EXILED PRINCE

10 year anniversary since our last late night kitchen murder case

mission board: infamous (sword +1)

diadic

No, that is fine. If we can solve this case and clear our names before they get here, that would be best. More people in our numbers would just agitate things...

Or, at least, that's Leif's guess for how the situation would go. Too many cooks in the kitchen, as one might say.

Though I can't say I've ever investigated a murder... Have you, Prince Kurt??

If Ast's prince had requested the freedom to investigate, that gave Leif the impression at least that he had some degree of confidence. Looking at the canine royal, Leif at least couldn't discern any outward nervousness or other obvious signs of desperation motivating anything.

(A royal taking matters of criminal affairs into their own hands though... That was a thought.)

If the groundsman is letting us investigate, I don't think he did it. Or he's very confident that whatever we do, it won't matter...

Leif turns to the kitchen in earnest, pushing open the double-doors into the area. He lets Kurt walk in first before he follows behind, and just as stated, the viscount's corpse lies on the ground, a knife pushed into his chest. Leif nears, kneeling before the dead body to examine it.

I'd wondered if maybe he didn't die here... but the blood splatter—

—he says, using the wrong term unknowingly because I, the narrator, refuse to piss off my former forensics professors in spirit but know I must to remain in character—

—lines up with what it looks like when I stab someone like this straight on. Er, not that I did!!

To further support his point, upon looking at the rest of the kitchen, no dragging marks can be found. The blood spatters remain remarkably undisturbed at a cursory glance.

We should look at the rest of the kitchen, shouldn't we?? Do you want to divide and conquer, Prince Kurt?

#🐶 ic #🐶 thread: ten year anniversary #diadic #🐶 support: leif #fes spoilers //#//trying to remember how i used to do this shit when i was sixteen :skull: we're getting real classic over here #//what i'm thinking we can do is take turns gming for each other. unless this ends up annoying LOL then idm turning control over to you

The investigation begins in earnest and it is no small relief that Leif is so willing to go along with this idea. It is true that the two of them could just wait until the professionals arrive, although their movements would be severely restricted. It would be better to resolve things quickly and cleanly before more people arrived to complicate the scene.

...Well, something along those lines. I wouldn't call myself an expert, but this is not my first time searching for a traitor.

It's probably better to leave it at that rather than try to explain that what he solved wasn't a murder (his own, mind you, so he already knew who the murderer was), but rather his resurrection. In fact, pointing out that he's been dead before would probably make him ten times more suspicious to everyone else here.

Anyway.

The blow was taken straight on... Do you think he was taken off guard? Even if the murderer was someone he knew well, wouldn't he be surprised to see them at such a late hour? I would have thought there would be more signs of a struggle between them.

Kurt shakes his head.

You're right, though. Rather than stand around speculating, we should take a closer look at the surrounding area before jumping to any conclusions. It should be fine so long as we're both in the same general area. Shout if you find something and I'll do the same. I'm going to open the door to the pantry.

The first order of business: the pantry. If anyone needed to quickly hide something from sight, that would be a good place to start.

song without a name

mission board: infamous: wandering street performer

When she first heard word of a wandering performer able to bridge life and death, she had to admit, she was quite curious. What kind of song would it take to bring the dead to rise? And how much of this was exaggeration to bring about an audience? And… would this miracle be of the light or darkness?

Personally, she wasn’t quite sure what to hope for. Still! When Prince Kurt approached her with the offer to go with him, what else would she do? Even if he hadn’t asked, she would have easily flown by his side without concern. She wished to be by his side, after all, no matter the danger that came their way. Not that she had considered this a dangerous mission, though…

“Nonsense! I would always wish to join you, Prince Kurt. On that, you needn’t worry.”

Aim at her…? And what of him? Her brows furrowed in concern but a wonderful idea came to mind. If her flight kept her safe, then, it should keep him safe as well! I may not be well versed in weaponry, but I know I could carry him anywhere!

She hummed, glancing around the area. If she were a wandering, street performer, where would she like to go?

“Perhaps we should ask around first. It might give us more of an idea of where they are.”

