The Arrival Tea Party Valentines 2025

Banner done by lovely @Aurelia Valentine
1 | 2 | 3 | 4

𝕽uth tugged at her ruffled lace trim, gazing around her. There was so much to take in, but she felt as though blocking the entrance to the dining chamber wasn't the best way to start off her trip. She glanced back to see her friend, Jan, in tow, then stepped aside to let the continuous stream of lass and lads (and the occasional adult) in, leaning against the wall to continue her survey.

Of course, her eyes were immediately drawn to the tables, all piled with an assortment of desserts. It was hard to control the quiet grumble in her stomach, drowned out by the talented musicians and the chatter. Oh, which one to start with first? Her nausea from the portkey had long since faded, and her appetite had returned to normal. Still, she shook herself out of the trance and narrowed her eyes, sight trained at the bobbing heads and bodies in an attempt to spot the colours of Pamela and Ira. Ruth had sent them out venturing first, having wanted to make sure Aurelia was fine before setting off to join them. To her surprise, the girls had completely vanished as quickly as they had asked, leaving Ruth waiting for Janosch to finish his own matters before joining her.

She gave up on the search completely, deciding that if they were bound to find each other through the mess of the crowd, then that would be fate. If not, it doesn't matter. They had days to spend together anyways, and prolonged interactions with Ira didn't sound beautiful. Oh, she was being snappy again. Ruth wished the gloom hadn't followed her here, but it seemed to announce itself gradually. The 12 year old swallowed it down, eyes staring back up and away from her shoes, shiny red ones that Ruth had brought along simply because it matched the dress she wore now.

Ruth didn't own many dresses. Neither did she insist on buying shoes so scandalous and uncomfortable, albeit fashionable. It is to say that she would much prefer waltzing in with her favourite corduroy but unfortunately it didn't seem likely.

Her eyes spotted the side of Saunders, the lad, too, having walked on ahead of them. He seemed to be deeply engrossed with nursing a cup of tea, and Ruth began having second thoughts of disturbing him. He didn't seem like the type who would enjoy such an interruption. To be frank, Ruth realised Saunders seemed to resemble Aurelia quite a lot. Perhaps it was just the way they held themselves that seemed to make her come to the conclusion. Well, they were to head to his direction for the drinks anyways. Wouldn't hurt to greet him.

Together, with Jan in tow, she weaved through the crowd to the best of her ability, her sight narrowed down upon the drinks table, where Saunders stood. As she got closer she found him sporting a blue raiment, which Ruth found quite dashing. Nodding at him, she made for her own cup of tea, curious to its taste.

She blew gently, then took a sip, tongue scalding but taste buds sighing as she drank it in. The tea she had picked felt similar to one drunk at an English breakfast, though it had a smoother and refined taste. Ruth found herself smiling as she drank in the warm tea, relaxing into a state of stage 1 bliss. It felt good to relax and get away from everything. Even if it was just for a little while.

She let Saunders retreat into a corner, making no move to join him. They were bound to interact countless times during the trip anyways, and she hoped to be friends with him by the end. Instead, she lingered at the drinks table for a moment longer, then trailed to the pastry sections. Agh, so many to choose from. It felt wrong to make a grab for them all, and not wanting to seem greedy, Ruth reluctantly plucked a single shortbread off its plate, then paused. Bristling slightly, she gave up trying to act like she wasn't hungry and grabbed a plate, piling it with one fluffy soufflé, then the small, bite sized macaroons, all the whilst steering clear from the macarons. Kim had made her a box load for her birthday and she had sped through them with utter delight. For the moment she was satisfied with not eating a few for the days to come.

Task completed, she balanced the plate in one hand, the other clasping the steaming cup of tea by its handle, and she surveyed the room again, hoping to find a table to sit with someone she knew, potentially dragging along Jan in the process. After all, that was what she did-- drag people around. In the far corner her eyes zoned in one a mock of brown curls and the familiar gold glint in his eyes. Matthew.

Wait...Matthew! She brightened suddenly, a grin widening on her face as she made a move to join him, only to find that he, too, seemed occupied with someone else. The girl wasn't exactly a familiar face, but Ruth swore her to be the one Jan had gone broom racing with once. Well, it wouldn't hurt to go introduce herself. She nudged her chin towards their direction, eyebrows raised in question at her friend. A silent conversation, but he understood, nodding.

