71st Autumn 501AV
Early Afternoon
Early Afternoon
Somehow, they were in the park. Over the last four days, there had been a sudden heat wave, an Ahnatepian Summer as Flynn called it, even as the days faded towards Winter and they neared the end of the Autumn. As such, Adelaide had spent a couple of days in the schoolroom at the Sitai plantation making puppy eyes at Flynn so he'd feel compelled to let her outside. Finally, the day before he had capitulated, in a manner of speaking, and asked her Father if he could take her to the Park the next day, so as to be able to draw the trees. The fact that they were going to Black Swan Pond was all the better, for it was the best place for Adelaide to find people worth mimicking. There was always some rotund nursemaid pushing a pram, sweating profusely in the sun, or a pretty governess chasing after two naughty charges. Usually, one would also be able to find some Dynast Lady, overdressed for the occasion, prancing about with her poodle and some glamorous attendant, or a gentleman in his coach, waving gaily through the window of his hansom cab. Yes, there was a place where the Dynasts would wallow around the pond, as graceful and as proud as the black swans which the pond was named after.
As usual, Flynn had been decidedly lazy in his attire, his shirt undone at the front, jacket flung over his shoulder, his boots unpolished and his spectacles balanced precariously on his curly hair. Adelaide noted all this with disapproval but didn't say anything to her tutor. Even if he was only eleven years older than her and, as such much more fun and easy-going than her past tutors, he probably wouldn't appreciate her telling him off for his attire - he might even making a comment about the fact that she had felt the need to change into a pretty green dress with white straps and a sash around her waist, matching her white shoes, before leaving for the city. That said, knowing him, it would probably amuse him more than annoy him.
They were going to be driven to the city in Father's Landau but, it being a lovely day and Adelaide impatient by nature, Flynn had declared he would drive the speedier and sportier Tilbury carriage so as to get them there sooner. Yet, nothing was fast enough for Adelaide who, having got over her initial fright at the open, potentially dangerous, mode of transport, took a taste for it and would not cease to ask Flynn to make it go faster and faster, laughing raucously all the time as she clutched her art supplies to her chest. Down and down the path separating the plantation from the city they went, sending a wave of dust in their wake, and still Adelaide cried for it to go faster. Mercifully, Flynn eventually shook his head at her demands and indicated that to go faster would be dangerous. And if he felt that he had already perhaps given in too much to his charge's demands for it to be safe, she did not pick up on it, instead pouting and shooting him evil glares that, nevertheless, didn't reach her smiling eyes nor perturb Flynn very much.
They slowed down even more when they reached the city, and Adelaide had to be content with looking all around her, happy to acknowledge that not having to do so out of a window made the task a great deal more pleasant.
"Flynn. Where were you born?" she asked finally, as she turned to look at a street of houses, a tenth of the size at least of the Bloodflower Mansion, "In one of these houses?"
"In a house a bit like that one, but not one of those. I was born in Zeltiva."
"And where's that?"
"Quite a way away from here."
"Is it nice?"
"Very."
"Nicer than here?"
Flynn didn't answer, but contented himself with smiling, seemingly eager not to give the young girl an answer. Finally, noticing her confused look, he said, "There's a lot less food than there is here, but..." he paused, frowning before saying, quietly, almost to himself, "It's a lot freer too."
Adelaide didn't know what he meant by 'freer' - she had always been free in Kenash, and wasn't he free here in Kenash? Father's favour gave him the freedom to do what he wished, as long as he continued tutoring her in what she needed to know.
"Don't be silly," she murmured, "People are free to do what they like in Kenash." to which Flynn merely nodded.
They reached the park a few chimes later and continued until they reached a leafy area near the pond. There, Flynn untied the horse from the carriage and brought it to the water, ordering Adelaide to get out her things while he did so. Calmly, she settled herself under a tree and took out her charcoal and her paper, laying it out on the wooden board she had brought to lean on. Flynn came back with the horse and tied it to a branch of a tree.
"Right," he said with a smile, "I think you should draw this tree. It's quite simply shaped, so you shouldn't have too much trouble."
"Couldn't I draw Dvorak instead?" she pointed to the horse.
"No. I think you'd find that too difficult."
"But a tree seems rather simple," the child had a small moue of discontent.
"Then you're silly if you think that. Look at all the leaves, the pattern on the bark, the oddly shaped root coming at an angle out of the ground. Here. Let me show you," he started drawing a scraggly tree without leaves.
"But this tree has a bushy bit!" she pointed to all the green leaves crowning the tree and reaching up into the sky.
"I add that in afterwards. Come on. You can finish it. Think about perspective and the broad picture first, then come in with the shade and detail."
