Aurelia Anyway, charging the ring with my own emotion and finding a state of mind to do so without having to fight myself.

Aurelia Charging it slowly, to get a bit more out of the emotion, and finding out whether the emotion can be replenished naturally after it's taken.

Aurelia Making, to start with, a small painting of a ring using some of her own bottled up frustration, to do some further experiments on a finished painting.

Aurelia The painting is just a small, 8x5 or so, painting of a mundane ring from her box, painted with frustration with the intention to make it hard to touch.

Aurelia Then to find out if putting it in the cave kills the effect, or covering up the painting, or destroying it.

Dionysus When you destroy it, it destroys the effect.

Dionysus Also, you can feel it trying to make it hard to touch, but your will is significantly stronger than the effect.

Aurelia Does the effect 'take' more quickly on an inanimate object than it did on the strongwilled living one?

Dionysus It seemed easier, yes.

---

Dionysus Bartleby walks with you, and he feels... on the verge of something, nervous.

• Aurelia looks often at him, curious, but doesn't ask.

Dionysus He seems to quash it eventually, but keeps everything light in banter.

• Aurelia tilts her head and gives another quizzical look when he does, then smiles and leads on, happy to let him direct the talk.

Dionysus He eventually says, "Do you have quarters here? We might should dress for the dinner tonight." He seems to be evading something

• Aurelia gives another quizzical look and nods, turning that direction.

Dionysus He prattles on, asking you about what he should wear in front of the Chancellor and the Emperor.

Aurelia "Blue. Loose shirt and light, ..."

Dionysus He nods, finding the right things.

• Aurelia is more than happy to help with this.

Dionysus Valara joins in a little later, very nervous about this dinner.

• Aurelia tries to reassure her.

Dionysus She lets you, but her nervousness lingers.

• Aurelia is concerned, but unsure how else to help.

Dionysus Her nervousness is... commonplace, stage fright, something overcome immedaitely once the situation is met.

Aurelia Then all I can do is see that she and we will impress on arrival.

• Aurelia then spends the rest of the time in coordination and compilation of apparel.

Aurelia The themes, for what it's worth, are 'blue' and 'noble rogue'.

Aurelia If the components are available.

Aurelia It's appropriate for Bartleby and Valara, and Aurelia can probably wear the look well with her hair and eyes.

Aurelia Does Valara seem alright with that choice?

• Aurelia will change direction if there's sign of stirring up unpleasant memories.

Dionysus Valara thinks your guidance is best to follow, since you have the experience here

Aurelia But no emotional response to wearing a style again that could suggest 'reever'?

---

Dionysus When Arsul leaves, Marilyna says, quietly, "So, Aurelia, tell us everything. These ladies are all... trusted."

• Aurelia blinks, then pauses, willing but uncertain what, exactly, is being asked. She echoes quietly, "Everything..?"

Dionysus She smile,s "About the moons!"

• Aurelia pauses again, this time in consideration. "The green moon is beautiful. Crystal buildings..." She describes them, focusing on the feel of each rather than events. The almost living buildings and cold, proud elves of green, the contrast between white moon and black alien, the conflicted Lunarians, and so forth.

Dionysus They listen, rapt. After it is done, a few of the ladies are in tears with awe. Marilyna is a little awed, too, and Lucilla is... a little bored.

Dionysus Marilyna asks some questions, then leads the conversation around to... a quiet discussion of the Night Watcj

Dionysus Watch

• Aurelia answers any questions asked of her.

Dionysus As she talks of the Night Watch, she tells you of some of the progress they have made: in Ienova, criminals fear them. In Maraddon City, some places are actually safe to walk at night. And in Demopolis, they defeated the Thieves' Guild in an open street brawl.

• Aurelia murmurs appreciation.

Dionysus She says, "If I can get some of the girls together, it would mean a lot to us if you would give a talk."

• Aurelia blinks. "A talk?"

Dionysus "Yes. You could tell them about... about your, well, your experiences, and tell them about fighting back."

• Aurelia bites the corner of her lip and nods uncertainly.

Dionysus She smiles. "Thank you."

Dionysus "You will inspire the strength in them."

