[IC] At your Service, M'lady (Rusalka & Sailor)

[Rusalka]

She figured the Princess would be delighted at this wonderful news from the knight, especially after she had rescued her from the encroaching grasp of demise not once but twice in a damn row, ah but how mistaken Irina was when the young girl rose to her ever so snappingly after a brief and embarrassing moment of uncomfortable silence, her tender hands resting....not so tender upon the pauldrons of the woman's polished armor. Quite literally they were grabbing Irina's shoulders in a death grip as the flustered Crystal struggled with all her might against the woman's weight, pushing her towards the door, but to no avail since Irina was quite hefted down in metal plates. "M'lady, is something the matter?" Well of course something was certainly wrong with Irina being the appointed guard of her fair Princess, but what exactly....didn't really fathom the knightly woman. Soon though, her sabatons began to inch across the polished wood floor of the Princess' bed-chamber and towards the door she went, the girl, red-cheeked and angry as ever with her, still pushing Irina along with every shout, every curse that bellowed bitterly from those pretty lips of hers. Quite cute it felt to the knight, this young lass' flustered attitude, but no longer could she ponder upon it as she suddenly found herself out in the hallway with an awkward stagger forward, trying to gain her footing again.

And wouldn't you know who she had to stagger out towards.... "Oi Pindel! Looks like our lady-knight's already having a rough day yeah?" She heard the familiar, squeaky cackle and her eyes turned sharply to catch the skinny bastard elbowing his portly chum, who in return joined in on making sport of Irina, "I'll say, Versetti! Her lady's a rough one to handle, ain't she Sir Knight? Even a wee lass like Lady Crystal can shove ye around, and she's no bigger than a mouse!" Ooh the burn Irina felt off that little remark, the snarky insult of her parading about as a knight of honor, such scalding burn it gave the woman. Scowling fiercely at the two ne'er do wells and their comical banter shot at her, Irina briskly dusted off her pauldrons and snarled, "Oh shut your gob, you two ruffians!" turning heel on her feet and storming her way back to her chamber, all while cringing bitterly at the laughter, the jesting giggles rumbling the bellies of these two buffoons as it echoed down the hall and stung at her ears. I don't get it. And while she made her hasty return to her room, she pondered to herself. Why? Why in the name of the Goddess would she be offended by such? I mean...of course I must be with her at all times....wait a minute....then what the HELL am I doing now?! Ugh!! And there was strike two. Dammit! She was already faltering at this.

Quickly she turned again from her course and back to Crystal's chamber she went, crossing the two idiots Pinhead and Spaghetti, or ball and stick how Irina liked to picture them. Maybe a passing ogre or a dragon could snatch those two up and make sport of them....quite literally. Again, her eyes were met by those lovely shades of violet in Crystal's. "M'lady..." She managed to whisper, again kneeling in due respect to the girl she was sworn to protect. "Forgive me if I have offended you in such a way, for it was not my intention to rile you to any anger. I feel this is as new to you as it is to me, but I promise, a Knight's sworn oath, that I will do my best not to displease you any further. I am only here to keep safe the Princess of our beautiful land, and that is just what I shall do." In truth, she did enjoy being by this young girl at all time. The Princess was a charming lass and a joy to accompany, but of course Irina's main reason for becoming her protector was one step closer to becoming officially a knight of the Kingdom, such an ambition she's harbored for such a long time. And...she had sure hoped her apology was enough to show her sincerity.

[SailorMoon]

Once Crystal succeeded in removing the intruder from her room, she slammed her door shut and dusted her hands off. She was quite pleased with herself as she was much stronger than she thought. Hopefully that was enough to deter the female knight from coming to her with that crazy talk about being her protector, even though Crystal did need the extra protection and Irina was the perfect candidate for such a role. Sighing, she folded her arms across her chest and paced back and forth, contemplating what to do should Irina return... Of course the determined knight would return, it was her job.

Sir Irina returned much sooner than she anticipated. Crystal unfolded her arms and relaxed her body just a bit as Irina went on about her honorable duty to protect her. Narrowing her eyes, she leaned down slightly in front of Irina. Crystal studied the soft features of the woman before her, grabbing her chin gently and tilting it upwards so that there faces were only mere inches apart. She didn't say anything for a whole ten seconds, only stared into the other woman's eyes with an unreadable expression. She moved forward a bit more and parted her lips.

"Okay." She chirped before standing upright, a smirk on her lips as she looked down at her guard. "I'm going to get changed." Crystal turned on her heel and entered her room sized walk in closet, it was only several feet away from where they were standing. She pulled a beaded chain to turn on the light and shut the door in front of Irina's face, flashing a stern look her way. Crystal quickly shed her clothes and slipped into a simple white sundress and matching shoes. Afterwards, she walked toward the very end of the closet where there was a small lever disguised as an elegant wall sconce with multiple unlit candles. She pulled the first one back, and the wall beside the lever moved aside, making quite a bit of noise as it revealed a small octagon room. Crystal stepped in and pulled another lever so that the door would close and the little elevator would take her to the first floor of the castle. This was one of the many secret rooms inside of the castle.

Once she felt the elevator stop, she pulled a different lever to open the door. Crystal peeked her head outside to inspect her surroundings, pleased to see the coast was clear. She exited the elevator and allowed a bookshelf to move back into place by pulling a small candlestick lever. Clapping happily, she finally left the library and walked down the hall to get outside to the gardens to meet up with Lily. The library was in the wing closest to the courtyard, so she often used her elevator to get there - it was just faster.

Crystal made it to the garden hassle free. She took a seat on a small bench with Lily resting at her feet nibbling a carrot. The Princess stretched her arms above her head and laughed quietly to herself about Irina. If only she could see the look on her face right now...

[Rusalka]

Again there was that uncomfortable bout of silence as Irina remained knelt before her lady, her icy-blue eyes averted to the wooden floor below her and not daring to lift once, but damn was this quiet moment such a burden upon the woman's shoulders, perhaps a deadening weight more cumbersome and heavier to bear than her own mail and plate. She couldn't tell whether the Princess was forgiving of her misgivings or still offended by the very news Irina uttered earlier, of course hastily but the knight was excited by this and she figured the girl would be as well. Nevertheless it was the opposite. Quietly and ever suspenseful she awaited judgment to fall upon her. Now she was not the Royal Attendant of Princess Crystal, but rather the scrutinized fugitive before her almighty judge, sentence awaiting to be passed after committing her crime.

A sharp gulp rattled her throat as the girl's hand seized her by the chin and tilted her eyes to face hers, scrutinizing and stern as ever they seemed. Really...Irina couldn't make heads or tails of the eyes that stared down into hers blankly. Were they eyes of anger? Sincerity? Disdain? What were they? Then came the Princess' smile, still a bit uneasy to Irina, as the smile, though possibly forgiving, was more of an insolent sneer, a sneer that further bewildered the lady knight. Still, she was at least forgiven. Her lips were parting to reply to the young girl, but at the mention of her fair Princess...shedding clothes, Irina quickly pursed her very lips and kept eyes averted to the floor in due respect. But....perchance a small...peek wouldn't have hurt, but too late for that now as she heard the wardrobe door shut with an echoing slam. Aye me.....she's a sharp one, that lass. Irina thought, a bit of a sly chuckle to herself. Those two numbskulls Pindel and Versetti were right about the Princess being a rough one to handle. Already first day and Irina was being put through the ringer by this charming, but certainly devious young girl. That smirk said it all to the woman....there was gonna be trouble in the long run. I might as well get used to it though. I mean....I can't mess this up, otherwise there goes my only true chance at knighthood. And Irina be damned if that ever happened.

