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The crowd gave a hearty cheer as Crown Princess Morrigan struck true, hitting targets at their centers one by one from her steed with satisfying thunks. As the roving session came to an end, a pair of noble twins, Lady Selene and Lord Paean, watched from the higher stands, before the former gave her brother a nudge.
“Not half bad, eh?” Selene asked slyly. “Sure would be nice to have a woman who can handle a bow…” She trailed off after realizing she wasn’t getting the usual response to her teasing, and followed his still gaze. Sure enough, his eyes were locked on the princess as her handmaiden, Miss Fianna, assisted her in the removal of her riding gear. Catching sight of the siblings amongst the crowds, she dropped her bow and gave a smile and a wave in their direction. Miss Fianna gave a small smile at the ordeal.
The good Queen Danu and her king consort (a shy man who appeared in public so rarely that nobody knew his given name) were fond of teas and parties, and held them frequently enough that rare was a case where any two members of the nobility hadn’t met at least a few times. Aside from the benefits of sociopolitical synergy this granted the higher circles, it also meant that the princess, Fianna, and the twins, had made each others’ acquaintance a few times in the past.
It was upon seeing Morrigan removing her remaining arm guard that Lady Selene decided to resort to her antics, the sort that meant the average big-eared, pointy-nosed nobleperson walked at least three meters ahead of or behind her in public, lest they be caught up in her tornado.
“Come on now, brother, you know it’s rude to watch a lady undress,” she teased, “and in public no less!”
Now, Lord Paean was the type to do his utmost to maintain a suitably noble air about him, but such tendencies contrasted heavily with his good nature, a part of his character the high societies never seemed to be able to train out of him. It sometimes got him in trouble when he prioritized it over his image. Either then, or any time his sister was involved…
“Come off it, sister. Heavens forbid I appreciate good bowmanship,” he muttered, disgruntled. Not that he could wield a bow to save his life.
“So you’re admitting to admiring her Highness then?”
“Well, I’m not fond of how you said that, but yes, I do have eyes.”
Her laughter died to a smile. “You know that’s not what I meant. I don’t understand, what’s with the shame here? One of us has to marry up one way or another, and we both know we’ll sooner see pigs fly before I find a man that interests me.”
Paean side-eyed her for a moment as they joined the escort to the party. “You know, if you found a way to translate your confidence to self-esteem, I would reckon you’d have suitors falling after you by the dozen.”
“Right,” she sniffed, “that’s just what I need. And no changing the subject. At least promise you’ll dance tonight?”
Lord Paean gave a great, dramatic sigh, followed by a jokingly noncommittal “I suppose it’s the least I can do”.
In truth, he wasn’t as opposed as he would lead his sister to believe. Sure, romance wasn’t necessarily his forte, but this didn’t keep his mind from telling himself he didn’t have a chance. Social standings were too important, status quos were to be maintained, yada yada. No, he wasn’t opposed per se, but… He shook his head so as to clear it and gave one last glance back at the princess and her handmaiden.
The former of whom was sighing in much a same manner as he had moments before.
***
“ Come on, your highness, we’ve got to get you ready!”
Princess Morrigan’s feet hit the ground rather ceremoniously as she held tightly to Miss Fianna’s hands, too focused keeping upright to pay much attention to her words.
“Ugh, Fifi, two seconds please, riding puts my legs to sleep every time.” She grasped her friend and handmaiden’s hands more tightly and twisted her torso in a stretch, until her back gave a loud pop. “Oh! That’s much better! Erm, mostly. I still can’t walk.”
Miss Fianna gave a sigh and nimbly bound the horse to the stable before continuing on with her reprimands. “I don’t understand how you’re this sor e from a half hour of riding when you have lessons every day.”
“Correction, I’m supposed to have lessons every day. In theory. I haven’t attended since last new moon, I understand the stablemaster to be quite cross with me,” Morrigan said candidly, only barely hearing the slap of Fianna’s palm hitting her forehead.
The princess’ limp lessened as they trekked to dinner. Likely not the best condition for the scenic route, but a bit of discomfort was worth avoiding the crowds, especially before she was presentable. She looked towards her childhood friend, whose neck her own arm was draped over in support. Freckles dusted her cheeks and nose up to her brow, which was furrowed in seemingly deep thought.
