The Ripple (11 Dec 2001) Alice and Agatha observe a disturbing phenomenon. Note: Mirari players other than Alice and Agatha should not read this log.

The sun was obscured by clouds when the party of soldiers, Captain Morrigan, the two girls she was escorting, and the two messengers they had rescued, finally arrived at the public house, and snowflakes dropped in flurries to add to the layer already on the ground. The snow increased through the night, turning to a blinding blizzard by the morning. For two days following it raged on, until the day finally dawned clear on the third. Snow mounded to the girth on the two Knightsteeds, tall as they were, and Alice, on foot, could not see above the blanket.

The sturdy tree men, however, were undeterred by the great drifts. Marching in a wedge before the party, they cleared a path, slowly but steadily, for the others to ride in the wake of. Captain Morrigan consulted map and compass often, to check their bearings and make sure they had not strayed from the road, hidden as it was by snow.

Lord Orin and his companion, Trahern, parted ways with the others when they left the pub. They were on a mission from Lady September, it seemed, and once the blizzard broke, they said they could tarry no longer. They both seemed much recovered from their ordeal. Every time Alice changed the dressing on Trahern's arm, she was surprised at how quickly the claw marks were healing. By the time they left, the marks had faded to faint pink lines. The swelling on Orin's forehead was no longer even noticeable, save for a faint blue bruise. Trwyth carried both of them away, and for all his burden, he seemed as playful as a colt, kicking up clouds of snow as his breast carved a path through it.

The House of Lord October
Great oak trees, their boughs carpeted in snow, still sporting leaves of red and yellow, line a path to the gates of the manor, and they shield the ground below from all but a light dusting of flakes. Beyond a wall of fitted stones, a vast mansion waits, wings spread on either flank. It looks large enough to house a small army, with pillars like trees reaching to support a roof like a bed of autumn leaves. A generous overhang shields the ground around the manor, whose walls are fashioned of carved stone, and large windows glazed with glass.

Leaves and snow combined crunch under foot as the party makes its way beneath the oak trees to the doorstep of the manor. Crows had borne the message of their delay; not only the time they spent snowed in at the public house, but traveling through the snow slowed their pace to half what it would have been in clear weather. As the sun hangs low on the horizon, they pass through the gates of the manse. Within, a blast of fanfare greets their ears, and they find that the estate has turned out to meet them. The path is cleared of all traces of snow, and the leaves that line it look like a welcoming carpet. Soldiers of all races wait to either side, including ten more women of Morrigan's race. By the door stands a man of similar feature, but taller than all the others. He has the face and form of a human, but a great rack of antlers adorns his forehead, and he wears a heavy chain of gold around his neck. His clothes are finely woven, but not ostentatious, and he waits, patiently, for the weary party to approach.

After the boredom of sitting out the storm and making the freezing trek through the snow, Agatha finds the large turnout more intimidating than any bugbear. The tall girl has to force herself to sit up straight on her mount so as not to appear as fatigued as she feels. "Is this the usual greeting that people get?" she whispers to Caradoc.

On the other hand Alice seems quite happy to meet the turnout, more exciting and friendly as they are than both snow and Captain Morrigan. She leans around the captain to wave to everyone pleasantly and tries say as many words of greeting to whoever looks her way as she can manage before passing on by.

Kuon trots along behind Alice faithfully. The past few days have been vexing for the greyhound, cooped up so that to get his exercise, he must practically trot over and between people's feet, so he wags his tail to be outside for a change.

Caradoc, himself, looks a tad nervous at the welcome. "Er ... yes, the usual sort. For Lords and Ladies on a formal visit," he whispers back.

The soldiers stand formally at attention as they pass, but some curious onlookers have gathered beyond the line of guards, lured by the spectacle and undeterred by the cold. They peek at the strangers, and smile and wave back to the cheerful blond child as she greets them.

