CLOSED ♔ knighting ceremony

[koraith]

WHO || Wynn, Elena Gilbert, Koraith, Myri, Colin Banks, Dumage, Andie, Finnick, Buffy, Spike, Vi, Luthir, Francesca, Archer, Des, Mark, Kat, Gar, Rose, Alaric, Klaus, Dawn, various other members of the Dragon's Tongue [closed]
WHAT || Elena's full Knighting ceremony; induction into the Dragon's Tongue
WHERE || Knight's Headquarters, the Great Hall
WHEN || Tues May 27th, evening FORWARD DATED
HOW || Actionspam

Unlike the grandiose nature of the squiring ceremony each Knight undergoes upon their initial entrance into the Knighthood, the graduation to Full Knight status takes place in a much more intimate affair, between the Knight, their mentor, invited friends, and the members of the sect to which they will be inducted. There's no pompous music, no stolid rank and file, no elaborate march.

Myri, Wynn, and Koraith wait up at the front of the room for Elena to approach them, but the attitude of the ceremony is much more relaxed, full of smiles and light conversation on all sides. Of course, when Wynn speaks, people still hush. It's just how he rolls.

"Sir Elena Gilbert, please kneel."

Comments

[nothingsodivine]

[Annnd Des sidles up beside her.] Thought I'd be the most underdressed person at this party.

[slay]

Is anyone gonna lay off the sweatpants thing? Last I checked, tonight was about Elena, not my fashion choices.

[nothingsodivine]

It is about Elena. It's also about you not living in the training room, but we can have that talk later, if you want. [He sips his drink.] Finnick and Myri are back together.

[He assumes that's what all that making out was about.]

[slay]

Good. She deserves some happy in her life. [ she glances across the room at myri. ~longing gazes.~ ] Think this means he won't be joining us when we head back out?

[nothingsodivine]

I think Finnick was done with this when we had to sell off Rafael to get him out of indentured pop star slavery.

[So basically he never really thought for a second that the band was gonna stay together.] I think everyone who's going ashore is staying ashore this time.

[slay]

Great. So, not only are we expected to beat the murdering demigods, we're expected to do it while we're short-staffed.

[nothingsodivine]

Nah. Wynn'll just brief new people to traumatize. You schmucks were getting new recruits all the time back in the day.

[And Myri might have been a healer, but Finnick's useful contribution was placating Burt and occasionally stabbing things with a trident. They'll survive.]

The Dragon's Claws are still scoping out that island. He's taking this crap seriously. It's best for everyone if he only puts his hardcore soldiers on this.

[Even if it means breaking up the ~family~]

[slay]

That's it? It's been two years, and you're just -- You don't feel anything. You sound like they're hardly people to you, just dead weight.

[nothingsodivine]

You said it yourself- they'll just be dead if they're not careful. Don't get me wrong, Blondie, I'm saying this because I care. They're safer here and you know it.

[slay]

You just ... You make it sound so easy. To not need them.

[nothingsodivine]

[He rubs the palm of his hand, not looking at her.] As I recall, I make a lot of bad things look easy. That's what I do.

[He sighs.] You gotta weigh how hard it is to leave them behind versus how hard it could be to watch them- or watch each other- die. No one says that's easy, but people spend their lives telling people they love to stay out of the fight and a lot of them fight against it, because that's their decision, but if they wanna stay behind... then they know they're outclassed. Myri and Finnick have a shot at real happiness. So does Vi and her... elf. They had the same choice you did and they chose different. That don't make them any better or any worse. It means they know where they need to be, just like you and me do.

[slay]

I just didn't realize it had to be one or the other, you know? I mean, don't get me wrong, Rafael's offer was ... really hard to refuse. But if we're together, I don't want it to be in some L.A. penthouse, I want it to be doing this. I don't want to pick between happiness and helping people; I want both.

I just ... I just don't get why Myri and Finnick can't have that. And if they can't, does that mean I can't either? Am I fooling myself to even want that?

[nothingsodivine]

They're still in the Knights, Blondie. They'll still be on missions- it just won't be this one. And eventually it'll end and you'll be with them again and you start considering what you want. Right now? This is everything. And you can't see past it yet. After two years, maybe they can't either.

[He shrugs.] Most days I can't see past it either. The day I agreed to work with you was the day I thought I wouldn't have to.

[slay]

Assuming there is an eventually. Not all of us are immortal. Two years is a lot of life to sink into one mission.

[nothingsodivine]

You're still young. [Des pats her on the shoulder.] Buck up, champ. Just make the most of what you've got with them now. Tonight's not in chaos.

[A beat] And for Christ's sake, go talk to Myri. [Yeah, he noticed with his wisdom check of 16.]

[slay]

What?

[ defensive!! ]

Des, she came back to the castle to get away from all of this. I'm just gonna be some reminder of what she wanted to leave.

[nothingsodivine]

You're not asking her to forsake her happiness and come back. You're acknowledging that you're still her friend. That's what this is about right? Family?

[C'MON BUFFY.] It's gonna be worse for her if she thinks you resent her for leaving. And for all you know, that's what she thinks.

[slay]

[ grumble grumble ]

I hate it when you make sense.

[nothingsodivine]

I do that sometimes. [He gives her a wink and a grin and then retreats to the buffet table. Again.]