ayzrules

When Royalty Collides (#YIKES)

I S A B E L L A

---

After the ball, Isabella had gone straight back to her room, practically vibrating with suppressed rage. She was supposed to marry that man? Quentin was so unbelievably...so unbelievably childish. He was quite popular within the Texan Sovereignty for just that, of course; his friendliness and willingness to engage with the population endeared him to those living in the cities, at the very least.

But Isabella could not imagine that the descendants of the indigenous peoples who had lived on the land that the TS claimed as their own for hundreds of years were particularly happy about seeing that fool frolic about making vlogs when there were so many other problems to worry about. She supposed that was what their betrothal was all about; a princess with indigenous heritage would placate those dissenters, in theory. And so-here she was.

Isabella dismissed Doña Agustina and the rest of her maids as soon as she set food inside the chambers that were to be hers during her stay in Aciras. A quick glance towards her things revealed nothing, but Isabella was more than certain that Agustina had gone through them, in search of anything that could be relayed back to her father. That was alright, though. She wouldn't find anything.

Isabella eventually went to sleep, knowing that her every movement was being watched, even in a country so far and so different from home.

*****

The next morning, Isabella got up with plenty of time to get ready, checking the weather in Aciras. She wrinkled her nose-it was so hot. At this time of year, it was autumn in Evalusia, and besides. There were glaciers not two hour's drive from the royal palace. Although Evalusia itself went through a record number of biomes and ecosystems, Isabella had the fortune (or misfortune?) of residing in the southern tip. Where aforementioned glaciers were.

Isabella scanned through the news as she let her maids do her hair and make-up (it was no use arguing with Doña Agustina about it; Isabella knew that the only reason the other woman was getting her maids to do things Isabella could do perfectly well herself was so that she would not be left alone for any significant amount of time. Well, so be it, then. If Doña Agustina wanted to keep an eye on her, then she could keep an eye on her. Isabella was not fool enough to do anything of any particular importance in her own chambers). She rolled her eyes at all the photos of her betrothed in his ridiculous hat-we are about the same age, and he is but a child-and idly flicked through various reports on the previous day's festivities.

A mention of her in a tabloid caught her eye. Isabella read it, snorted, and moved on. Well, I can't say that whoever this writer is isn't correct, she thought to herself, dryly. I am sure Father would have disowned me, had it not been for the fact that he could also use me to his own advantage.

Soon enough, the maids were done with Isabella's hair and make-up. Isabella gave them a cursory glance. "Out," she said, sweeping her eyes around the room and letting her icy gaze land on Doña Agustina. "You too. I should like to get dressed in private, thank you very much."

Thankfully, Doña Agustina obliged, and a minute later, Isabella had the room to herself.

"Válgame dios, how am I ever going to get through this entire trip with that maldita woman hovering around me the whole time?" Isabella muttered to herself as she opened the wardrobe and selected a dress for the day-a sleek pencil dress that cinched in slightly at the waist with a skirt that ended halfway in between her knees and her ankles, featuring bell sleeves and a Catholic Church-approved neckline (that is, a neckline showing nothing but her clavicle. Even upper sternums were too much for God-fearing women to bare, apparently). She slipped into a pair of black kitten heels and put her cell phone and a few other necessities (mostly make-up related) into a shimmery black clutch.

Isabella strode out into the hallway without another word, headed towards the tea parlor that they would be having brunch in. Once she arrived, she took a quick look around the room (the colors were so bright that they almost hurt her eyes). She murmured polite greetings to the other princes and princesses as she made her way to the back, where she poured herself a cup of coffee and sweetened it with three sugar cubes and a spoonful of milk.

Once she had taken care of her daily caffeine fix, Isabella scanned the room once more, searching for faces of interest. Her betrothed had not arrived yet (thank the heavens), so that meant Isabella did not have to put up with Prince Quentin's foolishness just now.

Another surreptitious glance around the parlor told her that Venera and Erik, a prince and a princess from two different kingdoms who were pretty much giving her father everything he needed to stay in power (and ruin a bunch of peoples' lives at that), were chatting with each other, not five feet away from her. Mm. Interesting. Maybe I will go say hi.

Isabella's dress, but with a higher neckline

When Royalty Collides (#YIKES)

@polyatomicbeing if you're still around we should figure out a lea/yu collab for the laughs ;D

Give Me Your Favorite Quote(s).

