Unlocking (6 Nov 2001) Alice teaches Tom how to play the magic flute.

Harcourt Manor
This grand old Victorian house off of Webber Way used to be the favorite 'haunted house' of the children but a few months ago, an older gentleman moved in, Richard, who has begun to renovate the place, to their disappointment. Two gables look out from the roof of the two story manor, and vines crawl up the walls, from which plaster has fallen in places to expose brickwork.

It's late morning and Destre is apparently taking full advantage of freedom from his stall as he's trotting about the grounds. His gaze falls upon two girls coming down the street. Swiftly, the black stallion ducks out of sight into the garden, his ear-tips sticking out from the vine masses that overload several trellises.

Agatha says to Alice, "I wish we had more time to prepare. I still don't know how we're going to get Destre through a Siege."

Kuon barks along behind Alice, apparently well fed. He spent the night at her house, and has enjoyed many delectable treats, courtesy of Mrs. Westfield, and is now licking his chops at the memory, or perhaps in anticipation of treats to be handed out at the manor.

Heading up the lane, a lanky, a dark and wild haired boy is heading toward the house. He's humming softly as he glances around the landscape, hands tucked into his pockets.

"Maybe Rebecca can shrink him or turn him into something else for a little while?" offers Alice. She walks beside the older girl, purse in one hand, clothing bag in the other, and beams a smile when she sees the distant horse. "Hi, Destre! Enjoying your walk?"

The horse looks sheepish as he leans out of the vegetation he'd hoped would be enough to disguise him, and nickers a friendly greeting. Kuon trots up, as if to greet him ... but continues down instead, and Destre's head turns to follow Kuon's barked greeting to Tom. The greyhound wags his tail and looks up expectantly.

Agatha blinks at the suggestion ... then remembers that Destre is, in all likelihood, a shapechanger. "Maybe we won't need Rebecca's magic for that," she says, then notices Kuon's actions and spots Tom.

Tom withdraws a hand from his pocket to pat Kuon's head. "Hey, Kuon," he says. "Nice seeing you again."

The greyhound lolls his tongue happily, then barks back up to Alice, as if he were a herald bearing word of the arrival of an important noble.

"You'll never guess who we talked to last night, Tom," Agatha says with a grin while she checks on Destre's saddle.

"Lord December, perhaps?" Tom answers, then says, "Like you'd guess who I just had tea with."

"Lord Mel, actually," Agatha says, then gives Tom a skeptical look, saying, "I can't imagine you having tea with anyone, Tom. But we know that the Lord Protector is being held captive in the West, where Lord Thomas went after Jack."

Alice gives Kuon a big smile as well as a greeting call of, "Hi, Kuon!". She greets Thomas in similar fashion, though he gets a bit more. "Hi, Tommy! We got to see the Lord Protector! He's huge and on fire so he must be magic!"

Destre gives the equine version of a nod. It doesn't look that much like a normal human nod, but gives a similar sense of affirmation to Agatha's statement.

Tom nods slightly. "So I was right, then." He shrugs. "Figures, the only person who trusted me then, and I miss him. How is he?" He glances toward Agatha and responds, "Glad you think so highly of me, Agatha. I had tea with Lady Cherise of February. The Lady Cherise. The one who helped found Mirari."

"He looked pretty angry at the mention of Jack, and is being held in some sort of ... dark place," Agatha answers, and looks blank at the mention of Lady Cherise. "Uh, sorry, never heard of her. Wouldn't she be dead by now, though? Or is she living in Ainigton now?" she asks, after making sure Destre's saddle isn't chafing him after being on all night.

This draws a surprised look from both Kuon and Destre, at least, to judge from the horse's inquiring nicker toward Tom.

The little girl lowers her things to the ground to rest her arms, and she lowers herself down after them after a second. There she leans on her clothing bag as she listens to Thomas relate what happened.

"Does he remember me, at least?" Tom asks. He grins slightly. "She's still alive. She was friends with Lord Bram and Lady Angelique." He shrugs and says, "She's also my grandmother."

Agatha blinks at all this. "Yeah, he remembers you," is all she can say. "Did your grandmother tell you if there are any other Mirari people in town? Were we right about the Harcourts?"

