Juliette returned Lorsenso’s wave as he and Lenally moved off to dance. Fortunately, her colleague was more respectful of Lenally’s limits, though there was no missing that the girl was a bit flustered at times. For her part the princess remembered what things were like at that age—though they had been doubly confusing for Juli, as she had not been able to deny that she found her own sex even more appealing than the opposite one.<br/><br/>After the pair returned to the table, Juli responded to Lorenso. “I’d say you’re both quite impressive dancers. It’s good to see people having fun now—and I’m thankful the mood has shifted so far after the tense start today.” Although to be sure, Juli thought that might be because the monarchs on both sides were absent—all the earlier tension had been centered mostly around those three.<em>If only my father were well, I’m sure he would have put a better foot forward than the queen did.</em>But there was no sense thinking like that, and Juli could only make do with the situation as it was.