Talen'sul, Celebrate!

[Kender Bard]

"Always," Holiday agreed with a grin.

Cobalt rolled his eyes slightly. "We've been fine. Our home wasn't as badly damaged by the riots as some and we were able to move back in quickly once repairs were finished. With the noble quarter finally restored, I think this ball shall mark the time when Talen'sul finally returned to complete normalcy."

"Minus our king," Holiday murmured sadly.

Cobalt seemed less broken up but nodded solemnly. "Taed guard his soul. However, with the prospect of a Sulan king in future, at least the Steel won't be as divided as it has been in recent years. Though I won't be surprised if, after coronation, we see some people leave the Order."

"Not me!" Bryant chimed in. "I plan to join. It'll be my honor to lift my sword in service of my best friend and his wife."

---

"That's my hope," Libre agreed with a grin. "My lady, I hope you'll allow me a dance later."

Aurora smiled slightly when she spotted Bryant, Robin, and Letha about the place. "Looks like there's going to be lots of people near our age here, or close enough," she remarked to Sunlight. "Want to see who can get the most dances in the night?" Her smile was challenging.

---

Luminous giggled. "I'm afraid I don't remember though my parents have told me of some of the antics I got up to as a child."

Shyamal gave a slight shrug. "That's fine. I'm sure I'll have a good time tonight regardless."

"Well, let's go greet the other guests," Luminous told Tristan. She let go of his hand and moved closer to Zira and Zack. She smiled at Zira, but then gave Zack a quick hug--he HAD been a bit more social after all, and seemed a bit more approachable. And she wanted to make it very clear that they were all above formality together now. "Thank you for taking the time to meet with me like this."

---

Gareth walked in with a comely young woman on his arm. He'd spotted Desira making her way up the palace steps alone and had offered his arm so they could both appear to be arriving with someone. Desira had been more than happy to accept the offer.

"Thank you again, Lord Dunsyre," Desira told him with a low curtsy.

"Always a pleasure to be on the arm of a pretty young girl," Gareth chuckled. "I hope to meet with you again later in the night for some conversation."

"You may count on it," Desira agreed, lifting her eyes with just the slightest hint of sultry possibility for walking away to investigate who else had arrived. Pity, not nearly as many people here yet as I'd hoped. I knew I came too early.

Gareth cleared his throat at the brief implication of his companion and walked in with his hands behind his back to look around and take stock of the guests.

[Devon]

Devon nodded solemnly, he remembered the time in his youth during his first adventure when he had met King Shadow. Long before Maelstrom and Talen'sul united. "Aye it will be good to not be split apart from the rest of the order. Someone has to look out for you and Noel," Devon said with a smirk.

Glancing to Bryant he smiled brightly, "We'll have to test your skill first young man."

[Darastrix]

“Of course, my dear,” Dusk agreed with a smile for Libre. “With Snow at home with her family, someone has to uphold the tradition of dancing nearly nonstop.” She glanced at her niece, amused. Aurora seemed to have taken after Snowflake in that respect.


“As long as it’s not the most dance partners,” Sunlight said to his cousin as he glanced about. For the moment, it seemed the number of boys their age outnumbered the girls. “I think I’ll be starting at a disadvantage as it is.”

---

Zack smiled widely and hugged Luminous back as Tristan followed suit with Zira. “Our pleasure, lovely. I hope you’ll save a dance for your future brothers as well,” he added with a wink.

“Oh! You’ll get to meet Bryant, though,” Tristan told Shyamal.

“We’ve been introduced,” Autumn said with a giggle.

---

"How do you rate an invitation, again?" Nagi asked Schuldig as they arrived. It wasn't a serious question, more of a continuation of the mild banter they'd been engaged in most of the afternoon. Between his usual low-level case of nerves with attending events and Schuldig's acute awareness of who wasn't going to be there, it was a way for them both to relax.

"Friend of the family," the priest replied glibly. "Not of the House, but whatever. Tristan Fell is Zira's kid brother. Never actually met him, though." Tristan had been at the festival where Schuldig had first met Zira, but he'd been mostly around his mother and Schuldig had been pretty well zeroed in on seducing Zira.

[Kender Bard]

"Fair enough," Aurora agreed. "I'll be keeping count, don't you doubt it. And we can start on even footing--you can dance with me!"

