It's a Party, People! (Open!!!!)

[Taln]

The Avora seemed to be chattering out of worry, not really looking for an answer, so he remained quiet. It took him a chime to recognize the oath she made in her native tongue, but he had a moment of pride in his ability to remember and translate it. Taln nodded at Drusilla's promise, but at the mention of purposely going -near- the intimidating Sira, he couldn't help but mutter, "Zlynge." the Dek answered in Symenos, because he truly did believe it. The whole situation sounded like the beginning of a bad joke. If nothing else, he was obedient and when the Symenestra came to get him, he should follow. The tall man towered over the fragile Drusilla, feeling huge and incredibly out of place. It wasn't 'right' for him to sit at the same level as two high caste females and he hadn't been told to sit. He chewed nervously at his lip ring and decided that it was the best idea to silently stand near Dru's chair, and simply wait.

[Aidara]

Plied with tasty cake, Addy was quiet for a moment or two. Overall, the circle that she had been dragged into was rather awkward. Eoin had joined the girls, though he looked more uncomfortable than all of them combined. Was he ashamed to see her after that one summer night.... Shaking the doubt from her mind, Addy left the matter for a later date. Right now, it was a party! And there was delicious CAKE! More of the spongy, decadent goodness was shoveled down as the others talk, the woman interrupting when she had something important to say. Rista still seemed uncomfortable in her presence, tensing when she mentioned gifts. Tempted as she was to sooth the Yasi, and let her know she didn't expect gifts from everyone, Sai's warnings echoed in her mind. The girl was spook-able, and her attempts at making the girl feel better might actually... make it worse. "This is wonderful, Eoin. I should hire you as my personal cook." She was only half joking. Flashing him her dimples, Addy kept her mood as playful and flirty as ever as she tested the water between them. Whether the man responded or not, since he seemed desperate to leave, the little healer was definitely going to hunt him down later. The withdrawn Avora was really starting to play with the strings of her emotions. Who would have thought? When her cake was devoured, Addy excused herself from the group and moved to find Sira. When she came upon the Kelvic, she was standing alone amonst the crowd, peering around at the party-goers like an eagle would survey it's territory. Unable to keep herself from laughing, Addy slipped hooked her arm around Sira's. "Lets get these presents done with so we can get to the fun part!" Green eyes twinkled with anticipation. What games there were to play was still a surprise, but it must be something good if it had Addy so excited. With Sira still by hand, Addy moved back over to the wall where she had first lounged, climbing up onto the stone so that she would be seen above the crowd. She regretted that she hadn't been able to socialize as much as the other attendees, but what was she to do? Hostessing was a full time position. Maybe when the games were done, she would have time to sit and chat. She hoped her guests wouldn't take her silence as anything but the exhaustion she felt. Two fingers were placed between her lips, a sharp whistle reaching even the far side of the Courtyard. Waving, smiling and tossing a silly curtsy to the crowd as they turned towards her. "My friends!" She called, spreading her arms towards them all. "It's time for presents. Who doesn't love presents? Please, gather 'round and hand your gift to either Sira or I. We thank you ahead of time for all the help and kindness you have shown us in our time of need, before the baby arrives. I promise you, when he or she is born, I'll bring them around to personally thank all of you." Laughing softly, and dropping down to sit on the bench Addy patted the spot next to her for Sira and smiled out at the crowd. OOCLets keep the gift giving to just one post each. After you're all done...we'll play! Also, feel free to bow out of the thread at any time. Don't feel like you have to continue if you don't want too. Just have your PC exit and say goodbye or run away or whatever

[Sian]

