GP - dreaming of a black christmas

[lcrpg_npc]

The repurposed railway arches that housed Beagle's bar and restaurant were decked in shades of black: black christmas trees glittering with sparkly and satiny black ornaments, black wreaths with perfectly tied bows, black garlands draping along the walls and bar, ribbons edging the long banquet benches in the restaurant dining room. A gentle snow seemed to fall from the ceiling, a specially designed lighting effect much more pleasant than the cold and wet that would've accompanied real snow. Christmas music played over hidden speakers, setting the mood without interfering with conversation.

The Kraken Black Christmas feast was a different spin on the holiday than you'd find most places, and yet, a christmas feast all the same. All the flavors of the season were there, both in the bar's specialty cocktails and in the feast itself, served banquet-style to those fortunate enough to get tickets - mulled wine, egg nog, roasts and stuffing and puddings, and so much more. Yet the food and drinks all shared the same theme as the decor, shades of black augmented with squid ink, charcoal, or black sesame seeds.

Guests had been encouraged to continue the theme with black festive attire, but it wasn't required, and spots of color could be found here and there along the table or mingling in the bar. There was one thing everyone could agree on, though. No matter how black the theme, the mood was anything but dark.

Comments

[show_me_something]

American. The Appalachians, Victoria thought, although that still could mean any number of things. "Roast beast and a variety of sides only slightly different than you might find in the States - although the black is new to all of us, I believe.

"You're doing fine, dear."

[wispofathing]

Curnen smiled, ducking her head. Old as she was by some measures, she was still very young by others. "Presentation in general ain't really the highest priority where I'm from. Making art statements with food? Not done."

[show_me_something]

"No mountain Martha Stewarts?" There were hierarchies involved, and Victoria had traveled many places were food at all was a luxury. Art statements with food were frivolous at best. "I'll admit to making statements a time or two with my cooking, but no matter how beautiful it looks, how it tastes will always be most important. But there's fun in finding out. Which was what Victoria was looking forward to tonight.

[wispofathing]

"No'm," Curnen answered with a little quirk of a smile. It turned a little mischievous when she went on, "But then, growing up it was a special night when we boiled a woodchuck. My standards are not high."

[show_me_something]

"Who doesn't enjoy a good woodchuck boil?" It was easy playing along with the girl's impishness. "And if anyone says different tonight, I don't think people about to eat squid ink infused whatevers have room to judge."

[wispofathing]

Curnen laughed aloud at that, probably too loud for the setting, but she didn't particularly notice or care. She offered a hand, a gesture that always inherently carried with it a test. "I'm Curnen Overbay."

[show_me_something]

"Victoria Winslow." Victoria had noticed the girl's hands when they first started speaking, and she shook hands now unfazed by the extra digit. Basic good manners plus decades of training; you simply didn't point out such things if they might make another uncomfortable. "A pleasure to meet you, Curnen."

[wispofathing]

"And you, Ms. Winslow," Curnen answered almost shyly, pleased that her fingers had received no comment. Her eyebrows arched playfully. "So you ever actually been treated to mountain fare?"

[show_me_something]

"Not the mountains you mean, but I spent some time backpacking in the Argentine in my younger days. In the middle of nowhere long enough, you can't be picky about what you eat." Backpacking was innocent enough, although even that could be surprising to someone who only saw Victoria as a posh older Englishwoman. What she'd actually been doing was still classified and a lot messier than the implication.

[wispofathing]

Curnen's already wide eyes went huge. Not because she was surprised, but because, "Wow. I've only ever been home and here. Well. Unless you count Nashville, but other places in Tennessee shouldn't count."

[show_me_something]

"There are probably some who'd say Tennessee shouldn't count at all, but I won't be one of them."

Victoria took a sip of her drink, paused considering it, then another. "I traveled a great deal for work, and frequent flyer miles had to be spent on something, so I holidayed in many different places over the years. What is it that brings you here now, so far away from Tennessee?"

[wispofathing]

"Ain't that the truth," Curnen muttered. The state wasn't at the top of anybody's travel destinations list, unless they were big into Elvis or country music.

"Wanted to see the world. And learning about my roots, I guess you could say."

[show_me_something]

"There's a lot of world to see, and when you're young's a wonderful time to see it." Never mind that Victoria had seen much of it through a rifle scope; she'd traveled and seen so much, and wasn't ready to give it up yet.

"I've seen a lot of it, not all obviously, but a lot, and I always come back to London in time. Terribly biased that way."

[wispofathing]

Curnen shrugged. "Most people at home never get out of the valley, not unless they join the military. Can't afford to. Thought if I could go further, I should."

[show_me_something]

It was a choice Victoria approved of. The one she'd have made in the same circumstances. But she wasn't one for sitting down or status quos.

"London could keep you busy for a lifetime; there's always something new. Or have you already thought what you might want to see next?"

[wispofathing]

"In London or out?" Curnen asked. "I know I want to get to Scotland and Ireland at some point."

[show_me_something]

Outside of London, in her travels for work or pleasure, Victoria had spent less time in the British Isles than elsewhere, understandably, having worked for MI6.

About to assure the girl she'd enjoy it, Victoria had to pause as servers made their way into the dining room bearing trays of food in the promised black. "I believe that's our cue to wonder over the chef's ingenuity," she said. "Are you ready to see whether it can compare to mountain woodchuck?"

[wispofathing]

Curnen started to giggle. "I think so, yeah."