Post by wordy on Dec 18, 2009 12:38:42 GMT 10
Title: Grownups
Rating (and Warnings): G
Prompt: #17 Feast
Summary: Feasts and friends go hand in hand.
Gary stroked his moustache and looked out across the room. It was the third night of balls and feasting for midwinter, and he was getting tired. Cythera didn't seem to be, for she was still talking animatedly to the other two people on their table, smiling and waving her hands about. Gary was glad that he'd been seated on the end, for once.
At the next table, he could see Raoul, Buri, Alanna, and George having a ball - no pun intended - and wondered how on earth the four of them managed to get a table together. Master Oakbridge usually organised a strict seating plan, so that you ended up sitting with some obscure lord or one of the Yamani ladies. Once, when Cythera hadn't been with him, Gary had spent hours trying to make awkward dinner conversation with an old couple who were half deaf.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jon and Thayet rise from their table, signalling that everyone could now move about freely and mingle. They looked wonderful, as usual: Jonathon dressed in his favourite blue and Thayet in crimson.
"Gary, I'll be right back," Cythera said suddenly, touching him on the arm and then disappearing. He didn't bother to look and see where she had gone - I'll be right back actually meant I'm going to go and talk to everyone I've ever met, don't wait for me. At least, that's what usually happened. The couple at the other end of the table smiled politely at him before leaving as well.
He watched the room for a while, not very eager to leave without Cythera but not feeling like making an effort and socialising either. After a while, he felt a presence behind him, and turned to find Alanna pulling up the chair next to him.
She sighed. "It's been a long night."
"And it's only going to get longer," Gary replied, taking a long swig from his wine cup. Alanna rested her chin in her hand, purple eyes distant as she watched the crowd around them.
"I never thought I'd get used to this," she said.
"Used to what?"
She motioned to the room in general. "This. Parties. Balls. Great feasts. Don't you remember our page years? I hated it."
Gary thought for a moment. "I always thought that was because you didn't want to dance. Being, you know, a girl and all."
That made Alanna laugh. "That's true. You guys seemed to have it so easy. I dreaded it when there were girls around, because they always seemed to head straight for me."
"Yeah, well that was partly Jon's fault. You know he told them all to dance with you."
Alanna shook her head. "Even after all these years, that doesn't surprise me."
They drifted into a comfortable silence. Gary thought about their page years. He and Alanna - Alan, back then - had been best friends. Until they became squires, and Jon and Alan became inseperable. After that...they just grew apart.
Maybe feasts weren't so bad, Gary thought, looking beside him at Alanna. It brought old friends back together, something they would never get the chance to do during the year. Everyone was too busy now, being grownups.
Gary smiled and motioned for the closest page to refill his wine.
Rating (and Warnings): G
Prompt: #17 Feast
Summary: Feasts and friends go hand in hand.
Gary stroked his moustache and looked out across the room. It was the third night of balls and feasting for midwinter, and he was getting tired. Cythera didn't seem to be, for she was still talking animatedly to the other two people on their table, smiling and waving her hands about. Gary was glad that he'd been seated on the end, for once.
At the next table, he could see Raoul, Buri, Alanna, and George having a ball - no pun intended - and wondered how on earth the four of them managed to get a table together. Master Oakbridge usually organised a strict seating plan, so that you ended up sitting with some obscure lord or one of the Yamani ladies. Once, when Cythera hadn't been with him, Gary had spent hours trying to make awkward dinner conversation with an old couple who were half deaf.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jon and Thayet rise from their table, signalling that everyone could now move about freely and mingle. They looked wonderful, as usual: Jonathon dressed in his favourite blue and Thayet in crimson.
"Gary, I'll be right back," Cythera said suddenly, touching him on the arm and then disappearing. He didn't bother to look and see where she had gone - I'll be right back actually meant I'm going to go and talk to everyone I've ever met, don't wait for me. At least, that's what usually happened. The couple at the other end of the table smiled politely at him before leaving as well.
He watched the room for a while, not very eager to leave without Cythera but not feeling like making an effort and socialising either. After a while, he felt a presence behind him, and turned to find Alanna pulling up the chair next to him.
She sighed. "It's been a long night."
"And it's only going to get longer," Gary replied, taking a long swig from his wine cup. Alanna rested her chin in her hand, purple eyes distant as she watched the crowd around them.
"I never thought I'd get used to this," she said.
"Used to what?"
She motioned to the room in general. "This. Parties. Balls. Great feasts. Don't you remember our page years? I hated it."
Gary thought for a moment. "I always thought that was because you didn't want to dance. Being, you know, a girl and all."
That made Alanna laugh. "That's true. You guys seemed to have it so easy. I dreaded it when there were girls around, because they always seemed to head straight for me."
"Yeah, well that was partly Jon's fault. You know he told them all to dance with you."
Alanna shook her head. "Even after all these years, that doesn't surprise me."
They drifted into a comfortable silence. Gary thought about their page years. He and Alanna - Alan, back then - had been best friends. Until they became squires, and Jon and Alan became inseperable. After that...they just grew apart.
Maybe feasts weren't so bad, Gary thought, looking beside him at Alanna. It brought old friends back together, something they would never get the chance to do during the year. Everyone was too busy now, being grownups.
Gary smiled and motioned for the closest page to refill his wine.