Dolente, a mourning dove, Dolce, a collared dove arrive, following Cesare.

The night is about to begin, nah it is beginning. When people walk in there is almost a feel of walking into a confessional type of thing. A way to hand off secrets. The way to shroud in mystery. Everything and everyone might be a secret. For those walking around with platters have plates of food based on color. They have drinks of color. There is something just 'mystrious' if one will. Noah is walking around in all black, but as the time strikes, he moves to the entrance.

Jeeves, a sophisticated valet , 7 Silvershields arrive, following Rook.

Raven has abandoned her guards and weaponry for the occasion. She even is without her sling though a silk shawl obscures the atrophied limb from view. A small, simple parcel is held in her good hand and is surrendered to the appropriate staff member for the hostess and Birthday Princess.

Cesare swans in all aglow in iridescite and gold this evening, smoothing his hair over his shoulder as he comes. Empty-handed, entirely so; either the Softest Whisper has neglected gifts, or gifts of an illusory sort are in store. "I am going to drink one of the drinks this evening, provided they're not all horrendously sweet," he announces, to nobody in particular. "And if you think it will be worse than the time I ate an entire Nox'alfar surprise pie containing mud, I assure you, I am very much in doubt of that."

Grady comes strolling into the dining room with a light, if not especially graceful, stride. He looks around him with the interested gaze of someone seeing a new place for the first time. Mortimer and his guards are somewhere, although he seems to have left them outside of the dining room itself, but possibly only just outside. "A pie with mud?" He's close enough to Cesare that it's not unreasonable for him to assume that it is to him who the Softest speaks. "I do hope that's a... a bizarre term for some sort of chocolate, maybe? Goodness, I'm terribly glad this event isn't in the maze like the last one was. Not that I didn't enjoy it, of course. I did, very much. But there was a certain amount of, ah, pressure, yes? In trying not to get lost on the way there. One might have missed the whole thing."

Sira enters quietly and unaccompanied, gaze shifting around as she takes in the details of the Velenosa estate. She isn't smiling, but she doesn't exactly look /un/friendly (nor does she look friendly). When she spots Noah there is a glimmer of recognition. "Ah, you, the spidersilk man." Apparently, he never gave her a name.

"What did he do?" Jaenelle can be heard saying as she moves from the other end of the room where the kitchens are rather than from the main doorway where others arrive through. This is a surprise party, so clearly Jaenelle was never informed and a servant had to go find her with the request that Noah wished to see her in the dining room. The servant just shrugs at the question before slipping away to leave Jaenelle wide eyed, eyes roaming around the room. "Noah?" and there is so many more questions than what did he do in that single word. She moves across the room, offering smiles to those already here as she passes, even if they look confused. She stops beside her husband at the door, looking up at the taller man, "Noah." Because really, Noah.

Thea strides in, well slides? She's at least graceful. She's dressed in a gown that matches her eyes and complexion well. "Happy birthday,"Thea greets Jaenelle with a grin. She onows she's here. "I plan on drinking and--eating. But not everything. Small doses and all,"gping to greet Noah as well. "Noelle, how nice of you to do this for your wife. I can't believe youre still alive."

Already the room is abuzz with conversation, it would appear. Enough so that Rook refrains from adding his own to the din, stepping inside and moving out of the path of the other arriving guests. He casts his gaze about for the unwitting guest of honor, pleased that he did not arrive too late to observe /that/ entrance. Rewarded for his timeliness, he watches Jaenelle gracefully arrive upon the scene. His smile widens as he observes her reaction to the unanticipated jubilee.

Noah is greeted by a few people. Yay. "Theresa, so lovely to see you out and about." He looks past her towards the door and then frowns. It's obviously a feigned one as there is a reaction. "Where is Drake? I invited Drake and he sent you?" A put upon sigh. "I suppoe you will do." Then he reaches out to wrap an arm around Jaenelle when she comes over. "Hey Poison." Then he looks at the others. "Welcome. I cannot promise you won't be poisoned or wish you were, but it is a night of secrets, yes? Secret food. Secret drink. Shared secrets."

Raven messenger Jaenelle=(attached to the box the necklace came in by a ribbon is a somewhat childlike scrawled noted):

that is clearly Your poise and decisiveness is refreshing and a beacon to guide all around you. I know you will see and do extraordinary things in your life and those around you will thrive for it. It is an honor to say that I have made your acquaintance. I wish you a happy Birthday Your Grace, and many more prosperous years to follow.

