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

[servant]

[He's heard that accent before, when he first arrived in Ireland itself, before being approached and brought back here.]

Alainn it is. But only if you call me just Merlin. That is allowed, isn't it?

[He glances to the tip of her ear and back to her eyes. And it takes him a moment to respond, because he's wondering, trying to come up with the proper way of asking.]

Uh...yeah, definitely! I couldn't eat another bite.

[Merlin laughs, in part because he totally could eat more. But he doesn't want to act a hog.]

How long have you been a knight?

[attollores]

[She pauses mid-bite when he says that, not caring that she already had three helpings of the meal already. She's hungry, and sure to work up an appetite later while dancing. She don't care bout looking piggy, she just wants to eat :)]

O'course it's okay, I don't mind callin' people just by their names, it's far too stuffy sounding otherwise. [She grins after washing another bite down with a copious amount of wine.]

I've been a Knight for about [she rolls her eyes, doing mental calculations of what month it is ] four years now thereabouts! Before that I was in Ireland a year, and before that... well I couldn't honestly tell ye. [She shrugs, taking another swill of wine and looking around the room before meeting his eyes again. Talking to others who've come through the Veil is always interesting to Alainn and though she knows it can be an uncomfortable subject for some, she doesn't mind sharing her experience with others who are curious.]

Guess a lot of us are in the same boat as to how we got here. [She smiles again in an honestly curious way.] Do ye remember much about where ye come from?

[servant]

[...On the other hand, it would be rude for him to let her eat alone. Maybe just one of those dragon-shaped pastries. A little cream and some strawberries. And one more egg. Altogether not enough to even count as a bite!]

Four years.

[Merlin repeats it with an impressed raise of his eyebrows. He's got a pretty good idea of just how long that can feel, since he's been Arthur's servant for just a little longer than that.]

Hm. [He presses his lips together thoughtfully at the question.] Yeah, I guess so. I remember what I did every day and the people I came across. [But he knows it's likely that his memory is full of ghosts now, if not blanks. And it's slightly unsettling. Merlin tilts his head before looking back at her.] Does it bother you at all? Not being able to remember?

[attollores]

[That question causes her to place her food down gently, her head bowing as she takes a smaller drink of wine. When she looks back up to Merlin there is a sadness in her eyes that is unmistakable, but also an acceptance. She nods, her smile coming a bit slower this time around.]

Aye, it bothers me, though not so much as it used to. When I first "landed" here, or however one would put it... [She trails off, gathering her thoughts]

Once I got used to the fact that I not only had no memory but I had to learn everything about living in this world, including the language, I adapted pretty easily. The clothes I was wearing and the unfamiliarity of everything gave me clues to the fact that not only was this not my true home, but it wasn't my true dimension, or my true race either. The fact that I only spoke Elvish should have been me first clue... [This last is said wryly, to alleviate the heavy atmosphere.]

That and the fact that I came with a bird. That shoulda clued me in as well, but it was natural enough to me, why would I question it? [She chuckles at that last, her good humor apparently fully restored now.]

[servant]

[Merlin swallows hard, wishing he hadn't asked when he sees her eyes that way. But she tells him anyway, and Merlin's softer smile is all gratitude and apology. He should remember to be grateful that he didn't arrive alone, that he at least remembered something, as bittersweet as that was.]

Elvish?

[He says the word with a quick glance to the tips of her ears. And then another question.]

You have a bird? Really? What kind?

Someday I will get this darn link to work...

[attollores]

[Alainn smiles easily enough this time, nodding at his inquiries. She chuckles at his sudden interest in her bird, seeing this as a good sign. People's reaction to her bird is usually how she determines whether she will like them very much or not. They have a weird connection, okay? :) She answers his first question to start.]

Aye, Elvish. That sort of was what helped me to figure out that I'm a Half-Elf, that and the ears, though... I couldn't tell ye what sort of Elvin blood I have. I suppose it makes no difference in the end since I'll never really know and it's there to stay. [Her grin widens impossibly as she leans forward eagerly, her hands moving as she talks now.]

And yes, I've a bird and her name is Fede! She really is a love though... I had to tell her to scoot for the night. She and public eating really don't make the best combination. [She scrunches her face thinking of how and what her bird eats. NOT pretty.]

