| Logs |
1999-12-26
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
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Roast Beast for the Solstice Feast
The rustic town hall itself is also decorated for the Solstice
Festival. Garlands of evergreen and berries decorate the rough-hewn
plank walls, and wreaths with bright red berries hang over the enormous
stone fireplaces at each end of the town hall. The fires blaze high for
warmth and cheer, since the townsfolk will be dancing the year's longest
night away. Everyone is in their best finery, and the recent arrivals
have found things to wear as well. Even Alex has grudgingly agreed to
appear in a traditional green dress for the occasion...Ettore Village
The villagers seem very happy to have
guests for the traditional Solstice Day festivities. They've gone all
out to welcome the refugees, putting a lot more effort than usual into
this year's decorations. Greenery is strung along all the buildings,
and the delicious smells of cooking drift through the streets as food
is prepared. The centerpieces of the feast are a brace of game animals
roasting in an outdoor pit near the town hall.
Alex is gracious and polite during the feasting... her manners are impeccable, and she sticks by Carroll's side most properly, so there's a male and a female of the lord's family available for the villagers to talk to if they wish. She also does not look exactly thrilled with her um... finery, but thanks Hildy courteously for her efforts in helping Alexandra appear fittingly at the feast... and wears it with excruciating correctness, even if she appears to have no feeling or flair for it.
Carroll is the proper host, smiling and talking to people. He beams at his sister and compliments her on the dress, hopefully in Hildy's hearing, saying, "Alex, you look lovely. I hope I'll be able to steal you away from all the other boys for a dance later on."
Alex blinks at Carroll at his comment! -then a moment later recovers, and smiles, "Carroll, you flatterer..." her smile gets teasing, "-well... I suppose I could spare one or two!" Carroll may catch Alex giving him a rather startled look over her shoulder a few moments later...
Miriam mixes shyly with the villagers, drifting back toward Alex now and then but not sticking quite so closely as before. Alex looks pleased that Miriam seems to be starting to enjoy herself. She'll make sure both that Miriam's introduced to several nice young folks and the influential townsfolk, and also that Miriam's having a nice time, and should feel free to come to Alex with any questions or worries.
Horatio shivers a bit, running his fingers through his collar, grimacing. Cold and he never got along too well. It had always been chilly at the Academy, but around Master Hieronymous' athanor it had always been warm. Still, part of being with a purpose was going through hardships to achieve that purpose (how many times had he burned his hands?) and, certainly, being cold and wearing... something thought up only in the fevered, sadistic imaginings of some court designer (though truth be told, what he wore was among the more conservative styles) was going to be the least of the hardships in this.
Gunther is working his way through the crowd toward Carroll. Turning, Carroll notices Gunther. He smiles, automatically raising his ears erect and straightening his tail, and murrs, "Hello, Gunther," waving him nearer.
Gunther nods and steps up. "It's about time to start, milord. We wanted you to start things off by carving the first pieces from the roast, if you don't mind?"
Carroll nods and murrs, "Of course, Gunther. Let's get this underway." With a final glance and an encouraging smile to Alex, he follows Gunther.
Horatio sighs, trying again to adjust the collar of the... whatever it is that Hildy has made him wear. Even though the clothes he wore on the Mare are, well, by now a little worse for the wear, and he knows as a noble's son that one should wear finery or at least Good Clothing on certain occasions... why did they have to make the good clothes uncomfortable? He wanders around a little, taking his cues from Alex and Carroll and Dimit- where is the dark fox, at that?
Alex giggles softly at Horatio's rather glum expression as she straightens up the fine ruffles under his chin, then pats him on the arm and murmurs consolingly, "You look quite handsome tonight, Horatio! Don't forget to stand up straight, and keep your chin up..." her grin gets a slightly wicked quirk as she adds, "-and you'll have all the young ladies flocking to dance with you!"
Horatio smiles wanly to Alex as she straightens the... the whatever-they-ares that are on the front of his shirt. He stands up straighter at Alex's suggestion -- then he blinks almost in shock. "But..." He looks around quickly, and lowers his voice. "But-but-but, what? I mean, I don't want -- I mean, I can't dance!"
Alex chuckles softly, "Sure you can, Horatio... just remember what the dancing tutor taught us, and you'll be fine! If you want I'll dance some with you too?" She adds, "Ooh, looks like it's almost time for dinner -- let's go sit!" She loops an arm through Horatio's and heads for the head table, looking around for Dimitri too... and even remembers after a few steps to walk like she's in a dress -- not in pants! Horatio erks? and lets himself be taken to the table. He walks with Alex, keeping his head up.
