The Spectacle

Normally, as the evening approached, the circus would calm down - even at a new site, everyone would have made sure their own beds were accessible for the night, and would be thinking of getting dinner and turning in. But tonight, even with the big tent up and no plans for the night, the cirque was abuzz.

And Marie wasn't even involved.

Really, the whole situation was horribly infuriating.

Asmodeus had wrangled Marguerite, calmed Alexandra. Colette had calmed down enough to allow herself to be dressed appropriately, and was practicing polite things to say under her breath. Tom Sry and the boys were making jokes, planning a night of revelry to, quote, 'make the King's dinner look like cribbage with Marie's nuns,' and she had punched a few of the smaller ones for the insult. The acrobats were moping that they weren't invited to dress up as well, and, ah, entertain.

And, having had the terribly important task of delivering news of this exciting event, Marie was now entirely shut out.

And the PRINCE would be there!

Marie had pointed this out to no less than three different people, and they had all insisted that she couldn't possibly go.

So, naturally, when they started parading up to the palace - Colette leading the way, Asmodeus and a still-slightly-bristling Alexandra shortly behind, Marguerite having already run off with that scary man - Marie followed. She took even greater care than usual, doing her best to avoid Asmodeus in particular, and when they went in the front doors, she paused, counting in her head until they had to be suitably far away, before slipping in, putting on her most charming smile and trusting any observers would find her suitably circus-looking and allow her in.

The doors to the dining room were open, and Marie hovered outside, peeking around at the spectacle of it all. A giant fire roared in a fire place at the far end of the room, and while the table setting wasn't terribly large - maybe a dozen seats total, between the King's entourage and the Cirque group - the glittering outfits of courtiers who didn't get to show off very often and performers who weren't practiced at how to show off when not covered in glitter and feathers made the room seem full and sparkly. And right next to the king was the prince, looking completely charming and only a little bit bored as the meal began.

Oh, she had to get in on this. Marie scampered away, wondering how quickly she could find proper clothes.