Summer 11 - Medieval Week Mingle

[norrhamn_residents]

Okay, so maybe Norrhamn isn't as big of a tourist attraction as Gotland. Maybe it's not home to the best preserved medieval city in Scandinavia, complete with ring wall and twelve church ruins. Maybe it can't even compete with the near Mediterranean climate that Visby has during those late summer weeks, but Norrhamn knows one thing — how to do a lot with very little.

Welcome to Medieval Week - Lite Edition

The beach on the eastern side of the Island has been decked out with as many wooden tables and benches as is logistically possible, while still leaving some areas free for games and dancing. There's a wooden stage set up close to the woods, and a couple of racks of lovingly sponsored time-appropriate clothes available for those who want to blend in with the times.

Entertainment: To set the mood, management hired a band of Baltic musicians that will take up the stage for most of the day, playing well into the night. There's also dumb-ass jester performances from time to time, usually while the musicians are taking a break. The biggest event however is the fire show that starts up as soon as night falls right by the edge of the water.

Games: There's not quite enough room for an actual jousting tournament (my heart breaks) but there's a whole heap of stick horses for those eager to make their own. You're also welcome to take part in any number of feats of skill and strength, like rövkrok, armwrestling, or pillow-fighting on a slick wooden log. For those of a more intellectual persuasion, there's also a number of medieval board- card- and dicegames available.

Food and drink: Oh man. Oh man? There's so much food. Like, if some of the early guests thought that first welcome party had food in abundance, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Between the whole spit-roasted wild boar, through the pea soup and pork, the saffron-pancakes with dewberry jam, the roasted root vegetables (no potatoes in sight), the smoked pike-perch, the freshly baked spiced breads, the apple- hazelnut bread pudding, no one will go home hungry*. Wash it down with flagons of mead, spiced wine, beer brewed on honey and hops, or perfectly alcohol-free elderberry or lingonberry lemonades.

*There is of course thirium alternatives for the android population.

For those interested in more info on the actual Medieval Week, here's a link

Comments

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[forever_jack]

[Jack spots her sitting on her own and slides up next to her on the bench with a plate piled high with roast meat and vegetables.]

Hi! How's it going?

[burntviolet]

Hello, Jack.

[ A small nod of acknowledgement as she sets her fork down. She glances at all that food on his plate before asking: ]

Are you having fun...?

[forever_jack]

[He notices the glance at his plate and grins.] I'm having a lot of fun! Been working up quite an appetite, what with all the wrestling and pillow-fighting and dancing and whatnot!

[Spearing a large mouthful of meat, and characteristically speaking through it.] 've you ever been to anything like this before?

[burntviolet]

Ah... [ She hums quietly in acknowledgement, with a little wince when Jack just goes to town with his food. Her gaze shifts to her own plate. ]

I haven't. Especially not in an event with s-such theme in it.

It's... quite unusual.

[forever_jack]

[He's not the most observant of people, but he's getting used to being a lot more aware around Hanako and so he does notice the wince and makes sure his next mouthful is more moderate in size.]

It's pretty traditional for this part of the world, I think, but yeah, very different from anything over your way, I bet! A bit more raucous, I expect? [With a grin.]

Are you having a good time, though?

[burntviolet]

We have a lot of festivals in Japan, and they c-can be quite noisy too... but they're deeply traditional.

[ Granted, she had only gone to festivals with her parents when they were still alive, but she knows Japan is a country where traditions hardly change.

A genuine nod follows. Things are not bad around here. Thought it would stress her out, but turns out she was wrong. ]

It's good.

[forever_jack]

Bit more formal over there, eh? [He grins, because virtually nothing about this festival could be described as formal!]

It's kind of hard to mope with all this going on, though, isn't it? You kind of get caught up in it!

[burntviolet]

Yes. They... have a different air than this one.

[ She presses her lips together, thinking. ]

With so much n-noise, it's hard to be alone with my own thoughts...

[ Which in her language means that she agrees with him. ]

[forever_jack]

[He glances at her with a gentle smile.]

And that's a good thing, right? To be distracted, for a while at least.

[burntviolet]

... It is.

[ Getting distracted from the harsh reality is what she'd been doing for a long time. That's why she loves books. But this is a whole different medium she's not very accustomed to, yet. ]

I can get used t-to... it... maybe.

[forever_jack]

Sure you can. It's just a matter of exposure. The more you experience things like this, the better you'll get at it and the easier it becomes!

[And then he remembers how a previous party ended up for her - and admires her bravery in coming to this one despite that.] Speaking of which, how have you been? No more nasty encounters?

sorry for the late reply, feel free to ignore!

