[OPEN] We shall have a magnificent garden party, and Athos is not invited.

[airshipswank]

Who: [OPEN] Everyone!
Where: The Gardens
When: Monday, October 15th
Rating: PG? PG-13? Let's assume that most heads and clothes stay on.
Summary: This year's days of warm and sunny afternoons are numbered, Wonderland's fair weather all but gone. This may be one of the last opportunities to celebrate outdoors, socialise under the blue sky, enjoy the fresh air and get people's relationships hopelessly confused while we're at it.

The Story:

A certain English duke is bored and has finally expanded his knowledge of future festivities sufficiently to do something interesting about it.

Come Monday morning each and every resident (except for the one living in 7.13) will find that a small invitation has been slipped under their door. The elaborate writing on it was made by hand, the borders of the paper lovingly adorned with a small drawing of vines. Its message is simple:

THE GARDENS
TWO O'CLOCK

[ OOC: It's a surprise garden party on the last day of the Do you think people ever get the wrong idea about us? event, brought to you by The Bored Duke Of Buckingham (TM). You didn't miss any pre-party plotting (IC or OOC) and everyone is invited. Enjoy! ]

Comments

You forgot the LIQUOR AND WINE thread.

[thestormcomes]

[Having met up with his good friend, happy for the company, Athos only ventures outside again when it is darker and he is in high enough spirits to partake in...some spirits.

Courtesy of Lord Buckingham's luxurious spread.

Part of Athos is a bit sickened by the thought that Buckingham likely held parties such as this every other day, using invaluable tax money from the British citizens, but the other part of Athos strongly dislikes the English, so it's a wash.

He tries to look inconspicuous, but comes across as a dark cloud lurking through a sunny day's pleasant weather.]

THERE'S SOME LIQUOR IN THE CAKE AND DO YOU REALLY WANT TO ACCEPT WINE FROM BUCKINGHAM?

[airshipswank]

The insects always crawl out when the sun sets,

[ Buckingham laments to himself as he pours a glass of wine. Granted, he may be swatting at a mosquito at the time, but given the deliberate way he is not looking at Athos that may not have been the insect he was talking about... ]

I'm sorry did you asked to be punched in the sternum again?

[thestormcomes]

You'd know from experience,

[Athos remarks dryly, already sporting a cup of wine (the cup he brought himself, because he remembers the last time).]

No thank you, that does not go with my outfit today.

[airshipswank]

[ Buckingham apologises if that comment made it look like he was treating Athos as part of the conversation or indeed as somebody whose presence he currently acknowledges.

Because that is not what's happening right now.

Instead he turns half away from the musketeer and looks into the crowd, taking a slow sip of wine. Reaches for a strawberry and savours it, bite by bite. Doesn't respond with a single word or gesture. ]

TOO BA- Well okay, fine. Be that way.

[thestormcomes]

[Oh.

Oh, he sees how it is.

It does make sense that Buckingham would be rather put-off after their last encounter, also known as "That Time Athos sucker-punched the Duke's Chest." Still, he's surprised that Buckingham hasn't even bothered to acknowledge him. At the very least, he tends to scrape up a self-satisfied smile and a witty retort.

Buckingham must be losing his touch.]

Pity you lost my invitation.

[Athos walks past him, giving the duke a hearty pat on the shoulder and upsetting the man's wineglass.]

A votre sante.

[airshipswank]

[ Buckingham never expected Athos to attend. Not a gathering and certainly not his gathering; the one he hoped, in part, to distract from the insurmountable gap between the things he wants to do to Athos and the things he can do to Athos here, give the circumstances.

Mutual resentment in silence. It seemed like such an agreeable solution for the time being, but in the end it simply cannot happen, can it?

No, certainly not when Buckingham's doublet barely dodges the spill and Athos' gesture sends a sharp reminder of their previous encounter through his chest.

The duke breathes sharply and clenches his teeth hard and when he is certain that his temper holds he turns them into a broad grin, calling after Athos loudly and cheerfully. ]

A votre santé!

[ And, in a tone darker and just loud enough for Athos to hear it, he adds: ]

Et la santé de votre ami.

[thestormcomes]

[...damn.

It doesn't come as surprising that Buckingham encountered Aramis - the poor musketeer was probably wandering about a lot, given it's his first day. As to what transpired between the duke and Athos' friend...]

You met him.

[He could have stopped on a dime, it's so abrupt. Athos barely glances over one shoulder, awaiting confirmation.]

[airshipswank]

Mh,

[ comes the very elaborate confirmation, followed by long drink of wine. ]

How does it feel to have him here? Do you... revel in his company or do you... dread what might happen to him now?

[thestormcomes]

[Athos turns around completely, lofting an eyebrow. Without a doubt, Buckingham is treading on precarious ground right now.]

Aramis can take care of himself, [Athos replies carefully.] Why, are you planning to kill us off now that we outnumber you?

