[Open] A Proper Party

[thorndergod]

WHO: The brothers Asgard and everyone else.
WHAT: Loki and Thor throw a party for everyone.
WHEN: Right after the quarantine is lifted.
WHERE: The Asgard Estate in Hightown.
NOTES: Loki gonna Loki, probably other things. Directly corresponds to this rookery post.

The new manor has come a far sight from where it had been, cleaned and updated significantly, but the aesthetics are still in keeping with Kirkwall standard...mostly. The exterior features a large iron scrollwork fence with matching gates, currently flung wide open, and a cheerful array of fresh floral decorations. Beyond the gates there are a number of hedges, bare but thick enough that once spring has properly taken over, they will likely be shaped into large living sculptures. There are a few torches scattered among the flora, but they lead toward the front of the manor.

The building's superstructure has not been overtly altered, but there are several exceedingly Tevene touches. The front doors, once made of hardwood, have been wholly replaced by a pair extremely detailed, solid, white marble doors. The fittings are all custom made, snake themed, and plated in gold.

The interior of the building is far more obviously Tevinter styled. The floors are the original wooden, polished to a mirror shine by the staff and bedecked in places by rugs with complex woven designs and thick piles. The foyer is well lit by a series of gold, wall-mounted sconces, and a large chandelier made of serault glass with a distinctly magical light-source in the center.

The staff, all elven in matching black uniforms, are waiting just inside the threshold and are ready to assist anyone who requires it. First and foremost they will offer to take any coats and curtsy with proper depth to anyone who passes by.

There is still some construction going on, deeper in the house, but it is up the grand staircase and beyond the realm of the party. Occasional hammer-falls resound from upstairs but they can only be heard if one is being very quiet.

Comments

get your own drink

[untiltheyarent]

One such servant can be found here and there, attending silently to guests and scurrying after the brothers Asgard with this or that refreshment, helping to keep the party moving with as little drama as possible.

Though of no particular status over the other servants, Fifi can most often be found near the brothers and directly attending the guests around them.

[hwaaaitsme]

Loki, dressed in some of his more presentable finery, is swanning about the hall with a cup of carved in one hand and the other gesturing to and fro as he greets people and speaks. Unfortunately, since this is his and Thor's party, he has taken to ordering his drinks in the fashion to which he is accustomed. Shattering the first few glasses had made the staff jump, but now it was old hat.

The only real courtesy he offered the staff was that the ice cups were enchanted to evaporate immediately upon being shattered. It was, after all, too cold here to depend on the water to clear itself away before it damaged the floor.

"You there, another," Loki demands idly and holds his hand out for the glass. He does not otherwise interrupt his current conversation with one of their neighbors.

[untiltheyarent]

Idiots both, but at least the blond one is more pleasant about stomping all over everyone. The greasy one is... well, the one who comes to mind when picturing someone from Tevinter.

Heaving a small sigh through her nose, Fifi takes the literal two steps it requires to get to the drink table, picks up a full glass, and takes two steps back to place it in Loki's hand.

[hwaaaitsme]

Loki takes it from her with some grace and then, quite casually, waves her off as if she had never been there in the first place.

"As I was saying, the view will truly be spectacular come summer--" Loki continues, gesturing at the gardens. His conversation partner humms and haws as the Tevinter noble rambles about his house and brags about the contents. Rich people talk, really. It is, by in large, excruciatingly boring to listen in on.

It is some time before they require another servant but when they do, Loki makes motion for Fifi.

"You, are there any more of the Orlesian petit cakes? Fetch some for this gentleman, would you?"

It is not actually a question.

[untiltheyarent]

Fifi's name is 'You' now, and she's accepted it. Strolling back over with a pleasant-but-bland smile, she shakes her head. "Pardon, messere, but there are none left," she replies, with a nod of acknowledgment to the guest who's being slighted.

[hwaaaitsme]

Where a normal nobleman might've taken exception to this, might've demanded she check the kitchens, Loki simply frowns at his guest and puts on an apologetic affect. It's pretty convincing.

"Ah, a shame, but you know how it is with delicacies and parties," Loki replies to the man, twisting this small inconvenience into an additional chance to showcase his obscene wealth. He doesn't dismiss Fifi this time and, instead, motion that she follow as he leads the man toward the smoking room.

