The Inaugural Harvest Ball
Hallows and friendly pack yearlings welcome!
The evening of the grand event had finally come. Under Bramble's direction with some guidance from himself and Briar, the necessary organization had been made, the invites had been sent out, and Hearthstone had been decorated and prepared to receive their guests. In the Great Hall, a veritable feast had been laid out across the many tables, and a space had been cleared out to function as a dance floor. A traveling troupe of musicians had been contracted by the Aegis to play for the night to provide ambiance and entertainment. No expense had been spared to give his daughter the best chance at success he could afford. The only thing that had been kept out of the mix was the alcohol for obvious reasons, which remained locked up tight in the cellars. The last thing Artorias wanted was for a bunch of yearlings getting wasted under his watch.
As the sun began to set, the Aegis donned his armor and sword. He had said this event was for wolves two and under and that Bramble would be in charge, and he meant it. He would be acting as door security for her to make sure no one tried to crash the party and no incidents broke out amongst the guests, but he didn't expect any sort of trouble. He was more of a precautionary measure than a necessity. Taking his position at the front doors to the castle, Artorias sat and watched out over the gardens, waiting for the first of their guests to arrive to direct them as necessary—and to make his position known to Bramble in case she needed anything from him.
Nelu eyed the hourglass, the sands running low and signaling to him it was time to stop with his pottery project and get ready for the ball. He wasn't sure what to expect but he had no intention of missing it. "Samiri, can you help with putting the tools away?" She chirped and nodded before using her deft hands to move the pottery tools aside while Nelu wandered over to the basin to clean his paws. Once clean he headed out to join the festivities, his companions close behind.
He arrived to see his father and Bramble gathered and he dipped his head in greeting. "Good evening, father, Bramble. What shall make up the festivities tonight?"
Maki had been thrilled to receive an invitation to the ball. Sure, it wasn't made out to her specifically, just a friendly but vague offer to anyone who wanted to go. But Maki was intent on making it into a big deal, the biggest even. She'd fussed for hours, getting herself ready- wanting to look perfect and pretty but also like she wasn't trying too hard. Effortless beauty didn't come so naturally to Maki, at least not in comparison to Delphi who just looked stunning forever and always. She spent forever grooming her fur and even found some nice smelling leaves to roll in, allowing the jasmine scent to seep into her fur. Sweet, fruity and sensual, absolutely nothing like Maki then.
She'd never really roamed this far from home, but as the castle loomed in the distance a feeling of anticipation rose in her chest, near getting into a fist fight against her nervousness. A fight so closely matched she couldn't tell which would beat the snot out of the other.
"Do we just walk in? That seems kinda rude, don't it?" Maki mused as they approached, peeking around the archway as if she thought someone might crunch her nose off for being too- well nosey. She supposed they could howl and announce themselves?
Ugh, but she could already smell the food and the sound of music lingered in the air, equally tempting as the feast. Maybe even more so if the night was gonna be all she'd made it out to be in her head, a night of drama and intrigue, mystery and aesthetics. She'd been daydreaming about it as soon as she'd heard about the bash and now she was here- well what if it didn't live up to her ideals? What if she just stood in the corner staring at people, willing them to dance with her?
"Thas' it. I'm goin' in and I'mma dance with so many people Delphi, you'll see!"
And off she went, heading into the castle till she emerged into the ballroom, all decked out and pretty and perfect.
The time had finally come, and the aurora marked boy tried hard to cover the discontent he felt deep down. He needed to be supportive of Bramble and be a good example of a hallowed princling. He certainly did not groom himself meticulously like his sister, but did pat the fur on his head down so he didn't look like a ruffian before he made his way down. Make an appearance, eat some food, sneak away when his sire was not looking. He could do that. Presenting himself obviously at first so none could accuse him of skipping out he smiled to his family before meandering over to the feast laid out before him.
Delphi agreed to go to this ball-thing to appease her sister. After being rude to the girl, Delphi had felt terrible about it. Something about always being nice to family or something came from their father so of course she had to right her wrongs. Truthfully, Delphi was having a great time with Maki. Though she didn't really care to get pretty and groom herself, she did so anyway so Maki wouldn't be embarrassed. Allowing her sister to neatly wash, brush, and rub some stuff all over her, Delphi was as ready as she was ever going to be.
