Critical: The Storm Is Here :: 5/25, AHESTERI FEAST, All of Ahestere, Evening

[Aashiq Linnet]

Everyone had gathered in Lismore. Aashiq was truly glad to be home. His family was seated at the main table in Lismore. Aesha sat to his right, Lorelei to his left. The bannermen and their family were assembled on the tables in front of them. The food had been laid out. It was much of Ahestere's finest. Fruits, meats, everything they had was lent out for this feast. Aashiq was glad to be home. It was nice to be in familiar surroundings in his own home. Still the announcement had to be made. He was not sure if the men would handle it.

Two people in the room already knew what was to come. A third too but Aashiq dared not look at Lord Fleurant directly just yet. Instead he raised his wine glass to give a toast. “I thank you all for coming here. We are here to celebrate my daughter, Aesha's betrothal to Prince Bertram. A union between the Fontenot and Linnet houses will be forged.” He looked over at the young prince. He would be in Lismore for awhile now. He wondered how he would handle the heats. It would be a change for him as well. “But that is not the only thing we are celebrating tonight.” Aashiq began. He looked around the room.

He would have to say the words that would change everything. But he would wait. “But first let us toast the happy couple to be! May their future union be a happy one!”

[Nasir Prothero]

Nasir had plans that night. Fun plans. Plans he wasn’t going to miss. But here he was at this feast because Lord Aashiq commanded it, and well, he couldn’t pass up the meal. The food was like honey on the tongue, dripping in fat and spices and sauces that were only found in Ahestere. His tongue was roaring, but he loved it.

And the wine was good too. Nasir kicked back another glass and turned to his father. “At least the lord knows how to throw a party, although, really, welcoming the young prince seems like a poor reason to celebrate to me. He’s foreign. Not even Ahestere. But then I guess uncle always did favor the north.” He motioned to Lorelei on the dais, sitting next to Lord Aashiq, along with the others of their family.

His eyes settled on Aesha. There was something about the girl tonight, something he didn’t like. Maybe she was just anxious about the marriage...

[Aesha Linnet]

To say she was nervous would have been an understatement.

Aesha was trying her hardest to show a strong face and be brave, but with her marriage to the prince and the other thing, she... she was finding it annoyingly, impossibly hard. She was certain she had already let some of her discomfort show, and she resented it with every fibre of her form.

Her family were here, of course, and that helped. Her sisters, her mother and father were for the most part a comforting force, and she found her eyes casting through the crowd for her elder cousin Leila, as well. Prince Bertram was here too, but... she found it difficult to look at him. Doing so, she believed, would only prove a catalyst for her fears.

A toast was being made, but soon... soon her father would break the other news, the one which would likely shake the very foundations of this land.

[Melanie al-Haadiyah]

Melanie was nobody.

She was an Acolyte, true, but she'd gotten there with no family connections worth speaking of and while she'd always been as generous as she could with individuals who came to her for counsel or assistance, they were not always favors she could call in publicly. They weren't favors she'd ever intended to call in at all, which might mean she stayed an Acolyte for a long, long while. If she were one of the Chosen, she might be somebody.

So much responsibility, though, and so little mobility. Better to be nobody.

Still, now and then a friend did her a good turn.

Being nobody, Melanie was hardly rolling in gold, but one could not be auntie to as many people as Melanie was without someone giving as good as they got, and as a result she did own one or two options for more formal occasions than visiting the dying. They were both in the Haziri style, and one was for occasions like this one when Melanie wanted to remind anybody with an eye for symbolism just to whom exactly she belonged.

Above her sandals she wore light cotton black trousers with the ankles tied in, and a long dark green skirt over that in similarly light fabric, with a belted tunic over that in a more vivid green with black embroidered feathers around the hems and down the chest. She wore a green-beaded black scarf over her braids in cotton so thinly woven that she could have wrapped it over her eyes and still seen clearly through it.

