2 Sea Rover Bodyguards arrives, following Artorius.

Artorius arrives, following Keely.

12 Grayson House Guards arrives, following Liara.

Grady gave up his cloak and gloves somewhere during the trip through the Grayson estate, his assistant Mortimer having taken both away, but what HASN'T been taken from him is the dramatically messy state in which the hood from the cloak has left his already pretty messy hair. He's fussing at Sabella about Artorius, who the two of them also seem to have lost somewhere on the way here. "... sure he was just behind us, really I am. He can't have gotten lost, can he? Perhaps we ought to go back and try to find him."

Keely wanders through the door with a delicate hand wrapped at Artorius' elbow, the pair in soft conversation. Quiet laughter bubbles from the princess at something the Count says, and she gives his arm a gentle squeeze as they head over to the large dining table. She offers smiles aside to Grady and Sabella, evidently having snagged Artorius from their entourage when they passed her in the Great Hall. "Cousin Lou," she greets Lou in warm and gentle tones as she nears, a hint of... something in her dark gaze. Perhaps concern. "Have you met Count Artorius Magnotta?"

Liara's here for, well, dinner. She graces various people with smiles on her way through, though her main goal is apparently to find a seat along one side of the table, and shortly thereafter to get herself a bowl of soup and some fresh bread.

Liara has joined the Griffon engraved dining table.

Sabella is also looking around for Artorius whom Grady and her managed to lose. But ah-ha here he comes with her cousin Keely along his arm. She offers a faint smile and friendly wave before leading Grady over to Lou. "I'm sorry for being so absent as of recent sister" Sabella says softly to Lou with a look of thoughtfulness along her features. She'd had much time to think about everything that had been happening, and for how selfish she probably had been in loo of everything that was happening around Bastion. "I brought Lord Grady Deepwood along with me. And we had Count Artorius but it seems Keely kidnapped him." she chuckles. A polite dip of head and warm smile to Liara.

Artorius was probably telling Keely about his miracle ice run, or grumbling about the impeccable choice in clothes he could change into. He had made a sudden wardrobe change despite any prior remarks about it. The ruggedness a bit more cleaned up as it were, with proper frock coat, waist coat, and ruffled shirt and high waisted pants to go along with it. He didn't have time to tame his hair however and it still holds onto his Cyrto Arch life shenanigans. He 'HAHS' at Sabella's sentiments, "She's a miracle worker. Look at these clothes!" He chimes in then looks toward the greeting to Lou, "Well met your Highness."

were=wear*

"Oh, there you are!" Judging from his expression, Grady is surprised, although not unpleasantly so, to find Artorius here, and in Keely's company. "Princess Sabella and Princess Keely have both quite saved me from myself by making certain I turned up here," he chuckles. "I've been turning into something a hermit, yes, and I'm sure being too much in my own thoughts cannot possibly be good for me. One ought to be in sensible company if ever one can, and I'm sure 'sensible' doesn't describe me at all. My! All of this looks wonderful."

Liara offers up a warm smile to Sabella, her gaze turned over that way assessively, though just for an instant, soup briefly forgotten about. Then she observes, with a lingering smile, "Lord Grady is an excellent choice of dinner companion." A greeting directly to the Deepwood follows, "Lord Grady, how do you do? I am sure you are amply sensible."

There are lots of things for dinner, from all of the various fealties in Grayson's chain. Lou can't take credit for any of it because she likely told the cooks to 'uh... make whatever' or something along those lines. And, so they have. Made whatever. Entrees, desserts. All the things Grayson too. She's been in and out of the dining room, seeing to a few matters, making sure everything is set, and its only when guests start arriving that she finally settles down. She hugs Sabella first and murmurs quietly, "Think nothing of it. I've been a zombie these last few weeks." Figuratively, of course, because she did not let herself get turned into a magicked half-plant zombie when she had a chance; for realz.

