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Rosemary turned toward the sound of Miss Painted Face and Alaric’s conversation. Jade reluctantly turned with her.

”I’ve never seen so many strangers in my life,” said Rosemary.

”We’ve never seen any, you mean, until now.” Jade braced herself for another conversation with the princeling brat, now with the added benefit of — another dancer! Or at least the painted girl was trying to be one. Still, Jade knew that graceful posture was not something a fake could do.

Rosemary said, “Hello. I heard you shouting, but I didn’t catch your name. What is it? And you, too?” She glanced between the two.

Jade kept silent, wondering if her earlier haughty response to Alaric would keep him from talking to Rosemary.

Nope.

Alaric looked quizzically at Rosemary’s long white lab coat and bowed. “Prince Alaric of Reantare, lady —?”

”Rosemary.”

”And I’m Ophelia!” said the perfect one.

Jade found it difficult to keep her face straight at that one. What a name.

Rosemary’s voice went sharp with sudden focus. “What’s that?” She gestured at Alaric’s hands.

Blood rushed into Jade’s cheeks. If she finds out I left him injured, she’s going to give me a rant…

”Nothing, just some glass on the floor,” said Alaric.

Rosemary rolled her eyes and snatched up his wrists before he could say a word. “And you, too, Ophelia! Just a moment.”

Rosemary pulled out a pair of tweezers from her lab coat pocket, squinting in the dark at the splinters in his hands. As she pulled them out, she rambled about the dangers of infection in untreated wounds and the damage glass splinters could cause. She moved to Ophelia, whose wounds weren’t as bad, next.

Jade watched the proceeding with a somber quietness in her heart, thinking of Rosemary’s doom because of her skills. Here, things were more as they ought to be; a place where Rosemary could use her skills for good without fear.

 

@emily-waldorf  I thought Alaric might get confused by the lab coat and think  it was a noblewoman’s robe 😂. If it doesn’t work just tell me.