[color=A0A0A0][h2]Fleuri Jodeau[/h2][/color]

"Watch the crowds, that Princess isn't as safe as you might think," the girl whispered to Fleuri.

It was an odd thing for a child to say.  It could be the playful imagination of a child, but when Fleuri glanced back at her, she was gone without a trace, and without a sound.  This by itself was enough to unnerve the knight and lend credence to the idea that it wasn't just a little girl playing around, but what truly convinced Fleuri was when he heard a commotion around him and looked up at the dessert table.

[i]By Reon, what is going on?[/i]  The massive cake that once stood at the table had vanished into thin air in the time span of at most a few seconds!  It couldn't have been moved, lest he'd still be able to spot it towering over the heads of the attendees, and he knew from experience that something of that size falling over would've caused enough noise and commotion to bring the entire ball to a screeching halt.  The only explanation was that magic had to be involved, and that meant that the girl's warning could not simply be dismissed as a child's fantasy.

[i]I don't know what's going on, but I must warn the others.[/i]  Abandoning his plate and wine glass on the table, Fleuri weaved his way through the crowd to where the rest of the knights had more or less congregated.  A few times he brushed past a guest and uttered a hasty apology, unconcerned with the consequences in his haste.  Just a minute or two ago such a reckless disregard for etiquette and personal space would have mortified him, but what Fleuri had seen and heard had thoroughly spooked him beyond the ability to retain concern for such matters.  The duty of the Iron Roses came before the dignity of House Jodeau.  Once he reached where he could see the Princess and a few of the other knights, he stopped to compose himself and assess the situation.

[i]The Captain is talking to the Princess.  I can't directly approach them, not like this,[/i] he concluded.  If he mishandled this it could create a panic or worse, an incident.  [i]Alright.  Yes.  That's what I need to do.[/i]  Fleuri looked about the room, watching the crowds as the girl had suggested, and looking for the diminutive figure of Tyaethe and hoping she hadn't wandered far.  Fortunately, even with her small stature, the First and Youngest was not difficult to pick out of a crowd.  Fleuri made his way to the paladin, who was currently in a conversation with Sir Jerel Ban.

"Tyaethe, Jerel, something's wrong," Fleuri interjected worriedly, speaking softly as to not draw too much attention.  The change in his composure was as clear as night and day- up until now he had been one of the most comfortable of the attending knights, thoroughly in his element and quite formal in his interactions with others.  "I don't know what I just saw, but someone- a mage, I reckon, warned me to 'watch the crowds', that the Princess isn't safe.  Then she disappeared and somehow made...that...vanish with her," Fleuri whispered, pointing to where the cake once stood.  "Look, I know this sounds flimsy, crazy perhaps, but I believe something is amiss."

[i]Reon's mercy, I hope I didn't just make a massive fool of myself over nothing.[/i]

[@VitaVitaAR][@jdh97][@Raineh Daze]