Martino drops Heaven's Embrace, The Creamiest Liqueur.

Bryn, a flustered lovelorn Prodigal assistant, Misty, a sweet-hearted, but bossy Mistward Labrador arrive, following Svana.

Kritr is here for grilled meat, first and foremost. Not that he doesn't like growing things. And he avoids strong liquors, for everyone's sake.

Renato, an overconfident courier arrives, following Kaia.

Matteo, an eager knight's apprentice, Kaia arrive, following Irisa.

With a brief smoothing of his right hand upon his sash cloak, which falls voluminous upon the floor, the Lord Martino Malvici positions himself by the entrance to welcome guests in with a faint crease of his eyes. With spring, comes the chance to clear the cupboard's of last years wine. And spirits in a joyus fest. At least... as much as can be done while there's a whirlpool outside.

"Ah Lord Kritr... oh what a delight to see you there. Please... please. Do join us. The fire is just starting up upon the decking." Martino's left hand lifts up to gesture before smiling easy to the nexy guest, "Oh, a red wine? Or red wine? I may have some Heaven's Embrace somewhere as well."

Fashionably late, as per usual, Martino was not with Kaia at the moment.

Renato, an overconfident courier leaves, following Kaia.

Svana enters, wearing nothing too fancy - but certainly celebrating the season of spring. She has two tiny newborns strapped to her chest and a slightly relaxed, if not entirely exhausted, appearance. She moves over to Martino and doesn't really bow to him, but she does dip her head to him. "Thank you for having a festival, Lord Martino - or a feast, or whatever you shall call it.

Kritr greets Martino with a short bow. Then he pops up onto the decking and removes his gloves to warm his hands by the fire. "Good evening Lord Malvici."

Having been resting back on a deck bench, Nova sits up and becomes visible, or at least more visible now. She then stands up with graceful mobility before piping up, "Party People!" She then quickly hugs herself before tossing out that big hug to everyone here! "Party babies, too!" She smiles brighter!

Sir Floppington wags up to Svana, doing so with those soulful eyes looking up a the little ones as his tail wags.

Renato, an overconfident courier arrives, following Kaia.

"A deadline to shifting out a Black Pearl and a piece of Ivory. We'll call it that... anything not eaten today will make way down to the Lowers to help what can." Martino's sharp greens crease easy to Svana before his left hand reaches to touch against his chest as he mulls to her, "Has been quite a while, Messere Svana, though. I hear times have moved beyond Bonespire." Turning his lips broad, Martino grins to Kritr to greet him with a low dip of his chin once more, "Fine to see you Lord Kritr. Did you ever see the Carnival we had? I had a climbing wall from it put just here." Angling his gaze to it, there follows that grin once more before welcoming Rowenova with a smile, "Oh a delight to see you Scout Rowenova. Always is. We are so... Northern today."

"I was in the North." Kritr answers Martino, eyeing the climbing wall from afar. "Looks climbable." But it doesn't engage him at the moment. "Is there beer?"

Svana smiles at Lord Martino. "Well, you know what they say. You can take the girl out of the Bonespire but you can't take the Bonespire out of the girl. She moves in, but not before getting spotted by Rowenova. She looks at Nova and beams. "Hey, there are some special little ones here who would like to meet you!" She holds a baby arm up from the sling, letting it poke out and wave.

A courtly bow to Martino, and then Nova pops up to her full height plus her wolfy ears atop her pelt headdress. "Thank you for going with us, Krit!" says the future Morien to be. Then, she speedily zooms to where Svana is, doing so with a bright smile as she peeks down into the baby sling. "Aww."

Irisa returns to the gardens with a bottle of whiskey from Saikland Greens. Given the issues surrounding starvation and such, it was definitely not cheap to get it. But the bottle may be the least surprising thing about her. She's wearing a black haltertop that shows plenty of midriff and provides a diving v-neck design that flatters her well, the banding at the bottom done in crimson. The long skirt she wears looks like silk, done in black as well, with a crimson stripe running up one side to her thigh, a slit through it allowing movement. The arrangement clearly goes together and is something to the Malvici colors. And when she arrives, she almost seems self conscious about so much bare skin but she is doing her best to power through it, Kaia walking at her hip and encouraging her forward. When in Rome, as it were. And this is the Lyceum. The diamondplate rests just over the slit in the skirt and the bandage she wears on her left shoulder is lightly wrapped.

