Congraduations!

Descending Water 9

Winter could still be felt in the still air of the early spring evening. Many of the residents of the Imperial City still wore their heavy winter cloaks as they finished their day's chores. The hall that Chibuike had rented for the gala was still as the servants had finished their preperations for the festivites to begin. The entertainers had not yet begun to practice their craft, and the only guests so far were a small number of family members that had arrived early to make sure no help was needed for the preperations. The hall was decorated in red, black, gold, and orange: the colors of House Cathak. Heraldry was preasent representing House Cathak, Chibuike and Akachi's household, and the House of Bells.

Aden, Chibuike, Akachi, and a few mortal members of House Cathak stood in a circle making small talk and waiting to greet the first guests. Aden wore a red tunic with a large image of the House of Bells heraldry on the back and a small image of his parent's household heraldry on the left breast. He wore black pants and black leather boots. On his hip hung a long sword in a sheath of highly decorated black leather. Chibuike wore his dress uniform and his daiklave at his hip in a decorative red and black leather sheath. Akachi wore a black dress, light, but not revealing and had her giant Great Daiklave strapped to her back with black leather straps. The other family members were dressed in various fashions, all with the House Cathak colors.

The hall was located in a district containing a number of other similari halls and primarily visited by dynasts and patricians. The outside of the building was decorated with a number of banners and pennets with the same colors and images as the inside decorations. The entrance to the building were large white jade double doors. In the back, leading to one of the nearby alleys, was the door to the kitchen. The building set fair enough back off the street for a carriage to stop and unload its passengers. Inside the front door was the lobby where Aden and his family stood. To the guests right was a cloak/coat check worked by three servants. To the left was the bar, worked by 3, but with room for 2 more. Additionally, a number of servants were holding platters of hor'dourves in both the lobby and in the main hall. Opposite the entrance were a set of wooden double doors leading to the main hall. Twenty feet to either side were smaller single doors leading to the same place. Near the bar, two doors led to the washrooms, one for gentlemen, and one for ladies.

Once inside the main room, long dinner tables lead away from the entrance and to the main table, which sat perpendicular to, and slightly raised above, the rest of the tables. There were twenty place settings at the head table and places set for over 200 guests at the other tables. Just inside the doors were servents that could tell you your table, and at the head and foot of each table were servants that could tell you your seat. To the far right of the entrance was a large fireplace for heating the entire room along with couches and chairs for conversation. To the far left was an open space for dancing and, near the back, the area the band was set up. On the back wall between the band and the head table were the doors to the kitchen, and on the opposite side of the back wall were doors to the small walled garden.

At the appropriate time Cathak Ruk, a mortal family member tasked with actually running the gala, nodded to the servents, slaves, and entertainers and everything was in motion. The music began, the entertainers tumbled and danced, servents stoked the fires, the doors were thrown open and servents took their places to help guests out of their carriages or to lead horses to a neaby stable after their riders were dropped off. Aden and his family put on smiles to greet the small number of guests that would actually arrive within the first half hour of the party. The gala had begun...

---

Tepet Marek Udo was one of the first guests to arrive, though he was not so early as to appear abnormal, almost certainly the result of his mother and sister who arrived with him and had a much better sense of social norms. Cynis Calliope and Thalia were both dressed in elegant green dresses accompanied by fine silk shawls for added warmth against the lingering winter chill. Udo was dressed in a plain, but formal white robe with a high collar, pastel blues and green accented the robe and the hemp rope he wore tied around his waist. Deep brown hair was neatly tied back for the occasion and he had left his wide brimmed hat at home.

At the beginning of the party Udo stuck close with his mother and sister and socialized gracefully, though with little interest for the small talk that typically filled these sorts of events splitting his time between House Cynis and House Tepet guests for the most part. Both Houses had shown added interest in him as of late, though especially Tepet with their ever growing desperation for young, trained Dragon Bloods. Several were glad to see he had yet to shave his head and told him so, Udo's reaction was typically subdued and he kept his conversations short and off the topic of his future plans. His family made an effort to briefly greet Aden, Chibuike, and Akachi who were quite busy with greeting the many arriving guests, their conversation was mostly limited to congratulations and gratitude and such formalities. Eventually he left his mother and sister to continue to socialize and slipped off to spend a few moments before dinner in the relative solitude of the walled garden.

