(Untitled)

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary Lennox is clutching a book, today, as she enters the bar; she makes her way over to the counter, climbs up onto a seat, and sits down to flip through it, a faint scowl of a frown on her face

Comments

[mark_of_samael]

You know that feeling of someone reading over your shoulder?

Yeah.

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary isn't necessarily what you'd call perceptive in a lot of areas - but that's a feeling that's particularly hard to ignore.

After a moment, Mary looks up and turns around, her brow furrowed slightly crossly.

"What is it?"

[mark_of_samael]

She takes a step back, frightened.

"i didn't mean to..."

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary's look turns from 'slightly cross' to 'slightly confused'.

She's not used to anyone being afraid of her unless they're a native servant - and Alessa doesn't look Indian.

"You did not mean to what?"

[creator_raven]

"The plants have offended you?"

Raven leans over her shoulder to better see the page she's looking at.

"They are often coarse in their speech, I think. It is the weather."

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary gives him a very odd look.

"I am not angry at the plants," she says - patiently, for Mary. "If they say rude things, I cannot hear them."

Possibly it is different, for birds. Mary is willing to accept this.

"I am only thinking that they are going to take a very long time to grow."

[creator_raven]

Raven considers.

"Slow is sometimes best, I think. This way they are strong."

[mmquitecontrary]

"Yes, but they are not strong for a long time," Mary says, a little fretfully.

"And I do not know if they are as much help, when they are small. He did not say."

[rebelfaerie]

Tiki was flying to the bar to get another thimble of honey when she notieced a Little One! She grins and flies over.

"Hi! How are you?

I'm Tiki the rose faerie!"

[mmquitecontrary]

Slowly, Mary looks up at the small flying - fairy?

Her eyes go round.

"I am Mary Lennox," she says, automatically; then, wonderingly: "I have never seen a fairy before."

[rebelfaerie]

Tiki nods, and flies slightly lower.
"Yes, most people here haven't, I'm sorry to say."

She smiles and flies higher-
"But I shall meet them so they will know faeries!
Faeries are good! And most of the time they are there, but you can't see them."

She goes closer to Mary's face-
"I've seen Little Ones like you where I come from. I even made one, with some help. But they can't see me. Well, they're not supposed to."

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary bristles, a little, at 'Little One', but not very much - this is a fairy, after all.

Her eyes still bear a certain resemblance to saucers.

"What do you mean, you made one?" she asks, a little puzzled, tackling the most immediate question. "You do not make people. They are born."

[veryvorkosigan]

Cordelia hasn't been around here since Twelfth Night.

That could be why she's looking rather intently at Mary. Yes, that is the girl Blodwen left the bar with that night.

She seems to be all right.

[mmquitecontrary]

It takes a little while for Mary to notice the scrutiny, absorbed as she is in her book; but when she does, she raises her head in order to stare directly back at the woman, her brow furrowed warily.

[veryvorkosigan]

"Hi," says Cordelia. "It's Mary, isn't it? -- I'm sorry, we didn't get a proper chance to meet, last I was here."

[mmquitecontrary]

"No," Mary agrees, matter-of-factly. "I was busy being spelled."

A little warily: "You were there, but I do not know why. Are you another one of the Light?"

[prone_to_panic]

Mary may be scowling, but Archie isn't. In fact, he's smiling. Wonder why?

"Good evening, miss Mary. May I inquire as to what you are reading?"

[mmquitecontrary]

"A book on trees," Mary says, looking up - and, as she sees Archie, her eyes widen, and her scowl is surprised into an answering smile.

"- I have not seen you in a very long time."

[prone_to_panic]

"It has been far too long since we've spoken, miss Mary."

His own grin widens to see such an expression on her face.

"I did recieve your Christmas gift though, they were very nice."

[mmquitecontrary]

"I was not sure what to get you," Mary says, honestly, "since I did not have a chance to ask you what you wanted. Martha helped me to pick something."