Frost and Feathers (Closed: Dior, Flower)

[Elderflower]

Frostlace bore a wicked grin as she followed the stairs down to the banquet space laid out in the Trillion Theatre. As more ponies began to gather in the main hall, the building with its red-and-gold luminescence came to life. The light reflected from the crystalline walls painted every attendee with soft touches of red and yellow garnet. How lovely! Of course, it helped her own loveliness as well. Though the crystalline coat that she had sported after the Crystal Heart was returned to its rightful place had vanished, the lighting in this building had an effect upon her appearance that was just as elegant!

The Stallian mare chuckled, then, at Snowfall’s quietly-spoken words of farewell. Good luck, she had said, as though her friend needed it. With her arsenal of charms, her good looks, and this fetching lighting, Frostlace needed no luck!

With that thought, Frost looked behind her and smiled to see Alistair following. See? No luck needed! And flirtations aside, the gryphon made excellent company. He was good-natured, well-spoken (in Stallian, as well!), and had fine taste in tobacco, if the smell of smoke coming from his pipe was any indicator.

As they drew near the banquet space, filled with fountains made of ice that gurgled with as many drinks as one could imagine, Frostlace whirled about to face her feathered companion for the night.

“Duty calls, hm?” she said in Stallian with a wink, addressing his earlier comment, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull colt, haven’t you heard? Though if hard work is what you’re looking for...”

The mare quirked an eyebrow then laughed, lifting a pint glass in her magical grasp before holding it under the same fountain running with stout she had visited earlier. When her cup was full she sipped at the foamy head before drinking some back, then shot Alistair a levelling but very playful look.

“So, Alistair, tell me. what do you think of all of these icy fountains?”

[Dio]

No smoking indoors. A quick look at the sign earned a miffed grunt from the grizzled griff. The pipe met its storage case, the case met the pocket of his suit jacket, and the jacket met the exasperated sigh of Alistair Goldmane. It was good while it lasted and he had other things to worry about. Well, one thing in particular really, that thing -- pony -- being the mischievous mare before him.

“Duty calls, hm?” she said in Stallian with a wink, addressing his earlier comment, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull colt, haven’t you heard? Though if hard work is what you’re looking for...”

​

“I’ve been called many things before, but never dull, in spite of my duties,” came the retort in Stallian. “I don’t go looking for hard work on purpose. But that’s not to say I can’t handle it when it finds me!”

“So, Alistair, tell me. what do you think of all of these icy fountains?”

​

“Far better than I could accomplish with a hatchet and carving knife. Sculpted yourself I presume?” Stepping to the side to acquire a glass, Alistair selected a lighter brew, one smelling faintly of peaches.

His glass filled, Alistair brought the glass to his beak, siphoning off a bit of the head before dipping into the brew proper. It was what he expected from an Equestrian brew: mild, fruity, and not punishing whatsoever, with a semisweet finish. His company provided an interesting juxtaposition. The light flattered her frame, highlighting her finest features while hiding enough to give her an air of allure. It had been a while since he’d been on any sort of fling with a pony, nevermind one as spritely and sublime as Frostlace. Serious romance was the last thing on his mind. A fun time, however, was always welcome!

“So I was wondering,” he mused as he slipped back into Equestrian. “What happened to the liquor? I figured a fine Stallian mare like yourself would be tucking down vodka rather than beer!”

[Elderflower]

“Hmm. Never dull, you say? I think I shall be the judge of that tonight,” Frostlace retorted just as quickly in Stallian, quirking a brow with a saucy grin, “I have had my fun with all walks of life. The wealthy, the working class; ponies, dragons, perytons...I’ve had my share of fun. I wonder what a military gryph such as yourself can bring to the table…”

The mare’s eyes darted momentarily to the dance floor before she took another deep swallow of her stout and directed her gaze back upon Alistair. A second appraisal of the athletic and battle-hardened bird confirmed that he was, indeed, a handsome specimen. But the suit was off-putting, as it was clear he didn’t feel at home in it. It didn’t surprise her considering he was an army bird. Hmmm…

Frostlace knotted her brows in concentration, her magic skating through the air and settling on the gryphon’s shirt collar. With a smirk and a little toss of her horn, the mare popped open Alistair’s top two buttons so the collar opened up a little on his feathered neck then loosened his tie slightly. The difference was very slight, but the difference it made in the gryph’s appearance was almost astronomical. His look went from stiff and stuffy to relaxed and casual in the time it took to draw a breath. In Frost’s mind, only the elite types buttoned their shirts all the way up, and they were usually pretentious and insufferable. Alistair just didn’t fit that bill.

“There!” she smiled, clinking glasses with the gryph, “Now is suit you much good. Not so stuffy. You strike me as man who lives life with top buttons undone - only stallion with nose in air can breathe with shirt collar tight around neck!”

The mare paused, then laughed at herself. “Hah! Suit you better.”

“But yes, blagoobraznyy, I made icy fountains. But I not sculpting them, I conjure them. Like so.”

The Stallian mare cast her gaze to the dance floor then, beaming at the sight of the party’s hostess being swept into a passionate kiss by her lover. What perfect inspiration for her little demonstration! Pointing her horn towards an empty space on a nearby table, a lovely little statuette of the two mares smooching shimmered into existence.

“As for my drink, that is easy answering. Tonight I simply wanting something more full-bodied.”

And cue the wink.

[Dio]

“Looks like I have quite the record to live up to. But I can assure you, the Aquellian Marines have put me through the most rigorous of… endurance training. I’m sure I can live up to your expectations,” Alistair countered.

