武媚娘 | Wu Meiniang (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ladyemperor) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
isleofavalon2021-04-07 10:49 pm
ladyemperor) wrote in isleofavalon2021-04-07 10:49 pm
OPEN: catch-all for April
🧙 WHO: Meiniang and YOU
⚔️️ WHAT: Quests but also anything and everything!
🕒 WHEN: During the beautiful month of April
🗺️ WHERE: Anywhere and everywhere
⚠️ WARNINGS: Probably none, but subject to change if anything crops up
General April Shenanigans
i. The Survival Option
[Living as a concubine for many years didn't exactly prepare you to live life on your own, and having to learn to draw her own bath, get her own food was definitely an experience. Made much easier, of course, with the various magical conveniences like running water and electricity.
And made easier still because her first thought when seeing all of it was wondering how it worked, why it worked. That took up time in her day that would have been spent in bed with the covers pulled up and a book she'd only really be reading half-heartedly. Having to learn how to live one's life anew made it easier to try and forget the life she'd had.
The emperor's death feels simultaneously like yesterday and yet like too long ago so she stubbornly keeps the white silk flower in her hair though the pure white clothing she'd worn was impractical and for all that she had to grieve, she'd also been thoroughly spoiled by Rui An and the luxury of the Imperial Palace. So plain clothes it is.
Do you...]
A. Find her at breakfast, 8am
[Learning to wake up this early is hard for a concubine that usually woke up whenever she wanted, but it was either this or go hungry and Meiniang had never liked that feeling. Though she does find herself longing for some plain buns, or even noodles as she eats her cold fruit, chasing it with warm tea and frowning as she does so.]
...I can see how this would be refreshing in the height of summer, but to eat it like this now when it's so wet outside feels odd. [It's definitely why she's already on her third cup of tea at this point.]
B. Find her standing at the top of the stairs
[This would usually be the time when Rui An comes to bring her an umbrella. And also to tell her not to go out. But on her own, Meiniang takes one look at the water then proceeds to pull the bottom hem of her robe up a little so she can actually tie it tight and wade into the water.
She knows more than one of the emperor's other concubines would be raising their eyebrows at her, probably outright saying that was exactly what they'd expect from her of all people but none of them are here. In the end, it's once again just her.
If you're at all hesitant, she turns to you and offers a hand.] Do you need help?
⚔️️ WHAT: Quests but also anything and everything!
🕒 WHEN: During the beautiful month of April
🗺️ WHERE: Anywhere and everywhere
⚠️ WARNINGS: Probably none, but subject to change if anything crops up
General April Shenanigans
i. The Survival Option
[Living as a concubine for many years didn't exactly prepare you to live life on your own, and having to learn to draw her own bath, get her own food was definitely an experience. Made much easier, of course, with the various magical conveniences like running water and electricity.
And made easier still because her first thought when seeing all of it was wondering how it worked, why it worked. That took up time in her day that would have been spent in bed with the covers pulled up and a book she'd only really be reading half-heartedly. Having to learn how to live one's life anew made it easier to try and forget the life she'd had.
The emperor's death feels simultaneously like yesterday and yet like too long ago so she stubbornly keeps the white silk flower in her hair though the pure white clothing she'd worn was impractical and for all that she had to grieve, she'd also been thoroughly spoiled by Rui An and the luxury of the Imperial Palace. So plain clothes it is.
Do you...]
A. Find her at breakfast, 8am
[Learning to wake up this early is hard for a concubine that usually woke up whenever she wanted, but it was either this or go hungry and Meiniang had never liked that feeling. Though she does find herself longing for some plain buns, or even noodles as she eats her cold fruit, chasing it with warm tea and frowning as she does so.]
...I can see how this would be refreshing in the height of summer, but to eat it like this now when it's so wet outside feels odd. [It's definitely why she's already on her third cup of tea at this point.]
B. Find her standing at the top of the stairs
[This would usually be the time when Rui An comes to bring her an umbrella. And also to tell her not to go out. But on her own, Meiniang takes one look at the water then proceeds to pull the bottom hem of her robe up a little so she can actually tie it tight and wade into the water.
She knows more than one of the emperor's other concubines would be raising their eyebrows at her, probably outright saying that was exactly what they'd expect from her of all people but none of them are here. In the end, it's once again just her.
If you're at all hesitant, she turns to you and offers a hand.] Do you need help?
no subject
Thank you. Are you the kind of person who would rather have someone cater to their whims instead, then? [But there's only a cheerful teasing tone to her voice as she says it.]
I like both, but I've never heard of "chocolate" or gummies. [Still, he seems to know what he's talking about so she'll trust him!]
And magazines would be very useful, thank you. I've looked at a few books but haven't yet thought to look for things about the local culture.
no subject
[He didn't miss a beat with that response. Smooth! But really, it's moreso that nobody's ever willing to cater to his (usually mayonnaise-related) whims, so he has to do it himself. With snacks added to the haul there's only the magazine aisle left to explore.]
Huh, they've got a decent selection. What are you interested in? Fashion? Lifestyle? Sports?
no subject
How independent of you. [But she'll agree as well that there's something nice about being self-sufficient, about living a life different from the one she had left behind.
Following along to the magazine aisle, she gives each cover a careful look. It's wonderful to see so much information available so easily, so freely. It's nothing like the thick rolls of books back home.]
It's hard to know where to start... [But her fingers hover over the fashion magazines before she neatly plucks one out to flip through the first page, her movements careful even now. Paper has always been precious.]
Do they also have magazines about current events?
no subject
[He walks over to where those are piled in their own little section.]
I get my daily news on AOL and from the hotel radio, but sometimes it's nice to leaf through a physical paper. If you're missing context for some of the articles you can just look that up online, I reckon.
no subject
But it's amazing to think that you can just buy books here, just like this. [Back home she'd have to count on news from a human source and hope that they were both loyal and discreet.]