Rupert, the Laurent Archivist, 2 Valardin Knights, 1 Laurent veteran guards arrive, following Cristoph.

Michael is busy fussing with Sir Struttington at the moment, in a corner of the room. The peacock can't decide whether his tail is to be flared or not! It keeps beginning to open at the sound of a beak-tap-tap-tapping against the inside of a shell before closing down while Michael admonishes him. "Stop that! Hold still! People will be here soon!" Until finally Michael manages to remove the messenger satchel that Struttington spends his days in.

6 Grayson House Guards, Maureen, an unflappable nanny, Clark, an exasperated guard arrive, following Sabella.

Bibi is doing her best impression of a chill mother hen, sitting near by but giving the eggs the room they need to get hatched. However, she is in a guard stance, ready to run at anyone that gets too close.

Which is what has left Claudia standing a bit away from the nest, her arms crossed over her chest as she watches the bird out of the corner of her eye. Making sure that she's not showing as a threat, because clearly she's not.

Cerys steps aside, watching from a comfortable distance, "Greetings," she inclines her head briefly, "I hope I am not too late," she says very softly, as to not disturb what might be happening.

What else is Cristoph going to do on a day that he otherwise has no plans? Work, probably. But it looks like maybe he was booted from the house to go do something 'fun'. An argument that he's having with Rupert even as they pass into the tower, "If you wanted to watch eggs hatch, we could have just gone to Norwood's and spent time poking around in his chicken coop," he complains to his assistant. But then they're here and there other people so he straightens up and nods his head respectfully to Michael upon spotting him. "Duke Bisland, pleasant seeing you. Good luck on your, uh, chicks?" he offers, uncertain if that's the proper name or not. He does not, as of yet go staring at any hatching eggs. He leaves Rupert to do that, "Well, go on."

Princess Sabella heard there would be peachicks, and so she arrives as much out of curiosity as ensuring they actually /are/ hatching. She did secure one for someone, after all. She looks around at the gathered observers and moves to greet Michael with a probably-obnoxious kiss to his cheek. "Michael! Are you excited? I can never tell. Lady Claudia, hello again."

Michael straightens up to let Struttington perform his namesake towards the nest, to pass by the cordoned off area with stakes pushed into the ground. To warble at his lady love. "Duke Cristoph! Peachicks. Chickpeas. Little baby lizard things. They look very odd when they're first free of their imprisonments." Only a few more show up and Michael is promptly assaulted by lips to a cheek. "Ohhhh, this isn't the first time I've seen this particular miracle of life. I am excited though, all the eggs are showing signs of life. Usually one or two are duds."

"Your Highness! Pleasure to see you once again, welcome to the excitement." Claudia offers Sabella a quick smile, then she carefully side-steps to make sure that she's not in the pathway of the strutting peacock. "Make yourself at home, if you need anything, let me know." She then glances towards the others that have arrived, offering them a quick smile as well, "Welcome!"

Cerys smiles gently in Claudia's direction, "Thank you." She holds her hands together in front of her, seeming a little out of place as she takes a step or two closer to watch.

Rupert shakes his head at Cristoph and then wanders off to go watch the eggs begin to hatch, leaving his duke to fend for himself. "I didn't realize that you were so experienced with this. How many nests have you seen hatch?" he wonders with a very polite curiosity. Others enter, and he gives each a crisp and courteous note of recognition as he makes eye contact, nods his head, etc... "Hello," he offers to Claudia as she seems to be the other half of the hosting party. "Duke Cristoph Laurent."

"Duke Laurent, good to see you," Sabella says in Cristoph's direction, her usual cheerful smile in place. Her cerulean gaze sweeps over Cerys, offering an introduction before letting the other woman enjoy the spectacle of egg hatching. "I know it is not your first, Michael. I still came to support you as you welcome new life into the world." There is no attempt at formality with the new duke, they've known each other too long. To Claudia, "I am fine! No need for anything. Just here to enjoy."

