Topic: The Ball

QueenTeleperien

Date: 2015-11-30 18:50 EST
All is in readiness for the Ball. The castle fairly shone in the sun, flags flying from the turrets....the white flag with a golden tree with a single star atop. Elven guards in their hauberks stood tall in their places, long swords at their side, and spears in their hand.

Inside the castle, the Great Hall was festooned white tapestries with the symbols of Eldicor, above the thrones hung pictures of former rulers of Eldicor including Teleperien's parents.

The village was not forgotten. A fair had been set up with the local businesses with all sorts of booths with food, games and of course pony rides for the children. There were rumors that there would be fireworks!

Meanwhile in the castle, Erwyn and Teleperien were donning their gowns. Both were in white, Erwyn's less elaborate than Tele's" fine white satin with a sloping white belt. Her golden blonde hair was braided elaborately with fine white flowers woven in within the strands. Tele gave a tender hug to her daughter.

"You look so much like your father." The queen says with wistful look. "If he could see you now, he would be so proud."

"Look in the mirror, Mother." Erwyn replies with a smile. "If he could see you now, he would say you never looked more beautiful."

Like Erwyn, Tele's hair is elaborately braided, white stars and gossamer in the white strands. Her gown simple yet elegant, covered with lace net with gems that glittered in the light.

"Come, we have guests, let's not keep them waiting."

Together they head down to the Great Hall, Borin is handsome in green and brown, his long grey beard combed smooth. He bows to Tele.

"Milady you are beautiful this evening."

"Thank you Borin."

He cleared his throat and calls in a clear baritone voice; "ANNOUNCING HER HIGHNESS PRINCESS ERWYN AND HER MAJESTY QUEEN TELEPERIEN!?

Heads held high, they enter the Great Hall.

QueenTeleperien

Date: 2015-12-05 15:29 EST
The dancing was fun, though for the most part, Xenograg, Amaltea, Amanda, Urrograg, and Grimblade stand to one side. They are dressed alike in crimson robes with yellow piping. Xenograg and Amaltea have very elaborate piping. Amanda and Grimblade have much less, and Urrograg's piping is minimal and simple. Erwyn did coax Amanda out for a couple of dances with some of the local younger elves.

Murelle stood close to Borin, they were deep in conversation. Dressed in her grandmother's leathers she looked every bit the part of her people. White leather trimmed in beads and fringe. Her long dark hair is in two braids, wrapped in matching leather. Two feathers were tied into the strands. She would have worn a headdress, but felt it would have stood out too much. . Feasting came next' four courses of soup, breads, all sorts of finger foods followed by roasted meats and vegetables. At the high table the Darelir family, Murelle and Gwyn, the St. Germain family with Erwyn, Gwindor and Borin as well as the Captain of the Rangers.

The girls seemed overwhelmed, but it did not that it stop them from indulging in everything they could, Including dancing with lots of people, trying all sorts of new foods they'd never had before, and charming everyone they could see. Toby and Tabitha seemed subdued, the formality must have been overwhelming. Toby's outfit is not entirely unlike Xenograg's - this is because he'd gone to the older man for advice on just what constituted the right kind of dress for this sort of thing, and where to go for it. All of the St. Germain ladies wore ivory dresses, simple and elegant, trimmed with iridescent snowflakes, a small cluster of snowdrops above their right ears.

Teleperien now moved to the dais where the thrones stood and stood in front of her throne and unsheathes her long sword, Illuvator and points it downward...both hands on the hilt. Behind her stands Erwyn and Gwindor.

Borin the dwarf, resplendent in his dress greens and browns...long grey beard combed stands before the queen..his baritone voice carries out; "HERE YE HERE YE! COMES NOW THE COURT OF QUEEN TELEPERIEN!" Borin unrolls a parchment; "I HEREBY CALL TOBY ST. GERMAIN TO HER MAJESTY'S THRONE."

Tabitha's hand got squeezed rather stridently, and then he stood up and walked forward. Not too fast, not too slow, with a bit of bearing even. Yes, he most certainly had gotten advice from Xenograg on more than just clothes. The girls stared after their father with big eyes - Reinette's the widest of all. Tele could see Tabitha beam with pride as her husband walked toward the queen.