She's a red-tailed Hawk, acutally. I've a picture if you'd like to see? You can meet her after the feast, too if you'd like! [She proffers a photo of a rather Large Bird, smiling like a proud mother.]

done! \o/

[servant]

Yeah, you should keep what you've got. Err...blood and ears. They've worked well for you so far.

[He grins, taking the picture carefully and studying it. It's the first time he's ever seen a photo, and he's amazed in equal parts by it and the bird itself.]

Wow, she's beautiful. Very regal. I would like to meet her.

[Merlin nods, offering the photo back to her.]

You know, a merlin...it's a type of falcon. We share a name.

Yay!! *So proud of myself*

[attollores]

Then meet her you shall. Boy, she'll be happy to hear you think she's regal looking. It'll only serve to inflate her ego, so I caution you not to compliment her too highly.

Aye, when we first came here she had no name, neither of us did. But I took my time finding one that I thought worked for her and, honestly Merlin was one of the names I wanted for her, because of that connection. Stubborn wench would have none of it though. [She rolls her eyes, making a very un-lady like "pfft" sound, then she chuckles as she looks back to him, taking a drink of wine.]

So ye like birds then, eh? What else interests you, what do you do for fun?

i never doubted you for a minute.

[servant]

Don't worry about that. I'm used to dealing with big egos.

[Merlin grins at that, food suddenly forgotten as he listens to her.]

Can't say as I rightly blame her. Fede's a much nicer name. Not that I have any problems with 'Merlin' either. I'd just be miserable if I did. And yeah, I like most animals, actually. And-

[An abrupt stop.]

Fun, oh. I don't actually have much time for it.

[Which sounds kind of pathetic. Because it is.]

I enjoy eating?

Thank you, thank you

[attollores]

I can imagine you're only too used to dealing with them. [She chuckles at that, thinking of the one's he'll have to deal with here.]

And I think Merlin is a splendid name!! I kept tellin' her she'd be one lucky bird if she took to it, but in the end Fede it was.

[Her eyebrows furrow when he says he doesn't have time for fun. Whaaaat? Well, that was definitely something they would need to fix! Cuz Alainn is a meddler and she strongly believes everyone needs some fun in their lives, even if that means she has to drag them into it.]

No time for fun?! But everyone has to make time for it at least once a day! Especially around here. Trust me, if you've nothing fun to do, you'll become a bigger nutter than Lan, or stodgier than Hashmed and Solace. [Her tone makes it perfectly clear that to her that would be the worst thing in the entire world to happen to anybody ever!]

Don't you worry though, I'll help ye out! [And that she is completely serious about that promise or threat, however you choose to see it. ]

[servant]

Once a day?

[Merlin laughs, because he can't even imagine that. Sure, feasts were kind of fun, even if he had to work. And Arthur's birthday was always filled with interesting things to see. (Even if the last one wasn't so great.) But those were just a handful of days a year. Not every day.]

Thanks...

[He's still smiling, but eyeing her too, wondering if he should be slightly worried about her offer to 'help' him despite being told not to worry.]

I wouldn't want to trouble you though. And what is it that you do for fun again?

[attollores]

[She lets out a delighted laugh, the little traces of worry on his face spurring her on. Her hands were already mischievously rubbing together in her mind.

Trouble me? Are ye kidding? I consider it as part of my duty as a fellow Knight to show ye just what you've been missin'! [Her eyes glance around as she quickly scans the room for a prank victim. She starts giggling like mad as she spots the perfect prey.

Leaning in closer to him she points to the dance floor where Sir Fred is standing, swaying in time to the music.]

Notice how he's keeping the rhythm? This is just a wee little taste of some of the things we do for fun here. [She points her finger at Fred, whispering just loud enough that Merlin can hear her say] Apprehendo adstrinxi! [And booyah, she totally gets a Nat 20 to not hit someone else! She lets out another giggle, looking between Fred and Merlin. When the crowd parts enough to let them see him clearly once more it is quite obvious that where he had been keeping rhythm before, he is now not moving at all. Still as a statue.]

He's totally going to blame Kat for this!!

