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

[befree]

[Katniss feels an uncomfortable sense of familiarity in sitting and gorging on as much food as possible, something she knows deep down isn't normal for her to be able to do. But she's starving, and so she eats, far far more than she should.

By now her curiosity about the man Wynn had called by a royal title was practically burning, but she made no effort to speak to him at this point. She kept her eyes on her own food and her attention on devouring it. At various points she attempts to mimic the good manners of some of the Knights around her, but eventually she just abandons hope of looking as good as any of them and eats however she wants to.

At the point she becomes incredibly full, she shoves her plate away and busies herself staring at her lap. She should probably be socializing with the others, but that's rather hard to do when you have nothing to say to anyone and no desire to fake things to say just for the sake of conversation.]

[king]

[ She has been watching him all bloody evening. In fairness, she's not the only one, but every time he'd glanced down the line of squires, there had been the pretty, dark-haired girl, watching him, assessing him as though they were going to have to fight. ]

[ Some people are jealous of power, of schemers, and he knows that and should ignore it. But this girl swore to the same code he did, despite being a woman, and a shared knighting ceremony was always an occasion for fraternity rather than rivalry. Arthur has no interest in making an enemy. Of course, he doesn't realize the best way to manage that would probably be to not try talking with her. ]

[ People are mingling, and there's a seat vacant next to Katniss, who seems to inhale food with the finesse and rapidity of a sow in a trough. But hen, his idiot manservant does much the same thing, so it's easy to make the assumption she's a commoner. He takes his plate and changes seats, slipping quietly in next to her and watching her as he nibbles a pastry shaped like a dragon — head first — waiting for the next time she looks up. ]

[befree]

[She hears someone approaching before they sit next to her, and a brief glimpse out of the corner of her eye tells her it's him. He's still eating, and the sound of his nibbling seems louder than it should. It's irritating.

She quickly realizes that he's observing her much like she's been doing to him all night, and it's with a reluctant goodbye to privacy and solitude that she looks up at him.

Since he didn't say anything, she's not about to either, she's perfectly content with the silence. But if she stays quiet and allows him to have the first word, that wouldn't be very dominant of her, and Katniss can't allow that to happen.]

He means to say that you're royal, doesn't he?

[Where she comes from (not that she remembers it) no one is addressed with titles like that, but she's picked up on enough here to know that he's important, he's not someone like her or any of the others. She doesn't fully understand it, and a brief look of confusion flickers over her face as she tries to piece it all together. But looking confused is for children and weak people, of which she is neither, so she puts on her best flat and disinterested look instead. It helps calm her enough to continue talking, as if saying two lines to someone is a whole lot and very hard work.]

You don't look any different than the rest of us.

[What she really means is : he doesn't look any better than the rest of them.]

[king]

[ Arthur's eyebrow's lift at that second comment. He isn't sure if she's being deliberately rude or if she just has no idea who, exactly, he is. ]

You've certainly been looking enough to tell.

[ Unfortunately for Katniss, Arthur's ego has had more than a little boost over the last few days, and he puts his pastry down slowly, leans his forearm against the edge of the table. ]

I'd like to say I'm not.

[ His head tips, slightly arrogant, but his eyes are blue and sincere. Arthur has never really considered himself greater than any other person. But the fact remains that even if he personally isn't better than her, he was a knight long before he walked into that crowded hall. So things are different for him. ]

[ Still, he doesn't elaborate on any of that, just quirks his mouth very slightly. ]

But... I'd be lying. And I did just swear not to do that before all of these excellent people.

[befree]

Is it a crime now, to be curious about someone?

[She doesn't entirely hear what he says after that, as her face turns red and she begins to seethe. She catches just enough to know that he's cocky and arrogant, and she reaches over onto the table to grasp hold of her napkin as hard as possible in order to not hit the smirk off his dainty little face.]

So many people here seem to know who you are.

[Her unimpressed tone of voice clearly says she doesn't, and still doesn't get the big deal about him.]

If you had been introduced the same as the rest of us, I wouldn't have bothered glancing at you at all.

[king]

[ A wince at that. He sucks his teeth for a moment. ]

Yes. Well. It seems Wynnefalshond has a flair for the dramatic.