"In the kitchens, past the cellar doors, there is a stock of fine brandy. Do bring a bottle out for us."

[untiltheyarent]

In part, Fifi is relieved that this means she doesn't have to rat out Thor as the perpetrator and risk being caught between Stupid and I'm With Stupid in a cake-provoked feud.
Instead, he wants her to follow him, something she does with well-concealed trepidation until Loki's intentions are made clear. "Of course, messere," she replies, with a small curtsy, and goes to find it.

Returning several minutes later with the bottle and two glasses, she curtsies again and begins to set them out.

[hwaaaitsme]

By the time she returns both Loki and the neighbor have taken seats in the smoking room. They are comfortably chatting about obnoxiously plutocratic things and take the brandy from her as she pours it. They ignore her curtsies which, by all rights, probably means she executed them very well. She is neither acknowledged nor dismissed for several minutes as they chat and drink.

When Loki finally addresses her again, it appears that remaining in place was the ideal move.

"Fetch that box of cigars on the high shelf and the cutting punch from the sideboard," he orders and regards the man at his side. "There is no point in having Antivan cigars and not sharing them over a glass of brandy, is there?"

What a tool.

[untiltheyarent]

All things considered, being ignored means it's a good day. Fifi is almost out of the room when she's addressed again, and she is able to conceal the tiniest of sighs when she stops in her tracks and turns to face Loki and his guest.

"Yes, messere," she says with a weary smile, and goes to do just that. All the while, remembering her conversation with Beleth, she listens; it's unfortunate their conversation is so boring, or perhaps she could pick up something worth reporting.

[thorndergod]

Thor absent-mindedly pats the elf on her shoulder as he steps past her to get a drink. The servants are here for their guests right now, he feels.

"You have worked parties before," he says. "The training shows."

It's more than he'd expected from servants here. They're not as good as if they'd been raised from children to do this, but he's pleased enough.

"Would you like me to set aside one of the small cakes for you?" A good servant should get a treat for good work.

[untiltheyarent]

One of her knees buckles slightly at the huge hand's impact on her shoulder, and though the drinks in Fifi's hands slosh around, nothing spills. She's an expert.

"Thank you, messere," she replies with a bare amount of inflection, a tiny smirk creeping onto the corner of her mouth. The training. Training of a kind, anyway.

"Don't trouble yourself, I shall manage."

[thorndergod]

"Of course." The offer is forgotten quickly, as much a nothing as her struggling with the pat, or even the smile.

A thought occurs to him. "You will tell me if anyone of influence arrives. I have not had the chance to meet most of them." He doesn't even glance down to make sure she's still there as he issues the order. Why would she go anywhere?

[untiltheyarent]

"Mm," Fifi intones, presumably in the affirmative, as she weaves her way through the crowd and passes the drinks to their waiting owners. She can't help but wonder if he realizes she's hardly been here longer than he has, but supposes if someone's important, they'll be likely to say so. That seems to be the way of things around here.

[thorndergod]

Some time later he finds her again and looks at her as if actually seeing her this time.

"You are still on top of things." Some of their servants will be fired at the end of the night as he will not accept them taking excessive breaks, but every time he has looked around, she's been working.

"Are your duties with the inquisition demanding? I would hire you away from them." They need a good head maid. She could do.

[untiltheyarent]

The question catches Fifi off-guard, and she nearly stumbles. Blinking wide-eyed at Thor, she considers all the conversations that must be involved with such a transaction, and opens her mouth for a moment before she actually says anything.
"I will have to discuss it with my superiors," she replies, vaguely enough.

[thorndergod]

"Hm." Right. Servants can have more than one master. That's inconvenient. Thor waves a hand.

"Do so. Let me know if they are willing to let you go. If we are to have you as head maid, we cannot have you concerned with two sets of duties." If she cannot be hired away, he will have to keep looking. Perhaps he can write home and see if they'll send someone trusted enough to not take off.

[untiltheyarent]

"I will, messere. Thank you." She's had to train herself not to say 'merci', so the phrase comes off a little stilted, but she's getting the hang of it-- just to be safe, Fifi curtsies as well.

Beleth will be interested to know about this.