Day One: Party!

[camphalf_blood]

[it's the summer solstice and a huge group of demigods safely made it to camp. This is clearly a good omen for things to come. The camp is alive with music and dancing. The satyrs are jamming on their lutes and the tree nymphs come out of the trees to dance. Everybody's invited!

The party will go on long into the night. It's all for you guys, so have a blast!]


[Mingle | Eat | Dance | Campfire ( go tag! and backtags on the tour post are still okay!)]

Comments

[atetheapple]

[She picks at her food, msotly for something to do. It's hard, dealing with this. She'd only had a week to get used to the idea of the concept at all. She'd been expecting to have to go with her daughter, to leave her husband behind and give birth in a strange world, and adapt, and make sure they could find everyone in 28 years.

A week wasn't enough to come to accept that she'd had to give her up, that in 28 years she'd see her for the second time, and she'd have grown up without them. Snow had no idea what she was supposed to say, that she was sorry? That she loved her? That she was happy to see her?

And then there were so many things she wanted to know. Did she have a good family? Was she loved? Had she been happy? Was she married? She wanted to know about Henry, and about what Emma thought of them.

But she had nowhere to start, and irrationally, it made her feel like a failure. What kind of mother didn't know how to connect with her own daughter, years between them or not?]

You're welcome. [So...That was a start. A little awkwardly] It must be strange, to suffer coming to two different worlds, in such a short time.

[changethings]

[ Emma is still trying to grapple with the living proof of all Henry's stories is sitting in front of her. She stabs at her food with a fork, trying to resist the urge to bite her lip.

What hell does she say? How the hell does she even believe this? Kidnapping magic castles is one thing. Snow White only existing but also being her mother is another all together. ]

Yeah it is.

[atetheapple]

[Well, maybe the best way is just to jump into it head first? She's been pretty good at that, and...

It's generally served her well. What's the worst thing that could happen? It was something they had to talk about]

So, I...I met Henry.

[changethings]

[ Emma stops, her entire body practically freezing for all intents and purposes, a moment later she looks up. Unsure. Stiff. ]

You did? [ She can almost imagine the conversation that was had. ]

[atetheapple]

Yeah.

He seems like...A really great kid. Very smart, too.

[changethings]

[ She smiles a little despite herself. ]

A little too smart if you ask some people.

[atetheapple]

I wouldn't be one of those people.

[She's pushing her plate off to the side, giving up the pretence of eating, and she slides her hand across the table, half way between them. She's so tempted to reach over and clasp her hand, to assure herself she's real]

I'm not- Good at taking my time with things. You're going to want yo- Charming's much better at it.

[Or a little more tactful, anyway] Henry told me you were my daughter.

[changethings]

[ Emma simply watches, keeping her own hands busy by idly stabbing at her food. ]

He did? [ She can't say she is surprised. He's not going to keep quiet about being apparently related to Snow White and Prince Charming.

She sighs glancing down at her food, it is becoming slowly unappetizing. ]

I can't tell you if he is right or not. [ No point in beat around the bush. ] I don't know who my parents are.

[atetheapple]

He didn't really have to, once I saw you.

[A small apologetic shrug. Not exactly the nicest thing to all but admit you thought your grandchild was just some poor, confused and scared child. Clinging to a fabricated story for some comfort]

You look an awful lot like your father.

[changethings]

[ She blinks, not entirely sure how to take that. Or how to react. ]

[atetheapple]

[That's okay, she's...Well, she can be patient in this, or she can try. She's not willing to let her daughter go a second time, and she's sure it's a lot to take in.

Still, it feels like waiting on pins and needles for whatever reaction she settles on]

[changethings]

[ It is a lot to take in, more than she thinks she can honestly stomach right about now. ]

I'm... [ Inhale. ] Sorry. [ For a lot of things she can't really express right now. ]

[atetheapple]

For what?

[If anything, shouldn't SHE be apologizing to YOU?]

[changethings]

[ Where the hell does she even start? ]

I don't... know if I can accept this. [ Inhale, yo can do it Emma. ] My whole life I thought my parents abandoned me, I thought they left me on the side of the road. And the people who kept saying differently was a ten year old kid and a writer who wanted me to believe in something I'm not even sure I can believe in.

[ Part of her feels like a terrible human being for saying this. It doesn't help the fact this woman looks exactly like her friend. ]

[atetheapple]

I'm....So sorry.

[It's a shock, in every way. She's not sure what she was expecting, that her daughter would have thought any differently. They hadn't penned a letter in preparation, because they'd thought Snow would accompany her. How was she to know that they'd had no choice? That they hadn't been able to select a home for her?

But...a road side, of all things]

It's not where we thought it would put you. If we'd known- [She cuts herself off, because terribly she can't even say that they'd have done differently. Emma deserved to be free from the curse. She needs more than this to know if it was a choice incorrectly made, a risk they shouldn't have taken]

[changethings]

[ The expression on this woman's face doesn't help the pit in her stomach, or the uncomfortable pressure sitting on her chest. ]

You were just trying to save me from the curse. [ Or so Henry said, over and over again. ]