♜ festival grounds

Spirits are high all across the festival grounds—music, chatter, laughter, and the delightful scents of various treats floating on the cool winter air, made warm by the various bonfires dotting the area. Just a few paces from the band, a man galavants across a makeshift dancefloor, stopping now and then to tempt a chosen dance partner. Despite no success in his first two tries, he gives it another go and extends an inviting hand toward...a woman just to Kylie's right. She declines, giggling shyly behind her Fool's Feast mask and the fiery innkeeper wastes no time in slotting her own hand into the surprisingly warm one awaiting it, startling the dancer for only a moment before realization catches up and a smile returns to his features. The exchange between them is silent, but understood, and Kylie is guided out of the crowd and into the spotlight. Hands part only once they've reached the center.

An initiating bow, his knee just barely brushing the ground, and one reciprocated from her. As if rehearsed, they set off in a circle, going opposite directions but never losing one another's gaze. The circle breaks as he gives first approach, a shuffling two-step taken toward her, followed by a retreating spin and one last step her way. Two firm claps signal the end of his turn and she mirrors the steps, clapping last, before they both launch fully into a jaunty romp as the music picks up to an infectious rhythm. It only slows long enough to allow another round of wordless exchange and then another—he, then she, then they as they return to a single unit, spinning and jaunting across the earthen dance floor. They kick up dust, they insight joyous laughter and cheers while their small audience claps in tune. Kylie's hair and skirts fan around her, turning her into a beautiful display of color. Her dress made of a lovely green and gold cloth gifted to her on one of her many travels, fashioned into something wonderful by the master tailor who'd been creating Alrynian's clothes for decades. With the hem modified just slightly enough to allow for freer movement, she is completely uninhibited in her movements, allowing for a more fantastic display as the two dancers mirror one another's movements through the entire song. Perhaps too soon, the song comes to its close and they end the dance with a pose, allowing the audience their cheers.

@hwang hyunjin Years of raising a wolf-hunting dog gave Angelina quick reflexes and an innate ability to catch herself when jumped on, so the heavy hand on her shoulder did nothing more than jerk said shoulder a bit—leaving her to fix a displaced sleeve while warily observing the culprit and sending a cursory glance in the direction in which he'd stolen a look before settling on him again.

"It's fine, no harm done." Her response was brief, to the point, which left her with a lingering moment of her conscience screaming at her that this was the part where she was supposed to act friendly and continue...or initiatie? the conversation. All she managed after another fidget with her skirts was, "A..another year, ey?"

@angelina danilova Hyunjin attended the festival with his other soldier friends, most of them acting like typical men. Events like these were the perfect attempt to find someone they can hopefully romance, and though Hyunjin wasn't into that sort of thing, he still enjoyed the company of the others. "Why don't you talk to her?" One of the other guys pointed at a girl wearing a cerulean dress, that complimented the other nicely, and pushed Hyunjin towards the woman before they all ran away from scene.

Trying to catch his balanced before knocking into the woman, Hyunjin ended up having to use her as a bit of support, placing a hand on her shoulder. He quickly removed it though before his face turned red. "Oh, I-" He stumbled over his words trying to look back for his friends. "I tripped, I'm sorry." The younger male was a bit awkward knowing that his friends were hiding in the crowd somewhere watching him.

Abandoned by the exasperatingly persuasive friend that convinced her to come, Angelina makes for an obvious fish out of water as she shuffles across the festival grounds. All around her, people laugh and dance and, generally, make merry while she self-consciously tugs at the sleeves of her one suitable dress. A vibrant cerulean, the garment does nothing to hide her as she'd typically prefer; nor does her ornately braided hair.