Cale, the Highhill War Hound pup arrives, following Seth.

Several servants flank the entrance. The are at the ready to receive cloaks, coats, bags and any other loose or heavy items thosw arriving might wish to hand over for coat check. Cedric stands slightly off center in the entrance way, greeting those who come. He bows when Step crosses the treshold. "Good day, my Lord. May we take your cloak? The Atrium is plenty warm."

Renault, the mustachioed Lycene, 2 House Velenosa Guards arrive, following Theo.

A couple of house servants step forward to offer assistance, if requested, in taking Arcadia's and Theo's cloaks or heavy items so they may enjoy the service. Cedric is seen a bit deeper in greeting Seth cordially.

Striding in to the Ashford atrium, Seth gives the place a curious glance, before allowing his cloak to be taken. "Will my hound be allowed to attend this event?" He asks, for sometimes he is told to leave his dog at the door! "But yes, good day to you as well." He stands off to the side now, not waiting to block any newcomers way as they enter. All the while his large pup hound stands curiously beside him.

His leather-soled boots echo through the Atrium as Theo makes his way inside, flanked by a small entourage. He waves the servants off without a word--he will be holding onto his coat, thank you!--and, catching sight of the pair, Theo makes his way up to them. "Good morning," he says, offering the men a genteel smile. "Prince Theo Velenosa."

A curious dance of feet brings Arcadia into the atrium of the Ashford House, her ever-moving eyes eating up everything there is to see. She does a small, twirling spin on her heel -- though it's not an intentional one, but a side effect of her wandering gaze. Manic fingertips fiddle restlessly with the soft hem of her sparkling, pearl-encrusted cloak, and she comes to a pause before that duo of servants. "Oh no, thank you, I like to play with the edges," she chirps out with a guilty smile, the hood of her cloak at least falling to her shoulders. "Oooooh," coos the young Leary girl, those gray-blue eyes widening as she spots the perch of the treehouse in the branches of the Ash tree. "Can I take my tea up there?" she asks, looking around for, and then finding, Cedric -- the presumed host.
There is a pause, and she offers a light bow to those present after remembering her manners, pinching the edges of her cloak to add a touch of curtsy to the motion.

With a lift of his brow, Cedric briefly looks over the animal. "He is house trained, of course?" He nods, "Then yes. Enjoy the service, my Lord," he tells Seth.

Greeting Theo, then, Cedric bows, "Good morning your highness. Warm coffee with scotch, or tea and rum?" He snaps fingers at a nearby servant who quickly steps to his side to take order. Cedric then glances to Arcadia and gives her a small nod, "You may, my Lady."

2 Ashford House Guard arrives, following Olivia.

Looking down at the hound for a moment, Seth reassures Cedric, "He is very much housebroken, yes. And I'll try to keep him from tearing at the decor." This is said in a rather droll, yet wry tone for surely the man must be joking. With Theo's entrance, Seth also lowers himself into a bow. "Lord Seth Steelhart." He says, making his own introduction, before returning to Cedric now, "I, personally, would like a taste of some tea with rum, if you would. Thank you."

Ambling down from the upper floors, Olivia stops somewhat abruptly when she comes on the small gathering. There are... people in her house! Of course, someone, somewhere, probably told her there would be guests over, but it's the sort of thing to slip her mind until reminded of the fact! "Oh, hello," she offers, a little lamely.

"Coffee will be fine, thank you." Theo doesn't so much as look at the servant as he gives his order, his gaze taking in the finery of the Atrium. Seemingly satisfied, he turns his attention back to the assembled group, giving a vague wave. "Yes, hello. Very nice to meet all of you." His smile is polite enough, but his eyes soon go back to wandering over the room.

When a servant approaches with his coffee, Renault steps between them to intercept it. Drawing the cup up to his lips, he takes the first sip, and once satisfied, passes it off to the Prince who accepts it with a gracious pat on the man's shoulder.


