| Logs |
2003 October 12
| Idlewild |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Idlewild Logs |
October 12
Bits of goo keep raining drippily from the surrounding trees for several seconds after the redcap explodes all over Steven and Aiden. Even to those who can only hear it-- such as Steven, whose sight is a glory of golden light and not much else-- the sensation is disgusting. To those also witnessing redcap innards dangling from branches-- or off their own shoulders-- it's even nastier.
Steven says wearilly from beneath Aiden, "I'm so glad I'm blind right now. That dripping, squishing sound is the redcap, isn't it?"
Aiden makes a face of utter disgust. "I don't know. I'm not looking."
Lotte nearly gags, but turns the noise quickly into a cough and shuts her eyes tight.
The nymph dances, still silent as ever but obviously gleeful. Bones from the destroyed wall are scattered as far as the eye can see. Her fellow-nymph still lies unconscious on the moss, breathing evenly. Shyly, the various items stolen from the party are returned by the dancer and placed gently at their feet before she skips around smooching anyone on the cheek-- or lips-- who holds stil for it, despite their wretched condition.
The nymph dances, still silent as ever but obviously gleeful. Bones from the destroyed wall are scattered as far as the eye can see. Her fellow-nymph still lies unconscious on the moss, breathing evenly. Shyly, the various items stolen from the party are returned by the dancer and placed gently at their feet before she skips around kissing anyone on the cheek-- or lips-- who holds stil for it, despite their wretched condition.
Aiden doesn't see the nymph coming, so he doesn't move when she kisses his cheek. He opens his eyes when she does, and nods his thanks for his returned equipment, then stands up and looks himself over.
Lotte opens her eyes briefly as the nymph returns her things and smooches her, then shuts her eyes tightly again.
Aiden manages not to gag, barely. He does turn a rather nice shade of green around the edges though. He helps Steven to his feet, then looks for Soleil, to make sure she's okay..
Steven blinks a bit at the kiss, though he's reasonably sure -- he hopes -- that it was the nymph. He starts to get up as Aiden stands, nodding gratefully for the help up. He looks around, frowning. "I'm.. sorry, I'm going to need some help here....
Seodil says calmly, "Excellent shot, Aiden. Well done, Steven-- good idea to rip the cap. Lotte, Sol, well coordinated."
Aiden looks over at Seodil. "Thanks. Sorry about the.. uh.. mess."
Seodil nods gravely to Aiden. "The mess will not go on your tab." He actually winks.
Steven nods slowly. "Thank... thank you, Seodil." He bends down to search on the ground for where he left his staff... and stops when his hand finds something wet and squishy."
Ghost shakes off her fur, nastiness flying everywhere, including onto Lotte next to her. She looks only mildly contrite.
Aiden's nice shade of green is promptly replaced by white.. He looks like he's about to say something a few times then just shuts his mouth.
Aiden looks around for Steven's staff.. "I'll give you a hand, Steven."
Lotte's eyes pop open as she's hit with more bits. She moans, "Let's get out of here, pleeze."
Aiden nods, "Agreed, Lotte."
Soleil returns to wolf-shape and shakes off as well, more politely distant. She radiates disgust.
Steven says, "Urgh... thanks, Aiden. And... let's find a place to wash up. Soonest."
Aiden hands Steven his staff, picks up his stuff and gives Steven his arm, "As soon as possible."
Seodil says, "I have heard of an inn run by servants of the air, in this area. If we travel into the night, we may find it if I can locate the landmarks."
Aiden nods to Seodil. "May as well. I can handle travelling into the night. I don't think I can possibly sleep like.." he motions down at himself, "..this."
Lotte inquires hopefully, "No creeks or rivers nearby?"
The silver elf adds, "Of course, the redcap was not on the map. I recommend that everyone sincerely hopes that we can locate that inn, and perhaps if the gods are listening we will find it."
Steven coughs a little, trying not to breathe through his nose. "Uhm, night, day... no difference to me."
