Fit for a Queen (IC/closed)

[The Last Stars]

After conversing at length with President Pratt, the Dancerian found much in common with him. A background in corporations, a desire to trade (Danceria was in dire need of coal, so naturally Edgar gave him his business card for a later meeting), an easygoing nature...such a pleasant conversation put Edgar back to his regular assertive self. He regained a sense of optimism that he may befriend the introverted hostess, but he may have to listen more, as he was a bit...off-putting.

However, what caught his interest was the subtle clip-clop of hooves on marble. Turning his eyes to meet the source of the noise, they promptly widened as he saw a massive stag casually asserting itself in the ballroom. Checking his pulse, his movements, and pinching himself, Edgar concluded he had either completely lost his mind, his drink was spiked, or there was indeed a stag in the middle of the castle.

Such a unique event was not to be missed, Edgar reasoned, and he carefully inched towards the unusual company of finely dressed guests.

Such subtle attention didn't go unnoticed by the stag that was guarding the Empress. The attention made them just a tad bit spooked, in which it made the two stag guardians ghost around Akela more closely. Their eyes were fixed upon Edgar and ears perked up for an suspicious sounds. One of the Kashmir stags puffed out their chest and straightened themself into a more proud and taller stance. The Bucks were used to anyone that didn't have the familiar scent of their island. The inhabitants of The Last Stars tended to have a more natural scent of the forest, mist, and herbs. The guests at the ball had a too artificial scent, or an unrecognizable one. Naturally, it made the stags defensive near Akela, despite the peaceful nature of the event. The Empress Akela hadn't notice this change in her guards, for she was still with Cecily. The stags wouldn't try to draw her attention to Edgar quite yet.

[Danceria]

After conversing at length with President Pratt, the Dancerian found much in common with him. A background in corporations, a desire to trade (Danceria was in dire need of coal, so naturally Edgar gave him his business card for a later meeting), an easygoing nature...such a pleasant conversation put Edgar back to his regular assertive self. He regained a sense of optimism that he may befriend the introverted hostess, but he may have to listen more, as he was a bit...off-putting.

However, what caught his interest was the subtle clip-clop of hooves on marble. Turning his eyes to meet the source of the noise, they promptly widened as he saw a massive stag casually asserting itself in the ballroom. Checking his pulse, his movements, and pinching himself, Edgar concluded he had either completely lost his mind, his drink was spiked, or there was indeed a stag in the middle of the castle.

Such a unique event was not to be missed, Edgar reasoned, and he carefully inched towards the unusual company of finely dressed guests.

Such subtle attention didn't go unnoticed by the stag that was guarding the Empress. The attention made them just a tad bit spooked, in which it made the two stag guardians ghost around Akela more closely. Their eyes were fixed upon Edgar and ears perked up for an suspicious sounds. One of the Kashmir stags puffed out their chest and straightened themself into a more proud and taller stance. The Bucks were used to anyone that didn't have the familiar scent of their island. The inhabitants of The Last Stars tended to have a more natural scent of the forest, mist, and herbs. The guests at the ball had a too artificial scent, or an unrecognizable one. Naturally, it made the stags defensive near Akela, despite the peaceful nature of the event. The Empress Akela hadn't notice this change in her guards, for she was still with Cecily. The stags wouldn't try to draw her attention to Edgar quite yet.

Hm...these stags are surprisingly good...I wonder if they're sentient...? he thought to himself Either way, they smell me, and I'm not a friend of theirs. Not yet at least. The scent of herbs and trees was blatant to the Dancerian duke, who resided in the deserts of Harad. How am I going to gain the trust of- an idea hit him, as he slowly walked to the left side of the stag, hoping not to startle them. Fishing through his pocket, he found what he was looking for.

Encased in plastic was a deer biscuit, something he had left over in his good suit after a brief hunting trip with His Majesty, Aramer. Thankfully, the King of Danceria was an outdoorsman, even in his old age. Opening the packet and presenting the biscuit to the stag, the scent of trees and mint wafted to the guards. Now, all Edgar could do was wait and hope.

[The Last Magic]

Five figures entered the room, one of them noticeably different than the others.
"Three moons, we're late!" Exclaimed the female in silver with a somewhat twisted crown.
Her brother looked around. "It's fine. Just act natural."
"Act natural. Coming from the one who's mother named him Tumble." Another pointed out while shaking her head.
How am I supposed to act natural? The different figure telepathically questioned.
Queen Shadowhunter rested her hand on the dragon's shoulder. "I don't know. Mingle or something."
The three other humans scattered amidst the crowd.
The night wing looked up at Shadowhunter. I don't do too well in crowds.
"So just stay with me," she offered, walking off into the sea of people. The dragon followed close behind but stopped by two deer as he looked around.
They're dancing. I can't dance with a human! What am I supposed to do, ask a stag to dance?
"If one of them is a girl you could." She stopped beside the dragon who was standing dangerously close to a man with a deer biscuit.

[The Last Stars]

Such subtle attention didn't go unnoticed by the stag that was guarding the Empress. The attention made them just a tad bit spooked, in which it made the two stag guardians ghost around Akela more closely. Their eyes were fixed upon Edgar and ears perked up for an suspicious sounds. One of the Kashmir stags puffed out their chest and straightened themself into a more proud and taller stance. The Bucks were used to anyone that didn't have the familiar scent of their island. The inhabitants of The Last Stars tended to have a more natural scent of the forest, mist, and herbs. The guests at the ball had a too artificial scent, or an unrecognizable one. Naturally, it made the stags defensive near Akela, despite the peaceful nature of the event. The Empress Akela hadn't notice this change in her guards, for she was still with Cecily. The stags wouldn't try to draw her attention to Edgar quite yet.

Hm...these stags are surprisingly good...I wonder if they're sentient...? he thought to himself Either way, they smell me, and I'm not a friend of theirs. Not yet at least. The scent of herbs and trees was blatant to the Dancerian duke, who resided in the deserts of Harad. How am I going to gain the trust of- an idea hit him, as he slowly walked to the left side of the stag, hoping not to startle them. Fishing through his pocket, he found what he was looking for.