Unsigned

Thea nods to Noah, her face stoic but her eyes bright with impishness. "He sends his condolences,"her eyes flicking to Jaenelle. "He did however give his best and warmest regards to you." Seeing Rook, Thea smiles,"Messere Rook, good to see you back in the city again." Thea too looks around, grabbing a drink. "Messere Sira, thank you again for the gown. It fits perfectly. Whisper Cesare, how good to see you again. And Raven, how have you been feeling? Lord Grady,"she greets with a slight smile. "

"You're welcome," Sira says, giving a small bow of her head to Thea. "I'm glad it worked out." Then she's trying to find a drink. Not a poisoned drink, hopefully.

Although a new acquaintance to the princess, Odin found himself here at Jaenelle's birthday party by invitation! He was dressed rather casually, unlikely to be turning any heads as he wore robes intermixed with furs as befits the Eswynd style. "Seems I made it before anything wild happened, good!" calls out the man as he begins to mingle, giving a wave and the lift of a glass to the birthday girl.

Raven queues with the others to shuffle by to greet the host and hostess. She begins to bow then remembers-dress. She's wearing a dress and swiftly drops into a proper curtsey to Jaenelle "Your ensemble is amazing, Your highness." Her verdant gaze slides as she observes mildly to Noah, "Who knew marriage would turn you into a social butterfly, your highness?"

At the greeting from Thea, Rook inclines his head, spreading his hands slightly. "It is good to be seen," he replies with a smile. "I do hope the passage of time since last we spoke has been kind." He watches her take a drink and a brief expression flickers across his face, hard to discern. He, perhaps notably, does not take any drinks. He cannot be the only one to do so. He moves to greet Sira as well. "I am pleased to see that you can indeed peel yourself away from your works."

Cesare examines each of the trays that passes him with a somewhat leery eye, sniffing each of them in turn. Alarmingly, he picks the bright, acrid yellow one, which clashes horribly with the softer golden tones he's wearing. "Your highnesses," he says to Noah, and Jaenelle, very diplomatically not looking at the harsh line sliced through one side of Noah's (beautiful) hair. "Happy birthday, Archduchess. As I was unaware of the occasion I'm afraid I haven't had time to properly prepare a gift. I am, however, prepared to offer a song. Otherwise I'm afraid my tidings will be belated." He bows gracefully. "This is the downside of a surprise, I suppose. On the other hand: I am full of secrets, like a little spider full of web."

"Countess Thea! So good to see you!" Grady gives Thea a broad smile that lights up his hazel eyes as she comes to greet him, and then, stepping back, bows to her. "I had the distinct pleasure, yes, of meeting Lady Amelie yesterday. At the tea shop in the Valardin district? I do wish we'd had more time to talk than we did, but duty, yes? She seems quite attentive to it, I think. No surprise, was it - or at least I was not surprised - that it should take pride of place. How have you been?"

Jaenelle's attention turns from Noah to Thea as she is wished a happy birthday, and a soft ahhing sound escapes as she understands even if the host of the party doesnt go into detail. She leans against Noah when his arm wraps around her waist, asking, "what about secrets? Are you making people tell you secrets? What is yours?" Noah does not like to share with others, and her brows lift as she waits for his answer. Upon Raven's arrival, there is a smile for the woman and a dip of her head, "it is nice to see you Raven. Thank you for coming to what I can only assume is my birthday party? Though Noah's birthday is six days after mine so I might share the evening with him." Upon Cesare's entrance, there is another smile for him as well, "There is certainly no need of a gift, and I promise that nothing will be as bad as a Nox'alfar pie. Or really, anything that the Nox'alfar have to offer in way of food or drink." There is a wrinkle of her nose at a memory. When Sira greets Noah, her brows lift though her attention remains on the woman, "still two commissions?" is asked with a grin. Odin is her new best friend, and she laughs at his greeting as he enters, "give it time, I havent seen a single healer." She turns her attention towards Rook, and she beams a smile at the man, "how lovely to see you Rook, I am so pleased to see you've returned from business elsewhere. Welcome." Then she turns back to Noah, "what can I eat or drink?"

"She's back, yes,"Thea tells Grady with a chuckle. "Im not surprised you met her in the tea shop. She enjoys her tea. Though I do have a plan with her, and she doesn't know it yet." Thea looks at the drink list and grabs a shimmery purple drink. Not all surprising if you know the Countess. "Not to worry, I'm a physician. You'll all be fine,"greeting Odin with a smile. "Good to see you again. I swear it's been days,"she teases.

