[GP] The De Rolo Wedding Reception

[st_abby]

The calendar of "Kahl-ee-Fornea" was very different to that of Tal'Dorei. But the spring dance had been a good reminder for the Exandrians (one of them, anyway) that the Renewal Festival would take place more or less this time of year, landing always on the thirteenth day of Dulahei. It seemed a fitting time to set the 'small family dinner' in celebration of the marriage of Vex and Percy.

...Yeah, but no. Because Vax'ildan didn't mind a bit of revenge for their having done the thing without so much as telling him for several weeks, and because his sister always deserved the best of everything anyway, the garden had a whopping lot more than that for the happy couple as they opened the doors onto what first looked like pitch blackness. Until the big, white-hot spotlight snapped abruptly on to glare down on top of the pair with blinding scrutiny.

A familiar voice sang out from beyond, his ever-charming booming and crooning amplified to fill the whole of the outdoors by something called a 'microphone,' Scanlan using all his singular panache to belt out a melodic tune:

"There she is, Mrs. De Rolo
There she is, your ideal
The dreams of a million boys and girls who want to find love in Emon City
For Vex may turn out to more than Baroness of the first house of Whitestone and Grand Mistress of the Hunt
There he is, Mr. De Rolo
There he is, your ideal
With so much brooding and tinkering he took the town by storm
With his all-Whitestone face and form
And there they are
Walking on air, he is
Fairest of the fair, she is
There they are - Mr. and Mrs. De Rolooooooooooo~"

A resounding wave of applause, murmuring, cheers, and laughter broke out all around the newlyweds - one such unbridled merry cackle absolutely coming from the bride's brother - and Scanlan's tone changed immediately to a much more vibrant, excited, sporting-event-enthusiasm style of announcement: "Ladies and Gentlemen - it's the DE ROLO FAMILY!"

The strands of bulb lighting popped into yellow-soft brightness all at once, revealing the guests gathered around dozens of tables artfully set with dinner places enough for everyone at the Inn. Each table included flowers, linens, and garlands all matched in smart Whitestone-Blue, darker Owlbear-Blue, black and white with touches of gold accents, all thanks to Caroline's management. The outdoor area so far as one could see had been dressed in one of Lillith's illusions to mimic a beautiful forest clearing at purple-dusk with fireflies dancing, the shapes of buildings and foothills in the distance distinctly cast to look like the city and castle of Whitestone. Ignis and Emma stood by putting a few final touches on what they'd all started calling 'fancy barbecue,' an enormous buffet of haute cuisine smoked and grilled meats with artful sides, a table beside them holding up the massive layer cake Pike had tirelessly fussed into perfection. So many others had come together to help or to wish the de Rolos well - but there would be plenty of time over the evening for them to be thanked and recognized with food, drink, song - there was even an area marked out as a dance floor.

A freshly bathed Trinket in his very own bowtie lumbered up to Vex'ahlia to rumble and lick her face as the pair finally had a moment to react to the spectacle. At ground-level, a small disc-like device with a large serving spoon taped to it had been labeled with marker as Ensign Stubby, rolling its way between tables and chairs while balancing a large, many-times-stabbed basket of flower petals (with a handful left nestled in its giant spoon) on top of its flat surface like a drunken flower girl to finally bump into Vex and Percy's shoes. ...And possibly the best thing about their stunning surprise? That Peter boy had got the whole thing on VHS.

Comments

Lady Vex'ahlia de Rolo - OTA

[st_ubby]

A small family dinner, he'd said.

Like they did for Winter's Crest, he'd said.

This was not a small family dinner like they did for Winter's Crest. This was closer to the level of spectacle Vex and Percy had been glad to avoid by not being in Whitestone, although less formal.

This was also, Vex was sure, her brother's way of working out the hurt he felt at not being at her side when she and Percy exchanged their vows. And for that reason, she would celebrate with a smile, and be happy to have him here with her today. Fortunately, the girls' spa day yesterday had left her feeling pampered and relaxed. Poor Percy, on the other hand, was looking a bit ragged around the edges after a night drinking with Vax.

Really, she should have expected something was up when, in getting ready for the 'dinner', she was handed a dress she'd never seen before – brilliant blue, with white flowers, fitted at the top to accentuate her tits, with a flared skirt that showed off her legs in the front and fell lower in the back, and it all fit her beautifully – and told to "wear this." Or when Percival had similarly had his wardrobe picked for him.

The champagne was flowing, there was good food, and her brother looked beyond pleased with himself. As long as everyone had fun, she could Lady de Rolo through the rest.

Vex topped off her glass and offered the bottle and a smile to the person coming up. "Champagne? And you are having fun, aren't you?"

Vex and Zahra

[st_affofthemoon]

"I'd rather a hug, if you're offering." Zahra smiled and moved in to hug her. "I'm happy you too finally figured it out and got married. Congratulations, darling."

She was beyond happy for her friend. "And for someone who didn't know this was going to be this big - " And truthfully, she didn't either. "You look fabulous as always."

