Blanket set out on the lawn, curious children have been wrangled together to sit. Gods will they please sit still? Mattheu settles in with cross legged seat as Ilan decides that is the better seat, Flounder's lap and there's a bit of jingling while the twins now have 'a discussion' between who is allowed to sit in Flounders lap starts while he laughs and looks over to their brother who is trying to find the best position to sit in. Offering a few soft words with Ann as he looks to the others arriving for the story of the park.

This late spring evening finds Lovers’ Park buzzing with activity as people move along the walkways and over the bridge toward the gazebo to gather for a promised story about the park’s name. Throughout, visitors can find attendants serving traditional foods and drinks from Jadairal, as well as entertainers to fill the time leading up to the main event.

Medeia stands in the gazebo with a smile as she takes a moment to scan the gathered crowd for familiar faces. She listens to Jian’s introduction and gives a nod to the Jadairali woman. When it is her turn to speak, she addresses the guests with a clear voice, loud enough to carry to all the ears who need to hear her without being unpleasant. “Hello, everyone! I am so happy to see you all. Before I start, I would like to thank Cai Jian for helping me pull this event together. If it were not for her cooperation, I would be telling this story in my office to just one person.” She pauses her speech to make a gesture toward the other woman, signaling to the crowd that they may clap to show appreciation with her. She claps, too, a few times, before she continues to speak. “I also would like to acknowledge that this was inspired by Lord Mattheu Rivenshari, whose journal about not knowing the story behind the name of Lovers’ Park prompted me to reach out with my knowledge.” The lady pauses another moment to allow for more applause. “I will begin telling the story momentarily.”

Ryhalt has settled comfortably to listen and smiles as Medeia welcomes them. He accepts a drink as one of the attendants comes around and drinks from it as he listens.

It seems like a small army appears with Mikani. They arent the usual children she brings with her but two are in leather armor, two are wearing cotton tops and bottms and two are being carried by Mikani and her attendant. They quietly find seats on a large blanket. Malcolm a teen seems to help with gathering the others. Mikani sits with a toddler girl on her lap and a brown haird girl, Aahania leaning on her shoulder. Palania sits almost regally with her brother Rusano. Mikani smiles at Jian and is brought vegetable dumplings to eat. Their blanket claps at the introduction.

Like the others, Patrizio Pravus makes himself comfortable - unlike his cousin Sebastian, he's making a habit of actually being on time for things, as befits someone of his station. There's a mindful inclination of his head to Medeia when she begins to speak, and equally so to Mattheu when credit is so given, though like Ryhalt, he's taking a moment to get settled with a drink, though there are briefly quiet words to send the attendant likewise to the six soldiers who've been trailing him in the blue-and-steel of his house.

Ann settles next to Matti as the children figure out where it is they will sit. She brought food in a basket. They are in a park. it's a nice evening. Food always makes people sit right? But the biggest child is the one who is sitting next to her and she already has a small plate of goodies and she's handing it off to him as she looks about the park in general. Whoops she did not get the memo that there would be food and drink served here but if the children want some of that she's not going to tell them no. Applauding when others do.

Mattheu holds his hand up for any that were questioning who the Rivenshari in the park is at this moment when Medeia introduces her ideas for the story within the park. A jingling nod as he is quickly quieting the twins by offering them both a knee to sit upon and looking to Ann with a grin as she offers a plate of food over to him. "Ah. Perfect. We have cookies to spare." Then to hold the cookies out to the others in the part, "Only counts if you steal them."

2 Blackwood trained guards, Trihy, an unassuming and dapper dressed man arrive, following Cillian.

Medeia gives Mattheu a nod after the applause has quieted. Then, as she looks over the crowd once more, there’s a smile and bow of her head for Ryhalt. Another bow of her head, smile unwavering, for Patrizio when her eyes catch sight of him. Ann and Mikani get a quick fingerwave.

Once everyone is settled, Medeia begins to speak. “As you all walked to the gazebo this evening, you likely noticed that there is a combination of rigid, geometric angles and soft, flowing curves created by the walkways, water, and gardens. It might seem that the name - Lovers’ Park - is meant to play with the concept of opposites attracting. Or, more simply, it is just a lovely place to take a stroll with someone you admire.” A small smile curls the lady’s lips at that. “That is not the case - well, it is a lovely place to take a stroll, but that is not the only reason for the name.” She makes a gesture out over the park, indicating the lines and curves.

