[img]https://i.imgur.com/wFBCprL.png[/img]

At footsteps, Jinayah grumbled very faintly. She had her back turned and was still midswing, thinking it was one of her sisters coming to collect her. “Yes, I’m going to the party in just a moment, let me finish this.” Of course she had said that to herself nearly 20 minutes back, and again at 10 minutes. But the voice that spoke out was definitely none of her sisters, neither was it her father or any of the other knights she knew by name.

Ever so slowly, she turned around, finally seeing Prince Vyarin darkening the doorway. “Ah.” Carefully, she sheathed the practice blade and stared just a bit at him. What to say? She imagined he had a thousand questions, the first of which was likely why a woman was allowed a blade in the first place.

“He- hello Prince Vyarin.” She dipped a low curtsy, the tip of the scabbard at her back nearly brushing the ground. “Er, I suppose you’re wondering what I’m doing out here instead of at the party.” Was she imagining that shocked gaze? He looked so blank she wasn’t sure what to do. “M-my father has permitted me the use of the sword since I was of age to start squire training. If you wish to know what was behind that decision, please feel free to ask him.” The sword, despite it not being hers, gave her courage. Her carefully coifed hair was in disarray, and there was dust on the edges of her pink gown. But she was still of the royal family and would command herself as such. “If you wish to know why I wanted to learn anyway, well, look around you. The Empire creeps insidious into our back rooms, taking what they will from our people. I will not sit by and do needlepoint while my world is taken from me. I have no kingdom to inherit, no magic, no spies. By Gods, if all I have is a blade and my body, that will be enough.”

“Father may see me as a piece on a board and that’s just fine. But I aim to be the Steel Dragoon, if I’m to be a piece at all.” In the game of war, the Steel Dragoon was a most sought after piece to get onto the board. It could capture and remove adjacent pieces, sometimes drastically changing the flow of the game in its wake.

“No man, not even you, will keep me from this ambition.” Her piece said, she waited with head held high for the outrage. Instead, she just found confusion on the Prince’s face. Only then did she remember the translator from earlier. 

“Oh no. You didn’t understand a word of that, did you?” She smiled in a truly embarrassed way and shook her head, her cheeks burning. What to say now? Slowly, she put the sword back in the rack with its brothers, and took a moment to collect herself.

“Good evening, Prince Vyarin.” She said in careful Prodzy. She had practiced these phrases for a solid month, but they were slipping from her mind as she spoke. “It is… an evening of beauty, no? What is your… preference - no, purpose! What is your purpose?”