feast & after-party ♔ empty my heart | i've got to make room for this feeling

[wynn]

♬ Can't Take It In - Imogen Heap

WHO || Wynn, the new Squires, any and all Knights
WHAT || Squiring Ceremony Feast & Afterparty
WHERE || Knights Headquarters, the Dining Hall & Ballroom
WHEN || February 9th, 2012, 7:00PM / 9:00 PM
HOW || Prose OR Actionspam

While every dinner served in the Knights' exceptionally large Dining Hall manages to have a sense of occasion, given the sheer quantity of food necessary to serve the hundreds who take their meals there, the 'feast' Wynn's ordered for after this squiring party outdoes the norm. It's not a problem to produce so much food at the drop of the hat when mages can magically summon up entire banquets, and so the room teems over with the smells and spices of hundreds of unique dishes. Centerpieces built with peacock feathers and sweet smelling flowers dot the table at intervals. A silver cage in the very middle of the table includes several live birds, their feet and tufts each appearing to be silver as well. A banner hangs from the top of the cage, with the Knight's symbol of a black dragon on a silver field.

The food has a distinctly medieval flair to it today, which several of the older Shadowkind Knights express their boisterous appreciation for as they dive in. The first course consists of a civet of hare, a quarter of salted stag, a stuffed chicken and a loin of veal, the latter two covered with a German sauce with gilt sugar-plums and pomegranate seeds. At each end of the table is an enormous pie, surmounted with smaller pies, which form a crown. The crust of the large ones is silvered all round and gilt at the top; each contains a whole roe-deer, a gosling, three capons, six chickens, ten pigeons, and one young rabbit. Serving as seasoning or stuffing, a minced loin of veal, two pounds of fat, and twenty-six hard-boiled eggs, covered with saffron and flavoured with cloves.

A second course follows: aroe-deer, a pig, a sturgeon cooked in parsley and vinegar, and covered with powdered ginger; a kid, two goslings, twelve chickens, as many pigeons, six young rabbits, two herons, a leveret, a fat capon stuffed, four chickens covered with yolks of eggs and sprinkled with spiced powder de Duc, and even a wild boar.

Next came wafers and stars; a jelly, part white and part blue. A fourth course of cream with Duc powder, covered with fennel seeds preserved in sugar; a white cream, cheese in slices, and strawberries; and, lastly, plums stewed in rose-water.

Besides these four courses, there's a fifth, entirely composed of wines, and of preserves, which consist of fruits and various sweet pastries in the shapes of dragons.

---------------------------

Following this, assuming anyone is still capable of moving at all is the after-party: a black-tie affair in the lavish, opulent ballroom, every new Knight's chance to mingle and meet some of their new brothers in arms. Per usual, a couple hours are provided following the feast for everyone to change, do hair and makeup, and choose from the vast array of formal attire in the closets of the balcony "dressing rooms" located at the top of spiraled staircases on either side of the ballroom. A separate dressing room exists for men and women, and they include full bathrooms (with, thankfully, very modern plumbing).

The squires are usually among the last to arrive, and the ballroom is full to the brim with a fancy array of people, of all shapes, sizes and species.

Hope none of you are shy. They're all here to meet you. 

All open feast threads should be made under the FEAST heading below. Any other threads below will be for the after-party. Feel free to make your own open threads for people to come congratulate your newly pledged knight.

Comments

[shootfirst]

[And eventually Kat will come tracking down her squire sometime during the party. Unlike almost all the women here, Kat's not wearing a dress - instead she's dressed in a black and white pant suit, her blonde hair hanging down freely, void of any ornamentation. Her eyes light up when she spots Myrilandel, and she slows to a halt as she gets nearby.]

Wow... talk about a dress.

[witchwoman]

[Myri smiles at the sight of Kat and picks at the fabric of her sleeves.]

It's too much, isn't it? I didn't really have a say-

[She trails off, wishing she were anywhere but the overly crowded room.]

[shootfirst]

Have you seen the shindig Wynn's putting on? Pretty sure there's no such thing as 'too much' today.

