Facing The Sun

[Taelian Edevane]

46th of Searing, Year 120

I love you, the other man told him as they lazily opened their eyes, greeted by the light of the morning.

"I love you too."

. . .

Their day began as it often did; in the midst of Skyhaven, surrounded by the soft fabric of blankets with Taelian's head either suspended by Riven's bicep or some other form of pillow. A few hours later they were dressed, ready to meet with one of Taelian's dear friends for an outing into the city. A city Riven hadn't really gone to before -- they'd shuffled through Loregard, nearly meeting the capital in size, but . . . Alfsos was something different entirely. Taelian decided he would port them in from above, looking down from one of the adjacent hills. It would be a scenic view, and then they'd get to fly down as he always so enjoyed.

The issue was -- Taelian was terribly unsure of what he wished to wear, despite being fully dressed. Since picking up an even rudimentary interest in tailoring, his eyes had been trained to obscure, fine details. Perhaps it was aesthetic cohesion and how it had been drilled into him, but -- Taelian had become overtly critical of the way each fabric interacted with the color of his eyes, or reflected from the light, or how it boosted or deterred somehow the shape of his physique. Getting ready with him took much longer than when the two lovers -- now engaged -- first met, and he was certain that even the patient-and-loving Riven sometimes found himself frustrated.

"I think I want to wear..." he paused. The Siltori bit his lower lip. He'd been tempted towards Gelerian fashion lately, but after learning of the power behind the Hopsfel attacks -- House Reed -- he felt it inappropriate to wear anything of that sort. Those simple industrial fashions tucked away in his closet were likely to remain there for some time. Instead, Taelian decided he would wear a silvery-shaded pea coat, with light brown trousers and black shoes. The shoes were a dressy style common in the Imperium, but at least his garbs had overall shifted towards 'Rien' in their composition.

He stared at himself in the mirror, examining his shape and silhouette. The Siltori briefly flashed a smile, before turning around and maneuvering through the house to find his pouch of farthings and the key to keep the cabin locked while they were away. He began to hum.

"Riven, I think I'm ready!" he exclaimed. Taelian was always chipper when they were to go on a date -- and this time he was especially happy, because it was at an establishment he'd been wanting to go to, with the added benefit of seeing a friend. "We're going to the Silver Lion Inn. After I portal us in, you'll need to fly us down to some sort of city map or directory. Then--"

He immediately burst into laughter. "Oh gods, I sound like I'm briefing us on some sort of war-mission. We'll talk about it when we're there!" he exclaimed once more. Taelian then spread his legs somewhat apart and got into stance; he was being silly, going through unnecessary motions before opening a portal to the hilltop overlooking the city. The wind seemed to catch the edges of the portal as its structure formed, bursting open at the collision of the nodes.

The mage stepped through. It was windy at the summit of the hill, and the form of the whole city was below. They could see all of the massive structures, the towers and the incredible shape of the castle at the city's core. Alfsos was truly incredible, moreso than Loregard. It was old, but impressive, with wonders of the entire world nestled amidst the valley.

"I'm going to be meeting with the Queen, there, in only a few days," he confessed. "Riven -- can you pick me up? Let's go down and find the Inn. Silver Lion, remember that. We'll be meeting with a friend of mine; Patrick Barnell. He's a big part of why my Kokalath isn't half bad."

[Riven]

For the first time in a while, Riven had been the first one to wake up; he might had been a bird, as Taelian enjoyed saying when he decided to tease his poor boyfriend, but he certainly wasn't an early one. Waking up first came with its perks though; watching Taelian's chest softly rise and sink in his sleep, glowing softly, his calm expression only altered by the periodically flaring nostrils. So cute. He was tempted to wake him up, but he just waited until the cruel beams of the sun hit the elf's face, waking him up. He loved that man so much; of course he did, so why not say it? He smiled at Taelian's drowsy response and pulled him into his arms; they were going to stay there for a while.

However, Taelian wanted to introduce him to a friend of his in Alfsos. Apparently he worked at some type of inn, and it was supposed to be a great place for a date. Of course, there was no idea that man couldn't sell with a smile and some physical contact, and Riven didn't need much to say yes to some time going out; cooking was great, but he wanted to eat something not limited by his skill making soup and grilling meat. Alfsos, the great capital city; he had only been there once, and not long enough to say he knew it; a train had dropped him there in his journey to Loregard and to say he had rushed out of the city could be an understatement. Taelian seemed extremely worried about his pick of clothes; of course, Riven saying he looked amazing in anything he wore and better in nothing, as usually, did not help at all. It had even earned him a glare, and of course. Cosmic justice served and Taelian was wearing somethign that looked suspiciously northeastern. Ugh. Riven had to make an effort to look at his man to his face and get used to that clothing before being able to smile at his choice. He hadn't had any problem; the Searing sun on his birthday was usually atrocious, and two days before it was no exception. He had ended up picking his silken, simple Kalsazern clothes; single layer only, leaving both of his arms completely bare from the shoulder down, two openings for his wings secured with a small obi. Pants and boots to finish the look and he was good to go. He grabbed his blades and secured them to his waist; not because he thought he would need to defend himself, but because weapons in Atinaw did earn him some sort of amicable respect to counterbalance his... obvious foreign looks.

