((OOC: *claps* Yay! So glad to see you Ghanima! I can't wait to see RPs for our three newest characters!

I'm going to try to get an RP up later today, but I can't make any promises. Real life has kind of taken a toll on me right now. Hay, I don't know what to do about Felix not coming at the Queen's request. Let me know if you have something in mind.))

Comtesse Marie-Elisabeth Valois
 

Dimitri & Marie - Main Hall, Grand Hall, big empty space at the Grand Staircase :P
 

His path to the Great Hall—and hypothetically, just possibly, to a young man who was ambitious enough to be the King’s Advisor—was intercepted by a woman. She was young (that was becoming less of a surprise with every passing hour in Edouard’s palace), demurely holding a fan in one hand. It was clear even to a man like Dimitri that the fan matched perfectly with her expensive dress, which complemented the shade of azure flowers in her hair. It was the sort of flawless compatibility that only women of certain means could achieve.

“Good afternoon Monsieur” she said, curtsying politely to him.

‘Monsieur’. She was a newcomer.

But that was something of a relief, for the Duc did not recognize her either. He only needed one long stride to cover the distance between them. Within that one move, he had adjusted the pale cream cravat at his neck, flattened his coal-coloured cloak, and did nothing to his hair, for it remained perfectly tied in a dark gold ribbon; everything about him was strictly placed, including his arms as he bowed politely.

Dimitri gestured to take her empty hand to kiss if she would so allow it. “Good afternoon, Mademoiselle. I am Duc Dimitri-Josèphe d’Lorraine.”

He privately thought the whole business of titles to be a trifle annoying, quite useless in certain conditions. But court protocol could not be broken. If the lady was of lower rank than he—and he thought, not with boastfulness but with the blandness of making obvious statements; that it was most likely she was—it would be to her detriment to call him “Monsieur” before other nobles.

“I do not believe we have met. Did you just arrive today?”

Something about her—the fan, perhaps, or the crafty arch of her brow—told Dimitri he should know her. Had they met at some point before...?

_____

((slytherin-girl, I believe this is one RP that likes long posts so no worries.

littlesunshine, I'm not sure how much updating you need but the only public event was that Felix was rewarded by the King for "great service to the country". Some other private stuff happened: Mercy threw her black book in the fountain (which is just totally, like, dying to be discovered by someone <.< >.>), and Dimitri found out that the Princess was poisoned.

[EDIT for below] Kekeke, well, maybe certain suspicious remnants of the ink will remain...

Kidding. I totally forgot that the ink back then was nothing like our ballpoint inks now. XD There's still potential in this though! *puts on scheming cap*))

((By all means discover it if someone feels they would like to see that side of Mercy but I was very careful to say it was tales of courtiers gone by, shall we say it is the...... first volume? And therefore whilst it will reveal to you the true nature of Mercy Flight/Venn it will only give you an incite into the backstory I have typed up somewhere on this PC. Hmm I should find that, i even have a complete family tree somewhere ))

Isabella
 

Isabella sat in her Salon, waiting for Duc d’Cognac to enter, to report on the task she had given him to do. Her eyes wandering the room, she was soon lost in thought. So much was going on at the palace, so many pokers in the fire. She would have to do what she had to do to take care of them all.

Soon she was startled back to reality when a servant came through the door, a most somber of looks attached seemingly permanently on her face. “Pardon me your majesty…” the girl began meekly. She soon explained that she was sent by the royal physician to fetch her. Though Isabella’s posture remained tall and royal, a forboding veil settled over her as she made her way to Adalita’s side.

Once in the room, the doctor informed Isabella that he did not expect the young girl, that was once so filled with life, to make it through the night. Though Isabella had never particularly felt motherly towards the girl, her heart cracked with pity for her.

If she indeed had less than 24 hours of breath within her, Isabella would stay by the girl’s side.

((OOC: As some people already know, I kind of have a lot of **** going on in my personal life right now. Isabella is parked by Adalita’s side right now so no one is waiting on me to RP and Isabella’s not being obtrusive. If Octavien or Dimitri wants to be in Adalita’s room, by all means you’re welcome, and you could bring Edouard with ya. But please just have Isabella quiet and thoughtful. I’m doubtful I’ll be able to interact with ya. I’m still around to check on the RP and answer questions and PMs. I just can’t RP right now.))

