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How To Deliver Justice (with KiraMusani

Amethyst raised an eyebrow, yet grinned. "Did you not hear how Avenger spoke to me? That is the most proper way. Although I be a lady in manners and etiquette, I'm a Dame Knight. As Avenger would be, if she ever decides to. No one deserves knighthood more, but in order to accept it, she'd have to lose the mask and give her name. Her real one." She sighed. "You're getting that Lady Amethyst from when Calla was with me. She seems to insist on calling me 'Lady Amethyst' for reasons known only to her. Frankly, I'm tired of correcting the girl. If the princess wants to insist on calling me 'Lady Amethyst', so be it."

After styling her hair and helping her into the dress, which was definitely an old ball gown, meaning it went clear to Clair's ankles, Amethyst scrutinized Clair's appearance. 'The princess better be impressed. It fits you better than it ever did me; much too tight in the bosom for me, but it actually looks good... I'm sure she won't mind if I give it to you, as there's sure to be fancy things to attend, and sometimes, much to Avenger's chagrin, ladies have to be in dresses and not pants. Most of Gregor's are either or."

She nodded, "Come now. Time to meet King Gregor."

Shortly, they were before the herald and were announced. "Presenting her ladyship, Clair Handler, inventor, standing in for The Crimson Avenger! She is escorted by Dame Knight Amethyst of Galway."

Amethyst glared at the herald. "Must you?" She asked incredulously, "Even Gregor has told you I'm Dunwynian now."

Gregor cleared his throat. "We'll speak later, Herald. Again."

Amethyst bowed. The King nodded. Both pairs of eyes were now on Clair as she made her debut to court. Would she remember how to greet the King?
 
Clair nodded taking notes.
"Okay so umm, would you prefer Dame Knight Amethyst then?" She asked.

Clair blushed at the compliment.
"W-well thanks, I umm, never had an issue with things too tight in the chest, not surprisingly. Though I am sure you are being nice, so umm, what umm, what kind of relationship does the Princess have with the Avenger?" She asked not sure if Amethyst knew about the wedding proposal or not so did not say anything about it.
"Oh, so I couldn't wear a pantsuit if I wanted. Can I at least have shorts or pants under the dress? I feel kind of exposed as is" She asked with a blush.

Clair nervously followed Amethyst, not wanting to embarrass herself or talk to anyone unexpectedly, she was basically hiding behind the taller woman.

Clair jumped a little as she came to the realization it was her turn to speak.
"Oh! umm, Your Majesty" She looked down at her clothes and seemed to check in her mind what she was wearing before giving an amateur curtsy, then turned to look for Calla before back toward the King.
"A pleasure, umm Sire..." Her face resembled a tomato by this point.
 
Amethyst nodded. "That would be most acceptable, Lady Clair."

She looked puzzled at Clair. "To my knowledge, they've never been formally introduced to each other. Why? Ah. Hold that thought until after the ball. We'll talk then."
----------------

"A pleasure to meet one of Avenger's team. I always knew she couldn't do those things, or have her weapons cared for on her own." Gregor responded with a curt nod. "Tell me, Lady Inventor, how goes her investigation? I admit I forgot I planned this on a night she would have no way of attending. That's on me, and send her my sincerest apologies. I intended for her to finally meet my daughter. Another time, then, but you shall have the pleasure. " He smiled, ushering the two towards the dining hall. "As the representative of the Avenger, you will be at my table. Dame Knight Amethyst will escort you to your seat. I must attend the rest of my guests, we'll talk during dinner."

Amethyst shook her head with a chuckle. "Didn't Avenger warn you that Princess Calla never arrives on time, any more? She hasn't for all four of her teen years thus far, after Cavin. It's almost as if she doesn't care for court anymore. Not that I blame her, the incident did occur in the very dining hall we are heading to, and it ended his duties as a squire to Sir Tuxford." She wasn't about to mention that she, herself, had taken his place as Tuxford's squire, and zoomed through the ranks, getting her knighthood exactly two years to the day, at 17. "She'll make her appearance. I promise." The knight wasn't about to include that the king would tan Calla's hide if the princess DIDN'T show up.

Once seated, Amethyst quickly pointed to each utensil. "When eating with nobility or royalty, always use the farthest utensil outside. That small fork on the farthest outside, tells me we're having either oyster or shelled and pulled crab for the first appetizer. The large spoon on the other side of the plate, tells me we're having soup for the second course. Watch which utensil I or the king uses if you get confused. It can be a bit much." Amethyst said calmly and reassuredly.
 
