Past the Point of No Return saberwolf || Sailor Moon

[Saber]

Illyana stayed silent the whole time the princesses spoke about Petra's upcoming wedding and her secret engagement. And even though she had to go to the bridal store, she dragged her feet on the way. Her eyes kept scanning the crowd, a few of the common folk noticing that there were princesses walking around town. Normally this wasn't something out of the ordinary if it was Princess Dahlia, but two others, that was a sight most people didn't see in their entire life. Still, she kept on guard, as she was supposed to, and followed the women into the bridal shop. The man that greeted them thankfully didn't notice her, but that didn't stop Dahlia from mentioning something about a dress.

Of course, the knight hadn't worn a dress since she was a child. Regardless, she followed the princess to the back of the shop and away from the other two princesses. She did catch, however, the statement about finding something that matched her ribbon. When Dahlia finally stopped, they were in the farthest corner from the other princesses, or any other person, for that matter. They were surrounded by different colored gowns, all sorted into their respective colors and fading with a spectrum from light to dark. A couple mannequins standing up and showcasing dresses around them as well.

"I'm sure this may come as a surprise to you, Majesty," Illyana started as she bowed her head slightly. "But I don't wear dresses. To most formal occasions I wear my formal military attire." Her hand absentmindedly went down to the hilt of her sword where the ribbon was tied and she exhaled slowly. "Of course, you could always pick out a nice formal shoulder cape for me, if you're dying to find something for me to wear." Green eyes glanced down at the princess with a small smile as she scanned the surrounding gowns and fabrics before speaking again. "Or did I get dragged back here for some other purpose?"

 

[envogue]

Dahlia turned gracefully at the sound of Illyana's voice, her eyes twinkling as she stared up at the much taller woman. It was difficult to focus on her earlier 'goals' now that Illyana had given Dahlia permission to pick out a shoulder cape for her. Biting her bottom lip nervously, Dahlia took the knight commander's hand into her own.

"That and maybe something else," Dahlia said, with surprisingly more confidence than she had expected.

Dahlia's eyes stayed locked with Illyana's up until the moment that she found herself moving forward without much thought. Deep down, Dahlia hoped that Illyana would be willing to reciprocate on such short notice. Of course, she had never done anything quite this bold before. She hesitated for less than a second, and then her hands intertwined with Illyana's and she urged the woman forward with a gentle pull.

Her whole body seemed to warm up and all her worries seemed to dissolve when their lips pressed against each other. It still felt like the first time to Dahlia, a feeling she hoped would never change. The way their lips moved together was perfect, and Dahlia hated to pull away after only being allowed a few short seconds together, but being caught kissing someone wasn't something Dahlia or Illyana would be able to easily explain away. She reluctantly broke away from the kiss, though it obviously pained her to do so.

Dahlia breathed a quiet sigh, a calm expression on her face as her heart beat rapidly in her chest "I think a wedding is as good as any to go shopping." Dahlia said, walking past Illyana with a smug look on her face. "And I haven't forgotten that you gave me permission to buy you a shoulder cape... not that I really needed it." She laughed lightly, heading towards a a section with fabrics only fit for royalty. The princess removed her glove, a quiet hum leaving her throat as she gently ran her fingertips across a blue one that stood out to her.

"I feel like I've seen this blue before," Annalise said over Dahlia's shoulder, before laughing to herself and walking away. She turned to see Dahlia looking at her, and shot the blonde a wink.​

 

[Saber]

"That and maybe something else."

Illyana was a bit taken back by Dahlia's confidence. She wasn't expecting much of anything other than some playful teasing, but that thought was soon quashed when she saw Dahlia moving forward slowly. The knight inhaled sharply as she realized what was happening, but soon relaxed when their lips met. It wasn't a heated kiss at all, but it wasn't quick either. It was that lovely in between where you could close your eyes and enjoy the slowness of it, the newness. Illyana felt the breath she'd held slowly release as she gently squeezed Dahlia's hand that was entwined with her own. She hadn't expected the princess to make the first move after their last kiss, but was pleasantly proven wrong. Unfortunately, being in a shop wasn't the ideal place to stolen kisses, so it did have to end.

The Knight Commander sighed softly again as they parted and saw Dahlia pause for a moment before jumping back into the task at hand. Illyana hadn't really expected for the princess to take her suggestion seriously. She definitely wasn't lacking in shoulder capes, but the ones she had were getting worn. At the present moment, she only had one formal cape and that was the one issued to her when she had been deemed Knight Commander. Other than that, she had two casual capes, one she wore on duty in Lunaria, and one she wore when going into battle. They were both faded and the crest of Lunaria on both. She supposed having another formal one would do well. One that wasn't tattered from her armor or faded from the sun and elements.

She followed the princess as they moved towards the more luxurious fabrics. Green eyes followed the princess's ungloved hand as it deftly brushed over a blue fabric that was identical to the ribbon tied to Illyana's sword. A detail, of course, that didn't get past Annalise's all-seeing gaze. Illyana had decided to step in, to try and take the other princess's mind off of any compromising ideas.

"It's very similar to Lunaria's blue, Princess." Illyana said as she eyed the fabric closely. It truly was very close to the same color as Lunaria's deep blue, but a shade or two lighter, perhaps. "Not to mention I believe Princess Dahlia has at least three dresses that are that color, maybe more."

Annalise eyed the fabric and then glanced at Dahlia, before looking back at the Knight Commander with a curious gaze. "Hm, perhaps you're right, dear." The blue haired princess began to peruse the other fabrics on the rack. "Perhaps my eyes are confusing that color for a dress of Dahlia's. But, I'm almost positive that it's the same color as that ribbon you have tied to your sword. Your mother's correct? Forgive me, Knight Commander, but I find it hard to believe you would just start wearing that ribbon if it was your mother's. Why now, hm? If it's from a suitor you could tell us, right, little Dahlia? I personally would love to hear the details if that's the real story."

 

[envogue]

Dahlia's hair seemed to almost stand on end when Annalise began to question her about the ribbon, again. She rolled her eyes, figuring that if she stopped paying attention to Annalise that maybe...just maybe, Annalise would leave it alone. Not even Illyana was able to avert the girl's attention. Annalise only took it as an invitation to open up more dialogue about it, and she being even nosier than before.

"Annalise, where are your manners?" Dahlia turned around, an almost hurt expression on her face as they made eye contact. "To go as far as to spread rumors about us, and then to claim she's lying by insulting her late mother." Illyana would have only seen Dahlia's serious tone a few times before, but Annalise was totally in shock. She was used to teasing people, making them uncomfortable was her specialty, especially when it came to Dahlia.

The last thing Annalise expected was to be confronted, and Annalise reddened at the negative attention."Oh. Darling, you know it was only a bit of light teasing." She replied, her gaze shifting to a shelf on the wall lined with sunhats. Her attention seemed to be on that now, and what Dahlia had said earlier seemed to pass her by. "Isn't this charming, Princess?" The blue haired princess asked, removing a white hat and placing it on top of her head. She smiled, her hands on her hips as she swayed seductively and eyed her reflection in a nearby mirror.