When they approached the castle archway through the plain, she looked up at the inspiring castle. Damn, why couldn't they live somewhere like this? Her eyes go wide as they hesitate at the opening to the grounds. Her eyes flicker up to Maki as she shoulders shrug. From this distance, she too could hear the music, the murmur of voices, and even smell the delicious food wafting over the grounds. Her stomach rumbled and she already settled that she would eat more than she would dance. If Strai wasn't going to be here to keep her company, she didn't want to be tempted by others.
As Maki proclaimed she would march in, Delphi made sure to follow close behind. Walking past the towering figure of the Hallows wolves, Delphi smiled her prettiest smile and nodded her head in greeting. "Thanks for the invite!" She calls back as she scampers in to catch up to Maki.
Bramble had been excited about this evening for weeks. Really, she'd told him all about the planning and preparations, and he'd done what he could to grease palms, making sure the right shipments came in on time. Not that she needed to know exactly what he'd done with the traders, but uh... well, only good things. Right, only good things. What good was having a spy for a boyfriend if he wasn't going to quietly go out of his way to make life easier? While Tate had planned to attend alone, it seemed that wouldn't be the case. Erik had secured himself an invitation from one of Bramble's younger sisters-- what the girl saw in his younger brother Tate couldn't know, but more power to her. Wherever Erik went, Morganna was close to follow, so he was in charge of getting everyone where they needed to be. After that? Thank fuck he was off the hook. "Don't do anything that will make me look like an asshole." Tate hissed quietly at his siblings as they arrived, beginning to unpack Kaiju's saddle bags. A gift for Bramble, his girlfriend-who-he-hasn't-asked-to-be-his-girlfriend-yet. A gift for Bramble, the host, that he handed to Erik. His brother snatched another parcel before Tate could fully inspect it, but the boy had been awfully interested about what he'd been making for Bramble. Finally, the young man lifted a bottle of sake free. Though Artorias wasn't hosting, he was still allowing them into his home, and in his mind it's the polite thing to do. While Tate wouldn't typically so troubled with decorum, he also wants Bramble's dad to like him. With a few things still tucked away for later, the boy sent his companion off to make himself comfortable. It was hard to deny Tate cleaned up well. Broad and strong, the last of the puppy fat fading away to brawn. Not the tallest, but rugged and well-built, the fading sunlight really bringing out the reds in his coat. Feeling like a million bucks, smelling much less like drugs than usual, and really more put together than she's probably ever seen him, Tate strides to the castle. Bramble was front and center, and he couldn't help but stop for a moment. Damn, he wasn't even sure if he had the words for her. The look on his face said at all as he paused to take her in. Holy fuck. Erik had, opportunistically, tried to slip past him and into the party. "What did I just say?" Tate gently scruffed his brother, holding him back so they could approach together. Finally approaching the Aegis and their host for the evening, Erik was at least able to present Bramble with the box (filled with exotic fruits) before disappearing. In the same moment, Tate presented the bottle to Artorias. Right, right, formalities. It's only after his younger siblings have made themselves scarce that he shifts to Bramble. "'s beautiful. Knew it would be." Tate grinned, reaching out to pull her in for a hug that's... maybe more chaste than it would have been if he wasn't acutely aware she was the center of attention. He pressed a small parcel into her possession, a little smile playing on his lips. "Promise me a dance tonight?" A little hopeful glimmer to his orange eyes, tail wagging loosely. It's her party, hopefully she could free herself for a dance, right? |
Something about a ball? Erik wasn't sure about this one. Sounded stuffy but then... if Ember was excited maybe he should be too? She'd gone out of her way to send a raven asking him to come, and Tate was going too. Hell, Tate seemed to be making a bigger deal than usual about things. Preparing and making something for Bramble that seemed to be taking a lot of time and effort. When Erik had finally taken the time to figure out what it was and ask, he got to thinking he should maybe bring something up for Ember too. He'd been quick to snatch it from Kaiju's bag as they unpacked, and he found that he'd been burdened down with yet another box for Bramble too as they made their way through the door. He feels weird, all scrubbed clean and put together. His brother had dumped something on him too, Erik wasn't sure he liked that. It smelled... clean.