Just before noon, just before the first course is brought out Dimitri arrives in the festival hall. He quietly finds an empty place to sit, looking for a goblet of something cool to sip as the festivities begin. Alex, who has been visually searching for her favorite brother from her seat at the head table, notices Dimitri entering the hall. She watches with thoughtful concern, noting his lack of finery and his chosen seat, far from his family… but doesn't say anything for now.
The Solstice Feast is traditional in its makeup. Roast venison and wild boar, breads and puddings, potatoes and sauerkraut, fruit preserves and pies fill the tables, with small bowls of nuts, honey cakes, and vats of hot cider and spiced wine to drink. Everyone looks eager to begin. Gunther hands a carving knife to Carroll.
Carroll stands at the head of the table, with the knife. He smiles, and taps the knife handle on the table a time or two, with sharp raps, until he has most people's attention. He calls out, "I'm very pleased to be here, with all of my family, this Solstice. Good luck and good fortune to us all." Working on the theory of 'shorter is better,' Carroll then smiles, bends to the roast in front of him, and begins to carve it. The townsfolk agree with this and applaud the short speech. Horatio smiles quietly, also applauding the short speech, and letting out a soft breath.
From the head table, you can see that the tables are broken up mainly by age. The youngest kids sit with their parents, while the older children sit with their playmates today. The almost-adults sit in clumps, with the girls sneaking glances at Horatio, and the boys doing the same to Miriam and Alex. The feast continues throughout most of the early afternoon, but after a few hours everyone is full and the remains are being cleared away. As night falls the town hall is decorated and lit up for the dance. The tables are moved out of the main room, the remaining food and drink is set up along one end of the room, and the village's amateur musicians begin tuning up.
Ettore Town Hall
The rustic town hall is decorated for
the Solstice Festival. Garlands of greenery decorate the rough-hewn plank
walls, and wreaths with bright red berries hang over the enormous stone
fireplaces at each end of the room. The fires blaze high for warmth and
cheer as the townsfolk dance the year's longest night away. The tables
and benches normally found here have been moved, except for a refreshment
table and benches along the walls for tired furrs.
As the sun sets, the villagers begin to filter back in, now in their holiday finery. Tradition is to dance throughout this longest night of the year, to encourage the sun to return again by convincing him that he'd miss all the fun if he didn't... nearly everyone is here, even the professional warriors have relaxed enough to take turns at the dance -- although they have been rotating on and off watch duty. The musicians are tuning up, getting ready to begin. As the sun sets and the sky darkens, Gunther stands up and raps on a table to get everyone's attention. Alex is watching the musicians tuning up with almost a... hungry gleam in her eyes... she blinks at the rapping and turns to listen. Horatio looks up and over to Gunther, thankful for the delay in the festivities.
Gunther says, "I'm not going to make a long speech this year. We've had enough speeches to last us for a bit, I'm thinking. But this is the end of the year, and it's always well to review things." Carroll nods, smiling. He's warm, fed, and with his family, reasonably secure for at least the moment, and someone else is going to give the speech. Alex smiles at Carroll, then looks back to Gunther.
Gunther says, "Things went perfectly normally until the last couple weeks. We cut trees, sawed them into lumber, Kerry and his crew fished, Dave and Heinrich organized the hunting parties, and we traded the wood for what we needed when the Count sent ships over. Now, we face a challenge in the new year. The Count is missing, we're probably going to need to arrange for new traders to come over with what we need, and the Count's heirs need our help to clear their names."
Carroll looks out over the people in the room, watching reactions, trying to smile reassuringly. Gunther says, "It's going to be hard work, and a little risky, too. But it's the only alternative to ending up like Miriam's family. Some of you may not have heard her story yet... but she's here because milord Dimitri and milady Alex rescued her after a merchant overlord ran what was left of her family off their land. If we don't help St. Genevieve now, the same will likely happen to us, or to our children. I say NO!!"
A growl of agreement rises from the crowd. Gunther pauses, motions for silence, and concludes. "But that's for tomorrow. Tonight, it's the Solstice! Let the dancing begin!" Alex beams enthusiastically and applauds with everyone else. Carroll adds his applause, nodding his support of Gunther's words and of the dance. Horatio blinks and applauds with the others, his own applause lost in the roaring ovation.
