"He'll be back" Jaenelle informs those gathered as she peaks towards the door behind the bar that only few have access to. "Julius has decided that he was allowed into the cellar and...he may never return again." The barkeep is given a look, and the man simply shrugs his shoulders as if he may not have had a choice in the matter.

Trouble, the waddling raccoon, 1 Redoubt Buccaneers, Luzio, the burly Mirrormask, 1 Templar Knight guards, 1 Knight of the Temple arrive, following Giada.

Trouble, the waddling raccoon, 1 Redoubt Buccaneers, Luzio, the burly Mirrormask, 1 Templar Knight guards, 1 Knight of the Temple leave, following Giada.

Trouble, the waddling raccoon, 1 Redoubt Buccaneers, Luzio, the burly Mirrormask, 1 Templar Knight guards, 1 Knight of the Temple arrive, following Giada.

The last time Aella was at the Black Fox, she nearly died because of Noah and Jaenelle. So, it isn't especially clear why she's braving the establishment once more with them in attendance. But she is. In a dress. With her thick red hair partially tamed by a loose braid down her back. She gves Jaenelle a curtsy in greeting and hten heads straight to Julius for some whiskey.

There is a cellar?! It's true Noah comes up carrying more than a few bottles and they all go to the booth he's taken as his own. He does pause long enough to kiss the top of Jaenelle's head though. "All drinks are on Grayson tonight." He surely means NOAH Grayson, but words. Blue eyes gaze over those that appear and a foot goes out to trip Aella. He may or may not catch her this time.

Raven just happens to have sat at the bar and is nursing her rum. Wholly oblivious. She turns and Jaenelle a somewhat puzzled expression and then Noah appears and her eyebrows lift skeptically. She turns her back to the bar and scans those gathered for familiar faces.

Griz the huge wolfhound arrives, following Aelgar.

Griz the huge wolfhound leaves, following Aelgar.

Griz the huge wolfhound arrives, following Aelgar.


*** Aella has called for an opposing check with Noah. ***
Aella checks perception and dodge at easy. Aella is successful.
Noah checks dexterity and athletics at easy. Noah is successful.
*** Aella is the winner. ***

Templars and Mirrormasks accompany Giada when she enters, a rather fat raccoon waddling in pursuit. Perhaps oddly, there's a scratch on the woman's cheek, though nothing more than a scratch. Jaenelle is given a smile and a polite nod as the Archlector passes on her way to the bar. "Your Grace, nice to see you again. All is well?" Noah's antics go unremarked, the woman holding a hand out for a messenger.

Planchet the Lycene maggiordome arrives, delivering a message to Giada before departing.

Griz the huge wolfhound leaves, following Aelgar.

"I am the worst Harlequin, I am terrible at puns" Jaenelle admits, clearly here for support. Her head dips at the kiss, smiling at the man as he moves by to begin his hosting duties. She moves to sit, eyeing the bottles that he certainly didnt pay for regardless of his announcement, just in time to see his foot shift in Aella's way after the Countess greets her. Perhaps Jaenelle doesnt want to see what happens next as her attention turns towards Giada when she hears her voice, "Blessed Giada, thank you so much for the maps. They are beutiful, truly." She holds her breath, waiting for either Aella to crash or Noah to get punched.

Jaenelle has joined the A private booth.

Raimon strides into the Fox, looking around. "Oh thank ye gods, a smallish gather. This will be pun. Unlike the galas, where all the socialites give we introverts 'Pose Dramatic Dress' Disorder. (PTSD for those Pretty Tired of Stultifying Discourse)

Raven reaches out a hand and pats a barstool next to her for Giada. Raimon gets a suspiciously friendly fingerwave.

"/Prince/ Noah, what a distinct pleasure it is to see you," Aella says, catching a glimpse of his foot and sidestepping the attempt to trip her. Her words drip with an overly formal tone, expression flat. "I see your betrothed hasn't managed to improve you." Her gaze moves to Jaenelle. "Archduchess, I'd be happy to teach him. I've had some lessons recently, myself." And they're paying off beautifully as she shoulder checks Noah on her way to the bar.