Gareth made his way over to the royal family and Libre stepped back slightly, not quite pulling out of the conversation but allowing them to focus on the Maelstrom regent. "Lord and Lady Flamehart, it's a pleasure to meet with you. I am Lord Gareth Dunsyre, adviser to Queen Lya. I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting, which is quite a shame considering we are neighbors."

---

"He's quite taken by Autumn," Shyamal added with a raised brow.

"Oh, Bryant," Luminous remarked with a slight roll of her eyes. "I do wonder if he hasn't learned some manners since I last spoke with him. Well, come along then." She slipped her arm in Tristan's.

---

Locket glanced about curiously, wondering who had arrived. "I wonder what the lady of the hour will think of you, Schuldig. I hear she's Soahcian. I sure hope so! Caelium could use a bit of Soahc's influence if you ask me."

Harmony trailed after her father with a grin. "This is much nicer than the last party in Talen'sul I attended."

"When did you attend a party in Talen'sul?" Locket asked, glancing back over her shoulder.

Harmony smirked. "A while ago when I invited myself to it. I'm glad I don't need to do the same here. I imagine it wouldn't be as easy of a deception."

---

"I have been tested," Bryant boasted.

Cobalt chuckled and clapped his son on the shoulder. "As much as I have faith in your abilities, Bryant, he's right. We should see how you fair against another knight. Tristan too, if he's willing!"

"Is he still going to be training now that he's going to become head of his House soon?" Bryant asked in sudden concern.

"I imagine that's up to him," Cobalt answered. "He'll certainly be much more busy... But I hope he makes time. Caelium--and Talen'sul--has a martial history."

[Darastrix]

“That would be a pleasure, cousin-sister mine,” Sunlight replied with a half-bow.

“A shame, indeed, Lord Gareth,” Dusk responded with a smile. “And while we’re rectifying that, let me introduce our son, Sunlight, and our niece, Aurora Moonwing. Both of whom I’m sure are eager to escape and mingle on their own.”

Hmm. The man hadn’t mentioned a wife. Was he unattached? They’d kept so little company with the nobility from either half of Caelium, she realised, save for Zira’s family, and even that acquaintance was rather brief.

Well, perhaps if some of their eligible nobility arrived from Anarlina, she could nudge him their way.

Sunlight smiled and bowed to Gareth. “To mingle, maybe, but my family is hardly something I need an escape from.” After spending how long safe in the Sanctuary, worrying for his father and what family and friends remained in Neo’anar? Nope.

---

“Oh, really?” Tristan said as he took Luminous’ arm, surprised. There hadn’t been much in the way of balls until this, and he hadn’t seen much of Bryant’s flirting since that failed attempt with Bas Sanderson. “Well, it was a few years ago.” Even if it didn’t quite feel that it had been that long.

“He seemed mannerly enough to me,” Autumn added, linking her arm with her brother’s. “And it’s nice getting to talk to someone new.”

“Our brother and children both growing up,” Zira murmured quietly to Zack. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

---

“The Storm half of it’s got plenty of Pride and Wrath from what I hear,” Schuldig said. “But this is a ball, so I think we can count on some Lust before the night’s out.”

He snorted at Harmony’s comment. ~Please. After playing Morilantan for weeks, posing as a little-known noble for something like this should be cake.~

~I hope Schu tones it down a little tonight,~ Nagi said privately to Locket. ~I know Khelek is more straight-laced than Caelium, but the people in Malagard are kind of used to him.~ Though when it got out that Schuldig was a priest of Soahc, that would likely give a good deal of his behaviour a pass.

[Kender Bard]

Aurora curtsied with a small giggle. She was most definitely eager to mingle.

"A pleasure," Gareth greeted with a shallow bow back to them. "How has Anarlina done in recovery these past few months?"

Taking that as a dismissal, Aurora grabbed Sunlight's hand and made her way to the empty dancefloor. They could start things off!

---

"Just mind that he's a stubborn fellow," Luminous confided in Autumn. "And thinks he's right in the manner of men who are accustomed to thinking that all the time. But I'll hold my tongue on more--it's unfair of me to paint a picture of the man after so long since seeing him."

She led the procession back to the ballroom where a herald announced their arrival to the party proper: "Her Highness, Princess Luminous Brightmore and betrothed Lord Tristan Fell!"

It was the only announcement that would get such fanfare. Luminous thought it irritating when people called out the names of every arrival. Several of the guests--some of whom were coming through the door, various nobility of all the regions invited--paused to greet them with polite applause. Luminous smiled and waved to a few as she finished her descent and surveyed the arrivals. "Anyone in particular you want to go talk to?" she asked Tristan.

