Open [Day of the Dance] Slow and Steady

[Ragdoll]

Cliffside Grotto
85 Summer
514 AV
12th Bell
OOCNo need to keep in post order here. If I'm needed, then I'll post, but you shouldn't wait for me to post again. Feel free to NPC the musicians and the girl within reason, though I ask that you leave Inika to me.

Inika took a step back into the water and admired her work on the beach. She was the driving force behind the Day of the Dance this year, she knew-there had been little interest in running the festival before she'd stepped in and offered to take over preparations for this day. Of course, organizing volunteers turned into organizing decorations, and then that turned into putting up the decorations herself when the volunteer squad couldn't match the vision in the Konti woman's head.

In the end, she decided, it had been worth it-strings of flowers decorated the cliffs, and a canopy woven from tall grass around wooden supports offered shade and a sweet aroma thanks to flowers which she'd inserted in the gaps between blades of grass. Strings of beads had been laid in pairs of the same color on a table for couples to wear-one partner would present the other with a necklace of the same color to signify the pair being together. The worst part of that had been making sure all the necklaces matched. Since there were only so many colors, each necklace pair had differently shaped beads or a large glass bead in the middle of the necklace that matched its twin.

In addition to the bead necklaces, several baskets of loose flowers were set out on the sand. Inika had made a mistake with the order she'd placed for flowers and accidentally gotten twice the number she'd wanted. Not all of the extra flowers had been able to fit in the canopy or on the cliffside, so she set out the excess and hoped there was someone there who could figure out what to do with them.

To her relief, there was.

A small human girl with bright green eyes and light brown hair sat in one corner of the canopy, weaving flowers into simple circlets and more elaborate crowns of various sizes and colors. She'd make a crown or a circlet for anyone who came up to her and asked for one. The girl had even convinced Inika, stressed as she was, to wear one of her crowns. The flowers that made up the Konti woman's crown were white with small, round petals and pale yellow centers. Tiny blue flowers dotted it in seemingly random places, accentuating Inika's pale blue eyes.

There were a trio of musicians standing out near the water-an Akalak with a fiddle, a human man and his flute, and a dark-skinned woman who sang soft melodies along with her partners. The trio had been instructed to take requests from those present.

Satisfied that her work was done, Inika took a final glance around the beach. Everything was perfect. All that was left to do now was wait.

[Hirem]

For all of the darkness, horror, doubt, corruption, fear, evil, sin that Hirem had experienced and wreaked in his thirty years of living, he had thought that simple, childlike wonder was stripped forever from his wounded heart. He believed the idea of becoming happy, purely and delightfully happy, was beyond him, tainted forever by the malingering sickness his past had dealt upon his mind. Finding joy was never enough for him - he always found joy in spite of his sadness. He smiled in spite of the troubled thoughts that lurked just below the surface of his skin. Contentment was found in spite of the sorrows that he still struggled with daily. No matter where he fled in the mortal realm, he couldn't escape the overwhelming feelings of despair, frustration, and desperation. Even in Riverfall, where Hirem had felt that he was born anew in the waters of a brand new world, he still had to contend with more than his fair share of turmoil. Just earlier this season, he had felt the sting of the slaver's lash and had nearly been sold into captivity. It was hard for him to imagine feeling simple delight at anything...

which is why he became astonished at what he found on the beach. It wasn't just the decorations that amazed him - it was his own reaction to them that truly surprised his jaded sensibilities.

The Benshira had come to Riverfall's lowest tier out of curiosity, hearing from across the city that there was some sort of celebration to be occurring today. "The Day of the Dance", they called it, which Hirem had difficultly understanding. The Dance? What dance is this supposed to be referring to? Try as he might, he couldn't get any Rivarian to explain the purpose of the festival to him. "Don't worry about it!" They would say, clapping him on the back and directing him towards the beach. "Just enjoy yourself!" His interest piqued, for he had little else to do today, Hirem left his rucksack in his tavern room and walked down to the beach, a bit unsure of what to expect. He had experienced a great deal of festivities in the past - the Mashas of Yahebah were invariably spectacular, and the Festival of Dira in Ahnatep, while ultimately a horrid night for him, had borne a few marvels that persisted yet in his mind. But he didn't know yet how Rivarians held their celebrations, and was envisioning all sorts of strange scenarios in his head by the time he arrived at the site of the dance. The most prominent of which being forced to dance at sword point by the ever-disciplined Akalak.

