with her natural appearance, she walks once again across the small apartment and into the bedroom where she puts on the dress, Chika sitting there watching as Beylani prepared for yet another first time experience. The blue-eyed blonde looks into the mirror that hung on the backside of her bedroom door, ensuring that nothing was out of place or that her undergarments were visible whatsoever, and when finally she is pleased and puts on the black two-inch high heels she'd also purchased to go with the dress, she turns to Chika with a bright smile."Alright, missy. Let's get your breakfast then wish me luck", she said sweetly to the feline as she grabs her phone from its place on the nightstand and leaves the bedroom, walking past the futon and into the kitchen. Opening the cupboard with the jar of kibble and scoop sitting there beside it and taking a single scoop, she bends over to put the kibble in the ceramic dish beside the dining room table then returns the items to their proper place, the crunching sound of the tortoiseshell happily eating her meal, Beylani grabs her black leather purse, pulls her keys from it and places her phone inside while checking to make sure she had all her things. After a quick mental checklist, she walks out of the apartment and locks the front door behind her. She takes a steady breath and descends down the stairwell now that where her white sedan waited for her. Here's to hoping I haven't overdone things.

Much to her surprise, she was able find the street on her directions just fine and as she turns down onto it, baby blue eyes widen in bewilderment as she looks over the many mansions and enormous homes that were settled here. Now more than ever, the young woman felt out of place and almost as though she had somehow telephoned into some movie taking place in Hollywood or Beverly Hills. She probably shouldn't have been so surprised that Dorian and his fiancé would live here on this side of Sacrosanct where the wealthy and well-known called home, but there was certainly nothing like this back in Willowhaven. She finally finds the long and narrow driveway behind a towering metal gate guarded by a gentleman dressed in a black suit and sunglasses with the most solemn of faces she'd ever seen. Stopping her car next to him and in front of the gate, she offers him a smile."Hello. I'm Beylani, Dorian was expecting me?", she explains the the man who has no turned to face her. He reaches into the pocket on his suit to pull out a device and references it, likely searching for her name, and when it seems he finds it he returns his gaze behind those dark glasses to the blue-eyed blonde and presses a button on the wall, causing the gate to open. Gesturing her through, she drives slowly into the extravagant and landscaped driveway only to park next to a black sedan waxed and impeccable. Getting out of her car and closing the door, she straightens her dress and walks up the beautifully sculpted steps to a large door she only imagined as the front entrance. Knocking briefly, she is not left waiting long when a sharply dressed man answers the door and Beylani offers him a radiant smile."Hello. I'm Beylani and I was invited to tea this afternoon with Dorian", she explains once more, unsure if he already knew or not. He disappear for a moment and she stands their patiently until he returns and requests that she follow him into the living area. She silently obliges and follows him through the mansion, unable to hide that look of wonder and amazement at the intricately placed and surely expensive decor, only returning her gaze back to the man before her as he stops and gestures for her to enter through the doorway.

The very moment she enters into the room, she hardly has time to look around her when the sound of puppy paws scratching against the polished floor catch her attention and she is greeted by Maxwell. She squats down for a moment, petting the excited black and tan creature now sporting a handsome tie around his neck. She giggles brightly as the pup wiggles beneath her hand."Hello to you too, Maxwell! My, you've grown so much in just a short while haven't you?", she says sweetly to Maxwell before the sound of Dorian's voice beckons her to stand back up, baby blue eyes meeting his stormy greys, embarrassment warming her cheeks ever so slightly at the fact that she'd nearly forgotten that Dorian should have been the first one she greeted, but she was hopeful that he understood. Why wouldn't he?"Hello, Dorian. It's nice to see you again. And yes, I was able to find it just fine", she answers sweetly a she smiles at her friend who was just as sharply dressed as he'd been that day in the park. His next words though quickly make her aware that they were not alone, and how she'd missed the man standing next to Dorian was beyond her though she would blame the astonishment at being in such a mansion - or in a mansion at all, really since she'd never stepped foot within on before - but when she looks to the man, she almost doesn't hear Dorian's words and instead she feels surprise rush over her. Andras was friends with Dorian!? She almost wasn't sure if she should act surprised, or be genuinely surprised for that matter but all the same baby blues alight with warmth and recognition as she offers the fae man a sweet smile as well."For being such a big city, it certainly feels small right now. It's good to see you again, Andras", she greets him warmly and for reasons unknown she had to refrain from closing the respectful distance and hugging him. She turns back to Dorian though, that radiant smile still dancing upon her feminine features."I don't mind at all. The more the merrier, I think". She glances back to Andras for a moment, feeling familiar questions mixed with entirely new ones surfacing to her thoughts but He remains politely quiet as she waits to be directed wherever they would be sitting. Today was going to be unforgettable, she could feel it.