Quite a while had the Princess been in her wardrobe, and Irina was beginning to grow concerned. "M'lady?" Soon followed a noise in reply, quick to the ear it was and....very odd. it was like...a wall had been moved or something. "Princess?" Rising to her feet, Irina hesitantly approached the closet, her hand slowly, gradually reaching for the brass knob and turning it carefully, all while her other hand rested upon the hilt of her longsword, should the need arise to draw it. "M'lady, are you alright?" She asked again, and again still no reply. Now her concern...was twisting knots of dread into her stomach, painful, uncomfortable, tense knots. Something was dreadfully wrong, and Irina could feel it deep within. Wasting no time, she wrenched open the door and.....the Princess was gone!! No! Lady Crystal! Out the door she went, but stopped midsprint in her swift and frantic departure from the room. The Princess was gone....but what about that noise?

What? No....couldn't be! That's...that's preposterous! But she best make sure. She approached the closet again, not with fear now but scrutiny. Something about that very sound she heard before the Princess vanished and this wardrobe linked together, but what exactly. Her eyes scanned back and forth the hollow room, only finding dress after colorful dress that belonged to her lady. Then, her scrawling glance fell upon the candelabra sconce at the very end of the wardrobe. Could it be....? She wondered, instantly making her way to it. Her hand carefully felt of the candles, noticing they were all affixed to their place and never once were they lit, no bumps of stray, dry wax evident amidst their silky smooth texture. Why, these candles were practically new, and as soon as Irina felt the last candle, she figured out why. The candle tilted forward, stick and all with the weight of her gauntlet against it, and to her very surprise....the wall opened with that very same noise, and just as she pieced together the mystery of this wardrobe....she too discovered how her Princess had pulled off her little vanishing act. W-wha-? Why that little.....Ugh!!

She had been had, and by Crystal no less. What a fool she was to underestimate that vile sneer of deception. A scowl now permanently affixed to her face, she stormed out of the Princess' chamber and down the halls towards the stairs, all the while passing...who else. From the corner of her eye as she trudged bitterly in her sabatons to confront the girl, she noticed the two bastards about to have their giggles, the fat one nudging his slender mate with his elbow and chortling, "I think she knows now, Versetti!" And soon began the laughter, but Irina would deal with those two later. Right now...she had quite the words for their fair Princess.

[SailorMoon]

Crystal perked up as a very bitter female Knight came into view, looking to be boiling over with quite a bit to say. She cheerfully rose up from the stone bench, her expression pleasant and inviting as her violet eyes locked with Irina's pale blue ones. "Sir Irina!" She exclaimed, as if she had no idea that her Body Guard had a bone to pick with her. The Princess twirled around in her dress, her feet moving gracefully below her to carry her slender body forward and causing the long white material to fan out in a circle above her knees. She looked like a little white flower dancing in the wind, though Crystal was still feeling rather devious and at the moment was no where near as nice. Quite devious indeed to play with people's emotions, except she would never do it to intentionally to hurt someone, only to avoid a much needed spankingscolding.

Flawlessly and elegantly the white haired beauty danced her way over to Irina to loop both arms around the knight's neck, and bring her into a delicate hug. Crystal smirked over Irina's shoulder, but once she pulled back to face to her, an innocent smile was placed on her lips.

"I hope you didn't have too hard of a time finding me?" She said, her lips dangerously close to Irina's... Not that she planned on kissing her royal guard. Truthfully, she saw no problem being so close to another female in that way. However she did know that Irina was a gentlewoman, and just like her father, the female knight might find it difficult to be mean to her when she was being so sweet. She blushed lightly, reaching up and smoothing Irina's hair with a gentle touch of her hand before placing it back around Irina's shoulder.

Crystal was just too good at playing with the hearts of others; The Queen was to thank for that.

[Rusalka]

Clenched tight were the woman's fists of iron once her cold, fearsome eyes fell upon that little scoundrel that was her Princess, only clenching tighter and eyes like ice now becoming incinerating embers of blue fire as Crystal casually, and rather insultingly merrily, pranced her way across the lavish castle garden and chirped pleasantly to the knight as though she had not wronged the woman in armor any, but oh...oh how she indeed wronged the knight, and how much more irritated Irina became at the very sight of the devious young lass, her lovely sundress twirling about her, the fabric billowing as though a beautiful white lily caught up in the pleasant, warm breeze of spring that graced the wonderful valleys of- Wait what was she thinking?! She wasn't going to fall for her charms, not again. Grit were her teeth in paroxysm and harsh was the very expression she wore upon her face as her lady ever so casually wrapped her arms around the woman's neck and spoke sweetly to her in a gentle whisper as she pulled Irina into a hug, though Irina could still detect that miniscule, but present hint of deception to her voice and to the girl's feigned sincerity. She was just lining up the woman for another kill so to speak.

Even as their lips became dangerously close to one another, Irina still bared her most stern of faces to Crystal. Like she had any intentions of kissing the girl at all, even just a friendly peck, because as far as the woman could tell, Crystal was far from friendly to her. She even had to wonder about last night during the feast, was that tipped chalice an accident? "You.....you......" She growled ever so viciously, her hands almost at the ready to throttle this devious, conniving......but alas....who would she be to bring harm...especially to the one she swore with all her heart to protect. Defeated in her mind, the woman's face loosened up towards the girl and she released a most begrudging of sighs, "Just...don't do that again, M'lady. You had me worried sick." And damned if she didn't fall to the lass' charms yet again, already staring into those lovely shades of violet glancing so sincere, so peaceful and inviting into hers. "I'll admit, it was quite clever of you, but from now on I'm making damn sure to keep a close eye out." Maybe this could be her little act of revenge against the Princess for her stunt she pulled, her disappearing act would be no more.

Curtly removing the Princess' arms from her, she sighed again and took a seat at a bench in the garden, where-upon she heard voices soon following behind her, the King and....someone else. "And here is the Royal Courtyard, Lord Varros, the most elegant of places in my household." To Irina, the King appeared to be showing a diplomat of sorts his castle, as was customary with these meetings of the four kingdoms during peacetime for the host to show his fellow countrymen his eloquent abode, but when Irina caught sight of this...Lord Varros, her eyes suddenly narrowed in suspicion. Something about this man....was indeed abnormal. "Ahh and here is my lovely daughter, Crystal!" The King chimed in his usual jovial manner. Lovely yes, but indeed the snake amidst the strawberry patch Irina thought, however....Irina sensed an even more venomous serpent lurking about the air, her suspicions only made all the more disturbing as she noticed the strange man's expression towards the Princess, malevolent and indeed sinister. It is not my right to speak of this, but how can the King sit so idly by when there is danger in his very presence, even in the presence of Crystal. I should act, but....no....there's no need to jump to conclusions, Irina.

