Foreign Affairs

Chapter Four: Champagne Socialities

Foreign Affairs

Recap:

Before Finn can retort, Ivena emerges from her room and tosses an envelope toward me.

"Ness, Catch!" Ivena

Finn snatches it out of the air just before it reaches me.

"...It was just an envelope, I swear!" Ivena

"Why exactly do you think I'm here?" Finn

Finn examines the outside before dutifully handing the envelope.

"What's this? Ivena, am I suppose to know what this is?" Ness

"Not unless you're psychic. My kingdom is hosting a State Dinner this weekend and we just finalized our invites... Aaaanndd I got you on the VIP list!" Ivena

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Chapter 4

The afternoon of Ivena's State Dinner... I return to my suite to find in utter chaos.

"NESS! YOU'RE BACK!" Ivena

Ivena is wearing a shiny dress and a tiara on their head.

"Uh, yeah... I live here too..." Ness

Ivena wildly rummages through a mountain of shoe boxes and clothes as I stumble on piles of rejected outfits...

"Careful!" Finn

"Vi, what's going on?" Ness

"Don't tell me you forgot about the dinner! Our flight to the palace leaves in an hour! OUTTA MY WAY!" Ivena

"Do you always get this hyped for State Dinner? The ones I've been to have all been boring as hell." Ness

"I always get hyped to find the perfect matching clutch." Ivena

On cue, Murphy wheels a rack of handbags out of her bedroom.

"Vi, is something else going on? You are running around like a headless chicken and it's kinda freaking me out..." Ness

"Oh, this is me under control before a big event." Ivena

She grins as she tosses one of her clutches at me.

"I've been desperate for a break from all the craziness of school. Aren't you?" Ivena

"Definitely.The grind never ends at Vancross." Ness

"It's not just that. Walter's been giving me a hard time lately about responsibility and... other things. So I need a good distraction from everything!" Ivena

"Like donning your crown jewels and turning our suite into a warzone?" Ness

"You know me really well. Speaking of... you know what would really get me excited?" Ivena

"Oh no, please don't say it--" Ness

"DRESSING YOU UP FOR THE DINNER TOO!" Ivena

I look over at the sensible outfit I laid out on the couch this morning.

"I take it you don't approve of my look for tonight?" Ness