Harvest Bonfire

[King Uther Pendragon]

NOW OPEN

COME, sons of summer, by whose toil
We are the lords of wine and oil :
By whose tough labours, and rough hands,
We rip up first, then reap our lands.
Crowned with the ears of corn, now come,
And to the pipe sing harvest home.
Come forth, my lord, and see the cart
Dressed up with all the country art :
See here a maukin, there a sheet,
As spotless pure as it is sweet :
The horses, mares, and frisking fillies,
Clad all in linen white as lilies.
The harvest swains and wenches bound
For joy, to see the hock-cart crowned.

[/i]

^{From Herrick's: The Hock-Cart}

Behind Camelot Castle, in the vast grounds, a large Bonfire blazes- traditional for the harvest celebrations. For one day only, the grounds are open to all citizens to witness the blaze. Visitors crowd around after dusk, carring lanterns and generally having a good time enjoying the dancing, music and sweet foods. It is a very beautiful spectacle to witness.

This thread is open to all.

[Dante Grixis]

Dante led Evie by the hand to the large clearing where an immense conflagration burned. The heat radiated to the far corners of the courtyard and bathed everything in it's orange, flickering glow. Dante grinned as he saw the people dancing around the fire, it looked like a pagan ritual, some arcane event that had been lost to the flow of time taking place before his very eyes.

He looked around the courtyard and saw that there were tables set towards the back, each covered with food of all kinds. Meat, fruit, vegetables, wine and ale were laid out on platters. People sat around smoking from pipes and drinking deeply from flagons. He hadn't been in Camelot long enough to know that this was a yearly event but to him it was one of the most amazing things he had seen. It was mysteriously beautiful, much like the woman he was with.

He turned to her, his face eerily illuminated by the fire and smiled. "So, do we dance or do we eat first?" He asked.

[Sir Agron Esa]

Agron of Deira was one of the dancers, his hair golden and wild in the flickering flames of the fire. He was clad in a loose white shirt, with a neck that gaped open to his mid chest. A belt drew in the billowing fabric at his waist and trousers of a dark brown and boots completed the look. He wore no sword on this night of celebration. Indeed in a rather rare occurrence he was completely unarmed. His feet were warm in his boots and his cheeks were red with exertion and from the heat from the fire.

Agron laughed in joy. He took the hands of a man to his left and a maiden to his right as they danced around the fire on this glorious Samhain night. The feast in the great hall had been a joyful if reserved event but this was where the real magic lay, in the hearts of the people as they celebrated the end of the harvest and thanked the gods for providing a crop that would see them through winter.

Agron whooped and shrieked along with the masses as he bounced from one foot to another, spinning around the fire.

[Katlyn Isabel Blake]

Katlyn crept quietly up to bonfire, she wore a shawl that covered her hair and most of her face. As much as she wanted to come and witness the incredible harvest festivities that Camelot held each year, she didn't want anyone to see her and possibly recognise her when she was masquerading as an eastern princess.

The castle grounds were positively thriving. People from all walks of life surrounded the huge fire, there were peasants like Kat, Lows from the slums and even a handful of nobles. It was easy to distinguish those who were of higher class, for like Katlyn most of them stood away from the others, keeping themselves away from the "dirty Lows". Personally Katlyn couldn't see any difference between the higher classes and the lower, but she knew that the two social classes mostly hated each other, that was just the way it was.

She stared intently at the nobles, watching their mannerisms and every move they made. It fascinated her and she wished more than anything that she had truly been born a princess, with glossy hair, fabulous dressed and money to burn. Still, it was simply not meant to be, and anyway she would never have willingly left her father.

She moved closer to the fire, making sure to wrap her shawl even tighter around her head.

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur and Morgana drew up to the bonfire later than most, and the place was packed. Arthur had never seen quite so many people squashed into the grounds, but he was glad they were here. It made him feel as though the Pendragons were doing something right if so many of their royal subjects wanted to celebrate with them.

"Care to dance?" He grinned to his companion, but without waiting for an answer he grabbed her hand and attempted to pull her through the crowd to the fire, which was what everyone was dancing around. He grabbed a passing mans hand, and fell into step with the others, spinning and laughing as they travelled round.
This was a true celebration.