"Indeed she is quite marvelous, Your Majesty." Varros spoke, that hint of ill will ever so present upon his bitter, forked tongue only riling Irina's feathers more. Soon the man's eyes fell upon her, fierce and blazing yellow, as if a wolf's in mid-hunt, and such terror struck in the woman's heart. Almost instantly she froze as the menacing glare of Varros. "And might I ask who you are, sir knight?" Irina....she could give no response...only stare into those cold....vicious eyes...

[SailorMoon]

Crystal feared that she might actually be in trouble with Irina when she showed signs of resisting her impeccable charm, glaring at her and gritting her teeth in preparation for some very harsh words. Despite her generally carefree nature, The Princess is quite a sensitive girl and becomes flustered when others are upset with her. Probably because, she rarely gets in trouble and often times gets her way from her Father. Luckily, Irina seemed to be relaxing in her warm embrace and didn't react half as badly as she should have. She was grateful to receive no punishment for her devious actions. Smiling, she dropped her arms from around Irina's neck just as she'd removed them, but frowned slightly when her protector went to sit on the bench.

Admittedly, Crystal felt a little remorseful for sneaking away from Irina, but she couldn't help herself! She hated having a personal attendant and, unfortunately this would not be the last time she slipped away from Irina clutches. Sighing, she fiddled with her silver and amethyst necklace as she walked toward Irina. She didn't get far for her attention was drawn to the sound of her father's voice chatting behind her. Crystal turned around, finding that The King was much closer than she'd thought and had a guest with him. She'd seen him last year at a ball held in Avalon, but avoided speaking to him as he seriously gave her the creeps. That whole night he stared at her with his yellow slit for eyes. She was sure someone like that couldn't all be human, which wasn't so shocking as their were many races of creatures - some prettier than others.

Feigning a smile, Crystal joined The King and Lord Varros as she was mentioned. Her gaze fell upon the honorable Irina, who shockingly did not respond to the Lord Varros, only stood there with a strange look in her eyes. "This is the honorable Sir Irina, my Royal Attendant and...Body Guard. Isn't she lovely?" She chirped in place of Irina, glancing away from Varros and toward Irina. It surprised her that a woman with such fine manners would ignore a guest in her new home. Perhaps she's still upset...

[Rusalka]

"Yes, indeed so, my lady. A pleasure to meet you, Sir Irina." Leaning forward to have a better look at her, the man in dark, flowing robes, as if clad in the very shadows of evil itself, sneered ever fiendishly towards Irina with an insolent snicker towards the knight. Clearly he was amused by the sight of a woman in armor no less, but it was just that spark, that menacing gleam about his yellow serpentine eyes that sent shivers all through the disturbed and mildly frightened woman. Never before had she felt such an overbearing presence of mange upon her, the malicious essence almost choking her lungs of their very life-breath, and as rude as it may have seemed, it was unintentional, her silence towards this malevolent figure looming over her. For even if she could, no words was she able to speak, as if the very presence of this man had wired her jaw completely shut. A moment or so passed as the fiendish Varros eyed her intently, on occasion his eyes glancing over her sword....which she really wished she could draw at this time, but still...no need to make a scene.

Finally, the creature of a man let up, another malicious snicker exchanged before he bowed to the King, "Your Majesty, I must thank you for a wonderful afternoon, but I am due to return to Narsil shortly. There has been word of a rebellion against the Royal Council, and I must see to it that my men are ready to face whatever may come of it."

"Dear Goddess in Heaven, Lord Varros. I do hope everything goes well, and there are no serious casualties. Please have a safe journey home." The King replied most humbly and most concerned towards this leviathan in disguise, who in turn gave a curt nod to him and nothing else as he vanished behind the corner, his black robes ever trailing behind him like the insidious whisps of a phantom. Even Irina could see through this man's deception. He had something planned, something far sinister for even Irina to calculate, and she was sure of it. In truth, she would have to stay beside the Princess at all times, especially with Varros free to prowl about the castle however he may please. The King stood by watching as Varros departed, but once the man was out of earshot, a deep sigh of relief he gave as he turned to his daughter and Irina, "Oh...and dear Goddess in Heaven he leaves. That man, as noble as he may be, he certainly gives me the shivers." He paused a moment, fishing out a handkerchief from his flamboyant robe to dab at his brow before resuming. "Sir Irina, I couldn't help but notice you did not reply to him. Are you feeling well?"

And finally once that man was far gone...for now....Irina was able to break from her terrified trance, "Hmm? Ah...y-yes, Your Majesty. Forgive me for my rude behavior towards your esteemed guest. I was....a bit flustered at the moment." A lie, yes, but Irina didn't just want to flat out say she was horrified by this infernal being and that Varros was nothing to her but a monster waiting in the wings to strike. She almost thought the King didn't buy her hasty excuse, as his bushy eyebrow rose slightly in suspicion, but then her returned, "Ah well you are forgiven, Sir Irina, but next time, please do not be rude to Lord Varros or to any of our guests. I will let you off with a warning, but next time...I fear I may have to take more stern discipline. Now, where be Pindel and Versetti? I was sure I had seen them a moment ago. Did they just...vanish into thin air? How odd?" Merely Irina watched as the King carried on rambling to himself as the elder man returned to his majestic castle, leaving her with his daughter in the wide open courtyard. Soon, after yet more silence, she turned to the girl and sighed with relief, almost as her father had done, "I have a great fear in me about that man, M'lady." Her voice was hoarse, deep and indeed serious. "He looked to me as more of a warlock than a noble lord, and I have a feeling he is the one who sent those men after you."

[SailorMoon]

Crystal blinked at Lord Vaross as he told the news of Narsil's Royal Council. It was an odd thing to discuss such matters with someone outside of your Royal Court, but she said nothing, only watched as Vaross disappeared around the corner, his dark robes trailing behind like an ominous mist. What a strange man... Her eyes met with her father's again, relieving her own sigh as everyone seemed to return to normal after Vaross was gone. Crystal hoped he wouldn't be making it a habit of stopping by the castle. The man's dark presence was enough to frighten the bravest of warriors. Still, she wouldn't judge the Lord too harshly for he hadn't done a thing to harm her. Yes, staring when you had demonic eyes was creepy, but it wasn't really a crime, which is why she agreed with The King's scolding of Irina. Perhaps Crystal just liked to see people other than herself get in trouble with the King over poor behavior towards guests. After all, the same thing happened to her last night during dinner.

"Oh stop it, Irina. Paranoia doesn't look good on you." She covered her mouth with her fingertips and let out a soft giggle as she walked toward the stone bench where Lily lay. Kneeling down, she picked up the giant bunny and sat down. "Lord Varros is creepy, but I seriously doubt he had anything to do with what happened." Crystal eyed Irina suspiciously. She couldn't pretend that what the knight said didn't bother her a little bit. "Why would you say something like that anyway?"