Inside the carrier is a little boy with slightly darker skin than his mother, dark hair, and a sharp little nose; there is also a fair skinned little girl with a tuft of dark red hair. Neither of them have their eyes open. Svana smiles at Rowenova and immediately takes the little boy from the sling. She waves down to Floppington, then over to Kritr before passing the boy to Rowenova. "This is Rowan. He's named for you."

Standing by the entrance, the Lord Martino Malvici welcomes in the next few coming forward and indicates them both to food and archery targets, "Oh please... do come in. Yes. Yes... Kaia will be by soon. Imagine being me and having spent just over a month away from the wife." Laughing slightly, Martino's eyes crease to Svana as he twists his lips slightly wry, "We... may a time soon need to talk a little about it. Everwinter is a curious old blanket of snow." Dipping his chin low, Martino's eyes crease to welcome both Kaia and Irisa in with a broad smile, "Dame Irisa. Darling wife. Fine to see you both. I believe Lord Kritr is about to show off climbing the wall."

Going wide eyed, Rowenova softly wows. She slowly extends her wiry arms and takes up the little boy, doing so very carefully. "Named for me? Oh my oh my. That is a great honor. I am not sure what to say."

"I might if you're keeping the beer at the top." Kritr rumbles. He picks over the food offerings. "What are you growing? I'm growing tomatoes. Are your tomatoes ripe yet?"

Sir Floppington softly sniffs at the transitioning child before wagging more.

Rowenova checked luck at difficulty 15, rolling 20 higher.

An offer to talk about Everwinter? Svana looks at Martino with wide, interested eyes and nods gingerly. "Yes, please, m'Lord. That would be lovely!" She smiles at Rowenova and strokes the babe's hair. "You don't have to say anything. Asher and I both agreed that you were one of the best women we know." Svana sighs happily and kisses Rowenova's cheek, looking down at the little boy. "Of course, he is named after you and looks nothing like you. My dark little raven."

Irisa presents the bottle of whiskey to Martino and shows off her best smile for him. "Thank you for hosting, m'Lord." She curtsies in the skirt and moves past, heading for the salad and beef. Irisa is a knight after all and that means eating protein. "That smells wondrous.."

Svana gets a small portion of mouthwatering roasted duck with fresh green salad and fruits from a medium sized platter of mouthwatering roasted duck embellished with fresh green salad and fruits.

Rowenova somehow taps into her maternal instincts and somehow manages to properly hold the tiny baby within her leather-clad arms. Rowenova sure seems quite humbled by the adorable news. She gratefully accepts the cheek kiss, and then softly speaks, "Well, I certainly appreciate the high regard. Thank you. Also, they are both beautiful beyond belief." She laughs softly, not too much, since she does not wish to cause the wee lad any disturbed sleep.

"Sure Kaia and I would be honoured to have you around for wine and the like... the..." Martino's sharp green eyes turn to the small boy of Svana's as he slightly shivers to add, "Would be lovely to have you both." Creasing his eyes easy to Irisa, Martino's fingertips reach out to accept the bottle of whiskey from Irisa before leaning cheek-to-cheek with her in greeting, "Quite alright. Hope Lady Kaia wasn't too much of a handful?" Turning his head to Kaia, he smiles easy to her before offering out his left hand, "Come. Let us get you something to eat."

"Come on Irisa, you look wonderful! Lift that chin." she tells her friend, looping one arm in hers and pulling her torwards the rest of the gathered. A smile given to each of the guests as she respectively catches their faces. "Darling.~" she chimes in greeting to her husband, before rising on her tiptoes to place a swift and modest kiss upon his lips. Then, she stands there by his side, with Irisa at the other. "Sorry we are a bit late. I was getting Irisa something presentable to wear. Doesn't it look fantastic?" she asks in an enthusiastic tone. The petite woman is garbed in a gorgeous spartan style gown of silver and gold silk and organza that seems to accentuate her curves. Speaking of which...if you looked in more closely...someone ought to let her know she should stop with the sweets. She seems to be getting a bit fat...

She laughs softly and nods the little girl still in her sling. "This little one is Elanne, named after our mothers - Elke and Miranne." She smiles softly. "You're in very high company, Wolf Scout." She laughs, blushing as Row compliments the babes. "Thank you. I think Asher is quite fond of them... they are pretty," she agrees, before she looks to Martino. "Oh yes?" She looks at Kaia's gown, then looks back to Martino. "That sounds lovely."

