(WC 2015) A Table to the side

**Mhairi Ankaa** · Feb 3rd, 2016 11:41 PM

Sometimes, when you wanted to meet knew people you went to them, but seeing the other small groupings Mhairi thought against it, settling herself in one of the many tables away from the over popular bar.

It meant that she wouldn't get that drink she wanted unless there were servers circulating that she hadn't noticed, but that was almost a given. How she zeroed in on Evelynn East, and had spent most of the night in her company.

Mhairi set her overstuffed bag on the floor and took in the winter wonderland completely for the first time.

It really was breath taking. The elemental felt a silly grin pulling at her lips, and plopped her head into her hand. Knowing that while her fingers, dripped-dripped-dripped the quicksilver of them would burn up before hitting the pristine white tablecloth.

Feb 6th, 2016 11:06 AM

Peeling away from the crowded bar, Ava approached the solitary woman with her own drink in one hand and a bottle of water in the other, either to gift or drink herself dependent on how things turned out. Dressed a little more simply than many of the others present, her best accessory was the undeniably strong Autumn mantle that followed her. Stopping beside the pale, striking-eyed woman she tucked the water bottle into the crook of her arm to free up a hand. "I don't believe we've met," she offered in a low voice like rich, dark honey from behind a hideous set of fish teeth. The words hung like breath on a cool breeze, luminescing golden before fading quickly. "I'm Ava, do you mind if I join you?" Her free hand was willing to shake if the other Autumn so desired it, but for the moment simply rested on the water bottle.

**Mhairi Ankaa** · Feb 6th, 2016 11:59 AM

A honeyed voice draws her away from the sparkling white of the picture perfect winter scenery. Mhairi turns to Ava with a bright smile. The elemental stares for longer then would be polite, but it's not the points of Ava's needle sharp teeth that draw her fell-flame gaze, it's the manifestation of her sweet, golden voice, apparent for a moment before fading.

Mhairi contains her strange urge to paw at the luminescent breath as if she were a cat, her hand rising awkwardly for a moment, then she tries to turn to gesture into an almost handshake. She'll let her fellow Autumn decide if she'd with to touch her drippy quicksilver fingers.

"Please. Erm, Mhairi...my name. That is my name. Sit. If you want. Course you want, you asked. Uh...Hi!" Mhairi finishes with an awkward crooked half-smile.

Feb 6th, 2016 02:29 PM

Catching Mhairi's offered hand in a firm handshake, Ava didn't actually notice the dripping of her fingernails until it was too late to back out. Not that she would've, really, but it might've made her think twice. "Thanks," she responded with a gently amused smile, sinking into a chair. "Nice to meet you, Mhairi. Water? I didn't know if you drink." The bottle was set on the table between them, available should it be wanted.

A mixture of her light buzz and a desire to set the other, seemingly nervous, woman at ease brought her mind to an easy topic, and she just began to talk. "Our events aren't quite as grand as this. It'll be a bit before we come around again, but most years we have a fair; folks bring hedgefruit they've gathered, hedgespun, dreamwoven vessels, all sorts of things. And food, lots of food. It's always a sight, and a good way to see who's up to what. Some years, though, we just get a bunch of us together and have a feast." Their feast this last season had been skewers and canned food to take home, a little unorthodox but still good; the food part of it, anyway. "But, a little grandeur every once in awhile can be nice." Realizing she had maybe been making too much eye contact, Ava looked down into her drink and took a sip.

"How is Sacramento treating you so far?"

**Mhairi Ankaa** · Feb 6th, 2016 03:22 PM

Mhairi smiled, when Ava clasped her hand, then offered her an apologetic look, for her drippy fingernails. "Water would be nice. I do drink. Probably to much...but the bar...looked...busy...? So water! Thank you!" Mhairi chirped opening the bottle and taking a small sip. Grateful that the other women thought to bring her something.

Ava's literal golden voice hung in the air, completely drawing Mhairi's attention. It was awesome. Mhairi wondered if it had something to do with her mantle, but no that hung around her like the scent of still water. Subtle, but strong. Could it be some wacky 'ling-y contract that she hadn't heard of? Autumn magic? Or was it something that was special to Ava alone? Anyway Mhairi was completely mesmerized, wanted to learn how she could make her voice do that, and she still kinda wanted to poke it.

"Food, fair, fun. Sounds amazballs. Like really. I tried to get here before Autumn ended, but the actually getting here bit took some time." Mhairi offered with a laugh. "So...does Winter always do something so...sparkly?"

"Good." the elemental chirped, after took a sip of her own water, and asked her question. "I've met a few people before tonight, and Coco's-" Mhairi's fell-flame gaze finds the wasp at the bar, "offered to put me up at Edna's Bording House. For a meal or something. Yeah."

Mhairi takes another sip of her water, "So...what's up with the 'hold?" she asks leaving the interpretation of the question up to the women across from her.

