EXT - Hills beyond the Seiiki district
Arix Thunderhawk narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. "Maker?" She questioned softly. Perhaps this was one of the automatons she had heard about. How fascinating. "It's rare in a place like Callisto. I'm glad we have some amount of snow. Else I might go mad from all the heat!" She laughed softly, her husky alto reverberating the marble table in front of her with a soft ring. "The snow is one of those things that make some people appreciate the greenery of spring. WIthout one, we cannot have the other lest we get desensitized, so they say," she said and then took another sip of her cocoa. Her penetrating, green eyes scanned the area and she frowned. "Are you by yourself?"
Thirteen paid for her hot cocoa. "One of the men who made me," Thirteen clarified with the sort of honesty that got her regularly side eyed by the normal humans. Thirteen's honesty was not the best for a proper masquerade but rarely triggered the covenant. Thankfully, the protection of those she belonged to likely kept her out of the asylum. "The professor can skate but he rarely indulges. It is sad. I so rarely get to see him do anything so mundane as play. He largely finds it a waste of his time." She received her cocoa and paid before picking her wobbly way back to the ice where she could unsnap the guards with the toe of her skate. "I am alone for the moment. It is safe, though. I am not afraid. Are you not also alone?"
Arix Thunderhawk contemplated the weight of what the woman said and then gave it a nod. "That is tragic, professors can be stuffy in that way I suppose," she sipped and then let out a satisfied 'ahhh' after. The warmth from her breath and the cocoa created a thick cloud of steam for a brief second before it dissipated into the crisp sky. "I am," she answered her last question. "It is my first festival upon Callisto and wanted to see what the bustle was about. I'm glad I did! The cool air is quite invigorating. Are you not cold out there?"
Dinah LOVED snow. Something that just didn't really happen that much back at home, she had always toyed with the idea of learning to control the weather simply to have a flurry on command. The many layers she wore buttressed her against the cold, but that didn't stop her first port of call immediately being a veering towards the cocoa cart as she arrived. Arix and Thirteen were already here, and she gave a cheerfully sunny smile towards both women... before adding a shot of something from a hipflask tucked into her obi into her cocoa
Thirteen blinked, "Oh, he isn't stuffy. Merely stern," Thirteen offered about her beloved maker who was definitely stuffy to many people's point of view. "Attractively stern." Thirteen slipped back on the ice, staying at the edge as she glided back and forth to keep her balance as she sipped at the hot cocoa. She gave Arix's question due consideration. "My hands are cold but the cocoa is helping. As is my nose. I have on wool tights below my knit dress and the movement helps stay warm-ish. I will likely feel quite cold when I stop," Thirteen offered with far more information than the woman likely wanted only to beam at Dinah's familiar form. "Hello, Ms. Windgrace. Welcome to the festival. What a lovely kimono."
Arix Thunderhawk seemed to absorb the information the woman was giving her and responded with a nod. "Good to hear," she said finally about the cocoa helping. At the mention of Ms. Windgrace, Arix lifted her gaze and leaned forward a bit to see Dinah. She gave her a friendly smile and a nod. It felt like weeks since she'd seen the woman. Something had changed about her, but Arix did her best to not judge; that was not her job after all. To anyone with a good deal of 'sight', she would be bright and shining, gold and brilliant, eyes flaming with ancient magic though most of her true form would be hidden to those who were not masters of the craft.. But to all others, a normal, albeit very tall woman. "Ms. Dinah, good to see you again," she lofted her cup. "You're welcome to sit and join me, but do take a spin around the area. There is much to see,"
Dinah wrapped her hands around her cocoa with a smile as she watched thirteen on the ice. She wriggled her fingers, one hand after the other. "Good afternoon, Miss Thirteen. my, aren't you splendid on those skates! how terribly nimble." she lifted her arms at the compliment to her kimono "thank you! A present from the boys. They spoil me." she brightened when she saw Arix, giving her a long, curious look at the change, but she smiled regardless "it's been quite a while! I hope you have been keeping yourself out of trouble, Miss Arix" she smiled in amusement, smoothing out the kimono and stooping into the snow. there was something she had to do first. Setting her cocoa on the path, she started bunching the snow into a round shape "isnt it all so pretty?"
Thirteen: "It is pretty," Thirteen agreed, sipping her cocoa carefully. Thirteen was, indeed, a master of Sight but the construct took in everyone with the same sort of phlegmatic air. She was so used to seeing the flow of aether dominant in her experience that it didn't occur to her to find anything strange in the many and wondrous creatures that made Callisto their home. So her eyes crinkled up at Dinah after giving Arix a sage nod. "It is good to be spoiled. Everyone deserves to be spoiled now and again. I fear it has been almost a year since I was on skates but it returns to me. I learned last year and almost gave my vessel frostbite practicing on the ice. It's not quite like flying but its close, I think."
Arix Thunderhawk smiled softly against the rim of her cup. Listening closely to the two women, she closed her eyes and thought on home for a moment. Such times for her were rare these days so she would soak it up if she could. Words like constructs and vessels were not lost on her, and seemed to be normal in these parts. She often wondered how long it would take for such things to become commonplace and the veil a memory. Regardless, Arix would do her best to enjoy the quiet moments of levity and normalcy like these. Normal within certain bounds, anyway. "I suppose that is true though I wouldn't know what that's like," she said with a friendly grin to Dinah. "Maybe someday I'll be lucky enough to find out though."
Dinah nodded in agreement as she shaped the snow into now *two* lumps, and a far smaller lump. She never made snow-people, even as a child. Dorians' softness always brushed off in some ways, it seemed. "I have never been terribly good at ice skating. I never got to practice all that much back at home. Perhaps I shall learn whilst I am here, but perhaps not in my kimono" she chuckled gently "Thank you for posting that book so quickly, by the by. it *is* different to mine" she patted the snowbunnys' head into place, though she gave no more details than that. "Oh, it comes with a cost, miss Arix, trust me. Being spoiled by your brother always comes at a penalty that if anybody they deem improper looks at you askance, there is always the masculine posturing" she tittered. "I have no time for entertaining such things, personally, but they do have their little foibles"
Thirteen tipped her head to the side, "I don't have brothers but that sounds caring at least, if perhaps occasionally stifling," Thirteen considered for a few long moments, trying to wrap her head around it and not at all seeing any sort of parallels to the behavior of her makers. For all of her sight, she did have blind spots. She finished her hot cocoa, setting the mug on the fence and rubbing her now warmed fingers together to beam at Dinah. "I am so glad it has proven useful to your studies. The Professor always says that one of the true treasures in the world is a well stocked library."