Comtesse Valois et le Duc d’Lorraine
 

Comtess Emmeline Bouchard ~ Application
 

Felix
 

((Finally I'll make a post! I'm not promising anything great, my muses have taken ill or something Hello new characters, you all look awesome, and welcome back GeeWay!))

I'd been working for around fourty minutes now, a record high for me no doubt. Looking down at the parchment before me, only one name had been messily scratched in. My prowess in writing was as poor as ever, but that didn't matter right now. Princess Adalita had been poisoned by her ex-lover, who had contacts inside this castle. And I, being the only courtier foolhardy enough to discover this fact, now bore the task of stumbling across the traitor in question. Why did I not explain calmly that these things only happen to me by chance, that it's not my fault I'm so good at these things? The sooner all this.. drama.. was out of the way, the sooner I could hit the town once again for some Felix-style indulgence. I absent-mindedly chewed on the end of the peacock feather quill as I imagined merry scenes of beautiful women, good weather and plenty of real food instead of this Palace cuisine, which was far too rich for my liking.. A few strands of feather pulled off in my mouth and stuck to my throat, causing me to cough and splutter them all over the incriminating parchment. Oh blast it, why am I bothering with this? I scrunched the thick parchment into a ball and tossed it onto the fire, watching as it turned the suspects name to cinders. If only things were that easy. And surely there was a better person for the job than me; just because I was popular and nosy did not make me a private investigator by any means. I forced myself to stand - this idle musing was no way to work; I'd be here a lifetime if I didn't leave my room and do some proper searching.

But I needed a herring, a starting point or something. William must have had correspondance with the traitor, so there might be a chance someone had seen the two talking. Or at the very least, seen letters signed from William or noticed a servants marked absence from court. I needed a witness.

"Pierre?" I called, clicking my fingers to summon him from the shadows, or sewers, or wherever he lurked in his spare time. I explained the mission to Pierre, watching his beady black eyes flicker about. Anyone else would probably have found this suspicious behaviour; after all, Pierre was a servant inside the palace. But the man always acted like this, so I discarded it as nothing. Anyway, the man didn't even have access to Adalia's quarters, or so I hoped.

"I need you to find out who did it. Interrogate some of the Princess's servants maybe, I'm sure you'd only have to ask them if they knew of anyone named William. They can't be that intelligent, they're only servant girls after all."

"How does my Duc suggest I find these.. servant girls?" drawled Pierre, that irritating undertone of contempt in his voice as usual.

The man had a point. He couldn't lurk around the women's chambers like some silent predator, nor could he corner them anywhere near the Princess's suite. There was only one thing for it; I'd have to do it myself. Let's just say I wasn't an uncommon face around the servant girls boudoirs, and nobody would bat an eyelid if they saw me slip through the bedroom doors. Or rather, they'd bat their eyelids a lot more if I paid them a sneaky midnight visit tonight. And in the meanwhile I could be writing a letter to Monsieur Thenarde, the landlord of the local inn who knew everything about everybody's business. But I hadn't had the chance to even ink my peacock quill when a message arrived from Isabella, summoning me to her Salon.

I put the quill back down, partly thankful for the distraction as I left the room and headed over to the staircase. By some good chance, a chunky old maid happened to be bustling past me - a woman whom I was certain I'd seen before, though I couldn't remember where. Hopefully my deja vu was caused by seeing her plumping Adalita's pillows, or something of the like. I whistled as she bent down to pick up a pile of laundry; the comely lady blushed scarlet and scowled at me as she straightened herself up.

"Well well, Little Felix. Cheeky as ever, I see. But my you haven't half grown!"

I furrowed my brow at being called 'Little Felix' by some common maid, and was about to ask which girl had started that little joke when.. my mouth fell open in realisation.

"Nanny?" I gasped, as my childhood nurse scuttled towards me to pinch at my lack of fat and fuss over the state of my hair. "What are you doing back at the Palace? Ow!" I dodged a spit wet palm as she made an attempt to flatten my hair back into place.

