Closed [Rearing Stallion] Surprising Sayana (Various)

[Orin Fenix]

Fifteenth bell, 55th of Spring, 515AV

Post OrderRemember guys it's at least two days and six posts before you can reply. Also Sayana is getting the next post. Have fun!

Orin surveyed the sea of faces in front of him with a great deal of trepidation. If he was being truthful there really weren't that many people there. Orin recognized most of them and was at least acquainted with all but a few. He was among friends, even if they were Sayana's rather than Orin's. He should've felt safe. But all those eyes trained on him brought back haunting memories of being in front of a crowd of bullies and the echo of children's laughter echoed in his ears. Orin shrank in on himself. He knew objectively that no one here would ever harm him. Well that wasn't quite true. Aren might want to kill him for a variety of reasons but the Akalak was too good a man, Orin hoped. If not he was constrained by the laws of Syliras. So Orin was safe for now.

Despite knowing that in his mind, his body rebelled. He subconsciously felt in danger of getting hurt emotionally or physically. Voices in his head were screaming at him to get out of there and to safety. Orin was silencing them one by one but it was taking a while. Orin didn't know how long his audience would be willing to wait before someone else took charge or they dispersed. Either outcome would've been a disaster. Orin needed to master himself before that happened. Taking his doubts Orin shoved them away using every mental trick he knew. It really wasn't that bad to be with these people. Orin just had to convince himself of that. But he was running out of time seeing as Sayana would be here at any moment.

Taking a deep breath Orin straightened up from his slump. He'd faced down monsters, a Kriital and some yukmen, bandits and a whole host of other nasty individuals and creatures. There was absolutely no reason for his peers to induce this reaction in him. Perhaps he was going about this all wrong. He wasn't public speaking or giving a speech at all. He was simply chatting with a few of his friends. Or soon to be friends if they weren't already. Surprisingly that distinction went a long way towards clearing Orin's mind and calming his anxieties. The situation hadn't changed at all but his perception of it certainly had.

He'd waited as long as he dared. Giving them a shy smile that felt a bit force, Orin finally launched into his explanation. "Alright here's how it's going to work. Sayana is gonna walk through the door. I want you to split into two groups. Half of you go into the pantry. The other half can hide behind that counter. And try to be silent, we don't want her catching on too early. When she gets here hopefully either she or Garland will say something. When that happens you all pop out of your hiding places and yell surprise.I hope you all got that. Places everyone. Oh and I'll be out here. It'll look suspicious otherwise." Orin hoped he'd covered everything. They probably knew the concept but Orin was paranoid and wanted everything to go perfectly. As they shuffled off to wherever they had decided to go, Orin settled in to wait. Realizing it would look odd if his hands were idle, Orin went over to the bread and began sliding it. Orin sent up a silent prayer to any god that would listen for Sayana to show up sooner rather than later. The suspense was killing him.

Hopefully Sayana wouldn't be able to see anyone when she walked in. There really weren't a lot of places to hide people in here. The pantry was safest. It was right by the back door true but people rarely glanced in there. The wall of hearths the back door was out. Even if it had cover of any kind it would've been too hot to ask people to wait there for long. Besides there were dishes cooking there and Orin didn't want them disturbed by accident. The opposite wall with the door to the common room for was out as well. There was a table with a bench and stools for the staff to eat at. Orin could've asked people to hide under it but it was too exposed if Sayana came in through the back door. The center island with the stove and the oven mostly had the same problem in that people there would be visible depending on where Sayana entered from. This whole process would've been easier if Orin knew for sure which direction Sayana was coming from. However she, unlike Orin didn't necessrily come in the same way every time. However there were counters on either end of that central area. The one on the side opposite the pantry could hide peope from sight as long as they ducked down behind it. Orin had done everything he could. He would've preferred to have Sayana's celebration entirely in the kitchen but that was completely inpractical so as soon as the surprise was over he'd have everyone move into the common room after taking their orders for food and drink.

