#⚜ ┊ ( event; festival of the blue moon. )

[sansloii]

Brecaea

It's been some time since he last stepped foot in Brecaea but, even still, he could pick out all the differences that the impending brought with it. He didn't have much time to survey the castle town as he flew past it... but he could see the Meriet influences lining the main and side streets of the capital city. How they managed to cobble together such structures and sculptures in such limited time was beyond him... but, perhaps this was why the Meriet royals had chosen the kingdom for their festival...

...and it was a good choice, all things considered. Though, even he wondered just how it would work here — what with all the water he'd been told to anticipate. Meriburn had the infrastructure to do as they pleased with their water system... something that unique couldn't just be —

The dragons thoughts grind to a halt as he catches a glimpse of an eerily familiar crest on one of the convoys entering the castle grounds. It was like seeing a ghost, something long thought dead and gone and... irrelevant. Thoughts of the festival fell away and icy eyes darted from one being to the next quickly — a bit too far where he was to see or recognize most faces... but keen enough to catch one.

And as she steps out of the carriage that carried her on her journey—flanked by attendants fretting left and right — she stares right back.

...As if she knew he was there.

[sansloii]

Brecaea has agreed to host part of the Festival of the Blue Moon, which means the sensitivities will be split between the two kingdoms. The invitations for the festival will work as follows:

There will be three types of invitations: A general invitation, A Brecaean invitation, and a Meriet invitation. All will have instructions to dip the card itself in water following the flowery invitation language.

The general invitation is more of a formality that is an invite to the event, even though the event isn't invitation locked. it's more of a way to say "please attend if you'd like to". the kingdom won't be specified, so either one is fine. The event itself is typically not by invitation only but this is being used as a means to invite people within and outside of Elysia to come and celebrate with them

The kingdom specific invitations are reserved for notable guests (royalty, nobles, etc). In addition to inviting them to the general festivities, it will serve as a cordial invitation to a more private gathering that will take place during the festivities.

The invitation Brecaea's side of the event ( and party ) will specifically state that they've also been cordially invited to the party in Brecaea and will say that they need to bring this invitation with them. They cannot lose it and upon arriving, whoever comes will receive a thin little charm bracelet meant to be worn under their sleeves, if any, but they can always modify it to suit the outfit ( i.e: can be a necklace or an earring ). It'll look very similar to the accessories most festival-goers are wearing. The host of Brecaea's festivities will be Queen Dakota and that much will be printed on the invitation after it is dipped in water.

Similarly, the invitation to Meriburn's event will state that they've been invited to the party in Meriburn. same rules apply--cannot lose the invitation, need to bring it with them, and they will receive a little, customizable charm that allows them to come and go as they please once they arrive. The host of Meriburn's festivities will be Princess Cassandra and that much will be printed on the invitation after it is dipped in water.

They very strict about guests losing their charms or if they are stolen. It's not only a means for them to keep track of notable parties at each event. but to ensure that all guests are safe during the festivities. This will be stressed upon arrival--under no circumstances is any royal guest advised to take these off.

[sansloii]

here are the outfit inspirations for my muses that will be attending the party in :)

Andris ( Sivatis )

main outfit source | back source

Evan ( Exulan )

source

Roderick ( Exulan )

source a | source b

Mikah ( Exulan )

source

Wynn ( Brecaea )

source a | source b

and last but not least... Penelope ( Arcadis )

source

[sansloii]

Welcoming Ceremony

The welcoming ceremony for the Festival of the Blue Moons takes place just shy of midnight. Because of the split festival this year, the ceremony is a little different due to the fact that the Tetrarch siblings are apart and are in two different kingdoms entirely.

