Joseph
**Mikhail Durkhan-Maith
Ostrava, Astoria**

She apologized once more, and he couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. "Millie, it's fine." He insisted, his hand reaching for hers. When he found it, he held it as if examining a ring, and placed his other over it with a soft pat. "I'm aware of the rumors about myself, I'm not going to fault you for commenting on them." He held her gaze for a moment before releasing her hand. "You're forgiven, but I'd prefer not to linger in alleys anymore. Do you want to accompany me into the last dregs of the daylight, or is this where we part ways, Lady Millie?"
Karen
**Milena Capell**
**Ostrava, Astoria**

She held bated breath as he held her hand in his, and let it out as he said she was forgiven. If anyone saw, there would have most definitely been wild rumors about the prince and a noble girl holding hands in a dark alley, and that wasn't lost on her. Better to exit before that happens. "I suppose we shouldn't hang around in quickly darkening alleyways. I'll walk with you a bit more, if you'll allow."
Joseph
**Mikhail Durkhan-Maith
Ostrava, Astoria**

Mikhail nodded, and started to lead the way out of the alley. Unlike the corridors she had dragged them through in the theatre, there was enough room to walk together without one really needing to pull forward completely. "I've lost a squire somewhere in your city. He's probably found himself someone pretty to waste the night with, but I didn't exactly make accommodations when we arrived." Mikhail looked to her, the last bits of sunlight glinting golden off her hair and cheeks. "Can you point me in the direction of a decent place to book a room? Or do you not usually find yourself sneaking out late enough to warrant things like that?"
Karen
**Melina Capell**
**Ostrava, Astoria**

"Well, you can always stay the night in the Capell manor. God knows we have the room." She laughed and rolled her eyes. "It's not that far from here." She pointed in the direction, shielding her eyes from the sun, it's last rays of light illuminated her hair a golden bronze. "It will get dark soon, and I'm sure you would be more comfortable somewhere less public than the inn"
Joseph
**Mikhail Durkhan-Maith
Ostrava, Astoria**

"If I were to stay there, you'd be admitting to your family that you'd snuck out." He reminded her, his gaze following the length of her arm towards where she was pointing. He'd never stayed in the Capell manor nor visited, and it might be strange to just show up unannounced with their daughter who they _thought_ had been in her chambers. 

The whole thing reeked of scandal, but if played correctly they could tell it for the truth : The Capell heiress was showing him the arts district before their family hosted him for the evening.
Karen
**Milena Capell**
**Ostrava, Astoria**

A wry smile appeared on her face. She had an idea, a very mischievous one. "How could I possibly have snuck out, if I was invited to come by the Prince of Astoria to see a play and show him the city?" There would have been no way that her parents would have refused the prince. "After all, we are *Well aquatinted* From all the court functions that we have attended. I was informed that you would be visiting Ostrava, and wanted a guide for the evening. Who better for that than the heiress to the nobles who reside over the region?" Her parents would eat that up, she was sure. Rather than be angry, they would be *Proud* That their daughter was 'chosen' for such an esteemed job.
Joseph
**Mikhail Durkhan-Maith
Ostrava, Astoria**

He couldn't help the smile that drew on his lips. She was clever, he'd give her that. "That's almost exactly what has happened, is it not?" He agreed, then added. "Spare the knowledge we didn't make plans as to when to meet up this evening, you could truthfully say that's exactly how it has played out." He brought his free hand to his law, idly rubbing his neck before letting his hand fall back to his side. 

They had reached the end of the alley, and stepped out to the streets bathed in twilight. "There's only one issue I could see them taking," He added, turning to face her fully, his gaze down on her as he gave a half smirk "I think your parents would be disappointed to see you came out to greet a Prince in _that_." His finger caught the light brown of her vest that she wore. "My mother is horrified when I'm not dressed properly to meet _anyone_. Should we go back and see if your thespian friends have something better suited for a Royal tour of Ostrava?"
Karen
**Milena Capell**
**Ostrava, Astoria**

He made a good point. Her attire certainly would not have flown with her parents. She was certain that her friends in the theatre would loan her a dress for the evening. Her parents had bought so many for her that they would not have noticed that it was borrowed. "I suppose we shall, they'll understand. It's not the first time I've had to borrow a dress from them." So she led him back inside the theatre and to the backstage area. There the cast were celebrating a very successful opening night. The lead actor noticed them first. "Hey! It's Millie and the prince! We really appreciate you coming out to see our show. Tell me, what brings you to our humble backstage?" Millie smiled. "The show was amazing, you should be very proud, but I'm here to ask a favor. You see, I was *Ahem* "Requested" By Prince Durkhan here to be his guide around the city and accompany him to the play, but my attire simply won't do. Might I perchance borrow a dress for the night, so that the suspicion from the Lord and Lady Capell can be mitigated?" 

