05.04.3014: Dinnertime in the Royal Towers
Summary: Dinnertime in the Royal Towers
Date: 2 January 2014
Related: Various topics of discussion.
Nikomachos Ellinor Lyrienne Kiara Advent 


Family Dining Room
Mostly in poses.
May 4, 3014

Dinner in the Royal Towers is usually a busy affair, with people coming in and out with information for the King Regnant and Crown Princess or, less frequently, for one of the other family members. With the war on, even the usual family dinner is not sacred. This night, the invitation was extended to those who have married out as well, since Princess Janelle was not present, bundled over to Volkan in the wake of her wedding. Now Emund is gone as well, drawn off by business, and most of the elder generation has wandered off as well, leaving several of the Generation of Vengeance in the sitting room after the table has been cleared.

Nikomachos comes back from a comm-call, smiling ruefully, "My apologies. It's so hard to keep up with all the fans." There's a tightness around his eyes that suggests that perhaps the call wasn't something so light as a jousting fan, but he still gestures lightly off to a side-table, "Can I get anyone something more to drink? Wine?" His gaze drops over to Lyrienne, and one eye closes in a wink, "Juice? Something else?"

"Wine," Lyrienne sighs wistfully. "Wine might make all of this easier." She leans back in her chair, shifting uncomfortably around the bulk of her stomach. She is, simply put, huge. The mass of twins doesn't sit easily on her slender frame right now. "I'm worried about Advent. He doesn't seem to be stable. Mood swings. And I don't know how to fix it, which is frustrating." She reaches for her water, taking a sip. "At least he's back in the hospital where someone can help. And I told him," she continues, "That he could come stay with Ric and me when they release him. He seemed to like the idea of helping with the kids."

Ellinor is enjoying a cup of coffee that has been accented by milk and sugar. She sips at it idly while she chats with one of her cousins about the recent rumors surrounding the Royal Navy. Said cousin is a Captain in the Navy, but doesn't seem keen on spilling what the Master of Ships has planned for those mining vessels no matter how hard Ellinor bullies. Wherever the conversation could have turned is halted by the return of Nikomachos, and she turns to regard her husband. "Brandy," she says without missing a beat as she hoists up her coffee cup meaningfully. Then she frowns at Lyrienne at her words about Advent. "That sounds dangerous… he might ruin all the strides I've made with Lysandra." Making her sister's daughter Ellinor's protege, after all. She's going to have a small army by the time she's done with Lyssie and Mikhail.

Advent was let out of the hospital for family dinner but had to submit to a personal nurse who would bring him back after the dinner is done. He didn't like the idea but he wanted to see his family. He got dressed in his nice pants and button up shirt with a jacket. He walks into the sitting room late for dinner which clearly irritates him. He was never one to be late and it's bothering him. He notices Lyrienne first and then Ellinor. His lips upturn into a warm smile for them both. "Sisters." He introduces his nurse and bows his head to Nikomachos.

From down the hall - late to dinner but not so bad - comes Kiara, gliding along like some sort of storm front to match the color of the gown she is wearing. When she notices her sisters, brother, and Brother-in-Law though, a smile comes to her face as she approaches. "Felicitations." She greets them, heading towards her chair at the table.

Nikomachos laughs softly at Ellinor's response, and the start of Lyrienne's, starting over to the side-table to collect the brandy bottle and a glass of wine for himself. The concerns aired cause him to frown just a little, although he holds his tongue a moment, which turns out to be a good thing. The Valen looks over to nod to the new arrivals, "Sir Advent, Lady Kiara." His own glass is set down back at the dinner table, and he reaches across to pour a healthy splash into Ellinor's coffee cup, offering the bottle up in question, "His Majesty," who the family members probably just call Emund here in the family areas of the Royal Tower, "has already been called away by matters of state."

"Strides?" Lyrienne echoes Ellinor with a faint smirk. "Well, I suppose that's one thing you could call them, yes." Any further discussion on that front is cut short, though, as Advent and Kiara arrive. "Advent, I didn't expect you to be out of the hospital," she says with some concern, looking her brother over closely. "Come, sit down," she invites, though she doesn't get up herself. "Kiara, good to see you again," she adds with a small smile.