Encased in plastic was a deer biscuit, something he had left over in his good suit after a brief hunting trip with His Majesty, Aramer. Thankfully, the King of Danceria was an outdoorsman, even in his old age. Opening the packet and presenting the biscuit to the stag, the scent of trees and mint wafted to the guards. Now, all Edgar could do was wait and hope.

The stags continued to watch Edgar, taking note of every movement of his and judging if he was a friend or foe. One of them only moved a bit to the side as the foreign Duke came close to their side. However they tilted their heads in a curious manner as Edgar brough out the odd deer biscuit. The appearance was more of a turn off, but the scent it had eventually attracted the two stags. Quickly they broke it apart in two for them to share. One of the stags gave Edgar's hand a lick as a thank you before stepping back from him. Akela looked over and shly smiled at Edgar. "I see youre takng notice of my guards. They're friendly, though not used to being around foreigners."

[Holy Marsh]

Dawn smiled at the Cardinal's words. "No, my toes are perfectly fine." She said. This man seemed nice, and also appeared to be trying to take her focus away from all of these infernal suitors. She had to respect the fact that someone here had spine enough to stand against the average attendee.
From the corner of her eye, she could see Edgar on the sidelines. He didn't look too happy. Oops. Well we got off to a bad start. I'll have to talk to him later to apologize. However, at the moment, he seemed preoccupied with deer, so Dawn returned her focus to the dance.

Peter lifted Rayne up and laughed a little. "Alright, no more dips." He said.

The Cardinal was very pleased with how she was dancing and reacting. Honestly, he had expected a more extreme reaction to his appearance. Then again he had to know that there were likely followers of the Faith in the Queen's land, so the events of The Shift and the feminization of the Marshite male that went along with it were likely known to her. This was good. Less awkward explaining needed.

“Good to hear. My legs certainly weren't as long before! So, tell me something, Your Highness, if it is acceptable. How do you like being Queen? I'd imagine the responsibility is both a great burden as well as an enormous gift. Being a public servant has always seemed to be the height of wonder, even if the weight can be heavy,” he said with a smile, moving faster in rhythm with the waltz.

[River Tree]

Rayne was still struggling to dance when she noticed the stags and dragon in the room. Wow. The stags are beautiful. I wonder who they belong to. And since that's a nightwing I'm assuming Shadow is around here somewhere. Gah! She refocused on dancing as she missed step, nearly tripping over her floor length gown.

[Danceria]

Hm...these stags are surprisingly good...I wonder if they're sentient...? he thought to himself Either way, they smell me, and I'm not a friend of theirs. Not yet at least. The scent of herbs and trees was blatant to the Dancerian duke, who resided in the deserts of Harad. How am I going to gain the trust of- an idea hit him, as he slowly walked to the left side of the stag, hoping not to startle them. Fishing through his pocket, he found what he was looking for.

Encased in plastic was a deer biscuit, something he had left over in his good suit after a brief hunting trip with His Majesty, Aramer. Thankfully, the King of Danceria was an outdoorsman, even in his old age. Opening the packet and presenting the biscuit to the stag, the scent of trees and mint wafted to the guards. Now, all Edgar could do was wait and hope.

The stags continued to watch Edgar, taking note of every movement of his and judging if he was a friend or foe. One of them only moved a bit to the side as the foreign Duke came close to their side. However they tilted their heads in a curious manner as Edgar brough out the odd deer biscuit. The appearance was more of a turn off, but the scent it had eventually attracted the two stags. Quickly they broke it apart in two for them to share. One of the stags gave Edgar's hand a lick as a thank you before stepping back from him. Akela looked over and shly smiled at Edgar. "I see youre takng notice of my guards. They're friendly, though not used to being around foreigners."

"Indeed..." Edgar chuckled nervously at the large stags. "A...unique choice of guards, if I do say so myself..." He bowed "Edgar Roni Angman, at your service. Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

[The Last Stars]

After the brief snack, the stags seemed to relax around Edgar and went back to standing behind the Empress. Now, they only gave slight glances towards the Duke just to keep check on him and his behavior. Akela gently patted the neck of one of her guards before responding towards Edgar. She wondered if she should explain the odd choice. It was normal to have bucks working the army. Heck, it was even normal for female deer to become herbalists and medics and swordfish to be apart of the navy. However, she didn't want to make herself appear more odd than she already did.
Just like before, the Empress did a small curtsy in respect towards the other. "Nice meeting you, Edgar. I hope you won't mind me referring you as 'Edgar'." Long names could be long, but she didn't want to offend the male by accident. "My name is Akela Kaniga, Empress of the Last Stars. If you don't mind my question, what brings you to attend this ball?" She was curious in general. Did people just come to balls for mostly fun? Or were there some close political ties that she was rather oblivious towards?
The stags flicked their ears towards the five new figures entering the room. They seemed ordinary, save for a dragon accompaning them. Due to the beasts that roamed their native forested island, the dragon didn't bug them too much. However, if the nightwing started to take an interest on eating them then that would lead to a whole different situation.

[Dahon]

The Empress continued to stand there, eventually settling her view on the ground near her feet. It wasn't until Cecily's approaching presence did Akelalook back up again. She nervously smiled, slightly embarrassed in herself for having her head down beforehand. Just from Cecily's tone alone, the timid Empress began to grow a bit more relaxed. She had a fear that everyone would neglect or scold at her for being so odd. The formality of the interpreter made the Empress realize that she had to keep her mannerisms up for today. She had to be graceful, like the gentle does on her island.
Akela did a little curtsy in respect towards Cecily's after she introduced herself and her intentions. "Nice to meet you, Cecily Creamchild," she said formally at first. "Well, my name is Akela Kaniga, Empress of The Last Stars." Yes, yes, that was good thought Akela. Just keep it simple and don't mix up the words. "I'd be honored to meet your Highness. In fact, we could meet right now if that is acceptable?" She didn't have anything else to do, and hearing about the other Highness, Sumire, made her curious about what the other lands were like and what Sumire was like in general as well. After all, her island couldn't stay isolated forever.
One of her guards was drawing close to the pair. The stag was on full-alert with this new, strange being in the presence of their Empress. However, the Kashmir stag simply gave Cecily a small whiff before clopping off to stand behind Akela. The stag was a bit taller than Akela herself, but the muscular build of the stag made the Empress look smaller.