This was because she belonged to all of the Five, but two in particular had claimed her early on. If she could be here because she was an Acolyte, and she was an Acolyte because of the goddess of death and the god of thieves, then she owed Amelie and Fujin for her attendance at anything like this.

So maybe not nobody.

Sister Melanie al-Haadiyah, Not Quite Nobody, walked through the main doors without requesting announcement into the crowd of assembled nobles.

She'd heard there was to be a betrothal, and such a large party meant that everybody was very happy about it. Was the girl? Was the prince? Melanie was struck with a powerful curiosity, and it certainly had nothing to do with the fact that at such an open party for so diverse and populous a group there would be a great deal of free food of better quality than even nobles could expect to enjoy regularly. That was incidental and Melanie refused to admit even the possibility that it was the biggest reason to come rub elbows with her earthly betters.

Poor little Linnet girl looked frightened. Melanie hoped that it was just the pressure of the occasion and not real fear. Maybe later she could find out. And there was that dear blonde lady she'd met in the capitol. Melanie tried to catch her eye, failed, and just hoped the best for her, too.

She also hoped the nobles had left her plenty of fruit. That one she could determine herself, so she began weaving through the others to find the right table... or maybe even another friendly face.

But mostly the food.

[Croix Morgan]

His crew had just finished a job in Lismore when news of a party came to his attention. After a brief consensus amongst the crew, Croix and a few of his men decided that it would be a wonderful time to crash it. Only his last name was needed to get in the door, the first name he made up. The Morgans were infamous enough to be recognized, but no so grandiose that anyone really knew and entire family tree of them. As long as he didn’t drop his first name, they’d keep a wary eye on him but at least let them through the door.

They were dressed up properly enough for the occasion, but not so much that they were noticeable to the rest of the guests. Croix wasn’t exactly into stealing clothes for a living, so his wardrobe had some limitations. The tunic he was even wearing now still had old blood stains on it that were currently being covered up by a large belt. Guess it was a good thing he had aimed low on the abdomen for the former noble who used to wear this thing.

Him and his two other men didn’t really pay any mind to the entire party as they walked in. They were mostly there for a free meal and perhaps some leads on anything of interest given the political atmosphere as of late. With tensions rising high in Forsilvra, Croix could taste the oncoming wars that would likely ensue and his eyes would flash wide with excitement when he thought on it from time to time. Meandering over to a table of food, Croix and his gang parked themselves casually against it temporarily and began observing the rest of the room. During this time the father started giving a toast and the three of them grabbed glasses from the servants and went about the usual gestures so that they wouldn’t stand out.

Chewing slowly, his dark eyes analyzed one particular individual, the lady of the hour, Aesha. The little girl seemed like a nervous wreck, and he ran his tongue across the top of his teeth as his imagination ran away with him. Eventually he leaned over and gestured his hand in her direction as he spoke with his first mate in a low tone, “How loud do you think she’d scream?”

He didn’t have to even finish the question in regards to what he was referring to before the other man smiled and replied, “It’s not how loud, it’s higher pitched.”

The three of them chuckled lightly before continuing their observations. It wasn’t long before someone eventually came in their direction. The woman had darker skin and was dressed in such a manner that it was obvious the kind of origins she hailed from. Croix locked eyes on Melanie with a dark, predatory stare. A devilish smile crossed his lips as he greeted her, “Come to wed the two children, priestess?”

Even if he had no idea what rank she was, it was obvious that she was of religious stock. That’s all he needed to know or care about in order to converse with her.

“Perhaps daddy should have sold her to the bidder who knows how to use his prick. Then there would be no need to wait a few more years to actually wed them.”

An eyebrow quirked at the woman in a taunting fashion as the two men behind him chuckled lightly and stared her down. They would eventually take their seats at the designated tables, but not before thoroughly ruffling the feathers of a woman of the Fake Five.

This would be fun.

(Let me know if it's okay to be here.)

