Poise and Rationality || 1x1

[Baelixx]

A wave of relief and glee washes over her, and Aella grins. "Oh, it's going to be so much fun!" She gushes, forgetting herself as she is overcome with excitement. "I look forward to it." She adds with a determined nod, mind reeling with what she imagines their shared experience might be; between the festival, sunset, and gifts. It would be a busy day for certain.

His request has her tilting her head in curiosity and she smiles warmly, calming down her excitement. "What do you wish to know exactly?"

[Alpha*]

He pulls his bottom lip between his teeth for a moment, green-gray eyes downcast. Could he be a white dragon? No... he has other forms too... The prince finally looks at his fiance, "I'd like to know anything that you could tell me." Is responded at last, "if you don't mind. " His own smile stretches across his face, and the young man timidly reaches out, taking her hand in his.

Was this alright?

His cheeks feel warm.

"I mean, your history is fascinating. I'd like to know more.. sometime." He runs his thumb over her knuckles, "if you don't mind. It doesn't have to be now." The prince is quiet, "Will your parents be joining us?" Is questioned, noticing that almost an hour has passed. Had something happened??

[Baelixx]

Orbs of blue and gold take him in, shining as his hand finds hers. She offers a light, welcoming squeeze of his palms as she listens attentively. "I don't mind in the least. It's actually really nice to have someone else to share our history with. Everyone here already knows it or is too young to care." The last words are said with a small shrug. "Would it be alright if I told you more after trying your La-pe-ri?" She tries her best to pronounce the name of the chocolatey drink in the way he had done, but the word is foreign and a bit awkward.

"I believe they are on their way." She nods, but her mind wanders to what might have held them for so long.

--

Steps echo down the corridor as the king and queen make their way to the gathering room for tonight's bonding experience. Much to King Varian's protest, the pair wore comfortable pajamas- as Queen Jaina had insisted casual attire would be best and help lighten any anxieties.

"It's just that I don't typically enjoy wearing such things outside of the confines of our chambers, Jaina." He protested, to which the queen chuckled.

"And so you've stated a hundred times in the past thirty minutes, love." Is retorted, accompanied by a playful nudge of the elbow. "Relax, Var. It's important to let go every once in a while and enjoy this life. Your stresses and planning are too much. Let us enjoy the company of our daughter and her betrothed."

A sigh before he agrees, "I know. But we've kept them waiting long enough." And with that, the king nods to a guard who opens the door for them, and he musters up the most relaxed smile he can manage. "Hello Aella. Rith." Nods in their direction. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Jaina moves from his side, arm unwrapping from his as she embraces first her daughter and then their soon to be son in law. "What is that delicious smell?"

[Alpha*]

He smiles at her attempt to pronounce the strange word, greenish eyes catching firelight as he looks at her, "LaypearE." Is pronounced softly, "and yes, I would like to hear more, as much as you would wish to share." Rith moves slightly, drawing back and pulling the pot once more from the fire place where he'd been popping corn. (It's not his favorite, but a treat from his homeland. The prince tilts his head to the distant sounds of voices, to the sounds of feet on stone. Her parents? He wonders, but soon that question is answered because it is them.

Her father he ... mostly, understands. Her mother? He doesn't have experience with a mother, as his had died too young, and his father's other - deceased wives - hadnt had time with him growing up. (He'd been sent on too many missions, to fight in wars from the time he was seven.) And suddenly she's hugging Aella, and then himself and he isn't sure how to react. How to respond. The queen hasn't let go until his arms move and he timidly hugs her back.

"The smells are... Laperi, and some food?" The statement ends in a question. "Would you... like some?" There are plenty of pillows and blankets arranged into a nest on the floor by the fireplace. Would they sit with him, or on the furniture?

[Baelixx]

A light blush creeps across her cheeks as she realizes her mistake and she echos the correct pronunciation, moving to eye the bubbling liquid in curiosity. "Laperi." She says again, nodding in satisfaction with her correction for the pronunciation. She perks at the sound of steps and voices outside, and Aella smiles warmly as her parents join them.

She dips her head in greetings to her father before embracing her mother with a chuckle. "Rith made special treats for us." She says, pride and excitement evident in her voice.

The queen smiles, pulling back from the embrace with the prince. "How thoughtful of you." She muses before nodding. "I would be delighted to have some." The queen answers. Aella beams, moving to the arranged pillows on the floor and she settles on one before motioning to her father to do the same.

