"Tomorrow is a fantastic opportunity for you, Hamish. The Chancellor seems to be willing to start at the very beginning and help you which is wonderful. I wish I could be there as I have a hundred questions I'd like to ask, but I need to go to my home and speak with my family. I'm not sure what they have been told as far as my arrest or my release. I also have a pup that I'm terribly fond of, and while he is always taken care of in my absence, seeing him always lifts each of our spirits.
Hamish gladly takes part in the food, still a bit amazed that these people seem to help him for no other reason than they want to. No ulterior motives. No quid pro quo. Just helping for its own sake. The concept is alien to him, but he's glad to be here. He wishes Lucy could have reached a life like this.
"I'm just glad someone can teach me," he whispers.
Aye I have work awaiting me at the shop. But I'll happily fight along side the lot of ya if ye be needin me. Toryn looks at Hamish. No need to whisper with us ye know. T"is a blessin when ye learn to control it. Confidence be a friend to ya if ye let it.
He stands up and makes his way to the exit heading to his shop while whistling an old soldier's song.
Darwin pats Hamish gently on the back, “Yeah of course I’ll tag along, if that’s ok with you Hamish?”.
”I could use something to do, and I was thinking. There might be someone out there who knows a way back to where I am from. Of course they might also have created those Gremishkas, but it gives me some hope at least“, he says with a distant look on his face.
He looks to Ida, “I also need a way of making money, so I might ask the Chancellor if he has another task, a paid one this time. Just until I can get my tiny circus set up. Unless you have a better idea?”.
A sudden thought occurs to him, and he calls across to the departing Toryn, “What shop? How do we find you?”.
"I'm sure we will be able to find a few paid tasks. We have the dock master who seems to have a little confidence in us, the Chancellor and hopefully the Duke after tonight, and there are always nobles who need things done quietly - usually without the rest of their family knowing - which is how I've been able to make additional funds over the last few years." She has finished her food and is quickly getting to the point of not being able to keep her eyes open. She asks them to make sure they have breakfast in the morning before they go see the chancellor, they may have a long and strenuous day with him. She bids them goodnight and heads to her room.
Darwin nods to Ida, "I guess you know best, I'll follow your lead. Goodnight".
He drains his goblet of wine and pushes his empty plate away from him. "Well, that's me done for today as well", he says jumping off his chair and making his way up to the second room.
As 3/4s of the party have retired for the night, Hamish finishes his meal and also turns in.
Darwin, you lay in your bed and close your eyes. When you open them again, seemingly moments later, you find yourself in the Chancellor's study once more. It is empty of people but his Raven sits upon it's perch. What do you do?
"I forgot to ask the Chancellor your name", Darwin says and then makes a few bird calls like he did before, lifting his arm up hoping the raven will fly to him.
The bird flutters from it's perch to you like it did earlier. This time, however, it speaks.
'Oh you are such a sweet summer child, Darwin. I knew there was a reason I liked you.' you feel something quite strange when it says your name. It's almost impossible to describe but it is akin to a vibration in your bones that hits a certain frequency, as if your skeleton was a musical triangle.
'Don't you know that names have power?' the voice asks. It is definitely coming from the bird but, as by the docks, you recognize the voice as that of the figure you met the night of your arrest.
The sound of laughter like a babbling Brook emanates from the bird, 'Darwin,' that same vibration, 'you gave me power over you when you agreed to our deal. But yes, it does, to a certain degree. I only have one of your names, which limits it.' the bird flutters away and perches on the desk.
The bird then transforms into an elegant feminine form, backlit by those windows behind, making their face impossible to make out but giving them a Halo of bright green light. Wait, was the sun always green?
'You have done well and shown yourself not likely to die immediately, which comforts me. I am willing to offer you a little more, for a fair trade, of course.'
Darwin shakes his head once again, trying to clear his mind. He had rationalised that night in the alley as a result of the knock to his head, but he hadn't been injured this time.
He struggles to remember their deal. He vaguely remembers agreeing to work for the Stranger, but there was something else that he couldn't quite recall.
"What is this place? Who are you?", he says looking at the Stranger with a mix of fear and excitement.
The figure spreads their arms, 'I am... complicated.' they say, 'and this, this is just a construct. Would you prefer this?' they ask and wave their hand. The world rotates disorientatingly and when everything is back the right way up you find yourself back in the warehouse. 'or this?' another wave, another rotation and you're in your old quarters at the Witchlight Carnival. Would you care to describe what the room looks like.
'I am the first rain of summer, the first blossom of spring, the bird calling for a mate and the river that surges with the thaw. I am many things.' you think you hear a smile.
'You have had a taste of my power, I am offering another. If you continue to do well then one day you may drink freely.'
Darwin looks around his old room at the carnival. It was small but then so was he and he didn't need much. They didn't exactly give him much time to spend there anyway. Just a small cot bed and the plants he collected to try and make him feel more at home. Home...
"When last we spoke I was upset, a little angry. You gave me power to defend myself, to help me to not feel quite so small. But now I just want to go home". He motions around the room, "And I don't mean this place, I mean my home".
"Can you offer me hope of returning there one day? And can this power you offer help me on my journey?", he asks with a little desperation in his voice.
Ida is happy to see them both smiling. She lifts a glass and says "to freedom" and digs into her meal.
To friendship, freedom, and lessons learned Toryn toasts, chuckling at his self deprecating joke
"Tomorrow is a fantastic opportunity for you, Hamish. The Chancellor seems to be willing to start at the very beginning and help you which is wonderful. I wish I could be there as I have a hundred questions I'd like to ask, but I need to go to my home and speak with my family. I'm not sure what they have been told as far as my arrest or my release. I also have a pup that I'm terribly fond of, and while he is always taken care of in my absence, seeing him always lifts each of our spirits.