The actor immediately understood what Millie was implying. Once again, that was something she had done before. He smiled and tapped his chin. "Ah, but of course. I could *Never* Forget the beautiful dress you wore to our play. Yes. That exquisite blue one with the silver trim. Your sense of fashion is truly unmatched, Lady Capell." He went to the clothing rack and produced the dress. It certainly was a fine piece of attire, more fitting of a 'royal guide.' 

She took the dress from him, and felt along it. It would definitely do in a pinch, and it being a theatre costume helped a lot, because they were much more comfortable than court dresses, yet they were almost indistinguishable. "Many thanks on your compliments. I certainly do my best to look the part."
Joseph
**Mikhail Durkhan-Maith
Ostrava, Astoria**

Millie hinted that she had done the very same thing before, and he couldn't stop the way his brow rose in silent question. _Just what kind of trouble are you, Lady Capell?_ He thought to himself, but agreed to follow her back into the theatre once more. She headed directly for the same side door they had made their exit through before, this time the milling crowd parting easily for them both. 

Mikhail dipped his head, offering smiles to those who welcomed him and thanked him for being in attendance that night as they headed towards the back, and let Millie take the spotlight once they were presented to the cast. The dress they offered her was pretty, and exceedingly plain compared to the pieces he saw flaunted in his mothers court. It was nice, and definitely more youthful, as if they had stashed it for the part of a Young Lady in some show. Millie took it, and Mikhail cleared his throat. 

"Thank you for your assistance," He told them, then looked to Millie and the gown she held. "I'll wait out front while you change." He added quietly, and squeezed her forearm briefly in farewell before heading back through the corridor, one of the actresses jumping to assist him on his path back out to the main foyer.
Karen
**Milena Capell**
**Ostrava, Astoria**

She nodded. "Of course. I'll just be a couple of minutes." Millie ducked behind a changing divider and changed out of her commoner's clothes and neatly folded them. She then put on the dress. It fit her rather well, and was rather comfortable, not restricting her breathing like some of her other dresses did. After she had changed into the blue dress, she stepped back out and gave her clothing to one of the actors. "I'll be back for these later when I return the dress, keep them safe, please." 

The actor took the clothes from her and gave her a smile. "I'll put em in the usual trunk for you Millie. Though I must say, I might have you just keep that one. It suits you well." 

She smiled at the compliment. "Thank you, but I will still be returning it. Wouldn't seem right to keep it. I'll be back, of course. Save my usual seat for me, will you?" With that she turned away, giving a slight wave to the actors before heading back out. She found Mikhail right where he said he would be, and tapped him on his shoulder. "Well, how do I look?"
Joseph
**Mikhail Durkhan-Maith
Ostrava, Astoria**

While waiting, the actress who had accompanied him questioned him about his time in Ostrava. It seemed Millie wasn't the only one who boasted the city and it's arts district - just about everyone had something to promote that was happening this week. Astoria, thankfully, had been relatively untouched by the plague. There were cased in South Feyshore, but Lord Stafford and Sir Cromwell had locked the borders down as soon as possible, and he hadn't _personally_ heard of any cases in Astorian cities. 

But because of this, festivals and plays and life was able to continue on in towns like Ostrava, and he was glad for it as he watched the young blonde tell him about a market that would be taking place tomorrow. It was bi-monthly so it seemed, and filled to the brim with jewelry and arts and the sweetest desserts in Astoria. He smiled at her description, giving a small laugh. "I might have to stay long enough to browse this market, thank you for letting me know about it." 

As he spoke, he felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned to find Millie. Dressed in blue and clothing of her name, she looked lovely. He gave her a smile, and took half a step back to let his eyes move over the blue and silver of the skirts. "Like a Lady." He answered, and looked the the actress for her to confirm. The blonde nodded, accompanying the motion with an a breathless "_Oh Millie, you're stunning, that really is your color, did Philip say you can keep it, because I think you should!_"
Karen
**Milena Capell**
**Ostrava, Astoria**

Millie laughed lightly. "Thank you." She turned to the blonde actress. "Aneta, you know Phillip says I should keep every dress I borrow. It wouldn't be very fair of me to do that. Although, I might consider it just this once, since you all seem so adamant that this one suits me so well." 

The dress was beautiful, yes, though Millie wasn't sure that it really made her look *That* Good. She saw herself as just alright, and she didn't understand why everyone talked about her looks so much. 

She then turned back to Mikhail, excited to comment on the market. "As for what I heard you mention just now, I highly recommend you stick around at least through tomorrow. It's market day. You won't see anything like it in the rest of Astoria, I promise you. Masterly crafted jewelry, works of art, clothes, and food as far as the eye can see, all locally made. It's so much fun!" She, like everyone else talked very highly of Ostrava. It certainly had a lot of cultural flair.
Joseph
** Mikhail Durkhan-Maith
Ostrava, Astoria**

It didn't feel appropriate for him to comment on her dress further, after all, he didn't want to give the wrong impression to anyone who might overhear. And since Millie almost immediately jumped in to tell him that _yes_ he _should_ stay for market day, it was becoming more and more obvious that people in this town overheard everything. 

