[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/191021/7a6e78efe3bad83c57913784f03f9c18.png[/img][/center] Beatrice König of Königreich der Welten certainly didn’t have as much of a penchant for reds and blacks and rose motifs as her mother did, but make no mistake about it - she was in no way [i]against[/i] the aesthetics her mother favored, either. And so the hours before the welcome ball in Aciras found Beatrice standing in a [url=https://i.pinimg.com/474x/c9/95/9a/c9959ad046e6a3eb84c27bd6df0375af.jpg ]black velvet gown[/url], examining her reflection in the mirror. The gown cinched in neatly at the waist, and the sleeves were decorated with intricate beadwork at the shoulders and wrists. The same beadwork had been used to create floral motifs across the full, floor-length skirt, shimmering nicely in the light when she moved. The neckline of the gown dipped downwards in a sharp vee, and strands of diamonds went around her neck, cascading downwards and fanning out elegantly across her sternum. Simple diamond earrings dangled from her ears, and a pair of strappy black tie-up heels completed the ensemble. The gown itself was gorgeous, of course, but Beatrice liked it even more for the fact that it had pockets - and spacious ones, at that. God bless Malini Couture. Beatrice wasn't sure how she felt about being in the same place as both Prince Raiden and Zheng. She and Zheng couldn't give anything away about the agreement that Queen Mai and Emperor Ming had brokered for them, of course, but she felt slightly bad for misleading not only Prince Raiden, but also her [i]siblings[/i]. Olivia knew, but not her brothers. Their mother had forbidden either of them from breathing a word about the arrangement to both Gene and Alex, and Beatrice trusted her mother enough to go along with it...but still. She loved her siblings, [i]all[/i] of them, more than anything in the world, and she didn't like keeping secrets from Gene and Alex. Almost as if the universe had heard her thoughts, Beatrice's phone vibrated from where she'd left it on the table. Beatrice glanced at the screen; the caller ID read as "Mom". [color=919191]"Hey Mom,"[/color] she greeted, bringing the phone up to her ear. [color=df0808]"Beatrice, how was your flight?[/color] her mother asked in Liangii. [color=df0808]"It was alright? Not too uncomfortable, I hope?[/color] [color=919191]"It was good, yeah,"[/color] replied Beatrice, also slipping into Liangii, as she had been wont to do with her mother, ever since they'd started coming up with the plan. [color=919191]"How's everything back at home?[/color] Her mother laughed, softly. [color=df0808]"The same as always,"[/color] she answered. [color=df0808]"Alex brought home a puppy. Your father was...surprised, but not wholly against it. We've named the puppy Alex Jr. At your brother's insistence, of course."[/color] Beatrice couldn't help laughing along with her mother. Her older brothers were almost polar opposites - Gene was [i]such[/i] a goody two-shoes, but Alex was a fucking troll. [color=919191]"Oh, really? Tell him that I think he should come up with a more original name,"[/color] Beatrice responded, smiling. They chatted about what Beatrice's siblings were up to for a few minutes, and then her mother lowered her voice. [color=df0808]"Beatrice, listen,"[/color] she began, still speaking Liangii, [color=df0808]"whatever you do, you need to make it obvious that you are planning to marry Raiden Zhao. Okay? I know your feelings about this matter, and I understand, more than you might think. But you can't have what you say and do suggest otherwise. You must do this for your home."[/color] Beatrice listened carefully, nodding idly to herself. She noted the way that her mother carefully phrased her words - to a casual listener, it would seem like only Beatrice was the only one who was against the engagement, and that it was for purely personal reasons. The way that her mother used 'home', too - most would assume she was speaking of Königreich der Welten when she said that, but Beatrice [i]knew[/i] that her mother meant Liang. Even if she had grown up in Königreich der Welten, she had always taken more after her mother than she had her father, and her mother was all Liangii, no matter what her official titles and whatnot said. There was something else her mother was hiding, Beatrice knew, regarding her plans for the future. Even if Beatrice and Zheng were married, what was to stop her father - King Niklas König - from simply annexing Liang anyway, through the fact that Beatrice was his daughter by his Liangii wife? Beatrice didn't know, and deep in her hearts of hearts, she was [i]afraid[/i] of what her mother might do, in order to stop her father. [color=919191]"I know, Mom,[/color] Beatrice said in response, softly. [color=919191]"I know. I won't forget. I'll call you later, okay? I need to finish getting ready."[/color] [color=df0808]"I know you know,"[/color] said her mother, laughing sheepishly. [color=df0808]"I just can't help but to worry about you. I know what it feels like, and I know that you can go through with this. I love you, okay? I'll talk to you later."[/color] And with that, the line went dead. Beatrice sighed, set her phone aside. Her mother never really spoke of her life before she married King Niklas, not [i]really[/i] - oh, she'd mention small things here and there, especially when they paid her uncle (Beatrice's great-uncle) a visit in Liang, but Beatrice could tell that things like her childhood and her years as the princess of Liang were sensitive subjects, to her mother, so she never asked. And neither had Olivia, nor their brothers. However, Beatrice had the sneaking suspicion that she'd told Olivia a few things, and in fact, she [i]knew[/i] that her mother had been gunning for Alex, first, and then Olivia, to marry into Liangii nobility and eventually rule over the kingdom, after Emperor Ming died. It had hurt, for a few years, until her mother had explained her reasons: [color=df0808][i]"It wouldn't be enough for you, Beatrice, to be a consort. Your sister would have been happy simply serving the people. Your brother, well, anything that lets him have his fun would make him happy. But you're too much like me. It wouldn't be enough for you."