Poetry Night/New Years Celebration

[Car <wahye@yahoo.com>]

Kudos to all our poets this night...

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Atrium -- Imperial Conservatory (Kaitain)(#1900Rt)

Ornia walks in from Courtyard through the Crystal Archway.

Ornia looks about for a place to settle down to listen and enjoy those that read their works tonight.

Ceile walks in from Courtyard through the Crystal Archway.

Ornia finds herself a place to sit down and then watches other in the area and seems to take a pleasure in the enviroment and loosk finnaly at the medic with her "I will be fine why not go on back to the embassy."

Ceile waddles her way leasurely into the atrium, oddly enough not accompanied by a fidgetting Emperor or docter herself. She's wrapped in a warm looking cloak, which does absolutely nothing to hide her 'delicate' state, though she gave that farce up a long time ago.

Assaf walks in from Courtyard through the Crystal Archway.

Jumping to his feet quickly, Elio's eyes grow wide. He moves swiftly for his age and leans his hand near Ceile's elbow, "M'Lady. You should not be here."

Ornia glances to Ceile and seems bit supprised. With a smile after the medic leave her and waves at Ceile "My Lady would you care to join me?"

Assaf enters the Atrium, suprisengly without the gaurds he was so accustemed to take with him. He glances around the room and the people in it and walks towards one of the ponds

Nodding his head, "Yes M'Lady. Please... take a seat." Elio quickly scurries ahead and tries to read a chair of the lady.

Ceile sighs softly, rolling her eyes at Elio's protest. "And whyever not? I stayed away from the fights last night, should I simply hide in my rooms?" she retorts, more than a little tired of people telling her what she can and can't do, simply because she's pregnant. At Ornia's offer, though, she relaxes a bit, and smiles. "Thank you, My Lady...I think I will." And with that, she moves over to take the seat.

"M'Lady... the health... the child... your health..." Elio stammers slightly. FAther he may be, suk he is not.

Ceile sinks onto the bench with a soft groan of effort, and then looks whitheringly to Elio. 'I assure you, both my own health, and the health of the child are not in question." She smiles then, trying to reassure him. "In fact, the Emperor asked me to come, so I shouldn't waste your energy worrying about something so trivial as my health." she adds with a chuckle.

As folks enter, a small band of servants start to circle the attendees, taking orders for drinks and refreshments.

Ornia smiles a bit and then seems concered and moves to stand to maybe shoo away the man that hounds Ceile and only grans as she stands and reaches to her right ribs some "Please sir just let the lady be I am sure her presence will do not harm to her or her child tonight." she smiles lightly back at Ceile. and then starts to messageher own sore ribs and it is plainly obvious her left arm is bandaged at the bicep.

Assaf looks at the tree people bickering from afar, it is clear he doesn't want to intervene in the discussion.

Ceile looks sidelong at Ornia, moving a hand to lay a hand gently on her arm. "If I am to sit, so are you...I heard of your adventure last night. I must admit to being jealous." She chuckles, her other hand moving to unconsciously rub gentle circles on her protruding belly.

Sen walks in from Courtyard through the Crystal Archway.

Reluctantly, Elio bows and assumes a position behind Ceile.

Assaf is standing next to a pond, looking at the center of the room.
Sen slips in silently, trying not to draw any attention away from the poets, of course. Let it not be said that House Harkonnen is uncultured.

Ornia looks back to Ceile and smiles just lightly "As you wish then." with that Ornia settles back into the seat she was at and just groans again "And Well I did not expect to come home with a wounded arm or even the bruiseing I have." she then smiles a bit more "I hope you have been well as I have not seen you my lady since that last tiem I was at the palace with Justine." she looks down just a bit "I hope she is safe."

"Evening Ladies and Gents." A man steps out from beneath some of the foliage. His voice is liquid smooth, fitting his all black outfit and cap and goatee about his chin. "My name is Lore... the spoken word is my arena... the battles, bouts of love and passion and ink stains on my thumbs...."

Ceile nods quickly in response to that. "Well and safe, and back at the Palace." she confides, leaning slightly nearer the other woman. She falls silent, though, as Lore appears and begins to speak, focusing her attention on him.

Sen hooks her thumbs through her belt and listens complacently.

Assaf walks forward until he reaches a chair, as he's about to sit down, Lore starts to talk, he sits and focuses his attention to the man

Ornia nods and goes quiet herself as she now turns to look at the man and seems to listen now quietly.

Lore continues his rhythmic speech, "Come and join me on this journey... to meet myths and legends and mystery... travel down the written path... to places not even the Guild has seen."