Near the head of the procession, Captain Morrigan reins in her horse and dismounts, bowing low to her lord, then turns to lift the small blond child off Answer. She sets the girl gently on to her feet, making sure she is steady before the captain returns her attention to Lord October. She gives him another low, formal bow, and rising from it, says, "My Lord October, I bring before you the friends of Lady Sorceress Nymuae, brought by her to Mirari from a distant land."

The forhoove Agatha's riding twists around. "Think this is your cue, kid," Caradoc whispers to her, offering her a hand in dismounting him.

Agatha accepts the hand and dismounts, hiding her nervousness as she goes to join Morrigan and Alice. She makes a bow similar to the Captain's, but doesn't say anything yet, since her mouth has gone dry.

Alice curtsies low to the lord, bowing her head respectfully. "I thank you kindly for your invitation, and your welcome, Lord October!" she chimes in cheerily.

Lord October nods his head, his great antlers making the simple gesture sweeping. Morrigan turns to her two charges, introducing them in turn. "My lord, this little one wishes to be known only as Alice. And this," she says with a gesture to the bowing redhead, "is Agatha of Ainigton. My ladies, this is the Lord of October." Morrigan wrinkles her nose at Alice for greeting him before she got around to the introduction.

If Lord October noticed the slip, he makes no sign of it. "You are both most welcome to my lands and mansion." His voice is deep and pleasant as he speaks. "And I thank you for accepting my invitation. Let us not stand on formality. I am sure you are both tired, as well as cold, from your long journey, and accordingly, you will forgive me if we exchange no more pleasantries out here in the elements." He gestures, and the great doors behind him swing open. The antlered man stands aside to let his guests enter before him.

Relieved at not having to address the crowd, Agatha strides ahead eagerly to escape the cold.

Alice makes another curtsey, then happily walks on inside, oblivious to any possible breach of etiquette.

Once inside, the girls have little opportunity for continued conversation with their host. Servants promptly swarm upon them, taking scarves, cloaks, boots, gloves and other outerwear from the girls with scarcely a moment to allow them to protest, much less stop them. A kindly-faced older woman offers them steaming mugs of sweet cocoa while they're still in the hallway, and then they are bundled off to adjoining suites in the East wing. Somewhere in all this, Agatha is pretty sure she caught Lord October saying that he would meet with them again at supper, if they were not too tired to come down, but for now he would leave them to rest.

Autumn Suite
The rooms of House October are a good deal more normal than Nymuae's curious Spire. This suite has a dressing room -- a closet so big Agatha's attic would fit inside it -- a front room that must be a sort of parlor, with couches and chairs, and a bedroom. Everything is spacious and well-maintained, with fires blazing merrily in every hearth. The colors are reds and browns, with golden accents, and the overall effect is warm and comforting, especially after the harsh winter outside.

A few minutes after Agatha finally manages to get the last of the "helpful" servants out of her room -- but not before they divested her of her traveling clothes, bundled her into fresh garments and a warmed robe, and installed a platterful of hot pastries and a pot of cocoa on her coffee table -- a knock comes at the door.

"I hope they don't want to give me a manicure now," Agatha sighs as she goes to open the door. "Hello?"

The knocks keep coming. "Agatha? Are you in there? Agatha, you truly must see this place! Oh, Agatha, please open up," Alice calls from the other side of the door, and then knocks some more.

Agatha pulls open the ornate door. "What is it, Alice?"

Alice stands outside the door clutching her hot drink to her chest with both hands like a dear friend. "Oh Agatha! Come out and see the manor, oh please, the Lady Sorceress said I should mind you and I could not stand to simply sit about because I want to go see it and I'm supposed to go with you," she explains.

Kuon snuffles at the pastries, hoping that someone will notice his interest and toss one to him.

Oh dear, Agatha thinks. "Well," she says, "aren't you the least bit tired after riding all day? And we can't just wander around; we'd get lost."

"Oh," says Alice, as she pauses to think on that, "but, oh I shall never get to sleep if we ... we ... tarry around here. Mayhaps you and I can be dressed and look around for just a little while? Oh please, Agatha?"

