Gameplay Thread

OH NO
Petrev freezes and tries to back away behind the other guests as Buttercup follows her sister down the stairs. He had been so wrong, a quarter Orc, what nonsense. She was clearly a lot more than that. The down had grown into thin wiry beard, the teeth were almost tusk like. What had he been thinking? Now that he thought about it, wasnt Buttercup rumored to have been from the mothers first marriage to Org? Oh shit, not to Org to an Orc.

Applause ripples through the assembled guests as Margery makes her entrance, beaming radiantly. Othorion leaves Matra and Cirn, meeting Margery and and taking her hands in his, before introducing her and Buttercup to some of the more important people in attendance.

Petrev sidles back into the crowd attempting to hide in plain sight.

Wide eyed, Petrev looks up at Momo and gulpsthis is worse.

As the sisters walk up to Othorion, Buttercup locks eyes with Petrev. Her face twists with emotion – she seems surprised, confused and definitely unhappy to see him.

People are beginning to notice that the party isn't mixing and partaking with the usual polite small-talk. Petrev's attempt to hide behind nearby guests was obvious to those around him, prompting curious looks and muttered questions.

Knowing he has been spotted, Petrev decides that he is best to approach this head on.
Stepping torwards Buttercup, Petrev drops to a knee and taking her hand in the stunned silence of the room as all eyes turn towards him. Deciding that (almost complete) honesty is the best policy.
My love, can it be? You are not married? When i saw you enter my lords carriage i could not bare to stay and fled to the sea. Can you ever forgive me?

Buttercup shoots Petrev a look that ought to have stuck at least four inches out of his back. She grabs his wrist and hauls him to his feet, every bit as strong as she looks. 'What in the Nine bloody Hells are you doing? You're going to ruin everything, you idiot!' she hisses in his ear, the final word oozing contempt. She begins to drag Petrev towards the exit leading to the garden.

'Excuse me, boy, but do you know what's going on?' a thin voice asks Momo. The speaker is an elderly elf lady, the wife of the drunken elf noble that Petrev duelled earlier. 'Ha! Sherves him right!' the husband slurs. 'I know he bloody well cheated, and the gods hate a cheater, you- you bloody pirate! Thish ish your jusht dessherts!' he finishes by yelling at Petrev.

'And I thought this was going to be dull!' Cirn chuckles quietly to Mantra.

Petrev stumbles along behind Buttercup, neither the dumb look on his face or the struggling along behind her being being pretense.

Buttercup drags Petrev out to the garden. 'Leave us!' she thunders at the gaggle of servants and the guards that had followed, before shoving Petrev bodily to the turf in front of her.

Blinking back tears, she marshals her dignity and says, 'Do you know, Petrev, that never in our lives had anyone ever chosen me over Margery? Have you ever wondered what might happen if someone did? Well, I'll tell you. After we were together, Margery went crazy for you – you were the one thing she couldn't have. Then you did the worst thing possible: you ran off to sea. She built up a– a crazy image of you in her mind, made you the face of a total fantasy. She nearly broke off the engagement a dozen times. Twice I had to stop her running away to find you. Finally, I thought she was getting over you, and once again you do the worst thing possible! Right in front of her, in front of everyone, on her special night! This engagement was the best thing to ever happen to our family, and you're going to wreck it!'

'I have no idea, never seen the gentleman before in my life. Lady Buttercup seems very upset though, and I always thought she was quite level-headed. You know, I really shouldn't be drinking whilst on duty,' Cirn says. He wavers for a moment then takes the glass. 'On the other hand, it would be rude to refuse, wouldn't it? I couldn't possibly offend milord's guests.' He quickly drinks the wine and hands the glass back to Mantra with a wink.

The large half-orc turns to the old people. "Hello. I am Momo. I don't know what's happening. Mr. Othorion said he was going to show us a treasure, but then two women came out. I'm waiting to see the treasure."

The elf laughs uproariously, but his wife slaps his arm and looks at Momo with something between pity and tenderness. "I think Lord Othorion meant that his fiancée, Miss Margery, is as precious to him as treasure," she says gently.

Stunned silence is all Petrev can muster, this usually verbose pirate is completely at a lose for words. Petrev manages to catch himself before saying "i could have slept with the pretty one". Instead he says
I am truly sorry, i had no intention of doing anything other than coming here and sticking a sword into his lordship, for stealing you away from me.
I am happy to be out of here as quick as possible but i am also here on a job, again designed to tweak his lordships nose.

"Stick a sword in him?!" Buttercup shrieks. "Job? What job? You can't go back in there! Oh, what are we going to do? I don't know what sin I am being punished for, Petrev, but it must have been horrible to have to suffer you as my penance."