Arcadia's flitting gaze investigates every inch of Cedric, taking particular note of his demeanor and attire. "Are you the house butler?" she deduces with a bright-eyed smile. "I live across the square, in the Leary house, with my sister and cousins." Her attention bounces from Theo's introduction to Seth's, and inevitably up to Olivia at her entrance. A small curl of a small flashes towards Cedric, the short Leary girl squinting slightly before rattling off a few questions. "What sorts of tea are there? Has anyone ever fallen from the treehouse before? What's your name?" Another pause. "I'm Arcadia. Lady Arcadia Leary," she specifies.

"Of course." Cedric says to Seth - and like magic, within moments a servant has delivered the tea spiked with rum.

When Olivia arrives she receives a genial smile from the butler and a bow, "Lady Olivia. Did we rouse you? Please have some breakfast. I had Leonard arrange your oatmeal to the preferred temperature." Cedric then addresses all of Arcadia's requests, "I am Cedric Primm, the house butler. We have a variety of herbal and black teas: breakfast, chamomile, earl grey, and others. No one has accidentally fallen from the tree house." A small pause before he finalizes the address, "Lady Arcadia. Please make yourself comfortabl."

Cedric checked composure + stewardship at difficulty 15, rolling 25 higher.

While the atrium is impressive, Seth's eyes cannot help but watch as the Prince's...servant, poison taster? He's not quiet sure, but when Renaud takes the offered drink, tasting it, then allowing his liege the freedom to partake as he pleases. Now, that is certain something that impresses the young Steelhart. "It's always good to be careful..." He murmurs, accepting his own drink with no such taster to protect him. The large pup at his side looks up at his master as if he would be the poison taster, but Seth doesn't seem to notice the begging. It is only then that he notices Arcadia up in the tree, though she is one who is difficult to miss. "Careful up there, Lady Arcadia, especially if you are planning on getting wasted." That said, his eyes turn to Olivia and he lowers herself into a slight bow, "My Lady."

"Oh, no. I was heading to tend to the plants, here first then in the orangery," Olivia answers, shaking her head at Cedric, and hoisting a small basket that is generally at her side for such endeavors. "I'd forgotten there were going to be people over, however." She admits to what is obvious! "But something to start the morning up does sound quite appealing." She offers a smile to the room in general. "Hello everyone. It is good to have people over."

Theo checked perception + etiquette at difficulty 15, rolling 11 higher.

"Well, Mister Primm, I would like a mint tea, if you have one," Cady requests then, giving Cedric a slight tilt of her head and a crinkle-eyed smile. "... Mm?" Arcadia asks with a soft flutter of lashes, her feet guiding her towards the end of the rope ladder up to the treehouse, though she doesn't ascend just yet. "Oh, Lord Steelhart! How are you? And... I don't think I got your name." Her eyes drop down to the overgrown pup beside the Valardin Lord. "Little Killer," she dubs him anyway, smiling at the animal before lifting a hand high in the air to greet Olivia. "Good morning. I do believe I am your neighbor! Lady Arcadia Leary -- or just Cady."

Florian arrives, following Derovai.

Theo watches Seth regard Renault with a smile on his lips, drawing his coffee up for a sip. "Quite so, Lord Steelhart. Renault is one of my most trusted servants." His gaze turns to Arcadia then, his brows arching as he watches her approach the ladder. He says nothing, of course, and simply watches.

"Very well, Lady Olivia." Cedric says with a stiff, but appropriately reverent forward leaning bow. He asks Seth, then, "Would the hound like some oatmeal?" His eyes drift away from the lord long enough to ensure Arcadia's mint tea is being prepared, and return back to Seth once satisfied it is well in hand.

"Lady Olivia?" Seth asks, repeating the name he overheard mentioned by Cedric. "I am Lord Seth Steelhart." He decides to introduce, "I hope that we weren't so loud as to wake you. Though with what is being served, I can only imagine the place getting even louder." He then takes a sip of his tea once handed to him, steely grey eyes looking to Cedric now, "I'm sure that Cale will be appreciative of that offer." He speaks of his hound, gesturing to it with his tea hand. Just as Theo now does, Seth cannot help but observe the Leary girl attempt the ladder, but he had given her his warning earlier, but he does offer a response, "While things have been going slowly, they have also been smoothly as well."

