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

Laudine, a stern middle-aged maidservant, 2 Whitehawk Guards, Cabbit, a nub-tailed tabby cat arrive, following Tabitha.

1 Grayson House Guards arrives, following Liara.

Zelda, the royal messenger, 13 King's Own Guardsmen, Liara arrive, following Alaric.

The tables are set, delicious smells waft through the halls, and Princess Sabella stands beaming, holding her newest baby and greeting those who come in, "Welcome! Please help yourselves to food and drink or sit and someone will serve you!"

Alaric and retinue (ft. DJ Liara) stride in to get this shindig hopping, fortified by a little Queensrest pre-func action. "Sabella, thank you for hosting as always," he declares grandly, extending his pinky to the baby and inducing a little grab-on to shake hands of a sort. "And thank -you- for coming," he adds in a bit of a baby-talk voice. "Aww. You're going to eat my finger hello. Alas, I need all of that hand to sign official documents and such! Ask your mother for a snack." From there, he greets the early arrivals at large. "Welcome, my kinsmen! It's always a delight to see you all at fealty dinner."

After Tabitha enters the hall, she makes her way to Sabella and dips into a curtsy. "Princess Sabella, so good to see you again!" There's a beaming smile on her face today (this evening, whatever) as she wiggles her fingers at the babby. "Hello there! Oh, aren't you a sweetheart!" After that, she settles down at a seat, and a server provides her with a plate of food that she delicately cuts and lifts with silvery cutlery. Giving the server a smile, equally as bright as the one before, she tucks into the meal, though she does eye up one of the cupcakes as a glass of wine is poured for her.

Olivia makes her way in with a smile and a curtsey. "Ah the Grayson's do throw the most fantastic paries. Thank you for organizing this your Highness." She smiles to Sabella. "Everything smells incredible." She looks to the baby. "What a beautiful son." She Curtseys to the King and Liara as well. "Your Majesty. Highness. A pleasure" A big bright smile. She waves to Tabitha.

Alaric drops Filopi Black - Kennex Brand Black Pepper Vodka.

Liara shows up! Along with Alaric and all those King's Own, but there's definitely a princess there too. The exchange between Alaric and Sabella's baby draws a chuckle from Liara, and she gives a little flutter of her fingers in a hello, proceeding further inside herself. "How do you do, Lady Olivia?" she greets the Ashford, as she heads over to sit down.

Liara has joined the Dining Table.

Sabella beams at everyone as they compliment the baby, "This is of course Prince Gareth," she gives the baby a little jostle to keep him happy, though he seems quite content, "Does everyone know each other? Let me know if I can make introductions."

"Lady Olivia, Lady Tabitha, wonderful to see both all again," Alaric enthuses to the familiar faces as he sets down a bottle of vodka on the table before taking his seat as well. "Complements of Lord Ian Kennex," he notes. "prince Luca sends his regrets that he cannot attend tonight, unfortunately. I'm sure we all won't forget to remember to send a messenger to tell him what an excellent dinner he missed."

Olivia smiles as she takes her seat. "Yes This is a fantastic looking feast." She looks at the Kennex bottle. "I have had the Rose water vodka. Not this one. I am sure it is good." She turns to Tabitha, "Unable to drag Uncle away from his duties this evening? Shall I scold him for you?" A grin.

Having complimented the servers on an excellent job done, loud enough for everyone to hear, but not so loud that she is outright shouting, "OMG, THIS IS GOOD GRUB YOU HAVE MADE", Tabitha dips her head respectfully to Alaric and offers a friendly smile. "And the same to you, your Majesty!" When she notices Olivia, she gives a small but enthusiastic wave of her hand, as if to say, 'come and sit here!' To Liara, another nod and the same smile that's been playing across her features since she arrived. "Princess Liara, hello! Very good to see you too." At Sabella's question, she shakes her head gently, for it seems that she already knows most of the people here. Then she turns to Olivia with a little nose wrinkle of amusement. "I don't think he's very scoldable, is he?"

Sam, who is a boy and definitely not a princess in disguise arrives, following Niklas.

Sabella has a seat along with everyone else and hands Gareth off to helpful Elizabetta, "I wanted to congratulate you on your courtship announcement, Lady Tabitha! How are things going in that regard?" Alaric gets a laugh, "That sounds like an excuse for Prince Luca to show up in his bathrobe."

