Little giggles of delight slipped past Arachne's lips as she pranced around her makeshift tea party set up on the colorful stones. With delicate paws, she carefully arranged invisible teacups and saucers, mimicking the actions of a seasoned hostess preparing for a visit from a royal guest. To her, this was not just mere make-believe; it held purpose and significance. After all, she and her sisters were princesses in their own right, and they had to act accordingly. And with Selkie, the most esteemed of guests, joining them for their special occasion, Arachne couldn't contain her excitement any longer. She simply couldn't wait to begin their enchanting tea party together.

"Selkie! Welcome to our tea party!” Arachne bubbled, her tail wagging with unbridled excitement. She looked up at the towering monoliths as if they were the guests of honor, their majestic presence adding a touch of regality to the imaginary gathering. “But first we have to be really polite, like the grown-ups,” Arachne announced to Selkie, "So, when guests arrive, we greet them like this!” The slightly larger girl demonstrated a wobbly curtsy, her tiny frame attempting to capture something akin to grace. Granted … she had never actually seen anyone bow to eachother around the packlands … but that was beside the point. They were princesses!

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"Arachne Klein"

Selkie was enjoying the warmer days of spring, slipping out more and more. Taking time to play with her siblings in the spreading sunshine-- yes, the days were perfect, she decided. The days were perfect and they were all for her. Light steps growing more confident by the day, venturing out more and more excitedly each and every time. Spring air in her lungs... that would make them stronger, right? The cough that had racked her lungs from birth was beginning to fade. Beginning, though some days were better than others. The ones that filled her entire body with raw, with damp, those were the worst of all. That's okay. Today was mostly okay. Especially because they were going to have a tea party! Pulling out all the stops to play pretend, this was the way. Right, she was a princess, surely she was going to be invited to lots of tea parties when she was a little older. Arachne would too. They are princesses after all! Capturing as much grace as she could in her little body as she arrived at the tea party, she gave a big, excited grin and a wiggle of her tail to her sister. A nod, a rather important one at that. Of course they had to be real polite. More polite than grownups were all the time. They'd do it even better. Catching her tongue between her teeth, Selkie gave a curtsey as best she could. The movement was stilted, teetering on too-long limbs. "Hey are you sure about this?" Selkie can't hold back a giggle as she stumbles forward, barely catching herself, nearly toppling into the red dirt beneath their paws. She's grinning all the while, tail wagging. Right, right, she had to take this serious. Real serious. Righting herself after a moment, putting on her most Serious Polite Voice™, Selkie tried again. A little less clumsy, but still awkward. "Good afternoon, Arachne, thank you for having me." And a smile that could have passed as demure, if she wasn't trying to mask her giggles all the while. She's doing! Her best!

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Arachne's eyes sparkled with adoring amusement as she watched Selkie clumsily attempt to imitate their imagined regal etiquette. She couldn't help but let out a joyful giggle at her sister's endearing efforts, reveling in the carefree playtime they shared together. "Oh, my dear Selkie, I am absolutely certain of your abilities!" She reassured her sister, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. But she quickly composed herself and slipped back into character. "You are simply splendid, my darling!" Arachne's voice was gentle and encouraging this time around, her tone laced with pride and love for her sibling. "Princess manners can be quite tricky to master at first, but with practice, we shall both become the most refined princesses in all of Boreas!" The warm breeze carried the sound of their laughter throughout the palace gardens, a testament to the close bond between these two sisters and their imaginative play.

With a determined effort to appear graceful on her uncoordinated limbs, she made her way across the imaginary stage towards Selkie. Her movements were exaggerated, as if she was trying to embody the perfect princess in a storybook. Arachne leaned in with a conspiratorial whisper, as if imparting a forbidden secret. But instead of revealing something scandalous, she shared words of wisdom. "Manners may be important, but never forget to be true to yourself," she said, her eyes full of warmth and reassurance. "So let's have some fun with it, shall we! We can be elegant princesses and still embrace our silly, giggly sides!" The air around them seemed to sparkle with magic and possibility, as if they had stepped into a fairytale world where anything was possible.

