Nellie's Birthday Party

The room with the fireplace was always kept in pristine condition so they could entertain guests at any time.

Walls colorfully decorated with tapestries and stained-glass windows gave testament to their great fortune.

The servants' first assignment every morning was to clean this room.

Pitchers, silver plates, and silverware were polished to a shine so they could be proudly put to use at a moment's notice.

And for events like their daughter's birthday, the room served an even more important role.

The tables' tops were removable, so they had ordered new tabletops with designs made especially for this occasion.

And once the banquet had been drawn to a close, tables speckled with half-empty wine glasses and leftover candied fruits were moved off to the side to make room for—of course—the festivities.

Other: Good evening, Lady Nellie! You're looking particularly lovely today.

Other: Nellie, I had these jewels cut just for you.

Other: You'll let me have this dance, won't you?

(Nellie pushes the others out of the way and heads towards Mell.)

Nellie: ........... Haaaaaaaahh...

Mell: What's the matter, Nellie? You look exhausted. 

Mell: These are pretty good. Want one? I know you like sweets. They're apples candied in rock sugar, I think.

Nellie: You disappoint me, dearest Mell.

Mell: Er?

Nellie: What do you think is the matter?! They just keep coming. It never ends.

Nellie: It's driving me up the wall. Everyone's just repeating the same lines they've been taught. They all think pretty jewels and requests to dance are enough to make a girl swoon.

Mell: (But I think that is true for you, Nellie.)

Mell: (Though... why is she disappointed with me?)

Nellie: Uggggh, I think I'm done with birthday parties after this year.

Mell: They'll probably throw an even bigger one next year.

Nellie: Huh? Why?!

Mell: Well, you know. You're... about that age, Nellie.

Mell: We are a reasonably distinguished family, so there are a number of different houses that would like to have connections with us.

Mell: So...

Nellie: ..........

Nellie: So what you're saying is "do it for the family"?

Mell: No, that's not—

Nellie: I won't date or marry anyone!

Nellie: I have no interest in being used as a pawn in their inter-family politics!

Mell: "Pawn"? I wouldn't go that far... A-And I'm sure Father wants to let you choose yourself.

Mell: You know, uh, someone you actually love.

Nellie: Love?

Nellie: I-I never thought I would hear you talking about "love," dearest Mell.

Mell: Er...

Nellie: You don't even understand what makes Shakespeare's plays so beautiful, and you're talking about love!

Mell: I, uh...

Nellie: You fell asleep during Romeo and Juliet, and you're talking about love?!

Nellie: We went all the way out to the Globe Theatre too!

Mell: Well, pardon me for being ignorant when it comes to romance and the arts.

Mell: But you're not, Nellie. Shakespeare's make-believe story made you cry like a baby.

Nellie: Anyone would cry at that! You'd have to be crazy to sleep through it!

Mell: That's not what I'm saying. Someone as emotionally vibrant as you, Nellie, would have no problem finding love—

Nellie: Ah, dearest Mell! We should dance!

Other: Lady Nellie, could I have this—

Nellie: Let's dance, dearest Mell!

Mell: Wh-Whaaat? Me?!

Other: Wait a—

Nellie: Come on! I really like this song!

Mell: Q-Quit pulling on me, Nellie! What's the point of us dancing? We're siblings!

Mell: (Ahhh... Mother and Father are staring daggers at us...)

Nellie: No matter. What day is it today, dearest Mell?

Mell: Your birthday...

Nellie: Exactly. So I can do what I want!

Nellie: Now, attend to your princess—as a proper prince should!

Mell: Oh, jeez, how did I get myself into this?

Nellie's skirt fluttered along with her as she stepped in time to the music. She was not only a skilled singer, but a skilled dancer as well. 

Mell, on the other hand, fumbled over his own feet trying to keep up. One would be hard-pressed to describe his dance abilities as "good," even as flattery.

Though boys of his pedigree were taught to dance as part of their etiquette lessons, he found himself more being dragged around by his sister. He could hardly be said to be "attending" to her.

Mell: (Th-This is humiliating!)

