The Samhain Ball - Come as You Aren't

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

A woman strides through the Nexus, garbed in royal finery of a distinctly Elizabethan style. In the crook of her arm, she carries an ebony scepter shod and capped in silver. There may be something familiar about her confident bearing, her angular features, her mismatched eyes. When she pauses to speak, the cadence of her words might spark recognition--is this Schön?!

"People of the Nexus, friends, in the world from which I hail we stand on the cusp of a special day, a harvest-fest when the walls between worlds grow thin, when masks and costumes are worn to frighten away the wicked spirits--or to invite them in on more congenial terms. So on this day, I invite you, each and every one of you, to join me in a revel to bid farewell to Summer, and welcome with fire and song the coming dark! Join me, won't you?" Letting her gaze sweep the crowd, she raps the heel of her scepter once against something solid, vanishing in a flash and leaving a sparkling trail for the curious to follow.

A cool wind herds dry, crackling leaves through the gathering gloom. On the cusp between the parklands and the residential district, darkness and cloudy skies have been slowly coalescing for days around a stately house of Gothic style, ivy-encrusted and showing its age somewhat. A square tower stands vigil over the entryway, tall windows overlooking the flagstone drive looping around a fountain gone dry. The house’s angular wings stretch to either side, the windows dark save for occasional glints and gleams of colored lights bobbing within. A glow does creep over the line of the roof, however, and the faint throb of distant music hint at something happening behind the house. The door stands open, a silent invitation to every brave soul who passes by.

((Happy Halloween! Enjoy the festivities. All LOLs are optional. Threadhopping is encouraged. Backtagging is forever, so don’t worry about missing out: we’ll still be here when you get back from your more mundane ghosties and goblins.))

Playlist
Visualosity
The Entrance
The Ballroom
The Banquet
The Bonfire
The Corn Maze
Dark Corners
Costume Icon Requests
The Photo Booth

Comments

[brave_heart_verity]

Drunk singing seems kind of inevitable. Otherwise how will she ever be able to blackmail peoplepeople know it was a good party?

"Not everything, no. I don't think I could. Not if I intend to be able to move later, and I intend to dance more." he's on notice. If he won't dance, that will be disappointing, but she supposes someone needs to look after the buffet.

[shardofwinter]

Fear not, Reynard is a devout patron of taverns bars and all activities that lie within. "Oh, yes! Dancing! You'll do me the honour of giving me at least one dance, won't you dear? Or must I first charm you more before I get that privilege?"

[brave_heart_verity]

All the activities that lie within? Including karaoke?

She hums softly, pretending to think about that. "I dunno. I should probably make you work for it, but... I'm in a generous mood tonight. And if you got any more charming, there'd be broken hearts everywhere."

[shardofwinter]

All of them. Definitely including karaoke.

Reynard's grin widens and he twirls the corner of his moustache as he leans against the back of a chair. "I can imagine. All the men here must be grumbling into their drinks already, seeing you talk to me instead of them."

[brave_heart_verity]

Good to know. It's good he's kept up with these modern fads.

The idea that she'd ever make anyone jealous gets a snort from her. (She has no idea.) "I doubt it. But you're just proving my point. Most of the women here and a fair number of the men would positively swoon over you. Not me of course, I don't have a heart."

[shardofwinter]

"You don't?" A hand goes to his belt where a sword might have been if it had been in costume, and his head spins to scan the room as he playfully declares, "Tell me who has it and I'll wrestle it from his hands!"

[brave_heart_verity]

She laughs and shakes her head at his antics and covers his seeking hands with her own. "Nobody here. I put it in a goose egg for safe keeping. And I'm much better off. I can even be your friend without falling madly in love with you."

[shardofwinter]

"What delightful talents. You can put hearts in goose eggs and resist my charms. I am a lucky man to know you." He leans closer and lowers his voice a notch. "You bringing me duck might have told me that already, of course... Can I return you the favour and fetch you a drink?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"Oh yes, I'm very talented. Who knows what marvels I'll reveal next." She even has the power of self-control to not roll her eyes at her own ridiculousness. "Mm, a drink would be nice, thank you. Whatever you're having." Obviously her mortal liver can keep up with his, right? No? She'll go slow, then.

[shardofwinter]

"A red wine then, unless you'd prefer otherwise." It's fair warning before he spins off through the crowd to find them some alcohol. He won't keep her waiting too long, soon returning with a glass in each hand, offering Verity's over to her with a small bow. "My fair lady. How are you enjoying the evening anyway? There are a few familiar faces here, more I don't recognise and quite probably a dozen I should introduce myself to."

[brave_heart_verity]

Red wine is her usual drink of choice, so, no complaints here. And she knows how to enjoy it properly. A careful swirl, a thoughtful sniff, all that 'snobby' stuff. She takes the glass with a smile, but she's watching the bow with a note of confusion. She's American, she doesn't understand these things.

"Fair, now? I am busy. I've been enjoying the evening as much as can be expected." Surely he can imagine why it's harder for her than usual this time. "Oh, you don't know most of the people who came while you were away yet, do you? This'll be a great time to introduce yourself and your moustache."

