2200/After the Embassy's Opening

After the Embassy's Opening
Date of Scene:	23 June 2020
Location:	Asgardian Embassy
Synopsis:	Thor and Diana reflect on the embassy party.
Cast of Characters:	Thor, Diana Prince

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Thor has posed:
    Late in the night, or perhaps as some would more likely consider early in the morning after the Asgardian Embassy's opening and celebration. Most of the people have wandered home, most of the guests are ushered off. Some of those that dwell in the embassy have settled for the night. But there is still a palpable feeling in the air, a subtle hint of portent for though the party-goers have departed there are some still stirring within the storied halls of The Villard Manor.
    One such individual is none other than the Thunderer himself. There in the grand ballroom where the festivities had reached their peak, where some measure of dancing had been indulged in, and where most gathered for the food and drink. Assuredly there were servants tasked with the clean up to be handled in the morning. Yet for whatever reason the Prince of Asgard finds himself there...
    Picking up plates.
    Pouring out old booze... and to be fair if it seems an appreciable amount... stealing some.
    But there he stood in that formal robe and vest and breeks, looking like the nobles who held court on the distant realm. And smiling.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana had been outside, seeing off a few guests back to their vehicles. She'd helped an elderly woman back out to her vehicle in particular because she's fond of the woman and she's known her for a very long time, since she was much younger. She worked in the Antiquities field with Diana, and had been one of the few people in the world who knew who Diana truly was for all of those years. Now, aged and having trouble getting around, Diana is quick to help her back to her vehicle for the night.

But, with that all said and done, the Princess is back inside the Embassy and Thor will likely hear her voice as she spins past a few tables - and a few people who are cleaning up - to greet them in return after they speak to her. A smile on her dark red lips and a friendly bubbly happiness in her voice to the words she shares with them.

Ultimately, though, she ends up near to Thor and she smiles to him. "Well.?" She asks him. "Your Embassy is now established as the party house of New York City." She says with a large grin. "Congratulations."

Thor has posed:
    At Diana's smile Thor can't help but let his own lips twist into a faint return of one. But he shakes his had, eyes lifting up and rolling to the side as if dismissing her statement. But when he answers her the warmth and joviality in his tone is there. "Kind words given, Lady Diana. But one festivity hardly establishes a reputation."
    There's a faint clink as he takes up a plate from one of the tables and tosses it into the small plastic bin that he carries under his arm. Just casually clearing things and walking along a half-step at a time. But his attention is on her all the same.
    "But I welcome your congratulations, and thank you for them. Not as successful as your celebrations, but there was a camaraderie to the gathering that I enjoyed." Another dish, another clink. But then he reaches the end of what was the buffet table and sets that bin down.
    "And its success was due in no small part to your efforts. I am lucky to have a friend such as you."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana watches Thor tend to work that people are here who were hired to do would do in his stead, but she just smiles softly at him as he does it. She places her left hand upon one of the taller tables that had been setup for people to stand beside and set things upon while they conversed or chose not to sit.

"As yous aid, I have been through similar events as this already. I am more than happy to help make sure they got well for your new Embassy here." She grins then. "And do not worry, they are already planning the next one. People want to hear more of your stories, you know? You have lived a life of mythic proportions after all."

The Princess holds a light grin as she lets her eyes roam over the room to those still gathered here, mostly the spoken-of workers who are also cleaning up and preparing the room to be properly restored to its normal state.

"Are you pleased with the night then?" She asks him. "You seem a bit somber about it all." She asks him this, then looks back to him to watch him as he settles that bin down.

Thor has posed:
    A small chuff of an exhalation is given, self-deprecating at first as he shakes his head perhaps laughing of the sentiment of his stories. But she'll see a glimmer of sincerity in his bright blue eyes when he lifts his head and meets her eyes then asks with the openness of a youth wondering if indeed he was liked by someone else. "Really?"
    It's there and gone, with him shaking his head as he reaffirms the chuff and adds, "Well, I mean, of course. They are great stories, dangerous in the earning of them, I only try to do them justice with mine telling." But his lip twists a little as he walks over across the way before her.
    In front of the trio of great kegs that now take his attention as he lightly raps knuckles upon them. The first one makes a faint hollow thump thump. The next the same, but the third... there's a subtle slosh from deep in its depths. His lips twist as he looks over at Diana.
    "Aye, very pleased. Will you join me then in the last drink of the night?" Leaning over to the side he'll pull two of the glassy mugs off the pyramid aligned clean ones, holding them up toward her as if she could take her choice of which.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana remains where she is as she watches him proceed over to the kegs to inspect them. Her expression remains one of calm happiness whilst she listens to him speak, and at his last question then she steps away from the table to walk toward him to where that very specialest of brews is stored.

"You have had an advantage over me, as long lived as we both are, you got to set out on your own 'adventures' far earlier than I." She tells hima s she steps up in front of him and glances to the kegs, then back up to him.

