A Wedding Reception to Remember

Writers: AL, Ames, Chelle, Cymiri, Miriah, Paula, Remy
Date Posted: 14th February 2014

Characters: Loella, Karhal, Benani, Wirnan, Zelanka, Zathris, Chupsin, Crolarin, Demir, Daimhin, Faldrimme, Petriv, Lantriv
Description: A shocking wedding reception
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 5, day 20 of Turn 7

Loella

Loella grinned from ear to ear as she and her now husband walked from
the small reception room where the wedding had taken place into the
great hall where the majority of the hold guests were already busily
partying.

Applause sounded as they followed the Lord and Lady holder into the
room. "I can't believe they went to all this trouble," she confided in
Karhal.

Wrapping his arm tightly around Loella', Karhal's face was calm, but
anyone could see the pure joy in his eyes. For a man not used to
giving much away in emotions to those who did not know him well, this
was a moment that he could bask in. She was his wife now. His thumb
stroked the skin of her arm as he looked down at her. There was
gentleness there, just for her, and a happiness few had ever seen in
him. He spoke softly. "Your mother, Benani and Zelanka are forces to
be reckoned with...wife." He bent to press a kiss to her brow.

Zelanka dabbed her eyes with a little white handkerchief. Weddings
always made her teary. She was so happy for Karhal and Loella, if there
were any people who deserved little happiness, it was those two.

Benani floated across the room on her husband's arm very pleased with
the way things had come together for the wedding and even though the
weather was a bit chancy they were able to pull a nice group of people
together.

Wirnan watched with a happy expression as the newly married couple
entered. He was glad for Karhal. It would be a good match for them.
One built more out of love and trust than his own. He joined in the
applause and then made his way over to the refreshment table. He would
greet the couple in a matter of moments, first a quick bit to eat and
a snack.

Faldrimme, too, was watching. Benani had invited her to the
festivities to help and assist as needed. It had been a joy to be a
witness to the happy occasion. She watched her aunt with her uncle and
she smiled. They were always so happy together. Her eyes turned back
to the pair that had just entered. They, too, seemed happy. Her own
heart wasn't feeling the same joy. Everyone around her seemed to be
finding happiness with a spouse, but she still had little idea what
her own future would hold. In times like these she missed Arippa
dearly.

Chupsin hung back. The healer was invited as a matter of course, not
so that he was really friends with the groom nor the bride.
It was still a social gathering, though. That meant young women. And
he was a bachelor on the market so to speak. So he might
have mingling just a bit.

Zathris leaned over to murmur in his wife's ear. "Do you think Loella
would be insulted if I danced with you before her?" Zathris wasn't
necessarily up on traditions, but he'd thought he'd heard somewhere
that the Lord Holder was supposed to dance with the honoured bride
after the first dance with her husband. Perhaps he should have paid
better attention at other weddings.

Benani chuckled. "No, I don't think she notices much besides Karhal at
this point." She pointed to where the couple were blissfully staring
into each others eyes. "I don't think you could pry them apart right
now."

The music had started from a group of harpers unfamiliar to her but
the music was bright and she smiled. "Me first."

Zelanka moved to the side of the room, to check the serving table and
her staff. All looked perfect. Descreetly she checked the the
temperature of the klah pot and and wine pitcher.
Her husband appreared and pulled her away from elbow.
"Oh, come now, your staff have everything under controll, let's
dance," Petriv's tone was mixture of amusement and reprimand.

"All right, dear," Zelanka sighed and they moved to the dancing floor.
She and Petriv waited their turn and joined the dance with the easy
gracefullness of many Turns of dancing together.

Karhal pulled Loella to the dance floor, the people in the background
fading to a faint buzz to his senses. He bent to murmur in her ear.
"Just think, after the toast, we can make our excuses." He chuckled
softly. "Let everyone else enjoy the party and we can have our own."

Crolarin mingled, but duty and need called. He watched, irritated as
the dancing continued; he had things to do. Finally, he approached
Zathris and Benani, murmuring an apology for the interruption.

"Forgive me, my Lord and Lady, but may I step in? I would like to say
my farewells to the Lady."

"I don't know. My lady, would you agree to dance with someone other
than your husband?" Zathris queried of his wife, amusement tickling
his lips upward.

She smiled up in to her husbands eyes for a moment before turning to
the harper. "Of course Crolarin," she smiled though not as intimately
as she had at Zathris a moment before. She placed her hand in
Crolarin's ready for him to lead her through the steps.

