[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Ao02GZJ.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/rfW8DQ4.png[/img]
[color=silver][i][sub]A collaboration between [@NeoAJ] & [@Aewin][/sub][/i][/color]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/f1Vdxeh.png[/img][/center]
[color=silver][indent][indent]The day had started early at Arcton Palace. The flight from Arcenia to Aciras was over twelve hours with no stopovers. With the flight departing at six, the two princesses set on their long journey had little time to rest and say their goodbyes to everybody. Boarding the flight in comfortable, but dressy attire, the first thing on Arabelle’s agenda was to take a couple hour-long nap before being dressed up by the half-dozen palace staff the princesses had brought along for the two-month stay at Aciras.

Out of everyone in the Arcenian royal family, only the two Arcenian princesses were expected to partake in the two-month celebration of Princess Vivian’s upcoming nuptials. Prince James, Arabelle and Catherine’s elder brother, was currently busy with military service while their youngest brother, Prince Theo, was far too young to be introduced to the royal courts. This left Princess Arabelle and Princess Catherine to accept the wedding invite, although Arabelle was very aware that Cat had very little choice but to accept.

Catherine tapped the button on the earbuds that had kept her in a world of her own choosing for the first few hours of the flight as it appeared her sister was stirring from her nap. Honestly, she was surprised the headphones weren’t completely worn out at this point. After the Houghton incident, her parents had her on lockdown for the majority of her time outside of school. There were unbribable guards posted outside her door, following her to class, it was a nightmare scenario for the 20-year-old. Then came the suggestion of the two-month stay in Aciras for the wedding of Princess Vivian. It was actually well-received on both sides. Her parents get Catherine out of the country until the incident blows over, while the princess gets out of the castle for two months and gets a whole new country to explore. Win-freaking-win. Although Candice gets to run around being famous for another couple of months without explaining what that kiss was about. 

It was clear that the scandal following #HurriKate hadn't helped tensions at home, as their parents decided that Catherine would be best suited out of the country while the tabloids calmed down. It was also a way of keeping Cat away from the 'terrible influences' and realise her duties as a born princess. Arabelle disagreed with their decision, trying to support her sister as family and, particularly the media, tore Cat's character apart. It didn't mean Arabelle was any less concerned for her sister's wellbeing. Their parents had high hopes that sending Catherine away would yield a marriage proposal and further secure the Almore line in history. 

[color=a27c89]"I know you don't want to look for a partner,"[/color] Arabelle started, an hour after she woke up from her naps and four hours into their journey. [color=a27c89]"And you shouldn't be forced to find someone. We will get through this together, and when we go back home we can talk to mom and dad."[/color] Surely they could convince their parents to change their mind if they face no troubles in the next two months. It was hard enough for Arabelle to grow up knowing that her marriage was not going to be one of love but of convenience. The last thing she wanted was for her sister to expect the same.

Catherine moved to tuck the buds into a pocket, but forgot that hoodies were still frowned upon for royals, even on trips to the airport. She just ended up grazing the fabric of her blue turtleneck sweater before adjusting and tossing her iPod into her purse. [color=00E330]"I mean, I don’t know what they think is going to happen,"[/color] she stated. [color=00E330]"None of their preferred choices for me are going to be interested after what happened. Which, I mean, thank fuck for that, but still. Just gonna be frosty as ever when I come back."[/color] Cat put her hands on the armrest next to her sister and gave her best puppy dog-eye stare. [color=00E330]"Protect me, Ara. You’re my only hope."[/color]

[color=a27c89]"All they have is high expectations, Cat,”[/color] Too high and unreasonable. Cat deserved that freedom to have a good time. It’s not like she’s a terrible princess. [color=a27c89]“Even if you come back with nothing, perhaps just being away from them for a while will help them realise they don’t want their baby flying from the nest too soon.”[/color] Arabelle smiled as she tried her best to resist the dog eyed look. 

[color=a27c89]“Even if they do not agree, once I wed… Prince Erik, I will become queen. Then unless you wish for it, no one can force you to marry.”[/color] Arabelle grimaced upon saying [i]his[/i] name. She’d been practising referring to the Traitor Prince by his actual name - it wouldn’t look good on her if she caused a stir during Vivian’s wedding.

Cat made an unpleasant face upon hearing that name. [color=00E330]"Ugh, maybe as queen you can lock that fuckhead in a tower,"[/color] she offered as an option. It was no secret that neither girl was a fan of the Crown Prince of Austerund. More like Garbausterund. [color=00E330]"You know, twist on the old trope. Helpless king kept hidden away. Let the princesses have fun."[/color] She giggled slightly, a brief moment of hope in the face of, well, everything that happened. [color=00E330]"Seriously though, if he is a total douche, you just say the word. I know people who can do things now. At least they say they can do things. Pretty sure that dude was lying about the ear poison."[/color]