"Did she like the holo-sword I got her?" Ellinor says toward Lyrienne concerning the newest gift she got for Lysandra. Then she smiles toward her husband as she gets that splash of brandy, and she turns her focus toward Advent and Kiara. She wrinkles her nose at the latter. "Well… Felix-ations to you, too, Ki." Then she smiles a bit gentler to her brother. "He's a Sauveur… he heals fast."

Advent grins. "I have to go back after dinner cause I have a brain scan. They want to see how it's all healing." He nods to Ellinor. "She knows what's up. Seriously…Just a flesh wound." He turns and waves to Kiara. "Hello." He walks towards Lyrienne and takes a seat beside her while his nurse sits off in a corner waiting patiently. He hugs the big momma and then glances to Niko. "I knew I was rather late. That's.. at least my favorites are still here." He chuckles while he rubs Lyr's belly. "I pray to the Six for good luck."

Covering her mouth and giggling at Ellinor's response, Kiara seems amused. Then, carefully arranging her skirts as the servant pulls out her chair, Kiara then sits down prim an properly. Grabbing a napkin to put it over her lap. "IT is good to see you too." She says. "How have you been? The children?" She wonders, her smile not fading, remaining bright as can be. And to the others "I hope you are all well too. It has been a while since so many of us assembled."

"You gave your sisters quite a scare, Sir Advent." Nikomachos moves down to pour a measure of brandy for the naval cousin as well, then passes it down to another family member, settling down into his seat alongside Ellinor, "I figured you just took the blow to where it could do the least damage." He reaches up to tap his own temple lightly with one finger, chuckling softly, "At least that's what my siblings always tell me when I'm hit in the head."

"Advent, I will strike you down," Lyrienne informs her brother archly as he starts with the stomach rubbing, taking a drink of her water. "And yes, of course she liked it, El. Especially the part where she could throw it at Marus. We really need to work on the throwing things, but I've been busy trying to get the adults to stop yelling at each other lately," she says with a faint, rueful smile. "But the kids are coping as well as can be expected with two more on the way, I think."

"I'll work on her swing," Ellinor says, as if teaching Lysandra how to properly use a sword is the answer to the throwing things issue. Then she arches her brows a bit at the idea of adults yelling at each other. "Dish," she demands of her sister easily. "Who is yelling at who, and why haven't I heard until now?" She takes another swallow of her brandy-laced coffee. She then winks to Kiara, showing her fondness for her younger sister. "Advent is fine, and he's going to sit down and have a cup of wine, aren't you, Advent?"

Advent nods to Niko. "Honestly, I didn't think I was badly hurt. Stupid of me to scout alone but it was the Vale, where no hostile's had been reported. I guess no place is safe any more." He stops rubbing Lyr's belly and grins slowly. "You'd not hurt me. You love me and I love you." He does though pull his hands from her stomach and he relaxes against the chair. He looks to Ellinor and shakes his head. "I'll have juice. I don't want to mix medications and wine. I'm already hurt I don't need my stomach pumped but thank you."

"Generally the only yelling I have been hearing is professors when someone did not do their homework." Kiara giggles some more. Obviously joking. "Is it a good vintage tonight? I may just have to have brother's share then." Which can't go well, she's tiny! A glass or two? Fine. More? But then her expression gentles a bit as she looks to Advent and says "I am glad you are back and recovering."

Nikomachos laughs lightly at Lyrienne's response, "Well then perhaps Marus needs to get some lessons in self-defense. Some training, some discipline…" Laughing easily again, he waves off his own idea, "Or we can just trust to the good parenting of yourself and Ric, with occasional support from aunts and uncles." The question about who is yelling at who causes Niko to shake his head slightly, "Who isn't yelling at one another these days? It's enough to drive me to distraction." He takes a sip of his wine, then rises to his feet at the requests from the newly-arrived Sauveurs, moving over to pour a glass for each, "It's a rather light Arborenin red. It went quite well with dinner, and I'm sure they could send a bit more up for the two of you."