Arix Thunderhawk chuckled at Dinah's comment. "I suppose that is true," she shifted in her chair, taking another sip of her hot cocoa again before continuing. "I do have sisters. We are protective of one another but there is also an understanding that we are grown adults and are capable of doing what we please, this includes making mistakes," she set the cup down and looked over at the ladies. "As the oldest of all of them, I can safely say siblings will learn better that way, myself included," she said and watched the pair converse about a book. Her eyes landed on the piles of snow that Dinah seemed to be molding and she narrowed her eyes at them, trying to discern what they might be before they were made. Her elbow leaned onto the table as she turned in that direction, idly listening to the pair between watching Dinah.
Dinah laughed softly "I suspect, if you were to ask him, Dorian would happily be your brother too" she said playfully, patting the small snowball into tail position on the bunny. She stared down, considering how to affix the ears, taking a drink from her spiked cocoa.
"It's very true. the professor and I have that in common, I think" she nodded. "I need to have the majority of my books shipped from the library at home still. We tend to travel relatively light until we are certain we are happy with the roots we place" she let out a soft noise of triumph and retrieved a stick from the ground, snapped it, and started making 'ears' around each side of it.
"Sisters... I do not have any blood sisters, and the closest is delilah, and we have very frequently threatened to kill each other in all seriousness. it balances my brothers quite well, I find" she grinned impishly
Thirteen: "I don't have any of those either. The closest relation I might have is the spec." Thirteen considered for a long moment, "I *do* want to shove its enclosure off of the Professor's desk regularly so I suppose that IS similar in that regard. I shall give it more thought," Thirteen said gravely before she glanced over at Arix again, her head tipped to one side as she considered the woman's words and mentally added it to her tally. "I was pleased when the last spec was destroyed to save Naoki. It has made me feel slightly more fondly for the spec post mortem but I still am annoyed by the new spec that has replaced it. "What about children?" THe construct asked abruptly. "Is having a child like a younger sibling do you think?" No, Thirteen, no it is not.
Arix Thunderhawk plucked up her cup again and frowned. It was nearly empty. She kind of wanted more but, dare she? It was so delicious. Dinah was right, sometimes indulgence, even in a small form like this, was alright. She would wait to get up though, finding her spot at the table quite cozy enough. "I don't think it is," she answered the construct openly. "Though I've never had children," her brow furrowed as she spoke, considering things a little deeply "I am the oldest and, in some ways, kind of motherly to my youngest sisters. There is guidance to be sure but still it is not what I would think the same as being a mother. Hmm," she took the last sip of her cocoa.
Dinah laughed quietly and she nodded again, smiling happily "I strongly suspect that it might be similar, yes. Competition and a little jealousy, i think, is expected in just about all siblings of all strokes, I think" she shaped the rabbit ears and put them into the snowbunny's head, albeit slightly lopsided "..ah, dear" she murmured. Looking up at the concept of if children were similar, she shook her head and smiled
"Children are different. Definitely so, i'd wager. I am the youngest of my family. Siblings can be friends, and often are, but I think that parent and child is a very different sort of relationship indeed. *our* family certainly is. I am far closer with my beloved brothers than our parents. I think it is natural for the eldest to look after the youngest, isnt it?" she grinned towards Arix.
Dorian came trundling to the festival without properly attiring his feet, but he also had not thought it through past finding his twin who went before him. He was carrying a little satchel tied with a bit of cloth in the Japanese style, a surefire sign that whatever he had wit him was provided by their part time housekeeper Keiko. He was humming a Liszt piece as he took in the environs and tried to identify his sister among the people milling about. It helped that he got notified on what she was wearing to better find her, as though he had no supernatural way of locating her. Crunch, cronch, came his footfalls. He was the sort of guy to hum and whistle piano music aloud, and did.
Thirteen tipped her head to the side, considering their statements on the matter. Absently, Thirteen's fingertips brushed across her abdomen before her hands fell away. "Interesting," she said thoughtfully, mentally filing the information away on humanity and what she'd observed to dissect later. She tipped her head to the side rerouting back to the topic of siblings, "So you have very different experiences but not just from being eldest and youngest respectively. It sounds very confusing. My makers have no siblings that I am aware of or that they consider as such. I do not believe either has typical family dynamics. It is difficult to understand from an observational point of view. Hello, Mr. Windgrace. Welcome to the festival."
Arix Thunderhawk smirked at Dinah's comment. "More like tasked with taking care of them at some points," she said. "But my dynamic is unique to perhaps your own. There are many more of us than there are of the Windgraces. Last I checked it was thirteen," she shook her head and stood. Just as she did so, she was able to see the golden boy himself, Dorian, and her smile widened a touch. It had been a while since they last spoke. "Oh hello Dorian," she waved at him as she made her way back to get more cocoa. Her eyes looked him over and she shook her head at his sandals. "Someone's looking to get frostbitten today, I see," came the tease as she ladled the dark liquid into her cup and paid her fare.
Dinah heard the crunching footfalls behind her and she turned, then brightened. "Dorian~" she waved towards him from her position, crouched in the snow beside the wonky, in progress snow-bunny. "isn't it beautiful? look at all this snow~" she attempted to rotate an ear on the snow bunny and she gave Thirteen a grin with a nod.
"perhaps Dorian would be one to ask too? he's the middle of us" she offered helpfully, though she laughed at Arix's words.
"gracious. I think if there were thirteen Windgraces, we would have no city in the world would take all of us at once" she admitted, patting the bunny into a slightly more rabbity shape.
Dorian had beelined toward Dinah when he caught sight of her and missing the foregoing conversation, he'd catch up when he was greeted by the redhead. Canting his head to one side, he'd peer at the woman in white and not recognizing her, assume he'd messed up and forgotten her. But there was only one thing to do about that, and he did it, raised an alabaster hand and called back cheerfully, "Thank you kindly Miss...?" The way his English accented voice tilted upward at the end invited her to refresh his memory.
He caught Arix's remarks and chuckled, calling her way, "Mistress Arix, I assure you, my toes welcome the challenge. They have melted more snow than I have lost toes to their frost." He'd lift his satchel bearing hand to wave her way before plopping himself unceremoniously down beside his sister where his hakama covered his feet when he knelt, like a roosting bird.
His delight at seeing Dinah intensified when he saw she was with a rabbit, and he'd immediately set about un-knotting the parcel, giving his sister her greeting kiss on the side of her head, given the mixed company, and offering, "A question I can help answering? What is it about cricket? I am rather rotten at all but batting." It was a very haphazard guess.
