"What did you do on your birthday?" "Got older."

[hermia-sophia.livejournal.com]

Evening of Thursday, September 10, Day 102
Garden behind the Whitechapel Inn

My twenty-third birthday.

Dear Valmont, he is trying so very hard to make this a happy day for me! Waking with a kiss (even though I could hardly sleep last night), flowers on the breakfast table. And telling me that I should take the day off to luxuriate, which was wonderfully tempting, but I had to go back to the library. I did not want to feel that I was being kept away, for if I were, then Lysander would be winning. And I had to make sure that the library would still feel tranquil to me after yesterday - I don't want to lose that peaceful place I have found there.

When I walked in and saw the chaos that Lydia had made, I laughed until I cried. Or possibly the reverse - it was rather hard to tell at the time. And then we straightened the books up, and when I was done, I turned around to find a little book of poetry that had not been there before on the front desk, tied with a bow, and my smile came back.

And then Valmont came to walk me home, and we have kept happily busy and distracted with setting up the party. Through some unspoken pact, we have not mentioned Lysander all day. The thought of what happened yesterday still makes me feel as if I am falling...but I will not fall,and I will not let it ruin today, for today is about my new life and all of the people who belong to it. Valmont. My new friends. And...well, some of those coming are 'people' only in a rather loose sense of the term. But I would not want to risk bringing ill fortune down on myself by not inviting my people's gods! And there's Chester as well, who I suppose doesn't exactly count as a person either. Ah, Excolo guest lists. There's something comforting in that very oddness, though. People, creatures, gods - they are all part of Excolo and my new life. My new year.

The lanterns dance in the trees; the light of the setting sun glints off of the wine bottles and glasses, and I wait in the garden, feeling a little bit of peace. Let today be free of unhappiness, please! Let me be safe in the garden on my own day...

[Open to party guests]

Comments

[glass-beddau.livejournal.com]

Note that Eris is here, and that's mild relief; means she's not anyone else, and that small but pleasant reassurance at the moment. I know she's one of Hermia's, so I take a half-step back, leaving a path clear for her to speak to the god--but I touch the back of her hand light as I do so.

"Oh yes. This one is definitely better than last year's."

"I'm glad of it," I say quietly. "Glad you came t'town, as well." Glance over and--

"Wanda?" I say curiously. I've seen that ring before--but on her other hand, surely--glance to Lucien and Miao.

[hermia-sophia.livejournal.com]

Glass brushes her fingers against my hand - another thing that brings a smile to my face, for I know how rarely she touches, how high the barriers are between her and others. And then I see where her gaze is pointed. Eris.

I meet Glass's eyes for a quick moment, giving thanks for warning and support alike. "Please pardon me," I murmur. "There are more guests that I should greet." My hand skims against Glass's as I move away, and I draw a deeper breath and straighten my shoulders as I go to pay my respects to a goddess.

[mistresswanda.livejournal.com]

I smile when Iago and Glass join us. It's good to be out and about, I've been hiding in the house the past couple of weeks, save for seeing Ares and the picnic. Speaking of which... Eris just arrives, but she is alone.
I can almost feel Lucien's relief at that in the way he holds me. Hermia excuses herself to greet the Goddess, and I lean back into the strong arms around my waist.

Glass in mid sentance, stops and looks towards my hand, resting lightly on top of Lucien's forearm. "Wanda?" Smile and blush slightly again.
"Yes, it switched hands. I think Lucien thinks he'll make an honest woman of me." I grin, twisting in his arms slightly so I can smile up into his blue eyes. Reach up and ghost my hand over his jaw in a small caress before righting myself again.

"I was hoping to keep it a little quieter, since there are a few people I wanted to talk to about it first but...." Shrug a bit. Dorian has not repsonded to the note I sent with his new assistant, and I can't seem to catch him to talk to him. "Oh well, what am I going to do? It's a small town, and people tend to notice the smallest changes."

[lei-miao-shan.livejournal.com]

Hermia slips away to speak to Eris...yes, I suppose Eris would be one of the gods of Hermia's people, is she not? It is only respectful, then, to go and pay homage. In the meantime, Glass has spotted Wanda's ring, and Wanda has begun discussing wedding plans.

Well, they all seem very happy...and my feet are beginning to ache softly from standing. So I excuse myself quietly and wander to one of the tables so that I may sit down. I catch a glimpse of Boku and Luke at a nearby table and I wave to them...I do not wish to interrupt them, but I rather hope they will come over. It would be nice to speak with them both.

[bakeneko-excolo.livejournal.com]

Continued here (http://community.livejournal.com/estdeus_innobis/205512.html?thread=5757128#t5757128).

[glass-beddau.livejournal.com]

"Yes, it switched hands. I think Lucien thinks he'll make an honest woman of me." She smiles and turns up to him, neat and close in his arms, and with all they've had to be worried for with each other it's fine to see them settled a moment.

"I was hoping to keep it a little quieter," she adds, turning back to me, "since there are a few people I wanted to talk to about it first but...." Tilt my head curious at that; Miao already knows, I'm sure, and I'm wondering who else'd have word of it. "Oh well, what am I going to do? It's a small town, and people tend to notice the smallest changes."

"They do at that," I say smiling. "I'll not spread it around, then, though as you say that'll make small enough difference. My best to both of you."

Glance over when I hear Hermia's exclamation--no fear in it, I'm sure, but it surely catches attention--and see Valmont handing her a basket. Her gift, I'm guessing, and she seems more than pleased with it...

...oh spit and staunchweed, I do believe that Valmont's just given Hermia a kitten (http://community.livejournal.com/estdeus_innobis/205512.html?thread=5756360#t5756360). Feel myself starting to smile as I take a step or three closer, and for once there's nothing dry about it.