Clair wanted to correct the king and tell him that she had only just started on her duties, but she remained quiet, thinking it would be best to keep her mouth closed until directly spoken to, and then only say very basic nonconfrontational things! She had to make a good impression on both Crimson Avenger and her own parents' shop!
"It goes as well as can be expected, and of course Sire I shall send her your regards when next we meet" She nodded, a slight tremor in her voice as she did the best she could to control her nerves and keep herself present.

"I am sure she is eager to finally meet your daughter as well, and thank you I am umm, honored to have a seat alongside your family," she replied, not super happy about how much she was needing to talk so far, but perhaps once the initial meet was done she would get a break. Luckily she didn't inherit her mother's nervous sweats because she would be soaked if she had. But like her father she managed to remain dry as a bone when in stressful situations.

"Heh, right, I knew she would probably be late, just though I would look just in case she decided to surprise everyone, I hope she won't be disappointed to see me instead of Avenger." she wondered out loud. When given the promise that she would arrive Clair nodded in response, not sure why she felt even more nervous about her then the King.

Clair nodded along as the utensils were explained to her, taking mental notes as she was worried pulling out her notebook might be rude.
"Right, outside in and ill double check by seeing what you and the King are using first, thanks"
 
The first course came and went, with the princess's chair next to her father still empty. Servants cleared those dishes and a hearty soup, that seemed to be spinach and cream, or cheese, or maybe both, was brought as the second course. Everyone at the table grabbed the large spoon, which was now the farthest utensil outside.

"Ladies don't slurp, but they do sip, like this." Amethyst whispered to Clair, taking a spoonful of the soup and quietly sipping it off the spoon.

Gregor had been quiet through the first course, listening to everyone around the table. He finally spoke up. "Lady Handler, or would you prefer I use your first name, please talk about your inventions for the Avenger. I hear she uses a sleeker bolt with her crossbow than most others. Something that penetrates thicker armour?"

"Dragons and ogres, mostly, Sire." Amethyst offered. "I'm pretty sure only Avenger uses it, but others can get it. I think."

"Ah, I see. One of your inventions, I assume?" Gregor nodded as he again directed the question to Clair. It was true that the dart could only be found at Clair's parents general store, but had she invented it, or simply modified bolts to the dart like weapon, Avenger preferred.

Halfway through the second course, Princess Calla finally made her appearance in a blue and gold gown and gold headband with a ruby in the center. She took her seat next to her father, and everyone would notice her left hand bandaged. She quietly began to look among the nobles at the table with her, eyes settling on Clair with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.
 
Clair carefully ate her first course, watching how other ladies were eating to guide her actions, she finished slightly after the others but was still ready in time for the soup. She looked to Amethyst as the soup arrived nodding as she explained how to eat it properly.

She picked up the proper spoon.
"Sip, don't slurp, okay" she whispered to herself before trying to do just that, attempting to mimic the same sipping that Amethyst was showing.

Clair stopped sipping and placed her soon down, looking toward the King, shocked he was speaking to her again.
"Oh, umm, my apologies your Highness, as for what I am working on for Avenger currently I believe she would be the best to talk to about that, they technically belong to her and I do not wish to reveal anything she wishes to be kept to her for now." She replied nervously, rubbing the back of her head.
"As for the darts, yes that was a little something I came up with, originally wanting to sell it when we had that dragon scare, but then I suppose she must have caught wind of them, I didn't even realize it was her who was purchasing them, but I don't often deal with sales," she admitted.

As Calla arrived Clair's face went red as she saw her, quickly averting her gaze to not stare, but managed to peek a look at her again as Calla looked toward her. Upon seeing her raised brow and smirk, Clair nervously held a hand up giving a slight wave while avoiding eye contact and then looking back toward her food. She couldn't exactly give her a curtsy now, could she? And she definitely can't talk to her without first being addressed right?
 
Amethyst cleared her throat and whispered to Clair, while giving an apologetic look to the King. "Clair. Highness is for the offspring of the King. He's the ruler. It's always Sire or Your Majesty."

Gregor had raised an eyebrow at the courtly slip, but didn't correct Clair, listening to her speak. "I see. So the dart was a happy accident, and I commend you on making a weapon that can get through the tough scales of a dragon. We have more problems with ogres who are also tough skinned brutes, though, so I wish you luck on sales with the darts."