Adelaide nodded and turned back to her drawing while Flynn leant back against another tree. She started drawing, initial boredom soon giving way to the pleasure of creation. First, the bark, which wasn't smooth as she had initially thought but, when she looked closer, all knotted and bumpy. Maybe she could add an owl on a branch even if there wasn't really one there? Adelaide turned back, about to ask Flynn if he would allow her this, when she realised he had fallen asleep, his head against the tree while the rest of his body lay on the grass. His beige breeches and white poet shirt were contrasted with the green of the grass while his spectacles had fallen off his head and to the side. Only his black boots didn't catch the sun, camouflaging instead into the earth.
Now, thought Adelaide. Now was an opportunity to escape and explore other parts of the park - maybe climb a tree. So, without a second's more thought on the matter, the young girl shot to her feet and started walking in the opposite direction.
As usual, Flynn had been decidedly lazy in his attire, his shirt undone at the front, jacket flung over his shoulder, his boots unpolished and his spectacles balanced precariously on his curly hair. Adelaide noted all this with disapproval but didn't say anything to her tutor. Even if he was only eleven years older than her and, as such much more fun and easy-going than her past tutors, he probably wouldn't appreciate her telling him off for his attire - he might even making a comment about the fact that she had felt the need to change into a pretty green dress with white straps and a sash around her waist, matching her white shoes, before leaving for the city. That said, knowing him, it would probably amuse him more than annoy him.
They were going to be driven to the city in Father's Landau but, it being a lovely day and Adelaide impatient by nature, Flynn had declared he would drive the speedier and sportier Tilbury carriage so as to get them there sooner. Yet, nothing was fast enough for Adelaide who, having got over her initial fright at the open, potentially dangerous, mode of transport, took a taste for it and would not cease to ask Flynn to make it go faster and faster, laughing raucously all the time as she clutched her art supplies to her chest. Down and down the path separating the plantation from the city they went, sending a wave of dust in their wake, and still Adelaide cried for it to go faster. Mercifully, Flynn eventually shook his head at her demands and indicated that to go faster would be dangerous. And if he felt that he had already perhaps given in too much to his charge's demands for it to be safe, she did not pick up on it, instead pouting and shooting him evil glares that, nevertheless, didn't reach her smiling eyes nor perturb Flynn very much.
They slowed down even more when they reached the city, and Adelaide had to be content with looking all around her, happy to acknowledge that not having to do so out of a window made the task a great deal more pleasant.
"Flynn. Where were you born?" she asked finally, as she turned to look at a street of houses, a tenth of the size at least of the Bloodflower Mansion, "In one of these houses?"
"In a house a bit like that one, but not one of those. I was born in Zeltiva."
"And where's that?"
"Quite a way away from here."
"Is it nice?"
"Very."
"Nicer than here?"
Flynn didn't answer, but contented himself with smiling, seemingly eager not to give the young girl an answer. Finally, noticing her confused look, he said, "There's a lot less food than there is here, but..." he paused, frowning before saying, quietly, almost to himself, "It's a lot freer too."
Adelaide didn't know what he meant by 'freer' - she had always been free in Kenash, and wasn't he free here in Kenash? Father's favour gave him the freedom to do what he wished, as long as he continued tutoring her in what she needed to know.
"Don't be silly," she murmured, "People are free to do what they like in Kenash." to which Flynn merely nodded.
They reached the park a few chimes later and continued until they reached a leafy area near the pond. There, Flynn untied the horse from the carriage and brought it to the water, ordering Adelaide to get out her things while he did so. Calmly, she settled herself under a tree and took out her charcoal and her paper, laying it out on the wooden board she had brought to lean on. Flynn came back with the horse and tied it to a branch of a tree.
"Right," he said with a smile, "I think you should draw this tree. It's quite simply shaped, so you shouldn't have too much trouble."
"Couldn't I draw Dvorak instead?" she pointed to the horse.
"No. I think you'd find that too difficult."
"But a tree seems rather simple," the child had a small moue of discontent.
"Then you're silly if you think that. Look at all the leaves, the pattern on the bark, the oddly shaped root coming at an angle out of the ground. Here. Let me show you," he started drawing a scraggly tree without leaves.
"But this tree has a bushy bit!" she pointed to all the green leaves crowning the tree and reaching up into the sky.
"I add that in afterwards. Come on. You can finish it. Think about perspective and the broad picture first, then come in with the shade and detail."
Adelaide nodded and turned back to her drawing while Flynn leant back against another tree. She started drawing, initial boredom soon giving way to the pleasure of creation. First, the bark, which wasn't smooth as she had initially thought but, when she looked closer, all knotted and bumpy. Maybe she could add an owl on a branch even if there wasn't really one there? Adelaide turned back, about to ask Flynn if he would allow her this, when she realised he had fallen asleep, his head against the tree while the rest of his body lay on the grass. His beige breeches and white poet shirt were contrasted with the green of the grass while his spectacles had fallen off his head and to the side. Only his black boots didn't catch the sun, camouflaging instead into the earth.
Now, thought Adelaide. Now was an opportunity to escape and explore other parts of the park - maybe climb a tree. So, without a second's more thought on the matter, the young girl shot to her feet and started walking in the opposite direction.
