Euphemia "Effie" Hale

[thecompanioneffie]

isabella-aldwyn​:

It was a good thing that this girl seemed to take Bella’s scheme in stride. The thought only occurred to the brunette that she might have just caused strife after throwing this girl’s poor drink. Beside her, Nancy looked positively stricken with the spectacle Bella had conjured, even if their audience was few.  Bella peered down at her own drink, and though she was enjoying her own drink, she was curious as to what the popular ginger beer tasted of.  Not enough to purchase her own though. And then the most brilliant idea struck her. No, she shouldn’t entertain such a thought. But it was as if she didn’t heed her own warning.

The young lady sidled on beside the other girl, leaning into the girl’s space. “May I try yours?” She said in a low tone, knowing that what she asked was very unladylike but throwing courtesy to the wind amidst the celebrations. To share drinks, with a stranger at that! How unseemly. But there were too many foods and drinks she wanted to partake in at the Frost Fair, and limited stomach capacity. “Oh, my name is Isabella.” She added as an afterthought, as if now providing her identity made her request somehow more palpable. “Would you like a spiced apple in exchange? Nancy and I bought far too many for ourselves to indulge in.” 

Effie handed over her drink without a second thought, which immediately brought the attention of the woman that had been following Isabella around. Her companion, she supposed. Effie wondered if she was supposed to stare at the lady she was going to follow around with distain at everything that she did. Regardless of if she was, Effie knew in her heart that she would do nothing of the sort. She never understood the intricacies of society life, but she did notice that most of the people in it seemed to be in need of adventure. And she was more than happy to provide it, if only a little bit.

“Euphemia.” She said, returning the name exchanged. “But most people just call me Effie, if you prefer.” She turned to notice the companion staring but did her best to ignore them. “Sounds like a deal.”

[thecompanioneffie]

isabella-aldwyn​:

Bella rose a brow, evidently confused. “But you…” This girl was making that face again after picking up the gin, that made Bella wonder if she really was enjoying the drink. But still this girl insisted that she did. Oh. It took Bella a moment but it did occur to her that the Ton was exactly this – all front and polite etiquette. Then again, Bella had never seen this girl before, and she was well-acquainted with the majority of the Ton. Perhaps she was a local. Before Bella could roll back her instinct, she was overwhelmed with the urge to free this poor girl from her act. 

Bella suddenly stumbled forward, knocking the drink from the girl’s outstretched hand. Well, it was more so that she practically swatted it away. Its contents splashed onto the ice beside them, Bella brought a hand to her lips in intense concern, though she could not help smiling sidelong at the girl. “My apologies Miss! I am so sorry. I can be so clumsy at times.” Hurriedly, she turned to the vendor. “A ginger beer please. I must replace her drink at once.” Once again, she sent an apologetic glance at the girl who looked to be her age. “Please forgive my flimsy balance.”

Effie did her best not to burst into a fit of laughter when the girl shoved the drink from her grasp, sending it flying. The people around them didn’t seem to notice, although a few of them stepped away from the pair for fear of getting liquids poured on themselves. Effie couldn’t really blame them. She didn’t understand why this girl bothered to help Effie at all but she took it all in great stride, shrugging at the vendor as he looked at her with concern. She was sure that the vendor wondered if she was going to spill her drink again. As she was handed the drink, Effie made a point to take a sip to prove that she was more than capable of not spilling her drink again. This seemed to satisfy the vendor. It was only after this fact that Effie tasted the drink, taking another sip, and understanding that this one was far better than the last.

“Thank you, miss.” Effie mumbled. “You must try this drink, if you choose. Much better.” She did her best to stifle her laughter but could feel it bubbling up in her chest.

[thecompanioneffie]

stedfastasthou​:

If she hadn’t done her share of skating at Westhorpe with Charles steady and supportive at her side, Sophia might have been too unsteady to even risk the expanse of the ice set aside for skating. Even with those long winters of practice, she didn’t trust herself to keep up with the children, who zipped far far head of her, testing the patience and endurance of both the footman and their nanny. Content to go at a slower pace, she skated idly, watching the others in addition to her own and they all variably excelled or failed at the exercise so unfamiliar to the city.

