Grayson family dinner! It comes at the same time every month and yet Princess Sabella offers little touches to make each one different! After all, different flowers bloom at different times and she somehow manages to find some even in the dead of winter. They might be arrangements of holly and such but it does set a festive mood! Dinner is still being brought out on large platters with a little something for everyone and so many sides one could just make a meal of them and still be full! But why would one want to eat only that when there's an entire cart just full of cakes and pies and puddings and cookies to help finish off any hope that one will still fit into their best spring outfits.

Princess Sabella herself stands by the doorway in a sparkling tiara, welcoming each and every person that comes in, "It's so wonderful for all of you to come out in this weather! Please do have a seat, fill a plate, or do so in reverse and enjoy yourselves!"

William, a taciturn quartermaster arrives, following Aethan.

Niklas has joined the Throne of Pena Stormryder.

Getting here wasn't easy for Ian, so it's no wonder he turned up early. He (mostly) kept out of the way while dinner was being set up, but is seated at the dining room table now, working his way through a glass of wine.

Talia Baseborn does not enter the Grayson's dinning room at the entrance that Sabella stands at; she enters through the servant's entrance, the one which is discretely tucked away for courses to be brought out, wine to be fetched, and apparently, for mousy little tailors to sneak into family dinners. Her dress even matches, almost, to the servant's uniform except in fit and cut, but color? Most definitely. She sticks to the walls like a servant, and it would probably take a keen eye to tell that there's someone different there.

Zoey arrives with a way more Kennexes than one might expect at a Grayson dinner. She is dressed in velvet and a wearing a smile to melt the snow when she greets her hostess. "Princess Sabella, it's always too long between visits! I've missed you."

Esme arrives and has already handed off the many, many, many, MANY layers of outer clothing that keeps the Fidante lady warm. So she steps into the estate with a waddle and into the dining room with a saunter. Her very Lycene black dress allowing ease of movement, however all the seductive mystery stops the moment she opens her mouth. "Sabella!" Esme will attempt to wrap the princess up in a hug as she enters. "You look beautiful, is that a new dress? Oh and your tiara is a delight. Only you could pull it off you know." Then her gemstone hued eyes slide across the room. "And the flowers! Oh, you have made this so wonderful. I am so excited to be here. So excited." She'll try to do that two cheek air kiss thing. "I"m going to find Niklas so you can greet your guests, but you are so obviously gorgeous."

This is ridiculous. Porter Kennex is far too large to be getting a piggyback ride from anyone and yet, here we are. He's conscripted Rorik, forcing the man to carry him into the dining hall. He probably didn't carry him the /entire/ way here. But definitely through the grounds of the Grayson complex at least. It also sounds a lot like they bickered the entire way here. "Think about this NEXT TIME." Think about what? What next time?? Maybe it doesn't matter, when they finally pass the threshold, Porter slips off his cousin's back. He bows to Sabella in a stupid and overly elaborate fashion, "Your highness, nice to see you again."

Some unassuming soldier faces resistance in the doorway in the form of a particularly undignified butler, until another man wearing a buttoned tailcoat comes by and confirms that, indeed, Siegward is invited. Him and his rusty, worn armor as well as that liveried helmet, plummed with feathers long ago frozen into thin, pen-light slits that barely sway. Unlike Talia, there's no hiding the mass that is this man, who lumbers through the hall to the ringing sound of his armor as he spies out a chair away from the thickness of noble-reeds, where he can - perhaps - eat in peace. His face shines a bashful red all-across. "Your Highness," reverently, he bows for Sabella as he moves by her, quick to shuffle away after.

Sabella hugs Esme and Zoey and if Porter isn't quick he's also getting a hug for that very elaborate bow of his, "I am so happy to see you all! I feel that I ought to have words with some of you about the new scars my husband is sporting, but honestly he's so happy to tell that story that I can't be too vexed especially since you brought him home in one piece if a little filled with holes! And Master Siegward! I'm so delighted you found your way! Do you need introductions to everyone?! Oh, do give me a minute with the arrivals and I promise that I will tell you each and every person's name once everyone's seated!"

There's probably only one guy in Kennex that can piggyback Porter and that'd be Rorik. Somehow, someway, these two large idiots barrel into the Grayson dining room, Rorik absolutely galloping like a horse because WHY WOULDN'T YOU. But there's absolutely bickering, it can be heard all the way here. "YOU think about this NEXT TIME," Rorik declares before he drops Porter like a sack of potatoes. There's no graceful slip for Porter after all. But he does the polite bowing thing to Sabella as though nothing strange is going on. "Evening, your highness."

Ian looks up at the commotion, and cracks a brief grin at the sight of his brother and cousin. "Rorik. I heard you were in town."

Esme moves further into the room and stops to look at Porter and Rorik. Then she blinks. Then she stares. Then she blinks again. Her expressive emerald eyes seem to say: What the **** as she looks one up and then one down. "How are you both so tall?" There's a shake of her auburn head before she grins around and does indeed go to look for Niklas.

A quieter entrance is made by Evonleigh and Aethan, who are so caught up in conversation together that Evonleigh seems surprised to have made it all the way to the dining room when she hears the warm welcomes and greetings being made. She dips a curtsy for Sabella and Niklas before moving to offer a squeeze of hand and kiss on the cheek after the boring proper stuff. "Good evening. Thank you as always for your hospitality," she says, before turning to make greetings to everyone else there she knows, smiles for those she doesn't.

Niklas wanders in some time after his wife wearing a set of very nice pyjamas, a very fuzzy bathrobe and a coronet made of mirrorsilver and platinum. When he enters he already has a glass of brandy and is listening while Sam speaks. Niklas? Listen? It quickly becomes evident that Sam is reading off something Niklas just dictated, which is probably why it keeps his attention. "That sounds fantastic, Sam. Go ahead and send that off to the Nightingale. All we need is a costumier and we should be ready to go. Pity Mistress Aurora isn't about." He pauses to lean over and kiss his wife on the cheek, turns to give Esme a brilliant bow, "If she's obviously gorgeous does that make me gorgeously obvious? I like to think so." Then he drops down into his throne and offers genial waves to his vast assortment of cousins. "Christine! Ian! Porter! Rorik! Zoey! That's my relatives in alphabetical order!" He thinks, then says, "I think it might be in order of how much blood we share, too."

Harlan enters with his wife, Lisebet, on his arm. He's almost hovering over the tiny duchess, servants in tow (a few also quite obviously hovering). The reason is readily apparant -- Lisebet is quite gravid. She's not quite ready to pop or anything, but ... it won't be too long! He smiles towards everyone in general and inclines his head, before guiding his wife towards a seat.

Christine waves back at Niklas as she stands in the corner a bit unsure where she should be.

Jorunn is perhaps a rare guest that isn't entirely sure where he is, nor who anyone is. The large fellow, slightly hunched with shoulders rolled forward, looks about at the many people lingering within the Dining Hall with an expression of apprehension. Though he's naturally without his armour and weapons, the fellow does wear a crest that denotes him as a member of the King's Own. Clearing his throat he sort of just stands off to the side, a smile and wave given those that dare to glance at him or not. Arms are tucked politely behind his back as he looks back and forth, pursing his lips as he rolls back and forth on his feet mildly.

Kessen, a white-tailed eagle arrives, following Ezra.

Excuse you, Rorik. Porter is very graceful, the nerve. He also doesn't turn down hugs, so there's no attempt to escape Sabella embracing him. "Where is he? I heard he fought something CRAZY. He got scars? Are they amazing? NIKLAS." As if this will produce the other man. Hey, it did. Or at least he chooses to believe that it did. But he completely forgets whatever else he was going to say to him, because he spots Ian situated at the table. "Come on, lets go sit with Ian." And he yanks on Rorik's arm before moving.

Porter has joined the Dining Table.

12 Grayson House Guards arrives, following Liara.

Siegward has joined the Throne of Pena Stormryder.

Siegward has left the Throne of Pena Stormryder.

Siegward has joined the Dining Table.

Esme has joined the Dining Table.

Christine Spots Zoey, a familiar family face and heads over by her.

Siegward collects a chicken leg, a slab of beef, a clump of rice and some nice, toasty loaves of bread he nicely stacks and adorns together on that plate held by his right hand. Whenever the food's too greasy on pick-up, thus smearing his fingertips some, he licks them clean and continues the salvage work until there's a nice little mountain of future high blood pressure for him to feast on. He looks left, he sees Zoey; he looks right, finds Rorik. He knows neither, and so says nothing. He, instead, awaits Sabella's leave to eat by looking off towards her in companionable silence.

