Soleanna Castle: Political Party

[mage]

Soleanna Castle! The very heart of the mighty Soleanna Kingdom. There it stood, tall, mighty and proud. It symbolized the order and prosperity it has built and maintained for so long. It was on this day that the royals and military personal celebrate (not to mention advance) the ideals that made those two values. The castle was abuzz with various servants preparing for the festivities due tonight, setting up tables and chairs, pulling up signs. Not to mention the delicious food that would be served to the honored guests.

Orchestrating the whole task was none other than Terra's (Sol's) princess, Blaze. "Alright, pull that table over here." She told two servants, moving close to her. "Alright...stop! Set it down. Perfect." She crossed her arms and smiled. "Things seem to be going well."

[pensivepine]

@sevenice@
Over in the corner of the banquet hall, a silvery gray mink was balancing at the ten foot mark of an only slightly wobbly ladder, attempting to get the wall decorations hung before guests arrived. It would have been easier if the servant's garb he had to wear didn't chafe in all the wrong places, but at least he was used to precarious heights, which was why he's volunteered for this particular job--also because people know better than the bother the guy on the ladder unless it was absolutely necessary. It also might be a bit easier if he had just slightly--longer--arms--

The streamer in his hand suddenly began to glow a faint cyan and lifted a bit, as though on a breeze. Venice's ears folded against his head as he grimaced.

_{"No, no, no, we're not doing this here..."} he whispered to himself, and the fabric slumped as the glow around it died. Venice gave a little sigh of relief before glancing furtively over his shoulder to determine if anyone had seen anything. If they had, no one seemed to show it. Good. Letting everyone know he was a freak on his first assignment was not his idea of a good time. His tail flicked back and forth nervously at just the thought of it.

Wait. Did he hear...? Slowly, he turned back around. He did. He did hear a putty tat. Blaze was there in the middle of the room, directing the servants herself. Sure, he'd seen her since they were separated, but they hadn't really been in the same room, and oh, what if she didn't remember him? What if she didn't like hm anymore? Were they still friends?

Why was he even thinking that? Of course they weren't. She was the princess, for Solaris' sake. What was he? Just some servant boy. Probably not even worth her time. No, he wasn't going to talk to her. Or think about her. He was just going to hang these streamers, do whatever else was asked of him, then go home.

Maybe he'd keep missing her, though.

[mage]

"Good, very good." The young princess slowly walked around the halls, checking on each of the servants doing their work. She was very thrilled that everything stayed on schedule. The cat then came up to the ladder Venice was on, and looked up toward him. "Excuse me." She addressed the Mink.

[pensivepine]

@sevenice@
Just one last attachment, and... Venice paused in his work, arm outstretched. Oh... right. Guess I have to talk to her now. Calm, collected, professional--yeah. He could do that. Carefully, he dropped the streamer and retracted his arm. Once sure of his grip on the ladder, he allowed himself to slide down it, landing lightly on the carpet in front of Blaze. Quickly collecting himself into a stiff bundle of courtesy, he turned to her and gave a shallow bow.

"Y-yes, Your Highness?" Venice stuttered when he looked up again. She looked so different from his memories of her, he almost had trouble getting the two images to connect in his mind. Was she still the same person from back then? Was he, for that matter?

Probably not. Why was he still thinking about this stuff? What was the point? He put the brakes on that train of thought for the second time. Calm. Collected. Professional. Yeah.

[mage]

'Hm, why does he look so familiar...' The Mink had triggered a faint thought in the back of her head, a thought long faded away. She knew this young man, but sadly...she couldn't remember. Still, there was something interesting about him, aside from the way he put up the streamers on the ceiling. "Very nice work, I must say." She smiled. "I'm glad someone reliable took this job. Most of the servants dislike this task."

[pensivepine]

@sevenice@
Against his own advice, Venice found himself looking for signs of recognition in the Princess' expression. He was only sort of disappointed when he didn't see any. Only sort of. She's not your friend, she's your boss. That's what he'd been told, so that's what he'd believe. It made things easier.

That's what he'd been told. He was presently having a hard time believing it. His fingers flexed nervously in the itchy fabric of his work gloves.

Venice blinked. Did she just compliment him for his streamer hanging skills? Was that a thing? No, no, probably just small talk. Why talk to him, though? Did she talk to everyone? Or was she testing him somehow? Of course she didn't need a reason, she was the Princess. She could do what she liked, and it wasn't his place to question it. He was probably over thinking it, anyway.

He bowed again, his face flushed slightly in embarrassment.

"Th-thank you, Your Majesty. I, uh, actually, don't mind it at all. Don't know why everyone else seems to."

[mage]

"I suppose acrophobia is a common virus now." She joked, still inspecting his work. "Tell me..." The princess turned back to him, a hand on her hip. "I've seen all sorts of servants around the castle, but you seem to stand out for some reason. Are you new?" She would've gone back to work, but it seems curiosity crossed the cat. She still couldn't shake the feeling that she knew this young man.

[pensivepine]

@sevenice@
Was it appropriate to laugh at the Princess' joke, or was he supposed to stay straight-faced? He couldn't remember if that bit of etiquette had been covered anywhere in his training. Venice's face twisted awkwardly into a small, indecisive smile.

Her next question, though, made him nervous. He didn't think she recognized him at all. Where was she going with this? His tail twitched slightly in agitation.

"Kind of..." he trailed off, thinking. Maybe she wanted to know more than that. "This is my first big assignment, but I'm a Corona. So, I guess you could say I've been around for a while, too." A bit more information than was strictly called for, but...

[mage]

"Is that right, Corona...?" She noticed his tail twitching a bit, and his voice was a little unsure. Maybe her title scared him, wouldn't be the first time people were intimidated by her. While it did bother Blaze a little, she understood why they would be. "Well, you're doing well for your first day. I need to go check up on the other servants."

[pensivepine]

@sevenice@
Venice bowed one last time. "Thank you, ma'am," he said it more confidently than he felt, but a parting impression was almost as important as the first, so he tried to make it count.

Then he turned around and, dazedly, made his way back up the ladder. He felt...disconnected. Suspended, almost, in time and spac--

"Oof!"

Oh. He'd fallen.

For a while Venice just lay there on his back, feeling much stranger than he had when he was at the top of the ladder a moment ago.

[Xeric]

Suddenly a face appeared above Venice.



Marine pressed her nose against his forehead and stared into his eyes. "Watcha doin' down ere, mate?" she questioned. "Shouldn't ya be preppin' for the shin dig the princess be 'avin?"

She stood up straight and looked around the giant hall, trying to spot the Princess.

"Have you seen me best mate, Blaze?"