The Sanc Kingdom

"More mead, my love?"

The dark-haired young woman turned her head away from the dance floor, where she had been watching couples of all ages, shapes and sizes gliding along to the beat of the lively music, following the same merry steps. Including, of course, the Princess Relena and her rumored beau, Trowa Barton. Lady Hilde Schbeiker had to admit, they made quite the attractive couple. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched them dancing and laughing together, each dazzling in their evening attire, although Hilde paid special mind to the princess's dress. The skirts were ivory, with matching gossamer sleeves, but the bodice was embroidered with flecks of gold that glittered with the princess's every movement. Hilde loosed a sigh and hoped there would soon be a royal wedding, and that, as a member of the court, she would get to attend.

Hilde forced her attention from the couple to face her companion. He stood before her, resplendent in his guard's uniform, holding two full golden goblets, his eyes already holding a glassy sheen. She shook her head at him, but couldn't stop the smile from snaking across her lips. He looked quite dashing, with his long, braided hair that nearly rivaled Princess Relena's.

"You are nothing but a troublemaker, Duo Maxwell." He just grinned at Hilde and handed her one of the goblets. She accepted and brought it to her lips, savoring her first sip of the warm, honeyed liquor.

He, too, took a swig of his beverage before slinging his free arm around her shoulders.

"If this is trouble, then I plan on making a whole lot more of it," Duo responded in a sing-songy voice, swinging his goblet high above his head with a whoop of glee. Hilde balked at his candor, which did not exactly befit a member of the royal guard, off duty or no.

"Keep quiet or you'll get us kicked out," she said in a harsh whisper, partially hiding her face behind her large goblet. Duo laughed heartily before chugging back the rest of his drink.

"You worry too much, milady."

"You worry too little," she retorted, sending an elbow into his side. But in his impaired state, Duo barely seemed to notice the blow. Duo gestured with his goblet towards the dancing princess and her partner.

"As if anyone is paying any mind to us. We're not being as obvious as those two," Duo said. He took another swig of his mead, leaving Hilde to shake her head at him. As her eyes scanned the dance floor, she was startled when Princess Relena appeared out of the crowd, her hand outstretched. The princess looked even more radiant up close, her hair curled and twisted into an elaborate style, so far forward of anything Hilde would see at her own home court in the Germanic region. A glittering tiara sat in Relena's hair, catching the torch light with every turn, sparkling brilliantly.

"Lady Hilde!" Relena said, breathless. "Come, join us!"

Hilde glanced to Duo, who finished off his mead in another gulp and held his arm out for Hilde to take.

"Can't deny the princess," Duo said. Hilde blinked in surprise, but she smiled and took Duo's arm, following Relena through the crowd into the line of dancers that stretched the length of the ballroom.

"They make quite the fetching pair. Don't you think so, your Majesty?"

King Marticus Rex barely inclined his head toward the sound of the voice coming from the foot of the dais, where he sat on his throne, his right hand wrapped around a goblet of mulled wine. His other hand absentmindedly stroked his long, white beard.

"Who do you mean, Lord Treize?" the King asked with an air of boredom, his gaze flickering over the dance floor before he returned his full attention to his drink.

"Why, the Princess Relena, of course, and her companion, the son of Duke Barton," Treize Kushrenada replied smoothly, dipping into a low bow before the King. "Should we expect to hear an announcement sooner rather than later?"

The King frowned down at the other man. "And why, may I ask, are you suddenly interested in my daughter's affairs?"

Treize chuckled and lifted his own wine glass toward the King. "The whole kingdom is interested, my liege. Has been, ever since the princess came of age. And that was quite some time ago, as it were..."

Marticus deepened his frown, disliking the younger man's obvious insinuation toward his daughter.

"The only question is, will you approve the match?" Treize paused to sip his wine, his eyes glinting over his glass. He finished drinking and lowered his glass, a thin smile appearing behind it. "Or do you perhaps have someone more... worthy in mind to court the Princess?"

The King snorted, abandoning all decorum. "I suppose you have someone in mind," he said without bothering to disguise his scoff. "Are you so dissatisfied with your family's reach that you feel you must also lay claim to the throne?" Marticus spread his hands, sending wine sploshing without any regard for where the scarlet liquid might land. He hoped some would splash onto Lord Treize's finely woven tunic, but the man stepped deftly to the side just in time to avoid a wardrobe catastrophe.

The younger man laughed airily, clasping a hand to his chest, although Marticus thought he sounded nervous. "Your Highness, I'm afraid you mistake my intent. I am merely concerned that the princess is happily settled, and your lineage preserved." He bobbed his head toward the King. "The Kushrenada family has long prospered under Peacecraft rule, and I want nothing more than for that to continue. We all wish you a long and healthy reign, your Majesty."

Marticus slugged back what remained of his wine, then motioned to a young page nearby to bring him another. The boy bowed before scampering off with the King's empty cup.

"I appreciate the sentiment," Marticus said, swiveling in his seat to look back at Treize. The King's lips curled into a sneer. "I would appreciate it more, had it not been spoken with a forked tongue."

Treize's face reddened, and the young nobleman stammered something incoherent before slinking off to another corner of the ballroom. Before Marticus could pay him any more mind, the page arrived back at the dais with a new goblet brimming with seductive red liquid. The boy ambled up the steps and handed it off to the King, who immediately took a hearty sip.

As he drank, his eyes scanned the length of the ballroom, taking in the crowds of noblemen and women reveling beneath a rainbow assortment of ribbons and garlands. As usual, his summer solstice celebration did not disappoint. He would have been tempted to join in the dancing himself, were he not so tired.

His eyes fell on his daughter, who at eighteen had become quite the beauty, it pained him to notice. She was a woman and yet still a child, but nearing the prime for marrying age. In truth, he knew he had probably waited too long to wed her off. And he had to agree with Lord Treize on one account; she and the Barton boy did make a lovely pair. Marticus watched as Relena's head lolled back in laughter as Trowa took both her hands in his and spun her around. She certainly looked happy, but it took more than that to make a match.

Marticus kept a firm grip on his drink while his free hand drummed the arm of his throne. His mind drifted to the correspondence he had yet to answer, but he had put the errand off long enough...

- RGS