[color=0072bc]"Y-yeah."[/color] Kest was surprised that Veragwen had remember his name. They had only met briefly once before. It was the day after he and his sister had arrived in Seles. Some might think that a man admiring a woman in uniform is a bit creepy, but he didn't care. She helped them settle in to life here.

For the next week, all Kest would talk about was Veragwen. Marmalade found it adorable and teased him every time he mentioned the guardswoman. Now he had a chance to talk to her in a social setting... and he was ruining his chance! A flustered young man stole her attention before he could ask if she would be off at all during the festival. Kest wondered if there was anything he could do to help, but decided to let Vera do her job. Instead, he looked back to make sure his sister was okay.

Everyone looked back into the crowd, at the mer-girl. They were either angry or disgusted. Marmalade looked around. Surely the entertainer didn't mean her. There must be some little girl behind her. Seeing no one, she looked back to the stage and pointed at herself with a quizzical expression. At first, she was going to decline, no sense in riling them into a mob. Plus she didn't know how to dance. Of all thing she learned, that wasn't one. A voice behind her told her to do it. Surely her subconscious wasn't so masochistic..? 

Realizing it was a person and not her imagination, Mara felt like there was no backing out now. She walked forward and the crowd actually split to let her pass. Was this what it was like to have respect? A small swell of pride rose inside of her, but died once she reached the performer.
[color=f7941d]"I don't know how to dance.."[/color] she said quietly, feeling increasingly embarrassed. She looked out and saw Kest watching her. He shot her a questioning look, but smiled none the less.