[OOM] The Amondsham-Telane Wedding.

[fluffiest_archadian]

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."

Comments

Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

Jay turns up dressed in an elegantly cut black and red suit that hints at military without being the exact style or cut of any one army. He's hair is slicked back, neat and braided at the temples to highlight the white streak.

He give Sherral his most charming smile, falling in a step behind the captain.

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Well, you're certainly going to attract a lot of attention," Sherral says wryly, himself dressed in in his mess dress uniform, with his medals pinned to his chest. "I may hardly get the chance to use you as a distraction."

There are indeed, already several people approaching, like needy sharks.

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

"Darling, I'm your distraction at a moment's notice." Jay says in a low voice, his smile never faltering.

He keeps an eye out for any members of the garrison he might know from last time as he watches the circling sharks.

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Remind me some time that I owe you several favours," Sherral replies with a chuckle.

Gibbs appears to be present, although he's not dressed in uniform: He is, instead, one of the four in canary yellow cloaks, and he looks very much like an ideal world would involve that cloak swallowing him whole.

Illan is also present. She has the same slight hint of discomfort to her that Sherral does, and is keeping close to the other soldiers.

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

"You can make them up to me later tonight." Jay purrs, catching Illan's eye and giving her a quick salute.

He smiles to Gibbs too, giving him a polite little nod.

He turns back to Sherral, his voice low again. "Anyone in particular you need distracted?"

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral stammers a little, turning red and ducking his head.

But the question about distractable people is a good one. "Not yet. Take your pick of the people interested in you."

Which currently includes at least one soldier in blue and cream (who looks to be the leader of the handful of those soldiers present); a pair of noble women in greens, golds and purples who might be friends of the bride; and one of Amondsham's 'associates', a supermodel-esque man dressed just conservatively enough not to rouse attention.

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

Hmm, soldier boy, bridesmaids or the pretty one who might be a spy by the look of him. Choices, choices.

"I'll been an eye on you. If you need me, just get my attention." He gives Sherral one more quick smile and heads for the soldier. bridesmaids only get more eager (or drunk) and the pretty one is a mystery that needs working up to.

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Aye, I will," Sherral says.

The soldier boy hooks his thumbs into his belt loops as Jay approaches. "I think you've caught the interest of a few," he says. There's a rather heavy Spanish-y accent to his speech. "You are here with Maduin?"

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

"Really?" Jay glances over his shoulder in mock surprise. As if he hadn't noticed.

At the mention of Sherral, he smiles mysteriously, "In a manner of speaking." He helps himself to a drink, sipping it as he considers the soldier. "I take it you're acquainted with the good captain?"

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Ugh," the soldier says. "After the war, they put me on the ambassador's escort detail. Man is always here in this city, and so am I. I know every captain in the garrison at this point. It'll make things messy when the war breaks out again."

Beat.

"Leopoldo Gallego."

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

"Jason Todd." He offers Gallego a very, very small bow.

"So I take it you'll find it hard to call friends enemies if," He puts slight emphasis on the if, "war breaks out?"

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Ha. It's hardly an if these days," Gallego says. "I won't enjoy it at all. Doesn't mean I won't fight, though."

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

"Well, I'm sure we'll all feel better knowing you won't enjoy it." Jay teases with a slightly sardonic smile.

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Gallego snorts. "It's not a pretty thing. Your Captain Maduin wouldn't hesitate to run me through either, even if we've shared drinks together."

Shrug. "But it is the dance our two empires do, yes? Always at war, one way or another."

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

"No, you're right. He probably won't." Jay shrugs, sipping his drink. "I suppose we'll just have to wait and see."

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Not that it'll come to that. I am fair sure that in an even fight, I would win," Gallego says. "But what about you? You're not Archadian. Not stiff and gruff enough for that."

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

"You seem very sure of yourself."

Jay give him another mysterious look, raising an eyebrow. "No, I'm not." Intentionally shifts his accent subtle, mixing in a little of Alfred's very proper English just to confuse things.

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Shouldn't I be?"

He laughs, tossing his head back. "You are very enigmatic, I like it."

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

Jay shrugs again, smiling softly over the rim of his glass. "I do my best. Can't give all my secrets away." He turns, ready to walk away, more or less to see how Gallego will react.

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

His reaction is to hook a finger into the back of Jay's jacket, chuckling. "Have I offended?"

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

Jay turns with deliberate slowness, taking the man's wrist to extract it from his jacket. The way he catches hold of Gallego's wrist, his fingers pressed just inside the upper joint of the soldier's index finger means it would take only the lightest of pressure increase to dislocate Gallego's knuckle.

"Oh you haven't offended. You're just boring me."

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

One of Gallego's arms drop to his side, tense and ready for violence, if needs be.

"How unfortunate."

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

Jay lets go and steps back. "Maybe next time you'll find a way to be more interesting."

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Gallego smiles. "Who knows if there'll even be a next time. Enjoy the reception, sir."

He's walking away when Sherral approaches Jay, giving him a tiny nudge with his shoulder. "An ill meeting?" He asks.