Tate had stopped-- hey what gives? Erik tried to slip around his brother, not really listening, but grumbling indignantly as he's held back. If he was so eager to get inside then why stop? Hello, they have things to do. He wouldn't let his annoyance get the better of him, especially when Tate had specifically warned them off being a pain in the ass tonight. As they finally make their way up the steps, Tate has him offer Bramble the box, the contents of which Erik isn't even sure of. Some sorta formality, but with a little respectful-enough dip of his head to Artorias and Bramble each, he's finally free to disappear into the crowd.
Delphi and Maki each got a little wave, from the boy. His not-sisters had already made their way in, were already making themselves comfortable. He'd join them in a moment, but he needed to find Ember first. Little parcel for her still in his clutches, he took a step back to survey the room. Being indoors isn't like being tucked away in the caverns and caves on the mountain, or the compartments among the bamboo. This is different, novel, weird. But maybe it was fun too. At least it would be as soon as he found Ember.
Erik has a Norwegian forest cat that is assumed with him at all times.
A ball... it wasn't exactly her thing. Dusk would fight you, talk circles around you, make you feel unworthy of her attention, but she definitely wouldn't dance with you. Bramble was so excited though... Perhaps she would just make an appearance to support her sister, then slip off into the shadows to do something that she found more interesting. She couldn't do anything too interesting with her neck and shoulder still healing from her battle with the rogue wolves, but, really... what wasn't more interesting than a dance party?
To hide the bandages, Dusk wore her thick, bison fur cloak. It was autumn and the wind was a bit chilly, so she wouldn't overheat. If she did, it would be simple enough to slip outside for a few minutes. The obsidian lady seated herself at the base of the stairs like some cloaked gargoyle. She sat tall and straight, fire opal eyes scanning the room and it's occupants. Injured or no, if any of them got out of hand, she would take care of them.
Dusk met Bramble's gaze and she gave her sister a confident smile. Just because this wasn't something that she would have chosen, that didn't mean that she didn't want her sister to be happy. Bramble had always been much more feminine than Dusk. If dancing and finery made her happy, then that's what she would have.
Ember Carpathius
Head Scholar
Master Fighter (330)
Master Intellectual (330)
Knight
Professor
2 Years
Female
312
Joe
The harvest ball was something Ember had been looking forward to since her sister had come to ask for her help planning it. Getting to work on something special with Bramble was a huge delight to the young girl, and seeing everything coming to fruition now felt a bit like a dream come true. The first floor of Hearthstone was fully decorated in autumnal decor, lending to the festive celebration of fall slowly transitioning over into winter. Next season would be her litter's birthdays, and in some ways this felt like a final big hurrah while she was still a child. All of her elder siblings had begun taking on more prominent roles in the pack once they turned one, and some even got to begin their weapon training with Dad! Ember wondered if she would get to do all of those things once she was a yearling as well, and what she might be expected to do as she got older...But those were all thoughts for another day! Tonight was about having fun and making friends with the other younger wolves from across Boreas and Auster. In particular, Ember was stoked to get to see her viking friend from the mountains again! She had sent her raven to invite Erik and was elated to get his RSPV back confirming he'd be coming with his siblings! Knowing her friend would be here, Ember took extra care in making sure things looked perfect. He'd been such a good host showing her the best sights when she'd visited his family in their mountain, she had to be sure she gave him the same kind of welcome to her home.
