A handful of limes

Subject: A handful of limes Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:40 pm

The museum was boring, no two ways about it.

As happy as Mimosa Harrington was to know that her grandfather’s work had been selected to feature on some special gallery with lots of adults and ribbon cuttings and wine, it was not exactly the kind of atmosphere a nearly nine year old could take for long. Sure she had been there for the pictures, she had even posed with a few people who had recognized her from various ads but when the grownups starting talking perspective in modern photography, the young child took at as her cue to leave.

How grownups could use so many words to say the same thing was silly. Words like “abstract” and “photo exfoliation “and “dramatic exploration of cinematography” were a silly way of saying that Grandpa Kit just held the camera a bit crooked when he was taking the picture. She could do that too! So when the handsome gentleman being celebrated was accosted a by a groups of admirers and critics alike, Mimosa easily slipped through the crowd, making sure to memories the room number so she would be able to find her way back.

She was in London, for the second time in her life and for the second time, she wasn’t going to have any fun. The last time she was here, she was six and doing a shoot for a Muggle clothing line. Her entire stay had been confined to studios, on set locations and in makeup and costume changes. She hadn’t gotten to go to the really cool parks she’d heard about or seen any of the shows people always boasted of. Bu this time, the child would have some fun.

Slipping into the next wing, the little witch found herself in a wing dedicated to… people without clothing. A small frown barely wrinkled her tiny forehead as she studied a group of woman who all seemed to be searching for something, probably their clothes, in a lush garden. Why they were all searching eluded the girl. If she could give them advice, she would have just told them to use the greenery around them, or at least just send one scout out in search of a garb.

Thinking for a moment, the child removed her small white jacket lined with fur. It wasn’t hot outside but the museum was chilly enough to warrant the jacket. Placing the garment tentatively on the painting she stood in her pale yellow blouse and black tights, contemplating her work. The jacket covered the garden more than the women but at least it was better than nothing.

“There, you don’t have to be cold now,” she reassured the ladies, her blue eyes sparkling with the idea of a job well done. “Don’t leave home without clothes okay, Clara says it’s not good.”

Subject: Re: A handful of limes Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:11 pm

Victoria's heels rang softly against the floor of the museum as walked down the hallway towards the art gallery. She'd seen a very familiar name in the paper, an advert denoting one Kit Harrington would be arriving in the city with his work. Victoria had not heard from the man since she'd left America to school in the UK. Through neither one of their faults, they had come to ending their correspondence.

However, Victoria had not forgotten about the man. Nor everything he and his family had done for her in her life.

Whilst they may no longer speak frequently, Victoria would not pass up the opportunity to see Kit once again -- even if her own camera had been neglected for some time now, except for the copious amount of photos Victoria kept of her niece and nephew.

Stepping through the door of the exhibition, Victoria's eyes shone with fondness at the familiar style that was so obviously Kit's. The years might have passed, but she could still recognise his talent. Kit, unsurprisingly, was cooped up by a number of critics, fans and other individuals Victoria didn't wish to disturb him from, so she simply perused the works, waiting for an opportunity to reengage with the man.

Studying one of the ones closer to the door, Victoria noted the child that slipped through the door, unsupervised. In the current climate, and with Victoria's good nature, she couldn't let it go, so, as any caring adult would, she followed the young girl in to another exhibit. an exhibit that a child should not have moved in to...

Victoria had almost called out to the young girl, to explain that this section was not suitable, before watching her take off her jacket and place it over the picture. A fond smile touched Victoria's lips at the action before managing to just about contain a giggle at the girl's words. A child's logic was so pure...

"I think Clara is quite right there." Victoria told the young girl, her voice soft so as not to spook her. There was no authority in her voice that might suggest the girl was in trouble, only soft kindness. "I think the artist caught them unaware, don't you?" Victoria added with a small smile as she crouched down a little, to be at the same height as the young witch -- not that Victoria was much taller.

"I'm Victoria," She continued, before adding. "I don't think you should be walking off from the adults, sweetheart, it's not safe." Again, Victoria's voice was soft, but this time it did say she was being serious about that much.

