(OOC)The scene set/room mood is now set to: The room is set up for dinner, with tables arranged for optimum seating. For appetizers there is choice between various cheeses, fresh sliced breads, and herbed olive oil. Dinner is a choice between duck in a dill sauce or seared branzino, with a choice of asparagus, a light vegetable salad, or cooked carrots. A decadent chocolate cake with fresh strawberries and cream is what's for dessert.

Violeta Emili, tall and shadowed rivenshari, 2 Rivenshari Clan Guardsman arrive, following Mattheu.

Dinner is already prepared and set up for those in attendance. Quenia is seated at the table, sipping at a hot cup of hot chocolate, with a glass of wine on standby for when folk start eating. The servants show people in and announce their arrival as they do.

Argent, a silver hound, Tyce the gruff and disapproving, 2 Scarlet Phoenix Guard, Starboard an excited Oakhaven bloodhound arrive, following Juliana.

Kiko, a Kite of the Cloudspine have been dismissed.

Russel, a Blackram Retainer have been dismissed.

Argent, a silver hound, Tyce the gruff and disapproving, 2 Scarlet Phoenix Guard, Starboard an excited Oakhaven bloodhound leave, following Juliana.

Tyce the gruff and disapproving, 2 Scarlet Phoenix Guard arrive, following Juliana.

A soft song of jingling bells slips through the halls before Mattheu pokes his head into the Great Hall. Though to say he only poked his head in would be an understatement as he's in mid laugh over some conversation with the tall equally colorful woman walking along his side, who continues directly towards the tables and begins to fill a plate with duck and carrots leaving her charge to stand at the entry way as he is distracted in greeting Quenia. "My darling phoenix, Lady Quenia, this is an interesting room."

Cahal comes slowly that large tree of a man moving into the area his eyes seeking out anyone that is known to him that massive hand is brushing through his beard as he tugs it slightly. His eyes are filled with mirth booming out filling the hall. "Announcing myself Marquis Cahal Lyonesse! Now the party may start in earnest." The voice is teasing, filled with pure pleasure as he walks over to Quenia, bending into a proper bow. "Thank you for allowing me to grace your hall Marquessa Quenia Igniseri. I'm truly honored, that you think of my house on such a list of people worth dinning with." With that he stands there hands behind his back, as he waits to see if she is deems him worthy of a responding to as he smiles with that wide happy grin at her. "This is a very lovely room, I don't think I have the pleasure of being here and if I had been it was long ago, and my mind is not as sharp as it once was."

Ian has more or less cleaned up for this dinner. Not that he's dressed any better than he usually is in the summer, but he's washed the sweat of the day off and changed his shirt, so it's an improvement. While he definitely comes in with Aethan and Wash, the focus Ian puts on his own footsteps just to keep from tripping over his own feet or losing his balance means that he always gives off at least a little bit of a sense of being alone. But maybe less so just at the moment. The familial relationship between himself and Aethan is unmistakable; Ian doesn't look like most of House Kennex, who tend to be tall and fair, and he doesn't look like Wash, who's a Grayson, but he does look a hell of a lot like his brother.

Late as usual, Ariella swaggers through the door after all their guests have been shown inside, a nigh-permanent smirk on her rubicund red lips. She's at least traded in her usual leathers for more dinner-appropriate attire, warmer fabrics to mollify her Lycene blood as autumn in Arx approaches and the days grow colder. Her diamondplate heels click-clack across the floor, providing narration for her smooth, lazy gait. "Quen," she says first, bending down to kiss Quenia lightly on the cheek on her way by. Her dramatic golden eyes slide over everyone else in attendance before she adds, "Others." A grin slowly forms, flashing pearly white teeth as she continues along the table. "Well well well. If it isn't Ian Kennex, my /favorite/ boating buddy." Ready and eager to be insufferable for the rest of dinner, she loudly drags out a chair beside Ian and plops into it, leaning too far into his personal space to say at the same volume with the same obnoxious grin, "Hi." Grabbing her wine, she then notices Mattheu and waggles her eyebrows in his direction, saying nothing.

Aethan looks quite at ease as he enters the Great Hall along with his brothers, though he does pause a step when a servant announces his entry into the room. A quick glance is tossed in the direction of the servant before he resumes moving. Hearing Ariella call out to his brother he gives Ian a little grin and a nudge and goes to greet Quenia with a slight little bow. "Marquessa, it is a pleasure to see you. Thank you for allowing for my brothers and I to come and join you and your family and friends. I hope everything is going well for you and yours."

Quenia's turn toward the entrance as people start funneling in. The jingling of Mattheu's bells catches her attention first. She dips her head in his directly demurely. "Lord Mattheu, as always a pleasure," she greets him with a delicate warmth. Her eyes then turn to Cahal, "Marquis Cahal! You are, indeed, ever welcome here. Domus Igniseri is fortunate to be graced by your presence." Her eyes then go to her cousin, and her warm smile brightens, "Ariella! So glad you could make it, cousin." There's good cheer in her voice. That smile turns into a grin as some of the Kennex crew start to arrive. "Ah. Lord Ian. Rumor has it you've likely been on a number of new adventures recently." She lifts a brow as she catches Ariella's comment about Ian being a boat buddy, and she leans toward Ariella. "Sounds like there are some stories to be told there?" she queries.

Ian looks towards Ariella, first when she greets him, and then again, with a bit of a wince, when Aethan nudges him. He shoots his brother a Look before turning his attention to Quenia. "... What has Lady Ariella told you?"

3 Scarlet Phoenix Guard arrives, following Yelana.

Cahal grins at Quenia with that boyish charm as he walks to find something to drink two glasses plucked from trays as he walks back over. "The honor is spread out equally between our houses, with such a spread and it makes me wish to do this as well. I was just speaking of the desire, to host something and than I hear about this. What is the old saying, great minds think alike, and to drink with friends it is to bond for life."

As he sips the first of the wines, and than he chuckles slowly both hands bringing the glasses to his lips, as he looks over at the rest of the room. "I think I see a few known faces, but many are not known to myself. I have been gone too long, it seems the circle of the social has grown in new and exciting ways since I return for my quest for secrets of yore." He looks over at Ian, than at Mattheu with a bowing of his head, as he speaks slowly. "It is good to meet you Lord Ian and Lord Mattheu, as I stated and will many times tonight Marquis Cahal Lyonesse, for a name is but a name till it is ironed down on page."

"We fucked up some pirates together," the foul-mouthed Ariella is happy to report to Quenia, one hand jutting out to jostle Ian by the shoulder briefly but easily slapped away. "Well. I fucked up most of the pirates and Ian yelled, that's how I remember it. Also I singlehandedly fucked up a catapult by sneezing at it. It was great." To Ian she asks, "Why, what /should/ I've told her?" More eyebrow waggles are distributed, one set to Aethan as her gaze flicks over him, and another to Wash with a familiar grin. "I know Wash. Who is that one?" she demands, jabbing a finger in the direction of the marquis. Seems she wasn't paying attention to the introductions. When Cahal introduces himself, her focus rounds on him and she flashes what she clearly believes to be a terribly charming smile his way. "Ariella. Charmed. You have some great hair, what's going on with that?"

Mattheu turns from greeting Quenia in time to watch Violeta take her food and wander back out from the hall, then catching the eyebrow waggling from Ariella with a smirk of his own in return. A chair is found across the table as each step gives way to more jingling only to be quieted a little in his taking a seat, where even there it takes a moment for him to settle into a seated position that just isn't exactly right. With a leg tucked under him, he then is leaning across the table to grab at the foods and pile his plate high. A wide grin is offered back to Cahal with jingling nod, "Marquis Cahal, you're well met. It's been awhile since I've traveled the river to your end of the waters."

