Pomp and Partying! [open to all Serenian nobility!]

[Rhindeer]

Qiana had not wanted an overly elaborate ceremony. The point was not to flaunt her status, but to accept her new duty and obligation and she did not want to send the message that she was flighty. However, she also didn't want to send a message that she was stern and severe and humorless--for she wasn't--so the whole ceremony had been a balancing act between two extremes. Fortunately, it was a line she was comfortable walking.

The actual coronation, of course, had been a somber and serious affair and, honestly, Qiana was relieved when it was through. It was actually a little uncomfortable and isolating to have all eyes on her, watching, when she much preferred more intimate and cozy interactions. She was equally relieved when the ceremony broke and made way for the feast and subsequent celebration.

That took place indoors in the largest dining hall near the ballroom, where a single long table was laid out. It was decorated with the finest tablecloths and candles, with gorgeous and colorful flowers laid out, arranged by Serendipity's finest florists. In several parts of the table, small, decorative cages had been laid, each housing several doves.

The tables were heavy with food, for it had been an elaborate five-course meal of various fruits, breads, meats, and desserts, local and imported. Currently, only the desserts remained (wines, chocolates, and fruits) as the servants worked to clean and whisk everything away and bring out more beverages and appetizers, carrying trays into the ballroom so they could serve the nobles directly. Several musicians were playing merrily in the room, an upbeat number.

Qiana herself was talking to a group of minor nobles, not about anything important. Just a lot of light chit-chat while her husband was over talking to a group of men. She had picked a gown that was neither over-the-top nor plain, a dress of white and gold with lace embroidery and pearls from Whitesands sewn in as decoration.

[ooc: Pardon the intro! ;D Just wanted to set the scene and hop to the fun part--the party! Whoo! Feel free to hop in or, if group threads are scary, start new threads in this forum for smaller interactions! <3]

[Tally]

"Please do not make a scene, My Lord."

Knaiaran's eyes flicked briefly away from the ballroom entrance to pin his steward in place.  No, his brother's steward.  He would not begin thinking that anything of Ravensway's was his.  He would not fall to that trap.

"Be silent," he said.  The steward was right to worry.  Knaiaran had refused to attend the coronation—had forbade any Ravensway bannermen from attending as well—an absence that would certainly be noted and hopefully taken for the slight it was.  Law prevented him from raising his banners against another province without a writ from the throne.  He sorely wished to air his grievances with bronze and magic.  Denied the martial response he so desperately wanted, he would do and say anything to make his displeasure known.

"Let us go," he said, and joined the line of nobles awaiting their announcement to the ballroom.

The coronation he had shunned, but he would not allow Jadenshine to think he had forgotten, nor this new queen to think he would be put off from this.  He wouldn't, not ever.  The last known trace of his brother had been in Jadenshine, and he was to believe they knew nothing?  That they had nothing to do with his disappearance?  Only a true fool would accept that at their word.

His turn to enter had come.  The herald called his name.  "Regent Lord Knaiaran of Ravensway."

How he hated hearing that.  It should have been Lorin here.  By the time his brother returned—and he would—Knai intended that they all would regret his time as regent.  For he would burn Serendipity itself to the ground if it would find his brother.

There she was, the queen.  Watching her, you would think her people weren't disappearing right off the streets.  How could they abide such excess and flippancy now?  He caught her eye and marched over and made no effort to feign good cheer.

[Anonymous]

Stroking Erus's hair absently, Winter swirled her wine glass with her other hand, eyes on her lover. She was now the Mistress of a Queen. And her mother had said she would never do anything with her life! Take that mother dearest.

The manticore at her feet still had enough food to keep her distracted at least a little. She was Winter's newest pet and was a really a pet in the truest sense of the word. Winter had even gotten her a pretty new outfit, complete with collar and leash. There was no way she was letting Erus wander unattended. Winter loved causing a scene, and the mostly naked manticore had caused that, but letting her run around and cause chaos was another thing entirely.

She leaned closer to Qiana and smiled at her, "While you do look utterly breathtaking today, I do wish you would have let me pick out your dress. While it's lovely, it's your coronation. You really could have gone all out my love."

Her own dress was light and airy, with a cawl neckline, and off the shoulder sleeves. The rest of the dress was a simple cut, but Winter had gotten it magicked to look like a raising son, the colors fading from bright yellow to a fiery red.

When the pale Lord arrived, Winter turned and smiled brightly, trying to recall his name, "Ah, well, it looks like we have company. And such somber company. What has you so upset sir? It's a party!"

