Petz had always put effort into maintaining her dazzling appearance, but tonight was of the utmost importance.

I’ll definitely make him regret leaving me. I bet he had no idea that he was dumping such an exquisite and noble guardian of Nemesis royalty! 

Her internal monologue of self-assurance was rambling on and boosting her ego. In truth, Petz did look more impressive than usual. The young woman was no longer dressed in her soldier attire, but instead in a lavish black gown with a deep green corset adorned in precious jewels. 
Saphir had only ever seen her as a normal girl. Tonight, he would see a completely different side of her.

After Petz and her sisters prepared for the party, they entered the ballroom and dispersed to mingle with guests. Petz glided through the room with a smile, pretending to take interest in the strangers who periodically approached her. Of course, her real intention was to casually “run into” Saphir. 

What should I say? “Oh, I didn’t see you there! Pardon me, have we met before?” Yeah, something like that.

Berthier had now went and changed into a light blue dress and earrings and walked down towards the ballroom and met her sister Koan there. "Sister shall we go in and converse with the others? I would like to maybe talk with one of our princess guests..let us go in..." She waited for her sister to come with her and follow her into the ballroom.

Koan managed to restore some order to her hair before Berthier approached. Yes, her hunch had been right, and she had found one of her sisters so that she didn't have to enter the ballroom alone! Success!

The dark-haired girl smiled brightly at her sister, hoping that her face didn't give away too many of her hopes for the evening.

"Let's go!" she giggled, following the icy blue young woman into the exquisitely-decorated ballroom.

Violet eyes scanned the crowd eagerly, wondering if there would be a shock of red hair to catch her eye.

It felt good to get away, relaxing in the private quarters of the Prince. He should have been getting ready for the party, but a quick combing of his hair would be enough. Rubeus knew he would still be good looking without a proper change of clothes.

The order from Demande was a bit strange - though Rubeus did not question it, and simply gave a single nod of his head to show he understood. He would make it a point to keep an eye on Demande at the same time, however. Rubeus knew he wasn't the most well-trained bodyguard, but he wouldn't let the Prince come to harm under his watch. He was more than capable to watch over two people at once.

All while having some fun himself.

Yes, he liked the sound of that.

He dutifully followed after Demande once the man left the room to join the festivities. It was not nearly as crowded as Rubeus had thought it would be, and instead felt rather more intimate. That certainly made his job easier.

As instructed, Rubeus stayed close to Saphir, though he checked for Demande every once in a while. He also kept tabs on the general movement of the various people within the room - one could never be too careful. Plus, this allowed him to seek out the prettiest girls at the same time.

All for the greater good, of course.

Esmeraude sat in front of her vanity table’s mirror for a long time, staring at her reflection as she put the last finishing touches of jewelry; the emerald earrings she wore on her ears. Her wavy green hair cascaded down her shoulders, reaching to the back of her knees, and the satin emerald dress she wore showed off her curves in an inviting yet tasteful way.

She stared at the perfectly beautiful princess in the mirror, wondering what Prince Demande would see when he looked at her, wondering if he might love her. Whether it was true what her father used to say that she was too beautiful not to be loved.

As silly as that saying sounded, Esmeraude had clung to it since she was a naïve little girl, and even more so after her father was gone. For if she kept believing in it, then perhaps someday someone would love her deeply the way he once had again.

Finally, she stood up, knowing she was almost late to the party she was hosting herself. She had not wanted to be the first to arrive, though—she wanted her entrance to matter, for all eyes to be on her when she came in—but delaying any longer would not be polite.

She wished her guardians were here, but they had scattered earlier, and some of them seemed more distracted than others. She wondered if Demande’s entourage was not only unsettling her but also her closest friends.

And so she walked alone to the ballroom, her heart beating loudly in her chest, yet her appearances didn’t betray her nervousness. Poise and grace, she reminded herself as she paused outside the ballroom doors, and then stepped into the room with her head held high.