"Let me freshen up a bit first," Agatha says, giving in. "Maybe an hour? I want to relax and take a bath first. And you should think about what areas you'd like to see, so we can at least ask directions."

"Okay!" agrees Alice excitedly. And just like that she's off down the hallway back to her room, robe trailing behind her. And just when she moves out of sight Agatha can hear the call of, "Come Kuon! I'll get you something to eat!"

The redhead did allow a bath to be drawn for her, and the hot water was still steaming when she went to check the door. It was difficult persuading the servants that they didn't need to stay to help her bathe.

"Don't feed him a lot of pastries!" Agatha calls after the girl, then closes the door and sits in front of the fire to finish her chocolate. "Did I ever have that much energy?" she asks out loud.

Much happy barking occurs behind the door, muffled.

About an hour later, Alice retrieves a warm and rested Agatha from her room. By now, both girls have had the chance to change into more presentable clothing than the robes and shifts the servants foisted on them. Clad in the spare garments provided by Lady Nymuae, they stand in the hallway, with only two things left to decide: which way to go, and what to look for.

"Well, what did you want to see, Alice?" Agatha asks, leaning against a wall and grinning at Kuon. At least with the dog, we should be able to find our way back.

Alice counts off on her fingers. "Well, I would like to meet maybe with one of Lord October handmaidens because maybe they would know how I should act and be prin- ... " She covers her mouth suddenly, looks around, and smiles sheepishly. " ... act better and maybe we could go ask what Lord Explorer Tommy read and then or before that we could talk to someone about the ways of glamours because the Lady Sorceress says I need to and I also want to meet a healer which Lady Sorceress Nymuae said I should and ... " The list continues and extends well beyond what Alice's digits can manage, so she counts over on them again. She keeps inventing new objectives as she goes, such as seeing the trees, talking to the horses, and so forth, and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.

"I'm not sure if Thomas has ever been here," Agatha says once Alice takes a breath. "He visited House December."

"Oh!" says Alice. "Okay."

"As for the rest," Agatha continues, "err ... meeting a handmaiden is probably a good idea to start. I assume you want one other than Morrigan though?"

Alice wrinkles her nose at the idea of asking Morrigan. "Nay, Captain Morrigan would not help me. But maybe another would?"

The two were given rooms on the third and top floor of the east wing, though the main section of the house rises at least two floors higher, judging from the facade. The layout of this hallway suggests more suites are on this floor, but all the doors to them are closed. A stairwell on their right leads to the other two floors of the east wing, and that's how they got there. On the first floor, Agatha remembers walking through a couple of different hallways, including a furnished Hall where other people milled and glanced curiously at them, and past many other doors and some branching corridors. The house is huge.

Agatha nods. "Well ... I don't know where to find any, though. I guess we just need to find a servant and ask who would be best to talk to. We can try the big hall downstairs. Plenty of people there ... maybe court members," she suggests.

Alice nods approvingly, then looks down at Kuon. "Kuon, shall we sally forth and go find someone?"

Kuon barks in the affirmative, then gives Alice and Agatha a questioning look as if to wonder who they want to find.

"Someone close to the court, that can fill us in on how to act without playing any political games with us, preferably," Agatha explains to the greyhound, though at the same time, Alice says, "A handmaiden, Kuon -- one who knows courtly things!"

With Kuon's aid, the two girls manage to find their way back to the Hall. It's definitely a Hall with a capital H, and the two can't help thinking that an entire Ainigton house could fit inside it with room for a yard and cupola. The chamber has a fountain as its centerpiece, and flowers growing in troughs around it. Placed along the walls are trees, red and gold, in perpetual autumn. A few people mill about, enjoying the scene, though no handmaidens. Agatha spots Caradoc in one corner, talking to a lady forhoove who's trying to water the trees, despite giggling at her companion's comments.

Agatha leans down to whisper to Kuon, "Does anyone here smell like they've been in contact with Lord October recently?"

The greyhound whurfs curiously up to Agatha, then trots around the courtyard to see what can be smelled.

