aterat | A Winter's Ball

Entry tags:

A Winter's Ball

Who; Everyone!
What; The Ball promised by Halcyn!
Where; A newly (and quite abruptly) renovated ballroom in the Noble District
When; December 15th, evening
Warnings; None as of yet, though there is some mischief afoot for those looking for it

The morning of the 15th, the day of the Ball, opens with a letter under every door, reminding the residents that today is the day, that the Ball to celebrate and be merry is upon you. It also includes a small golden ticket that all attendees are asked to present at the doors to be allowed into the hall in the Noble District. It bids the attendees to enjoy themselves, forget their worries for a time, and is each personally signed by Halcyn.

Arrival | Under the Mistletoe;

The chill in the air at the change of seasons makes for a cold journey to the Noble district, though the streets are well-lit (an improvement in the otherwise dilapidated quarter in the first place) and at the end of the street indicated in the invitation letter, stands a beautifully restored building wreathed in white lights and adorned with wreaths and holly. All roads and citizen paths have lead to the ballroom today, and it is a beacon of civilization in the otherwise unused quarter. A guardsman is checking tickets at the door, and allowing admittance to the foyer of the ballroom.

The foyer is also decorated in trees adorned with shining lights. There are people flitting about with trays of champagne and people are greeting each other, gathering in groups and generally enjoying one another's company. Six archways lead further into the ballroom, and into what seems to be a seating area with round tables atop which glittering floral arrangements sit and to which servers bring meals for those who have a seat. At the top of each of the six arches hang six bundles of mistletoe.

Some are able to pass beneath the bundles with no issue, but others may find their way blocked by an unseen wall, unable to escape the arch until someone joins them, and a kiss is exchanged. It could be innocuous, even a cheek would suffice, but who's to know that without experimentation?

Try the Grey Stuff, It's Delicious

In the dining hall, meals are limited, but there are options for various palettes and even a vegetarian option. There is wine and champagne, and also non-alcoholic options of you're less inclined to partake. The music from the main ballroom, accessible through a set of ornate double doors, is muted here, providing a sense of ambiance but not overpowering the conversations that may occur at the tables scattered about the room.

The desert is the same for all who try it, though, and fluffy (is oddly colored) meringue that is simply to die for, but it seems to have some strange side effects. As the night progresses for those who've eaten the strange confectionary, they will begin to feel more and more happy and carefree, but also much more open. Those who are reserved about their feelings or their thoughts, even their histories, will feel less inclined to be so withdrawn. That couldn't possibly make anything awkward, could it?

Shall We Dance the Night Away?

The main even by far is the grand ballroom. A 15 piece orchestra sits atop a small stage to the north of the dance floor, their music varying between melancholic, haunting, warm, and uplifting, and the citizens are quite enjoying the time to let loose and dance the night away with their partners.

Spiral staircases lead to the balconies on the second floor overlooking the dance floor below, affording tired dancers chairs and refreshments with which to rest in order to return to the floor below. The music here, due to acoustics, is muted which affords a more intimate place to converse.

Even more intimate are the outdoor balconies accessed from either side of the second floor. Here, small sconces have been lit to afford a romantic glow to the area, but the light is dim enough to enjoy the glittering starlight above. The flames also give the area some warmth, warding away the chill in the night air and allow guests to enjoy the solitude of the area without freezing. The music out here is a pleasant background hum, making the setting even more romantic and ethereal.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Then I'll get to it after you've had a chance to relax." Ignis didn't want Nida to fuss since the man had just gotten through the door. But he was determined to heal that bruise before the other went back out the door for work again. He just had to be patient, so patient he would be.

So he placed a gentle kiss on the top of his mate's forehead as his arms encircled Nida's waist. "I've got dinner started and your birthday cake is made."

"You really made a cake," Nida says, and he's smiling at the thought of it. "I don't think even Rin made me a cake."