Raven checks 'recovery check' at normal. Raven is successful.

Raven offers a curtsey to both the host and hostess and swiftly slides out of the way so other guests may make their well wishes and ambles along to mingle with other guests. She pauses and admires Cesare's outfit with a low, slow whistle and a lift of eyebrows.

The warm smile from Jaenelle is returned by Rook. "I had designs to linger a bit longer, but decided that I could not possibly forgive myself if I were to miss this affair, and so I rushed back to ensure I could be here to share the night with you." He bows his head respectfully, a twinkle in his eye.

Grady gives a quick, cheerful laugh to Thea. "Rather difficult, yes, to have plans WITH someone when they themselves have yet to learn about them. Lord Odin! Fancy meeting you here. I suppose you have come to represent with your presence the indomitable House Eswynd? Do you know, I never seem to see Lady Medeia around as much as I once did. I suppose it stands to reason, yes? She must be keeping terribly busy. I saw the announcement about her appointment with the Physician's Guild." He's more or less walking with Thea now, having fallen naturally into it as they talked, and this brings him near Odin when she stops to greet him.

Noah greets each of them as they enter, but he's trying to make Jaenelle the center of attention. He stares at her when she asks that question and then looks at all the food that looks identical and the drinks that shimmer. He snaps his fingers. OH YES HE DOES. There is a server that he speaks with. They come back with a goblet and some meat and cheese for jaenelle. Just for Jaenelle. "Yes. They are to give me a secret tonight. I trust them all to do so at some point in the evening. My secret?" He tips his head to consider for her. "My secret is that I know nothing about poisons and people may just die."

The new best friend that is Odin winks at Jaenella. "Oh ho ho, this could be a great night indeed!" Hr chuckles, looking to Noah. "Odin Eswynd, at your service." He introduces himself with a light bow before his eyes turn to look upon the scenery. "I've never been in here before. They were not lying when they called these halls the most lovely of all."

Thea checks luck at easy. Thea is successful.

Odin turns his eyes to Grady with a big smile. "Grady, wasn't it? Pleasure to see you again my Lord. Indeed indeed, she's been very busy and my near-brother Haakon just as much. She's made us all very proud though, I hope to one day match her contribution to society." He chuckles, before he looks to Thea. "It's been an age, Countess, I'd swear you were following me."

How did Thea grow a Grady? "Not everyone has to know my plans for them work. And Deia is, well...she'll likely be a bit down for a bit,"she tells him, a bit guilty looking. Pausing, she looks over her shoulder, squinting a moment. "Did you see--,"she starts to ask, but in a flash, it's gone. "So now that you're a year older, your Grace, what are your plans?" Thea starts talking to Rook now, lifting her glass to her lips,"How have you been? Have you been surrounded by paperwork? Trapped in your office? Did you have to dig your way out,"a slow smile appearing.

Cesare sips the awful yellow-caution drink with no visible reaction. "Who do I tell it to? The secret I've chosen?" he eyeballs Noah as though he's concerned if he gets too close Noah will throw a dagger at him, or throttle him. "Lord Grady, Countess Thea. And Rook, it's lovely to see you again! We have matters to speak of, possibly, concerning investments. But don't let me interrupt the party with such things."

"I believe you know enough that if pressed after someone died you could not claim ignorance on the matter and be arrested," Jaenelle tells Noah upon hearing his secret. At the snap, there is an amused look on her face as a servant brings her something else entirely. She peers into the glass, sniffing it, then tasting what seems to be pretty ordinary juice of the orange variety. The food on her personal platter is exactly what it appears to be. The birthday girl is pardoned from playing Noah's game. "Is the secret meant to be spoken out or whispered?" she then asks her husband as she picks up a piece of meat and pops it into her mouth. At Thea's question, "plan a coronation, and survive this pregnancy. Truthfully if one doesnt kill me the other might." As Odin speaks of the room she adds, "if doesnt often look like this. Less mystery involved in eating here."

Rook laughs softly at the rapid fire questions from Thea, nodding to each in kind. "All of the above, I am afraid," he replies. His gaze drifts down to her drink, eyebrow arched slightly, but then he looks back to meet her gaze. "But I am well, and eager to once again share my good graces with the people." He chuckles to himself. On hearing his name again, he turns to regard Cesare and offers a nod. "Indeed, just let me know when you wish to meet. I have some matters I would bring to you as well, my friend."

