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votivescholarsWelcome to the world of the Durants...
Guests from the Nexus are met by an Isidor who is still dressed for business when she PINpoints them directly to the venue. She is on a mission and pleasantries are swiftly exchanged so that she can give instructions and explain how the day is going to go. The first thing to hit them is that it's hot, and bright. They are now in France, Isidor tells them, her narrative changes appropriately as she leads them from the small stone building, through immaculate gardens and towards a sprawling palace which she insists is small for what it is. This is the home of Gnonyma Durant, her grandmother. A 17th Century French palace once owned by royalty but was gifted to her family as thanks for 'a service' which Isidor says was so private that even the mage's journal doesn't detail what it was.
The air is dry and still, which makes the cool shade of indoors a pleasant relief. Like the ornate facade, the interior of the building is lined with intricate mouldings; decorated with impressive portraits; painted in bright, colourful shades; and filled with flowers and draping fabric. There is plenty of space, a fact emphasised by tiled floors that amplify each step and word. It looks as though almost every room is being used, from the way all the doors are held open for the steady flow of traffic. They are, however, let through the building and out another door. It's the quickest way to where seats sit lined up to face a gazebo decorated with ribbons and flowers that stands in front of a pond that might as well be a lake. Some people might notice the air above them ripple slightly, which certainly has nothing to do with the perfectly ornate poles at each corner of the seating area.
There are already plenty of people milling about. Servants stride from one place to another, expertly staying out of the way of the guests. There are some men and women who are dressed well for the occasion, but like the servants they stay out of the way and scan the area repeatedly, making no attempts to engage with the guests - security, judging by their earpieces. Members of the Durant family are easy to spot. They move in groups or pairs, often getting headed off by people looking to talk to them. A large majority of them also sport sashes of either red or purple with gold trim and ornate pins that vary from person to person. This, Isidor explains, is how you spot a patron and an accomplished scholar, based on the red or purple respectively. Viatorus is not yet an accomplished scholar, which is why they have no sashes. Members of Runa's family are equally easy to spot for those that know her. They would be the large group of tall, golden haired men and women with the distinctive Swedish accents happily talking to anyone and everyone.
After guiding them to their seats she tells them that the ceremony will be another twenty minutes and takes her leave to go and sort out the other numerous things on her endless list. Nobody bothers them while they wait. Everyone is too busy spotting old friends or making their way to their seats. It's a good time to enjoy the scenery. There is a small collection of musicians with harps, violins and flutes to one side. Even the breeze is smelling sweet with the perfume of the bouquets.
Within fifteen minutes Viatorus appears in a tailored suit of light grey and deep purple. He is closely followed by an older, stocky looking man in a black suit and purple tie, and sporting a red and black sash that is even more ornate than any others. Whatever the man is saying to him Viatorus barely gets more of a wave of recognition in to his friends before he's being guided to the gazebo and kept there. Shortly after he's joined by a young man and two women with tanned skin and black hair dressed in simple, but high quality clothes of purple, draping fabric. They look as serious as the man beside Viatorus. That is about the time Isidor reappears in more appropriate attire. She in turn heralds the appearance of a woman who shares her features, dressed in elegant gold and black, who is accompanied by a man whose black suit and purple tie are considerably more simple than his purple sash. Its intricacy matches that of the red one worn by the man standing next to Viatorus. The mood seems to shift at the appearance of these last two guests, becoming quieter, expectant. The Durants gather together, and Viatorus' fidgeting increases tenfold as they exchange words. The men with the sashes and the woman in gold take their seats, many of the guests follow suit.
The ceremony begins...
