Whispers and Clockwork Curiosities

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Whispers and Clockwork Curiosities

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Tairais

Tairais

@Amuulzhaan 2 years ago

As with all hidden treasures, the location of the shop itself was a mystery that changed on a week by week basis. Those who might have tried to find it on a particular last Friday, for example, would find that it was almost in the same place as a different last Tuesday, merely on the opposite wall of the same dingy alley.

Sometimes it would be on a corner between streets, in plain view for all to see, yet sticking to the eyes of only a few curious souls. Indeed, it seemed almost as if the majority of the populace could find no trace of the intricate double doors.

In reality, one need only follow the whispers of conversation that mentioned the doorway to find it. It required nothing more than a curious ear and a bit of common sense.

(That was the funny thing about common sense, though- it wasn't as common as one might have assumed.)

"Didja hear about the shop on the corner near Harry's ol' bookshop? Right strange collection, that?"

"The one with the curious markings all over? Yes, but I had found it by the pub near the market.."

"Arthur said he'd found it by the hatter's on Wednesday... or was it the cobbler's on Tuesday?"

Onward and ever upwards did the rumors spiral, but rarely did they truly lead to the doorway.

As with all hidden treasures, sometimes they landed close to home. Such as it was on a particularly sharp autumn day, winter's teeth tugging in the breeze with all the sleepy ferocity it could muster. All but the most stubborn of leaves had fallen from their branches, sweeping ever downward into decaying slumber.

In an alleyway almost familiar to any who entered it, there lay a set of quietly humming double doors, all but smirking with untold secrets and Secrets alike. Here in this ever-changing building, Charricthran and Richard had made their business. The actual location of the shop was a secret to all but the two of them- the shifting door had been Richard's idea brought to reality through his feathered cohort.

A project for the few free days they had. It brought in extra coin for Richard, though he seldom needed it, and a little amusement on the side for Charricthran, who was all but constantly desperately bored.

The most noticeable thing about the shop, especially considering the weather outside, was that the atmosphere was warm and sleepy, like some gently slumbering beast. Oftentimes, the steady pump of the bellows tucked just out of sight behind a heavy black curtain added to this illusion, shifting the currents in the air as if the very shop itself were breathing.

Inside lay a treasure trove of trinkets, weaponry, and strange, arcane artifacts from their travels. Each and every wall was covered with shelves and display cases almost as cluttered as a magpie's nest, and the floor itself was a nigh impossible to navigate labyrinth of shelves that sparkled and glittered in the dim candlelight.

If it could be imagined, it was here, and very likely crafted or found by one or both of them. The history and knowledge packed into the room was almost tangible, like the taste of iron and peppermint against the tongue.

However, that all lay behind the doors outside, still unopened, still humming softly with hidden smiles, still dancing with sigils and glyphs in the gentle autumn light.

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To those who could find it, it all but beckoned for someone to step inside and take a peak.

But only if you were worthy. The hidden smiles, after all, were made from mouths full of fangs and knives.

Surely, though, it couldn't hurt to open the doors once they were found.

Surely.

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Catt Hatter • 2 years ago

Catt wandered down the alleyway, taking a longer, more relaxing route home after her street performance. She found the cool winds and murmurs of autumn soothing, and she let her mind wander.

It wandered until she passed the strange whispering doors, and she paused to take a longer look at its peculiar markings.

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Tairais  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago

One would expect a door to remain indifferent to being examined. In this particular case, expectation was defied.

There was a brief flash of golden light as Catt approached the doors. Three sigils contained within circular markings glowed in rapid succession and spun, blurring in their motion.

There was a soft 'click', and the door swung open, just a hint. Unlocked, should she choose to enter.

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Catt Hatter  Tairais • 2 years ago

As strange as it was to be invited in by the doors themselves, she did wonder what could be inside.

Plus it would be rude to decline.

She stepped up to the doors, and gently pulled them open.

"H-hello?" Her voice disappeared within the shade of the entrance.

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Tairais  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago • edited

Catt's entrance was heralded by the music of a set of wind chimes, hollow and low, made of the bones and skull of something vaguely avian. The sound was something like low wind blowing mournfully over reeds, struck against wooden blocks.

In the store itself, there were exactly three feet of clutter-free space before everything turned into bookshelf after bookshelf of trinkets and curios, carefully placed, carefully organized to a system that made... very little sense. In the closest shelf alone, there were stacks of books next to a pair of wicked-looking daggers that seemed to grin with bloodlust in the curve of the dark metal of their blades, all of which were located below the skeleton of something vaguely draconic in structure, sporting three heads and three pairs of antlers under its glass enclosure.

The floor looked as if it were made of ebony wood, though the grains of each board seemed as if they held softly shifting embers within. The sparks shifted lazily and gave the floor a faint shimmer of false heat.

There were voices, faint and muffled from somewhere on the far side of the room, almost familiar in the fact that one was jagged, cawing, and coarse and the other broken, melodic, and hoarse.

The maze of shelves loomed overhead, beckoning curiosity be satisfied.

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Catt Hatter  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

"Hello?" She called again, marveling at the curiosities and bones as she stepped inside. The rattle of chimes that sounded like driftwood announced her entry.

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Tairais  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago

There was a lull in the conversation where everything seemed to stop and listen.

After a handful of moments, Charricthran stepped out from between a row of shelves that seemed as if it by all rights shouldn't have a 'between'.

He grinned and all but bounced towards Catt with a wave.

"Heya, kiddo! What's shakin'? Didn't expect ya ta find this place any time soon! Consider me an' Richard cheerfully surprised!"

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Catt Hatter  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Char?" Catt said, a sharp turn of her head and slight widening of her eyes the only hints of her surprise.

"And Richard is here too? What is this place? It's fascinating!"

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Tairais  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago

"The ones and onlys! An'... technically, this place doesn't have a name o' its own, but Richard tends ta call it 'Whispers, Clockworks an' Curiosities', which suits it plenty well enough, considerin'!"

Charricthran all but hummed with excitement.

"Jus' got the place runnin'... couple o' weeks ago? Plenty o' people poppin' by ta browse 'n buy when they feel like it, plenty o' interestin' happenin's. We started this little shebang specifically for that, see. I was bored, the kid wanted to make some money, some magic an' elbow grease later, bada bing, bada boom!"

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Catt Hatter  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Wow." Her voice lilted with wonder as she went to step further into the store. "What sorts of things do you sell?"

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Tairais  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago

"All sorts, really!" Charricthran glanced over Catt's shoulder and pointed out a handful of items, his grin never leaving his face.

"Tha's a sword Richard an' I ended up trappin' the soul o' a Sidhe Lord o' a different universe in- take care not ta accidentally break those sigils, yeah? Oh, an' there's a tome containing the True Name o' a world I once visited. World's long dead, but that Name contains histories that its inhabitants never even knew of! Over there's the heart o' a fallen star- Richard found that when he was a wee lad an' nearly ended up eatin' the accursed thing."

He rambled on in a similar manner for quite some time, drawing Catt further and further into the store. Instruments that sang with the voices of forgotten realms, books holding the Secrets of a thousand souls, gems and crystals of every cut, color, and variety, and some that were outside the realm of human possibility. Many, many pieces of intricate metalwork, some of which, Charricthran explained, had been crafted by Richard, but certainly not all of them.