"Anastasia and Bryant were Angelique and Bram, yes," Tom replies, "She even still has the medal of House February. I couldn't bring myself to ask for it. She used to play with them in the house all those years ago."

"Hey ... Alice and Nymuae found a link of some sort between Anastasia's teddy bear and Mirari," Agatha says, looking to Alice for confirmation.

Kuon sits and scratches behind an ear with a hind foot, apparently looking puzzled at the conversation. Destre snuffles at Tom's hair curiously.

The little girl nods a little. "Yes, but Rebecca wasn't sure what the link meant. She said I should keep Sir Teddy Bear with me though, so I have him in my purse with Lord Mel," she answers.

"If you trust what she says," Tom says, reservedly. "I don't. Not entirely." He then glances to Destre and inquires, "Yes?"

The horse seems satisfied by his inspection and noses Tom in friendly fashion upside the ear, before returning to cropping down some of the weeds in the garden.

"I trust Rebecca," says Alice. She nods a little, adding, "She's still my best friend even if she's big now."

Agatha rolls her eyes. "You trust this December guy though, right? Because we need to get Destre through to Mirari, and we need the Siege of Wind for that."

"More than Nymuae," Thomas replies, then nods. "And I'm not going to inflict my views on you, Alice. You need to make your own decisions on that. It's not right for me to persuade you otherwise."

Destre looks up at the mention of his name.

"So, you can get him to open up the Siege of Wind for us?" Agatha asks. "And I still want to know what he was doing in the middle of town as a wolf."

Tom shrug. "I've begun prepwork to return to Mirari with Lord December, if you must know. I could probably ask him to transport Destre as well, but I'm wary about pushing his generosity too far."

Agatha arches an eyebrow at that. "Wary? We need to get going soon. Nymuae is coming back this afternoon, probably with the photos from my camera. When is your next contact with Lord December?"

"Soon after he gets my note, I imagine," Tom replies. "It's not like I can call him. And, 'wary', as in, it takes a good amount of effort to open that Siege. It may be too much for him to try to take everyone. I don't know."

"I'd rather not have to use the Siege of the Forest, since I'd need Souhait for that," Agatha explains, "and a way to get past the Scare-Crow too. Kuon is going with Alice, I think."

Tom grins. "And I don't remember inviting any of you along, you know."

Kuon wags next to Alice. It seems like an "of course he's going along with Alice!" sort of gesture.

Tom grins at Kuon and says playfully, "Traitor."

Agatha snorts. "Someone has to go along to make sure you don't do something stupid."

"I'm the princess; I have to save Lord Mel and Mirari!" protests Alice cheerily to Thomas's comment. With a resolute nod she stands, letting right arm reach up and ruffle Kuon up. "I want to go see the Palace and my tomb!"

The greyhound lolls his tongue and looks at Tom as if to wonder whyever he might say that.

"Right. And that's why I've invited Elinor and Simon, Agatha," Tom says. He then looks at Alice and says, "And you call me weird."

Agatha narrows her eyes, and says, "Well, I'm coming too, one way or another."

"Don't you want to know why I didn't invite you, Agatha?" Tom asks.

Alice nods a little. "You are weird, Tommy!" she agrees. She watches him for a moment, then suddenly mouths an "oh" and looks faintly embarrassed. "Rebecca thinks I'm maybe Princess Angel and she says I have a tomb so I want to see it. I've never had a tomb before! I'm going to bring me flowers."

"Because you knew I'd come anyway?" Agatha offers as an answer.

Kuon gives Alice a funny look about the idea of bringing herself flowers, but seems to shrug it off and then wags. Being a dog must work against having deep thoughts.

"I figured you were the dead Princess, Alice. It's why I told you about her," Tom replies. He turns to Agatha and says, "No. Because I wanted someone I knew I could absolutely trust to keep an eye on Nymuae and make sure she didn't hurt Alice. Believe it or not, out of everyone, I have the most faith in you."

Agatha blinks, then turns to Alice and asks, "Were you going to stay with Nymuae, Alice?"

