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

[revolter]

A fairy king! Like king Oberon!

[ who she knows from Shakespeare. She will ask about the dangers of the place in a moment. For now she still looks excited. ]

Was he wonderful?

[ she stands up straighter. ]

I'm Matilda. It's nice to meet you.

[ since this is what you say to grown ups instead of the usual 'hi' that would suffice between kids. ]

[cyan_maid]

[She's a little shocked to hear that name come from a little girl, but stranger things have happened...maybe this girl has heard a lot of stories.]

He was very wonderful! A perfect gentleman.

It's nice to meet you, too.

[revolter]

Miss Crocker, if I have to stay, do I get a room? And is there a kitchen?

[ and most importantly. ]

Can I write back? To tell Miss Honey I'm alright.

[cyan_maid]

[She chuckles softly. How sweet you are!]

You don't have to call me Miss Crocker, Matilda. Jane will do. I can show you the kitchen if you like, and there is a directory, so it shouldn't be hard to find your room.

[But upon hearing that last bit, she droops a little.] I'm afraid there's no way to contact home. At least, none that I've found.

[revolter]

But if Miss Honey worries for me? Who will tell her I'm alright? and my parents -

[ not that they'll worry for her but. ]

They will notice I'm gone.

[cyan_maid]

[Alright, well, it's evident that this little girl is very concerned. How do you even explain Paradisa to a child?]

Well...it should be alright, and I can tell you why, but the truth is all sorts of impossible. I do hope you'll believe me when I say that, when you do go home, it will be as if you never left.

[revolter]

[ she looks around her, at the vast castle, the color of the sky outside, the beauty and grandeur of it all, she looks at them all and then she looks back at her. ]

I believe you.

[ and it does make things a bit better. ]

Then - they won't know I'm here?

[cyan_maid]

[Oh, my. Children really are trusting. Thankfully, it's good in this situation. You can see Jane relax a little.]

They won't have the slightest idea. And when you do go back home, whenever that might be, you won't remember your time here, either. Now that I have personal experience with.

[revolter]

Is it because the castle is a secret? That they're not supposed to know about?

[ she looks at the doll again before shifting to put it back in the bag. ]

I won't remember anything? Not even - the pictures you have in your head about a dream? Sometimes I remember those.

[cyan_maid]

That's a good way to think of it, yes. The castle likes to keep itself secret.

[She shakes her head.] Not even those, I'm afraid.

[revolter]

[ she thinks about it for a moment, nods the next. She can't understand it because she never quite read anything about in any physics books but perhaps the rules here were different. After all, if the law in several countries wasn't the same, then some laws probably change between worlds, too. Right? ]

Jane, is there a library here?

[cyan_maid]

Why, yes! A big one, spanning many floors. Would you like to see it?

[revolter]

[ A smile spreads on her face, the sort of an overjoyed expression a child would usually wear when presented with toys and candy. But she doesn't bounce nor does she shout, she simply looks as if it's the best news she heard in this conversation. ]

Yes, please.

[cyan_maid]

[Oh wow! For someone to like books at such a young age, and enough to smile like that...it's really endearing, somehow. Jane grins and holds out her hand.]

Here, I'll take you there. I wouldn't want you to get lost.

[revolter]

Thank you.

[ she straightens her school bad and reaches for her hand. ]

Is there a map in the library? Of Paradisa?

[cyan_maid]

There might be. I haven't seen one yet myself, but I can assure you that once you've been here a little while, it's not all that hard to find places.

[And Jane's up on her feet again, walking slowly so Matilda can keep up.]

[revolter]

Are there really many floors? There were three in the library near my home. On for the children, one for the adults and another where some of the older kids studied.

[cyan_maid]

I think this one has three floors too, but each floor is especially spacious. I doubt I've seen it all yet, but I'm usually either looking at cookbooks or mysteries. We have to go up to the third floor of the castle to even reach it, though.

[revolter]

Do you cook?

[ her tone turns chipper. ]

I read a few cookbooks A year or two ago at home. I don't think my mom ever used them but I learned how to make some stuff from them. I can make pancakes and pasta with meatballs.

[cyan_maid]

I do! I love to cook, but I love baking even more-

[That gives her reason to pause.]

You can make all that by yourself? How old are you, Matilda?

[revolter]

Six and a half. I'll be seven in August.

[ a good thing she counts, lord knows her parents don't. ]

[cyan_maid]

And you're allowed to use the stove??

[revolter]

I'm the only one who does, really.

[ she shrugs a bit. It had come to her attention that her family is not what most people would call pleasant but at least she had learned to care for herself. ]

My parents and brother mostly use the microwave.

[cyan_maid]

Oh. Erm, I see.

[Microwave? For what, making dinner? That's a sin in the Crocker household.]

Well that's - how did you learn to use it then, if no one else in your house does?

[revolter]

I read the manual. It wasn't very difficult. I taught myself.

[ she doesn't seem terribly bothered with it nor is she proud of herself. It's a simple fact, this is how things are at the Wormwood house. ]