Oh, sing sweet nightingale, sing sweet nightingale

[etcircenses]

Who| Anyone who's anyone (and of course, those signed up for the plot)
What| It's a games-watching party! A medieval ball and renaissance fair in one!
Where| A Capitol Ballroom.
When| Friday evening! This log is forward dated!
Warnings/Notes| Please do not comment in the placeholders! Those are needed for the later event. More details to come...

Hennins, masks, crowns and gowns. This is a ball built for playing the part. Although some guests have come in masquerade, it's certainly not mandatory. In fact, while attempts for some historical accuracy were made, that isn't mandatory as much so either. Medieval people were so drab! It shouldn't hurt to bring in a little fab.

The ballroom is big and beautiful, painted ceilings, gilded sculptures all up along the walls, shining chandeliers and marble floors. Paintings hang of President Snow, his family, and other infamous Capitolite families, all of whom also have coats of arms. Tapestries hang too along the walls depicting scenes of the Dark Days and recent arena both, all in Medeival styling.

Guests enter through wide doors and red-carpeted stairs leading down. The way to the gardens is a back opened wall on one side for guests to go to and from as they please, or observe the shows taking place outside.

Guessing games are had among the masked, and in one corner this has been taken to extreme. Black robes and eerie plague masks have been left for people to dress in so friends are forced to guess who they are through miming or voice. In another corner, a magician wows audiences and a women with a fogged crystal ball reads palms and gives fortunes.

The tables are set to the sides of the ballroom and far apart to allow plentiful dancing space. The food is, of course, a marvellous feast of all sorts of fruits, meats, breads, and more. One doesn't even need rise from the table to talk to another across the room; in each section a messenger bird, a colorful falcon-hawk muttation, awaiting notes that may be offered to it and the instruction as to whom they need deliver to. Notes can be signed or left unsigned and written in fullest honesty. The messenger birds are as obedient as any Avox, but far more fun! If perhaps slightly more susceptible to trickery, stealing napkins, food, and other things as commanded by mischievous children and adults alike.

Outside are all manner of games and shows in a great festival lit by torchlight and friendly glowing lightening-faerie muttations. Jugglers and jesters, stilt-walkers and fire-eaters. There's no end to the entertainment. There are medieval stocks set up for individuals to enact vegetable justice upon the volunteers, and some to simply take pictures with.

A chained bear dances to music played upon harps, drums, lutes, viols, crumhorns, pipe and tabors, and more! Both outside and within the ballroom dances are taking place. Some dances have patterns that can be easily follow and kept up with. Others are rehearsed by that of performers. The music plays soft and gentle, fast and lively, and all in between, some featuring bards singing their songs. Some of these songs may just be about you.

In brewing witches pots, sparkling and smoking with their magic, projections of the arena can be watched. Small ones are set upon the tables while larger ones sit outside. When those feasting are not cheering for that, they may do so for the rounds archery done with suction-cup arrows. Or perhaps the Jousting, of which there is both an option for guest participation with foam lances, cushioned ground, and animatronic horses, as well as the option of observing the real deal of jousting, with professional riders and performers, one for each District and The Capitol as well. Or perhaps you might head on down to view the axe-throwing competition? Or maybe you will sign up for pageant of beauty and talents. There's a place for children to play Nine-Man Morris and of course a keg and bar for the adults.

There is a stable, a pond, and a beautiful garden beyond the shows and performances. A gazebo goes out over the water, unintentionally modern as a part of the original building, but lovely nonetheless.

Why, there's just so much to do, it's hard not to see why the place is crowded and full with attendants. In fact, it's just noisy enough that some people might get away with saying a word or two they wouldn't be able to elsewhere. Things, and people, could easily hide right in plain sight...

Comments

because it was perfect for inflicting pain.

[shiftingurbulls]

"Fuck that," by taking Nick away, Ellis wasn't all aboard the Capitol supporting wagon. He was bitter, nauseous and losing his dinner, "Honeybee, we gotta find someplace private an' head back som'how...there should be som' medical assistance in there."

"They can get more offworlders, we're jus' the flavor o' the month...look at how easily they discarded Nick an' he was the better contender." There was no denying that deep hurt.

