#ic || ... so be it

[scarletfireblossom]

Camilla looks her up and down, raising an eyebrow. This may be a rare moment where Hinoka is taller than her, being confined to sitting after injuring her ankle, but she still knows how to tear her down. "That is absolutely not your shade of red."

As much as she had been enjoying the night thus far, it takes but one comment to remind Hinoka that she didn't belong here. She was a soldier not a socialite. Despite the good interactions she had been having, deep down she was overwhelmed and wishing she hadn't turned down her brother at the door. Camilla's comment cuts, if only because Hinoka knew she was out of place already. But as she turns to face the voice of her enemy (and how Corrin would be disappointed in that distinction), she found herself pausing uncomfortably.

Her mind turned to the siege of Castle Shirasagi, a battlefield, or the aftermath of one about to breach the castle proper. She remembered cold steel against her neck as Camilla stood over her. Now it was herself standing taller than the woman. It was hardly the same situation, but it was enough of a ghost of something similar to make her feel more uncomfortable. She could have fired back her own cutting remark, given into her anger, likely giving Camilla the satisfaction of knowing she had gotten under the Hoshidan Queen's skin.

Nohr had taken everything that mattered from her. She wasn't going to let this woman take her dignity too.

"Perhaps then, next ball, you might advise on a better outfit, Princess Camilla," she replied, offering a small and more practiced curstey. Perhaps the first action she had been forced to perfect as Queen. Her smile was a little forced, but that was the only indication to the storm buried deep. Then she offered forward a lily.

"I wish you a pleasant evening," she added.

[scarletfireblossom]

[ SEQUESTER ] - Some rooms remain unused, and while by the padlocks on their doors you suspect they are meant to remain that way, some poor sap seems to have forgotten to make sure they were locked properly. They make for an excellent space away from the chaos of the rest of the ball—though you may not be the first one there.

All she needed was a space, a space to let go of her stress again. Ryoma wasn't with her again and socialising so much was getting to her. Whichever poor soul forgot to lock the door properly, blessings onto his future. Entering one of the rooms, Hinoka released a breath and slumped her shoulders. Could she, for just a moment, let go of her title and relax?

Apparently not as she became acutely aware of another presence in the room. She straightened and was about to apologise when she saw who it was. Niles. Nohrian retainer to Prince Leo. Who had just seen her show weakness. She should leave... but she did NOT want to seem rude.

"Apologies," she said quietly. "I was not aware someone else was here." It only to safe face, she held out a lily to Niles. "I can leave."

Pull all her masks tightly around herself again and force herself into the crowd.

[scarletfireblossom]

[ TEA ] - Just what it says on the tin! The only teas offered are Mint, Bergamot, Sweet-Apple Blend, Albinean Berry Blend, and Southern Fruit Blend, wrapped in small tea bags. Some students, having anticipated a small selection, bought their own tea.

She had not, in fact, anticipated a small selection of tea like some of the students, but she also didn't dislike the options. She did have to admit to being unfamiliar with tea bags however, though the concept was easy enough to understand. So what Hinoka did was to make two cups of tea and find a random person.

This would achieve two things, first, networking. She would meet someone she didn't know. Secondly, blossom collecting. If she handed a lily to someone with the tea, perhaps they might offer one in return.

Thus that was why, when she met the young man with canine ears, the teacup of Sweet-Apple Blend was accompanied by one of her lilies.

"I hope you don't mind, but perhaps we might have time to talk?" she offered.

[scarletfireblossom]

[ FLOWER ARRANGEMENT ] - No matter how many flowers you gather, your bouquet won’t look its best unless you have the skill to make it so. A couple of students have taken upon itself to imbue their peers with the knowledge of flower language and the art of flower arrangement, and as a result the garden has become something of a workshop.

"I'm not that skilled at this, Saizo," Hinoka sighed. "I had to ask someone else what the flowers meant when I ordered Ryoma's birthday gift..."

Still, she did her best. Though she didn't think her attempt was that good at all. Yet another sigh escaped her as she looked at her attempt of binding Saizo's bouquet together. She seemed to have made it less dense than before... with a small hum, she took one of her own lilies and placed it into the bunch before she handed it back to him.

"There, what do you think?"

She picked up one of the roses that had fallen from from the mess. A trophy of sorts from her horrific attempt...

[scarletfireblossom]

[ NOHR ] This song — of war, of conquest — started during her approach. Azura grazed Hinoka's elbow in the midst of the driving rhythm and loud steps of the dance, offering a smile in greeting. "I believe what follows this one is a Hoshidan classic," she murmured. "May I have a dance with you then?"

Her sister approaches her during a Nohrian dance to ask for a partner for the following Hoshidan one. Hinoka smiles softly and offers Azura a lily in response. She would be honoured to dance with her sister again.

