(no subject)

[never_promised]

The conversation with Teja has had at least one outcome worth noting: Harry's remembered his fondness for football. He's scrounged up a ball from the gym, and has been kicking it up and down the hallways all day.

Probably making a nuisance of himself, in fact.

Comments

[livinginmyglass]

She leans in and rises up on her toes to get a closer look. "The straw in the fable, perchance-- spun to copper 'stead of gold."

[never_promised]

Oh yeah? Well--well he can stand on his toes too! Now who's tall? "Copper, forsooth! Thou art grown wonderful bold, Cesario, speaking of copper and Judas when thou hast such a great briar-patch tangling up about thine ears!"

[livinginmyglass]

She presses both hands to her head and tries to flatten it down.

"And am I not lucky to have by nature what others must by art devise?"

[never_promised]

"Just look thou that the starling does not make her nest there, finding it so natural."

....He'll stop standing up on his toes now. And he'll snake out his foot and retrieve the ball. "So have I woken thee from thy gentle slumber, thy beauty-rest?"

[livinginmyglass]

"I--" She ducks her head, bashful. "Ay, so thou didst. I thought to sun myself, catlike-- and ere I knew it..."

[never_promised]

"Surely it has never happened to any of us before, in the whole history of time," he says solemnly. "I have never done such a thing."

[livinginmyglass]

Viola laughs. "Ay, but such faults may be forgiven in a price-- a king! Whereas I do but offer proof to those who claim all pageboys to be careless, lazy, prone to sloth."

[never_promised]

"Ah--heh. Say not king, for in truth a king hath not such luxuries." Mmh. "But as prince, ay! I have been as slothful as any pageboy, never appearing when I was wanted, never at my master's elbow, never at the king's beck and call--"

[livinginmyglass]

Viola lifts a brow. "Why, thou'rt the picture of industry now." She makes a lunge for his soccer ball.

[never_promised]

Ohoho no you don't! He wriggles around, flailing. It's...not exactly what you'd call a world-class Cruyff Turn.

[livinginmyglass]

Viola laughs and tries to play keep-away for a second or two, but-- is essentially a coward, really, and quickly surrenders.

[never_promised]

Yes, well, Harry breaks off quickly himself; in the middle of the flailing and the dodging he'd gotten an unintended armful of Viola.

[livinginmyglass]

Viola edges back, slightly pink.

"Well, sir, I had best--" Do what? Uh. "--tend to my-- bird's nest, here."

[never_promised]

An apology would make it more awkward. Probably. And anyway, it hadn't been a particularly personal armful, just--

anyway.

"Stand not on ceremony with me, Cesario. Hast not made it clear I have no cause for vanity of mine own? With my Judas-copper hair?"

[livinginmyglass]

"Ha!" She points triumphantly. "So, I have made thee confess at last! For surely, sir," she adds, at once all solemnity. "The greatest virtue is to know thyself. --but what wouldst thou have with me, if thou wouldst not have me trim and fair? Need'st thou some partner in thy sport?"

[never_promised]

"Ah--" Hem. "'Tis better with a partner, certain. Wilt join me?"

[livinginmyglass]

Augh. She laughs and drops her face into her hands. "O, thou'rt a very tanner with a phrase, canst turn any word inside-out. Ay, I shall. Do but let me fetch my--" She starts back into her room, then says, after only a brief hesitation. "But-- come in, if thou wouldst, thou needst not linger there."

She continues in without waiting to see if he'll follow, gathering together her stockings and shoes.

[never_promised]

"What!" He's all innocence now. "What, I did but invite thee to learn somewhat of the football with me; hast some other thought in thy mind?"

....Yes, he's going to follow her in. Nudging the football along as he goes.

[livinginmyglass]

Well! Viola can look innocent, too.

"No, indeed, sir," she says, picking up a shoe. "I am merely a maiden, all such thoughts are far from my mind."

[never_promised]

"All what thoughts? --Here is its partner," he says, scooping up another shoe and handing it over.

[livinginmyglass]

"My thanks." She plops down on the edge of the bed to start pulling on her stockings. "Why-- of such rough sports as young men play. Football, and fencing..."

[never_promised]

"O, the rough sports. Not the gentler ones. --But thou art still a page, is't not so? Thou--still hast thy duke--?"

[livinginmyglass]

"I--" She pauses, apparently to concentrate on tying her shoe. "I do, I have. I-- have lingered long here. But I shall return to him. I cannot ever idle in this place that is no place at all."

[never_promised]

"No." No, you really can't. "Thou hast as well thy dragons. But 'tis no life-long appointment for thee, Princess-in-Waiting?"

[livinginmyglass]

She laughs. "Well, if naught else, I am no princess."