"Oh. This is probably going to be the fourth I've seen. I was much younger for those, they were happening at Pridehall." Michael side-steps a moment to look over towards the nests again. "Its a bit of a waiting game." A glance towards others who had joined them spots Cerys and he places her. "Your highness. Welcome, welcome. Lady Claudia Malespero over there is the owner of the Dame and you should really say hello." Yes, scoot the quiet one towards the center of conversation.

"You are very welcome, just speak up if you need anything, want anything. Have questions." Claudia spreads her hands out a bit, "I'll do my very best to answer, but in all honesty, this is my first time as well." At the sound of her name she glances over, smiling again before glancing back at Cristoph, "So wonderful to meet you, Duke Laurent. Lady Claudia Malespero....your home is the one that has produced this wonderful tweed, right?"

Cerys lifts her chin as her attention is called by Michael, "Ah, so inclusive, Duke, thank you." She then offers a wider smile and introduces herself in general, "Dame-Princess Cerys Velenosa," she turns a bit, looking to the others, "Well met."

"Princess Sabella, nice to see you." Cristoph steps out of the way of a roving guest, one that is intent on getting as close to the hatching checks as possible. He swatches them go with a sweep of his eyes and then focuses back onto Michael again. "Well, congratulation on your most recent ah, round of peacocks. What do you do with them all?" Tweed, tweed. The word reaches his ears and he rocks back gently on his heels as he considers Claudia again, a nod of his head given in confirmation. "Yes, it is. In truth it was Lady Mabelle's hand that brought it to life. She's very active in the textile industry, always at the front of whatever newest thing is happening."

"The tweed looks lovely on you, my lady," Sabella says to Claudia, remembering part of a recent discussion on fabrics. "Lady Mabelle is one of many accomplishments. Honeysilk is her fault, as well." There admiration and humor in the princess' tone, sensing a smile in Cristoph's direction. "I suspect I alone may have helped her make back the initial investment with how much I have bought. It is a stunning material."

"Thank you, I was sure I wouldn't find a peahen not associated with the Bisland line, but Lady Claudia had one." His hand waves towards Claudia. "Its a rather large problem with peafowl, most of them are only a few generations removed from Bisland's line at most." A drink is found, something less than alcoholic. "The tweed looks lovely stolen and tucked into a nest." Michael points out idly as he glances towards the nest once more just as a small very wet creature tumbles from a split egg and manages to fail entirely to stand. It looks to be nearly half legs. "There we go. The miscreants have begun arriving." He'll take a few steps towards the barrier to look towards the nest.

"A pleasure, Your Highness." This time the greeting is offered to Cerys, along with a nod of her head and another smile. Then she glances between Cristoph and Sabella, nodding very slowly, "Lady Mabelle, you said? Well. Very lovely. I was gifted the tweed that I have, but I like to keep my eye on the market, and new things are always a joy to find." Claudia offers with a half-laugh, "Honeysilk and tweed? Quite the feather in her cap, and that of House Laurent as well." She glances towards the newest peafowl as they tumble out of the egg, "Maybe that one should be named Tweed...seems like good luck."

"Perhaps," Cristoph allows of Sabella's indulgence in the purchase of various fabrics, his smile just turning up the corners of his mouth. "She's already been managing the success of the velvet for so long that the creation and improvement of these other textiles is- well, I suppose she's a kind of an expert by now. It was never really my area of expertise," he admits. He tips his head in Cerys' direction before the conversation on his cousin picks up again. "Yes, she's very busy. We're lucky to have her. Tweed?" he repeats at the end, looking to the little creature as it tumbles forward. "It /does/ look a lot like a lizard right now," the duke admits of Michael's previous words.

Sabella's attention rests squarely on the wet-lizard-half-legs-bird as it emerges. "It is a wonder that they grow into such majestic creatures," she murmurs, shaking her head. "Oh!" Her head turns, a soft laugh on her lips. "How did I manage to forget the velvet?! Another fabulous creation."

"House Laurent is oh so eminently involved int he fashion world. I'd say Lady Mabelle is the one at the reins most seasons. Did you know fashion has seasons? I didn't know until she said so. It was an interesting thing to become aware of." The grumbly Michael makes room for others as the guests come to watch awkward attempt to stand. "Majestic creatures? We'll see. They are their cutest after they dry though. Little bundles of fluff."