Sian rose from her position making her way to the gift table, picking up her pink box laced with white. She was the first in line and handed it to Sira with a smile. She bowed her head in respect then gave her a soft hug congratulating her. The avora couldn't wait for her to open the gift to reveal the golden bracelet that she had passed down to their family. It meant a lot to her to give them such a gift and hoped that they would accept it dearly. What worried Sian was that if the bracelet wouldn't fit, then all her happiness would have been crushed. Despite the fact, it was the thought that counted more than if it fits or not. "Congrats Addy and Sira. Have a wonderful life together, blessed be the both of you." She quickly walked off to another corner seeing all the other Dek's, Avora's, etc. That piled to give their gifts to Addy and Sira. As she passed everyone she was Eoin, Taln, Drusilla, and Krysanthe. When she saw them, she gave them a smile and a small wave. Hoping they'd return the wave politely but by then she would have left therefore she wouldn't see. Sian took a place next to the garden where she stared at all the beautiful flowers that flourished along the rocks. She smiled looking at the pink and white ones especially, how beautiful. "You barely see these everyday." She smiled, admiring the pure honor of seeing this for a while in her life. Her mother used to pick them for her and put them in her hair thinking that it would give her good luck. She always believed that it would because life is magical no matter how bad or good it can be. There was miracles, dreams, and hopes. All waiting to come out true, not in the way you want it too but in a different way that you can learn to reflect on in some way. She took a dainty hand about to touch one of the flowers but then remembered if she touched them it would be like a sacred law she was breaking. She felt like a child in a winter wonderland who didn't have one care in the world but to do the best she could. Now she is in reality where she had to work for a living, and do all the stuff she has to do. It's stressful alright but she has a way to cope somehow after all she has been coping with this for all her life. There was always some sort of strategy that she would take to overcome something, and it wasn't stopping now, that's for sure. The Bracelet :

[Sira]

Sira nodded, not wanting to pressure the matter on food. When the Symenestra excused herself Sira didn't object, distracted as she was by the sudden appearance of the most delicious looking desert she had ever seen. She chuckled when she saw Sai running after it, but decided she would wait for Drusilla to come back before chasing after deserts. It didn't take long for the Symenestra to return and when she did she had a dek in tow, one that she recognized as the man she had joked with earlier. Sira could tell the dek was uncomfortable being around her, so she didn't tell him to sit down, but she couldn't resist poking a little fun at him. "So, I see that you did find a girl, good sir. Have you told her she's pretty yet? This one is a real beauty." Sira winked at Drusilla and smiled to Taln, before pushing back her chair and standing up. "I think I'll leave you two to each other's company, if you don't mind. I should probably help Addy with the hostessing a little before she loses her mind." Sira politely said her fairwell and wished each of them a good time at the party. It wasn't long before Addy found her and whisked her to the front of the room, declaring it was time to open the presents. It was a little weird having everyone get in a line and present to them.. but if that's what Addy wanted then Sira wouldn't object. She felt good that they were sending everyone home with extra food to go, so accepting a line of presents wasn't all that bad really. And besides.. they were presents. Sian was the first in line and Sira struggled to remember her name. She knew it started with an S.. but.. what was it again? She couldn't remember, and she wasn't sure what to say. Sira had been an endal a lot longer than Aidara, and she had gotten used to not remembering the lower castes. Even though she was friendly with them, if they didn't do something in particular to stick out it was unlikely Sira would even remember their face, much less their name. Had she gone hunting with this girl at some point? Maybe... Sira suddenly realized this would probably be a problem because Sian wouldn't be the only name she couldn't remember, but maybe she could just play it off. She didn't have to save the girl's name, did she? "Thankyou for your gift," Sira said when she accepted it. She quickly unwrapped the present, curious as to what it might be, and her face lit up when she saw the bracelet. Sira had so few jewelry, and it was truly beautiful. Sira slipped it on her wrist and saw that it fit, though it wasn't a perfect fit, then took it off and handed it over to Aidara so she could see it. "Thankyou again," she said, wondering what she should do with the wrapper, "Make sure you get some extra food to take home with you. We've got plenty to spare today."

