enduring legacy.

stolen valor

A quiet strength emanated from Seliph, which Ares heard before he saw, though he already knew what it was going to look like. The expression he knew from experience rather than any skill at reading them, linking it back to many a battlefield and stubborn standoff shared together, and that was what kept Ares from bending down to heft the impostor up himself. He only offered as much strength as was needed to get him over the saddle; the rest, including the lead, he passed to Seliph via a small nod.

What he wanted to say could wait until they were alone again, after they were free of the thief's mewlings and pleas that he kept clinging to. He was as bad as he was to the Knights as he was to them on the trip back, no matter what threats were waved in front of his face. The only thing that became clear was that he had a script, and that he was too stupid or stubborn to drift from it, even if it would save his own skin.

It was only after the impostor failed to weasel himself free of the two Knights dragging him away that he said something new.

Ares paid it no mind at first, no matter how loudly and pathetically he whined out "OH PLEASE OH PLEASE GOOD SIRS, WON'T ANYONE HEED A WRONGED MAN'S PLIGHT?" His back remain firmly turned, content to leave that voice to fade behind him in a cell.

Things changed quickly when the man forced his head over the Knights' shoulders to add, at the top of his lungs:

"MY DEAREST FRIEND WILL BE EXPECTING ME SOON!"

Not only did it force Ares to a stop, but it was enough to halt the Knights as well. Ares was the one who seized the impostor's attention first though, using an incredulous glare he'd turned over his shoulder, and paired with a single word that dripped with venomous disdain:

" 'Friends?' "

#ic.#thread tag: stolen valor #lionscion #i didn't want to move things too quickly + giving ares time to respond/react #feel free to take this in any direction you'd like!#q.

Much like Ares, Seliph stops in his tracks at the shouting.

"It was only a guess on my part, but he really isn't working alone," he states, raising his voice so he won't get drowned out by the imposter. The man, likely emboldened by the attention of everyone present, keeps going: 'Oh, yes! My friends are waiting--! They won't stand for this injustice!' And so on.

"Knights, I will leave questioning him to you." While they could stay for the interrogation, he has a feeling that getting any useful information out of him will take far too long. "In the meantime, Ares and I will head back to where we found him. If he doesn't show up, I assume his 'friends' will come looking for him."

Even if the accomplices aren't there by the time they arrive, they might be able to find some clues.

"We are quite capable, I assure you," he reassures the Knights before they can protest against students getting further involved in this case. He offers the reins of the poor horse to another Knight present. "And besides, it'd be only right if we saw this through. Right, Ares?"

I Should've Never Gotten on That Boat || Ares & Seliph

TOA Ball 2025 || Part 1 and Part 2

Ares met Seliph's smile with a puckered frown and a half glance. "I had no other choice," he said, breaking himself out of his briefly stiffened posture to inch further towards the center of the deck.

"Wearing the same thing twice is improper, apparently." An incredulous edge punctuated the end of that fact, leaving a small pause afterwards to wait and see if that was still a revelation to Seliph as much as it had been to him.

Ares had already guessed not though, since Seliph was wearing something new too. The other guests, now steadily fanning out in an easy single file alongside the ship's rails, were also probably the same, even if he never paid enough attention to ever notice such a thing. Or care.

"I understand such a need for something like this," he said, using the newly freed elbow room to extend his arm towards the coast, then to the rumbling sky above, "but what difference does it make within the walls of a ballroom?"

#ic.#thread tag: i should've never gotten on that boat #lionscion #sure thing! i will sprinkle in some build-up as well :relieved:#toaball2025 #still using the tag for the sake of organisation ig #q.

"Hm?" Seliph pauses at the question, the small noise he makes muffled by the rumbling. He hasn't really thought about it before. He secures the bracelet back on his wrist before tucking his hand under his chin in thought.

A part of him thought that not wearing the same attire to every event was a given. Another part, however, understands that Ares has always been a more practical, no-nonsense type.

