platinum and diamond

[go_meta]

They get to Casasha. Shara gets her cream puff and her fruit. Strangers incline their heads to her and call her "pennon"; a few recognize her personally or just know that there aren't any other Swanpennons her age and call her "princess". Casasha is pretty densely populated - there's farmland in parts of it, but the place the wilds spit them out in isn't it; it's a largish city by the source of the river they've been following, and after they spend a night in an inn there - and their horses are more thoroughly seen to than is possible on the trail - they'll be proceeding on a well-trafficked highway to the royal household.

Comments

[in_tatters]

All of those things.

[go_meta]

"This does, you realize," mentions Shara after a fair bit of this, "open you to more scrutiny than just having been rescued and therefore having unsubstantiated rumors."

[in_tatters]

He laughs, a little. "Oh, that'll be fun. Uh. You'll offer advice with how to deal with that?"

[go_meta]

"I don't have any more personal experience with it than you do," she says. "I haven't been on kissing terms with anybody before, certainly not while being a future queen. But if I produce any advice I'll tell you."

[in_tatters]

"Thanks. I'll - manage, I suppose."

[go_meta]

"I think so. You're smart."

[in_tatters]

That has the interesting effect of making him giggle and look embarrassed. "Thank you."

[go_meta]

"You're welcome."

Kiss!

[in_tatters]

Kiss!

[go_meta]

Kiss kiss ki-

"Your highness!" exclaims the same maid who was previously assigned to the rescuees.

Shara looks up. "Hm?"

"Oh - I'm sorry to interrupt, Princess - it's only the wardrobe mistress wants you newly measured for the party."

"Sure, can you do that here or does she want it comprehensive enough that I have to go to her?"

"I can do it here, Princess."

Shara kisses Adarin again and gets up and holds out her arms in the prescribed manner for re-measuring.

[in_tatters]

Adarin looks - generally embarrassed, but returns the small goodbye kiss and then goes and stands Over There. He is maybe a little awkward.

(Okay, very awkward. Very, very awkward.)

[go_meta]

Eventually the maid is done with her chore and leaves them be.

"Are you okay?" Shara asks Adarin.

[in_tatters]

"Yes, she was just um - the maid from earlier." Pause. "She winked at me when she mentioned you, I suppose I just proved her right."

[go_meta]

"I suppose so. Is that bad?"

[in_tatters]

"No, it's just a strange situation."

[go_meta]

"How so?"

[in_tatters]

"Well, I've never in my life been kissing the heir to a throne after she rescued me from a horrible unethical raveler, and get interrupted by a maid who earlier winked at me."

[go_meta]

"Which makes it strange. I see."

Kiss.

[in_tatters]

Kiss.

"It takes some getting used to, yes."

[go_meta]

"How much getting used to, do you think?" Kiss kiss.

[in_tatters]

"I've got no idea! I've never had to get used to this sort of thing before, either."

Kiss. "But I'm definitely enjoying it regardless."

[go_meta]

"What about when you're used to it, then will it be boring?"

[in_tatters]

"I doubt it!"

[go_meta]

"Good, that would be a pity."

Kiss.

[in_tatters]

"Definitely."

Kiss!