It is becoming rote, these fealty fashion shows. It is the third (or second, depending on how you are counting them) and Talia seems to be getting a little more comfortable in having them. This time, she has hired a chef to cater the event and servants for the wine and alcohol, rather than trying to pour it herself, and they circle the showroom to offer refreshments to the guests. She has hired a mercenary, a lithe female who stands near the mannequins with a sharp gaze and a sharper sword. She still hides, slightly, in the corner of the room, her down a dusty grey with tinges of pink, watching as people gather. This time, however! She has notes. She is looking through what is a hastily written speech, chewing on her lower lip.

Esme saunters into the store with a slight bounce to her step. There is something rather graceful about her movements as she looks around. She's not done one of these before. "Oh! There is food and drink? This is already the best sort of place I have ever been. I'm so excited to see the gowns." She glances around the area.

Nina Autumndale, who has a big interest in fashion, wanted to take in the show and see what the really best of the best in Lycene style might have to offer. She walks in looking excited to gawk at all the beautiful gowns. She tried to dress fashionably herself, so she is wearing her brocade hat. But the gowns themsleves she knows will be absolute showstoppers.

Briar, a quiet young woman arrives, delivering a message to Nina before departing.

"-found myself lost in the thirteenth row in the stacks. It was hours later. I went in to find a book on fishing practices and found myself reading up on a book about the different forging methods that a farrier uses to create the shoes on a horse. But by then, night had fallen and they sent out servants to the archives to find me since I had been gone all day. The looks on their faces were terribly upset. But they had a right to be upset with me" Hands move as she speaks, coloring and punctuating as she and Lora enter. Casting a rod and then swinging a hammer. A little ruffled around the edges and ink stains on her fingers, Ysabel's eyes widen at the shop. "Oh my."

mannequins covered in dark navy velvet is now unlocked.

Talia gets The Duchess of Mysterious Three-Headed Hydras, a luxury brocade gown from mannequins covered in dark navy velvet.

mannequins covered in dark navy velvet is now locked.

mannequins covered in dark navy velvet is now unlocked.

Talia gets The Duchess of Bladed White Roses, a luxury brocade gown from mannequins covered in dark navy velvet.

mannequins covered in dark navy velvet is now locked.

This story about the voyage through the archives seems to hold Lora's attention fair rapt, at least until she and Ysabel are properly inside the showroom. "This, I gather, is then why everyone should go in pairs. Just in case." Whatever other thoughts there might've been fade away as she also looks about with, perhaps, a bit of delight at the glitter and the glamour of the place. "No hammers in here, I dare say. No fishing poles either."

Donning the remarkable outfit designed by Talia, Alessia seems transfixed by the skirts, a hand brushing the material instinctively as she wanders around the room. "Messere, these are all wonderful." She says to the woman, as she studies each gown worn by the mannequins. Then she inclines her head in greeting to the familiar women gathered.

What else would one wear to such an event? Berenice arrives in none other that an ensemble crafted by the woman of the hour, of course: brilliant and breathtaking aeterna. The cloak is a welcome addition, considering the weather, although she allows her valet to slip it from her shoulders a few moments after she enters. Her smile is brilliantly warm for Talia, and she approaches her directly, reaching for her hands and leaning to brush a kiss to either cheek. "Darling, I am /thrilled/ to be here."

"Thank you, my lady," Talia says with a quick blush, her lips twisting into a smile. She tucks away her notes, her eyes flicking away to note the arriving nobles. Then! Berenice is there with all her dominating presence, taking the seamstresses attention away from others as she straightens under her patron's attention. She nods, nods, without kissing back. "I could not do any less, for your fealty, of course. And with the help of my anonymous benefactor."


Nina lets out a little sigh as she sees Alessia take up the dress. She clutches her hands to her heart. "It looks so beautiful! But so daring! I've never quite seen gowns like these before!" She turns her head a little as Berenice arrives, still looking dazzled.