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Subject: Re: A handful of limes Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:31 pm

Upon hearing the other voice speak of Clara, Mimosa turned, every inch a picture herself. Rich brown locks of hair cascaded down the child's back, parting at the center to reveal a shape so perfectly oval it looked like it has been carved instead of grown naturally on young children. Her two eyes set perfectly apart, her jawline scupled to a soft point and dip that usually developed in woman older than her and only through good fortune at that. The child's loose blouse revealed little of her shape but the tights clinging to ehr slender legs revealed no baby fat, no clumsiness, no wrinkles, dirt or scabs usually so common in children. But perhaps the most prominent feature of the child that now looked on at the older woman was her eyes, a kind of blue that defied definition.

"How do you know Clara?" she asked, those haunting eyes trained on the stranger, examining her face carefully. Mimosa had been taught to not talk to strangers, but this lady seemed cool. "Clara says she's a psy-kick, are you a psy-kick too?" Granted the child understood little of what Clara did but she knew with absolute certainly it had something to do with kicking people, it was in the name after all.

"I think the artist caught them unaware, don't you?"

"I don't know," Mimosa ventured, turning her gaze to the picture once more. "If he was trying to trick them, can't they take him on? There are three of them and only one of him?" At this stage, problems were simple. If you found yourself without clothes, you put some on. If someone tried to take a picture of you in a way you didn't like, you punched them.

"Oh I'm not away from adults," the child pointed out with a genuine smile. "You're here, and you're an adult, so I must be safe."

Subject: Re: A handful of limes Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:10 pm

Victoria had smiled at the younger witch as she turned, the younger witch was beautiful in the most unusual of manners. It was almost other worldly, but Victoria didn't mention it. The girl was unnaturally beautiful, but it was the eyes of the young girl that threw Victoria for a moment. Eerily familiar...

But, Victoria's attention was pulled from trying to place them, instead concentrating on the inquisitive nature of the girl. A smile blossomed on the lawyer's features as she listened to the question of Clara, and then the point of Clara being a psychic. A knowing smile touched Victoria's lips.

It seemed it wasn't only Kit who might be here.

"I do." Victoria replied to the witch warmly. "A very clever woman, if ever I did know one, and a very kind heart to boot." She continued, meaning those words wholly. "But, I haven't seen Clara in a very long time, I don't know if she would still remember me now." That much was true, too, but there was no sign of sadness in Victoria, she knew people got busy, she knew people forgot those in their past, she would not expect to be remembered now.

"And, no, sweetheart, I'm not a psychic. Unfortunately, I was never blessed with such amazing talents." Victoria admitted, though she wasn't sad about it, she knew where her own talents lay, and she was comfortable in herself.

The puzzle of thoughts that the young witch displayed upon being placed in the conundrum of being caught out by the photographer made Victoria smile with pride at the girl. Victoria didn't know her, but she was bright, thought outside the box. Encouragement for such behaviour was all Victoria had in that moment. "You're quite right, there. They outnumber him quite easily. So, perhaps they were consenting to it. Whatever the case, I'm glad you know that it's not okay for people to take these without your agreement." Victoria told the girl, not trying to scare her, just praising her knowledge.

The last part, however, made Victoria laugh softly, shaking her head just slightly in the fact she'd been caught out. "Very good, very good. But I'm only here because I followed you, you were heading off on your own." Victoria explained, though she doubted the witch needed to hear those words. "And, I'm sure Clara had told you not to trust strangers, has she not?

"I am trustworthy, but another person might not be. You shouldn't put yourself in such a position." Victoria explained, before smiling to ease the situation. "What's your name?"

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Subject: Re: A handful of limes Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:37 pm

"I didn't know Clara ever came to London?" the child answered honestly, tilting her head to one side as if this new information required some serious reconsideration. "She lives in The United States, I live there too," she offered as a point of reference. It would make more sense if this lady knew where Mimosa lived too. The nice lady had identified herself as Victoria, Mimosa liked the lady, she had pretty hair.

At Victoria's admission that she was in fact not a psy-kick, Mimosa's face fell slightly. It would have been nice to know what psy-kicks were allowed to kick. She had asked Clara but Clara hadn't taken her seriously. Mimosa didn't like it when adults didn't take her seriously or refuse to answer her questions. "If you aren't a psy-kick, what do you do?" the little witch asked curiously, unaware of the potential bluntness with which the question was posed. All adults did something, so her new friend must do something too.