Cecily beamed even more, if that were possible -- the sight of man and beast (or in this case, woman and beast) living in harmony -- albeit after the creature Cecily was only dimly aware of as a kind of deer came up to her, seemingly hostile and certainly looming with sheer presence, before bounding up to Akela -- would certainly cheer up the unnaturally cheerful. "Certainly, Your Highness. Please follow me."

It was not long before the two came up to Sumire's side, who like the rest was now drinking up this brush with nature, and who unlike the rest was absent-mindedly playing with her hair. Noticing the blonde-locked interpreter standing beside her but not bothering to face her for the moment, Sumire started, "Name and occupation, kid?"

After begging Akela's pardon to speak to the Suzumikami followed with a quick bow, Cecily turned to the Kanamekami, who was by now facing them. Putting her customary retort to the persistently demeaning Sumire aside, she answered, "Akela Kaniga, Your Majesty. Empress of The Last Stars."

"Akera Kanika. Wait, that's wro-- Akera Kuniga. Ah, here -- Akira Kaniga. Yes, let's go with that -- but 'Empress of The Last Stars'? Quite a fancy title. Very... escarporgicar."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty?"

Sumire mulled it over before continuing, "'Escarporogicar'. But never mind -- relay these questions to her, jazz them up as needed."

A bemused nod.

"Good. First: What are these creatures? Your pets or something? Then secondly -- wait, who's that?"

Such a unique event was not to be missed, Edgar reasoned, and he carefully inched towards the unusual company of finely dressed guests.

Such subtle attention didn't go unnoticed by the stag that was guarding the Empress. The attention made them just a tad bit spooked, in which it made the two stag guardians ghost around Akela more closely. Their eyes were fixed upon Edgar and ears perked up for an suspicious sounds. One of the Kashmir stags puffed out their chest and straightened themself into a more proud and taller stance. The bucks were used to anyone that didn't have the familiar scent of their island. The inhabitants of The Last Stars tended to have a more natural scent of the forest, mist, and herbs. The guests at the ball had a too artificial scent, or an unrecognizable one. Naturally, it made the stags defensive near Akela, despite the peaceful nature of the event. The Empress Akela hadn't notice this changed in her guards, for she was still with Cecily. The stags wouldn't try to draw her attention to Edgar quite yet.

If the creatures Akela brought with her were discreet, the Kanamekami, arching eyebrow and all, was far less so. Back off, doronin, I'm the one flirting here, goddammit, Sumire wanted to shout, only she knew the language barrier would bar her from getting her thoughts to this unwelcome if gaily-dressed intruder-slash-rival-slash-dance partner. Directly, that is.

"Your Majesty?"

By the Diva, kid -- you haven't noticed?

"Well, secondly: direct this question to that gentleman creeping up to us," she resumed, raising up a hand pointed towards the unknown notable in an obscene gesture of foreign, specifically Moscan, extraction -- hand clenched, with thumb pressed to middle finger, causing the latter to rise above the remaining fingers, "who the fuck is he and why the fuck is he what is he doing --"

Hm...these stags are surprisingly good...I wonder if they're sentient...? he thought to himself Either way, they smell me, and I'm not a friend of theirs. Not yet at least. The scent of herbs and trees was blatant to the Dancerian duke, who resided in the deserts of Harad. How am I going to gain the trust of- an idea hit him, as he slowly walked to the left side of the stag, hoping not to startle them. Fishing through his pocket, he found what he was looking for.

Encased in plastic was a deer biscuit, something he had left over in his good suit after a brief hunting trip with His Majesty, Aramer. Thankfully, the King of Danceria was an outdoorsman, even in his old age. Opening the packet and presenting the biscuit to the stag, the scent of trees and mint wafted to the guards. Now, all Edgar could do was wait and hope.

Cecily's eyes widened in complete surprise at the spectacle before her, unaware till then of any old men creeping up to the three of them. A biscuit?

The stags continued to watch Edgar, taking note of every movement of his and judging if he was a friend or foe. One of them only moved a bit to the side as the foreign Duke came close to their side. However they tilted their heads in a curious manner as Edgar brough out the odd deer biscuit. The appearance was more of a turn off, but the scent it had eventually attracted the two stags. Quickly they broke it apart in two for them to share. One of the stags gave Edgar's hand a lick as a thank you before stepping back from him. Akela looked over and shly smiled at Edgar. "I see youre taking notice of my guards. They're friendly, though not used to being around foreigners."

For her part, Sumire was too irritated to see too much in the intruder's gestures beyond sheer ingratiation (that she was hampered by her inability to speak her thoughts directly to Akela or to the mysterious creep didn't help matters). Lowering her hand, she harried Cecily: "Quickly, kid, before that fucker upstages me again --"

"Ceci--"

"By the Diva, we have no time for that oh fuck they're talking to each other dammit kid--"

"Indeed..." Edgar chuckled nervously at the large stags. "A...unique choice of guards, if I do say so myself..." He bowed "Edgar Roni Angman, at your service. Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

After the brief snack, the stags seemed to relax around Edgar and went back to standing behind the Empress. Now, they only gave slight glances towards the Duke just to keep check on him and his behavior. Akela gently patted the neck of one of her guards before responding towards Edgar. She wondered if she should explain the odd choice. It was normal to have bucks working the army. Heck, it was even normal for female deer to become herbalists and medics and swordfish to be apart of the navy. However, she didn't want to make herself appear more odd than she already did.
Just like before, the Empress did a small curtsy in respect towards the other. "Nice meeting you, Edgar. I hope you won't mind me referring you as 'Edgar'." Long names could be long, but she didn't want to offend the male by accident. "My name is Akela Kaniga, Empress of the Last Stars. If you don't mind my question, what brings you to attend this ball?" She was curious in general. Did people just come to balls for mostly fun? Or were there some close political ties that she was rather oblivious towards?
The stags flicked their ears towards the five new figures entering the room. They seemed ordinary, save for a dragon accompaning them. Due to the beasts that roamed their native forested island, the dragon didn't bug them too much. However, if the nightwing started to take an interest on eating them then that would lead to a whole different situation.

It was only then that both Sumire and Cecily, their minds occupied by the biscuit-wielding elderly charmer, noticed what the rest of the room had been taking in for a while -- the bizarre sight of yet another delegation -- of people and a distinctly scaly animal... human-ish... what... that looked remarkably like a dragon.

