Achilles, son of Peleus (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
heelies) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
epidemiology2017-02-05 11:48 am
heelies) wrote in epidemiology2017-02-05 11:48 am
( open ) smells like teen spirit
CHARACTERS: Sieglinde, family, friends, and guests
DATE: February 6th
WARNINGS: Loki was threatening to jump out of a cake, so who knows...
SUMMARY: Sieglinde is turning thirteen and thus her "fathers" see fit to host a celebration marking the occasion. Surprisingly, nothing is a disaster - they even refrain from ritualistic animal sacrifice.
[Invitation had traveled by word of mouth, and so there is little reason why you in particular would not have heard news of the party if indeed you know Sieglinde in any capacity. The celebration falls on the evening of Saturday, the sixth of February, for this is the night of the full moon under which the Green Witch's birthday is observed, and it is held at the local roller skating rink, for this is a perfectly normal choice of venue for a perfectly normal family who have assuredly celebrated many birthdays before.
Fortunately for the ancient Greek warriors, the esteemed Master of Ceremonies at the roller rink takes the reins for much of the festivities. Welcome to the disco revival of the early nineties! Strap on those skates and be prepared for any cheesy party game you can think of...on wheels! Later in the evening, all are gathered for a game of laser tag - which, judging by the present company, likely turns into an all out laser war, from which only one may emerge victorious.
For dinner there shall be served a glut of pizza enough to-- Er, I mean, a bodacious quantity of pizza enough to sate the appetite worked up by skating. After supper comes the cake, ablaze with candles in tribute to each year of young Sieglinde's life, and of course the gifts too. The evening ends with one final free skate before guests begin to depart into the night.]
DATE: February 6th
WARNINGS: Loki was threatening to jump out of a cake, so who knows...
SUMMARY: Sieglinde is turning thirteen and thus her "fathers" see fit to host a celebration marking the occasion. Surprisingly, nothing is a disaster - they even refrain from ritualistic animal sacrifice.
[Invitation had traveled by word of mouth, and so there is little reason why you in particular would not have heard news of the party if indeed you know Sieglinde in any capacity. The celebration falls on the evening of Saturday, the sixth of February, for this is the night of the full moon under which the Green Witch's birthday is observed, and it is held at the local roller skating rink, for this is a perfectly normal choice of venue for a perfectly normal family who have assuredly celebrated many birthdays before.
Fortunately for the ancient Greek warriors, the esteemed Master of Ceremonies at the roller rink takes the reins for much of the festivities. Welcome to the disco revival of the early nineties! Strap on those skates and be prepared for any cheesy party game you can think of...on wheels! Later in the evening, all are gathered for a game of laser tag - which, judging by the present company, likely turns into an all out laser war, from which only one may emerge victorious.
For dinner there shall be served a glut of pizza enough to-- Er, I mean, a bodacious quantity of pizza enough to sate the appetite worked up by skating. After supper comes the cake, ablaze with candles in tribute to each year of young Sieglinde's life, and of course the gifts too. The evening ends with one final free skate before guests begin to depart into the night.]
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[Her nonchalance has clearly offset him, somehow.]
Have you ever even been in a serious relationship? Like fo' sheezy-
[Again, Asher stops mid-sentence.]
No, you know what? Don't answer that.
I don't wanna know how things went down in old school Germany.
[Knowing her life, she's already been betrothed to some 50 year old man. Gross.]
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Though Sieglinde's world and the way she was raised made things like... young girls engaged to men far older than they for the sake of politics or binding families together a relatively normal concept, she sniffs a bit at being condescended to for her age, (again, as usual, at her own birthday celebration no less?), straightening up and crossing her arms.
Rather, she resents the idea that her advice or counsel might be somehow less valid, as if she had no experience?]
I shall have you know that, though the Green Witch does not marry, and merely selects the father of her child, I had considered the merits of a marriage proposal I received while in ALASTAIR. In fact, had the other partner not been transferred, it is possible that this celebration today would have been a wedding.
[So take that, Asher??? She wins.]
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How old was this guy?
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[That is an answer that shouldn't be presented as normally as Sieglinde does just then.]
1/?
2/2
[This fucking team of Norse Gods and talking skeletons-]
How old did he look?
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[aka perfectly acceptable age range]
Only slightly older than I, on occasion.
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[If this was any other day, he'd make some snide remark about just how creepy that seemed, but it's her birthday, so he'll do his best to reign it in.]
Interesting.
[Although the way he says that word doesn't... Seem to credit her ""experience"" at all, it's not all that rude.]
I'm good, though! I swear, it's fine.
We're... We're happy I guess?
So that's all that really matters.