He'd come to a conclusion, by now, as to just who his 'sister' in the last world had been. Just who Julia had belonged to before him. To think that he'd be so tied to her was mind blowing, but he also knew there was a reason he never got a birthday cake even though he was strong armed into acknowledging his birthday.

"Dinner and cake sounds good. You're making me excited for today."

"Of course I made you a cake darling. Ice cream will be involved as well." But then his head moved to the side at the unfamiliar name. "Rin?" That was a name he hadn't heard before but it wasn't up to him to pry. He would simply leave it at that and let the man tell him or not.

Ignis smiled and gave the gentlest kiss on the lips. "You have gifts waiting on the table too." He didn't want to say so out loud but that bruise was driving him up the wall and he couldn't wait to heal it.

If he found out whoever did it on purpose, Ignis would make sure to repay it in kind, but that wasn't mentioned nor would it be.

"Rinoa Heartilly. I think that's who owned Julia before me. My sister, in the last worlds," Nida answers. And then he's grinning.

Ice cream. Nida loves ice cream.

"Gifts? Again? Ig, my flame, you thought of more gifts?"

Nida doesn't know what to do with that. His eyes look toward the table, and he just looks... shocked.

"Ah I see." A sister, right he'd mentioned having one once. But then the grin took his attention off of that topic rather quickly. Nida's fondness for the frozen treat was known and of course Ignis was happy to cater to that and every other desire the man had.

He laughed a little self consciously and shook his head. "Birthday gifts are quite traditional along with dinner and dessert." And he didn't want to say it but he did pay attention when Nida spoke about things.

Nida laughs and pulls his work gloves off, holding them out.

"These were one of the first birthday gifts I ever got. My brother gave them to me, two years back. Hard to believe it's been that long."

He smiles and kisses under his lover's ear and moves away. "Mind if I shower real quick and then we have dinner?"

"That's wonderful that you still have them." Ignis replied with a smile. Really the fact that the man had them and still recalled their origins had to be some sort of miracle.

It gave him hope.

And then Nida kissed him and moved away and he got a head shake in reply. "In that case off with you and when you return I'll have dinner on the table." Ignis would've offered to go with the man, but figured it wouldn't be welcome because it was supposed to be quick.

They'd come with him through each world because he wouldn't stop wearing them. That's just what it was. The things he hadn't had on him, like weapons, hadn't come through.

"I'll be quick, love."

He grins and chases Ignis just enough to kiss his chin as well before pulling away to go get the shower. Rather soon he is clean and has returned in nice soft clothes, comfortable things, and he moves back into the main part of the room. And, of course, Julia was rubbing at his ankles immediately. He loved her for it.

"Hey sweetie," he says, going down to scoop his little on into his arms. And his fingers stroke through some of her feathers and oh that wave of euphoria is so good. So calming. "Love you."

He watched Nida walk away and he lightly shook his head at himself. Those things he was thinking of right now would have to come later. So he finished dinner and had it set on the table. Ignis had purchased candles as well and lit them on the table in their holders.

That lowered the energy in the room which was what the advisor wanted. A nice quiet and romantic birthday dinner was just what he'd been trying for and had achieved.

And luckily he'd met the local chandler who crafted a very small green birthday candle and holder to set into the cake when it was time.

Nida came out to join the other man and he smiled, warm and wide. His boyfriend. His safety. His beloved.

"Well, my flame, you really do know how to run on a theme. And I really like it. Every time you make the color feel more right."

Ignis flushed at the praise. "Well you had mentioned that you wanted a quiet birthday dinner. So I thought to make it just how you requested." He moved to Nida and gave the man a kiss on the cheek.

"And there shouldn't be any interruptions, provided the children don't make their presences known." Really that was how the y acted, just like kids. So Ignis thought it was fair to call them what they were.

Candles weren't what he expected. But he loves it. Right now, though, he has to laugh.

"They'll want attention. Is it fair, my dear, to neglect our little ones?"

