[open] welcome to the masquerade

[implying]

Date & Time: Friday the 7th, 4pm to midnight.
Location: Palace of Versailles, France, 1772.
Characters: anyone! Even characters not yet accepted as of when this log goes up. 8)
Summary: It's just some fancy masquerade dance with spiked punch.
Warnings: here be pictures, slow connections beware.


Welcome to Versailles.

The decorations are arranged, the food is prepared and laid out, the music has been rehearsed, and... most people have their costumes and masks ready. At precisely 1600, the Transporter machine activates, and a full room of people and all of their decorations, food, musical instruments, and costumes are sent back to 1772. The Palace of Versailles is in the height of its splendor, the weather is perfect and cloudless, and the gardens are in full bloom for the spring.

➣ Explore the Palace

Holy shit look at this, you have the chance to get your grubby little fingers all over history before it even becomes properly history. Do you know how many famous butts sat in all these plush velvet chairs? Or are going to sit in these plush velvet chairs? And they were all probably just talking the hell out of French, too. Wow. Go invade some bedrooms, poke your head into the kitchens (but no more than that, or territorial cooking elves might take offense), just. Touch everything. Everything. Just know that where ever you are, there's no escaping that beautiful music your fellow Transports are inflicting on you, that shit's just echoing all over the place tonight.

➣ Admire the Gardens

Jeez look at this, these people just had way too much money. But you get to benefit from it! You can basically just get yourself lost for hours here, so try not to starve or anything. Meet all the statues, go streaking through the fountains (please don't, no one wants to see that), get lost and desperately burst through cute little trees in your increasingly frantic attempts to find the exit. There's all sorts of fun you can have!

Just don't wander too close to the edge of the grounds, or you'll encounter (run into?) the invisible forcefield set up to keep wandering guests from utterly ruining history. That's probably a good way to get yourself a bloody nose.

➣ Enjoy the Banquet

There's tables and tables of this finger-licking good finery here, and it's all for you. And can you believe how fancy it is? Oh my god, those sausages have adorable little spears through them. And those spoons gently cradling their cheesy goodness? Yeah. They're made of crackers. And don't even get me started on these desserts. This is amazing. You've never eaten this good. And naturally, each drink (some of which are spiked, you're welcome) has adorable little frozen flowers in the ice cubes. Who even comes up with this stuff? Elves, that's who.

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Comments

larsa solidor | ffxii | open!

[diplomatique]

[ oh, and Larsa is positively beaming at such a social event. he hasn't been to a party in, well--it feels like ages, even if it was just a few months ago. a fancy Archadian party was far more elaborate than this, he admitted to himself--but he loved this nonetheless. perhaps even more. the atmosphere was simply breathtaking. against the gold and cream, Larsa stands out, almost like a little ghost-angel as he flits around the room in all-white, cloak flittering behind him as he briskly walks.

he has a habit of asking anyone who looks like they're receding into the shadows to dance.

so, wallflowers? watch out. ]

[theguideless]

Oh–

[look, he's not going out of his way to bump people in purpose, he just...his footing in crowds is sketchy.

he's quick to turn to apologize, but only get's out half an excu– before blinking. wait.

he knows him, right?]


...Oh! Larsa. [a smile.]

[diplomatique]

[ a comforting, shy smile makes its way to Larsa's face. ]

Hello, Martin.

[ ... wait, he seems kind of worried. ]

Are you well?

[theguideless]

[hastily, nodding:] Yes, I am. Thank you, I – [his head almost turns, on the verge of distraction, but he pulls back, remembering his manners.] Are you? Well, that is.

[diplomatique]

[ he smiles, still slightly awkward and unused to expressing such positive emotion, but the edges of his eyes crinkle with sincere emotion. ]

Very well. This masquerade has boosted morale quite a bit, from what I have seen.

[theguideless]

Everyone does seem a lot happier. [that much is plain. Martin's smile is more relaxed, seeing Larsa's good spirits.] It's not like those gatherings in the Hold, where everyone's so unsure...It's not like anything I've ever seen before. Have you?

[diplomatique]

There are many extravagant galas in Archadia.

