Iɴ ᴛʜᴇ sʟɪᴘ ᴏғ ᴀ ʙᴏʟᴛ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ's ᴀ ᴛɪɴʏ ʀᴇᴠᴏʟᴛ ➮ ᴏᴘᴇɴ

[revolter]

Who: Matilda Wormwood, aka the tiny newcomer and You.
What: It's an adventure and no one can really go by an adventure alone! aka introductions and walking about the castle!
When: From the morning of February 1st and until the afternoon!
Where: all around the castle!
Rating: totally pg.



[ Matilda Wormwood had a doll that didn't belong to her.

She saved it, mind you. Rescued it to bring it back to Miss Honey but then something happened and before she knew it, a castle.

A castle! The kind that Matilda was certain she read of before but couldn't remember where. Just this made a frown make its way to her face, settling there; she never forgot a book before and she was certain she had read of a castle once.

In the time that would have taken a normal grown person to panic, Matilda clutched the doll that wasn't hers and thought of an adventure. That against all odds, she had somehow walked into one of the wonderful worlds she has read about in her books. A world where everything is beautiful and the sky is always blue and where children can play and run and read and not fear being thrown into the Chokey for hours.

She took one step forward and then another before leaning against one of the pillars, watching the world around her with a small, awe-struck smile. A child who somehow found herself in a brand new story.

After a few minutes she realized that adventure or not, Miss Honey would likely worry for her and that Lissy-Doll should be brought back to her. She also realized she as much as the castle was vast and beautiful, she was alone. Looking at the people who wandered about, she couldn't recognize a single one.

Riding up and tidying her skirt she began to walk around, peeking up at people, uncertainty written on her face. She didn't even know what questions should she ask first. Gathering up her courage she decided to begin with a very polite: ]

Excuse me - which way would take me back to where I came from, please?

Comments

[doublethefun]

[welp. At the sound of a child's voice, the blue winged unicorn who was in the midst of dozing off on the sun-dappled sofa lifts her head from an open book.

She tries to hide a yawn.]

Canst thou reiterate that?

[revolter]

[ Forgive her for stopping and staring since - a unicorn! She heard of those, read of them in books, but she never quite thought she'd see one as she knew, or perhaps, she thought they weren't real. If a unicorn is real, then Matilda would have to believe just about everything else she read of in books exists.

That might have caused some people to panic; however, she is giddy to figure it out.

She peers at her for a moment before remembering herself and repeating her question, more slowly. ]

Which way would take me back to where I came from, please?

[ a beat and - ]

I'm sorry for waking you.

[doublethefun]

[the kid gets a smile as she nudges a bookmark into place and closes the book.]

There is little need to apologize; I daresay mine nap went overlong.

[a more serious look] This is Cair Paradisa. None of us have yet been able to leave of our own will.

[revolter]

[ she takes it in, looks at her doll and then back at her. ]

We have to stay?

[ Unnaturally for a child but very naturally for Matilda, her parents worrying about her doesn't come to mind at all. Instead she thinks of Miss Honey and how worried she would be. ]

Forever?

[cyan_maid]

[Hm? Jane thought she heard someone around the corner. She'd just been taking a walk around the castle, like she usually did. She peeks around and spots a little girl with a pretty doll in her arms.

This castle really can't leave the children alone, can it? She approaches slowly, so the girl won't be startled.]

Oh my! Are you new here?

[revolter]

[ She nods. ]

I think so.

[ though she never quite meant to be here to begin with, but 'new' she certainly is. ]

What's 'here' like?

[ and coming to think of it. ]

What's 'here'? Does it have a name?

[cyan_maid]

[Jane's gonna smile and kneel down to your level so she's not just staring down at you. That can be a little intimidating, can't it?]

Well if you don't know a place's name, you've got to be new. This is a castle called Paradisa.

[As for what it's like...] It's...hm. It's interesting, for starters.

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

[Bunny is always a little more careful, with kids he hasn't met yet, Largely because he's never certain if they can see him or not. If they didn't believe in the Easter Bunny...well. That was that. Invisible city.

Still, she's clearly new, and lost, so he heads his way over to her]

Hullo there.

[revolter]

[ Matilda is more mature than most kids. A child who grew up a bit too soon. But she has kept some hopes and beliefs in her heart, sweet hopes that have made her a child still.

She looks at him, eyes wide with surprise. A talking rabbit. ]

Hi -

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

[He relaxes a little, when he realises she can see him. Good, that always makes this easier]

Sounds like you're lost. Can I help?

[deductiongeek]

[And here is another child. He watches her moving around for a few seconds, and then approaches her.]

You just arrived at the castle, right? I haven't seen you here before.

[It wasn't really a question.]

[revolter]

A few minutes ago. I'm not sure from which direction. I'm trying to find a way back.