[She thrusts out a hand after a sec] Kat Samcelot.

[witchwoman]

Oh, I don't know. It seems so... regal.

Myrilandel. [She takes the hand and shakes, though not with much confidence. She doesn't offer a last name, if only because she isn't used to it. In fact, she isn't entirely certain why 'de Tanos' feels right to her. Everything surrounding the name feels cloudy.]

[shootfirst]

Well, we are in a castle. If there was ever a time for regal...

[She breaks into a wide grin] I thought that was you. You're totally my squire!

[witchwoman]

Am I? But you're so- [She stops herself from saying young because the girl cannot be any younger than she is, by the looks of it. Instead, Myri tries to catch on to some of Kat's enthusiasm and smiles back.]

Forgive me. There's just been so much going on. I suppose I just assumed that all the Knights here would be like... [Her gaze drifts to some of the others- older men with worn eyes or bearded chins, beautiful and matured women. Finally she returns her eyes to Kat, a girl much like herself.]

Thank the Stargods you're here. [She finally breaks out into a genuine smile, realizing how lucky she might be with her placement.]

[shootfirst]

Would be old and stuffy? [Kat is not afraid to go finishing your sentences] It's a major vibe around here, but some of us are actually cool.

Wynn didn't tell me anything about you in typical mysterious Wynn-style.

[witchwoman]

[She doesn't say anything but the laughter in her eyes is all the confirmation necessary, okay?]

Well, what would you like to know? I'm afraid I don't remember much worth telling.

[And as if on cue to dash all hopes of Myri pretending to be uninteresting, her familiar decides it's a great time to join the party.] Merawk! [The large cat yowls in greeting.]

I suppose for starters, this is my... pet. Amaranth.

[shootfirst]

[She notices the pause, and, well, around here people tend to jump to conclusions when people are towing animals around] Is that your familiar? [Her eyes light up] Do you have a familiar?

[witchwoman]

[Her first reaction is to look over her shoulder to see if anyone noticed Kat's outburst.]

Of course not! [She says too quickly.] He's simply a cat. A companion. Nothing more.

[Nerves get the better of her though and Myri drops her voice and reaches out to grab both of Kat's hands.] Please, please be quiet about it. He's no demon and neither am I.

Alainn is so going to thread-jack into this convo!

[attollores]

[Annd that totally catches Alainn's attention. She'd spotted Kat coming this way and had wanted to talk to her so she'd followed her across the dance floor, coming up at the last part of their conversation hearing what was said with a Listen Check of 26 too. Concern colors her face at the girls vehement denial of having a Familiar, then her pleading to hide the fact. Poor thing.]

What's all this about then, love? [Her concerned gaze moves between the two to hold Kat's for a moment in understanding, then comes to rest on Myri.]

We wouldn't think you're a demon for that, nor that your cat is either. Right Kat?

[shootfirst]

[Kat looks down in surprise at the girl's hands in her own, and then glances over at Alainn when she interjects. She gives Alainn a knowing Look, her brows knitting together]

Trust me, nobody around here thinks anyone's a demon for doing magic.

... I mean, unless we're using it to prank them - then they might think of some colorful insults, but in that case, we were kind of asking for it.

[Oh right. Reassuring] But, I mean, nobody's serious about it.

[attollores]

[Alainn sighs and shakes her head ruefully at Kat's attempted try at reassurance. She smiles again at Myri, laying a gentle hand on her arm.]

You're not the only one with a Familiar, either. You don't have to feel alone in that because you're not.

[She closes her mouth to stop herself from saying more, waiting for Myri's reaction whatever it may be. To her it was important that the girl felt safe here because she was. But Alainn also knew well enough that wasn't something you could push onto someone.]

[witchwoman]

[It's actually Amaranth who moves first, purring loudly as he rubs against Alainn's ankle. Myri's gaze drops to the sight and a small smile lifts the corners of her mouth.]

We can trust them [He projects to her mind as his tail swishes in the air. Afterward, he sit contently between the group of them.]

