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CITY GATE - LATE AFTERNOON
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Luella: "No, No. You can't look into the bags! My little ones are in there, and they're terribly shy. Some big scary guards coming in would upset them, and it would be ages before they got settled, and they're all away from home, and all their friends that I had to leave with friends" The feather wing'd dragoness was..well, her tone was pretty civil, overall, but this had been going on for a while now, with Luella steadfastly standing over her multiple bags of luggage and spewing utter nonsense, and had been getting frustrated at how these people just wouldn't understand "I've tried explaining. I'm here because my darling Calgwen is getting married, and he needs my support! I'm crucial to this affair going ahead! I'm ever so worried about him...." She pauses, thoughtfully "Though, I wonder is this place has any good soft goods industry..."
Nesseth makes his way along the main lane towards the gate, having been alerted to an afternoon arrival being a bit... well, not belligerent, but rather obstinate. He's currently in his uniform, having gotten geared up for show before making his way over to help the beleaguered guards manning the post. As he approaches, he waves to catch the attention of all involved. "Is everything alright, here?"
Luella: "Oh, it's really quite simple Sir. I understand that these fellows are attempting to do their job, but they are not considering the emotional vulnerability of those involved, and my soft friends would be at risk of great trauma should they be rashly examined!" It's terrible, really "So, if I could just be let through, and I can continue on my vital business, I assure you on my honour as a dragon, that I mean no malfeasance" That's gotta be enough, it's on her -honour-
Nesseth tilts his head curiously as he listens to Luella, but he also takes note of the looks of exasperation on the guards standing behind her. "Your... soft friends? Okay, first... I'm afraid I only just got here, and I wasn't informed of anything beyond just being needed here. What vital business are you here for, and, er... who or what are your 'soft friends', exactly?"
Luella: "The Wedding, of course, between my darling Calgwen, and the Lady Rondelethia. The social event of the century, I am confident" Enough said there "My soft friends are my darlings" She tilts her head "I suppose one of them can come out, as a representative" She opens up the bag, considers it a moment, before bringing out..a plushie stoat "See!"
Nesseth blinks, thinking for a moment before he nods in recognition. "Oh, yes, I've heard of that upcoming event. The Bouquet Manor is where it's being held." He looks down at the plushie as Luella pulls it out of the bag, then chuckles and smiles a bit at the rather cute, fuzzy toy, "Ahh... I see, now. Well, now that we know who your soft friends are, I don't think we'll have any issues letting you through, miss." He takes a moment, his expression never shifting from his easy smile, to shoot a look at the guards behind Luella, ensuring they don't dare speak up for the moment.
Luella: "Why thank you sir" She dips her wings to him respectfully, and then to the other guards "And to you, for conducting your work as best you can" She carefully returns 'Nae' to her home, and closes it carefully, before she picks up the packs, coiling her tail aruond one to lift that too "I shall be seeking some lodgings. To be sure, 100 gold will be enough? I will be staying for perhaps a few weeks, and I want to be sure I'm not underbudgeting"
Nesseth 's eyebrows go up a bit, but he nods. "100 gold? That should cover you for a few weeks pretty easily. Lodging isn't too expensive out here, and food is cheap and pretty varied all around town." He tilts his head at Luella again as he starts to walk with her along the street, "You don't intend to stay at the Bouquet Estate?"
Luella: "Oh, I could, but I wish to see the city a little before I impose myself, after all, I would only be a distraction, and Calgwen must be ever so busy right now!" She nods, this is sensible, for she shall be able to lay low in the city! Mistress of the subtle life, she is.
Nesseth chuckles a bit, nodding. "That makes sense. The town does have quite a bit going on, but it's still quite a bit smaller than cities like Glaushire, Ondoga or Westport." He nods at the various bags Luella's carrying, "You've probably had a really long trip, so I can point out a few places you can stay at for now, so you can offload and get a good meal to eat."
Luella: "That would be excellent!" She nods eagerly "Everyone has been so cramped, and tired, I would gladly take a place that I can rest my wings"
Nesseth dips his head. "I can imagine. I'm not sure what sort of place you'd prefer to stay at, but one of the larger inns is the Thirsty Minnow. It's near the middle of town, but it almost always has rooms available. The pricing of the food is reasonable, too."
