Gianna is standing in the center of the main hall, chin tilted up at an angle as she regards her surroundings with apparent approval. There's a table for presents, people are circulating with food and drink, and somehow the Whisper House's infamous chocolate fountain has made its way here. How peculiar! A quintet of bards are playing, mostly confined to one corner. Gianna is resplendent in gold silks.

"A small velvet bag is left on the table, gleaming soft black where it sits on top of a log and wide wooden box as well, the shop's signature engraved on teh top before Josephine works her way into the room more, the click of that wood and metal cane in her hand as she goes.

Sanya Grimhall enters the main hall of the Bard's College, carrying a satchel, approaching Gianna with a warm smile. "Happy birthday, Mistress Gianna. Thank you for the invitation to this grand event." Lifting the item in her hand, she glances to it. "I hope this is to your liking."

It's the birthday of one Softest Whisper, and the other, namely Bliss, arrives shortly after the appropriate time, followed, of course, by Jared. In crimson silks of veils and ropes, she moves with an easy fluid grace, and she walks immediately over to Gianna as she comes in, all smiles and happiness. "Nightingale," Bliss enthuses toward Gianna. "Happy birthday, and what a wonderful year it's been for you. I do not tell you often enough how proud I am of what you've been accomplishing over here." But then, she keeps moving, and her left hand comes up to Gianna's shoulder as she leans in to murmur something quietly. Whatever it is is brief, and then she leans back, still all smiles.

Videl enters with a cheerful smile, taking a good look around the place, before heading for the woman of the hour. "Whisper Gianna, a pleasure to see you again. The city is fortunate to have you for yet another year." She states with a cheerful smile.

Rysen drifts inside and stands at the back of the great hall, watching Gianna greet her guests. He smiles to see her so radiantly dressed, and slowly makes his way toward the confined bards, taking great joy in their performance.

Videl is overheard praising Gianna: Arx is lucky to have the Nightingale for another year.

Amari arrives and politely leaves the majority of her entourage outside, with the sole exception of Barf who tromps along beside her. He's on a short leash held loosely in the Keaton's hand as if she's not too concerned about the mammoth beast biting any important parts off anyone who gets too close. The pair head for Gianna in the center of the hall, though there's a very obvious desire to quickly detour and go have a look at the somewhat famous chocolate fountain she spots on the way. She resists, somehow, offering a smile to the Nightingale instead. "Happy birthday, Gianna." And more mouthed, than said aloud, "Very clever."

Gianna's eyes widen and she offers a smile to Sanya as she accepts

Roland, the worst bard in Arvum arrives, following Niklas.

Gianna's eyes widen and she offers a smile to Sanya as she accepts the gift, holding the pendant up and letting it twirl gently. "Oh, it's lovely! Joscelin's work? Thank you!" The Nightingale beams at Sanya, fingering the tourmaline with a pleased expression. So pleased, like a cat that just ate a canary. Bliss gets a nod, and then Gianna's eyebrows arch at the murmured words. She blinks twice at the other Softest. "Oh, how lovely," she says, her own smile still in place. Granted, hers is never as convincing as Bliss', unless Gianna's been singing. Videl is beamed at as well. "Why, thank you, Lady Videl! I'm so glad you could make it. Have you been enjoying your wines? I've added mine to the liquor cabinet in the office." She thrusts her arm up in the air to wave to Amari.

Sabella is overheard praising Gianna: HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Niklas is overheard praising Gianna: HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM THE BARD'S COLLEGE TO YOU WE WISH IT WAS OUR BIRTHDAY SO WE COULD PARTY TOO

Sanya is overheard praising Gianna: Happy birthday!!

Merek has come to visit and all that, with his cape on and adjusted about his shoulders. He looks to the chocolate fountain curiously, and peeks at it while he makes his way to a place to settle in to watch the proceedings as a wallflower.

"I'm glad you like it." Sanya beams as the Nightingale takes the gift, before turning to the arriving guests. Dipping her head, she offers a general greeting.

"What is this thing?" Josephine inquires of Amari when the other woman draws near.

