Summer Ball|Widor, New Anarlina
Sept 11, 2011 22:51:12 GMT -5
Post by Darastrix on Sept 11, 2011 22:51:12 GMT -5
In the end, it had been the heads of the noble houses along with a number of specifically chosen guests who had been invited to House Wintersong's first ball. The more Zira had thought about it, the more distasteful the idea of having all those courtiers descending on his home had become. So the royal family had been invited, of course, along with the lords of each province and their spouses and adult children. Invitations had also been extended to friends and family outside of the kingdom.
Aside from collaborating with Zack on the guest list and giving his opinion on this or that, Zira hadn't been much involved in the planning of the ball. Setting up social events had always been more of his husband's forte, and he was more than happy to leave him to it. Zack, knowing how much Grandislers loved balls and parties, had recruited Felicitas to help right away and he'd had, well, a ball arranging things.
Everything did look quite nice, Zira thought as he took a glass of wine in his bedchamber to help ease his nerves.
"Better not drink too much of that," Zack said as he stepped into the room.
Zira smiled and sipped his wine. "Trust me, I know. But I need to relax a little. My complements to you and Felicitas, by the by. Everything looks lovely."
"It does, doesn't it?" Zack agreed. "Now...." He moved behind Zira and started to massage his shoulders. "Are you ready to go greet our guests?"
"I'd be more ready if they were all friends," Zira sighed as he leaned back.
"We can do that for the next one," Zack suggested.
"Mm. And after this one...."
"Yes?"
Zira met his eyes in the mirror and spoke two words.
"That's not fair," Zack said, but with a grin. "You know more of Old Tongue than I do."
"I dare say you'll figure it out at some point." He nodded at the vanity. "I chose your accessories for tonight; I didn't think you'd mind."
"Do I ever?" Zack chuckled as he walked over to add the final touches to his clothing. "Is this new?" He held up a small perfume bottle.
"Just the bottle. It's your usual scent."
Zack looked back and smiled. "Show me where?"
"That's all we'll have time for," Zira warned as he rose. "We'll need to get downstairs to meet our guests soon."
"I know, I know. Please?" He pulled out the glass stopper and set the bottle down.
Zira had to fight to keep his own smile from twisting into a smirk as he took Zack's free hand. "Here," he murmured as he kissed the pulse point on his wrist. "Here." The soft spot behind Zack's ears; first one, then the other. "Here...."
A few minutes later, both lords were waiting to receive their guests. Zack was, as usual, perfectly at-ease, with an extra dash of contentment at the weight of the gold Wintersong crest hanging from the choker around his neck. Zira, a bit out of his element even if it was his home, was a little less relaxed. But between the partial glass of wine he'd allowed himself (he'd pushed the rest onto Zack) and empathically drawing on Zack's social confidence, he was far from tense.
Aside from collaborating with Zack on the guest list and giving his opinion on this or that, Zira hadn't been much involved in the planning of the ball. Setting up social events had always been more of his husband's forte, and he was more than happy to leave him to it. Zack, knowing how much Grandislers loved balls and parties, had recruited Felicitas to help right away and he'd had, well, a ball arranging things.
Everything did look quite nice, Zira thought as he took a glass of wine in his bedchamber to help ease his nerves.
"Better not drink too much of that," Zack said as he stepped into the room.
Zira smiled and sipped his wine. "Trust me, I know. But I need to relax a little. My complements to you and Felicitas, by the by. Everything looks lovely."
"It does, doesn't it?" Zack agreed. "Now...." He moved behind Zira and started to massage his shoulders. "Are you ready to go greet our guests?"
"I'd be more ready if they were all friends," Zira sighed as he leaned back.
"We can do that for the next one," Zack suggested.
"Mm. And after this one...."
"Yes?"
Zira met his eyes in the mirror and spoke two words.
"That's not fair," Zack said, but with a grin. "You know more of Old Tongue than I do."
"I dare say you'll figure it out at some point." He nodded at the vanity. "I chose your accessories for tonight; I didn't think you'd mind."
"Do I ever?" Zack chuckled as he walked over to add the final touches to his clothing. "Is this new?" He held up a small perfume bottle.
"Just the bottle. It's your usual scent."
Zack looked back and smiled. "Show me where?"
"That's all we'll have time for," Zira warned as he rose. "We'll need to get downstairs to meet our guests soon."
"I know, I know. Please?" He pulled out the glass stopper and set the bottle down.
Zira had to fight to keep his own smile from twisting into a smirk as he took Zack's free hand. "Here," he murmured as he kissed the pulse point on his wrist. "Here." The soft spot behind Zack's ears; first one, then the other. "Here...."
A few minutes later, both lords were waiting to receive their guests. Zack was, as usual, perfectly at-ease, with an extra dash of contentment at the weight of the gold Wintersong crest hanging from the choker around his neck. Zira, a bit out of his element even if it was his home, was a little less relaxed. But between the partial glass of wine he'd allowed himself (he'd pushed the rest onto Zack) and empathically drawing on Zack's social confidence, he was far from tense.