"I suppose." Dahlia replied, before snatching up the fabric she had been eyeing. "I'm going to check on Petra, see if she's found anything worth wearing on her special day." She paused midway down another aisle, turning to Illyana and Annalise. "Then perhaps we can head off soon?" She turned swiftly, shaking her head in disappointment and walking off to find Petra.

It wasn't Illyana's fault that Annalise was sometimes so rude, but Dahlia knew that clinging onto the knight commander would only draw more suspicion their way. At this rate, she'd have to tell Annalise about her new relationship with Illyana before she figured it out herself.​

 

[Saber]

Illyana sighed softly after watching the exchange between Dahlia and Annalise. Of course she probably felt a bit guilty since she was technically lying about the ribbon, so Annalise really wasn't wrong, but she was nosy. The knight rubbed the back of her neck as she started heading towards the exit of the shop to wait for Dahlia and the other princesses. She was more than happy to leave the store since she didn't have anything to buy, nor did she desire to buy anything in the future, at least no fabric.

"I hope there are no hard feelings, darling." Illyana turned to see Annalise following her with an apologetic expression on her face. "I don't mean to dredge up any memories of your late mother by my prying." The fact that Annalise was apologizing was making the knight feel even worse about the whole situation. And even though it was a bit of her secret to tell, it was more Dahlia's. After all, telling someone wouldn't affect Illyana like it would Dahlia.

"Her Majesty is just being defensive." The knight smiled and bowed her head slightly to the blue haired princess, noticing that she didn't have a package with her, and the look of surprise when Illyana had said 'defensive'. "Did you not buy anything, Princess?" Annalise blinked a couple times before bringing her hand up to her mouth, stifling a quiet giggle.

"I may be a princess, Knight Commander," Annalise answered as she turned to glance in the store where Dahlia and Petra were still browsing. "But I don't need to buy a new dress for every occasion. I have several in my wardrobe that I've never worn before that will suffice for dear Petra's wedding." The princess, in turn, glanced at Illyana who was also, package-less. "Nothing new for you, Knight Commander?"

"I have military issued formal attire." Illyana answered. "Even though I'll be accompanying Her Majesty to Lady Petra's wedding, I'd still technically be on duty. So that mean's sword and light armor for me." A couple moments passed until the two princesses exited the shop, their fabrics wrapped in boxes and Illyana wasted no time approaching them with a slight bow. "Allow me to carry your packages, your Majesties."

"So where to next, ladies?" Annalise asked as Illyana took the packages from Petra and Dahlia. "Is there anything else you needed to get, Petra? Jewels? Shoes?"

 

[envogue]

"Is there anything else you needed to get, Petra? Jewels? Shoes?"

"I don't want to spoil myself all at once, but...I-I don't think browsing around a little longer will hurt." Petra replied, a newfound cheerfulness to her voice. She clutched her belongings close, and walked with the group down a street where music and the sounds of laughter could be heard. While they walked, the sounds got closer and Petra allowed her curiosity to lead them the rest of the way to a street filled with people.

"A party?" The brunette princess asked, intrigued, as she stopped amongst the crowd.

"They're celebrating your good news, Petra!" Dahlia answered, peering over some of the heads blocking her view from the festivities. She was sure that there were no special events planned for today, yet everyone was outside dancing and drinking along with masked street performers. There were several musicians on stand by, hanging around with their instruments and laughing with some of the villagers. They all seemed to be having so much fun that Dahlia couldn't help but envy them.

"Isn't this charming?" Dahlia asked, her eyes seeming to twinkle. She couldn't resist a bit of spontaneity, especially when it came to balls and parties.

The musicians began to play their instruments, filling the air with merry song. The people in attendance began to dance, and Dahlia felt a hand wrapping around her own. She looked up, half-expecting it to be Illyana, but knowing the knight commander wouldn't be so foolish with a suspicious Annalise around.

A man dressed in simple villager's clothes and wearing a mask that covered the the upper portion of his face grabbed Dahlia around the waist. He spun her around to the music, and much to Dahlia's surprise, she laughed and joined him in the dance with only a bit of apprehension. Dahlia signaled to Illyana with a reassuring smile, hoping that her knight commander wouldn't jump to her defense.

"Oh my!" Dahlia laughed, as her feet were lifted from the ground. The man twirled her around like a wild flower dancing in the wind. She was absolutely beaming, her mood greatly improved from when they were in the boutique. It was all so sudden, and Dahlia had nearly forgotten about everyone else. She paused only for a second, glancing around the moving bodies to catch sight of Illyana, or anyone in the crowd. When she didn't see them, she stopped dancing.

"My friends, did you see which way they went?" Dahlia asked the man, whose name she didn't even know. She'd been taken farther than she'd realized, but everyone must have been close by. She started to search for them, though it was difficult with how cramped it was. She made it several feet, before turning back to see if he was still there. He was gone, but that wasn't too surprising.

Dahlia's fingers went to the locket that normally hung around her neck, and her heart nearly fell into the pit of her belly. It was gone. Thinking that she may have possibly taken it off in the boutique, she did a quick run over of her dress with her hands. Her coin purse had been snatched as well, and she turned quickly on her heels. Instead of searching for her friends, she moved through the crowd, looking for the man she'd previously been dancing with.

Tears began to well up in her eyes, and she could feel her body growing hot with rage as she pushed through the moving bodies. She could have screamed at herself for being so naive, but she needed to hold it together. Normally her first instinct would be to yell for Illyana, but this was personal. This was her mother's locket, and that was all she could think about.

As she pushed through the crowd, she finally caught a glimpse of the man she'd been dancing with, and started to rush for him. "Stop! You filthy thief!"

The man saw Dahlia and broke through the crowd, rushing down a nearby alley with not only her belongings, but several coin purses and satchels.
​

 

[Saber]

Illyana followed the princesses faithfully as she held Dahlia's packages. As they neared the center of the city, the crowds started getting thicker and the knight could hear music echoing through the air. It was strange. There wasn't any sort of festivity scheduled for that day, the Knight Commander would've heard about it since the king was usually invited. This must've been some sort of celebration that happened spontaneously. Regardless, Illyana tried her best to stay as close to the princesses that she could, but with all the dancing and celebrating, they got separated.

"Princess Dahlia!" Illyana called over the music as she watched the blonde get swept away into a dance. Her partner was wearing a mask and directed her away from the Knight Commander. The knight looked around for Annalise, but she was gone as well, dancing with her own partner. The only princess that seemed to stay closer to her was Petra. "Princess Petra, do try and stay close to me while I look for the others."

This was not the situation that Illyana wanted them to be in. A large crowd of people, and separated. She wasn't even sure if she'd be able to find Dahlia or Annalise until the crowd thinned out. There was a small amount of panic that was prickling inside of the knight's stomach, but she tried to push it down the best that she could. She needed to stay calm if she was going to find the princesses. To make sure she wouldn't lose another princess in the crowd, she gently took Petra's hand and tugged her along as she searched. Illyana thought she saw a flash of blonde hair that could only belong to Dahlia and tried her best to follow.

