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Tweak says, "Pancakes are love"

Bellum Letale Tempus (bellum_tempus) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-06-24 11:21:00

Entry tags:

plot: tempus, plot: xi

Russia, Day 4
Who: Group Xi
What: Dinner for the Grand Duke
Where: Alexander Palace
When: Day 4 (OOC, this will probably be open through the weekend)
Warnings: Could be anything. It's a party post.
Notes: Put your character's location in the subject line!

Dinner is an opulent affair.

The formal dining room has place settings for all scheduled attendees. Darcy and Helena are seated at either side of the Grand Duke, who keeps taking liberties with his hands that everyone at the table can see (including Vlad). The dinner is informal, and parties can dine at their leisure while enjoying the other activities of the evening.

The ballroom is chandelier lit for the evening, and an orchestra plays formal dance music, though the collection of nationalities present means that anyone can dance without standing out (as long as they're appropriately attired). There are curtained alcoves off the ballroom that afford some privacy for those so inclined. Lvov will stop his spies periodically, reminding them of the price of betraying him, while Pavel will be watching Joanie from a distance throughout the evening.

[Guests: Helena, Darcy, Vlad, Luther, Joanie, Nicky, Ella, Tegan]

Palace employees are all working the evening of the dinner/dance, and they have access to clothing in the guests' rooms (should they want to crash the festivities), and to the entire palace (should they want to work).

[Palace employees: Oliver, Will, Sam, Rosalie, Jane!Vaughn]

Outside the palace, the mob has seen Vlad, and they remain convinced he's Rasputin and that Jane!Vaughn and Ella are his witches. Even Alexandra seems to feel the same way, as she keeps drawing him aside and whispering to him. The mob is also still in pursuit of a Beast and a Tiger. Therefore, our village-hangers-on have been forced to hide in and within the palace, to keep from getting pitchforked. This group better sneak a bath and some clothing if they want to enter the palace proper.

[Hiding in the Palace: Daniel, Sebastian, Lily, Bernadette ]

[This is a party style thread. Put your character's location within the palace in your subject line. Have dinner, mingle, dance, sneak into one of those alcoves, go take a bath in a huge claw-foot tub, steal clothes, eat the Grand Duke for hitting on your woman, have fun!]

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Re: Ballroom

nobleblood
2010-06-26 04:25 pm UTC (link)

The plan to not glare at the Grand Duke didn't get off to a very good start, but he managed to catch himself before too many people could notice and arrange his expression into a more appropriate one. It wasn't easy to dance and watch Helena at the same time, so he settled for a glance every now and then, just to keep her in sight.

She wants to talk, but I highly doubt speaking to her in private would look much better than this. With an inward sigh, Vlad realized he couldn't keep avoiding her when she was right in front of him. Finally meeting her gaze, he tried to look as though he only recognized her by reputation. "I think you have mistaken me for someone else," he said quietly, his voice barely a whisper to keep away the other curious dancers. Alexandra shook her head softly, seeming to some to some sort of conclusion. "You have no need to pretend with me," she whispered back in heavily accented English. "I heard the rumors, but I dared not believe... not until now."

He stared down at her, frowning; but Dracula's annoyed voice cut across his confusion, not caring about the fact that Helena could hear as well. Idiot. Can you not tell who she thinks you are?

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Re: Ballroom

old_fashioned
2010-06-26 05:35 pm UTC (link)

Just a split second after Dracula's voice Helena came to the same realization. Oh, no... She doesn't really think... It was difficult enough keeping two conversations going - one with Vlad and one with the Duke, who kept making idle compliments - and dancing as well. Her feet stumbled ever so slightly but it was noticeable enough for the Duke to pull her closer. He gave her an amused look and teased her for drinking too much wine, while slyly asking if she wished for more. She shook her head, making it a point to focus on her dancing and not look in Vlad's direction at all.

This is bad. If she thinks... If they think... They had all heard the rumors at the dinner table, that there were others who also thought they had seen the mystic roaming about. It wasn't just Alexandra they had to worry about. She wasn't sure if him running out where the mob was such a good idea, but at least it was open space. Here in the palace he'd be a sitting duck, particularly if the tsarina tried to make a scene. We need to get you out of here.

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Re: Ballroom

nobleblood
2010-06-26 05:56 pm UTC (link)

He had the sudden irrational urge to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Of all the men in Russia for him to be mistaken for, it had to be one who was hated by nearly everyone save for the royal family, who weren't very popular themselves. They must think... because of the forest, when Ella used her vines. These people are insane. The longer he danced with the tsarina, the more people would whisper. "I really think you mistook me for someone else," he insisted, knowing it was in vain. Alexandra was desperate to believe that he was her Rasputin, and nothing would convince her otherwise.

