fluffiest_archadian | [OOM] The Amondsham-Telane Wedding.

[OOM] The Amondsham-Telane Wedding.

It is a sorry bunch attending this wedding. The hall in Rabanastre palace where they sit is small, and there are still a handful of empty seats. Still, it's easy to tell who's who:

The garrison command, headed by a grey-haired man who gives off a grandfatherly aura, in their grey and red formal dress, along with a man and a woman dressed similarly, save that their uniform is black and charcoal with red highlights. There's a handful of soldiers who clearly aren't Archadian, too, dressed in blue and cream.

Rabanastre's merchants, dressed in a brightly coloured mismatch of patterned fabrics with hair styled elaborately and jewellery on their wrists and around their necks.

Nobles and ambassadors, by far the smallest of the group, in coloured (but not quite so neon rainbow) silk and wool. Several of them have fans. Most of them are muttering about how Liana is marrying beneath her station (and one so old). One family of four, dressed in canary yellow cloaks fashioned to look like feathers, just look charmed to be there, bar one young man who looks like he's trying to sink into his clothes and avoid the gaze of the garrison.

Business associates of the groom, who if the muttering from others is anything to go by may be celebrities. A few of them are jolly, older people, but most of them look like supermodels who have just stepped off the catwalk.

The wedding is - awkward. A man in very smart clothing with very shiny glasses runs through a set of vows, while the groom (whose shapeless robes really only accentuate the fact that he's about twenty years the senior of his bride) looks apathetic and the bride (of far more fashionable dress) looks distantly scathing, as if she's biting back about a hundred sarcastic comments.

When they are told they may kiss, the peck each other. On the cheeks. Like seagulls whose hearts aren't quite in it.

---

The reception takes place in Rabanastre Palace's expansive ballroom, a room that is opulent and glittering and has walls lined with frescoes depicting the glorious history of Dalmasca in charmingly abstract style.

There is a buffet. It has something very much like turkish delight on one end, but the yellow-cloaked family are converging on it and soon this won't be the case.

Sherral leads his visitors in with the garrison command and their guests.

"No stealing from anyone, no letting on about the magical bar, no killing anyone outside of mutually agreed upon duels," Sherral says. "Apart from that, enjoy yourself. If you see a security concern, Captain Beor," he gestures over at a large man in his twenties, "will no doubt be happy to hear of it."

Beat.

"Have fun."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

" And you couldn't possibly be rude." Jay smiles. "So do you think it's been a successful business arrangement, this wedding?"

"I think she could have waited and found a better match, but that's no secret," Ariana says. "But he has money, businesses, and some political power. She's getting plenty out of it."

"Shocking romantic, you are." Jay teases softly. "But I suspect you're right. It's a match that'll benefit both sides."

"Well, it certainly was never going to be for any other reason. He's old, not especially attractive, and has the charm of a beached fish."

Jay laughs warmly and helps himself to a sandwich, sitting on the ground with a kind of careless comfort.

"Better a bleached fish than a wet one, I guess. So how about you? Any plans for yourself or are you likely to be married off for alliance like your cousin?"

"I'll stay here and assist Liana until it's time for her to leave. I'm not quite so eager to be married off just yet," Ariana says. "Liana's wedding benefits me too, after all."

"I don't blame you. Especially if there's only saggy old men available!" He cocks his head, looking up at her curiously. "How so?"

"Liana is from the senior branch of the family, and I the junior. Whatever improves her prospects improves mine. Her alliance with Amondsham might not be ideal, but it does get her money and contacts and further influence, and I can use all of those too."

"Never hurts to have family in high places. I'm sure you'll climb higher still in your own time. A judge perhaps?" He teases a little, smiling. "I'm afraid I can't offer you much in the way of advancement or I'd try wooing you myself."

"Judges are soldiers. I'm not interested in being all that close to the Empire's military," Ariana says.

She chuckles at his second remark. "A lovely sentiment, but I'm not certain it's true."

"Sweet lady?" He moves to one knee, looking hurt. "Would you doubt my simple love? Even after I recused you from the dreaded party and bought you libations to share in our little paradise?" He lays it on thick, trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh, stop it," she says amusedly.

"Can't blame a guy for trying." He laughs and shrugs, "So should I get you back to the party before sneaking away with me ruins your reputation?"

"You should. If you've pumped me for all the information you care for," Ariana says sweetly.

Jay laughs again and holds a hand out to her, helping her up. "And you've barely asked me a thing. Don't worry, I'm not an Archarian spy. Just something looking for an edge to keep myself one step ahead of the game."

Ariana takes his hand, rising to her feet. "You and many others here, I imagine."

"Sometimes that's all we can do." He nods towards the door, leading her back towards the party. "Lady Ariana, it has been a pleasure."

"I imagine it has," she says. "Do feel free to locate me the next time you're in the area."

He kisses the back of her hand and bows, heading for the bar and a glass of wine.

He circles back around to find Sherral.

Sherral is in the midst of conversation with Ronick, but excuses himself to approach Jay, giving the other man a small smile.

"Dare I ask?" He asks, nodding towards the door where Jay and Ariana had come from.

(No, that is not the faintest tinge of jealousy hidden under a layer of deadpan, what are you talking about.)

Not even a tinge? Jay's eyes sparkle at that and he's tempted to tease Sherral just a little, to let him think...

No, that's just mean. Sherral's having an awful enough night as it is. "Nope, I won't bother. I suspect I can't tell you anything that you don't already know. She's an ambitious, ladder-climbing shrew with few aspirations outside her own sphere of existence. File her under of no particular interest."

Sherral catches that eye-sparkling, and his expression in return suggests that if it were the case he'd be taking Jay somewhere private himself to - express his views.

"Nobles," he says, with something somewhat like disgust.

The grin Sherral gets in return implies Jay would be fascinated to here about these views. Preferably somewhere private.

"She wasn't a particularly informative distraction but she was ... entertaining in her own way." Here is the red rag being waved in front of the bull...

"Was she now," Sherral says, voice low, stepping a little closer to Jay, small smile playing on his lips.

"You know how it is with noble women - a little flattery, a little scruffy charm and they melt like butter." It's about as far from the truth as possible but if it gets Sherral closer...

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.

Re: Jay.