As the rays of sunlight fade from view, leaving the skies a beautiful vermillion and golden congolomeration at the approaching sunset, a beautiful array of fairy lights light the way for guests into the heart of the gardens where young maidens gracefully run through the final preparations of laying out refreshments and tools to be used in shared beauty rituals later in the evening. Katarina is amongst them, garbed in a modest dressing gown of pale lilac. Her hair is unfettered, a riot of gentle curls, as she flits from one end to another, laying out glasses of champagne, wine, and tea to be plucked up by incoming ladies.

Who is incredibly uncomfortable with this, but adores Katarina and has two thumbs so is here anyway? Alis, that's who. Does she even have things like a dressing gown? When she arrives it's in a tunic and pants, hands clasped behind her back in parade rest style as footsteps bring her close to the teacups so she can pick something soothing to the nerves. Ugh, pampering :(

Reese arrives while adorned in her silver steel plate. She probably shouldn't have come covered in metal, but the girl is so often a tin can princess that she just didn't think this out too clearly. She does have a linen blouse and pants beneath her armor, so she will sheepishly strip down to such when in the gardens. She smiles over to Katarina and Alis. "Oh, hello, your highnesses."

Ysbail traipses into the gardens with a bright smile and her usual cotton dress that she can be found in all the time. Sandals on her feet, her hair still done up into the two massively long and thick braids. She offers a wave and grin towards Alis, then again to Reese. She knows them! Katarina, as the unknown quantity, gets the brightest of smiles, however, the young shaman moving towards her and offering cheerily, "Hello! I am Ysbail Blackwood. I've been here a few times, but usually because people are bleeding. Thank you for offering this!"

Reese arrives while adorned in her silver steel plate. She probably shouldn't have come covered in metal, but the girl is so often a tin can princess that she just didn't think this out too clearly. She does have a linen blouse and pants beneath her armor, so she will sheepishly strip down to such when in the gardens. She smiles over to Katarina and Alis. "Oh, hello, your highnesses." (repose)

Joslyn makes her way over in her brand new silks, and there's a smile as she looks around at the familiar faces and than Katarina and Ysbail. "Seems I am out of my element. Highnesses," she says, grinning as she bows her head, there is a lift her her eyebrow towards them all as she looks around at the rest. "For those that don't know me, I'm Joslyn Manicelli," there is a grin towards Reese and Alis. "Nice to see you both outside of a sparring arena or battlefield."

With a tray of refreshments balanced gracefully in a hand, Katarina turns to receive the incoming stream of ladies. First, she reaches over to grasp lightly at her sister's hand and offer it a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry, Alis. Nothing strange will happen," she promises, before her lips curl in a dimpled smile toward Reese and Ysbail and Joslyn. "Princess Reese, Mistress Ysbail, Mistress Joslyn! Thank you for coming! Might I offer you refreshments? A glass of wine, champagne, tea? We have whisky, rum, and more goodies, too."

"Shaman Ysbail. It's nice to see you under better circumstances." Alis admits, preferring not to be bleeding the first time she meets someone. But beggars cannot be choosers, right? And her smile is a bit brighter, as she turns to greet Reese and Joslyn. "Oh hi! Princess Reese, Joslyn." Katarina's reassurance is met with a still somewhat wary expression. Girl rituals. She continues to be unfamiliar with such things.

Reese has her armor piled up in a shiny pile of bling. She smiles over Joslyn as she arrives. She then turns to Katarina. "Thank you for having me and some wine would be fine." She murmurs before, turning to smile over to Alis and Ysbail as well. She moves to take a seat a garden.

Ysbail grins and bobs her head towards Katarina, "I've only ever had tea and whiskey... what do the other things taste like?" Turning towards Joslyn, she offers a chipper, "Hello! I am Ysbail Blackwood!" And as the bright blue tattoos and Alis have named her, shaman! Speaking of Alis, she chuckles and gives a nod. "Yes, very, though I am glad that I was able to help. I hope your husband is recovered as well?"

