Roleplay

"No, no, don't worry, I'm not hurt Kai. Thank you for your concern though," she said with a smile. "Thank you." The kindness he was showing was genuine. Most people might have elected to ignore her odd behavior to spare her dignity the loss. But Kai was different from the rest of the people she'd met. Well, there'd really only been three people, and one of them was the king. She felt like that might not count.

"I'm glad to hear that he's kind. I'm... well, honestly a little worried about meeting him. We've never met and now we're expected to marry in a few months." These were thoughts she had never shared before with anyone, not even Niko, so why was she sharing them now, with this man? She had known Bella longer than this man. But there was something about him that made her feel like she could be herself. And that was not something she had expected to feel in this castle.

"If you're sure," Kai hummed, still a bit uncertain, but pushing his worry to the back of his brain so he could focus more on Karina.

He faltered, tilting his head, a bit unsure how to respond, before biting his lip and nodding. "It's certainly tough to be in your shoes... however, think about it like this; I'm sure the prince is just as nervous as you. You're both the same age, and from what I can tell, you seem to have a lot in common," he offered, pulling his reasoning from how smoothly this conversation was going, as well as what Bella had said to him earlier.

"The thing you two are doing for both the humans and the selkies will outlive you, bringing a safe haven for both of our people, securing their futures. I'm sure that you two will get along well. You seem like a very kind, insightful person, Karina." Kai almost felt like a different person-- he felt all the caution he usually carried was lifted, as if he had nothing to hold up or be afraid of. Here, they felt like two strangers, instead of two soon-to-be-weds.

She hadn't thought about it like that. "Thank you, Kai. I hadn't seen it like that. Though this event may outlive myself and the prince, that doesn't mean it will succeed. Not to mention that it decades away. There's so much that could go wrong in that amount of time." As she spoke, Karina's voice began to fade as her worry engulfed her. She had known about this engagement for weeks and had avoided all of these thoughts. She'd kept herself busy, learning human customs and how to appropriately interact with them. But now all of those feelings were leaking out like a sinking boat.

Shaking her head and setting her jaw, Karina stood tall. No. She wouldn't let those things dissuade her. As they neared the door to her chambers, Karina turned back to Kai and gave him a smile. "Thank you for escorting me back here. You helped me to look at this situation in a different light. Though I must go prepare now for the banquet, I hope that we may meet again." With that she strode forward purposefully and entered her room, closing the door softly, but not without taking one last look at Kai.

((Should we time skip to the banquet now?))

((yeah, sounds great!, again my bad for taking so long to respond, ive been super duper tired))

Kai waved a tentative goodbye, watching Karina close to door in front of him. He nearly groaned aloud-- dinner was going to be a wreck.

---

When the banquet came, Bella showed up at Niko and Karina's door again, waving hello with a friendly smile.

"I hope you both are well-rested. The banquet is ready for you." Bella addressed, holding the door open for both of them. She had switched her clothes out for a fancier dress, walking on flats.

Bella led the way down the staircase into a looming hallway in the center of the lower floor. Chandeliers lit the path with arched windows letting in the dying light of the sun as it disappeared under the horizon for the night.

The hallway opened up into a bustling dining room, servants out and about with trays of food. A long, winding table stretched across the expanse of the room, plush chairs tucked underneath. The white, laced tablecloth was cut just before it touched the floor, and a couple of nobles and other higher ups had already found their seats. What looked like a gem-covered chandelier reflected colourful lights across the room and floor.

The king had already found his seat at the head of the table, to his left, a smaller looking throne, most likely for Kai, and to his right, a throne that was engraved with designs of the ocean and encrusted with pearls.

The king waved both Karina and Niko over, Bella following in suit.

"Welcome to the banquet, princess. You may sit here," he gestured to the throne on his right, "Kai will be here shortly, then we can begin."

((We can just call it even now XD Sorry for my long delay too, the week just flew by.))

