[Orb]

[consultmybooks]

[The orb shows the beach - grass leading to rocks leading to sand leading to the vast expanse of ocean in the distance. It's a picteresque sort of sight, with the bonus of no dragons around to eat people. Turns out you just can't entirely trust the maps here..]

I've, um, I've found the ocean. It's not as bad as it looks, out here...I mean, um, the thorns are moving rather fast, but it turns out that we're hardly cut off.

Well...hardly cut off yet.

I did stop by the infection zone before I came out this way. The reports are certainly true. For plants, they are moving alarmingly fast. I didn't want to stay in the area. If I'd actually dared make camp there, I probably wouldn't be here now. Still. I, um, I made an effort. A couple of basic identification spells, and a bit of scrying, although s-something about them made that even harder than it normally is, for me.

If anyone has any ideas how I might, um, proceed further, or even get a bit off for further examination, I'm certainly all ears. It's not as though I'll have to walk that far to reach the border zone on my way back.

[...really, though, looking out at the beach, at the ocean and thinking of what lies beyond it, it's actually a little hard to remember that they're all in such terrible danger. The land around him brings up a feeling of nostalgia in Giles' chest that he can't ignore.]

...if worst comes to worst, I suppose we could always build a ship.

[Because, when he finds himself forgetting, now he can summon up the mental image of that great, gnarled tangle of malevolent, thorny evil. That's a familiar feeling as well - consult the books. Fight the evil. Save the world.

What happens next? Well...they'll burn that bridge when they come to it.]

((ooc: Hey, sorry for the edits, guys! Turns out I was a bit mistaken as to the positioning of the thorns. But! Things should be able to proceed from here.))

Comments

[consultmybooks]

[Giles looks pained. He still gets a mild headache at the thought of Deal 39. He's not sure what bothers him most - that his aunts made a deal like that, or that they made a deal like that without gruesome repercussions.]

I'm not actually certain lounge chairs exist in this place. Certainly not the sort to survive on the beach.

[...] Has, um, has anything interesting happened while I've been away, then?

[fairweather]

[Deal 39 should be the least of his concerns. Deal 54? Now that was a real doozy. 27 as well. But 39? A few unkept promises and a wave of a hand was all.]

Perhaps I'll have to make do with a royal litter.

[She smiles when he asks that. Run away, Giles, run away.]

Well, I did hear the most scandalous thing about a torrid love affair between a sage, rogue, and wizard. Apparently they were having an orgy deep in the woods. The castle staff was all abuzz about that one. Rumor has it while the rogue claims to be the one true love of the sage, she's secretly in love with the wizard, and the wizard is pining after the sage.

[A beat]

Oh yes, someone was talking about mermaids and how a princess from across the sea was turned into one after some dreadful altercation with a sea serpent.

[consultmybooks]

[...

...

...the look on Giles' face very briefly says it all.]

So you've heard that the Sign maker is insane, then. As is half the town.

[fairweather]

Oh, yes. It's quite charming, reminds me of those gossip rags. Trashy things.

...But if there's anything you would like to share about your... state of availability, you can tell your dear aunt.

[consultmybooks]

There is absolutely nothing about my "s-state of availability" that should concern my great-aunt in the slightest, and so there is nothing I wish to share.

[...which probably says it all, really.]

[fairweather]

[...Nope. Not good enough.]

Come now, Rupert, there's no shame in having multiple lovers.

[consultmybooks]

I'm well aware of that. Fortunately, it's a reassurance that does not apply to me at this point, as I do not have multiple lovers.

[Just one lover, and a best friend he occasionally dreams about.]

[fairweather]

Really? Because those townspeople were quite descriptive about things. But if you say so. I can hardly imagine you doing some of the things they were talking about. At least... not now. [Because yes, dear great-aunt Lavinia does remember his Ripper years.]

I suppose that means we'll have to set you up now. I'll find you a good match.

[consultmybooks]

[Aghast - is there no depths to which she will not stoop?] You need do no such thing. I would say that we both have larger concerns at hand than my romantic life, Lavinia.

[Also, please to not be mentioning his Ripper years out loud, thanks.]

[fairweather]

Larger concerns, yes, but all work and no play makes a boy dull and pent up with sexual frustration. I'll find you some nice company you can spend your nights with, and your days too if you so choose.

Or perhaps we'll all be fortunate and Faith will appear and then I won't need to search.

[consultmybooks]

[...Lavinia, people aren't normally supposed to make the noise of indignant rage and offense Giles just made.]