[servant]

[Merlin follows her gaze, a bit too curious for his own good. He focuses on the one she points out. His eyes widen at the words, and he quickly covers his mouth with his hand to hide the laughter.]

Wait, won't Kat get into trouble though? And just how many people have magic here?

[attollores]

[She lets out a few more chuckles, leaning back to take a sip of wine. Her smile is even more mischievous as she sets it down.]

Well, Fred might be a bit vexed at Kat, but the worst he'll do is try to get back at her. And trust me, pulling pranks is not one of Fred's strong suits! But he wouldn't get mad at her, we do this all the time.

As for magic users... well we've a good number of Mages and Wizards here in this castle alone, not including in all the different Knights Headquarters around the world. Also not including the Clerics and Psionics, though the psionic department is really quite new. Basically it's in the fledgling stages yet.

[She looks back over to Fred again, points and says] Dispalarum magicus [releasing him from the spell. She turns back to Merlin, her eyes twinkling.]

So what now?

[servant]

[Merlin's a little more free with his laughter once he's sure that no one will get in any serious trouble. He remembers feeling like he needed to be careful with his...but he also remembers that he wasn't always.]

There are a lot of us, then?

[Magic users and knights. Magic users who were knights, and knights who could use magic. Merlin really likes the idea of that.]

Well I guess I've learned my first lesson on having fun.

[His smile drops.]

Probably shouldn't use it on Arthur though. He's quick and his aim is good.

[attollores]

Aye, there are lots of us. It's a pretty good feeling, too. And that was only the smallest taste of having fun! You didn't even get to do anything yet!

[She bites her lip, thinking for a moment. But it's hard to come up with fun things to do when they're already at a party, and there are so many stuffed shirts around. And then he mentions Arthur. From what she'd seen, stuffed shirt number one. She rolls her eyes at the mention of him, waving a hand dismissively.]

Bah, he looks like he'd be no fun at all to pull a prank on, I wouldn't dream of wasting our time with that! I've gotta think of something really great.

In the meantime, why don't you meet Fede? It looks as though most everyone is done eating anyway! [She lets out a shrill whistle, her head swiveling towards one of the very highest windows as she reaches towards it with her hand rising palm up.]

Agitatio res. [She mutters this while keeping her eyes fixed on the window. It pops open at the words, swinging wide. Seconds later this huge bird comes sailing through the window, circling slowly as she lowers towards Alainn's outstretched hand.

She lands gracefully, her feathers ruffling as she settles in. Then she slowly turns her head towards Merlin, cocking it to the side and giving him a considering look. After a moment of this she lets out a soft prawk. It sounds eerily like she says "hello." In bird.]

[servant]

[It is a good feeling, to know it's not just him, that he's not going to get into trouble.]

[Well, it's possible the pranks could get him into trouble. But one doesn't need magic for that.]

[Merlin follows her eyes to the window, tries to catch her words before the bird flies in and makes him forget everything else. Much bigger than the picture...of course he should've known that.]

[His smile fades only a little when she tilts her head towards him, and he wonders if he'll get pecked if he doesn't meet Fede's approval. But then she greets him and he laughs, eyes flashing from the bird to Alainn.]

Did you teach her that?

[Wait, where are his manners.]

Sorry. Erm, it's nice to meet you Fede.

[attollores]

[She just smiles as he looks at her slightly Gollum-esque precious precious bird, chuckling at his greeting.]

No, I didn't teach her that a'tall. She uh... is quite intelligent, this one. [As she says this, Fede hoots softly, her chin lifting a bit as though to say "of course she didn't teach me that." If she could sniff she would.

When Merlin greets her she looks at him again, haughtily. Then she prawks and gently glides to his hand, settling her weight and making herself comfortable before looking up into his eyes. The look in hers seems far too knowing for a normal bird. Almost like she can tell things about him. Or something like that.]

Show off [Alainn mutters this, but there is a tender smile on her face as she looks between them.]

[servant]

Yeah, I can see that - intelligent.

[And the show off part too, though Merlin doesn't dare say that out loud. He gets the impression that Fede would understand him...and he's within striking distance.]

Obviously special.

