Let The Spectacle Astound You

[tidesnpcs.livejournal.com]

Characters: OPEN
Progress: Continuous
Summary: The party you've all been waiting for: the Grand Ball of Alexandria!
Location: Palace Alexandria
Date: June 21st, 1803
Warnings: TBA. Eventually, Violence.

For weeks, the palace had been abuzz with activity; even more so than usual. On top of the usual hustle and bustle of daily life, there were the extensive preparations to be done for the festival, and this, the grand finale. The palace's largest ballroom had been decorated from floor to ceiling, wall to wall. Long elaborate draperies of silk and chiffon in white and cream, the stairs lined in a rich, crimson carpeting. Gold and silver everywhere, framing the large windows and the door opening out to the courtyard. A warm summer evening, with the roses in full bloom. Flowers adorned every table, column, and doorway. It wasn't just the ballroom that had been decorated, however; the entire palace was decked in regalia, the staff having obviously anticipated the crowd to be much larger than usual.

All around the palace, inside and out, the guard was on high alert. Every guest was greeted, checked, and in the case of the higher-ranked, announced to the company at large. The sun had not quite set, and already the ballroom was half full; nobles and low-born alike, natives and foreigners, all dressed in their best. The guest of honor had yet to make her appearance, but no one seemed to be fussed by the fact.

But the night was young, and there was bound to plenty of seeing and being seen before the night was over.

[[ooc: Here we go, everyone! Party style still applies. Tag in, tag each other, mingle, HAVE FUN!... while you can. Thread jumping and ninja tagging is encouraged. ^.^]]

Update: A fist fight broke out on page two. Feel free to ninja in to spectate, generally comment or gasp, or just read it and have a laugh. Appropriate authority figures... Squall, Steiner, etc may need to step in.

Comments

[notathiefcole.livejournal.com]

Locke was excited about the ball. He had practiced late into the night to be ready, but nothing could have prepared him for wearing these strange new clothes. How was he supposed to know that a bandanna was not formal wear.

While this wasn't his first time in a castle, he hadn't realized that they could be so exquisite. Edgar may have been a good king, but his had been designed by an engineer and the Queen's had been designed by an artist.

He took a moment to look around the ballroom noting all the elaborate treasures.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

This was Penelo's second time attending a royal function, and she felt completely out of place. Even though she'd been personally invited by Larsa, who in his own right belonged at a fete like this, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was somewhere she wasn't meant to be. She'd enjoyed the celebration that followed Ashe's coronation and had been delighted to be invited, but she'd spent that whole evening speculating on the crowds of guests who had more to their name than shared space living in a storage warehouse.

Which is why Penelo found herself shying away from the middle of the crowds, and merely gazing at the scenery around her while waiting on Larsa.

Unlike most of the others who were dressed in conservative choices of formal wear, she'd been convinced to wear a soft pink ensemble cut in the "Cleyran fashion" which reminded her very much of her dancer's garb. Unwilling to turn down an opportunity to be comfortable for the ball in attire, she acquiesced to the tailor, who eagerly was pushing matching shoes and hair baubles.

[prez-leg-cramp.livejournal.com]

Laguna couldn't believe his luck. He hadn't been on Gaia for very long but already there was a party! Granted, it was a royal party, but that didn't mean he couldn't meet other people. He was excited for this. So, after finding a suitable outfit, he set out to not only look for his niece and son, but also to see what this party had to offer.

The place already looked amazing, it was like something out of a storybook! "Wow..."

[xbalthierx.livejournal.com]

Having entirely lost his focus from robbing the royals blind, instead finding the attention he was getting more appealing for the moment, Balthier was currently in the middle of a gaggle of women, all cooing and crowing. He was indeed in his element with a girl on each arm and a crowd around him. So deep in the thick of it that he was almost oblivious to everything else.

Still, he knew where Fran was, he knew her ears apart from her sisters' and was able to keep an eye out to ensure his partner was safe.

[stoicguardian.livejournal.com]

Well here he was. And he didn't even know why he was here. It wasn't like parties were his thing. He was never much of a social butterfly. Though, he supposed, Yuna's being here was reason enough. He stood there in a corner of the room, to watch the festivities from afar.

[tempest-lion.livejournal.com]

Spotting Vayne and Larsa standing together in what seemed a quieter corner of the ballroom, Squall saw a good chance to speak to them together. The three months as dictated by the SeeD contract was almost up, and he wanted to discuss contract renewal. Though a ball really wasn't the best place to discuss business things like these, this was the first time he'd seen the two brothers together at the same time and place.

Approaching, he gave each man a nod. "Good evening, Lord Vayne, Lord Larsa."

[herownhero.livejournal.com]

Quistis was all but storming off after Irvine after apologizing to the Queen. She had to remind herself to steady her breathing, to watch her step and keep her posture- with a SeeD throwing punches left and right, she had to do her best to uphold the dignified image of their organization.

She spotted him just before the castle entrance. He was not going to get away- he had to fix this problem! Bunching the front of her dress into her fists, Quistis quickened her steps as she shouted out, "Stop right there, Kinneas!"

Directed to Garnet, but Beatrix and Steiner can intervene as well.

[ladiesmanirvine.livejournal.com]

Irvine walked back into the ballroom, with people gasping in awe at him, keeping their distance and talking in fear or in humiliation. He really didn't care, his head lowered, he found the Queen with her guards. He stopped in front of them and fell to one knee looking down all the while.

When he spoke it was soft, but audible to anyone who was near them. "I wish to speak to the Queen, and to apologize for my actions earlier this evening." He knew he had to understand proper procedure when it came to speaking with royalty.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

As the fight dispersed, Penelo hurried after Balthier. What he said had stung a little, but her motherly instincts had kicked in and she needed to see for herself if he was hurt. Then she'd finish scolding him.

Spotting him near the exit, she called out, "Balthier! Wait!"

[nono-the-moogle.livejournal.com]

Nono was having a blast at this star-studded royal party. After the ordeal in Orbonne, he'd been thrilled to learn about this event, and he was eager to attend. Why, he'd even put together a little trinket for the Queen, though it was just a little airship of the same model as Balthier's that circled a model of Alexandria when you wound it up.

That, he'd left on a gift table, and was currently seated in front of a platter simply mounded with food. A few thick 'kupo's left the moogle as he ate considerably more than he should have been able to, partaking vastly of the refreshments.

PRETEND THIS WAS ON TIME

[sinsmymaster.livejournal.com]

For Seymour, a ball like this was a chance to mingle with people, to associate himself with the royalty and to see if he could find other allies, others like himself who had been pulled from their homes and dumped in this place. He was also looking for Lady Yuna, but her presence was not a complete necessity at the present moment. Indeed, he was curious to see how she was faring, but he didn't absolutely need her.

Not yet anyway.

As it was, he had come to glance around. The Maester was still wearing his normal robes, so as to stand out, though they fortunately looked formal anyway. He noticed several people staring at him, though he was by now used to such things. It always happened when you were obviously not fully human or fully Guado. He had never fit in completely, but neither had he been truly an outsider. It was a delicate line he walked, and he had always done so beautifully.

So for now, he was simply going to walk... and talk to those who would acquaint themselves with one of the strange-looking Sky People.

This is super late. Whoops. X_x

[ava-illumina.livejournal.com]

Like Kain, Cecil was still wearing his armor when he arrived at the ball. This was more a force of habit than anything else. Unlike Kain however, Cecil was more concerned with finding people he knew than keeping a lookout for trouble. That wasn't to say he would not be on his guard, but as this was a royal function, the polite thing to do was to mingle and enjoy the festivities, which he fully intended to do, with Rosa by his side.