The gardens are a verdant abundance, the flora of the utmost beauty and well tended - more of the Northern variety than anything. At the forefront is Freja acting in the role of shaman, the woads of her house on her face along with a few runes. No sneaking today.

Anze ahs at Valery and Teela's explination before moving away from the greenhouse when Freja makes her appearance, looking all proper shaman like.

There is a clearing ready for a picnic, a chest with drinks and flowers.
Valery is dressed with her flowers dress too, maybe to blend in, maybe it's just the theme. She seems all excited and blushes and shakes her head. "No, not like a mother, no..." She turns to Freja too, when she appears and murmurs quietly to Teela. "She taught me a bit once... It was nice."

"No lessons today." Freja surmises with a single nod and glances to the others as they arrive. "If everyone is ready?"

When Freja appears Teela smiles to her and then gives her a curtsey as well, dipping low, "Shaman." she greets and then tilts her head as she listens. She nods with the question asked of them, "Oh yes." quite happy to see what the Shaman may do as she hovers closer to Valery.

Leta has some flowers embroidered on her yellow tunic, and looks otherwise summery in yellows and greens. She arrives at the gardens with a lute strapped across her back, besides the weapons strapped onto her belt, and steps lightly along the path, looking about. Seeing the others gather, she remains back to watch, hands clasped in front of herself.

Valery may look a bit disappointed for having so little people gathered, but she just smiles and nods to Freja. She is excited enough to not let it get her down. "Please."

Anze gets all nice and proper respectful looking for Freja's service, watching his sister as the small group gathers for the garden's opening.

1 Velenosa House Guards, Graham arrive, following Valencia.

Leta is standing a little behind the others, keeping a respectful silence as she curiously observes the proceedings, or the flowering plots and herbs around her, drawing in deep breaths of the scented air. She has her lute with her today, across her back, but for now she's quiet.

Valencia arrives with the gallant Lord Graham of Stonewood shortly after some of the other guests. She pauses at the entrance of the garden and smiles brightly, dark eyes scanning the space with utter delight. Taking in the sweet scents of the flowers and herbs growing there, her smiles blossoms a little more. "Beautiful," she whispers softly. "Simply lovely."

Teela's position is that of standing next to and slightly behind Valery. She smiles and keeps her eyes on Freja while she shifts sometimes and smoothers her dress down constantly. She smiles to Leta when she appears and then turns that smile to Valencia as she enters, "Welcome."

Valery is almost bouncy. That, for Valery, is saying a lot. She smiles when new people arrive and she waves at them. She doesn't say anything, at least not yet, and she turns her attention back to the shaman. Freja is about to do something shamanic!!

The blessing is brief, a closing of the eyes and a few soft spoken words murmured to the grounds rather than the people gathered. Succinct in almost all that she does, her rituals are no exception. From her hands some ash is sprinkled on the grounds, though its origins she is not sharing .

Freja checked mana + occult at difficulty 15, rolling 31 higher.

The young Stonewood, looks around as he enters at the side of Valencia. He will lean slightly to hear her words nodding at first. Graham smiles and responds in equally lowered voice. "It is indeed, I am glad to see more gardens." the soldier looks up and will return Valery's wave in friendly fashion.

Anze remains quiet for the spreading of ash from Freja and the mumbled, words, muttering something lowly himself when Freja does her prayers. At the rituals end he steps forward to slap his sister on the shoulder with a grin "feels good."

Valery's excitement is infectious and Valencia cannot help but smile, a bright and happy nod offered the sweet woman's way. The ceremony starting, a brief but happy wave is offered to Teela and Leta and a warm nod to Freja and Anze, before she quietly settles to reverently watch the ceremony.

Valery keeps her eyes on Freja during the ritual, following the shaman's movements as if she could understand what's happening. Or maybe she's trying to. But she smiles once it's done. She whispers now, to those that arrived later. "Thank you for coming..."