The young man in purple walks with his staff to stand at the head of the aisle and asks that everyone takes their seats. Exactly twenty minutes after the Nexus guests were shown their seats, the ceremony begins. The young man introduces himself as the high priest of Despoina and welcomes them to the union of the two families Durant and Nyström. As it is a ceremony to mark the union of two families with two sets of tradition and two sets of gods to honour, this will be a merging of these two cultures. It will be a handfasting ceremony of the Old Ways, he explains. This means that the couple will be as man and wife for a year and a day, and after that time they must choose if they wish to marry or separate. The guests now better informed, the priest stands back under the gazebo where a nervous Viatorus and patient Isidor stand waiting. On cue, the musicians start playing unfamiliar, but pleasant music to introduce the arrival of Ingirun dressed in white and accompanied by a rounded, red cheeked man, and followed by a woman who must certainly be one of her sisters. Once she was beside Viatorus, Ingirun's father sat down and the ceremony began.
The priest talked of uniting the two families, naming the virtues of both, as he got the bride-and-groom-to-be to hold hands which he bound in ribbons. He then took them through their vows before invoking the gods and goddesses to bless the union. The mixture of Greek and Norse deities made for a complicated blessing that might have been compared to seeking the approval of two powerful families. With wishes given, the priest unwrapped their hands and had the betrothed drink from the same cup. All in all it was a short ceremony as ceremonies go. A few more blessings were given and then the couple were prompted to kiss to seal the pact, which a bright red Viatorus did, very timidly. Luckily that only made Runa beam more brightly than she already was.
Dinner was in a large hall with close family at the head of the room and everyone else seated at round tables. Every position was carefully chosen, of course. The inevitable speeches came from the father of the bride (who rambled joyously about how happy he was to see his daughter with such a fine young man) and the mother of the groom (who gently, warmly, welcomed Runa into the family and spoke of how proud she and his father were). Drinks were plentiful, as were the courses. There were six in total with a selection of each: Appetisers, soup, fish, the main course, dessert, and a palate cleanser. No one will be going hungry tonight, that's a certainty.
After dinner it's Isidor who stands to say a few last words. She thanks everyone for coming and instructs them to enjoy the evening and all the festivities which "will go on at least until dawn". With that, guests are bid to go and enjoy the entertainment filling the palace.
And now for the party...
There isn't a single place that isn't being used for the party. The gardens have pleasant music playing in them, chairs and tables laid out with cushions and blankets for people to lounge in. One of the largest halls is set out for dancers and their spectators to enjoy live musicians that will play ballroom music for the first part of the evening and be replaced by a band that plays modern music for the second. There is a small room of bookshelves and leather armchairs where men congregate to sip whiskey. Rooms with couches and chairs have people moving in and out of them joining and starting conversations. The priest tends to three statues of goddesses that stand at the end of one room. Here he collects gifts and offerings for the couple's happy future. A man with a perfect smile enthralls a crowd with stories that are only exciting because of the way he tells them. A demure woman facilitates a conversation between straight backed men with chiseled features and shorter tanned men who look equally as disciplined. Servants are found throughout, bringing drinks and snacks to anyone who asks or so much as looks as if they're considering either.
((Feel free to backtag, threadhop, start threads, look for more NPCs, whatever you like! If you're unsure of something, looking for more details, or want to plot then you know the drill - Send a message my way and we'll chat!
Note about gifts: It will say on your character's invitation that gifts are optional and it is suggested that a gift to the gods/goddesses would be more than suitable instead.))
The Nyströms | Hephaestia | The Archon, Liselotte & Stathis | The Priest | Oraskis - The Seer
Lieselotte or Stathis | Poenia & Sagyne | Harrowheart & Anna | Adia | Felix & Jim | Evening Event | Isidor | Klaus
Guests from the Nexus are met by an Isidor who is still dressed for business when she PINpoints them directly to the venue. She is on a mission and pleasantries are swiftly exchanged so that she can give instructions and explain how the day is going to go. The first thing to hit them is that it's hot, and bright. They are now in France, Isidor tells them, her narrative changes appropriately as she leads them from the small stone building, through immaculate gardens and towards a sprawling palace which she insists is small for what it is. This is the home of Gnonyma Durant, her grandmother. A 17th Century French palace once owned by royalty but was gifted to her family as thanks for 'a service' which Isidor says was so private that even the mage's journal doesn't detail what it was.
