Court Forum (Stars Only)

[notimefordreams]

WHO: Open to all Court of Stars members!
WHAT: Stars mingle log! Make connections, plan some things or just complain if you want to.
WHERE: The attendance hall itself, an antechamber nearby or wherever you like! (State the location in your toplevel!)
WHEN: Right after the audience.
WARNINGS: Language? Will update as needed!

Comments

Antechamber

[notimefordreams]

[Any and all help rustling up any sort of food for this is appreciated. Sarah herself has managed to wrangle up tea at least, mostly because she needs it to stay awake for now.

She spends most of the evening settled in a chair, running through everything in her mind that's happened in the past few weeks and further back too. She's open to yammering with those she knows and meeting anyone new as well.

And once again she's probably taking notes on what went down during the audience. Gotta stay consistent, right?]

[primordialerebus]

[ At some point, Coraline will sidle up to Sarah nervously. ]

Hey uh. Sorry for just bringing up your name like that... kinda got nervous.

[ God she hopes this is the right person. ]

[notimefordreams]

[Sarah perks her brows up a bit, holding her cup of tea like it's her one lifeline in this world as she gives Coraline a glance. Then she recalls the mention and can't help but huff an amused breath.]

Coraline, right? Don't worry about it, you can mention me to whoever you want -- as long as it's nicely.

[The last part is said with a sort of tired half-grin. She's teasing, it seems.]

[primordialerebus]

[ For a second, Coraline’s 100 percent sure she’s talking to the wrong person and has utterly humiliated herself. Right as she’s about to apologize and run off crying though, Sarah responds and oh thank god. ]

Yeah! Coraline! And oh uh yeah of course! I try not to do like the gossip thing… doesn’t always work but like you know.

[ She lets out a weak laugh. God why does she always talk so much. ]

[notimefordreams]

I get you. Sometimes you can't help it.

[Even in Fellden. No, particularly in Fellden.]

A lot of information can come from gossip sometimes.

[That said, she inclines her head to the rest of the tea layout she's brought. There's even different kinds, believe it or not.]

You're welcome to a cup if you want it. There should be coffee too.

[primordialerebus]

Yeah! Exactly!

[ She says, relief evident that she’s being understood. And oh hey! She’s being offered tea and coffee! ]

Uh yeah… I’ll steal some coffee if you don’t mind.

[ She sidles up to the table, pouring herself a small cup. Black. ]

But uh yeah… any thoughts about… all this?

[notimefordreams]

[Any thoughts. Sarah looks very amused for a moment.]

Oh plenty. Most of them I probably shouldn't voice in the Emperor's own home though.

[She's a brazen woman with her talk of leaving Stars side but she's smart enough not to speak of it out loud here of all places.]

[foxlore]

⟪ she is about to thrust a plateful of food upon sarah, when she notices the notes she's holding –– probably best to set the food down on a side table, so the paper isn't dirtied. ⟫

's good to see you.

⟪ and she means it. the horrors this world had so suddenly inflicted upon them all had had her worried for her new friend.⟫

The Emperor... they seem kindly, don't they?

[notimefordreams]

[Suddenly, food appears. It's plopped next to her and for a moment Sarah blinks down at it. Good grief, Flora, it's an honest-to-god meal!]

Yeah, the Emperor is nice. Sort of.

[She doesn't think the Emperor is a bad person necessarily... one who twists the truth more than a little, definitely.]

[foxlore]

⟪ it's a real meal! it's got greens and meats and everything! ⟫

They... seem to wish the best for their people. All of their people. 's more than I can say of the king back home.

[notimefordreams]

[My god, greenery. Forgive her if she tucks in, Flora, it's been a while since she's eaten something that wasn't either just meat, something quick from a vendor or dried and stored in her travel pack for days. She's dispensed with her cloak but there's still the evident scent of woods and dirt and snow about her.]

Yeah I won't argue with you there. But their people aren't the only people in this world.

[She says that last bit gently. She gets it, a king shouldn't have to worry about the people siding with the enemy or the neutral folks but...]

A lot of them don't get a choice of where they live. Some of them side with the Emperor and the others... not so much.

