A Chance Meeting

As the sun sets on a particularly droll day, somewhere out in the kingdom of Abyri the castle comes to life with lights and the steady sound of guests arriving. Up along its path, up through the grand gate, a coach makes its way toward the castle. It halts at the front, the coachman hopping down from their seat to open up the coach’s door, standing straight. Out steps two figures, both nearly identical, and dressed in their best. The slightly taller of the two links arms with the other and carries a small child in their free arm. A fourth figure emerges from the carriage and takes the hand of the other twin, leaning into them. A final, fifth gracefully bounds from the carriage, one step at a time as they catch up to the others and fall into line. They walk up the steps that lead into the castle with their heads held high passing by guards positioned at the door. The herald steps forward as they make their way through and asks a twin for a name to announce. They step back and ask if they got the name correct, and they all nod in unison. The herald gives them an odd look, but shrugs their shoulders, picking up their horn to sound it off. 

“Presenting to the Castle di Erebos this evening: The Royal Family Fluffypants!”

They are taken through the great hall; an imposing wall filled with portraits of the royal family and their descendants greets them. They glance at the paintings, Maxie critiquing some of the brushwork while Oriana nods along with a hand on her chin. Rosie shakes her head, continuing down the hall with Ninnie still firmly on her hip. Well, she was walking ahead, when the last portrait  of the hall caught her attention. She stares at it, tracing with her eyes the way the person’s dark hair cascades over their left shoulder, in contrast with the gold of their eyes that seem to be a family staple if a few of the other portraits are to be taken into consideration. “Rosie?” She snaps back to the present when Ninnie speaks up, looking up at her with confused eyes. “Why stop?” Rosie sees now that the rest of the family are actually ahead of her, chatting amongst themselves. How long was she just looking at that portrait? “Oh! Sorry Ninnie, just saw a pretty painting.” she says, setting her feet back into motion away from the hall.

The ball itself was already in full swing, party-goers of varying walks of life filling up the space of the long ballroom and its adjacent great hall. The space was lively, but filled itself with a warm and inviting presence that called to the Fluffypants. Afterall, partying is a family specialty, almost second nature to them. They politely greet and mingle with their fellow attendees, meeting nobles and commoners alike tonight. In the very far back they can just make out thrones being occupied by the King and Queen of Abyri, laughing merrily amongst themselves and greeting back those come toward them. As a Fluffypants is one-to-do, the family makes their way to the largest royal powers at this party, making their presence known.

They taste their wine selection; not bad, for non-Fluffypants brands. It was good enough for the older ones to drink from liberally and happily, soon getting the itch to dance. “Rosie, you have two left feet as always!” Oriana exclaims, twirling her younger sister around the ballroom’s dance floor. Rosie rolls her eyes, but smiles all the same to humor Ori and continues her footwork. “Apologies, dear sister. Perhaps I had too much to drink in one night.” Ori looks at her with a look of recognition and laughs behind her hand. “Oh Rosie, we both know that you could knock back quite a few more glasses of their selection and be alright.” Ori tips her backward and she can see across the way Ninnie trying to get Maxie to lift her to dance, trying to climb up Ferdinand to take their place. “Ah, Ori? I believe Ninnie is wanting a dance as well.” Oriana looks in the same direction, eyes lighting up as she lifts Rosie from the bend. “Well now, that can be solved very fast! Thank you for the dance, Rosie, but please remember to work on your spins.” She speeds off toward the other three, leaving Rosie to sigh in relief.

To be honest, she was getting a little exhausted. Rosie is definitely one for parties, and her own family is always one to put them on. Tonight her energy was being tested just a little too far, and as a young demon she didn’t quite get what was making her tired, but she finds her eyes being drawn toward the outside.

She pushes against the double doors of the balcony and stops in the entryway when she sees someone else had a similar thought to hers and was sitting up on the railing. At the sound of the doors they turned their head slowly. “Oh! I am sorry, I did not realize anyone had come out here. I will leave you to your peace-’' “Wait.” The person swiftly jumped down from the rail and straightened their back. “There is more than enough room out here for two.” They gesture their arm out toward the space and Rosie nods her head. “I see that, but I figured if someone was out here it was to take a break from the festivities inside. Would not want any company.” They smirk, hands disappearing somewhere in their robes. Perhaps pockets? “Is that why you made your way out here? I cannot say I would blame you. The stars tend to make better company.” Rosie walks forward and shrugs. “Could be why I am here. Your last comment however is making me think that you do actually want me gone so you may continue whatever silent conversation you were having with the celestial plane.” 

