sending a raven [royals]

[belle reve]

꧁ 𝐂 𝐀 𝐑 𝐎 𝐋 𝐈 𝐍 𝐄
━━━━━━━ "so that's one gold star for me" ━━━

eighteen kingdom of ash tagged;; kamaria

"I must admit," the blonde began, scrutinizing over her makeup in the mirror, ensuring every detail she applied was perfect, "I find myself struggling to see the purpose of this event. While I do look forward to meeting the others, what is so welcoming about a ball?" Was it the corsets laced too tight, the obligatory pleasantries and small talk, or the blisters that form from beautiful but devilish heels? Ah yes, all true signs of home. But welcoming? Not by a long shot. "Of course, it could just be the fact that I could down an entire pizza right about now that is causing me to think this way." A small laugh escaped from the princess' lips. It was true- in compliance with years of training, she knew better than to avoid eating at least ten hours before an event. Each dress was so perfectly tailored to fit her body that even the slightest bloat could cause for an uncomfortable night or a zipper refusing to work. So yes, the idea of a pizza sounded all too tempting right now. Luckily, light refreshments were to be served there, so she at least had that to look forward to. That, and getting down with Kamaria.

Caroline ran a perfectly manicured finger underneath her right eye, picking up any mascara or eyeshadow that could have fallen. She could have sworn she spotted a spec. And even if there was not one, she was now doubly sure. Blonde hair perfectly curled and left down for the night, a neutral lip color, contour sharp enough to cut a man, and winged eyeliner were the highlights of her look. After years of experimentation, Caroline had finally convinced her mother that she did not need professional stylists to do her hair and makeup; she was clearly capable of doing it herself, as proved time and time again. "Goodness, I genuinely can't stop thinking about it. Can we order a pizza after this thing?" She laughed, voicing her immediate afterthought. "Does this safehouse have an address that would pop up on a pizza company's GPS?" Luckily, this hunger phase would soon pass. After years of this pre-event starvation, Caroline was well-aware of her stages. Confident, sad, grumpy, hungry, relaxed, and then confident once more. She was in that "hungry" phase right now, which meant relaxation and confidence could not be far behind.

With makeup and hair done, her dress was the last part of being ready. But, the princess was not ready to fight with the zipper just yet. So, she remained in her slip and floral robe, taking a seat on her bed as she looked to her dear friend Kamaria. "I can't believe I've been sitting here complaining about something as trivial as pizza, just subjecting you to that kind of torture! I sincerely apologize." She leaned back. "How are you feeling about all of this, Kam? Being away from home, meeting all these other royals, having to deal with me much more frequently? I know that last one must be so difficult!" Another small laugh, but in all sincerity. "Genuinely, what are your thoughts on this whole matter?"

They conversed, they laughed, and Caroline continued craving pizza. Before long, though, the hour drew near for them to leave and attend this ball. Reluctantly, Caroline slipped into a lace, cobalt blue gown that hugged her slim but curvy figure in all the right places. Definitely a bit scandalous for a ball, sure, but it was only young royals here, what could be the harm? As expected, the zipper was harder to sinch around her waist than before, but she managed to slip into it. She slipped on a pair of silver heels, then moving to examine her final appearance in the mirror. As she caught sight of her friend in the reflection as well, a smile spread across her face. "My dear Kam, I don't know how you look so radiant! Seriously, stop showing the rest of us up!" she teased at the end with a wink.

And then they were off. The ball was at the safehouse, so it was not like they needed to catch a ride- the royals couldn't risk them leaving the house, anyway. So, a few flights down and they were in the ballroom. Caroline walked in alongside Kamaria, hearing their names announced as they passed the threshold. "For some place in the middle of nowhere, they clean up nice," the blonde observed, her blue eyes taking in the sight of regal adornments throughout the space. It was not a large space, but more than enough room for a small amount of royals, maybe some of the people keeping the house. Her dress flowed elegantly as she walked through the space with her friend, judging what appeared most appealing. "What are you thinking? Dance now, drink later? Or reverse?"

⫸ 𝐗 𝐀 𝐕 𝐈 𝐄 𝐑
━━━━━━━ "just kicking it at sea level" ━━━

nineteen kingdom of frost tagged;; open

Ah, Prince Xavier of the Kingdom of Frost. Supposedly a vital member of his royal blood, one entrusted with the task of teaming up with other royals to learn and hopefully stop a war. One of the potential heirs to the Frost throne. Someone who was supposed to be a diplomat, supposed to work well with others and speak clearly and elegantly. But Prince Xavier was not his brother. He was not those things. What he was instead? Sitting halfway out of the window to his bedroom, grey pants and white button up neatly tucked, as he attempted to smoke a cigarette without sounding any smoke alarms. He'd been asked not to leave the safe house, at least not for the first night. He wouldn't let that stop him from doing what he felt was needed. Something to bite anxiety's ugly head, ya know? So, here he was, moments before the ball. Alone in his room, mostly dressed, stretching in order to grab a smoke. Damn, he wished he could quit those things.

