"Yes, I suppose that would be impolite," returned Aelinniel. "Though it seems rather rude of them to attend without an invitation in the first place, don't you think?"

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Varna merely shrugged in response. "I suppose so, yes..but then, that's the way people are around here. It's normal, or considered normal, I suppose I should say."

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Aelinniel took in the full dance floor with a glance. "They're all so very pretty..." she murmured, as if to herself.

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Varna nodded absently as he scanned the crowds, then suddenly shrank down a bit as his brother passed by, so as to avoid being noticed. He was going to get teased enough without making it easier..then, remembering what they had come out here for(partially reminded as soft music was struck), he leaned close to Aelinniel and asked quietly, "May I have this dance, my lady?"

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Aelinniel looked at him wide-eyed, and then dimpled very prettily and said, less shyly now, "You most certainly may."

Alassea lingered by the door and sighed, occasionally welcoming a late-comer, but these were few and far between. She felt rather lonely, and sometimes cast a hopeful glance at the man she'd been staring at earlier.

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Smiling gallantly, Varna then took her hand gently into his own, led her out on the dance floor, then bowed, as customary(it was necessary, and they had to do it before they could begin to waltz).

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Aelinniel curtsied, as she belatedly remembered she needed to do, and took his hand as the other couples did, beginning the dance. It felt very small, as she knew it would, and for a moment she avoided his eyes but eventually let her own wander up to find them. To her surprise she didn't blush, something Aelinniel was inordinately thankful for.

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Varna smiled as her eyes met his. He was clearly loosening up now that he was actually out on the dance floor..and as such, he moved flawlessly through the intricacies of the dance.

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A voice behind Azura said, "Would you do me the honor, fair one, of a dance?" She turned. A handsome man stood behind her, looking very dashing. She smiled, a bit coyly, and said, "Yes, I would enjoy that very much."

Bryne knew Alassea was watching him. He thought about asking her for a dance-she was very beautiful. He waited for a few moments. It was a somewhat risky move. Another man could swoop in and ask her for a dance before he did, but if no one did, she would be more likely to dance with <i>him</i>.
Bryne moved easily along the side of the room, avoiding the carcass of the beast which had recently been slain. He reached the door where Alassea stood, welcoming the newcomers who were straggling in. "My lady?" he said in most swoon-worthy voice. "Would you care to dance with me?"

Alassea turned to look up at him innocently, eyes brightly inquisitive. "Why, yes, I would be delighted," she replied with a positively dazzling smile, acting pleasantly surprised as though she had never before seen Bryne in her life. "Might I inquire as to who I am addressing?"

Rilion watched Azura talking to a man who was, he agreed, quite handsome, and suppressed a slightly annoyed feeling. He hadn't really wanted to dance with anyone, but she would have been one of the few he might have picked - among the sea of chattering, eyelash-batting maidens that he frankly thought nobody in their right mind would have anything to do with.

Aelinniel smiled shyly, and matched Varna step for step - she was inarguably an excellent dancer.

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"I am Bryne." The incredibly handsome man responded. "And what would be the name of such a beautiful woman?"

"Dear, don't you know?" said Alassea with a trilling little laugh. "You must be very new - my name is Alassea, and I'm the youngest princess," she said with a coy courtsey. "I really didn't expect anyone to dance with me, you are very kind."

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Eric said "Hello, my lady, may I take your hand in dance?"

A magnificent, proud, simply gorgeous unicorn cantered up from positively nowhere. The august beast whinnied, its silken white mane and tail catching insubstantial rays of moonlight.

Duke John vaulted onto the horned beast with a blare of muted trumpets and nonexistant fanfare. He offered his hand to Alaina. "Away, away, away we shall ride!" he declared quite gallantly. "To the land of golden sunshine and Cheese-its!"

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Lady Diana had never in her life known that potted plants could smell so much like excrement.

In fact, Lady Diana was so observant that she learned something new each and every happy day. For example, when she was a mere five years old, she learned how to slay a fearsome dragon -

Ahem, back to the story.

Peeking out from behind the potted plant, Diana chewed her lip and gazed with utter adoration at the elf prince, Rilien. But she was simply too courteous, too demure, too tentative to venture out and greet him.

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Rilion steadfastly ignored whoever was behind him. He knew there was someone, he wasn't as unobservant as all that - but somehow he felt slightly intimidated by whoever it was. He glanced cautiously out of the corner of his eye - whoever it was looekd female, but he couldn't see past the blasted plant.

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(*falls out of chair and dies laughing* Oh my goodness..

And just out of curiousity, were you referring to Rylin, or Rilion, like in your post?)

Take his hand..take his hand..you know you want to..

Muting the voice of her romantic side to an annoying buzz, Alaina contemplated the options before her for a brief moment. Restraining the urge to sigh, she tentatively took the hand proffered to her..and distantly wondered why she did.

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