---

~True enough~ Harmony replied with merriment. ~Remind me to give a try on another occasion. I find it fun to pull the wool over the eyes of the high class in these parts. They get delightfully flustered when they think they're supposed to know you.~

Locket patted Nagi's hand gently. ~No doubt Zira will keep him occupied and out of anyone's hair.~ She leaned over and kissed his temple. ~Fear not.~ But she spotted Dusk just then and grinned broadly and tried to steer their path. "Let's go say hello to the Flameharts!"

[Devon]

"It would be good to know the future King could defend himself if it ever came down to it," Devon agreed.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lucid quietly entered a few minutes later, dressed handsomely in Ronduin's national colors. He was a tad nervous about even being here, but he was invited and it would have been rude to turn it down. The only thing that made it a little easier was his 'date'.

Kalian walked in a second after his son, he would have preferred if Cascata came herself and he hated to leave her alone, but she and Lucid had insisted that he at least go. "I really hate these things without your mother present," he muttered to Lucid. Kalian himself made sure he wasn't slacking off in the wardrobe department, he had to be an extension of his wife as well.

Lucid glanced to his father and nodded, "Yeah she has a way about these things."

[Kender Bard]

"Tristan is very skilled," Cobalt replied to Devon. "He's an equal to my boy. As long as he keeps up the work, I think we'll all be pleased."

---

Desira glanced over at Lucid in interest and drifted over with a sweet smile for the other man. "Why hello," she greeted kindly, eyeing him over. "My! How exotic! Where are you from, mysterious lord?"

[Devon]

Kalian smirked at his son and quietly slipped away to get himself a drink and hopefully lost in the crowd.

Lucid wasn't expecting this and almost wasn't prepared, mentally taking a moment for himself he returned the smile. Bowing slightly and even kissing her hand he looked up and said, "I should hope I'm exotic, I'm Lucid Knowles, son of Ronduin's leader Cascata."
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Devon nodded his head, "That is good to know," he replied. Glancing around he looked back to Cobalt. "I haven't seen Noel at all, have you?"

[Darastrix]

“Rebuilding has gone well; the capitol needs less work in that respect than Widor,” Dusk answered, “and the land is healing.” Then, of course, there was the loss of life to recover from, but this was a happy occasion and she didn’t want to dwell on her personal losses. “How has Maelstrom fared?”

Oh no you don’t, Sunlight thought, tightening his hold on Aurora’s hand and coming to a stop before they actually got onto the floor. “We’re not hosting,” he whispered. “It would be rude to start without Princess Luminous and Tristan even in the room.”

---

”The only people I know at all besides the guests from Talen’sul are the Flameharts,” Tristan mused. “And they’re already gaining a crowd. We could greet the Furinkos? I’d like to see Bryant, and if you and he still rub each other the wrong way, at least you’ll have gotten it over with early.”

Zira was glad that most of the focus was on Luminous and Tristan when they re-entered the ballroom. He might have felt more confident in some respects, but having a great number of eyes on him was still not a thing he enjoyed.

“Want to mingle while Tristan and Lumi make the rounds?” Zack murmured. “I can sweep Lady Holiday off her feet while you talk with Cobalt.”

~I suppose I should,~ he sent back, breaking off from the group with Zack to walk back to the Furinkos. Shyamal and Autumn knew how to conduct themselves on their own. ~He did express a desire to speak more.~

---

Nagi gave a quiet snort and allowed Locket to choose their path. How Zira might keep Schuldig occupied was part of the problem. Or, as was more likely, how Schuldig would occupy Zira.

Schuldig gave a mental chuckle as Locket herded Nagi away. ~Fear not~ he echoed. ~I do know how to manage myself in other places. I got to go to Reave once all by myself, remember?~

“I don’t know about you, kiddo,” he said to Harmony, “but I’m going to prowl a bit to see if anyone new catches my eye.”

[Kender Bard]

"You've come a far way," Desira remarked, stepping a little closer to Lucid. "This isn't your first time to Talen'sul, is it? And I'm sorry, so rude of me. Let me introduce myself." She held out a hand in the manner of a lady, palm down. "I am Lady Desira Tynsho."

---

"I believe he'll be escorting Lady Jane here," Cobalt answered.

"They're so cute together," Holiday giggled.

Luminous nodded to Tristan and joined Zira in heading over to the Furinkos and she smiled sunnily at the entire group. Cobalt and Bryant bowed deeply while Holiday curtsied. "House Furinko, Lord Graywind."

