Let's get dangerous! [PlatonicLuv!]

[Rhindeer]

This was so boring.

So, so boring.

Einin didn't know why she had to come with her parents on this trip. Well, actually, that was a lie; she knew exactly why. Ever since that whole...kidnapping business...they had hardly let her out of their sight. They worried about her, and fussed over her, and she got it but she also hated it. She didn't want to be fussed over. She didn't want to be looked at like...like that. Like a girl that had gone through a trauma. She had. She still had nightmares she woke screaming from. But she didn't like the pity, or the worry, or how careful everyone was around her now. Somehow, it made it all worse].

She just wanted to forget. Forget everything. And forget everything that came right after, the pain of Rufus's confession, the stupid, sickening mistakes she'd made when she'd been trying to prove to herself that she was better.

Just forget it all. Was that so much to ask?

She had poured all her energy into training when she could get away with it, and that helped a little. It was a distraction, and she needed as many of those as she could get. She had been hoping that with her parents gone on this business trip, that she would have time to herself, but...then they'd decided they couldn't bear to leave her.

So here she was, at the Ashspire residence in Darken Vei, sitting at the dinner table listening to her parents discuss politics and other boring (but admittedly important) nonsense with them. Her pink hair was plated and pinned, her bodice was tight enough that she couldn't slouch and breathe, and all in all, she just wanted to be anywhere but here right now.

Sighing, she pushed her food around on her plate idly. There was roast boar, and she refused to touch it; couldn't stand pork after...uh...everything that had happened. She'd eaten most everything else, though her appetite was less than it used to be.

Her mother noticed her poking at the meat and cleared her throat, whispering under her breath. "Einin."

"What?"

"Manners."

"I wasn't doing anyth--" Oh. She hadn't even noticed she was doing it.

Pushing her plate away, she sat back in her seat with another sigh and looked across the table. The Ashspire girl was there, too, a girl who looked around her age and had been introduced as Raisa. She was beautiful, too--a real lady, a girl who looked and seemed born and bred for this life. She hadn't tried to make much conversation with her; noble women always wanted to talk about things she wasn't interested in and though she could act, she had lately felt too drained to try. But maybe it would at least be better than this.

"I think I need to powder my nose," she said at last, rising from her seat and tugging uncomfortably at her bodice where the boning dug into her sides. Her mother shot her a look, eyebrow raised. She knew she was full of it. "Raisa, dear, would you like to join me?"

[platonicluv]

Raisa was all smiles and natural charm.

Dinner functions, usually concerning political formalities were a staple part of life at the Ashspire estate, and of course the households only child was required to endure all of them. Today the affair felt more formal than usual, for despite the regard all nobles gave one another, it was still awkward to dine with people you barely knew.

Well, Raisa was sure her parents were familiar with the guests they were entertaining, but the Beirne family hailed from a far off province, and so Raisa had rarely, if ever, been acquainted with them before.

Nonetheless, her social graces didn't waver, and she politely answered any and all inquires made her way. For the most part though, the younger nobles sat silently throughout the dinner, their parents chattering taking up most of the time and space. Raisa's eyes almost glazed over with boredom, and she chanced a glance at the close-aged girl she had been seated across from.

Raisa hadn't given Einin much of a look over when they first greeted, focusing more on presenting herself adequately. With attentions shifted fully to discussing dull topics, Raisa gave the other female a closer examination, inwardly comparing and contrasting their traits.

Einin had pink hair too, Raisa noted with a tint of contempt. The similarity  made her feel just the slightest bit average. Thankfully though, that was where the resemblances ended. Einin had adequate features, but she had no knowledge on how to accentuate them. Raisa pitied the fellow noble. Perhaps she could share her tricks... but no, the rose haired girl was fine with looking the best. It was all she really had to focus on anyway.

Einin's voice startled her out of the insecure path her mind was heading, and Raisa was thankful for the distraction. She had missed the subtle interactions between the mother and daughter, and was more preoccupied with standing up without falling over in her heels. Smoothing away invisible flaws in her gown, she followed the pink haired peer.

"It's down this hall," she pointed out, moving forward to lead the way. "The trip up from Acra must have been tiring," she continued, as they walked past the ornately decorated walls, trying to make some conversation.

[Rhindeer]

"Oh, it was exhausting," Einin said while still in earshot of the table, following Raisa's lead down the hall. "I've been in such a fragile state, you know. But my parents say the cool air and socializing might be good for me. Rejuvenating, even! I must say, I'm feeling refreshed."

She waited until the voices at the table faded behind them, and then abruptly she darted ahead and, with a tug on Raisa's wrist, pulled the older girl into the first open room she saw.

"Sorry," she said, and flashed the girl a wry smile. "I didn't actually wanna do any of that stuff. My butt was getting sore and I was about to die of boredom. So!"

She tugged at the laces of her bodice, loosening them a bit and sucking in a deep breath. Gods. To be able to breathe again! Her ribs thanked her. "You can't actually be interested in any of that talk. Right?"

[platonicluv]

Raisa listened to Einin respond with disinterest, that is, until she was quite brashly jerked in her own household. Her posture tensed up instantly in defense, until she realized it was just her guest. She relaxed just enough to hear some sort of explanation, fixing Einin with a shocked stare.

The visiting noble didn't seem to realize the extent of her actions though, and continued on with an even more candid attitude. Although the honesty was something Raisa could relate to, and she spared an amused grin.

"No, I suppose not," the girl admitted, loosening up and taking a seat on the many chaise lounges set about. Someone who was clueless enough to adjust her bodice in public could not have the capabilities of deceit, Raisa concluded, looking upon the pastel haired girl with an almost sympathetic look.

"So, what kind of stuff do you want to do?" she inquired, genuinely growing curiosity. She assumed the role of a host though, didn't want to seem too eager to behave like rogues.