Hiss, the Lenosian viper, Sybilla, the Lenosian lady's maid, 5 Velenosa House Guards arrive, following Eleyna.

Alarissa gets a gold keepsake baby rattle from Ornamental Jewelry Box with Rose Gold Filigree.

Alarissa puts a gold keepsake baby rattle in Ornamental Jewelry Box with Rose Gold Filigree.

Well Lady Catalana was already here here and rest up. There were small nibbles for the little ones as well as the adults. Humming softly, she watched Cerilla that was standing up next to her 'talk' to Lady Victoria. Duchess Margot's other child, a baby boy, was on the pregnant woman's lap. How was she greeting everyone? From that seat since she was pregnant with one and covered in three other kids.

Alarissa gets a gold keepsake baby rattle from Ornamental Jewelry Box with Rose Gold Filigree.

Ennettia gets a gold keepsake baby rattle from Ornamental Jewelry Box with Rose Gold Filigree.

The Archduchess of Lenosia arrives to the Ambassador Salon with her usual retinue of guards and lady's maid, though, this time, she is also accompanied by her three children. Toddler Donato walks while gripping a guard's hand in one hand and holding a well-loved wooden duck in the other. Eleyna herself carries a baby on her hip and, just behind her, Sybilla follows with the twin held in her own arms. Yet, despite the crowd and the inevitable disarray that happens in the presence of so many small children, the Archduchess herself looks as unruffled and calm as ever as she steps inside.

With so many of the Keatons off at the various fronts, Margerie - aka the Auntie Superior - has brought along the young heir to Oakhaven (Aeryn, male, toddler, known for being noisy, liking naps, and getting a little more chill when dad picks him up. No opinion yet about long crawls on the beach) and the family ward (Kata, female, slightly older toddler, known for being found in the midst of tragedy and adventure, being affectionate, and being more likely to eat sand at the beach). She seeks out the hostess upon entering, smiling as the gaggle approaches Lady Catalana. "What a clever idea, and a good way to offer temporary distraction as we settle into this new routine. Hello. Lady Margerie Keaton."

Alarissa's making her way in. Is she carrying her daughter? No. Not in the least. That's Genaile job and what Genaile and the other two are paid for. Jjust as perfectly composed as Eleyna, Alarissa come in after the woman and her little entourage. "One of these days, our criminal entry to the Carlotta is bound to pay off." She says as an aside to Eleyna before offering a kiss to her cheek.

Margerie gets a gold keepsake baby rattle from Ornamental Jewelry Box with Rose Gold Filigree.

Standing, that hand went to that small baby bump as she held the Tyde baby boy on her hips. Looking to Margerie she smiles brightly. "I hope so. I know it may be hectic but I am used to such with my husband...." Letting out a laugh she smiles brightly at everyone. "Hello all!! I'm sure I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you all but I'm Lady Catalana Kennex....and I just wanted to do something fun that was a bit of a distraction for the little ones." A firm nod as she motions to the buffet of food set out. "There's lots of snacks and the like for everyone....and some wine for the adults. I unfortunately will not be partaking in that....so there is tea as well!"

Eleyna angles herself so that Alarissa can kiss the side of her face not currently being grabbed at by a pair of busy little hands. "Hopefully. You and Victus need to catch up," she murmurs with a grin as she gestures at her brood. She seeks out the hostess through the crowd and offers Catalana a nod as she says in that low-pitched, husky voice, "Lady Catalana, I believe? It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I believe I annoyed your husband once." She says the words, likely true, with no small measure of good humor, as if pissing people off is just part of her charm. Donato drops the hand of the guard and seeks out Genaile, a familiar face in the crowd. He clings to her skirt with one hand as he looks around, likely trying to decide what to put in his mouth first.

Ennettia walks in with absolutely zero haste, steps leisurely as she takes in the room with slow glances of hazel eyes. It's so casually done one might wonder if she wandered in by mistake, save that there is a well-dressed, dark-haired boy contorting with excitement in the arms of a plain-clothed girl clearly not more than a child herself at fourteen or fifteen.

"Just put him down, Dulcetta," She says with a lazy wave of her hand, "It looks like we've found it. Shoo, mushroom. Go play. Water down his wine if he wants." The boy, around five, is set down with gratitude, and immediately begins running towards the treats, chased by the young nurse. Ennettia's lips slowly turn up in a smile at the introduction. "I didn't really receive an invitation, but the mushroom and I have just arrived in town. This seemed a good way to keep him amused."

