[Cathair na Féileacáin] The Dance Floor

[Arthur Kirkland]

This wide dance floor is a symbol of richness and exaggerated opulence. Like all of Cathair na Féileacáin it's decoration theme is that of a butterfly - stained glass windows and doors reflect the light through feathery patterns and black with pastel to burnt colors is the range. To get to it, you go down a wide staircase, fit for any ball-gowns train to manage it. There are a few hidden doors for servants to enter and exit at will and two more obvious exits exist - one heading down into the gardens, the other out onto the expansive balcony.

[Arthur Kirkland]

At the top of the stairs, greeting guests and looking official was Sir Miles Fredericton. Smiling affably at the many jeweled women and suited men, he welcomed all who came through the front doors himself. Behind him and to the side stood his three personal guards for the evening - and on the other side of him stood the three representatives of the Sky Military. Glancing at the boys, Fredericton turned and smiled at them as well. "Boys. You certainly don't have to stand on guard tonight. That's why I have these three." he pointed to the silent men to his left. "You are my guests tonight, go, have fun." and he dismissed them with a wave.

The moment their host turned back to his guest-greeting duties, Emrys breathed a loud sigh of relief at the head of the line - as he'd been forced to behave on ceremony, and it dictated that all members of the Sky navy stood on rank, from right to left. "Thank goodness." he muttered, incredibly uncomfortable being in a ball type situation. He'd thought joining the military would get him out of it - being a landed nobility as he used to be, parties were a... common occurrence and very painful.

"You heard the man. Mingle. But remember to behave." he sent a look specifically to Inuk, having started to get to know the brash man's quirks. He didn't even consider Talei when it came to that particular command. "And remember to be back in time for our job." which would not be fun, either.

This whole night was going to be a pain in the arse.

Her floating carriage - pulled along behind two flying, mechanical steam horses - landed with a faint clatter on the stone driveway out in front of the main doors to the palace. With a faint sigh, Elizaveta stood up, double-checking that her sword hung beneath her skirts in a way that hid it entirely. With one last disgusted look up at the palace - and more specifically, to the man inside who had invited her here - before she pasted a vapid look on her face as a valet stepped up to open her carriage door.

Out she poured in a gown of deep violet and silver, with layers of tafetta and lace cascading around her in a gentle, sultry sway. With her hair tied up in a fancy mess of a bun covered in braids of silver and elbow length gloves to match her dress, she and her short train clicked up the stairs amongst the rest of the nobility that had managed to score an invitation.

Inwardly, she bemoaned the fact that she was being forced to wear heels, and how she had to make sure she paid attention to every step she made less she twist out her ankle. Outwardly, she waved her small purple fan shaped of butterfly wings at a passing lady who, apparently, knew her enough to call her name.

This night was going to be... interesting.


(so to any groups going through the main doors to enter the ballroom inside, be prepared to be greeted by Fredericton. Enjoy the chaos of the ball!)

[Andorra]

"Ah, thank you very much!" Anaïs called to the servant who had just graciously offered to take her coat. She took it off and handed it to him, who bowed and left to put it somewhere safe. This really wasn't something she was used to at all, being treated like royalty. It was strange and foreign, and she did feel sorry for the servants of this ball; they must have been excruciatingly busy. Much more busy than she could ever hope to be on the Madre Maria. She hoped they will get the proper rest they deserved.

She continued on towards the doors to the dance floor, where the plan would be executed. She actually really liked the plan this time, although it was nerve racking because it depended on her and Henry. They had decided to try and win the famous prize fairly, by winning the best couple. She was excited and nervous, both because she would be dancing in front of hundreds of people, and also because she was dancing with Henry. However, she didn't know why her crew mates had chosen them for this task. It wasn't like they were a couple... Her cheeks flushed. But at least the dance was what she looked forward to the most. Hopefully, this would be a fun night for her and the crew, without any troubles or setbacks. Because, if that prize is what they thought it was, that meant she would be one step closer to that treasure. One step closer to saving her family. She won't let that chance slip through her fingers.

