faderift | Truth or Dare: The Imperial Court

Truth or Dare: The Imperial Court

WHO: Select Orlesian and Fereldan Nobility and the Inquisition
WHAT: Josephine and Vivienne have orchestrated a good-will soiree in response to this dastardly rumor.
WHEN: Drakonis 15, Evening
WHERE: Skyhold Great Hall
NOTES:
- A list of nobles in attendance can be found here. The list was provided by the mods but there will be no npc support for them. Play away.
- A secondary outside party is being held in the valley in the tent town for anyone who couldn't/wouldn't attend and/or behave in the fancy pansty party.
- The goal of the evening is to clear up a spurious rumor about Cassandra and Leliana, with secondary goals of establishing the Inquisition as a respectable presence in Thedas (and fish for more money). Any major disruptions that would Game Over the court approval should probably be brought to the advisors and/or mods.

To say that Josphine has far outdone herself with this little soiree would be the understatement of the year. The Lady Ambassador has pulled out all the stops in providing a festive and yet elegant stage for this political intervention. Because sometimes gossip can be more deadly than a sword.

The Great Hall of Skyhold has been converted into a grand receiving hall, glittering with hundreds of lights around the room, in addition to the repairs accomplished to the original chandeliers. Of course, there has been artful placement arranged so there are a few shadowy corners for rendezvous of the more suggestive nature. Just in case. The majority of the floor has been cleared for dancing, and a fine troupe of musicians have been installed for the bulk of the evening's entertainments. Some members of the Inquisition have plans to entice attendees with their own artistic performances in addition to the group of mages performing illusory tricks to oohs and aahs.

For those who feel their energy flagging, there are chairs set against the walls, with a few tables interspersed between. Servers hired for the evening circulate the crowds with wine, fine Orlesian and Nevarran reds as well as crisp whites from Antiva. Refreshments are set out on buffet tables, tasteful and extravagant nibbles, including imported cheeses, spicy saucisson, dried fruits and nuts, and the highly sought after deep mushroom and anise petits fours that are all the rage in Orlais.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

“Floo powder? How does a powder let you transport yourself?” A thought occurs. “Is it something like teleportation? There’s a teleport spell where I’m from that can transport people automatically…” Of course, they can’t use it everywhere, all the time, so other means of getting around ended up being still useful.

Kain nods, thinking about how things might have differed had he, Cecil, and Rosa all been mages. “I suppose it helps that you had mages in charge as well. They would have been able to contain it all… to an extent.” They’d still be outnumbered and all, after all, but even so, kids still need a lot of training to surpass masters of magic. “I think if my best friend and I had been mages, there would have been more trouble than Baron could contain.” He sighs, but his look is fond overall, recalling the better parts of the past.

"Magic," Hermione replies, cracking a small smile. "That's how. Beyond that, I really wouldn't be able to say. But it only works within the Floo Network, which is linked between fireplaces. As I said, it's not the most comfortable way to travel."

With a bit of a laugh, Hermione remarks, "Oh, they certainly try to keep us all in line. I'm surprised poor Professor McGonagall is still as active as she is even after all these years. To be honest, part of what I'd dread about having children of my own someday is the fact that they'd more likely than not be able to do magic, and I don't know how I'd be able to cope with that. I might just end up giving up an casting Silencing Charms everywhere instead of dealing with them." She doubts she'd go that far, of course, assuming any children she might have take after her at least a little.

“Fireplaces? That already doesn’t sound too comfortable… I at least hope no actual fires are involved…” Well, you never know what might be the case there, with how strange it sounds. It seems there really are some forms of magic that differ greatly from what he knows.

Kain smirks a little bit. “I know all too well. There were two children who traveled with me and my companions, a set of twin mages. The white mage was well behaved, but the black mage… he was always a handful, playing pranks on his sister and the rest of us, turning various people to toads or pigs for the fun of it…” He shakes his head, but he doesn’t sound annoyed as he had been at the time, more fond and like he really misses the kid. “There were plenty of capable adults around but he still kept us all on our toes.”

