[holy... Raven, I got that nice little mental image going on here]

Matters plummeted rapidly downhill - literally - as the unicorn spiraled downwards, finally alighting on the spiked headband of the Statue of Liberty.

Duke John had only to look at his damsel in distress and go quite red in the face. He sputtered, "What - what by the decree of all handsome men are you doing?"

"Kicking you off," the unicorn snapped, and it did exactly that. Still holding fast to Alaina, John rocketed forward and landed in a heap on Lady Liberty's head. The unicorn flew off in a huff with the words, "See you in Neverland. I'm off to the chiropractor."

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At first, Lady Diana was so preoccupied with sighing over the elfprince Rilion that she little noticed someone bump into her. She looked up to see a handsome, blue-eyed man racking for an apology.

"Oh..." she murmured, and her woe only enhanced her pale beauty. "And who might you be?"

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"We shall indeed," replied Alassea with a dazzling smile, secretly relieved that Alaina was nowhere to be seen. She rested her fingers daintily on Bryne's arm. "How odd that we have not met before - I am sure I cannot recall ever making your acquaintance."

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[you two, y'all are sending me into convulsive laughter-caused conniption fits!]

Jeral started at the sound of her melodious voice, and uncanny beauty. She was flawless, and he wondered that a fellow hadn't already snatched her up like a warm cookie.

"Jeral, m'lady, Jeral Cathnae." And he gave her one his most dashing bows, followed by a brief moment of eye contact. He bit his lip.

Hmm, it would be rude to ask her if she has a partner. And yet, perchance she is merely waiting for someone, and in that respect, she would also feel uncomfortable in rejecting a dance. Hmm. Subtle prying. That's it.

"And are you enjoying your lucious-erm-lOVELY self this evening, lassie?" He reached out and touched a strand of her hair gently, pulling his hand back, and murmuring... "Like the sun at dawn. Like the field of yellow flowers. Like corn on the... I mean, like the wings of a gentle butterfly."

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"The piano is able to communicate the subtlest universal truths by means of wood, metal and vibrating air."

[corn! hah!]

Lady Diana felt herself inexorably drawn into his deep blue eyes. Inward, inward, until she fairly felt herself drowning in those cobalt orbs...

She came to her senses with a start, reminding herself fiercely that this was NOT her love, Rilion. Yet, despite her greatest efforts, she found herself blushing at his slightest touch. "Pleased to meet your acquaintance, my lord. I am Lady Diana."

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((A warm cookie? *goes into fits of laughter* ))

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For a moment, Jeral was completely caught up in her beauty. Her eyelashes, her hair, her teeth, her smile, her chin, her adam's apple, her nostrils. She was like a perfectly formed statue, and yet breathing. Even her nostrils inflated with grace.

And then he remembered.

AZURA!

He had just asked her for a dance before being attacked by fan girls. Ooooh good heavens!

It's unfair, it's totally unfair! why must I be the one to fall in love with two women in the same night?!

His eyes caught the beauty of Diana again, and his heart wrenched within him. He had to think of something- and fast!

"My lady," he began, desperately hoping she said yes, "you look weary. Would you allow me the pleasurable honor of getting you some punch?"

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"The piano is able to communicate the subtlest universal truths by means of wood, metal and vibrating air."

Despite herself, Diana was taken aback by this abrupt turn of events. For years, she'd simply taken for granted that any man who talked to her would either ask her for a dance or for her hand in marriage.

But punch?

She fairly swooned in delight. Jeral was so exotic, so refreshing! "Of course," she replied, dimpling sweetly.

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Jeral smiled winningly at her, and tore himself away from her beauty. He could literally feel and hear his heart ripping as he...

Oh blast. That was his shirt. Perhaps Zippy had been right when she chided him on trying to show his muscles off too much in his shirts.

Great, just what I need. I might as well be eaten by a dragon. Oh the woe! Now I won’t be able to dance at all with this rip!

And as he waltzed over to where the punch was, his eye caught the hurt gaze of Azura, whom he had deserted.