Miss Fianna’s strange quietness during the walk came to and end once her mistress’ legs were up and running again. She stopped her, dropped her usual demeanor, and spoke to her as a friend.
“Hey… I think I saw some eyes looking your way earlier, yeah?”
Morrigan smiled and looked away, but didn’t say anything in reply. She rarely did in matters such as these. Knowing that the lack of a sarcastic remark meant that she was listening for a change. Fianna continued.
“I know you’d rather ignore the feeling until it goes away, but… they’re going to be there tonight. I think that if you face your feelings with the same gusto that you do everything else in life, things might just turn out alright… yeah?” she said, unable to hold back her verbal tick at the end.
Morrigan hummed. “With all due respect, how would you know?”
“I don’t. But I know you.”
And with that, the conversation was over.
***
The party room was surprisingly quiet. Aside from light, live music, the nobles, for all their pride and prejudice, adhered well to strict social standards. This was not, however, out of consideration or compliance, but rather for observation or entertainment.
Aside from pride and standards, another thing most amongst the high society had in common was temperament. Courteous as they would be, riling up a noble was something akin to slapping the ass of a horse. That is to say, unpleasant for the horse and those at its mercy, but the finest of entertainment for those in the stands.
Tonight, the air was tense enough to keep the room all but silent.
“I admit I never feel quite at home at events like these,” Paean laments to his twin.
“I concur. On top of that, it feels as if everyone is waiting for something.” Selene leaned against the wall. “I don’t know what they’re worried about. It’s just another dinner party.”
As if by invitation, the doors were then slammed open unceremoniously, making way for one Princess Morrigan, an overly determined expression on her face, followed closely by her rather concerned handmaiden.
It stayed as such for a good five seconds, all eyes trained on her. The confident look on her face dwindled as the room looked on, as if expecting something from her.
“ Ahem, protocol… ” whispered Miss Fianna into her ear, with a light jab of her elbow.
“Oh!” the princess exclaimed, “right, um… you may mingle?”
The room instantly broke out into the whispery gossip one would expect of the situation, and Morrigan began fanning herself.
“Fifi, I don’t think I can do this,” she said.
“Nonsense. Remember, gusto!”
Fianna got only a grumble in response.
Meanwhile, the twins were engaging in tasteful banter of their own, mostly on the part of Lady Selene.
“She’s rather charming, don’t you think?” prodded Selene conspiratorially to her brother. “The way she carries herself. I can’t help but admire the confidence.”
“You may be right…” he said as he looked over at the pair, not much paying attention to what his sister was doing.
Sensing that this was the time if there ever was one, she gave a great shove to his back, and he nearly stumbled into a waltzing couple. “Then go dance with her!”
To Selene’s surprise, he didn’t resist, instead giving her a smile and saying, “Well, I did promise.”
In truth, Lord Paean was as nervous as ever. He knew what he was getting himself into, and was wildly unsure of repercussions. But he also knew his sister’s reaction would be something to behold, not to mention that of his… audience. Stepping into the spotlight of the theater of high society meant abandoning shame, but really, what was shame but the enemy of progress.
With a last glance back at his sister, wine in her hand, Paean stepped up.
“Your Highness,” said cordially, with a bow. The princess grinned and stepped back, making way.
And then he walked on for a few more steps.
“Miss Fianna,” he said to her handmaiden, his voice cracking as he said her name (Morrigan giggled at this).
“Y-yes, Lord… Paean, was it? How may I be of service?” she said slowly, noting that her highness had already made herself scarce. She fought to keep the blush off her face, but -
“I was hoping you would join me? Y’know, for uh… to dance?”
-she wasn’t doing so well. She paused, glancing at his sister, who had begun unceremoniously choking on her glass of wine upon witnessing the recipient of her brother’s invitation. Fianna decided that was the appropriate reaction. But nonetheless…
“I would be more than happy to! If… if you’re sure, yeah?” she managed.
Paean, meanwhile, had thankfully remembered to breathe, Fianna’s light blush and the freckles dusting her nose having proved quite lethal. He gulped, and, red-faced (but smiling), led her away.
“I should confess, Paean,” she said quietly on the way, “I dance with the princess during practice, but only the leading steps. I’ve never had formal training myself, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to do much here.”
