Alana von Farnese glides into the reception room with the confidence of someone accustomed to having every eye turn toward her the moment she appears. The scent of polished mahogany, old velvet, and burning sandalwood surrounds her as she crosses the room, the soft tapping of her heels echoing against the marble floor.
She's dressed entirely in black. The gown is tailored with restrained gothic elegance, fitted neatly through the waist before flowing into dark layers that barely brush the floor. Intricate embroidery decorates the sleeves and bodice, stitched so finely that the patterns resemble shadows woven directly into the fabric. Long black hair falls over one shoulder in smooth waves, with the opposite side pinned neatly behind her ear by an ornate silver clasp.
