"I like Kora. She's fun, and interesting." Lily said, arching an eyebrow at him. "And she's perfectly fine as a friend, if she considers me so as well. Besides, I already have…three friends, if she's included, and that's not including Danzing or the bird that sits on my windowsill." She scrunched up her nose at him, but shrugged slightly, her hands resting overtop his. "Would it be weird to find out who left the flowers? I would at least like to thank them, since chrysanthemums are one of my favorites, especially in blue. It was so sweet of them, too."
Rhydar laughed softly and pecked Lily's cheek, adoring that scrunched up nose more than she likely wanted him to. "I don't think so. If someone gave me a gift, I'd want to know who it was. Especially if it was something as sweet as that." He paused and tilted his head as he thought about her friend list, counting in his head. "What are you considering me, Lily darling," Rhydar then purred in her ear, gently guiding her over to a wall where they'd have a little more privacy. He wouldn't press her against it—in fact, he'd put himself between her and the wall just like last time he had done so.
Lily didn't answer until they were situated again, until she had tucked her face into his chest to hide the pink color staining her cheeks. "Well, I-I'm not entirely sure. Not a friend, for sure. I don't think this is…anything close to that at all." She stuttered, one of her hands finding his hand to link her little finger with his, allowing him to pull it away if he wanted. It was still sort of hard to imagine he wouldn't want to. "I don't know if there's an exact label that works, that you're okay with. Just…things I know you are to me."
Rhydar lightly grasped her hand when she sought it out, lacing their fingers together. While he did that, his other hand came up and lightly cupped the side of her face, thumb brushing over her cheek. "Hmm," he hummed, eyes examining her face while he took his time thinking through his next response. He didn't know either, but all he knew was that Lily was his, just how he was most definitely hers. In fact, she had him wrapped around her finger and likely didn't even know it. He smiled softly and expressed as much.
"Let's just…keep it at this, for now." Lily suggested softly, lifting her head to look up at him. There were those happy colors in her eyes again, flickering green briefly when hers first met his, before switching. Never resting, every movement and change in lighting causing the colors to change. "No labels. We know what we are without needing one. I know that I love you, and that's perfect for me."
Rhydar smiled when she looked up at him, when he noticed how they flickered to green for some time. He leaned in and rested his forehead against hers, bumping his nose against hers. He loved how her eyes were never the same color for long. It sometimes hinted towards how she was feeling at the moment, and it also reminded her of a diamond being looked at in different lights. "Sounds perfect to me as well. Could I have a kiss before the guests barge through the door? I think I can hear them in the palace."
Lily huffed a small laugh, her free hand lifting to rest lightly on his chest. He couldn't fully chase away her rising panic in the dress, but maybe his presence would help her make it through the ball so she could break in peace. So she could fall apart without eyes on her. "Of course. Fates, I really don't want to deal with that many people." She complained quietly, standing on her toes to press her lips gently to his.
Rhydar smiled sadly, though he dipped his head down to return the kiss, their lips molding together perfectly, slowly. He wanted to reassure her that she would be fine, that no one would go up to her like that man had the last event they've gone to. He might not know the extent of her worries, but he could still sense her slight agitation. So he tried to calm her with his touch, his kiss, anything that would help.
It did help, briefly. Kissing Rhydar was familiar and safe, allowing Lily to distract herself. And that was what she needed. Distraction after distraction. Something else to focus on.
So that’s what she did, kissed Rhydar with maybe just a hint of desperation, wanting to make the most of the time they had before they had to go back to pretending.
"I love you," Rhydar murmured against Lily's lips, not wanting to pull away but knowing that the stream of guests would arrive any second. As if on queue, Rhydar heard the distinct patter of noble footsteps, clicking from both men and women, dresses swishing as they dragged along the floor. He sighed and pulled Lily closer, not wanting to go away just yet. "I love you, not them," he grumbled.
Lily's response was cut off by her laugh as he spoke, and actual laugh. Musical as always. She pressed her face to his chest for a moment before taking a half step back, to kiss his cheek. "I love you too. Definitely you, not them. I don't think anyone loves the people interrupting them and causing headaches." She joked, poking his nose lightly.
He scrunched up his nose when she poked it, then returned the favor. "Unless, of course, the interruption is wanted and a headache gets you out of doing something. Then they are loved. But not in this case." He glanced over her shoulder at the growing crowd, then kissed her forehead and lingered some. "I gotta go. They'll be expecting me to greet them with my siblings."
