Bellisserian Voice: It’s here! (almost)

From Avalon:

I’ve gotten so used to the Bellisseria Fifth Anniversary site, it feels funny to be here when there are lots of folk, but at the same time, it’s great to see so many out and enjoying the space, mopping up gifts, and soaking in all the beautiful spaces the Event Committee have created. The event officially opens tomorrow, 2 April, and I am chuffed!

I had a lovely cup of coffee at one of the many cafés spread throughout the event site, and I got to thinking.

You know that time of the year when you still have a bit of winter surrounding you, but the whole landscape is starting to open up into spring, and you can just feel summer is coming any day now? I love that feeling of anticipation, so I chose this lovely dress from A la Folie, because the floral print just made me happy. And of course, it’s one of the gifts available at the event, so you can wear it too if you like. I’m also wearing gift bangles from Earthstones and this lovely lighthouse pendant from Zuri. I struck gold and got a makeup session from Mallory Cowan of LAQ, who created this beautiful Susanna skin to go with her glorious new Elle UHD mesh head. It’s a different look for me, but I love it.

I decided to explore a smaller space this morning, and I found this beautiful Pride Garden, tucked away behind a restaurant.

And, wouldn’t you know it, I was surprised (well, a little!) when this beautiful Magpie landed on my arm. He announced that his name was Galdor, that this means in his language a poem or a song, and that he liked my shiny hair pin, then proceeded to attempt to take it from me. I was having none of this, so he grumbled at me a bit, said something in a rough Germanic-sounding language that did not strike me as complimentary, and then settled on to my arm, presumably for at least the next few hours.

“I will bring you drēam,” he said.

“Too early for dreams,” I replied. “You’ll not lull me to sleep and nick this lovely hair clip.”

He fluffed up his neck feathers and squawked at me as if I’d poked him with a sharp stick. “No, no, child,” he said. “Let me think. Drēam — joy, gladness. In the old language.”

I hmphed. “A dream is when you fall asleep and you see things and hear things. You know, a dream.” How many ways are there to explain what a dream is?

“Ah,” he said. “Your world has changed so much. This thing you describe is a mæting.”

I blinked. “A mating? No; that’s what happens when two magpies love each other very much…”

“Faugh.” That didn’t sound polite at all. “Drēam-cræft, the craft of joy, is the making of music,” he instructed. How does a bird about as big as my head sound like a university lecturer? “But I will attempt to use your words. You will still call me Galdor, though; I think if you called me ‘Song’, I would feel I needed to wear bells or some such. Or at least the need to sing constantly.”

I had a feeling I did not want to have a singing magpie at my ear all day, so I said, “Fine, but no nicking my hair clip.”

“Pity, pity; it’s so pretty,” he intoned. “Look at all these lovely flowers. So much colour.”

“Yes,” I replied. “It’s a Pride Garden.”

“As all should take pride in their gardens, I postulate that every garden is a Pride Garden.”

It was going to be a long day, especially if I chose to explain the term Pride Garden. I chose wisely and just Hmed. “You may be right.”

He chirruped. “Of course I’m right.” He cocked his head to the side, looked up at me, and winked. His eyes were rather green and glowy. “And I’m scyne, so you have to like me.” When he noticed my blank look, he sighed. Who knew magpies could sigh? “I’m beautiful. Pleasant to look at. Cute.”

“OK, I’ll grant you that,” I said. “Let’s go take a look at some other places, shall we?”

He reached his beak toward me and tugged at one of my pigtails. “I am your servant, of course.” I didn’t believe him for a second. “Or at least your messenger. Did you know, we corvids are all descended from Odin’s own ravens?”

“I did not know that,” I said. “But I’ve never had a conversation with a magpie before, so it would appear there is a lot I do not know.”

“She speaks the truth!” he squawked, loudly, and upset half a dozen insects with the sheer shrillness of his voice.

I wonder if there’s a shop here that sells earplugs.

“Here, let me give you a,” he made a sound that might have been a giggle, “bird’s eye view.” He flew up and—I have no idea how he did this—sent a picture both into my mind and into my iPhone’s camera. When he alighted back on my arm, he just said, “Don’t ask,” and I left it at that. But wouldn’t it be nice…

“Listen,” I said. “Do you think you could come and work with me while I’m covering this event? I need long-shot pictures like this! You’d be helping.”

He stared at my hair clip.

I groaned.

“Nothing comes for free, child.”

