A Very Nexus Reception

[smartass_captain]

To all the friends of the happy grooms, PINpoint messages have already been sent weeks ago inviting them to expect quite the street party arranged in the commons of the Nexus. Guests have been invited to bring an appetite--both for food and for a social adventure. Nirnish weddings are public affairs, after all. While the ceremony has had to be somewhat sequestered for the sake of keeping the existence of Other Worlds a secret, neither Felix nor Jim would want to leave out their interdimensional friends entirely. Having a reception party arranged in the Nexus became the natural plan of action.

Overnight large sections of the Commons are transformed via diligent craftsmanship and quite a lot of magic from those who’ve volunteered. Lanterns representing the Divines are hung along every lamp post, bringing at least the idea of warmth even if the flames are too small to heat their surroundings alone. Bardic tunes carry in the air as readily as the scent of food and drink. Past banners of red and black, blue and white the people gather.

For both grooms this is nearly a continuation of the day before. They’ve had the chance to sleep off the nerves of their ceremony. Today is entirely for celebration--uninhibited celebration at that. No more minding what is said and isn’t. No more pretending to be anything other than who they are. Jim’s traded out his Nirnish finery for a suit and tie, garments he’s much more familiar with. Felix is staying with his native clothing; though he may have dressed down a little from his wedding clothes, the conjurer’s dressed in fitted breeches and his best fur-trimmed coat and boots, the soft hide dyed blue to match his tunic. By their side sits the conjurer’s spectral wolf familiar, ears pricked at the gathering.

As the guests find their ways over it will be easy to spot their friends amidst all the decor along with many other avenues with which to enjoy themselves….

Greetings
Food and Drink
Music and Dancing
Bonfire Entertainment
Party Games

((Links to all relevent wedding Prose can be found Here!))

Comments

Bonfire Entertainment

[smartass_captain]

Where there’s a winter party, there must rightfully be a fire: in fact, there are quite a few Tamriel-style braziers set up along the street, but the central square contains a towering stack of wood and kindling. In daylight, the faint spiderweb of magic traced around it might be much harder to spot, and its purpose is obscure regardless. The great fire is all but begging to be lit, but nobody’s made a move to do so. Not until the hour starts to get late, the shadows long, and the air cold. That’s when Felix goes in search of Isidor Durant.

[heirtothedragonsfire]

Isidor has been waiting on the periphery for Jim to be free. There are quite a few people seeking out the newlyweds to congratulate them, and as much as Isidor has no qualms about asserting her presence, she'd rather catch Jim alone if there was an opportunity. Besides, it gives her a chance to observe the guests and keep an eye on the many potential security issues.

That said, she's made she she's waiting with a drink in hand. It's been a tough few months and she needs the excuse to relax. She's working hard on loosening up tonight, but she's still eager to keep her personal space clear. Unlike her sister-in-law, she's chosen to rely on magic to keep her warm since, in traditional Durant fashion, her dress is based on style over practicality. On her world, flaunting your ability to combat pesky practical issues with subtle magical solutions is the aim of the game. Warding off the autumn bite is a minor inconvenience all things considered. Warding off anyone who might try to scavenge the heat around her if a far more worrying issue.

Or, even worse, staying away from a mage seeking you out. Isidor spies Felix, but she can't well snub him at his own wedding celebration. So she watches him and presses her lips into a thin line to stop herself from frowning. That said, she's not going to approach him either.

[conjuredskies]

It has to be said that Felix approaches her with no small amount of trepidation. Isidor isn't merely a woman of authority and a powerful mage, she's one who has no truck with the brand of ingratiating charm he relies on to get his way. He thinks perhaps she's softened toward him a little after the Zandros Affair, but that might be wishful thinking.

On the bright side, he has a gift to offer her. On the downside, it means making a request of her first, and if she rejects it, she'll likely reject it hard.

Still, it's the month of the Thief. No better time to gamble.

"Lady Isidor," he greets her, sweeping a bow. "You look magnificent as ever." Intimidating as hell. "I'm grateful you were able to join us. I do hope you're enjoying the festivities so far, but I have something prepared that I hoped would be of particular interest to you."

He's hoping that Isidor appreciates it when men get to the point quickly.

[heirtothedragonsfire]

Really she's here for Jim. For all the things Felix put her and Harrowheart through, Jim has been her closest friend apart from Harrowheart. So, for Jim's sake, she inclines her head to the mage and bites her tongue instead of biting back at the compliment.

She manages to give a cool, "Congratulations."

Up to now she's done reasonably well at holding onto her neutral expression. Until Felix brings up something to entice her and she reflexively narrows her eyes in clear suspicion. She does her very best to sound cordial as she asks, "And what might that be?"

[conjuredskies]

"A ceremonial lighting of the bonfire," he replies, trying to play it cool as he watches her expression. "Something I'm not so adept with myself, but if you'd grace us with your talents... how would you care to dance with a flame elemental?"