Sira looks at Rook for a long moment before offering the barest of smiles - genuine but small. "I promise this moment of socializing will not impede my work on your... Item." With a glance around at the others, she excuses herself to greet Jaenelle. "Archduchess, Sira, proprietor of Gilded Dreams. We exchanged messages earlier in the week. Happy birthday, Your Grace." An imperfect curtsy is given before making herself scarce so as not to burden the important people. There's a nod for Thea before murmuring, "Secrets?"

"And so you shall," Grady agrees with Odin. "Perhaps tonight, yes? Saving us all from poisons or secrets or mud in pies or whatever there is for us to be saved from. I expect we're all quite in peril, yes?" He's VERY cheerful for someone who finds himself in peril. He bows to Cesare when the Softest comes close again. "Goodness. Whatever are you drinking? I don't think I ever saw a drink before that was quite so... yellow. That really is VERY yellow. I expect it can't possibly be lemonade, can it?" He's maybe hoping for lemonade. Or vicarious lemonade, since he's not even the one drinking it.

Sira's promise evokes a soft chuckle from Rook. "And even if it did, some occassions are truly more important than any of that." He inclines his head towards Jaenelle, as she makes her way about the room.

Raven wanders along and helps herself to a drink. Eyeing the food mistrustfully she continues to quietly mingle, offering smiles and occasional courtsey as she encounters others that she knows. Thea's odd behavior is noted but not commented on, allowing the physician to mingle uninterrupted.

Thea gives a sincere look to Jaenelle. "Congratulations." Though that may even be sent to Noah as well. "You won't be doing all the work, but I mean I suppose you were a contributing factor." Looking over to Sira, she answers and loosely waves a hand toward Noelle--er Noah. "He wants to know your secrets,"give a look as if he's crazy. Rook gets the most sympathetic of looks when he confirms her suspicions. "You need a break,"her voice spacing for a moment, looking again, this time beyond over his shoulder. "Huh--,"she says shaking her head.

Raven meanders by Thea's little cluster, still holding her drink, "Something amiss, My lady?" conversationally wondered.

Rook nods in agreement with Thea's assessment. "To be sure, but there is time enough for that. Far too much to catch up on in the short term. I will find a way to take some respect soon, I would hope." He glances for a moment behind him as Thea's gaze goes there, and then he turns his attention back to her drink. "Hmm."

"This is /delightful,/ actually," says Cesare, looking at his hands. He's developed a slight lisp, as if his tongue is too heavy for his mouth, or something similar. "How wonderful, I quite like it." Sip, sip. If he's noticed everyone noticing Thea, his reaction is mostly just to - keep being as Whisper-y as he usually is. "If Whisper House can be of assistance, please do let us know," he offers Rook. "I've become quite a maestro of paperwork myself, in my tenure as Softest so far."

"Believe me sir, there's plenty of guards around, but if the need arises to fight the poison for you, I can certainly try like all the rest to defend against it." Odin chuckles as he sips his drink. "Shall I tempt fate and try the drink?" Odin asks of the gathering as he approaches the vile concoctions. Though his eyes turn to Jaenelle. "So it would appear!" To Thea, Odin smirks.

There's a certain flickering of Grady's gaze between Cesare and Thea; it's not obvious, the intellect that's making connections somewhere behind his eyes, but it's there for someone who cared to look. Whatever connections he's made, none of them show in his smile to Odin, which remains warm and earnest. "I suppose whether you ought to tempt fate must rather depend, mustn't it, on how, ah, interesting you would like your evening to become."

Noah grabs up a platter and kisses Jaenelle on the top of the head. He moves to /SIRA/ currently and offers a tray. Drinks. Food. "Did you bring a secret for me and would you like a bite to eat? A drink to starve off any thirst." He puts on his most charming smile. Sort of like a snake. Don't trust it.

"Thank you," Jaenelle tells Thea despite her being paranoid with whatever it is se has decided to drink. Then she notes the rose hued glasses and points to them, "those. That was the good one I had last time, which probably lead to," her eyes widen as she doesnt quite finish her words but it certainly has to do with what Thea congratulated them on. Her eyes find Rook once more, though she speaks to Noah to introduce them before he bounces away to seduce Sira into the dark side, "Rook and I work closely regarding the Crown affairs and he and my late husband started the Silver Consortium together. Rook, this is my husband, Prince Noah."