"Why is Niklas fighting crazy people?" is Rorik's question before he's suddenly yanked on the arm. He tips, flailing in an exaggerated motion and then stumbling his way over to Ian's spot at the table, dumping himself into a chair. "Just got in a few days ago, broke myself into Porter's room," he tells Ian with a bold grin, before his attention drifts over to Esme. She stares. He stares back. It'd be rude if he didn't grin like an idiot while doing so. "The real question is, how are you not so tall?"

Bedivere has joined the Dining Table.

"I do believe you are correct on both counts," Zoey tells Niklas with a bright smiles as she settles into a seat beside Ian. She motions for Christine to sit at her other side. "Though with so many cousins, who can keep track?"

Rorik has joined the Dining Table.

"Duke Harlan and Duchess Lisb--by the gods are you--I think I knew that but it had absolutely slipped my mind, congratulations! Or near to it!" Sabella beams at the two Ashfords as they enter, then smiles brightly at Evonleigh and Aethan, "I'm so glad you're here, the Kennex clan wouldn't be complete without the Duke-regent," she gestures to the table and where there's just a whole huge Kennex group. She pauses in her greetings to look around to do a count of how many people are here, perhaps mentally preparing for what she's about to do.

Christine has joined the Dining Table.

Lisebet is graceful, even this pregnant. She does keep her hand on Harlan's arm though as she offers a curtsey to the royalty present. "Princess Sabella, as usual you've outdone yourself. It's always wonderful to come to these dinners when we are able to." She settles into a seat so that all those hoverers can relax somewhat. "I promise I won't fall out of the chair, unless it breaks beneath my weight," she says with amusement to her husband.

Liara shows up and makes fairly directly for the dining table, warming with a quick smile for those already present before taking a moment to consider the food. "What to have today? Oh, beef. Splendid."

Liara has joined the Dining Table.

With Cabbit the cat sat on his right shoulder, Lord Bedivere is at the table, beckoning Jorunn over to sit with him if he might wish to do so. "Greetings." says he to the man before looking up to the others who are showing up. "Everybody please welcome Sir Jorunn Stahlben of the King's Own." says he and motions forth to the man he introduces. He waves a fork to Sabella and Niklas.

"Lady Christine." Ian nods to her when she sits down at Zoey's other side. "I still have the scarf you gave me. By now it might be as well traveled as you are."

Walking into the dining hall, Ezra looks cleaned up but as though he's travelled a good way before reaching here. He glances around the masses of people and towards some out of the way location near the wall. He does have a smile on his face but it has the look as though it's plastered on.

Aethan is, indeed, in attendance! And entered with Evonleigh, as was stated, with an inclination of his head to Sabella and Niklas. "Thank you," he echoes, and Sabella's words have his expression shifting in something like the idea of a smile. It's mostly there, anyway. "It's always nice to see you." He turns then, starting toward the other Kennexes at the dining table to sit.

Niklas shakes his head at Porter. "Shh! We all get to do a storytime at Grayson Family Dinner, so don't spill the beans on my wild adventures!" He waves to Siegward. "Go ahead and eat, friend." He begins to serve himself big piles of everything until he's got a dead safari on his plate. When he catches sight of Evonleigh and Aethan he gives them both an excited wave.

Harlan smiles towards Sabella and says, "Greetings, Your Highness," and then nods towards Liara, "And your Highness, and so on." He's teasing a bit, then chuckles at Lisebet, "I would fear for every chair if they were that poorly made, as they'd never bear -my- weight..." He moves to sit down next to Lisebet.

Esme puffs up just a bit when Rorik talks. Then she lifts herself up on the balls of her feet and then onto the tips of her toes. "I'm tall." She offers almost like in a defensive manner, but her eyes still sparkle with humor. Then she gives the full brightness of her smile towards the man as she rolls back on her full feet. "I'm just not huge. You two are huge." Then she looks towards Porter and pats a seat and winks. "Talia! It is wonderful to see you again. Glorious even. Siegward, I am /most/ happy that you decided to come as well. Have you two met?"

Bedivere follows Niklas's gaze and wave and waves to Aethan and Evonleigh, too, his fellow Whitehawk. He smiles to her.

Talia isn't seated at the dining table; she's still standing near a wall, dressed near enough to a servant and doing her best to be unobtrusive. As Esme calls out to her, surprise suffuses the tailor's expression, but she merely shakes her head for the question rather than moving forward to intrude or take a seat. She murmurs something that might be a "No, I haven't" but it's not given enough volume to carry.

Finn the large Northern hunting dog with icy blue eyes arrives, following Thea.

Rorik's brows hike up skeptically as Esme stretches up, leaning towards his knees and then narrowing his eyes as though he has to squint to see her. "Are you sure?" he replies to her defensive statement, before he sits back up with a bold, warm laugh at her latter statement. "Thanks," he says to her with a *huge* grin, then shoves an elbow into Porter's ribs for no reason.

"I'm out of stories myself," says Evonleigh with a rueful look in Niklas' direction. "You can go twice in lieu of me, hm?" she teases. Liara's entrance draws another curtsy for another royal, then catches Bedivere's eye and smiles. "Well met, Sir Jorunn," she tells Bedivere's friend. "Congratulations. You look lovely as ever," she tells Lisbet with a warm smile, before finding a few things to place on a plate and finding a seat, leaving a spot next to her of course for Aethan.

Aethan has joined the Dining Table.

Liara has left the Dining Table.

Liara has joined the Dining Table.

"Look, it's Aethan!" Porter helpfully announces to everyone. When he's done being an Admiral, he's going to take up a job as that guy who heralds everyone's entrances to rooms. He leans over and grabs something off of Ian's plate befor he finds his cousin's elbow in his ribs. He turns quickly back to him and glances over in Esme's direction. "I'm tall because I eat properly. A lot." Porter never misses a meal don't worry.

Lisebet chuckles at Harlan's comment about chairs. She smiles to Sabella, offering her a "thank you very much, your highness. I think you may have known, yes." Liara gets by this point a murmured, "Your grace." And then to Evonleigh, Lisebet chuckles. "Thank you. It's a bit easier the second time around, given I've at least some idea what to expect. But - I still feel - how should I put it? Encumbered."

With Niklas' blessed confirmation, Siegward gets to work. He regards the Prince at that moment with a wide, happy little smirk; a little puckered one at that, and he nods his way several, understanding times clearly humbled by the notion before turning to his plate, right as Esme crashes his part. Indeed, he's just about to fork a whole chicken limb down his throat, bone included, when she's there. And that's how she catches him - his mouth wide open, the fork poised to cross its threshold with a cling of meat and bones. "Know whom?" He asks her, gagged, while his eyes shift to Talia. "Her? No, I don't know her," he answers, lowering his food. But not his tone--his voice's just about loud enough to be heard in a room full of people.

Thea is walking a bit quickly, wiping the snow from her cloak just before she officialy steps into the dining room. Taking a breath, she smiles a bit and exhales, greeting everyone in attendance, mainly Sabella and Niklas,"I am so sorry I'm late. I got caught up in a meeting with the Duchess and Martino caught me about some wall in the gardens." She finally stops with flushed cheeks from the cold and smiles. Her gold-flecked green eyes peer at Finn, hopefully redirecting him from the table.

Ian's fork snaps around, but either he's not fast enough, or else he's just not willing to stab Porter, his brother, in the hand. Either way, he's left watching his food get stolen with a futile: "...Hey." But it's too late. The food is gone. So Ian serves himself some more.

Phew! A familiar name. Perhaps the ONLY person here that knows Jorunn calls him out pretty quickly. With a small smile the Northerner strides over, tipping his head politely to those that know him. "Good to see you again, Bedivere. My thanks for the introductions." Taking a seat as offered, his dark eyed gaze settled over upon Evonleigh. "A pleasure." Adjusting in his seat, Jorunn cannot quite help but notice all the food. "Quite a spread, hm? Do dinners like this happen often?"

Christine looks around and grabs a small plate of beef "Thank you Ian, glad to hear it is getting some use"

Ezra watches in silence at the social chaos going on about and seeming as though he's trying to take in the full extent of what exactly is going on, besides people eating. His brow lowering as he looks as though he's attempting to place various people that are about and fairly comfortable sitting on the outskirts.

Thea has joined the Dining Table.

"It's come in handy," Ian says to Christine, while keeping half an eye on Porter in case of more food stealing. Don't push him. He might become willing to engage in hand stabbing. "It's saved my life a few times now." His flat voice doesn't sound like he's exaggerating or joking, but maybe that's just the way he talks.

