eachdraidh | video | open to both courts

[ The locket is, as usual, in the air and facing the Outsider. Unfortunately, his gaze seems to be a bit to the left of the locket and instead of floating in mid-air, he's sitting on his bed. A large white rat scurries up his arm and across his shoulder, then leaps to the mattress and then the floor; judging by the faint noise in the background, it's not the only rat in the room. ]

I can no longer see, [ the Outsider states simply, sounding faintly confused. ] The Maidenfish have handed me a piece of paper, but if it says anything, I cannot read it.

[ The aforementioned piece of paper is held up so that the locket can get a good look at the writing- or that's the intention, anyway. He's holding it backwards, and one of the Maidenfish (in the form of a woman, wearing a veil and a long, black dress with a train) gently turns the paper around so that the words face the screen.

Dearest Outsider,

You will have found by morning's light that I have divested you of your eyesight. Is it something you miss? Something you might like to have returned to you?

I'd hoped so! For I'd dearly like to have those shards of mine returned. I propose this to you:

Deliver either a fully-powered shard or a sigil tablet to an old, ruined place where the Black Shuck was once worshipped, in the dark of Nimh Gleane: a circle made of seven stone statues of the Old Dog himself. Place the object in the open mouths of any number of the statues and be on your way. If this is done within a month, I shall make the return to you as swift and silent as it was stolen!

If not, I'll distribute what I've taken among the humble populace of native folk.

Best wishes,

Reynard the Fox, Rightful Lord of Maupertius, titles & honors, etc. ]

If someone could inform me of what it says...?

[ After what he deems an appropriate length of time, the Outsider lowers the paper. Shifting slightly on the bed to hand the note back to one of the Maidenfish, his movement reveals one more thing: on the wall behind him, a fine drawing of a winking fox's face in red chalk. ]

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[...is that a large rat on him? what an odd choice for a pet.

but she didn't come here to discuss his choice in pets. actually, she didn't think far enough ahead to figure out how she was going to discuss anything at all, so she prays he's got a pen and paper that he wouldn't mind lending. she gestures to her throat, then briefly mimes writing. get the hint?

what he can likely see of her would be the ring on her hand, the one she rarely removes.]

[ There's a flash of bright green and the Outsider focuses, gaze dropping to the ring. Nope, Dark Vision is not anywhere near as useful here.

Luckily, the Maidenfish are intelligent enough to understand. Two step forward to steer Grell into the room while the other two maneuver the Outsider backward and into a chair. ]

I cannot see, [ the god hisses; the Maidenfish leave him sitting and go to add more light to the room, to force the rats further back and away from the guest. ]

[thank you, Maidenfish. things click a little better with his words, and while she's still near ready to utterly destroy anyone and anything between her and Reynard, she knows she's going to have to calm down just a bit. it's not the Outsider's fault she's had what feels like her soul being violated.

she grabs one of his hands, and before he can ask her what she's doing, she begins to trace out letters on his hand. it's not as quick as she wants, but it might just do the job.]

This is Grell. Cannot speak. Reynard.

[ Being very old comes with a great deal of patience. The Outsider waits, lets her trace the letters and connects them together. Ah. Aren't they just a merry pair, then? ]

I take it you also received a note. [ Not a question; he doesn't expect an answer. ] I can still see some things, with an ability of my own -- boons, shards, other relics from this world. But nothing else.

Other things gone from me. [she pauses, deciding she won't elaborate until a better time was there. it would take a great deal of time to explain why the scythe could not be in Reynard's hands, should he have questions.] Gather the others.

[they needed to be tracked down, to form a plan, because while she has absolutely no idea what a sigil tablet is, if Reynard wants it then it must be powerful. and they can't all give him what they want.]

Do we know which others have had things taken from them?

[ There are a lot of "others", Grell. Left to his own devices, the Outsider will probably gather a few interesting people and a couple of fish. ]

Only guess.

[she has to think of a connection, something that would shed light on the whole thing. for a moment she's still, trying to quiet her anger and connect all the pieces. think, Sutcliffe. this is not a prank, this is a hostage situation.

and then it comes to her -- for I'd dearly like to have those shards of mine returned -- and she only has to give the Outsider one more word.]

Maupertius.

Maupertius, [ he repeats, and for a moment his hand closes on hers. His skin is cold, like the depths of the ocean; it's all the more chilling when he's actively touching as opposed to passively allowing her to trace letters on his hand. ]

Derya. Go and check on the girls, please.

[ The Maidenfish curtsies, even though her lord cannot see, and departs. ]

We do not have his shards, though.

Not so simple.

[if it was a matter of shards he would have probably killed them all and harvested the shards from their chests. if it was wanting to reclaim what was taken he would have likely gone after the ones who had such. this, she feels, is him deliberately wanting to make them bend to his power and gain shards or these mysterious sigil tablets in the bargain.

her free hand goes to her chest, and she closes her eyes for a moment. again, like she had been practising. think of everything that her world is -- the bustle of the market, laughter in the park, blood in the street and dew on the grass in the morning -- and she can feel the shard wake up. its warmth seems to flood her body, bright and alive and very very present. when she's reassured that it hasn't been tampered with, she lets it go back to sleep.]

No. He was- able to put me into a trance to take this.

[ He does not sleep; it was what was needed, to take his sight and to keep the Maidenfish still. At least the rats were able to strip some of his flesh away. ]

But we can curse what it is he is after.

[her hand closes on his, as if they've struck some sort of agreement with those words. she will kill to regain her scythe, because regardless of the fact that to lose it would be an unpardonable sin, it cannot remain in Reynard's hands. if he found a way to wield it, actually use it, she doubts he'd ever let it go.

they all know how to get a shard. it's simply a matter of luring one unlucky fool far enough away that if they scream, no one else will hear. and Grell Sutcliffe is very good at acting as though she's innocent.

we will make him regret this choice, she wants to say. funny, how one didn't notice how many things they needed to voice until they had none.]

video | open to both courts | morning of the 26th

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