CLOSED ♔ knighting ceremony

[ironsides]

WHO || Wynn, Hook, Thoster, David Levin, Lanston Wellington, Belle, Lila, Faye, Amara, Erky, Gold, Buffy, Spike, Luthir, Fred Jr., Eric, , Mark, Edain, Riddick, Jaime, Jaina, Dimitri, Miles, various other unnamed members of the Dragon's Hide [closed]
WHAT || Hook's full Knighting ceremony; induction into the Dragon's Hide
WHERE || Knight's Headquarters, the Great Hall
WHEN || May 24th, 2014 evening
HOW || Actionspam

Unlike the grandiose nature of the squiring ceremony each Knight undergoes upon their initial entrance into the Knighthood, the graduation to Full Knight status takes place in a much more intimate affair, between the Knight, their mentor, invited friends, and the members of the sect to which they will be inducted. There's no pompous music, no stolid rank and file, no elaborate march.

Hook's invitees are given seats of honor at the front of the ranks of the Dragon's Hide members - the largest sect in the castle, with the most representatives here, and Dovan, Wynn, and Thoster wait up at the front of the room for David to approach them, but the attitude of the ceremony is much more relaxed, full of smiles and light conversation on all sides.

Wynn finally gets things rolling, by saying in his loud listen-to-me voice: "Approach and kneel, Sir Killian Jones."

Comments

[uncurse]

I know that talking about it isn't helping, so how about we start there?

[unhand]

There seems to be rather a lot you don't want to talk about, Swan. What, pray tell, would be a safe conversation topic?

[uncurse]

Congratulations.

[ she hurries it out, hands finding her hips. she nods as an afterthought. ]

You, uh. You made it. So, good work.

[unhand]

[That's not really the topic change he was expecting. He looks a little surprised, but he smiles still, a teasing glint in his eye.]

...thanks, love. Did you doubt me?

[uncurse]

Well, you are a pirate.

[unhand]

Aye, that I am. [There's a note of sadness, but it's not entirely detectable. He's a pirate. Untrustworthy and ungentlemanly. It's not hard to get the undertones.] But now I am a knight as well. Perhaps the two titles cancel each other out.

[uncurse]

Something to ask Thoster about, I guess.

[unhand]

I suppose he'd know, if anyone did. [He hesitates a moment, then holds out a hand.] But as his countenance isn't nearly so lovely to look upon, I think I'll wait on that. Dance with me?

[uncurse]

I really wasn't planning on staying. I need to look into this memory curse idea and see if it can carry water. [ she glances towards the door, hedging, and then meets his gaze. her lips purse and she relents, raising her hand to fit it in his. ] All right, one song.

[unhand]

[He grins at her, teeth flashing as he pulls her into his arms.] It would be a shame to break such a lovely pattern. Parties where I don't get to dance with you are dull affairs indeed.

[uncurse]

Save it.

[ she rolls her eyes, settling her free hand on his shoulder. she takes her time in turning her face to look up at him. ]

It's not a pattern. [ there's nothing she can say in support of that—it's sheer stubborn denial. ]

[unhand]

My mistake. [He doesn't sound remotely convinced. It is a pattern, Emma. It's the very definition of a pattern. But he's not about to pick a fight about their relationship status while the music's playing and wow, dance 22, he's not fucking around today.] But it's very nice, whatever you'd like to call it.

[uncurse]

[ with a dance of 11, emma is not pulling out any fancy moves. she's able to follow relatively well, only getting behind a few times and having to hurry to catch up. ]

"It"? [ yeah. watch her withdraw into her turtle shell. ]

[unhand]

Dancing with you. [He doesn't seem aware of any faltering. Probably because he's too busy giving her a besotted smile. To him, she's perfect.

But he doesn't want her to close off. He spins her and gives a slight shrug.] It's just fun.

[uncurse]

Then, what's what we'll call it.

[ she nods her agreement, schooling her face into a carefully neutral expression with just a slight turn at the corners of her mouth. she moves out with the spin, and turns back in without doing anything fancy about it. ]

[unhand]

[He gives her a subdued smile as he pulls her back against him, but it doesn't take long for it to sharpen into a smirk.]

I do enjoy having fun with you, then, Swan.

[uncurse]

I'm sure you would.

[ because she's taking that smirk to mean he's deliberately making that sound less like dancing now. she suppresses her smile, gaze dropping away from his eyes briefly to consider his mouth. ]

[unhand]

[Yeah, of course it's deliberate. He bites the inside of his lip, looking far too pleased. But he's dancing with Emma. He's got a lot of reasons to be pleased.] You don't look too miserable at the notion yourself.

[uncurse]

I’m a better liar than you are.

[ she does a better job at fighting the smile this time, but it still breaks through. when she turns her face away, it’s in an attempt to disguise that look. ]

[unhand]

You're only pretending to enjoy yourself? [He raises his eyebrow.] So polite. Doesn't sound anything like you. [Especially since she's trying s-so hard to act like she isn't having fun.]

[uncurse]

Because you're such an authority on what I'm like.

[ she scoffs a little at that. ]

[unhand]

[Yes, he is, but he doesn't say it. It's a fine line, dancing with Emma. He'd like very much to do more than dance, but without a bit of pushing, they'll never get there. Push too much, though, and she'll run off.]

I know that if you didn't want to dance with me, you wouldn't. [He pulls her in a little closer, moving in time to the music.] And I know what you look like when you're trying not to smile.

[uncurse]

[ her breath fails her as he pulls her closer and sated warmth spreads under her skin like smooth liquid. forcing her eyes to follow a path back to meet his, rather than staring at his mouth, involves a flutter of eyelashes and an indomitable strength of will (26). ]

You sure you don't just have a high opinion of yourself?

[unhand]

Oh, well, that too. [He dips his head in, forehead brushing lightly against hers.] But not nearly so high as the one I hold of you.

[uncurse]

[ she leans into him, chin tilting up and bringing their lips closer together as she draws a shuddered breath. the movement carries through, but not to a kiss. blinking hard to center herself, emma draws a deep breath as she turns her head away, gazing out at the other dancers. ]

And here I thought you found me frustrating. [ her smile creeps through, though her eyes persist in evading his. ]