[Sairque]

Sai passed out the dessert, well, her little assistant did, and commenced to ignoring anything and everything in order to partake of its creamy richness with all the adoration and attention it deserved. So there was the chef, and there was her expecting sister, and the awkward mongrel Rista, but really…the cake took the cake. In fewer than three bites the slender slice had been devoured, little to no pleasure showing on her face. However, if the way she casually switched her empty plate with the helper yasi’s mostly full one could be taken as a sign, perhaps there were some visible manifestations of the delight the treat brought. Just as there was most certainly a manifestation of the displeasure and annoyance that flared when the domino effect of Eoin going down knocked the full plate from her loving grasp. Brow furrowed, the Endal stared at the unlucky bleeding man and the perfectly ruined dumping of cake next to him, the woman clearly trying to work through the grieving process while bypassing the angry phase. Ah, but there was the master behind her pleased palette, kneeling where he’d been knocked to the ground. His position alleviated the desire to throw a very childish temper tantrum, it wasn’t every day the austere woman got a treat such as this, and she quickly reached out callused and scarred hands to raise him to his feet. “You okay?” Sairque asked, brows lifted in concern. As he straightened, she dusted his undusty sleeves off. The injured man also got to his feet, and a glance from the somewhat mollified woman set him about cleaning up the mess with happy chagrin. The goings on paused as the hosting couple called for gifts and with a kiss to the chef’s cheek the Endal wrapped a firm hand around Rista’s wrist to get her attention. “There’s a simple, flat leather casing in the center of the gift table underneath a bunch of presents. Grab that and give it to them, will you?” the woman asked, a distaste for showcasing the gift leading her to this aversive action and a distinct lack of observation regarding the youth leaving her ignorant of the youths own problem regarding gifts.

[Sarye]

Sarye had made her way to table with her plate of food and took a seat. She watched all of the people moving around and the cake being delivered. Her main focus was on Taln though but she lost sight of him until she noticed an odd looking creature making her way to him in a corner. After their meeting in the summer her mind had been filled with him and how protective he was over her. She had switched her schedule around to make sure not to work anywhere around Dek meals as to avoid her sister but since she wasn't Avora yet she still had the occasionally one. Kerra wasn't just avoiding her anymore, now she was mocking her under her breath and threaten her. Sarye had made sure to not let on. She still loved her sister and didn't want her to get beat to death for messing with an Inarta of a higher caste.

Sarye came back to realty and realized that it was time to present her gift to Sira and Aidara. She pulled herself away from her half finished plate and made her way to the gift table. She picked up her two packages; one was a bundle of baby and toddler sized brydas in various sades wrapped with a ribbon and the other was a plain box which held a beautiful hand blown glass fountain. She walked up to the couple and handed the bryda bundle to Sira and the plain box to Aidara. She smiled and watched them to opening their presents.

After seeing the reaction to their gifts Sarye moved toward the table that Taln was standing at with the odd looking woman who definitely wasn't Inartan. Quietly she moved in behind Taln and tapped him on the shoulder, "Hi there. Having fun?" Sarye smiled hoping this wasn't too forward of her.

Fountain :

[Aidara]

Addy watched with a pleased smile as Sian presented her gift to Sira. The smile widened into the grin as the box was opened and Sira slipped the beautiful bracelet onto her wrist. It was a little big, but there was no danger of it falling off. That looks lovely on you. Wear it often, I love jewelry. Her mental whisper was accompanied with a feathery laugh as Addy slipped from her perch and wrapped her arms around Sian's shoulders. "Thank you so much, it is a lovely gift that will be treasured and eventually passed onto our child- male or female!" Winking and pulling back from the hug, Addy held her at arms length while Sira gently suggested she take extra food. Nodding her agreement and leaning in for a parting kiss to Sian's cheek, Addy let her wade back into the crowd. Sarye was next, handing both of the women a gift to open. Loving to open things, Addy immediately tore into the wrapping around the package, letting it fall to the ground as she pried her fingers under the top lip of the box, throwing it open with excitement. "Oh...my goddess! Sarye! This is beautiful!" Carefully setting the box containing the extravagant fountain on the ledge next to her, Addy once again bounded forwards to envelop the redhead in a hug, murmuring continued thanks in her ear. "I've been looking at these in the Market for months, but could never justify getting one!" Sarye also received a kiss before Addy, remembering that Sira was also opening something, turned to watch her love. The tiny, delicately wrought baby clothes brought a similar reaction from the emotional healer, clapping a hand over her mouth as if to stifle tears while her free arm pulled Sarye back into another hug. For some reason, love, these presents are making the fact that we're having a BABY very real...