    (There was one rather overpainted dandy who she thought was finding his stays and false calves particularly troublesome to his movement, but at least the padding on his hips would cushion him in his falls.)

A sudden force sent her skittering, arms pinwheeling for instinctive balance as she squealed before giving it up and falling with as much care as the could, catching herself on her warm, sturdy mittens that protected her hands. Better to fall with some control than cause any more damage, Charles had told her as he explained that learning to skate started with learning how to fall properly.

When she was fully stopped, she checked around her, turning to see who had collided with her. “Are you well?” she asked. An collision required two injured parties, after all.

The impact sent Effie trying to do anything to prevent herself from falling to the ground but it was pointless. Instead of risking falling into someone else, she instead decided to give up and fall, pushing her hands out to catch herself. People all around her tried their best to avoid the collision, none of them stopping to help, but instead reeling around Effie and whoever she had run into. It was then that Effie understood that the rink was far too crowded for accidents like this to be avoided. It was inevitable, really.

She heard a voice beside her and turned to notice who she had run into, who was now asking if Effie was alright. But all she could do was to nod, looking around at the various people continuing to skate. Effie decided to get up and balance back on her skates, before reaching a hand out to help the person she had knocked over.

“I’m so sorry, let me help you back up.”

[thecompanioneffie]

lady-ralston​:

It was only after having dragged her brother to the icetop zoo, gone ice skating, and wasted a good sum of coins on unfair fair games that Kitty decided it was perhaps finally time to slow down a little. With the adrenaline of moving around going away, the young Lady began to feel the Thames’ frigid air starting to make its way through the fingers of her gloves, luckily enough she was just right besides the food and drink stands. A cup of hot chocolate certainly sounded heavenly, maybe she’d even pair it with some gingerbread.

She approached one of the most crowded stalls. Father had always said that a good amount of costumers was faith of a good product, so it only made sense that whatever it was that the man behind the counter was selling would be worth trying. She had just made it to the front of the line, not even yet having opened her mouth to order anything from the vendor, when a cup was put in her hands. Distracted, Kitty was not really sure where it came from, other than it wasn’t given to her by the man selling the drinks. “What?,” she muttered. Turning her head in the general direction of where the cup had come from, she locked eyes with a young woman who seemed weirdly guilty. “ Pardon me, Miss, ” she smiled as she approached her. “ This wouldn’t happen to be yours, would it? ”

Effie jumped out of her skin when she realized that she had handed someone else the drink instead of what she meant to do by setting it down nearby. Embarrassed and unsure of what she should do, Effie turned towards the other woman and took far too long to answer. Instead, she just stood there staring at the woman and the drink that she obviously handed to her. 

“Uh--oh, right.” Effie muttered. “Sorry, I thought that you were a chair.”

As the words fell out of her mouth, she became aware of how rude that sounded. Who wants to be compared to a chair, of all things?

“I mean, not that you look like a chair. Or that I would like to sit on you. That sounds weird, I’m sorry. It’s gin, the drink. It’s supposed to go well with gingerbread, I think. At least that’s what the vendor told me. I didn’t know that it was gin when I tried it. Not very good, if you ask me. Which you didn’t! Oh god, I’m so sorry.”

All of the words spilled out of her mouth like a tidal wave, leaving Effie dumbfounded by her own lack of conversational skills.

[thecompanioneffie]

The smells of the various drink stalls and fuddling tents became too much for Effie to continue to ignore anymore. She simply had to go and explore what they had to offer. She was mostly interested in all of the sweets that the vendors were selling, and so she found herself venturing closer to the baked goods. Stall upon stall seemed to all have made gingerbread. It reminded Effie of her mother, who would bake gingerbread whenever it became cold enough outside to warrant it. Days spending helping her figure out the right equation to cook it, always messing it up, were what clogged Effie’s memories. And she made a point to forget about when her father would return home, to destroy it all. No, that is not what she wanted to remember about the smell of gingerbread wafting through the air.

She came up to the one of the stalls and asked for gingerbread, but the vendor seemed insistent on handing her something to drink. Despite how much she shook her head and said that she did not want it, the vendor did not seem to care. Instead of accepting her discouragement, the vendor handed her the drink and insisted that she try it. Effie, not wanting to cause an issue, took a sip. She pulled a sour face and shook her head–the drink was horrid! She had no idea what it was, but she didn’t like it. Looking around feverishly, she waited until the vendor wasn’t looking before she placed the drink somewhere inconspicuous–or at least, in her eyes it was. Hoping no one noticed, she looked around to see if anyone did.