 

[envogue]

Dahlia broke into a full on sprint after the man, but in her shoes it was hard to do so. She kicked them off, feet padding quickly on the stone floor. She ignored the pebbles that bit at the soles of her feet, too focused to even care. "You'd better pray that I catch you before someone else does!" She shouted, voice shaking with each step she took.

The man looked back at her, panicked as he began to pick up the pace. It was no use, Dahlia was right on his heels. There was a loud grunt as something crashed into him, his mask flying off and one of the coin purses landing somewhere down the alley, scattering coin everywhere. His bare face slid across the ground several feet before his body came to an abrupt stop. All he could do was grunt and groan in pain, the slightest movement causing the left side of his face to burn from the lack of skin.

"Did you think that there would be no consequences for your thievery?" Dahlia asked, breathing heavily. She was straddling his back now, though her landing had been less graceful when she crashed into him seconds before. He managed to take most of the damage, since his back cushioned most of what would have been an unfortunate fall for Dahlia. She exhaled through pursed lips, blowing strands of blonde hair framing her face away from her eyes. Her locket was just a few inches away from where they landed, and she instantly lit up.

"It is a pity that you didn't get very far, isn't it?" Dahlia smirked, lifting her skirt gently as she stepped over the man. "A shame. I really was enjoying our dance." Gently, she picked the locket up off of the ground and opened it. Inside, there was a gentle woman similar in appearance to Dahlia. She was cradling an infant, a sight that caused Dahlia to smile softly to herself.

Dahlia turned to look over her shoulder at the man, her smile fading now that she could see him. "You'll want to return these things, or turn yourself in to the guards. You choose."

Several feet were heard rushing down the alleyway, and Dahlia snapped forward to see three men coming towards her at full speed. They weren't just concerned guardsmen, Dahlia had seen enough of them to know the difference between them and thugs. They were all so angry, and Dahlia had nowhere to run. As one of them approached, she whipped her locket forward and slashed the nearest one across the eye, though that didn't stop the onslaught of hands grabbing to restrain her. If anything it only made things worse.

"Do you know who I am?!" Dahlia questioned bitterly. "I am Pri-" One of them shoved a handkerchief in her mouth before she could finish, forcing her back to the wall and her arm behind her back, much too harsh for a princess.

"I could have sworn I told you not to show your face over here again." The presumed leader said, as he scooped coin off of the pavement, eyes focused on the thief. "Seems you did most of the work for us." He walked over to the previously masked man and pressed his boot to the side of his face, causing him to cry out in pain. "You were even kind enough to have your lady friend here waiting for us."

"Now, what would a frilly little girl like you be doing over here? He asked, turning to Dahlia with a smug look. "That locket would fetch a fair price, wouldn't you say, fellas?" He said, turning to his crew. Dahlia could be heard protesting through the handkerchief, but the sounds of their laughter simply drowned out her muffled screams.

"I could sell you, then. That's only fair, right?" His face took on a darker expression as he spoke. His eye was filled with blood, and there was a gash just over the eyelid that would leave a nasty scar once healed.

Dahlia's eyes filled with fear, and she blinked back any signs of tears that may have been building up. She couldn't help but to think of Aroch as she looked at this man. Was her mother's locket really worth it? Where was Illyana? The princess glanced over at the entrance to the alley, wishing for someone to notice them. She'd gone and gotten bold, and now she was going to pay for it. ​

 

[Saber]

Illyana had finally made it through the thickest part of the crowd, but Dahlia was nowhere to be found. Her jaw clenched as she looked around frantically, still holding Petra's hand as she tried to find something, or someone that looked out of place. Where could she have gone? Petra must've seen how stressed the knight was getting because she started to cling to Illyana's arm. This would be a prime opportunity for anyone to kidnap anyone, not just a princess, but with Aroch still around and the way the man had swept Dahlia away seemed intentional.

The knight sensed movement to her right and saw three men glancing around before racing off down one of the side streets. Illyana couldn't be sure if these men had anything to do with the princesses disappearing, but it was the only suspicious occurrence that the woman had to go on. She gently pulled Petra along, but didn't run. Illyana didn't want to alert the men in anyway in case they tried to throw her off their trail. She paused slightly as they turned down another street, and then another left down an alley.

"Stay here, princess." Illyana muttered quietly as she turned to Petra and let go of her hand. "If anyone tries to take you somewhere, just shout."

The Knight Commander walked as quietly as she could towards the alley. She heard the men talking amongst themselves, one scraping up coins from the ground as two other men had Dahlia pinned against the wall. Illyana inhaled deeply before removing her cloak and sword, resting it against the wall. She didn't need a sword for this. These men were just petty thieves, nothing that she couldn't handle on her own.

"I suggest you release the young lady." Illyana said firmly as she stepped into the alley, working her gauntlets off of her hands, then the rest of her armor from the waist up. She set it all on the ground as the men watched her, the one that was in front of Dahlia had his eye slashed. "If you do so, I might just have you arrested instead of breaking your hands for laying them on the princess."

Two of the four men, not counting the one that seemed to be cowering on the ground already, seemed a bit surprised when Illyana mentioned the princess, but not the one with the wounded eye. If anything he seemed more intrigued than before. "Well, isn't that interesting?" He mused as he glanced back at Dahlia with a smirk and then glared wickedly at the Knight Commander. "And whose hands do you think you'll be breaking? You don't even have a sword." Illyana's eyes narrowed as the man chuckled and turned back towards Dahlia. "You two take care of this nuisance. I'll make sure the princess doesn't get away."

Illyana huffed as he took the princess and the two men holding Dahlia lunged at her. The knight dodged a fist and ducked another as she brought her fists up. When another punch flew past her face, she brought her right fist up into the chin of her attacker. He fell back and to make sure he didn't get back up, she rammed her shoulder into his chest and slammed him into the wall. The other man swung a hard punch and she ducked, wrapping her arms around his chest and dropping him hard on the ground.

The man who was holding Dahlia released her and pulled out a dagger. "I underestimated you." He growled as Illyana stood up and brought her fists up once more. The man shouted before stabbing the dagger forward, the knight sidestepped and backed up as the blade came up in front of her face. The man brought the dagger down in a fluid motion and Illyana blocked his arm before punching him hard in the side several times until he dropped the blade. The knight wrapped the man's arm behind his back and slammed his face against the wall.

Her hand held his wrist and twisted until the man cried out in pain. Illyana narrowed her eyes, before inhaling deeply and giving the man's wrist a quick jerk. She felt the bones snap as he cried out once more and slid down the wall slightly. The Knight Commander huffed before letting go, watching the attacker slide down the wall and turn over so he could clutch his broken wrist.

"I suppose I lied." Illyana hissed as she glared down at the man. "But your wrist is close enough." The knight inhaled deeply, trying to calm the rush of adrenaline in her body. She turned towards Dahlia and her expression softened significantly as she exhaled. "Are you all right, princess?" Illyana moved towards the princess and brought her hand up to gently cradle Dahlia's face. "Did they hurt you?"