Cecily, her smile gone and more stunned than fraught at the totally unfamiliar sight, could only gasp strangled sounds that in turn sounded like baby gurgles. "Dri... dra... ans... ...yo... hhhh... ahhh?..."

Sumire, still too annoyed for the whole scene to register, could only utter in vexation at no one in particular, not that anyone will understand in any case: "Did Misa spike my fucking tea?"

***

"Well, that was an unexpected sight," Jade quipped.

She and Makata had set down the boxes, anticipating a long night with Misa beside them asking questions about everything in creation, as indeed she was doing in part, drinking her first glassful of alcohol for the night while watching the whole bizarre thing unfold before them. For her part, without diverting her eyes from the four-footed creatures she was sure were some sort of ruminant as well as the dragonlike being, Misa asked, "So, Makoto, tell us something about these... well, I'm gonna use 'beings'. Unfamiliar with them and all that."

Makata shrugged. "Can't help that much on that front, Misa -- I'm familiar with the deer. They're from Kashmir -- magnificent beasts, as you can see -- and I think I've seen a picture of their leader somewhere before. Can't pin it down now, though I've heard she commands an army of deer just like those. The last group... doesn't register with me."

"Very helpful, much research," Misa sarcastically retorted. Then, while chortling a bit on what she could see as Cecily's utterly flummoxed and Sumire's increasingly annoyed facial expressions, she alighted on the central question -- just as Makata launched his own.

"That blondie -- Mar's grandkid?"

"Now tell me... mffff... why are you here?"

[Vaedras]

"ooooh" Marcella blushed being approached by the gentleman asking for a dance, how noble she truly felt at this moment. "Why yes, I'd love to. Uuh Asuna would you--"

"Hold on to the package, would be my pleasure, Milady, please enjoy yourself." Marcella handed over the gift for the Queen, it looked like she was occupied anyway and would be for some time so until then what better way to occupy time than to mingle with the other guests. "I shall follow your lead. Oh Villa, Marcella Villa Duchess of the AHSCA Islands." she introduced herself.

Robert smiled in return, feeling some of his nerves fade away at her unexpectedly welcoming response-though perhaps he had simply been being over deprecatory to his chances again. He bowed again-forgetting that he had already done that, and introduced himself.

"King Robert vaes Ilgrim, of the land of Vaedras. It is my great honor to take your hand for this dance."

He did so-with slightly bolstered confidence, but nerves still hidden under the surface, placing one hand on hers, out, and the other on her waist, slowly beginning to move with the music.

He wasn't exactly calmer, now. Technically, in direct proficiency, he knew how to dance-he had been trained in it. He was not going to be stepping on anyone's toes-in either sense. But he didn't have any real skill, nothing much more than being able to go through the motions without major error. He focused intently on keeping to the dance, glancing up at Marcella and giving a brief smile that betrayed only a hint of his anxiety, and a touch more of his excitement.

[Maleficos]

“Good to hear. My legs certainly weren't as long before! So, tell me something, Your Highness, if it is acceptable. How do you like being Queen? I'd imagine the responsibility is both a great burden as well as an enormous gift. Being a public servant has always seemed to be the height of wonder, even if the weight can be heavy,” he said with a smile, moving faster in rhythm with the waltz.

"Oh, I imagine that it's not unlike any other monarchy. Except that it really isn't one." She felt a little awkward around here, but tried not to show it. She sped up as the Cardinal did too. "We basically elect our monarchs like a democracy, but they - we - live like your average king or queen. So, if we pass on, our descendants or relatives rule until next election. And it's also different since we host an academy on this very mountain, sharing room with the palace."

[AHSCA]

Robert smiled in return, feeling some of his nerves fade away at her unexpectedly welcoming response-though perhaps he had simply been being over deprecatory to his chances again. He bowed again-forgetting that he had already done that, and introduced himself.

"King Robert vaes Ilgrim, of the land of Vaedras. It is my great honor to take your hand for this dance."

He did so-with slightly bolstered confidence, but nerves still hidden under the surface, placing one hand on hers, out, and the other on her waist, slowly beginning to move with the music.

He wasn't exactly calmer, now. Technically, in direct proficiency, he knew how to dance-he had been trained in it. He was not going to be stepping on anyone's toes-in either sense. But he didn't have any real skill, nothing much more than being able to go through the motions without major error. He focused intently on keeping to the dance, glancing up at Marcella and giving a brief smile that betrayed only a hint of his anxiety, and a touch more of his excitement.

"It's a fine pleasure, Your Majesty. If I may be honest, this is my first trip abroad since I was coronated. I mean I did travel sometimes with my mother but not since I was crowned." Marcella minded her own steps she didn't dance very often. "How about you, you a well traveled man or in my same boat?"

[Danceria]

After the brief snack, the stags seemed to relax around Edgar and went back to standing behind the Empress. Now, they only gave slight glances towards the Duke just to keep check on him and his behavior. Akela gently patted the neck of one of her guards before responding towards Edgar. She wondered if she should explain the odd choice. It was normal to have bucks working the army. Heck, it was even normal for female deer to become herbalists and medics and swordfish to be apart of the navy. However, she didn't want to make herself appear more odd than she already did.
Just like before, the Empress did a small curtsy in respect towards the other. "Nice meeting you, Edgar. I hope you won't mind me referring you as 'Edgar'." Long names could be long, but she didn't want to offend the male by accident. "My name is Akela Kaniga, Empress of the Last Stars. If you don't mind my question, what brings you to attend this ball?" She was curious in general. Did people just come to balls for mostly fun? Or were there some close political ties that she was rather oblivious towards?
The stags flicked their ears towards the five new figures entering the room. They seemed ordinary, save for a dragon accompaning them. Due to the beasts that roamed their native forested island, the dragon didn't bug them too much. However, if the nightwing started to take an interest on eating them then that would lead to a whole different situation.

"If you refer to me as "Edgar", may I be so bold as to refer to you as Akela?" He asked politely, smirking at the Empress's questions. "I am here to rub shoulders, speak diplomatically, and dance." Edgar spoke nonchalantly, then winced. All of the sudden, he had a bit of a headache.

-get upstaged m8-

The language was unusual, and...in his head? Turning his head, he found a trio of finely dressed girls. "Speaking of speaking, am I interrupting something, Miss...?"