"I suppose it shows you care enough to make an effort with your appearance," he settles on an answer that feels right to him. "As a king, it's what I must be conscious of. Although I am here to study, my actions can still reflect on Grannvale."

Under his feet, the ship constantly sways back and forth among the waves. That by itself is nothing new. However, Seliph notices it is no longer the same gentle rocking from a few moments ago. It is as though the sea itself is responding to the coming storm.

"And well, I think you look quite dashing in those clothes," he nods. "It isn't exactly wasted effort if at least someone notices, is it?"

landsbluod

there is your image in light

landsbluod

"Ah, of course - silly of me to - " She cut herself off with a truncated little laugh and a shake of her head, a lock of hair spilling over her shoulder. Brushing it aside was an unself-conscious gesture as much as it was a soothing one, and her expression remained light.

But he did know her. He had heard of her. It was an odd experience, to be referred to in such a manner - Lachesis had her fair share of stories told of her in life, and those had all rather fallen into the same genre of story, the intransigent bastard of Nordion, the princess who spurned suitors and flaunted her brother's status, etcetera ad nauseum.

Lachesis did not think she would grow sick of hearing what Seliph would have to say of her, or what he had heard from another's mouth.

"Of course," she said again, this time bracing her hands and her full - diminished - weight against the basin as Seliph prepared to strike, and oh, for a moment, he looked every inch his father's son, ready to vanquish the rice pulp, the indefatigable scion of Baldr.

It warmed the smile on her face, and her eyes flicked downward for a moment of thought before, almost shyly, she asked, "What exactly have you heard about me, Seliph? If - if I may ask?"

#ic.#thread tag: there is your image in light #landsbluod #rolled a 4 for flavor :marge:#i'm not gonna hurt lachesis' fingers ---#--- as 'comedic' as that'd be after he said he wouldn't :sob:#q.

"Ah, well—" Unaccustomed to the mallet's weight, Seliph takes a far clumsier first swing than intended. It's too light to flatten the rice, the latter of which slides harmlessly up and down the basin's edge.

In a split second of panic, blue eyes dart to Lachesis' hands. The young king smiles sheepishly at her once he realizes that there is no swelling or redness, no signs of harm done. "Let me try this again." He readjusts his grip and raises the mallet again.

This time, it falls on the rice with a satisfying thwack.

"Anyhow, I've been told that you were ferocious on the battlefield, but kind off it, Lady Lachesis." Seliph has yet to see the lioness bare her fangs, but he doesn't doubt the validity of those words.

"Does Princess Nanna know you are here? And what of Ares?" It is his turn to ask. "They're attending the academy," he adds, despite the real possibility that she is already aware of her daughter and nephew's presence in the hallowed halls of Garreg Mach.

He makes sure to keep the pace of his swings steady but not uncomfortable to work with.

"As for Diarmuid, I haven't seen him for quite some time." Not since they parted ways at Belhalla. "But I am sure he'd be glad to hear the news."

I ABANDONED MY BOY! — seliph & edain

yes.

that single word— edain’s heart thunders in her chest, the chatter of the students in the background only making everything so much louder. seliph seems to be able to see right through her, so she follows behind him without any fuss. always the kindest of children, she thinks while watching his back.

“you’re a good child seliph. the only thing it would have made me think was that someone was trying to take advantage of you.” she chuckles, trying and failing to school her expression to calm. “it just would have made me come here all the more faster. you might be a grown adult now, but i still feel like i have to protect you sometimes…” even she can recognize when she worries a little too much over a now grown adult.

silence, then edain opens her mouth to cover it. there is so much she could ask when it comes to how he feels about them being alive, but she settles on— “have they been treating you well?”

#ic.#thread tag: i abandoned my boy!#ulirblood #the first paragraph is seliph making an assumption abt some childhood memory he no longer rly remembers (and not me inserting a hc) :pray:#but between shannan oifey and her? she's the only staff user dfhfghf #anyways *squishes them*#q.