"There will be no attempts until he returns." Victus was gone already. Catalana's welcome has the High Lord of Thrax's wife smiling. "There will be plenty to do, plenty. We will keep morale up, hands busy and hearts as light as possible." Alarissa's gesturing for Genaile to put Astrid down, all dressed inw hite silk with those little dolphin's embroidered around the hem. Genaile complies of course and when Donato's tugging, the nanny is paying attention to the little boy and fussing over him as well.

Margerie crouches down to pick Kata up and balance the girl on her hip as she turns to face the mothers. "This is bringing back an alarming number of memories of when Shae was still eating books, putting everything in her mouth, and in general trying to crawl over every bit of land in Oakhaven she could get her hands on." She bows her head respectfully towards Eleyna and Alarissa and then turns a curious look at Ennettia. "Good evening. Lady Margerie Keaton." Meanwhile, Aeryn is wobbling and crawling about under the watchful eye of a nanny as he too heads towards the treats with a very DETERMINED look. More curious about the other children than the actual food on the table he can't see the top of.

Turning to Eleyna she smiles as she curtsies the best she can with that baby on her hips. "Your highness. ...a pleasure. As for my husband, Wash.....that can be fairly simple. I have turned it into a game...." Letting out a laugh she passes the little Lord Tyde to Rin as her daughter Cerilla and little Victoria seem to run off to run amuck. Shaking her head she then looks to Ennettia with a smile. "Well no worries. I'm glad that you made it anyway....welcome to the city! Please make yourselves comfortable." Chuckling she looks to Alarissa with a smile, her hand going to her locket idly as she nods. "Exactly and that is what I intend to do. Outside of my duties to Duchess Tyde while she is gone, I will be doing all I can to help keep things happy here."

Having received the requisite attention from Genaile, Donato decides it's time to find other vic-... friends. He spots Aeryn and makes his way over there. Once standing next to the boy, he says very firmly, "Duck." and then, as a true son of his father, bares his teeth and growls at him. Eleyna keeps an eye on the young Velenosa heir as she settles his sisters, identical four month old twins, near Astrid. "We leave in the next day or two. I had to get affairs in order here, but there's no reason not to leave now." She offers nods in return and looks around for the wine. One of her guards oh-so-helpfully points her in that direction.

Astrid is capable of sitting up alone. no trace of a gummed tome. the two other babies get attention from her, reaching out to grab at their blankets. that hand eye co-ordination sucks though. "I need to speak to Talen before he goes. But be safe. return to me." Chessa is bringing over wine for Alarissa and Eleyna as the former regards the infants and children of all ages.

Ennettia nods towards the assembled ladies, but wastes no time finding an appropriate seat at a table and draping herself on it, elbows on the table as she props her head up, "A very womanly gathering. I take it all the husbands are off plotting and planning for the battles?" Her son, possibly the oldest in the room, walks a little too quickly towards the table with two cups positively brimming with wine - enough some splashes on the ground behind him, and offers one towards Ennettia with a beaming smile. "Precious boy!" She says, kissing his forehead and accepting the wine. The second glass he sets down, after a look at everyone in the room, in front of Alarissa, giving her a cheeky huff of a laugh, and running back towards the other kids. It all makes Ennettia's expression downright...surprised. "That little savage is getting far too clever."

"Well I hope you and your husband are safe...." Cat smiles to Eleyna then as she sighs a bit. "I truly wish I could be by his side to be honest but.....I'm sure I'd just be in the way. I am not a fighter but strategy....I can help with. Though he's so protective....he wouldn't even let me mention it now that I'm pregnant." Meanwhile, Lady Cerilla and Lady Victoria are giggle fits as they around around near the food. Rin looks like he wants to just run but instead he passes the baby Tyde boy to Catalana as he goes off after the two little toddler girls. Chuckling she seems to making sure everything is in order. And then theres a yank of her necklace by the baby which causes a gasp for the Kennex lady. "Little Tyde!" Laughing she just looks to the others. "So who all is staying here. I hear the Archduchess is leaving....but I'm sure will be back so I can speak more of how she annoyed my husband I hope."