• Aurelia mouths, 'strength', then nods again, still uncertain.

Dionysus "And Aurelia, you left out something else: you clearly walked in with that handsome rogue."

• Aurelia blinks, then smiles with a slight, happy blush. "Bartleby."

Dionysus She smiles, and the others giggle, grin, or smile, save Lucilla, who exuses herself for food.

Dionysus "So, tell us more about him."

Aurelia "In Akazad, after leaving home, before the Colour, I met him. An inn in the trees. He played, mixing new and old, the music of Dionysus mixed with..." She'll go on about what he taught her musically, then meeting him again after the Colour, Kashaji, the first time he kissed her, the bands joining...

Dionysus They listen, and some inject stories of their own love affairs, and one asks if you two are getting married soon.

• Aurelia is more than happy to listen to such stories, sometimes querying detail at emotional spikes, and at the question she blinks in bewilderment, startled.

Dionysus "Well?" She all but glances at your stomach

• Aurelia puts a hand on her stomach, reflexive but not self-consciously. "I do not know."

Dionysus Marilyna smiles, "A woman need not marry if she does not wish. Not in my Empire."

• Aurelia smiles faintly, uncertainly. "After the Contest..."

Dionysus She nods.

Aurelia When she says 'better', she shows it as well, emotionally, the strength, love for Bartleby, pleasure at being with family and friends here.

Aurelia And a slight slump when she says she doesn't know what the children do.

Dionysus She is absorbed in her kids, so she barely notices

Aurelia Does Bartleby still feel the same?

Dionysus He's drunk, happy, humming to himself.

Aurelia So, nervous evasion is gone?

Dionysus For now

• Aurelia wanted to give him a little time to let her know he wanted it brought up or work it out, but isn't gonna let it eat him for long.

---

Dionysus The next night

Dionysus Bartleby's nervous evasiveness returns

• Aurelia goes to him, sitting down where she can lean against his side.

Dionysus He sighs, "Aurelia, tell me this: do want the dress and the love priest and the neat little cottage? Because if so, I can do that. The whole something borrowed, something blue thing. If that's what you want, I'll submit to it." He's terrified, and he's embarrassed.

• Aurelia looks up at him in open confusion.

Dionysus He looks you over, "Right."

Dionysus "Well, if I were home faithful, I'd build you a house.

Dionysus "If I were sun faithful, I'd vow to uphold your honor.

Dionysus "If I were harvest faithful, I'd cook you something, or get a farm.

Dionysus "But I'm music faithful.

Dionysus "So I think, to... I mean, for commit--umm." He takes your hands & looks into your eyes.

Dionysus "Wouldyouwriteasongwithmetosymbolizeourunion?"

• Aurelia looks back at him, tilting her head slightly at the rush to process it, then smiles at him before resting her cheek on his shoulder. "To see crystal cities and gold sand, sky's tears through emerald leaves, my song always joined with Bartleby's."

Dionysus He feels panic, and asks, "Umm, is that a yes?"

Aurelia "Yes."

Dionysus Relief and joy wash over him.

Dionysus He weeps as he embraces you.

• Aurelia hugs back tightly.

Dionysus After a while, he pulls free and asks if you want to start?

• Aurelia does.

Dionysus "It should represent both of us., but each of us should write the part for the other. So I write an oboe part to represent you, you write a violin part to represent me, but we work together so they fit."

• Aurelia smiles, and nods understanding and agreement.

Dionysus What's his part gonna look like?

Aurelia Mmm... Distant rain at sunrise. Uplifting and beautiful, adventurous throughout with an a theme that shifts between tender, strong, playful, and occasionally hints at or flirts with thunder.

Dionysus Awesome

Aurelia Thanks. Glad it works.

Aurelia Also, what she was trying to explain earlier was what she wanted when she understood what he was asking about cottages and farms.

Aurelia She wants to travel with him.

Aurelia The song, training, and gallery will probably be the sum of Aurelia's activities for a while.

Dionysus His theme for you is minor key, but beautiful, haunting, with spikes and swirls, key changes that are out of this world, complex, and solid, eternal, two things or more at once, with a keen edge of creativity to them.