Bєrηα∂єттє∵Pαrkєr : :: She’d spent all week sewing her costume in her free hours! Really, Bernadette wasn’t some grand tailor, but she was proud of the outcome! Being a gardener, it might have seemed too cliché for her to dress as a flower, but why not!? She sewed a basic black dress, then took green fabric, cut it to look like a stem, sewed it to the front and back of the black dress, and added big pieces of red fabric that drooped around her shoulders and face to look (sort of) like a blossoming rose! And to look extra professional, she took a scrap of the green fabric and made a little green leaf to sew onto the black dress just over where one of her knees would be. Once put on, her face popped up through the middle of the red fabric, and the green stem wobbled back and forth with the movement of the black dress. She really [c]
Bєrηα∂єттє∵Pαrkєr : did try, and in her mind, she held that surely this would be acceptable at even a fancy Samhain event,…right? Right! This would be her first informal event ever since taking on her job as one of the fleet of imperial gardeners this month! She was nervous and excited as she walked the spice-scented atmosphere in the city, leaving Old Town now. Orange and brown leaves crackled and spun in eddies over cobblestones, and jack-o-lanterns grinned illuminated humor at her here and there in windows or on doorsteps. The scents of autumn baking wafted from a nearby bakery, and children ran about laughing with costumes and treats. Naked tree branches cast eerie shadows that swayed across the road and buildings with each breeze, but it added an exhilarating element to the seasonal atmosphere! Could there be ghosts haunting around that barrel?! How fun (only at this time of year…)! [c]
Bєrηα∂єттє∵Pαrkєr : The Bernadette-flower walked along toward the site of the masquerade she was assured she was more than welcome to attend (she asked fellow grounds workers about twenty times to be SURE, because she didn’t want to show up somewhere that might endanger her beloved gardening occupation!). It was just outside of the city walls in a place called the Cardea Province. The city walls rose tall ahead, so her walk wasn’t much longer, maybe another fifteen or twenty minutes? It’d be such a pleasant stroll in this atmosphere, though, and past a fruit orchard she was told was bought by some noble and made available to any of the citizenry to go collect from. In passing, she wanted to pluck an apple for the rest of the walk! [d] ::

Ingerαѕ·Vσurne : ~ There was something about chilly, autumnal night which drew upon one’s sense of fear. However, this was an unlikely outcome for the youth who moved about the verdant roads of Cardea [he appeared to be rather chipper! ... versus the others who awkwardly walked around the 'bat.'] Earlier in the week, Ingeras had been lucky enough to gain some old, black material from a tailor in exchange for helping him remove a certain infection which afflicted his wife. By no means was he an expert in sewing. But, he could stitch stitches and make simple clothes for himself when funds were low. So, on quiet nights when he wasn’t being drummed down with business; the :: c ::

task of producing a costume fell upon the barber. There was at least three yards of fabric to work with and going through various sketches – he finally agreed upon one which turned out to be rather straightforward. A bat. The material was folded in half and cut down on each side and before you knew it this ‘nocturnal creature’ had wings! But while the top could be served as a poncho with black, tipped sewn on ears, Ingeras found an old dark suit of his […for funerary purposes] and wore that underneath as an extra warm layer against the biting winds tonight. Charlie, his horse :: c ::

and companion, was left with his caravan on the outskirts of Old Town and off the male had went into the brisk night. Cardea would always be a favored stretch of land to the traveling medical practitioner – especially this time of the season where burgundy red and lemony yellow were the main colors to occupy the clusters of trees he passed by. Seeing the teetering children running along the various avenues of Old Town reminded the adolescent of his earlier years. People who had lower income, costumes were costly to them and you were lucky if you even ended up with a colorful burlap bag to go from house-to-house looking for tricks-or-treats. But, times were changing and the pauper lifestyle held its own comforts as the future of :: c ::

Larlandarl was slowly changing … even if by little increments. The masquerade was said to be held at some estate within the Cardea Province and when those mossy-hazel eyes noticed the unraveling silhouettes of the area ahead – he knew he was getting closer. Ingeras hadn’t personally met the owner of the place where this was all unfolding but the invitation for the masquerades not only extended to nobles but to common folk too. What caught his attention lastminute was the willowy figure of a ‘flower’ [a woman in full costume] hovering near a fruit orchard. He could have passed her but her small frame and frizzy hair immediately clued him in on who she was. “Hey, Bernadette!” He happily called out to the Bernadette-flower, hurriedly approaching her [wings ‘flapping?’ in his ambling pace towards his recently gained friend.] “Are you heading to the masquerade as well? If not, that’s alright but I’ll still walk with you.” It was nice to see a friendly face upon this dark road … ~ e ~

