Parlour Games (Masquerade rp)
 

The decor shone, and the guests paraded about in twirling dances and collections of conversation. Everything was like it's own fantasy, like the world inside a music box. Every once and a while the lid is opened and the world shines for a little while on the people inside before everything goes dark again when the music runs out.

People have their reasons for coming; for not coming. Perhaps they are seeking the queen's grace. Perhaps they are seeking fortune; a parter; a name; a title. Perhaps they are simply here for a good time, or to forget bad ones. Either way, it is the event of the year and most assuredly of the moment.

"Winter" made her way to a table of delicate canapes, liberating the table of a glass of port and a few cherries as red as the rose in her hat. Drink in hand, she made her way into a side room, away from the cluster of dancers.

She wasn't the only one taking time to explore the grounds. Others walked in and out, some in open admiration of the pleasanties surrounding them, others distracted with their own internal musings. She walked up to one individual looking out of a window. "Such a lovely evening, isn't it?"

"Quite." A man about the height of 5'-8" stood in the threshold of the side room. His hair a light unnatural shade of teal and eyes the color of a ripe lime. "I hope I am not intruding but mind if I join you miss?"

"Of course not." Winter added with another sip of her wine. "This is an occasion for making aquaintances, is it not?" She blinked, her eyes a pale shadow behind the veil she wore. "And who, might I ask, have I just made the acquaintance of?"

Demo entered the cozy side room surveying the new acquaintance as well as did his pet dragon. "Terribly sorry for my poor manners. You may call me Demo if you please. Might i ask the same question to you miss?" Demo said giving a formal bow.

As they speak, another man edges into the room, wearing an elaborate costume complete with a sorcerous enchantment making his eyes radiate violet light.

Muttering to himself, "Ah, sweet freedom from the throng," he seats himself in a lavish chair, only then noticing that the room is already occupied.

"A sentiment shared by at least a few others." Winter says to the newcomer, before she makes her own introduction to Demo. "You may call me Winter for the time, or Lady Winter if you are one for titles, Sir Demo."

He smiles a bit when she refers to titles. "I am not a noble man my lady but call me what pleases you most. With that being said I shall refer to you as Lady Winter if you do not contest." Demo's eyes shift to the corner of the room where a curious man now sits. "I do believe though that we have new company my lady."

The seated man snickers at the mention of the woman's name. "Quite taken with the anonymity of our celebratory reve, are you? Well, so be it, keep your secrets, but it's awfully hypocritical to demand another's name when you won't share your own."

Apparently satisfied with that triumph of logic and rhetoric, the man relaxes in his chair, looking at ease with din of the ball muffled by the chamber's walls.

Demo smiles before he fully turns towards the man. "Ah one should not judge another's name when he has not revealed their own." Demo's dragon now surveyed the man as demo carried on with the conversation.

"But sir," Winter continues with a mild smile just visible beneath her veil, "it's tradition at a masquerade to play somone else. I made no demands, but asked, and it is up to whomever answers what name they wish to give." She finished her glass of wine before continuing, "if you have concerns, then know that it is also tradition that all identities shall be made true with the end of the ball. Can you enjoy speaking with a mask until then?"

Quietly, glossed over eyes watched the blurred colors circumvent the room. Linx found himself at home already with his second glass of wine. He unconsciously twisted the burgundy liquid inside the glass, slowly moving about the room to a place where the colors stopped spinning.

"Oh ho, a fair point, a fair point. One predicated on the assumption that I possess an aversion to hypocrisy, but, all the same." He meets the man's smile, purple light form his eyes coloring his teeth. "In the habit of our companion here, you may call me... Suzerain. Take from that what you will."

Demo turns to Winter when he says this. "With that the lady has a very truthful point. My name could be true and it could be false. However this does not make a difference. I do believe though that it does not matter." He now stands between the pair to get a better angle at talking with both of them. "Ah, that it a very interesting name. Along with this I do believe you already have heard my name but I will return the greeting. You may call me Demo if you please."

Demo's dragon's head swiveled to the direction of the doorway. Demo's head also followed after. "Sir, are you quite alright?"

A man suddenly slipped into the room, twisting around to hide behind the entrance door, seemingly in avoidance of a small group of females who swished past immediately after, giggling and surveying the ballroom with eager eyes.

The green-haired male exhaled a sigh and pulled a small white leather case from an inner pocket of his shiny coat. He walked to one of the large windows, pushing it open and slid a slender cigarette from the case. "Mind if I smoke?" he said to the room at large, then lit the cigarette without waiting for an answer.

He sat on the windowsill, back leaning on one side with his boots resting against the other and took a deep drag with obvious relief, exhaling the silver smoke slowly.

