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Iris could only smile serenely when faced with her friend, her hands resting silently behind her back. Her chin was lifted, and her green gaze was drifting about the room, observing each and every person with a keen eye. Her gaze landed back on her husband and then immediately pulled away, no longer lingering on anyone but Dione before her. "I am sure that you've heard my province has been ravaged by fire," the baroness said in a calm tone, resisting the urge to look in the direction of Lord Elias.

Let him burn. Let all of Stravos burn for burning her people in their homes.

The nobles who lived in the city rather than their own provinces only saw the hunger of the people who lived within the walls. They only saw the hardship of their own corner of the world. But the provinces? No. "I may have to join you," Iris said very quietly, "Maybe it shall take my mind off the happenings of our Kingdom," she said slowly, her gaze also following the form of Dione's younger sister.

Reaching out, Iris' hand gently brushed Dione's wrist, her head shaking just slightly in order to assert that she not move. Iris had been around Cicero and Aimias enough to know that a scene on this day would not be welcome. With a knowing gaze, she simply tilted her head toward the Princess and then set her gaze fully on Emilia, listening in almost relieved silence to the words the girl spoke. She was becoming a woman in this moment. One who was willing to speak louder above all the rest. One who was ready to be heard after being silenced for so long.

Emilia's speech was practiced and consice, and Iris found her chin lifting in expectation. The words martial law did not cause the same stir in her as they did many others. She was resigned to this fate. Happy for such step to be taken if it meant that the Kingdom would soon find its peace. Iris' hand was still on Dione's wrist, her green gaze sliding toward her friend. "It means that peace will return to Athenia," she said very quietly, giving the slightest of nods, "If we are to aid our allies in Egypt, this must be done. There must be balance here before we set our sights elsewhere," she was murmuring, leaning just a little closer.

But then Lady Rene approached the princess again and Iris sighed audibly through her nose, her gaze turning almost hard as she listened. Cicero was quick to step in, and Iris was thankful for her cousin and his sharp with and heavy words. "Take my arm," Iris said to Dione, offering it to her and then placing her hand over Dione's as they started in the direction of Lady Rene and Cicero. Cicero was finishing up and Iris reached out to touch Cicero's arm. "If I might, Master Cicero?" she asked lightly, her gaze flicking toward Rene as if illustrating that she would take Lady Nikolaos off of his hands. Lady Iris smiled softly at Rene, and offered her free hand, "Might we mingle while we still have the chance to socialize?" Iris asked kindly, her green eyes fixed on Rene's face. The Baroness' tone was kind, but it was expectant, her hand still offered.

Iris heard Emilia say quietly that she did not want to see Elias anywhere near her, her own heart fluttering in her chest. 'Yes. Good girl. Make him pay.' the only thought in her mind. "We can discuss what it all means together," the baroness declared to both Dione and Rene.

It was no guarded secret that Agathe hated social events for those with a title, a circus is what she called it much to the beration from her parents but alas they were all here. Everyone and as usual? Agathe was a good four cups of wine deep into the event whilst she waited to find out what this was all about, she had a vague idea considering for once in her life Agathes parents cared for the whereabouts of their children and so in wait she stood by her family, close enough to be apart of the image but not enough to appear pleased about it.

Then the news came, mid sip of wine she spluttered the liquid into her cup and dabbed the drops from her face and instantly she wanted to get out of here. Agathe didn’t waste her time with events enough to even have a mingling circle here and suddenly she regretted her life choices when it meant Martial law, her freedom; the freedom she fought to maintain; her carefree ways just snatched away because of politics. What else was new? The riots? Down to politics and not so quietly, she slammed her cup down and stalked out of the room, hell hot on her heels as she weaved her way through the crowd.

Agathe wasn't about to hear the protests, the dismay, the concern not when they were all apart of the reason that this was a problem. She had felt someone grasp at her wrist and the Lady didn’t look back as she pulled her arm free and continued moving, catching the tail end of most conversations. Most of which seemed pleased and almost optimistic, relieved that they could socialise today at least and Agathe rushed on before she truly spoke her mind and caused a scene. Of course Agathe didn’t listen to much of the speech only the segment that affected her but it was enough and yet the only thing that stopped her leaving entirely? Was the blanching notion from Lady Demi of Arcana, it was that which made Agathe wonder if the woman held a mind much like her own and without much of a façade of innocence she stood by the woman and shrugged her shoulders. “Why is action only taken when its reached the point of too far?”

Not attending had never been a choice for any of the Marikas. That was something that Sera had made perfectly clear to everyone underneath the roof of the Archontiko from the moment that Sera had heard from her sister that Circenia had no part in the organization of the upcoming court session and that it had been Princess Emilia who had gone through the trouble of sending out summons to all the members of the nobility within Athenia. The men within her household may not have understood as they have been as fully immersed into this mainstay of life for the upper echelons as Sera had been, but that would not excuse them from the court session that was about to occur. It didn’t even matter to the Princess that the invitations made it clear that the only acceptable excuse for missing this evening’s event was being on your deathbed. The moment that Sera had gleaned that her sister had not taken part was enough of an indication that there was something afoot that evening. Especially if the vile temper Circenia was rumored to be sporting in the wake of such an announcement was any indication for her older sister to go by.