Due to the nature of it being a retelling of the founding of Meriburn, the welcoming ceremony serves as a means by which the citizens of Meriburn welcoming the sea and those that dwell in it to freely travel along the streets of Meriburn. It starts off the coasts of Sylalune — a few miles out — on a sandbar that partly submerged by the tides more oft than not, especially during festival season. On this formation is a platform; some call it a stage, others refer to it as an altar, but there has never been a concrete way to refer to it. This platform — circular, made of stone, covered in roots that seem to just stretch up out of the ground itself — is where the Tetrarch royals typically stand and beckon in the tides and waves. It's made of the same stone that tends to glow when it comes into contact with water… but that glow cannot activate on its own, for a reason no one has discovered. ( For now, it's written off as just one of the many strange phenomena of Meriburn ( and the Tetrarch line as a whole ) as it only seems to react as such when a member of the royal family steps foot on the platform. )

In any case, the sea — welcomed in by a Tetrarch — will be allowed into the the city in small amounts and seem to travel up instead of traveling down. As it travels up, more of the story of Meriburn reveals itself via the cobbled stones in its roads. This phenomenon lasts throughout the entire festival.

A similar platform has been erected in the main square of Vasir, Brecaea's capital, due to how removed it is from the water and how difficult it would be to relocate the festivities to be along the coast while still ensuring the safety and accommodation of guests. However, the main streets ( side streets as well ) have been fashioned to mimic the flow of water that naturally occurs in Meriburn, flowered Aichontiscus-like statuettes carefully positioned all throughout the city and throughout the castle grounds as well. All these statues can ( and will ) be activated by the platform in the middle of the square. As for how the water will flow upstream as it does in Meriburn… well…

…that is why the Queen elected to host Brecaea's ceremony.

[sansloii]

The first thing the princess notices upon entering the main hall are the plants. The once vibrant plants and flora that lined the walls, sat in planters, and hung from hooks on pillars now appeared limp — as if all the life had been sapped from them and is draining still. A few, here and there, seemed a little less affected but what did it matter? They were dying quickly and didn't look like they'd stop just because the princess willed them to…

Brown eyes drift from the plants to the rest of the hall. As the coordinator had told her, the air was thick with tension — the guards stationed along the walls and sprinkled in against some of the pillars having stepped away from their posts. Some had their hands on their weapons and some did not… but all of them were fixated on one section of the hall. They weren't the only ones with their eyes drawn to it, as she could see the heads of patrons looking both at the walls and towards the commotion — varying levels of confusion and concern etched into their faces…

…and the few that had spotted her entering with Ezra looked at her with that very same confusion, the underlying expectation that this is not how the festival should be. coming to rest heavily on her shoulders. The murmurs of side conversations had grown near silent… but she's sure they continued.

Rather than dwell on comments and criticisms that this incident is drawing, she focuses more on the quickly growing crowd they approach. She lifts a hand to the one placed on her shoulder with a little squeeze of her own, and she's quick to fall into step with Ezra as they draw closer. She stops when he does, eyes flicking from him to Tabbris to…

…Tahariel Elohim.

Her heart jumps into her throat when, not a moment later, the man lept into the air to cross the crowd — heading towards the center as she had been before they stopped. Her gaze follows him intently before it drops to the crowd that still lied ahead of her. They were still packed together, heads craned to get a better look at whatever altercation that's transpiring out of view…

— And then comes Allisae's shouts. She could make out some of the words and sentences yelled over the silence of the crowd. The sound of it — how angry it was, how it reverberated in the spacious hall, and bounced off of every surface. The dead plants that framed the hall shudder as new ones sprouted forth and grew larger than the ones before them, spilling out of the pots, planters, and vases that held them.

She could hear the worried whispers of the guests before — worried about the state of the party… but they would not move. All they did is crowd in to watch… and gawk…and whisper… and comment —

“For god's sake — I need you all to move!” she shouts, startling the invitees nearest her. When the turn to look, her brows furrow. “Do not just stand and stare at me! Did I stutter?”

“Move out. Of the way! If you are not going to be helpful, leave the hall. Now.”

— and with the weight of that order hanging heavy in the air… the crowd parts in a neat line, through which she passes through briskly. Most, as she walks past, begin to filter out as per her firm instruction.