Are you still on about that?!

[fairweather]

Rupert, even you must admit leaving everything you own to a young woman you've only known for a relatively short amount of time is odd. Faith is a lovely woman, to be sure, but you cannot blame Sophie and myself for being a little concerned.

[consultmybooks]

I certainly can blame you and Aunt Sophie for being concerned. Especially since, um, th-there was never anything to be concerned about.

[...his tone softens, just a bit. Oh, fine. He knew from the start he wasn't going to win this one.]

Before I started, um, getting yanked between worlds like an unruly dog...I n-never had the time for anything like that.

[Or the inclination, in Faith's case. Let's be clear, here. But yes, Lavinia, that is a tacit admission that he does have someone special. Progress?]

[fairweather]

Some of the neighbors were concerned as well. The Giles family is highly respected, as you know.

[Ohohoho. Lavinia smiles a little more.]

And now you do?

[consultmybooks]

[Hastily:] Just Ginia, mind. Not Helios. He's just, um, a very good friend. One that happens to, to share most of my interests, and not get that impossibly glazed look in his eyes whenever I start talking.

[It was certainly part of his charm when they first met.]

[fairweather]

[Well, well, well.]

I've met Helios. Such a charming man. [Very handsome, oh yes, and now off-limits. She does have standards.] I've not had the pleasure of meeting your lover. What is she like?

[consultmybooks]

[...how to describe Ginia Solana...

Giles ducks his head so Lavinia can't get such a good look at him blushing like a school boy with a toy plane.]

Intelligent and, um, exceptionally clever. Slightly, um, morbid sense of humor. Enjoys the occasional laugh at my expense. [And he enjoys that she does.] Good at keeping her head. Alarmingly inventive, when the mood takes her. Quick as a cat, especially here. We've, um, we've fought together, in the past, and if I may speak for the both of us, w-we make rather a good team.

...overall quite extraordinary.

[fairweather]

[Lavinia is quiet. She may tease, she may cajole, she may not always do what would be considered right, but family is important and she's always cared about Giles. About him, her sister, her father, Edna, Edna's husband, she's always cared.

And while she has strings of lovers and never settled down - or intended to settle down - with anyone, she can tell when someone is in love.

Good on you, Giles. Lavinia is happy there's someone to bring him happiness after everything in his life. Even after death.]

Alarmingly inventive? My, so perhaps some of the rumors around town are true.

[consultmybooks]

[Ah, rumormongers. Giles still hates you all so very much, and he glowers just a bit. It's been days - can't they find someone else to pester for a while? From the sounds of it, new heroes have arrived in droves.

Still:]

S-Some of them are, yes. [And really, in a lot of ways, Schwanheim doesn't know the half of it.]

[fairweather]

My, I'll have to meet her sometime. She sounds wonderful. [And in meeting, there will be girl talk. And the usual threats.]

If there are children in the near future, do tell me.

[consultmybooks]

[...

...oh, Tara Giles. Tara Solsprenles. Whatever they might have called you, Giles had almost managed to banish how utterly, painfully wondrous you were.

So he sounds a bit subdued, all of a sudden, as he answers:] You'll, um...y-you'll be the first to know.

[For all that he grouses, it is a little nice to have Lavinia here. Family, real blood family...it's something he hasn't had for years. Partly because of outside reasons, partly because he hadn't really wanted it.

But, you never know what you have until it's gone.]

[fairweather]

[Lavinia's smile softens slightly. She knows the reality of things; Giles is dead in their world, the woman he is with now is likely from another. Bringing her to their world would be pointless without bringing him back to life, so the best they could hope for was staying here or going elsewhere.]

You know Sophie and I want the best for you, yes?

[consultmybooks]

I, um, I think we differ in our respective beliefs of what the "best" might be...but, um, y-yes. I do.

[He knows that, when all is said and done, they want him to be happy and as safe as it's possible for a Giles to be. And, for a good bit of his life, Giles hasn't wanted that. Or at least, hadn't been prepared to admit that he did.

Theirs' really is a miserable family.]

[fairweather]

...Goodness, we are an estranged lot. [Not just between the Fairweather sisters and the rest of the Giles family, but internally as well. Her and Edna, Giles and his father, Giles and Alice... for shame.]

[consultmybooks]

...you and, um, Aunt Sophronia are s-still getting along all right, aren't you?

[Yes, they are an estranged lot. Lavinia and Sophronia are, in a lot of ways, the most well adjusted Giles' still living.]