As she prepared for the ball, Karina found herself wishing more and more that her father could be here. He was so much more personable than she was, so much more professional. She didn't know the right things to say or do, didn't know what she was meant to do in political situations like this. "You can do this," she whispered to her reflection.

Her dress was just as grand as the one from that morning. A deep blue, it reminded her of the ocean just before a storm. Not a selkie storm, but a natural one; one that was peaceful just before the torrent began, as the rain skittered down and then thundered upon the sea. Disappearing just as slowly as it always had. It reminded her of home. Though these were gifts from the human king, Karina was sure that her father had helped to design them. The edges of the sleeves, bodice, and skirt faded to white, just as the ocean surf did. The detail was remarkable, and she smiled. Her father had definitely had a hand in designing this dress.

That thought kept her smiling as Belladonna led her and Niko through the castle and into the grandest dining room she'd ever seen. Well, the only one, but still. The colors were vibrant, the chandeliers and candles bright with life, the servants bustling around the guests with just as much fluidity as fish in a reef. Belladonna led her straight to the king, with Niko trailing behind and near the wall. Ever her protector.

"Your Highness, this dining hall is grand, far grander than what we have at my home." Her eyes shifted across the room, still taking in the dazzling appearance of everything. At the mention of Kai, her head shot up and then her cheeks turned red in embarrassment. It wouldn't be the same Kai. It was a popular name, there were likely several Kai's in the castle, and the one she had met earlier was quite busy elsewhere. She doubted they would run into one another again.

((Are Kai and Karina sitting next to each other or on opposite sides of the king?))

((hey no worries, ive been super duper busy this week anyways haha. i was originally gonna say opposite sides but i think it would be easier for them to converse if they were sitting next to eachother so perhaps that instead?))

To be completely honest, Kai was strapped with worry. He wasn't sure why he hadn't just confessed he was the prince to Karina earlier. Faintly, he had unconsciously not wanted to add to her apparent stress and embarrassment, but Kai also knew he needed to take responsibility for his own habit of avoiding things. Throughout his time preparing in his room, Kai couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable in his stomach, almost like what he'd imagine it would feel like to be seasick.

The suit he wore was a navy blue, fitted to him to bring out the blue in his eyes. Intricate patterns of flowers were embroidered into the fabric, hard to notice at first glance but bringing a smart sheen to the suit. The suit was fitted in an odd way that was styled for most of the royal family; in a manner that would show off their flower tattoos. Kai's red sakura tattoo stood out boldly against his skin and the colour scheme of his suit.

Today's banquet almost reminded Kai of his own Flourishing. The amount of people, the extents gone to decorate the castle, the preparation. It was almost ironic, however. Today would be the day that humanity and selkies took their first step towards uniting their kingdoms and ending bloodshed on both sides. Kai was certain his mother would be proud.

As a final step, Kai fashioned his crown across his forehead, making sure it was straight before beginning to travel down the stairwell. Kai was aware that he was a bit late, which didn't help but add to his nerves. Concern of what the selkie princess would think of him, and in return, what he would think of her. Would she treat him differently once she realizes who he really is?

When Kai reached the dining room doors, he took a deep breath before stepping in. The chattering amongst the royals diminished, about a hundred eyes all turning to face him. The light from the chandeliers made Kai feel almost nauseous as he looked around the room, bearing the most polite smile he could muster.

Dishes of all sorts lined the table, and Kai gulped, managing an official-sounding, "apologies for my late arrival, thank you for the wait," before making his way to his father. Thankfully, chatter resumed almost immediately, the lack of attention on him specifically making Kai feel like he had been wrapped in a warm blanket.

The amount of people in the room at first had clouded Kai's gaze, blocking his sight from everyone in the room, but as he approached his father, his eyes locked with the same pale blue eyes he had been staring into earlier. He offered a small, remorseful smile as he sat down next to the princess, willing himself to not fidget and for his voice to not shake.

Bella and Niko were seated practically next to Kai and Karina, and Kai watched Bella offered him an encouraging smile out of the corner of his eye. She had no idea what had happened, but she could definitely tell that Kai was nervous.

