Bodice Ripper | Pimped Out Dresses | {Increasing Aphro}

[healsforjustice]

All things considered, things were going smoothly. The open gala in the Seyruun palace was in full swing, and it seemed as if people were enjoying themselves. The music drifted through the air like a gentle breeze, allowing those dancing to practically glide across the floor to the flow of the melody. Everyone in sight, no matter where there were

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[the_a_la_mint]

Mint wasn't sure how much more of this she could take.

Because her sister had been sent threats, but couldn't afford to miss this ball, she had been told to take her place. That meant wearing a frilly-as-hell dress and attempting to smile and act polite to anyone who wanted to make idle chatter. She had held up the ruse for a while, but a couple hours had passed, and her patience was already at the breaking point.

After greeting and curtsying to yet another dignitary, she finally snapped, at least inwardly. "Can't take this anymore!" She hissed the declaration through her teeth, picking up her skirt and running towards the nearest staircase. She had to get out of here; she felt almost claustrophobic in this dress, among these people. She bumped shoulders against someone in her room, calling out a rushed apology over her shoulder as she kept running. In her haste, one of her shoes slipped off, but Mint didn't stop to pick it up, moving upstairs.

[healsforjustice]

Amelia was too caught up in trying to breath as the dress grew more uncomfortable to notice someone hurrying past. The sudden bump made her stumble a little, the princess grabbing her tiara to keep it in place before spinning around to see what had happened. Instead of a person though, all she saw was a shoe at the bottom of the nearby staircase.

Walking over, she picked it up off the floor, barely able to make out footsteps from the top of the stairs. Apparently someone was in a hurry to get to the upper floor. That alone was a bit off.

Of course, Amelia knew she wouldn't be able to catch up in her own heavy dress, so with a quick glance around, cast levitation to float to the top of the stairs, calling out as she moved down the hallway.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" she asked.

[the_a_la_mint]

Mint was in too much of a snit to hear the voice, one of the rooms opened a crack (though she was sure she'd closed the door). Anyone who walked in on her now would realize that this was not Princess Maya of East Haven Kingdom, as it was declared when she walked in. Mint tugged her gloves off, growling as she tossed them aside. "How do you get out of this damn thing?!"

She felt up and down the front and sides, but as her hands moved to the back, she felt the tie of the corset against her fingertips, and her eyes lit up. "There! C'mere, you little...!" She began to spin in a circle, like a dog chasing its tail, trying to untie the corset that was holding her dress on.

[healsforjustice]

It was fortunate that the door was open, since it meant it was much easier for Amelia to know where to go, following the faint voice, stopping briefly outside the room before entering. She froze in place on seeing the girl struggling to...undress? In the middle of the party?

Granted she didn't know every guest, so any deception wasn't noted at that moment. Still, it was hard to ignore how unusual the guest was acting.

"Are...you alright Miss?" she questioned, brow raised at the sight in front of her.

[mizunosenshi]

This was perhaps the most public setting Mercury had ever attended while otherwise doing her best to blend in with the people of Earth. When Amelia had told her of the gala, she'd initially turned turn an invitation, but the more she thought of it, of seeing Amelia again outside the library where they normally met, the more she kept hearing Venus' voice in her mind telling her to go.

It was a lovely party from what she'd seen so far. The princess kept to herself as she acquainted herself with her surroundings, listened to some bits of conversation, and finally settled into a small group discussing a revamp of the local aqueduct system. She dressed in a relatively plain yellow dress, leaving behind any clue of her title or origins. Every once in a while, when it was socially acceptable, she glanced away from the group in hopes of spotting her friend somewhere in the crowd.

(ooc: I was thinking this could be sort of a prequel to the scene we started a while back, if you don't mind that.)

[healsforjustice]

As she drifted across the room, the princess was scanning everything, though fleetingly. Still, it was lucky that she halted, doing a double take on spotting someone familiar across the room. Her face immediately lit up, grabbing at her skirts to move closer as swiftly as the dress would allow, without attracting attention of course.

She honestly didn't think Mercury would come, and she hadn't been bitter. She understood perfectly it was a bit of a risk for her friend to come to a crowded event like this. Even so, she couldn't contain her joy, straightening herself up before approaching, if only because the people her companion was talking to.

"Enjoying yourself I trust?" she smiled, keeping the formalities in place for now, but there was a familiar fondness in the princess' features that showed her endearment towards Mercury.

[ooc: Not at all, the continuity is most welcome. <3]

[mizunosenshi]

Mercury was enjoying the conversation, especially the intelligence of the others who clearly had a firm grasp of engineering principles. The discussion had turned to number crunching, and then to architecture, with all agreeing that if a structure was to be clearly visible to citizens and visitors alike, it should be designed with both function and aesthetics in mind.

A small joke was dropped just as Amelia drew near, leaving the blue-haired princess giggling before a familiar voice caught her ear. Mercury turned and politely bowed her head, as the others followed suit and voiced their responses. "I am, very much so," she replied. "We were just discussing plans for a new aqueduct to supply water to remote areas of the kingdom. It sounds like huge undertaking."

[healsforjustice]

Amelia nodded, beaming back as she politely greeted each person in turn, not wanting to show favoritism. She was all too aware they had to be careful about what was said in front of the other nobles and guests, but couldn't hold back the obvious warmth in her smile as she listened to the other princess.

"Well, daddy and the council have been going over the plans for weeks, they want to be sure that everything goes smoothly, so as not to cause problems for the citizens. I believe he said work would start in a weeks time." she replied, content to make small talk for now. If they two of them needed to talk alone, the chance would present itself eventually.

[butler_isatrap]

There was a young man serving drinks that night, his handsome features being one of the attractive things about him, but his gentle manner won many women over. He was however, bringing a drink over to Amelia.

"Madam, a drink tonight?" asked Subaru in "his" polite manner, offering the tray with the drinks.

Subaru was a butler, and a damn good one at that. And yet there was something about him that would make anyone swoon.

Maybe it was because below it, Subaru was a ridiculously moe girl.

[healsforjustice]

Amelia was rather oblivious at the best of times, so naturally any slight hints of the butlers true gender went over her head entirely. She simply smiled at the offer, reaching out and taking a glass from the tray.

"Thank you." she replied, taking a sip, though still watching the servant. Despite being a princess, she never thought herself above others. Thus, she made the effort to be friendly with all the staff, and this time was no exception. "I hope all the guests haven't made the evening too hectic for you."

[butler_isatrap]

"No, it's been a welcome change of pace," replied Subaru, smiling at the lady Amelia. "It has been quiet in Seyruun for far too long. I'm glad to see you safely returned, Princess."

She smiled at her as she added, "If there's anything you wish for the night, I've been given orders to help as much as possible."

[healsforjustice]

Giggling softly, Amelia took another sip of her drink. She had to wonder how anyone didn't relish to peace and quiet, considering the kingdom had nearly been destroyed twice thanks to her friends in their attempts to prevent disaster over the world. To each their own she supposed, since she too missed the freedom and adventure herself at times.

"I appreciate your concern, and for that offer, though I imagine you've been doing a lot of hard work already." she mused, briefly looking out at the throng of people in the hall. "I'll probably be retiring soon anyway, if I get out of this dress." she added, the last part muttered with a little edge of weariness at the complications brought on by the gown.