[Sayana]

Sayana had been enjoying a lovely afternoon with Garland catching up on life in general. Aren was out for one reason or another but it was nice to have some company at her apartment. “Soon we’ll have to start thinking about getting a crib, some baby clothes and even some sort of play toys for him,” Sayana spoke fondly half to herself and half to the squire. She put a hand on her stomach but all one could actually notice was the slightest gain in weight. “But that’s still some time off and we still have to come up with a name first.” The Eypharian stood up suddenly as she realized the time. “I should probably start getting ready. I wouldn’t want to show up to a party late when I’m the main performer.” A couple days ago Orin had mentioned that some people had claimed the tavern for a personal party and that they had specifically wanted her to perform. She had been surprised by the honor yet also secretly thought it was about time she did a private show. Tonight she’d have to do a top notch performance to keep spreading her talent throughout Syliras. As the Eypharian went over to her mirror to comb her hair back and straighten it in a tight bun, she felt a sting on her left high arm. It still hadn’t healed. “Garland, would you mind not mentioning this to Aren?” Sayana asked as she took off her set of red sleeves and revealed the long cut on the upper part of her high arm. She fished into one of her drawers and found the Krolar paste she kept in stock and carefully dabbed the healing wound with it. She put on the sleeves once more and they did a good job at concealing it. Looking back in the mirror she got out some of her face pastes and touched up the part that was hiding the bruise on her cheek. Fortunately the cut there had now healed and Sayana went on to apply some black khol to outline her eyes and some bright red colour to her lips. Much better. Lastly, she fastened a silver necklace around her neck and adorned each of her wrists with three copper bangles. She hadn’t always been wearing her new jewelry but tonight she had to look her best. Sayana gave a brief spin on the spot. Her red top looked great as usual and her skirt flared out with the spin. Of course, she had all her daggers attached to her belt at her hip and she certainly looked the part. She picked up her tambourine and finger cymbals and gave a beckoning wave to Garland. “You said you wanted to walk me down?” It had been really nice spending time with the squire and Sayana skipped happily through the winding corridors until she was out on the streets. The air was fresh and warm. It seemed as though winter was gone and not to be returning anytime soon. It didn’t take long to reach the taverns for she had made the trip many times. It looked a little dark inside the tavern and Sayana was about to step through the main door when she decided it might be better to keep her appearance a surprise. While many people might know of her, there were still probably those who would find an Eypharian dancer quite exotic. Sayana went around to the back door entered the kitchen. As she opened the door a flood of heavenly smells filled her nose as she breathed in. Whoever’s party this was, they were in for a treat. She strode in and gave a wave to Orin before putting her instruments down on the table. As usual, he was busy with the food, this time slicing up bread, though he looked a lot more nervous than usual. “Orin, you’ve really outdone yourself this time,” Sayana said with a smile hoping to encourage the cook. “It smells amazing. So have the guests arrived for the party?” “SURPRISE!!!” There was a rush of movement as everyone clambered out of their hiding places. Sayana’s mouth opened in surprise as her eyes fell on one friend and then the next and the next. Aren’s large blue form, Nivel’s bright energetic voice, Devi’s warm arms already reaching out for an embrace, Garland’s sweet and almost guilty smile by the door, April’s high energy, Isolde’s friendly smile, and Katelyn’s bright ginger hair matched only by the darling Sylvette who Orin had grown so fond of. It had been the last thing Sayana had expected and for several moments she hadn’t a word to say. OOCLet me know if I assumed too much of any character but I think much of what I wrote was very typical of the characters (or at least when Sayana has interacted with them).

[Aren]

Aren had been forced to conceal where he had been going, the nature of the party necessitating such clandestine maneuvers, but now she was here; Sayana had arrived, seemingly none the wiser, in the company of one of her friends. This Garland, was it? He had been charged with getting her to her own celebration without tipping her off, and from the Eypharian's reaction it seemed he performed his job admirably. The Akalak stayed behind as the evening got underway, wanting to allow Sayana's friends their greetings and felicitations. He towered over the guests, so he could still make out what was going, and Aren felt like he should try to allow her to give them the attention they deserved. Like at the New Year's Party, this was her birthday celebration, and everyone here had come to see her. She would want to mingle and catch up and receive gifts, and the warrior wouldn't feel right if his presence drew her away from that. Beyond what he assumed to be his responsibility as a polite guest, Aren was actually rather nervous at the gift he had brought for the Eypharian as he wasn't entirely sure how to go about presenting it, nor how it would be received. He knew he had to go through with it, having put it off long enough, but that did nothing to diminish his anxiety. Honestly, if it was up to him, her friends could distract Sayana all night, perhaps sparing him from actually having to go through with it. That would likely not be the case, he realized, and the mercenary simply accepted that he might as well just give it to her tonight and be done with it. Akalak before him had been doing this for centuries, it wasn't that big a deal. Taking a deep breath, Aren watched as his lover was swarmed by those she cared about, and this notion seemed to bring him some peace. A smile suddenly materialized on his face as he thought of all the people she had in her life she could call friends. Almost unwittingly, however, he looked away, as if he was unable to to bear the sight of it; a thought had crept up on his conscious mind that threatened to collapse his very throat. One day not too far from now, Sayana was going to die. Even if she lived to a ripe old age, she would pass long before he did, and while Aren had know this since the day they met, it was something he had always had trouble coming to grips with. Like his mother, she would die while their son was still barely more than a child, and he would feel her loss all too keenly. Although the idea of seeing his friends and loved ones fall to the ravages of time had always plagued him, the Akalak found the issue crystallized within the future mother of his child. Forcing his face to maintain his previously genuine smile, Aren told himself that he couldn't let his own doubts and the ticking clock of fate determine how he lived his life. A long life was often as much a gift as it was a curse, he knew, and that was simply something he must try to accept. "Happy birthday," He whispered, haunted by the certainty of a future he could do nothing to avoid. "You really think you're going to live long enough to see her die? You shouldn't worry about that, cause we'll probably be eaten by something long before then." Seros' words seemed to make real the fake smile Aren had on his lips, and the lighter Other was grateful for was what his brother was trying to do for him.