He was greeted by the brisk air of the lingering winter, but even in only his robe he found the crisp outside air to be an enjoyable change to what he considered the stuffy interior. Though in reality the great hall was anything but stuffy, his taste for such events was fairly limited and he'd done well to avoid them for the most part during his time at The Cloister of Wisdom. Unless he was confronted by any other visitors to the garden before dinner began he would spend the short time before dinner sucking in the natural, yet carefully groomed environment of the garden. Before dinner began he returned to the hall and found his place at the table assigned to him for the formal meal of the event.

--FyreFly 16:32, 30 May 2011 (EDT)

---

Udo could tell that Aden's smile was genuine at seeing the first of his friends arrive, and Aden greeted him like a brother. When Aden introduced him to his family, Aden's parents looked over Udo, sizing him up. It seemed that Aden's parents knew what kind of trip he was planning and wanted to see what kind of campanions Aden had chosen to accompany him. They greeted Udo's family with typical politness and expressed their condolences for their loss. The exchange was brief, however, due to more guests arriving and needing greeted.

Later, while Udo sat in the garden, he overheard a conversation that caught his attention. The particapents were being hushed, but only being on the otherside of a plant wall, Udo could make out some of the words.

"Mnemon ... Cathak ... Hunt ... Paragon ... Dead ... Missing ... Relations."

Moments later the conversation died as someone else entered the garden. Udo was slightly caught of guard when the face of his old mentor, Sesus Oldair, came into view. As he stood to greet the old man, he caught a glimpse of the couple that had been speaking earlier.

"Tepet Marek Udo," Oldair used his full name, but did so casually, "your mother told me that I could find you out here. I must say I was disappointed when I heard you had not been accepted into the House of Bells. You are the only one of my students not to have been... Regardless, I am glad to hear of your honorable graduation from the Cloister of Wisdom. If you dont mind, I would give my old student one last piece of advice." Oldair didn't give Udo a chance to object, "When you left me, you thought you had made your decision regarding the legions and the Order. Now you find yourself facing the same decision again. Regardless of your choice, do not fool yourself into thinking it will be settled. Our life in this Realm is always a struggle between Empire, House, and self. Regardless of your decision, be careful to keep them in balance." With his piece said, Oldair would take his leave unless Udo decided to keep the conversation going.

--Macabreengel 10:11, 1 June 2011 (EDT)

---

Peleps Caedmon tugged gently at the collar of the coat an uncle had given him as part of his graduation present, casting the accumulated snow off it as he walked and allowing some of that cold winter air to burrow its way down to his body, hidden beneath layers of wool. The coat was extremely heavy, given to him by an uncle as part of a graduation gift. Befitting of his house and their expectations, the coat was fit for shipboard wear, even in the northernmost reaches of Creation. Despite the winter weather, Cad had deemed the coat excessive only partway through his travel to Aden's gala.

Traveling with Cad was his mother, Saraban Alma, an Air-aspected Dragon-Blood. Technically a Dynast, she was well-liked but viewed with some suspicion by the general public; her pedigree was ill-defined at best, and many correctly figured that she, like many who assumed Saraban ancestry, was using the House's name as a cover for her now-stigmatized membership in House Iselsi. Nevertheless, no Dynast was so tactless as to acknowledge these matters openly, and Alma, along with her son, were greeted with polite, but appropriately cautious hello's and how-have-you-been's upon their fashionably late arrival to the party. Alma returned in kind, smiling, but making no effort to hide her icy gaze. She was proud enough of her oldest son, but had been constantly embittered since the disappearance of the Empress, suspecting more and more that the great sacrifice made by her own House would never be honored.

Cad stuck with his mother long enough to ride out the opening conversation, but as they were wrapping up, he placed a hand lightly on his mother's back. He loved his mother, but until recently had wondered if her irritable disposition as of late indicated a wish to stay out of family affairs. Upon his graduation, Cad's father, Mardok, had enlightened Cad as to some of the truth's behind his mother's history, and Cad had become much more sympathetic to her plight as a result.

"Mother, I'm going to find my classmates - you know how the idle chatter of adults bores me so."

Alma looked to her side, giving her son a concealed smirk. She simply nodded, returning to her conversation.

Meanwhile, Cad navigated his way more deeply into the gala, finding the coat room. He checked his heavy woolen coat, revealing an tailored blue dress coat whose front was divided into quarters, each quarter respectively displaying the heraldry of the House of Bells, House Peleps, Mardok's lineage, and the Imperial admiralty. He matched the coat with white pants and formal boots. His sword was sheathed in ornate, white leather, and hung at his side. Cad generally didn't mind dressing to an occasion, although he longed for the chance to air himself out after the journey in his smothering coat.

