Arabian Nights (Discontinued)

Princess Erin

As they approach Agrabah, Eren feels incredibly nervous.  He's perched on the back of a large elephant, surrounded by a grand parade Jean insisted would blow Armin away.  And even though he's been guaranteed many times that the mirage is strong and no one will think he's a man, he can't help being paranoid.  He doesn't want to get caught crossdressing in an attempt to woo the prince.  That wouldn't end well at all.  But he tries to swallow his nerves and soon they're marching through the streets towards the palace.  Too late to go back now.

He can see the sun shimmering on the golden gates he had snuck through mere days ago and feels his heart palpitate.  He still has the clip from Armin's hair and again realizes he missed their date.  He shakes his head.  It wasn't a date.  It was a rendezvous.  A meeting.  Nothing romantic.  Not then.  But perhaps now.  He's a princess now.

They're suddenly halting before the gates and Eren can see Armin watching them from up on his balcony.  He has the urge to smile and wave before realizing he probably doesn't recognize him.  So he instead looks to the sultan, who's blue eyes seem to glimmer at the arrival of their entourage.  But perhaps Eren's just imagining things.  He bites his lip anxiously as the sultan glances over the parade before lifting his hand and the gates crack open.  Eren lets out a sigh of relief that's he's been accepted by the sultan.  Now he just needs to be accepted by Armin.

They enter the palace gates once they swing open and Eren feels suddenly faint.  He feels like his heart is about to beat out of his chest and vaguely wonders if the other princesses felt this nervous.  The world is a blur as he dismounts the elephant and is lead up the steps.  Everything is noise and color and he can't discern any one thing from anything else.  It's a menagerie of servants and royal antiquities that are completely foreign to him before he's in the throne room standing before the sultan himself.  Armin is standing beside him, looking him over scrupulously.  He gulps.

"Your Highness, may I introduce," Jean says loudly and Eren almost jumps out of his skin.  "Princess Erin!"

"Jean, the name is too obvious.  Why did we go with Erin?" he asks under his breath and Jean is quick to respond.

"You didn't offer any suggestions."

"Your highness!" Eren says in a high pitched voice in an attempt to sound more feminine.

"I've miraged your voice too, kid, so you don't need to change it.  You sound like you're trying to sing opera," he breathes and Eren clears his throat.  "Curtsey."

He has no idea what he's doing so he throws an arm across his torso and bends awkwardly at his waist, hoping it'll be alright.  "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"That was a bow, kid."

"How do you curtsey?" he whispers harshly.

"Just — nevermind, just say something."

"We, um," he says, almost cringing at how masculine his voice sounds.  Anxiety begins to kick in again and he feels himself trembling.  "We have journeyed very far to meet your son.  The prince.  Armin."

The sultan gives him an odd look and he mentally curses himself for his inability to function.  "Where are you from, princess?"

"Me?  Me — the princess, right."

He sees Jean shift uncomfortably.  "Um, I hail from a place called . . . uh . . . Ababwa," he says, though it sounds more like a question than a statement.  So he says again, more certainly this time, "Ababwa."

"I've never heard of it," Armin says and Eren feels his knees go slightly weak at the mere sound of his voice.  He really is smitten.  "Oh it's . . . it's . . . ."