Crolarin's eyes were warm as his hand settled lightly on Benani's
waist. "Thank you for allowing this dance, Lady." His green eyes were
perfectly polite, but there was a hidden warm glint within them. "As
your Lord Husband may have told you, I'm to return to the Harper Hall
this evening." He led her lightly through the steps. He was not the
best dancer, but hardly the worst. Still, he managed to look
presentable. "I had been so looking forward to teaching your two
lovely children too." He gave a sigh of regret and a wistful smile.
"But, I did manage to get them two small gifts. I thought I might give
them to you before I leave."

Benani smiled her pleasure at the Harper. "That's so nice of you," she
said. "I'm sure the boys will be very pleased."

"Alas, I am sans dance partner." Zathris turned his gaze to the bride
and chuckled. "I suppose I shouldn't be evil - but I think I will be
anyway." He crossed the floor over to where Karhal swayed with his
new wife. "Pardon me, but may I cut in?"

Meanwhile, Loella blushed and smiled. "Of course My Lord. "

Zelanka saw Zathris take away Loella for a dance. Excusing her
husband, she went to claim the guard captain. "May I have this dance,
Karhal?" she asked with a proper curtsy. There was teasing look in her
blue eyes. "Since the Lord Holder stole your bride, I just steal you."

Karhal eyed Zathris, but smiled in response, reluctantly letting his
new wife go. He turned and looked down at Zelanka; he bowed, took her
hand and though he towered over her, settled into a formal step. "Just
don't keep me too long, Zelanka. I have plans for this afternoon."

Crolarin seemed to pause and consider something. "I do have to leave
soon. Do you think you could slip away for only a moment to gather the
gifts for your boys?"

Benani's eyes scanned the room, the dancing was still going strong and
she could afford to escape for a moment. "Of course," she smiled.

Crolarin led Benani away from the dancing, her arm tucked securely in
his own. "It won't take long, I promise."

Wirnan would have gone up to congratulate the pair, but the dancing
had already begun. He took this opportunity to invite his own wife to
join him on the dance floor. It was something they hadn't done much
together. Since things were improving between them it was nice to be
able to share moments like this together.

Karhal spun Zelanka with careful hands, but his gaze kept flicking
back to Loella, a smile quivering on his lips. The crowd around him
hadn't gone unnoticed and for once, he didn't have to concern himself
with security. All he had to do was enjoy himself.

After his own dance, Wirnan retired back to his table. He thought back
to his own wedding and knew it was time someone moved things forward a
bit.

"A toast!" He called out, lifting his glass towards his friend and new
wife, "To the bride and groom!" He knew others would soon join in with
their own toasts and congratulations.

Kaya had to admit that she'd enjoyed the dance - enough that she even
allowed herself to be a little disappointed that it had ended so soon.
As soon as Wirnan called for a toast, she took up a glass and lifted it,
then took a sip.

Demir had brooded against the wall most of the evening surveying the
room and the happy couple He knew he was not being the best guest and
resolved to try at least. So he walked out from under the overhang and
stood near a girl who looked to be of the Amber Hills Blood. Then he
lifted his glass with the others and added his good wishes.

Faldrimme hadn't been prepared for the toast. She'd had to hurry over
to one of the tables to grab her own glass. Then turning quickly, she
moved back towards the center to raise her glass. There were so many
people around that she got bumped a bit and ended up bumping right
into Demir.

Turning to apologize she paused when she saw the minor holder again,
"Oh, hello again. Sorry It's a bit crowded," Then she waved her hand
at her aunt who was on his other side, before trying to ignore him and
join in the toast.

Demir had hardly been effected other than a minor splash of wine so
the corner of his mouth lifted and he nodded at her apology. "My
Lady," he said switching the glass to his other hand and shaking the
drops from his fingers. He couldn't help the sigh that escaped. He was
going to have to do better than this trying to get to know the young
ladies of the hold. "Perhaps we could chat later?"

Meanwhile the bride had moved back to her new husbands side and Loella
glowed with pleasure at the good wishes for them both.
Zelanka left the dance floor to oversee how her staff distributed the
trays full of glasses and to make sure everyone got one.

"Sure," Faldrimme replied to Demir, curious to find out what the holder
wanted to discuss with her. "I'm sure no one would mind if we stepped
out for a bit."

Karhal whisked Loella towards the main table and nodded to Wirnan,
picking up the glasses that had been set out in place for he and Loella.
He handed Loella her goblet and lifted his own. "Thank you, Wirnan. And
thank you all for sharing this day with Loella and myself." He paused
and looked down at his new wife. "I'm not good with words." He shook his
head and just lifted Loella's knuckles to his lips before turning back
to the crowd. "So...just..thank you." Parched from dancing and his own
excitement from the day, he lifted his goblet to his mouth and drank his
wine, tipping it back completely.

