if the sky can crack [OTA mingle]

[sixthiteration]

Hail had been falling for two days now, peppering the ground and shredding the grass but rather than melt away like a late spring storm it had only intensified, growing in diameter and moving from a mild annoyance to damned near deadly. As the storm raged, ice flew up through updrafts and was forced back to earth in the downdraft, accumulating layer after layer of murky debris until it went hurtling toward the earth with wicked accuracy.

Shingles were ripped from roofs, the wind howled and lightning cracked. The hail had driven both humans and animals into the safety of the indoors, to the dark corners of buildings that might withstand the assault. With only candlelight and the hushed voices of villagers to stave off fear and boredom, the storm raged like a sentient being heedless of those who might be caught in the path.

After the storm, a calm came over the land and weak sunlight glinted off smoke-tinged ice. Steam rose from the melt and humidity was thick in the air; petrichor hung heavy, a soothing scent after a savage display of natural fury.

[OOC: Your hail mingle post. Feel free to have characters on the run, gathering animals or inside the Town Hall waiting out the storm.]

Comments

[forthecrown]

"If you think you have the time, I would appreciate having it looked at," Elizabeth said softly. "I just don't want to take your time and attention away from someone else when my injury isn't severe."

She never wanted to impose on anyone and she was ever conscious of wanting to be equal with everyone else in this place and not looked at as special for her status.

[oncewasroman]

Rory nods, though takes a moment to assess how the others gathered here are faring. So far no one seems to have joined them since his last round and the major injuries have all been taken care of already. He's in the clear, so he sets a bag down (presumably with supplies), and sits beside her.

"May I have a closer look?" Now that he's seated and closer, he feels that her appearance is familiar to him. But he asks because it would be rude to just start inspecting someone's face without their consent.

[forthecrown]

"Absolutely," Elizabeth said, shifting a bit closer so the man might examine the welt that is rapidly rising up on her cheek. It didn't seem to be lacerated or anything like that but it was going to leave one hell of a bruise for the next several days; to think, the queen of England walking around with a bruise like that? It was unheard of.

"You sound like a fellow from back home. I'm from London," she said, wanting to be companionable while he worked.

[oncewasroman]

Rory leans in a little closer, gently touching the area around the bruise to make sure there's nothing below the surface. He apologizes if he causes any pain, but his practiced touch definitely suggests someone used to treating injuries with some skill too. He nods and pulls away, "Ironically, you'll need some ice. But you were right--it should heal just fine and it's nothing to be too worried about."

He had noticed -- of course he had -- seeing as most of the people here appeared to be American more or less. He actually wasn't 100% sure honestly where everyone was from or, sometimes more importantly, when. "I'm from England, yes. Though a smaller town called Leadworth. Though for the past several years I've been traveling with my wife."

[forthecrown]

"Oh? I've done my fair share of traveling too," Elizabeth said. As Queen, she'd made a great many trips abroad and it had sometimes been quite stressful but she'd enjoyed seeing other parts of the Commonwealth that were diverse and quite different than the familiar climes of England and Scotland.

"Where have you been most recently?"

[oncewasroman]

"I used to think it wasn't for me," he says, relaxing and taking a moment to enjoy some conversation that wasn't related to the medical field. "But my wife's always been big into adventure...so I sort of got dragged along at first, but then I really started to enjoy it, you know? Although, I think it's because my wife was there with me. It wouldn't have been worth it without her." He wouldn't have done half the things in his life if it weren't for Amy, really.

"America--well, New York to be precise. Is that a place you've been to?"

[forthecrown]

"Once or twice," Elizabeth said. Of course, she'd been for diplomatic reasons and not for pleasure but she hoped one day to be able to visit the United States solely for the fun of it; there were very few things that a queen got to do solely to entertain herself.

"It's a lively city. London seems...slower and less modern, by comparison, which is strange. London is a large city too."