Derovai strolls into the atrium of Ashford House like he's been there before, gazing along the staff, a moment's notice of Cedric at their head, and then back to the surroundings. He smiles quickly at Seth, nodding in recognition, but seems content to stay a bit back from the rest of the crowd, finding a spot near the wall to lean and fold his black-clad arms, waiting his turn. "I heard there was booze involved," he observes.

Seth doesn't look as jovial as Derovai seems to look when their gaze meet.

The bottomless pit of energy that is Arcadia can not linger still while waiting for her tea, so instead she latches a single foot and a single hand around two rungs of the rope ladder, dangling from it with the grace and ease of a practiced gymnast as she waits. The hand dangling by her side lifts up to tuck a strand of pale, sunshine blonde behind her ear. She pauses then, noticing the eyes upon her, especially those of Seth and Theo. "Are there doubts that I can make it to the top while holding a cup of fresh brewed tea? Well, perhaps make a wager, then -- I can make it to the top of this ladder without spilling a drop. And I can do it with the teacup atop my head," she adds on with a devilish twist of her words.

Olivia cannot help herself from a musical laugh as Arcadia asks about tea availabilities. "I daresay we have everything. I am a bit of a green thumb, so things like mint I grow fresh. In fact, if you are of adventurous spirit, I am sure I have things you've never tried!" Tea seems a passionate subject for the lady! Though her introduction and other inquiries also prompts one in return. "Oh yes. I am Lady Olivia Ashford, Duke Harlan's younger sister." Only sister, now, though it seems she is stuck in that habbit. "It is lovely to meet you all." And another shake of her at at Seth. "Nono. I am usually up early. The plants need watering."

"Alcohol is being served, yes." Cedric informa Derovai. "Please make yourself comfortable." But Cedric observes that the man already has, and so he procedes to direct Leonard (npc) to have the oatmeal intended for Olivia served to the dog instead.

"I was never one to turn down a bet. Five hundred silver, say?" Theo offers the woman a smile, glancing briefly over to Seth as he takes another sip of coffee. "You in?"

Derovai says not a word to Seth, waving a dismissive hand at Cedric. "I'm fine. Thanks," he states casually. "Does it have to have tea or coffee involved, or can I just get a bottle?" he wonders, scraping a hand through his hair and grinning easily to the butler. He raises a brow at Arcadia, but glances towards Seth to see his reaction to the bet, his eyes narrowing slightly as if it helps him gauge somehow.

Rather than watch Arcadia scramble the entire way up the tree, Seth's attention looks to the various plants in the atrium, as if noticing them for the first time since he arrived. The comment he gives, however, is spoken of the Leary and Theo directly. "I'm certain that she can do it with the cup atop her head too. She is like a hyper squirrel in that regard." And here, he takes a sip of his own perfectly blended tea. "The flowers look lovely," He then comments to Olivia, "It shows how well that they are being cared for." It's at that moment that his pup is served some fancy oatmean made for a person, not a hound, and he happily lowers himself towards the plate to lap it up.

Lydia is greeted at the door by the immaculate house staff who claim her traveling cloak and welcome her to the event. She moves along the edge of the assemblage, not seeking to be the center of attention or anything, and calmly accepts an offered drink involving tea from one of the wait staff.

Cedric checked perception + etiquette at difficulty 15, rolling 22 higher.

"Squirrel?" Arcadia asks, her smooth brow giving the slightest of creases, lips pursing only a tad "Hmn." She shrugs it off, distracted by the arrival of her rum-and-mint scented tea. "Well, alright... Prince, was it?" Her head gives a small, owlish tic towards her shoulder. "Theo you said, yes? I'm Cady," she offers out that casual introduction with a warm, half-dimpled smile.

"It is a tea and coffee service." Cedric responds with little attention to Derovai, but proper enough to field the query. His attention is mainly on the arriving duchess who thinks she's just going to slip in and be served by any old house servant - not on his watch! He moves with brisk strides over that way and delicately accepts Lydia's drink once it's poured and offers it to her himself. "A treat to have you as our guest, Duchess Nightgold. Please let me know if you require anything further."