[ because if she'll find the point from where she started, perhaps she could still trace her way back home. ]

I'm Matilda.

[deductiongeek]

I'm Conan. I've been here for more than a year.

[He frowns. It was always a pain being the one to deliver the bad news, but he kind of felt a little responsible for the kids who kept ending up here. It was better that they know.]

And getting home isn't that easy. Once you arrive here you can't go home until the castle lets you go.

[kid_apocalypse]

[Evan had been on his way outside, possibly to make a giant snowfort, possibly to fill in the craters he'd made with his head a few days before when he was trying to fly. Either way, he bumps into the young girl, and while surprised at first, a tentative smile spreads across his face.]

Well...uhh...that's a little bit complicated. There's really no way to go back where we came from by choice. Sorry.

[He looks genuinely apologetic. As excited as he was that there was another kid in the castle, it doesn't change the grim reality of the castle.]

[revolter]

At all? But Miss Honey -

[ she looks down at the doll, clutches her to her chest. ]

This is hers, I meant to give it to her. She'll worry if I won't come to school tomorrow.

[kid_apocalypse]

[He kneels down to put a hand on her shoulder.]

I know. All of us here have things we should be doing, instead of being here. The nice thing about this place though...is that as long as we're here, time doesn't move forward where we come from. It's...sort of a pocket dimension, like a city in a bottle. When the castle decides it's time for you to go home, you'll be able to give Miss Honey her doll, and she won't even know you were gone.

[He smiles brightly. Evan was very much a "glass half-full" sort, trying to make the best of things.]

My name's Evan. Evan Sabahnur. What's yours?

[sword_redemption]

[Drift's sitting in the main lobby, on the floor, legs crossed in classic meditation posture. It's a lame attempt to try to feel his Great Sword, to reach through the connection between them.

[It's not working. But he takes another deep breath, opening his optics for a klik, before trying again.]

[revolter]

[ A very small girl is watching him from the side, a small smile on her lips. He may not succeed in summoning what he wishes to, but he'll certainly find her stepping forward. ]

What are you doing?

[sword_redemption]

[The optics crack open again, and after a moment he returns the smile.]

I'm trying to find something.

OMG MATILDA /hopes he's not too late.

[inharperwetrust]

[So, Harper's been locked in his room for a few weeks, with no communication with the castle outside. It's gave him plenty of time to work on projects, and he needs another week or so before he's ready to let the owners know their stuff is ready.

So, he's out, not really paying attention to where he's walking, reading from a thin sheet of flexible material. So distracted that he nearly bumps straight into Matilda.]

Woah. Look out! [And he swerves around her, spinning on his heel a bit, dropping the flexi.] Sorry, kid.

not at all!

[revolter]

[ Matilda herself was busy looking the other way, trying to find anything at all that looked familiar when she ran into him. ]

I'm sorry, I wasn't really looking.

[ she hurries to pick the item he has dropped and hands it to him. ]

You dropped this.

Yay!

[inharperwetrust]

[The flexi bleeps loudly as Matilda picks it up.]

Hey, woah, woah! Careful with that. It's touch-sensitive.

[The sheet of plastic shows a human-like skeleton, labels attaches to it written in a foreign language... And some of the wording is scrolling along, like news headlines on a TV.

Harper reaches to take it back, not sounding annoyed that she picked it up. He's used to people not knowing about Commonwealth technology. It's more a warning.]

/totally not late

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

[Along the hall walked a tall young man, though he certainly was no Man, dressed in a neat forest green tunic, leggings and thin leather boots. On his back was a quiver filled with arrows and he carried a great bow. After crafting Arya her bow and making her a quiver full of arrows, Legolas had taken to spending more time down at the range. And that was where he had meant to go now.

Of course, that was until he heard the voice of a child. He'd only seen one child int he castle before now, and that was most certainly not counting his loss when he had been a child, so he was quick to glance down towards the voice. Kneeling to her height, the prince gave a smile, trying to look reassuring.]

I'm afraid that you'll not be able to go back, little one. Not anytime soon, I'm afraid.

nope nope never ever late!

[revolter]

[ Matilda looks at him with the awe and curiosity of a six years old, as if it is a wonder that he is talking to her at all and to her, it is. Becuase he looks like something that walked out from a book and she looks down at the doll for a moment before lifting her eyes again. ]

Will I be able to go back at all? I don't think Miss Honey will believe me if I tell her I missed school because I've been kidnapped by a magical castle.

yay!

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

[That look earns a small laugh from him. He really shouldn't be surprised by the look, how often did people see elves here? There were only three of them here now and apparently she hadn't met with Lord Celeborn or Lady Galadriel.]

In time, I'm sure that you will be but that is the decision of the castle as to when. I have been told by others, however, that time will not pass without you while you are here. So when you do return, you will return to the exact moment that you departed.