"I did, usually it goes with the actual seasons. Right?" Claudia is just honestly guessing at this one, but when there is mention of velvet as well she just laughs, "She really does have a very long list of accomplishments." She glances at Sabella, then tilts her head towards the peachick, "Are you going to select the one you want before leaving, Your Highness?"

"Of the fashion world? I leave that completely up to her," Cristoph says easily to Michael, shrugging his shoulders. "But- yes. I always thought that it followed along with the actual seasons." A quick smile is flashed in Claudia's direction before his eyes drift back to the hatching chicks. His assistant's attention is rapt on the eggs, like this is the most exciting thing that he's seen this year.

"Oh, not for me. Though, would it be rude to declare the cutest one goes to Zoey?" Sabella looks between Claudia and Michael, hopeful. "She is the one who got the IOU at the game, in the end." The princess smiles, her eyes flicking back to the nest. "I will take your word for it, Michael. And yes, seasons. Somewhat in line with the weather," she explains, giving a nod to Cristoph. "But also capitalizing on trends in materials and social movements."

"Duke Cristoph, I think your expertise is giving those of drive and passion, space and funds to create." Michael remarks about something that had been said a bit ago. Then another egg, and another start to wobble and shards pop free to scatter about the nest. Struttington flares his feathers out now from beside Bibi and warbles a call to all of his children to join him in the sun or something. "None of them are cute, Princess. Give it a week or two before you start making such declarations."

"So, the Duke and I are partially right...seasons follow the weather. But also social movements, and wouldn't the trend in fashion be what sets the trends in materials? Or is this something more...entwined so deeply as to be unable to pull one from the other?" Claudia wonders, half her attention on the baby birds being hatched, and the other half on Sabella's fashion lessons. "They are //all// cute, Duke Bisland, even if they look like wet lizards with feathers."

"How do you tell which one is the cutest?" Cristoph has to wonder, looking at the newly hatched chicks with a somewhat dubious expression. However when Michael is is saying that none of them are currently cute, he nods. Yes. That is exactly what he was thinking too! Rupert catches his silent agreement, the archivist frowning at him. The affects a pleasantly innocent smile and rejoins the conversation at hand. "Maybe, there's some highly impractical fashion choices though. Regardless of weather." Of course then Claudia is saying the chicks /are/ cute and the dubious expression returns! He looks from her to the chicks and then back again. "Anyway, yes. I'm very altruistic that way, Duke Bisland." In giving people freedom to do what they want. Likely so that he doesn't have to do it. A win-win situation, really. Possibly not altruism.

"I trust you to make that determination when the time comes," Sabella says, of the cuteness of the chicks. "I am unlikely to be a good judge of such a thing." Her shoulders lift gently, smiling at Claudia. "They are quite entwined, yes. For example, summer tends to require lighter weight clothing, which means the silks are often preferred. If fashion influencers hear about a new type of silk, they may push that silk to being the most popular of the season." She thinks for a moment, offering another note, "And social movements affect that, too, as now things like fireweave are nearly impossible to get ahold of, and oakhide was made as an ethical response to Cardian snakeskin."

"They'll dry out pretty quick. Then they'll look like puffs of cotton. Yes you. No no, turn around. I said turn around." Michael leans over the barrier slowly to pluck up a peachick running towards them, to turn it around so that it runs back towards the nest without awareness of the diversion in its trajectory. "I think Zoey will probably want a peahen, probably of Bisland's yellow....which is the three light ones." Michael makes a point to point them out to Sabella.

"Mmm." Claudia replies with a nod, "Which the weather makes sense, and even the movements make sense. But it certainly does make you wonder if you can push a social movement, and then go tada...look, I found a new fabric." She lifts a hand, fingers drumming against her bottom lip for a moment as she considers the effect that might have. Then she shakes her head, freeing it from the thoughts, "I'm sure that those new fabrics have turned a tidy sum for Laurent, as well."