[foxlore]

's true.

⟪ she sighs, and seats herself by sarah's side, comfortable enough in their friendship not to ask for permission to do so. heavy as the subject may be, there's a relief to seeing her eat with such healthy an appetite – for all the horrors they have so recently lived through, it's important not to neglect the most basic needs. ⟫

I reckon it'll be hard to do best by everyone. Funny, this used to a problem I had for lack of means. Now, I find myself with the means, and it's a different kind of difficult.

[notimefordreams]

[Sarah leaves off stuffing her maw to gives Flora this sort of apologetic smile.]

I know what you mean. I've never known hunger or things like that personally until I got here ... well, not involuntary hunger anyhow.

[The last bit is said with a shade of sheepishness. She's terrible about getting involved in something and just completely forgetting to eat. Here though that wasn't a problem because there was precious little to eat for quite a while.]

This has been a whole new experience for me in that sense. I used to think the worst thing that could happy in daily life was having to grade too many essay papers at home.

[She gently pokes at some greenery with her fork, a frown tugging at her lips.]

If you ask me though in the grand scheme of things? Losing people is the worst thing. And that really doesn't change no matter where you go.

[Some nights she really does still see all those natives' bodies after the Harvest. Or during it with the firey arrows flying, blood on her hands as she checks for pulses or tries to comfort the dying. Neria has done far, far more than she had and frankly Sarah told herself firmly she had no right to have these sorts of dreams but there they were all the same.]

antechamber

[foxlore]

⟪ that was quite something, huh?

while preparing the survival bundles during the monster attacks, flora has spent quite some time in the court kitchens – that comes in handy now, as she organises some food and drinks, both alcoholic and not, for the little get together after the audience.

regardless of whether she is approaching someone she already knows or someone she's never met before, she'll try to hand them a plateful of fingerfood or a drink of sorts. her smile's not as easily coming today, not with the news of temperance returning, but she tries to stay positive. they'll come up with a plan, right? ⟫

[catsy]

[Selina sidles up to Flora in the kitchens, dressed considerably more ostentatiously than the breeches and furs she'd been wearing out in the snow: her gown is in a black velvet and is finely embroidered along the skirt and bodice with delicate white and purple flowers. During the last audience, she was still in her catsuit -- so she decided to try and make a better impression this time, now that she has the means.

Plucking a goblet from the collection, she folds her arms and emits disinterest to discourage anyone else from listening.]

Very interesting, what the Emperor had to say to you about the Wendigo.

[foxlore]

⟪ the herbalist in her tries to identify the plant-embroideries, but fails. it's not one she's seen much of in the wild of ireland, then, and also not one peg's used for healing. still, that's going to have to wait. staring at the dress itself has to wait! by god, selina, you make one hell of a remarkable appearance.

subtlety might not be a strength flora's been blessed with in many situations, but she's gotten good at unassuming conversations: especially when she'd worked in nenagh, people had wished for quiet workers, but quiet working numbs the mind and loneliness cuts deep. so one learns how to talk without looking like there's been much said at all. ⟫

And worrisome. ⟪ she goes back to arranging food on plates with some odd silver tool just for the purpose. this kitchen's got near everything there is to have. ⟫ Did you hear what the attendant said? About the Famine being back in its stable? Combine the two, it's none too pretty a picture, is it?

[catsy]

[Selina prides herself on her appearance, so she would be pleased that she succeeded. She's trying to fit in at Court, as blending in has always helped her earn trust more easily. And despite the Emperor's claims to see all of the Court's Claimed as their people, she doesn't trust them -- and so, she expects they don't trust her, either. Not yet, anyway.

She sips from the goblet, ready to hate the wine inside, but it's pleasant: full-bodied with a hint of sweetness, exactly what she likes.]

It makes me wonder how powerful Death is, compared to the Emperor. [Powerful enough to kill and revive them on a whim. Powerful enough to chain other gods.]

The Moon Temple doesn't sound like the real enemy anymore.

[foxlore]

⟪ flora's idea of blending in goes in the opposite direction – while selina can walk among the nobles of the court any day of the week, flora's made easy company of the kitchen staff, of the seamstresses and tailors, of the natives she's worked with for her survival bundles. ⟫

Sure doesn't.

