[center][color=33d6c2][h3][i]Saisri “Sisi” Tyalanthe[/i][/h3]
[sub]Bride of Exon Xe’Jah [@Ellion], sister-bride to Nadia Parnel [@Vesuvius00][/sub][/color][/center]

Saisri bolted awake at Exon’s voice, blinking up sleepily at him. She quickly put together the events of the previous day as she dressed, putting on a loose-fitting cream colored blouse and a dark brown skirt. Her hair was just tugged into a messy braid over one shoulder.

[i]“Remember your punishment, little one”[/i] Exon had said. Saisri turned to the small fire gem next to her, a soft smile on her face, and reached out, gently placing her hand on the girl’s shoulder. She had decided somewhere along the line that, so long as Nadia was forbidden to speak, she would refuse to speak herself.

As Exon took her arm she forced herself not to flinch away from him. He pulled her towards the door, as she heard a faint verbal kerfuffle perhaps from the ground floor – something about a runaway bride? Was this what Exon was hoping to show them?
[hr]
[center][color=a2d39c][h3][i]Sorici Amberra[/i][/h3]
[sub]Bride of Cuwarr Naxremis [@Cubix], sister-bride to Kalani Solle [@karamonnom][/sub][/color][/center]

Sorici couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the back of the oddly waltzing Cuwarr. He was playing… was that… that was the Gemminite fanfare…?

She blinked stupidly after him for a moment, then glanced at Kalani as she realized the taller girl had spoken to her. Asking about Cuwarr, what she thought of him? The girl glanced at the door as though expecting the seemingly unhinged Drakken to walk back in at any moment, before finally speaking in her soft, slightly clipped voice.

[color=a2d39c]“He’s polite enough I suppose…”[/color] she said at first, the thought trailing off as she tried to collect herself and force down the sudden wave of anger that threatened to overwhelm her. She did well at it, all things considered… her words were scarcely tinged with her bitterness, only slightly sharper than they should have been. [color=a2d39c]”But I’m moderately sure it’s just a façade. He is merely waiting for us to let our guard down.”[/color] She sighed heavily, her eyes unfocusing for a moment, but she quickly snapped back to reality and offered a small, if blank, smile to Kalani as she changed the subject. [color=a2d39c]“Thank you, Kalani. I’ll be quick about it.”[/color]

She walked to the bathroom, quickly washing her face and pulling her hair into a neat bun. She straightened her clothes and then walked back to join her sister bride, a smile plastered on her face. [color=a2d39c]“Shall we head down?”[/color] As the two girls fell into step together, Sorici couldn’t help but let the question fall from her lips. [color=a2d39c]“And what do [i]you[/i] think of our new husband?"[/color]

[hr]
[center][color=f0a446][h3][b]Siadamkiru “Sia” Beneni[/b][/h3]
[sub]Wife of Sorrin Lucielle [@WeepingLiberty] and Onyx Briyll [@Vesuvius00][/sub][/color][/center]
Sia couldn’t help but smile softly at Onyx. [color=f0a446]“Do not worry over it, little one.  It is my duty.”[/color] she extended a hand to the girl, softly grasping Onyx’s fingers and giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. [color=f0a446]“You will be as safe with me as you were with your families – speaking of families. When we reach my estate, each of you can write a letter to be delivered by one of my couriers.”[/color] She flashed a warm look to each of the girls. [color=f0a446]“If I could I would allow you to go home but I fear if I did that my king and people would want my head on a pike, and I would much rather be alive to make my home a sanctuary.”[/color]

She frowned for a moment, turning to face Sorrin. Of course, the thought of Onyx’s belongings had not even occurred to her. [color=f0a446]“Ah, yes… if it’s not too much trouble, Sorrin. At least for today… on our way out I’ll have one of my guardswomen secure….”[/color] It was at that point that she realized she still didn’t know Onyx’s name. She turned back to the chocolate-haired girl. [color=f0a446]“My dear, if it is not too much trouble, might I know your name? I seem to have missed it in the chaos of yesterday…”[/color]

Sia quickly packed her belongings, wanting to give the girls time to dress. About halfway done with packing, a firm knock on the door distracted her. She turned, hand going to her sword, but it was only her household guard.