"Ready, my general!" He said, bowing his head a little with a mocking smirk. He waited for Taelian to use Transposition; the folding of space fascinated him quite a bit. He stepped in after him, admiring the view; Alfsos was quite the sight. Grand houses made of stone, countless streets and large buildings; Kalzasi had this elegance to itself and Nivenhain
solemn overall, but Riven could only describe Alfsos as sturdy, lasting; it seemed like it had been there for a few thousand years. The castle in the center was unlike anything he had ever seen; shocked as he was, he only managed to rise an eyebrow when Taelian said he'd be meeting the queen there. It was a beautiful sight.

"Uh, okay... Inn then. Yeah, let's go." He said, smiling, hugging Taelian from behind to put a small kiss on his cheek; he adjusted his weight, assumed a stance around him and in seconds they were gliding downhill; Taelian seemed to remember the way to go, as he gave him directions to fly above Alfsos to a large Inn in the Garwilt District. They landed on the front door, the sign putting it plain and simple; Silver Lion Inn.

"So, here we are! Let's go in, then." He said, pushing the door open and stepping into the tavern, holding the door for Taelian to walk in.

[Patrick]

"Oh, bloody hells! Connor! Where is the side?! Dominik could please set the tables dear?! Heavens if they show up now, then we're all in for a world of trouble!" Carried the ravings of a madwoman driven frenzy but this apparent appointment, as Patrick entered the through the door into the very place he'd grown up in. The place practically opened well over an hour ago, but of course, the lobby was close to barren as the well-aged woman strolled her way to the bar. Elinora had dressed up today in a verdant green blouse, over a proportionately frilled black skirt embroidered with gold lines, tracing into shapes that very much resembled leaves off an oak tree. Dominik had picked out a red shirt with a pair of his beige trousers, as Patrick spotted him setting up a table for the expected guests.

"Patrick dear!" Elinora noticed him before he had the chance to turn and run, to sneak out and pretend he'd forgotten about today. Mainly because when his mother acted like this, he typically deferred to hiding someplace else, before he ever had the misfortune of being roped into the shenanigans. However, he was not so lucky on this day... "Such wonderful timing! Don't you look decent, green has always been your color." She remarked in her approach to him, tucking at the sleeveless green shirt he wore to strain out a few wrinkles. The middle son gave his mother a generous grin as he dipped his hands, into the pockets of his brown colored trousers, while Elinora in turn urged him towards the bar.

"All this isn't really necessary Ma..." Patrick murmured toward her as he followed along, a little worried about the whole meeting that was to come. It wasn't that he didn't want to see his friends, much less keep them from enjoying lunch with his family... but neither Lian nor his lover has ever lived with the Barnells. On a regular day, they were tolerable to various degrees, but anytime a social situation was to occur, all hell was to break loose in throwing the perfect occasion. Really... Patrick loved his parents rather significantly, but they both weren't without their faults at times, and both very often drove him crazy every now and then.

"But of course it is dear!" Nora quickly dejected with a sharp look at her son. "Any important friend of yours is important to the Kinship Patrick, what's wrong with wanting to treat them to a meal together? Hm?" And on that note she grinned rather ecstatically, quick to resume leading Patrick towards the wines behind the bar, where she then started to check for a particular wine of interest. She pulled from one of the lower shelves a whitely painted bottle, branded with what looked to be a sovereign crown for the bottle's label, with the numbers 88 etched beneath it.

"Is that..."

"I've been waiting for the day I get to sample this wine! It's not often we get to treat special guests after all, and your father's already approved of it as well!"

"Ma, that's literally Save The Queen! That's some very expensive wine!" He rebutted as he looked along the shelf, thoughtful as to what sort of wine his friends might actually like. Come to think of it... he really didn't know. Even when Patrick wrote to invite them, he barely knew what Taelian or even his companion would like. Maybe that was why he felt like backing out of this, because he didn't know everything he felt was important to know, and therefore-

"Nonsense Patrick! Believe me, when I say this will go perfectly well with the dinner, you'll be amazed at how delicious the blend is with pork! Besides I already gave Connor specific instructions on how to cook the meat, so that everything compliments each other perfectly." As she finished that exact sentence, so too did the middle brother of the Kinship, giving her a plainly rhetorical stare as she did the same in return. "Oh shut up, you'll love it and you know it!" She daintily snapped with a wave of her hand, causing Patrick to chuckle in turn as he looked accepted the bottle from her.