[Krysanthe]

Krysanthe almost instantaneously resented the woman. She gaped at her, although only for a moment, for she felt that if she didn’t have some kind of composure, she was only going to look even more like a fool. How could this woman, Alstro as it seems, begin as some stuttering blundering fool and transform into a woman of such eloquencey and finesse in a matter of seconds? Her simple yet gentle words made Krys burn with envy at her ease of speech, which was reflected by the pale rose color that rose to her cheeks. Her phrases like ‘dearly sorry’ ad ‘rather rude’ and ‘rather famished’ made Krysanthe feel almost unladylike in her ways, instantly shaming her in more ways that Alstro could understand. As if that wasn’t enough, the woman dare ask her personal questions as if she had known her for such a long time. Krysanthe was almost insulted, but she didn’t make any sort of comment for fear of reprimand. She was used to getting in trouble, but she didn’t want to cause any here. Instead, she simply stated two words, hoping that a bland lie with only a sprinkling of truth would enlighten the woman to her intentions. “I’m claustrophobic.” She hoped that Alstro was intuitive enough to think that although Krys was ‘afraid’ of small spaces and cramped areas, that she was willing to tough it out for two kind endals. She wouldn’t dare let on that the only reason she was here was to prevent herself from facing ridicule elsewhere in the mountain. It seemed as if everyone was here. After making the realization that the only reason she was here was for her own selfish intentions, Krysanthe felt more shame fall upon her shoulders. How rude of her to come here, not for the joy of the baby, but for the mild contentment of her own person. She found it hard to make eye contact with the woman sitting before her, and so instead, she stood up, responding to her by saying, “No thanks, I’m actually not very hungry.” What a lie, but she would be very happy to get out of having a conversation with anyone, let alone this odd, schizophrenic girl that she has associated with. Despite the fact that neither of them had very much socialization, as far as Krys was concerned, they were nothing alike. The Endal’s whistle pierced the air and she cringed, but quickly looked over to the two. Gifts? Given to them in person? Really? Honestly? She actually had to take the present to them in person? Fantastic. Sighing with a growing contempt for this party, Krysanthe ungracefully snatched her gift off the table and stood in line. She was third. She held her little purple package in one hand. As she looked at the magnificent gifts before her, she felt her cheeks burn once again. Here she was, directly behind the woman who gave the couple a bunch of gorgeous clothes and a magnificent glass fountain, and all she has is a pathetic, cheap little stuffed rabbit in a little purple box with a boring bow that was the exact same color. When she reached the pair, she handed them the gift, just holding it out, not paying any attention to who got it. She looked down at her feet. She didn’t know these woman. Sure, she knew their names, she had heard of them, she had probably even seen them around. But she doubted they had ever once heard her name. She doubted they had ever seen her, and if they had, she doubted they had ever noticed her. Why would they? She was just another girl in a sea of endless faces. She waited for their response, for she knew it would be rude just to dash out of there. Odds are, that would draw more attention to herself than just standing here and facing the ridicule for such a pathetic gift. Krysanthe’s blush burned brighter as she scolded herself mentally, wishing she had never wasted her time here.

The bunny :

[Rista]

