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Ingress had a brilliant birthday. She’s eleven. Eleven is nearly grown up! It’s also the year when children in the stories she’s read come into their own. Adventures begin, schooling starts, worlds are saved… she can hardly wait to see what will happen next.
Her party earlier was such fun. Door was almost nice to Puck; Ingress had worried a little about that after she invited him. But he was very nice and charming, and Tom was nice, too, and Puck helped Ingress steal lots of roses off the cake while Havelock talked to Tom and Door, and it was brilliant.
She ate far too much icing sugar, but Tom had the peppermint potion waiting for her when the party was over. She feels much better now. And she’s eleven!
It sounds so good in her head. Eleven, eleven, eleven.
She should have asked Mary to stay the night with her, she thinks, as she tosses and turns. She’s never going to fall asleep, even with staying up past her bedtime. Tom and Door insisted she go to bed after she started yawning. They can be so silly sometimes.
She tosses one more time, and she thinks, again, how impossible it will be to go to sleep tonight. Her eyelids flutter and close. It is not long before she’s deep in dreams.
Her party earlier was such fun. Door was almost nice to Puck; Ingress had worried a little about that after she invited him. But he was very nice and charming, and Tom was nice, too, and Puck helped Ingress steal lots of roses off the cake while Havelock talked to Tom and Door, and it was brilliant.
She ate far too much icing sugar, but Tom had the peppermint potion waiting for her when the party was over. She feels much better now. And she’s eleven!
It sounds so good in her head. Eleven, eleven, eleven.
She should have asked Mary to stay the night with her, she thinks, as she tosses and turns. She’s never going to fall asleep, even with staying up past her bedtime. Tom and Door insisted she go to bed after she started yawning. They can be so silly sometimes.
She tosses one more time, and she thinks, again, how impossible it will be to go to sleep tonight. Her eyelids flutter and close. It is not long before she’s deep in dreams.
Re: Green grow the rushes, oh
Date: 2010-05-24 03:56 am (UTC)"In books, that's when adventures start."
But not from the books about Tom's side of the family. They aren't allowed in the House.
"When did yours start, Alain?"
She never thought about it, but he doesn't seem very old. When she was seven and eight, everyone seemed terribly old. As she sits across from him, she thinks that Alain isn't as old as Tom, and Tom is terribly old.
Re: Green grow the rushes, oh
Date: 2010-05-24 04:01 am (UTC)There's a slight lopsidedness to his smile, a private wryness, but that's all.
"I started training a moit younger than you, I wot, but I was fourteen when our fathers sent us on our first mission riding out. Fifteen when I passed my trial."
"At eleven I was still in lessoning, say true, and Bert and Ro the same. Thee's time yet by my warrant, if ka allows."
Re: Fortify yourself with contentment, for this is an impregnable fortress.
Date: 2010-05-24 05:14 pm (UTC)- But music can't help with Megwyn's hooves!
Re: Fortify yourself with contentment, for this is an impregnable fortress.
Date: 2010-05-24 07:51 pm (UTC)She'll find Megwyn soon, no doubt.
Re: Fortify yourself with contentment, for this is an impregnable fortress.
Date: 2010-05-25 12:17 am (UTC)"Ingress! Come here dear - I love it when you listen to me play."
Re: Fortify yourself with contentment, for this is an impregnable fortress.
Date: 2010-05-25 12:30 am (UTC)She sits down on a hay bale. Of course there should be a piano here. It makes perfect sense. Horses like music, too.
Re: Fortify yourself with contentment, for this is an impregnable fortress.
Date: 2010-05-25 01:25 am (UTC)"Always did enjoy more play than work," Sallie offers, sing-song tone and brightness, and Mal's just standing there, maybe waiting his turn.
Re: Fortify yourself with contentment, for this is an impregnable fortress.
Date: 2010-05-25 03:07 am (UTC)"Hi! Are you coming to play piano, too?"
Re: Not all is as it seems
Date: 2010-05-25 03:13 am (UTC)On the other side, she finds herself by the lake again. There are clouds in the sky, dark gray against black, and she shivers.
Where's Megwyn? She should be with Ingress. But she hasn't been able to find her all this time. She thought the butterflies would lead her on, but they aren't in sight either.
As she looks around, she hears a strange, rasping flutter above her. It is most decidedly not a butterfly. She looks up, and from those looming clouds burst bat-like monsters. Some are large, some are small. They descend on her, shrieking, as she fumbles for her sword. Her fingers are slippery. They can't get a grip on the hilt. And the monsters are coming!
Re: There once was a little girl who came to Milliways
Date: 2010-05-25 10:33 pm (UTC)...
Give him a moment.
Re: There once was a little girl who came to Milliways
Date: 2010-05-26 12:31 am (UTC)Re: Not all is as it seems
Date: 2010-05-26 02:07 am (UTC)She's worried. She can't Mr. Julia, she can't find Megwyn, and it's too dark for the butterfly, either. It's night, so there are only moths.
She crosses her arms over her chest. Frowning, she starts towards the lights again.
Re: Not all is as it seems
Date: 2010-05-26 02:07 am (UTC)When he sighs, it is a familiar sound.
Re: Not all is as it seems
Date: 2010-05-26 02:08 am (UTC)"Tom, you're here. Good. It's scary at night. I thought I was lost for a minute."
Re: Not all is as it seems
Date: 2010-05-26 02:11 am (UTC)The man doesn't move. The hood shrouds his face.
"Perhaps you are."
Re: Not all is as it seems
Date: 2010-05-26 02:12 am (UTC)"Are you-"
you?
"-okay, Tom?"
Re: Fortify yourself with contentment, for this is an impregnable fortress.
Date: 2010-05-26 02:13 am (UTC)There is a soft laughter coming from above her, just as a slow shower of the leaves shower down on the girl below the tree.
Re: Not all is as it seems
Date: 2010-05-26 02:13 am (UTC)The man's voice is Tom's, but it's not. It's more sibilant.
"Darkness is to be feared. Lies, as well."
The man turns toward her.
"You'll know in time. And then where shall we be?"
Re: Not all is as it seems
Date: 2010-05-26 02:14 am (UTC)It will never be.
She would be scared, but the voice is sad. Terribly sad.
That doesn't make him pleasant. Ingress backs away. She does not wish to linger. She has to go on, towards the light, no matter what.
Re: Fortify yourself with contentment, for this is an impregnable fortress.
Date: 2010-05-26 02:23 am (UTC)She laughs and looks up. "Who's there?"
Re: Fortify yourself with contentment, for this is an impregnable fortress.
Date: 2010-05-26 03:50 am (UTC)"Maybe it's you?" The voice is quiet and smooth and teasing.
Re: Fortify yourself with contentment, for this is an impregnable fortress.
Date: 2010-05-26 03:52 am (UTC)"I think you're Marian, instead."
Re: Green grow the rushes, oh
Date: 2010-05-26 03:55 am (UTC)The smile changes to something a little more mischievous.
"But since I'm way more advanced in the adventure-having than 'lain here, I'd already started on mine. So you know, no need to hold back."
Re: There once was a little girl who came to Milliways
Date: 2010-05-26 03:57 am (UTC)Not that Lilly has ever pondered licking Death. Shut up. Just because Raph seemed to think it was fun...
Anyway.
Re: Green grow the rushes, oh
Date: 2010-05-26 04:01 am (UTC)"It's a little scary. And a little exciting."