Thirteen: "Thirteen. My name is Thirteen," she offered to Dorian with a sunny smile. "Your sister is my friend," she added, with an odd sort of pride. Dinah was the very first friend that Thirteen had made on her own without any sort of hand holding and she was very pleased with having managed that social interaction all on her own. "We are discussing siblings, that they are not like children but also not entirely unlike children. That the youngest are usually protected and the oldest do the protecting . It is all very enlightening." Thirteen offered helpfully to Dorian, eager to catch him up on the topic of the day before she smiled at Arix. "Thirteen is an excellent number. It is auspicious."
Arix Thunderhawk nodded in agreement. "That about sums it up, Mr. Windgrace," she took her renewed cup of cocoa and walked to where he was sitting, spying on Dinah's sculpture with a curious interest. Turning to Thirteen after her initial sip. "I am Arix," she gave her a welcoming nod. "I don't believe we have met. I tend to be a ... a handy-woman around town. Fixing things, cleaning up, the usual fare," she introduced herself.
Dinah beamed and lifted up onto her knees to press a kiss to his chin; the part she could meet at least. She giggled at his suggestion of the question being about cricket, though she shook her head "we were talking about siblings, dear heart" she reached for her now utterly-cooled cocoa from where it rested on the path and she drained the cup, dipping her hand into her obi to give Dori a glance at the sneaky hipflask she had hidden there. She nodded proudly when Thirteen introduced herself. "she works with professor Dashrix, and owns the book shop. You know, Fischels' old place?" she offered helpfully. "She came to the greenhouse the other day, but we didn't come into the house. Arix is an eldest child, and I am the youngest, so you as the middle child have a unique perspective here" she smiled playfully, upnodding her chin towards Arix as she passed.
Dorian loosed the last of the knot letting the cloth fall open on the ground between himself and his sister, explaining, "Keiko said that I could use these for rabbit eyes if I made snow rabbits." It was a little pile of an evergreen plant's red berries, about which he warned, "She said do not eat them. Tabemasenka, I think it was. But you are already so far along, sister dearest."
As Thirteen had introduced herself he'd respond, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance then, Miss Thirteen, it is an excellent number, and allow me to say that any friend of my sister's is a friend of mine. When I was that age I was shi-- well I am the middle, child I guess, but not by much. Drystan looked out for me. Only I shall never be able to fill his rather large shoes. And my little sister never needed me to watch out for her. I am not sure in conventional families middle children are just the spare, as I was? I suppose that is answering rather too much, too bluntly. Sister dearest, you have met my friend, Mistress Arix? Imagine if the isle of amazons that made her had seen two of her at once." He grinned over his shoulder at the tall woman as he made light.
Thirteen nodded her head a little offering a small smile, " The Professor is my maker," she amended because it was more accurate and Thirteen had trouble not being as accurate as she had the words to manage. She leaned over the fence as her lazy looping circles brought her closer to look at the berries and cock her head at Dorian's Japanese curiously. She considered Dorian for a long moment before nodding in satisfaction. "I should like more friends. The Professor has none but Naoki has many and I am not sure what is a good number of friends." She gave the pair a long thoughtful look as she debated setting the parameters of the friendship here and now but thankfully for everyone, did not stray into the specifics of her thoughts on the matter. Considering what she considered 'friend' for Naoki, it was likely to be wildly inappropriate when she did get around to it. "I am a singular creation. Siblings are a complicated concept with many variables it seems... What do you fix Ms. Arix?"
Arix Thunderhawk considered this for a moment, wondering just what *was* a good number of friends. Arix had few, but the ones she had were made of gold in her opinion. Her eyes dropped thoughtfully and she stared at the ground for a long moment, one arm tucked under the other as the pair beside her made their snow rabbit. "Whatever number you feel comfortable with," she nodded after coming up with an answer. "It's different for everyone. As for what I fix," her smile seemed to return then and she answered quickly. "Whatever is broken, I suppose though I am no good with anything made with aether. I also tend to sweep and clean around town but I am at my busiest when people call me into their homes to fix boilers or pipes, repair woodwork, chimneys, whatever that may need fixing, it doesn't really matter." She gave a humble shrug and took a sip of her cocoa then. Lately she had been on cleanup duty in a number of places. The bookstore, behind the chapel, as well as the fountain park were places she was called on to clean up after the bustle had died down.
Dinah beamed at the sight of the berries and she clasped her hands "I swear, sometimes, Keiko is a mind reader. How splendid! Far along, perhaps, but I do not have them with eyes yet" she shuffled herself backwards to let Dorian give the rabbit eyes if he felt like it. "I think as far as a good number of friends... I suppose that would be 'as many as you can keep without exhausting you'. Dorian always has so many more friends than I do" she laughed gently "you were never the spare, dori dear. look, there is a fire over there. When we've finished the bunny, I will get more cocoa and loiter over yonder" she hummed, shaking her head in admiration of Arix's handiwork.
"I wouldn't even know where to begin if i were to try and fix something like that."
Dorian definitely looked askance at Thirteen as she declared who her maker was and kinda shot a look at Di as if silently asking her to explain it later. He'd give the rabbit two eyes, one on either side of its head, and then sticking his tongue out at Di, put one in it's forehead between the two, as he said, "Oops." Digging it out would mean damaging the fragile snow face if he did it with his big clumsy fingers.
He'd assure Thirteen, "If you run a bookstore, then you and my sister shall remain friends, I think. Though, I have had a penchant for poetry of late, so perhaps I can siphon off a little of your friendship supply for my self, hm? Whatever you do where Arix is involved, do not try to give her free drinks, she will think you are a cad trying to liquor her up and your sisters will berate you most mercilessly."
"Cocoa? There's--" he'd sniff for it on the air, and try to set eyes on the nearest of the stuff, which unluckily for his sister meant her cup, and he was reaching out for it insistently. He loved the stuff!
Thirteen gave Dorian's string of advice the same due consideration she gave any, her brows drawing up in concern. "I am not a cad," Thirteen said, turning to Arix to include her in that very important statement. "I have no interest in coitus outside of with my makers, nor a desire to ply someone with liquor until they are unable to consent. Consent is very important for all things. It is the mark of sentience and not to be taken lightly." She was earnest. So, so interest. She gave a sharp nod of appreciation for the advice to Dorian, like he had kept her from making a grave misstep. "Thank you, Mr. Windgrace. I am happy to provide you with my friendship, such as it is, especially if you are looking for friendship to be made manifest in poetry. I have many books of the things and little understanding beyond rhyme and meter." She tipped her head slightly, "I wonder if that is why Naoki has so many friends and the Professor has none. The Professor has very little tolerance for people and Naoki.... has mixed uses for people. THere is more at the cart and the prices are not terrible."