"Hey Ma," Connor called as he leaned out around the kitchen doorway, "the new guy isn't wearing pants! Do you think you can explain the concept of pants to this man?!"

"Wait what?!" Artur called from within the kitchen as Elinora looked to the floor a little perplexed. Not that Patrick blamed her of course, he'd likely be having an aneurysm right now too, if he had to figure out how to remind a Rathari to wear pants to work.

"What's goin' on?" Rose's voice called out as she closed the door behind her, clearly amused with the rambunctious activity of the family.

Elinora quickly perked at the sight of the barmaid, relieved to have been gifted with such a timely arrival. "Rose dear! Thank the Old Ones, I need you to make a quick trip back to Kat's place! Tell her Artur had forgotten his pants if you don't mind."

Rose's eyes grew wide yet still she smiled, albeit with a bit of a giggle, before she nodded at the request. "No to worry Mrs. Barnell, I'll get right on it."

"Thank you dear!" Elinora bowed humbly to her in turn, appreciative as she quickly turned to Patrick once more. "Patrick, help Dominik set the tables would you? I... need to think of something to temporarily resolve Artur's situation in the meantime."

"Try an apron." Patrick remarked in turn as she started to walk away, an approving smile shot to him as she agreed with the suggestion.

Sure enough after looking at the bottle once more, Patrick briefly chuckled before placing it back onto the counter. Afterward, he moved to join Dominik at the table, taking the plate off the stack to situate it in front of a chair, along with a pair of eating utensils on each side of the plate. Seeing as how they'd be a pretty large group it seemed a little impossible to seat seven people at a table. Therefore Patrick took it upon himself to prep the nearby table as well. Taelian and his companion could sit with Patrick and his brothers, while the parents sat at the other table so they could be involved in any discussions as well.

Overall everything looked to be coming together accordingly, as Connor and Elinora came out of the kitchen with platters of food. As they brought them to the table, much of what had been cooked was situated at the center, much like one would expect at a family gathering of a sort. On one platter were several stacks of pork chops, grilled to a toasty light brown hue with steam rising from it with a zesty lemony aroma. On another platter was a large crusty pie, layered with rich yellow cheese, with seasoned mashed potatoes baked within. Connor's platters were the other sides that Elinora had asked for earlier, one being the special Daravin Chef Salad and the other a steaming bowl of boiled veggies mixed together; consisting of carrots, peas, and broccoli.

"Excellent! Well done Connor." The mother complimented as they all took a moment, to appreciate the fact the table had been set, with minimal incurrences let alone sustainable casualties. That was when the door popped open once again, with the three brothers and their mother turning towards it, curious to see if it was the expected guests who had arrived. And just like that, Taelian walked right in with a wide and adoring smile. It was clearly readable for Patrick, and all the more reason why he grinned in turn.

"Lian! Hey!" He greeted as the Siltori walked in, a little nervous now that his friend had actually arrived. Yet when the other guy walked through, Patrick couldn't help but gawk for a moment in total all. So this was Taelian's lover then? An Avialae just like the ones Patrick met last season. "Uh, hi!" He would greet the giant man in turn, clearly a bit anxious about the two of them being there.

"Speech"

[Taelian Edevane]

Riven's eyes seemed to be lost on the splendor of the capital, which made Taelian happy; it was his intention after all. He'd stood up here himself only a few days prior, though, a bit lower. It was from where he'd overseen the execution of the attackers, and where he'd robbed the crown of one man to kill. Only for the man to then kill himself.

Within a blink the memory might as well have faded; he wasn't here to ponder upon those happenings any longer. Riven was eager to go and so was he -- the other man took him into an embrace, pre-empted by a soft kiss. Within moments they were ascending, the Siltori gripping the other man tightly -- nervously -- as the thrill of the rush came over him. It was always exhilarating at first; he imagined it was even more exhilarating than if he flew himself. There was something about placing your life into another man's hands that was thrilling and terrifying -- though of course with Riven, he knew he wouldn't let go.

They flew above the city for a short while, only for a mess of people to gawk at them and gasp as they landed. It wasn't uncommon. There were some Rathari who could fly, but few were as large or expansive as Riven was, and there was always speculation as to what sort of creature the man was considered. Whispers and queries; Taelian was often a man that people looked at in public places, but around Riven he felt effectively invisible, overshadowed by the man's mass and the broad, aethereal length of his wings.

It didn't matter. He was far from envious -- it was just something he had to get used to, though he did find it somewhat entertaining. In some way the gawking even made him proud.

