There's little to announce Patrizio's arrival for a change - no sextet of centurions trailing him, no heralds to call out for his arrival - but arrive he does, the ducking about the door to ensure that it's closed as quickly as is possible behind him as if to keep the falling temperatures out. His jade eyes search the rooms as his smile spreads, before he's crossing towards Klaus. "I hear, your highness, that congratulations are in order."


Guard off duty in the Thrax estate are all present, as are others who have been close to the Prince and Princess throughout the long pregnancy. Now the day is here where all can celebrate with food and drink paid for and in abundance. Festive music in the air and at the center of it all, with a cask of brown nut on the table for him to fill his cup as he wants is Klaus Thrax. At the sound of Patrizio, he turns, and it is clear from his eyes he has already drank much of the cask, and a large smile on his face as he slaps his old friend hard on his shoulder. "Patrizio! Come come and join and drink and eat and be silly and careless as for this night above all other nights in the world, all is right!"

A loud laugh, and Patrizio's firmly clasping Klaus back, an arm about the Thraxian prince as he smacks the man on the back. "I know not about /careless/ but certainly, we should make merry for the wonderful news. The cask is fresh, and should be celebrated, no?" He's grinning and waits a beat, before he asks more seriously, "All are well at home? The girls and your bride, resting and healthy?" He might be willing to let things certainly get silly, but there /are/ things that clearly matter to the Pravusi prince.


Klaus waves a hand about. "Yes yes yes, all are well, but I think my wife threatened me with death if I ever beget twins upon her again. They were plump and squalling when they came into the world till they fed, and are now cooing and sleeping, as is my wife who looks radiant even sweat soaked and exhausted. The midwives gave their approval, or such celebrations across the ward and Maelstrom itself would not be happening."

Another loud laugh bubbles forth from Patrizio and, even if he's not inclined to drink nut brown ale, damned if he's not going to have a good tall glass of it while they're lingering there amidst all those making merry. "Then this is a good thing, and let her know that if she does not wish you to beget twins, perhaps she should put her foot down before the gods." He's having fun with this, and lifts his glass in a toast. "But certainly, you are favoured by the gods to be having such strong children. This is a /good/ thing in these times."


Klaus nods his head, perhaps a bit more vigorously than would be the norm if he was not already well on the way to being several sheets to the wind, as sailors say. He gets mroe ale, and sets down another mug for Patrizio to have after he has finished his first. "We all are, and thank the Gods they look like her mother. Though, I am sure my cousin would say she heard the world weep today at me becoming a father. As for not having more twins, I told her it was all up to her since she was responsible for ruining the moon tea in the first place."

"I think that your cousin would have more than a few things, but..." Patrizio laughs warmly. "I actually did just see her this afternoon, speaking with Princes Catriona as well. But I think she'd not begrudge you the matter of your celebration with this good news, and we both know she'd be rejoicing with us, were she present. So." He laughs warmly about this, easing into a seat, and considering Klaus with that grin. "And that's how the blame should fall. Let's see what she does going forward. And blessed be, if they look more like her than you, no offence, my friend."


Klaus laughed again. "Oh indeed, though I will be practicing sharpening my sword at any suitor who thinks they can look upon them in the future. Speaking of my cousin, I am rather wroth with her. We jsut returned from an expedition into Laurant lands, and there we found trees which looked as if they were bleeding. They were not, but the sap is particularly thick, and when put upon a wound, does not heal like some drunk soldier told me it would, but made me see a ten hand tall Doreen. Very disconcerting experience, and she was the one who rubbed the sap over my wounds to "see what it would do". I have a mind to return the favor to her."

"I can't speak for the good lady," Patrizio says with a grin. "Though let's be honest - she'd not have used something on you if she'd thought it would cause harm. She's much more careful than many give her credit. Though, to be fair, you /are/ family and she might feel more comfortable with the idea of experimentation when it's blood." He's teasing, given the note of his voice, and he's shaking his head. "Feed it to a dire bee or two and see what they do."


Klaus gave a wr shake of his head. "It was my blood she seems to take glee in. I did however not too much time before asked her how her arse was after riding. She is not a good rider, and perhaps took too much pleasure in seeing her waddle like a duck from it all. Perhaps I deserved her small measure of retribution. Small amount mind you, as she looked damned blood funny rubbing her backside every ten minutes."

"Now I'm sorry I missed it." Those jade eyes twinkle when he's weighing the matter, and Patrizio grins as he contemplates something. "You should ask her to watch the twins, some evening when you and your wife need a break. Tell her it's being a good cousin, and see what it gives her in the manner of thoughts about her future. Riding or no." He's grinning, even when he looks about as if to be certain that there's no one who's about to tell her what was said, indeed. "Though I think I've heard tell that she's not much of a rider. We can't be all things, in the end."


Klaus' smile is perhaps a bit too large, but not he is concerned at all. Brown nut ale after half a year without it! "Oh that would be rich, and proper. I will be certain to give them honey treats before so they stay up late and fussy for her!"