[ Because honestly, the music, the feast, the use of his title... it's not as though Arthur isn't used to being the center of attention, but sometimes he isn't comfortable with the distance and restrictions and expectations of his role. Particularly when he's no longer the one in charge — at least as king, he didn't really have to care what people thought. But he's back on the bottom of the ladder again, and it's a difficult climb. ]

[ At the same time, he doesn't really blame the other man. Understands, in small part, why it was done. So he doesn't grouse any more than that. ]

[ As for Katniss, she doesn't seem to know who he is, which is sort of pleasant. But he might as well satisfy her curiosity. ]

I ruled here fifteen hundred years ago. Famously, apparently. So there you go, questions answered. Will there be anything else?

[befree]

You don't look fifteen hundred.

[She smirks a little, amused at the fact that she's found someone older than Christos.

Although, she supposes that if he's a squire like her, that means he must have fallen through the mystic river that was mentioned to her and into this world. He's like her in that aspect.]

You look twenty-five at the most.

[She doesn't ask any further questions, not because she doesn't have any, but because she doesn't want to seem to interested in him. Being caught staring at him so many times in one evening was bad enough.]

Was my staring that intimidating? [She jokes, smiling just barely. It's a quick gesture that quickly vanishes, but her tone picks fun at the fact he came over to confront her.]

[king]

Twenty-six.

[ He'd like to scoff at the very idea that he could have been alive for over a thousand years, but now he's well aware it's possible and therefore doesn't. ]

I wouldn't say intimidating.

[ Because Arthur is intimidated by things like the pressure of rule, or incredibly attractive women, and not girls who glare at him during important ceremonies. He quirks an eyebrow, friendly in a supercilious manner. ]

More... distracting.

[befree]

[She arches an eyebrow, unimpressed with his response. Of course she's intimidating, she knows she is. She sits up a little straighter, holds her head higher, and tries not to look annoyed with the fact that she's been called a distraction and not an intimidation.

It really bothers her to be seen as an annoyance and not something to be cautious around.]

I'll have to work harder to come across as intimidating, then.

[She's teasing, and it comes across in her tone, but the look on her face remains as bothered as ever. She briefly glances around the table, just so she won't have to remain focused on him. She notices how many other people are talking in order to have an enjoyable time, and a part of her envies their ability to be able to do that.

She knows that Christos will be watching and judging, and she'll most certainly hear from someone later how terrible and badger-like she is, and how no one wants to attempt to deal with her after what a sour first impression she made upon everyone.

So it's in that instant she copies a woman down the table, that's actually talking and smiling, and attempts to do something called small talk. She doesn't smile, though. There's nothing here to be happy about.]

Apart from my distractions, how well do you think you'll do here?

[This could mean one of many things. She assumes that he'll latch onto the social or emotional aspect of it, but she really wants to know how strong and talented he likes to think he is.]

[militarized]

Whoa, there. [ Ethan seats himself near Katniss, chuckling at her appetite. ] It's not gonna run away if you let it sit on your plate too long, you know.

[befree]

[All of you people, picking on the starved child. YOU CAN SEE HER RIBS, ETHAN. HER RIBS. Well, he can't, because she's wearing clothes, but without them she is a hot, nasty mess. She needs this food, and all of you are giving her complexes.

So he's earned himself a slight sneer as she glances up at him, shoving her plate away from her.]

I'd rather it run away, than not know when I'm going to eat again.

[Her point of eating isn't to taste it, but to eat as much as humanly possible to tide her stomach over for as long as she can. She remembers that detail about wherever she came from very clearly. Binge eating is a hard habit to break.]

[militarized]

Long as you stay here with the knights, I think it's safe to say you're not going to be going without. [ His expression drops from teasing to something genuinely sympathetic, because even despite the clothes, now that he's scrutinizing due to her comment, he can see the signs of undernourishment. He reaches over to push her plate back toward her. ] The spread's dressed up a little fancier than usual, but there's plenty of food. Even on the bad days.

[befree]

[Just ignore Jennifer Lawrence's fat cheeks. There's lots of signs of sad things here. There's even a violin playing in these brackets.

As her plate is shoved back at her, her hands grip hold of it and she stares down at the remaining food instead of allowing herself to look up and over at him.]

You can't promise that will always be the case. Things can change. It's better to take advantage of what's here now, over regretting it later.

[Actually, with how much she's eaten, she's regretting it now. Her stomach is not happy with her.]

[militarized]

You can take advantage without making yourself sick. Eating too much isn't a great deal better than eating too little, you know. [ He tries to make it not sound like an after school special but he has kindly old man voice, so he doesn't really pull it off as well as he wants to. ]

[befree]

I can figure it out on my own.

[Stay out of it, strange man. Still holding onto her place, she turns a look of disapproval in his direction. Enough about her, it's time to turn the tables.]

