Winter's Crest Evening Celebration - Invitation only

[st_ockandbarrel]

Despite telling Mac that he had no intention of organizing any kind of gathering, that is precisely what Percy found himself doing over the next few weeks. In between working on gifts for each of his friends, Percy secured a room and allowed himself to be hassled by Caroline about a menu and other details. Once she'd put him through a grueling series of questions on his preferences, she'd gone away. A few days later, she'd returned with a book of carefully constructed plans. It was both impressive and terrifying. He'd approved it all and let her handle it. The wine he took a personal hand in, choosing every bottle by hand from the inn's rather delightful wine cellar. He wasn't sure where most of the places of origin were, but a guide (written by a man named Parker) gave detailed descriptions of each bottle and provided a score. France was a popular location for wine, apparently.

The evening of Winter's Crest was cool, but not cold, in spite of the snow still lingering on the ground from the battle royale earlier in the day courtesy of Pike. The sky now was clear, and the stars bright. He rapped on Vex's door to escort her to dinner and adjusted his cuffs beneath his new coat, acquired from the shop. It was not his usual blue suit, but Caroline had assured him in her bossy way that it was extremely modern and fashionable. It was certainly well tailored.

Trinket had taken a lot less time to get ready for dinner, Vex assuring him he was the most dapper and handsome bear in his collar and tie. She was putting the finishing touches on her hair when the knock came, so it was the bear who laid his heavy paw on the door lever and opened it to Percy. Vex turned from the mirror, satisfied with her efforts, as Percy entered. The suit was new, and she took the time it took them to meet in the middle of the room to appreciate the way the cut accentuated his form. "Joyous Winter's Crest, my darling," she told him as she ran her hands over his shoulders and leaned in for a kiss. Vex had made an afternoon of it last week, trying on every suitable outfit remotely close to her size in the boutique. Her second choice was hanging in her closet, but for tonight, she'd chosen a column dress in a deep midnight blue that left most of her back bare. She was hopeful Percy would approve.

"Joyous Winter's Crest, Lady Vex'ahlia." He obliged her the kiss, not that it was anything other than purest pleasure. His hands ran down the bare length of her back and was it not for the duty to show up to the dinner he'd arranged, he'd have suggested staying in. Instead, he wrapped an arm about her waist and appraised Trinket. "Very mannerly, good bear." He'd expressed a desire to let the bear stay home for the evening but a simple "Trinket's family" from Vex had been enough to have him relent. "Shall we go?"

Finding dress to Winter's Crest had been trial. White and pale gold were colors most available in shop, but she did not wish wearing anything so pale as she. Nu. At end, she had Sunny helping and saying her short as knees was normal. But when she stood before mirror changing faces it felt again too much short. She sighed. This was only dress and she liked purple and flowers next to her albino human face. If comfortable later also, when Kash said her yes or Percy, it made room of legs and tail.

She drew herself up as tall as she could and faced her so pale altered self. "I am Baronesa Lillith Anioska Daturai. No party shall best me."

Kash did not stand in front of a mirror. He did not fuss at his clothes. The shop had provided black pants and a black jacket that fit well and required little in the way of tailoring. He wore a crisp white shirt, but refused to wear the pointless strip of cloth that had no use beyond choking a man. If he could have, he would have worn his armor.

If he could have, he would have taken Snow and Curnen on a ride and snow picnic.

He was still thinking about it when a knock sounded at his door. "I'm not going, Lilli. Just go without me."

"You will come, Kash. You will come now."

She was nervous. He could tell. Her accent was strong. "We could have dinner in my room. You and me," he called through the door, but he was already getting to his feet.

"Kashaw Vesh. Come to door. You have guests, you will come and you will not make me late."

"Do I have to?" Kash opened the door--and his eyes. "Holy god. Can you wear that in public? I mean, you look..." Amazing didn't cover it. "But..." Lillith planted her hands on her hips and scowled. Even in a human shape, she had never looked more like Zahra. Shit. "Right. Yes. I'm sure it's fine. Better than fine. You look beautiful. Now can I go back to my room?"

Lillith rolled her eyes and took him by the arm. "For my cousin's sake, I will not raise my voice to you. Collect yourself. We are leaving."

Kash had never thought of Lillith as a particularly fearsome woman. Zahra had warned him otherwise, but she was always sweet, kind and awkward. He liked this side of her. And he hadn't felt so much at peace in months. "Yes, ma'am." To Curnen's room it was.

Curnen's room, where she was trying to fuss with her hair and really rather failing to do so. And eventually she just did what she always did and let the whole dark mass of it tumble freely around her shoulders.