Seliph doesn't comment on her protective instinct aside from a hum of acknowledgement. Although he no longer remembers every instance of scraping his knee as a child, Edain must have been there every time to mend it. She saw him grow up, but wasn't there to witness the first time he sank his sword into a man's gut.

"Yes, of course!" A smile over his shoulder washes away some of the guilt on his conscience. He thinks of Mother's warm hug and Father's beaming smile—both of them have treated him as their child from the very beginning.

He consciously slows down his pace to walk alongside Edain instead of forging ahead.

"Sometimes, it feels a little strange, though." His voice lowers in its pitch as he voices what has weighed on his mind. "I was so young when they last saw me, and I don't... I don't really have any memories of them. For so long, all I had were these stories I heard."

In a very different world, his parents would have been able to raise him. What would it have been like? He struggles to imagine it.

diadic

boys will be boys

⤷ post-battle of the eagle and lion interaction.

diadic

“ Huh? And what is so odd about my speech?? ” Leif asks without a shred of irony, before the top of his head is assaulted by the most terrifying of all attacks— a noogie. “ Hey!!! ”

And what was this about Diarmuid?! He is truly lost in this conversation now, but what he protests more is the playful mussing up of his hair, and he almost forgets in the moment that Lord Seliph still watches.

When he remembers, however, Leif pouts and shoots a glare towards the Black Knight, only slightly more serious than the man's own lighthearted attack. His pride will recover from this, but...

(He does wish it wasn't in front of Lord Seliph.)

But between them, pride might be the very thing that they cannot keep a hold on, because as Ares tries to move on and sweep aside the matter of what happened to his face, the fates are crueler, and out comes the parasol to force Ares's mouth to backpedal.

Payback time.

“ Ordinary? In the middle of a battle? ” Leif kicks the parasol up into the air, letting it spin briefly before he catches it with the hand of his that had been wielding the staff, now fitting the two rod-like instruments together against the flat of his palm. “ From THE Black Knight?? I don't know, Lord Seliph. ”

It's obvious Leif doesn't buy it.

NEXT: @lionscion !

"It--" Ares stammered inbetween the cousins' pronged attack, stiffening against the combined weight of their words. Any tenseness he meant to communicate with his hardening stare was counteracted by his frown, now reduced to a pout, yet he still passed it between the two anyway. Plenty of choice words tempted him to hastily open his mouth, but instead he buried them beneath a long breath.

"It's a sword," he huffed as he swung a hand around to snatch the parasol away. Once held above their heads, one thumb pressed against the handle-shaped hilt to flash the blade hidden inside. "All of mine were too high-grade for a mock battle such as this." His only other option was forfeiting, which was also the only thing worse than swinging this thing around.

"Besides," he added, voice picking back up out of sheer, defiant confidence, "it makes no difference in my hands." He let go of the parasol 'sheath', flopping to the ground while he tipped the blade over one of his broadened shoulders. "There is no blade I cannot kill with."

#ic.#thread tag: boys will be boys #diadic #lionscion #using toa's skill rank progression against ares :ok_hand: since i like referencing mechanics #but if this flavor doesn't work for either of you --#-- i'm happy to edit djgfghf since i can turn it into a more generic statement #like 'ares you don't even own a basic iron sword??'

Who would have thought that there was indeed a blade hidden in the otherwise unassuming-looking parasol? Ares has the blood of Hoðr and the strength to back up his claims. Seliph can acknowledge that to be true since he, too, wields most swords with an innate, deadly proficiency.

Maybe it is just Seliph, but he cannot help but notice one tiny flaw in his friend's logic.

"...Too high-grade?" he parrots, tilting his head to the right this time.

"Doesn't the monastery hand out iron swords to students who have proven they are skilled enough? I certainly recall receiving one." The smile on his face grows. His question would sound almost innocent if he weren't mercilessly joining the prince in teasing the Black Knight.

"I'd think you own one as well, Ares. Unless something happened to it?"

