"That's alright dear, the world is full of beautiful things to look at. Keep your feet in the ground and head in the stars. And, thank you Raz. No man should ever disrespect a woman like that. I hope he has learned his lesson." She says with a nod, her arm wrapped around both. (Did I mention Crystal is bisexual? I didn't? Well she is)
(Yesss!!! But does her mother want a prince?)
"Hmm! I do think you are right but have the others?" Raz asked, looking around at the other princes, who eyed Crystal hungrily. "How does it sound if Thorm and myself keep an eye on you tonight to make sure no more princes try to make a move?" She asked, tilting her head slightly causing a strand of hair to move out from in front of her eyes, revealing her deep purple eyes.
(yes she does ;) SO FUCK THE SYSTEM) "Are you posing a little Win The Princess competition? I accept. Loser gets to be the flower girl or ring bearer or whatever position you want at the wedding."
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"Wait, what?" Thorne looked back at Crystal in confusion. "Are you proposing Raz and I… Compete over you?"
Raz chuckled. "I never said that I was trying to win your hand, your highness. I'm nowhere close to royalty and I wouldn't be the best person to be with." She explained. She shook her head, causing her hair to fall back in place.
(Yes! Just to let you know, Raz does want to be with her but doesn't see them as equal counterparts for status and likes to get to know people before relationships, both friendship and romantic.)
"It sounds sort of what Raz is in a way, imposing. Not exactly, but I can see where this is going. Two suitors protecting the princess throughout the night from rude lords and air headed princes. And the more you flirt, the more competitive you get." She says. "Or am I wrong? I am known to be that."
"Protect you? Oh, I can do that." Thorne smiled. "And flirting? Well, I guess we'll see how that goes."
(Sorry for the short replies, I'm not in my computer currently)
(Totally fine!) She nods and grins. "I am a lady who can care for herself, but. I thank you both oh so kindly."
Raz chuckled. "Oh, you have made yourself very clear of that, your highness. Though, I may need to be going soon. Your mother doesn't look too fond of me being around you." She said, pointing out Crystals mother, who was giving Raz the evil eye. "She's never been fond of me."
(Ahck.) Scarlet sat there with a sigh. Her mother was actually sort of crazy but heavily entertaining. Crystal gave Raz a look. "You said you were staying by my side. So your staying, by my side."
Raz looked at her blankly for a bit before smiling. "Well, I did say that, so by your side, I will stay." She said chuckling. "So are your parents aware?" She asked.
"Hm?" She asked as she looked between the two. "Well,mum doesn't care to much as long as their is some male heir to the throne. Even though my father is always off chasing skirts and my mother rules here practically on her own. But without a male to represent our strength the whole city would complain."
Raz nodded. "Isn't it funny how men can do whatever they want and go almost unpunished, yet if a woman does the same thing she is punished severely?" She pointed out. "I mean, half of the men chasing you here already have wives. It's disgusting."
She nodded. "Yes, anything to be a spot on a throne. But my mother never loved my father, simply married him because the people liked him. So then she can do as she pleases and be educated and rule. Father doesn't even know about the peace treaty we're setting up to end the blasted war over seas. It's all anyone can talk about anymore. I'm right tired of it! And sometimes if the breeze is blowing right you can hear the cannons going off which right scares my animals in the forest!"
"Oh, yes. The war." Thorne sighed and shook their head. "I managed to not get into the army on the grounds that I'm not technically a man." They frowned. "But my best friend had to go."
"Hm. Well, hopefully we can bring our troops home yes? So then you may see your friend." She patted your hand with a smile. The war was over a new piece of land just a ways away, both sides claiming to have seen it first. Soon fighting broke out. It was fertile lands with strange beasts and beautiful flaura, some of which Crystal had brought home from of visits there.
"That would be nice." Thorne agreed, their face troubled. "Anyways. You like the outdoors, yes? I've heard you talk about the forest a few times before."
A teenage boy appears in a cloud of like sucking black smoke, unnoticed for now.
"Interesting," he mutters to himself.
On his back is a normal-looking brown cloak, but strange wisps of smog escape from the bottom of it until all the smoke are gone. He carries nothing and looks very unthreatening and uninteresting, except for his peculiar eyes. They are almost black, the only texture in them being small streaks of gray. He pulls his hood down to make them visible and wanders off to an empty place to maybe change and passes by the Princess and her company.