Also, and Anaïs hoped this wouldn't be the case, if Henry and herself isn't chosen, Antonio decided they would take the prize by force.

She really, really hoped that wouldn't be the case.

As she walked, she admired the palace. It was truly beautiful, completely out of a fairytale of some sort. The main attraction was her favorite part of the decor; the endless butterfly shapes that gleamed in perfect harmony. She had never seen anything like it before. She spotted Henry waiting at the doors.

She smiled and skipped towards him, her kitten heels clicking. "Henry~~" she said cheerfully. When he looked over, she blushed and tensed up slightly. "So...how do I look?" Her coat had covered up her golden dress, so no one (except for Eva, who decided not to come to the ball unfortunately) had seen the dress she picked out. Above all, she hoped he would like it. Although, she still did not know why.

(ok, this is just for fun but, here is the dress Dorra is wearing :'D Minus the headgear. And string things. --> www.lackadaisycats.com/exhibit.php?exhibitid=318 <-- ALSO: What Henry is wearing, but with a lot less accessories xD -->browse.deviantart.com/?q=steampunk&order=9&offset=72#/d2zc9dc<--- They match! >w<)

[bermuda]

Henry had arrived a bit ahead of Anais, at her suggestion that they should meet up there instead of going together. It was perhaps because they weren't really a couple, they were just close friends. Though his new Captain had been adamant about Henry being paired off with Anais for the ball, insisting that the two of them had the best chance of fairly winning the prize they were after. Which of course was exactly how he wanted them to obtain it. Not that he didn't think Pirate antics would be fun, he just didn't think it wise to stirr up trouble so close to the Navy. It was far too risky for his liking.

He had been awaiting his "date's" arrival for only a few moments, standing gallantly at the doors even though his insides were full of nervous butterflies. He smiled when he saw her, resisting the urge to start waving and flailing and hopping all excited like. That would be very childish, and tonight he had to be a gentleman. Not a pirate, just a regular person of some good standing in society. He smiled as she approached, noting just how gorgeous she looked.

The golden dress accented all of her beauty, and he couldn't help but blush when she came close. "Anais, I'm glad you found me." He chuckled a little nervously to her as he added "You look absolutely wonderful." He graced her cheek with a light kiss, a friendly sort of greeting that felt appropriate for the moment. After that he offered her his arm as if to ask 'shall we go in?' Honestly he felt really nervous about the whole thing, he'd never been to something like this, and somehow it felt like being here with Anais was more important than it seemed.

[Andorra]

She looked down sheepishly at the comment, her cheeks glowing warmer and deepening in color. For whatever reason, it took a heavy weight off her shoulders, as she had been thinking about it all day. Ah, he likes it, he likes it~ She decided not to think about why it was so important for him to say those words, instead she beamed at him and said shyly "Thank you very much Henry. You look very handsome as well!"

When Henry kissed her cheek, even though she knew it was more of a greeting sort, she felt her stomach turn and twist, as well as her knees almost gave in. But thankfully, she kept her balance. In a fit of confidence (and also because in would be polite) she returned the kiss on his cheek as well. His cheek was very soft and...loving. She wasn't sure why she used that word to describe it, but it felt right.

She smiled excitedly at his gesture, and took his arm with happiness. She hugged it tight, but not tight enough to hurt him. She nodded at him and said "Well, let's go! Let's have fun, ok?" Although she knew she would have fun with Henry no matter what happened. This night would be wonderful for both of them.

They walked through the door together.

[Arthur Kirkland]

Fredericton turned away from the guests he was currently greeting in time to spot a new couple coming in through the doors. He'd never seen them before. Beaming away at the two young ones, he opened his arms as he stepped closer. "Well hello there, my dears. You are certainly a stunning couple."

He shook both their hands, giving the girls an extra pat on the back of hers. "I wish you both great luck at the dance tonight - you certainly look to have a great chance of winning the prize." Waving them off as they walked past him, his smile turned to something sharp.