Before long they were at the entrance to the Inn. Taelian nodded as Riven declared their arrival, peering inside of the front window before clumsily stubbing his foot on the door. "Ow!" he yelled, grimacing. The Elf frustratingly opened the door shortly thereafter, at first scowling at whichever unlucky soul might have greeted him, before plastering a hesitant smile. Then, he saw Patrick, and smiled a bit brighter.

"Hey, Mister Barnell!" he greeted him. The Siltori bowed slightly, Riven towering behind him. Even a few feet away he swore he could feel the man's heat radiating off. "This is my fiancé, Riven." Taelian gestured to his Arlaed, his smile widening even more. Then, it receded into something of a small grin as his eyes passed by the features of the bar, then back to Patrick. Taelian extended his arm to introduce who he was about to refer to. "Riven, this is Patrick. Barkeep of the Silver Lion Inn. Also my first magic student -- and he didn't die!" he gleamed.

Taelian stepped forward to greet the other man with a bump of the elbows and then a brief hug. "It's been a while. I've been off trying to save Grimholdt and Kamdin from cannibals, you know, as one might expect. I'm assuming you've been tending to family and business matters?" he asked.

The Knight then beckoned for his beloved to come over. "Riven and I are -- well, on a date of sorts. We thought we'd drop by and enjoy some drinks here. Hope you don't mind."

[Riven]

'Oh, we're saying that now?' He thought with a smirk, hard enough to hope their Bond transmitted his message. It was strange; it felt good being acknowledged as so, and at the same time he had no need of announcing it. The love they felt for each other was so obvious to him that he figured that anyone who needed to know would just realize by looking at them. But if he was Taelian's fiancé, he would be his fiancé. He smiled at him, and then looked at the man he was being introduced to. A short human... no, not short. He was too used to dealing with Siltori and Avialae; Barnell had a proper height for a man his age, a solid build and a face... well, a handsome face that looked like he was directly dropping his jaw while looking at Riven. A good reminder as to why he was used to deal with Siltori and Avialae... who mostly did the same thing, but not as much. He timidly smiled; he wasn't used to being around new people. He was forced to laugh shortly at the end of Taelian's introduction though, and his smile widened to a proper amused grin. He shook Patrick's hand firmly but carefully.

"Well, I'm glad you didn't die, Mister Barnell. I'm Riven... Just Riven. Hope we can get to know each other better; Taelian keeps talking about you and your brothers." He said, looking behind him. There was a woman behind him, probably his mother, but she didn't look aged at all; was she half elven, maybe? Or just that youthful? And behind her, a younger looking man, but still older than Riven. They didn't need to know that though. That was probably Connor.

He kept observing his surroundings; the whole family was gathered, and the table there... oh no. There were seven plates there; five for the family... and two more. He gulped; their date was officially over. At least if they wanted any kind of privacy. But Riven was hungry, and somewhere in that inn some kind of meat smelled delicious. And Patrick seemed nice anyway. And... it didn't look like there was any way out. That was a flytrap, and Riven was the biggest fly around, it seemed. Lured by promises of a nice good time and proper food; he might as well enjoy them. He half smiled in defeat when he heard Taelian mention the date; he slowly stepped next to him, smiling at Patrick's family almost forcedly, and elbowed his Arlaed.

"Tae, I think this is much more than just a date..." He muttered; Taelian seemed especially oblivious when it came down to family gatherings, but Riven had had to have dinner with the most powerful man in a city, and the one he hated him most. He was acquainted to the experience. Anyway, he had once been hungry enough to never refuse free food and drink, and that looked like it was free. He hoped so.

"Thank you and your Kinship for having us, Patrick." He told the bartender, lowering his shoulders and completely closing his wings. The Barnell Kinship had won the battle, clearly; he wouldn't fight his destiny. Especially if it involved some kind of delicious roasted dish.

[Patrick]

Taelian's entry seemed slightly pained as he managed to stub a toe upon entry, yet with the smile he gave Patrick in turn upon seeing him, the concern as to whether he was alright seemed to reduce then. With the Siltori and his Avialae lover now present within the lobby, the rest of Pat's family had started to gather behind Patrick in a line, the three present all welcoming the pair with warm smiles at best. Dominik and Connor had the look of familiarity when they looked to Taelian of course, with the younger sibling obviously smiling hesitantly as well when they all gathered to welcome Taelian and Riven. Albert had yet to leave his office, however, as he was finishing up the last of inventory paperwork. This was a considerably lucky thing in Patrick's case, as he proceeded with the introductions between his fiance and the friend they'd both came to visit.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Patrick offered just briefly after the Siltori introduced him, briefly taking in all the noticeable things about the Avialae in that particular moment. The most noticeable and maybe even intimidating factor was his impressive size, as Patrick had never seen an Avialae as large as Riven before, even Talon didn't stand at such an impressive height or size. Even so, the timid smile he showed gave the implication that he was no intense brute, but a shy giant who was certainly out of his element here. The bartender couldn't help but notice how the two guests were dressed also, with Riven sporting garb that didn't fit the normal Atinorin trends. Not that it mattered really, as he could quite appreciate the rugged look of the golden-haired Avialae.