[somegrimshit]

"Ellis, hush your mouth!" Rochelle hissed, on edge and looking around, as though waiting for peacekeepers to come and arrest them where they stood, undoubtedly more concerned with their sedition than their illness. She squeezed his arm worried, as though expecting to have to run with him. But no one came, everyone more concerned with their own troubles than Ellis' angry murmurs. She gave a small sigh, ducking her head back down as she hustled along with him, trying to find somewhere safe and secluded.

"Nick was a good contender. The Capitol wouldn't have dropped him if they could help it. Think about it Ellis--They got people in here who tried to hurt the Capitol, you think they're gonna pull Nick before one of them? Doesn't make sense." She was trying to keep Ellis calm, not out of some love for the Capitol. She wasn't crazy about the place, but it was better than where they'd been, and it was the only option for them now.

Nick had been insistent that they find their places here. Rochelle wasn't going to let him down.

"Here, Ellis." It was a secluded little bench--Probably for couples trying to get away from a party. "We'll stay here until we can get to the tower, okay?"

[shiftingurbulls]

El quickly caught the implied message, that he shouldn't badmouth the people hosting their very lives, and stated loud enough that any passerby could understand, "I'm sorry...I'm delirious, I dunno wha' I'm sayin'...I'm in so much pain, I speak nonsense."

To be fair, he speaks nonsense all the damn time but this was one occasion he could easily blame the illness wrecking all the Tributes. "Are they gonna help us? Are they gonna make us feel better?"

As soon as they sat down on the bench, he let Rochelle rest her head on his lap, affections they both needed since they lost their friend. "I don't wanna think this is the Green Flu all over again, babygirl."

[somegrimshit]

"Y'always speak nonsense." She replied cheerfully, though she didn't feel much cheerful. But hopefully with all of the chaos, Ellis would be forgiven a few slipped words. No, he definitely would be. As they sank down, and her head hit his lap, she gave a long, drawn out sigh.

"I know, Ellis. I don't, either. But--I mean. We're immune, aren't we? So even if we carried it, we'd be okay. This ain't the Green Flu. I don't know what it is. But listen here, Heehaw, we're gonna get through it." She closes her eyes, letting the dizziness overtake her. It hurt, but she had Ellis to stabilize her. He sure was good at that.

"I don't know. Let's just...rest for now. We can figure out how to get to the Tower once we're fit for long distances again." As much pain as she was in, she wasn't real eager to get moving.

[shiftingurbulls]

"I don't wanna sleep, Ro, I wanna know we'll wake up," Ellis rambled on in his delirium, "I don't care if we wake up back home...I just wanna know we'll both be there for each other." In the haze of it all, he briefly forgot about his home, as if he'd been in Panem all this time. The moment that thought came, El put it to pasture, because he wouldn't forget Keith, Dave, Coach and Nick.

"Did I ever tell ya about th' time Keith tried to do a keg stand with rollerblades? He thought he could do it on a dare an' he broke almost every bone on his left arm. It...it was funny, though Dave called him out on it, which made it funnier." The more he talked, the more he drifted.

[somegrimshit]

Rochelle sat up, and held Ellis against her, humming as he spoke. Was sleep a good thing in this? It was probably the only way to let him not feel pain. So she moved aside his hat to stroke his hair, nodding, and then quietly laughing at his story. "I can imagine." She replied, wrapping her other arm around him.

"We'll wake up, and we won't be home. But we'll be together. I promise, Ellis. I'm never going to leave you. I'm...I'm working at getting out of the arena, and then we're going to get you out. You know what you could do? When you feel better, you can start working on cars and stuff again. Try getting sponsored at mechanic stores, stuff like that. Get your name out there." She pressed her face against his, voice low and calm.

"I won't die and not come back, Ellis. I promise. I'll always be with you."

[shiftingurbulls]

"You better no just disappear Ro...yer my big sis..." Ellis murmured with a smile, "I wanna be able to bring ya someone for dinner."

