#(Also typing 'Ashet Empire' made me want to put in 'Asshat Empire' instead)

[more-than-a-princess]

@psychcdelica​ asked:  How about [ catch ] for Sonia and Jubellian?

Random Acts of Kindness icebreakers - No Longer Accepting!

[ catch ]: the sender spots the receiver swaying as though they are about to faint or fall asleep on their feet, and grabs them before they can hit the floor.

Everything so far about the Ashet Empire, at least to Princess Sonia of Novoselic, was stifling. From the set of rooms she, her lady's maid, and her security retinue had taken up at the city's most elegant hotel to the dress she'd worn for the afternoon's occasion, some sort of knighting or medaling ceremony at the nation's palace, she felt terribly uncomfortable. Suffocated, even.

In her father's stead, she'd been sent to negotiate new treatises for both alliances in war and new trades, but surely, Sonia thought, this was something that could have been assigned to her uncle instead. Not that Sonia didn't enjoy the travel, but there had to be a reason that, upon checking in at the hotel, a list had been waiting for her in the small drawing room in her master suite: a carefully curated one, listing all of the Ashet Empire's current bachelors by family, net worth, properties, and other miscellaneous things, like their ages and a hobby or two. Sonia had groaned and immediately thrust it into a desk drawer, hoping that it would disappear on its own. The political nature of her visit, she was happy to attend to: but the underhanded reason the future monarch had been sent to work with the ambassador to the Ashet Empire made her feel queasy. Enough that she'd skipped breakfast that morning.

But now, as she stood in the grand throne room full of Ashet's royals and nobility, she rather wished she'd attempted something. Even a piece of toast, something that ensured she at least felt healthy and readied for the day ahead. Which she wasn't, not at least in the presence of so many whispers and the fact that the ambassador had gone off in search of a Viscount he was keen to introduce to the Novoselic Crown Princess. After all, she hadn't been allowed to accept a single invitation to stay at anyone's estates, whether it be their city dwellings or a vast country manor. Even evening soirees were to be carefully pruned over in order to discern if it was worthy of her time, done by people who apparently knew her better than she did herself. Resisting every urge to chew the inside of her mouth as she tried her best to ignore the murmurs around her, she cast a hopeful glance towards the royal family: the Emperor and Empress looked rather smug or cross all the time, both during her earlier, private introduction to them and now as the man reached for an array of medals to award to those who provided great service to the Empire. She'd yet to meet the Prince and Princess, but the former seemed to be searching the crowd for something, or someone, and the latter wore an expression that looked like she constantly smelled something foul and wished she could make a hasty departure.

It was easier, Sonia thought, when at least the princes and princesses were amiable. Even if they weren't to become the best of friends, it did make negotiations, much less all of the various balls, garden parties, teas, and other elegant events, more bearable. But instead, she would need to wait until the end of the ceremony for further introductions and, with the combination of her dress laced far tighter than she would've liked and an empty stomach, she was becoming increasingly more doubtful by the minute that she'd be able to retain her composure. Between the rumbling in her belly, her headache, and her fraying nerves, Sonia gasped gently as she felt herself sway in her thick layers of petticoats and heels. Oh dear God...I'm going to collapse in front of the entire Ashet Court! She inwardly screamed, and her family's own knights were standing much too far away to assist her in time and-

She felt a pair of hands close over her upper arms. Just as she was sure she would hit the marble floor, bottom first, a pair of slender hands had reached for her. Pale, Sonia could tell through her bleary, hungry haze, and soft in the way hers were: the skin of a young woman who did not perform much in the way of menial labor. Likely a member of the court, which was now even more embarrassing for the visiting princess if she'd made a spectacle of someone she was supposed to get along with. "Goodness, I am so sorry!" She immediately apologized. At least she'd been gifted with an intermission in the ceremony so the Emperor and Empress could be refreshed. Turning quickly, though a bit wobbly on unsteady legs, Sonia caught sight of the young woman she'd nearly fallen on. Close to her in age, with long, silver hair and silver-blue eyes. She seemed kind, or at least she didn't seem too terribly interested in the gossip like the rest of the attendees. "Are you all right? It is terribly inappropriate for me to lose my posture like that. Please do tell me how I may make amends." 

Of all the times for the Ashet Ambassador to wander off: he could've at least told her the young woman's name and title, so she could address her with the proper etiquette she deserved. Sighing, the best Sonia could do right then was will the pink color to fade from her cheeks, smooth over her skirt, and do her best to ignore the pounding in her head that would only be solved with good food, some rest, and some time away from the tittering crowds.