2 Novice Keaton Huntsmen arrives, following Amari.

"I'm not sure you'll be able to. He was getting the last of his gear ready when I left with the children. I think he intends to leave within the day." Eleyna's brow furrows and she sips from the wine. She watches Ennettia's son with a little smirk on her lips before she glances over at the woman, offering, "Cleverness is a great thing. Just teach him how to use is against people other than yourself." The Archduchess glances at Catalana and says with a tight smile, "Sadly, we are headed to different fronts. I'm going to Southport while my Consort is leading the Lycene forces in Setarco."

Margerie has been a bit distracted with Kata trying to paint her face with sticky hands and a messenger or two. Once she's got the girl situated more securely on her hip, though, she turns back to the conversation to try and find her way back in. The small girl flashes each of the noble women a dazzling, 'I know, I'm super cute! Bring me something?' smile. Aeryn, meanwhile, has made it to Nirvana. THE TREAT TABLE. He doesn't know what's on it. He's eight months old and someone said duck, but that game's not yet in his wheelhouse. What is? Trying to pull himself up by a tablecloth to see what the other kids are after! And the tablecloth starting to slip...

Donato, helpfully, also tugs on the table cloth. He likes this game!

And, entering the salon is one Lady Amari Keaton, who does so tentatively at first. She has to pick Margerie's face from the rest before she fully commits, but when she does, she heads straight for her aunt looking properly ashamed of being so late. With her eyes downcast she notices baby Aeryn on a tear towards the treats and smoothly adjusts her course to intercept, swoop in and gather him up in her arms before he can pull everything down on his head. "Were you trying to climb up there? Did you forget you were a baby boy and not a squirrel?" She makes a squirrel-y face at him, playfully, probably in the hope he'll be distracted. With her free hand, she pins the tablecloth down, so Donato can't finish the job.

As Donato and Aeryn conspire to acquire treats, Sybilla manages to look up just in time to spot the boys and their 'game'. Smoothly and rather unhurriedly, the lady's maid makes her way to the treat table. The Lenosian woman spares a smile for Amari and offers Donato one of the treats from the table, which seems to be enough to stave off a temper tantrum from having his 'game' interrupted. The twins seem occupied. One smacks her fists emphatically on the floor in Astrid's direction while the other chews on her own foot. No one bothers with names for the girls. Even their brother just collectively refers to them both as 'Ana'. It's likely no one will know which is which until they decide that for themselves.

Well...Cerilla was running amuck with Victoria. The two little girls giggling and babbling as they to stand next to that table. That curly haired blonde that was Cerilla squeals as she starts to try to climb up on the table but Rin was one them! The man would just shake his head as he laughs. Catalana chuckles then, murmuring. ".....she is Wash's daughter for sure...." Catalana looks up, waving to the new face that arrives. "Welcome to the fray!!" And the Tyde baby boy just pulls on Cat's hair now.....because why not?

The boy only known as Mushroom and Wine-Bringer lords over the bunch of little children, proudly picking snacks from the table and occasionally, generously offering once-bitten treats he didn't like to nursemaids and guards. Is he now attempting to push a chair over towards the table, all the better to climb atop it? Yes, yes he is. Who knows if he'll be stopped. His young nurse, a girl of only about fourteen or so, seems to be busy cooing at the adorable baby girls, making faces at them.

Ennettia watches this all without saying a word to try and stop her boy, instead drinking lazily at her wine before laughing at Ennettia's words, "He is not clever enough yet. But I'm so happy he's not as stupid as I thought." This is remarked on with a smile, quite honest and pleasant, "Soon, he might even be presentable." Has he managed to climb atop the table in all his richly lord finery, looking around? Probably.

Kata is doing that thing where she looks around to keep an eye on everything, but keeps going back to making eye contact with that ONE ADULT again and again, sometimes giggling, sometimes looking awed. The way some kids just seem to decide oh yeah, I am going to make that grown up like me. So she's making eyes at Eleyna on and off through the evening, sometimes hiding after too many seconds of looking at her only to end up looking back again. For her part, Margerie blinks a bit when Ennettia refers to the boy as 'not as stupid.' "Well, may he continue to surprise you then." There's a wince of sympathy when Catalana's hair gets pulled. And a grateful smile when Amari swoops in to save the table. "There you are! Your Graces, Ladies Catalana and Ennettia, may I present my cousin, Lady Amari Keaton? A fine young legal mind and newly arrived here in the city. Just in time for it to empty out, of course."