Besides, if they had heard the rumours, then the people here must have as well. The people here had been kind so far, she could trust in their personal accounts.

#🐶 ic #🐶 thread: song without a name #lovelyflight #🐶 support: rose

"Asking the locals is a good plan. As fun as it would be to spend the day just walking around, having a place to start isn't a bad idea." A boyish grin spreads on Kurt's face; one that relaxes his face into looking his age instead of a weary-faced prince. "Hehe. Even if we don't find anything, we can still say it's a date."

The first person Kurt approaches in their little quest is a middle-aged woman out running a stall selling fruit. Although her eyes nearly bulge out of her skull at the sight of two people casually strolling up with animal features, she listens to the explanation Kurt offers.

"If you're looking for a street performer, there's a bard that shows up sometimes two streets over. Just between us, though," the woman leans in conspiratorially, "he's awful. Just terrible. Can't hold a note to save his life. The only gift he has is being a looker, ohoho!"

Kurt shakes his head to signal to Rose: this one's a bust.

"Haha... that's not quite what we're looking for."

He is not released from the conversation, however. The woman continues to chatter away. Pitying looks from passersby give the impression that this is something she does often.

"Right? Right? You should take your girlfriend to see someone who can actually sing. The opera, boy, the opera! Aim big! They're beautiful and can sing! Tad expensive, though."

"I appreciate your help," Kurt says, trying once again to extract himself from the conversation. "But we really are looking for a street performer. You see, it's our first time together in a town like this and-"

He looks to Rose for help.

by the victors

mission board: epidemic: post-expedition report

Berkut nodded, thinking over Kurt's words. It was true, at least on the surface in his opinion. Recovering from a war, there was no way to be everywhere at once.

"I would not suggest trying to oversee every area. Unfortunately trying to recover from such disasters, sometimes harsh decisions must be made. Some area's must be prioritized over others. Securing what is needed to begin the recovery of the kingdom. Guarding farms for food, mines to pull in resources that will aid the recovery. An unfortunate truth for any ruler, deciding what's most important... and what area's they may need to let go of."

For a moment he remembered the war against Zofia. Trying to recover from the famine that had devastated Rigel before it started, forcing the fool Desaix to pay heavy taxes to them in return for the ceasefire. A smirk crossed his face. "Of course, one way to deal with it can always be to force your defeated foes to help pay for the cost. Though it is doubtful they could apply that in Jugdral. Their enemy being a cult and not just an enemy country makes that a bit difficult. Even ransacking the former Empire's treasury would be difficult, considering the new kingdom in it's place also has to deal with managing the former Empire's territory. Little surprise they seem to still be having trouble while trying to recover."

Ending for a moment, he looked down to his own paper. Writing as he talked was a skill he had trained, and if only to make progress on this excuse of a paper he was somewhat satisfied with it.

#🐶 ic #🐶 thread: by the victors #rigelprinceofdespair #🐶 support: berkut #//already getting to use info from those supports omg i'm so excited

It's hard to deny the truth in Berkut's words. Even the smallest of kingdoms is larger than one single person can ever hope to oversee. Tasks can be delegated, yes, but there will still be corners tucked out of sight where shadows will continue to fester.

"I wish to become a good and strong king like my ancestor. Circumstances demand me to be a strong king, one who can defend his people, but I also want to be remembered as a king who did his best." Kurt leans back in his chair for a moment, eyes closed. "It's difficult, isn't it?"

Were it more peaceful times, perhaps he would be content as only a good king. But when not just the people of Ast, but also Holtz depend on his ability to protect them, how can he be content with only good? When he thinks of the weight of all of the lives depending on him, how can he settle on what is worth letting languish?

"It is unlikely most common people in Jugdral will ever see any sort of reparations for what they endured. They may feel as though they have suffered for nothing. Some of the men my group encountered were like that. If there are still no jobs and still no food, how much does it matter to your daily life that leadership has changed?"

If someone swept in and dealt with the Empire before him, would he be able to find closure? Or would he be like the men of Jugdral, desperate for a person to blame that's no longer there?

