The Princess Birthday Ball

[smallestopener]

The huge, white tent sprawls on the lawn beside the lake. It has been transfigured there for a very special occasion. A stone walkway leads from the bar to the tent - the pavements are wide enough that ladies' dresses won't trail on the ground as they make their way to the entrance. Over the draped curtains of the entrance way is a large banner which reads "Happy 7th Birthday, Ingress".

Once inside, the honored guests will be in the midst of an enchanted ballroom. There are balloons drifting in bunches from the circular tables lining the sides of the large dance floor. Floating candlabras glow with gentle light from above. There are trees in large ornamental pots interspersed throughout sparkling with fairy lights from real fairies.

One long banquet table is positioned on along the side of the ballroom - there are treats of all description. Little finger sandwiches, chopped up fruit, cookies, cheese and crackers, and other child-friendly h'ors douerves are presented to make sure the dancers are sustained throughout the the party. There are large bowls of ice cream (kept cold with magic)and sundae fixings. Punch bowls of sherbet-flavored drinks await ladling into crystal goblets. But most impressive is the large birthday cake with blue, purple, and pink icing roses festooning it.

Ingress is busy greeting her guests in her gown - a birthday gift from Amy and Susan - but soon she'll be dancing to the music provided by the overlarge Gramophone in the corner, which is playing a wide array of dancing music from waltz standards to court music to pop hits of the 20th century.

Tom, who's pretty tired from the magical effort required to pull this off, is in the background making sure his little girl is having a perfect party, and Princess Amy is helping Ingress in her hostess duties.

Come in and enjoy the party!

Comments

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[forest_king]

Mendanbar is looking very kingly this evening, far more dressed up than he ever is at home, and has (so far) managed to keep his circlet on straight.

"Good evening," he says with a bit of a bow, and a bit more of a grin. "I gather you're the Princess Ingress."

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[smallestopener]

"I am!" She curtseys. "What's your name?"

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[forest_king]

"Mendanbar, of the Enchanted Forest," he says. "It's very kind of you to invite us all, your highness."

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[smallestopener]

"It's lovely to meet new people and have a party," she says, meaning every single word of it. "Do you really live in an Enchanted Forest?"

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[forest_king]

Mendanbar looks around. "I think perhaps you're right." But he'll deny ever having said it if Willin tries to bring back the Laudable Luncheon for the Lost and Lamented Ladies of Lontyrn.

He grins. "I really and truly do."

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[smallestopener]

"What's enchanted about it?" Ingress knows there are all kinds of magical places in the worlds of people at Milliways.

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[forest_king]

"Everything," says Mendanbar, a truthful if not helpful answer.

"The Forest itself is magic -- you can feel it in the air there. And if you're the king, you can take hold of it and do things with it."

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[smallestopener]

She thinks about this for a moment. "In London Below, there's magic everywhere, and we Openers don't do anything with it, but we can find ways through it."

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[forest_king]

"I can't say for certain," says Mendanbar, "but it sounds sort of like the same thing. It's a handy thing, magic."

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[smallestopener]

"I only have Opening magic, but Tom has lots of wizard magic. It's fun! Do you know Tom?"

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[forest_king]

"I've met him, yes," says Mendanbar. "I like him. He's your brother?"

He's a little confused on the familial relationships in the House of Arch.

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[smallestopener]

"No!" Then she thinks about it. "No wait... Sort of? Door's my sister, and he's her husband, but he does the daddy jobs. My mummy and daddy and brother were killed, so Tom and Door and Gavroche and I are a family now!"

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[forest_king]

Mendanbar follows this fairly well. "I'm very sorry to hear about your parents and your brother, but I'm very glad to hear that you found another family here, Princess Ingress."

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[smallestopener]

"Me too. We've lots of friends here and it's fun and I'm happy."

Re: Greet the birthday girl

[forest_king]

"Excellent. Well, I will let you get back to greeting your guests. But I'm very glad to have met you, Princess Ingress, and I hope you will have the very happiest of birthdays."