Brindellis Arts Festival

Cultural event

Natalya accompanies Fenneck and the court of Glitterfjell to the Brindellis Arts Festival as his fiancé. It is long week of events, meetings, music, alcohol, dancing and frilly dresses. Most of which Natalya tries not to hate too much. They face their new lives as political leaders in Thymryu.

Natalya looked out the window of Mr. D's palace at the streets of Brindellis below her. The afternoon sky was beating down on the party-goers in the streets. The city was beautifully decked out for the Arts Festival. Fenneck had left early that morning for a meeting with other important people in Thymryu. She knew she should go out and enjoy herself but she felt scared to leave the palace alone. She felt out of place here. She walked over to the dresses Fenneck had packed her to find the one she needed tonight. Each night of the festival a different fiefdom threw a ball or banquet of some sort. Tonight was Glitterfjell's and Natalya felt a lot of pressure knowing that a lot of important eyes would be on herself and Fenneck tonight. She found the dress Fenneck had set out with a note pinned to it. Glitterfjell Banquet-Natalya. Wear with silver shoes, white kokoshnik and white fox tail shawl. "Very romantic." She said reading the note. Leesa, sitting on the bed, let out a gekker. "I'm just as offended as you are by this." Natalya told her holding the fox tails up. Natalya put on the elegant, very Lenisilian gown. It was large and had lots of fur and ornate details on it. She felt a bit ridiculous as she looked at herself in the mirror. Lady Natalya. She could hear the other royals referring to her. She felt tears coming to her eyes and before she knew it she was on the floor sobbing into the beautiful rug. She didn't belong in a palace. Not like this. Suddenly she felt Leesa's nose nuzzle her and climb onto her lap. She buried her face into the little fox and Leesa made some soft gekkering to calm her. Natalya felt grateful for Leesa's company. She heard the door open and looked up to see Fenneck walk in. He seemed tired and stressed. When he saw Natalya on the floor he ran over, "Nat!" He sat down next to her and took her in his arms. Natalya nuzzled into him. Leesa curled up happily in both their laps. "What's wrong?" He asked as he caressed her hair. "I don't belong here!" She sobbed into his chest. He held her tightly and suddenly she felt him start to cry as well. After a few moments he softly muttered under his breath, "Me either." Natalya looked up at him, appalled by this remark. "What do you mean? Of course you belong here." She said. She had never doubted that he was the right choice as Baegla's successor. He looked her in the eyes sadly, "It's so much harder than I thought it would be Nat. Being here with the other lords...I didn't realize how many people disagreed with our policies, with our ways of life. I've been in arguments since I got here. So many people are just...unwilling to fix things, or to care about things for that matter." His eyes looked defeated. Natalya felt her heart break for him. For so long their political enemy was just some big bad monster in Lenisily. They knew there were other problems but they seemed workable. The fact that people across their own country held such opposing beliefs was hard to accept. She squeezed his arms. "I want to change this country, Nat. If Glitterfjell is going to be a part of it then things need to change. Some of the lords think that we shouldn't house and feed everyone because some people don't work hard enough for it. Who thinks like that?! It's cruel!" She caressed his face. "This is why they need you." She said gently caressing his face. "Thymryu needs you. They need your perspective and leadership. Of course it's not going to be easy but nothing in our lives has been." He pressed his face against her hand and kissed it. "You belong here Fenneck." She said, sadly looking down. "So do you." He said rubbing her back. "I can't do this without you Nat. I know it's hard. I know it's not fair that I have to ask you to do this. To parade around in these ridiculous outfits and go to these pompous meetings. But you're right. We have the chance to change the world. I hate becoming a royal, probably more than you do, but it is the most effective way we can implement change in the world." He turned toward her and his green eyes made Natalya's heart flutter. "Don't do it for me though. Don't even do it for Glitterfjell." He took her hands