Vale, A Baby Arctic Fox, Pearl, A Baby Arctic Husky, 2 House Crovane Guards arrive, following Clara.

Mutters and copious side eye is given from the Lower Boroughs residents in the bar as one of higher station enters the Murder of Crows.

Maxene, the steadfast ladies maid, Pellinor, a nameless overwrought highstrung pygmy goat, 3 Thrax Guards, 2 Thrax Elite Guards arrive, following Alarissa.

Another night has passed and hey, no one was dragged from their beds in the middle of the night. But there's certainly been some... well, different treatment. The self proclaimed Order of the Unicorn - don't let Brigida hear you call yourself that - has slunk/strutted their way to the lowers on a mission. They're still trying to piece together what happened and there's been at least one cohesive enough memory with regards to Rinel, on the bar top of the Murder of Crows.

And so through the lowers they go, and as they do, that same strangeness occurs. Ansel, the Duke of Telmar is... beloved. Like, they part way for him, his name called out and ocacsionally it's Duke but usually it's Ansel! There's a few nobles that dare to linger through the Lowers away from that direct route to the docks. Though there's some dirty looks from Iron Guardsman and one bumps the elbow of another and juts his head to the group before they both run off. To who knows where. Might not be good given things they know.

But through the door to the Murder of Crows they go in this late afternoon about to turn evening and as they cross the threshold, people turn and look and as one almost, cups and mugs lift and there's a collective..

ANSEL!

There's those looks again as they move through the city and Ansel can't help but look about and then to his companions, giving a little shake of his head, "This is eerie. I'm certainly not used to walking down the street and having people cheer for me." Then, when the Murder of Crows is reached and he moves inside .. only for the crowd within to turn, lift cups and mugs and call his name, there's a little blink, a cant of his head to the side and a soft groan falls past his lips. A hand lifts to his face, giving it a little rub before it lifts upwards to give a wave to the crowd, "Oh. Hi there, everyone."

Monique, much restored after some sleep, is wearing gloves today. They're silk, of course, and black, stretching up her arms to her elbows. Very fashionable, paired with her star iron corset and seasilk skirts. She has not dressed down in the least as she accompanies Ansel through the Lowers, but that doesn't stop her from joining the cheer of the commoners in the Murder, thoroughly enjoying the Duke's discomfiture. "I bet he'd like to offer another round, on the house!"

The cheers grow louder at Moniques words.

Sebastian's night, for the record, has mostly been spent variously in a bath of oatmeal, or miserably tossing in bed. It might explain why he shows up late... but then that's just par for the course for the Pravus prince, granted. He's dressed once again in his familiar, comfortable silks, clothing tailored to fit him, though he still has that slightly red-eyed look that suggests he might've been trying some more stave-off-hangover-with-more-wine option rather than the much more sane option of giving his liver a break. The prince, for the record, seems to really enjoy this notoriety that Ansel has collected. He even stops to hail people as they pass through the lowers: "Hey, look! It's Ansel!" helpfully pointing out the Duke while sounding distinctly amused. The cheer of the Duke's name has another voice added to it when they step through into the bar: Sebastian adds, "ANSEL!" in a joyful way.

Sebastian is overheard praising Ansel: ANSEL!

At long last, Rinel is no longer drunk. She is, in fact, miserably sober--and the hangover that so many had been nursing yesterday has hit the poor theologian with even stronger effect. But the mourning garb she's been wearing since Elisha's exile is gone, replaced with a simple linen dress. She scowls at the world from red-rimmed eyes, and she is leaning heavily on her cane. "Shouting. Which miserable archfiend invented the curse of /shouting/?" she mutters venemously. And then, sardonically, "It would seem you've substantially improved the position of your house, Duke Telmarch. At the very least, you've stepped out from behind your father's shadow."

"Dear Gods, its like you've been tossing silver into the streets for them... I've never seen such happiness at the sight of a noble in the Lowers..." Swift moves along with them, looking around with a sort of wonder as they pass commoners with smiles and good cheer for the Duke. She also takes note of the Iron Guard and their suspicious behavior.. again. This doesn't bode well for them. Letting out a sigh, she turns, just in time for them to enter the Murder and... "Good Gods. Such unity here hasn't been seen since Victus rowed an imaginary boat across the floor...." Blinking, she looks around the room before moving to the bar and trying to see if there's a tally of the drinks from a few nights past, hoping she can use hard numbers to help put some pieces together.

