[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/OCTALAA.png[/img][/center]

[color=peru][center][h2]Stratya Durmand[/h2][/center]
Time:[/color] 28th Sola, Evening
[color=peru]Location:[/color] Castle Dining Hall
[color=peru]Attire:[/color] [url=https://i.imgur.com/FOg6BjE.jpeg]Military Formal[/url], in Caesonian colors
Boar Mantle of Spring Hunting
[url=https://i.imgur.com/PEMSUSV.jpeg]Family Dirk[/url] + [url=https://i.imgur.com/sS8bDBR.jpeg]Crest[/url], worn on the right
[url=https://i.imgur.com/8bpbDCb.jpeg]Swordbreaker[/url], also worn on the right
[color=peru]Interactions:[/color] Victoria, Gideon [@princess], Torvi [@Tae], Zarai [@Rodiak]
[color=peru]Mentions:[/color] Sjan-dehk, Iyen [@Apex Sunburn], Kalliope

As she had turned away, Prince Callum had retorted, and, well, she came from a chatty place. How did he expect her to go about all the decorum if she could only think about the delicious smells and how they weren’t in her stomach yet? But [i]that[/i] wasn’t a [i]proper[/i] response - which, apparently, he was into now - no, that would sound more like,[color=peru] “You su’prrise me, Prrince Callum.”[/color] as she rounded the table, stepping behind the Edwards’ seats,[color=peru] “I suppose I ‘ad yer prriorrities crrossed.”[/color] And then, not [i]insincerely[/i], but with all the conviction of a piece of paper,[color=peru] “my apologies.”[/color] She’d been too busy responding to Callum to compliment the young lady with the hair clip. Tsk.

~

As she continued to dig in, she heard.. was that Ariella’s voice, rebuking her mother? Oooh, ho ho! Interested, the brunette glanced down the table as she chewed another mouthful of delicious, tender ribs. Her head turned - just - enough - to get her eyes on the Duchess. She did [i]not[/i] want to somehow get caught in a crossfire and ruin her meal with an argument she didn’t need to get involved in. She remembered the dismissive tone with which she’d been received at Drake’s party, despite her sharp, finely-made uniform. Depending on how combative she felt, the Duchess might want to start something with anyone she chose.

She’d been hearing the Duchess’s choice manner, but had been making an effort to ignore it. The song and dance, mercifully brief, were behind her now, it was easier to relax, and the meal in front of her meant her hunger would be sated. She could probably withstand Victoria, with her belly sated.

There was some manner of disturbance behind her and to the side, but at almost the same time, a pair of fresh arrivals fell in a heap. The first disturbance had drawn her attention to the side, just in time to see Gideon and Victoria, with Gideon becoming upset. [i]Gideon[/i] was becoming upset. It made her think of the disgusted look Alibeth had given Edin, just minutes ago. From there, she’d taken a moment to examine the trio that had entered. The man was carrying the woman in a dress, which was a rather eye-catching stunt at an event like this. Ah, but they seemed to be struggling. Rather, [i]she[/i] was struggling against him, and he was struggling to stay balanced. Looked like he wanted to put her down - aah, and down they went.

Victoria was keeping her voice down, which was fine. Stratya wasn’t terribly keen on getting into a squabble with her while she was trying to eat. What she did notice, as she continued to eat, was the man, the one that had been carrying the woman, had a hand on his sword. Her eyes watched even as she ate, though now, she was getting ready to stand, should something.. no. That hadn’t been his intention, he was laughing it off now. If she had to guess, it was just an old habit. From the way he fell earlier, his body was used to combat. She relaxed again, getting back into her meal.

She’d eaten her ribs, gone through some of the mashed potatoes, and now some corn was going to disappear into her stomach with a practiced typewriter back-and-forth motion. She'd also grabbed some duck, which was now waiting on her plate. Someone familiar could tell she’s been practicing more polite table manners, keeping noises down and generally not being a nuisance to sit next to; A year or two ago, she might have been.

Hey, hadn’t there been a chair there?

The curious observation was followed by the woman she had assumed to be the man’s guard, making off with the place setting where there had also been a chair. Well.. it [i]had been[/i] unoccupied, after all.. She would only incline her head at the woman, if she noticed the gaze watching her. Stratya had no intention of causing a scene. Not for [i]this[/i] woman, anyway.

Speaking of, something was happening down at the far end. She couldn't hear well, but from the expressions going around, she could guess.

Maybe it was the mead, but[color=peru] “is Victorria off on anothair tyrrade, Duke Gideon?”[/color] It was about the only thing Stratya ever heard out of the woman's mouth. With doubt in her tone, as though dubious of Victoria's technique,[color=peru] “I s’ppose tae ken ‘ow ye should [I]nae[/I] be’ave is imporrtan’, too.”[/color] The knight began to get herself another serving of food,[color=peru] “a shame yerr good self ‘as tae sufferr thrrough ‘er strrange methods.”[/color]

Her stab at Victoria offered, Stratya turned her attention to the ladies sitting with her. The yet empty chairs that remained at their table did not escape her notice, either,[color=peru] “is [i]this[/i].. ‘fashionably late’?”[/color]