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

[swordproof]

Six perks up at the familiar voice, turning to look at Thor with a soft, careful smile on her face. Some of the tension in her shoulders relaxes as she sees him, immediately moving closer; he is someone she knows and someone she thinks that she can trust, allowing herself to be a touch less on guard then she might have been otherwise. With what she and Thor have shared in the past... She thinks she ought to trust him here.

Reaching out, she takes one of the glasses of water, quietly relieved.

"My lord," she says in reply, a touch teasing. She knows he dislikes being called by name, especially by her. "I would be happy to do both if you don't mind the company and the threat of having your feet stepped on."

[thorndergod]

He'd started the formality. It's only fair she continues it. There's amusement replacing the momentary doubt now as he drinks from his own glass.

"My boots are sturdy and I daresay I have danced with worse." After another drink he snorts. "There was one, Magister... I don't even remember. Loki might. She was too drunk to fully stand upright on her own but she insisted she was fine for dancing as long as she had my arms to support her. She was not fine."

Brightening further, he sets down his cup and holds out an arm. "You do not look like you will vomit on the both of us and a few servants. My boots and feet will survive."

[swordproof]

Six is not entirely accustomed to teasing a man - not like this, not outside the battlefield - but she is doing her best. She feels quite plain compared to all the other women here, even compared to a great deal of all the other men, and there's tension in her that she cannot quite shrug off or hide. Even in front of Thor; or, rather, especially in front of him, the man she finds she wants to impress.

"That is a bold claim to make," she admits. "But I will do my best not to wound you so much that you cannot walk, if you are content to have me. I think I can manage that after my practice with Ser Thranduil."

Reaching out, she slips her hand into the crook of his arm, still nervous.

"I hope we can count that as a promise."

[thorndergod]

"Bold serves me. You are going to dance with me, after all." There's not a chance she would have approached him, or anyone else, for that matter. She could be formidable and imposing

He places a hand over hers as he leads her to the floor. "I may know more of the dances of the area than him." While he doesn't know how much Thranduil knows, he'd wager on his knowledge of Thedas over that of a Rifter's any day. The music picks up a little and he moves his hands - one to her hip, and one to take her hand.

"This starts simply. But if you get the hang of it, there are flourishes." There's some optimism in his tone. He likes flourishes, likes showing off, both of which she may be cluing into by now.

[swordproof]

There is no way Six would have approached him and they are both aware; she would not have had the courage. She might have spoken to him, she might have whispered to him if she was nearby, but she would not have asked him to dance. Not being as on edge and unsure as she is.

At least she is walking with him; at least she trusts him to guide her properly and not lead her into embarrassment.

"Then I would be glad to learn," she admits. At least she knows that Thor would not lead her wrong, not when she knows he is interested in her. Unless this was all a joke...

But the kiss...

"I put my trust in you."

[thorndergod]

His gaze grows all the softer. From everything he can see, trust does not come easily to her. She's afraid despite her power and her stature, despite how physically strong she is. That she trusts him means she must be into him the way he is with her, right? Yes, she's a Rifter and therefore somewhat spirit, more or less, but they still have natures to be true to. Hers isn't a dishonest nature. He'd stake his house on that.

"I will not lead you astray," he promises. For once, he'll cut back on the extra-ness. He can do without some of the flourish here. It's not like rival houses are watching and judging him right now, and if some Orlesians are judging well. They're Orlesian. They can go eat their pretty masks and pretend they're not two-faced even without them.

Thor leads her through the base pattern: a circle that joins to a line that returns to a circle. There's a couple of crossing steps, a little footwork, but nothing too taxing, he hopes.

[swordproof]

Six does not know what to do with herself, at least for a brief moment, when he smiles at her. All the strength in her and she feels undone by a man's smile - and she feels just like she did when she had been younger and enamoured, looking up at Adrian with wide, adoring eyes and wondering how he couldn't see that she loved him, so deeply and earnestly. (He had seen, he had known, and he had kept his own thoughts to himself to protect her, her training, her faith).

"Then I will be glad." And their hands are together, they're moving as a pair, and she feels comfortable. Confident. Prepared. She had danced with Thranduil and not made an entire fool of herself, so she is sure she can muster the same for Thor, who she has much more of an interested in.

