The Keep, Ebon Askavi, Kaeleer, Monday Evening (Fandom Time)

[glacial_queen]

The last time Karla had been here, she'd been incredibly nervous about how that evening would turn out and affect her future. Standing in the Keep tonight with a crowd of people around her--some of them almost complete strangers--made her almost laugh at how naive her fear had been the last time.

Her Offering was nothing. This was the completely terrifying night.

A small gong echoed through the room. Once. Twice. Thrice. Then, after a pause, a fourth time. Four times for the four sides of a Blood triangle, the fourth side being what was held within the other three. Like the three males--Steward, Master of the Guard, and Consort--who formed a strong, intimate triangle around a Queen.

Lord Mallory shuffled around, making certain that everyone was lined up according to Protocol, light Jewels to dark, first all the males and then the females. A pair of double doors opened in the rear of the room and Karla glided forward to take her place on a small dias, then turned to watch her friends--her Court--file in behind her.

She took a deep breath and completely ignored all of her future Steward's hard work and Protocol and called out, "Prince Regan, will you serve in the First Circle?"

And so it began.

[NFB for distance, some text taken from Heir to the Shadows, Chapt. 16]

Comments

Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

There's a reception beforehand, with tables of food and drink. Most of the people here are Glacian: pale blond hair, pale blue eyes, pale white skin.

Meet, mingle, chat with people. Everyone here is going to be one big happy family in few minutes, right?

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[furnaceface]

A big happy family. Yes. That was completely how that worked.

Jono was standing mostly around the edges of the room, quietly studying the people who were mingling therein. The actual Glacians that he knew here were few and far between. But every now and then, he caught a glimpse of familiar faces from Fandom, and let himself feel a little more at ease for it.

Huge blue landen? He felt more than a little bit out of place, not that he was letting himself show it.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah wandered over and elbow-bumped Jono, smirking a little as she sipped her wine. "Quite the party, hunh."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[icecoldfrost]

"You look so utterly thrilled," Emma deadpanned as she slipped between people to come to rest at his elbow. "Do try not to faint from joy."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[wwiii]

Warren was actually looking pretty easygoing during the reception. Wings and lack of Jewel aside, he already looked Glacian. Sure, people kept looking twice once they realized both of those things, but they tended to relax when he acknowledged them using the proper Protocol and a smile.

Now, if he could just stop fidgeting with the finger that he'd been wearing the Consort's ring on. Karla had taken it back so that she could present it to him properly during the ceremony, but so help him, it left his hand feeling naked...

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[trigons_child]

Raven's stomach was a little too fluttery to eat (and she was a tiny bit paranoid that she'd spill something on her dress), so she was avoiding the tables for the time being.

She was, however, enjoying soaking in all the Pride.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah looked like she might be Glacian; it was a little weird to be among so many Nordic types. Karla needed to appreciate that she was wearing a blue dress (http://www.prom-2013.com/blue/1811-blue-one-shoulder-sequins-ruched-tencel-bridesmaid-evening-dress-wl962.html) that would pass Kaeleer's fashion standards-- well, mostly. The skirt was slit, but the peek-a-boo effect meant most wouldn't notice. This was probably the last time she was gonna wear a dress here, though. At least until the upcoming probably-war was over.

She was sipping her wine very slowly, looking out for trouble. Or people she knew.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[heromaniac]

Momoko was totally and obviously not Glacian. She was used to it and it really didn't bother her, though. She sipped at a drink almost as red as her dress, looking around at all the people here for Karla. This was so awesome!

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[icecoldfrost]

Emma had changed into something more suitable for Kaeleer after work, since she knew her lovely pinstripe pencil skirt and seeing her knees would give poor Uncle Saetan the vapors.

...of course, it wasn't exactly a dress. Or modest in the slightest, given how closely it was tailored to fit her body, especially the pants. And might give at least Morton vapors. But Christian had always said that white was Emma's best color, and really. Anyone at this party worth dealing with already knew she had far too much 'balls and sass' to get stuffed into a Blood-appropriate gown.