"The game of stones set was an entirely brilliant idea, Lady Tabitha. I don't think I quite thanked you sufficiently for that. So thank you." Liara flashes Tabitha a grin, and gets settled in at her seat, handily pulled out for her by one of the house staff. Then she remarks, "Prince Luca hosted a dinner at which I met both Duke Harlan and Lord Kaldur. It was made all the more notable for Prince Luca having to vacate the room, yet I still rather enjoyed it."

Sitting next to Olivia at the table, with a plate of food before her, Tabitha lifts a hand to rub the Ashford's back in a sympathetic manner before she lifts a hand to wave to Niklas. Then Sabella asks her question, and she outright beams. "Oh, thank you for asking! Lord Pharamond is truly one of the loveliest and kindest men I've ever met. I could think of no better husband, really.I'm sure we'll have a very comfortable marriage, if all goes well."

Tabitha also grins at Liara, seeming quite delighted at the praise!

Liara is overheard praising Tabitha: The best game ideas.

"It's about time! I've been feeling a little bathrobe-deprived around here lately," Alaric declares tongue-in-cheekily. "If Luca won't do it, somebody else will pick up the slack, hopefully." He regards Niklas's entrance with a broad and impish grin. "Well! If it's not the famed dancing legend himself."

Olivia smirks at Tabitha, "I am unsure if he is. I am sure unable to do it. I need to work on my super serious Voice of a house face I think." She sips the water at her place setting. "Speaking of games. I am helping to run the Harvest Festival at the Lodge. I hope you all can make it."

Niklas does a little thematic soft-shoe as he enters the dining room, then heads over to his wife's side, waving off his assistant. "Get something to eat, Sam. You're off for the evening." He pauses to tickle Gareth's tummy before turning and plopping down beside Sabella. "My lords, my ladies, your highnesses and your majesty, just the one, good evening to all."

Liara offers Niklas a flash of a smile. "Good evening to you too. I have been scheming for the feast for the charity launch, in case you were wondering." Then she supposes to Olivia, "You might inquire with Lord Michael. On which note," Liara continues, attention turning to Sabella, with a flash of an amused grin, "Lord Michael said I was his favourite Grayson. I imagine you'll need to send him a stern letter about favourite-swapping on a whim."

Sabella sits back and let's the servants pile her plate with all the good stuff. She beams at Niklas when he comes in, reaching out to take his hand, "Well, I wish you every happiness," she tells Tabitha with a smile, "I was actually wondering if you could all help me come up with what will be debated at the Taste of Arx. I blame my lack of sleep due to two adorable children, I haven't been able to come up with an idea." At Liara's comment she laughs, "That's exactly what he wants! I shall test Michael with silence and see how he reacts!"

"Lord Michael's only -slightly- fickle. I might be biased, though, since most of what I know about him came from Lady Lailah," Alaric admits. "A debate topic? Hmm. Ah, I know. What is the best thing about the King! There's so much to choose from, you'll have a lively debate with that one," he suggests merrily.

With a cheerful laugh at Niklas' small show of putting on the thematic ritz, Tabitha turns back to Sabella with a thankful dip of her head. She seems very pleased, this Whitehawk, quirk an amused eyebrow at Olivia. The comments about Michael are are met with a giggle, but as soon as Sabella mentions debates she quirks her eyebrows up with interest. She is a most thinksome Tabitha.

Olivia smiles, "Oh best thing about the king.... Beard." She states simply. But with a grin. Maybe that wasn't the actual topic. She just shrugs a little and sips her water.

"We could have a four way debate where each team has to argue who the second greatest is." Niklas happily slices himself off thick slices of ham, chicken and roast beef before looking for some roast vegetables to fill out the edges. "Gods mercy on whoever gets Valardin. I'll take Redrain!" He gets himself a forkful of buttered turnip and sits back, smiling at everyone else as if he isn't suggesting something that could cause multiple wars.

"If you simply stand there and look quietly at him for a time?" Liara queries of Sabella, probably really not needing clarification but asking anyway. Niklas' suggestion elicits a laugh from Liara, who otherwise busies herself with eating, beef and sundry vegetables inundated in gravy - for all the enthusiasm and vigour with which she approaches most things, she's a pretty dainty eater, even when there's gravy everywhere.

Alaric exhales. "So many people are complimentary about the beard, I half think I might be overthrown if I ever shaved it off," he observes. "It could definitely very well be a debate-winning proposition."