"Nothing would make me happier," she replied. And with a stroke of luck, she recognised the ending refrain of the music. The dancers in the middle of the room were moving off to rest feet or switching partners. Hinoka took Azura's hand and with the whimsical air of her younger self, pulled her sister to dance.

[scarletfireblossom]

[ SWEET BUN TRIO ... sort of ]

"Ah! If it isn't Hinoka. Making merry this eve, I should hope?"

He beams, steps around to stand before her, and with a flourish... presents the plate of curiosities he has procured for his one and only liege. At first glance, it looks to be a platter of sweet bun trios taken haphazardly from any of the tables about the ballroom offering myriad similar confections...

But those and these are not the same.

He offers a starry-eyed wink.

"The inside may surprise you."

So maybe he'd pulled a few strings with his modest income upon learning that Hinoka - even if she was not his Hinoka - had made her way to Fodlan. Tucked away within the sweet buns were small, crystalline, star-shaped candy - konpeito.

A taste of home for one so far removed. And a wish for her to feel more at ease.

"I will always wish the best for you, you know."

But then, the corners of his eyes crease upon noticing her bouquet - and in it, a particular pink tulip.

"It seems you already have one... but, my lady, you will still accept one of mine, won't you?"

Cream and pink tulip is held out for Hinoka to take.

Some days Azama is exasperating, other days he makes her want to tear out her hair. But on days like today, in moments like this one, Hinoka is grateful for her retainer. And maybe still a little exasperated.

"Azama, is that a whole platter?" She asked, but it is pointless to ask because, yes, it is, and no, she didn't want to enquire further. She was going to accept this at face value and enquire no further, because otherwise she would fall down some rabbit hole line of questioning she did not currently wish to entertain. So instead Hinoka sighed and offered Azama a smile, taking one of the trios.

"I have been better than I expected this evening," she answered. "Being at such a formal event hasn't been as bad as I thought."

Absent-mindedly, she took a bite of one of the sweet buns and paused when instead of the expected filling, her teeth instead crunch into a familiar sugar treat. Her eyes widen in surprise. Konpeitō. Whatever strings Azama had pulled had given her a sweet bun filled with her favourite treat. Something perhaps childish and she would be highly embarrassed about, but... right now it was reminding her of a home she was so far from at the moment. She sets the bun down on her plate again.

As the flower is offered, Hinoka pauses. Then accepts it gently, as though the offering is a most treasured gift.

"Thank-you, Azama," she murmured. Thanks for more than just the flower. She adds it to her bouquet and gives him one of her lilies in return. "You are a godssend."

A compliment she rarely offered, but tonight it came from the bottom of her heart. She felt less out of place right now.

[scarletfireblossom]

[ PHOTO-ARTIFEX ] - The ever-popular photo-artifex makes its annual return, allowing users to capture pictures in as little as a flash of light and a moment. Take home something to remember the event by!

--

"あれれー？Is that Hinoka-sama in western formal attire~?" He approaches with playful curiosity before beaming bright, "What a rare sight! I dare say, we should take a picture for commemoration! Let's go~!"

"Ah-! Tsubaki!! Let me go!!"

Gods, she didn't want her dress to be made a big deal out of...!!! Alas, her friend seemed to have other ideas. A frown crossed her face for a brief moment, but... it didn't last long. Despite her red face that matched her hair and her dress, Hinoka laughed quietly.

"It was something that looked comfortable and formal at the same time," she hummed as they stood for the camera. "I couldn't pass it up."

The flash of the light made her blink. What strange devices this country had... Regardless. Hinoka looked at Tsubaki and smiled. He dressed up well, though that was to be expected, she supposed.

"Here, a gift from myself to you," she hummed, offering him one of her lilies.

[scarletfireblossom]

[ FLOWER ARRANGEMENT ] - No matter how many flowers you gather, your bouquet won’t look its best unless you have the skill to make it so. A couple of students have taken upon itself to imbue their peers with the knowledge of flower language and the art of flower arrangement, and as a result the garden has become something of a workshop.

"Hrrrnnn.... no, this still doesn't look right," Hinoka said, staring at the bouquet that she and a fellow ball goer were looking at. It... was reminding her terribly of the broach she had given Ryoma for his birthday. Maybe she should apologise for how she spoke to him as they entered the ball.... The queen looked at her rabbit-earred companion and sheepishly offered the bouquet.

"I'm sorry, I am afraid I am not too well versed in making these things," she admitted. "What would you suggest?"

Dawn Dragon save her from complete embarrasment at least.... Perhaps she would at least offer a lily for this woman's own bouquet... As a sorry consolation prize for having to deal with the one person who was the least qualified for this task.