The welcome banquet in Ruritania is nothing like the one the Mains' held for Sam.

It's in a huge hall, for one, and it's much more formal, with a long table full of people, and along the way, there were reporters asking questions about the agreement and the engagement and Paige's arrival in Lawrence, and it's left her feeling rather overwhelmed. She would want to claim illness and flee to her room, foreign, but at least hers, except that she's not here just for herself, and she knows it. She's representing her homeland, and this is bigger than just her and her anxieties.

The thought is almost comforting, in a roundabout nihilistic way. If Paige herself doesn't really matter, then it doesn't really matter how she feels about things, so long as they get done, so she can just stuff her feelings to the side and put on a calm, collected, confident front.

Not for the first time, she finds herself very grateful for all the mindfulness training that comes with learning empathic magic.

Right now she sits at the banquet table in the position of "guest of honour", at the right of the queen and across from Sam. At the head of the table is Queen Mary Winchester—Sam's mother and the ruler of Ruritania, and a very, very imposing presence. Paige is kind of (more than kind of) intimidated.

And of course, at her other side is Prince Campbell, as if things aren't awkward enough. She feels trapped.

"So, Princess Mains," Queen Winchester says, her piercing gaze boring holes straight through Paige's eyes and into her soul. She reminds her of a hawk, somehow, and if she's a hawk, then she's a mouse that's desperately trying to avoid getting skewered and eaten.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" she says, as even and polite as she can manage. Neutral smile, keep your voice level, don't fidget with your glasses, that's your nervous tell.

"You arrived in Ruritania yesterday evening, did you not? How are you liking our country so far?"

That feels like both small talk and a loaded question rolled into one. Paige reminds herself that nobody here actually knows she's an insecure wreck masquerading as a human being, pastes on a confident smile, and answers with the evenness that comes from years of practice, "It's lovely, Your Majesty! I've spent a lot of today admiring the architecture of the castle and grounds. It's very different from Pandora's style, and it's very nice."

Architecture. Really? Well, at least it's a safe topic. ...Maybe too safe. That might make her look meek or vapid.

"I know I'm looking forward to getting to know Lawrence," she adds and then wonders if the pause between her sentences displayed her hesitation too obviously. Perhaps it would just be dismissed as a breath between phrases.

At the very least, Queen Winchester doesn't immediately strike her down, either verbally or physically. "There are many things to learn about our city," she answers, sounding wise and stern and still terrifying. "Sammy would be happy to show you around, I'm certain, after all the hospitality you demonstrated when he visited Pandora."

Sam perks up at the mention of his name, and Paige could cry from relief that the queen's attention isn't solely on her anymore.

"Yes, I would love to!" Sam exclaims. Prince Campbell snorts derisively but says nothing, and Paige really can't help but wonder what she did to make her fiancé's heir detest her so. "There are lots of places I can show you, and so many different people who you should meet!"

"Well," Paige says, offering Sam a small smile (mostly so she doesn't have to meet Queen Winchester's gaze any more than she has to), "if you have the time, I'd like to see your Ruritania."

Prince Campbell snorts again.

"Dean," Queen Winchester says sharply, and Paige stiffens, ice seizing around her spine before she realizes she wasn't talking to her. "Do you have something to say? Or are you just coming down with a cold?"

Prince Campbell looks like a deer caught in the headlights. "I—nothing," he says quickly, ducking his head. "I'm fine, Aunt."

The noblewoman seated next to Sam laughs, and Paige wracks her brains for her name—Right. Bradbury. Lady Charlie Bradbury. Her family has historically been loyal to the Winchesters for generations and is one of the oldest noble houses.

"Prince Dean," Lady Charlie says, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "Don't tell me you're falling ill in springtime? I thought people usually get sick in winter!"

Prince Campbell scoffs. "I'm not talking to you, BAD-bury."

"Dean," the Queen reprimands sternly. "Behave yourself! This is a banquet in honour of our soon-to-be family member. Show some respect to our guest by respecting everyone at this table!"

'It's fine, don't worry, I don't feel disrespected,' Paige wants to say, just to stop the tense feelings around her, but she has a strong feeling that Prince Campbell would take such an intervention as pity. And if she lets people walk all over her, personally, they'll probably take it as an invitation to walk all over her as a representative of Pandora, too, which is the opposite of what she wants. She's supposed to represent Pandora's strength and stability.