[Rusalka]

Maybe the Princess was right, Irina though after hearing Crystal's little jabbing wisecrack about being paranoid. Maybe the knight was too hasty, too brash to judge a man by his appearance, but while Varros' foreboding attire and his insidious, hellish eyes were enough to instill a long-festering terror in the woman's heart, that was not the half of it. Irina could definitely sense it within those eyes, his malice, his ill intentions he had in store for her and for her lady, but just what exactly was the bastard planning behind their backs, and also....when was he to return to the Royal Palace of Alegasia. More upon more worries began to consume the knight as well, as to the King's early ponderings of the whereabouts of those dimwits Pindel and Versetti. Could it have been true? Could they have vanished? With the powerfully dark and menacing aura that practically emanated from that fiendish heart, Irina had her fears that the two were no longer among the living, having been laid to waste possibly in seconds by that wretched beast Varros. Nevertheless, it was best to let go of these worries for now. I'm sure I'm just deluding myself. she assumed, shaking away mentally her troubling thoughts and the misgivings of her paranoia, brushing away a few unkempt bangs of her hair from her eyes.

"Perhaps you are right, M'lady." She spoke sincerely to the girl, trying her best to show she wasn't concerned deeply at all with Varros, her best being a feigned smile across her lips as she crossed her arms across her cuirass. She had to admit lugging around in this armor all day was a bit unpleasant, and just her mail and a surcoat would do nicely, but despite the incessant nagging feeling of having to bear the load of her heavy steel plates, she would also admit it made her more of a knight and of course ready to challenge whatever threat may come to her fair Princess. "But still, as your protector, I must be on guard at all times. True, I was brash towards our eh....esteemed guest, but there's still something of him that adds to my suspicions. Oh well...I shall think no further of it." Perhaps a change of subject was in order. "So tell me, M'lady. How did you come across such an adorable animal as this rabbit? Why I've never seen one as big as he." And perhaps neither had her steed Argo, who, unbeknownst to Irina was in the stables nearby, eyeing the rabbit as it yet again nibbled on a carrot.

[SailorMoon]

Good. Irina had finally stopped going on about Lord Varros and was being somewhat agreeable, except she had to bring up the annoying fact that she was her protector. Frowning, Crystal sighed and combed her fingers through the fur on top of Lily's head. She really didn't like being reminded that she now had a babysitter...A babysitter who looked to be no older than herself, which made taking Irina seriously a very difficult task. It was just so easy to run away from her and ignore her if she pleases, because she did not see Irina as an authority figure; A Royal Attendant to keep an eye on her and to make sure she wasn't being reckless when really she was just being herself. She was contemplating ways to escape this woman's clutches again for a second time. If not for Irina asking about her beloved Lily, Crystal would have actually used a secret exit in the garden to be left in peace - not just from Irina, but from everyone that threatened her little bubble of happiness.

Crystal's fingers slowed as they maneuvered through her bunnies fur, a smile on her face for she just loved to talk about Lily. Irina may have scored some valuable points just then. "He's actually not from here, but I'm sure you guessed that, Irina." For once, Crystal actually looked completely sincere as she spoke to Irina. There was no sarcasm, or suspicious glares on her part. "Lily comes from Poponoriodestia, a small isle far away from any of The Kingdoms. There you can find all sorts of animals, some you've never even heard of, and others which look like common animals except they can vary greatly in size or have a wide range of coats that don't exist normally." She said this as a matter of fact, like she knew everything there was to know about the magical little isle.

Crystal glanced at Irina, reading her facial expression and hoping to find the female knight was interested in what she had to say. "My mother told me about it when I was a little girl, and ever since that day I've been obsessed. I traveled one whole month last year just to get there. I never intended to take anything back with me, but Lily followed me everywhere and it was just so hard to say no." She looked down at her furry white friend, her eyes full of love and adoration for the giant bunny. "Back then he was so small... I never imagined he would get this big really..." She chuckled as she completely took her hands off of Lily so that he could roam around freely.

Lily jumped down from The Princess' lap and leaped across the garden with his powerful legs carrying him yards at a time. He finally stopped at the stables and laid down to rest in front Argo's door.

Crystal hummed dreamily at how cute the two animals were being. She seemed to be quite pleased with the turn her day had taken. It was nice to think that Irina actually took a moment to talk with her about something other than duty, it was a much welcomed change.

[Rusalka]

Despite before how her concerns of Lord Varros were nearly eating her alive on the inside, they all seemed to have dissipated in that moment, glancing upon the Princess and her playful, loving smile towards her large white hare, the bunny quite visibly enjoying Crystal's dainty fingers sliding across his soft fur as she explained matter of factly the whereabouts of this peculiar but indeed lovable creature, and Irina seemed to hang upon every word the Princess spoke, about how she traveled to the distant tropics of Poponoriodestia, known for the rarest and most magnificent of wildlife and not to mention its stunning island beauty. What a sight it must have been for Crystal, as it would have been for Irina, should she ever think of venturing to Poponoriodestia, perhaps next year maybe? An equally adoring smile crossed her lips as she watched the bunny hop away ever swiftly, landing next to Argo's stable. It surprised her quite what happened next, the white rabbit dropping his carrot next to Argo and the tall Clydesdale picking it up in his mouth. Such an act of kindness, even for two animals, it made her smile all the more as she mused to the Princess, "It seems you have a love for all the Goddess' creations, M'lady. As do I. Ah and looks like our favored animals are indeed quite the companions now."

From his stable, Argo neighed happily, nudging the rabbit with his snout. "It seemed only weeks ago when I found Argo." Irina whispered nostalgically, her eyes again equal to the Princess' as she viewed her rabbit. "He was only a colt when my father and I discovered him abandoned after a terrible storm. We raised him well to become a valiant steed, but also he became like another member of our family. Really he's the only companion I've had for a while now." She paused a moment to sigh, her smile rather pleasant to the noble steed, watching as he and the large rabbit of the Princess practically palled around. "I wouldn't trade that horse for anything, not even all the riches of the Four Kingdoms. He's been by my side forever." It was as if there was a warmth in her heart carrying on this conversation with Crystal of their adored pets. How nice it felt indeed to Irina to speak of such with the Princess, no talk of her sworn oaths, no scoldings and whatnot, just two girls talking about anything under the blue sky.....but the casual conversing was soon cut short by a rancorous cry of-

"GANG WAY!!!!"

"Huh?!" Suddenly rumbling and thundering towards Irina and Princess Crystal was a large wooden barrel that seemed to have spawned from nowhere just as they were oblivious to it. "M'lady! Watch out!" Quickly though Irina snapped to it, throwing herself armor and all before the rolling chaos and soon *BAM!!!* it crashed hard into her torso, throwing her back a good distance away from Crystal before she hit the ground hard with a painful grunt, skidding across the emerald grass of the courtyard before coming to a dead halt against Argo's stable door. Thankfully though, the impact had spared the Princess from being ransacked by the rogue barrel, at the expense of her protector being clobbered silly by it. In a daze, Irina groaned deeply and rubbed the back of her head, picking stray blades of grass and twigs from her tousled blue hair before staggering up against the weight of her armor and stumbling back to Crystal's side. "M'lady, are you alright? What was the meaning of that?" There appeared to be something in the barrel, or someone, as several knocks and scratches could be heard resounding from within the wooden container, along with muffled voices of "Help! Help! Let us outta here!"