[Melanie al-Haadiyah]

Melanie had been minding her own business, formulating a plan of attack so as to make the most efficient lap around the table, when some rude northern man with two friends for backup stared her down. The chief difference between someone like this and a feral dog was not the pack he ran with or the kinds of conduct she could expect. The only difference was that feral dogs steered clear of crowds.

Still, despite being directly outnumbered, there was a limit to what they could get away with.

His friends were glaring at her, too. Wherever they came from, if their native women responded well to these sorts of approaches... well, that would make the northern provinces even more exotic territory than they'd seemed, because in Ahestere this was not how things were done. Particularly worrisome was that he knew her occupation. It suggested that they might have been watching her longer than they seemed.

Yet again, though, the man so proud of his ability to operate his own member was here in public among the Ahesteri nobility. If something went wrong, the tide was in Melanie's favor.

"How thoughtful of you to worry," Melanie answered the stranger. "But the male member does not take a prodigy to operate." She flicked her eyes down his second-hand clothing and back up again to that sneering face. "But I suppose we all must be proud of something."

[Narcisse Fleurant]

Narcisse sat beside her brother, paying attention to what was going on but also a bit distracted. This was the last time she'd be at a gathering such as this with those of her homeland. In a matter of days she would be on a ship to meet up with Lady Kenya Prothero, and in her company she would stay until she was married. It was exciting and terrifying all at the same time, and she'd been able to think of little else since coming home and finding the letter waiting for her.

Now was not the time to be thinking of such things, though. There was a celebration to be had, and Narcisse was appropriately proud that a member of her province had been given the honor of marrying into the royal family. The intended prince was even in attendance, although he looked a little uncomfortable to be there.

Something, however, seemed to be off. A few members of the Linnet family seemed particularly edgy, although it might not be apparent to most. To Narcisse, who spent most of her time watching people, it was unsettling. Lord Linnet had yet to meet eyes with her brother, and that alone made her wonder what was going on. Renate was usually, if not forthcoming, at least communicative to her when something was going on, and he had said nothing to her. There was nothing for it, though, than to wait and see.

[Croix Morgan]

Croix faked a hurtful look as he slapped a hand over his chest and replied back, “Aww…that hurt, right here in my soft, little heart.”

His crew members exchanged glances through stifled chuckling, and the captain couldn’t help but follow up with a confident smile, “Tell me, priestess, did they teach you those quips during your Celibacy Lessons? Or did you think of that one all by yourself?”

Afterwards he looked over to the other two and go, “I hear the reason the women turn to religion is because no man would ever take them. Perhaps praying to a god might get them laid.”

[Torrence Aubrey]

Torrence was doing what she always did. Watching.

But this was a much different view than back in the Capital. Torrence had felt like she was dying the entire trip -- never one for sea travel, she spent as much time in the fresh air of the deck, trying to quell the roiling in her stomach and temper the strange ache in her heart. She was fighting to keep not only to keep still her evening meals but her personal frustration and sense of failure at being assigned to the youngest Fontenot, banished to the far corners of the Kingdom to baby-sit. Still, once they had landed, she had to admit the heinous voyage itself was amenable for what awaited them in Lismore.

She stood in her usual place, behind and off to the side of Bertram, a virtual shadow but one that was nonetheless meant to pose a menacing presence to any who might think of acting on that vulnerability of the young Prince. She watched the back of his head bob, talking to those seated beside him -- every now and then glancing back at his Horn, seeming to look for a reassuring smile she would secretly but begrudgingly offer. Torrence had no doubt , if Bertram had his way, he would be standing right beside her, comfortable in her familiar presence. But he was possessed of the Linnet's now, and had to assume his duties.

Her garb was all black, the only mark of her personal sigil of the green viper snaking it's way up the thigh of her pant-leg. The mace lashed to her side and a sword across her back, Torrence felt the comfortable weight of her weapons on her body and let herself enjoy the sights and sounds of the gathering.

