[SWE] The Feast of Bells - 320PC

“These are really neat! I bet you or mom could make something like this,” patting the chairs as they sat down, gesturing away at vines and brambles. “Hammocks too,” he reckoned with a slight grin, pretending he hadn’t noticed his father’s evasion of them. Could be better to practice the stability and comfort at home rather than in a crowded sanction like this, where everyone could see if you got flung out from one.

He munched on a few portions of his plate – enamored on the whole with all of them. At Deimos’s question though, his mouth rounded, the idea a wondrous one, and he nodded along at the suggestion and extended a corresponding wink. “Um, all of it? But especially this,” lifting up one of the savory meat portions that had also been mixed in with some cheeses. “And this bread, and this dessert could probably go nicely the next day,” as he went on and on – they’d likely need his dad’s bag of holding for such a heavy to-go box.

erebos

and then we dream so much

Stronger with every loss,

Her arrival is downplayed by Nova standards. She slips into the party without any puffs of glitter or trails of starlight, no chiming giggles or bouncing skips with fluttering fabrics. It's practically macabre the way she joins the Feast. 

She couldn't forgo the fun clothes even with her dampened mood, and the tiny gems on her pale purple gown catch the low lighting when she moves. Her sleeves ruffle as she reaches for a drink and downs it, wondering if it might make her feel better or worse, but not really caring. Grabbing another, she walks towards the first people she recognizes. 

Nova grins wide at Maea and Liam, her voice overly bright as she steps next to them. "Hi! It's good to see you both!" Looking to Liam, she adds with a more sincere smile, "I'm glad you're okay." Their battle in the desert had been a whirlwind, and she would have been very sad if he'd gotten hurt.

---

Nova brings the bell she made in [SE] going bell-istic.

brighter with every win

Nova

is this the end of all the endings?

The fondness that unfurls through their bond catches Flora somewhere soft and immediate. It spills back bright and sparkling, all girlish affection and helpless delight, because being married to Kaisel hasn’t done a thing to dull the ridiculous, ongoing crush she has on him. If anything, it’s made it worse. There are still moments like this, tucked beneath the loose web of a failed hammock with his hand warm against her face and a leaf stuck to his cheek, where she looks at him and feels briefly, stupidly, wonderfully undone by how much she likes him as well as loves him.

A giggle slips out of her before she can stop it, though Flora lowers her voice as if she’s about to reveal something scandalous rather than tease him for falling out of a hammock. "I’ve seen you in all sorts of positions," she murmurs, letting the words turn low and sultry despite the laugh still lurking behind them. "I thought maybe you were trying something new." Her shrug is small but entirely sincere in its implication: who is she to question his vision? Who is she, really, not to follow him headlong into whatever nonsense he’s attempting?

Her grin softens as she leans into the slide of his palm against her cheek, aqua eyes lingering over him with no attempt at subtlety. There’s something unfair about the way he looks beneath the festival’s filtered light, all dark eyes and crooked smiles and soft hoodie, handsome enough that she has to take a second just to properly appreciate it. When he kisses her, the smile already pulling at her mouth nearly ruins the whole thing, Flora trying and failing to hold it back before she breaks into a soft, adoring laugh against his lips.

my broken bones are mending

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

for 1000 nights i've been a restless soul

Remi has only just managed to claim a plate before it begins to disappear beneath a haphazard assortment of food. A spoonful of stew is tucked beside a glossy piece of fish, then some of the honeyed roots, a seeded roll, and enough whipped cheese that it threatens to make the whole arrangement list to one side. He is considering whether a few slices of fruit might make it look less like he has come here expressly to eat himself ill when he realises that, somewhere between arriving and finding the food, both boys have vanished.