Olivia does not seem to object to the dog getting 'her' oatmeal, as she's really just settling down to join them, setting her basket near her feet as she takes a seat over by the fountain. The talk of a bet has her slightly wide-eyed, though she doesn't leap in herself. But she does smile at Seth's compliment toward the plants. "That is kind of you to say. If you have time after this, you might enjoy a walk in the orangery. Harlan had it built for me for the gifting day declared a little while back, and I've just finished getting everything transfered there. I have much more space to work with there, and have also been growing some plants not native to the area, as it maintains a warmer temperature within." Though, Lydia's arrival draws a different sort of greeting. "Cousin!"

Lydia checked composure + etiquette at difficulty 15, rolling 15 higher.

Derovai's chin raises a little at Cedric's words. "I'm allergic to coffee, and I don't like tea, so I'm afraid straight liquor it is," he replies easily, giving Cedric's propriety something of an out, before he looks back towards Arcadia, with a quick scan of her. "Bet she can't do it," he tells Theo, "if you're betting for her. No offense, Lady...?" His voice trails off; he hasn't met the enthusiastic Leary yet, it seems.

"Arcadia, five hundred silver," the eager Leary girl is quick to share. "Care to match or raise?"

Arcadia checked composure + etiquette at difficulty 15, rolling 11 lower.

"Prince Theo Velenosa," he repeats to Arcadia, lifting his chin and offering her a smile. "It's very nice to meet you, Lady Cady, but I am so very looking forward to seeing you climb." He nods in the direction of the tree house, pulling a black silk coinpouch from his a pocket in his coat, and giving it a jingle.

Lydia almost blushes having been caught out so easily, but she actually offers a warm smile and sincere appreciation. "I was delighted to receive your invitation. I was in the mood for a quiet, reserved evening and I think coffee and tea will fit the bill nicely." She squints, peering into the crowd, "What, pray tell, are they betting on now? Is there to be a combat later?"

"Raise to six," Derovai replies, with a look towards Theo. "And that teacup stays on the lady's head the whole way up." A gloved hand gestures towards the ladder. "No combat," he tells Lydia. "She climbs that thing, keeping the teacup on her head the whole way up. If she were /really/ brave, she'd put tea in it too, like she suggests," he remarks, his attention settling on Arcadia, even though he speaks about her in the third person. "Not a single drop, of tea, the cup, or the lady herself."

"There's nothing wrong with squirrels. I would have said a bird, but that would be cheating and though I have faith in your climbing ability, there's no guarantee that you won't spill your drink either way." Seth says with a slight shrug, half-turning now to regard Arcadia as she prepares her ascent and then hearing all of that betting going on around him. "The orangery? I will have to check it out before I depart then." Though when some of the attention is turned to Lydia's not-so-sneaky entrance, the Steelhart lord nods his head in her direction, "My Lady."

"The wager is upon whether Lady Arcadia can ascend the treehouse whilst holding her tea cup." Cedric says in a low, smooth reply to Lydia. He gazes to a servant holdin up a bottle of liquor and point to Derovai. He gives a discrete affirmative nod and the goodman receives a half-full bottle of bourbon.

Whether or not Lydia is hiding, once Olivia has spotted her, no simple (albeit squealed) greeting is enough, and she hustles back quickly to her feet to move over and greet her. "Cousin, cousin, it's been too long. How are you?" There will probably be hugging if nothing is done to stop it! And then, with a grin, she glances to the tree. "Oh yes. They're going up. It's turned into a very Ashford gathering!" Because they do love their treehouses.

"I'm betting five-hundred that she /spills/ it," Theo says with a small smile, looking over to Derovai.

Derovai reaches for the bottle of bourbon when the servant arrives, plucking it off the tray in a gloved hand. He uncaps it and takes a long swig, leaning back and watching. "Then you're not an idiot," he tells Theo, "or an optimist. Five hundred says she makes it halfway up, at least, because I'm an optimist, but I'm also not an idiot."

Theo lifts his shoulders in a loose shrug for Derovai. "Good enough, I guess. I'll take your money."

Arcadia has rolled a critical success!
Arcadia checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 25, rolling 55 higher.

"It's as good as anyone else's," Derovai replies easily to Theo, tapping the bottle against his chin as he watches the sure failure! Despite his claims of being an optimist, though, he looks more than a little skeptical of Arcadia's chances.

