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

[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.]

[king]

I'll give you a lesson.

[ His expression goes blank. He tips his head forwards slightly, blue eyes never leaving hers, and there's a threat in there — perhaps one of lust, or one of violence, but there's something in those eyes that promises danger. ]

[ With deliberation, he slides very slightly forward, rests his arm close enough to hers that it could almost be touching. ]

It's a completely new environment for me. But I've trained men and fought battles and ruled a kingdom, so whatever they throw at me, I'm going to be ready.

[ He doesn't break eye contact. His voice is hard, no trace of his earlier friendliness in it. ]

Perhaps it will play to my skills, or perhaps I'll have to learn new ones. But I will do my very best to bring our enemies to their knees.

[ And then he relaxes, sits back and smiles at her again, playful, taking in her reaction. ]

[befree]

[She tenses as he leans in toward her, not because she's intimidated by his body language or his tone, or even his words. It's because he's so close, and this proximity makes her feel like a cornered animal that needs to lash out in order to have personal space once again.

Her breathing intensifies as she slowly lifts her gaze to stare up at him, cold yet fiery all at the same time. She refuses to blink or break eye contact before him, and her intense stare lasts long after he stops speaking and leans back in his seat.

She takes one, then two deep breaths. In and out, focusing on the personal space she's just been granted. ]

Hardly a lesson.

[She decides, and although her voice comes out a harsh whisper over something more loud, she does her best to continue looking unimpressed and as if he needs to try harder. Or maybe try less, anything to keep him from being in her personal space once again.]

[king]

[ Arthur raises his brows, unsure of her reaction. It seems a bit like fear and a bit like anger, but then she disparages him and he's only more confused. ]

You're telling me you didn't learn anything?

[befree]

I learned that I value my personal space more than I had originally thought.

[This admission is small, almost sheepish and with humor in her voice, as if she's a child reluctant to tell a joke to an older sibling or someone she feels ranks above her.

Of course, she feels Arthur is equal to her, but his reaction has her feeling very childish indeed.]

I guess I should thank you for that.

[king]

[ Arthur tips his head and glances at her, reassessing. ]

That's something, at least.

[ Nope, she's still something of a mystery to him. He can't work out where she's coming from, why she reacts the way she does, although one thing is abruptly clear. ]

My apologies if I made you uncomfortable.

[ Of course, with deliberate intimidation that was sort of the point, but it had kind of just been a joke, playacting. He doesn't actually want to put her out, especially considering she's been all watching and no talking. ]

[befree]

[She doesn't like that he apologizes. Why apologize for something so simple, something that was her own problem? His apologizing makes her feel as if she owes him something, and she really isn't feeling inclined to show gratitude for something she hadn't wanted in the first place.

She frowns more, now just looking confused.]

You didn't.

[She lies, trying to look more self-sure than she currently is feeling. Out of the fact she feels she owes him an apology in return for the one he gave her, she stumbles over her next words.]

I'm sorry for staring.

[There's a pause, and she realizes she doesn't really mean that. She's not sorry for it.]

I guess.