@sapphirenoble ( maria & lucinda )

These good-for-nothing princes wouldn't stand a chance against Princess Lucinda, let alone her second eldest sister who carried quite a torch in her hand at all times. There was a strong need to protect her sisters after everything she'd done to practically break their hearts and leave them lonely. Now it was Maria's duty to make up for it, and it would start with a party, as all interesting things do. "A prince who wastes your time is not worth your breath," Maria assured her, hoping the sincerity did not come across as overcompensation, "Here, I have had enough drinks that I believe I would like a dance with my sister."

@sapphirenoble ( maria & lucinda ) Location: The Spanish Apartments Time: the middle of the second night, after the apartment search

With her hood safely back in her trunk, miraculously out of sight when the searches were conducted, Maria had no intentions of sleeping through the evening when the simmerings of war were beginning. The Spanish Apartments were no place to be, with the Bonaparte's and their French cousins lurking about the halls. With a paper lantern in hand, she snuck into Luncinda's bedchambers, quietly closing the door behind her. "Luce..." her voice just above a whisper, "Are you asleep...?"

@rcbcls ( maria & astrid ) Location: the main hall of lal qila Time: upon France's arrival

Chaos was beginning to seep into the palace walls and Maria could tell the moment she heard the sound of horse hooves from the outer courtyards. At first, she was prepared to make another raid into the bazar, passing her stolen goods from the palace to the poor that were begging in the red sand. But she paused, climbing to the highest spire to see the flags that snuck in through the gates. French. Astrid. With any luck, she'd gone home after their bandit crew was slaughtered, and now was here with her crown restored just as Maria's was. Climbing down, she bided her time in the shadows until she'd caught sight of Astrid, her dearest friend, alive and well. Snatching her by the arm, she pulled her into a corridord. "Surprise," she said, quickly removing her hood, "What on earth are you doing here, Astrid?"  

@balteren ( maria & max ) Location: Art and Music Gallery Time: Evening

Maria knew not much of the family she first came from, save for a gold coin pendant with the name Esmeralda engraved on it that was around her neck when she was found. She assumed it was her birth mother's name, and over time, she cared less and less for what the truth could really be. It was just an irrelevant name until she needed it to hide in those last five years. Esmeralda was a myth, a paragon of freedom and justice that was untainted by royal lineage. There was once a time where the mysterious Esmeralda, long dark hair flowing down her shoulders underneath her hood, met a French revolutionary named Max, one who shared brilliant thoughts and ideas with her. If only she'd told him the truth of her identity, that she was more than just a mere fighter, or bandit, before they parted ways. Perhaps then, she wouldn't have to hope that much softer make up, hair tied back, and a proper gown for royalty would be enough to make her unrecognizable. Around the Frenchmen, she stood a little bit taller, spoke a little more properly, so that she might not be picked out in a crowd, should someone see a bit of the rebel seep through the cracks. "These paintings are quite marvelous, are they not?" she asked, keeping her eyes on the colorful canvas hung on the wall just before her. At least painting, a favorite hobby of hers, was a subject she could drag on enough about, "They paint with oil much differently here, I find it truly refreshing..."

@blrthrights ( maria & damian ) Location: the stables Time: just after sundown during the rainstorms

Rain or shine did not stop Maria's fighting spirit. The more she was to sit still amongst the stuffy royals, the more she felt agitated by the pompous chuckles and whispered gossip. Who cares. So what if some countries were falling apart? They would find some way to manipulate themselves back to security once more, or their monarchy will fall, which is what they deserve. Each tap of rain on her window was like a tap to her head until she could no longer take it. There had to be families in the village that were suffering because of the rain fall, unable to find shelter or food. After swiping a significant portion of bread and fruit from the kitchens, she stole away on a horse as quickly as she could, dropped off the food in a nearby home, and rode back to the palace, drenched in rain water. Her thick black hair was slicked and curled at her sides, glistening collarbone beneath her thundering heart from the adrenaline of the ride back. She took off her wet riding gloves and was nearly finished wringing them out when she'd stopped in her tracks at Damian's presence. "You must be elated to not have to check up on me like this anymore," she sassed, venom laced across her tongue, "Once the crown is yours again," what she last told him was the worst thing she could imagine happening, "you can stop pretending to give a damn about any of us."

@bxrnfrxmashes ( maria & marcus ) Location: The courtyards under cover from the rain Time: afternoon

It was some kind of game, though Maria couldn't quite put her finger on what the intention of the game was. Rocks were to simply be thrown into the rain and she would watch how it fell and listen to the way it cracked on the ground. It was nice hearing the sound of something in these hallowed halls breaking. In her other hand was a chalice of wine that she promptly brought to her lips as Marcus arrived beside her. She would need much more of it to be around any Bonapartes. "You should be rejoicing with your family," she mused, "If Spain finds favor to put you back on the throne, you can simply just marry my sister and bring her back to Madrid with you." She frowned, discovering that the chalice was now empty. "She did tell me all about that, by the way."

Task 002: Maria Ortiz as... A Demigod

Daughter of Ares. God of War.

