Thursday, Early Afternoon, Forest of Faraway, Near Amber

[kitchen_maid]

It is one of those beautiful days September bestows when she is in an especially good mood. There is bright sun, and a breeze, and just the barest hint of approaching autumn in the air. The very edges of the trees have begun to flame crimson and russet and gold, but for the most part, things are very very green. In short, it is a perfect day for a picnic.

They had managed to get Peter through the kitchen without too much trouble (although he had gotten a scolding from the second senior cook about being neater with the flour in the future) and Peter Aurelious and the squirrels joined them at the palace gates. And now here they are, in the clearing near edge of the Forest of Faraway, where the Ordinary Princess always comes on her every-second-Thursday-afternoons-off.

She spins all the way around, arms out, smile dazzling, in a sweeping, dizzying, giddy gesture that takes in the trees and the sky and the stream and world in general. "This," she says to Peter, "is home."

Comments

[highking.livejournal.com]

"Oh, come on, they wouldn't notice if you lead an elephant through that kitchen, so long as it kept out of the flour," he says, with as straight a face as he can manage.

[kitchen_maid]

The giggles have given way to actual laughter. "Don't be ridiculous," she says. "How would you ever get an elephant to carry a blackberry bush for you?"

[highking.livejournal.com]

"He could wrap his trunk around it," Peter points out. "So long as it didn't poke him. He might not be happy about that."

[kitchen_maid]

"I think the convincing of the elephant could be the difficult part," she says. "And there aren't any elephants in the Forest of Faraway, anyway."

[highking.livejournal.com]

"Of course not. A bear, then? Or... well, what large animals are there, here? One can convince any animal of anything, given the right stimulus."

[kitchen_maid]

"No bears, I'm afraid," she says, trying to keep a straight face and almost succeeding. "Nothing larger than a deer. Rabbits, of the non-demonic variety. Squirrels. A great deal of birds. The occasional fox. Hedgehogs. Badgers."

[highking.livejournal.com]

"I wonder if two birds could carry it together? A small bush, in any case. Or - badgers are strong, aren't they?"

[kitchen_maid]

"I'm not sure about badgers, honestly. You could always ask Peter Aurelious to help,I suppose," she says, helpfully.

[ooc: And just when I was convinced this conversation could not go down a more unexpected path. . .]

[highking.livejournal.com]

"I'm not sure I know quite the proper inflection of qwa to ask Peter Aurelious. Do you?"

[OOC: I just... don't even ask anymore.]

[kitchen_maid]

Peter Aurelious flies in, lands on the blackberry thicket, looks at Peter and says, "Qwa."

"I think he understood you. And I think he just agreed," says the Ordinary Princess. "Or possibly declined. I'm not sure which."

Peter will be forgiven for having a hard time understanding her through the laughter.

[ooc: At least they're not a)mad, b)sulking, or c)speechless. I think that's an improvement.]

[highking.livejournal.com]

"Qwa," Peter agrees, breaking off a twig that still holds several blackberries and holding it up. "What do you think, Peter Aurelious?"

[kitchen_maid]

Peter Aurelious accepts the branch, and flies off into a nearby tree to eat the blackberries.

"I guess he's not in the mood to share," the Ordinary Princess says.

She looks at Peter, her nose quite wrinkled up by her smile. "This is rather more fun with company," she says. "I'm really very glad you came."

[highking.livejournal.com]

"As am I," Peter says, grinning back at her, though his nose is rather less wrinkly. "Thank you very much for inviting me. I've not had a more enjoyable afternoon in a very long time."

[kitchen_maid]

"Good," she says, her smile going just a little shy as she continues. "Then we should do something like this again sometime."

[highking.livejournal.com]

"Whenever you like," Peter says immediately. "My time is yours to command."

[kitchen_maid]

"I rather like the sound of that," she says, and you know, she just might be flirting.

"Unfortunately," she says, getting up, "my time is pretty much gone for the day. They lock the palace gate at sundown, and I don't want to think about what's going to happen to either of us if we're not back before they do."

[highking.livejournal.com]

"Well, back we go, then," Peter says, moving to her side, though he sounds a little disappointed.

He offers her his arm.

[kitchen_maid]

She looks at him for a moment, and then takes not his arm but his hand, lacing her fingers through his again.

"Back we go," she agrees, and she sounds a little disappointed, too. If it's any comfort to him, her mun is forcing her to end this conversation.

[highking.livejournal.com]

Stupid muns, spoiling their fun.

Peter's fingers curl around hers and he smiles fondly down at her. "You're going to have to lead the way, I think," he says. "I'm liable to get us lost in here forever."

[kitchen_maid]

Why do I suspect that there's a part of Peter that wouldn't especially mind that? Of course, there's also a part of Amy's mind that wouldn't especially mind that . . .

"All right," she says, and they gather up the picnic things and, hand in hand, make their way back to the palace.

[kitchen_maid]

ooc: Good Heavens! Are we actually done?

[highking.livejournal.com]

ooc: I believe we are! Shall I link these to the bar?

[kitchen_maid]

occ: Yay! And, yes, please. This is um, quite the first date.