"Alright, we all settled then, boys?" Cady chimes back to Derovai and Theo with a peppy voice, her slight figure still hanging from the rungs of the ladder, a teacup now in her hand, filled to the brim with hot, minty rum-laced tea. She steadies her neck, and pats down her wild puff of short-cropped hair, before delicately placing the teacup atop her like a crown. It stays, for now. A good sign. "Hoooookay..." She exhales a breath and and moves both hands to the ladder. Her start is not slow, nor steady, but neither is it abrupt -- it is gracful and swift; the spry, dainty thing indeed reminiscent of a squirrel as she skitters her way up to the top, the tea inside the cup not much as -rippling-

With one fel swish of motion, the sunshine-haired Leary twists around at the top of the platform and perches on the edge, short legs dangling down over the ladder as she lets free a glittering giggle, the cup lifted from her head in cheers and then sipped upon, "Cheers!" she calls down to the Prince and Derovai, her grin jester-like and wide.


Though his attention was turned as Arcadia prepared for the climb, when she actually does get going, Seth's gaze returns at first with what started as mild interest turning into something more invested in what is actually going on. "Well then, it looks like those charm school lessons truly did pay off for this one." He stops drinking altogether as the girl gets closer and closer to the top, his eyes narrowing somewhat to get a better look at how that tea cup on her head is fairing.

When it is over and done with and Arcadia successfully accomplishes what she set out to do, the Steelhart lord claps his hands slowly (and carefully, so as not to spill anything). "I had no doubts whatsoever, Lady Arcadia." Looking between Derovai and Theo now, he murmurs, "I did warn..."

Seth is overheard praising Arcadia.

Olivia twists about from where she remains near Lydia to watch Arcadia's climb, giggling with open delight at the spectacle of the whole thing, and clapping in further exuberationn as the woman begins her skittering, almost squirrel-like ascent. "Oh marvellous! I don't know that even Harlan climbs that well."

"You did," Theo says, shaking his head as he reaches into his pocket for another pouch of coins. One is tossed to Arcadia, the other to Derovai. "Ah well. A nice show, to be sure, Lady."

Cedric watches the performance with a passive indifference. More appropriate would be to say he was watching the -cup-. Once Arcadia reaches the top, he waves off the maid who had been sent for and arrived pre-emptively with a mop. He turns back to Lydia. "Anything else I can get for you, duchess?"

Renault, the mustachioed Lycene, 2 House Velenosa Guards leave, following Theo.

Lydia watches and is astonished, "I will never cease to be amazed by people's skill when it comes to such things. No, I'm quite content with my cuppa. Thank you so much for offering, Cedric."

Derovai checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 14 higher.

Acardia peers down at the crowd below from between her high-perched knees, her free hand rubbing at her neck as if holding it so stiff for that burst of motion had caused it to go sore or tender. "Thankyew, thankyew," she says upon a half-giggle, little hand snatching the pouch of coin as the Prince chucks it up to her. "Now am I going to drink up here all alone, or is someone dextrous enough to bring me their company?"

Derovai isn't giving Arcadia much of a run for her money, but he is going after his own money -- he catches the coin purse tossed to him in the hand not holding the bottle, giving Theo a nod of thanks before he looks back towards Seth and shrugs, as if the matter can't be helped. Pocketing the coins, he looks back towards the gymnast before him. "Nicely done, Lady Arcadia. If you can win me more money, I think this could be the start of a beautiful friendship," he muses, lifting the bourbon bottle in salute before he takes another sip.

"Very well, duchess. Enjoy." Cedric gives a forward lean and cant of his head as a bow. He departs her company to see to the other guests. Passing Seth, he says, "Go join Lady Arcadia, my lord." It's almost an order? Or is it a suggestion? Who knows. Either way he has passed the man in his stride across the atrium without awaiting reponse.

Olivia looks up a little skeptically toward the tree, if only on Arcadia's invitation. "Perhaps if I was dressed for it," she suggests. Apparently a gown is fine for gardening but not for climbing! Of course there are certain challenges to it. "But yes, I'm sure *someone* could go up there with you," she agrees, likewise with a sly glance toward Arcadia's cheering section.