Drink in hand, Thea assures,"Oh what? Yes. Everything is fine,"though she squints a little over Rook's shoulder. "Suppose you didn't see that." She looks down at her drink and smirks. "Serves me right for choosing the one that glitters." Shaking her head, Thea looks at Grady. Her apparent escort or something. But Noah. Noah gets the squint. "I trust you like I trust well--I don't have the words right now. But you get the idea." It's the smile.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Prince Noah, although your lovely wife gives me far too much credit. I simply hope I am doing his vision justice." Rook falls silent for a moment, a slightly somber look on his face. Then as Noah flitters off, he is shaken from his reverie, enough to smile at now having the birthday girl all to himself. For the moment, at least. "We shall have to catch up at a more appropriate venue," he murmurs with a subtle, almost /secretive/ intonation. Sealed with a wink.

Raven nurses her own drink. She has the pink one rather than the red one with the roses, "Nope. I didn't see a thing." She flashes a lopsided grin, "All I see is all you lovely people." She ambles off to observe the minglers as if trying to guess what the drinks do. Out of habit she sips the pink drink she'd meant to hold but not sip of. It's raving. Hand to mouth reflex is as natural as blinking or breathing.

Odin checks luck at easy. Odin is successful.

"I agree," Jaenelle tells Rook, laughing at his wink with a good natured roll of her eyes. "You must tell me of all your plans and future schemes the next time we meet in a less..." she waves a hand around to showcase THIS. Because this is not a normal thing. "Do you know everyone here?" Jaenelle then asks, making sure that she makes the introductions needed.

Grady is a terrible escort. He hasn't quite wandered all the way away from Thea, but he's become quite inattentive, which no escort ought to be if he can at all help it, distracted by his conversation with Odin.

"You know I always save my most scandalous plans to share with you," responds Rook, with a grin. He casts his gaze around the party, and laughs. "I do not nearly have the social gifts of one such as you, to have passed an introduction to all that are here." He pauses. "Although as I think about it, I suppose there are only scant few here I have yet to come across since my recent re-emergence from my cage of papers."

Thea gives a peek at the red glass with roses. "I suppose I'll avoid that one then, thank you for the warning,"she decides with a chuckle. Grady is the worse escort EVER. It's decided as Thea goes and wanders on her way, which is just fine. Really. "This,"she tells Jaenelle,"is quite the uh---well---did you know my first year here, my brother Martino decorated the coffee shop in all pink for my birthday? As a surprise. Pink banner. Pink cake. Pink--everything. Was terrible. This isn't terrible."

"Rook, I will look forward to my invitation." Noah offers and then he looks towards Cesare and his yellow drink. He's watching those that drink, but his eyes move back to Jaenelle every few moments. "Theresa, was it like my love party for Poison?"

"Yes...It's just one of those things." Odin tells Grady as he reaches for the purple drink, one of Noah's poisons, and he suddenly downs a drink of it. He puts it back down and he looks at Grady, waiting a moment to see what's happening...and he sees some weird shit - stuff that maybe the Redrainian Shamans would see with their potions. "Whoa...definitely hallucinating. Nothing scary though, which is good."

Rook chuckles as Thea regales them with the tale of the empinkenment. "It showed a certain element of consideration and thought, however," he replies. "Not in the right direction at all, but effort was made."

"Nothing scary?" Cesare echoes in what sounds like disappointment, wrinkling his nose slightly. He squints over at Noah, clutching his own drink. He's absolutely certain he's made the correct choice with his awful yellow concoction.

There's an unfortunate nod to Noah--Noelle. "Yes. It was awful. It was terrible. I wanted to vomit." Thea grumbles, saying,"He even had a perfume made for me that smelled of several ladies he had frolicked with at some point." There's a look at Rook, eyebrow lifting. "Yes. It was effort all right. I paid him back, I can assure you,"a glimmer of impishness in her eyes. "Lord Odin, you chose the purple too? It's good isn't it? I mean, minus some sort of effects and all.."

12 House Velenosa Guards, Ibasia, the Velenosa Lady-in-Waiting, Ellani, the palm sized spider, Sir Thad Quackington leave, following Jaenelle.

Grady peers into Odin's eyes, probably watching the size of his pupils change. "Yes, I rather thought you might be. But thank you for the warning all the same. I've an appointment with a bedtime story later this evening, you know, and I rather imagine Livia would be upset if I started babbling about all the words dropping off the page or some such. Terribly unseemly thing for words to do, yes, just go wandering off to parts unknown? Or illustrations coming to life, or what have you." It's a fair bet that Grady's never actually hallucinated before. He seems to be taking some wild guesses about what it entails. "I expect she'd rather prefer, wouldn't she, that books continue to behave in a more or less sensible fashion, and that her father do the same."

