Ariadne almost felt like she was supposed to curtsy,  but refrained,  merely nodding and smiled.
"It's a pleasure to meet you "

Jon smiles and approaches Sandwyn and offers his hand to shake. "It is a pleasure to meet you Lord Sandwyn."

When the young royals appear on the scene, Sandwyn addresses a final remark to the guards and then stands at the carriage. His aquamarine eyes are warm and crinkle at the corners when he smiles, as he does now first at Jade and then encompassing the others. His mustache is classic Errol Flynn, and he presents a rather elegant figure, especially when he cuts a bow like so.

"Good evening, Princess Jade. I find myself bound to say I've rarely been presented with two so lovely ladies. Princess Ariadne, one hopes you'll forgive me if I come across very enthusiastic, but we are relations on my mother's side, which I believe solidly knocks my brother Carwyn out of the running for 'most likely to have adventures.' He'll be so put out. And ah, Prince Jon!" He returns the handshake, and if Jon has any hidden weapons they must surely be shaken out by the apparent enthusiasm with which he does. "Glad you could make it. Will Prince Lance and Princess Ballad be joining us as well? Allow me."

He gets the carriage door for Jade and Ariadne.

Sandwyn is dressed in russet, but he's a little fancier (although not much fancier) for the house-concert - his fashion might best be described as fantasy Regency, heavily inspired by medieval. Welcome to Amber.

"Your looking handsome for the evening Lord Sandwyn. I did extend the invitation to the others and Ballad sadly had previous plans." Jade does seem genuinely sad about that.

"Lance still has the invitation extended but he did not get back to me on it. He may show I am hopeful. Though he would have to show up in a separate carriage it seems."

Jade inclined her head in thanks with a smile when he got the door for them and let Ariadne get in first then got in herself.

Once in the carriage she will sit near Jon so that Ariadne can sit near Sandwyn, "So, please tell us of Carwyn. Ariadne's competition in adventure." Jade said with mischievous merriment.

Jon gives Sandwyn a welcoming smile and no weapons fall free from the shake. "Thank you very much for the invite."

Jon smiles as he and Jade are seated next to each other. He does look on with curiosity to hear about his brother.

Ari smiled at the enthusiastic nobleman, though she had no idea what he meant after 'we're related on your mother's side'.  Still, she listened to the conversation intently

Of course Sandwyn lets the royalty determine their own status etcetera etcetera as they take their seats. If asked, he might say--any lover might tell you--the best seat in the house isn't beside the person you're intrigued by, but rather, across from them where you can gaze to your hearts content. Unless it's a big state dinner. Then the people who are next to you are your doom or your salvation, depending on how things fall out. Ahem. Anyway, Sandwyn gives the coachman an order and the coach begins the descent from the mountain, a small honor guard following along behind.

Now there. Sandwyn settles. Smiles engagingly around. "Carwyn's my second youngest brother. He joined the Navy when he was at the age to apprentice; before that, he borrowed one of my father Lord Rondoval's boats, meaning to take a pleasure jaunt to Minos, although he hadn't told father so there was a bit of a do; before that, he was always getting into nautical scrapes. He's a navy man, through and through."

*smiles* "Interesting.  Indeed it does sound like Navy is in your brother's blood.  So how big is your family?  I'm an only child myself."

"Seven boys, three girls," Sandwyn says. He seems a little relieved by something, but in the next moment is asking, "But I'm being rude, monopolizing the focus of this conversation. You three are on your way to a night of musical entertainment. I know how Rebma does things, but what about out in the shadowlands? Do you all have expectations about what a house concert will be like?"

"I've met a few military people back in my world,  so i ca respect that.  Concerts on Earth vary by size and style.  I've been to staduims with 10,000 screaming fans, and I've attended private performances where I'm only one of a dozen audience members.   The smaller ones are usually more formal and sedate, but can be fun as well "

Jade eyes widened hearing just how many brothers and sisters Sandwyn had. His father was practically Oberon. She was about to merrily chime in as was her way when his next words dimmed those chimes. She instead smiled primly to allow her cousins to get to know Sandwyn more and to share their experiences of their home shadows.

Jon looks in awe at the size of some of the earth concerts. "That is amazing Princess Ariadne!" Jon is in formal court mode in his speech. He shakes his head "Nothing so big back home for me.  We have a few amphitheaters and theaters for public shows.  For the court concerts, similar to this, they are typically very formal with the nobility checking out each other looking for advantages and minimizing scandals.  Usually the host is showing something off." *smiles* "But I don't know what to expect from Amber."

The young nobleman has an air of attention when Ariadne speaks; tries to meet Jade’s eyes, and offer the green-haired Princess a we’re-from-the-center-of-everything-smile, isn’t the other stuff interesting?; and when Jon speaks in tones of formality, his air is attentive again, although a smile plays at the corners of his mouth still.

“Ah hah. I believe Lorelay’s concert matches up more with Princess Ariadne’s experience of a private performance. This event isn't very formal, just a small group of eighteen or so, though I suppose now that you three are attending, you might change the atmosphere. Here in Amber we members of the nobility typically just try to have a good time, no scoping out advantages and minimizing scandal." He winks. "Are you three musical?"

"I love to sing." Jade smiles her eyes almost sparkle at the thought.
She looks around to her cousins even though they had spoken to them about the subject before she sat quiet for them to respond to Sandwyn's query.

Ariadne nodded,  smiling at the man's description of the night's events.    To his question,  she nodded as well
"I've been told i have a reasonably good singing voice,  and my father had me take music lessons, piano and violin,  when i was a child.  I later went on to learn guitar and drums on my own, and was even part of a small insignificant band.  We have mostly played for ourselves,  of course,  but we weren't terribly bad."