Gia the peregrine falcon, 3 Rubino and Zaffria guards arrive, following Grazia.

Gia the peregrine falcon, 3 Rubino and Zaffria guards leave, following Grazia.

"Of course!! A pleasure to meet you, Lady Amari!" Rin had taken the time to fix Catalana some tea, thus leaving the almost two year old girls alone....without supervision. Cat takes that tea then nods as she looks back to the group. "Thank you for coming and welcome to the city! I know this probably isn't the party you expected but....I figured our little ones could use some fun." Chuckling she just shakes her head then. MEANWHILE!! The two little girls have managed to crawl up on the table....helping each other up.....such good allies! And what were they doing? Hands deep....in cake.

The Archduchess of Lenosia, for all of her seemingly cool exterior, clearly has a soft spot for little ones. She meanders, glass of wine held in her hand, to the treat table, ostensibly to prevent Donato from attempting to upset it again. She picks over the sweets available and, after deciding on some sort of chocolate biscuit, stands near Margerie to hold the sweet out to the little girl. All while maintaining conversation, "Pleasure to meet you Lady Amari. The city saw an influx right before the Siege as well just as others were leaving to fight." There is an unspoken other half to that statement, the reminder that no all who leave will return. After taking a drink of wine, Eleyna glances over at the chaos on the table, but just blinks. Meanwhile, Donato finishes his own treat and decides that the tablecloth needs tugged again. Tug the tablecloth, get a treat. Seems about right.

Squirrel faces aren't going to work on Aeryn, he just snags a fistful of Amari's hair and makes grabby motions at the treat table with the other as he squirms like he's just going to magically air crawl his way over if he gets loose. This requires a level two distraction then, so the Lady Keaton begins to apply exaggerated smooches until he got both hands pressed to her face, pushing her away as he giggles. "You stinker." She affectionately murmurs as she tips her head back to dislodge his hands from her mouth and cheek. There's a curtsey suggested after she's turned to face the rest of the women, "I'm very sorry for being late, Aunt Margerie. Pleased to meet you, Your Graces, Ladies. So far, it seems as lively as the Redrain party, just thankfully minus the axes."

"Welcome Lady Keaton." Alarissa has messengers. So many messengers. The glass of half finished wine passed off so she can look to what is so important.

Little hands round in anticipation of the treat from Eleyna. Kata's lips make a happy O before she looks up to meet the Lenosian's eyes and say, "Thank you much!" Very clear, no 'sank you' baby talk. Just a very earnest thanks that ends in a melting grin. Baby etiquette lessons are paying off! Margerie smiles at the girl dotingly and kisses her atop the head. It hides the troubled expression that steals in with the unspoken part of Eleyna's words. "Well. Let's see. I think we can safely name young Princess Astrid the most lettered of the youngsters here. Your Grace, the High Lord's recent book review ..." She trails off, words failing her on this rarest of occasions. But she looks suitably awed as she looks at the distracted Alarissa.

Ennettia's smile only increases as she curls herself in her chair, one foot rising to rest upon the seat, her back to the arm, as casually as if she were at home and not in the midst of a maternal salon event, "It's a relief." She informs Margerie, "I was very worried. From start to finish he has been full of surprise - did everyone but me know babies are so wrinkles and pruny when they're newly born? I was utterly convinced I'd eaten too many pickled foods while pregnant." Ennettia throws this tidbit of a story out casually, a smile still on her face, one hand pushing back some escaping curls of hair.

Meanwhile, her son seems, up on the table, to be busy trying to lecture the two girls with fistfulls of cake about the appropriateness of not getting cake in their hair ('Frosting doesn't work as ribbons. You have to use ribbon-ribbon') even trying to gently tug them from the treat. He is, after all, a responsible lad.

Catalana turns and her eyes go wide. "Lady....Cerilla....Kennex......" Her tone wasn't harsh but stern as she raised her brow. "You know better, ma'am..." A pout as the little girl just starts to climb down as she let out a 'mama' and tugging on Lady Victoria. That six foot tall Kennex lady stared at her firmly before looking to Rin. "If you could get their hands cleaned...." Sighing Cat just looks back to the group of ladies. "So nice to meet you, Lady Aamri....forgive me....I'm trying to keep an eye out...." Bouncing the baby boy on her hip she sighs a bit. As the boy looks at the two girls, they just pout playfully then move away from the cakes even more so then.