"Shush, my duck. Look at the state of you, no wonder you haven't married and spawned your own wee ones yet. Now, Silvius on the other hand.. Hold still!"

"Nanny!"

"Oh very well. I came back here last month, my duck, because Nanny was to be needed again. She was told that someone was expecting a babby.."

I nodded enthusiastically. "That's right, that was the Princess. But then-"

"Yes my lad, let Nanny finish. When I finally get here - and travelling isn't good for a woman of my age - the wee royal ladything has taken terribly ill. So seeing as there's no babby to look after, they want me to care for the Princess in her state of delirious illness, God bless her." She paused, eyeing my waist "Are they feeding you properly around here? All skin and bone, you are. I've seen more fat on a-"

"I'm fit as a fiddle, Nanny, I swear. You're taking care of Adalita now?" I asked urgently. As delightful as the reunion with the fussy old goose was, there was no time to let her ramble on as I knew she would.

"That's what I just said, duckie, were you not listening? Twenty-four hours a day, I am. And to think, a woman of my age working so hard when I was hoping for a nice retirement to the country.."

Before the old woman could ramble on any more, I blurted it out. About Princess Adalita, about the traitor in our midst, and about how I had to find who it was. I told her about everything, all these little secrets that had been building up with no way of escaping. It was something of a relief to talk openly to someone I completely trusted, who would listen to me and console me about my worries. As I went into detail about that night in the inn when I overheard the plot, Nanny became a shade paler with each detail. I finished, and there was a moments silence as she thought over what I'd just said. Then, she erupted.

"Felix Peitou-Charentes, what in the Lord's name were you doing in such a.. notorious place? Monsieur Thenarde's Inn? Did you not have more sense? Duc or not, that inn is a.. a.. scum pit filled with social outcasts! Sailors, theives and criminals! What would your mother think, God rest her soul? Oh what would she think? And Nanny wasn't there stop you.. Oh dear.." For the second time, her wide face was now a deep red, and she was breathing heavily. I pouted in retaliation to the attack.

"Monsieur Thenarde's inn provides some excellent company.. I haven't got time, Nanny! Did you not see anything suspicious when you arrived here? Anything at all?" Nanny appeared to ponder the idea for a few seconds, struggling to remember back to last month.

"There was one girl serving the princess. Pretty little thing, she was.. but silent as a nun. We all thought she was deaf, we did. And there was something very odd about her, very.. unbecoming. She needed a good feed, too. And she'd disappear every few days, we all said she was part of some secret heretical cult. And thinking that, nobody really wanted to get too close to her.." Nanny's eyes glazed over again as she became lost in her senile thoughts. "What was I saying, my duck?"

"Is she still there? Let's go to the Princess's room right away, I need to speak to her."

"Is who still there, my duck? You can't speak to the Princess, lad.. or you won't get an answer if you try. Nanny has tried a few times. Dumb as an old donkey." The old lady started humming as she folded the sheets back into piles. "And Her Majester the lovely Queen was visiting her, last I saw. Though my eyes aren't what they used to be-"

"The Queen! Mon Dieu, Nanny, I was supposed to be going to see the Queen!" I quickly kissed the old woman on her whiskery cheek, and ran up the stairs as the cries of 'language, my duck!' faded behind me.

((Oh.. my.. God. Oops. Is this what's been pent up inside me for two weeks? A freaking NOVEL? I think I've had a case of creative constipation This is an absurdly long post, I've inadvertantly created a new NPC, and all to say 'Felix got up and went to see the Queen (who will not be there when he arrives, because he was late)'))

Dimitri & Marie - Main Hall
 

((Good to have you, GeeWay! It's a good thing Dimitri isn't very misogynistic-- there are more women candidates for advisor than men! XD ...Though Felix must be happy. :P))
_______


“I'm Comtesse Marie-Elisabeth Valois.”

The name rung a bell that her appearance had not—Dimitri recognised the Valois name immediately, if not intimately.

“I did indeed arrive just this very afternoon. It took me longer than I expected to depart from home since my young son was most distraught at my leaving. He's become very attached to me as of late, so I do hope I haven't offended anyone with my lateness or missed anything of importance.”

