after-party ♔ february

[wynn]

♬ Kodo (Inside the Sun remix) - Yoshida Brothers

WHO || Wynn, any and all Knights not currently on missions (if you are uncertain if your character would be at the castle for this, ask!)
WHAT || Squiring Ceremony Afterparty
WHERE || Knights Headquarters, the Ballroom
WHEN || February 1st, 2014, 6:00PM [backdated]
HOW || Prose OR Actionspam

The "afterparty" is the real main event of the night at every squiring, but tonight's party is a little different than usual - Faith has successfully lobbied (as in roped people into helping her decorate for) a Chinese New Year's party, or Lunar New Year, theme.  With Knights from all over the world, it was easy to get input from those who traditionally celebrate the holiday, and Wynn is all about the spirit of cultural unity.  Not to mention, the second of the 15 days of the spring festival is all about spending time with one's family and friends.  

The lavish, opulent ballroom has been transformed, filled with red lanterns, peach blossoms, kumquat plants, and chrysanthemums.    People are encouraged to dress in red to ward off evil spirits and bad luck, and avail themselves of the New Year's Cake, golden champagne cocktail, rice pudding, candied fruits, and the Tray of Togetherness.

As always, it is every new Knight's chance to mingle and meet some of their new brothers in arms. Of course, a couple hours are provided following the ceremony 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 you aren't shy. They're all here to meet you.

Feel free to make your own open threads for people to come congratulate your newly pledged knight.

ooc; also if your Knight wants to get all gussied up, you can make a Disguise (Cha) check for how good they were at hair/makeup/stylin', etc! This goes for... any time.

Comments

[lastdragomir]

Nothing to fear. [ it's hard not to smile with him around, honestly. ] How was your mission with David? Kept yourselves out of trouble, I hope.

[bluffcheck]

Afraid to say we dove into the thick of it. But that man's built like an ox and twice as strong. Saved my skin out there.

[lastdragomir]

[ she makes a tsking noise because he shouldn't be going and getting hurt. it'll be a small miracle if lissa manages to get knighted, she things, considering how much she abhors violence. ] You could have just lied.

[bluffcheck]

[He realizes that she's right. He's lied plenty since he's been here. He's lied about more important things than the details of his mission. But that's part of the problem.]

Been trying to be a more honest man, lass. No need to worry. We made it home, safe and sound.

[lastdragomir]

But you were hurt in the first place. [ she can't help fixating on it, can't help the way her forehead wrinkles and skeins of worry ripple through her jade eyes. everyone is getting hurt. ]

[bluffcheck]

The work we do is dangerous, lass. [He puts a hand out to her arm, to comfort her.] Do you think I much liked coming upon you after that bastard knocked you unconscious? [The vampire one.] But we signed up to try to do some good. And we did! Found a group of people that were going to be sold as slaves. Instead, they'll be finding their way to freedom... peace.

Sometimes doing good things requires us to get our hands dirty. And I won't ever shy from that.

[lastdragomir]

[ she knows all this. and it's what she loves about the knights; helping people where others can't, using her gifts to help people instead of just letting them hide inside her. but it doesn't mean she will ever be okay with the idea of her friends in danger. there is a reason she is most powerful in healing.

she makes a brief expression of frustration before it clears to the smallest smile. she's trying. ] I am glad you helped them, I am. But I can't really be glad that you were hurt in the process, can I?

[bluffcheck]

[She's sweet... Possibly too sweet to be mixed up with in all this, and especially with someone like him. But it reminds him of his sweet little sister, Annabelle.]

Never asked you to celebrate it, and I never will. But y'can't go expecting me to keep my nose clean on every mission. I can promise you that I'll do my damnedest to always make it back home in enough pieces to sew back together. How's that?

[lastdragomir]

[ she makes a face, all scrunched up NO I HATE THIS PLAN. but she nods anyway. ] Why do I have the feeling I'm going to be the one doing the sewing? [ bc you adopt heroic idiots, lissa. ]

[bluffcheck]

Because you found it in your heart to care about an scoundrel like me. [He cracks a grin and slides an arm around her shoulders, squeezing lightly.]

[lastdragomir]

Between you and David, I wouldn't be surprised if I lost my mind. [ which she says as a joke, but is not actually funny at all because that's what spirit will eventually do to her. ]

[bluffcheck]

Ah, lass- we wouldn't let that happen. [No really. If he ever found out about that, he would go to hell and back to stop it 8( ]

But I'm alive, aren't I? Strong as ever and with a better story to tell! All over, it seems like a victory to me.

[lastdragomir]

I suppose you better tell me the whole story then, hadn't you? [ SEE LOOK, she dropped it. ]

[bluffcheck]

There's a girl. [He's very proud okay. But you are sure asking for it.]

I wrote a song about it. [Of course you did.] Care to hear it?

[lastdragomir]

Of course. [ attentive audience, party of one! ]

[bluffcheck]

[Awh yeah gonna sing you the song of his people... or his adventure, w/e. It comes with a lot of bold gestures and hilarious facial expressions, but also dat voice. There's a reason the guy doesn't pick up an instrument very often and it's because he doesn't really need to (perform 21).]

[lastdragomir]

[ ]

That was lovely! [ lissa is a stellar audience, smiling and reacting just how she's supposed to. ]

[bluffcheck]

[He gives the biggest bow at the end because that is just how he do.]

Only half as lovely as you, my dear. But I'm glad you liked it. I have to admit- these missions do give me quite a bit to work with.

[lastdragomir]

Have you written one for our adventures in Massachusetts?

[bluffcheck]

Aye, I did. I was hoping you'd ask. [He launches into the song (perform 19). Except its not quite how it happened. See Calista is a terrible maiden to sing about so Thoster had to improvise. So his song is about a beautiful and brave princess with lovely golden hair. It's basically a song about him trying to save Lissa, but with all sorts of exaggerated details about the vampire stalker and how valiantly they all fought before the good cleric obliterated him.]

[lastdragomir]

[ she gives him such a look, it's hard to tell if she is delighted, exasperated or complimented. MAYBE ALL THREE. (it's all three.) and she beams at him when he's finished. ]

I do recall that going just a little differently. [ but she is going to let it slide. he called her a princess. and while it's true... every girl loves to be called a princess. thoster for best big brother award 2014. ]

[bluffcheck]

Give me a few months and no one will know any different than I just sang. There's power in a song. Never forget that.

[lastdragomir]

I dimly recall you singing at the party or was I mistaken? [ no bb you were knocked out. ]

[bluffcheck]

I sing just about everywhere I go. I'm afraid a lot of that night is a haze. I was mostly concerned with making sure you were safe.

[lastdragomir]

I was fine. [ YOU WERE UNCONSCIOUS, LISSA. but she brushes that off like nbd, she wasn't the important one to the mission, callista was. ]