"I play with teddies," she offered as reciprocation for the as yet unanswered questions. "I have a Teddy named Bear but I couldn't bring him here. They said he would be scared on the Muggle Plane so I left him back in America. I didn't want to scare him."

"You're quite right, there. They outnumber him quite easily. So, perhaps they were consenting to it."

"Does that make it okay?" Mimosa asked, her eyes wide at the new theory this woman had posed. "Isn't it still bad that they don't have clothes on? What if they catch a cold?"

At Victoria's insistence that the child be more careful, Mimosa just shook her head. "Clara said lots of things, Clara likes talking, she says it keeps the house "a hustlin and a bustlin" though I never saw a bus in our home. We live in Cal-lee-for-nya, have you ever been there?"

"What's your name?"

"Oh, I forgot," the child looked appropriately ashamed for a moment. She had been taught to always introduce herself with courtesy. "I'm Mimosa. Mim-Mo-Sah," she repeated in case this lady tried to shorten her name like all the other people the young witch had met on her trips. "I'm eight years old. How old are you, Miss Victoria?"

Subject: Re: A handful of limes Mon Jul 24, 2017 10:09 pm

Victoria couldn't help but smile. Children were so great with their thinking, it was amazing to watch. "Perhaps she has, perhaps she hasn't. But, if we're talking about the same Clara, then I met her in America." Victoria corrected the child gently. "I used to live in America, when I was about your age, and a little bit older, but when I turned fourteen I moved to England, to study here."

The questions continued, and Victoria was quite happy to talk to the young witch. Smiling at the curiosity of the questions. "I'm a Lawyer, for the... government. I work with their law enforcers to make sure that the right people are told off when they do naughty things." Victoria explained carefully, steering clear of using magical terminology in case the girl before her was not aware of what was in the world.

"You left Bear all on his own?" Victoria asked, mild worry playing on her features that was over dramatized in a manner that only Victoria could muster whilst talking with children. "Did you leave him with lots of teddy treats? And blankets?" She asked, making sure that the topic of the Teddy was not overlooked, or belittled in any manner. "I thin Bear might have been okay if you held his hand, or gave him a big cuddle, but, planes are quite scary!" The last was said in a mock whisper, as if this were a big secret she was sharing with the girl beside her.

The question of the paintings being okay made Victoria stop, frown slightly to herself as she looked to the pictures, then back to the witch before. "I think it's okay for adults to do it, but not us. We're too young." Victoria told the girl, including herself to make it seem less like the teachings of 'I can do this, but you can't.' "And, you can definitely catch a cold, so I wouldn't recommend it, at all!" Victoria added, putting the idea to bed for the moment.

"I have, when I was younger. I can't say I remember very much about it. It was Christmas, though..." Victoria explained, before shaking her head slightly. No use going back to that story with the girl before her.

"Mimosa, that's a very pretty name. I like it very much." Victoria replied, thinking for a moment. "A flower... I believe?" She asked, though she wasn't entirely sure if she was right on that topic. "I'm twenty four. Very old to you, I'm sure!" She replied, raising her eyebrow slightly to see what Mimosa thought of that.

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Subject: Re: A handful of limes Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:09 pm

"Why did you move to England? Were there no schools in America?" The child asked curiously. Moving to England to study seemed silly. Raised with the blind patriotism of most her kind, Mimosa firmly believed that America was the best country in the world. The tiny witch needed no proof to affirm that fact, it was just called the greatest country on earth and if so many people called it that, it must be true.

"I don't think I like England. I've been here before but no one took me sight seeing," she admitted with a pout. Mimosa Harrington was still annoyed at the world at large for not giving her what she wanted and her honest nature compelled her to tell everyone she met that. "I wanted to see the shows, and ride on the Knight Bus. But they said I had to work and then i had to fly back because Bear gets lonely without me."

And even now, her grandfather was inside talking about his pictures and not taking her to fun places. Yes, the almost nine year old was the biggest victim here. First she had to leave Bear, then she had to go to a museum and now she had to stay in the museum because the grown up were drinking yucky wine and talking about art. And worse still, no one asked her opinion on the art like this nice lady. Mimosa had lots of opinions on lots of things but few people ever asked.

