Normally, Acacia would have enjoyed a party, albeit a somber one. For all that the peasantry might have assumed the royals threw lavish celebrations for minor events, the truth was that the palace saw much more in the way of diplomatic meetings and long-winded negotiations than any frivolity. The royals worked hard to keep the kingdom secure, and some days, Acacia compared it to long hours toiling in a field. Not that she had much experience, but she saw the same looks on the faces of farmers after a long harvest as she saw on those in power after the doors of the great hall closed for the night. Work was work. And this was supposed to be a party to say farewell to some of their longtime guests, envoys who had come at the beginning of the season.
So why was she outside, perched on the edge of the balustrade of the long balcony, a casual seat on a very high ledge that would give her mother apoplexy? Acacia couldn't put her finger on the restlessness. Just that she'd finally found the conversations tedious enough that she'd wandered off. Giving her mother fits was simply a bonus. Idly, she wondered if her mother noticed her absence. As the hour grew later, she rather thought not. It wasn't that secluded of a spot, as the doors of the hall were left open and plenty of others came and went. Overall, Acacia wasn't doing anything particularly scandalous, so her mother's heightened sense of propriety likely wasn't being set off.
Still, although it was a nice enough night out, Acacia decided to head inside, give her excuses to the princess, and be off to bed. That would be the sensible thing, and although she wasn't often accused of being sensible (persistent, aggravating, and in the way but not sensible), she thought she might give it a try for tonight. Of course, she would need to get off the balustrade. With a sinking feeling, Acacia realized that while it was usually an easy enough maneuver in her day dress, this particular gown made it near impossible. No matter which way she moved, the skirt snagged. Leaning back, she looked down at the drop to the courtyard below. "Well, I could just fall to my death," she grumbled, under her breath, "and save myself the trouble." That might even be preferable, because if she tore the gown, both her mother and her maid would probably kill her.