Renaissance Fair (Temporary)
The Texas State Fairgrounds have been transformed into a Medieval Village for the Renaissance Fair weekend. Where there was once twenty first century Dallas, there are now colorful tents and pavilions where merchants sell food, jewelry, trinkets, toys and all manner of souvenirs for the Fair. From one end to the other, the grounds are two and three tents deep, with taverns, music, puppet theater and all manner of entertainment. Gold, green, purple, blue and red streamers flutter in the wind from atop pavilions where "knights" and ladies relax and chat with visitors. Jesters in tri-colored hats parade about, entertaining children and adults alike. There is a human chess board, jousting and other Medieval pastimes. Booths line the "streets," and performers sing, dance and encourage visitors to join in the rollicking fun. Ale and wine flow like water, and there's no modern traffic to take away from the ambiance. Day or night, rain or shine, this is a party like no other in Dallas. Come, join the fun. Come to the fair!
The sun is just now fading into the horizon, and the fires for light have begun lining the pathways in this, the second full day of the Dallas Renaissance Faire. More have discovered it this evening, and people are out in full force in various manners of clothing. Some wear tin-foil plate mail, others wear clothing as elegant and well costumed as those who lived back in the time period.
Dr. David Trudeau, attending upon request (though he'd have suggested the very same thing!), is wearing something vaguely 'medieval' in that it's long shirt, belt, close fitting pants and boots. It's the closest he gets, and the evening is a little too warm to worry about a cloak, which others who seem oblivious to the weather are wearing.
The human chess match is drawing to a close, and upon his chest sits the likeness of a black rook. He threatens another piece, though now, white is poised to win.. and they will in one more move: the queen will come in and there is nowhere the black king can move. He's cornered by a bishop, a knight and now, the queen…
—-
Mignonette is also dressed in keeping with the surroundings, though, being that she was the one who invited the good doctor out, she had certainly be dressed to the nines. Or at least in the manner of a fetching period lady. Not quite so elegant as some of the princesses and such that wander around, but she did take quite a bit of care with the red brocade dress she ordered from the costumers. And now, she's standing only a few squares from her companion for the evening, her own chest displaying the white bishop. "Are you sure this was a good idea?" Not that Mignonette has any idea what they're doing. Chess…not her game. No, not at all. She's just been moving and stepping where they told her to. "I mean, I know how…irritable you can get when you lose." Her tone is playful, she might not know how to play the game, as such, but she does know how to egg on an opponent.
—-
David keeps his voice canted low, but loud enough to carry to his 'lady'. "I can't tell you how many openings there were. I bet," here, he twists around to look at the player that is seated upon a slightly higher dais, overlooking the field before he returns his attention to Migs, "it's all preset." Theatrics. Isn't that the name of the game?
He looks a little annoyed and put out, but he puts a brave face on. "It was a good idea." Regardless, he's out for an evening out with a lovely lady, and even if the idiot can't play a real game of chess, it's 'for the fun of it'.
Even if he is losing when they could easily have won.
It is then that the move is called, and the white queen comes in for the 'kill', as it were. The king gives up, and applause sounds through the crowd watching the game. With thanks given, the remaining players are allowed to remove themselves from the 'board', the white lines drawn in lime, and continue their evening's activities.
It's only a couple of steps as he removes his chestpiece, "Next time.."
—-
"You probably could tell me, but I would just look at you blankly. You do know I don't have any idea what we just did, right?" Migs isn't in the least ashamed to admit that she's completely clueless when it comes to the game of kings, as some people consider chess. Still, once the move is made, she reaches out a hand, offering it to her knight for the evening, "Come, I'll treat you to some face painting. That's bound to cheer anyone up." Her piece is removed as well, and both are handed over to their replacements on the field, "You played beautifully, though, from what I could figure out."
—-
"Bah.."
Still, David takes the hand and tucks it under his arm for escort. "I'll have to teach you a little, at least. I'm not much better than a wood pusher, but.." He shakes his head, but brightens quickly, "It was fine. You did well yourself. the way you took those pawns?" He whistles theatrically as he turns the pieces in, "They cowered to see you coming. Very impressive, that."
