The Volus Festival

Terrinath himself now became immersed into the persons nearby; Zelvik was filling him in currently on the situations inside the capital, and of the reactions of Nathanial towards the proposed engagement of Gennos to the Mcintyre family-he wasn't happy at the very least that the thief who he had to guard against was now marrying his superior, but rumors were about he thought that it might hold her down. Lauriana was in attendance to the banquet while Nash'kana looked over things in the city, and so far had some plans to trade with Xeria for their own inventions; to which lips were sealed for now.

Some Tranzek nobility had come as well, talking with nobles from Casandras and Coshek over some dealings in agricultural devices and magical rune dealings. Senderias was ghosting about the place, to which one Praetorian always tried to shadow the representative-this time a younger man, whose eyes were more servile then his rank provided. As Terrinath finished his discussions with Zelvik, he told him about keeping an eye on the queen, for she had disappeared alone on a balcony and the last thing they needed was a radical noble trying to take advantage of her.

Stepping off, he moved off, nodding politely to the brother before stepping towards the staircase towards his room.

Several minutes pass, of course, and Queen Alyn is more than allowed her share of time to vent herself out on the balcony. Little did she know, she was under more than just a pair of watchful eyes. Like Zelvik, Maggie had taken the opportunity to ensure the Queen was undisturbed, if only for a short time. And once Alyn seemed to calm down a bit, Maggie made her appearance, clearing her throat just softly so as not to wholly startle Alyn.

Assuming that in its self didn't work out badly, she will have offered just a slight bow, as anything else would be near impossible in such a tight dress as the one Maggie had been wearing. That curtain of ebon hair was moved back over her shoulder, and she offers an earnest expression for Alyn - However sharp. Naturally sharp features couldn't change that.

"I do hope you forgive me for approaching you in such a manner, your Majesty.. I'm sure the last thing you want is someone prying into your affairs, let alone bringing up such a tender subject.. However-- This is regarding your friend, is it not?"

Akilah's eyes jutted open at Kaelus's confession. She swept her hand up to her face to cover her gaping mouth.

"No!" she said, in a scandalous gasp. "Urie is her admirer? She's been obsessed with that mysterious suitor for the longest time now." She grinned, wide and warm, at this new notion. Urie Morgen--she couldn't believe it! What fine providence this proved to be.

She looked at Kaelus wryly. "And what are your opinions on this matter?"




"Urie! Lord Urie--!" called Malocthe, as she dashed after him through the crowd. He ducked between a couple taller guests, but the girl followed suit.

"--Please!" he gasped, barely turning his head to address her as he ran. "Please just leave me be! I'm ill!"

"Malochte's cheeks flushed. "Lord Kaelus ordered me to fetch you!" She nearly knocked someone carrying a fine tray of drinks over. "--You're running just fine for someone so ill!"

"That's because my illness rests within my nerves--" Before Urie could explain any more, he skidded to a halt, barely stopping before slamming into the wall before him. Malochte slid forward, bumping into him.

She took a step back and panted. "I'm sorry," she said."Lord Kaelus--requested--that I fetch you--"

Urie groaned and cupped a hand to his forehead, pushing his bangs back. "--That's all right," he said. "I'm sorry to have made you dash after me. A lady such as yourself should not be forced to such efforts. Kaelus should have come for me himself."

"I'm glad I could keep up with you, my lord."

"I'm impressed you could keep up with me."

Alyn started at the sound. Swinging her legs down from the length of the bench, she quickly stood and spun around to address... well, she really wasn't sure who she was addressing. The past month had been a non-stop Match-That-Royal-Persona game with Leu, but she still forgot most of them, just like when she crammed for History tests back in high school. So, she offered her own courtesy nod, having wiped the sullen frown from her mouth.

However, after she heard the woman out, a frown crawled back onto her face. Her voice ran cold.

"Then why would you bring it up?" she said. "What right do you--what right do any of you have in eyeing up my personal affairs?

"You sound like you know it's a bad idea to bring this up. If you know it's such a bad idea, then why? Why are you here?" Tears bit at the edges of her eyes, but she forced them to stay in. "Because I'm getting really tired--of all this stupid gossip--stuff."

Maggie hadn't expected it would go well. Though she didn't cringe, or make mention to apologize repeatedly for upsetting the Queen - Rather, she merely bowed her head softly, and she replied promptly, though in gentle tone.