Lismore was so different from the Capital -- but in a good way. Where Licorn espoused the history of the Kingdom, tall arches and stiff tapestries, Lismore exuded a more tangible feeling of relaxation, of indulgence. Torrence was never one to engage in such behaviors that would be regarded as "indulgent," of course, but she could appreciate them nonetheless. She loved spicy food -- or at least what she had filched before the dinner started -- but more than that it was the music. Harps, sitars, lutes of every shape and size, weaving a tapestry of sound throughout the great hall, bedecked in it's vivacious silks and draperies. Lismore was intoxicating, and Torrence allowed herself the smallest relief to be tipsy on it's splendor.

[Lorelei Linnet]

Lorelei reached over and placed a hand over her daughters. “This feast is for you, Aesha, try to smile. You have a bright future, one that will keep Ahestere strong.” She smiled for her daughter, knowing the girl was nervous. And perhaps Aesha was somewhat put off by wedding the younger Fontenot, but she would never show it. Lorelei knew that much about her daughter.

“Aashiq, perhaps it’s time to make your announcement? Before everyone gets up and starts to mingle?” She just hoped those affected had enough wine. She looked over and her eyes happened to find the same priestess who had spoken with her in Forsilvra.

What is she doing in Ahestere? And worse.. what if the woman recognized her. How could she not? Lorelei was sitting up on the dais, in full regalia, dressed as the lady of Ahestere ought to be in lovely pale blue silks and cloth of silver.

She paled.

[Melanie al-Haadiyah]

In most women's cases, Melanie could not have supported his supposition to his friends that being sworn to the Five might be a ticket to a lively sexual lifestyle. For some perhaps it might have been true, but as far as Melanie knew in any official capacity, everyone she had advised only wanted information or supplies on behalf of the lay devotees who relied on them. Absurd even to consider whether any of her sisters were benefiting personally, so why ask questions?

Melanie was not most women, however. Amelie might have stolen Melanie from the gods of her mother's mother's people, but Fujin liked to steal from thieves and so had staked his own claim later. The god of thieves might get up to those antics often, but Melanie couldn't know that. All that mattered for her was that no matter how many followed after him, he would always be her first.

With a knowing smile fighting to be let out, Melanie said, "I do not think it would be fair to ask a man to compete with a god. If you'll excuse me, gentlemen."

She backed off to find another span of table to investigate, further from the crude boys. They might have been older than she was for all she knew, but if he still framed all female activities as being in the service of getting a man's dick wet, it was hard to call him anything but boy.

[Aashiq Linnet]

Aashiq turned to face his eldest daughter and his wife. That was the easy part, sadly. He felt his stomach twisting at what was to come, if only because he didn't know what Hakim would do once he heard it all. He bent over and planted a kiss upon Aesha's head. "Stay strong, Aesha. For me." He said, encouragingly. He did not know what sorts of things would be said when he finally announced the truth.

"You are right, Lorelei. It is time to announce what this feast is truly about," he said quietly, his free hand making a pass through his daughters hair. He breathed in and turned around to face his guests. He had secretly been dreading this, even if he had no hesitation or doubts that it needed to be done. Hakim could never lead Ahestere and neither could his sons. Aesha would be the only Linnet capable of ruling when he had passed.

He called out to the masses below him. "My friends! I have one more announcement to make." He looked them all over quickly before his eyes finally came to rest over Hakim. He looked him dead in the eyes and began to speak, "I have changed the line of succession for the lordship of Lismore and Ahestere. My titles will not past to my Brother Hakim and his lineage when I die. Instead, my daughter Aesha and her children will inherit," He said, closing his eyes.

The room began to erupt in so much noise. Aashiq opened his eyes once more and raised his voice high above all others. "And my nephew, Nasir, will marry Ceinwen Prothero. He will take on her name and the children of the union will be Prothero."

So, the only question was what came next?

[Aesha Linnet]

And there it was, the announcement that had sent her stomach winding into painful little knots. Aesha knew that the revelation would not be taken well by some, least of all her uncle Hakim, but the reality of the situation was far worse than anything she could possibly have imagined. Her mother told her to smile, her father to be strong, but then, that all sounded so easy. How could she smile when she felt so afraid, and how could she be strong with all the adversity she knew she would face?

