A Very Official Party

[arlathvhen]

WHO: Division leaders and everyone who signed up
WHAT: The leaders + the viscount are throwing a very fancy party to introduce Inquisition people to Hightown nobles and prove that they aren't demons
WHEN: 29th of Harvestmere (day before Satinalia)
WHERE: Some mansion in hightown
NOTES: OOC post!

The mansion of the hightown noble tasked with hosting the party is tastefully decorated for the event.
There's a few references to the approaching Satinalia here and there, but it is clearly not a costume
party, and none of the nobles are wearing masks. Tomorrow they may done their costumes, but for now,
it's important for the Inquisition for faces to be be seen.

There's plenty of food to be had, either on a table off to a side, or via one of the servants carrying
around trays, filled will little snacks and glasses of wine. Inquisition guests will be forewarned
that while they are not prohibited from drinking--It would, after all, look super sketchy if the
entire Inquisition abstained from drinks--they are under no circumstances to become intoxicated.

The other guests are the nobles, who look like an indecisive mixture of excited, gleeful, and
terrified. There's an air about them as they chatter amongst themselves that they are currently
engaged in something quite thrilling, if dangerous. Talking to the rifters! Possible demons, right
before their eyes! They clump into their own groups for the most part, but as the party starts in
earnest, braver souls will begin to peel off from the others to go inspect the guests and speak to
them. As the party winds on, the groups will slowly begin to disperse and mix with the Inquisition
freely.

Inquisition guests are, naturally, encouraged to approach these groups or individuals directly.

Closer to the end of the night, the division leaders will break off from the rest of the party, and
along with the Viscount, make their way off to a private room to converse on how the affair has gone.

Try to behave while they're gone (and in general) or you might find yourself facing a list of the
worst jobs Petra could concoct the next morning.

Comments

[bouclier]

She just shakes her head at his response smile still on her lips and allowing it to go unanswered in favor of the new topic at hand. She gives him a ponderous look, eyes sweeping deliberately up and down, taking in the entirety of his appearance.

"I can't say I blame him. You do look quite appetizing, tonight."

[judgemewhole]

His eyes narrowed and he let out an aggravated sigh as he rolled his eyes. Then one eyebrow arched as he drawled dryly.

"You realize you have just given every single noble in here the same idea - and I am being sized up like a piece of beef?"

[bouclier]

Evie's eyebrows raise in response, and she tilts her head down, pursing her lips for a moment.

"My common must not be as good as I think it is, because it sounds as though you are upset with me. Do we not playfully flirt? I did not mean to offend."

[judgemewhole]

And his eyebrows raise in turn, before he cleared his throat.

"Ah, I was ... joking." His mouth turned at the corners, looking rueful. "My apologies. My face is usually 'too serious' by far. I did not mean to make you feel as if you upset me. I am fine."

[bouclier]

"Ah!" Evie's look of concern turned to embarrassment and she put her wine glass down on the nearby table and clapped her hand lightly to her cheek.

"I should have known. Don't apologize, your seriousness is one of the charming things about you. I'll blame the wine for not being as on my toes as usual."

[judgemewhole]

Now, he was going to snicker behind his hand, before clearing his throat. "Perhaps we ought to take a few rounds the room, clear your head so you get more of the deadpan humor? That way I can show off that I get to stand about you, and they do not."

[bouclier]

"Mmmm, make the nobles jealous? Aren't we here to foster peace between the Inquisition and Kirkwall?" Evie replies, her smile back in place as she secures her arm to his.

"Well I do need to walk. I suppose it can't be helped."

[judgemewhole]

"Well naturally, but I think we can do that by walking around and looking attractive. Especially when they see we are not really attached to one another, and thus, are open game to their ... " A sigh, "Groping."

He offered his arm gracefully. "Shall we?"

[bouclier]

"Intimately attached, I hope you mean," she replies as she slides her arm through his, gently laying her hand along the side of his forearm in impeccable posture.

"I feel somewhat attached to you. Though I wouldn't entirely mind intimately, either."

[judgemewhole]

"Yes, that is precisely what I meant." He leads her for their round about the room, and although her comment gets the flush and the faint smile, he shakes his head slightly.

"That ... will not be possible, I am afraid. Not that I would not partake but - I am currently directing my attentions to someone solely."

