Dairine left Roshaun to go to her rooms, where she was fairly certain Lady Miril would be. Lady Miril was always there to help her with the odd formal dresses Dairine had to wear.
Dairine entered the room to a several piece outfit, and Lady Miril.
"This looks like a lot of work," Dairine commented eyeing the outfit.
"Oh you're wearing that new outfit I sent you! How do you like it?"
"It's comfortable," Dairine said not mentioning the fact that she liked being more covered than this outfit covered.
"Oh that's lovely!" and Lady Miril set about helping Dairine with the multi-layered dress.
They had just gotten it all settled when there was a knock at the door.
"That will be Roshaun. Why don't you go into the bathroom and do your hair?"
Do your hair usually meant brush it then spray some of that stuff on it to make it look nicer. Dairine shrugged and went to do that. It took longer than she thought it would, like always.
Roshaun knocked politely on Dairine's door. After a moment, his mother opened it.
"Roshaun tekeh, you look very handsome." She kissed him on the forehead.
"Dhairine is in the bathroom, finishing up her hair, but I expect she will be out soon." Miril drifted into the hallway and out of sight.
Roshaun sat on the couch to wait for Dairine. Soon enough she came into the room. She was in a gold layered dress, and had a circlet on her head. It matched Roshaun's. They allowed each other a few seconds for sizing the other up, and then Dairine came and sat next to him.
"I was right. That was a pain. Why do your people like such light fabrics? All the clothes from here have some sort of gauzy material."
"Usually it is used in the sleeves, or," he glanced at her dress, "as a decorative layer."
"That did not answer my question. Why do you like it so much?"
"Because it looks nice," he said haughtily.
Dairine gave him a disbelieving look. "Or maybe the whole lot of you just enjoy ogling each other."
Roshaun's eyes widened a bit.
"Just kidding," she laughed, "it's so much fun to make you squirm."
He glared at her.
She glared back teasingly.
They passed the rest of time before dinner watching the beginning of the Star Wars movie. From the couch this time, as neither of them cared to wrinkle the clothes they were wearing.
When it was time for dinner, Dairine paused the movie a bit sadly. Roshaun stood and offered her his arm. She took it and they walked down together.
It was a boring affair. Roshaun was seated at the very head of the table, with his parents on either side. Dairine was next to his mother. The rest of the table was nobility. Then, dancing was announced. Roshaun managed to fight off the hordes of noblewomen who had surrounded him as soon as dancing was announced.
"May I have this dance?" he asked Dairine.
"I don't know how to dance like your people do. Why don't you ask one of them?" she pointed to the crowd of noblewomen.
"Because I don't want to. I'll teach you how to dance. Come on." he told her.
"And," he added, "I've never seen you dance. This could be a worthwhile experience."
"When I surprise you with my elegance and grace?" she asked. "Anyways, You are much too tall. I couldn't dance with you."
Roshaun resisted the urge to roll his eyes, a bad habit he had picked up from Dairine. He gave her a look.
"Fine. Let's get this over with."
Roshaun led her to the dance floor, next to where his mother and father were standing.
"Dhairine, you've decided to join us?" Lady Miril asked.
"Regrettably, yes. I'll probably mess it up though."
"Nonsense. Just follow what I do," Lady Miril assured her.
"You will do fine. You have been to these sort of occasions before, given how you knew the clothing would take time," Roshaun said to her.
"Yes, but I've never danced at one," she muttered.
The song started and Roshaun led her out onto the dance floor. At first she struggled a bit on keeping the rhythm, but then she figured it out. She really was very graceful.
"Thank you," Roshaun said as they were dancing.
She gave him a quizzical look, "What for?" She stepped in and to the right with the rest of the dancers and Roshaun took her hands in his. They both stepped back in time.
"Agreeing to dance with me. Otherwise I would have had to dance with those noblewomen."
She stepped in again, this time to his left side. He re-took her hands, and they stepped out once more.
She looked a bit surprised, "and why didn't you want to do that?"
