primrosella | Quest 204

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Quest 204

[Accidental Video Post]

[As the video switches on and fades in from black, the sound of wingbeats and merry chirping can be heard, as though a multitude of birds of all varieties have all come together in one place. Shortly thereafter, the picture comes in to focus on Rosella, standing in the middle of one of the burned-out sections of the Library with a broom in her hands and a bluebird on her shoulder. She is wearing a neat, albeit slightly sooty, dress and a pair of sensible shoes, and her hair is braided and pinned up on her head with a few tendrils hanging loose, having obviously slipped free of their coils while she was working.

However, the strangest sight is the wildlife around her--birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and even the occasional deer, all with wide innocent eyes, and all dutifully aiding her in her attempt to clean up her area of the Library. The birds flutter around collecting bits of charred paper that have fallen on the ground, the squirrels dust and sweep with their tails, the chipmunks sort though the remains for anything that might be salvageable, and the deer trot around with collections of half-burned books and pieces of wood secured in their antlers, delivering them to other parts of the Library.

And every one of them is singing or contributing to the tune. Merrily.

The expression on Rosella's face clearly reveals just how ridiculous she finds all this commotion, but hey, she's not about to complain about the extra help in cleaning the Library. When she speaks, her voice sounds...not different, exactly, but perhaps slightly more melodious than usual.]

Oh, do be careful! That's quite a lot of books you're carrying around, you know--don't try to take too many at once! Really, there's no need to rush. I really do appreciate the help, but I haven't any balls to be late for, so there's no need to work so fast and risk hurting yourselves.

[The birds twitter and chirp at this, rustling their wings noisily.]

Yes, of course, you're all being wonderfully helpful, thank you.

[A pause, as she glances toward the camera.]

Oh, drat, how did that get on? I don't suppose one of you could...oh, thank you, I do apprecia--

[And with a flurry of fur near the camera, the video switches off.]

[OOC: Cinders + Rosella = Cinderosella? And a little bit of Snow White, too. She's afflicted with the Child Friendly curse today, which means all the standard features of a standard Disney Princess--helpful birdies, merry work tunes, and the apparent ability to remain pretty even after a long day of hard work.

IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN JUMPING IN--safari!cursed people who want to join the animal brigade, people wanting to play Fairy Godmother, princes who want to attempt a rescue, etc.--feel free! I will roll with anything. :D]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I've heard the same. Thought I haven't ever visited it myself either. I hope I will, someday. I hope you will too.

That's splendid. Yes, you certainly look as though you could use the help. I'm glad you have the help too.

Oh, I was hoping you could tell me about it. But that's quite all right. Where do you stay, then, if not in London?

[She's been on her feet for a few hours now, so she starts looking around for a clean place to sit. It's not easy, given the circumstances.]

I do hope we manage to get it straightened out soon. I think it's just terrible that all this happened to the library.

Our house is in Cornwall. Well, it's our house, but it's really a castle.

Oh--

I hope you do too. What happened to it?

[Why, how very chivalrous. One or two of the deer will be along to collect those any second now, she knows, so she subtly moves the last one or two that remain and then makes a little show of sitting down and neatly arranging her skirt into place.]

Oh, thank you! Do you really live in a castle? That's quite a coincidence, because I do, too! Well, when I'm at home, that is. Here, I live in a place that's almost as big as a castle, but it's different than one, too.

[She glances around, frowning a little at the damage that still remains. Even after spending a day in the midst of it, it's still a heartbreaking sight.]

There was a fire, I'm afraid, and a lot of things were burned.

Yes, we really do. It's our family's house. And, do you really? Here and there, I mean?

Was there? That is unfortunate.

Oh, yes. It's a lovely castle we have, with a moat and towers and banners and my very own garden, even. It's much prettier than the place that I live here, but I like that place just as much, in its own way.

[A pause.]

It really does look rather sad around here, doesn't it? It used to be very beautiful, this part of the library. I hope we can manage to fix it all soon.

We haven't a moat, I don't think, but we do have gardens. I very much like walking about in them. I have favourite paths and trees and everything. I'm sure you'll make this place as beautiful as you castle very soon.

There's a very fine garden here, you know, but it belongs to the whole City, not just to me. They have a path that's planted with every kind of rose you could imagine, and that's my favorite path of all because roses are my favorite flower. I'm even named after them.

I don't...really like roses all that much...

But--what's your name, then? Rose?

That's all right, though. There are plenty of other flowers to like, too! And goodness knows I certainly like them enough for two people.

[Oops. Such a minefield of touchy subjects, Cain is. Though at least his younger self will admit it instead of hiding it, she thinks.]

Almost! It's Rosella. Though I have been called Rose before, but only as a nickname.

Rosella is a very pretty name.

[Oho, that makes twice now. Not that she's counting.]

I'm glad you think so!

[And since she does remember that Cain's own name is yet another touchy subject, she'll wait to see if he offers it himself in his own time, and takes a slightly different topic instead.]

Oh, but are you good at keeping secrets?

Oh, yes, a girl named me the Earl of Secrets. I'm very good at keeping secrets.

Well, I'll tell you one, then, if you promise to keep it for me.

[She even leans in close, conspiratorially, and drops her voice to a hushed tone.]

My name is really Princess Rosella. That's my secret.

Oh! You're a princess?!

[Fortunately, there's no one around to hear but the birds. Though one of the chipmunks might stop and peer at him a little oddly, after that outburst.]

I am. It's a fine secret, don't you think? Though I'm sure, being the Earl of Secrets, that you've heard plenty of better ones.

It's an excellent secret. I'm not sure I've heard any much better than that.

Then I'm sure you'll take plenty of care to keep it for me.

Of course I will.

Good! I'm glad to hear it.

[She gets to her feet, smoothing her skirt out as she does so.]

Did you come all this way by yourself?

I did, yes. I wanted to see this town since Father isn't here. I wanted to know where he'd sent Riff and me while he was in London.

That's quite adventurous of you! And what have you seen on your travels, then?

I've seen the garden you were talking about, but not the roses. And I've seen the centre of town, and the carousel there, and of course the theatre where I woke up.

Quite an adventure indeed. I wonder, are you fond of horses? There's a barn with quite a few of them here. And of course, there's a whole zoo full of animals, too.

I've seen horses before, but I do like them. And a zoo too, really?

Quest 204

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