Ice, Ice, Baby - Printable Version
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+---- Thread: Ice, Ice, Baby (/showthread.php?tid=7368)
Ice, Ice, Baby - Balthazar Urquart - December 26, 2020
December 21st, 1890 — Woodcroft Plaza, Hogsmeade High Street
Winter Festival
Winter Festival
A smile and a Go on, then! had been all the encouragement Sebastian needed to skate off with one of his friends. It was, Balthazar Urquart thought, part of the natural order of things: he knew his children loved him, but each year saw them tick closer and closer to adulthood—and further from his company. They always came back, though, and that was what counted, though now Balt found himself alone as he took leisurely laps around Woodcroft Plaza.
He waved to the boys merrily as they lapped him before coming to a stop in his progress. The wizard moved to sit on the edge of the fountain, whose waters today were frozen into an icy sculpture of a swan. He had no sooner settled than a woman landed—truly landed, for she fell most dramatically—at his feet.
Startled, Balt rose rather unsteadily back onto his skates with a genuine, "Are you alright?"
RE: Ice, Ice, Baby - Juliana Ainsworth - December 26, 2020
With her manuscript safely in her editor's hands awaiting feedback, Juliana had decided to take a while off her research to enjoy the holiday season. She knew she'd be too tired on Christmas to do much besides drink cocoa and eat, because whatever her plans she would worry far too much about her numerous lycanthrope contacts during the Christmas full moon. With that in mind, she was front loading as much of her festivities as possible. She'd already decorated her own home, Zachariah's flat, and assisted at Hugo and Rosie's. She'd tried and failed to bake gingerbread (though she'd eaten the burned bits anyway when the cook had pronounced them too far gone to decorate). She'd been caroling, bought presents, and sent cards. The only thing left to do was enjoy this lovely festival Zach had helped put together.
She actually was a passable ice skater, though nowhere near athletic. She could glide around in circles and hold conversations, and she'd been doing that with a friend for at least ten minutes before she tried to push her luck. She'd just seen a young woman skate past and do something with her feet — lifting one off the ice and turning the other and accomplishing a lovely graceful little turn that sent a shower of ice shavings up all around her feet.
"I want to try that," Jules told her friend, then did so, to disastrous effect. She ended up flailing her arms wildly in an attempt to stay upright, but succeeded only in managing not to plunge into the nearby fountain before she fell spectacularly. Her friend gasped, and started towards her, but then seemed to think better of it and skate on. Juliana was confused only until the gentleman behind her asked his question — if she'd fallen so splendidly that she'd attracted the attention of strangers her friend was probably embarrassed to be seen with her, and Jules couldn't quite blame her.
"Quite alright," Jules said, though her bottom was already aching and one side of her corset had poked her roughly enough that she would at least be deeply bruised. "Serves me right, I suppose, trying to get fancy."
Now she had to get up, which had always been the most difficult part of ice skating. Jules let out a pained breath and decided her best bet was to scrabble to the fountain's edge and use that as a support. It was only then that she really looked at the man who had spoken to her, and recognized him at once.
"Oh, you're Minister Urquart!" she said with surprise. No wonder her friend had been too embarrassed to insert herself into the interaction. "Imagine meeting you here! Happy Christmas, sir."
RE: Ice, Ice, Baby - Balthazar Urquart - January 3, 2021
Balt reached out an arm to help her in her scramble back to her feet, but dropped it in surprise at the moment of recognition. Recognition, he was used to, but this was rather more enthusiasm than the former Minister of Magic tended to see.
"Uhm, yes, yes I am" he affirmed, puzzlement in his eyes but a smile on his face. After a beat, he extended his hand to help once again, though by now, she likely did not need it. "Though it's simply Mr. Urquart now—I do hope we're not already acquainted, for I cannot find your name for the life of me, and I should hate indeed to be going senile."
"Uhm, yes, yes I am" he affirmed, puzzlement in his eyes but a smile on his face. After a beat, he extended his hand to help once again, though by now, she likely did not need it. "Though it's simply Mr. Urquart now—I do hope we're not already acquainted, for I cannot find your name for the life of me, and I should hate indeed to be going senile."