"Because all they care about is my title," Roshaun said, though in his head he was thinking along the lines of because you are the most beautiful person here. He quickly cleared that thought, not wanting her to hear it.
The song ended, and everyone bowed. Roshuan led Dairine back off the dance floor. He was only expected to dance in the opening song. They met his parents off to the side.
"How was it?" Lady Miril asked.
"More fun than I would have thought," Dairine smiled at her. Spot slunk over to Dairine and silent words went between them.
Roshaun caught a particularly bold curse in her thoughts and raised his eyebrows.
"If you would all excuse me momentarily. I have to go deal with something," Dairine left quickly.
Nelaid watched her leave, amused, then eyed Roshaun with that same amusement. Roshaun did not appreciate that.
"What did Dhairine leave to do?" Nelaid asked.
"I am not sure," Roshaun responded.
Thankfully, he was saved from elaborating by the arrival of the girl herself. Spot was no longer with her.
"Alright. I should be headed home shortly. That was a message from Tom Swale, one of my Seniors. My dad is worried about me. Spot went home just now, to visit my dad and tell him I am fine." Dairine smiled at all of them.
"Will you have time to make an appearance?" Nelaid asked.
"I should, yeah if you need me too."
"Then you two should go."
Dairine walked with Roshaun to that familiar banister, where they had made appearances together so many times before. Whenever there was a big dinner up at the castle, the public was notified, as Roshaun always put on an appearance, usually with her, and/or sometimes with Lady Miril and Nelaid.
They were right about to leave when Dairine felt it in the crowd. She threw herself in front of Roshaun, putting up a shield just as the energy weapon hit it. The force threw her back into the other banister and she blacked out when her head hit the wall.
Roshaun walked out onto the appearances walkway. The public had, of course, been notified that he would be making an appearance. Dairine was behind him, but stepped up next to him by the banister. They stayed there for some time.
Right as they were about to leave, Dairine threw herself suddenly in front of him, and pulled up a shield. The energy weapon hit only fractions of a second later. The force hitting Dairine's shield threw her back and the shield collapsed. There was a very sickening crunch as Dairine's head hit the stone banister. Roshaun raced over to her side as castle guards tried to secure the walkway.
Dairine was not moving. He quickly felt for a pulse, and for a heart stopping second there was none. Then, he felt it, so light he had missed it. He breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't already too late then. He pulled out his Aethyr, searching desperately for anything to help Dairine.
Suddenly, Lady Miril and Nelaid were at Roshaun's side. He didn't even look up. Dairine's hands were growing colder. Lady Miril was muttering the words of a spell he had heard once before, in a cavern on Rashah after the spear of light. It took so much energy for it to hold, that Nita had started on fire. Roshaun quickly began saying the words with Miril, adding more power. Nelaid, too, joined in. They kept reciting, fighting the part in Dairine that was welcoming the death. It took hold. All three of them sagged from energy loss and relief.
Nelaid levitated Dairine and then started off towards Roshaun's room, the closest. It seemed smart to not be out in the open longer than necessary.
Miril offered him a hand, "come Royal Son, and wipe away your tears. Dhairine is fine at the moment."
Roshaun hadn't even realized that he had been crying in the first place. He followed his mother to his room. Dairine was on his bed, alarmingly pale. He went over and pulled up a chair. Nelaid was already sitting.
"I have to tell Harry. He'll want to come see his daughter. Roshaun, message anyone else Dairine might want to have here, or who would want to see her." Nelaid stepped through the worldgate.
Roshaun began to compose a message.
To: Nita L. Callahan, Christopher K. Rodriguez, Sker'ret, Filifermanhathrhumneits'elhhessaifnth, Carl J. Romeo, Tom B. Swale
From: Roshaun ke Nelaid am Seriv am Teliuyve am Meseph am Veliz am Teriaunst am det Nuiiliat
Marked: High Urgent
Dairine has been severely injured, and is at great risk of death. She is currently in stasis. We could use all the help we can get for trying to heal her.
Roshaun marked the message with the coordinates of his room and sent it.