Post by Mittens Mckittens on Apr 11, 2023 21:29:55 GMT
Set before: The Threads of the Past
Co written with the ever caring (and long suffering) dee
Pretty much as soon as the party lands back in Daring, Calla grabs Mittens by the wrist, “I’ve had enough, you’re learning a spell to guard against fire. No, not later, now”. She squints to look up at the sun, glasses still darkened, “Good, it’s morning again, the Dragon will be quiet enough”.
There’s a brief pause, and Calla’s eyes narrow further. “Actually, no, you do look a little beat up. Let’s get you home”.
“Oh well, are you sure you’re not busy?” Mittens asks as she starts to guide them southward from the Plaza Center.
“Maybe you could pop by later..after a nap.”
"Oh I'm quite certain".
Mittens followed along-not that he had much choice-as Calla led them down the drag of The Grave Road past many morning commuters making their way to Portal Plaza.
Calla paid them no heed as she made a sudden quick turn into Archer Avenue, skilfully navigating her way along the many various narrow archways and alleyways that wove amongst packed and stacked residences.
Popping out from under a washing line to a wider lane before looping around a row of houses past the Cannonfodder Cafe, practically fizzling with a busy breakfast service, before coming to a stop before the large building that housed Mitten's and Kennari's apartment amongst many others.
"Wow Calla t-that was impressive!” Mittens manages as he catches his breath.
Calla's also a little bit out of breath, but stoic, "There are advantages to being a cartographer. Now, let's get you in and settled". She waits for Mittens to open the door, and then waits a moment longer until she's crossed the threshold. "It'll be good to see Miss Kennari too".
Mittens says nothing as they enter into the surprisingly spacious attic room, set aglow with the golden morning light of the sun from large south-facing pane arch windows, which give a wide a tranquil view out at the Raven Queen's shrine and surrounding grassy Dusklands.
The decor of the room's wooden rafters and stone walls are plain and functional, with just a simple tapestry here, a large rug covering a large section of the bare wooden boards there. The space is split into two, with a cosy study and perhaps practice area taking up a large section of the room with squashy arm chairs, a small writing desk arrangement, and a humble collection of tomes neatly arranged on a bookshelf against one wall beside one closed door.
The other side of the room is given over to a kitchen-come-diner, with a fair sized hearth and a door to its right, whilst on the left sits a oven, stone basin and cooking work top. In the middle of the space sits a large wooden table with a few mixed wooden chairs arranged tidily around it.
A fruit bowl sits atop the table, filled with a collection of pears and apples. A small dish with one of each of the fruit bowl's contents sits sliced and quartered within a small dish with a puddle of water below a large, roughly arranged bunch of bright daffodils bursting from a bright blue clay jug.
"Oh-oh well..guess Miss Kennari's still asleep..you know what you scholars can get like with ya late night readings and all." Mittens says in a hushed low voice.
"We'll not disturb her I'm sure. You don't mind?" Before Mittens can reply, Calla's already positioned a chair, carefully laid out her oversized tome on the wooden table, and found the correct pages. "My notation is... highly representative, but I'm sure you'll have it down in an hour or two. Then we can test it to make sure you have the fundamentals". An eyebrow raises expectantly. "I'm sure Miss Kennari will be happy to see that progress when she wakes up".
The room is meticulous. Clean as anything. All the books on the shelf are ordered together. Except one that is on its side. Shoes on the rack are sorted by season. Except for that one sandal that lies flat on top of the neatly stacked winter boots. Wherever Calla looks, there’s just that little bit of something that breaks the picture-perfect look. It’s nothing, but some small, insignificant part of Calla gets more and more annoyed at this, up to a point where Calla forgets what was it she was looking for in the first place, and only knows that if she doesn’t. Put. That brown crayon. With other browns. Right now…She’ll probably have a migraine.
“Calla, are you okay?” Mittens asks as she falters in her lecture of the benefits of this incantation. “You’re doing that...'Strange face' again.”
"Don't mind me, you start on the transcription I'm.. just going to.. tidy up a little". One eye on Mittens, she makes an immediate bee-line for the crayons.
Silently Mittens waives his hand to conjure the sound of pencil scratching on parchment, whilst he instead watches Calla’s movements intently.
Calla's not really up to much, just righting the tiny details of the apartment. It's Mal, who's met Kennari before and knows her scent, whose investigation is more thorough. The scent is still there, on the things she’s owned and worn, but it’s fading…
Knowing Calla's tendencies from a fair few adventures now, Mittens understand that the occasional long, slow, blink from his friend, are more than just weariness. Calla’s definitely checking in with her familiar. It's abundantly clear that she's definitely suspicious of something going on.
Crayons rearranged, shoes re-homed, Calla turns back to the books. Mittens has plenty of time to pick up his writing tools and complete the illusion of hard work. Nevertheless, it’s not without consequences. “Hrm, that’s slower than I’d like, but no bother. By the time we’re done she’ll for sure be up”.
“‘Mhm.” Mittens responds casually, not looking at Calla. “Enough time to find what you’re looking for too? Or Mal puurrhaps?”
