Ariadne listened to Jade's tale with a sympathetic face, careful not to show any condemnations about the emotional reactions of a monarchy.
She smirked,  though in a friendly way,  to Jon's use of her world's vernacular.
"I can't promise that my music will be well received by the locals, but I'll do my best to be cool."

The young nobleman also does not remark on the history lesson, although he nods thoughtfully when she says that child's story was sad as well.

"Whose homeshadow is that slang from?" Sandwyn asks. Nobody will ever be able to accuse the second son of failing to keep a conversation going! He seems warm and interested. To Ariadne, he says, "As for whether your music will make an impression on the local scene, we get all manner of strange trends here. I'm half afraid of what Akwaeke's music is going to sound like. I believe glass is involved?"

Jade smiled and turns an expectant look to Ariadne to explain her colloquialism to Sandwyn.

Green eyes shimmering in the carriage.

Ariadne smiled at their host
"I was raised on Earth, and am still learning about my Amber heritage "

"Jon and I have learned to use some of the vocabulary from Ariadne's earth. Cool does not mean getting cold or chilly the way it does here, on earth it means awesome, great or exciting." Jade smiled.

"I rather like using the vocabulary of different shadows that I learn about, though I understand it can be confusing. I suppose it is a bit of eccentricity on behalf of the royalty."

Jon smiles and nods at Jade's explanation. "It is fascinating how similar and disparate the various shadows seems to be."

Ariadne blushed a little,  shrugging
'Sorry about that.   Other worlds sometimes have their own strange ways, i suppose "

Sandwyn seems fairly interested in Ariadne's input, and of course he offers Jade a twinkle-eyed nod as she explains about slang, though he chooses not to say very much about it.

"We are told that shadow is infinite, and that the royal family may find anything they desire in it," Sandwyn replies to Jon. How do the nobles of Amber feel about their leaders anyway, who seem able to manifest whole worlds according to their whims? The nobles don't have that magic, although perhaps some of their houses have roots in shadows useful to Oberon or some of the princes in the far distant past.

He smiles at Ariadne. "Here we like new things. What does it mean to you, to learn about your heritage here? If there's anything I can do to help," a pause, he looks around, "to help any of you, do not hesitate to reach out."

Ariadne nodded to Sandwyn and smiled almost shyly.
"To be honest,  it's all still feels a bit unreal.  Like it's a story someone told me, but one I'm not sure is even true yet.  I....I hear that were related,  somehow?  Is that true?"

"A good story, I hope, one you're anxious to read on." His aquamarine eyes go all soulful, as is their wont. He nods when Ariadne questions their connection. "True indeed. Through my mother, Lorelle. She is technically aunt to your father and his brother. We thought Alva long lost..."

Ariadne chuckled wryly
"Not so much 'lost' as 'temporarily misplaced'.  I can't imagine what that was like for him, cut off from his entire heritage,  possibly forever "

Jade smiled seeing them hitting it off and Ariadne learning of her family connections.
Ariadne could rest easier now knowing her father Alva won't be alone.

Jade then took a moment to open one of the shuttered windows to look at the countryside get a feel for where in Amber they were heading.

"It wasn't roses for his family here either," Sandwyn says. "But," hesitation. Then, "During and just after the Black Road War, there were many disappearances. Everybody loved the Princess Deirdre. One does what one is asked when the royal family has a request. I should dearly like to see some of these 'infinite worlds' which we hear about, one day. Though I shouldn't like to be stuck on one. Family is important to me."

He's not the kind of host to let the others just stay silent, so his next question is directed at them all: "So what does this new generation of the Barimen family do for fun anyway? Prince Jon?"

The view Jade gets is lovely: a stream which catches the light of the setting sun and shimmers like a ribbon of gold among low hedgerows and low stone walls, a little flock of sheep grazing, some russet trees and small thatched houses, one with a weather vane that depicts a unicorn rampant. There seems to be a walled garden off on its own there... If she cranes, she can see Kolvir and just the very edge of the castle just beginning to be illuminated. The sky is very blue...

*smiles* "So far, we have had intimate parties on the steps of Tir-na-Nog'h and on the beach.  The first night, we had an impromtu meet and greet of the five us." Jon gives a nod to Sandwyn "And tonight is our first formal public outing." he sets back and looks over at Jade and watches her and the scenery. A small pleasant smile creeps on to Jon's face unconsciously.

