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The duchess throws up her hands in distress as so much of the party's alcohol goes missing. "Oh dear! I thought you two had him on the ropes for sure."

1/3 of Mari Lwyd cackles and capers. "A battle of wits, ye fools may challenge but none will defeat the Welsh on the scavenge, pour us a cup of your finest brandy and keep a few of those meat pies handy! It's not just a jape, nor just a rhyme, you'll give us something to quaff if ye want to have a good time!"

Sarthelia stepped forward next. She had a confident grin on her lips. "A trio or three, upon a beast with glee do you crash our feast. You take and take but never make, for the truth is that your words are all fake. Answer me this you beasts if you so please; I surround the world and in it everything, yet I dwell within a thimble, oh such a tiny thing." Her words were soft but carried themselves over the din of crashing meals and sloshing drinks. Her cadence was in tune with each down beat of the party.

"I am honored to be in your presence then Miss. Your work is admirable and quite important it seems. Your world name does not sound familiar to me. Perhaps if such a place as this exists, we could travel between our realms and share with one another knowledge and resources." It seemed that Xefry's father had left behind much knowledge for his son.

Annette perked up at the potential rescue and mouthed a 'thank you' at the woman and her odd winged lizard. Then she turned back to Mari Lwyd, with an expectant look on her face.
Would it work?

The horse skull, frozen in its perpetual rigor mortis grin, somehow manages to look surprised when another challenger steps in. The front of the horse swivels toward Sarthelia, "Your wit is sharper than most it seems, our words, not hollow, are bursting our seams, your answer, like bellies is full of naught but space, PLEASE GIVE ME SOMETHING TO FILL UP MY FACE!"

Observing as yet another of the guests stepped forth to tackle the riddles challenge, Cris idly commented: "Splendid break of day
A poor, vivacious fool whirls
despite the brandy"
Still she continued to observe, her head cocked to one side, making the mask appear almost like the head of a curious little fox.

"Am I dreaming?" She whispered to herself as she walked into the room, which appeared to be a full on ball like she'd seen in movies. Even though she'd been staring at the white rose and it's petals for quite some time before she'd entered, she still hadn't figured out how it could glow. Initially, she'd thought it was some kind of advanced technology, but that didn't seem to match the rest of the scene that had unfolded around her and now that she stood there, with a black lace cat mask on and a matching laced dress she felt more sure about the impossible.

Magic... It had to be magic. Widened eyes scanned the other guests, gaze briefly hovering over them as she smiled at a few. She made sure to avert her gaze rather quickly, remembering that staring was impolite even though her curiosity attempted to get the best of her. Her gaze had also scanned the table with delicacies, multiple times in fact since her arrival and even though they all looked delicious, it didn't strike her as the typical chips and popcorn that she'd normally see as parties so she held off on it to make sure she wouldn't shove all of it in her mouth at once.

While liquor went untouched by her too, she didn't particularly feel thirsty and instead insisted on finding some company to spend the evening with. Pleasant company, preferably, then again none so far had particularly seemed unpleasant.

"To fill the space in your face, a feast befitting a beast at least. But your wit must be tested to its limit, so answer me this. A monster so grand, but with a name so bland. A beast who's feast is tempered best by mankind's priests. It is that which you succumbed to and are so numbed to." She had been told this riddle by her parents in her youth and figured it might be more difficult to tackle than the other she gave.

An excellent idea. Even if no one managed to catch the spirit in a riddle they could not answer, mayhaps rhyming at them would keep weakening it. From her prison of whirling foods, Annette noticed a new arrival.
"You! fair lady in the cat mask! Please come and help us with our task! This sly spirit has taken wine and meat and plate with which to dine! Only the riddles and the rhymes seem to stop it, and end its crimes!"

'... Cat mask?' Cris turned curiously hearing Annette's words and took in the newcomer's appearance. And as she remembered the old tale of a "cat and fox" who had swindled a living puppet, she chuckled softly. "The wits of cats is proverbial", she mused, "I wonder if it'll be a worthy match for our master trickster...."