[/i][/color] And Beatrice heard the words hanging in the air, the words that were at the tip of Queen Consort Mai König's tongue, even though her mother never said them out loud: [color=df0808][i]"Just like it isn't enough for me."[/i][/color] Beatrice shook her head to herself, slightly. There was no use in dwelling on that right now. She had a ball to attend. The car ride to the Aciran palace wasn't too long, thankfully. Beatrice mentally went down the guest list one last time - she recognized all the names, though she was not very close with most of the list. Sure, she'd met people here and there on official visits (and Raven was a [i]gem[/i], truly), but she wasn't best friends with any of them. She was definitely looking forward to seeing Ara again, of course; the two of them had become acquainted as teenagers, after Austerund and Arcenia started making efforts to reconcile. She was acquainted with Prince Erik as well, though she didn't know him as well as she knew Ara. The same could be said of Catherine, too; Beatrice didn't really know her, other than the fact that she was Ara's sister. [i]I'm not sure how much she'd care for me, in all honesty, but I don't have anything against her,[/i] Beatrice reflected, watching the scenery whiz by. And then, of course, there was the rest of the 'party crowd', as Beatrice had taken to calling them in her head - Prince Chris of Hellenica, Prince Alejandro of Castilya, Princess Leonor of Nevarrea, Prince Phillip of Maris...there were probably some others, but Beatrice couldn't be sure; she [i]definitely[/i] didn't care to spend her entire day scrolling through Instagram and Twitter, following everything that they did. She had never gotten a chance to meet any of them outside of an official capacity, but she had nothing wrong with them, per se. [i]Alejandro's the one who keeps flirting with my brothers. I think, if Dad hadn't been in the room at the same time, Alex might have flirted back, just to be a troll.[/i] Out of the entire guest list, Beatrice was probably the most wary of the Raskes (Fareeha Amari would have made it on the list, if Beatrice [i]also[/i] didn't know that her oldest two siblings thought very highly of her. They'd met more than just a few times, thanks to the friendly relations between Mamlakat Asslahra and Königreich der Welten, and Beatrice lowkey highkey adored Fareeha). Königreich der Welten was on neutral terms with Dredalen, and Beatrice had no specific [i]problem[/i] with them, of course, but the Raskes weren't exactly subtle about what they did. (Although, Beatrice [i]had[/i] to admit that it was going to be pretty interesting, seeing a prince like Quentin Houston of the Tessian Sovereignty betrothed to Maeryn Raske. The two of them were, like, complete opposites.) There were other people she recognized on the guest list, too, but she didn't have too much of an opinion either way. And Raiden, her supposed betrothed? Well, Beatrice didn't know what to think of him, not just yet. They'd met a couple times, on official visits and whatnot, but it wasn't like they were [i]friends[/i] or anything. He seemed...nice, was the only word Beatrice could think of. Nice, with a great taste in fashion, and perhaps on the quieter side. [i]Princess Leonor's friends with him, isn't she?[/i] she thought to herself, absentmindedly. Zheng Hu, AKA the man that she was going to marry as soon as the time was right for the two of them to ascend the Liangii throne - Beatrice had never actually [i]talked[/i] to him, face-to-face. His mother had said he was a general in his own right, cunning enough to rule well, but charismatic enough to hide the true extent of what he was doing. Beatrice knew, too, that he'd lost an arm fighting against people who her mother and great-uncle suspected were operatives sent to Liang on the behalf of Königreich der Welten - people who would have been sent there by her [i]father[/i]. Beatrice didn't know what to think about him, either, only that she trusted her mother enough to know that she would not have secretly arranged for her to marry someone who would be cruel to her and/or the people of Liang. When they arrived at the palace, Beatrice stepped out of the car, thanking the driver and the staff members who appeared to take her luggage up to the rooms she'd be staying in for the remainder of her visit. She paused for a few pictures, ignoring all the questions being thrown her way, and greeted the King and Queen of Aciras, along with Raven, with all the expected formalities (though she'd given Raven a genuine smile, when she got to the other princess - they'd met, in the past, and of course Beatrice had told her that her gown was absolutely [i]lovely[/i]). Inside the ballroom, Beatrice let her gaze flit from one corner to the next, searching out her betrothed. She would have liked to approach Zheng, but that would have to wait for later. They both had appearances to keep up. Raiden Zhao was standing with Maeryn Raske, by one of the tables. As she got closer, she could see that the two of them had already found themselves something to drink, and Beatrice followed suit, taking a flute of champagne and thanking the server as she went. [color=919191]"Prince Raiden, Princess Maeryn. I hope I'm not interrupting you guys,"[/color] she said as she approached, smiling in greeting. [color=919191]"How are you? And I must say, both of you look amazing tonight."[/color]