His gaze skims over the nearby tables and the tangle of bodies beyond them, fondness and the faintest wrinkle of concern catching together in his expression. Oria, perched neatly against the slope of his shoulder, receives a gentle nudge from the side of his jaw, and Remi tilts his head in the direction their sons have gone. "Would you keep an eye on them for me?" The tiny spriggan flutters away at once, and Remi watches her go for a moment before turning back toward Ronin with a smile that is equal parts sheepish and boyish, as though he has been caught fretting over something entirely ridiculous. "I know they probably cannot get into too much trouble here," he says, lowering his voice a little as he adjusts his grip on the increasingly precarious plate. "But it is still nice to keep an eye on them."

charlie

Having released Knell into the glittering danger of a dessert table with the confidence of a mother who believed in learning by delicious trial and error, Charlie turns back toward the rest of the celebration just in time to spot her two favourite monsters. Her whole face brightens at once, tail lifting behind her in a happy little wave as she makes her way over to Dantalion and Astaroth through the leaves and lanternlight, blue eyes sliding from the hammock to its occupants with open, affectionate delight.

"Well, that looks very cozy," she announces, stopping beside the draped fabric with a grin that shows just the smallest edge of fang. Her gaze lingers on the sway of it, then returns to Danta and Astaroth with one brow arched high.

---

Charlie arrives with Knell and goes to see Danta/Asta

Nice to meet you, where you been? I could show you incredible things
Magic, madness, heaven, sin

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Carlo

Carlo has just managed to wrestle the entire honey cake off the dessert table and is in the process of persuading it beneath the tablecloth where he and his brother can eat their weight in sugar when a hand reaches out to ruffle his hair. He freezes, a dozen lies vying for attention on his tongue at once - our dads said we could have this, or I'm one of the waiters, I just never grew that tall, or look over there, a giant hanging snake! - before Finch's voice, smooth and charming, lets him know how unnecessary they all are.

"How rude. I'm Calan, you know," he says haughtily, though the grin trying to spread across his face completely ruins the tone. "We're not picking pockets today. We were told it was wrong by a very wise and very old person, you know. But if you've got anything good in your pockets to trade, I can give you a bit of this cake?" He holds it up enticingly.

---

Carlo is impersonating his brother, trying to steal a cake and talking to Finch!

know the rules well, so you can break them effectively

Code stolen from Queen Sky

there will be scrapes and sutures; viciousness and victory

Smiling as he watches Oria dutifully take flight, Ronin glances up to where Sugar is circling and patrolling (but also looking for unattended snacks, as is her right) before returning his attention to his husband. "You say nice, I say necessary." He grins to Remi, reaching out to add a generous stack of crackers to his plate along with a few cheeses rolled up in various slices of meat. "You're right, though - I doubt much can go wrong here other than ending up with a fierce sugar high."

And honestly, he expects that at a feast with the sort of dessert table like this one is boasting, the Knight stepping closer to his husband and leaning in to smooch a kiss against his cheek. "Thank you," he murmurs; even the small act of having Oria flitting around at ground level while Sugar oversees things from above is enough to unlock some tension from his shoulders. "C'mon - lets go find somewhere to sit. I think one more bread roll added to your plate and it'll all go toppling."

RONIN

// with our one foot in the grave //

“It most certainly will not be a lack of grace on my part.” The Butcher teases with a warm laugh. “You know just how graceful I am for my height, mi amor.” He adds, shooting Danta a knowing grin, all sharp teeth, mischief, and promises. But as they reach the hammock in question, he takes the meat plate and balances it while Danta settles into the swinging threads of the hammock.

And only once he’s sure Danta has settled and hasn’t spilled his wine all over himself, does Asta step forward to offer a bit of a trade – the bowl of stew and the meat plate. Left holding his own glass of wine as well, the Butcher huffs a soft laugh before he works his way into the hammock, using Danta as a means to keep it from swinging too harshly. “I am so pleased we are on the same page.” He hums, sinking down after a moment and lets his tail sweep around his middle lest it get all tangled up in the ripples of the hammock.