Tom takes a breath. "So, what did Lord Mel say?" he asks.

"My mommy says when people go away they go to a better place. I think that means faeries go to here." Alice looks at Kuon, then bursts in to a flurry of fur ruffling all at once. "I don't know where yet, but I think we'll go to the Palace of All Seasons and maybe Rebecca's house in Mirari."

Crossing her arms, Agatha says, "His voice was carried away before we could hear it. But he indicated he was being held in the West."

"Good enough places to go," Tom says. "My plans were for House November, hopefully the archives of the golden Hawks. I hope I was bright enough to have left a journal saying exactly where I was going. Then after the Year's End to rescue Mel. And if his voice was carried away, how do you know he remembered me?"

"Because when I said he was in the west, where Thomas went after the Jack of Hearts, he nodded," Agatha says.

"Nothing more than that?" Tom says. "Doesn't really mean he remembered me. He may have nodded to the 'west' part."

Agatha throws her hands up. "Well, sorry, it's the best I've got. I didn't think he wouldn't remember Lord Thomas, after all."

Still petting away, Alice says, "I wanted to go to House April too, but Rebecca thinks they're mad at us, and Lord April might be even more mad at me." Her smile wavers, but it endures, and she leans in to pet the dog more vigorously. "Rebecca also said the princess's name, my name, is Princess Angel of Umbrecht ... but I don't know what an Umbrecht is."

Kuon barks! at the name Umbrecht, then continues to wag happily, all ruffled from Alice's extravagant petting.

"The King is Marc of Umbrecht," Agatha says to Alice.

Tom laughs lightly. "It's best to be specific, is all, Agatha." He shrugs and adds, "A single word can make the difference between life and death. Especially in places where danger abounds, like the Year's End. I don't relish travelling to where I probably ..." He pauses and swallows. "... died. But, it must be done."

Agatha looks to Tom, and says, "I'll consider staying behind if that's what Alice and Nymuae decide to do. But remember the prophecy about Mel and two warriors facing the Year's End. If I'm not there, I don't want you trying to take it on yourself, and just bring back Lord Mel."

"Ohhhhh," Alice utters understandingly. "Rebecca wasn't sure if I am or not, and Rebecca doesn't know why I could be but I'm here too and how I could have two mommies and daddies." She then resumes her scratching.

"I never intended to fight the Year's End. I'm not that daft. I was planning a quick evac operation. The Golden Hawks were akin to rangers. We did subtle extractions, not fight," Tom replies. "I'd want you with me. But it's Nymuae that concerns me. Even if she is on our side, her attitude towards admitting she doesn't know something could get us killed."

"Well, Kuon and Destre seem to trust her, but I personally don't have any reason to," Agatha admits. "Anyway, when can you be ready to go back? Can you go through the Siege of Stone and Water with Nymuae and contact Lord December that way? And make sure you have that flute with you, too."

"Do you want me to write the song down on the flute, Tommy? I can show you how it should sound," offers the little blonde girl.

"December makes regular trips here. It's how I was to contact him," Tom says, eyes narrowing. "You want me to go with Nymuae? Alone? As for being ready, I just about am. I've acquired blankets and such for the journey. Cost me, but worth it. I just have to make sure my parents here are okay with me going on an extended camping trip." He then smiles and nods to Alice and kneels down in front of her and says, "I'd like that, actually."

Agatha hmms, tapping her fingers on Destre's saddle in thought. "I know you don't ride, but what if you took Destre with you just to carry your supplies? Then he could go through the Siege with you and the others, couldn't he?"

Alice lowers herself back down to lean across her clothing bag. "Do you have a pencil and paper, Tommy? If you give me the flute and something to write on, I can write the notes. But you should hear me play them a few times so you remember. It's hard to remember what notes sound like if you haven't played them before or heard them," she explains.

Tom looks up and asks, "Well, possibly. What do you wish to do then? As I told Elinor and Simon, they're friends. I can't expect things of them. Are we going to split or go together? And I haven't mentioned this part, but December said Simon smelled different from all of us. I don't know if that means anything bad, and I still trust him." Tom's attention returns to Alice. "I still have it? Oh, yeah, I do. You gave it to me last time." He shifts his shoulder and drops his pack on the ground. He digs in it and pulls out a crumpled piece of paper, a pen, and the flute, saying, "Good thing I carry paper to map with, eh?" He offers them to the girl.