Re: Vex and Zahra

[st_ubby]

Honestly, Vex hadn't been thinking when she offered the champagne. She was still trying to get used to the list of things 'not safe for baby or mama during pregnancy,' a list that was far longer than she could have imagined. Not that she had spent much time, any really, around pregnant women before.

"I'm so glad you're here, darling, and thank you," she said, giving her friend a warm hug. "And if I have to guess, I imagine you had something to do with me looking this fabulous. I feel like there would be far more black in my outfit if it had been left to my brother."

Re: Vex and Zahra

[st_affofthemoon]

"There was initial talk of armour and I had to use my considerable glaring skills to decline that idea." She smiled. "But you would have pulled it off, whatever was chosen. And you're also pulling off not looking entirely out of sorts with your brother's addition to tonight's dinner."

Re: Vex and Zahra

[st_ubby]

"I really haven't had the opportunity to show off my new armor," Vex mused. She'd found the white armor in an egg, and recognized the hide as Vorugal's. It seemed they would have gotten around to doing something useful with it eventually back home. "Vax and I could have blended in with the salt and pepper shakers."

She looked out over the Whitestone landscape – Lillith had done a wonderful job – and found her brother talking with his darling Steph. He looked so happy. "I've a lifetime's experience with my dear brother's pranks and payback." Then more seriously, "And I know how badly I hurt him by not having him there when Percy and I wed. I know why we did it the way we did, and... I'm not sure I could do it differently, if we went back in time to do it over again. But Vax should have been there. I wanted him there." Just not enough to wait and risk never having the moment again. "If this party makes up for my mistake, in whatever little way, then I can give him that."

Re: Vex and Zahra

[st_affofthemoon]

And that was why Vex was a wonderful person. Zahra's smile warmed. "You are a good sister, Vex. And I understand your desire to marry quickly and personally." And spur of the moment things happened from time to time. It couldn't quite be helped. Her belly was an example of such a thing.

"I just receiving my tools from home, in those strange eggs. so you better expect some sort of gift from me in the near future, and I won't take no for an answer." She would just have to figure out what do make. Arrows seemed a bit unnecessary here.

Re: Vex and Zahra

[st_ubby]

"I do love gifts." Something Zahra knew, and her gifts were always fun. "Besides, we all need things to do here, or we'll go starkers." At least for a while longer. Vex imagined that in a few months, Zahra would have more than enough to keep her busy, even if taking care of babies wasn't the sort of busy they were used to.

Re: Vex and Zahra

[st_affofthemoon]

"I think Kash might have a few silent grumbles about me working at a forge while pregnant, but he knows better than to say something." Her voice was fond and almost amused.

"Any particular request?" Zahra wondered if there was anything Vex thought she was without while at the inn.

Vex and Lillith

[st_rangepalette]

"Always!" Lillith replied with a warm smile and a bit of a giggle. She thought, probably, she could get away with a few giggles without making anyone suspicious. It was party, it was fun, and Lillith was having a wonderful time.

"I hope you are not having fun, since this is supposed to be punishment," she then said very sternly, only to spoil the effect by giving Vex an enormous hug. "I am so happy for both of you. So happy!"

Re: Vex and Lillith

[st_ubby]

"No fun at all. I am suffering my punishment with penitence and grace," Vex answered, only barely keeping the laughter at bay, as she hugged Lillith warmly. "My brother deserves his payback. Although I cannot believe everyone kept this secret."

That was probably the point as much as the huge party was. Not only had Vex not found Vax to have him with her when they married, she'd kept it secret for far longer than she'd intended, trying to find the right moment and way to tell him.

"And thank you, dear." Vex and Percy were happier than she would have believed – well, today's hangover and the fuss of a huge party might be dampening Percy's spirits today a little, but that didn't change them being happily wed – but it felt like risking fate to say so too often out loud.

"The illusion is yours, isn't it? It's... it's beautiful. Thank you for the glimpse of home."

Re: Vex and Lillith

[st_rangepalette]

"You are truly the soul of martyrdom," Lillith teased, giving Vex another quick squeeze. They had had a nice time together during yesterday's spa day, too, and she felt closer to Vex than ever.

"Illusion, it is mine, yes. From a new spell from Easter," she told Vex. "It is amazing. I can change a square mile, Vex! For ten whole days! I can do it any time we need to see home or just something different than here." Of course it had practical applications for battle and confusing monsters and the like, but here... "It is as though someone gave me infinite blank canvases and infinite paint to play with."

When she realized that she had been going on, her cheeks flushed lightly. "I mean to say, you are welcome, and please do not hesitate to ask me to do so again."

Re: Vex and Lillith

[st_ubby]

Vex had some idea of the practical applications the spell might hold; Keyleth's Hallucinatory Terrain had been quite useful on more than one occasion, and it wasn't nearly as impressive as what Lillith had managed here. But for now, she would enjoy the view of Whitestone, the home and legacy Percy had given her, as well as Lillith's excitement over the new spell.