Niklas comes sweeping into the Bard's College with Sabella on his arm, though she less sweeps than she sort of waddles, just this shy of rolling on in like a blonde Violet Beauregarde. "...not allowed to sing. Gianna will stab you in your kidneys. Hell, /I/ might stab you in your kidneys!" Goodness, such a thing for the Playwright to be saying to his wife! But, no, he's likely speaking to Roland, whose outfit is a visual abattoir and whose voice is a starling caught in a windmill's gear works, who has insisted on coming along to wish the Nightingale a happy birthday. In song! Which nobody wants. Once in the room Niklas offers waves to those he recognizes, but is immediately drawing his wife over to where the Whisper of the hour is. "Nightingale, happy birthday!"

After that response from Gianna, Bliss just shrugs her shoulders and smiles at the woman, then brings her fingers to her lips and blows a kiss. "Isn't it? But enjoy your party. I'm sorry I have to miss most of it, I imagine it will be wonderful." She wiggles her fingers playfully, then turns and begins to head out, dipping her head toward those who catch her eye on the way out.

Jared, an overworked-looking, nervous Apprentice Whisper leaves, following Bliss.

"I think it's a hot chocolate fountain." Amari replies, but not convincingly after a return wave to Gianna. She has to get a little closer to be sure, and also restrain her dog from jumping in face first which he seems very interested in doing. She backs him up, to stand next to Josephine proper, away from the temptation. "I'd heard about it, if that's the same one. How are you?"

"I'm glad you like our wines, we put a lot of work into making sure they are better every year." Videl answers Gianna as she gets some chocolate and a glass of sparkling wine, glancing curiously towards Niklas at the man's words, "Don't stab him in the kidneys, your highness. That's not commensurate punishment. I recommend you cut out his tongue, instead."

Gianna inclines her head in greeting to Rysen as she spies him, and then there's Niklas and Sabella. "Your Highnesses!" she greets them both. "So glad you could make it. I believe there's a cheese plate, Princess Sabella, and there's certainly quite a lot of chocolate." She is very determinedly Not Looking at Roland. It's like he doesn't exist. Amari's dog Barf is eyed quickly, but she is distracted by the woman with the cane speaking to Barf's owner. "Josephine! You came!" More quietly, she asks Niklas and Sabella something.

1 Saik Guard, Micana arrive, following Lucita.

1 Crimson Blades Sergeant, Lucita arrive, following Mirk.

"A chocolate fountain." Sanya comments with a brightened smile. "Your highnesses." She curtsies as she turns to Sabella and Niklas, before taking a glass of sparkling wine from a passing servant. "I hope you've both been well."

"As if I wouldn't come. I left. Your gifts on the table. No need for an old lady to crowd you, not at all." A shooing motion for Gianna to fuss over other guests as she looks back to the fountain with Amari and the huge beast. "Really. Can't say I've had that before. Chocolate yes, but as a drink. I don't tend to sweets. They make the teeth ache." How is she? Josephine reaches over, patting Amari's forearm. "Very good. Enjoying the heat. Dreading that winter will be here before we know it."

Mirk arrives in the Beard's College with Lucita on his arm, acting as her escort for the evening, though between the shamanistic charms tied into his beard and the direwolf fur in his cloak, he looks more like a savage than a gentleman. His eyes linger for a moment on the chocolate fountain, though he doesn't seem surprised to see it, and he comments to Lucita, "First stop, or second?" It's in a wry tone, clearly kidding. "The Bard's College looks grand, as always. My compliments to the hostess."

Rysen acquires a glass of sparkling wine and approaches Gianna with a slight smile. "This is quite a party, Gianna. One could get soft spending too much time around such beauty and refinement." He reaches into a small leather pouch attached to his belt, and removes a parchment scroll bound with a black silk ribbon. "Something to commemorate your birthday, Nightingale," he says, and offers Gianna the scroll.

Rysen gets a heavy parchment scroll tied with a black silk ribbon from a dark leather sword belt.

"Nightingale. We brought a silent Roland for the night," Sabella gestures to poor Roland, who looks like he still might burst into song at any moment. "And the cheerfulness of true friendship!" She pauses when that doesn't seem to hit home, "And, ah. Your real present should be arriving as soon as it's ready!"

Niklas pats Sabella on the arm and leans in to Gianna, "For your gift we donated fifty thousand silver in your name to the Tragedy in the Lowers. Every orphan there will sing your praises. Though not well, since they're a random assortment of orphans." He lets the crushing disappointment of such a thoughtful, non-real gift sink in, then nods to Sabella. "What she said. I hope you like sapphires since there's plenty of them on it."