[Devi]

Devi found herself laughing at the surprised expression on her friend’s face. She reached out despite the sudden bustle of people vying for Sayana’s attention and pulled her into a welcoming embrace, releasing her once others began crowding around for their own greetings. She watched as the little Eypharian’s gaze fell upon each of her guests in turn. She looked genuinely happy, even more so than usual. Devi had to admit, so far this gathering was quite different to Sayana’s eventful New Year’s party. She supposed that it helped to have a few more friendly faces around her. The young doctor felt herself relaxing. As busy as she had been working, her preparations for the party had been rather last minute. A new, long, silk dress wrapped itself around her figure, its colour a deep forest green to complement her hair. The skirts fell in loose waves, shimmering almost gold, as did her tresses of auburn locks. She was even fairly sure that she smelled relatively human. An hour in the bathhouse had left her skin scrubbed raw but she had systematically purged every kind of morbid or medicinal stain and smell from her person. She backed away from the crowd to give herself room to breathe, clutching Sayana’s birthday present close to her. That had been a close thing as well. A mad dash had left her hurrying from one end of the bazaar, to pick up her dress from the tailor, to the other, locating the merchant she would need for Sayana’s present. She had arrived in the nick of time and with the excitement of the surprise her heart was still pounding. The beginnings of a yawn lingered at the back of her throat but she swallowed against it. Devi hadn’t actually slept a full night since the evening before last. She’d caught a few hours nap the previous evening before a knock at her door awoke her for another full night’s work. Still, she had gotten used to an unusual sleeping pattern. Her body had learnt to take rest and sustenance where it was offered. Speaking of sustenance… Devi breathed in deeply through her nose and her stomach growled appreciatively in response. The scent of the food Orin had been preparing was exquisite. As though reminding her of its existence her stomach exuded waves of hunger through her and she found herself wondering just how long it had been since she had eaten a proper meal. She had snatched small amounts here and there but she suspected that tonight she was going to make up for the lack of a full meal. Her eyes weaved through the different guests, searching for the chef himself to greet him properly (and ask about food, of course). Her eyes fell on the tall, blue Akalak. His posture was tensed and his expression confusing, the smile almost bittersweet. She knew from her friend that his name was Aren but she hadn’t actually spoken to him in the time she’d known Sayana. She supposed to herself that now would be as good a time as any. He looked like he could use a distraction. Besides, Devi would use any opportunity to practice her Tukant, shamelessly. The Akalak that frequented Ronan’s smithy were pestered by her frequently enough, it would be pleasant not to be greeted with a pair of rolling eyes for once. In her best Tukant she spoke quietly to him. “Relax – it’s a party, not a battlefield.” Devi frowned slightly, a memory of the New Year’s gathering surfacing in her mind. “Then again, considering how the last party went, perhaps I shouldn’t speak too soon…”

ReceiptKiv Perfume (rare) 15GM
Silk dress, dyed forest green 30GM

[Garland]

Garland had been with Sayana for most of the morning, talking about everything that came to mind. He had a very well-thought out plan when he went in to Sayana's apartment to distract her, but as soon as he walked in, he threw his plan out the window so to speak.

Luckily, wasting time is Garland's special talent. Several bells passed until it was time for Sayana to go to the Rearing Stallion. Orin had planned everything, despite his modest demeanor he was actually quite smart.

