King's Champion Ball [Anyone and Everyone]

[Jazz]

Jasmin rushed into the hall, slightly scared that she was late. She and a few others had run to change into suitable attire before the festivities began, and they had almost, almost, missed the beginning. It was a ball in honour of the new King's Champion, Roseanna herself, and Jazz was still beaming with pride. It was a tough job, she knew. And the amount of power placed in the Champion was slightly scary, so it was imperative that the right person was chosen, and Jasmin thoroughly belived that it was.

For all that they only had had ten minutes, Jazz thought that she'd done a pretty good job. A silvery grey gown over a white shift wasn't too elaborate, with just a touch of embroidery, and it was exactly her style. For all that she was a rough-'n-tumble knight, she really did like these occasions where she could just dress up and enjoy herself. But that rarely happened, Jazz realized, looking back. Most of the balls she'd been to had been unpleasantly interrupted. But that peroid was over now, thank the Goddess. Or, at least, she hoped.

She'd been sensible about her shoes. She really hated heels of slippers of any sort, being hard to walk in, and even worse for fighting. No, she wore soft and elegant boots, but slim and small, looking fine with the dress but comfortable for action. Her sword hung at her waist, in a startling contrast, in a decorative scabbard and thin belt. She'd always been sceptical of decorated weaponry of any sort, but it did come in useful sometimes. Waving her loose black curls from her face, she looked around for her friends, specifically for Roseanna.

[Sapphire]

Sapphire walked into the ballroom and immedietly saw Jamsin. She looked pretty in her grey dress. Sapphire waved slightly at her friend and looked around the ballroom. It was lavish and beautiful. Jazz looked just the part. Well almost, since she had her sword and her waist. Sapphire looked down at here skirts and wondered if she looked alright. She was wearing a forest green overgown which lay over a simple white undergarmant. Her overgown was very beautiful, with tiny, embroidered detail. Her long curls wear loose, tied back with a green band keeping some og it back. She had a small green bag that matched her dress. She looked down at her feet, green slippers. She was the perfect match.

She looked around to see who else was there at the time. The musicians setting up, the few random people slowly starting to drift in. She smiled. She really loved a ball. She looked at the other. "Shall we dance, dance in the light of the moon," she whispered quietly. It was part of a poem that her mother uised to sing to her. It had become something of a ritual to whisper just a part of it to herself. She always had done it. Ever since her first ball when her mother had sang it whilst brushing Fhires long hair. She half smiled. This was going to be a good night.

[Rose]

Rose had run to her room in the knights wing and had quickly changed outfits. Now she stood outside the doors that led to the ballroom, looking as if she'd had hours to prepare for a ball.
Gods, she couldn't be late for her own ball! What would that make her look like?

Her hair was left hanging down, though a jeweled clasp kept a few strands out of her amethyst eyes. Around her neck she wore Sapphire's gift, the silver necklace pricked with amethyst gems. Her gown was a silvery amethyst color, not to elaborate, but enough to make heads turn. And around her waist was her sword in a decorative sheath that her brother had given her for her 21st birthday. She'd placed a spell on it though so that it wouldn't be noticable.

She, like Jasmin, hated wearing slippers or heels. If she was need to fight for something, wearing those sorts of shows wouldn't do her any good. Instead she wore dress boots, though they were hidden by the length of her gown.

She picked her way through the people as she made her into the room. Musicians were setting up their instruments. She looked around for her friends and her squire. She spotted Jazz aways a head of her.

Jazz, turn around, I'm right behind you. she thought to her friend through their connection. She really didn't want people to notice her right away. At least if she used her magic to communicate with her friends, she could get to them and then entertain others who came up to her.

[Rhianna Kiandra]

Rhianna entered a step or two behind her knight mistress. She wore her amber-red-brown locks pulled up into a bun seated just below the pate of her head; several curled strands framed her face and several other curls spewed from her coiffure. The youthful squire wore a gown of pale sea blue and sand, her Fief colors. Her skirts and bodice were the sea blue, as were her three-quarter sleeves. A bodice front of sand colored silk formed a triangle from her collar-bone to her dropped waistline. The frills at the ends of her sleeves were also sand colored. Her low ankle boots were made of a pale, sand-washed suede and were silent on the stone floors.

Rhianna smiled as she saw Jazz, Fhire, and Rose in their finery; they all looked beautiful. Hello, Rose. I'm right behind you, too.[/color]

[Luca]

When he was forced to, Luca could clean up as well as the rest of them. His master had had the good fortune several years back to have impressed the King with his handiwork. Since then, he had enjoyed a contract with the royals, providing unique metalwork pieces of the highest standard. Somewhere around here, his master lurked...ah yes. Over there. Near the new King's Champion. Luca let his eyes rest on Roseanna of Castlemaine for a few moments. A determined woman, he decided. Strong. She'd do, very nicely. Sometimes he even thought the lady knights of Tortall were his sort of people. But then, he couldn't understand how anyone could enjoy such an event as this. Luca was solitary, independent- a fighter who held the Crown in disregard. A ball in his opinion was useless frivolity- he could dance, very well in fact, but unless he had someone worth dancing for he preferred not to. And he didn't know anyone in Corus, bar his master's family.