Ras is standing leaning against the bar, apparently ordering something, when that cheer rises. He half-turns to appraise the incoming group and there's a knowing smirk that flickers across his features.

Rinel checked wits at difficulty 15, rolling 10 higher. Rinel rolled a critical!

Sebastian checked wits at difficulty 15, rolling 6 lower.

Ansel checked wits at difficulty 15, rolling 2 lower.

Swift checked wits at difficulty 15, rolling 1 lower.

If looks could kill, Monique would be little more then a bloody pile of goo upon the floor of the Murder, what with the way that Ansel is looking at her. Of course, that look gets shifted in the direction of Sebastian and then he's looking over towards Rinel, smirk dancing to his lips, "So it would seem, my dear." His gaze then plays over towards Swift, "I wouldn't be surprised if I did just that." There's a pause. A look of resignation. A sigh and then he's calling out, "Drinks are the Duke, it would seem!" Oh, he's going to regret this, there's absolutely no doubt about that.

Monique checked wits at difficulty 15, rolling 1 lower.

Monique leans in to Ansel, grinning wickedly, offering, "The best form of social lubricant is alcohol. Come, you saw Rinel the other day! Surely you realize that we can work this to our advantage, to find out just what happened last night."



Sometimes you just need to get out of your own bar and sometimes crazy shit happens in bars that aren't yours but Lady Clara Crovane is beside herself with confusion as she turns around in her seat at the bar and looks to Ansel and crew when they enter. She shakes her head at Ansel. "Nice ta see yer all back..."

Sebastian takes the time to slap Ansel on the back encouraingly, grinning widely at the Duke before he makes his way towards the bar in Swift's wake. Not because he's trying to get information, at first, but because /on the house/, and he's always been curious what they serve in a lowers bar in Arx. "Your best... wine, barkeep!" the prince orders, over Clara's shoulder, squinting at her for a moment without recognition. "Oh. Yeah. Wild night, huh?" he says, like he completely remembers. Spoilers: NOPE.

Ansel checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 8 higher.

Sebastian checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 3 lower.

Rinel checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 12 higher.

Swift checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 9 higher.

Pete, a Grayhope account manager arrives, delivering a message to Swift before departing.

Rinel groans, and makes her way towards Ras. "You ordered drinks for everyone," she says to Ansel. "Multiple times. I remember, now that I... am improving."

Swift looks up from her examination behind the bar and shakes her head at Sebastian, "Don't do that. You don't want to do that." Then she's right back to hunting for ledgers, tallies, accounts.. anything she can find for two nights prior!

"Yes, yes, Monique. At this point, it certainly can't be any worse then it already is." That's offered with a chuckle from Ansel and another shake of his head before he's turning his attention over towrads Clara, brow lifting a touch, "Oh. You were here for the party that we had?" Gotta start fishing somewhere! He does make his way over towards the bar, only to then call out, "Give me whatever I had last night!"

Monique checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 23 higher. Monique rolled a critical!

Laurene, a military adjutant arrives, delivering a message to Ansel before departing.

Rinel sits down next to Ras. "The world is terrible, I'm in enormous trouble, and my blood hurts," she complains to the man. She points her cane to the wall, where a small drawing is located. "Someone go look at that and tell me my nightmares aren't being made real."

"Hey, Rinel Tern," says Ras, lifting his chin to the hungover Oathlander theologian. "Never saw you so drunk before, so. Must've been that cardian wine." He glances across the bar - half at Swift, but it's more like he's watching the cook who's ladling questionable stew out of a grubby pot. Then he looks back at Rinel. "Ever find that unicorn you went lookin for? Or just got it inked?" A low tone of humor weaves through his voice, as if he's teasing her more than genuinely curious.



"Aye, I was here. Was a real good time y'all were havin'." Clara stands up and walks over to those she is talking to with a tankard of mead in her hand. "Thanks fer the drink, Duke." She offers to Ansel and then looks to Monique. "I brought the dress you asked fer but like... Not sure that it's quite your size." She pulls out an aeterna dress from her bag and passes it to Ansel. "Then again... it might have been one of the ones Duke Asger used ta wear, who knows. I'm willin' ta bet that Asher Grayhope will make a lovely crown ta go with it."