After gently guiding Artorius farther along the table so they might find a seat near Liara, who is assaulted with a peck to the top of her head in passing, Keely laughs quietly and lifts her already-lofty eyebrows Sabella's way. "Does it count as kidnapping if he was already attending as my guest?" she wonders in light tones, settling in and immediately setting upon the bread. "That is how Noah detects if I am poisoned while visiting the Lycene ward," she belatedly informs her sister, regarding the kiss to the top of her head. "I do not think you are poisoned, though I am not entirely sure how to tell yet." She places some bread on the Count's plate, peeking up toward a member of the staff who is passing and quietly requesting some whiskey be brought to the table. "Lord Grady, I had considered getting you a quieter bag to put your ginger candies in as a gift, but I do not know what I would entertain myself with at future Assemblies. What do you think?"

Keely has joined the Griffon engraved dining table.

Sabella accepts the hug from Lou, lingering in it and squeezing her gently before eventually releasing her. Even if she didn't want to. To Artorius, she'd chuckle. "My cousin has excellent tastes in fashion. She could make anyone look good and as quickly as she needs to. A talent, surely." Then to Liara. "He is excellent company indeed. I am lucky to have ran into him at the Menagerie with Count Artorius." her attention shifts to Grady briefly, "You are definitely sensible." Blue eyes turn to the plethora of food that had been cooked and went to find a seat next to Liara. "The winter does really make you crave the warmth of food and family." she says softly to Liara before choosing a warm and hearty bowl of stew.

Sabella has joined the Griffon engraved dining table.

Lou gets a precious, cuddly sea otter plushie from Rugged Backpack with Quick Release Straps.

Lou gets Green Griffon Explorer Backpack from Rugged Backpack with Quick Release Straps.

Lou puts Green Griffon Explorer Backpack in Rugged Backpack with Quick Release Straps.

Lou has left the Griffon engraved dining table.

Willen leaves, following Lou.

Willen arrives, following Lou.

Lou has joined the Throne of Pena Stormryder.

Lou has left the Throne of Pena Stormryder.

Lou has joined the Griffon engraved dining table.

"And I'm sure I have always endeavored to make a favorable impression on you," Grady chuckles to Liara, sketching for her half bow with the usual lack of grace. "Speaking of sensible, you were wonderful speaking at the Assembly this week. I sometimes regret attending those affairs, don't I, but I'm very glad I was there for this last one." When reminded of the waxed paper by Keely, he laughs. "They're so terribly sticky, I'm sure they'd get stuck to anything else, yes, or covered in lint or some such thing. I can't imagine why sugar is so terribly sticky when it's made into sweets. The crystals look just like salt." He takes a seat near Liara while he's chattering cheerfully away. "How is the soup?" He asks her after settling. "Is it especially heavy this evening?"

Grady has joined the Griffon engraved dining table.

Liara smiles up at Keely, followed by an arched eyebrow at the poison commentary. Her reply is part curious, part just amused, "How exactly is that supposed to detect poison? I am not sure that something which is supposed to be drunk would be in my hair!"

Then she turns aside to Sabella, musing. "I can see that. I have been to a few outdoor functions where the distribution of blankets featured and it certainly provided quite a cosy atmosphere, while it may seem downright odd midsummer."

Then, to Grady, she offers another smile, "Excellent. There are vegetables." Thus concludes Liara's culinary critique, before she says to Grady, "The Assembly was a quiet affair. I do not think that the next one will be so, but we should take the respite as it comes."

Lou pulls a few things from her backpack and suddenly shoves them at Sabella, not giving her the option not to take them. "The first, the otter, is from Keely. The second... I had him commemorated. The crafter was Zakhar. He'll make the pattern available in his shop for those that wish one." She doesn't explain which him she's talking about. It becomes evident when the Niklas plushie is thrust in Sabella's direction. "He was not the only one," she tells her sister. "So many... " her expression becomes haunted for a moment before she does her best to shake it off and plaster a smile on her face. Truthfully, Lou's keeping away from most crowded events these days, and mostly to herself, she's even disappeared a time or two, since Bastion.