12 House Velenosa Guards, Ibasia, the Velenosa Lady-in-Waiting, Ellani, the palm sized spider, Sir Thad Quackington arrive, following Jaenelle.

Raven chuckles, "Oh, the burden that is other's affection and good intentions foisted on you. I will admit pink is an awful color." a pause and a purse of lips, "I don't why I think that. Pink's never done anything to me. Seems unfair, don't it?"

Noah puts Velenosa signet ring in long black leather belt with golden details.

Noah checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 29 higher.

Thea just squints at Raven. "My brother doesn't do anything like that for good. He does it with--not good intentions. I promise." Do these people KNOW Martino well?! She grins though, the fondness of her family obvious. "He got a stuffed elephant seal head in his closet as a thank you." Thea does consider Raven's words, taking another sip from her purple DRANK. "Likely not. Do you not have a color that you just can't---that you just can't stand? It just rubs you wrong? For me, that's pink."

Jaenelle slips from the party for a moment before returning, offering a nod of her head to Raven, "it is terrible in excess. There are some pinks that mingle well with yellows and soft off whites. It is when it is overburdening that pink is simply too much." Then Noah is inviting himself to her and Rook's meeting, and she clicks her tongue, "I dont think so."

Raven's eyebrows lift, "Ooooh, What's this nefarious pink-bandit's name?" she continues to nurse her drink, her usual wary gaze stopping it's habitual seeking for danger and checking the exits and she just focuses on the conversation, or occasionally peers down into her drink and quietly seems to space.

A flicker moves across Rook's face as Thea's comment concludes. It could not possibly be the perfect quip in response to how pink would rub someone the wrong way. If it was, sadly, it is lost for all time as Rook has the common decency to avoid voicing it. It seems as if it may have resurfaced, even after he gave it better thought, but before he can voice it Jaenelle speaks to shoot down Noah's effort to stowaway. He instead simply smiles, perhaps enjoying more than anything else the feeling of being among friends again.

"Nothing scary at the moment." Odin replies simply enough, even as his pupils dilate, he's not freaking the eff out. "It feels like everything is coming to life. The statues are moving and I think I'm starting to hear colors." He grumbles, before he nods to Thea. "Oh yeah, I'm gonna try the other one in a minute. Tastes tangy."

3 Thrax Guards, Chief Rin Redreef, Hrafn the stoic raven, 1 Thrax Elite Guards arrive, following Galen.

Grady peers at Odin, no doubt trying to work out without actually experiencing it for himself (because, again, bedtime story) what hearing colors would be like. "What do they, ah, sound like?" He ventures, at length.

Noah moves from Sira to glance at others. The next vict-- person. He hands the tray towards Rook. "I was waiting for an invite to this Silver thing. Also, please feel free to pick a drink, pick a food, offer me a secret."

Thea eyes Noah's tray and Noelle himself. "I should be off,"she decides, finishing her drink. "This was interesting as always,"she says with a smile. "Congratulations on impending fatherhood,"Thea tells Noelle. "Happy birthday, Jaenelle,"she tells Jaenelle. "And the baby. I'll think of something. Calo got a dagger, rattle thing. I'll have to see about that as a gift for you." Because that totally seems appropriate! To others, she gives a slight wave. "It was good to see you all..."

If Rook takes any insult to the awkward invocation of the Silver Consortium, he gives no sign of it outwardly. "I am afraid that it is a collection of individuals far below one such as yourself, my Prince. Please, fret not that you are not among those ranks." He glances down towards the proferred tray, and then looks askance at Jaenelle.

Raven ambles over to find someplace to perch but pauses and her eyes widen as she gets an eyeful of Odin-specifically his choice in weapon strapped across his back. She oogles it with something that borders on a leer. If one couldn't see what she was looking at it'd border on inappropriate, "That's an amazing peice." she marvels to no one in particular.

"The yellow one just makes the extremities tingly," Cesare offers to Rook, lifting his glass indicatively. "Well...all of my body, really. It's very nice. I quite like it."

Content to accept the sage advice from Cesare, Rook inclines his head in gratitude and selects the suggested option. "I do suppose I could do with some tingly bits."

