Talen'sul, Celebrate!

[Darastrix]

Tristan grinned back at Bryant, glad things were going so much more smoothly for him at this ball than the one they'd attended before the demon problem.  And it would be nice if his friend could serve them closely in the future.  Idly, he wondered if the knights would remain the Queen's knights rather than Caelium's, but that was a matter for another time.  At the Anarlinans' approach, he turned with Luminous and bowed.

Sunlight smiled.  "We were both delighted to attend.  This pretty lady is my cousin, Aurora Moonwing. And it's a pleasure to finally meet you, Lord Fell," he said to Tristan, who bowed and took Aurora's hand to kiss.

"Our parents are very close friends with his brothers," Sunlight added to Luminous.



"Don't be so modest, lovely," Zack told Holiday.  "I'm sure such a beautiful bride would have been a great draw on her own."



"Of course," Zira said, inclining his head.  "I hope the coming years hold many changes for the betterment of Caelium."

---

Autumn curtsied to House Diokles, grinning back as Moss stepped forward.  "It's good to see you again as well."  Well, it looked like she'd have at least two partners tonight.  It might be a little fun to see if Moss and Bryant got a little competitive, though she didn't want to see anything to get out of hand.  She started to say more, but caught Niles' quiet comment and turned toward him for a moment.

"I think I saw her and Sunlight going to pay their respects to the couple of the hour," she told.
 him

---

Nagi didn't compose himself quite as quickly as Twilight, but he managed nonetheless.  He had to do it for audiences and all manner of business those days.  "I appreciate the offer."  Glancing toward their wives, he added, "Maybe one day, we'll be able to bring the children and let them all spend some time together."

"All well," Dusk responded, "though Roan and Raven are handfuls each in their own ways.  The girls are a bit easier to keep up with.  Sometimes."

[Kender Bard]

"That's good to know," Luminous replied with a grin. Aurora giggled at Tristan's gesture and curtsied when she had her hand free. "I hope you tell all your friends back in Anarlina what a good host the Sulan people are." She winked.

"Oh believe me I plan to turn every girl at court absolutely envious with tales of what gentlemen her menfolk are," Autumn remarked with a coquettish smile for Tristan... and a sideways glance at Luminous to make sure she wasn't being too flirty. She definitely did not want to insult the hostess.

Luminous didn't care, however. Flirting was fun for all and relatively harmless. "I'll certainly need to give my greetings to your family later," she assured Sunlight. And, well, two could play the flirting game. "Although I must confess, it's a great pleasure to meet with you beforehand. It gives me the position to request your hand in dance after my betrothed has had his dance."

Aurora managed to not ask if that would be soon. Just.


Cobalt smiled at his wife, having picked up on Zack's statement, and drew her into an embrace. "The world would be happy to come out to see your smile, dearest."

Holiday blushed even more. "Oh, gentlemen, you're really far too kind!"

"I wonder when Noel is going to arrive," Cobalt remarked, glancing towards the door. He missed the company of his best friend.

---

Niles brightened at that. "Father, do you mind if we do the same soon?"

"You go ahead," Narciso told him. Niles left hastily.

~I wonder if Aurora knows how much he fancies her~ Shyamal wondered to his sister... while keeping an eye on Moss.

"You look very pretty," Moss told her. "But then again, you always look pretty."

Damn, Shyamal thought. Now he couldn't tell Nola that she was pretty or she'd just be parroting her brother. "How are you this evening, Nola?"

Nola fidgeted. "Fine," she said after a moment, very quietly. "Thank you."

"Are your parents here?" Narciso asked the pair. Shyamal nodded and gestured to their location. "Fantastic!"

---

Twilight brightened at that. "Actually I was thinking of suggesting the same," he confessed. "When the weather is fine and you have the time to spare, I'd be delighted to host your children in a visit."

"Oh Nathaniel and Gaius would love that," Locket chimed in at Twilight's remark. "Ever since they've been to the Sanctuary they're just so restless. They want to see more places, meet more people." Trinket was, of course, another story but Locket was confident her little girl would be pleased to meet with the Flamehart brood again.

[Devon]

Lucid looked to Harmony and Desira. "Would one of you like to join me while I go and greet Princess Luminous?" he asked them

[Kender Bard]

"Yes," Harmony agreed.
"I would," Desira responded at the same time.

The two women shared a tense moment of staring at you before Desira turned her head to smile at Lucid. "I think we should let the gentleman decide whose company he favors."

~Normally I'd suggest both of us, but I think you'd have a much better time with just me~ Harmony informed Lucid with a confident grin.