Talia clears her throat, smiling to Berenice and to Nina, before she reluctantly drags herself to the stage. She pulls back out her notes, clearing her throat again as she starts to organize her speech, stammering out a: "I won't keep you overlong, here. I know there's so many things that demand attendance in the city."

"No fishing poles! Oh! Look at that one!" Palpable excitement on the Baroness of Caith's face and hands clap repeatedly in unbridled joy. "Oh! Where's the one for your house?" Ysabel cranes her neck to peer around.

Esme is ushered to do a quick change of clothing. Okay, it's not quick at all. It takes all the talents of assistants to make this happen and then Esme comes out in a Talia original for the rest of the showing. She moves with that air of Lycene confidence as the brocade clings and causes her to shimmer. The most interesting thing is the blade of rubicund steel that goes from throat to thigh with rubies, dawnstone and iridescite. She moves over towards Talia and kills the graceful, feline come-hither by bouncing. "This is the most fabulous thing that has ever been on my body. And there have been many fabulous pe--things on my body." She will give a vibrant smile for Berenice and the others gathered too.

Esme is overheard praising Talia.

Nina blushes a little at Esme's comment, then giggles. She looks rapt toward Talia, watching her with attention.

"On proper display," Lora assures Ysabel, "until it can be worn the way it was meant to be." There's a slight curve of a smile that appears as she says this, and a tilt of her head in the direction of one of the mannequins, but she is very rapidly distracted both by Talia stepping up on the stage, and then by Esme's emergence from the changing room. "I'm not sure which makes which more lovely, Esme. You, or the gown." There might be a trickle of teasing in this, but more will have to wait until the seamstress has finished her speech, and the marquessa falls quiet to listen.

"Talia, you could never in your /life/ disappoint," Berenice tells her fondly before she steps back to give Talia room for her speech. Does she flinch at her protege's awkwardness upon starting? Of course not. She has very good composure. Her gaze settles upon Esme when she emerges, swathed in that brilliantly white brocade, and her smile widens, positively enchanted. "Oh, /brilliant/."

"In approaching my collection to represent the Lyceum, I wanted to make sure I encapsulated what I thought the Lyceum brought best to the Compact, daring and pleasure, dazzling style and wits, while also capturing each House's strengths and struggles. I wanted to ensure that I balanced the militant ideals of Malvici with their natural charms," she nods to the Raptor gown on the velvet mannequins. I wanted to ensure that Mazetti's mystery and power were both present," she nods to Alessia's gown. "I wanted to make sure Fidante's beauty and their danger showed in my design," she nods to Esme's gown. "I wanted to ensure that Volkov's legacy and how DiFidante were born from their ashes, only to rise farther together, was apparent," she nods to the Wreathed Roses dress on the velvet mannequins. "I wanted to ensure that the ever growing and burning passions of the Igniseri were illustrated," she nods, again, to the Phoenix dress on the mannequins. "And I wanted to ensure that the daring and innovation of Tessere were displayed," she nods to the Snake dress on the mannequins.

"All in all, of course, I wanted to capture the Lyceum, and so I present my Fashion of the Fealties, the Lyceum collection, for your approval. I hope that I have done you justice." She bows, blushing, to the Lycene nobles as she concludes her speech.

Nina is standing in the back, as she is not a noble, but she's still happy to quietly applaud to this speech.

Talia surely didn't mean to exclude Nina! She even smiles to the woman. It just seems, as per society, nobles trump all, of course. (Unless we're talking money.)

Esme claps for Talia and her speech. She will find a drink to raise towards the artist as well. She spins for Berenice though. "It is splendid is it not?" She will attempt an air kiss before moving towards Lora. "It is definitely the gown. I have little to offer it." There's a vibrant smile towards Nina and a wink before she looks at the others and their gowns. "Beautiful. Truly."