For her part, she tried. Swallowing down her fear as best she could, Aesha did her utmost to be strong. For her mother and father, who expected so much of her, she tried to show a brave face. It was hard. Who knew what could possibly happen now?

Lifting her eyes, Lismore's young heir awaited what would be the coming storm.

[Nasir Prothero]

Nasir had turned to watch as Aashiq stood. All expected him to make some formal announcement regarding Aesha and Bertram, to congratulate the young couple and set the stage for the marriage that would eventually see her back to Forsilvra as a princess of the land.

But this?

Nasir’s jaw dropped at naming her heir. It had never been done, short of the times when there were only females at all in the line and Nasir wasn’t sure that had ever happened. If it had, he couldn’t remember learning about it. But this? Aesha Linnet as heir? And if something happened to her would Aashiq dare to push Amira on them as well? He glared at her, watching as she sat there uncomfortably. If she would only look his way, he would let her know what he thought of that.

He was so angry he almost missed it. But his name, and then marriage, and betrothed and Prothero, and … Daggers could not have been sharper than the eyes that glared at Aashiq. He pushed himself up, rising from the bench, the force causing it to shake beneath everyone else.

“How dare you!”

[Aashiq Linnet]

Aashiq's eyes landed on his nephew, who seemed to react far quicker than his father. And why wouldn't it? Until ten second ago, Nasir fancied himself as becoming the next lord of Ahestere. It was a logical assumption on his part to be sure... but in order for him to become the heir, that would mean Hakim would have to be the lord.

And that would never happen. The force with which Nasir hit the table might of made Aashiq jump if he had been sitting next to the boy. "You forget yourself, Nasir," He said, bringing his hands together. "I won't have you embarrass this family by acting like some spoiled, entitled little brat." He was cold, to be damn sure. It might of been the cruelest thing he'd ever said to family, but Aashiq did not care. Nasir could be angry he could be furious, even. But out here in public at Aashiq's own feast? Never. "Lady Ceinwen is wonderful, you should be happy."

He did not chance a look back at his daughter. It would be seen as a sign of doubt in his own decision. Maybe one day he'd regret alienating his brother and his son... but he would make the same decision he just did a thousand times over.

[Croix Morgan]

As the priestess tried to slam him with her insult before walking away, Croix simply replied back to his crew, “Not exactly a competition to surpass a being that doesn’t exist.”

They took his comment in good strides. They were believers of the old gods before the Quintists ever brought along their five. They knew their captain wasn’t a religious man, but that didn’t mean they weren’t. If anything, they thought he was the living embodiment of one of the Unknown, and his sister wasn’t too far behind him.

But these snide comments were left by the wayside when the next turn of events shook the very foundation of Lismore. Aashiq’s announcement that his daughter would be the heir and not his brother Hakim, along with the additional marriage between Nasir and Ceinwen brought about uncomfortable reactions all over the place. Even Croix and his crew kind of stood there in stunned silence, as they understood the ramifications of this open declaration of denied inheritance by Hakim and his kin.

“…….Huh.”

That was the only reaction Croix could really bring about in response at the moment. But it wasn’t too much longer after that Nasir made his outrage known. As the pirate captain slowly placed an olive in his mouth, he watched the exchange between the province lord and his nephew with fervent curiosity. It was in this moment that Aashiq made it clear that he was never going to pass the title of province lord to his brother’s kin. It was an outright slap to the face and in public no less.

The guy had a set of balls, that was for sure, and Croix muttered in a low tone, “I’m so glad we came to this party.”