Luella: "Well, I shall take this advice to heart, and seek out this unwatered fish, to see if it is acceptable" Her bags are all about her person again "Thank you again kind Sir, you have been exemplary"
Nesseth dips into a small bow. "Glad to have been of assistance, miss. Also, since you're new in town, the Bouquet Estate is easy enough to find." He gestures up over the buildings nearby towards the upper levels of one of the manors, "That's the one over there. Once you've got things in order, you can talk to Jax, the gate guard for the estate, and he'll be able to help you further."
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LOUMAY'S HOUSE - LATE AFTERNOON
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Louma has been toiling since she'd gotten home. What a ridiculous thing to say, dinner that same night? There was no time! What was she thinking?! Still, she couldn't take it back, Louma has no feet to get cold after all. She spent the first half hour panic-slithering between the pantry and the kitchen, not really getting anything done other than spilling the flour. She spent the next ten minutes cleaning that up. A few hours and two trips to the marketplace later, she's managed to start an oven with two roasts beside a handful of potatoes baking in garlic butter, a side of pasta with tomatoes beside a pot of potatoes boiling. While those cook, she is hunched over the counter top, tearing lettuce for a salad, some potatoes aside to add in.
Maybelline comes in through the front after a long day's hike out of town and back with Vandal. She's a bit exhausted, and quite grimey, her jumpsuit quite dusty, but as she steps inside and smells the air, all of that physical exhaution melts away. She calls out towards the kitchen, "Oh, love~ You certainly know how to greet a girl. That smells absolutely incredible."
Louma perks up a bit, though she doesn't move from her task. "Ah, Maybelline! You're home, a bit later than usual, hmm~?" She sets the lettuce into the bowl, turning to peek around into the entrance way. "A little surprise, an impromptu- Oh no! That wont do, sweets, you're all work-dirtied!"
Maybelline blinks, "Err, yeah, sorry! The Bairnell Council had me walk out to that Airship parked outside town to make sure it won't explode. It won't, by the way. Hold off on dinner for ten minutes and I can shower and change into something nice~"
Louma huffs and hums a bit, nodding. She's clearly a bit stressed, leaving a lot of her playful lilt off as she turns back to what she was doing. "Yes, please! Ten minutes at tops, if you will, sweets, we have to host in... Oh gods I do hope she'll run late!"
Maybelline blinks again, expression dropping from sultry to concerned, "She? A guest?" She takes a moment before her tail perks in a bit of shock, "Your sister?! Oh shoot! I'll uh, I'll rush it so I can come down and help you out! And I won't wear anything too revealing for dinner!" She starts scampering towards the bedroom to get out of her worksuit.
Leana has been staying still near the house ever since she saw the stoat enter. The lesser coatl is a bundle of nerves, still processing that she accidentally entered the town her Sister holds a decent (if military) position in. Nevermind also processing that her Sis has also found someone that wants to come home to her. "Okay, get yourself together, Leana. What's the worst that could happen?" Pause. "Well, she could run me out of town for any amount of reasons she can come up and then I'll be fending for myself in the desert. But... besides that?" She sighs and slithers towards the door, knocking after another several seconds of second thoughts.
Louma drops the potato peeler before even starting on her next task, cursing under her breath. "Tell me that was you stubbing your toe, sweets. Or else she's early..." She knows it wasn't May, looking over her shoulder at her lover. "Go on, I will deal with her." This isn't a last stand, let the stoat escape situation, Louma. Calm down.
Maybelline is halfway up the stairs when she hears the door knock. She nods to Louma, and gives her a thumbs up and a supportive smile. "You got this, Scoops. I'll be down as quickly as I can for support." She turns back and rushes up the rest of the way.
Louma nods back, managing a warm smile at May before she turns away from the semi-destroyed kitchen, slithering to the door. She herself hasn't managed to properly preen, bathe or dress for a dinner, but she's not in the worst shape. A quick brushdown of her feathers before she opens the door, giving Leana a small, polite bow. "Welcome, Leana. I am glad you're on time."
Leana is dressed up to her usual nines... or at least eight-and-half after travel, with a white dress-sash and matching gloves, her appearance preened to perfection. She gives Louma a warm(ish) smile and a nod: "Surprise as this is, I do my best not to be rude."
