after-party ♔ october

[wynn]

♬ Jeux d'eau - Ravel

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 || October 1st, 2014, 6:00PM [backdated]
HOW || Prose OR Actionspam

The "afterparty" is rumored to be the real main event of the night. A black-tie affair in the lavish, opulent ballroom, 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

[unhappily]

[ I DON'T THINK SHE SUSPECTS ANYTHING GUYS. probably because she's busy looking at emma's hand like 8/ for a moment before gingerly accepting it with a flinch of her lip that might be an attempt at a smile. ] She was. And she was annoyingly persistent about it too.

[unlost]

Well, we can always use more help and you're clearly very adept at what you do, Regina. I couldn't possibly let you slip away.

[This is totally about redemption. Gonna make The Evil Queen into a better person, yep.

ITS TOTALLY GOING TO WORK OUT.]

[uncurse]

Well, that's a rave review if I've ever heard one.

[ And a fairly solid handshake. Not being gentle with this queen at all. ]

What is it exactly that you do? [ Because so fucking help us all if the answer is magic and Snow is encouraging this shit. ]

[unhappily]

[ she frowns a bit at the handshake, but meets it just as firmly. ] Magic. Which Snow implied several others could do here as well.

[unlost]

[Snow nods, looking perfectly fine with all this magic business.]

There's actually an entire sect dedicated to it. I'm sure that, once you're ready, they'll find you a fantastic addition.

[Remember, Emma? Her memories all are kinds of weird. Magic is bad?]

[uncurse]

[ Drops her hand like it's hot. ]

I—Yeah, absolutely. The Dragon's Fire.

[ She looks between them, nodding as if she's eager to help when she's really ready to stab herself in the face. ]

That's my sect. [ Beat. ] The one I'm a part of, that is. Hasmed's the section leader, you should talk to him. [ Offering a pleasant look to Regina. ]

[unhappily]

Is he here now?

[unlost]

I'm sure he is...let's see.

[She glances quickly around the room before she points him out (spot 24).]

There he is. Do you want to go introduce yourself?

[uncurse]

Go for it.

[ Emma encourages with absolutely no ulterior motive to get her mother alone and ask what the hell is going on. ]

He'll give you the spiel, tell you all about what it is we do in the Dragon's Fire. See if it's your speed.

[unhappily]

I think I will. [ she says, as if it were her idea in the first place :| ] I'll be happy to leave the name squire behind as soon as possible. [ and off she goes~ ]

[unlost]

Just come find me if you have any questions or need me for anything.

[And then she watches Regina's retreating back as if...procrastinating.

When she finally looks back at Emma, her smile is a copy of a kid's after he gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar.]

Don't be mad.

[uncurse]

You brought Regina here?

[ She rounds on her mother the minute the Evil Queen's out of earshot. ]

What the hell were you thinking!?

[unlost]

She was alone and confused and...Emma, she barely remembers anything.

[Her eyes are full of hope, her smile clearly confident.]

It's the perfect opportunity.

[uncurse]

To do what? Burn the castle down? I don't know if you noticed, but amnesia doesn't seem to have changed her for the better.

[unlost]

[Snow sighs.]

When I mean barely? I mean barely. Regina...knows she's a queen, but not how or why. [Granted, neither did Snow, all she knew was that she was previously a terrible person, but without context it didn't...mean as much.] She doesn't remember her mother. [Again, she knows who Cora is, and that she was horrible, but nothing beyond that.] She doesn't remember anything that's ever been done to her or what she's done to others.

[She tries to explain further.]

She thinks she deserves power, and that's dangerous of course, but I don't think the hate or the pain behind it is...quite there anymore. Not without memories to give them strength. She could be a better person. Of all people, I was the one to find her and she let me bring her here. To help her. I have to at least try.

[uncurse]

And you remember so much more?

[ Harsh, perhaps, but as far as Emma's concerned, harsh is precisely what Snow needs right now. Glancing around hastily, she drops her voice, stepping in closer. There's something imploring about her tone—less gut instinct frustration, more reason. ]

She is the reason we lost everything. If it weren't for Regina, we wouldn't be here. [ Well, she can't know that, but it seems like a safe bet since they wouldn't have been moving between worlds at all. ] And David … [ Uh oh. ]

[unlost]

I know enough to know that she needs help.

[There's anger there, yes, but there's also sympathy, understanding and pity. Things Regina would probably hate if she knew they existed, but Snow can't ignore them.

It's simply not who she is.]

She's not responsible for this. There are too many people here that aren't from the Enchanted Forest or Storybrooke. I don't for a second believe that she's powerful enough for that.

[That causes her to pause, though.]

David? What about him? Are you talking about the curse?

[How could Regina be responsible for that when she wasn't even here yet?]

[uncurse]

[ Wow Mary Margaret it's indirect responsibility obVIOUSLY. ]

For starters. She's the one who cast it. The one who brought us to Storybrooke, who sent us back to the Enchanted Forest with that stupid hat. If it hadn't been for the curse, who the hell knows where we'd be—together. David wouldn't be exiled to some corner of the world where— [ Aw, shit. She didn't know. Emma's throat stops up and the frustration drains from her expression. ]

… Mary Margaret, I— [ Shit shit shit. ]

[unlost]

[Okay, she'll be defending Regina's honor (lol) another time, because being sent to Storybrooke has nothing to do with all of this, but priorities, Snow has them.

They come in the form of her family and Charming.]

Exiled? [Clearly she did not hear that word before.] I thought he was sent away. For his safety.

[WHAT ARE YOU GUYS NOT TELLING HER?]

[uncurse]

For his safety from Amara.

[ At least she doesn't know about the other part. There's a tinge of regret in her voice. ]

We took on a mission in Bermuda, but a sorceress followed us home. She's under some curse. It makes her believe she's in love with him.

[unlost]

[She nods sadly. At least that matches up with what she's heard already.]

That's what Mr. Gold said. I was going to speak with Wynn about it, but he seemed distant and...

[She shakes her head.]

I need to see him. He doesn't even know that I'm here.

[uncurse]

Even if he did …

[ Oh man. ]

When we first got here, he had no idea who I was. Who any of us were. I mean, it wouldn't be the first time you guys made it through amnesia to find one another, but … You should know that there's a good chance when we do find him, he won't have any idea who you are.

[unlost]

[She looks like she's been punched.

She knew the Veil took memories, knew all too well having found Regina with nearly all of hers taken, but it hadn't even occurred to her that...]

He's forgotten us?

[Not just her, but their child? It was endlessly cruel.

Oh look, she failed her will save.

She shakes her head, moisture beading in the corners of her eyes.]

No, it doesn't matter. We just have to be together. Everything will be fine.

[It was easier when she thought he was here yet.]

[uncurse]

Hey.

[ Suddenly awash with guilt, Emma raises her hands to Snow's shoulders, rubbing them reassuringly. It's not a hug, but it's … friendship. That's the distance she's comfortable with right now. ]

We'll find a way to bring him home. Whatever it takes. And when he's back, we'll ... work the rest out then.

[unlost]

[Snow has the infinite wisdom to figure out what that affectionate gesture means (wisdom 22), but if anything it...only makes her feel worse.

She files those emotions away though (will save 15), happy enough that Emma feels compelled to comfort her at all.

It's terrible, though. Comforting is what she's supposed to be doing for her, not the other way around.

So basically, in the end, she just feels like a terrible mother, too. Hooray~]

Of course we will. We've done it before. What's one more time?

[Just going by what you said, Emma. Curses be damned.]