"Don't let her get away, Abbas!!" The voice that comes from the hall is young, but there is a whole lot of attitude behind it, as if the girl is used to giving orders. At least to her little brothers. The command is soon followed by what kinda sounds like sword play.. as long as most of them are wooden. Which as Lady Juliana, backs into the hall.. "You aren't going to take me alive...you little heathens!" the woman's voice full of amusment. She is dressed in silk and lace, barefooted and with dark curls falling down her back, it's obvious she was probably heading towards the dinner before set upon. Why she had her sword is anyones guess but she does.. and is at the moment parrying clumsy swipes of wooden swords from the three dark haired children that press forward; Jules passing the threshold into the Great Hall. The battle looks at if is in full swing and could very easily push into the hall if Lady Bastian didn't peek past her mother to see a table full of nobles and tug Abbas to a stop.. Lucian, had stopped before them, standing at the back watching with big dark eyes. Pointing towards the table with his wooden sword for his mother's attention. "Mama.." Juliana blinks looking over her shoulder, brows arching upwards at the sight of them all. "Is it already that late?"

Tyce stands back, a shadow behind the children, as silent as always.

Quenia glances over to Aethan upon his greeting. Quenia nods to him. "It's always a pleasure to have the Kennex family to Domus Igniseri, and I'm pleased to see that you are taking advantage of the ever standing invitation offered. You've been busy for a smile while, Duke Aethan. Hopefully not all of it was work to do with the Isles?" Ian catches her attention once more, "Ariella? Told me? Why, nothing yet. Though her greeting does seem to imply there's some story there waiting to be shared does it not?" She's once more briefly looking to Ariella for the tale of it, putting the onus on her cousin rathe than the Kennex to tell the tales for a change. When Ariella reveals their doings, Quenia nods her head in a serious fashion before busting up laughing at her cousin's rather boisterous retelling of events. "I see. If Lord Ian was yelling, Ariella, I imagine it was mostly along the lines of, 'Gods Dammit Ariella, I said get behind me so I don't have to explain to Quenia why you are dead!!" She looks to Ian, "Sound about right?" she asks with some amusement. Back to Cahal again and Quenia nods in his direction. "It had been almost a full year since my last dinner, when I used to hold them on the regular. I figured it was time."

Cahal sips his wine as he listens taking it in as a skilled story tellers always do as he loosk over at Ariella. "First good job on the pirate battle, I would love to hear this tale about you and Lord Ian. Second my hair is this way for it is how it grows, I'm a mighty tree is the joke of the beard and these are my deep deep roots into my brain." His finger taps at, as his fingers move through his beard slowly with a soft chuckle.

He turns now to Mattheu as he grins at the man with a deep bow. "The honor is as much mine as it is your own, it is good to meet any that have seen the waters of my home." His glasses not moving, not a drop of the wine spilled, as he goes back to sipping it with a wide smile.

Once more his eyes move to Quenia, doing laps with just that and the wine as he sets the now empty first glass back on a passing tray with a light chuckle. "From what I have told, so far in my time back we have little time for such things in the past weeks or months, it seems it has been fairly active. But these things are very lovely to have in our world. Very much needed, to help push us forward into the world."

Wash is wearing casual garb, "Evening Ariella." Wash greets, equally informal in his address. "I hope the capons are ... cold? I'm not sure what a capon is. It's always served with something else, so I never figured it out."

Yelana slips in. She's not partial to the large crowds, but she is partial to large swathes of food and drink. Its a slow orbit around the room that guides her towards the appetizer table. A glass of wine gathered, along with a plate of cheese.

Ian fills in for Aethan as they move towards the table: "This was the thing where I kept coming home hurt, and Master Wild did the thing with the fish." Then he shakes his head to Quenia. "The yelling was me doing a passable impression of him." A nod towards his brother. He stops, just short of sitting down, with his hand on the back of a chair and looks towards the swordfight that hails Juliana's entrance. The way that his eyebrows draw together a bit speaks volumes about the self restraint involved in NOT correcting the form of children with wooden swords.

Aethan bows his head to Quenia and smiles, "Oh no, some of the time was spent sailing to and from the Isles, quite enjoyable that was. A shame I couldn't drag that part out longer." The smile widens a little as Ariella shares her story of her and Ian's adventures. "Lord Ian? Yelling? Why, I've never heard of such a thing." He grins at his brother and then turns to Cahal and nods, "A pleasure to meet you, Marquis Cahal. I am Duke Aethan Kennex. I see you've rustled up some wine, pardon me a moment while I go inquire about some tea." He also nods at Matthew and then gestures to a servant to get that tea. Only to catch sight of Jules and the entrance that is made. "Oh what do we have here? A re-enactment of some famous battle?"

The noise of the incoming battle, even if wooden swords are in use and Mattheu perks up to look over to the three children charging to overtake their mother with a grin as he has half a mouthful of carrots wrapped up in the duck. Pushing away from the table to head over to Juliana and children only to stop nearby without fully approaching, "If you'd kept your push up there might have been a victory and then a slice of duck for each of you."

Briar, a quiet young woman, 6 Setarcan Royal Shields arrive, following Sebastian.

Cahal bows slowly at Aethan as he finishes the second glass of wine. "Indeed, it is a pleasure to meet you Duke Aethan Kennex. Best of luck for your hunt for the tea, I do wish you the best with it." With that he turns to the rest of the group quietly, standing there trying to listen and to hear of news and passings, the complex introductions are done. "So than, there has been much going in on the compact it seems, there is much I need to learn. What is the latest from the troubles?"

Juliana, hands off the sword to her Eusuri watch dog, hand dropping to the dark head of Lucian as Mattheu makes his way over. "Good evening Lord.." head tips seeing the bells. "Rivenshari? Lady Juliana Igniseri. This is Lords Abbas and Lucian, and Lady Bastian" each child nods, though Bastian waves.. "Children, go give the Marquesa your hugs and apologies then it's off to dinner and baths." to which all three nod, then swarm toward the table and Quenia, for hugs and whispered apologies. Though if possible, Abbas no doubt sneaks something from the table.

Watching them go, Jules looks back to Mattheu. "Shall we rejoin the others?" smiling.

"It is ever and always active," Quenia replies all too easily to Cahal, "but we must not forget to also take rest for ourselves. Dinners are one of the few ways that I recharge from such feats." She catches Yelana's entrance from the corner of her eye and nods in her other cousin's direction, then a bright grin is given to Juliana and the kids. "Keeping ever busy? What battle was it this time?" she asks, used to the shenanigans that go on around the house. She chuffs in Ian's direction. "When don't you come home hurt from your adventures?" she challenges him.

"It is ever and always active," Quenia replies all too easily to Cahal, "but we must not forget to also take rest for ourselves. Dinners are one of the few ways that I recharge from such feats." She catches Yelana's entrance from the corner of her eye and nods in her other cousin's direction, then a bright grin is given to Juliana and the kids. "Keeping ever busy? What battle was it this time?" she asks, used to the shenanigans that go on around the house. She chuffs in Ian's direction. "When don't you come home hurt from your adventures?" she challenges him. Quenia attends to the children, giving them each affection.

Of course Sebastian is late. He's late even when he's /in/ the manor that dinner is being held in. Some time after Juliana's children come out swinging their swords, the Artist of Pravus arrives, silken shirt sleeves rolled up, casual in manner even if his dress is his typical steelsilk outfit. Long strides carry him to Juliana's side, leaning to murmur something to his twin, expression amused, before he approaches the table moments after his niece and nephews; each of them are given light touches of his hand to shoulders, before his lean to kiss Quenia's cheek perhaps serves as much as a bow of greeting to the hostess as his warm words: "Marquessa Quenia, a picture of perfection as always. What a crowd," he adds, straightening, glancing down the table to see many familiar, and some unfamiliar faces, a collective tilt of his head greeting them all. "Good evening. Where are you shoving me?"

