#asperants

"So," Hortensia says, setting her tray down across from Marianne's in the dining hall without even a how-do-you-do. This was business, and this princess had her eye on the prize!

"You're good with horses. I saw you in the stables yesterday. You have any suggestions for classes and riding instructors?"

She stirs her stew, mostly for show, and while waiting nibbles on a piece of bread, swallowing before continuing; "I totally did not expect riding to be so different than flying. But it is! And the horses here don't seem to like me as much as the pegasi, really, what's up with that?"

Hortensia shakes her head. Clearly, there was something in the way of Fodlan fauna she that went differently and from her snap judgement she just knew this classmate of hers could show her the way.

"Tell me. What's the secret? I promise if you tell your good friend Hortensia she'll pay you back tenfold!"

She'd seen Hortensia a couple times before. It was rather difficult not to notice her, the way she expressed herself. If anything, they were entire opposites. Where she was silent and barely there, Hortensia was loud and present. So imagine Marianne's surprise when the other, without so much as a greeting ( though, what did she expect ), sat down opposite of her.

" Um.. " Fidgetting with the fork in her hand, she trained her gaze upon the barely touched poultry upon her plate, having opted for another dining option than mere stew. " It.. just, um... it just comes naturally with me. " She barely managed to bring out.

Perhaps it was the way how boisterous Hortensia seemed to be that kinda.. intimidated her. Not that she was being that way at this moment, but she'd seen her around. How she acted. And perhaps the horses felt the same way. Perhaps she was too loud, or too energetic when approaching them that scared the horses away. But it isn't like she could simply tell the girl 'maybe try talking less loud, or just less in general.'

She holds out her hand, proudly showing off her mark of the wind.

"I'm Hortensia of Elusia. I don't suppose you have any interest in career opportunities up North? Either way, let's shake! To kindred spirits."

"You what?" Like him?

Soren stared, not quite sure why he of all people got this sort of request. He accepted a handshake with their marks together but grimaced at the implication of him ever being a fashion advisor.

"I have to decline. My skillsets primarily lie elsewhere." He looked down at himself, realizing where she got such an idea from. "This was not my doing. I am Soren, a mercenary and tactician."

Well, he did have advice though.

⌜ & .˚      found  family  prompts. ⌟

⌜ ✥。.:*: – "ah! princess hortensia!" alcryst practically jumped out of his skin as he was retrieved back to this grim reality by the everlastingly domineering yet strong-willed elusian princess. be as it may her sixth sense or astute observation of his face - to which her perception of his existence proved even more unnerving - but she always seemed to be the one who recognized that the prince was not feeling his typical self. for someone who was three years his youth, she exuded an innate sense of confidence that appeared effortless and impenetrable to any exterior forces that attempted to pierce their way through. perhaps envy was not the appropriate emotion, but nevertheless, the prince never ceased to be amazed by how she walked in this world with a self-assuredness that he could never begin to scratch at the surface of for himself. as that haunting realization befell upon him, his façade of normalcy dissipated as he exhaled a pitiful sigh.

"princess hortensia… please forgive me for speaking to you like this - or at all, for that matter - but even you must understand that your value far exceeds expending your time or energy on someone as insignificant as me." from his struggling performance in his classes handling weaponry to damaging monastery property that was priceless and a blatant sin in and of itself to the goddess, it was putting into question his arrival to the academy in the first place - was he making a mistake? or did the monks make a mistake by allowing garbage like him step foot in their halls? either way, the last thing he wanted was to share this burden with hortensia - and spare her his thoughts and feelings that did not deserve to be breathed into existence.

“I waaas gonna ask how your battles were going but now I just want to tell you to sit down. Here, have some apple cider while I work on those wounds! Local delicacy, you know.”

Hortensia sat across from her, Recover staff on her lap as she first looked over some of the flesh wounds, and decided, may as well rebandage the few her magic couldn’t get! She really appreciated how many scrolls and bags this Lythos monk costume could pack, especially now that was in need of extra supplies.