Cristoph is still considering the birds in the penned off area, his eyes gaze sliding back and over to Claudia. There's a play of amusement that works over his expression, "Hm." Then he straightens up and locks his hands behind his back. "Plenty of things turn a tidy sum for Laurent, we keeps ourselves properly busy in a variety of areas." He tips his head, considering something that Sabella has said. "Things can be an ethical alternative but if they end up being prohibitively more expensive for the vast majority, you'll still see the other items on the market. That's likely part of why there's still plenty of Cardian snakeskin being sold."

"I'm sure that Mabelle holds the most influence over fashion, but not to the point that she might direct it entirely herself. At least not enough to corner the market or something." Michael speaks aside to the pair before turning away from the hatching eggs towards Claudia and Cristoph. "Most of the Cardian goods aren't produced in a kindly fashion, are they?"

"That are always the nice things." Claudia replies with a laugh, then she sobers up a moment later at Michael's question. She shakes her head very faintly, "They are not, I doubt. But I'm no expert on how they are produced, not like some."

"I wouldn't tell my cousin that if I were you, Duke Bisland," Cristoph laughs. "Or she might just take it as some kind of challenge to become the queen of it. Though perhaps it might be for the benefit of us all." As for Cardian goods, his shoulders left. "From what I understand? No, they're not." As Claudia speaks, he nods. "I've never been there so I can't claim to be an expert either. But people will buy what they can afford."

"I'll remember that in case I want to put Mabelle to work to something that won't interfere with what I'm about to get up to." Michael taps his chin thoughtfully at his contigency plan and its pronouncement. "I've even told you and I don't know that you'd be able to stop her." A dipped nod towards Cristoph and Claudia. "Thats my excuse for steelsilk. I can afford it, its already here in Arx. I might as well wear it to save my life."

Sabella, for her part, seems quite distracted by the cracking of shells - this is far from a normal part of any of her endeavors. "How fascinating..." Her words are gentle, awe-filled. "Hm? Oh! Yes. Though I understand my protege has recently taken steps toward parity in oakhide and snakeskin for cost. A good step, indeed. Though, I imagine people who already made the investment may be... Well, perhaps they can take comfort in knowing they made an ethical, if expensive, choice." She frets briefly on that point, shrugging.

"If there's a demand, people will pay the price...and they can get the prestige from being able to afford it before the prices went down." Claudia replies with a reassuring smile for Sabella, "I'm sure that they will be happy to have made the investment, regardless. And I'm sure the Duke's both agree."

"I'll just warn Lady Mabelle that if you have any particular projects of brilliance that you think she should man, it's because you're trying to distract her from something else," Cristoph remarks to Michael lightly and with a hint of mischief in his voice. Yes, he would get Michael into trouble. "Hm. I think it's very nice for those who can afford it to make an ethical choice, though I understand where some don't have that sort of luxury. They need protection. But that subject could get me on an entirely different tangent that might last for hours, I won't bore everyone." He gives a vague sort of wave of his hand. "Anyway, I think that I'll be off. Lady Claudia, Duke Bisland, lovely afternoon. And Princess Sabella, good to see you again." He clears his throat, "Master Rupert?" Please stop trying to pat the birds, Rupert. Please.

"I don't know if that would even stop her." Michael glances BACK towards the gathering peafowl and the eggs meet their demise. Nearly all of the peachicks have forced their eggs to split and have begun tumbling about the area around them. To jab their beaks at low shrubbery and plants to get their first taste of food. Plants and whatever ants are crawling over them. It will seem the orangery will provide food for the time being. "I don't know that theres much prestige in paying exuberant prices on the material. This subject would be a more worthwhile topic for the salon than Haze or anything else I'd suspect."

"Hm." Sabella continues to keep her eyes on the chicks. "Thankfully, there is little ethical dilemma in velvet. Unless it /is/ bee fur, as some people joke?" Her eyes sparkle with amusement in Cristoph's direction, then with a dip of her chin she bids him farewell. "It was good to see you, as well." A glance to Michael gains a nod. "Perhaps you are right."

"It was nice to meet you, Duke Laurent." Claudia informs him, but then she moves towards the chicks in an effort to keep one of them from picking at something in the nest and unravling. "No no...you don't want to do that."

Rupert, the Laurent Archivist, 2 Valardin Knights, 1 Laurent veteran guards leave, following Cristoph.