(no subject)

[theboogieman]

Who: IT'S A GAME MINGLE GET IN THE VAN
Broadcast: If you want!
Action: All of it!
When: Second half of the month.

[hey everyone! how's it been going? how's medieval-fun-time-world treating you? anyone pillaged and burned anything yet? got kicked out of the castle? been planning expeditions? registered for jousting? busy angsting for the last two weeks on your ship?

this is a mingle for everybody, whether they're hiding in the volcano, out and about in the city, or up on one of those random random stations where you can get quirky souvenirs.]

Comments

[lord_wizard]

A - around the festival

[Harrowlock festival, indeed. Something about sharing part of his (admittedly fake) surname makes him supremely uncomfortable but also petulant enough that contributing to magical fraud seems like a good idea.

After taking a few days to work out the kinks, Felix heads to the festival grounds and quietly sets up on the fringes as if he was meant to be there. A bit of colored cloth draped over a random wooden crate serves as a makeshift booth, along with a bit of incense, his new diving deck, and an unobtrusive sign inked on a bit of parchment that says only - 'Fortunes Read'.

Locals and tourists alike are eating it up soon enough.]

B - near the castle

[A week or so of saving his profits and Felix finally affords what he's been after since he arrived - a set of presentable clothing. Anyone who happens to wander towards the castle will find the wizard strolling about with clothes that the modulator is not masking (still nothing to be done about the tattoos and eyes, sadly). He's found himself a fancy blue quilted doublet with slashed sleeves that suits the local style enough, apparently no longer defaulting him to peasantry and allowing at least his rings to show through the remaining illusion.

He's fairly self pleased as he roams about, trying to make out the shape of the hedges with a critical eye and an amused smirk, or he might just be lurking about the entrance, casting glances at the stone-faced guards. He might actually look like he belongs, which might be why he's considering waltzing in for a look around.]

festival!

[ladiesss]

[the bright colors aren't really her jam. even with the illusion of high-end peasant clothes, she looks a little... monochromatic compared to her surroundings. but she likes festivals, and it's all part of the experience, so... Krista slinks through here at some point or another.

for some reason, this little fortune-telling booth catches her eye. maybe it's the crowd. maybe it's the cards. ...it's probably the fortune-teller, though. he looks kind of familiar. and distinctly magical.

so... she'll hang around! edging closer, trying to see what's going on...]

[lord_wizard]

[Magic he may be, but the fortune telling is anything but. Unless you count the radiant charm behind his smile, which sells his predictions more than anything else. He's pouring it on fairly thick, but under the atmosphere of the festival, where everything is over the top already, it fits right in.

As Krista nears, Felix is finishing up another simple three card spread because it's honestly about as much as he can handle, nodding in goodbye to his last client as she drops a few coins on his table before moving away into the festival crowd. He smiles as he starts to re-shuffle the cards and turns his gaze to the girl.]

It's all right. You can come closer now...

[ladiesss]

Oh...

[she does! she keeps her hands behind her back, scooting in closer to the booth... though she doesn't sit down. she remains standing, and slightly to the side, leaning curiously to try and get a look at the pack.]

Are you from the Fleet?

[she is. very soft spoken. she might be a little hard to hear...]

[lord_wizard]

[The deck is themed in a classic medieval style befitting the planet, with vibrant depictions of knights and dragons and castles. He's not the smoothest shuffler in the world, the subtle crookedness of his fingers making that kind of difficult.]

I'm sorry, dear, what was that? Why don't you have a seat, the crowd can be difficult to hear over.

[His smile doesn't even drop a fraction despite the fact that he honestly had no idea what she said.]

[ladiesss]

[she's... used to it. so, she takes a seat across from him, politely folding her old-timey skirt underneath her.]

I asked, um, if you were from the Fleet.

[lord_wizard]

[Oh, he got it that time, though he does have to lean forward a bit.]

Ah. Yes, I am. And given the question, you are as well?