Toryn- do you have work you need to get back to?
Darwin- Are you accompanying Hamish tomorrow?"
Hamish gladly takes part in the food, still a bit amazed that these people seem to help him for no other reason than they want to. No ulterior motives. No quid pro quo. Just helping for its own sake. The concept is alien to him, but he's glad to be here. He wishes Lucy could have reached a life like this.
"I'm just glad someone can teach me," he whispers.
Aye I have work awaiting me at the shop. But I'll happily fight along side the lot of ya if ye be needin me. Toryn looks at Hamish. No need to whisper with us ye know. T"is a blessin when ye learn to control it. Confidence be a friend to ya if ye let it.
He stands up and makes his way to the exit heading to his shop while whistling an old soldier's song.
Darwin pats Hamish gently on the back, “Yeah of course I’ll tag along, if that’s ok with you Hamish?”.
”I could use something to do, and I was thinking. There might be someone out there who knows a way back to where I am from. Of course they might also have created those Gremishkas, but it gives me some hope at least“, he says with a distant look on his face.
He looks to Ida, “I also need a way of making money, so I might ask the Chancellor if he has another task, a paid one this time. Just until I can get my tiny circus set up. Unless you have a better idea?”.
A sudden thought occurs to him, and he calls across to the departing Toryn, “What shop? How do we find you?”.
It's the "Flaming Shield" he hollers back. Right off the northern edge of the market.
"I'm sure we will be able to find a few paid tasks. We have the dock master who seems to have a little confidence in us, the Chancellor and hopefully the Duke after tonight, and there are always nobles who need things done quietly - usually without the rest of their family knowing - which is how I've been able to make additional funds over the last few years." She has finished her food and is quickly getting to the point of not being able to keep her eyes open. She asks them to make sure they have breakfast in the morning before they go see the chancellor, they may have a long and strenuous day with him. She bids them goodnight and heads to her room.
Darwin nods to Ida, "I guess you know best, I'll follow your lead. Goodnight".
He drains his goblet of wine and pushes his empty plate away from him. "Well, that's me done for today as well", he says jumping off his chair and making his way up to the second room.
As 3/4s of the party have retired for the night, Hamish finishes his meal and also turns in.
Darwin, you lay in your bed and close your eyes. When you open them again, seemingly moments later, you find yourself in the Chancellor's study once more. It is empty of people but his Raven sits upon it's perch. What do you do?
"I forgot to ask the Chancellor your name", Darwin says and then makes a few bird calls like he did before, lifting his arm up hoping the raven will fly to him.
The bird flutters from it's perch to you like it did earlier. This time, however, it speaks.
'Oh you are such a sweet summer child, Darwin. I knew there was a reason I liked you.' you feel something quite strange when it says your name. It's almost impossible to describe but it is akin to a vibration in your bones that hits a certain frequency, as if your skeleton was a musical triangle.
'Don't you know that names have power?' the voice asks. It is definitely coming from the bird but, as by the docks, you recognize the voice as that of the figure you met the night of your arrest.
Darwin squeezes his eyes shut, shakes his head and takes another look at the bird. "It's you again, the Stranger", he says to the bird.
He takes a moment to consider it's question.
"There is much I don't understand, much that confuses me. You know my name, does that give you power over me?"
The sound of laughter like a babbling Brook emanates from the bird, 'Darwin,' that same vibration, 'you gave me power over you when you agreed to our deal. But yes, it does, to a certain degree. I only have one of your names, which limits it.' the bird flutters away and perches on the desk.
The bird then transforms into an elegant feminine form, backlit by those windows behind, making their face impossible to make out but giving them a Halo of bright green light. Wait, was the sun always green?
'You have done well and shown yourself not likely to die immediately, which comforts me. I am willing to offer you a little more, for a fair trade, of course.'
Darwin shakes his head once again, trying to clear his mind. He had rationalised that night in the alley as a result of the knock to his head, but he hadn't been injured this time.
He struggles to remember their deal. He vaguely remembers agreeing to work for the Stranger, but there was something else that he couldn't quite recall.
"What is this place? Who are you?", he says looking at the Stranger with a mix of fear and excitement.
The figure spreads their arms, 'I am... complicated.' they say, 'and this, this is just a construct. Would you prefer this?' they ask and wave their hand. The world rotates disorientatingly and when everything is back the right way up you find yourself back in the warehouse. 'or this?' another wave, another rotation and you're in your old quarters at the Witchlight Carnival. Would you care to describe what the room looks like.
'I am the first rain of summer, the first blossom of spring, the bird calling for a mate and the river that surges with the thaw. I am many things.' you think you hear a smile.
'You have had a taste of my power, I am offering another. If you continue to do well then one day you may drink freely.'
Darwin looks around his old room at the carnival. It was small but then so was he and he didn't need much. They didn't exactly give him much time to spend there anyway. Just a small cot bed and the plants he collected to try and make him feel more at home. Home...
"When last we spoke I was upset, a little angry. You gave me power to defend myself, to help me to not feel quite so small. But now I just want to go home". He motions around the room, "And I don't mean this place, I mean my home".
"Can you offer me hope of returning there one day? And can this power you offer help me on my journey?", he asks with a little desperation in his voice.
The figure doesn't speak for a moment as if contemplating the terms.
'I can make that offer.' they say.
"And your terms?", Darwin replies.
'You continue to serve me and I give you a little more. In exchange, I ask for one memory of laughter.'