(no subject)

[called_lioness]

The hike to the castle is easy enough. It would likely have taken less time if Mary hadn’t been curious and wanted to stop and look at some of the older trees.

But that’s what holidays are about, really.

The plan is to ride to Port Caynn tomorrow and swim in the sea before spending the night at an inn of…slightly dubious reputation. (Alanna assures her it’s safe now. Lucy makes a note not to mention any former smugglers to Archibald Craven.)

But tonight is for camping, and as the evening approaching Lucy heads out to stroke her borrowed mare’s neck and make sure the supplies are all ready.

Comments

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary nods, listening carefully as if committing the instructions to memory, and then gets down on her knees next to the fire to carefully put handfuls of needles into the space Lucy indicuated.

(Her stockings are going to be horrendously dirty.)

[called_lioness]

(Stockings can be cleaned.)

Lucy is smiling a great deal more than she realizes as she picks up flint and steel. "Have you ever used such before?"

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary shakes her head.

"Martha always makes the fire."

[called_lioness]

Lucy takes Mary's hands in hers, wrapping them around the tools and holding them in place. "You strike the steel with the flint, you see. You must be careful, or you'll slice your knuckles. But you'll make sparks, like so."

She moves their hands once, sharply, and three sparks fall, though not on the tinder.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"I will be careful," Mary says, watching the sparks fall with wide, fascinated eyes.

"I want to try by myself now to see if I can do it."

[called_lioness]

"All right." She lets Mary's hands drop gently. "Just try to make a spark. Don't try to direct them into the fire yet."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary knocks the rocks together, with a great deal of force and determination.

There's a clanging sound. Other than that, nothing much happens.

"Why did it not work?" Mary demands, scowling.

[called_lioness]

"You hit them," Lucy says gently. "You need to drag the edge of the flint along the steel. I'll show you again if you like."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"No - I can do it," Mary says, tossing back her head, and attempts again, sliding the flint and steel together.

This time a tiny spark appears, and Mary bursts into a beaming smile. "There - see?"

[called_lioness]

Lucy's laugh is pleased. "I knew you could! And you did quite well. Would you let me help you start the fire itself? It's a wee bit trickier to direct the sparks."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"It will not hurt if the sparks go somewhere else," Mary protests. "And I want to do it myself."

Next time Lucy might not be there! One never knows.

[called_lioness]

Lucy considers her for a moment.

Because one never knows.

And then she says, "All right, Mary."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

It takes about ten tries, with Mary growing visibly frustrated, before a spark lands on the fire; it takes another five before one catches enough to actually light.

But one does, eventually.

[called_lioness]

Lucy grins and settles behind Mary, arms wrapping her in a brief hug before letting go. (She can't quite help it.) "You did very, very well."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary stiffens a little at the hug out of surprise, but not nearly as much as she might have a year ago, her face bright at the praise.

"I shall be able to do it faster next time," she informs Lucy. "Now that I know how."

[called_lioness]

"Yes. You shall. You may light one tomorrow too, if you like."

Lucy is busy shifting logs into place, slowly, to let the fire build.

"Would you like to find sticks for roasting things?"

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"I did not know we were meant to find sticks for roasting too. I should have found them before otherwise," Mary informs her, but heads off to the outer edge of the clearing to pick up more sticks.

[called_lioness]

"Your arms were already full," she points out cheerfully and reaches for one of the packs.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"I was not carrying so much."

Mary comes back with four sticks, and hands two over to Lucy, with Great Dignity.

[called_lioness]

"I am very sorry, Mary," she says with a grin, "that I didn't think to ask earlier. Will you forgive me?"

Lucy may be teasing.

A little.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"It is not a thing to be forgiven for." Mary is very dignified. "It is only that it should have been more efficient, that is all."

[called_lioness]

"Sometimes I am not efficient. It is one's prerogative," she says airily.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"Well, as this is your trip," Mary concedes, graciously, "you may be inefficient this time."

[called_lioness]

"Ta, dear. I appreciate that. Perhaps you'll take someone on a trip, someday, and then you'll be inefficient in turn."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"Oh, no," Mary says, loftily. "If I ever take someone on a trip it shall be awfully efficient. Except I do not have a way to get about many places - so I think it shall be other people taking me on trips for a good long while."