001 — video ( seelie )

[hexuality]

Hullo.

[ And the smiling, freckled face of one Ginny Weasley is all up in this locket. She's clearly outside, soaking in the sunshine as she pulls back so her face isn't filling up the view. ]

There's been loads of talk lately about learning how to fight. Well, fight in other ways, proper swords and all. I reckon I got by all right with my wand during the worm fiasco but I can't deny that's a good thought. Merlin knows I've considered it. [ She laughs. ] Especially since I can imagine my mum in fits over me swinging a sword around.

[ She pauses, then, biting her lip around a thoughtful smile before scrambling forward (carefully) to hang her locket off a low branch of a tree in the bailey. She's sprawled (perhaps rather unladlylike, given the gown she's still getting used to wearing) on a stone bench, a broomstick in her lap, and she looks positively pleased about it. ]

But this is what I'm really excited about. I've had it since the fighting was over, as a gift... [ But she was still a little too banged up to use it. BUT NOW. ] It'd be nice, don't you think, to explore this place a bit? Beyond the castle. I'd love to see what's out there, properly out there.

[ Ginny releases the broom and it rises gently into the air. She touches it fondly. ]

Can't say I fancy flying in a dress, though. Am I allowed trousers here?

Comments

[hexuality]

What's it meant to do?

[bullhorned]

[There is a moment where he is reluctant to answer, because he doesn't trust these lockets. He decides not to give the whole answer.]

It's supposed to be magic.

[hexuality]

The Seelie gave me my broom and it works fine, so I'm sure...

[ She trails off with a soft hum then slips off her broom to stand on the bench and back down. ]

The forge, you said?

[bullhorned]

[Again, he remains skeptical. Suspicious. And unwilling to trust in anything unless he can be sure in it.]

Aye. You know where it is?

[hexuality]

No, but I will. You're there now?

[bullhorned]

I'm always there.

[There is absolutely no irony or sarcasm in his tone. He has quarters fit for the prince. But he never uses them. Better a bed of hay in a corner of the forge than being treated like something he isn't.]

[hexuality]

Well, I can never say no to seeing a new bit of the castle. [ She plucks her broom from the air and slings it over her shoulder, reaching for the locket too. ] I'll come find you, then.

[bullhorned]

I'll be waiting.

[And so he will be. He's working on the shield even now. In the depths of the forge, he'll be barechested and drenched in sweat. The shield is presently a battered piece of metal that he's made into close to its appropriate shape, but still in need of more work. And so the steady tempo of heavy hammer blows ringing on steel will be all she needs to find him.]

[hexuality]

[ It takes a bit of asking, but Ginny eventually finds her way, and her first impression is the blast of sweltering heat that reminds her of being thirteen years old and watching dragons breathe fire in an arena. Not nearly as intense, but enough for her to decide to leave her broom outside (no bloody way she's letting it catch fire), and she enters properly to seek out Gendry.

The hammer blows are enough of a hint and she stops a fair distance away, certain he won't hear her over the din, and crosses her arms as she waits. And when there's a break in the pounding, she calls out: ]

Not that I mind the show— [ She grins. ] But it's a little warm for standing round.

[bullhorned]

[He turned around and for the moment, he seemed to blush from her comment. But he was already red from the heat, mercifully shielding him from further embarrassment. He set the hammer down and moved around to the other side of his work.]

There you are. Here, have a look.

[With a pair of tongs, he raised the shield higher so that she could see it. It was still misshapen, but what was striking was how reflective it was. It seemed as fine as mirrored glass, but not nearly so delicate. And that was after he'd heated and beaten it. That alone made it extraordinary.]

[hexuality]

[ She doesn't know very much about armour and shields and swords, even with the empty suits standing around Hogwarts castle. Even so, Ginny can recognise the unusual quality of the offered shield and she steps closer to take a look; she isn't about to touch it, she isn't an idiot, but she wants to—just out of curiosity. ]

You said it's meant to be magic? [ Ginny glances up from her own reflection in the metal to the young man holding it, brows knit. ] I've never seen anything like it.

[bullhorned]

Not quite magic. [He lets it fall back on the anvil again with a clang.] It's supposed to reflect magic. Only, I ain't got no magic to see if they told me true.

[He looks to her now. This is where she comes in.]

[hexuality]

[ She raises her brows at him, interest piqued. ]

You want me to hex you?

[bullhorned]

[Hex? He stares at her.]

No. I want you to fling some of your magic at this here shield. At an angle, mayhaps. So as if don't come back and hurt you.

[hexuality]

In here?

[ She goes to draw her wand from the leather holster she's fashioned on her forearm, but she does it raise it. ]

Sure, it won't bounce back at me, but it'll hit something else. Can't we wait for it to cool down and go outside?

[bullhorned]

[He frowns at her, annoyed at her implication of carelessness.] Not in here. I was trying to flatten it.

[He looks at the battered shield, then hefts it up with metal tongs, and dips it into a basin of water to cool.]

We'll go out in the bailey.

[hexuality]

[ Yeah, she's. Totally going to make a face back at him when he turns to cool the shield. MATURE. ]

Beg pardon if I don't know anything about forging stuff.

[bullhorned]

Most folk don't.

[He turns back around, looking about as pleasant as ever. They only need wait about a minute now before they can test the shield. He crosses his arms and tries to think of conversation to make. He recalls her message from before.]

What's wrong with dresses?

[hexuality]

[ She looks bewildered for half a second then bursts into laughter, brushing the hair back from her shoulders, wand still in hand. ]

Nothing. I like them fine. Just get in the way when I want to go flying.

[bullhorned]

Do they? [He feels uneasy about her laughter, because it seems distinctly like she might be mocking him. But it's hard to be upset when she's smiling.] That one you have seems nice enough, though. It's pretty like.

[hexuality]

Yeah? [ She looks down like she's forgotten what it looks like. ] Thanks very much. Never had anything like it before, I've got to say.

[ Ginny looks back out over her shoulder, to the door, the rest of the castle beyond. ]

You seem more familiar with this place than I am. Forges and swords and different clothes. I spoke with the queen a while back, didn't know if I had to bow or curtsy.

[bullhorned]

[He shrugged.]

Not really. I've never been in a castle before. I lived outside one, though, all my life. From Fleabottom to the Street of Steel. I know my forge, but that's all. [He looks to her.] But you have your magic, don't you? Just like them fairy folk do.

[hexuality]

I was born with it. But magic can be different.

[ She fiddles with her wand as she speaks, thinking. ]

I'm starting to learn that here. There's one way of doing magic back home, wands and potions and plants... But the sort here, there's something different about it. No wands that I've seen. [ She thinks back to what he said, curious. ] You've been doing this for very long, though? Working with metal?

[bullhorned]

[He shrugs and looks at the basin, where the water is no doubt hot, but the shield about manageable. Her explanation about magic doesn't make much sense to him, because he knew so little already. But she changed the subject, so he was eager to not dwell on it.]

Since my mum died. Eight, maybe nine. Seems to me about as long as I can remember, most times.

[hexuality]

[ Seems like most people she's met here haven't got the same sort of family she has. It makes her a little sad but it isn't her place to comment. ]

D'you like it? [ She gestures to the cooling shield. ] You seem quite good at it. I mean—as far as I know, which isn't very much.