This is when she also turns her attention to Keely, and gives Artorius a smile, having not missed their introductions and entrance. "I'm aware of the Count Magnotta. The Explores recently voyaged to his lands on a mapping mission. I heard they discovered more than what they bargained for, although that has been the nature of the mapping missions, it seems." She shrugs her shoulders a bit and grins only the slightest. "But, I mean, exploration. You never know what you'll find." She gives Grady a nod and then looks to Liara. "I can pass along the information we found on the falcatae solis if you'd like; the scythe that is. I'll be meeting with the team of people helping me within the week to see if there's not something more we can do, now that we know a bit more about the item. However, the library seems to have more information, so we're also researching it."

"It must be a... Lycene trick," Keely guesses at Liara's inquiry, turning her dark eyes aside to Artorius as if to confirm this for her. "Where you kiss the top of someone's head and detect poison. Yes?" She offers a kind, grateful smile to the attendant who brings the Count his whiskey, collecting her own mug of what is probably a cider of some kind between her hands. She turns her focus aside to Lou for a time, smiling softly when she mentions the otter and allowing her gaze to dip briefly before it finds her explorer cousin again. "Oh, did you?" she wonders, suddenly fascinated. "You know, we are going there soon, to Cair Morien. What did you find? Is it... polite for table conversation? I do not wish to give Lord Deepwood indigestion."

Artorius is like the amiable Lycene that's willing to be seated where ever he belongs in amongst all the Graysons. The conversation is really quick for him and he might be feeling under the water with all the socials, so he makes sure that he has his free hand around a drink as soon as he can and spills out a smile whenever someone talks to him. Lou's words about the mission has him nod, "Yes, yes, exploration. I'll likely be needing the Explorer's help again fairly soon. Or perhaps toward the summer, depending on funding." He plops into a seat, nodding in some agreement to Sabella, but then Keely is needing him to confirm something and he uhs, "No. Haha, no. Not the head. We take a sip of a drink we pour, to show our guests who we poured it for, we haven't poisoned it." Then omg, he drinks more deeply.

'Excellent' and 'There are vegetables' seem to be all that Grady needs to make his choice of soup for dinner this evening, but before he can remark on it further, Lou is handing out plushies of the most serious kind imaginable. His smile fades a bit, and a melancholy starts to drain the color from his hazel eyes almost as soon as it does so, as though it were only that smile that held back clouds always threatening to close in. But hearing Keely speak his name is enough to bring the smile right back again, and banish the melancholy back to whatever corner it crept out of. "I'm sure I'll be quite alright as long as nobody starts arguing," he chuckles. "Ah! Especially since this soup really is excellent."

Artorius has joined the Griffon engraved dining table.

Liara listens to Lou with a trace of a pensive expression, then she answers, "It is better shared. There is little purpose to retaining such information other than the usual concerns about anything so sensitive in that particular way. Our enemy, after all, already has it. I shall attend a meeting if time permits, but being that I would only be listening, there is certainly no need to schedule around me."

A smile is turned towards Keely, another small lift of her eyebrows, but she says nothing more, instead just getting back to her soup.

Sabella's face brightens considerably when the otter is pushed her way. She looks to Keely with an endearing expression. "Thank you, it's so cute." she smiles brightly before another one is pushed her way.

Blinking she takes a moment to just look at it. It was hard to tell if she loved it or didn't. That was just Sabella's way, to leave the person in some dramatic moment of waiting. A hard swallow, hands reaching for it slowly before she pulls it to her chest and hugs it tight. Her face nestled into it for a few moments before looking back up. There is a slight wavering to her voice as she tries to speak. But then settles for a non-verbal mouthing of 'Thank you' to Lou, so she doesn't burst into tears at the dinner table.

The distraction of talks about the other things keeps the tears that threaten to flood at the corner of her eyes from bursting. A soft recomposing sigh. Blue eyes looking to soup and then to everyone else. A clear of throat before she takes a spoonful. "Wow, this is quite delicious. Another wonderfully, well... wonderful dinner, Lou." she offers a faint smile.

