Irenie was pacing -again- as the servants finished setting up the decorations for the evening's festivities. She always got like this a few hours before a ball and it didn't help that most of the human guests had already shown up.

She had dressed in a pale pink gown that swished back and forth at ankle height and was wearing a silver crown as well as a opal necklace of the same style.

Curdie was watching the princess outside of a healthy five-yard radius that he never fell inside of until the moment she flung out wildly for him, her pupils like pinpricks.

"Curdie! And the delegations? The delegations from Worthison's house, have they arrived yet?"

Familiar with her last-minute scrambles, Curdie nodded quickly. "Count Worthison isn't coming but he sent his son as a replacement."

"Which son?" Irenie asked, her body facing him, but her eyes always on the great oak doors that locked the castle entrance.

"The good one, second from the end, not a drinker," Curdie replied in short notes, only relaying the important information Princess Irenie was searching for. "I think Count Worthison didn't want an event like the last ball you held, there are only so many times the son of a nobleman can throw-up on the king's throne."

Irenie's eyes left the doors for the first time, giving Curdie an earnest smile.

"Good," she laughed, "I'm sure Father will appreciate that."

Despite the smile, Irenie was still nervous. Along with this being the first royal inclusion of the goblins, her father had also pressed Irenie to include any and all noble bachelors in hers and neighbouring kingdoms. It was his one condition for allowing the goblins in after what they had done to the land the last time.

Even though she would see the dread Prince of the Goblins again in all his unpleasant glory, it was the idea of prospective suitors that terrified Irenie the most.

It was hard enough conducting a formal ball without every man within walking distance asking for a dance. That's why, along with all the men her father had insisted on being there, Irenie had called upon her own friend.

"And Ophelia?" Irenie asked Curdie hopefully.

Her friend's lip rose with a bit of a wrinkle in it as if the mention of Ophelia had caused him pain. Theirs was a complicated relationship at best and Irenie did all she could to avoid getting caught up in it.

"Not yet," Curdie muttered while straightening out his suit which he did not like at all.

The blaring of trumpets called from outside as well as the pitter-patter of feet that sounded like an army of footmen.

"But by the sounds of those trumpets I bet she's already here," Curdie said grudgingly, his shoulders flexing as if to prepare himself for a future battle. Unfortunately for the miner-knight, he wasn't used to the sort of fights nobles fought.

Irenie felt her shoulders settle back down to a comfortable height as she waved the guards to open the doors. A flurry of colours and even a couple of birds fluttered in at the entrance of the grand lady as a woman dressed head to toe in sapphires entered the ballroom.

"Presenting her ladyship, Duchess Ophelia Estrild," the announcer shouted through the hall as those invited oood and awed at the latest arrival.

Her brown eyes sparkled when they caught the princess and she handed off her long train to a servant who followed after with small steps.

"Irenie! My dear friend, it is so good to see you!"

"Speak of her and the devil appears," Curdie muttered under his breath while casting his eyes dejectedly at the wall. His hands were pressed tight behind his back as Irenie walked a few steps forward to welcome the new guest.

The two women embraced quickly, and Irenie felt a little laugh escape her.

"You look very pretty tonight," Ophelia said, her eyes flicking once over her friend as she grabbed Irenie by the hands and giggled with her.

"And you are as resplendent as always," Irenie said in return, her eyes closing with joy. "Are those new sapphires you're wearing?"

Ophelia nodded in a way that was anything but humble and flashed her bosom which was adorned with the sparkling blue jewels. "These, why, just a gift from the Earl of Azure."

Curdie rolled his eyes at the display of wealth, arms crossed tighter behind his back.

Ophelia Estrild was one of the most sought-after women in court. She was the daughter of a very wealthy Duke in a very rich land, and about the same age as Irenie. She was also incredibly beautiful.

Although Irenie was the daughter of a King, they didn't have nearly as much money as the Estrilds. The Tor's kingdom wasn't exactly small or poor, but they were when compared to all the other kingdoms in the area. One of the largest reasons no other monarchs tried encroaching on their land was that no one would want it. 'Too many goblins' most said.

However, despite their vast differences, Ophelia and Irenie were friends ever since childhood. Although she was the desire of every nobleman at court and took pride in receiving their gifts, Ophelia was so charismatic and vivacious that she became fast friends with all the women, too. It was impossible to hate her.

Curdie, however, had always been prickly with Ophelia.

Upon watching her army of servants carry in several large trunks, he sniffed at the minstrels that followed last.

"My god, did you bring your own musicians?" Curdie asked unhappily. "You know they won't be playing, Ophelia. The goblins can't stand music."