And, of course, there were clockwork contraptions of every sort of imagination. Replicas of animals that moved and seemed to live a life of their own, boxes with hidden compartments and clever mechanics, clocks that ticked in time with the suns and moons of places that existed only in memory and tradition, gadgets and gizmos whose purposes were not so easily discerned at a glance.

One would have to take care in order to keep from straining their neck trying to take it all in.

A little mechanical dragon flew overhead, purple and gold runes fluttering in its wake as it let off a quiet chirp.

Eventually, Charricthran turned to face Catt again with a smile.

"Lookin' for anythin' in particular, or d'ya wanna just keep explorin'? I could pop ya back ta the forge if ya wanna give your greetin's to Richard, too!"

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Catt Hatter  Tairais • 2 years ago

Catt spent the entire time in rapt silence, her gaze wandering over everything until the invitation was offered.

"He's here now? I'd love to say hello!

That is, if it won't disturb his work." She felt a little sheepish at not being able to conceal her excitement, but it had just been such a long time since she'd seen him!

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Tairais  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago

"Sure thing, kiddo! He was jus' a-finishin' up with some glasswork, so so long as we take the long way 'round, should be fine enough to give him time ta clean himself up."

Charricthran took Catt by the hand with a smile- there was no way she'd be able to find the forge on her own, warded as it was- and led her down the twisting maze of shelves he called a shop.

Five minutes passed, glass and gear and case and book and jewel whizzing by with no signs of stopping.

Ten minutes passed- was that an eye?

Shelves dropped off like clifftops before an archway that all but poured heat from it. Runes and glyphs the color of embers and smoke drifted past lazily, carrying the sound of clanking equipment and.. humming?

Charricthran paused before it with a chuckle.

"Step on in, kiddo. Gotta close up the wards behind ya."

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Catt Hatter  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Ah, okay?" She walked in, still a bit dazed by the high-speed run of wonders they had passed on the way. She followed the melody on its course inside.

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Tairais  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago

Charricthran stepped in after Catt and made a slashing movement with his arms, outwards from his chest. There was a soft whine as whatever spells that had been deactivated sparked into existence again, symbols and lines connecting in the blink of an eye.

They vanished as quickly as they'd come.

The room was bathed in an amber sort of glow, equal parts the result of the massive windows taking up much of the back wall, and the massive furnace to the left fashioned in the likeness of a dragon breathing fire, bellows for wings and a tail-like chimney.

Oddly enough, the windows didn't show any part of London that was recognizable. Instead, they overlooked a lake surrounded by pine trees, a castle on a hill in the faint distance.

There were four large workbenches pushed against the right wall, covered in all manner of crystal, gem, metal, and tool. Each item was placed in a deliberate fashion, tools within easy reach of what they were to be used on, hammer and tongs on boards above them.

In the center of the room lay a round table perhaps ten feet in diameter, and it was here that the true clutter and tinkering lay.

Charricthran had very little idea of what was what in that pile of junk, and he didn't care to try and decipher it any time soon. Something vaguely resembling a teakettle-- a quick check revealed that it was not, in fact Gerard, as he'd started to believe, at least two or three weapons and their respective scabbards scattered in opposite directions, easily three or four clocks, and... a whale?

Richard himself slipped out from a room whose door lay in between two of the four workbenches, wiping at his face with a towel.

He was, perhaps, as close to undressed as Catt would ever see him, missing his gloves, hat, scarf, eyepatch, and jacket. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up and out of the way, exposing both of his metal hands for all the world to see. His hair was plastered to his face with sweat, curly to an almost violent degree with the extra moisture.

Upon noticing Catt and Charricthran, he froze, faint song freezing in his throat. After a moment, he smiled and straightened up, folding the towel over his arm.

"Greetings, Catt! Wonderful to see you." He flashed a wry grin before adding, "Charricthran, as I just saw you but a moment ago, I do not expect that you need me to say the same to you."

Charricthran pouted playfully, mischief dancing in his eyes.

"Aw, but kid! Here I was, pinin' after your gods-damned snark. Woe is me ta know tha' my brotherly affection is bleedin' wasted!"

Charricthran snickered, while Richard chuckled, far too polite to stoop further in childishness.

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Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited

Lewis and Charricthran had made plans for Saturday, but it occurred to Weir on his way home from the Society that they hadn't specified the exact time.

As he walked along, he debated whether to ask him now or simply call it an evening.

Turning a corner, he spied a set of double doors of a most unusual character, and stopped dead in his tracks.

Energies both strange and familiar emanated from it.

Intrigued, he approached.

It was covered in myriad glyphs, their signatures practically a cacophony.

He settled his senses and took a more measured approach, positioning his hands just above each glyph by turn to get a more focused read of each.

He'd done this with all of three of them when the energies shifted and the doors opened of their own accord.

He straightened in surprise...and walked through.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

The mournful sound of wind over reeds and wooden chimes called out as the doors swung open, then closed behind Lewis with a gentle click and the same light and shifting that had unlocked them.

A familiar voice called out from somewhere distant to the right.

"In here somewhere. If ya can find me in this bleedin' mess, kudos to ya. If not, be with ye in a tick! Feel free ta browse while you're at it."

The case that wound up in front of Lewis was full of boxes of all sorts. Frosted glass terrariums holding things that skittered and chuckled and screeched gently, softly with claw and maw. Wooden pieces that whispered with glyphs of their own, nowhere near as loud as the ones on the door. On a shelf all its own was the binary heart system of some alien creature, still softly pulsating, as if it wasn't quite aware that it was no longer attached to the blood and flesh that had once housed it. There was a crystal rack of what might've held wine glasses, only they were closed off at the top, the liquid within almost molten metal in quality.

The shelves nearby seemed almost shrouded in fog, drawing the eye- and the person attached- ever closer.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

The sights, sounds, smells, and energies arrested Weir's attention--until Charricthran spoke.

Lewis perked his head up and broke into a smile at that.

"Thought I sensed you somewhere!" he exclaimed, making his way to his friend.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

The rows of shelves and cases eventually gave way to a little grotto, bordered by bookcases that were crammed with texts in a vast variety of languages- some of which were very obviously not from this time or world.

Charricthran was floating in the middle of it, several open books hovering at varying levels. Energy flowed around him in the form a Song, sung with the chime of crystal echoing somewhere distant and the sound of harps and strings racing each other towards an unseen goal.

It was almost heartbreaking in its beautiful, harmonious simplicity.

He flashed a grin and held up a finger- 'one moment!'- at the sight of Lewis breaking into the circle. There was a fleeting moment of panic where he couldn't remember if he'd placed runes on the floor, quickly swept away by the assurance of his Song.

With a final crescendo, the remaining books next to him shot back towards their places, the last falling shut atop the furthest bookcase with the final chord of the almost-music.

Charricthran dropped to the ground with a graceful unfolding of his limbs and an almost-bow to catch his balance- not that it was truly needed, but it was a memory of times past he didn't care to lose.