Louma returns the smile, blocking the view into the kitchen as best she can with her wings and torso as she gestures for Leana to come in, leaving the way to the livingroom clear. The table and May's chair have been moved into the larger room, set with a nice cloth and some dishes. "Please, take a few moments to relax, dinner will be ready just after May has freshened up."
Leana gives Louma a raised eyebrow as she moves past her Sister: "I am surprised, Sister. I thought you would have come up with a reason to be rid of me by this point, but instead your offer of dinner is... actually dinner?"
Louma waits for Leana's tail to pass before following her into the semi-makeshift dining room. "Just because your arrival was an admittedly sour surprise, that does not mean I will forget proper manners. What sort of sister would I be to not have a meal with kin after so long?" Yep. That sound is the pasta boiling over.
Leana makes her way into coiling at a free spot, then turns to look at her Sis, shrugging: "The one I remember, for the most part."
Louma glances over her shoulder at the sound, almost making the same sound as the hissing steam. "Hold your ton... That thought, I will be back." She turns promptly back into the kitchen, stirring the pasta and realizing just then she forgot to prepare any kind of topping for it.
Leana looks at Louma go, unsure where this conversation is going, what her fate is... or what the fate of the dinner is. She's left a bit puzzled to say the least.
Louma returns a few moments later, still holding the wooden spoon. "The one you remember, if I remember, was the only one that remained a picture of responsibility and honor."
Leana gives Louma a look: "That's one way to put it. Bit cold, though."
Maybelline is slightly out of breath as she reappears atop the stairs, dressed in clean black shorts and a cute light blue dress shirt, it's a pretty casual (but very quick to put on and clean at least) outfit. She's take the time to wash and dry her face, and is mostly presentable (like, 70% presentable to company). She wants to make a good impression, but more than that she wants to make this go smoothly for Louma's sake, and her own nerves are showing just a bit in the stoat as she comes down the stairs, "Ah! I hope this will do! Um, hi, you must be Maybelline! I'm Leana!"
Louma humphs, crossing her arms. "That all depends on your perspective, I believe. Another think to- Ah, welcome back, May~" She smiles warmly at Maybelline, nodding in appreciation of the quick change of clothes, her own tone completely shifting when addressing the stoat.
Leana blinks at May's greeting: "Eh... hello, there. If I parsed that right, you are Maybelline, then." She gives Louma a sideways look, the change of tone not going unnoticed.
Maybelline finishes descending the stairs, "Oh uh, yeah! Maybelline. You can just call me May though." She takes a moment look over Leana. They're definitely sisters. She turns back to Louma as she walks towards the table, walking close to put a supportive hand on her side and leaning up for a kiss, "How's the kitchen situation? Can I help?"
Louma nods, blushing a bit, but not hesitating to lean down to kiss May. "It's ah... A situation, all right. Of a sort. Would you mind mashing the potatoes, sweets?" She glances to Leana. "If you don't mind a few minutes wait, we will bring everything out shortly."
Leana gives the pair a long, studious look before nodding. "I will wait right here, then." If Louma's still going for an ambush or something, she's certainly being inefficient about it. Mashed potatoes, really?
Maybelline nods, looking up from the edge of the table at Leana. "Sorry we weren't fully prepared for this, but Louma is a wonderful cook. Just make yourself at home. Or uh," She glances at Louma again, giving another supportive smile to her stressed fiance. "I mean, yeah. No worries. It's just a dinner with your sister, you two. It's not like it has to be perfect. I barely even try for my sister." She pecks Louma lightly once more and goes to attend the potatoes.
Louma returns to the kitchen with Maybelline, letting out a sigh and seeming to deflate a little out of her sister's gaze. "Alright, a quick run down... I forgot any kind of sauce for the overcooked pasta. I've made two potato dishes. The roasts are... Probably burning if that smoke means anything. The salad is just lettuce." She gives May a defeated look. "I was going to put potatoes in the salad."
Leana looks at the pair go, then around the room. Tries to stop herself from figuring out potential combat advantages or escape routes, but old habits do die very hard, much to her chagrin. Still, she's not sure what she's supposed to be doing in a situation like this... she never expected to see Louma again, after all.
Maybelline glances at Louma and nods, "So... we improvise?" She steps over and hugs, "You were pushing this a bit hard, huh? I don't think I realized how much this means to you... Why don't... why don't you go talk with your sister, and I'll salvage what I can?"