Curdie's nose curled but it did nothing to waver the young woman in front of him who, for a moment, paused. A gentle smile crept onto her lips and it was deceivingly sweet as she cocked her head.

"When did you acquire such a surly servant, Irenie?" She brushed him off in the sort of way Ophelia did with people who criticized her. It didn't help that Curdie was well below her station and that it never took much to bate him.

"I'm a knight and the princess' right hand– and you know it."

Ophelia smiled, her bright eyes becoming uncomfortably warm on Curdie's skin. "I suppose they're giving out knighthoods to anyone these days. Well, you did start that boy's choir." The Duke's daughter smiled plainly as she took one long step in Curdie's direction and watched as a wave of unease came over him.

The young man blinked, a nervous laugh on his lips as he refused to look her in the eye. "A boy's choir, how funny. Does the pompous Earl of Azure let you kiss him with that tongue?"

Ophelia's eyes contracted. "I don't let any man kiss me."

"Friends- please–" Irenie interjected quickly, not sure if something really bad or really good was about to happen. "I'm glad you're both here, for helping me with the goblins."

The both of them blinked at the princess as if they had forgotten her and uneasy grins came to both their lips. Ophelia was the first to recover, naturally, and shied away from Curdie although her eyes were still fiery.

"With these new alliances forming you'll soon be out of a job, won't you miner-boy?" Ophelia asked in a coy way that allowed her golden curls to trail over her bare, almond coloured shoulder. The cut caused Curdie to go bright red as he stood stiff shouldered and took the verbal lashing. "Singing at the goblins was how you got your knighthood, wasn't it? I hope you haven't been resting on your laurels..."

The knight's mouth dropped open, his eyes going wide as he stared at Irenie and Ophelia.

"Ah- I-Irenie?" Curdie asked as if he needed her confirmation.

The princess just winced and held up her hands as if to push herself out of the fight. "Curdie is a very valuable knight and he's done so well in his training... the guards are always singing his praises."

Ophelia's nose wrinkled and her cat-like grin only grew wider when Curdie's face went a shade redder than before.

"I must have a word with your musicians, if you don't mind," Irenie said in earnest and began to depart in their direction as the gathering began to set up their instruments.

"That's alright, Ree," Ophelia said, rolling her shoulders back so that the sapphires shimmered. "I shall be changing out of these travelling clothes into something more fit for a party."

Curdie's gaze hardened again without saying anything, although it was doubtless he was questioning what Ophelia had called her 'travelling clothes'.

"I shall see you later, miner-boy," Ophelia said from over her shoulder as the servant who held her train followed with quick, soundless feet.

Curdie, whose face had been bright red until Ophelia had left, slumped forward. "By God that woman–" he said without finishing the thought and Irenie just smiled knowingly. "- you know, I don't think I like her calling me 'miner-boy'. It's a little too similar to our new goblin friend," Curdie said with a forced shiver.

Irenie laughed. "Perhaps they'll get along," she replied slyly and Curdie looked at her in disbelief.

"Oh, I'm sure it will kill her just to be in the same room as anything like Froglip," Curdie said and chuckled nervously to himself, "she'll probably faint at the very least."

"So you can catch her?" Irenie prodded and looked at him over her shoulder so that Curdie was now staring at her in horror. However, before he could get in a word to reject what she had said, Irenie was standing before Ophelia's hired musicians, clasping her hands patiently.

"Good evening gentle friends." The princess dipped into a curtsy as the musicians responded with their own greetings.

"It is an honour, Princess Irenie Tor." The lead musician, the flautist, stepped forward, her hair pinned back in an elegant braid. "It will be our sincerest pleasure to perform–"

"Ah, I'm afraid Lady Ophelia neglected to mention that our guests this evening are a little sensitive to music so there won't be... any music."

The band of musicians looked as if Irenie had struck each of them, their mouths hung open as an after effect.

"No music, your highness?"

Irenie shook her head apologetically but quickly ran to the man holding the harp. "But it will be alright, really! You can still pluck away at this, or– or a string of notes once in a while couldn't do too much damage... just no music."

And then the princess was off, nervous laughter chattering through her teeth as she flitted off to attend to the next thing.

"Look at the state of this place–" Curdie said bluntly, coming to a stop behind Irenie when she had paused. Their gaze swept over the room from the foods prepared specifically for the goblins to the dumbfounded musicians and the lords and ladies standing uncomfortably still. Hardly a word was being spoken.

"Well, at least I don't think it could get all that much worse."