A Brand New Year

According to my calculations

It is now

(Day 26,363) – 62/1/13

Day 13 of the 1st Month of Year 9 of Fiery Ascend.  The Beginning of the short Winter Season.

It also means both Gladrien Vanja and Balan is now 1 year older.

This changes some things a little bit.

Galdrien Vanja and Lyta's Circle Ceremony Opened up with the Celebration of Balan's Birthday (assuming people know it is his birthday)

And lasted all 5 days and finished with Gladrien Vanja's Birthday Celebration.

So the Party went on and on and on :) The whole city joined in.  Combined with the “herbs” of the east meaning it is both a Celebration of the New Circle and a Fertility Rite.  Men and women freely coupled and many pregnancy resulted.  Gladrien Vanja is not pregnant – she took Maiden Tea after.

The Actual Ceremony performed by Aata took place during the very first noon of the New Year.  They swore to uphold righteousness and banish evil in all its forms.

That is when the peach and the note was delivered.  (Gold Faction stole it during Calibration when everything was in chaos).

Of all the Solars in Rathess Nejimaru is the only one not in Attendance, and the only one to give his blessing to the new Circle through hand written letter.

Everyone else did so in person, including Harmonious Jade.

While Dace thought it was bad form, he agree that the necessary task of safe guarding the Evil Artifact took precedence.

Arianna left shortly after giving the couple their blessings to continue on the Manse project with [Dramatic Music]The Twilight[/Dramatic Music].

Swan stayed to enjoy the party and to keep the reclusive Harmonious Jade entertained.  First time you guys see her laugh and act like she is normal.

Panther and Dace both stayed the whole time.  With Panther spending more time with the Dragon Kings and Dace more time with his pupils – which is the entirety of the Rathess military (now).

During the after party Arianna used the Infallible Messenger to asked [Dramatic Music]The Twilight[/Dramatic Music] what can the peach do that Thunder-god Aata would swear an Eclipse Oath to get it. 

[Dramatic Music]The Twilight[/Dramatic Music] immediately sent “She who walks with Moonsilver, of Scarlet Eyes and Sun-crowned Mane” to take it.  She delivered it to Great Schema Mickey and Mickey agreed to safeguard it and use it to save a worthy life instead of letting it be used for power.  Thus honoring Gladrien Vanja and Lyta’s intention.

Thus both the Mice and “She who walks with Moonsilver, of Scarlet Eyes and Sun-crowned Mane” found nothing out of the Ordinary when Aata/Balan asked them for help.

When they turned fruitless Dace even asked Harmonious Jade to check but she found no signs of anyone else other than Aata, Mice, “She who walks with Moonsilver, of Scarlet Eyes and Sun-crowned Mane,” and the standard staff members.

From that day on Harmonious Jade started to suspect [Dramatic Music]The Twilight[/Dramatic Music] of the crime.  Instead of like before where she would only stalk him when he spends time with Arianna, now Harmonious Jade spent almost every waking moment spying on her prey.  She believe that [Dramatic Music]The Twilight[/Dramatic Music] will eventually lead her to the Peach.  Unfortunately she is wrong.  Nejimaru will not bother with the peach again since it is now in good hands.

Swan and Shatek-staaac (Aata can be a part of this is he wishes) conducted the interview with all the staff members and came to the conclusion that all are accounted for and none are guilty of the theft.

Close proximity to these divine beings (all high Charisma and/or Appearance) just made the staff doubly loyal.