Esme holds up a finger to Rorik to say she'll be right back, to get mocked for her lack of height. She will attempt to weave Seigward towards Talia. When she catches Ezra, she positively lights up, but her eyes get a different sort of mischief to them. Esme is nice and leaves him alone. For now. "Well let us correct that. Seigward, this is Talia. She is a glorious tailor. Her designs are legendary. Beautiful. She did the heirloom gown for Fidante that I have currently. Her fingers are very talented." Then she beams at Talia. "Talia, my most beautiful, this is Siegward. He is one of the taller men in the city." She looks towards Rorik and Porter and then back. "He is amazing with combat and arts of wartime knowledge. I believe that you two could get along most famously." Of course, she feels that way about most people.

Once everyone seems to have found a place, whether that's up against the wall or at the dining table or wherever, Sabella steps over nearby where Niklas sits in his throne and beams taking a big breath, "Welcome everyone! Before we start our usual party games I wanted to make introductions as we have some new faces here tonight, which I am very glad for! So let me introduce Lord Bedivere Whitehawk, who is one of the most upbeat people you'll ever meet so make sure you engage him in conversation at least once tonight! And then there's Lord Ian Kennex and his delightful wife Zoey, both of whom are always working on some wonderful thing to strengthen their lands and people for their Duke and Duke-regent! I saw Sir Jorunn come in who I don't know that well but who Lord Bedivere introduced as one of the Kings Own, a very wonderful position to take! I look forward to getting to know him better this evening! Lady Esme Fidante needs no introduction for she's likely already brightened your evening! Duchess Lisebet Ashford has an incredibly sharp mind which is astounding considering she's already had twins and now has another on the way! Hopefully just one this time! Her husband is here, Duke Harlan Ashford, who might vy with Lady Zoey for archery knowledge at this table! Then there's more Kennexes! Lord Porter who is one of the most charming individuals you'll meet at this table, Lord Rorik who is a cousin of some sort that I haven't had a chance to get to know as well as I'd like though I've liked everything I've seen of his sense of humor so far! And there's Lady Christine who has just come back to Arx from a long time away and Duke-regent Aethan Kennex right there with Lady Evonleigh, who just had a fantastic run of her play produced right here in Arx! Master Siegward is also new to Arx, you'll see him right there, do make him feel welcome for I nearly had to twist his arm to get him to come tonight. And Lord Ezra Riven here is also new to Arx and we want to have him stay for his sister the Marquessa's sake so do also make him feel so welcome he'll long for the walls of the city as much as he does for the woods right now! Oh! Lady Thea Malvici is here, I didn't see you come in! If you have any questions about any sort of fighting style she'll surely be able to answer it! And I'm sure you all know Princess Liara, highlord of Grayson!" She finally, FINALLY, pauses to take another breath, looking around brightly to make sure she hasn't forgotten someone and sadly does miss Talia over there by the wall. "And if I have to introduce you to my husband he'll pout all night so at least pretend that you've gotten to at least one of his shows or promise to go to the next! We'll start our game in just a moment, so until then please eat and drink and talk!"

Oh, Porter will test Ian. He stretches his fork out to prod another piece of food off his plate. Then Sabella is introducing everyone. His mouth forms a small 'O' and he pauses in his theft until she's done.

Niklas sits up on his throne. "Are there two Lord Porters here?"

"Not to mention Prince Niklas, though perhaps I missed an earlier introduction," Liara remarks to Sabella. Then she says to Jorunn, "Dinner certainly happens often. Daily, in fact. Gathering a large group of people from outside for it is something that Princess Sabella does once a month or thereabouts."

Ian can pay attention to Sabella rattling on and discourage his brother at the same time. He mercifully uses the flat of his dinner knife and not the point, but the speed with which he brings the blade around to smack Porter in the back of the hand while he's frozen suggests that this IS a mercy.

Is it time to steal food from Ian? Rorik grabs a fork and jabs a piece of food off Ian's plate, too, though he pauses mid-chew to stare wide-eyed at Sabella. He doesn't swallow until she takes a breath, so that bite is in his maw for awhile.

As Jorunn joins him, Bedivere nods to his fellow knight. Cabbit hops down from being a shoulder cat to becoming a lap cat, and Bedivere pets him as they quietly listen to Sabella. He cannot help but to quirk a smile about what the princess says of him before giving a dip of his head respectfully her way. Then, he looks around the room to all those who are being intrudece this day, too. "Greetings." says he to those who are unknown to him in the Kennex crew.

Knowing full she's late, Thea goes to find an seat. When Sabella introduces her in a way only Sabella can, she smiles at her,"Lately I've been getting my medicine practice in, but thank you for that. And again, thank you for inviting me. I was hoping to see my cousin Roxana as well." Did Sabella even breathe! Looking at the table, after of course getting a drink, the youngest Malvici nods,"I think I've met you all." Thea's gaze falls on Rorik and Porter for a brief moment,"It's almost like they're twins,"amusement in her eyes. She too takes a drink, of something warm. Geez gold!

Jorunn raises a glass of wine as his name is called out, saluting the introduction made by the Princes. A broad smile accompanies the toast, as he leans back to drink a few mouthfuls as the instructions are made to eat and talk. Turning in his chair to Liara, the man 'ahs' a bit in understanding. "Princess Liara? Good to meet you officially. I'll have to remember that. Dinners this lavish are certainly not ones to be missed, hm?"

Siegward couldn't hope to feign to have choked on food after hearing Esme, and what accolades she lays of him out for Talia. Still, he coughs. Still, his right hand catches itself as a fist and he lays it hard to his chest, once, twice; thrice. Thud, thud, thud, to clear his windpipe of nothing in particular as he coughs, and coughs. "My lady, I think you'd be hard-pressed to claim I'm the tallest; I'd even say, as far as height goes, I've got this terrible habit of hunching? Makes me seem smaller yet," he reasons in turn, smiling an awkward show of teeth for both she and Talia before, hopefully, having another go at that... sweet chicken.

Evonleigh smiles, her sea-gray eyes seeking out those some of those new names she caught in the introductions. She turns to Ezra. "Oh, I was unaware there was another brother! Do tell Lord Nigel and the Marquessa hello." To Lady Christine, she asks, "Lady Christine, how are you finding Arx?" before turning to Rorik. "Are you newly to the city as well? You Kennexes are going to take over the entire city soon enough."

"That's the plan," Rorik replies to Evonleigh with a grin, drumming his empty fork on the table. Then he uses it to steal another bit of food from Ian's plate.

"Yes, indeed. A pleasure to meet you," Liara says to Jorunn, with a flash of a smile, then goes to fill her plate with some roast beef and assorted vegetables, dowsed liberally in gravy.

"Not if we're too blasted busy stealing from each other," Ian says to Evonleigh while giving Rorik a Look.

Harlan sets to with in the process of getting himself some food and drink, trying to help Lisebet with finding things she can eat, passing food to and fro as needed.

Ian is given some breathing space from Porter. Instead, he leans over and past something, stealing a piece off of Aethan's plate. Even older brothers are not safe from him.

Evonleigh laughs, reaching to snag a little bit of food from Ian's plate just to tease the cranky Kennex. But it's not something she wants, it seems, for she puts it on Aethan's plate when the Duke-Regent is looking elsewhere.

As Evonleigh speaks to Christine, Bedivere seems to take note of that convo, along with as many others as he can track, another being Jorunn and Liara, whilst lifting up his left/only hand from Cabbit to take the fork and dine. But, before the first bite, he watches the transfer of food to and fro from Aethan with a brief smirk.

"Can you really steal from family?" Rorik muses to Ian, meeting his look with a big, broad grin. "It's just /borrowing/ really."

Ezra initially does not seem surprised by Sabella's introduction but as it seems she's introducing everyone, he does seem to be growing more surprised by the moment. When it's done, he gives a soft laugh and then moves to glances over toward Evonleigh with a smile, as she speaks to him, "I will pass it along. I'm between the other two. Do you know them well? I'm afraid I've not been in the city and can't always place the face and the name." He makes a general gesture, "Are the dinners always so busy?" He whispers something to a messenger then glances back to the woman.

Christine Listens and watches as much of the conversations as she can. It's been a while since she was at such a large dinner party. To Evonleigh she says "It's a wonderful city with lots of nice folks. Then you do have some of the wild antics any place or city gets up to. Lots of libraries to read in and borrow books from."

Talia nods to Siegward, mumbling something quietly. She doesn't move to join the table still, folding herself into her spot as she listens to the introductions.

Thea starts to put a little bit of food on her own plate, amused at the going ons. She looks over at Bedivere, telling him,"When I left Olivian to come here, he was still complaining about his wrinkled shirt and mumbling something about living in the baths." She grins over at him as she goes to take a bite.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Thea before departing.

