[center][color=c2e2a7][h3][b]D[/b]omitia [b]V[/b]iriatus[/h3]
[sub][i][b]Interacting with:[/b] Elias Kokinos [@morningstar1399], Edwin Drakewine [@darkwolf687][/i][/sub][/color][/center]

A faint rush of color graced their cheeks as Elias pointed out (amusedly, it seemed) the semantic difference of sparring and dueling. Dom inclined their head to him. “Forgive me. A linguistic difference, I suppose; we address both as the same in Lusitania.” A duel was only fatal if you were sloppy. 

A razor of a smile crossed their lips, becoming arguably more pronounced when he mentioned Dafni. They’d heard of Dafni Kokinos, of course – who hadn’t? A princess, [i]and[/i] an Olympian. And… kind of beautiful.

Thankfully, they were saved from the conversation, and the thought, by the arrival of none other than their betrothed. Try as they might they couldn’t stifle a laugh, inclining their head with a florally eloquent greeting on their tongue, which slipped away for a moment as he produced gifts. 

Liviana had sidled over at some point, even Dom’s powers of observation not keeping track of their aunt’s quiet movements, and stood now slightly off to the side, peering up at Edwin with poorly-disguised adoration in her wide blue eyes.

[i]Poor Livi. She would have done so well with Edwin… but she has a chance here. Not stuck like I would have been.[/i] Dom pushed the thought out of their mind, accepting the offered memory card with a smile and a surprisingly-especially for themself-graceful bow in the ostentatious Brittanian style. The card was quickly tucked away in a pocket in the padded material under their chestplate – by far the least awkward pocket to access in polite company. 

At the remark about the FF they let out a tired sound, some cross between an acerbic laugh and an exasperated sigh. There had been so many interviews and speeches, quotes dredged up from dozens of appearances and thrown together in newsletters to make it seem as though Dom had been doing nothing but singing the organization’s praises.

For a moment they stood quietly, not getting in the way as Edwin offered Liv and Elias their gifts. But with that pleasantry out of the way, they inclined their head to Edwin, stepping a bit closer and extending their hand to clasp with his in a gesture of affection – belatedly remembering that it was not the feminine person’s place to initiate a display of such. But, it was too late for them to retract it.

There were so many things they wanted to ask him, more than a few of which were related to the betrothal that had been very raggedly and hastily arranged upon their last state visit. That said, they could not very well think of a diplomatic way to ask when the wedding had been set for, or if it had even been set at all. 

“I trust the journey was uneventful?” they asked him at last, the formal English heavy and awkward on their tongue. 

[hr][hr]

[center][color=f2aed3][h3][b]L[/b]iviana [b]V[/b]iriatus[/h3]
[sub][i][b]Interacting with:[/b] Edwin Drakewine [@darkwolf687], Ayleanna Lynton [@ayzrules], Genevieve Anders [@lady horatio], Hui-Bawa [@bloonewb] 
[/i][/sub][/color][/center]

Liviana was used to even her niece not seeing her, and felt only a small stab of sadness as the taller person’s gaze slid right over her no fewer than three times. She’d only left her perch behind the orchestra upon seeing Edwin (though her face warmed at the thought of anyone calling her out on it) and carefully made her way through the crowd to greet him. 

The gift of music was graciously accepted, the memory chip quickly tucked away into her clutch. Edwin’s next words, however, made her feel as though the floor had tumbled away under her feet.

Her father was not going to be happy with the Britannian prince. That much money (in itself more than the organization’s yearly funds had been in nearly a decade!) meant publications, advertisements on the internet and maybe even on television, travel funds for speakers to go to schools and city senates, and, of course, the handful of yearly scholarships that would send brilliant young women abroad for their educations.

So many possibilities.

Tears started welling up, though she bid them to stop before they ruined her eyeliner – a handkerchief was pulled from her purse and she delicately dabbed at her eyes, beaming up at Edwin. So many words that she could have said to thank him bubbled up, getting stuck just behind her teeth and fighting to get out.

[i]No. Silence. Father told you not to embarrass him. You can’t speak well enough to adequately convey your thanks, either.[/i] The words died on her tongue and she swallowed them, hoping she didn’t look the part of a totally blubbering idiot, and very deliberately stepped closer to him, awkwardly wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her face into his side, knowing he would be able to feel her tense shoulders and entire body shaking.

She stepped away after a long moment, peering up at him and hoping that had conveyed her message. Offering him a tiny, awkward curtsy, she stepped a respectful distance away and was then confronted by another problem. Qvi was no longer on her shoulder.

[i]Gods damn that pretty little creature[/i], she thought. As she cast around the room in search of the bird (Knowing that it had likely just taken off in frustration at the hug, or perhaps to relieve itself) her gaze settled on none other than the gracious hostess – Lea. 

Gods, who was that [i]with[/i] her? She didn’t know their names, of course she didn’t know their names – her father had not deigned to tell her such trivial information – but he was a veritable giant. 

Timidly, the diminutive princess crossed the room – bringing her fingers to her mouth and whistling out a quiet string of three notes. It was echoed from somewhere in the glitzy chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, though she couldn’t turn to look, knowing the lights would make her dizzy. She whistled it again and there was silence, but soon a grudging flapping of wings surrounded her and Qvi lightly settled on her shoulder, letting out an irritable chirp. 

Just in time, too, as they came face to face with Lea and the prince and princess that Liv didn’t quite recognize. The tiny girl dipped a small curtsy, curls swishing around as she did and tumbling over her shoulder- thankfully the shoulder that didn’t have a bird on it. “Ave, Lea!” she chirped, a bit louder than she initially intended, eyes going wide just a moment later and her hand instinctively coming up to cover her mouth. After a split second, her thin shoulders slumped, the hand being forced to move to a strand of her hair as though casual fidgeting had been the intention all along. 

[i]oh gods oh gods you’re so loud and annoying oh, [b]gods[/b] father is going to kill you if you manage to annoy Lea, Endovelicus save you if he sees you being this much of an idiot…[/i]