( CLOSED ) and an open cage

[unprays]

Who: sansa stark (unprays) & a buncha people
What: holiday ball & january plot things
When: december & january
Where: olympia, the south outpost, somewhere around wyver
Warning(s): your standard game of thrones warnings apply, just in case

( individual starters in comments!! feel free to either write up a starter for us, leave a blank comment and wait for me to write us something, or poke me @ celen for more specific plottings!

just as a heads-up, i'll be in japan from dec 21 to jan 5, so tags will be very slow going until i'm back! please bear with me in the meantime ♥ )

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[song_of_ice]

[He had kept a careful eye on Sansa since arriving at the gala, having spotted her among the crowd. With her height and hair, it was difficult to miss her. Whatever concern he might have, he kept a respectful distance, not wishing to interfere with her fun or dictate who she should talk with. Even if Ramsay was walking around, he knew better than anyone that Sansa could take care of herself.

As the effects of the evening started to wear on him, the protective instinct disappeared, leaving instead a desire to enjoy himself and share that good mood with Sansa. So he managed to make his way through the crowd, finding her close to the dance floor. He had never been fond of dancing before, but he held out his hand for her now.]

I remember you told me I should always ask a girl to dance when we were young. I should probably make up for that failure now.

[unprays]

[ even if they had spent the better part of the evening apart, mingling with others, Jon's presence was still something she appreciated, something that put her at ease — she may not have been able to see him, but just knowing he was there made it better.

she'd already taken turns on the dance floor: first reluctantly, then with more cheer as her ever-present caution ebbed away, to be replaced with a lighter mood.

when Jon finally finds his way to where she is, holding out his hand, she smiles brightly before placing her hand in his. she knows he's not exactly someone to love dancing, and so the gesture means even more. ]

I can't believe you actually remember that! [ she laughs, shaking her head. ] I told you to compliment the girl's name, too, didn't I? That's all I can remember.

[song_of_ice]

You did and I remembered that even when I was beyond the Wall. [It was the only thing he knew to say to Gilly when they met. He might have said it to Ygritte as well, if he hadn't had a sword to the back of her neck. It was through Sansa that he first learned to talk to women, something that had gotten slightly easier with time, death and resurrection.] That was all you told me, but it was good advice.

[They hadn't been close before, unlike now. She was still offering advice, it was just a matter of if he was sensible enough to take it.]

You will have to teach me how to dance. I haven't in a long time and I might have forgotten how.

[panzersoldat]

[ Reinhardt has been really enjoying himself at this celebration. He loves this sort of thing. It's everything he's ever imagined. He's not really done a fancy ball in ages. The last he can really remember is back in his Crusader days, before the Crisis really got bad. This is so much better. There's only one thing that is missing. And that is the dancing. He's really wanted to dance, but the pickings are few and far between.

Until he sees the young lady. She's lovely. She reminds him a bit of a a princess. He knows he's a bit old, but he wants to at least try. If nothing else, she'll surely have a good laugh at it. At some massive scarred veteran wanting to dance with her. Still, he's careful in his approach, so that he's at least not too intimidating. The includes giving her a sweeping bow when he finishes his walk up to her. ]

I had been wondering when it was I would finally see a princess. [ Does he know she's actually a high born lady? No. Does that matter? No. To Reinhardt, all young women are princesses (even the ones that can kick his ass) ] Would you do this old man the deepest honor and dance with me?

[unprays]

[ she arrives at the Grand Hall with a cautious mindset, careful and keeping to herself, mostly talking to those she knows — but slowly, it ebbs away, to be replaced with something more light, cheery. that perhaps this night, she can have fun, a ball like she never truly got to experience in King's Landing.

and so when a man so big he reminds her of Sandor Clegane (briefly, only briefly, for when he speaks it is far from the gruff, clipped tones of the Hound), instead of being on guard, she holds her black dress as she curtseys with a light laugh. ]

I must disappoint you, ser, as I am not a princess... and so you're doing me the honour of asking me. [ and then, as she straightens, ] I would love to dance with you. [ once, her laugh may have been unkind — now, her smile is warm and genuine. she knows how to tell empty words apart from those that are meant, now, and something that is truly meant should be answered in kind. ]

[panzersoldat]

[ The little bob of curtsy has him smiling back just even more warmly as he extends his hand to take hers. He knows he must be careful of her. But he always is. He would never harm a lady. ] Come now, miss. You are no disappointment. And on this day, every lovely young lady is a princess, regardless of her station.