The person’s head cocks to the side in thought, and they suddenly blurt, "Do you happen to know of the heir to this kingdom?"

Rosie’s eyebrows crease in the middle. "I do not, but I have heard some things about them here and there."

"Interesting… I do not think they know much about yourself either."

"And how would you know that?"

The person steps back from Rosie and smiles warmly, tucking a hand to their abdomen with their other hand neatly folded behind their back before they bow into a perfect L-shape.

"Alastair Cordelia di Erebos, heir to the kingdom of Abyri, but you may call me 'Alastair'."

Rosie stares at them bowed, taking in the figure fully for the first time, and then snorts into loud laughter as she brings a hand up to her face, trying not to show embarrassment. "Excuse me, Your Highness, I was not expecting to meet you so informally out on a balcony." They grin at her and lean against the railing of the balcony. “Even royals need some time to themselves in the fresh air away from the stuffy conversations within. You should know this though, as a royal yourself.” Rosie crosses her arms. “How do you know that I am not a commoner who found a well-to-do tailor? I saw that your family is not one to keep company of only nobles.” Alastair gives her a very obvious once-over and smiles. “Call it a hunch, from dealing with aristocrats at every meeting and table. You seem… different still.” Rosie rolls her eyes and scoffs, leaning with them against the rail and looking out to the sky. “Now that is a new record for how fast a line has been used on me.”

Alastair makes the faintest noise, maybe a chuckle? They turn to look up at the sky as well. “Apologies if it was taken that way, but a part of me does not mind you did. I truly mean there is something odd about you, but I believe it to be a good thing. I have hunches about people, you see.” “You are basing this all off of a hunch?” “They have never led me astray yet.” They turn back toward her expectantly, Rosie sensing their question before they ask, and she turns with them. “Rosette; Countess Rosette Maria Fluffypants.” She bows as she introduces herself, extending her right hand out when she comes back up. Alastair laughs, an actual chuckle, and takes her hand. They bend at another perfect angle again to lay a kiss on the back of her hand and looks up through their eyelashes. “The pleasure is all mine, Countess.”

Rosie looks back out toward the night to hide the heat in her cheeks from showing, retracting her hand from theirs. “I am not one for formalities. You may call me Rosie when addressing me.” “Rosie…” She involuntarily shudders at hearing her nickname tried out by Alastair in their accent and she inwardly curses herself for being so easy.

They both stand side-by-side for some time, discussing odds and ends of themselves until they fall into a silence. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence necessarily, but the wind was picking up outside and whipping against the balcony, making Rosie shiver and wonder why she hadn’t kept her cloak on her in a pocket. “The night is dwindling and my family will be looking for me soon.” Rosie announces. Alastair shifts out of their trance of staring at the stars and warms a smile onto their face. “Yes, I should probably interact with a few more guests before the party is over so my parents will not think ill of my ‘improper noble behavior’.” Rosie laughs and pats their back. “Thank you for speaking with me. Perhaps we can meet again at another function in the future.” She bows and they bow back, snapping back up at a realization. “Wait, one last thing! Can we… Would you like to exchange letters with me?” “As in written communication?” “Yes, I loved our conversation and would be a liar if I said I would not like to have it continue.”

Rosie thinks, or rather, pretends to think about if the idea was good or not, avoiding the look in Alastair’s eyes. “Hmm… I suppose that would be alright. I will speak with your staff to keep a record of my address and expect a letter within the week.” Alastair laughs, the ringing tone of it going to be stuck in Rosie’s mind for some time, she thinks. “Within the week? I will see what our couriers can do, but I cannot promise speed.” Rosie huffs, all for show. “Fine, do what you can.” She turns for the door and stops her hand on the handle. She speaks over her shoulder, “Until again, Alastair. It was wonderful to meet you.” For the first time in the night she thinks she can see a dusting of pink adorn their cheeks, but it could be the cold. They clear their throat and smile widely. “Likewise, and hopefully it will not be the last meeting.”