He looked at Calla's left hand, bandaged tightly, and nodded to it. "What did you do this time, Calla Lily?" His gaze was fixed on his daughter.

Calla looked at the others at her table, noticing all eyes now trained on her. "I hurt my wrist, sparring. Nothing serious." It was a half truth that maybe even Clair would catch.

Amethyst turned her head towards the princess. "With whom? You know you're only to spar with me, and we did nothing of the sort the last two days." She then took a breath, "Princess Calla, let me formally introduce you to Clair Handler, the young lady you were flirting with in the general store."

Gregor gave a chuckle at his knight's barb at his daughter. "Interesting. Again you have been caught flirting with a villager." He gave an apologetic look at Clair. "I warned you repeatedly. Therefore, I make this edict for all to hear. My daughter, Princess Calla of Dunwyn, has until sunset of her 18th birthday, to choose from three female suitors to wive. Crimson Avenger, Princess Diana and now Avenger's Inventor, Clair. Or I will do it for her." He looked sternly at her. "After dinner and before the ball, you will spend time with Clair and get to know her. I did see you smirk at her upon your arrival. Are we clear?"

Course two finished, and course three, a garden salad was presented. It was the first time Calla would have something in front of her, she looked at Clair with a smirk and wink. "I can't wait to get to know Clair better, father." She commented, already plotting how to get out of marrying 'herself'.

"Back to the side with all the forks, and good luck with the princess after dinner." Amethyst whispered to Clair with a pat on the back.
 
Clair's eyes went wide as she was corrected for her slip-up.
"Oh! I am so sorry your Majesty! I am still learning! I did not mean to offend in any way" she apologized frantically before turning to her plate again embarrassed.

"Oh and umm, yes the darts are equally effective against ogres as well, though that was more luck than intentional. However, the issue is to keep the crossbows accurate with them it needs some modifications, so most don't bother with them," she admitted.

Clair's eyes like the others soon focused on Calla as well as she and her father spoke, though she didn't make direct eye contact, she did watch the conversation along with virtually all others.

Luckily for Calla, Clair's social awareness was low enough that she did not pick up on the slip-up. However, Clair was suspicious of them as they were both able to use the sword she made and they were the same size, though she figured sooner or later she might see them together and would feel silly for thinking they may be the same.

Hearing Amethyst say that Calla was flirting with her OUT LOUD and IN FRONT OF THE KING! made Clair freeze and stop eating, she could not believe she had just said that!

Clair's embarrassment grew at the apologetic look and her shock only got worse at the King's announcement. She nearly fainted and likely would have had she not been sitting down at the time. Marriage!? She had never even dated anyone before! Let alone the PRINCESS! surely this was a joke her social blindness was just not catching right? Yes, that must be it. With that thought she managed to compose herself again, this was all a joke that everyone must have understood, and she was just missing.

Clair blushed again as she saw Calla wink and smirk at her, her gaze quickly shifting toward her own plate. She grabbed the proper fork with Amethyst's advice and with a shaking hand continued to eat. Though as she received a pat on the back started to choke, though did not want to cause a scene and draw attention to herself. So she huddled over her plate and with a napkin over her mouth tried to quietly free the lettuce from her throat. However without help soon her face would start to slowly she into a blue hue.
 
Calla, the king, the knight sitting next to her, and a noble all watched as Clair, began to choke, without making a sound.

As soon as Clair started to turn blue the princess threw down her napkin and fork, and rushed behind Clair, stopping Amethyst from giving her a hard slap on the back. "Don't. There's a better way." She quickly put her fist just below Clair's rib cage, placed her other hand over it and pushed in and up. Depending on where the stuck food was, Calla would have to perform the trick twice.
 
Clair made a cough-like noise on the first push, then on the second coughed up the lettuce and hidden grape in it, luckily it landed on her plate and did not make its way onto anyone. With that Clair inhaled a deep breath and started to breathe heavily holding a hand to her chest as colour returned to her face.

"haaa, haaa. Th-thank - thank you prin- umm, Your Highness. I am so sorry" She went from a blue to a pale white to a red face as she soon was embarrassed by her accident and all the eyes that were almost definitely on her.
 