Ian watches food vanish from his plate. "Borrowing?" He stares at Rorik and shakes his head. "I'm not sure I'm going to want it back in the condition it'll be in by the time you 'return' it. In fact, I'm pretty sure I won't."

Niklas clucks his tongue at Liara. "She introduced me by saying I need no introduction. Which is fair. I'm spectacularly famous and beloved." He lifts his drink, then finishes it off. When Esme speaks with Talia he lifts a hand toward the tailor. "Come on, then. Sit and eat and all of that. " He nods to the others. "Mistress Talia is a tremendous seamstress. She made me a dress that was absolutely fantastic. Fit me perfectly and allowed me to steal the spotlight away from a number of highly jealous princesses at the summer ball. If you don't know where her shop is, just wait for her to announce that she has a new original design on display and follow the dust trail of people charging toward her store, bags of gold dukes held aloft."

Aethan sits, and if he notices the food stealing going on among his family members, well...he probably has to notice when there is both something stolen from off his plate and added onto it in quick succession. Was it the same thing? That would be convenient! He doesn't say anything, though he does reach for a glass of water, taking a sip. He does not look at his brothers. Is he pointedly not looking at them? Who can say?

"The next person to steal food off Ian's plate is volunteering for moving target practice," Zoey warns as more hands reach over to take from her husband.

What Thea tells Bedivere causes a rare grin. "Do you think he will live?"

Esme looks between Talia and Seigward. One can see her processing something. "Well, I will leave you two here to get to know each other. I'd like you to figure out each other's favorite color, hobby, what brought you both to Arx and.. favorite flower. Please get back to me with that before the night ends." She does not steal any food, because she likes her fingers. She does move over towards Thea. "Thea!" The smile is vibrant as she offers. "Did you manage to assist in the healing? We ran into a bit of an issue and I gave your name." She does look around for a glass of wine to magically appear.

Lisebet smiles, happy to be able to eat and not be sick about it. She glances over towards Ian, and then smiles as she pushes over one plate with something on it that isn't working for her. It is in fact completely untouched. "Here, a donation to the cause," she offers, mischief gleaming. She then looks to Harlan, tilting her head a bit. "I know I am supposedly eating for two, but I cannot eat quite that much. I'm not sure you could either."

Christine has left the Dining Table.

"Our barony, Whitehawk, is their vassal," Evonleigh says with a smile for Ezra. "We have a friendly relationship, of course." She smiles at the aside to the messenger, and leans to add conspiratorially, in a stage whisper, "some are quite boring, but never Grayson of course." She grins over at the princesses and prince at that.

Sabella beams with absolute delight as everyone talks to everyone else, filling up her plate and then taking a few bites of her own since there will be more talking in the future, "Oh! Did I miss your entrance, Mistress Talia? I'm terribly sorry! I shall make sure to be more effusive of your talents in my next introduction should you be nearby," she promises, then raises her voice again, "At these dinners we play a little game to get to know each other better. We each will say one thing of interest that we have done lately or that we might be planning to do! The most important part is that after you share, you choose the next person to speak! And so on as they speak then choose the next person until no one is left! I'll start so everyone know how it is done!" Another deep breath is taken:

"A Taste of Arx is upon us in just a short time! If your house is known for something or wants to be I strongly suggest you bring samples to the parties that your fealty will be throwing! Last year it was a tremendous success and people wished they'd brought more! But it is a wonderful time for houses to meet with each other and talk with each other and for us all to learn more about each other! I'm extremely excited that five of the six Great Houses are taking part! It's going to be a week long celebration that will be remembered for at least a year until the next one! And now I think..." she looks around the room, "Lady Esme! What have you been up to?"

"They'll just take that too," Ian grumps to Lisebet. "They're worse than the shavs." But he takes the food she offers, anyway. "These rolls are soft. Any chance there's something harder?" No, Ian.

Siegward is there seated, looking askance towards Esme with a look absent maybe of complex thought but with a depth of intuition to them. That flank sheave of chicken goes right in his mouth, and he sees her depart with various; "Uh-huh, hmm, mhmm--uh-huh, uh-hum," as he masticates it away. Reaching for the nearest rag, his coarse fingers press it to his lips and he dabs the grease away, eyeing Talia then. His brows furrow, then unfurrow, before asking; "Is everything okay? You look as if--as if you'd have your head lopped off, if you ate something."

Thea looks lifts her eyes to Ezra, nodding to him,"I do, yes. I'm not great with knives, but I've--,"pausing for a moment,"the one I have has come in handy a time or two." Taking a drink, she chuckles over at Bedivere,"I hope so. He's our House's sword. He's actually good, just--best I can describe him is, he's a mix between my brother Domonico and my brother Martino." But then Esme is talking to her. Tucking her hair behind her ear, Thea answers her,"Yes. He was telling me something about a ghost? And a haunted ship. I was going to ask you about it, but I've been busy-and I just haven't had time to well--you know." Picking a piece of meat from her plate, she sneaks it over to Finn. Nothing to see here!

"I'm stealing from Aethan now," Porter points out, looking down at the food that was once Ian's. He looks a little confused by this turn of events and squints over at Evonleigh, eyebrow arched. "I was tricked just then."

Niklas leans forward, picks up a decorative wooden gourd and tosses it toward (or perhaps at) Ian. "There you go."

Harlan chuckles towards Lisebet, "Well, no. I'd rather let you decide what you want though. Since berries aren't doing the thing right now, it seems." He grins towards his wife.

Between being invited by Niklas to sit and Esme's continued insistence, Talia flushes red. She can't say no, and thus, she moves to take a seat. She takes it next to Siegward, nodding in a ducked head motion as she mumbles, "I'm-- fine. Thank you."

Talia has joined the Throne of Pena Stormryder.

Talia has left the Throne of Pena Stormryder.

Talia has joined the Dining Table.

"That's not exactly a deterrent," Rorik says as an aside to Zoey. There's a contemplative glance thrown to Ian's plate but ... it's looking pretty empty. So he aims his fork at Evonleigh's plate instead, while she's busy stealing from Ian.

"Fair enough, fair enough," Liara says to Niklas. She turns an ear to the general conversation about the table, though is, for the moment at least, quiet enough - her attention is rather taken by her rather full plate.

"You clearly haven't seen me shoot," Zoey points out to Rorik with a smile.

Ian catches the wooden "gourd" that Niklas tosses to him. He hefts it, tosses it in the air and catches it once, like he's testing the weight. He gives Rorik a pointed look. He's probably not allowed to throw things at Evonleigh. Right at the moment.

"Fine? You're not fine. If you were fine, you'd have food on your plate. Like this," Siegward answers Talia as he reaches out, unceremoniously crossing through the puzzling amount of exotic plates with his long right arm to reach the more mundane, yet familiar mountain of spiced steaks lined near-center to them. Using her fork, he impales a flank and dumps it on her plate, the meat's grease pooling below it and staining the ceramic hence. "There. See that over there? That's mashed potatoes. There's also rice, bread--there's some chicken over there, but don't look at it long or with longing as I'll make it soon disappear. Like a magic trick."

Ezra forgot to pose to Esme, this was not an intentional slight to her, just an oversight in the mix. He glances over to Esme and gives her a nod of his head and he looks here and there. He eases back down when he sees that she's momentarily distracted by the two others around her. He draws his attention back to Evonleigh and clears his throat in a mildly embarrassed way, "My apologies, I should have recognized you but my eye for faces is not always the best. I will pass it along to them, next I see them." He turns to Thea and gives a nod of his head, "Yes, it seems that it's always handy in close range. I just need to stretch that a bit." He turns over, Esme's here now and he nods his head to her, "Ahh, Esme, pleasure to see you again."

Having heard those names, Bedivere tells Thea, "I have not met them but their reputations are well known. That sounds like a well balanced Lycene there. Someone who can survive a fight while worrying about the wrinkles in clothes." He briefly laughs before giving his lap cat Cabbit a little rub with the fork, the unpronged end. Profuse purring ensues. "What Lady Evonleigh says is true. Whitehawk tends to have a good relations with all Houses up the fealty chain."

Sabella has joined the Dining Table.

Esme has reached out to take the magical appearing wine. Esme's features show pure bliss as the wine is brought to her lips and then Sabella says her name. This causes the Fidante to pause in her drink. There is a long, lingering look to the goblet. It's right there. RIGHT THERE. In her hand. Just a few more inches to her lips. Esme's lower lip is run across her teeth in indecision. "That is a wonderful reminder, Sabella. I am sure the turn out will be exciting and interesting. It shall be the best of times." Her green eyes still on the wine glass. Finally, she gives in and knocks it back before handing it off to Joy with an apologetic look. Joy just goes to get another one.