[Torrence Aubrey]

The feast itself was relatively tame, but Aashiq Linnet's proclamation was not. The people of Lacharn rarely had these types of disputes with regard to inheritance, for it merely fell to the eldest child -- man, or woman. Rarely were lineages reversed or altered, because as long as there was a capable child, the reign continued on. But Aashiq's decision to let his line fall to his daughter's progeny meant many things; not only did it seem that he doubted he would produce a male heir in the future (thus effectively alienating that possible future son's claims) he also surpassed his brother's right to inherit, and his sons. This also made Bertram the head of a future line of Province Lords.

Interesting news to take in, on one night. Torrence wondered if King Adrien had a hand to play in this decision...

The room erupted in shouts and defamation, and almost immediately Torrrence was behind Bertram's chair, the hand that was resting on the hilt of her mace now gripping the weapon with renewed tenacity. Nasir Linnet threw vile accusations to his Province Lord, tension to which Aashiq returned with his own words. She could see Bertram was alarmed by the announcement as well, but perhaps moreso by the negative backlash Lord Linnet's banners seemed to have in reaction to this news. The noise was reminiscent of that chaos that erupted at the Grand Ball, and no doubt Bertram was correlating that incident to what he was feeling now.

Quietly, Torrence put her free hand on Bertram's left shoulder, a silent reminder that she was here -- and as long as she was by his side, he would be safe.

[Leila Linnet]

Leila had been glad there had been a feast nearly as soon as they arrived, she thought as she sat next to the rest of her family. She knew it must be strange for Aesha to be celebrating her engagement, and that certainly showed on her face in the early stages of the feast. Nearly as soon as they had all had a chance to eat, Leila's Uncle Aashiq stood to make the announcement. Leila wasn't listening very closely, these things were usually all the same, then she heard her father's name, and started to pay attention.

Aesha? Heir? That would mean... Oh, no, her father would be furious. And then, what came next. Nasir would be leaving them! Leila couldn't believe it... she knew Lacharn had some strange customs, but she didn't know that they married Lords from other Provinces into their customs like that. She didn't think she had to worry about her brothers leaving her, only her own marriage. She saw Nasir get up and start yelling at Aashiq. This was not good! You can't do that to your leige Lord! "Nasir! Don't!" she stood and yelled.

[Cyrus SanJar]

This was... and interesting turn of events. Cyrus had expected the possible announcement of Aesha as heir. Hakim had suspected as much might happen when they met in private a few days past. But that Aashiq would wed Nasir off, and clearly from the man’s reaction had hadn’t known of this. Wed him off and not even tell him? That was a new low, especially for someone who had always been so... honest.

Cyrus crossed his arms and watched. He had no intention of stepping in on this, nor would he stop Aashiq from making what he considered to be a very foolish decision. These men would not want to follow a Linnet girl and a Fontenot man. They would not be so eager to accept what Aashiq what giving them.

“Another glass of wine,” he called. Because this looked to be a show, and he was going to watch.

[Darion SanJar]

Darion would of choked on his wine if he had been drinking it. He didn't expect this... how could he? He looked to his brother quickly, wondering what Cyrus would do. Cyrus did nothing. Darion looked back, and the room was cold and silent as several members of the Linnet family went after each other; even the lord took to insulting the boy who had just been disinherited and wedded off to some other land where women were as equal as he.

Darion would of rose himself and challenged it if he had a stake in it all. But his only stake at this feast was his brother, and they were not in immediate danger.

[Ixchel Chandaka]

Ixchel lifted her glass and took a sip. They had retired to their chambers after their vows, and freshened up before vast feast. Ixchel had told her husband that their timing had been perfect, that by attending the feast the other lords would see them as the new rulers of Basica. And the feast would be important for their future. Now, as the lord made his announcement, she was beginning to see why. The young man was clearly angry, and the harmony of discord was vibrating in the air. What would the young man do and what would the lord do to prove himself better?

She was interested.

She leaned over to her husband, her voice low. “This is in an important moment, my sun. Watch not the Lord, but all those watching him. Watch the way their faces react and how they take this strange and unorthodox news. Watch and see if there aren’t allies for you in this mix, men you can use now. Men you can use later. Do not waste this opportunity.”