Just before the ball was set to begin, Ember and all her sisters were in their parents' room getting ready, Briar helping to bathe and brush out their fur and groom them nice and neat before the big event. The girl held a faint smell of the lavender shampoo she'd used and her midnight fur was soft and silky smooth, a far cry from the usual disheveled mess of dust she usually wore after a long day of play and adventuring. This close to her first birthday, Ember had gone through a bit of a growth spurt, not quite yet her adult height, but nearing it, her legs longer and body beginning to slim away from that round puppy form. Interestingly, her tail had begun to take on some of the traits her mother's had—her tail fur glowing longer and finer than the rest of her coat, turning into a midnight black waterfall. Tonight, her mother had helped her keep it up with a simple braid; elegant, yet understated. She had opted not to wear any sort of dress or attire, but had taken up Briar's offer to wear some of her jewelry for the special occasion. She wore matching silver cuffs around each of her ankles on her forelegs, the cuffs studded with brilliant fire orange sapphires, the hallmark color of the Hallows. The silver gleamed magnificently against her dark fur, and with a final smoothing of her fur to make sure she was presentable to her mother's standards, the Carpathian princess headed down to the party.
Descending the stairs, Ember found her father and Bramble greeting their guests as they came in and directing them toward the Great Hall. Just as she was rounding the bend near the top, she caught a brief glimpse of familiar plum wine colored fur down the hallway and a big grin spread across her muzzle. Not that she'd ever doubted he'd come, but because knowing he was here immediately made the night all the better for her. Ember gave a quick nuzzle to her sire's foreleg and a paw-bump to Bramble in celebration of a successful evening before she left them be, heading straight for the Great Hall to track down Erik. Stepping into the hall, she's immediately greeted by the smells of food, the sound of music, the brightness of the fire in the hearth roaring to life, and all the new wolves showing up. But the only newcomer that had her attention was the viking boy she spied waving to a couple of girls across the room. Sneaking quietly around the edges of the tables, Ember stalked up to Erik and gave his tail a playful swat when she got close enough. "Hey there, mountain man! I'm glad you could come!" she greeted her viking friend, all smiles and wagging tail as she moved up beside him. "It's no mountain, but now you get to see where I live. If we're sneaky enough, maybe I can get us up to the tower to show you our views too." Maybe she could even show him the armory too; boys liked weapons, right? Ember shot Erik a cheeky wink. She certainly wasn't above bending a few rules for her friend. Besides, if Dad never found out, was it really breaking the rules?
The night was young. A cold chill to the air brought promise to a formidable winter. Tamping down the balmy weather of the typical Auster surroundings, Akito greeted it with a head held high and soft grey gaze ahead of him. He was no stranger to the northern regions of the continent. Having traversed areas of it with his brothers before, but tonight was different. His coat had been bathed, brushed, and smoothed out until every fleck of grey could be seen among the black of his fur. A true image of the stars above minus any color one may have seen. Growing legs brought about long steps as he trailed behind his gaggle of siblings. Tate was at the head, sternly chastising Erik for any misbehavior. Of course, he was sure Morg was a part of that too. Unlike the others, Akito didn't need reminding to behave. He understood well that relations between packs were fragile at best and any decision they made could ultimately ruin it.
Approaching the front gates of the castle, Akito looks up at them in almost a fond manner. He has been here before to visit and meet with one of the other pups, Vendrick. They had had a decent time and he didn't mind coming back. As they cross through the gardens, he doesn't mind picking a rose that looks as if it is on the cusp of wilting. Not that he had anyone in mind to give it to, but better safe than sorry, he supposed. Coming up the stairs, he watches as Tate embraces a taller girl who stands beside Artorias. Akito hasn't officially met the Aegis yet, but from conversation with Hattori, he can place the man with the image. Stopping before Artorias, Akito bows his head respectfully before following in after his more rambunctious siblings.
Standing amongst the crowd of wolves, delicious food, and warm aromatic air, he looks around. Feeling rather out of place, he shuffles his weight and lingers to the side for now. It is then that he sees her. At first, his fur bristles slightly as he watches her dance with someone else. He wasn't expecting her to be here nor the feelings that bubble up inside of him to even be happening. Swallowing hard with his teeth clamping down on the rose that is grasped between his teeth, Akito takes a few songs to gather up any courage he thought he had.