Dimitri chuckled. “Young sons are like that. Some never quite detach themselves from their mothers’ skirts.”

The Comtesse did not seem to recognise him yet. Indeed, she must think him rather brazen to make such light remarks over her own son, even if her upbringing stopped her from showing much displeasure.

“Pardon me, Comtesse de Valois, for not introducing myself more precisely. I am a friend of your late husband’s. We fought together in the War against those bothersome English, some thirty years ago.” She did not look as if she had even been born then! Charles certainly liked his wives young. Dimitri himself never saw much worth in a wife of such a prattling-prone age. Women in that age group tended to so much silliness, he felt the advantages of retaining such young wives fell sharply below the problems of keeping them fed, clothed and happy.

“I also had the honour and sorrow of attending his funeral.”

Comte de Valois hadn’t been quite a mentor to Dimitri, but he had been the sort of man other men liked to gather around and make merry with. The funeral had been galling to watch—it was as if he was watching his generation slowly fall away, like dried leaves in autumn, to be forgotten and replaced by spring’s younger, brighter, more ignorant generation.

After a suitable pause in respect of the Comte’s memory, Dimitri inquired, “Never did I predict to meet his dear wife in these very walls! What brings you to the Palace, my lady?”

Comtesse Marie-Elisabeth Valois
 

César and Joséphine (along with their daughters)
 

(((ooc: Ghanima - It was a splendid firt post. )))


It was a beautiful winter day afternoon. The landscape that passed by outside the window of the four-seated berlin coach the small family was travelling in, seemed almost radiant. Luminous sunlight reflected in the thin layer of lily white coating the trees and bushes, and the sky - what little César could see of it - was a bright, cloudless blue. The snow on the ground muffled the sound of the carriages and the trotting horses, and allowed peace and serenity to descend on each member of the travelling party. On the surface.
Inwardly there stirred an anticipation that while easily controlled by some, left others almost unable to sit still. Mainly the little two year old girl, Angélique, who seemed unable to decide whether she wanted to sit up close next to her mother, play on the floor of the carriage, or try to peek out the window in the hopes that for once there would be something besides trees to look at. Though her father, despite looking calm and relaxed with his head resting casually back against the seat, felt he was starting to grow equally stir-crazy. He was a restless young man, who would usually prefer days on the back of a horse over a few hours cooped up in a carriage. He simply didn't have the patience for it. But, it would hardly be becoming of a Marquis to arrive at court, riding by himself next to his magnificent berlin coach, on which he had spent a small fortune.

Good thing then, that he was not travelling alone, but along with his pretty wife, whose company he tended to enjoy immensly. Unlike most young women born into wealthy families, she was not a goose, and had more ambition and intelligence in her pinky finger than most of her peers would ever have in their entire body. Their idea of success was marrying into even more wealth, pop out a few babies, and then waste the rest of their days gossiping and spending their husband's money.
Joséphine on the other hand, took pleasure in challenging her mind, as well as César's. She wasn't afraid to show that she was not just an adornment on her husband's arm, and the producer of his heir (once their future son came along), but rather a highly skilled and witty conversationalist, and at the same time a demure young lady whose company one would find most pleasant, regardless of background, age and gender.
César probably didn't tell her often enough, but he was proud of her. As was he of the two beautiful daughters she had given him. They made quite a pretty picture, the four of them, and he was well aware that on more than one occasion, they had been the target of turned heads and jealous stares. Not least by his main mistress. A green-eyed beauty, in the double sense of the word, Athénaïs had at times attended parties where she knew César would bring his little family. Just to get a glimpse of her rival; Joséphine, César's wife, the woman she was trying to outmanoeuvre. Little did she know that even if César would consider ridding himself of Joséphine - a thought nothing short of alien to him - it would hardly be in favour of Athénaïs. While she too was a beautiful woman with the kind of sharp intellect that César appreciated, she was far more prone to throwing tantrums and sulking like one of his daughters when she didn't get her way. And she was greedy, and her favorite topic to talk about was herself. Which would eventually bore César; something he rarely experienced with Joséphine.

