Fine Food(?) and Music(???) Await You

[indulgently]

[Well that was truly a heartbreaking matter, to say the least. But what follows will be important. If they crack now, there will be no telling what their future holds. So now, more than ever, it is important that they hold together.

Few seem prepared to rise to the occasion, so it is left to Olivert to prepare something truly spectacular.

As the room is prepared, he hums and serenades himself quite happily. It's a good amount of work but he doesn't seem to mind doing it himself, although he would never turn down a few extra hands if they wanted to assist.

The important thing is that the Opera House has been decorated with lights and tables and rose petals aplenty. Enough to brighten up their little gathering. Amongst the tables there is food, but considering at least some if not all of them were the prince's doing, perhaps a little caution may be in order. There is at least probably a fifty/fifty percent chance of it being an edible dish!

Outside there is a sign made up to draw their numbers in.]

Tonight, a Grand Feast, to be shared amongst friends.
Everyone is highly encouraged to attend, though it need not be mandatory.
In the darkest hours it is important for the brightest lights to shine.
If necessary, tonight that light shall be me.
Wonderful music and food will be provided, you only need bring yourself.


Prepared by Olivert Reise Arnor.

[Trust nothing about this.]

Comments

[baitless]

...

[...that does, perhaps, cause him to mull it over a bit...]

Well... I suppose it is good to remember people how they would have wanted to be remembered. I don't know how intentional it was, but... perhaps it is simply serendipitous.

[reanbeans]

[ He'll smile slightly, a little relieved to hear him say that. ]

Haha, yeah. There is that.

Maybe some of the others might like it too, considering that we do need a distraction from what we just saw.

[baitless]

Admittedly, I'm not entirely sure if I actually want to eat anything after that, but it cannot hurt to be with others. It is not the sort of thing we should face alone.

[reanbeans]

I don't think my appetite's quite there either, though I won't judge anyone who can eat after that. But, I really do agree...neither of us should have to face it all alone.

[ Rean just had a feeling that's what their captors would prefer for them to do. ]

It's become clear to me that we have to stick together as much as we could.

[baitless]

Oh, I would not judge anyone either. It isn't as though I haven't seen death before, but... it is the spectacle that bothers me so.

But you are correct. It will be difficult for some of us, I'm sure, especially given how much our captors are doing to try and make us turn on each other.

[reanbeans]

...Yeah. I think it was definitely way over the top than it had to be.

[ Like, seriously. ]

They're certainly not going to make it easy, so I do expect that it'll be difficult keeping us together. Though that's all the more reason to give it my all to help us manage that.

[baitless]

...I'd wonder about certain things aloud, but I don't entirely wish to risk them listening in on it. Regardless, they certainly are enjoying this.

[reanbeans]

...I'm certain it doesn't matter since there's hardly any places they don't have their ears or eyes on, but I understand.

[ He'll clench one of his hands tightly. ]

I'm sure they are. I guess the keyword here is 'for now'.

[baitless]

...You're likely right, but even so, I do not wish to make it too easy for them. I already vaguely feel like I may have contributed by showing too much concern over a family member in front of them.

[Maybe it's not rational and they would have done it anyway, but it's not going to stop him feeling vaguely guilty about the whole thing!!]

Hopefully we can find a proper way of dealing with them at some point. No one is free of weakness.

[reanbeans]

I think I'd feel the same way in your position. They've shown how eager they were to take advantage or target anything they'd perceive as a weakness, and I can see how that'd be enough of a deterrent.

[ Rean honestly could emphasize. He had to be careful about showing weakness himself back home, even if he had a hard time not doing that. ]

...That's right. Even those two have a weakpoint, I'm sure of it. Whether that be personality-wise or even in their own capabilities.

[baitless]

...indeed.

[he sighs...]

I really do hate to see what they'll come up with next. I'm not sure they'll go easy on us, unless they run out of ideas.

The Lady, at the very least, has numerous personality flaws, but I'd be wary of actually challenging her.

[reanbeans]

[ He'd like to come up with something too. A knuckle fist sandwich in each of their faces. And he was one of the last people to advocate for violence but yeah. ]

If I could challenge her, I would. Just to get an idea of what else she was capable of, but I don't think that's possible right now.

[baitless]

I feel like that would go very poorly, and it would not aid us to lose you like that, you know.

...I hate to sound so pessimistic, but we just have to hope whoever's executed next tries to fight back.

[reanbeans]

I...I know that.

[ Though he looked embarrassed it was pointed out, considering he didn't really intend to. But he felt adequately admonished nonetheless—which swiftly dissipated at Seteth's other words.

He'll suck in a harsh breath, and his next words were calmly stated, but soft, holding an undercurrent of anger. ]

I don't want it to come to that. There shouldn't even be a next time.

[baitless]

...I don't either.

[He lets out a harsh sigh, clearly frustrated with the whole thing...]

I'm not saying we shouldn't do what we can to prevent it. I'm just... trying to be realistic about how likely it is that we'll see it again.

[reanbeans]

[ He'll sigh. ]

I guess there's nothing wrong with that. As much as I hate to admit it, the possibility was really likely.

[ He hated saying it himself, though. It sounded like to him as if he had given up, even though he knew that's not what it was. ]

I can only hope that we'd happen to overcome those odds.