”Some of you may be familiar with the names Platinum and Silver - no, not the fancy metals from which jewelry is made. Others of you may have no idea what I am talking about. Similarly, some of you may have an understanding of what glyphs are and how they - allegedly - are magical. For some of you, this will sound like a history lesson, for others a children’s bedtime story. Whichever side you fall on, I do hope you will hear the tale and feel inspired toward great love.” Medeia looks almost wistful as she gazes beyond the crowd to the park she had drawn their attention to. “A long time ago, hundreds of years in the past, a man named Platinum worked magic - weaved it, and his magic came with glyphs in angular designs. This was not something he could control, and try as he might, the more he weaved, the more rigid his glyphs.”

A smile finds Patrizio's features when Medeia speaks of 'a children's bedtime story', as if something about that tickles him. Though as he settles back and listens, taking a sip of his wine, his expression settling into one of rapt attention.

Ryhalt chuckles, scratching his sidwhisker, but doesn't indicate which camp he belongs in. He looks about the park with appreciation for the pleasing design.

Sil is nudging Ann and muttering something to her and it can be heard he's asking her what Medeia means by Children's Bedtime Stories. Ann puts fingers to her lips but then murmurs back to their son about listening to the nice lady and he will have his answer soon enough. When cookies are being talked about by Matti she tries to be sneaky to grab three of them for the children but they might be better at this game than her. Finger waving to all that she recognizes.

Cillian slips into the park, he had been running late and by late meaning he got lost trying to find the park. UGH! His hazel eyes looking around as he moves in looking for someone. Spotting her he heads in the direction of Mikani and the children she is sitting with. Giving a silent finger wave to those he spots and knows, he smiles at Mikani and moves to take a corner of her blanket to sit and listen.

Matti looks around the park for the pieces of sharp edges which Medeia tells of the story. Pointing them out for the twins who have both settled in their shared seat and look trying their best not to be too restless.

Palania nods to Cillian in her fashion. The blond girl watches the Rivenshari kids. Rusano is in rapt attention of the stage and Senka grabs for Cillian. Mikani hands the toddler from her lap to Cillian. Mikani waves to Medeia and Ann.

Continuing the story, Medeia’s voice remains just loud enough, though now there is a sentimental sweetness to it. “Love can change a person. Letting someone into your heart, opening yourself up to their influence - and in turn, influencing them, can have beautiful - if unintended - results. So it was that when Platinum and Silver came together, when their love bound them and their magic together, they would create a glyph that was entirely unique yet represented them both.” The way the lady’s hand gestures now appears to indicate the curves and vines of the gardens. “When Silver would weave, her glyph would be vine-like, curling and graceful. And when they would work magic together?” Her arms go wide to indicate the park in full. “The vines of Silver’s glyph would wrap around Platinum’s, like ivy crawling up a castle, or a lover’s arms accepting you in for a protective embrace. Each strengthened the other, their magics entangling to create something better than they could have created alone.” Though Medeia’s eyes are glistening and her smile is watery, she doesn’t allow her voice to waver as she speaks. The way she tells it, it is clear she has thought about this story at length. She then wonders on behalf of her audience, "But what does this have to do with this park?" She glances at the Jadairali embassy beyond the park. "Platinum is the Undying Emperor, he who rules over the lands and peoples of Jadairal. And Silver…" The story trails off for a moment.

Ann is doing the same for Sil when Matti points things out to his sisters she's following suit. This scholar paying close attention to all the details shared thus far. Sil notices there are other children here and looks eager to get to know that brood better but it will have to wait because Mama is giving him a look. Cillian gets a small wave but not so big that it disrupts the story telling.

Cillian moves to take the toddler and place Senka in his lap, he holds the small child close as he listens to the story letting the child play with parts of his clothing a smile on his lip. He takes a breath in and then lets it out when Medeia ends at Silver, her look to Mikani nodding to her.