The two of them made their way to join the other two, Ruth putting on her friendliest smile, though it came on easily now that she had seen Matthew. "Nice seeing you enjoy yourself, Matt," she greeted him, flashing a smaller smile at the other. "I've seen you around before, but I haven't quite caught your name." She gestured toward the empty chairs before them, then between Jan and herself( with her arms of course. Her hands were still full). "Do we have the pleasure to join you two?"

Interacting with: @Matthew Campbell, @Nabi Park,@Saunders Napier and @Janosch Dehoff
*slight godmodding was permitted by Janosch’s writer.
Mentioning: @Ira Thornfield, @Aurelia Valentine, @Pamela Graham, @Kim Sato
Action: Requesting permission to join Matthew and Nabi.
Interactions open!

Stamina: 6 | Evasion: 7| Strength: 4 | Wisdom: 8 | ArcPower: 4 | Accuracy: 6
’s Grace

Interacting with: Anyone! Mentioning: N/A Date: 02/12/25

Word Count: 215

✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽

Avery was so excited! She had never gone anywhere besides back and forth from Swansea to London. The only other place she had been besides there was Hogwarts. Otherwise, she had never traveled to another country. But, now that she was in France, it was beautiful. Actually, Beauxbatons in general was beautiful. Since Avery had dropped everything off at her cabin, she had walked down to go to the party. Her simple red dress flowing as she walked. She was amazed at the amount of food. There were so many different international foods that she couldn't wait to try! Avery quickly glanced around the room and didn't see any of her cabin mates yet, so she decided to make a beeline for the food tables. She looked at all the tables. Deciding which one looked the tastiest. That's when she realized there was chocolate! Her favorite treat! That's what she would eat first! Avery loved anything chocolate, so she grabbed a some that wasn't familiar to her. It's rich and chocolaty taste reminded her of the chocolate Lya had given to her on the train ride to Hogwarts all the way back on her birthday. She hoped that her bestie would come because she didn't want to spend her entire time at the party alone.

✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽

Still rattled from everything that had happened earlier but determined to shove it aside in favor of something lighter Something fun. France was supposed to be fun, right? A whole different school, fancy gardens, and fancy people—a chance to relax and enjoy himself for once.

So, of course, the moment Aamon sat down, everything immediately started feeling complicated again. The pre-teen did not really think much beyond: pretty girl at 4 o'clock before he invited himself to sit with her and draw her pictures. C'mon Aamon, think a bit!

Aamon was still scrambling to figure out what to do next when a voice whispered beside him, "If she can't speak English, she won't understand your instruction."

Aamon turned slightly to find Harvey Barrows, standing there with his usual unimpressed expression. Aamon had seen him around the Slytherin common room but had never really interacted with the part goblin much. It had nothing to do with Harvey's blood status or his heritage. If anything,it was Harvey himself that made Aamon anxious. The part goblin seemed calculating, the kind of person who measured every word before speaking—a stark contrast to Aamon’s tendency to blurt out whatever thought happened to crash into his brain first.

Harvey did not make Aamon as anxious as Finnegan Connor did, but in Harvey's defense, it would be impressive for the snake to elicit that level of anxiety without assault or betrayal. And anxiety was a perpetual state for Aamon, he lived in a spectrum that ranged between mortification and terror. The year was barely half over and he had already suffered a decade worth of drama and trauma. Perhaps the stoic, calculating almost-stranger would be a welcome distraction.

“Oh. Yeah,” Aamon whispered back, nodding as if this was a revelation. “That makes sense.” The reply was loud enough for the Maria to hear, but that did not stop the foolhardy snake. If Maria Constança Leung de Almeida, or henceforth the name too long to say, did not speak English he could claim he said anything. A lie he planned to perpetuate, hardly the opportunist, he was still a teenage boy talking to a random teenage girl. He was supposed to make an impression, ideally a good one.

Harvey took over with an introduction, bowing slightly as he spoke, and Aamon watched, impressed by how smooth it all was. So that’s how you do it. Maybe he should’ve led with a bow instead of his usual goofy grin and offer of hieroglyphics. It was a bit formal, perhaps even regimented but people liked the familiar and the expected Aamon reasoned.

Before Aamon could further dwell on it, another girl arrived—a girl he didn’t recognize but who carried herself with confidence. Linda Ramirez was a student at Hogwarts. They did not share the same year or the same house, so they had little reason to cross paths. He wondered what school she was from. She was dressed simply but elegantly, with a necklace and ring that screamed old money without shoving it in your face.

"Hey, mind me joining?"