RE: Ice, Ice, Baby - Juliana Ainsworth - January 3, 2021
"Acquainted? Oh, goodness, no," Juliana said, blushing slightly at the idea that she would have any reason at all to be acquainted with the Minister of Magic (even, as he pointed out, one who no longer bore the title). He offered his hand and she wondered whether she ought to take it just because he'd offered, even though she was certainly stable now and almost entirely righted. She ended up placing her hand on his only lightly, more symbolically than out of actual need, as she finished returning to her skates. "I only recognize your face from the papers. I was so disappointed when you resigned," she continued, with feeling, before realizing that he likely didn't want to talk about that with a perfect stranger. This was the same trouble she'd had when she'd accidentally accosted Miss Scott — no matter how supportive or sympathetic she wanted to be, people did not generally like to have their moments of greatest anguish brought up by those they didn't know well (or at all; she had still not managed to give him her name). Though now that she had said something, Juliana felt she ought to explain herself.
"I mean — I don't mean disappointed in you," she continued, speaking quickly to cover her awkwardness (though she was likely not successful on that count). "Just in — in the necessity of it. I actually thought... I thought you handled everything quite admirably. Given the circumstances. Though of course it's hardly my place to have an opinion on it," she added hastily. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you must get this all the time — people you don't know telling you about your own business. I shouldn't have said anything at all — I'm Miss Binns," she finished, feeling so flustered and warm (particularly about her cheeks and ears) that she might very well melt the ice beneath her feet.
RE: Ice, Ice, Baby - Balthazar Urquart - January 19, 2021
"Blessedly, it is a rarity," the wizard returned, "though when it does occur it is not nearly so...positive, I must say. I am sorry to have disappointed, Miss Binns, though glad to hear you consider my...my efforts well executed."
He wondered who this Miss Binns was that she had an opinion at all, let alone one that did not cause her to immediately look upon him with either pity or scorn. She was not Ministry—or if she was, she was not particularly well-poised within its offices, but evidently at least considered herself to be informed. Puzzling, and surprising.
He wondered who this Miss Binns was that she had an opinion at all, let alone one that did not cause her to immediately look upon him with either pity or scorn. She was not Ministry—or if she was, she was not particularly well-poised within its offices, but evidently at least considered herself to be informed. Puzzling, and surprising.
RE: Ice, Ice, Baby - Juliana Ainsworth - January 20, 2021
"Oh, goodness," she said, flustered by his response. Sorry? Minister Urquart had nothing at all to be sorry about, and particularly no need to express such sentiments to her. It wasn't as though she had any right to know as much of his family's personal business as she did. The fact that it was trotted out in the newspaper for all to see was such a tragedy, she thought, but predictable; the news was so interested in scandal, and his position had meant the unfortunate circumstances surrounding his daughter's condition had been of particular interest. His political critics had probably expected that he would backtrack on everything his administration had stood for, once he had a member of his own family afflicted with lycanthropy, but she thought he'd acted faultlessly through the entire ordeal. Committing to the registry, despite its faults, showed a faith in the system — not that it was working, necessarily, but that it could — and, of course, standing by his daughter was a strong statement in support of the equality he had made such an integral part of his campaign.
"I'm sorry to have brought it up," she said. "Particularly if you came out today looking for Christmas spirit — given —" she stopped. She had been going to say that she regretted having reminded him of it when he would, necessarily, be right in the thick of it on Christmas Day due to the timing of the moon this month, but it occurred to her that if she let on that she knew the date of the next full moon, that might require explanation. It was not the sort of casual knowledge most people had, because of course most people had the luxury not to think about such things. She could not, however, think of any other way to finish her sentence. For a moment she merely stood, looking quite stricken, trying to think of how to salvage this interaction.
"I'm terribly sorry," she eventually continued, speaking quickly. "I'm tripping over my own tongue today. I've never been a particularly graceful conversationalist but you must know I'm usually not this hopeless, honestly. I suppose the fall addled me. I was hardly expecting to ever be speaking to the Minister of Magic — or even the former Minister of Magic. My mother would positively lose her head if she could hear what a fool I'm making of myself."