[heirtothedragonsfire]

Isidor shifts her weight from one foot to the other, touching her free hand to her elbow to support the hand holding her drink. The suspicion may have relaxed from her features but her eyes remained narrow, thoughtful now.

"I wouldn't want to offend anyone. Gods or elementals."

[conjuredskies]

"Still less would I. Not causing such offense is the basis of my craft. This is simply... extending an invitation. Offering the spirit an opportunity to join us. There aren't many mages who could dance with an atronach letting loose and come out unscathed, but you... are Isidor Durant."

[elderspeaksfirst]

The heavy beat of wings and a stone-shuddering thump heralded the arrival of a particularly large visitor. Though many guests decided it was a good idea to move away from the white dragon coiling himself over a small building near the bonfire, it’s been a little while now. The newly wedded couple have ventured close enough to exchange some polite words with the creature; nobody has been roasted or snapped in twain, and it seems the dragon is content to sit peaceably at the very edge of the party.

Slowly, the guests have dared to venture beneath his shadow again, and the celebration resumes as it had before. Though the dragon’s eyes are pale and his wings ragged, his gaze is sharp as he watches the proceedings, especially the display of music and fire magic that kicks off the bonfire. He’s keeping still and quiet, not to unsettle any of the revelling mortals, but he’s quick to take notice of anyone who comes close enough to talk.

[smartass_captain]

It will be an hour at least before Jim can come back, his husband once more at his arm. This time, the captain’s footsteps are more sure. His posture more confident. Nor does he stop so far away. It won’t feel like much of a conversation if he has to shout up to be heard properly with every word. It’ll be much closer than Felix is probably comfortable with--and the conjurer must put his foot down when his husband tries to climb up to sit down atop the roof any closer to the dragon.
Friendly or not, getting within snapping distance of those jaws is just tempting fate, beloved.

“We’ve returned, Paarthurnax. If it’s still alright to sit and talk a while..?” He sounds so hopeful, eager excitement written onto his face. Oh, he’ll still startle when that hot breath ruffles his hair as his puny human instincts wage war, desperate to be heard. But Jim’s not gotten where he is now by listening to reason constantly. Sometimes, it pays to take risks. He’s hoping now is one of them.

[elderspeaksfirst]

They seem so young in their excitement, much more than they truly are. Paarthurnax’s head lowers from watching the dancers out on the floor - he has never seen a spriggan like that, nor one that dances, and it’s intriguing. Not so intriguing that he isn’t pleased to see his human hosts arrive. There’s a scent of fresh blood suggesting he’s eaten in the meantime, but thankfully no sign of gore.

“Pruzah. Your return is welcome.” He shifts on his perch, talons digging into the concrete as he leans closer. A polite distance must always be kept, though they all know that makes little difference when dealing with a dragon.

“You spoke of questions. But I also have questions for you. One of you carries the scent of Taazokaan... of Tamriel.” His head swings gently from Felix to focus on Jim. “But you are of another realm, I think. Where do you come from, wunduniik?”

[smartass_captain]

“You can smell it on me?” Jim doesn’t deny that he isn’t of Felix’s world. Not here, he has no reason to hide his identity within the Nexus. But he’s shocked that Paarthurnax can tell so easily by scent alone that Jim isn’t of the same world. And yet it’s true. Ground into him are smells nothing like Tamriel. The faintest whiffs of coolants, the nearly sterile smell that air scrubbers leave in their wake, of artificial chemicals that make up his soaps, of coffee. And utterly lacking are the scents of any kind of magic save for the band around his finger. Jim casts a glance toward his husband in case this was some kind of Obvious thing that Felix was well aware of this whole time. The man is a conjurer after all and his familiar knows Jim Kirk's scent all too well by now.

To a creature of scents, Jim Kirk and Felix Caelus could not be more different.

“I come from a realm that spends much of its time out in the Void. Our...our Oblivion works much differently than yours does. I think. I obviously can’t bring my ship to Tamriel to test the theory.” Jim rubs at the back of his neck slowly while he talks. He’s acutely aware that all of his theories are mere guesses at this point in time. It’s so hard to test any of them on Nirn without causing some sort of mass panic.

“But this place is between realms too. I suppose it’s not so surprising I would be of a different Plane.”

[conjuredskies]

Felix shrugs and smiles at Jim's questioning look. It's not like you smell bad, Jim. Just different. The conjurer has brought over a couple of small folding stools, setting them up while Jim speaks with their outsized guest. He may have insisted on them swallowing a couple of fire resistance potions before they came over (it made Stratos feel a lot better, too) but it's not like he doesn't want to facilitate this conversation.

