The Banquet of Plenty - Open

Max:

Walking into the great hall was something to marvel at. I walked in with the rest, Alex and Tyren, Alba and Joe, myself and Tara. All of us are separate pairs of siblings, all cousins to the other. The film had just played, and I could feel the weight of the night ahead on me. Though, I knew what was around the corner. The Dance. Everybody gets a partner, whether they knew somebody or not, and they got up into the dance floor in two lines. Boys one side, girls the other. The person opposite was your starting partner, and you would dance the basic waltz together with everybody around you. It was tradition, and sometimes it was quite fun. The usual tendencies for people's partners were that you would go with you actual partner, wife or whatever. Those without would go with family members of the opposite gender, and if there were none you would either sit down or find somebody who doesn't have a partner. That's for later though. The food is now, then the dance.

Sitting at Alex and Tyren's table means I am closest to the music. It's nice, a light classical type. I enjoy it, and let it flow around me a little. Zoning off. "Hey, talking to you." I get from Alba. Her attitude grows on you after a while. "Pass me that glass would you?" She's deadly serious too, pointing to my champagne glass which is only half full. I raise a brow at her. "Here, I hate the stuff anyway." It's strange that the sixteen year old likes it more than me, the nineteen year old.

.:- Tyren Orca-:.

Tyren:

So for the dance, me and Alba will start off together. It's strange to think that the moment you go up there you could be with any girl out of the whole room. Friend or foe, love or loss. Thankfully, I've got few enemies that I can count, and if I could it would only be on one hand. Friends, I've got a few out there. Not as many as Alex. Matthew is probably the only notable one out there, safe some of my old school friends who will no doubt make an appearance, probably at the bar.

"Happy birthday!" I hear in the corner of my ear, which makes me turn to some relatives who hug me with all the enthusiasm of a proper birthday party. They follow suit with Alex and we both catch a glimpse of each other with a slight roll of the eye after they leave. "Come on, I need some fresh air before the dance." He says to me. "Agreed." When we get up those around the table look at us curiously but only Max actually gets up too. It's usual at this point in the party for people to get up and mingle. We're going outside though because that's where the air is.

On my way out I catch a glimpse of Matt nodding at me. Instead of following Alex and Max I slip off to Matt's table and take a seat next to him. I should have expected the better looking girls to be here. "You alright?" I know it's not his scene, and it's hardly mine either.

The outdoors is fresh on my skin, Alex is behind me as we're walking through the lush greenery of the garden. I take it in, familiarizing myself with the smells. We walk down a couple of steps and there's a bench with tulips, and a girl nearby. I make it seem like I haven't noticed her because the real reason I'm out here is still yet to be shown.

I spark up my lighter and slip a cigarette into my mouth, eyeing Alex with a don't you go telling your mother look. He smirks at me. I look on over to the girl, except she doesn't look like any girl. She looks around my age, I doubt it though. Girls these days with all their fearsome features. Hell, she's probably closer to Alex's age, seventeen. Wait, eighteen now. Obviously.

"So how're you enjoying your party so far?" I ask him. He nods at me with a smile that can only mean one answer. "It's great. Intentionally not my scene, yet I still like it." He confirms my suspicion. My eighteenth had a similar party except it was much less grand with less people. That was only last year. "It's good, enjoy it. Who's your dance partner again?" He looks at me as though he was unaware. "Dance partner?" I nod my head towards the girl by the bench. "Mhm~" I hint. He looks, getting a bit embarrassed. "But..."

"No buts, go on. Whilst I finish this." I look down my nose at the cigarette that I'm about half way through. He eyes it briefly, and I know what's going through his head. What's it like. The answer is, bad, but he's been told that enough by everyone else. I clearly ignored that. He turns to look at her, his red suit jacket standing out a little in the garden whilst his black dress pants, waistcoat and shoes keep a decent contrast. "Are you cold?" He starts. "Here." He takes off his suit jacket, holding it out to her kindly. Such charm, only seen in Orcas.

I watch him over there. He's holding out his jacket for her but I hear her decline it. "No thank you." At least she's polite, it seems. Though I would have expected her to take it, she does look cold. Maybe she's too proud to. She looks tough though, even from back here. I have a couple of second thoughts about sending Alex out there, but he is now. Hopefully he can cope with it. He's not stupid, and he's by no means incapable. I know that he's physically and mentally strong. They call him the 'bridge' of any conversation, because he seems to settle all the arguments.

"Suit yourself." He says, and I roll my eyes a little. He stays by here though, and I'm not sure why. He is one for sticking things out even when they're tough. Like his time as a career. He still goes and trains with his brother Tyren, even Alba and Joe sometimes. Physically, he should be quite strong. He uses the bow though, that much I know. Apparently he's relentless with it, him and Tyren are unstoppable if together. Probably the reason they both joined the Peacekeeper Academy, or are going to.

The cigarette in my hand comes to a stop as I stop inhaling from it and stamp it out nonchalantly on the floor. I take a seat on the bench next to me, still a fair distance from them. The scene is beautiful. I wish I was the one doing the gentlemanly thing right now, but that's just me. I don't do all that.

"Enjoying the party then?" He asks her. He feel obliged to do so, since it's his party. "I mean, I know it's a lot to take in at first, but you get used to it I guess." He adds, wanting to start at least a conversation, avoiding one word answers. I was expecting a lot from this girl, coming outside at the start of the party. Maybe she doesn't want to be here, actually, now that I come to think of it.

The outdoors is beautiful, in absolute seriousness. The moonlight is practically the only thing lighting the garden besides the outdoor lights next to the main back door. The sound of the quartet is flowing out and hovering just within range of hearing. The smell is of the outdoors, yet you can hear the guests inside getting along nicely. It's wonderful, if only the party were outdoors I may enjoy it more. But it is good, still of course.