"Not so bad, either." Ysaryn complimented back, smiling warmly at him before giving a wink to Narda. "Tell me, what you have been up to? Palace looks much better."

"And you," Envy suggested, guiding Narda forward a tentative step. "I must make a request. Would you be my eyes? Tell me what you see. How does everyone look? And if you see anyone with mud stains on their corsets, do inform me." The elf added. 

"Hello Etta. Percy. Elva." Ruli greeted in turn, nodding to each. "I'm glad you liked it." Another nod. "And yes. A bit of sleep and I was back to normal. And the help of your cousin." Ruli said, his eyes roaming the crowd. He spoke without putting thought into it, smothering the memories down. "Oh." He whipped his head back around to his company. "This is Zekiel."
"Just Zeke, please." He insisted, extending his hand to each of the three women as their names were shared. "Elva, the healer, yes? I've heard about you. G-good things, I promise. Though, I feel like they hardly did justice."
"Oh, don't." Ruli sighed, glad that the arrival of Kire interrupted them. 
Zeke rubbed his nape, feeling foolish, and turned away to watch Kire enter. 

"Whoa." Zeke muttered as he spotted her. She was so adorned and glittering she would likely break skin if she drew too close. Envy, beside Narda asked for a description. Ysaryn, as Kire's gaze passed over her, winked happily at her, her arm looped in Ed's. 
Ruli watcher her, only turned part way in her direction, his eyes roaming her. Her empire back. Her throne reclaimed. And she still looked tired. Spread too thin. It bothered him that he felt glad to see she didn't look as though all her dreams had come true. And when she smiled, his stomach fluttered, and he glanced down at his feet in order to crush the urge to grin back. 

"That's all got to be incredibly heavy." Zeke whispered to him as Kire addressed them. Ruli didn't respond, listening to her words, and his eyes following the crown Janes delivered. Zeke made a noise that said that, too, had to be heavy to wear, and Ruli figured it was. Physically and in every other way.

They all fell silent as their dead were listed, and when Kire broke off to make her way to the other hall, and Elva motioned, the two men followed. 
"We are to eat?" Ysaryn asked, looking to Myka, then Ed. "Maika says we are to celebrate in Úvano after all this? You are to come, yes?"
Holding Narda, Envy shuffled cautiously along, worried about bumping into anyone. Noticing, Ysaryn directed herself and Ed to walk before them, cutting through the crowd.
"Gavin?" Envy turned his head. "You'll mind your manners? There will be no work talk during any of this."