The two of them walked towards the Rearing Stallion, taking in the sights and sounds of the city, it was a nice day out, if Garland was the one planning the party, he would have planned it outside, a picnic maybe.

They entered through the back entrance, it would be funny if everyone was waiting for her in the front, and they didn't notice them coming in from the back, though Orin would probably have planned for that as well.

The place was quiet, and dark. Did Orin set the date or time wrong? Maybe he should look aroun-

"SURPRISE!"

And then Garland screamed like a girl. A really high pitch scream, would make the unprepared stunned by such a loud shriek.

When people started looking at him, he coughed and gave Sayana a large grin, trying to hide the fact that he just did the second unmanliest thing he has ever done before.

"Happy birthday, Sayana!" He said and joined in the group hug. "You're gonna love the food, Sayana! Orin has outdone himself yet again! Just the smell can get your mouth to water!"

He looked over the other guests, especially Devi's beautiful green dress. She always looked so good when she goes to parties, the complete opposite of April who just looks for any of her clothes that aren't too ripped or tattered.

"Oh! I have a gift for you!" He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small box, tied with a small red ribbon, inside was a quartz necklace he had gotten from a Yukmen that one time, though he had the gem cut finely to resemble a shooting star and was tied to simple chain so that one could put it around one's neck.

He gave the box to Sayana, and looked over the party goers, eyeing April specifically, he wasn't planning on letting her drink this time around.

[Nivel]

Nivel had been eagerly anticipating Sayana’s surprise party, she needed a break form all the training and danger she faced on a daily bases. Her new challenge would be to find something that Sayana would enjoy, since it was customary to bring a present to a tall folks date of birth. This concept was new to Nivel until Sera Grey had mentioned it, Traditions weren’t something she had much experience in. The pycon just couldn’t wrap her nexus around the concept of celebrating the anniversary of ones creation, although she wasn’t going to question an excuse for jubilation. If it was up to her she would have parties every day to celebrate the rise of syna and the beauty of button holes, she just didn’t have the time with all her training.

For weeks Nivel tried to think of a gift for her multi armed friend, but it was definitely a struggle. A sock full of holes? Not holy enough, A few stands of grass? not green enough, a ball of cat fur? Sayan doesn’t like fluffy stuff. She felt lost until she noticed her empty bag of emerald sparkles, It sparked a chorus of ideas with in the glowing orb that resided in her tiny head. Through a process of elimination she decided it was best to sew sayana’s name into the bag and fill it with buttons since the dancer could add them to her outfits.

Nivel asked her patron who was very talented in the art of stitchery to give her pointers on the process. The mage squire watched and listened carefully as Sera Grey Baxter preformed and explained how to do a stem stitch. As soon as the Mage knight was done Nivel ran off to her sewing kit to try this very thing. Nivel soon discovered that the process was not nearly as easy as her patron made it out to be. Nivel accidentally attached two parts of fabric that weren’t supposed to be attached and the thread would get tangled far to easyily. It was a very frustrating process but Nivel wasn’t going to be beat by a bag of fabric. She eventually finished the simple embellishment, but it looked nothing like the stitch that Sera Grey made. Nivel hoped that the fact that she used the same sticking red for her thread that her friend seemed to frequently wear would be enough for Sayana to like it.

As the date of the party approached, Nivel had stealthily taken buttons from her patrons massive stash to add to the bags volume. As one might expect the pycon was found out quite quickly and forced to give all the buttons back. Sera Grey suggested to her sulking squire that she just buy Sayana some herbs from the Stormhold Salves. Nivel’s ears perked right up at this new idea and she scurried to her dorm room with out a word leaving her Patron alone and confused.

Nivel rounded up the help of her mount Patcha to take her to this strange location, After receiving directions from a few helpful citizens she was where she needed to be. She rode her tiny mount right into the location when the opportunity arose and after a lengthy conversation with the sales clerk that mostly involved an unfiltered barrage of questions, Nivel left with herb called Azhiltu. Based on the description the sales women gave the plant, it seemed like it had many uses.

With the present out of the way Nivel needed to put some thought into her appearance for this party, since she wanted to look nice for her friend. She knew that tall folks usual form of expression was with their clothing, but the dress nivel had been working on was a disaster. Instead of trying to fix the dress she was making from scratch she grabbed the leather armour dress that Sera Grey made her and attempted to embellish it. Since sewing though leather quickly became far too difficult, Nivel opted to make an add on out of scraps. She stitched together several mismatched scraps into a small skirt that looked like a delicate but deranged flower and wrapped it around her leather dress like a belt.