"Thatcha did! Sorry bout the mess- still puttin' things away proper. Still, good to see ya! Always is- What can I do ya for? Can't say I expected ya around so-" He froze in his movement, a crease forming in his brow as he frowned.

"I have no bleedin' idea what day it is- xsiol, did I miss Saturday?"

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

Lewis held his peace. Sounds and energies flowed through and around, giving reality--such as it was--a nudge.

Vibrations.

He recognized the phenomenon, and smiled at it.

The cosmos always has the same infinitely varied, delightfully uniting, magnificent hum.

Charricthran finished whatever form of magic he'd been weaving and spoke.

"No no," Weir answered quickly. "We've still some time. But, speaking of which...I wondered when exactly you'd like to meet."

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran slouched slightly with his relief, rubbing the back of his neck thoughtfully.

"Well tha's.. good then. Think I got everythin' squared away 'fore I popped 'round here, so whenever's good for you, 'spose. I'm not particularly picky."

He seemed more open here, prone towards broadcasting his emotions in a way that was more natural than the memories he channeled for the comfort of others.

A glyph sparked into existence nearby, vaguely circular, vaguely wobbly. Anxiety all but rippled off it, muting the color in the air around it with a distracting whine.

Charricthran batted it away almost absentmindedly, rocking on his feet with a chuckle and a languid stretch of his arms behind his head.

"Considerin' I don' have ta do anythin' ta live an' earn a livin', probably shoulda asked you the first time if ya had a time ya wanted."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

Lewis was surprised by the appearance of the anxiety-rune, as well as the fact it could be batted away, but chose to focus on the subject at hand.

"Would you feel most comfortable with morning, daytime, evening...?" he suggested. "Hell, since I've nothing on Saturday, I could even do Friday night if you wanted it to be dark out. Up to you, really. Whichever time would ease your spirits best."

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran carefully kept himself from moving, though the effort to remain still was evident in his taut posture. Still, for all his tension, he wore a cheerful smile.

"Evenin'-slash-night's best, considerin'. Don' need ta get sun-sick on top o' everythin' else... You said we could do Friday night, yeah? Let's shoot for that."

He trailed off into silence, the air around him still faintly humming.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

Lewis nodded.

"How does eight o' clock sound?"

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

"Like the cat's pajamas. Much as it can, least. Considerin'."

A chuckle, the scrape of his fingers against his neck. Runes in a thousand tongues shifting under his skin like faded paint.

A mischievous grin as he looked Lewis in the eye again.

"So! Change o' subject; anythin' pokin' at that brain of yours? Daresay something ought've- I ain't braggin' when I say there's stuff clatterin' in here you've not seen."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"As a matter of fact," rejoined Lewis with a chortle, "I've been struggling to keep myself on the task at hand, that's how badly I want to take a look around. There's just so much calling to me in here!"

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited

His eyes glittered, twin rubies of excitement and hidden knowledge.

"Well we can't have ya gettin' distracted, now can we? Pick a direction an' walk! I'll keep ya from trippin' over anythin' that might cost ya a leg or sommat."

There was the sound of claws skittering across wood, and then a scaly head poked out from between too books on a nearby shelf. Charricthran grinned, making an odd sort of hissing cluck.

"There you are, wee thing. Were's your sister at, hm?"

With a purring chirp, the mechanical dragon pulled its way free with a little more scrabbling and an almost comical 'pop!' as it managed to free its wings, sending it flying forward into Charricthran, who caught it almost lazily, as if that sort of thing happened often.

It squirmed something vicious for a handful of moments before scurrying up Charricthran's arm and onto his shoulders, draping itself like a shawl. The dragon regarded Lewis with piercing blue eyes that whispered with the same hum that had helped Charricthran put his books away.

For a moment, the sound became tangible, dragging the air downwards, crushing, near bruising in its intensity.

At least, until Charricthran tapped it squarely on the nose.

"Aurthon, Svanixeu. Jaci ui vi thurirl- Weirmrith Viofdioenel, axun? Wux vucot jacion."

There wasn't any music to be found in these words- the Intent was conversation, rather than to channel a Song. Still, in the quietly humming air of the shop, they rang like bells.

Charricthran flashed a wry grin towards Lewis once the dragon settled with a vaguely offended chitter.

"Lewis, Svanixeu. Svanixeu, Lewis. He an' his sister Mitne mind the place when Richard an' I ain't about. Probably decided ta check on me when he noticed I'd finished Casting early."

(( Have a picture of Svanixeu, since he's one of my dragons in a game I play XD

))

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

Lewis couldn't help but chuckle at the exchange between Charricthran and the little mechanical dragon. He didn't know the words' meaning, but the familiar dynamic between the two was interesting on its own.

"A pleasure, Svanixeu," said Weir with a smile and a brief dip of his head.

He turned to Charricthran.

"Wise, that," he replied in regard to the dragons watching the shop. "If that brief thrill of energy was any indication, they'd have matters well in hand should an unwelcome guest come through those doors."

He looked the doors in question, then about the shop, taking in its myriad vibrations.

"Hmm..." he said to himself, feeling out the strongest.

"Mind if we go over here?" he asked as he began to head toward its source.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran, knowing full well what had arrested Lewis's attention, seeing as it Sang loud enough for him to hear too, grinned bright as a star.

"Not at all! Jus' mind the teeth- on the shelf next ta ya, that is. Mind of their own, sometimes."

Once they'd passed the aforementioned teeth- which did, in fact, try to grab on to Lewis' shoulder before promptly being thrown back by a white glyph resembling a forked tongue- Charricthran led Lewis down the winding halls of shelves.

They passed by a menagerie of clockwork animals, some animated, others dark and still, feathers and fur etched with care and great attention to detail. A right turn, and they had to edge their way past crystals of every color of an iridescent rainbow, shifting and humming in harmony with the thrum of the atmosphere. There were dozens of strange contraptions resembling anemometers and windchimes with great, unblinking glass eyes in the center.

A gilded mirror, the majority of which was covered by a heavy white sheet.

It did not hum, nor did the air around it hum.

Their destination was just beyond it, once the walls turned from brick to heavy gray stone and began to be less crowded.

The three of them stood at the edge of a room with no floor, the boundaries of which reached off towards some distant infinity and fell short, just to the edge of human sight. The threshold was marked by a blackened metal archway, engraved with yet another set of runes that shimmered with soft silver.

Before them lay the skies of a thousand worlds and the stars of countless forgotten universes. Planets hung like jewels from strings of starry pearls, clouds of stardust drifting past like dancers in the air.

Charricthran stepped forward and did not fall, climbing upwards a handful of steps as if there were a staircase only he could see. Pausing, he turned to face Lewis with a smile that couldn't decide if it wanted to be wistful, gentle, or jubilant.

He beckoned silently, Secrets and Histories curling all but visibly around him, stardust clinging like cobwebs as he shifted on his feet.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

Lewis was just as intrigued by the utter lack of energy from the covered mirror as he was the panoply of strong vibrations emanating from the room just past the archway.

First things first, though.

He followed Charricthran through and the hum of the cosmos washed over him--more specifically, the hum of one dimension's universe.

