Menelie
Harmonia had arrived to to the party a bit late (but exactly when she had meant to) and set her gift, a magical metronome, on the table. She'd availed herself of the punch and then chosen a spot on the wall to lean against, sipping her punch and watching the other guests arrive. Ordinarily she wouldn't have bothered to come all the way out for her mother's' "engagement party" that just happened to take place at the same time of year as every other party she hosted in her own honor, but the invitation of the demigods and goddesses...well, that was an interesting change.
She kept her eyes moving around the room, looking for a certain young woman. After a time, however, her rowdy siblings began to fling arrows all around the room, and the party descended into chaos. Harmonia waited it out for as long as she could, waiting for the one she'd come for to show up, but the complete lack of order was beginning to grate at her senses, feeling like an adversary's hot, wet breath on the back of her neck.
And so she'd disappeared for a while, ushering a pair of "lovers" into a room and drawing a curtain over the door for privacy, refilling her glass, then slipping out the back door. She'd stayed absent from the party, lost in thought (but not too much rumination) until she'd heard the cackling and felt the lightning.
Oh no.
Sincerely wishing she had her javelin and shield, which she'd left at home in favor of this "party attire", Harmonia slips back into the ballroom and scans the crowd for her target. The one she'd come here for. A tawny demigoddess with a thick brown braid....but nothing. Harmonia frowns and whips around the room, searching every angle. She had to be here. Venus would never tolerate her absence. Perhaps she was in the garden.
Harmonia makes a swift exit out into the gardens, but finds no trace of anyone, mortal or otherwise. The only thing she spies is a small movement out of the corner of her eye. Her keen vision snaps to focus on it, and she's briefly disappointed that it's just a pair of rabbits, hopping to get away from the threat inside. Hands on her hips, Harmonia almost goes back inside, then whirls on the rabbits again. Laughing triumphantly, she scoops them up, one under each arm. "Don't worry," she says to them soothingly. "We'll find your mother."
Back in the ballroom, the winds of chaos had blown open the doors and windows. After another round of searching for the mother of rabbits, Harmonia sees a tawny pae out on the balcony. Perfect. Weaving through the panicked crowd, she darts out to the balcony, holding the squirming rabbits to her sides. She closes the doors to the balcony behind her, shutting out some of the noise.
Setting the rabbits down, she approaches the demigoddess. "Aldadora," she addresses her. "I think it's about time we left this party." She tries to smile warmly, but there's something in her eyes that's a little off-putting. Perhaps it's the influence of her father, the god of war.
Fidgit Fruffles
Aldadora is dreamily looking out at the stars.
Uh…I think something weird is going on in the party. Her backpack companion comments, his head twirled around, looking back inside.
Aldadora rolls her eyes, “There are a *lot* of weird things going on in the party.”
The rabbit’s ears twitch in agreement.
After a sort bit, her rabbit-friend pipes up again. Uh, I think the weird is coming to join us.
Aldadora hears the door to the balcony close.
“Portia…” she mumbles under her breath with a smile, knowing exactly who her rabbit-friend meant.
She turns around to see a very elegant woman, who is distinctly not Portia.
“Apparently not…” she stares confused at this strange person. “Leave…?” she asks.
Uh, my mother always taught me to never wander off with odd strangers.
Aldadora glances sideways at him over her shoulder.
Present company excluded.
Aldadora smirks and turns back to the pae. She notices her rabbits she had dropped off earlier.
“Hey!” she bounds over to them and scoops them up in her arms. She glares at the new pae, “What were you doing with them? These aren’t yours.” She feels her blood pressure rising.
Uh…I think something weird is going on in the party. Her backpack companion comments, his head twirled around, looking back inside.
Aldadora rolls her eyes, “There are a *lot* of weird things going on in the party.”
The rabbit’s ears twitch in agreement.
After a sort bit, her rabbit-friend pipes up again. Uh, I think the weird is coming to join us.
Aldadora hears the door to the balcony close.
“Portia…” she mumbles under her breath with a smile, knowing exactly who her rabbit-friend meant.
She turns around to see a very elegant woman, who is distinctly not Portia.
“Apparently not…” she stares confused at this strange person. “Leave…?” she asks.