He gets in easily, though perhaps with a bit of a death grip on the edge of the hammock, but once he settles he shoots Danta a bright smile. “See? Perfect.” Regardless of the fact Danta had been the one to get into first, so it was significantly easier for him to get in this time. He retrieves his bowl of stew and balances it as he notices Charlie and Knell approach, shooting them a bright smile of greeting. “Oh it is quite cozy, Charlie, darling.” He brightens, blooming a touch. “Hello Knell, my dear.” Greeting the youth, he wonders belatedly if the news has spread fully yet about his ascension, but he keeps it behind his teeth as he greets them.

Astaroth

// while the other one's kicking its way right down to hell //

// i came from a broken home, so look at all my broken bones
count me in, but count me out, i know what this is about //

As they pick which shift to make the trek back in, Sunjata’s laugh joins her own as she offers her little compliments regarding what she was bringing with her and his ability to read between the lines to figure out which one she’d likely prefer. And while he’d seen her ride some demon horses, it wasn’t at all the same as a dragon, and if he had a horse-like shift that could get them back with ease, he might as well use it.

As for the bartender and one of his more popular courtesans, Sunjata takes a sip from his drink and starts to nibble at his meal again. “Oh, obviously. Think I’d keep that tea all to myself?” He asks, shooting her a lopsided grin, one that isn’t quite reciprocated as if she’s just remembering something important. Confusion flares for a second, threatening to pinch his brows together when she finally continues and mentions the beastiary of King’s End.

And why something might have gone from his region over to the desert, he doesn’t know. But he does have a pretty good handle on what to expect when it comes to his own region, so he cocks his head. “Sure. But uh, I know it pretty well too, you wanna describe what it was like and maybe I can see if anything fits that I’ve seen before there?” In King’s End, at least. He’d only been to Hak Etme a handful of times, each one with its own sour memory.

the flood

// i'm the next, so get in line
just let me have my fucking time //

Finch grins down at the boy in front of him, utterly unsure of which of the two rowdy twins he truly talks to. He had made a guess when identifying the wriggler under the table as Carlo -- something about the spirited dive towards the dessert table reminded him of the ambition of a little hand in his pocket -- but honestly, other than the minute differences in attitude and demeanor he'd picked up on during their last encounter, there seemed to be no discernable difference between one and the other. 

Of course, this could also be Carlo pretending to be Calan. It seemed like something the two would do. But he had no evidence one way or the other so he may as well take the little bugger's word for it. 

"Sorry, Calan, my bad," Finch amends smoothly. If this was a prank pulled on him, they'd find him too pliable to find an interesting target, and if it really was Calan, then best Finch called him by his name. His odds were good either way. He makes a show of examining the cake. It's clearly a dear treasure, hard-fought and hard-won, and Finch is almost a little touched the budding thief would offer it up as a trade. "I admire your restraint to not pick pocket tonight. You're right. It's not a good idea. However, I," and at this he does a little flourish, pretends to pull a coin out of Calan's(?) ear. "I made no such promise."

He drops down to crouch next to "Calan" (probably?) conspiratorially. "There's nothing worth trading in my pockets tonight... But there might be," He gave a wink. 

Gods, he was a bad influence. He should run. Where were these boys' parents?? This was a bad idea. But... it would be a little fun to show off.

Zavien

With a rub along her shoulders, Zavien gave Sohalia a warm smile. "Tea it is." 

Although reluctant, he felt that she was in a safe enough place for him to leave her for a time. Having Sol sit diligently at her side was also a plus, the dragon glancing occasionally between her and the surroundings, half in search of threats and misplaced food. 

Taking a deep breath, Zavien worked his way through the Feast in search of drinks, getting immediately distracted by a pair of familiar faces. Having meant to talk with the White Knight anyways, he redirected his path for a momentary pitstop. 

