More Like The Kingdom of PARTIES

He'd wandered around, trying to gather up those Seven members scattered around Orion. Temperance had gone for their siblings and Pride, for the rest of them. Anyone he had found had been invited to meet him at the Throne in an hour's time. For something very important. This phrase had been delivered with a solemn tone but an obvious spark of mischief; it wasn't anything serious, that much was clear.

Now he waited: Temperance should be here shortly, he imagined, followed by the rest.

Those that gathered would again be met with greetings: "Hello, hello. The rest should be here soon; please, rest your feet, and introduce yourself, if you like, to those you haven't met." After all, James's extended family was (from what he'd heard) a rather large one, and the newest litter of cubs was very new indeed. Could they introduce themselves, or would it be polite to do it for them-? If they all chose to attend, that was.

Pride hoped so. This was a party to be thrown by Temperance, something to give them a sense of responsibility and some fun, and sibling involvement would be wonderful for them. But even otherwise, it was time to ask everyone if they'd like to party--and there was the planning--but that could come once everyone was gathered up.

Temperance approached with their train of siblings, practically prancing as they approached the Throne with their chest puffed out.

"Ampelio, Ember, and Tobi came!", they said, "I asked the others but I don't know if they're coming or not. We'll see though."

They walked up to Pride's side and sat down, tail flicking around with excitement. They shook their head out and quickly groomed themselves, dragging their tongue over his fur to neaten themselves up a bit. They smoothed back the fur on their head and breathed out, working their claws into the ground.

"I'm a little nervous now," they mumbled to their father, "I know everyone's just friends and family but I also don't really know a lot of these people."

It was a new experience for Temperance, but while they were nervous they were also excited.

James approached the Throne on foot, his mane and tail cut short after far too many times having stepped on both. His mane was still braided and his tail was too, though they were smaller and didn't go past his shoulders and hocks like both used to. It was a new look and it helped James look refreshed, and though the stallion looked a bit tired, he looked happy too.

"Pride!" he said with a smile as he came closer to the Throne, "Hello, it's nice to see you after so long. And I assume you're Temperance!"

He turned to the leopard and offered a gentle nod and a smile, "It's lovely to meet you. Let me introduce my family, it's grown since we've met!"

He turned to see his herd of children of all shapes and sizes, including his beloved Darling who waddled along behind him, wings slightly flared as she caught up, honking loudly and announcing her presence.

"This is Darling," he said, gesturing with a wing to his familiar, and then to his children as they approached, "My daughter, Genevive, my sons, Pegasus and Kibou, and my child, Isolde."

He'd accepted his fate as being an eternal father to even the strangest gembound, judging by the massive gembound Isolde was. He didn't seem as worried or disgruntled about it as before, however, suggesting that in his absence that there was a lot of growth.

"Comet unfortunately couldn't come," James explained, "She's off somewhere in the caves again, but I'm certain if she were present she would have loved to join us."

He introduced his herd to everyone, his chest feathers poofing out with Pride as he looked over his strange family, smiling gently as he watched over them. He'd done good with them all, each of them having grown into wonderful people.

Isolde did not tend to have strong opinions on anything. And so, when James had asked them if they'd liked to attend a party, they agreed to it. They didn't know exactly what to expect- they imagined a party was a place and not an event, and so when they came to the throne, they imagined that it was that.

Any of the fellow children had been offered to ride on their back- they'd grown tall, taller than James, looming behind their adoptive father like an awkward statue. Her crest bent down to look at Pride at eye-level, then turned to Temperance, regarding both father and child. Their spiracles huffed in and snorted out, the back four holes fluttering with air. Well.

They drew their head up, stepping in place as their trail flicked behind them. Their voice came from their chest, and their mouth did not split- instead, they only cast their gaze across the groups, emotionless as ever. "This is a... wonderful party," they guessed at what to say, pupil-less gaze turning back to James in confusion. They got the general idea from him, but what now?

Uncertain in their movements, they looked back to the distant family, looking to them idly. "It is good to meet you all." Another dip of their head, and they soon found a relatively flat part of the throne's pedestal, circling in place and tucking their limbs in so they didn't have to crane their neck down every time they wanted to address someone. This was... Polite, like she had picked up from interacting with her own family.

Casimir hadn't been planning on coming. He had been informed of the gathering of too many gembound, family and friends, and was certain that he would not enjoy it. It sounded like too much noise, too many sets of eyes on him, and a dozen conversations he wasn't prepared to have.

That all changed when Tobias came creeping into their den, wide-eyed and pleading, asking an oh so innocent question while saying-- with shuffling paws-- that he and Pelly were going. In that instant, he knew Pride would be disappointed and, worse, concerned if one of the trio didn't show up. More over, Tobie so clearly wanted him to come along, and letting down his baby brother was about as enjoyable as swallowing glass.

He didn't have the heart to say no. He tried! He definitely tried to form the words, to gently let down his brother like a good brother. Instead what came out was: "You go ahead," soft and promising, "I'll be there in a minute." Oh, and now he had a self-imposed deadline. This was what happened when you spoke without thinking, Casimir, may as well hop in the grave you've dug yourself.

Before arriving, the young cub spent the remainder of his solitary minute trying to clean up his thick, matted hair. He got some of the worst of it straightened out, the fur on his chest and paws looking almost white instead of their usual, dingy grey-and-offwhite stained color. He couldn't get all of his hair perfectly tidied-- his long, dragging tail in particular was still a difficult mess by the time his brain started screaming at him that it had been well over a minute, and if he didn't get going, Tobias would send out a search party for him.

So Casimir arrived, reluctantly. He slunk, paws dragging across the stone, past the damaged wall into the space surrounding the throne. Already, there were more than half a dozen gembound, including a couple he had never seen before. He almost met a few of their eyes before jerking his gaze away, and he tried to hold his head high as he shuffled his way around toward Ampelio.

If someone could have stage fright from being in a small crowd, Casimir certainly did. His teeth ground together as he clenched his jaws, backward swept ears lowering against his skull. He did his best to stand tall and straight, but his legs had a small quiver to them. He didn't say a word, simply slipping in to place along with his brothers.

Genevive was hardly a filly anymore, following behind James, only a bit shorter than he was, though maybe a bit longer in every respect. while as most filly's would grow into their lanky limbs she only seemed to embrace them. in her mane she had grown a collection of stunning, colorful fungi for the occasion, bowing her head to pride in respect.

"Hello, please just... call me jenny" she greeted, a smile on her face.

she looked to her other siblings warmth in her heart. it was nice to be with them all at once again, it had been so long since she'd seen any of them for more than a passing moment. and while this place still wasn't Pegasus, she wouldn't have it any other way.

"it is an honor to be here, thank you for the invitation."

"Speech." Thoughts.