[isabella-aldwyn]

“Nancy, I do believe it is time to stuff our faces with gingerbread and treacle. Perhaps I will buy several bundles for Kitty, Eira and Ambrose in case I see them.” Bella made a humming noise to her maid as they stepped behind a girl who was asking for gingerbread. “Then again, they would be cold and the treacle hardened. Then I will simply have to eat all the bundles if I do not find them!” The blonde maid groaned at the jump in logic from her mistress, eliciting a laugh from Bella. The insisting from the man running the vendor drew her attention, and Bella peered forward curiously seeing the man thrust a drink at the girl in front of her. From her expression, this girl did not like it. “Was it not good? I’ve wanted to try the gin from a gingerbread vendor for awhile now. I’ve heard it’s quite well-received.” Bella spoke up, especially after noticing the girl’s guilty look at placing the cup down.

Bella stepped forward and asked the vendor for the same drink. Taking a tiny sip, she found she quite liked it. The spices from the gingerbread made the gin much more palpable than any normal bourbon or whiskey. No doubt, the drink had a kick to it. A whiff of the heavy liquor burned her nose and the girl gave a small cough. “Not as bad as when I steal my brother’s flask. Men can walk around with whatever drinks they want but I swear they choose the most dastardly.” She leaned in to whisper conspiratorially. 

[thecompanioneffie]

"Oh!" Effie jumped at the sound of the girl who seemed to sneak up behind her. "I thought it was ginger ale!" She announced far too loudly, turning to nod at the woman as well as the vendor. She felt as though she had insulted the vendor, and perhaps the woman, possibly any passersby who had overheard the conversation.

"Really, I can assure you that I thought it was a different kind of drink, not that it is bad or anything. In fact, I think that I quite like it." She picked her cup back up and took a sip, trying to hide the fact that she obviously didn't like the taste of it at all.

"See? delicious." she looked towards everyone in a fit to get approval.

[thecompanioneffie]

The smells of the various drink stalls and fuddling tents became too much for Effie to continue to ignore anymore. She simply had to go and explore what they had to offer. She was mostly interested in all of the sweets that the vendors were selling, and so she found herself venturing closer to the baked goods. Stall upon stall seemed to all have made gingerbread. It reminded Effie of her mother, who would bake gingerbread whenever it became cold enough outside to warrant it. Days spending helping her figure out the right equation to cook it, always messing it up, were what clogged Effie’s memories. And she made a point to forget about when her father would return home, to destroy it all. No, that is not what she wanted to remember about the smell of gingerbread wafting through the air.

She came up to the one of the stalls and asked for gingerbread, but the vendor seemed insistent on handing her something to drink. Despite how much she shook her head and said that she did not want it, the vendor did not seem to care. Instead of accepting her discouragement, the vendor handed her the drink and insisted that she try it. Effie, not wanting to cause an issue, took a sip. She pulled a sour face and shook her head--the drink was horrid! She had no idea what it was, but she didn’t like it. Looking around feverishly, she waited until the vendor wasn’t looking before she placed the drink somewhere inconspicuous--or at least, in her eyes it was. Hoping no one noticed, she looked around to see if anyone did.

[thecompanioneffie]

@stedfastasthou​

Effie had gone ice skating before, as she liked to consider herself to be an outdoors kind of person. Well, at least, she enjoyed the outdoors: the nature part of it, being able to grow a seed into a plant. She liked to sit underneath a properly shaded tree as she read. She liked to close her eyes when the breeze hit just right, flowing through the nature surrounding her. 

The crowd part of the Frost Fair wasn’t her favorite, as she wasn’t the type of person who knew how to mingle or speak to people in general. She liked to keep mostly to herself, so when she had the chance to go off alone she took the opportunity to go ice skating. It was starting off fine. She was skating as well as she could, but then she threw all caution to the wind and tried to pick up the pace. 

This, of course, resulted in her slamming into another body, sending them stumbling to catch themselves on the ice.