The ball had since started when he finally decided to leave his space, preferring to show up when a crowd had already formed than having to be the welcoming party. The prince threw on his grey suit jacket, completing the look. This was probably a tie-highly-encouraged event, but nowhere in the information did it require a tie, so Xav opted out of the noose for the night. He spritzed himself with cologne to mask the cigarette stench he inevitably had, and tucked his pack of cigs in his back pocket, just in case. He gave one last glance to the mirror, ensuring his hair was still slicked back in a decent manner. It wasn't as neat as could be, but that was not his style.

Upon arriving to the event, he heard his name announced over the loudspeaker. In response, he immediately trained his gaze straight ahead, avoiding eye contact as he tucked his hands in his pockets at maneuvered to the bar. He took a seat there, mentally declaring it as his spot for the night. He was able to people watch, hopefully avoid the thick of people, and have some alcohol. Not a bad place to be. The bartender approached him and verbally offered the selection of drinks for the night. Of course, though, the prince was a simple man; he already knew he'd be ordering a scotch. Nevertheless, he listened politely, then requested the drink of his choice. Not many people having sat at the bar in that moment, the service was rather quick, for which X expressed his gratitude. He took a small sip of the amber drink, enjoying the way it burned the back of his throat.

[querencia]

Ｍ Ｏ Ｎ Ａ ！ ！
━━━━(age) seventeen (kingdom) ash (tagged) open!

mona grumbled as she bounced back onto the bed of the guest, well, her room and held her hands above her, checking on the drying process of her nails. she'd just gotten finished with them, gold embellishments on top of a brilliant red, real diamonds glittered among st the cold and a low 'hmm' sound came from her. perhaps.. the only good thing about balls were her chances to dress up. she loved it, the long gowns, the makeup, and hair.. it was all so over the top and it was wonderful! but in truth, she would much rather a night out on the town- sneaking out from her home to go to the hottest parties in clubs hosted in abandoned factories. tight dresses, wild hair and all the attention on her. damn, she missed that and now that she's stuck at this house she can't hope of doing that ever again. well, at least she won't have to see her parents faces for awhile. it'd be good for her. and caroline.

later, once her nails were dry she went back to the mirror, the only downside of these nails was that it took longer to do her own makeup, but she'd long outgrown her stylists skill. and preferences. so she got to work, humming as she did so. eye shadow- a fade of white near her inner corner fading into red at the outside complete with winged eyeliner sharp enough to kill. eyebrows, check, mascara, check, her lips were painted her trademark red. mona clucked her tongue once as she finished, she liked it, and a smirk formed on her face when the thought that her parents would not approve at all passed through. now that was her style.

she turned from the mirror to look at the rest of the room and froze. her suitcases were still there, packed still and straining from the amount of stuff inside of them. her teeth clenched, it only hit her now that she hated this. hated this safe house, hated having to go to school with other royals since the generation before messed up so badly. she hated.. them. with a slow, long release of air, mona relaxed her shoulder, not even realizing how tense she'd become from that one moment, then she left the room to get her hair finished. she didn't need to ruin her nails with it.

only once the time for the ball began did mona get into her dress, hair now finished. it was partially up in a high pony, all of it curled and falling around her face and down her back in waves, and she loved it. the looser her hair could be the better. she stepped into the dress, gently pulling the soft fabric up and over her body before an assistant zipped her into her dress. it was a deep red, like her makeup, and strapless with a sweetheart neckline that dipped down far below her chest. scandalous. it fit her like a glove, and it should, it was made for her. besides, everything fit her well.

being fashionably late was another trademark of mona's. she never showed up early, and despite her parent's threats, they'd relented a little on that aspect when they made a deal that she'd dress less scandalously if she had more time getting ready. instantly the thought of her parent's soured mona's good mood but she quickly put on a smile when her name was announced, giving the impression of a perfectly happy princess. her gown flowed around her, seemingly lighter than air as she made her way into the room. it was elegant sure, perhaps too much. they really pulled out all the stops. she immediately took an h'ordeuvres from a waiter- she never needed to watch herself for these events, before her eyes scanned the room for something to amuse herself with.