Calla sighed and gently rubbed Clair's back. "I'm glad I learned that trick from Princess Diana upon her last visit, now. Dr. Monroe learned it along with me and a few others." A glance at Amethyst, showed Amethyst also had been in attendance.

"Wished I had taken her up on the offer to learn, myself." Gregor said calmly, shaking his head, but obviously proud of his daughter.

Amethyst sighed. "I'm afraid I panicked. The Amazon Princess did warn that could happen. Thankfully, you realized what was going on. A hard slap on the back is so common."

Calla nodded, and then looked to her father. "I'm afraid I have lost my appetite. I would like to be excused until time for the ball."

Gregor sighed and nodded his understanding. "How are you doing, now, Lady Clair? If you would like to be excused too, I fully understand. You can get to know my daughter, better."

Amethyst patted her mouth. "If it pleases Your Majesty, I'll take my leave also, and guard both ladies."

The King nodded, allowing his knight to also leave. "Provided Lady Clair wishes to leave dinner."
 
As the others talked about the technique and what had happened, Clair managed to catch her breath. Though as they spoke she made a mental note to try and learn that technique, though it kind of hurt her chest, it was certainly effective.

As the King, addressed her she looked up again.
"Oh, umm, better, thank you, and yes please, thank you." She nodded, having gotten full from what they had already eaten.

As they left, when the three of them got out of earshot Clair spoke up, having finally fully recovered.
"Again I am sorry about that, I am so embarrassed, umm, thank you for saving me, I was worried that might have been the end of me"
 
Calla smiled. "Well, glad to be of service. I'm sure if you knew how, you'd do the same for me." She winked.

Amethyst looked pointedly at Calla. "Such unmitigated flirting from the princess... What was with that smirk... And then wink at her... right in front of the king, yet!" Amethyst looked almost ashamed for the princess. "It was like you were TRYING to be caught!"

Calla laughed as a slight tinge of red blushed her cheeks. "Maybe I was, as I would take Diana or even Clair before Crimson Avenger. I absolutely cannot marry her."

Amethyst stopped and stared. "Calla Lily Dunwyn. You better have a very good reason to refuse Avenger, besides her being a vigilante! You know your father's truce with her. He fought beside her."

Calla made a face. She then stood up straighter than either had seen her. "Can I trust you two with the biggest secret in the kingdom? You must swear an oath to me, not to utter a syllable about what I'm about to show and tell you to anyone. Especially not father!"

Amethyst would glance in surprise to Clair, herself speechless. It would be up to Clair to promise for both of them. Amethyst clearly wanted to, but she couldn't form the words, but her eyes were projecting the promise only to Clair, with the rest of her expression of shock.
 
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Clair blushed heavily at the flirting she had gotten from Calla.
"I... yeah Avenger is amazing and you two seem like you might have a lot in common" Clair avoided eye contact, having been embarrassed, thinking Calla was just flirting because she wanted to draw attention away from her other suitors.

As Calla suddenly shifted her tone Clair looked down.
"Oh, wow the biggest secret in the kingdom? That is a lot of pressure, I don't know... I am just a smith and tinkerer, I don't really understand the politics that could be involved in something like that." She looked down, definitely not thinking she was deserving to know such well-kept information.

"What would happen if the King found out we knew? would we be in trouble?" She asked seeming to misunderstand why they could not tell her father, thinking it was to not hide the information but hide the fact that they knew it.
 
Calla had kept walking, leading the two deeper into the castle, before stopping in front of two heavy oaken doors. "I mean it, (especially you) Lady Amethyst. Swear to me this goes no farther (than the three of us)... Please."

Amethyst let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, Princess. Upon my word, honour, and valour as a knight of King Gregor, I solemnly swear an oath to you." She stated with her forefinger and thumb pinching the bridge of her nose.

Satisfied and with a sharp nod, Calla led them through the thick oaken doors and into an opulent room and passed a curtained four-poster bed. She pulled the curtains around it open, but stood, back to Amethyst (and Clair), obviously blocking view of whatever was in front of her.. "I... Advise you (both) to sit down for this. The chair(s)," she waved to them. "Will fit the bill, nicely." She stood straight and her body language spoke of one resolved, although she did glance at the still open door.

Amethyst sighed (and pointed Clair to the chairs), "This is highly irregular, Princess, I'll have you know."

"The situation calls for it." Calla sighed and then dropped a bombshell question. "Surely (either of) you suspect who The Crimson Avenger IS, right, Lady Amethyst? (Clair?)"

