The music echoed throughout the halls of the ballroom, already causing an annoying buzz in Leo's head as he tried to evade the eight courtier, the eight unnecessary introduction, the eight, "oh dear, who might this lovely woman be?" He occasionally allowed himself a low growl, and his face to wear a scowl, hoping it scares off the people who even dare start conversation with him.

If only Charlotte wasn't polite and didn't converse with every. single. one of them. When his very aura discouraged conversation, Charlotte's did the exact opposite-she was smiling, beaming, laughing at the cajolery and praise. He had to pry her away from people repeatedly before she inevitably gets caught in a trap by her own big, fat mouth.

By god, she reminds me of mother.

"If you're not going to socialize, then what's the point of going to a ball?" Charlotte asked him.

"I go because it's my royal duty to do so and not showing up could well be interpreted as rebellion against the king," Leo answered. "For you, it's entertainment. For me, it's an obligation."

"...Then you don't like to at least dance?"

"No."

"...Then may I dance with another man?"

"No." His response was instant, almost angry. "Did we not have this conversation where you promised you wouldn't try to flirt with every man in the room? That would reflect horribly on me."

From behind them, Xander cleared his throat. "...Having a lover's spat when you're not even really lovers," he said. "Classy."

"B-Brother," Leo said, looking rattled and surprised, looking around again to check if anyone else had been eavesdropping. The crowd around them was too busy dancing and chatting in their own groups, thankfully. As soon as Leo was assured of that, he turned his gaze back towards Xander-quickly noticing his lack of companion. "You didn't come with anyone."

"Of course I didn't. I can't exactly pull a woman out of thin air the way you could," Xander said. "Leo, have you finally ran out of ideas on how to avoid your mother?"

"How did you-"

"You know, the same old. Your retainer told my retainer and my retainer told me-"

Leo smacked his palm to his forehead. "That Odin...!"

Xander turned to Charlotte this time. While Charlotte had been the very visage of confidence and charm since the evening started, underneath Xander's gaze, she faltered a bit. The older prince already knew her act, knew what she was. There was no hiding. Charlotte found herself reaching for Leo's arm.

What Xander ended up saying came as a surprise to her. "Leo is adverse to dancing, but you should know that I am not. If my little brother can't fulfill his own obligation and at least humor you, I could gladly do so for him."

Charlotte was stunned. Did she just hear that right, or was the crown prince of Nohr just asking her to dance? She was pretty sure any girl in Nohr would just kill to be her at that moment.

Leo did not take this well though. "...Xander, are you trying to make me look bad?"

"I'm not asking you. I'm asking her."

Charlotte suddenly found the two princes staring expectantly at her, waiting for her answer.

This is every girl's dream come true!

"Well, shall we?" Xander asked.

She turned to her side. Leo was already sulking, but didn't put up more of a fight.

He kindaaa looks cute when sulking, hee hee.

"Oh, Lord Xander, I am SO honored! I'm pretty sure any woman in Nohr would give an arm and leg just to be able to dance with you," Charlotte said brightly. "While I'm honored, I think it's improper to leave the person who invited me to begin with... so I'm afraid I must refuse." She then sidled up closer to Leo, holding onto his arm tighter.

Leo looked every bit surprised. "H-Huh? You're not interested in dancing with Xander?"

"What's the point of looking at other men when I have the perfect one by my side?"

Her smile was so sweet, her voice was so sweet, and the way she looked at him with those blue eyes was so sweet-he was pretty sure she was flirting with him.

And it was working. It wasn't every day that the crown prince gets turned down for him-the spare prince in waiting. She knew how to stroke a man's ego, alright.

And crush another one's, apparently. "Well, that just wounded my pride," Xander said, with a self-depreciating chuckle. "The crown prince of Nohr, turned down? By a soldier in his own army, no less."

"And this is why you get yourself your own woman, Xander," Leo said, feeling a little triumphant.

"Don't get carried away," Xander said. "If I recall correctly, the two of you are just playing lovers." He then went up to Charlotte, giving her a friendly pat on the shoulder. He leaned down to her ear, and whispered, "You pass. Enjoy the banquet. I hear the lobster is pretty good."

"Did he say something to you?"

"He said that I... pass."

Leo thought on this for a while, and eventually it dawned on him.

Xander likely had no interest in dancing with her to begin with; he was perhaps testing and trying to see if Charlotte would abandon Leo were she offered a more lucrative offer, from a man with higher standing.

She stayed with him, and so she passed.

"I wonder whatever he could mean by that, though," Charlotte said, looking genuinely puzzled. "And he said I should try the lobster."

Leo let out a little laugh. "He does like lobsters, that Xander."

Charlotte had been correct in her earlier remark-while most people lingered around them and asked who Charlotte was, it was not as big of a spectacle as he feared it would be, what with the Nohrian princess Camilla dragging along a far more scandalous dinner companion. Niles wasn't a man for pleasantry or politics, but Leo could tell in the smirk that graced his features that he was enjoying this. Teasing the crowd, letting slip innuendo that was most noblemen wouldn't dare let slip through their tongue, earning shocked, mortified, or amused reactions from everyone... Camilla was not one to be outdone, matching Niles' saucy statements with her own. Leo feared what would happen if they truly became a couple. He was pretty sure the court-and Camilla's long line of suitors-would explode in shock.

Corrin was accompanied by Laslow, the skirt-chasing swordsman for once having his eyes trained on only one woman that night. Perhaps he was given a stern-very stern-warning by Xander earlier. Laslow took Corrin for round after round of dancing, the swordsman a far better dancer than anyone in the castle-even better than him or Xander, who had been taught dance in their etiquette lessons. Corrin seemed to be enjoying the undivided attention, a hint of blush on her cheeks and a lingering smile on her lips. Leo wondered how Xander would react if his retainer did pursue their sister for real.