Because his parents had been hands-off in raising him, largely giving him free rein to study and learn what he pleased, Mell looked like a tangled-up marionette.

From throughout the hall, he could hear giggling, uncomfortable chuckling, and people coughing to disguise their laughter.

Nellie: Come now, dearest Mell. If this is the best you can manage, what are you going to do when you find a girl that catches your eye?

Mell: I won't, so it doesn't matter!

Nellie: Hehe.

Nellie: Follow my lead, Mell.

Nellie: One, two, three... One, two, three...

Mell: Nnnh...

Nellie alone enjoyed her time dancing with her brother—and quite thoroughly, at that.

It did not matter to her that he moved awkwardly or that the guests were giving them cold stares.

It was their parents who first cracked under the pressure. Just as their father was about to give an exaggerated cough and stop the music,

a ruckus suddenly swelled up near the entrance.

Nellie: What could that be?

Mell: Who knows...

Mell: (Whatever's going on, I've been spared.)

The music came to a stop, and the party guests began bustling. The siblings' father spoke up sternly above the noise in order to quell the spreading commotion.

He ordered the servants to investigate, had the music restarted, gave a short apology for the interruption, and set the party back on course.

I went to go check on the entrance with the other servants, as I recall.

Oh my. Why are you looking at me like that?

Hehe... These are not my memories, but those which dwell within the mansion.

Do you think we should be following what happens next from my perspective, then?

That is not what confused you? Well, your questions shall be answered in time. In time...

Now, let us return to our tale.

Though the party had fallen still for a moment,

their father's decisive actions restored the guests' festive moods in short order.

So it was not, by any means, the commotion that caused the ball to conclude earlier than planned.

Nellie: Oh dear... I hear thunder.

Mell: It was rather loud too. Sounds like we have quite the storm brewing.

They lived in a country where the weather was nothing if not unpredictable. Rain was a frequent occurrence there.

The stretches of time with clear skies grew longer as summer approached, but the weather was still somewhat unstable on the cusp of the two seasons.

They had a strong wind that night as well, which turned the raindrops into little spears on the window. Were the party to continue on any longer, no one would be able to go home.

Although their father was quite concerned that Nellie had not got on with any of the aristocrat boys, he decided to cut the festivities short.

(After a little bit, the storm ended.)

Nellie: Thank goodness, it ended early! How lucky I am. This must be a blessing for always being such a good girl.

Mell: I'm not sure having your own birthday party cut short counts as lucky...

Nellie: But it was no fun! I can't help it if I'm not enjoying myself.

Nellie: And for heaven's sake, Arthur was here. I have no interest in dancing with that dunce.

Mell: Arthur...? Who's that, again? Someone who was here?

Nellie: Unbelievable! You don't remember anything, do you, dearest Mell?

Nellie: He came over to play a few times when we were little.

Nellie: He's covered in gross freckles, and he's a huge jerk.

Nellie: He said my hair looked like the color of fallen leaves. Fallen leaves! Just thinking about that ugly smirk has me fuming. 

Nellie: And yet he acts like nothing happened. He even calls me "Lady Nellie," for goodness' sake.

Nellie: ...Are you listening, dearest Mell?

Mell: I-I'm listening, I'm listening.

Mell: ...I wonder what the ruckus earlier was.

Nellie: Uggggh! You weren't listening, were you? Who cares about that?!

Mell: S-Sorry. But aren't you curious? It probably wasn't another guest, at least.

Nellie: Maybe a cat sneaked in.

Mell: You think so?

Nellie: I do.

Nellie: But enough about that! Would you like to play cards in my room, dearest Mell?

Mell: Seriously? I'm exhausted, though.

Nellie: It's not even that late!

Mell: Mnh... Fine...

Mell: (Something... feels kind of off...)

Mell: (...A cat?)

Mell: (............)

Mell: (I want to go check—)

Nellie: Come on, hurry up!

Mell: H-Hold on! You don't need to drag me, Nellie!

Nellie: My birthday isn't over yet, so you're not done attending to me.

Mell: Oh, Nellie...