@diadic

I ABANDONED MY BOY! — seliph & edain

"hehe." she can't help but giggle seeing the way that he basks in her support— he was always such a thankful boy despite the fact she felt she was only doing the bare minimum for him.

but she stiffens at the question he asks, pursing her lips. she knew she was going to have to confront him about his parents at some point, but that didn't change the way her heart sunk in her chest just a little.

"ah, that, huh...." she murmurs, smile turning melancholy in a way that seliph would surely recognize from his childhood.

"... your mother and father. did they talk to you?"

#ic.#thread tag: i abandoned my boy!#ulirblood #q.

The change in Edain's expression doesn't elude Seliph. He sees what his younger self found haunting her when he couldn't fully comprehend the grief. The loss of his parents didn't hit him as hard as it could have, should have, because he only knew Tirnanog and the orphanage and those days with his caretakers and friends. But for Edain, the loss must have cut far deeper.

Seliph nods in response to her question, relieved that she has already seen them but also guilty. "Yes."

His mouth opens, only to close. The faint chatter from the other side of the double doors is growing louder. "Let's continue our conversation as we walk, Edain."

Turning left, he starts leading them away from the classrooms.

"I met Mother within the first weeks of my stay here. Father showed up some time after." Seliph glances in her direction with two purposes in mind. For one, he makes sure she is following. Secondly, he tries to read her expression. "I thought about writing to you about them so many times, Edain... But if someone had told me my parents were alive before I saw them for myself, I would have been skeptical." Especially after that imposter had made his appearance and dashed the hopes Mother had planted in Seliph's heart.

"And..." He lets out a sigh, shoulders slumping. "I didn't want to seem like I was pulling a prank on you or disrespecting my parents' memory."

MAY STATUS ✧ Passed!

OOC NOTE: Updated my thread trackers with any Ethereal Ball minis I believe will get continued in June. However, that doesn't mean I am not willing to continue any other minis, and I can also remove them if asked. I will prioritize getting those interactions wrapped up in a timely fashion (now that school isn't kicking my ass). I will update some pages and pinned post in the near future, so stay tuned!

#ooc.#toaactivity #noting my event claims in advance!#i'll have to update my stats page for any finished threads/minis later #but i'm gonna take a couple of days to recharge first :zzz:

@hosannan sent:

"...Lord Seliph!"

Dark as it was, there are only so few that are this bright without another source. She raised a finger to her lips to denote silence as a mutual act, wrist flicking outwards to gesture down the hall. The glow of blue butterflies stir around their ankles, guiding them towards every open door. "...Hehe! Do pardon me...!"

Clasping gentle hands over his elbow, she whisked him past every door as if she had been practicing this for months. '[ MOVIE - TRAGEDY ] A young prince watches his uncle praying at the altar. He seethed in silence as the light pierced through the stained glass, absolving the man's sins. No, he must not strike now. Not when his uncle has no sins to send him to hell.' Nanna glided them past that door, onto the next.

'[ MOVIE - MELODRAMA ] The same stunning angel in the stained glass is being pieced together by a lonely artist, who is stunned to see that the next morning, the angel has disappeared. Coming through the window is a young woman who is flesh instead of colored glass.' And the next.

'[ MOVIE - FARCE ] The same actor is arguing with the prince of the first, over who has the right to their long lost grandfather's throne. What is left to them is the same name and a young child who they must take care of to prove their worth.'

"Isn't it like watching a completely new production?" She said, breathlessly, eyes cinching in awe as the story unravels. "...When Lord Leif and I traveled with you, it felt the same way. It was like living a completely different story..."

"What was the story like—for you and Prince Leif—before, Princess Nanna?" The question slips out of his mouth, quiet and without much forethought, as he turns away from the projection. Seliph knows his cousin had fought to liberate Leonster, but he doesn't know the finer details. Their struggles, their triumphs... How different were their stories before they converged?

"Ah, never mind, you don't have to answer that."

It is the second time tonight he fears he may have overstepped. He didn't the first time, but there is no knowing if the second time is any different.

