Litha Feast (Open to all court members and human guests, dated for the 21st)

[detectiveofthewest]

The grounds were brightly lit and festooned with decoration: trees covered in sweet-smelling dew, leaves of gold and red, vividly-colored streamers woven with thread finer than spider's silk. All around, the tables were piled high with all the food and wine one might expect of a grand feast. (Apparently, the fae had spared no expense.)

The Seelie King and Queen were present, though distanced from the rest of the revellers -- and quite a few revellers there were. Men and women with petals in their hair, clothes of vibrant silk and satin, and a rainbow of rare feathers and gems. Some looked human, some looked animal. Some, such as in the case of a well-dressed gentleman with skin like birch bark, looked like none of the above.

Comments

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy knew better than to eat or drink while she was here, even if there was take-out. She knew far more than the average human here, and she was aware of it. Being raised by a fae meant she knew some of the ins-and-outs of their world.

This was why she was here, of course. Year after year she was the designated date of her foster father, the necklace she'd won years before in the contest around her neck. For Fagin, it was a point of pride. Look at the beautiful witch he'd raised, how she'd won the most beautiful. Prove that he still had it. It made her sick. But, she came with him, like it or not. What other opportunities were there to enjoy the other realm, to look around and see what there was to see? Despite the risks, she knew better than to say no to Fagin's invitation.

Bidding the old man a brief adieu, his hand encircling her wrist until she gave him a chaste air-kiss, she made excuses to wander away from him.

[acrookedchild]

Another Fae-raised witch was among those gathered. Unlike Nancy, however, she had no prior exposure to this feast or her guardian to stand beside her. Instead, she stood demurely beside a brash, young (for a fae) knight of the court who had thought it great sport to kidnap the girl. From what he'd said -- talking to her over what had felt like a mere hour or two -- she reminded him of some lost love over whom he'd duelled with a mortal prince. It was a charming story, but Abigail knew enough about the fae to know that their affections were fickle. So, she smiled when he looked at her, never strayed too far, and politely refused the honeyed wine he offered.

He and a woman close to him (whether she was his wife, sister, daughter, or lover was difficult, as he spoke fondly and familiarly but with lines blurred from a lack of proper knowledge about her surroundings and 'host' had dressed her in pale blues and an outfit that looked like it had come out of a Renaissance painting. Or perhaps the dress had been inspired by one. When her escort was distracted, Abigail stepped briefly away from him to approach the girl she hadn't yet met.

"You look a lot more comfortable than I do," she said, trying to smile. "Have you been here before? In the Other Realm?"

[stauncherhearted]

"Near every year since I was a child," she says calmly, giving the girl in the dress (a beautiful dress it was, too) a small smile. "It's a sort of tradition, I suppose." Fagin didn't really give her an option. And he was the one that kept her in her apartment, working some of his own magic to allow her a better life than she would have otherwise. But just a bit, he was still a miser. You'd think with all the wealth he'd acquired over his centuries...

"And this is your first time- so you're not fae. What brings you here, then?" Names could come later. She was mostly curious.

[acrookedchild]

"That young man who is pouring himself a glass of wine," Abigail murmured, nodding her head to his discreetly, "is hoping to win favour with the Seelie King, from my understanding."

She smiled just a little, though there were definitely nerves under it.

"I've heard of fae parties before, but I've never been to one."

[stauncherhearted]

"That explains it," she said faux-sagely. "I should have guessed- I helped win for my foster-father years ago." Hazel eyes glanced towards the crowd, hoping not to see him. He was better off picking pockets of those in the crowd, sniffling up to the most important lords and ladies of the court. He was vile.

"It's a great time. I'd say it was better if we could eat and drink, but..." This was her cue to reach into her small bag and pull out a flask. Uncapping it, she offers some to the girl.

[acrookedchild]

Abigail considered the flask carefully. After all, the girl couldn't be fae. No fae were competing, and if she had once, that meant she was human. Yet, there was no proof she could leave the Other Realm. The flask might well contain the same things as the offered food and wine. If she wasn't fae, that meant she could lie.

The conflict no doubt showed on the girl's face before she asked, quietly, "Is it safe?"

[stauncherhearted]

"Perfectly," she said, and took a swig of the liquid herself. Gin burned down her throat, and she closed her eyes against the potent taste of juniper. Delicious.

"It's Hendricks. Poured it in my flat myself." Best part? It never ran out of juice. At least, until the whole bottle she'd poured in the small flask ran out. Bigger on the inside.

[acrookedchild]

It was tempting. Very, very tempting. But there were a lot of unknowns. So, Abby smiled just a little. "Maybe in a bit. I have a feeling I'll probably need it." Because this? Well. This was going to require alcohol to cope with, even just after it was all over. Until she was away from the fae, though, taking anything food or drink seemed dangerous. Even if offered by another human.

"Where abouts is your flat?" A simple enough question, not too personal. "Mine's right near Waterside Park."

[detectiveofthewest]

Heiji was dressed in formal robes of violet and maroon; he was wearing a pale yellow fox's mask over his face that in practice probably bore greater resemblance to a coyote. Eh.

