"Aw, buck up, Jon-o," Ballad offers, with sympathy. "There are many reasons our elders might not have had the wherewithal to answer a call; I don't think they can always tell who's ringing, you know? Once we manage to pin down an artist and get our own arcana, we can be better." One might wonder just what Ballad thinks she's referring to when she says 'call' and 'ringing' - a telephone? Some sort of bell related messenger system?

"Which reminds me, did you tell Jade and Ari about your 'sync' training exercise?"

*nods* to Ballad in answer to her proposed explanation, but is relieved in the change of subject. *chuckles* "No, the opportunity had not presented itself." *smiles* "I know Jade would love to do the same for us." then looks at Ari to see if she is interested in hearing about.

Ariadne did indeed look curious, though partially in a "now what??" kind of way
"Do tell?"

*smiles* "One of Master Rangers in charge of our Ranger's Training, uses formal dancing as a way to promote awareness of your partners' and team mates location and movement while in combat.  Because, formal dancing requires the pair to be in perfect sync and know where the other is going to be, otherwise you risk bumping into or hurting each other.  All pairs were Ranger recruits." *chuckles* at the memory. "So you have hundred of Rangers, who are not only skilled archers, scouts and hunters, but have the basic of courtly formal dance."

"Did you do similar exercises when you were practicing for your action-adventure plays?" Ballad asks Ari, inquisitively. Ballad is always inquisitive. Now that she's finished her cake (she's finished her cake), she wants coffee and looks rather wistfully toward the counter, as if wouldn't it be nice if coffee just appeared. But no: she'll get up and order it in a moment. "Is formal dancing the same on Earth, a prelude and flirtation with combat?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:54, Sat 12 Dec 2020.

Ari looked at Jon with curiosity but interest.
"Our dancing is all about flirtation, I'll admit, but there are certainly a few martial arts styles that use dance as a baseline, so i can see the usefulness of it.  Hell, I'll try anything at this point"

“Anything?” Here's a kissing curl of a grin, bright-eyed deviltry. “I wish," and she sounds quite longing, and looks it, too, as she regards the Prince and Princess, "I knew this city better. I’d dare you right now to try something which we could reasonably say sounded like a good idea at the time, y’know, during later retellings. Like... trying to make it from one end to the other of that that dark ol’ locked statue garden without touching the ground. Or throwing a knife through the the moon window in so and so’s wall. But there, that’s another for dancing, Jon! I wonder if Amber Castle has a Master of Dance like a Master of Arms?”

Ballad does order herself finishing-dessert-off coffee (and will get water or hot chocolate or whatever-else her cousins might like). She also abjures the purveyor of all things delicious to bring out a drink for the guard who recommended the dessert place. They can all have cookies but the one with a good recommendation gets a reward, something like that. It's all very natural and nonchalant and the coffee is spiced in an interesting way she blinks at, as though astonished.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:43, Sun 13 Dec 2020.

Ariadne raised an eyebrow at Ballad's tone of longing, intrigued though concerned with what she was "wishing" so passionately.   She chuckled quietly at it being something relatively benign.
"Well, to be honest, I'm guessing that performing 'impulsive acts of daring do' might be difficult, since we might need to worry about how it reflects on the royal family....."
Then she made a sound that was half amusement and half disgust.
"Dammit....did that just come out of MY mouth??  I spent years rebelling against my teachers, my father, and pretty much every other adult, and here i am talking  behaving ourselves.   This place has obviously got me rattled."
She smiled wryly and looked at Ballad
"I know almost nothing about this place, but I'd imagine a kingdom this old and large must have a Master, or perhaps  Mistress, of the Dance.  And probably every thing else"

The longing dissipates (no; it's still there. Ballad's a longing sort of gal) into easy-going laughter. "Oh, I don't know; if you had magical lords and ladies at the head of your nation or kingdom or principality, wouldn't you want them to display a bit of derring-do, as long as it harmed none?" After, Ballad gets more solemn. "You said earlier... people were trying to tell you who you were, and it was not good. Why behave under such a shadow? It's good to rebel against an untruth or an injustice."

And then, a sidelong look, Jonwards, "Perhaps Jon will become our Master of Dance in the future?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:41, Sun 13 Dec 2020.

*Laughs heartily* at Ballad's comment, "My mother would be thrilled.  But, if we want a Master of Dance, well Mistresses of Dance really, I would need to convince Keriyn and Raya to stop being Rangers and come here.  Now those two women." whistle appreciatively "They had the beauty, grace and skills." *smiles fondly* It is clear that Jon admires the two women, and given his age probably not just for their skill.