[The Last Stars]

The Empress continued to stand there, eventually settling her view on the ground near her feet. It wasn't until Cecily's approaching presence did Akelalook back up again. She nervously smiled, slightly embarrassed in herself for having her head down beforehand. Just from Cecily's tone alone, the timid Empress began to grow a bit more relaxed. She had a fear that everyone would neglect or scold at her for being so odd. The formality of the interpreter made the Empress realize that she had to keep her mannerisms up for today. She had to be graceful, like the gentle does on her island.
Akela did a little curtsy in respect towards Cecily's after she introduced herself and her intentions. "Nice to meet you, Cecily Creamchild," she said formally at first. "Well, my name is Akela Kaniga, Empress of The Last Stars." Yes, yes, that was good thought Akela. Just keep it simple and don't mix up the words. "I'd be honored to meet your Highness. In fact, we could meet right now if that is acceptable?" She didn't have anything else to do, and hearing about the other Highness, Sumire, made her curious about what the other lands were like and what Sumire was like in general as well. After all, her island couldn't stay isolated forever.
One of her guards was drawing close to the pair. The stag was on full-alert with this new, strange being in the presence of their Empress. However, the Kashmir stag simply gave Cecily a small whiff before clopping off to stand behind Akela. The stag was a bit taller than Akela herself, but the muscular build of the stag made the Empress look smaller.

Cecily beamed even more, if that were possible -- the sight of man and beast (or in this case, woman and beast) living in harmony -- albeit after the creature Cecily was only dimly aware of as a kind of deer came up to her, seemingly hostile and certainly looming with sheer presence, before bounding up to Akela -- would certainly cheer up the unnaturally cheerful. "Certainly, Your Highness. Please follow me."

It was not long before the two came up to Sumire's side, who like the rest was now drinking up this brush with nature, and who unlike the rest was absent-mindedly playing with her hair. Noticing the blonde-locked interpreter standing beside her but not bothering to face her for the moment, Sumire started, "Name and occupation, kid?"

After begging Akela's pardon to speak to the Suzumikami followed with a quick bow, Cecily turned to the Kanamekami, who was by now facing them. Putting her customary retort to the persistently demeaning Sumire aside, she answered, "Akela Kaniga, Your Majesty. Empress of The Last Stars."

"Akera Kanika. Wait, that's wro-- Akera Kuniga. Ah, here -- Akira Kaniga. Yes, let's go with that -- but 'Empress of The Last Stars'? Quite a fancy title. Very... escarporgicar."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty?"

Sumire mulled it over before continuing, "'Escarporogicar'. But never mind -- relay these questions to her, jazz them up as needed."

A bemused nod.

"Good. First: What are these creatures? Your pets or something? Then secondly -- wait, who's that?"

Such a unique event was not to be missed, Edgar reasoned, and he carefully inched towards the unusual company of finely dressed guests.

Such subtle attention didn't go unnoticed by the stag that was guarding the Empress. The attention made them just a tad bit spooked, in which it made the two stag guardians ghost around Akela more closely. Their eyes were fixed upon Edgar and ears perked up for an suspicious sounds. One of the Kashmir stags puffed out their chest and straightened themself into a more proud and taller stance. The bucks were used to anyone that didn't have the familiar scent of their island. The inhabitants of The Last Stars tended to have a more natural scent of the forest, mist, and herbs. The guests at the ball had a too artificial scent, or an unrecognizable one. Naturally, it made the stags defensive near Akela, despite the peaceful nature of the event. The Empress Akela hadn't notice this changed in her guards, for she was still with Cecily. The stags wouldn't try to draw her attention to Edgar quite yet.

If the creatures Akela brought with her were discreet, the Kanamekami, arching eyebrow and all, was far less so. Back off, doronin, I'm the one flirting here, goddammit, Sumire wanted to shout, only she knew the language barrier would bar her from getting her thoughts to this unwelcome if gaily-dressed intruder-slash-rival-slash-dance partner. Directly, that is.

"Your Majesty?"

By the Diva, kid -- you haven't noticed?

"Well, secondly: direct this question to that gentleman creeping up to us," she resumed, raising up a hand pointed towards the unknown notable in an obscene gesture of foreign, specifically Moscan, extraction -- hand clenched, with thumb pressed to middle finger, causing the latter to rise above the remaining fingers, "who the fuck is he and why the fuck is he what is he doing --"

Hm...these stags are surprisingly good...I wonder if they're sentient...? he thought to himself Either way, they smell me, and I'm not a friend of theirs. Not yet at least. The scent of herbs and trees was blatant to the Dancerian duke, who resided in the deserts of Harad. How am I going to gain the trust of- an idea hit him, as he slowly walked to the left side of the stag, hoping not to startle them. Fishing through his pocket, he found what he was looking for.

Encased in plastic was a deer biscuit, something he had left over in his good suit after a brief hunting trip with His Majesty, Aramer. Thankfully, the King of Danceria was an outdoorsman, even in his old age. Opening the packet and presenting the biscuit to the stag, the scent of trees and mint wafted to the guards. Now, all Edgar could do was wait and hope.

Cecily's eyes widened in complete surprise at the spectacle before her, unaware till then of any old men creeping up to the three of them. A biscuit?

The stags continued to watch Edgar, taking note of every movement of his and judging if he was a friend or foe. One of them only moved a bit to the side as the foreign Duke came close to their side. However they tilted their heads in a curious manner as Edgar brough out the odd deer biscuit. The appearance was more of a turn off, but the scent it had eventually attracted the two stags. Quickly they broke it apart in two for them to share. One of the stags gave Edgar's hand a lick as a thank you before stepping back from him. Akela looked over and shly smiled at Edgar. "I see youre taking notice of my guards. They're friendly, though not used to being around foreigners."