If Rochelle kept an eye on Ellis, this would come as no surprise that he was showing interest in a Tribute. A survivor like they were, and thankfully, not one of the people responsible for killing their Nick. If this illness went away long enough, maybe they could...nah. Instead the mechanic focused on things like the future. "Open a shop, serve ya som' lemonade, an' peach cobbler. Call it a day an' never worry about food."

[somegrimshit]

Rochelle certainly had her suspicions, because she had been keeping a sharp eye on Ellis. She would be lying if she said that she wasn't surprised by his choice, but the man seemed decent enough, from what she could tell. And the way that the others spoke about him. After all, she'd stayed with his group after both he and Ellis died. Still, no need to jump to conclusions. So, instead of any names...

"I'll be here, El. So you can bring me whoever you want for dinner. Maybe I'll scrap up some unfortunate soul to bring, too. How's that sound?" Not that she was any less subtle in who she'd been spending a lot of her time with. "I'd love some peach cobbler, though. I wouldn't miss that for anything, alright?"

[shiftingurbulls]

"I bet you'll find a fine gentleman, Ro, this place ain't so bad," this was Ellis speaking the truth. Aside from the death matches, the constant scrutiny and risk of illness, Panem was still miles better than surviving on a desolate United States. The mechanic wondered just how badly the Green Flu struck them in their own minds, how did they all come to meet at the roof of that hotel. Ellis had seen families run together... but not before eliminating their Infected loved ones. That alone broke a bit of his heart, and he wondered if Rochelle had to put down a friend or two in the rush.

"I'll spare a slice for Nick," El let slip in, and the worst part? He'd actually do it: set a plate to an empty chair. When the mechanic cared for someone, he did so fiercely and unyielding.

[somegrimshit]

There was a reason she didn't talk much about her past, before the Green Flu. And if it came up, she didn't refer to her family. Didn't ask, didn't tell. It seemed to be an unspoken rule among the survivors. Why bother bringing up something that hurt that much. Something that terrible, that just about everyone else alive had suffered. In their own world, it was easy to do. There was so much else to focus on, that ignoring family was hardly a task.

It's harder, here.

"This place isn't so bad at all, no. And I'm going to get out of the arena, and then I'm going to get you out, too. And we'll be able to go back to...to really living. Not just surviving. You can open up a mechanic shop and I'll be a reporter." She assured him, face soft. "As for Nick...I think he'd appreciate you sparing a drink of liquor more." She give a breathless little laugh, an attempt at humor. "But you know he'd just scoff when he got it, even if he liked it."

[shiftingurbulls]

"Wha' are you talkin' about?" Ellis blinked blearily, "Are ya petitionin' out?"

The idea was deeply conflicting for the mechanic, because as much as he wanted to win an Arena for his mentors and to ensure he and Rochelle were cared for life, he wanted to stop dying. He wanted to sponsor, to bring help to those who really needed it...that was Nick's plan, right? And most of all, he just wanted to settle down and finally live again, back to that sleepy life in Savannah.

"Oh honey, I hope you're successful..."

[somegrimshit]

"That was the plan we made, wasn't it?" It feels like forever ago, the three of them meeting in that bar and figuring out their goals, how to get the three of them out of the arena. The plans had been changed, now that Nick was gone, but it didn't mean that it was over. Rochelle was going to make sure that it happened--just took some extra work, was all.

"I've got a job with Celebrus, writing articles for them. I'm getting sponsors, I'm getting contacts. And when I get out, I'm going to work to get you out, alright? If you want to start doing mechanical...stuff...Getting sponsors from a mechanic's shop, or something?" She rubbed his arm soothingly, trying to think of what else. Maybe it'd be easier, once she was out. Once she had seen how it was done.

"But we're going pull this off. No matter what."

[shiftingurbulls]

Ellis smiled as he felt marginally better about this sort of decisions he was supposed to come, "I can do tha', I can get some wiles going...this is our home now." It's with the second wind that he tries to roll out of the bench and holds his hand to Rochelle, to help her get to the Tribute Center and not look back.

"Nick would like us to have a classy place to crash on if he comes back...tha' rich bitch will need a place to get his bearings, huh?" he snarked, "But if he does, we can have 'im petition out."