Arabelle snickered at the suggestion. It was a tempting idea, but it would undo all the hard work Pops had done for peace between Austerund and Arcenia. [color=a27c89]“I’ll be fine. It should be me looking after you, not the other way around. I’m certain that he will not cause me any problems. You on the other hand, with your friends. It would give dad a stroke if he heard.”[/color] 

A weak chuckle escaped Cat’s lips at that last remark. It was a tough decision to laugh at the thought or wish it into existence. In the end, she leaned more on the former side. [color=00E330]"I dunno, I think some of them are pretty smart. I don’t think they get listened to enough when it comes to things the kingdom should be doing."[/color] She looked out the window over the vast amount of ocean that kept surging underneath their plane.  [color=00E330]"Hey, at least when you’re queen, you’ll keep listening to me, right? Help me give some voice to the voiceless? Cause I swear, if Erik separates us, ear poison time."[/color]

[color=a27c89]“Of course, there is no doubt about it.”[/color] There was no way that Erik could keep the sisters apart, and she was certain that marriage would not change their relationship.  In fact, knowing that her sister would be with her throughout anything was comforting, especially since Arabelle knew that she couldn’t turn to her future husband for that support. [color=a27c89]“You’ll always be the People’s princess. I’d be a fool not to listen to you.”[/color] Given Catherine’s penchant for attending protests beside her people had earned her the nickname before the scandal.  [color=a27c89]“However, should you get married… who will I listen to?”[/color] She gave her a light, teasing smile.

That did get a full laugh out of Cat. [color=00E330]"I don’t think you’re going to have to worry about that for a looooooong time, sis,"[/color] she assured her. [color=00E330]"Believe me, I’m gonna be right here, by your side, bugging the fuck out of you, making sure Erik doesn’t get a moment alone with you. Because that’s what a little sister is for."[/color]

[color=a27c89]“Oh the horror, whatever shall I do with so much support!”[/color] Arabelle joined in with the laughter, suddenly feeling much better about the upcoming trip. Although she’s on friendly terms with most of the royals, her concern was spending so much time with who she considered her ‘Enemy Number One’. It was easy for the Arcenian princess to slip into her hatred in his presence but she had been given clear terms from her family to [i]not[/i] start any fights with the crown prince. 

[color=a27c89]“That reminds me. Did you read the booklet I sent you? Pops wanted us to be prepared for meeting royals from all over the world. It had everything about Tuyen Phu to Maris.”[/color] The festivities excited Arabelle, but what good would it be if she inadvertently insulted someone due to ignorance? She couldn't let that happen. Although Arabelle was familiar with most customs, it did not hurt to be completely prepared. 

[color=00E330]"Well, I definitely [i]saw[/i] it,"[/color] Cat jokingly admitted. [color=00E330]"That big binder with the flag on it, right?"[/color] She laughed, hopefully a sign that she was kidding. While there are some aspects of royal life that Catherine pays complete lip service to, the socio-political aspect was not one of them. She read the booklet a couple times, but not recently. [color=00E330]"Yes, I read it, sis. Don’t worry. I won’t be asking the delegation from Tuyen Phu for a takeout menu. Han would kill me if I ever did that."[/color] She laughed again. She was in a surprisingly good mood now. The power of Arabelle was coming in strong.

Arabelle nodded approvingly. There was no way she could or Catherine be unprepared for such a momentous occasion. She eventually stood up, straightening her limbs with a grimace. [color=a27c89]“The day teleportation becomes a reality, I’ll be glad.”[/color] She complained. For the remainder of the flight, Arabelle had been burning off restless energy by either pacing up and down the cabin, talking to Catherine or studying the customs of kingdoms she was not knowledgeable of. The staff were clearly impacted by the elder princess's restlessness. So when the jet was close to Acirian airspace, the stylists were glad to finally get to work. Like usual, Arabelle's makeup was done to exaggerate her doll-like features, done with a heavier hand than Catherine's to hide any sign of imperfection. 

By contrast, allowing the makeup artist and tailor to attack her was the most preparation that Catherine was allowing to be done to her. She had done a little research of her own beforehand. Aciras was known for being a cultural hub, and there were dozens of venues in the area near the castle. She just had to find someone at the party who would be willing to get her the heck out of there to find out exactly what they had to offer. Hopefully the Acirian tabloids won’t be on the lookout for her in the same way the Arcenian tabloids are.

Once the plane landed, the princesses were quickly ushered into a protected vehicle. Shuffling into the car was no easy feat for Arabelle, who had now donned a dress with a [url=https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/637693360030613504/638494785060995092/unknown.png?width=810&height=703]gorgeous iridescent blue sheen[/url]. It was a custom dress, gifted from the most esteemed Arcenian designer, Alexandrea Volcov. The dress was the perfect representation of Arcenia, from the national colours being played off against each other in the midnight blue of the dress and small silver and gold flecks of hand-stitched floral artwork decorating her chest, to the design in and of itself. The sleeves, although sheer, covered her shoulders and satisfied her grandmother's fondness of modesty. Her [url=https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/190887837111943179/638416110064238602/f631d8f5f6c434335a3e32fcb1282ab6.png]hair[/url] was inspired by none other than her good friend, Princess Leonor of Nevarrea. The braids were wrapped by the nape of her neck, secured in place with a flattering gold headpiece that acted as a clip with some curled pieces of loose hair framing her face. It was a well-known rule that unwed princesses were not to wear tiaras or crowns. Even the Queen would rarely be seen wearing her crown, only wearing it on diplomatic dinners with other royalty. The rules applied to Arabelle and Catherine, the former which would accessorise with intricate hair clips or hats to compensate. 