Sol shifts to tell Lotte, "I don't smell water except that fountain... and I don't think we want to risk touching that again. We'll find it if there's a stream, Lotte. I promise I'll tell you as soon as I smell more water."
Aiden says, "We need to stop and get Sol's bag.."
Steven nods his thanks to Aiden for the staff, and is a little comforted by it. Man, I wish I'd been with my teacher long enough for him to teach me that Blind Weaver thing he did so well... Oh, well....
The nymph on the ground stirs, and her sister-in-species fusses over her. They smile at the party, before disappearing into their fountain. The group walks back to retrieve Soleil's pack, then moves on grimly for the next several hours, stinking to high heaven and crunching bones underfoot for miles. At least after a few hundred feet, the ground no longer squishes.
Seodil's inn materializes before a water source does, hours into the night. It does indeed appear to be staffed by invisible management, who take the gems Sol fishes out of the bribe pouch and deposit room keys in their place, enough for everyone to have their own room and bed for the first time in quite awhile. A breathy voice informs the party that each room contains a bath, as well.
Aiden looks incredibly relieved. Less at having rooms for everyone, but having a bath in the room. He's very much tired of smelling and looking like a redcap just exploded on him.
Steven blinks a lot. "You know, guys... I... think my eyesight's getting better. If you can just help me up the stairs and into a room, I can go from there....
Aiden says, "Hey, sure thing, Steven. Glad it seems like it's getting better.."
Aiden does just that, he leads Steven upstairs and into one of the rooms, quickly describing the layout, just in case.
Lotte heads to her room and into the bath as quickly as possible.
Steven continues to blink a lot. "Thanks, Aiden. Everything's just... really bright and hazy right now. It might clear up in the morning." Every so often on the way to the room he swerves a bit, murmuring a little. "Well... I just hope I can get some sleep with everything this bright!" he jokes.
Lotte helps Ghost get clean before collapsing into her bed and falling into a deep sleep.
Ghost looks deeply grateful, obviously unwilling to attack the goo with her tongue. The damp wolf curls up on Lotte's feet to sleep.
Steven doesn't waste any time. He bathes, taking a long and luxurious and comfortable one, and sleeps; he makes the most of what awake-time he has to meditate within his current condition.
Aiden also does exactly what his companions do. Heads straight into his room and washes the gunk off of him. He leaves his armour off and changes into the clothing that he was wearing when he came from the Grey World. When he's clean, however, he leaves his room, padding across the corridor into Seodil's room. He's there for a long while before he goes back to his own room and - eventually - gets some sleep.
Morning comes at the usual time, but no warning bell heralds it. The group straggles into wakefulness separately in its own good time, the day before having been rather a long one for all concerned-- and even longer for a few.
Steven awakens after a restful sleep. he smiles; he can start to see shapes and stuff even through the golden haze that seems to be permeating his vision. Still, it's better than how he was the night before. He does his morning prayers and exercizes, revelling a bit in feeling the positions more than seeing if they're correct. Afterwards, he picks up his (cleaned) staff and starts down the stairs, using it as an acid test of sorts to ensure that he can step where his feet are going. He smiles and nods to the staff as he passes them, making his way to the breakfast.
Aiden finally drags himself out of an overly long sleep. He sits up in bed and stretches, then looks around for a mirror. Finding one, he goes to it and does a quick check of his back.. Apparently satified, he puts on what he wore when he came from the Grey World and heads downstairs to find out what's going on today.
Aiden stops dead in his tracks when he notices the spread of food. "Wow. Thanks." He speaks to no one in particular, just sort of general praise.
Lotte wakes up in the morning feeling very refreshed and rather chipper. She does all of her morning hygiene business for the first time in days, then heads downstairs to see who else is awake.
Soleil, looking nearly glowy with happiness for the first time in days, beams at Lotte when she sees her and waves a strawberry in her general direction. "They have fruit!"
Aiden likewise has a sort of "glowiness" about him, but at the same time, he does seem a bit more subdued than normal. After his comment of thanks to the staff, whoever they may be, he helps himself to a light breakfast and settles down at a table.
