Hanami - Flower Festival | Paradox

[Garion 1,247]

 

Alfonso’s gaze turned towards the voice that called out to him, a man used to combat as any soldier could tell. Giving his wife-to-be’s hand a pat he gave Ydris a polite nod of the head. ‘Quite the concise fellow you are, pleasure to meet you Ydris I am Alfonso head of the Aelindra Council.” Deciding it would be rude of him to not introduce himself before he got to the meat of the matter he made sure at least his name and position were known. “Well I might not be the most knowledgeable of all Genesaris but I can perhaps point you to a few places of interest on this fine continent.” He said giving a rueful smile. So far he had managed to at least meet one interesting fellow at this party. “ The Velhatien Desert though a wasteland of sand and scorching heat has many ancient ruins which one might wish to investigate, along with the myriad tribes that inhabit the place.” In fact recently the desert has become a place of interest to both Aelindra and the council as a whole, might as well share some minor information with this adventurous man. 

“You might also wish to check the Bloodmage Mountains I hear there are some strange happenings that are often spoken by many travelers.”

His free hand began to rub his chin in thought.

“You might try the Cold Mountains, or if you like a little bit of Nature the Bloodstone Marsh.” Tapping his chin once more in thought he tried to recall anything else he might remember. “ Well for now you might find those places to your liking and if you ever need anymore information I am certain the guilds in Aelindra would be happy to lend you their knowledge so do stop by the most glorious city in the West.” He winced as he failed to catch himself this time. 

He was often trying to sell visiting his city, after all tourism is a good source of income. He knew there were perhaps more places to list but as of yet he couldn’t recall already his mind was preoccupied with the East as this would be the first time he had ever stepped foot on this side of the continent. “Well old boy I hope I was at least helpful is getting your adventurous spirit ignited, sadly my forte requires me to be with the army or politicking.” He gave a self deprecating smile as he reached out his free hand to give Ydris a chance to shake his hand.  “Perhaps you might answer a few questions of my own?

It wasn’t often he might get a chance to learn about the changes in the Midlands and for that matter any changes in the world at large.

“I quite curious on how Koji came to power so quickly, more importantly however is what lands you hail from, I think I sense Renovatian in your accent?” He’d met those who hailed from the floating continent once before and so he had a feeling that this many might be from there, or perhaps Tellus Mater in general. I am quite curious about the nations outside of Genesaris and am always looking to learn more in the hopes of understanding our neighbors better. There was a childlike curiosity to Alfonso that had perhaps come from his mentor in his more informative years, there was always an insatiable desire to learn that had always stayed with Alfonso

@Chappu @Aleksei
 

Edited June 28 by Garion

[Chappu 1,512]

Ambition

---

Ydris was pleasantly surprised when Alfonso had reacted to his questioning; stepping closer he gave the man's wife a slight bow in apology for stealing him away. The Aelindra council was something incredibly important he guessed from how much information this man was willing to share with him. Alfonso carried himself very well no doubt, being in unfamiliar territory it reminded Ydris of himself back home in Tellus Mater. He often spent most of his time in Oo'Xora and Avylon he did not see any other parts of his home unless directed by the Grand Kommandant.  Reaching into his pocket he began taking notes of all the lands that Alfonso had mentioned in his speech before looking back at the man who's had was not extended in a friendly manner.  Now the exchange would surely begin without a doubt, first, he reached up touching the blackened helm which covered his head letting it vanish to expose his face. A broad sharp-toothed smile greeted Alfonso as the Nelrosis shook his hand firmly. As Alfonso had guessed he was Renovatian to the core, his horns for ears gleamed in the lighting of the gathering whilst violet hues stared back over Alfonso himself.

"You are correct Alfonso, I report to the Grand Kommandant herself in most cases, Bravada of the Zodiac Knights. I can tell you just about anything you want to know about my home. Koji, on the other hand, you would need to speak to himself. I hear he has an impressive Harem which has moved in the darkness and light to help secure his position and the conquering of the Midlands. He even took over a part of Tellus Mater, when the Grand Kommandant came into power I met him at the festival to welcome her rule. A dangerous but influential figure none the less. Why not take a moment and I shall introduce you to the man. The best way to go about any information gathering is also to speak to the source no?" Raising a brow Ydris chuckled lightly his deep voice rumbled in his chest as he threw back his drink swallowing it in a few gulps and setting it to the side. "Come, my friend, let me introduce you to the Dragon himself.," Ydris said turning slowly to allow Alfonso to keep up he strolled through the crowd being the second tallest compare to the Behemoth at Koji's side. 