What he found instead at the beach was beauty. He stared in awe at the serene Suvan, turned blue and crisp like gemstones in the light of the noonday sun. He gawked at the flowers strewn about the beach's sand, bright flourishes of color in an otherwise colorless setting. Turning to stare at the cliffs, Hirem realized the enormity of what the Rivarians had done to prepare for this festival, and broke out into a wide smile at the sight of flowers - flowers that he had never before seen in Eyktol - lining the cliffs and transforming their ruggedness into a bright and cheerful facade. Shamefully, a throaty chuckle began spilling from his lips without provocation, for his mind was already rejoicing in anticipation of the delights to be had in the city tonight. The event promised to be well-planned and host to many of Riverfall's happy citizens, which contrasted heavily with what Hirem usually had to deal with as far as social settings went - he didn't imagine that any of the Rat Hole's patrons would dare show their faces outside tonight. More importantly to him, Hirem realized that tonight offered him the opportunity to have fun. Innocent, simple fun. The thought made him indecently happy.

The only question now was, what to do first? The answer was simple: get dressed for the occasion, of course!

A few chimes later, and Hirem could be found sitting underneath the beach canopy with an infectious smile bubbling from his broad face. Around his forehead rested a thin crown of weaved flowers, flowers that were bright reds and blues and golds and yellows and blacks and whites. The Benshira hadn't asked for anything more specific than a simple crown, and what the young girl had given him was more than sufficient for his humble tastes. For now, the man was content to watch the dancing from afar, for he wanted simply to bask in the celebration and feel its joyous energy rejuvenate his soul. Besides, I don't think those musicians know any songs that I happen to like.

[Alia Beaudouin]

85th of Summer, 514 AV
12th Bell

Outfit :

(Keep in mind Alia is not wearing the makeup, jewelry, or hair that her model is in this picture; She’s only wearing the outfit)

Flower Crown :

(Described in post)

Beautiful.
Absolutely beautiful.

That was the only thought running through Alia’s mind as she approached what appeared to be the first Day of the Dance event of the night. Everything looked and even smelled beautiful. Whoever had set it up had certainly done it right. There were flowers absolutely everywhere, with an overhead canopy made of what seemed to be entirely grass. Alia wondered at how that had been made; How it had been hoisted up. Not only that, but how whoever it was that had created it had gotten everything to smell so sweet.

Looking around, mouth agape in awe, Alia found that she was one of the first to arrive to the event. Not that she was surprised, she had deliberately come early to do precisely what she was doing now; Look around. Unlike the masquerade ball back in winter, Alia had prepared for this event. She had bought her outfit well before the time in which she would come, along with making sure she knew exactly when, where, and how the party would take place. That way, nothing could go wrong… Right?
So far, all was well, and Alia was free to roam the grotto, look around, and admire what had been built for the occasion.

Alia had chosen her outfit carefully, though a lot of luck had been involved. She wore a long, flowing skirt with silky patterns overtop of undergarment-like shorts, covering up her waist. Her legs were just barely visible through the lace, though the cloth was layered so once again, at the bottom of the skirt, no light got through the black fabric. The skirt was long, but not bulky. The lightness of the garment had actually surprised Alia, as, because the majority of the skirt was a silky lace, it was free-flowing and airy.

Though Alia adored the skirt, the top was where luck had really come into play.

When she had been shopping for the outfit, Alia had come upon a rare vendor from Wind Reach itself, selling anything from bryda to bows. That was where she had found the outfit, and it was why the top was so special. For, unlike the majority of Riverfall shirts, the clothing was a true Inartan Vinati. It was cut off halfway, exposing Alia’s midriff, just the way her old clothing back in Wind Reach had. The Vinati was made of the same fabric the skirt was, silk, though it didn’t have the same see-through quality that the lace on her skirt had.

