"Th... there's... everything is fine, Dame Marianne, Dame Viviane" replied Fanilly, when the older girls approached, taking a deep breath as she did. Yes. Everything would be fine, she was certain. It'd... have to be. She was not about to make her first formal function as Captain of the Iron Rose Knights into a mess. She had to show she was capable of leading them in any scenario. She couldn't fail them, and she couldn't fail herself. Not on the battlefield, and not here. That meant handling this properly.

"Dame Martina and I have indeed, er..." Ah, she couldn't just start stumbling over herself so now... but this was more people in one party then she'd ever seen before. Many of those who were not a part of the Iron Roses were growing rather close, to listen in on their conversation. She took a deep breath. "We've met before. But, er, Dame Martina, that was very sudden and... a little embarrassing."

A little was an understatement, really. "And thank you, for the apology, Sir Gillian. We're at this party to meet the Princess on her request, and I'm certain she would rather see us behaving politely."

Admittedly, Fanilly had never met the Princess. She only knew the girl was not far off of her own age, and that she was very popular with the common folk and many nobles. But, well, she was a princess, and politeness was only proper at a formal gathering.

It was about then, however, that she noticed a little girl in a highly ornate dress had approached them. Probably one of the Noble's daughters, though the white hair, red eyes, and extremely pale skin was very striking. "Oh, hello, are your parents near..."

She trailed off, however, when she realized there was a rather enormous sword strapped, carefully, to the little girl's back.

"..."

The noble girls surrounding Ian grew even more excited, at this point.

"You've been to Velt?!" exclaimed the first girl.

"What was it like there?! Did you get to see the Reonite Cathedral?!" cried the third. Velt was home to the two largest centers for the worship of the goddesses, an enormous cathedral and temple in the country's capital, for Reon and Mayon respectively.

"Velt's not [i]that[/i] exciting," remarked the black-haired girl, flatly, "My cousin lives there."

Regardless, the three did lead the hundi knight further inward, towards a set of comfortable-looking armchairs.

"Oh, our names, Sir Knight... My name is Mariegolde Tielane," introduced the first girl, her flowing blonde hair swishing as she turned in front of the chairs to curtsy.

"My name's Angenese Barthel!" declared the other blonde brightly, curtsying enthusiastically.

The third was looking rather bored, and distracted, her curtsy noncommittal.

"Violette Cadrenne," she introduced herself, flatly, before sitting down.

Of course, not a few moments later, there was a stir at the front of the room.

"Presenting the Young Lady of the Throne and the Heir Apparent, Princess Eliabelle Tanenway Falthaen!"

Fanilly, who had been utterly baffled by the little girl with the enormous sword, looked up in time to see the girl stride out. She was smiling brightly.

[url=http://safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=1352549]Princess Eliabelle was known for many things. Her friendly demeanor, her popularity, and her beauty[/url]. Her elaborate dress was tailored, it was rumored, by an elven seamstress from beyond distant Lethienvel, although this seemed far too unlikely to be true.

She stopped before the thrones where her parents, occupied with other matters, would usually sit.

"It's wonderful to see you all!" she said, brightly, "But, I must admit, my reason for holding this function was both to grant everyone a pleasant time shared with friends, and to meet the Iron Rose Knights! I would be delighted if they would take some time to speak with me."

She curtsied.

"Thank you!"