The people parted as he walked, the clank of his boots against the ground gave warning to his approach. Giving a nod to Celine and the rest of the group he pushed forward to then stand off to the side of Koji. Giving a low bow he took a deep breath before speaking. "Lord Koji. There is someone I believe you'd be interested to meet." 

 

@Garion @Twitterpated @dvsn @Aleksei

[Akako Akari 1,072]

Kalmuli's reaction wasn't on the demoness, but she did well not to react and draw possible unwanted attention to the affliction. Instead, the vixen smiled in a bemused sort of way as Lord Zenahriel bowed before them. It was an unnecessary gesture in the kitsune's mind as she was simply a Regent, not a Queen and certainly not at a status that would require the Emperor's lover to bow to her. The demoness's gaze slid over to Rafael, her brows raised in question before looking back to his winged partner, her expression softening.

"Rise," she prompted gently then watched with unabashed interest as he presented a satin box. 

As Kalmuli responded, Akako shifted her attention to the elven woman at her side. "Not at all. This day is for the city, not for me. Port Caelum deserves a spotlight for its people. They are truly a remarkable people. Now then..." 

With gentle hands, Akako took the box from Lord Zenahriel, and one of her attendants stepped forward with a silver tray lined with black velvet. Setting the box down on the tray, the demoness opened it and her golden eyes brightened as her lips curled into a pleased smile. Her gaze lifted to the High Lord once more and she clicked her tongue at him as if to reprimand. "To say this could be paltry. Shame on you, Lord Zenahriel. This is exquisite," she admonished the High Lord before addressing Rafael. As she did so, she closed the lid to the box and nodded to the attendant "There is no need for gifts, Rafael -"

Then those warmed honey colored eyes were on Carmine's Emperor. "- but I am positive that whatever it is that you deem I shall have will be worth more than I deserve." 

When he stepped closer, Akako's gaze darted beyond Rafael, beyond Lord Zenahriel, and to the alchemist. When Rafael spoke the question, Akako almost frowned but held the kind smile in place regardless of where her mind was. She knew that Arthur needed to talk with her; however, she wasn't sure why. Perhaps to confront her for disappearing without a word, or maybe there was something else that he required. 

Akako's attention slid back to Rafael and she forced a light laugh. "The festival will likely carry on into the evening, and I am afraid I will have company this evening. You and yours are more than welcome to stay with me in my home tonight if it would please you. I would certainly be honored." 

@King @The Hummingbird @Kalmuli @Voldemort

 

[Aleksei 6,915]

@Chappu @Garion

She refrained from saying 'Of course!' to his evaluation of her appearance. What else would she be but a beautiful bauble on his decorated arm? The woman has learned they will work just fine together if they are given an item they both can agree on. Other than that, she may have opinions that would clash with her newly acquired husband, and if she were outspoken such views may prompt him to be more loving towards her. She can't risk this man getting any closer than he already has, not when she knows what their marriage entails. For the moment, he will be trusted to have her attached on his arm, leaving her to remain a figure of perfection by his side comfortably.

His comment on the airship had the woman smirking; Alfonso is the mastermind behind such creations, not her. What she cares for is the flow of money, the hands they will shake, the appearances they will make, and other kinds of silliness that will keep them in high standing. She is more than happy to stand at his side or even behind him if it meant giving her freedom over their finances. Always being quick minded when it came to numbers, she felt more comfortable and more confident when in front of a ledger. 

So unlike here, during a festival in a land she should be interested in but is not. Whatever political underhandedness he wants to pill out is up to him and none of her business, unless he wants it to be. Being ignorant and blind to the background events made it easier to live life comfortably, she doesn't want to worry what his actions may play in the long run. If anything, she would rather not worry about the gentleman's well-being at all. Friends, they may have been as children, they are no longer that, and it keeps a thin wall between herself and him. Their marriage is one of convenience, a convenience she plans on keeping well kindled.

"Ah, but I do so love you wrapping people around your finger love. I've not the skill to make women's knees melt and young men envious."

Then the pair was approached by a gentleman that smelled like brimstone and pride. He preoccupied her husband with talks of exotic lands and native tongues, leaving her to be a delicate bystander as the two went on about their business. She was comfortable looking about, looking ever the whole part of a fragile woman that has always lived beneath an ironed roof above her head. She would have been perfectly content to stay in her place while the men enjoyed their conversation, but then an opportunity was presented to Alfonso. 