"You left Bear all on his own?"

"No no no!" Mimosa rushed to assure Victoria, swinging her head from side to side and letting her rich chocolate curls fly in every direction in her attempts to refute the statement. "He's not alone, he had Clara, and he lives on my bed so he has my ni-ni blankey. And he also has Cacti." Mimosa wasn't sure how Cacti had come to live in their home but Clara said the stuffed cactus had been around forever. She must have been right because it looked rather old. Mimosa wasn't entirely fond of it but grandpa and Clara wouldn't let her throw it out.

"Next time, I'll bring Bear. I'll hug him real close so he won't be scared and I'll bring him to meet you. He likes meting my friends," the child admired before remembering she had quite forgotten to ask Victoria to be her friend. "Oh, will you be my friend, Miss Victoria? I'm a good girl on most days, Clara says so. My grandpa says I'm a monkey though."

When Victoria guessed at the meaning fo her name, Mimosa beamed with happiness. "You got it," she congratulated the older witch."Most people think its that fizzy drink with orange juice. I tried a sip of mimosa one time, I didn't like it. Bubbles make my head feel funny." Kit being himself had opted to not create a persona of intrigue around alcohol, putting his granddaughter off the concept early on. As a result, young Mimosa had no wish to try spirited beverage, nor was she likely to develop any in her teen years. Kit Harrington's tried and proven formula for raising children.

"What does Victoria mean?" the child asked, looking up a the lawyer lady. Being a lawyer sounded fun. Maybe she could be a lawyer one day?

Subject: Re: A handful of limes Tue Jul 25, 2017 7:48 pm

"There are schools in America. Plenty of them. I just had the opportunity to go to England on exchange, and though I love my home country, England is the home of some most beautiful places, not to mention is the birthplace of many great authors. I felt... it would be an adventure I simply could not miss out on, if that makes sense." Victoria explained to Mimosa, her smile growing at the thought of those things. "And, I wouldn't have changed the experience for the world."

"You don't get to site see?" Victoria asked incredulously. "Well, that's simply not good, is it? That's the fun of visits! You most certainly need to talk to Clara about that!" She encouraged the witch -- which, Victoria knew she probably shouldn't do, but children and Victoria meant there was a whole lot of spoiling going on. Her niece and nephew were living proof of that much.

"Which shows do you like? Is the theatre something you like a lot?" Victoria asked, keeping up that part of the conversation. The arts were definitely an encouraged subject where Victoria was involved.

The child's threat about having left Bear on his own made Victoria feel quite sorry for her in that moment. But, the explanation had thought, and Victoria couldn't help but smile fondly at Mimosa. "Well, that was good thinking! Company, and a blanket for warmth!" Victoria praised the witch. "And, Clara was asked to check he was okay and give him cuddles, too?" She added, as if checking off a list of the important things that Bear would need.

"Who's Cacti?" Victoria asked at the information. After all, teddy favouritism wasn't nice, and she was not going to leave Cacti out of the conversation.

"I would like that, very much." Victoria gushed as the young witch said she'd bring Bear to meet her. At the question of being friends, Victoria made a show about thinking about it, bringing a finger up to her lips in a pondering pose. But after a moment, she broke out in to a soft giggle. "Of course I will be your friend, Miss Mimosa! A monkey? Do you have a tail?" The older witch teased gently, her smile showing quite clearly she was only playing.

"Ah, Bubbles!" Victoria said, screwing her nose up. "They're not the nicest, are they?" She agreed. If it was being supplied, though, Victoria would drink Champagne, but this wasn't a conversation for a child. "The orange juice is nicer, isn't it?" Victoria asked.

"Victoria... is Latin for Victory." The witch explained, giving a small look that said she wasn't hugely sure what to add to that. A young witch didn't need to know just how ample that name was for her. But, Victoria had answered the question.

