| Details for A Very Pirate-y New Year's |
| Summary: | The pirates celebrate the New Year! |
| Date: | 1939-12-31 |
| Location: | Community Hall |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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While the large central room of the community center has been decorated in traditional New Year's fashion - tinsel and wreaths and mistletoe - one of the smaller rooms has been decked out in a pirate theme. Charms have been laid on the floor to make it seem like the deck of a ship, and the walls give the illusion of the endless night sea. Thousands of stars twinkle overhead, occasionally streaked by shooting stars.
There are no tables or chairs, but rather barrels of various sizes scattered here and there, either to sit on, or supporting large platters filled with delicious things to nibble on - mostly chocolates and peppermints and lemon drops, but with a fair share of cucumber sandwiches and fruits and vegetables with dip and soft cheeses with crackers, too.
The air is filled with quiet but lively sea shanties - family-friendly, of course. Sweet pipes and hilarious songs seem to be the main theme, music-wise. Floating all about to keep the "ship" from being too dark, are little fairy-lights, that when examined close up, appear to be tiny mermaids and mermen swimming through the air, as well as tiny fish and whales.
The center of the "ship" has a proper mast, and hanging from it is a little sprig of mistletoe.
Elise is here - she's the first one here, in fact. After her father set the charms and she helped her mother set out the trays, the girl hurried them out of the room, and now she sits on a barrel pretending to play a little tin pipe in time with one of the songs wafting through the air. She's wearing garb appropriate to the decor - she's dressed like a lady pirate, complete with what appear to be a real sword and pistol (but upon closer inspection they neither cut nor fire, respectively). An off-white loose shirt, a skirt over leggings that's been tattered around the hem, knee-high boots that fold over, a bright red bandanna over her hair, a sash around her hips - yep, she's dressed like a pirate, all right! Which is good, because the invites specify this is a fancy dress party, and pirate gear is expected. One of the little mermaids alights on the end of her tin pipe and lip-syncs the words of the song, and Elise giggles, giving away the fact that she's not really playing.
Cillian can be found here, yes. He's settled comfortably on a barrel, idly toying with a set of pan pipes and tilting his head to the side and tapping his foot to the beat of the music, humming to herself. He wears a simple pair of dark leather breaches, black leather boots and a dark red sea captain's coat, poet's shirt underneath and his faithful old captain's hat.
"Do you think the others will make it?" Elise asks suddenly, somewhat anxious. The mermaid swims off, and Elise gets up to pace around the room, making small adjustments to the food here and there. "I invited everyone. Look at all this food. What'll I do if they don't come?" She bites her bottom lip and picks up a grape as if it has the answer, somehow.
"We'll feed it to the witches and wizards and squibs who dun be 'avin a lot to eat." Cillian replies softly, shrugging a shoulder as he idly adjusts his hat and looks thoughtful. "Ye know, after we eat until we cannae move any more. But they'll come, stop yer frettin'."
Madeline doesn't have much that could pass as 'pirate themed' - but she managed an eye patch, and her mother found a spare bit of cloth to make into a bandanna - that she wears on her head, with her pig-tails poking out. She skips into the room, all smiles, pausing as she turns in a full circle. "Whooooa," the girl remarks. "This is nice. Happy Christmas and happy New Year!" she adds in a cheery voice.
Elise pops the grape into her mouth and nods. She gives him a small smile. "We should save most of the chocolate for school, though," she says thoughtfully. She takes a small piece in red tinfoil out of her pocket and tosses it under-hand toward him. "This is from Belgium," she says. "Father brought it back from a business trip. It's excellent!" And it is. When Madeline arrives Elise's smile brightens and she bounces over to the other girl. "Welcome, Copper! So glad you made it!" There's a hug to be had, surely. She beams at the compliment. "Thanks! Happy Christmas and Happy New Year to you, too! Love your eye patch!"
Cillian lifts a hand to catch the chocolate and he tilts his head back a bit at Madeline's approach and he gets to his feet, ever the gentleman to offer a small bow. "'appy Christmas and New Year to you as well Mad Maggie!" He flashes a grin when he notices the eye patch, idly adjusting his own with a soft chuckle. "Very very festive."
Madeline grins at Cillian after returning Elise's hug - though there was, momentarily, an anxious look as she worried that the Captain might take offense to it. She's glad when he doesn't. "You think?" she asks, flashing him a smile. She pulls a pair of tissue-wrapped packages out of a satchel, handing one to Elise and one to Cillian. "I brought you these!" she says brightly. Inside they would find a jar of home canned 'summer berry jam.'
"Ooooooh!" Elise breathes when Madeline brings out the jam. Impulsively, she opens the lid and swipes a finger through it, then sticks the digit in her mouth. "Delicious!" she proclaims. There's a smudge on her cheek, somehow. She puts the lid back on and stows it in a barrel where it won't get lost. "Have a Belgian chocolate," she offers, taking another small square from her pocket and handing it to Madeline.
Cillian watches his girls with a slow nod of his hand before he settles back down on his barrel, having to tuck his pipes away to accept the jar of jam. He's quiet as he carefully unwraps his chocolate and then unscrews the lid off the jam, dips the chocolate in the jam and goes to town, omnomnomnom.
"I made the jam myself," Madeline confides with pride. "Over the summer. I make jams, and then I get to sell 'em and keep the coins," she explains.
"Great job on that," Elise compliments. Then her head tilts a bit to one side. "Ooh, we can dance to this! Come on!" She starts a bit of a jig, lively, sprightly, with lots of hopping and twirling around and grinning from ear to ear.
"Lovely, I'll 'ave to write to me Da about yer Jams. I'm sure he'd love to be servin' some in his pub from time to time." Cillian agrees as he chews on jam and chocolate and then at the mention of dancing, carefully gets to his feet and brushes off his breaches, grinning and shaking his head as he taps his foot to the beat and begins to nod his head a bit.
"In his pub?" Madeline asks, looking surprised by this notion. "I've only ever sold my jams to the other folks that live around our village! Never to anyone to serve at their restaurant or pub or anything." She doesn't seem opposed to the idea, however. Rather - she seems quite flattered. "But if you really think he'd be interested!" She grins, devouring the piece of chocolate she was offered, before she starts dancing to the music herself.
"Oh, what a nice idea!" Elise says, still dancing. When Madeline joins she laughs and claps her hands, trying to match her steps to the other girl's. "C'mon, Cil!" she calls out. "Let's dance all together!" Her cheeks are flushing pink from all the exercise - it's fun!
Cillian nods emphatically to Madeline as he just sighs and takes a few steps forward and then a few steps backwards and then he gives a little shimmy and a high kick and throws himself into the jig dancing with a bright smile, offering an arm to each girl.
Madeline seems more than happy to dance with her friend - and beams as she considers to think about the idea of her jam being in a pub. "Well - if he wants some in the pub I'll be sure to make some extra!" she declares brightly.