For her part, Sumire was too irritated to see too much in the intruder's gestures beyond sheer ingratiation (that she was hampered by her inability to speak her thoughts directly to Akela or to the mysterious creep didn't help matters). Lowering her hand, she harried Cecily: "Quickly, kid, before that fucker upstages me again --"

"Ceci--"

"By the Diva, we have no time for that oh fuck they're talking to each other dammit kid--"

"Indeed..." Edgar chuckled nervously at the large stags. "A...unique choice of guards, if I do say so myself..." He bowed "Edgar Roni Angman, at your service. Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

After the brief snack, the stags seemed to relax around Edgar and went back to standing behind the Empress. Now, they only gave slight glances towards the Duke just to keep check on him and his behavior. Akela gently patted the neck of one of her guards before responding towards Edgar. She wondered if she should explain the odd choice. It was normal to have bucks working the army. Heck, it was even normal for female deer to become herbalists and medics and swordfish to be apart of the navy. However, she didn't want to make herself appear more odd than she already did.
Just like before, the Empress did a small curtsy in respect towards the other. "Nice meeting you, Edgar. I hope you won't mind me referring you as 'Edgar'." Long names could be long, but she didn't want to offend the male by accident. "My name is Akela Kaniga, Empress of the Last Stars. If you don't mind my question, what brings you to attend this ball?" She was curious in general. Did people just come to balls for mostly fun? Or were there some close political ties that she was rather oblivious towards?
The stags flicked their ears towards the five new figures entering the room. They seemed ordinary, save for a dragon accompaning them. Due to the beasts that roamed their native forested island, the dragon didn't bug them too much. However, if the nightwing started to take an interest on eating them then that would lead to a whole different situation.

It was only then that both Sumire and Cecily, their minds occupied by the biscuit-wielding elderly charmer, noticed what the rest of the room had been taking in for a while -- the bizarre sight of yet another delegation -- of people and a distinctly scaly animal... human-ish... what... that looked remarkably like a dragon.

Cecily, her smile gone and more stunned than fraught at the totally unfamiliar sight, could only gasp strangled sounds that in turn sounded like baby gurgles. "Dri... dra... ans... ...yo... hhhh... ahhh?..."

Sumire, still too annoyed for the whole scene to register, could only utter in vexation at no one in particular, not that anyone will understand in any case: "Did Misa spike my fucking tea?"

***

"Well, that was an unexpected sight," Jade quipped.

She and Makata had set down the boxes, anticipating a long night with Misa beside them asking questions about everything in creation, as indeed she was doing in part, drinking her first glassful of alcohol for the night while watching the whole bizarre thing unfold before them. For her part, without diverting her eyes from the four-footed creatures she was sure were some sort of ruminant as well as the dragonlike being, Misa asked, "So, Makoto, tell us something about these... well, I'm gonna use 'beings'. Unfamiliar with them and all that."

Makata shrugged. "Can't help that much on that front, Misa -- I'm familiar with the deer. They're from Kashmir -- magnificent beasts, as you can see -- and I think I've seen a picture of their leader somewhere before. Can't pin it down now, though I've heard she commands an army of deer just like those. The last group... doesn't register with me."

"Very helpful, much research," Misa sarcastically retorted. Then, while chortling a bit on what she could see as Cecily's utterly flummoxed and Sumire's increasingly annoyed facial expressions, she alighted on the central question -- just as Makata launched his own.

"That blondie -- Mar's grandkid?"

"Now tell me... mffff... why are you here?"

One of the bucks gently nuzzled Akela. The Empress quickly looked towards them and tilted her head to the side. "What's wrong?" she whispered softly to the Kashmir stag. Utilising only his ears, the buck flicked them in direction of Cecily and Sumire as if he was trying to say "They're starting to ask you things again." Even without words, the Empress understood what the guard was trying to tell her. The bond between animal and human grew and flourished on her island due to the influence of otherly-beasts that spoke in maddening tongues of promises and prophecies. They were in it together, regardless of species anymore.
Akela's dark-brown (almost black) eyes sparkled with worry as she watched Sumire. Oh dear, did she do something to upset the other royal? She would ask for forgiveness due to her obliviousness, but she kept her mouth shut as awkwardness began to lightly crawl all over her back. She looked towards Cecily as she noticed that the interpreter's smile vanished and was making strange noises. "Are you okay? What's frightening you?" she asked Cecily as gently and comforting as she could. Akela looked towards Sumire once again as she heard a small utter from her. Her face grew hot and red in embarrassment for no particular reason. Boy, she needed to brush up on her diplomatic skills. The other stag gave her a small nod of reassurance to give her a bit more confidence. Their black eyes sparkled as well, letting the Empress know that they could ditch the ball and go back home whenever they wanted and that she wasn't forced to stay here.
Upon hearing Edgar's voice again, the Empress towards him and tried to hide the embarrassment in her face. Gosh, that was a stupid question to ask now that she realised it. Akela gave herself a bit of an internal kick to the soul but willed herself to continue on as gracefully as she could. Akela nodded lightly at the question Edgar asked if he could refer to her as "Akela" of course. Then, she noticed that the Duke winced out of the blue. She remained silent as he turned away to address some other ladies. Did she need to back off? Akela felt like she would butt into another's conversation that didn't concern her. As a way to keep her hands busy, she gave her guards a little pat for now.

[Industrial Virginia]

Cecily beamed even more, if that were possible -- the sight of man and beast (or in this case, woman and beast) living in harmony -- albeit after the creature Cecily was only dimly aware of as a kind of deer came up to her, seemingly hostile and certainly looming with sheer presence, before bounding up to Akela -- would certainly cheer up the unnaturally cheerful. "Certainly, Your Highness. Please follow me."

It was not long before the two came up to Sumire's side, who like the rest was now drinking up this brush with nature, and who unlike the rest was absent-mindedly playing with her hair. Noticing the blonde-locked interpreter standing beside her but not bothering to face her for the moment, Sumire started, "Name and occupation, kid?"

After begging Akela's pardon to speak to the Suzumikami followed with a quick bow, Cecily turned to the Kanamekami, who was by now facing them. Putting her customary retort to the persistently demeaning Sumire aside, she answered, "Akela Kaniga, Your Majesty. Empress of The Last Stars."

"Akera Kanika. Wait, that's wro-- Akera Kuniga. Ah, here -- Akira Kaniga. Yes, let's go with that -- but 'Empress of The Last Stars'? Quite a fancy title. Very... escarporgicar."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty?"

Sumire mulled it over before continuing, "'Escarporogicar'. But never mind -- relay these questions to her, jazz them up as needed."

A bemused nod.

"Good. First: What are these creatures? Your pets or something? Then secondly -- wait, who's that?"