Demo acknowledged the man who walked in with caution. "I does not bother me as long as you dispense your vile smoke outside. I you should fail to do that I shall have no problem taking care of the problem. Might I ask ask your name sir though?"

The night had just begun, and, being as indescisive as she was about what she would wear for the first day, Batty was of course just a tad bit late. Cursing to herself softly, the taut woman made her way to the front doors, laying a soft ivory hand upon the handle. She was a tad bit nervous to enter, as, well.. she was alone for the time being. Shaking her head, she decided it was now or never. "Come on, Bats, its not like anyone is going to know who you are, anyway."

Adjusting her mask a slight bit, she opened the grand doors and stepped inside, booted heels tapping on the floor. This hall was empty, but she could hear the ball already in full swing in the room ahead. She increased her pace, anxious to get inside, and see what exactly was going on, and if she'd be able to recognize anyone under their obscured facial attire.

The man looked at the one who had spoken with a raised eyebrow and half-grinned, chuckling softly under his breath, flicking some ash out the window. "I would like to see you make the attempt my friend," he said in a friendly tone. "I opened the window before I began, the threats are unnecessary. I just need a cigarette, it's been a...difficult evening." He paused and then lazily touched fingers to his forehead, 'saluting' the blue-haired male. "Call me Rembrandt. No honorifics needed, nor wanted." He took another drag of his cigarette. "And yourself?"

Linx cocked an eyebrow, some one was talking to him. At least he thought it was him. He gazed upon a blue haired fellow. He was now addressing a green haired fellow by the name of Rembrandt. “Quite alright...” He answered at last once his brain focused on the question. “Just enjoying the party the best way I know how.” With that he took another sip of his wine while his eyes caught a young woman with a unique mask walk around the ball room.

Demo smirked at the man. "Aye so thats how you are. If you do not mind, my name is Demo. Since you are not one for titles then I shall call you by what you please." He holds his tiny dragon in the palm of his hand. "This my acquaintance, is Richard or Rich for short."

Demoo shifted his head towards the other new man. "Are you quite sure you don't need a seat or anything?"

Her eyes locked with no-ones, if someone would approach, then they would. Walking towards the center of the room, she weaved in and out of laughing bodies, people who were already having a splendid time. She had no particular destination, she just figured she'd wander until she could wander no more. Looking around at everything took her breath away, she couldn't believe how everything had shifted in the course of just a few days! Everything was sprawling and elegant, she felt so out of place with her attire. Shrugging, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, bit her bottom lip, and pressed her back against the farthest wall to observe.

"Demo," he nodded, that easy smirk back on his lips. "From your getup, I'm guessing there's a Sir normally in front of that? Or perhaps even Lord?" Rem sort of hoped not, while the mask and hair would keep his anonymity, it would be better to stay away from any lords, as to not be recognized...

Rem blinked at the dragon and suddenly the smirk dropped and he sat up. "Fff! You- you have a pet dragon!" He may as well have squealed like a little girl for the sudden change in demeanor. "Can...can I pet him?"

Demo looked up and down at the man trying to read him more but alas he couldn't figure out more. "Traditionally it is Sirrah from where I come from but here I believe that would be the equivalent." He looked down at his dragon after the man's reaction. "You may if he says you can." With this he looked down at Richard who nodded yes.

Winter giggled slightly as the green haired man, one "Rembrandt" came scurring into the room just head of a gaggle of young girls.

"You are welcome to our little corner Rembrandt. Or our little refuge if that is what you are looking for."

Rising from his chair, Suzerain glides over to wear Possibly-Sir Demo is speaking with the green-haired man, Rembrandt. Examining the tiny wyrm, he asks, "The Queen's guards actually allowed you into the palace with... Richard?"

Giggling slightly to herself, the woman pushed herself off the wall with the tips of her boot, striding towards the center of the room where, it seemed, the life of the party had just arrived. She'd slipped and fallen, had gotten herself up, and took a bow at her antics. "Doing quite fine, Miss...?" She giggled again, tucking her arms behind her back and clasping her hands together. For some reason, she felt a kinship with this woman.. her nerves skyrocketing as their eyes met. Mentally shaking herself back into composure, she took another step forward.

"How are you doing, after that nice trip?" She was teasing, of course, no malicious play here.

Without turning to the violet eyed man demo said, "Why yes. Most believe him to be only a decoration so it is easy. That is if he keeps himself under control." Richard lowered his head in embarrassment because he was a very curious creature.