“Looking better now, oh sorry I think I might have smudged your makeup, but look I have something for that too!” Saying so she produced a mirror and pencil, handing them over to Yunaka after once again making sure her healing had taken effect. “Geez, you really did get roughed up. You do know I’m always here to help when that happens, yeah?”

"Heya, Hortensia!" Aw geez, does she really look so bad that she's making the littlest princess worry? Yunaka quickly plasters a big bright smile on as she waves at her approach. "Aw, what'd you mean? I'm totes zappy to go, you don't gotta-"

Oh! The cider is warm in her hands. She blinks in surprise at it before slowly, quietly, deflating a little and sinking into the seat that Hortensia ushers her towards. Okay, yeah. After getting turned into a pincushion, she probably looks that bad.

"No worries, I'm pretty sure the healers already smudged it all up when they dragged me in from the battlefield." She hasn't had a chance to look in a mirror yet, so she's incredibly grateful for the one that Hortensia offers her. She winces a little at the sight of her reflection before wiping the star off with the back of her hand and getting to work on a new one.

prev post - @asperants

Her soft flush and half-choke was not lost upon Nanna, but she had the courtesy to turn her eyes away, lest it tary the girl's reputation. Without a batting her eyes, she instead turned her attention to her companion's bow-crested red dress, which was layered to the nines in heaven's ribbons. "Ah...! Goodness, to think the local town had something so doll-like." Pressing a hand to her cheek to admire the stitching, she hand the other up to her heart in delight. How long had it been since she had been in the company of someone who would indulge in her more fashion-forward diversions? "Well, with your porcelain skin, I can say you're far prettier than a mere doll."

"My own dress? I suppose it's been to town. More than a handful of times for alterations." Softly, she made an attempt to avoid vanity, though the metaphorical feathers she preened were for the eye's delight. She could only hope that the glitter in her eye gave way to a passion more sincere than mere conceit. "I cannot say I am anything but an amateur in design, so I send my drafts over to those more suited to the craft."

And to her delight, Hortensia crossed their streams with an exchange of flowers. Crisp and trimmed like a dream, the flowers that bloomed from their hands were far more beautiful than any rose Nanna would procure, (but none so personable.) "Princess Hortensia..."

"Oh! So you are Instruc-- Queen Ivy's younger sister, is that right?" Nanna hummed to herself, thoroughly enthralled by her charm. How silly. "What a small world this is!" They both evoked a vision of roses, but Hortensia's jubilance turned eyes like a daydream, and Ivy's, a winter's day.

"You can expect the same hospitality to be extended from myself, hehe..." She laughed wholeheartedly, wondering what future lay ahead of them. "Any princess as cute as yourself is welcome in my court any day. I have the invitation already written up in my head as we speak..."

She’d heard rumors of one of Sombron’s Hounds roaming Garreg Mach but had been a bit preoccupied having been shrunk earlier that month. And hey, while she knew Ivy could handle herself, now that they were all gathered in one place may as well make her intentions clear.

“Grin. Grit. Whatever your name is – you better not be causing any trouble for my sister! Elusia is done with the Hounds. And Sombron. All of it. So no idea what even made you decide to play school of all things, but don’t expect any of us to extend a hand to you.”

Fitting her arms are crossed and hands hidden, at the moment, but there’s a spell incantation waiting on her tongue all the same. One never can be too careful around people like him.

Now where had he heard that shrill, glass-shattering voice before.

"Oh, Princess Hortensia." Funny that Griss would remember her name, but she couldn't quite land on his. Then again, even though his dealings had been mainly with King Hyacinth and, sometimes, the elder princess, the younger one was loud in more ways than one. Practically impossible to ignore. He couldn't forget her name even if he wanted to by now, and a half-decade's worth of not-altogether-friendly exchanges in the halls of Elusia castle colors his sneer.

"Now that sounds like fun." He peers over the heads of the crowded ballroom as if searching for Queen Ivy. Were it not for Zelkov, and now her sister, Griss wouldn't have even thought twice about her, or cared about whether or not she was here, but now they were bothered with assumptions about his ill intent. And who was Griss if not a people-pleaser.