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'The Feast' Day 2
Atop Aegon's High Hill, the Red Keep stood silhouetted against a magnificent sunrise, but the dark line of clouds swept closer from the north. The ominous rumbling of distant thunder rolled through the city's streets, just audible over the usual cacaphony of Kings Landing.
The bright banners of the noble colors rippled in a breeze that slowly worked its way from pleasant to gusty and as evening fell it would become a howling wind. In the Red Keep itself there was a constant hum of excitement, boiling over into chaos and working its way into a storm to equal that which broke outside as the sun set- maids and squires dashed madly here and there to secure that last necessity for their lords' and ladies' night of gaeity. Gloves, shoes, lost hairpins, faulty laces, loose stitches, errant beads had all to be fixed by the evening. Questions of precedence, seating arrangements, entertainments, all had to be answered, for the nobles and heroes of the land were gathered inside at last, preparing for a feast and a celebration the likes of which had not been seen for generations.
Tonight would be the first great feast of the week as King William welcomed his guests and announced the entertainments which would come in the following week. Word had ciculated that there would be no tourney, no great gathering of knights and warriors out of respect for the last king- other kings might have staged a great masque, but this was a Stark monarchy and no one was sure what might be in store.
The roads to the keep were filled with a steady line of merchants bringing casks of wine, the troupes of musicians, dancers acrobats and magicians who would perform before the gathered worthies. Meanwhile, within the city walls even the smallfolk were abuzz, though they were more concerned with what damage the storm might bring as they secured shutters and brought down some of the banners which had so brightened the city.
In the harbor, ships were being anchored, sails furled, and knots secured as the storm came ever closer. Yet despite the oncoming weather, many nobles and worthies found the chaos of the Red Keep overwhelming, and several small parties rode off, falcons at their wrists or bows slung across their saddles. Hunting, hawking, or simply riding- any excuse to be out of the way, or perhaps there were things which must be said outside the ever-listening walls of the castle.
That evening, as the feast began so too did the storm. Within the great hall, the music and firelight softened the melee outside, wrapping the guests in a cocoon of silk and laughter. Yet without, the north wind howled like a direwolf through the stones of Maegor's holdfast and the ancient ghosts of the Keep shrieked in answer. Rain fell in sheets and soon enough there came hail as well, some as large as a child's fist. Lightning lit the sky in bursts as bright as daylight and thunder crashed loud enough some swore it might raise the dead and many whispered prayers to the Seven to let the night pass quickly.
Open Threads:
A meeting of the Stark family
The arrival of the Lannister family.
The arrival of Hester Arryn
The Small Feast
A casual courtyard meeting.
Completed:
Casual union of the Stark women.
The arrival of Elia Martell
The reunion of Elia and Prosperyn Martell.
The bright banners of the noble colors rippled in a breeze that slowly worked its way from pleasant to gusty and as evening fell it would become a howling wind. In the Red Keep itself there was a constant hum of excitement, boiling over into chaos and working its way into a storm to equal that which broke outside as the sun set- maids and squires dashed madly here and there to secure that last necessity for their lords' and ladies' night of gaeity. Gloves, shoes, lost hairpins, faulty laces, loose stitches, errant beads had all to be fixed by the evening. Questions of precedence, seating arrangements, entertainments, all had to be answered, for the nobles and heroes of the land were gathered inside at last, preparing for a feast and a celebration the likes of which had not been seen for generations.
Tonight would be the first great feast of the week as King William welcomed his guests and announced the entertainments which would come in the following week. Word had ciculated that there would be no tourney, no great gathering of knights and warriors out of respect for the last king- other kings might have staged a great masque, but this was a Stark monarchy and no one was sure what might be in store.
The roads to the keep were filled with a steady line of merchants bringing casks of wine, the troupes of musicians, dancers acrobats and magicians who would perform before the gathered worthies. Meanwhile, within the city walls even the smallfolk were abuzz, though they were more concerned with what damage the storm might bring as they secured shutters and brought down some of the banners which had so brightened the city.
In the harbor, ships were being anchored, sails furled, and knots secured as the storm came ever closer. Yet despite the oncoming weather, many nobles and worthies found the chaos of the Red Keep overwhelming, and several small parties rode off, falcons at their wrists or bows slung across their saddles. Hunting, hawking, or simply riding- any excuse to be out of the way, or perhaps there were things which must be said outside the ever-listening walls of the castle.
That evening, as the feast began so too did the storm. Within the great hall, the music and firelight softened the melee outside, wrapping the guests in a cocoon of silk and laughter. Yet without, the north wind howled like a direwolf through the stones of Maegor's holdfast and the ancient ghosts of the Keep shrieked in answer. Rain fell in sheets and soon enough there came hail as well, some as large as a child's fist. Lightning lit the sky in bursts as bright as daylight and thunder crashed loud enough some swore it might raise the dead and many whispered prayers to the Seven to let the night pass quickly.
Open Threads:
A meeting of the Stark family
The arrival of the Lannister family.
The arrival of Hester Arryn
The Small Feast
A casual courtyard meeting.
Completed:
Casual union of the Stark women.
The arrival of Elia Martell
The reunion of Elia and Prosperyn Martell.