Glued to his side once more, Atarah leaned in close to whisper to her husband.

"See? You do fine just on your own."

 

[Twitterpated 3,075]

A growl, snicker hybrid escaped him in response to his Empress' remark delivered in his native tongue. A smirk claiming his face. In that same instance of the slip of his mask, it seemed that a pair that was rather persistent remained more or less in their path. Taking good notice, one looked familiar. Rafael himself. He hadn't laid eyes on the man since the day he saw him in Kadia, when Celine had once told Koji that Rafael was a great friend to have, and perhaps one's worst enemy. While there was more he didn't know, he knew enough about the Elder to know that he was a man of desires and personal gain. Things he afforded those he chose to include. Perhaps that is the legacy of being a Purebred in a man's society, just as Akako, Rafael had lost sight of his ways. Instead he too was a a proprietor of the grey evils of man. Then again, what did he really know? For the briefest of moments, Koji's indigo optics aligned with Rafael's blue ones. That smirk on his face persisting, and his lazy, half lidded eyes becoming more sharp about the edges as if he were suddenly alert. Placing his closed draconic fist and pressing the knuckles into the opposing (left) palm, Koji afforded the man a slight bow in passing.

Soon the festivities would commence, and with that in mind the Heika saw it within great reason to seek refreshments prior to the grand entertainment to come. He was just about to ask the others if they desired anything, even knowing well how sensitive Katiya's pallet was. Before they could however, the familiar presence of Ydris was appraoching, and with an unfamiliar at that. He wasn't sure it they were passing by one another or if Ydris was in fact seeking him out until he'd managed to reach the party once more. With the low bow he was afforded, Koji returned with a slight bow of his own, though certainly nowhere near as low as the one he received. 

"Lord Koji. There is someone I believe you'd be interested to meet."

"It's always nice to make new acquaintances."

He stated rather plainly, his face having defaulted to his mask by now; A blank canvas with a half lidded, uninterested gaze.  This should not reflect on his words, though Alfonso would have to learn that on his own. Still, his indigo eyes settled on Alfonso's. If they were paying attention, they might have noticed his reptilian slits for pupils thinning to the likeness of a single strand of hair before a blink occurred with the nictitating membrane, his third eyelid.

@King @The Hummingbird @dvsn @Aleksei @Etched In Stone @Dreamer @danzilla3 @Chappu @Garion

[Kalmuli 588]

Kalmuli extended a hand, allowing them to make contact. His fingers were chilly but the lips he placed on the back of them were incredibly warm. For a moment, as before, she spaced as they were temporarily linked and when she came back to the present, she raised an eyebrow. What an...interesting man. She hid a slightly perverse smile behind her free hand, relaxing a moment to gather herself again. "I merely cleaned things up....but thank you for such a generous praise."She said, her land slipping away and returned to a folded position in front of her. "Perhaps one day you and your Raven may come by for a treat or two. I don't often play host to guests."

Kalmuli tilted her head a moment, pondering his question. What was left for her evening? Other than enjoying the lanterns and fireworks, maybe even imbibing in a bit of foreign wine, she was relatively open scheduled. Kalmuli would place a gentle hand on Akako's arm. "You are modest, Akako...places flourish with wise leadership. It should be a proud moment for you and the the people to be celebrated."She commented, her eyes flickering to Rafael.

She didn't often feel like she knew someone...Kalmuli's touch let her see lovely glimpses into a person's history though for only flashes and with the vampire in question, she grew more interested. She would quirk her mouth into a smirk and relax into a softer smile. "I'll be enjoying the festival until it ends tonight...but I am staying in town for awhile at an Inn suite. Should you and Lord Zenahriel find yourself in need of a place to retreat, you're welcome to the spare room or to come by for a meal."She offered. "Of course, I welcome two handsome Lords to play games with me here at the festival too. I won some fish, but I'm sure there are bigger prizes waiting to be claimed."

@The Hummingbird @King @Akako Akari

Edited July 7 by Kalmuli

[The Hummingbird 3,517]

Standing aside as pleasantries were offered and accepted with Rafael, Zenahriel observed the throngs of people celebrating. The Flower Festival had been in full swing now for a few hours, the streets crowded, and so far no trouble had arisen. It was a good sign, a sign of respect for the Lady Akako and her celebration that no one had risen a hand in violence.