Sighing, he tugged one of his sleeves, looking at the garment mournfully. His master had made him come, and whilst Luca was very impressed, and congratulatory towards the new King's Champion, he did wish he could be in the Dove, settling into Corus' Rogue Court. Would it be at all like Port Legann?

But in the present, he was here, and he might as well make the best of it. Luca was dressed in a fine white shirt, with blue and silver tunic and breeches. All borrowed by his master- he felt ridiculous. A show pony. He wasn't meant to be this dressed up- he hated fashion. In his opinion, the tunic made him look girly-although his master's daughter had assured him it didn't, with a predatory sort of look in her eye.

He hated his master's daughter. Girls who were occupied with nothing more than dresses and boys weren't worth the time.

[Sapphire]

Sapphire turned to see Rose and Rhianna. She grinned and walked towards them. They looked stunning. She was pleased to see that Rose was wearing her necklace. She looked around the hall to see who else was there. A few peiople wandering in. There was one person who looked highly unhappy. Unlike Sapphire they must hate balls. Balls to her were a nice break from reality.

She walked up behind Jazz and tapped her on the shoulder. "Hi Jazz, hows ball life treating you?"

[Jazz]

Jazz, turn around, I'm right behind you.

That voice... even through mindspeak, she knew it so well. She smiled, and turned around, closeing the gap ebtween then with a few steps. I know, she replied, amused by the situation, Scared our stuffy noble friend 'll see you? She grinned, showing her white teeth, and glanced around for the others. Spotting Sapphire and Rhianna, she waved them over. Rose was wearing Sapphire's present, Jazz noticed. She'd give Roseanna her's later, though, after the ball was over.

"Hi Jazz, hows ball life treating you?"

Jasmin made a face at Fhire. "I love the dancing, and dressing up isn't so bad," she told her friend, "But, by Mithros, if we don't do something I can just tell it's going to be dreadfully boring." Her eyes sparkled with humour. She wasn't suggesting that they wreaked some havoc, no - they were too important, too old for that (even twenty-three year olds aren't that childish). It was just a memento from their childhood years, when Jazz, a lowly page or squire, had to serve at these functions. Or course, back then they threw cream crackers and bowed to everyone. Now, if they threw cream crackers they'd be embarassed for life.

[Rose]

I know, Scared our stuffy noble friend 'll see you?

Rose grinned wolfishly.

As a matter of speaking, yes. she said, casting her eyes about her. She felt eyes on her, but that was normal, since everyone had come to the ball for that purpose. But...still. It was creepy. She looked to see wher it came from. Finally her amethyst gaze rested on a man dressed in fine white shirt, with blue and silver tunic and breeches. She watched him for a moment, then turned her eyes back to Jazz and Fhire.

"I love the dancing, and dressing up isn't so bad. But, by Mithros, if we don't do something I can just tell it's going to be dreadfully boring."

Rose laughed.

"I can agree with you there Jazz. If it doesn't pick up, we'll just have to make it...pick up."

Hello, Rose. I'm right behind you, too.

Hey Rhianna...glad you could come. she said to her squire.

[Sapphire]

"I love the dancing, and dressing up isn't so bad. But, by Mithros, if we don't do something I can just tell it's going to be dreadfully boring."

Sapphire grinned, remembering the cream crackers. That incident would be forever remembered.

"I can agree with you there Jazz. If it doesn't pick up, we'll just have to make it...pick up."

Sapphire grinned and nodded, "And if that doesn't work, there is always cream crackers!" She knew that it was childish, but the memory was good. Her eyes contiued to dart along the hall, looking at all the people who were at the ball. She was really curious about the rather uncomfortable looking man. Why was he uncomfortable? And who was he? She pondered this for a moment and shook her head. 'Forget about it', she told herself.

"So, is there anyone that you can see that would bve willing to dance with little old me?"

[Rose]

"So, is there anyone that you can see that would bve willing to dance with little old me?"

Rose glanced around the room, her amethyst eyes sparkling brightly.

"I'm sure we could find someone Fhire...lets take a pick shall we? There's plenty to choose from." she said with a wink.

Her amethyst gaze was pulled back to the man who had been watching her before. She grinned wickedly.

"I found one for you Fhire. Do you see the man with the fine white shirt, with blue and silver tunic and breeches? Why don't you ask him?" she said innocently. A man started moving towards them and Rose groaned softly.

"The food hasn't even come in yet and they're starting to flock to me." she said.

[Sapphire]

"I'm sure we could find someone Fhire...lets take a pick shall we? There's plenty to choose from."

She smiled at Rose's statement. "Well, well, well. Am I to leave you to choose my fate?" She looked around the room at all the 'elegable' bachelors. "So, who should we pick?" She twirled a curl around her finger and batted her eyelashes. "Think any of them would actually want to dance with wonderful me?"

"I found one for you Fhire. Do you see the man with the fine white shirt, with blue and silver tunic and breeches? Why don't you ask him?"