She spoke English. Excellent. That meant probably Ilvermorny or Tenusa he reasoned, forgetting his school existed. Aamon gestured towards an open seat at the table, grinning. “Yeah, go ahead. More the merrier.” He was smiling broadly, all these pretty girls and Harvey were sitting down with him, France was great. He was momentarily grateful to Colin for those lessons in preparation for this trip to France.

"I'm Linda Ramirez. What about you all?"

“Aamon Athanatos,” Aamon introduced himself eagerly, leaning forward slightly. “And this is Harvey,” he added, gesturing towards the shorter Slytherin beside him. “We were just, uh—struggling with the language barrier.” He was referring to Maria.

He turned back toward the foreign girl with an apologetic shrug before glancing around the tea party again. It was filling up fast, familiar faces filtering in one by one. His stomach dropped when his eyes landed on Nabi and Matthew arriving together.

Oh.

Oh no.

Aamon felt something sink deep inside him, a horrible churning mix of emotions he couldn't quite name. Nabi looked… well as happy as she could look, so like she had a wedgie that she could not polite pick. And she was with Matthew. At least Matt survived Gideon. He seemed well enough, but he was not abut to count fingers to be certain, he needed to apologize to him still for coming between Campbell and his girl. Although it seemed they made amends if they were attending the event together, that was good.

He really did not want their personal drama to roll over to this French tea party. He did not even know about them. In fact, he wondered if anyone knew. They spent a lot of time together, that was obvious he reasoned, but like most people, he did not initially jump to that conclusion.

Aamon snapped his attention back to the table, suddenly feeling the warmth creeping up his neck. He refused—absolutely refused—to let that affect him.

So instead, he focused on the cup of tea in front of him, pretending it was the most interesting thing in the world.

“So,” he said, voice a little too loud and forced. “You guys ever been to one of these things before?”

Bubba suddenly felt very bad. He hadn't meant to sneak up on the girl but he obviously had as she dropped and shattered her poor teacup. The teacup clearly had some sentimental value to her as she seemed very upset by its breaking and tried to repair it immediately. She did a decent job but there was still one hairline crack running down the side of it. He pulled out his own wand and pointed at the cup, "Reparo!" he said softly and the crack sealed up. That being done, he took his wand and put it back in his pocket before continuing in his soft Bostonian accent, "I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean to startle you," he said apologetically.

He was making quite the hash of his introduction and tried to get himself back on track. He listened to her apology and watched as she cleaned up the spilled tea with her scouring charm. She looked to be learning well, here wandwork was impressive. He could tell she was a bit embarrassed and tried to lessen her awkward feelings. "Hey, it happens to the best of us, I'm obviously just more sneaky than I'd realized. My spi--er ninja senses were in overdrive," he said with a sensible chuckle.

For whatever reason he didn't really notice her very Irish accent until she introduced herself. Siobhan was a pretty name and she seemed to have a warm personality. At least she'd met someone who wasn't weird, unpleasant, or an asshole, so it wasn't a totally wasted trip, "It's nice to meet you Siobhan, I'm Bubba, a Ravenclaw, but my year is a bit more uh... complicated," he paused searching for how to explain his situation before continuing, "I'm a third year who should be a fourth year, I just spent a year at Ilvermorney but can't get moved up to fourth year until they send my records to Hogwarts. I hope that makes sense."

His face would have flickered with excitement as she asked if he liked baseball. Since he was A - in the UK and B - mostly around wizards all the time, he had little to not contact with other baseball fans. "Yeah!" He said with a wide grin, "I'm originally from just outside of Boston so I grew up watching the Sox," his accent grew a little thicker as his excitement grew. "The Cubs are okay, they had the longest World Series drought after the Sox I think, so you could call it shared pain I guess," he said with a laugh. She was certainly easy to talk to and he found some of his frustration wearing off.

As he finally sat down he heard a voice from behind him that he instantly recognized as belonging to Winnie. He was still looking at Siobhan as he spoke, "Oh yeah, sure, as long as Siobhan has no objection," he replied taking a sip of his tea before adding, "Siobhan this is Winnie, a fellow Ravenclaw." He hoped Matthias had stayed in the cabin.

Interacting: @Winnie Harper | @Siobhan McCarty
Mentioning: @Matthias Pride

Mathias Pride let Winnie Harper lead him—he let the Ravenclaw's slender, long fingers lace through his. He let her pretend, for just a moment, that this was normal. Thaye they were normal. That they were just another couple at a fairy-tale ball. That her hands weren’t trembling against his. That she hadn’t spent the last few hours fighting to hold herself together in spite of his efforts at distraction alone in their bedroom, while the monster who had torn her apart prowled the same halls.