The summer breeze on her exposed stomach brought back several memories for Alia, as the skirt also felt much like the loose-fitting Bryda pants she used to wear, like every other Inarta. It was strange how many memories an outfit could bring back, but, there they were. Hovering in the back of Alia’s mind like a cloud, though the cloud wasn’t always black. Many of the memories were quite happy, actually. Feelings of freedom, joy, positivity.
It was strange how the mind worked.

As always, Alia had brought her mandolin with her, strapped to her back in her trusty case, her inspiration notebook hidden inside. She had worn her hair down, though for now it hung over her shoulder, to keep it from getting matted by the mandolin case. She felt a strange sense of confidence today, so as she strode out into the grotto she felt a smile work its way across her face.

With the few people currently at the event, Alia didn’t have many choices, so she decided to go over and talk to a small girl, sitting in the corner of the space, back against one of the wooden poles keeping the canopy up. The girl had her hands busy, weaving small flowers, much like the ones present all over the grotto, into crowns. Her work was quite beautiful, with many of the headdresses being very elaborate. Being careful not to sit on any of her creations, Alia smiled at the young girl, nodding towards her crowns.

”These are… Quite beautiful, really…” Flicking her eyes over the bountiful amount of flowers the girl had somehow collected, a sudden thought occurred to Alia. ”If you don’t mind… Could you make me one? I really love what you’ve done.”

To Alia’s surprise, the girl nodded silently. Her nimble fingers went to work quickly, and, in a matter of chimes, the girl was done. The girl reached out with the crown, placing and adjusting the flowers on Alia’s head. The crown was made of simple white flowers, with bright green leaves popping out every once in a while. The crown was quite beautiful, though some of the flowers fell off when the girl adjusted it on Alia’s head. She didn’t seem to mind, though, and, Alia had to admit, the fallen flowers, getting entwined in her bright red hair, looked quite nice.

Standing back up and thanking the girl, Alia turned towards the growing amount of people joining the festival. It seemed one had to have a partner in order to participate in the slow dance, which was one thing Alia lacked. This left one question; What to do now?

[Alaia]

Dress :

Flowers :

Dancing. Was she crazy? This wasn’t her thing; she had gotten so caught up in the excitement of dressing up that she had run to the tailors and had a dress made for her. It was beautiful and fell at mid thigh, a bit revealing for her in its length and the thin straps that held up the light fabric exposing her shoulders and scales. She enjoyed her lace dress so much she had them put a few lace touches on this dress as well and for the first time, that she could remember, she was wearing a dress that wasn’t white. The soft blue of the cotton fabric only made her eyes stand out even more then they usually did. Her hair cascaded around her petite frame in pale, silken curls that bounced almost playfully when she walked. Her feet were bare, she preferred to feel the heat of the sand pressing up against the webs of her toes because it made her feel closer to the ocean.

Nerves fluttered in her stomach but even they were quieted as she stepped onto the beach and saw the decorations and the people who had arrived. It was breath taking, so much thought and care had been put into the day that she just paused with her eyes wide taking it all in and appreciating it. Stepping closer the Konti kept quietly to the outskirts of the dance for now just enjoying the music as she glanced over the table of matching beads turned into necklaces. She always found the art of creating things like this beautiful, it was never her area of art but she appreciated how everything looked different and the same somehow. That’s when she spotted the human girl turning flowers into intricate weaves and crowns for anyone who walked up to her.

Alaia’s heart swelled, she loved flowers and loved to put them in her hair so it was only natural to find her feet drifting her closer to the woman until finally she seemed unbothered by others. “Excuse me?” She smiled kindly to the green eyed girl “May I have some flowers for my hair? Something simple … something to match.” The Konti fought the urge to twirl in her new dress, her eyes drawn to the speed at which her wreath was created. It was perfectly made up of the smallest white flowers that were within the group being used, she twined them together in a swirling twist before offering the flowers out to Alaia. “Oh! Thank you so much this is perfect.” Taking the flowers that had been crafted for her she gently settled the weightless crown upon her own head and she flushed with her own happiness.