"But if you ever wish to share your story, I'm willing to listen. Unless that's too forward of me... then, have my apologies instead." With a sheepish smile, Seliph slips a tulip in her hand. Then, he takes the lead, guiding them to one more doorway.

[ MOVIE - COMEDY ] - A techno-magical reproduction of a fantastical comedy about four young lovers who find themselves in a forest that calls itself home to curious spirits.

Their lives aren't the work of a scriptwriter in Enbarr. But if it were one, this would be a side story after an uplifting epilogue. An unspeakable tragedy may have dictated the trajectory of their early lives, but it won't shape their future.

#ic.#answered.#hosannan #toaball2026 #ty for sending annie :doggy: best of luck with your exam!#i tried tying this with the comedy prompt since comedies have happy endings #(and it's also a follow up on the third play being a farce - a form of comedy)#...does that make sense?? i sure hope it does

encantresse

"i don't mind." it's sweet how concerned he is by the thought of potentially offending her. refreshing, even, in contrast to all those who have no issue putting her on the spot. "somewhat familiar. i was a diva before attending the academy, so i know all about these scouts. "dorothea casts a dubious glance in the direction of the man who'd just accosted seliph. "luckily for me, i wasn't discovered by one of them. you know professor manuela, yes? she's the one who found me."

"as for incidents," she turns to face him again, her lips twisting into an exasperated 'well, you know...' look, "they're bound to happen. these people are relentless. i won't be surprised if they end up grabbing the wrong person, who breaks their nose or twists their arm." the thought makes her brighten visibly. "it'd be deserved. they're not as harmless as they pretend to be."

dorothea moves on with a smile. "shall we practice in case they approach you again? here, pretend i'm a scout." she pitches her voice playfully. "hello, seliph. don't you look like star material! you'd be perfect for this project i have in mind... say yes, won't you? i won't leave without you...!"

#ic.#toaball2026 #encantresse #uno reversing the same 'no pressure to continue' @ you haha. i just wanted to give her a flower while i can :doggy:#this also got me thinking about how seliph is /aware/ of the human capacity for cruelty but is still inexperienced --#-- in a sense that he wouldn't realize how fucked up some parts of society (ie. entertainment industry) can be #anyhow i am also very fond of their interaction from last year :>

Broken nose? Twisted arm? Seliph's eyebrows shoot up, and his eyes widen, a little taken aback. When he brought up incidents, he wasn't thinking of outright physical altercations. Then again, it isn't so difficult to imagine a sucker punch at the wrong time sparking a diplomatic incident.

Dorothea, a former diva, would know better than Seliph, a king, who has only gotten an unpleasant glimpse into a world completely different from his own.

Or is it?

The attention has been a source of discomfort for him at times. It didn't cross a boundary but erected a wall between him and others, for just a boy was seen as larger than life. More than a human. Or is he drawing similarities between two completely different experiences?

"No, thank you. I am not interested." Seliph forces his expression to harden. Be firm. In Dorothea's place, he attempts to picture the man who tried to touch his hair just moments ago. "I'll report you to a staff member if you still refuse to take no for an answer."

Unable to hold it for long, he breaks into a smile. "Well, how was that? Firm enough to drive a scout away, I hope? I'd rather not resort to violence if I can help it..."

Suddenly remembering the blooms they are supposed to be trading, Seliph plucks a tulip from his bouquet. "And here, for you, Dorothea, before I forget. Let's not let the scouts ruin our evening."

diadic

@virtuoustyrfing sent:

[ MOVIE - FARCE ] - A techno-magical reproduction of a performance following the double lives of two young noble men who so happen to share a name.

"Well... This isn't something we get to see every day in Jugdral, is it?" Seliph doesn't mean the play itself, but rather, the technology used to show it. ( ethereal ball — second half. )

“You're right! It isn't!!” From one distraction to another, Leif remains spellbound by the technology on offer at this year's Ethereal Ball. He'd gotten a feel for the new photo-artifex model earlier, but he hadn't gotten the full scope of what people would do with it until the lights at the venue had dimmed and from there, the stories were unveiled.

