omne quod dulce est cito satiat

[heloise]

Who: EVERYONE!
When: Dec. 15
Where: Ballroom!
What: Borgia-Mills Saturnalia party, basically, that party!

The garlands and wreaths of leaves decorating the ballroom sure look similar. Almost Christmas trees. Pagan origins for an otherwise religious holiday. This occasion has no purpose, however, aside from merriment, freedom and lots and lots of eating!

The cooks Henry gathered are welcome to place their creations on a long table set to one side, while most of the ballroom is left clear for dancing of any form. Most of the sofas have been pushed against the walls as refuge for tired feet. The wine flows freely, with uncountable goblets here and there!

Oh, one more thing, beware the nutcrackers.

[ ooc; make your own threads, there are no rules except for go wild! ]

Comments

[heloise]

Lucrezia presides over the festivities by a couch, for lack of a throne, sitting with her handheld mask over her face. She would be Ops tonight, Saturn's sister and consort, all crowned with pearls with gold embroidered through her dress. The goddess of wealth and abundance is most fitting.

Still, she feels much more like Lua. She wants the bloodied weapons of all her enemies. But not tonight, now a sip of wine should suffice and perhaps dancing, if anyone would dare to ask.

[secondchances]

"Come here often?"

Stephanie feels out of place with her own handheld mask and dress, even as she leans over Lucrezia's shoulder. Still, the silly smile on her face as she makes a show of hiding behind it doesn't betray her.

All is well. Totally.

[heloise]

Totally well. Lucrezia can pretend at least for the night, and for Stephanie.

"Not often enough." She grins and leans closer too, using her mask to cover her mouth for fear of errant eyes listening in on their conversation. "We could have them guess which is which between the two of us."

[secondchances]

The benefits of blonde hair. Steph slides around to sit next to Lucrezia, laughing a little.

"You think anyone would get it right?"

[heloise]

Lucrezia just leans in closer, until their shoulders touch and she can feel Steph's laughter against her cheek.

"Less than a handful, surely. Only those who knows us best." Ezio might, but that name is barred from this and any future conversation by a silent understanding. "Who, do you suppose?"

[secondchances]

Ezio comes to mind, of course, but Stephanie knows better. So, she settles on what she thinks is the better answer.

"Cesare would be able to tell you apart from one million other blondes in masks, I'm pretty sure."

[heloise]

Lucrezia chuckles. "Too easy! He could tell me apart without eyes to see."

She reaches to take Steph's hand, interlacing their fingers together in some sort of secret pact. "Who would tell you apart, Stephanie?"

[secondchances]

Ezio comes to mind again, and Steph almost rolls her eyes at the thought. Yeah, maybe, if he didn't get distracted entirely.

"I don't know," she says, enjoying the warmth of Lucrezia's hand, "Can I say you?"

[heloise]

Lucrezia grins and brings their hands to her lips so she can press a kiss on Steph's fingers. The smallest gesture, but she herself knows what it means.

"You can."

[bustered]

How no one has yet asked this lovely lady to dance is a sin. Perhaps it's somehow against the code of conduct for these sorts of things -- perhaps she's supposed to be untouchable -- but Zack had never been particularly fond of following all the rules. And he figures it's decent odds: she's not the only blonde in the room so it may not be his new acquaintance, but he doesn't mind being social with people whether he knows them or not.

He has, at least, made himself presentable for the occasion, armor and uniform traded for something more formal: a proper dress shirt (though cuffed to mid-forarm), a fitted black vest, and black dress pants. (A suit coat and tie would complete the outfit; he'd chosen not to wear them.) A fine silver chain can be just glimpsed disappearing under the shirt, and brown gloves have been traded for black for the occasion. There's no mask, just an easy smile that reaches all the way to glowing eyes.

"Surely a lovely lady doesn't plan on spending all the night so alone?"

[heloise]

Saturn had the first dance, as promised and as it should be, but it has been much too long since anyone else asked her for another round on the dance floor. She easily blames the mask, which she flips away to smile his way. Found her!

She wonders at the gloves, some would wear them for protection or for other nefarious intentions, but there is no one she should fear here, especially if they are not even from her Rome. She takes his hand without a thought.

"You will rectify this immediately?"