“Good luck, dear. I hope it isn’t too unbearable. Should you need a break, I’m not exactly going anywhere yet.” Just as soon as she got the chance. But that wouldn’t be for a while. She shot him a small and soft smile as she slowly stepped away from him, fiddling with his ring. “I’m going to go see what I can find at the refreshment tables.”
Rhydar smiled and quickly pecked her lips, with a whispered "I love you," before he slipped away to plaster on a fake smile and greet the people there to grovel at his feet and cling to his arms in hopes of obtaining his affections. The twins took up their usual posts next to the refreshment tables, Cinthia subtly wiping off chocolate smears from the corners of her mouth while Wolf observed the people filling up the room. Both twins had the observational skills of a well-trained spy, though it wasn't always clear. Wolf was looking for a particular servant as they started to come out and serve the guests.
As Lily made her way over to the refreshments, she found herself scanning the guests around her. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but the anxious turning in her gut had her watching everything. There was nothing there for her to fear, yet here she was.
Yvonne slipped carefully through the crowds of people, reddish brown hair pulled into a bun on top of her head. She had two large trays in both hands, each covered in glasses of champagne. While she wasn't the most graceful, any other time, this seemed to bring out the balance she couldn't find any other time. Oh well, at least it kept her from being punished. Sometimes that's all that matters, it feels like. Her eyes found Wolf just seconds before he found her, and she shot him a smile, making her way in his direction slowly.
Wolf spotted his favorite serving girl as she made her way over to him, and he bit back his grin as he straightened some, allowing a friendly smile to slip through. Cinthia glanced over and rose a brow, then tracked where Wolf was looking and found Yvonne. "New friend?" she questioned out loud, tilting her head. Cinthia was perhaps the only one that was fully in the know of Wolf's sexuality, as they often swapped sentiments on the attractiveness of certain men they decided to pick on. Cinthia was much picker then Wolf was, but they usually came to an agreement. Wolf shifted and busied himself with fixing the lapels of his jacket. "I ran into her earlier and invited a friendly face for this thing. Gods know Mother isn't the best with servants." Cinthia snorted and smoothly caught a glass of champagne between her fingers, lifting it off the tray of a passing servant that hadn't spotted them.
Yvonne eventually made it to the twins, her trays lighter than they had been when she'd first come out. She shifted the tray closer to Wolf, offering him a drink as she looked around the room. "I can never get over just how many people come to these things." She said, wrinkling her nose slightly. "I have been called 'the help' seven times already, and felt up twice. I think this might be a new record." There was a light tone to her voice, though, like she'd resigned herself to her position and decided to make the most of it. Thus had been born the betting rings in the servant's quarters, involving spats of different kinds at balls, drama, and things that grew more and more specific depending on certain guests. Somehow, she always managed to make the most money off of them. It pays to watch people. "How have you been? And how are you, your Highness?" She asked, directing her words at both Cin and Wolf.
Wolf smiled and gratefully took a drink, taking a long and deep sip from it before looking back to Yvonne and listening to her talk about the people. He chuckled and nodded his head towards the general crowd. "I apologize for those heathens. I swear, the more 'classy' and 'noble' they claim to be, the more like animals they become. I've met those of lesser class with more class than all of them grouped together." He downed the rest of his drink while his twin answered Yvonne's question directed towards Cinthia, as it was habitual between the two of them to talk in turns.
"I've been… Alright," Cinthia said slowly, realizing that she didn't need to put up a front with this girl her brother was so casually talking to. She blinked, doing a mind and body check. "Haven't slept much, and I think I might be coming down with another illness, and I'm certain I'm seeing things again."
Wolf frowned at Cinthia, even though he knew about her condition, then offered Yvonne a smaller smile than the one he had greeted her with. "Needless to say, we could be better."
Yvonne listened carefully, her eyes flickering from twin to twin, then to passerby as she offered drinks silently, still keeping up with work. When Cinthia mentioned possibly being sick, she tilted her head, focusing on the princess and not avoiding eye contact. She had heard plenty of things about Cinthia, things that scared the younger servants, but the girl in front of her seemed too small and calm to be the insane figure the ghost stories were told about. There was a possibility she was putting up a front, but Yvonne didn’t get too many bad vibes from her. Just strange ones.