She pulled back, her own dark eyes sweeping the room, and then she took another sip of wine.

[Pranav Chandaka]

Thank goodness his wife, his Moon, was there. Though he was supposed to be the voice, the politician, Pranav Chandaka was much less sure of himself than Ixchel was. She was born a goddess. He had to be made into what he was supposed to be. Though outside, he was confidence wrapped in colorful clothing and jewelry to rival any other Lord, inside, he was actually nervous.

And that made him mad.

The confusion of his emotions was written on his brow enough for Ixchel to see it, so when she spoke to him, he immediately relaxed. She knew what to do and he would follow what she said.

He let his eyes fall on the Lords in the room, the men who were supposedly his equal. Soon enough they'd know him. Leaning back in his chair, he glanced too at the woman of the room. Some very different from those in Basica - blonde and pale, like Lord Linnet's woman. They interested him very much.

[Narcisse Fleurant]

Narcisse took in the news, and its backlash, with a quiet dignity that Fleurants did best. In her mind she was churning through consequences of their lord's action, but on the surface she was nothing if not accepting. Thankfully, though, she didn't have to try too hard; no eyes were really going to be on her, with what was going on in the Linnet family just now.

Secretly, though, Narcisse was worried. This rift that Lord Linnet had just torn into his family...it could have such huge consequences. His step in passing succession down to his daughter, passing an entire branch of family which had assumed they'd rule was, well...wars had been started over far less. She knew personally she had very little to worry about; as far as her personal safety, she was going to be far removed from her homeland in a very short amount of time. Her family didn't have the same security, though, and she didn't just worry for Renate and his added pressures; the antics of those like Ambriose and Musetta would potentially have much heavier consequences now that tensions were ratcheted higher.

Narcisse's eyes fell onto Renate's face for a moment, but she did not keep them there for long. Now was not the time to share thoughts on this, verbally or not. She just hoped that there was time for them to meet and speak of it in private before she had to leave.

[Nasir Prothero]

He stared at Aashiq, ready to charge forward, ready to speak his mind, ready to tell the man what he thought of all of this. Not only that he was being shoved off to Lacharn against all the customs of his people. Not only that he would taking the Prothero name. Not only that he was being betrothed to some girl he’d never met.

But that his uncle did not have the dignity to tell him first, to his face, as though announcing it front of everyone would force him to quietly accept.

He wouldn’t do that.

And then his sister’s voice rang through the crowd. He turned, looking at her, and the eyes that sparkled with fear at his outburst. Aashiq could publically denounce him for his words. And he couldn’t do that to her.

So he put on a smile, as best he could. “How you dare you announce something so important without a toast.” It hurt. It hurt so bad. He was so angry as he reached down and lifted his glass. So angry as he thought about how his entire future was ruined, and that of his father and their whole line. He thought about how he would have to leave everything and everyone he loved.

“To Aesha and Bertram. May they forever be together as they rule our province.” He gritted his teeth and raised up his glass and forced down the bile in his throat.

[Croix Morgan]

That was so forced it was sickening to watch, but watch he did as he observed everyone in the room. Here Croix thought that the Ahesteri son would continue his bellowing defiance, only to be cowed by a woman’s plea.

“In the end, it’s all the same with these lot,” he muttered randomly as he stuffed one last piece of food into his mouth and washed it down with a hearty gulp of wine. This had now gone beyond his attention span. Drama was for the lords and ladies, but Croix wasn’t much interested in this unless blood was about to hit the floor. The most interesting one of the bunch was just pacified in a heartbeat. There would be no fun now.

“Come on, this isn’t our kind of party,” he said, and the others complied. As they made their way out, he bypassed Lord and his Lady Chandaka. Croix’s eyes briefly wandered to the woman, and he looked her up with a sinister smirk before heading out. He exuded an air of evil about him, a dangerous predatory element that typically gave people the shivers as he walked past. His men were fairly intimidating, but it was Croix that led the group, and it was easy to identify their leader just by looking at him.