"If they had more money to work with, they could create new jobs circulating food into poorer areas."

lazulienne

pride and prejudice

⤷ mission task: infamous ( authority +1 )

lazulienne

The Golden Deer host their own small roundtable meeting in the wake of House Gloucester's missive. It's unprecedented, having a mission where the Church of Seiros is being turned out after having been reached out to, and there's utter pandemonium. What to do from there is uncertain, the group split. The fact money factors into it, some of the people accompanying the students unable to go without, only makes everything even messier. It's hard to cut one's losses when there is so much more to lose by doing so.

Lapis, one of the knights accompanying the mission, can sorely understand. However, not being one of the Golden Deer faculty directly makes her hesitant to speak, this mission hardly being her own thing to call the shots on. So she keeps quiet the whole meeting, and when it breaks with no real headway, asked to reconvene the next day, she releases the sigh she'd been holding in the whole time.

But as she goes to leave the camp they'd all set up, she notices one soul off by himself, fervently looking over notes of some kind. Whilst his canine features jump out to Lapis, it's his furrowed brow that draw her feet forward.

“Hey, you. You look busy even after the meeting,” Lapis warns of her entrance to his vicinity with that. She takes the soup she'd grabbed for her own midday meal and instead sets the bowl to the side of the prince. “But don't forget to eat, OK? Gotta keep up your stamina for your plans.”

Though what his plans were, Lapis wasn't sure. Looking over the notes with him, she thinks she recognizes a couple Leicester noble names if nothing else.

“...Say, are you thinking of reaching out to all of them?”

@lobeiro !!

#🐶 ic #🐶 thread: pride and prejudice #lazulienne #🐶 support: lapis #//trying to find this in my tracker like where'd it go ?!?!? (<didnt grab it yet) :skull:#//whta a june huh oomf

There's a lot more to keep track of at this roundtable meeting. Faces, names, places, whose money did or did not change hands with who—tensions are high, even at what could be considered an unofficial meeting. It should not come as a surprise, given that the case is nowhere near solved and payment is being withheld.

Perhaps to the Count it is a small sum of change, but to those that live hand to mouth, there is no time left to take another mission to recuperate costs.

In no uncertain terms, this must be resolved in a way that brings the least harm.

It is the sight of a bowl entering his field of vision that finally causes Kurt to look up from his notetaking. The person who brought the bowl over is one of the knights; a young woman he'd met at the ball after mistaking her for one of his own knights. Although to her credit, this pink haired young woman sat far more quietly during that rowdy meeting than Carina would have.

"Your name was Lapis, wasn't it?" Kurt accepts the soup gratefully. Thank you. I'm ashamed to say it, but you're likely correct that I would have forgotten to eat if you hadn't reminded me."

This isn't the first time someone has had to remind him that his strength alone isn't enough to charge forward with and he doubts it will be the last.

"Yes, I was planning on reaching out to all of them. Depending on how long the conversations take, I may have to reduce the number, but... Why do you ask?"

song without a name

mission board: infamous: wandering street performer

#🐶 ic #🐶 thread: song without a name #lovelyflight #🐶 support: rose #//every time i write a starter i have to remember how tf i format titles i will not change or improve etc etc

If you were to ask Kurt if he held any curiosity towards the concept of a performance that can commune with the dead, he would be hard-pressed to say he isn't. If the opportunity arose, there are so many questions he wishes he could ask his parents. Gotthold, too. He wishes he could ask the future people of Ast if he had become the prince they needed him to be.

The whole thing sounds like a miracle, though, and that's what makes him nervous.

"I'm sorry to ask you to come with me, Rose." Truthfully, he would have preferred to see her as far away from danger as possible. Knowing her, she would have come along regardless, so it's at least preferable to know she's at his side rather than diving headfirst into danger. "Your ability to fly really is invaluable. I don't think anyone will take aim at you if we stick to the town, at least."

According to the rumors, the street performer is a wanderer, so there's little to work with in terms of figuring out where exactly to start. It's not as though they can trounce around the continent chasing after a rumor, so they decided to start with the town of Garreg Mach, given that it is the closest option to check.