She could see the princess every single day, and still be amazed and awed by the young woman's beauty and grace. Koan nudged Berthier slightly, her eyes still fixed on Princess Esmeraude's entrance.

"Ohhhh doesn't our Princess look lovely?" Koan sighed, her eyes nearly reflecting an endless stream of hearts. Perhaps this was a good sign that the Princess and the Prince would have a marvelous and romantic evening. How could he not fall in love with someone so absolutely wonderful? This night's event could be the very beginning of a beautiful romance~ ♥

Maybe for Koan, as well...

She wasn't sure how she had missed spotting him earlier, given his exotic looks and tall stature. He moved so confidently through the crowd. She fiddled with her necklace as she watched him move about the ballroom—it seemed like he was so close! Her cheeks blushed a bright pink, her mind already racing with teenage romance fantasies. If only he would notice her!

She was behind the two when, suddenly, her Princess came down the staircase and left everyone in awe. Calaveras was speechless until Koan had asked about Esmeraude's looks.

Berthier watched as their princess came into the room and like the others she was amazed at Esmeraude's beauty. She then turned to Koan and Calaveras, "I agree with you both, she looks lovely. Also, thank you Calaveras for your compliment as you also look the same." She waved her hand towards the entrance, "Lets go mingle, ladies."

So far, Rubeus was unimpressed. Sure, the atmosphere was somewhat elegant, and there were plenty of pretty girls to look at, but overall, it felt lackluster. Where was the excitement? Where was the fire in these people? They were all too soft, too meek. How boring.

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Rubeus looked around the room again, seeking out the prince, before moving his gaze back towards Saphir. Everything was in order there, at least. If he couldn't have fun at this event, then he was at least going to make sure to do his job properly.

Yawning and not bothering to hide it, Rubeus closed his eyes for a few moments, imagining himself back in his favorite tavern, where the women were fiery, spicy beer was served in overflowing cups, and where at any moment a fight could break out. That'd certainly be a lot more fun than this place right now.

Rubeus was jostled out of his thoughts when someone bumped into him. Opening his eyes, a swear word on his lips, Rubeus stopped short when he saw her.

Auburn hair offset by striking red eyes. Her golden dress seemed to shimmer with every movement, catching her curves and accentuating her beauty. But it was those eyes that kept his attention, in that small moment when she looked at him. They were similar to his own in color, but they were beautiful, more jewel-like and less harsh.

The girl was stunning.

And then she was gone, disappearing within the crowds and was halfway across the room by the time Rubeus found her again. He stared, and watched as she joined the other girls of Esmeraudes entourage. Was she a part of the Princess's group of girls then? He didn't remember this golden-clad beauty from earlier.

Rubeus frowned, before looking away and seeking out his own two royals. They still seemed fit as rain, so he allowed himself to look back over to the golden girl with the fiery blood-red eyes again.

At last he had found something interesting on this planet.

She was about to reply to Berthier's suggestion, ready agreement on her lips, when something stopped her. The young woman inhaled sharply, looking up and across the ballroom only to see... him: that handsome gentleman from the Prince's entourage! And he was looking right at her.

Those crimson eyes were so brilliant—so stunning. She had never seen jewels with the kind of fire that burned within his gaze. To have them fixated on her... it made her blush and glance away. She couldn't look back without feeling an unusual heat rise on her skin, almost like her powers as a guardian of the princess.

Yet he had noticed her. That was enough to set her heart aflutter, wondering if he would ask her to dance. Maybe this would be the very first night of their long and passionate romance. Maybe this is the moment she'd tell their children about, someday. Her expectations for the night's festivities just kept increasing in scope. She was so distracted with her own thoughts that she held back for a moment, rather than following her sister's direction.

OOC:

With Rubeus' eyes on Saphir, he didn't have to worry about anyone trying to use him through his little brother. Even if he had announced his relation to him only to the princess and her guardians, there might have been others hearing it. Or it could be relatively obvious that only the people he somewhat appreciated were with him on this trip. Better be safe.