However, there were only so many hours one could fill with conversation before the topics started to return to ones already discussed, and it all became rather repetitive, and so for a while now, they had travelled mostly in silence, only occasionally breaking it when either of the girls demanded attention. Joséphine had lost herself in one of her many books - or so César thought - and he himself had rested his head back against the seat and watched the landscape that pulled away from him, as he was seated with his back to the direction in which they were travelling. He was watching the woods and the fields, assessing them with the eyes of a knowledgable landowner, and a hunter. From what he could see, it was a most beautiful province, with billowing slopes and vast plains and forests, and the game he saw was rich in numbers as well as in species. Even if the court turned out to be dull - which he highly doubted - the region in which it was located would have much to offer a man of César's preferences, qualities and abilities.

"Ah", came Joséphine's pleasanty soft voice suddenly in a slight sigh from the seat opposite of his, and he turned his head to look at her, only to be met by one of her small and endearing smiles. "Monsieur Molière's words simply refuse to captivate me today."

The book in her delicate hands closed, and she looked at him as though she knew he would take it as his cue to make some clever remark to amuse her, and perhaps get another session of their playful bickering started. For while she enjoyed the writings of Molière, César would often insist that the man was hopelessly pretentious, and his views on a woman's capacity far too optimistic. Though in truth, he enjoyed Moliere's work as much as she did, and only critized it like he did, to see her temper flare. And she knew it.

This time, however, he would not get a chance to try. The thrilled outcries of their two daughters stole his attention away from her, and a soft chuckle passed through his lips as he watched them struggle to get a better view of what could only be the Palace. César himself, with his back towards the direction they were looking, could not see it, but there was little else that would get them so excited.
Their mother too seemed to be amused by their antics, laughing softly as she tried to calm them and keep them from hurting one another - accidently or not - in their fight over the best position.

"Thank you," she said and looked at César with a warm smile gracing her lips. "For allowing them to join us. I've rarely seen them so happy."

It was a smile that was returned by one of his own dazzling ones, which then turned genuinly affectionate when his gaze landed on the two girl once again. Unable to keep from adding to their high spirits, like the jovial and loving father he was, he quickly snatched one of the daughters away from her mother's arms; Adèle, who happened to be closest to him at the time. With her giggle intermingling with his own soft laugh, he pulled her onto his lap, and wrapped his arms around her, to keep her from falling down. Or escaping.

"How could I not?" he said and looked at Joséphine with a widened smile. "I couldn't imagine going without them. Why, without their angelic little voices constantly ringing in my ears, I might've thought I'd gone deaf!"

With that, he planted a kiss loudly on Adèle's cheek, before inching closer to the window and allowing her as good a view of the Palace as her younger sister had, without having to fight her for it.

"Well then", he said, and looked at his young wife once again, still with a humorous smile playing on his lips. "In minutes we shall be setting foot on Palace grounds. To be perfectly honest, I think I dread the moment. If it turns out the rumours are true, and Octavien has indeed gone and made himself Prince of the kingdom, I will never hear the end of it, for as long as I live."

Indeed, it would be a brand new experience, for César, the Marquis, to have to bow and address his friend in a submissive manner. Octavien, who had always been far beneath him in rank, and recieved quite a few playful gibes over the years because of it. If the rumours were true, César would surely be made to eat his words.

Dimitri & Marie - Main Hall
 

((Fabulous, Ghanima, simply fab. A shame Josephine is just a visitor, but I guess married women couldn't hold such positions that the time.))
_______


If he could get a word in, the Duc would have agreed that a boy’s education shouldn’t be thwarted in any way. It was imperative for the young Charles, who would be seating at his father’s table, signing documents with his father’s stamp, negotiating with his father’s friends and enemies; and all, most likely, as soon as he came of age to do so.

Such a future was a horrific vision to Dimitri, whose youth had been spent in adventure, who hadn’t begun running his own until well into his mid-thirties.

But the Comtesse marched on, “But enough about that, my goodness no wonder Charles called me his little rambler. I haven’t even answered your question yet!”

“Pardon me for not denying the truthfulness of that statement,” he said wryly, but not unkindly. He did believe in the right of every parent to wear their mouths off talking about their children, and the burden of everyone else’s ears to be worn off listening to it.