"I believe that I am perfectly fine where I am." Seth says to Arcadia AND Cedric now, draining the remainder of his drink. "What I am concerned about, however, is how you will get down from there. Then again, one drink is most likely not enough to get you drunk enough to lose your footing." Grey eyes then glance over at Cedric and the other servants, "Unless there is a way to have enough drinks delivered to you up there to get you that drunk. I'm sure that the staff will be able to manage if you request such a thing."

Arcadia's feet kick playfully in the air; an idle and easy motion. "Ah-hah!" she laughs down to Derovai, "We could frolic through the city, tricking everyone's coin pouches inside out like those old buddy crime stories my father used to read me." Seth's comment has a faint breath of amused air jetting out from Arcadia's nostrils. "We will just have to see how good at climbing with cups Ashton's servants are, next, perhaps."

Cedric holds a brief meeting with three of the other house staff. He ocassionally glances over to the guests with a well-practiced look that completely withholds any expression of judgment. The sort of passive indifference that only a butler can wield in the face of noble shenannigans. Once the brief huddle is adjourned he rejoins the group. "Would anyone care for scones and cake?"

"I'd make a terrific criminal," Derovai assures Arcadia after a moment. "What a pity my job's already spoken for." He winces at 'Ashton,' his eyes widening. "/Ashford/," he points out, then leans back against the wall. A shake of his head at Cedric; he got what he came for, apparently, judging the new money pouch he's carrying. Or perhaps it's the bottle of bourbon.

As no one seems brave enough to join her, Arcadia only sighs, and begins to carefully make her way back down much slower than she went when going up. "I will have to come get drunk in your treehouse another time, Lady Olivia," she tells the woman once she's on the ground again. "I will bring my more adventurous friends." She glances back up at the treehouse with a wistful sigh, "... I wish we had something like this in the Leary house. And -- Oh... I would love some, thank you," she chimes out to Cedric before finding a seat and settling down. She gives a guilty scrunch of her nose at Derovai. "Oh... Right. Heh."

Wielding a pair of tongs, Cedric is tailed by a servant carrying a tray of pastries. He selects one with the tongs and places it delicately upon a napkin and delivers it to Arcadia with a smile and a bow of his head.

"I'll take a scone." Seth says to Cedric as his empty cup is cleared away, only to replaced with another such concoction. "I haven't climbed into a treehouse, or even a tree, in years." He then comments to Arcadia when she joins the more cautious of guests." The large hound pup beside him seems to look cheerful enough once Arcadia makes her way down the treehouse.

Derovai spreads his gloved hands in apology at Arcadia's guilty look, before he turns and strolls for the door, still carrying that half-drunk bourbon with him. Unless stopped by one of the servants closer to the door, he'll take it with him as he goes -- without having bothered with an introduction in all this time.

"Tree houses are an Ashford tradition," Olivia points out, once Arcadia descends. "I am sure you would not be the first to do so." Get drunk up there, she must mean. "We use them for practical purposes in our lands, as watchtowers against Abandonned forces and other would-be invaders," she then goes on. "Though I think... many are co-opted for the use of adventurous children or for lofty picnic views. So we are just carrying on that tradition here." Beam. As for sweets? "Oh yes, please!" Scones? Omnomnom.

"They are quite dry, my lord." Cedric says of the scones. He provides Seth with a muffin instead. Perhaps a gentle punishment for the man's refusal to obey the direction to go in to the treehouse? Olivia gets a proper scone.

Arcadia happily breaks off a corner of the frosted scone, plopping it into her lips with a single finger. She speaks when she chews, but at the very least she keeps it in the corner of her cheek so it's not overly visible. "Mnn-- I love climbing trees," she explains to Seth. She swallows. "Oh? Perhaps that is where the one near the Leaholdt came from. There was a rickety treehouse in the Gray Forest, outside the fortress, not much more than a platform, but fun nontheless..." She tilts her head to the side, "Though the hunters said it was Abandoned made, I never thought so."

Florian leaves, following Derovai.