After checking his coat, Cad produced a small pipe, which he had been forbidden from smoking at the Academy ("Leisure is for battle-tested generals," they'd tell him time and again), packing it with tobacco from an internal coat pocket. Deciding to cool off before beginning any real socializing, Cad navigated the sea of Dynasts before him expertly, politely excusing himself on his way to the garden. Appreciating the cold winter air when he stepped out, Cad, somewhat tastelessly, lit his pipe on a nearby torch, stepping further out into the garden as he took the first puff of his sweet tobacco. He looked further out into the garden, noticing curiously two figures who seemed to be finishing a conversation.

((Have Cad and Udo met before?))

((I would guess not, unless you guys had something in mind.)) -DK

((I would think not, not much overlap in backstory or interests.)) - TK

Dan 11:28, 1 June 2011 (EDT)

---

Udo relaxed in the garden and enjoyed being away from the bulk of the party for a while, though he wasn't overly one to eavesdrop he couldn't help but overhear parts of the nearby conversation. It didn't really seem like a great place for a private conversation if thats what they wanted, so Udo certainly didn't feel bad about it. The conversation was a curious one, it seemed to him that The Paragon had been killed or gone missing, or perhaps something involving the Wyld Hunt. It was a interesting conversation, but none of his business. More important things were at hand.

"Sesus Odair..." Udo was genuinely a bit surprised to see his old mentor here, but he was also quite please about it. It had been a long time since the summer of their training and they had not really kept in touch over the years, but Udo was glad to see him here now.

"You have my apologies on not being accepted into The House of Bells, I assure you it had nothing to do with your training." Udo was truly sorry he had put a bad mark on his mentor's name, though he was confident Odair would understand.

Udo listened carefully to the advice of his former mentor, a man who held in very high regard. "Your advice is always appreciated and respected."

Udo didn't really agree or disagree with the advice from his mentor, he wasn't really sure entirely how he felt on it. Maybe he would spend more time alone in the garden meditating over thoughts such as the balance between The Realm, House, and self. Most likely he didn't have time for such contemplative thoughts tonight. Udo didn't pursue the conversation further and watched Odair return to the party as he was joined by another in the garden; which was far more popular than he had originally hoped.

Odair returned to the party and Udo looked around the garden again, taking in the landscape as he let out a very long and controlled breath, the conversation briefly over heard returning to his thoughts annoyingly. He started to grow impatient with this whole affair; the party, the unknown aspects of a trip to the threshold, pressure from his House and family, as he felt the tendencies of his aspect build up he reminded himself of the teachings of Sextes Jylis. As his steady calm returned he took in his surroundings and noticed another young dynast now shared the garden with him, he'd never met Cad before and was unaware who he would be joined by in his trip into the threshold. None the less he had the look of a graduate from the House of Bells, a friend of Aden's perhaps or possibly a fellow member of House Cathak, there were certainly enough of them here. The decorative saber on his hip was the most telling sign, though certainly others gave hints to Cad's origins. Cad's saber, similar to the one Aden wore tonight reminded Udo that he was one of the few people who had attended the gathering without any sort of weapon, his own plain robe and lack of a weapon likely identified him as a Cloister of Wisdom graduate even more so than the saber gave Cad or Aden away.

Dinner was approaching inside and while Udo didn't care a great deal for it, his stomach reminded him that he'd spent a majority of his time since his own graduation fasting and the smell and sight of food was starting to become quite an appealing sight. With that thought in mind he would begin to head back inside towards his designated seat at the dinner, though he was not in so much a hurry that he couldn't be distracted if someone else engaged him in conversation.

--FyreFly 17:47, 5 June 2011 (EDT)

---

Aden walked out into the garden with a young woman wearing a blue and white dress with a black shawl. Her hair was partially up and partially down. She was better looking than the average person, but clearly not as attractive as Aden. Both Udo and Cad saw Aden enter the garden, and Cad could tell instantly that Aden wasn't into the girl. He had seen Aden's moves plenty of times and, whatever the reason he was with her, it wasn't to get with her.

