I would like to say that I was able to relax at the party, but Ymer and his group had me worried. They were strong, even in that short confrontation I had against the tiger beastkin I could feel just how much danger we would be under if we fought them head on, but what makes Ymer truly dangerous is his vindictiveness. He could fight us and win in combat, but he would be happy to poison our drinks and watch us die from that just as much as he would enjoy beating us in combat. So despite the festive atmosphere, and general lightheartedness of the party, I kept my head on swivel. It was for this reason I saw them all enter. Each of them was wearing clothes worth at least 10k gold from what I could only guess at a glance. Ymer and his group stepped in as the crier called out
"Now arriving, Edgelords Incorporated"
A part of me was reeling at just how far the adventuring names had fallen in comparison to the old ones, but another part of me was keeping me focused as I saw Pip, the tiger beastkin I had fought before making a beeline for me. I tensed, holding my left wrist as I felt a feeling of dread welling up in my chest of having to tear a part of this beautiful dress. Though something seemed off with Pip as he approached.
He started out with a determined goal and as he approached he seemed to get more and more nervous and he ended up starting to come over, and then turning back, and then turning back again, and pausing. He seemed to take a moment, downed a glass of wine in a single gulp from a nearby tray before he came over, and in a rush of words said.
"SorryaboutbeforeIwasjustdoingwhatYmertoldmetodo."
I just stared blinking as around us I saw several people look over as I stared with a blank expression, but internally my thoughts were racing.
What the hell was that?
Apologizing, what in the world happened between now and then, he was rather keen on killing us at the time.
Why is he talking so fast, why the hell does he seem so nervous?
"I-Its not fine, but at least you acknowledge it was wrong."
I said, trying both to be diplomatic, but also wary. Pip seemed to reach into his bag for a moment as I tensed, ready for a weapon to be drawn, instead however something orange flashed as my arm shot up to catch it. It felt…. Soft?
I opened my hand to see what seemed to be some kind of crocheted little figure of a small orange tiger. I stared down in confusion at it as I looked up and saw Pip running back to his group to a set of mixed reactions. Ymer seemed pissed, Jackson seemed to be giving a thumbs up, and the rest seemed to be shaking their heads as if disappointed in what just happened. I scanned the room and found Jax and Aiden talking with a large looking lizard halfblood who seemed to resemble a full lizardman monster, and a bat lightblood with a strange purple skin tone. Aiden saw me walking over and gave a small wave, turning to a nearby table and grabbing an extra glass to give me a drink as I walked over.
"Hey Selene, Ymer and his group just walked in, something happen with the tiger, he went over to you and then walked right back."
Aiden said handing me the small glass as I took a sip and sighed.
"T-That's what I'm trying to figure out, he gave me this little crochet thing, and I'm not sure what this means."
Jax and the lizardman both stared at my hand, their drinks frozen half way to their lips as he turned to Aiden and then back to me.
"So he just walked up and gave you this?"
Jax asked, a weird tone in his voice as he looked to the lizardman who mouthed something I didn't see that Jax nodded too.
"Y-Yea, he apologized for the thing where I fought him, something about Ymer's orders and then gave it to me and ran back to his group."
There was a moment of silence as the lizardman said.
"Uh, first things first, hi, my name is Rex, we meet Aiden and Jax yesterday and did a mad dash for the arena earlier today. Secondly, does it seem home made?"
I glanced down at the small little doll in my hand, as I could see a few errors here and there, the right arm was longer than the left by a bit, and the left eye was slightly bulged out.
"I-It seems like it."
I said shrugging, handing it over for them to look at. Rex took a moment to examine it as Jax turned back to me.
"Well, it's not a universal thing, but in some groups of beastkin, offering a handmade gift, especially one that takes finesse or skill is a way of confessing feelings."
There was a moment of silence as Aiden turned to Jax and said.
"Huh, weird, not sure what they are expecting."
Jax, Rex, the bat lightblood, and I all turned to Aiden with a silent look of confusion as I felt a swirling annoyance at that response in my chest.
"I figured you would be more defensive of something like this."
Jax said, looking between me and Aiden as I turned to Aiden, curious to see his response.
"Selene's not a child, it's not my place to determine her love life, besides, I trust she knows that a relationship like that would need to wait till after an event like this, but that's even if she actually is considering it. Pretty sure the last time they met he was trying to kill her and Liora, not sure how that would set the stage for a blooming romance."
The feeling of annoyance in my chest was diluted by the logic of the argument, and the bit of pride in the trust he had but still simmered.
Remember Selene, he grew up on a mountain for peat sakes
I turned back to Jax as I asked.
"S-So how would I go about rejecting this?"
"You just don't make something for them in turn, then they either will try again, making something bigger, or give up and accept your rejection."
I nodded as I turned to the nearby trash can to throw out the small doll. I placed it inside as I headed back towards Aiden and the others when I heard the sound of a glass shattering. I turned my head as did many people as I saw a female dwarven women looking at Thalia with a silent pale face as her hands were shaking as she held them in front of her mouth. Thalia stared her down with a blank coldness in her eyes.