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[img]https://i8.lisimg.com/15769918/280full.jpg[/img][img]https://www.indiewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Screen20Shot202012-10-0420at203.46.4120PM.png?w=611[/img]
[sub] A [@NeoAJ] and [@HaleyTheRandom] collab[/sub][/center]

There is a certain feeling of helplessness that can drift over a person when witnessing an impending disaster. Like the reporter watching the Hindenberg collapse in flames, a Arcenian soccer fan watching the national team head into penalty kicks in a major tournament, or Lindsey Lohan’s agent, there were some instances when there is nothing that can be done to prevent a tragedy from playing out. That was the position Catherine found herself in as Arabelle crossed paths with her betrothed and things quickly descended into a shouting match. There was nothing she could do to stop it, and it quickly erupted into a powderkeg that threatened to consume everything around it. She pitied who happened to be in the direct line of fire. As it was, the sidelines provided enough cover that she could at least monitor the situation in case she had to play reluctant peacemaker. Instead it sounded like she would play sideline commentator instead.

[color=8cff88][i][b]”Tell me… do they do this often? And if so, how on Earth do you manage not to rip your hair out listening to them?”[/b][/i][/color]

Cat almost didn’t look over at the girl talking to her, but she did a double take at spotting the hostess standing at her side. [color=00E330][i]All right, Cat. Play it cool. You’re a cool kid, be like one. They seem to fit in.[/i][/color]

[color=00E330]“Honestly,”[/color] she started. [color=00E330]“The rulers of our respective kingdoms have been smart enough to keep them at bay given a couple incidents when they were younger. So it’s not often, but this is a pretty bad one.”[/color] It was true. Usually it didn’t get to this level of venom until things were a bit more private. Perhaps the flight took more out of her sister than Cat thought. [color=00E330]“Usually I just have my headphones in. That or a steady supply of distractions.”[/color] She held up her drink. [color=00E330]“That and I’m pretty sure bald is not my best look, so that keeps my hair in its place.”[/color]

Raven shrugged her shoulders slightly in response as she took a sip of her drink. [color=8CFF88]”Makes perfect sense, actually. How was your commute?”[/color]

Cat was doing her best to remain in pure Catherine mode, but in reality, seeing her sister go off the rails like that was the sign that the window was open a little bit. [color=00E330]“It was… long. Really long. The longest flight I’ve been on. This is my first time in Aciras. I’ve heard so many things about the country.”[/color] She took a sip. [color=00E330]“Although, I don’t suppose a lot of them would be found in a castle like this. No offense.”[/color]

The young woman couldn’t help but smile. [color=8CFF88]”None taken. I never quite liked the flights to Arcenia either. But no worries. Aciras is a large Kingdom, and there’s been a lot planned for the festivities. There’s a lot going on in the next few months aside from the wedding, so you’ll all be able to see some of the best we have to offer here. You’ll also have the best tour guide.”[/color]

Cat cocked an eyebrow at that last response. [color=00E330]“Really? You know, I was wondering just exactly what to do with my time here. Knowing that there will be plenty of opportunities to explore the city, at all times of day, well that does set my mind at ease. Especially if I have a chance to let loose a little bit.”[/color] She winked at Raven, with rising certainty that the younger princess knew what she was after. [color=00E330]“This tour guide you speak of, are they the trustworthy type? Because I don’t need to be led astray to let the tabloids have more fodder for their Monday editions. At least, not have fodder I wouldn’t want out there.”[/color]

[color=8cff88]”Said tour guide would politely tell the writers and camera men to fuck off while strolling through a back alley to one of the best bars in town.”[/color] She continued to watch the scene that was Ara and Erik unfold before her. [color=8cff88]”But on a more serious note, you don’t have to worry about the tabloids here. Not unless they’re the up and coming ones that literally grasp at straws. The castle will be the safest place, of course. Your tour guide can’t promise you anything out in the city, but they’ve made it very clear to the press that they’ll have their heads if they catch wind of any slander.”[/color]