"Oi Pindel, There's cabbage in here! Do you want some?"

"What?! Don't you be eating that, Versetti! You know what cabbage does to you!"

"*BURP!* That?"

"Oh dear Goddess! Somebody get me outta here before I die!"

Quite obvious as to now who was trapped in this barrel. Giving a bewildered shrug of her shoulders to the Princess, Irina approached the barrel and opened it, where upon here came the two bumbling guardsmen crawling out into the sunlight, both reeking strongly of day old cabbages, the stench enough to make the knight dizzier, even after hitting her head against Argo's stable. "Hrm? Sir knight! Thank you so much for setting us free!" the short and fat one squeaked joyfully, wrapping his arms around Irina's legs, causing her to stumble back a little and wrench her legs away from Pindel's tight grasp. "I don't know how long we've been stuck in there, and I don't know how long I coulda taken being stuck with that dimwit noshing cabbages!" The dimwit he spoke of emerged from the wooden barrel, cabbages under both arms as he groaned, "But I was hungry, Pindel!" soon garnering a snappy remark from his portly comrade, "Then eat bread next time, you dingus! Not cabbages!"

As humorous as this situation seemed to Irina, she was still bewildered as to why these two were in a barrel, gruffly clearing her throat to address Pindel and Versetti, "Sir Pindel, Sir uh.....Spaghetti? Why were you two stowed into a barrel if I might ask?" The fat one soon replied, his voice now becoming rather annoyed, as if this was some sort of cruel joke played on the two, "Well lass, if you might inquire, some tall, skinny bloke...eh..not my tall skinny bloke, but some tall skinny bloke told me and Versetti His Majesty kept his royal mead in a barrel in the storage room, and let me tell you there's no better mead than the King's own personal brew, but anywho. Us two, being the thirsty dogs we were after working hard all day, thought we'd stop by and have ourselves a li'l pint or two. I mean surely His Majesty wouldn't know, but the next thing we know, we get bonked on the head and stuffed in the damn thing rolling down the stairs, and worse, it wasn't even full of mead!"

So these two were tricked, and Irina was pretty sure by who.....It's him alright...

[SailorMoon]

Crystal smiled happily as Irina spoke of her love for Argo, the adorable steed who she also credited for saving her life yesterday. "Awww...How sweet!" She cooed, clasping her hands together under her chin, her heart filling with joy at the sight of their pets together. She could get used to being so friendly with Irina, especially if they had more to talk about than just royal business; Perhaps if Irina stopped being so protective over her, sucked at her job a little... That would be great, except in the instance of an actual attack. If she would have got stuck with someone like that Pinhead or Spaghetti. Hmm. Maybe not... Those two were horrible at being bodyguards to the King and just failed at everything in general. It was a wonder those two even got jobs in the first place. Despite her reluctance to accept Irina as her Royal Attendant, Crystal did have to admit that there was a teeny tiny soft spot growing in her heart for Irina. It was hard not to like someone so good that also shared a common interest of wild life.

Besides, both of them could stand to have a friend.

Crystal jumped up from her seat as the sound of... of thunder seemed to be rumbling closer and closer. She looked around frantically, alarmed to find a barrel was heading right for them. Stunned, she backed away, but Irina dove right in and took the hit for her. "Irina!" Crystal yelled as fear was struck into her heart. She rushed over to Irina's side, kneeling beside her and helping her protector up. Crystal was just so mad now! She hated how reckless and self-sacrificing Irina was. If not for those sounds coming from inside of the barrel and scaring her, she would have given her Royal Attendant a piece of her mind. Frowning, she watched Irina extract Pinhead and Spaghetti from the barrel, along with a disgusting smell of old cabbage.

"Why am I not surprised...?" She said in a heavily nasally voice from pinching her nose shut. "You two are always getting into trouble. I don't know how my father expects you to protect him when all it takes is a whack on the head to down you!" She glared at them both, repulsed not only by the stinky cabbage smell, but by those two morons. "You think everything's a joke! Why, if it were up to me I'd have you both banished!" She said, pointing at them both as she scolded them. Crystal did not feel bad for her harsh words. These two knew better than to cross her. Crystal made it clear to the both of them on day one that she did not tolerate her father's safety being gambled with. Unlike her, his life was always in danger and she really couldn't handle losing another parent.

"Leave my sight this instant." She said coldly, pointing away from them and towards the castle doors. "And you!!!" Crystal huffed as she focused on Irina, her Royal Attendant. "GAHH!!!" Was all she managed to get out before storming off.

[Rusalka]

What a tongue lashing those two fools had incurred upon their beloved Princess, now seeming to be ever wrathful towards the dimwitted guards Pindel and Versetti. True what had become of them, their bizarre and...quite humorous fate, was indeed upon their whimsical heads, but for Crystal to lash out at them with such venom, such anger blazing hot through every word she barked, every order she snarled as if an agitated beast who had taken too many a sword and spear to its backside or a bloodthirsty black hound who stalked the forest for its delectable prey. In other words, she was pissed beyond all regard towards these imbeciles, and while Irina could agree most certainly with her lady's logical reason to be miffed and deeply chided with her father's most unprofessional of guardsmen, the knight would also have to consider the girl was being a bit to harsh on them for what Irina saw more as a careless mistake on their behalf. Twas not as if these men decided to have a little merriment and climbed in the barrel, unknowing of inadvertently shoving their beautiful Princess in the pathway of possible demise. No...they were put there, and by that most nefarious of men no less. Still, it bothered the knightly woman as to why Varros had these two nearly taken out of the picture, of course along with her and Crystal as well. She knew without a single doubt in her heavy and troubled heart that this fiend was indeed plotting something ghastly behind her back, behind Crystal's, and of course the King as well, but what exactly.

Quiet and stoic stood Irina as she pondered upon this, scratching her chin every once in a while as she listened to Crystal's vicious scolding of the bumbling dolts. She had to admit this, eventhough the Princess' berating and yelling was fearsome no less, Irina would say she was rather adorable when she was flustered and feisty as of now, her cheeks reddening slightly as she let out a bit of a sly giggle, bringing her gauntleted hand to her lips, but just as Pindel and Versetti had gone sprinting back to their post, wide eyed with fearful astonishment and their figurative tails tucked between their legs, her lady's wrath soon fell upon Irina with as much malice and discord as ever, the Princess scolding her of all people for her noble actions. "Huh?!" She squeaked caught of guard once the lovely and angry Crystal was within nose-length of her in an instant, causing the brave knight to actually cower for once in her armor. She inclined back a little, just seeing the hellish flames in the girl's eyes, before they snapped away from the ice blue of Irina's with a bitter snarl of air as the Princess yet again stormed off in angst. "Wha....what was that about?" Irina wondered to herself aloud, her hand briefly feeling the spot on her cuirass where Crystal's dainty finger seemed to have penetrated, all while standing there looking bewildered beyond all reason, a blink of her eyes before snapping to it and slowly following behind her lady she swore to protect, albeit a bit grudging after her own tongue lashing.

