Xaviers!

"... well, we don't have to leave this room. At least not yet. There are a few more of me trying to make for some false leads, since he was following me."

"Good girl," Katarina said, squeezing Jez's hand. "Alright. Alright.

...Which one was it? Black shirt, gold eagle? Short cropped buzz-cut hair?"

"Definitely blonde hair, I think the dragon guy said his name was Spanakopita." Jez returned the hand squeeze, hoping to help Katarina focus and remain calm. "And a little cape. If that helps."

"A little cape...Spanako....

Alexi," she said, after a moment, nodding. "It must be. Who else would have flown out to England in person," she sighed. "Annoying, but not a danger, I think."

"If my roommate was here, maybe she could fly us out the window and away. I don't suppose you're good at tying bedsheets together," she weakly joked, pulling out a small box from under her bed.

She fiddled with it for a moment, and a false bottom came out, revealing a hidden compartment. Inside was some sparkling, expensive-looking jewelry, including a jewel-studded silver diadem which Katarina carefully took out.

"Mm, I've gained a little weight since my sneaking out days...." Whether she was joking or not would have to be answered another time.

"Um, Kat? Are you sure you wanna do this? I mean, the whole campus will find out...."

"No, I am not at all sure I want to do this, but I do not see another option. Do you?" she said, looking up at Jez.

"I'm honestly in too many places to think of any good ideas right now. Nika? No she'd suplex him through the floor and that goes against your overall plan...."

Katarina smiled sadly up at Jez.

"It is alright, Jez. We all have our secrets, and sometimes, I suppose they must come out," she sighed. "And I will remember who my friends were before they found out," she said, squeezing Jez's hand one last time.

Taking a deep breath, she placed the diadem atop her head, standing up and...straightening out, in a posture Jez hadn't seen Katarina in before. Very proper, very practiced, very poised.

"Well, then. If you would be so kind as to open the door for me, we have a public to meet."

"I guess you're right." Jex said softly, remembering a pretty big secret that she shared with Katarina only recently herself. And the attitude that the redhead adopted, well it impressed even the skeptical American-Genoshan.

"Of course, your highness." While it may have been a bit playful there wasn't a touch of sarcasm in her voice as she opened the door. In the hallway, the Jezs that weren't actively in a conversation with others moved to stand aside and would curtsy when they passed before joining up with the original.

Katarina walked...

No.

Katarina strode down the hallway, nodding her head slightly to the Jezes as she passed.

"Prince Alex. This is a most unexpected pleasure, indeed."

She nodded briefly at Basil and Drake, acknowledging their presence without explicitly acknowledging their presence.

"<Ahh, Your Highness, as beautiful and radiant as the day is long. It is such a pleasure to finally find you here, of all places.>" the Prince began to rattle off in Symkarian, flourishing his bouquet and holding it in the general direction of Katarina.

"In English, please sir; so all of us can appreciate the swiftness of your tongue."

Katarina did not immediately grab for the bouquet.

Basil had been regaling the two gents about the finer points of Dewey Decimal Classification and it was likely for the better that Katarina showed up when she did, otherwise Basil may have been on the hook for regicide when the poor prince's brain melted and leaked out of his ears from boredom.

Having done what he could, Basil tucked away the biscuit jar Colette took measures to ensure was always filled with freshly baked goods, keeping his mouth shut now that someone with more authority to handle this matter was about.

"Ermm...yes. Yes, of course. It is a pleasure to see you and all of your....fellow students!" he said, trying to recover, and still awkwardly holding the flowers out.

"I am sure my friends are honored by your visit, Alex. It is not every day you find someone of your stature in these halls."

"Not that we know of, at least." Jez muttered softly (well, A Jez anyway) behind Basil's back, helping herself to the biscuit jar without even asking. Because why ask when you already know the answer?

Noticing Jez-secondary (tertiary?) going for the biscuit jar, Basil grabbed a packet of instant cappuccino and tore it open, then poured it into a mug.

He handed the mug to her, and silently gestured to the still hot electric kettle on the counter.

Katarina finally, after letting Alex hang out there for a slightly awkward amount of time, finally took her flowers, bringing them up to her nose and sniffing them.