All the men and women who were invited to this party were acquaintances of his. And as well advertised as the "prize" was... well, it was bound to bring in some unwanted guests.

And here he was, the spider twisting them into his trap with fine threads. Let the pirates dress themselves up. It would only serve to make the gallows look fancy while the bodies hung in the air.

[Roderich Edelstein]

Well, highway robbery was now on the doctor-very-recently-turned-pirate's resume. Plan A had been to sneak into the gardens and hope for a chance to apprehend the piano player. It had been a stroke of good fortune, as he was spending some time in one of the costume shops that morning looking for something to wear as a backup in case the plan didn't go through, that he heard the very man he needed speaking to the proprietress.

"This is quite the fancy costume, sir!"

"Yes, I've been engaged to provide piano music for a gala tonight. The employer provided the whole gaudy thing, believe it or not! Not that I'm complaining. I'll dress the part for the price he's paying..."

It had been a simple matter to follow him home without being seen. That evening, as he emerged from his home in costume to walk to the party, he had about three seconds to breath in the night air before Ludwig's fist connected with the back of his head.

The player was left tied up in the brig and Roderich had relieved him of the costume. It was a midnight blue suit, with a creamy white cravat and lace trim. The buttons and braiding were silver, and he was especially pleased with the cape which was completely covered in stars, in their actual configurations. He imagined that he was supposed to be dressed as the night sky, as he donned a large silver moon-and-star mask, which obscured his face so well it was impossible to tell he was wearing glasses underneath.

Relieving the man of his sheet music, he hailed a taxi to reach the party. Roderich attempted to look every part the late musician, first checking his pocketwatch in a panic, then brushing past the elegantly dressed people arriving. He made an abbreviated bow and murmured "Sorry sir, had a terrible time hailing a taxi," as he passed a richly dressed gentleman who could only be the host.

Once he reached the ballroom it was easier. The present musicians seemed irritated, though it was hard to tell with the masks. He quickly sat at the grand piano and pulled out his score. A quick conference with the cello player confirmed the next piece and he began playing, deciding to not push his luck and play for a while before attempting to look over the room.

[Portugal]

Afonso stood off to the side silently, watching the couples enter the ballroom; eyeing their host with caution. While he liked the idea that they would be attempting to win the prize, a map piece, fair and square he couldn't help but feel uneasy. This just seemed far too easy.

Then again... Maybe that unease was just because Anais had forced him to actually get dressed up in formal clothes she had somehow acquired. And Lord knew how much he hated getting dressed up.

Idly tugging at the cravat around his neck he kept his eyes peeled. When he caught sight of gold he turned his head, spotting Anais instantly. She didn’t notice him seemingly, passing by to meet with Henry. Just like the plan. They would enter the ball as a couple, trying to win the prize fair and square. Meanwhile the rest of the crew would slip in alone; keeping their eyes peeled and prepared to act if anything went wrong. Hopefully nothing went wrong though.

Watching the two meet with Fredericton he held his breath. But it was alright, he sighed in relief, they hadn't been caught. They passed through without any problems seemingly. Or at least it would seem that way, but something in his gut did not like the way Fredericton smiled. Shaking his head he pushed himself off of the wall he’d been leaning again. It was time to enter himself, he wondered if he’d been the last one, since both Nikolaas and Antonio had vanished over an hour ago.

Sometimes he had to wonder how they had talked him into this. Slipping the white half mask back on he took a deep breath. Well, it was now or never. Striding forward he walked past their host, giving him a polite nod but passing by before Fredericton said anything (thankfully he seemed to become distracted by other guests to even notice). Hurrying down the steps he paused for a moment to observe the crowded party before walking to where Anais and Henry were standing. Pausing besides them momentarily.

”Be careful,” he warned, before an amused smile crossed his face and he tapped the decorative rose on his mask. ”And don’t forget to put your masks on. You’ll stand out more with them off.”

Lord knew that was the last thing they wanted. ”Have fun.”

