faderift | SATINALIA

WHO: Everybody!!
WHAT: SATINALIA!!
WHEN: Backdated to the first day of Firstfall
WHERE: Gallows courtyard
NOTES: Drunkenness and shenanigans. HALLOWEENMAS!!

This Satinalia is, perhaps, less grand than in years past. Blockades are still limiting access to luxury goods, after all, so the fine liquors and dainty foods that have been featured before are nowhere to be found. And Tertia, the temporary Morale Officer, doesn't have the connections or deft touch of organizers past, so things are rougher than they've been before - the musicians are less polished, the ale a little more watered-down, the decorations somewhat haphazard.

But you know what? It's still Satinalia. Nothing can really screw up Satinalia. Especially because there are some rather lovely touches, the best of which might well be the ice skating rink. A section of the Gallows Courtyard has been roped off and frozen over with magic, leaving a (largely) smooth sheet of ice covering it. Skates are available to borrow if you don't have a pair. Of course, some injuries are definitely going to result (if you skate off the edge, you're smacking into stone instead of a soft snowbank, which can be disastrous), but hey, it's fun.

Other perks are the bonfires, with mulled wine and cider being served out of cauldrons around them, where people might sit and reflect while watching the flame. There's also dancing, of course, with the musicians basically being any band that's been recommended by members of Riftwatch - so there are lots of half-competent cousins-of-friends playing here. What they lack in skill they make up for in enthusiasm; this is the first gig for a lot of them, and they're thrilled to be here.

One thing that's missing is the Satinalia fool being named ruler. Tertia wasn't familiar with this tradition and didn't arrange it - so there's a last-minute campaign being held, in which people can either nominate others or self-nominate to be named Riftwatch's greatest fool to be celebrated.

Enjoy yourself. Exchange presents. Get drunk. Have a blast. Don't lose any teeth.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Why aren't you ice skating?

[Matthias certainly has been, for hours. It isn't particularly cold but the chill from the magical ice has pinked his cheeks--that, and all the effort he'd put into skating. He's taking a break now and as he bounds up to Tertia, he clinks his cup of wine against hers in a very sudden toast.

Hours ago, his face had been painted, a very lazy and slapdash costume. Sweat has smeared the colors so he just looks very dirty, and it is no longer clear what he was originally meant to be.

In case she's wondering:]

It's brilliant.

[ Her manner, when she sees him, immediately warms. She loses that reserve and instead grins right back up, unselfconscious in her happiness at seeing him. ]

I don’t know how to.

Oh. Really? Oh, right, 'cos, [he makes a vague gesture with his cup,] you don't know the cold. Sorry, forgot.

I could show you, if you like. If you want to learn. If you want to stay on the ground and not mess about, that's all right as well, but you are missing out. Just saying.

I’d love to learn.

[ You might expect a timid thing like her to waffle or hesitate, to eye the rink with some trepidation, something - but instead, she sets her wine aside, stands, and brushes the dirt off her butt with quick businesslike pats. Maybe it’s because she wouldn’t have far to fall if she took a tumble, but she doesn’t seem remotely scared of that ice. ]

Yeah? Grand.

[This is a spirit to be appreciated, and admired, and above all, encouraged. Matthias downs his wine in two great gulps. It's a bit too hot, and scalds a little on the way down--to which he grimaces, but endures.]

They've got loads of skates. C'mon--

[It doesn't take very long to furnish Tertia with a pair from the available stock. And then there's the ice, which she's not afraid of--and neither is Matthias, as he sets down his skates. He holds out a hand to Tertia.]

Here. You can hang on to me while you get used to it. S'not so bad when you get started--I think it's a bit like walking on stilts, if the stilts were always going wobbly on you and you were bow-legged.

You're making it sound so appealing.

[ She says that with a laugh. But, with that steady boldness, she takes his hand. (Hers is not the delicate elegant thing you might expect from someone as fine-boned and pretty as she is; instead, it's twisted and knobby and club-fingered. She has an old washer-woman's hands.)

She steps out on the ice. And, immediately, wobbles, going bow-legged as promised - ]

Ohhh!

[ And her other hand comes round and grabs tightly into his arm for balance. ]

[Matthias laughs. He grips back at Tertia--supportive, bracing--putting as much strength in his arms as he can. His skates waver a little but he's able to keep upright, and bear the weight of her grasping without falling arse over elbow and dooming them both to split heads.]

There you are, just like I told you, isn't it. Nicely done! You're still upright! That's better'n I did first time I tried--c'mon, you just pull that leg forward, slow--bit like you're wading in the water--and the other one--

[His skates hiss on the ice as he shuffles backwards, keeping steady for her.]

And this is it, really, just faster. And more confident.

Oh, is that all? Just faster and more confident?

[ She gives a little huffed laugh that's ten percent exasperated and ninety percent delighted. ]

Confidence isn't something you can make yourself have, you know -

[ But speed's a little easier. She awkwardly pushes off with one skate, which leads to a slight increase in speed - which might be good, since it makes her more stable, or might be bad, since it narrows the distance between them. All depends on whether Matthias is good enough to skate backwards a little faster. ]

[He clicks his tongue, brisk and dismissive.]

'Course you can. You've just got to keep at it--being confident, I mean--and if you keep that up--believing it, like--then you'll manage.

[Can he manage, is the unspoken question here. As Tertia pushes forward, Matthias shuffles a fast little skate to keep both his balance and some of the distance between them. It's nothing personal. They've just got to keep upright is all. He laughs.]

Only if you get overly confident right here and now, I'm like to end up falling on my arse, and I don't want that.

[ She giggles in return. ]

Definitely not. It's too skinny. There's no padding at all. You'd break it if you fell on it. Oop -

[ Her expression of mischief gives way to surprise as she wobbles - but she recovers and they stay upright. ]

Shut up!

[His grip had tightened when she wobbles, ready to hold her--and go down with her for his trouble, probably--but she doesn't fall, so Matthias is now free to laugh.]

Making fun of the infirm--s'not on, y'know. Anyway I do mean it, about confidence. Everyone's faking. Helps to keep that in mind when you're doing anything for the first time, or the thirtieth time, or the five squillionth time, even.

SATINALIA

bonfires.

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