When he is handed a muffin, Seth looks as if he were about to say something, but hearing the scones were dry, he refrains. Though as he is biting into his muffin, he does notice the butler serving Olivia what looks to be a perfectly good scone. Sharp eyes focus themselves on Cedric whenever the man passes him next, but he stills his tongue. "Our steel tower was up on a hill, so there was no need to retreat into tree. That said, our coasts were plagued with pirate attacks." Looking towards the direction of the orangery, he then asks, "Whenever you are free, Lady Olivia, I wouldn't mind a tour of the orangery at some point."

Olivia likewise makes to nibble on her scone no sooner than she gets it, looking happy enough with it. Cedric is a sneaky one. "I am not sure we *invented* them," she admits to Arcadia. "And I believe basic platforms are popular for hunters and scouts in many places, where the trees grow large enough to support them. But we have perfected the practice!" That said as a point of family pride. Turning to Seth then, she laughs brightly. "Well, we do have a proper castle too, we don't all live in trees! Although in ancient times it was wooden, when that was more common. Our house name comes from the original keep." Then her smile brightens. "Oh, would you? I would be happy to show you around."

Cedric stands attentive and at the ready. He is at the moment allowing the higher bred to converse.

His brow furrowed at being lied to, by a butler, no less, the darkness in Seth's eyes do start to fade when he hears Olivia's charming voice and laughter, "I didn't mean... I... I'm sure that the Ashford castles are lovely." Taking a bite of this muffin he did not ask for, his lips lift into his version of a smile which comes off more as a smirk of sort, "That would be wonderful, please lead the way." He does look to the suddenly quiet Arcadia, wondering if she wishes to join them as well. Still, the mostly obedient dog by his side raises from it's little nap after eating some good oatmeal and looks ready to follow his master wherever Olivia wishes to lead.

"Yes, we shot boar from it," Arcadia recalls, her elbow leaning into the table as her fingers rake through her hair, puffing it out and teasing the ends. "My parents let me go out with the Leaholdt hunters after much begging. I ran off on my own a lot. Even imagined building a treehouse of my own, running away to live in it." She smiles at the silly idea, and wipes a smudge of frosting off her scone and plops it into her mouth, sucking on it and savoring the sugary flavor. "I'd like to brush up on my archery while I'm here, but I have yet to find a tutor."

"You may find one at the Tutelage Hall in the Vellichoran Academy, my lady." Cedric chimes in softly with a gentle lean toward the woman.

Stonewood Clerk arrives, following Malesh.

Olivia continues to smile happily, either oblivious to any actual opportunity to take insult or merely not the type to bother. "Oh? You care to go now?" This does seem to momentarily surprise her, and she turns abruptly toward Arcadia to see if she is interested. "Do you care to come as well? And perhaps you ought speak to my brother, about the archery that is. I know he is a decent shot, though I've no notion if he's a competent teacher! But he might know one or two, if not himself."

"The Vellichoran Academy?" the least-scholarly of the Learies asks with deflated look. "I do not wish to -read- about archery," Arcadia laments with a wry smile towards Cedric. "Is it separate from the Library?" Then, the slight-framed blonde blinks a few times in quick succession, lashes crossing over her eyes, expressing a mild confusion. "Hmn? Come where? And your brother...?" She gives a guilty twitch of a smile. "I'm not much for families, or fealties or anything like that. I'm much simpler than my sister, or cousins... I was taught all about Ashford nobility when I was younger but it's slipped my mind now, pardon my ignorance. Who is your brother?"

"Only if you have the time to spare, My Lady." Seth says to Olivia, "Otherwise, I am content to continue to partake in your lovely refreshments." Curious eyes turn to Arcadia, listening to her story, "Why did you want to run away?" Curious to her reasoning, but not looking as if he would press the question further. When the Academy is brought and the poor Leary girl seems to deflate, Seth brings up, "They have a decent archive of instructors for various skills. I've looked into the Hall of Tutelage," sounds scary... "Myself recently."

Malesh arrives with a man who looks bookish and is likely a clerk., the ledger he carries being the biggest give-away. The two are speaking softly to eachother, the older man on Malesh's right so that he can see him with his one good eye. They go straight for the refreshments, given that the event is about said refreshments.

"No, my lady. The tutelage hall is where you may find a proper instructor." Cedric says in an informative fashion. "And there is a scholar at hand to read the names for you if you need it." He turns away from the group and approaches the Marquis. "Welcome, my lord. Please make yourself comfortable."