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Clara before departing.

Sebastian's brows go upwards at Swift's warning. "No? I've had wine in Setarco's lowers -- it can't be that bad." But Setarco wine is Setarco wine -- and this, well. He seems to be living dangerously despite Swift's warning. As he leans on the sticky bar, he turns his head and spots the drawing. For a moment, he stares. And /stares/. His brow furrows, and he makes a brief sound, and then he's pushing up, striding over towards the drawing, reaching for the dagger to pull it out and grab the drawing with the intent of crumpling it quickly. He sounds odd, too. Like he's in pain or something.

Monique steps over to examine the picture attached to the wall with a dagger, and there's a squint in her emerald eyes. "Gods, that hand looks /so/ familiar, why can't I place it," the Minx mutters, under her breath, distracted then by the dress being handed to Ansel. "That is most certainly familiar!"

As a dress comes to be handed over to him, Ansel is giving a low groan and then there's a shake of his head, "Gods. I never want to see another one of these things, ever." A glance to Monique, a grunt and then he's looking about, catching sight of the parchment, "Ugh. That." His gaze shifts back to Clara, "Well, you're welcome, at least. Can't say I remember much of it, I'm afraid. Seems like people had a grand time for it, though." At least most of the people, Order of the Unicorn excluded.

Swift finally locates the ledger she was seeking and quickly thumbs through it. Glancing up at Ras and offering, "Drinks on the house for the next month if you keep the tattoo part quiet," then its right back to the ledger. When she finally tallies it up, she lets ut a breath. "Oh thank the Gods. My lord, its bot great, but it could have been much, MUCH worse." She looks to Sebastian and just shrugs and shakes her head before looking to Ansel, "Do you want to know? I can give you the total..." She tucks the ledger away and motions for the bartender to serve Sebastian the wine he asked for. She may be a touch amused by the sight that's about to occur. Looking to Clara, she dips a quick curtsy, "My lady. Did you provide us with others of these that night? Five, to be precise?"

Rinel turns her baleful gaze on Ras. "Both," she growls. "And I'm not speaking further on the topic, except to warn you of what it means for my stubborn temperament if I tracked down a Gods-damned /unicorn/."

Monique's eyes widen, and then narrow, and the Minx comments dryly to the Pravosi Prince. "Not exactly your finest work, Bas." Thoroughly and completely unimpressed, with just a hint of amusement.



"Aye, most men prefer ta see them on the floor than on a woman. What ya need so many for yerself though I'm not sure. But ya paid me very well fer them so I brought them" Clara is trying not to laugh because laughter seems to be the best response to this. "But ya can' remember what happened? Maybe I can fill in some blanks fer ya. What do ya remember?" She looks to Swift. "Aye, thought ya needed another though so I brought one today. Duke Ansel here paid handsomly fer them. 400,000 Silver to be exact."

Ras clears his throat, gaze fixing on Swift again, then tracking back to Rinel. "Oh, I'll keep it quiet," he agrees. "Can't say the same for Dirty Porridge. Guy's a blabbermouth." His stew is sloshed across the bar to him, and he pulls the bowl closer. He casts a look towards Clara, likely for stating such a large sum aloud, and the faint surprise in his eyes makes it clear he'd probably left the Murder by the time that people were selling aeterna dresses.

"Swift .. go ahead. Tell me what the damage was," is what Ansel is offered. At this point, there's nothing to be done about it. Except get himself a drink to help swallow down everything. Then, when Clara is making mention of the dresses and the cost, there's a grunt that passes by his lips and he's quick to offer, "Damn. Didn't even get to enjoy the things." A shake of his head, a half smile to Clara, "Well .. can't say I remember them, but thanks all the same." The total for them has him blinking and he's once again shaking his head.

Sebastian crumbles the drawing and stuffs it into a pocket with a visible grimace, before he stalks back towards the bar. He sighs out a thanks to Swift as he drops onto a bar stool next to her, and /thunks/ the dagger -- /her/ dagger -- onto the top of the bar in front of her. The noise he makes at Monique's critique can only be called a growl, really. It's probably why he's grateful for the wine, gulping down a mouthful -- and then coughing, because, "Gods, it's /awful/. Why didn't you tell me this stuff was awful?" he shoots and accusing look at Swift, as if she didn't just warn him.

