merry_heart | (no subject)

It is a very big responsibility, getting the Palace ready for Christmas. This is partly because it is a very big palace, but mostly because it is Christmas.

Ordinarily, Susan's Royal Mama would be in charge of all the preparations (with a great deal of Delegating, which Mama says is one of the most important things a Queen can know how to do, and which seems to involve telling other people to do things).

But Mama is very busy this December, so Susan has volunteered to be in charge all sorts of Christmas things. After all, she is very grown up (she will be seven in the Spring). She is also very good at telling other people to do things.

Of course, there are some things Mama still has to do because she is the Queen and Susan is only the Princess Royal. And Sir Hector, who is the Royal Protocol Officer, is helping out with a lot, especially with the boring things, like figuring out where people will sit at the Christmas banquet and how many cakes they will need to have the kitchens bake to give as gifts to the Palace Staff. But Susan is doing all the really important things herself, hands-on, because that is her job.

Case in point: the installation of the tallest Christmas tree in Ambergeldar, which stands on the plaza in front of the main Palace gate. Susan is taking care of that personally.

Well, Norman brought the tree down the mountains. It's too far for Susan to go, and the tree is too heavy for her to carry.

And later, Lord Terence will have to come cast the spell that will make the candles all look like they are burning even though they are really not. Susan can't do that part, because she is not a magician.

And Mama's secretary, Duncan, has taken care of getting people to bring all the ornaments down from the attics and out to the tree, because Susan doesn't know where in the attic they are.

And X-23 and Norman are mostly in charge of hanging the ornaments on the tree, because Susan cannot reach most of it, even when she stands on the step stool with three steps.

But other than that, she's doing it all herself.

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Susan is an excellent organizer.

X will attest to this.

She will also pause, holding a rather large star-shaped ornament in her hand, and look to Susan for direction on where to hang it.

It is only fair.

Susan is too short to reach.

It is a very great responsibility.

Fortunately, Susan has a good eye.

"Over there, but not too close to the red one. But not too far away, either. And a little higher but not a lot higher because then the gap will too big."

It's a totally clear instruction, right?

"I do not know what too big is," X offers, after a few moments of looking at the tree.

"In this context."

Please explain, Susan.

Norman helps by delicately extending a talon and tapping the end of a branch.

He has been practicing. Clearly.

Edited 2014-12-19 01:28 (UTC)

Susan looks around, considering.

"Bigger than one of Norman's scales, but smaller than the end of his tail."

Why use a ruler when you have a dragon?

"Norman."

He pauses, shifting his tail so that X can better compare it to his scales.

He is a noble dragon in this fashion.

"Oh. It will become more difficult to accomplish," X says, after a moment. "When more ornaments are unpacked."

Just so Susan is aware.

Norman is a noble dragon in lots and lots of fashions.

He has a title and everything.

"Why's that?"

He also has hats. And a tail-warmer.

Not that he is wearing said tail-warmer now. It is only for very special occasions.

"We will run out of branches," X offers.

Will they have to double up on ornaments?

Susan studies the tree.

"We have a lot of branches."

It's a gigantic tree.

"We will persevere," she adds, grandly.

(Her father says this a lot. When faced with difficulties. Or Council meetings.)

"We are good at that," X allows.

Norman uses his tail to push another box of ornaments in X's direction.

More hanging things. Less talking.

Then they can have apple tarts.

"Norman? I think the star is still a little crooked."

You know, the one at the very very tippy top of the tree.

"Can you try fixing it?

"Again?

"Please?"

Norman does not set the tree on fire.

X helps.

"You can lift me, Norman. Opposable thumbs are useful."

And that is just another way he is a terribly noble dragon.

"Opposed to what?" Susan asks.

"Thumbs that do not bend enough. Or rotate."

Sometimes simpler explanations are safer.

Ish.

Susan stops paying attention to the tree to study her own thumbs for a moment.

There's a great deal of bending.

"Isn't that what thumbs are supposed to do?" she asks, finally.

"For humans. And mutants. Most of the time."

Some mutants are more reptilian than others. For one.

"What do your thumbs do, Norman?" Susan asks, leaning down to look at one of his hands.

Well, front feet.

They're kind of both.

Ish.

"They don't twist," he says, sounding offended. "My claws would get in the way of the rest of me, if they did."

Humans are so silly.

"Your scales would be protection," X offers.

Norman scoffs. That is not important.

"You still wouldn't want to scratch yourself," Susan says.

"His claws are very sharp," she tells X.

"It might hurt.

"Ooooh, this one is really pretty," she adds, lifting a very large red-and-gold sphere from the box of ornaments.

"It should go somewhere special."

"Higher is better?"

X tilts her head, studying the tree.

"Or lower. So it is easier for you to see."

Edited 2014-12-19 02:51 (UTC)

Susan has to think about that.

Because higher seems more important.

But the ornaments do get kind of hard to see.

And this one is really pretty.

"Lower. But in the front," she decides, finally.