[Nuranar]

Suddenly a carriage, apparently driven by a maniac, thundered up to the red carpet and miraculously, if somewhat tritely, stopped on the proverbial dime. The coachman, clad completely in black including his moustache, batwing-edged cape and top hat, clambered down from his seat and, chuckling sinisterly, opened the carriage door.

Out stepped a woman – no, a girl – well, someone in between those two categories. Of medium height, her slim figure was revealed by the strobe effect of camera flashes. Her black hair, braided and pinned up around her head, was accented with tiny white flowers and framed a face full of merriment at the coach’s eccentric behavior. Her gown, of a rich midnight blue silk, shimmered dully in the artificial light. Its sleeves were fitted to the elbow, then flared gracefully over white gossamer under sleeves. Obviously made for dancing, the dress’s skirt fell in smooth swirls to her ankles, revealing low-heeled slippers.

As she stepped forward shyly, her fair-haired fellow passenger exited the carriage. He wore a fine white cotton shirt with an old-fashioned black cravat. Over it his waistcoat, a heavy patterned silk, seemed also black, but was actually the darkest of navy blues. His black trousers – cut with just the right amount of bagginess, bowing to the dictates of the Fashion Police – were tucked neatly into highly-polished black boots.

His escape was none too soon, as the erstwhile coachman leapt to his seat with a loud "HAHAHAHA, HA HA!" and jerked the conveyance into motion. Unmoved, the young man observed the speeding vehicle negotiate a perilous bend in the road on two wheels, then vanish behind the city wall.

"Maybe I shouldn’t have asked Professor Fate to give us a lift," he confessed to his fair companion, blue eyes twinkling. "Shall I carry you home? I wouldn’t count on his getting back on time or even in one piece."

Luinien bit her slip to suppress a giggle. "Shush, there are all the cameras. Don’t worry about him, just behave yourself!" she hissed, punctuating her reprimand with a well-aimed but surreptitious elbow.

Rebuked, Tarondo immediately bowed to his sister. "O fair one, I pray, vouchsafe to thy unworthy servant the honor of escorting thee!" Eyes sparkling and lips twitching, Luinien took his proffered arm and the couple sedately trod the blood-red carpet into the Grand Hall.