[burntviolet]

[ She nods in reluctance to his affirmation that she'll get used to this. Talking about her determination doesn't feel the same as acting on it. But as corny as the speech is, Hanako can only agree to it because for all the flowery wording used it still rings true no matter how you spin it. ]

No, I haven't m-met that person again, o-or anyone like him.

[ Recalling that incident still hurt after a week, but that shouldn't make her stop coming to these events. It would defeat the purpose of running away from her old life. ]

No worries, none of us are very fast at the moment!

[forever_jack]

[He lets out a bit of a breath at that response.]

Good. I'm really glad about that. Everyone here has seemed so nice, it would be such a shame if one person were to go about spoiling things. Here's to no more trouble in Norrhamn, eh?

[Lifting his mug of beer in a smiling toast.]

[burntviolet]

... I hope so.

[ She really does, but she won't be relying on her luck. It had ruined her more than once. Who knows more people like that person may be coming over in the next days, but... ]

People like him have c-come here for the same reasons we d-did... [ Hanako lowers her head and presses her lips together. ] I wouldn't be too hard on them either, u-unless they cause serious troubles.

[forever_jack]

[He inclines his head, watching her and thinking this through as he sips at his beer.

Having thought it through, he gives a rueful smile.]

I think you're a better person than I am, Hanako. I don't think I could be quite so forgiving.

[Well. If it had happened to him, he could have, especially as it wouldn't have upset him anywhere near as much as it did her. But it didn't happen to him, it happened to someone he very strongly feels has been through enough in her short life, and he's rather fiercely protective of people like that!]

[burntviolet]

[ A tip of her head towards him, and a tiny, rueful smile. She doesn't believe she's better than anyone here, not even for a second. ]

I don't think you'd be w-worse than me for not letting it slide as easily.

[ Even then, it took her over a week to make peace with the incident and learn from it. Forgiveness doesn't come fast. ]

[forever_jack]

[He smiles, rather touched, and reaches out to lay his hand over hers in an instinctive gesture of appreciation.]

You're a sweet girl, Hanako. Don't you ever go changing, okay?

[burntviolet]

[ Her shoulders go stiff at the gesture, but thankfully it's not her scarred hand being touched. She wouldn't let anyone touch her scars, no matter who it is. At the very least she's not yanking her hand away. Jack is a friend, although he's a bit too affectionate. ]

I-I... can't promise that. I'm here because I w-want to change.

[forever_jack]

[He feels her stiffen and kicks himself under the table for getting carried away. Touch is such a natural way for him to communicate his feelings that he forgets that not everyone is as receptive to it as he is.

So he withdraws his hand gently and gets on with his meal, trying not to make a big thing of it.]

No, no, don't get me wrong, change can be good! I can't believe how much I've changed, especially in the last few years, because of Ianto and Spike.

I just meant, don't stop being so sweet, eh? It's a very valuable quality to have.

[burntviolet]

[ With her hand freed, Hanako also retracts and occupies it by holding her own portion. Jack preventing silence from making things awkward is thankfully what she needs right now. ]

Hm... I only b-behave in a proper way, because it's common sense that I d-do that.

[ ... As she notes to herself, she should first work on her resistance to praise. ]

[forever_jack]

[He chuckles.]

If only everyone felt it was common sense to behave properly!

[He takes a swig of beer, then adds, gesturing with the mug:] I mean, don't get me wrong, most of the people here are great, but there are an awful lot of people in the rest of the universe who could do with a dose of common politeness!

[burntviolet]

[ She can hardly disagree with that statement, having met a share of people with a clear lack of respect for others. Kids from her middle school years, especially. The guy she clashed with here may count as one, too.

A meek nod. ]

They may have their r-reasons to act that way, but it would b-be fruitful if they learned to treat others better...

[forever_jack]

It would! It would make things so much easier if everyone just respected each other! [Spoken with the world-weariness of someone who's lived through far, far too much violence and rioting and war to have much patience with those who won't learn to get on with one another.

He glances at her thoughtfully, as he finishes off the last of his meat, and hazards a guess.] Did you get a hard time at school, from those who ought to learn to respect people better?

[burntviolet]

[ Hanako's expression sombers, her only visible eye shadowed as she bows her head down. ]

Only in middle school. Back then, there was n-no support for children w-with disabilities and so I dealt with rather c-cruel schoolmates. My high school was one d-designed for people like me, so things w-were easier...

[forever_jack]

[He shakes his head remorsefully.] Children can be so cruel. But you've had a better time at high school, then? They looked after you better?