The sounds of the waves accented the swelling music of the musicians as they began their song for the couples on the beach – she wasn’t a couple and the ocean sounded so sweet that her body swayed unconsciously with the beat of the waves rather than that of the fiddler and flautist. She didn’t need a dance partner! She just needed the waves. The Konti was still on the edges of the dance, lost in her own little world of crashing waves and floating scents of the flowers that decorated the space. Without thought she was one moment near the woman who made her crown of flowers and the next her feet were sinking into the wet sand and she felt at home. It was only then, once her feet were wet, did she turn around to look back at the festival and see exactly who had shown up. Maybe she could claim someone to dance a song or two with her even if she could probably only sway side to side without tripping over herself. Then again maybe she would surprise herself? She doubted it though.

It wasn’t until then that she spotted the dark skinned Benshira sitting alone and after a moment swaying to her own beat Alaia pushed her weight forward towards him. Approaching from behind she hesitated unsure what she would actually say in greeting but finally she bit her lip and spoke just loud enough to be heard over the music. “The musicians accent the waves nicely don’t you think?” It wasn’t that the waves were complimenting the music in Alaia’s sea loving mind, it was the other way around and she’d offer him a warm smile. Gentle hands fluttered over her dress smoothing it out the way she did when she was either nervous or needing control over a situation that she wasn’t entirely sure she had control over. “Is this seat taken?” Her gentle smile turned into a deep blush and an awkwardly cheesy quirk formed on her lips. Knotting her hands in front of her the healer shifted in her sand covered feet while watching him with her bright eyes “I’m not taking it from anyone am I?”She hoped he wasn't waiting for someone else and she found herself holding her breath waiting for his answer. After all the weird settings the two had thrown at them when they were together she figured a dance, though her shyness made her awkward, was the least harmful of the bunch and she wanted to take advantage of that.

Ledger-15 GM for dress, approved by Ragdoll

[Edith]

Edith stands in front of the wide, winding canopy with her mouth a comical 'o' of wonder. Though she has participated in this festival all through her childhood and adolescence, she has missed the last few years. Mostly because she was rolling around in pathetic self pity, disgust and a sudden, consuming apathy. And this year year she almost missed it thanks to a list of injuries she acquired under the hooves of a stampeding horse Kelvic. But with her new life rapidly turning into something better she'll be damned if she won't celebrate the accomplishment with a dance or two. She'll celebrate it gently, though, for her injuries still cause her much trouble and dancing is not what the doctor ordered.

Smoothing down the front of her dress she steps under the canopy she has been gawking over and into the fray. Her own dress is not that much different than her usual fair; a simple red confection reaching from her collar to her knees, sleeves to her elbows and new, lace gloves on her hands. There is, however, one difference. And this difference is bothering her much more than it should. The dress's back is held completely open with four gold ribbons pulling on each shoulder and on either side of her lower back. And since the nerves in Edith's upper abdomen have burnt away to the deep tissue, and the skirt is so loose to begin with, it feels quite like she's not wearing anything at all. It's rather unnerving and requires her to fiddle with it endlessly to convince herself that it's still there.

Steering herself around the dancing couples, Edith takes in the scenery like a child. The canopy is amazing, open, and it looks as if every flower from here to Sylira has been harvested for the decor. They're woven through the ceiling, dotted on the floor, clustered artfully on the cliff and even crowned on everyones head. The effect is bright, airy and ridiculously indulgent.

Edith inhales deeply through her nose and lets it out as a sigh, dispelling her stress and replacing it with a slow excitement and the smell of flowers. She assumes that some young, stuttering Akalak will eventually ask her to dance (for there is never enough female dance partners to go around) but she will have to wait until all the pretty, whole women are taken. So she will dance by herself. And arms out and hips swaying thats exactly what she does. For the first time in a long time she doesn't mind the stares, as people wonder what the void this woman is doing embarrassing herself during a couples dance. She is going to have fun by herself until she gets the nerve to ask someone else to share in her embarrassment, or they invite her into theirs.

