A Chill in the Air

[toocoldforthis]

The Nexus may have seen a glittering and glorious ball the night before, but every party must end. Every overindulgence has its morning-after regrets. The pains of burning eyes and revolting stomachs have visited more than a few people like malevolent fairies. And then the lucky denizens of the Nexus get another treat.

Cailleach may well be the grumpiest looking grumpy old lady ever. If she'd been sucking on lemons for a thousand years she could not look more sour. White hair fragile with age is hidden beneath a scarf and within the hood of her raincoat. Her glasses are old-fashioned, her makeup is out of style, and her shoes are sensible. Do not ask her for candy. She is not your granny.

What is is watching the goings-on with increasing vexation. Something about everyone passing by seems to set her to an ever-increasing amount of angry muttering. Finally, she can't contain it anymore. "Why don't young people prepare for the lean times coming? Do you all think it'll be sunshine and flowers forever?"

It doesn't matter who answers. She's grumpy and demands an audience.

((She's going to be 100% mean to just about everyone, be warned. #sorrynotsorry))

Comments

[toocoldforthis]

He missed out on the sunny and generous half of the year. Try again in the spring.

Does he hope that being respectful is going to get his cheek pinched? Well, it's not getting him slapped, so maybe it's a successful tactic. The question gets a tired 'hmph' from her before she answers. "Better to never know what others must lose. It makes a person stronger."

[mosthonest]

((Props for the PB choice btw. I never realized before that even when Queen Elizabeth smiles, she looks so full of murder.))

He assumed there may be no spring with this lady, nor did he assume there would be much cheek pinching. You can't fight or charm your way out of winter's teeth; best hunker down and bare it out. Although actually winters were rather mild around his neck of the woods. It was the mosquito-bloated summers and their disease that was often the killer in his neck the woods. He'll still take the risk of malaria over being an Englishman or German, and having to live with their damned cold.

"Aye, there's strength in wanting. So say the hungry, when they have no bread and must live only on the virtue of their poverty."

[toocoldforthis]

[Thank you! She's very much the 'off with their heads' type and I suspect regrets she can't do that anymore.]

No, Iago isn't the sort who'd do well in the northern lands, especially not the isles where old faiths have roots too deep for the Christian god to entirely root out. Theirs are seasons that mean something.

"Life is hard." And she doesn't care. "It's not about virtue or vice, good and bad all die in their time. Everyone gets what's owing."