"It was still early morning when I found myself fairly adrift. Delicious sunshine came pouring over the hills, lighting the tops of the pines, and setting free a steam of summery fragrance that contrasted strangely with the wild tones of the storm. The air was mottled with pine-tassels and bright green plumes, that went flashing past in the sunlight like birds pursued. But there was not the slightest dustiness, nothing less pure than leaves, and ripe pollen, and flecks of withered bracken and moss. I heard trees falling for hours at the rate of one every two or three minutes; some uprooted, partly on account of the loose, water-soaked condition of the ground; others broken straight across, where some weakness caused by fire had determined the spot. The gestures of the various trees made a delightful study. Young Sugar Pines, light and feathery as squirrel-tails, were bowing almost to the ground; while the grand old patriarchs, whose massive boles had been tried in a hundred storms, waved solemnly above them, their long, arching branches streaming fluently on the gale, and every needle thrilling and ringing and shedding off keen lances of light like a diamond. The Douglas Spruces, with long sprays drawn out in level tresses, and needles massed in a gray, shimmering glow, presented a most striking appearance as they stood in bold relief along the hilltops. The madronños in the dells, with their red bark and large glossy leaves tilted every way, reflected the sunshine in throbbing spangles like those one so often sees on the rippled surface of a glacier lake. But the Silver Pines were now the most impressively beautiful of all. Colossal spires 200 feet in height waved like supple goldenrods chanting and bowing low as if in worship, while the whole mass of their long, tremulous foliage was kindled into one continuous blaze of white sun-fire. The force of the gale was such that the most steadfast monarch of them all rocked down to its roots with a motion plainly perceptible when one leaned against it. Nature was holding high festival, and every fiber of the most rigid giants thrilled with glad excitement."

-John Muir

When Royalty Collides (#YIKES)

A L E J A N D R O

---

Alejandro was content to simply sit back and listen to the others chat (Lea was always so entertaining to be around, he found. And he highly approved of her taste in fashion. Same with Rhinnon-Rhia- though he did not know her as well).

Alejandro turned towards the door as he caught a flash of long, dark hair and a turquoise suit. His eyes followed Elias and his sister as they helped themselves to some of the food, and a sudden pang of longing twisted in his gut. He and Elias...well. It was a long time ago, he reminded himself. And we are both very different people, now. Still, Alejandro's hand went instantly to his earrings as Elias looked his way and greeted him, formally. He probably doesn't remember the jewelry I was wearing, each time we were together. But I do.

Alejandro shook himself out of his reverie. It was no fun to be stuck in the past all the time, at least not in his opinion. Although, as much as Alejandro knew that he and Elias would never work, there was still some small part of him that couldn't help but admire the way that the turquoise jacket fit the other prince. Mmm, he has a good tailor, he thought, idly.

Rhia broke away from her conversation with Lea to invite Dafni and Elias over. Alejandro's lips curved up in a wicked grin as he looked in their direction, as well. "Yes, do pull some over," he called to them. "How am I ever going to compliment you on your outfit if you are all the way over there, Princess Dafni?" There was a hint of playfulness in his eyes as he took another sip of tea.

(Interacting with @MorningStar1399)

When Royalty Collides (#YIKES)

@buffykdh cool cool sounds good :)

When Royalty Collides (#YIKES)

M A I M E I

---

Mai laughed softly at Ivelynne's apparent excitement, even as she continued to discreetly scan the room as the others arrived. "Yes, Mai. And it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ivy."

A genuinely pleased expression spread across her face at Ivy's comment about her shoes. "You are too kind," she murmured, lips curving upwards into a gentle smile. "And I would love to talk about make-up." She considered Ivy's question for a moment, taking a small sip of tea before responding. "I think it would depend on the situation," she said, thoughtfully. "And I do not see why it should not be an art. There are many make-up artists who use it as a way of self-expression nowadays, no? I have seen some quite spectacular make-up looks online, and although I think it would be considered 'too much' for everyday wear, there's nothing wrong with it, no?" Mai laughed, softly. "At least, that is my take on it."

Mai took note as Alejandro pranced into the room, followed shortly after by Elias and Dafni Kokinos. She smiled politely at each of them, rolling her eyes slightly in Alejandro's direction, and took another sip of her tea before popping another cream puff into her mouth. Those things taste too good to be legal, she thought to herself, wryly.

