Comfort and Joy

[simplestgift]

Who: Come one, come all! ...In formal attire.
What: A Christmas ball, old world style.
When: December 1st, beginning around five in the afternoon and ending when the last person leaves.
Where: The rec center.
Summary: Earth's eighteenth-century peeps are throwing one hell of a party.
Rating: Well, considering no one is serving water? Probably PG-13 for alcohol consumption and the results thereof (there's coffee and hot chocolate!).

The recreation center has been utterly transformed.

The doors open to a host of candles and a warm, old-world smell and feel. The scent of food and spices hangs in the air—mulled wine, wassail, evergreen boughs, fresh bread and roast meat. Cream brocades, simple but elegant, are draped over the walls. Traditional red rugs have been thrown over the floor. Gone are the billiard tables, ping-pong, and foosball. It looks like a different place entirely, every table impeccably dressed with light linen cloths and set with fine china and crystal. At least one-half of the room is cleared and ready for dancers.

The tables are lit with candles, and five chandeliers have been temporarily added to the room for more light, giving the room a golden glow instead of the sterile luminescence of fluorescent lighting. On the tables, boughs of evergreen and holly surround the candles, and mistletoe has been hung discreetly here and there. In one corner of the dancing area, by a large and beautifully decorated fir tree (Buffy’s insistence), the musicians are set up to play, unobtrusive to the diners but essential to the dancers. Leading them is Frederic Chopin himself, and few here can say they have had anyone better play for their pleasure.

Things will begin with a grand dinner late in the afternoon, with a light supper (mostly consisting of cold meats, bread, and other lighter fare) at around nine o’clock. The selection of food on the tables is enormous. Most of it is meat-based and some of it is simply meat. Roast beef with mushrooms, goose in giblet gravy, herbed chicken, baked salmon, and a whole pig are among the choices. There is some hope for vegetarians, though, with spinach mixed with bread crumbs and cheese on small toasts, turnips (or rutabagas if you speak American), onions, carrots, parsnips, mashed potatoes, asparagus in breadcrumbs, and savory onion and wild mushroom pies. There is hot fresh bread and rolls with butter and heaps upon heaps of small mince pies filled with fruit, molasses, and yes, a little minced lamb. Moreover, there are fresh winter fruits like oranges and mikans and many different desserts, such as Christmas pudding, a rum chocolate dessert, and spotted dog with custard. Sit and help yourself. For a complete list of the food offered, take a look here.

Among the drinks throughout the evening are wassail, tea, hot chocolate (less sweet and much more intense than most modern characters would be used to, made with cinnamon, vanilla, and a hint of cayenne pepper), coffee, brandy, wine both mulled and plain, port, sherry, and gallons of rum punch. Even though the food is fantastic, overseen by Jack Aubrey, the conversation is the point of the game, and who knows who they will wind up sitting beside. At the center of each table is placed a pineapple as a sign of welcome and wishes of prosperity.

There is dancing light as the music itself, with Archie Kennedy and Elizabeth Swann teaching the steps of each dance before striking up the music and letting everyone go to town with it. They are poised and elegant but relaxed and seeming to glide as they demonstrate the motions with an effortlessness that comes with years of practice. They were both raised on these dances and this sort of social function and seem completely at home here. The dancing begins after dinner with the minuets and continues after a light supper with some informal English country dances. Anyone unused to dancing like this may find that it’s harder than it looks, but when one gets used to it, it feels very graceful, beautiful, and…fun! The activity will only end when there are too few dancers left to continue, and will continue all night if possible. As dancers pass each other or move hand-in-hand, eye contact can be made, quiet words exchanged, subtle (or not) messages passed as they spin through the room, or perhaps the room spins while they remain still.

It might depend on how much they’ve had to drink.

Those who do not wish to dance have other activities to participate in. In one corner, card tables are set up with multiple decks of cards stacked up, and there is even a box or two of dominoes and a handful of dice. The tables themselves are round and made of polished rosewood or mahogany. This area is well-lit and on the opposite end of the room from the musicians and dancers, probably as a mercy to the tone-deaf Horatio Hornblower who loves cards but can’t abide music. Here, discreet (or indiscreet) gambling is inevitable. There may be no money here, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to wager.

Are you lingering at the dining tables, drinking and talking loud and laughing with friends, or will you shyly sit and watch the dancing and games and hope to be invited in? Are you sitting quietly alone and listening to the music as your foot taps on its own, or are you unable to sit still and ready to dance all night if they’ll let you? Are you playing cards with a few new acquaintances, or are you hanging on someone’s arm and helping them cheat?

Whatever you do, have fun.

Comments

[folklorist]

"Oh I was! It was wonderful seeing everyone together. Then again things like this...aren't usually common here." Usually people are only together during the worst possible times.

"Ah in terms of the atmosphere at least. But it's...all very reminiscent of celebrating Christmas back home. Do they have anything like this in your world, Grune?" Naturally there could be something albeit a bit different. It never hurt to ask.

[lostinmyway]

Unfortunately, that isn't the kind of question she can answer. She certainly gives it her best, though.

"Hmm...."

[folklorist]

Helios tilts his head a little watching her. But he should be used to this by now.

"Ah it's alright if you don't remember at the moment." Ah, Grune, what are we going to do with you.

[lostinmyway]

Not a lot, unless you have some spare summon spirits hanging around.

"If we don't have something like Christmas, then I hope we can all start having it when we go home." She'll need to talk with Norma and Fenimore and the others about that.

[folklorist]

Unfortunately Helios is all out of those but he wouldn't mind seeing and speaking to a few if there's ever a chance.

"That's a wonderful idea. The basic concept is at least entirely manageable for being implemented in other worlds." The religious connotations however...well they would be extremely difficult probably. But Christmas in its basic form is very easily formed for other worlds. What's easier than enjoying a person's company and giving them presents?