[Calters]

outfit :

Music playing up and down every street, dancers filling the night air with laughter and clumsy moves, lights and decorations and festivities galore!

No, it wasn't another of Calters' dreams. This was real, and Cal was going to enjoy every last bit of it.

He had rushed down to the store that morning and spent bells trying to find a good outfit. There was a short argument with a few different tailors and rude words were exchanged before the Akvatari finally found something that both fit him and was flattering. A wrap, which Calters had almost thought a blanket, was tied around his lower half. This one started just above his bellybutton and ended just below his would-be knees. It was white with warm colors gracing the edges that swished when he flew. While Calters wasn't usually one to bother with dressing up, this night was one he was greatly anticipating.

In fact, he was so excited that the young man ended up wandering around Riverfall for the rest of his morning, searching for any hint of the dancers he waited for.

Around the twelfth bell, he found himself near the beach. It wasn't strange for the man to be attracted to the beach, but he hadn't thought the festival would start on the sand. Not for the first time, he was okay with being wrong. His first thought was that surely his luck had changed for the better in honor of the special day, because what he saw nearly had him squealing like a child.

Already, the festival looked lively. Dancers mulled about in search of partners or places to claim as their own. A handful had already begun their dances, swaying softly in time to the music of a trio. The rest sat in chairs watching the fun or stood nervously around the edges, fiddling with their clothing or forcing themselves to laugh at a friend's joke; every last move of theirs begged for someone to ask them onto the floor. A petite human off to the side was handing out flower crowns happily to anyone who asked.

Needless to say, Cal visited each position very quickly. He started out by the flower crowns, requesting one to match his outfit. A chime later he could be found on the floor (wearing his new crown of course), standing close to the musicians and letting their music capture him. He shifted from side to side with the beat. Although he knew he wasn't any good, it felt right to become a part of the music and when he didn't know the song, dancing was the only way he could do that.

After only ten chimes, Cal made his way to the side of the floor for a moment of quiet. He could see so many people here and he knew so few of them. It was intimidating! Those that he did recognize appeared preoccupied for the most part and he hated to interrupt them. Even worse, he would be downright stupid to steal an Akalak's date.

They wouldn't want to dance with me anyway. I'm an awkward dancer.

But nothing could get Cal down tonight. Reveling in the sound of the musician's song, he let his eyes drift shut and pictured the notes flowing like the waves of the sea. To the vain, moody artist, there was nothing more beautiful than music, the sea, and the sky all come together as one.

[Ashar]