 

[envogue]

"I suggest you release the young lady."

Those words and that voice caused an indescribable feeling to come over Dahlia. She didn't even need to see who it was, because her savior had come. Illyana had proven once again that Dahlia could always count on her. There was something dreamy about the knight commander now, as she removed half of her armor. Dahlia didn't know why Illyana would do such a thing, seeing as her sword was her main weapon and without it, Illyana would be defenseless...

Or so Dahlia thought. She'd very rarely seen someone take down another without a sword, but seeing Illyana do it opened up her eyes to the possibility. On second thought, it was probably best if Illyana didn't use her sword, since she had strange powers that could destroy everyone in this alleyway, and potentially anyone caught walking by.

Soon, Dahlia found herself relieved of the man holding her hostage. She wasn't worried at all. Well, maybe about the poor guy. He had no idea what he was getting into, and seeing Illyana take him out would bring her satisfaction. Dahlia looked away momentarily to see that Petra was still safe, then heard a sickening snap. The man was clutching his wrist, curled into a ball on the ground.

"Are you all right, princess?"

A small smile found Dahlia's face, and she nodded her head gently. By now she should have been used to being treated so well by Illyana, but it never ceased to amaze her. She was swooning at Illyana's touch, and she wanted to kiss her once more. She could see Petra just over Illyana's shoulder, blushing and looking as if she wanted to look away, but couldn't. Dahlia took about a half step back, lifting her chin up confidently.

"I'm fine, Knight Commander. Nothing to worry yourself over," Dahlia responded, walking past the taller woman. She stepped over the man who'd stolen from her, then laughed insincerely. "A minute later and they would have had to see a very unladylike side of me." She blushed. Who am I kidding? Dahlia felt embarrassed for her obvious charade, but surely Illyana knew how grateful she was for showing up in such a speedy manner.

"Uh. Where is Annalise?" Dahlia asked, brows crinkling in confusion. She was so wrapped up in her own drama that Annalise's absence was just occurring to her. It felt like a dagger had been dug into her belly. They'd last seen each other on such bad terms, and Dahlia worried that Annalise may have been tricked or kidnapped, or worse.

"Illyana? You didn't leave her, did you?" Dahlia asked, panicked. She couldn't sit still while Annalise was stuck with those...ruffians. The blonde rushed off. Probably not her best idea, but it made her feel better than just standing around. She nearly ran into someone right as she left the alleyway, and stumbled backwards in shock.

"Good heavens, darling. What are you doing running around like a madwoman?" Annalise said, clutching her necklace. She dusted off her dress briefly, then smirked at how frazzled Dahlia's appearance was. Peering over Dahlia curiously, she saw the men strewn about the alley as well as Petra and Illyana.

"Annalise! You're safe!" Dahlia cried, grabbing the woman's gloved hands tightly. "I was worried sick. I'm so sorry for how harshly I treated you in the shop. Please, forgive me." she pleaded, eyes watering.

"Hm. Well, I can look past your little tantrum. But just this once, alright?" Annalise chuckled, prying her hands out of the shorter princess's hands with a grunt. "Seems you three had quite the adventure here. Not much more luck than I, I suppose. Someone stole my coin purse, but I only had a few sugar candies stashed in there. They're in for a real treat later," The blue haired princess laughed loudly to herself, shrugging coolly.

​

 

[Saber]

The days that followed the shopping trip were a bit calm, to say the least. Not that Illyana didn't mind, but it was something she wasn't used to. The past few days she had been resigned to calm and quiet moments following Dahlia around as she did her everyday activities. The moments when she had free time, she spent with Cortana and learning about the Goddess Volana and Lady Arian. On top of that, she was still learning how to control the erratic power that was manifesting inside of her.

On this particular morning, Illyana was on her way to Dahlia's room to wait for her to get ready. As she passed through the foyer on her way to the princess's tower, a hand maid stopped her. "Knight Commander," The woman bowed slightly and Illyana returned the gesture. "I have some mail for Her Majesty, if you don't mind."

"Of course." Illyana bowed her head and took the handful of letters from the maiden. The woman blushed before walking back towards the main hall and the knight made her way to Dahlia's chambers. There was only four days before Princess Petra's wedding, and with how far they'd have to travel, they would have to leave in two to get there a day before the wedding. The Knight Commander finally reached the princess's door and knocked.

"Princess?" The knight called gently before opening the door. Now that Illyana and Dahlia were growing closer, some boundaries had been...weakened, between the two. Even though the Knight Commander was still proper in her mannerisms, she'd let them slip every now and again knowing that Princess Dahlia wouldn't care either way. "I have some letters for you this morning."

 

[envogue]

Dahlia spent the next couple of days in agony. Well, agony may have been an exaggeration. It was only a little muscle soreness and fatigue from her high speed chase down the dark alleyway and tackling someone twice her size. All of that to retrieve her most precious thing, the locket her mother had left when she passed away. It was one of the few things Dahlia had that kept her connected to the queen, and Dahlia saw now, as she was staring at the miniature portrait of her mother set into the intricate metal work, that she would always protect it. She knew it was reckless, but then again, she never expected anyone to ever try and steal it.

That event in town opened her eyes to the world outside of the castle, and why the king had hired Illyana in the first place. Of course her father had gotten wind of what had happened. The gossip always found its way to the walls of the castle, but there was nothing the king could do to convince Dahlia to stay inside. There had already been an attack on the castle, nowhere was safe in Dahlia's eyes. At least, that's what she told herself as she was getting dressed.

"Princess?"

Dahlia would recognize that voice anywhere. She didn't turn, only peered into the mirror to see Illyana entering her chambers with a handful of letters. "Have you been demoted to a simple handmaiden, Knight Commander?" Dahlia asked, a light smirk appearing on her lips as she adjusted her corset. "Set those down on my dresser. Seems you have the best timing." Ignoring any talk of letters for now, Dahlia lifted her hair up off of her shoulders, revealing her back and the unfastened corset. "You wouldn't mind, would you?" The fact that Dahlia was half naked didn't seem to cross her mind as inappropriate at all. So, when she saw that Illyana was a little red, she didn't question it. "You'll have to read my letters for me after this. I don't have time to dress and read."

"How are you, by the way? I'm a little cross that you haven't stopped by to see me until now, if you can't tell." The princess said, pouting playfully. "I suppose the wedding will be more than enough time together."​

 

[Saber]

Illyana ignored the comment the princess had made about her being demoted to a handmaiden, mainly because she was a bit stunned to see the woman whom she was courting with so little clothing. The knight set the letters down on the princess's dresser and inhaled deeply when Dahlia moved her hair from her shoulders. Not that the Knight Commander couldn't control herself around the princess, but she'd never seen so...much of her before. Every other time she'd been in Dahlia's chambers in the morning, the princess had been fully dressed and prepared for the day. Illyana swallowed as she tried to control the blush that was creeping into her face before walking over and obliging Dahlia by lacing up her corset.

