faderift | SATINALIA

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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

"No takebacks," Ellie says matter-of-factly, waving a finger at her, looking as smug as she can possibly manage.

"You've given it to me. I'm owning it. It's mine."

"'No takebacks'? What are you, five?"

But she's trying (unsuccessfully) to hide a little smirk. Then, giving in, she rolls her eyes and punches Ellie's arm. "Whatever. Guess I'll have to call you cool girl instead of mortal girl now."

"I'll allow it," Ellie says airily, smugly, but it breaks into a smile as Clarisse punches her. Ellie reaches out to shove her right back, snickering.

The last of that tension falls away, and Ellie just smiles at her.

"I do wanna see if you can block an arrow though."

“I can try,” Clarisse says, sounding a bit doubtful. She’s great with weapons, but that seems… not like something she can guarantee.

“What are you gonna do if I can’t?”

"Well..."

Long pause here.

"I've got a lot of practice doing stitches?"

Because that's so reassuring.

She snorts. "Got it. I'll make sure I bring some nectar along just in case."

Worst case scenario, she ends up with a new scar to show off.

"... okay, back up. Nectar? Like the stuff that bees drink?"

Shit, that's how bees work, right? She slept through a lot of sixth grade science.

"No. Well, yeah, but—" Clarisse waves a hand dismissively.

"Not the same stuff. Nectar like ambrosia and nectar, food and drink of the gods? Demigods can use it to heal up after we get injured. It's useful as hell, and I have a little bit."

So obviously she'd waste it on this dumb shit.

Ellie gives her an aghast look, then reaches out and gives her a real push.

"It's just a matter of time before we go into actual battle. If it can do that, save it."

Clarisse sucks her bottom lip, thinking it over.

“Then you better give me some damn good stitches,” she says after a moment, and grins.

"I will give you fantastic stitches," Ellie promises, grandiosely, and immediately hopes she hasn't jinxed them. Shit.

"That's not an invitation to do something to make you need stitches, by the way."

“Like what, ask someone to shoot at me with an arrow?” Clarisse nudges Ellie with her shoulder. “That wouldn’t be any fun.”

"Block the arrow then!"

Ellie pokes her in her side, but she's grinning. Because that's an easy ask.

"Don't worry, we can work up to it. I won't shoot at your face or anything."

"Oh," Clarisse says. "I see. We'll 'work up' to shooting arrows at my face."

But she's just fucking with her. Please, shoot arrows at her. She'll think it's fun, even if she gets hit.

"I was thinking I'll just shoot somewhere less vital," she says with a mock-scowl, and reaches out to poke her in the upper arm.

"Like here."

And her thigh.

"Or here."

"Quit that."

She grabs Ellie's hand before she can poke her anywhere else, and holds onto it. Ellie's fingers are cold in hers, and for a totally absurd couple seconds Clarisse is tempted to tuck Ellie's hand in between both of hers, warm it up a bit. Instead, she shakes her head like in doing so she can fling the thought out of her brain, and releases Ellie's hand.

"Sounds good, though. It's a date." A shooting date.

Ellie immediately misses the warmth when she lets go, but tries to banish the way it's migrated to her face.

Instead it's time to be aggressively normal about this.

Or a just choke a little on her drink instead. There's that.

Clarisse grins and gives her a little thump on the back. No choking on holidays.

"Just messing with you. But we should really do it. It'll be fun."

"I was gonna say," Ellie says through a couple more coughs, "That's more like a third date kind of thing."

Though she does manage a smile, just so she knows she's haha definitely joking.

"But yeah, I wanna. You gonna use Maimer?"

Sounds like an any date kind of thing to Clarisse, if she's being honest, but she just snorts.

"Maybe. Sword might be better, I dunno." Heavier, but it'd give her a little more area to work with. Also, sue her, maybe she's a little freaked by the idea of breaking a third Maimer in some frivolous pissing contest with Ellie. It's not like she can ask her dad for another replacement.

"More to use to deflect," Ellie says with a nod, like she knows fuck-all about fighting with a sword. Abby would be the person to talk to about that, but she shuts down that suggestion. She's not there yet.

Ellie will use the wooden-point arrows too, the ones that are little more than sharpened sticks, designed to be pulled out of the target without tearing it up.

"I'm heading out tomorrow for an assignment but I should be back the day after."

"Yeah?"

Clarisse doesn't ask where she's going, or what she's going to be doing there, not because she doesn't care but because she's not sure if she's supposed to know.

"Okay. Day after tomorrow, then."

"It's just some courier stuff," Ellie reassures her. "Nothing too crazy."

Sometimes it's a little crazy, but even if she doesn't believe in tempting fate, it seems like a bad idea to mess around.

Ellie settles, rubbing at the back of her neck, letting her eyes fall shut as she works out the kinks.

"When are you usually using the practice field?" so she can hopefully gauge when Abby isn't there, but. She's deciding right now that that won't actually stop her.

"Right," Clarisse says. She knows it's important work and all, but courier stuff seems like it's gotta be so boring. Then again, she spends her own time mostly talking to animals who just stare at her, so whose day job is worse?

"I train in the morning after breakfast." But it seems the same thought's occurred to her, about Abby, and she adds, "And some days after I'm done work, too." There isn't any time she can guarantee being by herself, but that at least improves the odds somewhat.

It's thoughtful of her, and it takes Ellie aback. Like shit, how weird are she and Abby being about this? Or is Clarisse just that perceptive?

Both options are... a lot.

"I'll be around later in the day," she settles on. "Try not to get too tired before I show up."

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