But Mathias knew better.

Winnie was fragile. Not weak—never weak—but breakable, the way a porcelain doll was breakable when dropped from too high a height. And Gideon had thrown her. Gideon had taken something from Winnie that she would never get back, no matter how many pieces she tried to force back into place. And he had done it so easily, just lured her to a high place and then let gravity to the rest.

Weeks of recovery, both physical and mental had left her superficially in a fine state. She was as beautiful as ever, but some scars are not just skin deep. He had fractured something inside her that was already strained. And then, to add disgrace to disability, he claimed she did it to herself.

That was in the not-so-distant-past now.

Winnie was smiling now. She was a picture of grace in that soft, blush-colored dress, all delicate embroidery and careful presentation. But Mathias knew the truth. He had seen what lurked beneath, the cracks that only widened every time she was forced to be in the same room as Gideon.

And he was going to use that.

His fingers tightened around hers just slightly—not enough to hurt, but enough to remind her that he was there, that she was tethered to something solid, something real. That he was her only true lifeline.

She led him to Bubba’s table. He did not know Bubba's story yet, but he disliked the American. It was all polite smiles and casual words, but Mathias wasn’t looking at Bubba. Mathias was looking past the almost-stranger, temporary housemate, scanning the room, watching for the inevitable moment when he appeared.

Because Gideon was watching. Mathias could feel it.

So Pride played his part, letting the sharp edges of his smirk soften just enough to be convincing, letting his body language shift into something easy, relaxed, while his mind worked.

“Mind?” the Slytherin echoed, voice smooth, perfectly even. “Of course she doesn’t mind. Isn’t that right, Siobhan?” That was the name Bubba had just used. He would remember both of their name, they might be relevant. He would be using their names surely before the end of the week.

He didn’t wait for an answer before pulling out a chair for Winnie, ever the perfect fiancé, ever the devoted lover, as if his veins weren’t humming with the need to hurt something.

Mathias sat beside her, but his posture never fully relaxed. One arm draped over the back of her chair, a possessive, silent claim. The other toyed absently with the silver ring on his finger, the only outward sign of his anticipation.

❀ 02/12/25 Roleplaying as Mateo Yamamoto from Mahoutokoro ❀

クィディッチ
❀❀❀❀❀

Japanese = green | English = white | Spanish = red | Thoughts = italics + #bc8f8f
When Mateo arrived at Beauxbatons, after he finished last minute packing, since he and his friends were too excited the night before, because, well, who would miss out on an opportunity to travel to another school? Definitely not Mateo and his friends! Anyways, upon arriving at the school, Mateo was amazed by how it looked. He was ready to go inside, but first, he had to drop his stuff off. After Mateo was blown away by what his cabin looked like, and when he heard about a tea party, Mateo left his cabin and made his way inside of the castle.

During the week he'll be at the school, Mateo would use that time to explore every nook and cranny of the school, but for now, Mateo would be in the location of the tea party. When Mateo entered, he saw a whole bunch of people, not many he knew. He only saw a few familiar faces, but that was about it.

Mateo wanted to make some new friends, and he looked for someone who seemed to be alone. Mateo's eyes landed on a girl who was alone by the chocolate table. Mateo made his way over to the table, hoping to make a friend, and if not, well, he'd be able to munch on some chocolates. Mateo took a plate and took whatever he thought he would like, but honestly, he was having a hard time choosing, but he didn't pile his plate too high either. Once he was done, he turned to the girl and decided to make a conversation by saying,
"Hello, I'm Mateo. Mind if I hang out with you?"

❀❀❀❀❀
Sta: 8 | Eva: 7 | Str: 7 | Wis: 4 | Arc: 8| Acc: 7
Sixth Sense | Chasers Interception
@Avery Gray

_{Banner by Miss Haven Bohannon}

| Note: Thoughts, Speech, Matthew, Mother, Ruth |

Her eyes squinted as she continued to laugh softly, Matthew's reaction to such a flawed assumption made by the young Aamon was quite the scene to behold. For a mere few seconds, Nabi had forgotten of the odd ache Aamon caused her— her mood was lighter. She raised her eyebrow slightly and tilted her head, "I did not know you knew French, Matthew"

There is always a secret.