[SailorMoon]

In a fit of rage, The Princess walked speedily through the courtyard with her nose held high and her arms folded across her chest. "Hmph!" Crystal didn't bother looking over her shoulder, it was obvious that Irina was following close behind by the sound of her armored feet hitting the ground. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't shake that girl from her tail even through the use of the secret passages in the castle. No one had ever been able to keep up with her until now and now it seemed the feisty Princess had met her match. Perhaps Crystal was a bit impressed by Irina's resolve though.. Still, that didn't the change the very important fact that she was very annoyed by this unwanted attendant! Why Pindel and Versetti are never with father! Just thinking about those two again set her ablaze. Huffing one last time, Crystal relaxed her shoulders as she made her way up a flight of stairs, unfolding her arms and running her fingers along the white stone rail. Maybe it was a bit harsh to say I'd banish them... Crystal smirked, climbing the last stair and shaking the silly thought from her mind. No way, those two deserved it. Maybe now they'll take better care of Father. She continued on, now walking across a long white bridge and stopping at a balcony area that overlooked the courtyard.

It doesn't make sense though... Crystal finally addressed a thought that been itching her mind. Someone had lured her father's guards away from him and whacked them over the head... Someone that kind of fit Vaross' description. That little detail didn't excuse them from being terrible bodyguards, but it was definitely suspicious to her. She wasn't one to jump to conclusions, but the strange events couldn't just be coincidence - they were all linked! Frowning, she leaned against the rail and relieved a deep sigh. Her world had been turned upside down in a matter of minutes, and there was nothing she could do about it, except to wonder when it would all be over... "This is terrible..." She whispered, hanging her head briefly. Once Irina got too close, Crystal perked up but did not look at her bodyguard. She was still slightly annoyed over Irina's willingness to discard her life for a strangers; of course Crystal knew why though, it was all to become a Knight of Alegasia.

"I suppose you'll want to watch me bathe and change now, hm? Afraid I'll make another escape?" Crystal turned to face Irina, a smirk worming it's way onto her lips as their eyes met. Crystal found herself to be very amusing and took delight in being sarcastic towards Irina. After all, what could Irina do now? She had sworn to protect a woman she hardly knew, and now she would have to deal with her. The Princess' features softened, "If you do, it's quite alright. You never know who's waiting around the corner." She said, turning away and leaning against the balcony rail, her eyes fixated on the beauty before her.

[Rusalka]

With pursed lips and a furrowed brow, Irina carefully followed with a bit of a slow trudge behind the embittered young Crystal, still agitated no less by the woman trailing close behind her, though Irina was making sure to at least keep to a reasonable distance between her and the Princess. Twas best that way anyways, especially in this most daunting of situations the knight had found herself in, confused as to what she had done so wrong to incur her lady's spiteful wrath. She was being a good body guard, was she not? Already thrice has Irina thrown her life to the dogs in due course of defending Crystal's, but still the girl seemed just....just irritated to no end with the knight's chivalry and her disregard for her own well-being. But what value was Irina's life compared to that of royalty? If lives could be measured in sack-fulls of gold and silver, then what worth would there be to a lowly peasant trotting about in her father's armor....in contrast to a beautiful maiden of royal birth, whose on life could be valued even higher than the treasures of this world alone? I don't get it! She spoke flustered in her mind, glancing off to the side as she tarried behind Crystal. I don't understand her at all. Am I too overbearing? No. I mean...I don't believe I am. I'm not attacking every lad who dares to point their finger at her, and I try to give her as much freedom as I can, but with her....it feels as though I must keep vigilance upon her at all times. Perchance I am being a bit overbearing.....

She sighed deeply, giving a stretch of her arms as high as she could, restricted a tad by her cumbersome armor. And strange for me to say this, but I cannot wait to get out of this damn armor too. I could use a bath as well.... And she thought Varros would be the only trouble upon her already befuddled mind. One day...just one day with the Princess...and already she felt dejected by the girl. Ah how hard the softest of hearts can be at times. The knight paused a moment, hearing her lady utter that something was terrible, and what else could possibly be terrible for her, everything the knight assumed, Irina becoming her personal attendant, her guardsmen making a fool of themselves before her, the arrival of Lord Varros, and.....the fact that almost everyone was out for her blood. Admittedly....Irina felt a tad sympathetic for the poor soul. All this to become a knight. Hmph....father would be proud...or perhaps writhing in his barrow. "M'lady, are you....." Irina whispered, a hint of concern for the troubled lass exhibited upon her face, but it quickly changed to a more startled expression when the Princess turned to her and sharply responded with.....words that practically drove the woman's cheeks to burn red, both with mortification and....displeasure, just about having it this instant with her lady's snarkiness, "Now look here, you, I-!" She was about to pounce, but again....damn her for falling to the girl's allure.

"I....I...." Again she was taken in by those lovely hues of purples and violets, the softness of the girl's pale lips and the radiance of her fair skin and her snow white hair, as white as the graceful wings of a morning dove. And again what was the use in raising her voice to chide those lovely features, to mar the face of the girl who brought a peace to the woman...just with one glance of innocence. Shaking her head, the knight sighed yet again, running her iron fingers briskly through her hair and leaning next to her ward against the railing. The view of the courtyard from atop the sky-bridge was indeed lovely, but not as captivating as when Irina set eyes upon Crystal. "M'lady....it would be rude of me to do such a thing, to look upon you....disrobed." Her cheeks blushed lightly, a small hue of pink against her skin. "Plus....as selfish as it may seem of me....I'd never want to do anything to ruin this grand opportunity. My entire life....I felt as though I were nothing, nothing but a sword, for the right price of gold, someone could wield and swing in whatever direction they desired, but once their bloody deeds had been committed....I was cast aside, with what but a bit of gold to stave off my hunger and keep me alive for another month or so. My father...he wouldn't have wanted that for me. He'd have wanted...this...to live in a castle, to serve His Majesty the King and all of Alegasia...as a knight...not some hired sword." Another deep and disheartened sigh left her. "I know at times, I can seem overbearing, and I talk too much of honor and duty and...whatever, but...I just want to make my father proud. This was his legacy I must carry on after his passing." She turned not to face the girl, rather keep her eyes affixed to the glowing greens of the grasses and shrubbery below....so that Crystal could not see in Irina's eyes....the welling of warm, disgraced tears....

[SailorMoon]

Crystal felt her own cheeks growing hot at Irina's honorable answer. So noble... She thought about how Irina would make a fine Princess had she been born in her place; She was noble, honorable, and most importantly kind... All areas that Crystal realized she herself was severely lacking in. It had only been a day and already she had shown her fangs to her bodyguard... though Irina handled the snarky remarks and the first of her escape plans rather well. The female knight's mild temperament was one of the reason The Princess had taken a somewhat liking to her...'course, she would never admit to that! Honestly, she just wished they had met under different circumstances... Irina could maybe see that Crystal was in fact very peaceful, and not half as bad as the scolding she'd given to Versetti and Pindel. I still don't regret what I said to them. Grrr. Thinking about those two always made her seethe. She was seriously bubbling again, getting hot about all the things she wished she said to those two, but once Irina chimed in with her story about feeling worthless, Crystal couldn't think about those two anymore...

