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(( Aina -> Teapot Planter Table with Cruz, Melanie, Claire, Ivy, Josh, Iorek ))

The plants were just as out of reach for the small Frei as the teapots were, but she made an effort at them anyway-- when she couldn't seem to get them, exactly, she pointed at them. "Air plants are plants that don't got roots," she began; she giggled up at the crocodile Frei, already feeling vastly more at ease with his company. "They make Momo really really confused."

Then a stranger approached-- Miss Melanie, as Cruz called her. She hugged the older Frei's torso as the woman spoke; Aina managed to smile a little at the thanks, but froze up at the idea of greeting her otherwise. She waved; "Hi," she said, until she floated toward the table again, arms reaching for the teapots again. The next thing she knew, though, another person had arrived to save the day; though she remained quiet as another woman ('Miss Claire,' Cruz called her) reached for the teapot, she smiled wider in appreciation when she reached for the right one, which was teal and pink and reminded her of the garden at home.

Her eyes followed where Claire's hands went, and just as the teapot was in reach, she nodded and held her hands out for it. When Claire addressed her again, she flustered, but the pomegranate nodded a little. "Mhm... is it okay if I have it-- um-- um," she folded her hands together, nervously trying to recall her name; she looked up at the blonde, "Miss Claire...?"

Aina didn't expect one Josh to speak to her, though; caught off-guard, the young Frei quietly gasped and immediately reached for Claire, her arms hugged around her waist. Though Claire wasn't familiar to her, she was to Cruz, and she had been nice enough to help her with the teapot-- could she help her with strangers, too?

When Iorek arrived on scene, it only served to fluster the young-minded Frei even further. Her eyes widened as she looked up at all of the new faces; they all seemed so nice! But with so many people around, Aina found it very hard to find the words to greet them or where to even start.

"U-um..." she began, then froze up again; she felt very silly, being so tongue-tied. With a sniff, she hid further behind Claire and rubbed her eyes; maybe she wasn't meant for tea parties, after all.

((Cesc - food table --> teapot planter table | Lulu, Eth, Cruz, Reks, Ivy, Claire, Melanie, Josh))

"Well, Ethiriel--if you'd rather wait until you have a stomach, that's perfectly fine. But it's crazy to me you haven't at least sampled tea," he laughed, nodding at Lulu as she lead Eth away. Something caught his eye-- Iorek, Cruz and Aina were at another table, one with what looked like some souvenirs that Vivi would love to have. "Lulu, I trust you'll get her something good--give me one second, just want to say hello and grab a pot and I'll rejoin you."

As Cesc floated away, he noted the rest of the people around the table--it had grown quite crowded, and the crowd seemed to be overwhelming poor Aina, who had taken shelter close to Claire. He recognized Melanie from a moment ago, and Josh from Lulu's explanation, but the other woman he did not know.

Cesc's smile softened and he changed his target from Iorek to Aina as he approached, floating down from his normal height and reaching out a gentle hand to touch the pom child's shoulder.

"Hello, Aina; how do you do, little duchess?" he said softly, radiating his warm aura of calm and rejuvenation. He ticked his head up and smiled a greeting smile at Claire and Ivy. There was something in his general bearing and attention to Aina that made it clear he meant no disrespect, and would greet them momentarily.

((Nell > tea tasting > food table | Jeremy and Henry))

"They are," she agreed wistfully, glancing over at Tatiana and giving her another smile. "I never thought I would come across anything like this when I moved here." She glanced around the area, noting a few more people had arrived since then. Upon spotting the man she had first bumped into, she had realized that she had just walked off without properly introducing herself or thanking him.

"Well, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with me, and for the tea Jeremy," she said, one of her hands reaching out in the offer of another handshake. "I'll probably swing by for some more tea, but I'm going to mingle for a bit." Giving him one last smile she wandered back over to the food table where she had spotted Henry, though she stood a polite distance away from him to avoid interrupting his conversation.

((Iorek - planter table - Cruz, Aina, Ivy ))

Reks smiled at Aina but the cute little frei looked uneasy when he joined the group. This was the first time they were meeting but she looked uneasy and even afraid. He was used to people freezing up when he floated into a room but another raevan? That didn't happen and it kind of a stung. So Reks gave her a little nod and scooted closer to Cruz as if setting a little distance between him and the uneasy white frei would somehow make her feel better.

The longer he held Cruz's hand the less he could feel any kind of burning embarrassment. Iorek was happy and other than that little slip-up he was comfortable in this little gathering. Probably because he basked in his hand holding with Cruz. His rose-colored glasses were on and extra-rosy today. Unfortunately for Cruz, Reks had yet to realize that something was wrong. The gargoyle was just too eager and excited to be beside his mistletoe croc. He couldn't wait to hold his hand, cuddle up close, and talk with people as a couple. And it may have been childish but Iorek, the raevan who always felt a little out of place among his beautiful peers, had a someone.

"Oh! Planters? Yeah, that would be cool. What are you going to put in it? There's so many different flowers and plants..." His thumb rubbed against Cruz's warm skin as he spoke. "Too bad there isn't any mistletoe. Then I could always have a little piece of you!" Iorek smiled until he realized what he just said was a bit creepy. "Um...b-but not in like...a..a...weird way." He quickly added as his face flushed pink.