Ornia glances about quietly for just a bit to see who else makes a showing tonight and settles her eyes on Assaf and smiles a good bit

"Who shall be the first to step upon this path..." Lore looks about the room, "A new damsel in distress..." pausing to look towards Ornia, "... though it seems there are none here." With a floral wave of his hand, he bows to Ornia for a moment and then hands her a rose before continuing, "... come... who will win the prize. Win it all."

Assaf's attention is on the man, thus he does not notice that Ornia is looking at him

Ceile chuckles softly as Ornia is handed a rose, her smile lighting up her face as she looks to the flower, then back to scan the room to see who, indeed, shall speak first.

Sen is careful to stay in the background and not meet the MC's eye, just in case Lore might have pointed at her instead. Not only is she not a poet, she hates having attention drawn to her.

Ornia blushes a bit at the handing of the rose and takes it lightly and does even take tiem to smell the fragrence of the rose before bowing her head in respect to the man speaking.

Lore points towards Sen's direction, "You there... you seem like a person who has something to say... a song on your tongue, a play with your throughts?" The crowd seems to part and one little man is standing there alone, holding his finger absently pointing to his own chest.

Assaf laughs a little when he hears the man's approach to the Harkonnen, he then turns his look to the little man that is standing alone

Ceile turns to look in the direction the man now points, and can't help but chuckle at thelittle man pointing to himself.

The man blinks, "me...me.eee...?"

Ornia smiles slightlya nd then seems a bit startled that anyone is placed on the spot for this.

Sen freezes in place. "Er..." She blinks her wide green eyes. "I'm.. no poet."

Sen -does- have a very pleasant, well-tuned voice, which undercuts her protestations somewhat.

Lore waves his hand, "Yes you my man. I heard you reciting your verses outside and thought how sweet it was to have you join in the fun."

Ornia does now glance at the female harkonnen and smiles at her, but again loosk to lore and then then man he addresses.

Elio shakes his head slightly, trying hard to hide the smirk on his face.

Assaf looks at the little man, sorry for him. Maybe if he'll read the poem already he'll be better

The man clears his throat and nods, clearly being 'prepared' as Lore had indicated. He begins, the mousiness in his voice as he squeaks out his poem..."To Emilla...."

"To Emilla...
You are like a fresh dew in the morning
You are in my waking thoughts
And dreams
If I were but to have one kiss.
One tender touch of your lips.
Then I could die a happy
Praising your beauty to the gods..."

Sen's eyes flick over to the person behind her, and she breathes an almost audible sigh of relief, gliding out of the way and feeling much better.

As the man ends, his face is completely red with embarassment. He quickly sits down, trying to avoid any further attention.

Assaf applauds as the poem ends

Ceile smiles brightly, applauding the man, not only for his words, but for reading them. She knows first hand, after all, how difficult that can be sometimes.

Lore snaps his fingers, his voice ever mellow, "Well done man. Well done. That Emilla is one lucky chick..."

Ornia smiles and then claps just lightly for the man and comments to Ceile "Nwo that was a poem worhty of a lady of your kindness and beauty."

Lore looks about the room, "Who's next?... Who shall brave the spotlight and stand before us for some praise."

Sen is just glad Lore didn't mean her after all. She applauds more for that than anything else.

Ceile arches an eyebrow at Ornia, chuckling softly, shaking her head. "I am hardly worthy of such.' she replies softly.

Assaf stands up, letting the rest of the crowd to see who it is. In a strong voice he says, "If I may, I shall read something in the name of an, uhm, anonymous Bajazet."

Ornia just smiles and says lightly "I just speak the truth is all."

Raising his hand, Lore commands, "So be the floor to an anonymous Bajazet..."

Assaf looks around, waiting for the crowd to quiet down, he then clears his throat and starts the Poem.
	Sonnet: A Soldier to a Jay
	By Anonymous

Jaybirds call to one another, wheeling
Under blue-weave lace, give voice, and bank, face 
Sunward, sounding out my feelings. You grace
Things groundward -- me, below. Lift this kneeling
Inconsistent paleish being feeling 
(Nothing promised, black, empty jewelry case)
Earthbound skywards, borne in blue-winged race.
Hovering above, I feel fate sealing.

And can birds that wheel and turn and sing bring
Songs that linger when they're horizon-bound
And more than flighty promises in Spring?
No? If no, leave me on this battleground.

Assaf then returns to his seat, waiting for the reactions

Lore bobs his head, "Birds of fight. I dig it man... I dig it. Well done. Mr. Anonymous Bajazet."

Ornia smiles a bit as she listens to the words and then just again claps as she trys to understand the meaning of the poem.

Ceile chuckles softly to Lore's comment, once again lifting her hand from it's gentle circling on her adominal area to applaud.