in his own, "Do it for Lenisily. For the change we might see there one day." She squeezed his hands tightly, "I love you so much Fen." She said. "I love you too, Natalya. Can I help you get dressed for tonight?" She nodded and he kissed her forehead. They stood up, much to Leesa's displeasure. She started gekkering at Fenneck. "Hush, there are other people in this palace you know!" He told the fox who started screaming at him loudly. "Leesa, go to the bed!" He pointed and she let out a few more complaints before reluctantly leaping onto the bed. Fenneck rolled his eyes and took Natalya into his arms. He squeezed her tightly from behind and she took a deep breath. She hoped Fenneck was right. That they could figure this out and help people in the their new positions. She let Fenneck do her hair in some elaborate braids that spilled out of the Lenisilian kokoshnik. It was very tall and ornate. She had to watch her posture to keep it from slipping. It felt a bit much. As Fenneck wrapped the white fox tails around her shoulders she couldn't help but feel like a bride. It sent a shiver of fear up her spine but the longer she looked at herself the more comfortable she became. She suddenly felt a smile creep onto her face as she imagined Pufuktin's rage to see her now, engaged to marry the second most powerful person in Glitterfjell. Fenneck put on his equally ornate suit and a fur lined silver skullcap. She smiled seeing him in such attire. He reminded her of home. The parts of Lenisily she had loved once. They looked in the mirror together and they giggled at their ridiculous outfits. "Naertho worked very hard on these." Fenneck said, "He hoped the Lenisilian style would help you feel at home." She smiled and carefully leaned against him, trying not to knock off her headdress. "I love them." "You look absolutely stunning. You will be the envy of everyone there." He kissed her intimately. They left Leesa the room to herself as they headed down to the ballroom. They arrived early to make sure everything was going to plan. The ballroom which had been decorated to host Sivania only two nights earlier with brightly golden, ornate designs and fire everywhere now shone with the magic, plants and cool colors of Glitterfjell. There was a beautiful tree in the center of the room and there was a line up of bards warming up to perform. Baegla was there, also dressed in ornate robes and a small kokoshnik. She smiled when she saw Natalya and Fenneck enter. "You two look absolutely adorable." She said. Fenneck smiled at her, "It's not too much?" He spun around showing off his very ornate, fur lined cape. "Not at all!" She smiled, she loved big parties like this, especially ones where Glitterfjell would get to show off a bit to the other fiefdoms. She led them over to King Zeitdrache who was visiting with Jasna. Jasna looked like she was being a bit flirtier than normal. She was wearing a beautiful silver elvish gown and she bore a simple silver diadem. She smiled and greeted Fenneck and Natalya as they walked up. "Are you guys excited for tonight?!" Fenneck hugged her and kissed her cheek, "Of course!" He turned his attention to King Zeitdrache. "Your Highness." He bowed toward the king and Natalya followed his lead. "Fenneck! How are you?!" the King boomed, giving Fenneck a firm handshake and squeezing his shoulder with his other hand. "I've been wonderful, your highness. What about yourself?" "I've been absolutely great. I'm looking forward to tonight." He beamed, rubbing his hands together enthusiastically. "I'm excited to have some of Glitterfjell's famous apple spiced mead. You must be Lady Natalya" he said, giving a sweeping bow that was almost too dramatic to be sincere. "Fenneck and Baegla have told me so much about you. You are just as beautiful as Fenneck described. I hope you're enjoying Brindellis?" King Zeitdrache was very cheerful and his eyes had a friendly sparkle about them. Natalya understood why Fenneck would trust him. "It's been absolutely wonderful, your highness." She said nervously. Baegla spoke up from below them all and started explaining the order of events for the evening. Fenneck led Natalya to a grand table where they sat with the other members of Zeitdrache's and Glitterfjell's courts. They faced the ballroom which had some round tables around the outside of the room and a large stage. Soon they opened the doors and the members of the court stood as guests filtered in. After a few minutes of this Natalya