Legend of Ransera

Etiquette, as Kala had been instructed, was not intended to be a strict set of rules maintained merely to make one worry at any moment they might misstep and cause a scene. In fact, it was intended to be a social lubricant, to make interactions pleasant and positive, whether one was at a party or negotiating in earnest. The young lady was not upset that she couldn't champion the Kathar cause at a Hytori prince's nameday party; rather, she was glad that the issue had been brought up obliquely and she had been given a sort of permission to pursue the matter in a more appropriate place and time.

This was a small victory, and the festivities wouldn't be ruined by atrocities on the other side of the continent. After all, no matter what she did, said, or how she comported herself here and now was going to be the deciding factor in the independence of her enslaved cousins.

She smiled and told Salmakis briefly about the genius runeforger of Starfall, a dwarven woman, as well as the young man who had come up quickly. For such a small settlement, they were spoiled for choice insofar as enchanted equipment was concerned. Of course, there was quite a bit going on where outsiders couldn't see, but that was a secret even from their Briathos liege lords.

The time was coming for epiphany, perhaps. Her brother Aquilios was not pressuring her to make her wings and divinity common knowledge any time soon, but he calculated, and she was rather certain that he would leverage those things when they were common knowledge to secede from Kalzasern oversight.

Kala laughed, not unkindly, at the princess' question.

"Goddess, no. If you had told me as a child that I would become a trade minister, I would have impolitely inquired about your mental faculties. I was always good at maths, I suppose. They are a sort of universal language, and I enjoy puzzling things out with those tools, but now I have people doing those calculations for me most of the time. I grew up with an elder brother and my twin brother. I was... well... I suppose exactly how elves might expect a human child to be... all dirt-smudged face and skinned knees. But I grew up... much as your little bears, I think." She had done her homework with regard to Hytori culture, it seemed, even though she had missed the Vrauronia this year.

"My brother the heir spent a handful of years in the capital before returning home to learn under my mother's supervision. Kaus and I went to the capital once we were declared adults, both to further our educations and to be of service to the family. I started working with our factor, helping to oversee our financial affairs, while Kaus pursued his martial training and showing up to parties to charm people." She smiled, affection unfeigned. It wasn't that Kaus couldn't do the maths or focus upon the sort of work she was doing; he just didn't have the temperament to enjoy it. Everyone loved ebullient Kaus. Kala was the quiet, strange one. She wasn't unpopular, but certainly more introverted.

"In any case, I serve at the will of my lady mother and when the former Queen-Regent offered me the position in her government, I accepted. Kalzasi has needed its people to shine of late. We are cursed to live in interesting times."

"Some days are more entertaining than others, surely," she said, "but my work has afforded me the opportunity to travel here, to the cradle of civilization, so even if every day isn't a golden blessing, I am doing my duty and am honored by the perks."

Kala did perk up at the reintroduction of dance. She nodded.

"Our weaponsmaster also taught us how to dance. Aquilios and Kaus are excellent dancers, but I went further, studying forms other than court dancing and our local dances. When I first arrived in Kalzasi, I was worried I would have to set it aside to make time for my education and my work and began patronizing theaters like the Golden Peacock. At least I could be an appreciative audience, yes? But I have kept taking whatever opportunities to learn that I could, and alongside weapons practice, dance is how I keep fit."

She wasn't certain she would be comfortable in an elven gymnaseion--the elves still traditionally exercised without clothes unless they were necessary for safety or comfort. Proving one was physically fit was still seen as auxiliary corroboration of one's moral fitness. She understood it, but she wasn't sure she could live it.

"If you could recommend a few shows, perhaps I will be able to see them while I am here. I have learned some Hytori dance forms, although, of course, from traveling Hytori dancers who deigned to share. I am certain it would be a didactic experience as much as an artistic revelation."

Her smile was sincere, akin to how her face lit up while discussing their dresses.

"Do take her to at least one, thygátēr," Ailuin suggested. Then, "Pardon me, ladies, the birthday prince beckons." He and Salmakis nodded indulgently to princess and foreign lady, then left them to their discussion.

Kala laughed quietly. "That settles that, then."

Kala was, of course, pleased to be understood. If she paid more attention to dance than her brothers had, well, perhaps she was the more graceful, elegant warrior for it. She was never going to match them for pure strength, anyway. While she didn't share the thought—nor her divinity—with Akantha, she did wonder when she would develop the ability to smite. It might become useful at some point.