[ He's so happy that she agreed and he feels so proud, guiding her towards the floor. Eager to ply flattery because to him it's the truth. To him, she is indeed a beautiful princess and he is lucky to have gotten this honor.]

I just hope I can live up to your expectations. [ Reinhardt takes care in the polite placement of hands. His are so big that resting them in the small of her back takes up a large portion of it. He'll wait until the beat to take a condifent first step. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Claire finds Sansa early into the night, and it's with a smile on her face.]

There you are. I was hoping to find you before too many people set their eyes upon you. [Lovely as she is, Claire doesn't doubt Sansa doesn't draw attention. Might as well have her looking as elegant as possible. She opens the small purse she has with her to pull out a small velvet bag.]

Here. I was going to give this to you later, but I figured we might not have another event like this for some time, depending on the traditions of this place.

[Inside, she'll find a ridiculously blue pendant on a chain. She always did how blue looked on redheads.]

[unprays]

[ a smile blooms on her face immediately as she sees who is approaching her, a smile that mingles with some confusion when Claire hands the bag to her. ]

But why? It's not even my nameday! [ still, there's still some of the girl who used to love pretty dresses and making up her hair with the newest styles that she opens the bag carefully — only, when she picks up the pendant, it's with wide eyes and an exhaled, ] Oh, it's lovely...! Claire, I can't possibly accept this.

[nineteenfortyfive]

In my world, it's tradition to give gifts around this time of year to those dear to us. I thought this would look perfect on you. May I?

[She'll take the necklace and step behind Sansa to clasp it behind her neck. That done, she moves back in front of her, smiling warmly.]

It's very rude to refuse gifts during this time of year, too.

[She's serious, but there's a teasing tone to her voice.]

CLARKE ❄ backdated for the gala

[unprays]

[ gold glitter;

the ball reminds her how much she used to love things like this, when she was younger — imagining beautiful decorations, ladies in stunning robes, men handsomely dressed, the newest dances being performed... but her dreams had died, never to be revisited until the moment she steps foot in the Grand Hall.

it's even more beautiful than she could have imagined, and yet, Sansa keeps to the sides of the room, standing in place like a statue in her black dress, wearing a simple, silver necklace of a running wolf.

she smiles, though, when Clarke approaches her, even if the suggestion leaves her looking somewhat uncertain. ]

Are you sure? I only know Westerosi dances...

[romancekiller]

[ clarke finds herself feeling the exact opposite given she has never really been to anything like this before. it was all new and foreign to her and that included dressing up for the party too but despite how awkward she felt, she was still trying to get involved.

the glitter just happened to give her the push she needed so when she spots sansa standing on the side, she immediately approaches her and just nods at her question] Of course I'm sure— honestly, I'm not too experienced with dancing either but I'm sure we can figure it out together.

OCELOT ❄ backdated for the gala

[unprays]

[ as wide-eyed as she felt, at first, at the splendor of the gala, the sheer amount of people feels overwhelming — once, she delighted in it, watched the ladies dance and the men tourney and thought it amazing. now, all her wonder at such sights has long since died, and she walks around the Grand Hall rather cautiously... but when she spots a familiar face among the crowd, she heads where he's standing, her black dress making her hair stand out all the more and likely making it easy for him to see her well before she makes it to him. ]

It's all very grand, isn't it? [ she smiles at him, wondering if he feels the same about it all: that it all feels more like a show, a front of sorts. it is easy to be distracted by everything beautiful... but everything beautiful is usually that to conceal something else. ]

[shashka]

[ it was always nice to see Sansa, and he has to admit, she's looking particularly. Ocelot himself has also cleaned up a little, opting for a simple black tuxedo. the only trace of his normal wardrobe comes with his red gloves. ]

It is, isn't it? Looks like they're really trying to make a display of "cooperation" between the two cities.

