Ingress of the House of Arch (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
smallestopener) wrote2009-06-14 08:08 pm
smallestopener) wrote2009-06-14 08:08 pm
Ingress' 10th Birthday Party Extravaganza!
Out by the lake, there is a large construction dedicated to the 10th birthday of Lady Ingress of the House of Arch. Ingress has had birthday parties on this site before - there was a birthday princess ball her 7th year, a playground party for her 6th.
This party is different from either of those. Tom, Door, and Ingress worked on the design for months.
There are three ways to get into the birthday party.
Guests can go through the hedge maze. It's enchanted, of course, but the walls shift places at a docile rate. The path is wide and firm, so this is the easiest way to enter the party.
Guests might also try the obstacle course of tubes to crawl through, walls to climb, ropes to swing over deep ball pits, curly slides to fling themselves down. The only enchantment on this entrance are anti-falling charms.
Or guests can bounce through the giant bouncy castle!
Once they've passed through either of the three entrances,they will enter the clearing for the birthday party proper. Picnic blankets are spread out over the grass, and there are plenty of chairs scattered about. Paper lanterns float above people's heads with purple and green streamers linking them together.
A long table overflows with plenty of cold water, birthday treats, and other refreshments. There is a cake with lots of icing roses, of course, and ice cream. Each guest may help him or herself to a Wizarding cracker in a large basket at one end of the table, and there is space beside it for gifts, should guests wish to bring one. Gifts are not expected, however.
Most importantly, there is Ingress, a little girl in the comfortable gray uniform of a Herald-in-training, who is not so little anymore.
Come and have fun!
This party is different from either of those. Tom, Door, and Ingress worked on the design for months.
There are three ways to get into the birthday party.
Guests can go through the hedge maze. It's enchanted, of course, but the walls shift places at a docile rate. The path is wide and firm, so this is the easiest way to enter the party.
Guests might also try the obstacle course of tubes to crawl through, walls to climb, ropes to swing over deep ball pits, curly slides to fling themselves down. The only enchantment on this entrance are anti-falling charms.
Or guests can bounce through the giant bouncy castle!
Once they've passed through either of the three entrances,they will enter the clearing for the birthday party proper. Picnic blankets are spread out over the grass, and there are plenty of chairs scattered about. Paper lanterns float above people's heads with purple and green streamers linking them together.
A long table overflows with plenty of cold water, birthday treats, and other refreshments. There is a cake with lots of icing roses, of course, and ice cream. Each guest may help him or herself to a Wizarding cracker in a large basket at one end of the table, and there is space beside it for gifts, should guests wish to bring one. Gifts are not expected, however.
Most importantly, there is Ingress, a little girl in the comfortable gray uniform of a Herald-in-training, who is not so little anymore.
Come and have fun!
Re: The Birthday Party Clearing
"Door said Daddy told her about you. About how you'd have to help her if she needed you. You knew him, right?"
Re: The Birthday Party Clearing
"And she was right. If she needs me, I'll help her." There's only a fractional pause before he continues. "And you."
Re: The Birthday Party Clearing
"What was my father like?"
She wants to know because her memories are faded and it helps her remember better when others talk about Portico and Portia. Tom and Door have taken their places in most things.
Re: The Birthday Party Clearing
So he doesn't. "What was he like? Portico was kind and smart and very, very wise. He wanted to bring the Underside together, you know. At his core, he was a man of peace."
The word lovely comes to mind, but he applies that to so very few people that he really can't see clear to using it now. There is, however, one more thing he can say.
"And he loved his family very much."
Re: The Birthday Party Clearing
But that's okay. She has photographs and Door's stories, and that will be enough. It doesn't make her sad anymore. It makes her curious and a little wistful.
Nothing to ruin her birthday party.
"That's nice to know," she says, because it is.
Re: The Birthday Party Clearing
Once again, he bows deeply.
"Lady Ingress. One would suspect that the guest of honor has better things to do than stand around wasting time with an ancient and silly Marquis who merely wanted to pay his respects and wish her a grand and happy birthday. I think we've accomplished that, don't you?"
Surely there are others here she'd like to play with. Besides, the type of thing he considers play would probably be most distasteful to her.
Re: The Birthday Party Clearing
"I suppose I would like to go through the obstacle course again. First I'll show Door my bracelet. Thank you, Marquis, for my gift. Oh, you should be sure and get some cake. You can have an icing rose; there are plenty on the cake for guests."
Re: The Birthday Party Clearing
"If you ever need me, just use the rat." If she can't figure it out, he's certain Door will help her but really, all she need do is call on him while holding it. "And one more time: have a very happy birthday." When occasions for happy wishes come so few and far between, one ought to take advantage of them. An icing rose sounds utterly decadent, terribly sweet, and... he thinks he'll help himself to one before heading back through the hedge maze.