“But… but how do you know it’s three days if there is no night?” Alfred was starting to get very confused, perhaps a little worried, depending on how you looked at it. Again, this was not how everything was supposed to work. The earth turned on its axis, a full 360°. Well, actually, it rotated a bit more than that because it’s also rotating around the sun, so in truth a mean solar day is 360.9856°, but it’s so small a difference that no one really notices it unless someone has an awesome space programs with awesome telescopes. Like Alfred. Cuz space and airplanes were in the same cool category, right in front of dinosaurs. That’s how it was supposed to work. Not, not Greek god type things!
Aengus chuckled. “Well, you’re down ‘ere long enough and you can just know, after a bit.”
Alfred felt a little boondoggled. Why was it, at one of the few times his knowledge would actually be useful, that the laws of physics suddenly broke? Why?
It’s alright, Adain said kindly for once. Alfred had almost given up hope that he would be liked by the little thing. Midir will get you a good watch if you wish one. Your, what are they called, battattery powered one won’t do too well down here with all the magic. Also, he can get you a shoulder guard so I don’t have to ride on your sack here anymore.
Yeah, thought Alfred back, determinedly not thinking too much of the dull pain in his shoulder. If he ignored it, it would go away. If he ignored it, it would go away! That’ll be good. How much longer til we get there?
Oh, I’d say we have about two leagues left to go. Aengus may have a shortcut though; he’s been here many a time. Adain answered. Stop for a moment.
Alfred came to a stop, and Adain fluttered off. Open your sack up. Alfred did so.
What is this about, exactly? Alfred thought to the dragon.
You’ll find out in a moment. Adain stuck his snout in, using his clawed wingtips to open the bag up further. Ah good, you’re at least a bit prepared. Then Adain climbed in fully and curled himself up in a tiny ball, no bigger that a cantaloupe, in Alfred’s sleeping bag. This is quite comfortable. Be sure to keep pace! You don’t want to lose Aengus. Cursed or not, he is occasionally useful. Then Adain went silent. All Alfred could hear were the soft breaths of sleep in that little corner of his mind that was now Adain’s microphone. The dragon had actually dozed off!
With a breathless laugh, Alfred zipped up the backpack, and hurried after Aengus, who was now a good twenty-five feet ahead. Hopefully he’d be able to get some sleep soon as well.
And here we are! Alfred has now reached Underhill! Yay! Note about the calculus, yes it is possible, I’ve done it.
The alternate name for this chapter (if they had names) is The Three A’s. I honestly didn’t know this would happen, but it did… This chapter was very much about establishing Adain though, more about Aengus in the next couple of chapters, because he’s actually much more interesting, taken from the Irish mythological cycle. Adain is, of course, the red dragon of Wales. All three of them have very large chips on their shoulders.
About the last chapter, the little thing about the Banshees is that there was one of them for each of the seven deadly sins, which is what they were whispering in Old Irish that Alfred couldn’t figure out. It went in Dante’s order, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. So just to line it up:
Lust - Alfred lusted a little after Arthur as a teenager, he considered it wrong at the time Gluttony - tried to take over Canada in 1812 Greed - Mexican American war Sloth - Slavery, inaction leading to the Civil War Wrath - Taking land repeatedly from the Native Americans, the generally horrific back and forth of atrocities on both sides. Envy - Envying Arthur's empire, resulting in jingoism Pride - Vietnam, continues through to WMD thing in Iraq
Also about these things: I picked ones that were controversial at the time, and presented them through the window of the time. Alfred feels very badly about slavery NOW, but given he felt much more guilt over the bloodloss and the keeping together AT THE TIME, that’s what I focused on.
Crowe 6f/?
Aengus chuckled. “Well, you’re down ‘ere long enough and you can just know, after a bit.”
Alfred felt a little boondoggled. Why was it, at one of the few times his knowledge would actually be useful, that the laws of physics suddenly broke? Why?
It’s alright, Adain said kindly for once. Alfred had almost given up hope that he would be liked by the little thing. Midir will get you a good watch if you wish one. Your, what are they called, battattery powered one won’t do too well down here with all the magic. Also, he can get you a shoulder guard so I don’t have to ride on your sack here anymore.
Yeah, thought Alfred back, determinedly not thinking too much of the dull pain in his shoulder. If he ignored it, it would go away. If he ignored it, it would go away! That’ll be good. How much longer til we get there?
Oh, I’d say we have about two leagues left to go. Aengus may have a shortcut though; he’s been here many a time. Adain answered. Stop for a moment.
Alfred came to a stop, and Adain fluttered off. Open your sack up. Alfred did so.
What is this about, exactly? Alfred thought to the dragon.
You’ll find out in a moment. Adain stuck his snout in, using his clawed wingtips to open the bag up further. Ah good, you’re at least a bit prepared. Then Adain climbed in fully and curled himself up in a tiny ball, no bigger that a cantaloupe, in Alfred’s sleeping bag. This is quite comfortable. Be sure to keep pace! You don’t want to lose Aengus. Cursed or not, he is occasionally useful. Then Adain went silent. All Alfred could hear were the soft breaths of sleep in that little corner of his mind that was now Adain’s microphone. The dragon had actually dozed off!
With a breathless laugh, Alfred zipped up the backpack, and hurried after Aengus, who was now a good twenty-five feet ahead. Hopefully he’d be able to get some sleep soon as well.
And here we are! Alfred has now reached Underhill! Yay! Note about the calculus, yes it is possible, I’ve done it.
The alternate name for this chapter (if they had names) is The Three A’s. I honestly didn’t know this would happen, but it did… This chapter was very much about establishing Adain though, more about Aengus in the next couple of chapters, because he’s actually much more interesting, taken from the Irish mythological cycle. Adain is, of course, the red dragon of Wales. All three of them have very large chips on their shoulders.
About the last chapter, the little thing about the Banshees is that there was one of them for each of the seven deadly sins, which is what they were whispering in Old Irish that Alfred couldn’t figure out. It went in Dante’s order, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. So just to line it up:
Lust - Alfred lusted a little after Arthur as a teenager, he considered it wrong at the time
Gluttony - tried to take over Canada in 1812
Greed - Mexican American war
Sloth - Slavery, inaction leading to the Civil War
Wrath - Taking land repeatedly from the Native Americans, the generally horrific back and forth of atrocities on both sides.
Envy - Envying Arthur's empire, resulting in jingoism
Pride - Vietnam, continues through to WMD thing in Iraq
Also about these things: I picked ones that were controversial at the time, and presented them through the window of the time. Alfred feels very badly about slavery NOW, but given he felt much more guilt over the bloodloss and the keeping together AT THE TIME, that’s what I focused on.
Comments are joy!