(Untitled)

[mmquitecontrary]

It's cold. Mary's gotten more used to the temperature of an English winter over the past three years, but sometimes the ferocity of the wind still startles her.

Currently she's sitting at a table doing her best to add sugar to her tea while wearing mittens, which means that there is more sugar on the table than in the tea and a scowl on Mary's

Comments

[asar_suti]

Asar-Suti was drinking coffee, and suspecting that Mary was playing a game. Why would anybody in their right mind wear mittens indoors?

[mmquitecontrary]

Because their hands are cold, of course!

Also because Mary is stubborn, and, having failed once, she is determined not to remove the mittens until she has succeeded in getting one full spoonful into her tea.

And - there we go. Mary triumphs over the mittens, and then removes them demurely and places them in her lap.

[asar_suti]

"They're full of sugar," Asar-Suti points out.

[mmquitecontrary]

"They are not," Mary says, and surreptitiously shakes them out onto the floor to be sure.

(Several grains of sugar tumble out.)

"It is not as if I was pouring sugar onto my wrists!"

[asar_suti]

"No - you were pouring it everywhere!" Asar-Suti grins.

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary makes a dignified 'hmph' sort of noise, and proclaims haughtily, "That is an exaggeration."

She then attempts an equally dignified sip of tea, and nearly chokes - between all the attempts, there is now so much sugar in it that the taste resembles caramel more than tea.

[asar_suti]

"Want new tea?" Asar-Suti asks.

[mmquitecontrary]

"I think perhaps hot chocolate would be better suited to the weather," Mary says, after a beat.

Obviously this is the only reason why she might wish to make a switch. OBVIOUSLY.

[asar_suti]

Asar-Suti waves to a rat, and the rat brings a large mug of hot chocolate, on the double.

There is whipped cream on top, and chocolate sprinkles.

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary unbends enough to say, "Thank you."

Whether Mary is thanking Asar-Suti or the rat - or both - is unclear. Regardless, she sets the tea aside and pulls the chocolate closer, and then blinks down at the sprinkles.

"Is that chocolate on the top?"

[asar_suti]

"Yes, and underneath as well," Asar-Suti says.

[mmquitecontrary]

"I know that. I did ask for hot chocolate."

Mary picks up the spoon and isolates one of the sprinkles, with an air of experimentation. "But I have not seen chocolate shavings that were made so evenly before."

[asar_suti]

"They just make them that way in the kitchen," Asar-Suti says. "Gil probably does them with magic."

He had never questioned chocolate sprinkles before. They were just one of the things Gil used in the wonderful sweet things he made.

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary, on the other hand, after a great deal of prodding and development from some of the adults in her life, is showing terrible warning signs of turning into one of those irritating people who questions everything.

"Why should you have to make them with magic when it is so easy to make them with regular chocolate? I have seen Martha do it when she brings us our chocolate - she takes a piece and then uses a grater."

[asar_suti]

"But they probably only get as regular when you use magic!" says Asar-Suti, who has no idea, really, and is extemporising.

[mmquitecontrary]

"Hmmmm," says Mary, and samples the sprinkle.

It tastes just the same. "I," she begins, and then notices that her whipped cream is melting and hastily picks up the cup to drink some before it's gone.

She puts it back down and wipes the top of her lip before going on, "I should rather something made without magic - even if it is less regular. I do not think you ought to use magic for everything."