"It takes time to recover from having a child. So I'm told. Clearly I don't have that experience." Running off at the mouth. Ysabel looks at the dresses and gives a dreamy sigh. "They are all so beautiful. But I have to go. I wanted to try my hand at the qualifier for the Tournament of Thorns. I managed to get one thorn!" Apology written all over her face to Lora.

Nina is overheard praising Talia: Such amazingly beautiful work!

Lora stands quietly thus and listens, a rapt enough audience for Talia's introduction to her collection. Alessia's hydra gown catches her eye near the end and she tilts her head to look that direction, a glimmer of smile for the Mazetti appearing. She's about to trade one vivacious companion for another though, as Ysabel takes her leave and Esme nears. "Good luck," she murmurs to the former. "I meant to try the Monarch's path, but alas." Then. "You do yourself no credit at all, Esme. None at all. Turn around, and let me see." She even takes a step back, like that will help her get a better view of the dress. And Nina, to whom she inclines her head a bit upon spotting. And of Berenice, in the process, prompting, "Your highness, your protege has quite a gift."

Nina approaches Berenice, boldly, clapping her hands a bit more but mostly wanting to get a better look at the exquisite gown. "Oh, she is your protege! Lucky! You get to wear such lovely new things all the time, I'll bet!" It looks like Ysbel is going out to the tournament, so Nina waves to her but she is already gone. "Hm, I wonder if I'll see her at the finals!"

Esme hears about the tournament. "I promised Sebastian I would go lose that." She wrinkles up her nose and will hug /everyone/ that will accept it. However, she circles back last to Lora. "Please take care to recover and then I shall come hold that baby like no baby has been heald before." She winks towards Nina. "You will see her, I'm sure. You'll see me too." There is a beat. "In the stands." She laughs and is out the door.

mannequins covered in dark navy velvet is now unlocked.

Talia gets The Marquessa of Wreathed Roses Reborn, a luxury brocade gown from mannequins covered in dark navy velvet.

With a warm smile as Lora looks her way, Alessia raises a hand in greeting. When she's done studying the clothes in great detail, especially lingering around the black, snake themed gown, she turns again to Talia. "Thank you again, messere. I know my duchess will be most pleased with this. And you do your patron proud." She turns to Berenice. "Your highness." Giving Nina a kind smile, she turns for the door.

Nallah, a buff-looking tortie cat with green eyes, Sirra, a very quiet maid, an indeterminate number of cats, 3 House Mazetti Guardians leave, following Alessia.

Talia steps away from her speech, moving to the mannequins to carefully start packing up her gowns and getting them to the right places. The first one to get taken off is the Wreathed Roses gown, carefully folded up and folded up before she hands it to the fierce-eyed female mercenary to deliver into Lora's hands.

Nina watches Talia at work. She seems enthralled, but then, as a commoner, suddenly feels perhaps a little out of place. She makes plans to perhaps come back later, and then gives the others present a bow. "I must haste back to the Bards College but I appreciated this opportunity to see your work and designs!"

"Of course. Come any time," murmurs Talia to Nina as she leaves, nodding respectfully.

"It wouldn't be gracious of me to monopolize /all/ of her time," Berenice replies to Nina with a warm laugh. "But I do treasure the gowns she crafts for me." Her gaze shifts to Ysabel and Esme both as they slip out for their event, and it's only the briefest moment before she's looking back to Lora, finding her smile once more. "She does, doesn't she? I am thrilled simply to help bring her talents to the public eye. It feels my /duty/, really."

"Thank you." Lora begins with this, as the gown is handed off, but she doesn't quite end it there. Rather she bows her head with some formality to Talia, chasing that with a glimmer of a smile that is rather warmer than the gesture might otherwise suggest. "It really is magnificent, and I look forward to having an opportunity to wear it, properly, as it's meant to be worn, and seen." The same smile is turned on Berenice. "Such a challenging duty, I have no doubt. Sharing such artistic vision is always a sacrifice." It sounds just serious enough to likely be not, at all.