"Oh, isn't it beautiful, Agatha?" Alice gushes as she turns around to view the entirety of the hall. The rustle of the girl's gown swishing as she stops from gazing about can be heard quietly even as she adds, "If the Houses are like this then I want to visit all of them someday."

"Well, maybe after Year's End is dealt with and things get back to normal," Agatha says, and watches Caradoc. She doesn't want to interrupt him while he's socializing, but doesn't know anyone else in the Hall.

Somewhere on the far end of the garden, the greyhound barks and noses at something curiously, next to one of the flower troughs.

"Let's see what Kuon's found," Agatha says to Alice, and makes her way towards the dog.

A tree wife rustles up to Alice, her head crowned by red and brown leaves. "Oh! Good evening, my lady!" she says, looking anxious. "Did you need anything? Was something missing from your room? Did no one show you how to work the bell pulls?"

Alice blinks, then looks around and up to the tree woman. She seems disoriented for a moment, searching to find out just who is speaking to her, then, realizing that it is the tree that is speaking to her, she shakes her head, smiling. "No, everything is just wonderful, miss," she answers with a nod, "but oh, I was simply loathe to rest when there was so much to see! It's all very exciting."

The tree woman smiles at her. "What a sweet child you are," she says, kindly. "Are you sure there's nothing I can get for you? You know his lordship has extended you every hospitality -- if there's anything you need, just ask!"

"Oh well, I was wondering if maybe ... " The little girl's smile wavers and she looks faintly embarrassed. "Maybe I could speak with one of Lord October's handmaidens? I would be ever so pleased to learn court manners, and I am ever so sure they know them so very well!"

"Oh," the tree wife says, blinking. "His handmaidens? Yes, several are well-versed in court matters. They're busy folk, naturally; many important things to look after. But ... mmmm ... " She looks thoughtful. "Perhaps Lady Galiene ...." She gives half a curtsey to Alice -- the tree folk don't seem well suited to bending at the middle -- and says, "I will make some inquiries on your behalf, Miss Alice. Is there aught else?"

Kuon appears absorbed in snuffling at the corner of one of the flower troughs, nosing at the dirt and pawing at the side of the box. It looks like an ordinary stone container with black dirt and flowers growing out of it to Agatha, however.

The greyhound wags and looks up at Agatha brightly.

Agatha crouches down next to Kuon, and looks at the ... dirt. "What did you find? Nothing dangerous I hope."

Kuon lolls his tongue and snuffles at the dirt some more, then abruptly looks abashed and takes on a "bad dog" cringing look as he realizes he's been -- or so it seems to Agatha -- entirely too distracted. He hurries on to cross more of the courtyard.

Agatha blinks at this. She's never owned a dog, but has seen plenty of them around town. "Oh ... there must be other dogs that come by here," she reasons quietly, and stands up again, then walks back towards Alice and the tree-woman. Along the way, she checks to see if Caradoc is still occupied.

"I have so many questions," answers Alice, nodding. She holds up a hand and begins counting, and nods again. "I would be ever so grateful to speak with a historian, I would like to ask about glamours, I would be pleased to speak with a healer, and ... " She tilts her head thoughtfully, blinks a few times, then adds, "Oh yes! And I have been looking for the words to a song."

As the tree wife listens to her, nodding her head to the list of enumerations, Alice notices an oddity to her movements -- then she realizes, it's not the tree wife. It's the room. Or -- everything. Agatha sees the same effect. It's as if the world were painted on a piece of fabric, and now that fabric is rippling in a stiff breeze. The people, the hall, the roof, the plants, everything wavers.

Alice draws back from the tree wife and she screws up her face as the world seems to wrinkle in front of her. When she turns to look away and finds that she cannot escape the effect, she clasps her hands to her chest in a startled look and gives a cry, "Kuon! Something is wrong!"

Agatha freezes in mid-step, and gapes at the phenomenon, immediately suspecting some sort of glamour or illusion.

The tree wife blinks at Alice, her motion exaggerated by the ripple through her face. "Sweet child, what's the matter?" she asks, looking anxious.