Seodil arrives last, for a change. His leathers are immaculate, and cover him neck to toe. He walks calmly to select a muffin in silence.
Lotte takes a moment to even notice Sol and the table full of food. When she does, she piles a plate and smiles at Sol. "Mmmm... fruit."
A plate with little jewellike jam cookies wafts into the room and settles at Aiden's table.
Steven manages to make it to the table without any incident, and he sniffs a bit. he smiles. "Ah. Smells wonderful. Thank you!" he adds, half-turning to his left. He squints a little, trying to make out shapes. All right... that's an apple... or is that an orange. Uhm... could be a scone, but I have no idea what a scone is....
Aiden blinks and watches the plate, fascinated. "Thanks!" He takes one and eats it. "The food is very good, thank you.." He watches Seodil's entrance as he munches on the cookie..
Lotte offers Ghost food from her plate as she eats. "Do you need help Steven?"
Steven seems to notice the plate, and smiles to a point just above it. "Thank you, very much." He looks over to Lotte, smiling, "No, thank you, Lotte. My eyesight isgetting a bit--" He blinks to the wolf, then reaches up and rubs his eyes. "Mmmph... getting a bit better off and on. That's Ghost beside you, isn't it?"
Lotte pats Ghost and smiles. "Yes, it is. I just don't want to catch you eating the candles or anything."
Aiden chuckles, "I'm sure we'd stop him before he actually took a bite."
Steven seems to be looking focussing above Ghost somewhat. "Oh... I see.... No, I don't. When did she turn back?"
Sol munches fruit happily, then sighs and looks resigned. She says, "There are some things I ought to tell you about the Summer Court before we go on."
The lovely amber elf pauses and blinks at Steven. "What did you say?"
Aiden nods at Soleil. "I'd rather not go in completely.. er.. blind. No offense, Steven."
Lotte looks confusedly at Steven.
Steven ers, a bit distractedly to Aiden, shaking his head. "Oh... none taken. Ghost. When did she turn back into an elf?"
Aiden blinks at Steven. "She didn't.."
Lotte stares at Ghost, then back at Steven. "What... what does she look like to you?"
Seodil lifts a fine silver eyebrow at Steven and silently devours another muffin.
Steven looks over to Aiden, frowning, then back to Ghost. He reaches up to rub his eyes some, blinking a lot and then looking back. "She's... an elf woman... wearing a helm and some kind of armor."
Lotte shifts her glance to Seodil with a hopeful look, then asks Steven, "Can you be more descriptive?"
Steven swallows, and nods a little. "Uhm, I'll try.....
Aiden looks across the table at Seodil. "When we joined the Hunt.. You forced us to shift somehow. Can you force her to shift back?"
Steven says, "Uhm... well, I don't see the armor much now... she's actually not wearing... " He blinks again, and blushes a bit, glancing away. "Uhm... she's got floor-length, wavy gold hair. She's very lovely, actually."
Seodil shakes his head, looking genuinely regretful. "I cannot. Aiden. I held the ritual for you-- Soleil was trapped, and you and Steven were blank paper to be written upon. She--" he nods at Ghost the wolf-- "has forgotten part of who she was, as far as I can understand."
Lotte stares silently at Ghost like she were a bug. "Seodil, does her appearance sound familiar?"
Aiden frowns slightly, "I wasn't sure if it would work. Worth asking, though. Thanks."
Seodil inclines his head briefly to Aiden, then Lotte, including Ghost. "If I could do it, I would. Sadly, I do not recognize her... even that description, Lotte. There is much I do not remember. I have been asleep for the past many years, in many ways, though I walked and killed at the King's command. Ghost may have suffered the King's magic as badly, but with different results."
Lotte says, "But, why can Steven see her as an elf? There must be some hope for her if he can see her!"
Aiden nods at Lotte, "If she's forgotten who she is, we need to find a way to help her remember. I'm sure there's hope for her yet. We just can't give up on her."
