17024/Oft the Unbidden Guest...

Oft the Unbidden Guest...
Date of Scene:	26 January 2024
Location:	Hammer Bay
Synopsis:	Olivia shows up abruptly on Queen Lorna's doorstep. Lorna lets her in to meet the family.
Cast of Characters:	Olivia Gaudin, Lorna Dane

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Olivia Gaudin has posed:
    Have you ever tried to talk yourself into a really great party without an invite? Olivia has. She is not quite a Hollywood A-lister, but as a broadway lead who got national exposure in America to promote the show's 20th anniversary, she is close enough to get into all sorts of places without an invite. Perhaps she just let that go to her head. Perhaps she just thought that surely they would recognize her and at least take a message. There are a lot of explanations. However, well, meeting security with little more than her passport has not exactly made it work.

    "Please, I know, I am not on any guest listt, and I am not a diplomat. It's just, well, if you could just let Her Majesty know that Olivia Gaudin is here, I'm sure she'd be happy to know."

    And he... does not seem to be buying it. Olivia is just persistent enough to keep it up, and not too persistent. He might throw her on her butt. It seems so far that her only saving grace is she is, well, rather unthreatening and yes, pretty. The guards are having none of her silliness, but she's not bad to look at.

    Olivia has to give up, though. She needs a new angle. She calls up her agent. He thinks she is joking when she tells him she just showed up in Genosha with no plan other than to meet Queen Lorna again. After he goes through the whole 'you had dinner with her?!' bit, he laughs and tells her, in essence, good luck. He at least is encouraging. He reminds her of how she fought her ass off to parlay some pretty amazing results in her Broadway try-outs.

    That is when it comes to her. She doesn't need to give up, she just needs a new angle. The guards are used to people trying to get the queen's attention for all sorts of reasons. Plus there is the whole threat to mutants in general. Olivia tries one major change right away. She does not cover up her blow hole. It didn't seem to bother the Queen last time. Who knows, maybe it makes her look cuter?

    She comes back to the gate then, and hours have passed. New guards are in place. This is where the play comes in. Her agent gets her a limo to bring her to the gate this time around. It just looks like it belongs. Rather than some odd girl showing up dragging a suitcase behind her. "Inform Her Majesty that Olivia Guadin is here," the driver says smoothly. Naturally there is no expected visit, which causes some issues. However, this time, at least, the request merits some looking into. A message will be relayed inside. Not straight to the queen, probably, but to someone who might be able to speak to this. Olivia's whole bet is that /they/ at least know about the previous meeting she had with Queen Lorna.

Lorna Dane has posed:
    After the first attempt at entry, Olivia might have started to give up hope to get in, and yet there was a plan in place for her to try again, and to be much less diplomatic about it and be much more diva about it. This is a tactic the Queensguard hasn't seen, but they are more than prepared for it. Lorna's assistant was informed thusly of the actress appearing on the island and attempting to knock on the front door.

    Lorna happens to be next to her assistant at the time the call comes through and looking over a stroller with three seats, the woman reaches over and practically yells into the microphone, "LET HER IN!"

    "You're allowed in ma'am." "Go through, go through." And a hand hewn from stone waves the car through into the iron gates. They let her through, but it wasn't on her own fame, it was absolutely Lorna being pent up and cooped up with three screaming infants and needing some adult time. Even if it's five minutes.

    The Queen is not allowed to open the door, that is the guards and assistants duties. Otherwise Raven would have them hung. Or worse. Diaper duty.

    Wearing a simple sun dress that hides much of her, Lorna is deeper in the castle but appearing much less formal than she did when they met. And she is holding one of her children on her hip because Marida wouldn't stop fussing. "Hello hello!" Lorna greets as she moves closer to Olivia. "What a surprise this is to have you stopping by!"

Olivia Gaudin has posed:
    Olivia will have to do something to remind herself of the importance of humility. She managed to get in after all! She is more relieved than cocky, though. Broadway fame is lovely and all, but it doesn't really open the same doors as Hollywood might.