[Merlin studies Fede as closely as the bird studies him, a little smile on his lips. He keeps his arm perfectly still, not wanting to disturb it.]

[attollores]

[Alainn watches them for a moment more, a look of pure concentration on her face as her eyebrows pucker. And then she Crit fails her Will save, oops. DC Spot check of 12 to notice this. Her eyes flash a sudden gold, the exact same shade as Fede's.

The bird turns her head towards Alainn, cocking it to the side. Alainn's eyes remain like that for a few brief seconds before they go back to their normal green. Fede begins to preen herself while sitting on Merlin, ignoring him completely now. Alainn sighs, shaking her head in exasperation, but smiles widely at Merlin.]

She likes ye, though I could've figured that one out on me own, ye big intruder. [This last was obviously directed at the bird, then she looks back to Merlin again, smiling.]

In her words, "you are safe, friendly."

[servant]

"And she's a good judge of character."

[Merlin looks back at Alainn, mirroring her smile. He missed the gold of her eyes, but that's definitely something they have in common.]

I like her too. She's almost as nice as you are.

[attollores]

Almost is right. [She chuckles again, reaching for her wine and taking another drink.] And she really is a good judge of character, you're one of the nicest people here I'd wager!

[She sits quietly for a moment after saying this, a growing look of embarrassment on her face. Finally she looks up at him, her face slightly tinged with red.]

So, I feel as though I should apologize to ye, Merlin. [She starts to fidget nervously, her face going more red as she seems to just... run out of words. Her embarrassment is nearly palpable as she sits next to him, her hands wringing in her lap.]

[servant]

Thank you.

[Merlin feels a touch of heat in his own ears. But it fades when she mentions apologies, and he watches her, slightly concerned.]

There's no need for that. You haven't done a thing wrong, as far as I can tell.

I'm sorry for how long this is gonna be, apparently she has a lot to say... :P

[attollores]

[She fidgets for another second, then finally takes a deep breath and looks at him, face flaming red. Her resolve seems to have returned and she says in a quick rush of words, barely drawing breath:]

But I do need to apologize to ye. You see when I first "landed" here one of the things that fascinated me the most was all the tales of you, and of Arthur, and of the things you two did together, and particularly of what you did and the contributions that you've made to magic, and how amazing you are and[She stops abruptly, realizing how terrible all of that sounded and how quickly it all came out. She takes in a deep breath, holding up her hand to indicate that she plans on trying again.]

Okay, what I'm trying to say is that I have a problem with idealizing people. Especially people for whom I have a lot of respect and awe. And at the same time, I also realize that all of these things I thought about you aren't fair to you.

Not because you aren't a great man, or a great Sorceror, or that you won't grow to be those things. It's not fair to you for me to look at you that way because those stories and histories and legends aren't you. I know that you're from a different... plane or something like that, and though you are the same man per se, you still aren't the man from the books I've read.

So, I need to just cool my fan-girl jets and get to know this Merlin for who you are, which I have already come to the conclusion that you are really damn awesome. And I know you'll be just as amazing as the Merlin I've looked up to for the past five years, I just need to stop thinking you're someone you aren't. Yet. Which I have already.

So, I'm sorry. [Annnnd she stops talking finally, looking at Merlin with an expectant and embarrassed face.]

never apologize that was amazing. ;-;

[servant]

[Merlin listens closely, because he still hasn't the slightest idea of what it is she needs to apologize for. And as her words tumble and he takes them in, Merlin's eyes get a little wider. And the red in the tips of his ears spreads, splashes color across his cheekbones and down the back of his neck.]

[She's sincere though, that much is obvious. And Merlin finds that touching. So he's smiling as she nears the end, shy but warm. He's not entirely sure what one does with that sort of apology, one that leaves you feeling better instead of reminding you of hurt or insult. He just wants her to be at ease again.]

I never even thought about people having an interest in me - the me of legend, apparently. [It had all been about Arthur, and even Merlin was curious about that. He was just a shadow in the background. Support.]

I'm flattered. But I'm also happy that you want to get to know me for me. And I'll do everything in my power to make you proud for knowing me. [He grins at her, his own embarrassment finally fading.] We can make our own legends. Together. That's better than reading about them anyway, don't you think?