He sits up and blushes slightly. "But, I am no where near that level. I'd be a better master of the hunt."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:48, Sun 13 Dec 2020.

Ariadne nodded with a smile
"I suppose it's all related.   Dancing, fighting, hunting....it's all about coordination, timing, and knowing one's surroundings. "

“There’s a goal,” Ballad says, goodnatured, when Jon says he’d be a better master of the hunt. "Maybe your mother should be Mistress of the Dance, if she's going to return to Amber."

Ariadne says it all comes down to coordination, timing, and knowing one's surroundings. Ballad says, "I think we've made excellent strides in learning our surroundings today. How thoroughly did you two get to explore the castle yesterday?"

*Nods in Agreement with Ari* "That was the point of the dancing." *smiles* "It definitely did help.  And to see several of the Rangers in formal gowns..." *grins* "Fond memories."

He looks at Ballad, as if the question surprised him, "I don't know if she will return or not.  While It has only been 24 years for us, it is has been about 40 years here since my father's death.  And I don't know how far before his death I was conceived." he looks away. "So, I don't even know if her house still around...Sadly she didn't speak of her family much, so I don't think they like Eric."

He then looks up and meets her eyes "I don't know." he says, fighting back some emotion.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:32, Sun 13 Dec 2020.

Ariadne shrugged
"I still haven't really had much chance to explore the castle.   I'm mostly still going from one place to another. "
Then she narrowed her eyes in confusion
"Wait....what do you mean '24 years for us but 40 years for her'?"

*nod* "I don't recall which, but either Uncle Julian or King Uncle Random, told me that it was about 40 years ago when Eric was killed during the Black Road war, I think that was the conflict." *shrugs* "But for my mother and father, it has only been around 25 years total since they moved to the Faewylds at Eric's insistence and for her and my protection."

Ariadne still looked confused, though she was suspiciously wondering if she was figuring out something she didn't want to
"So what does that mean??"

Ballad's not one to fail to meet a pair of eyes, even if they're full of emotion. Perhaps especially if they're full of emotion. So Jon's emotional response to his mother, the way he deliberately meets her eyes, all stirred; she pauses to note it, her elphin blue gaze curious and compassionate.

But she leaves it. People say what they want to and Ballad doesn't feel like prying.

“Time isn't a constant across realities," Ballad says. "In some shadows - probably those furthest from Amber, but not necessarily - whole years have passed since I began this sentence. In some shadows, only a second has passed."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:24, Sun 13 Dec 2020.

Ariadne sighed with resignation
"Great.....more magical nonsense to keep track of....."

*smiles* "Its not magic, it is Physics!  Even I've heard of Physics." he says in a helpful tone.

Ariadne rolled her eyes and snorted a little laugh
"I suppose they're two sides of the same coin"

*Nods* "So that just adds an extra layer to the situation. Besides, I seriously doubt the King and Queen would want a pret...er... widowed Queen hanging around Amber." he then sits back. *clears his throat* "Um, I haven't explored too much of the castle itself, but Jade and I went on lovely walk through the gardens, they were amazing."

Ariadne took a deep breath, as if to reassure herself
'Well....it's just one more thing to get used to. Well, usually, when i move to a new place, i spend time exploring everything.   There hasn't really been time yet, though "

Ballad looks a touch thoughtful when Jon calls his mother 'pret widowed' (what is that?). “I haven't been to the gardens yet," she says, sounding surprised at herself. And then: "Are they as good as Faewylds gardens?” Possibly, she is teasing Jon again; Ballad likes to play. It’s as possible that she’s earnestly interested in the comparison.

“You’re just in the middle of the beginning of exploring,” Ballad says, hand over heart earnest. “That’s a fine place to be. Tomorrow or the next day or whenever you damned please, why don't you show some of us how you usually explore a new place? I know what I do, but perhaps we meet with new locations differently. Seriously; if we can be of aid in the 'getting used' to things...”

A beat. She leans forward, conspiratorally. "Question one. How likely do you think the castle is to have secret passages? Question two. How long do you think it would take us to find them?"

Ari looked up at the castle
'If Amber Castle is like the ones of Earth, I'm sure that there are plenty of secrets in it"

Ballad's a little wide-eyed. "What manner of secrets do castles on Earth hold?"