When she was finished, not really sure if she had done a satisfactory job since she was trying her hardest to keep her eyes from wandering Dahlia's half exposed body, she turned quickly back to the letters that were sitting on the dresser. "You'll have to forgive me, Majesty." Illyana answered when Dahlia had mentioned that she hadn't seen the princess in a few days. "I was rather busy after the whole ordeal in the city a few days back. But I do apologize that I haven't been by to see you other than my normal guard activity. I'm afraid I'm a bit rusty with courting, and courting a princess, no less."

She reached for one and broke the wax seal before unfolding the parchment, reading the letter silently before relaying it's information to the princess. A couple of the letters were just citizens expressing their devotion and admiration for the princess. The last one that Illyana picked up, had the seal of Incessum, and the Knight Commander instantly felt her jaw tighten.

"You have a letter from the young Prince of Incessum." Illyana muttered as she broke the wax seal and opened the letter. As her eyes scanned the script, she felt her brow furrow and she tried not to crinkle the paper in her grip. "He's requesting that he have the pleasure of your company at Princess Petra's wedding." It made sense. He was a prince, of course he was expected to bring someone of renown to accompany him. Although, why he felt the need to ask Dahlia, Illyana wasn't sure. She was positive that he could've asked any other princess to escort to the wedding and they would've jumped at the chance. "I'm sure he'll be on the edge of his seat to hear your reply." Illyana crushed the paper in her hand before setting it back down on Dahlia's dresser.

 

[envogue]

Dahlia ran her fingertips along the ribbing in her corset, her reflection in the mirror appearing quite pleased with the woman's handiwork. The knight commander had a very nice touch with the corset, almost as good as Ella, but not quite so tight. Giving a simple nod, she stepped into her dress, shimmying it past her hips as a strange tingle ran up her spine. It began when Illyana mentioned Incessum, leading Dahlia to assume that it was no other than Cecil. She did her best not to show any emotion when her thoughts were confirmed, but she knew that it would cause a dilemma if she answered the prideful prince with rejection.

Seeing Illyana crush the note in her hand, Dahlia sighed softly, feeling even more restless than before. Of course, the woman she was courting felt a little bit more than the occasional dislike for Cecil. Knowing that, Dahlia swayed to the side in a gentle motion, a reassuring look on her face. She took the Knight Commander by the hand, looking up at the taller woman hopefully.

"There's no need to fret." Dahlia begins, her tone light and calming. "As Princess of Lunaria many will ask for my hand on the floor, but I would like it if you and I attended as...a duo. I will save my first and last dance for you, Knight Commander." She said with a smile, touching the tip of Illyana's nose gently with her finger. "I only hope that you will do the same for me, and not let any charming young me-...women sweep you off your feet."

There was a knock at the door, and Dahlia quickly backed away from the white haired woman as Ella called from the other side of the door. Dahlia pretending to be primping herself in the mirror, when her handmaiden entered with an air of suspicion.

"We're off to see the seamstress, Princess. I've had Jacob accompany us, just as you've requested." Ella said, bending slightly at the knee and her head lowering. She stood up tall afterwards, waiting for Dahlia's reply, which came quicker than expected and with a lot more energy.

"Great. Let us go now then, we wouldn't want to keep Madame Boye waiting too long now." Dahlia responded. She gave a smile to Illyana, nodding her head in passing before departing with Ella. ​

 

[Saber]

The day of Princess Petra's wedding was more draining than Illyana thought, but that was due to the long trip to get to Petra's kingdom of Celinae. It was about a three day trip since Celinae sat on on the western coast of the continent. Once they had arrived a day before the actual wedding, they had been ushered to their quarters in the castle after being announced to the king and queen, as well as Petra and her fiance. That day had been a lot of resting and unpacking their things to prepare for the wedding.

The morning of Petra's wedding, Illyana had finished bathing and dressed in her black dress slacks. She had just finished binding her chest before slipping on her white blouse and formal tunic. The knight fidgeted slightly as she tucked her shirt in and loosened the collar. She wasn't used to dressing formally often, and when she was, it was usually her military attire which included her light armor. Dahlia was the one who insisted that she wear more casual attire rather than her armor.

A soft sigh escaped her nose as she moved to the balcony in her room. The view over looked the ocean and you could hear the soft crashing of the waves underneath the cries of gulls. It was very calming. Illyana had only ever seen the ocean one other time and that was during a war on the eastern coast. It hadn't given her any sense of relief or comfort at that point, but now it wasn't too bad. She could see why people would move closer to the coast when they lived their entire life inland. Though it did leave a large area for invasion...

Illyana sighed as she looked towards the clock in her room. Petra's ceremony would start in less than an hour and she couldn't find her formal cape. She was almost positive she'd packed it, or maybe it had gotten mixed up with all of Dahlia's things that she just needed to bring. Though they were only staying for a few days, the princess had packed like they were moving in. Either way, she supposed her attire wouldn't suffer too much from the lack of a cape, so she fastened her sword to her hip and examined herself in the full size mirror. Her hair was tied back in a low pony tail and out of her face. There were still a few light scars that were on her jaw, but they were barely noticeable now.

The Knight Commander exited her chambers and moved towards the princess's door, which was right next to hers. She knocked three times, waiting for the younger woman to answer the door. But if she knew Dahlia at all, she knew that the princess was probably still in the midst of preparations. When Dahlia didn't answer the door, Illyana knocked again, a little firmer this time. "Princess?" Illyana called, leaning a bit closer the door. "Are you decent?" Of course she didn't wait for an answer before opening the door. That one boundary seemed to have been given some leniency between the two since they'd started courting, but Illyana still liked to give a few warnings before she just barged into the room. "I'm coming in."

 

[envogue]

Earlier

Dahlia finished the last touches on her hair, not that it was anything extravagant, just elegant waves and a tiara reef. She wanted all eyes to be on her dress for the evening, the best of Celinae's fashion hand picked by one of the local designers. Celinae's fashion was a lot more carefree than that of Lunaria's constricting corsets and heavy layering. The way the Calinaenian's dressed was fearless. They weren't afraid of sheer and draping, and Dahlia liked to think it was funny that Petra was from such a place, when Petra was the complete opposite. Either way, she was eager to see if Petra had settled for something from the shop in Lunaria, or if she'd be sticking to her country's culture and traditions.

There was several knocks on the door, and Dahlia hurried to smear a bit of iridescent star dust on her eyelids and cheeks. "Come in!" Dahlia dusted her hands gently and walked a short ways to meet whoever was at the door. The door opened slowly and Annalise stepped through the entryway, Dahlia smiling as they faced each other. Blue eyes glanced towards the rose colored dress hugging Annalise's body, and then back to her friend.

"Come now, dear. You act like you've never laid eyes on a beautiful woman before." Annalise said, as she pulled the shorter woman into an embrace. "Who're you trying to impress? A certain knight commander, hm?"

