Despite the fact that Pasquale gave his staff mere hours worth of time to throw this gathering together the grand parlour has been set up for entertaining with some skill. A harpist has been found to provide background music and liveried servants drift around the guests providing drinks and finger foods. Pasquale has moved up to greet Jan, taking her hand and drawing her into the parlour proper. "Thank you for coming along." he tells Cillian. "I am sorry for the lack of notice. I had not planned to do anything for my birthday this year." he stops in an open space and looks to Jan. "Would you care to Dance?"

Jan smiles wryly, "You know if you'd given a day or two people would show up." She hesitates and looks around as if having reservations about leaving Cillian without anyone to mingle with but then shrugs, "Um, yeah, sure. You lead right?"

Cillian chuckles, "It is fine, I was just home working on some paper work." he moves it to put the glass case down, "For you Pasquale, I happen to come across a bakery and saw then on the way." he grins getting a drink and moving to sit down to watch the two.

Cillian drops Rainbow Unicorn Cupcakes.

Pasquale drops Rose-Gold Champagne from Tor.

Ian is shown in by someone. It's a last minute party, and he looks like a bit of a last minute attendee, right down to being fashionably late.

"If I'd given a day or two." Pasquale tells Jan lightly as he takes up a dance hold and starts to slowly move them around the space. "Then I will be heading to artshall in search of special trees. I don't mind that its quiet." Yes. Pasquale has somehow managed to get Jan to wear a dress and dance a waltz. Manipulation, bribes and blackmail were surely involved.

Jan is wearing a dress. An actual dress. And earrings. She also has an expression not unlike a cat that's been given a bath. The sullen, muted indignation and discomfort. She dances with Pasquale in a way that suggests she MIGHT be counting her steps to make sure she's following the rhythm "Oh well, that is a fair point. Good way to sort out the people who really give a fuck about you too." She kisses his cheek "Happy Birthday, Pasquale."

Ian pauses in the doorway, and his scan of the room sweeps by all of the exits, the locations of servants, the food, Cillian (he nods a greeting to Cillian), and then stops on Jan and Pasquale. He pauses for a moment, watching, the corners of his mouth twitching.

2 Armed Confessors, Angwyn the otter, Mordred, Abner, 2 Redrain Guards arrive, following Ann.

Cillian grins and looks over, "Ian." he states as he moves over to the Lord that arrives, his hand reaches out to grasp the mans forearm to grasp it in a greeting. "Care to come join me in a drink?"

Although the only music comes from a single harpist, Pasquale is going through the stately steps of a waltz like dance with Jan centrally in the room. He gives Jan a small smile when she kisses his cheek. "Thank you for indulging me today Jan." he seems almost tempted to keep going but instead murmurs something to Jan before stepping back and making his way over to the largest cluster of couches. "It's good to see you Ian."

Jan follows Pasquale's lead. She manages not to step on his toes but fails to be the image of stately grace her sister would be, were Catalana here. She nods and kisses his cheek and mutters "You are so fucking lucky I like you." She seems glad to abandon the dance floor. She spies Iana and grimaces "Not. A. Damn. Word." and then she goes searching for the booze.

Ian is distracted from fighting not to burst out laughing at the sight of Jan dragged into dancing by Cillian's greeting. He shakes the other man's hand, with that oddly wavering expression still lingering on his hard features. He bows his head. "I could use a drink." Then the dance is done, and the fight not to laugh ends along with it; he sinks back into his usual flat expression and greets Pasquale solemnly. "Congratulations," he says in a dry tone, just barely touched with dark humor. "You managed not to die for another year." He doesn't say a damned word to Jan. Right at this moment.

Last minute party? Sure why not? Ann got the message and has made her way to the tower with her small army. Two guards and two confessors. They find another spot in the room to loiter in as the princess makes her way further in. Blue eyes looking to see if she can spy the birthday boy. Once she is in a more conversational tone she greets Pasquale, "Happy Birthday! I do hope it's a good one." She then bows her head to the others found here which causes the bells in her hair and ears to bob along in song. "This looks delightful for being last minute." A smile seen in her features.

"Maybe this year will be the year." Pasquale takes two glasses of champagne from a tray and hands one to Ian before claiming the other for himself. His eyes linger on Jan a moment before he turns them onto Ian. A slight hint of warning in his tone. "She looks stunning doesn't she?" Ann's arrival earns a warm smile. "Ann. What a delight. Do you have a date yet?"

It was a heroic fight, it really was. Ian had almost conquered that urge to grin, but Pasquale's warning look breaks him. All of a sudden, he breaks into a smile, and makes a snorting noise that's certainly not a hastily swallowed laugh. Certainly not. "She's definitely something," he... agrees? He sounds agreeable, anyway.

Cillian nods his head as he moves back in closer to go grab some finger foods, "DO you want anything Ian?" he asks and pauses as Ian breaks out in a smile and they talk about Jan. "Oh my." he whispers as he sips his glass and moves to find a seat.

Jan nods to Ann "Hi Ann. Forget anything you see here today, yeah? Except those insane cupcakes." She looks ceilingwards "Well this is the most jovial I've seen you goat-queef gobblers in ages so maybe it was worth it." She then drains her flute of bubbly in one go.

Ann grins at Jan and covers her eyes with a hand to show she saw nothing out of the ordinary when it comes to Jan. Putting her hand down she does compliment Jan, "You do look beautiful and wear the dress well." Looking back to Pasquale. "Date? Oh Date. We are still negotiating." There's a blush to her cheeks as she moves to help herself to the champagne before finding a seat with the other party goers.

Ian pours himself a little bit of whiskey and takes a sip from the glass. It'd be enough to easily knock back quickly, but this doesn't seem to be that sort of day for him. Not yet, anyway. He motions with the glass in Cillian's general direction, making it clear that he has everything he wants.