Steven swallows. "I'm not sure, Lotte. I... I saw her that way, kind of, when I wore the redcap's... erm, red cap. That was... a litttle different than this, though." He considers then nods a little. "For now, take care of her, Lotte. She may have suffered bad enough that her mind preferrred this state of existence than her normal one. I'm certain that someday we can find a way to see her fully healed.
Lotte nods sadly and pats Ghost again.
Soleil tilts her dainty head at Steven, rosebud-pink mouth pursing. "What do you see when you look at me, Steven?"
Ghost leans into the pat and eyes Lotte's food pointedly.
Lotte smiles at Ghost and fills a plate of food for her. She places the plate in front of the wolf on the floor.
Steven blinks. "Uh... I'm sorry, Sol, but I'm seeing you as you usu... as you have been for the past couple of days...."
Aiden tilts his head off to the side, one eyebrow lifting. "Is this just a.. leftover.. from the cap?"
Steven shakes his head, sighing and looking at the table. "I don't know what it is, Sol, I'm sorry. Maybe that means it's... a lot deeper than the magic that's got Ghost." He looks up again at Sol sadly. "It might not mean any -- HOLYSHIT!" He almost falls backwards out of his chair, toppling it back and hitting the floor with a THUD.
Aiden stands up immediately. "Steven?! Are you alright?"
Sol comes quickly forward, leaning over Steven anxiously.
Lotte jumps out of her chair, startled, as Steven falls.
Steven rubs his eyes. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Gah... Sol! For a moment there, you looked --" He blinsk again at Sol as the elf girl looks down at him. "... Oh. There you are. You look... normal. I mean... boy-type Soleil. Not girl-type or... or that other... uhm.... all teeth and claws thing.....
Aiden pauses, then says carefully. "Teeth and claws.. thing?"
Lotte's eyes widen. "You mean you saw him as a monster, and now you see him as a boy?"
Soleil goes whitepale and steps quickly away from Steven.
Steven nodnods, looking up to Aiden. "Yeah... I mean.. for a moment Sol looked like this... this greyhoud from Hell. A golden greyhound with red teeth and bug huge nasty claws and.... Uhm. But now he's... boy-Sol... I mean, normal-boy-SOl....
Aiden looks at Soleil, eyes widened.
Pink stains Sol's too-white cheeks. "Er."
Lotte frowns worriedly at Sol.
Aiden looks a little confused for a moment, then sudden realisation dawns on his face. "Oh. OH!"
Steven blinks up to Aiden. "What...?
Aiden looks at Steven, "A glitch, I think."
Sol's turn to look confused. "Glitch?"
Aiden says, "A.. mistake. An error."
Steven says, "A.. glitch? Uhm.... He looks over to Sol, and winces a little, swallowing. "Nnnn... noooo, not from where I'm seeing...."
Steven says, "It keeps changing, every time I look away...."
Lotte says, "A glitch? What are you talking about, Aiden? Sol, does this have to do with your... um, wasn't there a relative...?"
Aiden winces slightly. He wasn't going to go bringing that up, but.. oh, well.
Soleil blinks and says pinkly, "Yes, but... she's a very minor demon, not a glitch."
Lotte says, "We have to trust each other here, ok? So, what is Steven seeing?"
Steven looks back up to Aiden, and squints a bit. Yep, Aiden's still a boy. That seems consistent, at least.
Aiden sits back down and looks across at Steven curiously, waiting to see what he says.
Steven looks over to Lotte, and tilts his head. "Uhm... youre you, Lotte. I mean, the same as you always are....
Steven looks up to Seodil. "And... you're you, too....
Dryly, Seodil says "I am much relieved."
Aiden grins at Seodil, then turns back to Soleil. "You were going to tell us what to expect from the Summer Court?"
Lotte clears her throat. "I'm sorry to be harsh, but I want to know what Steven is seeing in Sol!"
Aiden looks at Lotte. "I think I know.. but it's not really my place to explain."
Sol swallows and starts to talk, then looks back at Lotte and says softly, not meeting her eyes, "I've never changed shape to look like Steven describes, but... I do have a little demon blood."