Irisa returns the kiss to Martino's cheek with easy affection. Being close to the married Malvici's is something that comes naturally it seems. "Drink all the whiskey. Its fantastic. You probably already know that since it comes from one of your vassal houses, but.." There it is. She smiles and looks around before Kaia commands her to lift her chin. Ahem. It isn't a roll of her eyes so much as a clearing of her throat and doing her best to get comfortable with this. "Lady Kaia," she mutters, trying to not draw attention to that. But she plasters on the smile anyway, forcing it to stay there. Its harder to be nervous when you're smiling. "Food. There is food."

Nova quietly calls, "Lady Kaia. Dame Irisa. Always good to see you both." Then, she soon returns full focus to Rowan, Svana, and Elanne. "I am so glad Asher was there with you. You are both a sweet couple." She then looks more to Rowan and softly speaks, "Yes, they are!"

Leading in a bit further with Kaia upon left arm, having looped his in around hers, Martino steps with his wife and Dame Irisa up upon the decking to join those around the fire. Dipping his chin low to Svana, he echos, "Oh yes... well if you have not met. My wife, Kaia here is something of a scholar that won't stop." Checking with Svana and Kritr, chin turning to each, Martino asks, "Have you both met Dame Irisa here? Knight of Riven. Fine protector and brave soul to put herself between danger and those in danger."


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It's a late spring night with clear skies, warm and pleasant. The nearly full moon shines brightly over Arx. And then the shadow of something high, high above the city can be seen against the moon as it passes over. It's quick, it only takes about ten seconds at most. No one gets a good look at it. The general consensus from those who saw it is that it must have been a strangely shaped, fast moving cloud, although there were no other clouds in the sky. A few remark that the barely audible hissing was a bit weird.
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"Oh! Food! Yes.~" Kaia does take hold of Martino's offered hand, and proceeds to walk with him torwards the table. Oh my, that duck seemed wonderful! There's a smile directed torwards Rowenova. "Likewise, Rowenova. I do hope the food is to your liking." she says in a sweet tone, before shifting her attention back to that duck.

Kritr turns with a carefully procured beer in hand to the named lady and salutes her. "Dame Irisa. How does one become a knight of Riven? It isn't an inheritable title, right?"

Somewhere in the crowd, Svana hears whiskey. She waves to Lady Kaia and Dame Irisa. "Oh? I'm happy to to aid any scholar. I myself am starting an investigation into my family name... I've never known them outside the Bonespire, so perhaps there is new information to be gleaned." Svana kisses Rowan's forehead softly. "Well, if you wish to plunk him back down, we could get something to eat."

Nova carefully transitions the sleeping child into the baby sling once more, doing so as she nods softly and almost seeming like she does not truly wish to let go, but she is no baby snatcher, and she can probably hold the wee one at a later time, right? Once Rowan is safely settled. She side hugs Svana before then letting go and stepping up to the food table. "I am sure it is gonna be because you only make the best things. I am on a diet, but I can have as much meat and roots and berries as desired." Thus, she totally fills a meat plate!

Irisa follows the couple up to the firepit towards everyone else, spying baby and her smile grows. She forgets to be nervous and she looks like she might melt from cuteness overload. Someone loves kids. "Hey there, little one." Just like Irisa to greet the baby first. She probably judges people based on whether or not they own dogs, too. To everyone, she dips her head, "Well met." Svana gets a wave of her hand in reply. Looking upppp to Kritr, she shakes her head. "No, sir. I'm Minister of Population for the House also, but neither are inheritable positions. Just titles. I was knighted before I joined Riven. The March's leadership invited me to join their inner circle, but it is a pledge of loyalty and service to the House. Any children I have will have to earn their own titles and my parents were most assuredly -not- knights." There's some amusement there with it.

Lifting his chin up, Martino hums as there is something of a hiss above the city. Fleetingly over the top. His brow furrows in before muttering hush around the decking, "Mm... Skylords." His nose wrinkles at that comment before drawing his gaze back down. Paying attention once more to those around at the party he and Kaia were hosting, "Possibly as Knights of Southport, even." Curling his lips, slightly wry to Irisa, Martino's fingertips rest upon Kaia's forearm as he nods to Svana, "Oh, very least, I would be happy to help in a few days. Guido, my good courier, has a knack of finding out bits between delivering my scandalous letters."

When Martino speaks of Skylords, Nova glances up with a narrowed gaze, indeed.

