Post by Bosalind "Boosya" Sugartooth on Jun 11, 2022 20:06:22 GMT
Boosya knocked five times in a tap-taptap-tap—tap pattern on a very ordinary looking door in New Hillborrow. The reply came in a familiar even tap-tap-tap. The door opened. A column of warm light, unobscured by any solhouettes, fell on the old harengon. She briskly looked around herself, checking for a tail. Having confirmed nobody was following, she dove into the house, closing the door behind her without a sound.
When her eyes adjusted to the light after half an hour in the moonless night outside, Boosya took in the room. It was almost completely deserted. Only an empty cupboard in the corner and a sofa, lovingly covered up with a tucked-in white sheet, reminded that it was, in fact, a living room.
"Ah, my dear, I see you've been packing for evacuation. Do you need any help?" Boosya asked with a supportive smile.
"No, dear, it's all fine, really."
"Well, do let me know if you do. Oswald is moving his smithy tomorrow. Only the most expensive tools, you understand. But he was given a cart. Good smiths are so important nowadays," she said proudly, before adding, in a much more generous tone. "We still have space there, so don't hesitate to come with. We're neighbours after all."
The elderly Halfling waved her off.
"Thank you, Boosya, but it really is alright. Now, how can I help you? Oh, dear, I can't even make you any tea!" She gestured in false worry.
"No worries, dear, you know I always carry my own," Boosya took out a metal contraption from her basket, and poured two travelling cups of tea. They sat on the covered sofa as the harengon produced plates, carrot cake and utensils.
"Thank you, dear," the Halfling lady said with an intonation suggesting Boosya had just saved her life. "Now, how can I help you? I assume it's quite serious if the carrot cake is involved?"
"Indeed. I know we all have our own problems now, but I would like to ask your support in bringing another issue to the Didactic Committee's notice. I thought you as a secretary can raise an issue more easily than I."
The elderly Halfling shifted on the couch uncomfortably.
"Well, the committee is already considering the Slippy issue. I don't know if we can spare time for something else-"
"I completely understand!" Boosya nodded in commiseration. "But if there's an opening, I would really appreciate your support."
The Halfling sighed and averted her eyes.
Boosya huffed, her nose twitching in slight irritation, and added: "Just consider how well it would look on your application for the Committee Chair position next year if you brought up a relevant issue."
After a bit of consideration, the Halfling lady sipped on her tea, and replied:
"Nonsense, dear Boosya, you know we do it for the betterment of society," she said, her expression completely defeated. "How can I help you, dear?"
Boosya stirred her tea with a smile of gracious victor.
"Thank you for being so agreeable, dear. Do you know the Stoneglass family? In Daring Heights?"
The Halfling woman frowned, chewing on her carrot cake longer than necessary. Finally, her face glowed with recognition.
"Why, of course! Have they not been on the yellow warning list over their son, Derek? He did something remarkably stupid last year… Built quadrones! Invoked wrath of Primus, methinks! Such an inconsiderate young man!" She clacked her tongue.
"I couldn't have put it better myself, dear!" Boosya nodded. The other woman looked impatient for the latest news, so Bosalind took time sipping her camomile tea. Finally, judging suspense sufficient for the occasion, she continued. "You will never guess what he built this time, dear. A mechanical kracken! Well, at least he had Primus's blessing this time, thank Cyrrollalee!" She said with passion, and made the Holy Door sign in the air with her free hand.
"Oh, dear!" Her friend squeaked, mirroring the gesture. "Where is it now?"
"Protecting Daring Heights, if we're lucky. The young ruffian occupies a tower in the forest. You know, the one that looks like a standing clock, with interlocking sphered on top? Looks pretty, but I'm sure it's not very safe. He has a forge down in the basement. And not to say anything bad about the forge, oh, dear, I'm sure my dear Oswald would've given his right hand for a forge like that," Boosya shook her head, disagreeing with her husband's imaginary decision. "I went there with a couple of adventurers. It was quite a journey, let me tell you! Dear Lucky was forced to pick me up and run for his life! And he's such a dignified gentleman, let me tell you, he's not the one to manhandle a woman like that! But you can't be very picky when a mechanical kracken is chasing you."
"Of course not," the Halfling lady agreed, knowingly.
"We ended up jumping over the molten metal! Thank Cyrrolallee we had Damian and Alistair with us!"
"Damian? Oh, the burly gentleman you mentioned last time?"
