Open Post: Who invented this calendar anyway?

[futaille]

How unfortunate.

Yes, Grantaire was fully aware that the year being longer at the mansion would logically cause seasons to drift when someone kept track of the old calendar, or at least what had been pinned down as the old calendar for convenience sake, which was almost necessary when people's arrivals weren't necessarily tied to the day they left. He hadn't given it too much thought last year, when his birthday, such that it was, arrived in spring like he was used to.

Dark, though, was unfortunate. Not inappropriate for the next notable anniversary coming up, but for this one, not at all. Of course, it wasn't as if he would have been planning much in the way of an event, Dark or no, but it would have been nice to treat himself to something or other, regardless.

Instead, he has installed himself in the game room, where he is carefully balancing dominoes on their ends to make a domino rally on the billiards table. It's a nice large flat surface, so it should work nicely. Have to keep entertained somehow.

Comments

[futaille]

"Ah, thank you! It seems we've taken to baking cake for the celebrant, like they do in Germany."

[sagramore]

"Yes, that's a long and storied tradition, actually. Would you like some of the cake? Sharing is traditional, too."

[scrap_collector]

"It seems traditional here in general," says Xie Lian. "I will take some cake, thank you."

[futaille]

"Excellent!" He grabs another plate and goes to cut a slice. "We experimented with a new cooking method for this one. There's another in the oven if this one doesn't work out, but it will take a while yet for that one to be ready, I think."

[sagramore]

"Possibly whole years," although when he checks the timer it is, in fact, only seventeen more minutes.

[scrap_collector]

"Years are not so long." Xie Lian accepts the cake. "Though I admit I've never tried cake cooked for them." He peers at it. "How was this one made?"

[futaille]

Grantaire points at the microwave. "The small fast electric oven. We thought it may be able to finish the cake more quickly than a regular one."

[sagramore]

"An experiment. There are half as many cherries as Etienne is years old, by the way."

[scrap_collector]

Xie Lian gives the microwave a bewildered glance, and decides he's better off counting cherries. "So young!"

[futaille]

"Slightly older than Sunny, but young enough, I suppose."

[sagramore]

"Practically an infant!"

[scrap_collector]

Xie Lian carefully avoids the subject of Sunny's length of afterlife in front of her adoptive father by taking a bite of the cake. It's rich, and flavored with something he is coming to know as chocolate, but there is also a bit of a vegetal note. The texture is not unlike the marvelous wobbly gelatin cakes he and Susan had so enjoyed at the wedding, if firmer and a bit grittier. "How lovely," he says, once he's swallowed. "What do you call it?"

[futaille]

Xie Lian's palate will never stop being fascinating. "We haven't actually come up with one yet. Do you have any suggestions?"

[sagramore]

"Oh, yes, we could absolutely use help. I don't find naming to be my strong suit."

[scrap_collector]

Xie Lian breaks off another bite of cake with his fingers and eats it thoughtfully.¹ "The herbaceous note makes it taste healthy," he says, "and the fruits. But the chocolate is quite decadent. Perhaps there is something to be made of that contrast." He nibbles on the super-heated skin of a cherry, the juice immediately staining his chin. "Vigorous Satisfaction Torte?"

¹ Someone probably handed him a fork. He is ignoring it.

[futaille]

"Vigorous satisfaction! I like that!"