A beautiful thing.

Always a thrill to feel, echoes or no--the way it all fit together, distinct and yet the same, unity underlying diversity of shape, energy, motion, stillness...everything.

He arched his back, taking it all in, letting it run through him.

"Your...home?" he asked after some moments.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

"The memory o' the Song of it, at least. Hard ta keep it next ta The Other, so I... moved it here. Why not, y'know?"

He closed his eyes and let the symphony of creation carry his mind somewhere Beyond.

Floating, fading, falling-

Snapping back to himself with a sudden jolt of elasticity, something within him cracking just a little bit more.

Still out of reach.

He let his eyes open and trail towards a planet not too dissimilar from earth, though the landmasses were notably different, and the world itself encircled by a ring of lavender light- leftover from some decaying star, no doubt. It and its three silver moons circled a binary star system that bathed it all in a gentle golden light.

He pointed towards it with a bright grin, giddy now, almost childish. He refused to become subject to melancholy when surrounded by so much beauty.

"Home's there. Treskiraelir. The First world, dancin' with the Scales o' the Moon 'round the Hearts o' the Sun."

He fell quiet again, letting the music wash over him as he heard it, a thousand voices of change, the currents of starlight ebbing and flowing with Time as it claimed all.

Creation, transformation, and decay. Through these things, you found... everything. Opposites, then the gray space between.

His thoughts wandered towards rooftop observations, and he chuckled again.

Variations upon a pattern, yet still the same.

"I tend ta come here ta think away from the rest o' my thoughts."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"I can see why. 'Tis beautiful--enrapturing," remarked Lewis as he gazed about, feeling the Song and susurrus reverberate through him.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran began to hum in tune with the Song after a handful of moments in silence. It wasn't due to any conscious effort on his part- rather, the never-quite-healed ache of wishing he could return nudged him just so, trying to find... what?

Somewhere, Something, Someone? to Belong to again, he supposed. His Song wasn't meant for this universe, nor the one it had originated from anymore. It belonged to him, yes, but what was a Song without something to hear it?

He quickly pulled his mind from that train of thought, gently letting his mind filter between stars. Each crystal note tasted of iron and heat and hydrogen- a melody repeated a thousand times over, a thousand times unique.

A little more time passed before spoke again.

"We can leave when ya want, but no need ta rush, really."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

As Charricthran began to speak, Lewis nonchalantly flicked his gaze back to the stars, as if he hadn't just been observing Charricthran sidelong as he hummed in tune with the Song.

Weir turned his head to look at his friend as the latter finished speaking.

"'Tis a magnificent place, this," Lewis acknowledged.

Yet you'll grow melancholy the longer we stay here, won't you?

"Though...I'd be lying if I denied being intrigued by that mirror we passed earlier," he admitted with a grin.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited

Charricthran grinned in return, melancholy replaced by familiar mischief.

"Onward, then! To shiny glass adventure!"

Svanixeu chirped with excitement, wriggling to lay in a more upright position, causing Charricthran to snicker as he poked the dragon on the nose again.

"Feel like bein' less o' a scarf now that somethin' excitin' might happen, aintcha? Predictable little bugger, you."

The dragon responded with a chittering that might almost have been considered laughter.

He led the way out of the stars with a final glance over his shoulder. It shouldn't have held as much weight as an eternal farewell, but it always did. The same ritual, repeated countless times over. He'd leave, the stars remained; the latter timeless, the other changed.

They crossed the threshold once more and music fell to silence.

The way back was shorter than before, and even Charricthran couldn't figure out if it was due to familiarity or the shop rearranging on its own. Whatever the reason, his bouncy steps halted in front of the cloth-covered mirror with a smirk.

"I really hope this ain't the mirror I trapped a Fae in. Might be a titch awkward, seein' as the last time we met, I was at the end o' her spellwork."

He threw off the cloth with a flourish, breath leaving him in a rush when he realized what stood before him.

The mirror's frame stood some eight feet tall and consisted of two snakes emerging from a base of roses and thorns that draped from the branches of some great tree at even intervals. A pair of roses bloomed from the open maws of the two creatures about three quarters of the way to the top, fallen petals cast upon currents of wind that quickly turned to the rolling waves of some forgotten sea. At the mirror's crest, a wave arched backwards in the likeness of a crescent moon- if the moon made of melting quicksilver, that is.

The glass itself seemed... almost alive. Though the surface was dark, it shifted with the same muted iridescence as Charricthran's 'blood', like smoke and tar under ice.

"I... forgot I'd found this." His voice took on a curious tone somewhere between wonder and apprehension. A handful of moments passed with a frown of concentration before he stepped back with a whisper, drawing both of his hands upwards, palms facing toward him.

"Ma ghilana mir mala theneras."

In these words lay the echos of a different world, different cultures past.

The mirror came alive, rushing with sound of waves crashing against clifftops and the hum of wind and water passing over crystal. The glass no longer looked like tar- rather, it shimmered as if it were an opal, bright and near-luminescent, bluer in tone than before.

With a satisfied smirk, he turned to face Lewis with a jesting half-bow and a sweeping gesture towards the now-humming mirror.

"Fancy a trip? No Fae in this one, cross my heart!"

Svanixeu had remained silent throughout the whole ordeal, staring at the strange mirror with an intensity to rival a small star. It was difficult to tell if he was trying to threaten it or if he was similarly entranced by the shifting surface.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

Lewis laughed at Charricthran's remark about trapping a fae in a mirror.

He uttered an awed "Oh, my..." when Charricthran removed the cloth.

At the words of magic and the mirror's change in appearance, Weir gave a low whistle.

"What...is that place?" he asked, staring into the altered mirror intensely.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited

"The.. how'd'ya say it... Crossroads! Tha's one name for it, 'least. I think.. Dunno! But if its the place I'm remembrin', it leads ta a buncha other places that're right nifty. Or it's one o' the ones tha' leads ta some other place already."

He placed his hands on his hips and turned to face the mirror with a soft cackle.

"Eheh. I can safely say I have no fraggin' clue, but 'sprobably safe! I think. Either way, it's a doorway to places Between, but not The Between, which is.. much different. Had a friend who used one o' these- well. 'Friend.' Spent most o' my time playin' bird, which ain't the best o' ways ta develop a friendship, but I digress."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Are you telling me," said Lewis, his voice low as he gazed into the mirror's depths, "that this...is a portal--to other dimensions?"

His mind raced with possibilities.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

He snapped his fingers with a grin, little sparks flying from his fingertips.

"Precisely! Woops, shite. Loose ends, those. But yes- so long as there's one'a these about, or you have the power and knowledge ta make another elsewhere. If ya have neither o' those, there's usually a way he get ta other places Between like it, so essentially no place is outta reach."

He trailed off before chuckling softly.

"Y'know, could be why I covered the thing up. Still! 'S not like ya plan on usin' it ta rule a world or see through to the throne of a god or summat. Doesn't seem your style, that."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

He laughed.

"No, no."

Though I might pay a visit to a godling or three and kick them in their nethers, for all the shite they've put me and mine through.

"It seems a fine means to explore other realms, to be honest. Even map out the cosmos. Or simply experience something different."

