Camilla smiled happily pleased to be having the desired effect on Cydric. She piroutted slowly, the hem of her dress lifting slightly as she did so, although the effect was somewhat spoiled by the bejeweled scabbard clacking against her leg. Cydric looked dashing in his gold and silver outfit, the armor burnished and shining, the ornate wolfs sword hanging at his hip. 

[b]"Well you certainly look the handsome young hero,"[/b] she said with a pleased grin. She slipped her arm in his and leaned over to pluck a crumb of cheese from his sleeve. A large mirror cast their reflection back at them from the back wall and she had a moment of regret that she hadn't thought to find a wolf fur cloak for Cydric. It was probably just as well, they didn't want to claim too much of the local color it would seem put on.

They reached the entrance chamber for the grand hall just as the last of the guests were being ushered into the hall. Beyond the great oaken doors she could here the booming announcements of this lord and his lady or that Burgess and his goodwife. Camilla steered Cydric into an alcove for a moment to let the announcements conclude.

[b]"Remember everything I said, and don't worry about the dancing Ill talk you through it,"[/b] she concluded her lecture on the basics of etiquette. From the glazed look in Cydric's eyes he wouldn't remember a tenth of it. She supposed if he managed to bow and smile in the right places that would have to do. 

After a moment they stepped out into the hall and moved into the chambers. To uniformed ushers were just beginning to sit down to relax, a leather bottle of what probably wasn't water in the hands of one, when the came into view. Both men jumped up with slightly put upon expressions. They looked at the pair a little askance.

[b]"Introductions have already finished My Lord,"[/b] the nearer of the two men began appologetically.

[b]"Obviously they have not," [/b]Camilla cut in her voice cold and rolling with the Brettonian accent.

[b]"They are just about to start the music for the Gra..."[/b] Camilla arched an eyebrow cutting the man off in mid sentence.

[b]"Then, obviously, you ought to hurry and introduce us, wouldn't want us to have to break in during the middle of the Graf's fanfare would you?"[/b] her voice was syrupy sweet but her hand rested coincidentally on her dagger, the other still looped through Cydric's arm. The ushers exchanged glances and then both grabbed their ceremonial staves, not as weapons, but as part of their duty.

[b]"How should we introduce you?"[/b] the older of the two men asked as he straightened his cap.

[b]"Reiner Wulfhoften and Vivvienne Du Couronne, Friends of the Court," [/b]she said taking one final look to make sure both she and Cydric were presentable. She squeezed his arm encouragingly and leaned her head briefly against his before straightening into an appropriately regal posture.

The ushers heaved on the vast wooden door and they began to swing ponderously open. Due to her earlier and deliberate delay the sudden opening of the doors caused and instant lull in conversation and every eye turned to look towards them. Camilla smiled to herself, what you learned from a mountebank's show you could turn to your advantage in the court of Princes. The delay had made their entrance a unique event, rather than part of the proccedure of the evening. In the sudden quiet that followed  the ushers staff crashed deafeningly to the flagstones.

[b]"Reiner Wulfhoften and Vivvienne Du Couronne, Heroes of the Talabec and Friends of the Court,"[/b] one of them boomed out in a stentorian voice. Heroes of the Talabec? The Graf's niece sitting on the high plinth in one of the semi-thrones reserved for the Graf's family jumped to her feet and began to applaud. It spread like an infection through the crowd until everyone was applauding with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

[b]"Ranald's balls,"[/b] Camilla said, her lips hardly moving and the whisper only loud enough to carry to Cydric's ear.

[@POOHEAD189]