The room in which the reception was held truly spoke of a people receiving guests and trying to show for it. The decoration was grand, it felt quite luxurious, but even back home, Diamond wasn't quite impressed with this type of venue. It was a good opportunity to make contacts, to struck deals and to show their power off, but boredom most certainly was his sentiment when the end came. He doubted this one would be any different.

Rubeus would probably agree with him on this. More so even, considering his fiery bodyguard.

He was nonchalantly crossing the room when the princess made her entrance, his eyes finding her easily in this crowd. She knew how to keep everyone's eyes on her. She seemed elegant, moving with ease, keeping spectator's attention. He would discover more of who was the princess that night, despite their guardians being all around. 

He meddled with the crowd first, slowly making his way to Esmeraude, uninterested by anyone else around. It wasn't that she took all of his attention, it was that they needed to get introduced. Properly. Without unwanted ears all around.

Once through, he walked to her, manners on point and even a small smile to accompany the whole package.

"May I steal you from this event?"

She noticed the prince coming toward her from the corner of her eye.

She waited until he was in front of her before looking at him, not wanting to appear too eager or too interested. She had to admit, though, when he smiled, he didn’t seem so cold.

Rather surprised by his unusual request, since both of them being here was the purpose of this event, Esmeraude hesitated a moment before finally nodding. “Of course. We can have more privacy in the balcony,” she dipped her head politely, before leading him there. She understood his need to not want the pressure of everyone’s eyes on them while they got to know each other, but she also knew leading him to the outside proper would be inappropriate, plus everyone would probably want to keep an eye on them and vice versa, so the balcony seemed like the better option. It was still part of the room, they would still be visible, but they would not have the crowd or the lights and could pretend they were elsewhere. There was also a semblance of privacy there.

As she stepped into the blanket of the night sky and its stars, she inhaled the fresh air, immediately feeling less rigid, and turned to face the prince once more.

“So how are you liking Nemesis so far, Your Highness?” she asked, knowing eventually they’d have to delve into more personal topics, but it was always safer to start with pleasantries.

Berthier begun to walk into the room then looked back and saw her sister still standing there, "Koan..are you ok?" She asked a bit concerned but not worrying since it was Koan she was talking to. She then looked back into the ballroom and noticed that their princess was not around and also neither was the prince. She was not scared or nervous though as she had a feeling they would at one point of the night go somewhere else to get away from everything to talk or something. Knowing this made her happier inside that things were going well so far. She turned her attention back to Koan and waited on her sisters answer.

She didn't want to ignore her sister, but she really hated having to pull her attention away. What if he was going to approach her? Would he still do it if she was talking to Berthier? Out of the corner of her eyes she now noticed that the mysterious newly-arrived Prince had actually approached their beloved Princess—hopefully this was a good sign, indicative of positive relationships between their kingdoms. If only she could be sharing the same experience of being approached by a potential romantic interest on such a beautiful night as this one.

With much internal struggle, Koan looked away from Rubeus and settled her deep violet eyes on Berthier once more. She had to force a level of enthusiasm that she wasn't particularly feeling at this moment. Koan didn't want to get her sisters involved to help her, she wanted this magical romance to blossom on its own. So right now, she didn't want to let them know what she expected for this evening—not in specifics, at least.

"Oh, I'm fine," she replied, unable to stop herself from looking back again, towards Rubeus.

Mingling with the other guests of this relatively curated guest list just didn't sound like as much fun as it otherwise would have.

Finally she had looked away.

No wait, there were those eyes again, so hopeful and staring. Always staring. Surely she had something better to do with her time?

It was beginning to get on his nerves.

Rubeus glanced away, pretending to have not noticed. He was supposed to be respectable and all that, make good impressions or whatever it was that the prince had said. That meant he should simply ignore the girl, instead of approaching her or saying anything at all. That would be for the best.

He scanned the room, checking on the locations of his royals, and for a moment, a jolt of surprise struck at his chest. Where was Demande? It had only been a few minutes ago since Rubeus had checked on him last. Finally he spotted the prince hidden away with the princess, secluded but still somewhat visible.

