OC is kind of annoyed

[winter_raven]

So,

Are you gonna do anything with me, or just write ficlets that you realize, like, 2 weeks later need editing based on revisions you've done with world-building? Because much as I like the journal - and the username is awesome - either let me get back to my thing, or find me a place to squat for a while.

~Raven

PS - Why'd you make one for McKenzie again? It's not like she has any more time than I do.

Comments

[browholived]

Muns never write the things they promise. At least mine doesn't.

[winter_raven]

[Interesting outfit there, sir. Raven approves.]

What'd yours promise you that you didn't get?

[browholived]

[Perfectly normal 14xx Verona fashion by way of Japan ;) ]

'Fic' I believe she called it.

[winter_raven]

Fic. Mine hasn't written me one in ages.

[Read: nearly a month.]

It'd be cool to have one again, you know? Or something. A freaking meme, or whatever. What kind of fic did yours say she'd write you?

[browholived]

Those ficlets don't count?

Nothing I'm exceedingly excited about. Just something post-canon.

[winter_raven]

They do, but they're from a while ago. I want something new.

[Eyebrow raise.]

What canon? Sorry, you don't look very familiar....

[browholived]

Romeo & Juliet.

[winter_raven]

No. Way. Seriously?

[Definitely impressed.]

You don't look anything like the versions we saw in school. That stupid one with DiCaprio before he got good at acting or the old one.

So...what's your name?

[browholived]

It's really not that... good a thing.

Benvolio.

[winter_raven]

It isn't every day I get to meet characters from plays I read in 9th grade, okay? It's kind of cool.

[And that makes her grin.]

You're the sensible one! Sucks that Shakespeare wrote you out after your testimony. That Balthazar guy wasn't as interesting.

[browholived]

From... plays? Well, I have heard minstrels talking about making this whole mess into a song, so I suppose it's not impossible.

The sensible one? I guess, comparatively, but... wait what? Who's Balthazar?

[winter_raven]

Yeah, lots of Italian versions, and then Shakespeare wrote one and it stuck and everyone loved it. There's even been an opera, I think. It's been a couple of years since we did the lesson on it.

[She gives him a look.]

Balthazar. Romeo's manservant. Dude goes to Mantua to find him and give the bad news, then freaks out when Romeo kills Paris outside the Capulet crypt when he goes to see Juliet's body.

[browholived]

Why would there be lessons on it? It's a stupid, stupid chain of events.

Ah... no. That was me.

And Romeo never killed Paris. Are you sure you know this story?

[winter_raven]

Because we read Shakespeare every year in school, except for junior year, since it's all American Lit, and he's British. And it's a "grand tragedy" the way everyone describes it. The movies are okay, but the older one's better. I think if I got to see it as an actual play, I might like it more.

[Blink.]

You? I remember one of the kids in class asked why it wasn't you going off to tell Romeo, since you and he and Mercutio were kind of tight. Teacher said something about Shakespeare needing to write another of his actors into the play, so out you went and in came Balthazar.

[Head-shake.]

No, he did. They come across each other skulking around outside the crypt, and Paris says he's gonna call the guard, or something, since Romeo's not supposed to be inside the city. So Romeo pulls his sword, and they fight, and he kills Paris. Then, he drags the body inside the crypt, which is really stupid, if you ask me. If you didn't like the guy, why bother to bring him inside? It's not like Juliet would have cared if he'd left him outside.

And I got an 82 on my test, so yeah, I'm pretty sure I know the story. The Shakespeare version, at least.

[browholived]

Yea, well I lived the whole thing so I'm pretty sure I know how things happened. Paris wasn't even at the crypt that night.

[winter_raven]

Fair enough. Like I said, I know the play. I didn't know it was based on an actual story.

[She gives him another look over.]

I also didn't know Renaissance Italy was so fashion-forward. You dress like people in some of the bands I listen to.

[browholived]

I suppose that's fair.

[A shrug]

It's what I wear. Maybe fashion's come full circle?

[winter_raven]

[Grin.]

Maybe. It's cool. I like it. You'd fit in at Court with that.

[browholived]

[He looks down at his jacket and shrugs again]

I guess.

Court? You are a noblewoman?

[winter_raven]

[Oops. Well, crap. She wasn't supposed to say that. Then again, she was talking to a Shakespeare character.]

Sort of, yeah. Heir to the Court of Winterhaven.

[browholived]

[His eyes widen and he makes a hasty, but full bow]

My apologies, my Lady. I was not aware. May I ask where Winterhaven is? I've not heard of it.

[winter_raven]

[Oh. Oh, don't do that, Benvolio. Seriously. She's not used to that sort of thing at all.]

Hey, don't go acting all formal, okay? Just Raven's fine. Father says we don't have to...

[What were the words?]

...to stand on ceremony, if we don't want to. Not unless it's Revelry.

Winterhaven's sort of in the Pacific Northwest. In North America. Which...you haven't heard of, either. Because it wasn't discovered in your time. Um...other side of the world from Italy.

[Smirk.]

But it's a stone's throw for me.

[She likes her own private jokes, sorry, Benvolio.]

[browholived]

[He gives a half smile, tinged with a healthy amount of bitterness]

Like Mercutio then. I understand.

Ah. Far away then.

[winter_raven]

He did sort of strike me as the type not to stand on ceremony, yeah. Like that.

Far and not at the same time. It and Summerside are...different...to a lot of courts.

[browholived]

More like the type to trample all over ceremony just because he could.

Far... and not? Explain?

[winter_raven]

As long as we're formal when we need to be, Father's fine with the casual stuff other times. Trampling...he wouldn't like at all. And Aunt Verity would probably kill me. Or make me do the damned maze again.

[Shifty-eyes.]

Well...not many people really know how to get there. You need...you need certain, um, markers, to get you there. And if you don't have them, you sort of...can't. Get there. Like, at all.

[browholived]

Mercutio didn't care too much about what anyone thought. Being the younger son has its advantages.

So it's a... hidden kingdom? Like in tales?

[winter_raven]

I don't have that luxury. I'm an only child. Father's late wife couldn't have kids. I don't do things the right way at Revelry, and everyone notices. And that's bad.

...Yeah. Like that. Except, you know, not a tale. Kind of like how you aren't a character in a play.

[browholived]

Your... court will allow a woman to inherit? I can understand how the pressure would be that much more intense then.

I had assumed as much. But similar in concept?

[winter_raven]

[Nod.]

As long as it's a direct line of ascendancy, yeah. It's a bit more progressive than courts in Renaissance Italy.

Yeah, similar. The joke about the stones wasn't just a joke. You need them to get to Winterhaven, if you can't do the Door thing. And since I can't....

[browholived]

Indeed it is. I would not presume to speak on your customs.

[Yea, you're starting to lose him with the stone thing]

I see...

[winter_raven]

It's...special. And there are some weird customs. Lots of dancing.

[Head tilt. as an idea flits across her brain. Because when would she ever get to do this, seriously?]

Do you dance?

[browholived]

[A smile]

I do. Why?

[winter_raven]

Father thinks I still need practice. And I need to be more comfortable dancing with different people than just Li. So...wanna help me out?

[She offers him a satin-gloved hand.]