Pushing on his glasses that always seem to find their way sliding down (more now than in the cooler weather for obvious reasons), David looks content to search out the face painters. "Did you want a little butterfly, or a ladybug?" Glancing to the side as they begin their walk, he gestures with his free hand to his face. "What do you think for me? A little gang tattoo? Something from 'the big house', or.. are we looking at something like a horse.. or something?"
—-
"Oh, no," Mignonette offers, as she allows her offered hand to be settled under David's arm, the other settling over that, sort of the classic courtly lady being escorted by her fair knight…at least according to the movies. Hey, at least she had enough sense not to dress like it was Gone With the Wind. "I think they were just worried I would put a foot somewhere unpleasant if they didn't get out of my way quickly enough. It's my face. It's very fierce." She even makes a face to show you so, "Oh, I would love a butterfly, definitely…but I saw a design for you that I, well, I really liked. Would you be upset if I surprised you? It'll be something very fierce and warrior-like, I promi—-ooh, funnel cake. No, no…after, there's the booth right there." Surrounded by children, as always.
—-
David laughs out loud at the mugging offered, and theatrically pulls away while making sure he's still got her hand upon his arm. "Very scary. Small children will check under their beds tonight twice, just in case. And grown men will tremble." He pauses a moment for dramatic effect before shaking his head, adding, "Nah. But you did a nice job."
Slowing as they reach the face painters, David catches the aroma of the deep fried confection. "We'll have to go back to that. I love that stuff. All the powered sugar?" Sweet tooth!
Wading through some of the children that simply hover, he looks to the side and slightly amusedly dubious. "Very fierce and warrior-like.. Okay.."
—-
"Well, we are supposed to be scary you know. That's why no one likes to see us coming." As they part the red Sea of children, she continues "I'll go first, if you like, that way if any of our coworkers see us, you can say I talked you into it." of course, you need to have a certain amount of humour to go to a ren faire to begin with, but hey. There's grownups and then there are grownups. Mignonette tiptoes, bridging the inches of difference to your cheek, and after a light kiss, she disengages her hands, moving to settle into the vacant seat, "I'd like the blue butterfly please, whole face, if you can do that." Whole hog, yes indeed. "Funnel cake is my kryptonite. I cannot say no to it."
—-
David grins, the smile lopsided as she offers her pronouncement, and relinquishing his claim on her arm and hand, is ready to stand as sentry. Well, okay.. not so much. "Okay, sounds good. Though, I'm pretty sure a good portion of my group will be wandering around here— if not yesterday for opening, then tonight and tomorrow afternoon." The grin remains easy with the much welcomed kiss on the cheek, "We're all a bunch of kids. You don't want to know about the rubber band fights. I found some little rubber-band trebuchets, and I'll tell you, the office is in trouble on Monday." He's sure he can get a good 30 feet!
At the request for a giant blue butterfly, his jaw drops slightly. "Whole face?"
The lady at the facepainting table grins in response; not many adults coming through. "Sure.. I mean, "Yes, m'lady. As you wish. We can do that."
"After.. definitely. Funnel cake." David is more than willing there.
—-
"I think I need to start bringing my camera to lunch more often." Mignonette offers a grateful smile to the painter of the evening, and a, "Thank you," before she settles in, her conversation punctuated by pauses as the woman's paintbrush requires that she holds her face still, "Not that they let me up in the offices, of course, but there's still potential in the cafeteria." There's a brightness in Mignonette that hasn't been there for a very long time, and despite the recent news, and the revelation of the resolution to the missing Officer Young, well, tonight, she's trying to just be. "Are you trying to bribe me, Dr. Trudeau?"
—-
There are just some areas of the CDC that require higher security clearances than others, and no amount of signing off will allow for visitors that haven't gone through the whole gamut. There is testing, data collecting and verification..
That, of course, doesn't keep the pair from having lunch together!