The Ceremony

[glacial_queen]

Karla even had Rings for you!

Delicate rings for females' fingers, and, ahem, larger ones for males'...members, yes.

Karla would be sliding her Rings onto her ladies. The males would get theirs in their hands and could put them on later. In private.

Re: The Ceremony

[glacial_queen]

Karla, clad in Raven's gift, her Ebon-gray Jewels sparkling at her throat and hand, began calling the names of her Court, ignoring rank and gender, gravely asking it they would serve in her First Circle. Person after person agreed, some of them blinking tears from their eyes as they responded, "I will serve," a fist pressed against their heart as they knelt to her.

Draca stood behind her, her sibilant whisper telling them the number of years their contract was for. Most of the contracts were for three years, though there were exceptions.

"I will sign," they said, and Karla stepped forward to offer each a Ring.

[Ping here for your name to be called, feel free to ping into the main thread for other conversations/reactions]

Re: The Ceremony

[wwiii]

Warren waited for his turn, his head held high. If he was nervous, he wasn't showing it.

He was terrified. And he wasn't showing that, either.

But there was a sort of quiet pride about him as well, and there was a little smile on his face as he watched people step up, one by one, to accept a position in Karla's Court.

Re: The Ceremony

[furnaceface]

Jono was probably the only one waiting his turn with a kitten in his pocket, wasn't he? Well, if Joni couldn't be involved in this moment, then he was going to have to turn himself around and head back to the island.

As it stood, he had changed his clothes and showered, and he was feeling a little more human for it after a weekend of binge-drinking in Hawaii. A small cat hanging around in his coat pocket was probably the lesser of the possible vices he could have brought with him in order to take part in this moment.

For you, Karla. He was sober and limiting himself to a single cat tonight (fine, the only cat he had) just for you.

Re: The Ceremony

[trigons_child]

Raven had excellent taste in gifts, thank you very much. She thought Karla looked beautiful today.

She stood quietly, waiting for her turn.

Re: The Ceremony

[icecoldfrost]

By this point, Emma was simply enjoying the wine and tormenting any confused Blood that hadn't had the misfortune chance to meet her before and didn't know what to do with the landen-seeming girl who carried herself like she was a dark-jeweled Queen.

This was even better entertainment than hustling frat boys at pool.

Post-Ceremony

[glacial_queen]

More food and receptions and...

Well, probably yelling.

Re: Post-Ceremony

[trigons_child]

Why, yes, someone wanted to have a few words with Karla, why do you ask?

Re: Post-Ceremony

[furnaceface]

Jono had stepped out for a few minutes in order to make heads-or-tails of his new jewelry. It had been fairly straightforward, really, and so long as he didn't think about it, it wasn't too weird.

Now, newly Ringed, he was back in amongst the crowd. More or less. He'd staked out a corner, accepted the first alcoholic drink he was offered, and was going over maps with a snoozing kitten in his lap.

He'd spent the weekend grieving. Now was time for business. And answering the occasional drunk text from April.

Re: Post-Ceremony

[heromaniac]

Hugs! HUUUUGS!

Momoko is looking for you EVERYONE because you all need to be hugged!

She was so proud of everyone!

Re: Post-Ceremony

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah was trying very hard not to twirl. Because dignity!

Yeah, no, it was still happening off and on.

And later still..

[glacial_queen]

What's this? A special question?

Re: And later still..

[wwiii]

Warren had been quiet since the ceremony had ended. He still had his Ring in his pocket-- he wasn't quite able to bring himself to go put it on just yet, all things considered. He needed to talk to Karla about something, first.

It took him a while to be able to find a quiet moment to approach her, but the instant he'd found one...

"We need to talk."

Because if she'd taken him aside before the fact and explained her reasons for only giving him a year, maybe he would have been more amenable to accepting it. But in front of everyone, with no warning?

He wasn't letting that go.

OOC

[glacial_queen]

OMG, this is the beginning!

Re: OOC

[heromaniac]

The start!

Re: OOC

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

This was an awesome read!

Eee!