Riley frowned as Edward ruffled his hair, but since this was a Best Behavior affair, he managed not to recoil. He took a moment to un-ruffle his hair (and feathers!) and asked, "Which adults are 'perfect?'"
Repreened and somewhat recovered from the indignity of the ruffled hair, Riley straightened again. "I actually am escorting someone," he said with an airy importance, "but I'm hoping she finds someone else to dance with her."
"You'll have to forgive him," Dahlia told the assorted crowd as Oscar stammered, "he spends all his time at the university with books and scrolls and charts, so he's awfully shy."
This illicited a round of cooing sympathy from the women. What could be more adorable than a shy, handsome, polite young man dressed as a lion?
"What's that you're studying, darling brother? Stars or some such?" Dahlia knew full well what Oscar's work was, of course, but this allowed her to turn to the women and add, "He spends all these long nights alone, gazing up at the night sky and tracking its celestial bodies. Very romantic, isn't it? But it doesn't make him very good at talking to women."
One of the men chimed in now. A large man, if not tall, with an impressive handlebar mustache dressed as a badger. "Harumph! That's what shutting yourself up in a university will do for you, boy! You need to get yourself in the army. Nothing raises confidence like a uniform and a proper weapon!"
Another man, the one dressed as a knight on his horse, gave a hearty laugh. "Oh-ho! The army is a fine career, to be sure, but for a spindly star-gazer like this one? Oh, no offense intended, of course, lad," he added hastily to Oscar. "All the boy really needs is some liquid courage! Does the trick every time. I know I wouldn't have my darling here without it." At this remark, he pinched the 'tail feathers' of a plump little woman dressed rather comically as a damsel in distress. "Let me get you something, lad," he said with another booming laugh and returned a moment later with a glass of champagne filled to the brim for Oscar. "There you are! Drink three or four of those and you'll have the ladies falling at your feet, I'm sure of it!"
Dahlia smiled sweetly at Oscar, scrunching her nose and eyes. "See, baby brother? And I'm sure once you pluck up some courage everyone here would be happy to help introduce you to all the fine young ladies here tonight."
This was met with a chorus of eager agreement from the women. Dahlia was, finally, enjoying herself!