Joslyn moves towards Reese, happily wrapping her up in a tight hug before smiling to Katarina. "Oh some wine sounds wonderful," she says. She seems eager and ready, as this little fighter is clearly familiar with the girl rituals, as a Lady's Maid, of course. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Blackwood!" Joslyn offers cheerily.

Reese returns Joslyn's hug, wrapping her slender arms about the woman and then she tries to kiss her cheek. "It is nice to see you again, Joslyn." She murmurs softly. "And what a pleasant setting." She murmur softly while still curled-up in the garden with her slender elgs folded to one sides.

Katarina considers Ysbail a moment before passing her flute of freshly poured honey-flavored champagne to the shaman. "Here, I think you might like this, to start out? It is a surprising favorite of mine, not too heavy on the palette." She turns her attention toward the other women gathered, motioning them to join her amongst the lounges. "Will you girls join me over here? It is not pampering if we are not comfortable."

Taking the offered glass, Ysbail smiles brightly at Katarina and gives a nod, "Thank you! I'm sure it will be perfect." Taking a sip, she blinks, then giggles, "Oh that tickles a little!" She's not quite sure what to expect, but Ysbail seems game for whatever is up, following along after their hostess.

"He is, yes. Quite recovered thank you. I know he'd like a chance to speak with you when you both have time, too." Alis offers in response to the question, while small steps take her towards the lounge chairs that Katarina has had set up. That, at least, she can curl into comfortably and without a look of nervous 'ohgodwhyamihere'. That, and the chamomile tea.

"Oh, that looks good." Reese says and looks upon the honey flavored champagne. She smiles and then rises to her feet, coming to join the lounges. "I would love to, thank you." She curls up there. Reese looks more like a normal girl when out out of her armor.

Joslyn smiles as she follows Reese, settling on the lounge beside her, getting quite comofrtable as she kicks off her slippers and tucks her feet under herself, curled up comfortably with the other Ladies. Wine is offered and Joslyn takes a glass, sipping comfortably, and looking quite happy now that she's imbibing on her favorite drink. "Of course!" she pipes up to Katarina. "That's why we're here, isn't it?"

As everyone takes their places in lounge chairs loosely gathered in a wide circle, Katarina reaches to grasp for a few small bowls filled with a gentle mauve-colored paste with a soft, sweet scent emanating from within. "Could you ladies pair up? You'll want to pick a partner for this."

Taking a seat on one of the loungers, Ysbail unties the thongs of her sandals and slips them off before putting her feet up on the chaise. Smiling across at Alis, she nods eagerly, "Of course! Its nice to meet other Prodigals, even if we come from different parts of Arvum, its still nice. I can be available largely whenever he is." She glances up at Katarina's words, then smiles to Alis, "Partner with me? We can both do this for the first time... whatever it is..."

Joslyn gives a glance towards Alis and Reese, before Ysbail asks Alis, which makes Joslyn's decision all the easier! There's a grin towards Reese. "So, pair up with me, yes? Always an adventure when we pair up!" Joslyn says towards Reese, a sultry quirk of her lips lifting into a smirk. "Is that a face cleanse?" she asks curiously as she looks to Katarina.

Alis slips off her shoes, curling her feet up under herself as she gets more comfortable. "I'll be sure to let him know." she promises, giving the shaman a pleasant (and probably relieved) nod of agreement to partner up for the secret beauty ritual involving paste. "That would be lovely, thank you! I'm... skeptical. What is this supposed to do exactly?" She squints at the stuff. Whatever it's for.

Reese smiles over ot Joslyn. "Oh, I would be happy to partner with you, Joslyn." She murmurs softly. She looks toward the bowl with curious interest.

A vibrant laugh is lost at Joslyn as Katarina sets a bowl before her and Reese. "Right you are," she affirms with a bow of her head. "It's a special mix from home," the young princess explains, moving onward to set the final bowl in front of Alis and Ysbail. She dips her fingers in to reach over and lightly wipe it upon her sister's cheek with a soft titter. "Oh, don't be skeptical about everything, Alis! I would never steer my own sister wrong, no? It will feel a little tingly, as it helps clean the pores and tone the skin."