Lyrienne wags a finger at Advent, not quite conceding the point. "Nitrim and Cyrielle," she answers Ellinor with a heavy sigh. "Gods, but I don't think I've ever seen two people so determined to make their lives difficult. And I think they're all right, and then I turn around and it's like when I'm at home and I step into the bathroom for a moment and hear a crash from the kitchen and come back and find everyone surrounded by rubble."

Ellinor turns toward her husband now, crossing her fingers together as she narrows those pale green eyes on him. "Are you attempting to arm my dear niece's greatest foe, Sir Nikomachos?" She rests her weight a bit on her elbows. Though she is distracted a bit by Lyrienne's words, and she frowns a bit. "You mean Cyrielle Hollolas? I don't think I even knew those two were… a… uh… thing? Are they a thing?" She glances toward Niko as if he might know more. But then she sighs. "Look… Lyrie… you do know that Tabloid-Lover Khournas and his newest focal point isn't your responsibility, right?"

Advent smiles at Lyrienne and shakes his head. He's happy enough to have won in his mind. He grins at Niko and shakes his head. "Do you have anything non-alcoholic?" He repeats to the man. He looks to Ellinor and he clears his throat. "He's trying to change. Granted, we do not know for sure until he has proven himself but last time I talked to them both, they were happy. What happened?" He looks to Lyrienne.

"It sounds delicious to me. I shall have a glass or two. Thank you." Kiara says as she begins to eat, dainty, prim and proper bites of the evening's faire. Otherwise falling into silence as she listens to the topic at hand without interuppting it with anything more.

Nikomachos shakes his head at Ellinor's question, "Arm him? Certainly not. See that he knows enough not to be bullied by his sister, certainly." The amusement leaches from his tones at Lyrienne's words, however, his smile remaining for all that his eyes go cold, "Nitrim Khournas would do well to grow up and live in the now rather than doing everything in his power to find some distraction from what is happening around him." He returns with a glass of wine to set in front of Kiara, and a glass of juice that he puts down in front of Advent. "It's quite delightful, Lady Kiara." Unfortunately, a bit of the sparkle has dropped out of his voice, the usually smooth tones gaining a touch of a hard edge.

Lyrienne blinks at Ellinor. "He's our cousin," she points out. "Of course he is." Because in her world, it really is that simple. "Besides, someone has to help him, otherwise he's going to hurt himself. And there were plenty of people who said similar things about me eight years ago," she adds to Niko, chin rising stubbornly. "Do you know what it meant to have a few people who didn't look at me like I was something less?"

"So is half of Haven, Lyrie," Ellinor says offhandedly concerning Nitrim's familial relation. "If it wasn't for advances in genetics, we'd all be inbred idiots by now." Which is probably an overstatement, but she does roll her shoulders a bit. "But, I suppose someone with a reasonable head on their shoulders could actually decide to be his fairy godsmother." She gives her older sister a meaningful look. "But, don't get sucked into his pity parties. He really does do it to himself." She does glance toward Nikomachos, frowning at her husband. She gives him a gentle nudge of her shoulder. Lyrienne is given a bit of a wry smile. "I don't think it is fair to compare you to Nitrim, Lyrienne… you two are very different. You did something to change how people look at you. I don't see Nitrim doing that. I see him just patching holes and trying a fresh coat of paint and hoping people buy it." She then exhales, glancing toward Advent and Kiara, and she shrugs her shoulders a bit. "Just one woman's opinion of course," and she takes another swallow of coffee and brandy.

Advent listens to it all, thanking Niko for the juice. He takes a small sip and puts it back down. "I don't know what it's like to be looked at like that really but I can only imagine giving the man honor and the benefit of the doubt would do wonders to bringing him on the right path." He takes Lyr's hand and he frowns. "I'd know that if I felt alone, I'd slowly spin into a tail spin and crash. He might be mid tailspin." He lifts his eyes to Elli. "Allow him to try. He said he was going to try and I will hold his honor to that." He nods his head slowly and grins. "Least I can do is smack him around when he gets out of line."