"Me either." Amari says of the chocolate, her tone suggesting that she thinks it a funny novelty, which may explain the smile. It only grows at Josephine's reply, "Oh, I'm glad. I was afraid this summer would end up as bleak as the winter last. Perhaps green rain for weeks straight or none and a drought. It's been nice. I've been busy too. I haven't even had the chance to admire your jewelry of late. How about you?"

Rysen stifles a laugh at Prince Niklas' joke, quickly drinking some wine.

Lucita laughs softly. "Best pay our regards to the 'birthday woman' or nightingale as the case may be, then we can indulge in the fruits and cookies with or without the chocolate, yes?" She speaks to Mirk and spends a moment absorbing the ebb and flow of the conversations in progress and giving warm smiles to those she knows.

"Silence from Roland is indeed a wonderful gift," Gianna tells Sabella and Niklas. Her gaze flicks from one to the other, calculating. There's bobs of her head in agreement, and smiles, and if she's disappointed she covers it well. "Sapphires? I can't wait!" she exclaims at the end of that, eyes bright again. Rysen hands her a scroll and she reluctantly hands her assistant, Madialaena, the beautiful tourmaline pendant Sanya gave her to keep track of so she can unfurl the scroll. Her brows arch as she reads, and she graces Rysen with a smile. "How thoughtful! I don't believe I've ever been given a poem before. Prince Niklas, Princess Sabella, have you met Lord Rysen Crovane? He's a poet who's recently joined the College."

Videl spies a cousin from the corner of her eye and heads over that way, "Lucita." She greets warmly, "How do you do? And who's your companion?" She glances towards Mirk there.

"I've been too busy making things to spend admiring them either. But you need only ask and I'll bring a selection to you to peruse, never an issue with that." Josephine offers to Amari. "And who is this behemoth?" A look to the dog in question.

"You were at Princess Helena's poetry reading, right?" Sabella asks, giving Rysen a cheerful smile, "If so you're in for a treat, Mistress Gianna. He had some of the best verses of the night and he was not shy when sharing them--and you definitely should not be for they were quite lovely!" She waves to a few people that have come in that she knows. Which is just about everyone.

Mirk makes his way over towards Gianna, offering polite nods of his head aside to the familiar faces that he passes, though there's little recognition there for much of the crowd. "You seem to have thrown quite the party, Gianna," he says in a warm tone once he comes within easy conversational distance. "I brought you a small gift, to commemorate the occasion." He holds up a bottle of Northern whiskey, to let her see it, and then holds it out to Gianna. "With compliments." There's a brief smile, before it fades back into a stoic, neutral expression. "A friend," he says to Videl, leaving the formal introduction to his companion. "A pleasure, Lady...?"

Lucita discretely passes a bit of folded paper holding a gift to Gianna as she says a simple. "Happy Birthday. Everything looks lovely as usual." She gives a beguiling smile and then turns to Videl. "Lady Videl Igniseri, this is Lord Mirk Halfshav, someone with whom have gone exploring and who is a friend. Lord Mirk, Lady Videl is one of my cousins who is currently working on expanding the navy for Granato."

Rysen bows to Sabella and Niklas. "I was, Your Highness, and your words are very kind." Noticing Mirk nearby, Rysen smiles - a smile which grows even larger as he notices that the gift he brought is a bottle of Northern Whiskey.

"A pleasure to meet you, Lord Mirk Halfshav." Videl offers Mirk with a smile, taking a sip from her wine and considering the man, glancing aside to Lucita, "I still have a few more loose ends to chase before I can get started on that in earnest." She offers, "Making good progress on that, though."

Amari looks both interested and apologetic at once, somehow, saying to Josephine, "Ooh, well, hopefully soon. I've just been preoccupied with having armor made. I don't think the other knights will take me seriously if I have my pauldrons bejeweled." Though the thought must have crossed her mind. The dog, when mentioned, is given a pat on the back of his thick neck. He's already sat down and is looking content enough. She introduces him, "This is Barf. I rescued him at the battle of Reaver's Bog. He's got a white heart on his chest so it was probably destined." Then more softly, as if she doesn't want to embarrass the gigantic canine, "He doesn't like to be left alone."

Merek makes his way on after a bit and a wave with a 'happy birthday' as he does also.

