[center][h3][color=80B3BA]Liviana Traianus of Lusitania[/color][/h3][/center] [color=f49ac2]“But Liv, you simply must wear a gown! Your mother and father expect it of you!”[/color] The maidservant’s voice, quiet but iron hard, came out of the closet. [color=80B3BA]“I don’t CARE about appearances, Aeli!”[/color] the tiny girl said. She was sprawled out on the bed with her eyes closed. A muffled clatter from the closet only caused her to turn her head away from the sound. [color=80B3BA]“No matter what I wear they’ll think that you’re the royal and I’m the maidservant, so why even bother?”[/color] [color=f49ac2] “Because it’s expected of you.”[/color] The maid stepped out of the closet, holding lengths of silk draped over each arm. “Because you are an heir to your empire and the Gods need to be able to have faith in you and your people need to have faith in you.” She draped the dresses over the princess, then sat down next to her on the bed. [color=f49ac2]“Come now, are you going to get up and behave yourself or do I need to go call your father? He would be angry to be woken up out of bed just because you were throwing a temper tantrum and refusing to wear a gown.” [/color] [color=80B3BA]“I’ll behave. Don’t drag my father into this.”[/color] Liv uncovered herself with the dresses and laid them next to her, then rose to her feet. She glanced at herself in the mirror and looked away, too self-conscious of the differences between herself and Aelia, her best friend and maid-in-waiting. The taller girl held up two dresses of similar styles, rich jewel-toned fabric with heavy gold embroidery. [color=f49ac2]“Violet or sapphire or white, your choice.”[/color] [color=80B3BA]“Let’s go with white. Violet’s too busy for me, especially with my violet cloak.”[/color] Aeli quickly pulled the tunic over Liv’s head. She tied the gold sash at the back and then motioned for Liv to sit down on a chair, as she circled the princess with a black bag full of cosmetics, rather like a lion stalking her prey. [color=80B3BA]“Aeli, don’t even…”[/color] [color=f49ac2]“Yes, Liv, I’m going to. Have to make a good impression.”[/color] It took the better part of an hour, but Aelia managed to make Liv over to her satisfaction. Light lipstick and blush to bring color into her face; gold eyeshadow, winged liner, and heavy mascara to bring sparkle to her eyes. Her hair was curled, by some magic of irons and maximum-hold curling spray. [color=80B3BA]“Aeli, I look as fine as I ever will. Go get yourself dressed. You’re here to be married off just as much as I am.”[/color] [color=f49ac2]“My marriage is not one to change the fate of the Empire. I can be a Cinderella, waiting for my Prince—err… Manservant Charming to whisk me away.”[/color] But Aelia stopped touching up Liv’s makeup and bustled off into the bathroom, reemerging just a few minutes later looking quite regal, for all she wore a plain white gown with minimal embroidery. Liv bit back her jealousy. Aelia had always been a looker. Even when they had been children, Aeli had always been prettier. Her lovely tan skin, and gold eyes, and clouds of chocolate brown curls. Much more royal-looking than the freckly, pale princess. [color=f49ac2]“Liv, it’s about time to go!”[/color] [color=80B3BA]“Right, right.”[/color] Liv mumbled, forcing herself out of her thoughts. She cast one last glance in the mirror. Aeli approached with a length of dark purple silk; she draped it over Liv’s hair and wrapped it around her body. It was the prettiest such wrap that Liv owned, rather sheer silk with metallic gold palm fronds printed on it. [center][hider=Liv’s Outfit, more or less] [img]http://oi65.tinypic.com/2ltndxf.jpg[/img] [/hider][/center] The two girls walked down the hotel stairs together, pausing in the lobby to find their limo driver. Liv sighed. Of course there would be pomp. Realistically she knew that it would be unseemly if the Lusitanian princess arrived like a common person would, in a normal car, but all the same… [color=80B3BA][i]Father should either go all-out with it, or not do any at all. I understand him not being able to accompany me, his tenth-born, not when he has a whole empire to run, but would it be so hard to send a few Praetorian Guards along so that I would not be presented to the Aciras royalty with only my handmaiden as an escort?[/i][/color] Her cheeks faintly flushed in anticipation of the embarrassment, but she kept her head high. The car ride was rather long, as it seemed that there was an endless procession of cars trying to go past the castle. Nonetheless, as the limousine pulled up, Liv soon realized that she was one of the first ones to arrive. The limo attendant stepped out and opened the door. Aeli exited and helped Liv to her feet, then let her lead the way through the courtyard. The short princess held her head high, stretching to her full height. She made notes of all the faces she saw around the dais. The princess of Aciras, and the one who had to be the prince of Egypt, judging from his clothing style, and then… hmm. One extremely military looking fellow… Niklas? Was that the right name? She knew there was a prince named Niklas, who was a prince of Königreich, a military power. She wouldn’t know what he looked like, though, stubbornly clinging to her people’s traditions and refusing to browse social media and thus get a leg up on the world. Usually she left that to Aelia, who only reported bits that were interesting and of political or intellectual nature, and clearly, the pictures of the other royals were not deemed interesting enough. As she approached the steps she curtsied, perhaps a little deeper than was required, but respect was always good to show, at a first meeting. Especially because she’d be one of the youngest people here. She was aware of Aelia curtsying deeply, almost touching the ground, behind her. [color=80B3BA]“Your Majesties, your Highness, it is an honor to meet you. My father and mother, the Emperor and Empress of Lusitania, deeply regret not being here in person; they send their regards.”[/color] She thanked all her gods that it had been English that came out of her mouth, not Latin, as tended to happen when she got nervous in social situations. Her English was good; she only had a slight accent that said Latin was her first language, a habit of trilling Rs and putting emphasis on the wrong syllable. She dared a small smile at Raven, then, when it seemed as though the royals had nothing to say to her, curtsied, little more than a dip, to Niklas, and then to Amun. [color=80b3ba]“Prince Niklas, Prince Amun. It is a pleasure to meet you both.”[/color] She stood off to the side, fairly close to Amun. Aelia stood behind her and to her right a pace, keeping her eyes down and standing in a demure way to try to make her role as servant more obvious. Liv did her best to stand proudly, but it was so damn hard to be proud and powerful when even the shortest people in attendance were six inches taller than her. [hider=summary] [color=80B3BA]Long getting ready montage. Introduction of Aelia, Liv’s (unfairly pretty) best friend and maid-in-waiting, who is the daughter of the president of the Lusitanian Senate. Lots of appearance angst by Liv. Height angst too because it’s REALLY HARD to be taken seriously when you look like you could be ten years old. Greeting [@HaleyTheRandom]’s people, and also [@WilsonTurner]’s and [@Obscene Symphony]’s.[/color] [/hider]