"Impression. Of. You." Ian says pointedly to Aethan in response to the joking around about him yelling. Just in case there is ANY DOUBT about who he was doing an impression of when he was yelling about things, he also points at his brother. That is to say, at Aethan. Then he nods to Sebastian. "Good to see you again. It's been a while."

Ariella belches, but she keeps it quiet and off to the side because they have company and she's being refined, then returns to sipping her wine as her golden gaze drifts lazily around the table, watching each conversation happen. "Nah. He was telling the lads faaaaaar behind me how great I am in fights and how excited he was that I was gonna beat 'em to the tower by a mile." Something about her retelling suggests embellishment, but it ends as chaos erupts in the form of children and swordfights and late-arriving Princes. She flashes a deep red-framed grin of greeting Sebastian's way and gestures helpfully to an empty chair beside her with her wineglass.

Catalana arrives a little later than the rest of the Kennex crew. She has a girlish flush to her cheeks as she enter the great hall. Clearly having Wash back from sea is having an impact on her mood. Smiling warmly at the hosts she offers greetings as she comes up to both Quenia and Juliana. "I have to admit, dinner at your house is always one of my favourite events. Thank you so much for the invitation." Not one to manopolize their time, she heads to the side and gathers her own glass of red wine.

Managing to talk to a servant, Aethan puts in a rather specific request of some tea, and then moves back towards the table, offering Sebastian a little wave. "Good to see you, it's been way too long hasn't it?" He flashes him a grin before glancing over to Ian a shake of his head. "I do not yell, I bark commands. They are two, completely separate actions. Giving commands is done loudly to ensure that all hear you and that noone screws up orders. Yelling means you just want to be heard."

Mattheu smiles to each of the brave warriors as their mother introduces them, a jingling nod back to each adding before they run off a flourished introduction of his own in cascading bells each finding their song before standing back up "Lord Mattheu Rivenshari, it is a pleasure to meet such brave fighters and their mother." Left to their own he looks to Juliana with a warm smile, "A solid plan. A pleasure to meet you Lady Juliana. Your little ones remind me of my siblings children, always ready for some amusement."

Wash waves Catalana over to the table, already pouring her a glass of wine and offering her his plate to. "Try the white cheese. It's a little buttery."

Ian finally takes a seat and pours himself a glass of wine. Wine is going to be necessary, tonight. "If I remember right, I was telling them that none of us would be hearing the end of it if you beat us there," he answers Ariella before taking a sip. "Which..." He gestures to her, currently not letting him hear the end of it. Then he looks over at Aethan. "What's it called when you raise your voice because your little brother has fu -- messed up for the upteenth time and is on your last nerve? That's what I was doing."

There are times for talk and times to listen a large gathering long out of touch with the world it is the time for the options with the buttoned lip. Cahal stands there with his hands behind his back as he listens now, turning to meet each dipping his head to those speaking as he smiles warmly with that boyish charm. With each new to him dipping of his head, waiting for the proper moment to do another round of introductions.

"Prince Sebastian!" Quenia greets the Pravus prince. "Do you know that I've sent you several messages responding to your request to meet? I am beginning to suspect they might have gotten themselves lost," she teases him, returning the cheek kisses before he wanders off to find a seat. To Ian, Quenia remarks, "I'm afraid I might have sent the family in a bit of a tizzy lately, sending word of potential doom and gloom and needing to finally select an heir over that trip I will eventually need to take."

The children with hugs given and a pout at Sebastian that their mother is sending them back to their rooms... make their way back out while Juliana continues towards the table. Mattheu gets a smile and nod. "A pleasure Lord Mattheu. Don't let them fool you, they are feral little beasts." teases with a wrinkled nose to the children as she passes them. Sebastian gets a squeeze to his arm and a snort at his whisper. "You forget your dealing with, Bas." then follows to press a kiss to Quenia's temple before making her way along the table.. Wash, Catalana, each gets quick hugs.. Ian and Aethan, kisses to the jaws before she is looking for a seat beside her twin and reaching for his glass.

Catalana slides into a seat beside Wash and takes a bite of the cheese. "Mmm." She nods in agreement to Wash. "Think we can steal their cheesemongers?" She grins at Ian and remarks, "It's called you're lucky he didn't strangle you with the rigging." She murmurs to check with Wash, "It is called rigging right?"

Sebastian clearly is used to be settled where convienient when late, and gives Ariella a bright smile as he gestures to the seat next to her, slipping into it. "Lady Ariella, what a delightful dinner companion fate has brought me." He doesn't immediately reach for a glass of wine, settling in. Ian, and then Aethan's comments about it being too long earn a wry smile. "It has. After the war before last?" the prince muses, with a twist of lips as if aware comparing time of /when the last war happened/ is hardly companionable dinner discussion. "Oh, don't blame Briar, dear Quenia. Timing has been difficult of late and I admit to stealing plenty of that to lock myself away to paint. We should definitely rectify my tardiness soon, though."

"No. It's not." Wash admits. "You could strangle him with a sheet though."

Aethan glances at Ian and shrugs, "Oh that? That's called giving you a verbal kick in the aas." And just then his tea arrives, which he graciously accepts. Holding the cup, he sticks his pinky out and looks at Ian as he takes a sip. A quick grin for both Ian and Jules, especially after the kiss to his jaw. To Sebastian, "Something like that, I can hardly keep track anymore." And then his attention moves to Cahal. "Marquis, may I join you for a bit? I'd like to know more about you and Lyonesse, if it's not too much of a bother."

Cahal looks over at Aethan with a nodding of his head as he chuckles softly. "I thought I had done my part, and could be a fly on the wall. It seems you have found me wiht much questions, but of course you may join me." He than walks over to pick up some of that cheese as he walks back over with a wide smile. "Cheese, proof in my book that we are civilized, it is one of those treats that never does get old. Now, that where to start what would you wish to know?"

Reseated and looking at his plate as if something is missing from the pile of duck and carrots, Mattheu shakes his head with a soft laugh. Calling back to Juliana, "They are all feral little beasts at that age. Some don't grow out of it either." He looks over to as introductions are made with Aethan, then nodding to Wash and others as he digs back into his meal.

The kiss to the jaw catches Ian off guard and causes him to tense up, something that he hasn't totally shaken off even once plunging back into conversation: "Everyone racing to put someone else forward so they're not named?" Ian surmises to Quenia, in a profound misunderstanding of Lycene politics. Then he angles his head to Sebastian. "I'm not sure all three of us have been together since the Lodge." He, on the other hand, doesn't seem to recognize that there's anything wrong with judging time by marking out deadly events instead of months or years.

"Indeed, I imagine the rumors of a great monster potentially waking up in the Saffron has likely got you busy," Quenia seems mollified by Sebastian's reply. "Just let me know when time clears up for you. And hopefully those rumors stay just that, rumors." She, too, is glancing over in Cahal's direction. "What has kept you away from the city for so long, Marquis Cahal?" she asks inquisitively. "I hear that my cousins Ariella, Lucita, and Yelana have been doing an excellent job of tracking down criminals in Granato lately." Her eyes fall upon the ones she sees in the room as she speaks on them.

Wash returns Mattheu's nod. "Lord Rivenshari, have you met my wife Catalana?" He leans into the hug from Juliana, murmuring a polite greeting. "The boys are adorable."

Catalana approves of Mattheu's words and lifts a glass at his words. "I find it happens more often with the boys." A quick glance to her cousins before smiling at Mattheu again. Quenia's words get her attention with a moment of surprise. "I had a dream about that the other week. I thought it may of just been too much wine and lonliness invading my dreams." Her fingers brush her locket as an afterthought.