Uh, my mother always taught me to never wander off with odd strangers.
Aldadora glances sideways at him over her shoulder.
Present company excluded.
Aldadora smirks and turns back to the pae. She notices her rabbits she had dropped off earlier.
“Hey!” she bounds over to them and scoops them up in her arms. She glares at the new pae, “What were you doing with them? These aren’t yours.” She feels her blood pressure rising.
Menelie
Harmonia reins in the impulse to snap at the girl. Instead she very calmly smooths out the front of her dress where it connected with her breastplate. "I know that," she says, somewhat tightly. "However, seeing as some not-so-pleasant things are happening in the ballroom, I thought it might do well to bring them to you. The one's got a bit of a bum leg, I see." She looks pointedly at Aldadora.
"Now, if you'd just come with me, I'll explain everything later." She offers her arm to the goddess of rabbits, hoping she'd ask less questions and just go with it. In case she needed more persuading, Harmonia adds, "I understand you've suffered a bit of memory loss recently." She raises her eyebrows. "I might have answers to questions you undoubtedly have."
"Now, if you'd just come with me, I'll explain everything later." She offers her arm to the goddess of rabbits, hoping she'd ask less questions and just go with it. In case she needed more persuading, Harmonia adds, "I understand you've suffered a bit of memory loss recently." She raises her eyebrows. "I might have answers to questions you undoubtedly have."
Fidgit Fruffles
Her companion leans over her shoulder Do you want me to bite her? I can totally take off a finger or two.
Aldadora looks down at her two bunny-friends. “Are you guys okay?”
We’re fine, dear. I think this person may have just helped us though. She’s not kidding about inside, it’s getting kind of scary in there… Lily pipes up.
“Oh…” Aldadora looks up at the woman. “They say you helped them,” her face softens. “I really do apologize. I’m just…protective. My rabbits are kind of all I have.” She gently squeezes them to her chest.
Her heart jumps at the idea of her getting some of her questions answered. “You…you can really answer some of my questions?” her eyes brighten up and she looks at the pae’s hand. She gives a small smile and glances at her rabbits filling up her arms and shrugs, “You just lead the way.” Aldadora stands up straight and stretches out her wings to their full width. She turns to her backpack friend, “Hang on.”
UGH. I hate flying. He grumbles to himself, ducking his head into the satchel on her back. Just remember, my offer to bite fingers still stands.
Aldadora looks down at her two bunny-friends. “Are you guys okay?”
We’re fine, dear. I think this person may have just helped us though. She’s not kidding about inside, it’s getting kind of scary in there… Lily pipes up.
“Oh…” Aldadora looks up at the woman. “They say you helped them,” her face softens. “I really do apologize. I’m just…protective. My rabbits are kind of all I have.” She gently squeezes them to her chest.
Her heart jumps at the idea of her getting some of her questions answered. “You…you can really answer some of my questions?” her eyes brighten up and she looks at the pae’s hand. She gives a small smile and glances at her rabbits filling up her arms and shrugs, “You just lead the way.” Aldadora stands up straight and stretches out her wings to their full width. She turns to her backpack friend, “Hang on.”
UGH. I hate flying. He grumbles to himself, ducking his head into the satchel on her back. Just remember, my offer to bite fingers still stands.
Menelie
Harmonia smiles reassuringly. "Wonderful," she says. In the blink of an eye, both of them (and all associated rabbits) are transported away from the noise and chaos and panic of this party gone horribly wrong. This is why I never come to these things, she grumbles internally.
They reappear only seconds later in a tranquil garden, lit by soft lanterns and a few fireflies here and there. "Welcome to my garden," she says with a proud smile. "Let's take a walk. I'm sure you have many questions." She begins to walk down a path. "I'd keep your friends with you, though," she adds. "This is a place of harmony and balance, not necessarily safety."
They reappear only seconds later in a tranquil garden, lit by soft lanterns and a few fireflies here and there. "Welcome to my garden," she says with a proud smile. "Let's take a walk. I'm sure you have many questions." She begins to walk down a path. "I'd keep your friends with you, though," she adds. "This is a place of harmony and balance, not necessarily safety."