Sabella laughs, "I shall certainly take that under consideration, your majesty. But I do think everyone would try to choose the beard and thus it wouldn't be much of a debate." She grins at Niklas' suggestion, "That's not a bad idea. Some people might say it was slightly biased towards Grayson though:"

Tabitha's a dainty eater too, as if trying not to draw attention to herself. Between small, slow bites, she occasionally looks towards Olivia with the faintest and most worried look in her eyes, but then she turns back to Sabella and gently announces, "I suppose you could debate the perfect amount of facial hair. Anything from clean-shaven to..." she places down her knife to wave a hand gently in the air... "Whoever we know has a most enormous beard."

Olivia hmms a bit, "It is a good beard. It will be a position that is hard to defeat in debate I think." A smile for Tabitha. "But otherwise I cal Velenosa."

"Well, all the great houses are holding their own events, so it's all right to have a slight bias as long as everyone else has their opportunity to be slightly biased," Alaric observes. "That's fair!"

"Artistic flair? Quality of bodyguard?" Liara supposes to Alaric. Then she chuckles at Tabitha's suggestion for a debate. "That could certainly prove memorable. Naturally, none at all is perfect. Can you imagine the trouble trying to get ready to go out otherwise? Unless we are counting just men, here."

"We could always debate who has the best desserts," says Niklas between bites. "After all, it /is/ the Taste of Arx. And everyone loves desserts. Who could resist the urge to try a handful from every fealty and then scream at one another about which is the most delicious?"

At that, Tabitha seems to light up, nodding with enthusiasm. "It's quite a serious issue. Cake vs Pie alone. You be surprised at how it divides people. Worthy of debate."

"That seems like the best way to move into our usual game," Sabella says cheerfully, "I shall start! Obviously, I am busy organizing a Taste of Arx, which I hope will instill in everyone a great pride of being part of the Compact and of being here in Arx." She snaps her fingers and points to Tabitha, "Aha! That seems a worthy debate! And so I choose you, Lady Tabitha, to go next and tell us something interesting that has happened or that you are planning!"

Alaric preemptively covers his face with a hand at Tabitha's suggestion. "Are we organizing a dinner or a massacre? Goodness, that sounds utterly perilous," he grimaces.

Niklas considers a bit of Sanctum sprout, then points it in Tabitha's direction. "Custard!"

Olivia rolls her eyes at Niklas, "The obvious choice is puffed pastry."

With that, Tabitha nods at Alaric and Niklas quite seriously. To Niklas, "Custard is very excellent." And then to Olivia. "Also puffed pastry, yes." She just likes dessert, really. But then to Sabella she smiles, having a thing before she announces, "Oh, yes. I think this is interested? But I've been considering taking a trip across of villages across the Crownlands, painting some of the villages and natural features of the countryside. There's so much beauty out there, especially when the autumn leaves appear."

With a little look towards Olivia (Alaric getting away with it for now!), Tabitha asks, "How about you, Lady Olivia?"

Olivia raises her eyebrow mid drink. She sets the water down. "Oh so much... Well working on the Harvest and Festival at the lodge. Potentially Perilous adventures of all kinds, it seems people like bringing Physicians with them." She shrugs a bit with a smile. "How about.... Your Majesty, would you do us the honor?"

"That sounds like a thoroughly delightful sort of trip," Liara comments to Tabitha. Then to Olivia, with a quick grin. "And that sounds like there might be a lot of potential peril. I hope that you remain safe."

"Seems rather useful, that," Alaric agrees with Olivia. "Well, I suppose most of my work recently has been related to the big announcement of the last Assembly. Victus is fully deserving of all the credit he's received, of course, but I'd like to think that I had a bit to do with helping enable him to feel confident in committing to his decision. Other than that, the usual slate of meetings here and there, helping with projects from Compact-wide concerns down to personal ones. Selene Whisper has been at work on the latest additions to my wardrobe, so I've been working with her to get those ready. I think they'll turn out superlatively. And what about you, Liara?"

"Uff. Potentially perilous adventures are my least favorite types. Superlatively safe? Much better. Entirely innocuous? Grand! Soley snoozing? Best of all." Niklas looks around for dessert, then just starts scooping that on his plate. "Actually, you can ignore the adventure part, too. I'll take a nap and then later on write about the adventure and it will be even better than had I gone on it, as I will have all the story but none of the injuries."