"Thats a shame." Pasquale says to Ann. "You must be eager for it to happen." He gives Ian The Look before turning to look at Jan with an arched eyebrow. "What is all the dream is a goat-queef-gobbler?"

Cillian looks to Ann, his eyes looking her over. There is a swallow and his eyes look back to Pasquale and Jan, when they speak of a date and he downs his glass in a gulp and takes another from the tray that goes around as he eats from the plate he got. He nods to Ian when he lets him know e is good.

Jan shakes her head "Better you than me, Lady Ann. I am glad you're looking forward to such a thing." She looks to Pasquale "Yeah, um. Ask me lady, pretty sure I shouldn't answer that here."

Glaring at Ian turns out to be a pretty good way to get a laugh out of him. He meets Pasquale's Pointed Look with another strangled chortle.

There's a thumbs up from Ann when she sees Ian helping himself to whiskey it is her favored drink and she's all for others consuming it. Smiling at Pasquale, "It will happen soon enough. But yes, I am." Looking at Jan to hear her explanation of the question that Pasquale asks her. It is a funny saying. A glance to Cillian when he looks her over. She has new jewelry a twinning heart necklace. One Rivenshari Lord wears the same one to. Smiling at Jan, "Well, you never know it may happen for you. I don't mind if you explain what you met earlieer Lady Jan I won't be offended." Glancing at Ian and Pasquale and their exchanges they do with each other. Her look back to Jan as she asks, "Do those two have a bet on you or something?"

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

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

Cillian nods his head to Ann, "Always good to see you, your highness." he runs a hand down the back of his neck as if he suddenly felt out of place. Drinking the flute down again he puts the empty glass on the tray but he does not pick up another.

Jan says, "You know how female have two slits. Front side back side. It's wind that breaks from between the lips and not the cheeks, if you get my drift. Gods. I should have just changed the topic." Her hand lifts so her face can try to hide into it "Fuck me."

"Well," Ian says. "On that note." He downs the last of his drink, and gives Pasquale a pat on the arm. "Great party. Try and shoot for a repeat next year."

"Something spicy then." Pasquale says to Jan. "I look forward to fin." he pauses, looks at Jan, and then gives a surprised little laugh. "Now I have more questions." he shakes his head, clearly not going to ask them now for fear she might answer, and looks to Ian. "Same for you Ian." he looks to Cillian. "How about you and Ann take a turn about the floor?"

"Likewise, milord." Ann says this towards Cillian. Only to burst out laughing when she hears Jan and she's shaking her head. "Are you leaving so soon Lord Ian?" Noticing how he finished his drink. Looking to Cillian when Pasquale makes that suggestion and she's putting her glass down. "Sure. Why not?"

"I'm about celebrated out," Ian comments to Ann, with that twist of amusement in his voice. He sets his empty glass down, gives Cillian a last wave, and heads out.

Jan drops her hand and peers at PAsquale "Wow. I should have known that'd be your response to having your vocabulary expanded." She shakes her head at IAn as he leaves. She smiles to Pasquale "Ok. I'm done with this dress. I'm going to go change."

Jan is overheard praising Pasquale.

Cillian opens his mouth then closes it when Jan explains, he shakes his head a bit. His bells sing as he does so, then his eyes shoot to Pasquale watching the man for a long moment. Then he is blinking when Ann says sure, he puts his plate down and stands up, there is a small smile he is trying to keep away when he moves to the area of the dance floor.

"Thank you for indulging me." Pasquale tells Jan. "I'll see you for stones." He gives Cillian a 'what' sort of look when he catches Cillian studying but otherwise just looks mildly pleased that they both agreed.

Better late then never, artists don't follow a standard time. Rather, Denica meanders in and takes a quick look around. Holding a bottle of something, she gives it to one of the staff. "I thought I'd pop in, wish you a happy birthday, Lord Pasquale. You were there in the Mourning Isles, the entire time. Something that will never be forgotten, thank you."

Pasquale is overheard praising Jan.

Ann watches as Ian and then Jan both depart. A look of amusement seen in her features. Probably because of the last words Jan shared. In seeing Denica she is offering a nod to the artist and a smile as she joins Cillian on the dance floor.

Ann is overheard praising Pasquale.

Cillian puts a hand out to gently take Ann's, "Perhaps we will not fall this time." he smirks as he waits for the right time and then starts to lead Ann around the dance floor in a dance. He leans in to speak with her in soft tones as they move to the music.

"Denica." Pasquale says when the Princess shows up. "It was my honor to do my part. Thank you for taking the time to come here today."

Watching Ian and Jan pass her by as she comes in, Denica waves in their direction. Seeing Ann and Cillian dancing, her lips curl into an easy smile. "My birthday this past year was on the same day as the Battle of Sungreet.," odd tidbit to share. There's cupcakes and the princess goes to fetch one and break a piece off. To Pasquale she asks, "what is one thing you learnt this last year?"

"This year" Pasquale pauses thoughtfully as he tries to decide exactly what the answer should be. "I learned how to climb and run and swim and ride and do all those other things little boys learn. It was a good year in that sense. Terrible in others."

Ann grins when she hears Cillian. "Perhaps." It was a tricky dance though. Here at least they can take their time as they make their way around the dance floor. Listening as Cillian says something to her quieter and she responds back in kind. She is distracted by Cillian but catches the tail end of how Pasquale answered Denica. She likely is going to ask for a explanation on the part she caught but now she's dancing away.

Cillian smiles as he spots Denica giving her a nod of greeting as he and Ann pass, he moves to give Ann a gentle twirl then pull her back in and speak with her softly again.

Listening to Pasquale, she continues to eat nibbles of cupcake. The answer warrants a smile and then a knowing nod, "well said."