A little unsettled, Rubeus glared at nothing in particular. To make himself feel better, he sought out the sight of that beautiful girl with the golden dress and the ruby eyes.

Ah, there she was. Rubeus allowed himself a moment of appreciation, before looking back to the main part of the gathering. A part of him wished to go over there, to ask the woman for a dance - surely he would be within his right to do so. Well, why not? It wasn't as if he was the type to deny doing something he wished without good reasons.

Leaving his self-proclaimed post, Rubeus walked over to where the girl with the ruby eyes stood. Unfortunate that it was so close to the staring doe-eyed girl, but that couldn't be helped.

Rubeus bowed low, respectable, though he moved out of the gesture as quickly as possible, before extending his hand. "May I have this dance?"

Koan felt her breath catch in her throat. Was he... was he talking to her? That gorgeously handsome young man acting as bodyguard for the Prince? The one that she would marry and settle down with, a beautiful and dutiful wife to someone with such a powerful presence!

She could already imagine what it would be like—he would work hard, active and important, ascending the ranks of his role as the years went on. She'd be by his side for events, beautiful and radiant, the perfect bride for such a gallant stallion. He'd treat her like a precious jewel, lavishing her with gifts and attention... but it would be the attention she would value most. Their romance would be filled with passion and deep devotion. Their life at home would be completely picturesque, maintained and improved with her own efforts.

Her blush deepened, and she looked down shyly, imaging how beautiful their children would be.

She didn't even realize that this provided the perfect opportunity for Calaveras, the actual object of Rubeus's offer, to take him up on it. In fact, the older girl could have been completely unaware of Koan's wild fancies and follies. After all, they were all imagined. All private. All completely non-voiced.

Berthier continued to watch the guests and other and was about to go get a drink when one of the men came over. Rubeus walked over and stood there speaking to Calaveras as she thought or it might have been Koan by the way she was acting. She stood there watching the interaction and afterwards she would remember that she wanted a drink.

"Interesting to say the least." He answered pleasantly, though also more genuinely than he thought considering he wasn't certain whether or not he would like what he saw. He knew it was necessary politically speaking, but he had almost worried that maybe the place would be lesser than it should be. "I have yet to see more of it, of course, for we merely stayed inside these walls. It is a discovery I am rather impatient to make."

The balcony was convenient for him. He wasn't interested in the buffet, or the other guests. Sure, he would need to make himself known if this place was to become his as well, but wasn't the point of this party to meet Esmeraude and not to lick some strangers' boots?

Fresh air also felt good.

Wiseman had suggested this and if he agreed, the kind of person she was would tell whether or not this 'arrangement' would go well or horribly wrong.

He made sure his eyes stayed on her and at the same level as hers as he spoke.

"Your... servants?" he hesitated on the term, but he wasn't sure who exactly were those young ladies who had welcomed them. "Your court was quick to welcome us warmly, even if I must admit I felt hurried from one end to the other. It was, however, quite interesting." He didn't seem or sound upset.

He bowed rather elegantly.

"I know these have been done already, but I feel more natural to introduce myself without every eyes on us waiting to make a mistake." His darker smile has a hint of humor to it. "I am Diamond, nice to finally make your acquaintance after hearing so much about you."

“I would be happy to give you a tour,” Esmeraude replied with a smile. After all, she was quite proud of her kingdom. And if he was going to form an alliance with hers, then he ought to know about what exactly he was partnering with.

Her eyes flashed with surprise and mild offense as he called her guardians ‘servants’, but she chalked it up to lack of knowledge. All the more reason they ought to fix that and get to know each other better. “They are my ladies. They are princesses of their own right. Please do treat them as such,” she explained pleasantly. “And I apologize if they were too eager. They’re only excited about the prospect of this wedding.”

