Messenger of Love
Please note that this story contains spoilers for the Northern Negotiators event.
Formal Noelle: E-everyone here looks so...fancy. It's just how I'd imagined a royal banquet would be!
Formal Noelle: Say, Joachim? What do you do at events like this? It's my first time, and I don't know what any of the rules...
Formal Noelle: ...are. Er, Joachim?
Formal Joachim: Oh, that? It was nothing.
Nobleman: Such modesty—yet you managed to sweet- talk Chelle, of all people. Tell me, lad, what WAS your trick? I must know!
Formal Joachim: Sorry, friend. That's classified.
Formal Noelle: Oh, there he is! Joachi—
Large Nobleman: Oof! Oh, I beg your pardon, madam!
Formal Noelle: N-no...it was my fault.
Formal Noelle: Joachim? Oh, drat. I lost him again.
Formal Noelle: Aw jeez... J-Joachiiim? Where are you?
Formal Noelle: H-huh? How did I end up out here?
Remuel: Julia, my turtledove! At long last!
Julia: Oh, Remuel! How I've burned to see you!
Formal Noelle: (Eeep! Oh gosh, is this a lover's tryst? I mean, I've read about them in romance novels, but never actually...seen one.)
Formal Noelle: (They're clearly nobles based on how they're dressed, so I guess they snuck out of the banquet?)
Remuel: You don't know how I've pined for this day to come, my sweet. I knew we were both slated to attend tonight's banquet, and here we are together at last!
Julia: Ah, but I do know—for I have pined for it just as long! Oh, WHY must our fathers persist in their silly grudge?! Why must our families hate each other so?!
Julia: If they would only accept our union, we could spend every night locked in each other's arms!
Formal Noelle: (I guess their families don't like them being together, which explains the secret meeting.)
Formal Noelle: (Oh gosh, Noelle, stop spying on them! ...Good luck, you two! I hope everything works out!)
Formal Noelle: (Eeep! Someone ELSE is coming! Better stay hidden right here...)
Julia's Father: There you are, Julia my dear! I've been searching high and low for...
Julia's Father: Fie, but I know the man with you! He's the son of that detestable snake!
Julia: I don't care WHOSE son he is! Remuel and I are in LOVE!
Julia's Father: Poppycock! I won't hear another word of it! No daughter of mine will consort with the spawn of that viper! Now come.
Julia: F-Father, please! Wait!
Julia: Remuel! Remuel, my love!
Remuel: Julia, no! Juliaaa!
Remuel's Father: So THIS is where you've gotten off to, Remuel. Goodness, what is all of this absurd shouting abou...
Remuel's Father: I say, what are you doing with this slavering hyena and his cur daughter?!
Julia's Father: Better a hyena than a pathetic carrion jackal such as yourself!
Fathers: HARUMPH!
Julia's Father: I'm suddenly overtaken with a wave of nausea. Julia, come along this instant!
Remuel's Father: For once, we're in agreement. Remuel!
Remuel & Julia: My love...
Formal Noelle: Whoa... That was crazy!
Formal Noelle: Huh? What's that?
Formal Noelle: Some kind of brooch? That poor woman must have dropped it.
Formal Noelle: I should get it back to her. She's probably over in that building where her father dragged her off to...
Formal Noelle: Found her! Um, m-ma'am? Excuse me, ma'am?
Julia: Hm? Can I help you with something?
Formal Noelle: BROOCH! Er, I mean, um...this is yours here please take it I'm really sorry!
Julia: Goodness, it IS mine! Thank you so much. Where in the world did I drop it?
Formal Noelle: O-outside... It probably fell off after you were, um...dragged away.
Julia: So...you saw that, did you?
Formal Noelle: *gulp* Um...sorry?
Julia: It wasn't my intention to blame you; though I would consider it a great kindness if you kept the matter to yourself.
Formal Noelle: *nod*
Julia: I appreciate it, Miss... Hmm. I don't think we've actually met.
Julia: I know most every face in Chanzelia, yet I've never seen yours before. Are you a visitor from elsewhere?
Formal Noelle: Y-yes, ma'am. My name is Noelle, and I... I'm part of the diplomatic contingent from Svenitla.
Julia: You're with that military from up north? Oh, I've heard some wonderful tales of your brave exploits!
Julia: Impressive work recently, by the way: Securing a deal out of Chelle is no mean feat.
Formal Noelle: Oh, J-Joachim is the impressive one. He, um...did all the important stuff.
Formal Noelle: All I did was run around and deliver orders. S-same as always, really...
Julia: But don't high-ranking officers usually give orders? Forgive me if I'm overstepping; I'm largely ignorant of military affairs.
Formal Noelle: Oh, I don't come up with the orders! I'm just a messenger. My job is to deliver letters without being caught, basically.
Julia: Well, that sounds very important indeed. And also very brave, to be sneaking past an enemy to deliver...
Julia: Ah! I am struck with a flash of inspiration!
Julia: Let's continue this conversation outside, shall we? It wouldn't do to be overheard.
Formal Noelle: Um...all right?
Julia: We should have a bit of privacy here.
Julia: Noelle, I need your help to deliver this love letter to my beloved Remuel.
Formal Noelle: A l-l-love letter?!
Julia: Yes. Seeing as how you're an expert in delivering letters in secret, I trust you can find a way to secure this into his care?
Julia: You saw for yourself earlier how our fathers' inane feud is standing in the way of our true love.
Julia: If we can't meet in person, then I must at least share the contents of my heart with him by way of the pen!
Formal Noelle: That...sounds nice...
Formal Noelle: A-all right! I'll make sure your feelings reach him one way or the other!
Formal Noelle: Connecting one person to another is a messenger's job, after all!
|