Talise put her hand under the table and gently took Gerard’s in hers. It wasn’t an action that had gone unnoticed by the goddess but even Angela knew when not to push something. Talise gently put her fingers in between his and gave a good squeeze. They could escape together if they wanted to. They were wind and water.

Angela rubbing her forehead. “Furtuna is one of my elder children. She is a rebel as all Genasi tend to be. She’s been a headache since she was born… What little fortune she received from her father she got a boat and started to ransack places… She is one of Revaliir’s most notorious sky parents now… With a damn fleet backing her up. I don’t talk about her much if at all. She’s not welcome near me unless it's in my temple. She knows I hate heights and she’s repeatedly managed to get me on her airship without me knowing.”

The dinner was brought in and the food smelled delicious there was one more place set up and Angela looked sad as she watched it. “She was supposed to come today… Where is Aaryona?” There was a tearful look on her face that showed the mother loved all of her children.

“Probably busy Mom, you know she is a queen in her own right.” Nerezza was calmer now and more ladylike as she put food on her plate and mused. “She is probably too busy to let us know she can’t make it home. She is all the way in Kurayo right now… I’m sure she didn’t mean to forget about us.” Angela nodded a bit more and bounced the baby in her arm now.

Talise looked over at Gerard and smiled at him. “We can leave once dinner is over. I’m sure by the time we get back to Feeorin that the Sylph will be gone and happily on their way home.”

Someone took his hand in theirs, and turning to look he saw it was Talise. The alcohol was exacerbating his already tempestuous feelings, and it wasn't a surprise that it made him more emotional. The piling stress and anxiety had nearly forced him to retreat within himself to cope. Knowing he wasn't alone made everything more bearable. The timing couldn't have been better. The food arrived and the dinner officially started. "We can leave once dinner is over. I'm sure by the time we get back to Feeorin that the Sylph will be gone and happily on their way home." Her smile was comforting, like Jacintha's. Every time he was faced with something he couldn't handle, he would either run or try to cope. He had to tough things out by himself, and often that was his only option as no one else around him could help or weren't there to.

Gerard wanted to go home. In a way, he was still like the child who had been found by the water nymphs. He wasn't good at adjusting. That's why he wanted things to be the way they 'should'. But he couldn't be selfish and leave like usual. It wasn't just him this time; Talise also needed him here too. The least he could do was to make it easier on her. They were both suffering together. Once their hands let go, he began taking some of the food. He started with the bitter and sour things. They were the easiest for him to get down in his current state of mind. There was a growing pile of sour pickles, green olives, and greens as he took what he wanted. As he did so, he would meticulously drain any excess sauce that might have come along with what he scooped before setting it onto his plate. When that was done, he arranged his forks all on one side and his spoons and knives on the other. They were arranged in ascending size instead of order of being used, and he moved his shot glass to line up with the other glasses on the table. Finally, he unfolded his napkin before starting to eat.

"Last I heard about Aaryona you sent her off to train under Nemesis," Drae commented. "Is that not still the case?" he asked as he began to dish up food for himself and Rohan, allowing Iva to do it herself. Rohan looked rather irked that his father was doing the dishing and that Iva could pick the foods for herself. He was about to complain when he saw that Drae was actually only dishing up the things that he liked onto his plate, which fortunate for his parents, was a wide variety of food. 

"I'm sure Aary's ok, Mum," Rohan quipped. "Besides, Nathaniel and Iris aren't here either. Why aren't you worried about them?" he pointed out as Drae passed along the dishes of food to the other side of the table with levitation, the other infant cooing happily in his lap. 

Angela nodded a bit and frowned. “It had to be done Drae. She’s going to get herself killed if she doesn’t learn how to control those vampires. Marius isn’t around to teach her.” Nerezza and Lucian knew about their father’s other half by now. There was no hiding he existed but they were both told to stay away from him. He was dangerous and Angela had thrown her daughter straight into his path. “She needs a teacher… and vampires aren’t something I’m familiar with. He has the experience… the drive… the charisma to teach her whatever he wants. Its her job not to mess up. As long as she doesn’t he won’t step on my toes. I’m giving him a good deal. He tutors my daughter and I give his mate the ability to have children. This keeps my daughter alive.”

Nerezza made a face, “Papa never sounded that mean when he was one person… I love him still but…”

“Rezza, this isn’t the same man that raised you. Raeguel and Nemesis are two different people now. He asked about you yes… but I believe it was more of a morbid curiosity. Raeguel is your father Rezza never forget that.” Angela was quick to correct the girl who now frowned deeply. “Nemesis would destroy worlds if it meant getting his way or if one of his was hurt.”

Aelwen reached across and took Rezza’s hand for the time being. “It’s be okay. Don’t think about it. Both of our fathers were dumbasses.” She gave her younger sister a cheeky smile and Rezza nodded.