Assaf nods and says, "I'll be sure to let him know"

Sen applauds politely.

"Come on folks... give it up for the Anonymous man." Lore nods his head and then winks at Assaf, as if sharing some secret with him.

Ornia glances to Ceile and her rubbing of her tummy, but says nothing as she knows the womans feelings and winces as her own mind wounders to her bruised ribs.

Lore does a fancy turn about, and then stops before another person, "Who's next man?"

Ornia seems to shift in her seat some and again glances at Assaf.

Assaf nods and smiles at Ornia, as she glances at him, he then turns to look at Lore searching for his next victim

Ceile considers the search for a moment, then glances at Ornia. Leaning over, she whispers something to Ornia.

Nodding his head slightly, Elio steps forward, "I can go..."

Ornia blinks some and smiles and then whispers back to Ceile

"When there is light in your eyes,
There is freedom
There is hope
There is a tomorrow
And yet, the tomorrows never come.
The binding grows stronger
Day... by day
I watch
These hands unable to make a change
These tired, old hands can only come together and pray
Tomorrow... I will let you fly away tomorrow
But today, please let this selfish old man
hold on to a vision for a moment longer."

Ceile nods faintly to Ornia, smiling. 'You're right, of course." she agrees, and once again, turns her attention to the newest reader.
Sighing, Elio nods his head and then steps back behind Ceile.

Ornia seems very impressed with that poem and smiles a good bit at Elio "That was a touching poem sir."

Lore seems to echo Elio's sigh, "Well said man... well said."

Lowering his gaze, Elio smiles for a moment at Ornia and then quickly looks away. The reflection of pain in his eyes flashes for a moment.

Ceile nods her agreememt to Ornia, smiling. "Beautiful." she agrees, verbally.

Assaf nods, it shows he's impressed at the poem

Lore nods, "And around and around I go..." he begins to do some slow turning about the room, "... shall we take a break and work our mental nodes?"

"This is what I call a group poem... each one is required to give the next line in this poem... as I go spin about the room." Lore's voice reaches the airiest, lightest tone it has yet this night.

Lore smiles, "I'll start.... There's no such thing as free advise, but if you must know...."

Ceile chuckles softly, shaking her head as she listens to this knew idea. She glances at Ornia, and winks. "It seems you won't be free of reading tonight."

Sen glances around warily. This poetry reading is becoming more than she had bargained for. But if she only needs to give one line, maybe it'll be okay.

Lore pauses and points to Assaf, "Sir..."

Assaf stands up and nods, "Yes?"

Ornia nods and blinks a good bit "I am afriad you are right." she sighs and loosk down quietly now and does message her sore ribs again

"The next line sir... " Lore repeats without skipping a beat, "Just say the first thing that comes to mind."

Assaf looks a little confused but then recuparates, "Excuse me, I was caught unaware, let me rephrase that line." He smiles and pauses for a second, "Sometimes it better to bow than not at all..."

Lore snaps his fingers and then repeats, "There's no such thing as free advise, but if you must know
Sometimes its better to bow than not at all..."

He spins about slightly as he does so and then stops before Ornia, "My brave warrior... shall you add the next line?"

Ornia blinks a bit and then closes her eyes slowly "Then there are times to stand but tall."

"Well said my warrior princess." Lore contines to in his mello voice.

Lore adds in the new line, "There's no such thing as free advise, but if you must know
Sometimes its better to bow than not at all
Then there are times to stand but tall..."

He stops and looks towards Sen, "M'Lady?"

Ceile smiles, reaching a hand to gently pat Ornia's forearm lightly.

Sen inhales and recites the first thing which springs to her lips. "But all night he dreamed of his own house, and wandered in his sleep into all his different rooms, looking for something that he could not find, nor remember what it looked like."

Ornia opens her eyes now and seems to try andget past her nervousness at what she just did and smiles again at Ceile.

Ceile nods a slight nod of encouragement to Ornia before turning her attention to the newest line.

Lore whistles lightly, "Well said.... you sure you don't want to enter the normal contest?"

Sen gives a bit of a deathly smile. "I.. quite certain, but thank you for your kindness."

Lore taps his fingers against his chest as he recites, "There's no such thing as free advise, but if you must know
Sometimes its better to bow than not at all
Then there are times to stand but tall
But all night he dreams of his own house
and wandered in his sleep into all his different rooms
looking for something that he could not find
nor remember what it looked like
..."

He waves his hand towards Elio, "Over to you Sir... with the sad sad tomorrows."

Elio looks down at his feet for a moment, frowning. He hates being put on the spot like this. But after a slight pause, he says, "So his life is filled only with hate and spite."