"Welcome to the Murder," Rinel growls, absolutely without sympathy. "Try the Soup Kitchen next door." She thunks her head down onto the bar with another groan. "Blessed Brigida is going to /kill/ me."

"So now we know where we got the dresses, at least, and who designed the tattoo," Monique posits, coming to rest alongside Ansel, her eyes turning to Clara in greeting, her nod to Ras deep. "But what else did we do here? Did we drink? Did we do drugs?" She looks once more to Clara. "Fill us in?"

Looking to Clara, she gives a nod, wincing, "Well, thank you for providing the dresses. Its likely a good thing you didn't bring the last one that night, we may well have tried to rope another into our misadventures." To Ras she offers, "Not if he knows what's good for him, he won't be." And she tucks the name away to hunt down later and exact promises (and possibly revenge) from. Turning back to Ansel, she shrugs, "Its a hefty pricetag with the dresses included, but on the alcohol it was 100,000 silver. So the drinks, in total, were not too hefty a price. You are likely to be popular here for some time, my lord." Swift reclaims her dagger fromt he bartop and lifts a brow at Sebastian, smirking, "I tried to warn you. You didn't wnat to hear it. Why do you think its so cheap?"



"Aye, I'm not surprised. You all walked in with an empty bottle already in yer hands. Ya all looked pretty smashed. Let me start from the beginning." Clara sits down and motions people to join her. "You." She pointed to Ansel. "Bought out the entire bar and gave free drinks to everyone. Said spread the word and so... that happened." She pauses. "An' ya must have already been drunk because ya walked in with a bottle of some pretty rare lookin' wine." She pauses. "--Cardian-- wine." She pauses there.

Ras sets a few coppers on the bartop with a wry smile at Swift, then gingerly pats Rinel on the back when she drops her head like that. Collecting his stew bowl in the other hand, he replies to Monique's nod with a solemn one of his own, and goes over to sit by the drafty window - away from all the commotion where other regulars are clamoring for free drinks courtesy of Ansel.

Ras has joined the Window Table.

Rinel has joined the Window Table.

Clara has joined the Hearthside Table.

Ansel has joined the Hearthside Table.

Listening to Swift, Ansel's giving a nod of his head in her direction, "Well ... that could have been alot worse, I'll admit. Still." A chuckle and shake of his head and then he's turning his attention back over towards Clara, to listen and give a little nod of his head, "Well, that just confirms what we suspected happen in that regard. Good to know for sure, though." He does move to join her at her table, gaze playing over towards Monique, "Looks like that wine had quite a kick to it, Mo."

Oh do they clamor, intent on taking advantage of Duke's generosity a second time. Oh yes.

"A hundred-thousand. For this?" Sebastian seems visibly incredulous, holding the glass of so-called wine away from him as if it offends him somehow. "I hope it's worth it," he tells Ansel, wryly, "Because the drinks sure... are not." He grimaces at Swift's response, and pushes the glass... away from him, on the bar, hoping someone else will partake, as he eases away. Tugging a hand through his hair, he focuses on Clara's explanation. "Never drink Cardian Wine," he mutters, on the heels of her words. "Trust me."

Rinel checked intellect + occult at difficulty 60, rolling 3 higher.

"So. We'd drunk the Cardian wine. We came here, we drank more, courtesy of Ansel. No drugs?" Monique surmises. "But Rinel decided we needed unicorn hair. And I decided we needed aeterna and goats to get some. And then Sebastian decided we needed tattoos and graced us with an original drawing for them... and then we raided Keaton. And then the Lodge. Where does the Iron Guard fit in?"

Rinel lifts her head slowly from where she is sitting with Ras. "...how much primum do you think is in Cardian wine?" she says in a very tiny voice.



"Yeah, I think I'll pass." Clara agrees with Sebatian and then continues her story. "So ya all started listenin ta... them" She points to Rinel. "talk about mythical creatures and he was challenged to some sort of occult challenge. He got up on the bar, threw up both hands, spelled some alcohol on herself, and declared that ya were gonna get unicorn tattoos." She points to the unicorn drawling. "So after the drawing she decided that it was a bad idea and it would be better to go to the Lodge of Petrichor ta see real unicorns instead." She pauses. "Then ya all left and came back hours later with her" She points to Monique "holding a tiny little pygmy goat in a sling." She shakes her head at Monique. "No, no drugs that I could see anyways."