Arcadia breaks off just a crumb of her scone, and licks it up from her finger. "Mn?" She looks to Seth then, seeming constantly distracted by little things. "Oh, well, the forest seemed more exciting than all the books my parents wished me to read. I didn't fit in much, when I was younger..." She gives a brief, self-conscious shrug of her left shoulder and then looks back down at her scone. "Perhaps I will go, then and --" She pauses as she squints a little at something Cedric says. "Well, I know -how- to read, I just don't -like- to." She eyeballs the butler a bit before turning back to the table. "But... I was told the Archives were the tallest building in Arx." A big, wistful smile. "I would like to climb to the top of them, one day, and paint the landscape." She pauses. "But first I must learn to paint."



"Duke Harlan," Olivia clarifies, still only smiling at any confusion on Arcadia's part. "But yes, the Academy maintains listings of teachers in the city, also. So it's more like you'd go look in a book to find a name, and then that person would show you the practical bits." Then she looks thoughtfully between both the guests generally and Seth in particular. "Well, I would not want to interrupt tea, as it looks like Cedric has gone to some trouble? We can have a tour another time, or feel free to take a quick glance by before you depart."

Malesh offers a bit of a bow to Cedric, "Thank you, I'm always happy to make myself comfortable. It's the best way to be you know... comfortable. I highly recomend it over being uncomfortable." He's smirking to himself as his man assists him in getting a beverage of one sort or another. Malesh raises his cup in a little salute then, adding on to the tail end of what he's heard, "Whether one enjoys reading or not, I concure with any recommendation to at least see the archives. So much more to them than white journal gossip."

"Ah, yes, I recall." Seth says, the corner of his lips downturns a tad. "We both had the same experiences in our families, but for different reasons." And with that, he quickly downs half of the content of his cup in one go. Looks like he needed that. When a new arrival showing up, the Steelhart's eyes flicker over to Malesh before he lowers his head in a bow. "My Lord." The man looks well-dressed in a somewhat professional manner than lavish nobility. "Lord Seth Steelhart," He introduces, "Recently arrived from Highhill in the Oathlands." At his side is Cale, his overly large Highhill pup. At Olivia's words, however, he nods quickly, "Of course, totally understandable, My Lady. Do not worry yourself over it."

"It's okay Lady Olivia. The service is for comfort as long as guests are present. And it is no trouble at all." Cedric says with a gentle bow. "Do not keep them here on my account if you'd rather tour them around."

"Is the Duke a tutor, as well?" Arcadia inquires of Lady Olivia on an easy breeze of a voice. Her gray-blues swirl over to Malesh then, taking him in with the ceaseless wonder she always looks upon unfamiliar things with. "Oh, hello," she chirps out, "I do wish to see it, it sounds grand. But there is so much to see in Arx. Ah-- I'm Cady." A pause. "Lady Cady. Or. Arcadia. Lady Arcadia Leary," she explains to the noble newcomer.

"He's an archer," Olivia explains. "He might well be a lousy teacher, in fact I'd wager that is likely," she goes on, in the proper manner of sibling mockery, "but sometimes something is better than nothing!" Now with the discussion of the tour having gone both ways she finally decides, "Perhaps we shall leave it another day. I still have a lot of actual gardening to do, and I'd hate to not play proper host, ignoring you all for my green friends. And besides, it would be a good excuse for a later visit! Perhaps now, I will get to that."

Malesh carries on with introductions as they happen. "Lord Steelhart, well met then. Marquis Malesh Stonewood, if the reputation o fmy somewhat unique appearance doesnt proceed me." He smiles as Arcadia takes a few crack at it before settling on a complete name. "Lady Leary, well met as well." He sips his drink, having selected tea it seems. He makes a face, not a bad face, just appraising the drink. "I always recomend Pr- Duke Aiden for Archery lessons, if he has the time."

Cedric smiles and bows again. "Very well, Lady Olivia. Please let me know when you wish to receive guests for the tour." With that he slinks away to direct the clean up of the tea service being unintrusive on any lingering conversation among the nobles.