He'd thought he might run into a few familiar faces at the party. He was not, however, expecting to see --

"Nancy?" Whoops. The name was out of his mouth before he could stop himself. There was a chance she might not recognize him, though. I mean... there was always a chance.

[stauncherhearted]

Her name was heard and she turned quick to see the man in robes. The mask was a curious addition, but she didn't say anything about it. The Other Realm was a strange place, and she'd long-since learned to just let it go and roll with it. Otherwise you'd get stuck on one minor thing and miss the rest.

"Yes?" She asked sweetly. "I'm sorry- Do I know you? I can't recognize you with the mask."

[detectiveofthewest]

"Uh..." The worst thing about this situation was that he couldn't actually lie about it, and he felt sort of bad about lying by omission. At least in this case.

"N-nice night out, isn't it?" He was terrible at this. "...Are you in the contest?"

[stauncherhearted]

Bro.

Nancy frowns. "Lovely night- no, I won some time ago." It was kinda nice to be able to brag about something here. "It's..." she moves slightly, trying to see if there's a face behind the mask. But, that accent...

"Heiji?"

[detectiveofthewest]

Goddammit. Why didn't he learn to speak with some sort of British accent? (because then he would have ended up in America, that's why)

"...Yeah, it's me, okay? Man, I didn't think you'd be here. ...Wait, but if you're not participating, who brought ya here?"

[stauncherhearted]

"Don't sound so disappointed!" She chides him. "I'm escorting my foster father." Not her real dad. Never her real dad. "He brings me every year." He likes to show off a little bit, too. Look at the pretty witch that he, while he no longer had her under his control, that he still kept around.

[detectiveofthewest]

"Wh -- I'm not disappointed, it's just... unexpected. Didn't know your foster dad was fae. Plus it's weird enough seein' a couple of the other folks around here. Stiles is here, too. I hope he's not gonna get himself in trouble."

Actually, if he'd known there were going to be this many Unseelie around, he probably would have skipped out on the invite, just in case. Oops?

[kleptofaeniac]

Kenzi had lost her fae-sponsor as quickly as she could manage. They told her she was free to wander around as she pleased, so long as she didn't leave and gave her a bracelet that would probably do something horrible to her if she tried to leave or take it off.

Kenzi wouldn't chance it and is instead, trying to work on a way to make friends while not getting attention either. It's a very delicate balance.

She's about to go running back to the pseudo-bar when she sees probably the best thing she's seen in days. God, she missed Nancy. Kenzi sidles up to her easily, threading her arm through hers and smiling as fake as she can before dropping it and saying, with no small amount of distaste.

"This party is lame."

I missed you.

[stauncherhearted]

The second she felt someone touching her, she was about to turn and give Fagin a piece of her mind. But. No, it was Kenzi. The second she saw her best friend, she relaxed, her look of irritation melting away into a smile. She drops her head on to her friend's shoulder just briefly.

"This'll make it better." She hands her a flask. Gin, contains a whole bottle.

That's when she notices the bracelet. "You're in the competition."

[kleptofaeniac]

Kenzi pulls from the flask for a good three seconds before capping it and smiling again. It seems so much more brittle this time.

"Gee, how'd you guess?"

The sarcasm is almost involuntary with how biting it is and she grimaces, she doesn't like being short with Nancy - neither of them are that fond of being mad at each other.

"I'm sorry it's just. Creepy and I'm stressed out and I hate it here." Kenzi ends with an exaggerated pout, so it seems like she's just being silly.

[entitles]

A human with a fae who didn't seem to have been kidnapped. How interesting. Interesting enough for him to wander over when she stepped away from fagin.

"Enjoying the feast?" he said, although he had clearly noticed her refusal to actually eat anything.

[stauncherhearted]

Those cheekbones could cut glass, make no mistake. "it's a feast for the eyes," she responds, but holds up her own flask.

"But I'm sure you are, though." He had to be fae, just LOOK AT THOSE CHEEKBONES.

[entitles]

Balem raised an eyebrow at that. Did she mean him, or that it was a well-decorated feast?

"It isn't for me," he said, because although he was fae, he was Unseelie, "But nonetheless, it's pleasant. The food is delicious."

Delicious, but full of some unwanted side-effects, for humans at least. He doubted she'd take the bait, but it was worth a try.

[stauncherhearted]

Maybe it was about both. You never know, do you, space Napoleon?

"I'm sure it is, but I'll have to pass." She smiled kindly all the same. "You're hardly the first to try to get me to eat something here."

[entitles]

"A wise decision, I suppose," he said, "You've known our kind before now, then?"

He thought he could sense something about her - she didn't seem like an ordinary human - but there were so many different types of beings around that it was hard to say for sure.

[stauncherhearted]

"I have," was her response. No use giving up information immediately.

Nancy's hand moved to the necklace she wore, playing idly with the charm. It was a present she'd received for winning the contest some years back, and wore it yearly, to explain to anyone who couldn't be bothered to ask why she was there.

"This isn't my first time around here." He could ask if he wanted. But she didn't really feel the need to explain herself.

[entitles]

"And what does Miss Redbright think of that?" he said, because he was fairly certain that she was a witch, and Redbright wasn't fond of fae, so either this girl was being sneaky or she didn't care what Redbright thought.