Comfort and Joy

[simplestgift]

Who: Come one, come all! ...So long as you're appropriately dressed.
What: Luceti's second annual Christmas ball, old-world style.
When: December 1st, beginning around five in the afternoon and ending when the last person leaves.
Where: The Battle Dome.
Summary: Earth's eighteenth-century peeps are throwing one hell of a party. Again.
Rating: Well, considering no one is serving water? Probably PG-13 for alcohol consumption and the results thereof (there's coffee and hot chocolate!).

Upon stepping into the program at the Battle Dome, snow crunches beneath your feet. Great flakes of it drift silently from the dark sky above. And ahead...





The chill in the air is penetrated by the promise of warmth and light within the castle. As you approach, the music and festivities from inside reach your ears--tambourines and laughter and the clink of china dishes.

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--and you're only in the entryway.

Inside the dining room, cream brocades, simple but elegant, are draped over the walls. Traditional red rugs have been thrown over the floor. The single long feast table is impeccably dressed with light linen cloths and set with fine china and crystal.

The tables are lit with candles and chandeliers, giving the room a golden glow. On the tables, boughs of evergreen and holly surround the candles, and mistletoe has been hung discreetly here and there. In one corner, by a large and beautifully decorated fir tree (Buffy’s insistence), musicians are set up to play.

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.

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, 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.

In the ballroom, 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! In fact, it's perfectly acceptable to goof off during these dances, as long as you're charming enough that people aren't irritated with you when you mess everyone up. 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 quiet room, 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 quietly away from the ballroom, 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.

This being a castle, there are other rooms to explore. Up in the towers are bedrooms, nooks and crannies, and a large private library. Sneaking back to the kitchen between meals for a preview or stolen taste of supper to come is not out of the question, either.

Are you lingering in the dining room, 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? Are you content to enjoy the presence of people, or are you exploring the castle with a special someone?

Whatever you do, have fun.

Comments

[blackteriques]

[Walter is in the process of stretching after being over Sophie during the dance when he hears Mia's voice. He tenses and turns sharply, looking at her for a split-second before glancing at Sophie. The little girl has taken to holding onto the edge of his tunic, looking at Mia curiously. To her, it's strange to see other people talking to Walter.]

Hello, Mia. [Ah...] How are you?

[frost_jewel]

I'm all right, thank you. How are you? And I don't think we've been introduced. [That last one went to Sophie; Mia leans down a bit and extends a hand.] I'm Mia.

[blackteriques]

[Sophie continues looking curiously at Mia before reaching out to take her hand, still holding on to Walter's tunic with her other hand. Though she doesn't quite smile, she doesn't seem afraid.

Walter watches this scene warily, caught between feeling protective and feeling awkward.]

I've been well. This is Sophie.

[Sophie smiles just a little.]

[frost_jewel]

It's very nice to meet you, Sophie. [She shakes the little girl's hand and bows slightly.]

Have the two of you been able to dance?

[blackteriques]

[Walter makes a face but says nothing, somewhat self-conscious with the way the question is posed to get an answer from Sophie; he doesn't doubt that Mia had been around long enough to have seen something.

Sophie answers the question with a pleased expression. "One dance." She holds up one finger on the hand she had just used to shake Mia's hand with.]

Did you just arrive? [Walter asks, trying not to encourage the topic of dancing.]

[frost_jewel]

I hope you had fun. [She stands up again, smiling at Walter.] A few minutes ago. I know I'm quite late.

[blackteriques]

It's hard to be late unless you made plans. [Though he practically shrugs off what Mia is saying, Walter wonders if she had in fact had plans.

Sophie smiles a little more at Mia, but doesn't speak up again; she's instead intrigued to see Walter actually talking to someone.]

[frost_jewel]

Oh, but the dance started a while ago, didn't it? I thought being here when it began would constitute 'on time'. [No plans, and no date, and until a short while ago, no nerve.

She found the nerve.]

Did you come with anyone? Besides Miss Sophie, of course.

[blackteriques]

[He glances down at Sophie at the mentioning of 'on time,' as if wondering if they had in fact arrived at the party on time. He sure didn't check a clock when they had left, and it was primarily Grune who steered these kinds of outings ... and who knew how often Grune checked the time?

All the same, he frowns and looks back to Mia at her question, feeling a little put upon even though it was his choice to come out. Completely missing any other reason why she would ask such a thing.]

It was an outing for everyone in the house. If you're looking for them, they should be around. [He gestures half-interestedly with one hand.]

[frost_jewel]

[She knows things are still not quite back to normal with her when she needs to actively give Walter excuses. An event like this probably isn't much fun for him, is it? And he's essentially babysitting, even though Sophie seems to like him a lot.]

Of course I'll see them eventually, but I did want to say hello to you.

[blackteriques]

[Sophie seems to be watching them inquisitively, but also a bit restlessly. Standing around while they talk is ... really not her idea of fun. She tugs on Walter's sleeve, and he looks down at her before leaning over enough so he can hear her over the music. "I'm gonna find Fen."

His brows knit together, and he nods faintly at the little girl as she weaves her way further away from the dance floor ... and in the direction of the food table. He glances back somewhat awkwardly at Mia, not having expected that.]

I suppose we haven't talked for awhile.

[frost_jewel]

No, we haven't. I imagine you've been well? If a little tired, looking after a child that age.

[blackteriques]

[He grimaces a little at the mentioning of being a little tired.]

My neck hurts from being bent over like that. But I'm-- all right. [He catches himself from saying something like "I can't complain," since ... he could if he really wanted to.] What have you been doing lately?

[frost_jewel]

[Lately? She's been staying in her room and trying not to be in anyone's way and feeling like she let a lot of people down.

The feeling that trying to explain this to Walter wouldn't go anywhere is pretty overwhelming.]

Working and keeping to myself, I suppose. There is almost always something to do at the clinic.

[blackteriques]

[He doesn't do much empathizing with other people -- not here in Luceti. And he does try to be polite with those who do not annoy him, but when he hears something incongruous...]

Keeping to yourself? I thought you would be trying to ... enjoy the weather. [Not that he sees anything to enjoy in the cold.]

[frost_jewel]

The snow? I've had years to enjoy it, and of course I think it's beautiful. But I just needed...time to myself for a while.

[blackteriques]

[He frowns. Still hearing something incongruous here. He gestures to their surroundings.]

Then you got tired of being by yourself?

[frost_jewel]

[The breath she takes is pronounced enough to be meant to gear herself up for the answer.]

Then I got tired of what you might call moping. Of being unable to believe in my decisions. So now, I'm here.

[blackteriques]

[He continues to frown blankly at her, though his expression slowly gives way for confused concern. Did he miss something here?]

Mia?

[frost_jewel]

[There's a good chance that everyone who does not live with her missed something here.]

Yes, Walter?

[blackteriques]

[It takes him a moment. Because some awkwardly polite part of him is telling him not to pry.]

What are you talking about?

[frost_jewel]

I'm...I'm talking about Vaskoth, largely.

[blackteriques]

[His frown deepens. His eyes darken. But he nods slowly.]

It's hard to let go of what happened, then.

[frost_jewel]

[Feeling her throat suddenly dry up and tighten, Mia has to swallow hard before she answers.]

Yes. I expected it to be hard, but...

[blackteriques]

[After bringing up the subject like this, Walter doesn't feel right injecting an assumption when Mia trails off. He instead gestures for them to move away from the dance floor, so they aren't caught up by people who may need to jostle past them.]