A cool breeze sighs from around the manor, welcome against the increased warmth of the summer day. It sends Destre's mane tousling over his forehead as he watches the flute-passing curiously.

Kuon leans up to snuffle at the flute curiously.

Agatha frowns at the mention of Simon smelling different. "Well, worst case ... Simon is an agent of Year's End. We'll know more when Nymuae brings back the soul-pictures from my camera. For now though, I imagine going separately will be easier. You already have plans and transport with Lord December. Alice and I can get through via Nymuae or Souhait. We can arrange to meet at the Palace of All Seasons, since it seems the safest ... or most neutral place available, anyway."

She accepts the flute, paper, and pencil and proceeds to inspect the flute. "It doesn't have boy cooties, does it?" Alice inquires, peering at it carefully. After looking at it a second she seems satisfied with is cleanliness, though she wrinkles her nose anyway, and then turns the flute over to stare at the rose and thorns.

Agatha smirks at the mention of cooties, and asks Destre, "Okay ... can you manage the Siege of Stone and Water if you have to?"

Destre snorts. He pantomimes with his nose as the horse, himself trotting along, and then pitching headlong down a very steep drop, then quite obviously shakes his head.

As the little girl studies the markings she lets Kuon get a whiff of it, for good measure it seems, and perhaps because dog cooties are okay. She continues to study the flute while the others talk and begins writing a series of lines and musical notes upon the paper as she regards it left to right.

"Well, can you change into something that can handle it?" Agatha finally asks the horse.

Tom looks at Destre and asks, "So, think you'd mind coming with me?" He then says to Agatha, "Okay. The Palace it is, then. Worst case, I just get a layout for the area around the Year's End and get back should it be too dangerous." He ponders this. "Oh yeah, I left a note for Elinor asking her to teach me how to do a glamour. If there's any fey left in me, I hope I can. Could prove useful."

The black horse struggles to find an explanation ... then simply nods to Tom.

Tom hmms at Destre. "Have you met Simon? If so, do you trust him?"

Alice continues to write and at one point looks up from the flute ... and keeps on writing notes, as if still seeing them. After a moment she just puts the flute down to the side and finishes without having to look at it at all. "There!" she says, triumphant, and she hands Thomas the notes to look at.

Destre whickers and gives Tom a serious look that suggests, If you believe he is trustworthy, then I shall trust him, Lord Explorer. Perhaps emotions come across more easily than more complex subjects in the body language that Destre and Kuon use.

Tom nods to Destre and simply replies, "I have no reason not to." He then takes the paper and stares at it. "Dang. This looks like some bizarre chicken-foot language," he comments to Alice. "Can you show me what they mean?"

Notes passed to Thomas, Alice takes up the flute in her now free hands and raises it to her mouth. "Follow along, Tommy. I'll go one note at a time and you can memorize them while you talk. Just move one at a time and you'll have it in a snap," she instructs. The flute is lowered just a bit and she peers at Thomas as if making sure he's ready. "I finished the song too, okay? It wasn't finished on the flute so I fixed it. Ready?"

Tom blinks. "You finished it, how?" He then hmms. "One second!" He takes his pencil and makes a quick sketch of the flute under all the notes, then numbers the holes. He shows it to Alice. "I can now put the hole number over the note, so I can practice and remember it, see?"

"I'm going to get Destre's saddlebags," Agatha tells the others, and heads over to the stable. She doesn't know anything about music notation anyway.

Tom glances over to Agatha and says, "Good! You can't make fun of me, then." He grins.

Kuon wags and waits expectantly.

"Okay!" agrees Alice. The flute is put down and the notes are numbered, and upon reviewing the notes and Thomas's memory of the engravings on the flute he finds Alice seems to have added extra notes. "There," she says once she finishes the numbers and hands the paper back. "It's all ready. And well ... the song wasn't done. It was just wrong on the flute, so I fixed it. Like it should be. It should play like this ... " And with that Alice, lifts the instrument to her lips and begins to play, tapping her foot in time to the notes.

