Royal Gardens, Palace at Amber, Late September

[kitchen_maid]

It's a good day for a picnic, in Amy's opinion. There's not really enough time to walk all the way to the Forest and back before the evening's obligations, but the gardens are a riot of late summer flowers, and that's a perfectly acceptable substitute.

Now, if only Amy could convince Susan that the mums are for looking at, and not for eating.

Comments

[kitchen_maid]

"Yes," says Amy. "Rather.

"Although I have to confess to being slightly concerned," she continues, still very amused, "that she's not yet seven-months old and she has already identified you as a good partner in crime."

[obligatoryass]

Logan tries to look chagrined, but fails pretty much completely. Glee, after all, is hard to cover up.

"What can I say? I have a way with the ladies. Even when they're miniature ladies."

[kitchen_maid]

"So I see," says Amy.

"'ogan," Susan repeats, reaching towards the yellow flowers.

"Oh, you might as well," says Amy.

[obligatoryass]

Logan offers her a flower, which is clearly the best tactic for securing the affections of a lady.

He's still gleeful, and that probably isn't going to stop any time soon.

"Susan's the best kid in the multiverse. You're awfully lucky, Amy."

And Susan is pretty lucky, too, although Logan thinks that probably goes without saying.

[kitchen_maid]

Susan takes the flower happily, and then cheerfully precedes to pull it apart into other, smaller flowers.

"She really is, isn't she?" says Amy. "I'm very lucky."

She resettles Susan, flowers pieces and all, in her lap.

[obligatoryass]

"Very," Logan agrees, and then states the obvious. After all, being reminded of how you're lucky isn't a bad thing. Even if the only way he's ever really been lucky was being born rich. "And so's she, you know. She's got you and Perry and oodles of godparents who adore her."

[kitchen_maid]

There are other ways he's been lucky. He just has to learn to see them.

At least, that's what Amy would say.

"Yes. She's very dear, and rather impossible not to adore, isn't she?"

Susan rather solemnly gives her mama a piece of a yellow flower.

"Thank you."

[obligatoryass]

Logan would probably reply that she's right, more or less, and that at some point, people have to make their own luck. He's just not sure how to do that, or maybe even what it fundamentally means.

"Absolutely impossible," Logan agrees. "I'll admit I'm not much for babies, usually -" which is quite the understatement. Logan's had as much experience as he has with aliens - at least, as much experience as he had with aliens before Milliways. "- but Susan's a special case of awesome."

[kitchen_maid]

Amy laughs. "I think we should consider putting that on her crest. I wonder how you say 'a special case of awesome' in Latin."

It's also a lot of fun to imagine the reaction of the court herald if she asked.

[obligatoryass]

Logan has to laugh at that. "I'd totally want it on my crest, if I had one. I think I'd also want something about surfing, but that might be even harder to get into Latin. And also not applicable to the princess here."

[kitchen_maid]

"A little too far from the ocean," says Amy. "From what I remember of seeing it, it would be very hard to pull off on the palace fish pond."

Susan babbles a reply of nonsense, cheerfully.

[obligatoryass]

"Possibly not invented yet here, either," Logan says. "And that could be problematic."

He sighs happily, and reclines on the grass. "It really has been a great vacation. I haven't had one so nice in years. Or possibly ever."

[kitchen_maid]

"I'm glad," she says. "And you know you're always welcome, as often as you'd like. I don't think Her Highness would have it any other way."

Susan offers Logan several torm flower petals.

[obligatoryass]

"Thanks," he says. "I'll probably take you up on it. Especially around exam time."

Logan accepts the petals gravely. "Thank you. They're pretty. But not as pretty as you."

[kitchen_maid]

Amy's eyebrows raise in amusement. "And will you be looking for extra time to study, or attempting to avoid the issue all together?"

She used to live with Anne Shirley, you know. She's heard a lot about exams. She kind of expects Logan will have a different approach to them. (Not that she can really say anything; her approach to her lessons was to run away from them as often as possible.)

Susan, in response, gives him a very big smile and offers him half a leaf.

[obligatoryass]

"Both," he says promptly. "Both are very important study tools, which I use as much as possible."

[kitchen_maid]

"I should not be encouraging this, should I?" she says, to no one in particular.

Susan favors Logan with a smile. "'ogan."

Someone has a new favorite word.

[obligatoryass]

"Probably not, but you know I'm irresistible," he says, grinning at her.

When Susan speaks, Logan resists dancing around the garden with her more, but just beams instead. "Susan understands."

[kitchen_maid]

"Far more than perhaps I would like her to," says Amy, but it's all amusement.

"'ogan."

[obligatoryass]

"I can't help it if you've got an unusually gifted daughter," Logan says loftily.

He scrunches up his face at the baby. "Susan."

[kitchen_maid]

Susan laughs.

So does Amy.

"No, that is one thing I do not think you can legitimately take credit for, Logan."

[obligatoryass]

"Indeed," Logan says, and he's quite dignified-sounding for someone who is making faces at a very small princess. "Nor would I want to, thank you. I'm quite happy to leave that credit with those who deserve it."

[kitchen_maid]

"ogan!" says the very small princess happily.

"I'll tell Perry you said so."

[obligatoryass]

"I'm sure he'll take the compliment in the spirit it was meant," Logan says, laughing. "Which is...you guys did good."

[kitchen_maid]

"Thank you, Logan," says Amy. "I certainly could not be prouder or more pleased.

"Even though I thought we had a few more years before visitors starting falling for her."

[obligatoryass]

"No, she's too lovable," Logan says. "It is impossible not to fall head over heels the instant you meet her. It'll probably be a few years before you have to start worrying about that kind of thing, though."