You smell like a monkey! And you look like one too!

[goingtodorking]

On her seventh birthday, Karen sits in the rec-room and watches The Lion King with her feet up on the couch. She's got new Doc Marten boots with silver sparkles and a new dress in an alarming shade of lime green. She's got books (but she left them at home) and a promise of cake later. ShorHor has new trainers and Shadow made her a doll with blue

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[butcivilization]

Karen, curled up on the sofa in her bright green dress, with her little boots poking out, looked about as content and comfortable as could be, and that made Combeferre smile. But then Karen usually managed to bring a smile to his lips. He wondered sometimes how much she thought of her family back home, especially on days like this, monumental as birthdays tended to be for little girls.

"I hear a rumor," he told her with a grin as he sat beside her on the couch. "Someone told me that it's your birthday. What do you think of that?"

[goingtodorking]

"Who told you?" asks Karen, both eyebrows raised as she shoots him a suspicious look. "Maybe they were lying."

[butcivilization]

"Everyone," Combeferre told her, gesturing expansively. "I am afraid that your secret is out, petite." He ruffled her hair.

"Though if they were wrong," he arched a brow slightly, "I suppose that means I shall have to find someone else to whom I can give your present."

[goingtodorking]

Karen starts to sigh, like there's no point arguing, but then she brightens, raising her eyebrows and grinning.

"You have to give it to me!" she protests.

[butcivilization]

"I don't know..." Combeferre started to toy with something he had placed on the seat behind his back, a crown woven from branches, and leaves, and berries, perfectly fit to be placed snugly on the top of Karen's head. "If it isn't your birthday, I'm not certain I should give it to you."

[goingtodorking]

"It's definitely my birthday, Henry," sighs Karen, with a very definite stop being silly roll of her eyes. "I'm seven years old. I was five when I got here."

[butcivilization]

"That is quite an impressively long time, mademoiselle You're getting awfully old." He grinned, taking the crown out from behind his back and placing it atop Karen's head. "Happy birthday."

[goingtodorking]

She gets a look at it before he puts it on her head, and it's really, really beautiful. She grins up at him.

"It that a crown?"

[butcivilization]

"It is indeed," Henri said with a mock-serious nod. "As is appropriate for any princess on her birthday. I think it suits you very well, if I do say so myself."

[goingtodorking]

"I need a mirror!" says Karen, scrambling off the sofa and, on second thoughts, coming back for Audrey. "I need to look at it!"

[butcivilization]

Henri laughed. "Yes, yes, let's find you a mirror." He followed after her as she scrambled off the sofa. "What have you got there?" he asked, noticing the doll for the first time. "Another present?"

[goingtodorking]

"Her name's Audrey. Shadow made her for me." Karen picks the doll up and holds he rup for him to look at.

"She's kind of ugly but I think I love her."

[butcivilization]

Henri examined the doll. "She is a little odd looking, but I wouldn't say ugly. She looks exactly as she is supposed to. It sounds like you have had quite the excellent birthday. Now-" he gestured towards the door. "Why don't we find you that mirror?"

[goingtodorking]

"Okay!" Karen hops up, juggling her doll and then, when she's happy, reaching out and taking Henri's hand, gently.

"Let's go find it."