Naoki Sato did not make a particularly graceful or subtle entrance. He was practically running up the path that led to the little park area up the mountain above the Seiiki District, boots scattering snow and general demeanor scattering any poor souls that had decided to loiter in his path. When he reached the park he was panting, flushed in the face as those pale eyes searched the area, finally landing on Thirteen - then each of the people near her in succession. Those with Sight likely saw the Jikininki's Aether pooling, circulating blood to better perfuse oxygen to his system, letting him catch his breath more quickly so he could approach, less winded, more prepared to deal with anything he might find.
The three were more or less strangers. Sato knew only that they had been at Roesler's dinner party and as such he was stiff, wary, and standoffish. He approached until his boots hit ice, and he squinted down at the ground momentarily. When he walked again he did not slide, the Sight-gifted likely able to tell from the concentration of Aether at his feet that he was doing SOMETHING to keep traction. He stopped bright there on the frozen lake, reaching a hand to stop Thirteen from sliding anywhere else on those skates, saying nothing about the admonition she'd just made about... coitus preferences.
"What are you doing?"
Dinah bobbed her head with a soft hum of amusement at dorians' look, though she laughed as he gave the rabbit three red-berry eyes. "Ah! three? Poor little bunny" she said mournfully, though she chuckled again and shuffled herself to leech some of his body heat from his side....only for him to steal what remained of her mostly-cold, brandy spiked cocoa. "Ah! you beast!" she pouted, but she relented in letting him take the cup, chuckling softly. She gave Thirteens' sage words a firm nod and a "hear hear!" though she smiled again. "The professor has always seemed very civil with me.." she added, picking herself up to brush the snow from her kimono and retrieve two fresh cups of cocoa...again lancing them with the brandy from her obi-concealed brandy flask before presenting one to her beloved twin. Sato's aether caused a brief tilt of her head, watching him raptly as he approached Thirteen.
"A friend of yours~?" she asked with interest. The somewhat...tense environs and stressful afterparty of Roeslers' dinner party had Satos' face familiar to her, but she couldn't quite recall where from.
Dorian had found someone more literal than himself and more earnest and he chucked a thumb Thirteen's way, looking to his sister, with delight about that fact. He buried his mouth in devouring the last from her cup before she sallied off to get more. As she came back with more cocoa he'd take up his cup and offer his sister his arm, as he was actually rather hot blooded and glad to share body heat with his sister who was always like the cool side of the pillow.
He was remarking agreement, "I think it is perfectly acceptable to loosen up one's feet for dance with a drink or two, but only literal dancing." When Thirteen was being approached by someone he sort of recognized, to Dinah, silently, he said, without speaking a word aloud: [Remind me to tell you something about that one].
Thirteen beamed at Naoki, with the sort of open affection that didn't match either the Victoriana accent or manner of dress. "Naoki!" She said happily, reaching for his hand with hers as he brought her lazy circling to a stop. The frown didn't dampen her enthusiasm even the slightest. "I am skating," she explained as if it wasn't obvious. "It's the snow festival. I love the snow festival. Remember? We came last year," Thirteen provided helpfully, closing her chilled fingers around the warmth of his sleeve and balancing on the toes of her skates. "Have you met Mr. and Ms. Windgrace? They're my friends. I have two friends now, Naoki. I helped Ms. Windgrace with a book and some questions and Mr. Windgrace explained to me about not being a cad. They're lovely. Ms. Windgrace wanted to ask you about ofuda, as well. Did you want to join me on the ice?"
Naoki Sato slid his gaze from Thirteen to the two she'd indicated. "Friends?" he repeated, eyes ticking back and forth between the twins as if their appearances might give him information to support or disprove the statement. "We've attended the same function but we've not formally met," he answered her, looking Thirteen up and down. He was checking her face and extremities for color, that hand she'd grabbed curling tightly around her own to endeavor to pull her closer. Looking to the Windgraces he asked, "If you are friends, how long as she been out here? She is - " he turned abruptly to Thirteen. " - YOU are cold," he stated, quickly starting to unbutton and peel off his coat to sling it about her shoulders before adding, "I am already on the ice."
Dinah took Dorian's arm and she chuckled, pressing close to his side. She tilted her head and listened to his 'words', sipping her cocoa. "mmmhm~" she chomped off a mouthful of whipped cream with a nod at his psychic reminder, though she brightened at Thirteens' suggestions of who it was that she was speaking to. She brightened and separated herself from dorians' arm and she approached "*now* I remember. from the dinner party, yes? I knew I knew your face." she beamed. "A pleasure to meet you in person properly, mr. Sato." she cocked her head at the question. "well, I have been out here long enough to make a snow-rabbit, and a cup of cocoa already. I arrived and she was already here." she gave something of an apologetic look towards Thirteen. "there IS a fire over there, if you'd need to be a little warmer, perhaps?"
Dorian did not see fit to bring up the dinner party either, but he did see fit to lean into his sister just a little bit. They fit together and for him, having her just there, well that meant nothing in the world could be wrong. Cocoa, snowbunnies, a lucky Thirteen, he was half-envying the skates on the strange woman, wanting to try to glide around too, but it would mean leaving Di's side. He was sipping and watching the interaction with Sato and his new friend studiously, as he broke from swallowing to, "Mmmmmmm." With whipped cream on the end of his nose, he'd continue on, breaking in and doing a classic middle sibling thing and keep peace, "Mr. Sato, it is a pleasure to formally make your acquaintance. I think Miss Thirteen seems to be moving like she is hale and healthy, no rigidity in the limbs, she is clear of speech. She is a delight, I must say."
Thirteen offered her new friends a bright smile, appreciating both Di's honesty and Dorian's defense. "I arrived shortly before the opening ceremony and have been skating since then. I did get a cocoa but I drank it on the ice." Thirteen provided helpfully, filling in any gaps in her precise nature. She gave a little tug on her grip on his sleeve to bring herself closer as Naoki reached for her. She didn't protest either thumping into his chest or Naoki reaching for his jacket. "I am warmly dressed. I merely forgot gloves. Perhaps a hat. I have on woolen stockings under my dress and I didn't want to overheat while I was skating." Thirteen provided helpfully, nodding a little at Dinah before providing, "The Professor thinks highly of Ms. Windgrace's abilities. She's looking into the matter with that book. The one that you almost died over." The smile faded at that memory and she leaned a little closer, shaking it off. "I provided what help I could."