Her own magic was so limited, and yet, whenever she found herself able to call upon nature's magic in new ways, Vex had been eager to show off what she could do, looking for any excuse to use it. "Ten days? You could probably make a fortune, or at least make some people very, very happy, by changing their rooms for that long."

Re: Vex and Lillith

[st_rangepalette]

"I wonder..." It had not occurred to her to try the spell on her room. "I do not think the Inn would let me change it for so long, but now I shall have to try it to be sure." She would try it on her own room, first thing tomorrow.

Her tail slipped around Vex's waist to give her a gentle squeeze. "Regardless, you must let me make Whitestone or somewhere else for you and Percy, as a wedding gift, for the custom that Stephanie called a 'honeymoon'." She ducked her head slightly to the side, careful not to gore Vex accidentally. "I shall not force it on you, of course. But it would please me to do so, if it would ever bring you joy."

Re: Vex and Lillith

[st_ubby]

"If nothing else you can experiment. See what this place will and won't let you get away with." Percy's influence again, for Vex to understand there could be pleasure in the trial and error of experimentation.

"Let me talk with Percy. Somewhere lovely for a honeymoon sounds delightful." Moreso for being a gift from Lillith, who was so dear to both of them. "I'm sure I can lure him away from his workshop for a little while."

Re: Vex and Lillith

[st_rangepalette]

"When you choose a place, I will need several days to plan the casting," Lillith told her, excitement bleeding into her voice. She could imagine well the chance to build another place with so many intricate and interesting elements and clapped her hands together in delight.

"I am pleased with this spell and all my Easter gifts. What did you receive, darling?"

Vex & Curnen

[st_oneswidow]

"Congratu-fucking-lations!" Curnen grinned at her, saluting with her own drink. "And I'm good." Even if champagne really wasn't her thing. Wine in general wasn't, but at least with champagne the bubbles tickled going down.

She'd been invited to the spa day, but due to one big--and growing--reason she'd turned the offer down. It had nothing to do with love of Vex, though.

Re: Vex & Curnen

[st_ubby]

Vex had understood why Curnen hadn't joined them for the girls' spa day. One good thing about her beloved brother's retribution was that Curnen and Zahra could both be here, with the cushion of most of the inn to make things less awkward. She wasn't sure, if he had thrown the small family dinner they talked about, if Curnen would have come.

"Not going to scold us for running off on our own?"

Re: Vex & Curnen

[st_oneswidow]

Curnen shrugged and waved a hand as if to say 'yeah, well, what can you do?'. "Weddings are a bitch. This way you got married on your terms and you didn't have to do any planning for this. Sounds like a win all around to me."

Re: Vex & Curnen

[st_ubby]

Oh sweet Sarenrae. Someone who understood. "If we had been in Whitestone, Percy and I marrying would have meant a series of formal, and very public events. We would have owed it to our people. It would have been less about the two of us and what we feel or want. More a way to help our city rebuild and begin anew. Those are important things, and there is a part of me that knows we should be there to help.

"But gods, that is not the wedding we would have wanted."

Re: Vex & Curnen

[st_oneswidow]

"It's a rare person who really wants that kind of wedding." Big, yes. Public, sure. Symbolic? That was a hard sell. Curnen's hadn't been like that, but she'd seen it happen to a few of the women who had taken Radella's role. "You ain't a person no more in situations like that."

Re: Vex & Curnen

[st_ubby]

Not a person, but a duty. Noblesse oblige. "This was better. Although my brother should have been there. That is my one regret about how we got married. I needed Vax at my side."

From Mr to Mrs

[st_ockandbarrel]

Midway through the evening, Percy's headache had abated, his cake smeared coat and shirt had both been doffed and Percy's patience with protocol was done. He slipped up behind his wife, touched her back at the curve of her waist. "So, Lady de Rolo. I believe it's traditional for the married couple to leave and let their guests finish the night without them."

Re: From Mr to Mrs

[st_ubby]

"Traditions should be respected, husband." Vex leaned into his touch. "Do you think we've suffered enough for Vax's liking?"

Re: From Mr to Mrs

[st_ockandbarrel]

"Scanlan sang at us, someone shoved cake in my face, and we've had food and a dance. That's enough for me. If he wanted me to stay longer, he should have held off on that last bottle of poison he poured down me last night." Percy smiled and kissed her temple. "Come on, let's sneak off before anyone notices we're missing."

Re: From Mr to Mrs

[st_ubby]

"Poor, poor Percival." Vex smiled back and kissed his cheek in return. Although really, it had been above and beyond to get Percy so very drunk the night before. Vax had to have known what he was doing.

"Just how sneaky do we want to be?" She gave a small wiggle of her fingers. They might not be as sneaky as her brother, but they could be very stealthy when they needed, and Pass Without Trace would make it that much more difficult for anyone to notice as they made their escape.

They could always say their goodnights over the earring once they were well away.