Angelina awoke to the clear ringing of a trumpets call, signaling the rise of the sun. She groaned, rolling over. She forgot they did that. She sat up bracing for the pain of a massive hangover. It didn't come.

Huh.

She stood up and wobbled to the bathroom and turned on the lights. It was then that she realized she was not hung over because she was, in fact, still drunk. She looked in the mirror at the crime scene of her makeup smeared up the side of her face. Apparently, she had forgotten the area entirely during last night bath. She sighed, and began to run the tap for another. Hopefully this second bath would clear up her muddy thoughts.

She looked around the polished marble room and the claw footed tub. Everything about the room screamed luxury. She took a fistful of the fragrant bath salts in a silver bowl on the vanity and tossed them into the tub. Soon the fragrance of roses filled the steamy air. Angelina shed her cozy red robe, took a washcloth and stepped into the gloriously hot water. She scrubbed her face until it felt clean and lay the cloth over her eyes. She soaked in silence for a long while just enjoying the silence.

After some minutes she heard the softest of knocks and her door opened. She turned to see one of Mira's ladies in waiting laying out clothes and tea for her for the day. Angelina, who had just decided that the water was getting cold and wanted to get out, decided them to wait a minute for her to leave.

When the girl started to make her bed, and it became clear that she wasn't going any time soon, she cleared her throat, startling the girl.

"I'm sorry!" Angelina said quickly, feeling bad "but…I need to get out."

"Oh, yes of course Mum!" The girl bowed deeply but rather than leaving she scampered over and took a tower from the cabinet. She held it up in front of her, clearly waiting for Angelina to stand and be wrapped.

"Uh, oh… ah. That's not quite what I meant, but thank you."

The girl waited patiently, arms extended, clearly not understanding.

Angelina sighed and stood up. The girl wrapped her snuggly in the towel and before Angelina had even turned around was holding out her robe as well. Shall I brush your hair for you Mum?" She asked with a polite smile.

"Oh! Oh, no thanks... ah, I got it." Anticipating the next question she added quickly. "I ah, I can dress myself too. Um, thank you..."

The girl curtseyed. "As you wish. If you ever need anything, just ring." She returned to the task of making Angelina's bed. As she walked over to the tray with her tea, she felt terribly awkward with this girl fussing about her room. She sat down for her tea. Upon the gleaming silver tray was a small note with a green and gold wax seal featuring a phoenix.

Fen…

"Where did you get this?" She asked the girl, holding it up trying to calm her nerves.

"Oh, the note?" the girl said over her shoulder while she fluffed the menagerie of little red pillows. "It was just under your door, Mum. It looked private so I picked it up for you to read at your leisure with your tea." She didn't seem to think that this sort of this was unusual going by her non-chalance. The girl never even broke stride in her task.

Angelina swallowed hard. What did it say? What Could it say after the strange events of the night before?

She broke the seal and unfolded the note. In flowery scrawling script, it simply said. "Until we meet again, ~Fen"

She realized suddenly that she was gripping the note tight enough to crinkle it. She took a breath and lay it one the table, smoothing it out before refolding it and placing it in the pocket of her robe.

She turned around to thank the girl for all her work but as she turned her head, she saw the door closing quietly behind her. She shrugged, and sipped her tea. It was smooth and sweet. Delightful against her parched throat chasing away the stale lingering flavors of the night before. She enjoyed it thoroughly.

After her tea she inspected her dress for the day. A dark blushing pink number with a brocade of crushed velvet, capped sleeves and a pearl-beaded neckline and waist…. fancy. Like everything that Mira gave her. She donned her surprisingly comfortable new threads and brushed her hair, opting to wear it loose for the day.

When she made her way to the dining hall, breakfast was in full swing. Mira sat on her feet leaning across the table deeply engrossed in what appeared to be a very important conversation with Roy. Ganan was drinking deeply from what appeared to be not a mug but an actual bucket of coffee, the massive man using both hands to support his drink. She took an empty seat next to the him, marveling in quiet awe at not just his strength but his stamina… Surely, he'd have to come up for air at some point?

He didn't.

Upon finishing his beverage, he set his bucket down upon the table noiselessly, and dabbed his lip with a cloth napkin in a delicate motion. He noticed Angelina beside him and smiled broadly. "How are you feeling this morning."

"Uh.." She thought back to their hallway encounter last night and hoped he wouldn't bring it up. "Fine, I suppose… How are you?"

He grinned wider. "Feeling younger than I have in years! Its been a long time since I've been able to enjoy a festival like this so freely! Boy what a festival it was!"

A waiter silently placed a coffee with cream and sugar in front of Angelina, and in the same movement retrieved Ganan's bucket. He paid them no mind.

At this Mira looked over and saw that she had made it down to breakfast. "Oh! There you are! You disappeared last night. I looked everywhere for you but after you wandered off with Kane, I never saw you again! Did you get on alright at the party?" She looked apologetic and a little concerned.

"I-" Angelina began but what cut off by Ganan,

"Oh-ho! I think she got on Just Fine last night." he ribbed her side gently "Eh?"

Angelina stared in horror pleading with her eyes.

"She was the talk of the brewers meet after the party! I stayed late to talk trade and sample some of the more exotic libations once the official party had wrapped up, Now THEY know how to throw a party!" Mira frowned at this looking a little hurt. Ganan shrugged apologetically. "Ah, anyways Apparently, she's taken a real liking to Gremenian mulled wine and can really hold her drink! I admire that in a Lady. Perhaps I will have to bring you some Isliidian Whiskey when next I visit. It's stout stuff! We can see who keeps their feet the longest!" He let out a loud hearty laugh.

Mira laughed too. "oh, what a treat that would be, I haven't had a bottle since I was last at the guild!" She turned her attention to Angelina "Be careful though, Ganan has never lost a drinking match, not even to my father!" After this whimsical exchange she returned her attention fully to Roy, who had been waiting patiently. Angelina let out a raged breath and Ganan chuckled. He winked at her as he picked up his recently returned coffee bucket and began to load the fresh helping with sugar cubes.

Angelina shook herself and looked around the table seeing if anyone else had come in.

"He left before dawn," Ganan said, his voice brimming with amusement. "The General said he had some urgent business to attend to back at the capitol and took the Gremenian entourage. He seemed… a little hungover" Ganan leaned in with a conspiring whisper "If I do say so myself, that boy has always been a hapless lightweight."

Angelina stifled a giggle. Oh. she hoped his hangover was one of legendary proportions. She hoped that he spent the next few days recovering in misery.

The fucker.

Unconsciously, she touched the edge of the note in her pocket, and smiled… just a little.