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This is the wrong building. She could have sworn the RA said "take a left at Emily, first on your right", and Bella did exactly that, and here she is and the rooms in this place don't even seem to be numbered, it's all letters and names. She's not going to find Intro to Subtle Therapy in Room 206 like that. Maybe the RA meant take a left after Emily, not before Emily? Maybe she was supposed to go the other way around the quad and approach Emily from the other direction? She's going to be late.
Bella tries to get out of the letter-named-rooms building to go ask Emily for directions, but that's not a stairwell after all, and there's someone shouting at her not to come in and she flinches back and clonks her elbow on the door and boots or no boots she's down and she -
- is falling -
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subtly_artistic
The other side of town is equally lovely, equally unfinished, and equally full of joyous Elves. A seamstress notices that her guide has no shirt and presses one into her hands. She then says something in the local language to Bella, and gives her a scarf. Because you have a shirt already, her guide explains.
"Thank you!" her guide says cheerfully, and then goes on to do a running thought-translation. "This is spectacular, I spent years working on sewing and I couldn't get my seams this straight even for an inch? Did Miriel consult with you on the coloring? It's sublime. I didn't know you could get a blue this vivid, and it makes for a stunning contrast. Oh, I'm working in the palace right now, you should come by some time to get a tour of the gardens, for inspiration!"
You should learn to talk, she adds to Bella as they walk away, because when people give you nice things they like to know that their work is treasured and appreciated, and then you can tell them what you do and offer to give them nice things!
You should learn to talk, she adds to Bella as they walk away, because when people give you nice things they like to know that their work is treasured and appreciated, and then you can tell them what you do and offer to give them nice things!
subtly_artistic
I can talk, I just have a different language that no one here would understand. It will take me at least a few years to learn yours, probably longer because you don't have writing and I am used to learning with a lot of writing.
I'm sorry. Perhaps teaching people your language can be the thing you offer them? You can say nice things in your tongue, and then they will hear something new and beautiful and delight in the words.
I'm sure they would! And they wind their way through the rest of town being offered no gifts more substantial than various sugary delicacies.
subtly_artistic
And Bella says-and-simultranslates thank you whenever she accepts a sugary delicacy. Maybe if she eats something she'll feel less dizzy.
At last the palace is in front of them again. "The music hall is this way-" her guide says, only to be interrupted by someone rushing out to speak with them.
There the strange traveller is. The King wants to see her again.
There the strange traveller is. The King wants to see her again.
subtly_artistic
Um, okay. ...Is it okay to miss the music, I don't know where I'm supposed to be -?
Yes, yes, there's music all the time, the King takes priority.
subtly_artistic
Okay. So she heads into the palace apprehensively. It would be just her luck if the prince chose this moment to come down with a disease or something.
Back to the high-ceilinged audience room, where the people clustered around the King stare at her rather pointedly.
"Stranger," he says, "how should I know you?"
"Stranger," he says, "how should I know you?"
subtly_artistic
Um. My name is "I-Isabella Mariel Swan," she says softly, out loud. Or just "Bella."
He flinches. My wife's name is very close to Mariel. It is good that you are safe in Valinor, Isabella Mariel Swan. My son desires to speak with you again; you will see him once a week, supervised, to tell him the things he so enjoyed hearing this afternoon.
Twelve Minglings, or six waxings and wanings of each Tree.
subtly_artistic
Okay. So, I'll... come back in six of those...? How long are they?
They are the unit by which we measure time. What do you mean?
subtly_artistic
In my plane we don't have trees that glow like that so we measure time differently. Um, about what fraction of a Mingling have I been here so far?
You've been here since Laurelin was at her height, and now Telperion is waxing. Whenever both Trees shine at once, that's a Mingling. The white light.
subtly_artistic
this is not how you explain things to somebody from another fucking plaaaaaaaane this is not even how you explain things to people who live down the street and happen to be another specieeeeees
I'm worried I will not be able to keep track of this in my first week of trying and I do not want to be late. Would it be inconvenient for someone to find me when you require my presence?
I'm worried I will not be able to keep track of this in my first week of trying and I do not want to be late. Would it be inconvenient for someone to find me when you require my presence?
I'll see to it. His thoughts seem a bit cool.