Kai bit his lip, silent for a moment, staring at the table cloth with thoughtful eyes. His thoughts were loud, like a rushing river for just a moment, before he focused in on what he needed to do. He whipped to his side, locking eyes with Karina once again and ducking his head apologetically.

"I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you who I was before!" Kai blurted honestly, not wanting his relationship with the selkie princess to have a horribly rough start. This was far out of Kai's comfort zone, but he needed to say what was on his mind, "I was surprised and didn't know what to do."

((crown ref but imagine it with smaller gems :D! pardon any typos, im kind of out of it cuz its late LOL. and sorry abt the wall haha))

((Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.))

Karina hadn't been conversing with anyone while they waited for the prince, more listening than anything else. She was too nervous to engage in a conversation, too scared that she would say something wrong or strange that would alienate her from these people. It was stressful enough as it was. From the corner of her eye, she could see Niko talking to Belladonna and smiling, and she was glad to see he had made a friend. As open as he always appeared to be, Niko was even more closed off than she was. It had taken her ages to get her to just open up with her.

"So Bella, how often does your king hold these functions?" Niko questioned, curious as well as simply trying to carry a conversation. He hoped that his example might help his princess to feel more comfortable in this space. But he also understood how out of their depth they both were. Selkie events were so much different than this, and he felt like one wrong move could spell disaster for both of them. "Tell me about your family? I'd love to hear more about your customs hear on the shore."

Niko was the first to see the prince arrive, as he'd perfectly positioned himself to be viewing the door, as any good guard would do. The prince was handsome, as all members of royalty tended to be, aided by breeding and custom clothing. Despite this, Niko could see that it was more than just those things that aided in his attractiveness. He had always believed himself to be a good judge of character, and though it may not have been as effective with humans, Niko believed that the prince was not like his father. A proud man who demanded to keep up appearances, who likely put himself and family before anyone else. Niko imagined the prince would be more like his mother, the one who had died in a selkie storm.

He grimaced at that thought. He knew that particular storm all too well. It was one caused by the king himself, enraged at the loss of his wife and companion, the mother of his child. They didn't know she was dead yet, but hopes weren't high. The ship had appeared suddenly and far too close to a selkie beach spot, and the king lashed out. The sea had been red for days afterwards.

Karina started when she noticed the prince. Those eyes, they were far too familiar to be set in a face she had never seen before. His gaze made contact with hers, and she balked, realizing that this wasn't someone she had never met. A wave of embarrassment washed over her and she broke eye contact, her gaze falling to the hem of her dress. This couldn't be happening. Making herself look like a fool in front of a servant was bad enough, but the crown prince himself? There were no words for how she felt at that moment.

As everyone bustled to their seats, Karina slowly settled into her own, eyes not moving from the dinner plate before her. Dimly, she was aware of the prince sitting down beside her and the king on her other side. At least she wouldn't be forced by etiquette to converse with unknown courtiers. His words reached her though the pounding of her racing heart and she forced herself to swallow. One breath, two, now she could speak.

"There is no need to apologize your highness. It was foolish of me to assume who you were. I am unaware of many goings on within these walls. I apologize for my behavior as well." She sounded stiff even to her ears, but she didn't know what else to say, but knew that there needed to be something more. She looked up at him, trying to give him a small smile. "Really, it's okay."

((And don't even worry about the wall, I honestly love it!))

Bella hummed thoughtfully, "these are rarer. As you can imagine, prepping the whole castle tends to be hard work." Bella nodded, "we usually only hold celebrations like this on days such as these, as well as days of Flourishing." She gestured inconspicuously towards Kai's collarbone, pointing out the flower tattoo that stretched across it. "A custom in the royal family is to be marked with a symbol of a flower that is supposed to help them guide their lives." Bella explained tone a little quieter, "Kai's little brother's Flourishing ceremony is coming up. The last one that happened was his younger sister a couple of years ago."