"I'm not sure... it doesn't look like any cream or poultice I've ever used... but then, none of us are hurt or... diseased." Ysbail chuckles and lifts a shrug, her adventurous spirit taking over. "At least its a pretty color! And," she pauses to sniff at the air, "and it smells nice, too!" Sipping her champagne, she glances back to Alis with a grin as the first swipe goes to her. "Oh! So.. Valardin is known for taking a more.. open, view of Prodigals, correct? Of Abandoned?"

Joslyn sits up, cross-legged as she looks into Reese's eyes, smiling towards the Grayson princess as she dips her finger into the bowl. "Shall I start with you?" she says then. "Pull your hair out of your face, let's get you cleansed!" there's a delightful laugh. As a personal maid to Duchess Calista, this is something she's rather familiar with, though the mixture is different, there is a confidence in how she moves her fingers to Reese's face, beginning the careful application of the cream. "Just because we're tough fighters, it doesn't mean we can't use a little refining in our beauty regimin," Joslyn observes. "No reason I can't be tough and look good too!"

"I promise you, when I was growing up if someone smeared things on my face, it was never pretty or smelled nice." Alis mumbles, having obviously mostly grown up around male siblings and cousins... since she tried so super extra hard to follow in their footsteps. Still, like any good sibling, she sticks out her tongue at Katarina, and then smiles and winks at her before taking a breath and scooping up some of the paste. "I guess I'm supposed to smear this on your face. I'm sorry." In advance, she says this of course, while... considering her other response. "Well, that largely depends. I think my brother and I have both tried to be more open minded. But many in the Oathlands are very... pious, and don't look favorably in shamanism. It is one of the things Fia and I hope we can set a good example for. Both religions living in harmony."

Vex the Pygmy Owl arrives, delivering a message to Alis before departing.

Reese draws back her golden blonde locks from her face. "Oh, you better start." She murmurs softly in response to Joslyn's words. "I haven't done anything like that before, but I guess you have a point." She murmurs softly. "Besides, I do have a husband to keep happy and all that." She murmurs while sitting close to Joslyn on the lounge with her slender legs folded to one side.

There is a soft giggle as Joslyn carefully applies the cream to Reese. "Well, you don't have to keep me happy, but I'd love to do up your makeup and hair sometime. I'd love to see how you look completely done up... though you're frankly gorgeous without it." Joslyn says, smiling warmly as she applies the mask to Reese, settling herself back then with a grin, and after cleaning her hand, pulls her own hair back to get out of her own face.

Laughing lightly, Ysbail presents her face for the treatment, lifting a shrug, "I can't say that most of the things I work with smell half this nice either. Its a nice change of pace!" Giving a small nod, she quickly corrects herself and goes still once more, offering carefully, "I am working on something up North that I am hoping can be used as a template and, with adjustments, might be able to be used to bring more of the Abandoned and shavs in to bend the knee and join the Compact." She motions towards Alis and smiles briefly, "I thought maybe you and your husband would be interested in knowing about it, when you have time and inclination of course."

Alis looks down at her hand once more, with the paste on it... shrugs, and starts applying the stuff to Ysbail's skin. "Oh really? That does sound interesting." she admits, looking far too serious about her attempts to properly apply this facial stuff without making a mess of it. "I would definitely be interested and I am positive he would as well. The next week or so is remakably packed with things to do, but after that our schedules are a bit more free?"

Reese allows Joslyn to spread the mask over her face. She listens to her words and has a gentle smile for her. "Oh, well, we can do that sometime." She murmurs. She then looks over to Ysbail and Alis, having a smile for them as the two speak. "It sounds like a very good cause." she murmurs. The warrior princess is al relaxed and enjoying the mask. "Should I do you now, Joslyn?"

Vex the Pygmy Owl arrives, delivering a message to Alis before departing.

