030. Love Letter

The night reaches a climax as Beltaine continues at The Spark.

***"If games start here, maybe that's why I returned…. because I never sent any letters."***

Sophia returns to the garden after a less-than-stellar private encounter with Charles, and invites her guests to continue enjoying the festivities, which will culminate in a "clothing-optional" swim in the lake. Sophia summons a gentle, warm rain, drenching the party and bringing smiles to faces. Braum approaches Kyoko, asking if she'd be up for a couple pieces of "business" before enjoying themselves. Braum wants her help with bringing Sir Xaeron and Kaylie together, as well as trying to get more information out of Baya. Kyoko dodges the question of whether or not she will help, instead insisting Braum attend the clothing-optional swim with her, as well as insinuating that they could both have some "fun" with Sophia.

After a much more fun encounter with Duke Granville, Patches sees him off and tries to persuade Incisor to rejoin the party. Incisor refuses, obviously very upset, although Patches can't guess what about. The nocker is accosted by Charles, who asks her to explain some of the various features of the huts she built… but after the Garou calls Sophia a "warmup", Patches refuses his advances, choosing instead to pass this information on to the sidhe herself, who laughs it off.

Braum uses all of his courtly etiquette to introduce Kaylie to the other Kithain, ending his introductions with Edwina, Marnie, and, of course, Sir Xaeron. And even though Kaylie asks Sir Xaeron abruptly about being her mate, surprising the sidhe with her bluntness (and Garou nature), the two sit down and start conversing, trying to learn more about the other's culture. Satisfied to have built a bridge at Beltaine, Braum heads back to Baya.

In the meantime, Sophia confronts Incisor in the Exhaust: she's obviously upset about *something*, and keeping it bottled up will spoil her enjoyment of the holiday. "Why does everything always gotta be special?" Incisor retorts. To try to get to her, Sophia asks for Incisor to "do her job", calling the elevator to take her down to the lobby. Hoping to get her warmed up to the idea of coming back outside, Sophia instead happens upon a mortal man, Marvin. The man is just returning to Patches' architecture firm to pick up some blueprints, as he "really likes to work". Sophia, dressed only in a rain-slicked robe, follows the mortal, hoping to persuade him to indulge his creativity at least a little this night… although she ends up coming across as a bit sinister instead.

At that same moment, Patches happens across Zistor, frustrated in his attempts to explain something to Aria about the stars. Aria is still acting very eccentrically, commenting that Patches' face has "spirals that are red… dark." She comes from "a land of swamp and death," as she puts it, although Zistor is quick to point out that he's not sure why she followed him up here. Patches leaves Zistor to his own devices and enlists Padraic to help her dismantle the maypole, planning to run it through the lake later on, scaring the partygoers. They end up sleeping together, and Patches discovers that he has several scars… and an odd tattoo by his ankle. He admits that he, much like her, took a scar protecting someone… in this case, Cog. The tattoo, on the other hand, is very much unlike Patches, in that it represents his membership in the Unbroken Circle, an organization that hunts Dauntain. Padraic's fortuitous arrival right after Talus' betrayal is starting to look a lot less like coincidence….

Braum sits down with Kyoko and Baya, who is teasing the troll, but constantly remarking to Kyoko that she "likes him". After Braum expresses his apprehension that Baya might be, indirectly, a threat to The Spark, Baya laughs it off, telling him that she simply understands that the Spark "attracts those destined for greatness". Braum watches as Kyoko heads down to the pond, naked, and dives in, flirting with Sophia. The troll follows her, but is arrested by Charles, stepping out yet another hut with Edwina. The Garou starts catcalling Kyoko, asking Braum what it's like to be with such a hot woman, trying to provoke; the troll draws himself up to full height and demands Charles stop impugning Kyoko's honour. When the werewolf persists, Braum tries to kick him through the wall! A fight breaks out between the two as they brawl through the hut. Charles begins to rage, and Braum calls upon the Dreaming to get him to safety: a small tornado starts to spin around the knight as it lifts him up into the sky. Charles, still in a blind Garou rage, rushes out to find someone to savage. Xaeron quickly casts a protective cantrip on the pond, protecting those within, while Kaylie rushes Charles, knocking him down and forcing him to submit. Sophia tries to summon a sense of calm over the Garou, and it eventually brings him out of his rage.

Kaylie forces Charles to submit to her will and berates him for bringing war to a party of peace. Braum steps up and tries to accept the punishment on himself: while he did feel that he was being provoked, he was the one to cast the first stone. Sophia snaps at Braum that *she* will handle his punishment, and dresses down Kaylie for bringing a violent creature to the Spark, warning her that Charles' punishment should be extreme. Kaylie leaves, carrying a cowed Charles, as the party tries to get back to normal.

Late into the night, after everyone else has gone to bed, two Kithain remain by the pool, enjoying each other's company and getting to know each other better: Sir Xaeron and Incisor.