Roxanne woke up with an overwhelming stale sensation in her mouth. An extreme thirst had overtaken her, and she needed to act on it. She went down to the dining room where a cooler of water was waiting, and she took a glass and calmly sat down on a table. She opened her phone to check the time as nobody was up outside of a few servants making sure everything was up to par. It was only 6:24 in the morning. But below the clock at the top of her phone was a little notification.
6 messages-unknown number
Roxanne hesitated for a second but opened it up.
‘hey its willow’
‘im like realdrunk right now’
‘ur like so hot its insane’
‘during the ball 2merro lets sneak out and kiss’
‘or maybe more hehe’
‘k I gotta sleep leters xxxxxxx’
Roxanne just stared at the phone as she sipped her water. Then she remembered. Her and Willow started making out when they were drunk. And she wanted to go further. The next in line to the throne of Vannana. Thoughts of sitting by her filled her head before she could even think them. Forever. Wait, forever? Willow was cool, sure. But forever cool? Not really? Maybe? She was better than Dermot and Dakarai combined, that was for sure. But then she had to consider…
“What you starin at?”
Roxanne made some kind of incoherent noise when her ship of thought crash landed. Zach’s hulking figure was casually looming over her as she clutched her phone to her chest.
“Just got some messages from a friend!” She answered quickly.
“Ah, got it.” Zach nodded calmly, taking out his own phone and looking agitated at the screen. “Damn it Marcel, what’s up with you?”
“He’s Luminita’s dad, right?”
“Leader of Sangaria, yeah. Hasn’t been returning my messages since yesterday.”
“You think something happened?” Roxanne asked.
“Well, I’m fairly certain that if something major happened to him then Luminita would let me know. Which just leads me to ask what’s happened to the guy.”
“Maybe he just left his suit shopping to the last minute?” Roxanne asked.
“You know, that is something he would do.” Zach chuckled with a quick rub of his chin. Before his chuckle evolved into laughter that shook the staff member next to them.
“Yeah, that’s probably it!” He remarked, wiping a tear from his eye. “Now, I swear I had something to ask you…ah yes, it was for your friend Julian!”
“I can tell him for you.”
“Well, he used to be a Battlestorm, right? And they’re helping me with something back in Fightston, so maybe I could rush them over to…”
“No no!” Roxanne interrupted quickly, panic building up in her throat. “He wouldn’t want to bother anyone with short notice effort like that! You just enjoy yourself and wait for your friend!”
Zach nodded slowly. “Well, I’ll leave you to whatever you’re doing. Now, what’s good for protein?”
Roxanne was left to her phone, and her next reply to Willow. Couldn’t hurt to try taking it further, right?
‘Sounds good, meet you there’
She quickly snapped her phone shut in a manner she found quite stylish, and then opened it to make sure the force of the closing didn’t break anything. It didn’t, so all was good.
“Ah, miss Roxanne.”
Roxanne turned around to see Freyja standing over her with a look of approval.
“Always good to see someone committed to waking up early.” She stated.
“Um, thanks?” Roxanne replied.
“Actually, while I have you up, I have some news to deliver. A request if you will.”
“Okay, what do you need?”
“I was talking to Rory for a while, you see. And he wants to talk to you during the meal before the ball later on. So if you would be so kind as to indulge him, that would be great.”
“What does he want to talk about?”
“I’m afraid I wasn’t given specifics.” Freyja answered, making a strained expression as she did. The most expressive she’s seen her yet.
“I mean, I’ll probably be able to do it, doesn’t seem too hard.”
“Excellent. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some preparations to attend to.”
She gave a small bow to Roxanne, and Roxanne tried bowing from her seat. She could tell it just looked awkward.
“What was she saying to you?”
Roxanne recognised Willow’s voice, and slowly turned around to face her. Play it casual, nothing too try-hard.
“Something about needing to talk to Rory later, I think? Wasn’t really listening, she’s a real piece of work.”