Ras squints across the table at Rinel, and pauses shoveling stew into his face with a wooden spoon for the span of five seconds. This gives him a chance to chew slowly, clear his mouth, and set the spoon down back into the bowl. Towards Monique, he says, "Heard some of the Guard complainin about a stolen cart-and-horse or some shit, maybe that's why."



Clara motions at Ras. "Aye, something about a cart big enough ta attach to a unicorn."

"Which is why 100,000 silver is gaining the Duke a lot of love for a long time in the Lowers." Swift nods towards Sebastian before rummaging around in her bag and glancing back to him. "I still have the bottle of wine from Clearlake if you need something for the moment." Then she's looking back towards Ras and sighing, "And that explains the cart outside the Lodge.... so. Now we need to pay reparations to the Iron Guard as well. Lets -hope- its just the cost of horse and cart."

"No," Sebastian disagrees quickly, heartily, with Monique. "Rinel was the one who suggested tattoos. I just..." he can't even bring himself to say /drew them/, because they're bad. SO BAD. Thankfully, Clara comes in to agree with that assertion on ownership of the tattoo idea, earning herself a very grateful smile from the Pravus prince. "We came back?" he sounds baffled. "Why? It can't have been for the drinks." He looks at Swift like she's just offered him a lifeline when she mentions the bottle. "Gods, yes. Please."

Turning his attention to Monique, Ansel is giving a little nod of his head before he's looking back over towards Clarissa, "That's ... good to know. And unfortunate, for us." A little shake of his head and a low chuckle in the back of his throat, "I certainly hope that's it for the surprises, though. Aside from the Iron Guard." His gaze turns over towards Swift and Sebastian, a bob of his head coming to be offered, "Yes! Wine. I need something good at the moment."

"because the lot of you couldn't ride on just one unicorn!" Someone calls out.

"So..." Monique murmurs, "basically I was innocent in all of this! And I'm simply paying the price for all of your /terrible/ ideas!" She orders rotgut whisky happily enough until she hears that call out. "... wait. Three unicorns. But there were five of us..."



"No, no." Clara offers. "The cart ya'll said was fer the unicorn. Ya didn' actually try ta steal a unicorn from the Lodge... did ya?" She looks at Ansel after the voice booms out about themnot being able to ride on one unicorn. "Aye, not enough fer ya ta 'ride' and so ya went ta attach one to a 'cart'? But ya don' remember doin' this? I hope ya didn' do that..."

Ras observes all this with a sort of slight amused bewilderment while continuing to gobble his stew.

The faintest bit of hope enters Rinel's voice. "So... so I wasn't the one who suggested capturing the unicorn?" she asks.

Lifting a hand, Ansel is smoothing it back through his hair as he turns his attention to Clara, a little curl tugging at the corner of his mouth, "Let's just say that there was a unicorn and a cart involved and leave it at that, hmm?" A shake of his head and his gaze plays over towards Monique, eyes narrowing a touch, "It was /your/ wine that started all this, Mo! The blame starts with you!"

Swift takes Snowplum, an ice wine from Clearlake Hold from a velvet gift bag embroided with the leaning coins of Gild.

"Mo's the one who wanted to catch it," Ras confirms to Rinel, through a half-chewed mouthful of too-pale stew meat.

"Mine!" Monique echoes incredulously, shaking her glorious crimson mane. "It wasn't just mine! Half of it was Swift's too and-" And then the Minx is glaring daggers at Ras. "Whatever happened to confidentiality!"

Rinel turns very slowly and stares at Monique. Her eyes are red-rimmed. Dark-ringed. And very, very angry. "You knew," she says, flatly. "And you let me confess to Blessed Brigida to save your hide."

Swift takes out the bottle of the MUCH nicer wine from Clearlake and motions for some glasses. Clean ones. Pouring out a measure for both Sebastian and Ansel before tucking it away again. "Your Highness, my lord." She motions to the glasses and just looks.. tired. They've barely begun and its already been an exhausting evening. She roots around in her bag for something a bit harder than just wine. The 'dreamwine' gets a long, considering look before she passes it over for the Volkov liquor. Pulling the bottle freea nd taking a quick shot with a grimace.