Naoki Sato considered the wealth of information he was offered. "Mister is unnecessary," he stated with a slight narrowing of his eyes. "And she may be moving well but she is also... in need of better coverings for her extremities," he finished after a very lengthy pause that suggested he might've meant to say something else. He wrapped an arm around Thirteen's waist to keep her closer to him for body heat and to prevent any unnecessary swishing around on the ice. "Perhaps we should move to the fire. It tends to be where people have conversations," he said, pivoting a little to look toward the campfire in question. "...and I would like to speak about the book."
Dinah tittered and reached up to blot Dorian's nose with the hem of her yukata. Cleaning it out would be someone elses problem, after all. She nodded in agreement with her brother, though she puffed a breath "I daresay a scarf more than a hat, your hair is piled high, after all. As long as you keep your arteries warm, you ought to be fine" she rejoined her hand to Dorians' arm. "Dreadful business, really. It is keeping me thoroughly occupied, however. I shall winkle every last little secret that I can," she promised. Patting Dorians' arm, she gave one last fond glance to the snow bunny before she trailed towards the fire herself. "definitely a good idea. Tell me, would a hand-written transcription serve you any benefit? or would that be....difficult too, do you suppose?"
Godric Lockewood arrives at the festival grounds rosey cheeked and just slightly winded by the climb to snow level on the otherwise temperate island. He smilles rubbing gloved hands together for warmth as he spots the refreshment vendor and orders a hot cocoa adding a tipple of brandy from his flask after the vendor hands over his drink. Sipping the spiked drink he slowly makes hsi way to the small cluster of festival goers raising his cup in warm greeting. "Good day my fair folk." he offers broadly with a a slightly nervous smile. He takes a deeper draw of his cocoa as his gaze alights upon thirteen eyes squinting slightly, as if avoiding a glare, before he looks away. "Bit more of a hike than I anticipated I admit but quite the view." he politely made conversation though studiously avoided looking directly the young constructs way trying his best to hide his aversion in avoiding hte smoke of the fire.
Dorian hadn't noticed his clown nose, but was glad to have it sorted. He was warm between the sister he was justbeside, and the contents of his cup, comfortable enough and knowing little enough about books in question to call to the newcomer, "Hail, and good day. It is all rather lovely, is it not? We were just going to occupy that fire yonder, join us." He'd walk over at Di's side and chug the cup down to nothing on the way. Some poor festivalgoer who did not even work there got his empty cup shoved into their hand like they worked there. Dorian never noticed.
Thirteen was content to be hustled off to the fire and settled on the bench, snapping the guards back on her skates before setting about unlacing them with only slightly numb fingers. "I didn't give myself frostbite this time, Naoki. I was careful to keep my fingers warmed up with the cocoa occasionally." Thirteen promised in an undertone as she settled on the bench. Without the bracing of the wind and excitement of the sport, she realized that she was perhaps a touch more tired than she expected to be. It was deceptive how much energy skating took after a time. It was exercise after all. "Hello, Mr. De La Fontaine," Thirteen said simply, and incorrectly, as she knew the owner of her favorite patissierie and she knew that this man belonged to that one in a way that THirteen thought she understood. "How is your partner? I haven't seen him lately. Well, I hope? He does make the best brioche in town."
Naoki Sato eagerly headed on over toward one of the benches. Once Thirteen was seated he crouched in front of her, moving quickly to grab her hands and stop any efforts at touching the skates. "Let me," he insisted, proceeding to unlace and remove them for her. He realized as he set the skates aside that he had no idea where her boots were so he simply pulled her feet into his lap and slid them under his sweater, the Aether puddling into the center of his body as he raised his core temperature via manipulation of his blood. "I would like a hand-written transcription. I would also like a description of anything that may occur during the transcription process," he answered Dinah once Thirteen's feet were situated. "You may want to watch your wife as she does it," he said plainly... glancing at Dorian. Evidently he'd taken "Mr. and Ms Windgrace" to mean something entirely different. The arrival of a newcomer stiffened him up a bit. He glanced at the man, looking him up and down, listening to the tone of his voice. Once
Naoki Sato Thirteen named him and gave the impression she was familiar with him too he eased up a bit. "...another friend?" he asked, not moving from his spot on the ground.
Dinah turned with a friendly smile towards the red-haired stranger, lifting one hand from her cocoa "oh, good afternoon~. it's quite a way up here, certainly. I quite like the way the light sparkles up here" she watched dorian chug his own cup and she tittered, retrieving her brandy flask from her obi to top up her mug and offer it in a conspiratorial wiggle towards the unfamiliar gentleman. When Thirteen mentioned that she'd not given herself frostbite *this time*, her head whipped to stare at her with a somewhat stern expression. aha, so she'd have to keep an eye on that one, huh? she chuckled into her cup. "If i had known you were prone to overdoing it in the ice, miss thirteen, I would have brought some gloves of my own that you could wear. I have some quite lovely ones, but I don't like the feeling of actually *wearing* them." she returned her hand to her mug. "anything that may occur.. aha, of course. that might be a difficulty, I do not normally.. i am somewhat secretive when I study" she paused, then giggled into the back of her hand "oh dear, Dorian is my twin brother rather than my husband. but he does both guard and spoil as one, I suppose" she agreed. "nevertheless, I shall write you a copy. or in the very least, a copy of the additional details that mine has"
Godric Lockewood followed the group towards teh fire a few steps behind pressing a few pence into the confused festival goers hand who had received Dorians cup trying to smooth the faux pas and likely only making it worse but such was the way of the idle gentry. He sputtered ever so slightly choking on his cocoa at the greeting from Thirteen, "Ah Lockewood, Godric, is fine really." he replied as he regained his composure, "Rene is very talented yes." he agreed fondly, "But we are, good friends, I haven't the head for business nor baking to be a partner in the patissierie." He flashed a small smile at the conspiratorial gesture form the young woman. "Ah twins, auspicious I have heard." he offers looking at the young woman and her handsome brother curiously, "it is nice to have family who will look ou for you even if stifling at time's I'm sure madame." He quite purposefully avoided any discussion of books or studious pursuits not wishing ot intrude.
Dorian tensed up as he perceived Sato's requests to be rather blunt and not deferential enough. Gearing up to give a piece of his mind, his sails lost all their wind and he had to stop himself laughing when Dinah was called his wife. Had to try anyway. Because he did laugh, right out loud, and shook his head, and golden curls with it Then he kept his trap shut for another moment. Di's reply had given him a way to say it without such a bitter edge, "To the great disappointment of my sires, I am not the marrying kind. And, if you will allow me to say so, Mr. Sato, please and thank you would not go amiss when ordering my sister about. I think we can agree she deserves that much consideration."