Mai turned to Ivy. "Do you want one?" she asked, offering the other princess a cream puff.

(Interacting with @Ezmeralda)

When Royalty Collides (#YIKES)

L E A L Y N T O N

---

Rhia was the first to arrive, and Lea gave her a cheery wave as she entered the parlor.

Rhia was wearing a black skirt and a colorful kerchief in her hair. As always, her jewelry was on point. "Oooh, I like your earrings," she told her.

When Rhia lowered her voice, Lea instinctively leaned in expectantly, and when she mentioned Quentin's hat, Lea laughed out loud. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed, trying (and failing, probably) to keep her voice low. "I know, right? It's already trending on Twitter. I can't believe it." She grinned. "I wonder if Quentin would let me try it on. Like, I could totally rock a cowgirl outfit, I think. Oooh, I wonder if they have high-heeled cowgirl boots. I'm sure they do. That would be so fun!"

As Lea chattered away, she pulled out her phone and expertly entered the passcode with one hand, bringing up the hashtag. "This is actually really hilarious," she said. "Like, I feel bad for people who were trying to get, like, super official and nice-looking photos. But this is really funny." Lea stifled another giggle as she scrolled.

She gave Rhia a sidelong glance. "Hey, speaking of pictures," she began, tapping out of the Twitter app and pulling up her camera. "We look way too nice for us to not take a picture together." Lea held up her phone, angling it so that they could take a selfie (which she would then post on Snapchat, her Instagram story, her Facebook story, and Twitter. Not all at the same time though!). "Say cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese!!!!"

Next came Princess Ivelynne, Prince Alejandro, and Princess Mai. Lea put away her phone and beamed at them as they walked in. "Yeah, of course you can sit here!" she said to Ivy, waving at Alejandro as he breezed by and returning Mai's more subdued good morning with a chirpy one of her own.

Lea nibbled on a pastry, watching Elias and Dafni Kokinos walk in. "Yo! How's it going?" she called out as they passed by on their way to get food. She quickly checked out Dafni's outfit-that top was so cool. Lea turned to face Rhia again, a cheeky grin on her face. "You should ask Dafni where she got her outfit. I could totally see you in something similar."

(Interacting with @Ezmeralda @shylarah @Morningstar1399)

When Royalty Collides (#YIKES)

M A I M E I

---

The morning after the welcome ball, Mai called her uncle.

"Uncle, it's me," she said, smiling when she heard his familiar voice on the other end of the line. They spoke in the obscure dialect of the mountain village that Mai had grown up in. Needless to say, even if someone managed to listen in on their conversation, it would have been difficult for them to decipher the words...unless they themselves knew how to speak the dialect.

Which was, for all intents and purposes, highly unlikely, given that the village had been burned to the ground by socialist forces not long after Ming had come out of hiding.

Mai had thought that the call would be alright, as did the adviser who had come to Aciras with her. Besides, it wasn't like they would be talking about anything of great importance, anyway. Mai just wanted to say hi.

"I hope you aren't busy," she said.

She could hear her uncle's smile in his voice. "No, not at all," he said. "It's already nine here. I was thinking about going to bed, actually. I'm getting old."

Mai giggled. "Uncle, you are not old!" she protested lightly.

"Oh, yes I am! I have white hair already," Ming replied in a completely serious tone of voice.

Mai rolled her eyes. "How is Zhou? How many people has he inadvertently offended since I left?"

A rumble of laughter. "Oh, none at all, mei mei," he answered, using his own pet name for her. When the two of them had been traveling across Liang, they had taken on numerous different identities, and it got to the point where it was just easier for Ming to call Mai xiao mei mei, which translated roughly to "little girl" or "little sister". It was a generic term, and did not have to be used in a familial context, and it just stuck. "Everyone he has offended was one-hundred percent...advertent."

"Uncle!" Mai exclaimed, unable to keep the laughter from spilling out of her lips. "You are just as bad as he is."

"Now, Mai," he said teasingly, "I'm not as bad as your cousin. I have never taken the si gua slices out of si gua and egg soup."

Mai's eyes widened. "No. He did that?"

"Oh yes," said Ming, amused. "This morning."