6 Grayson House Guards, Thistleton, an elderly and devoted manservant, Liza, a young and energetic bard arrive, following Macda.

"It must be an advanced technique. I will have him show you the trick," Keely assures Artorius with a gentle pat to his hand before she lifts her mug for a sip, listening to all of the chatter a bit passively for a time. She seems to remember something, tipping to the side a bit to murmur to the Count as everyone converses around them, following a wink to Sabella in reply to her thanks for the plush otter.

Lou inclines her head to Liara and passes along some notes that she brought, so Liara might read them later. She then glances back to Sabella and gives her sister a solid look of support before her attention falls back to Keely. "Oh. I don't have any tales myself that I can tell, but I'm sure Count Artorius might be convinced or coaxed to tell you the story. I only got to hear the briefest of highlights. I stayed home, to prepare for Bastion," she explains to her cousin. She looks over at Grady then and wonders, "What has House Deepwood been up to Lord Grady?" she seems genuinely curious.

The sheer fussiness and exacting nature of Grady's excellent table manners go a long way towards explaining why he's so shockingly thin; nobody can eat like that all the time and ever be getting enough to eat. He sets his spoon down before turning to speak with Lou. "Most of my family are at home, looking after the place - looking after Old Oak, that is - and I have been spending most of my time putting the pieces in place to join in with Princess Liara's diplomatic outreach. I'm afraid the weight of house business itself has rather fallen in Marquessa Samantha's shoulders, yes, a fact about which I admit to feeling some little chagrin." He doesn't look chagrined. He looks generally amiable, a smile coming and going over his mobile features, well in tune with the ambling thread of conversation.

Macda's hair floats into view first -- the unbound, dark golden dandelion fluff that the rest of the princess is attached to. She's late, but there are people here, and conversation, so... "What's left to eat?" Don't worry, Grady, Mac will under-manner and overeat enough to balance you out!

Artorius regards the otter plushie with a long drawn breath that catches, his eyes flashing toward his drink and he seems to double time it, emptying whatever he was served to drink and lifting his glass upward as if to summon a refill. When Lou explains that it was his tale to tell, he nods briefly, "I'm not a great storyteller, but the short of it is, that the Cyrto Arch, is home to various abandon tribes. Some, as you know, bent the knee to Duchess Calypso and she put me in charge of Caer Morien, ten years back. The various populations of Pols, as we call them, are just as varied in their opinions of us. We ran into some hostilities on the water, which prevented much of a true exploration." He adds, "A near scuttled ship was baiting in aid with a flag of aid raised. They got more than they bargained for, anyhow." He murmurs something quickly to Keely but to be polite it was a short word, enjoying the meal as it's served.

"Macda!" Keely's soft tones carry excitably across the hall, interrupting what ever short exchange she was sharing with Artorius. She lifts a hand, beckoning her sister to a seat nearby, her young face lit all the way up with a brilliant and warm smile. "Liara, Macda is here," she informs Liara unnecessarily. But then she quiets herself, turning to listen with interest to the Count's tale. "Goodness," is her only reply to his tale for now, her eyebrows rising a touch with interest.

Liara accepts the notes from Lou with a small smile, and stores them away rather than reviewing anything this instant. She settles in to just listen for a time, a smile offered to Grady at the mention of those undertakings, before a page shows up with a note for her, and she rises to her feet with an apologetic, "Pardon. I should attend to this." She brightens at Keely's mention of Macda, then she supplies to Macda on her way towards the door, "Keely tells me that putting your face in someone's hair determines if they have been poisoned. I may be missing certain specifics!"

Liara has left the Griffon engraved dining table.

Sabella looks at everyone around and offers a bright beaming smile. A messenger comes to deliver a letter. A few spoonfuls of soup to finish it off and then she raises to get up with both plushies in hand. "I would love to stay longer but I've some things to tend to." a clear of her throat she smiles to Macda, then going to Lou first, to give her a big ole kiss on the head and then to keely to squeeze her, gently. "I'm glad I could stop by for a bit. We all really need to catch up. Like a girls night or something." she finishes.