As they spun aroound and around he noticed a strange hooded figure standing not far from the ring of dancers. She stood out because her entire face was hidden save for her eyes, but Arthur wasn't able to get a good look at her due to the nature of the dance. Everytime he tried to focus, he was pulled by the man beside him and round he went again.

[Lady Morgana le Fey]

Upon excusing herself from the King's graces at the Feast since Arthur had asked her to attend the bonfire with him, she had been approached by Gwen who must have run back to get her a cloak. "Thank you Gwen- are you going to join in the bonfire later?" Morgana noted that Gwen shrugged her shoulders -"I am unsure. It will depend on what hour the feast finishes here. Enjoy your time..."-

"Hopefully I see you there..." The look Morgana gave her back said something like 'you really do work too hard and should enjoy the night' but knew it was pointless to argue it aloud with Gwen.

After fixing the cloak to her shoulders, she followed Arthur out to the bonfire and was amazed at the number of people that were already there. So many people were currently packed into the grounds surrounding the fire. "What a wonderful turn out on such a night as this- certainly could not have asked for a better night." The weather was perfect...not to hot, but not overly cold either and the glow from the fire cast a beautiful orange shadow across the surroundings.

"Care to dance?"

Rather than even wait for an answer he took her hand and dragged her towards the fire. Although she could be stubborn when she wanted to, he was fairly strong and she certainly did want to go so she went along willingly. Just prior to falling into step with the ribbon of dancers she picked up the corner of her cloak and draped it over her arm so she wouldn't trip on it but would have her hand free to hold onto the next person's hand. Easily the pair slid into the dance and the ribbon wove its way around the flames. It was so freeing- no stuffy court traditions/restrictions or rules about propriety. Tonight was a night when almost anything was allowable. Over the noise she could hear her partner, Arthur, laughing and it certainly was contagious as she also began to laugh. "This needs to happen more often!"

[Selphia Dek]

The night’s wind howled through the hall from a door that had been left opened. Selphia had not thought anything of it until she went to the window to peer outside. The Moon was glorious in its beauty as it hung within the midnight sky. As she rests her palms against the frame she leaned forward. Her pale gaze cast to the darkness down one of the streets. She could see the last of the townsfolk rushing toward the bonfire. Was that this eve? She had read the herald and thought it a good day from now. But alas she was wrong.

A bright smile came to her lips at the thought of not reading her hours away until she fell asleep, not this night. She would enjoy the merry making that she would. She moved to her door and grabbed her robe as she went, almost knocking a barmaid over in the corridor outside her room. She did not slow, but called by with a joyous tone to her voice, that she was forever sorry and would talk later. She made her way out of the house she was staying within and into the street. Her pale gaze cast toward the rooftops as she saw the brilliant glow of firelight beyond them.

Entering the bonfire area she smiled and greeted those about her freely. A soft bow of her head and a smile as she made her way further within the folds of the crowd that had gathered. Many folk, from so many different walks of life, or so Selphia thought. She stepped back to observe them more the to interact with them. Sure these events were wondrous and meant to be experienced by one’s self, but Selphia often did not fit in. She did not dance well more drink any better. She sang but she was certain no one had an ear like her brother. For she often thought it was kindness that stayed the laughter on most occasions.

Her pale features remained under the folds of her robes. Did she dare to reveal herself to those about her? She was pale, paler then the moon by comparison. Her hair, her eyes, her very flesh, place her near a fire and people might think a demon had just appeared. She had found a spot by a small group of children. Who she felt was not the best hiding spot for her, for within minutes they had circled her and grabbed her by the arms to come dance with them. Such friendly folk this city had. Selphia felt that she could not wrong them, so she went. Her robes fell away the first spin that she took. Her eyes a blaze with firelight, as was her hair, while her skin just appeared warmed and soft. She smiled and laughed as she danced amongst the children, who were soon enveloped by the adults.