“I’m really here to get a new start on life I suppose...”

“Ah, there is truth in your words as well,” he murmured. “Then allow this old man to offer you some advice, Comtesse. This is not the ideal time to start your new life in the Palace of Light and Air. The King still searches for a new Advisor to fill the—admittedly substantial—shoes of the late Duc d’Mollier. You must have heard, the search began some time ago.”

And even if she did not, all the more reason to know now. When competition began in the court—for the best horses, the most elaborate dresses, the King’s ear—everyone knew the end could only be ugly. And so courtiers powdered their noses and hair, and buried themselves in ribbons and breeches; to hide the ugliness that had so twisted them. Dimitri lifted a hand to his own scars: he could wear them with pride, knowing they had been collected outside this turgid court.

There were other dangers... but it was not the Duc’s place to babysit the courtiers. He thought himself being unduly kind already. Perhaps it was his history with the former Comte de Valois, or the knowledge of a young boy awaiting his mother’s return; perhaps something about that was making him kinder to this young woman today.

“It was the right decision, not to bring your child along. But I would suggest arming yourself with more than a fan.”

Comtesse Valois et le Duc d’Lorraine
 

Emmeline Bouchard ~ Entrance to Court
 

((OOC: Umm, I was just wondering if a late application could possibly be accepted... If so, which titles are available?))

((I want to do a new character. As well as Felix, of course. But I don't want to, because I'm an unreliable sod and I'll spam up the place with dead unposting characters. And also I no longer meet the requirements for bi-character-control xD But if I was to introduce one, I'm split between Nanny and another male.. just thought I'd post my idle ramblings))

((EDIT: :smash: Teh excess of OOC posting!))

((Heavens to Betsey! A new man will soon be coming this way. :D))

Dimitri & Marie - Main Hall
 

((Looking forward to your male addition to our court, Spoon! :howdy:

Wow, it's getting crowded at the Main Hall~))
______


“...I'm certain his Royal Highness is looking for an experienced, more worldly man for the position, not a young woman like me,” Comtesse de Valois sighed with a sentiment almost, one might say, bordering displeasure at the idea.

Dimitri did not want to dangle hope before her like some useless trinket, nor did he want to appear hypocritical. He himself particularly loathed offering Mollier’s position to anyone below thirty. But demographic realities were forcing him to admit Edouard looked, more and more likely, to be gaining an Advisor younger than himself, in age and experience. It was laughable, but so were life’s greatest tragedies.

Perhaps it was precisely that age and experience, and the wisdom thereafter, kept his own generation away from the Palace.

And so, with a smile that came more from biting into something sour and bravely trooping on, rather than any real approval; the Duc grudgingly admitted, “I would not say that just yet. The King seems quite open to having more... youthful energy in his government. You will understand once you have further acquainted yourself with our court.”

But would she even try? He watched her expression subtly, curious at the change this new information might bring. Many were the courtiers who arrived at the Palace specifically with their eyes on the position—yet the Comtesse was only here to “restart” her life, whatever that entailed. Would she be drawn into the fray nevertheless, carpeting the path upon which her fellow courtiers would tread on their way to the top?

The activity surrounding them was picking up, had been so for a while. Maids and footmen were lining up at the Palace’s entrance; a layer of muted, excited, indecipherable chatter floated like a fog above their heads. It did not rise above the sombre sorrow that permeated the days since the Princess’ illness—it did not dare—but arrivals always brought that spark to the staff eyes. Someone was coming—maybe even several ‘someone’s, judging by the increased number of servants gathering.

The Duc d’Lorraine and the Comtesse de Valois stood almost at the centre of the main hallway, almost like a welcoming pair receiving their guests in their abode. It was audacious, and hilarious, and Dimtri would have none of it. But just as he was about to offer his arm to the Comtesse to move both of them to the side, the doors swung open and the new arrivals were announced.

(((OOC: I'm going to be away for the weekend, so could you just Have Marie-Elisabeth leave? I trust you'll do fine with that Seiza, you seem to have a good handle on her )))

“Oh really, well that is certainly interesting news” she said, looking obviously interested in the news. Of course she kept most of the obvious excitement out of her expression but she couldn’t help a tiny smirk from making its’ way onto her face.