King Varian watched a moment before he smiled, a feeling of peace washing over him as he saw the way Aella spoke about and looked at Rith. It was a good match indeed, and helped to quiet his anxieties. At his daughter's beckoning, he made his way to the nest of comfort before settling down with his legs crossed. "What preparations you've made here." He says with a nod toward the prince, acknowledging his evident hard work in preparing for their family night

[Alpha*]

He stirs and then serves the Laperi in those small, multi- hued glasses; surprised when the king and queen elect to sit in the nest. He hadn't expected that of her parents, his own father would never have deigned to join him. Varian speaks of his preparation, and Rith flushes, "my mother always said that Laperi was for family. " He divulges, "and that when one serves it then they should offer food, " its a comfort thing for him, and grey-green eyes wait for condemnation, or even humiliation.

The prince pushes the Laperi over to the other three royals, then there is the trays and bowls of foods from his homeland. And a few from his ... various travels. Aella's smile snakes in his chest, warm and it makes his nervousness almost completely dissipate. How he lives for that smile! "Please, help yourselves. " He invites, picking up his own hot drink and spooning whipped cream into it.

[Baelixx]

Varian listens to the offered explanation in interest, nodding thoughtfully. From the way the young prince shared such a detail made him consider what their current circumstances might have been like should she still be alive. If Apinumera or its king would be different. It was a hopeful thought, though doubtful. "Your mother sounds like she was a most hospitable woman." He said gently, lifting one of the small rainbow colored glasses to his lips. A sip and the king's stormy grey eyes widen in a bit of delighted surprise. Spices and coffee and chocolate dance on his taste buds. "It is very good." He compliments before looking to his wife, wishing to see her reaction.

"It's Delicious!" Aella voices excitedly. Chocolate was one of her absolute favorites, an absolute weakness if she was being honest. And the combination of flavors delighted her. Aella's blue gold eyes watched as her mom nodded in agreement, taking another sip. "It is wonderful." The queen agreed before adding. "Thank you, Rith."

Aella smiled warmly, before she noticed Rith spooning cream into his glass of warm liquid. "Oh I love cream." She hummed, before copying him and adding a spoonful to her own glass. "Would you prefer to just chat or play a game?" she asks curiously, looking up to her fiance with playfulness in her eyes. "Or anything else you'd like." The princess quickly adds

[Alpha*]

"I think i owe you all an honest explanation." His tongue is caught between his teeth while he considers what they should do. Cautiously the prince sets aside his own Laperi, hands clasping together. "I was born about twenty three years ago, on the morning of the yule Ball, to my mother and father, they were, I have been told, ecstatic to have a son. Shortly after, my mother grew ill, and she died. My father mourned and when I was almost two he re married. "

[Baelixx]

Aella blinks, looking at him curiously as her parents still, relaxing in their seats against the pillow and giving him their full attention. Tilting her head, Aella watches Rith as he cautiously proceeds with whatever it was he was going to say. Well, now she knew his birthday. And she hadn't expected it to be so soon. But as he spoke of his mother's death and his father's remarriage, Aella's eyebrows lifted slightly. If he had been so young, he wouldn't remember his mother. "Go on Rith." Aella says gently in encouragement. "We won't bite." She says, a playful smile tugging at her lips before adding "hard, at least." It is all she can do, joking and playfulness that is, to help things feel less serious and anxiety inducing. And the princess is intrigued, wishing to know more about her future husband and all that made him who he was.

[Alpha*]

It's another minute before his voice sounds out; "he remarried, left me in the care of Nahumanni, my nurse maid who had come to Apinumera with my mother. "Nahu, as she prefers, was the only one who would tell me of my mother and her homeland." There's a dip of his chin. "My father had married two more times after her death, before... " Rith swallows, "he became a conquerer, he would send armies in and take over small territories and kingdoms, like any good warlord - he and my uncle Makor - work well together. " Is that a bitter note? Is that a hint of disdain? The prince hums to himself, "my father's third wife bore two sons, Lyle and Reese, they aren't my blood siblings, I think, but I love them all the same." He does too; he adores his younger siblings, dotes on them. "My father had their mother killed, and he married Deans' mother, who died when he was born. "

There is history he tries to forget.

Rith holds a spoon, it's handle raising a pattern on his skin; "Magor, my...father displeased some powerful people, kingdoms with armies that are known to twitch and erase places of little note, yet they feared him." He twitches his fingers and the spoon moves, twirls, "so... these rulers found someone else to make my father, try to make my father anyway, to rue the day he decided that families should be ripped apart without a care in the world. Decided to render atrocities against the living. " He exhales slowly, "they hired those who are often Gray."

Odd eyes blink, catching the firelight, glimmering like embers: "they sent an emmessary to my homeland, with others who went about to the other kingdoms. Within a month they convened together, within another year, I was ten or eleven then, they came to my father... and they gave him a scroll, one which listened his crimes. Listed those who'd spoken out and what they'd said." The wind rattles the window against the frame, he inhales. "The messanger spoke, 'you have been rebuked, change your ways, repent.. or there will be punishment, ' ... my father beheaded the man."