Turning to Godric, he'd explain what Di had not, "This is my sister Dinah, and I am Dorian Windgrace. Did you say brioche, from the place a little down from the stables? You must give your partner my compliments, if so, Mr. Lockewood. Say, are you also from our sceptered isle?" Red hair made him guess as much.
Thirteen blinked at Godric, not quite staring at him but certainly looking at him with an intensity as she tried to parse out his words. Thirteen did not do so well with social niceties. "Oh. So a *good* friend is like the tailor for you, Naoki, and a friend is like my relationship with Ms. Dinah? That is interesting. Thank you, Mr. Lockewood. We aren't friends, but we could be. I like his *good friend*'s baking very much. It's my favorite on Callisto. I admit, I have been craving the brioches more than usual so I am ever grateful that there is a steady supply," Thirteen offered, putting an awkward amount of emphasis on 'good friend' until it was fairly clear to anyone what her meaning was. She wiggled her feet happily under Naoki though clearly wanted him to join her up on the seat rather than down in the snow. "That is just the way he talks. It has been called abrupt before," Thirteen explained to Dorian before her gaze traveled towards Dinah and she gave an apologetic shrug, "I am not always adroit at reading the cues of this vessel. Sometimes it stops sending them when I ignore them long enough."
Naoki Sato was more or less sitting with his back to the rest of them and the fire but he turned his head toward one shoulder to eyeball the twins out of his periphery. "...twin brother?" he repeated. He seemed to repeat new bits of information when given them. The Jikininki was still digesting that bit of information, mulling on something when Dorian chastised him for his manner of speaking. With only a "hm" in reply to the blonde he said, "Thank you," to Dinah, still rather abrupt, still a bit curt. He turned to face Thirteen again, quiet again as he thought about her observations and comparisons. "I would be less abrupt if she were not a good friend of Roesler's," he said with a little tilt of his head in Dinah's direction. He lapsed into silence then, taking mental note of the sway in talk toward cravings and brioche. Carefully he felt at the pulses in her ankles, checking if her feet were warm enough. "Where are your boots?" he asked her quietly once there was enough of a lull in the conversation.
Dinah canted her head at Godrics' mention of the patissierie, and she nudged Dori in the ribs "is the patissierie in town that place you favour, dear heart?" she asked with interest, but she giggled at Godrics' assertion that twins were auspicious. "I certainly like to think we are. My family is terribly dear to me, I can endure any amount of stifling...though, they can be somewhat protective" she said playfully. She nudged Dori again at his words to Sato and she chuckled. "Dori, dear, it's quite alright. I am quite capable of defending myself should I find it required, aren't I?" she squeezed his arm fondly. She dipped into a curtsy the best she could in her kimono at Dorian introducing her to Godric. Her smile quirked a little wider at Thirteens' emphasis, but she nodded gently "I did prewarn you at least that he was protective, yes?" she laughed gently, giving Dorian a sideways hug. "That being said, perhaps I will have to keep an eye on you too, if you are good at ignoring your own care, mm? consider it a kindness, as you paid me"
She hummed and drank more of her heavily boozed up cocoa, sadly cooling, and she nodded towards Naoki again, though as he mentioned Roesler, she curled her fingers beneath her chin "I haven't actually *seen* him since the cabaret.. and ive not spoken to him since the dinner party, I don't think. how terribly ungracious of me to have let it lapse so long" she frowned "...I am beginning to think I need to keep a diary again, dorian"
Godric Lockewood smiled to Dorian extending one gloved hand at the introduction and a small nod of understanding when the young man pointed out his confirmed bachelor status, "Ah the Windgrace family, I've been meaning to stop by your lovely shop." he indicated with a small bob of his head, "Ah the family hails from the isles but I was born and raised here on Callisto." he assured the twins. He opened his mouth to elaborate when Thirteens insinuation drew a deep blush to his cheeks, "Ahh, no, well yes, ah." he cleared his throat and let out a small huff as he tried to regain his shattered composure. "Ahh Are you chilled madame?" he asked Thirteen still not looking directly at her. He patted his pocket snad produced another pair of sturdy fitted cotton gloves, "They may be a bit oversize but I'd be remiss in my duties as a gentleman if I did not offer." He did not explain why he kept spare gloves on his person. "Doctor Roesler?
He asked with some sign of discomfort, "He is personable enough." he looked away nervously, "His work is sometimes, unsettling." he admitted, "But of service to the community." he quickly added. then fell silent at the awkwardness of hte moment.
Drystan Windgrace stopped at the vendor selling hot chocolate, and made the exchange for a HUGE damn cup of it, that made steam as he walked towards where a pair of yellow headed twins were standing huddled around a fire. He just heard some muddled voiced and walked up next to his sister, standing right behind her to block the wind, bending over and giving the top of her hair a quick kiss, settling in, looking around at the group of people he didnt know. Not that he knew much of anyone, but he'd found the twins and he supposed that all that mattered.
Dorian was going to answer the call of more hackles, but then Dinah told him to cool his heels so he just let it go. He had plenty to say about Roesler, but more about treating his sister like the princess she deserved to be treated as. He'd just work his jaw and turn from the pair on the bench, with tension showing in his nostrils too, murmuring to his sister, "I apologize for speaking for you, since I am /not/ your husb-- Stan!"
He'd step away from Di, ceding her to Drystan, and give his brother an upward nod of greeting, and explain generally, "This is our brother Drystan. The eldest, Miss Thirteen. He is my boss where the business is concerned. And Dinah runs the household. All I run is my mouth, hm?" There he made a joke of it and did not attempt to provoke Naoki though a peevish part of him sorely wanted to, despite it being such a a nice outing. He'd try to keep on not being a jerk, by explaining to Godric, "We would love to see you at the shop, Mr. Lockewood. As my sister said, I have been to the patisserie often enough. I have a rapacious sweet tooth."
Thirteen reached out to touch Naoki's hair, "Beloved," she said softly. "Please, they are my first friends." Thirteen asked simply, in the manner she always did when asking for a special boon of any sort, though truly, Thirteen rarely asked for special behavior. Normally, she was more than content to have her day to day dictated entirely by the whims of her makers but Naoki had been even more on edge than usual. She nodded over towards the gate where she'd taken off her boots to trade them for skates. "I left them by the fence though they may be hidden in the snow." Thirteen offered quietly before she glanced back up to take in Drystan with a warm smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Windgrace. We have been enjoying your family's company. I'm Thirteen, this is Sato," she offered to the glowering man at her side before she gestured to Godric, "And this is Mr. Lockewood. He is the *very good friend* of the patisserie owner."