If nothing comes of it, then all they have wasted is their time. If they do find the person, then...

"It's still too early to jump to conclusions, but if the source of the music really is the result of a pact with the Demon Wolf Fenris..." Kurt shakes his head. "No, first is the matter of finding out if this person truly does exist."

@lovelyflight

by your side, always

There was a special kind of joy at being called on by him—her beloved. It had not been that long since they’d seen each other, since she had heard her name on his lips. And yet, it felt as if it were the first time. As if she hadn’t heard him for centuries yet. Gentle giggles spilled out of her as he put a rose in her hair. The most precious flower of all in her, that much she was sure of.

“Thank you, Prince Kurt! Here, for you.”

She tucked a tulip in his hair, matching the position his rose was in her hair.

“I’m alright, don’t worry. How are you? I hope they have been treating you well here.”

Of course, there was little doubt in her mind that anyone would feel anything but admiration for her fiance. Still, worry festered as if it held hands with love itself. Flying down, her forehead touched his. Gentle and soft.

“Would you have this dance with me?”

The words were soft, gentle as a whisper but she knew he heard her. He always did.

#🐶 ic #🐶 thread: by your side always #toaball2026 #lovelyflight

For a moment, they are not far enough away from home to make the heart ache, but two children playing in the garden. They're picking the flowers that the gardener won't miss and putting them in each other's hair, running around the garden until their legs had gotten tired. Many years had passed since then and the two of them were no longer children, but in these little moments, it's so easy to return.

In truth, the garden back home might already be gone, razed to the ground by the empire. One day, after Kurt's kingdom is returned to him, he would like to see it rebuilt in a way that makes others feel the way he does on this night.

"I'm alright. I have learned a lot since coming here—the things I'm still lacking, the histories of other lands, the things that are important to other people. I think I will learn a lot here to help me achieve my dream."

He nuzzles his forehead against hers.

"If you would have me, I would love to dance."

@selkitsune sent:

[ LIGHT ] - A complex waltz uniquely performed blind, requiring both trust in one’s partner and in one’s self to successfully pull off. While it has only recently made its way from Ast to Fódlanese soil, it has quickly gained popularity in local dance classes as the ultimate test of faith in a pair.

The thing that's so interesting about dancing is that even if you know all of the steps, it will always be different no matter who your partner is. Every person's individual quirks reveal themselves through the slight differences in movements, how they approach different steps, how close they get when the dance calls for it, whether or not they allow their hands to touch yours. Alberta danced differently than Carina, who danced differently from Gotthold, who danced differently from Zasha, who in turn danced differently from Rose.

Even if this waltz is not as familiar to the people here, their own personal innovations to the dance are like signatures.

For example, his current dancing partner seems to be a free spirit. Even with his eyes closed, he knows it should be a half-step here, but his partner darts away with larger steps. It's not much of a waltz at all by the end and there are more than a few near crashes with other dancers, but above all else, it's fun.

When he opens his eyes at the end of the dance, he finds himself face to face with a similarly eared and tailed girl.

"Haha!" A laugh escapes Kurt's lips at the unexpected reveal. It certainly hadn't been what he expected, but wasn't that the whole point of this dance? "Please accept one of my roses as thanks for showing me such a fun dance."

#🐶 ic #toaball2026 #selkitsune #//thank you for sending!

don't worry guys i didn't forget

i now have a publicly viewable thread tracker, which will make its way onto marni and kurt's blogs at some point today. if we have a thread and you don't see it listed here, that means it probably got lost in one of my bad brain months and i find it easier to just drop it and start fresh and/or they are event threads/minis, which i do not track as a rule of thumb

marni and kurt's inboxes are now also officially closed while i focus on finishing up the ball interactions i have! thank you for a lovely ethereal ball!

#🐶 ooc #//as much as i love spreadsheets i often get replies back when i'm at work and if i don't catch replies as soon as i get them--#//--they stop existing to my brain. LOL. so i need the automation

A Dance of Envy.