The latter hated having to wear her [url=https://www.hawtcelebs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/izabela-vidovic-at-amfar-inspiration-gala-in-los-angeles-10-13-2017-1.jpg]hair[/url] done up. It just never looked completely right on her skull, it exposed her giant forehead, and it relegated the streaks to going backwards. Catherine campaigned to be allowed to wear a hat as she usually did, but she was voted down by her parents. As such, she just had it done in a simple tie-back updo, golden clips, ribbons and a fake yellow flower were inserted by the makeup artist to accentuate the blond and better compliment her own [url=https://dtkp6g0samjql.cloudfront.net/uploads/photo/file/14413469/gallery_hero_7621d083-c1b2-4157-a98a-00f81d80604f.jpg]dress[/url], the Arcenian yellow to match her sister’s Arcenian blue. Continuing her trend of selecting lesser-known artists to patronize and donate royal funds to, it was designed by Chelmsford Row newcomer Hannah Chung, and Hannah did a great job sneaking in some of Cat’s preferences while keeping to her parents’ wishes of a relatively conservative dress. The benefits of having a designer one can drink with. Ms. Chung was going to go places, that’s for sure.

The drive from the airport to the palace was a surprisingly quick one. It was given that the roads would be semi cleared to make way for the wave of royals coming from across the globe, prioritising their safe travels most efficiently. After all, only the best could be expected from Aciras as hosts. The princesses could tell they had arrived once the car had stopped within the palace grounds, surrounded by cheers. Harold, their dear butler, was the one to open the door for the princesses once the coast was clear. Harold had been a faithful servant of the Almore family for nearly four decades, employed since the crown prince himself was a child. He presented his arm, allowing to take hold and gracefully pull herself out of the vehicle. She gave Harold a sweet smile in thanks. Being the older sibling had [i]some[/i] benefits. 

Cat sat in the limo for a moment. She had to compose herself and get ready to go full royal mode. It wouldn’t do any good to be her usual self on the royal carpets, so she prepped silently to get into the mental state necessary to be Princess Catherine. [color=00E330]"All right, girl,"[/color] she said to herself, the mantra prepared to help enter the necessary mindset. [color=00E330]"For the people. For Arcenia. For Arabelle."[/color] She nodded and took Harold’s offered arm as she hoisted herself out of the car.

The camera shutters were loud as she expected. Arabelle took a moment to look around at the people and wave with a practised motion to the crowd, smiling graciously as she waited for her sister to join her outside. When she noticed her staff had carefully taken out their combined luggage, wedding gifts and Cotton's travel case, and were beginning to follow Aciran staff to the princesses assigned quarters, Arabelle began to head over to the King and Queen. Catherine followed, and behind them were Harold and two attendants, prepared to take care of the princesses personally.  

Like the Royals before them, the princesses approached the awaiting King and Queen of Aciras when it was time for formalities. Arabelle curtsied in a fluid motion, greeting the three royals with a smile on her face. [color=a27c89]"His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen and Her Royal Highness, Princess of Aciras,"[/color] She greeted politely. Arabelle was certain that by the end of the day, the royals would get tired of hearing their titles back at them. [color=a27c89]"To thank you for your hospitality, I, Princess Arabelle of Arcenia, would like to offer you a token of gratitude. May our gifts be to your satisfaction."[/color] 

Catherine moved in lockstep behind her sister, bowing slightly to repeat the greeting. [color=00E330]"His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen and Her Royal Highness, Princess of Aciras,"[/color] she parroted. [color=00E330]"I, Princess Cat...herine of Arcenia, thank you for the kind welcome to your great country. I look forward to the festivities planned for such a momentous occasion, and humbly offer a token of gratitude on behalf of the Arcenian people. Thank you."[/color] She knew she stumbled slightly on her name. She blamed the high princess. Her eyes were killer.

Arabelle waited for Catherine to finish her greeting before curtsying again. To make way for the next set of royals, Arabelle continued inside into the grand palace. From here on out, the princesses would only be joined by key staffers, including Harold.

[color=a27c89]"Our two month celebration begins..."[/color] Arabelle smiled to no one in particular, as she prepared herself for a night of fun. She looked at the people that were already there, eyes narrowing in the direction of one in particular, but pointedly ignored. 

[color=00E330]"Let’s get this party started,"[/color] Catherine said to herself, saying it more glumly than she usually did as she prepared to enter the grand display in front of her.

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