Lotte nods. "Ok, so is that all we need to know?"
Soleil shakes his head. "No."
Steven blinks, and looks at Sol again, his brow furrowing. Now he's back to being a boy again. "Er... no?"
Lotte puts her hand on Sol's shoulder. "Look, I'm sorry. I don't mean to embarass you. But I want to know just as much as we need to know about each other. And just as much as other people already know." She shoots a dirty look at Aiden with the last sentence.
Steven blinsk at Lotte as he looks back at her. "Lotte...?
Aiden spreads his hands, "Sorry."
The pretty amber elf regains some color and says softly, "I wanted to tell you that I am afraid that since the Summer Court has a prince and princess-- the prince being unmarried and the princess happily betrothed last I heard-- I am worried that they may demand me for an alliance in return for helping us and Lua."
Steven blinks.
Aiden looks down at the table, chewing on his lip in silent thought.
Sol finishes, "I plan to say no... but you should know that they may seek alliance with one of you in my stead, since we are giving you titles."
Steven says, "... Oh."
Aiden nods, "And if they do?"
Lotte squeezes Sol's shoulder. "All the better reason to really trust each other, right?"
Aiden looks at Lotte, eyes narrowed just slightly. "That means trusting everyone. No exceptions."
Looking Lotte in the eye, Sol says quietly, "I do trust you and am trying to give you the information you need. However. My demon relatives were not likely to become an issue, and that is why I did not mention to any of you that my children have a slight chance of coming out with claws and glowing eyes."
Steven clears his throat. "Uhm.. yes, about that... uhm... glowing eyes thing...."
Soleil sighs, starting to sound a little bit irritated. "Yes?"
Steven isn't looking at Sol, though, but rather at Lotte. "Uhm.. Lotte... why are your eyes glowing?"
Aiden's jaw drops a bit and he turns to look at Lotte.
The pretty elf says, "I assure you I do not eat babies with any more frequency today than I did yesterd--" she stops, seeing Steven's gaze, and follows it to Lotte.
Lotte, in the middle of feeling very sorry for Sol's misfortune, gapes back at everyone's stare.
Steven says, "If it helps, it seems to be about as intermittent as, well, Sol going form boy to girl to devildog and back again...." He already figures it doesn't help, though. "Er, sorry....."
Seodil says, "Lotte's eyes appear normal to me. How well do you see now, Steven?"
Sol nods, "I see nothing glowing either."
Lotte suddenly frowns and shoves her hands in her pocket. She seems to have a death grip on something, and is glowering slightly at Steven.
Steven Swallows a bit. "Eveything's... kind of in a golden haze, really, but I seem able to pick you out clearly enough... well, you and the staff. It's just... if I look away a little, and get someone out of my line of sight... and then look back....
Steven says, "Like... you're still the same, Seodil... maybe it's just you, but... now you're a wolf, Aiden...."
Aiden says, "Before we get to the Summer Court, we need to clear some issues up. As Lotte said, we need to trust each other. We ought to try to get that resolved. Now. There's a lot of distrust going around here and Lua's life is on the line. I don't like her hanging in the balance because we can't get past that."
Lotte glances at Aiden as he speaks, but relaxes only a little and still glowers slightly at everyone.
Steven blinks, and wonders why Lotte is glaring at him. The glowing eyes make it all the creepier.
Aiden says, "Lotte's right. We need to trust each other, but.." He shoots a look at Lotte, "That's going to mean trusting everyone.."
Seodil tears off a bite of muffin and smiles at Lotte.
Steven's eyes flick down a bit, frowning as he sees.... What happened...? He swallows. "Lotte... for what it's worth, it's a lovely golden glow. Like the one in your pocket."
Lotte deliberately ignores Seodil's smile. "I'm not sure why Steven sees my eyes glowing. Why does Aiden seem to know much more about Sol than the rest of us? And why..." She stops dead as Steven mentions the glow in her pocket.
Steven sighs silently. I'm sorry Lotte, he thinks. But if we're going to trust each other... well. No secrets.