    Olivia enters alone, but she comes bearing gifts. She has three little boxes carried in a color gift bag, and a dozen roses. Green roses. Genosha probably has a lot of them, but they just seemed to fit. Olivia is Elphaba, after all.

    "Your Majesty! Thank you so much. I apologize for simply showing up like this, but..." Her eyes settle on the baby, then. It's a problem with her.

    "Oh my goodness who is this angel?!" Her voice changes as she moves closer, "Just the prettiest little one in all the land, aren't you?" It would be embarrassing, but she's more mom than star at heart. She knows there are two more of those lovely children here, too, and she's eager to meet them all.

Lorna Dane has posed:
    "This is Marida." Lorna says with a kindly smile as she carefully takes her hand and moves it beneath Marida's head and starts to extend the infant towards Olivia to take. "She's a fighter and refuses to go to sleep." The Queen notes and hopes that explains where the other two are. "You'll meet them in time, but I don't want to wake them when they're finally down for a nap."

    The small person grunts and fusses as she's passed over to the blonde woman and Lorna then goes to take the roses and takes a soft smell of one. "I'd say something sassy and mean about the green roses, but they're quite beautiful and you're someone I don't want to push away." The green haired woman says as she motions for Olivia to follow her. "Come, I want to show you my stage."

Olivia Gaudin has posed:
    Olivia would squee in excitement over getting to hold the baby, but she doesn't want to wake anyone up! "Lady Marida, it is an honor to meet you," she coos gently. She holds the child to her shoulder with practiced ease. "You just want to enjoy this beautiful world more before you rest, don't you? Of course you do..."

    Olivia keeps up with Lorna, her attention dividing comfortably. "I thought they fit. I mean, when we met I was rather green, myself. Still, for all my practice, I can't pull off that color nearly as well as you do, Your Majesty."

Lorna Dane has posed:
    Lorna leads the way through the palace and it's a weird sort of maze it seems like. She keeps looking to her side to make sure Marida isn't throwing up on Olivia. "She always wants to stay up but she does drop like a brick when she does go to sleep." Lorna says as she stops in front of a pair of double doors and gives a smile towards Olivia.

    The doors are pulled open and a hall is open to the trio, a large throne room. "That's the chair." She says, showing off the throne that her father made before disappearing again. And slowly Lorna walks up with Olivia at her side and stands next to it as she looks out over the empty chamber. "I think your stage has better acustics though."

Olivia Gaudin has posed:
    Olivia has no fear of it. Her niece spit up on her so many times and she never minded that, either. She does fawn over the baby the whole time, though, babbling cutely and enjoying well, every second. Family is so central to her life.

    "That's quite a chair, Your Majesty," says Olivia. "Is it.. comfortable?" It's her first tentative step into the more deeply personal. Lorna is still 'Your Majesty', yes, but the performer just wonders if her guess is right. It seems like a very lonely seat.

Lorna Dane has posed:
    "You're the performer, you tell me." Lorna says, motioning and gesturing for Olivia to take a seat. "It's just a chair to me, it's more to my people. And yet to her... it's her future." Lorna says with a motion to Marida.

    "So, what brought you here? I know this isn't an easy trip to make from New York." Lorna asks of Olivia, a soft cant to her head as she asks.

Olivia Gaudin has posed:
    Olivia is torn. On one hand, that is the throne. She is definitely not supposed to sit there. On the other hand, the Queen just gestured for her to do so. This is one of those fun little paradoxes. But Olivia handles it all in the moment and quickly decides that royalty decides who sits on thrones, not tradition. So she sits.

    "It's very odd, isn't it? Sitting down here, above others, and they have no place to sit." She can feel the baby still a bit squirmy, and she pulls out the big guns to help the little one relax. She gently rubs her back and hums softly.

