Ella (kindwithcourage) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2017-12-25 22:53:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !log, ~2017 december, ~25 points, ~~ella (kindwithcourage), ~~violin (musicalassassin) |
WHO Ella & Violin
WHAT Random encounter
WHEN Before Christmas
WHERE In town
WARNINGS none really
STATUS closed | complete
Violin was out in town, exploring as she got used to things here. It wasn't unlike home,.Just less exciting in her eyes. It could be much worse, she could be trapped with the monsters. This was preferable.
She stuck a hand out and easily moved a man aside who almost walked into a young woman and a baby. He started to mutter things at her, but one sharply raised eyebrow sent him moving. Violin was scary when she wanted to be. However when she turned to the woman, she was all soft smiles.
“Are you and your child alright? He wasn't paying attention.” Her accent soft, her hair free today, she'd skipped the head scarf. She was tall, and had moved easily, now she looked utterly relaxed.
***
Ella didn't often leave her home with Maximilian without being accompanied by someone - usually of the male persuasion because that was how she'd been raised - so she always tried to be particularly careful when she was on her own. She didn't want to get in anyone's way after all. Unfortunately, she couldn't quite correct for someone else who was content to just walk into her.
Luckily, a woman was there to encourage him aside and Ella smiled appreciatively at the older woman. "We are quite alright, thank you. I was, perhaps, too far from my side of the sidewalk," she replied, always the one to take the blame first. Surely she just needed to be more aware of where she was going with the stroller.
***
Violin blinked. “I'm glad you're alright but it wasn't your fault.” Her eyes took the woman in, thoughtful. She knew women like her back home, blaming themselves instead of others when it wasn't their fault. It was people like Ella, Violin fought to protect.
“You were fine. He wasn't.” She smiled as warmly as possible. “Sorry. I'm Violin.” How did she say you look a little timid, do you need an escort? without sounding crazy. She was used to that, she grew up in the middle east, where women regularly needed male escorts. She knew that cautious look.
***
After being in Madison Valley for so long, Ella had learned not to argue too much. She believed what she believed and it was okay that it was different from what other people believed. There was no use in arguing, especially when she was the one displaced in time. Captain Rogers understood, but he had also adapted so well to this new time and she was trying to follow his lead in the matter.
"Your name is lovely!" she declared, having never heard of a name like that before for a person. It sounded like something out of one of her novels, truthfully, but Ella would never say as much. "My name is Ella, my lady, and this is Maximilian," she added, introducing both herself and her son. Max flailed his arms a little bit and it looked, to Ella at least, like he was waving at their new friend. That just made her smile more warmly.
"Are you headed in this direction?" she asked, gesturing to the way she'd been going. She certainly wouldn't mind the company and it showed in her expression, but she knew people these days were very busy and didn't often want to chat even after doing a good deed.
**
Violin actually smiled. “I don't think anyone's ever said that about my name before, thank you.” She was surprised, most people made a joke about musical instruments and laughed. Ella sounded serious, it was interesting.
“A pleasure to meet you Ella, Maximilian.” She grinned at the child, waving even though she knew he probably don't quite know what she was doing beyond paying him attention.
“In fact I am headed that way, I would be happy to walk with you if you don't mind.” She could read her face like a book, it was sweet and earnest. A certain naivete she'd not seen in awhile.
***
It didn't surprise her terribly to hear that people weren't so complementary to Ms Violin's name. People weren't very complementary these days to one another, much to her dismay. Ella had hoped to see more positivity in the world so many years in the future, but she did her part to bring it back in every interaction she had for herself.
"I would be honored to have your company, Ms Violin," she replied sincerely, happy to have made a new friend. "Have you been in Madison Valley for long?" Ella was more than happy to talk about herself or her son, but she would always ask her companion first because it was the polite thing to do.
***
Violin nodded, then with practised ease, took up the best protection spot while still giving Ella ease of conversation. The best vantage point was only shifted a little since she wanted to keep talking.
“Not terribly long, no. How about you, Miss Ella?” She returned courtesy with courtesy, even graced her with a warm smile. She was curious about how this woman survived here, but by the time they'd gone ten feet she'd figured no one could, intentionally, be really mean to her.
Ella was just that kind of person.
***
"I have been here for over a year and a half," she replied easily as she pushed Max's stroller. It would actually be two years in March, which was hard to believe. "Maximilian is only four months old now, though he seems to grow every night." Ella didn't want to miss a single moment of it so she was grateful for the opportunity to stay at home with him.
"It's lovely here, truthfully. I hope that you find it enjoyable." Ella wished that for everyone she met, even those who were native to Madison Valley, though it wasn't usually so well received by those who weren't refugees. Likely in part because of her status as a refugee herself. "There is such a strong community here, of all of us who are from other times and places."
***
“Wow, that’s quite some time!” she smiled warmly “They do that, grow overnight and surprise you when they begin walking.” she laughed softly, she had seen many children grow up, though under less pleasant circumstances. “I’m glad that you have that joy here.”
“It has been lovely so far, a nice break from the usual hustle and bustle of home.” she already was used to people being displeased at her arrival, for just being a refugee here, but she never let it bother her. She rarely fit in anywhere. “I have begun to see that, it is quite the effort that everyone has drawn together here.”
***
The way Ms Violin spoke of children, Ella thought she might have one of her own. “I do hope Maximilian takes his time walking. I do not wish him to grow too old for me too quickly,” she replied with a laugh. “Do you have children of your own?” Violin didn’t seem weighted down by sadness at the topic, so she hoped she wasn’t speaking out of turn.
“If you have not heard or seen for yourself already, there are usually gatherings for all refugees every month, sometimes multiple times depending on what is going on and how busy everyone is,” Ella offered. “I hope you’ll attend as your schedule allows!”
***
She shook her head gently, “No, but I’ve helped raise a few for family.” she smiled warmly, it wasn’t the entire truth - but it was close enough. “The old saying ‘it takes a village’ was apt at home, we minded the children of our sisters and aunts, so it was like having my own.” Violin kept her feelings on the matter bound tightly, no one needed to know exactly what the purpose of those children were and why her family was raising them instead.
“I don’t really have a schedule right now, hard to find work when most of this is so strange.” she gestured lightly out around them. Retail work? Coffee shop? She had never touched anything so mundane in her life, it was frustrating. “But I haven’t really - I should pay more attention to these gatherings, I am sure they would be good for me.”
***
"That's lovely!" Ella wished that her mother and father could see her son and help raise him, but she knew that she was lucky to have so many people by her side. "I know I am grateful for all who help me, so I am certain your contributions were well received." Sometimes, saying 'thank you' wasn't the highest priority so she tried to say it when she could.
"You will find something," she added earnestly. "Everyone here comes from many different walks of life." If her many friends could, her new friend could as well. "Well, Sergeant Barnes and Captain Rogers are hosting Christmas Eve and the invitation was made to all. We will be in attendance, perhaps you would like to join us?" Ella didn't want Violin to be alone for the holiday.
***
Violin smiled gently, “I know they were. It was an honor to help them, it was a joy.” Mostly, so what if raising them meant turning them into assassins just like her? Details. Right?
“I am sure. Thank you for your confidence.” She smiled warmly at the woman, every instinct wanting to keep her from harm. It amused Violin, that someone could be so earnest. She herself has lost that innocence a very long time ago. “That would be lovely, thank you Ella.”
***