That thing Alassa's holding is not supposed to be a candy cane, even though it's shaped like one.  It's meant to be a scepter of sorts, a little piece of ornamentation that the guest of honor at a noble banquet keeps by their plate, and which they hold whenever they stand up to make a speech, letting people know they need to pay attention.  Oh, and don't worry if you don't recognize the people in the second panel -- they're just random guests that we've never seen before.  :P



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