[airshipswank]

[ Ahahahaha, good one. Good one, mon ami. This laughter is well-deserved. No, Buckingham is not who or what Aramis and Athos ought to be worried about. ]

Why would you possibly think that?

[thestormcomes]

[Athos gives him a flat look. One that says, What do you think?]

[airshipswank]

I've made no such attempt on your life, have I?

[ Well. ]

Not voluntarily.

[ Oh, that nasty, nasty event. He is ever so sorry about that. ]

[thestormcomes]

[Athos offers him a vague smile in return, remembering the growl of the hounds on his heels. The tear of their teeth in his flesh. And then nothing.]

How is your chest feeling?

[The smile widens.]

[airshipswank]

[ There is no sense in playing down Buckingham's anger about the incident, the rage he felt when he was forced to watch Athos walk away in triumph. No sense in pretending it did not sting his chest and pride for days.

...No sense in thinking Buckingham would be caught holding on to the sentiment much longer than that. The duke merely tuts. ]

Come now, you have more wit than that.

[ He pauses, slowly puts his hand to where Athos struck him and takes a deep breath in, disregarding any discomfort that remains. ]

Then again, perhaps not...

[thestormcomes]

To be fair, civil discourse is not my preferred method of coming to terms with others.

[Athos usually lets his sword do the talking, and it is loquacious to a fault.]

[airshipswank]

I noticed.

[ Perhaps it is not quite a case of the pot calling the kettle black, but there are many things that could be said about Buckingham's style of coming to terms with others; many things which are far too far from flattering to be listed in his own narration.

Instead we will focus on the lesson he doesn't seem to have learned just yet, otherwise he might not risk stepping closer to Athos, especially not while they are on that subject. ]

And yet you... are here. Why is that?

[thestormcomes]

Miss the chance to see you in your element? I think not.

[It is, admittedly, unusual to see Athos at any sort of party (unless dictated by the king), but he has his reasons. Convoluted though they may be.]

What sort of a man would I be if I did not take the opportunity to observe the habits of an enemy?

[Of course he answers Buckingham's question with another question. Did you expect anything less?]

[airshipswank]

[ For the most fleeting of moments Buckingham looks serious, almost concerned. Concerned that Athos' answer may be the truth, that perhaps he ought to be on his guard now that there are two musketeers in Wonderland. He was hardly worried before, seeing no angle from which a more elaborate plot against him would be worth the effort, any effort, but what if he was wrong? Revenge? Entertainment? Is it possible?

He forces the thought from his mind as quickly as it came and dons a smile instead. ]

For a spy you give yourself away rather quickly. Have you at least observed anything of interest so far?

[thestormcomes]

If I did, it would hardly behoove me to tell you, now wouldn't it?

[Athos' vague smile persists, sensing the discomfort in Buckingham's tone. For all the clever falsework maintaining the duke's composed façade, his foundations are rough and unwieldy, hewn stones carelessly slapped together with mortar.

It's a nice change of pace, putting Buckingham on the spot.]

[airshipswank]

[ Discomfort? Putting Buckingham on the spot? If Athos truly thought so, then he would have severely underestimated just how fleeting the duke's concerns and how thorough his dismissal of the same could be.

...Not that Buckingham would actually be able to discern such assumptions from the musketeer's response. ]

You attend uninvited and proclaim yourself a spy, I should consider that a forfeit on anything that behooves.

[thestormcomes]

[Athos would be loathe to come up with the excuse that he was simply bored, especially since one of his closest friends is now here, but- Ah, well, that might serve as a sufficient answer, anyway.]

Infiltrating the party via diving suit seemed like such a faux pas.

[He offers a light smile.]

The truth is, I simply wanted to celebrate a friend's arrival.

[airshipswank]

[ Athos' reason for being here. It's the only nagging uncertainty Buckingham would have to admit to, were he the truthful sort. To the duke a deliberate lack of invitation screams 'challenge', but he hardly expected Athos to speak the same language. ]

Shall we... drink to your friend's arrival then?

[thestormcomes]

[The language barrier is not the only thing of difficulty between them, unless certain happenings having to do with Venice have escaped the duke's mind.]

I suppose so, if you haven't tampered with the cups or the wine.

[airshipswank]

[ Buckingham cherishes the memory and wouldn't dream of forgetting, though he can't say that it was on his mind at this particular moment; after all party crashing would seem like a somewhat... tame form of retaliation. ]

On such short notice? No, I'm afraid not.

[ He turns to one of the buffet tables where he puts his old cup down and pours two others instead. ]

Though I have put aside a particularly fine Bordeaux.

[ Of which he now extends one towards Athos ever so graciously. ]

[thestormcomes]

Generous of you.

[Athos accepts the cup carefully, confident that Buckingham's could not have possibly prepared any hidden toxins, not knowing that the musketeer would choose to show up in the first place.]

At least you have good taste in wine.

[Any man who claims that French wine is not the pinnacle is indeed a fool.]