Nabi's smile faltered momentarily, her subconscious reminding her of her mother's lectures— or warnings about trust. Swiftly recovering her smile she hummed softly before taking another sip of tea, watching him rub his temples. Shrugging she took a bite of the delicate sweet she had taken, "He may have read things wrong... or spoke without thinking"

A wack to the head may help make his brain work... She smiled slightly and shook her head at the thought. Looking in Aamon's direction, a peculiar feeling bubbled as she watched him smile at the girls at his table, Perhaps the macaron was too sweet...

Different eyes see different things.

If only she could see her secret.

"Thanks Nabi I really needed that. I'm flattered of course too but I have no clue what has given him that idea. I'd promise you I haven't said anything to him but I think that was pretty clear from earlier." She nodded softly, patting his shoulder lightly, "No need to thank me... ah yes... earlier today, that was quite the scene hm?" Nabi was about to say something else when she noticed a young girl walking toward them, Mr. Dehoff following closely behind. Her demeanor returned to its usual stoic self, her gray eyes losing their playful shine, remembering she was not to forget the importance of maintaining her composure amongst her peers.

"Do we have the pleasure to join you two?" Nabi gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, noting the girl's positive reaction toward Matthew. She glanced over at Matthew before looking back at the girl, " I do not see why not, Miss... My name is Nabi Park."

She looked at Dehoff and nodded at him in greeting, "Mr. Dehoff." Aamon's voice was loud— too loud, her eyes flickered to him for a fraction of a second, ignore him... focus on something. Anything. Her gaze landed on the variety of sweets the girl held in her two hands, Nabi raised an eyebrow.

"Are you enjoying the sweets, Miss?"

Banner credit to: Elena Clark

February 12th, 2025	Beauxbâtons Tea Party
“English”	“Gaelic”

Alyss adored her Elena. She always brightened the room with her smile, and she seemed to do that quite often when with Alyss, something she just couldn’t say no to. This was why, when pestered into going to the tea party, she just couldn’t turn Elena down. Prior to actually arriving, she would have been surprised if there weren’t any kinds of shenanigans pulled, and they were already occurring, with the blonde stepping out of the cabin in a matching outfit with her best friend. However, Elena looked stunning and Alyss just couldn’t quite find the nerve to tell her that the off the shoulder sleeves were restricting her movement, not allowing her to lift her arms. At least she wore her own earrings, and sensible shoes. Shoes were something Alyss rarely budged on, a fact likely well known by Elena by now.

By the time they reached the tea party location, Alyss couldn’t quite tell which of the two was more excited to be there; Elena because of the thrill she seemed to get at the mere thought of a tea party, and Alyss as she walked blindly in that direction, gaze directed at the architecture and landscape that seemed to mesmerize her. With their arms linked together, she found herself pressed against Elena in a way that allowed for her to relax. “Hm? Yes! Yes it certainly does.” she nodded in agreement at Elena’s statement, seemingly shaken from her stupor. They were truly just two girls trying to have a spectacular time while in France, and that was what was going to happen! Resting her head on Elena’s shoulder for a moment as they merely strolled, Alyss murmured “This is so peaceful, so nice. I think I could stay like this forever…” she trailed off, eyes glancing back at the other girl for her reaction. Alyss had never had a sibling, had never tried to maneuver in that dynamic. But their bond was close enough that Alyss felt like they may as well be sisters.

She took a moment to take in Elena’s beauty. The off the shoulder white top did wonders for the sparkling of her eyes, as dark as the sea during a costal storm, with the wind whipping away at the tops of the waves. Her hair looked majestic in the pink bow, and because Elena was a beautiful mastermind, she matched the color of the bow with her skirt. Although the two wore matchy outfits, Elena clearly wore in better, and her boots gave the lasting impression of height, causing for an unmatched aura of confidence and warmth to draw Alyss in. “…And if I forgot to tell you, you look stunning.” Alyss tilted her head slightly and smiled, as if still taking her in, before giggling at Elena’s reminder. “Yes, yes I know! Coming!”

As they approached the party, the noise of chattering became louder and louder, until it all somehow became less stress-inducing and more comfortable. Perhaps it was because they entered the space and you could pick out the individual conversations, and perhaps it was because of Alyss’ rush of energy as she began to recognize people, but suddenly the conversations around them became less suffocating and more relaxing. Alyss looked up at Elena once more, and flashed a bright smile, trying to convey how happy she was to have been dragged along.

It was upon their entrance and Alyss’ initial skim that she spotted him: the boy who had not just willingly, but voluntarily duelled alongside her. Having seen him now, she couldn’t let him evade her grasp! Alyss looked over at him a second time, this time taking in all of him, in its full glory. He was dressed to look as pristine as his name suggested, with an outfit fit for royalty. Thankfully, Alyss felt up to par with his attire due to Elena’s fashion choices, and soon dragged her up to greet him, sure to grab a cup of tea along the way.