The mourning before the Party, Nivel did one last thing to prepare. She traveled on patcha to the Hot springs and collected some of the diluted clay from the area. The clay was a nice light greyish blue that looked nice on her sparkly terra cotta skin, and Nivel applied it around her eyes and mouth as the tall folk seem to do but also added a generous amount to the two horns on her forehead.

She was finally ready for the party and headed out on Patcha’s furry little back towards the rearing stallion. She did as the cook Orin instructed and hid behind the panty, although with Nivel’s size she really could have hid any number of places. She giggled a bit in anticipation but quickly forced herself into silence as She heard the door open. On que shouted out a loud “Surprise!” and then rode over over with her her present in tow and lifted it above her head.
“I got this for you Sayana!” Not understanding that the present was supposed to be a surprise as well she blurted out exactly what the present was. “It’s two ounces of Azhiltu leaves and flowers, you can use it to make a tea to cure stomach aches, rub it on a wound to stop yourself from leaking blood or you can use it change your clothes to purple or maroon.” Nivel suddenly got a little bashful after her explanation “I tried to sew your name into the bag but it didn’t work out so well..it’s supposed to be a stem stitch but it doesn’t look right..sorry about that.”
OocAdding the cost of two ounces of Azhiltu at a cost of 5 SM each

Credit for Boxcode goes to Estrellir Konrath

[Isolde Seibold]

The Nuit didn't know what to think. Or, more aptly, she didn't know what to feel.

She was used to being alone and unliked. She was used to having no friends and being distrusted and that was okay. Orin wouldn't have said it was okay, and her Lady Freed wouldn't have agreed either, but it was. It really was. She couldn't expect people to like her. Not being what she was.

So it was peculiar --and reminiscent-- to be in a room full of people who were friends. Not her friends, Sayana's, but the sentiment was the same. Eager glances were exchanged, small talk made, sometimes evolving into comfortable conversation between people who seemed to know one another, and the Nuit stood back and took it all in like a starved drunkard who'd been off the booze for ages.

Really, it was just nice to be here. Though she felt a little under-dressed, looking around. Some had seemed to put in an effort to look their best for the occasion. The Nuit, because it was becoming habit and because her Sera said it was a good practice, was wearing her armor: all the shiny (heavy!) bits of chain mail and protective leather under the tunic embroidered with the crest of the Windoak. Now she combed through her hair with her pale fingers, tucking strands behind her ears as if that might make her look more presentable.

No one --yet-- had paid much attention to her, though she was certain to garner a few glances throughout the evening. She tried not to dwell on the fact that she would probably have to take part in the socializing; throughout the long years she had become more of the wallflower type. But the room really did have a pleasant atmosphere. It smelled amazing; Orin seemed to be a cooking genius. And the smiling faces --along with the general excitement for a party-- made everything seem brighter than usual. Isolde had expected to be anxious, as she usually was in crowds, but now that she was here the Nuit felt rather relaxed, actually. This would have been her element, back when she was truly alive. She hadn't been one to have a large group of friends, not ever, but still... partying was different. Looser.

And it seemed this party was about to begin. Orin stood in front of the group, looking a little shaky though his voice didn't betray him, and told them to take their places. The Nuit skipped behind the counter --well, as much as she could skip in this mail-- and crouched down. The counter was better for her; the pantry would have been too closed-in, she thought.

Soon enough the birthday girl had arrived and Isolde jumped out with the rest, sending Sayana a smile when she looked her way. While some stayed to chat with her, Isolde immediately fell back, not one to push her presence upon others no matter the occasion. She found a place at the bar and sat herself down at the end, removed from pretty much everyone, though Orin was within hailing distance. There she sat back and simply drank in the warm ambiance.

The gift she'd brought along --a flute in a case, tucked into an infant's sling-- she drummed her fingers against nervously. She wasn't really confident in her choices, but... an old friend of hers had played the flute, and she had always had the feeling that Wynry
--her own daughter-- would have loved its sound. At least it looked like Sayana had some interest in music, since she had brought some instruments along with her to the tavern, so that was a relief. Since Isolde had only met Sayana once before --though admittedly that had been a prolonged meeting-- she'd simply bought something that she herself found value in, and hoped that Sayana would do the same.