“Yeah, she really is.” Willow sighed, squinting at the door. “So, your friends deep sleepers?”
“Julian is, Cassandra’s usually pretty on top of things.”
“Awesome, less time in the dress.”
Willow sat next to Roxanne, and Javier sat down next to Willow. Willow was still in a white t-shirt and sweatpants while Javier was in a blue t-shirt with some cartoon characters she didn’t recognize and shorts she wasn’t entirely sure wasn’t just underwear.
“The dress?”
“You know, the dresses we picked out and are gonna have to wear for the whole day?”
Oh yeah, those. Willow’s dress had pretty colours but looked really tight in the waist area. But hers was honestly really nice, especially when her necklace was added to the equation.
“I’m just wondering what business you have with Rory of all people.” Javier finally added to the conversation. “Have you two ever spoken before?”
“Don’t think so, no.” Roxanne replied with a shake of her head.
“Maybe she wants him to see your busted leg?”
“Why would she want that?”
“Guilt trip him into something relating to the weapons, maybe? I honestly have no idea.”
Willow got a buzz on her phone, throwing her head to the sky as soon as she read it.
“It’s mom. We have to get the suits on.”
A short while later, Roxanne was fitted into her gown with the help of a servant, stepping out when done. Opposite the dressing room was a mirror that covered the whole room. After looking at herself, Roxanne thought she looked even better than the first time she tried it on. She compared the colour of the gem in the necklace to that of the dress. Willow and Cassandra stepped out a few minutes later. Willow looked at herself in the mirror and approving her look, but her gaze quickly shifted to Roxanne looking at herself. Cassandra gave herself one good look before leaving to the main hall. When she stepped out, Julian was already there casually waiting with Javier while one of Willow’s siblings were talking to them. Mostly to Julian.
“Yeah, Luca and I haven’t talked in a while.” Julian said to a teenage girl sitting next to him.
“But you two were the skyspace’s…”
“Ultimate power couple, yeah. But hey, things change. And now I’m just a humble doctor helping the next generation of heroes.”
“And you’re single?” The girl asked.
“First off, you’re like twelve.”
“I’m fifteen!”
“That’d still get me arrested. And to get back to the original question, I’m in a great relationship with miss Cassandra over there.”
“Oh hey, you’re willow’s sister.” Cassandra said as she sat next to her boyfriend.
“Yeah.” She sighed.
“Elena, are you doing much?” Freyja asked softly as she walked by them with a few people in tow. They seemed to be in bright green jackets and casual jeans, with one holding a mic and one holding a camera. One their sleeves were the letters ‘SNC’ ShiShi News Central. Oh boy.
“Not really.” The girl said.
“Then please guide our guests through the castle and try to answer any questions they have.”
The cameraman turned his camera to Julian’s already tired face.
“Excuse me, mister Julian Torres!” The man with the microphone yelled out. “How does it feel after being brought back to adventuring after your apparent retirement?”
“It’s…certainly stressful.” Julian sighed. “There’s a lot of issues that come with it. Like fighting off the Legion, making sure your weapons are always secure, that kind of thing. But there’s one part that’s just absolutely awful.”
“Which would be?”
“When some doofus with a camera insists on shoving a camera in your face and asking questions when you haven’t even had to chance to get some water.”
“There are more interesting things on the third floor!” Freyja announced from behind. “And Elena would be more than happy to show you!”
“Sure, let’s go.” Elena said flatly, getting up and escorting their new guests up the staircase. The cameraman took interest in the staircase and it’s vibrant blue carpet, as well as the highly detailed banister.
“Hey, mind if I get some water?” Julian asked a servant sitting next to them.
“Certainly, sir.” The young looking waiter affirmed, walking to fulfil his request. Freyja went next to him.
“I want you to wait that man’s table at the next meal. Be sure to keep all alcohol away.”
“Understood, lord Freyja.”
