Cool101jrTatiana had guided them back towards the rooms, it was after all getting time that she'd need to get ready, no doubt one of the Ladies in Waiting would be fussing over them, each being appointed to care for one of the candidates. The ballroom was still undergoing final transformation with bolts of luxurious white satin being taken in toe form billowing spirals against the stone walls, Tatiana peeked in as they passed marvelling at the sight inside, upon the platform that stood at the head of the hall was a long table with twinkling silver cutlery laid out for the Ambassadorial Reception before the band began. The bandsmen were already tuning up on a slightly lower platform beneath them. There was an easel with a seating plan, no-one sitting at the top or foot of the table, a place reserved for Queen Viktoriya and her husband, designed so no one was too far from either of them. Tatiana looked for her name, "Niklas Mendel, Lord of Greenmarsh" she said the name of the man who would be sitting opposite her, the person she'd be expected to accompany into the hall. She wasn't really sure who he was but the Ladies in Waiting would sort that. She looked next for Alina's name, "Duke
Maxim" she pointed out for Alina where they were sat, "He's our Minister for Home Affairs, a rather nice guy I think. He's very influential as he's a cousin of Lord Besarian." she looked at the clock at the far end of the hall. "We should get ready. It's been nice meeting you" and with that Tatiana literally skipped away down the corridor to begin her preparations.
LakhzoviaNataliya listened to Fiodor assess his homeland, it dawned on her that she had much to learn about international politics, she barely knew much about how they worked in Lodja and here she was accompanying a man back to the Palace who seemed an expert. "It all sounds rather chaotic" was the best she could think of saying without giving away her lack of understanding. Thankfully they had reached the Ball room and seeing Tatiana skipping round the corner Nataliya felt more relaxed, the rival seemed so unorthadox surely it could only be a three horse race. She knew that evening she'd have a chance to impress with her tales of life in The Iwi, something none of the others could do, draw upon experience of life in a land beyond their own border. "Tonight we'll be sat according to how the Chamberlain has ruled, your expected to spend time in conversation with the person you sat opposite. They even enter the hall together" she explained as she scanned for her guests name, "You're sat with Duchess
Anna Utkin, she's a member of the Conclave, was born a pleb, some say she shouldn't even be on the Conclave" their was a hint of disdain on her voice. "The Ball starts promptly, you should meet her here. It's been nice talking" and with that Nataliya gave a small curtsey and headed back to her own room where Roksana Pajari, a Lady in Waiting began making her ready for the Ball.
The Young Pope"King David is returning to East Moreland, spending time here was to try and support our Conclave with international advice when the tragedy happened, we're more stable now and to ask a monarch to be in two places at once is hard. Lady Stasyia however will be in attendance, she rarely misses a ball." he smiled, she seemed to captivate many of the men at the balls with ease, when she first arrived she had been rather keen to flirt with the higher ranked nobles, such was the way the Ladies in Waiting found influential husbands, however in recent months since her time in East Moreland that had been less witnessed with Stasyia.
He looked at his wrist watch, "We should probably be getting ready for the ball" he made a point of passing the ball room. "Tonight we dine, then dance, you'll be expected at dinner to converse mainly with the person sat opposite, which in your case is...." he scanned the seating plan, "
Lady Anna Immich" he nodded his head approvingly, "She's the Head Lady in Waiting, a good person to know, essentially controls access to the Queen, a very charming lady too, she'll be very accomodating" and with that Maxim was off heading back towards his room, keen to get a quick shower, a glass of wine and ten minutes to himself before the evening began.
Arda Tuluva"And may you have a joyous stay in Lodja" Arina smiled as she responded to the toast. While the foreign Princess may sit rather formally their was an elegance and grace about her movements that impressed Arina, she had heard tale of how Viktoriya had changed her demenar once on the throne and wondered if this was the way royalty made everyone act. As they finished their drink Arina noticed the time. "We should be making tracks" she literally jumped from being seated to her feet, realising this was not the graceful way her guest was likely to do it she felt herself blush slightly. "The ball tonight is very important, it's a good chance to meet everyone, most of the Conclave will be there, but its also the chance to meet the next generation of nobility from Lodja, but hopefully be fun too" the blush was gone now, Arina was a social butterfly and knew before long she'd have a crowd of Lodjain young nobles eating out of her hand. She walked as elegantly as she could trying to harness her inner Viktoriya and the way she glided but gave up feeling as though it must be looking silly without the floor length dress.