A smile.

"'Tis a marvelous mirror indeed."

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

He beamed with joy and appreciation alike, glad his guess had been correct. He remembered a handful of situations that had gone in the other direction, leaving nothing but chaos and broken worlds in their wake.

Definitely nice to avoid that this time around.

"You wanna have the honor?" He said, tilting his head toward the mirror before adding, "Promise I won't make us lost!"

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"What do I..." Weir began, looking to Charricthran for guidance, not exactly certain what he meant.

"Do I just step through, like Alice and the looking glass?"

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

"Yup! 'S a doorway- a slightly clingy, not-sure-if-its-gonna-be-water-gas-or-solid doorway."

His expression turned to one of encouragement, though mischief still burned in his eyes.

"Go on then, Alice!" He said through a lopsided grin.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Very well," said Lewis, breaking into a smile.

He held out his hand.

"But I'm keeping hold of you. I don't know how time passes on the other side, and I don't trust myself not to get bored or get lost on my own," he said with a laugh.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran's eyes darted down to look at Lewis's hand before he grasped it in his own, his grin stretching across both sides of his face as he snickered in response.

"Oddly, an' fair. Hang tight then!" Svanixeu chirped excitedly and tightened his grip on Charricthran's shoulder

With his usual bouncy, energetic strides, Charricthran pulled them all through the mirror, the sensation of passing something like quicksand, but dry and charged with static.

The world they stepped into had a familiar air about it, even though two of the party had never stepped foot there. It was a land veiled in mist and populated by ruined stone walls and crumbling towers, the vestiges of forgotten architecture. Odd tree-like structures stood as silent sentinels, a barely-there breeze passing by.

There were mirrors like the ones they'd stepped through everywhere, an ocean of shifting glass. They lined the sides of pathways paved with cobblestone, long since untouched. They were fixated into the walls of decrepit tower and building alike, like gems to a dusty crown.

The whole realm whispered gently, just shy of being audible, just shy of understanding.

It was an eerie, surreal place. A waking dream. As far as any could tell, they were the only souls there.

Charricthran stepped down from the dais that their mirror stood upon, grin and voice hushed to a gentle smile.

"Welcome ta the Crossroads, Weirmrith."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

Lewis found his breathing quickened as he took in the place.

He'd never seen so many mirrors, and he'd been to Versailles!

Not to mention the susurrus just out of hearing, the subtle energies tracing outward from each portal like ripples in water.

He looked back at the one they'd emerged from, committing it to memory, glad to be holding on to someone else in this nebulous realm of everywhere and nowhere.

"Damn..." he declared, voice just above a whisper.

"How many...?"

He shook his head

"Holy Hell."

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited

"I stopped tryin' ta count after five thousand'd passed an' I still couldn't find the edges o' this place. Think it might expand with the blink of new stars, so it'd be a bit pointless, yeah?"

'Holy Hell' was definitely a fair reaction, Charricthran thought, his grin returning full force.

It was always a treat to share these hidden worlds with people he could trust to appreciate them fully. Wonder and awe through a pair of eyes not his own, the taste of first experiences lived differently.

All the little whispers he guarded so.

Infinity before them, infinity behind them, and countless possibilities every which way. They'd go where curiosity led.

Svanixeu seemed to recover after a moment, and after taking in the wide expanses before him, promptly dove off his back with an excited squeak.

Charricthran watched him go with a huff of amusement and a quiet warning.

"Wux tir ti tuor ekess itrewic woari tenpiswo, Svanixeu."

The dragon turned to face him with a playful crouch and a human-like grin before bounding off again, half-flying, half-running in pursuit of a destination only he knew.

With a sidelong glance at Lewis, he added, "He'll be fine. Impossible for him not ta find his way home after a bit, an' I'd like ta see somethin' try ta eat him more'n once."

He returned his gaze to the expanse before him, only somewhat keeping himself from bouncing on his toes in childlike excitement.

"Speakin' of, though- What 'n where's your callin'?"

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Hmm..." said Lewis, feeling out the energies even as he cast his gaze about.

"This way, I think." He led them down a hill, into the ruins of what might once have been a town, if ever there'd been one in this fog-drenched place.

Had these crumbling stone edifices once been the familiar haunts of a bygone civilization, he wondered? Or was this place based on perception and memory--and, if so...whose?

In the end, did it really matter?

They climbed a small rise to find what might once have been an abbey or temple nestled upon a secluded hilltop just outside of town, its weathered yet airy arches exposed to the open skies.

The rear of what remained of the structure backed up to mist-shrouded woodlands, dense and green and ancient.

In an alcove in a passage branching left off the main hall of the temple, Lewis spied it: a freestanding mirror, a type of cheval-glass, its dark-wood, oval frame ringed with interwoven vines of metal--lead, iron, copper, silver, brass, bronze, gold--the same metals which trailed like ivy over its sturdy, heartwood base.

The mirror's face--not at all dark--emanated a subtle, silver light, though they could not see themselves in it.

"This," he said at last. "This is the one."

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran leaned toward the mirror, as if by getting close enough he might unlock the secrets before him or catch a glimpse of his reflection.

It took every bit of willpower he had to keep his mind from floating with the Whispers dogging his footsteps. They called and beckoned gently, reaching out to him with hands of candlelight and voices of smoke, warm and jovial in their desire to hide and play.

The ancient masonry had been more than suitable a distraction as he wondered what each structure might have been like at its time of glory. The grass underfoot was a shade of its former self, not quite dead, but certainly not living; it was something Between, like all things in this world.

"Where's it go, d'ya think? Don' have a clue, me." He didn't know, but he was all too willing to find out with a grin turned giddy.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"I've no idea," replied Lewis. "But I feel...as if I know it somehow. It...called to me."

He ran his left hand over the frame of the cheval glass, and the silver surface of the mirror rippled at his touch.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

"Well, tha's either really interestin', or a fantastically terrible idea. Either way, color me curious an' more than willin' ta jump in."

Though he'd hardly stopped grinning the entire trip, the expression turned wider, threatening to split across his cheekbones if he wasn't careful.

"Let's find out what's callin' ya, shall we?"

Without waiting for a response, he all but leaped through the mirror, dragging Lewis with him.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

In truth, it wasn't much of a drag. Ever since Weir'd laid eyes on the mirror, he'd felt the pull to go through it. He followed readily, the passage as easy as slipping into a placid spring of crystal-clear water.

They emerged from cold, shallow, brackish water onto a sandy beach at twilight. The cool breeze smelled of salt.

"Oh, dash it all!" exclaimed a soaking-wet Lewis...only to discover his voice was a little higher than usual.

In point of fact, his features were somewhat altered as well--his brow less pronounced, his nose straighter, his cheekbones lower, his jaw narrower, his neck slimmer. Instead of its typical near-ebony shade, his hair was a medium-dark brown...and graying at the temples. It was obviously wet, but also shorter; it would hang a little differently when dry, its wave gone. His eyes were a pure, crystalline, kelly-emerald green. He looked older--early forties, perhaps--and, truth be told, felt stiffer.

He cracked a few joints unconsciously and realized he was in a familiar form he'd not intended to show to Charricthran.

