(no subject)

[talkstohats]

Sophie is not happy with the way the war is going.

And when Sophie isn't happy, she tends to take it out on defenseless inanimate items. For example: the embroidery for Lettie's gown that will not come out right no matter how many times she tears out the stitching.

The piece of fabric she'd been planning to use for the bodice has been poked at so much that it's not going to be much use for anything, by this point. But point that out to Sophie, as she sits at a booth seam-ripping all her white-on-white embroidery for the sixth time, and you're likely to get your head snapped off.

Comments

[gorgonfondness]

Fortunately for Mia, it's considerably easier to get stitches out when you're crocheting.

She doesn't really notice Sophie. And if she did, she likely wouldn't bother her.

But for some reason, Edgeworth has decided, to play with her ball of yarn, which leads to it rolling towards Sophie.

It looks like the cute little hedgehog is going to be the one to take on all of Sophie's rage.

[talkstohats]

Sophie, utterly intent on her stitching, doesn't even notice the yarn rolling towards her until the hedgehog bumbles up against her foot.

Her head jerks up, and she scowls down at the little creature and its ball of yarn.

"You've gotten that all in a tangle," she tells it, severely, and picks up the ball, muttering darkly to herself about people who let perfectly good yarn roll about in the bar and get covered in dust.

[gorgonfondness]

There's a small granny square connected to the yarn and a Mia connected to the small granny square.

"It's his fault," she says, pointing to Edgeworth with her crochet needle. "And mine too, since he got to it without my noticing."

She points to the yarn ball and quietly says, "Scourgify!"

The yarn ball goes from being tangled and covered in dust back to straightened and immaculate white swirled with brilliant green.

"I don't usually cheat like that, but the day has been too long to spend untangling dirty yarn by hand."

[talkstohats]

"That's a handy trick," Sophie says - trying not to sound sour because she doesn't know it, with some success - and shakes her head.

"And you can certainly say that again."

[gorgonfondness]

If it's any consolation to Sophie, Mia had only picked it up recently.

"It's not a trick I would normally know, but there are more vain wizards in this bar besides Howl. How are the two of you, Sophie? I had seen an invitation here, but I've had business at home and, well, it has been a long time."

She leans over and offers a hand to Edgeworth, who hops up and makes his way to her shoulder.

[talkstohats]

"It has been."

Sophie manages a smile, despite her foul mood. "And it is good to see you again, Mia - and things have been well mostly, with just us at least, but this blasted war is turning everything mad."

[gorgonfondness]

Okay.

That did a good job of turning Mia's mood sour.

She puts a hand to her head and asks, "Why is there always a war?! First my world, then Draco's, and now yours."

She would ask if it ever stops, but that's likely not the best question to ask Sophie right now.

"Almost makes things like this seem a little pointless," she adds, slightly gesturing to the small square in her hand and the opal ring on it.

[talkstohats]

"Because the people who are meant to be in charge are all pompous, short-sighted, ridiculous -"

Words fail her for a moment, and she shakes her head in disgust. "If only they did stop and think about sensible things, like - like knitting, or hats, or what have you. As soon as they start talking about business of state, I swear everyone goes mad!"

[gorgonfondness]

"That seems to be how they all start. I guess I'm lucky my home has a chance to rebuild, but knowing my city and their penchant for throwing parties every time something good happens to the people in charge..."

Birthdays and engagements and weddings, oh my.

"Tell me something. How did you and Howl manage to do it?"

[talkstohats]

"- manage to do what?"

Sophie blinks, really focusing on Mia for the first time.

[gorgonfondness]

"Get married. I have no idea how I'm going to have the time."

She shows Sophie her left hand again, the one with the lovely opal ring.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it? Long enough for me to get engaged in the meantime to my own vain wizard."

[talkstohats]

Sophie's eyes widen.

"Oh - my goodness, congratulations! I suppose that - well, one never really has time to get married; it's one of the things that proves how much you're really got to want to, making the time to do it."

[gorgonfondness]

"Thank you," she says, smiling a little. "And I suppose you're right. I'm certain I'll have some time during the summer for the wedding since school won't be in session, but the work before it makes me fidgety."

[will_scarlett]

Will's just eating some dinner but its hard to miss the anger the woman is directing at the piece of embroidery. He remembers when his mother's sewing would not go well so comes over with a bow,

"Milady, what lovely thing are ye makin'?"

[talkstohats]

Sophie rips out another stitch vehemently.

"If you call this lovely right now," she snaps - more at the would-be embroidery than Will - "then I think you might want to get your eyes examined, young man."

(This might seem incongruous coming from a nineteen-year-old, but old habits die hard.)

[will_scarlett]

Apparently compliments won't help,

"Um well, milady, can see a bit o'the shape an looks like it will be pretty in time."

[talkstohats]

"No - it's a lost cause. Like this, anyways."

She throws down the seam-ripper, with a firm gesture, and shakes her head, and then picks it up again and glares at it extra-vehemently.

"All right, you - I know I've made a botch of things, so you just knit yourself back together like you used to be, all right? All those threads as smooth as they used to be. I mean it!"


She picks up the seam-ripper again and waves it threateningly in the direction of the piece of fabric, which looks as cowed as a bit of fabric can, threads sliding back into their proper place.

"I hate having to do that."

[will_scarlett]

Will blinks, he's seen some different sorts of magic in Bar but never magic by yelling,

"Tis quite efficent, milady."

[talkstohats]

"It's cheating," Sophie says, with a cross sort of sigh. "And not at all the same as doing it by hand. But it would have been a waste of fabric not to at this point; I couldn't have salvaged the dratted thing any other way. And now I'll have to start all over again, I suppose - oh, blast it, anyways!"

[will_scarlett]

"What were ye makin', milady?"

Maybe enough questions will distract her from being so annoyed.

[talkstohats]

"It's going to be a wedding dress for my sister Lettie, eventually. If it ever comes together - and if this ridiculous war ever ends."

She stabs the fabric again. "Neither of which seem very likely at the moment."

[will_scarlett]

Will just sighs and nods sadly,

"Wars just ruin e'erythin', milady, an weddin's are more 'mportant, e'ery world needs more 'ope."

[talkstohats]

Sophie shakes her head, a shade more vehemently than necessary.

"You needn't tell me that. But Wizard Suliman is far too responsible to take time away from his duties to have a proper wedding - and of course Lettie won't be satisfied with anything but a proper wedding, with as many guests as possible. You can hardly have that when half the court's off in the field."

[will_scarlett]

"Could wait till after the war's o'er. 'ow long 'as it been goin' on?"

[talkstohats]

"Only a few months, really," Sophie says, and heaves another sigh.

"But it feels like a good deal longer. And it ought to have been over by now, by all rights. We stopped the invasion. I don't know what more the King wants from us - we're hardly qualified to build an empire!"