Escape From The Gingerbread Castle

"They really do! I went to school with at least four girls named Rose, three named Lily, and two or three named Daisy. And that's only the ones with repeats!"

 

"In my case I think my parents just decided that more was better," Maggie said thoughtfully. "Luckily Magnhilda is easy to shorten."

 

"People names got meanin' though. It's kind of like you say bark, but you mean Stagslayer or somethin' fancy like it. Papa got my name from Saint Barnabus. He was an apostle you know. Not one of the famous ones, but he did lots of work with Paul. Anyway, means something like Son of Consolation in a foreign tongue." Barnaby nods to himself, thinking out loud. "I think people name their babes for wishes. You want your little 'uns to be big, and strong, or graceful, or humble or somewhat, so that's what you name 'em, and hope they grow into it."

 

"I think I was just named after a poet," Cyprian says. "I don't know what my name means."

 

"S' latin!" Barnaby says, "It means 'from Cypress' and it was also a name of a saint. He was a 3rd century bishop martyred under Emporer Valerian." He smiles proudly, like a pup that just presented it's first kill.

 

"Oh." Cyprian feels kind of dumb for not knowing that, but Barnaby seems to know a lot about names and saints, so it's probably not common knowledge.

 

"So my mam wanted me to be Mother to All then?" she teases lightly, somehow unaware of the cosmic irony.

 

"Magnhilda comes from the words meaning strong and battle. So, pretty fitting I think," Maggie said. "Not sure about the rest of my names though."

 

Barnaby shrugs. "Maybe. I don't know your mother, you'd have to ask her."

"Oh that is fitting. You look like a tough sort!" Barnaby didn't know the half of it. He'd not witnessed how the Lady had dispatched a vampire, only heard about it after the fact. "Bet we'll give that ogre beastie a good thrashing!"

 

As the party works their way up the winding path it follows dips and curves around the steadily rising hills. As they crest the rise of one hill, Barnaby's head perks up for a moment and then he breaks out the biggest grin. "Oh, me brother's comin' to meet us! C'mon, this way!" Without pause or further warning he breaks into a sprint, charges down the other side of the slope, and around the curve of the path.

"Alphonse! Hey, look, I brought help! We're going to save the farm, look!" He yelps suddenly, and another voice joins him, stern and scolding.

"What did you think you were doing running off like that, Barnaby? Mother is worried sick! Way you go romping off without a care you're going to land yourself in a... devils. Belly." He trails off as the party catches up and comes into view. There's a much shorter man standing with a lantern in one hand and Barnaby's ear pinched in the other, which Barnaby has to stoop to accommodate. He gawks, casting a look left an right at the small crowd assembled before them then turns back to his larger brother. "This is your help?" He doesn't seem entirely enthusiastic.

 

"We heard you were having trouble with some creature," Cyprian offers.

 

"Hello!" Ambrose says, as he and Chance offer little waves.

 

"Good evening," Maggie said cheerfully.

 

This, Eva Rosemary O'Brien, is why your gran insisted on skirts and trousers at all times, yes even if it's just family, ye impertinent little snip! Now get out o' that stream!

Nothing for it, the only one broad enough for her to hide behind is the Princess, and she's already talking to Alphonse.

...Who's family to your pup and is allowed to rough-handle him a bit, you've done the same to your cousins when they scamper off, drop your hackles, girl.

Instead she plucks the hems of her shirt like a far, far too short skirt and bobs a neat curtsey. Some people won't never mind a bit of weirdness if it's polite weirdness, maybe she'll luck out.

"Fine evenin' to ye."

 

After fiddling nervously with the sleeve of his shirt for the briefest moment, Moth strides up to the cluster of greeters and extends a hand to Alphonse.
"Hi. You can call me Betty. When I call you, can I call you Al?"