January 1st, 1895 - Padmore Park Reopening

This had the potential to go very, very wrong. How did they ever think that two Australians who had barely survived one winter in Scotland, currently floundering their way through a second, could possibly be any good at ice skating? If Greer didn't break a limb today she would be shocked. Hopefully an ankle, maybe a leg, she made her living with her hands.

She was already standing on shaky legs, the skates an entirely foreign feelings beneath her feet. They'd rented them, because how on Earth would they be able to charm something they'd never used before. Plus Greer didn't trust the magic of it. It would be bad enough on the ice, let alone trying to make magical skates cooperate.

"Lorie why, how is this fun!?" She squealed as she wobbled, arms waving in an exaggerated circle to help keep her balance.

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Lorelei Owens

  

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Lorelei did not trust the ice or the skates she'd strapped to her feet anymore than Greer did, but she was making an admirable go of it anyway. When in Rome. And if she stayed perfectly still, she almost didn't wobble. That last bit was perhaps not at all reassuring.

"Oh, Greer," Lorelei said, taking a tentative step towards her sister. "Where's your sense of courage?"

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Bee is actual magic

Greer almost countered, "I used it all up moving here," but decided that was a little too harsh for her sister. "It hides when injury is a possibility." She said instead, thinking that was perfectly reasonable. There ought to be some sort of fence to help them stay upright. "How are we supposed to move?" She watched those around here, who made it look maddeningly easy, but Lorie looked just as wobbly as she did. "We should have asked for instructions before we tried." She sighed, finally managing to feel like she was at least balanced— for the moment.

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"Instructions would have probably been wise," Lorelei admitted. Still, she had seen children do this. Surely a pair of adult women were more capable than children? It worried her enough that she even had to ask. "I think it'll be easier once we're on the ice," she told Greer. To move, anyway. She did not say whether or not it would be easier to move forward, or just to fall.

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Bee is actual magic

Instructions should have been required upon renting the skates, if Greer was being honest. "Hopefully," Greer looked doubtfully at the nearby rink, thinking she would have to actually get there before she could test that theory. "Let's get it over with, then." She half-huffed, half-laughed. If nothing, she was bound to be some source of amusement.

Greer waited for Lorie to wobble her way to the edge with her. "Ready?"

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"Ready," Lorelei said, because, really, if she waited any longer she probably would chicken out of this. So, it was now or never. With more confidence than she really felt, Lorelei stepped off onto the ice, wobbling but stable enough. "See? It's not so bad!"

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Bee is actual magic

Lorie made it look somewhat easy. Well, at least she was still vertical. Greer wasn't so sure she would be able to say the same in a moment, but she was going to give a try anyway. There had to be something fun to do during these dreadful winters after all.

Or maybe not.

She hadn't made it more than ten feet, feeling like maybe she might be alright, when she went crashing to the ice. "How are you doing that?" She moaned at her sister as she sat up, rubbing her elbow.

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Lorelei held out her hands to Greer as she slid towards her. "Maybe try to hold your feet like me?" she suggested. She wasn't sure of anything, but it was as good a suggestion as any she had. "Are you all right?"

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Bee is actual magic

Reaching out to her sister's outstretched hands, she tried to pull herself up with out upsetting Lorie's balance. Once she was upright, she looked at her sister's feet to see if she could figure out how best to go about this. Her elbow was sore, but she'd survive. Now she was determined to at least get some forward motion. Literal children were doing this without fuss!

"Alright, wider feet, now how do we go forward?" This wasn't going well at all. Maybe they ought to give up and go find some of that heavenly cocoa. That would surely be better.

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