"Ah-ah.. no cameras. Besides, we don't want to be posted on the internet under 'Your tax dollars at work'." David grins soon after, however, "But, I'm pretty sure I can get the accuracy down on mine and take out some serious paper fortifications." Just like a kid!
Mignonette's enhanced mood isn't really noticed by David, but he does recognize that the smiles come more readily. He's good with that. And, she plays.
The laugh echoes now from the grin plastered on David's face. "Me? Bribe? Never.. well, okay.. maybe. Yes. Okay. Absolutely. I have to find good ground so we can get on to the next— I want to check out the fencing arena. But, not tonight. Tomorrow." Sunday. "Which I hope you're available."
—-
It doesn't take very long at all, for the butterfly to take shape on Mignonette's features, the woman working the tent having had quite a bit of practice with the designs. And, as they're really quite simple, if colourful, they are not that labour intensive. And so, it's only a handful of minutes before the lawyer is rising from her chair, and leaning over to whisper to the painter, before she gestures to the seat she just vacated, "I would never post any pictures of you on the internet. That would be in very poor taste. But, as it happens, my calendar IS free on Sunday, and I will writer you in on my card."
—-
"Great— which reminds me.."
Digging into his pocket for the event schedule, David unconsciously pushes up his wire-framed glasses and looks at the events. "Dancing.. there's a survey of it in an hour." Raising blue eyes, he cants his head, his expression inquiring silently.
He'll give it a shot if she'd like to go.
Taking a seat, though not before making a teasing face, "It looks really good," uh-huh.. "Very.. blue." David chuckles, "My turn, huh?"
Taking a deep breath, which causes his shoulders to rise slightly, he moves to take his seat. "Okay.. No internet. What other large, public venue. You know where I work.." Both places.
Looking to the face painter, David stage-whispers, "Be kind, please."
—-
"Now you are trying to bribe me. I just have to figure out what it is that you're wanting me to do, exactly." Mignonette turns her head, this way and that, showing off her butterfly, before she settles in to watch the painter at work. The woman also seems to be using a similar shade of blue, as she works her way over your face is swirls and lines, but it's nothing as filled in, so to say, as Mignonette's piece, "The whole point of blackmail is the threat, it's not actually using what you have for any sort of pay out. The Sword of Damocles isn't much of a threat if it's not over your head, see?" It doesn't take very long, before the painter is done, and she offers David a mirror to see the final product, as Mignonette picks up the tab with the girl handling sales. Pictish war paint, very ala King Arthur, the 2004 film.
—-
David stays still, his glasses removed and held in hand, though the brush tickles. He's difficult to keep in one spot with the quick strokes of the brush, and there are a few times he has to apologize for moving. The face-painter does pause in the middle of the work to smile up at Mignonette. Just as bad as the kids!
Once finished, David is a sight to see, with pictish woad on his face. Fierce. Very fierce. And, it matches the outfit he's chosen for himself.
David looks dubious, though the amusement is still easily read in his eyes. Putting his glasses back on carefully, he looks to Mignonette. "Look okay?"
It's then that he's handed the mirror.. and here come the growly faces, trying to enhance what it is that is painted there.
David can't look fierce.
"Okay.. lesson learned." As for what he's expecting in return for the funnel cake and the dancing? Not telling! "But as far as what I'm looking at?" He tsks softly, his manner teasing. "You'll find out. First.. favours owed…"
—-
Mignonette, for her part, doesn't look in the least amused, as she watches the paint go on, though she can't hide the grin she sends by way of the painter. Yes, just as bad as the kids. Not in the way she might if she were trying to do it as a joke, or a gag. Because she isn't, not in the least. Pleased, well, that's another story, as she sees the final reveal, "You look very fierce. And it suits you." Even if the man thinks he can't look fierce, it is there, somewhere, and the woad brings it out. But now that he's ready, and she's ready, she steps forward, to offer a hand to help him up. "I am a woman of my word. And we have ten minutes to get to the survey of dance. If you would be so kind, Sir David?"
