They'll see how the night goes. 

Though her smile falls away in favor of determination as they enter the ballroom - moving on the edges at first, not quite making it obvious that something is up, until she spots Brum and follows his line of movement to Nina.

Brum's being held up by not wanting to spook Nina, and by his social obligations, and by his isenvulf being frankly not that intimidating.

They don't have those problems. Trassel towers head and shoulders above any isenvulf except the massive one curled behind the princess's throne, and Feilan is on a mission. 

She tries to catch Nina's eye first, though. Tries to signal her over. 

Oh good. A way out. Now, if she can just get over there without intersecting Brum...

He's veering towards her! 

Then she'll step forward. 

She's walking with purpose, now. The people in her way part around her and Trassel like water. 

And Jarl Brum falters for a critical moment when he sees her - 

And she reaches Nina first, and takes her arm, and says quietly, "Play along."

"Yes dear. Whatever you say."

"Brat." She slides her hand down until she's holding Nina's - 

- And begins to pull her not out but instead in, towards the back of the ballroom, where Fjerdan nobles and recipients of rewards of honor and foreign dignitaries and guards form a tight whirlwind around the crown princess and queen.

"Feilan, are you sure," she murmurs.

She squeezes. "Trust me, Nina."

(This would be a poetic turnaround from last year, a part of her can't help but notice.)

"I will."

Loving smile. 

And this crowd parts around them too, though more slowly, more confusedly, and it's too late to turn back because guards are stepping forward - 

- Because the crown princess is rising from her icy throne, and the enormous isenvulf behind her is lifting his great head - 

Because the crowd princess takes a step forward and calls out, "Kielo!"

- And the guards aren't blocking them, they're falling in as startled escorts.

And Nina's Feilan - Kielo Grimjer, the younger of Fjerda's twin princesses, the one who's been sidelined from public view for the last five years - raises her chin, and smiles confidently, and says, "Did you miss me, sister?"

She what.

She what.

And with the attention of the ballroom thoroughly occupied, Inej slips in next to Kaz. "We need to move," she says, lowly. "I have our destination."

Blink blink. "Fuck. Yeah. Not going to get a better chance. Let's go."

And to the courtyard.

And Irina Grimjer, crown princess of Fjerda, steps off her dias, to the great consternation of her guards, and pulls her sister into a tight hug. "Of course I did, you idiot! I thought you'd died!"

She hugs her sister back with the hand not holding on to Nina.

"I almost did." And she straightens as the hug ends. 

"Your Highness - Irina, my beloved sister - I'd like you to meet the woman who saved me thrice. Who pulled me from the icy waters. Who protected me from our enemies. Who led me out of Hell."

There's a shocked hush around them, and they're standing in a place designed to echo out royal words, and she's speaking loudly and confidently. This is not a private conversation. There's a sense of history hanging over their heads like a blade.

"And as your sister... If you give her any boon for my life, I would beg that you protect her, as she has protected me."

"She has returned the youngest daughter of Fjerda to us. So long as the blood of Djel flows through these lands, so long as the voices of the white wolves resound over the tundra, she will have our favor as a hero of Fjerda." And she turns to Nina, and, with full sincerity, "Thank you."

Damn, she really wishes the Darkling had sent someone more important to this party. This would make for really good leverage.

"It was the least I could do, Your Highness." She does try to match the princess's sincerity.

(Might interfere with the improv political theater the Grimjer sisters are bouncing off each other, though. Gotta have the narrative under her control.)

She smiles at Nina. "What is your name, o' Hero of Fjerda?"