Dinah tensed and squeaked at the kiss to her head, though the fact dorian had let someone so close meant it would only be one person. She turned, giving her eldest brother a beaming smile. "Stan! darling, look at how beautiful it is up here!" she detached her arm from Dorian's to greet the eldest with a tight hug around his chest. "I made a snow-bunny already." she turned, giving him a squeeze as Dorian introduced him. She stood on her tiptoes, uttering a soft whisper towards him with an impish smile, dipping her hand into her obi to slip him the brandy flask she'd already half-emptied. She nodded to Godric though "we are always glad to have new faces come to visit us at the store. though it would be more likely delilah or dorian you would meet there than myself" she agreed. She hummed quietly and glanced up at the sky "dears, I shan't be long.~" she stood up to press another kiss to Drystan's cheek, and then to dorians, giving the rest a bow at the middle.
"A pleasure to see you again, Naoki, Thirteen. A similar pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lockewood.. and boys, I shall see you in a short while. I have to send a telegram before the postal office closes~"
Godric Lockewood looks up at the tall man who approaches Dinah with such familiarity assuming he must be the husband and is left slightly agape at another brother once introduced, "Another ruggedly handsome brother." he replies without catching himself entirely and smiles slightly shyly, "I certainly will attend Good sir." he replies to Dorian, "And be sure to bring you something sweet then." he adds at the admission of a preference in baked goods. "We share a flat." he clarified for Drystan at Thirteen's introduction. "Godric is fine." he repeated having some small discomfort with the family name though lacking another. "Safe Travels Ms. Windgrace." he intoned with a returned bow as the young woman moved to take her leave. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Drystan Windgrace gives Dinah a warm smile and takes the flask from her, quietly slipping it into his jacket pocket, as she leans up to whisper in his ear,=. He holds his breath a moment looking at Dorian and then down at her, furrowing his brow. He clears his throat and nods, "Yes...of course. Be careful on your way home." He looked over at his brother giving him a nod up with his chin in return and then addressed his attention around the group gathered. He gave Thirteen a soft smile and then looked over at Lockewood. "Ah yes hello, Godric? Nice to put a face to a name I know well enough." He lifted his hand from his cup to give a wave hello. "Pleasure to meet you ...all. Drystan is fine as well. Gets a bit strange when I've got family around. ' He cocked his head at Dori and at his sister as she left. "THis is quite lovely, makes me actually miss a wintery London."
Dorian moved closer to the fire and held one foot and then the other in the well of heat by the flames. He was pretty steady on one foot, and it had been just long enough that his toes had gotten nippy. He'd gone back toward his sister to bid her goodbye by receiving a nice kiss on his clean-shaven cheek and by childishly thumping her obi's bow when she turned. He'd explain, "I think Miss Thirteen and Mr. Sato work for that Professor Di has been corresponding with. Miss Thirteen is a friend to Di, and Mr. Lockewood-- beg pardon, Godric, there is the very soul of chivalry. And he's a Callisto native, if you can imagine it. Strange to consider people are born here, that there are already generations of people who have lived here. Please, sir, call me Dorian if we are going by first names and you are not a bad looking chap yourself, if you do not mind my saying to. There was a time when people said gingers were superior and more passionate lovers. Mr. Windgrace is my big brother." He looked over to his brother, smirking, and stopped talking about Renaissance superstitions from when he was actually young.
Thirteen: "The Professor is my maker. Naoki... Sato is his protege, or assistant, if you prefer that term," Thirteen confirmed with her usual specific term of phrase. She accepted the gloves from Godric with a smile of appreciation and tucked her hands into the slightly too large gloves to warm her fingers up further. "Thank you, I didn't think to bring my gloves and by the time I was here, it seemed a pity to walk all the way back just for that." Thirteen offered, watching the two men flirt... at least she was fairly certain they were flirting - before tipping her head to the vanishing Dinah, "Lovely to see you again, Ms. Windgrace. I'll point Sato towards you to discuss that ofuda when he's not so cross with me." She offered the departing woman before shifting a little to enjoy the flames a bit more comfortably. "The pleasure is all mine, Drystan. It is lovely up here isn't it? Sometimes seems its a shame its so brief and so high up the hills but I suppose I would truly become a Popsicle if it were more available, though."
Godric Lockewood: "It is lovely." Godric agreed readily holding his hands toward the fire to warm them. "Oh I hadn't thought my reputation spread so far." he remarked with small smile and shrug. "I make every effort." he answered Dorian praise and his cheeks colored ever so slightly at the insinuations of his prowess. "Ah well I've had no complaints." he replied and bowed slightly to Thirteen, "Apologies Madame, I do not wish to offend." He looked away from her shining form, "You can return them tot he shop when next you require brioche." he suggested warmly.
Drystan Windgrace watched Thirteen as she spoke, and he chewed on the inside of his cheek. Her maker. An automaton, but, ...with life in her, all around her, he could see that clear as day. Sato just kept to himself, which he couldnt begrudge the man for doing, He flicked his eyes over at Dorian, "Oh, come now. We are of a modern, polite society, where even souls are awarded to red heads." He lifted his brows an sort of looked back at Thirteen, then skowly back to Godric. "OH!" He snapped and turned to look at Dorian. "Popsicles! For your ..." He snapped a few times. "....the ahh bump thats coming in next month? Bananas! Banana ice pops. With Chocolate. " He grinned wide nad held his hand out like he was the smartest man alive for coming up with that, "Eeeyyy?? Right?" He gave him a little point and let his eyes go back to Godric.
Dorian really needed to ask Di what Thirteen meant about calling the guy her maker. It seemed rude to ask. He presumed father, but the professor guy didn't seem so old as all of that. Dorian was probably flirting by some standards, there was a reason he was the one who worked in the shop. Good at running his mouth. After laughing at his brother's remark about another redhead superstition, he couldn't help asking, "Godric what do you do, if I may ask? Wait Lockewood, why does that sound familiar, big brother? Oh, you're those Lockewoods, are you not!? That's why you are a native, your people have been here since this place was pulled up from the sea, am I right?!"
He tapped the side of his nose about bananas, and then pointed at his brother, and only after that clasping the held out hand in a shake of congratulations for culinary creativity, "We should ask the cooks if they can do anything like that, maybe some nuts."