The sudden bitterly sweet after-taste that filled his mouth made him
pause and slowly pull the goblet away from his mouth. He frowned,
releasing Loella's hand as he stared at the goblet and the odd dregs
that floated at the bottom of the cup. Bits of purplish flesh floated
in the few drops left and a sinking, horrified feeling settled into his
stomach as he remembered he and Chupsin's conversation not a sevenday
before. Missing deadly herbs... He paled and his hand immediately shot
to Loella's knocking her glass out of her hand. "Don't!" His voice was
strangled as he spun, to face Zathris. His first reaction after was to
make sure his Lord had not touched his cup. "Lord Zathris...don't
drink... I think there's something..." He gave a slight hiccup and his
vision blurred at the edges. He wavered on his feet, his head started
pounding and the cup dropped from limp fingers.

Zelanka paled when she saw Karhal collapsed. Then she spurned to action.
"Everybody! Don't touch the wine!" she called out. She did have
amazingly loud voice when she had to. She then quickly instructed her
staff not touch anything. The guards would like to inspect them for
clues. "Chupsin!" she called the healer. Using the serving cloth, she
carefully picked up Karhal's goblet and put it aside. That was important
evidence. She made sure she didn't touch it with bare hands.

"Karhal!" Loella screeched and fell to her knees beside him.

Zathris froze for a split second, then bellowed. "Chupsin! Guards,
surround the area, let no one leave!" He whirled about and drew
alongside Karhal for a moment. "He's still breathing...where's
Chupsin?" He was pulled away as Karhal's second in command approached
him and the two began to converse in quiet tones.

Unfortunately, the healer had been outside talking to a few visitors he
had recognized when everyone started to make surprised noises. Someone
told him he was needed and he started to get inside, when the guards tried
to stop him from coming in. "Let me pass now!" That and a stern look was
enough to finally get him on his way. When he came upon the scene, he was
momentarily caught off guard. Then, in his usual fashion, he shut
everything else out. Getting down on his knees, he shouted. "Back up now!"

"What happened?" he asked the Lord Holder as his hands began to move
over Karhal, taking his vitals quickly. Moving a small bottle under
the man's nose, he frowned when the Captain didn't come to.
**Something else at work here. Pulse is thready. No sign of any
wounds..** The running monologue continued. When he opened Karhal's
eyes and saw they were dilated, his mind ran in several directions.

"The wine," Loella told Chupsin. "There was something in the wine."
She knew she was babbling but she was almost incoherent with fear. "He
knocked the glass out of my hand before he fell."

"I have his goblet if you want to examine the dregs left in it,"
Zelanka said. She moved to stand next to Loealla, and put a comforting arm
around her.

Loella squeezed Zelanka's hand only to be enveloped in another set of
arms as her father grabbed her and tried to pull her away.

"No," she said. "I have to stay."

His back suddenly bowed and Karhal gave a gasping breath as his face flushed
a bright red. Fists clenched as his body began to spasm uncontrollably, foam
beginning to fleck at his lips as his eyes rolled back in his head.

He did look at the goblet quickly, smelling what was left in it. That
smell was easily identifiable, despite the musk from the wine atop it. That
and Karhal's reaction
told Chupsin he had to do something quickly. Pulling a makeshift
emergency kit from inside his tunic, he grabbed a vial. Opening it, he
forced some of the liquid down the man's gullet. Closing his jaw with
his own hand so he swallowed, he waited a few moments. If Karhal would
throw up, it would buy him the time he needed and stop the stuff from
going so fast through the blood. And lessen the amount. Chupsin began
to count. As always, time was of the essence.

"Tourniquet, I need the eserine bottle." Calmly he sent the idea to
the bronze who quickly disappeared. Highly trained and intelligent, it
wasn't long before the firelizard appeared again with a bottle.
"Zelanka, can you measure out a half tumbler of that mixed with water.
Three parts to one part?"

"Yes, sir," Zelanka was always efficient. There was pitcher of pure water
on serving table. She took a sip of it to check it still was pure
water before making the mix for Chupsin.

Having initiated Zathris' bellowed commands even as he'd formed them,
Daihmin allowed himself a few seconds of emotion and one last worried
glance at the healer's administrations before turning his attention
back to Zathris and what was important. Rage seethed inside the man,
but his face remained cooly impassive.

"They've orders not to let anyone in or out the room, my Lord, and
this has been drilled before, they will not fail, but I doubt they're
still here regardless. We *need* to find out if anyone who should be
here is missing. We need to know who might have left in the minutes
before this. I need to get word to the rest of the guard. Time could
be the death of us." It took a lot of willpower not to look back to Karhal
and Chupsin at that.