"Interesting for me? Oh, there have been so many things. There have been castles that try to eat people. Or there have been ships that have saled for hundreds of years. People that have bent knees. There has been glorious people that have come into my life. Sorrows of those that have left my life." She seems to ponder this for a moment. "I think the one I am most proud of though is having a hand in the building of the watchtowers, especially in Tor." Her eyes dance across all the people present. They linger on each Kennex. "Porter Kennex..." It's said like a scold before she smiles. "You are up."

"There are foods on my plate that I've never seen before." Jorunn murmurs quietly, looking incredulously at the meat of some exotic animal before him. Or maybe it was a fruit? Who knows "Had I known Arx carried such delights, I would have come much sooner! Ha." Pouring some gravy across the food on his plate, Jorunn gets to consuming it at an impressive pace. "So Bedivere, you've been in Arx for a long time? You're a member of the Iron Guard, correct?"

Talia flushes darker as Siegward loads up her plate, a hint of tension in the line of her shoulders as her green eyes dart around them to those seated at the tables. But she nods to the man, before picking up the correct fork and knife and cutting into the meat. She mumbles something back to the man, followed with a low, embarrassed laugh.

"No apologies necessary. I didn't recognize you, either," says Evonleigh with a shake of her head in Ezra's direction. Porter's hand nearly gets stabbed with a fork as she pretends to go for a bit of meat, just missing, but there's a sly smile that indicates she saw him and let him get away. She does turn her eyes to Esme to listen to her answer to Sabella's question.

Ian gives Porter a quick, sharp grin, amusement flickering like fire in his bright blue eyes. "You heard her, Xerxes."

Lisebet grins. "No indeed, it seems this time that berries are right out." Ian's comment gets a slight smile. "I can only do so much," she offers gently. "And alas, restraining your exuberant family is beyond my skills." She smiles ruefully, and glances at her plate. "On the other hand, I'm thankful ginger cake is still on the menu."

Thea winces at Esme,"The castle that tried to eat people, yes. I came back burned and bruised." She takes a drink and pokes at her food a bit before tearing a piece of her roll. Thea takes a bite of that and listens to the conversations.

Harlan smiles towards his wife and says, "Well, anything you don't particularly want -- let me know, I'll sacrifice my stomach for you." He grins a bit, and looks at the other people, listening to stories and tales and news.

The face on the Grayson retainer, Siegward, expresses profound doubt at something said by Talia to him below the hearing, common veil of the room's conversation. "You better not peel of the fat there, on that steak, either. You're supposed to eat it. It's good for you; it's also the best part," he quickly impels, one of his brows seemingly perpetually held aloft as he, skeptically, continues to eye her. In addition, he answers to something else hushedly- indistinct.

After a couple bites, Bedivere swigs down a little wine then tells Jorunn, "No, my Nephew Baron Silas Whitehawk, he is the Lord Commander of the Iron Guard. Should he ever need assistance, I would definitely help him, but I am not with the Iron Guard in an official capacity. I am with the Academy of War which sometimes assists with guard training. Whisper Natalia, lead of the Academy, currently works with me as my protege, and I mentor students there for her. Also, I am a brother at arms in the Knights of Solace, as well, for whom I generally train troops in tactical maneuvers and how to make life easier on oneself out in the field and succeed, and so on."

Rorik returns Evonleigh's sly smile with a huge grin before he gnaws on the stolen meat. He should really just pull up a plate for himself, but stealing from people is apparently his thing now. Err. 'Borrowing'. Anyway, he turns his attention briefly to Esme, brows going all the way up to his hairline at something said, then shakes his head and looks back to Ian and the gourd. "Ohhh, lemme see that," he puts his hands out, wagging beefy fingers in a 'gimmie' sort of motion.

Talia chews at her lower lip, her gaze lifting and sliding down the table as Siegward whispers to her. Then her green eyes sweep around the room, marking where everyone is, servants included. She nods, before slowly slipping out of her chair. She moves to a servant standing at the wall behind them, murmuring something and giving a familiar, friendly smile before she moves back to reclaim her chair. That servant fetches a lobster from one part of the table and delivers it on a plate to Siegward, even as the seamstress murmurs something.

Esme finds a chair at the table to slink into in a feline fashion. She also has more wine. This one she's sipping rather than downing. "Ah, that one. I came back, forgot to see a healer. Went to Monique's got Sebastian so vexed at me. I still don't think he's talking to me. Then got wine before finally getting Lady Clara to assist with that." Her gaze shifts towards Rorik. "Rorik, dearest. I don't believe we've met. Before you steal all the food and leave, we should correct this." Then she looks pointedly at Porter over her wine glass and waits. Sip.

Porter is in the midst of eating Evonleigh's food when the call comes for him. He chews hastily and then gets to his feet, which really isn't necessary at all considering how loud his voice is. But it's a lot easier to shake Ian's shoulders from this position, which is what happens next. "Recently I took a trip to Stormward with my brother! We went to intercept the auction of a stolen ship and rescue a kidnapped girl. It was going to be a moment of GLORY." A fist is shaken to the ceiling. "But as we were en route to the sight in a secluded cove, a pirate ship came upon us. The captain shouted that we would submit to him and surrender our HONOR to him, Captain Xerxes the One-Eyed! But it turned out he really had /two/ eyes. So I'll just leave you to your own assumptions on the name."

"We boarded his ship, fighting against him and his crew. Ian took on two, no four, no SEVEN, armed pirates. He didn't even break a sweat, while I slew Xerxes with my axe. And then- we fought roughly eight more pirate ships on our way to capture the terrible and dangerous Captain Craig. I even impersonated Xerxes for a solid twenty-minutes. It was the best acting of my life. We capture all fifteen ships and when we were done, it turned out Captain Craig didn't kidnap anyone. And the girl was /marrying/ him. And we basically didn't need to do all of that. But it was a lot of fun."

"NIKLAS. You're next." No one pay attention to the ever increasing numbers in Porter's story. Shh.

Porter's story brings an entertained light to the hazel eyes of Bedivere who momentarily grins before he continues eating and looks to Niklas who is next.

The long resume and job description of Bedivere earns a long, pensive expression. Jorunn is impressed, of that there is little doubt. "You are responsible for training so many individuals? You are clearly highly rated, my friend. I imagine that the person I saw this morning swinging her scythe around made you squirm in some discomfort?" With a chuckle, the Northerner pops in some more food. "If I ever feel like some tips, I'll be sure to seek your counsel." A glass is raised to salute in a friendly manner. "To answer your question from this morning? Yes, I'm new to Arx. I've been travelling all across the lands since the Silent War." Jorunn's face falls a bit at that. "...and everything has led me to here. Commander Eleanor Allenatore had heard of my exploits and send me an invite once a member of the Hundred had unfortunately passed. So here I am."

Siegward is truly engrossed in Porter's tale of corsair genocide in the name of eloping, so much so that he takes little notice of the fresh, boiled lobster that is laid before him; below his chin, next to his already emptied, dirty plate. "That's a lot of pirates," he opines to Talia, and it's here he sees that, well, she's not there--she's just arriving. He blinks, and his sausage fingers lay limp at his sides as he's witness to the crustacean's hauberk awaiting him. "Oh." Dutifully, the bulky man teeters to his right and returns a hush or two back to Talia.

"Where exactly were the seven arms?" Rorik demands to know of Porter. "All in a line down his side, or was there one coming out of his forehead all like..." He twists an arm to put his elbow to his forehead and flap his hand in the air. "Because *that* would be impressive. Fighting a seven-armed pirate with one arm coming out of his head." In the process, he somehow flops his hand in Esme's face, considering she just came to sit down at that moment.

Talia frowns, shaking her head. She chews at a piece of steak, carefully, before she murmurs quietly to Siegward.

"I think he wound up accidentally flirting with another pirate," Ian adds to Porter's story. "Or maybe on purpose." He won't judge. Well, maybe a little. "Imitating Xerxes was mostly a lot of shouting. He kept yelling for us to surrender to his eye." He gives Rorik a significant look, when he brings up the two-eyed pirate's one eye. "His pirate name was the same thing as he called his..."

Liara's gaze is drawn along the table at Porter's tale, eyebrows arching a bit, a forkful of vegetables left just held suspended there momentarily, before she eventually just wonders, "How did you go about impersonating the one-eyed bit, then?"

"Pet kitten?" Rorik asks of Ian, still with the hand jutting out off his forehead.