Taelian looked a bit more casual in comparison, if that was the look that he had been going for. Patrick wasn't quite sure what sort of appeal he aimed for, but it was clear to him that the elf had chosen his outfit carefully. Even so, the bartender couldn't help but continue to smile at the pair, as did those present within his Kinship, as it was a smile that warmly welcomed the both of them. That is until Pat's turn to be introduce followed after, in which the corners of his lips faltered while color itself paled from his cheeks. Oh no... Almost immediately two of the three family members present were disturbed, as Dominik and Elinora quickly focused on Patrick with shocked expressions.

"You what?!" Dominik started as Elinoa opened her mouth to speak, yet no words were uttered as she simply stared in awe, leading Patrick to look to the both of them apologetically as a result. Connor however merely buried his face into the palms of his hands, clearly blown away by how long that didn't take, since Patrick hadn't quite taken it upon himself to tell the others yet. Riven followed up with his own brief greeting to the bartender, highlighting the fact Taelian talked about him and his brothers near the end, albeit Elinora didn't waste the opportunity to weigh in also afterward.

"So are we!" The mother nearly cooed in a casual manner as she walked up to Patrick, wrapping her arm around his so that they were interlocked together at the elbows. "Patrick's told us so much about the both of you!" It was pretty obvious now that his mother wanted a word with him, as this was her way of flagging that little fact to him. Anytime she wanted to discuss something in private, she'd normally draw closer to one of her sons, looming around them as she tried to... control? She was definitely attempting to stir the situation in her own way. Dominik and Connor both watched with their arms crossed, the younger sibling clearly amused now that Pat's secret had been outed.

Thankfully Taelian had thought to share his latest activities, in turn, entertaining the assumption that Patrick's revolved around his Kinship. "Yeah, been keepin' pretty busy here lately!"

"His latest venture to Loras resulted in a business trip with the Terras, so we now have tea available to sell to our patrons if they request it." Nora quickly added with a cheery smile cast to Patrick. That was when a fact had been pointed out, an apparent one the family clearly missed beforehand. Their visit to the establishment had been on a date. The mentioning of it clearly surprised both Elinora and Patrick, as they both adopted a brief awkward stare before the mother responded. "Oh dear! Patrick why didn't you tell me these two would be visiting on a date?"

"I... had no idea?" The bartender reluctantly admitted with an embarrassed shrug. "Maybe a wolf ate the courier?" The joke more or less entertained the fact that no letter had returned, even though Patrick wrote to the Siltori a few days ago.

"Oh, Old Ones help me..." Nora responded in turn with a pinch at her nose, clearly trying to hide the fact this wasn't going how she'd planned it at all. Riven seemed to mutter to his lover then, garnering a perk of interest from the mother hen, before she quickly raised a finger up to interject in their conversation. "Now hold on dears! Clearly a mishap has occurred but we can manage, always do when you work in a place such as this." She remarked before releasing Patrick from her arm, staring hard at him as she still maintained her vibrant smile. "Be a dear and help these two get settled would you? I better get that wine ready." She briefly glanced to Taelian then at the mention of wine, before turning to head towards the bar where the white bottle resided.

The father of the Kinship stepped out of his office by then, dressed in a brown tunic still decorated with a few stains at the chest. It was clear in the way the man carried himself, that he was not only surprised but impressed by their guests. Namely, the stature of these two, as they were both tall men with incredibly sturdy frames. The weary bar owner himself walked along the aisle to meet with his wife, who had started to collect wine glasses for everyone, as they started to talk with one another to themselves. Patrick didn't waste this opportunity to approach the couple, as he definitely needed to make sure his father didn't hear of the initiation like the others had. "Thanks for comin' you two," he complemented with a forced smile, still noticeably tense in his shoulders now that he stood close to them, "we kinda wanted to share lunch with you two. But Ma's also keen to provide privacy if you both prefer it, already got a table set up for the both of you already!"

He gestured toward the table with the two set plates nearby the other table, as he knew well enough by now, that Nora would've likely came up with the same exact solution. It was a simple and easy fix honestly, albeit he hadn't any idea why his mother wanted the brothers to share a table with the couple. Riven's size would definitely made that a bit tricky, since they would've likely had to sit four at a table instead of five. So really this worked out a little too perfectly then, indicating that both he and Nora could salvage this situation before collateral damage ensued. Thus he lowered his voice when he spoke next, leaning a little closer to Taelian in a sideways fashion, before he began to elaborate on the situation at hand.

