knightsoflegend | feast & after-party ♔ empty my heart | i've got to make room for this feeling

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feast & after-party ♔ empty my heart | i've got to make room for this feeling

♬ 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.

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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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Laughing:] I'm pretty sure no one would be able to stop laughing long enough to break the thing open.

You know that saying "I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole..."?

Pfft, I bet there are plenty of people here, though they wouldn't admit it, who would love to take a whack at the Dragon's Tongue. Or just certain members.

[She gives a few more chuckles, swiping the tears away from her eyes with the palm of her hand and wiping off most of her makeup as she does. Finally she heaves out a breath, leaning her side against the balcony to face him, hugging her stomach once more to stay warm.]

Yeah, now I really like the idea of a huge Tongue pinata, I can't lie. Can't think of a single thing that would be better...

Unless there were multiple tongue pinatas.

You know, I really hope you've got some kinda spell to whip these up, because my pinata making skills are not what they used to be.

Well now, aren't you the one who professed to be so good at making papier mache cranes? I'm sure we can come up with something...along those lines?

...besides, as far as I know there isn't a spell for pinata making. BUT, we could always order them made. You know, write it off as a training expense! Unless you have a better suggestion?

[She says the last playfully, giving him a teasing grin. Lol and apparently she is full of critical failures tonight because she just Crit Failed her Fort save v.s. the cold. The wind rises, sudden and unexpected from the lawn and sweeps the balcony with a biting gust of freezing wind. She can't help the violent shiver that suddenly rips through her frame, the wind completely reducing her ability to play off the cold to nothing, especially since she is wearing a sleeveless gown. Her arms wrap more firmly around herself, but she is nowhere near done with this conversation, so no little wind will deter her!]

Origami cranes... it's... totally different. [He fades off into a mumble, and then notices the shivering] You look like you're freezing. Are you sure you don't wanna go back inside? I mean between... the cold and the near death experience...

No! No, I-I'm o-okay, promise. J-just that wind t-took me by surprise. I c-can tough it out![Her teeth begin to chatter in earnest, but pfft she's tough, she'll be stupid and keep at it.]

Okay, s-so Origami and papier mache are two different things, fiiiine. What else could we u-use for the T-Tongue? Umm... well we c-could use cellphones, p-pen and p-paper...

O-oh! How abbbout a d-debate at the end!! We'd have to think of relat-tive topics, but the better debater would win! [She makes a face as she finishes saying that, not liking her own idea. The cold is starting to affect her thought processes.]

[He just watches her with increasing concern growing on his face, finally putting a hand tentatively on her shoulder, and turning her to face the doors] Somehow I think you freezing to death wouldn't really contribute to the scavenger hunt party festival mood. We've got a good start at least. C'mon, let's go... find a fire to put you by. Or start one.

[She gives in, turning with him and actually stepping a bit closer towards his warmth. She can't help it, his hand feels so good on her freezing shoulder she isn't objecting to the touch at all ~~like she would anyway~~. More shivers wrack her frame as they go back through the doorway and they start heading to the nearest fireplace.]

I t-think that sounds like a g-good idea. Do you l-like hot cocoa? I c-could make us some and we can keep going, if you'd like?

[She half-turns to look at him, her eyes wide as she tries to gauge his mood, whether or not he seems like he wants to be done for the night. She's sorely afraid of keeping him from doing what he wants, but even more afraid of him leaving so soon.]

I get the feeling enthusiasm is your middle name. [It's not teasing, he really does sound impressed and chuckles as they head out of the ballroom to the hallway.] And who in the heck doesn't like hot cocoa, that's my question...

[As the heat of the building and her close proximity to Mark finally begin to work their magic, her shivers begin to subside. She heads them towards the kitchen, smiling over her shoulder at him shyly at his comment. Her smile becomes a full-blown grin when she turns into the kitchen, a chuckle coming out of her mouth.]

"Enthusiasm?" Aye, I like that better than the middle name I don't currently have. [She chuckles again, stepping away from him to set the water to boiling.[] I wonder if I can get that on my paper work...

And I know, what a silly question to ask if ye like hot cocoa or not, but c'mon. Sometimes people are crazy like that. Gotta have some sort of screening system, eh?

[He yanks out a chair, scraping it along the floor, and sitting in in backwards, resting both arms on the back.]

Wynn should really administer that one right out of the gate, I think.

[She grabs two over-sized mugs, milk and a spoon, and the hot-cocoa mix from the cupboard while she waits for the water to boil. She pulls out her own chair across from him and sits, nodding her head.]

Y'know, I think that's something we should definitely bring up at the next all-staff meeting. It's a great cause for concern, not knowing if your fellow Knight would be willin' to sit and have a cup of hot cocoa with you or not. Just doesn't feel right. [She shakes her head in a dejected manner, but can't keep the smile from busting through again.]

Okay, so we've yet to establish what we really want for the Tongue. I guess that a pinata would be out of the question. [The pot lets out the first high-pitched notes of steam and she gets up to flick the stove off, mixing a cup up for each of them, making sure to add a good amount of milk to make it creamy.

