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

[prez-leg-cramp.livejournal.com]

Laguna looked a bit surprised at that but he nodded. "Yeah, that's pretty much it. No one really uses the term 'ruler', 'king', 'queen', things like that anymore."

He grinned slightly, leaning on his elbows now against the railing. "Outfits like these don't really exist much anymore either. To me, this all seems like something in a storybook, really."

Laguna wasn't sure how else to describe it, really. It was like he'd been put into a time machine and dumped into history. Or a storybook. Which wasn't bad, it was all rather fun, actually. Like his childhood fantasies come to life. Though it was odd talking about how the titles changed on his world when on a world and talking to someone who still used them.

[dynast-king.livejournal.com]

A single dark eyebrow quirked for just a moment, very similar to something that Larsa was wont to do. Interesting that titles were considered old fashioned, as was the mode of dress, which while different from styles found in Ivalice did not strike him as that unusual.

"Tell me, what sort of government does your President represent? Is it a monarchy?" His interest in learning more of these other lands was being whetted by the moment.

[prez-leg-cramp.livejournal.com]

Laguna shook his head. "Nope, not a monarchy. I never inherited the title, I was actually asked to be president after my friends and I helped save the country from the Sorceress Adel. I'm... not too sure how I even accepted, since I didn't know what I was doing," He laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, didn't mean to ramble. Um, anyway, it's not a monarchy, more like... a semi-democracy, I suppose. I still have the final say, but I let a council talk it out and see if we can all reach a compromise, rather then everyone just coming to me to get this law passed or that law passed and whatnot."

He blew a piece of hair from his face. "It's actually kind of hard to explain, now that I think about it. Haha, I've never had to explain it before, since it all just... well, happened."

Well, it not entirely like that. Laguna had had to put his foot down on a lot of things because, despite the people wanting him to be president for saving them, the council members themselves thought that because he was an outsider, they could manipulate them easy. Of course, they didn't know how stubborn Laguna could be and it was many a night afterwards that Laguna had woken up to Kiros shaking his shoulder and all around his desk were dictionary, thesauruses, law books, and everything under the sun just so Laguna could translate what the members were trying to slip by with big and pretty words. Of course, by now Laguna didn't have to lose sleep anymore since they all knew what not to do now that Laguna had a full grasp on exactly what his duties were and what he could actually do with them.

"Besides, I like having help from my friends and being the sole ruler would just be too much stress for someone like me," He sighed.

[dynast-king.livejournal.com]

Listening with a careful ear, Vayne schooled away the look of consternation he felt trying to ascertain precisely how the system worked from Laguna's rambling. Accustomed to being fed elaborate schemes in the guise of pretty words, it took the Archadian a moment to realize that this man was about as open and honest as they came, and that there didn't appear to be any subterfuge in the explanation. It was refreshing and at the same time confounding.

He lucked into the position. Luck, when he himself had to claw and dig for every gain, despite his birthright.

"It sounds very much like the government in Archades. Ours is a democracy, headed by the emperor. Our Senate plays a key role in determining the emperor, who ultimately has the highest authority, although the title is hereditary." Rather, that is how it had worked, with the title passing from father to son in the Solidor line, battling controlling senators and placating them into their continued support of the family's maintenance of the role. Fortunately, Vayne had found a way to justify disbanding the Senate as a whole, handing over autocratic rule to himself. No more of the submitting to the whims of mud-witted senators, with more sense of self-importance than wisdom.

"I must beg your forgiveness for bringing up the topic of politics at a party. I find myself an eager student of history and culture, and become too zealous to learn more when opportunity presents itself."

[prez-leg-cramp.livejournal.com]

Laguna shrugged. "I suppose it does, but that was reformed once Adel was sealed away. The ruling changed basically right then and once they picked me, the government had to reform right away. We needed to get passed what Adel did, though I still didn't agree with the Isolation Act. Unfortunately, that was before I was fully instated and it wasn't until another Sorceress attack that I finally got the guys to let me veto it."

In truth, he didn't get rid of the act right away because at first, he agreed with it. Esthar needed to get back on its feet and getting hassled by the other countries was not something they needed. But then it ran on for so long and the old farts were just afraid of change, no matter how much Laguna tried to persuade them. It was the one thing that he couldn't change until Squall found his city with Rinoa comatose in his arms.

"No, no, it's fine," Laguna gave a small wave and smiled. "It's not often I even talk about it, since I don't know what to say half the time." Rambling is what he did best, and he knew it. Sadly.

[dynast-king.livejournal.com]

To say that Vayne found this man perplexing was a gross understatement. He could not conceive how someone who appeared so scatterbrained could possibly run a household, must less govern a country. At the same time, he was utterly intrigued.

"Ah, forgive me. I have yet to introduce myself. I am Vayne Solidor, Emperor of the Archadian Empire." He extended his hand to the other man in formal mode of greeting, and left of the ridiculous number of other titles that were wearying to list.

[prez-leg-cramp.livejournal.com]

Laguna smiled wider and took the hand, shaking it. "I'm Laguna Loire, President of Esthar. It's nice to meet you."

Of course, he had no idea what Vayne was thinking about him. Not that he really would have cared all that much. He knew that despite his clumsiness, he was a good president. The people of Esthar were proof enough for him.

[dynast-king.livejournal.com]

"I find it disturbing how many heads of state have found themselves pulled from their proper places. While not all of them were facing conflict, it cannot be good for the countries or the people to be without their leadership." Despite the reservations he had about the man's leadership qualities, this seemed as ideal an opportunity as any to build alliances with others.

[prez-leg-cramp.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Laguna said, his face a bit more serious now and a little distant. "I mean, I'm not too worried since Kiros and Ward can take care of things in my absence but the fact of the matter is, the president is not there. A lot of things, I would imagine, are going to be put on hold until I get back."

And that'll just be more and more paperwork on his part and Hyne damn it, that was going to be a pain in the ass.

[dynast-king.livejournal.com]

Vayne was thinking very much about the Rozzarians poised for an invasion, their fleet massing on the borders to support the insurgence over Rabanastre. He fell silent, somber in his ruminations. Not wishing to delve into such weighty topics at a birthday fete, he turned to the other man, giving a nod of appreciation for the troubles they both faced.

"Such a weighty consideration. I beg your forgiveness for imposing upon what should be a festive occasion. Perhaps we might meet and speak at length once the night is concluded?"

[prez-leg-cramp.livejournal.com]

Laguna waved his hand dismissively, an easy smile back on his face. "No worries, really! But sure, we can talk when the party is over. Just give me a holler or something, okay?"

He was no doubt going to be here for awhile. He hadn't seen Ellone yet and he wanted to talk to Squall.

[prez-leg-cramp.livejournal.com]

Laguna waved his hand dismissively, an easy smile back on his face. "No worries, really! But sure, we can talk when the party is over. Just give me a holler or something, okay?"

He was no doubt going to be here for awhile. He hadn't seen Ellone yet and he wanted to talk to Squall.