[Katlyn Isabel Blake]

Katlyn felt herself pushed forwards as the crowd outside the castle increased, and she was soon much closer to the dancers than she had ever intended to be. She stumbled forwards as a boystrous man and woman passed by her, laughing as they ran to join the dance. She barely noticed who it was until he was amongst the other dancers. Prince Arthur Pendragon!

She probably would never have realised it was him had it not been for the way he stared at her as though she were some sort of mystical creature. She could not fathom exactly why he stared at her so, for as far as she could remember she had never masqueraded as a noble where he had been in attendance.

Still, he was definitely staring at her each time he passed her side of the fire, and Katlyn felt a strangely happy feeling bubble up inside her. She had always heard he was the most handsome man in all of Camelot, but until this night she had never laid eyes on him. But boy, was it true. Still, he was probably only looking at her because she was so hidden away in her shawl, and blushing, she slinked off to the back of the crowd, where the dancers were completely hidden from her view.

Prince Arthur! she thought proudly. Looking at ME! She smiled smugly to herself, her head full of crazy ideas of falling in love with the prince as she danced giddily away from the bonfire, crashing wildly into Selphia as she did so.

[Evie Perroy]

Evie allowed Dante to lead her through the crowd of people that were already gathered at the bonfire. Her eyes shone, watching the crackling flames casting dancing shadows and the people cheering and making merry. It reminded her of times she had visited the annual bonfire with her father- she couldn't suppress a laugh as a knight danced past her whooping loudly. You could barely make out people's facial features in the dim glow of the fire though, and so she relaxed slightly, even when she caught a glimpse of Prince Arthur dancing with a beautiful woman she assumed must be the Lady Morgana. She hoped he wouldn't come over to talk to her, for Dante's sake, although she was sure he wouldn't recognise every recruit of the army.

The dancers were a blur, you could barely tell which class people were from, it was just a flurry of skirts, arms and laughter.

"So, do we dance or do we eat first?"

"We dance!" Evie replied, moving Dante's hand to her waist, walking backwards and pulling him into the circle of dancers. She loved dancing, and hoped Dante knew how to lead.

[Dante Grixis]

Dante grinned. He hadn't danced in a long time, must have been five years at least, but the idea of dancing with Evie was quite nice. He took her hands and began moving in time with the music pulsating over the courtyard. He smiled at Evie and they twirled and jumped with everyone else. Of all the women he had met sofar he was glad he had came with Evie.

After a moment he saw a flash of someone with a well dressed woman. Arthur Pendragon. This offset Dante's good mood a bit but he wasn't going to let it ruin his evening. Something about dancing, the smell of burning wood, the heat from the fire and being with someone was able to ebb away the hatred for Arthur that he felt coursing through his veins. He quickly made sure his face was still hidden.

Dante smiled at Evie under his hood. "So, having fun?"

[Evie Perroy]

Evie spun around and leapt with everyone else dancing, in any other situation she would have felt slightly self-conscious dancing like this, but as everyone was moving in a similar way it was easy to blend in. She had completely forgotten about the brawl at the inn, the cool evening air and good company had done wonders for her mood.

"So, having fun?"
As she looked up at Dante's smiling face and nodded, a wave of exhaustion hit her, probably a combination of vigorous dancing, the heat from the fire and her sore ribs.
"Can we sit out for a bit?" she asked, panting slightly, and flopped onto a nearby patch of grass. It was close to the stalls of food (which she fully intended to visit in the near future) but still allowed a good view of the dancers. She waited for Dante to sit beside her, then leaned against him and caught her breath. The atmosphere really was electric, and she was very happy sitting back examining lots of unfamiliar glowing faces.

She tilted her head to look up at Dante over his shoulder.
"I don't think there's much chance of Arthur recognizing you, and loads of people are wearing hoods" she remarked reassuringly, following the Prince's eyeline to a female dancer.
"He seems too preoccupied with the celebrations... and the girls. The Lady Morgana is very beautiful- I've never seen her in real life..." Evie observed, noting the Lady's fine dress and glossy raven hair. This evening had given her a chance to see the foreign lives of the nobility close up, and she was going to relish every moment of it.

[Dante Grixis]

Dante sat on the grass with Evie and put his right arm around her, allowing her to rest her head on his chest.

