[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

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.

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

"It's a small world. There's always hope." Jay calls over his shoulder as he turns to greet Sherral.

"Oh no." He smiles, "It was quite interesting. Your friend Gallego respects you but doesn't fear you. And he feels another war is inevitable. I think he's already picking allies in his head. He enjoys a good mystery but doesn't like not having the last word."

He gives Sherral a little shrug. "Hope I haven't just made life difficult for you."

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"No, not at all," Sherral smiles. "Believe me, sooner or later one of Amondsham's associates, or some young noble, is going to end up roaring drunk, and then any other indiscretions tonight'll be quickly forgotten."

He glances quickly at Gallego's retreating back. "Gallego's kind of an arse. But he's close to the ambassador. It says much of what Rozarria is planning that he's so certain of war."

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

"Or Autor or Alfred will get up to mischief first." Jay grins quietly, watching Moist work. He knows Moist is a pro and loves watching him work.

"So what can you tell me about that one?" He nods to the pretty boy and his flock of admirers.

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Aye, they might. Although I suspect Mister Spangler knows how to keep himself from being detected." Sherral's still not entirely sure precisely what Alfred does (because he does not believe that the bar would open its doors to a simple banker), but he can make a few educated guesses.

Either way, useful skills.

"I don't know his name, but, er, gladiator. Consul Amondsham, the groom, owns a company that runs them. Hence the ever-growing crowd of admirers: He's probably a wealthy celebrity back in Archades."

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

"I couldn't help but wonder how well you know Alfred. He's a smooth operator, that's for sure. We worked... well, the start of a job together a while back. Turned out we'd been given bad intel but it was definitely an educational night."

Jay watches him for a while, watching the way he reacts to the little crowd. "Hmm. Him or the bridesmaids next?"

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"We're acquainted. I can tell he has secrets, but so do you and Autor. I've enough secrets of my own without prying at others'," Sherral says. "I know he has zero interest in either crossing me or doing me harm, after all."

The gladiator is dealing with his admirers in very pleasant fashion, all smiles and friendly remarks. He's rehearsed this kind of thing, it would seem.

"Either are liable to yield useful information. The bridesmaids maybe more so, though," Sherral says, after a quick glance at both. "Amondsham's business practices are far less interesting than the standing of the Telanes."

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

"Oh darling, my secrets are an open book to you. As long as you only read me in private." He chuckles,

"Bridesmaids it is. The gladiator might be an entertaining end for the evening." He loosens his tie a little and ruffles his hair, looking very much like someone who looks like he knows how to have a good time.

Re: Jay.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral chuckles, ducking his head a bit and rubbing the back of his neck. "And mine yours."

"Best of luck with the bridesmaids, then."

Re: Jay.

[runningred]

Jay grabs a tray of drinks and makes his way over to the small gaggle of bridesmaids who have been watching him. "Ladies, you look like you could use some refreshments."