[ruui]

── ❝ ＰＩＥＲＣＥ ＯＫＥＡＮＯＳ ❞
──────────────────────────────
youngest prince of stream seventeen years tagged cynthia okeanos

There’s no time to waste, the ball’s going to start. Youngest prince of the kingdom of Stream, the boy stood in front on his wardrobe mirror, fixing up his tie and pointed collar. Shuffling the tie from left to right, he couldn’t seem to get it spot on, as it irritated him more and more over time until he had given up. It wouldn’t matter that much anyways. Next up, to fix his hair. Rather picky about styling it in general and much prefer to leave it alone, he knew he could not do that - as it would show how untidy or lazy he was and will not land a good reputation on him or his family kingdom. Sleeking the hair back just slightly with a bit of gel, the prince made sure not to overdo it with excessive gel but just enough to give it a decent look. After finishing his whole hair styling thing, he wasn’t done yet. Looking into the mirror, the boy made sure everything was in check. Pants the right length, no lint? Check. Buttons tidied up? Check. Watch in place? Check. Coat clean? Check. After a proper examine, the prince took a deep sigh and exited his room, his coat over his shoulders and preparing to put it on once he had left.

Pierce walked down the halls, fixing his coat then and there along with his watch. His main thoughts went towards about his sister, eldest sister of the kingdom of Stream, Cynthia Okeanos. They both knew the ball would be important in their family’s name and will give them opportunities as well; he wasn’t so sure about the press getting into and retrieving information from whereabouts. The tidy prince depised the false public rumors that can be spread from just being royal, leaving a disgusted taste in his mouth. He didn’t mind being in royalty too much, but he did mind about the effects of it. It is almost impossible to go anywhere without hearing any fake news about any of the kingdoms, pressured into having to fix the mistakes that may or may not been done already. Never mind that, let’s go back to the ball.

Stepping down the long staircase of stairs, Pierce finally made it down to the ball, clearing his throat before walking in. His first main objective was to find his sister, just to make sure she was alright, before engaging in any other activity. In a good manner, he carefully scanned the area and walked through the doors - making sure he showed no weird suspicions or manners. Where was Cynthia? Glancing back and forth he noticed a familiar figure nervously walking around and quickly came to realize that it was his sister. There she is. Instantly, he walked towards her properly, noticing the small grin and had a sigh of relief. She seemed alright as of now, as he had hoped for. “Dear sister.” He called out softly when he had reached her by her side. “You look like you’re looking for something, marvelous?” He pointed of in obvious, a soft smile appearing. He knew what she was looking for, it was just a treat to point it out for himself and to hear her response now and then. “Did you go through any trouble preparing?” He asked curiously, raising his head to scan the ballroom once more. It was well decorated, he must admit, but thing was - the boy wasn’t too fond of crowded places or liked it, not like it would matter anyways.

[☆ marriage maze ☆]

{ cynthia okeanos ;;; eldest princess of stream ;;; location: her room/ballroom ;;; tagged: pierce }

cynthia's grin stretched her face wider as her brother approached her, a sigh of relief passing her lips. she had been keeping an eye out for him as she scanned the room, unsure if he was even planning on attending. the fact that there was even one other person around who she knew (and as importantly, who knew her) took a considerable load off her shoulders. "hi pierce!" she exclaimed in a subdued but eager tone, her eyes landing just slightly above his head in her customary manner of conversation. for as long as she could remember she couldn't stand to make direct eye contact; it felt like the other person was boring a hole in your face and finding out everything that was inside your head. it made her spine crawl. this oddity had gotten her on an awkward hand with more than a few interviewers, but she wasn't about to make herself uncomfortable just because someone else wasn't willing to think openmindedly. besides, it wasn't like they were people she was friends with.

"i'm not really looking for anything, i don't think," she answered her brother's question, shaking her hands lightly in an attempt at directing her nervous/excited energy. "i'm just...looking. there are so many beautiful people here!" she gushed happily, bouncing on the balls of her feet. indeed, she was nearly overwhelmed by the gorgeous people all around her...but knew she had to keep her emotions in check, lest she cause even more trouble for her poor parents in that regard than she already had in the past. she looked around the room with an almost wistful glace at her fellow royals, a look she was familiar with giving; appreciative, but distant, like a visitor to a museum of fine art.