The instant they entered the room she could tell that something was wrong, though it took a minute to see what. Then she realized: Aldar’s tunic was rumpled and torn, she was wearing boots clearly three sizes too big for her, aaaand… she had no glaive. Bloody hell.

[color=f0a446]“Ladies, I’d like to introduce my personal guardswomen. Captain Rizan Vesque, lieutenant captains Kelyn Em’vere and Aldar Drais, Kintha Lortas, Acadea Drais, and medic Meiva Rilan.”[/color] Each of the guardswomen took a small bow, clasping her hand over her heart as she was introduced.

Sia turned again to the group, her informal air gone. It was a stern, upset commander that faced her guard now. [color=f0a446]“Aldar Drais. Report the status of our prisoner. And why are you not armed?”[/color]

The russet-haired, blue-eyed Drakken sighed, squaring her shoulders. Her eyes remained downcast. [color=3895db]“Vilyn Hilveus is no longer our captive, instead under the custody of Lord Zakroti Unalim.”[/color]

Sia frowned deeply… how had Zakroti gotten back to his chambers so rapidly as to give that order…? [color=f0a446]“And under whose order was Vilyn Hilevus’s arrest authorized?”[/color]

[color=3895db]“Lady Aymiria Unalim, Lord Zakroti’s first-chosen bride.”[/color]

Sia couldn’t help but exhale sharply. So Zakroti had given his brides some amount of legal status, had he? A dangerous game… for a dangerous man. Had she been in the girls’ place, she would not have dared challenge him.

[color=f0a446]“A more detailed report can wait for now. Until then—why did you present for duty without properly arming yourself? And why is your tunic in such an ill-maintained state?”[/color]

The redheaded Drakken blushed crimson. Her green-eyed sister, standing beside her, burst out laughing, but was quickly silenced  by a glare from Rizan. It took a lot of blushing and stammering, but eventually the story came out that the cause for the ill-repaired wardrobe and lack of weaponry, and proper boots, was none other than Zakroti’s bride Aymiria. It also came out that Aldar had threatened – and taken violent action – against the Gem girl and insulted her guards.

Sia raised an eyebrow, nodding thoughtfully for a long moment before finally speaking. [color=f0a446]“I see. Aldar Drais, as of this moment you are stripped of your titles and your rank as a member of the Beneni household guard. As further punishment, when we meet on the road with my lord Zakroti and his men, you will find lady Aymiria and you will issue an apology to her and ask for her forgiveness, and any penance you may offer to make up for causing her fear. My suggestion would be to be sincere. You are dismissed, Aldar. Go assist the foot soldiers in breaking camp.”[/color]

Aldar hissed, her body stiffening, but finally made an awkward bow, muttering, [color=3895db]“As my lady wishes.”[/color] in a clipped, sharp tone, before leaving the room.

Sia put an apologetic smile on her face, turning back to her brides. [color=f0a446]“Forgive this chaos, please. If there is anything either of you need, please don’t hesitate to ask one of our guardswomen. In the meantime, if you will follow me downstairs. We’ll take some food and then get out on the road… it would be shameful if my lord Zakroti’s people beat us to our agreed meeting point.”[/color] With that, she turned on her heel, making sure her brides stayed close behind her as the five remaining members of her guard fanned out around the trio of women.

[hr]
[center][h3][i][color=fda5e7]Aerienna[/color] and [color=c2a5fd]Aymiria[/color] Cassiel[/i][/h3]
[color=fda5e7][sub]Former Bride of Lugft Huron [@agentmanatee] and sister-bride to Atallia Faeron [@NarcissisticPotato][/sub][/color]
[color=c2a5fd][sub]Bride of Zakroti Unalim [@darkwolf687], sister-bride to Kasari Liesma [@WeepingLiberty][/sub][/color]
[i][sub](Ayltam puppetting by explicit permission of Wolfie)[/sub][/i][/center]

At Qeynate’s sharp tone, Aery visibly flinched. And as his words settled over her, she curled over herself tighter, trembling so hard it was a wonder the loveseat wasn’t shaking. Miry stepped back a bit, settling into a bit of a defensive position and glaring at Qeynate (and conveniently forgetting that she weighed all of sixty pounds and could simply be held up in the air and rendered completely ineffective.) 