She was surprised when he introduced himself, citing his preference for a more casual interaction, and smiled. “Pleased to make your acquaintance as well, Your Highness. I am Esmeraude, and I hope I can live up to everything you’ve heard about me. I must say, an arranged marriage is a strange concept, but that’s the burden we have to bear as leaders of a kingdom, I suppose.”

Since the opportunity to marry for love had been taken away from her, she could only hope she would grow to love the husband that had been chosen for her.

She was such a vision of loveliness. Rubeus found himself unable to look away - even as he could feel the stares from other less-than-interesting eavesdroppers.

It took several moments before he realized that he was still standing there, hand extended without the acceptance from his intended partner.

He kept his features smooth, though his eyebrow twitched at the snub.

Rubeus didn't know how much time had passed since he had extended his hand, but he certainly was not used to this kind of waiting. Girls generally threw themselves at him and he had not expected any different in this foreign royal place. After all, he was offering himself - the epitome of charm and rugged attractiveness - to this ruby-eyed beauty. The very least she could do was to acknowledge she'd heard him.

She was speechless, utterly speechless, to find this young man standing before her, asking to dance. His voice enthralled her. He seemed respectable, yet perhaps only in this moment. There was almost a hint of hidden danger in the way he moved. It was the very man she had bumped into when she first walked into the ballroom. In their very first interaction, she hadn't really noticed that much about him, only recognizing him as the Prince's bodyguard. But now he stood before her, and she could see the passionate spirit that blaze from his ruby eyes.

Calaveras didn't notice her youngest sister's fascination. Not yet. Her thoughts had been elsewhere, considering the importance of tonight's ball. It wasn't just for fun and games, after all. But... but maybe one dance couldn't hurt...

"Why, thank you," she replied, her voice smooth and steady even as she felt decidedly less so inside. "I'm honored."

Finally, a reply. And such a nice reply too. Rubeus decided he like her voice. Smooth as silk, with a hint at the underlying strength. It didn't quake at all, even when faced against such a stunning man as himself. He liked that.

For a moment, he found himself caught in her eyes. The ruby color caught the light and shimmered as though they truly were jewels. If he looked in just the right way, they turned deeper in color. Similar to his favorite wine, or perhaps spilled blood.

Exquisite.

Rubeus grinned in response, putting all his charm into that one gesture. "It is I who am honored," he said. He glanced, just once, towards the doe-eyed girl wondering if she was still staring. But with his dance partner so beautiful in front of him, his interest lasted less than a second and he turned his attention back onto the woman in the gold dress with the ruby eyes. "Perhaps you could tell me your name." A pause. A smirk. "Call me Rubeus."

At least he had an excuse to openly stare as he awaited her answer.

And just like that, he wasn't talking to her. He was fixated on her sister instead. Koan felt a stab of jealousy, the violet eyes looking towards the older girl. There was no malice in her look, however; she loved her dear siblings too much to feel anything more aggressive than hurt. It was as though Calaveras had wronged her, even though the rational part of Koan understood that was an unfair assessment. In the moment, though, it was how she felt. She looked away quickly, turning back towards Berthier.

"Let's have a walk around the room," she suggested, forced enthusiasm obvious. The expression on her face was not one of someone enjoying the party, even though she tried to smile.

She knew she shouldn't reveal anything about herself. They were the Princess's guardians, after all. They were supposed to be here as her friends, concealing their more important roles during this party. But they had to entertain these foreign guests, didn't they? And this young man was the Prince's bodyguard. Surely she would be seeing more of him in the days to come, as the wedding drew nearer.

"Calaveras," she heard herself saying, as though someone else was speaking. "A pleasure to formally make your acquaintance, Rubeus."

The music changed, the notes calling the couples for the next dance. She was moving towards the open dance floor with this young man, for once the thoughts of her sisters, her princess, and her duty in the back of her mind. Her eyes looked up at his, not the besotted look of a schoolgirl's love, but the curiosity and veiled attraction of a serious young woman. She hoped he would continue their conversation as the dance began; she wanted to know more about him.