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Subject: Re: A handful of limes Tue Jul 25, 2017 8:38 pm

Even if Victoria seemed really happy to live in the UK, it didn't make sense to Mimosa. Why did she leave her family? Or did her entire family leave America? Even all her teddies? How was the lawyer lady able to hug all her teddies on the plane? Or did she apperate while hugging them? But Mimosa knew she couldn't be so "forward" as her agent put it. Her agent liked using lots of words Mimosa didn't understand, she should tell Grandpa to change him. Where did one get a better agent anyway?

"You don't get to site see?"

"I really, really didn't," the young brunette replied enthusiastically. Finally, someone who understood the trials and tribulations she's been through. "Both times!" she added with a dramatic exclamation. At being asked if she liked the theater, the little witch confidentially replied. "I don't know, no one will take me to watch it so I can decide if I like it or not. Everyone is just busy with that art exhibition, no one cares what I want to do!"

A bit of an dramatization but Mimosa now had a willing audience that was neither Clara nor Grandpa Kit. The child was going to soak it in. However, her indignation turned into puzzlement when Victoria asked if she had a tail. A look of epiphany dawned on Mimosa's young face as she swung her head around, trying to see if she indeed had one. That would explain why her grandpa called her a little monkey.

But it was harder to see behind you when your neck only stretched so far. It took the child a few tries and spinning around to see if she indeed had a long tail somewhere before her face fell."If I do, I can't see it," she informed Victoria before the blue eyes lit up with an idea. "But you can." Turning around, she stood perfectly still, as if a tail would only appear if she didn't move. "Well, do I have one?"

Upon being inquired about Cacti, the girl merely blinked. "Just an old toy," she said neutrally, still trying to check if she had a tail. "He isn't mine," she added offhandedly. "But I guess we keep him because he's old and has nowhere to go."

When the lady explained her name meant "victory", Mimosa's eyes grew wide once more. "Wow, you must win at everything then," she announced with all the logic and conviction of an almost nine year old. aAs she contemplated the adult witch, another bright diea lit up in the small girl's eyes.

"You said we're friends right? So can you take me site see, please? The art exhibition is really boring and I really want to go somewhere fun. I promise I won't be any trouble and you can bring me back in a bit right? Or we can leave a note for Grandpa and return to our hotel straight after."

Subject: Re: A handful of limes Tue Jul 25, 2017 9:23 pm

The words of the young witch -- how no one wanted to take her ideas in to being -- made Victoria smile wider. She was so cute, sure in what she wanted, and an absolute gem to be around. Her parents must be so proud of her, Victoria had decided as she listened. "Well, I'm sure that's not quite true, I imagine that maybe you're too busy, but maybe you will be able to find some time." Victoria tried to explain, so that the child knew it wasn't malicious intent that was keeping her from being able to do what she wanted to.

Victoria had to bite her lip upon seeing Mimosa spinning around, trying to see the metaphorical tail that she'd spoken of. Some children were just too cute, some naive, but it made them all the more fun to be around. With Mimosa stood still, Victoria waited only a brief few moments, before acknowledging the question. "No, I don't think you do! Looks like you're not a monkey after all! Your grandpa must be seeing things!"

"That's very nice of you, even old teddies need lots of love." Victoria admitted with a small smile. "I still have my teddy from when I was a little girl. I named her Pinky, she's a little rabbit, with soft fluffy ears, and a small rattle inside. She has been everywhere with me." The knowledge hadn't been asked for, but it was worth sharing. That, no matter the age, teddies still needed to be loved.

The idea of winning everything brought a soft laugh from Victoria, more of a twinkle of amusement, than a laugh at the young girl. "Not quite, sweetheart. Nobody can win everything, if they did, that would be a very boring place to live, don't you think?" She posed the question, though it might have been a little too deep for the child, it was food for thought, at least.

Mimosa's question of site seeing made Victoria pause. The answer was obviously no. She'd only just met the girl, and even if she knew she meant the child no harm, no one else could possibly know. "I would love to, Mimosa." Victoria replied, before her lips sobered in to a neutral look. "However, I can't take you from this building without permission to do so. People would get worried if they saw you were gone, and I would get in to a lot of trouble. Next time, we can, maybe, but I don't think we can today."

Guilt riddled through Victoria -- unnecessarily, of course, but saying no to a child was the worst feeling in the world -- as she looked at the young witch. There wasn't anything else she could do in that moment, though, and thus, Victoria left it there.

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