"Feels alright." Freja smirks to her brother, underplaying it with a bright ripple of laughter. "And now? Be merry." she announces.

Graham stands silently as well while the ceremony is going on knowing its important at very least and wishing well to the garden.. He is curious and watches listens from his vantage point. He looks back after to those here to take note of any others he may know.

Valery bounces a bit on her feet and she looks around. She gestures to the patch of grass prepared for a picnic and the chest. "There are drinks and food, please, serve yourselves. I've prepared some tea too, I have it warm and cold. And I made some wreaths, you can pick one." She murmurs, to Freja and Anze. "You can take some for Lady Calypso and Lord Mydas too, since they couldn't come."

Teela's silent otherwise for the spreading of the ash and she smiles when Valery bounces. She rests a hand on the smaller woman's shoulder a moment and then she turns and nods. She smiles widely and then glances to Freja and adds, "Thank you Shaman Freja." then she turns to the others who have arrived giving them a study.

Leta tilts her head while she watches the ceremony, her gaze straying towards a small bed of herbs nearby. She looks pensive for a while, then blinks and looks up again, breaking into a broad friendly smile for Valery. "It looks lovely, Mistress Valery," she says with a nod as she wanders closer to the foods prepared, turning to offer quiet nods to the others as well.

The prayers now over and the guest invited to celebrate, the little vixen smiles cheerfully to Graham and then makes her way to properly say hello to Valery. "Congratulations," Valencia smiles with a warm incline of head. "You have worked so very hard on this. It is wonderful. You must be so very pleased, yes?" she nods sweetly as she quickly takes another look about the garden. "I hope you do not mind, but I have a little gift. I do not think it will compare to the lovely things here, butmy gardeners and our mercy at the Hart suggested that these might be helpful to you and still be very pretty. All are useful with healing I am told," she looks down at the lushly filled planter and up again. "To be true, some of these I do not know, but I'm sure you will know them like old friends. I hope you like them," she smiles earnestly as she passes to to Valery.

Anze smiles to Valery "thank you, thats very kind of you to offer, I'll make sure Calypso knows" he says in regards to the wreaths. He grins and sticks his tongue out for a moment to Freja before giving her another little nudge. Noticing Leta he exclaims "Leta! Been f'an forever!"

Valery smiles at the present, looking actually surprised. "Oh, you didn't need to bring anything! It's beautiful, thank you!" She looks around and then she murmurs. "I'll take it to the greenhouse, thank you so much..."

Freja nods to Teela, "My pleasure." Though favoring brevity, her words are genuine all the same. For the most part the Shaman is quiet after her blessing, this being more of Valery's show.

The young soldier moves along with the owner of the Hart towards Valery and smiles warmly her direction once more. "Indeed it is lovely, I hope you are well Miss Valery and your tiny fured friends as well." Graham speaks kindly and with no jest to his words.

Teela leaves Valery to meet and greet people as she accepts the Princess' gift. She meanders over to Leta and smiles, "Going to play a song?" she indicates the lute before tucking her hands in close and smoothing her dress down. She smiles to Anze who also greets the woman.

Leta slips the lute off her shoulder and glances towards the wreaths for a moment, then looks up to offer Anze a grin, followed by a polite inclination of her head. "Anze. It has been, aye. I've not been - well, just been keepin' busy and all." Her answer's accompanied by a vague wave of her hand and a small shrug. "How are you?" she asks, then glances towards Teela and smiles. "I reckon I will. Nothing fancy, you know? And I don't know that many northern tunes, but Mistress Valery said that was alright."

"I'm pretty f'an good, someone let me become a duke, you imagine that?" Anze says with a laugh to Leta "s'good to see yah. Feel like everyone always has some shit goin on nymore eh? Ain too much time to lie round an idle an shit."

Valery nods and she gestures to the mice house under a tree. "They are fine. Playing, I think. And I'm fine too." She turns to Leta and she nods. "I'd love hearing you play."