"See, that's the spirit." Patrizio's grinning ear to ear when he hears of the thing, clasping Klaus on the back and laughing. "Think not of how to 'even the score' as much as how to have fun while doing it. And ensure that your wife has a part in the matter, so she can be deriving the same delight, after months of having to be the one doing so much of the work to lead to this beautiful moment."


Klaus gives a look of mock terror. "I am not going near my wife more than I have too in the next month or so. Not till I am certain she has forgotten some comments which were ill advised on my part. I did not mean to say some residents in the lowers were smaller than she was, it sort of slipped out as she was trying to prove she could still swing an axe."

A shake of that head with the famous coiffure, and Patrizio's hand rests on Klaus' shoulder. "Highness," he says, as serious as he can be after a drink or two. "A smart man knows that there's a time to keep their mouth shut. A wise man knows to hide all the bladed objects, and to have ingratiated oneself with one's in-laws well before the point of one's wife being able to move again. Though she'll forget soon enough, and you can convince her that you were simply trying to encourage her if she presses upon the matter."


Klaus muses and drinks some more. "Actually perhaps I can flatter her and make her love me even more before she gains the strength and health once more to wield that wicked axe of hers. I would even go so far as too..." He winces and shudders before pressing on. "Even willing to eat raw squid for her and have it prepared. With even more almst vile Thrax traditional fare. What do these people have against a nice split roast, or meat pies!"

Patrizio listens while there's the complaint about such fare, and... "You do realize what you married into, good highness," he reminds with the note of one who hasn't had such struggles in his life, though he's grinning as he gets a refill and quaffs another one in short order. "Though I hear tell at times that pregnancy changes a woman's sense of taste, so she might come back in your direction in the culinary sense. Or not, and you can sneak off to something to eat that's more palatable. I know that I myself tend to meander about for liquors to that meet my palate when I've not found things closer to home to enjoy."


Klaus gave a dramatic sigh. "I did I did, though I will admit at the time I did not expect to dislike most Thrax fare. I do like the shrimp and mussels however, especially roasted in butter and garlic. Ah not to worry friend, I always find myself back in the good graces of my wife's heart to be certain. I might get bruised on the way, but the journey will end with all is well."

A shake of that head. "You do realize that there's always a compromise to be made. Though at least you're not as bad as most Oathlanders that I know, in that so many of them don't even want a decent ale," Patrizio answers with that chuckle of his, as he's shaking his head. "And indeed, I think the key thing is /being/ in those good graces at the end of the day, even if there's a battle to get there."


Klaus winks at Patrizio and he is well and truly pissed now. "The battle to get there is indeed part of the fun. The sex on the journey is fantastic beyond belief." He takes aother drink and claps his friend on the arm. "How have you been old friend, it seems liek it has been ages since we last spoke."

"I've been. Not too much for me to say on the matter, while I'm doing my voice duties. The life of a prince, at times." Patrizio's at least circumspect about the matter of where he can actually do some good, when he's considering things. The latest round in his hand, he's grinning as he takes a good healthy pull from it. "At least it feels like things are calmer now that the war's past. Until the next crisis, beyond what you're going through at the moment."


Klaus has a gleam in his eye, though from ale or mischief it is hard to tell. "Oh, a prince, an unmarried prince still. How does that happen. I was certain someone would have tied you down and forced you to write your name in a marriage contract."

"I think everyone's in a rush to see me wed, but no." Those jade eyes of his twinkle when he weighs that and he's laughing playfully. "No, indeed. I'm quite happy to be single for the time being, until the right woman comes along. And perhaps I've my eye on someone and am just not saying something about it, no?" Patrizio chuckles, and then takes another swallow.


Klaus smirks and drains more ale. "Cheeky bastard. To keep such a secret from me. I am after all the very soul of discretion. You could trust me." News flash, Klaus is anything but discrete.

A chuckle, before Patrizio shakes his head. "I'm aware that if I give word to it, then there's going to be news about the city. No, I prefer to keep others guessing, and my personal affairs discreet. It does little for me in terms of standing either, and we consider those things as we go forward." He smiles as he sets the glass down, and takes a breath, letting it slide free. "Plus I'd like for all to be surprised when it happens."


Klaus sighs and eats more before pour more ale. The roast is particularly tender and near melts in the mouth and horseradish a nice counterpoint to it all. "I do not like surprises much. Love giving them, but not receiving them. It is all part of of the nature of me being a commander I suppose."

"It's the nature of a commander to /want/ to always be surprising others. And now you see why I do it." Patrizio laughs warmly, as his hand settles on Klaus' shoulder, and he's rising slowly from his place. "But I should perhaps take an opportunity to return to my duties, my friend. It was good to come celebrate with you, though. And my best, truly, to your family."

Glory, the Prestigious Warhorse have been dismissed.

Doreen, the Red Squirrel have been dismissed.

1 Thrax Elite Guards have been dismissed.