"You're welcome," is Ariella's reply to Sebastian's polite compliments, an arrogant toss of her head sending her dark hair to flip about her shoulders before her pearly white teeth are flashed at him a second time. "How are you, highness? Glad you made it so I was, for once, not the latest one to the table." Ian's clarification of her self-glorifying version of events earns him a boisterous scoff. "I made it up the tower first and you didn't even /look/. I threw some asshole out a window! It was spectacular! If you aren't going to /watch/ my exploits, I have to /tell/ you about them. It is a natural progression of events." After a haughty sniff, she takes another swig of wine, eyebrows rising at Quenia's remark. "Hmm? Oh, yeah. Honestly, Quen, what has really happened is I /lost/ a criminal and then fell down some stairs, and that's pretty much been my contribution to the cause. But you're welcome." There's that phrase again.

Juliana, grins at Wash during the hug and nods. "They are." then squeezes his shoulder as she moves on. Ian's tensing doesn't seem to bother her at all and he gets a smile across the table once Jules seated at the opposite side of Sebastian. Having taken up Bas' glass a small sip taken before it replaced as Mattheu again draws her attention. "My children do not stand a chance of not being so, M'Lord. You would have to know their father and uncles to understand why however." a pat to Sebastian's hand and neatly absolving her from the wild state of her offspring.

Quenia lets out a hearty laugh at Ian's question. "Ariella, in fact, did such a thing." There are wrinkles of mirth around Quenia's eyes as she announces this. "She was the only one to respond, so I guess that means that since none of the others /have/ responded they are now on the hook to be chosen as heir since I've had no objections; thus far." Ariella gets a side eye when she correct's Quenia's telling of thing and admits she lost a criminal. "Oh. I didn't hear that part." She's just about to address Mattheu with something when Catalana has Quenia turning her head in her direction. "A dream, you say?" Dreams ever are things that will catch her attention.

Aethan moves to go and join Cahal and even laughs at the observations about cheese. "That's true, dried meats and fruits are right up there with cheese in my book." He places his cup of tea down on the table in front of him and turns, "Well, whatever you'd like to talk about is fine really. I've spent so much time putting affairs of Stormward in order or out sailing that I've neglected just sitting down to get to know others better."

Sebastian, as ever, seems to take it as a given that Juliana will claim his glass, and in fact it's not until a little while after she's taken a drink that he seeks to claim it back from her. In the mean time he's reaching to fill both of their plates, breathing deeply and appreciatively of the scents of the feast put out. "You can rely on me, if nothing else, to always be the last to a table," he tells Ariella readily, smiling. "Or almost last: Lady Catalana, good to see you. Lord Mattheu, was it? And Marquis Cahal?" Each of them are regarded in turn with a polite dip of his head by way of greeting. His expression shifts, momentarily, as Ian mentions the Lodge. "Yes. That sounds about right," he says, vying for an easy, unbothered tone, his hand stretching for the wine glass just as Juliana captures it, with a faint snort of amusement, but certainly no attempt to disabuse his twin's claim. "As do I," he replies to Quenia's wish, wholeheartedly. His gaze turns inquisitively towards Ariella, brows lifting in surprise and interest at the suggestion they have been criminal-chasing. "You threw someone out a window?" he echoes, delighted and not hiding his gleeful laugh.

Ian's eyes move between Catalana and Quenia and become wary; he decides that now is a really good time to take an interest in his food and in Aethan's conversation with Cahal. He becomes VERY interested in Aethan's conversation with Cahal.

Mattheu quickly swallows the food in his mouth only to wash it down with a large gulp of wine, smiling back to Wash and Catalana. "I have not, Lady Catalana, a lovely pleasure to meet you." There's a small glance over to what Juliana says about needing to know who their relations are which is met with a shrug, "Many of us are better understood when we know of who our lineage is related to."

Cahal lkooks over at Quenia with a soft little chuckle, as his hand is once more comes up to stroke into that beard. "Simple, I was on a quest for knowledge and lore to help the compact. I have found some things, but trying to figure out what knowledge is useful and what is it is always the hardest part of the task. I will, keep on this quest once more, but I have a little one and wife. It was wrong to leave for so long, without a checking in so here I come for now. I will remain here, unless something once more pulls me away on a grand quest for knowledge of long last tales."

"Well than, that is a simple I have covered some of it in that statement of where I have been." Cahal looks over at Aethan with a soft chuckle. "I'm a seeker of knowledge, trying to help the compact with my gift of gab and my gift of lore and researching. I have a little one, who is growing like a weed and swings from this beard of mine." His hand is brushes over it once more with a soft little chuckle, as he tries to think of other things to list for a moment. "I teach as well, if you ever wish to learn or have anyone in your house learn such things that I have been gifted with as well, so hard when on the spot to think of what to share about oneself. I'm no-one truly special just another loyal man to the compact, trying to make the world a better place in whatever means I can and protect it and my family."

Than another voice is stating his name as he smiles at Sebastian, as he dips his head in a quick nod. "Prince Sebastian Pravus, you indeed have my name correct. So I guess it has gone from ink to stamped, my mission for the evening is done. My name is know, and my return is out there in the wilds. It is an honor to meet you." His voice is friendly, as he smiles at the man as he turns once more to Aethan. "I do hope that covered something of the question. I tend to ramble these days, being out on a boat seeking lore with only a skeleton crew, tends to make you babble when you return, at least in my case."

Wash has joined the marin'alfar wooden bench.

Catalana lifts her hand to Mattheu, a coy smile across her face. "Lord Mattheu a pleasure. I have not had the chance to visit the Rivenshari estate in some time. How is your family? They are doing well?" Quenia gets a sheepish look and she admits to her friend, "I often dream about the saffron and hidden cities and snakes. This one in particular was a large snake and I am not certain if it was necessarily evil or good. I could not see who it was attacking but previous research has me believing it fights dark forces...possibly. Maybe."

Ariella gives Juliana an upnod of greeting as she settles across the table before looking back to Quenia with a sharp laugh. "All I said was I didn't object, but there are obviously several much better choices with much more polish and a firmer leash on their tongues." There is a blatant gesture Yelana's way, and then her eyes swivel back to Sebastian, their golden hue immediately brightening and her expression almost giddy. "That's nothing," she dismisses, giving her wineglass a swirl and then lifting her gaze away to feign casual. "Kicked one of those fucks right off the top of a tower while dismantling a catapult. And then arranged a human landing pad for one of our own who decided to take a swan dive off the same tower. And /then/ we rescued a burning village from some /other/ pirates and I walked away with nary a scratch on me." Pausing in her boasting, she looks aside to Ian. "Ian had a lot of scratches. Didn't you Ian?"

Distracted from listening to Cahal and Aethan talk, Ian looks over at Ariella. "Are we talking about when when the woman Master Wild had been flirting with all night stabbed me?"

Wash says, "Ian just likes them to think they are doing well. He hates for people to die embarrassed."

"Oh, congratulations. I don't have any children myself, but there are some around me that I like to spoil when and where I can. Have to be the Uncle everyone wants to come to, you know?" Aethan grins as his fingers toy with his tea cup. "You know, I might take you up on your offer to learn some day, but I don't want this to be a one-way offer. If you or anyone in your House would ever like some tips or pointers on the finer points of command, I'd be more than happy to offer what I've learned from experience to help out. My brother calls it yelling, but really it's more about being heard." He can't help but give his brother a brief look, but he does return is attention back to Cahal and shrugs. "Eh, we're human. All we can do in this life is push forward and do the best we can for ourselves, our families, and the Compact."

