[Yvaine is a ballerina, staring as adult Clara in a world tour production of The Nutcracker! It is the final bow~!] -03:13 Feb 28
[Hans is the recently crowned king of Rhineland, a small germanic european state, and he has come incogneto to see someone he once knew.] -03:17 Feb 28
Yvaine: Probably the most nerve-wracking perfomance of her entire life. Despite the fact it was the last country of the tour. That morning she had told a co-worker a very exciting story… but it was ten years prior. The fact that Rhineland’s new king had not come to see the performance was proof enough that the past was in the past! -03:18 Feb 28
Hans: He stood adn clapped with the rest his smile but one in a sea of them. He leaned over an whispered into the ear of his companion. "Invite her to the consevatory for a meeting." the thratre had been a palace centuries ago and was still technically a royal holding. If he wanted to use one of the rooms he would! -03:21 Feb 28
As soon as the curtain fell, and everyone vacated the stage, Yvaine along with the others were in the process of changing out of costume. A cast mate leaned over Yvaine’s table making kissy faces! “Soooo, totally heart broken there was not a royal audience? It’s too bad, I really wanted to meet a King!” -Yvaine
Yvaine: Yvaine was now wearing a simple dress and trying to strap her regular shoes back on. "I didn’t tell you that story so you could bring it up every five minutes!" Yvaine whispered with exasperation. Maria treated it like some sort of fairy tale… but the reality was much less pleasant! "I doubt he’s even thought twice about me. I stopped writing him sometime after high school, and I can’t imagine how busy he is now." -03:29 Feb 28
ther was a sharp rap on the door before it opened and a hall man dressed in a suit almost took up the entire door. “Miz Yavane.” he said his accent showing through. “You are to follow me for a private audiyans.” He stood still not sayign another word and not looking like he’d take no for an answer. -Hans
Hans: The king waited still dressed in his (relatively) plain suit and he couldn’t stop pacing, his car waited outside the side enterence… he had no idea what he was doing, it wasn’t regal and it certainly wasn’t well-advised. -03:33 Feb 28
Yvaine: Both Maria and Yvaine paused, and though Maria was ushering Yvaine to ‘Go! Go!’, Yvaine doubted the woman realized just how many BAD things men in black suits tended to represent! "R-right… Coming." Yvaine grabbed her coat and pulled it on, following the scary guy in a suit. But making sure to slip her hands in to her pockets so should could pull out pepperspray and flee if she needed to. -03:35 Feb 28
the mountain of a man walked witout lookign back down into a wing the ballet crew had been forbidden to enter, down a saircase and raound a corner. “Though there.” he said gesturing at a closed door. “His highness is waiting.” -Hans
Yvaine: Yvaine stared at him again. A little surprised and… not so sure she believed him! Finally, she gathered up her senses enough to twist the knob and enter the room. Still unsure if maybe Maria and some of the crew were playing another prank on her. -03:40 Feb 28
Hans: He heard the door open and turned, instincticly claspign his hands behind his back and taking a deep breath. "Yvaine…." he said. It was her. "You show was… magnificent.." -03:42 Feb 28
Yvaine: There she was staring again. Having only stepped a few paces in to the room with the door closed behind her. He looked so different…! But totally the same. She found herself holding her breath… until she realized she hadn’t said a word yet! "I.. yes. Thank you very much." All of the things she wanted to talk to him about, and suddenly she couldn’t think of a word! -03:46 Feb 28
Hans: He hadn’t moved in the time she hadn’t spoken. "Its good to see you. I’m sure you heard about…" he had been busy. His father’s abdication, the political games and deaths and his own corination… "I’d like to show you the pallace and some of the city along that way. I’ve been told you haven’t had a chance to get out since your arival." -03:50 Feb 28
Yvaine: "There’s a lot of work and practice that goes in to the shows. They tend to keep us on a tight leash." Yvaine was swaying back and forth on her feet. A big smile slowly spreading across her face. He sounded so official and so professional… "I am really surprised you remember me at all. It’s been a long time. …ten years or so?" -03:56 Feb 28
Hans: "About that he said taking the first step towards covering the distance between them. "But I have not been to busy to not think back at the final weeks before my life became the property of the state. And I’ve missed that time." -03:59 Feb 28