The front third of the Mari Lywd yanks hard on the sheet, trying to pull its two compatriots back to their feet. "With riddles you think to put me to bed, but no no no no, you're jumping ahead -- It's my turn to ask and ask I will, and soon enough I shan't be drinking low swill. Now listen here, your attention I beckon and attend close ye to my riddle second: A horse may sink to a drunken stupor, autumns bounty cheers hooray, which fruit am I, oh cider pray?"

"Thank you," the Dragoness said softly, aloud this time. She'd never received such appreciative words before, nor heard anyone express a desire to visit her. She couldn't say Xefry would be very safe in Elkaddion, but his sincerity and the idea of a young, wise visitor was a very lovely one.

She blinked swiftly once or twice, fighting some of the emotion that threatened to bring tears to her eyes. As much as she was enjoying Xefry and Sarthelia's companionship, she knew she needed to recover her composure before she remained in such fine company. Things had happened before when she let her emotions overcome her, and said things were never very pretty--though some outburst of the arcane due to such a wholesome feeling as gratitude and validation wasn't something that had ever happened before. Still, better not to risk it.

"I beg your pardon," she spoke to Xefry, offering him a small smile. "I believe the chaos of this rhyming battle is beginning to wear on me--I need to take a walk for a moment and clear my head. Thank you very dearly for your kind words, Little Sire. It has been a true honor meeting you."

Out loud she said, looking to Sarthelia and speaking when the other wasn't engaged in rhymes, "Thank you very much for your conversation, good lady, and the companionship of your friend here--but I must take my leave of you for a moment. I do hope to see you both again, later tonight perhaps."

Once she had returned the sweet little Xefry to his original companion, the Dragoness excused herself kindly and moved to walk quietly just beyond the dance floor and the main gathering area, a breath like a puff of smoke once more leaving her lips and drifting away in the chill air.


((I must take my leave of you fair people for a brief time, hopefully I'll return later! I'm loving this event so far ))

(I might try to snatch a few hours sleep if my toothache will allow - but until it calms enough to let me, I'll still be around. If I disappear, you know why X'D)

"Is that an apple?" Annette wondered out loud, and realized she was maybe not supposed to answer. Or to do so without rhymes. "An apple, sweet and round, a juicy gift from the ground?"

"A sly spirit, you say?" She asked, curiosity a noticeable hint in her voice while a playful glint filled her eyes. To her, the rhyming made it sound like it was a silly game they were playing and she wasn't fully aware of the fact that this could potentially be a real threat. She stepped forward towards the others, her gaze remaining focused on them and their nearby surroundings.

"I'm afraid I don't know how to win in most games, I've never been very good at them. That said, I'm not a bad loser either." She admitted with a sheepish smile. "If you tell me what I can do to help, I'm willing to give it a shot."

She listened closely as she was told, but the riddle had her frowning.

"A drunken horse and cider? That sounds absolutely bonkers. Although I do believe there was a gin called after a drunken horse." She recalled.

Mari Lywd wheels back toward Annette. Its mid and hindquarters have staggered back up, and weave clumsily behind the front. "You're right, you're right, and still with riddles you insist we fight -- Do me a favor ye kind, ye gentry, your tables are laden with a great plenty. Do my rhymes not impress? Do I need a fancier dress? Give me a cup, a bowl, a horn! A terrible thirst my rhyming has drawn. Do me a give, a dog might say, give me a flagon an ass might bray, but I am nought but Mari Lywd, I seek nothing more than the taste so good, of a beer, a wine, a whisky neat, something to ease the pain in my feet, a drink to aid my quest to get blotty, pass me a cup or my rhymes might get naughty!"

Annette plucked a flying cup of wine from the moving walls of her 'prison'.
"A glass with you I'd gladly share, yet you've taken most of our fare. There is no wine, rum or cider that I can catch and then offer. Instead of theft, and rhyming tests, why don't you behave as a guest?"
That was a good question. Was Mari Lwyd not invited by the Duchess?

