video | open to both courts

[boutant]

[ 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.

Comments

[video | locked]

[boutant]

Mostly they've asked a lot of questions.

[video | locked]

[bird_brain]

Mostly?

[No one better be giving her a hard time.]

[video | locked]

[boutant]

There's also people asking if people have given me any trouble.

Re: [video | locked]

[bird_brain]

They're the ones with some sense, then.

[boutant]

[ She laughs a little. ]

Maybe.

[bird_brain]

Any trouble in your travels?

[boutant]

Straton's getting too large to carry on my lap on horseback, which means he's wandering around being distracted by everything. But that's about it.

You?

[bird_brain]

That does sound like Straton.

[He shakes out his wings slightly, feathers rustling and settling.] I am well.

[boutant]

He's at my manor, for now. Probably terrorizing the imp.

[ Oops. ]

Good. No soreness or anything?

[bird_brain]

I am an old bird, Ariadne. There is always soreness somewhere.

[boutant]

[ ALL THE FROWNING ]

I'm sure there have to be ways to relieve it.

[bird_brain]

I am an old bird. Aches do not always go away easily.

[boutant]

You should get a massage.

[bird_brain]

I have not found many willing to help an old bird out. [Not that he's looked.]

[boutant]

I'm willing.

[bird_brain]

Perhaps when we see each other next. [Because really, as much as he likes Ariadne, he's not about to follow her to Caer Scima.]

[boutant]

[ She can't blame him there. ] Until then, I'm sure there must be someone around who can help. The healers at Caer Glaem, maybe?

[bird_brain]

I have not been back to Caer Glaem since I left months ago.

[This is Aubri, completely (and probably purposefully) missing the actual point.]

[boutant]

[ STUBBORN BIRD ]

Somewhere, then. One of the elves?

[bird_brain]

[You see this look, Ariadne? This is the look of a very unimpressed old bird. Some of the elves seem very nice and, really, Aubri even likes Maglor but...

... elves.

Aubri's pretty sure they're all some form of crazy and that sort of crazy isn't coming close to his feathers.]

No thank you.

[boutant]

[ s i g h ]

You've got to let someone try.

[bird_brain]

It isn't that bad, little one.

[boutant]

[ :< ]

You shouldn't have to be in pain.

[bird_brain]

Old bones and they've been through a good bit.

[boutant]

That doesn't change my point.