Gianna leans in to Rysen and brushes her lips against his cheek in a peck of a kiss, unless he draws away. "Thank you," she tells him. A look from Rysen to Sabella and a nod. "I'm sure he did splendidly. He's very talented." Mirk is smiled at; Gianna passes the poem to Madialaena and reaches out to accept the whiskey from him and the paper from Lucita. "Lord Mirk, wonderful! I love whiskey. Baroness Lucita, I'm so glad you made it. Please, be sure to have some of the chocolate. I comandeered the chocolate fountain from Whisper House."

"Barf?" Up goes one greying eyebrow. "Dear me. That is a name. I suppose not any less that toast and jam who live in my own home." Josephine murmurs to Amari.

"Chocolate?!" And that's Sabella waddling over to ruin everyone's night by hogging the chocolate fountain

Sabella has joined the a marble fountain flowing with rich chocolate.

Niklas is about to say something to Sabella when she goes running off. "Well." He looks past her to the chocolate fountain, then says to Gianna, "We have something like that in Stormward, except instead of chocolate it's fish chowder."

"That's absolutely disgusting and I can't even tell if you're kidding," Gianna tells Niklas, lips still curved up into a smile, her tone light.

Sanya turns to Niklas with an amused smile, before taking a sip. "It doesn't sound all that bad, depending on what you have it with." She comments with a chuckle.

Niklas actually looks a little offended by Gianna's response and says mildly to Sanya, "Oyster crackers."

"Then I hope you'll enjoy the gift thoroughly," Mirk says with a flash of a grin at Gianna. "I saw that. It must have been quite the project to get it here and functioning in all its glory, but I suppose it has the desired effect on the party, does it not?" He glances over at the fountain briefly, but lets Sabella hog the chocolate without complaint. "A pleasure, Lady Videl," he finishes. "Expansion, hm? Good luck with that. I've been roped into working on one of those sorts of projects as well, and the scale and the timeline always seem to keep going further and further."

Rysen's cheeks flush slightly at the touch of Gianna's lips. He glances towards the chocolate fountain as Sabella heads towards it. Turning to Mirk, he says quietly, "It is good to see you again, Lord Mirk. Something tells me I will regret it if I don't at least try it," and gestures towards the chocolate fountain, and begins to make his way towards it.

Rysen has joined the a marble fountain flowing with rich chocolate.

"Toast and Jam?" Amari prompts, curiously. "Are they kittens?" Barf, wondering why the patting stopped, nudges at her hand until she obliges with a few more absent pat-pats.

"A pair of love birds that I have had forever and a day. Matched pair, mated. My youngest named them a great deal of time ago. Toast. Jam." Josephine fills in Amari. "They run the house. Their cage is far too large and they were what traveled with me from Lenosia when I came."

Lucita gives Giana another smile and then steps to the side so others can greet and interact with her. To Mirk and Videl she murmurs. "I was so busy I did not even think of my birthday last March till cook set a cake out which the twins certainly enjoyed. They painted a 'masterpiece' on the floor with the icing and were highly upset it had to be cleaned up before it was fully admired." She goes quiet to listen to Josephine's tale of the lovebirds. "That is a touching story. It is good they have adjusted to being here."

Gianna just smiles at Niklas. It's a celebration in her honour and there are gifts being given. His gross Mourning Isles traditions can't get her down! Gianna examines the label of the whiskey Mirk's given her and nods. "I'll add it to the liquor cabinet in the office. After I have a taste for myself, of course. Thank you so much, and thank you again for that story you shared with me." The whiskey bottle is passed to her assistant, Madialaena, who is doing her best to keep things orderly as she arranges gifts on the table.

Needing no other prompting, and aware of the speed at which they are disappearing, Rysen takes a strawberry and dips it in the fountain. He eyes it for just a moment before taking a bite. The look on his face could hardly be describe as anything short of delight.

"Truly, Highness, they are superb," replies Rysen to Sabella.

"I need no thanks for spreading knowledge. It's important to do so, in these times," Mirk says with a nod of his head to Gianna. "A pleasure to see you as well, Lord Rysen. I'd ask how your efforts to sort out your arrival to Arx have gone, but I'll catch up another time." Turning his attention then to Lucita and Videl, he comments idly, "I didn't even remember my birthday until a month later, so I'm in the same boat as you, Lady Lucita. Of course, I don't have children that will use any occasion to celebrate."