[bouclier]

"Oh," she replies, her tone light though her expression pinches slightly. She feels oddly disappointed. She's faced rejection before so it's not an entirely new sensation, but all the same it's there.

"She is... a lucky woman. If she doesn't realize how lucky she is, keep me in mind, will you?" She's frank with that statement, she'd said before it was a shame that he was so unaccustomed to women being open about appreciating him. Her smile returns to her face after that, and she dips her chin down. "And I hope that won't make you stop talking to me entirely. I may flirt, but I value your friendship before anything else."

[judgemewhole]

He glances over at her, and realizes that perhaps the flirtation was ... perhaps more serious than he had realized. His own face falls a little, for he never wanted to hurt her.

"... If she ever fails to realize it, you shall be the first I come to sob on." He states, with a faint smile, and then, he laughs, "I woudn't dare. I am afraid you are stuck with me, the stuffy one."

[bouclier]

"Good," she replies, mollified and shifting her hold on his arm a little, though not letting go. "It's entirely exhausting trying to find people worth my time around here. If I had to find a handsome templar to replace you I'd absolutely be bereft."

[judgemewhole]

He chuckled softly, as he tipped his gaze at her. "You know there are other handsome templars, yes? A whole troop for you to flirt with. I know I am the best, but still."

[bouclier]

She sighs, somewhat exaggeratedly, glancing at James sideways. "You'll have to give me names. I've met a few, but none have impressed me, particularly."

[judgemewhole]

"I can give you two off the top of my head - Bush and Gillette. Both Knight Captains, both handsome, and charming. Gillette IS even Orlesian." He smirked faintly.

[bouclier]

Evie wrinkles her nose at that, shaking her head, though smiling.

"Orlesian may be a deal breaker. I avoid them, when I can. My mother has eyes all around us, and it gets back to her I've been seen even speaking to someone who might have good Orlesian breeding, I have fourteen letters to answer asking when the wedding is." Her mother is a little desperate to marry her off. It's part of the reason why she decided to sign on with the Inquisition a little more permanently.

[judgemewhole]

"Well, Bush is Fereldan, if that will give you some breathing room. Delightful fellow, if you like the kind who plays about." He smirks faintly, "And if you like women, I cannot recommend Anamaria highly enough."

[bouclier]

"I prefer men, though women are nice, too. I'll have a few conversations, see what strikes me." She sighed, tilting her head a little as she thinks. "I have always enjoyed an organic flirtation more than something forced."

[judgemewhole]

"I have absolutely no fear whatsoever that you are going to find someone that you are organically attracted to as much - if not more so - than me." He snorted softly, "Honestly I am starting to wonder if I just look good as an outside package but internally it is just ... not ... wanted."

[bouclier]

Evie frowns at that, looking up at him silently for a moment before speaking.

"Is that the impression you've been getting from women? Is that why you pretend like you don't know when someone is interested in you?" Initially she'd thought it was because he was adorably clueless, but it makes her a little sad to know that may not be the case. "James, I cannot speak for others, but on my part, if I'm just interested in sleeping with someone because I find them attractive, I don't spend much time talking to them."

[judgemewhole]

He paused, and then sighed. Lifted his chin so he could look out at a window, and not at her, as he answered, "Honestly? ...Sometimes I really am that foolish. Othertimes, I simply do not want to get into a dangerous liason which I know will, again, break my heart. I would never call myself a ... subtle man, but I am not completely ignorant."

[bouclier]

She doesn't look away from him at first, though her eyes drift a beat before she replies.

"I can understand that. It's far easier to face an enemy with a sword, than face an adversary that you cannot fight." Maybe it's strange to put romance in combat terms, but she's a soldier. Much of how she comes at things is with a "can I stab it?" attitude.

[judgemewhole]

He looks back at her, with a faint smile on his lips, "Precisely so." He is also a warrior, a soldier for the Maker. "The heart is a dangerous place, even in the best of situations."

[bouclier]

"It's certainly safer to keep your shield up," She replies, eyes cast down at the floor before them, her hand that isn't resting on his arm absently picking up her skirts and shifting them as they walk, like she suddenly just doesn't like the way her gown is falling.

"Lonely, of course. But also wildly less complicated." She's actually lived her life with an aversion to developing feelings. She's felt like she might be able to get attached to a few people in her life, but generally she runs the other way when those feelings start to come up.