"i didn't have too much trouble getting ready," she answered his second question, choosing to omit the difficulty she'd had managing her sensory issues. she didn't want him to worry about her more than she knew he did. she felt odd, at times, that he was the one looking out for her and not the other way around. she was the older sibling, after all. however, she greatly appreciated the thought he always seemed to have for her. "what about you, huh? you look nice." she resisted the urge to playfully ruffle his hair, seeing as it looked to have been styled. "dressing to impress?" she joked. she looked around the room once more and frowned softly, making a fleeting connection with his eyes before turning her gaze to a detail of his coat. "are you gonna be okay? i know you don't like crowds..." her heart warmed a little in her reclaiming of the role of eldest. "if you need to step out i'm pretty sure there's a balcony that's not too crowded." she was so glad to have him look out for her that she jumped at any opportunity to return the favor.

[ruui]

── ❝ ＰＩＥＲＣＥ ＯＫＥＡＮＯＳ ❞
──────────────────────────────
youngest prince of stream seventeen years tagged cynthia okeanos

Pierce smiled as noticed her hands directing to how excited and nervous she was. He gave a small chuckle, a bit of worry dissolved with a hint of content. The prince noticed his sister’s common manner, how she never looks directly in someone’s eyes when speaking, which he would respect that and do the same for her. “Of course, everyone’s dressed well.” He nodded in agreement, letting out soft laughs every now and then from watching her excitement bounce. Pierce enjoyed it when Cynthia could let her emotions go free and be as comfortable as possible, but of course, they both knew the consequences if it’s let out for too long or too much of.

He had spaced out for a moment when looking past her at the crowd, until hearing a mention about how he was dressed. “Of course, a one time thing, just for you.” He grinned sweetly in response to her tease. Pierce never quite dressed too fancy or put a lot of effort into what his wore, just as long as he was comfortable enough. “Aw, too bad you can’t mess my hair up this time.” He added with a cheeky teasing tone, knowing her obvious wanting intentions. The prince noticed her slowly appearing frown and rose an eyebrow just slightly. “It’s alright, I’ll be fine.” He suggested with a encouraging smile, appreciating her sister’s worries. “I’ll make sure to step out to the balcony then and now, it’s good to get fresh air anyways.” He grinned suggestively.

The boy messed with his coat a bit before turning his gaze back to his sister. “I wonder if I’ll be able to engage in a conversation with anyone tonight.” He questioned. “I’ll use my great ‘charming’ skills.” He laughed softly, joking around a bit more. Pierce wasn’t exactly the best charmer, but isn’t the worst either, it just depends on who the person is and what they would think. His throat felt a tad dry as he looked around for a simple bar or any refreshments being offered. “If you don’t mind sis, I’ll be going to find something to quench my small thirst.” Pierce gave a simple wave and turn as to say they would meet later, or after he would finish finding anything amidst the crowd of people. “Make sure you don’t slip or scare anyone away while I’m gone, that’s my job.” He added a final joke before leaving with a sweet smile. The prince made his way carefully through the crowd in search of refreshments, perhaps just a simple cup of water was all he needed.

[the 1975]

❝ ＳＥＢＡＳＴＩＡＮ❞
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
( role. frost prince ) ( age. 19 ) ( location. ball ) ( tags. xavier>>mona )

sebastian was all for this ball. it was the perfect networking condition for him. he sighed at the thought of himself once again, sounding like his father. he couldnt help it, it was what he was born for. he didnt too much like it though. seb didnt know if he wanted the throne or not. the networking and meeting new people were fun but some aspects werent.

he looked in the mirror and smirked. he looked good. sebastian never needed anyone to dress him. he always looked dapper and polished, no matter where he went. partially because paparazzi and scouts were everywhere and partially because he just loved looking good. the prince sprayed his neck and torso with his favourite cologne. the sudden scent instantly made memories rush to his head. caroline... he thought. sebastian's smile slowly faded and he let out a weary sigh. he hadnt communicated with the ash princess since they broke up for what sebastian assumed was the last time. throughout it all, he was actually starting to like her. he let her in a little at a time so she knows more than most. she always told him it was okay to feel and once he allowed himself to, they had to break it off. the details, too messy and complicated to even allow himself to get into. he shook his head, hoping to erase the sudden tsunami of emotions and memories in his brain. he looked up in the mirror and forced a solemn face. "actually, im going to ditch the jacket." he spoke then tossed it on his bed and began adjusting his cufflinks. he nodded in approval and left his room.