"Kinda also didn't tell my Kinship about the whole magic thing yet either... So if we could just make sure my Pa doesn't catch wind of that so quickly." He had been focused on Taelian when he'd addressed this matter, but a glance past the Siltori revealed another interesting fact about Riven. The rather noticeable glow of the Rune on his left arm, it's electric blue glimmer possessing an innate allure the bartender couldn't ignore. "We'll talk more on that later though, just don't let my Pa find out please." It was a genuine request he gave to the two, as he didn't know how well his father would handle the idea. Not that him having magic was a bad thing of course, but Patrick hardly knew what Albert did and didn't approve of these days.

"So Taelian, you already know them, but Riven these are my brothers. Dominik," he pointed to the bulky one in the red shirt, as the older sibling generated another brief but reluctant smile to the two, "he's the older one out of the three of us."

"It's good to see you again Lian, and a pleasure meetin' you Mr. Riven." He greeted with a brief bow to the both of them, his hands then dipped into his pockets when he straightened out once again.

"And the younger one is Connor." Patrick gestured to the sibling with dirty blonde hair, who wore a plain white cotton shirt littered with a few stains as well, as he grinned to the both of them with utter confidence.

"Probably the most handsome of the bunch too." He jested with a brief brush of his hand through his combed locks, his arms brought to another crossover as he tilted his head slightly in turn. "So these two are a thing then? Not that there's anything wrong with that, I'm just curious as to how that works when..." Patrick's faint smile quickly dissolved as he then looked to Connor, clearly unamused, with an annoyed glare in response to the statement.

"Movin' on," The middle brother remarked hopefully before anybody had a chance to answer, "that wonderful lady at the bar now is Elinora, and the man next to her is our father Albert." He gestured to the both of them, as they in turn noticed the gesture, and waved to the couple before finishing their conversation. "So why don't we get you two seated, huh? You can move a table or two over if you feel the need to, lunch is pretty much ready and set." He offered with a forced smile once more, while hiding the fact he was about ready to lose his mind.

[Taelian Edevane]

The buzz of Patrick's family was a bit much for the Siltori, who quickly found himself overwhelmed by the numerous people suddenly interjecting into their conversation, each of a different name and face. He, of course, knew and recognized Dominik and Connor but -- Patrick's parents, and... everyone stirring around Riven, eyes and ears upon them... it was a bit disorienting. Taelian's face appeared to be caught in something of an awkward, open-mouthed smile, only a threshold away from a total grimace.

"Ah, yes... erm," he paused. The mage had a difficult time recollecting some of the things that had been said, already -- and he decided to ignore the majority of it. When Patrick approached to thank the two for coming, Taelian softly smiled in reply before bowing his head slightly. Patrick explained how they'd wanted to share their meal with the two, but that they had also made arrangements in case they wished for more privacy. The mage's mind already went to the less crowded option, as some part of him was more... introverted than Patrick would have likely expected. Particularly considering Riven did not know any of these people, and his Arlaed was something of a shy man.

"Riven doesn't really speak Kokalath," he told Patrick, in Kokalath. He did not want his lover to think he was insulting him -- but it would cause issues for him at the dinner table. He didn't want him to feel unable to involve himself, or singled out if he couldn't understand questions or words directed at him. Taelian already knew what that was like from the court of Loregard, his experiences there. He switched to Common. "Besides... we, ah, were hoping for a date. I'm not against eating with your family, but..."

The Siltori paused. He did not want to sound offensive.

"We can... er, try to eat with everyone else. But maybe put us at the end of the table somewhere so we can try to have our private moments, a bit." His mouth almost seemed to pull back -- as if he were unhappy with what he'd just said, though it would become clear with closer observation that he just felt... awkward. Reticent.

Shortly afterwards, Dominik greeted him, and Taelian raised his hand to wave. "Hello," he said softly. The brother then greeted Riven; he was always the mature one among them, it appeared. The 'handsome one' followed after, and immediately questioned the nature of Riven and Taelian's... sexual relationship? He wasn't certain, but all things pointed to it. Taelian eyed him sharply, though Patrick cut him off before he could reply. He decided that he still would.

"It works better than anything you've experienced, I'm certain," he said, with a smirk. "Anyway, Patrick -- you have a lovely family. Your mother is... particularly young. She's part Hytori, isn't she?" he questioned. Half, he thought, based on her features. She looked somewhat like Eloise, in terms of the sharpness of her ears, the soft glow within her eyes. Hytori varied a lot, as well, and when bred with humans they tended to look much like humans themselves. Just... taller, and with some less significant Elven features.

