Quest 093

[primrosella]

[Private//Hackable by Friends]

All right, let me see if I can find the right button here. I think, if I just find--is it this one?



Aha! It is, it's the one on the left. And now I've written it down, so I won't forget it in the future.

I think it makes for a rather pretty necklace, really. It's a lovely stone, and I think the jeweler did a very nice job setting it. It's just the way I asked for it--with only the front exposed, so there isn't much chance I'll rub it by accident, once it's enchanted. Wouldn't that be a problem, if I did? I'd never be able to wear it anywhere, for fear of disappearing and reappearing somewhere else, without meaning to! But that's the risk one takes when they make a magic stone of teleportation, I suppose. And it's fortunate that it is such a pretty stone, since once it's enchanted, I doubt anyone will be able to tell that it's magic at all. It might look strange, wearing a plain gray rock on a chain, but a pretty one in hues of blue and green is a natural piece to use for jewelry.

That means all that's left is to cast the spell, and I have all the ingredients for that. But I can't do things the way I did with the sleeping spell--oh, remember how that turned out? And too many important things are coming up soon, anyway. So I'll have to go about it a little differently. I've read the spell plenty of times, and I think I understand the whole process now, rather than just the steps. That should help.

Mm. I'll certainly feel much better once it's done, though. It's far from a perfect solution--I'll still have to make sure I keep it around my neck, after all--but if it all works the way it ought, having it will make me much safer than before.

And I think...there's a way, somehow, to use this device to make a little movie that I could watch again later. If I can set it up to do that while I cast the spell, then I can watch it over again before I try using the stone, to double-check. That way, if I did something wrong, I'll be able to notice it and avoid the problem I had last time. That's certainly careful, isn't it?

...It's strange to think how far I've come with all this. Mikaela was writing yesterday about forgiving a loved one for making a mistake, one that changes your life for the worse...and that's rather what's happened with Alexander, isn't it? His mistake was that he didn't do away with his wizard as completely as he ought to have, and now we're all facing certain doom at the hands of that wizard's brother, sometime in the future. If that's not a change for the worse, I don't know what is! But...that's what led to my learning magic, isn't it? Or at least, to my serious pursuit of it. The affair with my rope was out of jealousy, to be honest, because I wanted to prove I was just as good of a magician as Alexander was. But...I learned the sleeping spell to save my family, and now I'm learning from that again as I try to save myself.

If someone I cared about were to change my life for the worse...

Well. Good things do sometimes come from bad things, don't they?

[/Private]

[Filtered from Alexis Hargreaves | Blue's Codes | Unhackable]

My goodness, what a weekend! It's not the first time I've been cursed to be a child, I'm afraid, and I know I was a rather insufferable little tyrant of a girl when I was younger, so I'm grateful to everyone who was patient and understanding with me for the duration. But it seems that a quite a lot of people found themselves as children that weekend, didn't they? I'm sure the few adults that remained themselves must've kept very busy, chasing around after all of us.

I hope that boy was all right, in the end...

Also, the play is in less than a week! Goodness, I'm nervous all of a sudden, even though I know there's really no reason to be. We've been practicing lines for months now and I really don't think I'll forget any of them when the time comes, but--well, I'm nervous and excited and hopeful all at once. I've never been in a real play before, after all. Sam, Mikaela, you'll come to see the performance, won't you? I know neither of you are much for Shakespeare, but I'd like it very much if you did.

Oh, and the dance competition is only a few days away, too! I think we're as ready as we're ever going to be, Neil, and no matter how things turn out, it's been a pleasure having you for a partner all these weeks. I'm sure we'll have a lovely time! But I still want to win. I hope plenty of people turn out to dance, too; for anyone who doesn't know, it's Friday night at six o'clock at the Blue Light, and once the competition is over there'll still be plenty of dancing and good music, so please do come if you're interested!

And, er, speaking of music...

...Well, er, could anyone recommend some? I know plenty of ballads and jigs and things like that, and I've heard swing music and hard rock music, but I think there are lots of other kinds as well, aren't there? I'd like to try listening to something new.


[OOC: Play people, I'm assuming the date of the play is still set for the 21st, right? If not someone punt me and I'll change it.]

Comments

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Unbearable for whom? Myself, or my audience?

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of your audience, of course.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Then I'd say it would depend entirely on how elaborate I decided to get with those gestures of mine.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

I can think of a few that would be unbearable for both you and you audience, yes.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

You're deliberately being vague so I'll have to ask what they might be, aren't you?

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I ought to describe them to a young lady, honestly.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

...And suddenly I'm not sure if you ought to, either. Honestly.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

And so you understand my vagueness.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Even so, I ought to thoroughly chastise you for offending my delicate sensibilities.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

Yes, I suppose you rather should. I'm prepared: do your worst.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

How dare you insinuate such things in the presence of a lady! Honestly, and from a man of your position, besides! I'd expect such filthy discourse out of a flea-bitten rapscallion lurking in the back corner of a tavern, not a titled man of dignity and status! What nerve! What filth! What a perfectly atrocious and ill-mannered thing to do! I suggest you enjoy what remains of your reputation while you still can, because it certainly won't be left intact once I'm through spreading word about you!

And I will, too. Because I'm the princess, that's why.

I'm not sure he's quite sure how mad she really is |D

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

My sincerest apologies, Princess.

Fortunately, she's mostly just hassling him for the sake of hassling him. <3

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

...Is that really all it takes to pacify offended ladies in your London?

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

It generally works as a start. There are usually calls paid afterwards--which are refused for a while. And occasionally letters are sent--which are sometimes burned. And there are always flowers to be sent as well--which are often accepted. It's a matter of persistence rather than apology--

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I can't help but wonder, though, how many of those refusals are really genuine, and how many are merely intended to take advantage of one's apologetic caller.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

I suspect half are genuine and half are designed to take advantage of the poor, apologetic caller.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

And does the poor, apologetic caller prevail in the end?

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

As often as he can, though he may have to throw himself upon the mercies and goodness of the lady he has offended.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Well, in that case, when you start being apologetic, I'll start being merciful.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

And here I'd thought I was being apologetic.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Well, let's see, then. You've apologized, so that's something. I'm sure I've refused a call from you in the past at least once, so that's another. Letters are rather pointless, what with the Network around, and I still have the flowers you gave me once before.

...All right, I'm satisfied. And you're forgiven.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

And I'm very glad of it, too.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Even if I had been angry with you, I doubt I could've stayed that way for very long, anyway.

[misterblackbird.livejournal.com]

And I think I'm rather glad to hear that as well.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Mm. Good, that's what I wanted.