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

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

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.

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Kenzi, for once, does not look like she's having a good time. True she's smiling and mingling the right way, and she's done up just so - apparently the fae have this thing for 'natural' beauty.

Of course, natural had a whole different meaning when you could look like a walking tree.
Instead of Kenzi's usual thick-eyeliner, fake eyelashes and the best foundation money could buy, she looks like she's not wearing anything. It's that whole airbrushed look that some guys think is 'no makeup'. For once her hair is her typical, non-working black and it's curly.

They confiscated her hair straightening charm. She's become so used to just slipping that on instead of getting out the hair straightener and she hates it. When your natural hair could pass for an 80's perm, there's something wrong.

The sooner she can get it out of her face, the better.

The fae sponsoring her had told her to be seen, not heard because: "Pretty face, but that mouth is liable to get you into trouble."

So far, Kenzi has been disinclined to argue that order. Mostly because she doesn't want to get in trouble with whoever the hell it was who made her do this. She doesn't even know what she's wearing at this point either, but the dress looks like it's just paint falling down her body. She's working on figuring out how to keep it. Maybe she can swindle it away if she wins.

She's also trying to figure out how to get away with not eating. Those bottles of alcohol look pretty unopened, though. And Kenzi is nothing if not a consummate alcoholic. She might have been doing pretty well the whole night until now, but with a nice bottle of wine - all bets are off.

"Fairy wine is worse than fairy food," comes a voice at her side, along with a gentle touch to her arm. Nothing to hold her, just to offer a bit of caution, and it pulls away almost as quickly.

From the back, Abigail hadn't recognised her, only seen the bracelet that marked her as a mortal player in this game of the fae. Which was why she was keen to stop her from drinking. Even if it smelled divine when it was poured. She'd been here for what seemed to be half a day or so. Hunger was starting to set in. But it had to be resisted.

"It's sealed, though."

She isn't that keen on trusting the fair-folk on their word, but they can't lie and that allows a certain advantage if you know how to ask the right questions the right way.

She'd grilled one of the fae who had been near the bar, and done everything she could think of to grill them.

Also, hi Abby.

"I wouldn't trust your eyes. Not here."

It takes her a moment to place the face and eyes. To realise who she is. Then, Abby half smiles.

"Didn't expect you to get dragged into this."

"Fine." It's as petulant as she could possibly manage the response and she places the bottle back on the table with a soft clink.

Abigail is far easier to recognize than Kenzi is and she widens her eyes in a silent 'I know, I know'. She seems to think everyone is looking at her hair.

"Yeah, neither did I."

She flashes her wrist, showing the bracelet she's been 'gifted' by her kidnapper.

Abigail smiles faintly and shakes her head.

"Well, it's a compliment at least, I guess. Being chosen to compete. Doesn't make me any less hungry, though."

The food smells amazing, and all the drinks look so good. But she can tolerate the hunger and thirst for awhile longer.

"Some compliment," Kenzi allows herself to drop the grateful act and her smile goes with it. Abigail is allowed some honest from her - even if it is within thinly veiled sarcasm.

"Wanna grab some grub after this is over?"

Food. At the thought, she grins wide.

"God yes," she replies. "That sounds wonderful."

While food that they can trust is a fan-fucking-tastic idea, Kenzi doesn't think she's ever seen this girl smile before and ... to be honest it's kind of creepy. Like, Daybreak Zone creepy.

"You don't smile much do you?"

She's pretty sure she knows the answer to that one, but it bears asking.

For a moment, Abby looks... surprised. It's not a question she's usually asked, and it hits closer to home than she's used to. Still, she gives it thought, and the smile slowly dissipates.

"I guess I don't."

Kenzi, on the other hand, is thrilled to see that Abigail is - indeed- a mere mortal. Not that she genuinely suspected Abigail was Fae, but it was nice to see her have some vulnerability. It put her closer to Kenzi's level.

She tried to look as much like a co-conspirator as possible as she took both of Abby's hands in hers and, genuinely, looks as if she might consider her a friend.

"Don't worry about it. Smiling gives you wrinkles anyways."

Because she's not going to offer to 'fix' you, Abigail. That would be gross.

A cool breeze precedes the unseelie as she stops next to Kenzi, noting the intent look at the bottles of unopened wine. The girl is pretty, hair a riot around her face, dress making her look younger than she likely is. The air of pouting is about her though her expression is carefully controlled.

"I am given to understand that the bottles of human drinks are safe for consumption." She offered, reaching a hand out and lifting one of the bottles with barely a glance at the label. "No obligation." Her look is slightly disapproving, "The Seelie who told me is remarkably uncomplicated in his dealings and honest in deed as well as word from what I have seen of him so far." She offered the bottle to the girl, and from her fingers, frost creeped down the outside as though she was chilling it right there in her hand.

Kenzi shivers minutely as the breeze curls around her bare arms and she does her best not to jump when Mab speaks to her. A Fae, it was easy to tell. It seemed like this party was a place where they had free reign to make it super blatant what they were. Not that she blamed them, everyone had to have their safe space, right?

What she did blame them for was making their safe space a 'kidnap people and bring them along for funzies' space too. That was a big no-no on her list.

Still, considering how powerful these people were - it was smarter to just play along until you could figure a way out.

Kenzi gestures with the bottle and smiles; a little afraid.