She'd had a hell of a time trying to pick out anything to wear, and had finally only settled on the dress she was wearing when Vex had taken pity and picked something for her. It had needed some tailoring (a concept she didn't much understand, but went along with) since a petite frame didn't just mean short, but in the end her dress was comfortable and pretty and if Vex had picked it she supposed it must be appropriate and that was a weight off her mind.

She still fussed when the knock came, though, smoothing her hair, her skirt... leaving her shoes until the very last second, but cringing her way into them.

She was chewing her lip when she opened the door. "Will I do?"

When he knocked, he'd glanced back at Lillith. His "Remember what I said" earned him a Stop dithering, Kashaw glare. So the opening door caught him in the act of pantomiming I'm not, I knocked already. Only acute awareness of the abuse Curnen had suffered turned the gesture into an offer for her hand in time.

"You look beautiful." That was easily said and more than true. She always did. From behind him, Lillith offered, "What a wonderful color. The dress is lovely."

Noting her nerves, Kash glanced past her into her room. "You're missing something. Did you want to bring the guitar?"

"Thank you." Curnen glanced back at the case and hesitated only a moment before she trotted over to it and strapped the instrument to her back. Immediately she felt better with the weight of it there. Now she was ready. "Okay."

"Perfect," he told her and then stepped aside to let her out. And Lillith didn't even get a chance to clear her throat (about which he felt obscurely proud) before he said, "Curnen, Lillith. Lillith's a wizard. Lilli, Curnen. She's a musician." Not a bard, not until Curnen was ready to claim it.

He let the women get acquainted (because the Zahra in his head told him to) and lead the way to Snow's mother's room, where once again, he knocked.

Snow White was not goddamn doing this in a dress.

When she opened the door her jeans were new at least, dark uniform wash and not a tear or hole to be seen, as well as a silk blouse. It wasn't what was expected, she imagined, but it wasn't her usual attire either. And after she'd let Regina put her hair up, for once she actually looked rather like the young woman she was.

She glanced down at herself, and then defiantly back up at Kash. It was this or she wasn't going.

Having had a similar reaction, Curnen could only empathize. "What tribe?" she asked, skipping right past niceties. It cut through any potential dread.

Snow blinked at the question, at the tiny woman, at her strange hands. Then shrugged and said, "Crow. You?"

Curnen shook her head. "Oh, not a drop in me. But my people lived alongside the Cherokee a while, so some of my cousins are."

Snow nodded, as if that exchange hadn't come entirely out of nowhere. And then her gaze turned toward the pale woman she definitely didn't know.

In the face of Snow's defiance, Kash smiled. He pointed to his open neck and started to say Trinket's wearing fur, you're fine, but Curnen was already talking. He knew the words but it didn't help him with the meaning. It was more than the where-are-you-from-what-is-your-totem-do-I-have-to-kill-you he expected from the word 'tribe', much more. That he could tell. He was going to have to ask. When Lillith lifted an eyebrow at him, he shrugged his cluelessness.

"Snow, this is Lillith. She's family." Of Lillith more than any of Vox Machina, that was simple truth. Zahra was his family. Her cousin was his cousin. "Lillith, this is Snow."

"Hello." Had Kash not warned her, she might have suggested they ought to trade names. But she feared it might go over badly.

Which was actually all Snow needed to hear and her body language relaxed. Kash was not exactly an open and trusting person. If he claimed this woman as family, that was enough. It was really all that was getting her through this, knowing that that was how he saw this group of people. And she liked Vex. And Vax was okay. Snow nodded back. "Hi."

Pike was excited about Winter's Crest, she really really was. But as her excitement grew so did the loneliness that seemed to be her constant companion these last few years. Which meant that she waited until she was safely in the shower before letting herself cry. Her family was a perceptive lot and she needed the heat from the water to make sure no one would notice. Scrubbing her face, her words from so long ago floated back, 'I'm just going to pretend I'm happy so everyone can be okay.'

After letting herself feel, she put her smile back on and got dressed. Thanks to the almost magical skills of Corbie, Pike actually had something to wear to the dinner. The deep-blue dress fit perfectly though she still hadn't gotten used to the sensation of her holy symbol against her skin. If he were here, a certain gnome would have been left speechless. Pushing that thought as far down as it would go, she left her room and made her way to the main banquet hall alone.

Blue was a popular choice for Winter's Crest, always had been - maybe the cool color spoke of ice and snow, the daunting beauty of the deeper shadows and muffled stillness. Maybe the harsh conditions reminded everyone that they needed one another to huddle for warmth. Or maybe, like Vax'ildan, everyone had a sibling working the garment shop downstairs, and they intended them to look smart either alone or as a set, thank you very much. ...No, that one was probably just him.

