Event | Masquerade Ball

[redlightgreenlight]

Characters: All
Date: The Evening of October 30th
Location: The Courtyard of Public Opinion
Situation: Valdis and 'Rue' have put together an All Hallows Eve Masquerade Ball.
Warnings/Rating: None

The day has finally arrived and the morning and afternoon are spent putting together what will be the scene of the Masquerade Ball at the Courtyard of Public Opinion. Kedan can be seen coming and going, carrying in decorations and lights and later on, various foods and desserts. Valdis, and Rue can occasionally be glimpsed directing people and moving things around, but anyone not a part of the setup will be ushered on and discouraged from lingering.

As night falls, the Courtyard will be brightly lit and ready for guests...

Comments

[gistful]

If Anton had had the capacity, he would have been worried Valdis would bring up his mood, try to figure out what was wrong. He did have the capacity for a bloom of grateful affection and it felt like a cool drop; not enough to assuage the rest.

She wasn't asking. Just distracting, without him having to make a request. The Dead Men had been like that. "So it is," he agreed. He was leading, but a little more aggressively than he usually would have. It was unlikely Valdis had missed the tension. But Valdis was keeping up, so although Anton forced his muscles to loosen he didn't ease the pace. "Your evening has turned into rather a success."

[redlightgreenlight]

He was agitated, she could feel, not just through her empathy, but in his grip on her hand, in the driving pace, in the way he moved. If her reflexes had been slower, if she had been less experienced, then it might have been a problem. It took a lot to drive Anton to this level of agitation, she knew because she hadn't yet managed it. Valdis didn't know how much control he currently had, and she couldn't risk setting off the gist, not now, not when there were so many people around, especially not when she didn't know of anyone left who could stop it.

"It has," she replied, her voice cheerful, containing none of her own tension. For all appearances, she was completely at ease. "Sometimes people just need a party to boost morale." She laughed, "Besides, it's an excuse to wear a fancy dress and dance with my favorite people."

[gistful]

"I'm glad to be among them, in that case." Ordinarily Anton might have made a joke about coming beneath Yunxu, but the thought made irritation boil. Then he decided that was the best reason to do so. "Though I do question my ranking under Yunxu, if so."

It didn't work, precisely, but it made him feel a little more in control nevertheless. When the jokes stopped, that was when it was time to worry. It was the Dead Men way.

"I have received some compliments for the clothes you chose for me," he added, and regretted it. China had been among those compliments. He fell silent again, focussing on the music and the steps and letting that bleed away the heat in his chest.

[redlightgreenlight]

She frowned, but it was more the teasing kind, though she felt his irritation and it bothered her. "That was business," she replied, her voice light, "This is pleasure, besides, Yunxu isn't nearly as fine a dancer as you are."

The teasing frown was quickly replaced by a smile, this one a tad less genuine as it became harder to focus. His emotions were a stark contrast to those of everyone else around him, a burning darkness in a sea of light as it were.

"Jeg elsker deg, Fadir," She said, loud enough for only him to hear.

disclaimer for google translate

[gistful]

"Flatterer." He might have tried to force another bit of humour, but her words at the last made any response die on Anton's tongue. It didn't take away the heat of the gist, but it shocked him away from feeling it so greatly and that would take the edge away from Valdis too.

They were words he hadn't heard, or spoken, in a very long time. Five hundred years. The Dead Men didn't express their affection this way. "Is breá liom tú ró, mo leanbh," he said softly, and managed a smile. It fell a little flat, but not completely, and came out shades of wry. "I'm sorry I'm not ... better company, tonight."

I use Google Translate all the time :P

[redlightgreenlight]

The intense anger suddenly lightened, falling to the outskirts of her senses, still there, but not nearly as strong. His words, matching hers, brought a sense of relief as well as joy.

"I recall several incidents when I haven't been the best of company," she replied, "But you were there anyway."

She pulled her hand away from his, bringing the dance to a halt, laying her head against his chest and closing her eyes as she hugged him. Hugs were soothing, or at least, Wan's always had been.

"Evandau may have been an awful leader," she said quietly, "But I'm glad he brought me here, because I met you."

[gistful]

The hug, somehow, was unexpected, and it made Anton pause. That Valdis rested her head on his chest was not lost on him, or on the gist, and while it would be warmer than the usual human's temperature it was at least constant. Controlled.

Anton rested his hand on the back of her head, using his thumb to brush hair behind her ears, and the other on her back. "He wasn't so bad," he said quietly. "Distrusting and prone to shouldering more than necessary, perhaps. It was just unfortunate those traits contributed to his death."

[redlightgreenlight]

He was warm, his touch gentle, he demeanor calmer than before and she was glad that, for once, she had been able to help him.

"When you put it like that, it makes him seem like one of us," she replied, "I don't believe he was a bad person, but a leader cannot afford to be distrusting. Wary, yes, but they have to be able to rely on someone."

Like she could rely on him, and like he could rely on her, though he might not know it.

[gistful]

"So they do," said Anton softly, and he squeezed Valdis gently in a hug. "Thank you, a leanbh." The gist was still near to the surface, but it had less influence that he'd been letting it have earlier. He still wasn't near his usual level of calm, but he was at least stable, and hopefully that meant he wouldn't ruin Valdis's night.

He kissed her gently on the forehead and then pulled back, managing a faint smile. "I'm sure your dance card is quite full. I shan't keep you from other partners."

[redlightgreenlight]

She could tell that whatever was wrong couldn't be fixed in one night, but Anton seemed far calmer both outwardly and inwardly and that was all that mattered for now. She would worry about finding out about whatever had set him off tomorrow. She had never experienced this kind of familial affection, never had a father-figure, and she wasn't going to let anything or anyone hurt him again.

"Ya, Fadir," she replied, smiling back at him. She did have a long list, and she would have danced with him longer if it meant that the anger would dissipate entirely, but it wouldn't, anger like that never did, and it tended to come back. She would have to keep an eye on him.