"Riven," he called to his Arlaed, turning to him, "...would you care to help arrange the tables for our seating? You're stronger than anyone here, I'd bet."

[Riven]

Riven knew he had made a mistake when he saw Patrick's smile slowly crack. He didn't know what he had done wrong, nor why, but he knew something he had said (or maybe Taelian) was something they shouldn't have. And when he saw his brother's reaction, he understood; initiations weren't any light matter. Their son and brother could have died in the process. But as Riven mentioned, and he felt like an idiot, he was still very much alive. He stared at Taelian in disbelief, holding back to avoid rolling his eyes in front of the family. He guessed he couldn't have known though, but he was very careless when talking about some delicate matters to other people. Patrick's mother quickly recovered her previous demeanor though, and so she approached the boys, wrapping her arm around Patrick. Not the best sign, given her son's facial expression. For a second, Riven wondered if, in the case he had had a mother, she would act like that with him. He had barely any notion of Jastai culture anyway.

Before he could say anything though, they were suddenly getting a date arranged, while the whole family seemed to get ready for lunch. He had lost his train of thought and he was frantically trying to get a grasp of what had happened; him and his stupid daydreaming. He quickly saw the smaller table next to the large one though, and understood they would sit there. Not entirely alone, not with the family. And both at the same time; it wasn't a bad solution. Patrick approached his Arlaed, asking them both to skip the magic topic. Riven softly snorted, nodding at the man. He couldn't believe he had said that; he felt a tad ridiculous now. He quickly shook it off, as Taelian introduced him to his brothers.

Dominik seemed the serious type, something Riven could get along with. At least they didn't expect much from social interactions; he bowed at him though. As natural as that was for a Kalsazern boy, he bowed back, a very slight but calculated nod of his head and shoulders. It took a little for him to realize that maybe Dominik wasn't being that respectful. And Connor... Taelian had told him a little about the guy and his behavior; and Riven hadn't been the foreign, eternally mocked Kathar in Kalzasi for anything. He usually had to respond in their native language to shut them up, but he was from Lorien; he could clap back in Common. The boy wasn't ugly though, he could admit that. Taelian responded before he did; he smirked. "Hey, handsome. I bet your mama or your brother can explain how it works when you get older. You know, the birds, the bees..." He said with a wink and a wide grin. Of course, Connor didn't need to know Riven was three years younger than him, but the Avialae looked much older based on height alone. He also nodded at Patrick's parents; he really didn't know how to act. It was nice to meet parents that weren't high-ranking nobles, for a start.

"Uh, sure. I guess a table alone will do, since we have this one. Don't worry, I'm used to chairs." He found funny that he had to make that clear, but apparently people doubted that from time to time. He just approached one of the empty tables and placed it next to the one the Barnells had arranged for them, making it a decent-sized table for two. He took advantage of the moment to glare at Taelian and his lack of tact; his fiery eyes looked brighter than usual. He sat at the table, still tense; he had to remind himself to separate his wings a little so he could sit back on the chair. The periodic glow in each feather seemed accelerated. He looked at Taelian, shrugging with a half smile; that was the deal. He would try to enjoy himself. The Barnell brothers sat next to them; the family table wasn't that far. Talk about privacy; he repressed a short laugh. The situation was funny, if he managed to look at it from an outside perspective. He guessed there wasn't much more to it than softly hitting Taelian's foot under the table and grabbing his hand over it, and waiting for the food.

[Patrick]

Initially it looked as though much of what occurred prior took place a little rapidly, perhaps enough to the point where both the guests were a little in the dark. Patrick noticed the brief vacant stares the couple shared, before they processed whatever they could, and in turn bring up an important matter to be mindful of. Their guest Riven didn't really understand the native tongue, which meant he'd likely feel left out, unless they maintained their conversations in Common instead. Not that anybody would have problems with that, surprisingly enough the Barnell Kinship wasn't so uptight on that, unlike the vast majority of citizens found throughout Atinaw.

They had worked in a business with all sorts of unusual and even colorful people, all coming in to dine and rest in their passing to Old Ones knew were. "Not to worry," Patrick assured him with a few small nods, "I'll make sure everyone else knows also, don't want one of our honored guests feelin' left out." He added with a hint of a tease in his tone, shooting a brief grin to Riven when he did so. When Taelian indicated that he was wanting privacy, in fact, the bartender simply needed to gesture a brief thumbs-up, before elaborating on the fact the situation was already being handled. "Not to worry buddy, we've already gotten mostly everything set up, so you and Riven will have that privacy."

