hamis 18, 2715 ● early evening
Linnea was a gentle soul; a kind and well-mannered woman that would never express such negativity as appeared in her thoughts, but some things were simply too much. A party for some fellow ambassador's new child was one such thing. Even without the fact of the child's birth being in the month of Hamis, there was the matter of Linnea's rather strong distaste for children - especially ones that couldn't communicate what they were making a fuss about. Still, it would be horribly inappropriate not to attend, and she was not about to make anyone think less of her or her position simply because she didn't want to get stuck holding someone's baby.
The Bastian ambassador had risen early in the morning, before the sun, spending a small part of said morning partaking in her assistant's wellness routine but the better half of it convincing herself to do so. Some mornings were more difficult than others - but the rest of the day was often worse; hours spent in preparation for the night's event left her well-dressed but partially defeated by the time she'd arrived at the event.
She'd dressed in a sleeveless, silk dress, deep burgundy in color and originating from a rather small shop in Florne, one that Linnea visited often during her visits back home. The hem ended a few inches above her ankles, not intended for a galdor of her height, and certainly not for one such galdor in heels. As it was, the dark shoes allowed her to see over the majority of the heads in the crowd, which she considered a bonus - at least if the birthday baby and proud parents were approaching, she'd know about it first.
Although she'd spent the better half of an hour taming her hair, the dark locks were windswept and pushed away from her face now, the woman having grown tired of the strands clinging to her skin during the humid ride over. Her assistant had made the claim that the messy hair was at least a fine enough look on her, and Linnea was reluctant to believe it fully, but she was also not about to spend more time fixing it.
Her fingers tapped idly against her glass, a tiny clink sounding as her silver ring was knocked against it now and then. It didn't go without Linnea's notice, but the Bastian chose to ignore the little sound in favor of looking out and watching those around her - so many conversations, so many subjects, so many issues better resolved over letter. She sipped at her wine, light eyes shifting to her right as someone approached - the hosts' quick stride over had escaped her notice, this time, and Linnea returned their smiles despite the internal urge to turn on her heels and walk away.
"Ambassador Madison, so good to see you - thank you for coming."
"Linnea, dear, meet Endrith - "
and that was how Linnea ended up with a child in one arm, the Bastian struggling to keep her glass level in the other, all the while maintaining a warm - but admittedly nervous - smile.
"He's lovely," she offered, glancing down quickly to this Endrith before back to his beaming parents, "you've been truly blessed by the Circle, with young Endrith. I believe my assistant should have left my gift with the others - if you will excuse me, I should check and make sure it's made its way there,"
and that, subsequently, was how she passed the baby back off to his mother, offering a courteous bow before taking her leave. As soon as she'd put some distance between herself and the evening's hosts, Linnea downed the rest of her wine, allowing the now-emptied glass to be taken away by a passing servant and hoping, desperately, that it would be replaced quickly.
"Dear Hurte," the galdor sighed, and although she offered smiles and nods to those she passed, she seemed somewhat content only when she made it to the wall and away from the main gatherings of fellow politicians and other attendees. She made to lean against the wall, her field a slightly tense collection of perceptive and static mona, frayed just at the edges but calming as she spent a few quiet moments to herself, eyes drifting from face to face but searching, truly, for the one that brought her her next drink.