Sira had forgotten about the whole 'secret' thing and fell silent for a long while, thinking what she could offer. Finally, without anyone necessarily paying attention, she says, "I don't know who I am. Or... Really anything about myself. I remembered I had a shop here in the city, and that I can make clothes. So I came back, hoping to gain some memory."

"I believe Princess Sofia is House Velenosa's Consortium member," Jaenelle tells Noah to take the pressure from her husband to join the organization. "Be well Thea!" she then calls out, flashing the woman a smile, "do not let Noah talk you into giving our child a baby sized dagger. The answer is no Thea. No."

Noah nods to the yellow drink selection. "Oh, it's of all of them? I wasn't asked?" Is he actually offended? Probably not. He looks at the others thoughtfully. "I'm not going to ask. I'm just going to do."

"Of course not,"Thea tells Jaenelle with a wink. "It's a rattle." Clearing her throat, Thea goes to sneak out. Guess Noelle will have to hunt her down another time.

Finn the large Northern hunting dog with icy blue eyes, Rocco, the rascally assistant, Strawberry Pupcake, the Graypeak Mountain Dog leave, following Thea.

Clowder of the Nine, they have been fed don't let them trick you, Shekies, A black and white marbled cat with yellow eyes, Capt'n Waddles the small cock with a bell arrive, following Zakhar.

Raven's eyebrows lift and her head tilts. She studies Sira and seems to think very hard about something as if something Sira's said almost reminds her of something, "You know, Sira, there might be people who might have thoughts on missing memories." she drawls, settling onto a perch on one of the tables without any shame that this isn't her house, this is not the dress, for such things.

Rook takes up the item endorsed by Cesare, glances at it briefly, and then shrugs, settling himself in for a night of tingles. Hopefully, at least. His gaze flickers over towards Sira for a moment, alighting on her as she dispenses her secret. It is the briefest of looks, and if one were watching him they would see the telltale look of him filing something away in the recesses of his memory. "Yes, indeed," he affirms to Jaenelle's explanation to Noah.

The bumbling old man has backed his way into the dining hall from the kitchens. Wandering the palace? Perhaps. Dressed in a mix of silks and leathers, his hair looks freshly washed and more wild than ever. Zakhar shoots an eye at the foods and heads directly to them, grabbing a plate and serving without much care to what he seems to getting.

It wouldn't be Galen if he were not fashionably late! However, he is not really all that fashionable, though, he has forsaken his usual armor and instead is dressed in a deep blue silk tunic trimmed with sea grey, his pants a grey as well though wool that spill into dark boots. The Prince's hair is pulled back into a tight ponytail, his facial hair well groomed, however, his moustache is pristine as always and almost seems to shine as certain light passes over it. His smile is that usual bright that those who know the man have come to expect. Stormy eyes take note as he moves through the room offering a dip of his head, a little wave, a hint of a bow. He stops for no one, at least not until he nears his sister and hands her a small envelope with a wink. "Sorry I'm late."

Odin takes a breath. "Sounds like doves who are being choked to death, not too flattering." He chuckles a little bit "I'm about to try the other one. I should handle that in a minute." Odin clears his thoughts and reaches for the other vial to down it. "To the birthday girl!" Odin laughs as he downs the other vial.

Zakhar has rolled 1 8-sided dice: 5

Noah is overheard praising Jaenelle: There is only one person who could be the summer breeze in a winter season. Or the one person who can end a vast night with only the smile on her lips. One woman that is everything and yet I know will become so much more. A person who's breath is just enough to sooth a savage beast (even convince one to marry her). She is every epitome that exists. She is beauty. She is sweetness. She is also secrets and salvation. In total, she is the perfection that walks throughout the day.

Grady pales a little bit at Odin's description. "... Oh," he says after a moment. "That's... that's rather... violent. I wouldn't have, ah, imagined. Colors seem like such nice things, yes?" He clears his throat and finds something somewhere else in the room to go do. Something with less screaming dove murder colors.

Zakhar takes Golden skull with silk brain pocket from Sling Satchel with bleached thumb bones.

Grady is overheard praising Jaenelle: A metaphoric toast (because I'd rather not be poisoned by her husband) to a charming houseguest to be.

Sira is overheard praising Jaenelle.

Zakhar takes A thick fat finger of Haze wrapped in a tobacco leaf from Golden skull with silk brain pocket.

Zakhar puts A thick fat finger of Haze wrapped in a tobacco leaf in Golden skull with silk brain pocket.

