"Oh, hello again, Professor Darios," Sanaki offers as she steps through the door, following a few steps behind the bickering gaggle. Is that mild amusement in her voice? Her usual sharp disapproval? Or merely deep-seated exhaustion at all that has happened, and continues to happen, at this ball?
With only three words exchanged, not even she could expect any listener to read her intonation clearly. So she continues, to the entire room at large, uncaring of how her voice carries---
---because this quarrel, escalated to such an unbelievable scale, is now public news.
"On the left in yellow is Rowan, king regnant of Aytolis. On the right in green is Innes, crown prince of Frelia. They first clashed at the Battle of Eagle and Lion earlier this year, where Innes called Rowan disgusting for scattering boogers----ah, my apologies, crumbs---all over his robes, and Rowan minted Innes as 'goober-head' in retaliation." It is rather funny, now that she thinks about it. Has it really been so long?
Sanaki takes a sip of sparkling water. "Now, their fight continues at the Ethereal Ball. Innes spilled his drink on Rowan, and Rowan then sneezed into Innes's shirt, offering him a spit-soaked flower as recompense. Clearly, Innes has appealed to Rowan's sister, Queen Lianna, with some success....?"
None of these words are in the scripture, not of the Church of Seiros or otherwise. Steps lighter than perhaps they should be, the empress heads over to the refreshments table, exchanging her water for champagne.
"Don't mind me," she grumbles. "I just happened to be there."