She accepts the drink that he prepares for her, when he hands it to her and she'll raise it up to sip from it, now becoming much more familiar with the Asgardian's drink of choice - and knowing full well it can effect her unlike most Earth drinks.

"You have a much larger head start on me for fantastical tales that wow the masses." She then adds after lowering the mug again, adding a smile to punctuate her statement.

Thor has posed:
    "Well," Thor says as he fills one mug and then the other, passing it on to her even as his own gurgles with the remaining serving of mead. He'll wait til it settles, though perhaps even pulls the keg forward, lifting it up a touch with that strength of his until the last bits are his. Then he turns to her with mug raised and offers to clink it should she so wish.
    "To success, and to stories told."
    Once that's given he'll take a sip, mindful as well as now isn't the time so much for celebrating... and more thoughtful reflection. The hour positively begs for it. He does, however, nod with a tilt of his head toward a conversation nook that had seen the comings and goings of earlier party-goers though now it is empty and might well serve as a place for them to share what words they shall into the small hours of the night.
    Settling there he smiles at her, "My 'adventures'... began with a war. If you'll recall." He sets his mug down on the table and eases fully into the comfort of his seat. "It wasn't until that was resolved that I was given some measure of freedom by mine father."
    But, ever one uncomfortable with a lie she can see that small touch of trepidation cloud his features, so he then adds. "Though when I was but a teenager, tis fair to say I snuck out at times to... participate in some things others might call adventures."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana shares in the toast, with a smile and a sip of the mead. She repeats the words he'd said as well. With him, she walks to that quiet place to sit and she settles in across from him, her mug resting in front of her now as she crosses her legs at the knees. Her eyes glance about the hall again before she looks back to him, over to him, a calm expression on her staring face.

"It was a war that took me from Themyscira first as well." She quietly says to him in response at first. But she smiles at the rest of what he says. "You have told me some of your youth with your brother, I am envious of those stories the most. I would have very much enjoyed growing up with a sibling of similar age to share in the experiences of life with."

Her hands idly turn the mug around between them before she raises it for another sip, but she's soon to shake her head and smile again. "I have the siblings now, but they are... young." She elects to describe Donna and Cassie.

Thor has posed:
    "Ah," Thor listens to her and at the last he nods along with that single syllable so uttered by him. His smile is warm and amused as he agrees with her sentiment and reiterates it by saying, "They are at that. Impressionable. And it's clear..." He lowers his head slightly as if imparting some great wisdom. "That they think the world of you."
    A sip of his drink is taken as he rests his arms upon the table, finally seeming to let some of the tension escape from his shoulders and his arms. His eyes drift to the side as he looks to some of the people still tending to the debris and the detritus leftover from the celebration. Then he looks back.
    "But, in truth, if you had known me in my youth..." His smile broadens as he shakes his head, "Well, likely you may have a different opinion of me. Just ask Lady Sif sometime to regale you with tales about my..."
    He looks up, then back down, "My own particular flavor of arrogance." That said he nods. "I was trying to my friends, my family. But here I am now. Perfect in every way."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana settles her mug down upon the table again as she listens to his words, the bit about Donna and Cassie admiring her is enough to make her smile once more but she doesn't comment on that. Instead she glances away when he does, but she looks back and over to him as he speaks of his youthful self.

At the last bit about being perfect she's quick to show a big grin. "Oh yes, quite clearly so." She chides back at him, in an almost /sarcastic/ manner, imagine that!

With the grin still there, she waits a moment before speaking again. "I was very arrogant in my youth. Growing up on Themyscira, alone, made it so. Being that I was the only child to be raised from childhood to adulthood. Let alone being the 'Princess' that so many fawned over." She speaks softly of it. "It all went to my head, as it would to very nearly anyone. But. Eventually, I came to see myself and in that, I saw the changes I needed to make. Being able to see ourselves, can do that. To see how we look to others, how we treat others, and how it effects them. It pushes us toward trying to improve... or it should, at least."

She smirks across at him again. "Unless we have achieved Perfection Status and no longer need to, of course." She raises her drink up for another sip then.

Thor has posed:
    "Ah but perfection is such a burden." That last is said with a rumble of wry humor as he takes a sip of his mead, letting his eyes drift past her, beyond. Likely into the depths of time and back to that youth he spent. He takes a deep breath and exhales a slight laugh shaking his head.
    He looks at her sidelong, and she might get the impression he is considering something, deciding, as if he was reluctant to share the tale. But after the space of two heartbeats he indeed decides to offer her these words.
    "When I was barely a teenager." Thor gestures with his mug, other hand uncurling with palm up as he speaks. "I was tasked to train, of course, assuredly as you were. I trained with the Einherjar and they schooled me so well, humbled me at times. Until."
    He gets a slight sardonic smirk, "A foreign dignitary was visiting and that dignitary's child wished to witness the training. I did not know of this, of course. For me it was just any other training day. But on this day I somehow seemed to be doing /extremely/ well. My sword was a blur, I struck almost perfectly, defeating my sparring partners so well. That I thought to myself, 'Ah hah. I am finally growing into the sword as I shall in all matters!'"
    He looks as if he's about to go on, but holds briefly for a moment.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana is as good a listener as one can find, her eyes are on him as he speaks and her attention is locked upon what he speaks of. She tries to envision his words, as though she were there on the training ground with him as he fought and sparred with the Einherjar. She shows small smiles and little grins at different moments of what he says but near the end of his words - before he pauses - she raises her mug up to sip from it.