Berkut stared out, waiting for the final scores to be calculated. Still it seemed obvious. Fists clenching, nails digging into his palms as his loss was announced. Has he accomplished anything of note in his time here? Failure after failure after failure.

What must he do to actually beat someone?

Still he forces himself to maintain some level of composure. At least as long as he is in the public eye. Especially without the protection of a more... secluded house, it would do well to at least try and keep up some appearances.

So as the two winners leave the stage to make way for the next performance, he makes sure to have a smirk on his face instead of a sneer. Giving them a slight nod of respect.

"I must congratulate you on the dance. It was quite the sight to behold." Trying as best he can to keep his own tone neutral, at the very least. "Kurt right? Good to see you once more. You are very lucky to have such a gifted partner by your side."

@lovelyflight @lobeiro

#🐶 ic #🐶 thread: a dance of envy #toaball2026 #whiteheroncup2026 #rigelprinceofdespair #lovelyflight

At the end of it all, two people move onward and one is left behind. It's unfair, one could say, that in order for someone to succeed, someone else has to fail. There wouldn't be much point in a competition if nothing was being judged, but it still fills him with a complicated feeling to watch groups of people disappear back into the crowds, away from the almost blinding spotlight.

What a bittersweet thing, victory.

"Thank you." Kindness should be repaid in turn, so Kurt bows back. "Although I am lacking in many ways, it's thanks to my fiancée's support that I've made it this far."

Not just here on the dance floor, but throughout his whole life. He doubts he would have even been able to make it to Fódlan without Holtz opening their doors to him. Berkut is entirely correct. Kurt is lucky to have Rose by his side.

"I hope you'll compete against us again next year with a partner by your side, Berkut. Although I do hope my own footwork will have improved by then or you may surely best us next time..."

sacrificialspear

the dance floor menagerie

White Heron Cup 2026 Match 11

sacrificialspear

Inexplicably, it is Finn who passes onto the next round of the contest, and not the pairing actually deserving of it. His only thought is that he is glad that this partner's experience was not brought down by his own, even as he feels a little lost following her to their next match.

At which point he realizes he seems to have missed a note about some sort of dress code. His eyes scan over the pair with their dog ears and wings before briefly returning to the ears sitting up on his own partner's head.

...and in the end, he says nothing.

He bows once more before taking the lead as the musicians begin the starting strings of their song. "Shall we see then if your faith is properly placed?"

The music begins proper, and he waits for no answer.

It is much the same again. Simple steps, a simple dance. Finn does not think himself one for grand displays and can only hope that his partner does not mind or disappoint at that.

(Estel had laughed during their last dance, and Finn's heart aches at the thought that this was an opportunity Nanna should have had sooner.)

"You follow quite well for someone so humble about your skill earlier." He keeps his voice quiet as they dance, not wanting to disturb her focus.

@estelular & @lobeiro & @lovelyflight

estelular

well, this feels a little more like home. dog ears, white wings... estel can’t help the small smile that ticks up the corner of her lip. they make a nice pair.

as for her own...

if anything, he only proves her more and more right. there’s nothing wrong with simplicity when it accompanies consistency. after all, estel is a hunter, not a dancer. when all that stood between their next meal and her arrow was her ability to land the same shot she had hundreds of times before, consistency is a thing she can appreciate.

she can’t quite say the same for herself, however. this time around, she’s so focused on trying to get all the steps right that everything else falls to the wayside. she nearly jumps out of her skin when he speaks, her ears twitching sharply to attention.

“huh?” she trips right into him on her next step and grimaces, only grateful that she hadn’t gone sprawling entirely. even as she straightens, estel already knows it’s thrown her off-kilter. the least she can do is try her best not to step on his toes.

“well, i don’t know about that,” she murmurs, a faint flush of embarrassment creeping up her neck. estel really isn’t so humble—she just knows what she’s good at and what she isn’t. she can pin a boar down with a few arrows without even blinking. on the other hand, dancing...requires a little more effort and thought than that.