So she stays silent and quietly accepts that Prince Campbell is going to hate her, no matter what. The boy seems pretty set on that anyway, so it's not like Paige trying to be nice to him will change anything.

Lady Bradbury (or is it Badbury? No, she's pretty sure it was Bradbury...) just laughs into her hand, eyes twinkling. If whatever Prince Campbell said was offensive to her, she doesn't show it. Instead, she just looks at Paige and smiles sunnily. "Hi, Princess Mains! It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Charlie Bradbury."

"The pleasure is all mine," Paige says automatically, smiling back. Prince Campbell seems to be consciously attempting to hold back another sarcastic sigh or something, and Paige really wants to pull him aside and ask what his deal is, but she knows she can't do that. At least, not yet. Maybe later.

"Prince Sam has told me about how lovely Pandora is," Lady Bradbury smiles. "There were lots of things he said he really enjoyed about his trip, some in particular I think—"

"Charlie," Sam says, a tiny bit of warning in his voice. Paige's eyes flick to him for just a moment. So, Sam confides at least some things in Lady Bradbury? That combined with her family's historically close relationship to the crown probably means she's a staunch ally of the Winchesters, which makes her someone Paige definitely wants on her side in this court. Not everyone here is a fan of the Ruritania-Pandora Alliance. Some people actively want the arrangement to be broken off.

Apparently, Prince Campbell is one of those people...?
Anyway. Paige can muse about all this later, in the safety of her bedroom, instead of at the table. It wouldn't do to lose focus and zone out, not here.

Lady Bradbury laughs. "What?" she asks, a teasing note in her voice, and Paige adds Lady Bradbury is close enough to Sam to tease him to her list of mental notes about the relationships at this table. "I was just going to ask her what Pandora is like. From someone who grew up there! I've never been myself, but I have to say I'm curious."

She looks across at Paige inquisitively, brows raised and her bright green eyes pinning her in place. Her stare is a lot easier to weather than the queen's, though, so she's alright with that.

"Ah... Pandora is, um..."

Madison's face flashes through her mind, followed by her parents and Marya and Bela, and she blinks to overcome the sudden wave of homesickness.

"Pandora is a very beautiful place," she says after a moment, thinking of the view of the sea at sunrise. "Panitan Castle is close to the beach, and that's always been one of my favourite places to go. My sister and I both like to watch the ocean."

"There's a beach not far from here, too!" chirps Lady Bradbury. "I'm pretty sure it's colder than the one you were talking about, but I go sometimes. It's a little way away, but I and Kev — that is, Lord Tran, he's on Prince Dean's other side—"

Prince Campbell leans back, arms crossed and scowl in place, to let the black-haired man next to him offer Paige a smile and a nod. Paige nods back, making herself smile again, and then looks back to Lady Bradbury.

"—we like to go there sometimes to listen to the gulls," she says. "Perhaps next time we go, we can invite you? I think you might like it! It'll be like a little piece of home, maybe."

The two of them go to the beach together? As friends or something else? Paige doesn't think she's heard of either Lady Bradbury or Lord Tran being involved, but she can never be sure. That goes down on the mental list of things she needs to quietly find out.

"I would love to accompany you, if you would have me," Paige says, formal and polite and grateful. "Thank you for considering my feelings about familiar places."

She's careful not to say "home". That word has too many connotations of loyalties, and Paige doesn't really want to get into the verbal chess match that comes with people like Queen Winchester prodding to see how far she will go to defend Pandora versus how invested she is in Ruritania. She's in a tight spot already, as the fiancée of the Crown Prince of Ruritania while the terms of the alliance did not make her give up her claim on the Pandoran throne. It's a fine line she has to walk.

It basically boils down to this: she's representing Pandora's interests in Ruritania, but she has a commitment to Ruritania's interests as well and must be sure to represent both loyalties in balance.

She suppresses a tired sigh. It's only been one day and she's already exhausted.

Well, this is my life now. I might as well get used to it. (Getting used to it isn't enough. She's going to be good at it. That's the goal.)

"Gosh," Lady Bradbury laughs into her hand. It sounds genuine, and the emotions Paige can read from her don't feel hollow either. "Please don't take this the wrong way, Princess Mains, but you're so cute! Don't worry, you don't have to be so incredibly formal. We're friends, here!"

"Charlie," Sam sighs again. Paige can practically feel the fond exasperation rolling off him in waves. "Don't overwhelm her, please."