@flcralhaze @thenxghtwemxt & @tormxntum ( maria & not a group thread ) Location: The Art Galleries Time: Mid-Day

Don't ask how Maria obtained a brass bottle of the best liquor India had to offer, for the answer would not be pleasant to an untrained ear. Who really cares how she got it anyway? The important thing was that she needed it, what with the grim reaper roaming the halls over every head that seemed to sulk down the corridors, let alone the vast portraits of dead people sitting higher than the Empresses. "It's like their eyes are watching you," she mused, snorting once before she took another drink, "I shan't pour one out for those lost souls, even if I wanted to. Do you know how much a bottle of this even costs?"

@blrthrights ( maria & damian ) Location: the dining hall Time: During the food fight

Though Maria had a fine amount of tolerance for the Bonaparte's after all these years, Damian had a nasty habit of getting under her skin. How could anyone with such an unserious countenance advise her brother, the king? Surely, the country would be led into madness, as if it wasn't already there with the throwing of food from across the room at every turn with seemingly no end. Maria, however, reveled in the chaos, an adrenaline-infused grin falling on her face with a tart in her hand. Approaching him, she took a handful of the sweet, fruity insides and flung it right towards his face. "Now that felt good!" she laughed, years of bickering leading to this glorious triumph, "What? Is this the level of tom-foolery where you draw your line?"  

@buencs ( maria & valentina ) Location: The Spanish Apartments Time: Post-Food Fight

"Val, come here," Maria gestured with her hand to lure her cousin to her, pulling a slice of mango out of her hair, discarding it without second thought. She so desperately wanted to feel empathy for the chaos that had taken place, the royals that were distressed from this outcome. But seeing so many people covered in food, of all things, made her snicker. "What a waste, really," she shook her head, "but it's nice to see these royals exposing their wild side, don't you think?"

@xforgedsecrets ( maria & vinnie ) Location: the corridors Time: during the first scuffle

Maria couldn't very well be kept under lockdown. As a master of trickery and deception, she was able to slip away before the royals were "escorted" to their chambers, wearing the hood over her head and dwelling in the shadows. It was only time to make herself known when the drawing of swords began, the Master of Hunt of Spain caught in the fray. With one swift strike of her sword, one had fallen at both of their feet from injuries. In front of Vinnie, she removed her hood. "Luckily I was here," she shrugged, "Were you hurt?"

@destiniesfm ( maria & bianca )

"Are we having trouble hearing, cabrón?" Maria interceded on what seemed like an unpleasant conversation between her sister and a young suitor. Her eyes may well have been made of maroon pearls were they not the color of midnight already, "La Alteza Real," Her Royal Highness, "said no. Now off with you before you are forced to accept a dance with me instead." Taking Bianca by the arm, she escorted her to a much more crowded part of the ballroom, as to somehow disappear in the dust. "I leave you for five minutes and they can't keep their eyes off of you... Díos Mio, this will be a long trip."

@espionisms ( maria & emine )

"If it's thievery you're interested in," Maria responded in a hushed tone, though she was part of a powerful-enough nation to secure her own private room, "You may want to learn from the professionals..." The secret bandit grinned, dangling a necklace of pure gold in her hand before swiping it away into the bosom of her dress. "I'd be willing to sacrifice my own finding as long as it goes to anyone but these filthy rich socialites."

@sapphirenoble ( maria & lucinda ) Location: the halls of Lal Qila Time: just after sunset during the rainstorms

"Don't worry, nena," Maria comforted her sister by throwing a playful arm around her, "We'll get through this somehow..." but how laughably unbelievable her sympathy seemed to be. Getting dethroned would be the best thing to happen to their brothers, the king and Joaquim. It may even save their family. But being disgraced didn't quite feel like the right way either. What good was restoring order if chaos was going right back on to the seat? "Maybe, if we lose our home in Madrid, we can go back to Barcelona... go back the parties and the beaches, the simpler life, ¿verdad?"

@bxrnfrxmashes ( maria & marcus ) Location: The Spanish Apartments Time: After the food fight

Maria stormed into the apartments, out of breath, strands of hair slightly askew from the way she hastened from the squabble. Her sisters were nowhere to be seen, at least from where she stood. One could only hope they were safe inside the walls of their own rooms, far, far away from the chaos. It was only she who was equipped for such an environment. There was once a time when Maria would gladly lead her family into danger, but those days were only newly behind her as the guilt started to eat her alive. Once the doors were closed behind her, her back pushed against the wood, as though to lock everything else out. "Marcus," she announced her own arrival into the room without some silly Page to do it for her, " My sisters, where are they?"

@nobleblud ( maria & thomas )

She agreed to this. This was what she walked into. It was more like the price that Maria would have to pay in order to get back into the good graces of her family. An engagement would be the only way to prove that she was serious about returning home. They told her, as the sun set on the Grand Memoriam, that he was a Duke from Spain. That was certainly better than a prince from somewhere else, but that would be all he had in his favor before meeting the stubborn, cold princess. She was told he'd be at breakfast, at the very least, and so she dressed and showed up, mockingly presenting herself to the entire room before her. "What a miracle, I've shown up," she said sarcastically before taking a seat, diving into her plate of breakfast before her eyes wandered up, "and I take it you are this Duke I'm supposed to marry, correct?"