Mattheu nods to Catalana "The family is doing well, I've started working with Eshra's eldest on their balances and soon to learn how to hold a weapon. We should remedy your lack of a chance to visit the expanse. I'm to hold a fireside soon, and it would be a pleasure to have you and Wash join us." Mattheu is about to shovel more food into his mouth when he is caught up in the story Ariella is sharing, missing his mouth completely with fork.

Juliana snorts "Ian with scratches is assumed.. it's when it's more than scratches." eying the plate set before her by Sebastian and looking almost as rebellious has her children but she doesn't say anything. Ian's comment about being stabbed. "Ah the Kennex charm at work." teases. "Catalana, how are your children? I don't believe I have seen any of them in a while."

"What is a fireside?" Wash asks Mattheu. "It doesn't involve walking on coals, does it?"

Quenia seems to be hanging on to every word of Catalana's commentary. When the Kennex noble woman has completed her recounting she grows quiet a moment, absorbing it all in. "Well, at least it doesn't /seem/ like doom and gloom," she finally remarks. "At least in /that/ instance. Dreams are tricky things. It's always hard to tell what they mean. We still debate Lucita's visions heatedly," she says by way of example. She glances up from her conversation when Ariella starts talking about family matters and chuckles. "I could still aways name you," she waggles her brows. "House Igniseri hasn't had a really good scandal since my mother's... husbands," she suggests, grinning but then sobers a moment. "I mean, outside of the fact I almost married a Cardian cultist."

Catalana looks at Ian and sighs amusedly with a shake of her head. "Why is it everytime I see or hear about Master Wild that he is somehow avoiding death? I think I have seen him fall more times on his face than actually strike a target so far." However, Ian gets a grateful smile. "I am glad you were there to save him." Mattheu gets another smile and a soft coo of agreeance. "I would like to remedy that too. My children always enjoy getting to go and play that stealing cookies game. They speak fondly of it." Juliana's comment gets a softly sad sigh, "We only have the two boys in the city currently. Cerilla has gone to Stormward with Princess Astrid. I have firm hopes that she'll return a young isles lady but I fear she has far too much of Lord Wash in her."

Sebastian leans in towards Ariella as she finishes her story, clearly entertained by the retelling: "Remind me to invite you to our next Pravus do. I think you'd get on very, very well with my cousin Lu," he says, bright eyes amused. Does he note Juliana's look? Undoubtedly. But neither does he say anything, casually picking at his own plate while occasionally glancing towards his twin's. "Fame, at least, is better than infamy," he tells Cahal cheerfully. "Booting someone off a tower is even more fun than that," the hat-tip is given to Ariella with a lift of the shared wineglass he claims for long enough to drink. His finger and thumb pinches together as he grins Quenia's way. "Just a little scandal, there. Plenty of time to top it."

Cahal nods slowly with a soft little chuckle at Aethan. "Indeed, that is all one can do. But I will take you up on that offer. I need to learn to be a better leader, to figure that out was something lacking on my trip. I'll send you a messenger, once things have settled down of course. Thank you for this kind offer, Duke Aethan Kennex. I mean if they obey, is it not truly the point not how it is done." A soft chuckle leaving his lips as he nods towards the other man, as he looks over at the Duke. "I also need to find myself someone of my level to spar with, I need to learn the way of the battle once more. I'm rusted on my weapon use and thus leading to my biggest fear given some of the horror stories I have been told as of late. I need to make sure I can raise to the martial challenge if needed as well. He is quiet now after stating his piece once more he listens to the others, with eyes moving back and forth with a soft chuckle. "But speaking of children fun uncles are more important than the parents sometimes, we are the whip holders and they are the candy holders. Much like grandparents for those blessed to have them of course."

"To quote Admiral of House Nightcove: 'I may be the finest sailor in the Compact, but I'll never be an isles man!'" Wash says, lifting his glass.

Ian pauses from picking on his food to split hairs with Aethan: "Technically, Lady Ariella called it yelling. I was just going along with her description because I didn't have a better word." Then he shrugs to Catalana. "I don't know about falling on his face, but he's got a weird taste in women."

Mattheu is slow to catch that Sebastian said hello and ends up waving at him with his fork from across the table, "Prince Sebastian. The bottle of rum was very appreciated. It's good to see you again." Then looking to Wash, "Ah. It's a get together, accompanied with bonfire, games, stories, dance, laughter, drinks, food. A place where your children can run /feral/ for an evening, in both play and attempting to steal one of Amelia's famous ginger cookies. My sister has a special prize being crafted for the winner of a silly little game I've been working on. And I've been working with a tailor to help me make these lovely little wearable silk flowers with bells to be handed out."

Juliana chuckles to Catalana. "Well if she has too much of Wash, then at least you know she will be a great sailor." chuckles softly. "Bas and Luis starting handing Bastian a sword as soon as she could hold it up.. I fear Lady is far from her mind at this point. Mini General is more where her will is leading her." another sip at the shared glass between her and Sebastian before picking at the plate he had made for her. A small bite of cheese broken free to make it past her lips, her gaze sliding towards Aethan and Cahal, as they talk.

Aethan winces slightly when he hears Wash's comment, so he turns and says, "No, but you're a Kennex man and my brother, and that's all we'll ever need you to be, Wash." He keeps a stare on Wash for a long moment before turning back to Cahal and nodding, "Sparring? Why, yes! We can probably arrange a spar sometime. I can't promise to be the best opponent you've ever faced but I'll certainly give it everything I've got." A smile is offered to the Marquis before he takes a sip of his tea. "You know, that was my thinking about being the fun uncle, but there's also a balance. You can't be too fun. I don't want to undermine their parents too much, just only a little." He grins.

"We are," Ariella confirms for Ian, giving a long-suffering sigh. "I'm surprised dear Cas stayed above water long enough to flirt with anyone. A shame your sword found its way into her guts. Broke his heart, Ian. They didn't even get a chance to say their vows!" Her grin quickly returns after this lament, and then her head swivels so she can eye Quenia up. "I dare you," she laughs outright. "I can see it now. 'House Igniseri at war with the entirety of Arvum moments after Ariella Igniseri named Marquessa. No one is sure what she said but a riot began and now there's fire everywhere.'" She doesn't seem to be eating much, kind of picking at things here and there that never quite make it to her constantly-yammering mouth. She laughs again, looking to Sebastian and lifting her glass to him. "I love to fight with people who love to fight, highness. I'd happily go along for the right cause."

"I've rarely known a good bottle of rum to be /un/welcome, and you are very welcome," Sebastian tells Mattheu with a smile. "If you'd like more, let me know. A bottle or two, anyway. If it's crates, then that gets into Drusila's territory." Clearing his throat, he leans towards Aethan briefly: "It's great being the fun uncle. Especially when you can teach them tricks and hand them back to show off to their parents later," he might be side-looking at Juliana, as if to see whether there's an under-the-table kick coming or not. "I'm a big fan of everyone being familiar with how to use a sword, even should they never, ever need to use it." Ariella receives a bright smile. "Very good to know," he says, with a weight like he's noting that for later.

"He could stand to have the rust knocked off a bit," Ian says to Cahal about Aethan. "He's getting old." Ian doesn't look THAT much younger than his brother. He's got more gray in his hair. He leans forward then, and adds something to Aethan in a low voice.

Catalana assures Wash with a smile, "I am incredibly grateful that you are not an isles man. You breathed life into our little family and blended in like no other." She chuckles at Juliana's words and nods. "Indeed. I am grateful that the isles changed and if she does chose the life of a sailor she'll never undergo the trials Jan had to face. Plus, I would hate for Cerilla to cut ties with us." She glances back to Wash, "I did get a report that she's been teaching the squires how to juggle knives and was caught trying to balance on the parapets." Her attention turns back to Quenia. "Dreams can be interpreted so many ways. Best I can do is investigate and make sane decisions based on evidence." Ian gets a grin after, "Speaking of strange women, did Miss Raven contact you?"