"Oh, no, don't worry! I'm alright," Paige quickly reassures. Only years of practice keeps her from nervously flicking her gaze to Queen Winchester to see if she looks disapproving or not. She's scary. "I'm touched, really. It's very kind of you to be so welcoming, Lady Bradbury, and Lord Tran," she adds, awkwardly glancing past Prince Campbell again. "Thank you, both."

"Of course," Lord Tran says.

"Are you done talking over my head?" Prince Campbell asks grumpily. He sounds like... an angsting teenager, Paige thinks, and immediately shields her flash of amusement under a shield of false contentment.

Sam gets a grin that Paige knows, even after only two weeks with him, means trouble. "Oh, Deanie," he purrs, "if only you were taller, people would talk to you instead of over—"

"Sam," Queen Winchester interjects. Sam freezes, his eyes going almost comically wide, and then gives his mother a contrite look.

"My apologies, Princess Mains," says Queen Winchester, disapproval lacing every line of her body as she purses her lips and eyes both Sam and Prince Campbell. Then she looks at Paige, pinning her with that penetrating gaze again, and... and smiles? "I'm afraid you, too, will have to get used to living with ... this."

A joke?

From Queen Winchester?

Paige thinks she might feel a little bit faint.

"I—I think I'll manage, thank you for the concern," she hears herself answer, and makes sure she's smiling back at her. "My good friend, Lady Bela Talbot of Genosha, was rather notorious in Panitan for being a rather, ah, forceful personality."

"Is that so?" Queen Winchester arches one perfectly-curved eyebrow, just so, and Paige takes a careful sip of her water to buy herself a moment to think of how in the world to respond.

Mental note: text Bela "thanks for being such a lovable idiot and providing me with stories to tell the Queen of Ruritania over dinner" later.

"Yes," she says, placing the glass back down. Shit, what's a good story that's harmless but funny without making anyone involved look bad?

...Oh. That one... It's a good story, but...

"Several years ago," she says, and maybe she feels a little bit distant because she's being extra-careful not to let any messy, sad emotions through her barriers, "she and I took a walk in town. We were on our way back from helping out at the spring festival when we found a puppy running around. Covered in mud, half-starved, but still energetic enough to run up to us and trip me," she laughs.

"Awww," murmurs Sam. He rests his chin on one hand. "That poor puppy!"

Paige smiles at him. Sam is, by far, the easiest person here to talk to, and if she looks at him instead of the queen, the story is a lot easier to tell.

"That's exactly what Bela said," she explains. "And we agreed we couldn't just leave him there, not like that. And I was afraid that if I went back in through the main entrance of Panitan Castle with a muddy dog, someone might try to persuade me to just take him to a shelter or something, and I wanted to ask my parents if I could keep him, and—" she breaks off again, shaking her head and laughing softly, "and when I was younger, I absolutely hated confrontation of any sort, to the point that I was terrified of the thought of having to tell a castle guard or one of the ministers that I was going to take care of this poor dog, so we were at a loss for a while.

"So here I was, with a puppy asleep in my lap and therefore making me unable to move from the bench, and I was so worried about what would happen to him, and I was also worried that we were taking too long and my family would start to wonder where we were, and Bela gets this brilliant idea.

"Looking back on it, I can't believe she actually talked me into it so easily, but... So, long story short, that's how I ended up climbing a rope dropped from my own bedroom window with a muddy dog in my shirt, while my best friend tried to pull me up as fast as she could so we wouldn't get noticed for smuggling a dog into the castle before I could talk to my parents. All because I was afraid of contradicting one of the gate guards, and Bela didn't want to force me into a situation that would make me uncomfortable."

In retrospect, Paige can safely say that being caught by Maddy was probably the best possible way this situation could have actually turned out. She's pretty sure her parents wouldn't have taken it as well, considering she was dangling out the window on a rope with a dog in her shirt. Madison just sighed and helped Bela haul her the rest of the way up.

Queen Winchester is smiling now, a smile that reaches her eyes and looks surprisingly like Sam's. Paige feels around with her empathy and doesn't detect any major negative emotions from her, which is... a huge relief.

"That certainly does sound like an adventure," she says, amused.

Prince Campbell scoffs. "You should have just gone through the main entrance, what was the point of that?"

"Never mind him," Sam says, leaning forward with a grin. "Did your parents not let you keep the puppy after all? Why didn't I get to meet him?"

Paige feels her smile freeze in place, then fade slowly.