"I assumed, if anyone would, you would want news of his whereabouts and wellbeing, your Majesty. I thought perhaps I could offer you a bit of peace of mind." Painted lips part momentarily after in a quiet sigh, and.. Well, frankly, against Maggie's better judgement, she decides to note on the other subject as well.

"Frankly, my Queen, I was given right by the Praetorian, who was in turn given right by his Majesty and the most revered Lieuesiatus Noxamas. The Praetorian is dedicated to protecting the royal family, as you very well know, and so intelligence gathering isn't particularly their strong point - More to the point, they can't afford to leave you along long enough to search. It just isn't how it's done."

Assuming things were still going well, Maggie continued on about the matter of the missing boy. She watched Alyn directly as she did so, though she held a kind countenance as best she could, all the same.

"Since his disappearance was made public, I've been searching for him. Tirelessly. When Terri approached me and officially asked me, the only difference in that was that the search was made official. Just two days prior to this Gala, your Majesty, I did find better news regarding his whereabouts and condition further than what I already knew.." Another pause is given, and she motions out softly past the balcony.

"He is on this continent. He is in the Upper Bolskar Region, and he is being treated like a prince. Frankly, I don't think he could be happier at the moment, given what my informants saw prior to their perishing. And with any due luck, he should be on castle grounds within the coming few weeks. This information, I thought, should be brought to you directly.

Now. I realize I've overstepped my boundary by several miles so. I'll leave my name, Maggie Mcintyre, intelligence informant for the crown, and I'll go back to the main hall before the dancing begins. I'll be happy to receive what punishments I earn for speaking as casually as this on such a sensitive subject."

Kaelus smiled warmly toward her own reaction. "Well, at least Urie knows how to write so well." Towards her inquiry, Kaelus could only chuckle and look thoughtful. "My own is simply this; if the poor sot could get his cap on a bit tighter and his feet planted into the ground, I would've encouraged sooner haha." He glanced over at her slyly, murmuring strings of words before grasping his hand into a fist and then releasing it. He seemed to be focusing a little to keep it there, but a small blue flame sat there and actually giggled as it bobbed up and down. "Those the ears of the walls tell me there might be also a possibility towards yourself. Are you currently being sought after yet?" The flame itself gave off no heat, perhaps an illusion?

If there had been those who decided to follow him, Terrinath had indeed gone into his room. The door locked with the noticeable click. However, several minutes would pass before he would leave the room again, heading downstairs to perhaps go for some fresh air around the side gardens of the palace.

Akilah's eyes glittered at Kaelus's magical gesture. She grinned deeply, inviting, and looked sidelong at him.

"I appreciate the set of skills you have acquired," she said knowingly. Then a chuckle. "Why do you inquire about my hand, my Lord?" She perked her eyebrows, feigning innocence.



As their small talk diminished, Malochte stared gently at Urie, peered into his eyes for a moment. The way he spoke, way he carried himself--it made her wonder something. She pursed her lips, and drew a breath to quote.

"I long for you to know my face..."

Urie's eyes jutted open. "My hands," he continued.

"My voice," finished Malochte. Her breath had been swept out of her. "You're the one who's sent me all those letters."

Alyn softened as things were explained to her. She stopped Maggie as she tried to leave.

"No," she said. "No--it's fine. I... apologize to have lashed out at you the way I did. I've been under a lot of stress lately. Thank you, though. For everything. For putting my mind to ease. There's no punishment at all for you, just my thanks."

She nodded in recognition and excusal to Maggie, along with a flushed, unguarded smile. "And, this is something that will not be forgotten." With that, she strolled back in, winding her way through the revelers, until she found Maero back at the table. She smiled earnestly again, but something was still picking around at the back of her mind.

Alan--treated like a prince? Was that Maggie chick sure they had the right Alan? Amorvian wouldn't--Amorvian. Alyn shuddered to ponder what he was really up to, with all this talk of pampering and safety going on. Something was wrong.

Another deep, respectful bow is given, as much as her dress will allow her to do so - And after that, Maggie excuses herself to go find Terrinath. Although it did take a small bit of searching and asking around, she eventually ended up finding Terrinath, spotting him from a distance down a long hall.


A sharp exhale given, she lifts a hand to wave to Terrinath, headed in his direction in hopes of catching his attention. She won't call, as it's rather un-lady like, shouting down a hallway to grab attention.