Bєrηα∂єттє∵Pαrkєr : :: The Bernadette-flower stood on the fence of the fruit orchard, near a sign that read ‘Blackbird’s Roost,’ ah right, that’s what her coworker told her it was called! The dark mass of frizzy curls swayed away from the red flower petal fabric at her shoulders as the gardener leant over the fence to take a whiff of apples and earthiness, and to reach one hand up from the fence line to extend for a reddish yellow fruit that had caught her eye. She was standing on the middle rug to gain height vantage enough to reach the piece. Just as she plucked the apple from its branch, she heard her name, and so the homemade flower turned with a cheery smile to…. “Ingeras Vourne, are you a bat?!” was her returned ‘salutation’ through a friendly laugh. “Catch!” She called to the Ingeras-bat, and arced the apple up in the air toward him to claim in its descent. [c]
Bєrηα∂єттє∵Pαrkєr : She reached quick for another piece of fruit, clutched the apple in her teeth, hopped from lower rung to the earth, took a bite, then turned back to the homemade bat. “Yes, I am, actually! And you are, too? How fun, let’s go!” So the bat and the flower (both homemade and proud of their work!) began up the road, now in Cardea. “I wonder if our friend Sleek will be there, and what he’ll dress as… he didn’t seem too keen about clothes. Maybe the emperor from the fairytale of the emperor’s new wardrobe?” Because that fabled emperor had put on invisible clothes. “I was a little nervous to go by myself to what I hear is such a fine estate, I’m glad we crossed paths, barber!” She took another juicy bite of the freshly picked apple, and left some time for silence for each of them to enjoy their orchard fruit along the road. Fine carriages passed them by, no doubt the richer patrons to the masquerade on their way in. She almost felt like Cinderella attending the ball. [c]
Bєrηα∂єттє∵Pαrkєr : The apple core was discarded along the side of the road, and she dabbed her black sleeve against her mouth to be sure there wasn’t any residue. “You had better flap your wings as you go in, and…. I’ll go stand by a wall – get it?” And it suited her low profile nature anyway to be a wallflower! At least she’d be a cheery, smiling wallflower! They approached the estate now, and waited for a few finer dressed guests to go ahead of them. Then, gardener and barber, turned Bernadette-flower and Ingeras-bat, made the brave march up the grand walkway to the front doors. It certainly WAS good to have a friend for the journey! [d] ::

Ingerαѕ·Vσurne : ~ The sweet smell of apples was upon the air and the sight of those long rows of fruit trees had a certain stomach growling … his. Grooooowwwwlll. There was some *slight* embarrassment over the emitted sound as it was loud enough to override the wind. Still, Ingeras-the-Bat came forth with a cordial smile at the gardener sporting a large flower as a costume. Both their garments were of a simple make and this is what drew the barber in closer to inspect the other’s outfit. But respectful distance was given as he did not desire to make the Berdanette-flower uncomfortable :: c ::

and instead, he stretched out his long limbs to ‘show off’ the wings on his costume as she gave a friendly inquiry toward him. “Bloodletting is my daily occupation. So I thought making myself into a bat was the better option rather than just a vampire. I see that you decided to go as one from your garden. Favorite flower, Beranadette Parker?” The slight teasing question wouldn’t be answered for as soon as the male approached the fence line, an apple was thrown being towards his direction! Perhaps she heard his stomach grumbling? Hahaha, a bit embarrassing … Seasonally, apples :: c ::

were something which brought another set of collective memories for the traveling male. Like an awkward duckling, Ingeras-bat stumbled about with the fruit [even accidentally dropping it along the ground until he swiftly picked it up and rubbed away the dirt from the sweet apple upon his left ‘wing.’] A perk in the youth’s countenance came forward at the homemade flower confirming his latest question and he happily chomped down into the fruit’s hard, waxy skin. CHOMP! He didn’t think about speaking with his mouthful and he answered, a little bit of fruit flying out as he spoke, “I don’ht… :: c ::

khhnow.. ahh, ohne sec.” Swallowing his recent bite, he came to walk beside the flower. Lightly, he choked in laughter at Bernadette’s latest sentence regarding Sleek. “I remember that story as a kid.” Easily, a smile came forth and he continued, “There was this puppet guy from a neighboring village who would come in every few weeks into my town and that was one of the stories he would perform. One time, I actually ended up being a volunteer and was the boy in the story who pointed out how the emperor was really naked. Hahaha!” Taking another few bites of the sweet fruit, :: c ::

he finished it off and threw the apple core somewhere along the road. Tipping his head towards the walking flora, Ingeras-bat gave her a friendly pat on the forearm as they walked. “It’s nerve-wracking at first but for real… once you get inside, you’ll feel like you’re part of the atmosphere. It’s a masquerade, after all. Though, I can’t say I felt the exactly same though when I first entered a nobleman’s home. I … ended up accidentally dropping a teacup I was offered.” A short pause, “ … okay, three teacups. WHICH, I did pay for and the debt has been cleared.” :: c ::

His hands moved with him in his storytelling but they both came to pause amidst their conversation to focus on the opulent carriages headed into the direction of the masquerade. This meant they were getting closer. Ingeras felt the excitement welling up inside him and when they took to the side of the road again, there was a slight increase in his pace. Upon Bernadette’s little joke, he laughed again and stretched out his arms. “Liiike this? Caw – wait – cheep. No. …squeak? I don’t know what sounds bat make so I’ll just be a mute bat! But I bet you won’t be a wallflower for long.” :: c ::

When Bernadette-flower and Ingeras-bat approached the estate’s entrance, awe struck the countenance of the youth and he stood there for a time looking at the illuminated splendor of the home. Yet, what had him staring the *most* was the elaborate display of arriving nobles from carriages in their intricate customers. Both the bat and flower made their way on in when they were given clearance and … and – here he thought the costumes outside were insane! But he came to ogle them as well in here, eyes wide with wonder to who was what. Some were evident and others, not so much but he did kindly compliment those in passing when he stepped off to the side to retrieve some snacks for Bernadette and himself. This was going to be a fun eve with a nice friend. ~ e ~