Act 2: Upheaval VI - Celebration and Departure

Florolf switches plates too and goes for Mihai's half of the meat. Saria looks at this scene, curious to see whether Mihai will stop the carbuncle before it can touch his meal, or do something else. Amber and Fluffle keep watching, very much amused by this.

Konrad looks over at the steak, mouth watering, wishing he had waited for all the trays to come out. "Oh, very good choice," he says to her, his tone full of playful regret.

Konrad relaxes and just eats, taking time and absently glancing at the trays for things to take back to the ship.

"You know, my little play-act earlier reminded of the plays I saw in the theater in Walkerfree. It's a city in the Free Feathers. The setups were very lavish, and they spoke in this antiquated dialect, and they'd go into very deep subjects about life, various dramas, the meanings hidden peoples' names and so forth. Sometimes they'd tend toward the pretentious, but that's just me."

Steve happily eats his food while watching Florolf and Mihai play. It's nice to see them getting closer.

Mihai pulls the plate out of reach, then with his free hand skewers a bunch of lettuce and garnishes his plate with it. Throws in a decent dose of vinegar for good measure.

He sets the plate back down on the table and stares at the Carbuncle. Daring him.

"That sounds like one of of Kaur's works," Master Avalon says before turning to Nadzieja. "Remember when we went to see one of his plays at Zest's Gate?"

"What, Elliott and Serena?" Nadzieja replies with a frown. "We should have gone to the puppet show instead. At least you can understand what they say."

The monks smile when reminded of Nadzieja's complaints.

Meanwhile, Florolf gazes at the mound of veggies Mihai has prepared for him. He looks back and forth between the plate and Mihai until he finally decides to return to the other plate and finish that instead.

"So... you're gonna eat that?" Amber asks, pointing at the veggies coated in vinegar. She tries not to laugh at her brother.

OOC:

Steve claps for Mihai. "Victory it seems." He laughs.

Mihai looks at Amber, sticks the fork in the salad, pulls out a thick juicy slice of grilled sausage hidden among the lettuce. Bites down.

Konrad blinks. She's traveled? "The tween tragedy? Next time, I would suggest "As You Please" by the same playwright. More importantly, I didn't know you traveled while you lived at the monastery! Where have you been?"

He's immediately interested to hear about all the places she's visited.

Amber and Fluffle laugh at Mihai's gaiety for his victory over Florolf the Terrible.

"Does that happen often?" Maryn asks, the red mage on Duma's team.

At the same time, Nadzieja answers Konrad's question. "All the orphans at the monastery travel at one time or the other to Zest's Gate. To ‘learn how to talk to and behave around other people’."

"It is a good lesson," Valor says to defend herself.

"It is. I just wouldn't have used those words."

Konrad:

"That makes sense. For the most part, you're all isolated there."

A little sad, Konrad decides to continue relaxing and just listen to the monks talk. He takes a good quaff of the Myrzen beer.

"First time ever." - Mihai says, before chomping down on a mouthful of lettuce - "Wifh fhey fhad fome blafk vfinegar, fhough."

The monks start a conversation about the monastery itself and how they've also come here in Myr to offer a new home to Myrzen orphans. Of course, Nadzieja offers to help them with that, but Master Avalon says that a few of his contacts have already agreed to meet with him about it. Although it isn't outright stated, it is evident that his monastery specializes in troubled children for who growing up away from their home country would be the most beneficial option for them.

"I would think one of the waiters could find you some," Maryn says while he takes a look around, searching for one of them. "Miss? Could you come here when you have time?"

"In one minute mister!"

"Thank you!"

"So," Angelika interjects, "how did the three of you meet? I hear one Free accent, and one... Lofellian accent?"

Troubled children, how worrisome. As if he already didn't need to be careful.

Konrad, deflated, answers without looking up from eating. "We met on the first contract as the newly-formed 113th Adjunct. I was already a mercenary before they joined. For them, it was their very first job with the Coins."

"I needed a job after graduating the Citadel and I was...advised to take a job with the Coins so I could make use of my skills in a productive way."

Mihai chuckles at the word productive. A bit bitterly, at that.

"Ah yes, the Citadel always likes to keep an eye on their mages."

The waitress Maryn called finally arrives, and he exchanges a few words with her while pointing at Mihai.

"What? The Citadel?" Duma suddenly pipes up. "What are we talking about?"

"Steve was telling us about the Citadel's policy regarding the mages," his sister says. "Go back to sleep."

"Don't forget the weavers too. And the green mages, ever since that Emperor what's-his-face put them on the list."

Duma smiles at the adventurers, but his eyes show a degree of severity when he says this.

Mihai feels kind of put on the spot now, and forces a faint smile at the waitress.

When Duma talks however, he takes notice - "Which one?"

"It was Kieran Hammerfist, Mihai." Steve sips his wine.

"Right! That one!" Duma says. "I never could remember all these names..."

"Not like it matters now," Maryn adds. "Oh, miss, could we also have some more beer?"

"Of course!"

Mihai shrugs - "Wonder why he did that." - he adds, before nonchalantly sipping some more of his scotch.

Konrad gets up and looks for Jaropelk to complement the arrangement of everything for the party, including the food, telling him what he planned to say earlier.

"Everything had to be perfect for our honored First Nadzieja Zerva, and I have to say, you gave 110% to the occasion."

"Of course I did!" the right-hand man replies, grinning. "Make sure to tell her; I could use a raise."

After that, he returns to his seat.

"Would anyone like to see some party tricks?"

Sense Motive vs Jaropelk 22
Konrad also wants to see if he gives away any special feelings toward Nadzieja

"Would I?! What do you plan to do Konrad?"

"I didn't know we taught that kind of magic," Angelika jokes.

Konrad:

Konrad smiles. "Self-taught."

He turns to Steve. "Hand me your deck of cards, sir. And if anyone has any candles, I'll need those for a separate trick I mastered on the road back to Highwind that time we all split up."

"You got it." Steve pulls out a familiar deck of cards and hands it to Konrad.