And before Leif knows it, he's showing a more excitable tone in front of Seliph than he ever intended. The prince's voice pitches high, eyes lit up in a way that never quite made it to the king's ears and eyes during the Final Holy War as the boy nods now.

“The demonstration earlier wasn't anything long like this... I can hardly believe how much they can exchange! You could put a whole speech on this and get it anywhere, couldn't you?”

But as quickly as he makes that outburst, the play finished and many of the other patrons filtering out of the room, Leif seems to develop some sense of shame as he startles seemingly to nothing; soon after, he clears his throat, and his voice drops an octave lower.

“Ah... I didn't mean to show such a childish side to you, Lord Seliph...”

Compared to his cousin's reaction, he's definitely the louder and less composed one at least...

#ic.#diadic #toaball2026 #i'm always happy to read your in-tags rambles :pleading: even if i have nothing concrete to add to it haha #meanwhile i'm gonna toss in a little throwback to 'revue of distortion' ---#--- since i am still very fond of that thread between them haha #and also v fond of their dynamic slowly evolving (ie. leif showing those sides seliph isn't familiar with) :>#i also wanted to throw in a quick flower exchange in some manner while not straying too far from the topic :frognod:

"Not at all." Seliph waves his hand as though to chase away Leif's sudden bout of self-consciousness. "While I haven't seen you this excited before, I don't find it childish."

Behind kindness and grace, he hopes his words alone convey the subtle nudge: his cousin shouldn't need to worry about putting on appearances in front of him. These little glimpses of the Leif he hasn't had a chance to know tell of the wall slowly getting dismantled, brick by brick, after Seliph offered his hand.

Or so that part of Seliph, who wants to understand his cousin better, hopes it's the case.

"Besides, I can see it." A thoughtful hum, as he turns away from the dark screen to trail after the rest of the people. "If such an invention were to get exported to Jugdral, it would have potential for other uses—and not merely for entertainment."

Seliph cannot claim to have a deeper understanding of how magic works beyond rudimentary lessons. However, the results are usually miraculous or terrifying.

"I wonder what Ares would think about it, but I haven't seen him at all tonight. Have you, Prince Leif?" If the man is somewhere on the premises, Seliph must have missed him every time. It is a little ridiculous since their friend easily towers over most people in a room.

"I thought he would be racing to compete with you this year... Nonetheless, I'd be happy to add one of my tulips to your bouquet."

florages

"Céline, princess of Firene. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Seliph."

She accepts the tulip from him, exchanging it with her own lily, as she asks, "Or might there be another title you prefer I call you? And from where do you hail, again?"

Her smile is apologetic. "Do forgive my presumption, but I cannot help but feel you have a rather... noble bearing about you. I would hate to disrespect."

#ic.#florages #toaball2026 #if only she knew...! :softsmile:#seliph didn't get to visit grannvale --#-- but there is no way he didn't get a basic rundown (some vague details) afterwards :see_no_evil:

"Don't worry, Princess Céline, you are far from being presumptuous," Seliph reassures her. Without realizing it, he slips into one of his many roles—that of a king—in the presence of a fellow royal. "I am King of Grannvale, in Jugdral. The monastery arranged a field trip there a few moons ago."

As he later found out, other groups were also swept up in their share of conflicts. He even received word of dissenters who sought to punish 'traitors' in the middle of the Day of the Twelve festivities. It is a grim reminder that there is still much to be done before peace fully reigns in Fódlan.

"You can call me 'Lord Seliph' if you wish. Here in Fódlan, I am a student of the Black Eagles." He inclines his head. "And... Firene is in Elyos, I believe? I've had the pleasure of traveling there twice."

verseandrhyme

"Ah, you are in good company then. I can only imagine requesting such a thing would have earned a younger me a scolding for such wastefulness." Spending time on what is glorified water when she could be doing any number of her chores? Unthinkable.

