"... Th-that's jut the kinds of things I meant!" Bethany said, desperately, in response to Tiral's questioning. Was she not getting herself across better? Ahh, this was a bad idea, wasn't it... no, no, she had to focus and try and thing through. She was trying to be helpful, after all. She took a deep breath to try and calm herself down, exhaling heavily as she did, then inhaling once more. Calm down. Relax. Just reply.
"I-I have both. Guilder's modified scrying spell is p-perfect for the latter," she responded, "This is exactly what I mean, th-though! What you n-need is to build your spell l-library, so you can contribute in b-battle both in the front lines and in back. Y-you're above average in terms of magil, so y-you shouldn't be tiring easily."
There. That was... helpful, wasn't it?
As the argument escalated, the Princess's mood soured further and further. These were the Noble Iron Rose Knights, and yet here... not only were they speaking so ill of their captain, but they also showed no faith in their tradition. Certainly, Fanilly was inexperienced, but... wasn't Saint Elionne no older then sixteen, as well? Eliabelle herself was merely sixteen! This lack of faith almost felt like a personal insult. And then to mount an attack on the Immortal Knight herself... to say the least, the Princess had gone from cheerful to furious in a rather short span of time.
By the time another of the knights, one who was a foreign nobleman as well, approached and introduced himself, she was in no mood to talk.
"I'm sorry, Count Thorn," she began, her voice wavering but level as she turned to look away from the knights, "But I'm no longer in a mood to talk. The faithlessness of petulant children in knight's armor has thoroughly soured my mo-ah?!"
Eliabelle felt a hand wrap around her wrist and begin pulling her away. Immediately, she looked to see who it was, and was surprised to see the confusingly-diminutive form of the Immortal Knight tugging her along through the crowds.
"M... Marmalade? Ah, I haven't... eaten yet, er..." Eliabelle stumbled over herself, her anger cooling slightly as she was taken off-guard. Why she was introduced as a knight...?"
"Ah, er, you are, as I understand," she added, still rather off-center from her sudden abduction, "You... are a Duchess? I know you ascended to the position..."
She trailed off for a few moments...
Fanilly couldn't help but laugh a little to herself when she saw Tyaethe's reaction to Martina's comment. The smallish blonde probably wouldn't have acted so... physically, but that didn't stop her from finding it amusing. It helped cool the stress that she was reluctant to admit had been mounting slightly. She simply wasn't used to such large events, even as a noble girl. It didn't help that, moments later, there was quite a commotion from the direction Tyaethe had gone. Was there an argument? The Knight-Captain couldn't make out what was being said. Moments before she went to investigate, however, Tyaethe reappeared... dragging the Princess with her?
Fanilly looked on in shock as the taller girl came to a halt.
"P-Princess Eliabelle!" she said, abruptly, unprepared. She wasn't particularly composed or ready to speak with the Princess, but, well... there she was. "Your Highness, ah, this party has been splendid!"
And yet, the Princess seemed... flustered? Almost irritated...
"... I... I'm glad to hear that, Knight-Captain, and very happy to meet you at last," the Princess said, after taking a deep breath, "I'm pleased that you've been enjoying yourself, though I can't say the night has gone well any longer."
"... Ah? Your highness? What do you mean...?" Fanilly asked. Was this something to do with all that commotion...?
Before Eliabelle responded, Fanilly caught something out of the corner of her eye. It was... a pointed travelling hat? A long, bobbing staff? For a moment, the girl swore she saw the shape of a little girl... but as she turned to look entirely, she was gone.
What she did see was quite different.
A small, diminutive figure seemed to appear from no-where. She was female, by appearances, hooded and clad in a shirt and jacket, with leather armor on her arms and legs. She was incredibly short, and what could be glimpsed of her face was extremely pale skin, a bit of black hair hanging down beneath the hood, and crimson eyes.
The most important fact, however, was the small hand crossbow being leveled at the Princess.
Fanilly's eyes widened, and she did the first thing that came to mind.
"GET DOWN!"
She threw herself forward. Grabbing the surprised girl, she threw her to the ground, and felt a rush of air as the crossbow fired, and a bolt hurtled past them. It buried itself in the back wall.
Fanilly's head snapped up immediately, and she saw those crimson eyes widen.
"ASSASSIN!" the blonde girl cried, drawing her sword and leaping up to her feet, above a stunned and bewildered Eliabelle, "Iron Roses, to arms! Stop her!"
The small figure spun immediately and darted into the rapidly-clearing crowds. She was making for the exit...! How was it she hadn't been seen before?!