"Only when we need to communicate," Hermione answers. Making a slight face, she adds, "That's why I prefer to send letters, or use a Patronus if I really need to speak with someone right away."

She listens to his story with a small smile on her face. "I know-... knew a pair of twins." She hates that she has to correct herself, but technically, they're not the twins anymore. It's just George. She's still having trouble remembering that. "They were both a handful. They even opened up their own joke shop. It almost makes me wonder if that's a trait common to most pairs of twins."

"A good idea. There's something to be said for using the ordinary option." Even now, it's weird to him to bother with things like the sending crystals, but he'll do it when there's a great need for communication. That and simply keeping up with things in general.

Kain is amused, thinking about the twins he knows and the comparison that Hermione makes. "Palom would appreciate that joke shop, and I'd imagine he'd be those twins' best customer. Knowing how skilled he is with black magic, he'd probably try to imitate them a bit too." He can just imagine it, if Palom had a set of prankster twins to look up to. The world would never be safe again. "It may as well be the case about twins, although Porom, the sister, would probably not approve of the jesting. Still, they have a bond unlike anything else I've seen, even in other types of siblings."

Hermione has never utilized the sending crystals, except for when she'd first received hers, to make sure that she knows how to use it in the event of an emergency. But mostly, people have only attempted to contact her face-to-face, and she's no stranger to using birds to send her messages, so she's never had occasion to really get used to the crystals.

"George might be looking for a new partner," Hermione admits softly, but that hurts too much to think about for too long. "But it's more than likely going to remain a family-owned shop, since the family name is quite widespread and fairly well-known among British wizards." Mostly because they have so many children, but that's besides the point. At any rate, she smiles slightly at Kain and remarks, "Only one of my close friends - the twins' brother - has a lot of siblings... well, two of my close friends, but Ginny doesn't count since she's their sister. I'm an only child myself, so I wouldn't know what that sort of bond is like, other than from what I've seen among the Weasley family."

Family is something that Kain takes with the utmost seriousness, even though he technically doesn't have any blood relatives still around, himself. He gives her a questioning look when she mentions

"It must be nice... to have such a large family, so many others to always rely on. Though the sibling rivalry would be terrible, twins or otherwise." He could only imagine what it would have been like, had he and Cecil been actual blood brothers. It was bad enough being pseudo-adopted brothers of a sort, though all the rivalrous feelings had been Kain's alone. "I'm also an only child... though in part I grew up with someone who was essentially a brother to me... and though they're not family, the comrades I've traveled and done battle beside... are close to it."

Hermione cracks a small smile at the mention of sibling rivalry. "Ron was the youngest of six boys, so I remember hearing him complain that he rarely had anything new, and that there was no accomplishment he could achieve that hadn't been done before by one of his other siblings. I can't imagine what it would have been like, needing to compete for my parents' attention like that."

She hesitates for a moment, thinking about her parents, and how they're her only family in all the world... after a fashion. "Family isn't just blood," she admits. "There's something... deeper to it. Friends are the family you choose, after all. Even if you don't always get to choose your friends, either."

That's something Kain can sympathize with, feeling like he was ignored often by the king as he favored Cecil. "Nor can I. It was bad enough only having one, and he wasn't even a true sibling. That sense of competition was always there. To have so many to compete against though... It must have prepared your friend for a lot of challenges later in life, though, to grow up around so many others."

Kain nods firmly, he definitely knows what she means by that. "Sometimes circumstances force people together... and you end up forming bonds you may not have otherwise. I've made my firmest friendships in the most difficult situations..." The unending war was awful in its way, and yet, he'd never have met any of those people had they not been brought into it.

It had made Ron insecure and often left him feeling as though he isn't good enough, but Hermione hopes that's something they've long since past, now that there aren't any Horcruxes around to amplify such feelings. Instead of saying any of that, though, she only says, "A little competition can be healthy, just so long as no one takes things too personally. That's a little harder for some than it is for others, though." She... might just be speaking from personal experience, there.