the prince slowly made his way down the staircase when he spotted his brother. the young male smiled and gracefully made his way over to him. when he reached him, he placed a careful hand on his shoulder. "brother. you look dashing." he teased. seb knew his brother wasnt the type of guy who wanted to be in the spotlight, much less be at a ball. seb sat next to his brother at the bar but made sure as to keep one foot on the floor. he waved over the bartender and ordered his favorite drink, scotch. "the oldest scotch you have." he told the barkeep then returned his attention to his brother. "i would ask where your tie is but i feel as if i already know." he spoke smoothly with a small chuckle. sebastian admired his brother and sometimes wished he could be like him, himself. sebastian came to the conclusion that he did not know who he was, but instead he knew what they groomed him to be and at the current moment in time, he had to be okay with that. once his drink was in his hand, he brought the glass to his nose and inhaled deeply. "there is a lot you can tell about a man by what he drinks." sebastian smirked and took a sip of his scotch. "i suppose i should start to mingle, you should join me. perhaps we will find you a girlfriend."

and with that, he stood and began to walk into the crowd. he spotted caroline and instantly decided to go the other direction. he looked amongst the young royals. seconds later he saw mona. he smiled as he approached her. she was carolines little sister but that didnt really matter to him in that moment. "you look ravishing this evening mona." suavely he took her hand and brought it to his soft lips. he kissed it sweetly, not breaking eye contact with her. "red was created with you in mind."

[☆ marriage maze ☆]

{ cynthia okeanos ;;; eldest princess of stream ;;; location: ballroom ;;; tagged: xavier }

"see you later!" cynthia chirped as her brother departed, putting a polite hand over her mouth to stifle her giggle. he seemed set towards having a good time tonight, which made her happy. she silently hoped that he would be able to make nice conversation with someone, maybe even strike up a kind of friendship; it would be good for him, she thought. she knew he was much more adept with social manners than herself, which made him a much better candidate for building (or healing) relationships with other countries and their royals.

she stood quietly for a short moment, wavering in her heels as well as in the momentary loneliness. her heart jumped in a small flare-up of anxiety as she scanned the room once more for a familiar face. much to her relief, she found one lingering by the bar in the form of xavier, one of the twin princes of frost (and, to be truthful, the one she preferred). they were well acquainted with one another, their equivalent social awkwardness leading to a fast friendship. cynthia stretched up tall and waved, though she was pretty sure he couldn't see her, then made her way over to the bar, weaving through people in the room a bit haphazardly in her unfamiliar shoes.

"hi xav!" she said excitedly, quickly taking a seat on an adjacent stool at the bar. "oh, just water, please," she answered to the bartender's question soon after she sat down: she made a habit not to drink. she didn't dare inhibit herself any more than her brain already did for her. she held in in both of her hands and took a slow sip, her eyes screwing up a bit at the coldness of the ice. it wasn't the most plesant sensation for her, but pretty much bearable. "so this is your spot for the night, huh?" she quipped, swinging her legs out in front of her idly. she was well aware of his preferred level of mingling at these sorts of things, which was to say as little as possible. it made her a little sad, and she wondered if he was ever lonely, but what was best for him was best for him in the end, she reasoned.

[valkyrie,]

✰ --- ❝ ＫＡＭＡＲＩＡ ＤＡＳＯＳ ❞

--- seventeen, cisfemale, heterosexual, princess of timber, tagg. caroline, mood. goofball™

"everyone never sees the true purpose of a ball!", kamaria replied back to her friend as she leaped up on the bed. you was able to see her in the mirror, while caroline was perfecting her makeup. the young princess grinned, "but to be brutally honest, i think it's misogynic for women, who disagree with dressing up in pretty gowns or winning a man's heart!... oh well, can't change time.", she jumped down from the bed. the girl could've been doing things better than attending a ball in a safe house. why was she forced to attend something that was so boring? however, kamaria only attended for caroline and sterling. they were her favourite people at the safe house; she could trust them. turning her head to the word 'pizza', kamaria eyes sparkled. pizza was everything to her. she would eat the food whenever she would be working. yes, she loved working and eating pizza. "yes! pizza is something that i need. who doesn't want pizza right now?", the princess twirled around in her robe.

kamaria took some of her hair and tied it up in a high bun. her braids were light, so it wouldn't hurt her neck at the ball. her hair were fight to match her gown, which was black. her brown eyes stared in the mirror. ka choose a simple looks since she didn't like much make up. the princess raised an eyebrow at her friend, "of course, we will definitely give you pizza, princess.", she said in a british accent. a slight hum left her mouth as she went over to her phone. it was playing music from older decades. music soothed her when she didn't want to do things. ka grabbed a brush and started to sing the lyrics of the song as she ran around the bed room. the princess enjoyed running around the room like a fool. "probably... maybe not... i really don't know.", kamaria sung as she continued to dance around.

