Magenta Albatross

Dalinar Kholin has slighted me, seriously set back my objectives for no visible reason, and ignored all attempts to rectify the situation or explain himself. Unless he snaps out of his drunken stupor and gives a satisfactory account for his actions, I support his ostracism from the feast.

"Wit, I was expecting a hundred chasmfiends marching in unision, singing an ode to your magnifence. And these are chulls. I'm sure you can do better."

Aesudan navigated around a chull that was sleeping between tables, and towards the other Kholins. "@SE_Dalinar_Kholin, considering the fact that you were paying attention around the time that I cleared my name, and it was common knowledge that continuing to falsely accuse me would seriously set back my objective, I have to say it was rather unkind of you to leave your vote on me. I did not think we had any kind of quarrel with each other. Could you explain yourself?"

"This comes as a bit of a surprise to me, but I have a few words," Aesudan spoke up. "I do not like liars. The impudent servant girl has slandered my name and falsely accused me of attempted murder. Not only murder, but the murder of one of our guests. Of all of you gathered here today, it is clear that Liss has offended none more than myself. I would see her duplicitly punished with ostracism." "And yet, she confessed. Liss might have gotten away with her betrayal, if only she had remained silent. I do not believe in punishing somebody for attempting to fix the mess that they have created. It is only logical to spare somebody who comes clean, as it encourages others to do so in the future." "And so, I find myself advocating that Liss be spared." "That said," Aesudan glared at Liss. "We will be having words about why you were spreading these rumors in the first place."

Aesudan stepped forwards. "Unfortunately, I can confirm that the rumors are not unfounded. I approached young Adolin with my concerns, when I heard the rumors that he was planning to perform an act of violence... And he admitted that he was planning on killing somebody at this feast." "In general, I have always had the highest respect for Adolin, and I am sure that he does not truly mean to engage in such a grave crime. I'm sure that this is merely a decision made in the heat of the moment, impaired by too much wine." "Such episodes are not without precedent," Aesudan remarked, glancing over at Dalinar, who was already showing signs of inebriation. "As such, I suggest that Adolin be removed from the feast, at least for the time being, so that he can come to his senses."

"In terms of what I have seen? I am regrettably looking at you right now, so I would have to agree with that sentiment. I don't think even Dalinar is drunk enough yet for one of your stories to start making sense." The king's Wit retreated, and Aesudan shook her head. Of all the Alethi customs to revive with the restoration of a unified Alethkar, this was not one she understood. The only use she could think of is that it possibly served as a sort of release valve when highprinces were in the mood to assassinate somebody. "Brightlord and Brightlady Sadeas, Brightlord Amaram," she nodded. "I hope the feast is going well for all of you. It's a shame that Wit was causing such a scene."

"You would know," Aesudan said sarcastically. "One of the perks of interacting primarily with cremlings, I'm sure. I await your revolutionary dissertation on the overlooked virtues of cremlings with much anticipation."

That insolent little... Aesudan glared at the creature that was now steadily crawling down a stalk of fingermoss, towards her hand. "Thank the Almighty that you are here at least, so that I will look presentable in comparison. I am inclined to suspect you carry around a cremling simply because it is the only creature that lacks the requisite intellect or volition to be properly disdainful of you." She flicked the bouquet, catapulting the hapless cremling back towards Wit.

Aesudan sighed, approaching the gathering of the Sadeas princedom. She could not put off paying her respects to her friends any longer, despite the fact that Wit was still pestering them. She had no desire to speak with the man on such an otherwise lovely evening. "A witless Wit and a stone as violet as the wine he is undoubtedly intoxicated with," Aesudan observed. "You should keep the moss; between you and Highprince Sadeas, I think you must bear the greater kinship to an unwanted weed tonight." "In any case, I have no need of your vegitation," she added, procuring her bouquet of colored fingermoss. "I brought some of my own."

What. Did he just say he was named after a nail? Still, Aesudan would not judge too harshly, as this Nail fellow was probably from some western city halfway around the world. If she could take sentient parshmen in stride, she could handle a peculiar naming custom. She nodded politely at Nail as he took his leave. Now only Elhokar remained.

"Why thank you, dear," Aesudan accepted the fingermoss, holding it like a bouquet. "They look delightful." "Almost delightful enough to make up for ignoring me earlier," she smiled with a twinkle in her eye. "Have you eaten yet? Your father is putting on quite an impressive show (I simply had no idea there were so many different types of chicken), and I was wondering what your take on the Parshendi might be now that we've had some time to mingle."

Aesudan couldn't help but overhear a snatch of conversation from another table. It should be self evident that not everybody has an equal dose of wits...

A Shin serving the Parshendi? Aesudan was visibly surprised by this. ”What, really? I didn’t know they had servants.” A Shin servant was odd in of itself, but this one was also the first human she had identified as part of the Parshendi entourage. It was a strange thought, to see a human servant to parshmen. How had this come to pass? Perhaps she would ask one of the Parshendi leaders about it later. Aesudan glanced back towards the foreigner with the crescent scar, whose name she had yet to discern. ”My friend here was wondering what the Parshendi might want out of this alliance. What do you make of them, servant?”