"I have my suspicions, Milady Calla, but no proof." Amethyst admitted, then sat in a chair (next to Clair).

"I'm about to remove all doubt." Deep breath, Calla seemed to be picking something up off the bed, holding it close to herself. "The reason I cannot marry the Avenger, is simple." She turned around, holding a very familiar crimson outfit, with black stripes, to her, and moved so the crimson hat and cape could clearly be seen. (She motioned to the items.) Tears could be seen beading the princess's eyes, but still she stood stoically there, revealing the identity of the Crimson Avenger. The two words came out slightly choked. "She's me."

Amethyst just sat gaping, mouth and eyes wide open, at the reveal. "You-Your father would... Oh, Calla..." She bowed her head and shook it. "So the truce is with his own daughter, and he doesn't (even) know that."

Calla laid the clothes back on the bed. "I'm in a bind with that edict of his. He said it to my face, Lady Amethyst! (He said it again, tonight, at dinner!) He basically wants me to marry... Myself! (How?!) One of us would not be able to show up at the chapel, or throne room, or wherever he decides to hold the ceremony! Even if I had you (or Clair, there) to pretend to be the Avenger so both of us are seen together..."

"The marriage would be binding between the souls. You'd be stuck with the person pretending to play the part for you." Amethyst pinched the bridge of her nose, again. "And if you come clean and admit to being the Avenger... You'll be punished for your vigilantism, locked in the tower for a month, before being knighted."

Calla's mouth dropped. "Wait. Back UP! I'll be put in the tower for 30 days, FIRST?!" (This is where the dream ended)

Amethyst nodded. "I was at the meeting. There were only four of us, Gregor, Tuxford, Robin of Locksley and myself who said no to jail time. Calla... You're right. Your father can't know. Not unless you can sway a lot of the knights that are still for him, to change their minds about you, or rather..." She waved to the outfit Calla was holding. "Your alter ego... You know as well as I, the majority can outvote even the king. He didn't want to put the Avenger in chains, Calla, he was outvoted. The majority of the knights did agree she should be knighted, just punished for breaking the law first. No longer than 30 days. He'll HAVE to lock you, the princess, in the tower!"

Calla sank on the bed, defeated. " I didn't break the spirit of the law, Lady Amethyst, I've never broken the SPIRIT of it, maybe bent it a little?" She sighed. "The tower. For thirty days..." She looked over to Clair, resolved. "What say you, Lady Clair? Did I also confirm your suspicions?"
 
Clair kept walking with them, despite her protest it seems she was still to be allowed to hear this secret.

Clair took her seat and nervously sat beside Amethyst feeling very much out of her element, these top secrets and special rooms, it was like she was in one of the storybooks!

"I too have had some suspicions... but figured it was probably wrong, though umm, maybe not" She rubbed the back of her head.

Clair placed her hands over her mouth her mind racing as such a big secret was revealed to her.

As Amethyst and Calla talked about what might happen if her father found out Clair gathered her thoughts.
"Yes! Everything makes sense, why you two, err just you the only one who could use the sword I made, and the whole can't marry yourself thing is why you were pretending to flirt with me, so the King focuses elsewhere." She replied, still not able to believe the princess would actually like her in that way.
 
Calla smirked, "Who said I was pretending?" She winked. "But back to the predicament. How do I get father to not keep pushing Avenger on me? Or me on Avenger without revealing this to him?"

Amethyst got up and paced. "From the talk, if Avenger is a noble, the knights want the book thrown at her: Thus 30 days for anyone not a villager. Meaning YOU, Princess Calla would have 30 days to think about what you did. A villager, not so much. They're more understanding of that. She might even get away with it. Our main problem is... Who do you want to pursue of the remaining two suitors?"

Calla sighed. "As much as I don't want to, and since my birthday is in May, maybe I should join the fall court season which begins in one week and runs until mid January."

Amethyst groaned, but nodded. She turned to Clair. "That will give you one week to take meticulous notes on courtly behaviour if you are to stand a chance against other courtly ladies. You did exceptional at the dinner, even greeting the king." She smiled at Clair. "I think between the two of us, we can make you at least as well mannered as the others who would vie for the princess."

Calla agreed with a nod, adding, "I'm only under obligation to you or Princess Diana of the British Amazons, after all. You only have to impress her more than the others. She's as down to earth as I, protecting her kingdom like some wonder woman."