[Anonymous]

"Kraaa! Kreee!".
 Two illusionary crows screamed while fluttering about before landing on his shoulders sitting still, they were magically tied to his wedding ring and present to symbolize that he had lost his light and his everything.

Lady Isabell  Eritwass Veisvec had been dead for over a year now and no amount of this darkness he had surrounded himself in could ever change that fact but it was needed to keep up apperance.

His clothes consisted of mostly dark and purple colours decorated with golden threads and a tight necklace with bright green forest leaves suspended in time just made him look dark and brooding for the most part but it was fashioned to be presentable enough.

She would have berated him on the use of black. She would have him laugh and declare his life fulfilling until the very end and have him use royal blue with gold and white but that would be like admitting he was ready to wed again and such he would not do.


The heralds proclaimed the arrival of an interesting guest one he wished he had seen earlier. So young and filled with hormones, yet already put in a position as ruler.

Apparently his brother had vanished, last seen in Jadenshine but there had been no clues to be found there.


Maybe he had been too harsh on the boy in previous encounters but that did not excuse his recent act of not attending the coronation of their new queen.

He wondered how she would deal with that, watching how others handled their own affairs was always more interesting than his own. His own affairs where always so easy to pick apart.

Gently and carefully so as to not be suspected he managed to find a place within listening range of Queen Qiana while entertaining a few lesser nobles with his presence.

Nothing like charming a few simpletons for a perfect cover, fae ears being a great asset to him once again.

[Rhindeer]

Settled on the floor at Winter's feet, Erus gnawed happily on a bone, tail curled. All the different political undertones and alpha-dogging was lost on her. She had a nice, meaty bone (which she was currently working on snapping to get at the marrow) and Winter had promised her treats and belly rubs if she was a good girl and behaved and didn't bump anyone with her tail, so she was focused on doing just that!

Grease and bits of meat were smeared over her lips and chin and all over her hands and she peered up curiously as a new person marched over--but only briefly, as she soon lost interest in him and went back to her bone, which was far more exciting.

Qiana hadn't really questioned Winter's new choice of...pet. It was odd, but she'd known Winter long enough to be intimately familiar with her taste for the odd and attention-grabbing. Honestly, it was a little more surprising that she hadn't done something like this sooner. Leaning towards Winter, she murmured back, "Yes, but I'm not sure the political climate is exactly...ripe for much excess."

Winter could get away with it, because by now it was what was expected of her. It would be far more bizarre for her to behave conservatively. But as for her, she was prepared to be scrutinized. Fenway had been a good king and had proven himself a strong leader long before he ascended, and everything she did would be compared to him. What was worse, she had inherited a multitude of issues and challenges from his reign that had cropped up in his absence.

She had her work cut out for her.

And it already looked like she had some fans.

Indeed, the slight had not gone unnoticed. As Knaiaran approached, though, she only gave the boy a bright smile. "Ah, you were able to make it after all! I hope the roads were favorable?"

Across the room, Valor was busying himself by keeping his wine glass full and avoiding his mother. A manticore. Honestly? She wasn't even a manticore-manticore! She looked practically human and she was treating her like a dog! Talk about horrifically awkward.

Draining his wine glass and waving a servant over for a new one, he sincerely hoped she was busy enough with her Queen and new pet to keep from embarrassing him. He loved her, but social events with her were full of too much information. Because who wanted to hear about their mother's latest torrid affair?

[Goldie]

The party had been underway for some time now, but the High Lord of Whitesands was not one to arrive early like a servant expected to be waiting for the noble guests. He had watched the coronation from a a seat of honor befitting his station and place for one so intricately involved with the coronation details.

Without seeming out of place, of course.

The honor fell to Featherfall, as the new queen hailed from the noble house Di'Veera. House Di'Veera and house Celebmir had always gotten along quite amiably and had forged a healthy relationship centuries before so it had been Lord Annon's great pleasure to see that the good Lady Qiana take over the throne. None questioned Whitesands decision, of course, she was the perfect choice and would bring the kingdom into a prosperity that the late King Fenway could only dream of achieving.

She was as pure blooded as Lord Annon could hope for one outside of his own house, even if she was getting on in years and had still to produce an heir. That was troubling to some, but Lord Annon had high hopes that Her Grace would look favorably on one of his own sons or daughters and, perhaps, name them as an heir on the off chance that she was not blessed with children.

Gods pray that never happened - is what he expressed in public when the concern was risen.