[shardofwinter]

In fairness to Verity, modern Europeans would be equally as confused, but he likes to be flamboyant in old school ways. He is good at choosing wine, so maybe that will distract her.

"I can only hope that my company, or at least the wine, helps you enjoy it that much more." He winks and raises his glass to her before he sips it. Of course he knows why it's difficult. Parties are the place to go when you're trying to forget awful life happenings, it's only natural she attend and have some difficulty enjoying herself. "Any in particular I should make a note of introducing myself to?"

[brave_heart_verity]

You mean Europeans don't still go around in puffy wigs bowing all the time? Such a disappointment. It's at least one big Jane Austen novel, right? Right?

Good wine is a good distraction, yeah, and she's enjoying it. "Your company more than the wine." The wink earns him a good-natured hmph. She is not so easily swayed, but she's pretty easily amused. "Hmm. That depends on what kind of company you're looking for. Samus knows a lot of good stories if you can convince her you're worth the telling. Jim is almost as charming as you. Felix comes from a place he says is always cold and that is full of magic, you might have a lot in common."

[shardofwinter]

"Ah, Samus I know. Wonderful woman. I'll have to ask her for a dance if I can catch her. Jim is a very recent acquaintance, but I'll try to give him some tips. Felix... I haven't met yet." He sips at his wine and tilts his head at her, peering carefully to try and discern a particular answer. "And what kind of company are you looking for tonight? A Prince Charming, perhaps?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"I would pay good money to see someone getting Samus to dance." And getting her boots away from Stratos. Just to see what he does. (What? She's mischief sometimes.) She'd been looking around see if Felix was around when a particularly absurd notion makes her just stare at Reynard for a minute.

"I know that princes raised to be charming are rarely sincere. Does that sound like my type?" Growing up in Manhattan means you can't escape the Sondheim quotes.

[shardofwinter]

"There are few people I can't get to dance." That's a bold exaggeration if not an outright lie, but it's meant in good fun. Despite its dubious validity, he looks around to see if he can spy Samus.

The strange expression and the reproach gets a shrug. "I think that even you, my dear, can be seduced by a bit of charm coming from the right prince. We all can."

[brave_heart_verity]

"I'm sure." It's meant in good fun, so she'll let it slide. If he can get Samus to dance, then good. If he tries and fails, she can tease him about it later. Win-win for her.

She hadn't meant it as a reproach so much as a reminder, but she often sounds angrier than she means to. Bad habit. "I've never been seduced by anything." Not that anyone's ever had the bad sense to try. "I'm not saying charming people aren't fun. I just. I don't feel things like that."

Maybe her heart really is in a goose egg. It's as good an explanation as any for why she's so cold inside.

[shardofwinter]

Challenge accepted... if he can figure out where Samus is.

"The art is a dying one, it's true. I find it hard to believe, however, that in this place, not a single man will seduce you, even a little. Many will certainly try." He peers at her and wags a finger once. "It's a matter of finding what you find charming. If honesty is the way, someone will be honest enough to charm you, I'm sure of it."

[onemorebounty]

*Samus is tarrying at the head of the stairs above the band, just now, watching the dancers and sipping a flute of sparkling cider. In her Wonder Woman getup, she isn't hard to spot.*

[brave_heart_verity]

She's not sure which she finds less likely: that anyone would succeed, or that anyone would want to try in the first place. Verity is very aware that she is a singularly disagreeable creature. "Can honesty be seductive?" This is a purely philosophical question for her. She has no real interest in being seduced. That's for other people.

[shardofwinter]

Reynard's mouth curls into a grin and he raises his glass to her. "To finding out." If she's not careful, he's going to be a very strange kind of Cupid to her come Wintertime. For now, however, he takes a generous swig from his glass. "Will you come and help me find Samus? You can be my wingwoman, or all three of us could 'get down and boogie'." He knows how ridiculous that sounds coming from him, which is why he adds the wink.

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity raises an eyebrow and hesitates before lifting her glass to clink it against his. She's not sure she wants to find out. "One way or the other." He can try and play Cupid if he likes, but not even Hawkeye could hit a target as small as this; Reynard might remember he tried.

He shouldn't say things like that while she's drinking, wine up the nose is no fun. At least she manages not to spit it out. "I'd be happy to help you find her, and to dance with either or both of you whenever you like." Dancing, at least, is easy to talk her into.

[shardofwinter]

Wine up the nose is a small victory in some strange game for him. He grins, finishes his wine, sets the glass down and offers her his arm. "Come on. With you on one arm and Samus on the other, I'll be the envy of all the other men."

Once she takes it he'll guide her about the place until they find the huntress.

[brave_heart_verity]

Well, so long as someone enjoyed it, she supposes she can endure. She'll take his arm once she's finished her wine, setting the empty glass down by his. "Oh, absolutely. Thre's only four women here so far, and that has not gone unnoticed."

But is he looking for Samus, or showing off that he's got a companion?

[onemorebounty]

*Samus is still at the top of the stairs, watching the dancers in the ballroom and in full view. How hard were you looking, Reynard?*