Elise was attended by her retainers, who tended to make spectacles of their own-Arthur with what accident he'd likely get into, and Effie with the mountain of food set before her that all seemed to vanish in the bottomless pit that was her stomach. When Elise didn't have her fill of giggling at them, she was surrounded by courtiers, perpetually ooohh-ing and ahh-ing over how adorable she was.

Xander was alone, his own retainers not at his side-Laslow with Corrin, and Peri in the kitchen, more interested in butchering the meat than she was with socializing. Even so, Xander still attracted people towards him-he always did. He was the crown prince, and people always wanted to be on the good side of the future king. Some even went so far as to introduce their daughters or nieces, hoping one of them would catch Xander's attention. Leo knew well enough that none of them did-Xander was polite to them all, but Leo could tell that he was disinterested.

Leo, on his part, had more attention than usual-but if the attention was his or Charlotte's, he really couldn't tell. In gatherings he usually quickly vanished into an alcove, wanting to be alone-but there was no "being alone" when Charlotte was around. It made him grow weary, but he just sighed to himself, and put on a smile. Let her have her day. At least, none of the nobles had been subjecting him through the torture of introducing their daughters, nieces or maidservants to him. No one dared with Charlotte on his arm, looking like a fairytale princess.

"I've heard chatter that you brought a woman with you, Leo," a voice called out, making Leo shudder. "What, you aren't going to introduce your mother?"

Leo almost felt the blood draining from his cheeks, the effect of his mother's voice and tone-always so sweet and condescending at the same time. He turned around, face-to-face with the woman who mirrored the shade of blonde in his hair.

"...Mother," he said. "It's... been a while."

It has indeed been a while-it's been months. His mother was a woman of small stature, and he'd long grown taller than her, and now it seemed he'd grown even a bit taller. A few wrinkles in her forehead and her eyes were showing, ones that weren't there when he'd last seen her. She was nearing her forties now-while still an attractive woman, her age was starting to show, something she'd continuously vented to him about whenever he as so much had the kindness to lend her an ear. The gown he wore was new, he noticed. She always liked to have new ones made for events like these.

"Not with those loony retainers of yours today, I see," she said, crossing her arms and swiftly flicking open the fan in her hand with a flick of her wrist. "I hope you're in better company. So, where is the girl?"

He paused for a moment, as if hesitating to call out to Charlotte, a small part in him reluctant, as if he were more of giving an offering to a snake rather than making a simple introduction. But this is why he'd asked Charlotte to come anyway, in hopes that she was a worthy enough offering to appease the snake.

"...Charlotte, come here for a moment." He called out to Charlotte, who was only a few steps behind him, but had been surrounded by some courtiers who had been attempting to make small talk with her.

Charlotte excused herself from them, sensing the urgency in Leo's voice. She walked up to Leo's side, then holding onto his arm as if it were the most natural thing to do. "What is it, Lord Leo?"

"Mother, this is Charlotte," Leo began, "Charlotte, this is my mother, the lady Lorraine. She's been... eager to meet you."

Charlotte looked at the older woman, who was staring at her meticulously, the look a woman gives when sizing up another woman. Charlotte found herself smiling. That almost snotty, condescending, cold aura she had very much reminded her of Leo. They seemed a bit more alike than he wanted to admit.

"I've been as eager to meet you, milady," Charlotte said warmly, giving the older woman a small curtsy. "Lord Leo has said good things about you."

"Not even five seconds into this conversation and you're already lying," Lorraine said, sounding unimpressed. "This boy has never breathed a word of praise for me."

"Oh, good heavens, milady! And why wouldn't he? If it weren't for you and your guidance after all, he wouldn't be the man he is today. If it weren't for your interest in his studies, he wouldn't be the genius he is. And not to mention his dashing good looks, which you clearly contributed to..."

Leo had to stop himself from wincing. Charlotte proceeded to pile on the flattery, piling it on thick. She gets straight to business.

But his mother's cold facade was slipping, the scowl on her face slowly turning into a smirk. Charlotte smiled to herself.

She has a bit of an ego, like Lord Leo does, and they like getting it stroked.

"Enough flattery now, you sugar-tongued girl," Lorraine said, with a chuckle. "Is that how you got little Leo, with your sweet words?"

"Pfftt..." Leo found himself scoffing, unable to help it. He didn't realize it came out loud, until he found both women staring at him expectantly. "I meant, no, hardly," he said. If anything else, her obvious flattery was why he was wary of Charlotte in the first place. "I'm not one to be won over by words, mother. Words may well be lies, after all."

"Oh? Then what is it, then, child?"

Charlotte looked at him, looking a bit hesitant. She did not know if Leo had anything to say at all, if he had a reason to speak highly of her. She almost opened her mouth to speak up, to make a save, but Leo answered:

"Her strength."

The answer took Charlotte by surprise.

Lorraine broke into a smile. "Ah. How funny. Garon used to say the same thing about me."

Charlotte was strong, and not just on the battlefield, that much Leo could tell by now.

She had a mastery over her emotions-smiling when she could be sad, pleasant when she could be irate, calm when she could be angry.

She could hold her chin up and look at people in the eye, people who could well be talking about her behind her back, at men who could be ogling her and looking at her only for her body.

And then there was the quiet air of conviction she had when she briefly mentioned her family, the few words she'd said already communicating to him that she would do anything in her power for them.

For good and bad, Charlotte was strong.