He gave a soft sigh of a laugh. "We'll see what tomorrow brings when we get to it, Lady Millie. As for now, we've got other matters to attend to." He reminded her. Really, he was starting to wish he'd bid her farewell and gone to try and find Daemon. Not that Millie wasn't lovely company, but he realized he wanted to settle into a bed somewhere with what was left of his flask and enjoy the warm pre-summer evening. He could probably do that, but there was now a meeting with Lord and Lady Capell to attend. 

Perhaps he should have suggested she accompany him somewhere else, as nerves were starting to settle. He cleared his throat, pushing away the thoughts and tapped his thigh, feeling for the metal in his pocket before he lifted the same hand and offered her his arm. "Shall we, Lady?"
Karen
**Milena Capell**
**Ostrava, Astoria**

She took his arm in his, and gave him a brief smile. "Of course, your lordship." The sun finally settled under the horizon as Millie led him down the streets of Ostrava towards Capell manor, constantly pointing out the different landmarks which lined the streets. "...And that's Hamilton's Bakery. Best bread you'll ever have... There's the Jindrich art gallery. Most of the works there are done locally. The curator is very nice. You'd like him!" It was pretty clear that she not only knew practically everyone in town, but that she was also excited to share the sights of Ostrava with someone who wasn't from there. The streets were colorful with various banners, floral arrangements, and street lamps. Even during the night, the city appeared bright. 

Sometime later, they were just about to Capell manor, it's twin towers marking the edge of the building, with gothic sloped roofs and emphasis on verticality. It was a classic noble house to be sure. 

Millie sighed rolled her eyes. She didn't like how droll it was compared to Ostrava. Compared to the city, it seemed rather dreary. "There it is. Home sweet home."
Joseph
**Mikhail Durkhan-Maith
Ostrava Astoria**

It really was a beautiful city. He'd never taken the time to visit before, but it would certainly be on his list for his summer tour, if that was still going to happen, that is. It was possible things could go very poorly very quickly with the current state of things, and he had yet to hear anything about The Durkhan's summer plans. 

They walked arm in arm for a while, her using her free hand to point out places of interest as he kept them on the path. "It's nice that you know just about everyone in your home, if not everyone." He told her, his attention lingering on the lamplight reflecting on a hanging sign above a tavern. The name rang a bell, and he realized he _had_ been told where his squire intended to spend his night. He'd retrieve him later though, he doubted he'd be up before noon. 

Soon enough they were upon the Noble house, and he gave a nod towards the towers before leaning in a bit. "So which tower do you have to escape from every night?" He joked, unable to hide the smirk before he laughed.
Karen
**Milena Capell**
**Ostrava, Astoria** 

"I find the right one far less challenging to climb down" Millie said, seemingly very seriously, before bursting into laughter herself. "No, no. My room is on the ground floor. It's no major task to flee from the evil dragons who guard the castle, preventing any fun from entering, or leaving. *Thou shalt never behath any merriment tonight, young maiden*" She said the last part in her best gravelly, dragonesque voice.
Joseph
** Mikhail Durkhan-Maith
Ostrava Astoria**

"The first time I slipped from my bedroom window down a lattice I thought I was going to break my neck." He paused, then chuckled "Again." He added, and looked once more over the home. 

"It looks like it could house a decent sized dragon. Or a few little ones. Shall we?"
Karen
**Milena Capell**
**Ostrava, Astoria**

"We shall" She then led him up the path to the manor's grand entrance. Millie paused for a minute, debating whether to just go in or knock. She opted to just go in, it would have been funnier if Mikhail was revealed a little after. "So what I'm going to do is walk in, say that I'm home, of course get scolded, then I announce your presence." She rubbed her hands together before opening the door, but paused before doing so, and turned to Mikhail. "Uhh... Unless you'd prefer being introduced the way the prince should be?"
Joseph
**Mikhail Durkhan-Maith
Ostrava Astoria**

"I don't need to be announced, whatever causes the least amount of trouble for you works for me." He still wasn't quite convinced she wouldn't get reprimanded, but he hoped his presence at least helped deter it.
Karen
**Milena Capell**
**Ostrava, Astoria**

"Okay. Thank you" She gave him one last smile and thumbs up before opening the door to the manor. "Mother, Father! I've returned!" She called out to them. *'Heeeeree we go'* Millie thought to herself as she watched her parents storm towards her. As she expected, they looked pissed. "Where in the blazes have you been, young lady?!" Her mother scolded her, wagging a finger in Millie's face "Sneaking out again to frivolous reasons, Milena?" 

Millie smiled innocently, giving them a quizzical look. "Sneaking out? But mother, I didn't sneak out. Were you not informed?" 

"Informed of what, young lady? That you would go against our wishes once again?" 

"You truly don't know?" Millie put on her best confused look, as if what she were about to say were common knowledge. "You didn't know that I was asked to guide the Royal Prince Mikhail Durkhan around Ostrava and attend a play with him?" She then swept her arm in an introductory manner. That was his cue