Lou nods after Liara as she rises to take care of business. She leans in and asks Keely, "Do you know if we've heard anything from Ranver yet?" She furrows her brow and sits up again after she asks, biting her lip a moment. She looks to Artorius. "Telling stories is all about adding how you feel, and the appropriate sounds things make, and well... showing things off if you have them to show off. Like this..." she reaches into her backpack and pulls out a tiny metal sculpture that has cogs and wheels. It is a strange piece really; a griffon, sleeping, with wings of many colors and a key in its back. She winds the key once, twice, three times, then sets it on the table. The metal griffon yawns and stretches, then unfurls and expands its wings, taking off from the table in flight. Yes. Flight. It circles overhead three times before landing, yawning, and curling back up to sleep. Lou watches the griffon in flight, a look of awe replacing the haunted look, and shakes her head. "I can never get enough of watching that.... even if I've watched it a million times at this point." Truly, she probably has. That clockwork griffon is her bit of wonder and hope.

Artorius checks composure at hard. Artorius fails.

Macda has enough time to eyeball the one sister as she's leaving, seeing as she's still close to the entryway, but as Liara moves out of view the full puzzled force of her bright gaze lands on Keely instead. "Sounds like an excuse to snort on someone's perfume," she declares on her way over to the suggested seat. Sabella is smiled at, and she flashes her sister a grin as she settles in to wait for food, and to eavesdrop until she's caught up to the current conversation.

Sabella has left the Griffon engraved dining table.

6 Grayson House Guards, Maureen, an unflappable nanny, Clark, an exasperated guard leave, following Sabella.

Grady's eyes widen, his soup promptly forgotten as the little clockwork griffon takes flight. His expression is open, childlike, as he watches. "Isn't that lovely!"

Artorius is merrily eating his food, maybe his foot too, socially. It seems that with Liara leaving, his eyes widen a little bit, brows lifting, looking very expressive in the way his eyes swivel around from one Grayson to the next. He decides it's best to keep his mouth occupied with food right then, even as his fork hovers empty, he's clearly chewing. Chewing over words to say. This wasn't awkward at all. Though what he does is start to choke, when he inhales something the wrong way as Lou brings out something that FLIES. FLIES!!! He pushes back a little and thumps his fist to his chest a few times. Once whatever it is, dislodges, he looks up at the flying device and startles, "What... in the abyss is that!" EBIL MAGICK. He takes a gasping inhale of breath, cause he almost died back there, choking. He swallows down more drink, as if to trying to calm down the inevitable scratch in his throat his hoarse coughs made.

Keely's back straightens just a touch. "No," comes her faint reply to Lou, a small shake of her head causing the gem of her circlet to bounce gently against her brow. "No, I am sure Liara would have... she knows I am anxious to find out what is agreed." She seems anxious for a moment, lifting her mug for another sip to steady herself. She seems cheered again as Macda settles nearby, and she begins to ask, "Have you met Count Artorius Magnott--" but now he is choking to death because of a flying toy, and she quickly turns to watch him in alarm. "Breathe," she commands him gently, because she is helpful. She doesn't really know what else to do, and seems quite relieved when no further intervention is required. "-Artorius-" she voices brightly, gesturing to her sister. "This is my sister Macda. She is Very Fierce and wonderful."

It's a family dinner, Macda is on her best(ish) manners. So she only observes Artorius's near-death experience with interest, not raucous applause. "Magnotta. First time to a Grayson dinner?"

Jordan, apologetic Gentleman of the Chamber arrives, following Noah.