Dahlia blushed, and blushed even deeper when Annalise began to tease her about Illyana. She still hadn't confessed the truth about their relationship to her bestfriend, but now seemed like the perfect time to do so, since the two of them would be spending plenty of time together for the rest of the weekend. She looked away, her face riddled with guilt. "Actually, Yes, because w-we've been seeing each other for...s-several weeks now." A pained looked appeared on her face, and she flinched away from the blue haired princess, though Annalise didn't move for what seemed like forever after it.

"So, that would explain the scolding I got in the bridal shop. As if you had any of us fooled with that display, of, what was that supposed to be exactly?" Annalise scoffed, rolling her eyes. She took a deep breath through her nose, before shaking her head and glaring at Dahlia. "Of course, I did make it difficult for you to speak up about your newfound love, but that doesn't excuse anything, Princess. You were so wrapped up in your own life, you didn't care to know that I've met someone of my own. Maybe I'd even be happy for you now?"

Dahlia remained silent and listening while Annalise tore into her, and rightfully so. She knew she deserved it for how she had embarrassed and lied to Annalise. But, hearing that Annalise had met someone new changed everything. Dahlia wanted to know more, and immediately grabbed her friend by the hands tight and held them up in front of her face. "You've met someone? I'm sorry about how I've been acting, my dearest sweet Annalise. Please, tell me all about him...er, her? What's their name?"

Annalise became flustered at the questions, looking around the room bashfully as Dahlia fired off. "I don't know his name, yet. We've just met only a few hours ago, he is so sweet and charming. I've told him about you, of course. Would you like to meet him? He's just in the courtyard, and we can head straight to the ceremony after."

Dahlia pursed her lips, forcing a smile as she tried not to be too judgmental. This was classic Annalise after all, the flings and infatuation. She couldn't say anything, though, since she was definitely attached to Illyana after such a short time. She liked to think their circumstances were a bit different. However, being that Dahlia wanted to atone for how she had treated Annalise before, she nodded in agreement.

"Okay. Just let me leave a small note for Illyana," Dahlia turned and went into the nightstand by the bed, retrieving a piece of note paper from her journal and heading into the closet. She returned with a hanger, a beautiful deep blue shoulder cape draped over it.

"Small note?" Annalise mocked, folding her arms and letting out a light chuckle.

Dahlia brushed the comment off, clearing her throat as she sat on the bed. She bit her lower lip, glancing up at Annalise as she began to write: Dear Illyana, I've left with Annalise to meet with a friend. We're headed to the ceremony afterwards, so don't wait up. My sincerest apologies for leaving without much notice, but looking on the bright side, Annalise knows now, and that is one less person we have to hide from. Don't be late." Dahlia signed her name, and folded and tucked it near the cape. There was a gift card on the cape as well, though it was much less formal and a little sweeter that read: Do you like your new shoulder cape? It was cut from the same fabric as my dress. Love, Dahlia.


The two princesses left the bedroom and traversed the busy halls, until they found themselves in the courtyard overlooking the beach. It seemed to be empty, but Dahlia didn't want to say anything. She looked around curiously, then back to Annalise, raising her eyebrows in a questioning manner.

"Perhaps, if you remembered his name we could ask someone of your gentleman's whereabouts?" Dahlia suggested, giving up on her search for the mystery man.

"Perhaps, but I'm sure he'll be at the ceremony. Why don't we head there now? The bells will be ringing in only a few minutes." Annalise replied, waving elegantly as she led the way to where they would need to go.

The Ceremony

Petra came down the aisle in a gown fit for only a goddess. Dahlia almost didn't recognize the normally shy and modest princess. A tear threatened to fall and her vision blurred, so she crinkled her face to keep from crying. Being in the front row, no one would be able to see her face, and everyone's eyes were on the perfect couple standing before them. The whole event took about an hour in total for the ceremony, and by the time it was over, everyone was ready to stand and move on to the celebratory events in the ballroom.

Present Day: Reception

Dahlia entered the ballroom with Annalise, and not to her surprise, the interior was decorated to the heavens in beautiful cream and golds. Nothing went untouched. Tables were lining the outside of the spacious dance floor near the wall, and there were caterers walking with platters of what Dahlia assumed to spirits, and handheld foods. A stringed quarter began to move their bows in unison, and Petra and prince Tristan descended the stairs hand in hand for their dance.

The lights began to dim and the music filled the room as the newlyweds took each other's hands glided across an invisible dance floor that only the two of them could see. They never got too close to the audience, but Dahlia could see that they were truly in love. This was the stuff that they only spoke about in legends and fairy tales. She was reminded, for a brief moment, of her first dance with Illyana had how strangely everything had unraveled after that. Smiling, she swayed to the music, feeling genuinely happy for her friend. ​

 

[Saber]

When Illyana opened the door to Dahlia's chambers, she found it empty. She looked around the room until she found a cloak and a note from Dahlia resting on the bed. Green eyes scanned the note before she glanced back down at the shoulder cape and smiled. She set the note down and picked up the cloak, examining the fabric and color. The knight swung the cape over her left shoulder and fastened it under her right arm. Illyana wasn't used to having too many new things, but the cape was very well tailored and the color was vibrant. Though it was quickly forgotten when she realized she might not be able to find Dahlia now that she had gone with Annalise to the ceremony.

The Knight Commander folded the note up and placed it in her pocket inside of her tunic. She left Dahlia's room and made her way down to the cathedral where the ceremony was being held. The crowd was large and by the time that Illyana had reached the cathedral, even with it being so early, the pews of the church were filled and she was left in the back with several guards, as well as other poor guests that hadn't arrived sooner. The ceremony had been elaborate and...well, everything that was expected of a royal wedding. But at least Petra and her betrothed had seemed sincere. Illyana hadn't attended many weddings, and the aches and stiffness that were creeping into her muscles from having to stand the whole time made it a bit harder to appreciate the feelings of 'love' that some other women had been experiencing.

When the ceremony had concluded, Illyana had done her best to try and find Dahlia in the exiting crowd, but to no avail. The knight was starting to get a bit worried. Even though Dahlia was with Annalise, that didn't necessarily mean that she was in the best of hands. Still, she knew the princesses would be at the reception, so Illyana just followed the crowd to the ballroom in the castle with hopes of at least spotting a sign of the Lunarian princess. As she neared the castle though, she felt an odd sensation on the back of her neck and turned around quickly. Her eyes scanned the people that were moving past her, but she didn't see anyone in particular that stood out to her.

It must've just been the feeling of being encased in people. Something that she had a hard time with, especially when she wasn't in a familiar environment. The woman sighed before shaking her head and entering the ballroom. Petra and her groom were seated at the far end of the room, along with the king and queen of Celinae. Soon the newlyweds stood and held hands, making their way to the dance floor as music began to fill the room. Illyana did her best to search for the princess, but every blonde she saw was wearing the wrong color dress.

"You look lost." Illyana blinked before turning around, being met with the amused face of Lyra. She was wearing a powder blue gown with white accents, the skirt cut shorter in the front and quite a bit longer in the back. "Large gatherings were never really your forte, were they?"