[Devon]

~Well I was going to just bring both of you, but sense you think you're going to be more fun I'll try something else~

Lucid looked at both Desira and Harmony and made a quick decision. "The Princess and I have a small bit of history and it would be rude for me to take both of you. Lady Harmony would you like to join me?" he asked. Not forgetting about Desira he quickly added, "Lady Desira I would love for you to join me for a dance when it starts."

[Kender Bard]

Shove your dance, Desira thought scathingly, but instead she smiled prettily, curtsying to Lucid, and murmuring, "It'll be an honor, my lord. I await your pleasure." But she was clearly not wanted here anymore so she moved away hastily.

Harmony struggled not to laugh aloud at what she'd heard. ~Oh she did not like that at all. Mind yourself if you do dance with her, she might try to step on your toes in revenge.~

[Devon]

"I'm an agile Water," Lucid said to Harmony preferring to speak out loud now. "She can try, but I'll graciously move out of the way. Now then shall we go and see the Princess?"

[Darastrix]

"Nothing could please me more, Highness," Sunlight assured Luminous with a smile.

"In that case," Tristan said, with a smile for Aurora, "might I claim you for the second dance when Prince Flamehart steals my betrothed away?"



"We're simply honest men, lovely," Zack told Holiday with a bow.

"Lord Penrose, I believe, is escorting...my mother," Zira stated.  He really wasn't sure how he felt about that.  He had nothing against the other nobleman, and Noel had likely saved both his mother and Tristan, but he was also only two years older than his own husband.  That made things strange.  "They should arrive soon."

---

If she doesn't, I'm sure she'll figure it out soon enough, Autumn thought.   Niles isn't good at hiding it.


She smiled brightly at Moss' complement.  "Even when I've gotten bored and ruined my dress and hairstyle by flying?" she laughed.

---

"That's a wonderful idea," Dusk agreed.  There was no telling how hard the whole lot of them would be to keep up with at once, but she certainly didn't mind.  "Poor Raven wishes he could go back to see the Sanctuary again, but maybe seeing some of the people he met there instead will do."  Raven wished for lots of things.   Usually more than he could do at once.

"Maybe sometime later...not in the immediate future, but at a later date, we can all meet and arrange a time to do it," Nagi added.

---

Jane resisted the urge to fuss with her appearance like a young girl as she entered the hall on Noel's arm.  It had been so long since she'd attended an event with someone.  Well, someone not in her family, at any rate.  "So many new faces," she murmured. 

[Kender Bard]

"I would be most delighted," Aurora giggled happily.

Luminous smiled and surveyed the groups. She hadn't had to host her own ball before and she wasn't entirely certain how many people she needed to talk to before officially starting things. "I'll let you decide when you want to start the first dance, my dear," she told Tristan, reaching up behind him to lightly stroke a few feathers.

---

Noel glanced aside at Jane and smiled happily, filled with an almost bubbly sensation of joy at finally getting to go to a social event with a fine woman on his arm. "So many people who'll be charmed to meet you then," he replied merrily. Glancing around, he lifted his brows and gave a little wave to his family in the distance. "But I see some familiar faces. Zira and Zack seem to be conversing with Cobalt and Holiday."

Cobalt, spotting Noel, grinned and waved back. "So he is. Lady Jane looks lovely this evening."

"Oh that sweet woman always looks pretty," Holiday gushed happily.

---

Moss blushed as he mumbled nervously, "Especially then."

Shyamal raised a brow. Bold. Meanwhile, he was struggling to pull Nola into conversation. "Is that, ah, a new dress?"

"Yes, actually," Nola replied, turning slightly so he could see it better. "Do you like it?"

"Oh yes!" Shyamal agreed quickly. "It's very fetching."

Nola grinned and seemed to relax a little more. "Everyone here looks nice. I imagine this must be a very big event for everyone to be putting on their finest."

Shyamal puffed up a little. "I'm really proud for my uncle. I can't speak for all of Talen'sul, but I know it's a special day for my family."

Moss gave a slight start at that. "Huh I hadn't really thought about it, but this will make you relatives of a king someday won't it?"

---

"Oh I'd love that!" Locket enthused. "A great big family gathering for both of us."

"We'll work out the details later," Twilight agreed with a nod for Nagi. His attention began to wander a bit as he noticed who else was turning up. "Hmm I see quite a few of my own nobles decided to come. That's good. I really hope that we might see tighter bonds between more than just the royal families cropping up. Do you know if any of your nobles came as well, Nagi?"