She knows she will regret doing that later, if the tightness of her throat is anything to go by. However, right now she does not care.

[sansloii]

This is the charm that will be distributed at both at Meriburn and Brecaea during the festival of the blue moon. It is a small, metal charm that can be worn as a bracelet, a necklace, or an earring. These charms are very popular during the festival and it's not uncommon to see many festival goers wearing them or incorporating them into whatever they can. In addition to that, these charms glow--much like the actual lily--once the sun sets.

There are three distinct differences between the ones that normal citizens wear and, say, the ones that notable guests will get. They are near identical in appearance ( which is purposeful ) but differ in two ways

weight: the shell charms that will be provided to royal guest will be a bit heavier than the common shell charms. this is because they're made out of different, undisclosed material. this also lends to the charm's center of gravity and what not, but we're not here for that.

durability: a simple scratch test can verify the authenticity of the charm. common charms are often painted or coated in cheaper materials. these ones will not be and will end up scratching the material they are rubbed against.

temperature: this one is not the first choice for many but the charm tends to run a little cool. those that have a keen sense for temperature differences will be able to tell just by touching it. if the weight does not give it away, the temperature will.

again, it is paramount that royal guest keep these on. chains of varying sizes ( made of the same material ) will be provided to secure the charm. earring versions of it will also be provided.

[sansloii]

With their backs to the kingdoms — to the castles that sit upon them, they welcome the waters that have long since welcomed them. As the tides continue to rise at the height of the blue moon, they usher them higher.

The waves, they travel further up the beach as the tides rise to the waist… then to the elbow.. then to the chest, to the neck, and finally stops just beneath the chin…

…then, as if changing its mind, the waters drop all at once and rush to the castle behind.

In Meriburn, instead of crashing against whatever barriers lie, the sea eases over it and quickly moves through the streets of the lower city with ease. the patterns that have long been dried onto cobbled stone now spring to life under the glow of the blue moons. The waters wind, as though they have a mind of their own, up and down the streets of Sylalune. In a matter of minutes, they've reached the castle and have spread out in a thin layer over the paved portions of the castle paths.

In Brecaea, the sea is brought to them… and so, it is the Queen that pushes it along the instead of it find its way on its own. It flows from the Aichontiscus-like statues that decorate its streets now and reveals the carefully prepared patternings and murals that are near identical to the ones that line Sylalune's streets. They wind up and down the streets of Vasir — a bit slower than their Meriet counterparts, but not by much. It reaches the castle grounds sooner than one would think and makes itself comfortable in a thin layer along some ( but not all ) of its paved roads.

These waters will recede come dawn… but once the moons rose into the sky again, they'd ease back into place as if they'd always been there with a low, imperceptible rumble.

[sansloii]

Meriburn

“…I wonder how wise it was to split the festival this year.” he mumbles more to himself, if anything. Within everything going on in the waters and kingdoms around them, it seemed a little odd that the kingdom of Meriburn just... up and decided to divide such an integral celebration.

It was a smart move, he'd admit... but a strange one. He could only wonder whose idea it was to plan such a thing and why.

Some part of him suspected that his questions would answer themselves later on.

[sansloii]

“Oh, I think I'm going to vomit — I'm so nervous.” is said with a heavy exhale, hands on her hips as she stares at a spot on the floor of the throne room. The princess then looks up — as if remembering just then that she's not alone — to a leagues more frazzled attendant, who likely took her words to heart and is now looking around as if she means to call for help.

“No, no — I'm fine.” Cassandra quickly reassures, both hands now outstretched in a soothing manner. “My apologies, I…It was a joke. I'm not actually nauseous right now. I'm just…it's a little daunting without my sister here. I will be fine.”

“…Are you sure?”

“Yes, I'm sure. I'm fine.” — but that was only a partial truth. “Though… if it's not too much, could you get me something to drink. Anything — water, tea, juice… it doesn't matter.”

She feels bad, sending the young woman away for something that she truthfully didn't need. However, as the attendant exits the room and she's left alone and in silence, she can't help but feel some measure of relief and takes a deep breath in before exhaling slowly.