Ashar 85th of Summer, 514AV Third Tier Ashar's new shoes plodded softly across the docks of the Third Tier, carrying him quickly toward the beach that had by now returned to its normal size. For about the fifth time since he'd set out from the Cora Apartments he looked down and smoothed out an imaginary crease on his damasked tunic. It was true that the Day of the Dance was worth dressing up for, but even so the flowery designs made Ashar feel uncomfortable. He felt like a walking beacon. At least his trousers weren't as loud, simply dyed a dark purple similar to his skin. Though that did not help his discomfort in any way. Jek couldn't stop laughing. Shut up! Just, shut up! Ashar shouted in what he hoped was a stern voice, clenching his jaw and moving quickly. Stupid Jek, he didn't have to walk around looking like a rose garden. It's just- you're just- gahaha! To be perfectly honest, Jek's amusement came not from what Ashar had chosen to wear. He actually approved quite strongly of the attire, and would have worn it proudly were it he in control for the dance. It was how uncomfortable it was making Ashar feel that cracked him up. Grumbling quietly to himself, Ashar quickened his pace and hopped over onto the beach. In that instant he forgot all about Jek and the discomfort caused by his clothes, taken in at once by the sight of flowers on the cliffs (moreso than usual, at least), the grass canopy on the sand, and the many people enjoying themselves already. It wasn't the first time he'd seen the festivities of Riverfall of course, but it was always relaxing to attend one of Riverfall's many public events. For a city whose defining culture was supposedly on the decline, it was amazing that the city still managed to put everyone at ease. That, and everyone was probably glad that the roast of a summer was finally ending. How pretty, Jek thought as Ashar tread out under the canopy set up on the beach. The noon sun cast a wonderful light down upon the Suvan, reflecting its magnificent blues and greens without glaring too brightly at the merry-makers on the beach. Ashar nodded his agreement. It's nice to be able to relax and enjoy the city, rather than patrol in and around it. Best of all, this festival isn't boring - we actually get to do stuff. "Here mister, take this," came a voice to his right. Looking down, Ashar saw that there was a little human girl offering him a small flower crown. It was made of lavender, the purple flowers matching very closely his skin tone, and Ashar imagined it wasn't a coincidence. He moved to decline, but then Jek spoke up. Just take it, Ashar, he scolded sternly. Such a sweet thing to make it and offer it to you, you didn't even need to ask. You're not really going to turn down a little girl, are you? Reluctantly, Ashar reached out - his hands looked clumsy and fat compared to the girl's - and took the offered crown. He looked at it from multiple angles as if figuring out what to do with it, then reluctantly placed it on his head. "Thank you," he said politely, not quite sure whether he meant it. The girl smiled happily and went back to work, leaving Ashar feeling even more uncomfortable in his matching crown and tunic. Back when he was making plans to show up here, he just wanted to look nice because he felt a lot of the people would appreciate the effort. Now, though, he was beginning to feel more than a little foolish. It's not nearly as bad as you think it is, Jek reassured his light brother, or at least tried to. Most of what you think is glaring attention is just in your imagination. Look around and I'm sure you'll find some men dressed much sillier. As for the women, well, just see for yourself. That's not the point, it's that I don't usually wear... this. And anyone who knows me knows that. The Kavran looked about the scene and its growing population, trying to take his mind off of his appearance by immersing himself in the event. The flowers on the cliff looked fine, and the musicians had begun to play a quite enjoyable tune. Yep, he couldn't quite focus on them. Jek chuckled again, a chuckle only Ashar could hear. Calm down, you look fine. Just find a pretty lady to dance with and it'll be alright. I'm sure she'll appreciate the effort you put into your clothes, even if they laugh at your fashion sense.

[Meredith]

Outfit :

This was the second year Meredith had made his way to the Day of the dance. Last time he’d not been able to handle it, and he’d left half way through, but this time would be different. He wasn’t a slave anymore, so he had to at least try and enjoy his freedom. The freedom this city had given him made him feel selfish for not attending all those years before. This year he’d made his outfit specifically for it. He’d spent ages weaving all the colours together to create the patterned shirt for himself, and he was proud of his work: proud enough to be one of the first to arrive to the event. A girl offered him a flower crown and he smiled and said “Yes, thank-you. Go with whatever you think fits.” The crown she produced fit perfectly. It was small and brambly, with tiny blue flowers dotted around it. He placed it on his head and thanked her.

He turned towards the beach before him. Laviku’s mark was worn proudly on his neck, flowing and alive as always. Everything was perfect, and for once he felt like he could be happy for a day. Then it dawned upon him that he had no idea what to do next and his smile faded a little and he nervously began playing with the corner of his shirt. He didn’t want to dance, not because he was a terrible dancer, (Yarrow had made she he wasn’t), but because there was no one he felt comfortable asking to dance with him. So his eyes moved towards the tables, and those seated. A girl caught his eye. It wasn’t because she was beautiful, the festival was full of beautiful women, but because of the dreadful scarring he could see across her chest and neck. And it was because she was sitting alone.

His scars were nothing compared to hers, and yet he was always so worried about his appearance. He closed his eyes for a moment and calmed himself before walking towards her, hesitating a little before sitting down near her “H-Hello” He said smiling awkwardly “I’m Meredith.” The greeting was simple, because he didn’t know what more to say. “What’s your name?” He asked after a pause, keeping his eyes on hers and making sure that he didn’t look down at her scars in case she cared, which she probably did. She had pretty eyes anyway, much darker than his clear blue. What else could he say now but wait for her response, and hope it wasn’t ‘go away’.