The falcon's arrival was easy to overlook. In one moment, there lay an empty space before a foyer wall's mirror, and in the next moment, he occupied it. Dressed white as winter itself, the stranger had donned a duelist's doublet above a silk shirt. Gloves, trousers, and boots were all just as pale. Even the skin one might spy beneath the mask's beak was frightfully colorless, as though carved from ivory itself. The blizzard was broken by the feathers of his headgear and a pair of pauldrons. Though snowy, they are spotted, with many a black dot marking the plumage of a gyrfalcon. Soft silver eyes scanned the soiree, lidded but bright with intrigue, a gentle smile teasing the corners of his mouth. His presence is unobtrusive, investigative, unengaged as he takes his time drinking in the otherworldly atmosphere. The falcon made no move to procure an actual drink drink. Instead he observed, an invitation in one hand and small cobalt bag in the other. There was no need to plunge feet-first into the festivities just yet. He is one of many peculiar persons, and when weirdness is in excess, it is far easier to behave as one's self.

Careful and measured steps were taken as someone walked with short strides. Their attitude was beyond cordial and their outfit matched the way they portrayed themselves perfectly. An elegant gown between teal and blue was draped over their average sized frame, hugging her chest and her hips in a way that could only be explained by the dress being made on her body.

Her smile was too warm for her to be a snob, and her friendly wave here and there was nothing short of sweet. Still, she was no ordinary commoner and since she'd been invited by one that had a higher position as well, she tried her best to behave as well as her father would expect of her. Her jewelry and her mask matched her dress, as well as brought the spark in her soft blue eyes forward. It was a lively spark, one of happiness and joy that said all was well and if it wasn't, all would be.

The gown swaying side to side with her steps, she made her way through the crowd in search of a drink. There seemed to be no wine, but the Princess had never disliked brandy so she didn't feel too disappointed. Instead, she took a glass and raised it to the by-standers. She was mostly turned towards those that were standing freely but she spoke to all in clear and joyful manner.

"Here's to our lovely host, The Duchess. May she live long and prosper." She said, her smile widening before she took a sip from the glass.

((Ooooh, thank you!))

And as soon as she had spoken her words, the empty cup in her hands filled with warm, golden mead.
She raised it up, towards the spirit:
"Oh Mari Lwyd, three-voiced jester,
Let rivalry no more fester.
I invite you to share a drink
Sleep calls to me, soon I will sink.
Come rest your pranks, come sit by me
So let us drink and be merry.
Yes, let us part as newfound friends
For my part here comes at its ends."

One hand thrusts out from under the sheet, making wild beckoning motions, clearly asking for a drink to be put into the grasping fingers. There is an audible sigh of relief and pleasure as a goblet is finally proferred, and the cup disappears immediately under the sheet.

"Thank goodness, thank fondness, ye generous soul, you've done the kindness of filling our bowl, so deep and mired, entrenched in our art, ye forgot not to do your part. We bow to your wit and wisdom both and to leave this gathering we three are loath, but time has come and duty done, there will be others to join in your fun."

The motion of the sheet makes clear that the cup is raised to the first performer's lips; then the cup hits the grass, and the front figure joins its friends in swaying... then they each collapse, apparently in a drunker stupor, but there is no sound of bodies hitting the ground. Instead, the sheet flutters, utterly empty, and the horse's skull thumps and its teeth clatter as it falls unsupported. There is no trace of the three drunk people.

The circle of bouncing foodstuffs that had trapped Annette goes still and lays there innocently, as if they arrived in their places on the lawn in a perfectly normal, not at all silly manner.

The duchess has been watching from nearby with a wry grin and a glitter in her eyes. She applauds lightly as the empty sheet floats down. "Well done, my friends! If it's drunk, it can't rhyme. That's a perfectly acceptable solution to a Mari Lwyd... Unfortunately, there's no telling how much it will take to get it that way." She pauses, reflecting on all the barrels of wine that went missing in the encounter. "Otherwise, it takes quite a lot of rhymed excuses to convince it to go away. You could be at it all night -- or until it senses there's better food at another party. Not much chance of that tonight, though! We had delicacies imported from all over for the event. Still, you all did very well under such a pitched assault. I am very impressed. Now, who'll lend a hand in helping dig our brave warrior out of this circle so she can get into the house and warm up?"