Xaviers!

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 5:57 pm**

Nika nods curtly. "<I was not doubting your word. Her response to your meeting was... perhaps not as hoped. I assume that's the reason for your visit?>"

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 5:59 pm**

<"The purpose of my visit is to receive my final answer. The Princess has had more than enough time to consider her options at this point; it is time for her to make a decision, for the best of Symkaria. She is a reasonable woman.">

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:02 pm**

"<I hope so...>"

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:05 pm**

<"Do not be alarmed, Lieutenant! I am sure you will retain your position. And you shall be very busy in the upcoming months, as well! There will be much to plan, and much cause for celebration.">

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:21 pm**

"<Let me escort you to Her Highness then.>"

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:23 pm**

<"But of course. Proper protocol and all that. Lead on, Lieutenant.">

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:35 pm**

Nika nods and leads Prince Alex down the hall, stopping at Katarina's door and giving it a sharp knock.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:53 pm**

Muffled shuffling noises.

"Who is it?" Katarina called out.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:02 pm**

"<His Highness Prince Alexander of House Sablinova.>" Nika informs her.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:14 pm**

More scuffling and scraping.

<"We are not, at this moment, yet prepared for the arrival of Prince Alexander. Please make him as comfortable as possible; we shall attend to you shortly...">

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:27 pm**

Nika pinches the bridge of her nose.

"<My apologies. It would seem she is ill-prepared to receive you right now.>"

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:31 pm**

Alex frowned, and crossed his arms.

<"Lieutenant, open the door.">

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:38 pm**

"<And disregard a direct order? We both know what is going on in there. We don't need to see it.>" Nika frowns.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:41 pm**

<"What's going on there is the princess is stalling, and she is out of time,"> Alex said, haughtily.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:49 pm**

Might as well see this through. The sooner it's sorted the better.

"<Very well.>" she says, opening the door. "<My apologies. He insisted.>"

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 8:36 pm**

Katarina was...mostly in her military uniform -- obviously a reflection of her royal status and not any actual training for the military. The struggles, apparently, were that the uniform didn't quite fit anymore -- the aftermath of months living in the Decadent West, most likely.

"<Nika!>" Katarina cried as the door was opened. <"It is too difficult to delay for five minutes?">

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 8:56 pm**

"<Just a moment!>" Nika squeaks and slams the door close from the inside, hopefully not actually hitting the Prince. "<The Princess is not decent!>" Which is at least partially true, causing Nika to find a very interesting spot on the ceiling to study intently. She hadn't really planned to end up inside the room but she was not thinking entirely clearly right this second.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:00 pm**

<"Help me with this zip, while you are here,">" Katarina said, fumbling with a long box.

<"He is alone, or has he brought his entire retinue with him?">

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:06 pm**

"<Only him and his bodyguard are right outside.>" she says, swiftly glancing at Katarina and then at the box before stiffly heading over to her to take the box and open it for her.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:07 pm**

In the box was Katarina's ceremonial sword, shiny, polished, and ready to go. Kept in better nick than one would expect!

"<I mean the zip on the uniform, Nika. You are going to put someone's eye out with that thing.">

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:14 pm**

"<Only if I want to!>" she objects, much less stiff than she'd been acting lately. Too easy to fall back into familiar patterns with Katarina. "<The zipper on the other hand might be beyond me. I'm not a seamstress.>"

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:26 pm**

<"Yes, but you have brute force, which I do not."

"Just him and his guard, is it? Well, I would suspect he travels with more than one, but that is a bridge we shall burn when we get to it.">

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:29 pm**

"<That's not the correct saying, neither here nor back home.>" she says, hesitantly taking the zipper. "<Shouldn't your new lady of the bedchamber be in charge of this?>" she asks as she tries to force the zipper, contemplating using her power if it doesn't budge...

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:31 pm**

<"Believe it or not, Prince Alex did not check Jezebelle's schedule when he demanded an audience today. And Jez may well be off with her girlfriend, Nailah,"> she said, pointedly.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:33 pm**

"<Right.>" she mumbles. "<Okay you're going to have to hold your breath here for a moment or this isn't happening.>"

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:37 pm**

<"Ready when you are,"> Katarina said, taking a big breath of air.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:41 pm**

With a sudden smooth jerk Nika yanks the zipper upwards.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:45 pm**

"Gah!" Katarina cried, as the zipper just did zip. <"I do not know why these things have a tendency to shrink."

"How do I look?"> she asked, picking up the sword and carefully placing it in it's scabbard.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:55 pm**

"<Incredible.>" Nika says with a strange begrudging falter in her voice.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 10:25 pm**

<"Well, let us hope the Prince is similarly awed.

The bodyguard. Do you know him? Is he a mutant? Is he a threat?">

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 10:31 pm**

"<Only vaguely. He's not a mutant at least. Are you expecting a fight?>"

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 10:39 pm**

<"I would hope not, but this could go a number of different ways, and none of them are good.">

She idly fingered the emergency card that Nailah had handed her.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 10:42 pm**

"<Let's get it over with then. Whatever happens, I will make sure you're okay.>"

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 10:48 pm**

<"I know. I have faith in you, Nika.">

Taking a deep breath and pocketing the card, Katarina strode forward to the door.

<"My apologies, Prince Alex, for the delay. Class lasted longer than expected today.">

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 10:53 pm**

<"Your class was cancelled today,"> Prince Alex said. <"I know. I spoke to the headmaster before arriving and arranged it.">

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 10:58 pm**

Nika winces. Katarina is clearly off her game if that escaped her notice. None of this is going how nice and clean she thought it was going to...

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 11:02 pm**

<"How courteous of you to give me a day off, though this shall eat into my time later, Prince Alex. My scheduling is not your concern.">

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 11:03 pm**

<"Perhaps not. But perhaps my scheduling should be a concern of yours. I have had some interesting meetings lately, and an audience with your father in 72 hours.">

Posted: **Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:13 am**

<"...With my father?"> Katarina warbled, slightly. <"I would not think that would be necessary...">

Posted: **Thu Sep 03, 2020 5:48 pm**

"<That does seem rather drastic, Prince Alex. If I may be so bold to speak.>"

Xaviers!

Knight Sacrifice

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