Kata's polite 'thank you' earns a grin from the Archduchess as she knocks back another swallow of wine. "The first thing Donato's father said upon looking at him was the he was 'ugly'," Eleyna remarks drily between sips of wine. "I also was not aware that a baby could be born with a full head of hair." Just as she opens her mouth to speak again, one of the twins flops over from her front to her back with a slight thud. There is a moment of shock on the baby's face before she lets out a shrieking wail. As unflustered as ever, she passes her wine off from Sybilla and kneels to soothe the crying baby. Unfortunately, the crying of her sister sets off the -other- baby so that both are crying in a cacophony of infantile rage. Luckily, Sybilla is there for reinforcement. Which, unfortunately, leaves Donato, heir to the Lyceum, unattended for a moment. He tugs a little hard, grunting with the effort. The table cloth begins to shift a little.

Margerie coughs a bit at Ennettia story time, clearly taken a bit off guard by her conversational stylings. Still, she's smiling when she reaches out with her free hand to get a glass of wine for a few sips. Careful to keep it out of Kata's curious reach. "It's been two decades since I've had a newborn of my own to see in that condition, but I think I recall something about that." The ribbons/frosting hair debate? Doesn't bother her. But then the two infants are crying and her eyes widen, two decades of peace and quiet crashing down around her. "And yet, it only takes an instant to come rushing back."

"There's nothing to forgive. It's so hard to be painfully, properly formal with all these cute troublemakers running about, flagrantly disregarding protocol and etiquette." Amari smiles over at Catalana, apparently not put out in the least, but she does have to slowly turn herself around so that the baby in her arms can no longer see the table. That helps quite a bit, a few more 'muahs!' later he seems to have forgotten about the treats. Still, she moves to the other side of Margerie all the same, bowing her head politely to Eleyna while she's there and smiling at the conversation going around. The wrinkled baby bit, definitely gets a brief grin.

Alarissa's listeing. "He has to read to her every night. I rock her, he reads to her. The book he read to her was inappropriate." She looks to teh horror that seems to be al the children, save for the little babies who are just being the fist waving lumps. But the crying. The other two in turn set Astrid off and the from the lips and gums of the Heir to Thrax comes a wail that turns into a scream and the girl turns bright red and shakes. Genaile abandons her post watchingg over the whole mess of children to kneels beside Alarissa to try and calm the girl with her father's temper. Yes Donato is unatteded.

What are they teaching those Lyceum girls? All about seduction, nothing about babies? Because Ennettia immediately perks and waves her wine grandly in Eleyna's direction, "You see? Children are exhausting." She downright slumps in her seat, nose wrinkling, and drains her wineglass. Because as if proving her point, there is suddenly crying from four, five? babies, crying everywhere, and girl toddlers full of cake hands and five year olds on tables loudly asking a guard if he wants to swordfight and a fourteen-year-old realizing her charge is on the table and attempting to grab him and a very determined Donato still tugging--

Rin was busy cleaning the hands of Lady Cerilla and the future duchess of Tyde, Lady Victoria. Catalana looks to Amari with smile. "Exactly....and they are so cute." That tablecloth is moving....more so now.

"Here. Give her to me," Eleyna says as she settles one baby in one arm and holds out the other for the other. Being close to each other seems to soothe the pair from wailing at the very least, though Astrid is making enough noise to make up for their lack. She grins at Ennettia and says in a low, almost conspiratorial voice, "Nannies. Many of them. All the nannies." Then, to add to the chaos, Donato bares his teeth and growls, just like his father taught him, and -tugs- on that table cloth. Bringing the table cloth, the contents of the sweets trays, and anything else on the table down with it. The toddler just shrieks with laughter. Victory!

The crash of the treats and thier plates to the floor startles Astrid, the infant stopping her crying for a moment, a shuddery moment and then right back to screaming even louder as Alarissa starts to gather her daughter up into her arms and attempt -horribly - to soothe her dauhter

Catalana jumps as she spins around, the baby on her hips laughing in the excitement. "....oh no....." Her cheeks flushing, the Kennex woman just stares before bursting into laughter. "Oh....this is....." Cerilla and Victory jumped and ran over to Catalana almost to say 'we didn't do it' while Rin just stared in horror. He wasn't equipped for this.