The second draws in the scent of the sea wafting in from the open windows… and she holds it for bit — eyes closed and hands coming to rest on her stomach.

It would be fine.

[sansloii]

Honestly, she thought she would feel a bit more stressed being away from Meriburn during such an important festival. As she sits in a castle far from her own on the morning of, however, she feels a sense of…. anticipation. She wouldn't call it full excitement — as the quiet, paranoid part of her psyche still held space for the inevitable “What if” — but… perhaps it would be that way after the welcome ceremony was over and done with. That , she felt , would be the most daunting part of the week.

Everything had been set up perfectly in the few days she'd been there. The decorations, the accommodations, the streets and the sculptures that would provide the water they needed, the arrangements for the ceremony at the city's square — it was all ready. It's been tested and she's walked through it once, twice, three times and yet… there was a small voice at the back of her head that kept her nerves ever so slightly at attention. It's as if they did not wish to give her peace “just in case” something were to go awry.

…

It would be fine. She knew it would be perfectly fine but even still, she wrung her hands in her lap all the same.

[sansloii]

after saying that they'd be done on tuesday and then not doing that--I finished!

here are the dresses for koko and cassie that tumblr is going to compress and ruin but they're nice in my heart

[sansloii]

“…They need how much water?”

“You're joking! That's enough to fill the northern lake and then some!”

“Where is it all gonna come from — the ocean? We're gonna have ocean water filling our streets?”

“That's gonna be so messy. No one wants to wade through all that at a festival.”

“How do they manage that in Meriburn? They've gotta have grates in their streets, right?”

— And, like clockwork, he can hear his older sister's sigh at the influx of question and conclusions Tallis and Vance lay at their feet. They're curious and Wynn certainly couldn't blame them, given how eager they had been to listen in on discussions about the impending festival. He wouldn't fault them for their excitement, either…. but it would be nice for them to take a breath and let Sybil ( or himself, for that matter ) explain before their minds ran wild.

“Yes, of course — they're gonna flood the streets.” comes Sybil's mildly sarcastic reply, paired with a shake of her head. “Maybe they'll flood the castle too, if you two have anything to say about it.”

A chuckle sounds in Wynn's throat. “Don't put the thought in their heads, now. Next thing you know, I'll hear whispers of the castle turning into an aquarium.”

That earns an amused little eye roll from his sister, as well as some protest from his brothers ( but that much, he expected ).

“They're going to be using water from the neighboring ocean but it's going to be purified before they just… dump it on our heads.” Sybil explains, “And, from what was discussed… they'll probably use magic for a majority of whatever water-based spectacle is needed during the festival. Brecaea doesn't have the infrastructure to do what Meriburn does with the whole… “water in the streets, enjoy the festival barefoot, barriers to minimize flooding” but we're doing something pretty similar. I think they should be painting some sidewalks and roads with whatever substance coats Meriburn's streets today or tomorrow.”

“And the day after that… Queen Dakota is paying us another visit and will be staying until the festival finishes. So any questions you have — you can just ask her.” The royal leans back against one of the many window sills in the sitting room. “Granted you two don't inundate her with needless questions.”

[sansloii]

“Koko, what should I do if someone from Vanystea is at the Meriet festival and causes a scene about Allisae or wanting to see her. I know we're already expecting something already but... what do I do?”

“Simple — pull them aside and advise them to stop. If it doesn't, eject them from the party and instruct them to leave Meriburn.”

“... But I have my voice... can I not just use that? What if it's a foreign royal we invited to the party?”

“...First, you can also use your voice to get them to leave, yes, but I don't want you to strain yourself if it happens with more than one person. Don't use it unless you really have to... okay?” she tells her sister, “Secondly, it does not matter if it's someone we invited. I don't think you would enjoy their company any more than I would if they had a chance to cause a scene again. Don't focus on them being there; focus on getting them out. That's more important.”

“... Okay... Just making sure.”