kamaria stopped twirling around to sit next to caroline. her eyes looked at her friend with a smile, "it's fine, care! i can talk about pizza all the time. " she replied to the blonde. bitting her lip at the question, the young princess shrugged. "i do miss my home and my parents... but, i'm not completely sure about the other royals. what if they aren't kind or not weird? i need weirdos in my life, like you.", kamaria answered the question. she laughed, "i would never get tired of you. now, my brother, that's another issue.".

the girls talked as they got ready. kamaria sported a black dress. the dress fitted her small body, which she liked to hide. getting some held from a worker to zip it up, ka looked in the mirror with caroline. afterwards, she stepped in some silver flats. the other princess had on a beautiful blue gown; it looked pretty on her best friend. "who knows? i might be the best dressed at the ball. you will never know.", kamaria waved her hands in the air as if she was putting care in a trance.

the princess thought she could, eventually, get use to the safe house. she just needed to know who she was dealing with. the two named where announced as they made their way passed the threshold. smiling at the place, ka nodded in agreement. it was very clean for a small ball. her eyes looked at the royals as she answered caroline's question. "uh, drinks first then dance. ", the princess smiled at the girl beside her.

[belle reve]

꧁ 𝐂 𝐀 𝐑 𝐎 𝐋 𝐈 𝐍 𝐄
━━━━━━━ "so that's one gold star for me" ━━━

eighteen kingdom of ash tagged;; kamaria, xavier, pierce

A large grin spread across the blonde's face as her dear friend conceded that they would get pizza. Her hands clapped together and she couldn't help but have a small jump of excitement. "Beautiful! You're a beautiful human!" she exclaimed. "And pizza is a beautiful food." Only Caroline and Kamaria could have a full-on discussion over something as trivial as pizza, let alone when they were in their fanciest attire and about to attend a formal event. An interesting duo, to say the least.

As Ka moved to dance around the room, Caroline allowed herself to be taken by the music, dancing around the room in conjunction with her friend. Her perfectly curled hair flew back and forth, and a brilliant smile played across her face. It was moments like these that were special, where she felt like she just exist, just have fun without trying too hard one way or another. Either Caroline was the perfect, diplomatic princess, or the party girl keeping her reputation under wraps. But right now, just dancing with her friend, it was such a pleasant moment. It was fun. It was joyful. However, all the spinning around caused a wave of nausea to loom over her head, and Caroline found her way to the bed as smoothly as she could.

She tucked her blonde locks behind her shoulders, sitting back and trying to avoid portraying the sudden feeling of illness. She breathed through it, instead apologizing for her usual desire for junk food. They transitioned to the topic of feelings toward this whole new arrangement. Caroline nodded in understanding. Of course the girl missed her home and her parents. Who wouldn't? Granted, both Care and her sister felt some relief. For the princess, it was an opportune time to get out of the house, to avoid confronting what was coming. But when one had better relations with their home, missing it made complete sense. Then she voiced her unsure emotions toward the other royals, eliciting a slight laugh as she mentioned how she was a weirdo. "I'm happy to be a weirdo with you." She sat forward slightly, offering her two cents on the royals bit. "The royals I know here- most of them, at least- are actually quite nice." As a skilled diplomat in the making, it only made sense for her parents to bring her along when they visited other kingdoms. And when she would go to these kingdoms, dinner would usually be had the the families. Henceforth, Caroline had come to know many of their housemates on some level. "Granted, I've only met most in a formal setting, but they seem pleasant enough. Though I sincerely hope they're weirdos, too."

The nausea dissipated, thank goodness. They were soon back on their feet, making final preparations. Her dear friend really did look stunning, and Caroline had no doubt that her friend's words were true: she probably would be the best dressed at the ball! Kamaria clearly had impeccable fashion sense. And Care's suspicions were confirmed as she entered the ball. Certainly, though, everyone looked beautiful. Caroline chose to admire the scenery more than the people, however, afraid of a face she might find. Her friend picked drinks first, and she proudly led the way to the bar. She greeted the bartender with a dazzling smile. "Good evening, sir!" She pulled her hair in front of her right shoulder, listening to the selection of beverages for the night. "Would you be so kind as to make us two margaritas?" As soon as she placed the order, a pesky little predicament returned as a reminder in her mind. "Actually-" she corrected herself cooly, "would you mind making one of them virgin? Thank you so much!" She turned to Ka, recognizing that it may be out of character for her not to have some alcohol-induced fun at any event. So, in attempt to save herself, she casually explained, "I kind of pregamed and do not want to be too tipsy as a first impression with anyone." A lie, but an effective one.

