Adain thought for a moment. Well, if that’s true… I suppose it’s because it never actually entered my bloodstream. How potent is it?
“Enough to change one of my trees completely.” Ceorl broke in. “I’m not sure exactly what it did, but…”
“I want to see this!” Aengus said, standing up from the table, shoving his chair back.
Ceorl waved him off. “Later. You want to hear the rest of this.” Aengus sat back down, if a bit reluctantly.
“And then I found this sword in the nest too.” Alfred picked it up from next to him and hefted it onto the table. “Those Rocs made me lose my guns.” Alfred felt a pang in his chest, but it was distant. He was glad he could talk about Bess and Amy now.
Aengus and Adain bent over the sword with interest. Is this…? Adain started, but Ceorl interrupted.
“One of Wēland’s? I believe so.” Ceorl was ridiculously eager about all of this… “I wish I knew which one he is.”
“It’s a ‘e then?” Aengus asked, fingers ghosting above the hilt, but not exactly touching it.
“Oh yeah.” Alfred said, smiling widely. He knew all about the genders of inanimate objects. “Definitely a he. And I can actually use him now; I’ve spent most of my time here learning how.”
Aengus smiled broadly at him, and withdrew his hand. “Well then, that there explains a few things. But not ‘ow you got ‘ere.”
Alfred paused, hesitating. He didn’t exactly want to share how crazy everything had gotten when he finally had run out of food and water. “Well, I tried to get back to you guys, but there were these rock plateaus and this desert, and my supplies only lasted so long. So I started dying and stuff, and the snake poison wasn’t helping things, exactly, and then I woke up here.” Alfred shrugged at the end of it all.
Adain and Aengus shared a look that Alfred couldn’t decode. So you don’t know any more? Anything?
“No…” Alfred answered, not exactly sure what they were looking for.
“Right then.” Aengus stood up from the table. “I want a look at that tree, and then we best be going. ‘Ave to get as far as we can before –” Aengus quickly cut himself off. Alfred barely managed to restrain his curiosity.
It didn’t take that long, and soon Alfred was packed up with Adain and Aengus at the gate. Ceorl was fussing over him, and beaming over him like Alfred was graduating from kindergarten or high school or something. “Well, thanks for everything!” Alfred gave him a handshake which his turned into a hug.
Ceorl’s face was wistful a little. “Would that I could go with you. But you must not look back. Else you shall remain dead until I myself can leave.” What? This hadn’t been mentioned before… His startled look must’ve tipped Ceorl off. “Well, what did you expect? Magic like this always has a few rules.”
Adain’s semi-snide He’ll break them was ignored.
“You should come out somewhere near the dwarf mines. At least that’s where Maggie told me it was anyways.” Ceorl continued. “At least Seelie territory.”
“How exactly…?” Alfred asked before he could stop himself. How the heck had they gotten very far from the desert?
“If time can be fluid, how would space not also be?” Ceorl asked with a small smile.
Right, time and space, good old Einstein. Alfred was a little relieved that at least some universal constants or relationships remained at least a little constant here. Even as they were breaking them. He shook his head at himself. “Is money also fluid here?” He joked. “Time being money, after all.”
“I am… not sure of what you mean.” Ceorl said, a little puzzled.
Right, that had been Benjy Franklin. Waayyyy after Ceorl’s time. “Nevermind.”
Aengus took one last look around the garden, then looked to Ceorl. “She’s still trying you know.”
Ceorl’s face suddenly lost a lot of its joy, and had a very tired expression on it. “I know. I got the shirt.” What the heck was this about?
Have you told her you forgive her? Adain asked gently.
Crowe 13g/?
“Enough to change one of my trees completely.” Ceorl broke in. “I’m not sure exactly what it did, but…”
“I want to see this!” Aengus said, standing up from the table, shoving his chair back.
Ceorl waved him off. “Later. You want to hear the rest of this.” Aengus sat back down, if a bit reluctantly.
“And then I found this sword in the nest too.” Alfred picked it up from next to him and hefted it onto the table. “Those Rocs made me lose my guns.” Alfred felt a pang in his chest, but it was distant. He was glad he could talk about Bess and Amy now.
Aengus and Adain bent over the sword with interest. Is this…? Adain started, but Ceorl interrupted.
“One of Wēland’s? I believe so.” Ceorl was ridiculously eager about all of this… “I wish I knew which one he is.”
“It’s a ‘e then?” Aengus asked, fingers ghosting above the hilt, but not exactly touching it.
“Oh yeah.” Alfred said, smiling widely. He knew all about the genders of inanimate objects. “Definitely a he. And I can actually use him now; I’ve spent most of my time here learning how.”
Aengus smiled broadly at him, and withdrew his hand. “Well then, that there explains a few things. But not ‘ow you got ‘ere.”
Alfred paused, hesitating. He didn’t exactly want to share how crazy everything had gotten when he finally had run out of food and water. “Well, I tried to get back to you guys, but there were these rock plateaus and this desert, and my supplies only lasted so long. So I started dying and stuff, and the snake poison wasn’t helping things, exactly, and then I woke up here.” Alfred shrugged at the end of it all.
Adain and Aengus shared a look that Alfred couldn’t decode. So you don’t know any more? Anything?
“No…” Alfred answered, not exactly sure what they were looking for.
“Right then.” Aengus stood up from the table. “I want a look at that tree, and then we best be going. ‘Ave to get as far as we can before –” Aengus quickly cut himself off. Alfred barely managed to restrain his curiosity.
It didn’t take that long, and soon Alfred was packed up with Adain and Aengus at the gate. Ceorl was fussing over him, and beaming over him like Alfred was graduating from kindergarten or high school or something. “Well, thanks for everything!” Alfred gave him a handshake which his turned into a hug.
Ceorl’s face was wistful a little. “Would that I could go with you. But you must not look back. Else you shall remain dead until I myself can leave.” What? This hadn’t been mentioned before… His startled look must’ve tipped Ceorl off. “Well, what did you expect? Magic like this always has a few rules.”
Adain’s semi-snide He’ll break them was ignored.
“You should come out somewhere near the dwarf mines. At least that’s where Maggie told me it was anyways.” Ceorl continued. “At least Seelie territory.”
“How exactly…?” Alfred asked before he could stop himself. How the heck had they gotten very far from the desert?
“If time can be fluid, how would space not also be?” Ceorl asked with a small smile.
Right, time and space, good old Einstein. Alfred was a little relieved that at least some universal constants or relationships remained at least a little constant here. Even as they were breaking them. He shook his head at himself. “Is money also fluid here?” He joked. “Time being money, after all.”
“I am… not sure of what you mean.” Ceorl said, a little puzzled.
Right, that had been Benjy Franklin. Waayyyy after Ceorl’s time. “Nevermind.”
Aengus took one last look around the garden, then looked to Ceorl. “She’s still trying you know.”
Ceorl’s face suddenly lost a lot of its joy, and had a very tired expression on it. “I know. I got the shirt.” What the heck was this about?
Have you told her you forgive her? Adain asked gently.