Vlad knew that Helena was right. His options weren't very good, but there were too many people here. He needed to get away before the tsarina announced to everyone that he was Rasputin. It is not any safer outside than it is here, but I have no choice. Pavel can surely hear the rumors himself, and who knows if this was meant to be some kind of trap the entire time? Despite the danger, Vlad couldn't leave her here either. I cannot leave you here, Helena. Even as he thought it, he began to steer Alexandra closer to the Grand Duke. If timed right, they might be able to slip away.

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Re: Ballroom

old_fashioned
2010-06-26 07:09 pm UTC (link)

You can, and you should, Helena insisted. She saw Alexandra and Vlad moving closer and she helped turn the Grand Duke in their direction. They could easily switch partners soon enough, and the Empress was someone that the Duke wouldn't be able to turn down if she and Vlad forced the situation upon them.

I'll try to distract them, should they come looking for you. She tried to sound sure but even across the connection, he'd be able to tell she didn't know what sort of distraction she could pull off. And if nothing else I can tell you where they think you're heading; direct you where not to go. I'll slip out later and find you, wherever you are. It wasn't the best plan, and even she knew that she could be in serious trouble if they thought she aided his escape. But if it could buy him some time and get him out of there safely, then she'd try anything.

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Re: Ballroom

nobleblood
2010-06-26 07:31 pm UTC (link)

Helena... He didn't like leaving her, regardless of where it was, but to be seen in the company of the man believed to be Rasputin was incredibly dangerous. The last thing he wanted was for the people to turn on Helena and call her one of his 'witches' as well. At least the palace was guarded, which meant it was the safest place for her right now. Alexandra kept whispering, talking about Alexei and her husband and begging him to help them, which kept attracting curious and even suspicious stares from the other guests. This was bad.

No, you cannot put yourself at risk to save me. I have more of a chance getting away outside than in the palace, but you need to stay here. Distract them if you can but do not make yourself too obvious. If I find a safe place to hide then we can go from there, but do not leave the palace until you hear from me. Please? Vlad was already planning his escape route, trying to placate the tsarina as he maneuvered past a couple to get next to the Grand Duke. He tried to appear indifferent, as though he didn't realize who was dancing next to him, but desperation was starting to seep through.

The music reached its end, and there was a pause as there always was between dances, which was when Vlad saw his chance and acted. Now, Helena. With a wide smile he turned towards the Grand Duke, exclaiming that the Empress had just been speaking of him. He dropped his arms and stepped away, inwardly tense and ready to bolt as soon as he had the chance.

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Re: Ballroom

old_fashioned
2010-06-26 11:04 pm UTC (link)

But... She didn't want to argue with him, not now. She didn't want to say that the palace would be a madhouse once he left and the empress would look for him. Alexandra was going to kick up a fuss, Helena was almost sure of it now, judging from the way she was talking to him. Even from a distance the desperation was easy to spot, both in Vlad trying to leave and in Alexandra trying to make him stay.

On his cue, Helena slackened in the Grand Duke's embrace, and acted as surprised as she could when Vlad left the tsarina in their care. Alexandra began to protest, not wanting to be interrupted or away from her Rasputin. Helena quickly interjected, pretending to misread the woman's worries. She curtsied deeply and made a big fuss, reassuring the Empress that it was no trouble at all to be excused from the next dance. The Grand Duke seemed none the wiser and took a step to Alexandra, to continue on their dance as protocol dictated.

Go. Hurry. She took several steps back away from the two and cast a frantic glance to Vlad without thinking, urging him away both with her mental voice and a look, hoping that no one was noticing. The music had finally begun and she weaved through the throngs of guests, assuming everyone was starting to dance. From the edge of the crowd she turned back to look at the Grand Duke, and saw they were dancing but almost awkwardly so. His face was a mask of politeness, his movements wooden, his smile slightly strained, perhaps uncomfortable. Probably because the tsarina wasn't looking up him. Instead she was staring at Helena from across the room, the narrowing of her eyes obvious even from this distance, having seen the familiar look that passed between her and Vlad, probably making all manner of assumptions about it.

Damn.

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Re: Ballroom

nobleblood
2010-06-26 11:13 pm UTC (link)

It wasn't the best plan, and Vlad knew that, but he also knew that he had to get away before it was too late. He backed carefully into the crowd, trying to appear at ease and none too eager. Alexandra wasn't pleased or convinced, but he couldn't worry about her now; they really didn't have a lot of options.

Be careful. If you need any help, just say so and I will come find you. His reluctance to leave was all too obvious, but the crowd of dancers was thick and ever-moving, so it didn't take long for him to be swallowed up in a swell of bodies. He couldn't wait to see if anyone was following him, and he didn't dare try to listen to the conversation.

He slipped through the crowd, and once he reached the door he was gone in a flash.

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