“That’s my girls.” Angela gave a pleasant smile as Rohan made sure she knew that Aary was alright. “They aren’t here for other reasons Ro.” Angela chuckled a bit. “Just like Episcia and Lucian aren’t down here in the dining hall.” She winked at Drae and could only imagine what the two of them were doing.

“If they aren’t careful they are going to end up knocked up.” Nerezza waved her spoon about. “That’s the last thing I need is my twin brother’s mini me running around.”

“ANGELA,” The doors got kicked in, which was shocking considering they were stained glass. “YOU BITCH!” It was Toya, six months pregnant and bursting at the seams.

“Oh dear, Honey will you help me with Toya.” There was amusement in her eyes and voice as she and Drae put the twins down in a cradle and practically dragged the pregnant woman out. They closed the doors so calmly.

“Mood is too dreary now. Nerezza you are getting fat!” Aelwen laughed and pointed at her. "I think you are the one who needs to lay off the sex. Just because you are married doesn't mean you should pack the pounds!"

“I AM NOT,” Nerezza yelled back.

Iva stared down Rohan. “TAKE BACK WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER.” Suddenly Rohan and Iva began to pick up the food and throw it at each other.

“NEVER!” Rohan laughed as he used his plate to shield himself. Nerezza and Aelwen soon followed suit and began to bombard the other with food. Talise screamed and ended up on Gerard’s lap hiding.

The twins were under the table hiding from the food. The doors on the other side of the room opened up and there stood another lithe redhead. “AARYONA!” Iva screamed with joy as pudding hit her square in the face. “ROHAN!” Rohan was laughing out of control as Iva threw cake at him.

“Nope, not today.” Aaryona walked around the table and out the other doors to where her mother was.

Everything started to settle down, and Gerard thought he could probably handle things now. Then the doors were kicked open, sending shards of colored glass all over the floor. He jolted at the sound wincing. And the terror didn't stop there. A woman, very heavily pregnant, barged in and was hopping mad. Both deities left the room to deal with the unexpected arrival, leaving everyone without supervision. Then the previous peace and quiet all fell apart. People were sniping at each other, yelling was going on, and then the food started to fly. He ducked avoiding a piece of sauce-covered chicken and quickly dumped his food off his plate into the nearest serving bowl. Hastily wiping it clean with his napkin he held it in the direction of the incoming fire and tried to keep low. Not that being nearly six feet in height helped, but he was not letting anything stain his good coat. Or his ascot, or his shirt, his pants, his shoes, his hair…

As the food fight intensified, he grabbed Talise's clean plate and began using them as dual shields while Talise climbed into his lap hiding from the onslaught of stain-inducing foodstuffs. His eyes were wide and terrified. He knew this would happen. Maybe not exactly but he knew the peace and quiet had been too good to be true. It was always like this, a calm before a storm. Everything would fall still before the rains and winds would slam the coastline, like in the later months. The tides would go wild and the seas would boil like water in a pot. His voice tense the whispered loudly to Talise over the roaring din. "We need to get out of here! Quick, I'll cover you! On the count of three, we'll run." When he counted to three, they fled the chaos and mass hysteria of the dining hall to the outdoors. He let Talise go ahead of him while he used the plates to block from behind. They kept running and running until the shouts were gone and they were in a garden. The adrenaline rush over, Gerard flopped onto the ground with the plates on the grass beside him panting heavily.

"…I'm done. I can't take this anymore." Groaning, he pulled a plate and covered his face with it while letting out a cry of desperation. His arms and legs were screaming from the burn from running, and he wanted to throw himself into a river and let it carry him away.  

Talise’s eyes had tears at the corners of them as Gerard valiantly defended her. She nodded up to him. “We can do that… I like that idea.” They counted and they managed to flee. The siblings were too busy with each other to even notice what the escapees were doing.

She fell but was caught by her cloud that appeared. She buried herself in it and offered her hand to him. “It’s more comfortable.” Gerard joined her so they could lay on it together. They were practically crying. “This was so bad. I quit having family.”

The ground began to shake and there was yelling. “My mom noticed.” Talise snuggled into Gerard as she hid from the terrifying noise her mother was making. “Please save me, Gerard. My family is crazy.”

“Not completely crazy,” Angela appeared in front of them and smiled at Gerard. “To be honest I was hoping you both would hear me out.” Angela straightened out her dress and thought about it. “Both of you are old, not to be insulting… It’s hardly that. I know Talise has spent her life alone and I’m not so sure about you Gerard… Your personalities are very similar and I took notice of the way you interacted both here and wherever you both were before here.”

The goddess was oddly calm as she took her daughter’s white locks into her fingers. “My heart would be appreciative to make it better for you both. I understand that my family can be off the wall but the majority of them aren’t like that. The rowdy ones are here right now is all. I want to make it up to you though…”

She rubbed her hair a bit. “I’ve reserved a table at one of my favorite taverns in the Yellow Court. Would you please take each other there and get to know each other?”