Kuon's barkings seem to come from a great distance away. A couple of people glance at Alice, looking puzzled. Out of the corner of her eye, Agatha sees a young man, looking human save for the leaves that crown his head, widen his eyes in alarm, or perhaps horror. Then, the rippling fades to nothing. The greyhound's barkings snap back to close quarters, as he rushes toward Alice to see what is wrong. It doesn't appear that he's noticed anything out of the ordinary -- and everyone else in the room likewise seems to be continuing their conversations as if nothing had happened, apart from the curious glances to Alice.

Rather than looking at Alice, Agatha looks at the leaf-headed boy. He sure acted like he saw what was happening, she thinks, and walks towards him.

The young man is shaking his head, staring at nothingness, eyes unfocused. He lifts a hand to wipe at his right eye, a great sadness passing over his face.

Alice untwines a hand and reaches up to place it on her forehead. She looks slightly ill from having started at the distortion, and she rests her free hand on Kuon's back to steady herself. "Kuon, did you see that? Everything went wobbly like ... when it was windy on the lake and you look at your reflection," she tells him quietly, her tone shaky and obviously disturbed.

"Excuse me," Agatha says to the young man, "but did you just see the world ... ripple?"

He turns to look at her, the leaves of his head rippling. He has a nice face, brown-skinned, with round features. A tear glitters in the corner of his right eye. He blinks at her a few times. "E -- excuse me," he says. "There's something -- " His expression becomes confused, as if he's trying desperately to concentrate on something, but he's not sure what.

The greyhound looks about, and then back up at Alice curiously as if to say, See what?

Alice straightens with some support from Kuon. Casting a look around, as if searching for something, she elaborates, "Kuon, Miss, I do think I saw something most frightening. The very world rippled, like wind to water. I am very sorry for acting so, Miss, but please believe me, something was dearly wrong."

"The world ... rippled?" The tree wife looks more confused. She reaches out to lay a hand against Alice's forehead. "You don't feel feverish -- perhaps it's the strain of such a long ride as you've had," she says, reminding Alice of her mother.

Alice does not resist the comforting, and in fact the gentle manner of the tree wife seems to ease her. Again she smiles, though it is a vestigial reflection of the smile she wore before the event. "Oh no, Miss ..." She looks up, and from what the tree woman can see of her eyes passed her hand the girl looks at her intently and almost pleading. "... something well and truly happened. To be sure. Please, you must believe me."

"Of course it did, sweet girl." The tree wife pats Alice on the shoulder. "We'll just take you off to the infirmary, shall we? Let the healer have a look at you. Didn't you say you wanted to speak with a healer anyway?"

Alice just nods slowly, offering a weak and uncertain "Okay" to the idea. She then reaches to the bag she always carries around and draws out her favorite red-maned unicorn doll and wraps her hands around him in a tight hug. "Kuon, can you tell Agatha I'm going to the healer?"

Kuon barks in the affirmative to Alice, then licks her hand as if to assure her that all will be well. He begins to trot across the courtyard to Agatha.

After a quick look to see that Alice isn't in any trouble, Agatha turns her attention back on the young man -- A young tree-man maybe? she hypothesizes, and then prompts him, "Something you remember?"

The leafy man nods, biting his lip and squeezing his eyes shut. "Something important -- " He clenches his hands into fists, as if trying to will himself to focus.

Agatha puts her hand on the man's shoulder. "Was it another world, maybe? Another life?"

"Another life," the man says, emphasizing the word. "Yes. He was a friend ... " He covers his face with his hands for a moment. When he lets them drop, the focus on his face is gone, though he still seems oddly sad. "What -- what was I saying?" he asks Agatha.

"You said he was a friend," Agatha says, smiling and trying to look friendly. "From another life, maybe. I'm Agatha, by the way. I'm visiting from another world."

"Who was a friend?" The young man looks blank. He sticks out a hand to Agatha, belated and awkward. "I'm sorry. I'm Teirtu, and I'm not usually this rude and scatter-brained. You're the Lord's guest. I remember, I saw you when they all went out to greet your arrival. You must be terribly important."

