It's a spring day, in the afternoon, with a gentle breeze that brings with it a fresh and clean scent that drifts through the open windows. The wispy clouds overhead form wild shapes as they drift across the sky, leaving the sky mostly clear and promising that the weather for the upcoming evening will be equally lovely. The long table in the dining room is dressed with overlapping layers of linens in the hues of spring: warm cream, spring green, sunlight yellow and fresh bouquets of flowers are scattered around the room in brightly colored glass vases. Food and drink is arranged on the sidebar and Seliki household staff are busy uncovering dishes, making the final touches and so lighting extra candles and lanterns to add to the warm, welcoming glow of the room and the hall at large.

Samantha arrives with her attendants, falcon Jynx left to fly outside lest she and Diane clash. It wouldn't do for the first skirmish of the looming war to be between allies, now would it? The Marquessa of Old Oak gestures one of her servants forward with a gift for their host, a fine bottle if the dust on its shoulders are any indication - apple brandy - a Deepwood staple. "Whitereef is beautiful in spring," she offers to whomever might emerge, as she sheds a light wrap and smiling as she looks about.

Kalani is fussing once more with the placement of flowers around the room and turns with a welcome smile to Samantha, curtsying to the Marquessa of Old Oak as she does so. "Thank you, and I cannot even begin to convey how relieved I am that this spring day is not one that's awash with torrential down pour or already ghastly hot," is admitted with a bit of a glance sky-ward as though daring the weather to change now that it's been so nicely complemented and remarked upon. She accepts the bottle of apple brandy, her face lighting up as she reads the label, "This is perfect! We have apple and fresh berry tarts and chilled cream to accompany the tarts. I'm so glad you could make this meeting on such short notice, you grace. Orrin will be with us shortly, I think one of his meetings ran longer than intended."

"Short notice is fine when in Arx, just minutes away, Lady Seliki." Samantha smiles at Kalani's delight at the brandy, "It's good to see you. It's been too long." She admires the spread on offer but makes no selections. "Water first, please, if this is going to be a long meeting I should like to be well hydrated." Humor glimmers briefly. Likely some servant or other will see to the water. At the mention of meetings running long, Samantha sighs, "A hazard of station." Interminable meetings. Especially now. Hence the water. There is a thread of solemnity in her, more than serenity, darker.

Glasses of water are procured and one, each, is offered and Kalani accepts hers with a quiet smile along with a nod. "It has been to long, but it's wonderful to see you now. And yes, both to the water," she lifts her glass slightly then sips from it, "and the way meetings tend to be hazardous to ones calendar or timing of things. I've also pointed out to my uncle that paperwork breeds in captivity. Every new missive, note, message, bit of parchment or report, adds to the collective breeding population and it expands every time we're out of the room where it's mostly contained," her eyes are alight with that quiet humor.

Samantha's eyes widen, "Perish the thought." Breeding paperwork. It's enough to make her shiver briefly. She draws a deep breath, "Well as delightful as this spread is, shall we attempt to... cull the herd?"

Kalani grins as she nods, "The only cure is fire, round bin fire, in fact," she helpfully supplies the solution before moving toward the table and gestures to the empty chairs and waits until Samantha picks one before she does as well. She shares a nod and a quiet word with one of the household staff and food begins to move toward the table, "So there's a lot to unpack, from the meeting itself, from current events, projected plans, possible plans and everything else that'll be up in the air until the historians are sorting it out a generation from now."

Expression turned grave as she sits and ponders the task before them, "I am here to gather information. These are things Rymarr managed. Before." Her manages a watery smile, "I'm hoping to attend enough that I can make a report to Lady Emily," Kalani will know that Emily inherited Rymarr's duties after the Marquis' death. "She is seeing to the muster of Deepwood's legions even as we speak."

"I'm so sorry for your loss, your grace," Kalani speaks softly, her expression heavy with sympathy as the water glasses are topped off and plates are placed around the table. "What information are you focusing on, at the moment, that'll assist with lady Emily's endeavors?" she wonders instead.

Samantha dips her head in acknowledgement of Kalani's condolences, expression resuming characteristic - in fact emblematic - Deepwood serenity. "We've bolstered our ranks significantly since the confrontation with Grayreeve, including longships," she smiles a bit, "We thank you for their berth at the... Portress. Those are Seliki's to command." She continues, "We should likewise coordinate any movement of Deepwood soldiers across Pearlspire." The movement of troops in another's domain always touchy even among close allies.

"I've actually been thinking about that a bit, since some of this was set in motion," Kalani replies as she starts setting food on her plate, considering not just what to eat but how to address the situation. "I think there's several facets to this, actually. The increase in shipping traffic and the increased presence of workers, sailors and so on has a number of side affects on the port city itself. Not just with regard to how to liaise between Seliki soldiers and Deepwood, but how it relates to commerce and the attending population boom, etcetera." She finishes sorting the food out and angles one of the serving spoons - just so. "We've been working on a trade deal with Malvici for a few months now, mostly just the language, but one of the provisions relates to how Seliki soldiers are accompanied by a commanding officer that gets inserted into the command structure of the Malvici forces, should the need arise. Would such a solution work for the chain of command structure that your soldiers operate within?"

"I'm certain something of the sort will be necessary. If you draft something, name your appointees, and send it along to me and my Voices," Emily and Braelynn, "We'll be sure to circulate it among our commanders." She is happy to let the servants handle the distribution of food and murmurs thanks at their aid. "We shouldn't let a bit of war spoil a good meal. Perhaps we can talk more when Orrin can join us. How have you been?"