Kaia offers Svana a smile, her eyes falling upon her little ones with an 'aww' expression before returning their focus to her face once more. "Ah, is that so? Well, I often find myself researching the Everwinter. I'm sure my husband might have mentioned it once or twice before." she muses with a little laugh. Her attention shifting slightly to Martino as he pointed out the barely audible hiss and murmurs of some of the servants around claiming to have seen something about the moon. Her eyes instinctivly glance up, but she sees nothing. She shrugs it off and returns to taking a modest bite of the duck. A grin directed to Rowenova as she speaks of the food and fills her plate.

"So. Knighthood also means first in battle, yes?" Kritr asks Irisa, doggedly pursuing the topic of knighthood. He glances meaningfully at Irisa's longsword.

Walking with Rowenova to the snack table, she looks upward and sees a glint of something in the sky. Upon not really finding much rhyme or reason for it, she gives the vaguest shrug of her shoulders before turning back to Lady Kaia. "He may have mentioned it just once, I promise you. But I do miss it this time of year. I'd love to go sit in a snowbank right about now." She fixes a plate of duck with all the trimmings, licking her lips.

"I won't lie, I feel more dangerous dressed like this. Nervous, but dangerous." Irisa holds her smile until she hears the hissing. Her eyes lift with everyone else and the smile fades. "It has not been to our advantage when they have been seen in the last few years. Too much Cardian influence." The words are quiet, almost a whisper, but she watches until it vanishes away into the darkness. Her eyes return back to Martino and she shrugs, then looks back to Kritr. "Not always. To some I think it would mean that, yes, m'Lord. To me, Knighthood means taking responsibility for the safety of those around you. You're sworn to the House, but do you actually invest yourself in the causes of that House? Knights can be made and unmade. But a professional gives their full effort to the task so that it is done right the first time, m'Lord. I'm... suddenly unsure if that even answers your question."

"Do you don't fight?" Kritr asks, because his question was really just as simple as that and her prevarication leads him to believe the opposite.

Curious, Martino's head tilts as he wonders openly to Kritr while lifting his glass of red wine held in free left hand, "Oh Lord Kritr... seeking a Knighthood? It's a bold path to take and, well, down in Southport we have a fine training academy to Gloria." Always one to push a trip home, Martino curls his lips wry at Kaia and Svana's comments about him before nodding aside to Irisa in mute agreement. "Mmm. Yes Scout Rowenova... sadly I did not get a spot of the /colour/ of the dragon as well."

Merek is about at the place, looking at it all.

Irisa holds her gaze up to Kritr and nods slowly, some amusement to her eyes. "I absolutely fight, m'Lord. It is the primary function of a Knight. I can do other things as well." The Dame lifts a single brow. "Are you about to ask for a demonstration of sorts?" she asks, curious about where this might be going.

Kritr looks over at Martino. "No. Not seeking. Understanding." He keeps his answers terse. "The North does not have knights I think. So I am learning more about what knighthood is."

Taking another small bite of that mouthwatering duck, Kaia catches a glimpse of a fellow explorer somewhat idle a few feet away. "Ah, Messere Merek! Welcome! Come, join us. Have some food. There's plenty!" she offers with a sweet smile, after having properly swallowed her food and dabbed the corners of her mouth with a clean piece of cloth, like a proper lady.

Irisa blinks. "How did I not known that about the Northern Houses?" Huh. She glances to Martino to see if he knew that as well, before looking back. "In that case, I'll answer any questions I can. But yes a Knight's primary responsibility is to fight for the House and family. Once sworn, they may or may not be asked to take on additional duties by the House. We are typically paid well and most Houses treat their knights well. But as you know, not everyone understands respect - both ways. Some houses treat their knights very badly and some knights just aren't very good or they're negligent or just bad people. But because an oath is sworn to that House, the knight cannot just leave. Only the House can release them." The uninjured shoulder gives a gentle shrug. "Additional duties could be anything, though. A Knight could assume just about any roles for the House that the Leige Lord may assign. Generalships, ministerial duties, specific tasks or positions of trust. For example, for the last.. almost ten years, I have been the personal guard to the children of the leadership. I've helped raise them. But I also function as one of the lead diplomats and peacekeeper. So.. A knight can be many things. But they must always be ready to fight."

Turning his chin to Irisa, Martino's lips curl wry to her as she and Kritr speak, "Oh come down to Southport's Training Academy. There they train in fencing. Less axes and more..." There is a faint tint to Martino's cheeks as he shares this bit, unsure quite on the words, "Swishing."

Turning his chin, Martino's lips curl to welcome Merek in echo with his wife Kaia, "Ah yes... please. Any not enjoyed today will make it's way to the Lowers later to help and aid where we can." Lifting his wine, Martino greets Merek from afar before sipping upon the red wine.