Feb 6th, 2016 08:29 PM

"Mm, last year they held an open mic and a Valentine's event. The open mic wasn't flashy, the other... was dramatic." Red, so much red. "So, not always but they have an occasional flare for the sparkle." Which was a little amusing to her, given the personalities of their current Winter Courtiers.

One of her eyebrows curved slightly upward at the mention of the arrangement with Coco, unsure if anyone had brought up the fact that money wasn't actually required at Edna's, just one of the many options. Some attempt at gallantry on Coco's part, though, she imagined. And, if it worked for them, great; there was no real reason to assume the Fairest was taking advantage. The fact that that was still her knee-jerk response frustrated Ava, but she was slowly working through it.

Mhairi's question brought a resigned smile to the Nix's lips: so broad and yet so pointed. "Well," she began, resting an elbow on the table, "Why don't you tell me what you already know so I can avoid repeating anything?" The green-eyed woman wasn't asking for information that Ava hadn't volunteered to other people, under similar circumstances, but the cagey phrasing hadn't escaped her. Better to get specific sooner than later, on her own terms.

**Mhairi Ankaa** · Feb 6th, 2016 09:28 PM

Mhairi blinked, her mind holding images of cut-out construction paper hearts plastered to every available surface. It was probably better then how her mind's eye pictures it, but Mhairi doesn't really have a lot of Valentine's party experience. "Huh. Not always, but sometimes...I guess that works. For when it works..." another awkward half smile flashes crosses her face.

"What I already know doesn't really amount to a lot. On my way here...I heard that the Courts take a backseat and that there's a Council?" Her brows furrow with her confusion, she was still wondering how that's working out. "Coco ever so kindly told me about the Dragon." Mhairi deadpans, her eye twitching slightly because...because internal Dragon WTF!?!? Bwah!! spasming was still being had.

Feb 7th, 2016 01:34 AM

"Yep, that's definitely a thing," Ava said, alcohol and a lengthy exposure to the subject making her a touch flippant. "The heart of the Sacramento Freehold, a hotel called the Four Seasons, was destroyed a little over two years ago by a dragon called Fairweather. There had been a faint hope that he'd either called it good or gotten bored and left, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Sooo, watch out for that." About to take another sip, she paused. "He's also got some amount of a following in the local Hedge, something to keep an eye out for. Especially if you're considering a Hollow." It wasn't like they had actively snatched anyone yet, but it wouldn't do for new Autumns to wander unwittingly into the arms of a fire-cult.

"As for the council... I wouldn't say that Courts take a back seat so much as our sovereigns have. It allows them a little more protection and puts power into the hands of our elected officials. Basically, the Freehold's deal is this: we only need to be blown up once to get the point. We split where we hold our events, we split who's in charge of what, we split up everything we can between several folks. Because nobody wants to be in that position again." It wasn't a perfect system, and there was a lot to be said for having a central meeting place; but, if they created a new place, it wouldn't be the one and only.

Resting her glass against the table, Ava tilted her head slightly to the side. "It is true that the Courts aren't so much hard party lines here as they are other places, though. Have you been part of a Freehold before?"

**Mhairi Ankaa** · Feb 7th, 2016 02:35 PM

Mhairi blinks, once, twice, thrice. "That is sooo much more information then Coco gave me. Thanks!" the elemental chirps, "She made it would like it was a random dragon attack." she further explains.

"So bring a friend if I eve want to go exploring. Gotcha. And I really need to talk to Romona about my fans ASAP. Okay I has plans now." Mhairi gave the women across from her a toothy smile. "Thank you, you wonderful golden voiced, wonderful person!" her smile was sincere and her voice light.

"Ah. That is way better explained then the rumors and hearsay that I was going on before. That is why for the questions. That's the only way to get answers. Well there's other ways...but I doubt I have access to them in this...very sparkly, sparkly place. And what's happening now sounds....common sense-y. And I sorry that the Freehold had to experience...uh getting blown up to get where it is now."

"I've been to other Freeholds before, but I've never Pledged to them. I was...ah wandering...looking for other answers, to different questions. My Uncle lead me here. Or he told me to come here." Mhairi told the Nix in a soft voice, barely audible, looking down at the bottle of water, poking the lid with one drippy finger.

Feb 7th, 2016 05:31 PM

"Not totally random, no." It wasn't like the 'Hold discussed it much, though; there could be people wandering around who did believe it was random.

Their information dispersal really did suck sometimes.

Ava's eyebrows shot up, Mhairi's response startling a small laugh out of her. "Well, you're certainly welcome." Amazing how little a person occasionally needed to do to be wonderful, but the Elemental's gratitude was sort of cute. And sort of endearing. A shrug deflected the apology about how the Freehold had ended up the way it was; everyone was sorry, and there was nothing to do but try and make sure it didn't happen again.

"Your uncle?" she prodded, not unkindly. The marked change in volume and body language made it clear there was a story in there somewhere, though she wasn't going to pry too hard.

(WC 2015) A Table to the side

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