Lore nods his head, "There's no such thing as free advise, but if you must know
Sometimes its better to bow than not at all
Then there are times to stand but tall
But all night he dreams of his own house
and wandered in his sleep into all his different rooms
looking for something that he could not find
nor remember what it looked like
So his life is filled only with hate and spite..."

He looks down from Elio and then to Ceile... "M'Lady... if you would be so kind as to finish our little poem here."

Sen glances towards Elio, who seems so very.. tragic.

Ceile considers the words already before her for a moment before offering her bit, "And so, his heart mourns through the night. For before he may progress, things must he set right."

Ornia smiles a good bit an dnods her approval of the line to Ceile.

Assaf applauds a bit but looks tierd.

Lore nods his head, "Well said... M'Lady." He repeats one more time
"There's no such thing as free advise, but if you must know
Sometimes its better to bow than not at all
Then there are times to stand but tall
But all night he dreams of his own house
and wandered in his sleep into all his different rooms
looking for something that he could not find
nor remember what it looked like
So his life is filled only with hate and spite
And so, his heart mourns through the night.
For before he may progress, things must he set right."

Lore remains looking at Ceile, "M'Lady... will you grace us with the final poem tonight?"

Ceile looks towards the entrance to the area, and sighs softly before she nods. Placing a hand on the back of the bench to use as leverage, she heaves herself into a standing position. Smoothing her skirts out a bit, she smiles. "I had hoped the Emperor would be here as he'd planned, but..." She shrugs slightly, smiling. She clears her throat lightly before speaking, her voice that of one trained for this. She is, after all, an actress by trade.

Out by the ocean, we see forever
On a clear night, stars are forever
Up on a plane, the world is forever
Down by your side, my life is forever

Holding your hand, the warmth is forever
Hearing your heartbeat, the sound of forever
Looking inot your eyes, our souls forever
Being with you, heaven is forever.

Sen applauds quietly, approving of Ceile's depth of feeling.

Lore pats his chest with his hands, "Oh... be still my heart." He gets down on a knee, "I wish I were the lucky man."

Ornia smiles brightly and then comments very softly "My lady that is a well fitted poem that could not have ended such a sitting liek this any better." she then stands up and curtsies to Ceile.

Elio smiles softly down at Ceile.

Ceile smiles warmly, not having recieved attention like this is a long while. She catches the curtsey from Ornia, as well as the kneeling MC, and chuckles. "You'll forgive my lack of response, I've found it a difficult manoveur these last months."

Lore grins and then gets up, the agility of youth. He looks about the room, "Well cats it's time to announce a winner..."

Lore turns, "Emilla... Emilla... Emilla... you are sweet... and so young and tender... but tonight... you are not our feature treat."

The little man next to Sen nods his head and sighs.

Sen smiles slightly in what's probably intended to be a reassuring way.

Ceile sinks back into her seat as the decisions are being made, her smile disappearing as she looks, once again, to the door.

Turning to Elio, Lore continues "and you my sir... have abilities you should not doubt. But again... I must defer the prize to someone else..."

"Which leaves us with the war bird or the forevers..." Lore holds his hands out to each.

Assaf nods, awaits the descision

Ceile tears her eyes from the door to look to Lore, waiting too.

"THough it saddens me that lovers do not always win, " Lore turns, "the award must go this night to a war bird who sang anonymously to us." He winks again at the man and then turns to Ceile, "Though my dear... your words were so sweet... would you mind if I gave you another prize, befitting the stature of your words?

Reaching behind his back, Lore takes out a golden spetre that is topped with image of a partially open book, "For you sir... that you reign this day." He turns to Ceile and produces a bouquet of liliacs, "And you my dear... for those forever mores."

Ceile applauds readily for the winner, offering him a bright smile. She turns to look at the flowers, and her smile softens. "Thank you..."

Assaf takes the spetre, "I shall hand it to the hands of the Anonymous..."

Assaf half-bows, "And I thank you in his name."

Lore bows and bows again, "And now... I must bid you all adeui. Well done poets... one and all... we shall do this again some time... no?"

Elio nods his head approvingly and claps from the sideline.

Assaf stands up and approaches Ceile, "A wonderful song, My Lady"

Leaning forward, Elio speaks softly, "M'Lady... now that this is done. May I escort you back to the Palace?"

Ceile glances over her shoulder, holding the flowers gently, and chuckles. "If it shall make you feel better, Kaid, of course." she replies, preparing to heave herself from her seat.

Assaf walks over to the exit, the spetre in his hands.

Sen throws Lore one of those restrained smiles, having enjoyed herself despite being out of her element, and slips away.

Sen walks to the south and passes through the Crystal Archway.