Continued…

The air circulating within the large and high-ceilinged room possessed a pungent aroma consisting of perfume, cologne and spice-scented flowers. The many private conversations occurring were obscured by the full-throated music. Sensual music, created specifically for dancing a romantic waltz. Violins, piano and cello fabricated lilting tempos with the sole purpose of persuasion. Song after song, the dancers kept spinning. It’s as if they had willingly succumbed to their enchantment and the spectacle surrounding them.

The full-gathered silk skirts of the women’s gowns swished along the polished wood floor as they turned throughout the room, countless times. The upper portion of each of their faces was obscured by a velvet mask adorned with jewel-coloured sequins. Each of the men wore long-tailed black jackets with a cluster of iridescent starling feathers pinned to their lapels. Unlike the women, their faces were exposed.

Suddenly, the music stopped. A tall, dark-haired man entered the room. He looked much like all the other men attending the festivities, except that we wore a floor-length cloak lined with burgundy silk. He raised himself above the crowd by standing on a low and wide dais. “Ladies and gentlemen—welcome to the Everlasting Evening Masquerade Ball. Please, stay as long as you wish.”