Though once she does assumedly reach him, her smile is once more sparked upon her expression, "There you are, Terri - I was wondering. Are you going to escort me to the dance, or will I be dancing with a ghost out on the balcony?" She'd asked, half joking, half not - Though her soft wink toward him cushioned the latter in her tone.

As Alyn finally found Maero back at the feasting table, he had just been rising, at had many of the other attendants, as it had just been announced that the dancing was to begin. He slid out of his seat, turning just in time to see Alyn walking up - And though he wasn't too thrilled about dancing in particular, he did seem a great deal relieved to see Alyn again. So much so that a half-worried smile crawled onto his expression, and he opened his arms to catch her in a gentle hug, tail gently wag-jingling behind him.

"Hey," He spoke hesitantly, unsure of whether she still felt the same or had recovered from her tipsy mood, "Are you feeling better? They're starting the dance now, so if.."

"Why do you inquire about my hand, my Lord?"

Kaelus chuckled fondly, vanishing the flame and making a throwing gesture with his hand. "So the rumors are true that you seem to be not of your parent's mindset. As to your hand-it seems in helping my brother with Malochte, I have found that you Akilah are also something definitely to behold, conversation and perhaps otherwise. It is also that for the dancing tonight, I find myself without a partner, you wish to join me?"

Terrinath glances over and blinks as Maggie waves as him, before stepping up and joining her presence in the hall.

"There you are, Terri - I was wondering. Are you going to escort me to the dance, or will I be dancing with a ghost out on the balcony?"

He smiled and then bowed slightly, taking up her hand and kissing the ring. "Of course, let us dance then amongst the nobility and thieves whilst our phantoms enjoy the view. Did whatever you had to do go well?" His clothes didn't appear all that different, but there was a bit more bulk to his chest and along his forearms.

"Maybe they are," said Akilah, "and maybe they are not. You'll simply have to find out the old-fashioned way, Lord Kaelus: by getting to know me."

She smiled and held out her hand to him. "And, I'd love to, yes. Coincidentally, I'm in need of a dancing partner myself."


They'd stared at each other for a while, after the exchange. Urie motioned to speak, but the music gushed forth around the revelers before he could do so. His palms felt sweaty.

"Malochte," he said, raising his voice against the music, "I /really/--I mean, would you do me the honor, of--"

A shy smile upon her face, she gently took him by the wrist, and led him to the floor.

Alyn drew a sharp breath at Maero's question and exhaled.

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm good," she said. Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she hushed her voice. She winced. "I am so sorry about earlier--like, the weird bow and announcement thing and all. I didn't look too stupid, did I?"

"As well as it could have, I'd say.. It could have certainly been worse, I'll admit." Maggie remarked, glancing away from him with a slight darkening of her cheeks as he kisses the ring, "But we should see the results sometime later. For now.. Remind me how grand of a dancer you actually are."

Upon this mention, she leans over, locking their lips in a deep, loving kiss, pulling away only after a moment has passed to let it sink in. At which point she awaits for him to lead her back to the dance floor, assuming once the celebrations have already begun. To be honest, she really couldn't remember the last time she and Terrinath had danced together.. Will this have been the first time?

Though he offered a slight shrug and an awkward smile, he did eventually end up nodding softly at her - "I don't think anyone who wasn't sitting directly beside you noticed. Just don't worry about it, okay? Let's--"


Pausing, and clearing his throat awkwardly, Maero steps back, whilst taking Alyn's hand. At which point his tail curls off to the side with a quiet jingle, and he stoops down into a courtesy bow to Alyn.

"Would you.. dance with me, Queen Alyn? I mean, Leu insisted I learned how to dance just for this, and I'd hate to have all of that shouting and fighting and threats of throwing him in the ocean go to waste." He peeks up at her, ears perking up with a lopsided sort of grin. Obviously he's trying to cheer her up, too -- But as Alyn will have well known, he wasn't kidding about any of what he'd just said. Dance lessons were hell.

"T'would be my pleasure to do so, in both means." Kaelus smiled and took her hand, leading her out onto the ballroom floor. He sat with her, one hand upon her hip gracefully while his other clasped in her fingers poised for the first song.

As the music began several minutes later, he kept to the steps he himself had been learning with his brother-funny enough, Kaelus had actually been the less talented of the two at that particular footwork. Their eldest brother now danced with a heavy bossomed woman from the southern region, both of them trying to keep time as he then turned Akilah about. "So then, what do you think perhaps, of Urie and Malochte? Perhaps we shall bump into them in the dance."

