[FOF] Reunion

champagne, cocaine, gasoline & most things inbetween

God, it had been a long time since he'd stepped foot in this city. This was the first year he had gathered enough courage to reply to the Festival's invitation sent to him. Previous years he had been.. afraid - though he would never admit to that. No, he'd rather tell himself he was simply too lazy to go, that it wasn't worth the hassle. And maybe, he thought, he had made a massive mistake in coming here. As the air turned colder, the sky seemed to brighten and the sound of the horses' hooves changed into muffled from the snow, rather than sharp on cobblestones.

It took him a day to get used to the new (or old?) setting. He was constantly shivering, even though he was wearing his warmest clothes: these days he didn't really own truly warm clothes as Lemuria didn't really get this cold. Somehow that realisation struck something in him. Had he really changed that much? He had been gone for quite a long time, he supposed. But.. it felt strange to no longer be the same person as he had been last time he was here. He really had left this life behind him.

The second day after his arrival, he took out on his own to explore the town he had once known so well. A lot felt different and somehow so very nostalgic, too. Ether caught himself feeling insecure. He didn't like that feeling. He tried to bury it whenever he could. Right now, burying it was very hard, for some reason. Though he could also enjoyed the bustle of the busy streets, the vendors trying to sell their wares, and the early drunkards laughing, breaking out into song. The thing he enjoyed most though, was the huge bag of gold that he had brought with him and with which he bought so many warm winter clothes.

The third day arrived, the day of the Twilight Ball. The best part, at least, that's what he supposed. He had bought local, handmade attire for tonight, fitted especially for him. The things that money (and a famous last name) could buy. Though the attire was local and thus probably in style for Ravaryn, Ether wouldn't be Ether if his outfit wasn't a little.. Risqué. He grinned as he put it on, checking himself out in the human sized mirror that his very expensive tavern (if you could even call it that) supplied. He applied makeup, which consisted mostly out of a lot of glitter and gloss. And off to the ball he went.

As he arrived, Ether wondered if anyone would even know him, if he were not to say his name. He had once been a very public figure here, but he had been so timid back then, so small, naive. He'd like to think he had grown out of all that, now. But would these people see a new man standing before them, or would they only see the boy that always did what his father told him to? Would his father be here? Most likely, everyone was here. Well, if there was one thing he wouldn't do, it was face his father sober. And so he grabbed a glass of wine immediately, try to down it in one go, but almost instantly recoiled from the glass as he noticed the wine was hot. Excuse me?!

Clothes
This shirt with a white cloak hanging from one shoulder, a v-shaped corset that manages to snag the waist but still show of the shirt's design, wine red pants and gay boots

@Raphael Ylindar

stars,

hide your fires; let not light
see my black and deep desires

@ Ether Rizal

During the Festival of Frostcrown, the enormous castle he’d been privileged enough to call his home, opened its doors for the grand Twilight Ball. If anything, this particular evening was his favorite part of the celebrations. Those from all over the kingdom would gather under their roof, dressed in their exquisite attire and getting tipsy on the wine. During these nights he’d often met with some interesting figures, some keen to get their hands on a foreign royal willingly drawing them into his chambers. Others merely wished to impress; often without success. It took a lot more than boasting about one’s status and possessions to impress him, a young man who was born into wealth and status without ever having to lift a finger.

For now, he contently watched the night unfold from the sidelines, leaning against the wall while sipping from a glass of wine. People-watching remained to be one of his favorite activities, especially on nights like these were drama and sensation were certain to take place.

It didn’t take long for a certain someone to catch his eye. Dressed in flamboyant attire of mostly white and red, the blonde was quick to grab the poet’s attention. Only as he studied him for a brief while, a sudden feeling of recognition washed over him as he watched the man sip from a glass of wine. Could it really be..?

”Ether Rizal, in the flesh,” he announced his presence as he walked up to his old acquaintance. The corners of his lips were tugged upwards into a grin as he amusingly twirled his glass. ”Rumors say you’ve disappeared off the edge of the world.” He hadn’t seen the man in ages. Which was strange for someone carrying the northern sorcerer name. The poet’s eyes sparked with curiosity. ”If I may be so bold to ask, what made you decide to show your face again tonight?”

Outfit