Her Royal Highness, Leonor

Rising Walls

Oviedo University

Leonor


Leonor was asked the honor to present the appreciation awards for the play's director, Salome, and the play's main actress, Josephine. After a short greeting with the cast, she returned back on the other side of the stage, waiting for Senior Gallantes to finish his further event announcements.

While waiting, she somehow zoned out for a brief few seconds, remembering how heart-pounding it feels meeting Phillipa once again - however, what all the more bugs her is that the writer's regard of her as her title, not as she expected her to call her as her name.

On this thought, she looks back to where Philippa is standing, and seeing that the writer is amongst the public, she somehow dismisses the notion, thinking Philippa may have been compelled to address her the way everyone does. She gather herself and straightened her shoulders and look back at Philippa once again, feasting her eyes on the familiar view of the writer.

A view she admittingly missed so much.

Senior Gallantes called her attention on the microphone, and she was motioned to fetch the award on the table nearby. She went on the middle of the stage, presenting one of the awards to Salome, who after shaking hands with her, posed in a quick photograph with her.

"Muchas gracias, su alteza." The director whispered before returning back to her place on the cast line.

Next up was the main actress, Josephine, who after being called out received lasting claps and cheers from the audience. She handed her the award, and the actress thanked her; upon doing so, Josephine slightly turned her head, and Leonor followed where her gaze was going. She was surprised to see Josephine showing the award to Philippa, who returned the actress's gesture with a smile, raising her hands while clapping.

Her eyes go back to Josephine, whose expression suddenly turned subtle, her eyes sparkling, and then she turned her stare to Philippa who was still holding her smile, clapping. There was a sense of uneasiness rising inside her watching this, and only when the headmaster from the other side motioned them to take a picture that she disregards it, and cast a smile at the photo.

The clapping continues after Josephine returns back to her stand on the line, and she unconsciously looks at the actress and then at Philippa, She was not aware that she'd been called once again to give a brief congratulatory speech to the team.

She did moments later, and Senior Gallantes then thanked her once again and officially ended the ceremony.

Aurelia came to her side later on telling her she has fifteen minutes to pose for pictures with the cast, as asked by the University and the press. She agrees to this and was hoping she could stand beside Philippa when at a quick glance, she saw Josephine settling in beside Philippa, and there was no space there to push through. The photographers in the audience are impatient to get their pictures taken.

Disregarding the uneasiness still rising within her, she put on a smile and posed once again for the cameras. With a few more flashes and clicks, they were through, and the rest of the cast was excitedly waiting for their turn to take a personal picture with her.

A few more minutes later, she caught sight of Philippa off to one side of the stage and she worked her courage to ask the writer if she could have a picture of them together.

She could feel her heart beating, doubling at the thought, and she politely excused herself from the other casts, and never took her eyes off of Philippa. She walks closer to where she is, yet at the slightest possibility to get her attention – she saw Josephine calling out Philippa and she watches as the actress excitedly runs the writer, and flung herself to her with an embrace. An embrace that Philippa returns.