But Zakroti defused the situation. In the kerfuffle that followed, Miry managed to entirely lose track of what was going on. Zakroti and Qeynate left, Vain and Kilio offered daggers. Miry took two, offering one to her sister, but Aery flinched away. So Miry held both daggers. Of course, she then gently set both down on the floor again to hug her sister tightly, mumbling reassurances. She quickly plaited her hair, twisting the braid up into a bun, so that it wouldn’t get in her way or be grabbable. 

Then she turned to her twin, once again wrapping her arms around her. This time, at least, the embrace was returned, though Aery pressed her face against Miry’s shoulder, crying again. The littler twin rubbed her sister’s back until she calmed again, then faced her with hard eyes. [color=c2a4fd]“If it starts looking ugly, run and hide in the washroom. Take a blade and run and send anyone who comes after you to meet their gods.”[/color] Miry kissed Aery’s forehead again and pulled away, picking up a blade from the floor and clutching it in her left hand. Her whole body was visibly shaking as she took a place next to Kasari, somewhat hyperventilating and seeming to panic. She had no idea what was going on. There was no plan—

Wait a second. She noticed the tendrils of steam curling up from her hand and frowned as she looked down to her right arm, watching the thin tendrils of water that crawled up her skin releasing steam. Steam… Oh.

[color=c2a5fd]“Aery, I’m going to come hug you for a moment. I need you.”[/color] Miry put the blade down on the floor for a moment, wandering back over to the couch and plopping down next to her twin. Aery was looking at her in confusion. Miry pointed to the steam still rising from her arm but Aery clearly didn’t quite comprehend, so the little twin leaned in and whispered, a grin crossing her face. Then Aery got it, a giggle, albeit a somewhat strained one that soon disintegrated into a gasp of pain, escaping her lips.

“What are you giggling about, Miry?” the voice came from the corner of the room. Both twins whirled to face Ayltam, who was grinning at them. 

[color=c2a5fd]“It’s a use for our elements that Aery and I came up with. I make steam, and then she pushes it all into a really small area, and it gets really hot, and then when we let go of it, well… it kinda explodes.”[/color] The tiny twin looked up at Ayltam, whose eyes were sparkling as she seemingly understood what the twins were doing. Miry voiced the next thought before Ayltam could. [color=c2a5fd]“If you can help compress the air around these and hold them together?”[/color] The drakken girl gave her a nod, and so she went back to work.

Miry raised her hands, calling a large blob of water between them from every source of water that was within range of her, her eyes going a little unfocused as she started turning every bit of it into steam. It was a lot harder to control steam than water, like grabbing at air, and so took a lot more energy. But she got it sectioned apart into three white, rippling clouds. One in the doorway, two to either side of it on the inside of the room. She held them there, biting her lip with the effort of holding them there. 

Aery raised her hands too, causing little gusts of wind to circulate through the room, wrapping around the clouds of steam and shrinking them slowly. After a few moments of watching, Ayltam joined in, and the process was sped up. It took only a few moments more before there were three faintly shimmering sections in the air as the only sign that something was amiss. If someone was to brush up against them they would simply feel a slippery, very smooth but rather hard surface about as large as a fist. And then they’d quit feeling anything as they would get a cloud of highly energized, extremely hot, steam in their face.

Miry let out a squeaking noise, her body shaking from the energy she’d used, and spoke again. [color=c2a5fd]“Let go of them, Ayltam. Aery and I can hold them. We just needed help assembling them.”[/color] She leaned back, curling against her twin’s side, hands folding tightly into fists. Holding the traps wasn’t quite as bad as putting them together but it still expended a lot of energy. Oh well. She was at least doing her part.
	
[hr]
[hider=summary]
[color=33d6c2][b]Saisri:[/b][/color] Is sleepy and confused. Doesn’t quite understand what’s happening.
[color=a2d39c][b]Sorici:[/b][/color] Answers Kalani, moving to get ready for the day. First time she’s spoken in a while.
[color=f0a446][b]Siadamkiru:[/b][/color] Reassures her brides. Kerfuffle among her guards. Heading downstairs to acquire food.
[color=fda5e7][b]Aerienna:[/b][/color] Helping her twin build a trio of booby traps
[color=c2a5fd][b]Aymiria:[/b][/color] Helping her twin build a trio of booby traps
[/hider]