This was met with a nod of approval. Also, the swearing merely confirmed Cat’s suspicions about her drinking partner. She let out a happy sigh of relief. [color=00E330]“Good shit,”[/color] she said as the rest of her meager glass of champagne was finished. She motioned to a nearby waiter for another one. Watching Ara and Erik’s blowups was a full-on sporting event. [color=00E330]“I think visiting one of those bars would be awesome after this party given how things are turning. Unless my sister needs some emotional support after having to deal with the prince of Garbausterland.”[/color] She turned to Raven, doing her best not to get lost in those eyes again. [color=00E330]“You’ll have to tell the tour guide we’ll be needing a lot of help to take our mind off this… unpleasantness.”[/color]

[color=8cff88]”Completely understandable,”[/color] Raven said, taking a large drink from her glass. [color=8cff88]”Why is champagne customary at these things?”[/color] she scoffed. [color=8cff88]”I need something stronger.”[/color] Luckily the waiter that Catherine waved over had arrived. 

[color=8cff88]”I’ll take a margarita please, Julian. Get whatever Cat wants for me as well, would you?”[/color]

Things were definitely picking up at this rate if Raven was advancing the drink menu past the token champagne flutes. [color=00E330]“Well, if there are some off the platter options, I’ll take a vodka seven. Cherry seven if you have it.”[/color] Cat told the summoned waiter, who gave a polite nod and hurried off. [color=00E330]“I’ll have to get you to come to every royal shindig I’m forced to be at. It would be great to have a drinking partner who didn’t stick to the tiny glasses.”[/color]

[color=8cff88]”It would be an honor to be your plus one to any event. I’m honestly surprised that [i]everyone[/i] showed up. Though why some of these people were on the guest list, I have no idea. I want to go ahead and apologize for my future behavior though. Two months of hosting these people isn’t going to be fun, so I’m sure you’ll see me completely shit faced on more than one occasion.”[/color] 

Raven sighed. Everything she had said was true. Getting all of these people here on time, presentable and trying to keep politics out of the way was proving to be a pain in the ass. 

[color=8cff88]”Don’t get me wrong. I love my sister. But sometimes I wish she would just hire a party planner.”[/color]

Catherine looked over at the Aciran princess and understood that pain. [color=00E330]“Hey, I’ll need the tips soon enough. Believe it or not,”[/color] she motioned out to the floor, where it appeared Erik was reloading on alcohol to keep up the fight with her sister. [color=00E330]“I’m probably going to be helping plan [i]THAT[/i] happy union. So, I will take any help on that matter. All I have is my backup plan of causing such a scene that HurriKate trends instead of ErikFail or something, which is a service I can also offer to you so you don’t have to apologize for future behavior or anything.”[/color] She gave Raven a wink as she said that last bit. [color=00E330]“The perks of not really giving a sweet fuck. At least, not unless my sister needs me. And right now, I think the distraction would be more valuable than me actually behaving myself.”[/color] The drinks arrived in front of the women at an opportune time.

Taking her drink from the tray, Raven took a sip and thanked the waiter before smiling at Cat.[color=8cff88]”I might have to take you up on that offer,”[/color] she said with a laugh.  [color=8cff88]”How… exactly did the whole HurriKate thing come to be, if you don’t mind me asking? I mean, I’ve heard things here and there, but you know you can never get a truthful story from the tabloids.”[/color] 

