open | your baddest behavior

[cozen]

WHO: Alexandrie, Bastien, Byerly, and their captive audience
WHAT: Mandatory etiquette and dance lessons
WHEN: Justinian 15, 9:45
WHERE: The Gallows
NOTES: See the OOC post and IC announcement for more information! If you didn't sign up, you can still participate in Parts A and D, and just handwave the other two, without needing to sign up or get an assignment. If you want to do B and C, you can find your own dance partner/seating group OOC, or you can sign up now and we'll dole out new assignments if we get enough latecomers to do so. If you signed up and are missing from the lists when you shouldn't be, I'm sorry and please tell me!

disclaimer: event less fancy than pictured

Seating Assignments
— Table One: Gwenaëlle, Iorveth, Matthias, Athessa
— Table Two: Flint, Ilias, Darras, Med Seller, Yngvi
— Table Three: Julius, Thranduil, Anders, Brienne
— Table Four: Benedict, Colin, Valentine, Six, Derrica
— Table Five: Teren, Salvio, Bartimaeus, Osana
— Table Six: Freddie, Petrana, Kain, Merrill, Silver
— Table Seven: Yseult, Cosima, Steve, Inessa
— Table Eight: Sidony, Fifi, Nell, Fingon
— Table Nine: Thor, Nathaniel H., Solas, Skadi

Dance Partners
— Cosima & Nathaniel H.
— Athessa & Anders
— Teren & Flint
— Freddie & Bartimaeus
— Yseult & Darras
— Nell & Julius
— Merrill & Colin
— Skadi & Benedict
— Gwenaëlle & Solas
— Petrana & Salvio
— Osana & the Medicine Seller
— Sidony & Matthias
— Six & Thranduil
— Brienne & Valentine
— Fifi & Steve
— Thor & Fingon
— Ilias & Iorveth

Comments

Kain and Inessa

[in_death_sacrifice]

At least this time, Kain has his own dance partner along... so he needn't be haunted by flashbacks to long, dreary sessions where he'd been forced to dance back in the day with random partners. That will get rid of any awkwardness over this portion of the lesson. He sighs heavily all the same, as he moves into position alongside Inessa. "Follow my lead, and we should get this over with as painlessly as we can... Thank you for suffering alongside me today, by the way."

At least Inessa is dealing with the whole situation better than he is. But he does indeed know what he's doing, and it shows in how fluid his motions are.

[circleprodigy]

Inessa manages a smile just for him as she raises her arms, following his lead as well as taking note of the women who seem to know what they're doing. Most of her success in anything of this nature has been from mimicking others.

"I'm not sure you should thank me, when it's mandatory for everyone. If it wasn't, I would absolutely not be here. But...I suppose this part isn't too bad, since it's with you." She lowers her voice, an amused gleam in her eyes. "And if it scandalizes them, all the better." Misery loves company, and Inessa won't mind at all if her elven self dancing with a human noble makes anyone uncomfortable.

[in_death_sacrifice]

"Exactly... I tried my best to get out of it, as I really do have better things I could be doing right now. More important things, surely. I'm not with the Diplomacy efforts with good reason." Sure, he knows what he knows from just being brought up in it all... and can get by at fancy parties. It doesn't mean he likes it or wants to focus on such things. Leave that to people who excel at it and enjoy it.

He smirks a little. "Good, I hope they're scandalized. It's something, anyway." It makes up for being forced into this. "You're doing great, actually. Better than you may realize." He leads them along, steady and careful, knowing she's less used to this.

[circleprodigy]

"You shouldn't encourage me, then I'll get overconfident and step with the wrong foot or some other hideous sin." Inessa says it with a smile, though, glad for his support even as she's nervous about messing up in any way. No doubt those in charge are giving her, and them as a couple, a critical eye.

"As for Diplomacy, don't be surprised if they change those names, too. I know I'm going to sound old and crotchety, but I saw no reason to alter...any of it. Pointless complications." But no one wants to hear that and she knows it, ever since Colin lashed out at her for daring to voice an opinion that wasn't blind agreement.

[in_death_sacrifice]

"Don't worry, you couldn't possibly mess up that much... unless you were to suddenly knock other dancers over or some such." Which is an amusing image, given she's so small. Kain has never taken dancing all that seriously, anyway, so of course if something went wrong, he'd find it a fun diversion. That probably wouldn't look good for them, though, so they'd better keep from making too many mistakes.

Kain sighs, nodding in agreement. It's hard to keep up with the way things can change, sometimes. At least being in an ancient, longstanding order won't change. He can't imagine it ever doing so. "As long as we Wardens remain Wardens and not... Deep Road Rovers or something, I guess I'll do my best to live with it. Although, Diplomacy by any other name is still... tedious, if necessary at times." Mostly, in a diplomatic situation, his game plan is to keep his mouth closed and let others do the actual negotiation. It's better that way.

[circleprodigy]

"Oh, a new low to fear. I'll keep that in mind." Inessa becomes even more careful during their dance, determined to take up less and less space for other dancers. Her only hope if the worst happens is that she's small and will be easily trampled, if that's the case.

Mention of the 'Deep Road Rovers' as an alternative name gets a soft snort out of her, which she tries to stifle before their strict teachers can overhear. "You have a good point; we're still the Grey Wardens, above all else. Anything else shouldn't matter to us nearly as much. It's easier to keep in mind the less we are in Kirkwall...."

[in_death_sacrifice]

Yes, the thought of Inessa knocking over others is a comical one, which is of course why he'd suggested it. Kain keeps up the pace of the music, barely having to think about it himself, more conscious of Inessa and helping her to be at ease as much as possible. "You're doing just fine... better than fine, in fact." He smiles at her. "You're blending right in, if that helps." Since the fear here is undoubtedly about sticking out too much.

"And yes... we'll always be what we are, no matter what. With the same responsibilities to shoulder. You're right, though... it truly is something we ought to remind ourselves of, once in a while. More missions away will be a good thing for us, I'm sure."