Rembrandt smiled and reached out to pet the tiny creature. "He's...so...cute!" he said under his breath, scratching under the tiny dragon's chin with a fingertip. He was snapped out of his revere when he was spoken to however, head jerking up. "Oh- ah-" his cheeks warmed very slightly and he coughed, moving back to his window and trying to regain his cool composure and pretend he hadn't just been cooing over a cute little animal. "Y-yeah...-ahem- yea, thank you for the sanctuary," he grinned and leaned back in the window again. "I swear some of the ladies here are just relentle---eh?"

It was just then an aforementioned lady literally slid into their midst, followed by another - a friend? And Rem blinked and then chuckled. "Someone's enjoying the refreshments a little early I see," he grinned.

"So," drawls Suzerain, tacitly ignoring the growing crowd in the room, "can Richard do anything to entertain us in this dreadfully boring affair of state?" At the man's quizzical look, he adds, "Oh, you didn't think we had the choice of not attending did you? Have you ever seen the Queen in one of her tempers?"

"So, I can call you Dolly then?" The woman smiled, eyes drifting off into the direction of the gentlemen of whose attention they'd gained. "Skuld. You can call me Skuld." Extending her hand, she offered to help brush Dolly, off. Withdrawing, when she realized it would probably go against manners, and even be a tad bit offending, if she were to touch the other woman. "So, what is a Queens dress up doll, exactly?" Blinking because she had absolutely no idea of what that job entailed, she cocked her head to the side in question.

This was all so new to her. Actually, she had never attended a ball, much less for the queen herself. Skuld felt as if she were the odd one out right at this very moment, and the only way to put herself out there, was to make idle chatter. Hopefully, she thought, she didn't sound like a completeidiot.

Rem tilted his head curiously, looking at the finely-dressed pink-haired woman, her outfit more fit on a child's porcelain doll than a grown adult woman, he felt. There was something about her that was interesting though and he threw his cigarette out the window with a flick of his fingers and brushed them through his hair, smoothing the fur down on the catlike ears that poked up through the fringe of green. He dropped lightly down onto the floor with a thump of boot, tail swishing behind him and walked over to the pair of woman, bowing low before them like the gentleman lord he was attempting to imitate.

"Miladies, pleasant evening to you," he said, though his lordly air was slightly broken by the roguish grin that curled on his lips, and he smiled to them each in turn. "Are you all right? You took a bit of a tumble it seems," he said to the doll-like lady.

[[pretend he had ears and a tail THE WHOLE TIME ho ho ho ]]

Funkduder checked his watch before entering the ballroom. "Five minutes until the tent gets here.I have to make a good impression if I want more guests at the Enterprise."
He explored the dance floor first, hoping to spot a familiar face to get situated.

Skuld's eyes barely twitched when Dolly revealed herself to her. Smiling shortly, and nodding her head, she decided it would be wise to just keep her lips zipped. Tossing her head over her shoulder as the man approached, she took a slight step in front of the doll, feeling.. vastly protective out of nowhere. Nodding her head again, she mouthed "later", and put another smile back on to her face. Seeing that the man had taken up interest solely in Dolly, the younger woman decided she'd just keep to the background for now, just in case she stepped out of line, somehow. After all, she really didn't want to embarrass herself... yet.

[GAWD I'm so rusty. ><]

Demo looks around at the mass of people in the room. "I do believe this room is becoming too crapped for my liking. Saying this, excuse me as I make my way to another more spacious area." Demo said this as he began to exit the room. "Though feel free to follow if you so wish."

"I do believe I'll accompany you, this seems to be the way of these sorts of things. Though, you always run the risk of offending those crowding you in." Suzerain sighs, smiling behind the mask of his jacket. "Such is celebration. No soul left undisturbed." He follows Demo out of the room, taking pains to avoid the main hall of the castle where the danse is on in full fervor.

Rembrandt laughed softly, nodding. "Well yes I suppose it would be fun to slide around, the floors here are certainly slick enough," he brushed the floor with his boot. "Shined and waxed to a high gleam, clear enough to see yourself in; the lovely Queen spares no expense for appearances, eh?" He smirked and inclined his head slightly to both ladies, though the one behind the pink-haired woman held back. He frowned inwardly, had he come on too strong? The woman just intrigued him, there was something about her that was...different. To be as excellent a thief as himself (his own pride boasted his exellence of course) one had to be quite observant. Besides, perhaps they both were high ladies of the court; and thus would be even more interesting to him.

"I am Rembrandt, milady, just a humble lord from lands far away. I heard our delightful Queen was hosting a magnificent event and I just had to attend." He smiled a slightly lopsided girn. "May I be so bold as to ask your name? And that of your shy friend...?"