Once Toby is in front of her..Tele speaks in a clear voice that carries through the Great Hall. "Toby St. Germain you showed courage above and beyond in the service of this realm. You placed your life in risk, for that I am ever grateful. I remember how you single handedly fought off hundreds of those vile creatures created by the Chalkotu, your mechanical bodyguard taking quite an attack itself." After a pause she continues. "I bid you to kneel."

Very carefully he kneels before the Queen. She raises the shining blade, set it on the right shoulder. "I hereby name you SIR Toby St. Germain." The sword is lifted and set on the left shoulder. Three little eyes blink at the big sword.

"You are a knight of Eldicor...with all the rank and privilege that goes with this. Please rise Sir Toby St. Germain. Behold Sir Toby St. Germain!" She lowers her sword.

The girls could not hold back any longer. Their voices could be heard cheering wildly at that moment, along with the others in the hall. Keith joins in the cheering, in his own way - the applause having woken him from his nap. The queen smiles at Toby.

"You can join your family, Sir Toby." He gives deep bow...and a warm smile for the Queen, as well as a sidelong grin at Xenograg before he withdrew back to his seat next to Tabitha.

QueenTeleperien

Date: 2015-12-05 15:35 EST
Borin now steps forward again:: I CALL MURELLE SILVERFOX GREYMANTLE TO HER MAJESTY"S THRONE."

The little woman steps forward...rather shyly. Her dark hair shone in the torch and candle light.

Tele's clear voice rings out again. "Murelle GreyMantle you showed strength and courage most twice your size show going against that vile creature." She gives a smile. "You held the title of Lady GreyMantle, now you will hold it in your own right, as baroness of this realm. The land you rent is now yours for as long as you live."

Murelle gives a deep curtsy. Tele turns and retrieves a small circlet. "Please kneel."

Once Murelle kneels, Tele slides the circlet of silver on her head. "Rise Murelle....Behold Baroness GreyMantle!"

An awkward feeling Murelle turns and faces the crowd. Her dark complexion probably hid the blush that crept up her face. She smiles at the St. Germain family and catches a smile from Xenograg with perhaps a mischievous glint in his eye. Murelle curtsy's once more and returns to her spot near the door.

Finally Borin calls. "THE QUEEN REQUESTS THAT XENOGRAG DARELIR PLEASE ATTEND HER MAJESTY!" Teleperien watches as he steps from his family with the scabbarded Nartelemna in his left hand. He turns and approaches the throne and bows. A wide smile is on her face. Her clear voice rings out.

"My friend, you have been not only a close adviser but served this realm in many ways. The battles we have fought together, the last perhaps the most perilous. I have little to repay such service but please hand me Nartelemna."

She out stretches her free hand. He brings the sword up and holds it horizontally across both palms, arms fully extended towards the Queen. Her long fingers curl around the scabbard...she holds it up for all to see.

"An heirloom of my family loaned when your own blades were taken from you."

Slowly she lowers the blade and hands it back to Xenograg.

"This blade I now gift back to you as a token of our friendship. It is yours to keep as long as your line endures And to you I also give the title of Baron, for you put your life in jeopardy with that deadly beast, I cannot repay this debt fully, but please accept a piece of land of your choosing for yours and your line."

He nods in acceptance of her offer. Tele raises her voice "Behold Baron Xenograg Darelir!"

Through the cacaphony of applause, you could just hear three little voices cheering in pure joy, the smallest not the least by far.

Borin steps forward one last time. "THUS ENDS THE COURT OF HER MAJESTY, QUEEN TELEPERIEN"

Tele resheathes her blade and gives it to Gwindor for keeping. She steps off the dias, the music starts again. The Darelir and the St. Germains move toward each other immediately Murelle joins the Darelir and St Germains with Tele and Erwyn.

