Jade will lift her glass to the toast.

Ballad’s ardent attention goes to each as they speak. Her interest in Alva Arrington’s and Ariadne’s life: evident, because she’s an eloquent girl. All passion and compassion, see, still. “What’s Gérard like?” she asks, after a hesitation. “I’ve never met him.”

Jade wants to know if she should dress differently. Ballad studies Jade’s clothing with surprise, as if she’d never what to wear so much as a thought (true). And looking at Jade: well, it’s an absolute pleasure. “That is a very beautiful gown,” she says, judiciously. “Were it mine, I might worry I’d trail sleeves or skirt through less than savory floor sludge. I’m just going to wear this. But I suppose going early into the city to do more shopping would be useful, too; I know your shopping excursion was interrupted.”

Ballad echoes Jon’s toast with what’s left of her spiked coffee, and offers him the curl of a grin, too: “It’s a nice thought. I wasn’t envisioning Bloody Mary’s right after breakfast—it is a place, Ari, and if it seems too rough and tumble, we can go to Emily's instead. But I was thinking ... more in the early evening around or just after supper time, once everybody’s had their day. Jon, shall we go riding at 11? Lance, may I visit you for reading around 3? Then, Jade, Ari — we could meet at the library at our convenience after that?”

She crinkles her nose, eyes gone suddenly laughing, albeit at herself: “I do like to have things to look forward to. And,” observe, Ballad rests her elbow on the table (like a monster), cupping her chin in her hands, silvery gold braided mohawk all rakishly a-flop as she inclines her head, “Tir-na-Nog’th rising is certainly one. I’ve…” She trails away, pensively, even so a brief shadow on her brow, though her tone’s all quiet anticipation. “It’s been quite a while.”

...And wouldn't it be a good idea to remake Tir's acquaintance, up close and personal? Hmm.

"Wonderful, shopping sounds wonderful to me. Less Grey men, more fashion choices !" Jade brightened notably. She then looked to Ariadne, "Oh you just have to let me help you find something to fit in."

She gave Ariadne a winning smile.

"I never had cousins, I feel like all of us together shall have fun on our excursion."

She then gave Ballad an odd look, "Can you fly ?"

*chuckles* "I see you like a full dance card, Ballad." he then nods "Riding around 11 sounds good.  Though, I would prefer to escort you three for the shopping excursion.  I will stay at a discreet distance, so that you can gossip in safety, but close enough to provide assistance." *smiles at Jade* then *nods* to Ari. "I did make a promise.  And I am a man of my word."

Jade inclined her head to Jon, "Thank you Jon, four of us should be formidable if these Grey men show up."

"I am sure we could find some weapons here to bring along with us." A stern nod of her head.

*nods* "I can loan you the Rapier." *smiles* "Ari, has at least a knife.  But I agree, I am sure we can get a few things from the armory."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:18, Sun 29 Nov 2020.

  Lance had raised his glass along with the others at the toast.  For the most part he listens silently as plans are made among his cousins, but his gaze lingers mostly on Ballad.

  The line of self-doubts parade themselves past his consciousness, sticking their collective tongues out at him once again.  Such was the angst that plagued him.  He could see that Ballad was the type of electric personality that connected with everyone she met, and he could see the things about his cousins that drew her unto them.  Jon was strong and confident and kind, and always seemed to have the right thing to say.  Jade was exotic, and had knowledge of places and things that would fascinate anyone.  Ariadne had a quiet, yet palpable physical energy and intensity about her.  All of them were attractive, and interesting, and smart.

  And then there's me.  What do I have to offer that the others do not?  I'm surely not the strongest, nor the smartest, nor the most interesting.  I trip over my own words, and I dream of things that will never be.  I know next to nothing about Amber or other realms.  I have no doubt that any one of my cousins is a match for me with a blade.  So, what do I bring to the table that would even remotely be of interest to someone as amazing as Ballad other than a love of Shakespeare and plays and poetry?