Louma sighs, lifting May into a tight embrace. "You continue to save me in new ways, sweets." She lets May down a few moments later, returning to return to the guest at hand. "May has taken over the... What are you looking for?"
Leana turns to look at Louma: "Just admiring your house." She's fairly sure her Sis is not so easily fooled, but pushes on: "You do have a beautiful place. How did someone like you get this?"
Louma hums. "As I told you, by working hard and keeping my bill on straight. Did you not find such fortune in your adventures in Sarn?"
Leana nods: "Did, exactly to the point where I had to leave without leaving a trace. I am sure you understand if you really are not about to take me back to Orela."
Louma scoffs. "If I take you back to Orela, I would only be putting myself in the spotlight. Our vacation to Glaushire was close enough to Orela for me." She crosses her arms. "I am still trying to decide if keeping you around here is the smart idea or not."
Leana crosses her arms: "Funny, I'm trying to deduce the same thing, or if it would be smarter for me to leave."
Louma thinks about it for a few seconds, her expression softening a bit. "..Where would you go? Sarn is already known. Vamas is too cold, you'd be complaining all day and night."
Leana hmmhs: "There's always somewhere." She looks down for a second, then back up: "But no. Unless you use your authority here to be rid of me, I am staying in Respite. I felt called here, and I intend to find out why."
Louma glances to Leana's wings, nodding as she thinks, 'As do we.' "Well I suppose I have that option if you are lying and eventually crack. Or if you annoy me enough. Until then, might as well shed the stress of worry. Tonight is simply a civilized dinner so you can meet the stoat that will... Also be rescuing the dinner."
Leana gives Louma another one of those almost-warm smiles: "If you would be so kind as to wait with the ambush arrest until after desserts, I would be much obliged."
Louma grunts. "That is dessert."
Leana hums: "'Tis a shame I left my rapier at where I am staying, then."
Louma sighs, nodding. "Indeed. I however, keep my spear in the umbrella stand."
Maybelline walks out of the kitchen, to take a breath, only hearing the last few lines from the two, "I didn't see any dessert, scoops? Did I miss it? I think I've scraped something together... err..." She glances at the spear, "Everything going well?"
Leana glances at the spear: "Mm, I admit my skills with that one would be more rusty..." She turns to smile(ish) at May: "I imagine things are mostly well. How is the kitchen side of things?"
Louma smiles at May, nodding. "Everything is going well in here, sweets~. It certainly smells like you've formed a plan of action in there."
Maybelline smiles at Leana, and gives Louma a thumbs up, "Stir fry! And uh, also mashed potatos. It won't exactly be a multi-course meal, but there will be plenty of it. We'll have to do this another time with forewarning, Leana, that way we can make something properly Orelan to have together."
Leana nods: "It is understandable. This was a rather short notice, I believe. Not that I intended for this, at any rate."
Louma perks up, nodding a bit enthusiastically. "You are right! Leana, all aside, you will have to join us again. May has learned a number of recipes from home that Mother would have beamed over."
Maybelline blushes at the praise, "Well, credit to our friend Nesseth for helping me learn a few things, but I think I've picked it up, and Louma has helped me recreate a few others from memory! We can do this again, and invite Maecy too I guess!"
Leana raises an eyebrow: "Maecy?" She shakes her head: "Another meeting can be possible, yes." Maybe. Right now she's not sure if that's something she actually wants anytime soon.
Louma reigns in her excitement at Leana's cool response, nodding a bit. "Of course, if you wish to." She glances to Maybelline, "So it is about ready, then?"
Maybelline giggles, "Ah, sorry, Maecy is my sister. She's in town for some business stuff and the wedding." She nods to Louma, "It's just finishing up now, I'm just letting it set before plating, but it's probably all ready if you want to help."
Leana looks between the two: "Well, I am certainly starting to have pangs of hunger, somewhat." She's actually been wanting food since way before she even arrived, but that bit is not polite to say out loud... even to Louma.
Louma nods, looking back to Leana and gesturing toward the table. "Make yourself comfortable, we will be back in a moment. Don't try to escape, the guards are all in place by now."
Leana makes her way to the table, though keeps an eye on Louma: "If you say so, Sister."
Maybelline heads back into the kitchen with Louma following, and the two emerge with the salvaged main course of stir fry with a side of mashed potato, a somewhat heavy meal with the noodles as well, but surprisingly good and quite filling for the three.