The musicians strike up the first tune, and Gunther and Hildy step out onto the floor for the first dance. Alex offers her paw to Carroll... since she knows the heir should be the second couple on the dance floor. Carroll smiles and takes his sister's hand, asking politely, "Will you do me the honor of this dance?"
Alex curtseys politely, "I'd be honored, good sir." She's modestly decorous... although Carroll can see that brilliant, excited gleam in his sister's eyes that she gets when she's doing something she loves! Carroll escorts Alex on to the dance floor and begins to dance with her. He is a good dancer, with style trained into him for court, and he leads surely and smoothly, smiling happily as well, ears perked and full red tail swinging behind him.
Alex lights up and comes alive when dancing, with the same hot joy bursting almost visibly out of her that she gets on the Mare sometimes during the night watch. Her dancing has all the style and flair she lacks when stuck in a dress and just standing... she whirls lightly in Carroll's arms, following his lead with graceful joy.
A dark-furred mink lass boldly offers her hand to Horatio. "And would you honor me, milord? 'S not right that you should sit here all alone."
Horatio blinks up at the mink. "Ahh... I mean, errr..." He glances at Carroll and Alex (and where in the world is Dimitri?) and, well, if he's a noble's son... he'd still rather be in the workshop... he looks up at the mink again. Or maybe not. Smiling wanly, he gingerly takes her hand. "Ah... c-certainly, the... the honor would be mine..."
The mink whirls Horatio to his feet and onto the dance floor as the music starts. She somehow manages to manipulate him into looking like he's leading, even though she's the one driving them around the dance floor. The other village maidens look utterly jealous that she stole a march on them. Horatio erps! and manages -- just barely! -- to keep from looking totally flabbergasted at the, well, boldness. "You ah, dance very well...!" he manages to say, more than a little surprised. He's not blind to how she manages to keep him from looking clumsy, and equally grateful for that. "Ah... what, ah, is your name?"
She smiles brightly at Horatio. "Jessie, milord. Jessie Hunter."
Horatio gulps, and tries very hard to not blush as he glances around. He realizes this is the first time he's ever asked a lady her name.. at least at a dance. Oh, dear. "Ah... that is ah, a pretty name ah, ma'am, I mean ah, Miss Hunter, er-" oh nuts, what WAS the proper way of addressing others, Nanna tried to hammer it into him years ago...
Jessie giggles. "Just Jessie is fine, milord, really." She continues the dance as more couples come out to the dance floor. "I was hoping... could you put a good word in for me with your brother? I'd love to come with you when you leave."
Horatio blinks and almost stumbles on the next step. He manages to recovers, "Ah... ah, on the Saucy Mare, Jessie?"
Jessie nods. "I'm a good archer. I've been practicing since I was little."
Horatio blinks to Jessie. "I'm not sure, Jessie, I'll certainly mention it to Ca- my brother. I don't know how many people they're choosing to come aboard." He bites his lip a little, thinking over what more say, "But, I will mention you're an archer."
Carroll smiles at his brother over Alex's shoulder without disrupting their steps, continuing easily with her, smiling and sure. He murrs softly to her, "You dance well, Alex. It's always a pleasure to dance with a good partner."
Carroll can hear Alex humming the musical beat to herself, almost under her breath... she laughs happily, then shakes her head amusedly, "You... are much nicer now, Carroll, as a brother-captain, than when we were both children... did we change that much?" Her cheerful grin removes any potential sting from the words -- she's practically floating on the music and the dancing.
Carroll is enjoying the dance, himself, although it's probably not possible to reach Alex's state of euphoria. He murrs to her, quietly, "No, but we've begun to work together rather than against each other." He murrs something too low for anyone but Alex to hear, "Unless I've upset Dimitri. I wish I knew what I'd done. I hope I can talk to him later. I must," while he dances.
Alex tilts her head, considering Carroll for a moment as she dances... then smiles quietly, "I think, Carroll, that like me, when he feels strongly about something his emotions run hot... but that in the long-run he, also like me, would rather be close to his family? -and if you give him a chance and a day or so to cool down… that he'd be willing to talk then? I could be wrong... but I hope not?"
Carroll looks around the dance floor, watching more couples join and trying to note who is with whom, which he does badly while dancing. After a moment he murrs to Alex, "I hope so," and tries to lose some of his worry in the dance and the music.
