Pride is emotional response or attitude to something with an intimate connection to oneself, due to its perceived value.[citation needed] Oxford defines it amongst other things as "the quality of having an excessively high opinion of oneself or one's own importance"
Viox was prideful. She had a lot of pride in fact, but watching Miss Alexie and Albedo peacefully talk this morning from where she stood. She had been watching them talk since Albedo left to go meet with the other at the same table he had claimed with Mister Zhongli. She had stood by the window after breakfast, watching. After the fact that Miss Alexie had insulted the other, not that she didn't do the same, made her question some things. Albedo had stated that he was going to break off the courtship after the Lantern Rite, which understandably was fair. He had originally planned it that way, so he had asked Klee and Viox to stay away for the next two days so that nobody was upset that he had yet to break the courtship off.
Viox found it reasonable, but she was going a little stir crazy with Klee in the Inn room today. Klee had wanted to do one more round of fish blasting, but Viox had explained that it would be easier to do that the day of the Lantern Rite so they could get as much fish as they could. Klee agreed and settled for the moment as she went about to color a few pictures.
Viox sighed a little as she turned to look at Klee. They really should pack and sort some things away. Only two days left and then home. Viox was excited for the Windblume Festival of course as she had her plans, though Albedo did invite her on his and Klee's outings. Viox didn't mind that, but she was worried how others would see it.
"Hey Klee? Can you help me out with sorting the clothes and packing some bags of ours?"
"I can definitely help!"
When noon hit, Albedo had swung by to drop off some lunch and spend a little time with Klee before heading back to Miss Alexie, who wanted to go for a quick walk around the Inn. Klee wanted to go with, but quickly took back the urge to go for a walk after Albedo had said that his courted was going as well.
That's when Viox had taken Klee up to see Rei, who was busy with wedding prep in her Inn room as Zhongli had gone to reserve the wedding venue for the following months. Viox was glad she picked now to come and see Rei. Turns out the other was sampling foods for the wedding and that included her cake as well.
"I say Vanilla and Strawberry!" Klee commented
Viox frowned, "But what about Chocolate and Carmel? That one was good too, plus think about the colors Klee, they have browns and golds, wouldn't it make sense to go with that choice?"
Rei chuckled, "I was thinking more of the Blueberry and Lemon."
Klee giggled as well, "Why not all of the flavors?"
"Because we can only have one for the whole thing." Rei said, poking Klee's nose gently as she smiled at the other.
Viox nibbled on her bottom lip, "What if you make your main cake as the Blueberry and Lemon, and then have two smaller cakes on the side as options?"
Rei perked up, "Oh I love that idea! What do you think about it, Klee?"
Klee nodded, "That way everyone can have many options and nobody would be left out!"
"Exactly!" Viox said as she snapped her fingers, "I believe this settles the Wedding cake. What's next?"
Rei looked at her list, "We have only the guest list and Zhongli's outfit. After that, it's all finished."
Viox smiled, "How are you going to build the guest list? I can help a little, Klee might help too."
Klee giggled, "I say we invite all of the Knights of Favonius!"
Rei leaned back a little, "Maybe some of them, I only know a few of the Knights, not enough to really invite all of them. Kaeya, Violet, Jean, Lisa, and Amber mostly, but knowing some of their schedules, they may not make it. Albedo is there too, but he very well might show up unless Klee goes, which." Rei looked at Klee, "Are you wanting to go?"
"Yes please! That means Big Brother will go and Big Sister Viox will too!" Klee replied excitedly.
"I was already going because I'm her long time friend Klee." Viox chuckled
"Oh. I forgot that part."
"What did you two do today while I was gone?" Albedo asked as everyone settled inside the Inn room. Dinner had been dished out as Viox chewed her food slowly.
"We went over to Miss Rei's room and spent the whole afternoon with her and helped her finish her wedding planning! You're invited because we put you on the list next to my name!" Klee replied happily as she bit into a piece of mushroom that was covered in a tomato like sauce with noodles underneath.
Albedo blinked, "I am not sure what a wedding is. Please explain?"
Viox chuckled a little, "After you are done courting, you move on to one of two steps, one is you end the courting as friends and move on, or two, you wed them. A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vows by a previously courted couple, presentation and a public proclamation of the marriage is done by an authority figure or celebrant, like maybe Acting Grandmaster Jean or Deaconess Barbara. Special wedding garments are often worn, and the ceremony is finished sometimes afterwards, unless the people who are married want to celebrate more by holding a ball of some sorts."
"I see, so would you take the other person's last name? Like if you were to marry me for example, would your last name change from Hala? Or would I have to claim your last name?" Albedo asked as he took a bite from his dinner.
Viox thought about it, "You could choose. Though I've never heard your last name."
Klee pipped up quickly, "It's Verdigris. My mommy gave it to him because it had something to do with Alchemy."
Viox was surprised by this, "Verdigris? What does that mean in Alchemy terms?"
"Verdigris is the common name for a green pigment obtained through the application of acetic acid to copper plates or the natural patina formed when copper, brass or bronze is weathered and exposed to air or seawater over time." Albedo explained.
"And how does it work for Alchemy?" Viox asked
"In a way. Using some alchemy in the process, Verdigris is a variable chemical mixture of compounds, complexes and water. The primary components are copper salts of acetate, carbonate, chloride, formate, hydroxide and sulfate. The secondary components are other metallic salts, acids, atmospheric gases and water. All the components are in an ever-changing and complex electrochemical reaction equilibrium that is dependent on the ambient environment." Albedo rambled a little, remembering a bit of how the process worked with alchemic terms.
Viox was colored impressed. "I think if we were to get married, I would want your last name." She chuckled
Albedo merely gave the other a quick glance, before going back to his meal.