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

[mademyresolve.livejournal.com]

Wanting a break from the intense mingling which was going on for as far as the eye could see, Ashe excused her way through the crowd without a further word to any in her path. Soon and extremely relieved, she found herself at the gathering's edge and came to pause by a heavy velvet curtain, a hand rubbing her stomach. Her feet were aching from the lack of a sit-down, and she glanced to the left in search of some manner of seating. Instead, she spotted Penelo, pink baubles glittering in her hair.

With a steady breath (her feet really did ache) the princess closed the distance between herself and the other Dalmascan. "I had hoped you would have returned in time to attend," she greeted from behind.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

At the sound of Ashe's familiar voice, Penelo turned and breathed a sigh of relief. The young royal was a good reminder for Penelo that nobility were just as human as the street urchin.

"I'm glad I could too; I was hoping to see you. You look amazing, Ashe." She smiled at the woman, and couldn't help but look down at her expanding stomach. A pang of jealousy hit her very hard, but she shook it away before it could reflect in her face.

She laced her fingers behind her back, and her gaze fell to the floor, as her voice dropped too. "It reminds me of your coronation," she admitted softly. "I felt out of place then too."

[mademyresolve.livejournal.com]

So many compliments on her appearance had been directed her way during the past months, Ashe only wished certain strained parts of her body felt amazing. Still, she was enjoying being pregnant.

"... A coronation I yearned so much for, and know nothing of," she said quietly on the dancer's mention of the occasion, her own gaze transcending the window, looking to the night sky. It returned rather sharply, however, as the expression of dismay passed Penelo's lips.

"Why is it you feel out of place?"

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

"I'm not exactly castle material," Penelo replied, with a touch of her playful side sneaking back into her tone. "You and Larsa belong here. I'm just..." The words just died on her lips and she let out a quiet sigh, glancing away. "I wasn't going to come, but Larsa asked." A broad hint if ever there were one that more was on her mind than mere discomfort at her being at the party.

[mademyresolve.livejournal.com]

If Penelo meant to demean herself, Ashe wouldn't allow it. She had aided her in regaining her sovereignty, her birthright. Penelo and Vaan, they were symbols of Dalmasca itself - the spirit, the enjoyment of life, the strength which had won through Archadian oppression. "What you are," she said firmly, "Is a saviour of Dalmasca. You can stand among any, regardless of station and know you achieved just as much greatness, if not more, than most of them. And do not tell me otherwise," Ashe requested then, in case Penelo was about to belittle herself further.

The princess sighed softly, lips forming a slight smile. "...You think a great deal of him, don't you?"

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Penelo's blonde head dipped modestly. "Thank you, Ashe, that means a lot to me." She couldn't forget that this was her queen, and even though she considered her a friend, there was still a deeply rooted respect for her and her position.

A small pause then. Yes, she did think a great deal of Larsa. He'd been her friend, protected her for a while, wrote her letters and treated her like something special. They were close and oh how she enjoyed that, even while in the back of her mind, she knew he was an emperor. And there lay her problem.

"Yes, I do. Very much," she bit her lip, and finally looked up at Ashe. "But I don't think I can give him what he wants." It nearly killed her to even admit that. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him.

[mademyresolve.livejournal.com]

So the speculation she and Rasler had made, watching the younger pair dance during the Lindblum ball, hadn't been unwarranted. There were feelings there, and complications alongside. Hands clasped together, as Ashe tended to do when thinking, she listened to Penelo express that fear with noticeable strain in her voice. Of course, she realised, the sudden increase in Larsa's age wouldn't be helping matters.

"And... you think he wants more than friendship?" The princess wasn't the best advisor in that regard and knew it - she could debate over the negotiation table for hours, but relationship advice was entirely different.

A glance across to Rasler, who was in the midst of conversation, assured her that, so long as she shared honest opinions, this was a challenge Ashelia Dalmasca could meet.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Penelo's typical liveliness always fled when something bothered her, and this was no exception. She fell into silence and nodded once. Explaining why she thought that would be very very awkward, and probably inappropriate too.

"I don't want to hurt him, Ashe," she confessed, barely above a whisper. There were so many reasons, and they all made sense. Not one actually had anything to do with how she felt on the matter, but she had to be practical and think of everyone, not just herself. Except for that abiding fear of losing yet another person she cared about. That one made her sick to just think about.