I don't think there's much chance of Arthur recognizing you, and loads of people are wearing hoods

Dante smiled grimly at her statement. It did put him at ease to know that he wasn't the only one wearing a hood, be he couldn't let his guard down. Not with the enemy so close. Just because he wasn't going to start a fight here tonight didn't mean that his enemy would. "Well, thats good." He replied cheerfully.

He looked at the girl that Arthur was dancing with. It was true, she was beautiful. She had an innocent look about her, but somehow she looked tired, or older than she was. It struck Dante as odd, perhaps she had suffered some kind of tragedy in her life. He shrugged the thought from his mind as he let his thoughts venture elsewhere.

Perhaps she could be a tool in getting to Arthur... The thought flashed through his mind, as quickly as it was there it had left. That was dangerous thinking. Using a pawn like that would cause even more unwanted attention, and people tended to fight harder when the things they loved were at stake.

The smell of ale hit him and he slowly got up and grabbed two glasses. As he sat back down he handed one to Evie and took a sip of his own. Tonight had turned out better than he had expected. At least so far.

[Evie Perroy]

Evie was left to her own thoughts for a moment when Dante got up to get drinks. She watched the smoke from the fire spiral up into the night sky, making it appear pregnant with rainclouds even though the night was clear. In the distance the band changed song and the tempo rose. She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them, glad when Dante soon returned, preventing her from wondering how her choices in life were going to play out. Tonight was about having fun, and not thinking too deeply about things that were out of her control.
He handed her a mug of ale which she accepted with thanks. Evie thought it might offend him if she offered to pay so instead kept quiet, although she did have a small pouch of coins tucked about her person. She sipped her ale, then coughed loudly as it seared down her throat. How embarrassing, a barmaid that couldn't hold her drink... In her defense, it was a lot stronger than the ale served at her workplace, probably because it wasn't watered down quite so much.

Evie bit her lip, and looked down into the mug.
"You might hav't carry me home after a few of these!" she said, turning to Dante, and smiling, took another sip.

[Dante Grixis]

Dante chuckled at Evie. "A barmaid that can't hold her ale?" He said and laughed. "Well, I'll make sure you get home safe." He said and smiled at her. He thought to himself that it was strange that he felt he could keep somebody else safe as he himself stood at the gates of hell. He supposed it was just one of those mysteries of life. He took a deep drink from his mug, that alcohol warming his body more than the fire already had.

"So, of all the people you could have came here with, why the most wanted man in Camelot?" He asked slowly, trying to choose his words carefully so it didn't seem like he was upset she did. In truth he was glad she did, he probably wouldn't have came alone. He stared off into the hypnotic flickering of the fire, slowly loosing himself in its glow. His thoughts slipped away with the blaze. He was aware of nothing around him, yet everything at the same time. It was a pleasant trance like state, somewhere between here and not, between life and death, heaven and hell. When he heard Evie began to respond he snapped his gaze away from the fire and put all of his attention on her.

[Evie Perroy]

Evie was very comfortable, the warmth of the fire was reaching her nicely and a heady scent of smoke and ale hung in the air.

"So, of all the people you could have come here with, why the most wanted man in Camelot?" she laughed loudly at Dante's question, perhaps a bit too loudly- the ale had already gone to her head which was buzzing pleasantly.
"Well, I've always liked my men tall, dark and wanted..." she replied lightheartedly, standing her empty mug beside her on the grass. She sighed, leaning back onto her arms and continued, "Honestly though, I've known no different, I'm the daughter of one of the most wanted men in Camelot. I mean, was the daughter..." she fell silent for a moment, her gaze shifting from Dante to the fire.

"It's all I've known I suppose. And now I feel safe around the most dangerous people. It's hardly the cleverest thing to ensure my survival... but people can be dangerous in different ways. I'm more scared of magicians, or people who are driven by power, or revenge or love. They're the one's to watch out for." Evie was suddenly very aware she had been talking for a good while without allowing Dante a word in edgeways. The alcohol had loosened her tongue, making her even more talkative than normal.

"Are you close to anyone?" The question may have appeared out of the blue, but it followed Evie's unspoken train of thought.