The air is dry and still, which makes the cool shade of indoors a pleasant relief. Like the ornate facade, the interior of the building is lined with intricate mouldings; decorated with impressive portraits; painted in bright, colourful shades; and filled with flowers and draping fabric. There is plenty of space, a fact emphasised by tiled floors that amplify each step and word. It looks as though almost every room is being used, from the way all the doors are held open for the steady flow of traffic. They are, however, let through the building and out another door. It's the quickest way to where seats sit lined up to face a gazebo decorated with ribbons and flowers that stands in front of a pond that might as well be a lake. Some people might notice the air above them ripple slightly, which certainly has nothing to do with the perfectly ornate poles at each corner of the seating area.
There are already plenty of people milling about. Servants stride from one place to another, expertly staying out of the way of the guests. There are some men and women who are dressed well for the occasion, but like the servants they stay out of the way and scan the area repeatedly, making no attempts to engage with the guests - security, judging by their earpieces. Members of the Durant family are easy to spot. They move in groups or pairs, often getting headed off by people looking to talk to them. A large majority of them also sport sashes of either red or purple with gold trim and ornate pins that vary from person to person. This, Isidor explains, is how you spot a patron and an accomplished scholar, based on the red or purple respectively. Viatorus is not yet an accomplished scholar, which is why they have no sashes. Members of Runa's family are equally easy to spot for those that know her. They would be the large group of tall, golden haired men and women with the distinctive Swedish accents happily talking to anyone and everyone.
After guiding them to their seats she tells them that the ceremony will be another twenty minutes and takes her leave to go and sort out the other numerous things on her endless list. Nobody bothers them while they wait. Everyone is too busy spotting old friends or making their way to their seats. It's a good time to enjoy the scenery. There is a small collection of musicians with harps, violins and flutes to one side. Even the breeze is smelling sweet with the perfume of the bouquets.
Within fifteen minutes Viatorus appears in a tailored suit of light grey and deep purple. He is closely followed by an older, stocky looking man in a black suit and purple tie, and sporting a red and black sash that is even more ornate than any others. Whatever the man is saying to him Viatorus barely gets more of a wave of recognition in to his friends before he's being guided to the gazebo and kept there. Shortly after he's joined by a young man and two women with tanned skin and black hair dressed in simple, but high quality clothes of purple, draping fabric. They look as serious as the man beside Viatorus. That is about the time Isidor reappears in more appropriate attire. She in turn heralds the appearance of a woman who shares her features, dressed in elegant gold and black, who is accompanied by a man whose black suit and purple tie are considerably more simple than his purple sash. Its intricacy matches that of the red one worn by the man standing next to Viatorus. The mood seems to shift at the appearance of these last two guests, becoming quieter, expectant. The Durants gather together, and Viatorus' fidgeting increases tenfold as they exchange words. The men with the sashes and the woman in gold take their seats, many of the guests follow suit.
The ceremony begins...
The young man in purple walks with his staff to stand at the head of the aisle and asks that everyone takes their seats. Exactly twenty minutes after the Nexus guests were shown their seats, the ceremony begins. The young man introduces himself as the high priest of Despoina and welcomes them to the union of the two families Durant and Nyström. As it is a ceremony to mark the union of two families with two sets of tradition and two sets of gods to honour, this will be a merging of these two cultures. It will be a handfasting ceremony of the Old Ways, he explains. This means that the couple will be as man and wife for a year and a day, and after that time they must choose if they wish to marry or separate. The guests now better informed, the priest stands back under the gazebo where a nervous Viatorus and patient Isidor stand waiting. On cue, the musicians start playing unfamiliar, but pleasant music to introduce the arrival of Ingirun dressed in white and accompanied by a rounded, red cheeked man, and followed by a woman who must certainly be one of her sisters. Once she was beside Viatorus, Ingirun's father sat down and the ceremony began.