Arachne stood tall, her back straightening as she regained her regal posture fit for a princess. A glint of mischief shone in her eyes as she leaned closer to Selkie and whispered, "But let's keep it between us, it's our little royal secret!" With a playful wink, she invited Selkie to embrace both the refined manners of a princess and the carefree joy of their innocent spirits. The sunbeams danced across their faces, adding a golden glow to the moment that felt like a memory from a fairytale. Straightening herself up, Arachne returned to the spot that she had chosen for herself. "Now where were we, my dear sister?" She asked out loud, as if Selkie was clued in on the direction that this little adventure was heading. Was Rainy laying it on a little thick? Oh, absolutely. But that was the fun of it. Lesson or not.

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"Arachne Klein"

A core memory in the making. She doesn't know it yet, but that's the best part of it all. Instead, the little girl leans into her sister and giggles, happy to let it pass like a secret between friends. They will never be this little again. Instead, the pair will play into their storybook princess dreams. Two little girls who are safe, comfortable in their bubble. Ashen keeps them safe. The bloodline keeps them safe. Though they may not quite understand what it means yet, the crown upon their little heads has just grown heavier. They'll never be this innocent again. Day by day, they will come to realize things about the world. They are princesses now, and their proximity to the top has just increased. For now, they are little girls, having a tea party in the sun. Lovingly, she gazes upon her sister. Gaze shining. Her tail wagging loosely, the smile on her face genuine. It lights up her lavender gaze. They are lovely together, really. The looseness returns to her gaze, and some of the athleticism as well. Maybe just a little more authority, like her father. Oh how she loved him, too. It was hard not to carry a little of his energy on her chest. Selkie wanted him to be proud of her too. Trying her best, really trying, letting herself loom instead of trying to slip through space. Yes. that was right. "We're princesses, we can take up space." She affirms, a triumphant nod in Rainy's direction too. Right. Confidence. All she needed was the little push. Yes, they would lay it on thick. Be yourself, but keep it a secret. Maybe it was foolish, but Selkie would take a moment to engrave that on her heart. It sticks with her. Golden as the sunlight that paints the pair, she takes the bait. Right, what were the princesses in the fairytales supposed to be doing at times like this? "I do believe it's time to pour the tea! I brought cakes!" Selkie brings forth her imaginary box that, until now, she'd forgotten she should probably have. The pup offered a silken smile to go with them. "And we're supposed to talk about princess news when we drink our tea!" The declaration comes, though Selkie isn't quite sure what princess news exactly is. There had to be something exciting about it, right? She hadn't quite decided yet, but it was exciting all the same.

Arachne's eyes sparkled with delight as Selkie brought forth her imaginary box of cakes. She couldn't help but join in the make-believe festivities with equal enthusiasm. "Oh, how marvelous! Cakes for our royal feast!" Arachne exclaimed, her tail wagging with excitement. The imaginary tea party had transformed into a delightful banquet, and the two princesses reveled in the joy of their shared fantasy. With a regal flourish, Arachne gestured towards the colorful stones, now adorned with the finest invisible tea set. "Let us pour the tea and indulge in these delectable treats, my dear sister. It's the most splendid tea party in all of Ashen!"

As Selkie mentioned talking about princess news, Arachne's eyes widened with curiosity. "Princess news, you say? What a marvelous idea! I heard from the butterflies that there's a grand ball happening tonight. Anyone who is anyone will be there!" She shared the imaginary news with a twinkle in her eye, fully embracing the whimsy of their make-believe world.

Arachne then picked up an invisible teacup, holding it delicately in her paw, and raised it in a playful toast. "To princesses, tea parties, and the most enchanting tales in all of Boreas!" She took a pretend sip, savoring the imaginary tea with a wide grin.

The two little Klein sisters  continued their imaginary feast, lost in the innocence of their childhood play. As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm golden glow on the stones beneath them, the make-believe tea party became a cherished memory, a moment frozen in time before the complexities of the world unfolded before them.

[END THREAD]

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"Arachne Klein"