"Oh, these are lovely, Alex. Still fresh, all the way from home. From your garden, I imagine?"

She carefully turned to Jezabelle and, with a calculated air of casualness, handed her the bouquet.

"The first of many, I am sure," he smiled, bowing with a flourish.

Drake sat idly by, watching events unfold as the dragon munched on a small hoard of cookies.

"This is so beautifully awkward and I love it," he whispered to the rest of the audience.

Jez 1 took the flowers and remained quiet, trying to play the part of an attendant to the best of her ability. Now that she knew the potential severity of the situation she didn't want to mess things up for Katarina.

Jez 2gave Basil a little nod of thanks and went to go pour some hot water from the always-on kettle into the cup. Because England.

"Well, we shall be off, then!" Alex said, extending an arm to Katarina. "We shall sup at what passes for quality cuisine in this backwater, and discuss the future. The future of Symkaria!" he said, flashing that smile once again.

"Classes are in session, Prince Alex. For us, the future does involve a math test this afternoon."

Jez tried not to smirk as she stirred her cup. Oh, if there was one thing better than dishing out some snark, it was listening to some well-dished out snark.

"I could show his highness around Maldon, if it pleases." Basil offered in between nibbles of his biscuit. "I've finished for the day.

Mr.Martin can join us."

"Sure, why not. I haven't really explored town much," the dragon boy shrugged.

"That would be lovely, Basil, if you are not otherwise engaged" Katarina smiled. "I would consider it a personal favor for me, and I apologize for not being able to show you around myself, Prince Alex.

I believe I am free for dinner, if my other meetings can be postponed. I believe I was supposed to meet with Yennefer of Vengerberg this evening," she said, nodding solemnly at Jez. "But I believe that can be rescheduled to a time of both of our conveniences."

"Certainly wouldn't want you to miss that Your Highness. We should all be so lucky." Basil replied, trying his best to hide his amusement as he started cleaning up the minor mess he'd made.

Jezabelle nodded in return and began tapping out on her phone, as though she were seeing about moving some scheduling around.

Another hid her smile behind the coffee cup she held with two hands.

Alex looked between the three of them.

"I am sorry, I do not understand. You three work for the Princess? Is this floor reserved for her staff?"

"I believe you silly mammals call it being friendly," Drake said with a smirk.

"I work for the university... if you could call what I do work. Definitely not Princess Karkov.

Generally speaking I don't do well with the instruction from princesses. I can be quite impudent when I get a mind to be, so I doubt her highness would stand my employ for any great length of time. " He quipped, a joke meant more for Jez's benefit than anyone else's.

"Shall we take the no doubt impressive vehicle you came here in, or do you want to slum it in mine for the genuine British experience?"

"...Right," Alex said, still clearly confused. "Alright, well, if there are three of us, we should probably go how you would normally travel. I believe I can -- how do you say? -- slum it for the day."

Jez considered quipping about how Basil already served a queen, but there had already been too many students outed that day. Still, the look in her eye probably told him how tempted she was.

"Yes, neither Basil nor Drake work for me, directly. As he says, Basil is employed by the school, which has been more than accommodating until this point."

"It is settled. I will meet you tonight for dinner, Alex, in a slightly more...appropriate setting," Katarina said, nodding her head. "I look forward to spending some time with someone from back home."

"Shhhhhh... " He replied.

Basil unknowingly became visible only to Jezabelle, and she now knew he was leaning towards her conspiratorially with his finger to his lips. He gave Jez a quick wink, and shoulder checked her lightly.

To everyone, it seemed like perhaps he just bumped into her.

"Let's go on an adventure!" Basil exclaimed.

Katarina exhaled as she watched the trio go, sinking into a chair and rubbing her temples.

A hand rested on each of Katarina's shoulders, though from two different Jez's.

"So, what's the plan?" Asked one while the other nursed her instant cappa.

"I don't suppose we could get away with murdering them all and hiding the bodies?" she said, wearily, putting one hand over one of the Jez's hands on her shoulder.

"What, like a Red Wedding? Is your life really like Game of Thrones?"

The other stopped sipping her cap. "What do you mean by all of them?"