  Lance didn't have an answer.  He knew that his jealousy was petty and undeserved and unjustified, and that it was base of him to feel such things.  Still, it was part of what he had wrestled with all his life.  He never believed himself good enough for anything.  He had always thought himself as something cast aside, flawed, unwanted.

 You desire that which is not allowed.  Your own cousin?!  How could you?!  Even were it not incestuous, you could never make her happy!!  You are a fool to dream of it, and an ass for believing it possible!  Look at her!  She's amazing!!  Your clinginess would chaffe at her, and she would come to despise you.  And you, Lance, what are you but a child given away!!  Lance, you are as a liability...a risk to your own mother should you mess up and become something that someone could use against her, or the rest of the family. 

Ariadne raised a glass to Jon's toast as well, smiling wryly at the thought of o "juice toast".
She smirked at Jon
"I'll admit that normally wanting or needing a man to protect me would bug the hell out of me, but I'll concede that these aren't ordinary times.   With these Grey goons, I'll put my ego aside and thank anyone for whatever help I can get.  But don't worry about trailing behind like some hired thug.  I've never been someone to indulge in silly gossip, only serious gossip.   And you, and Lance, for that matter, are more than welcome to join in.   Even when I 'gossip', i try to never say anything that the world can't hear."

She sighed, looking determined
"I'd like to hear about the guns that you have here, but if not I'll definitely like to keep borrowing this knife.  I'm wondering if a stiletto, something all point, would be good against these grey dinks as well.   I learned how to fight 'prison style' for a....well, a play i was in..."
She nodded to Jade, and perhaps any others who wouldn't understand what a television show was
"and if piercing weapons do more damage , then that's the way to go. "

The short haired brunette smiled ruefully at Ballad.
"Uncle Gerard came at a bad time,  when my father was bandaging my wounds, so i wasn't feeling very sociable, so I'll admit that I wasn't paying enough attention to him as i should have.    My impression of him was....well, Bigness is the best word to describe him.  He seemed larger than his actual size, it that makes sense.   He reminded me of old stories our groundskeeper told about Paul Bunyan, a mythical lumberjack the supposedly lived in the northern woods, who was 50 feet tall and could chop down a forest in an afternoon. "
She gave a wry chuckle at the silliness of it
"As far as him personally, i got the impression that he definitely wanted to help, but other than punching people he was at a loss as to what to do.  But he was very supportive and patient, especially since i was still freaking out about the attack."   

Jade smiled, "After meeting Gerard I have to agree, biggness does well to describe him. He seemed nice enough too bad I didn't have more time to get to know our uncle."

"Fifty feet tall, your world has giants !"

Ariadne grinned and chuckled
"Well, technically they are just stories.  Tall tales that people tell for entertainment.   Of course, this time last week i would have believed the same thing about the Grey Men.  So I'm wondering now how many other myths might actually be real.  In my world, there are plenty of stories about monsters and magic, but most people don't believe in them.  I'm starting to have some doubts about everything now, though "

"Oh, fictional tales, or perhaps there was a time when such creatures could cross into your world and people remember it."

She makes a sweeping motion to the windows, "After a hundred years the people might tell tales out there about the wyverns or manticore as if they didn't exist."

Ariadne laughed
"Thwt might be what happened on Earth.  Or at least someone like my parents went there and told stories about them"

Nods happily, "Tell us more of your world Ariadne. It seems very intriguing."
She looked to Ariadne and Lance with interest.

Ariadne smiled a little awkwardly, shrugging at the question
'Well, I'm. not sure where to begin, honestly.   I don't know enough yet about Amber to make a full comparison, I'll admit, but Earth, to my eyes, seems to have much more advanced technology.  Electric lights, automatic vehicles, advanced guns and easy to make food, for a start.  But all that technology has its down sides as well.  Most of us, at least in my area of Earth, live a life of leisure and safety that leaves most of us unprepared for invasion by Grey Goons of Death.  My father made sure i had some training with old fashioned weapons.  I thought it was a bit odd back then. Now i can see why he did it"
 

Jade nods.