"They say dragons are the children of Akatosh," he remarks. A name Jim's grown to know by now, albeit he may not know much about the god in question. The chief of the Divines is not foremost among the Caelus family's particular patrons. He looks up at the dragon sheepishly, never so polite as when looking up into a mouthful of teeth the size of his arm. "I mean- I don't presume to know how much is true of what people say. I just mean it would make sense, if you were more attuned to the nature of Tamriel."

[elderspeaksfirst]

"Hmm. Yes. That tale is true. Akatosh bormahu. He is our father. The dov were born in the beginning of the world. We know the taste of it."

The dragon rumbles deep in his throat, a low thoughtful sound. "It is not strange to find wunduniikke, wanderers such as you in this place. But you have bound yourself to one of another realm. Your fates are now bound. An unusual path, even for those not mortal. Perhaps Tamriel's fate will also change, hm?"

Perhaps that's another reason he's inspecting Jim so curiously.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Han Solo had arrived well after the fire had been lit.

The magic that contained the fire in a well controlled sphere was undetectable to him, which, is just as well. He would have found a reason to wrinkle his nose at the thought of conjuring flames and organizing it with a mysterious energy. The unpredictable and faith influenced nature of magic was something of a turn off for him. He wouldn’t appreciate anyone pointing out the irony that he put his faith in the most unpredictable ship in the multiverse, thanks.

The weather in the Nexus is chilly so Han had dressed accordingly. Boots, a knotted scarf and a brown (or blue in some light) fur lined parka that he didn’t need to stay in for very long given how extraordinarily regular and even the heat was coming off of this bonfire. When he started removing layers, it was clear that Han had bothered to dress only fractionally better than usual. A double breasted shirt kept his chest better covered than the v-neck that he usually preferred and navy trousers had completed the look.

He has a look in his eye that seems almost like he’s hoping that someone will read his mind and bring him a drink.

[smartass_captain]

"Is that...?"

It is, isn't it? Not a face Jim Kirk would have said he expected to show up after all this time. Things have never been easy between the captains, never as easy as Jim would have wanted them to be at any rate. Han Solo is a hell of a pilot. He's always been a guy Jim's found more in common with than not, and maybe because of that they also have never really Quite clicked as well as they could have otherwise.

It's been years now, for both of them. Jim grabs up a Colovian ale off one of the tables he's passing by and hurries over toward the bonfire. Han Solo looks as calm as ever. Whatever adventures the man may have been up to since the last time they crossed paths don't show in his affected casualness.

"Hey there, Captain." Jim waits until he has the man's attention to toss him the bottle. There's a quirk to the side of his mouth he gets when he's trying not to grin outright and in the process of failing. "It's been a while. This seat taken?"

[twelve_not_fourteen]

It is Jim. It is.

Han had not been a regular in the nexus since he had gotten the Millennium Falcon working. He hasn’t asked, but for most of the people who knew him, it probably wasn’t a surprise. It was hard to imagine Captain Solo settling anywhere willingly and you just got the sense that, there was a lot going on, in the galaxy that he came from.

That said, he still turns up from time to time. He has to admit that he was surprised to have been invited to this wedding given the complicated relationship that he had with Captain Kirk. In some moments they seemed very alike and in others very different from each other, but the time that he had outside the nexus had given him a bit of perspective. What it came down to was this; Jim wanted to do the right thing — by everyone, as often as he could make it happen. It’s hard, even for Han, to be mad at a guy like that.

“Hey yourself, Starfleet.”

He actually sounds like he’s in a good mood and he had no trouble catching the drink. Though he does open it slowly and at arms length, just in case the bottle had been shaken.

“No. Not taken. Have a seat.”

[smartass_captain]

If there's any pressure at all it's because Jim had to go and toss the bottle rather than handing it off like a sensible man would. He's still got too much energy for his frame, this one. Jim's quick to take the open seat across form Han though. That smile loose now on his face as his excitement is worn on his sleeve. Losing friends has made Jim cherish the ones he has all the more.

Even the complicated ones.

"You look good. Not...that I expected any differently for you or anything. Just. It's been so damn long. Is it going well?" Whatever Han's been up to all this time? Jim knows just by everything that's happened to Him in the last couple of years that so very much could have happened since the last time they had the chance to speak.

"It's damn good to see you."

[solobutnotalone]

Shockingly Han didn't exactly prepare her for cold weather, why would he be so considerate. He'd tossed her a coat and told her where the wedding was being held and headed off. Their tense discussion, she hadn't raised her voice too much, of earlier might have been reason enough to set him off. But he had at least changed his shirt, it was the respectful thing to do to dress for an occasion. She'd needed some time herself to get ready but when she did leave she was trying to make up time.

When Leia arrived she found Han talking to the groom and she smiled. "Hello Captain, I'm Princess Leia Organa I've heard about you and am very pleased to finally meet you." Leia extended a hand in greeting to Kirk.