"Indeed. He's very sweet. Thinks his time is wasted on reading, and thus he doesn't read, such a darling," Boosya said affectionately. "And Alistair? Such a gentle soul! A very proper young man, if I say so myself! A former pirate. He didn't know he was raiding, it was a misunderstanding. You see, planting – pirating, potato – potahto. So easy to confuse!" She waved her hand with a chuckle of endearment. "He's taking his gap year to do penance for his raiding."
"Sounds like a very upstanding young man! It's heart-warming to know that some young people still know the right way to go about things," the Halfling agreed, clearly more at peace now that she knew what dignified people were involved in dealing with a kracken.
"Indeed, we had a drink afterwards, all so nice people!" Boosya sighed, took another small sip of tea to clear her throat, and continued. "So there we were, fighting off a kracken. I had to resort to using my rolling pin again! But other than that, I assure you, there was a lot of 'stay here, please, darling' and 'if you would, dear', and 'thank you, dear' going on. All very proper. We're not ruffians, you know, even when we resort to fisticuffs. Now, just as we dealt with most of the kracken's tentacles, more appeared!" She paused to give her friend time for an appropriately terrified reaction, as if there was a fear that any of the people she'd just mentioned were fine wouldn't make it. "And indeed, we'd be in great trouble if Vicros didn't figure out how to put a key into the forge cube and turn it off. Apparently, what he did was very appreciated by Primus, because he's heard the calling right there, on the floor of the forge. We thought he just froze, but he actually went to Mechanus for a short while. Well, I never doubted he would achieve something. He looks like a very gifted magician, one god or another was bound to notice at some point. You know how these things go."
"Indeed, indeed," the Halfling lady nodded with a knowing expression.
"We asked Derek to repair his kracken for the good of Daring Heights. Lucky gave him some wine, I just said a couple of encouragements, with the Goddess's help, and Alistair gave him a great big hug. He seemed to be less upset about us kicking the daylights out of his toy. So, that all ended well. But one can't help but think…" Boosya paused again, looking into the dark window. "That a certain intervention is in order to prevent any future recklessness."
The Halfling, sensing that tale was finished and her input was required, stuffed the rest of the cake into her mouth and gave it a long and thoughtful chew. She finished off her tea and handled the utensils back to Boosya.
"Yes, well, I'll see what I can do. This is all very troubling. Of course, there are other troubing events now, you must understand… You yourself have recently gone to help out a lich!" She said with a critical glance at the harengon.
"Nonsense, dear, Comerath is a very well-spoken gentleman! Besides, I was just helping him get his own city back. He has every right to it! While Derek is here, in Daring Heights, being very reckless."
Her friend sighed in defeat.
"Of course, Bosalind. I'll see what I can do."
When her eyes adjusted to the light after half an hour in the moonless night outside, Boosya took in the room. It was almost completely deserted. Only an empty cupboard in the corner and a sofa, lovingly covered up with a tucked-in white sheet, reminded that it was, in fact, a living room.
"Ah, my dear, I see you've been packing for evacuation. Do you need any help?" Boosya asked with a supportive smile.
"No, dear, it's all fine, really."
"Well, do let me know if you do. Oswald is moving his smithy tomorrow. Only the most expensive tools, you understand. But he was given a cart. Good smiths are so important nowadays," she said proudly, before adding, in a much more generous tone. "We still have space there, so don't hesitate to come with. We're neighbours after all."
The elderly Halfling waved her off.
"Thank you, Boosya, but it really is alright. Now, how can I help you? Oh, dear, I can't even make you any tea!" She gestured in false worry.
"No worries, dear, you know I always carry my own," Boosya took out a metal contraption from her basket, and poured two travelling cups of tea. They sat on the covered sofa as the harengon produced plates, carrot cake and utensils.
"Thank you, dear," the Halfling lady said with an intonation suggesting Boosya had just saved her life. "Now, how can I help you? I assume it's quite serious if the carrot cake is involved?"
"Indeed. I know we all have our own problems now, but I would like to ask your support in bringing another issue to the Didactic Committee's notice. I thought you as a secretary can raise an issue more easily than I."
The elderly Halfling shifted on the couch uncomfortably.
"Well, the committee is already considering the Slippy issue. I don't know if we can spare time for something else-"
"I completely understand!" Boosya nodded in commiseration. "But if there's an opening, I would really appreciate your support."
The Halfling sighed and averted her eyes.
Boosya huffed, her nose twitching in slight irritation, and added: "Just consider how well it would look on your application for the Committee Chair position next year if you brought up a relevant issue."
After a bit of consideration, the Halfling lady sipped on her tea, and replied:
"Nonsense, dear Boosya, you know we do it for the betterment of society," she said, her expression completely defeated. "How can I help you, dear?"