With that he turned, taking a step to leave; though he couldn’t help but pause, glancing back to look at them. Meeting Henry’s eyes he stayed silent, but the look he gave the young man said everything. ”Keep her safe.”

Then he smiled again, giving the two a simple wave before weaving his way into the crowds.

It was going to be a long night.

(And for anyone curious! Afonso’s outfit minus the monocle, top hat, cane and… furriness XD; (Picked out by 'Dorra :'P) annnd Afonso’s mask)

[Talei]

Talei was uncomfortable, and it was not with just the uniform. This whole ball was so extravagant, that it made the Fijian seem out of place. Being raised in the slums, Tal wasn't used to such parties or such vast displays of wealth. It was unnerving. Giving a small tug to the bottom of the red and black uniform to straighten it, Tal looked to Fredericton while he spoke to them. His words didn't have much effect however. The Fijian was on guard tonight, knowing that every other guest could very well be a pirate.

When Emrys turned to them and let out the sigh, Tal had to hold back a smile. The other just seemed to awkward in this situation, it was funny how they seemed to have the same sediment. Giving a salute at his words and a quick 'yessir', Tal decided to go find a quiet corner where she wouldn't be bothered until it was time for the plan to be put in action. The art gallery seemed like a good location.

[Andorra]

Anaïs smiled politely to Fredericton, keeping a straight face in the hopes she wouldn't give herself away. It was of the utmost importance to fool the man (even if she didn't really like the idea), and she tried her best. It seemed that he couldn't tell who they were, as he patted her hand and said a few kind words. She bowed her head slightly and said a quite 'thank you', as she and Henry continued along.

The ball room was, to say the very least, a mad house. A very pretty and well dressed mad house, but a mad house nonetheless. Countless servants scurried and tip toed around guests, serving them treats and drinks. A huge band played lovely classical music, and she half-wished she could have brought her Spanish Timple with her and joined in with the music. But alas, she had a job to do.

She beamed when Afonso appeared beside them, and nodded when he told them to be careful. She blinked at what he said next, and gasped a little. "Ah! I forgot!" She had the little ball mask in her hand the entire time, and had completely forgotten to put it on. She tucked the strings behind her ears, and the beautiful metal mask sat on her face elegantly. She had chosen a butterfly design to suit at the ball.

She smiled and waved at Afonso as he turned to leave, confused at the look he gave Henry as he walked off. As Henry finished putting his mask on, she took his hands and pulled him towards the dance floor. There were already a few couples dancing away, and it was time for the plan to begin. "I know men traditionally ask this but..." she said gently, smiling at him "Would you care to dance?"

(( Dorra's mask~ i998.photobucket.com/albums/af106/kadoshi/laser-cut-metal.jpg It looks like a butterfly to me!! xD;)

[Arthur Kirkland]

Behind her mask and her vapid expression, Elizaveta paid sharp attention to where everything she might need was. There were galleries she could hide in, which she expected to need before the night was out, the balcony and the gardens, hell - even the mostly hidden exit to the kitchens would serve. She didn't trust Fredericton in the slightest, especially after all the letters he'd sent her in the last few months and the fact that he continued to send them to her.

The man certainly had some explaining to do, and if that meant she had to stop pretending to be some country bumpkin who was about as vague in the head as most of the actual noble ladies well. It had to be done. He really needed to stop trying to convince her of anything.

Speak of the devil. There he was greeting people at the door. Ducking her head as if she was shy, Elizaveta tugged her mask firmly over her eyes before giving him a curtsy. He looked at her - and looked at her again as he recognized who she was. He looked as if he were about to approach her, but thankfully more guests got in his way, wishing to congratulate him for something or another. She slipped into the ball unaccosted and out onto the dance floor.

Looking for a place to put herself in the meantime - because Fredericton would hunt her down and wish to talk to her despite the fact that he made her skin crawl - she settled herself against a wall right beside the orchestra playing. The music was soothing and it was obscure enough that it would take the man some time to spot her.

(I totally forgot to post her mask.)