She watches him go, her eyes narrowing. "What a strange person…they seem to be normal but all that smoke and smog…" She coughs a little, and then a little more. "Let's go sit back in our little corner. See what happens from afar." She walks off head strong, her arms still linked with the others. "And yes Thorne. I am not your average princess. In fact, tell you a secret?" She grins from ear to ear, leans in, and mutters to the two of them. "I'm not wearing shoes, nor any sort of stocking. It's why most of my dresses sweep the ground and are so wide. I hate heels of any sort. They hurt my feet and I am not willing to suffer for anyones pleasure." She nods once. "I hate this dress too. Yes I look wonderfully beautiful, but it's impossible to get on and off, and the corset is hurting my rib cage. All so my breasts rise like air and my waist is cut down a little more, and what for? To be a woman of walking lies forevermore. I would much rather be outside in my nightgown, singing to my roses and listening to the orchestra of cicadas and crickets." She says with a sigh, looking out at the starry night sky through a huge window. "Instead I'm in a stuffy room, with drunk men and to many busy bodies I don't know and may never know again."
"I'll agree with you. The war is the most troublesome. I feel like a have soldiers knocking on my door every other day anding for my services." Raz said with a sigh. "No matter how many times I tell them I'm neutral they still keep trying. But nature is an easy way to get your mind of it."
"Mmm." Thorne nods. " I can't agree with the 'heels are uncomfortable' thing, because I love heels. They make me so much taller… " They sigh. "Anyway. Is there any way you could go outside for just a bit?"
"We'd have to slip out, quick as a wink, and be back before anyone notices." She nods towards a pair of doors that lead out to the back court yard. There were a few couples outside, using the cover of night and trees to get away with acts of the night. "Why,pray tell, do you wish to go outside?" She asked Thorne, already favoring him just a little bit more, but Raz…there was something about them that just magnetized her curiosity, though she couldn't quite place it. She walked off, wondering how to spice things up a bit, slip it in this time. Get the snowball rolling, see if she can create an avalanche.
"Well, it's hot in here," Thorne said, laughing. "And you seemed like you could use a break. A breath of fresh air to clear your head. Make everything tolerable." They shrugged.
"I can tolerate much worse Thorne. I AM a princess." She retorted with a smirk. "As you saw earlier, am a lady who can handle herself and is not afraid of making a scene. Watch me get in the paper tomorrow,either for engagement, harassment or both. I am here to be married, and so I shall serve such as a task only so then I can retreat to bed, with or without my lover in arms, and live happy ever after. Or, that's how the story books say it goes. And while I know the truth, one must hope that true loves kiss really can save anything from time to time, yes?"
"I guess so." Thorne shrugged. "But you shouldn't need to be able to tolerate much worse." They walk towards the doors to the garden. "Does your mother expect you to walk out of this evening with a partner?"
The boy, Danny, couldn't find an empty room inside, so he had the bright idea to change outside. As he steps out inconspicuously, he spots the posse and immediately turns invisible. He makes his way around the castle until he finds a truely empty spot and smoke surrounds him as he turns visible again. It cloaks him completely, then dissipates to reveal him wearing a stunning suit and a vintage wristwatch. He wanders back to the entrance and finds the group of people still outside, and decides to have a little fun. Especially since one is the princess.
He approaches the group very nonchalantly.
"Greetings, good people." He says very dramatically, followed by an elegant bow and a goofy grin.
"Well yes of course she does! The wedding is planned next week. All this month has been suitors travelling the globe to see me, with gifts and rings. But not a single one has caught my fancy, so my mother threw a Pre-Wedding Ball in the hopes that I find someone myself." She sighed. "I feel like true love would take more time than a week to form though. But alas, I have a right to be picky. I turn 18 in a month. And mother wishes to wrap up the peace treaty in a nice little bow and have a nice new young face on the throne for them to come home too. Whether it be male, female, or in-between. As long as I have a son, then things will end well." She then noticed the handsome gentleman before her, and she slips her arms out of her companions, and curtsies. "And good evening to yourself sir." She said, before putting her arms back where they were, holding them just a little closer so their legs brushed her skirts, showing that she was not yet willing to leave either of their side.
"Oh, stars. One week to find true love?" Thorne shook their head. "That's not nearly enough time." They notice the new being. "Hello. Have you just arrived? I haven't seen you around." Thorne inspected the gentleman, noticing his fine clothes.
She looks at Thorne and sighs. "It can be any love, but I am a picky princess who wants true love. Someone to work with not against in ruling. But such a list for true love is miles long, and so I'll have to settle for second, or 5th best. Or even twentieth best when it comes right down to it." She sighed, and slipped her arms out from between the two. "I apologize but my arms were beginning to get sore." She gracefully folded her hands in front of her and eyed the newest person before her. "And who pray tell are you hm?"
"My name is Daniel Black, but you may call me Danny." He pauses. "Why, what is the princess doing at here with two men all alone? That sounds scandalous, doesn't it?" He chuckles. His tone is not threatening nor mysterious, as to not scare the three. "I'm just kidding. In fact, do you mind if I join you? Royal Balls aren't quite my cup of tea." He continues to smile goofily and runs his hand through his pitch-black, curly hair. It was quite the hair-do. The sides of his head were buzzed but the top of his head has a well-groomed curly top of hair.