Jaenelle smiles as Galen arrives and hands her an envelope. "You're fine," she assures him when he apologizes. "Though I will have you know the last party I had for my birthday Leona gave me a whirlpool. This better top it," she taps his offering with a grin though she does hug him tightly. A laugh escapes as Odin praises her, though her attention shifts to Noah after as he speaks his own special brand of praise that he enjoys doing in public just to see if he can cause her to break her composure. She toasts her orange juice to the room before she states honestly, "thank you all for coming here to celebrate with me. Us. It was Noah's birthday too. It means the world to mean that you would come here with the promise of death just to spend an evening to celebrate with us."

Galen checks luck at normal. Galen is successful.

Rook raises his glass in salute as well, before draining the last of the concoction. He casts a brief glance over towards Cesare, offering a nod and a smile of gratitude, a tip of the glass to indicate for what, exactly.

Drinks have been stared at long enough, the food plate has been forgotten somewhere... Zakhar picks up the Euphoria and pours it into a glass then grabs Lady Luck and add a healthy dose to the glass. Giving it a swirl then raising his new glass to the room. "Get older or die trying?" Then something muttered, and the drink disappears as he downs the entire combination of liquids in one go.

Primus, First of Monique's Assistants arrives, delivering a message to Zakhar before departing.

Noah is overheard praising Jaenelle: Oh right, happy birthday too.

Zakhar mutters, "... they blazes is this lovely, ... well ... ... makes ... sense ... it doesn't and everyone here is sooooo lovely, hello there! ... moving! I'm trying ... pet that lovely silk!"

Dolente, a mourning dove, Dolce, a collared dove leave, following Cesare.

"Tis hard to top a Whirlpool, though given the particular strengths of she and I...I think you may find my gift interesting," Galen says before leaning in to kiss Jaenelle on the cheek. A moment later he is turning to assess the party as he is often known to to. "Drinks!" he calls out while moving toward the tray, a quick glance is cut to Noah and a grin made of pure mischief forms on his lips. "This should be fun right brother?" the Warlord asks with a quirked brow, now, he does a truly Galen thing. He picks up the purple drink and slams it back like a shot, before that glass has hit the ground he has lifted the pink one in the other hand and does the same!

"For glory! For Jaenelle and Noah!" the man shouts while placing both glasses back down. He slowly turns, or at least he thinks he does...He does not, stormy eyes search out over the sunset and the slightest bit of rain begins to fall, at least to Galen...Its purple rain. "Noah!" He calls out while thrusting his larger frame against the man and draping an arm over him to pull him in close, "I love you man...I just want you to know how much I love you, like...You're family ya know? After Valerius I was totally lost on the brother side...But now, I got you!"

Blink, blink, "Noah...Noah...Why didn't you tell me! You're a fucking unicorn!" Now Galen not only has one arm around Noah but he begins to stroke the air above the man's head, his eyes distant, "I can taste your name..."

Noah checks composure at normal. Noah is successful.

The party is starting to get weird, and more importantly, Grady's home life is going to get troublesome if he doesn't bow to the Tyranny Of Bedtime Stories. So he makes his goodbyes and slips out.

2 House Deepwood Guards, Mortimer Ridgewattle the Third leave, following Grady.

There is a certain skill cultivated by those in certain skills, which allows them to smoothly retreat without attracting much attention. Somehow traversing distances backwards without moving their feet, or a perception of motion. It is this very skill which Rook employs to carefully extricate himself from the impending splash zone, seeking a safer spot to observe the chaos that is about to ensue.

The few gazes that meet Sira's after her admission are met, but then she's quickly and quietly slipping out the door.

Noah is wrapped up and he goes to hand off the tray. The first person is Jaenelle, but he doesn't hand it to her. He manages to get poor Jordan to hold the tray as there is a grapple hug. Noah blinks once and then he grins in a true manner. This grin allows for true charm because he doesn't do it often. A wrap of his arm around Galen's shoulders to try and switch him from bro hug to manly arm hug. "I didn't tell you because most men can't handle the size of my horn and the destruction it does." There is a pause. "Although, I did hear that unicorns are assholes, so that passes." His hand reaches out to grab Jaenelle to try and replace him. "Have you seen my wife Jaenelle?"

Jaenelle checks charm and manipulation at easy. Jaenelle marginally fails.

Clowder of the Nine, they have been fed don't let them trick you, Shekies, A black and white marbled cat with yellow eyes, Capt'n Waddles the small cock with a bell leave, following Zakhar.