Aesudan spotted a Shin servant boy clearing a table, and motioned again for her glass to be refilled. He was wearing white, an unusual and flowing garment. It stood out. It wasn't the typical attire of an Alethi manservant, nor could she spot any of the other servants in the area dressed similarly. Aesudan sensed the opportunity to deride whatever minor lighteyes it was who dressed their servants in such an irregular manner. "You there. Who are you with?"

"Strange creatures indeed... I've actually never seen them in person before this night, but it seems an interest in the Parshendi has suddenly become very fashionable, no?" "I think it is fairly clear what they want, however," Aesudan confided. "The Parshendi are a less developed people and nation, and they stand to gain from an alliance with Alethkar, and the benefits of modern fabrials and weapons and everything else, not to mention the protection of a strong ally. No, I think the real mystery is not what they gain from this, but what we gain from it... Any assets the Parshendi have, we could have simply taken by conquest. I trust King Gavilar's wisdom, of course, but I also know that I am not the only one to have wondered this." Aesudan held out her empty glass, beckoning for a servant to refill it. "You know, I don't believe you ever introduced yourself."

Aesudan lifted a glass of yellow off a servant, sipping it pensively. There was a lot more going on here than just some dull treaty, she could feel it. Virtually everyone had their own agenda. At least for the time being, it looked like everybody wanted the feast to go smoothly. Hopefully, as the night dragged on and wine eclipsed judgement, it would stay that way. An incident on a treaty night would be... Awkward, to say the least. "How do you do? I don't believe I've caught your name?" "Brightlady Aesudan Kholin, princess of Alethkar. And you are? I trust you are enjoying the festivities?" Aesudan examined the new arrival. He was wearing some kind of uniform, and he had an odd crescent-shaped scar on his face. His eyes had a deadness to them that was a touch disconcerting. He clearly wasn't Alethi, and Aesudan wondered what had attracted a foreign official to the treaty celebration of Alethkar.

“In that case, farewell and good luck. It has been an interesting and informative conversation.” Aesudan continued on, searching for somebody else with which to converse. So long as she kept clear of the King’s Wit she should be fine in that regard. Perhaps she could even try speaking to one of the Parshendi.

“Yes, sometimes I wonder about that. But Gavilar knows what he is doing, no doubt. That I think we may all agree upon. I have to say, even among the rest of us there are a number of unfamiliar faces. I was unaware how many foreigners would take interest in the Alethi treaty. Their interest in Alethkar is not unwelcome, though.”

Aesudan nodded her head. ”A strange people, these Parshendi. So like the parshmen, and yet so unlike them. Unrefined, of coarse, but that’s what the treaty is for, is it not? Time will tell. I am no diplomat, but this treaty feels... Significant. Perhaps King Gavilar’s enthusiasm on the matter is rubbing off.”

"It's a fine evening, a fine evening indeed. All of Alethkar gathered here, in peaceful celebration no less." Aesudan noted the wine going around, and motioned for a servant to bring her some. Perhaps a yellow or green to start the night. "And Elhokar seems to be enjoying himself, yes," she added, casting a sidelong glance at Elhokar, who was working his way around the hall. Aesudan eyed the stranger who had just arrived. Was it parshendi...? She couldn't tell, since it was just standing there impassively, devoid of any recognizable facial expression. She didn't want to embarass herself by addressing a simple parshman as if it were a person, nor did she want to make the opposite mistake, so she elected to ignore it until somebody else spoke.

Hmph. Aesudan watched Elhokar completely ignore her greeting. Maybe the rumors were true after all, and Elhokar had multiple wives in secret. He had denied it categorically, of coarse, but the rumors started from somewhere... Well, maybe there were others to talk to. She needed connections, and she had virtually none. Unfortunately, this meant she would probably have to speak with Wit, who was in the thick of conversation. Aesudan steeled herself. "@SE_Ialai_Sadeas, how are you on this fine evening?"

Aesudan worked her way through the crowd, looking for a face she recognized amidst the milling of servants and obnoxious parshman drummers. She noted a cluster of Kholin and Sadeas, but steered clear when she spotted the king's Wit presiding over the throng. Aesudan was astounded that nobody had killed the man yet. It was not the Alethi way to speak of such things in public, but anybody as tactless as this new Wit was bound to insult the wrong brightlord sooner or later. This feast would be a fateful one, she could tell. Aesudan cared not for a treaty with some backwater in the shattered plains, but a gathering of this size was an opportunity to advance in standing unlike any other. She spotted Elhokar chasing after a particularly large stuffed chicken. She wondered halfheartedly if they had prepared a sweetened counterpart. "Ah, hello dear."

Coral Swan. Cream Tutara. EDIT: @Amber Vulture, please help me! And then in the morning there is (if I'm lucky) a 50/50 percent chance of me being killed! Exciting!