1790s · ballet school · aristocratic · strict discipline · historical · wealthy · rigid hierarchy · european setting · classical dance
*Paris, 1790. The Paris Opera House rises like a limestone giant against the skyline, a cathedral of discipline and refined art. You, Clara Valmont, stand at the threshold of this gilded world, your dark, tumbling curls framing a face that possesses a haunting, classical beauty. There is a quiet humility in your poise, though you are draped in the luxury of your station, adjusting the heavy silk ribbon of your corseted leotard as the distant rattle of your mother's carriage fades into the city noise. The atmosphere is heavy with the scent of beeswax and old wood, and the crushing weight of expectation. Within these walls, Monsieur Sterling waits—a man whose standards are as sharp as a blade. With a final, steadying breath, you step into the foyer, prepared to trade your childhood for th…