"Hmm...This may not have been a good idea after all."
K'li, Goddess of Peace and Lady of Terrus leaned back from the vision of the Sea Between. She frowned, her trailing robes and gowns darkening to the blue-grey of the sky before a storm.
Reclining on his Throne of Restlessness, Lord Deyvn, the God of Fury and creator of the world of Elladia laughed. It was a raucous sound, fierce and discordant as the clash of blades in battle.
"As always, sweet sister, you worry too much! Come, sit. Take ease and let our creations have their fun."
"And you, brother mine, do not worry enough about this whole business. However did we come to this notion of insanity anyways?"
Lord Deyvn started counting off on his fingers, the broad ring which Lady K'li had gifted him glinting on his thumb as he wiggled it at her.
"One, because it is the Summer Solstice, and a celebration was in order. Two, because it was high time the children of our worlds met, and three, because it will be most amusing!"
With a sigh, Lady K'li turned from the void and returned to her seat of white yew wood and black feathers. Set side-by-side, the God and Goddess of the worlds of Elladia and Terrus respectively were as unalike as the sun and the moon. Their differences were embodied in the worlds which these divine beings had breathed life into. Elladia, a world as wild and lusty as Lord Deyvn, ran thick with blood, wine and battle in equal measures. Across the Sea Between, the land of Terrus sat green and mild beneath the feet of peoples whose hearts retained a childlike innocence even in the midst of their fiercest passions.
Lady K'li attempted to heed her brother's words, remaining stiff-straight even as she arranged her long waves of earthy hair around her like a mantle. Lord Deyvn left off watching Lady K'li to return his attentions to the gathering unfolding in the void before them. Keen interest burned in his eyes, and the folds of his blood red cloak licked like flames at the feet of his throne.
"Take ease..." Lord Deyvn repeated "...and let the festivities unfold."
OoOoO
Devorgail was on the hunt. She had marked her prey from across the lush courtyard, and now closed in with the slinking grace of a leopard. Her gauzy green skirts rippled around her legs, letting choice glimpses of creamy calves and thighs peek through. A warm summer breeze caught the fabric, teasing a little higher and provoking an open-mouthed gape from the pair of Vaelonese girls sitting beside the punchbowl fountain. Devorgail reveled in the stares of the Terriots; let them see just what a real woman could be!
Once her prey turned away for a moment to speak to the boy-child, Stephan, Devorgail took a moment to preen. She knew no man could resist her (with one exception...gods damn that churl Connla Kincade), but even so a hunter never stalked with a slack bow. A fluff of her fiery curls, a quick tug to straighten the jeweled necklace so perfectly set to display her breasts, and Devorgail was ready to pounce.
"I've seen some fine pieces of manhood in my time..." Devorgail purred, coming up to the man and sliding her arm through his. "...including masterpieces such as that." She tossed her head toward a marble statue of a triumphant spear-fisher amongst the roses in a way she knew displayed her neck favorably. "But you might just be one of the finest. Tell me your name, so I can taste how well it suits a man like you."
The tall Undorian turned, surprise edging his brows up into his wealth of black curls. He was definitely Undorian; only they could be as dark as the isle dwellers of Elladia and sport so many tattoos. Devorgail purposefully adjusted her grip on the man's arm so that the pattern of frolicking seals across his bicep passed warm and firm beneath her fingers. Ooooh, she hadn't had a man like this since Valentin. This was going to be a night to remember for sure!
When the Undorian spoke, there was an edge of incredulous annoyance to his throaty voice that Devorgail had not been expecting though.
"You're not the first to call me a 'masterpiece', but you're diving off the wrong reef here Miss." He flexed his arm, breaking Devorgail slim grip, and lifted a hand. A small white circle sat inked into the flesh at the base of his thumb. "I'm a married man."
Rage flashed hot and bright as lightning through Devorgail. Connla had been an oddity, an incident that Devorgail had never thought to see repeated. That anyone could simply refuse her, the Daughter of God, was beyond tolerating! Going for the jugular, she broke out her most fiercesome weapon; a playful, dimpled smile.
"Oh come now, no need to be so brisk! This is, after all, a gathering of nations and a chance to meet one's neighbors from across the Sea Between. Why not tell me your name, and we can enjoy a perfectly lovely drink and stroll without ever needing trouble your wife?"