She was pulled from her brooding as someone pressed a plate into her hands. Blinking in confusion Rista looked up, not even realizing that she had begun to stare at her feet as the pressure she placed on herself grew heavier; as she now looked down again, the black eyes came to rest upon a slice of a very delicious looking cake. Almost instantly her mouth began to water, but it still took a few hesitant moments before the yasi actually dared move a hand and pick up the spoon that accompanied the dessert; was it really true that she would get to eat this? It wasn't some cruel joke, someone wouldn't take it away before she managed to have a bite? She glanced around quickly, and almost chuckled as she noticed the maneuver Sairque made with her emptied plate. Right, so the only real threat to this treat of hers would be sweet-toothed Endals. It was a danger real enough, and while carefully storing this intricate piece of information about the woman to be used later, Rista quickly began to dig in on the cake. The look of delight as she put the first spoonful into her mouth brightened the face of the girl considerably, and an almost invisible shudder of delight moved through her as the tastes mixed on her tongue. As she slowly dealt with the piece a thought passed through her mind, and the black eyes of the girl turned to the tall man next to her; was it Eoin that had made this? She hadn't been able to see more than how he had brought the cake in, but it seemed plausible. It was quite a surprise to the girl; while she had talked to him before she hadn't been able to inquire about his profession, and while she was surprised to find him a chef, it was somehow.. appropriate. It certainly explained why his hands were so strong. Only half aware of the surroundings as she was, she didn't have time to react when her friend was knocked down beside her. The sound of porcelain shattering against the stone floor was loud and a few people turned their heads to look, but none seemed to bother coming to help; the man was surrounded by women after all, or had been until Aidara slipped away after finishing the cake. Rista wasn't sure how many that saw the cut in the palm of the man, but she did; she wasn't proud over the thought that passed through her mind, that it was a good thing it hadn't been her to drop anything this time. A pang of worry mixed with misplaced guilt made the girl frown, and she followed Eoin with her gaze as he was helped up by Sairque. As soon as she could she slipped closer, eying the wound at his palm with a hiss of sympathy. That couldn't be good. Not for someone that used his hands so much as a chef.. "Are you okay?" she echoed the Endal worriedly, the voice revealing her concern where the solid blackness of her eyes couldn't. "Is it deep? It looks painful, I hope it's.." Interrupted, she only reluctantly looked up at Sai when she was spoken to, and even tried to resist a bit as the woman grasped her wrist in a tight grip. What was this, since when were presents more important than someones health? The dark-haired mongrel wanted to object, but it was hard to protest against anything Sairque said. Her respect for the woman was immense, and even as she opened her mouth to protest, not a sound wanted to come out over her lips... "Alright, got it" she eventually resigned, and carefully pried herself loose before pushing the plate with the half-eaten cake into the hands of the Endal. A final glance were given to her injured friend, after which the short girl began to move through the crowd, heading for the gift table with quick, determined steps. She just had to get this over with as soon as she could, and then make sure that the man got that cut looked over. She felt a bit annoyed at Sai for not taking the time to check more closely how serious it was.. Perhaps she hadn't seen the cut. Or she was too occupied with the loss of the cake. It was hard to tell. Upon arriving to the gift table, it took the girl a while to dig through the assembled gifts before she found the casing she was looking for. Muttering quietly to herself about lazy women that wouldn't do the embarrassing hand-out herself, Rista got in line and waited for her turn, impatiently tapping her foot at the ground as person after person handed over their gifts. When it finally was her turn, she breathed a quiet sigh of relief and held out the flat case towards Sira and Aidara, trying not to take notice of the tears in the shorter persons eyes. "Hi, this is from Sairque, she was too busy eating cake to give it to you herself.." The words came unbidden over her lips, the impatience only emphasizing the straight-forward honesty with which Rista spoke. "I'm sorry, I didn't think of bringing a gift myself. If it's good enough though, I can give you this. If you or your child ever is in need of help, of any kind at all no matter what it is about, I'll help with all I have, to the best of my ability. It's not much, but it's the best I can give.." A faint blush crept over her cheeks and deepened the coppery tone of the skin, from embarrassment over being in the center of attention even for a little while. It felt like a petty thing to offer nothing but this vow, especially compared to some of the gifts that had been uncovered. And if they ended up needing help, two Endals like these women could order anyone to do what was necessary. But somehow, this felt like the right thing to say. Help given willingly were more trust-worthy after all, or at least that was how Rista thought. She just hoped it was good enough... It was with relief she retreated back into the crowd after leaving off the present, feeling much better when she could hide among the others. Her head turned back and forth as she looked around, trying to see where the others had ended up; hopefully they would be left in the same spot as before, or she would have trouble finding them among all the similar-looking shoulders of mingling people. Why did she have to be so petchin short?