"Do you dance often?"

[thorndergod]

"I do. Not as often here, but back at home I had to attend any number of functions." Another round of the floor, and she has yet to step on his feet. It's a good sign, he feels.

"You may have noticed that I am not... the most adept at politics. Back home parties are far more dangerous than this. The wrong alliances or agreements can see people dead or your house weakened, and the easiest way to not say the wrong thing while also impressing people, for me, is the dance floor." He gives her another smile, meeting her gorgeous eyes. The way she looks up at him, like he's all she can see, fills his heart and makes him feel all the more confident here. "My brother does the talking, and I do the more physical showing off. It has worked well for House Asgard."

[swordproof]

"I was never invited to events like this in my own world. I was focussed on protecting people, on training as a Paladin. People did not wish for me to come to... These things, especially without any noble birth."

Her eyes keep glancing down and she looks at her feet, careful. She doesn't want to stamp her heel down onto his toes, and her lips turn down in a frown for a moment before she breathes out.

"I do not know much about politics myself," she admits. "I know about religion and about Sarenrae, but..." Reaching out, Six squeezes one of his hands gently, breathing out a little. She's anxious because she wants to make a good impression - she realises she wants him to like her, to keep liking her. "I think you are wiser than you imagine yourself to be."

[thorndergod]

For a moment his step and expression wavers. She's kind and sensitive. His world could destroy her, between her heritage and her gentleness, but just as quickly as the mood strikes him it's gone. His mother had also been kind and she'd done well. Maker, she'd been kind to the point where she'd taken in a qunari child. Thor holds her hand in return and steps off to the side. Maybe dancing isn't the best option for now; they can work on it privately later.

"We may still see how suited or not I am to politics. Tevinter may win her freedom from Corypheus as well as fend off Orlais." That, or there's a second war ahead of him, one for independence. "But you may take to it as well. You have never had opportunity before to see how you would do. Perhaps you will excel." His people might not know what to make of her. And if Lexie could coach Six... There were possibilities there.

[swordproof]

There’s some anxiety to her as they step away, fearful for a moment that she might have done something wrong - that she had said something to offend him. There’s a knot of panic before he speaks again and she nods her head; this she could understand. Fighting she knows, defunding people is something she recognises, and she can survive this.

She cannot hide her softness when she looks at him.

“I will do all I can to help your people. You know that.” Six’s smile softens as she reaches, her fingers touching his face briefly for a moment. “I do not know if I would be any good, but I will fight for your people. I will fight with you.”

[thorndergod]

Thor reaches up to brush her cheek with his thumb, feeling his heart near full to bursting. Having someone not just to partner with but to fight alongside is just about everything he's ever wanted, and then there's everything there is to Six on top of that. She may be a spirit, may not be fully real, but if that ever comes up or matters they'll deal with that then.

"I would be honored to have you fighting beside me." He pauses for a moment, glancing down, before he continues. "And more. I would be more than honored if you would do more than be an ally, Six. I would like it."

[swordproof]

The touch to her cheek makes her heart feel warm as if it's spreading through her entire body. It's the same feeling as drinking a health potion, or a one that gives you fire breath - it's too much. Her eyes flick over his face, scanning it as if afraid she might find some kind of lie or deception, and she breathes out before she leans forward.

"I am glad. I'd enjoy showing you my true strength one day." And her hand reaches, fingers linking with his, sliding between them easily. "What... What do you want from me?"

[thorndergod]

If he answers that, he's going to get stabbed. Or probably slapped, as Six isn't Tevene. Either way, Thor might blindly walk into some traps but this one he recognizes well.

"I would like to see where this goes," he says instead of the full truth. Her hand gets a squeeze before he's looping his other arm around her waist and pulling her a little closer. "What of you? What would you have of me?"

[swordproof]

Six does not follow his train of thought; she doesn’t anticipate anything more than their hands touching or gentle kissing. What she was picturing was something softer, or Thor simply admitting that he wanted to spend more time with her.

“See where this goes?” Her eyes flicker for a moment, glancing up and watching him. She’s a little nervous, cheeks red. She didn’t expect him to be so... Bold. “I would have you be yourself. If that means I would have more of your time... Then I would be thankful.”