"I don't know about 'important' yet," Agatha says, shaking the man's hand. "Did you just see the world sort of distort, though? I know my friend and I saw it, but I'm not sure if anyone from Mirari noticed it at all."

"The world -- ?" Teirtu shakes his head and shrugs. "I'm sorry. I didn't notice anything like that. I had this odd feeling for a moment, though ... " He rubs his fingertips against his brow, and shakes his head again. Meanwhile, the tree wife servant escorts Alice out of the Hall, down one of the main corridors.

Kuon barks in an attempt to get Agatha's attention.

Agatha blinks and looks down at Kuon. "What is it? Did you notice any weirdness?"

Kuon points his nose toward where Alice was standing.

"Oh ... as if I'd ... suddenly lost a friend," the young man says. He looks sheepish. "Isn't that odd?" He watches the dog's antics carefully, as if welcoming the distraction.

It takes a moment for Agatha to register that the tree-woman and Alice are gone. "Where'd Alice go?!" she blurts.

Kuon glances up at Teirtu, and then decides on leading Agatha away from him and toward the arch where Alice was taken away.

"I've got to go, but I'd like to talk to you some more later, Teirtu," Agatha tells the man. "Will you be at dinner?"

"I'll be around," the young man assures her, "though I'm no one important, not like you. I hope your friend is all right!" He waves farewell as the greyhound leads her off.

A little while later, Kuon and Agatha find their young blonde companion, safely ensconced on a couch in a room filled by the scent of herbs. A slender, ageless man with light skin and blonde hair is asking her about her stuffed Mel doll, to which she is replying in typically enthusiastic Alice fashion. While she talks, he is measuring a quantity of some oil out into a glass, while a kettle steams over the fire.

"Alice!" Agatha says as she comes upon the pair. "You haven't taken any medicine, have you?" she asks with concern.

"He's my best friend along with Agatha and Tommy and Simon and Elinor and Kuon and Dest-" The little blonde girl's explanation of the many virtues of Lord Mel is broken off by Agatha's arrival, and Alice gives her friends a big wave. "Oh no, not yet Agatha. I was feeling a trifle unsteady and the miss said I should come here. Are you okay, too?"

"Not yet," the healer with the oils assures Agatha. He lifts one eyebrow in concern. "You do not have any bad reactions to medicines, do you?" he asks the little girl.

Agatha blinks. "What? I'm fine, just a little shaken up by that ... whatever it was," the older girl says. "I have a bad feeling about it."

The little girl shakes her head energetically. "No! Sir, I do not. My mother doesn't think so anyway. She's a healer too." The girl smiles and reaches over to dig through her bag. "And I as well! I treated Lord Orin on the road and he was very happy. Oh, and daddy gave me Lord Mel." She holds the doll up again.

The healer glances between the two girls, and he sets the glass he was measuring with down, walking to Alice's side to take a seat on a stool beside her couch. He gestures to an empty chair for Agatha. "Did you have the same kind of dizzy spell?" he asks the redhead, concerned. He gives a smile and an encouraging nod to Alice.

Agatha sits down in the offered seat. "Dizzy spell? I wouldn't characterize it as that. I didn't feel any physical effect from it."

"My apologies," the healer offers. "Would you please describe what you felt for me?"

"I saw the world sort of go ... flat. Like a picture," Agatha says. "And it rippled like cloth in a breeze."

Alice lets her bag alone for the moment, instead opting to settle hands folded over the doll that now rests in her lap. "Truly, I saw the same. T'was like water to wind!" she says in support of Agatha's own explanation.

The blond man nods, his expression serious and troubled. "That is what your friend described, as well. I thought perhaps she was merely over-tired, but now ... " He shakes his head. "I would that Lady Raven were returned. I think this riddle needs a seer, not a healer. Do you both feel well now?"

"Lady Raven? There's really a Lady Raven that's a seer?" Agatha asks in surprise. "Do you know a man named Teirtu, with leaves for hair? Does he have any special sensitivity to things?"

