[center][color=royalblue][h3][i]Valentine/Edelessa of Luxième[/i][/h3][/color][/center]

Her Highness Crown Princess Edelessa Sofia Valentine Blanchefleur had run out of the initial reception the first moment she could possibly manage to do so before vanishing entirely for several hours thereafter.  She turned up again too late to make it to the ball in a timely manner as well, much to the chagrin of those responsible for ensuring that she did.  In the end she shut the door to the room where she was dressing to dampen the noise of their damnamble fussing.  She was only going to show up at all because Anton had asked, after apologizing and promising he'd figure something out.  [i]Of course that's what he said [b]last[/b] time,[/i] she thought uncharitably, checking her eyeliner in the mirror and turning to look at the dress laid across her bed.  She shivered.  The sheets smelled like laundry freshner -- she'd have to figure out a way to deal with that before she went to bed, but not right now.

The dress itself was nice, a dark blue the color of midnight.  It was neither tight enough nor short enough to be the classic black cocktail dress, but it was close enough, with a sarong-style wrap edged in a subdued ruffle layered atop the skirt and a close-fitting top.  The gently ruffled collar was of the same material as the border, silk of midnight shot with sapphire.  It widened enough to cover the tops of her shoulders where the short sleeves parted, a very cute style.  And if she was at home, maybe she'd have enjoyed wearing it.  As things stood, she dreaded stepping outside her room.

Anton had waited for her, and she was both pleased and annoyed to see him.  Valentine had not yet forgiven him for the mess they were in, and he was vain enough that his presence would destroy any chance she had of slipping in the door without being announced.  Just having him announced would put so very many eyes where they might stray to her.

Unless....

She stopped where their path forked, the main way leading to the front door of the building and the other heading around to one of the ornamental gardens that surrounded it.  "Distract them for me?" she pleaded, eyes fixed on the illuminated entryway, lights bright in the beginnings of dusk.  She waited long enough for his reluctant acquiescence before hurrying off down the other branch of the walk.

It wasn't far enough into the night for the guests to be done greeting each other, and Valentine was all but alone outside as she waited, checking her watch on its silver bracelet.  Five minutes, he'd said, but the seconds ticked by so slowly.  At fifteen seconds before the time she approached the door, intending the flow of conversation to cover whatever noise the latch might make.  It worked beautifully.  A couple people noticed as she slipped inside but nearly all of them were immediately distracted by a man announcing the arrival of his highness Andronikos Telesphorides of the Athenian Federation, and his various other titles.  She moved away from the door to find a corner where she could be a wallflower for the rest of the evening, letting her gaze run over the crowd as she did.  That one could only be the prince from the Texas Sovereignty, wearing business casual and a hat that screamed cowboy.  And there was someone in a suit of armor?!  Maybe those two would occupy enough attention to let her skate through unnoticed.  The fellow in Pólemesian attire was similarly eye-catching, and were she not so anxious Valentine would have admired the outfit.  He looked like something out of one of her games -- so did the person in armor, actually.  She wished she had that kind of courage, to put herself on display like that, but the mere thought made her shaky.

The green suit of one the Talulian twins drew her eye, especially as Valentine was on heightened alert for the pair.  Akio Bai of Talulia was the man she was to be foisted off on, and she was not at all ready to face him.  He and his brother looked nearly alike, and were standing near the dance floor in the middle of the room.  At least their attention seemed to be elsewhere.  She would have to thank Anton later, for agreeing to help.  She was certain that if she'd come in the front way she would have panicked and fled.  As it was, she already wanted to.  So many people!  She'd done a little research into the guest list on the flight over, but she'd been secure in the knowledge that she was there to support Anton's endeavors, and that little attention would be paid her.  How wrong she'd been!  She would have done more between the welcome ceremony and now, but the thought had been pushed out of her mind by the surprise engagement.  [i]Not like you are going talk to most of them anyhow,[/i] she reminded herself, trying to even out her breathing.  It was hard to mess up names if you never tried to use them.

She eventually tucked herself by a gathered curtain and did her best to blend in with the fabric.  It was a poor effort, given that the curtain was crimson and her own attire dark, but if she kept her face hidden perhaps she would be mistaken for a shadow and left alone.  Or perhaps a bodyguard.  It was a slim chance, but the best one she had.  Above all, she hoped that Prince Akio would not recognize her.  She'd not been at the ceremony long, and she'd managed to keep herself from ever being put in the spotlight directly.  She'd been all but forced into wearing her hair up, too, so she looked somewhat different from normal, even with the peekaboo bangs.  Maybe that would be enough.  If she was lucky.