The prolonged silences on her part were awkward, so she added, almost sheepishly. "It's strange, I never thought of him like that. And now..." a shoulder shrugged. It wasn't that she found the idea itself repugnant, just that it was all so much a big surprise to her that she was flailing over it for days now.

[mademyresolve.livejournal.com]

"And now, you do." Ashe allowed Penelo another moment's silence, a moment which allowed her to think over the situation. Was the difference in social status the problem? The uncertainty of Gaia likely came into play somewhere; Ashe remembered that Larsa had already vanished once, how upset Penelo had been at that time.

"You fear hurting him and that is proof enough that you care." Suddenly, the notion crossed Ashe's mind that such feelings could be entirely new to her friend. Hesitation almost held her tongue, only to be overcome. She wanted to be of help, if she could, however awkward. Goodness knows the girl had done enough for her in the past.

"... Do your feelings frighten you?"

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

"No." It came out more confident than the following answer of, "Maybe... I've always cared so much for him. And he's a wonderful friend." Penelo drew a deep breath then managed a tiny smile. "He needs a fine lady who can always be by his side, you know, to support him. He says he hadn't seen me in a year. Sky piracy isn't exactly helpful in maintaining a stable relationship."

She nodded once, as if making up her mind. "I figured out a long time ago that was never going to happen for me, and I'm alright with it. But I worry it's going to hurt him."

He'd already suffered enough.

[mademyresolve.livejournal.com]

"Tell me," The question forming in her throat had been something Ashe had wondered for some time now, and this seemed as appropriate a time as any to enquire. "Taking to the skies may be the fate you resign yourself to, but is that truly what you desire?"

It hadn't escaped the princess' notice, all those times Penelo would give looks of longing to Ashe's blossoming stomach, or to she and Rasler whenever they were publically affectionate.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Red cheeks were a far better answer than anything else Penelo could say, and she asked sheepishly, "Is it that obvious?" She drew in a deep breath, and finally admitted, "Not really. I'm just as happy with a nice quiet life in the city. I never thought I'd end up a sky pirate, just settle down, maybe have a family. Simple things like that. Taking to the skies was always Vaan's dream. I..." She paused, hesitating before admitting to something she'd only ever told Vaan. "I'm afraid of flying."

[mademyresolve.livejournal.com]

Now that was unexpected. How could that be, when they'd taken to the skies so many times in the Strahl without complaint? Thinking on that, eyebrows raised, Ashe came to realise Penelo would never have voiced that fear. Their objective, Dalmasca's liberation, was greater than a fear, greater than them all as individuals. After that minute's thought and another glance toward Rasler, Ashe held Penelo's gaze steadily.

If I have learned anything of this world," she said, quiet and sure of herself, "It is one where dreams may be pursued, however impossible they once seemed. Do not be afraid to follow your own, else you may never find the happiness which comes with realising those dreams."

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

The hidden fear of flying was just another sign of what had come to be commonplace in Penelo's life, moving past personal preference and fear, for what had to be done. That's what kept her following Vaan all over the world on his adventures. She had to stay with him. And while she'd insist publicly that it was to keep him out of trouble, it was more because she depended on him. A lot of people did.

Not commenting on Ashe's surprised expression, Penelo returned her queen's steady gaze, taking comfort from the fact that she seemed so assured. "Thanks, Ashe. I'll be sure to remember that." She paused slightly, then added, as she looked away, "I just don't think that I can abandon Vaan to make them happen." Always and ever the responsible one.

[mademyresolve.livejournal.com]

A tilt of her head in interest and Ashe's mind recalled the cameraderie between the two would-be sky pirates along their travels together, how they had found themselves together more than often, as it had been with Balthier and Fran, and Basch and herself. In fact, the princess realised she hadn't taken much time to get to know Penelo at all, her heart and mind had been committed elsewhere.

"Vaan values you greatly, that I can see," Ashe noted, "But I do not believe he would see you unhappy, particularly if he were to suspect himself responsible. "...Following your ambitions does not mean you must abandon him altogether."

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Ashe was right. Vaan wouldn't like to learn that she had her reservations about playing the part of his partner. She loved spending time with him, seeing the excitement on his face when he found somewhere new to go or some novel treasure. With him, the world was a great span of wonderment just waiting to be discovered. She never in a million years would ever begrudge him that.

And maybe he wouldn't begrudge her what she wanted as well.

Penelo's answer came in the form of a small nod, followed by a smile. "I'll... talk to him." She felt incapable of shaking the feeling that she would be abandoning him if she gave up their joint adventuring, but perhaps it was fear of change that cause it.