Cracking a small smile, Hermione notes, "I never would have become friends with Ron or Harry if Ron hadn't insulted me when we were children. And we never would have gotten so close if Ron and I hadn't been so determined to keep Harry out of trouble at the start of the war. Terrible things are still terrible, but at least the bonds you make with people during them make them a little more bearable."

“I enjoy the competitive spirit, but I think I understand what you mean.” Sometimes he takes his rivalry with Cecil a little too far. Not that it’s ever broken their friendship, and the things he was forced to do while controlled… well… the fact that Cecil had forgiven even those things says something about his loyalty. “My best friend is also my fiercest rival, or at least I tend to see it that way. I’m pretty sure he’d rather we cooperate more often, though.”

“That sounds familiar,” Kain says with a bit of fondness in his tone, he misses his friends, misses the old days with them especially. “I used to pick on my best friend as a child. I’m surprised he could tolerate me, but, well, eventually you grow up and out of all of that. Those bonds, though… sometimes they’re truly all we have…” And perhaps the only way to cast out the darkness, he thinks, considering that idea more closely.

"That's how Ron tends to view Harry sometimes," Hermione notes with a gentle smile. "Perhaps the two of you are more alike than one might think. I hope not, though. I could do without having someone so quick to anger around here." Plus, no one can really replace Ron, in her mind.

"We can always make new bonds, though," she remarks quietly. "Not that those replace the old ones, but that can certainly help us cope with the new experiences. Like being stuck here. Fancy dress parties aside."

"It sounds as if we may be similar in some regards... Though I'm not so tempestuous." At least, not outwardly. He's more the type to hold it all in, to seethe until it very gradually blows up. He's tried to be better about expressing himself, not letting things build up until it's too late, but well... it takes time.

Kain nods agreement. "I'm not so sure I'll ever be fond of formal parties, but... at least I can do something about those new bonds."

"You don't seem like it," she agrees. "In some ways... well, I can't say I don't miss him, but I'm glad he isn't in Thedas. He probably could have sparked another war all on his own, or at least made things more difficult for the rifters." Especially since he'd finally begun to learn why elf rights were important.

"You mean hide away in a corner with them so no one asks you for an awkward dance?" Hermione asks, cracking a wry smile. "Or is that just me?"

“I don’t blame you for thinking that. I know someone with the same sort of temperament, very prone to excitement and anger, various outbursts… he wouldn’t do well here, although the rogue fighting style would interest him.” Kain thinks about Edge and how badly he’d fit in, in Thedas. He’s the sort to recklessly say things and around these people… well… that could have awful consequences.

Kain gives a smirk. “At royal balls, the corners were my favorite spots, I got to know them intimately.” He had reasons of course, beyond avoiding awkwardness, he just needed to be away from seeing his friends and getting jealous of them all over again.

With a short laugh that almost sounds like something of a sarcastic snort, Hermione asks, "Oh? Is your friend a ginger, too? Because I think that's a stereotypically common trait for them."

Her smile goes just a little bit muted as she reminisced, saying, "I never went to anything like a royal ball. We had a few parties, mostly for special occasions, but the grandest thing I've been to before tonight was the Yule Ball. I was lucky enough to have a date and he kept me company throughout most of the night, but-... well, I was young, and admittedly not nearly as clever as I'd thought I was at the time, so the night ended with an argument with my best friend and so I was a bit soured to the whole idea. Hiding in corners might just be my best resort when I don't have anyone that could pass for a proper escort."

Shaking his head, Kain replies, “No, he’s not, unfortunately, or he might have fit well among them. He certainly has the fire and the temper though.” Which made him frustrating to travel with, but funny enough right now, Kain wouldn’t mind seeing him again.

That definitely sounds like a disaster of a ball, and Kain can only sympathize. “Sorry to hear it turned out so terribly. Thinking back, my least pleasant memories of such events… all occurred when I was a young teenager. Everyone is prone to foolishness at such an age.” So many balls, all with Rosa and Cecil dancing and holding hands and laughing and kissing and… Sigh. Kain of course was happy when Rosa was up for a dance with him, but in the back of his mind, he’d always know she was waiting to return to Cecil. “It’s easier in some ways here, at least it’s not completely filled with people we know all that well…” It’s still the sort of thing where it’s best to make a good impression, but still...

