Closed Fall Ball 2023 Candle-Lit Banquet

october 6th 2023
the great lake
19:00

The banquet continued its lively splendor, seeing people come in and out. Even the fashionably late were still welcomed to join the festivities. The night was no longer young and some would consider it wise to go back to the common rooms or the cabins for the international students. The only entertainment of the night, also known as the "fireworks", had been an interesting lightshow but no more would follow after the two red sparks.

There was not as much food on the table as the start of the night, naturally as people came to eat throughout the night, but there were still plenty of small bites to go around for those who wanted to nibble on a midnight snack. Maybe the chaos was contained only at the lake but none of the food and drinks were spiked. So, Lily's brownie and everyone else's food and drink were safe. No strings attached.

The waters of the Great Lake began to still; all the commotion that occurred there before disappeared. Did it really happen? The lanterns that were released into the sky had long disappeared into the starry void and no more would come to join them. At least, not in large groups.

OOC Information
Welcome to the banquet! Before you enter, please read the following:

Reducio

1. Your character must be indexed. If you are not yet indexed, please register here
2. Moderation will occur once a week on Saturdays. Clarification is below
3. Your character is allowed one moderated action per round
   
   Reducio

   A moderated action is anything requiring rolls e.g. casting a spell (at someone), punching someone. If the action is only between PCs and is consensual, it will not require rolls e.g. asking someone to dance.
4. If your PC is moving between the banquet and the boat rides, please specify that action in your post
5. Please follow all normal H.io site rules while participating in the ball.

ANNOUNCEMENT
The main event of the Fall Ball 2023 has concluded. You are free to continue posting but moderation and rolls will end here.

Thank you for your participation! Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to you all .

@Della Barfield and @Atlas Anderson

She missed this. A year, maybe three ago, Xailah never would have thought she would be cherishing these chaotic events; and yet, here she stood beneath twinkling lights and wicker tree branches, perfectly content with where she was. She missed the marvel, and the whimsical feeling these gatherings permitted. She missed the lights. The dancers. The happy faces of all the warm little souls around her. Yes, bad things happened- they were bound to. But that was no reason not to savor the natural magic of the space while it lasted. One would be a fool not to.

It was laughable to her now, but she couldn't believe she spent years dreading the official ball announcements- carefully prepping and conspiring in advance, for when things inevitably went awry- so much time wasted, time she should have used to just... enjoy everything. Time she could have used to breathe, and feel, and consume the blooming energy of the world on these bustling nights. But that was then, and this was now. She would not waste these precious moments of the present, to ponder the fleeting fractals of a distant past.

Xailah stood there for a moment, maybe more, in content silence. It wasn't her usual contemplative and dreamy quiet; this one was passive and thrumming with a warm joy. And then she looked to her companion- fair as newly fallen snow was she, and just as enchanting, with her dress black as a moonless night- to whom she offered a small, fond smile. Although they were not as close as they likely should have been, given their shared time together on the Gryffindor racing team; Xailah, in that moment, decided that there wasn't anyone else she would have rather attended this ball with. Della was competent. Fun (when she wasn't under a sheepish spell- the elder took notice of the peachy color rising to her junior's cheeks). But most of all, she wasn't here to weigh Xailah down. Really, the older lioness couldn't appreciate her enough for that alone, silly as it seemed.

There was a sibling-like regard the pair appeared to share, especially as they were both forced to explore different stages of socialization. The eldest was relearning enjoyment, while the youngest was diligently tugboated along- her task would be the most challenging to accomplish: the dreaded m-word. Mingling.

Oh the horror.

Xailah's first prompt, intended to give Della that first push towards forming acquaintanceships, was met with silence. She watched her smaller companion hennishly, as the snowy-haired girl scanned the area. Evidently no one would pique her interest- which was all fine and fair.

Because fortunately for Della, the possibility of snagging a shiny new acquaintance was but an awkward bump away. She needn't look any further- fortune (or maybe misfortune) was stacked in her favor this evening.

The elder lioness was seconds away from leading her frosty counterpart into the heart of the fray. The second year would be rescued, however, by an unlikely savior. Something would collide suddenly with Xailah's back, sending her lurching forward with a small stagger. "Ouh!" She jerked up instantly with a light jump, her back and shoulders going rigid, her hackles drawn into pin-points. Her brows drew together in a tight crinkle, and for a moment Della was pushed from her mind. She straightened to her full height, and turned to meet...

A boy?

And a rather small one at that. Short-lived confusion gave way to a soft expression; her features loosened, pulling away from their flinty edge. "Are you alright?" Xailah asked in return for his apology. The young man's prayers had been answered: his alleged confusion had not landed him in the blitzed-out talons of a so-called "mean girl". The fellow was given a quick once-over to verify his state of wellness. He looked fine enough. Nice suit. "You must be more careful, this is not the sort of place for anyone to fall down. You may get trampled by a dancer or a rampant stampede of first years, if you are not careful." She joked lightly.

Della may have been able to escape the spotlight for the moment, but that blazing beam would not stay away from her for long. Atlas'- or so he had introduced himself- awkward (if clumsy) recovery, prompted returned greetings. The social exchange would slide Xailah's attention back to the initial operation at hand. "Xailah Alptraum." A daintily clawed hand found her chest with the motions of a light, punctilious bow. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Atlas." Her golden gaze would shift to Della with a twinkle, as the other girl followed suit with introductions. Atlas had unknowingly landed himself in the hot seat as their first test subject.

"You bumped into us just in the nick of time. My lovely cohort and I," Xailah gestured, with an open hand, towards Della, "were just on our way to see what awaits us at the snack table." Maybe that wasn't the truth, but that was besides the point. It was meant to be a hook and line. "Care to join us?" Should the boy accept, the fashionable duo would become an impromptu (yet still fashionable) trio. How long it would stay that way was anybody's guess. "So what brings you here, Mr. Atlas? Food? Atmosphere? Dancing? People...?"

Working on embarrassing Della Mingling and enjoying the evening. Initiating the first quest to find Della a shiny new friend, and Atlas is looking like a great contestant.

Open to interactions!

||Dress||
(Use your imagination I haven't been able to draw one yet- it's white and sorta elven in design, her lanterns look like Lily of the Valley stalks)