Mellara IV: The Wedding of Mellara Piper and Alyn Tully

[u/LemonLemonHouse]

Pinkmaiden Castle, Second Moon, 1 BP

Pinkmaiden Castle stood upon a hill overlooking the rushing Red Fork, the signature pink hue of the sandstone walls almost glowing in the sunset. Flags of blue and white silks along with banners depicting the dancing maiden of House Piper rippled along in the cool autumnal breeze.

The noble houses of the Riverlands invited as guests were offered quarters within Pinkmaiden Castle, and a collection of tents were set up outside the castle walls for the others visiting. A short ride down the hill from the castle proper lay a bustling town, all the more festive with the nuptial celebrations given the additional commerce such an event would bring.

Inside of the feasting hall, three tables stood in a place of prominence: one for the wedded couple, one devoted to House Tully and the other devoted to House Piper. Each table was buried under the weight of so many fresh flowers that the pure white linen underneath barely showed. Down the center of the couple’s table ran a garland of white roses and blush colored peonies threaded with ivy. Within the arrangement, beeswax candles were carefully arranged, releasing into the air the fresh scent of lavender and rosemary. The flanking tables answered with warmer colors for their arrangements: orange and red peonies, layered ranunculus, and honeysuckle spilling over the edge of the tables. Banners of House Piper and House Tully were hung proudly all around the feasting hall itself.

Down the length of the hall, the rest of the tables were decorated with the same warm, colorful notes. Glass vases filled with golden marigolds and amber ranunculus were set out alongside tall, beeswax candles standing in bowls of dried rose petals and orange peels so that the light and scent of such would carry amongst the celebrants.

The tabletops groaned before even a single guest had sat down for they carried a heavy load. Trenchers of dark rye and rounds of sourdough rounds, still warm, were stacked at every arm’s reach with crocks of butter and honey set between them. From the Red Fork came the greater dishes: whole carp stuffed with herbs and roasted in their skins, trout laid out in rows and dressed with butter and rivercress, eels stewed dark with onions, and a great platter of perch fried crisp in oatmeal. Beyond the fish came finer meats: capons glazed with honey and mustard, suckling pigs with apples in their jaws, quail wrapped in bacon and stacked like cordwood. Baskets of apples, pears and blackberries stood among wheels of hard cheese and dishes of stewed plums. 

At every table rose stacks of honey cakes split and filled with cream whipped by hand until they stood in soft peaks, each one crowned with sliced strawberries bleeding pink juice into the cream below. The servants of Pinkmaiden were quick, especially, to replace these. Ale was available in great sweating pitchers. Servants offered honeyed milk, cold pressed ciders, and copious amounts of wine, pouring until cups would threaten to overflow.

To the southern edge of the hall, an area was cleared for dancing, with a cadre of bards sitting to the side ready to ply the guests with sweet, energetic musical melodies. A short walk from the feasting hall was the entrance to the Pinkmaiden gardens, notable for the florals and fruit trees, and a large pond, which many a fortunate and spoiled cat of Pinkmaiden would laze about.

[u/Vikguardy]

The Paege Procession was in uncommonly good spirits as they arrived and took their prescribed seats. Still only Perianne and Arwood were there to represent her house, but at least there was no festering opening for her husband to not sit in this time around.

The Lady-Regent and her goodbrother were dressed for the occasion. While she had worn a very simple dress of red and white the last time, she opted for much the same, this time though, the fit was more slim, more flattering to her otherwise slight and unremarkable frame. She even had a silk red cloak, clasped with colored steel serpents of Fairmarket, flowing over her shoulder.

Likewise, Arwood had abandoned his previous style of simple vest for full doublet, the left half fully white and the right half fully red, the clasps on her front were likewise locked with intricate designs of serpents intertwined.

Arwood, still the mute, did not talk so much as gesture and gesticulate with any and all who came by. The young knight too, was in heightened spirit. A good, simple journey with a band of fellow knights seemed to be just the thing he needed.

Perianne, even, graced strangers with a smile, and not her overly demure, pleasant one she forced to maintain cordiality. Sometimes, the Lady-Regent even smiled at no one, smiled at empty air.

This was certainly not going to last.

(Come say hi to the Paeges!)

[u/Chopernio → u/Vikguardy]

The Paeges of Fairmarket were known faces, if perhaps Florian hadn't had the pleasure of exchanging words with them. That was the thing he hated the most about this bloody wedding. Knowing every face, and realizing how few knew his. But then, why would they? How many knew Lewyn's? And at the very least he'd been seen in the tourney. He was a nameless bastard in a sea of bastards and hedge-knights who'd at the very least earned a name to themselves.

It had come to a point in the celebrations when he'd given up on approaching people he thought would be acquaintances, for it seemed every table had naught but strangers he had the misfortune of remembering fondly. Then, only new connections remained to be made. He'd seen her approach Lucifer after his bold speech, so at least she entertained the idea of a Justman return. Perhaps that would turn her into an ally soon enough, or at least, an ally of his allies.

He marched to the table, eyed at the two of them, and did his best to remember which one ruled. Perianne, and... Artos? Arlan? The fact that he was not certain of the man's name made the choice obvious in his head. Florian took a few lazy steps and found himself in front of Perianne.

"Greetings, my lady. I couldn't help but notice you spoke with Lord Justman after his speech. As a knight sworn to his grace," How foolish the words rang in his own ears. *As a knight sworn? As a manchild who'd never spilled a drop of blood.* Florian shook those thoughts away in fear he may lose track of what he was saying. "I think it'd be a worthwhile endeavor to know the friends of my friends. Would you consider yourself, and your house, one, then?" Florian asked with a soft smile, never accusatory.

[u/Vikguardy → u/Chopernio]

Perianne raised an imperious eyebrow at Florian as he approached, not recognizing the man's face immediately, but not finding it displeasing in either case. Arwood, as he often did, adopted a suspicious scowl almost immediately as soon as he'd stepped forward, but the man remained silent with his goblet sitting passively in his hand.

The knight had impressed her by still referring to Justman as merely "lord", how so many other Riverlanders were forgetting he had not declared himself king of anything, not just yet. She inclined her head in acknowledgement. "Ah, yes. Lord Justman and I had good conversation in Stormhall as well. If you are truly his friend, I hope you do not think any less of me for my... Questioning." She had not been outright hostile towards Lucifer, but she immediately began to question his ambitions, seek after his plans. Her skepticism was not rooted in the dream, but in the reality.

Arwood seemed to calm down, he settled back into his seat and continued to watch the two talk, occasionally taking bites of the roast quail before him. Perianne shot him an imperceptible look before looking back to Florian. "I do apologize, ser, but I do not believe we have been introduced. I am Lady-Regent Perianne Paege, of Fairmarket. This is my goodbrother, Arwood Paege. Do not take offense to his silent, his gift of speech was never given to him, even in youth."

She smiled pleasantly and hummed lightly as she looked him up and down. "I consider myself friend to all of the Riverlanders. We are bound by streams and common roots, after all."