With a subtle chin tilt, eyes still on Zathris, Daihmin acknowledged
the two guards who'd stepped up behind the Lord, hands on sword hilts.
Two men he trusted almost as much as he trusted himself, acting on
orders he'd whispered to them before every function over the years,
wary of just such a disaster- or distraction. That attention flickered
when the third caught his sleeve, demanding attention. In response to
the guards hastily whispered message, he looked back to Zathris.

"My Lord- do you know where the Lady is?"

Karhal convulsed under Chupsin's hands and then slumped back, head falling
to the side. His body heaved once, then again before his throat worked. He
had not eaten before dancing so what spilled from his throat was nothing but
the remains of the wine that he had drank. He choked, shuddering with
unconscious chills.

Holding his head, he smiled. That was the desired result. Pulling him
up so that he vomited onto the floor and not back into his throat, the
healer nodded to Zelanka. "Straight water to wash his mouth, then
we're going to give him that." Zelanka could wash Karhal's mouth out
while Chupsin himself grabbed something else out of his emergency kit.
A needlethorn was produced. He was going to put the eserine mixture
into the Captain's vein.

Zathris' answer was interrupted by sounds from Karhal. The Lord
Holder glanced over at the captain of the guard, then turned back to
Daihmin. "She was dancing with a harper just a few moments ago.
She's here somewhere." His gaze was torn away from Karhal and darted
over the bodies that wedged together, but there was no sight of the
Lady Holder.

Zelanka followed Chupsin's instructions without hesitation.

Lantriv left his wife and daughters and joined Daimhin and Lord

Zathris. "Shall I take few men and search for her?" he suggested. "If
she stepped outside for fresh air or something." He couldn't help a
worried glance towards Karhal. He liked his boss. He could only hope
that Chupsin and his mother could save his life.

Daimhin felt a small, cold curl of trepidation begin deep in his guts.

Karhal- the very man hopefully not choking his life onto the floor not
feet from them- was a good captain, a good man and a good guard, and
like Daimhin, that meant he was capable of thinking like the scum they
hunted. And they'd spoken about this possibility before. They'd spoken
about almost anything feasibly possible before, after all. Daimhin
just didn't want to be living this scenario, not like this.
Still, he kept his outer countenance cold and calm. His word's to the
Lord were very deliberate. "*Which* harper, sir? Precisely?"

To Lantriv, he nodded. "Take this man..." He indicated the guard
who'd been meant to shadow Benani in an emergency "...and go, Lantriv.
Take word to the rest of us. Get everyone of us combing this hold for
*anyone* who's out of place. I don't care if it's a toddler wandered
off of its mother's apron strings. Lock down anything in this hold
that's where it shouldn't be- and for Faranth's sake have them keep
their eyes open for the Lady. The pair of you start at the latrines
and anywhere else a lady may have stepped to..." as if he thought it
would really be that simple "... and if you find nothing..." He
trailed off a second, "...come back to me."

He raised his voice to be audible to the remainder of the guests and
the rest of the guards in the room. "In the meantime, I want everyone
in craft knots that side of the room. The rest of you over there.
Every one. Any one of you with someone here, tonight, who's not in
this room *right now*, you will tell one of the guards who, where and
when you last saw them. No one move, no one bolt or I *will* have the
guards take you down."

He took the edge of Zathris' sleeve and added much more softly "Sir,
you will stay with me and these men. *Please*."

He tried not to look back to Chupsin and Zelenka. He was off no use to
the captain. They were.

Wirnan was concerned for the welfare of his friend and the hold.
Leaving Kaya for now, he went to stand near Zathris to offer his aid
to the Lord Holder and the Guards. He would assist in whatever way he
could. His interactions with most people of the hold gave him
knowledge that might be needed.

Faldrimme was in total shock over the events that were transpiring in
the room. She barely moved as she watched the scene before her. When
they were given directions she did as she was told. She found herself
still near Demir and almost wished that he could offer her some
comfort in this terrible time, but she hardly knew the man still. She
only hoped that Karhal would be well and the culprit would be caught.

Demir stepped back with the others and when he saw the pale and shaken
look Faldrimme wore his protective side rose up. He took her hand and
stepped closer to her side his other arm around her shoulders. "I'm
sure we're in no danger," he murmured.

Once the mixture was in the man's vein, the healer got up and started to
look around. "Allright stretcher. Let's get him to the Infirmary." His pulse
was steady and if they could get him stabilized he would probably be
allright.
Hopefully there had been no damage done to his nervous system but it'd bear
watching.

Last updated on the March 15th 2014

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A Wedding Reception to Remember