Sinking into the cloud it was like a bed of sea foam. He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol setting in or his nerves, but he felt so tired. There were tremors and he closed his eyes while covering his ears. No more, please–he begged in his mind. Then the goddess appeared. He got up with a start but she began to apologize. The crimson-haired woman began to explain why she had been so eager to have them get closer. Admittedly what she was saying was true. He and Talise were similar, in many aspects. In a rare case they got along well almost immediately, like birds of the same flock so to speak.

All in all, she wanted them to have time to know each other better. Feeling a bit guilty, he lowered his head as he fiddled with the edge of his sleeve. "My heart would be appreciative to make it better for you both. I understand that my family can be off the wall but the majority of them aren't like that. The rowdy ones are here right now is all. I want to make it up to you though… I've reserved a table at one of my favorite taverns in the Yellow Court. Would you please take each other there and get to know each other?" Gerard thought for a bit, then nodded. "Alright. I will. If Talise wants to, that is."

Talise blushed a bit and buried her head into the cloud before turning her violet eyes up to him. “I suppose… It’s alright if we go.” Her voice didn’t sound so much defeated as it did that she knew her mother was right. She got along with Gerard on a level that she hadn’t anyone else.

“Good, that makes happy to hear. You can go through your whole life fifty times over and never find someone happy to be with or happy to be around. You know…” Angela grabbed the cloud and pulled it with her until she could sit on a bench. “In fifteen hundred years… I’ve really only really loved three people in my life. Truly.” She offered a smile. “I would have never met Iva’s father had he not been mortally ill and wanted to meet me…. Wyatt my first husband wanted to stay human and die that way…. And Drae… Well, he’s already technically died once you know. Life is a lonely journey and when you find someone who at least makes it a bit better you should hold onto them. Love them the best you can. That’s all I want for my children, to find someone so life isn’t so lonely. Because at the end of the day family is just the light at the beginning of the tunnel and… your partner and your children will be the light at the end.” Angela gave a smile.

“So this tavern… What’s it like?” Talise rested her head on her hands as she propped herself up. “Fancy?”

“Very, it’s one of my favorites in all of the Yellow Court. I heard that Cathrine sent Liz and Krystopher there recently. It’s a Night Garden Tavern… Music, good food, the flowers glow in the pitch black, and there is candle light… You can dance and have a good time. They say dancing is how you get to know your partner. So why don’t you dance.”

She took a sigh a bit as she got up and pushed the cloud lightly. “Iva just threw Rohan through the broken door… Have fun you two. I set it up for you already just tell them I sent you…”

"It sounds relaxing. I've never been to the Yellow Court, so I'll be relying on you to bring me there." He said, turning to Talise with a smirk. He wasn't one to really dance, but it should be easy enough to take a few slow steps around in the evening air. "If their music isn't satisfactory enough I'll show them how it's done." He then summoned a violin case into his hands to prove he truly meant what he was saying. Gerard had missed it the entire time in this visit to Sularia. It was one of his most precious and prized possessions, and simply having it by his side put himself more at ease. What you couldn't say in words could be said tenfold through music. And the violin was the perfect instrument for expression with its wide range of pitch and sound.

You could laugh, cry, sing, and rage all with the sound of the violin and so much more. As the sky began to move into twilight, he stood up and straightened himself. His violin case in hand, he waited for Talise. When she was ready to go, he gave one last bow to the Goddess of Life. "…Thank you." 

Talise nodded at him and smiled. “I can do that. I’ve been there plenty in my youth.” She knew where the Night Garden Tavern was that her mother spoke about. It was a rather famous part of the Yellow Court.

Angela chuckled a bit and tilted her head, “If you play you should have Talise sing. Fey are quite the talented bunch when it comes to their voices and Rosenites are too… Combined that makes Talise very talented naturally.” Talise was blushing as she looked away from Gerard for a moment.

“Sure, I’ll sing if that’s what Gerard would want.”

Angela waved her hand at him and smiled, “No, thank you for making my daughter happy. It’s been a long time since I saw emotion from her.”

Talise knew her words to be true as she took Gerard around the house so they didn’t have to deal with the chaos inside. They got over the great aqueduct bridge and Talise showed him all the sights between the Red Court Manor and the Night Garden Tavern.

Once inside the great double doors, it was oddly pitch black. The flowers in Talise’s hair were glowing, showing that she had picked them from such a night garden as they were going to. Once the area opened up it was filled with glowing flowers, butterflies, a large fountain, a dimly lit romantic dance floor, and finally the candle lit tavern tables.

Talise got them a table thanks to her mother and she listened to the soft music being played on the dance floor. “This place…. It’s peaceful…” It was oddly quiet there for such music to be played in the background. It was almost like it was just them there. It was easy to forget about the staff and the other people around them. Hushed whispers. It made Talise look at Gerard and smile. Her eyes were glowing in the dim light just like the flowers in her hair.

“What do you think?”