⟪ at the very least, it's not their only enemy – and then, the temple people have suffered all the same fates as those of their shared faction have. ⟫

I feel a bit as though there's too many cooks in this kitchen.

⟪ death, its attendant, the priestess, the emperor, now temperance and her followers. ⟫

Too many cooks and no recipe to speak of.

[catsy]

That does seem to be what we're missing, doesn't it? A recipe.

[Downing the rest of the wine, Selina sets the goblet down, then rounds Flora to get a better look at what she's arranging at the moment. She doesn't exactly know her way around a kitchen, living primarily on takeout and snacks as she does, but something something curiosity and cats. Flora's comfort here gives her a little more information about her background without having to outright ask.]

If we could find where they were keeping the cookbooks, that would make things easier. [Some kind of book that actually holds information about the elusive past of this world.]

antechamber

[puppetgirl]

[ Off in a lone corner of an antechamber, Orchid sits at a table, an empty tray before her. Whatever the kitchen staff prepared, it seems the girl devoured it all by now... which is probably fortunate, since now she won't be so distracted by food.

Quietly, she's mulling over the information shared, mainly in regards to dealing with Temperance. Seated across from her is a plush cat, otherwise known as "Kitty" as mentioned during the audience. It looks kind of like a second guest at the table. There is a nice empty third chair though, if anyone else cares to sit.

Though mostly silent, she isn't against speaking with her fellow Court members. She lifts her head to acknowledge anyone nearby, whether she knows them or not, bowing her head politely in greeting. ]

sorry for the delay!

[royalboar]

[Dimitri is not in an amicable mood, but "Dimitri not in an amicable mood" is still more willingly social than most. Especially when met with a familiar face, seated at a table by her lonesome.

Well, almost by her lonesome. He recognizes that plush cat, too, and despite his own newly-formed reservations about the Emperor, Dimitri approaches with a faint smile tugging at his lips.]

...I saw that your friend was granted a bit of protection.

no worries, it's gotten busy!

[puppetgirl]

...I wish the Emperor didn't feel the need to do that for me.

[ A small sigh through her nose. She can't bring herself to try smiling about it. As grateful as she is for the protection spell, she's also disappointed. She's just tired of having others take care of her.

She didn't get to ask as much as she wanted during her audience. At the very least, her audience confirms that the Emperor believes killing the Temperance is the way to go. Speaking what she actually wants to do might not have thrilled them one bit. ]

Dimitri... are you thinking of searching for Strength?

[royalboar]

[Dimitri doesn't have to ask why she feels that way. He bore witness to the blessing, too, and knows of her plush's new impervious nature. Something to be appreciated, but not necessarily asked for -- to always be protected is not a welcome feeling when one feels like it wasn't deserved.

So he nods, brows pinched apologetically, and considers his reply to her question.]

I do not know yet. I only know that I wish to seek out more answers on the subject before I make a decision. However... it is hard to feel as if I was not unduly shut down, simply for asking pertinent questions.

[puppetgirl]

[ She nods. Her speech is typically slow, though there's some reluctance in her voice. At least, it does feel safe to fully express these thoughts to him, as opposed to the Emperor. ]

We'll need to find answers elsewhere. The Emperor is... intent on killing Temperance, as if it's the only way. If there's an option to save her soul, then that's.... that's what I wish to do.

[ Despite all the warnings from both Lorelai and their faction leader about the chaos that would ensue should there be a successful revival, she doesn't have the heart to erase someone's existence. She's soft. Certainly Apollo would chide her if she were here. ]

[royalboar]

[Dimitri feels similarly. Whether it’s the idealist in him, who seeks the best way to grasp at a solution without trampling too many underfoot — gods or otherwise — he would rather not rely on... destroying Temperance if it isn’t necessary. The Emperor had been stubborn on that matter, he thought, and frustratingly so. Why not seek out an alternate solution, if one is not bound by old grudges or politics?

He frowns, but nods.]

Then I will help you if I am able. I feel similarly.

Did you have an idea of where you wanted to start?