so it goes

“Has anyone told you how beautiful you look tonight?” Ana María asked, a grin spread across her face, as she took the person’s hand, cradling it and pressing it against her cheek, as if they were the most precious person in the room. @hshqstarters​

he ignores the conversation happening beside him.  it’s the same drunk talk.  he doesn’t realize her words are directed toward him until he feels his hand moving without his control.  he side eyes the person in question.  what the fuck does he do.  he clears his throat.  “ your highness.  no they have not.  thank you for the compliment. ”  he tries tugging his hand away,  but her grip is a little too tight.  “ are you okay? ”  he looks around the room,  hoping any of the guards would make eye contact with him and save him.  

“ how do you like your table ? we struggled with all the requests, it was like an impossible equation. i hope the organizer seated you with at least one friend. ” ( @hshqstarters​ )

“ oh it’s just GREAT. ” she beamed back. she should hold her tongue, complaining at a wedding was one thing. but to the bride ? there had to be a cardinal rule against it ! but nonetheless, “ but you wouldn’t possibly know if there was two spots somewhere else … do you ? “

​“ i apologize for interrupting,  but if you were interested in switching spots with someone,  i overheard the hungarian princess vocalize her distaste for the seating arrangement. ”  he looks to the bride.  “ your sister,  your highness,  princess astrid,  appeared uncomfortable. ”  ( @ebbv​ )

@hshqstarters​

“ you’ve asked the wrong person. ”  unlike him,  he doesn’t have the luxury to cause mischief without major consequences.   and how careless of the prince to ask.  perhaps he could use all that free time into something productive instead.  “ thank you for the offer,  your highness — but i will have to politely decline. ”  

“Do you think it would be of any use to spend more time with Verona di Savoia? I might sound conceited but I think she likes me. She had me at one of the meetings with the Sammarinese — it was harrowing.” ( ** @frcntera​ )

how far would marcello go to impress the regent?  “ go for it.  you can skip a bunch of steps to get into higher places.  i’d take any shortcut.  being close to home doesn’t make this job more rewarding. ”  he leans back into his seat.

he stood there,  keeping an appropriate distance from the prince regent.  from his peripheral,  he could see a girl who is assumed to be a princess recklessly chugging drinks.  if his gaze remains forward,  it’s likely she won’t start conver— never mind.  “ very funny,  your highness. ”  he keeps it short,  yet polite.  hopefully even in her assumed drunken state she can understand social cues. 

“We should make a bet: how long does it take you until you’ve had enough of the pigs here.” ( ** @frcntera​ )

“ and one of those pigs, you crawled on the ground for. ”  his hand meets with marcello’s shoulder,  giving it a grip while shaking his head disapprovingly.  he lets go to walk past his friend to reach for an unopened water bottle on the counter.  “ the newlyweds— ”  or not so newlyweds,  andres and barbie’s dynamic confused him.  “ their room at this resort is bigger than my entire house.  culture shock. ”  he uncaps the bottle.  “ and how is this an efficient protection program when most of them leave the resort to go do whatever they want. ”