If the creatures Akela brought with her were discreet, the Kanamekami, arching eyebrow and all, was far less so. Back off, doronin, I'm the one flirting here, goddammit, Sumire wanted to shout, only she knew the language barrier would bar her from getting her thoughts to this unwelcome if gaily-dressed intruder-slash-rival-slash-dance partner. Directly, that is.

"Your Majesty?"

By the Diva, kid -- you haven't noticed?

"Well, secondly: direct this question to that gentleman creeping up to us," she resumed, raising up a hand pointed towards the unknown notable in an obscene gesture of foreign, specifically Moscan, extraction -- hand clenched, with thumb pressed to middle finger, causing the latter to rise above the remaining fingers, "who the fuck is he and why the fuck is he what is he doing --"



Cecily's eyes widened in complete surprise at the spectacle before her, unaware till then of any old men creeping up to the three of them. A biscuit?



For her part, Sumire was too irritated to see too much in the intruder's gestures beyond sheer ingratiation (that she was hampered by her inability to speak her thoughts directly to Akela or to the mysterious creep didn't help matters). Lowering her hand, she harried Cecily: "Quickly, kid, before that fucker upstages me again --"

"Ceci--"

"By the Diva, we have no time for that oh fuck they're talking to each other dammit kid--"





It was only then that both Sumire and Cecily, their minds occupied by the biscuit-wielding elderly charmer, noticed what the rest of the room had been taking in for a while -- the bizarre sight of yet another delegation -- of people and a distinctly scaly animal... human-ish... what... that looked remarkably like a dragon.

Cecily, her smile gone and more stunned than fraught at the totally unfamiliar sight, could only gasp strangled sounds that in turn sounded like baby gurgles. "Dri... dra... ans... ...yo... hhhh... ahhh?..."

Sumire, still too annoyed for the whole scene to register, could only utter in vexation at no one in particular, not that anyone will understand in any case: "Did Misa spike my fucking tea?"

***

"Well, that was an unexpected sight," Jade quipped.

She and Makata had set down the boxes, anticipating a long night with Misa beside them asking questions about everything in creation, as indeed she was doing in part, drinking her first glassful of alcohol for the night while watching the whole bizarre thing unfold before them. For her part, without diverting her eyes from the four-footed creatures she was sure were some sort of ruminant as well as the dragonlike being, Misa asked, "So, Makoto, tell us something about these... well, I'm gonna use 'beings'. Unfamiliar with them and all that."

Makata shrugged. "Can't help that much on that front, Misa -- I'm familiar with the deer. They're from Kashmir -- magnificent beasts, as you can see -- and I think I've seen a picture of their leader somewhere before. Can't pin it down now, though I've heard she commands an army of deer just like those. The last group... doesn't register with me."

"Very helpful, much research," Misa sarcastically retorted. Then, while chortling a bit on what she could see as Cecily's utterly flummoxed and Sumire's increasingly annoyed facial expressions, she alighted on the central question -- just as Makata launched his own.

"That blondie -- Mar's grandkid?"

"Now tell me... mffff... why are you here?"

One of the bucks gently nuzzled Akela. The Empress quickly looked towards them and tilted her head to the side. "What's wrong?" she whispered softly to the Kashmir stag. Utilising only his ears, the buck flicked them in direction of Cecily and Sumire as if he was trying to say "They're starting to ask you things again." Even without words, the Empress understood what the guard was trying to tell her. The bond between animal and human grew and flourished on her island due to the influence of otherly-beasts that spoke in maddening tongues of promises and prophecies. They were in it together, regardless of species anymore.
Akela's dark-brown (almost black) eyes sparkled with worry as she watched Sumire. Oh dear, did she do something to upset the other royal? She would ask for forgiveness due to her obliviousness, but she kept her mouth shut as awkwardness began to lightly crawl all over her back. She looked towards Cecily as she noticed that the interpreter's smile vanished and was making strange noises. "Are you okay? What's frightening you?" she asked Cecily as gently and comforting as she could. Akela looked towards Sumire once again as she heard a small utter from her. Her face grew hot and red in embarrassment for no particular reason. Boy, she needed to brush up on her diplomatic skills. The other stag gave her a small nod of reassurance to give her a bit more confidence. Their black eyes sparkled as well, letting the Empress know that they could ditch the ball and go back home whenever they wanted and that she wasn't forced to stay here.
Upon hearing Edgar's voice again, the Empress towards him and tried to hide the embarrassment in her face. Gosh, that was a stupid question to ask now that she realised it. Akela gave herself a bit of an internal kick to the soul but willed herself to continue on as gracefully as she could. Akela nodded lightly at the question Edgar asked if he could refer to her as "Akela" of course. Then, she noticed that the Duke winced out of the blue. She remained silent as he turned away to address some other ladies. Did she need to back off? Akela felt like she would butt into another's conversation that didn't concern her. As a way to keep her hands busy, she gave her guards a little pat for now.

Trenton walks over to them, not noticing they had something going. "Hello, thought I may join in."

[The Last Stars]

[spoiler=Quote,In spoiler due to length]

One of the bucks gently nuzzled Akela. The Empress quickly looked towards them and tilted her head to the side. "What's wrong?" she whispered softly to the Kashmir stag. Utilising only his ears, the buck flicked them in direction of Cecily and Sumire as if he was trying to say "They're starting to ask you things again." Even without words, the Empress understood what the guard was trying to tell her. The bond between animal and human grew and flourished on her island due to the influence of otherly-beasts that spoke in maddening tongues of promises and prophecies. They were in it together, regardless of species anymore.
Akela's dark-brown (almost black) eyes sparkled with worry as she watched Sumire. Oh dear, did she do something to upset the other royal? She would ask for forgiveness due to her obliviousness, but she kept her mouth shut as awkwardness began to lightly crawl all over her back. She looked towards Cecily as she noticed that the interpreter's smile vanished and was making strange noises. "Are you okay? What's frightening you?" she asked Cecily as gently and comforting as she could. Akela looked towards Sumire once again as she heard a small utter from her. Her face grew hot and red in embarrassment for no particular reason. Boy, she needed to brush up on her diplomatic skills. The other stag gave her a small nod of reassurance to give her a bit more confidence. Their black eyes sparkled as well, letting the Empress know that they could ditch the ball and go back home whenever they wanted and that she wasn't forced to stay here.
Upon hearing Edgar's voice again, the Empress towards him and tried to hide the embarrassment in her face. Gosh, that was a stupid question to ask now that she realised it. Akela gave herself a bit of an internal kick to the soul but willed herself to continue on as gracefully as she could. Akela nodded lightly at the question Edgar asked if he could refer to her as "Akela" of course. Then, she noticed that the Duke winced out of the blue. She remained silent as he turned away to address some other ladies. Did she need to back off? Akela felt like she would butt into another's conversation that didn't concern her. As a way to keep her hands busy, she gave her guards a little pat for now.