The pair passed the ball room and Arina examined the seating plan carefully. " Cato Irvine, Count of Saintstown" she read her own partners name, "sounds interesting.....and important" she said to no one in particular but was happy with the decision. "Meanwhile Your Highness is sat with "
Dragan Knežević...you're lucky, he's so influential, and so handsome......and single" she winked at Nessanie, "Been single for a while too" she added as an after thought. The pair parted ways as they went to get ready.
At 7pm sharp the Palace bell was rung and a young servent made his way down the Ambassadorial corridor, "Your Highnesses, Lords, Ladies, esteemed guests" he yelled loudly as he walked by, "The banquet shall be served" he disappeared as quickly as he could, several of the members of the Conclave had already begun assembling along with the Ladies in Waiting. As the Ambassadors arrived their was of course the usual exchange of pleasantries, a discreet tradition was observed, with each of the visiting men being intercepted around the corner by the Chamberlian and given indentical instruction, "It is custom to walk in with your partner, arm in arm, she on your left. But first it is custom to give the lady a token" he handed each a small card box inside each was a fresh corsage bracelet. "Remember to wait for your name to be called please." and with that he was gone.
The female ambassadors of course we not intercepted and their partner approached, bowed by nodding formally and handed over the box with its lid withdrawn revealing the bracelet of fresh flowers inside. The exception was Dragan, he recalled the ritualistic ways of Arda Tuluva fro their meeting a few months ago, and as such bowed deeper than the others, also unlike the others he did not present the bracelet directly to the Princess but rather to her servant, "It would be my honour if you would ask Her Highness to accept and wear this humble gift, one unbeffiting a lady of such nobility, grace and beauty" he kept his eyes down as he spoke hoping to have avoided an international incident.
One at a time the couples names were called and they entered the Banquet hall, for the first two it must have seemed odd as the hall itself was empty except for the staff standing ready to serve the meal. "Prince Lennox of Ui Cenneslaig, and Lady Jasmina Danailov of Zhary" the pair walked in with Jasmina clinging tightly to the Prince who was also her lover, a secret open to the Ladies in Waiting and as such they had persuaded the Chamberlain to seat them as a pair. The other couples entered one at a time except for the four candidates to be Queen, they were announced in age order and entered together with their escorts.
Once everyone was seated it was left to Lord Besarian to get things underway. "Tonight should have been Queen Viktoriya welcoming the flower of Lodjain nobility to the Palace, instead it will be our duty. We sit here tonight in the prescence of many beautiful women, clearly blessed by Sessifet, we thank them for permitting us to accompany them and I wish everyone a fine evening where we can hopefully celebrate love, life and happiness and forget about the past events at least for a short time." he picked up a small glass of Port raised it and said, "To beauty and love" the Lodjains around the table repeated the toast before servants brought the first dish of a pan seared fish and vegetables.
OOC - I'll get past the dinner on Wednesday evening, I'm assuming everyone is in attendance, if for some reason you don't want to be let me know and I'll edit things. The table is a long banquet style one and people do not neccessarily sit male/female as tradition for other nations may be. In Lodja the Ambassadors sit facing the door, the Lodjains with their back to it. If your interested the spoiler contains the seating plan.
Spoiler: Seating Plan show All Lodjains can be found
hereSeats go from left to right, so No.1 has no one sat on their left, No.14 no one on their right.
1. Prince Lennox & Lady Jasmina
2. Sir William & Lady Stasya
3. (His Grand Eminence) Emilé Fava & Lady Anna Immich
4. Lady Emalet Silvermist & Lord Besarian Ivanov
5. Lady Aliana Bartrove & Duke Maxim Schnoor
6. Felix von Neuhafen & Lady Roksana Pajari
7. Lady Alice Walton & Lord Brayan Coxovich
8. Prince Fiodor Andronikus & Duchess Anna Utkin
9. Princess Nessanië & Dragan Knezevic
10. Dr. Rudolph of Niameck & Zoya Tatyana
11. Thenn Berengar Wulfaric &
Katyusha Andronikashivili12. Rodigar Laxamano &
Nataliya Kozel13. Count Cato Irvine &
Arina Pasternak14. Lord Niklas Mendel &
Tatiana KohutThe four girls in red are the candidates for Queen.