THIS PARTY IS OFF DA HOOK...

[implying]

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[transgressed]

Huh. [She looks impressed.] You've done your research, I'm guessing. Hey, if this is supposed to be a place for royals...where are they? Did the Initiative clear them out before we got here, I wonder?

[diplomatique]

I must fill the day somehow, without my usual duties.

As for the royals... I would imagine they are on an expedition of their own. The Initiative likely has no control over where they go.

[transgressed]

Maybe so, but...no guards, either? It's a little fishy... [To say the least. She's going to poke around this place later.

Either way, she turns her attention to something else.] Your usual duties? What do you do, anyway? Never thought to ask.

[diplomatique]

I would imagine they move with the royal family... but perhaps there is something odd. The Initiative seems disorganized. Perhaps there is something they did not take into consideration.

[ he tenses at her question, looking at her with a startled expression.

he keeps not expecting that question. when she poses it, he's 100% sure, by her demeanor, that she is not a part of high-class society (or at least his kind of high-class society, which isn't a bad thing and Larsa definitely doesn't think of it in a condescending manner; he just looks at Fang and cannot see her being very fond of an Archadian High Tea Party and he can definitely see why) and the thought echoes in his head, as it always does--

What if she dislikes nobles? What if she finds them vile, power-grabbing persons with only their best interests at heart, and what if she regarded him as such? And if she thought that, would she give him a chance to explain that it had never been his title to bear in the first place, but only a result of his dead father and brother?

he likes Fang. she has a certain sort of strength that reminds him of Drace; the will of Ashe and her voice has a breezy casual tone that says Cerobi Steppe to him. he doesn't want to lie or hide things from her. so, after a moment, his small mouth twitches out of its frown to a hesitant, shy smile. ]

I am the Emperor of Archadia. There are many duties I have, such as commanding the Imperial Army and seeing that peaceful negotiations are set in place. Currently, my duties had been trying to bridge peace between my country and two others who found themselves in the midst of war only months ago. It may have not been relaxing, yet it filled every day with something to do. It is an... unwelcome change, now.

[transgressed]

[She catches the body language, of course — she's observant, even when it seems she isn't being that way. But she's patient, and listens to this description of Larsa's role in his world, and his duties.

Fang knows little of the ins and outs of politics. Gran Pulse was so separated from village to town to hamlet, that each little place was like its own world, a small part of the vast and dangerous universe that made up her homeland. She knew of the Paddran seeress, those heretics that had worshiped Etro, and of other places. She knew of Oerba's patron fal'Cie, and remembered the names of their town leaders as clear as day. But Gran Pulse was a different society from Cocoon, and to her, less needlessly complex. She did not hate nobles only because she had never encountered any, but she knows enough of titles to know Larsa's sporting a hefty one. Especially for a kid.]

Sounds rough. Can't say I know much about commanding armies and all that...that's more of a Cocoon thing. [She shakes her head.] I got no idea why you lot bother with all the titles. Where I'm from, there was nothing like that. But...

[She stretches. Her tone isn't judgemental, just befuddled.] I can understand being put in a situation where you're not doing much. Seems like everything's on a standstill in this place. Which ain't bad, mind. Everyone needs some time to catch their breath. But you figure, "if I'm stuck in this dump doing nothing, I may as well be at home." That about right?