(no subject)

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary Lennox is very much enjoying the spring weather.

And, as such, her face is pink-cheeked and bright (and covered in dirt) when she steps into Milliways and heads over to the bar to acquire her usual milkshake. She's been gardening, of course. There's a great deal to do but it all takes second place to that.

Comments

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

"You look like you've been having fun," comes the comment from the peanut gallery Ajedrez.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"I have been gardening," Mary tells her, as if it wasn't clearly obvious from her appearance.

"In Yorkshire and then in the greenhouse too. It is the season for it."

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

"Well, for some people 'gardening' and 'fun' aren't the same thing, so I was just making sure. And...yeah, it's spring now, isn't it?"

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary doesn't say it, but her expression makes clear that those people are incomprehensible idiots who have no appreciation of any of the joys of life.

"Yes," she says, and then blinks at her. "Have you not been outside to see?"

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

"It's not a proper spring," the Mexican informs her.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary's brow furrows.

A little indignant: "Why is it not proper?"

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

Sadly, she doesn't actually have a reason as such.

"Because it's Scotland."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"That is where they have real spring, is in England. And in Scotland and places."

Mary makes a face. "In India it was only always hot so it did not matter when it was spring. But here spring matters. Because it is cold and awful and then all of a sudden everything is green."

[didntseeit.livejournal.com]

Ajedrez tilts her head slightly.

"True, I guess."

[kitchen_maid]

"Good evening, Mary," says Amy.

She's gotten up to get a damp cloth so she can try to get at least some of the icing off Susan's face and hands.

"Mayeeee," coos Susan, who still struggles with her r's.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary stares at the baby.

With wary caution: "Was that trying to say my name? Or is she only saying the name of the month?"

[kitchen_maid]

"I think she was trying to say your name," says Amy. "She can't really say r's yet. Or l's."

May-ee can ask 'ogan, if she wants.

"May-eeeeeee," says Susan, again with rather more volume and authority. She has apparently decided she likes this word.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Beat.

"Why?" Mary asks, eventually. (About her name, not the rs and ls, although that may be unclear.)

She can think of no reason that Susan would be interested in her. It is not as if they are personally acquainted.

[kitchen_maid]

"R's are a difficult sound to learn, I suppose," says Amy, who has decided to answer both questions, just to be on the safe side. "And right now she mostly mimics sounds. She heard me say your name and she decided to try. She may not even realize that 'Mary' is your name."

"May-eeee!" says Susan, again, happily, and then adds, "Hoooosa."

"How are you this evening?"

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"She speaks in a very strange dialect," Mary decides.

No, she is not going to spend time learning it.

"When will she learn to speak properly?" After a slight pause, she adds, belatedly, "I am well."

[kitchen_maid]

"Over the next year or two," says Amy, unconcernedly.

She and Susan have occasionally had either conversations in which neither of them used any actual words.

"I'm very glad to hear that you're well."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"It is spring," Mary says, and smiles - brief and rare.

"Everything is well."

[hippodamio]

Hektor is not sitting at the Bar, because he cannot quite bring himself to stay so close to the goddess for that long, but he is hanging about, trying to think of how to ask for a thing Spoon suggested. He peers a little at the girl's drink, as he has never quite worked out how to use the drinking-reeds that seem so common here.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

If he's going to peer at her things, Mary has no qualms about staring at him.

Which she does. Steadily.

After a moment: "It is a milkshake," she volunteers.

[hippodamio]

"It is the wrong color," says Hektor. "I had only seen such things brown before."

He himself may not quite be of the right color, being a little darker than a sun-tan alone ought to make possible. Also he is wearing the clothes that he put on this morning to greet the Turkmen lord and his people: red kidskin breeches, tasseled down the sides, and a jerkin to match, with the buttons of lapis the same as the studs on his sandals.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"Chocolate," Mary says, loftily. "But strawberry is much nicer." Hektor has been talking to the wrong people, clearly.

"Are you a native boy? Where are you from?"

He does not look quite like an Indian native; he could perhaps be from Turkey like Behrooz.

[hippodamio]

"Oh, those I know, I think," says Hektor. "I have tried chocolate once or twice since coming here. I don't like it much."

He smiles, bowing a little. "I come from the city of Troy," he says, "but I do not expect you would know where that is; most of the people here do not seem to know, or have not heard of it."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"I like chocolate, but strawberry is better for milkshakes. Chocolate is too sweet."

She eyes the bow, rather warily.

She's not curtseying back. He's younger than she is!

"I have heard of it - I read about it. There was a battle fought there."

[hippodamio]

He nods. "Yes, it was in my grandfather's time- old Menesthes told me about it once. Telamon of Aegina attacked our fleet at Thasos on his way up the Hellespont, and carried the battle to our doorstep instead of fleeing like any sensible ship-captain would. We sent his bones back to his people when all was said and done."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary is listening hard, and is almost certain she doesn't remember those names from her child's Iliad or Odyssey.

But then, the child's versions usually aren't reliable - and anyways it sounds interesting, so she asks, "Why did he attack it?"