[ he says it carefully, because he's fairly sure Ico didn't tell Martin of his status, and having spoken to someone on the network with an ill attitude toward nobles, he'd rather keep that under wraps even longer. ]

Around the size of this, or even bigger, with just as much extravagance. That, I have seen. Yet, this level of happiness and togetherness is something I have yet to see.

[theguideless]

Archadia? [it's a new word to him. he blinks.] It's a place where you're from, then?

[diplomatique]

[ a nod. ]

Yes. Archadia is the empire in which I was born and lived in all my life.

Exsilium is certainly a change from it.

[theguideless]

[he's trying to fathom always having been around big places and things like this. it's hard.]

So this...it's...[he glances around.] Not really that new to you?

[diplomatique]

[ overflow thread here ]

[miiracles]

Mii!

[ Rika lets out a startled squeak, freezing up several steps from colliding right into the boy while roaming through the palace. Close one. She finds herself staring for a moment. Another child? Maybe a little older than her. She knew there had to be other children around, but she hadn't seen someone close to her age until now.

...She probably shouldn't keep standing there and move out of the way. She gives a polite bow of apology and tries to awkwardly edge her way around him. ]

Excuse me...

[diplomatique]

[ he quickly slides out of Rika's way to let her go--but when he catches sight of her, there's a pang in his heart. she looks... a little younger than him, and before she edges away completely, he reaches to lightly grasp her hand. ]

A word, if I may?

[ his voice is clear and concerned. ]

[miiracles]

[ She comes to another halt the instant she feels the grasp on her hand. She has a moment. It's not like she's in a rush to get anywhere when all she has been doing is roaming the place on her own. ]

What is it?

[ Turning, she looks at him curiously. She senses the concern in his voice, but she's uncertain what he could want from her. ]

[diplomatique]

Would you allow me to ask your age?

[ it feels so rude asking a lady this, and his cheeks color as he knows it's fairly inappropriate, but... she looks so young. ]

You look very young, I have yet to meet another who is of less age than I.

[miiracles]

I'm ten-years-old. [ Her "human shell" is anyway. It's a question that she can answer with ease, luckily. ] Do you prefer to dance with older or younger ladies?

[ She's joking around with that last question, despite her impassive expression. She has no interest in dancing. ]

[diplomatique]

[ overflow thread here ]

[wearsblack]

[Larsa has picked up a shadow in the last few minutes, both in the figurative and metaphorical sense. Like a reverse version of the younger boy, Teravian is dressed almost entirely in black, with a bright red cloak thrown over one shoulder. The party itself doesn't particularly interest the prince, but the people attending it, and something about Larsa has caught his eye. Maybe it's the manner of nobles back home that does it, or that he could be a younger version of Teravian himself, if he ever bothered to smile.]

[diplomatique]

[ as he turns to get a drink, he notes the flash of red out of the edge of his eye. he noticed that he was being followed--Larsa would be a lackluster student in swordsmanship if he hadn't. but with a drink in his hand, and away from the other guests, he finds it much easier to turn sharply to look at the shadow he seems to have cast, much larger and more seemingly... menacing.

perhaps it's just the black and red on his person. Larsa convinces himself of this as he takes a sip of clear golden cider, though his eyes don't move from Teravian's face. ]

Good evening. May I be of service to you?

[wearsblack]

[He'd been expecting - and even half-hoping - for some kind of wariness or surprise on the boy's face. The calm evaluation isn't as fun, but interesting. His own face doesn't show much either.]

Where are you from?

[diplomatique]

Ivalice.

[ and he hopes that sets off some uncertainty or confusion. he knows there aren't too many people from his homeworld here, if any at all. Larsa keeps his expression calm and cool despite what he's actually feeling. ]

[wearsblack]

[He frowns harder, as if it's this boys fault for him not being from a place he's heard of. And it sounds too much like "Ivalaine"]

I haven't heard of it.

[diplomatique]

[ overflow thread here ]

Re: larsa solidor | ffxii | open!

[chargethesebatteries]

[The familiar faces are few and far between, but she can't help but watch in amusement as one glides in her direction. She offers Larsa a bit of a grin and nods in acknowledgement.]

Now why am I not at all surprised to see you here, Solidor? You look about as deep in your element as I do out of it right now.

ooc!

[chargethesebatteries]

made us a thread in the overflow log [here] whenever you are free ♥