He smiled as Lady Akako invited his mate and himself to stay, while Kalmuli offered her own refuge. It was up to Rafael if they would stay the night and where, but he now hoped they would indeed spend the evening in the Regent’s company.

“It would be an honor to stay with either of you, your Majesties,” he said softly when all were done speaking. “I will let my mate decide, of course,” he added, laying an affectionate hand on Rafael’s shoulder. “Kings before Lords, yes?” he grinned.

In an hour or so, the wishing lamps would take to the skies, and this sight Zenahriel wanted to see. It would be a marvelous scene, he was sure. And while he was no so certain all the wishes of those participating would come to be, least of all his own, he still wanted to participate. Perhaps to test the gods to whom those wishes were prayed.

[King 4,186]

Rafael smiled, took the raven by the back of his head, and pulled him close. He kissed Zenahriel on the brow, on both his eyelids, and then, most gently, on his lips. “You should know better than to be so flattering in public, Zenahriel,” he teased the winged High Lord. While the elder had never taken issue with any manner of affectionate or lustful display, it was something more than a single previous lover had chastised him for.

The High Lord, however—he’d always been more than accommodating.

Letting the taste of his lips linger for a moment longer, Rafael turned his attention to the kitsune and her companion. “There’s no need for us to return to the Red City with urgency,” he replied to Kalmuli. “It would be an absolute pleasure to stay with you, Your Majesty. You strike me as a cultured woman, one of many tastes,” he praise with a sensual forming of the words. “I’m sure we’ll have plenty to talk about.”

Blue eyes turned to Akako. “However, you and I do have some business to attend to, Akako. Nothing dire, but there are lines I would like clarified—boundaries drawn. But, that can wait until after the festival. For now, let’s enjoy ourselves. Heavens know we’re not afforded enough time to do such, are we?”

Stepping aside, hand in hand with his High Lord, Rafael gestured for the women to lead the way.

[Alexei 3,882]

Connor was much akin to his father, never one for flare or pomp, at least not to the degree that many other such nobles were wont to do. Though he carried the similar style of his mother, a force of presence; absolute confidence. He did not need the help of pretty trinkets or bright colors, nor loud booming voices full of arrogance. He simply was. Tall, handsome, with the slight edge of danger and madness only he, who had been raised in the Harrowing; could possess. There was little of his fathers bleakness in him, or his mother’s whimsy; where his siblings seemed to favor one parent over the other. A failing of theirs, the young Emperor often thought.

No, this child of the Raven and Lion was an altogether different beast.

He was not flighty like Ezio, or Olympia; directed by fanciful and grand ideals that bordered on the selfish. He was not overly rigid like Neronius or Julius; who placed the ideals of their father as absolute. Lacking flexibility. All that mattered to this child, was the Imperium. Its standing, its continued strength, its culture. The continuation of Kadia not as merely a country, or nation; but also an ideal. What it meant to be Kadian. It was so much more than a singular ideal, it could be so much more than what even he considered now.

The fact he recognized that set him apart, and often against; his own blood.

Green eyes, sharp in their intellect, fiery in the strangeness only he possessed. His clothes spoke of the militaristic nature of the Imperium, with the scholarly subtleties that many often could not recognize in the nation. There was no separation between soldier, statesman, and scholar in the empire. Blacks lined with gold, the dual symbols of Kadia adorned his buttons and the few medals of his offices that he bothered to wear. Ravens in flight, lions rampant, sword and dagger intersecting to create the Corvinite Cross. Though he did not consider himself a man of faith in beings such as deities.

A red cape, lined with the fur of a Kadian lion; completed the picture of regality. His mother had always been correct in one regard. Dress to impress.

He adjusted his gloves, with the strange High Kadic symbols dancing in monochrome light--pulling them tight-- and then his tie. While the others mingled among themselves, for now he was content to observe. There would be time enough to get involved on the world stage. For now it was better to understand the relationships between others, decipher the genuine smiles of friends and allies, or the ones of venomous vipers. He knew only what he could gather in the royal libraries of the palace, much could have changed in the months that passed in realspace while Kadia had been dragged into the Immaterium. Or little at all could have changed.

Though he doubted the latter was the case, Little was ever certain in life, save for one fact. Change. He smiled at the thought, so much was uncertain, exciting.

[Akako Akari 1,072]

SUMMARY