[open -- nest]

[new_inglewoodblues]

The nest Ragnelle has been building in the woods needed a few more blankets now that the temperature has dropped a few more degrees, so this morning she was in the mansion raiding cupboards. Now she's outside in the lee of Nightingale's summer house with a basket of comforters, cutting them into pieces with a little knife so they'll be easier to incorporate, like leaves in a squirrels' nest. The time indoors has warmed her up, and her hands move quickly with the knife.

Comments

[new_inglewoodblues]

"Ay, ay, that is where my lord liveth."

[new_inglewoodblues]

"Do thou. Go, go," waving her hand at him dismissively.

[summerdude]

"Oh, because you haven't been in Inglewood?"

[new_inglewoodblues]

"Ay," looking pleased at the way he's been paying attention. "They will not let me sleep the winter in that keep."

[summerdude]

"Horribly inconsiderate," Magnus says, grinning at her. At least it sounds more like a society thing than a wasting-away-outside-of-her-forest thing.

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Jesus," Janet says with a slightly resigned laugh. "There's a lot of Camelot going around here. At least you're not another fucking knight."

[new_inglewoodblues]

"Thou wouldst not countenance it!" Ragnelle disappears inside again, weaving the last pieces of comforter into her nest. "My thanks. This is well."

[new_inglewoodblues]

Ragnelle rolls her eyes. "O, what a fate. I've had my fill of knights."

[rememberettersberg]

"Goodbye then." He bows again, this time somehow suffusing the movement with sarcasm, and shuts the door.

[sorrowandsorrow]

"You and me both," Janet says fervently. She glances at Ragnelle's basket of blanket scraps. "Look, I know you can take care of yourself, but if you ever want me to warm you up again, I can. If you come inside for a little, we can even find some mutton fat and I can do a different spell that'll last longer."

[new_inglewoodblues]

Her eyes dance. "Soft, lady. Do thou be wary."

[summerdude]

"Always happy to help, Ragnelle," Magnus says, contentedly. He adds liking to be of service to his mental list of things to consider when he's trying to figure out a better path.

[temnota]

This was the response he had been expecting to get since he arrived here and Aleksander clenched his fingers. He forced them to relax - he was not under immediate threat, he did not need to summon his shadows.

As he looked at her, he felt a shiver go down his back. He could not have said how but he had the strongest feeling that it was not the shadows that was the problem, it was the merzost. He known the risk involved and done it anyway but since it hadn't left any visible marks, he didn't imagine anyone could tell. But things were different here and he had found that magic was different from the Small Sciences.

"I paid a heavy price for it," he said, not bothering to correct her that he didn't use magic. It wasn't worth the argument over the difference. "And I will not use it again¹."

¹ Not here, at least.

[ravkanwitch]

Nina smiles, pleased. "I am suited for it. This fat and hale body kept two people alive when we were stranded in the ice and snow."

[new_inglewoodblues]

"Didst thou so? Mayhap I need thee more than these," with a wink.

[new_inglewoodblues]

"See thou dost not." She glowers at him, and it's vaguely formidable even though she's a short fat woman with no obvious magical power of her own. "Thou shouldst be wary, Man."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina flushes a little. "Well, in the extreme cold, it is all about body heat," she tries to explain, making it sound worse in the process.

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Wary?" Janet asks with interest. "Why, do you bite?"

[temnota]

Aleksander was afraid of few people but he was wary of her. He was not looking to start any trouble but he had the very real sense that if he did, there was a good chance he would not finish it.

"I am always wary," he said, trying to keep a hold on his temper. "But I will go and not trouble you further. You have nothing to fear from me."

[new_inglewoodblues]

"Ay, so it is." She grins.

[new_inglewoodblues]

"Nay, but an thou'rt too kind, thou'lt lose thine."

[new_inglewoodblues]

"That's for me to decide, not thee."

[sorrowandsorrow]

That makes Janet laugh. "You've got to be the only person in history who's ever told me I'm being too nice. Don't worry about that."

[new_inglewoodblues]

"I have no worries. Go lightly, witch." It's a clear dismissal; she resettles her basket on her hip and turns to go up the slope.

[sorrowandsorrow]

"See you around," Janet says, unoffended by said dismissal. She watches Ragnelle go for a second, then pulls her scarf tighter around her neck and turns to go herself.