Thirteen stared intensely back at Drystan with those wide blue eyes. When he squinted and started talking about a 'bump' next month, the redhead flushed, dropping her now gloved hands in her lap and over her abdomen. Thirteen didn't usually feel embarrassment. She wasn't sure if it was due to the hormones that Lex had briefly lectured about or if it was something more ephemeral and emotion based. It rattled her enough that it took her a moment to catch on to what he ACTUALLY was talking about. "Frozen... chocolate covered bananas. That sounds... tasty actually. I would try one," Thirteen offered her opinion, her thoughts a little scattered so she only nodded a brief and distracted thanks to Godric for his loan of the gloves. "....I think my lack of a soul is unrelated to the color of the hair of this vessel." She added after a moment, though her voice was again, uncertain.
Godric Lockewood blinked at Drystans outburst and commentary on bannanas and bumps his brow furrowed as he wondered briefly if he'd poured from the wrong flask and laced his cocoa with laudnum not brandy. He ave a small shake o fhis head, "The Lockewoods are a founding family yes." he agreed with a small sigh, He offers a small shrug, "I play a bit of cards here and there." he demured as to his career such as it was. Layabout bastard son of one of hte more powerful witching families wasn't exactly a career. He finally put together the bumb when he noted Thirteens blush, "Ah so ... yes and." he looked at Naoki as the mans overprotective streak suddenly made sense. "Tis but a myth we have as much claim to a soul as any others." he flashed Drystan a wink and added, "Sometimes we just need to source them creatively."
Drystan Windgrace chuffed a laugh at Godric, but felt a flush of embarrassment that was certainly not his own. He wasn't quite sure where it was sourced, hell it could be from Dorian's lack of decent footwear, but he was too bullheaded to be embarrassed, he'd already embraced it. Soooo next came the body language meter. He looked at each of them in time, smiling though. "Yes.. Well, you're in good company, The Windgraces go back just as far, we just...keep leaving, and coming back and leaving..." He weaved his hand around like a sail in the wind. "Being in the procurement and shipping of Aetherite is our little legacy on the Island. "He nodded to Thirteen. "I am sure you have a soul, dear, if you know it or not. And the redheaded things - just jokes and jibes from history, It means nothing." He hands on her belly, her wide blue eyes..maybe it was her. He took a long last sip from the cocoa, and set the glass on the bricks surrounding the fire. "Nothing like a good game of cards. I haven't found anyone or anywhere to really play since we arrived. But, i also don't usually play just for fun." He waggled a brow towards Godric. Shit. It could be coming from him...but why? He sighed internally, sort of brushing it off, unless he felt it again his little game of figuring out who felt what was a bust,
Dorian laughed when he realized that in engaging in ginger funning that Thirteen had also been involved. Though he did not know what she was, or what she was about, he'd murmur toward her, not unlike his brother had done, responding to her wide-eyed look that he parsed as distress, "Miss, we mean no harm. Redheads are accustomed to this japery where we come from. I suspect it is because we had a redhaired queen who ruled by her own right without marrying. So in many ways it is noble as it is fiery a trait." He knew nothing about Thirteen being pregnant, but he did know about bananas, so he'd clarify all around, "We're getting in rather an enormous shipment of bananas in a few weeks' time. They called it a bumper crop. Agriculture has such strange jargon, and I can claim I know very little of it. Mr. Lockewood--" He'd hold out a hand toward Godric hoping to shake with the man, intoning warmly, playfully and with a wide grin that fanned out across the bottom of his face until his teeth and dimples showed, "Our thanks to you and your kindred for keeping the place nice until we four got here personally. I adore the isle, I must say. Though, I am rather terrible at cards, I must admit, but that does not stop me playing."
Thirteen blinked at them offering a smile eventually, before she gave a shake of her head, "I don't mind not having one - a soul, that is. The Professor's father says I might but it is one of those great mysteries, I suppose, though it will likely end up in the Professor's paper on my construction and the bonding to this vessel. I assume it had a soul despite the red hair. I rather like the color now that I have it." Thirteen offered thoughtfully, having settled since the topic had shifted away from her actual embarrassment. "They gamble in the upstairs above the small building next to the tea-house. The one that sells the little gold fish and the wind chimes, though I am not to frequent it. It is dangerous; their game of choice is mah jong, I believe." Thirteen offered, ever happy to provide knowledge to those that had been kind to her. "Do you know how to play that, Mr. Drystan?"
Godric Lockewood winged slightly in discomfort at the discussion of his nominal family, "Yes my Fathers family has a long and storied history on the island would that I could take credit for such." he replied evenly with a small shrug not going in depth to his, strained, relations with the family of his absent sire. He brightened slightly at the mention of card games and flashed a pleased smile, "As ms. Thirteen said there is a group that manages games of chance in teh Seiiki district, I only play occasionally." he explained leaving out that he avoided the gangsters game due to his propensity for winning that was not entirely skill at the game not natural luck. "There is a floating Pharoh game between the pub and cannery and occasionally hosted at one of the patrons residences I could pass your names to the hosts if you are interested. They have been considering poker game weekly but interest has been slim." the hosts doubtless would be. He let out a small laugh and shrug, "Ah the academy has poker games most weekends among the students but the stakes are low and the play rather ... tame." he offered finally.
Drystan Windgrace nodded to Thirteen. "I do actually, though i'm not very good." he turned back to Godric, "Yes sure, by all means, pass it along, All I do with my time really is ...well, paint really. The bit of work you know, here and there." His stomach growled just then furiously, the cocoa and nothing else in it was being very vocal. "Excuse me, wow. I'm...actually very hungry....Thirteen, it was a pleasure to have met you, I hope to see you again, And Godric, very much a pleasure as well. Catch you again sometime. " He looked over at Dorian, You care to go with me? I’m just going to pop off home for a while, see if the cooks left anything good around!"
Dorian chuckled at the white-clad woman, "You are rather informative Miss Thirteen, thank you ever so much for all of your company and forthcomingness." As his brother declared his intention to depart, he'd nod that he was coming along, but before backing away to follow, he'd remark, "Mr. Lo-- Godric, my tours in the navy aside, I love being here as having gotten a chance to finally get out of the nest. You think my brother casts a long shadow, my father is where he gets his height." He thought he understood a little bit of the redhaired man's fleeting consternation, but Dorian had his own daddy issues. "Get us in on a game. We may not be very special friends, but perhaps we can start by being chums." His toes were super cold, and he'd run in sandaled feet up to and then right past his brother, making a contest out of it, despite his lack of proper footwear.