"Children." Videl comments on that story with a clearly amused smile, "So Lord Mirk, would you be so kind as to tell me a story about my cousin that I you would guess I don't yet know?"

"Perhaps you can give it a chance in Prince Niklas' birthday celebration?" Sanya suggests to Gianna, smile unfading. "Perhaps you'll come to enjoy it."

"I may have gone a little overboard on them," Sabella admits to Rysen with some guilt, "I'd blame my condition, but it probably would have happened even if I wasn't pregnant."

Gianna's nose wrinkles at Sanya's words. Prettily, because Whisper, but she also doesn't look convinced that she should try. "Mmmm," she says, vaguely. "I believe I require another glass of wine!" That said, she sails off toward a servant to switch her empty glass out for a fresh one. And linger by the gift table, reaching out to touch some of the presents. So greedy.

Lucita's color rises at Videl's question and she seems to quickly catalogue the various things might be told on her and then relaxes, her gaze rising toward Mirk and giving him a little nod. "Cousins. The trouble they can get one into sometimes." She gives a little wry laugh.

Rysen laughs merrily, and shakes his head in response to Sabella. "Condition or no, sometimes it's good to enjoy something without restraint."

Rysen rises to his feet. "I should be taking my leave. It's been a pleasure, Princess Sabella."

Rysen makes his way past Gianna, and says quietly, "I've had a wonderful time, Nightingale. Happy birthday." He gives a quick, respectful bow to the rest of the guests, and makes his way to the doors leading out.

"To be fair, Lady Sanya is from Grihem's Point, where the weather is just slightly better than Stormward's slate skies and rain six days a week." To Sanya Niklas says, "Wait until she tries the squid boiled in its own ink!" Though once Gianna is out of earshot he adds, "I actually hate squid ink soup. Octavia loved it when we were children and had it made for us all the time." He turns to watch Sabella emptying the chocolate fountain and says idly, "I hope she doesn't think too hard about how easy it would be for squirrels to fall into that thing. Summers in Arx are a dangerous season for accidentally eating squirrels."

Rysen has left the a marble fountain flowing with rich chocolate.

Amari spies Mirk and Lucita together there and offers the pair a polite wiggly fingers wave in greeting, listening to Josephine all the while. She laughs softly, "That's sweet, but why Toast and Jam? Did they ever tell you why? Barf is relatively obvious, which is why I'm keeping him well away from the chocolate fountain." Speaking of that, she watches Rysen dip a strawberry and nods thoughtfully to herself as if he's struck on something interesting there.

"He liked to eat toast with jam. He was young." Josephine points out. "Children when they are young have interesting names for pets if you like them." But Josephine's frowning. "I should return to the forge, continue to work on a project. Wedding rings do not make themselves. It was a pleasure to see you again Lady Amari. Baroness." Fondness in Luciat's title. "You and I shall sit and speak soon hmmm? I hope you are satisfied."

Gianna stops petting her presents for the moment and heads for Amari and Josephine, though she keeps people between her and the large dog. "Josephine, thank you so much for coming," she tells the master jeweler. "I'm honoured. Lady Amari, it's good to see you again. We still need to catch up."

"I don't blame her, I miss it myself. I haven't had any since leaving Grihem's Point." Sanya comments wistfuly, thinking of the dish. "I should probably get in there while I still have a chance." She smiles, before approaching the fountain with anticipation.

"Hm," Mirk runs a hand over his beard thoughtfully, fingers tapping against the charms. "I think that would be telling, don't you?" He asks in a wry tone. "And it would amuse me more to leave you wondering, though I'm fond of a few. Working together on a couple of projects certainly has lead to some...interesting experiences, I'll say that." He glances aside at Lucita, and raises an eyebrow. "Lady Amari, a pleasure to see you as well," he says, offering a nod over to Amari in response to the wave.

Videl makes an overdramatic sigh, "You tease, my lord." She answers Mirk, glancing to Amari when the woman waves towards them, "Another friend of yours?" She asks Lucita, and then, "If Lord Mirk won't tell me a story about you, perhaps you could tell a story about him?"

"Lovely Gianna. Another year and yet you look no less beautiful. There's a piece in the box for you. I think you'll like it. Suitably dramatic. And then just a little bit of star iron and an epiphanite. Each time you come into the shop, they seem to get very excited and try to get your attention. Very loudly. I decided I needed to give in and this was the perfect occasion my dear. I cannot wait to see what you have me make with it." Josephine beams at the whisper when she comes to greet.