She tilted her head and looked at him. The uncomfortable one? "Maybe, maybe not. And besides, I don't ask!" she grinned at Rose, and at her 'innocent' face. "Well....."

She smiled at Rose's face as people started to flock to her. Being the Kings Champion must be tough. She looked at the uncomfortable one again and really wondered. Who was he?

[Rhianna Kiandra]

Hey Rhianna...glad you could come.

Me, too. she thought back as she grinned. "Little old you? I think Rose has got the right idea. He seems interesting." Her gaze shifted over the assembling crowd. "I just hope some nice squire or knight will dance with me, too."

[Wayne]

Wayne plucked at the ruffled cuffs of his white shirt nervously. His clothing wasn't quite as nice as he wanted it, but that couldn't be helped now. He had on the white shirt, dark brown leather breeches, a gold and blue tunic, and black boots. He had a royal blue cloak draped over him, and he now proceeded to take that off.

Wayne didn't mind balls all that much, it was just that too many people flocked to greet the Knight Commander and there was constant chattering and lots of noise. He enjoyed it better when there would be less people, but this ball had a really big audience. He promised himself that he would have fun tonight, even though he'd end up with a big headache from all of the noise.

Wayne walked up to Rose and grinned, "Good job, my lady knight, on becoming the Champion." He knelt before Rose and bowed his head.

[Luca]

He wasn't a Rogue for nothing, and the young ladies, obviously excited about the occasion, weren't bothering trying to keep their voices down. Luca could pick up their conversation with startling ease. They were talking about him, that was for certain. He wasn't sure about how he felt about this. Whilst he was glad that he was providing some sort of amusement to them, he did feel slightly uncomfortable knowing they were chattering about him.

"Maybe, maybe not. And besides, I don't ask!"

His eyes snapped in their direction, trying to pick out which young woman had made this remark. Well that was interesting, he thought. He hoped the room wouldn't get too crowded- then he'd be in real trouble. He was gazing quite openly now- it wasn't a problem to him. Luca didn't particularly care what people said about him. If he listened to people's opinions, he'd spend most of his life sunk into depression.

There. That was her. The one in the green dress. Luca wasn't a brilliant judge of such things but his layman's mind knew enough to tell that the dress was very pretty. The woman, too, but that didn't neccessarily mean anything. Luca knew as well as anyone how heartbreaking a beautiful woman could be.

"Little old you? I think Rose has got the right idea. He seems interesting. I just hope some nice squire or knight will dance with me, too."

Interesting, ay? Well, Luca had been called worse. The last sentence finally caught up with him. Squire or knight? If that was what they were looking for, then they would be disappointed. He wasn't anything so glamourous. Just a fire-mage, a metalworker. Not that that was anything to be ashamed of. Silently he debated his options in his head. One, he could ask one of them to dance. He loved to dance. But if they wanted a squire or knight, well, no point bothering. Two, he could hang around until his master took pity on him and sent him home. Tempting. But Luca wasn't so much of a loner that he would purposefully spend an evening bored. And he knew his master would delight in ignoring him, especially after that little trick he'd played yesterday.

Look, there's another man there. Knight Commander. Won't have to be surrounded by girls after all. Luca felt relieved- girls were fine, but any man would feel intimated by so many. He forced himself away from the comfort of the wall, and strode over towards the group. Supposing that congratulations were in order for the new Champion, he nodded his head towards her. Luca didn't believe in deferring to nobles- just because they had the 'fortune' to be born into a more powerful family didn't make them superior. But achieving the role of King's Champion, well that was deserving of respect.

"Congratulations, Lady Roseanna. I've heard plenty of stories about you, mostly good, and I'm sure you'll continue to do the Crown proud."

He looked over the other women, and grinned cheekily at them, but remained silent. He wasn't sure how they would react to him, and he wasn't going to cause trouble. Not tonight. His master would murder him.

[Jazz]

Jasmin had mostly been silent, but that was anything new. She wasn't one to talk much, and she rather preffered observing her friends when she didn't feel the need to contribute. It was often amusing, and she wasn't disappointed now. Her eyes flicked to the young man Rose had pointed out, and smiled slightly. He didn't seem very comfortable. Besides, Sapphire, roseanna and Rhianna weren't bothering to lower the tone of the conversation, and he had clearly heard what they were saying. She was brought back to the talk of her friends when Wayne of Malorie's Peak offered his congratulations.

"Good job, my lady knight, on becoming the Champion."

She smiled and nodded to acknowledge him. She normally would have said something, but he'd been adressing Roseanna, not her. She'd met the Knight Master of the King's Own before, and she'd decided she liked the man. He seemed fit for the position. Jazz's silent amusement was further appealed as the object of her friends' talk approached them, and he too proceeded to congratulate her friend.

"Congratulations, Lady Roseanna. I've heard plenty of stories about you, mostly good, and I'm sure you'll continue to do the Crown proud."

She smiled in return to his, still not having said anything. But now, she opened her mouth, her eyes sparkling wickedly. " 'Mostly' good?" she enquired. "Only 'mostly'. Darling Rose, what have you been up to?" She winked at her friend, now having fully relaxed into the environment. She would talk more now. Oh, this was going to be fun.