RE: Ice, Ice, Baby - Balthazar Urquart - February 8, 2021
"Take a breath, Miss Binns," he instructed with a friendly chuckle, "and don't worry—your mother would not be disappointed."
Really, she was a peculiar woman but in a benign, almost endearing sort of way.
Really, she was a peculiar woman but in a benign, almost endearing sort of way.
RE: Ice, Ice, Baby - Juliana Ainsworth - February 10, 2021
Juliana did take a breath, as instructed. She did feel a little better, but suspected it had less to do with the breath and more to do with the fact that he apparently hadn't caught on to her almost slip of the tongue. She smiled, head tilting slightly to one side. "Presuming to speak for her, then, sir?" she teased lightly. "When I recount the story later I'll preface it by letting her know Mr. Urquart already determined she was not disappointed."
RE: Ice, Ice, Baby - Balthazar Urquart - February 13, 2021
"Well," Balt amended with a sheepish smile, "you may say that I did not feel as though she had any reason to be. I have very little experience as a mother, after all, though quite a deal of experience with daughters."
As a mother, he had proved to be decidedly lacking; that was why, even though he did not believe he could ever love a woman as he had Mary, he had been so eager to wed Miss Lovegood. The now-spinster had, he knew, rather dodged a bullet in jilting him, but he still could not help but wonder what the girls' (and Sebastian's!) life could be like with a proper maternal figure in the home.
As a mother, he had proved to be decidedly lacking; that was why, even though he did not believe he could ever love a woman as he had Mary, he had been so eager to wed Miss Lovegood. The now-spinster had, he knew, rather dodged a bullet in jilting him, but he still could not help but wonder what the girls' (and Sebastian's!) life could be like with a proper maternal figure in the home.
RE: Ice, Ice, Baby - Juliana Ainsworth - February 13, 2021
Juliana laughed at his comment about mothering. "Well, I imagine your experience as a father is more relevant than mine as a daughter," she pointed out. "The closest thing I've done to mothering is taking care of a few house plants, and my owl. I did have a rabbit for about a week," she remembered, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "But it's in the care of my niece now and in far better hands with her than with me, I think."
Considering that Juliana had purchased the rabbit intending to give it to a werewolf and see whether or not it would be eaten during a full moon (or maimed, mauled, or terrified to death), being a better caretaker of the rabbit was not a particularly high bar. Emma seemed to enjoy the pet, though, so everything had worked out in the end. And science was furthered through its foray into the dark night, so even if it had died it would have been for a worthy cause.
RE: Ice, Ice, Baby - Balthazar Urquart - February 14, 2021
"Ah, but you," Balthazar pointed out sagely with a smile in his eyes, "are far more of an expert on your mother, even if, as you imply," he could not help but chuckle here, "your niece is a better rabbit owner than you might ever hope to be."
RE: Ice, Ice, Baby - Juliana Ainsworth - February 14, 2021
"Guilty as charged," she admitted with a grin. She felt the next natural conversational turn might include his daughters, since they were discussing family already and presumably he was here with at least one of them. Given his history, however, she wondered if he would welcome such questions, even if they were innocent ones. And, admittedly, given her work she wondered if she would be able to keep them light and innocent, or whether curiosity might pull her towards inquiries about Miss Topaz that would seem entirely inappropriate and invasive.
"Well, I don't want to detain you too long from your family," she said after a brief pause. "But it has been such an honor to meet you, sir. And a pleasure, too," she added with a bright smile.
RE: Ice, Ice, Baby - Balthazar Urquart - February 14, 2021
He smiled as he answered with a laugh, "The pleasure was likely all mine, as I am not the one who took a tumble! A very good day to you, Miss Binns."
And it was a pleasure, Balt recognized with some surprise. She had been complimentary and pleasant and not at all what he expected of his usual interactions with strangers whilst skating (or anywhere). A pleasure, indeed.
And it was a pleasure, Balt recognized with some surprise. She had been complimentary and pleasant and not at all what he expected of his usual interactions with strangers whilst skating (or anywhere). A pleasure, indeed.