The bartender then gave a pat on the Siltori's shoulder in a friendly manner, watchful of the interactions that transpired between brothers and friends. Dominik's presence remained almost the same as it always did, reserved but still welcoming of the two present, as Patrick noticed he and Riven displayed similar qualities. Both were men of fewer words when they could be, or so the bartender thought after seeing them greet one another. Admittedly he hoped Dominik would begin to open up a bit more, then again the two had just met after all, and Riven looked just about as diffident as the older brother did himself.

Then of course... Connor. Surprisingly his lack of temperament with his mouth didn't warrant any ill reactions, as both Taelian and Riven had something interesting to quip in return. Rather immediately when they both took a turn to address the youngest sibling, both Dominik and Patrick looked to Connor with their eyebrows raised, along with a couple of soft chuckles as the cook grinned almost cockily. "Oh don't worry," He spoke in a heavily accented Common, "I've experienced a lotta things, but always willin' to try somethin' new." And at that note he shot a wink to the couple, leading Patrick and Dominik to brush that off in a nearly awkward manner.

Riven seemed to mention something about the chairs, and how he was used to them in some way. Likely because of his wings, as they were admittedly large yet... well, beautiful. He had never seen feathers glow in that manner, not even with the other Avialae he'd met before. "I'm sure they're sturdy enough to support someone your size pal." Patrick responded in turn with a modest grin, hopeful that there was no offense to be found in the joke about it. Right around that time the two behind the bar began to move once more, their conversation wrapped up as Elinora led Albert towards the table set for five, the white, crown crested bottle held firmly in her hands when Taelian mentioned something. Something that alarmed Patrick honestly, as he had never even thought of the possibility.

"Thanks Lian. Wait... Hytori?" While it was reassuring to know his family was 'nice' in the standards of his friend, the fact he could determine something the others were never able to discern perplexed him. Even looking at her now Patrick could see the implication, from the pointed ears to the fair complexion, it was considered possible she was in fact Hytori. Which meant that the brothers were also... weren't they? Suddenly the bartender looked confused, as did the other two brothers when the three siblings looked towards their parents.

"Right then," Elinora started as she placed the wine down at the table, with Albert scooting some of the chairs out to invite everyone to sit, "Patrick why don't you and Dominik help fix Taelian and Riven's plates."

"Yes ma'am." Dominik quickly responded with a look to Patrick in turn, who in turn glanced back to his guests and gestured for the table set for two.

The bartender moved to collect one of the plates for the couple, as Dominik held the other, before moving to the other table to add a decently portioned sample of everything. "By the way, Ma and Pa, one of our guests isn't well versed in Kokalath. So if we could converse in Common, that'd be a bit more appreciated." The second son requested in the native tongue once more, garnering curious looks from Elinora and Albert as they continued setting up the wine glasses. Albert had placed wine glasses around the tables for everyone, while the mother hen herself had taken to fill the glasses belonging to their guests first.

"Why of course!" Elinora chirped eagerly with a brief chuckle. "Silly me, it's always easy to forget. We apologize for not realizing that sooner dears." The mother addressed Taelian and Riven as she tilted the open bottle over, allowing the liquid to fill the wine glass with a deep magenta hue, as the aroma of the drink didn't take long to waft into their noses. "I hope you like the wine boys, it's a special brand only lucky guests get to taste." She mentioned with a brief wink, before moving towards the other table to fill the rest of the other glasses.

By that point, Albert and Connor had already taken their own seats, while Patrick and Dominik finished setting up the meals, and brought Taelian and Riven back their filled plates. Dominik gave Riven his, while Patrick gave Lian his in turn, as the two brothers shot a brief grin to their guests before moving to their own seats. "Hope you enjoy everything, we didn't really know what you guys would want, so we sort of just went with our own guesses." Patrick told the both of them from his chair, as he and Dominik started to collect servings of the meal on their plates, as the others were already set and waiting for the last two to join.

After a moment for everyone to begin eating, Elinora perked up with a small clearing of her throat. "So dears," Elinora started from her seat as she glanced towards the couple across from her, "how do you like the food? And the wine?" She checked with her eyebrows raised curiously, with the three brothers briefly glancing towards them to hear what they had to say. Connor especially wanted to know since he cooked everything, but of course, every aspect of their meal was important to Patrick. Mainly because he wanted things to pan out with minimal conflict, however, that would certainly be difficult what with the other factors to consider. Patrick being a mage... His mother being a Hytori... Already there two variables that could make for an interesting conversation, albeit one he rather avoided in the presence of his father, who looked among everyone quietly with a weary but vacant grin.

"Speech"

[Haldir]

Oh Dear, you seem to have contracted a REVIEW!

XP:

• 8 XP{No magic}

Pieces of knowledge:

• N/A

Loot: N/A

Injuries: N/A

Comments:

• If you have any questions, comments or concerns, let me know. Enjoy your rewards!