Teela chuckles softly, "Gaston says the same thing." she says to Anze, "If he is not too busy then those he would usually drink with are." she gives a nod and smiles then to Leta. With Valery's encouragement she nods in agreement for the Dame.

Leta lifts an eyebrow slightly, then dips her head, "Aye. I'm sure you'll do well as Duke and all," the brawny woman says this in a most respectful tone, flashing a smile. Then she draws a deep breath, and looks around, before picking a spot by the grass to take a seat and settle her lute upon a knee. "To tell the truth, mostly I've been busy with drinkin' wine," she adds in Anze's direction, then lowers her eyes to her hands as her fingers pluck a few tentative notes from the instrument.

Valencia smiles and steps back to listen quietly as Leta begins to play.

"I'm glad to hear your both well, the garden seems to be a success congratulations. Let me know as always if I can help at all or with anything." Graham says he moves stepping back to listen as well.

"Someone let Gaston be a duke?" Anze says with a feigned look of surprised towards Teela "someone should be careful, could cause all kind of problems"

Teela chuckles softly, "Not a Duke, he is Marquis though now that our cousin abdicated for him." she grins, "He is still getting used to all the work. It was not quite something he wanted but he is doing a good job. If you like, I can let him know you might like a drinking buddy."

Valery moves to the picnic patch of grass and she sits there, looking happily at the other people interact and Leta play. She leaves the planter near the chest of drinks and flowers.

Leta looks up and gives Valery a bright smile, then starts to play. It's nothing fancy, just like she promised, just a common folk ballad. The tune's used for a variety of songs, but they're usually the kind that talk about shepherdesses and knights and young maidens frolicking in meadows and that sort of thing. Not quite bawdy, but certainly playful. She plays it softly, with some embellishments, just to provide some joyous background music for the occasion.

Valery drops a pretty little planter.

Aethelred have been dismissed.

Dangerfloof, the Bearded Vulture have been dismissed.

Teela listens to the music that Leta plays, bouncing a foot with the tempo of the music. She nods her head a little and gives Valery a smile before turning back to Leta and her playing. She smooths her dress again and then tucks her hands behind her back as she stands still.

Valery looks at Teela and covers her mouth to hide a chuckle. "You really feel weird on it, don't you?"

Anze smirks at teela "ain tha worst thing in tha world to have someone else to drink with" he stretches a bit then looks over to Valery "Valery, everythin turned out quite nice, thanks for havin everyone over an for havin a blessin. It was nice." he says and then nods his head to Teela "it was good to meet yah." And a brief waive to Leta "good as always Leta" he says before he heads out of the gardens

"Should take up a hobby!" Leta advises Anze as he departs, bowing her head while her hands are busy on the lute. The melody's simple enough that she can talk and look around and focus on the others, only now and then seeming to focus as she artfully adds some flourish to the tune, while her foot taps against the grass.

Valery stands up when Anze talks about leaving. She smiles softly and murmurs. "Don't forget getting the flowers..." She gestures to the chest. "Thank you so much for coming. It was so really nice to have you here."

Conker, the Ornery Red Squirrel, Dame Barkley, a chocolate tri beagle arrive, following Joslyn.

Teela chuckles softly, "True. Be well Duke Malvici." she says warmly before she glances to Valery and she nods, "It is...revealing. Moreso than I am used to." she smooths her dress again before she looks at Leta, "A hobby would be good." she giggles.

"I got a hobby, called botherin nice folks" Anze says with a bit of a grin to Leta, and making sure to stop and nod at Valery "aye, I wont, thank you again for all tha hard work an havin everyone here. Tha place looks nice." With that he takes the wreath for Calypso and for real heads out this time.

Gustaf leaves, following Anze.