Kiara just shrugs. "I have not associated with him very much. So it is hard for me to have much of an opinion." She concedes as she takes the glass and raises it to her lips to take a little sip. "But I do agree with the sentiment, everyone deserves a chance to have their life go well. To find happiness in something." She grins a bit more widely. Though that sobers then, "But it does seem difficult, even for our family, let alone others." She looks down to the table at that thought.

Nikomachos shakes his head at Lyrienne, starting to respond before he subsides, drawing in a long, slow breath. He gestures over to Ellinor at her response, rolling with the nudge to his shoulder, "My apologies. I have been preaching understanding and forgiveness across Haven, but when someone wrongs family… it is a little more difficult. But my still, my apologies." His bracelet beeps gently, and then a neutral voice announces, "Sir, message from Miss Fin." He starts up in his seat, looking up only briefly, "Excuse me…" And then his attention goes directly down to the comm as he pulls out an earbud and tucks it into his ear.

"Well, he's family, and he needs help, and I'm going to be there as much as I can," Lyrienne says simply. "I may not be a soldier, or a politician, but I can do my best to see that we're at least not tearing ourselves apart while we wait for the Hostiles to come in and finish the job." Granted, she might be a little bit under the influence of hormones, but heaven help the person who says that out loud.

As that neutral voice announces a call from their surrogate, Ellinor frowns Nikomachos's way. There is a slight delay in her reply to her sister as she watches her husband focus on the message. Then she looks back toward Lyrienne, brow furrowed up a bit. "Lyrienne…" Then she exhales, puffing out her cheeks a bit. Then she shakes her head. "If you say so, Lyrienne," she concedes with a slight roll of her shoulders.

Advent grins around at his family. "I'm glad we are getting along." He turns to Ellinor. "Thank you for coming to get me, Elli." He keeps that warm grin. "I have to ask … advice from everyone." He looks mostly between the women there. He clears his throat. "Um… Is she using me? I am coming from this side which sees her in a very different light. I need an outside opinion. I'm not thinking clearly."

Kiara holds her hand over her mouth with a surprised gasp, "Lyri!" And then quickly holds her finger to her nose in a hush gesture. But then she takes another deep breath and regains her composure, going right back to eating, and listening. Her attention now on Advent and his question.

"What?" Lyrienne arches a brow at Kiara. "It isn't as though it's a secret war, Ari." When Advent asks his question, she looks to Ellinor first, pursing her lips and possibly hoping her sister will say something first. Instead, though, she sighs, looking back to her brother. "I assume we're talking about Brienne. And I haven't spoken to her, so I can't say for certain. But I think she thinks you're safe. And you'll be easy for her to manage, because you love her. So she can maybe have her cake and eat it to. But that's…That's just my gut, Advent, and it could be a knee jerk reaction."

Nikomachos shakes his head at Ellinor to wave off her worry, listening in, then shutting off the comm, "Everything's fine, Ellie. Miss Fin has gone into labor, but the doctors are not worried." His smile grows as he reports, ending with him beaming brightly. "We're going to be parents very soon." He blinks over at the discussion between Advent and Lyrienne, one hand reaching up to rub back over his head, "I missed something…"

"Brienne?" Ellinor asks, though she doesn't wait for a confirmation because Lyrienne has taken up the reins. She tucks into her mug of coffee and brandy, taking another swallow. Only after her older sister has said her piece does she bob her head a bit. "She wants to repair the damage done between our Houses, Ad… a one-sided love match is a torture… because who knows if she will ever come around." She shrugs her shoulders a bit, tapping her fingers against the side of her mug. "You'd be better off asking Mother to find you some strictly political match or find a noblewoman that loves you as much as you…" And then Nikomachos ends his call and makes the announcement. Her eyes widen, and then she starts to smile. There is a slight strangeness that seems to overtake her. "Do… do we need to go?" She then gestures a bit. "Ah… we're… we're talking about Advent and Brienne."