Everyone is busily congratulating and talking with each other, and the girls seems to want to hug everyone at once. Toby beckoned to the girls, who quickened over to him....Selene once she finally could be coaxed from behind Tabitha

Selene darted to her father's side, and immediately ducked behind him. With a nod and a whisper from him the three approach the Queen and in one motion the three curtsy just as their mother, Tabitha taught them. Tele gives a wide smile and nods to the young girls. "Well met young ladies."

After the grand curtsy, Selene dashed back behind Toby, and was now peering at Tele with huge eyes. While the baby burbled at the Queen, Tabitha gives an awkward one armed curtsey. Tele nods in response and says; "Your family is lovely tonight."

"Thank you, your Majesty. The girls have spoken of little else. It's truly an honor to be here, to witness the honor you've given Toby." Tabitha replies, her voice wavers with emotion.

Maurin and Selene had found Amanda and Erwyn, and were babbling happily about their fancy dresses....which like their mothers had an additional surprise she hadn't seen. Little sparkling snowflakes, courtesy of Wyheree.

A large BOOM is heard outside the castle, the whole room stopped moving in surprise at the unexpected interruption. Borin calls out once more;

"THE SIGNAL FOR FIREWORKS!"

Toby

Date: 2015-12-08 08:30 EST
(Cross-posted from The Piano Man: http://rdi.dragonsmark.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=151 )

Outside the castle, fireworks lit up and shook the sky as everyone watched in awe and appreciation. The two older girls hung on the railing, their legs danging as they watched, while Selene hung onto Daddy (and Momma held little Keith, who was too sleepy to notice even the brilliant display above).

Toby's thoughts were far away, as the family stood together among their friends. When he'd agreed to accompany the others into the Forest, the intent had been simple enough. He would use his unique gift to 'cloak' Murelle's mind, to hide her from the Chalkotu's debilitating influence and give her her opportunity for justice.

Things had, of course, gone in a direction he could not have foreseen. He'd never intended to take such an active hand in the battle, nevermind 'let loose the wolf', as he'd thought of it in the weeks afterward. But so it had happened, as it was meant to happen. In the end, he'd gained so much more than he expected - Murelle had achieved her vengeance, the creature and its spawn were destroyed and the forest liberated at last. The loss of life from the incursion had been limited, as much as it could be. And now, tonight, he stood there next to his wife as a knight of Eldicor.

Sir Toby. The words just sounded *so* bizarre in his head every time he heard or thought them. How unlike the person they belonged to - a punk kid from the Spaceport streets, who'd grown up but never matured (so he jokingly claimed), and who held almost nothing in reverence or authority.

But the Queen, perhaps, knew him better than he'd admit. So did Xenograg, who surely would have advised her against the act if he thought it in appropriate.

And there was one other thing, something he had not spoken of to anyone yet. At the conclusion of the battle, at the last need, Toby had set aside his last fears and denials and let his gift run free and unrestrained. The whirlwind of destruction that resulted, however, was accompanied by something new.

Toby still could not find the words to properly describe it now - any time he tried, it just felt like a child's attempt to describe something far beyond their ken. But there had been a moment, just a brief shining moment, when he'd felt something truly wonderful. The words for it just weren't enough.

Unity. One-ness. Illumination. Clarity.

For that one brief, shining moment he'd understood everything. He'd been PART of everything, a unified truth. That and that alone was how he'd obliterated uncounted numbers of the creatures while not so much grazing any of the allied fighters around him. They'd stood inside a ravening whirlwind of destruction...but there was never any danger that they'd suffer even a scratch. Because in that one shining moment, every single piece of debris had been one with him, and he with it.

And it had been glorious. The sheer and utter JOY of that moment, it had been almost too much to bear. Once he'd woken up afterwards, Toby had felt an almost unbearable sense of loss ....a diminishing, like he'd been part of something so much bigger and was now just ...himself again.

But here today, he felt nothing but peace. That moment of clarity may never come again, but he HAD known it. And that could never be taken away from him. Now, he had his family reunited, a son added to his three little girls...and an honor from Queen Teleperien that touched Toby in a way he could never fully explain. She'd never know just how much it meant, to be 'included' in that way.

Seeing Murelle and Xenograg so honored just sealed it for him. For once, for this moment, everything was right in the world.