"Lady Kane." The knight bowed to Lyra who curtsied in return. "I didn't know that you would be attending."

"The same to you, Lady Artania." Lyra replied before she moved to stand next to the knight and watch Petra and her husband dance. "Though I should have figured since Her Grace would be attending. You are the faithful knight, after all. I must admit, I'm surprised you aren't in a suit of armor."

"The princess insisted that I dress more...casually." Illyana glanced down at her attire and sighed softly. "Something about being a guest more than being a body guard."

"Well," The brunette smiled, but there was a hint of disapproval in her voice. "You very well can't deny Her Majesty, can you?"

"You cannot." Illyana answered and then there was a small patch of silence between them. "So, where is Duke Roh? I'm surprised he would leave his fiance unattended."

"He's speaking to the ambassador of Celinae." Lyra answered as she rolled her eyes slightly and folded her arms over her chest. "His work is never finished and I can't get him to ignore it for one day."

"Such is the life of a politician." The knight wasn't really sure what else to say to Lyra. They hadn't seen each other since the celebration after the dragon attack. It seemed the more they met recently, the harder it was to keep up with casual conversation. Though how casual could a conversation be between ex-lovers? "How long are you staying in Celinae?"

"Only another day after today." Lyra glanced up at Illyana and smiled. "This is really a treat for me more than anything. Elric has been here a handful of times, but this is the first time I've ever seen the ocean. It's a bit...fantastical for me."

Illyana was still scanning the crowds, even while speaking to Lyra, and that's when she'd spotted something she wish she could say wasn't familiar. Of all the things, or people to stand out, but Illyana could never mistake those eyes. "If you'd excuse me, Lady Kane," Illyana bowed slightly before moving off to the right of the dance floor. "I must find the princess." How could he be here? She pushed through the crowd as gently as she could to where she'd seen Aroch. He had been smiling at her, smiling. A smile that she knew all too well and one she wished to never see again.

When she finally reached the spot where she'd seen Aroch, he was gone. She spun around a bit, trying to see where the man had gone, but he had blended back in with the crowd and without being able to see his face, Illyana wouldn't be able to recognize him again. The Knight Commander felt her shoulders tense and her left hand instinctively went to the handle of her sword. If he was here, that meant that Dahlia was in danger. And she had no idea where she was.

 

[envogue]

The two newlyweds finished their dance with a kiss, and the stringed quartet began to play a new song. One that was familiar to most of the people that frequented balls. It was a sure way to get guests to the dance floor and a way for strangers to mingle over an elegant dance. Dahlia stood tip-toed and peered over the many extravagant up-dos and head pieces, hoping to catch sight of Illyana. When she saw a stream of silver hair off in the distance, Annalise appeared in front of her and grabbed her by the hand.

"Let's dance, darling. The moment's too good to pass up." Annalise led the blonde through the crowd, until they found their spot in the middle of the line-up of dancers. Women and men were usually separated before the dance, and the person standing directly across was your partner for the entirety of the song. Standing across from Annalise was a handsome blonde boy, though he looked to be on the younger side, and if he was royal, she'd never seen him before. She looked over to the man standing beside her dancing partner to see a cute red-head watching Dahlia like a hawk.

"Oh. He's very good looking, and I think...a prince." Annalise whispered beside her, without turning her head or raising her voice too much. However, Dahlia wasn't responding, at all. She glanced over to see Dahlia searching the ballroom with her eyes, no doubt trying to find her knight commander. Annalise rolled her eyes, nudging the blonde gently with her elbow as the music began to pick up.

That was their cue to dance, though Dahlia was half a step behind her peers. She recovered smoothly, straightening up and placing her hand on her partner's shoulder. The two moved beautifully, but it was painfully obvious that Dahlia was uninterested in anything to do with her partner. Dahlia knew that the purpose of the dance was to meet new people, but she promised Illyana her first and last dance, and there wasn't a single person at the ball that she wanted to share that with besides her.

"You dance beautifully, Princess."

Dahlia was suddenly feeling sick to her stomach. She looked up reluctantly, her fears confirmed as her blue eyes met with the Prince of Incessum's golden ones. Dahlia parted her lips to speak, but the prince interrupted before she could.

"I was hoping you would write me back with an answer, but I can't say I was surprised by your lack of response." Cecil said calmly, looking down at Dahlia as he awaited an answer.

"I-I, uh, it must have gotten lost on the way. Those silly birds can't be relied on for important matters." Dahlia expected a different response from Cecil, and had he exhibited his typical behavior she would have fired back with much more sass. Seeing him this way though, almost made her feel guilty for ignoring his letter.

"I know I haven't always been the most reasonable." Cecil paused, as he twirled Dahlia away from him and she faded briefly into a sea of vibrant silks. He pulled her back with ease and lifted her off of her feet. When she returned to the ground, he continued. "You're not like the other princesses I've met. The first day I saw you, you took my breath away. I knew you couldn't be a simple girl, like you'd said. But that made me want you even more."

Dahlia pretended not to be fazed by Cecil's words, even chuckled as she was reminded of their meeting in the woods. She never imagined he would be a reoccurring theme in her life, but they had met many times now, and he was always in pursuit of her it seemed.

"It was cruel of me to tease like that, I must admit. But, I feel I've been decent towards you in not leading you on any further than our initial meeting in the woods." Dahlia's voice was soft, but she delivered her message with confidence, as she thought it was the only way for Cecil to accept the truth.

Those words stabbed Cecil deeply, but he braved through with a smile. His grip, while gentle, tightened around the princess's body as the song slowed. Pulling her close, he looked into her eyes, as if trying to see something she would not reveal. "You've met someone else, haven't you? That would be the only explanation. I assure you, that whatever they have offered you, I could double it."

"Cecil, I...can't." Dahlia pleaded. There was a side of her which wasn't so kind, or careful of others' feelings, but Cecil was making it difficult to maintain her composure. "Please, don't make this any harder than it needs to be."

"Good bye, Cecil." The song came to an end, and Dahlia, eager to get away from Cecil tried to do just that.

He held onto the princess for longer than necessary, staring her down while having some sort of internal battle with himself. Without another word, he sunk low and attempted to kiss the princess, but what he got instead was a heel planted firmly on his toes. Somehow, he managed to suppress his cries into a throaty grunt.

Dahlia walked off calmly, flicking her hair over her shoulder and off of her neck. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she'd realized what had just happened. Of course, Cecil had gotten what he deserved, but she hoped no one had seen her assault the prince. A caterer walked by with a tray full of champagne, and Dahlia swiftly secured one before they were all gone. She briefly scanned the area for Annalise and Illyana, lips practically glued to the rim of the glass.

​

 

[Saber]

The weight of Aroch being in attendance to Petra's wedding was starting to weigh on Illyana. She needed to find the princess and as people began to flood the dance floor once the newlyweds had stepped off, the knight thought it'd be a bit easier to find Dahlia with the crowd a bit more spread out. She moved closer to the dance floor and watched as the guests danced. Her eyes caught a glimpse of blue hair, and close by, she saw flash of blue that perfectly matched her cape. Illyana's shoulders relaxed slightly now that she knew where the princess was. That feeling soon fled from her body, unfortunately, when she saw who Dahlia's dance partner was.