She watches him as he pauses, and when the mug lowers to be welcomed back to the table's surface by her opposite hand, she tilts her head ever so slightly toward her right side. "What happened?" She softly asks him, before adding on...

"Let me guess." Her head straightens and she grins yet again. "You realized you prefered to fight with a hammer, rather than a sword? There by needing to start fresh all over again with your skill training." She's teasing, of course, because she's never seen him wield a sword ever before, even though she's sure he knows how to properly wield one if needs ever arose.

Thor has posed:
    "Haha, no. Though that..." He holds up a hand as if to stay her, "That is actually another tale as well." But Thor shakes his head and takes a deep breath, "So I thought I had turned this corner. But really what the Einherjar had done was to... throw the bouts, so it appeared to our visitor that I was so very strong, and a dire threat to them should they seek to stand against our realm."
    Thor chuckles and shakes his head, one hand uncurling, "But I took this as fact. So much so it dawned on me that the /people/ should see their Prince training and for us to duel in the public arena. And of /course/ the Einherjar could not embarrass me in public. Thus began Prince Thor's undefeated streak in the arena."
    Shaking his head, Thor laughs a little at his foolishness. "THREE months I did this. And the poor Einherjar played along and nobody could tell the prince he was in the wrong of course. Until finally, Lady Sif /showed/ me I knew nothing of the sword. And made me realize what a fool I had been and how I had so ill-used the guard."
    Shaking his head, Thor looks away, brow furrowing. "No idea what point I was trying to make." He looks back, "Beyond, perhaps, that we both may have been pampered in our own ways Lady Diana. But your emergence has been oh so terribly graceful. While mine... less so."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana's unbracered forearms are resting on the table's edge in front of her, one arm bare and the other still encased in that shining material of her dress' single sleeve. Her hands cup the drink that has her mead within it and her eyes are across the table upon him as he tells his story.

Slowly, a smile forms on her dark red lips, but she has to shake her head to what he says. "That was so unbelievably irresponsible of them all." She then says of the Einherjar. I am sure that they had their reasons, and believed them to be sound, but the level of danger that they put you in was ... vast. To say the very least."

Diana glances away as there's laughter across the room, a few of the crew enjoying a bit of left over cake now that the clean up has mostly finished. She looks back to Thor then. "Lady Sif was wise to show you the truth, for your own safety. I am sure it must have been hard to hear though." A soft smile is shown then at his compliment of her emergence. She shakes her head at it though.

"I had my mistakes too, however. But, I learned from them, as we all should." She takes another sip of the mead before she asks further. "What did you do once you learned the truth?"

Thor has posed:
    "Bah," Thor says succinctly, "We Asgardians tend to... allow those close to us to in part discover themselves." The Prince nods slowly, looking down into the depths of his mug. "I mean, of course I was still fairly arrogant after that." His smile broadens.
    "But I am not a strong example of a typical Asgardian." He tilts his mug back and finishes the last of that mead, then sets the empty down with a faint glassy clink. "Sometimes it takes three or four lessons for things to finally get through my skull."
    That said he looks across the way, taking a deep breath as he just enjoys the moment upon reflection. Before he turns back to give a small nod. "You have a way about you, Lady Diana. That encourages people to speak of themselves." His eyes narrow a little, feigning suspicion. "Perhaps another dastardly weapon of the famed Amazons."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana is quiet about the response that he gives, she just sits there and holds her mug between her hands, then smiles at his later statement with regard to how he views her and her ability to get others to talk.

"I am a curious person, is all." She says. "I enjoy hearing other's stories. I was raised on stories. They fueled my imagination - and I think - created an element of my mind that helped me grow my ability to think, process and plan in quicker moments. Good stories do that, and good listening begets trust and faith from others."

She draws in a breath then and grins softly. "People enjoy to tell their stories too, their ownership of them is held in high praise. Especially our best moments in life. Those are moments we very much do wish to share with others. Maybe not everyone, depending on the content of the story, but still. Sharing them allows others to see fragments of our spirits, which make us all that much closer." She pauses then. "At least, I think so."

Thor has posed:
    "Or," Thor says as he looks across the way toward the ballroom that they take their ease in. Then he looks back toward her and tells her, "It could be something as simple as that I like the sound of my own voice." Self-deprecating, assuredly so. But light-heartedly as well.
    A nod is given to her as he thumps his mug a little on the table. "Come," He says as he rests a palm flat on the tabletop. "I shall find something else for us to drink, there are still several hours to sunrise and we can while them away in good company."
    That said he starts to rise.