Truth or Dare: Side Party for Servants and Scoundrels

[faderifting]

WHO: Anyone!
WHAT: A party for people who might scare the nobility, are deathly afraid of chandeliers, or fled the soiree with cheeses hidden in their clothes and need to make a clean getaway.
WHEN: During (and after) the soiree.
WHERE: The valley beyond Skyhold.
NOTES: Drinking, revelry. People might make out or something. We're not responsible for your actions.

The soiree might be fun, if you're into that sort of thing, but that isn't what it's for. It's for impressing the powerful and opening their pockets—and, necessarily, some people aren't invited. In some cases that's personal. In others, it's just understood. When they're done helping to set up, most of the servants and workers who aren't needed to serve make themselves scarce. The usual trickle of refugees to and from the fortress slows. Some people used to sleeping in the stables may find their "beds" occupied by nobles' horses or the rooms they had been squatting in cleaned and prepared for someone else to stay in.

There's no resentment. (Or at least very little.) That's how these things go. And in the valley outside the fortress' walls, there are foot soldiers and refugees and a number of miscellaneous exiles who welcome the company with large fires, cheap but freely flowing alcohol, and whatever music can be wrung out of instruments exposed to such low temperatures. The crowd thins and dwindles as the night wears on, but even after the last person has left the Great Hall in Skyhold, there's still a sizable gathering near the river with no intention of going to sleep before sunrise.

No masks allowed.

Comments

[dalishious]

Now this is where Merrick belongs. Bonfires, drinks, music and good people.

Once he ditches the ball and heads outside to where the real party's at, he relaxes considerably. Sobriety had left him long ago, and he joins in the music and dance, getting his hands on a guitar more than once to play and sing. His voice soars over the crackling of the fire, soulful and bright.

When he's not singing he's relaxing by the fire, wrapped up in a thick cloak, passing a pipe around to whoever's nearby.

[arlathvhen]

Beleth will spend most of her night at the soiree, but she pops down to the other party as a breather, and to visit without obnoxious nobles breathing down her neck. Merrick is one of the people she wants to spend time with, and to give him something she's been working on for a while. And so she sits and listens while he sings, a soft, fond smile on her face.

Once he finishes a song, she flashes him a proud grin, and even gives him a quiet round of applause. Then Beleth holds up a finger, reaching for her lute. The melody she plays is not particularly complex, and Merrick can probably recognize the influence of several Dalish songs. There's no denying that Beleth's practice paid off, however. It may be simple, but she plays it well.

And then she starts singing.

"Oh, fiercest fighter..." The subject of the song is never named, but it shouldn't be too hard to figure out. And, of course, as soon as Beleth is finished, her eyes dart up to Merrick, apprehensively waiting to see his reaction.

[dalishious]

It's easy to pick up on what the song is about-- or in this case, whom. Merrick listens, a calm expression on his face, curiously serene until the song is done.

And then it is, and Merrick reaches out to snatch the lute from her hands and place it aside. Then he tugs her onto his lap, squeezing her tightly and pressing a firm kiss on her mouth.

[arlathvhen]

The calmness worries her a little. Did he not figure out who she was taking about? She's pretty sure he's not upset, because Merrick is rarely quiet about displeasure, but if she had to explain--And then her lute is gone and she's on his lap, and she's getting kissed, and any worry she had dissipates. This is, quite truthfully, an even better reaction than what she had hoped for.

The kiss is returned with enthusiasm, Beleth's arms wrapping tightly around Merrick's neck. She might fuss over this being in public later, but Merrick has her full attention for now. She pulls a few inches away, just to whisper to him. "It's true, you know. You're so wonderful, Merrick."

[dalishious]

Merrick nudges her nose with his, making a face. She knows by now that he adores praise, but doesn't react to it well.

He cuddles her close. "Glad you ditched that stuffy party, huh?"

[arlathvhen]

She gives a little huff when he nudges her, but is quite happy to return the cuddling. Beleth gives his face a few quick kisses, before relaxing her head on his shoulder. She gives a light laugh at the comment about the party, shrugging. "This is more like the parties at home. It's nice. But I have to get used to stuffy parties and irritating nobles, if I want to be a real bard."

[el_tybs]

Sam tries his best to stay at the soiree as long as possible, but after a while it just becomes too much. He's not done with the evening though, and because of that he heads down to the valley to see what kind of party is going on there. Things are a lot more lively.

Norrington had been right. This was more his style.

It isn't long before the sound of a guitar and singing catches his ear, drawing him towards the fire with drink in hand. Who he finds there is a bit surprising, but pleasantly so, taking a seat on a nearby log to watch. He doesn't see Merrick like this... at all actually.

Once the music has died down a bit, he scoots over some and leans in to be heard a bit better over the crowd. "You play and sing wonderfully."

[dalishious]

Merrick hands the instrument over to someone else, and takes the opportunity to light up his pipe and take a long, pleasant drag. He moves aside so Sam can sit next to him.

The compliment makes him squirm a little, but he appreciates it immensely. He passes his pipe to Sam in a gesture of thanks.

[el_tybs]

Seeing the offered space, Sam scoots over more so that he's sitting closer, head tilted as he watches Merrick light up his pipe.

It's not surprising that Merrick doesn't say anything, but when the pipe is handed over Sam's eyes widen a bit. That was pretty big to have that done. Course he's never smoked, just been around smoke, so when he takes the pipe he raises a brow and looks at Merrick curiously, silently asking for some instructions.

[dalishious]

The expression on Merrick's face is part derisive, part thoroughly amused.

"Just take in the smoke," he instructs. "Don't just hold it in your mouth though. Open up your lungs, really let it in, then breathe it out."

[el_tybs]

He's still getting used to experiencing a bunch of things. Smoking just was never something to pick up.

The instructions are fairly simple, nothing too complicated, but it does have him looking at the pipe some in curiosity. Well it doesn't appear that Merrick is going to say more, Sam puts the end of the pipe to his lips and sucks. Clearly it's a bit more complicated than explained or it's just he isn't used to smoke and almost immediately he starts coughing, putting a hand in front of his mouth to help quiet it and hopefully calm it down.

[the_effect_she_has]

An hour or so later, there is the flash of veilfire, and there is Katniss dropping down on a log next to him. Katniss let out a sigh of relief as she moved to slip off her dancing shoes, as she stared at the fire, a quiet smile on her face.

"So. What are we singing tonight?" She won't take the pipe, but a song? She's always got a song for Merrick.

[dalishious]

"Up to you," says Merrick, and he passes the instrument to her with an expectant sort of look.

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss took the guitar, and tightened a few of the strings, as she mused on the music she knew, before she started to strum a few bars. There were quite a few Dalish songs she knew - and this was a party so this one seemed appropriate.

Her fingers began to pluck at the guitar, as fast as they could, and she raised her voice in song to the fast pitched pace.

And if you think she shifted to sit ladylike while she was strumming along? You clearly haven't met Katniss.

[dalishious]

Merrick would expect no less. Katniss is Katniss, and he wouldn't want her any other way.

He claps along with the lively tune, which has people bouncing on their feet and twirling happily around the bonfire. It's one he knows, and he's impressed that she manages to sing it almost perfectly.

His characteristic half-smile is on his face when she finishes, and he applauds her along with everyone else.

omg I did not even realize that's the 25 min version of that song ...

[the_effect_she_has]

She lets out a deep breath when she is done, smiling around the bonfire before she hands the guitar back to Merrick, wiping the sweat off her brow.

"Creators, that was a tough one." She breathed out, leaning on her seat, before she offered a full smile to Merrick. "Good enough?"