Tom listens, trying to memorize the beat of the song as well. He doesn't know exactly how close he must get, but the closer, the safer. He grins slightly and says, "Want to come with me? You play that like a pro. Kidding, we want to be quick and you might learn something at the Palace and such to help defeat Year's End."

The music comes out slowly, so that each note is just a single note hanging in the air, though each sounds crystal-pure. The old flute still plays well.

Though still playing, Alice smiles brightly behind the flute, inclining her head to Thomas's compliment to show her appreciation. She continues in to the melody and seems trying to complete it without stopping. When she goes through one length of the melody she holds up a finger, as if asking Thomas to hold, and begins playing the melody at a normal pace rather than the slow one so Thomas could learn.

Carrying several empty saddlebags over her shoulder, Agatha begins making her way back across the garden towards the others.

Tom nods as Alice finishes the song at normal pace. "Before I try, how did you know what notes were needed to complete it?" he asks.

This time the music draws on its proper tempo, each note following the next as naturally as water flows down a stream, and when Alice brings it to its conclusion... snikt

There are a multitude of faint clicks, from within the Harcourt Manor, the last one audible from the back door.

Tom leans to the side and glances at the house. "Um, I think you broke the house," he says, grinning, "Seriously, it actually did something. Wow."

When she finishes Alice blinks, lowering the flute and peering over it and beyond towards Harcourt manor. "Um ... I just ... did Tommy. I knew how it was supposed to sound," she answers. "I hope Mr. Kunig won't be upset."

Tom reaches out and ruffles Alice's hair. "I believe you," he says. "Like when I looked at it, I had one of those weird back tingles. A strange feeling that it was right. Thank you, Alice."

Agatha groans at the noises. "You unlocked everything!" she laments, and goes about attaching Destre's saddlebags with a resigned look on her face.

The breeze sighs away, leaving the sun to warm the day again.

The little girl giggles when her hair is ruffled, and she tries to hand the flute over, half-blinded by stray golden locks. "Here! It's all yours! Take good care of it, and I think Bram would have wanted you to use it. You're a lot like Bram!" she says.

Destre whuffles laughter, leaning in obligingly to help Agatha fasten the saddlebags.

"Headstrong and obnoxious?" Tom replies, grinning as he accepts the flute.

"Better learn how to play that, Tom," Agatha grumbles, "before I relock everything."

Tom pauses before trying and says, "But how will I know if it worked?" He grins.

This time, he raises it to his mouth and attempts to play the tune, following the note diagram on the paper. He thinks back to the cave and tries to mimic how he held it when it sounded that time. He hopes he doesn't look too silly.

"The way you're likely to play it, it'll lock everything again," Agatha suggests.

As Tom begins playing the flute, he is forced to look at the paper again and again to make sure he's playing the notes correctly. The flute sounds well enough, but the halting pauses have robbed the melody of any power that it might have.

Alice in turn taps her foot to each note, trying to keep time with Thomas, and then she starts whistling the tune while he plays.

The raven haired boy starts looking very frustrated with the flute. He stops for a moment and takes a long breath, calming down. He looks at the paper for a moment, quiet and thinking, recalling the music over and over in his mind. Then, he lifts the flute and tries again.

Agatha tucks Destre's feedbag into one of the saddlebags, once she's done attaching them.

The little girl waits for Thomas to continue, pausing in her tapping and whistling and ready to begin again when he does.

This time ... this time it sounds perfect. Just as Agatha has put the feedbag in the saddlebag, there's a tiny little "snikt!" noise and the belt comes uncinched, leaving the bags to tilt over, pulled by the its weight, onto the grass.

Tom blinks and says, "Oops." Oddly, he doesn't sound like he's upset that happened. He grins and offers the flute to Alice. "Can you try something for me? Play it backwards."

Alice's own song is interrupted as she suddenly starts a different sort of music -- giggling up a storm when the saddlebag suddenly unlatches and falls to the grass.

Agatha just stares at the bag until her blood pressure goes down. Then she checks her belt buckle and shoelaces before quietly putting the saddlebag back in place.