Yvaine: Yvaine laughed softly, looking not-so-convinced and a little embarassed. "The first day I met you, I offered to help with your speech at my school. Are you still having trouble with speeches..?" It was the start of a very strange couple of months! -04:07 Feb 28
Hans: I have fifteen writers, one for each possible occasion." he joked. "We are very big on PR here, understandably." he was standing right in front of her now and he offered his hand. "I was hoping this meeting could be for pleasure, and we have a lot to catch up on. Your career, my.. career, because rolalty is nothing if not a family business." -04:35 Feb 28
Yvaine: He had to go and say ‘for pleasure’ which probably made her face turn about three different shades of red. Clearly, she spent way too much time gossiping with her coworkers. Yvaine took his hand and cleared her throat. It was friends catching up, there was no reason for her to get all gooey. "I was supposed to attend a cast party, but I’ve been to dozens of those… Getting to catch up would definitely be once in a lifetime!" -04:39 Feb 28
Hans: He paused, then slowly a smile spread across his face. "We could do both, spend say, an hout at your party and see where it goes from there. And if theres no assassins in your cast I’ll tell security not to wait up." -04:42 Feb 28
Yvaine: "Assassins I wouldn’t worry about. Just gossiping pranksters." Yvaine grinned, rocking on her feet again and swinging his hand back and forth. She might be ten years older, but she was forever energetic. "If you’re brave enough, King Hans!" -04:47 Feb 28
Hans: "The court is full of gossipers, pranksters would be a refreshing change." he said turning his head sideways t look at her. "I was worried you’d changed, but I don’t see much of that, so… tell me what has as we walk." -04:50 Feb 28
Yvaine: "I was hoping I’d get taller, but since that didn’t happen, at least it helped with me dancing." she responded with a grin. Leading him to the door where they could join the cast party. "I think I mentioned going to college in my last letter? I’m really sorry I stopped writing! School was so much more work than I thought it would be. Between academics and then dance practive, I never even had time to have a personal life!" Why did she even mention that? Hans didn’t need to know she became a social hermit. -04:54 Feb 28
Hans: He almost stopped in his tracks and looked away for a second. Then without explination. "You didn’t get any replied did you?" he sounded lett upbeat somehow. "It turns out the lessons they put you thought to becme a kind can be just as crippling to your social life, and I’m sorry you didn’t get anythign from me."" -05:01 Feb 28
Yvaine: "That’s okay! I mean, I knew I was writing to a Prince, I really never expected you to have time for some High School girl." So he had tried writing to her? That made her feel so much less like an idiot! Now Yvaine was trying really hard not to grin like one too. "Don’t worry about it. You’ll prolly be glad I didn’t when you meet my cast mates. I made the mistake of telling Maria about you on the plane here, and now she can’t stop talking about you." -05:06 Feb 28
Hans: He shot her another sideways look. "Reminiscing about the good old days when a price of a tiny country in the middle of nowhere came to visit? Its a wonder she believed you." he teased "But I’m sure I’ll be all the proof she needs… I also get an whole diferent kind of disbelief whenever I mention the ‘common girl’ I once knew." -05:12 Feb 28
Hans: He shot her another sideways look. "Reminiscing about the good old days when a price of a tiny country in the middle of nowhere came to visit? Its a wonder she believed you." he teased "But I’m sure I’ll be all the proof she needs… I also get an whole diferent kind of disbelief whenever I mention the ‘common girl’ I once knew." -05:12 Feb 28
Yvaine: "She definitely though I was spinning a fib at first…" He talked about her! If Yvaine grinned any more, her face was going to crack. She tried to put on a more reserved expression. Once they reached the door that led to Backstage, Yvaine released his hand. It probably wouldn’t be appopriate to be tugging a King around by the hand. "Here we are then… I absolutely won’t blame you at all if you escape!" With that said, she pushed open the door. Most of the American staff didn’t seem to notice or care, but all of the hirees from the local city were instantly wide-eyed and baffled to see their current King striding in. -05:16 Feb 28
Hans: He stepped in and waved his hand as several of the hirees either bowed or curtsied. "Ich bin nur ein normaler Mensch heute Abend." He said trying to sound casual. "Keine notwendigkeit regelmäßiger." then he turned his attention back to Yvaine. "They don’t seem to know who I am, I should enjoy this." -05:26 Feb 28