Cahal grins at Aethan with a bowing of his head with his hand is now reaching down to snag a piece of cheese. Taking a little nibble and than a bite of it with a content smile. "You honor me with this offer, we will set that up shortly. Is there a place you prefer for such work? I have not spared in quiet sometime, that would be lovely to see how I stand. Now, than do tell me Lord Ian. I'm going to be in trouble fighting this one?" His eyes move to Ian studying the man, that is speaking quietly of fighting, as he studies him for a long moment. "Well than there is my answer to my question, beaten before I can ask it. Well, than two old men will fight and have our rusted bodies broken or warmed back up. We can take bets to see which it will be."

"See, I never let her have knives." Wash says. "That's what fostering is all about, getting new experiences."

Sebastian's remark forces Aethan to grin and turn towards the Prince. "I knew I was forgetting something. Thank you for the advice, Highness. I think I may put it to good use sooner or later." His gaze slides from Sebastian, past Ian where he remarks... "Before I'm so old that I forget about them..." and then back to Cahal. "There's always the training center. We might attract some onlookers, but I won't mind too much if you don't. Oh, and don't mind my brother, he knows that I have a good bit of rust that needs to be knocked off of me."

Quenia laughs heartily at Sebastian. "Should I try to top it, you think? And if so, how should it be done? I mean, it's not like I can almost marry anyone else without any House attempting to seek alliances with Igniseri," she winks and then looks back to the table a moment as she absorbs the conversations around her. She looks to Ariella, "I could... you know," she gives her cousin a mirthful grin. "I'd be dead when my will is revealed, so . . ." She then frowns. "But, I probably wouldn't do it that way. Surprise Houses are not a thing I wish to throw at the feet of any family member. Not when that happened to me."

It was all going so well. Ian had started to unwind due to a combination of the wine, Aethan and Wash's company, and the talk of fighting. But when Cat asks him about Raven contacting him, his head snaps towards her, and his entire face has changed, from showing the beginnings of animation to stony and flat. All except his eyes. His eyes are on fire, and the combination between fire and stone is dangerous. "No." It's an ordinary sort of answer, and spoken in a very soft voice, but it leaves all sorts of other, less pleasant things unspoken.

Cahal nods slowly towards Aethan with another little bite of the cheese. "I will write to you shortly, I have a few more things to get settled before I'm ready for that work." Than Ian is reacting to the words and the name he watches the man for a long moment studying him, as he bites another piece of cheese. He is distracted too intent on this reaction, his own wheels turning slowly.

Quenia checks perception at normal. Quenia fails.

Catalana is completely taken back by Ian's reaction and her expression flashes from surprised to concerned and she quickly tries to recover Ian's good mood. "Lord Wash and I were telling her a story about you and Porter as teenagers and I was wondering if she had approached you to ask for more details. My apologies. I thought you two were friends?" She glances over to Wash. Maybe he can fix Ian.

Wash says, "Sounds like Raven has hit the same reef twice." Wash comments, a sailing metaphor for someone doing something they should have known better than to do. "She does that, socially, as a navigator she's more than capable.""

Aethan bows his head slightly, "I look forward to hearing from you, Marquis. It was very good to meet you and speak with you tonight. I shouldn't monopolize your time tonight either." He smiles and gets to his feet, pausing briefly to put a reassuring hand on Ian's shoulder before taking his tea and stepping towards Juliana. "Good evening, my lady. May I join you for a time?"

Quenia seems to be completely oblivious to the goings on between Catalana and Ian, so she does not notice the change in Ian's demeanor. Instead, her attention is flitting to Mattheu for real now. "Lord Mattheu, what exciting and new things have you been up to lately?" she finally gets to ask him, seeing as how she'd had her attention diverted previously.

"You're asking a born Lycene if they would enjoy a scandal? You know the answer to that already," Sebastian tells Quenia readily, eyes brightly amused. "We do have a number of foriegn visitors here now who, for all intents and purposes, are now trapped with us. Perhaps they'll accept their new lot in life for the time being, and choose to settle down." He's clearly being facetious, though the ideal seems to tickle him. He reaches for one of the bottles of wine to refill the glass shared between himself and Juliana.

"So did I." Ian's tone, still quiet, is dead even, although it starts to build tension when he says to Wash: "She hit the same reef over and over for two years. At some point, it stops being..." The touch of Aethan's hand to his shoulder quiets him, and his eyes track down to his food, which he decides is now the thing he should be paying attention to.

Ariella looks queasy as the topic between Quenia and Sebastian shifts to marriage, her focus quickly directed elsewhere while that is going on. She stares at Cahal for a while, or more accurately she stares at his hair like she's trying to learn its secrets, until Ian's reaction to Catalana makes her look his way. She watches him for a while and then lightly suggests, "Have more wine," before deciding to venture her attention back to her cousin and the Prince. "/Anyway/! How are things over here? This is shiny." She points to Sebastian's paintbrush pin. "I'm sure whoever you pick will be great, Quen, especially with you teaching 'em."

Violeta finds her way back into the hall a soft jingling from a set of bells at end of a tassel upon her tunic and leans over to have a soft word with Mattheu. His expression changes and is quick to push back from his seat, a nod to Quenia with grin as he stops long enough to answer her before heading out. "The most excitement as of late has been keeping my nephews from attempting to attack each other, or as my sister put it, they find means of being harmed and it comes from me. For children that should spend more time upon a ship's deck they are surprisingly good at climbing into the long houses rafters. And, even if my sister threatens me continually for her offsprings safety, they are rather safe in their training." He looks back to his assistant for a moment then back to the table at large. "Apologies, there's a matter I should go attend to. Thank you for the duck. It was absolutely delicious." A nod jingling nod to each as he makes his way out.

Cahal nods towards Aethan with a soft chuckle. "Sadly duty calls me home, I have a little one to tuck into the bed. She will not sleep since I returned without a story. A little one after my own heart, and soul. For tales are the power of this world." His eyes move to the rest of the party, as he dips into a low bow. "My most imporant duty, doth call and I will fail it not, each of you have a wonderful evening. Have one more glass of wine for me, rise it to the future of the compact, for united we stand without falling, we will strive to improve, and to rise above our challenges." With that quick over the top statement the tree starts for the door, with a bounce in his step for his favorite moment of the evening.

Violeta Emili, tall and shadowed rivenshari, 2 Rivenshari Clan Guardsman leave, following Mattheu.

"Well, she can't help being an idiot sometimes." Wash says with a shrug. "I'll talk to her if you like Ian. Or just tell her to keep her distance. Whichever you think best."

"I am fairly certain my mother once married one of the elves. I don't know why I think that, I just do. The one named Oberion, but he's not the same Oberion as that Thornweave guy." Quenia pauses a beat, then she adds, "I'd asked him if he was ever my step-father." A faint blush touches her cheeks as she mentions this. "He denied it, of course. I only thought that because the servants all said that he had books with strange symbols all over them and and he spoke strange languages. Then there was Sir Jalwyn, whom I'm pretty sure was trying to break some seals." She frowns a bit as she ruminates on her mother's husbands once more. She then shrugs and gives Sebastian a thoughtful look at his suggestions. She finally replies, "I think the foreigners who've arrived are a bit out of my league."

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

Ian starts to say something to Wash, but the step of a messenger attracts his attention. The man physically shies away from the look Ian gives him, before handing the page over. He looks over what's written on it without any particular reaction, then folds it in half, carefully lining up the edges, and then in half again.

Wash says, "Naming seems a confusing thing for the nox'alfar to me. Are they born knowing their names? Just like they are born with all the memories of their past lives? If so, wouldn't having the same name as another Nox'alfar become confusing? How old is an infant before it can speak and tell it's parents who they've given birth to?"