How long have you been here?

[militarized]

Just around a week. Whole mess of squires got their assignments at a party a lot like this one.

[befree]

Only a week? [She smirks a little. He's very confident here, for being someone basically as new to the setting as she is.]

What have you managed to accomplish here in a week? [She's trying to find out what might come next for her, okay. It's just that all of her questions sound judging or spiteful.]

[everyredcent]

[Christos is across the table, just a few seats down from Katniss, and he seems to be just as unlikely to engage in conversation with most of the people around him. The majority of the things the squires are saying just seems to draw glances of contempt from him, when he even bothers to look over at all, and he classily sips out of a glass of wine as he meanders through the courses, certainly not stuffing himself.

He does, however, shoot several looks down her way that seem to involve genuine curiosity, as if he's taking in her social mannerisms and assessing them. He nods at her once, when they make eye contact.]

[befree]

You should have warned me.

[This is hisses out in a whisper later on, as soon as a seat next to him is available. She's wondering why she hadn't been given a proper play by play of how social and loud the entire event is, from the ceremony to the feast, and she doesn't even want to think about how horrifying the dancing part of the night is going to be.]

[socialgraces]

[And apparently everyone is tired of sitting next to Christos, because there's a vacant seat on the other side of him too. Or, there was until seemingly out of nowhere this woman shows up next to him.

She offers Katniss a very friendly, warm smile (and a diplomacy skill check of 36 to back it up), and doesn't really move to grab Christos's attention, figuring he'll realize she's there on his own.]

[everyredcent]

I hardly think a warning would have sufficed. [He sounds a little bitter, which she has no way of knowing is because he is super distrustful of this whole GIANT FEAST business, but whatever.

Francesca sitting down beside him gets a tiny flit of surprise across his face. He had thought she might be avoiding him, perhaps humiliated by her inability to remember what she'd said the night of the last dance. Women.]

Ah. Francesca... my squire. [He nods to his right at the girl by way of introduction, before realizing introductions go two ways, and he isn't just showing off a pet or something.] Katniss, this is Francesca. She's-- [He stops himself from saying whatever he was about to say] also been a Knight for some time.

[befree]

[She assumes they have history together, basing it off of what she's just observed in his behavior. However, she simply gives a light shrug of her shoulder. It's none of her business, and she really doesn't care enough to think anything beyond that. The woman seems friendly enough, which she's entirely basing off of her smile. You just can't fake smiles like that.

So she nods in Francesca's direction, as if this is a suitable enough intro. He already said everything a stranger needs to know about her, her name and station.

And then she folds her arms up on the table and leans in closer to Christos to bitch at him some more.]

Even a small warning would have sufficed. Did you know who Arthur Pendragon was before tonight?

[socialgraces]

[Francesca answers before he can, as she was anxious to talk to someone other than Dumage about this. She keeps her voice low, though, careful to guard against any sensitive ears that might be listening.] It's a little more complicated than that, I assure you. We knew of Arthur Pendragon, but none of this really lines up with the history of said king. He was, after all, a human ruler some several hundred years ago. [She not condescending when explaining, and she definitely doesn't feel the need to defend Christos (he's defensive enough on his own). It more just comes across like she wants Katniss to understand what's going on, and not just leave her out of the loop.] There's no way that King Arthur could be standing here now in such a youthful state. Right? [And she gives Christos a look, waiting for him to agree with her.]

[everyredcent]

[He had opened his mouth to explain, but closes it sharply when Francesca interjects, taking a drink as he listens to her appraisal. Since he... wanted to know what she thought anyways, but wasn't going to hunt her down to ask her when she was actively not sitting by him 8| ]

Of course not. [But.] Though we've no way of knowing whether his ... consciousness or soul remained after his death. Perhaps that has something to do with it. [No, he does not mean reincarnation, get out] Possession, or something of the like.

[befree]

[Katniss listens to both adults speak, nodding occasionally. She understands that it's a complicated situation, but she just doesn't have any tact. It's a problem.]

Who says that all of the Shadowkind here are even from the Shadow World at all? He could have been easily pulled from his time into this one. There's supposedly spells here, aren't there? Magic?

[She's just said a lot of words here, a lot more than she's used to, so she has to stop to swallow and lick at her lips.]

He seems to have more of his memories than some of us others do. He knows his title, where he's from, how long ago he reigned. I honestly doubt his presence here has anything to do with possession. He's just like the rest of us, lucky enough to be chosen to fall into a new life and title.