The priest talked of uniting the two families, naming the virtues of both, as he got the bride-and-groom-to-be to hold hands which he bound in ribbons. He then took them through their vows before invoking the gods and goddesses to bless the union. The mixture of Greek and Norse deities made for a complicated blessing that might have been compared to seeking the approval of two powerful families. With wishes given, the priest unwrapped their hands and had the betrothed drink from the same cup. All in all it was a short ceremony as ceremonies go. A few more blessings were given and then the couple were prompted to kiss to seal the pact, which a bright red Viatorus did, very timidly. Luckily that only made Runa beam more brightly than she already was.
Dinner was in a large hall with close family at the head of the room and everyone else seated at round tables. Every position was carefully chosen, of course. The inevitable speeches came from the father of the bride (who rambled joyously about how happy he was to see his daughter with such a fine young man) and the mother of the groom (who gently, warmly, welcomed Runa into the family and spoke of how proud she and his father were). Drinks were plentiful, as were the courses. There were six in total with a selection of each: Appetisers, soup, fish, the main course, dessert, and a palate cleanser. No one will be going hungry tonight, that's a certainty.
After dinner it's Isidor who stands to say a few last words. She thanks everyone for coming and instructs them to enjoy the evening and all the festivities which "will go on at least until dawn". With that, guests are bid to go and enjoy the entertainment filling the palace.
And now for the party...
There isn't a single place that isn't being used for the party. The gardens have pleasant music playing in them, chairs and tables laid out with cushions and blankets for people to lounge in. One of the largest halls is set out for dancers and their spectators to enjoy live musicians that will play ballroom music for the first part of the evening and be replaced by a band that plays modern music for the second. There is a small room of bookshelves and leather armchairs where men congregate to sip whiskey. Rooms with couches and chairs have people moving in and out of them joining and starting conversations. The priest tends to three statues of goddesses that stand at the end of one room. Here he collects gifts and offerings for the couple's happy future. A man with a perfect smile enthralls a crowd with stories that are only exciting because of the way he tells them. A demure woman facilitates a conversation between straight backed men with chiseled features and shorter tanned men who look equally as disciplined. Servants are found throughout, bringing drinks and snacks to anyone who asks or so much as looks as if they're considering either.
((Feel free to backtag, threadhop, start threads, look for more NPCs, whatever you like! If you're unsure of something, looking for more details, or want to plot then you know the drill - Send a message my way and we'll chat!
Note about gifts: It will say on your character's invitation that gifts are optional and it is suggested that a gift to the gods/goddesses would be more than suitable instead.))
✣ · ✣ · ✣ · ✣
The Nyströms | Hephaestia | The Archon, Liselotte & Stathis | The Priest | Oraskis - The Seer
Lieselotte or Stathis | Poenia & Sagyne | Harrowheart & Anna | Adia | Felix & Jim | Evening Event | Isidor | Klaus
no subject
Date: 2017-06-20 03:30 pm (UTC)"We know who you are," Hephaestia tells him then. Her attention is still mostly on the blade. "Isidor told us about you. I was hoping you'd bring your weapons. She said your axes were impressive, but this is beautiful." Her hands go to hover again but she thinks better of it this time around and clasps them behind her back instead. "Work like this has all but died out here. This. This is a sword for killing. Can only undead work the forge?"
no subject
Date: 2017-06-20 04:03 pm (UTC)"She mentioned me?..." He tries to fight away a smile, because he can't appear too charmed, but it's so difficult in light of the good news. Somehow he hadn't expected that she might have told anyone about him in any capacity. To say it's a pleasant surprise is an understatement.
And that's when it hits him. There's a unique kind of realization that crosses his features as he looks from woman to woman. It is, without a doubt, the expression of a man who's suddenly privy to their situation. Certainly a look Emily and Tia have seen before. But when the understanding sinks in he's still smiling. Not a gloating smile, not an amused gawking, but the happy expression of a man who's seeing old acquaintances for the first time in years.
