[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/jxqrpAJ.png[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/HVqFsuy.png[/img]
[color=silver][i][sub]A collaboration between [@lady horatio] & [@Aewin]
Set during the welcome ball[/sub][/i][/color]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/haaGjai.png[/img][/center]

[color=silver][indent][indent] Chris had brought a welcome change to Arabelle’s initial sour mood. Arabelle made a mental note to thank him again later, but for now, she had a mission to complete. With her glass of wine still in hand, Arabelle looked around the room for the recognisable shade of ginger she was after. The ballroom was crowded and had Arabelle not been familiar with her dear friend, she would have easily mistaken her for the countless ginger princesses strewn about the room. No, the princess she was after was unmistakable with her beautifully intricate braids and distinct mannerisms. 

And that made it easy to spot the princess ducking back into the ballroom from one of the many balconies. With her target in sight, Arabelle made a beeline towards the youngest princess of Maris. [b][color=a27c89]“Princess Genevieve!”[/color][/b] She called, trying to grab Gen’s attention before she vanished back into the crowds. 

Genevieve, preoccupied with worry about Henri and currently scanning the room for the first person who looked likely to get her a glass of water—and quick—startled visibly at the sound of her name. She glanced up, brows furrowed, but fell into a reflexive smile when she recognized Arabelle hurrying toward her.

Though she wasn’t used to doing so, Gen mimicked Ara and greeted her by her full name and title: “Princess Arabelle.” Then, as Ara came closer, she glanced at the glass in the older princess’s hand. “Is that for me,” Genevieve asked, with a teasing smile, “or are you so stressed by this whole thing that it’s driven you to drink?”

[b][color=a27c89]“I'm not going to deny it, but after the evening I've had I've been contemplating downing more than my fair share of these.”[/color][/b] Arabelle returned with her own smile. She offered Gen a kiss on each cheek in greeting before presenting her the glass of wine. [b][color=a27c89]“I adore what you've done with the rhinestones. You look stunning.“[/color][/b]

She then took a step back, allowing Genevieve to have her own space. [b][color=a27c89]“How are you doing? Are you enjoying Aciras so far?”[/color][/b] Arabelle asked lightly. 

Genevieve felt a brief rush of warmth. Arabelle was prim and proper and sometimes more conventional than Gen herself, but she was also very kind. And she was the first person to directly comment on the rhinestone freckles that had tickled Gen so much to put on.

“Thank you. For the compliments and the drink.” She accepted the glass with a grateful nod, taking a sip. Her smile turned rueful as she added, “My night’s not going much better than yours. I’ve already been rude to two people. But in my defense, one of them was Henri’s older brother. Which reminds me—” she looked around, waving a server over as he caught her eye, “—I promised to get Henri some water. He hates parties like this, so he’s taking a break outside.”

Before the waiter could leave, Arabelle requested an extra glass of water for herself. Now that she'd delivered her wine to Genevieve, it wouldn't look good on her if her hands remained empty for very long, and she had no desire to cause offence on her Acirian hosts. While waiting, she regarded Gen's words curiously.

Although Arabelle wasn't very well acquainted with Henri, she'd heard about his brother through the few instances she'd hung out with the quiet prince. Suddenly, Arabelle didn't quite blame Genevieve for her 'rudeness', although she internally lamented the fact she'd missed such a scene. A rude Gen was certainly an interesting sight, one Arabelle was curious to see. [b][color=a27c89]“And what of the other?”[/color][/b] She asked, wondering about the second person Gen was supposedly rude to.

“Hm?” It took Genevieve a moment to realize what Arabelle was asking, and then she felt a pinch of guilt. She couldn’t explain, not without breaking Henri’s confidence. “Oh,” she said, “just someone who tried to interrupt us when we were talking. I probably overreacted.” She shrugged a little, adding honestly, “I just don’t get to see Henri much these days.”

Gen glanced over her shoulder. “I should get back to him,” she said, raising the glass of water demonstratively. “Make sure he’s okay.” She didn’t like leaving Henri alone, not with the wild-eyed panic, barely-contained, that had been all over his face after the encounter with Raiden.

“But if he’s feeling better, or if he decides to retire early, can I come find you? I really do want to catch up with you, and I can’t just follow Phillip around all night.”

Arabelle nodded understandingly, [b][color=a27c89]“Of course, don’t worry about it, I should probably return to Cat as well. I told her I’d return soon.”[/color][/b] She was sure Cat was doing perfectly fine, but she couldn’t help but want to check up on her. Call it a sisterly worry. [b][color=a27c89]“Give Henri my regards.”[/color][/b] She smiled.

Gen gave Ara’s free hand a quick squeeze. “I will. I’m so glad to see you.” And with that, she ducked back out the way she’d come, looking for her errant friend and hoping he’d been okay in the few minutes she’d been gone.

[/indent][/indent][/color]