Ezra has gotten distracted by the sheer quantity of people around and he turns back to Evonleigh if she's still there, "Do you attend most of the dinners?" His eyes shift about slowly and he pulls out his flask to take a nip, rather than moving towards the food and drinks about but which likely have swarms of people about them.

Thea picks up bits of Porter's stories, and she blinks. But she starts to focus more and she actually starts to laugh. Realizing it was out loud, she grabs her wine and finishes it rather quickly. "Was there a lot of yelling and arm flailing. I can picture a lot of flailing."

Esme pulls her head back and covers her wine glass as Rorik's hand is in her face. There is a cant of her head as she sets the wine glass down, OUT OF HIS REACH and delicately gives a push to the man's hand. She leans up just a bit to say something with her lashes lowered. Her smile is so sweet. "Good tale, Porter." She picks up her drink and then looks towards Niklas, but Rorik gets a side eye.

"No, he was a man," Ian corrects Rorik solemnly. "Otherwise Porter wouldn't have been so great at impersonating him."

Siegward takes the vile, corpsed representation of a lobster by its tail with one hand and its head with the other, twisting in opposite directions. With a noisome exhalation of struggling air, the carcass' carapace is dislocated open and its gushy, fleshy insides exposed in their glorious, white meatiness. With a spoon, rather than a fork, he scoops out small portions he plucks into his mouth, savoring the taste. In it, judging by the aloofness of his expression, lies glory. Still, there's some kind of distaste at an answer received from his flank; from his side, by Talia. Disagreeably, he susurrates in turn.

After hearing out Jorunn, Bedivere tells him. "I sometimes optimize by putting Solace and Whitehawk troops together, arranging things so they can learn from one another, since my guidance is only part of the whole of the learning. Concerning the scythe wielder, all I can say is everybody starts somewhere. Since she is not under my tutelage, I was not bothered by merely spectating. Welcome to Arx. Feel free to ask if you can find me or write any time. Also, Crown Voice Eleanor also knows many people, too." When Porter mentions kitten, Cabbit peeks up over the table edge toward him from Bedivere's lap.

Evonleigh laughs at Porter's story, taking a sip of tea before turning to Ezra's query. "Not all of them, but I try to make it when I can," she says quietly. "It's always interesting, if not always completely informative," she says, eyes sparkling a little as she glances back at Porter.

"So! First I went on a trip to a port town with my cousins to try and find a smuggler. It was during this trip that I invented sharkenoids as a way to annoy my cousin Wash. This was very successful, as Wash grew increasingly insistent that there were no such thing as sharkenoids, even as I description of these half-shark half-man fiends of the deeps grew more and more fantastics. Then I went with some cousins to a small village where people were disappearing. We quickly discovered that it was happening because of a fucking sharkenoid." Niklas gestures toward Zoey. "When it lunged at my favorite second cousin-in-law I leapt between them and," he gets up on his seat enough that he can yank up his jammy shirt and show off the half-moon of toothy sharkbite scar. "So that hurt like a motherfucker." He drops his shirt back down and plops into his seat. "Also I went to a concert at the Bard's College where ancient demons caused several thousand silver worth of water damage to our floorboards and honestly I'm quite upset by the whole thing. I'm finishing off a play I started writing five years ago and which I was encouraged to drop by some people at this very table so as not to disrupt my upcoming courtship of my now wife. It was quite controversial then, but now I think it can truly inspire people in the Mourning Isles." He takes a glug of sipping spirits while he thinks, then brightens. "Oh, we finished ironwool and it's a spectacular success. People seemed rather dubious at first, but it seems to have been widely embraced across the Compact. So I'm proud of how that project turned out." He looks around, then points at Jorunn. "My lord! Tell us something interesting you've done recently and then call upon someone else to do the same!"

Sabella listens with wide eyes to what Esme and Porter say, "Goodness! That sounds incredibly exciting! Lady Esme you simply must tell me at least one of those stories in detail if not write all of them down for posterity because each one sounds absolutely fascinating! And Lord Porter! Acting?! Nik, did you hear that?! You'll have to put him in one of your plays!"

Talia frowns, and this time, her words might be loud enough to be overheard when she insists: "Not everything a crafter does must be paid for. I have given away more gowns than I have charged for! Or sold them at price of materials."

Harlan looks over towards Talia, and waits on her to finish, before asking, "You create gowns?" He gives a sidelong glance towards his wife at this.

"Look, it worked for Xerxes. He had /two/ sabers," Porter says to Ian when he drops down into his chair. He begins to reach for his sword again when Liara presents her question, "I just inferred it a lot by shouting about my one eye constantly and shaking the swords we took from him. Which are now hanging in the Kennexy Kay!"

Rorik looks as though he may have a reply to Ian, but Esme distracts him. He has to hunker down with a shoulder slump to hear her though, and drop his arm into his lap. Whatever it is she says makes him laugh aloud, a murmur shared before he reaches over to grab another glass of wine. It might be someone else's, who knows! Either way, he clunks it on the table right in front of Esme and flourishes a hand at it.

Ian was bantering with Porter and Rorik one moment, but something in Niklas' story seems to attract his attention, and his smile vanishes. "I heard how hurt you were," he says to Niklas, suddenly dead serious. "You did that to protect Zoey?"

"The beast charged at me, and I couldn't get our of the way fast enough," Zoey tells Ian.

"Well," Siegward starts, his eyes half-lidded, his expression indulgent before continuing; "That's not very profitable. It's kind, admirable, just not profitable," the man reckons further, his gaze rising to meet Harlan's approach for Talia with a cordially smiled; "She does. It's what she just told me," before continuing his defleshing of the lobster.

Ezra nods to Evonleigh's comment, "Yes, I think you're right. It's hard to imagine this many people that someone's not doing something interesting." It all seems rather overwhelming to him and more so as time passes, that edge of tension building in him, "I might try to find a place a little more ... sedate. Would you excuse me" There's a laugh, "my lady."

Thea lifts her eyebrow,"So there really are--sharknoids and um...giant crabs I heard, right?" She looks at Niklas and asks him and Zoey,"How does something like that even come to be?" Watching all the stealing going on nearby, she somewhat slides her glass closer. Her now full glass!

"I make a lot on the gowns that I do sell," Talia murmurs quietly, taking another bite from her plate as her gaze drops to it. She adds, in explanation: "I once sold a steelsilk gown for four and a half million silver."

Evonleigh smiles and dips her head. "Of course. It is overwhelming at times," she says quietly. "Have a lovely evening. It was nice to meet you." Her eyes turn back to Niklas as he tells the tale, softening a little when Ian speaks.

Zoey shakes her head in response to Thea's question. "We have theories, but not way to know for certain."

Harlan nods towards Siegward, then towards Talia, and says, "I should be in touch then, I know my wife looks astoundingly beautiful in gowns of all sorts." He smiles towards Lisebet and says, after a moment.

Esme has a new glass before her and she's not complaining. She doesn't even care if it's stolen. There is a rich, full laugh from her when Rorik does this. Her laugh is without apology. She drops her voice to him again. Though, she is paying attention to the comments around her. Then for some reason she holds up her hand. She presses her index finger and thumb together before moving them about half an inch apart so he can see.

Ezra stands and starts to make his way out the door and moving as silently as he can manage, a small tension seeming to have released from his shoulders.

The lobster flesh turns to cement in Siegward's neck as Talia, rather self-effacingly, voices the sum. His body seizes up; a fiery streak penetrates his skull, trying to force his eyes shut. It's a sound. A clarion from hell. A sudden realization. "I should've been a tailor," the man decides, leaning away and back from the meal; back and into the chair, relinquishing fork and rag. His appetite -- gone. His disdain he takes to the side, letting his attention and sadness in expression veer off to some unassuming window.

Ian looks between Niklas and Zoey. There's SOMETHING happening behind his eyes, but it's hard to be sure of what, because his expression doesn't give a whole lot away. There's just the intensity in his eyes.

Lisebet glances at Talia, and then back over to Harlan. "I am almost always in favour of new clothing, but in this case, perhaps once the babe is born."

Zoey leans toward Ian to say something too softly for the rest of the table.

Harlan replies towards Lisebet, 'I certainly was not going to say -that-." He grins at her, apparently having had the same thought, however.

Talia doesn't offer to teach him, instead her attention gets pulled away by Lisebet and Harlan. She nods politely, offering: "Of course. I so rarely take commissions, but I'm sure I can find some time to do something for your, my lady."

Ian responds to Zoey in a voice that has a hard edge, just a couple of words.

