On the appointed night, the Sires do not arrive. However, shortly after the sun sets the following evening, six riders are spotted in the distance. The date is April 25th, 1205. This is Day 9 of the Lunar cycle. There is a half-moon in the sky, waxing towards full. If there were any changers present, their Rage difficulty would be a 6. Those suffering from the Lunacy flaw are Pleasant and Focused. The weather is chill and partially cloudy, though for the moment the moon isn't covered by the clouds.
The six riders are spotted by the castle guards upon the wall, as if they had stopped for the day just at the edge of the Baron's domain, and then had started riding just as the sun set. They head directly for the castle, and behind them a slower carriage can be seen.
When they are closer, a runner from the wall says that with the moonlight what it is, they are able to tell only the count of riders, and that none seem to be armored. Maybe one or two of them are ladies, but they might just as well be men with more flowing cloaks.
Sabine tells me that she'll do a fly-by as a hawk, and she can confirm that the six riders are the remaining sires: Lords Al-Nasir, Valdemar, and Mieczyslav, and then Ladies Amisa, Dimitri, and Violetta.
They arrive at the castle gates, and request entry. Which they are granted, since they were expected. Grooms move in to take their horses and help them dismount, while Seska and her household stand to the side, waiting to greet them formally. Taduz, Sabine, and Marianna are with them as well.
The three Lords are dressed normally for their stations and regions. Dimitri is wearing functional men's clothing of a common but sturdy sort. Violetta's fine attire is suited to a lady, and she rides sidesaddle to maintain her modesty. Amisa, on the other hand, rides her horse astride, and wears heavy flowing blousey pants. When she has dismounted, the loose material seems more like a heavy dress than pants, except when she walks quickly.
To demonstrate this, Amisa moves towards Seska, arms spread and a great smile upon her face. "Oh my darling, you have been away from my eyes for too long!" she says, as she embraces her childe tightly. While she is still thus occupied, Lord Mieczyslav bows formally to her, but manages to include Taduz in his gesture somehow.
"We six request hospitality. We pledge to be bound by all the duties included therein. We so swear on our blood, and the blood of our sires." The other four reply formally, "We so swear."
Amisa's embrace continues for a few moments longer, before she releases Seska and moves back. Instead of her arms wrapped around her childe, she now has her hands on Seska's shoulders while she looks around the courtyard.
"This must be your loving husband, yes? He seems pretty enough. Not so horrible a fate, then. And he gave you attractive children, yes?"