Advent nods to his sisters. "You are right. She keeps coming around and making my heart flutter. I should… get over it." Then the call and he jumps up quickly. "Baby!" He points to the door. "Go! Be there for ever contraction, every moment. Hold that child when it breathes it's first breath. Go!" He is so very excited now. "Go go go!" He points to the door. "You don't want to miss a moment. If you don't go, I will and then… it's my baby." He teases Elli and the look shows he's not serious.

Kiara's bright expression returns. "Oh wow, I'm going to be an auntie again." She raises the glass in toast. "To the family." She calls. "Old and new and soon to be." Her tone matching her expression. So it's not as crazy as her brother's. She does try to stay dignified most of the time! Hence, the toast!

"Oh, how I envy that woman," Lyrienne says ruefully at Niko's announcement, though her smile is warm as she looks to the couple. "Do what she's said you ought to do," she tempers the advice of her other siblings. "She'll know how long it usually takes her, and if it's her first, she'll probably be a while and it won't help her one bit to have the two of you hovering around. But you'll want to be there when the time finally comes."

Nikomachos shakes his head at Ellinor's questions, gesturing complacently with his hands, "There's time yet. Hours. The doctors believe that it will be a long labor." He collects his wineglass, looking down at it in wonder. "I'm going to be a father in a matter of hours." And then he takes a sip of the wine, grinning around the table and finally over to Ellinor, hoisting up his glass to match the toast, "To the family!" He leans over to press a kiss to Ellinor's temple, then looks over to Lyrienne, "It's her fourth. Miss Fin knows herself quite well."

"Mother always did say if you continue to get pregnant, you'll be stuck like that forever," Ellinor teases Lyrienne, definitely paraphrasing a more common parental warning. Then she joins in the toast toward family, though the noblewoman Knight looks a bit unfocused as she drinks from her coffee and brandy. She smiles toward Niko at his kiss however. "Better get out the shirts you said were okay for spit-up." Then she shakes her head a bit as she smiles toward Advent and Kiara. "Mother probably has first dibs on holding the baby, we all know this right… our sacred Matron." She smiles as she takes another drink.

Kiara finishes her drink after the toast and then leans back in her chair, setting down the glass and folding her hands in her lap. Starting to get a rather contemplative look on her face, even for her! She is starting to slip back into her own world. Though then she says, "It is funny, I see how you both handle it. And I still wonder how I will. Though I probably want to carry a child at least once." She muses.

Advent lifts his glass and smiles happily. "To family." He keeps that happy smile. "There are three coming…three minions coming." He chuckles happily. "Oh gods… Between Lyr and you, we could have an army. Oh god in twenty years we will!" He sits down and shakes his head. "Oh Six… Nik, you better call mom. Let her know what's happening." He mentions quietly.

"Oh, you're very funny," Lyrienne smirks at her sister. "You just wait until something goes sideways and you end up pregnant, and then we'll talk about all the fun things you get to experience." She takes a breath, finishing her drink. "Speaking of which, I should be getting back to the Ring and seeing if I can possibly get some sleep," she says with a small smile. "Call me when you're all settled in? Vid chat, I want to see everybody."

Nikomachos widens his eyes slightly at Ellinor's warning about shirts, "Ah yes. Last year's wardrobe." His lips split into a broad grin, and he tosses down another wash of wine, laughing brightly, "How we handle it? We're going to handle it with aplomb and style." As he slips one arm around Ellinor's waist, he grins at the others, "Which means we'll be tired, not sleeping, and cover in spit-up." He raises his glass in a sort of salute to that as well, then takes another sip of wine, "I've already had my AI contact Princess Evony and Mother and Father. It's rather good at that." For all that it doesn't have a name. Lyrienne's statement causes him to release Ellinor to come around the table and offer Lyrienne a hand up, "You have someone traveling with you, Lyrie? An armsman or a friend?"