"High Lord of Whitesands, Lord Annon and Lady Hiril of house Celebmir." the herald called out as Lord Annon and his wife Lady Hiril swept into the hall. He scanned the crowd, looking at the other high lords and ladies, smiling smugly to himself to note that none looked nearly as radiant and stunning as his wife in her most expensive attire. It had taken the work of nearly a dozen mages and glittered like the moon on a clear night. Her hair was in a coif decorated with the pearls of Whitesands that were magicked to look like they glowed with their own inner light and hovered around her head rather than resting upon it. Some would say her attired was not one befitting a woman nearly in her forties, but Lord Annon had expected nothing less. She needed to be dazzling.

And she even outshone the queen.

"Your Grace," Lord Annon knelt before Queen Qiana, taking her hand to kiss it lightly. "We were ever so pleased to receive the invitation to your coronation. You will surely lead our glorious kingdom into a golden age. May I present my wife, Lady Hiril."

Lord Annon stepped back to allow his wife to pay homage to her knew queen.

"My Lady," She curtsied deeply, "I am so please to see you like our coronation gift," she nodded towards the pearls that adorned the queen's dress, "The treasures of Whitesands are ever at your disposal."

(ooc: hope it's ok about the pearls, if not I'll change it!)

[Anonymous]

Oh lovely. The Celebmir nobles. Winter gave them a careful smile, but honestly, she found them terribly boring and utterly prudish in their attitudes. It stifled the spirit and was just an utter waste of life, youth and beauty!

Hand absently stroking Erus's hair, Winter held her tongue while Qiana dealt with her new court. These first encounters were important, though she may shake her if she allowed that little Ravensway prick get away with that insult.

[Tally]

Some woman stopped him, someone likely not worth the time it took Knaiaran to glance at her and scoff.  She didn't know who he was, so he couldn't be bothered to remember her either.  He'd never had to learn the names and faces of all these tiresome old peacocks.  That had always been Lorin's duty.

He did know one of them.  He knew the Lord Veisvec, and caught himself staring at the man until the Di'Veera woman herself spoke up.

"Favorable enough, for me leastwise."  No 'Your Grace'.  No bowing, no honorific.  Ravensway had abstained from the vote, not because he did not have the authority to speak thus in Lorin's absence, but because he rejected the idea of doing so.  This woman was not his queen.

"But then I had guardsmen around me.  I expect mages traveling alone would tell a different story.  If they were here to speak."

[Rhindeer]

"Knaiaran! Is that you?" Valor called from across the room then, interrupting the chat. Wine glass still in hand, he strode across the room and flashed the younger noble a wide grin. He considered this rescuing himself as well as rescuing the rest of the room from an unpleasant confrontation.

He could use someone more his age and less...old.

"My, you've grown. Would you like some wine? They have the good stuff here!" he continued, slinging an arm around the younger boy's shoulders and turning him away from Qiana and Winter. Kia save them, the boy was going to shame all of Ravensway at this rate! That was his business, of course, but it was just embarrassing to witness.

Qiana repressed a sigh, having been about to address the boy, but Valor had already interceded so it would have to wait. Instead, she turned her attention on the Celebmir nobles and smiled.

"They're beautiful," she said, "and likewise. Join me for some refreshments?"

[Anonymous]

"Oh Valor. He's such a good boy." Winter gave Qiana a tight smile when she invited those boorish Celebmir over. They were the worst people to be stuck with at a party. And Qiana knew she hated stuffy people. Well, she wasn't going to stick around for that.

"Well, I think I'm going to see if there is more for Erus to eat. Come on baby." Winter stood and snagged her wine glass, leading her new pet along. She would just have to find someone more interesting to chat too. It was a party after all!

[Tally]

"I have not.  I'm the same size I was the last time you saw me," Knaiaran said.  He found himself turned about and quite unable to do a thing about it unless he was prepared to physically thrash his way out of Valor's hold.  He was prepared to do that, but he would not be able to tolerate the indignity of such a thing.

He dragged his feet as best he could.  "I need to talk to that woman."

A few party goers in hearing distance gasped at his chose of words.

[Rhindeer]

"Ohoho! Kids these days! They say just the wildest things!" Valor said loudly with a laugh, reaching up with his free hand to pinch Knaiaran's cheek like an adoring aunt. "Now c'mon! You've either had too much wine or not nearly enough and as I smell none on you, I say it's time for a refill."

Once he'd pulled the boy over to the other side of the room, Valor signaled a servant over who provided him with a fresh glass and stood waiting for Knaiaran to take his own.