"Heavens above," Mai breathed, rubbing her forehead. "You have got to be kidding me."

"I wish I was, mei mei," Ming intoned gravely. "I wish I was."

They moved on to other things; the ball from the night before, for example.

"How was it?" asked Ming. "How was Prince Leonard?"

"The ball was fine," answered Mai. "Same with the prince."

A pause. "That's good to hear. And how is Aciras?"

"Good, I suppose. The palace is very nice, though I do prefer the one at home. I do not understand Westerners and their...proclivity of blasting the air conditioner at frigid temperatures twenty-four hours a day. It is always so cold! I'd imagine Princess Ayleanna has already tried to do something about this, given her interests, but to no avail."

Her uncle let out a low chuckle. "Well, I should let you get on with your day," he said, mock-yawning. "It's late. I need to go to sleep."

Mai laughed softly. "If you say so, uncle," she replied, and she bade her uncle farewell before hanging up.

Figuring that it was as good of a time as any to get dressed, Mai first brushed out her hair, deciding that she would put it into a messy (but artful! Very artful) bun. She curled the ends of her hair, slightly, so that it wouldn't be boring and stick-straight for the entire day.

Next, she slid into the shirt she had picked out-an off-the-shoulder top of black velvet with long sleeves that hugged her figure becomingly (Mai was never making the mistake of wearing spaghetti straps or a strapless anything in this frigid icebox of a palace, ever again). She put on a high-waisted pleated skirt of crimson satin, and a pair of black velvet heels with bows at the ankles. Finally, to complete the ensemble, Mai put on a pair of dangly gold and ruby earrings and a thin red choker necklace.

Mai kept make-up light, or her version of "light", anyway, applying her usual mixture of foundation and concealer before brushing on mascara and a hint of pink blush. She skipped her customary smokey eyeshadow today, instead opting for only eyeliner, though the rose-red lipstick remained.

Mai examined herself in the mirror, and frowned, slightly. She found a pair of razor-sharp hairpins with pretty red beads dangling off the ends and arranged them in her bun. The burgundy-colored clutch that she carried had a nail file that was much too sharp to be just a nail file, as well as a slew of make-up products, a compact mirror, spare tissues, and her phone.

Mai decided to get some food, since it was still kind of early. She ate as she checked her phone. The fresh fruit was absolutely delicious, and the fruit smoothies were simply divine. Mai hadn't really had many fruit smoothies in Liang (they just weren't that popular, you know?), so she took the opportunity that morning to try as many fruit smoothies as she possibly could (though she'd limited herself to half a dozen out of pity for the kitchen staff, who were probably up to their ears in work as it was).

Mai wandered out of her room at around ten-thirty, knowing that the casual brunch was not for another half-hour or so. With nothing to do, Mai explored the palace a little, before she spotted the parlor that brunch was taking place in. Enticed by the prospect of tea, Mai slipped inside.

Lea Lynton and her cousin, Rhiannon of Wales, were already there, as were Alejandro and Ivelynne Burnley. Mai smiled a greeting, murmuring a soft "good morning" as she sat down and made herself comfortable at one of the couches, examining the array of pastries laid out on the coffee table. Shrugging, she picked up a teeny-tiny cream puff and popped it into her mouth. Ooh! It was good.

Next, Mai poured herself some oolong tea (there was a big table filled with teapots in the back), admiring the dainty tea cup that she had picked up. Everything in the room was just so pretty, like a dollhouse. She took a sip of tea, then turned to the person sitting diagonally from where she was.

"I do apologize for being forward, Princess Ivelynne," Mai began, smiling warmly at her, "but I love the dress you are wearing. As well as your jewelry."

Mai's shoes

(Interacting with @Ezmeralda)

When Royalty Collides (#YIKES)

A L E J A N D R O

---

As was his habit, Alejandro was up by eight or eight-thirty in the morning, though he would not be seen outside his chambers until at least ten-thirty, of course-there was much to be done in terms of getting ready for the day.