Aiden sighs softly and shoots an apologetic look at Soleil. "I'll tell her. She deserves to know."
Lotte screams hysterically at Steven, "IT'S MINE AND YOU DON'T GET TO HAVE IT!"
Aiden turns to Lotte and says, "Lotte, about that---" His eyes go wide. "Er."
Sol smiles shyly. "I'm not asham--" She blinks at Lotte, mouth hanging open as she jerks in startlement.
Steven blinks, almost flattening himself against the floor. "Keep it!" he shouts back reflexively. Then. "Uh... what is it...?" SHIT! She was like this in the room with the chains...! He swallows. Another cursed item. Thank you, Pelor, that I don't have the ring anymore!
Aiden sits there in uncomfortable silence, looking at Lotte with pure shock.
Steven gulps, and stands slowly, holding Lotte's gaze and holding his hands in front of him. "It's all right, Lotte... I'm not going to try and take it away from you...."
Lotte looks at everyone like a cornered dog, still gripping something tightly in her pocket.
Seodil stands up and steps toward Lotte.
Softly, Seodil says, reaching a hand out, "What don't you want to show us, Lotte?"
Aiden stands up and actually backs off a couple of paces from Lotte, trying to get her to relax by getting out of her personal space.
Steven glances to Seodil. Aw, man... he's going to deck her, I just know it. We're not going to have that, I don't think.... He braces himself a little getting ready to launch himself at Lotte just before it looks like Seodil can clock her.
Lotte backs away from Seodil and begins to eye the room for a door to escape through. "It's nothing... it's mine..."
Seodil stands still, hand slightly outstretched, not chasing Lotte. He lets the hand drop and watches her, thoughtful, as he steps deliberately back a pace. And another. As far as Aiden did.
Aiden follows Lotte's look and tries to get himself between her and door, hopefully without rousing her alarm.
Steven sighs softly. I hope we can get it out of her grasp, unlike the damn ring. A moment later he's bounding for the Lotte-shape, attempting to tackle her about the midriff... forgetting that he's, actually, still almost blind.
Seodil has the same thought as Aiden, and is taken quite by surprise when Steven jumps at Lotte.
Steven is reminded that he's blind when his foot finds a chair, and lands in an undignified sprawl well clear of Lotte. Man, my teacher's got to be screaming in frustration right now!. "Gah! In her pocket! It's in her pocket!"
Seodil's eyebrows try to meet his hairline, and he stands poised in the doorway, blocking any exit attempt.
Aiden's jaw drops and he just sort of gapes at Steven, mumbling, "I can't believe he did that."
Lotte shrieks as Steven lunges for her, pulling her hand out of her pocket to throw lint at him.
Steven blinks, and cringes when he sees Lotte casting a spell at him, but the wash of dissonant sound that hits his mind doesn't quite make him completely loose focus. Augh! That was close! Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, Steven! Are you sure the nymph didn't put the ring back on you?!
Sol crouches defensively, a look of extreme unhappiness on her face. "Lotte! I promise, I don't want it! What are you talking about?"
Seodil murmurs, "What happened to trust?"
Steven pulls himself back together, blinking as he tries to half-stand, not quite standing because that'd just startle Lotte even more, but not enough where he'd be stuck compeltely on the floor if something happened. "Er.. I'm sorry, Lotte...." Oh, like that's going to help. Dumbass.
Aiden slumps a bit at Seodil's words. "Guess that talk is going to have to wait. Lotte. Just.. tell us what's going on. We're not going to take it, honestly, we're not."
Aiden adds, "We're just worried about you."
Lotte is too focused on Steven to notice Seodil's move towards the door. When Steven appears to not have felt the effect of her spell, she bolts towards the door... and towards Seodil.
Sol winces.
Aiden does as well.
Steven sighs. Nice, Steven. Nice. Exactly what you didn't want her to run into. You're a shithead, you know that? He stands, sure that he shouldn't charge forward, not after tripping himself all over the bloody place and starting this mess.
