Anton inclined his head to Mai, trying very hard to maintain his composed mask (a task made mildly more difficult by the faint pink marks that were beginning to spread across his cheek). “Ah yes, of course, my lady. Forgive me, an easy mistake to make. Lusitanian ladies – with or without a layer of cosmetics – are seldom so impulsive and shortsighted. Familiarity has led to complacence, I’m afraid.”

He had been about to word-vomit some more, but was stopped from it by the… flouncing arrival of …. [i]Prince Alejandro Alvaro Augila de Augustin, eh?[/i] Internally he was grateful for the reprieve, but he hid it behind a slightly amused smile and look of interest. This man… really was something. He’d read of the prince, of course, but it’s quite one thing to [i]read[/i] the words on paper, and quite enough to see that… that abomination in front of you.

He inclined his head slightly at the other prince’s antics but said nothing by way of introduction. In fact, he would not have said anything were it not for the arrival of Edwin Drakewine of Britannia. Despite his best efforts, Anton’s eyebrow slid up his forehead a few millimeters as he contemplated the Britannian’s attire. Gods save him, he looked like he’d waltzed right out of Arthurian legend. Nevertheless, graces must be paid – it would not be wise to piss off the prince of the absurdly wealthy nation that bordered his own.

Anton offered a small bow to the Britannian prince, in part as a show of grace and in part to cover the tiny smirk that threatened to burst onto his mostly impassive face. “Well met, Prince Edwin.” He said, the moment he could be sure he wouldn’t slip. “It is an honor that you would make such a request, but would it not be more prudent to wait? The dancing is likely about to start and I would not want you to miss your first dance with your betrothed. Surely we can converse after the festivities of the night are concluded?” He gestured to the string quartet tucked away in one corner of the room, the musicians beginning to tune for the long night ahead.
[hr][hr]

Liv wanted to slap him again as he brushed her off as being impulsive and shortsighted. How dare he … after everything that he’d done he had the nerve to accuse [i]her[/i] of being the shortsighted one?! But the rational part of her mind finally seized her firmly and forced her into silence, forcing her to straighten up and shut her mouth, her slightly quivering jaw and tensed shoulders the only indication of how angry she was.

Anger was soon replaced by pure confusion as the prince of Castilya … sashayed up to them. This… what. He was dressed simply enough, until one happened to glimpse the gleaming amethysts dangling from his earlobes, the strands of them tangled around his neck. How confusing. Was he planning to imbibe heavily, and actually had the foresight to seek the gods protection….? 

She blinked at him dumbly for a moment as he greeted Mai most … exuberantly. And Niklas. Part of her was bracing to have to introduce herself but she was mercifully saved from that by the arrival of none other than Edwin. A wave of relief washed over the girl as the young man worked his way into the group – finally, someone who was definitely on her side in this situation. And might well be the only one in the group to act at all predictably.

She looked him up and down for a moment as he strode over to the group. He kind of looked like a prince or a knight straight out of one of those children’s fantasy books she’d once read… not that the look was ill-suited to him.

She flushed a bit and dipped a small curtsy as he addressed her as “my lady”. No one had /ever/ called her that. Not even the servants at home. She hesitated for a second too long before giving him an altogether too simple greeting. “Ave, my lord.” At that point she fell silent as Edwin addressed Anton – about a BUSINESS PROSPECT, of all things? It was also at that moment that she realized he’d seen that her expression was “troubled”…. Had he seen her outburst? Oh, gods. She’d rather die than have to answer to him about that.

Noting that the exchange about politics seemed to be over, she stepped closer to Edwin and gently reached to touch his arm to get his attention, speaking quietly and gesturing in the direction of the tables of food. “Have you not eaten anything today? You were not seen at breakfast… And it would be not excellent if you were to faint while going to dance.” Her mouth curled a bit at the awkwardness of the expression “not excellent” but she knew better than to try to correct herself. People’s minds tended to process things more smoothly as long as the incongruence wasn’t pointed out.