could tell Fenneck was already exasperated with this pompous charade. Luckily Jasna led the bards in a fun, upbeat song and people soon started dancing and drinking, including Fenneck. He had a large goblet of wine which he finished within the first song. He pulled her from the table and they started walking around the room to greet guests and friends. He took a glass of champagne from a server and downed it as well. Natalya decided to stick to one glass for the evening to keep and eye on Fenneck. She was quietly hanging onto Fenneck's arm for the majority of the evening. He was nervous. This was one of his first big moments outside of Glitterfjell as a future lord. She admired his strength though. He was good at this sort of thing, at making acquaintances and meeting people. He was very level headed. After a couple drinks and greeting the majority of the people in the room, Fenneck brought Natalya to the dance floor where they danced to a few of the more traditional, formal numbers. As they were dancing Natalya felt something tug on her dress. She looked down and saw Niko dressed in a pompous dress tunic. He looked quite adorable. "Well hello there!" She greeted him. "Lady Natalya," He flamboyantly bowed to her before turning to Fenneck, "Yorgrass, Duke Fenneck Frostears." Fenneck laughed at his poor grammar. "It's your grace, not yorgrass." He corrected him. "Besides you can just call me Fen." Niko shook his head, "My fathers told me I had to be very formal tonight so I have to call you yorgrass." He corrected Fenneck before he continued, "Yorgrass, I would like the honor of dancing with your wife, uh, or lady, Natalya." Natalya giggled at Niko's ridiculousness. Fenneck smiled at the small lad, "Well why don't you ask her? She doesn't belong to me yet." He joked. Niko turned to Natalya and cleared his throat again, "Lady Natalya, would you do me the honors of a...of dancing with me?" He asked flashing her a charming grin. "Of course, your majesty." She said extending her hand. "Bring her back to me when you're done with her." Fenneck told Niko. Niko scoffed at him, "You just said she wasn't yours!" Fenneck rolled his eyes, "Go dance. Have fun my love." He said to Natalya as Niko dragged her deeper into the dance floor. They danced for a couple songs before Natalya convinced him to return her to Fenneck for the evening. When she finally found him he was sitting at the table speaking with Zeitdrache and Baegla about something. As Natalya approached the table, Baegla said something that sent Fenneck and Zeitdrache into a fit of laughter. The King slammed a massive fist into the table in hilarity, sending wine splattering out of glasses and causing Fenneck to jump in surprise before continuing to laugh. When Fenneck noticed Natalya's presence he smiled gratefully and went to her. He kissed her rather passionately and she could smell vodka on his breath. "You're drinking like a true Lenisilian tonight aren't you?" She teased him. He smiled at her, "I am being perfectly responsible. Have you seen some of the other court members this week? They're outright animals!" She rolled her eyes at him. He kissed her again and brought her back over to the table. Soon the dancing stopped and a few Glitterfjell bards performed some ballads and concert pieces for the contest that would be held at the end of the week. Natalya couldn't help but feel proud of her fiefdom and her new home. Fenneck remained unwaveringly affectionate toward her throughout the evening, as if they were home in Flottenheim. She loved that he wasn't reserved about that sort of thing. That he made his love and adoration for her apparent to everyone around. When they finally headed up to their room. He took her kokoshnik off and kissed her passionately. They took the rest of their elaborate costumes off before Fenneck picked Natalya up and carried her to the bed as she kissed his lips. He plopped her onto the bed causing Leesa to jump up and start yelping dramatically at them. "Will you shut the hell up!" Fenneck laughed at the fox who was yelling right into their faces. He grabbed a pillow and shoved it into the foxes face gently before he buried Natalya into their bed with kisses and affection. "Thank you so much for tonight." He whispered in her ear. She kissed him back and took a deep breath. "We can do this right?" She asked him. He looked into her eyes and they both felt a wave of peace come over them. Fenneck smiled, "Of course we can my love. Of course we can."