They were given their margaritas, and Caroline leaned back against the bar, allowing her blue orbs to scan the area. Someone else at the bar had caught her attention, and she turned her head to see Xavier. Of course. She shot him a short smile before turning back to her friend, trying to ignore the obvious. "So, see anyone interesting that you'd like to talk to?"

As she sipped at her nonalcoholic drink and scanned the small crowd, her eyes soon caught sight of one person she did not want to see. A wave of anxiety rushed over her and she bit her lip, unable to tear her gaze from Sebastian right away. As it looked like he might be about to look in her direction, she quickly averted her gaze, all too perkily saying, "Ooo! I found someone!" Anything to get her attention away from her ex she was keeping so much from. She grabbed a hold of her friend ad pulled her ahead, almost running into a dashing young man. While she may have met him once in passing, it was not long enough to have a lasting impression, so it was someone she needed to introduce herself to. If she remembered from her studies of the other royals, his name was Pierce of the Oceans Kingdom. "Hi there!" the princess greeted confidently, plastering on her trademark smile. "Princess Caroline Flamouria, pleasure to meet you."

⫸ 𝐗 𝐀 𝐕 𝐈 𝐄 𝐑
━━━━━━━ "just kicking it at sea level" ━━━

nineteen kingdom of frost tagged;; sebastian, cynthia

Xavier began subtly tapping his fingers to the beat of the music as absentmindedness took over. He had scotch, a remaining relaxation from the recent nicotine-induced breaths, and music that wasn't absolutely horrid. Believe it or not, the curators of the ball selected a decently wide arrange of music, allowing even someone like this prince, who doesn't listen to the radio, to enjoy a few songs. Of course, he still wanted to leave, kick off his shoes, and do essentially anything other than this, but what else would one expect from the trademark "troubled" kid? However, it was his duty to stay here. To show the strength of his kingdom in conjunction with his brother, and meet other royals. He was sure his brother would do just fine at handling that last part. Xavier would do the being present part, at least.

Speak of the devil-- The next thing Xavier knew, his relaxed state was disturbed by someone coming to interact with him. Luckily, it was someone he didn't mind, who he would actually want to see. "Brother," he greeted warmly, a smile brightening up those ever-distressed features. He let out a light laugh at Sebastian's teasing compliment. "Good to see you showed up." His brother took a seat, which Xavier perceived as a sign that they'd be engaging in some conversation. This was fine with him, seeing that he was at ease with his twin. He nodded in approval at his drink order- while they may have differed in many aspects, they were both equally refined in their choice of alcohol.

Then Sebastian moved to remark on his tie. X jokingly rolled his eyes. "I'm surprised it took you this long to notice." Not wearing a tie to an event so formal as this? A sin, in their parents' book. He eyed him curiously, a smirk slithering its way across his lips. "As if you're one to talk. No suit jacket? What kind of a madman are you?" He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head and making a tsk tsk sound. Neither of them exactly fit the perfect, princely appearance that would be expected at such an event. "What do you presume the dear King and Queen would say if they saw our appearances?" Even without a coat, though, Sebastian still managed to look just as regal as any of the men, fully dressed for a ball. Xavier didn't know how he managed it, if it was the way he carried himself or if he just exuded some royal aura.

Seb was given his drink, to which he also had a comment for. He slightly raised his own glass in agreement, then threw back the rest of the amber liquid in his glass. The prince turned to the bartender, Kindly requesting for a refill. As the man went to fetch more scotch, his twin spoke once more, eliciting another laugh. "You want me to mingle? Goodness, brother, what's in that scotch?" He further laughed at the girlfriend comment, shaking his head. As much as he wanted to resist, Xavier knew he would end up joining his brother in networking. This was in part due to his awareness of his brother's stubbornness and persuasiveness. However, he also recognized that, despite his personal feelings toward having royal blood, he did have a duty to his kingdom and his country. "How about you bring whoever you want to speak with with back here?" he half-joked. "That way we can mingle and have a direct line of conversation inducers." He held up his glass to further illustrate what he meant by "conversation facilitators," then proceeding to take advantage of another opportunity to drink. It seemed like the best of both worlds to him, and lord knows Xavier wouldn't approach someone in hopes of conversation.