Noah gives his standard smirk to the reactions around. He nods towards Aella. "Next time." He winks to her, it's a threat promise to trip her or get his feet stepped on. Then he nods towards Giada and offers a low comment to Jaenelle. Raimon is nodded at, but it's clear he doesn't place him yet. Of course, Noah's eyes might be a little glassy right now. Then Raven. "Have you come to sweep us away with your punified humor?"

Raven's eyebrows shoot up, "Gods no. Is that what this is? Bah, it's a shame Savio's not about, he's LOVE this. If Participation is mandatory I'll try to dream up something to amuse the lovely archduchess in our midst." she looks to Giada then Raimon, "Are either of you punny? Can't disappoint."

Raimon orders his customary fancy wine, this time a full-bodied Saikland Pinot Noir from aught twelve. Holding the wineglass to sniff, sip, and then savor, Raimon ambles on over to Noah. "Your Highness, lean back so I can balance this on your face?" Raimon lifts the wine, and for once it isn't a toast. Raimon waits out the appropriate comedic interval, then: "You -did- say drinks were on Grayson. And your one eye does look a little glassy!" If any protestations are forthcoming, Raimon segues into "Ah, don't wine about it, it's all in good pun."

"Unfortunately it is hard to improve perfection" Jaenelle says towards Aella's direction with a grin when the woman remains upright, though perhaps its something she has heard rather than something she thought, shifting slightly to listen to whatever Noah says. "Prince Raimon, it is so lovely to see you," she greets then as Noah fails to greet the Thraxian Prince by name, picking up the more social aspects of the hosting duties for her husbandish. She listens as Noah is the butt of the first set of puns, clearly approving.

Giada glances at Noah when Aella shoulder checks him, brows lifting a bit. "Prince Grayson," she says with a small smile of her own, "I'll see you soon." As she heads towards Raven, however, she grins at Jaenelle. "Of course. Hopefully they'll be of some use to you." Then she's at the bar and slides onto a stool. "Lenosian red, if you will," she requests of the bartender. "Eh?" She looks back at Raven. "Puns?" That causes her to pause. "I assure you that I absolutely -can- disappoint, but I'll --- There. What he said." Giada nods at Raimon.

Noah reaches out to playfully swat at Jaenelle's hand when she moves for one of HIS bottles. "Topics. We should have topics, though I think free-forming is fine." A tip of his head for a moment and he dutifully tips his head back. He'll try to balance it. It wont' work, but he'll try. "Trees. What about tree puns?"

Raven groans and lets her face fall into her hands, "I'd ask what I've done to deserve this but the list is quite long." she mutters under her breath.

Topics might help. Giada is quiet for a bit. "Did you hear about the tree that disappeared in the fog?" she asks Raven. "It was a misty-tree." Mystery. Oh thank god, the wine is here and being tasted.

Raimon shrubs his shoulders: "Well, at first I was stumped. But then I wondered: Why -did- the tree lay down for a nap? Forrest."

Even as Noah swats at one of Jaenelle's hands, there are more than one bottle and she has more than one hand, and the other reaches out to claim another while he is distracted. The alcohol is poured, she has won! The glass is slid over towards Noah and a finger taps against the surface of the table once before she shrugs her shoulders, "I could take or leaf tree puns." Even as the last word is spoken she looks towards Giada once more, "I am going to go on a grand adventure, so maps will help."

Aella looks at Jaenelle with an expression that is a mix of awe and disbelief. "Blink twice if you ne-" SHe's interupted by her assistant coming and saying something quietly to her. "I don't even get /one/ whiskey?" Throwing her hands up in the air, the countess doesn't even boher to say goodbye as she turns around and heads out of the bar.

Raven groaaannns, "OH. Gods. I am FAR too sober for all this nonsensical barking." she declares, "Puns are the root of all evil. Trust me on that."

Giada has joined the A dark wooden bar with leather stools.