Seodil catches Lotte and spins with the momentum, settling back down facing the group in the room with Lotte held tight in his arms as a fly in a spider's web. Her arms are behind her back and one foot off balance held by Seodil's ankle.
Aiden lets out a breath in relief. "Nice catch, Seodil."
Hair unruffled, the silver elf says, "I thought we were having a conversation about trust, Lotte."
Seodil says, "Steven? If you leap now you might not miss."
The silver elf adds, "Or we could see what's 'glowing.' Someone? My hands are full."
Steven sighs, and looks down at the floor, and doesn't reply to that. "Aiden? Could you? Not me, I've... mmmph."
Aiden walks over to Seodil and looks at Lotte, "I'm sorry, Lotte.. but, we can't have any secrets.."
Lotte whimpers miserably and begins to struggle as he mentions the glowing object.
Soleil says softly, "Please, Lotte. We don't want to hurt you. We want to help."
Aiden touches Lotte's cheek gently, then reaches into her pocket to grab whatever it is that she's protecting. He pulls it out and drops it on the floor immediately.
An ornate golden key set with a large, sparkling golden stone in the handle falls glittering to the floor... the key that was left on Haasha's chair in the Winter Palace when the red mage disappeared.
Aiden scowls, "Haasha's key."
Steven blinks a bit at Aiden's words, then sighs. Fuck. How the hell did I miss her picking that up.
Lotte stares at the key and lets out a long wistful breath. She relaxes in Seodil's grip and closes her eyes.
Seodil lets go of Lotte, stepping back out of kicking range but still blocking the door. "Feeling better?"
Lotte reaches her hand out to the key on the floor, but quickly says, "Somebody get it out of my sight, please."
Sol eyes the key. "I don't want to pick that up. Steven? Would your god protect you?"
Steven looks over at the key, frowning a bit at it's shape in his vision. "I... I don't know, Sol."
Lotte closes her eyes again, waiting for someone to take the key away.
Aiden says, "Is there somewhere that we can.. store it? Would it be likely to effect the person carrying it if it was in a backpack?"
Steven says, "I don't know if that'll help, Aiden. It was in her pocket and she wasn't always touching it. It's.. magic of some kind, I'm certain of that much, but...." His voice trails off."
Sol nods. "I think Steven's right. We need... a safe container that holds magic in, or something."
Lotte mumbles, eyes still closed, "Maybe we can bury it somewhere... and pick it up again when we head for Haasha?"
Steven swallows a little. "Lotte... what was it doing to you? Do you know?"
Seodil sighs and unbuttons his leather jacket quickly, then throws the grey and white leathers over the key, hiding it from view. "In the meantime... it is safe to look, Lotte." His pale skin is marked liberally with angry red stripes, all across his torso and arms.
Lotte shakes her head at Steven's question, then opens her eyes.
Sol looks impressed at Lotte. "That's a good idea, I th--" she breaks off, staring at Seodil. She addresses him. "You didn't have those a few days ago."
Aiden nods at Lotte, "Lets bury it. We can come back for it. I'd rather not have it hanging over us all the way to the Summer Court."
Sol bites her bottom lip. "Except it's the key to Haasha's castle. Which is in Fall, on the way back to Winter from Summer..."
Steven looks at Sol for a few long moments. "You sound like it's not so much a place as a time when we'll be at Haasha's castle... or the Summer court, for that matter.
Aiden says, "Are there more inns like this one? If we were to leave it with the staff, could we enter this inn through a door somewhere else and get it back?"
Soleil smiles at Steven, "In a way, yes. You understand."
Steven blinks, actually a little startled.
Seodil answers Aiden, "I do not know, but it is worth asking the staff... if we could find them."
Steven blinks again. "What do you mean? There's a couple in the doorway watchign to make sure we aren't going to tear the place up any more. Or that I don't at any rate....."
Aiden blinks at Steven.
Steven glances to Aiden, then indicates the empty doorway. "They're standing right there.
Soleil smiles slowly. "I think that problem may be solved. Steven? Would you speak to the staff on our behalf?"
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