Thank you. [Myri finally says, looking at first Alainn, then Kat.] Where I came from... magic only got you as far as you were useful. Villages turned on a witchwoman at the first sign of failure. Amaranth has been the only family I've known for a very long time.

[attollores]

[Alainn reaches down to rub behind the cat's ears with a grin.] Tis a pleasure to meet you as well, darling. Be welcome.

[She straightens once more, listening to Myri's words. A familiar swell of anger surges up within her at her words, flashes of her own run-ins with intolerant people racing through her mind. She feels such a sudden kinship with the girl, such a strong protective urge that she has to resist reaching out and giving her a hug. No need to be a freak in the middle of a party. The hugging could wait :0]

Aye, unfortunately there is still much of that prejudice here in this world as well. Many of us were far too afraid to even admit we used magic, much less to have it known to an entire village. But here, [There is something in the way she says this, something in her voice that just speaks of so much peace and awe and joy] here we can be free.

This is our home, and while here we can do whatever it is that we want. We do not have to hide our talents and gifts, and we will not stand for anyone denying somebody else that same right.

That is why I fight for the Knights.

[There is so much passion in her voice when she finishes her speech, her breathing elevated and her eyes flashing. After a second she realizes that she probably just came across as just a little too strong and she gives Kat and Myri a sheepish smile.]

[witchwoman]

[As Alainn's speech wears on, a look of awe and wonder creeps over Myri's face. She's never heard such talk for people like her. Magicians were respected. Battlemages were advisers to kings. But a witchwoman to have rights? And moreover to not be persecuted by the likes of the priests who had chased her since she was a girl? It was more than she could have ever imagined.]

I think- [She chokes on the words, wondering if it's nerves or tears of happiness forming the lump in her throat.] I think I would very much like to fight for that cause.

[shootfirst]

Well then, you're definitely in the right place, huh?

[She squeezes Myri's hand and drops it, giving her a warm smile] Plus, around here nobody's going to take you advantage of you for it. And you can get the right training so you don't end up hurting someone by accident.

[attollores]

[Alainn smiles more tenderly at the girl's look, knowing all too well what she must be feeling. She chuckles at Kat's last statement, knowing that the reference was about the both of them at one time or another.]

Aye, we Mages tend to stick together, all of us Knights do.

[witchwoman]

[Sitting back, Myrilandel can feel a calm spread through her. This place is safe. Perhaps it was the place that voices had been leading her to?]

No. But we can stay for now. [Amaranth piped up telepathically. Spellcraft check DC 10 to feel something between said between Myri and her familiar. DC 15 to hear him.]

[shootfirst]

[Kat catches the act, but not the words, and smiles happily] Are you talking to him?

That is so cool.

[witchwoman]

[She jumps and glances up at the woman]

Did you... did you hear him?

[attollores]

[Alainn gets a SpC check of 18 to notice the act and a Listen check of 19 to hear him. Her eyes light up, looking back and forth between the two a moment in awe.]

He's quite intelligent, your Amaranth. He reminds me of Fede, though the telepathic bond between the two of you is quite different than what we share. Can he project to anyone, or does he have to be near you to do it?

[witchwoman]

Of course I can. [The cat says, allowing Kat and Alainn to hear him with something like a laugh lingering after the words. His tail swishes in amusement]

He doesn't normally speak to strangers. [Myri stares down at him, wondering just why he's so quick to trust these two.] I think I can count on one hand the number of times he's spoken to anyone but me in all the time we've been together.

[attollores]

[She crouches down so she is at more of an eye-level with the cat, reaching out her hand like she is expecting him to shake it. Giving him a warm smile and a little nod, she says:] 'Tis a pleasure to be makin' your acquaintance Amaranth. I consider it an honor that ye chose to allow Kat and I to hear ye.

[She stands, straightening her dress as she smiles at Myri.] You're a very lucky girl to have such a good companion. At least he doesn't seem to have an attitude, unlike some Familiars I know.

[shootfirst]

[Kat is just delighted by all this.] I have got to find me a friend like this.