[He's still smiling, but a level of the artificial charm drops out of it now that he knows he's not entertaining a potential client]

[ladiesss]

Yessir. [she is not trying particularly hard to be charming, so neither should he--] I thought I recognized you, yeah.

Are you actually a fortune teller, or are you just doing it for the show?

[lord_wizard]

[Felix doesn't really have to try to be charming, but when he does it shines forward by degrees of magnitude. The smile he gives her is a simple thing, but full of a brightness he carries with him on his good days. He's pleased at the idea of being recognized, too. He hasn't stood out in a crowd in quite a while.]

Admittedly, it's the latter. I've had some experience in reading cards in the past, but that was with a deck that was enchanted by a previous owner who himself was trained in divination. [He nods forward in a more conspiratorial whisper]

I hope you'll forgive me the charade.

[ladiesss]

[oh, she likes secrets. even little ones, dumb ones. so she smiles a little herself, shrugging.]

Eh, it's okay. If I was better at the whole people thing I would totally be doing the same thing. Which...

[she looks up, for a moment, thinking...] Are you a... mage?

[lord_wizard]

Wizard. Yes. [The correction is without heat. Just a knee-jerk correction to terminology he's had to make what seems like a thousand times and he doesn't fault her for it. It doesn't really matter, but a small part of him clings to it]

[He smiles at her gently and sets the cards down] Do you know something about divination?

[ladiesss]

Wizard, sorry... [there are so many magical people around here who don't fit into the five or six groups that she understands... so she at least seems willing to make the correction.]

I kinda do. I used to have a couple of friends who were into that kind of thing.

[lord_wizard]

[He smiles in acknowledgement of her correction. Most people don't see the difference and act dismissive when he mentions it.]

Do you mean the type aided with magic, or the other kind?

festival

[noctiphile]

[Mattias spots the booth before he approaches it, lingering in the eaves, so to speak, until the crowd thins. With his height, he can be seen now and again, grin bobbing above the small crowds that gather. When they thin, he ebbs forward, glancing at their retreating backs before sliding a coin to Felix.]

I do hope my future says something about a dance.

[Fingerlings of music waft through the air, snippets of music captured from the center of the festival, encasing them in gentle reminder. Mattias grins.] I hear it's an overdue promise.

[lord_wizard]

[Felix shoves away the jolt of embarrassment he feels at being caught, but it's easy enough to do in the face of Mattias' genuine good cheer]

So it is. And the future is, as they say, in my hands...[He pockets the deck and stands up from his seat]

[noctiphile]

[Mattias watches him rise with some surprise.] I must say, I wasn't expecting such a hasty acceptance. Had I known you were this eager for escape, I would have rescued you sooner.

[He laughs, rocking back on his heels. Waits until Felix before offering his arm.] I apologize for the wait. First, I had to rework your portion of the dance. Remove all the, uh. [He coughs.] Feminine bits. Then I had to edit my own to match and then find a place secluded enough to practice. [Leading them through the crowd, he flashes a grin at Felix.] Not to worry, though! I found us a wonderful spot! You don't mind rooftops, do you?

[lord_wizard]

I was in need of a diversion, and this will do rather nicely. [He grabs Mattias arm lightly and following, his bearing somewhat stiff, though it's easy to pass off as needing to concentrate to weave through the crowd without knocking anyone over]

Rooftops? No, of course not. Though I hope there are stairs or a ladder to get us there. [He isn't his brother]

[noctiphile]

Oh, come now, Felix. Where's your sense of adventure! I was hoping we could scale the building. [He chuckles.] Kidding, kidding. There are stairs of course. Here.

[He gestures to a building in front of them with a flat roof and window gardens. It's charmingly idyllic and he leads them inside without a moment's hesitation, nodding to the clerk at the front desk. A prior agreement, probably.

Up they go through three flights of stairs before the rooftop spreads before them in a burst of sunlight. It's fairly empty, with only the remnants of outdoor furniture resting on the lip, creating a makeshift fence to keep them from falling.] I may have gotten overzealous but they weren't using the roof for much and it didn't take much coin. And look! [He points over the edge and across the city where a slim line of green can be seen beyond the city walls.] You can see the countryside from here! Charming, isn't it?

