Dex Dizznee lazily ran his fingers through his strawberry-blond waves and squinted his pastel periwinkle eyes, dotted with a soft gray and a variety of blues and purples, in the dim evening light. "Honestly, I don't know, Sophie."

     Sophie Ruewen crossed her arms and pouted playfully, blowing a misplaced strand of light blonde hair out of her own warm honey-brown eyes. "Well, this is a perfect likeness, you know- my drawing skills are absolutely legendary." Dex rolled his purple-blue eyes, a faint smile pulling at his coral lips.

     "Well, this Fitzroy Avery Vacker that you speak of," Dex pronouncing each syllable slowly and putting a slight emphasis on the 'ck' of the last name, "seems to have quite bizarre proportions." He pointed at Sophie's quick sketch, which, in truth, was pretty great, but it was always fun to tease the girl.

     Sophie lightly hit Dex on the arm, not seeming to see the almost unnoticeable wince that the latter gave in reply. "Oh, shut it. And you better not tell him that I was the one that tipped off his middle name to you- he would definitely kill me."

     "I'll come to your funeral," Dex drawled, leaning back into his seat on the wooden bench in the gardens. "What song would you like to be played?

     Sophie canted her head back and laughed- laughed shouldn't be the word to describe it, thought the Dizznee. The sound that she's making is far too delicate for a word like that. It was true; her laugh was part air, part ringing bells, and part something else that he couldn't quite put his finger on. "Please, don't pretend to not know this Fitzroy Avery Vacker that you talk of. You had eyes only for him last year at the Song-Vacker-Ruewen/Dizznee reunion."

     Dex flushed, his slightly muted freckles being covered up with a rose-pink blush, though he attempted to cover it up with a smirk, his deep dimples making a pronounced appearance. "Oh, please. Like you weren't staring at Biana Vacker too- I mean, like seriously, you were practically drooling over her."

     Sophie glared teasingly and punched him - not so lightly this time- in the stomach. Dex grunted. "Ow!"

     "Well, back to the subject," Sophie spoke, ignoring her cousin's whines. "So, Prince Keefe Sencen."

     Dex raised a perfectly waxed eyebrow in faked confusion, momentarily pausing his fussing. "Excuse me, who? As I recall, we were conversing about your marriage to Fitzroy Avery Vacker."

     "So, what have I told you about him?" Sophie queried, completely dodging his jab at her fiancé. "His personality?"

     "Basically, you said that there was this big love triangle that included you, a guy with legendary hair, and another guy with amazing teal eyes," Dex deadpanned. Sophie rolled her eyes.

     "Oh please, let's get back to the subject." Sophie clapped her hands twice. "So, Keefe Sencen, well... I suppose some people might describe him as, uh, a creative soul."

     "Creative you say?"

     The girl's eyes traveled throughout the garden and followed a flowering vine trailing down the stone wall in front of them as though she were attempting to find a proper response. "Well, let's just say he knows his way around a few gulons and leave it at that."

     "What does he look like?" Dex questioned. He poked Sophie in the ribs and a sly grin made its way onto her face.

     "Well, he has amazing hair," she said. "Like, me and Fitz used to call it 'The Hair', capital with 'H' and a capital 'T'."

     "Fitz and I," corrected Dex, cringing immediately. "Sorry, I'm such a perfectionist."

     "Don't apologize," Sophie ordered in an imperious tone. "You don't have to be sorry for a thing that you can't control- and especially a good thing."

     The young noble shrugged. "Sorry- I mean- whatever... anyways, Keefe's looks? What would you say his face is? Please tell me he's cuter than Fitzy so I have something to use against your fiance."

     "Hah, why so curious?" Sophie smirked. Her face softened. "He's pretty good looking, I guess- remember the handsome blond that you saw at the reunion between the Songs, Vackers, and us last year? The guy that you couldn't get your eyes off of and were lamenting about after he left and you never got a chance to meet him? Yeah, that's him."

     For a moment the two of them fell quiet as the information processed in Dex's brain. "You're kidding, right? Please tell me you're kidding."

     Shaking her head, Sophie's smile of evil only grew bigger. "Nope! Not a bit! So, I mean really, it's up to you whether he's cuter than Fitzroy, but I must admit, I'm quite sure of what your opinion is."

     Dex heard her laughing as he looked away. There was no way this was happening. He knew he'd be forced to marry a female one day, watching the boys he fancied do the same, but this was just a tad too cruel. He'd never gotten a chance to really, truly, meet those boys - typically, it was just a quick glance and maybe a few words if he was lucky, but then they were gone. Yet, Dex had actually gotten to meet Keefe. Or, at least, have a complete conversation with him...

     So to hear he would soon be married off to his good friend...

     "Are you alright?" Sophie inquired.

     He looked back up to her, forcing a smile. "Yeah, sorry, just lost in thought."

     She didn't look convinced, but the blond didn't say anything either, just merely got up and smoothed down her red silk dress.

     "Shall we go back inside?"