While The princess was meeting with her soon to be husband, and her sisters, one off with one of the invitees and the other now asking to walk around with her all seemed good so far. "Im ok with that Koan maybe you can talk to me about what is troubling you..its as plain as day on your face dear sister." Berthier smiled back at her telling her she meant well.

As much as she loved all of her sisters, and despite being as close as she was to Berthier, Koan wasn't quite ready to talk about her aching heart. She had been spurned too soon; removed too suddenly from her fantasies and daydreams. To some degree, Koan knew that she was thinking foolish thoughts—that she had no right to make outlandish assumptions based on imagined eye contact. Knowing that didn't make her feel any differently. She had not been noticed, and it hurt.

"Can we just... focus on the party for now?" she asked softly, the violet eyes conveying her sadness and hopes to find distraction from her thoughts. She hoped that Berthier would understand. Maybe they could talk about it later.

Berthier looked at her sister as she responded and in her mind, she sighed but answered, "Of course, Koan..shall we get something to eat? are you thirsty? It would be more fun then to just stand here and wait." She then waited for a moment..."Here let me go get something for us to drink...I bet your parched from saying hello to everyone.." She then smiled at Koan and walked off to grab a couple drinks for them..

As her blue-haired sister stepped away, Koan felt a slight smile rise to her lips despite her aching heart. This was one of the many reasons that she and Berthier were so close—her slightly-older sister never pushed her to talk or made her feel like how she was feeling wasn't important. Koan knew that Berthier realized that she was sad, but since she wasn't ready to talk about it... it would wait. And the other girl was right—she hadn't had much to drink and there were so many introductions required to be made. A drink sounded nice.

She was so thankful and so lucky to have such wonderful sisters. She found a quiet spot to wait for Berthier to return. Maybe they could chat a bit more about the party, as long as the subject avoided men or romance. At least for now.

Calaveras. Even her name held a certain strength and beauty. It suited the woman who bore that name perfectly. He watched her as they began their dance. Entranced by her movements as well as her eyes, he found himself unable to look away, even as duty tried to pull at his attention. Mystery lay within those rich red depths, and it called to him.

Just how difficult would it be to delve in and find the answer?

Rubeus kept his expression the same - all charming smiles and cool confidence. His default, of course, but it had served him well in the past. He pondered what kind of topic to begin with his new dance partner. Platitudes about her beauty were off the table, as he was tired of them. They made the game far too easy and boring. He guessed - and hoped - that such words would not truly please her anyway.

"Do you attend events such as this often?" he asked her. "As a guard, I get dragged to them all the time. Though, sometimes, they have certain advantages." His gaze was steady as he lead their movements from one smooth motion to another. Starting out with such a mundane topic seemed a good choice. No reason to start the game too strong. He was going to be here for a while and he preferred to take things slow and steady when the opportunity presented itself.

Unless this Calaveras proved to be dull and tiresome, in which case he would have to go find someone else to help him pass the time.

She matched his pace as they continued in their dance, following his lead without missing a beat. She felt a strange sensation as they moved together. Calaveras barely heard the music; it seemed more like a faint and indistinct murmur. Her attention remained focused solely on her dance partner. She felt extremely aware of the sensation of his hand in hers, a warmth that continually reminded her of their proximity. As he continued talking, she knew only that she wanted to learn more about this intriguing young man.

"It is my honor to accompany Princess Esmeraude," she replied. Her facial expression supported what she stated, with no hint of sarcasm or weariness behind the words. It would have been impossible to explain, at this moment, just what her Princess meant to her (and her sisters), but despite any hardships she could not claim to regret her destiny.

"I try to focus on the highlights of these events, although perhaps we have a similar outlook in that we are both, in a way, duty-bound. Although I am sure it is more work for you than for I, as a bodyguard."

"I hope you find Princess Esmeraude's kingdom hospitable during your stay here."

She couldn't yet admit or even hint at her own position. Truly, Calaveras and Rubeus had even more in common than she might state. She protected her princess much in the same way that he protected his prince.