    At least for a time. The question is a good one, and the answer is simple enough. "I was concerned about Your Majesty, actually. You have so much work to do, and three beautiful little ones to dote over, as well. That means at least 36 hours of work a day. On an easy day. So I wanted to help. I imagine, Your Majesty, that you joining me for dinner gave me an elevated sense of self-importance. I hope you are not offended when I say that you looked like someone who might want a friend."

Lorna Dane has posed:
    "It's odd sitting there on purpose." Lorna says as she looks down and reaches to pat Marida on the back softly and stroke her small hair to the side of her head while she looks around the room from Olivia's arm. "I can't verify, but the story goes that my dad made it uncomfortable so that the person rulling the country would know some suffering during the time of leadership and would be more on even footing with the citizens of the land." Lorna says, rolling her eyes. "To me that sounds like some lame martydom bullshit." The queen then turns to face out to the empty room.

    "You, Wanted to help, me?" Lorna asks turning back to face Olivia with a raised eyebrow. "But you're a broadway star, you don't have all that much freetime as it is. So... really, you don't have an ulterior motive?"

Olivia Gaudin has posed:
    "I would think, as a leader, you would want to not be distracted by having a horribly sore butt," replies Olivia playfully. The bad language drops the need for formality in her book. She smiles up at Lorna, watching the woman touch the child. Something about motherhood is like magic to her. The way just a touch communicates peace, calm, and assurance. Her craving for it is obvious.

    "Of course I wanted to help you. At least whenever I can. With these fancing teleporters I'm able to get her very easily. You know, when I don't have to spend a whole morning trying to make-up for my complete lack of planning."

    She tilts her head at the mention of an ulterior motive. "Of -course- I have something I want for myself. I want to cuddle these little ones whenever you need a break!" She laughs softly. "I mean, look at this little angel. She's perfection! And my brother refuses to let me keep my niece, so I miss being around children terribly."

Lorna Dane has posed:
    "Sounds like you want something more... full time while having an excuse to get away from them when you need." Lorna says putting her hands on her hips, her dress swaying from the way she turns to face Olivia, "If I didn't know any better, I would guess you were trying to use me for my children."

    "I'll accept your help, but I will require at least one date a month." Lorna says with a sharp nod as she holds out her hand to help Olivia up off the throne. "And I'm going to change that chair. Some day." The queen says with a sigh, looking at it and then letting her eyes fall onto Marida as she's rested her head against Olivia's shoulder as she's finally surrendering to sleep.

Olivia Gaudin has posed:
    Olivia is rather surprised. When Lorna stands like that, she is the very model of royal pique. That it is all an act is just more impressive. She accepts the help up and looks, well, rather surprised by the entire matter.

    "I, well, wow. Yes?" She's not sure just who asked who out there, but it works! Olivia's voice is quieter now, of course. She can feel the child drifting off. In that moment, she feels so happy. It's so hard to explain, but it nearly brings her to tears each time.

    "Are you busy during their nap, Your Maj... hm." She looks confused. "...Lorna. I think you would prefer that now. I know I would."

Lorna Dane has posed:
    "Depends on who's standing where and the position of the sun." Lorna says, trying her best to sound a bit obtuse. "We'll have to work on our boundaries and our boundaries with the press. I don't want a big show or stink at the moment. But lets be quiet and careful for now and we'll see how it goes. So, mixed company Majesty is fine, but you can call me Lorna anytime. That works." The queen admits with a curt nod and a motion towards the door that she holds up. "Now I'll let you meet the others while you put her down like the ticking time bomb she is."

Olivia Gaudin has posed:
    Olivia grins as Lorna goes into the details of how this all works. "Always complications for you, aren't there? We'll see how I do, though. No pressure, Lorna. I figure if we relax and just have fun it'll be much better, right?"

    That voice stays soft. The baby needs her rest. And Olivia has to demonstrate that she's not bad with kids. She's the only member of the cast that ever babysits actual babies. Everyone thinks she's weird.