Truthfully, she couldn't relate to feeling like nothing. All her life she had been placed on a pedestal, showered with the finest gifts by strangers, attended only the finest of events. In a lot of ways, people treated her and her family like Gods and Goddesses... Never once in her life had she wanted for something, but she was not oblivious to what went on in the lives of civilians. She had seen it first hand... No one would understand that being royalty had it's downfalls as well, but saying such a thing would be insensitive, that's why she kept such comments to herself and kept little company. While Crystal was loved and adored by many, there were also the ones who held envy and hatred toward her just for being her father's daughter.

Maybe if I try being sweeter..."Irina..." She said softly, bringing her hand to rest on Irina's cheek. Crystal felt sad that her royal attendant was down and that there was probably nothing she could do to change that. Yes, it was all true that Irina was overbearing and does in fact talk too much about honor and duty, but she had also saved Crystal's life on more than one occasion...much to her disapproval. However Irina's cause was to be respected, and Crystal would try her best to behave for the rest of the day. She would have to...have to be honest with Irina just a little bit to cheer her up, so she knew that her life was valued, and her presence welcomed. Sighing lightly, Crystal moved her hand to rest on top of the armored one, her gentle eyes focused on her teary eyed friend.

"I... I know your father is proud of you and despite what you may think I-" Crystal bit her lip and squeezed Irina's hand as the intensity of her emotions were bubbling over. "I like you." She smiled, finding that wasn't so difficult at all, though she wasn't sure she would be able to say that a second or third time. " I enjoy your company and I would very much like it if... if you continue to be my Royal Attendant. So please don't cry." She flashed a smile, though Crystal was feeling mostly worried about Irina.

---

Shortly after their conversation, a maid ran up the stairs and to the balcony where The Princess and her Royal Attendant were. The maid was holding a small card in her hand, it looked to be an invitation of sorts judging by the thickness and the fancy decorations on the cover. "Princess, I have an invitation for you." Crystal approached the maid girl and opened her hand for the invitation, taking it and inspecting the floral artwork and the name which read Alegasia Theater in gold print. Hmm... Crystal opened the invitation and read the details of the event. The theater was inviting her, as they always do, to an Opera tonight. Hadn't they learned that she did not like leaving the castle unless it was for a personal friend, or if she wasn't the Princess?

Crystal looked at Irina, a soft smile forming on her lips now as it occurred to her that Irina had probably never been to a fine event such as an Opera or a Ball...The Princess herself had only been to one public event this year. "I suppose we can go. Ginger, from now on you are Irina's personal servant. No longer will you tend to Pinhead and Spaghetti." She smirked, placing her hand on her hips. The maid smiled with The Princess and nodded in understanding. "Yes, Princess. I'll go run her bath water and fetch some clothes for her, though we will need to have her measured later." Ginger said before hurrying off. Crystal smiled to herself, feeling quite pleased that she was able to give Irina the royal treatment.

She had almost forgotten that there were people trying to kill her...

[Rusalka]

"I like you."

Those words.....to hear them echo from the subtle lips of this young girl before her...it made her feel.....well...really Irina couldn't decide how she felt about this. Surprised yes, but at the same exact time she became quite overwhelmed by other sorts of emotions, the most dominant being a sense of bewilderment along with feelings of acute rapture that the Princess said she liked her sworn guardian, even after all that the woman had put Crystal through on the very first day they were...not exactly stuck together, but Crystal at first seemed reluctant to accept the knight as her personal attendant, and of course the very thought of having someone guarding her 24/7 frustrated the white-haired beauty to no end, that Irina could sense. So to just say that she "liked" Irina, was it a true feeling or....was it more out of sympathy for Irina's ungrateful past of being only a mercenary instead of an honorable knight. Irina couldn't fathom what it was...but for now, she would just treat it as Crystal's honest word instead of false security. Though a few tears had threatened to fall from her ice blue eyes, deep with sorrow, Irina of course was trying her damndest to make sure not a stray drop escaped, just to keep up the strong and brave approach, but even the hardest of hearts crack every once in a while. "M'lady..." She replied with her best smile of sincerity aimed to the young girl. "I-I wasn't crying." A chuckle escaping her. "There was....just some dust in my eye is all."

Briskly, she wiped away any instance of tears from her eyes, still playing up the "dust in the eye" act with a few sly winces here and there. Then again, Crystal was quite cunning, sharper than the blade Irina wielded no less, so there might be no possible way the Princess was buying into the knight's excuse. After a minute or so, Irina turned to the doorway, whereupon she noticed one of the Princess' ladies in waiting approaching them, a small, decorative golden card adorned with fancy embroidery and lettering, the common calling card of royalty usually, but twas when the Princess accepted the card from her wench, Irina noticed it was an invitation...from the Alegasia Theater to attend one of their lavish and elegant operas, a common production for the nobles by this heralded and most magnificent of theater troupes. Irina was interested in it of course, but...again there went her suspicions. I should definitely go along. Something tells me this might be another trap...but I shouldn't spoil it for M'lady, and....it might be enjoyable to spend quality time with the Princess. Crystal must've been pondering the same, judging from the friendly and inviting smile she graced the woman with, Irina returning said smile, but again it faltered into an expression of bewildered astonishment when the Princess now gave her servant....over to Irina. "Huh?" She blinked a bit in confusion towards Crystal and towards this...Ginger lass. She was cute, yes, but for Irina....to have her own servant? Oh no....what is she up to now? Back to her conniving ways it seemed with the Princess, again having Irina....worried.

[SailorMoon]

It seemed Irina knew that the cunning Princess had other plans in store for her, but Crystal would not acknowledge her knight's worries. Smiling innocently, Crystal clasped her hands together in a delightful clap before cheerfully walking away from Irina. "You should go get ready! Ginger will be waiting for you." She was humming a tune that she had just made up in her moment of happiness, there was no particular melody or sound, but you could tell Crystal was enthusiastic about tonight's events...though a lot of that happiness could be credited to having company. Really, she didn't understand why being around Irina made her so happy all of sudden. Perhaps it was because she knew of what awaited Irina in her room. Unfortunately for Irina, Ginger liked to go all out when she was readying someone for an event, and since it had been awhile since Ginger got to play dress up with anyone Irina would be in for the night of her life. Not to mention, Ginger is very persistent in her endeavors and Irina would definitely be a challenge. Crystal hoped Irina wouldn't be too resistant and wind up hurting poor Ginger though...

The Princess opened the door to her chambers and walked over to her bed, her smile fading with each step. It was as if a wave of dark energy washed over her and stole the temporary joy from her life. Being in her bedroom reminded her that there were people trying to kill her, which made her reconsider if it was even a good idea at all to being going out. Maybe with Irina there things will be okay... Sighing, she touched the chipped spot on the bedpost where the arrow hit earlier before walking out on her balcony. Crystal looked off into the distance, rubbing her arms from the cool breeze as she waited for something bad to happen... Nothing happened, but still she waited for an arrow to pierce her heart. In a way, it was liberating to her not being paranoid; no, that was Irina's job. For now it was safe to just live...