Advent grins happily. "I won't have that issue. No pregnancy here." He turns around slightly and nods to the nurse. "Alright, I'm heading back to the hospital. I should be free soon, then I will come hang with you Lyr." He smiles then eyes Elli. He might be heading to pace outside the birthing room. He finishes his juice and stretches his arms. He turns. "I can get her home and then head back to the hospital?" He holds his hand out for Lyr. He grins. "You have to teach me how to work the AI Nik… Cause I have no idea."

"Oh," Ellinor almost looks disappointed by the news of the long labor, but she does breathe out a bit of a sigh of relief. Then she smiles toward Nikomachos, a warmth settling around her. When Lyrienne starts to suggest she's heading back to The Ring, she casts her older sister a warmer smile. "Lyrie… thanks." Then she looks up toward her husband as he sweeps around to assist the very large pregnant woman. She tilts her head, waiting to hear her sister's reply. Her gaze trickles over toward Kiara and Advent, and she rolls her shoulders a bit. "So, who wants on the babysitter list?"

"It was nice to see you." Kiara says to Lyri, standing as well now that people seem about ready to take their leaves. "We still need to go shopping one of these days. At least after the babies come." She adds. "I should probably make sure my sitar is tuned," she muses. "It might be good to have in the waiting rooms later." Whether or not anyone else agrees… though at least she knows how to play it now! Unlike when they were all younger and she was just learning. "I am sure mother cannot wait. Much like holding." She says in her sagelike tone, ridiculous though it may be. "I can help when I am not at school."

Lyrienne takes both offered hands to stand, and even then it's a little bit of an effort. "You are going directly back to the hospital," she informs Advent firmly. "I can make it to the Ways just fine, thank you. If you're all worried about me, I'll ask Phillipe at the gates to come with me." She moves over to Ellinor to give her sister a careful hug, smile soft. "As for you, you know who to call if you have any questions. Gods know, between the last three I'm sure we've had almost everything happen by now." Kiara is next for the hugs, her touch soft. "I'm sure the sitar will be lovely, Ari." She can say that, since she won't be there.

Advent blinks a few times. "Hey now… I can walk you mostly to the WayGate. I will stop at the hospital where I will make a dashing escape to head out for a walk around Landing making meeting someone and making some bad decisions…which I totally won't do." He smiles at his sister saying bye. He walks to his Kiara first and hugs her. "Call me if you need me." Then he walks towards Elli and hugs her. "I'll be there in the hospital if you want to bring the sprite by." Then he moves to Niko holding his hand out. "A pleasure as always."

Nikomachos shakes his head at Advent, "Listen to the doctors, trust me, they're quite good at getting us back onto the battlefield." At the wounded knight's reassurance and Lyrienne's response, Nikomachos steps back to Ellinor's side, finishing off his glass of wine idly and nodding, "It's not too difficult, the A.I. I just tell it what I need from it, and it does it. And I'm sure we'll be around the hospital ourselves for at least a few days."

Ellinor nods gently at her sister's hug, and she squeezes her ever so gently. Then she intakes a sharp breath and steps back to smile at her. "Ellis is still a good name," she says knowingly before she winks. Then she steps away from the behemoth pregnant woman so that she can step up beside her husband. Then she presses a kiss to his cheek. "Well, we should go prepare, huh?" She asks, brows lifted.

She hugs Lyri, nodding to her. Then, Advent. "Yes, we need you to get better too." Kiara says in that same tone as she hugs her brother. "I do not think you will be allowed to hold the babies until you are recovered." Yep, there's the mean part, her smile impish. Then she moves on to hug her other sister too. "Be well, both of you. And I hope to see you both more soon." She smiles.

Advent stares at Kiara, his hands lift and he shakes his head. "Shhh. Don't put thoughts in their heads." He turns to look at Nik. "I know they are. That being said I'm getting … cabin fever. Lying in that bed is making me go mad." He points out with a raised finger. "I am trying to get better, not worse. Good night everyone." He turns and walks with the nurse out of the building.

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