[lord_wizard]

[He left it in the soul-sucking castle, that's where.]

[He's a little surprised Mattias went through so much effort for this lesson when he was certain that a corner of the market square would have done just as well. He wonders if Mattias think he'll be embarrassed or be embarrassed by him. The setup only get odds the more they walk, though he swans past the anonymous clerk with the smile of someone who is absolutely supposed to be wherever he is.

He approaches the would-be railing and looks out to the view, but his gaze is half as much on the other man as is it the countryside as he answers.] Indeed it is.

[He turns back, smiling, hands clasped lightly behind his back] You've outdone yourself.

[noctiphile]

[Mattias half turns, still smiling. Always smiling. It never seemed to go away.]

As I said, I got a bit overzealous. Besides, it's always worthwhile to have a private place to practice. I'd hate to embarrass you. As I told you before the dance is... [he glances away, rocking back on his heels] ... intimate. And they did tell us not to introduce anything new.

[So earnestly is he trying to justify himself that he even brings up a policy he detests. He's nervous, though he won't admit it, stomach crinkling like tin foil. It's confusing as to why. He's been the star of ballrooms before. Had every eye in Orphlegian high society on him. But a single man on an isolated rooftop?

He's surprised to find he's wringing his hands. Quickly, he tucks them away, straightening slightly and clearing his throat.] Shall we start? I'd show you a demonstration but, well. [He chuckles awkwardly.] It's difficult to show a partnered dance solo.

[lord_wizard]

[Intimate doesn't necessarily bother him, though he considers that his own experience with dancing is limited mostly to rather proper waltzes and things that keep a respectable distance between partners. Mattias probably had a point about veering on the side of caution as far as rocking the boat with the locals.

His stomach does it's own tiny leap, though for him it's conscious anticipation. He reminds himself Mattias' intentions are innocent for what will not be the last time today, he's certain]

I imagine it would be. [He turns from the view and steps closer to the other man, his expression pleasantly neutral] Where would you like to start? I am at your mercy.

[noctiphile]

At the beginning, of course.

[He smiles thinly, stepping forward. Taking Felix's hand in his own, he positions it carefully, Felix's fingers resting on the skin between his fingers and thumb. Joined together, he lifts them to eye level, straightening his back and pulling Felix close with an arm around his waist. It's quick to move away.] Straighten your back.

[His voice is commanding, but gentle. His hand moves in place, cupping Felix's shoulder blade.] Keep your hand on my shoulder.

[lord_wizard]

[As stubborn as he tends to be most of the time, Felix follows directions surprisingly well, though it certainly helps that he holds no ill will towards his instructor. He takes the starting position with rigid grace and his hand flutters gently into place with zero reservation] Easy enough, and not all that salacious so far.

[Okay, maybe he can give Mattias a little bit of a hard time.]

[noctiphile]

You sound eager for it! [He laughs at what is clearly a joke, then guides Felix a step back, already gliding across the stone.] It's easier to see the steps when we're farther apart.

[Two more steps back. There's a bit of a curve to their path.] We'll move closer soon, don't worry. [Another laugh, light and free as he guides Felix into a sidestep.]

Now, there's a rhythm to the movements. A pattern. [Guiding Felix back to the first position, he goes through the moves again at the speed he narrates.] Slow, slow, [two steps forward] fast, fast [the last step and the side-step, still curving on an invisible track. He ends it there, beaming at his companion.] Clear enough?

[lord_wizard]

[Felix's bravado doesn't hold up well as the lesson progresses. He follows along easily enough, but his posture his stiff with obvious concentration and his gaze his half as much on his feet as it is on Mattias' face.]

Academically, yes. Let's see if that knowledge translates to my feet.

[He smiles, hiding his slight anxiety. Despite the joking, he isn't sure what he'll do if the hold becomes more intimate, but he doesn't have much time to contemplate that]