[sansloii]

Seeing Meriet ships ( of any kind, honestly ) come into the port was not anything new, quite honestly. The prince could say the same for Exulani ships ( rare as they were ), ships from Sivatis ( less rare ), and the all too familiar ships from Arcadis. However, there was a distinct difference between the typical merchant vessel or convoy that he was used to seeing and the kind that tended to cast far-reaching shadows to blot out the sun. The former isn't something he bats an eye at… but the latter is what gives him pause at one of the castle windows.

This vessel is the latter.

The royal colors of Meriet royalty are as bright and tropical as ever. Their famous lily etched onto their flag glints in vibrant blues and purples against the sun, surrounded in pearls, swirls, various other decorations. It descends as carefully as it can off to the west — no doubt headed for the more private docking station not too far from the castle grounds — and disappears after a couple of minutes. He can still hear the faint rumbles of its approach, though, and allows a small noise to escape him.

“You heard that right?” comes his younger brother's shout, paired with the sound of his shoes hitting marble floors quickly — as though he was running.

Wynn turns to see Tallis speeding down the long hallway, coming to a hasty, “not-quite” stop in front of him. It's more of a slow down that precedes him running again… but he at least wanted to get a word in.

“They're here about that party mama was talking about! You think they'll let us listen in?” Tallis continues, turning to face the older royal and walking backwards to keep moving. “Sybil told me that it's supposed to be a really big deal.”

“It is.” he confirms, walking with his brother so he doesn't trip. “Though… I don't think you and Vance are going to sit in on that.”

“Why not? It's “important royal business”, isn't it? I'm an important royal — ”

“ — who is supposed to be.. where?”

At that, the teen pauses — his steps faltering, and brows rising in that tell-tale fashion that tells Wynn he's about to come up with some excuse. Before he can, the prince continues.

“If the king and queen get another complaint from your tutor, you're gonna get one that's stricter. They're gonna stick you with a drill sergeant.” he hums, “Get back to your studies. And tell Vance to get back to his as well.”

“Sybil said the same exact thing!”

“All the more reason you should go before you get in trouble.”

[sansloii]

How many times did she catch a glimpse of her elder sister passing by the door, ushered along by an attendant before she could be tempted to linger?

How many times did she sit at her window, watching an ash brown head of hair scurry across the courtyard?

How many times did she ask to see her or play with her? How many times was she gently told “no” or given some other excuse a child couldn't possibly understand?

She finds herself thinking back to those times, sitting in an airship heading home. Tucked into a cushioned seat and idly chewing on one of the many snacks given to her by Namodia's co-ruler, she stews in her thoughts. In between her slow chewing, she takes a sip of the familiar tasting tea that had accompanied all the snack with a closed-mouthed sigh. With it, comes thoughts of Allisae and the hope that she's alright wherever she is. She's almost certain that it's better than being trapped on that floating prison of a structure… but still, it made her nervous not truly knowing where her friend was. Even now, she could barely remember each and every thing that transpired up until this point. All she knew that, following the horrid spectacle that was the duels, her friend and her daughter had disappeared… and not too long afterwards, they ( along with another of Allisae's children ) been removed from Aegis entirely.

Brown eyes drift towards the window nearest her,making note of the clouds that quickly pass by. They linger for a moment or two before returning to the mostly empty bottle sitting in a small holder on the arm of the chair. Her attention then drifts up to her sister sitting not too far from her. Of course, she's busy reading a very boring looking document--lips pursed in thought and brows slightly furrowed.

Not a moment of rest for Meriburn's queen…

“…”

She had to do something. Perhaps not now, with fatigue and weariness still clinging to every one of her limbs… but that much would be gone when they landed. And when they did, she'd be able to accomplish a lot more with renewed energy.

…One of their holidays was coming. She could use that.

[sansloii]

They don't say much, watching the makings of an altercation ( at least they think so ) begin to bubble up at the corner of their vision. Their gaze doesn't linger long though, and they're quick to quietly walk off.