“M’lady,” he said, in his most piteous and heart-rending way, “how can you ever excuse my rudeness? As you can see, I was being chased by a mob of unruly girls... but now... AH! Just to bask in thy beauty once more.”

His eyes swept over her, hypnotizingly, and he gave her the glass of punch. “Fair one, unfortunately this dance has ended, but promise me another one, later on?”

And before she had time to reply, he dashed back to the crowd, carefully concealing the rip by holding his left arm tight against his side. Moving back over the crowd, he made his way back to the entrancing Diana, only to realize he didn’t have the punch! Thankfully, he knew a little bit of magic, so mumbling a few words to himself, he pulled a glass of the reddest and loveliest punch out of thin air, and handed to her wordlessly.

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<center>
"The piano is able to communicate the subtlest universal truths by means of wood, metal and vibrating air."

(*sniggers wildly* I swear, I'm going to crack a rib!)

"How..on this good earth..are we going to get out of this mess?!" Alaina half-asked, half-demanded. Flustered was not a good enough word to describe her state just then. Her hair was disheveled and tangled from the wind, and her cheeks were flushed slightly - either from annoyance or just pure embaressment. The latter was the most likely..

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Shalem cantered towards the doorway, the light spilling out onto the drive. Her hooves rang like silver bells, (well this is the oh so perfect charrie) echoing the one palited with powder blue ribbon into her mane. Beside her trotted Yemen who growled slightly at the bemused page boy who came to take Shalem to the stables. "M'lady?" he held out his hand, and Rosa slid gracefully to the ground.

Her hair was shot though with gold thread, her dress, cut low, was of the most magnificent powder blue to mach Shalems saddle. Gold embroiary played over the blue, forming pattens that recalled water running over white shingle. The dress hung to the ground, and a train fanned out behind her. She wore only a simple gold cross, and a white rose in her russet hair.

"Thank you" (think german accent) her voice was deep and low, suggestive, like rosewood mellowed by age. The page bow blushed involentry and tore his eyes away from her laughing smile. "Come Yemen" She glided into the hall, and paused on the threshhold, looking around demurely.

(notice me someone)

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Made by Lembas

((I would, but my charrie is already in love with two women, and to add a third would be suicide. The prospect is tempting, however. ))

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"The piano is able to communicate the subtlest universal truths by means of wood, metal and vibrating air."

(My younger male is taken already..but perhaps I can bring my elder into this again.)

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((well you could both bring you're boys in and fight over me....*grins* but any one would be great))

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Made by Lembas

((My guy's not taken, but he's not the type to swoon ))

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((i don't mind, as long as i can talk to someone...but beware, she'll make someone swoon before the evenings out))

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Made by Lembas

In the two minutes Lady Diana had to preen herself, she'd combed her hair, smoothed her silken green gown, and applied a soft layer of green eyeliner to enhance the gold-flecked green of her eyes.

Oh, and she'd also zoomed to Pets Mart, grabbed a few doves, and zoomed back. Those slightly rumpled doves were now flying circles around her.

She accepted the punch breathlessly, never taking her eyes from his. Also, she indiscreetly punched a dove that'd been singing too loudly. The dazed bird twittered and dropped, out cold, to the floor.

"What happened?" she asked, nodding at his left arm.

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Duke John was a tenfold more desperate than Alaina, though he practically killed himself from concealing it. This was his first date with the girl of his dreams.

And the stupid unicorn ditched him!

Evidently, unicorns didn't care much for bribes.

"Dearest damsel, concern not yourself with the mundane troubles of the world!" he said, sitting down and gently drawing her close. "Whilst your beauty thrives upon this earth, enjoy the view!" He swept his arm expansively across the New York harbor.

City lights, rudely blocking out the moon and stars, glittered on the bridges and skyscrapers of Manhatten. Down on the ground, thousands of pedestrians choked on polluted air. A goldfish randomly swimming in the harbor died of water poisoning.

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