"Oh I am quite well now, sir, thank you!" answers the little blonde girl. She's smiling again much how she had been before the trouble started. She seems content to look between the two people speaking until her eyes stop on the healer and she asks, "Sir? Please forgive any rudeness, but you look so very familiar. Is House October your House?"

"Teirtu?" The man scratches his head. "I think I've met him, once or twice. He's one of the villagers who came seeking shelter during the winter, is he not? I don't know that I've ever heard anyone say he might have any gifts of sight or magic." He turns and smiles at Alice. "Yes, my young friend, it is, but I was not born to it, as you might guess. I wed a lady of House October, and she enticed me to serve her lord," he says, good humor in his voice. "I was born of House April, as, I imagine, were you." He lightly touches her nose to emphasize the point.

Agatha hmms. "When the ... event ... happened, he said he felt that he'd just lost a friend. He's the only person I noticed reacting to it," she explains.

"There was a third?" The healer's worry deepens, frowning. "Definitely a matter for a seer. If only ... " He shakes his head, then stands to pull on a cord by the door. A moment later, when a servant arrives, he dispatches her to look for Teirtu.

Alice giggles at the touching of her nose, and she nods, then smiles up at the man and watches him as if he were the best thing since cake. "Oh! I am so very happy to meet you then! If at all possible, sir, could I burden you with so many questions about House April?" Her smile fades as she pauses, but it picks up again immediately. "I do believe that I had been separated from House April, and I know not much though I would truly like to know more."

"I hope this wasn't an attack of some sort," Agatha says, crossing her arms across her chest.

The healer turns back to nod at Alice. "I'll be happy to tell you whatever I know," he answers. "An attack? Here?" He gives a bewildered look to Agatha.

At that moment, a rap comes at the door, and it swings open. "Healer Newlyn?" calls a deep voice, and the Lord of October steps into the room, ducking his head to keep his antlers from scraping against the top of the high archway.

"My lord!" The blond man turns back to the door way, starting to bow, but the Lord of October waves the gesture off.

"Please, be at ease, Newlyn," Lord October says. "Are my guests well?" His dark brown eyes turn to study Agatha, then Alice, in turn.

Agatha stands up and bows to the Lord of October. "We are fine, Lord. Just puzzled from a disturbance we felt."

Alice seems about to ask the blonde man a question but the entrance of Lord October silences her. She too rises to curtsey, though the wave stops her as well leaving her to look up, far up, at the antler-headed man while holding her doll in her hands.

After a moment, once the little girl seems to recover from the suddenness of the Lord's appearance she inclines her head and answers, "I fare well, m'lord! Healer Newlyn has been very nice to me, and he was so very kind to indulge my questions too."

Lord October's eye is caught by the doll, and he smiles. "A good choice of guardians, Alice. I am glad that you are well," he tells her. After the moment of distraction, he turns back to Agatha. "I believe I heard the word attack mentioned?"

The doll is lifted to the lord can get a better look at it. "Lord Mel has always been the very best of protectors," she says, then quickly adds, "as are Kuon and Agatha!"

Kuon wags up at Alice.

Suddenly nervous, Agatha says, "I was just speculating, Lord October. I thought the Year's End had tried to do something."

"This is my House, Agatha," the Lord of October says, his deep voice sober, but not angry, "and you are my guests." He nods to both of the girls. "I hope it need not be said that I take your welfare very seriously. I would not have you harmed, and no enemy I know would dare threaten any enjoying my hospitality." His eyes flash, dangerous. "But you speak of the Year's End. And that is an enemy I do not know, save legends."

Alice's brow lifts in surprise, then her nose wrinkles. "The lord of Year's End is not known in this day and age? I had thought he was still off where he resides, but had been quiet. Mean old lord of Year's End," she says.

"Do you have other information that might pertain to its threat though, sir?" Agatha asks, sounding hopeful. "Captain Morrigan had mentioned that you had information we would be interested in."