[Renol]

If there was one thing that Renol hated… no, hated was too generous of a word to use. Way too generous. If there was one thing that Renol loathed with the fiery passion like the heart of a burning volcano it was being late to something that was important. He knew the party was already in full swing as he and Fereo approached the Courtyard of the Sky. They could both hear the noise coming from below them even before they crested the lip of the massive amphitheater. Fereo was just as grim as Renol was at this point, being just as angry at the delays that had ensued throughout the morning and causing them to be so tardy. But, as the massive eagle circled overhead a few times slowly, they both inspected the goings on below, seeing that everything was still very active. So, they both relaxed a little, at least a little happy they hadn’t missed it all. That was, at least, a small bonus. Fereo adjusted his path slowly, making the ride easier for his rider who was currently cradling two different packages under his arms. He held on tightly with his legs, but that wouldn’t do too terribly much to keep him from falling if Fereo were to bank too sharply. So, the large eagle came in slow, catching the air under his wings and gliding as he lowered himself down into the courtyard. Renol and Fereo both said their hellos to Catabasis as Fereo came to settle on one of the perches near the other massive eagle. Catabasis, it’s good to see you here. At least I’ll have some company while I have to sit and watch. Renol quickly dismounted from the bird, scoffing a bit, “Alright now. You have to be happy for Addy and Sira. They’re both very excited about this and it’s very important. So just be happy for them. I am sure they’ll both make their way over to talk to you before too long. Now, have a rest and I’ll make sure some food is brought over for you.” Fereo’s eyes sparkled a littleI like it already. Renol shook his head, setting the boxes down for one second to adjust his garb once more after the flight. He wore one of his nicest brydas, the black fabric embroidered with an intricate mountainous scene across the legs. A black, sleeveless vest draped over his shoulders, this one embroidered along the back with details of clouds and soaring birds. Once he was sure his clothes and hair were straight, he picked up his two gifts and made his way out into the party. Renol was impressed with just how many people were there. He wasn’t sure why, though. After all, it was Addy and Sira. If anyone would pull in every Inarta in the place into one party, it would be those two. Still, he was impressed with seeing all the people conversing and eating and being merry though it all. He was glad to see that everyone was still able to have fun. But that’s what everyone needed, really. A chance to get out and get their minds off the coming winter and the hardships that would be coming through the cold months. And this was a perfect opportunity. The smell of all the food, different scents from different dishes mingling together through the atmosphere cut straight through what would have been the scent of the press of bodies, adding even more life to the whole affair. He couldn’t wait to take a moment to sample the affairs that had been made for the celebration. He was sure they would all be delicious. But first, from what he was seeing, the two women were in the process of opening gifts, a procession of people making their way to them to deposit gifts to them. He smiled, at least he hadn’t missed that part either. Renol waited in the line patiently, keeping his head tucked behind the person in front of him to keep the two women from seeing him too early. He wasn’t around anyone that he was too familiar with at the moment. He would make sure to see out Sairque after the gifts and greet her, but he also felt that this would be a great opportunity to meet some new people as well. He had been cooped up in his recovery for so long he knew that he had to get out and meet some new people and get back to being social. Renol ducked low a little bit, hiding behind the person in front of him. He smiled as he waited patiently, chuckling to himself a little bit. As the person headed off, Renol stepped forward holding his arms to the side and smiling wide, “Am I fashionably late?” He took a moment to step forward and give each of the women hugs quickly, “Once again, I want to tell you how happy I am for the both of you. Not only are you two happy, with a surely wonderful child on the way, but you managed to throw the biggest party I have seen in ages. People will be talking about this for ages to come. Or until someone manages to pull a miracle and somehow outdo this. But I don’t see that happening any time soon.” He stepped back a little bit and presented the two boxes forward. The first was presented to Addy and the second was to Sira, “I don’t know if either of you are opening specific things, but here. There is something for the baby, and something for you two as well. I hope you like them. I have some friends who owed me some favors so I had them make these for you by hand.” Renol put his hands behind his back, waiting patiently until they had just opened the boxes. He wondered how they would like them. He hoped he hadn’t gone too far, or even worse, not far enough, “I figured I’d get the her first eagle right off the bat. Get her off to a good start with this whole thing. Gods only know she’s born to be an Endal. And the other one… Well, I figured if you don’t drink wine yet, you need to start. Nothing will take the edge off of a long night up with the baby like a glass of good wine. The decanter helps to keep any sediment from the wine getting into your glasses when you pour and helps to aerate the wine as well. I hope that you like them.” Gift Box 1 : Gift Box2 :