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[She'll try and take his "interesting" in the best possible way, as a gracious host should... though she frowns just briefly, awkwardly adjusting the golden bangle on her wrist that she kept wearing in Woodhurst despite the fact that, for this world and time, the item seemed to belong in a museum.
Potential fiancee or not, she would never find out, and he had been far more to her than magical prowess, in the end. His absence was... still missed. (How long before transfers meant she was the only one who remembered?)
But she shakes her head a bit, instead trying to smile and be the mature sort of council a Green Witch ought. She didn't need him underestimating her again, or thinking her too emotional, or naive.]
Well, happiness is the measure many people like to use for the success of a relationship, so though it is not my own preference, it seems you may be fortunate. I wish it for you.
[Even if it's another two people she'll find herself somewhat jealous of.]
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Asher very much the emotional sort. Despite the somewhat rotten exterior, he is soft at his very core, sentimental and likely to reach out at the slightest tremble of a hand or quiver of a bottom lip. What he lacks in tact or cleverness he makes up for with an earnest desire to help, even though his methods could use a considerable amount of tweaking.]
What do you mean, that's not your own preference?
[His voice lilts slightly, quieter than it's been all this time. He is not one to conceal his concern, although it is subdued, as this is supposed to be a joyous occasion.]
You don't wanna be happy?
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[Happiness was such a bizarre concept for Sieglinde, one that she fears she is never quite skilled enough to explain. She had never been raised to consider that her personal happiness was important- at least, not at all compared to the wellbeing and safety of those under her charge. Her role was to devote herself, to sacrifice... her mobility, in the feet that had been bound, and the life she had never lived in favor of fervid study.
She'd never begrudged that, back then. And maybe she was trying to consider her own happiness on occasion, now, when circumstances in ALASTAIR permitted, but,]
It is just that for the Green Witch, there are far more important factors when it comes to selecting a partner. The heir I bear shall be the next Green Witch, and she must have the best possible advantage. That means selecting a partner based on certain genetic and magical criteria.
[... Just like she had been born from the union of two of the most intelligent people in her country, born to follow in their footsteps.]
Of course, if that partner were one I found aesthetically pleasing and intellectually stimulating, [one that made her happy], that would be quite nice.
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Inadequacy doesn't begin to explain the half of it- He is not the son his father wanted, but after seeing how his family's blessed existence came to pass? He's not entirely sure he wants to be that person, not anymore. His life with the team has been difficult, with more obstacles than any he has ever faced as of yet, but each and every victory has truly been his own.
Happiness, in his mind, is worth more than a constant struggle for perfection.]
That's a lot of pressure to put on a kid.
[Sieglinde is so intelligent in so many ways, but socially? It seems like she may or may not pick up on what he's getting at.
Dignity and expectation would explain why she acts the way she does, but he can see already that it's burning her out, at what?
Just thirteen?]
You don't have to think about all that right now. Besides!
You're here to partaaaay like it's, well-
[A soft chuckle.]
1999! Or, 1993, I guess.
You ever hard a party like this before?
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[Sieglinde has no intention to allow herself to be crushed by the weight of the responsibilities she bears, though she knows them to be heavy. To be more than many people, (her age, or not), could stand.
Though ALASTAIR seems intent to make it even more difficult for her to continue on, when she was sure she would be managing without any problem at all if left to her own devices in Oska, or even in her own world.
But he is right. Perhaps now is not the time for such thoughts, or she would spoil the mood for her guests. As normal as she finds it that she will partner with a man she may or may not love, bear a daughter, and raise that daughter to be the next Green Witch, it seemed to bother most people she tried to explain it to.]
- of course. Despite this celebration, I have not yet even received the blessing of the lunar cycle as of yet, so it is a matter for the future, not the now.
[(Of course, social education would have told her that mentioning her menstrual cycle to a grown man at her birthday party was also not a good idea.)]
I have of course had celebrations on the snow moon each year in my honor, but the mood was... very different than this. Much more... formal. And I had to preside over several rituals...
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He really didn't need??? To hear about the period thing... But wait, how can she be at her sexual peak when her body isn't really ready to bear children-]
Even right now, it kinda seems like you're really bustin' your balls makin' sure that everybody's enjoyin' themselves.
[Still, her lack of social etiquette only makes him feel sad on her behalf. In his opinion, it is people and social connections that make life worth living. Even his own struggle to become a better person, win the trophy, or become a successful lawyer, it's all been because he just wanted to win the attention and respect of his peers and family.]
You don't have to. This place is awesome.
[This is his way of saying that just her company is enough.]
And so are you, so~!
Don't be afraid to let yourself live a little.
[He's clearly not going to judge.]
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[And maybe that made it clear... she couldn't consider her own company to actually be enough for that without effort on her part, though Asher wasn't the only one to find such efforts awkward.]
I am living very muchly.