Ema just nodded, happily. Dancing and sweets....her idea of a good time.

Ahelissa jammed half the cupcake into her mouth, smiling blissfully at the so-much-sugar-youll-be-hyper-for-days frosting. She didnt bother to head back over to her table, instead hanging around the desserts. Mm you HAVE to try the fudge! She mumbled around a mouthful of peanut butter fudge.
When she completed her plate, she sampled a few more delicious desserts. She decided that her favorite dish was the cupcakes. She already felt the cheery buzz of sugar rushing through her. She let a gleeful laugh bubble up inside of her, and she waited for Ema near the ballrooms dance floor. A merry song filled the ballroom with a chorus of bagpipes, fiddles, flutes, and reeds. Ahelissa loved music, but especially this style. The Celtic style of the song stirred something within her, and she bounced on the balls of her feet, hardly able to wait.

Ema finished her plate, then, hearing hte music, smiled at Ahelissa and went out to dance, not caring much about the strange looks she might get. She twirled in time to the music, her body seeming to know exactly how to do the steps even if her brain didn't.

Ahelissa enthusiastically clapped in time with the music as she watched Ema. As she watched her friend twirl and rollick, she made up her mind to join her. She watched Emas steps and movements and mirrored them carefully. Tentatively she danced at first, then she went all in just for the fun of it. She had no idea what she was doing, and probably looked really strange out there, but she didnt care. She tripped over her own feet more than once, but she just kept mimicking Ema. She laughed delightedly, and by the time the song ended, she was grinning widely. She shuffled off toward the sides of the dance floor and approached Ema. That was so cool! She gasped, still trying to catch her breath.

Emasmiled a little. "It was." She got something to drink before going back out again.

Emasmiled a little. "It was." She got something to drink before going back out again.

Ahelissa grinned as she watched Ema dance out on the floor. She wished she could dance like that, but unfortunately, dancing required skill. And coordination. And balance. And gracefulness. And unfortunatelier (if that's even a word), Ahelissa had none of those things. She watched Ema a little while longer, then called to her, "I'm going to go check on my mistress real quick. O.K.?"
There was a lot of commotion everywhere from the hundreds of conversations going on at once, but Ahelissa decided that Ema should be able to hear her fine. She grabbed a plate and carefully selected a slice of pumpkin pie, then searched the sea of faces for Remilia. After a minute or two, she finally spotted her.
Unfortunately, so had another stuffy suitor, who was making a bee-line toward Remilia. Ahelissa quickly caught up to the man. "Hello, sir," she started, plastering on her most innocent and happy smile. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"
The man looked cross, and even more so when he spotted the leather collar around her neck. "Oh, not really anywhere in particular. I was just going to-- uh, see if there was any more veal. It is absolutely heavenly served here at the castle, so, you know, please leave me alone."
Ahelissa noticed that his gaze kept straying toward Remilia, and that he played with his hands nervously.
"Well, they do, and it's just over there." She gestured to a highly ornate table. "Now, if you just excuse me, I have to serve the Duchess her dessert."
She started to walk away, but the man called out, "Wait! I- uh, have always wanted to- uh, meet the Duchess, and she seems quite busy, so could you mention me to her? If you could be so kind," he flashed a smile, now suddenly nicer.
"We'll see," Ahelissa grinned wider as she turned and approached her mistress. "I brought you some pie," she said, offering it to her. "But don't worry, I didn't contaminate it too much." She winked, then smiled slyly. "There's someone who would like to meet you," Ahelissa gestured toward the nervous suitor who was currently studying a piece of ham like it held the secrets of the universe. He seemed to know that they were talking about him, but he pretended not to notice.
"I figured I'd get your permission first before I scared anyone off."

Nicote watched his slave dancing away and shook his head. THat girl....How'd she even manage to keep her dancing skills, even he didn't know. All he could say was, he was happy NOT to be disturbed by annoying ministrals who wanted promotions.


Ema finally came back to the table, her cheeck rosy. Yet somehow she wasn't the least out of breath.

NIcote raised his eyebrows. "You're done already?"

She shook her head. "Too crowded." She didn't wantt to elaborate but she'd noticed that, with her hair and clothing covering most of her collar (only the front part of it coud be seen due to her hair being everywhere), some of the suitors had seemed to think she was a noble....which didn't quite sit well with her. SHe was a slave, that should've been clear.

Remilia was about to strangle herself from the dull conversation one of her suitors had been going on about for around fifteen minutes. She could care less whether his home was built on the"richest of lands".
Remilia noticed Ahelissa, and the pie, and a smile broke out on her face for the first time.
"You'll have to excuse me, Mister Abel, my slave has brought me refreshments." And she walked away from him before he could even beg her for just one more minute.
"You have no idea how grateful I am right now. Thank you." She whispered in a hushed tone, before acting like she could barely stand the pie as she took a bite. She gave a glance at the suitor studying the ham, and gave a small, very improper snort.
"It looks like he's trying to get it to spill it's secrets. He looks so nervous." She said with a small laugh. "I'll humor myself with this one. He's been polite enough to wait for my..." She paused as she glanced at the butthurt man in his 50s who she had just dismissed. "My enlightening conversation to finish. Would you be a dear and tell him he may speak to me?"
The nervous ones are kinda funny. Sometimes they're sweet.

Ahelissa's face lit up. "Alrighty.... Good luck!" She turned and skipped up to the tall, brown-eyed man. "The Duchess would like to see you now," she said. "It looks like you got on her good side."
She walked with him back to Remilia, flashing one more smile at her before deciding to rejoin Ema.
She approached Ema and Nicote's table and leaned on it. "Hello again!" She noted that Ema looked quite pretty, with her rosy cheeks and thick hair falling about her neck. Ahelissa turned to Nicote and tried some small talk with him.
"Have done anything fun yet today?" She seriously doubted that he had. He didn't really seem like the kind of person who would like fun. Or happiness. Or sunshine.