The crimson-haired young woman blinked, surprised by the sight of the blonde-haired Archer-Knight for a moment.

"Ah, well, it is a pleasure to meet one of the Iron Rose Knights," she responded, bowing her head and raising her skirt as she curtsied, "I am Annika, of the Autmere family, and this-"

The dark-skinned young man in jeweled clothing eagerly stepped forward.

"Were your hand unoccupied, I would shake it!" he declared. While he did have the accent associated with Asharaad, his Thalnan was clear and, while very formal, spoken with confidence, "I am Samir Nadeem Bashar, son of Farid Nadeem Bashar! It is a great pleasure to meet one of the storied Rose Knights."

"-... Lord Bashar here has taken a great interest in our people's history and culture," Annika continued after a pause, smiling somewhat, "His father is a diplomat, so getting to know the people he practices his craft with only makes sense."

"Indeed, indeed!" declared Samir, "Not only your people, but all the peoples of the west. My father has told me much, and I am quite eager to learn more!"

"As you can see, I don't suppose either of us would mind sharing a drink," added Annika.

[@Rune_Alchemist]

[hr]

"Thank you, mister!"

The little girl was practically bouncing in place, her huge hat bobbing atop her head, as Sir Fleuri accepted her request for help. Indeed, while her outfit was rather strange, it wasn't difficult to understand why such a small girl would struggle to make her way through the crowds. The fact the hat kept nearly falling over her eyes certainly couldn't help. She kept having to push it back and adjust it in a bit to prevent it from occurring once again.

Pausing a moment when 'Cteline' spoke to her, the small girl tilted her head slightly.

"Why are you wearing a dress, Mister Cteline?" she asked, "Do you like girls' clothes?"

It was spoken in such an innocent manner, but it seemed that the little girl had managed to immediately recognize the fact that 'Cteline' wasn't exactly a noble[i]lady[/i].

Exactly how she had realized this was not likely to be answered, as she happily followed Sir Fleuri to the table.

Adorning the sweets portion of the party's food was all manner of confections and baked goods. The exotic candied fruits of less-familiar shapes and colors originating from Kashahn, honey-sweetened pastries finished with a rich glaze, crisp wafers with a white-and-black marbled pattern, fruit-filled puddings, and above all of them was the enormous cake coated in purple and gold.

"Ooooh...!" the little girl's green eyes sparkled excitedly as they travelled over the assortment of treats on display, "They all look so tasty... I want that one!"

The sleeve flopped as the girl raised her right hand to point at the cake.

Given it was nearly bigger then she was, this couldn't possibly be an advisable decision.

"Thaaaanks, Sir Knights!" she continued, brightly, waving for Fleuri to lean closer.

If he did...

When the girl whispered in his ear, it would be far less bright and cheery.

"That Princess could meet an unfortunate fate, if no-one is watching her. It's better to be safe then sorry, right?"

And then she was gone.

Alongside the entire cake.

[@PigeonOfAstora][@Crimson Paladin]