He'd told her he didn't care what he wore, but Percy had made clear he wanted them all looking as posh as possible. Truth be told, Vax cared a bit, or at least he put aside his moody uncertainty about who he was inviting to this dinner party, if anybody, so that he could enjoy playing dress-up with his twinnie. Eventually, she informed him he'd be wearing a dark blue 'windowpane' suit with fabric noose and silk chest-napkin. He felt somewhat odd in it, rich fabrics and fussy buttons unlike their usual Exandrian garb, but Vex was pleased with her work and he was willing to indulge his family this far. They were marking a holiday of their own in this foreign land, and it was comforting to remind themselves that they few were here together, if not all of them.

Vax finished tying back his hair and straightened his jacket in the mirror, reminding himself that Percy would have a litter of kittens if his dithering about if he should or shouldn't do the thing made them all start late. He watched himself a beat, and then two, and then thought on how indecision ended up being a decision in itself, if you left it long enough.


Percy had thought the place cards were a bit much for a family dinner, even for him, but he'd decided not to argue with Caroline. He did rather wish Cassandra was here. The two would either get along or murder each other. Still, it did make for an easy time arranging everyone at the table, even if Trinket did immediately abandon his assigned location and lumber down to wedge himself between Lilith and Snow.

The food was already on the table, covered by lids. "Family style service", Caroline had called it. Large plates of food that could be easily passed around, each person taking what they wanted. Percy stood at the table and lifted his wine glass. "Joyous Winter's Crest all, new friends and old. It is an honor to be here with all of you and I look forward to many more years to come." Toast delivered, he leaned forward and lifted the lid off the largest tray - venison provided by Vex's own hunting bow. "Let's eat."

Comments

Vex: OTA

[st_ubby]

During Percy's toast and while they filled their plates, Vex looked out over her family, and those on their way to becoming family. Her thoughts, and love, went to the ones who weren't there to celebrate with them: Keyleth, Grog, Zahra, Cassandra. Even, she could let herself admit, Scanlan. Her hand found Percy's, fitting together long enough for a gentle squeeze and lingering touch before they began to eat.

A table filled with good food, and too many who'd known hunger at least part of their lives, it shouldn't have surprised anyone if the beginning of the meal held more eating than conversation. Eventually, though, the balance shifted, and Vex opened another bottle of the excellent wine Percy had chosen, to refill her glass. "More wine, anyone?"

Stephanie - OTA

[st_upidgravity]

For an evening that had started off with nothing fancier than a Friends rerun and popcorn, Steph was feeling slightly overwhelmed. When she and Vax had stopped at the shop, she'd found to her relief that someone, probably Vex, had left a dress with her name on it in the dressing room. A pair of shoes, a dash of eyeliner and she'd been ready.

Coming into the room and seeing not just the long standing family unit, but also Snow and Curnen, made it feel a little less like a Meet The Family moment.

Settled into a hastily produced chair set between Pike and Vax, Steph did something she almost never did. She poured a glass of wine and took a sip, then prepared to have a good time and not think about the implications of all this.

Vax: OTA

[st_abby]

Vax'ildan had hardly sat down behind his plate with some half-hearted prodding at whatever he'd put there before he'd got back up onto his feet again. "Nature calls," he said for the questioning look his sister gave him.

But he wouldn't be back for another twenty-five minutes, and he returned with Stephanie gloriously in tow. (Good for them these fancy dinners always dragged on and on.) Not that Vax said it was glorious, or that towing was quite the right word for the way he cupped her shoulder briefly as he introduced her to the group - maybe 'presented' was a better word, since most if not all of them knew perfectly well who she was. He couldn't help but feel his sister's attention again, all the more wry and pointedly amused on him now. He helped push a place clear and find a chair for Steph at the table, picked up the forkful of whatever it was from his plate where it had gone cold long ago, tumbled in amongst the conversations he'd only catch the very end of, and could not seem to keep the small, stupid, persistent smile from his face.

Curnen - OTA

[st_oneswidow]

Curnen had brought her guitar, but actually playing it--this was after all not her gathering and she didn't want to intrude on their time and space--was not something real until she actually found herself being encouraged to play after dinner. All butterflies from head to heel, she babbled her way through making sure her instrument was in tune and getting settled with it. Her shoes had disappeared at some point and were probably hiding under the table, but she felt better without them.

"This is an old song," she said. "And like most old things that're passed on, it's got a lot of faces. More'n most songs, I reckon. Some people do it as a dirge. Some people do it as a rowdy drinking song. There's a million verses to pick from, you can make it what you like. Any mood you're in, there's a way to play it. And..." she smiled shyly. "I dunno. it's fun. If you can carry a tune in a bucket, don't hesitate to jump in on the refrain."

And she launched into "Bedlam Boys." Not a dirge or a drinking song, but with the air of an epic ballad. Because the Tufa knew anything with a man and a woman in it was actually a love song.