After a polite bow to the departing princes, it seemed Akantha was stuck with her for the time being. Thankfully, they had several interests in common.

"Ahh... I would not consider myself fluent by any means," she said apologetically, "though I hope that with future visits, I will become so eventually. So while I won't offend your ears with anything but the most practiced of phrases, I can actually understand far more than I can express. My skill with the Rune of Semblance is sufficient that, should someone be keen to communicate with me in a language I don't speak well, and barring any wards, the magic helps me absorb more meaning than I might otherwise. So the poetry of a play in Mythrasi might be lost upon me, but I will catch the meaning of the words and if the performer knows their craft, I wouldn't even need magic to empathize with the emotions."

Having mentioned future visits in front of Ailuin as well as Akantha now, she posited, "I would certainly enjoy the experience even if my ignorance prevents me from enjoying the fullness of it. Then, since your people have had millennia to perfect their portals, perhaps it wouldn't be so terribly difficult to visit Silfanore when a performance you think I would appreciate comes along."

"Aye," she agreed. "Everyone fears a sembling spy, but forget that its true power lies in building bridges between peoples and minds. Of course, that might be the sort of thing a spy dissembling might say." Her smile was self-deprecating; certainly, she was soaking up details everywhere the elves let her feet tread, but she didn't come with malice in her heart. Ailuin had wrung her out for fresh news from Kalzasi, as if he didn't have spies among them, she was sure. But, of course, he found her analyses cogent, as well. Thankfully, while she found his approbation flattering, it was difficult to fall sway to mortal flattering when the Great Goddess Herself had come and refashioned one's body and soul.

"That sounds lovely!"

There had been possibilities for the next evening, but nothing she had decided upon. And certainly nobody could complain if she daren't say no to a princess' invitation.

"To be fair, my entire attention maybe taken up by the costuming itself, Semblance or no." She laughed quietly. "When a piece of art nears perfection, sometimes my mind latches onto one element of it lest the whole of it overwhelm. Which... actually... dovetailing back into Semblance as an aid to overcoming language barriers, I have considered uses for mnemosyte for language acquisition, and now I wonder whether there might not be some way to save the memories of an experience such as that with mnemosyte so that, even if one's focus is on one thing in the moment, one can go back and focus on other aspects after the fact." She was certain there were some ways already extant. Given a powerful enough mnemosyte, one could merely hold it in one's hands and focus on the experience one was having. With a little expertise, that was nothing. However, it would be rather a waste of a priceless dragonshard.

"I will have to speak to my runeforger about it."

Surely Torin could create something that allowed one to save such detailed memories more holistically without sacrificing the most precious of mnemosyte shards.

The party moved around the kindred spirits with the natural ebb and flow of such events. Ailuin allowed his daughter her time; he knew that sometimes these parties could be quite the bore. But before the time spent entirely with Kala could be seen as rude, he rejoined the bubble with two people in tow: one to connect with Akantha and one to connect with Kala. The Avialae diplomat parted from the princess with sincere regret, but reminded her that she would be expecting her invitation.

There wasn't another chance for them to speak that evening, but later, the invitation did come, and Akantha was able to meet Lord Kaus, her twin, and he was as gregarious and charming as ever, quite like and quite unalike his sister. In any case, he flushed prettily when Kala told Akantha how she had dressed him up in any clothes she had been able to find: mother's, father's, elder brother's, and their own. Back when they were small, of course.

Later, people would ask Akantha about her winged acquaintances, accepting whatever she was willing to share. Often as not, people would sigh and say they were the sort that any rational elf would wish retained their elegantly pointed ears and their longevity and constitution. Of course, what could Akantha do but agree? Kalzasi had clearly sent their best, as was appropriate for communications with the Hytori princes.

Akantha could hear her father, her mother, and various other princes speaking in her memory about how the younger races could be taught, and that it was their responsibility as the First Children to help raise their errant brethren. No doubt Kala would bring artists from Kalzasi to witness what the elves had to offer, the better to inspire them.

When Kala left, she left the cipher to open a portal directly to her mailbox such that messages could reach her nigh instantaneously; Ailuin had given her the same cipher for diplomatic missives. The lines of communication were open.

!	Message from: Hekatos
	Huzzah! 15 xp are available for use at your discretion. I will not be taking moderator XP as Kala is getting XP for my efforts. Do let me know if you have any questions or concerns; otherwise, we can start planning their next meeting when you have bandwidth!