Noah laughs. It doesn't happen often, but he's more invested in the groans than the jokes. "Stick it to them and give them more to branch out on." He winks to Jaenelle and then offers, "Grand adventure? Is that what you call marriage to me? I'm flattered."

Raimon just shakes his head at Raven and Giada, commenting: "Ok, if you think that the puns are so crappy, why are -you- the ones sitting in stools?"

Raven looks at Raimon incredulously, "I was here first you-..." She pauses and draws in a deeep breath and softly says, "..PErfectly polite prince." She finishes lamely, abandoning her bottle and drinking strait from the bottle now.

"Most definitely, marriage to you wood certainly be an adventure. I know how much you pine for me when we aren't together, so its certainly a good thing you've put a ring on my finger" Jaenelle tells Noah sweetly. "Perhaps I should ger a new ring for each year?"

Raimon to Raven: "Good save. For a second I thought you were going to bark at me again. That wood be tree times this month. At some point I'd need to axe you to stop that."

Giada's eyes land on Raimon. "Prince Raimon, I'm sitting on a stool because I have just returned from a near brush with an early meeting with Lady Mangata, but I haven't said a thing about anyone's puns except mine. You're doing quite well, really." Calmly delivered, the Archlector returns to her wine for a bit. "I promise you are limbs and shoots beyond my skill."

Giada says, "See? Proof."

Noah kicks his feet up on the seat across from him as his arm drops around the back of Jaenelle's seat. "See? Look, even Giada is getting in on this." He looks at the Archduchess beside him and smiles. "You can buy all you want, just watch the taxes." He nods to make sure that drinks are still going free.

And thank god it is nighttime, since it means sweet Saccharin can drift into the Black Fox sans any protection, with the sunniest smile on her lips. Her bright blue eyes lock onto to the table with the Archduchess, admittedly after her discomforted retainer murmurs into her ear. "Oh!" She approaches that table. "Your... grace. Yes. It is so good to finally meet you." Her smile for the rest is as bright as the sunny day she can never truly experience.

Giada says, "Why, thank you, Noah. I do try to be a good sport."

Raven stops and stares at Raimon. Her look is flat for a long moment before she summons a smile. She can't quite summon the words but it's no doubt for the best and she summons a polite smile. Well. Or Pained. It almost looks gassy. Raven's doing the best she can to suffer the cruel and unusual torture gracefully.

Raven has joined the A dark wooden bar with leather stools.

"Well, this is certainly a no twigs attached sort of event, where people may participate or not. Even acorny jokes are welcome" Jaenelle says with a soft smile towards Giada and Raven, though she nudges aginst Noah's side with her shoulder in an affectionate gesture. When Saccharin enters, Jae's eyes scan over the woman and the way she greets her, and a smile brightens, "yes, thats right. Welcome to the Black Fox. I am sorry, I did not catch your name and do not wish to be rude without doing so."

Noah checks composure at normal. Noah is successful.

Raimon looks sad. "If you don't pun-ch back, this is just mean. Your average day can be spruced up quite nicely with a little play on woods. . . "

Noah looks up as Saccharin enters and approaches. There is a blink. The man looks at his drink. The man looks back to the woman. The man looks back to the drink. He leans towards Jaenelle. "Does she look just a little /too/ pretty?" Then he snaps his fingers. "You are one of them right?" Them beling Elves. "Did you bring any puns? We are on tree puns but I think we should change up to.." The man smirks again. "Cows. Any got any for cows?"

Raven says, "Sorry your highness, udderly speechless."

If there is anything that could brighten Saccharin's day, it's the opportunity for more pun brainstorming. "Thank you. I'd like to thank my mother in that the apple didn't fall far from the /tree/." There's a grin at this as she swiftly settles onto one of the chairs, as though she feels entirely at home. "It's good to officially meet you. I'd use titles but I wouldn't want to... milk it." Another grin.