“Saunders!” She exclaimed as to get his attention, soon getting close enough to speak at a comfortable volume. “How lovely to see you here! How has Beauxbâtons been treating you?” It was after beginning their conversation that it occurred to her that he may have retreated to the edge of the party as to escape other human interaction. It was too late now, and unless he was suddenly dull, they both knew it. “Unless you two have already met, this is Elena! She’s my best friend.” Alyss quipped, happy to introduce her best friend- basically sister- to the friendly snake whom she had met twice already, once in the common room and a second time during their duel. She would have to make sure he was okay after that, considering how close to the wire the duel ending up becoming. For now, she was content, blowing on her cup of tea and trying to take small enough sips as to not burn off all of her tastebuds, while still looking as refined as possible.

Roleplaying as Maria Constança Leung de Almeida from Mahoutokoro - Link to Encyclopedia

Maria closed her eyes trying to enjoy what the French call “tea.” It was a far throw from Macau where you can hop on a train and in 2 hours pick tea for Oolong by hand, if you had the money. Or in Japan, where the tea rituals and select teas are also vibrant and flavorful. At least the tea was loose leaf and not in those bags that added the unnecessary taste of cardboard to each cup. When she opened her eyes, she was approached by a tall dashing young man (by dashing she mainly still means tall…tall is what mattered most to the Chinese girl). Hopefully this boy wouldn’t accost her like a pair of Japanese boys she knows. Maria sat up straighter when the boy introduced himself as Aamon. Oh, British! Best accent ever!

She was about to introduce herself too! This was going to be a great trip after all, even if the tea was little more than flavored water. However, a few things gave her pause. She kind of looked at him with a puzzled look as if she was processing something. His eyes were different colors? No, maybe that was a trick of the light. She looked down at her tea to overt her gaze in case she was staring. Aamon then asked if she knew English or he’d start drawing. What a weird ultimatum! Her eyes shot up, ready to give this boy a piece of her mind. Honestly, all boys thought they ruled the world and Maria was on a personal vendetta to conquer them all.

However, before she could fire back about how unfair it was that he gave a proposition that it was ‘speak English or else we are done here’ - honestly, how much more British could that response have been! She noticed that his disposition wasn’t as someone who thought he was better than everyone else, but he seemed pretty meek. His eyes, that still looked like they were different colors, kept darting this way and that with a general look of misery or guilt on it. Maybe he wasn’t the Chauvinistic British pig that her gut told her he was.

Before she could even answer, or get a single word in edgewise, yet another boy came over, whispered something to the boy called Aamon and introduced himself as Harvey. Shouldn’t the lady be allowed to speak? The action finally seemed to give her the space to express herself. At least say, ‘Yes, I speak English and 4 other languages. You, as they say in your language, twats.’ - she heard someone on the TV call someone that once. She was not to get the chance.

Another person came in. She audibly sighed in relief as it was another girl. Finally some common decency and pretty too. The visible tension that had been building in her shoulders as she clasped her teacup tight loosened slightly. Linda. She liked that name. It sounded like the Chinese name Li Na. She was about to say as much and hopefully find her voice in this suddenly male dominated table, when it wasn’t Maria who finally spoke up but Aamon.

British people, Maria concluded, had a distinct lack of etiquette, manners, and civility. LANGUAGE BARRIER? Ok, her English wouldn’t earn top marks in a Chinese exam, but she did have a firm handle of the language for it being her third, much better at least than her shaky Japanese. But they would know that if they let her speak.

“I can speak English. Thank you for…your concern.” She swallowed a swallow that could only be the sound of her indignation and pride. So much for standing up to the patriarchy.

“My name is Maria Almeida,” she said, choosing her Portuguese names, hopefully if they had any sense it would clue them in that just because she was in a Kimono didn't mean she couldn’t speak English. Now, finally she could speak her piece after having so much time to consider it.

Maria filled, or refilled, everyone’s cup of tea and turned to Linda and lightly said, “Linda! I really like that name! In Chinese we have a name Li Na. It sound similar. I like that name. This is my first time to France, and you guys? But pardon me, Aamon was just explaining that he is a master artist. Isn’t that right? He was going to start drawing for me.” Maria smiled. Language barrier. That’s worse than this tea.

Interacting with: @Aamon Athanatos, @Harvey Barrows, @Linda Ramirez