His face flushed as she locked lips with him in that position, her dress complimenting the kiss in so many ways it seemed planned. As they stood up and walked the the floor, the music had begun to play. His fingers graced about her cheek before taking one of her gloved hands, stepping into a spin quite easily-the advantages of learning statecraft, most likely. But he was a bit heavy footed, something he rather hoped was avoided notice from his well practiced feet into the dance. "Remind, well now when did you watch me dance?"

"I'm sure I gathered intelligence on your dancing at one point or another.." She remarked quietly, supposing her wit was proper given the setting. Spinning with him, her hand stretched across his shoulder, resting there whilst the other rested in his hand, a delighted smile spreading across those dark-colored lips of hers.

"I can't say I've ever actually seen you dance, though," She further remarked, allowing those willowy legs of hers to carry herself in a fluidic grace. Dancing did so happen to be a loved pastime of hers.

Akilah glided across the floor, in turn with Kaelus, her motions elegant as a spell. She smiled at the thought of Malochte.

"My sister has been fond of her shadowed suitor for a long time now," she said, speaking low as if beginning a story. "I think they will do fine." Her eyes flicked with a spark. "But if Malochte might wish to set the night here--you may rest assured there will be swift repercussions if your brother should step beyond his bounds. True love aside."



Malochte and Urie were a strange sight, to say the least. Sparked by the fanned flames of returned love, they wanted to be as near to each other as possible--which proved for awkward footwork. Malochte consistently tried to lean forward into him, and as Urie tried to spin her, she clung onto him, throwing him off-balance for a moment.

But, the two recovered. Malochte giggled with a gleeful squint in her eye, and Urie chuckled heartily.

"I've never been so happy," said Urie. Malochte looked at him softly.

"If you're truly so happy, you'd do well to drain those tears from your eyes," she whispered.

Urie paused, a breath caught in his chest. Sure enough, the edges of his eyes were brimming with water.

"Ah. A contradiction," he chuckled.

"A paradox," corrected Malochte.

"Nostalgia for a thing I've never known."

"Nostalgia for something I'd almost forgotten."

Alyn blushed as Maero bowed with his request. She bit down on her lip to contain the idiotic smile fanning out on her face.

"Yes," she said, the coy grin still set into her cheeks. She curtsied in response, more gracefully this time. As Maero stood to take her to begin, her eyes shrunk away to the floor; a few bangs fell across her face. She remembered her place as Queen and forced her head up,raising her chin just slightly so she wouldn't be tempted to look down again. Leu had covered this with her countless times, but she still felt awkward looking straight ahead while walking.

She gulped. Now or never.

Kaelus nodded sagely as he moved with her-forward step, back, then a half turn followed by a counterclock full turn. "If Urie was exactly who he was, I might have worried. But between those two, I'm sure they could be left in a room tonight and nothing serious would occur. He's too abashed and polite, even tipsy. If anything, it seems indeed I do have something to learn of you; perhaps what lay behind those eyes for one."

"I practice for it, but I don't often get to. I have more experience dashing and dodging." Terrinath chuckled dryly, keeping pace with Maggie as he glanced around. The hosts seemed to be joining in well to the dancing, and the overall celebrations had hit a much better note then when everyone was feasting; it was a time to be prosperous and happy, nothing more.

Of course, discounting the dark corners of every party.

Taking Alyn's hand, gently, he too found he had to actively restrain the idiotic grin that threatened to show his pearly whites to the world and beyond. His tail wagged softly behind him, which was more than enough sign of his glee to the patrons - And frankly, it was something he couldn't control.

Once out on the ballroom floor, the music was just picking up to a bouncing sort of rhythm, at which point Maero closed the distance between himself and Alyn, stretching her arm out to the side along with his own. His other hand rest upon his waist, and he led her into a spinning glide across the floor in the seemingly choreographed gliding dance the others were engaged in.

Lessons.. Upon lessons.. Upon more lessons and more, had finally paid off. It seemed it was upon the dance floor that Leu's inspired grace in Maero truly came out - Every movement, every dip, every sway and every cradle of Alyn's figure in the waltz was exquisite and practiced, like poetry in motion. It likely helped that he was enjoying himself -- But even moreso that he was enjoying dancing with Alyn.

And she was happy.