Amethyst shrugged as she made a face. "If it isn't the pot calling the kettle black, Your Highness."

"Touché, Lady Amethyst." Calla laughed.
 
Clair continued to blush, one might think that was her natural colour with how often she had been doing so tonight.

"Well, you can't pin the Avenger on me anymore, since I have been seen with her and am already known as her inventor. Are we the only two who know?" Clair asked as she attempted to compose herself.

Clair paused as she was told about the trip before replying.
"Oh? What is this about? That would be with Avenger? Then where is umm the princess going to be?" She asked not sure what their plan was.

Clair giggled at their back and forth.
"Hehe, what are the odds two princesses took up a hero mantle?"
 
Calla apparently caught on, as she shook her head. "Court season is, well, FALL court season, is late September until mid January, when ladies vie for eligible bachelor and bachelorettes." She explained. "I will have to announce my intentions at tonight's ball, and then the whole party... Bachelorette and invited suitors, try to romance their way to marriage. Of course, I'll be allowed to ask whomever wows me, before I have whomever father wills me in May. If I can't pull it off in the nearly four months of the season."

She frowned. "So I need to wrap up the case against Igthorne in a weeks time, else he'll go rampant against Dunwyn!" She looked first to Amethyst, then Clair. "Emergency meeting tomorrow late morning at the general store."

"That means even the princess has a Cinderella deadline tonight. Out of the ball at the stroke of midnight." Amethyst warned.

Calla nodded as she addressed Clair's question. "As far as I know, only you and Lady Amethyst know my secret, and I'd like to keep it that way. Any Amazons that come with Diana, though... Or even she herself... Well, let's just say, I HOPE they don't know or suspect. I tried to be careful as possible, going to the Themiscyra Amazons of Greece, instead of these closer to home."
 
"I... Wow, you have to get married already? That is kind of a lot of pressure when you are just meeting someone. I mean I feel like it would take longer than that to get to know someone to that extent." she blushed.

"Oh! Umm, okay but the store is open to the public, so won't exactly be secure, I suppose we could be in my backroom but-" she paused as she realized the princess and therefore the Avenger saw her paintings of her. Her face went a deep red from embarrassment.

Clair rubbed her arm.
"So you need to pick up your wife by midnight? Do you know who you plan on accepting?" she asked a little nervous.

"Also didn't your father want you to marry the Avenger for a treaty with the Amazons? What if he asks them about that, they would say she ain't part of their Amazons," she asked.
"Even if you claim to be from further off Amazons they probably won't cover for you if they don't know that." she added.
 
Calla sighed and nodded. "Princesses have to be married by their 18th birthday. It's kinda the rule, to either form a stable relationship with an ally, and/or to maintain the line." Another sigh. "Cavin was the last straw when it came to guys. Mister Pendragon is just going to have to look for a bride elsewhere. I don't care how important his lineage was to Britain. If you're going to be an ass... I digress."

Amethyst shook her head. "Clair. Royalty rarely gets to marry for love. It's all about power plays. King Gregor was in a marriage of convenience himself. He was one of the lucky ones, he dearly loved his wife."

Calla giggled. "Not by midnight tonight. By sunset May 16th." She then went serious. "Which is why, as much as I don't care for the pomp and circumstance of court, I'll have to go through with it this fall. I only have nine months before my birthday. It's early September now. May 16 quickly approaches."

She made a face. "You're right, Clair. Of the British Amazons, I only know their princess, her sister, and a few of the others. I'm sure they communicate with the Themiscyra ones, because Diana's mother is queen of them. Her older sister is next in line for Themiscyra." She purposely left out the fact that Princess Diana's older sister was also named Diana, but with the Grecian name after the goddess who taught Calla: Artemis! "If you are a sister to one band of Amazons, you're a sister to all. Diana or Cassandra, or one of the other I'm familiar with here, will likely call Avenger a 'Grecian Sister' to indicate the difference. I'm sure we'll find that out once the Amazons here RSVP father's bid for court."

She sighed, "Speaking of... We haven't much time, so let me show you the steps for the waltz, which will be the highlight of tonight's ball." She gave a smile, holding out her hand to Clair.
 