"Ah! That's even sweeter, honestly. It was lovely to see you, Josephine." Amari offers in farewell, before grinning, "Star iron and epiphanite would be just the thing for you, Gianna. Don't let the poor little things languish at the shop when they could be on your finger instead."

Lucita says, "Lady Amari, good evening!" She greets warmly then her gaze drifts from Mirk to Videl and back. "Oh, such tales would be, as Lord Mirk says, telling. And it is fun to leave you wondering once in a while. Perhaps, later, the three of us can exchange stories, maybe." And finally to Josephine she murmurs. "I'm glad to have seen you even if briefly. If you have time, will drop by the shop later the week.""

Gianna's eyes light up. "A gift? And star iron? You shouldn't have." That's what her mouth says, anyway, but just about everything else about her says 'YES PLEASE STAR IRON'. "Marvelous --- I'll have to think about this. Thank you so much, Josephine!" She's absolutely beaming.

"An acquaintance," Mirk says with a shrug at Videl's question. "I don't claim many friends." He chuckles at Lucita's answer and adds, "Maybe. Most good stories require a few drinks to tell properly, anyways. Or is that only in the North?" He shrugs, unconcerned. "Either way. Perhaps another time?" He glances aside at Gianna, and at Josephine, interested but not interrupting or commenting.

"Take your time my dear. If you'll pardon me?" Josephine's gathering up that bling cane and starting to make her way out, departing the celebrations.

"Of course," Gianna bids Josephine. She raises her wine glass in a toast to the older woman and asides to Amari, "She's wonderful, isn't she? So generous."

Demetria Arcuri leaves, following Josephine.

Amari waves after the departing Josephine, agreeing with Gianna without reservation. "She is. I've had quite a few pieces done at her shop and they've always turned out spectacularly well. She's very skilled." That said, there's a little arch of her brow, "Enjoying your birthday so far?"

2 Grimhall House Guards, Ivan leave, following Sanya.

Videl sighs dramatically once again. "You two aren't any fun." She complains, though she doesn't seem to be actually upset, glancing towards Amari again, and poking Lucita, "Why don't you introduce me to her?"

"She did wonderful work on these," Mirk comments to Gianna, idly, gesturing to the charms he wears in his beard. "Put in extra time and effort into them herself, without my needing to ask or pay extra." He chuckles at Videl and admits, "It's part of my role in life. I'm the boring, sensible Halfshav. My cousins have wild and exciting covered."

Niklas moves to set a hand on Sabella's elbow. "My love, we should probably be heading back to the mansion. It is warm and you are now filled with chocolate, so it's probably nap time." To Gianna he asides, "We're far enough along and she's tubby enough at this point that she runs out of energy before she realizes it and then I have to call a sedan to carry her the rest of the way back." Then he is offering waves to everyone as he escorts Sabella to the door.

"Do take care! Thank you for coming!" Gianna calls out to Niklas and Sabella, raising her arm to wave cheerfully at them. She turns back to Amari and reports, "I am." Gianna has a sip of wine and spares a glance down at Barf again, wary for her lovely golden silks. "I trust you've been well? No adventures that got too out of hand? No new friends for Puke there?" She offers Mirk a smile, and looks from him to Videl and Lucita. "Lady Videl, have you met my friend, Lady Amari Keaton?"

Lucita gives a little smile and murmurs. "Lady Amari Keaton, this is my cousin Lady Videl Igniseri. Videl, this is Lady Amari. You know my dog Golden and Quenia's dog Ruby? They are both from the Keaton family, one of their litters that turned out very well though Quenia spoils Ruby and needs to work on training a bit there." She nods to Mirk's assessment of Josephine's work and taps Mirk on the arm admonishingly. "Tsk, tsk, you have had at least one wild and exciting time that I know of." She glances to Videl. Just wait till you know him better."

Sabella has left the a marble fountain flowing with rich chocolate.

Elizabetta, a disapproving lady-in-waiting, Lily, an aloof lady-in-waiting, 2 Grayson House Guards, Clark, an exasperated guard leave, following Sabella.

Roland, the worst bard in Arvum, Sabella leave, following Niklas.

