fluffiest_archadian | [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

From:

fluffiest_archadian

"I will keep that in mind," she says smoothly. "Especially since many of us have been bid to stay with Liana in this city for a few weeks. Rabanastre is very beautiful, but I do doubt the consul will be eager to let her or us roam the streets."

From:

runningred

"I'd offer to show you around the city but I'm afraid I don't know it very well myself." He says with somewhat helpless smile.

"I don't catch you name, m'lady?"

From:

fluffiest_archadian

"Ariana Telane. The bride's cousin," she says, inclining her head.

From:

runningred

"Lady Telane." Jay give her a deep bow, and a slightly wicked smile. "Feel like getting some fresh air?"

From:

fluffiest_archadian

"I believe the garrison are quite keen on keeping us all within the palace," Ariana says, chuckling. "Unless you know of a way that we might slip by the city guards."

From:

runningred

He smiles and drops his voice softly, leading her a couple of steps away from the group. "Probably not the city guards but I'm pretty sure I could find a way to slip around enough of the palace guards to find somewhere a little quieter."

From:

fluffiest_archadian

"By all means, then, Mister Todd."

From:

runningred

"Wonderful. Just give me a moment to acquire some necessities. If you're willing to participate with some harmless play-acting, we'll be out of here in just a moment."

He gives her a little bow and steps away to have a quiet word with Alfred.

{ooc: hope you don't mind me looping this around a little bit to cross the threads?}

From:

fluffiest_archadian

"Of course."

[ooc: Nah, not at all, that's all fine by me.]

From:

runningred

Jay comes back to her, Alfred's coat draped over his shoulder and is carefully spilling red wine into a white handkerchief. "So, ready to get out of here?"

From:

morethanprops

When they head out, Moist comes into charm the other bridesmaids and not make them wonder too much, "Who needs another drink?"

From:

fluffiest_archadian

While Moist is distracting her compatriots, Ariana tips her head back, giving the handkerchief and jacket a brief glance.

"Of course, Mister Todd," she says smoothly. "Lead the way."

From:

runningred

"Okay. Now for the harmless play acting." He folds the handkerchief so the stain is on the outside and finish off the wine. "We're going to make it look like I've spilt wine on your lovely dress."

He takes a step back, trips and looks like he splashes wine in her. "Gods, how clumsy of me. I'm so sorry. Here, let me." He dabs at her with the handkerchief, keeping the stained side away from her dress. "I'm such a fool. Please, let me help you clean that off."

Edited Date: 2014-12-17 11:52 am (UTC)

From:

fluffiest_archadian

A lesser actress would play up a 'oh, no, it's quite alright' angle. Ariana Telane has been at court for many years, though. She's no lesser actress.

"Clumsy fool," she says with a voice like a whip cracking. "Can you even conceive how much this dress costs? This is silk from Archades itself. These are gemstones from Ynys Auria. You dolt."

From:

runningred

"I'm so sorry." He shrugs the jacket off and offers it to her to hide the nonexistent stain.

He waves helplessly at the bored waiter he and Alfred picked out early. "Can you help me? I've made a terrible fool of myself and spilt wine on the lady's dress. Would you be terribly kind and show us the way to the kitchen so we can borrow some soda water to get the stain out before it sets?"

From:

fluffiest_archadian

With some outraged noises, Ariana takes the jacket, pulling it on and holding it closed. The waiter almost imperceptibly rolls his eyes.

"Down the hall, second left," he says.

From:

runningred

Jay leans her down the hall. Once in the kitchen he finds a sympathetic kitchen hand to beg some soda water from. He manages to talk them into letting her use the staff bathroom.

"Give me five minutes." He flashes her a quick smile and a wink.

From:

fluffiest_archadian

"A bathroom? And here I thought you were a shade more of a gentleman than that," Ariana remarks archly, just loud enough for Jay to hear.

From:

runningred

"You use the bathroom as a distraction while I make arrangements to find somewhere more conducive to conversation." Jay whispers in return, returning her expression just as archly.

From:

fluffiest_archadian

"As you will, then," she says easily, sliding into the bathroom.

From:

runningred

Jay gets busy chatting up a member of the kitchen staff, all charm and attractive helpfulness. He manages to convince a couple of young ladies to help him out.

When Ariana returns, Jay's holding a basket of food and a hand-drawn map. "M'lady? He gestures towards a back door.

From:

fluffiest_archadian

"Ah, thank you, Mister Todd," she says, striding towards the back door.

From:

runningred

Jay smiles and follows the path given to him down a service corridor and up a flight of stairs. And then out into a small private garden. "It's always important to remember; the kitchen staff always know the best place for a quiet break."

He heads over to a bench seat, opening up the basket. "I figured being the Bride's cousin, you've spent all day running around after her, sorting out every little jitter and worry. I doubt you've stopped for a decent meal all day."

From:

fluffiest_archadian

Ariana snorts.

"As if Liana is worried. We all know this isn't a perfect wedding, it's just another business contract, rushed through because everyone's afraid of Vayne Solidor right now. There are two dozen just like it happening across the Empire," she says. "Liana doesn't need this wedding to be perfect, she just needs a signature on the dotted line."