[ there is a hint of disdain in his voice that he's sure she'll be able to pick up on. to let her know that yes, he really can't help but agree. but, on a lighter note... ]

Have you gotten a chance to dance with anyone yet?

[ easier to continue on their conversation that way, with no one listening in. ]

PROMPTO ❄ backdated to the gala

[unprays]

[ if her wonder at the Grand Hall and its displays were dimmed by her ever-present suspicion, the light that pours out of Thesa and surrounds it leaves her speechless for a long moment. it's a sight unlike anything she has seen before. ]

If I didn't know better... I would think that to be a blessing from the Gods, too.

[ her voice is quiet when she turns to Prompto — after such a sight, it feels disrespectful to speak too loudly. ]

[punshots]

[ He gets it, the way the dancing lights lay a blanket of reverence over the world they occupy below. It's easy to forget that the source of it is the very place they all started out, in the tall hallways and cold spaces of Thesa Station. Prompto doesn't miss it. But it's where his friends are, his loved ones, and were it not for the Natha, they wouldn't be here looking up at it at all. ]

Yeah, no kiddin'. [ He slants a grin right back at her before his eyes travel back to the light. ] It's somethin' else, isn't it? This whole...world is.

[ Even if it isn't home. ]

MATT ❄ backdated to the gala

[unprays]

[ she remembers him, still — she hasn't seen him for a long while, but she never forgets someone who has been kind to her... not anymore. and she is alone, now; she has seen Jon in the gala, seen others she knows and spoken to a few of them, but right now, he is the only familiar face around her... and perhaps it is silly, to feel uncomfortable standing there alone, but a little caution never hurt anybody.

she approaches him with a small smile. ]

It is good to see you again, ser. [ it crosses her mind that he might not remember her: that his act of kindness may have been more memorable to her than helping a girl would have been to him. ]

[ghettobatman]

[He can hear her breathing and takes in her scent --- Matt stop being creepy -- long before she approaches him, and he considers making his way over to say hello. He's nursing a glass of whiskey when she approaches -- naturally, he remembers her -- if anything, he's glad she's still awake. That she's safe.]

[He smiles when she speaks to him, turning to face him]

Sansa? Is that you?

It's good to see you too -- in a manner of speaking. [Blind jokes....]

KAGARI ❄ backdated to the gala

[unprays]

[ his hair stands out from the crowd, making it easy for her to spot him, to recognize him. she remembers their first encounter still, the humidity of Wyver jungle, the pictures that he taught her to take.

there is a mass of people moving and dancing between them, but her height makes it easy to see him still, and when he happens to glance in her direction, she smiles and waves — hoping that he spots her, realizes that it's him she's waving at.

perhaps this time, she can show him that she actually rather liked his company, despite their differing homeworlds and experiences. ]

TRACER ❄ olympia in january

[unprays]

[ their house didn't suffer as badly as others' did, but it still needs repairs — and more than that, they have lost some things they had, like clothes, and so Sansa is determined to make sure Jon and Father have clothes that remind them of home.

she's just coming back from getting some fabrics when she spots a familiar figure on the street ahead of her — and without really caring that shouting is likely going to attract some attention, she raises her voice, ]

Lena! Lena, wait! [ she's not about to waste a chance to see her friend again! ]

[quevalry]

[ life as part of the guard is a busy one, and even more so with all the repairs which still need to be finished. of course, lena is going to take some downtime here and there because she knows it's useless to overwork herself.

there's no fun in that. she had just finished her shift and was taking her time heading back to her own place when she heard a familiar voice. her head perks up and she grins, waving her hand and making her way towards sansa. ]

Long time, no see!

STEVE ❄ backdated to the gala

[unprays]

Ser Rogers?

[ it takes her a moment to recognize him, to remember his name — she nearly doesn't, not until her mind takes her to their first meeting, to when he spoke to her so kindly as they looked at those who still slept.

she approaches him now with a look that says she's not entirely sure he will remember her. ]

I don't know if you remember me... I'm Sansa Stark. We met at the station, before.