After piling up her food plate, Nova nods back to Martino as she grimly glances up above once more before quietly listening to everything going on here. Then, she quickly transfers her plated food into a wooden box from her Messenger Bag before quietly asking, "Does everyone know the rhyme about dragon colors, yeah?"

"That's okay. I'm much into 'swishing'." Kritr grouches. "I'll stick to axes." He asks both Irisa and Martino. "Do all knights need Gloria's blessing?"

There's a long silence from Svana as she keeps an ear out. She's listening to Irisa talk about what it means to be a knight, keeping her eyes open. She gives a wave to Merek, but at the same time she's trying to follow up once she's heard the word dragon. Knights and dragons. Her heat orbitals begin to spin and she's listening to both conversations, fixing a plate of food, and eyeballing her newborns. She's a multitasker.

After quietly imparting the information involved with dragon colorification, Nova packs away her wooden box before deeply bowing to the Malvici couple then standing up. A side hug to Svana before Nova quietly mentions. "Gotta go!"

Rowenova has left the a raised, wooden decked area with a fire pit central.

Sir Floppington the Soulful Hound leaves, following Rowenova.

"No. Templars, I believe, are sworn to Gloria. When I was knighted I swore service to the Compact as a untitled defender, giving my oathes in front of the Gods. Knighthood exists under a legal structure within the Compact and governs it, but I don't know that there is a governing body for knights. I know we rely on our reputation. Public respect and praise for a knight of the House can mean everything to the knight. As long as its sincere respect, it can go a long way. As I said, a lot of Houses will take their knights for granted. Some don't know what they have. A motivated Knight can help take a House to better, higher places." Irisa tries to not get too far into that. But with the coloring of the dragon discussed, she goes very quiet and looks into the distance as she thinks on that. Its clearly struck her. "Is that accurate?"

"Ah... perhaps more evidence that Nannies and sending them away is for the best. Mmm darling?" Martino's voice is a hush whisper with Kaia as he spies Svana care for children and food along with conversation. "Oh Messere Svana. Should you need a rest a time soon... do let us know. Lady Thea enjoys looking after the Duchess' children as well as Lady Eirene's as well. Glad to offer our her services to you." Privately, discreetly, there is a flicker of wry smirk in his lips while he speaks. Hearing the share of the song between Rowenova and others about the decking, Martino nods his head low as he says, "Yes. Blue has me... most curious. We'll have to speak a time soon about it, Dame Irisa."

Hearing his wife murmur hush into his head, Martino's head dips low as he wrinkles his forehead in utter concern, "Oh... you do not feel... oh rest up in our alcove. I shall let them both know to come in and check upon you."

Svana smiles softly at Martino. "Thank you, m'Lord. That is very kind..." The talk of dragons make Svana's eyes widen and she looks at Martino especially when he mentions the blue dragon. "...Hmm, the blue dragon," she repeats softly. There's a slight shiver down her spine before she realizes what time of the year it is and moves to sit down with her plate, listening again to Irisa. "Do you know my husband, Squire Asher?"

"Huh." Kritr says. "I don't know about all that. If it doesn't require worship of Gloria, then maybe a knighthood is a good idea. Nobles get knighthoods sometime, right? Just not for their own house?"

Inhaling slightly, Martino pats the fingertips of Kaia before exhaling slight, "Apologise to... leave you all but Kaia, here, is not feeling quite too well. Been a busy, endless, month for us both so... perhaps just thin string come the end." Creasing his eyes ever-so-slightly, there is a worry and a glance twice to Kaia's face as he speaks before dipping his chin low to the guests, "Please. Do stay about and enjoy the food, the drink and... well the Gardens. Theres were made to be quietly enjoyed away from the city for fine Lycene tastes and dares."

Stepping down from the decking, Martino walks beside his wife Kaia back into the House proper.

In truth, after some time, Kaia seemed to stop eating. Her tanned skin seeming to take a slightly sickly hue to it. She set the unfinished plate aside, one of the servants quickly picking it up and taking it away once it was clearly abandoned. She would lean in to murmur something to her husband, and then take a slow measured stand. "I apologize, but I don't seem to be feeling too well. I best head back into the manor and rest. Thank you all for coming. It was lovely to both meet and see you all."

Kritr has enjoyed the food and drink. He hasn't tested the climbing wall yet though. Probably self-conscious about being the first.