Lion Head Mesa [ap] I'd rather have the right man, than the right wedding.

"Whose justice?" Ruenna nearly asked, but she worried she had already come across more challenging of Germanicus than was her intention. Furthermore, Germanicus already seemed oddly disconnected from the sentiment he had just expressed; it was as if they were someone else's words he merely echoed.

They sat in companionable silence for a moment, watching as the guests mingled and the fellahin flitted from group to group.

Germanicus extrapolated on Crowfeather's condition, and Ruenna opened her mouth to express her regret. But Germanicus continued speaking. He revealed his distaste for Akashingo, and Rue was relieved to hear that she had not been so off-base in her judgement of Germanicus's character. This was exactly the sort of luxuriance that she expected an austere soul like Germanicus to despise.

While Crowfeather and (by extension) Germanicus were tethered to the area, it made sense that they wished to tread carefully and refrain from burning bridges with Akashingo, even as they desired some measure of separation. Ruenna could see how this outpost had emerged as the best opportunity for them.

He apologized, and Ruenna wagged her tail in understanding. "A wedding is meant to be a day for love and joy," she agreed, "..But I've found that is mostly just true for the couples." Germanicus was not the only attendee feeling a little bitter. Weddings had a way of bringing out an array of emotions, and Ruenna herself witnessed the gathering of happy couples with a twist in her heart. The newlyweds were glowing. Teya and Reyes looked much more a pair than Towhee would have liked-- for this reason Rue was glad that her co-Sovereign had decided to skip out. Fellahin whirled about flirtatiously, lavishing attention upon any whose eyes lingered upon them.

Speaking of couples...

"Germanicus, what is Crowfeather to you, if I may ask?" It had only just dawned upon Ruenna that the pair may be more than simply mentor and mentee... perhaps the overload of gender and sexual fluidity she was currently witnessing had prompted her to consider the pair of auxilia in a new light.