"The Year's End has long been a legend among my people. Until the Sorceress's return, I doubted that he had ever been real. Even Lord Melchizedek did not speak of him as a threat. And even if he were once real, to think that he might be menacing the land once again ... " The antlered man glowers. "My people have been researching our legends of the Year's End, to glean what might be useful -- but it is difficult to discern possible fact from probable fiction."

"I know he lives in a castle far away, and he has Jruuh I truly believe, and that he can turn people to stone and that he has a big desk!" offers the little blonde girl in way of advice.

"A big desk?" Agatha asks, turning to Alice.

"That would be four facts, and more than I had previously," Lord October replies to Alice. "For that, I thank you." If he's joking, it doesn't show.

Alice turns and nods to Agatha, smiling to her. She lifts up Lord Mel in one hand and makes a little walking motion with her other hand -- like a person walking. "When Lord Bram went to see what he was doing long ago he, " the figure walks a little across the air, "saw that the lord of Year's End had a big desk with lots of important papers. I think he borrowed some, and that's stealing, but I think it's okay because the Lord of Year's End was being mean to the other Houses and the Palace of All Seasons. Oh, and Lord Bram got turned to stone when he tried to believe, but ..." She makes Lord Mel bounce along up to her walking hand of a figure. "... Lord Mel rescued him!"

"I don't think it was quite the same as being turned to stone; he was just sort of petrified," Agatha says. "And so far all we know is that Lord Mel is in the west, where Lord Thomas and others went to face the Jack of Hearts before."

"And Lord Thomas told the court, before he left to pursue the Jack of Hearts, that he thought the warlock was the Year's End himself, and that plot to gain the throne truly a plot to destroy the Land," Lord October says, reflective.

"Destroying the land seems to be the goal, from what we've heard," Agatha agrees.

"Oh," says Alice thoughtfully. "I did not know there were lots of kinds of ... of ... stone-ifications." The doll in her hand is moved to return to her embrace, but before she can finish twining her arms around it she yawns causing her to lift a hand to cover her mouth. "Oh, please excuse me, m'lord," she apologizes.

The cocoa must be wearing off, Agatha thinks. "Do you want to rest before dinner, Alice?" she asks.

"That is one thing all the legends agree on," October says. "The Year's End would be the Destroyer, enemy to all of Mirari. No, Alice, excuse me. You have had a long journey and the latest ordeal to follow it." He shakes his head in apology. "You should return to your suite to rest, not suffer my interrogation."

As the little girl's hand falls, she asks, "M'lord, may I ask, was House April and October joined a long time ago? Lord Bram, and Lady Angelique." She blinks, then turns and nods a little to Agatha. "To be sure. I thi--" She covers her mouth as she yawns again. " ... think I would not wish to fall asleep during dinner."

"Lord Bram and Lady Angelique were brother and sister, my lady," the Lord of October tells her. "In their day ... we were better friends than now." His deep voice sounds rueful, and he bends beside the couch to scoop Alice into his arms, carrying the little girl effortlessly. "Let us see you back to your room, Alice." He nods to Agatha, inviting her to walk with them.

Agatha nods to the doctor, and says, "Thank you for your assistance."

Newlyn, who has been off to one side listening to the conversation and looking a bit awestruck, nods and gives a little wave to Agatha.

Alice looks wide-eyed as she is so easily scooped up, and she blinks, then simply settles as comfortably as she can in the lord's arms. From the height of the lord's arms she gives the healer a wave. "Be well, Healer Newlyn, and I do hope that you will tell me all about House April and of healing later!" she says, cheerily, though her words are made slow by sleepiness.

"We may not have much time left for idle research, Alice," Agatha tells the sleepy girl. "I fear events are beginning to accelerate, and we need to act soon."

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This site serves as a chronicle of sessions in an online roleplaying campaign moderated by Conrad "Lynx" Wong and May "Rowan" Wasserman. The contents of this site are (c) 2001, 2002 by Conrad Wong and May Wasserman except where stated otherwise. Despite the "children's fantasy" theme of this campaign, this site is not intended for young readership, due to mild language and violence.