Sera would readily admit that she did not know her younger sister as well as she once might have, back when they were little girls living in the palace, dreaming about the men who would be their prince charmings. The Marikas matriarch was not foolish enough to pretend that their lives had not hurdled them down drastically different paths in life -- no matter how others might only see the similarities in the two princesses who each only had one son. The years had turned one Xanthos girl bitter, ambitious to have what had never been hers in the first place. The other had wilted in the face of domestic troubles. The two sisters who had been friendly at best had grown into enemies as the years past, but Sera knew enough about Circenia that she would never have allowed Emilia to run things by herself.

It was no secret that the Princess was not the brightest girl in Athenia nor was anyone blind to the fact that Sera’s sister had exploited this to have what she had always wanted; the chance to play Queen. Circenia had always expressed such ambitions as not hopeful desires of greatness, but an expectation that her Elias would one day be king -- never caring for the tragedies that would need befall their brother and Sera’s own son for this to ever be a reality. It was frightening really and Sera had never felt safe from the moment Elias had moved into the Palace as she knew what her sister could be like if she got even an ounce of the power that she craved so badly. Circenia was not the sort to give up these sort of things easily, even in the wake of Aetaea burning and the people rising up. Circenia would never be cowed by anyone.

So the mere fact that it had happened spoke volumes to Sera without anyone needing to utter a single word. That was why she had been insistent with Pavlos that even he attend, despite the fact that Sera never revealed the realizations that were slowly dawning upon her lest she’d be mistaken somehow. She doubted it, but with everything being so volatile already, Sera would rather be suspicious and right rather than outspoken and wrong. Truly, it would serve her just the same as she did not have a horse in this race as Circenia did. All that mattered to her that was if her suspicions were correct that things had changed, for whatever reason, Sera was prepared for the fallout that was bound to come from Circenia. Her sister was not the sort to accept such change quietly.

Fearful that her sister might try to strongarm her into supporting whatever fruitless attempts she would take to cling to power, Sera refused to leave Pavlos’s side. In fact, from the moment that she stepped out of the carriage, her arm had been looped through his as she kept a wary out for the dark-haired sister who was likely seething under whatever smile she had plastered on for the sake of appearances tonight. Sera did not care if her husband had been less than pleased with his wife silently trailing along with him as he spoke to his brother and their daughter, in turn, Sera knew that at least with Pavlos she would have an excuse to not need to speak alone with Circenia. Any attempts he made to shake her off so he might have his chance to have the evening he wished he could have had at that Argothian party a year ago went ignored. Nothing was going to let Sera allow herself to be caught offguard that evening. If Circenia was truly as angry as Sera suspected her to be, she needed to be prepared for anything that would be thrown their way.

What she had not been prepared for was the announcement made by Princess Emilia that the city would be immediately be put under martial law in response to the riots. A startled noise quietly left the older Princess as her nails silently dug into Pavlos’s arm, letting him only know about her surprise at such a decree. Out of all the things that could have happened this evening, this was not what Sera had expected. Or at least, she had not expected it from Emilia or the family that she knew was likely controlling the poor girl. Forcing the capital into lockdown was something that was too complicated for the Stravos to do alone, no matter how they might wish to do such a thing to cease the rumors surrounding their role in these disasters. Nor did she expect Emilia to be the one to come up with such a decree. After all, the girl might be like her deceased father in so many different ways, but she had never gotten his brains -- which Sera meant truly in the best way. Something else was going on, but one glance at where her son stood in relation to Lord Elias and the Princess herself clued Sera in on the simple fact that such things probably should not be questioned here. Though, that didn’t mean that she would not be questioning Alehandros about what this all meant.

“Finally, the city will be safe again.” Sera finally muttered, trying to not make a big deal out of these announcements. Her husband would, of course, know that there was something happening in Sera’s brain, but he would not be privy to the details until this night was over and Sera was convinced that this truly was the good thing that this seemed to be on the surface. Sera had never felt secure in the knowledge that it was her sister moving closer to the throne. The gods only knew how many times she had stayed up late at night, tossing and turning as she feared that her son’s vocal disinterest in the throne would protect him from the ambitious girl who knew nothing of family ties beyond the son she had brought into this world. Seeing Circenia toppled from such power was a relief to Sera. It was something that Athenia undoubtedly needed in order to have a chance to recover. However, she knew that her sister and nephew were never going to go quietly. There was still some fight left before the whole of Athenia could be safe again.

Sera could only hope that her own family did not get caught up in the crosshairs of whatever was going to come next.

Knowing that her next step would inevitably be speaking with her son, Sera turned her attentions back to the man next to her who was likely absorbing the news for himself (but likely not with as much depth as Sera who had the joys of having familial relationships to consider) and made a brief comment on the whole situation. “If being stuck inside for a bit is the cost of peace being restored, then so be it. I’m sure the girls will be thrilled to hear this news.” Her light-hearted words were punctuated with a sly grin. Sera knew full-well that her eldest and her youngest, being the wayward spirits that they were would going to absolutely despised needing an escort leaving the archontiko. At least poor Elena, the sweet little homebody she was, would not be so affected by this change -- if this was all that was to come, of course.

“Speaking of our daughters… We have seen Daniil, but where is Agathe? Can you see her Pav?” Her voice had a twinge of concern written into it as she beckoned for the taller man to confirm that Agathe had indeed appeared at this dreadfully important event. The gods only knew what fury would be unleashed upon any of the Marikas if they did not attend after Sera had harped so harshly on all of them to be present for whatever was going to occur tonight.

Even though everything seemed to be going well, Sera couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in her chest. Surely bringing peace back to Athenia couldn’t be as simple as putting power back into Emilia’s hands, could it?