He could feel her eyes caressing him from beak to claw. Despite his usual misgivings about being watched, Alistair did not mind this so much. After all, he had already caught Frostlace’s initial approval. He doubted that a second look would do much to hurt his bachelor eligibility. If anything, she’d be even more enamored with the strapping griffon before her despite his --

Alistair’s thoughts were interrupted by a tug on his collar. With a flash of magical light, the tie he had so painstakingly taken the time to tie loosened its death grip on his neck and the barely adequate collar of his button-up shirt was finally given permission to retire for the evening.

“There!” she smiled, clinking glasses with the gryph, “Now is suit you much good. Not so stuffy. You strike me as man who lives life with top buttons undone - only stallion with nose in air can breathe with shirt collar tight around neck!”

​

Well. She was right. He did feel better. Alistair didn’t even realize he could put a noose around himself so handily. “Well that was liberating...”

“But yes, blagoobraznyy, I made icy fountains. But I not sculpting them, I conjure them. Like so.”

​

To bring home the point, Frostlace conjured a structure seemingly out of thin air. Though Alistair knew the basic mechanics of unicorn magic, it was still miraculous to behold in person. The statue materialized before him, taking the shape of two mares engaged in a passionate kiss.

“That’s cheating, but well-done nonetheless,” he chuckled.

“As for my drink, that is easy answering. Tonight I simply wanting something more full-bodied.”

​

“I’m sure I can accommodate your love of stout, Lacey,” came the smirking reply. Alistair took a long draught of his drink before slinking around Frostlace in a most feline manner, ending his circuit by sidling up to her side, conducting a full exploitation of his new found mobility. “You don’t mind if I call you Lacey, do you?”

[Elderflower]

Frostlace quirked a brow in a playful imitation of scrunity, swishing her tail and giving Alistair a “leveling” look.

“Well, well,” she said quietly, playing the part of the strict instructor quite well, “Looks like I will have to testing that training. I will be putting you through paces, Alistair. I hope you are ready for that!”

It was a very difficult thing to keep her face straight, and even moreso to keep herself from giggling. So difficult, in fact, that she failed utterly! Frostlace’s stern expression melted way to playful cheer once more, taking yet another swig of stout. She remained smiling until the gryphon accused her of cheating with her sculpture, which caused her to puff her cheeks indignantly.

“Cheating?” she echoed, swishing her tail yet again, “I not be making beautiful things with chisels, is true, but a Hoar Witch mare does not cheat. I form aether into shapes, summon tiniest detail into ice. These magics are not so simple, takes many years to master. I making many fountains of ice with immaculate shape and function. And they do not melting. I am thinking that calls for praise, da?”

Her wicked grin came back and she finished off her little rant in Stallian, saying, “I will gladly accept any praise you might have for me in the form of a good dance, or better yet a kiss! And yes...you may call me Lacey, but only if you’re good on your word and accommodate me well!”

Laughing, Frost slipped away from Alistair to step towards the dance flooor and turned her head back to cast yet another flirtatious look his way. If there was to be slinking, she would be the one doing it. Fun little one-shot dates like these always brought out her competitive spirit! They would play this little love game by her rules.

[Dio]

Alistair knew that voice.  It was the same kind of voice a stern teacher would use, if that teacher were at the bar with him rather than the classroom!  Not that he minded of course.  Frostlace didn’t seem like the glasses, bun, and blouse type, but he was certain she could step into any role she saw fit and still look great doing it.  Besides, a bit of chase was always a good time.

 

“Cheating?” she echoed, swishing her tail yet again, “I not be making beautiful things with chisels, is true, but a Hoar Witch mare does not cheat. I form aether into shapes, summon tiniest detail into ice. These magics are not so simple, takes many years to master. I making many fountains of ice with immaculate shape and function. And they do not melting. I am thinking that calls for praise, da?”

​

 

“My dearest apologies, my lady.”  Alistair lifted his talons in a halting, apologetic gesture.  Well, half-apologetic.  He wasn’t about to let her get away without any needling!  “Shall I lavish praise and supplication upon your lovely hooves in penance?”

 

Her wicked grin came back and she finished off her little rant in Stallian, saying, “I will gladly accept any praise you might have for me in the form of a good dance, or better yet a kiss! And yes...you may call me Lacey, but only if you’re good on your word and accommodate me well!”

​

“Very well then, Lacey,” Alistair chuckled as Frostlace counter-slinked around him.  The grizzled griff brought his beak close to her muzzle as he followed.  “Lead the way!”

[Elderflower]

Frostlace gave Alistair her final penetrating glare and placed a hoof square in the centre of his chest, making a great show of appearing intimidating. She took a few steps back then, still wearing a tough-as-nails expression before nodding slowly. “Da. Praise and supplecations are acceptable. I expecting also one dance, one kiss, and constant voicing of reverence you are feeling towards my rare beauty.”

With that last one she melted into laughter once more, then leaned in close to the gryphon so that her lips were close to his ear. Speaking softly in Stallian, she said, “And if you do as I say, Alistair, I might just show you how we have fun in Kuznitza!” With her most fiendish grin of the night and a little wink for flare, the mare turned and stepped away from Alistair in one fluid motion, artfully exaggerating the swaying of her hips as she did so. She didn’t bother to look behind herself this time. She had no doubts Alistair would follow, and this time she was not beckoning: she was commanding.

Quite pleased with herself, Frost wove her way through the crowd towards the dance floor.