Golden eyes flit curiously toward the exchange between Ysbail and Alis while the princess is drawn into an opposite lounge by the hand of a young maiden. Her face is soon coated in a light layering of the paste, and slices of cucumber (So fancy!) placed protectively over her eyelids. Three more young ladies slip out to do the same to Alis, Joslyn, and Ysbail when their ready. "It sounds like an interesting proposal, and something maybe we could all hear from," the soft-spoken girl surmises to Ysbail. "After all, where does change begin if not with those with the influence shared to do something about it? It won't be long before we encounter the Shav'Arvani from the Eventide Vast, so perhaps yours is a conversation that might help guide the Valardin hand for those who are not yet convinced to bear such an open-mind?"

Golden eyes flit curiously toward the exchange between Ysbail and Alis while the princess is drawn into an opposite lounge by the hand of a young maiden. Her face is soon coated in a light layering of the paste, and slices of cucumber (So fancy!) placed protectively over her eyelids. Three more young ladies slip out to do the same to Alis, Joslyn, and Ysbail when their ready. "It sounds like an interesting proposal, and something maybe we could all hear from," the soft-spoken girl surmises to Ysbail. "After all, where does change begin if not with those with the influence shared to do something about it? It won't be long before we encounter the Shav'Arvani from the Eventide Vast, so perhaps yours is a conversation that might help guide the Valardin hand for those who are not yet convinced to bear such an open-mind?"

Joslyn nods eagerly to Reese as she leans in close to murmer something quietly to her before presenting herself to Reese, handing the princess the bowl. "Come down to the Tor Plaza sometime, and I'll be sure to treat you as finely as you've been treated all your life."

Alis smears a bit of the paste on the beak of the message-delivery Owl who is dropping off things for her to read and also hissing at her. He still does not like her very much. "I think it does sound like a good cause. And you're right, Kat. It will take people setting good examlples and leading the way." It may cost her some of the affection she's earned from people, but she has THAT voice right now. The quite stubbornly determined one. "What does Tor Plaza have to offer, in terms of... pampering?"

Vex the Pygmy Owl arrives, delivering a message to Alis before departing.

Ysbail grins to Alis and gives a nod. "Week after next sounds perfect. I have a few things happening next week myself, hopefully even the resolution of the plan I've put into effect," she grins even as she has cucumber slices put on her eyes, leaning back into the chaise. Laughing as the others chime in, she offers, "I don't mind talking about it. I don't know that it will work precisely as its been going for us, but I have hope that it will see success elsewhere once we've proven it *can* work." Taking a slightly clumsier sip from the champagne to wet her lips, she starts. "So, we all understand that Brand and the Bringers came through nearly everyone's lands, corrupting or stealing every Abandoned and shav they could get their hands on to fill their ranks. Its left the tribes and families, especially in the Crownlands, absolutely decimated. Most of what is left are elders, mothers with their young children. Those that could not fight or were able to hide. Right now, they are alone, scared, unsure. Which makes it the perfect time to send our envoys and emmissaries to draw them in. Show them what life with the Compact *could* be like. Remind them that Brand's army was only the first wave of the growing storm. In Crovane... we will be gathering what is left of the Abandoned and shavs and bringing them together under one banner. Stormarch, a new March made of many families and tribes. They will have the option of being 'adopted' into the Blackwood name, joining the nobility. Or they can keep their name, their families... and potentially earm a Countship or Barony along the way. We won't even have to take land away from anyone, the lands they currently reside on are outside of Crovane's borders. They will stay where they are, working the land as they always have.. and they will have the protection of Crovane and Compact to keep them from splintering further. Meanwhile, Crovane's borders will expand without having to encroach on another House's lands, becmong more prosperous and better able to defend itself. Everyone wins."

"Oh, I will." Reese murmurs softly in response to Joslyn's words. She then leans into Joslyn, responding to her whispered words with something softly murmured. She then turns to Ysbail, listening to her words next. "It sounds like a good plan, a very good one." Reese works on applying the mask to Joslyn a moment later. Her touch is gentle. She finishes. "Oh, I have to go. I am so sorry, I forgot that I have to meet with some of my patrols." She rises with her face still covered in a mask. She looks sort of silly, but eventually realizes this an reaches for a towel. "I'm so sorry, business calls."

