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

[postergirl]

Precisely. [Dumage is completely oblivious to the fact that Francesca is just... manipulating her expectations and playing on her ego here.

She's caught up in staring enough that she just asks:] My what?

[Before tearing her gaze off long enough to look back at the other woman, and process what she said] Oh!

Him.

[She averts her eyes, leaning back in her seat casually] He's getting along fine, I'm sure.

[socialgraces]

[She just nods with an amused smile at her reply. She's not surprised that Dumage hasn't taken the mentoring experience seriously. It doesn't really seem like her thing.

Francesca changes topics with ease, as she assumes Dumage doesn't want to talk about her squire anyway. She scans the table up ahead, where all the new squire are seated, and feigns (bluff check 36) a look of concern which she then directs at Dumage.] What about that new squire from last week - Spike? Do you know anything about him?

[Truth is, Francesca finds him fun to talk to, and wants to keep talking to him, but knows she can only justify these actions to Christos if she can figure out Spike's secret, and then come up with a reason it's not so bad. So now she's trying to do just that. She would just NEVER tell Dumage that's what she was doing. She'd never live it down.]

[postergirl]

[And now Dumage completely will misinterpret her interest. She gives her a surprised smile, tone dripping with curiosity] Well, well. I wouldn't have pegged him as your type.

[socialgraces]

Really? Really? I'm curious to hear what you think my type is, for one. And it's not about that. [But half-way through her denying it, she realizes it might work better this way. For lots of reasons... Stupid, petty reasons, sure. But still, she has to work with what she's got. So she shifts her voice towards the end, and now it just sounds like she's a really bad liar.] I'm just... curious is all. I never said I was interested, so don't put words in my mouth. [She doesn't want to actually frame herself, but she knows how this game is played.]

We've talked, briefly, before we were rudely interrupted. Something just seems... different about him. I was just wondering if you'd had a chance to meet him.

[postergirl]

Not someone who calls himself Spike, for one. [But still, Francesca plays her easily, and now she's hooked, so she leans closer conspiratorially]

I haven't yet. But I could arrange it, if you're looking to find out more.

[socialgraces]

Yeah, the name could use some work, but - [Nothing personal against Spike (really, it has nothing to do with him), but she was beginning to feel a rising tide of nausea with each word said to Dumage. It causes her to pause mid-sentence in surprise and she makes a sour face before composing herself and continuing, fake shy smile in place.] I wouldn't mind finding out a little more about him. Make a more informed decision. [And she gives Dumage a coy smile, as if she were talking in some secret code to her.]

[postergirl]

Leave it to me, darling. This is precisely what I do best, after all. [She swings her wine glass between thumb and forefinger, and then takes a sip, a smile still affixed to her lips as she looks down the row at him]

[socialgraces]

Not that I don't trust your talents, [said to the back of her head] but please don't embarrass me. Let's keep this just between us, alright?

[postergirl]

It'll be our little secret.

[socialgraces]

Good. [And she leans back in her chair, crossing her arms.] Anyway, what have you been up to lately, besides avoiding your squire and scoping out the fresh meat?

[postergirl]

I haven't been avoiding him. Not exactly.

[socialgraces]

Uh huh. [She mutters with a disbelieving look.] What's he like? You're squire, I mean? [And she's just honestly curious. Comparing squires in a common past-time in the Knighthood.]

[postergirl]

[shiiiiit] Well, he has this sort of... scruffy headed charm of his own, I suppose.

[socialgraces]

[She smirks] Perhaps we'll have to set up a play-date. Then you can meet my squire as well.

[postergirl]

Oh, we've already met. [Yep. Take that how you will, because it's probably... how she wants you to take it.]

[socialgraces]

[Raised eyebrows of incredulity.] Well, you certainly do get around. That was fast, even for you.

[Joking aside:] When did you meet? And more importantly, what did you think?

[postergirl]

Relax. We only danced.

He's certainly an interesting fellow.

[socialgraces]

Do you mean amusing or intriguing? Or just strange? [She really just wants to know her opinion... which should be obvious from her nagging.]

[postergirl]

I wouldn't go with strange. He just had an awful lot of questions for me, about Wynn in particular.

[socialgraces]

I noticed that too. But I figured his blunt suspicion was probably a good sign that he's not much of threat. It more came across to me that he was quite distrusting of institutions in general.

I guess I should find it comforting he has a mind of his own. It would be awfully boring to have to spend a lot of time with an oblivious yes-man.

[Her gaze inadvertently wanders in his direction as she speaks.]

[postergirl]

Of course, it might mean he could be trouble too. Not going to tow the company line, that sort of thing.

[socialgraces]

Well, hopefully he joined for a reason and is willing to put aside some of his ill feelings for said reason. I suppose I'll just have to see what he does in the next week or two.

[postergirl]

Do you know yet whether he's a Shadow exile or a local? He's obviously spent considerable time in this world already, if he's the former.

[socialgraces]

I'm not sure. Christos mentioned he look like he had some Elf blood, which seems obvious to me now.

I agree though, if he isn't a native to this plane, he's been here for quite some time. Long enough to have retired from the Royal Air Force.

[postergirl]

Maybe they discharged him for distracting the female pilots.