One hand cups the bottom of her glass as she surveys the table with a thoughtful hum. He is right. Such familiar gifts of years passed are entirely absent at present. "Perhaps someone finally did something that made the monastery decide it was enough."

Not entirely impossible, with the people here. Still, she laughs at the thought. "Or they are simply saving them for later in the evening. We will have to wait and see."

She turns to face him properly and gives a short, polite bow. "Thank you for your time. I do hope you enjoy the rest of the evening, even with the threat of an icy attack at any moment now."

#ic.#verseandrhyme #toaball2026 #thread end.#giving this an official closer o7 #ty for the interaction!#(note to self: add a mini tag later. after i check my word count)#thread: mitama mini 01

The Church going out of its way to ban snacks and drinks is certainly an absurd line of thinking. It elicits a light chuckle from Seliph, even though a part of him wonders if there has ever been such a case.

But as Mitama says, the missing refreshments may be served later on.

"Of course! Don't let me keep you." Seeing that the conversation is about to end, Seliph offers her a smile and a polite wave. "Again, it was nice meeting you."

He will be sure to say hello should they cross paths in the hallway.

Turning away from the table, Grannvale's king takes another cautious sip of his drink and cringes.

Still too cold for his liking.

— the end.

@shadoll sent:

[ LIGHT ] Trust is a surrender of control that carries tremendous risk in the eyes of most, but Sara grants hers without a second thought, sealing sight behind a blindfold for the song's duration. She cycles through partners like seasons, allowing them to guide her into a spin and start again, intoxicated by the heart pounding anticipation of each unknown hand to grasp.

A faint laugh, however, escapes the moment he welcomes hers and familiarity blooms, "What an unexpected meeting. Are you enjoying yourself, Seliph?"

One, two, three.

Seliph keeps a mental count of the steps as his body goes through the motions of the waltz. Follow the tempo. Don't step on your partner's toes. Many are undoubtedly focused on doing just that, too nervous to make a mistake.

Four, five—

A familiar voice breaks the concentration.

—Six.

He is a split second slower in raising his arm, guiding her into a twirl. "...Sara?" She recognizes him—even with the gloves he is wearing? Amazing, Seliph thinks, intrigued. As long as a blindfold casts his vision into darkness, he won't know whether he is sharing the dance floor with an acquaintance or a stranger.

"I am having a good time. I hope you are as well," he continues. "How did you know?"

#ic.#answered.#shadoll #toaball2026 #tsusara for meee :pleading: i was so happy to see her in my inbox #i couldn't figure out how to include the flower semi-naturally so feel free to grab it if you need/want a tulip :>

verseandrhyme

Seliph, Seliph...why was that name familiar? "Oh! You are Seliph. I have heard talk of you before." Well, now she had a face to place to the name should that ever be relevant again.

"A young lady told me of you, said she was a mage in your army once upon a time." Hmm. He did not look much older than her, now that she inspected his face properly. "How odd. You seem quite young to be burdened with that sort of responsibility. Adults are truly shameless, are they not?"

Nevermind. This is a night for happier things, not dwelling on events that are better left behind them. Mitama fusses to find a place in her bouquet for the tulip while watching him attempt to brave the icy goblets before them.

Brave and fail, if the speed with which he relinquishes it was any indication.

Mitama laughs softly, finally satisfied enough with her bouquet to tuck it away. "Well, it is still ice, after all." As she steps forward for her own turn, she takes her time to pour as little of the syrup as possible into her own cup. "I wonder why they did not simply decide to make these into drinks. Is it for the novelty of it, perhaps?"

#ic.#verseandrhyme #toaball2026 #seliph wanted to backtrack so badly but i told him no haha #he got something to chew on (figuratively)#thread: mitama mini 01

A young mage in his army? Her words pique Seliph's interest. Some faces come to mind, but the opportunity to ask for clarification breezes by. For now, he accepts that Mitama has crossed paths with one of his old comrades. It is far from impossible, considering Belhalla Academy is closed.