Finding that she regained some of her joy, Crystal went to run her bath water with a new positive outlook.

---

Ginger waited patiently on Irina's bed with several larger, huskier wenches situated through out the guard's room. They were specifically there to groom the Royal Attendant as ordered by The Princess.

[Rusalka]

Even her lady's whimsical humming along to some giddy and fanciful tune was a tad unnerving to the knight, unaware of what or whom may be lurking in her very chamber, a plot piece set by the cunning Crystal to make again Irina's day miserable. Sure the maid appeared to the woman as innocent, but Irina kept in mind certainly that Ginger was once a servant of the Princess, and of course...she too may have a stake in this dastardly plan of Crystal's, again to chide the knight where it stung most. Ah me....I have an ill heart of what may come. She sighed, turning heel just as the Princess was out of her sight, hopefully back to her chamber and not waiting in the wings to spring a trap upon the slightly suspecting knight. As if it were enough to be paranoid of the fiendish Varros and what that obviously evil warlock was scheming behind their very backs, bound to be more horrible than what Irina could imagine possibly in her flustered mind, but to add the stress of Crystal pulling her little jests on the woman, she might as well have been strapped to a torturing rack in the darkest dungeon of this castle for the anguish she endures.

Another deep sigh leaving her tightened, burning lungs, she was at least looking forward to the relief of shedding her heavy plated armor and soaking into a nice hot bath...even if there would be another girl besides her Princess in Irina's presence, which oddly Irina didn't seem to mind slightly. I mean they were all women, but it was when Irina opened the door to her private chamber....relaxation may be the last thing she would feel from her bath. I knew it....Too damn good to be true. There stood the petite Ginger before her, her deep blue eyes ever doubting as they fell upon the scuffed and dirt covered armor of Irina. "Oh no no no no no! My lady, this certainly will not do. Girls?" She clapped her hands together, and on cue....here followed two of the wenches who accompanied the small girl, both....rather stocky in build compared to Irina, who despite being a bit strong herself...didn't have the muscles like these older women. "What? What's going O-ooon?!" Like a doll, a child's toy was she yanked to the center of the room by these strong lasses, already going to work on her armor, and removing every last piece, carelessly tossing it aside. "We can't have you going to the opera in full knight regalia, my lady. It would seem to imposing, that is why the Princess has requested we bathe and dress you." Of course Crystal requested this! Why else would she request it, other than to give one more slight to the knight slighted enough. "Ah, ladies, you forgot her chainmail." Rather cheeky was that last chime, as Irina could tell by the maid's smirk, almost a mirror to her previous mistress. GRRR!! PRINCESS!!!!

Away went her chainmail, and there before all these women who haunted her chamber, there Irina stood, stark naked. "Good heavens!!" She squeaked with wide eyes and cheeks...her face cheeks...deep and red, burning brighter than ever as her hands reached quickly and coyly to censor every bit of her exposed endowments. Oh I am going to have a few choice words with M'lady if I survive this! She could only feel the fires of her infinite anger towards Crystal for this most mortifying of jests blazing through her veins. "Okay ladies, we don't have time to waste. Let's get her to the bath and wash that dingy hair of hers, shall we?" And of course much contempt she held for her new servant, practically the ringleader in this crazy facade. Without single warning, again was Irina yanked about and into the tub of hot water she went with a splash, which was relaxing....at first. Then came a chilling downpour of soapy liquid upon her drenched hair, causing her to jolt upwards with a yelp before meaty hands went towards her hair and damn near yanked it out of her head as the large women roughly washed her silky mane, another one almost peeling the skin off Irina's arms and legs and back as she hastily and roughly scrubbed the knight down. Once her bath was done, out of the tub Irina went for a drying before having to slip on some bloomers and a corset, tightened a bit too much by the rough women. Ugh! Per request of Princess Crystal I guess. Then followed the dresses, one after the other placed over Irina's head. Each with their own excuse from Ginger, humming to herself with bewilderment and drumming her tiny fingers against her subtle lips.

"Hmm...I don't think pink is a color that suits you, Sir Irina." Off went that dress.

"Umm....no..no definitely not purple. That seems to suit the Princess more than you." And there went that dress.

"Well...red does look nice on you, my lady. Actually, I think this one suits you quite well, Sir Irina." About damn time!

After she was dressed, her make-up was done and so was her hair, and....despite all the hardships she recently endured through that fiasco. Irina had to admit...she did look rather elegant. Still.....this is not going unsaid...

[SailorMoon]

Unlike Irina, Crystal had the luxury of bathing by herself and dressing without the help of maids. Now, if she were free to do as she pleased without a bodyguard things would be back to normal. ...but I promised I'd behave. Crystal sighed and sank down in the garden bath tub so that she was almost nose level with the foamy surface of the water. She wondered how The Girls were handling Irina at the moment, or better yet, how Irina was handling them. In her honest opinion, Irina didn't need much work at all, but The Girls tend to go overboard when they see a potential prospect. Oh well, maybe Irina would see things from her point of view now. Crystal giggled as she washed her body down with lavender scented soap. She really couldn't wait to see her Royal Attendant all dressed up, and of course the scolding she would receive from her for having the servants violate her. She would need to be on her best behavior tonight as there would be many eyes on them both tonight. Alegasia often ate up newcomers of high society, which Irina would find out tonight when she introduced herself as The Princess' Royal Attendant.

Crystal dried off quickly and unpinned her hair now that she was out of the water. Afterwards she walked around her room naked, as she always did, which is why it was always better if Irina knocked before entering lest she wanted to embarrass herself. Hmmm...I wonder if Father will be attending. Probably not, it doesn't look good when he falls asleep in public. Chuckling, Crystal entered her walk in closet with a contemplative look as she moved dresses aside. "Ehhh. So many dresses, but so little to wear..." She frowned at her indecisiveness... Maybe having a personal stylist wouldn't be so terrible, but not Ginger and her entourage. Perhaps a male stylist, she'd heard that there were certain men who were great at putting people together - better than any of the female stylists in Alegasia. The best part was that they supposedly didn't like women...Well, the lot of them.

Finally she was able to decide on a purple dress. It was no surprise that purple is her favorite color, it compliments her fair hair well and is the color of her eyes. Crystal fluffed her white curls a bit and placed her silver and amethyst tiara on her head with the matching ring, bracelet, and choker necklace. Finding that there was no significant difference in her appearance when she wore make-up, Crystal opted not to wear any and left her chambers to find Irina. She really hoped Ginger was through playing around.

It appeared Crystal had just spawned behind Irina, because she entered Irina's room so quietly and unannounced. Of course, seeing Irina like that, she had to collect herself. "Woww, so that's what you look underneath that armor!" She said happily with hearts for eyes. Crystal clapped her hands excitedly and turned to Ginger and the larger maids, who's names she had forgotten. "You ladies did well to our Lady Irina..." Crystal cupped her hands and leaned a bit closer to Ginger, excluding Irina from the conversation purposely. "I never doubted she was beautiful, but it's hard to believe this girl is the one that saved my life. I'm kind of jealous." She giggled with Ginger, both of them stopping to look at the ravishing Irina with mischievous grins.