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After their sleeping arrangements had been settled, Dwyer thought that the next few days would be normal. Even despite being a formal guest of the King of Nohr, they had a mission to go on. Things to buy. Horses to prepare. Weapons to forge or also buy. New allies to dread how they'll get themselves hurt.
He didn't expect to get woken by a knock that was very distinctly not Kiragi's.
"Prince Dwyer? Princess Kana?" A very unfamiliar voice came from the other side of the door.
Kana, on the other bed, made a noise that trended negative. It wasn't a grumble of not wanting to get up, judging by how she was making motions towards that goal. "Prince..."
"Prince Kana." Dwyer corrected.
Whoever was on the other side of the door hesitated for a second. "Really?"
"Or you could not address us as royalty at all." Dwyer added on. "I think I'd like that."
"What!?" Kana exclaimed, catapulting himself into an upright position. His messy hair fell over his face. He reached for the nightstand, hands gripping for the battered band that held up his hair in its usual ponytail. "We're related to the Queen of Hoshido, Dwyer! We've gotta embrace it!"
Dwyer frowned at him. "No, I really don't. It still sounds a little far-fetched to me..."
Kana pouted. They finally finished pulling their hair into the ponytail, and let go, letting it sag a bit. "No reason to not believe, right? And—"
A clearing of a throat from the other side of the door. Kana went silent, ears perking a bit as he looked over. "King Xander wished to invite Prince Kiragi's party officially to dinner tonight. He apologizes for not having such a dinner prepared yesterday."
"We kinda thought he was hunting us for sport!" Kana explained, cheerful. He laughed, kicking his feet. "Okay! We should be able to go."
Dwyer narrowed his eyes towards the door. "...Could I pitch in?"
"What?!" Kana jumped from his bed, shaking his head. "No! Uncle Xander's hosting us! I can't let you in a kitchen and stay away from it!" Kana gripped onto Dwyer's arm. "C'mon, Dwyer!"
Dwyer groaned. He pulled his arm out of Kana's grip. "I'm not a prince. I'm a butler."
Faintly, he registered footsteps heading away from the door. It seemed the (assumed) maid took the Kana answer and was not going to let him follow her to the kitchen for preparing for the dinner tonight.
Ugh. Curse this new royal status. He would've rather not known. Despite all that their parents taught them, he was not looking forward to this. He did not want to be in a loud room. Considering it was a formal dinner from the King of Nohr, Dwyer did not think it would be quiet. Especially if it had Kiragi involved.
Kana pouted at him. "Well, I'm excited. I'm gonna go talk to our cousin."
"...Which one?"
Kana paused, halfway to the door. He turned his head to Dwyer, smile on his face. "Okay... so you ARE a prince?"
"No. I'm a butler. Factually, we are in a party with three cousins."
Kana let out a groan and walked the rest of the way to the door. He opened it. "I'll make sure you get there. You aren't wiggling out of this, Dwyer!"
He was likely going to be dragged, it seemed. Dwyer watched as Kana escaped down the hallway. Finally, Dwyer got up to close the door. He'd get changed in just a moment.
It was loud.
Kiragi, Midori, and Kana were chatting away with each other beside him. He could hear them talk about something relating to shopping. Kana played with his fork, and the tink-tink-tink as he tapped it against the plate melded into the sounds of people eating.
Dwyer had barely touched his food. It didn't feel right. He didn't know how it was made. He wasn't able to get back to help the kitchen— every time he tried, Kana or Kiragi would pull him back. The bite he DID take felt wrong. It fell flat on his tongue. Touch too light on flavor? Grating against his teeth? He didn't know. He couldn't. He just felt it was wrong.
Sophie's eyes drifted as someone with dark hair walked by— Soleil, Dwyer faintly remembered. Soleil placed her plate down, wrapping an arm around Sophie's shoulders with a greeting that escaped into the crowded air.
Aside from the distinct redder tint her face took, Sophie didn't seem to change her face too much. She mumbled something in response, shoving a piece of meat on her plate into her mouth. Soleil's laugh was loud. Sharp.
Dwyer wished he could do as Sophie did. But the scrape of his fork just made him want to retreat. He had to stay, though. Because he was going to be polite. Even if he wasn't a butler right now, he was here with Prince Kiragi officially.
He wasn't a prince. He couldn't be.
Xander was chatting with somebody with gray hair at the other end of the table, who responded. Dwyer didn't even bother trying to read that one. He just noticed Xander look in his direction before looking back at his conversation partner.
Loud. Loud. It was too loud.
Rhajat and Mitama had barely touched their food, chatting with each other. Siegbert sat close to his father, mouth moving with words that didn't make sense. Forrest sat on Sophie's other side, chuckling. He thought so, anyway; Dwyer couldn't quite tell with all the clatter and chatter. Was it laughter instead? Or was it just a huff before he started talking proper?
His head rang slightly.
... He processed the hand on his shoulder.
He looked.
Hisame.
There was a slight bit of hesitation before Hisame said something. He held out a weird-looking veggie. One of his pickles.
Dwyer didn't know what kind of face he made in response, but he clearly did, because Hisame's hand retreated. His face twisted— Dwyer wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing. Hisame muttered something that Dwyer couldn't hear, despite Hisame being right next to him. Hisame backed away and headed back to his spot beside Ignatius, who fidgeted with split strands of hair.
Dwyer needed to fix that, probably.
Dwyer got up from his seat.
Kana said something. It sounded like his name. Dwyer paused.
Kana stared at him. Dwyer could tell he was focused, thinking about something. About what, though? Him? He wanted Dwyer to stay so badly. Maybe it was that. Maybe he was trying to find another way to convince him to get back in his chair.
Dwyer could at least gather that. He sat back down.
Kana's eyes widened, and the frown didn't go away. Dwyer frowned back. Wasn't that what he wanted?
Kana picked up a fork and pointed it at Dwyer's food. He said something, but Dwyer couldn't really understand it. It sounded like a question. Was it a question?
"No," Dwyer said in response. It was probably the correct response no matter what, anyway.
Kana's frown only deepened. He dropped his fork, and Dwyer winced at the loud clatter as it smacked against the plate, flipped over, made a noise against the table, then clatter against the ground.
"You're going to have to clean that up, you know..."
Kana got up, and he stomped over to Dwyer's side. "Dwyer! We're going!"
"Huh? What's with the shouting...?"
Kana pulled Dwyer's chair back, and the loud scraping made Dwyer wince despite himself. "You're being a jerk! You've gotta get out! Mama always—" He hesitated. "Mama always let us leave! And if she's a princess, she must've been allowed to leave! So let's go!"
Dwyer didn't particularly resist as Kana pulled him out of his seat. The chatter seemed to die down a little, at least. There was that.
He would just ignore the stares, as always.