TOTAL SCORE: 16.5 @lobeiro & @lovelyflight

#🐶 ic #🐶 thread: the dance floor menagerie #estelular #sacrificialspear #lovelyflight #toaball2026 #whiteheroncup2026

They are matched against another pair this time, which feels apt than competing against a solo dancer. There's something both stressful and relieving to see a pair of rabbit ears sticking up from the other side. It is both a warm reminder of home, now further away than ever, and a grim reminder to be cautious of who knows his whereabouts.

(And the man she's been partnered with is a reminder to watch the expression on his face before it becomes too stern. That's part of the judging, too, isn't it?)

"She doesn't look like she's from the empire," Kurt whispers to Rose when he steps in close to begin their second dance.

But perhaps it was a mistake to let him lead, doubly so with this thought on his mind, because his very first step is a misstep that he corrects with a quick shuffling of his feet. It's messy, hardly the best start to the dance, but there is no undoing what has already been done.

One, two—he draws upon the choreography popular in Ast, hoping that his familiarity with the steps will hide how rusty he's become. A dance is only as good as the person leading it; any flaws here are his alone to bear.

He can't imagine they're scoring very well with him in the lead. His individual score from the judges can't be more than a few points higher than last time (a 14 or so, if he had to hazard a guess), but he lets out a clear, boyish laugh anyway.

"Haha, I really do need to practice more, don't I?"

@lovelyflight

@virtuoustyrfing sent:

[ SAMPLE ] - Anyone who has attended the ball in the past couple of years is familiar with the fake mint candies that seem to make their way around the facilities as a popular prank. Hope your senses are well-trained enough to tell them apart without your sight!

"Kurt? It's you!" Seliph's expression brightens once he comes across a familiar face from the past field trip. "You should watch out for fake mint candies. I mistakenly took one from a bowl over there..."

It's such a shame that such a large campus makes it so difficult to run into people with any real sort of frequency. Putting aside Kurt's sick spell after coming back from the expedition, the Golden Deer and Blue Lions often have classes running at similar times, so meeting up with other students can be a matter of gambling on seminars.

"Seliph!"

Regardless, he's happy to see Seliph well and no longer carrying the grime and fatigue of being on the road for a full month. His tail is mid wag when Seliph's warning leaves his lips.

"Fake... mints?" Fake as in they aren't actually mint flavored or fake as in they aren't even candies? A haunting question that Kurt isn't sure he wants to find out the answer to. "I was not aware such a thing even existed. When I heard Garreg Mach would be holding a ball, I expected a fairly formal affair, but it has turned out to be more lighthearted event than I thought."

Could it be the mingling of commoners and nobles alike allows for an atmosphere relaxed enough for little pranks to happen without the fear of poisoning. How nice it would be if that were true.

Kurt shakes his head, "You've saved me from an embarrassment in the making. The only thing I can offer as thanks is one of my roses, but I hope you will accept it."

#🐶 ic #toaball2026 #virtuoustyrfing #//YAY YAY SELIPH YAY #//garreg mach is like a college campus to me where it's like if someone isnt in one of your classes you're like ok i have a 2% chance-#//of actually seeing you around somewhere within the next few months

A Dance of Envy.

Taking in a deep breath, Berkut stepped out for the competition. Surprisingly, the competitors were two people he was both familiar with. One from an assignment, and another he had danced with during this very ball. However, that was not important.

Eyes skipped over the more standout features. Wings, ears, none of that mattered. Instead it was the way the pair held each other. Standing so close, intertwined with one another. For a moment he heard a different kind of music. A voice calling out his name.

"Lord Berkut?"

Normally he would banish such thoughts. Instead, this time he let them inspire him. Gracefully, he began dancing. Arms were positioned as if he had a partner of his own. Moving carefully, the familiar steps of a dance he hadn't done since the days before everything went so wrong.

Yet still the memories lingered in his mind. Despite his training, they interfered with him. A small wailing through off his choreography, a smell of smoke causing his technique to falter. Yet the style, the pure expression of a lost love no longer in his arms was utterly flawless.