[Arthur Kirkland]

It had been a thing of ease to sneak his way past the many party-goers in the gardens and on the balcony. All he had to do was wave back at them and smile, joke a bit with them and accept a few invitation cards to other parties that were supposedly going to happen in the next few months. Tucking the cards into a pocket in his jacket without even looking at them, Arthur readjusted his mask on his face again, wishing he could take the mildly annoying thing off. It itched and it blocked enough of his perception that he couldn't see people sneaking up beside him.

...not that he was paranoid or anything. But there was always a chance - after all, if someone discovered he didn't belong here, he'd be damned and doubly so if he couldn't see who was after him. Accepting a glass of champagne absently from off the tray of one of the many servers filtering through the other guests, he let his eyes wander over the crowd passing through the ornate doors.

And a face in the crowd caught his attention, solely because it wasn't wearing a mask. Only a uniform. But the face was more familiar than the uniform - and it was a face he hadn't seen in years.

"Emry-" he stopped, as a crowd of people went between him and the person who he thought was his brother. The person he was so sure was his brother in a military uniform of all things. Was it a costume...?

Searching the room for a way to get past the people blocking his way, he bit his lip and wished he could call out to get the others attention. But the whole point of being here was to be hidden and anonymous - and getting everyones attention on him and the fact that he didn't even have an invitation on his person...

Then he spotted another familiar face in the crowd, though this one was a lot closer to him than the person who could be one of his missing siblings. "Lily...?he breathed, eyes widening behind his mask as memories of that failed mission where James had been returned to him with a bullet hole and the young girl never returned to him at all. For weeks, he'd thought the girl had been murdered because of his carelessness and more than once he'd drunken himself into a stupor out of sheer guilt.

She seemed to be acting as a server by the tray in her hand and the way she was wandering through the crowds near a much taller, muscular blond man. Darting forward, he came up beside the young lady and laid a casual touch on her shoulder. "Lily? Is that really you?" he asked, tugging his mask at an angle so he could get a better look beyond the confines of his mask without revealing his face to the rest of the party-goers.

[Liechtenstein]

She kept close to Ludwig as they slipped out from the kitchens and into the bustling party. Still, she couldn't help but glance back, hoping that Katya would be alright. Soon though she had to push her worry for the woman aside as people approached for the food on her tray. Keep smiling, that's what she kept repeating in her head as they worked their way through the crowds, holding out the trays to the guests. She was in utter awe the further they went, and a little bit jealous of all the women. They were all dressed so beautifully, and the masks... She half wish they had decided to infiltrate the party and guests instead of servers and musicians, if only that she could dress up in such finery... Though, then again, that would have been more dangerous.

With a tiny sigh she looked around again, shifting closer to Ludwig when she spotted a military officer walking by. It wasn't that she was nervous just... Alright, she was nervous. Any slip up and they could get caught.

A gentle hand on her shoulder snapped her from her thoughts. Probably someone else trying to get her attention for her tray. Smiling sweetly she turned around prepared to offer the tray, but her words died on her throat when she heard the voice. "Lily? Is that really you?"

Her stomach lurched, eyes going wide as she stared at the masked man in front of her and... And from the angle he had moved his mask. Her breath caught in her throat. For a brief moment she was frozen, mind going completely blank.

Then it begun working. The Captain it was... He was right in front of her. He was okay. She had been so afraid he had been killed that day. That he and James had never made it back to the Grim. That it had all been her fault somehow. That they-

Nearly dropping the tray entirely she backed away from Arthur, before ducking behind Ludwig. Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no. She'd betrayed him. She'd betrayed the Grim by joining up with the Imperial Eagle. He was going to be so mad at her, so disappointed. Every part of her wanted to turn and run, to flee back to the kitchens. But she was frozen, only able to hide behind the tall German and stare in utter shock (and fear) at her former Captain.