Niklas gives Ian a look. "Of course I did. I was wearing steelsilk and oakhide. I knew I could take a bite more than she could." He winces a bit as he shifts in his seat. "Good thing I did, as well, since all that damned armor wasn't enough to keep it from getting teeth to flesh." To Thea he says, "Well, Wash insists that they're humanarks, but that's just because Wash bet me three hundred thousand silver that sharkenoids don't exist and he's cheap."

Whatever's being whispered between Rorik and Esme has the large man leaning back in his chair and bellowing out a laugh. It takes him a good few seconds to truly compose himself, drumming a quick beat out on the table before he leans in to whisper something back to Esme.

Liara flashes Porter a grin, observing after that, "I trust they were so taken by it as to ignore the presence of your other eye." She overhears Siegward, then, and queries along the table, "Have you a particular yearning to sew?"

Kessen, a white-tailed eagle leaves, following Ezra.

Porter's story has Aethan raising an eyebrow, and he looks from him to Ian over the rim of his glass as he takes a sip. However, he doesn't say anything, even if the look is longer than it might be usually. His gaze turns to Niklas as he speaks, but before he can say anything -- if he was going to -- there's a messenger that arrives, tapping him on the shoulder and passing him a note. He reads it, then murmurs something to Evonleigh and stands. "Excuse me," he says. "I need to take care of something. Princess Sabella, thank you for your hospitality, as ever." There's a nod to those present, before he offers an arm to Evonleigh should she wish to accompany him out.

Ian bows his head to Niklas. "Thank you."

"Should you have the time and the interest, that would be very much appreciated." Lisebet says warmly to Talia. Hey, Harlan's paying so it's all good, if you ask her.

Siegward loosens his armor's bevor, tugging it down by his gorget and freeing his face from a tightening head-space that's beginning to feel cramped. Nearly, almost, wiping his hands on his Badger-liveried tabard, he instead stops at the last second to use a rag instead. He's breathing. In, out. Slowly, quick; it's a meditative approach, all things considered. "Perhaps a bit too late, your Highness," he answers for Liara, humbled by her question- so much so her approach's like an enchantment that eases the weariness of his features. "I fear I've already made a career out of hurting folk. My hands shake too much for it; for sewing."

"M...me?" Jorunn stammers in response, looking to Niklas as the Prince member points to him so certainly. "I'm afraid my tales of interest are few and far between. Naught but travels alongside plain fields and long lakes." Despite that being so, one doesn't just turn an offer down from Royalty. So, with an awkward looking hunch he stands up. "I do have one tale that might be worthy sharing to the floor. It was on my way to Arx, actually. Travelling from a small township from the northwest, I bore witness to a caravan under the pillage of bandits. What honour I have couldn't let me just forego such an attack, so with my axe I lept forth to drive away the half-dozen raiders away. Those that did not flee were felled in a timely manner." This is all said haphazardly, as if it's nothing too out of the ordinary. "The owner of the caravan, an older lady, thanked me for the aid and made on her merry way." With a sniff, Jorunn smiles. "When I got to Arx, the owner of the caravan saw me as I walked through the market place. She gifted me a hand-knit scarf, a plain old thing of two colours. She told me it would gift me luck for my deeds. Without much care I put it on, and made my way along the road. Only half an hour later, as I was sitting down on a bench, a bird from a rooftop directly above me relieved itself. And, to my amazement? The bird poop hit the bench just to my left. It missed me by a mere inch." Jorunn rubs the back of his neck a little, chuckling. "I'm not normally one to believe in luck, but maybe I will look into it a bit more. I'm afraid this is as interesting as I have!" Clearing his throat he sits. A pointed finger goes to Bedivere. "Bedivere, as one of the few people I know, you can go next."

Evonleigh smiles and takes Aethan's arm, dipping another little curtsy for the host family. "It was lovely to meet you," she says, with nods to the new faces. "Thank you as always," she tells the Grayson clan, before pushing her plate toward Rorik so he can finish it off without repercussions. Of course, what is the fun in that?

Aethan has left the Dining Table.

William, a taciturn quartermaster leaves, following Aethan.

2 Whitehawk Guards leaves, following Evonleigh.

Bedivere curiously listens before telling Jorunn, "I would not discount it." Then, Bedivere quickly stories and in the apparent format of status updates, explaining how he (and Cabbit the cat right here on his lap, of course) are currently working with the Prince Mason Grayson to help teach Eurusi refugees The Way(s) of the Compact, that if the call to arms comes, he will be joining Princess Reese Grayson and aiding her with commanding of troops against the incoming floatilla at the Mouth of the Gray River. He also explains how he has been using his experience in being the 'bad cop' (if Silas is the 'good cop') for cultist interrogation to help out the efforts of Marquessa Iliana Leary.

"Everyone has such tales of heroism here tonight!" Sabella marvels, leaning her head in her hands to listen to Jorunn then Bedivere speak, "How extraordinary! And I'm so glad you're helping my sister and Brother in law, Lord Bedivere! Did you know that Marquessa Iliana is my protege? I absolutely adore her, her mind works quite unlike my own but that just makes our conversations all the more fascinating! Don't forget to pick the next person to go!"

Esme cants her head to listen towards Rorik and then laughs again. Okay, she laughs hard enough that she snorts and then her hand flies to her mouth. She looks around at the table. "Sorry. It was Porter's fault." Ignore that is /not/ the Kennex she's talking to. She also reaches out to take Evonleigh's plate from Rorik. A slight clearing of her throat as her cheeks flush and she offers him a lower comment. There are a few times that her eyes sweep over others at the table and she does seem to be paying attention.

Liara gives a little incline of her head to Siegward, then goes on to note, "I should hope that they do not shake so much as to make other elements of life difficult. One imagines that you might find /something/ in Arx to ease any sense of being worn down. Good food, for a start," she finishes (though such is her love of gravy, one might be hard-pressed to assess just what else she's eating).

"Why is everyone always confusing us? You don't even have a beard." Porter reaches over and pats the side of Rorik's face.

Bedivere dips his head to Sabella. "I am happy to assist, and yes, the Marquessa Iliana Leary is an amazing person. Lady Thea Malvici, go!"

Esme looks up at Porter. "Oh, Porter. I wouldn't confuse you two on this point." She smiles all angelic like at Rorik. Then she goes to sip her wine and listen to those around the room and their tales. "You are all so very very interesting and I'm so lucky to have been allowed to come tonight."

Talia falls quiet, flushed, as she glances from the High Lady to Siegward, taking another bite of her food. She nods to Lisebet, a silent promise at least to consider.

Looking around the table, Thea smiles at everyone indvidually,"I'm afraid I don't have anything as interesting, as Lady Esme mentioned the man eating castle" With an impish look in her gold-flecked green eyes however,"Recently however, I went to Southport to help my brother Martino to expand our docks." Taking a drink, she continues on,"While doing my part, I had also managed to talk the men into builing a tavern as well. Princess Valencia helped as well. So, it was sort of my ghost project project under my brother's nose." Thea a looks about and adds, her eyes losing their impishness,"There may have been a--poisoning at our latest family dinner. But all is well there. And there was taking down cultists at Caer Moria and such.." Alright..she underplayed it. Thea looks over to Zoey,"Lady Zoey.."

"Why, your Highness, food is my life. I live and breathe for a good meal, for what else is there that is truly worth? If more of us valued food, cheer and song above hoarded valuables, it would be a merrier world," Siegward decides, giving Liara's meal - her little Tor of gravy - a knowing, lopsided grin of a glance before he rises from his chair, a bit too soon for a servant to pull it back. "I've had my fill, and now..." he pauses for a scant regard, looking for doorways and archways. With a wiggling finger, he reels in the nearby servant and bushes something in his ear. Then, the servant points off to the nearest restroom. Loud as like the twang of a bow's loosened string, Siegward fires off in its direction.

"Everything is always Porter's fault," Rorik says to Esme in a very matter-of-fact sort of way, seemingly unaware that she's confused the two. Whatever she leans up to murmur earns another guffaw from him though, clapping his hands to his thighs as he laughs and laughs. But he does manage to pull himself back over to her to whisper something else, right before he gets SMACKED IN THE FACE! So Rorik has to lean over and start drumming out a beat on Porter's head.

Ian seems to have mostly taken an interest in his food, like the chaos right next to him isn't happening.

Niklas watches as his various cousins raise hell. To Zoey he says, "So, Kennex dinner in a few days?"

Lisebet listens quietly. Occasionally she tries something on her plate and passes it over to Harlan. As requested. At one point, she takes note from the Kennexes and reaches out with he fork to nab something off Harlan's plate. Perhaps her next craving has just identified itself.