"Well then," he muttered under his breath before turning to his friend, whose hand he still held.

"That was unexpected."

A couple out for an evening stroll along the beach beheld the two soggy newcomers with surprise. The gentleman and lady were dressed in Victorian garb--mid-1880s clothing, if the woman's ensemble was anything to go by--and looked well-to-do in a bourgeois rather than aristocratic fashion.

After their gasps of surprise at seeing anyone in the water at this hour (particularly as they'd thought themselves alone), they pointedly looked away and continued on without a word.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran took a moment to shake the water from himself like a wet duck before realizing that the effort was entirely futile. It was only after he blinked the atmospheric moisture from his eyes that he could properly see Lewis.

He blinked again, owlishly, to make sure his eyes were still working right.

What.

"You all right, Weirmrith?"

He watched the couple retreat and fought the urge to say something snarky after them-- an endeavor made easy by the fact he was more concerned with (and to a lesser extent, for) Lewis at the moment. And also the fact they were both soaking wet, and while he didn't know how Lewis felt about the situation, he wasn't particularly chipper about it.

Priorities.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Aside from being soggy as a wet dog..." he said, quickly leading Charricthran out of the water.

Once they'd come far enough ashore to be out of reach of any errant waves, Weir began to wring out his sopping clothes as best he could.

He was extremely grateful cold didn't bother him nearly so much as heat. Still, he shivered involuntarily.

"I suppose we'd better find a fire somewhere," he suggested.

He spotted the glow of gaslight up the hill.

"Probably that direction," he said, pointing.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran took a second before they started walking to make sure nothing had broken loose from himself at the border between worlds. In hindsight, perhaps he should have done so before anything else, but as there weren't any problems he could sense, he wasn't bothered.

"Fire'd definitely be appreciated roundabout now. Hill's a good vantage point too!"

He didn't bother wringing out his clothes before he started to meander towards the hill, knowing the salt water would merely fall through him in a matter of minutes.

Just where were they, now? The clothing was similar enough to the home-not-home they'd left, but it wasn't the same mirror, and there were seldom more than one in same general area of a world.

Curioser and curioser. He couldn't wait to find out.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

They went up the hill, a horse and carriage loaded with a family of five passing them by.

At the top was a town. A seaside resort town, by the look of it. Much like Brighton or...

"Bournemouth?" uttered Lewis incredulously.

Yet he did recognize the place. It was a little different from what he remembered--the pub before them should've had a different name, for example--but the structures, the buildings themselves as well as the layout of the town, were identical to the Bournemouth he'd known--its western end, to be specific.

"What the bloody..."

"Language!" a respectable-looking gentleman walking back from the pier with his wife and children reproached him as they passed. The mother had reflexively covered one of the children's ears.

"Terribly sorry," Lewis apologized without thinking, looking sheepish.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran waited until the family had passed them and was on their way out of earshot before he spoke. The glow of gaslight served to highlight the curious glint in his eyes, twinkling light embers.

"You've been here before?"

He swept his eyes over the details of the buildings and people passing by, noting what shadows danced where, where the wind laughed as it passed by. He cast a passing thought for the uniqueness of his appearance and wondered if this might be a situation where he'd need to blend in before deciding he really didn't care.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"This is--this has to be West Cliff--a wealthy suburb of Bournemouth, essentially. I recognize that brick arcade of shops," he said, pointing down the street. "And this public house before us, though the name's changed.

"Bournemouth's an English seaside spa town, by the by," he added.

"Come. There ought to be a fire inside the pub at least."

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

He followed Lewis toward the pub somewhat pensively, all but humming with thoughts that couldn't be put into words properly- they meandered in and out of languages and images like the wings of butterflies, leaving him thoroughly puzzled in the wake.

Like called to like. This familiar place. Not too far to make a leap, but perhaps far enough to fall short.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

They entered.

Lewis was not entirely surprised to see they stocked wine as well as beer.

The man behind the bar looked at Weir's damp clothing but was too polite to say anything.

"Fell off the pier," said Lewis quietly.

The barkeep expressed his sympathies and asked what he'd like.

Weir ordered two glasses of a red from Bordeaux.

He met Charricthran by the fire and handed him one.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran took the wine with a grateful nod, then frowned slightly.

He could try to drink it. Theoretically.

Ah, what the Hells. Why not?

He sniffed it delicately, pulling scent and flavor from memory in anticipation, and very nearly spit it out with surprise when he managed to take a small sip without too terribly much effort on his part. The greater difficulty was keeping a smooth face, which he did with relative success.

The grin that had briefly vanished returned in full force as the taste of blackcurrant and plum unfolded on his taste buds, though he was careful to keep it from stretching into anything unnatural.

"Delightful." He said with a quiet voice full of wonder.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Ah," said Lewis pleasurably after taking a sip. "One can always count on Bordeaux for fine reds."

The fire felt positively marvelous, driving the damp from his clothes even as he knew the wine would drive the chill from his bones.

"How are you, by the way? I meant to ask earlier, but got a bit...distracted by everything."

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited

"Right now? Peachy, now there's fires o' two sorts burnin'. Otherwise.. same old, same old, yeah? Minus accident'ly startin' a turf war in Hyde Park o' a foul, fowl nature, 'cept that was jus' plain hilarious."

He chuckled softly and followed the gesture with another sip of wine. A giddiness spread through hin that had nothing to do with the alcohol and everything to do with the fact he was having wine again for the first time in..

Well. At least ten thousand years, not counting the handful of times he'd tried to take a sip and ended up vomiting profusely.

Little joy, that, but so bright and burning besides.

"How's about you, then?"

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Doing well, all things considered." He lowered his voice and continued, "Though I do apologize for the unexpected shift in form. Didn't mean to."

Might be related to the energies of this realm.

His thoughts returned to Charricthran's earlier mention of Hyde Park, and he chuckled.

"You'll have to tell me about this 'turf war'..."

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

He waved a hand and replied with an equally low tone.

"Don'tcha worry boutta thing. Still an' always is you regardless, yeah? Now if you'd suddenly become, say, one o' the Amuulzhaanir, I would be at the very least, deeply concerned." He punctuated his though with a humorous wink and another sip of wine, his voice returning to a more conversational tone afterward.

"As for the matter o' the turf war 'tween the fair birdies o' Hyde Park.. long story short, I ended up accident'ly causin' a ruckus by bumpin' off a goose o' some reknown by the sound o' it. Might as well have been the Archduke o'.. that one place for all I knew, cos suddenly all the geese and swans were squawkin' up holy anarchy, an' the ducks o' the pond were goin' renegade an' just pickin' their fowl fellows off left right an' center."

He snickered and added with a grin, "Didn't stay ta see the aftermath. I made for a very suspicious duck an' didn't need ta be remembered. I daresay the few birds that do remember me do so with fear an' respect now."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

Lewis nodded. He was always, always the selfsame person.

He burst out laughing at the tale of Charricthran's fowl escapades in Hyde Park.

"I imagine they do!" he exclaimed...then cleared his throat and quickly silenced himself as he noticed he'd drawn looks.