"I don't believe I was ready to Moove to a different topic" Jaenelle informs Noah with a frown and deep, heavy sigh. "He doesnt believe I am too pretty, but I completely utterstand his position on the matter" Jaenelle then says with a nod of agreement in Saccharin's direction.

Giada is talking quietly with Raven at the bar, but she looks up to toss out a "I'll just listen to the jokes flow like milk and honey."

Raimon scratches his chin deep in thought: "Trying to think of something truly Legen-dairy. Something no one's heifer herd before. . . . "

Raven groans, "Terrific." She looks ceilingwards and tilts the botttle against her lips.

Noah looks between his hands and downs his drink before he offers that hand to Saccharin. "Prince Noah Grayson, who might you be?" Then he groans at the puns happening. "Also what are you drinking?" He indicates invitation to his booth with Jaenelle. "Come on, Giada." Then to Raven. "We got Raven here too, she's doing it." There is a moment as if he's thinking about bird puns.

"Raven is her own bird pun," Giada supplies. "You can't beat that."

Raven glowers at the room at large, "How about Royal puns? Richer vein of material there." she retorts dryly.

Giada is clearly biting her tongue. Hard. Her eyes, however, are sparkling far too much at Raven's suggestion of topics to qualify her for a poker face.

Raimon regards Saccharine carefully. Sweet, someone new! With a keen ear for puns. Pointedly so, even.

Giada gives Noah a warm smile at his invitation. "Thank you," she says to the man, the words genuine, "but I think I'm going to go home soon. I plan on giving myself the royal treatment by sleeping in a bed."

"I am... hmm /LADY/ Saccharin Maudlin. That's how your titles work isn't it?" The elf glances around her, to see if anyone corrects her with the introductions. "I heard that this was quite the social hub in the city." She studies Raven for a moment. "No, I'm sure any pun I'd think of would be unoriginal. Oh! Wait no... it flew away from me."

Raimon guesses: "A King's got big shoes to fill. Those Foot-Prince are huge."

Raven groans and shakes her head, "That was a reach, your highness, I'll give you credit for it all the same." Verdant gaze flits over Saccharin twice over in a distinctly profiling manner.

Giada taps at the bar and pushes up, dropping some silver onto the surface to cover her drink ...or act as a tip as Noah is buying. "Come find me later," she tells Raven, "and we can talk for real." She turns to Saccharin and smiles, inclining her head. "Lady Saccharin, a pleasure to meet you. I'm Blessed Giada, Archlector of the Thirteenth. Sorry for needing to leave so soon after your arrival, but hopefully there's another opportunity. Your Grace, your Highness, thank you for the drink."

Raven rises and bows, "Fare thee well, Archlector." a bow to Saccharin, "Well done, my lady, Only bird themed pun I heard thusfar. I'm Raven. The Blackheart of Setarco."

"It is wonderful to meet you Lady Maudlin" Jaenelle greets the woman with a polite dip. "I had been led to believe that only Queen Symonesse smiled but perhaps I had been tricked into believing such was the case. Apparently it is weird and frightening and unnatural" Because the Nox are strange people.

Noah nods his head to that as he looks at the happy Elf. Then his gaze moves to Jaenelle for a few moments thoughtfully. Then he laughs and looks towards Raimon. "Royal puns are over-rated. They just get throne around. Besides, you would be surprised how impressive the royal jewels are." He nods his head to that. "I don't smile that often too, is that a requirement?"

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance... /Blessed/ Giada." Saccharin dips her head, her melodic voicing out the name and title to ensure it is one she never forgets. "It's a pleasure to meet you Raven Blackheart. Now is that a /real/ problem. I've heard of black lung but it isn't -quite- as positive. My brother died of that three hundred years ago. I never let him forget it. He's always picking up a cigarello and I remind him..." She glances around. "Sorry I'm getting carried away. Ahem. I bet you it was Prince Tyrval who told you that." She sniffs. "He is quite the sour one in my opinion."

Raven ahhs, "Raven, please. Blackheart's a title not a name." She chortles softly. "I hear he's quite hilarious so long as one checks their ego at the door."