"No and we've certainly tried to ignore them in the past." These words were said with a slightly exaggerated sigh and Ignis placed his hands on his hips as if they were anywhere around to gently scold. With Ebony he'd found that all he needed to do was raise his voice in the slightest increment and his cat would go running.

But then he smiled and walked over to Nida, placing his hands on either side of the man's face, placing a gentle kiss on those lips. "Happy birthday darling."

Ebony might be easily chided, but Julia was not. The damn girl was shameless. Like right now. She sta on the fridge, staring down to the stove. She knew where food came from. She wanted the food. Yes, she was good at hiding up there, harder to get her down with her feathers.

Happy birthday darling. It's words he doesn't know that he's heard before. He almost tears up.

"Thanks you, Ig. Thank you so much."

"Of course."

He gave the man a nice warm embrace for a moment, wanting to stay in this embrace all night, while knowing it wouldn't work for various reasons anyhow. "I'll get dinner on the table and you can open your gifts after that or after dessert."

Gently he pulled away from Nida and smiled. "I can also give you a rub down if you wish." Catering to his mate was every night, but especially for a birthday it was in order.

"After dessert sounds good. And then we can dan-"

Dance. That was what he was going to say. He loses the offering on the idea of the rub down. Damn that's hot.

"Food, gifts, dessert, dancing? And then if we have energy, we get the rub down," he offers.

Ignis smiled over his shoulder as he set dinner on the table. "All of that sounds like quite the full evening together and I will look forward to it." Of course he had to reserve energy for any festivities afterwards if any should happen. And if not, it was Nida's birthday so he called the shots.

He was simply there to fulfill his mate's every wish and desire that he could.

"Well, didn't we agree on a full evening, seeing the new year together?" Nida asks, tilting his head.

Once dinner is down he reaches out to catch Ignis's hand to kiss the back of it. Thanks.

"We most certainly did." Ignis agreed. This new year thing was kind of new and of course any time there had been a birthday in April, August or October among the lads, Ignis got tapped. Fortunately they never tried to make the advisor a cake because he would've killed whoever tried.

And that thought was shaken as Nida kissed the back of his hand which turned him a pretty crimson.

"Let's eat," Nida smiles, reaching for his lover, beckoning for the other man to join him. "I'm eager to share this with you. Like I share everything else."

"Of course." Ignis replied, getting everything ready to be served. And naturally he got Nida's plate ready first. If there was a protest, there would be a smooth reply of whose birthday it was.

It made him happy to wait on his beau and tonight especially was no exception. And really he wanted to turn into a small pile of giddy and pleased goo but nobody had time for that.

No complaints. Of course no complaints. He got it, it was his birthday. Everything else was silly. Tonight he thought maybe he would let himself be pampered. That he'd be happy to be pampered.

"Thank you, again. it's weird to let myself do his. To have something so light and nice."

"You've no need to thank me."

This was said in his smooth almost purring voice. Really he was happy to do this thing and make it as enjoyable as he possibly could. The rest was all details which of course he was more than happy to take care of. Secretly though Ignis was thoroughly pleased about taking care of Nida and the thank you.

"But what do you mean by light?"

Of course he wants to thank Ignis. The man doesn't get how big this was for him.

"It's not..."

Nida sighs, trying to frame the words.

"The last times, in the other worlds, my birthday fell around weighty moments. A strange door appearing in the village and leading to a ball. Creepy people that didn't exist mingling around those that did. The other place, we were being sorta hunted. So, it's light because the only thing today has to be is, well, today."

He set Nida's full plate down and had reached for his own when the other started explaining. There was a nod as the words came and of course Ignis' mind was busy trying to picture the events that he was hearing about.

It all made sense once the words came out. "Well you can rest up and relax today and this evening. You've dinner and dessert to have, gifts to unwrap and you put dancing on our to do list for the evening." The advisor then smiled though there was a predatory look to his eyes.

"And no harm will come to you because I'm around."

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