As if the evening couldn't get any worse. Illyana's eyes narrowed slightly as she watched Cecil and Dahlia dance and converse. Of course it helped the Knight Commander cope that Dahlia looked displeased that she was dancing with the young prince, but Illyana still couldn't shake the underlying feeling of jealousy. She knew that Cecil wanted to be with the princess, he had much more to offer and in most people's eyes, they would probably be a good match. Not to mention the young man seemed to be relentless when he pursued the Lunarian princess.

Illyana couldn't tear her gaze away from Dahlia as she danced with Cecil and she inhaled deeply when the prince pulled Dahlia closer when the music slowed. The knight was still having trouble controlling her temper recently, at least ever since she'd acquired her new...abilities. And she felt her anger rising steadily as she watched Cecil attempt to kiss the princess. It took all of her self control not to storm onto the dance floor and take the young man by the throat for what he'd done. But Dahlia seemed to handle the situation herself as Illyana saw the blonde stomp her foot down on Cecil's foot.

It was an odd sense of satisfaction seeing the pained expression flash across Cecil's face, but it didn't seem to help quell the anger. Illyana would be lying if she were to try and tell herself she wasn't hurt. Dahlia had promised the first dance to her, but in reality, Illyana should've known better. Dahlia was a princess, of course there were going to be others that wanted her attentions. Attentions that a princess couldn't ignore for a mere knight. The Knight Commander shook her head, trying to clear it. This wasn't the time to be jealous or in her feelings. Aroch was around, and she needed to let Dahlia know.

The knight watched as Dahlia left the dance floor and she moved through the crowd to try and reach the princess. When she was only a few steps away from her, the tried to call Dahlia's name, but the stringed quartet started playing once more and Illyana paused for a moment, recognizing the song they played. For a moment, she stopped to listen, a bit stunned before she felt a gentle tug on her arm.

"Care to dance?" The knight turned around to see Lyra with a small smile on her lips. "This was our song, remember? We always made sure to dance when they played it at celebrations."

"Lyra, now's not really the best-" Illyana turned back to the princess and attempted to move forward, but Lyra had a firm grip on her elbow. "I need to speak with the princess."

"I'm sure she'll survive being away from you for one more song." Lyra insisted as she pulled Illyana towards the dance floor. Illyana did her best to try and make her way towards Dahlia, but the knight lost her footing on the hard soles of her formal boots and Lyra won the tug-of-war. She had forgotten how strong Lyra could be when she wanted something. "One dance, Illyana. For old time's sake, please?"

When Illyana looked into Lyra's hopeful eyes, she couldn't help but give into the request. After all, Lyra's fiance had left her alone and what was one dance? Green eyes rolled slightly before she nodded and Lyra's smile widened and she placed Illyana's hand on her waist while the other held Lyra's right hand lightly. The music was an upbeat melody that Illyana knew very well. The dance was lively and vibrant and surprisingly, she didn't miss a step as they blended among the other couples participating in the dance.

Though Illyana was dancing, she was still doing her best to keep her eyes on Dahlia. She needed to find her once more when the dance was over, but that would be easier said than done. The knight only hoped that Dahlia wouldn't have moved too far from where she'd been previously so Illyana could find her again. Though knowing Dahlia, there was a high possibility that she could've flitted off with Annalise somewhere.

"It's rude not to pay attention to your dance partner." Lyra sighed, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice that snapped Illyana out of her search. "Are you really that worried about the princess that you can't enjoy one simple dance? A dance, I might add, that I'm sure you haven't danced since our courtship ended."

"I don't see that as a bad thing." Illyana replied as she looked down at Lyra. "And it's not like I'm a big dancer as it is, Lyra."

"I suppose I should consider myself lucky that I got you to dance with me then." The brunette chuckled softly as Illyana sighed and tried to continue her search again. "Can't you at least try to enjoy yourself, Illyana? You look so...uptight."

"I'm the princess's personal guard." The Knight Commander retorted, her voice a bit firmer and her brow furrowed ever so slightly. "It is literally my duty to be at her side at all times, but I'm here dancing instead. Forgive me if I'm a bit stressed." The last comment came out a bit harsher than Illyana had intended, but the statement was true. She was supposed to be at Dahlia's side at all times, even though the princess did a very good job making sure that wasn't always possible.

"Why did you even want to dance with me, Lady Kane?" Illyana inquired, her patience wearing as the song continued and she twirled Lyra, then pulled her back towards her. "Wouldn't you rather be dancing with your fiance than your ex-lover?" Lyra's eyes widened in surprise as her mouth opened slightly and the song ended. Illyana released the brunette, took a step back and bowed like she was supposed to. It was easy to tell that Lyra didn't have a good answer to her question.

"Illyana..." She managed to whisper out as caramel eyes looked down at the floor. "Is it such a horrible thing that I miss you?" Illyana chuckled sardonically before shaking her head slightly and exhaling slowly. Again, Illyana bowed to the brunette.

"Thank you for the dance." She didn't look at Lyra again as she turned and walked away. Her patience was thin as she made her way into the crowd and back to where Dahlia had been before Lyra forced her to dance. The knight prayed to the Goddess that Dahlia would still be there, or at least somewhere near there.

 

[envogue]

Dahlia lit up when she saw that Illyana was only a few steps away, but her enthusiasm was short lived as Lyra trailed behind the knight commander. She shouldn't have been annoyed, and at first, she wasn't. It was how easily Lyra managed to sway the knight commander's attention. For all Dahlia knew, she still wanted to be with Lyra, or else Illyana would have turned Lyra down and continued on her way.

Dahlia looked on, unable to tear her eyes away from the dance floor. It pained her to see Illyana with her past lover, but she was almost addicted to the feeling now. Don't do anything rash now. Dahlia thought to herself, as she grabbed a second glass of champagne for herself near the banquet table. She nibbled on a grape, sipping intermittently when she glanced over her shoulder and saw Illyana moving through the crowd. The song was still playing, yet Illyana ended their dance prematurely. While a part of her was glad, the betrayal that Dahlia felt would not subside.

Downing what remained of her champagne, Dahlia set the flute down on a platter and walked forward to meet Illyana. For how upset she was about everything, she couldn't bring herself to put her emotions on display for everyone to see, for Illyana to see. She was able to give a small smile, and curtsied in greeting, though it was clearly a forced gesture.

"Good evening, Knight Commander." Dahlia lifted her head and stood up slowly. "Did you enjoy your dance with, er, what's her name? Your ex-lover?" There it was. Whatever tact Dahlia was trying to maintain was shoved to the back, and she had unleashed the petty. "I was under the impression that when we agreed to court that I wouldn't have to see you with her... like that." She said in a hushed tone, glaring at Illyana, before sighing in disappointment. ​