eachdraidh | video | open to both courts

[ Caer Scima had not been a place Ariadne had wanted to return to after the previous month. But when searching for the feathers and feather thief pointed the trail in that direction, Ariadne had returned both her mare and her bandersnatch to her manor. Bentley the imp would look after them, and with the offerings (offerings, of all things) being left at the gate, she doubted finding others to employ would be as difficult as she'd feared. She uses her ability to move through shadows again for the first time, and combined with the fairy ring, she is soon back at Caer Scima.

For the best, she supposes; she has to pick up Ser Pounce-a-lot anyway.

As she opens the locket, Ariadne twirls a blue feather in her fingers; another one she'll have to give back to the imps, though she wonders if perhaps she ought to see if she can turn into something decent at tracking. Catching thieves is hardly her strong suit. ]

I have a confession to make, [ she starts, forcing herself to look at the locket. The twirling of the feather is a nervous gesture. ] Last month, some of you encountered a large shadow creature -- horned, with giant claws. Some of you were injured by it.

[ Some saw others killed by it. ]

The creature attacked the Station, Caer Scima, and Caer Glaem. It was at Caer Glaem that it was brought down and returned to its true state.

[ She takes a breath. ]

Me. And I'd like to apologize for what I did as the creature; I didn't have any control over it, any conscious thought at all.

[ She would not, at least, have attacked the Station or Caer Scima or her friends. Caer Glaem... well, she had been there before because she had been ordered to. ]

I have already been punished for it; I was in the dungeons of Caer Glaem, and I'm sure I'd still be there now if things were different. [ If Razul of the Larks had not been sent for her. ] I just thought that I should explain.

So. Now you know.

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That took a lot of courage. How does it feel to get it off your chest?

A little better. Now it's just... anxiety, I guess. [ She gives him a faint smile. ] People around here are well-armed, after all.

[Whoops, here comes his frowny face.]

Have there been any threats?

Mostly a lot of scowling and a small child teleporting by me and pointing a lot.

[ It's been a weird day. ]

If you need any help, I can spin my shield and distract the child while you make a getaway. Maybe try some tap dancing.

[ She laughs. ] No, that's okay. She can summon cyclops anyway.

... You know how to tap dance?

Isn't a cyclops a monster?

And actually, no. I've never done any dancing.

Edited 2014-09-25 23:18 (UTC)

Yeah, with one eye.

None at all?

I think I forgot how weird things can be around here.

I told you I used to be a lot smaller, right? I didn't have a lot of partners.

Don't worry, I'm sure you'll remember quickly.

[ Ariadne shakes her head. ]

Still the same guy though, right? I would've danced with you.

I don't doubt it.

[He smiles a little at that.]

Still the same guy. I guess girls just like to be able to rest their heads on their partner's shoulder.

[Wait. Can she even reach his shoulder?]

I could always hold you up.

[Trying to be helpful, not teasing at all.]

[ She can reach his chest, which may actually be better. ]

Not the dancing people tend to do now. It's all- well, let's just say I think Bucky would really enjoy himself.

[ Teasing or not, she laughs. ]

I'll just make you bend down.

Bucky, now he's a good dancer. But I've seen some of the stuff they do nowadays. That's not dancing. Even I know that.

What wold you call it, then?

[That's a good question, and Steve grimaces, tries to conjure up some word other than "grinding" - which is what it often looks like to him, but that doesn't sound very nice.

And then he remembers something from the past. A loophole.]

Fondue-ing?

[Steve, no.]

I know that things change. I guess I just expected a few things to stay the same, and dancing was one of them.

[ Steve, it is grinding.

but oh my god ]

Fondue-ing?

[ Wow how about them 1940s. ]

I'm sure some of it is still the same. Just- not in a lot of public places.

[They were a real gas!]

I know. It's just sort of funny what they chose to make private.

But maybe sometime, you know. You and I.

Actual dancing or fondue?

[ you had to know that was coming ]

Both?

[Because it's just cheese and bread, right?]

We could make an evening of it.

[ Sometimes chocolate and fruit. ]

That could be fun. Where at, though?

[ She did kind of break the Station. ]

[Whoa, hey, slow down. Save the chocolate and fruit for marriage.]

Good point. [He takes a breath before giving her a promise in his smile.] I'll figure out something. Trust me?

[ eats a chocolate covered strawberry right in front of him ]

I trust you.

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