Bella tilted her head at Niko's question about her family, tucking a strand of hair out of her face. "My parents both originally worked in the castle, so I was raised here. My mother was in the royal guard, and my father was a worker in the kitchen." Her father had passed away three years ago, and Bella still missed him everyday. She wondered what his reaction would be to this treaty; Bella's father was always a peaceful man who wasn't fond of the war between selkies and humans.

As Bella spoke to Niko, her eyes followed Kai as he approached Karina, noting the princess looked especially stiff and nervous. In comparison, Kai was practically the same. It was harder to notice with him, as Kai had always been good at acting official, but as soon as he sat down next to Karina, Bella noticed he completely dropped his guard. Bella decided this was something Kai would have to do himself, turning back to Niko, this time with her full attention.

"What about you, Niko? Tell me more about your own home." Bella said with genuine intrigue. It was always a gift to learn about things outside of your own zone.

Meanwhile, Kai was at a loss of words, chewing his lip before sighing, not wanting to remain silent. "About what I said earlier," Kai murmured, "it still stands." He spoke, referencing how he explained to the princess that the prince was likely feeling similarly to her about this whole situation. Kai desperately would rather to get to know the princess in a smaller, more enclosed environment. Maybe with Bella at his side. His nerves were still churning in his stomach, fingers trembling sightly.

"I still should've told you who I was," Kai sighed, "but we can move past that, if you want." He returned her small smile with one of his own. "You don't need to act on formalities, no one is listening." What Kai said was true. The king seemed to be engaged in a conversation on the other side of the table, and all the other royals were chatting amongst themselves, which was both something that Kai didn't expect, but was also extremely grateful. He had walked into the room thinking the eyes of the people would be on him and Karina the whole time. It wasn't that Kai didn't understand the importance of formalities in front of important people, it was just that he already managed to speak to Karina without such courtesy. Face to face, as two strangers in a empty hallway.

((okay, thats good haha))

Glancing again at the prince's collarbone, Niko raised his brow. "So what does the prince's Flourishing represent? And are they always flowers?" Looking now to the king, who wore a similarly styled shirt, Niko examined the Flourishing. It seemed more grand than the prince's more detail put into place, but it didn't appeal to him. Of course, Niko found few body brandings that did appeal to him.

Interested now in the younger prince's approaching ceremony, Niko turned again to Bella. "Oh? I'm sure it will be a grand ceremony, with much to learn about your customs." At the question about his own life, the dark haired selkie tried not to stiffen. He may have appeared an open book, but there were parts of his life he had always been unwilling to share, not due to secrets or darkness, but simply because he viewed it as a weakness. The more someone knew about you, the more they could use that information for their own gain.

He chuckle and shook his head, thinking quickly. "There is little to tell, dear Belladonna. I have many older siblings who helped me grow into the selkie I am today. I've always yearned to serve my king, and I believe that I do so in the highest honor possible; protecting his own daughter." At that he glanced to the princess, attempting to ascertain her comfort with whatever conversation was occurring at the table.

She was much more comfortable now, the prince's comment easing some of her anxiety. He felt just as nervous about all of this as she was feeling. Why wouldn't he? Like Karina, Kai had grown up in a warring country, ever at odds with their closest neighbors and each side never gaining a foothold. Suddenly, a solution was found and arrangements were made. Though the two still had several months before the wedding, Karina knew that it took longer than that for two people to fall in love. Or even to be comfortable enough around one another to have that kind of relationship.

"Formalities were never my strong suit," she whispered thankfully. Karina gave him a small smile and was relieved when he returned it. They had become hunched over in their chairs, leaning toward the other. Noticing that there were several onlookers, Karina now straightened slightly, though still directed her words toward the prince alone. "Though I do believe some formality must be upheld in this current situation. Perhaps we could continue more informal topics later, in a more secluded setting?" Karina wanted to kick herself. She was sure she sounded just as awkward as she was feeling, and glanced to Niko in despair. He provided no comfort other than a wink. He had always been so much better at this sort of thing than herself.

((hey just wanted to drop in and lyk that im not totally dead, im just super swamped atm. will respond when i get the chance ^^