It was doubly interesting that the King was actually considering having a woman as his adviser. Something like that would certainly be a great opportunity, and Marie-Elisabeth could only imagine what kind of privileges would be offered to the adviser of the King. She made up her mind to pay more attention to the talk going around the palace, to see what she could find out about this interesting turn of events.

She had only intended to start her life anew, but could only dream of what kind of life would be had if she gained the apparently much coveted position. But the new arrivals were announced and that put an end to her musings. “Perhaps Duc dLorraine, it would be a good idea to continue our conversation at a later time. It appears to be getting quite crowded in the hall here and it would probably be best if we made ourselves scarce”.

Marie-Elisabeth curtseyed, smiled at him and said “I have so enjoyed talking to you though, I’m very glad I met you. I’ll have to mention you in my letter to my son, no doubt Charles mentioned you to him. He’ll probably be thrilled to hear I made your acquaintance”.

At the announcement, such a number of maids’ bodies bent sideways, leaning forward in greeting and expectation, that even Dimitri and the Comtesse were obscured from view. They immediately took this chance to bid their goodbyes.

“It has been a pleasure,” he simply said, watching her and her fan slide quietly into the depths of the palace.

He was tempted to follow her escape—greetings and welcomes were not his reasons to be here—but, Dimitri reminded himself, it was something of his duty to acquaint himself with all the courtiers in this palace. With the inactivity of the royal family, and the royal staff so clearly overwhelmed by more important matters; none was present to greet the newcomers. The servants assembled fidgeted like mice, working under no direction but depending on habit and long years of servitude.

He froze their twitching with a look; cut their murmuring tongues with a wave.

This unpreparedness was too obvious, utterly ill-fitting for the court of a King in any circumstance. It was a cruel thought, and he knew it; but Dimitri would have to talk with Edouard at some point...

He stilled his thoughts as the first arrivals entered.

______

((slytherin-girl: Done!

GeeWay, I wasn't sure if I should've moved Emmeline into the palace, so I leave it to you. Dimitri will just be standing there looking scary or sombre or something until any of the new arrivals step into the palace. :P))

Mercy saw carriages pulling up the drive, she fought inwardly over her instinct to be nosey.... Hmm well I do need to get inside before my skin darkens any further, It was not proper to have a dark complection for it would suggest she had need to do things for herself. She sighed social rules were so dull! She got up and wondered back towards the castle, the servants seemed to be in a complete panic about the new guests. She was getting almost Impatient enough to open the heavy front doors herself, when thankfully Josephe from earlier noticed her. She smiled brightly at him as he opened the door, If she was better titled she'd approach the group of people wandering about but a Baroness would not.

She wondered about where she should go next, and why her highness was not here greating these new guests, when she saw much to her delight that Dimitri was holding down the fort. She gave a well placed bow, "good day Duc" she smiled at him. They were in public so 'Duc' would have to do, she knew he was busy so she stayed at a reasonable distance, in case anyone desired the direction of a female as opposed to Dimitri who she imagined would appear quite intimidating to those of weaker spirit.

She distracted a more important servant to make sure rooms were made up for the impending visitors and to assertain directions so she could be as helpful as possible. She tried a warm smile, but couldn't help feeling herself drawn ever so slightly closer to Dimitri she wasn't sure what it was but she fought it and hed her distance, she did not want to look inproper afterall!

{{OOC: You can move her anywhere. I don't mind some Godmodding. So long as it's not serious stuff. Moving from room to room or something like that is fine}}

Emmeline and Arielé walked through the doors into what appeared to be the main hall. It was crowded, and Emmeline felt Arielé's hand slip out of hers, as she retreated behind her. The child loved meeting new people, but the amount of people here overwhelmed her. She pulled her out from behind her and assured her everything was alright. Knowing that, she tried to slip off and explore, but Emmeline kept a firm grip on her hand. The palace was very large, and she was afraid of here getting lost. She'd take her with her when she was getting her own bearings. She took another few steps, and then paused, unsure of who to talk to, or introduce herself too.