"You were the one that suggested the Cardian wine," Sebastian accuses Monique on the heels of Ansel, even though he has no basis for that accusation. He certainly doesn't remember -- but it's totally a thing she would do. "So really, this," his hands spread, "/all of this/, is because of you, Mo." He clears his throat pointedly at Clara's question. "No. Who would try and... steal a unicorn. Really." His eye twitches. He looks very, very grateful for Swift's wine right now, lifting a glass... and pausing. His voice lifts, clear and encouraging, "To ANSEL!" he yells, intent on encouraging a rousing response.

Sebastian checked charm + propaganda at difficulty 15, rolling 38 higher.

"TO ANSEL!" Cheers ring out around the bar and then there's someone poking thier head in, a bit on the scrungy side. "ANSEL IS HERE?!"

Ras grins a little and ducks his head over his bowl.

The renewed cheer of his name has Ansel's gaze shooting over towards Sebastian, a growl sounding in the back of his throat, "I'll get you back, Sebastian. Rest assured of that." Then, when someone asks if he's actually here, there's a grunt and a quick, "Yes, yes. I'm here. If you want a drink, I've already said that it's on the house." Then his gaze is turning back to Monique as Ras rats her out, "Ha. You wanted the unicorn. Looks like you're not so innocent."

"I don't even remember wanting a unicorn!" Monique protests and echoes, once more, "and it was Swift's wine, too! She could very well have suggested it!" The Minx rises from her seat and calls out, "Ten thousand silver to /anyone/ who can tell me who was holding the bottle of cardian wine when we arrived here last night!"

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Ansel before departing.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Ansel before departing.

Clearing her throat, Swift looks to Monique, "I didn't know unicorns existed." Then she's looking up. Far, far up. At the empty bottle at the very top of the shelf. "Well. I can safely assume that I did not put that there. But someone certainly did." Yep, that empty bottle of Cardian wine. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall the way up at the top of the shelf.



Clara shrugs her shoudlers. "I honestly can't remember who was holdin' the wine. I just remember the wine. It was memorable." She looks at them all. "I'm sure this is recoverable. I'd say blame the Cardians... who the fuck makes wine that strong? I mean really? Wine is supposed ta be the weaker shit that taste like candy. It's not supposed ta be stronger than liquor." She pauses. "What is it like abyssal tainted or something nuts?"

A shake of Ansel's head comes to pass and he's looking over towards the shelf, where that empty bottle rests and there's a half grunt that falls past his lips, "I should take that and put it in the Great Hall and Telmar Tower. As a reminder of things, along with this freaking dress." That's a wry statement, accompanied by another shake of his head

After that stuff that really was a crime to call /wine/, the Northlands wine is practically heavenly, Sebastian clearly enjoying it -- not to mention, judging by the gleam of blue eyes -- the response his cheer produces. He tips his glass in the Duke's direction as he takes another sip, Ansel's threat earning a grin from the Pravus as if encouraging it. Having missed that first announcement, he leans forward as Ansel repeats it, turning his gaze on Monique with a hearty, quiet chuckle. He follows Swift's glance towards the high shelf, wincing -- and again with Clara's suggestion. "Judging by the hangover..." he mutters, washing the rest of that sentence down with a gulp of decent, non-crime-inducing wine.

Monique gives a long, forlorn sigh. "I'm going to blame Alarissa," the Minx announces, turning morosely to her whisky at the same time. "This was very clearly all her fault. All right. What do we know? We need to track down the Iron Guard, I think. Really, that's the only part that we've missed, isn't it?" All of a sudden there's a dagger in her hands and she's turning it over and over.

Rinel gives Ras a long-suffering look before standing and moving to Monique. She pokes the woman in the foot with her cane. Ah. There's Brigida's protege. "This isn't over," she says, very clearly. "Whatever penance I am serving, I will make sure you serve it with me."

Ras starts to stand, clearing his now-emptied bowl and bringing it over to the bar to return to the cook. There's a strange look Rinel's way, some sort of bittersweet memory tainted by not-quite-amused amusement. Then he turns to the exit.

Ras has left the Window Table.

Sebastian checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 14 higher.