Alex grins mischievously at Carroll, then adds equally quietly, "Of course, since I doubt many of the young men here, and fewer of the crew, are going to be willing to ask me to dance, I should warn you... I'm going to keep stealing Dimitri or Horatio or you for dances all night..." she giggles softly, "So if you're going to be silly and want to talk to Dimitri during the dancing, better make sure I've got partners, mm?"
Carroll chuckles and murrs into Alex's ear, "Oh, I'm certain Horatio will.… well, perhaps he's taken, the poor fellow." He grins and murrs, "Perhaps after dancing… perhaps Gunther, or that nice otterish captain.… he might be able to keep up with you."
Alex snorts amusedly at Carroll, "I'd suggest you talk to Dimitri well after the dancing, like a day or two after... play it safe, don'tcha know?" She grins mischievously at Carroll again... then he can hear her soft humming start again, almost inaudible, as she happily loses herself in the dancing, letting the music wash over her.
Carroll only slowly begins to wonder where his other brother has gotten to. He's enjoying the dance, and the music, and the company, but keeps expecting the dark fox to cut in. Alex ends the dance with Carroll, then pauses, looking around for her favorite brother. She gets a faintly puzzled look, then smiles and excuses herself, "Can't monopolize you all night, Carroll... but thank you for the dance." She curtseys properly, then patters off, moving slowly through the crowd and asking for Dimitri.
Carroll smiles, and murrs, "My pleasure, Alex." He expects Dimitri to be somewhere at the dance, and frowns a bit that he's not. Carroll starts to follow Alex, then realizes protocol has him chained here. Smiling deliberately, he moves off the dance floor to find a drink of something and talk to those not dancing, making himself visible.
Alex checks with crew of the Saucy Mare... then gets an exasperatedly concerned look on her face and heads for the ship, striding swiftly along as if she were in pants and not a dress.
The dock in Ettore Cove is dimly lit by the hurtling Hare, and the noise of revelry drifts faintly down from the town hall.
The dark St. Genevieve sibling sits quietly at the edge of the pier, his brigantine hauberk over his knees. His evening's finery is back on the Mare, just his working grays he wears now, sturdy and betraying the hints of campaign wear. By his side is a small lamp and a little kit spread out. Waxed thread, a pair of heavy needles, a small knife and scraps of black leather. He carefully works on the seams of the hauberk, everyday maintenance, so that there might be no unexpected surprises come time of need.
Natasha wanders up to Dimitri as he works. "There are you, milord. Not comink to dance?"
Dimitri looks up from his task, the sturdy hauberk over his lap, at Natasha. The dark fox just shrugs, "Not my place. That was made very clear. But it's a nice, quiet night, and the cove is calm, and the moon sparkles kinda nice. And this way I won't be loosing buckles when I need them." He ducks his muzzle, before continuing. "And it's just Dimitri, mi'lady Natasha. I work for a living, aye?"
The she-wolf shrugs and squats down beside the fox. "P'jalst. I'm less milady than you are milord, sir. What you mean, is not your place? Is time for all to dance and celebrate... was hoping you would be there to dance with, da?"
Dimitri shrugs his shoulders, "This is a night for brother Carroll and my sister Alexandra, and Horatio too. A night for them to be the right and proper St. Genevieves. My instincts are for the melee, aye? They do not seem to work when it comes to making good social decisions. I owe it to them, that's part of my duty." He chuckles then, wry and quiet, "A dance with me? I'm sure you could do much better."
Natasha grins. "Better dancers, da. Better partners, nyet. Is not a matter for politics tonight."
Dimitri laughs wryly. "Actually, Lady Blackpool made sure her officer candidates were presentable." His voice is quiet, but carries easily up the Ettore docks, "But my problem is that my views are strong, and I have a tendency not to curb my tongue when I open my muzzle. They don't need that tonight. It would only make matters I have already mismanaged worse. This is their celebration. Mine is more simple. That they are there to have their dance. Simple fox I be."
From some distance away Alex's concerned, back-tilted ears prick up... she knows that voice. She turns, her ears swiveling, trying to triangulate.
Natasha chuckles. "Da, simple indeed. And what you do when your sister comes looking for you and you're not in good clothes?"
Dimitri nods quietly, "She was the one who made it clear I don't understand how these things work in the first place. And between me and you, mi'lady Natasha, Zan... Alexandra, she's bloody well smarter than me."
The wolf just shakes her head in the darkness. "That maybe means she forgive you hidink like this? She was very clear she wanted you at dance." Alex catches the voice again, then determinedly heads that way.