Paean only grinned boyishly at the apologetic smile on her face. “Funnily enough, Lady Fianna, my sister prefers to lead as well , so I was roped into learning both!”
With that, he gave a curtsey, and looked up at her. Fianna, taking it in stride, laughed from her belly, gave a bow, and took his hand.
“I do feel a bit uncertain, though,” he mentioned, quickly elaborating as he saw an uneasy look growing on her face. “My sister was so convinced Princess Morrigan fancied me somewhat.”
Fianna laughed lightly again, enjoying herself more and more as the full scope of the situation revealed itself to her. She gave him a spin and responded as he ducked under her arm. “Oh, no, I do not think that is the case! At least not in the way you are thinking. ”
“No?”
“No,” she confirmed. “Her highness, er, how to put this… ”
He looked at her expectantly.
“The princess… jousts for the other team, as they say. ”
“… I don’t follow.”
“Ah, well…” she paused as her eyes wandered behind him. “Perhaps you might ask her yourself?”
“Eh?”
Lord Paean followed her eyes to the rather menacing approaching form behind him.
“ Lord Paean! ” Morrigan bellowed, sauntering towards with faux confidence, her face as red as a tomato.
“Eep! Erm, how my I help you, your highness? If you’d like your handmaiden back-”
“No! Actually, you look annoyingly good together, but that’s besides the point.” At this point, both parties were sweating, with Fianna standing at his side unfazed as if everything were playing out exactly as she expected. “I’m here to formally challenge you for the right to court with the intent to marry…”
At this point, both of the twins were apprehensive about what came next. Ten minutes ago Lady Selene would have been happy to see her brother and the princess promised to each other (if a little jealous), but given recent developments neither of them was too keen on the idea, and were hard pressed to think the princess was any different. Perhaps Selene had misjudged her, but even so , she continued fanning herself, still recovering from the wine incident, and kept quiet.
“… your sister, Lady Selene.”
“ …excuse me?”
“I know, I understand you two are close and that you are reluctant to give her away. But… I confess I am quite taken with her and promise to treat her with the respect befitting such a bold and charming woman. You see, I…”
At this point Paean had zoned out as he took a moment to process, and then it clicked. “Jousts for the other- Oh! I see…”
Soon, after a quick glance at his own dance partner (who, by the looks of her, found this all very amusing), he turned his head towards his blushing sister. She was red in the face, slack-jawed, and positively glowing.
So, in the way that twins do, he motioned with his eyes towards to the nervously monologuing royalty in front of him as if to say, “Well? Should I accept?”
Lady Selene nodded frantically.
“…and of course, those stunning eyes of hers, which seem to light up whenever-”
“I accept.”
Morrigan paused. “Pardon?”
“I accept your challenge for the right to my sister’s hand.”
It was only then that her shoulders lowered in a heaving sigh of relief, after which she stood tall once more on grinned. “Excellent! I ask then of you, the challenged, what are your terms?” A formality, but given the setting and their riveted audience, an important one. It was when Fianna gave his arm a small tug that he realized shyly that she had never let go of his hand.
“Might I make a suggestion?” she whispered.
Paean nodded, and she whispered something into his ear as the princess looked on curiously. As she finished, he brightened, gave a nod, and stood up straight.
“Princess Morrigan, I formally challenge you to a roving match for the hand of my sister, Lady Selene.”
Morrigan paused. “Are… are you sure?”
“Quite sure.”
At this, the princess beamed and accepted with confidence, and Lord Paean squeezed Fianna’s hand before releasing it to shake Princess Morrigan’s in a show of good sportsmanship. But she skuttled away soon after responding in kind to make tracks towards Lady Selene, who at this point was barely holding herself together.
“Say, Fianna?”
“Hm?”
“Who do you think will lead when they dance?”
The handmaiden gave a giggle, as she had done so many times this evening, and replied, “I think they’ll figure something out, yeah? ”
Thus, later in the evening as the two pairs danced, mingled, and enjoyed each others’ company, Lord Paean watched smugly as his sister demonstrated timidity he had thought her incapable of. It was upon seeing this that he finally steeled himself and vowed, for the honor of his sister, to demonstrate the worst showing of archery the kingdom would see for years to come.