He began to make his way out, to let the lords bicker among each other. This wasn’t their land to get involved unless a decent incentive was on the table.

[Aashiq Linnet]

Aashiq expected to have to have his guards escort Nasir to his room... but his niece brought his nephew to his knees. Aashiq made note of that to himself as Nasir forced out a surrender, and olive branch of sorts. Aashiq reached for his own glass and raised it high along with Nasir, and drank the drink with him.

Aashiq loved his family. He loved his nephew. But... Hakim was a man that could never rule this province and Nasir was caught in the crossfire. For a moment he thought he felt a twinge of regret, a pang of sadness for the boy and his fate.

It was gone as quickly as it came. His resolves was absolute; Aashiq was playing for keeps. He could only hope -- maybe even send a letter about it -- that Nasir still understood he loved him. It would probably do no good, but for his own sake he might once all was said and done.

"You are wise beyond your years, Nasir. This is indeed worth a toast." He said afterwards. "We may speak later, if you wish. After the feast." Aashiq was not a cruel man. If Nasir wished to scream and shout at him, be indignant about being blindly hit by this then Aashiq would grant him that right. It was better not to send a raving raging madman to lady Prothero.

"Drink, eat, be merry my lords and ladies. The night is young!" Aashiq called out, sitting in his chair with an indifferent face. He turned to his daughter... then to his wife.

Check. What is your next move, Hakim?

[Ixchel Chandaka]

Ixchel did not miss the look on the strange man’s face as he sized her up. He was one who would fall to their power in the future, and Ixchel paid him little mind once he had left. She would hardly acknowledge anyone who was not directly important to her husband.

She placed a hand on his thigh, to comfort and steady him. She knew his moods and his mannerism and knew that this setting was something he had not yet experienced. Not in this way. But he would learn. He was the sun, and he learned quickly.

“It seems that the young man has made a wise choice, but I would not discount him, my sun.”

[Aesha Linnet]

This was terrible... really terrible. Aesha watched her cousin Nasir as he stood, giving them all a clear sign of his outrage. She had not wanted this, not wanted to be the object of such hate, but then she was torn between that and trying to make her parents proud. Her father had named her heir, and she intended to do the very best that she could... whatever that would mean.

Quickly, she glanced over towards Betram, her intended. Likely he was every bit as put off by these events as she. Thankfully, however, Leila managed to calm her brother down, and then they were raising a toast as though nothing had been amiss at all. Aesha was no fool, however. Looking over the faces of the Ahesteri lords assembled, she knew that the brunt of the trouble was still to come.

[Pranav Chandaka]

Pranav did not notice the man who took a long look at his wife. If he had, there would have been more trouble during the event than just the Linnet family's squabbles. Pranav was the Sun. He burned brighter than a thousand planets, a billion men. And no one was to gaze on the Moon with such an eye as this man did.

Again, good that Pranav was too involved with Lord Linnet's announcement and the reactions of others around the room to that. He reached down and rested his hand atop Ixchel's and nodded, looking out toward the room. He'd have to quickly decide where he fell in this - of course, outwardly with the Lord Linnet, but inwardly... It would be up to whom is more malleable to fire.

[Ixchel Chandaka]

She was ever observant as well. “My sun, that one over there, with the skin as dark as mine. He is the SanJar, of your mother’s line. You should speak with him, and find out where his allegiances lay. Perhaps too with the Lord’s brother. There is no harm in learning what you can, in seeing what you may see, in knowing what you may know.”

His hand upon hers was comforting. If she was honest, this was her first time to be in a room with people who falsely felt themselves as important as she. At the temple, she had been raised on a pedestal. She, the goddess of the moon. As Pranav’s goddess and wife, none came into their presence without deference. But here, the lord on the dais, those of his family, the other men and women who ruled their cities, all thought themselves better than she.

Ixchel did not like it. This trial would test even her patience. “My sun, these people must understand one day. And the key is this strife. Be certain that you take advantage of it, while we are here.”