"Oh I loved our concert near the steps of Tir, it was wonderful and we all got to dress up in our colors." Jade smiles remembering it.

"Oh I have never been so far from the city, look at how beautiful the countryside is. Lady Lorelay must live in a lovely place. Look at the river like liquid gold."

The corners of his eyes crinkle. "Lady Lorelay does possess a beautiful house, and she has filled it with all manner of curiosities. Collecting curiosities is one of the passions of her family." He leans forward to look out the same window as Jade; seated across from her, this means there's a casual intimacy to the gesture. He leans back after to let Ariadne look out the window, too. Back to the subject at hand: "So what you like to do for fun is spend time with one another?"

Jon smiles "So far, yes, that seems to be so, now that you mention it." *shrugs* "Now if you are talking before we all met, that may be a different story.  As for me, walking in the woods back home, enjoying all of the natural splendor. The occasional faire."

Ariadne chuckled at her new relatives questions about how the cousins spent all their time together.
"Well, i suppose it sounds a little strange that we have been spending all out time together since we met a week or so ago,  but some of that was from necessity,  since we've  had to stick together to defend ourselves from the weird grey assassins out there in shadow.   Though,  for the most part,  we get along very well and enjoy each other's company "
She shrugged
'Perhaps when this shadow assassin situation gets resolved,  we can be more casual about what we do in Amber "

"I did mean before your arrival, in your daily lives until now," Sandwyn tells Jon, laugh-lines still crinkled around his eyes even though he's not quite smiling. "But it's reassuring to hear that your thoughts go first to your time in Amber. These gray assassins," Sandwyn says, turning more to Ariadne. "Do you have any idea where these new troubles are coming from?"

ooc note: I'ma timeskip us to the concert portion of this evening in a few more posts, so get your prep questions in now :P

"They are massing in a shadow, Princess Ballad knows a bit more. So it is more then just a few kidnappers or assassins, these gray men are a true threat.  I was attacked in the city if not for my parasol things might have been more grim."

*Nods* Jon leans forward in his seat "Indeed, they were able to identify us, even before several of us know our true origins, and tracked us down in Shadow." looks at Jade and a nods "Correct, it does seem they are not a small unit." smiles disarmingly "But, I don't think we are in an immediate threat, us or Amber." his voice and tone are calm and reassuring.

Ariadne shrugged at her relatives questions
"Once we finish our training here, I suspect we'll start looking in ernest for these grey ghouls.  We've heard rumors of some vendetta against the family,  but nothing serious "

*nods* "We need to get Ballad and Lance up to speed with the training as well." he frowns "But both of them are probably going to be resistant." then looks at Ari, then Jade "But, so long as we are as capable as we can be, we either won't slow them down or can cover them better. Especially if they reject the offer of training from Master Fenton."

Jon sits back and looks at Sandwyn. "I heard that the Lady has a painting that she hates, but still has it on display and that no one should comment on it.  Is that true? That seems odd to me."

They are massing in shadow is the kind of detail that Random hasn’t exactly shared with the public. Sandwyn looks concerned. In immortal Amber, the city at the center of it all, they have long memories—and the Black Road War is still ‘recent history’ for all it was decades ago now.

"Training?" Sandwyn asks. Then, since this seems a safer subject, yet still potentially interesting on the gossip front, "Why will Princess Ballad and Prince Lance be resistant to training? Master Fenton!" He whistles, impressed.

...And then comes Jon's question. Sandwyn... His eyebrows rise and then he chuckles, hah, breathily. "Where'd you hear about Myrasal and Helatrix? It is true, Lady Lorelay is not fond of that painting. There was some story about it, but I can't remember..."

Remember to PM me, the Storyteller, with how your character wants to come off to the nobles and/or anything your character might want to do with them.

*smiles* "Yes, I consider ourselves lucky to have Master Fenton as our Instructor." Jon chuckles "Well Lance has decided to throw himself into travelling Shadows, apparently for the Crown.  But We haven't seen nor spoken to him directly in a few days.  And Ballad..." Jon gives a warm smiles as he thinks about her. "She is already experienced when it comes to Shadows and combat.  And is very confident in her abilities.  She may see it a great opportunity, actually.  Or she could feel she doesn't need it." Jon sits up "She, for me at least, is hard to read and predict.  But she is dependable and fun to be around."

He looks to Jade and then Ari "Wouldn't yo both agree?"