Winterval -- "It's A Gift" at pulped_fictions

[shimotsuki]

Happy Winterval, roh_wyn! I wish I knew more about the Robin Hood and Merlin fandoms, but at least here's a little Downton Abbey and some Rufus-Wainwright-like music for you.

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Downton Abbey quote icons

(Since these are for roh_wyn, please don't snag any without permission from her! :) )

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Wainwright-inspired music mix

Here's a music mix of tracks that (I think are) somehow reminiscent of Rufus Wainwright (although I don't pretend to really know what I'm talking about, music-wise). Plus one peppy track for fun.

1. Nagabuchi Tsuyoshi -- Kosaten (Intersection)
   
   
   
   
2. Jennifer Warnes -- Famous Blue Raincoat
   
   
   
   
3. Capercaillie -- Skye Waulking Song
   
   
   
   
4. Nick Drake -- Way to Blue
   
   
   [credit to gilpin25 for introducing me to this one!]
   
   
5. October Project -- Ariel
   
   
   
   
6. Simon and Garfunkel -- April, Come She Will
   
   
   
   
7. KT Tunstall -- White Bird
   
   
   
   
8. Something a little more upbeat:
   The Hi-Lows -- Nichiyobi yori no shisha (Messenger from Sunday)
   
   
   
   
9. And, for a finale:
   Dire Straits -- Brothers in Arms
   

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Cooking Lessons
(300 words | G | Sybil, Mrs. Patmore, Daisy)

Sybil knocked politely on the doorjamb before poking her head in. “Hello, Mrs. Patmore.”

The riotous bustle of Downton Abbey’s kitchen, which looked like complete chaos but was really its own kind of clockwork, had fascinated Sybil since she was a very small child. But it had been made very, very clear to all three girls that, no matter how interesting it might look, or how wonderful it might smell, the kitchen was forbidden territory to the ladies of the house.

Which was why she had spoken to Carson first about her plan.

Now, at the sound of her voice, everything froze. For a long five seconds no one spoke or moved, until the spell was broken by O’Brien, passing through and muttering something under her breath that Sybil couldn’t quite make out.

Carson or no Carson, it seemed, things at Downton were not going to be so easy to change.

“Good afternoon, milady,” said Mrs. Patmore. She was holding a towel, and she twisted it between her hands. “Erm—won’t you put this apron on?” She nudged Daisy sharply, and the kitchen maid jumped, holding out an immaculate apron, stiffly starched.

“Thank you.” Sybil tied the apron around her waist and gave Mrs. Patmore a bright smile. “Thank you so much for helping me. I know you must be very busy.”

“Ah,” said Mrs. Patmore. “I’m glad to help.” But she looked at Sybil warily.

Sybil smiled back.

Daisy sent little darting glances from one to the other.

“I thought,” said Sybil, soldiering on, “that I would like to learn to make a cake.”

“A cake?” Daisy squeaked.

“That’s not the easiest to start with,” said Mrs. Patmore carefully.

Perhaps it wasn’t.

But Sybil was going to start somewhere.

~ fin ~
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Comments

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

I love that Carson icon, lol. I'd forgotten that line.

As for the drabble, you've captured perfectly how it's not just those above stairs who can make others feel awkward when out of their proper place and element. Sybil's determination is absolutely right, as is Daisy nervously watching the 'stand off' between her and Mrs. Patmore. My favourite is the line about O'Brien: she's muttering how she must immediately rush for a fag break and tell Thomas the shock cake baking news, right? ;)

Just what I need to read before the Christmas special. :)

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

I adore Carson in general, but that is one of my favorite scenes ever. He is so adorably ruffled!

And I'm glad you liked the drabble. :) Sybil's cake-baking sequence (and all the associated conversations and interactions) would have to be one of my top five favorite things from season 2.

Two more days to the special! I've already warned my parents that there will be Important Television, lol. (If only their sophisticated TV subscription had some kind of "ITV America" instead of BBC America --?)

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

Now I want to know all about why baking a cake was so hard in 1916, since I've always thought it's so easy to whip up a mix from a box, hehe.

This was a lovely drabble, though I apparently need a re-watch, too, because I can't think how this doesn't fit as a missing moment, LOL. I love Sybil's determination, and all your little glimpses into the other staff reactions are fun tidbits.

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

I imagine it's about temperature regulation? A wood or coal oven doesn't have a dial... (I have some old cookbooks from my grandmother that actually say "warm oven/hot oven" instead of giving a temperature.) I personally find it really hard to get the timing right myself, in that sweet spot between underdone and overdone, even with a dial. And a timer. Baking is a great mystery to me!

There is in fact a scene in the show were we see Sybil first approaching Mrs. Patmore about cooking lessons. I had totally forgotten that this happened on camera, alas.

But, thanks for reading, and I'm glad you liked this anyway!