"I think my wife might be the least of your troubles if you don't find a better way to spend this party..." said Gideo, having caught Kiiss' eye and knowing that where Kiiss was, Reyson wasn't usually far away. If there was one thing Kiiss ArtSeller hated, it was other peoples' paws on her 'merchandise'.
OoOoO
"Do you think we ought to go rescue him?" Connla said, warily eyeing Devorgail as she persistently clung to Gideo StarGazer. He, Alfe and a handful of Terriots had gathered beneath a sweet pea-laden arbor off to one side of the courtyard; perfect for watching the crowd without being caught up in the press.
"I wouldn't if I were you." Vinie BlackPearl, the General of Undor leaned against the white trellis with a glass of rum and punch in hand, looking surprisingly unconcerned at the imminent molestation of her husband. When Connla looked at her questioningly, Vinie took a sip and winked. "Kiiss has an eye on the situation, and who am I to spoil our patroness's fun?"
Alfe patted Connla's wrist. "She's right my love. If you of all people get involved in Devorgail's machinations there'll be a scene for sure."
Connla smiled, settling back into the cool green shade of the hedges and his true love's presence. Alfe looked wonderful tonight, even if she herself likely didn't think so. The scars marring his dirt-brow maiden's visage had never injured Connla's feelings for her, nor had her brown hair, so disdained by the folk of Elladia. Her poppy red gown and golden bracelets complimented her hair in Connla's eyes, and he wondered if perhaps they might visit Terrus someday so that Alfe could enjoy the company of dirt-browed women who had never been shunned for their birthright. He hoped so. For tonight though, Connla and Alfe were content to stand arm-in-arm, sipping sparkling wines and listening to Vinie, Sula and Nadathan recount stories of Factionist adventures.
OoOoO
Speaking of dirt-brows, Lhara was having the time of her life. She wandered from group to group, talking to people from every corner of both worlds and marveling at uniqueness of all of them. Gilded lords and ladies from Ursir mingled as if with long-lost-cousins amongst the Vaelonese nobility, and residents of Attica and clansfolk alike threaded together like woven lines in a tapestry. It was amazing, and Lhara could not get enough.
Someone was conspicuously absent though. A knowing smile and a sigh escaped Lhara as she made for the quietest, most remote part of the gardens. Sure enough, she found Jath sequestered behind the fountain, as far away from the center of attention as he could get. Surprisingly though, he wasn't alone.
"Lhara!" Jath's face lit up when he caught sight of her coming around the pool. "Have you met Kethry? I was just telling her about our Tale of Tales, and she thinks it might make a true ballad in and of itself."
"Really!? Are you a minstrel then, Kethry?"
Lhara plopped down on the edge of the fountain beside Jath, the hem of her shawl definitely getting dipped in the water on the way. Kethry, a warm-faced girl with doe-like brown eyes and a broad smile nodded. Lhara took note of the colorful beadwork in Kethry's skirt and resolved to ask her how to sew like that later.
"I am! And I wish we had a game like that in Elladia! It would be great practice for minstrels and storytellers alike, when they're first learning to memorize long songs. I hear you yourself are something of a minstrel too, Jath?"
"You are?!" Lhara exclaimed, perplexed. "Jath, you never told me that!"
"In my defense, I never told Kethry either. Where did you hear that from?"
Kethry grinned, tossing her head back in the direction of the party and making her dangling earrings tinkle. "From Darenel Tremaris. He, Agnew and that Farakirn girl were ogling the musicians from around the cheese platter."
Lhara was delighted at this revelation. "Jath, what instrument do you play? We should ask the musicians if they could loan you something, and you could play for us!"
"Oh no...Lhara, I'm afraid I'm terribly out of practice. I really couldn't..."
"Pleeeease?"
"Pleeeeeaaaase!?" Kethry joined in, jumping up to clamber behind Lhara on the edge of the fountain and stack her head on top of Lhara's so that Jath was confronted by not one but two pairs of enormous, pleading eyes.
"Well...perhaps just a short piece on the viol...and only out here, with no one else!"
"You got it!" With a clatter of earrings and beads Kethry was on the move, speeding away to pilfer the requested viol from the party's troupe of musicians. Lhara was about to follow when Jath reached out and caught her hand.
"It only takes one to carry a viol," he said. "Perhaps...we might wait for her to return together?"
