Dyder, with both ?nnywella and Tyes Tenitz in tow, unlocks the door to his home. He holds the door open as the group steps inside.
"Ilsenyla, Tyes Tenitz, the ba—" Dyder stops himself; he had gotten the lecture on the walk to the house about the difference between a baker and a pastry chef and had no intention of hearing it again. "The pastry chef who will be making our cake is here to speak with us."
?l? is out of the kitchen and down the hall as fast as her legs can carry her. In her stockinged feet, she comes to a sliding stop next to Dyder.
"Hello!" She greets Tyes with a warm smile but is unsure if he saw it because of how fast he bowed.
From the corner of her eye, ?l? spots Gekaryna attempting to sneak away.
?nnywella slips away, easily sneaking under the eyeline of the focused Ilsenyla, and wanders into the parlor. She feels as though she is entitled to having a vested interest in the home and what the couple decide to do with it; the two are living through a period in their lives that she, with all the power and wealth in the Ianyan, will never be able to experience—she must experience her fantasies vicariously. The room has changed slightly; new, yet familiar chairs leather chairs and sparse decoration on the mantle of the fireplace—two candles, a bronze censer, and a small altar of Luhnylla. Most surprisingly, there are six strips of bubbling wallpaper poorly pasted onto the wall; each is a different shade of green, ranging from a forest green to a very dark gray-green; each strip has a section painted a dark brown walnut. Ilsenyla is clearly—and rather shockingly—trying to pay homage to the interior design of both Herst Castle and the College. ?nnywella fidgeted with her cigarette, shaking it around by the end with her tongue. While the intent is flattering, this aesthetic is best suited for a library or study, not a parlor; parlors should be bright and welcoming and not convey an atmosphere of 'why must you speak while I am reading?' She begins to wander away from the parlor but still listens to the conversation coming from the entrance hall.
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"Hello to you as well, Ilsenyla..." Tyes pauses, waiting for Ilsenyla to tell him her last name so he can properly address her.
"Heren."
"Bela'Heren. I would like to tell you how thankful I am for this opportunity; it will truly be a defining moment in my life."
"I'm happy to have given you such an opportunity. Are you here to discuss the cake with me?"
"I am, but I would prefer if we were to talk at the College. I would like to start getting everything prepared." Tyes says.
"Certainly. Let me just fetch Gerkaryna vela'Herst." ?l? dismisses herself and begins to wander the first floor. Eventually she finds Gekaryna in the kitchen, looking out the window at the bird feeder.
"I saw you sneak away. Sorry about the mess; I'm decorating. What do you think?" ?l? hopes Gekaryna likes it.
"Hmm." ?nnywella tries to come up with a way to present her thoughts to Ilsenyla gently. "You know, Ilsenyla, I can put you in contact with the family who did the decorations and upkeep in the castle and the College if you wish. They do everything on the castle grounds, so this house is covered under what we pay them yearly." She looks up, just in time to see Ilsenyla's expression change.
"Oh... Alright." Is all the response she can manage. Even though she was really only doing this to keep Dyder from asking about, or worse, figuring out what she did with Hynewykk and Morgryan's crib (she hated the colors; her father had the same taste in interior design, and she is oh so sick of everything being so dark), she assumed it would at least be passable.
?l? turns on her heel and leaves Gekaryna alone in the kitchen.
"No, no, no." ?nnywella hurries after Ilsenyla and takes her sleeve. She should have been blunt about it. "I don't mean it looks bad. I mean, it's just too dark for a parlor, that is all. This will, of course, work excellently in a study, just not a parlor."
?l? gives Gekaryna a sidelong glance and inhales sharply through her nose. "Alright, if you send them by, please do so after the wedding."
"Verily, verily." ?nnywella follows Ilsenyla out of the kitchen and back to the entranceway, where Dyder and Tyes Tenitz owe'Styd?n wait.
"Will you be coming to the College with us?" ?l? asks Gekaryna.
"No, I unfortunately have other matters to attend to. Though, you can take Dyder if you wish."
"Of course!" ?l? wraps an arm tightly around Dyders.
The four leave the house, and Dyder, with ?l? still hooked to his arm, locks the door behind them.