Receiptmetal flute -15.0.0
simple flute case -3.7.5
baby sling -1.0.0

=total -18.7.5 gm

[Orin Fenix]

Orin couldn’t help the smug grin that spread across his face. Based on Sayana’s and especially Garland’s reactions to the surprise, the two of them had most obviously not been expecting quite this type of reception. He felt himself sag in relief. It had been quite difficult to arrange this on so many levels. First, to actually find out who all of Sayana’s friends were and invite them without asking her directly which might have tipped her off. Second, coming up with a plausible excuse for Sayana to show up at a specific time. And finally, on the day of, coordinating with everyone to make sure nothing went wrong and actually cooking the food for the party. It had been an exhausting experience and now that everything had gone smoothly it felt like a weight had been lifted off of Orin’s shoulders. Placing his hands on the counter on either side of the bread he’d been slicing Orin waited a few ticks while his nervous body caught up with his mind. Sayana’s friends, for their part had done their duty admirably. They now swarmed the dancer offering congratulations, well-wishes and gifts. Orin remembered his own gift, stashed away in a cabinet, and he hurried over to retrieve it. Taking it down from its hiding place, Orin turned, his smile even wider as pride and happiness for his friend filled him. It must be so nice to have this many people care. Orin remembered his own birthday and his thoughts darkened momentarily. There was no joy there, and never had been. Orin’s birthday was the anniversary of when he’d lost his mother, then his father and it seemed to carry a curse. Still, Orin refused to let himself get bogged down by such emotions. Today was a day for Sayana, and not Orin, and Orin fully intended to celebrate it to the best of his ability.

Almost shyly now, Orin pulled up to the clump of people surrounding Sayana. He waited until a few of them made an opening before stepping forward. Running a hand nervously through his hair to leave it sticking up, Orin scuffed one foot against the ground. ”Well I think I can safely call this surprise party a success.” His voice, directed at Sayana but also those around her, contained mostly wry humor. Focusing solely on Sayana, Orin shrugged his shoulders. ”Happy birthday Sayana. For the record, I didn’t exactly lie when I said you’d be the main attraction at a party. I just, well, may have let you misinterpret what that meant. You know I’m a terrible liar.” Orin chuckled. Every time she asked for details, Orin had nearly had a panic attack. ”If it makes you feel better, there is a party later for someone else you’d be more than welcome to perform at. I even think you know him. Alexander Ross?” Orin knew the man had been at Sayana’s New Year’s Party, he just didn’t know if the hostess would remember him. Orin couldn’t recall if the two had spent any significant time together. Then again, Orin’s memories of that evening, especially towards the end, were hardly to be trusted. At least there was no chance of violence today. Unless Aren and I finally have it out. The Akalak was behind Orin somewhere, standing head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the crowd. Orin still felt a smoldering rage every time he saw the man but had been able to mostly contain his outbursts for Sayana’s sake, and so Aren wouldn’t beat Orin to a pulp.

Orin pulled his present out from behind his back and extended it towards Sayana. ”This is for you, and, well, the baby.” Orin had spent an evening slaving away at this cookbook of sorts until it had been absolutely perfect. It contained recipes specifically designed to be helpful towards pregnant women and then, after birth, babies and toddlers. It mostly contained bland foods, which Orin knew Sayana hated, but that’s what Remi recommended and as a cook who’d had her own child, Orin figured she would know better than anyone which foods to use. Orin just hoped he’d done a good enough job remembering all the steps for all the dishes so that Sayana could follow them. Of course, if Sayana had any questions, she could always just ask Orin to clarify. Orin didn’t know how well received his gift would be. He’d tried to come up with something that was uniquely his and something that Sayana would appreciate, but doubts crept in even as he waited for Sayana to take it.

Of course, around then Orin realized Sayana’s dilemma. If everyone handed their gifts to Sayana at once, she’d be burdened with them for the rest of the party. Embarrassment flared and Orin blushed as he realized he should’ve come up with a better system for people to hand off their gifts. Retreating from the others, Orin grabbed a spoon and banged on one of the pots that were hanging from overhead. When the noise had died down, at least a bit, Orin cleared his throat and spoke out. ”Alright, listen up and I’m sorry to interrupt. Anyone with a present for Sayana can leave it there.” Orin pointed to a counter that was currently empty of all the kitchen clutter. ”She can look through them later.” Orin placed his own book there, then turned back to his audience. ”Also, the food. Or the menu, rather. It’s either pork with vegetable sides or fish with rice and curry, or, if you’re especially hungry, both. The curry is spicy so be warned, but we’ve got bread to deal with that. Oh and ale to drink. Nivel we’ve got some clay for you too.” Orin racked his brain to see if he missed something. ”Oh, and ah, thanks for the compliments all, but it’s really nothing special.” The eyes on his were about more than he could take, so Orin hurried out from under the pressure of their collective gazes. Two speeches in one day was more than enough. His palms were sweaty and there was a hard knot in the center of his stomach. He probably wouldn’t be enjoying his own food for a long while.

