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

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

No use trying to dissemble and hide it, he'd figured out that something troubled her. With the gentle coaxing, she did look up, but admitting the problem was harder. "Larsa, I don't belong here. Look around. This is a royal party, you and Ashe, you have a right. I feel like a fish out water." None of this was coming out well at all. Just as well, because Larsa knew her well enough to read between the lines of what wasn't being said and draw conclusions.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry, Larsa," came out softly. Her eyes flitted down for a moment, and then she looked up with a slight smile. He really was trying to make her feel better. "I really do appreciate it. I'm glad your here with me."

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Not the first time, nor probably the last that Larsa placed a kiss there. But after the picnic, that was all it took to turn Penelo's cheeks crimson. She was still struggling to sort out what to think of everything and she found herself gaping for a moment.

But he was just so comforting and comfortable.

After a moment of considering the situation, and then deciding to make the best of it, Penelo smiled at Larsa. She had weathered far worse than something innocent like a ball. And he was here with her. "So, what would you like to do tonight?" she asked, cheer finally creeping back into her voice.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

On occasion, Larsa still managed to truly take Penelo by surprise, and this was one of those moments. He really had grown up to be quite the charmer. "I'd love to dance with you, Larsa."

She turned her hand, placing it inside his, giving him unspoken permission to lead where he would.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

With ease indeed. Larsa was quite talented and Penelo found him an easy partner. She giggled softly at his answer, moving with more grace than many of the practiced nobles surrounding them. "You know I can't tell you no about anything, Larsa." Her hand on his shoulder tightened to squeeze it gently.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

There was truth in his statement. She herself had expressed hesitation, concern, for where things might be going. Her list of reasons were so compelling when she thought about them in a rational light. But when she heard it in his voice, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing to forget them.

After a tiny sigh, she shook her head in refusal. "Only when you're saying something like that."

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Biting her bottom lip did nothing to halt the deep crimson hue creeping across the dancer's face. Her eyes looked down for a moment, then back up, the blue hue glittering with the mist of developing tears. "I'm not that special, Larsa..." I am just a tag along sky pirate.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

It took a good quarter of a minute for Penelo to even register what was happening. Larsa was kissing her. Again. And he said she was...

About then, everything went into a fog, and without thinking or logic or a long list of reasons, her hands settled at his waist and she kissed him back. Timid and inexperienced as it was.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Only after Larsa had pulled away and said her name, did Penelo snap back to reality. They'd been kissing, in public. They. Not he. They. Her cheeks immediately flushed, and a hand strayed up to try to slow the racing beat, threatening to escape her entirely. 'Everything' still echoed in her ears and somehow, she felt as if she understood something from before. It was one thing to suspect he cared, it was something entirely else to know.

"Larsa, I..." Not that she knew exactly. There was something she wanted, no needed, to say, but whatever it was would not come.

And then she realized she was on the threshold of what she wanted. Someone who cared for her, a chance at a peaceful life. Romance. Yes, this was certainly every bit romantic as her young heart could want.

AND HERE COMES GABBY. 8D

[empires-lapdog.livejournal.com]

Having noted the embrace and the kiss from across the room, Gabranth had stormed towards them. Calming himself with a sharp cough to clear his throat, he crossed his arms as he stood behind Penelo, casting a shadow over her as he blocked the lights around the young woman.

His expression plainly stated it all. He was not impressed. "'Tis unseemly for an Emperor," Larsa had become Emperor, right? "to make such a public display of affection. What would your late father say, Lord Larsa?" He couldn't help his own fatherly tone. He was, after all, used to Larsa being a twelve year old boy.

Dear God, she's going to faint from fear!

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

On the verge of answering, Penelo's voice cut out entirely at the sudden absence of light behind her. Something ominous was lurking, but if it was something dangerous, Larsa would warn her.

And then there was that voice. Delivering a stinging reprimand.

She wanted to wilt into the floor and never be seen again.

[empires-lapdog.livejournal.com]

Noah's face remained deadpan, almost as if he hadn't actually heard Larsa. "You are far too forward in the presence of royalty, My Lord; and with a street urchin, no less." Gabranth hove a sigh, shaking his head in the most disappointed manner any one man could muster. "You father and brother are great men. 'Twould do you a great aid in behaving as they once did."

He watched as Larsa paused and cut off his own words, feeling his expression darken. "'Tis not I that should know what it is you were to say. Nay, you were to address me as my brother, were you not?" It wasn't just his issues with Basch that made that sting. Nor was it the fact that Larsa had said it. It was the natural displeasure at being mistaken for your twin.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Two men arguing with one young dancer in the middle. No small secret that Gabranth scared the life out of Penelo, much as Larsa's brother did. She couldn't, no wouldn't, forget that this was the man who killed Reks, the man who destroyed her homeland. And while she was livid at being called a street urchin, she was too stricken with genuine fear to retort anything sharp.

And he was right.

Her eyes dropped to the floor, unwilling to look at the monster behind her, and too ashamed to look at the gentleman before her. She steeled herself against doing something humiliating like fainting, but there was no way to miss the fact that she was visibly trembling.

[empires-lapdog.livejournal.com]

"My Lord; whilst he may play puppet master to the name that is Gabranth, he will forever remain my brother. 'Tis my own right to speak of him how I desire, as it is his to speak of myself in whatever manner he chooses." He really wasn't sure why he was arguing the foolish point, but the claim Larsa made over Basch riled him up inside. No matter his problems with his twin, he would always remain just that. His.

Just as he would remain a part of Basch, Basch was eternally a part of him.

Clearing his throat, he took a slight breath in to calm himself. "Nay, we stray into a topic we should sooner leave for private discussion. 'Tis my sore mistake of overstepping my bounds. My humblest apologies, Lord Larsa." Still, he cast a glance to Penelo with an indignant sniff. "Yet, I must remain adamant that such displays are better left in private, rather than paraded in front of royalty and your Lord Brother."