Mattheu continues to point out parts of the park, tucking his arms around the twins who then whisper something to him as Ilan starts to wave towards Palania and Mikani. A nod from Mattheu and the girls are jingling with soft bells in skipping towards Mikani and her children to land in a pile of hugs and trying to be quiet though play is going to take place. Along with a few cookies that both have successfully stolen from Flounder's plate.

Medeia's lips had pressed thin after her last mention of Silver. "I had hoped to keep this story sweet, but to do so would be to disrespect a great sacrifice that was made. You see, Silver was laid to rest beneath this very city, the city she died saving." Now, one tear does escape, and the lady quickly brushes it away from her cheek with her fingertips. "Many people today, across the Compact, owe their lineage to the heroic efforts of Silver. And others to the influence of Platinum. Whether directly or indirectly, we all have benefitted from the great love between these two and them seeing the worth of humanity." She continues, briefly offering a description of a tomb so bright as to be blinding, filled with candles that glow for every life Silver saved, and every life born as a result.

Patrizio, too, seems taken with the turn the story turns at the end of it, the brief lowering of the prince-general's head in respect for the sacrifice made. It's only after the description of the tomb that his head lifts once more, a hand sliding through his locks to ensure they're back in place, before he's glancing about at the reactions of the others.

Ryhalt nods with a slight frown as he listens to the conclusion of the tragic tale. He seems familiar with parts of it at least.

Sil is staring at Ann when he sees that his sisters got to be with the other children and she is giving him a small chuckle as she nudges him telling him quietly he too can join Mikani and Cillian in their blanket. She mindlessly starts to eat a ginger cookie as she listens to the story. Taking notes in her head. A glance to Matti when Medeia mentions sacrifice and the love that those two had. It seems some of the story that Medeia is sharing has an effect on her even if she's eating a cookie.

The children hug each other though Malcolm stays out of most of it. Palania seems to be making order, kind ones, about how the food should be distributed. Its done through a series of hand gestures the kids all understand. Aahania detaches herself from Mikani's side after getting a kiss on the forehead from Mika. Mikani whispers to Cillian. She is taken by the story as well. She passes around a skin of water for any child that needs it.

The story ends with Mattheu wiping away at a tear to roll over his cheek. Nodding slowly as if agreeing with the story, "It must be a beautiful sight. To be surrounded by such, light and ones heart." He looks to Ann as Sil is shooed off to play with the others. "It's amazing that which we want more than life to be, and then to find a place within the city that has been devoted directly to that."

Cillian holds the small child close to him, his eyes close as a tear rolls down his cheek. They open looking to Mikani, a small smile given to her when he hears the whisper and nods. He looks then over to Ann and Mattheu for a long moment, then his fingers move to gently tickle the small child and then looking down with a soft smile at the squirming one in his lap.

Medeia has taken and held a breath, not entirely aware she is holding it until she releases it slowly. She's searching through the gathered crowd, meeting the eyes of anyone who will meet hers as she goes. "There is more I could share, but it is less relevant to the park and its name. If anyone wishes to hear more, please do reach out. I would be happy to share my knowledge." She smiles kindly, gesturing again to the park. "Now, I encourage you all to enjoy the festivities and the park! I think I will take a stroll, myself. Thank you, again, for being here this evening."

Ann is overheard praising Medeia.

Mikani is overheard praising Medeia.

Cillian is overheard praising Mikani.

Cillian is overheard praising Medeia.

Ryhalt nods to Medeia. "Thank you for telling us this tale, Lady Medeia." He stands up and wanders off to whatever business he has for the day.

The red headed bundle that is Silian bounds after his sisters only to stop mid step to be able to hear the rest of the story as Medeia winds up the story with death and love. A look back to where Mama and Flounder sit then over to where his sisters are settling in with those by Mikani. He steps closer and carefully to over a wave to malcolm, tucking his hands into a cross of arms before him as he looks to Cillian.

Mattheu watches the children from their blanket and looks over towards Medeia, mouthing to her with a touch to his heart, 'Thank you.'

2 Farshaw trained guards, Suzette - a Westrock Aerie Page, Palamon who is a supercilious eagle owl leave, following Ryhalt.