Calla takes a deep breath, and sits down opposite Mittens. "Okay, you're right, let's be honest here," she pushes her glasses further up her nose to settle them. "You've been off for a couple of weeks now, I regret not asking how you were doing when you said you were having nightmares... and I don't believe Miss Kennari is here at all. I do think you should really learn this spell, but I've absolutely used it as a pretext to check up on you. If you're here, alone, someone needs to do that".
A low tuneful background hum comes from the jug of daffodils on the kitchen table as out from one of them emerges the elegant Feywildian bee Libby. Who stretches her many legs with little 'bbzzzts' before floating down to the fruit loaded plate below to tuck hungrily into a halved plum, the curious eyes of Mal peering up over the table edge at her as she does so.
Mittens stares out of one of the sunlit windows before saying. "Fine..You're right..She's not here."
“Can you tell me what happened?”
Mittens looks over at her with large sad eyes before after a little puff from his nose, reaching into a pouch to pull out a small square of folded parchment which he holds out to Calla. “She left this, that time we went to the Court of Sorcery.”
"But that's been weeks!" Calla gently reaches out for the note, and smoothes it down in front of her before reading.
Calla can see the parchment has been clearly open and folded many times and has survived the ravages of being soaked, spiked and scorched, so is a little brittle but still legible:
Dear Mittens,
Going to be out of town, maybe even realm...for a couple of days, sorry I couldn't wait till you came back, it was urgent. I hope you'll understand.
I restocked the pantry before I left, and there's a fish pie in the oven for you, I know it's your favourite!-
Read the two books I've left for you on the table-yes even the boring bits without pictures.
Oh, and practice your spell casting at least 3 times a day, it's the only way you're gonna get better.
Promise me you'll go see Calla if something happens, I know she'll look out for you!
I'll be back soon my pupil,
Love and sparkles,
Miss Kennari x
"Oh". Calla sits back in the chair, her blue complexion lightening as the blood drains out of her face. She tries to marshal her composure quickly, but it's not entirely working. "You've... you've read the books already?" Anyone who knows her well can see that she's stalling for time - her brain working furiously in the background.
“Twice.” Mittens’ response.
"Then I guess we'll have to go looking for her"
“Wait.” Mittens looks up surprised. “Y-you’re not..you’re not taking me to Town Hall. Or calling the Watch?”
“Why would I ever do that? No, no, not at all. We’re going to go talk to Ms Archelson to see if Kennari used the portal to go anywhere. She seems like a powerful mage in her own right but we have to start somewhere. I mean, beyond turning this place upside down for clues”. There’s a pause as Calla ponders, and then a dawning realisation. “That was the nightmare? That you were going to get into trouble?”.
“N-no…” Mittens looks down. “It was, sum’thing else.”
"If you can tell me about it, maybe I can help there too?"
Mittens shudders slightly. But then tells her. Tells her about the Gnolls, and about..what happened when they rose again…With magic.
“Ah. I see”. Calla's blue fingers take her spectacles in hand to clean them. “Well that’s easy enough. Fear like that is best cured with mastery. After we’ve found Miss Kennari we’ll ask Dr Truelove to teach you a spell or two”. Calla’s expression softens a touch. “First things first though, let’s go visit Jenna”.
“It’s fine..I’ll send her a note, make sure folk keep an eye out for her.”
"If you're sure?"
“Yep! I-I’ll-Aaaarwhhh..I’ll do it after a quick nap.”
"Alright, I'll see if there are any clues as to where she's gone while you do that, then the note. I'll take it over to Jenna and fetch lunch while you finish up the spell. If you catch fire again before we complete that work I'll only be mad at myself."
“So-sounds like a plan…”Mittens says, curling his legs up onto the chair, before closing his eyes.
Mittens lays waiting till the latch on the door clicks, and the sound of Calla and Mal’s footsteps on the stairs fade away.
He reaches into a pocket pouch and pulls out his own small spell journal, the colour of the cover almost the same shade of Sapphire set into the golden spell focus wrapped around his head. “It’s a good job I always keep this on me.”
He flips to the back where sits the folded piece of parchment with the spell notes written in Miss Kennari’s own tidy script. Beside it is a page filling with his own scribbled handwriting, to which he begins to add to with his pencil.
"Sprites..Pixies..other willing creatures..."
As he writes the tuneful and now full form of Libby hovers over to flitter above Mittens' work, her wings catching and casting golden light across the intent look on the tabaxi's face.
"I can't risk it, Libby. Miss Kennari believed in me like no one ever has before. If I tell someone in authority she's gone missing they'll just take one look at me and send me straight back home. They may not even bother looking, just say 'Oh well she probably got bored teaching the little kitten magic tricks, she probably just made an excuse and did a runner."
There's a loud snap as Mitten's pencil breaks and the two pieces fall to the floor.
"Miss Kennari would never do that! I've gotta believe in her like she believes in me.
She's shown me how powerful and wonderful magic can be, how much joy it can bring to people's lives, and how much joy it's brought to my life.
I'm gonna find what I need to cast this spell Libby, and then with their help I'm gonna find Miss Kennari and everything's gonna be great again!
I'll get her back, and I'll show everybody that Mittens Mckittens isn't just some wee helpless kid!"