NED ❄ backdated to the gala

[unprays]

[ it felt the same, she thought, as it had with Robb around — a perpetual sense of surprise, like a hand that squeezed her heart too tightly, made her forget to breathe for a moment for how glad she felt, for how much she'd missed him... missed them both. looking at her father now, here, awake, makes her happy and sad at once: happy, to be able to be in his presence again, to be able to talk to him... and sad, knowing that the odds that their whole family will ever reunite are far too slim.

not for the first time, she wishes for Robb, wishes for her mother. they should be here, too, for this.

and still, she looks at Ned with a smile — her dress is as dark as the clothes she'd become so used to wearing in the North, the necklace a proud memory of their House. ]

What do you think, Father? Isn't it beautiful? [ she looks around them as she says this — undeniably, the gala looks lovely. too lovely, she thinks, like they are trying too hard with it all... but to mark its beauty would be what Ned would expect from her, and so she says what she believes he will look to hear. ]

[learned_to_die]

[In truth, these sorts of things were never Ned's strong suit, nor his pleasure. He'd attended tourneys and balls and things of the like out of duty and obligation, but he'd always felt a fool when dressed up in fine furs and leathers, ignoring the whispers of those around him about the Lord of Winterfell, a man with eyes rumored to be as cold as his heart, particularly in his younger years.

No, he'd always much preferred the quieter, simpler gatherings of his family: eating meals together, socializing in the Great Hall, watching his sons practice in the yard, that sort of thing.

Still, he knows better than to scorn a chance (and what a miraculous chance, at that!) to be able to be here, with his beloved Sansa, together again. He had no idea what to wear but, after getting some assistance from someone at a local shop, he'd settled on a (strange) three-piece suit with white shirt and tie. He's spent some of the night readjusting and adjusting the various items, unused to the way it all feels (and deeply longing for the more familiar garb of home), but he tries not to focus on all of that.

Instead, his attention sets squarely on his daughter - how brilliant she looks, shining like the sun itself. There is a subtle sadness, a pang in his chest, at how remarkably similar she looks to her mother, and it reminds him of how much he wishes she would wake.

Her words draw a small smile from him as he gives it all a brief once-over.]

My darling girl, you outshine it all.

preaching in a material world.

[desistor]

[As a person who'd never really settled on what exactly he wanted to do with himself, running odd jobs comes pretty easy to him. Which might be part of why he's quick to offer Sansa an escort, if she shows interest in joining in on the fetch quest. (The rest is probably that besides needing the scratch that'll come from the job, he's got a particular weakness for playing guard dog for self-assured redheads.) However the agreement goes, he's back in Wyver for the time being, and waiting to meet her not too far off from the they're supposed to be looking for gems.

But all that's a little later. First things first—he happens to crack a surprised kind of grin when he spots the company she's keeping.]

Hi. See you've got a plus-one.

[He drops down to eye level with Lady, bracing himself with one hand on the Transistor as it's propped against the ground. But he stops short of trying to reach out toward the direwolf before they're properly introduced.]

Is she friendly?

[Makes him wonder what happened to Luna... (He can't seem to access Help() anymore, which he attributes to Sybil sleeping in her pod instead of integrated into the Transistor. But also because...it feels a little like a stretch to hope that the powers that be had decide to save the only friendly Process in their doomed town. Which means she'd probably been left behind in the Storm. Hate to think of it that way. She'd deserved a better end than that.)]

[unprays]

[ it had been something that was not too hard for her to do, she thought, not something that required much fighting — but Jon still insisted that she have someone with her, even now that she had Lady back, and so Boxer joining her was killing two bird with one stone: appeasing Jon, and making sure there was someone with her in Wyver, as some of the citizens weren't all too happy to see someone from Olympia there.

she smiles at his interest in Lady, while the direwolf tilts her head to look at Boxer with a calm, intelligent stare. ]

Yes, they returned her to me recently. [ them being the Natha, obviously. she doesn't mention the fact that they returned her from death. ]

Her name is Lady. She's friendly, when she knows you're a friend. [ she's still a wolf, after all... but not wild like Shaggydog had been, or menacing like Ghost still was. ]