Once she stops giggling Alice accepts the flute, inclines her torso in a sort of seated curtsey, and raises the flute to her lips to play the melody in reverse.

It's a little slow at first, but Alice manages to get through it backward. The tune sounds rather different. No medley of clicks, or even one click, seems to accompany its completion, however.

The flute is lowered and Alice shakes her head. "I think it only goes one way," she says.

"Oh well. I was wondering if the stories about doing a spell in reverse undid it were true. In this case, guess not," Tom agrees, then grins. "Pity. It might have tied Agatha's laces together. Darn."

"It's not just a spell, though," offers Alice as she lowers the flute to hold it reverently. "It's a precious memento. It was very important to Bram and Angelique a long time ago, and it's more than a spell. It's a treasure."

Agatha glares at Tom, and huffs, "Think it would get my shoe out of your ... nevermind!"

Tom just grins at Agatha, "Wow, you are ugly when you're angry." He then looks thoughtful. "Agatha, Alice ... When Lord Mel said it was dark, did it imply to you a similar trap that befell Lord Bram all those years ago?" Tom asks, nodding to Alice.

Destre whuffles more horsy laughter, then nuzzles Agatha fondly.

"He didn't say it was dark," Agatha says, and checks her shoelaces again. "Nymuae said he was in a dark place."

Tom nods. "Okay. My mistake in interpretation. Did his communication method remind you of the letters then? Was it Nymuae who contacted him, or he who contacted you?"

"Lord Bram got turned in to a statue, though. Lord Mel was moving," answers the little blonde girl. She looks down at the flute, then to Thomas, and asks, "Can I play it again? Please, Tommy? You'll get to use it but ... but I like playing it, with or without magic. It reminds me of Bram and Angelique. I remember their letters when I play this song. You can feel them."

Kuon wags his tail, tongue lolling in his own doggish laughter.

Agatha hrmphs and pets Destre. "Nymuae touched Alice's stuffed Mel, and got the sensation that the real Mel was in a place of darkness. Then she cast a spell to conjure up his image. He didn't act paralyzed or anything though, just like Alice said."

Tom smiles to Alice, "Please, play it all you want. The more I hear it, the better I'll remember. And if you want to really feel them, I should take you to talk to my grandmother. She knew them."

Destre nickers, as if wanting to correct what Agatha said. However, it seems beyond him to find a way to express it in pantomime.

Tom grimaces. "Nymuae cast a spell, huh? Goes sort of against her comment about doing magic in this world, but anyway." He waves a hand, "Sorry."

Agatha looks at Destre, then Tom. "She had Alice and me participate in the spell."

"That's somewhat comforting, actually," Tom replies.

"I'd like that Tommy, very much," Alice says, beaming. The flute is again raised to the little girl's lips and she begins to play the melody of times since past. As she does so she sits up and walks over to sit on a nearby rock, closing her eyes and seeming to concentrate on the old melody.

The boy grimaces. "I guess if I want to see the photos, I'll have to tolerate her presence again."

Agatha sighs. "Haven't you ever heard that phrase about keeping your friends close, and your enemies closer, Tom?" She then takes out the key ring for the manor, and says, "I should make you go through and lock everything."

"That's what I have you for, Agatha. You get to be close to her," Tom replies, grinning. "As for the locks, that was Alice, not me"

As Alice continues to play, the wind stirs up around her, blowing her hair to and fro in a gentle and cool breeze. She stops playing just long enough to reach back to her hair ribbon and tug it loose, letting her hair tumble free in the pleasant wind.

Kuon wags, apparently content to just sit and listen.

"Yeah, but she didn't tease me like you did," Agatha grumbles, and heads for the back door with the key ring in hand.

Tom gets to his feet and follows after Agatha. "Oh, come on," Tom says, "I'll at least try to help. What were you always telling me? Lighten up, I think it was." He pauses, then adds, with a smirk, "Or was it 'shut up'?"

From her rock, Alice beams another big smile.

Destre whinnies to Agatha, then noses toward Alice and then to the house, pointedly. Evidently he means, No point relocking everything until she's done.