[hr:20m1m2ct][/hr:20m1m2ct]
Erus happily rose to her feet and trailed after Winter, a large grin on her face--which bared lots of wicked teeth. "Do they have pig?"

[Tally]

Knai batted Valor's hand away.  He would have done more than that if they weren't in the middle of a party, every eye on him shining with mockery and pity.  By the time they reached the other side of the room, Knaiaran was quietly fuming.  The queen had moved on, and his timely opportunity had passed.

"Not nearly enough," he confirmed, and snatched up a wine glass.  He gulped it down gracelessly and set his eyes first on the queen, then the High Lord of Jadenshine.  He was going to need a lot of wine tonight.

[Rhindeer]

"That's the spirit! Here, take another for luck!" Valor said, snatching another glass and pushing it at Knaiaran.

Either the alcohol would lighten him up, or he'd turn into a raging bastard.

"So, tell me! What have you been up to? It's been so long since we last saw each other!"

[hr:294boy5i][/hr:294boy5i]

After exchanging pleasantries and words with several nobles vying for her attention, Qiana finally managed to make her escape, rejoining Winter and her...pet. She was trying very hard not to judge, for she knew her lover always had 'eclectic' tastes and she had grown accustomed to them over the years. Every now and then, though, she managed to throw her for a loop just when she thought she'd seen everything.

"I don't think I was ever properly introduced to your..." She motioned vaguely at the manticore.

[Anonymous]

Winter beamed at Qiana, "Ah! This is Erus! Isn't she darling?" Winter had gotten the girl more food, stroking her hair while she ate, "Erus darling, say hello to Qiana. She's mommy's very special friend."

[Anonymous]

Oh Please, if you want something to happen you have to do everything yourself. Casually he dismissed his cover, and began strolling the event.

Because of his fairly short stature the High lord easily vanished between guests and reached the destination without much fuzz. First he had to address the recent intruder into the natural order of things.

"Well played. Valor of house Liira." He waited a moment to catch the young man's attention fully.

"We would have to look long back in history to find a bolder move. A move that I dare say not one of your brothers would have ever dared make. " He gestured positively to the human, who was a fair bit taller than the high lord, and smiled while letting his gaze wander to the brat that had been saved, but purposely ignored introducing himself to Knaian while also looking directly at him. "I am sure the regent of Ravensway appreciates it. When last we met I wished his brother a swift recovery. Seems like my prayers were not answered."

[Tally]

Knaiaran might have spent the rest of the night talking with Valor.  He could have.  It would have made it bearable.  Valor was good for a distraction.

He might have done this, if the brazen Jadenshine pig hadn't walked right up to him.

His hand grew tighter and tighter on the wine glass in his hand as the High Lord went on.  He couldn't contain his rage, not when the bastard had the nerve to address him.  If he'd had a knife he was sure he would have stabbed him.  Regrettably, he had to settle for throwing the wine in the man's face.  On his way out he dashed the glass to the ground.  It made a sharp, satisfying shatter on the stone.  He hoped Valor would follow him, but he didn't look back.  He wanted someone to rail at who didn't have the power to take formal offense at his abandoned decorum.

[Rhindeer]

Erus tilted her head curiously, glancing up at Winter with those strange, feral gray eyes in a too-human face. "Special friend?" she asked, and her lip curled as she said it, baring sharp shark-like teeth. She slowly turned to glower at Qiana, tail curling tightly and shoulders stiffening.

"More special than Erus?"

[hr:1umi0n1x][/hr:1umi0n1x]

Valor didn't know the kid that well, but he could recognize cold anger when he saw it. Many nobility responded in such a manner when every move could be perceived as political and opening their mouth would be used against them later. Couldn't blame the kid, either, though he kept his own expression cheerfully vapid as that sod just went on and on and--

Crash!

Yeah, he wasn't quite expecting the outburst.

Valor blinked once, twice, and stared after Knaiaran as he fled and as servants rushed to clean the mess. And here he thought he knew how to make an impression. Looked like he'd met his match.

Turning to the High Lord, Valor flashed him a smile and sketched a bow. "My lord, if you will--hold that thought."

And with that said, he turned and took off after Knaiaran.

This kid was far more exciting than any stuffy old people party.

He caught up to the kid and fell in beside him but didn't try to stop him, matching his pace. "Gotta hand it to ya, you really know how to make an exit and thank Kia for that. I needed a good excuse to get outta there."