Rose Red (Open Partay!)

[`Terra Aetara ♥]

((So, out of boredom today, I decided to whip out a party post, for Terra's 14th birthday. Feel free to join in if you wanna! ))

After Vita's prank on not only Maelstrom but Terra as well, in which the siblings had to walk around for most of the day as switched genders, it was Pernicious that had finally blown a gasket and made Vita turn them back to normal. Terra had actually been glad to be turned back into her normal self. Female issues aside, it was a whole lot better than being stuck as a teenage male. Ew.

It was around that time, even though she and Maelstrom were having a laughing fit over the day's events, that Pernicious had dragged Terra away to get ready for the ball that night. Yet another birthday had come and of course it was another reason for a party. Pernicious seemed especially interested in this one, if only because Terra had finally decided to join the rest of the Old Powers in puberty. Just meant there was a chance to start setting her up with potential suitors. Which only made Terra giggle. She wasn't yet too interested in the opposite sex. Sure, she had a slight crush on Lucient at the moment, but it was passing and besides, boys were just... jerks. Especially her brother. The nerve of him laughing at her that morning... but she did have to admit, her temper tantrum had been amusing.

All through having her hair and makeup done, and then fitted for a dress that she could actually get on, Pernicious had gone on and on about who was coming, all the higher ups, the status of the ball, blah blah blah. After five minutes, Terra had blocked her out, thinking about how fun it would be to dance and play with her friends. And then there was always sure to be good food. She really wanted sweets, but every time she'd tried to escape for the kitchen she'd gotten round up yet again. She just didn't get the big deal. She could just throw on a dress and run down to the ball like she usually did. No need to get fancy. She was probably going to wind up playing in the gardens anyway. And her mother's only response was to stop being so childish. How ridiculous.

Thankfully, losing herself in thought had made the time go by faster, and before she knew it, it was time to head down to the ballroom. She was glad the maids hadn't put her hair up in some fancy, intricate updo. They'd just managed to get rid of the ever-present tangles and her hair was all nice and shiny now. She kind of liked it, and made note to ask the maids how they had managed that. Maybe she'd try herself? And another thing she was grateful for was there wasn't much makeup, just some kohl liner, much to her mother's dismay. That woman was always wearing enough makeup to cover all of Elementis.

Terra shuddered a bit as she stepped behind her mother, waiting for the doors to open for them. She'd heard mostly everyone was already inside and she wanted to hurry up and see her friends. Maybe she'd even work up the nerve to ask Lucient to dance. If not, she could always dance with Vita and Ombra. She really just wanted to dance around and play with her new dress. More feminine than what she was used to, but the skirts were bound to spin around a lot, which she loved. And it was light enough that she didn't feel like she was suffocating. A nice white linen shift, a full skirt and at the waist it was decorated in freshly picked flowers that trailed along the skirt to the hem.

Could anyone guess why she liked it so much? Why, it was because of all the flowers, of course!

Grinning and playing with one of the flowers, she let herself be ushered forward. Her grin dropped momentarily when her mother smacked her hand away from the flower, not wanting the dress to be ruined, but it was back up the moment she got to go into the ballroom and desert her mother after the announcement. As long as she was out of Pernicious' line of sight, she could do as she pleased. And if the dress got a little ruined.... Shh, she'd never know it was Terra's fault.

She skipped to the first friend she saw, waving a hello. "Let's ignore the mingling part and go dance!"

((So, whoever wants to be the Old Power she's harassing, go for it!))

[doreyg]

Mors has no idea why she's attending this ball, she thinks its mainly because Vita likes Terra and so dragged her along... And okay, maybe she does have some affection towards Terra herself but that doesn't explain why she's here... She's pretty sure that a overly skinny fourteen (nearly fifteen) year old girl in a dusty old dress has no place here.

So when Terra asks her to dance Mors gives her a slightly odd stare but smiles and nods anyway... The thing is that she really loathes Terra's mother... And her daughter dancing with the goddess of Death will really splat the ladies plans for the evening.

[lily tomlinson]

Funny thing about Terra is, she has yet to dislike anyone. She's still trusting. She still even likes her mother, being the naive one that she is. She also just can't help being friendly, especially with those that she already knows, and feels a connection with. Besides, just because Mors' powers could be scary, didn't mean Terra should hold that against the person who had that power. She could see they were separate.