“My mama used to have this cure-all for illness. Some blend of teas and herbs that she used to sell. It would knock you out for a full night of sleep, and when you woke up, you would hardly even realize you had been sick.” She said, blowing a loose strand of hair from her face. “I could try and replicate it, if you would like. It’s highly unlikely you have ever tried this one, though it might not work. If what I’ve heard about your ailments is true….” She shook her head, smiling slightly at Cinthia. “Just let me know. In any case, Wolf, you do not have to apologize for those men. If they cannot do it themselves, then it is a waste of your breath. I am used to it.”
Cinthia eyed Yvonne for quite some time, possibilities going through her head in rapid succession. Sleep like that sounded tremendous, but there had to be a catch. Not to mention all the work she was taking off of Rhydar's plate without his knowledge. It was clear from her brother's disinterest in being King that he was planning on stepping down, and Magnus already had plans to move to Kora's country with her, so that would be a useless King to this country. Wolf was younger than her, so she was the natural heir. She couldn't afford any more compromises to her health and capabilities. What if this 'cure-all' did something Cinthia couldn't predict? Or Yvonne?
While his twin overthought the offer like how she overthought everything, Wolf smiled warmly at Yvonne. "Well, what if I said you wouldn't have to?" he asked, then went on before she could say anything. "I'm planning on asking my mother to order a transfer. You'll be constantly on the clock, but I highly doubt you'll be doing half the tedious work my mother orders. There's just one condition," he added, sliding his hands into his pockets after setting his empty glass down and smirking, "if you agree."
Yvonne blinked when Wolf spoke, her gaze moving from his twin to him, head tilting further. "I-a transfer? To where?" She asked, something in her eyes sparkling, like a glimmer of hope she was being careful to not let herself quite express. She really did hate this. Hated being grabbed suddenly, orders piling onto eachother and leaving her drowning amidst a sea of exhausted effort to keep up. I miss the roads, and the mountains. Too bad I'll never see them again, at this rate. "And what is this condition? I do not think making any sort of agreement without knowing what each aspect of that agreement is is smart, or in my best interest. Let alone yours, if I could not handle what was thrown at me."
Wolf practically melted at the sight of that glint of hope in the girl's eyes. This is what he hated about his mother's treatment of the servants. They were beneath her, no better than human mules she could order around until they dropped, as replaceable as toothpicks. That's what pissed him off the most, how she thought of them. But he couldn't do anything about it besides this small act of rebellion. Wolf smiled and slid a hand out of his pocket, holding it out palm-up to Yvonne. "A transfer to me, as my personal servant. And the only condition is that you be a friend, not 'the help' as you've been oh-so-kindly called."
Yvonne's wary expression split into a hopeful smile. Though still slightly wary, the expression somehow gave off a vibe, a feeling, like the sight of the sun peeking over mountains early in the morning, mist rolling around one's feet as early light made it's appearance. "Oh, that doesn't seem horrible. I was expecting something very much different." She admitted, handing off the last glass on her tray to a man who's eyes lingered on her a bit too long, and who's departure brought him a bit too close to her. "I would love that, though. Only as long as it doesn't get you in trouble, the request."
"If my mother has a problem with it–"
"–she can take it up with me," Cinthia smoothly said, sipping from her glass with her eyes on the crowd. "I'll try your miracle medicine, if only because everything the healers have tried is only temporary and never last long." The princess' gaze settled on Yvonne for a moment, a flicker of trust in her artificially colored eyes before she turned them back to the crowd.
Wolf glanced over at his sister, then looked back at Yvonne with a shrug and smile. "If anyone can get anyone to shut up, it's Cin. I'd hate to see you constantly overworked because of her arrogance, so consider it an offer of partial freedom. It's the most I can offer, despite being a prince. Honestly, it seems like the higher ranking you are, the less you are actually allowed to do."
"Rules and restrictions come with being seen, Wolf." Yvonne said, her smile growing slightly. She did love helping, even if she hated her job here at the palace. And Cinthia's trust and willingness to try a remedy so special to her filled her with a warm feeling. Her mother's legacy wasn't about to go to waste, just because Yvonne's shoes never met the dirt and gravel of a travelling road, nor her skin the fresh air of mountain breath and sunlight. "I will have the drink for you as soon as I can, your Highness. If you are worried, however, you are welcome to watch me make it. Trusting drinks from anyone in this place is a gamble, one of which I am well aware." She wrinkled her nose slightly, smile wavering. "And thank you. Both of you. You can call it 'not much', but it seems to someone like me a lot like everything."