Clair nodded as they explained why Calla had to be married by her 18th birthday raising an eyebrow as she thought about the reasons.
"But wait, the King mentioned me as a possible suitor, but with that, we would not be doing either, I'm a citizen of his town and we could not provide a child for the next generation," she asked rubbing the back of her head in confusion.
"So we would not meet either requirement, so why would that be okay when the point of it is to meet those requirements? I mean they think Avenger is from the Amazons so that made sense."

Clair nodded.
"At least you have some more time before making the choice, having to do so tonight would have been nuts" she admitted.

She started to take notes on the information about the Amazons, though lots of it was as she assumed, but it was nice to have some confirmation.

She had a look of surprise as the dance was brought up.
"Oh! Right, umm, I apologize in advance for my lack of knowledge of dance" she said putting her notebook away in her bag and placing the bag against a nearby wall.

"Haaaa, okay, I'm ready," she said clearly nervous and shaking a little as she took her hand.
"Heh, I am usually pretty weird with touching people, even my parents, but umm, this is okay... I umm, I don't know why I said that..." she blushed looking down.
 
Calla giggled. "Marriage pacts are also made with merchants, silly! Exclusivity of goods and services. You would be exclusive to Dunwyn and it's allies. Like the Amazons, who could even sell things in your store, and you would get a commission. And you can restrict others, like Drekmore, with the king's blessing." She then positioned one of Clair's hands on her shoulder and took the other in her hand, with a gentle grip and showed Clair the steps, and also how to spin her, as Clair would be dancing with other nobles at the ball.

Shortly, it was time for the ball, and the British Amazon princesses had arrived as this was the start of the courting season. Cassandra was held up by the King.

"Princess Cassandra, a moment if you please. I want to ask about the Avenger." Gregor stated.

"I'll tell you anything we know about our Grecian sister, King Gregor, but your best way of learning everything is getting in touch with the Queen, in Themiscyra. All I can tell you for sure, is Avenger, whoever she is, has been touched by our goddess Artemis, of whom our eldest sister, first in line to the Themiscyran throne is named."

Gregor would still be talking with the youngest Amazonian princess when Calla, Amethyst and Clair would arrive.
 
Clair nodded and took her hand and gently placed her hand on her shoulder as instructed with a blush, she did her best but clearly was inexperienced. Though eventually with Calla's tutelage, she managed to get enough to somewhat pass on the dance floor, luckily not much would be expected from a peasant girl.

Clair was taking deep breaths as they arrived at the ball, in her mind repeating the dancing steps she learned to herself, hoping that she would not need to lead, as she had only time enough to learn to follow.

As they walked in Diana approached them.
"Late as usual I see Princess Calla, Amethyst" She gave a nod before looking down at Clair.
"Ahh, yes this must be the inventor, hello young Miss"

Clair held her hand up and gave a shy wave.
 
Calla curtsied to her fellow princess. "Had we been in your realm to the northwest, I would greet you with a kiss to each cheek as is your custom, Milady Diana."

Amethyst gave a curt nod and bow, as she hadn't been asked or spoken to. She did give Clair a nod of approval, as the shy merchant gave Diana a wave. "I'm sure you two have business to attend to, Calla, Diana, so excuse Clair and myself." Amethyst led Clair away, to greet other noble ladies.

Cassandra came over and injected herself. "Gregor wants to know about the Crimson Avenger. All I knew for sure I've told him, regarding our Grecian sister, mayhaps if he has another question we should know, he can ask you."

Calla looked puzzled, glancing between Cassandra and Diana. As the Avenger, she had met the mortal Amazon Princess Artemis. "Uhh... Do... Do you dye your hair, Cassandra? Diana is raven and you're as blonde as me..."

Cassandra laughed out loud. "And if you meet Artemis, you'll find her a redhead! No, princess, I don't, but I'm very much Diana's flesh and blood sister!"

Calla sighed. "I must speak with Father before much longer elapses. I will tell you, before Father does, Diana, he wants me married no later than sunset on my birthday, May 16, as I turn 18. I hope to be won by you or the Inventor you just met by the end of the season in January." A sigh. She really hoped Diana wouldn't ask if the Avenger was also in the running for her hand.

"I'm sure my sister won't mind escorting you to your father, seeing as your knight is busy introducing the inventor... Which reminds me, I need to get in on those introductions myself. Excuse me, ladies." She headed into the room.

Calla smiled sheepishly, blushing, offering her hand. "Escort me to my Father, Princess Diana?"
 
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