[Deutschland]

As Ludwig had expected, he didn't exactly fit the role of a waiter that well. He tried, he really did, but Ludwig was more intimidating than welcoming. Guests sort of...avoided him and bothered Lily whenever they wanted a drink or something to eat. Ludwig tried to smile and be friendlier, but he couldn't force his smile to be real and the result was the exact opposite of his intention. One lady actually gave him a terrified look and almost ran the other way. He sighed. Back to the usual frown.

He peered though the crowd towards the band to see if Roderich had blended in. It wasn't hard to spot him, after all the piano was easy to find. He seemed to be blending in just fine, but where was Gil? Did he already give up and leave to mingle? He scowled. Stick to the plan for once in your life Bruder.

Ludwig turned towards Lily. "Lily. I can't find Gil. Can you help me keep an eye out for- Er!" His eyes widened in confusion when she darted behind him. Oh Gott, were we found out?! Ludwig shielded her from sight, and glared at the man whom she had hidden from."Who are you?"

Why did their plans never work?

[prussia]

Okay, so the plan had sounded perfect, when they went over it repeatedly in the ship galley. He had been relieved that the other crew members had plotted it all, arranged everything, and put it all together; sure, they'd done it far better than Gilbert himself ever could have, but it also took a load of stress of of his shoulders. They had gone over the plans again and again, Ludwig determined to force Gilbert to remember them, gott verdammt, because it would only take one little mistake, one little slip, to expose them all...

And sure, Gilbert had been pretty confident that things would go off without a hitch, and they would steal the prize, and get away before anyone could bat an eyelash. But he hadn't really anticipated...this.

He scowled a bit as he adjusted his suit for what must have been the umpteenth time that night; it had been an adventure for him, trying to get it on - he had insisted to everyone that he didn't need any help, it was just a suit after all, what was the big fuss about...until everyone had gone on ahead without him and Gilbert realized, grudgingly, that he had no clue how this thing worked.

Needless to say, when he had finally gotten the orchestra uniform on, grabbed his instrument, and made it to the palace...well, he was a bit more than fashionably late. He knew he was going to catch hell for this, and he also knew that his best defense was to argue that at least he got there, it's not like he would have left them all alone or anything.

He just hoped that Ludwig, and Roderich...well, he hoped that all of them would go for it.

He smiled pleasantly as he was greeted at the door, making a joke about traffic and taxis, something funny but not memorable, before he stepped inside and made his way at a comfortable pace through the crowd toward the orchestra. Ludwig had somehow managed to secure him a uniform in the correct size, which was undoubtedly a challenge when attempting to dress Gilbert, and he had been informed last-minute by the crew that he was going to be the flute soloist of the night. He didn't know how they all found out - it wasn't like he practiced on the ship, or ever, really - but he certainly wasn't looking forward to playing when he knew that his crew was going to be there, watching him...the flute wasn't the most manly instrument ever. Really, the only reason he wanted to learn it originally was because of the man who raised Ludwig and himself; the man had been a genius with the flute...

Gilbert shook himself out of his thoughts as he quietly, smoothly, made his way into the crowd of the orchestra, and managed to take his spot beside Roderich on the piano, muttering something that could have passed for a brief apology, before he uncased his instrument, quickly assembled it, and brought it to his mouth.

He fell into rhythm with the piano and the other instruments immediately, improving with the rest of the music; he didn't have sheet music for this particular piece, but would peek over Roderich's shoulder for the rest of the music. The improv piece gave him enough time to glance around the dance floor, spotting Ludwig and Lily, who seemed to be engaged in tense conversation with someone. He absently hoped they hadn't been discovered already before his gaze drifted, and something undeniably purple caught his eye.

An obviously noble lady, in cascading violet and silver, with the richest chestnut hair he'd ever seen...He had to stop himself, as he realized he was mentally gushing. Sure, her dress was nice, and her hair was a pretty color, but her face was almost completely obscured by the mask covering it; he didn't her, and certainly didn't know if she was actually pretty under that thing...but he couldn't help but stare. It was too bad, he thought to himself, that they were on a mission tonight, because he'd certainly like to meet her.