What an intolerably stuffy place this is, he decided. If I didn't need to get dry so badly I'd have left already.

Ah well. At least the wine's good.

He took another sip, the glass a third gone now.

"By the look of things," he said to Charricthran in a much quieter voice, "I'm afraid we'll have to be on our best behavior if we wish to blend here. I'd forgotten how uptight the place was."

He allowed himself a barely-audible snicker.

"The Society's spoiled me, I think."

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran noticed with a barely-there start that he was more than easily keeping pace with Lewis as they drank.

He rather liked this universe- if for nothing more than the fact it was much easier to pretend to be solid.

He chuckled at Lewis's remark about behaviour, the sound practically a purr in his chest.

"Behavin', believe it or not, is somethin' I haveta manage on a frequent basis. This lot ain't anythin' compared ta the Fae. Least I don' have ta change my accent too terribly much for em."

He took another sip of wine and smirked.

"Could an' maybe should take ya on one o' my trips, if you're worried 'bout goin' soft in the etiquette an' like."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Not particularly worried; I can do it if I must. So I shall.

"Still...the fae, you say? I'd be lying if I denied being intrigued."

He thought on the leannan sìth he'd met on Halloween, his mouth curling into a rakish smile.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

"Charming sorts, if ya don' mind people attemptin' ta charm, seduce, duel, steal, or otherwise inconvenience ya. Wine's fairly good, so long's you're not too terribly mortal. Then it's jus' deadly!"

He chuckled.

"Realized I'd not have a chance at tearin' apart Terkirin with my own hands tryin' ta sledgehammer my way towards 'im, so I wormed my way in, tooth 'n claw an' smilin' snarls. Too many strings most o' the time, but I consider myself an expert weaver at this point."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Seduction's no inconvenience, so long as they don't expect more than a fling," said Lewis quietly.

"But, ah...who exactly is this 'Terkirin'? You've mentioned him in passing, but who--or what--is he, exactly?"

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

"Did I not..? Ah."

He drained the rest of his wine slowly but without taking another breath, using it as a way to gather his thoughts, his jovial expression disappearing as fast as the red liquid.

Once the glass was empty, he told the short version of the tale, his voice as quiet and somber as the grave.

"Terkirin's the King of the Summer Court of the First Circle, an' the... how d'ya say.. Sidhe King? He's the highest on that particular hierarchy."

He smiled, but the expression didn't even come close to reaching his eyes.

"He's also the one that wrapped Torke 'round his finger an' convinced him tha' I was tryin' ta steal his soul. In the end, I guess he was right. Did end up keeping some part o' him with me. Still. He owes me a blood debt, and I intend to collect."

He set the wineglass down, a devilish smirk blooming across his features once more. The forced levity lifted some of the tension he hadn't noticed gathering from the air.

"With interest, naturally."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

Lewis's eyebrows shot up at the mention of a fairy king.

"Then he's also the one responsible for Torke's ill-timed rampage," he realized, expression hardening.

And Artemis's death. If not for Torke's actions against Charricthran, I'd have gotten there in time to do...something other than tend the grieving and dress a body for its funeral.

Weir hadn't known Artemis as well as some, but he'd liked him well enough. Not to mention the fact that Torke had damaged the Society and threatened its inhabitants--granted, not to the degree Moriarty had, but it rubbed Lewis the wrong way all the same.

All this trouble, the result of one fae manipulator.

And who's to say it will stop there? Weir reasoned. This Terkirin obviously has it out for Nald'su Welun.

"Why did Terkirin do what he did to Torke, do you know? Has he something against you personally, or did he simply do it because he could?"

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

He kept his grin on his face. It was easier than digging out the slow-welling pain in his heart to express properly.

"That he was. Pullin' strings inta a poor man's noose. As for Torke.. poor kid was a summer storm incarnate. A wellspring of raw power, bubblin' and festerin' like a great gapin' grin of a wound in the world."

"Terkirin, understandably, wanted that power for his own. Technically speakin', the kid woulda been on his Court anyhow. Eventually, I think he fell in love with him in his own way, but I can only speculate on that bit- either way, I was an obstacle. At first, he did it 'cos he could. Now, I've stolen his plaything from him permanently, so I can't imagine he'll be too pleased with me."

He bit off the end of his sentence, listening to the creak of too many teeth grinding against each other in the rage and heartache that threatened to pour from his mouth like bile.

He swallowed it down after a handful of moments, then chuckled as he blinked back a handful of tears.

"Frustratin', that. Still, s'pose it's a bit much ta ask for anythin' with an easy, happy endin' at this point. 'Nyways."

He leaned against the wall and let his grin shift to something easier and gentler at the edges.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

Lewis rested a hand on Charricthran's shoulder.

"For what it's worth, you've my sympathies..."

He came to a decision.

"And my aid, should you wish it."

A little chuckle.

"Kings do from time to time lose their heads, after all. Do let me know if there's anything I can do to...further your agenda."

A conspiratorial smile.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran's smile wobbled at the edges, then broke into into something equal parts bittersweet and devious. He paused and picked up his wineglass again, rolling the stem between his fingers.

Why? A question asked countless times, with countless different answers.

They still didn't make sense. A puzzle with ever-evolving knowledge. Most people were, in fairness.

Something twisted and tugged at his heartstrings, making him smile fondly. Sharpened gratitude, felt, rather than remembered. Full of surprises.

"Vinxa, Weirmrith. Ya might be regrettin' tha' once you actually haveta interact with some o' their lot, but who knows? Daresay it'll end up interestin', at the very least."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"I've interacted with some fae already, though I've no idea which court," he admitted. "Just...kept running into them, on Halloween. Of course, some may simply have been transformed humans, but I know at least one was genuine. We got on well enough," he said with a shrug and the hint of a feline smile. "She even left me a...memento."

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

"If she was runnin' 'round like that, she was probably one o' the Autumn, Spring, or Night folks. They tend ta bit a bit more free an' mischevious durin' times like those- trust me, I know jus' as well."

Back to mischievous smiles and glittering eyes, then.

"Do I even wanna know what the memento was?"

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"I...did get the feeling of warm, sunset light on autumn trees, if that makes any sense. The necklace she gave me--the pendant felt the same kind of warm."

He reflected a moment.

"Hm. I suppose she wouldn't factor into the Summer Court then. Drat."

He looked back to Charricthran.

"I thought I might have an 'in' that wouldn't attract attention to you or betray that we're working together."

He sipped his wine, the glass nearly gone, and turned his back to the fireside.

"Ah well. Nothing worth doing's ever easy, is it?" he said with a chortle.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

"Story o' my bleedin' life, that! But worry not- I can make some discreet inquiries. Always someone lookin' for a pretty face ta charm or a shinin' bauble ta wield as a lookin' glass. If there jus' so happens ta be the whisper o' someone like that on the wind, it coulda come from anywhere. 'Course, natural introductions'd be preferable. Still, at this point..."

He trailed off and lost himself in thought, a spiderweb of string arrays spreading out in his mind's eye. Something buzzed at the edges, a knife twisting and cutting through his imagination. With quiet resignation and quick action, he threw the knife far from the web, leaving it to melt into the shadows from which it had come.