Speaking of food, Orin figured he should go defend it from the hordes of hungry party goers who were about to descend upon it. First though, Orin turned to Isolde. She was close enough that Orin hoped he’d be heard, even if he did have to raise his voice a bit. ”I know you can’t eat it, but you’ve got to try the curry. It’s, well, I’ve never tasted anything like it and I made it so that’s saying something.” Orin hoped Isolde would join him. He didn’t really know most of the people here all that well, although he’d met all of them before in some capacity. And really, they seemed to be much more comfortable with the social situation. But Orin wasn’t going to force Isolde to follow him, even if he did get the sense that she was as uncomfortable here as Orin himself was. As he picked his way over there, though, he overheard Devi speaking. Orin swiveled his head and saw she was talking to Aren. That was all Orin saw. He also noticed the tell-tale signs of fatigue that were etched all over Devi’s face and body. Orin knew them, since he was well used to running himself into the ground for his profession. From what little he knew of Devi, she was a workaholic and it had finally caught up to her. Still, there was actually something Orin could do about it. Changing course, Orin stopped where he hoped he was visible to Devi’s vision. Crossing his arms across his chest and looking at her, Orin’s tone brooked no disagreement. ”You, young lady, are coming with me. Let me take care of you for a change.” Aren, Orin pointedly ignored. The only reason Orin even interacted with the warrior was because he had to. Though Orin wasn’t inclined to hate, he and Aren were so fundamentally different people that it seemed they would never see eye to eye.

Not bothering to wait for Devi’s response--she’d either follow or she wouldn’t--Orin finally arrived at his destination. He immediately opened up the platters, and began plating the two different meal options. He placed the pork on the left side of the table and a few plates of the curry on the right side of the table. It should be pretty obvious to his guests which was which, but Orin would be standing by if they had any questions. A whole sliced loaf went in the center of the table. Next, Orin began filling mugs of ale and placing them on either side of the bread. Finally, there was nothing else for Orin to do at the time, so he drifted to one side of the table, the side with the curry, and leaned against it to wait. Sooner or later people would come to him, and Orin was perfectly content with that. In fact, crowds and parties still made him severely uncomfortable, so Orin would make himself as unobtrusive and as busy with work as he possibly could to avoid any unpleasantness.

[Sayana]

Garland’s girlish scream brought her out of her moment of surprise and shock. As Devi approached, she hugged her tightly and when she released her, Sayana couldn’t help but hold the doctor’s hands for a moment to admire the beautiful dress she wore. “You look absolutely stunning Devi,” she said beaming. The next moment Garland had also joined in with the hugging and she embraced the squire fondly. Looking over his shoulder, she could see Aren standing tall amongst her friends with a soft smile on his lips. He was quiet amongst the babble but she returned the expression with a bright smile of her own. And then of course gifts. Sayana was still overwhelmed that they had put all this together, and the last thing she had expected was to start being showered gifts. Garland was first as he held out a neatly wrapped little box. But only ticks later Nivel had jumped in with her cheery voice blurting out the gift she had gotten. “Azhiltu? Is that some sort of herb?” She was actually rather excited about it. As Nivel explained further, she bent down to pick up both Nivel and the bag and placed them both on the table in the middle of the kitchen. With curiosity she opened the bag to see the leaves and flowers inside. “Thank you Nivel!” She wasn’t sure if she could really hug the little pycon but knowing that she liked flying up into the air, Sayana made to pick her up and toss her in a beautiful flip before catching her again and returning her to the table. “And Garland, let me see what this is,” the Eypharian said as she turned to her squire friend. Holding the box in her mid hands she carefully untied it with her highs and opened it up. Sayana breathed in quickly at the sight of it. “Garland! It’s beautiful! Let me put it on.” It was a beautiful clear stone shaped like a star on a chain and carefully she clipped it around her neck so that it hung just a bit higher than the silver necklace she wore. The two complemented each other quite nicely and Sayana moved in to give Garland a second hug. “How does it look?” After setting the empty box aside, Sayana moved amongst her friends and caught sight of Isolde and gave the nuit a friendly wave. It didn’t surprise her that Isolde was more content near the edges but she wanted her to know that she was welcome here. Sayana chuckled as Orin explained his ‘lie’. Maybe that was why he had been so nervous over the last few days. Or just that he was planning two parties. When the cook pulled out the book from behind his back, for a moment she frowned and yet she was still curious what might be inside. Taking the book, she opened it up and her eyes first went to the list of numbers on the page. “One, three, one line two…” she muttered softly. “Oh, beef. One beef.” She said as she missed the fact that it was one pound of beef. “Three… po-ta-toes.” She continued slowly as she squinted at the page. “Wait, is this a recipe? Is this a book of recipes?” Her determined expression softened and she reached forwards to give the cook a hug. “Thank you Orin! I’ve tried to make up stuff at home. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not so much…” She gave a chuckle and then glanced over at Aren who had been her ‘guinea pig’ for some of her cooking attempts. She clutched the book in her low hands and meandered over to Aren. “Hey you,” Sayana said brightly. “Did you help make sure I had no idea about all this?” Regardless of his answer she was thoroughly enjoying herself and she slid up next to him and moved to drape one of his arms around her. Sayana looked up as Orin clanged the pot. “No no! Bring it over here! If you’re giving me a gift, the least I can do is give you a hug.” The Eypharian sprung out from her embrace with Aren ready to greet anyone else. “You made curry? Is that what smells so good?”