"I read a bit of your shadow and it does seem more advanced. Hmm you told me your people conquered your world and were the only species that live there. So it is not surprising they live a life of leisure instead of war. It must be nice to have that brotherly feeling with fellow shadow folk knowing you have achieved so much. Your world must be peaceful."

Ballad chokes (genuinely surprised) on her coffee and must reach for a napkin to mop up some spilled liquid. “Fly?” she echoes, husky-voiced, a little wide-eyed (startled). Pause. “Like, er... into action or a rage? Why do you ask?”

She, expressive creature that she is, looks unenthusiastic at the gallant offer of an 'escort,' because after all she's easygoing but proud, but she doesn't try to turn the ship. Once Jon and Lance have been made welcome, she says to Jon, curiously, "You mentioned a promise last night, too. What promise did you make? 'Twas an oath?"

As weapons are discussed, Ballad finishes off the greater portion of her carnivore's delight breakfast pie. After swallowing, she says, "Weapons might be purchased in town; there were plenty of weaponsmiths and armorers hawking their wares yesterday, and..." Infinitessimal hesitation, this time. "Well, have you ever thought of an ax, Ari? Or a hatchet? Guns don't really work well, if at all, in Amber."

She looks between Ariadne and Jade as they embroider on the legend of Gérard. "You've a way with words," she says. Soft, the echo: "Bigness. I can just see him, described so. Thank you. As for myths, Aunt Flora said as much: that our relations have inspired legends and myths on Earth, and elsewhere."

She joins Jade in looking at Ariadne and Lance in interest when Jade asks about Earth.

Jade turns to Ballad, "Oh, you spoke of Tir like you have been there. So I wondered if you might not be able to fly to get up into the sky like that."

"Oh." Her eyebrows quiver briefly, between expressions. "I have been to Tir-na-Nog-th, but I didn't fly. I just took the stairs."

Blink momentary dumbstruck look.

"There are stairs !?" Eyes shimmer with excitement.

Ari froze when Jade spoke of Earth being a world "of leisure, not war", and had the grace to look chagrined
"Well, it's, um.....you know what? It's not important.   Anyway..."
She got a ote thoughtful
"I actually found the most beautiful battle axe in a closet in my mother's room last night.   It was almost more artwork than weapon.  But, it was also something that looks a bit large and awkward for a shopping trip.  A hatchet or hand axe also feels a bit ostentatious, but it might not be a bad addition to a belt dagger. "

"Oh I would love to see that ax."

Tilting her head, "I wonder if my own mother had a special weapon."

Ariadne smirked
"From what I've heard so far, most of these people can probably have access to all sorts of weird stuff.  "

Brief, lopsided quirk of her mouth at Jade's excitement, a (barely [here's mischief]) restrained sparkle in her eyes. "There are. Sometimes," she replies. "There are stairs to Rebma, aren't there? What do they say of Tir-na-Nog'th in Rebma?"

"I wonder if your mother can draw cards and would consent to be our generation's royal artist, as Dworkin was for Dad's," she says when Jade wonders about her mother's special weapon.

To Ari, quite interested: "What made the ax so beautiful? Craftsmanship or is it made of an unusual material, like black glass or silver?"

Jade said, "We know it is a city of cloud and starlight. Like a star visiting from the sky. As to stairs to Rebma, yes Faiella Bionen. I will show people the way when we visit Rebma. It is the safest way."

Jades eyes widened as the cards were mentioned, "I can ask. Perhaps this is so."

Ariadne nodded thoughtfully to Ballad, pondering
"Well, it's a beautifully made weapon, certainly, with a haft that seems to seamlessly meld into the blade, and I can't even really identify what kind of wood, if it's even wood, that the handle is made from.  And the metal looks different from anything I'd seen before.  We don't have 'magic' on my world, as far as i know, but I'm seriously wondering if that's what that was."

She listened intently to the talk of this city in the clouds, not really making heads or tails of it