He shook all this off after a moment, smile still in place.

"We can figure somethin' out. There's a bit o' time yet, still!"

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

"That's good. After all, if this Terkirin is of the Summer Court, I imagine his power is on the wane, this time of year--if it works like that."

A chuckle.

"As for the necklace--I wouldn't worry. I keep it in a drawer for a reason. I always did like fairy stories, as a lad. And I learned what I could from them. Though I must admit, it will be interesting to ascertain what was true and what was pure fabrication."

He finished his wine.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran's grin turned positively wolfish at the mention of waning power, all but purring in his excitement.

"That's precisely how it works, an' exactly why I'm trying ta get things lined up for the Winter Solstice."

He briefly entertained asking for more wine before deciding that it'd be too much trouble to ask. Not to mention, he rather needed his impulse control at the present moment.

"One o' my favorite things, pickin' apart myth and legend for pearls o' truth."

Out of habit, he cast a casual glance over the room, analyzing their surroundings for potential threats. While he rather thought there were unlikely to be any, he'd rather err on the side of caution as far as other worlds went.

Come to think- was the return mirror in the ocean? How the bloody Hells were they going to get back if it wasn't?

...

He'd... worry about that later. There were a great many things he could theoretically do, at any rate.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

"Excellent," said Lewis with an approving nod when he heard Charricthran's plans were for the winter solstice.

As the latter's statement about myths and legends, Weir had to concur.

"I'm much the same way. Read and heard all kinds of stories as a lad. Fairy tales, medieval romances, supernatural spine-tinglers..." An impish smile. "Imagine my delight upon learning that not only were grims real in the Society's dimension, but that my counterpart actually kept one as a pet!" A laugh. "A Scottie, no less!"

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran snickered. "Now that, I didn't happen ta know 'bout the good Doctor, but I'm certainly glad I do now!"

"An' 's funny ya say your story how it is- I was backwards from ye. Surrounded by all these sortsa magics when I was a wee thing, soon as I ended up in a world without 'em- magical creatures an' the like- for the first time, I had ta figure out what made 'em show up there! Rinse an' repeat across worlds an' universes alike."

A familiar restless energy prickled at his fingertips, warring against the sluggish warmth good wine, good company, and a good fire provided. Wanderlust versus contentment, as always.

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

"Like a mirror image!" Weir punned with a laugh.

He looked at his empty glass and considered getting another...but, truth be told, he'd never stopped feeling the pull of whatever energy had drawn him here.

As soon as he was completely dry, he'd attempt to pay the tab and leave.

I do hope the money spends the same here. I suppose we'll find out...

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran just barely managed to keep his snickering at a socially acceptable volume, stifling the majority of it behind his hand.

"Exactly!"

Wondering if the wine had anything to do with the fact he might've laughed a bit too hard made his head spin. Still didn't have a body, so he didn't have a metabolism or what have you, or a bloodstream for the alcohol to go in, technically.

After perhaps too much consideration, he came to the conclusion he just really liked to laugh, and he liked puns just as much, if not more than.

He edged a foot closer to the fire, chasing the sensation of warmth for a body that spent far too much time being cold... which stranded him on another tangent about the cogs and crystal wires and technicalities that made up his form. How come temperature wasn't something he could replicate, but something he could still feel? Did it have anything to do with the way sunlight passes through shadow? Would walking around without the illusion of skin and cloth on fix that?

And so on and so forth. Too many questions, not enough answers. A curiosity never satisfied.

He huffed a sigh and chuckled, shaking his head to put away those kind of questions for a later date.

"Warmin' up all right?"

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

"Very well, yes," returned Lewis. "I should say I'm nearly dry now."

He considered a moment.

"Are you...ready to go?" he asked.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

"Always up for adventure, me." He said with a grin. "Lead the way an' all that- you're drivin' this particular bus, not me."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

"Right then, I'll just close out the tab at the bar and we'll be off," Weir said with a smile.

Hoping the cash he had on hand would do the trick, Lewis paid the barman.

To Weir's immense relief, there was no trouble with the money he used.

He nodded to Charricthran, and the two set out once more.

Lewis felt the pull of the strangely familiar energy, and let it guide him. Night had fallen; gas streetlamps had been lighted, and a fog had begun to creep in from the sea.

Eventually, the two came to a fairly unremarkable house, not all that different from its neighbors...save for the energy within.

"There's a person in there," Lewis whispered, drawing closer. "Well, several people," he corrected himself. "But one of them..."

His eyes widened.

"Hah," he half chortled, half sighed as he realized just why the energy signature was so familiar.

A smile somewhere between amused and sardonic graced his lips.

"One of them's...me," he revealed as he turned to Charricthran. "Or this dimension's equivalent, at the least."

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

A slow blink was the familiar sign of Charricthran's surprise.

After a moment, he chuckled and let out a low, soft whistle.

"Like callin' ta like pretty strong, Weirmrith."

A pause.

"Think he knows we're-slash-you're out here? I've not ever dealt with people meetin' themselves, so I'm not too terribly sure how good'n idea that is. Interestin', at the very least."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited

Lewis shrugged.

"I don't know, but I met the Society's Henry Jekyll easily enough. Our fingers even brushed when I handed him my card. Nothing ill befell me."

A chuckle.

"Of course, it's not as if I walked up to him and gave him my life story, or even used my birth name."

He considered the house a moment.

"Given the hour, I wouldn't just go and knock upon the door. But I doubt my curiosity will be satisfied until I at least lay eyes on my counterpart."

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

A wry smile split Charricthran's face as he nodded to concede the point before turning to better face the house.

"If layin' eyes 'sall ya wanna do, I could lend ya a pair o' wings if ya wanted ta peep through the window. Nothing's too far outta place on my end, so it'd go as smooth as it could, considerin'."

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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago

Weir's eyebrows shot up.

"I...would greatly appreciate that, yes," he said with a smile.

"He seems to be on the upper story. Perhaps a bedroom?" he conjectured.

He took a moment to focus in on the energy.

"That side of the house," he concluded, pointing.

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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago

Charricthran noted the proper side of the house to aim for, then nonchalantly slipped onto a side street. While there were few people out and about, past experience taught him it was always better to be safer, rather than sorry when a potential consequence could be a witch hunt.

"Might feel a bit like ice water, just ta letcha know. Shouldn't actually getcha wet," He said with a soft snicker.

"If it starts feelin' all pins an' needles like, knock on the door an' let me know, cos that means something's buggered itself up tha' I couldn't fix the first time 'round."

He gently interlaced his fingers in front of his heart, drawing them apart gingerly. Tendrils of smoke-like shadows dripped from his fingers, curling on their way down out of the air. Drawing his outstretched fingers upwards in a gentle swooping motion, he closed his eyes and reached for the little bit of his Song he heard close by.

He brought his hands down with a sharp gesture, fingers straight and rigid as the hands of a clock as they met with a surprisingly soft clap, all things considered. Charricthran snapped his eyes open and watched to make sure all things went smoothly, refraining from changing himself until he witnessed the transformation in its completion.

The air tasted faintly of decaying leaves and the iron of approaching winter.

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