Lou simply raises a brow in Artorius's direction. "It is a souvenir I discovered in the lost city of Whitepeak when I rediscovered it," she explains. While once the telling of the story might have brought her joy, it doesn't exactly anymore. "It's probably one of three wonders to come out of the Lost City before the Eater of Stories and the Traitor decided to devour the city for what little magic might still be left within it. It had singing fountains, and access to bridges that would let you walk to other countries and continents in the matter of minutes. I even got to use one of those bridges, to send something back to Arx, as there was one working one left. Lorwroth Kinsbane destroyed many of the others. It had so, so many secrets left to be revealed, and the Traitor /fucking/ ate the city with his bugs." So, that might have taken a dark turn, but there's a reason Lou has been keeping to herself since Bastion.

Grady has left the Griffon engraved dining table.

Artorius lifts a hand, "I'm fine." He's fine. He's alive. He takes another sip but there's some water in his eyes, which suggests it's a little painful to choke on something and have that near death experience by food. It's a great start to his experience at the Grayson dinner table. He nods at Macda, weakly, and decides not to try to eat and talk again, for a while. Lou's explanation of what caused his reaction is listened too with expressive eyebrows lifting and his eyes walking from face to face.

Noah strides into the dining room as if he has not a care in the world. He might not. He also might be higher than a dragon right now. He slows to regard Grady leaving and Lou talking. It's only a slight pause before he tosses himself in a seat and kicks his feet up on the nearest unused chair. "Telling bedtime stories again, Loucia? You left out all the blood and detailed death." His eyes sweep the others present and fall on Artorius. "Hm." Then a hand comes up for a servant to bring him a plate of food. He might smell a bit like haze, but it's on you if you know the smell.

Noah has joined the Griffon engraved dining table.

Keely gives a bit of a start when Lou does some swearing, sitting a little lower in her seat and drinking deeply of her mug like she might want to swim into it to get away from the mild awkwardness that has been this dinner. But then Noah walks in! She sits up straight and casts a broad, beaming smile his way. "Cousin Noah!" she calls out in soft tones, definitely the happiest person at the table to see him no matter -how- delighted everyone else may be. "Come, there is soup. And look, Macda is here!" The young princess is clearly elated to be surrounded by her family, who are all so often off doing amazing things or being married. "I understand you have already met Count Magnotta," she then murmurs when he settles, gesturing to Artorius who is sitting beside her.

"It was either show off the griffon or tell the story of how your Grandfather Augustus tried to make me into a magicked undead plant person back in Bastion," Lou remarks somewhat dryly in Noah's direction. "I can tell you that story, if you like, Noah?" Lou gives her cousin a dark smile. Clearly, she's in a mood. Also, she hadn't really told that story to many people. "Count Artorius was a bit taken aback by it flying." That's probably also not the best way to break it to Noah that his grandfather is dead. Keely, though? She's heard parts, bits and pieces.

That was a bit much for Keely, whose fork clatters to her plate as Lou starts in on Noah. She takes a shaky breath and turns, leaning to murmur something to Artorius before shifting to rise from her seat. "Thank you for putting this together, Lou," she murmurs quietly, reaching aside to give Macda's hand a warm squeeze as she stands, face entirely void of color.

Artorius dabs his lips with his napkin, since he probably made a mess with the soup in his beard or something from the choking. Upon seeing Noah, he dips his head, "We have. It's good to see you again, Prince Noah." He flicks his gaze aside toward Keely, moments later when Lou explains the situation of the Grandfather, and then back to the party at hand when Keely suddenly rises to her seat. He follows. He's a good little Lycene Count. "Thank you for sharing your marvel from another time, your Highness," this was to Lou, but then he looks more concerned with Keely, excusing himself from the table as well.

Macda sets her elbow to the table and her chin to her fist, watching the talk bounce around like she's at a sporting match. "What are you drinking tonight, Lou?" she wonders before looking back to Keely then Artorius. When Keely stands, she eyes her consideringly before standing as well. It's not a polite gesture exactly. It seems she just means to return the hand squeeze with a one-armed hug instead. "Nice seeing you instead of a messenger's mug, sis. I can send something after you in a bit?" Like a poofy-haired, punchy older sister?