Trenton walks over to them, not noticing they had something going. "Hello, thought I may join in."

[/spoiler]

Akela's guards quickly turned over towards Trenton, their ears flickering towards him. Akela herself, quickly looked up at other and smiled lightly. She felt slightly relieved that someone else joined them. It could allow herself to start over again, per say. "Hello!" she greatly brightly this time. "I'm sure you can join in! Well, I don't mind it."

(Spoiler didn't work for some reason. Sorry!)

[Industrial Virginia]

Trenton walks over to them, not noticing they had something going. "Hello, thought I may join in."

Akela's guards quickly turned over towards Trenton, their ears flickering towards him. Akela herself, quickly looked up at other and smiled lightly. She felt slightly relieved that someone else joined them. It could allow herself to start over again, per say. "Hello!" she greatly brightly this time. "I'm sure you can join in! Well, I don't mind it."

(Spoiler didn't work for some reason. Sorry!)

Trenton smiled back, scanning her. "Hello! I am Trenton Pratt. Who might you, a wonderful looking woman, be?"

OOC: I really hope your character is human. also, I MADE IT MORE AWKWARD!

[Wobbegong]

Spartan looked around to see the new guests. There was a ruckus nearby but he chose to ignore it. What the buck? He thought as he saw bucks enter the ball. Spartan rubbed his eyes to make sure his was seeing this sight. Yep, they were real. Meanwhile Spartan's security looked at each other and shrugged, not in the slightest unnerved at the spectacle. Spartan debated on talking to the person the bucks were protecting but then noticed the other guest that entered...perhaps he should address the dragon in the room now. What's next? Anthropomorphized Snake people? But he composed himself and decided to just watch from afar. Perhaps they would come to him. He was alone, save for a glass of sparkling water in his hand.

[Danceria]

Akela's guards quickly turned over towards Trenton, their ears flickering towards him. Akela herself, quickly looked up at other and smiled lightly. She felt slightly relieved that someone else joined them. It could allow herself to start over again, per say. "Hello!" she greatly brightly this time. "I'm sure you can join in! Well, I don't mind it."

(Spoiler didn't work for some reason. Sorry!)

Trenton smiled back, scanning her. "Hello! I am Trenton Pratt. Who might you, a wonderful looking woman, be?"

OOC: I really hope your character is human. also, I MADE IT MORE AWKWARD!

Edgar smiled. "If I may be so bold..." he cleared his throat, "Akela, this is the President of Industrial Virginia, Trenton Pratt. President Pratt, this is the Empress of the Last Stars, and stag aficiando, Akela Kaniga." the Dancerian acquainted the two.

[The Last Stars]

The Empress remained silent as Edgar introduced them to each other. While she was more accustomed to introducing herself to others, she didn't mind having that done for her. It was a bit of a change from the norm. Akela remained smiling brightly. She nodded a silent thanks towards Edgar, but the Empress continued her silence. Oh darn... She forgot what else she could say. A wave of panic washed over her, but she remained smiling.

[Industrial Virginia]

The Empress remained silent as Edgar introduced them to each other. While she was more accustomed to introducing herself to others, she didn't mind having that done for her. It was a bit of a change from the norm. Akela remained smiling brightly. She nodded a silent thanks towards Edgar, but the Empress continued her silence. Oh darn... She forgot what else she could say. A wave of panic washed over her, but she remained smiling.

Trenton continued to stand there, smiling at her. Making this moment very awkward.

[The Last Stars]

Think Akela. Think of something to do. I don't think you can bear standing here looking like a mute fool for any longer. She thought to herself. Her eyes darkes towards her guards for some sort of supportive sign. One of them flicked their ears towards a nearby table with drinks and refreshments. "Um... If you can excuse me, I think this would be a good time to get a cup of water, don't you think?" She asked softly. This could probably give them something to do.

[Danceria]

The Empress remained silent as Edgar introduced them to each other. While she was more accustomed to introducing herself to others, she didn't mind having that done for her. It was a bit of a change from the norm. Akela remained smiling brightly. She nodded a silent thanks towards Edgar, but the Empress continued her silence. Oh darn... She forgot what else she could say. A wave of panic washed over her, but she remained smiling.

Trenton continued to stand there, smiling at her. Making this moment very awkward.

Noting the silence, Edgar offered to break it "So..." he asked Akela "Your first time to a large city like...this?" He didn't want to presume, but areas where men and animals work in sync would not be very urbanized...at least that's what Edgar would think.

The environmentalists would flip if they met her... Edgar thought to himself.

[Industrial Virginia]

Think Akela. Think of something to do. I don't think you can bear standing here looking like a mute fool for any longer. She thought to herself. Her eyes darkes towards her guards for some sort of supportive sign. One of them flicked their ears towards a nearby table with drinks and refreshments. "Um... If you can excuse me, I think this would be a good time to get a cup of water, don't you think?" She asked softly. This could probably give them something to do.

"Yes, sure." He says, waving a waiter over. "Water for the lady, beer for me please." He says, tipping him secretively.

[Danceria]

Think Akela. Think of something to do. I don't think you can bear standing here looking like a mute fool for any longer. She thought to herself. Her eyes darkes towards her guards for some sort of supportive sign. One of them flicked their ears towards a nearby table with drinks and refreshments. "Um... If you can excuse me, I think this would be a good time to get a cup of water, don't you think?" She asked softly. This could probably give them something to do.

"Yes, sure." He says, waving a waiter over. "Water for the lady, beer for me please." He says, tipping him secretively.

"Black tea for me. Iced if possible." Edgar asked politely, and watched the scenario unfold.