Ansel is turning his attention back over towards Clara, only to give a nod of his head towards her, "Well .. I certainly appreciate the info that you've been able to provide. It's been .. enlightening." A look amongst the others and his gaze then shifts over towards Monique, to give a nod of his head, "It would seem so."

Finishing his wine, Sebastian sets the glass firmly aside, straightening his silken shirt, head tilted back to eye the bottle. "I'll get it for you, Ansel. As a keepsake, so you'll always remember the great night that earned you many fine friends here," he says, over-loudly, before he moves to the shelves, boosts himself onto the bar, and starts to climb. He's not too worried about knocking down errant bottles that are stored in the shelves already, given he's just tasted the best -- and they're certainly /not/. Besides, Ansel's picking up the tab, right? It looks... mighty precarious, but the Praovsi manages to claim the bottle, holding it out victoriously, and then: "Hey--" he smiles brilliantly. "--I put this up here. Go figure."

Monique glares at everyone in turn, but Rinel the longest. "As it happens," the Minx informs her pointedly, "I have already sent a very large donation to the Lodge, to the Marquis and Marquessa Keaton, /and/ penned a note to Archlector Brigida, submitting myself to her for judgement and penance."



Clara tips back her tankard of mead and looks ta Ansel and his crew. "So it is nice ta meet ya all. Nice ta see you again, Monique." She nods her head to the other woman, not having seen her but once or twice in a couple years now. She looks back to Ansel. "No, problem Duke Ansel. Just as a medic, I must say... try an' watch what yer puttin' in yer mouth. As a Northern Lady though I offer some praise and I hope it was the ride of yer life." She looks conflicted for a second. "Well, I think I'm off but if ya need any more dresses let me know. I'm sure me family has some more extras lyin' aroun' in yer size." She gives Ansel a bright smile and then rises from her seat. "If you ever need a Deathspeaker, Shaman, or Combat Medic... keep me in mind. Fer now though... I think I'll leave ya'll to it." She puts the empty tankard down and looks to the door but gives people a moment to stop her if they would like more answers or whatever.

Turning his attention to Sebastian, Ansel gives a low chuckle in the back of his throat as he offers the man a nod of his head, "Appreciate it. Good little .. memento to have." There's a pause and then a smirk at the revelation that the Prince put the bottle up there, "And why would you have done that? That is the question." A shake of his head and he's moving to rise from his seat, looking to Clara once more to give a nod of his head, "Again. My thanks. I'll let you know if I have further need for dresses .. but I wouldn't hold your breath." There's a quick smile given and then he's turning to make his way towards the bar.

"ANSEL!" Is cheered out as Ansel heads back for the bar, people already drinking their fill on his tab.

Rinel lowers her face until it's even with Monique's. "Every. Single. Penance," she enunciates, showing the Minx her teeth. "I don't care about the money."

"That... I have no idea," Sebastian confesses, as he navigates his way down -- jumping down the last little measure to rattle some glasses. There, he sets the Cardian wine bottle on the top of the bar for Ansel to claim. "I wouldn't recommend it. No, definitely not," the Prince tells Clara, with a wry smile. "So, I guess it's on to face the music with the Iron Guard next?"

Monique holds up her dagger between she and Rinel, placing the blade flat. "Don't threaten me with a good time, Rinel." Her smile is sinister, in true Minx of the Marches fashion. "You don't have a broom handy."

1 Crimson Blades Sergeant, Rurik, a prodigal assistant, Aegis, a large red Oakhaven bloodhound arrive, following Mirk.

Ansel and Sebastian are the bar, an empty bottle of.. yes that's the Cardian wine, and an Aeterna dress beside them. Rinel has her cane. Monique a blade, and it's between the two of them and there seems to be some anger.... and every time someone comes in, everyone turns to the door and yells "ANSEL IS BUYING DRINKS!" and looks to Ansel, raising their glasses. "TO ANSEL!"

Clara has left the Hearthside Table.

Ansel is overheard praising Isabeau.

Sebastian is overheard praising Mirk: Savior.

Sebastian is overheard praising Swift: Healer.

Ansel is overheard praising Swift.

Sebastian is overheard praising Monique: Nope. Just, nope.

Ansel is overheard praising Sebastian.

Ansel is overheard praising Monique.

Sebastian is overheard praising Rinel: Bad. Ideas.

2 Pravus Honor Guard, Briar, a quiet young woman leave, following Sebastian.