"Well did he succeed?" Noah offers at Lou and tosses a charming smile. "I can't tell by your /warmth/ and excitement at the moment. I know. I know. You are just too captivated by having me visit." Noah looks at the soup as it's delivered. Then he looks up slowly to the server and back to the soup. There might be a muttered thank you. "It is an interesting idea though. Magic. Undead, meaning you were dead. And a plant. So that means someone forgot to water you, you died learned magic and came back to tell the world about it. Seems to fit." Noah lost both his parents, a grandfather isn't going to hurt more than that one. "It seems like a great tale though." He sort of does the 'go on with it' motion with his spoon.

Keely is glanced over when her fork clatters to the plate. "Keely dear, that is not how we -- wait. Do you have more than soup. He looks at the white face. "Keely, sit back down. The dinner is just starting, you don't need to rush off to be with the Count. Loucia--- was just being dramatic." He glances at his cousin for a moment and then towards Macda. "Have you gotten in any fights as of recent?" He just eats soup as if people are not turning white, talking about dead plant people, and beating people. He does not stand.

Keely checks composure at hard. Keely is successful.

"How Augustus used his plant vines to try to choke the life out of Aindre. How those vines grabbed onto Ian and threw him into the wall. There's an Ian sized dent in the wall of the nursery, by the by. How Donovan and Aibek joined in, along with Minka, John, and Calain. All of them, half plant plant people that we had to kill in Grayhold, because of the Traitor." Lou's voice is pretty flat, her eyes haunted. "Not to mention all of the Graysons turned into three of the gargantuans we fought." There's enough people there to confirm that part. "Aindre's parents were part of one of them."

Keely is shaking like a leaf when she leans into Macda's one-armed hug, pressing her eyes closed. She manages not to let spill the tears that began building in her eyes as she holds onto her sister tightly with both arms. All of that second-hand trauma has, it seems, gone unprocessed, shoved down beneath smiles and parties. "Yes please," she mumbles against her sister's shoulder before beginning to draw away. She looks like she might actually listen to Noah for a moment, but Lou speaks again and she reaches aside to snag Artorius' hand and hurry away from the table. She does stop long enough near her now-Velenosan cousin, leaning to peck a familial peck to his cheek if he allows it, but then departing the dining hall before anyone can say anything else about her plant zombie, gargantuan-mush dead family.

At this point, Artorius is along for the ride. He goes when Keely needs to go, muttering some pleasantries before he's following (or towed) out.

Noah rolls hie eyes at Keely and Artorius. Then he drops his feet to the floor and stands as well. "This has... been." Yep, that's all this has been. He looks at Lou and shakes his head. "On the record, /I/ am not the one that ended the dinner."

Keely has left the Griffon engraved dining table.

Artorius has left the Griffon engraved dining table.

2 Sea Rover Bodyguards leaves, following Artorius.

Artorius leaves, following Keely.

Lou's response is to simply lift a brow at Noah, in a 'weren't you'? sort of manner. After all, he did come in using the dreaded Loucia name.

"Have you thanked all the people who sent you heartfelt and handmade wedding gifts, No-arse?" Mac lobs back toward Noah, flashing both dimples at him. Keely is given space, but sparkly sis is watching her escape from the corner of her eye just in case. Still standing, she leans forward to reach for the decanter near Lou to pour herself a drink. "Who says it's ended? There's still food."

Noah just looks at both of them and gives a charming smile before offering, "Enjoy dinner." Then he heads out.

Noah has left the Griffon engraved dining table.

Jordan, apologetic Gentleman of the Chamber leaves, following Noah.

Lou raises her glass in Macda's direction when she mentions food and dinner still being ongoing. She takes a sip of her very, very fine whiskey, which Macda is pouring for herself. She chuckles ever so slightly after Noah's left, with a vague hint of darkness to it before she looks to Macda, some amusement coloring her haunted eyes. "No'arse? I'll need to remember that for some other time." She also gives Macda a grateful look.