Amy (
kitchen_maid) wrote2005-09-15 12:42 pm
Thursday, Early Afternoon, Forest of Faraway, Near Amber
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."
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."

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"Peter . . . I . . ."
She is, for one of the few times in her life, speechless.
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"I'm sorry," he says. "I shouldn't have... that was presumptuous of me."
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Completely guileless, our Amy.
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"Really? You didn't?"
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"Well. I can do it again sometime, if you like."
But before she has a chance to answer, he's wung off of the branch onto a lower one. "Ready for lunch?"
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"Yes, I think lunch is an excellent idea."
And, cheeks still just faintly red, she climbs down and out of the tree.
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"I brought fresh lemonade from the bar," he says, holding up a large thermos. "And some sandwiches and things."
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"It looks wonderful," she says.
The squirrels seem to agree, as they've come back down from their treetops to have lunch, too. Peter Aurelious, on the other hand, ignores the food, hops over to fix Peter with a stare from one glossy black eye and says, "Qwa."
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"Well," he says to The Ordinary Princess, "this is everything I brought. Do you have some leftovers, as well?"
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"Ignore him," the Ordinary Princess advises. And to Peter Aurelious, "Behave. He's a guest."
The Ordinary Princess has some slightly stale cake and apples, which she sets on the blanket. "And, of course, the blackberry thicket is over there," she adds, waving her hand behind her.
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"Lovely day for a picnic," he says after chewing and swallowing.
It's a nice neutral conversation topic.
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She can do neutral. She breaks an edge off one of the cakes and absently feeds it to Simon Perryvall.
"It's a lovely day in general," she adds. She's probably not talking about the weather.
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"Rather," he says. "Yes, rather a wonderful day, all things considered."
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"Oh."
Speechless. It's a new thing for her.
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"Amy, I... I didn't... I mean... oh, damn it."
He runs a hand through his hair.
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"Peter, what's wrong?"
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He's staring fixedly at the grass.
"I'm sorry."
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She's honestly pretty confused. And words have utterly failed her. So she just covers his hand with hers, and waits.
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It should be noted that she is not blushing.
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"Do you want...?"
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She squeezes his hand, and then unlaces her fingers from his. "I think we should have lunch."
Because, frankly, she needs to think. And she rather thinks he needs to think, too.
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