milliways_bar | A Very Tiny (and royal) EP

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kate barlow

A Very Tiny (and royal) EP

Once upon a time, in a Bar very near and dear to so many people, a door opens and a small face peeps inside. Rather wide blue eyes grow immediately larger and the little girl in pink silk freezes in place.

The castle she's visiting has been utter misery since she first arrived. The last thing she expected to find in what she'd thought was a broom closet was a funny room filled with people.

And if it's some sort of welcoming party for herself and her father, shouldn't they have been told first?

~Tiny Tag~ Princess Odette

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"Hello there, sweetheart."

Kate catches sight of the young'n peeking inside the room. She's sitting at a table just a few feet away, soft blonde curls and her typical trousers and boots, fresh from being out in the stables.

She tilts her head, and smiles.

"You lookin' for someone?"

The small girl edges closer, peeking around the corner to spot who's talking to her. The lady is wearing very strange clothes, but perhaps that's normal for the kingdom. Anything weird would totally fit as normal for this kingdom.

It's also fairly safe to assume that this person is not royalty herself. She can probably forego a real curtsy.

"No," Odette says quietly, a little shy but forcing herself to be brave. She is Visiting Royalty and there's no need to be scared. "Just exploring. Is there a party?"

There's never any need to stand on ceremony with Kate. The schoolteacher in her is relaxed enough these days that the little maiden gets a broad and welcoming smile, and that's all.

"Could be, but the bar's almost always like this. Is this your first time here?"

She nods solemnly, Brave Face firmly in place. "Is that what this room is called? The Bar? And there's always a party?"

How tiring, if you're meant to entertain day after day.

Kate rises from her seat so she can properly introduce herself, making her way over to the new arrival.

"Well, it's called 'Millways', t'be honest. The bar at the end of the universe. Y'see, it tends t'pop up in strange places, like magic."

She inclines her head politely.

"My name's Kate."

"This is magic?"

It happens, of course, it could happen everywhere, but the princess herself has never actually seen magic. Her eyes are large and amazed as she looks around. "What is magic about it?"

Of course, there was the talking pink pony and there are some rather strange clothes on some of the guests and everything looks a bit weird - but, after all, she is in a brand new kingdom.

"...oh!" Odette exclaims, hopping a little. "Is it them?"

She's pointing at the waitrats. They're really odd.

What sort of animal wears clothes, really?

She chuckles softly.

"The waitstaff? Oh, they're definitely magic."

Kate's blue eyes take on a wide, innocent solemnity. She hushes her voice.

"Everythin' here, matter of fact, is magic. Not everyone, mind. But Miss Bar? She's got the most magic of 'em all."

"Miss Bar?" Odette echoes, wide-eyed. She has become officially enraptured with anything and everything Kate says, especially if it's said in a hushed tone like that.

She leans in closer, dropping her voice as well. "Is she here? Shall I meet her? If she runs the yoonyouverse of the castle, I probably should."

Certain scientific terms do not really translate into fantastical magical kingdoms.

"I'm not sure she's got much t'do with your castle, but she runs almost everythin' here."

She'll leave off on mentioning the Landlord for now.

"I think an introduction's most certainly in order. Tell me, what are your feelin's on 'milkshakes'?"

"What is a milkshake?"

Although, the word 'introduction' spurs something else. The little girl gives a little hop and then a gasp, both hands over her mouth. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Miss Kate! I'm Princess Odette" - a curtsy is quickly inserted here - "King William's daughter!"

She smiles brightly, laughing under her breath.

"I'm very pleased t'meet you, Princess Odette."

In acknowledgment of the young girl's station, she drops in an answering curtsy.

"Now, that settles it. A milkshake is one'a the finest confectionery treats I've ever encountered, an' it jus' so happens Miss Bar makes the best. C'mon, I'll show you around."

Odette's smile is very nearly blinding. After a couple of hours around the prince, she was starting to worry the whole summer would be a waste. But this place is magical in a number of ways.

"I'd like that very much, thank you."

"You're very welcome."

Straightening, she leads Princess Odette up to the Bar. She turns, patting the lacquered surface affectionately, and with a mysterious smile says:

"Princess, meet Miss Bar."

It's perhaps a little underwhelming.

Until, of course, Kate murmurs a request for one chocolate and one strawberry milkshake, and the drinks materialize out of thin air — complete with whipped cream, cherries, and color-changing crazystraws.

There is magic in the kingdom. Everyone knows that, and especially those of King William's lands, where the evil wizard has not been gone so long. Odette has heard all of the stories, mostly watered-down, with enough details to frighten her.

But then, talking animals are not entirely unheard of, or healers, or those rare person who learn magic and are not corrupted by it, using it for good.

Besides, Kate has been lovely so far. Odette approaches the bar confidently and peers up at it. In Kate's defense, she says politely, "Hello, Miss Bar. I'm very pleased to me- oh!"

LOOK.

MAGICALLY APPEARING DRINKS.

THEY ARE PINK.

A napkin materializes a moment later, with a very polite and dignified greeting.

And a winking smiley-face.

"Miss Bar here can make anythin' your heart desires. Food, drink, clothin', so on — she can't make anythin' livin', an' she won't make anythin' that could hurt somebody else. Other'n that, she takes care of everyone's needs. An' your first drink is free."

