Ashley
Lord Eric Stafford
The Feast

"Only a little biased." Eric replied, "And of course I miss home. I miss Marcus, our people, and Stormalong. But we're here because we need to be, so might as well enjoy being. Sure beats the hell out of castle Grunewald and King Gregor's hospitality." Eric remarked. "I also am not looking forward to the voyage home. "

He also wasn't looking forward to his voyage to Terresol, though he dearly hoped it would be a march. He'd much prefer marching in, but, King Maith likely wanted them to arrive as one force, and that one force was most likely going to be by sea. 

"You think he'll like our gifts? I've never met the man." Eric asked.
Steven
```
Lady Angelica Stafford
The Feast, Tonate Proper```

He wasn't wrong, still, it felt strange. Most of the time on trips like these she was at Anya's side. They all were, Stormalong and Astoria were firmly two nations under Durkhan. This time, She and Eric had practically been left to their own devices, with Anyanka's attention being distracted by her Eclipse Captain. She pursed her lips, reaching for her glass and taking a long drag from it. At least the Maith household didn't skimp on the alcohol at the feast. 

Her attention had drifted, looking to Maith's table before scanning the crowd again for... Well, she didn't know. It felt weird _not_ to be working. There was no task assigned to her besides 'be back in Astoria by next week.' A whole week without duty had her on edge. Eric's words made her brow raise, and the blonde turned to look at him in confusion. 

"You've never met?" She asked, not believing that to be true. Surely.. At some point... Right? She cleared her throat, leaning a bit more into his shoulder and lifting his drink in offering. A stressed Eric made her stressed, and she was already nervous. "He appreciates the gesture of good will. Maith is a good man, if I didn't serve Anya, I'd serve him."
Ashley
Lord Eric Stafford
The Feast, Tonate Proper

Eric was surprised Angelica didn't know he'd never met King Maith. Typically, Eric wasn't the person people came to talk to that and Eric made himself scarce, the richer people he met, the more he realized how awful most of them are. After his first Council of Marin, Eric started avoiding most of the foreign nobility. 

"No, he and I have never met. I've seen him a number of times. I've been to a few Councils of Marin and the last time we were in the Southern Isles, but he's never asked to see me and I'd rather not disturb a king with small talk. My track record with meeting kings hasn't been great, with Storm, Kelwynd, and Grunewald. I kind of avoid kings by this point." He mentioned, remembering the amount of important people he's met. It was still surreal to him.
Harvey
Valkrin Farensun
Maith Mansion, Tonate Proper 

Valkrin had excused himself from Catarina's side, and was finishing up making his rounds when he stepped into the gardens. His eye was immediately caught by the Eclipse guards and the young man with them, who'd just finished speaking with a servant. 

"I can arrange for her to meet you later, if that's your fancy," He said as he approached, "Shit, could arrange for her to meet you now. Wouldn't be anything new for the Isles." 

He looked over the boy, the glass eye rolling in it's socket, then took a seat on a bench and lit a cigar. "You're Prince Mikhail, I'm pleased to meet you, lad. Been working with your father for a long time."
Steven
```Prince Mikhail Durkhan-Maith
Maith Gardens, Tonate Proper```

Someone approached, making a comment about arrangements for someone to meet him. He assumed they were referring to the servant who, even when he glanced back her way, was still looking over at him. He didn't quite know what to think of that. Mikhail returned his attention to the man as he offered for her to meet him _now_, and his brow furrowed a bit. 

"I can't say I'm interested, she's not exactly my type." He answered. There was nothing wrong with her, he just didn't want to see that offer executed. He'd be embarrassed for sure. 

Mikhail heard the shifting of the Eclipse's armor as they waited, and he gave no indication that the man was bothering him, so they stayed quiet for now. Perched with a cigar, the amber of the man's eye glinted. Mikhail couldn't help the small grin as he pressed his tongue to his bottom teeth. "Which one, Maith?" As if the scars branding the man's face weren't obvious enough.
Harvey
Valkrin Farensun
Tonate Proper 

"A Royal with a sense of humor, refreshing." After a long drag of the cigar in his hand, Valkrin smiled and turned to face the boy again. "Apologies, lad. I'm not used to meeting bastards that aren't mine. I'm sure Astoria is crawling with them, could even be some in your Eclipse." 

Valkrin turned his attention back to the servant girl who, upon meeting his gaze, took on a frightened expression and returned to her duties. He stood, and began to size up one of the Eclipse in front of him, finding the man to be his equal in stature. "How much for his armor? I'd like it for my collection."
Steven
```
Prince Mikhail Durkhan-Maith
Maith Gardens, Tonate Proper```

He tensed at the word 'bastard'. While technically correct, he didn't much care for the term. It was dismissive of the men who had been around to raise him, and one that had only been coined to him after his life was appointed a bounty. Still he raised a brow. "Is that something you're proud of...?" He asked, trailing off because he was well aware the man never offered a proper introduction. 

Instead of offering his name, he asked for a price on the Eclipse armour his guard was wearing, and Mikhail gave a small laugh. "A lifetime of service to the Durkhan household, we've yet to have an Eclipse prove to be a deserter, but I doubt Captain Brightwater buries them with the emblem."