Thea suggests to Esme,"There are these little hairs on the back of the neck, that you just have to you know--pull." This is Thea -helping-, while she sips her wine. Not getting involved. "The tiny hairs hurt. Beards, you just pull right undernead--"

Harlan chuckles in a response to his wife's theft of foodstuffs, and motions to get some more of it.....and leaves it on the side facing her. After all, you can't just put it on her plate. There's no fun there! He sneaks a bite of something from her plate though, as well.

Esme offers some soft comments to Rorik with a flutter of lashes that is very very over the top and not real. Her eyes slide over towards Zoey for a few moments as she's called upon then she smiles at Thea. "Oh, I am rather familiar with the leash that is beards. I am the youngest and the others are all males who thought nothing of picking on their poor defenseless sister. Tragic really. It breaks my heart." Her lips curve a bit to that. She reaches out to eat on the plate of food that was Evonleigh's and went to Rorik before Esme freed it of it's captivity. Like a hero.

Liara offers up a quick and easy smile to Siegward. "In that case, I hope you enjoyed the meal. I cannot say that I quite agree with all that, but food /is/ very good." When Siegward rises, Liara offers a little flutter of her fingers in a parting gesture.

On Ian's other side, opposite the chaos, Zoey stands when Thea says her name. "Yes, Kennex dinner," she replies to Niklas with a small laugh. "Anyway, let's see. Other than the incident Niklas spoke of, I have been behaving myself for the most part," she begins. "Now that everyone has made it home, I've gotten back to work on my latest project, Hospitalis Harbor. I've gotten a few more people to agree to aid in its creation, as well as support from the Crown, so that's exciting." She pauses. "I still have a long way to go, and it keeps me out of trouble." She glances around. "Your Grace, how about you next?"

Siegward has left the Dining Table.

Rorik's drumming on his lap again, a few swift claps of hands to the tops of his thighs before he suddenly lumbers to his feet. "This was the best dinner I've ever had today," he declares to Sabella and Niklas. "But I'm afraid I've got to take this show on the road." There's a grin that he shows to Esme and then to the other Kennexes before he says to Porter: "You'll have to find another ride back." Cuz Rorik's got to go!

"Ugh, my head. Stop. You're annoying," Porter slaps Rorik's hand away the next time he tries to drum something on his person. Then he's getting up, so apparently he doesn't have to keep hitting him. "No, take me with you. Thank you for the meal and the company and the--"

Bedivere lifts his fork to Jorunn and Rorik as they are getting ready to go.

"Did you ever put itching powder in their clothes,"Thea asks of Esme. "I've done that to them as well as the men Domonico was training once." She grins at that. That's probably the one she's most proud of as she takes a sip from her glass. When Rorik and Porter go to leave, Thea bows her head. Bidding them both goodbye. A small smile to them both.

Ian braces on the table and pushes to his feet. "Hold up," he says to Porter and Rorik. Then, to Zoey: "I'll see you at home." Looks like he intends to leave with the giant Kennexes.

Zoey nods to Ian and watches the mass departure.

Esme smiles vibrantly as Rorik leaves. "It was good meeting you Rorik." She nods towards Porter and then then she looks at the others that are leaving. There is a laugh as she looks towards Thea. "Oh I have done everything to them, sadly because it was all done to me first. Like the time that Luciano was told he could not leave the house or have people over. So he snuck in an... interested person, because of course he did. So he had just put mud all over my bed. So I called for the household guards that I was certain a spy had snuck in his room. He wouldn't talk to me for a week. It was wonderful."

Rorik has left the Dining Table.

Porter has left the Dining Table.

Ian has left the Dining Table.

Ian leaves, following Porter.

Porter leaves, following Rorik.

"I have taken time to myself," Liara says, then carries on after breathing a low chuckle. "Some, anyway. It was remarkable just how little of it I was getting. Having said that, following recent correspondence, I understand that a certain expedition will be in a place to be undertaken soon - some of you know very well what I mean, and others will soon enough. That's really Lou's thing, though I expect I'll do a spot of organisation."

Thea shakes her head with a chuckle,"My brothers didn't do anything to me, because well--Martino wasn't around since he's ten years older and Domonico just--was cranky. So." Pause to drink. "I made up for it by being the only girl and doing everything I shouldn't to them. And every Malvici cousin. And guards."

Liara then goes on to indicate Christine, "Care to go next, Lady Christine?"

With a few pieces of fish snuck to Cabbit, Bedivere finishes off his plate and lets the servants who walk past take not only it but also any used utensils. Keeping his dessert ware, along with a refilled wine, he smirks about Thea. Then, he looks to Christine.

"I honestly can't wait to see the results of all these projects!" Sabella enthuses, looking from Thea to Zoey to Liara, "I really can't! I've heard that everything in Southport is going really well, Lady Thea! I've never planned to build anything in my life. I might be good at directing people to do things for it though. Or decorating! Or coming up with the idea that something ought to be somewhere. For awhile there was an idea Nik and I had for a Crown Center for the Arts, but the Bard's College does such a good job of everything it's just sort of sat by the wayside."

Thea nods to Sabella,"It is. I have plans going to expand on the defenses next. And I'll be traveling north as well too,"drinking more wine. "We've all ben busy..."

"The project I helped them --" Zoey nods toward Thea to indicate the Malvicis -- "Was wildly successful. Actually, might I talk to you about mine later?" She directs the question to Sabella.

"I spoke with Lord Rafael about your project, Zoey. He was absolutely glowing in his assessment." Which basically means Rafael didn't actively say mean things. Niklas finishes another shank, then sets himself to serving up some dessert.

Lisebet tries a different bite and then goes a touch green. "I - apologies, I think I should perhaps head home. I'm suddenly not feeling quite well. But Harlan, if you could package up some of that for later?" Of course it's the item he's stacked at the side of his plate for her to steal. She rises to her feet, not that it makes much difference, in a totally different manner than the Kennex brothers. Lisebet is petite!

"Well recently I heard that there is a plant to cure blight. In order to cultivate it you need poison and putrid water. I think it could in the future replace poison testers as well as make the morgues doubly useful? I am not sure that qualifies but hey, it's what I have been told so I'm sure later this week I will be looking for a book to see if it is true or I was fed a tall tale." Christine mentions and then remembers to add "Talia what have you been up to?"

"Oh," Talia breathes out, looking around the table. Before she answers: "I made a steelsilk gown, for the Seraph Prism. To capture-- her elegance. And she blessed the gown. It hangs in Elegant Impressions, now." She smiles softly, flushing before she looks around and adds: "I won't keep the duke and duchess by calling on them."

Zoey smiles at Niklas. "Yes, my uncle was one of those who agreed to assist," she says brightly.

Esme pauses to look at Talia. "You spoke to Prism?" It's as if all other comments around the table disappear as Esme's green eyes focus in on Talia.

Thea winks at Christine aside,"If I learn anything else, I will be sure to let you know." Rising from the table, she bows her head politely, excusing herself,"Thank you for dinner. Next time, I will try not to be so late." Thea smiles at those still left at the table. "It was a pleasure to see you all again."

Harlan nods towards Lisebet, and motions to a servant to do exactly that, before standing and bowing slightly to the table, "A pleasure, everyone, and I hope to see everyone again soon." He moves to lead his wife out, along with the servants.

"Of course!" Sabella beams at Zoey, "I'd be happy to hear about it! And--the actual Seraph Prism?" her attention is then captured by Talia when she mentions the dress, "Truly? I absolutely must drop by to see it! If anyone here doesn't already know Mistress Talia's designs are fantastic! More than that! Transcendent!"

Thea has left the Dining Table.

Finn the large Northern hunting dog with icy blue eyes leaves, following Thea.

"I think I'll have to see this gown," says Zoey. "What was your shop called again?" she asks Talia.

Ramona - A Guard in Ashford House Colours, Bigsby - A Thoughtful Looking Young Man in Nondescript Clothing, 2 Ashford Archer, 1 Ashford Scout leave, following Lisebet.

Relic leaves, following Harlan.

"Elegant Impressions," Talia repeats for Zoey, smiling softly. She blushes, for Sabella's praise, but smiles to the princess as she offers a murmured, "Thank you, your highness." A pause, before she adds, "If you'll excuse me, I should return. I have work waiting on me." She rises from her seat, tucking in her chair behind her.

Liara eventually gathers herself to her feet, with a smile for everyone about. "Lovely to see everyone." Then to Sabella, "Thank you for organising it." And, with a flutter of a wave, off she goes.

Liara has left the Dining Table.

Esme cants her head a moment to Talia and then she smiles and looks towards the others. "I've seen the dress, it is rather beautiful. Also, she did the Fidante heirloom gowns." She takes a sip of her wine.