Still, he must remember his manners – or be reminded of them. Being called a 'sword for killing' causes the runeblade's runes to flash brightly and the eyes of the skull to flare to wild life. It's flattered, really! Harrowheart, stop daydreaming and get back in the conversation! With a little shake of his head and another half-dozen rapid blinks he returns his attention to Hephaestia and her question. "Hmm? Oh. That's... That's a real good question. I don't think anyone knows the answer, 'cause the livin' aren't allowed in Acherus. There are a few other runeforges around my world, but the undead there kill anyone who ain't one of them on sight. Next time I'm home, I'll ask. I'd say I'd get you some plans for one, if I could, but... Runeblades're dangerous weapons. I'd hate to help you create somethin' you might regret."
He takes his blade in one hand then and says with a hint of pride, "They appreciated your compliment, by the way. Ain't many folks in the in-between world where I met Viatorus that care about a blade and what it's made for. They don't hear that kinda sweet talk too often. Would you like to see somethin' special they can do?"
no subject
Date: 2017-06-20 07:13 pm (UTC)Harrowheart isn't the only one whose attention is drawn to the wild flare of the sword's eyes, both women turn to it, but Tia's curiosity remains steadfast. Even while she listens to Harrowheart's every word it's clear that the wheels of her mind are turning. Whatever it is she wants to say, however, is lost in the face of his question.
"Yes," Tia says immediately. She even steps back to give him some space and puts her hands on her hips to properly survey whatever comes next. Then she gestures to him (with an open palm, of course). "Please."
no subject
Date: 2017-06-20 07:47 pm (UTC)His two hands then grip the horns of the skull at the hilt of his blade and pull outward. With a flash of blue light and a quiet scream the blade cleaves in two down the center, magically splitting into a pair of one-handed swords, each with half a hilt and handgrip. He holds his arms in front of him and the half-swords float into place against his forearms, blades outward and extending past his wrists as if to take the place of his hands. With his hands free he can grip his forearms and conjure chains of ice to lash the weapons there where they belong.
And then he proceeds to demonstrate some kind of karate moves, slicing and dicing and chopping and prodding the air, fighting invisible enemies and making 'woosh-woosh, pah!' sounds as he does. He stops before he accidentally pokes anyone's souls out and grins at Hephaestia and her girlfriend.
"So I can slice people up, but my hands are still free to cast! The runeforger knew I was used to single-handed weapons, and they thought it was an opportunity to experiment with a trick from the Kirin Tor – the mage order on my world."
no subject
Date: 2017-06-20 08:40 pm (UTC)Hephaestia, on the other hand, watches with the same sharp eyed, intense stare that Isidor inherited from the Durants. Those eyes light up considerably when Harrowheart splits his blade and a small gasp slips past her lips. Her hands rise and then she claps them together. "Yes! Ah! Yes! That is perfect! Well, almost perfect... The multi-tasking is excellent. And the integrity of the blade remains in both forms? Yes, yes!"
She flexes her hands again, then looks at Harrowheart, a little pained. "Are you sure I can't touch them? Not even with gloves?"
no subject
Date: 2017-06-21 03:06 pm (UTC)One of his hands gestures in the air, dispelling the chains of ice that bind his weapons to his arms. The two halves of the blade float together and reunite with another flash of light, and the newly-reformed weapon hovers upright with its blade tip barely off the ground. As Harrowheart's hands busy themselves reattaching to their wrists he shakes his head at Hephaestia and tries for a mannerly though subdued smile.
"It's dangerous for the livin' to touch a runeblade. They'll give you thoughts I don't think your girlfriend'll appreciate too much."
He takes his blade by the handle and slips it back into its sheath, but not before it suggests its reluctance. It likes this woman! Hephaestia, darling, look at how it flashes its desperate goodbye! Poor child that it is, now it's locked away for a dark and lonely night in a scabbard.
It's only when the weapon is away that Harrowheart raises his eyebrows and inhales sharply through his nose. He looks around in concern and whispers to the girls, "I'm sorry, I didn't think... I probably ain't allowed to use that word out loud in a place like this, am I? I hope I didn't embarrass you."