Agatha pauses, and turns to look at Tom, half-grinning. "Okay, that's more like it. Let me show you how to buckle a saddlebag and feed a horse, since you're going to have to look after Destre while I'm gone, if you aren't following soon afterwards." She heads back towards Destre.

Tom looks at Agatha, then at Destre, with one of those "yuck" expressions. "Oh, all right," Tom says, "I'll probably be going within the next few days, but I have several stops to make there. So, I'll have to know how anyway."

The black horse gives Agatha the "Wait a minute, who's going where again?" look.

"Hopefully, Alice and I will be back before then," Agatha says, and pats Destre. "You're going with Tom, Elinor and Simon with Lord December, Destre. We won't have to use Souhait then."

Seemingly lost in the song and the wind, the little girl continues to play that melody. Her foot taps, and she smiles, swaying back and forth as the melody fills the air.

"Possibly Elinor and Simon," Tom corrects. "I haven't heard back if they want to, yet."

Destre nickers at Kuon, who wags brightly. He emits a horsy sort of sigh, apparently supposing that as long as Kuon goes with Alice and Agatha...

"Alice and I have a day set aside to visit Mirari, so we'll be going back with Nymuae for ... what, a week in Mirari time ... and be back tomorrow. Kuon's coming with us," Agatha says. "So ... we should be back before Tom's ready to go again."

The black horse manages to look dubious that this will go off as well as planned.

"So, you theoretically could go with me then, Agatha," Tom says, "Right?"

Tom says, "Or I might have to add rescuing you two as part of my trip."

Agatha nods. "One or the other. Should I even look up Lord December while I'm there? I'll probably see about getting some arms and armor ready for when we head west, but I don't plan on staying there any longer than necessary. With luck, we'll get better information on where Lord Mel is and what condition he's in."

"If something comes up, contact Lord December if you can and he can contact me. I don't know if I can fully trust him, but it's worth the risk," Tom says.

"Contact Minstrel Sam. Tell him Thomas sent you. He's with the Golden Hawks -- retired, though. He may be able to help you," Tom replies.

The song slowly fades in to silence, passing to the breeze. The flute is lowered, held in the girl's lap, and she looks at it after it were the greatest thing since ice cream.

Tom hmms and says, "Also, ask him to get any old journals I may have kept ready. It would make my trip faster."

"What's he look like?" Agatha asks as she shows Tom how the feedbag connects to Destre's bridle.

"Ooooooold," Tom says, "and not unlike how Simon portrayed him. He likes to play an old song about me finding a kitten," Tom answers, following along with the instructions Agatha gives.

"Picture an old man, kind of worn clothing, and long swept back ears," Tom adds.

Kuon barks at Tom's description. Apparently it rings a bell.

"Met him, Kuon?" Tom asks.

The dog barks in the affirmative and wags.

Agatha looks at the greyhound, and then says, "Okay, I'll make sure Kuon handles the introductions."

"And, oh. He's ... um," Tom says, "How do I put this delicately? A bit of a wencher, as Simon put it. Watch your behind. I'm not kidding."

The greyhound lolls his tongue in doggish laughter.

Alice's nose wrinkles, and she peers at the flute intently, then simply shakes her head to some unspoken trouble and stands up to wander back over to where she left the pencil and paper. "Can I have a sheet of paper Tommy, please?" she asks.

Agatha blinks at this. "You think I would be at risk? Didn't you say I looked like a horse?"

Tom digs in his pocket and produces the paper. He offers it to Alice, then replies to Agatha, "No, I said you smelled like one."

Destre whuffles, and with a few motions of his head, points out the obvious: he looks like a horse, and he can say categorically that Agatha does not.

"Besides, he pinched some poor vixen's tail," Tom adds. "He's not that picky." He looks at Alice. "If you want a new sheet, look in my pack. What's up?"

"I'll keep my sword handy," Agatha says drolly, "or I'll bring Nymuae along to distract him."

"And in all seriousness, Agatha, you're not that ugly. Just be careful," Tom says, adding, "And I'll never admit I said that, so drop any ideas right now."