[bustered]

"With all due haste." And his own smile grows a little wider on seeing who the mask conceals. What luck he'd made in the guess! Or perhaps it was what people would call 'fate,' that thing that usually made Zack roll his eyes.

There's a tightening of his fingers around hers; his gloves conceal nothing but his hands, something she'd be able to feel quite clearly. Zack's only wearing them because he's so used to it from his uniform, totally unaware of any social dress faux pas that he may be committing. Nope, he's just here to have fun (because Lucrezia invited him), and hopefully not make too much a fool of himself on the dance floor. He at least knows that he's supposed to place one hand at her waist and to hold her other hand in his, and a simple waltz isn't too far out of his league.

"You look breathtaking."

[heloise]

Lucrezia unfortunately knows no such thing as a waltz, but the pleasure in dancing does not solely depend on the partner's prowess, as in all things.

She stands from her makeshift throne and follows Zack to the dance floor, glad that he at least knows where to place his hands. The rest is even more unfamiliar to her than to him, though the steps are repetitive enough that she will fit in soon enough. She feigns nonchalance to her stumbling steps, watching their hands together and absently rubbing her thumb over his before turning back to him.

She bites back a grin at the compliment and bows her head, as if she has never heard one before. "How terrible. It must be difficult to dance without breathing."

[bustered]

Maybe for their next dance she can be the teacher, and Zack the student. Truly, he's not overly familiar with social dancing like this, only having picked up the little that he knows from the Castle's prior ball. But the nice thing about it is that one doesn't have to be good at it to still gain enjoyment from it. And as a partner, Lucrezia is perfectly graceful, even if there is a stumble or two on each of their parts. It's more than made up for by the pleasure of shared company.

At the motion of her thumb, Zack squeezes her hand gently. The coy act just makes him smile; surely she has not gone without a single compliment all night! "I'll manage, I'm sure. The company makes it worth the struggle."

[heloise]

There goes Lucrezia stepping on Zack's foot and laughing it off, carrying on. She tries her best not to stare at her own feet as she finds the tempo. Even so, she takes a step back from him so he can twirl her, out of turn, because who cares about perfect choreography when the point of dancing is, simply put, to dance to your heart's desire!

She comes back to him with a giggle. "Oh? Which company might that be?"

[bustered]

Hey, in terms of foot-stepping, it's much better for her to step on his than the other way around! And this is probably the clumsiest waltz ever but who even cares, because is anyone else even dancing having this much fun? It's a joy to give a push to Lucrezia's waist, to twirl her away and tug her back -- to let her escape for that briefest moment, perhaps,and for her to willingly come back. There might be a metaphor in there, if Zack was so inclined to read it that deeply.

"Yours, of course." He leans in for the briefest moment of conspirators' murmuring. "Shouldn't a knight delight in time spent with his Queen?"

[heloise]

Lucrezia twirls away only to be chased, or to have someone tug her back, gather her again. She escapes only when she knows someone will follow and find her. It is not advised to read metaphors into real life happenings however, they much resemble tragedies more than comedies, and it would only bring you down.

She leans in as well, eye straying to any couples beside them in an impersonal gesture, to make sure they avert their curious eyes. "I thought knights take delight in the victory, the valor, the gold?"

[inafadingcrown]

Galadriel will eventually make her way over to Lucrezia, a glass of wine in her hand and a contented smile on her face.

"It seems a shame to mask one so fair."

[heloise]

Lucrezia beams her way, scooting slightly over even though there is still much space on the couch. She covers her mouth from the rest of the room when she speaks. "Beauty becomes more precious when revealed in glimpses. Would you agree, Galadriel?"

[inafadingcrown]

"I would." She seats herself next to Lucrezia, lighting placing her freehand on the younger woman's knee. "That which is rare is always more greatly desired. But you are precious enough without artifice, I think."

[heloise]

She twirls the stick on her mask, a smirk dancing on her lips. "Always with the compliments. I might begin to wonder if you mean to retaliate?"

[inafadingcrown]

"Retaliate? Whatever do you mean, dear one?"

[heloise]

"For all the praises I have flung your way," like weapons to ensnare the heart. "You should know they are unneeded."

[inafadingcrown]

"As are yours." Galadriel has never been one to be easily swayed by flattery.

[heloise]

"Look at us," she grins, mischievous. "Too lavished with flattery to care anymore."