Sebastian can't help but be aware of Ariella's countenance, nor her indication for more wine, the latter of which earns a smile. "Thank you. I designed it myself, though I can't help but credit the very talented apprentices in Messere Seren's shop who made the sketch into a reality. We are truly blessed by so many talented crafters in the city." As visitors start to depart, each is giving a bow of the prince's head. "I recall you telling me some of that story before," he tells Quenia, easily. Your mother truly sounds intriguing."

Catalana shoots an apologetic look at Ian and then a thankful one to Aethan. Instead she turns to Quenia and engages with her. "For sometime we all believed Evander's mother was a Marin'alfar. She jumped from a cliff and we never found her body."

Jules who had fallen silent, which was something that happened more often lately... smiles up at Aethan, nodding. "Hello Aethan, please." motioning to the seat beside her that Sebastian isn't sitting in. "It's nice to see you in Igniseri again, it's been awhile." then without a word, sort of gives the plate that Bas had filled for her a small push closer to the Duke.

Quenia snorts softly at Sebastian's commentary on her mother, "She's something, alright. Perhaps if you are to ever visit Granato, I'll introduce you to her." Catalana catches her attention with her direct commentary. "Oh? Really? A Marin'alar? Why did you think that?" she wonders. She wiggles fingers in Wash's direction, just now realizing she maybe forgot to greet him.

Aethan slides into the seat next to Juliana and smiles, "Indeed, it has been too long since my last visit here." He watches her push the plate in his direction, shrugs, and takes a piece of cheese in hand. "Quite the entrance you made earlier. I think a few of us will be remembering it for quite a long time." A quick grin before taking a bite of the cheese.

"Because the cliff overlooked the ocean." Wash explains. "They thought she swam away. I too had flights of fancy about my mother. My only knowledge of her is from the paintings that hang in our hall. I think it's rather natural to hope for the impossible instead of acknowledge the tragic."

Ian slips the twice folded note into an inner pocket of his coat, before going back to picking at his food in silence.

Yelana, professional wall flower, finally sits up, setting an empty wine glass aside, along with the plate. Now that the room has emptied some. She seems to be listening a bit more to what is going on around her.

Catalana gestures to Wash and nods. "Nothing ever washed up. No body, no clothes. Nothing." She looks over at Wash and remembers. "You weren't at Evander's and Countess Carita's wedding were you? She turned up there. At his wedding. I've not seen her since though. It's almost like it never happened."

Tapping her glass with the talon that extends up from her ring over her fingertip, Ariella listens to Quenia's story with a mild expression, then looks to Sebastian and his paintbrush pin. "It looks functional," she remarks, and for some reason it sounds laden with euphemism despite being about a benign piece of jewelery. "Do you use it much?" Drinking from her wine, she looks past the Prince to Juliana and Aethan nosily, then grins Yelana's way when she notices her cousin looking more lively.

Wash says, "No. I didn't attend their wedding. Wow. I guess not all tragedies are as they seem."

"Huh. Is it possible a riptide could have sent the body far, far away? They do that sometimes, you know." QUenia seems to wonder on the grisly death of Evander's mother. "Though still, a horrible tragedy, that. If you're curious though, you could always ask Lady Mikani if there is a Marin'alfar by that name, as their representative, couldn't you?"

"I did tell you Aethan, they are either going to rule the world or destroy it. That is my prediction of those wild beasts. Add in Sebastian's Giacoma and Ian's Uriel and I am rather sure that once they all reach of age, the world or at least the city will never be the same again." a smile given to the man as he starts picking at her plate.

"I would like that very much," Sebastian tells Quenia. "Perhaps I can bring Giacomo, and he can spend some time with his siblings in Granato, as they did in Setarco." He notices Juliana pushing her plate towards Aethan, and /looks/, but doesn't intervene. "Oh, yes," he gives a brief grin when Ariella questions him on his jewelry. "But, I have to use it carefully, so that the color left on the bristles doesn't clash /too/ much with whatever I choose to wear. Otherwise it would make Jules' life hard trying to design me a splotchy-toned shirt." The talk of family by the Kennexes has him looking that way, visibly curious. "I think that's certainly true, Lord Wash, of our tendency to hope for the impossible. An insight I myself reflect on too little."

Wash says, "Marquessa." Wash turns his attention to Quenia. "What is the most impossible thing you believe still, without any evidence?""

Catalana groans at Juliana's words and laughs at the same time. "I should be very grateful that Rayne is more fond of libraries and the indoors. I do wish you well with those unruly bunch." SHe looks back at Wash and considers "Not tragic I suppose. No. But no, we have confirmed she was never a Marin'alfar." She quietens with Wash's question, curious too.

Quenia turns her attention back to Sebastian and gives him a long look. "Just. . . you know. Don't let my mother goad you into marrying her, or anything at all really. She has a perchance for losing husbands, and I think Zebulon might have been the next if he hadn't been bragging about his conquests with her." Quenia grimaces a bit. Wash catches Quenia's attention and she blinks. "Uh. What do you consider evidence?" Which is a valid question.

Aethan laughs, "You did say that, but how fierce they looked maybe they will be the noble protectors the world needs, yeah?" He spots Sebastian's look and returns a look of his own, more of a helpless look though. Then to Jules, "I choose to hope for the best so that people will keep me safe when I reach my dotage in a few years." He leans toward her and murmurs something before leaning back and taking a sip of his tea.

Wash says, "It's what you consider evidence that matters. What do you believe despite no evidence at all in your own estimation?"

Quenia checks composure at normal. Quenia marginally fails.

There are many things that Quenia believes, but she chooses one that's closest to her. She does her best to try to hide the fear of her belief from the others, but her mannerisms speak too plainly that it is a fear that sometimes consumes her. "I believe that I was cursed in a dream and that should I speak the contents of that dream to anyone at all, that I will die." That belief is plain on her features too.

After Sebastian's reply, Ariella gives him a quick smile and loudly crunches on something that shouldn't be loud or especially crunchy, attention drifting listlessly now and not really settling anywhere for very long.

Juliana grins at Catalana. "Count yourself lucky... I am sure if I gave Abbas a book, he would use it as high ground for his toy soliders. Though Lucian.. now he is my clever one. Looking to Aethan, snorts. "Either that or absolute destroyers." though the tease in her tone is enough to show how proud she is of her mini, dark haired army. Sebastian's look gets a look back, then a sudden kiss to his cheek. "I am fine." said softly before tilting her head to Aethan's murmer and smiling.

Wash salutes Quenia with his glass of wine. "A brave answer. Who will match the Marquessa's bravery? Is it not brave to stand by your belief without evidence at all? To plant your flag in the sand as it ebbs away in the tide and say: 'Even as the world runs away, here I will stand.'"

"I can promise that readily. I have no immediate plans to remarry," Sebastian answers Quenia, his demeanor changing notably; dimming, somewhat, as much in response to her words as to the shift in mood when Wash asks that question of their host. He doesn't look surprised, like maybe he's heard it before. As the cake is offered near him, he leans to cut off a slice and deposit it onto Juliana's plate, his expression easing at that kiss, before he puts a second slice onto Ariella's plate, unasked for.

Catalana agrees with Juliana, "That would be Rayne with a book. Or he would use it as some sort of flying contraption and see if it could go into the pool from the balcony." She glances to Wash with a playful smile. "How come none of our children took on my calm and quiet demeanour?" Listening to Quenia, she nods gently, "I can only imagine the burden of that. I wish that we could help you."

Wash says, "Obviously it is because they love me more Cat, that's the only possible explanation."

Ian sinks into his seat. He's probably listening, but he's not really looking at anyone. He's definitely not giving voice to any sort of blind faith on his part.