"Yep. Try not to get into too much trouble; I'll be raven mad." Words given to Raven, Giada flashes Raimon a smile as she heads for the door. "Good to see you again, Prince Raimon. Hopefully you'll come back by the shrine for another talk some time." And then she's gone.

Noah is overheard praising Giada: Look, she made a punny.

Giada has left the A dark wooden bar with leather stools.

"Yes, for the second best, he tends to have opinions as if he is the first" Jaenelle says with a slight grin regarding Tyrval. "I have plans to travel to the Twilight Court, though I might die of old age before such. You can never plan something in the Twilight Court based on the time limits surrounding a human, but hopefully one day. Oh, puns, royal ones at that." Her brows furrow slightly in thought, "Ive got nothing."

Raimon commiserates with Jaenelle, "Aye, finding puns quickly can be a Royal Pain, in the Arx."

Raven grins, "MAybe that is the last of the Punny line?"

Noah considers Saccharin for a moment. "What shall they make puns about now? I think I'll allow you to choose the topic." He considers Jaenelle for a few moments and then he grins at her.

"Well we know what they say about second best. They're always dying until they are better than the best." Saccharin says, with a voice that seems to imply some sage wisdom. "It really /is/ a pain in the Arx. Thank you." She dips her head at Raimon. "Hats off to you for that clever pun." There is no hat. "I wouldn't worry about it, your... um highness? Oh wait, no grace." She's watching her retainer mouthing it to her. "Yes. Your Grace. The last thing I want is your energy punning out."

Noah looks curious. "Saccharin, can you be poisoned? Or do you respond the same to drugs?" Yeah that's how someone should respond. Especially a Grayson with Elfblight orchids. "We are having a party you are welcome to attend, but you know, it might not affect you."

Jaenelle begins to laugh at Saccharin's words, head dipping gently, "my hero for saving me." Then there is a look towards Noah, "we do not ask such questions to guests!"

Raven squints at Noah, "The fuck kind of question is that? There had to be a better way to ask if she..." She purses her lips and sighs. What are the terms the kids use these days anyway?

Raimon goes-on-a-head and makes a hat pun, since that's been mentioned: "What a cap-tivating evening!"

"I have to wonder if you aren't scoping around for my weaknesses, your highness" Saccharin's brows rise up suddenly, eyes widening as if she's onto something profound. "We respond to poisons how most do. As for elfblight well... I'm just saying. It's not Dustpoppy." That doesn't really answer any question but she nods safely as thought is does.

"I'll take him home" Jaenelle promises Saccharin, "and not let him out. Ever again. The world will once more be a safer place" she then promises.

Raven chuckles softly, "But what about your home? He'll be there and bored. That can't be safe."

Noah nods his head to that. "We are having a dosing party. You should come. It wouldn't be any fun if it didn't hit you. So haze and that works on you." He nods as if there is some newfound respect for her for that. Then he gives a rare smile. "Correction. /You/ do not ask that of our guests. I don't see the reason not to just ask what I'm curious about. She could have told me to shove off."

"A dosing party." Saccharin repeats, blue eyes flickering to her retainer, who of course just shrugs in befuddlement. "Well, sign me up. That sounds wonderful." She doesn't know what it is and of course doesn't bother to clarify. "Please tell me where it is and the time and date. I don't want to turn up early or late as I hear human hosts have a whole thing about punctuality."

"A Man and an Elf walk into a pub," Raimon begins, "lic punning contest. In a bar. The bartender looks up. 'Two beers?' The elf says: "No, they're more like two cones, really. On account of they're pointy. Tubes would just look like I had two cans on my hat."

Noah is overheard praising Raven: How is a raven like a writing desk?

Noah is overheard praising Saccharin: So sweet.

Noah is overheard praising Raimon: Punniest, next time the points might matter.

Raven is overheard praising Noah.

Noah is overheard praising Jaenelle: If the sun refused to shine, there would still be the radiance of her smile. She is walking perfection of grace and beauty and everything I should be, yet fail so very daily.