The Igniseri boy, on another table, promptly turns wide-eyed, before he begins jumping on said table and pointing, "You smashed it! Smashed! Did you see? I want to!" And promptly he throws himself into the arms of the teen nursemaid, who stumbles backward and falls on her butt with a shriek at the sudden added weight. Ennettia jumped at the sound of crashing foods, startled out of her normal lethargy mid-response to Eleyna, just in time to see her son's antics and the sudden flailing mass of son-maid over there. But her attention goes back to the table, as she laments, "....I hadn't even had a chance to try the sweets yet!"

And it's a sincere complaint, too.

Kata, meanwhile, looks glowingly triumphant. As if she had magically orchestrated this chaos while delicately nibbling on her Eleyna-gotten treats. She's not getting anything in her hair, she hasn't fallen, been injured, or made an adult scream. AND she got the sugar. Kata is made of win and she looks full of that triumph. Even turns on that dazzling smile for Eleyna again. See? She isn't a screaming fussing baby. The little girl holds out half of the treat towards the Archduchess, because FRIENDS. All the chaos. ALL OF IT. None of it her fault. Margerie? She's just staring at the table. Staring. "You know, I'd begun to wonder if I wanted another baby..."

Baby Aeryn is all squirm, trying to see what all the commotion is about. It's like, sensory overload here compared to the usual quiet and calm of Keaton Hall. Amari hangs onto him as well as she can while she presses her lips into a flat, quivering line as she tries to hold a laugh in. She can't manage that for very long at all, it starts to sneak out in little snorts and soon after it's a giggle. "No, no, you don't need to get into that mess." She'll quietly explain to the wee one in her arms once she's over her laughter enough to get words out.

"Donato Jiacomo Giovanni Carlos Velenosa." Eleyna doesn't yell. Archduchesses do not yell at their offspring (only their incorrigible husbands). But she does use -all- his names, so the toddler is pretty sure that he's in trouble. She passes the baby twins off to the guards, who look used to performing in this capacity at times. Eleyna adjusts her skirts and crouches at eye level with Donato, murmuring in an even voice, "See, you've now deprived Lady Ennettia of having treats as well and she is very sad. I think it might be time for you to go home, hm?" For his part, the Velenosan heir looks up at his mother with those big eyes, the same pale blue as his mother's. The lower lip wobbles, but he reaches out with both messy hands, as if asking for a cuddle now that he's contributed his share to the chaos of the party.

Catalana chuckles then looks around. "Well everyone....I think that....is our signal that the party is over...." Her cheeks flushed from seeming to be hot, she passes the Tyde baby over to Rin then nods. "Thank you all for coming...." Looking to Ennettia she laughs. "I'll have to invite you to Tyde Tower for sweets then...." The two little girls would cling to Catalana then as she moves to a server, murmuring to them...and slipping them some silver.

Ennettia plays her role to the hilt, draping herself over the arm of her chair and looking for all the world like a despondent, forlorn noblewoman facing great tragedy...now if only it was clear she was playing a role, and not just simply THAT dejected about the lack of sweets. A deep sigh escapes her. "Don't worry over me, Archduchess. I will somehow live, so long as there is good wine." A touch of slyness in her sidelong gaze towards Catalana, "And if I am sent some new treats. I will not turn it down. Another sigh, before she almost grudgingly pushes herself into a seated position, "Dulcetta, are you and my little truffle all right? Truffle?" There's a weak, near-sob response from the girl... but the boy? His rumpled self appears, face flushed and excited, half-bouncing where he stands. Ennettia only begins to tidy up his clothes.

Kata looks over at Donato when he steals away the focus of her attention. Then again, he's getting scolded by said object of attenion. So she sticks her tongue out at the boy, careful to do so out of sight of Margerie. "Lady Catalana, thank you for bringing the children together. Perhaps we should do this once a mon... once every few months, the better to establish ties in the future." Who wants to be a future Countess Keaton, engaged to the Squirrel Lord himself?

Amari gets a gold keepsake baby rattle from Ornamental Jewelry Box with Rose Gold Filigree.

Steve, an ungainly pelican arrives, following Niklas.