And even if Mors wasn't what her mother would want Terra associating with, she didn't care. So what if her dress was a bit dusty? So what if she was overly skinny? She was still a friend, and that's all that mattered.

Still grinning, Terra looped an arm through Mors' and dragged her to the floor. There were many older people dancing the proper dances of the time, and she hadn't yet seen any of the other Old Powers that were known to always make parties more entertaining, so it looked like first trouble was up to Mors and Terra. Besides, you don't waltz to drums. Ever. It just wasn't done. Drums were a physical music, meant to get lost in the beat of each hand against stretched leather. It was meant for the body to move, it was meant for magic. Not propriety.

"Who votes we show these old priests how you're really supposed to dance to drums?" Terra whispered conspiratorially to her dancing partner. It was a well-known fact among the Old Powers that Terra had a wicked mischievous streak.

And drums... She couldn't have picked someone better. Drums were a beat of death, of war and bloodshed. Drums could signify turmoil and destruction, but Terra also knew that drums were the primal sound of the earth, of trees rising into the skies and tremors shaking the lands. Drums were her favorite.

~

Enter Vita. The woman of background scenes and expert mingling. The quiet bookworm and the blunt flirt. The woman of two extremes, you could say. She had forgone the grand entrance, choosing instead to enter through on of the side doors and talk quietly amongst the priests and servants. She did not distinguish between upper class and lower; she was not one who cared much for status quos. And though most of the Temple-goers, being of the upper class, tended to shun her, it was the intelligent conversation that she usually offered, or silence when it was what was needed, that got them to at least mingle. It was hard for them not to; Life was a social person by nature, and her company was normally not so bothersome since she knew when to keep her mouth shut.

She was dressed much like Mors, in a slightly dusty dress that had once been a rose pink, a linen shift that did nothing to show anything off. Being a traveller, not having been born into a higher caste, tended to mean little money for frivolous dresses, though Vita absolutely loved dresses. She often dreamed of being able to buy some beautiful and elegant dress that she could wear all the time. One of these days, she'd learn the art of sewing, and then her and her sister could both have pretty dresses. People would have to find more creative prejudices for them, rather than just on their clothes.

Smiling softly to a servant who offered her a glass of wine, she turned her eyes to the dance floor, looking for some friends. She saw Terra and Mors on the dance floor and her smile grew. Who'd have thought that would come about? But it was sure to be more entertaining that just standing around all evening listening to Pernicious preach to every important guest in attendance.

[poseidon]

Poseidon had capitulated to yet another one of his father's wishes and come to another ball. Dressed up. Made himself socialize. Even at fourteen he was a very shy boy, preferring the familiar company of Terra and the others, but usually on a one on one basis. Socializing with those his father worked with was not his idea of a pleasant time. He wasn't a cosmopolite, at home in every place, but more of a solitary person, finding happiness in the little things, the unknown places.

An Aetara Ball was not one of those places, but he tended to be silently obedient, and it was his best friend's birthday. It was amusing that after all this time of Terra wanting to grow up like the others, she finally had and was now uncomfortable with it. Welcome to the land of adults, darling. It was a sarcastic thought, one he would not dare to share with anyone, except perhaps Terra. His own transformation had been a slow one as well, but steady, predictable. His had come on like the tides, slowly rising until at it's full peak. He'd had enough time to realize what was happening, and to remain outwardly calm about it.

The hormones on the other hand....

He glanced around the sea of faces, subtly looking for the person his hormones tended to go out of sync for. The last person anyone would expect or approve of. Finding no one, he pursed his lips and sunk deeper into the crowd, hoping to avoid any more of his father's people. It was then he finally got a glimpse of Terra. He'd seen her earlier, but now it seemed she was rebelling instinctively against Pernicious. Perfect choice of dance partner. He had to admit the chosen action was quite laudable, commendable, though he wasn't much one for stirring up trouble.

Call him uptight, call him feminine, call him what you will. He was just a peaceful sort of guy. He didn't like drama, and never started it himself. If he had problems, even now he was good at keeping it to himself. And if other's had problems that only he knew of, silence was a close friend of his.

Offering up a smile for when Terra was in sight, he quickly found himself a table near the back. He was bored, lonely, but as things were it was much better than trying to be outgoing. It just wasn't in him.