"He, um, passed away a few months back," she answers, as neutrally as she can. Across the table, she sees Sam's eyes widen in shock.

"Oh," he breathes. "I'm so sorry, Paige."

He seems to really mean it, too. A wave of sadness rises and crashes over Paige, leaving her breathless for an instant, her heart in her throat and her eyes pricking at the thought of her poor, dear beloved black lab, but she can't let herself be sad right now, so...

Another mental note: send Marya profuse thanks for the emotion training.

This is a trick that she's pretty sure comes partly from just being emotionally aware, and partly from having empathy magic, but either way, she has the ability to... push away her own emotions, for a while at least. She just takes the sadness and stores it away for later, leaving an odd void of numbness in its place. That's how it goes. This is familiar, too.

"It's alright," she says and is pleased when her voice is as smooth as it has been all evening. "You didn't know."

Sam still looks contrite and apologetic, and Paige has to admit she's a little uncomfortable with the attention and the pity. Lady Bradbury is looking at her sadly, too, and she doesn't dare look at the queen, so instead, she wracks her brain for a moment and comes up with something else to say, something to get out of the spotlight.

"How did you end up with Georgia, Sam?" she asks, tilting her head to one side curiously, and Sam, always excited to talk about his dog, lights up. Paige inwardly breathes a sigh of relief when the collective gaze of her companions leaves her and goes to her fiancé.

That night, Sam walks her back to her room, linking their arms like he often does. It's more formal this time, though, with the firmer, more pronounced hold that Paige is familiar with instead of Sam's casual ... casual desire for touch, maybe? Whatever it is, Paige lets him set the pace as they walk.

"Did you enjoy the banquet?" he asks. "I hope everyone wasn't too overwhelming. I know we can all be, well, a lot."

"I did," Paige says, and is surprised to find that she's actually mostly telling the truth. "It was kind of overwhelming, but not really in a bad way."

Sam laughs softly. "I'm glad," he says, just as they reach Paige's door. Paige starts to pull away, but Sam stops her, and she looks up curiously.

"Sam?"

"Paige, I just wanted to say, I am sorry for asking such an insensitive question, in front of everyone too," he says, and his gaze is just as intense as his mother's. "I hope I didn't make you too uncomfortable, and I'm sorry for your loss."

Paige pauses. This setting is very different from the banquet hall—it's just the two of them in a softly-illuminated hallway, so it's much more private, much more personal—and she's a little tempted to admit -'I was kind of upset, and I'm probably going to cry about my dead dog now, actually,'- but something holds her back. That would probably be too much, given that they've only really known each other for two months, and six weeks out of those two months were spent corresponding almost entirely through text.

"It's alright," she says instead, offering the closest thing she can come up with to a reassuring smile and laying her hand on Sam's arm for just a moment. "Like I said, you didn't know. I'm not upset with you."

"But you are upset?"

Damn him for being perceptive enough to ... have eyes. Paige's growing melancholy was probably really obvious after the banquet ended.

"A little," Paige admits. "But it's fine—"

Sam pulls her into a hug.

Paige stiffens, letting out a squeak of surprise and staring at the collar of Sam's shirt with wide eyes, but she relaxes after a moment and links her hands at the small of Sam's back, bowing her head to let it rest on Sam's shoulder. Sam chuckles, and Paige can feel it in her chest.

"Charlie was right, you know," he murmurs. "You are cute. I hope you feel better soon. Is there anything I can do?"

Feeling heat rush to her cheeks, Paige squeezes her eyes shut and doesn't lift her head. "Um," she mumbles, "this is... this is nice?"

It's funny. Paige has never really considered herself a tactile person, but just two days away from home has made her realize how used to contact she is anyway—she doesn't usually seek it out, except when she needs comfort, but she's accustomed to an occasional pat on the shoulder from Marya, or a ruffle of her hair from Madison, or the cheek-pinches she always complained about from her mother. Even just the incidental contact of casually leaning against her father while watching a movie, or her leg pressing against Bela's when they sit together, was always something she took for granted. She never really considered how lonely it would be, physically, until she came here and spent the last however-many hours intensely conscious of her body and other people's personal space.

So... yeah. This is nice.

They stand like that for another minute or so, long enough for Paige to shuffle a little closer so that she's not awkwardly leaning forward, and long enough for her to become conscious of the silence and both of their breathing. It's not as awkward as she was afraid it would be.