"Thanks Miss. White Christmas."

Nicknames are her thing.

Yes in this place Kenzi is the outsider. Though Mab is not in her own court she has little concern for appearing human in the Other Realm. It is her world, after all.

The Seelie were responsible for this kidnapping though Mab could not really stand on any higher ground. Unseelie had some of the most dangerous fae among them. The hunters and those that dwelt in dark places. When one was kidnapped by the Unseelie, one hoped the end was quick because many things could happen in dark places. In this Seelie feast, a small competition of beauty was the worst most there must need overcome. Unless a human was enraptured by a fae light or give a favor.

Mab's head tilts just a touch to one side. "White Christmas." Her lips curve up a bit at the corners and she makes a slight gesture with her hand. "Perhaps more levity than I am accustomed to." And a thank you was a little more obligation than Kenzi might have wanted to imply. "I am pleased to have provided assistance." That sounded awfully formal. Coupled with a slight dip of the head and a smile that might have been a little on the dangerous side Mab wasn't doing a lot to put the poor girl at ease.

"What shall I call you, child?" Don't worry Kenzi, she calls pretty much anyone under 1000 a child.

Immediately her mind tells her - screams at her - to lie. Give her a fake name, you're not a Fae you can lie. Names have power here. And everywhere.

"Hecate."

She doesn't know why she picked that name. Goddess of witchcraft and moonlight. Kenzi doesn't think of herself that highly. But she picked it. There's no going back on it now.

The poor girl's eyes widen just a bit, not an obvious panic but it seems to be there in the tensing of muscles as well. If she'd listened carefully, she'd have noticed Mab did not technically ask for her name. It was only polite and she wasn't supposed to be taking advantage of the humans while she was a guest to the Seelie. But the panic and clearly fake name make a slow smile slip across Mab's lips.

"A worthy choice." She murmured, she picked up a small decanter and poured herself something in a faceted glass. When she lifted the glass, the whole thing frosted over and wisp of steam drifted off the top. "You are careful, it will serve you well, Mistress Hecate."

"Uh...Thanks."

God, these Fae and their weird speech patterns. Can't they just use modern slang like everyone else?

It takes her a second to remember what she was just thinking about how this is their party and their world. Technically. Fae are allowed to do what they want. Not that she really had any say in it from the get go.

Eager to change the subject, Kenzi puts down the bottle and clasps her hands behind her back. She doesn't know what to do with them.

"So what court are you in?"

Mab's head tilted just a touch at the uncomfortable thank you. She considers thank you's a sign of a debt owed. Even when one is in the protection of the Seelie King and Queen. Her smile is slight but there as she takes a sip from the frosted glass.

The Unseelie Lady watches the girl set the bottle down and her eyes track the path her hands take behind her back. Mab blinks at the question and then looks down at the glass covered with ice and back at Kenzie. "Surely you can make a guess." They might be in the summer court, but never has cold been in Summer's purview. Summer is heat and fire and life. A witch child taking the name of a greek goddess of her craft would surely be able to put two and two together and come out with four. "Tell me what court you believe I should belong to."

"That's a bit of a loaded question don't ya think?" Kenzi tries to laugh but it only comes off as comically uneasy, as if she were reciting lines for a show. Her eyes even shift to the side, like she's begging the universe for a way out of this.

She thinks if she answers wrong, she'll get cursed. If she answers right, she'll get Mab's attention and she doesn't know which is worse.

"I mean, I don't know how the court system really works for you...guys."

If she had to make a guess, however. She'd say Unseelie.

Mab's smile grew to look almost genuine. "You did ask it." She pointed out. Kenzie had been the one to inquire as to her court to start with after all. Mab lifted her fingers and iced another bottle, looking pointedly at Kenzie. She certainly will not destroy the child for answering wrong. But she might think less of her if she can't put simple things together.

"The Seelie court rules summer, from Winter's wane to Summer's wax solstice to solstice, then the Unseelie court takes over it's Rule of Winter. Surely these things are still readily available in mortal libraries?" Mab had gone to great lengths to have the Grimm Brothers put tales of her kind into human hands. The Tuatha had been quite active in Ireland as well when Mab had been busy in the Black Forest. "Based on this information what might you guess?"

"Un...seelie?" Kenzi answers like an unsure student who hasn't been paying attention in class enough and she's guessing at the answer.

Kenzi is vividly imagining getting turned into a tree if she answers wrong. She hopes it's not an ugly tree.

"Well done." She tipped her head a little in acknowledgement. Though really that was simple observation. One would hope the child didn't have to have everything worked out for her. "Though you should speak with confidence when you come to the only logical conclusion."

Trees and life are summer's purview Kenzi, Mab wouldn't turn anyone into a tree.

"Yeah, I'll make sure to do that in the future...uh, frosty ma'am."

If Kenzi sounds distracted, it's because she's trying to come up with a way to get out of this. But she is stuck at this party until they announce who won.

Mab lets her twist a little. The girl is so uncomfortable it's actually amusing to watch. And Mab was never precisely known for being kind.

"Ms Sommerset is fine." She offers, "Why so tense, young Witch? Surely if something horrible was going to happen it would have done so already."

"I'm Russian, I'm built to be tense."

And built for the cold, but Kenzi doesn't say as much. She's afraid Mab - Ms Sommerset - will like that.

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

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