She turns, proffering one towards Mark carefully, then setting her own down to cool a bit.]

But I do have to say that I really like the pinata idea. Can't get it outta my head.

[He takes the cup gratefully] Thanks.

[And then looks down at it as it cools, thinking hard] You know, we should maybe writing all these down...

[because he already can't remember all the ones they've already said...] I'm sure we could find a way to make the pinata think work. Where there's a will...

[She nods her head, taking a sip of her cocoa to test the temperature, then sighs as the warmth of it rushes down to her belly.]

There is definitely a way! I'll just give my pinata guy a call tomorrow and have him make up a few. [She screws her nose up, looking around for a pen and paper but coming up with nothing.]

We should be writing this down, though I don't have my PDA on me at the moment. I have writing stuff in my room...

In your... [He stops himself, as if he can't even say the word, and then looks down at his cocoa again as if holds all the secrets of the universe]

Do you wanna, uh... go get those and I can... watch our hot chocolate?

[Her eyebrows raise and she takes another drink of her cocoa, setting it down once more. Did he think she had plans to off him if he came to her room? She leans back, totally at ease and shakes her head lightly, a teasing smile playing on her lips.]

And leave ye here with my cocoa to drink it all for yourself? Ye just confessed how much you love it. I'm onto you, Sir. [She says this all in an overly-dramatic fashion like she's a detective and she's figured out the suspects motivation.]

Nah, I was just considering how mad it'd make Fede to have her bring it here. Definitely not mad enough that I'd leave my cocoa unattended!

[With that she turns her head away from him to try and conceal her eyes somewhat, not sure how he would take it. They flash gold briefly as she sends Fede the message to bring her tablet to the kitchen, then turns back to him slowly as they fade back to green once more.]

She'll be here in just a moment.

[He totally misses the change in her eyes, awkwardly shifting his mug back and forth before taking a tiny sip and wincing at the heat of it. He blows on the liquid and looks back up at her, looking a little surprised] Your uh.... that's your bird, right?

[She nods, taking another sip of her drink.]

Aye, the very same. [A few seconds go by before Fede comes soaring into the room to land on the table between the two of them, Alainn's tablet in it's case still clutched in her talons. She looks up at Alainn and prawks, very obviously put out about having to bring it here.]

I know, I know I owe you one. Thank you love, you can go back to get your beauty sleep now. [Fede prawks again but instead of leaving the room she flies up to perch on top of the fridge, tucking her head inside of her wing.

Alainn shakes her head, then reaches for her tablet, taking it out and beginning to type quickly on the keypad.]

Okay, so we have so far: One, scales for the Dragons Hide, check.

[Mark's eyes are fixated on the bird, even as she starts talking again. It takes a moment for him to blink and come back to the conversation.]

... Right! Scales.

... Or we could use like ... a set of scales, like those little balances. Get it? People love puns, right?

[She follows his gaze up to Fede, then back again.]

That they do! I think I like that better than just a big...animal scale hanging out. Much less morbid looking. It could be something that has to do with "weighing their worth...blah blah blah."

[She types that in, then looks back up to him. She nods at Fede on the fridge, cocking her head to the side.]

Are ye bothered by her? I can send her out if ye like...

Oh no, no, no. [He waves a hand dismissively] She's fine. Just... big.

That's a... big bird.

Aye, that she is, but she's gentle as a lamb... For the most part. Here, let me introduce you two.

[She chuckles, then lets out a shrill whistle. Fede lifts her head up imperiously, shaking out her feathers and stretching. Alainn holds her arm up and the bird flies down to it gracefully. She still looks a bit put out, but swivels her head in Mark's direction, cocking her head to the side much like Alainn had moments ago.]

See? She's a big love, really, she just has a big ego too. Her name's Fede.

Hey there, Fede. [He obviously doesn't know whether reaching forward is a good idea or not, so he just looks at her from his side of the table] ... Does it mean something?

She won't hurt ye, I promise. You can pet her if you'd like. [She extends her arm out towards him slowly so she won't startle him, smiling encouragingly. Fede just looks at Mark, head still cocked to the side curiously.]

Fede means "Faith" in Italian. I... when we came here I couldn't remember her name and neither could she. I guess perhaps she never had one, but I... [She pauses, remembering vividly landing here and not having a clue about who or what she was, but Fede had been there, more familiar to her than her own self. She hadn't wanted both of them to be nameless for so long as they had together, so her bird became her Fede.]

I didn't want both of us to be nameless. She was the only thing I knew, so when I learned this language I sought a word that represented what she was to me. [She smiles lovingly at Fede, reaching out her other hand to stroke her along the back with a single digit.]

Faith.

Faith. [He smiles a bit at that, unable to help himself.] I like that. [He reaches out an index finger crooked towards her head very slowly, reaching for under her beak. (handle animal 13)]

Hey there, Fede... Who's a good bird?

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