She scoots the glasses closer, letting Princess Odette choose whether she'd like the chocolate or the strawberry.

"This is on me, of course. So y'still have one comin'."

PINK.

At first sign of permission, Odette perches herself gracefully up onto the nearest stool like the princess she is.

(or scrambles like the seven-year-old child she is, faced with an exciting new edible adventure.)

"Thank you very much!" she exclaims, and goes through the motions of settling her skirts. However, her eyes are not moving for a moment from the strawberry milkshake.

That is hers, you see.

Kate's accustomed to whole rooms filled with children her age. She knows that look well, and wouldn't dream of challenging the young princess.

"You're welcome. Go ahead an' have a taste, an' I'll tell y'more about how Milliways works."

She takes the seat next to Odette, and claims the chocolate milkshake. It's a rather symbiotic relationship so far.

They work well together. Odette gets a free milkshake, Kate doesn't have to request the chocolate one.

Brightening with a little clap of her hands, Odette leans forward to pull the glass closer to her. And gets distracted by the color-changing straw.

"What does it do?" she asks curiously, pulling it out of the shake carefully, eyes bright as it changes for her. "Is it candy?"

She snickers.

"Have a look."

She pinches the straw in her glass to draw it further out of the milkshake. It's a shocking neon blue where it's been in the cold, and a bright pink otherwise. Kate takes a sip, and as the chocolate treat loop-de-loops toward her lips, the straw starts changing colors.

Odette's jaw drops.

It is rather unprincessly.

So it the way she tries to slurp the straw with it still out of her shake, a couple drips of strawberry splashing on her skirt.

Kate laughs, putting her shake aside to collect the napkins Miss Bar provides.

"Here, sweetheart; y'don't wanna spoil your pretty dress."

It's best she doesn't leave with anything she can't readily explain once she's back in her realm. Of course, it may not be too big a thing where she's from.

"D'you know where Texas is, Princess?"

Odette has already had to change her gown twice in her first afternoon at her fiance's kingdom. Even though it was utterly Prince Derek's fault, she still got a stern and disapproving lecture from her father.

Honestly, though, never has she met a boy whose sword skills were so poor. It was almost embarrassing, how easily she'd won.

Once she's given a napkin, Odette tries her very best to be graceful and princessly about her clean up. There's just one problem: her current excitement about the delicious milkshake.

"Texas?" she repeats, blotting her dress most distractedly as she beams at Kate. "Is that your lands? I've not heard of them before. Do they have milkshakes?"

Sometimes a boy has to be shown a thing or two about the way things are done. Kate would approve, if she knew.

(And sympathize, as she was always trying her daddy's heart as a young'n by spoiling her pretty skirts.)

"In my time, they're a li'l different than this. Y'see, Milliways can be visited from any place or time. Folk come from all sorts of lands, some from your past, or even your future."

She points to the front door.

"Y'walked in from your castle, didn't you? Well, if I were t'open the door, it'd take me out to the desert in Texas, in the year eighteen-eighty-eight. 'Cuz that's where I'm from."

King William is generally too busy to notice what his daughter is doing (and how many skirts she's ruining) when at home. As a guest in a new castle, she's watched a little more closely.

Also, Prince Derek is a whiny little tattle-telling brat.

"I came in from Queen Uberta's castle," Odette corrects with a small sigh, but she brightens half a moment later. "Where is Texas? May I see it? Is it very far away?"

Ahh, and the plot thickens.

"It's very, very far away."

At least an ocean away, if they're on the same world. Castles aren't much of a staple in her neck of the woods. She dispenses with talking about different universes, planets, and alternate versions of Earth; it's still hard for Kate to encompass, let alone break down.

"I'd be willin' t'let you have a gander out the door, but it's best y'keep your boots on the hardwood. So t'speak."

Awww, a pocket-sized princess!

"That color looks GREAT on you!" Pinkie grins.

The tiny princess looks over and GASPS.

A pony!

A pink pony!

And father told her they didn't exist!

And it TALKS.

"Oh oh hello!" she gasps, skipping from the door and closer to the creature, utterly enchanted. "You're so pretty!"

NO ONE EXPECTS THE PONY IMPOSITION!

"SO ARE YOU!" Pinkie grins. "I'm Pinkie Pie and welcome to Milliways!"

"I'm Princess Odette," said girl replies happily, sweeping into a curtsy. A PINK PONY WHO TALKS, she should curtsy. "Is that what the kingdom is called? Father only calls it Queen Uberta's lands."

And because Pinkie's always been taught to bow for royalty, Odette gets her deepest bow in return. "Milliways isn't a kingdom - it's just a place!" Pinkie grins, getting up. "Look over your shoulder - see the door you came through?!"

What a funny question! Odette wrinkles her nose but looks obligingly behind her. "Yes, it's right there," she reports.

Where else would it be?

Well, there's a good reason! "Oh, that's super dooper good 'cause sometimes they just go away - but yours didn't!! So that's good!" She grins. "Now as long as you're here time won't go any faster on the other side - so you can stay as long as you need to!"

The pocket princess gasps, both hands to her mouth. "It disappears? But how do I get back? I'm not sure I'm supposed to be here."

"Not all the time!" Pinkie soothes. "If it ever does, time TOTALLY stops on your end of the door, and Bar'll give you a room!"

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A Very Tiny (and royal) EP

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