"Lord Mirk wouldn't even dance with me when we met. He wouldn't be budged." Amari reveals to Videl as she takes a step closer to the trio. That's partly because she wants to peer at the Halfshav's beard charms. At the introductions offered, she dips her head politely to Lucita's cousin, "A pleasure. And yes, the bloodhounds are more proper examples of the Keaton kennels. This one was a rescue from a battle." As an aside to Gianna, she says, "I did end up in a small battle with cultists. You'd think finding a site for an agriculture school wouldn't be that hazardous."

Videl raises an eyebrow at Lucita's last comment, "You can't just say that after denying me stories and expect me to be satisfied not heearing it." She insists, then glances towards Amari, "A pleasure, Lady Keaton, and I suspect it's because agriculture involves careful plant maintenance and the cuttists couldn't tolerate that." She's clearly joking.

"I count that one as stupid and in need of a casket," Mirk says in a deadpan tone to Lucita. "Rather than wild and exciting." He squints at Videl, wisely doesn't respond, as if hoping that it would pass unchallenged. "That's right," he says with a nod to Amari. "I can dance, in fact, but I prefer not to. I almost got away with doing the same at Lady Delilah's war of pies, though I had to resort to distracting people with words once I realized they would not respect the sanctity of the sidelines."

Gianna makes a face when Amari mentions cultists. "Ugh. Awful," she announces. Cultists, they're awful. It's true. A glance at the others and she repeats, "...War of pies? Sounds messy," she remarks. A pause, and her nose wrinkles. "Also like a waste of food."

"The worst." Amari agrees before nodding very solemnly to Videl, "They hate us for our farming prowess. I mean, have you ever seen cultists gardening or milking cows?" See? They have black thumbs, obviously. Mirk's clarification earns him a funny frown, "I can fully understand not wanting to wear a perfectly good pie, but not dance? You dance in secret, don't you? Under the moonlight?" She looks to Lucita, as if somehow she can confirm her suspicions.

"You're just making me more curious, lord Mirk, this is steadily becoming an act of cruelty." Videl answers Mirk, then sighs faintly when Amari misses the joke, but doesn't seem to be too upset, "Dancing under the moonlight? Now that's something I'd liek to see."

"I cannot confirm that, but I will say that I am a shaman," Mirk says to Amari with a smirk, intent on letting her assumptions fill in the rest. "I had intended to watch and bet, but alas no one would take me up on the latter," he replies to Gianna. "A great deal of food was wasted, however." He chuckles at Videl and says, "You'll live. Besides, I need some amusements, now, don't I?"

Lucita glances toward Mirk through a veil of her lashes and in a gentle teasing manner says. "He is very adept at dancing with words. As for other dancing, that depends on your defination, a bit of dancing about in battle to avoid a foe, yes, but not dancing dancing, at least we've never danced with each other.

Gianna nods to Mirk, a faint line appearing between her brows. She casts her gaze out toward the food still out. There's quite a bit; this was, after all, a grand affair. The Nightingale exhales and says, "Thank you all for coming." She offers a smile, one of her faint ones, to those present. "Please, stay as long as you like. I need to speak with Madialaena about some arrangements." The silk-clad Whisper, bows lightly at the waist and turns to flag her poor assistant down.

"That's what my name tells me." Videl answers Mirk with wink, "But are you certain, my lord? Perhaps I will drop dead from such a dearth of entertainment, like a starveling looking through the windows of a noble estate in winter." She doesn't sound worried, glancing towards Lucita, "You'll have to tell me sometime." She insists, "Thank you for the party, Whisper Gianna, it was lovely."

"I'm not good at dancing about in battle, either," Mirk says to Lucita with a shake of his head. "But I suppose running away might count, if you're generous." To Videl, he adds, "There's plenty, here in Arx. Just look around you." He lifts a hand in an idle wave towards Gianna, as she announces her departure, and suggests, "Try not to work too hard. It's still your birthday, after all. But good evening, all the same."

Lucita says, "Thank you for having us to the party. It was fun and the food delicious." She winks toward Videl and Mirk then asks. "Drinks at the tower?""

"We still have to catch up! I've been saving a bottle of something appropriate." Amari reminds Gianna before she can fully escape, adding a bit of enticement and a wave. Then she's laughing brightly at Mirk, "Just as I thought." To the group she gives a polite nods, "It was nice to see you all." But Barf is up and trying to drag her towards the chocolate fountain, so she needs to distract him.