As he finished, he moved back. Knowing it wasn't perfect, even as the judges scored. 18 points, that was all his efforts had earned. Not even close to what would have been satisfactory, yet in that moment, lost in memory... he couldn't bring himself to care.

@lovelyflight @lobeiro

The competition had been a bit of a last minute addition, considering she had only reunited with her fiance recently but! That would not deter her! After all, she knew him well enough to be in step even under such short notice. Now, all she had to do was recall her mandatory dance lessons. Their opponent was one she vaguely knew, the first to dance with her, if she recalled correctly. Ah, this would be formidable!

Taking her beloved’s hand in her own, she began to guide him forward. There were many dances she could choose from, many she had learnt the steps of today alone. Still, having so many choices only led to indecision on Rose’s part. And that would not do tonight. Instead, she allowed her heart to take hold. Surely, her love would be enough.

The steps themselves were improvised so it was only natural things did not go as planned but here, in the present, Rose did not mind. With Prince Kurt, how could she find it in herself to care? Soft smiles so close to giving away to giggles blossomed upon her visage as she guided her love through the steps. No matter the misstep, she would look upon this memory fondly.

Were you to ask Rose herself, she would not quite know when the dance ended, too entranced by the moment itself. Even still, she recalled the necessity for a curtsy. Her dance instructor would be so proud! If not of that, then her near perfect score—29 points in total. Ah, what a relief. It seemed only her technique was found to be lacking. A victory in and of itself.

➻❥ @lobeiro

#🐶 ic #🐶 thread: a dance of envy #lovelyflight #toaball2026 #whiteheroncup2026 #rigelprinceofdespair

It is a competition, of course, as evidenced by their opponent and his lonely dance, but from the moment Rose takes hold of Kurt's hand, the world might as well be only the two of them. If their competitor dances a lonely dance, then the two of them dance as childhood friends turned lovers. Their hold on each other is easy, comfortable and their steps speak to a lifetime spent learning each other's pace.

A misstep here, a fumbled step there—if Gotthold were here, he would have had some words for Kurt about neglecting his training. His footwork is sloppy, unbefitting of a prince or a soldier. It is a sign that he needs to dedicate himself further to building up strength. His steps are still unsteady and unsure; his goal remains as far away as ever.

He's still not ready yet. Another misstep.

Were he not a prince on the run, this kind of thing would be drilled into his head. For Ast's only heir to be performing like this and letting his fiancée lead the dance... the complaints would be endless.

But in front of Rose's bright smile, those thoughts fade into background noise.

One could hardly call it a good showing, but as long as Rose is still smiling, he will continue to chase after her practiced steps. Even if the hair he had pinned back comes loose and gets in his eyes, he can trust that Rose will always be there ready to accept him, just as she has since they were children.

He may not be the perfect prince (his measly score of 11 to her 29 is testament enough to that), but with his hand in hers for the final bow, it is clear why her support had become so important to his heart.

"Rose," Kurt says sheepishly as he catches his breath. "It seems I am the one worrying you again..."

@rigelprinceofdespair

by your side, always

It was only a matter of time, really, Rose knew that. Even still, her gaze couldn’t help but scan the crowd for a familiar figure. A sign of her dear fiancé. It had been this very restlessness that led her to fly out of her home to meet him as early as she could. Just to meet him even some minutes sooner than otherwise.

It was not so invasive a recklessness as before—the knights here would surely keep him safe. Away from harm, enough to ensure he lived on. Still, it was hard not to miss someone so cherished, wasn’t it? Hard not to see Prince Kurt in the many moments of life until his absence felt like a sting in and of itself. It felt like… a…

Just seeing the familiar silhouette was enough for Rose to fly over before she’d even processed it. She’d call it magic to see him again like this—to see him in the lights with roses in his hands.

“Prince Kurt! Oh, I’m so glad to see you again!”

By the time her beloved had turned around, she’d clasped his hands in hers. Just flying a bit off the ground, she couldn’t quite stop her excitement from taking hold.

“I missed you.”

More than the words could quite convey.

➻❥ @lobeiro