Cat let out a sigh as she picked up her beverage. It wasn’t going to help her standing in trying to forget what happened, but maybe having someone like Raven know the whole truth would be better than the rumors floating around. [color=00E330]“Basically, this snoop from the Lark caught me in the middle of kissing a girl that I was sweet on, keyword [i]WAS[/i], and they could not wait to post it. The Lark is such a kiss-ass rag for the Brunn conglomerate, and I’ve been on their shitlist for protesting the Brunns’ oil interests. So they run this whole HurriKate thing, asking how I can uphold royal honor, how could I be betrothed to anyone, you know, that bullshit. And fucking Candice runs right to them, starts smearing me all over TV. So safe to say, that was a quick end to that experiment.”[/color] She took a sip after finishing such a quick recounting of such a tragic tale. [color=00E330]“But my parents were upset and kept me ‘sequestered for my own good’ until we agreed sending me here until the situation dies down was smart. I just wanted to get out of there. But yeah, you need someone to take some heat for you, I’m your girl.”[/color]

Raven did her best to try and keep the look of puzzlement and shock off of her face, but some of the signs seeped through before the had the chance to hide it. [color=8cff88]”So you mean to tell me… that a royal liking the same sex is so scandelous that her parents will keep her confined to the castle for months on end?”[/color] she said, her eyebrows raised. [color=8cff88]”That is [i]beyond[/i] stupid,”[/color] the young woman concluded. [color=8cff88]”No offense to your parents, of course. I guess I’m just lucky that the Aciran laws and people are a bit more open minded. The assumption that all royal weddings have to be heteronormative disgusts me.”[/color] She rolled her eyes while saying the last bit, raising the glass to her lips once again. [color=8cff88]”Hopefully I won’t cause to much of a fuss, but if I do, it’s nice to know that I’ll have you in my corner.”[/color] 

[color=00E330]“I think it was more the media shitshow it became that they didn’t like,”[/color] Catherine admitted. [color=00E330]“With that,”[/color] the younger princess pointed to the quarrel that was wrapping up for the moment. [color=00E330]“Kinda being important and somewhat divisive and happening soon, I made an unnecessary addition to the opposition in their eyes. The Brunns, they hate LGBTQ anything though. Bigoted assholes. So, you know, extra fire. I swear, when Ara is queen, I’m having them booted from the kingdom. They can go to Tessia or something, I don’t care. But yeah.”[/color] She raised her chalice in response to Raven’s drink. [color=00E330]“Happy to be here, and of course to offer whatever support I can in this time of celebration and stressing the fuck out.”[/color] The Catherine filter was fully disabled now. There was clearly no need for it with Raven and Cat was grateful to have someone other than her sister or Han to have that luxury with.

[color=8cff88]”I’d love to see the looks on their faces when you do, but for now I have to finish greeting the rest of the guests. It was a pleasure talking to you, Cat. I hope we get to do it again soon.”[/color] 

[color=00E330]“Right, of course!”[/color] Cat had to scramble to get the filter back up with Raven needing to fulfill her duties as hostess. [color=00E330]“Well, the pleasure has been all mine, Princess Raven. I hope we talk again very soon. I want to learn all I can about this wonderful kingdom of yours.”[/color] Catherine offered a small curtsy, similar to the one she displayed at the entrance to the party, but she was careful not to spill her drink in the process.

[color=8cff88]”I’d be more than happy to show you around,”[/color] she said with a polite nod, the corners of her mouth forming a slight smile once again. [color=8cff88]”Do try and enjoy the ball as much as you can. If anyone gives you trouble, feel free to just yell at me. I’ll be right over.”[/color] Just then her father came to stand beside her, whispering in her ear that she better get going. [color=8cff88]”Annnnd that’s my official signal. I’ll talk to you later,”[/color] Raven finished, giving Catherine an apologetic smile before quickly following after her parents.

Catherine had already curtsyed, so she gave a half-hearted salute as Raven rushed off to her other duties as hostess. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. She could have kept talking to Raven for most of the night. However, she had her own duties to attend to, as since Arabelle had spiraled off from her confrontation with Erik and was heading elsewhere, Catherine figured it was in her best interest to make sure the scene was confined to typical Arcenian-on-Austerund bickering. Drink in hand, she watched her sister carefully to make sure more cross words weren’t in the cards.