A knowing smile warmed Lhara's face. Settling back down on the cool stone, she leaned into Jath's shoulder. The sun had set, and the air was beginning to turn cool. Untying her shawl, Lhara reached around to drape an end over Jath's shoulders, wrapping them up together.
"Alright, I'll stay. Someone has to warm you up before you give us a concert, right?"
For just the briefest moment, Jath's breath hitched in his throat. Then, moving fast, he slipped an arm around Lhara's waist and pulled her close.
"We can warm each other up," he said. Together the two of them sat on the outskirts of the party, watching the first stars wink into view and enjoying the music of the crickets in the hedges.
OoOoO
In another part of the garden, all was not so peaceful. Tarun Thrymmson and Red Obad Frandel had run into one another, and now Vuk Ironside was having to hold the hot-tempered sorcerer back by the scruff of his robes while Setanta Kincade tried to talk Tarun out of drawing his sword at the Solstice gathering. Those nearby looked on in something between shock and amusement. For Scath Adlam it was mostly the latter.
"Well, at least it's good to know that there is some fire burning through Terriot veins," she commented dryly, her goblet of spiced wine hanging from one hand.
"Too much in some and not enough in others," confirmed Princess Ellorae, rolling her eyes. "Apparently Captain Jerriod's presence was all that was keeping those two from trying to tear each others' throats out after all."
"Can you blame Tarun?" Roran spoke up. "I mean, Frandel did kill his brother after all."
Ellorae smirked. "Oh I don't blame either of them. I merely wonder where Captain Jerriod has gotten too. Or perhaps High Obad Arzai; she at least could quell Frandel into restraining himself."
At that Scath laughed, provoking a raised eyebrow from the princess. Ellorae was famous for many things, but a ready sense of humor was not one of them. Scath was not perturbed though. Pointing with the hand that held her wine goblet, Scath indicated where Melierax sat chatting with Prince Hithon. The boy was listening to everything that Melierax said with great interest, brown eyes wide and mouth slightly open.
"Your High Obad was here a few minutes ago, as was King Mahir. They got to talking with Melierax though, and when he told them the story of his ancestry they both beat hasty retreats...in opposite directions." Scath caught Melierax's eye and sent her lover a lazy wink. "Perhaps they heard something they did not expect?"
Something seemed to catch in Ellorae's mind, and she blanched. Beryl gems in her hair twinkling, the princess craned her neck to see above the crowd; a difficult feat given her incredibly small stature.
"Which way did Arzai go, and which way did Mahir?"
"Your brother went that way, if that's what you wanted to know," said Scath, pointing toward the area of the courtyards where the food buffets were all laid out. Ellorae's expression turned grim.
"That's what I feared...Vinie BlackPearl and Gideo StarGazer are over there."
Sure enough, less than a second later a roar of pure anger cut through the atmosphere of the party. Vuk and Lord Kincade, already busy trying to separate one pair of combatants, looked toward Scath.
Scath sighed. "Come, we had better get there before Arzai and the other Obads do."
Ellorae noticed Inis Adlam dip through the edge of the crowd, also headed toward the source of the din. She thought of mentioning his presence to Scath, but wisely decided against it. There was enough going on at this party already to contend with.
OoOoO
From his Restless Throne, Lord Deyvn slapped his thigh and clapped his hands.
"See, what did I tell you, dear K'li?" he exclaimed. "No party is worthy of the name without a little excitement."
Lady K'Lli for her part did seem to be dangerously close to laughter. She swallowed down her mirth though, replacing it with a benignly concerned expression. The clear, cloudless blue of her drapery told the truth though.
"Let us hope that when they awake tomorrow, back in their own realms, they are none the worse for wear after this night of chaos."
Lord Deyvn chuckled. "Ah but that, Lady of Terrus, is the crux of our twin worlds. You see, from my Elladians your children might learn chaos and passion, and from your Terriots my own creations might learn softer, sweeter ways. Our peoples are two sides of the same coin, with the Sea Between to link them."
"This I know, my wild Lord of Elladia. It is not the fire of Elladia that frightens me, for both the sake of myself and my Terrus; it is the Sea Between. For all things in extreme must either fade or burn into nothingness. It is balance that lasts the ages, and for that I am grateful that you are my brother, and I your sister. We are the two faces of that same coin; forever in opposition and yet forever together. So mote it be."
"So mote it be," agreed Lord Deyvn.
Side by side on their thrones of yew and iron, the God and Goddess sat back and watched their stories unfold.
OoOoO