crystal;

[heirring]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Wysteria
RECIPIENT: Everyone
NOTES: A very heartfelt announcement. No shenanigans here, no siree.

[The sun is—well, not quite shining as it is rather very overcast. The birds are—shrieking is really more in line with what the seagulls swooping about the Gallows do. But at least Wysteria Poppell is this morning at her most aggressively bright:]

Good Morning, Riftwatch. This is Miss Wysteria Poppell with a very brief but quite happy announcement.

For those of you who are not otherwise engaged outside the Gallows on the date in question, I should like to cordially invite you on Summerday to bring your best clothes and join the company which will be travelling from here to Edlingham Hall in the Vinmark foothills.

Warden Andrasteia has helped to arrange a very lively party there. We will be camping in the ruin overnight, and expect to engage in all the usual dancing and playing of music and general revelry which is typical in celebration of myself and Monsieur de Foncé's most sincere wedding vows.

Gifts are not unwelcome, but are hardly necessary; we wish only to celebrate our most enduring happiness with anyone who should care to share it. Thank you in advance for all your kind words and congratulations.

Comments

[heirring]

Good. [Is maybe just two shades too relieved.] I will be very happy for it.

—Oh but Mister Holden, please do be kind. I couldn't bear the company of a cat.

[acreage]

No cats, I promise.

[ first petra, now this! ]

->private

[heirring]

You have my eternal thanks. Now, oh—

[Hastily turning the crystal to render this conversation private.]

Now you must tell me who best you like in our company and if she attends, I will contrive to see that you dance together.

->private

[acreage]

[ oh. oh. ]

You don't have to do that, but thanks.

[heirring]

I know I don't have to. However, it would be of great delight to me to do you a small favor.

[acreage]

I appreciate that. [ str...ained ] But there isn't anyone. I have someone, back home, but she isn't here.

[heirring]

[Whoops.]

In that case, you may sit close to me all evening and I will heroically explain to everyone who asks you to dance that you have turned your ankle and can bear no weight on it at all.

[acreage]

My hero. I doubt it'll keep you too busy.

[heirring]

I wouldn't be troubled by it at all, so long as you were entertained by it.

[acreage]

That much, I can guarantee.

[ wysteria, a true bro ]

[heirring]

Tell me, Mister Holden. Have you been to many wedding celebrations?

[acreage]

[ he has to stop to think about that, actually. ]

Not many, [ is admitted, ] and not in a long time. And you'll be my first in Thedas.

[heirring]

What sorts of things happen at them where you come from?

[acreage]

Paperwork, mostly. [ you'd never guess, in this moment, that he's actually a romantic. ] The rest depends on the people in question's faith and how much of a party they want to make of it.

[heirring]

[Not to worry; she will be silly enough for the both of them.]

What is you favorite thing you've seen? Or heard of, I suppose.

[acreage]

Are you looking for suggestions?

[heirring]

Not really, no. Only weddings are all much the same in Kalvad, and I've never been to one in Thedas. I'm only curious.

[acreage]

What are weddings like in Kalvad?

[ but, he pauses to consider her question, then offers, ]

I knew someone whose sisters stole her husband's shoes during the wedding ceremony. The only way to get them back was for him to pay them off. They made pretty good cash off him, as far as I could tell.

[heirring]

Oh! [Her pleasure is instant, a bright spark.] We have something very like that!

Usually the night before the wedding, an assembly of cousins or friends or whomever you like kidnaps the bride and she is hidden away somewhere and the groom must come rescue her and pay a ransom to her captors like paying money or doing some bit of cleverness like solving a puzzle. It's very good fun. The most money I have ever had in my own pocket was from when we held my cousin Claudine hostage.

[acreage]

[ it's catching, her happiness. ]

Oh yeah? Where'd you hide her?

[heirring]

In the hayloft of her neighbor's barn. It had been done up for the occasion - pretty lanterns and things -, so that when her husband did finally sort his way to the right place a little party was hosted there. I was very young at the time. Only ten or eleven. But I remember it very clearly.

[acreage]

[ cute... ]

Have you considered doing something like that here? I doubt de Foncé would be against it.

[ since, hypothetically, he cares about his bride's happiness. ]

[heirring]

Oh no. It's not something the bride is meant to have any hand in seeing done. I think it would feel very strange to arrange it.

Anyway, it's just a silly thing.