Quenia snaps up her wine glass then, much too sober for this sort of conversation. She downs half of it before setting it close by. "In spite of that feeling, I followed some of the clues within that dream, and it led to the partial discovery of Wolf's Song. Only partial, because while I do have the knowledge of it, it's pretty useless without Wolf's blessing or convincing the Dream that we are wolves." She looks the familia Igniseri. "That ist he quest that I will be seeing through to the end, by the by."

Sebastian adds, in response to Wash: "I believe when I leave the world it will be in a safer place than when I left it. Despite the multiple events of evidence to the contrary. Though I do not claim to be nearly as brave as the Marquessa," with a nod to Quenia, particularly when she reveals that about Wolf's song.

"Maybe, but I am trying to be more positive to go along with my resolution to not drink any longer, so I'm choosing to think much more positively." Aethan nods and watches Sebastian slip more onto Jules plate and so he decidedly ignores plate and food to favor sipping on his tea for the moment at least but not before offering Jules another smile and a nod.

"Cake!" Ariella puts her wine down for the first time this evening, sitting up with a giddy grin and reaching to pick up the slice Sebastian deposited on her plate with her hand before halting and glancing between its frosting and her clothes. With a flare of her nostrils, she instead reaches for her fork in a begrudging manner, stabbing its tines through the confection and hauling a slightly too-big chunk to her mouth and making a mess anyway. She doesn't seem interested in the supernatural conversation going on, rather pointedly refusing to look in that direction and instead giving the Prince a big, frostingy smile. "Fanks," she mumbles cheerfully around her mouthful of cake.

The cake lands on Jules plate and there is a definate change to her interest in what is before her. Fork breaking off a little bite of the sweets. "Are you sure that it's not because they are children, Wash? And you haven't completely left that state yet?" Jules brows arch upwards with a grin to Catalana. Her gaze sweeping back to the Duke with a laugh. "Okay, how about this? I am positive that a combination of Igniseri, Pravus and Kennex offspring, working together, could very easily destroy the world?" another bite of cake... Jules has always had a weakness for sweets. "But they could also save it.'

Catalana squints at Wash with a look that is surely slightly jealous. A hmpf is followed by, "Well. Our next one will surely love me the best."

Wash nods to Sebastian. "Two ways to interpret that, and I think I will assume the latter." He sips his wine and says: "I believe that some people are given a choice where and when the Queen spins them out again." He coughs lightly. "Is this how you announce that we are having a fourth? Now?"

Quenia sits up a bit then grins. "Oh! Okay. So I have another, since Juliana brought that up. I believe that House Igniseri is descended from the first phoenix. It's based on a journal discovered when exploring, that references someone within the family shifting into flames. It's not really evidence, per say. I mean the journal /is/ 500 years old, and I've researched everything I can, but nothing else even suggests or hints at phoenix shifters. Just fire shifters. Still, I'm putting together teams to see what /other/ ruins we can find on our lands that might, you know, allow us to chase this rabbit down the hole."

The tip of Sebastian's glass, which he reaches for explicitly to do so, tilts towards Wash in a silent toast. He doesn't ask the Kennex to clarify his interpretations nor which he chose, rather deliberately. And then again, at Wash's comment to Catalana. "Congratulations, to you both," he toasts, with a sip of the glass, turning it to relinquish to Juliana. As for Quenia's speculations, "Stock up on pyreweave," he suggests, wryly, "Less the rabbit hole actually be full of flaming creatures."

Aethan laughs, "Well if -that's the case..." Aethan glances between Jules, Wash and Catalana. "I can't be blamed for any part of this plot of offspring working together." He holds up his cup of tea in a little celebration and then finishes it off. Something seems to put a big smile on his face and he leans over to Juliana and murmurs something to her.

Juliana laughs at Wash's "What in the world did you Kennex do? Forget to order tea?" Then Quenia gets the Pravus twin looking at her, then to Sebastian. "Wait.. I did what? They can... hold on. I did not agree to flaming children." her free hand reaching out to claim Aethan's wrist as if to keep her from toppling from the chair.

Quenia seems to pout at Sebastian's suggestion, "If only I could. I know of no suppliers and Prince Noah likely bought any out that he found. I've been wanting a pyreweave coat forever, then we blockaded them, and then when that blockade opened, they blockaded us. No pyeweave for me." She looks really, really sad about this before realizing that Sebastian is offering congratulations to Wash and Catalana. "Oh!?! Congratulations!" she says excitedly. That excitement turns into outright laughter at Juliana's comment. "Hey, it's not /my/ fault when no one reads their messages!"

Catalana looks confusedly at Wash before backtracking over what she's just said. An unaccustomed blush covers her cheek and she doesn't actually answer him. Instead she answers Juliana with a slight grumble. "Everytime he returns from a trip at sea it's like we're back to being teenagers." However she agrees with Wash's original comment. "Some believe you can choose who you are with in each life."

Wash explains: "It wouldn't be by accident Jules. We're not that careless." Implying that they are trying for a fourth at least. "And I have been away for a couple weeks, so... no?" He asks, curiosity getting the best of him.

Admittedly, Aethan had been paying more attention to Juliana than to anything else going on around him so all of a sudden he finds himself very confused. "Um, flaming children, -what-?" He glances down at the grip Jules has on his wrist and then looks around as if trying to catch up to all that's been happening. "Wait, what is this about forgetting to order tea? We most certainly did -not- forget to order tea. I've been drinking so much tea lately that my name should be Tea-than." Then he hears Catalana and Wash and blinks, "Oh."

Now that none of the spotlight is on the attention-thriving Ariella, she quickly grows discernibly bored of the perfectly interesting and engaging conversations taking place around her, like it's somehow a personal slight to her that the topics have moved on. She picks up her entire plate and her wineglass, standing from her seat and using her foot to kick at her chair, trying to push it back in. She doesn't actually utter a proper farewell to anyone at all, which is very on-brand for her regardless of whether she feels she has been paid enough attention at any given time, but she does stop near Yelana to steal her slice of cake for her own plate, then by Quenia to peck her cheek, then by a servant to get her glass refilled.

Bracing on the table, Ian rises at about the same time as Ariella and excuses himself. Because of much briefer goodbyes, none of them directed at any specific person, he's gone before she is.

Catalana doesn't answer, instead enjoying letting Wash stew in his curiousity. She turns the conversation back to Aethan. "Duke Teathan? Not sure I like it." After, she asks Quenia, "Interesting about the house. I'm always curious about house histories. Kennex is pretty dull and well-known. Came from pirates."

Wash says, "Teathen would be a good name for a boy."

As a few people start to depart, Sebastian uses it as a reason to stand, too, after he's pecked Juliana on the cheek. "I'm going to go seek Tia's help corralling the twins," he says, though how well that's going to go is written all over the rueful smile on his face. He pauses by Quenia's chair to kiss her cheek again. "Good evening, all," he says, as he follows down the hallway where Juliana's children disappeared earlier.

Jules opens her mouth as if to say something, then looks at Aethan and blinks at his confusion, when a /Lady Juliana?/ Sounds from the front of the hall and her eyes snap that direction, recognizing the sound of her children's nurse. "Yes Rosa, what is it?" asked already putting down her fork. /You should come, m'lady.. there has been an incident./

"Our origins are Nefer'khat, apparently. We pre-dated the Reckoning, as Laric had thought." Quenia replies easily to Catalana. "At last, according to the journal. I suppose we shall see if we even dig up anything else," she says with a wry twist of her lips. She glances up and nods her head after Ariella, Ian, and now Sebastian. "I guess the hour is growing late. I want to thank you all for coming tonight."

Briar, a quiet young woman, 6 Setarcan Royal Shields leave, following Sebastian.