[lostinmyway]

Grune's vocabulary comes and goes (it's not common, but once in a blue moon, she'll use words like "cogitate" in casual conversation), but fortunately for Helios, this is a coming occasion and not a going one.

"Oh, I'm very glad to hear it! I can't wait to share it with all my friends back on the Legacy!"

[folklorist]

Helios' smile broadens at those words.

"I'm sure they'll enjoy it. I mean who doesn't like getting presents and spending time with good friends, hm?" He can't say anyone he knows doesn't!

[lostinmyway]

Grune not being particularly good with rhetorical questions, she actually gives this serious thought.

"Hmm...."

[folklorist]

"They might be delighted if they're anything like yourself." Helios will motion to the tables holding the food.

"Have you had anything to eat or drink? Dancing can take a lot out of you."

[lostinmyway]

Grune is more than content to follow along. As she does, she gives his question some thought. "Hmm.... The dinner was nice and big. I wonder if I've had anything to eat since then."

[folklorist]

Helios gives her a caring smile. "Only if you are, Grune. Though if you're not that's fine too."

[lostinmyway]

And she smiles right back. "I think I'll have something to eat. After all, everyone worked so hard at making all the food." It would be a shame not to show her appreciation of their efforts.

A thought occurs to her. "After we're done eating, maybe we could dance together!"

She'd forgotten how much fun it was to dance with her friends until this evening. She's going to have to do it more often from now on.

[folklorist]

"I think you're right...it'd be ever so disappointing to whoever made all this food if it went to waste." They are on the same wavelength about certain things...this is scary or, well, it would be if it weren't Helios and Grune.

"Ah. D-Dancing. I-I'm not so sure. I'm not very good..." Helios looks at the dance floor and then back at Grune uncomfortably. It's more about his skin than anything else but if Halloween proved anything Grune didn't seem to mind.

Still it didn't mean people weren't affected by it.

[lostinmyway]

Grune smiles at him, intending to reassure him. Most of her evening has involved coaxing reluctant dancers out onto the floor--with a few notable, confident exceptions--and so Helios' hesitance isn't at all surprising to her.

"That's all right," she says. "The only way to get better is to practice."

[folklorist]

Helios shifts at the mentioning of dancing. Ah contact you are always so hard to get by and you hamper him in so many, many things. Helios looks uncomfortable but he pushes it aside and smiles.

"Yes that is true. Practice does make perfect. B-But I-I'm not certain if, if you'd want to dance with me. I-um...haven't had much time to really study how to d-do it."

[lostinmyway]

"That's all right. We can practice together. These are new dances for me, too."

Not that it's particularly evident; somehow, the less she concentrates, the better she does. She's not exactly what could be called skilled, but neither is she giving her partners sore feet.

[folklorist]

Helios looks awkwardly back at the dance floor then at Grune.

"B-but my, um I-I have..." he pauses looking down at the floor before mumbling the next few words. "M-my skin. I-I shouldn't. M-Maybe someone el-else would be better." Helios manages an apologetic smile back at Grune.

[lostinmyway]

For once, she doesn't return the smile. Instead, she's simply confused. It's been quite a while, and so she doesn't remember what it would be that would cause Helios to think he couldn't dance with her.

"Your skin?"

[folklorist]

Helios hunches in on himself just a little. "It...it's strange. A-And I don't want to make you uncomfortable b-because of it. S-So, so it's probably best if-if I didn't dance with you, or, or anyone for that matter." And so he hasn't.

He'd normally never say it, normally never tell people but with his excuses basically used up Helios might as well just say it.

[lostinmyway]

She still doesn't quite know what he's referring to, but that doesn't matter. He looks upset, and that's not something she's ever going to let go.

"You wouldn't make me uncomfortable." No matter what he's worried about, this, she's certain of. "I'd be very happy to dance with you."

Carefully, she reaches out with the intent to take his hand.

[folklorist]

"I-I'm not sure..." he thinks to move his hand out of her reach. But he knows it's probably good for him. Probably therapeutic to his obvious phobia of touching. And it was Grune, she'd probably never care about his skin and he knows she wouldn't care. And the people here didn't know, probably wouldn't matter if they did know either.

But it's so hard, so hard to will himself to acknowledge that it's okay. So he still pulls away slightly.

[lostinmyway]

For a moment, she only looks at him, confused and worried for him. Helios is a good, kind person. He shouldn't feel as though he would make her feel uncomfortable, because of course he wouldn't. He's her friend.

Then, slowly, she holds out her hand between them for him to take. "It's all right. I won't mind. I promise."

She smiles at him once again, still trying to reassure him.

[folklorist]

There are two warring parts of him at work right now. One which knows that what Grune has said is true and the other which is yelling in the back of his mind to not do it. That part keeps mentioning the fact that people back home have considered him a monster, something not to be trifled with or even given a moment of their time. It's these ingrained feelings that makes him hesitate even as Grune speaks those words.

But slowly he will move his hands ever so slowly towards Grune's. His actions are shaky, inconsistent, and of course filled with a learned trepidation. Grune might feel the coldness radiating off his hands as his draw nearer.

[lostinmyway]

She blinks at the unexpected chill as he approaches hesitantly, but her hand stays steady and she doesn't pull back. She only waits, patient and calm.

[folklorist]

Helios will lightly touch Grune's hands but he just quickly snatches them away. The heat from other's is always so jarring to him almost as if he were born this way when in truth it's only been four years of him having this aliment. "Ah. S-Sorry." Helios' eyes divert to the ground.

"It-it's probably not a-a good idea. S-sorry I shouldn't...I shouldn't d-dance with you Grune."