Trying to get over his embarrassment he turned his attention to one of the ladies, "Oh! Um, Y-Yes, it's nice to meet you." He shook her hand carefully with his big hand that wasn't stuck to Cruz's. "I'm Iorek Maevin, a raevan...not like you can't tell though." He chuckled and shook her hand with his free one while his other stayed locked in Cruz's.

(( Ian → Food Table → Tea Tasting | Cesc (briefly, since I was dumb and never responded sobs), Lulu & Eth ))

"That's good," he murmured, falling silent as he was indirectly roped into the trio of raevans. He didn't mind; they were all nice, and that meant he wasn't standing somewhere by himself like a loner.

He startled a bit when Cesc called his attention again, this time to introduce Lulu and Ethiriel. "O-Oh, I do know Lulu. We met at the beach last year, just briefly. But it's a pleasure to meet you, too, Ethiriel." She seemed so gentle, and it was a moment or two before Ian realized she must be blind. She wasn't making direct eye contact with anyone, and her eyes were slightly clouded over. He hadn't been aware that that could happen to raevans, but he supposed anything was possible. He didn't fully understand them, after all.

"Oh, it's nothing. I mean, not every get-together is going to be like the maze..." He laughed softly, rubbing at his neck. The halloween party had been entertaining in general, aside from the terrors of the hedge maze. Maybe he'd pass on those sorts of things in the future...

When Lulu invited him to join them at the tea table, he realized Cesc was gone. When had that happened? "Sure, thank you. It looks like they've got quite the selection," he replied before he glanced toward Justin. He was still talking to a man Ian didn't know, so he would have to find him later and catch up. He thought he'd vaguely overheard Justin asking questions about preparations for something... What could it be? He followed after the two raevans quietly, noticing quite the crowd near the planting table. He sort of wanted a commemorative souvenir, but he was definitely not comfortable with that crowd. Perhaps later, then.

(( Aina - Teapot Planting Table with Cesc, Claire, Ivy, Cruz & Reks (briefly) ))

Aina continued to cling to the hem of Claire's sundress, gripping tighter as her anxiety grew with every second. A brief, hesitant glance up at the gargoyle Raevan and him floating quietly away to Cruz-- who didn't look very happy, either-- told her that she had done something wrong indeed. She had noticed, too, that Miss Melanie had chosen to walk away-- she was going about this all very, very wrong, wasn't she?

Even with the reassuring grip of Claire's hand on her shoulder, Aina couldn't help but fret-- she hid against the woman as she shook, ashamed and growing quickly into tears; she hid her face as best she could while she cried. Only when she felt a faint warmth and another hand on her shoulder did Aina deign to look back up, gasping quietly at the start.

A little duchess, Rhedefre had called her; like Claire had, Aina felt a strange sense of calm displace the worry wracking her nerves, and Aina gave the stag a small smile in return to his greeting. She sniffed again and poked her head out just a little to the side from behind Claire, her tears rolling from her eyes and floating gently into the air. Her expression faltered again when she realized she didn't quite know how to answer Cesc's question, but her voice sounded less shaken, her stance a little less stiff. "I made everyone really upset..."

Aina looked up in attention to Claire at the question-- the pomegranate was still very much clinging to her waist, but Aina's grip (while it wasn't very strong in the first place) had weakened. Though her expression was still pinched into a slight frown, her worries not yet assuaged, she gave Claire a small nod, then pointed her glance nervously down at the floor. She moved her hands from around Claire to gripping the drawstrings of her jacket.

"Is that okay...?"

((Cesc--> slightly away from the tea planting station | Claire and Aina))

"Made everyone really upset?" Rhedefre echoed, his eyebrows lifting up into his bangs, his smile slanting slightly to one side. He looked over at the table, where Cruz looked not-so-Cruzlike, and Reks was blushing his usual blush. "Don't be silly--Reks blushes all the time, and Cruz is like a... a lizard, he's always happy when he's in sunshine."

Perhaps it was best to change the subject. Cruz's aura was putting off strange, discordant vibes to Cesc, and it seemed like it was better that Aina didn't notice. He looked up at Claire, happy to have her near. He had no idea how much Aina knew her, but the small Frei seemed to trust her already. Claire was the Safe Place, but Rhedefre could try to help lighten the mood.

"Ahh-- but look!" Rhedefre said, putting his palms around one of Aina's floating tears. He closed them, such that she could not see, and then opened them again, like performing magic. Beside the tear was now a tiny rainbow, light reflected through the droplet to form the colors.

The stag then took the rainbow in his hand, like it was a tangible thing, and stretched and folded the colors to make a small flower.

"Your tears are amazing helpers, Aina!" He looked up at Claire, cheerful. "Aina has lots of hidden secrets and talents, did you know, Miss Claire?"

His smile broadened and he handed Aina the tiny rainbow flower, now completely tangible, the texture like glass, the light gentle and warm in her hand. "Why don't you help me choose some real flowers to put in all our teapots, too?"

Rookeries

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