*chuckles* "Sadly no musical talent here.  Passable is a group perhaps.  But Ari and Jade are terrific" he smiles broadly as he remembers the miniconcert on the steps for Tir Na Nog'h.  "Lord Sandwyn, do you think it will disruptive that we are attending?" he face shows genuine concern. "I would hate to disrupt Lady Lorelay's evening." tone still formal, but concerned and thoughtful.

"I'd love to hear you sing," Sandwyn tells Jade, eyes sparkling in return.

Ariadne, he hmms and nods. The sparkle Jade got becomes a keen, honed interest, and he clearly has a question but just as clearly has decided to reserve it for later. He asks this other question instead, which is not the one that makes him look so interested. "Did your band have a name?"

And then, Jon. "Disruptive? What does milord mean?" Sandwyn asks.

This is where the carriage turns in a direction they are not used to, off to the countryside surrounding the town. Rolling fields, little wooded copses. Beauty. It's very beautiful in Amber, pastoral but a heartbreak of a poem and the evening air has a certain smell. Fresh. The freshest.

*nods* "Our presence and unexpected attendance.  I got caught up in the excitement and didn't think of it until now." he says with gravity and concern. "I don't want to cause our hostess any inconvenience."

In reply to Storyteller (msg # 19):

"Our band was called Third Rail...."
She chuckled with a wry smile
"Unfortunately,  that's a reference very specific to my world, but it was meant to represent something dangerous and rebellious,  since we were rebellious children who thought we were too smart for the adults around us. "

She listened to the answer to Jon's question,  as she was also wondering,  though not too seriously,  about what their arrival would mean to the small soiree.
She presumed very few people would really care, but one never knew

Jade blushed a little then began to sing her eyes closed as a soft song came to her lips. Once again she was lost to her music. She still heard her cousins talking so she kept her singing soft until there was silence where she could fill that void with her voice.

She did so love to sing and though she always had some fears of how it would be perceived it was always nice when someone requested to hear her sing.

"My love, my love stands far above, in the world of trees and burnished gold. My friends they say to stay away from the lands of Amber faire. Yet my heart does hold to love so bold, At sky and see is where I shall be to meet my love the crashing waves above so close yet worlds apart." Musical accompaniment once again joined her singing magic and music were so closely aligned in her. Also the sound of crashing waves was there but not so much to drown out her singing.

"Does he see me, within the sea. My hair flowing like sea grass. He looks, he looks through wood, glass and brass. Though his view is out across not into the sea at me. Worlds apart holds victim my heart." Jade reaches out like she is reaching out to breach the water that is above in the song.

"No more shall I hide, my love, my dreams, I reach, I breach the divide.
The queen found out, her fears her doubt sent her guards to drag me down. In bubbles that stream and silent screams. I return to my own world again." The sound of bubbles and the darkness in the cart grows slightly more claustrophobic.

"Why do our worlds keep us apart, the queen holds me within her court the sin of love so well known. Forgiveness is given yet the queens will is driven into my mind, my soul." Jades eyes are glimmering a soft green.






08:15, Today: Jade rolled 12 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 5,6.  Soft Singing.

Ariadne smiled and nodded in appreciation at Jade's song

Jon grins and it seems like he might take her hand, but stops. "That was beautiful Jade, sad, but beautiful." he says with amazement and perhaps hints of tears? as the subject matter is..."You are always amazing when you sing."

He sits back ~Was that a message?~ he thinks to himself.

“Perhaps you’ll delight Amber with some music from your shadow one of these evenings,” Sandwyn says to Ariadne. “With a hint, I’m sure Lorelay would be only too happy to host again. She likes to be the first one to show off new talent off.”

When Jon explains, Sandwyn shakes his head. “Ah. Well, no. I invited the princesses, after all, and I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t think it would make Lorelay happy. As long as you’re courteous guests, and there’s no reason you wouldn’t be? I presume?, then you can put your mind at ease. Everybody will be eager to befriend you. They’ll…”

But Jade sings her song. Accompanied by illusory musical instruments, mer-creature music; Sandwyn rests a hand over his heart, quite clearly very fetched. When she's done, he applauds her, aquamarine eyes gleaming. “I suspect Princess Jade is always amazing, period. Very chilling, my lady. And, as a man from Amber, I confess I find it flattering to think it might take something so great and ineffable as the will of the queen to keep my undersea love from me.”

Jade's eyes return to normal after a short time and she finally speaks it takes her a bit.

"Yes it is a tragic tale Jon very sad." She then looks around at everyone with Sandwyn being across from her. She blushes but at the misinterpretation still the complement receives a smile.

"It comes from both Rebma and Amber's history. It is a cautionary tale. Princess Morganthe of Rebma and Prince Random the now King. Once had a romance that made many a Rebman girls heart soar. At that time many wished to travel to the surface of the sea and see if the men of Amber were as romantic and larger then life as the Prince. Sadly the tale for our original couple ended in tragedy, a pregnant unmarried Princess, a scared young Prince, broken hearts, and ultimately death of the Princess. The child lived but his story was sad as well. The Queen was in mourning for her daughter for so very long and for that time forbid any of Rebma's women from the use of Faeila Bionen. Only the Princess Llewella was free from that royal order and I suppose myself now if it ever gets reenacted. I know I usually sing happy songs from Rebma but as this is part of it's long history as well I felt it call to me when asked to sing. Thank you for your compliments. Oh and I have spoken with Ariadne about possibly singing with her sometime, we would just need to practice together some."

*smiles* "No, I don't believe any of us have cause to be discourteous."
Jon pats Jade's hand affectionately after Sandwyn's comment, "Indeed, Princess Jade, is always amazing." and he smiles.

Jon nods taking in the history lesson. "You two will be very 'Cool'" he says enthusiastically.