Moving through the crowd, he approaches the chimera spotted girl and clears his throat. A romantic, Akito was not, but he had to at least extend an attempt at friendship. Turning to the stranger she dances with, he gives a curt smile. "Mind if I cut in?" He says between the thorny stem in his mouth. Once the wolf leaves, he turns to Maki, the tight smile still on his lips as he dips his head to her and holds out the rose in his paw. "May," he pauses, clearing his throat again, feeling his face flush with warmth, "I have a dance?"
"speech"
akito's companions are to be assumed nearby unless stated otherwise.
Elowen
Intermediate Fighter (30)
Intermediate Intellectual (30)
2 Years
Female
0
Beau-tifullyWritten
A ball, an event held by her cousin Bramble, was the event of the evening. Elowen had never danced with anyone before, but the idea of joining a gathering meant for merriment and interaction sounded wonderful. Things had already begun by the time El was descending the stairs, but the femme wore a smile. She had spent the past hour grooming herself, trying to make herself presentable so that she would represent as a member of the Hallows proudly. Wolves from other packs were already there, some even asking others to dance. She even caught sight of Meadow sneaking down the steps in the back and her smile brightened.
She was proud of her sister for making an effort to join the others and slips around the edge of things, moving toward Meadow. Dancing could wait, right now she wanted to say hello to her sibling. By the time she reached Meadow, her sister was already at the snacks, and her own gaze trailed toward them. Oh yeah, dancing could wait until after saying hellos and some snacks. “Hey Meadow~ What do you think looks best for chowing down on?” She certainly was having a hard time choosing. It all looked good!
Gavroche II
Ranger
Expert Fighter (190)
Advanced Healer (85)
1 Year
Male
0
Beau-tifullyWritten
No one had come to bother her yet. More like, no one dared. Dusk sat by base of the stairs, back straight, cloak around her shoulders. The young lady looked more like some shadow incarnate than a wolf. Let alone and approachable wolf. That was, until a small form came rocketing across the hall, slamming into her forelegs. Unfortunately, such an action was rather painful and the antlered girl winced, lips peeling back in a quick grimace before she righted herself. No use in letting Gav know.
The winged boy clung to her, his words sweet and full of emotion. Eyes filled with tears looked up at her moments later and Dusk gently placed one paw around Gav, hugging him to her. "I'm sorry that I worried you," she spoke softly, then used her hugging paw to spin the boy so that his back was to her and he was facing the room. "If you can sit still, I'll let you stay here with me and watch all of this silliness, okay?" Dusk's long, silken tail curled around one hip, then continued to encircle the pair. The tip of that prehensile appendage gripped gently onto Gav's paw as though she were holding his hand.
Gavroche II
Ranger
Expert Fighter (190)
Advanced Healer (85)
1 Year
Male
0
Beau-tifullyWritten
She would move him then, with no resistance coming from Gavroche as his back is now to her legs. He wipes away his tears, giving a nod as Dusk gives her terms to stay with her. “I'll be still.” He promised. Her tail wrapped around them and the tip of it rested over one of his paws. He gently leaned back now, his feathers brushing against her legs as he sought to give her the same sort of comfort she gave him. For the boy, there is no need to dance. He is happiest with his best friend, watching and keeping her company. All thoughts of aggression about those who caused her pain had melted away in her presence.
Dusk may have still been healing, but her presence here was enough to relax Gavroche in an instant as he took on a content smile.
Aji had trailed after her sisters in a reluctant pace, heading towards the mountainous grey castle that sprawled out in front of them. Her face scrunched up in anticipation of yet another sneeze — she’d caught a cold during their journey, and she was absolutely miserable. A swift ah-choo! and a brief sniff, and she proceeded to follow her siblings through the building crowd. Ugh, and the last thing she needed was to spread her plague. She glanced around the grounds to look for a decongestant, perhaps some peppermint leaves. Or even a bit of lavender. Alas, her stupid nose was stupidly plugged up. Maki and Delph had to deal with her foul attitude the whole journey here, and she wasn’t about to spoil the whole event..as gross as she felt. Might as well not ruin it for them, too. With another thick sniffle, Aji’s eyes casted warily upon the growing crowd of similarly aged youth, feeling about as out of place as her growing multitude of scarlet splotches on her coat. |