❀ May Day Masquerade ❀

[ensorceler]

may day!


[ The castle grounds holding the gardens have been transformed into a spring party sensation. Tall banners carrying the Tudor rose have been arranged in a representation of a border surrounding the celebration and events, but there are no real walls or barriers. It might make guarding difficult for the few in her employ, but that's hardly Queen Anne's problem. Nobody will be kept away unless they arrive with no mask (or representation of a mask), and although it might be hard to tell considering it's a masquerade, there will be some people (not many) from the city who have decided tentatively to accept Anne's invitation, helping fill in the crowd.

The theater stage has been covered in flowers of all sorts, as are the four wooden thrones arranged in the center. Each seat is taken, a tie for both King and Queen making for double the fun! Robb and Lucrezia have dressed as Orion and Diana, while Zelos and Galadriel have chosen Odysseus and Penelope (with a little help). The tops of their heads have been left bare, at least for the opening ceremony.

In front of them stands Anne in her costume, and she waits for the crowd to quiet before she speaks. ]

Good citizens of Cair Paradisa and City Royale, you come here today to seek pleasure and company, and I have never seen a finer or more unique looking peoples. I know you may find it difficult to smile in the wake of such recent tragedy. All here have known loss, but we have not let it conquer us, have we? God is with us. Brave souls here risked the unknown to discover the cause, while other remained to help rebuild. I am fiercely proud to see such dedication to one another, and I can only hope such unity continues to blossom! The work on the city will continue, as will the rehabilitation of the survivors most affected by calamity.

But today we spread our arms wide and heartily welcome summer. Today we make merry and keep our loves close. Today we celebrate an unprecedented event, two Queens and Kings!

[ She turns and walks over to the thrones, where the ladies hold crowns of roses in their laps and the men crowns of wooden antlers. She names each as she settles the crowns atop their heads. ]

Queen Galadriel. King Zelos. Queen Lucrezia. King Robb.

[ In playful deference, Anne will lift her skirts and curtsy to the four of them when they stand to announce that the festivities begin! ]



{ Maypole Dance || Dance Floor || The Feast || Music & Donations || Maze & Wine Fountain || Bonfire }

Comments

[strangewonders]

[There's a lot of flailing and flapping of silver-and-blue coat sleeves before Howl manages to steady himself and not fall flat on his face]

I was watching!

[Wait... no, that wasn't right...]

[yay_heiress]

[London is never very mad for long, and Howl's flailing had amused her at the very least.]

Do you always run into pretty girls like that?

[It doesn't even matter that she was the one doing the running into.]

[strangewonders]

Not like that, no.

[She was a pretty girl, though, so he tried to give her his most charming smile. Which might have been charming, but in a rather inebriated way]

[yay_heiress]

[Inebriated or not, it passes as charming for London, and she returns a grin.]

I'm London Tipton! What's your name?

[She offers him a delicate handshake.]

[strangewonders]

Howl Pendragon, at your service.

[He leans forward to kiss the back of her hand lightly, somehow managing not to fall over in the process]

[yay_heiress]

[London grins, accepting his courteous kiss. She loves it when a guy is gentlemanly, and Howl is one of the the most gentlemanly men she's met in the castle so far.]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Howl!

So, how do we get out of this maze?

[strangewonders]

Likewise.

[He pauses, looks around, and frowns a bit]

It's... this way, I think.

[He may be pointing with an air of decisiveness, but he really has no earthly idea where he is or where he's going]

[yay_heiress]

Oh, good! I'm glad at least one of us knows where they're going!

[Unaware of the invalidity of her statement, she holds his hand and allows him to lead.]

[strangewonders]

Oh, absolutely.

[He turns a corner and stares down a dead-end, before doing an about-face and heading back the way they came]

It's, ah... this way.

[yay_heiress]

Okay!

[She's still a lot more chipper than she was before all that wine.]

[strangewonders]

[Good, good. He'd convinced her of his expertise in this area... although, unfortunately, they now seemed to be going in circles, and he couldn't for the life of him remember how to do a locating spell]

[yay_heiress]

How long 'til we reach the end?

[strangewonders]

I... haven't the faintest idea.

[But he doesn't seem too bothered by that]

[yay_heiress]

[London doesn't seem fazed by it as long as Howl isn't.]

Huh. Maybe we'll find a shortcut!

[strangewonders]

Perhaps we will.

[Until then, he was just going to stumble around another corner. At least it was starting to look familiar]

[yay_heiress]

Ooh! Maybe we'll find another fountain like that one that doesn't have water! I like that fountain.