He'd been so distracted moving into Torchline and dealing with struggles to hear the news of their double blessing or their accelerated growth; so when he approached the couple, it was with complete ignorance of the twins hiding beneath a nearby table. His smile was nevertheless bright and friendly. "Ronin, Remi. How are you? How's the baby?" For a moment, he looked around as if expecting the baby to be floating in a capsule at their heels.

It was impossible, of course.
But when did that ever stop any dreamer from dreaming.

And I can still see it all In my mind
All of you, all of me Intertwined

Maea shifted to make room for Liam, and he made his way into the hammock beside her, instinctively curling his arms around her to pull her closer. She was truly such a blessing for him; always there with her warmth and acceptance, always willing to allow him to wander and follow his desires - even when they led him to the desert and, briefly, out of her arms. As he held her now, he felt the pieces of his heart that belonged to her slot neatly back into place, as though they had never been parted to begin with.

"Much better now," he murmured against the shell of her ear. And indeed, now that they were reunited, he felt whole again. He'd missed her. "The desert goes well; we've managed to civilize it. Colt's got big plans for it, once the sun rises again." Plans to tame the wildness, to make it a place worth living in. Somehow, in sharing his excitement with Maea, he'd assumed that she would come with him, when the time came - and the time was quickly approaching. It wouldn't be easy to leave their little treehouse, not when they'd made it into a home, but with their plans for the Greatwood having fallen to pieces, it seemed the next logical step to Liam.

But before he could offer much more on the subject, Nova appeared from the darkness. With no hard feelings from their shared battle in Hak Etme - Liam hadn't been close enough to hear Nova's giggle that had started the fiasco, nor had he lingered to hear her argument with Colt after - the ex-soldier smiled, straightening just enough to address her without releasing Maea from his hold. "Hi, Nova," he said. Then, tilting his head to one side, he nodded, slightly confused at the sentiment. "I'm glad you're okay, too. It's good to see we all made it out in one piece." Turning to Maea, he explained, "Nova, Colt, Kaisel and I fought some kind of nightmare creature in Hak Etme. Some of the demigods were channeled to help - Ronin and Remi made a big difference - but no one was hurt."

I once believed love would be Black and white
But it's golden

Liam

When no one is around, my dear
You'll find me on my tallest tiptoes

Sitting with Sol and Anani while Zavien went in search of drinks, Soh was perfectly content to watch the party come alive around her. She rarely had the opportunity to observe, to take in just how many people from all across Caido she'd met and befriended, but she did so now, smiling and waving and conversing with anyone who stopped by briefly to say hello.

Through the crowd, she watched as Zavien stopped to talk with Remi and Ronin; leaving him to it, she settled herself comfortably in her chair and reached out to gently stroke Sol's golden scales. Anani chose that moment to curl around her shoulders, chiming softly in her ear, and with the companions at her side, Soh felt all the more loved and cared for as she waited for her boyfriend to return.

Spinning in my highest heels, love
Shining just for you

Sohalia

I salute you if you're much too much to handle

The Feast of Bells is perhaps not where Aithne finds that she wants to be (where she wants to be is at home in her nice, warm bed - and, honestly, who can blame her?), but she's here all the same, making the rounds, batting her lashes, saying hello, and generally being her bubbly, happy-go-lucky self. She's bundled up in a large, fur-lined coat against the chill of Deepfrost, despite the fact that it's a relatively warm afternoon in the Oerwoud, and combined with her wild curls and skin-tight pants, she cuts an interesting figure as she flits from here to there among the festivities.

Waving to Dantalion, Astaroth, and Charlie, Aithne prances her way over to Knell, who lingers by the dessert table. "Those are my favorite," she tells the youngling, pointing to a cherry tart. "Although you can never go wrong with any dessert, am I right?" Offering a fanged grin at the child, Aithne scoops up one of the cherry tarts she's pointed out and takes a large bite, tail twitching happily behind her as she enjoys the food.

Aithne

Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Aithne.