But then a second or two pass and he scowls with a sudden determination. No, he's not going to be apologetic or guilty. "Not that you should be embarrassed," he says confidently, though he's mindful to keep his voice at a level meant only for the women. "There ain't nothin' at all wrong with ladies like y'all. Not on my world, not on Earth, not anywhere. I got a sister just like you, and I'm halfway like you, too, and I don't like the rules they whip up on Earth to tell folks like us we ain't right. And I-I know it's a heavy topic and I probably ain't supposed to bring it up at a party, but I been hopin' to meet you two for a while so I could get that off my chest."
He reaches out then, though he's positive he's not supposed to, and puts one hand on the shoulders of each of the women. "And I also wanna say... If anyone don't treat you right because of it, and you think I can get away with it... I'll show 'em where the bear shits in the buckwheat." He finishes that with a solemn nod. He's dead serious about whatever that phrase of his implies. Probably violence. That's LGBT solidarity straight out of Azeroth.
no subject
Date: 2017-06-22 09:17 am (UTC)Emily is the first to react to Harrowheart's faux pas. She doesn't blush, but she does wear an uncertain smile that confirms Harrowheart's suspicions. It's a smile that remains throughout his little rant for justice. Hephaestia doesn't react much, in comparison, though she does eye Harrowheart with a little confusion.
With his final declaration, Emily laughs gently. "There's no need for any of that. Honestly." She softly rests a hand on his arm. "But thank you."
"The only people who are embarrassed are those warlocks who call themselves family and my husband, and I don't care how embarrassed they are," Hephaestia declares confidently. "Viatorus and Ingirun invited us both here, and today their opinion is the only one that matters."
"As good guests we should try to respect your family's traditions," Emily points out, her voice quiet and tone calm. The other woman bristles, prepared to protest but Emily gently insists. "They were kind enough to invite us, we should avoid starting any fights. Especially if it gets Viatorus' new friends involved."
The Smith exhales heavily through her nose and after a minute, deflates. She looks Harrowheart square in the eye and says, "She's right. She's always right." A second later she adds, "I would like to see the forges in your world some day. You could let me go on a tour instead of showing my family buckwheat stained with bear shit."
"I don't think he was being literal about that, Tia," Emily mutters behind a sip of wine.
no subject
Date: 2017-06-22 12:47 pm (UTC)Wait. What? That was a strange thought. On Earth? His eyes dart around as he ponders the implications until something Tia says catches him off guard and raises his eyebrows. Warlock? Isidor said that was a horrible word in her family. He honestly never expected to hear it! But in this context he understands, and he only laughs lightly in the way one does when they're surprised but not offended by sudden vulgarity.
He barks a bigger laugh when Tia tells him Emily is right. In that moment he feels the fire of friendship burning, and whether it's right or wrong he puts an arm around Hephaestia's shoulder and looks down on her with an approving smile. "You and I are gonna have to stick together in the future, us bein' always wrong and all. Maybe sometimes we can be two-versus-one against our smart, right ladies, and that'll make us right by default, huh? That's what y'all on Earth call democracy. Maybe I like it after all..."
He pats Hephaestia's shoulder before he lets her go and excitedly suggests, "If I ever take Viatorus and Isidor to Dalaran, the city of mages, y'all can come along and see the forge they got there! 'Til then, would you settle for some photographs and some ore samples? Metallurgy and blacksmithin' are still real important on my world, and artisans share their knowledge freely 'cause we always need more crafters. Ah, Hell, you got me all excited about all sorts of things now! I knew I shoulda worn my armor tonight..."
no subject
Date: 2017-06-22 08:58 pm (UTC)Besides, whatever he may have done wrong in regards to personal space he makes up for with talk of offering up foreign metals. The mention of the armour gets an immediate, "You should have!" A beat later Hephaestia's eyes narrow. "Did Isidor tell you not to? Patrons ruin all our fun..."
"What she means to say is: Thank you, your offer sounds splendid," Emily leans in to tell him.