Hermione could only smile fondly at the thought of Kain's friend having the temperament of a ginger, and also at the fact that that stereotype was so universal that it had found its way to various worlds. It isn't always true, she knows, just like any other generalization, but she can't deny that the Weasleys are an exceptionally passionate family.

"People shouldn't be allowed to socialize without adult supervision from about age thirteen to sixteen," she murmurs softly. "But then, I'm sure I'll broaden that scope to include nineteen in just a few more years. Perhaps we're just never as mature as we'd like to believe." Looking out at the sea of unfamiliar faces - most of them covered in masks - Hermione frowns and mentions, "I'd still prefer at least a few friendly faces over a legion of gilded strangers."

For not the first time, Kain wonders how Edge would fare in this world... how any of his friends might do, really, if they suddenly found themselves here. For one thing, it would be great to see them again, but he knows they all have important duties they can't really just leave behind... it would be harder on them for that reason.

Kain gives a dry laugh at that. "It's all too true. I dread to think back to those years, for the most part. Though... you may be right about that, who knows how we'll think in a matter of a few years..." Kain glances off into the masks, the noblepeple dancing and mingling. "Likewise."

Hermione knows that Ron and Harry have their own responsibilities, but really, they're more likely than not going mad over worry, since they must have received word of her being missing by now. She feels bad for that, but she also feels bad that her last year at Hogwarts keeps getting postponed, either because of war or because of certain inexplicable rifts in space and time.

"In a few years, we'll look back on ourselves as we are now and wonder why we said this or didn't do that or felt a particular way about something that was no big deal at all. Though I hardly think that lat one applies when it comes to being stranded in an entirely new world." Shrugging a bit, she adds, "At least, that's just how my mind works when I sit with it alone for too long."

Being stranded in a new world is something else entirely, he definitely has to agree there. The last one he’d ended up in had been nothing but endless war… he really does wonder what’s happened, what’s become of Cecil and the others, whether they’ve finally succeeded. Would Cecil have returned home by now?

“True enough. Being in a new world also forces us to do things differently at times, perhaps react to things we never would have encountered back home…” There may be similarities here and there, but the differences are striking enough that he’s found himself unsure or surprised by things he’s seen or heard.

"I've come across people here who've never heard of magic," Hermione murmurs. "Which doesn't necessarily mean there's no magic in their world, just that they've never heard of it. I can't imagine what my reaction to Thedas would have been like if I'd ended up here and have never seen Dark creatures or watched people cast spells. I would probably still be in shock."

Granted, she's still a little taken aback at the thought of demons, but she's learned to cope with it easily enough so long as she never has to actually experience them ever again.

It’s still an odd thing, magic is just such a normal part of the world he lives in, that thinking of it not existing is almost unheard of, in a way. “Right, it may well be hidden the way it is in your world. Who can know for certain? But I’d definitely feel the same if I weren’t already aware of it. It must be overwhelming for those people. It’s hard enough being in another world, after all.”

There’s an adjustment, a strangeness of a culture that’s not like home. It gets better, of course, but it’ll never quite feel like home, not really.

"Culture shock doesn't even begin to explain it," Hermione sighs. Pausing for a moment, she shakes her head and adds, "Sorry. I keep bringing up rather depressing topics of conversation. Maybe I've fulfilled my mingling quota and can go back to the library by now. If no one stops me between here and there, that is."

Smiling up at Kain, she asks, "Unless you'd like to keep talking?"

"It's no problem at all. It seems that we can't help it going in that direction." Kain himself has never been the most upbeat or cheery, so he completely understands why such topics happen. As for culture shock... yes, it's definitely stronger and goes far deeper than he might have expected. On the surface, the world seems so much like his own. But it's surprisingly different.

"And I've liked talking with you so far." In this kind of setting, it's good to have found someone to spend some time with. He'll still probably depart early if he can manage, but she's made the evening more bearable.

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