"I have a party coming up in a few days, here in the mansion, so you are all of course invited - everyone is, but you all especially are." Liara starts with that, adds, "I will likely throw another with Princess Valencia in a couple of weeks. And I have been in communication with Grandmaster Preston about the fortress that he would like to build. The exact start date for that shall somewhat depend on him, so if it is deferred by more than a matter of weeks, I shall start on a project of expanding Bastion's granaries and their stock."

And thought it may appear that Tabtha hs fld, she'll be in the background quietly nomming at delicious foods until the time comes for her to exit the scene. She smile and laugh at the right points in time, unless the conversation turns to something grim. No laughing at that. She's be a jerk to laugh at that kind of stuff.

Tabitha can notably not get words right.

Laudine, a stern middle-aged maidservant, 2 Whitehawk Guards, Cabbit, a nub-tailed tabby cat leave, following Tabitha.

Olivia grins a bit at Niklas and turns to Liara, "Ah yes. Well one of them I was told Captain Harlex would be made personally in charge of my safety, so I am confident there. The rest I am usually accompanied by every spare Ashford and such is sent with me." She picks her water back up and takes a sip. "Ah yes your Majesty. It was a fabulous announcement. I am trying to think of ways we at the Keep can help. I was thinking of setting aside some new and extra farm land for any freed Thralls that wish to come. I only fear that would be seen as an attempt to steal people from Thrax. I am not exactly great at these kinds of things." She says to Alaric. A smile for Liara, "Nice and busy I see!"

Sabella stops daintily stuffing her face with food to say to Liara, "Master Venturo Thayne was looking for someone to speak with concerning improvements to Bastion by way of entertainment and maybe trade, I think. You may want to reach out to him, he may be able to help that grainery project." Alaric gets a smile, "I think everyone is well aware that it Victus didn't have your support he never would have made that choice."

"Oh, Captain Harlex has quite a fine sword arm, I've heard. Never had the opportunity to see it in person at the training grounds or the like, but everyone I've heard speak of his prowess at arms has been quite complimentary," Alaric notes before grinning at Sabella. "Well, thank you for saying so. I would hope that any monarch of the Compact would have backed House Thrax in ending their long partial estrangement from the rest of the Compact in regards to everyday law and procedure, and I am proud to have been able to do so during my reign."

"I feel like Princess Alarissa gets too little credit as well. Just years ago Prince Victus was a proud reaver, bringing home thralls to add to the chains and insisting that Maelstrom would never turn away from tradition. His willingness to make this change can only have been at least somewhat spurred on by the work the Princess-Consort has been doing to pay off the debt of thrall children and to improve the lives of those already in chains." Niklas sits back in his seat, patting himself on the stomach to help settle everything. Ancient Islander trick for freeing up more space. "Improving the Isles with some Crownlander philanthropy."

Alaric nods to Niklas. "I quite agree, Niklas. Alarissa's done quite a bit of work to turnabout what was a fairly long tradition upheld by Donrai of keeping the rest of the Compact at a fair distance. It's not so long ago that seeing House Thrax participate in, let alone hold social functions was remarkably rare," he adds.

"I always like to be at least somewhat so," Liara replies to Olivia, with a quick smile. She then gives a little nod over at Sabella, considering that. "Possibly so. It's wildly pragmatic compared to my usual, I suppose." She gives an agreeable nod over at Niklas then.

Olivia sips her water one last time and sets it down. "I think it is about time to head home before Harlan sends someone to find me. I do thank you for having me over for dinner. The whole of Ashford House sends it's best.... Literally and as a turn of phrase... get it... because I came?"

Alaric is overheard praising Grayson: None greater than us!

Sabella grins at Olivia, "Thank you for stopping by, Lady Olivia. Give our best to your house. As for Princess Alarissa, I was thinking we should call her--" just then little Gareth starts to cry and she immediately stands, "Please excuse me, it seems someone is jealous of all the food."

"It's encouragement to move on to eating solids," Liara supposes to Sabella, not in the slightest bit seriously.

Niklas looks around, then gets to his feet. "Well! I have all sorts of interesting things happening! Though mostly what I'm doing now is working on our third annual summer plays. The audience turn out gets bigger and bigger each year, so now it's time to start thinking about next year! I'm also deep into a third rewrite of the Song of Tala Everfree, what promises to be my next play but to be true these things change constantly. And I am thinking about making a push to get a favorite historical figure into the Hall of Legends, but I will need to speak with a few people first. Marquessa Quenia and Archduchess Jaenelle first, I think."