Katarina listens to the proposition Ysbail lays out before them. A cucumber slice is peeled off an eye and popped into her mouth, quietly munching on the refreshing fruit-vegetable?- while the shaman's words are taken in. She stays quiet, more interested in her sister's opinion of it before she'll voice her own. Heated and gently moistened towels are brought out in abundance for each of the ladies to take and clean their faces with by the attendants, laid out to the side and in easy reach while lacquers and jeweled coverings for the nails and fingers are brought out. Feetsies must be made pretties!

Glancing over at Alis to her question, Joslyn giggles softly. "Me," she answers. "While most of them have their own servants to do makeup, if I was so inclined, they'd all go to me. I've been doing Duchess Calista's makeup since we were children, and I'll continue to do so, even if I weren't being paid for it." The mask applied, she gives Reese a soft, sad look towards her. "Well, it was good to see you. Soon, I'll send for you! Tor Plaza, and I'll show you up to my home," she promises to Reese, beaming as she has to head out.

Alis is thoughtful, setting the bowl down carefully now that she's painted Ysbail with the lovely ... mash that Katarina provided. "Diplomacy isn't really my forte, I'm afraid. But I do recognize a well thought out plan when I hear it. And I like what I'm hearing. It definitely sounds like something we should hear more about, especially if those in your lands agree to the idea. Would you keep us in the loop? I'm willing to put it forward as an idea, once we have a feel for how some of the tribes will respond to it." And then, predictably, she gets a look of horror on her face when it looks like she might have to pyut pretty things on her feet! "Be well, Reese! And... you are a woman of many talents, Joslyn. I envy you that."

"Thank you for coming, Reese," Katarina bids Reese adieu with an infectious warmth in her smile. "Maybe some time, I might be able to catch up and get to know more of you?" The princess then turns her attention toward Alis and her horrified look, holding in her laughter. "Alis, you can't be horrified at everything! How are we supposed to have me paint your hands and feet with the inks, if you have that look?"

Ysbail offers a smile and wave to Reese as she has to leave suddenly, then settles back into the chaise. At Alis' response, she gives an eager nod. "Of course! I have high hopes. My father is already gathering the tribes and families together near Stormwall, the Duke and I will be travelling north shortly. Grandmaster Armel has even offered himself and some of his Knights to come up with us to show them no harm is meant, that they are welcome... and to offer recruitment into the Knights of Solace for those that perhaps have no family of their own left. I am hoping to bring one or two others as well that can speak to how the Prodigal families are being given a voice in the nobility through advocates. How some of them, like your husband or the Princess Marian, have been able to lift their families and themselves up already."

Joslyn giggles, nodding towards Alis. "Thank you, but really... I just fight, make women pretty and fix up armor. I'm not really all that incredible," she says. She may be blushing but it's impossible to tell through the face mask. "You're welcome to come along to Tor Plaza anytime. I'm sure Juliet would love to have you as well."

"Kat, I wear armor all day. Bonding with siblings when I was growing up consisted of making them give me piggy back rides, trying to beat them up with wooden swords, and brushing down warhorses together. There was none of ..." Alis eyes the trappings of beauty that are arrayed. "It's just so foreign to me. I'm sorry. I'm trying." she promises, her eyes crossing a little to emphasize just how weird it all is. "And I think that is an excellent idea, Ysbail. I hope Marian or Fia will be able to go with you to help. I think it would be an excellent start." she agrees, grabbing one of the warm towels to wipe her hands with. "I haven't seen Juliet in couple of sevens now. I might just do that. I may come home and by unrecognizable."

Katarina softens her expression, a touch of guilt in her expression as she looks down at the polish in her hands. But then, before she can do too much more girl-talking, there's a young squire coming quickly with hushed word. Something about a mishap on a Valardin ship in the harbor. Whoops. "O-Oh, if you'll both excuse me? I need to go and deal with that."