He slipped into a pair of black skinny jeans, paired with what would have been an elegantly subdued sheer silk shirt (albeit one that hugged his lean torso a little too tightly), except for the fact that there was a bubblegum-pink floral pattern hand-sewn on top of the sheer, almost-translucent fabric. A pair of sparkly silver studs that brought back memories of citrusy shampoo and a morning spent with a certain Pólemesian prince went on his ears, and a simple golden watch went around Alejandro's right wrist. Finally, he brushed out his long blonde hair and curled it ever so slightly, so that it fell in sleek waves a few inches past his shoulders. He opted for a pair of black heeled boots (embellished with pink topaz gemstones that complemented the flowers on his shirt in the most delightful manner), and applied a light layer of foundation. There. That was just about as "dressy casual" as Alejandro ever got.

At precisely nine-thirty, Vhalery de Mirabel strode into his rooms. He grinned cheekily at her. "My darlingest Mirry!" he greeted, kissing her on the cheek. Vhalery said nothing and bore it, clearly used to the Castilyan prince's overwhelming extraness.

There was a tray of fruit-raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, mango-all wonderfully arranged in a rainbow of deliciousness. Alejandro nibbled thoughtfully on a strawberry as he gazed up at Vhalery's impassive chocolate-brown eyes. Once they were well and truly alone, Vhalery began to speak. "How was the ball?"

"Oh, the ball was absolutely divine," he replied.

Vhalery gave him a hard look. "I see. I suppose you enjoyed getting to know everyone?"

Alejandro studied his friend for a moment, before the realization hit him. "So you overheard my conversation with Ronny, then?" he asked, grinning cheekily. "I must say, he was not the most articulate of people. And flirting with him was like talking to a brick wall, mmm." Alejandro rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Better than Prince Edwin, I suppose. Now he would have taken everything much too seriously, and then given unnecessarily verbose replies." He threw a playful wink towards Vhalery...

...who was not buying his act at all. She arched an eyebrow at him, knowing exactly who and what he had been thinking about while he was speaking to Andronikos. She said nothing, of course, but Alejandro knew. And Vhalery knew that he knew.

He bit down, hard, on the inside of his cheek. Damn Vhalery de Mirabel for looking so much like her brother, he thought, almost painfully.

The two of them gossiped for a bit, and although Alejandro did most of the talking, he valued Vhalery's insight almost just as he valued, well, his own. Vhalery had been many things in her life-soldier, spy, almost-bodyguard, friend, and sister, to name a few-and she offered a different perspective on things. Though Alejandro found that the two of them usually agreed on what mattered the most.

During a momentary lull in their conversation, Alejandro pulled out his phone and flicked through Twitter. "I have to say, my dear Mirry," he began thoughtfully, glancing up to meet her brown eyes, "I am quite impressed by the...skill, I suppose, of these Aciran journalists."

"How so?" Vhalery questioned, unimpressed.

Alejandro shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I cannot imagine that many of the writers were invited to the festivities. Certainly not anybody from the tabloids. And yet, here they are, printing stories like they were watching the entire time." A delicate pause. "Of course, reporters at home have nothing on our network, but this is Aciras, not Castilya."

Vhalery understood immediately. "I can look into it today," she answered smoothly. "I have an idea of where to start."

Alejandro beamed at her. "Splendid, my darlingest Mirry, absolutely splendid."

They gossiped for a bit longer. Vhalery and Alejandro finished the fruit. The clock read precisely 10:28 AM.

Alejandro stretched, luxuriously. "Well, I think that's enough for now, Mirry," he remarked mildly. "The day is only getting started." Vhalery nodded, gathered her things, and left. Alejandro stayed within his rooms, thinking, for another seventeen minutes before prancing out into the corridor at exactly 10:45 AM.

The parlor where brunch was taking place was evidently located on the first floor of the palace. When he arrived, he took a quick glance around the room, noting who was already there, as well as the decor. I like the color scheme, he mused to himself as he walked inside.

He found Lea Lynton, Rhiannon Cadfael, and Ivelynne Burnley already present. "Good morning, good morning," he said, flashing them a wide, cheerful grin. "I do hope that you all slept well." He breezed past them and helped himself to a cup of tea before sitting down in one of the vintage loveseats, at the edge of the small circle that the three princesses made. He took a sip of tea and discreetly positioned himself so that he would have an excellent view of the entire room.

(Interacting with @shylarah and @Ezmeralda)

When Royalty Collides (#YIKES)

sorry for spamming y'all but if you guys are still active holla @ me so I can figure out who my characters could talk to at brunch :)

(if you've been talking in discord no need to do anything lol)