The premise was right there in the first verse: the people in this song were mad, so it wasn't going to make much if any sense. And on a first listen, it didn't mean anything. It was a string of nonsense adventures through a frightening world. It was easy in the chaos to forget that there were supposed to be characters at all. But Curnen's voice never let it descend into nonsense, at least not for her. She never forgot that this was Maudlin's song, and the determination and despair of the madwoman coloring her voice lent a keen edge to the piece even as the pace and the tone stayed upbeat, wondering, and fun.

Bliss would have known it right away if she were there to point it out. Curnen was singing to, for, and about Brushy. As much as Curnen dared, she was introducing herself to these people. Which probably influenced her decision to slip in this verse near the end.

I now repent that ever
Poor Tom was so disdain-ed
My wits are lost since him I crossed
And now I must go chained

When she was done she smiled and bolted up to put the guitar away again.

Lillith - OTA - after speaking to Vax, after dinner

[st_rangepalette]

Even among friends, Lillith rarely went about in her exposed Tiefling shape. She had been veiling herself so long, it was a comfortable habit. But Percy had said that if any of those gathered did not like her Tiefling form, they could leave, and Kashaw disliked her "hiding who she was."

So after speaking to Vax about his guest, and several glasses of champagne, Lillith stopped concentrating on her Alter Self spell. "Oh," she said softly and stretched her tail to its fullest. It should not make a difference, since her altered form was adapted to her posture, but for her, it always did.

Pike: Closed to Percy (after dinner)

[st_ealthless]

Pike was pleasantly surprised just how much fun she'd had at dinner. Being around friends and family always helped distract her. It didn't hurt that the food was delicious and the wine plentiful.

But then she heard the strum of a guitar. For just a moment she caught her eyes rolling playfully out of reflex because - of course - it was about that time of the night for Scanlan to make a fool of himself so they could laugh themselves breathless.

But it wasn't Scanlan. Scanlan was gone. He'd left them. Left her. And now she's was in another dimension.

Tears stinging her eyes, Pike hesitated for a moment, then turned and exited the room as quietly as she could. She'd apologize later.

Snow White - OTA

[st_arkcrowblack]

Family dinners had never been part of Snow's life. Her father would deign now and then to have her at the dinner table, but it was not a family dinner, because she was not there as his daughter. She was there as a miniature of her mother, as an aesthetically pleasing addition to the room. He would tell her governess to put her in white, because he liked to see her black hair against it. He would have her put in black, to make her skin look lighter against that. Sometimes he'd have her dressed up as a Crow girl with her hair in two braids. Sometimes in a cattleman's hat with her gun. But she was always performing for him, even when she didn't know what exactly he wanted her to do.

And then Mrs. H had come into their lives. Snow couldn't think of a time the three of them had ever sat at table together.

She'd started the evening performing a little at least. The part of her was Miss H would never leave her completely, no matter how much she might want it to. Her table manners were the kind of effortless that came only from years and years of ingrained practice, and she said very little unless spoken to first. The only outward sign that this was nerves and not iciness was when Trinket lumbered between her and Lillith, and she'd leaned against the bear for a long moment, listening to the thundering of his huge heart.

She was less stiff after that, if still quiet.

Giving of Gifts

[st_ockandbarrel]

Dinner became dessert, became music and socializing. As the evening grew later, Percy judged it time for another Winter's Crest tradition.

He stood and fetched a bag from under a side table where he'd placed it earlier in the day. He set it on the table in front of him and prepared for one of the true joys of this holiday. "In Exandria, we have a tradition of giving gifts on Winter's Crest. Vex and I have brought a few things for you all with that in mind."

One by one, he passed out the gifts he'd brought with him. Most were tagged from Vex as well except where she had decided on a gift separately.

For Pike: a shell hair ornament, and gardening tools sized for her smaller hands.

For Kash: a leatherbound notebook and drafting tools so that he could continue his siege defense plans.

For Curnen: a book filled with songs from Tal'Dorei. Vex had helped him recall as many as possible. Each was written out in basic chords. He was no Scanlan to recall every note but his education had been first rate so he could manage simple musical notation. Like Pike, there was also a shell hair ornament.

For Snow: a stuffed replica of Trinket with fur donated by the bear himself, as well as a shell hair ornament (the trip to the beach had been useful in many ways.)

For Lillith: another shell hair ornament and a brooch made bright with gemstones re-purposed from the shop.

For Trinket: Percy had made covers for his claws that would allow him to wander around the inn without scratching up the floor.

For Vax: A worked metal setting in the shape of fall leaves in silver, gold and copper. It would combine perfectly with the raven's skull pendant that Percy had already given.

And for Vex: Five arrows, each with their own special result. And a hair piece with the crest of Whitestone emblazoned in the metal.