"Maybe I can see you fight some time too?" Hephaestia suggests eagerly. "I rarely get to see anyone using weapons and casting at the same time. People always want to use magic or magical weapons. Never both."
no subject
Date: 2017-06-22 09:52 pm (UTC)No, no, that's not party conversation at all! He clarifies that it's all one big joke with a little laugh and a shake of his head. Of course he didn't mean it! He quickly changes the subject to dispel all doubt.
"Isidor didn't tell me not to wear it. I wanted to blend in, that's all. Just didn't wanna wear a tux, come out here lookin' like I'm attendin' my own funeral. But... Wait. So you got a patron? Like a brother or a sister? They here tonight?"
Then he nods at Emily curiously and asks, "And your family don't do patrons and scholars?" He gestures vaguely to her torso. No sash! What gives?
no subject
Date: 2017-06-23 09:10 am (UTC)"My sister is over there somewhere," Hephaestia tells him with a vague gesture behind her. "No doubt keeping an eye on my husband. She's good like that."
Emily lifts a hand to cover a laugh at Harrowheart's next question. She composes herself quickly before answering. "We don't, no. Only Durants have patrons and scholars officially like this, and I am not a part of their family."
"Not to them," Hephaestia grumbles.
"I'd make a poor patron, anyway," Emily moves swiftly on. "I hear they have to protect their scholars as well and I don't have a drop of magic, or the nerves to use gun."
no subject
Date: 2017-06-23 01:52 pm (UTC)"On my world magic don't work like it works on yours. On Azeroth almost anyone can learn to cast if they study hard 'cause it comes from outside, not inside. I didn't have magic when I was alive, but now I'm a magical... Creation?... And so I do today. And lots of warriors on my world who can't cast do just fine only wearin' their enchanted armor." With a little laugh he concedes, "Not that you strike me as an enchanted armor gal, much as I bet your lady wishes you were."
He stands on the balls of his feet then and uses that extra leverage to look around. He quickly spots the person he's searching for -- a tall, blonde woman in a cyan dress -- and gestures her way.
"That's my sister, Anna. She ain't magical. My whole family ain't magical." He's going to pointedly ignore any mentions of Light-slinging brothers. "You said you're a curator? Of books and relics, I bet? I think y'all would get along real good. She's read so many books, I think she could tell you everything about everything on my world. And she'd be more than happy to hear about what you do. In fact, I think she'd be relieved to meet you. Ever since we got our invitations she was worried she might not fit in. I'll be happy to tell her that the nicest lady I met at this party is just like her. How 'bout I go get her?"
no subject
Date: 2017-06-24 10:13 am (UTC)"I would love to meet your sister," Emily tells him brightly, but then her expression sobers just a notch. "But do give her forewarning for me. Not everyone here is as... open minded as you are. There are some people here who might not want to talk to her if she talks to me."
"I'm sure she doesn't care," Hephaestia says firmly in her strong willed form of reassurance. She looks to Harrowheart. "She's probably like you, isn't she? Doesn't care about the opinions of bigoted old mages. If they think like that, how can they be worth talking to?"
"It's not that simple, Tia," Emily persists with a sigh. She too looks at Harrowheart. "I don't want to make things complicated for her on her first visit here. Let her know the situation and decide for herself."
no subject
Date: 2017-06-24 04:02 pm (UTC)He looks over his shoulder to his sister, who seems to be having a very casual time chatting up a pair of older ladies. Anna, who has so often conceptualized the world and everything in it in terms of what it can do for her. Who has such strong opinions on how he behaves, how he refers to himself, and who he is today. Anna who, sometimes, though he would never say it out loud, he worries defends the Durants and their richness for all the wrong reasons...
When he returns his attention to the women it's with a faded, half-guilty smile. "I'm sure she'd love to talk to y'all, but I'll let her know."
Each lady gets one final, respectful nod before he says, "Real good meetin' you two." And then he's off to try prying his sister away from riveting grannies.