Maria showed up with a glass of champagne and offered it to Yvaine. She wasn’t subtle about checking out Yvaine’s guest. “I didn’t know you had a -guest- Yva! Introduce me to this dream boat, eh, eh?” -Yvaine
Yvaine: Yvaine cleared her throat. This -was- going to be embarassing. "This is Hans… I mean, King Hans, and pretty please don’t make a bi-" Yvaine was cut off when Maria squealed loud enough for the entire room to turn around and start watching. "…not make a big deal about it. This is Maria." she leaned to mutter to Hans. -05:31 Feb 28
Hans: So this is where it started. Maybe he should have mentioned to Yvaine that his title needn’t be brought into it. "Just Hans tonight." he said for once glad to didn’t have to to the bowing an kissing of hands deal. "Maria, I’ve heard all about you and it seem syou about me. Yvain and I were catching up on old times." he leaned over and whispered to Yvain. "Does she usually do that then meeting dignitaries?" -05:36 Feb 28
“How darling! A real modern fairy tale and all, hmm?” Maria looked completely amused. Dainty little Yvaine and a King. Just wait until she told everyone. “By all means, you two catch up! I don’t want to be a third wheel.” Near chirping with the news, Maria was vanishing in to the crowd, already getting the gossip train started. Several of the locals were more than a little interested to hear why their King was backstage at a ballet! -Yvaine
Yvaine: "Seeing as you are the first she has ever met, I’m pretty surprised you’re not on the floor and having your clothes pulled off." Maria had threatened to do the same to many handsome royals from other countries. Maybe bringing Hans to the cast party wasn’t the best idea. -05:42 Feb 28
Hans: The mental image was probibally the not the best in front of so many people, and especially not right after being reunited with an old flame and trying to see if there was a spark left. "Trying to have a quiet evening with so many people around was an impossible dream." he admitted, "But somewhere more private is still an option. If you havn’t eaten I know a little place not far from here." -05:50 Feb 28
Yvaine: "Okay!" she said immediately. …then realized how that miiight have been a little quick to accept. "I mean… Yeees, that sounds nice, actually. I never did understand why everyone wants to stand around and party after a long performance. Getting to sit would be great." Yvaine passed off that glass of champagne to someone else, telling them quickly she was leaving for the night before turning back to Hans. "You won’t be missed? I’m kind of surprised you don’t have an army of guards with you…" -05:54 Feb 28
Hans: "They’re with the car that has no one in the back." he said with a smile as he once again took her hand and began retracing thier steps. "You’d be surprised how easy it is for the head of state to disappear when he chooses to. I of course keep one or two men close but the ‘army’ needs its nights off too." -05:57 Feb 28
Yvaine: Yvaine really hoped it wasn’t showing on her face. Having him take her hand a second time was leaving her with all kinds of butterflies. It was so stupid to feel this way after so long. "Does that mean things here have settled? I’ve always followed the news, and it was really exciting to hear that the production was going to play in Rhineland." -06:03 Feb 28
Hans: "The court is moderized, in six months we will have a parliment and I will be able to step back and let the people decide who they want to represent them. Its a new age for Rhineland and finally the common man will be put first." he smiled as the passion showed on his face and in his voice. "There will he hichups and the mobles are up in arms but with the people first adn the people they want beign thier voice I believe that peace and stability can come to Rhineland. There hasn’t been a roit in seven years and they are starting to have faith in us again. Its been a long battle but I think it will be worth it… and maybe they’ll finally stop telling me to choose a queen." -06:07 Feb 28
Yvaine: "It will work a little bit like England, then?" Yvaine was proud for him! He hadn’t know what he wanted out of life when she first met him, and now… he really loved what he was doing. Yvaine squeezed his hand, laughing as they walked. "You don’t have a girlfriend or fiance yet? There has to be lots of eligible princesses!" -06:11 Feb 28
Hans: He sighed.. "Work keeps me busy, in the ten years since we met so much has changed here, I don’t recognize it anymore, and the price I’ve paid is to end up married to the throne." he lookes at her "Constantly writing a signing documents and unable to go anywhere for more than a few hours without the royal guard showing up with even more papers and thier safety procedures. It hard to meet anyone like that. But I’ve followed our news too. You’re considered a rising star." -06:17 Feb 28