In a similar vein, he doesn't linger on the comment about responsibility.

"The novelty of it certainly made me curious about shaved ice. It isn't something I could dream of eating—much less drinking!—as a child," the young king admits with a soft chuckle.

He picks up the glass again, feeling the cold seep in through his glove. "But now that you mention it, they usually serve sparkling water with syrups to choose from... There isn't as much variety this year."

Is shaved ice supposed to be the sparkling water substitute this year? Or are they bringing out more drinks later?

encantresse

@virtuoustyrfing sent: [ NETWORK ] - One of your fellow ball-goers is being accosted, and getting into earshot, you realize it’s by someone who claims to be one of the scouts looking for talent. But they’re being a little pushy, aren’t they? And are you sure they’re really who they say they are?

"oh, your hair! it's stunning. the sheen of it! the color! you know, i've got to ask—have you done anything to it? no matter if so, because your look will go a long way in enbarr..."

dorothea watches as the man, dressed head-to-toe in flowing fabrics of emerald green, reaches out to touch seliph's ponytail. pure luck dictates that she's close enough to intervene, and with a small twist, she pivots away from the conversation she'd just been partaking in to slap the scout's hand away.

lightly, of course, regardless of how tempted she is to make it sting.

almost instantly, the stranger lets out a small yelp and pulls the offending hand back. "wh...?"

"where are your manners? no respectable person goes around touching others like that," she snaps. "honestly! as if you'd successfully recruit anyone like this."

with a final (and very scathing) look at the affronting scout, dorothea motions for seliph to follow her to the side. it's when they're some paces away from the flurry of action that her expression softens apologetically.

"are you okay? i'm afraid this is the norm. they never care about boundaries, so they'll push and push until you put your foot down."

#ic.#encantresse #toaball2026 #i'm always happy to interact with saramuses :softsmile:#this also means we have to continue building their friendship in toaball2027 /lh #+ no pressure to continue this if you have enough on your plate etc etc; i just wanted to reply 👌

"Yes, I am fine." Just a little uncomfortable with a stranger's willingness to cross all boundaries of personal space. Otherwise, it is something Seliph will gladly forget about after a few moments, especially in favor of the more pleasant company of his classmate.

"Thank you for your help, Dorothea." He dips his head before straightening. "I'll keep your advice in mind."

Seliph has no interest in joining a theater troupe in Enbarr; he has enough spotlight on himself without becoming a performer and a duty to fulfill. Saying a firm no from the get-go will likely rescue him from some future situations. At least, that means Dorothea or someone else he knows won't have to come to his rescue.

"I can only hope that all these talent scouts won't end up causing an incident..." He trails off, glancing sideways. That talent scout from earlier is already harassing another poor attendee. He turns back to Dorothea. "That said, you sound rather familiar with them?"

"You don't have to answer that," he quickly adds. "Consider it a passing curiosity on my part."

florages

[ ADRESTIA ] - A court dance that has spread like wildfire through Fódlan ballrooms. This waltz is best known for a special move that calls for the partners to join hands, together forming the shape of a bird in flight.

What a beautiful person.

Like tea and honey, Adrestia's waltz made a lovely pair to the nobility this man carried himself with. He looked the part of a classic royal: the soft furs of his cape, a perfectly pressed suit of royal blue, shimmering underneath the ballroom lights. The violins swelled in full force; to twirl and sway in his hold made her feel like the quintessential princess from her childhood storybooks, a rare thought of fancy she didn't mind entertaining.

But as the music comes to an end, Céline clasping his hand and extending her opposite arm to mimic a bird's wings, the excitement of the dance fades. In its wake, the sobering weight of reality is left to set in.

Letting his hand go, Firene's princess lifts her skirts for a curtsy. "Thank you kindly for the wonderful dance—might I offer you this lily, in gratitude?"

@virtuoustyrfing