[ombra]

Ombra was in some dark, secret corner with someone almost as dark as she was; an old man who wanted power. Petitioned her for it. Begged her for it. Didn't matter that she was only a girl, not at this point, and not with these people; see how he begs? All urgency. See how she listens? No, you don't, because this is happening in a dark and secret corner.

--

Ares wasn't somewhere dark or secret; he was in the middle of a crowd of young men. They all want to be near him, because they want his luck to rub off; when there's war, and there's war now, just being his friend is a guarantee of luck and life, of fame and glory; he's laughing, head thrown back, and nobody's thrown so much as a punch. It doesn't always happen.

When the birthday girl arrives, he notices. He's still smiling, but he lifts his head and watches her; he's too well-mannered (he is, shh) to double-take or anything but suddenly Terra has curves; suddenly she looks like a woman. Not that boy's aren't fine and dandy, in their place, so the boyish figure had never really put Ares off, but he did like his women beautiful. And all women were his women. They were just divided into two categories: unconquered, and conquered.

He isn't thinking any of that when Terra enters; he's thinking, wow, she's suddenly lovely. Also, better go wish her a happy birthday. Also, that Mors, oh, that Mors; he's as deeply drawn to death as he is to life; War throws both into such stark relief. The point is: He excuses himself from his hangers on by pretty much dropping everything and cutting across the floor toward Terra and Mors. When he hits the arena -- the dance floor -- his body goes all sinuousity, 'cause of the drums, and then!

He's wrapping an arm around Terra's waist and twirling her away from Death, onto his other side, flashing Death a devastation grin. He doesn't ask, of course; Ares isn't big into 'asking' whether or not he can take something. He just takes it, and deals with any struggles that result as they come.

[`Terra Aetara ♥]

Terra had been having a great time dancing with Mors, a great time dancing in general, which was no surprise. She hadn't even noticed when Ares had come up until he was swinging her away. But she didn't really mind. She wasn't one of the people that hated him, nor was she one of the women who was attracted either. She just saw him as another good friend, and was happy to have another person to dance with.

Waving a goodbye to Mors, she smiled at Ares. Dancing was so much fun. That was the only thing she loved about the balls her mother threw. If she was bored, she could always spend her night dancing away. If she was forced to mingle, she could hide on the dance floor. It was a win-win situation in her mind.

"You know, Ares, it's usually proper manners to ask to cut in before doing so," she jokingly scolded before twirling around a few times and then returning. She really didn't mind, and didn't think that Mors would either, but she still had to mention it just for the kicks.

[ombra]

Ah. That old 'just another good friend' line. It would be overcome; he'd overcome greater obstacles -- for instance, Lucient's presence -- in the pursuit of girls. Ares grins, all smolderdark, all catastrophe-warning; the boy is dangerous. And he dances with energy. Doesn't, actually, touch Terra inappropriately at this juncture in time. He has MANNERS, damn it.

"That is just untrue," Ares says. "If I asked every person I cut before I cut them I'd never spill any blood; besides, I just conquered a new kingdom; I get to set the rules for myself. Of course," he confides, "I won't keep it for very long; I can already feel it. Then it'll be back to mercenary work; today, though, I'm a king."

He twirls her. "What do you want for your birth day, sweet Flower?"

[`Terra Aetara ♥]

"Yes, but you don't have to listen to their answers," Terra said with a laugh. "It's just the asking part that's considered mannerly. But shh, I won't tell anybody."

She decides she likes dancing with Ares. He's got energy, she's got it too. It's different, but still there. And he's so much fun.

"The dancing is perfect for me. I don't need anything else for my birthday. Unless you've got some good food in mind...."

Truthfully, Terra was never one who wanted much for anything. She was simple. Just companionship and a fun time was all she needed. Presents were always a nice surprise, but she could never say what to get her. She was happy with anything.

[doreyg]

Mors starts for a second but then her face flashes into a smile that is entirely wicked, she's had a fun time so far and it's only fair to allow Ares a go at annoying Terra's mother as well, Death doesn't get jealous, as long as the lives keep coming to her.

The wickedness melts into a wildfire grin, she waves slightly at Terra and then glances around the hall, rising on the tips of her toes.

There must be some other fun to be had here.