[Aren]

Aren liked seeing Sayana so content, surrounded by so many she could call friends, and he knew what it probably meant for her to feel safe in their presence. The Eypharian had told him about her past, about what she had endured, and this knowledge made him come to the realization that it might have been difficult for her to ever feel secure in the aftermath of that horror. Still, when she was amongst those she knew would never hurt her Aren hoped that she could find the kind of peace she deserved. Knowing what he knew, the Akalak couldn't help but wonder if he had the right to ask Sayana to live a life were she would constantly be worrying about whether he'd be coming home in pieces, or at all. This thought alone felt like it might destroy his resolve and Aren found himself honestly asking if should he do what his heart begged him to, or if he should abandon this silly notion and do what every scar on his body was telling him was right for Sayana? Fortunately, a vaguely familiar voice speaking a somewhat more familiar tongue interrupted the Akalak's procession of self doubt before he could completely sabotage himself. Broken out of his trance by this soft reminder of his home, Aren turned to identify the source of this strange, but not unwelcome, surprise. He had seen this woman before, if his memory was to be trusted, although they had not had cause to speak on the occasion of Sayana's New Year's celebration. The giant would never have imagined that she spoke his native language, thought she did so with the same skill he did having neglected its practice in decades. "Life is a war, and only death can take us from the battlefield," Aren offered, the distinctly Akalak philosophy was depressing, but he found the irony amusing; he was an Akalak who didn't approve of his own people's traditions, and he found their particular brand of philosophy idiotic, at best. The giant allowed himself a mild chuckle in reply to his new acquaintance's seemingly half-joking comment. She had a point, he had to admit, but this gathering likely wouldn't involve any unknown elements. All of these people were Sayana's friends, or at the very least individuals she got along with. Speaking of, Aren spared a moment to listen to Orin's directions on the food, the menu... and the gifts. Gripping the hilt of the Lakan at his waist -the only weapon he had brought with him- the Akalak snorted at the idea that he was going to leave it on some table, for any reason. This blade would go from his hand to the hand of its rightful owner without intermediary, and if anybody had a problem with it, they would be welcome -nay, encouraged- to take it up with his fist. Mostly it was Orin he was worried about, but Aren suspected he would not interfere, especially considering the fact that he probably had no idea that the dagger was actually meant to be a gift. When the chef approached, however, Aren feared the worst. He really wasn't looking to get into anything at Sayana's party, but he also knew how obstinate Orin could be. Luckily, the man did not appear inclined to even speak to him, and instead beckoned the Akalak's conversation partner to follow him. Perfectly content to leave the two to whatever business they might have, Aren offered the woman a polite nod in farewell. Sayana soon appeared nearby to take up his attention, anyway. "No, no. This was all Orin and your friend there. All I did was keep my mouth shut," He smiled as she cuddled up to his side, moving his arm to wrap herself in it like a tattered blue cloak.