Alice curtsies in thanks for the paper, then settles down to write down a few words and scratch marks. Something about marble. "I'm trying to remember the song. I know I can remember it ... I just know it. Maybe Minstrel Sam would know what I can't remember. It's too important to forget the song," she answers as she writes. "Oh, and here you are Tommy." She stops just long enough to put the flute down where he can pick it up.

Tom picks up the flute again and says, "Thanks. And I bet he probably would. He knew a lot of old stories; I bet he knows old songs." He grimaces. "Of course, any song about me is old. I'm such a relic."

Alice giggles at that as she finishes writing up her notes. "Remember, Tommy," she points out as she looks up, "the flute is old too, but isn't it great?"

Agatha hmms. "Would he know about Knight Redmane then, if there was such a person?" she asks. "I'm not too keen on the idea of just walking into House September and asking if anyone recognizes me."

"He might. I did ask him about the names 'Angel', 'Redmane', and so on. He said they sounded familiar, but that's it," Tom says, "But he was drinking, too. Might have clouded his mind. Ask him before he gets to a tavern." He then grins. "So, Agatha, accepting the fact that you're probably fey too?"

Agatha shrugs. "Hey, I thought it might be the case before I even met you guys ... but I thought it was something in my mother's past. Doesn't really affect me any."

"Oh! Sam was supposed to ask the other Hawks to keep an ear and eye open in the various houses. He might have some useful information," Tom says, grinning. "Right, doesn't affect you at all. Nope, not Agatha." He then smiles to Alice. "Hey, thanks. Perhaps I'll do one last great thing for Mirari, eh?"

Left to her own devices, Alice begins to hum the song, seemingly just content to listen to the ancient melody of two fey. When Thomas does address her, she pauses, blinks, then turns to smile at him. "You can do lots of great things! I think ... I think what's old can be new again," she tells him.

"As long as I don't fall into the same trap that got me the first time," Tom says grimly.

Agatha smirks. "Do you usually make the same mistake twice?"

"No. The problem is, though, I don't remember what the mistake was," Tom admits. "This is why I'm not going alone."

"You're a d-oubting Tho-mas," Alice sing-songs between notes of the song, incorporating it during a space that most fits it. She pronounces his name a lot like Elinor tends to do, and she smiles amusedly.

Tom hears his name pronounced the way Elinor does it and frowns momentarily.

Agatha watches Tom's reaction and shakes her head. "Are there any females you aren't paranoid about, Tom?"

Tom frowns. "I'm not paranoid about her. I just," he says, sighing, "I wish she'd not look at me so oddly all the time. I want to be a friend, not some sort of hero."

"Don't worry," Agatha says, patting Tom on the shoulder and smiling. "Eventually you'll do something stupid and break the illusion for her."

Alice continues to hum, smiling, and tucks the paper in to a side pouch in her purse. She blinks at Agatha's question and casts a confused look between the two. "But you like her, don't you, Tommy?" she asks suddenly.

Tom glares at Agatha and grumbles, "Thank you, Mrs. Ego-Builder." He then turns red at Alice's question and fidgets. "Yeah I like her, Alice. She treats me so formally, instead of just a friend." He shrugs. "I'm probably being stupid here, too. Ah well."

"Oh ... okay. I thought maybe you didn't, and that would be dreadful!" Alice nods matter-of-factly. She also looks relieved, breathing a sigh of the same. "I didn't want to tell her the wrong thing."

Tom looks shocked. "Um, you're going to tell her?" he stammers.

"Oh no, silly," assures Alice, shaking her head and smiling.

"Well," Agatha says, unhooking Destre's empty feedbag, "if you're done playing now, Alice, I'm going to go relock everything and get the last of my travelling stuff packed." She tries not to grin at Tom's stricken look, but wishes she had her camera for it.

Alice sits up, smiling more. "I already told her. See? But it's okay now," she explains cheerily, and with a hint of pride.

Tom somehow doesn't look that assured. "Why don't we go over the song again, Alice? I can practice while..." Tom stops mid-sentence and gets really pale. "You ... you ... but .. told," he stammers, falling backwards onto the ground with a thump. "I'm dead."

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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.