Aden ginned seeing his companions all within a few yards of each other for the first time. "Well, since we are all here, I might as well do the introductions. You all know me of course," he smiled handsomely. Motioning towards Cad, "This is my good friend Peleps Caedmon. We were at the House of Bells together." Motioning towards Udo, "Tepet Marek Udo is my friend from childhood. He attended the Cloister. And this young lady," Aden placed his arm around her shoulder like she was a sibling, "is my cousin Sesus Izumi, on my mothers side, obviously. She has the dubious honor of being the only sorcerer here. The four of us, plus this one's 'boyfriend'," Aden emphasized boyfriend with an eye roll, "are the ones going on my little vacation. He graduated from the Heptagram, as well. As you can imagine, my dad is as pleased as piss that I am taking two sorcerers with me." Aden's grin faded and he put up his hands defensively, "I know, I know. You guys want to know where we are going. I got you to wait this long, you can last another hour right?"

Izumi rolled her eyes at Aden and turned to the other two and extended a hand, "You can call me Zumi. Nice to meet you."

--Macabreengel 21:28, 5 June 2011 (EDT)

---

Cad couldn't help a crooked half-smile - Izumi instantly reminded him of his own perpetual romantic interest, a would-be sorcerer stuck attending the House of Bells. They weren't currently speaking, which was largely Cad's fault, but that was doubtless a story which could wait for another time. He nodded in acknowledgment to both of them.

"Zumi, Udo, a pleasure to meet you both. I presume you're both recent graduates?" Cad had reasoned as such based on Aden's narrated chronology, but it helped for small talk.

Cad leaned over to Aden, his smirk widening.

"I guess I'll survive another hour, as long as you aren't taking me back to that Gods-forsaken academy. And hey, ol' Mardok probably wouldn't be too pleased with a couple of sorcerers either, but at least we aren't setting sail with a buncha Spiral Academy grads."

Cad nudged Aden playfully; he often openly derided the Spiral Academy (though in good humor), well-aware of the irony that Cad himself was probably a better fit for its halls of political debate than the military academy he'd actually attended.

Dan 11:57, 6 June 2011 (EDT)

---

Udo was far less sure of Aden's intent with the young lady who accompanied him as they entered the garden, Aden and Udo had not spent a significant amount of time together since their training under mutual mentor Sesus Odair. Both had changed a great deal in their time at the academies, and no doubt it would take some time before Udo knew Aden's 'moves' as well as Cad. More likely he wouldn't.

He greeted all three of his soon to be traveling companions with the same gentle smile and a slight bow of his head, his manner far more formal than the moment called for. Udo either didn't notice or care.

"A pleasure to meet you both, I look forward to getting to know you as we travel off into the unknowns. If he is anything, Aden is an impeccable judge of character, I am sure we will have no trouble at all."

He spoke in the same formal manner that seemed to fit in well at the party but not among friends in the walled garden, a far cry from the much more casual, and slick, Cad. His comments didn't seem any more fitting than the tone in which he delivered them.

He politely shook Izumi's outstretched hand turning his speech more to her than to the group as he did, "And I am sure 'The Boyfriend', may I call him that? Will be just a much a delight as his beloved." Udo's words were by all counts as genuine as his greeting, but they begged for sarcasm that just wasn't delivered. Leaving the whole greeting with an odd feeling; he was either stupidly polite, unforgivably rude, terribly unfunny, or doing it on purpose. There was no way to tell.

--FyreFly 12:16, 11 June 2011 (EDT)

---

Izumi glanced sidways at Aden after Udo's strange greeting, but Aden only grinned, which was no help. "Yes, well, a pleasure indeed," said Izumi. Then to Caedmon, "Yes, my boyfriend and I just recently graduated as well, and I know what you mean about the academies. At least you guys weren't stuck on a bloody island holed up with a bunch of book worms. You could barely stretch in there without turning a thousand year old book to dust." She took a big sip of her wine suggesting that she might not be speaking hypothetically.

In response to Cad's comment about the Spiral Academy, Aden tapped his fingers on his chin. "You know, we could use someone aspected towards earth... I wonder if there are any here that just graduated from the Spiral Academy and want to throw there life away..err go on an adventure!"

Just then a soft bell, replicated throughout the grounds of the hall, informed the guests that dinner would be served soon, and they should make their way to their seats. "Well, I guess its almost time for you guys to find out whats going on, and then food! So, thats good." Aden smiled innocently, even though he knew they were about to kill him if they didn't find out soon. Then he lead them back in to the tables and took his seat at the head table, as their took their seats at the respective tables. --Macabreengel 15:54, 13 June 2011 (EDT)