Finally, after doing some quick time zone calculations—it's around three in Genosha and five at home. Everyone's probably asleep —she lifts her head from Sam's shoulder, signalling her withdrawal, and Sam's arms slowly drop from around her.

"Thank you," she says softly, looking down.

Sam touches her cheek to make her meet his gaze. "You're welcome," he says warmly, his fingers still brushing Paige's cheek for a moment before he drops his hand. "Good night, Paige. Sleep well. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night," Paige echoes, and steps into the empty sanctuary of her room.

*-*-*

[23:02] Bela ♥:

landmass is homopjobic

Paige where r u

paigeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

lamdmass is homophobia

Paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaigeee

[23:07] Paige:

it is three in the morning in genosha right now

[23:08] Bela ♥:

landmass is homophobic

[23:08] Paige:

three. in the morning.

[23:09] Bela ♥:

landmwss is homopbhoic

[23:09] Paige:

you are half asleep, put your phone away, go to sleep

are you drunk??

[23:10] Bela ♥:

landmasd!! is!!! homopgoiba!!!2

[23:10] Paige:

Bela oh my god. why are you doing this??

[23:11] Bela ♥:

MI SAD AND M ISS MY BES T FRIEDN

U R 2 FAR!!!!!!1!!

CONTNEINTS ARE INCOVNEINCENCING ME

FUCK IDK HOW TO SPELL INCOIVNENICNIG IM TIRED AND A LITLE DRUNK??/

LANFMASD IS HOMIOPHOBI SO IS FATIGEU

[23:12] Paige:

omg... Bela...

i miss you too ♥

please go to sleep, i'll call you in the morning when i get up?

[23:13] Bela ♥:

HOMOBIPBOA

[23:13] Paige:

good night Bela ♥♥♥

i'll talk to you tomorrow!!

also im renaming you in my contacts rn, jsyk. anyway, good night!

[23:14] homobipboa:

renamign me???

ughhghghgh im gonna slepe,fine

cant keep both eyes open anymore

good nigth <2

fuck

<3

***

*Sam's P.O.V.*

"You are going out with Princess Mains today, aren't you?"

Sam blinks, looking from his lovely dog to his lovely mother. "Yes," he says. "I'm taking her out to see the city a bit since she's still settling in. Why?"

Queen Winchester sighs, stirring her tea and pressing her lips together into a thin line. She settles on the richly upholstered couch opposite to him and regards him over the coffee table for a long, long moment, long enough that he stops cooing over Georgia and starts to wonder if there's something on his face and this is her passive-aggressive way of letting him know.

Then she shakes her head. "Be careful, Sammy."

That certainly gets his attention, and he sits up straight, letting Georgia be for now. "What do you mean?" Is she suggesting Paige is untrustworthy or is she talking about something else—like the current tensions in court, which could spill over onto his slowly blossoming friendship with Paige?

His mother looks down into her tea, brow creased. "Ivanovich's group is gaining some traction," she answers. "You know they would much rather we strengthen bonds with Víteliú because Ivanovich himself has investments there."

"Right, right, and if the tariffs are lowered he stands to make a nice profit and he's paying off all his supporters to be friends with him," Sam supplies the rest, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "What a sad little man. How much do you mean by 'some' traction?"

If it's enough to have Mary Winchester concerned, Sam probably should be worried.

"It's hard to say for sure," she replies, frowning. "They're being awfully quiet these days. It's what has me suspicious. Jody Mills' latest intelligence suggests they have been meeting in secret, outside of court."

"Lots of people meet each other outside of court, officially or not," Sam frowns back, crossing one leg over the other and resting his chin on his hand contemplatively. "What makes her think this is significant? Are they conspiring against the crown?"

"Officially, I cannot tell you that they are. That would be a serious accusation."

Sam meets his mother's eyes. "Unofficially, then."

"We don't have conclusive proof yet, but Jody and I share the concern that it's a possibility." She takes a sip of her tea, and Sam hums to himself in thought.

"I'll be careful, then," he says and makes a mental note to remember to check on Dean. If Ivanovich tries going after his cousin, which Sam has a feeling he might, since Deanie is still young enough to be considered impressionable, there will be hell to pay.

But he's not too worried. People conspire against the crown all the time.

"You had better," Queen Mary answers. "And keep an eye on Mains. We've been trying to expand our sphere of influence in the east for generations now. I will not let this alliance slip through our fingers."

"I know, Mother," Sam says, stroking Georgia's head. "I know."