“Fine. You can have it at the end of the day.”

“And thus we have an oath,” he said. “And I see by your countenance and know by the spirit smell on you that you are a faerie of some sort or other, so there will be no reneging, yes?”

“Yes.”

We walked around for most of the rest of the day, with Galdor sending me images here and there.

He wouldn’t let me take the balloon ride, though. “Flying is for birds, not children,” he said, over and over again, ignoring my protestations that in fact I am not a child.

In the end, I was happy to have met a magpie called Galdor, which means song, and he did indeed bring me joy.

“Ooh, great sunset!” I exclaimed, even though I was tired. “We should call it a day, yeah?”

“The time between,” Galdor intoned. “Undern, when the spirits begin to rise. Yes; best to get to your nest before full dark: otherwise the svart alfar will come and eat you!”

I rolled my eyes. “I know some perfectly nice svart alfar, I’ll have you know.”

“According to our bargain,” he said, “shall we meet here again tomorrow as day breaks?”

“Sounds good.” I was sure I could find a chemist that sold earplugs before tomorrow.

He looked up at me with those big, green, glowy eyes again, cocked his head.

I sighed and handed him my hairclip. I’ve got five or six of these back in Fairystone Park; I wonder if they’ll do for payment every day ’til I run out.

The Anniversary Celebration opens officially tomorrow!

Here’s what’s on:

In A Nice List for your reading pleasure:

Tuesday, 2 April
- 10:00 am Event Opens! Woohoo!
- 11:00 am Singer Evee Blackstar
- 12:00 pm Singer Shantu Selene
Wednesday, 3 April
- 12:00 pm Crab Crawl Run —You don’t want to miss this—I hear there are actual crabs. (OK, I just made that part up….)
- 1:30–3:30 pm DJ Krys. Put on your dancing shoes (or hooves, or wings!)
Thursday, 4 April
- 2:00–4:00 pm DJ Matti. Still got those dancing shoes on?
Friday, 5 April
- 10:00 am Yukiko Bus Tour. Budget 3 hours for this, and remember to keep your complexity low (under 50K if possible), because you know what happens when there are crowds and region crossings!
- 11:00 am DRFS Ferry Shuttle Service: 2 hours, running from Whiskey Bay Pier at the Bellisseria Fairgrounds to the Lighthouse and a dock on Squishy Squid.
- 12:00–2:00 pm Farday Party!
- 5:00 pm Singer Essence Bilasimo
- 6:00 pm Singer Downunder
Saturday, 6 April
- 6:00 am Hanami in Bellisseria at Shobu. Cherry Blossom wonderfulness!
- 10:00 am–12:00 pm Helio Rally / Stamp Event. Get those passports out!
- 12:00 pm–2:00 pm Animal Sanctuary Party with DJ Hammie and VariHammy! Hold on to your snacks!
- 6:00 pm Hanami in Bellisseria at Shobu. Because some of you slept through the first round!

You can get your own copy of the calendar, plus a handy HUD, at the event calendar sign near the Fairgrounds entrance to the event, here.

Notes & Credits:

Items you can get for free at the Bellisseria 5th Anniversary celebration:

Avalon’s Super Flowery Dress: A la Folie, Veronique (in the gift area, of course)
Avalon’s Lovely Skin: LAQ, Susanna (Also in the gift area!)
Avalon’s Lighthouse Necklace: Zuri, Lighthouse Pendant Bellisseria (Gift area!)

Other Fancy Stuff:

Galdor was expertly portrayed by Quills & Curiosities’ Feathered Familiar
Hair: Wasabi, Sugoi
Head: LAQ, Era2 Elle
Eyeshadow: SlackGirl, LAQ Era2 HD Shadow 03
Glasses: E.Marie, Lori Glasses
Choker: RealEvil, Elara Collar
Nails: Cazimi, July 2023 VIP Nails (a group gift)
Tights: Evora, 7 Denier Sheer Ombre Tights, in Kiwi
Shoes: Ingenue, Nora Flats (FLF Edition Prints)
Ring: Yummy, Solitaire Ring, Emerald
Avalon was styled on a Maitreya LaraX Body and a LAQ Era2 Elle Mesh Head.

Environment:

All photos taken at the Bellisseria 5th Anniversary Event site; multiple creators are represented. There’s no way to fully appreciate this event without just going there and having a look around. There are four regions full of cool stuff to look at and experience, and I’ll show you more and more as the event carries on!