Yvaine: "Yeah!" she flushed, hanging her head a bit to hide her embarassment. "All I’ve ever wanted to do is dance. And I love every minute of it! I didn’t really expect to go so far, though. Sometimes the attention is a little overwhelming." Yvaine squeeze his hand again when she finally looked back up again. "I guess all that crazy stuff we went through was good practice. I don’t freeze up during interviews anymore!" -06:23 Feb 28
Hans: He stopped and turned to have her. "We’ve both gone places." he said but when he did it didn’t feel like it, it felt like it had ten years ago. I’m on a throne and you’re on a stage. The spotlight can’t stay away from either or us." he stepped forwards and placed his hand lightly on her shoulder. "I’ll tell you I came here for more than to see you dance, I came to see you." -06:30 Feb 28
Yvaine: "Really?" Yvaine could have kicked herself for how breathy and ridiculous her voice sounded. She had to swallow and take a deep breath just so she could speak normally. "I was hoping I’d see you. I wanted to write you a letter and send you a ticket. I just… I guess I didn’t think you would have remembered me." -06:33 Feb 28
Hans: "Thats the reason I came as I did, to see if you remembered me." he confessed. "To see if the fairy tale was still alive…" he leaned forewards the hand on her should sliding up to her cheek as his lips parted slishtly to allow his nervous breath to escape… -06:38 Feb 28
Yvaine: "I always think about you." A fairy tale indeed, Yvaine always thought she had saw more in it than actually happened in reality. It wasn’t as if they had a relationship, it’s just that maybe… and here he was standing so close and making her feel like her knees were going to give way. -06:42 Feb 28
Hans: He moved forwards the hand bushing her hair out the way as he went for the…. "The car is waiting Highness." the voice was right behind them and Hans jumped almost imediatly snapping to attnetion. "Ahh… Yvain.. you remember my bodyguard, now head of the royal guard… Gunther…" Hans looked away, he had been so close to kssing her…. -06:44 Feb 28
Yvaine: "R-right, Hello Gunther!" Her face was probably three different shades of red. Yvaine smoothed out her skirt even though it’s not as if they did anything..! "It’s good to see you again." -06:46 Feb 28
Hans: "Go and make sure the escort is prepaired I don’t want a repeat of March." Hans said. "I will follow." Gunther bowed and after tellign Hans not to take to long left. "He turned back to her and immediatly his commanding expression dropped and he had to look away to hide his embaressment, then on impulse he placed a hand on each of her cheeks and pulling her closer pressed his lips into hers hard. -06:55 Feb 28
Yvaine: Yvaine wasn’t expecting a kiss after the interuption. She was still wondering if she had imagined the first moment! Her exclamation was nothing more than a soft squeak of surprise, followed by a dreamy sigh. Yvaine leaned in to him, having to grasp his jacket just to keep herself on her feet. Kissing him was so much better than she daydreamed about..! -06:58 Feb 28
Hans: His hands sliding back to grip her head instead of just her her cheeks he moved his lips against hers and sighed into the kiss before he pulled back. "That answers that." he said softly as he brushed his fingers agaist her cheek. "I will see you again before you leave….." -07:05 Feb 28
Yvaine: She was in a daze! Yvaine almost missed his words. She nodded softly, still clinging on to his coat and almost afraid she wouldn’t be able to stand straight. "We’ll be here for a few weeks. In the country." Yvaine didn’t even realize her eyes had been closed. She opened one then the other to look up at him. -07:08 Feb 28
Hans: He brushes her hair from her face again even though she didn’t really need it. "Well it will be sooner than that…" he stepped away and his hand fell to his sides. He didn’t want to leave but there was little choice involved. "See you soon Yvaine." and then he turned and started walking slowly away. -07:15 Feb 28
Yvaine: She felt fifteen all over again, waving at his back as he said goodbye. …only this time he had left her with a kiss and feeling like she just drank a bottle of champagne! "Goodnight Hans..!" The minute he was out of ear-shot, Yvaine bounced up and down on her feet and clapped her hands in joy. He kissed her…! He really did kiss her! -07:18 Feb 28
Hans: "Goodnight Yvaine." he called back turning and waving back to her. "Tomorow I’ll send word." The then he was gone, rounding a rorner and into the waiting arms of his guard so they could explain what they had interupted hime for. -07:20 Feb 28