Joslyn finally makes it to the party, dressed in a basketwoven dress of silk, the skirt seemingly made of loose strips of silk that dangle wildly around her knees, revealing a slip of leg with every step. Joslyn smiles broadly and she grins towards Valery, wiggling her fingers in her direction. "I told you I'd do my best to make it. I hope I'm not too late!" she offers with a grin, and for a moment she spots Graham and she grins. "You know, we really need to sit down and talk sometime, I hardly ever see you except in passing at home."

Teela gets a small, colorful wreath with a black ribbon from a simple wooden chest.

Leta's sitting on the grass, playing the lute, a lively and playful little ballad, merely as background music while she talks quietly. "I'd take the flowers, as soon as my hands aren't so busy," she nods down to her fingers on the strings, then looks up and watches Teela for a moment, "It's - right pretty, though. I like the work on the - the embroidery's pretty. But then, I suppose I've gotten used to Lycene fashions, in a way. You get used to revealing."

Teela blushes and nods slowly, "Thank you, Dame Leta." she remarks as she smooths the dress again and she finally steps over to the chest to get a wreath out. She then looks up when she hears Joslyn's voice and gives her some wiggle fingers but then turns her attention back to Leta and the music.

Valery smiles at Joslyn and waves her hand. She's at a patch of grass where some snacks have been set as for a picnic, and there is a chest nearby with drinks and flowers for people to pick. "Oh, no... Of course not! I mean, the blessing is over and some people left, but there is still people and you are more than welcome to stay."

Gavin makes his appearance without much done to solicit attention. Normally dressed in an ensemble that could most generously be described as functional, he's indistinguishable from the average workman. Today, however, he's assembled what appears to be a rarely-worn outfit, deep greens and deeper browns, a cut above casual, but lacking in frills. Where a fully-stocked tool belt would normally hang is instead a single pouch of smooth, fresh leather, where two copper-furred ears peek over the edge, swiveling back and forth. The man makes his way to Valery and leans politely to kiss her cheek and offer a few words.

Leta gets a small, colorful wreath with a red ribbon from a simple wooden chest.

Gavin wears a grin as he speaks to Valery, eventually moving off to mingle.

Valery gets a small, colorful wreath with a red ribbon from a simple wooden chest.

Valery gets a small, colorful wreath with a light blue ribbon from a simple wooden chest.

Valery gets a small, colorful wreath with a pink ribbon from a simple wooden chest.

Valery puts a small, colorful wreath with a pink ribbon in a simple wooden chest.

Valery gets a small, colorful wreath with a blue ribbon from a simple wooden chest.

Turning her attention then to Teela, Joslyn makes her way over to the woman that had been wiggling fingers in her direction, giving her a bright smile. "Lady Teela, good to see you again," she offers a smile. "How have you been since last we met?"

"Nothing to it! Though - well, you won't catch me in a dress any time soon, so I sympathize and all," Leta says to Teela with a half grin and a small shrug, then bows her head politely in Joslyn's direction. The first tune ends with a loud plonk-plonk! After a breath, she launches into another, this time a common dance, occasionally heard in the taverns of Arx, more common in the smaller villages and settlements on the outskirts of the Gray Forest.

Teela gives a smile to Joslyn as she shifts in her dress, "I am doing well. Although I am still trying to get used to the fashion of dresses." she rubs her own dress down and blushes a little before she glances to Leta, "Yes. I am thinking my usual clothes might have been better but I told Valery I would dress up." she then looks back to Joslyn, "And how are you Lady Joslyn? I believe the last time we spoke was...," she thinks and says, "well it has been some time."

Valencia gets a small, colorful wreath with a black ribbon from a simple wooden chest.

Joslyn gets a small, colorful wreath with a purple ribbon from a simple wooden chest.

Valencia puts a small, colorful wreath with a black ribbon in a simple wooden chest.

Valencia gets a small, colorful wreath with a purple ribbon from a simple wooden chest.

Valery is good at being invisible. And she just does that now. She stays under the tree with her mice, looking at the others mingle and have fun, and Leta play! She has a small smile on her lips that fills her eyes and she may even look proud.