Mai watched with sharp eyes as Anton took in her words, though her face was arranged in an open, lightly amused expression. She noted the slight blush that appeared on his cheeks with indifference-it was his words that she was more concerned with. [i]'Seldom so impulsive and shortsighted', hmm? Is this boy trying to start a war, saying that right in front of Liviana and all the rest of us?[/i] Mai mentally arched an eyebrow. She'd known about the rather backwards views that the Athenian Federation and Lusitania held about women, of course, but to see it so prominently displayed in person? [i]I would have thought that he'd have more tact than that, especially in front of Niklas and Fareeha, but apparently not. Or he's doing it on purpose, to goad them into a confrontation-not likely, no, but always an option. Nevertheless...[/i]

Mai's train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of Prince Alejandro Álvaro Aguíla de Agustín of the Kingdom of Castilya. Mai grinned inwardly. [i]Alejandro is so entirely ridiculous that people can't help but to like him,[/i] she observed. [i]Or, of course, hate him. I really do not know if there is any sort of middle ground with him.[/i] Alejandro was a flamboyant, outrageous riot of color and airy gestures and flowery pet names who also happened to possess the peculiar ability of knowing [i]everything[/i]. Mai had learned from her previous visits to Castilya to never, ever question how Alejandro [i]knew[/i]. To him, it was like asking a woman for her weight.

Alejandro beamed at them, and he planted a kiss on her cheek, addressing her as his 'sweet [i]rose petal[/i]' and 'beautiful [i]ruby[/i]' before giving Niklas an exaggerated once-over. Mai laughed softly at his antics. She had to admit it-she had a weak spot for this outrageous prince. They knew each other because Mai had accompanied her uncle to Castilya multiple times to negotiate trade deals, and although Zhou and Alejandro put together were a volatile combination, it had been great fun gallivanting around the palace with the blonde prince. 

But there was something about him that held Mai back. She didn't completely trust him and his floral suit jackets and enormous jeweled rings. [i]Outrageous is as good of a disguise as any,[/i] she mused, [i]and he simply knows too much for me to blindly trust him.[/i]

Nevertheless, there was no cause for impoliteness. Mai smiled at him in greeting, dipping her head slightly. "Prince Alejandro, it is wonderful to see you once more," she replied pleasantly. "And yes, Prince Niklas Konig of Konigreich der Welten is indeed my betrothed. Niklas, Prince Alejandro-Prince Alejandro, Niklas." Mai had barely finished introducing the two when Prince Edwin Drakewine of the Empire of Britannia, Princess Liviana's betrothed, approached their group and inserted himself into the conversation. He greeted them all as cordially as expected (though without any superfluous gestures or kisses, as Alejandro was inclined to include) and immediately asked Anton about a business prospect. Mai discreetly glanced at Liviana. She appeared slightly flustered by Alejandro's sudden arrival and the entire incident with Anton.

Mai then studied Edwin. Prince Edwin was a formidable figure in the world, what with all of the Britannian Empire at its command. His mode of dress, however, was a bit [i]lacking[/i] to say the least. Mai understood that traditional ensembles were extremely important, but this was...something else entirely. However, it would have been horribly rude for her to comment, so she said nothing. Alejandro held his tongue as well, though he twinkled mischievously at her. After the required greetings, Prince Edwin swept Princes Liviana away-to dance, presumably-leaving the rest of them to decide how to proceed.

Alejandro abruptly turned to Mai, his face slightly scrunched. "Mai!" he said, and Mai immediately knew he was serious (the lack of a flowery pet name gave it away). "Dearie me, I am sorry for being so [i]inexcusably[/i] forward, my rose, but were you responsible for Princess Liviana's make-up?!"

Mai laughed. "Why, how did you know, Prince Alejandro?"

Alejandro nodded to himself, a smug expression on his face. He gave a dismissive little flourish of his hand. "Excellent work, as always, my dear [i]cherry blossom[/i]. I could recognize your touch from an ocean away, my sweet [i]garnet[/i]."

Mai quirked an eyebrow but said nothing. Alejandro glanced in between her and Niklas, and he clapped his hands together. "Well! I'll say, you and your [i]lovely[/i] betrothed should be dancing now, yes?" he waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Mai suppressed a snort of laughter. "Go on, go on, my darling [i]daisy[/i]." He made airy shooing motions with his hand, and turned to Fareeha and Anton with a nigh-on maniacal grin. "So, my lovely [i]buttercups[/i], which one of you would like to dance with little old me? Princess Fareeha, shall we? Hmm. Fareeha, Faree, Eeha...I know! Fifi! You dance quite well, I've heard!" Alejandro's sparkling eyes alighted on Anton. "Or perhaps [i]you[/i] would like to dance, my dear Prince [i]Andronikos[/i]...I like [i]Ronny[/i] better, don't you, my sweet? So! Which one of you shall it be?"

Mai stifled a chuckle behind a gloved hand as she gently tugged Niklas a ways from the rest of them. "Don't mind Prince Alejandro," she told him in a low voice. "He's...something else." She giggled and tilted her head to the side, looking up at him with laughing brown eyes. "Shall we dance, then, as Alejandro suggested?"