When Bryant straightened, he grinned brightly at Tristan. "You look good, Tristan. How are you feeling?"

Holiday cooed over Luminous. "Oh those colors look fantastic on you, Highness."

Luminous swelled under that bit of praise. If she had wings, she would have fluffed her feathers with pride. "They do, don't they?"

Cobalt smiled happily at the couple but glanced back at Zira. "So tell me, Lord Wintersong, how much does nobility in Anarlina differ from Talen'sul?"

---

"Morale has been a bit low," Gareth replied. "Our particular demonic attack did cause damages, and we've since repaired them, but there was a great deal of sadness from it as well and it hasn't been improved by our king's death. Lya is taking a stance of strength rather than empathy--out of necessity I assure you--and that also hasn't gone down well. People miss Luminous. She's become an icon of the nation's darling in her absence, moreso since the young prince has disappeared from the public eye." He shifted slightly. "One hopes that news of the engagement will serve to lift spirits." Though from his tone, he seemed to doubt that.

---

Aurora looked a bit abashed. "Sorry," she whispered back. "I'm so used to our families being the ones to start things." She glanced over at the princess and grinned. "There they are! They're a bit engaged with that family over there, though. What should we do while we wait?"

---

Locket grinned and raised her voice as she drew near to the Flameharts. "Dusk! Dusk!" She waved energetically.

Harmony smiled at her father. "Pretty much the same. I might come back around to you when I get bored of that, though." She peered about and tried to locate a target. Her eyes settled on Lucid; he was already talking to a lovely lady but that wasn't much of a deterrent to her. Grinning, she made her way over.

[Devon]

"Nice to meet you lady Tynsho," Lucid replied with a smile gently shaking her hand. "The Princess is a good friend of mine so I thought it would be good to come and show my support." Glancing over as Harmony made her way over he smiled to her as well. "Hello," he said.

Kalian stuck to himself for now, there were a few people he recognized but he wasn't quite ready to go mingle just yet.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Devon bowed deeply to the princess, "You look lovely as always Princess," he told her. To Tristan he said, "Congratulations to both of you. Bryant tells me your sword skills are pretty good."

[Kender Bard]

Desira blinked in bemusement as Lucid shook her hand. Cultural differences, I suppose.

"Hello," Harmony greeted with a coy smile.

Desira narrowed her eyes just slightly at Harmony. What a rude bitch! I got here first! She cleared her throat, tried to draw attention back to herself. "How long have you known the princess, Sir Knowles? Or may I call you Lucid?"

Harmony grinned as she sensed an opportunity for fun as she watched Desira carefully and waited for a good opening.

[Devon]

"Lucid is fine," he replied looking to both women. "I hate to be too formal and I've known the Princess for a few years. My mother and the Queen have been friends for a long time," he told them.

[Skittlebug]

The Barreras made their way into the ball shortly after Luminous and Tristan's entry, Ivar, Amala, and their two eldest Bohdan and Lissa. Lord Vili was not with them; he had been beginning to feel his age and hadn’t been up to the trip. Ivar lead his wife in on his arm, while Bohdan did the same for his sister, being the manly thing to do and all.

They were all dressed smartly of course, each wearing at least something of their family colours. Lissa, however, had taken the greatest pains to look her best. Her dress a pretty shade of blue that played off her strawberry blonde curls nicely, her matching wings held neatly out of the way against the back of her skirts. Ribbons for embellishment here and there, as well as a few curled into her hair, brought everything together she thought, enjoying being dressed up so. This was her first ball in another nation after all. Her father had wanted her to stay behind originally but naturally she managed to convince him otherwise. She was nearly a lady grown, and she wasn’t going to contend herself with staying home and watching her younger siblings. “Look how pretty everything is Bo,” she giggled to her brother, eyes wandering about the ballroom.

“Yes, very pretty. You aren't going to go all flakey on me are you?” He likely wasn’t going to hang around his sister much, other than keeping an eye on, but she could be embarrassing at times. Unlike Lissa, Bohdan took after his father’s darker looks. Brown hair neatly trimmed and dressed in a dashing dark blue. Truth be told, he was nearly as excited as she was, but he would do a much better job of keeping his composure.

“Oh good, it looks like we aren't overly late.” Amara murmured to her husband with a smile, and the family made their way to mingle. They would greet the hosts when they weren't occupied with someone else.