As could be expected, his brother soon departed, and Xavier found himself hoping against all hope that poor Sebastian would not run into Caroline. The hope increased as Caroline briefly came to the bar and offered the most awkward smile he could imagine. Xavier just met her stare with a clearly poisonous gaze. He knew what she did to hurt his brother, and didn't want anything to do with it. Luckily, she left and the scotch eased him out of worry and anger. Xavier accepted his solitude in a crowded room once more, occasionally sipping at his scotch at discerning just how many of the royals he knew here. Sebastian-- obviously. One. Caroline- vaguely. Two.

"Hi, Xav!" And Cynthia Okeanos. Three. Xavier offered a smile to the bundle of energy that bounded his way and took a seat beside him. "Little C! How are you?" he greeted her affectionately. She was an old friend, formed over their shared inability to make friends, oddly enough. Although the reasons hindering them from many friendships may vary, they still could relate to one another. And in the time they've known each other, he'd actually come to appreciate her positive attitude and quirks. A welcome difference from his normally sudden composure. He laughed slightly as she ordered a water- not at her. "I think you're the first person I've met that doesn't immediately go for alcohol at an open bar." Part of him wished he didn't so easily reach for a smoke or a drink, but it had become such a staple for him.

She asked if the bar was his spot for the night, to which he nodded. "Best spot in the house, too." He took back another sip of scotch, gently setting the glass back down on the bartop. "How have you been, Little C?" It hadn't been too long since Xavier had last seen his friend, but quite a lot had changed, such as the fact that they were practically housemates now. "Any potential friends this evening?"

[☆ marriage maze ☆]

{ cynthia okeanos ;;; eldest princess of stream ;;; location: ballroom ;;; tagged: xavier, mona (mentioned), caroline (mentioned), kamaria (mentioned)}

she smiled over the rim of her glass at the comment about her choice of drink, her eyes catching the glint of a bottle just slightly behind xavier's head. "i wouldn't dare trust my mouth like that," she admitted with a small chuckle, "what with me and my broken filter already. it would be a disaster." it wasn't the sort of thing she likely would have said to anyone else; it was embarrassing, after all, to be so out of control of your brain that you couldn't even drink at a party. but her friendship with xavier felt as though it were removed from those kinds of social mores, out of the lens of the public eye and something more genuine, more freeing. even now her posture was more relaxed, slumping out of the press ready harsh angle it had been when she came in the door. she felt more like a real person.

"things have been ---" she started to answer xavier's question of how she was doing, but paused halfway through, realizing it was something she needed to think about a little. "they've been alright, i suppose. i'm really excited. but so nervous, too. it's kind of an odd setup, isn't it?" she placed her drink by the lip of the bar and laced her fingers together, laying her hands in her lap. "how have you been? are you settling in okay?" though she knew that the ball definitely wasn't his scene, she wanted to get a sense of how he felt about their new situation as a whole, a part of that same give-what-you-get attitude towards positive attention she'd given her brother not a few minutes earlier.

she lightened up considerably at xavier's question about potential friends, her spine cracking audibly as she straightened up to look around the room once more. "let's see..." now with a more focused (and less nervous) eye, she noticed familiar faces that had gone unseen before hand. "oh, there's mona!" she exclaimed happily as she caught sight of the familiar dark hair and eye catching red gown. she and the girl in question were acquaintances, and had hit it off rather well the few times they'd met, but cynthia's ineptitude with technology had proven a considerable roadblock to their friendship. she hoped somewhat that being in the safe house, where they'd see each other face to face much more often, would kindle the spark of that friendship into a regular bonfire.

"and i think thats ---" again she cut herself off, though with more of a gulp than a pause for thought as she put a name to the face she saw at a distance. caroline flamouria. just her luck. the few interactions the two girls had had previously were, to be brief, unpleasant (for cynthia, at least). it wasn't even as though anything explicitly bad had happened, like they had yelled at each other or whatever; it was just tense. there was an air about caroline that made her shiver. something about how she seemed so poised and polite, so perfect...and yet at the same time, so fake. it made cynthia distressed. jealous, too, perhaps, but she quickly pulled herself off of that therapist's couch before she could get any deeper, thank you very much. "uh, caroline," she finished her thought lamely. still watching, she realized caroline was talking to none other than her brother, which made her stifle a dull laugh. that would surely be entertaining, she thought to herself.

shaking her head as if to clear it, her eyes scrambled to find an unfamiliar face -- and soon got their wish, with the elegantly dressed princess of timber. cynthia recognized her from a photo she'd seen in the news once, but nothing beyond that. a new opportunity for sure. "the timber princess, maybe," she provided as what was finally a real answer to xavier's question. "kamaria, i think her name is? do you know anything about her?"