Snippet #1289919

It felt good to get out of his heavy greatcoat. Now Alexis felt much lighter and cooler. His uniform was still gaudy, though. He wished for his normal khaki pants, shirt, tie, and vest; instead of this silly uniform with medals and ribbons he did not earn through deeds of valor and sacrifice. The saber made things more uncomfortable. It banged and shook as he walked. Melissa was still sour.
"I feel naked from the waist down," she muttered. She too had shed her greatcoat and gloves, but was still in full battle gear. Her rifle was now slung on her shoulder by its carrying strap, and she had her helmet in her hands; allowing her hair to fall out. The two had decided to have a quick look around before trying to find out where they were to meet the princess. Movement caught Alexis' eye. A small, lithe, feminine figure, with short black hair - as black as his own - with pale skin - as pale as his - was passing through the hallway; accompanied by two other women. At first Alexis was willling to let it go. He had other things to do. Then Melissa grabbed his shoulder.
"Idiot! That was her! The princess. The future Mrs. Soliarous. You numbskull."
"Huh?" asked Alexis. "How do you know she isn't just another servant or something?"
Melissa reached into one of the pockets of her pack and produced a black-and-white photograph. It was a picture snapped by the Foreign Minister on his last trip to Albacove. Although everything else was fuzzy, the girl in the picture was crystal clear. It was the princess. "See?" asked Melissa. "You should go introduce yourself."
"Introduce myself?" Alexis asked. "We still need to introduce ourselves to the parents and big brother."
"Want to get a head start? You'll be competing with gods know how many suitors for this woman. Every opportunity you get to ingratiate yourself her, the better. Just like the lobbiests do to the legislators. Come on now, sir. Don't be shy." Melissa replaced her helmet without bothering to fix her hair and whispered to Alexis, "Besides, would you rather marry this girl, or have this idylic little rat hole crushed by a regiment of your mother's finest artillery corps?"
Alexis grunted. Melissa was right. If he failed to get that trade alliance, the Legislature would find a way to justify an invasion of Albacove, and take thier coal and oil reserves by force. And they would find a legal way to do it with or without the High Queen's blessing. Feeling a sudden surge of nerviousness coming on, Alexis turned and followed the women down the passageway.
"Back straight, pecs out, chin up, and look like a prince," Melissa hissed behind him.
"You're worse than my mother," Alexis retorted. He followed her advice. "Now shut up. Here goes." Alexis came to a doorway where he'd seen the girls enter. Spying the two ladies-in-waiting gathering around the girl with the short hair - who indeed looked like a full color image of the princess in the photo - Alexis came to a stop in the threshold and clicked his heels, mimicking the way the generals and other officers presented themselves to his mother. Melissa stopped behind him, standing as stiff as a statue. Alexis cleared his throat to gain the girls' attention.
"Greetings, princess," he began. "I am Alexis Soliarous, Crown Prince and heir of the Sunlit Throne. It is pleasure to meet your aquiantance, madaam." Alexis wasn't sure if he should courtesy or not. As the son of the High Queen of the Sunlit Throne, he was used to all heads of state of the nations of the former Sunlit Realm courtesying before him - even the King of Marinia courtesyed before him and his mother. Instead, Alexis removed his peaked officer's cap.

((For an idea of Alexis and Melissa's costumes, Google "British Army Uniforms World War 1". Alexis wears an officer's uniform, while Melissa wears full battle dress, complete with the helmet, but no gas bag carrier))