"Han tells me congratulations are in order. I'm sorry to arrive late but I wanted to bring something." Leia, still bundled up because whatever Han thought it was still cold for her. She held up a small box for Kirk, it wasn't anything extravagant but it glittered faintly, tiny hinges on the side let it open. She didn't have much to give, being on the run and then detoured with Solo meant her resources were turning into what she could find or barter for. "Alderaanian brandy, it is some of the last that was made there. For good health, happiness and warmth."

Leia, ever diplomatic, ever trying to be anyway with most everyone, truly wished Kirk all good fortune and happiness. By offering that small bit of home she was saying a lot.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

It was like Leia to want to make a good impression with somebody new. She rarely ever got off on the wrong foot with anybody who had good intentions and Han certainly knew the other man definitely had those. It said a lot about Jim that had been invited to this event at all, given what they’d been through here.

“Captain James Kirk, this is Princess Leia Organa.” He says, realizing introductions were not just in order, but probably a little late.

“As for things, they’re going. I’m not sure if well is the way I’d put it.”

[mr_enterprise]

This is certainly not the coldest that James T. Kirk has ever been, not by a long shot. In his youth he would've handled this just fine with warm clothes and staying on his feet, but he's no young man anymore, and the warmth of the fire is welcome. Even moreso because it means Spock will be more comfortable, the elderly Vulcan's tolerance for the cold even lower than his own.

Even so, he's bundled up in a wool coat over a flannel shirt, a knit hat pulled down over his ears, his gloves shoved into his pockets so he has his hands free to eat and sip at hot cider. It's rather like exploring an alien world, seeing the unfamiliar decorations and motifs invoking gods unknown to him, an odd sort of blend of Earth traditions and something distinctly Other.

[smartass_captain]

From behind one of the logs-turned-benches a golden furred floof is the first to notice the elder captain and his mate. Even if the pair of them didn't carry his brother's scent on them Jim would still attract Tiber's attention for smelling like His. Or at least very similarly to the man he was bonded with.

And well, if they're trying to warm up, a good kneazle can help with that. He hops right up on Jim's lap and starts rumbling out a loud purr while he butts the man's head for some attention. Here, go on and warm those fingers up sir. Also give him pets.

[mr_enterprise]

Oh, hello. Kirk is no stranger to suddenly having a cat in his lap, although this is not the usual furry friend who ends up there. "Well, hello there," he murmurs, shifting the mug into one hand so he can use the other to rub at the kneazle's ears. Chances seem pretty high that this is one of their own's siblings, though he's not familiar enough with the rest of the litter to know which one by sight.

"You're part of the welcoming party, I take it," he says to the cat, sounding amused.

[primelogic]

"It would seem that you've made a new friend." Closer still to the bonfire Jim's bondmate has amusement dancing in his dark eyes while he watches the golden furred kneazle beg most adroitly for attention. Unlike Sochya this one never seems satisfied being still. He wanders back and forth across Jim's lap purring all the while with glee for the human's attentions.

A charming sleek feline, none the less.

"You will have to explain yourself to Sochya when we return." As though anything could faze their sedate companion for long. Spock only now regrets that they didn't think to bring him with. Though as the kneazle's ears prick up and pivot despite the attention he's getting, Spock can't help but to expect more company to be following shortly.

[conjuredskies]

"Tiber!" Where are you, you furry terror? Felix scowls a little as he follows his familiar through the party. When in doubt, cheat like a Khajiiti trader: the spectral wolf's nose is near the fastest way to find a small cat in a big crowd. He wouldn't be pulling faces except that he knows you know your name, Tiber, you're just choosing not to answer to it.

But the familiar's nose can't be fooled. It trots out from under a table and over to the fire, sniff-sniffing at the kneazle and the man whose lap he's on. Plonk goes the wolf's butt on the ground before it howls in announcement. Success!

"Yes, I know, I'm right here-" The younger man's grumbling is less frazzled than tipsy as he follows the noise. "There you are, Tiber-" no don't stick your butt in that nice man's face, dear Kynareth.

"I'm sorry about that," he says to the two gentlemen by the fire. The light playing off their faces makes them both look strangely familiar. Actually the one close to the fire looks very much like an older Spock. A Vulcan, surely, but Spock never mentioned bringing relatives... "It's my turn to check up on him, but I didn't mean to intrude."

[pathfromdarknesstogrey]

Let's be honest here: Even ignoring her previous few winters here, Dia'ndria Starfall has never been too terribly fond of the cold. As the evening cools and darkens, the exiled Sith eventually winds her way towards it.

Attracted largely for the simplest reasons: It's warm.

Socializing is, perhaps, best considered a side-benefit to this.

She's also acquired a cloak, to help preserve the heat a bit, since the nice, dressy, but not terribly expensive, dress she's wearing isn't exactly the best for colder weather.