Little Bird and Talae Telena stare at the messenger. He scrapes a shoe across a tile.

Talae speaks first, shock lingering in her voice, "Her Highness is summoning us to a dinner party?"

The messenger nods his head furiously.

Talae's eyebrows climb higher into her hairline.

Little Bird bobs her head, "of course we accept. And don't worry, we do have clothing appropriate for court."

The messenger squeaks out his thanks and all but flees the temple, leaving the official invitations behind. Talae and Little Bird both collapse in laughter as soon as the messenger is out of sight.

Little Bird regains her voice first. "Oh dear. I hope we didn't start any rumors by not bothering to change out of our raiment before we answered the door."

Talae guffaws, "Nah. But the messenger probably wasn't expecting that. Poor kid."

They both lapse into a fit of giggles.

Aflia Cencin stares at the gilded letter from Her Majesty, Queen Shallahai, summoning her to a dinner party. Her father was fuming in his study, infuriated that the letter wasn't summoning him as her guardian. Aflia considered including him anyway for the barest heartbeat.

Then her heart hardened. He had done nothing for her that wasn't also to his own advantage. Aflia dashed off a formal acceptance letter and gave it to the messenger as soon as the ink had dried. Leaving her father still ranting, she packed a bag and left the Cencin estate.

Aris, still in his dress uniform from the graduation ceremony, took the gilded invitation from the messenger. "Of course I accept. It would be exceedingly foolish of me to turn down such an invitation from Her Majesty."

The messenger bowed and left.

Aris sighed. "Noxxy, can you behave, or do I need to leave you behind?"

"Mew!" Of course I'll behave!

Aris rested his face in one callused hand. "Try to keep the carnage to a minimum this time Noxxy."