Boosya stirred her tea with a smile of gracious victor.
"Thank you for being so agreeable, dear. Do you know the Stoneglass family? In Daring Heights?"
The Halfling woman frowned, chewing on her carrot cake longer than necessary. Finally, her face glowed with recognition.
"Why, of course! Have they not been on the yellow warning list over their son, Derek? He did something remarkably stupid last year… Built quadrones! Invoked wrath of Primus, methinks! Such an inconsiderate young man!" She clacked her tongue.
"I couldn't have put it better myself, dear!" Boosya nodded. The other woman looked impatient for the latest news, so Bosalind took time sipping her camomile tea. Finally, judging suspense sufficient for the occasion, she continued. "You will never guess what he built this time, dear. A mechanical kracken! Well, at least he had Primus's blessing this time, thank Cyrrollalee!" She said with passion, and made the Holy Door sign in the air with her free hand.
"Oh, dear!" Her friend squeaked, mirroring the gesture. "Where is it now?"
"Protecting Daring Heights, if we're lucky. The young ruffian occupies a tower in the forest. You know, the one that looks like a standing clock, with interlocking sphered on top? Looks pretty, but I'm sure it's not very safe. He has a forge down in the basement. And not to say anything bad about the forge, oh, dear, I'm sure my dear Oswald would've given his right hand for a forge like that," Boosya shook her head, disagreeing with her husband's imaginary decision. "I went there with a couple of adventurers. It was quite a journey, let me tell you! Dear Lucky was forced to pick me up and run for his life! And he's such a dignified gentleman, let me tell you, he's not the one to manhandle a woman like that! But you can't be very picky when a mechanical kracken is chasing you."
"Of course not," the Halfling lady agreed, knowingly.
"We ended up jumping over the molten metal! Thank Cyrrolallee we had Damian and Alistair with us!"
"Damian? Oh, the burly gentleman you mentioned last time?"
"Indeed. He's very sweet. Thinks his time is wasted on reading, and thus he doesn't read, such a darling," Boosya said affectionately. "And Alistair? Such a gentle soul! A very proper young man, if I say so myself! A former pirate. He didn't know he was raiding, it was a misunderstanding. You see, planting – pirating, potato – potahto. So easy to confuse!" She waved her hand with a chuckle of endearment. "He's taking his gap year to do penance for his raiding."
"Sounds like a very upstanding young man! It's heart-warming to know that some young people still know the right way to go about things," the Halfling agreed, clearly more at peace now that she knew what dignified people were involved in dealing with a kracken.
"Indeed, we had a drink afterwards, all so nice people!" Boosya sighed, took another small sip of tea to clear her throat, and continued. "So there we were, fighting off a kracken. I had to resort to using my rolling pin again! But other than that, I assure you, there was a lot of 'stay here, please, darling' and 'if you would, dear', and 'thank you, dear' going on. All very proper. We're not ruffians, you know, even when we resort to fisticuffs. Now, just as we dealt with most of the kracken's tentacles, more appeared!" She paused to give her friend time for an appropriately terrified reaction, as if there was a fear that any of the people she'd just mentioned were fine wouldn't make it. "And indeed, we'd be in great trouble if Vicros didn't figure out how to put a key into the forge cube and turn it off. Apparently, what he did was very appreciated by Primus, because he's heard the calling right there, on the floor of the forge. We thought he just froze, but he actually went to Mechanus for a short while. Well, I never doubted he would achieve something. He looks like a very gifted magician, one god or another was bound to notice at some point. You know how these things go."
"Indeed, indeed," the Halfling lady nodded with a knowing expression.
"We asked Derek to repair his kracken for the good of Daring Heights. Lucky gave him some wine, I just said a couple of encouragements, with the Goddess's help, and Alistair gave him a great big hug. He seemed to be less upset about us kicking the daylights out of his toy. So, that all ended well. But one can't help but think…" Boosya paused again, looking into the dark window. "That a certain intervention is in order to prevent any future recklessness."
The Halfling, sensing that tale was finished and her input was required, stuffed the rest of the cake into her mouth and gave it a long and thoughtful chew. She finished off her tea and handled the utensils back to Boosya.
"Yes, well, I'll see what I can do. This is all very troubling. Of course, there are other troubing events now, you must understand… You yourself have recently gone to help out a lich!" She said with a critical glance at the harengon.
"Nonsense, dear, Comerath is a very well-spoken gentleman! Besides, I was just helping him get his own city back. He has every right to it! While Derek is here, in Daring Heights, being very reckless."
Her friend sighed in defeat.
"Of course, Bosalind. I'll see what I can do."