---

"Sounds good," Harmony agreed, walking alongside Lucid. She stopped behind Sunlight and Aurora, not wanting to really butt in. ~So, lots of familiar faces here for you at all?~ she asked her newly acquired date.

[Darastrix]

"I think it should be now," Tristan decided.  "There's going to be plenty more chances to talk to people as the night goes on, and I think some of our more avid ball-goers will be itching to dance soon."  He grinned at Sunlight and Aurora as he spoke; he didn't know how they felt in particular, but he'd heard a great deal about Anarlinan balls and how much the High Priestess liked to dance at them.

"I like the sound of that," Sunlight said with a knowing glance at his cousin.

---

"We should greet them, then," Jane said.  "Princess Luminous and Tristan seem rather occupied at present."


At Cobalt's statement, Zack turned to give the newly arrived couple a warm smile.  "You won't hear either of us disagree with that, lovely," he told Holiday.

Zira's smile was more restrained, both from his usual reserve and a pang of...well, he wasn't quite sure at the moment, and a ball wasn't the best place to sort one's feelings.

~Bit of envy, I'd say,~ a familiar voice murmured in his head.  ~Protectiveness, tiny bit of resentment, and discomfort at not knowing how to act around the man courting your mother.~

~Schu-~

~Don't worry; I won't embarrass you in public.  And later, I can think of more fun things to do.~

Zira was thankful that there was no worry of their conversation being overheard.  It kept his flush from being noticeable.

Schuldig just grinned and helped himself to a glass of wine, mind outstretched to enjoy the 'flavours' of the evening.

---

Autumn was taken by surprise at Moss' complement and felt her cheeks heat a tiny bit, though it wasn't noticeable with her dark skin.  She was spared forming a response, however, by the turn of conversation.  "Mm-hmm.  Well, two, kind of, if you count how it's been a running thing for so long about our dad being King Twilight's long-lost brother."

---

Nagi shook his head.  "I don't know, but our people tend to prefer to not travel.  Even Crawford and Delilah decided to stay in Malagard with their son this time."

[Devon]

~Not really, some of them I recognize and of course one in particular. I spent a lot of time away from my mother growing up so any traveling she did I missed out on until recently.~ Lucid replied to Harmony.

[Kender Bard]

Aurora could hardly contain her delight at the news as she nodded enthusiastically back at Sunlight.

Grinning, glad to have made someone's night by doing what she wanted to do anyway, Luminous gestured to the bards. They ceased playing their background music and played a louder song, something of a medium pace that would be easy to perform a simple waltz to.

Feeling all eyes on them as she struck out for the dancefloor with her betrothed, Luminous had a brief moment of uncertainty. But then a glance at Tristan and it was gone and replaced with excitement. They were going to look very fetching together for their first public dance as a couple.

---

"Brother," Noel greeted Cobalt happily, letting go of Jane so he could embrace the other man tightly. Cobalt grinned and pat Noel on the back with a thump of affection. Noel reached out to his sister and seamlessly slipped out of Cobalt's embrace and into hers, clasping her tightly. "And of course my most beautiful sister."

"Your only sister," Holiday clucked as she kissed his cheek.

Cobalt grinned and turned to face Jane, bowing with gentlemanly deepness. "Lady Jane, we were just commenting on your continued elegance."

---

"Few could ever dispute the closeness of your two families," Narciso chuckled. "I dare say it is the envy of other, less noble families. Of course, I find it pleasing. The royal family is the embodiment of Love and there's certainly no shortage of it for the rest of us as well."

Nola rolled her eyes discreetly at her father's attempts at sounding pious.

"Although with the engagement of young Lord Fell and the royal Brightmores, one does wonder if your family tree isn't destined to be the companions of royalty for more generations to come," the patron added with another small chuckle.

Moss shifted unhappily at his father attempting to take over the conversation. "Would you like a refreshment?" he asked Autumn. "I could fetch you something."

---

"That's a shame, I always take joy in meeting with Lady Crawford," Twilight remarked. "Not that I don't have ample opportunity. But she is a very lively woman and a pleasure to be around." He winked at Locket. "Just like your wife."

Locket tittered happily at the compliment and couldn't help but blush quite a bit too. Regardless of her station, she still felt it odd to be considered a peer with the man she once called her own king and being flirted with by him stirred up that sentiment.

---

~I know how it feels to have spent a long time away from one of your parents~ Harmony replied. She scanned around for her father and then nodded to him when she spotted him. ~That's my father over there. I didn't know him as a very little child. But we're very close despite that.~