This post's authors have general content warnings that might apply to the current post.
Accept our Terms of Service
Our Terms of Service have recently changed! Please read and agree to the Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy
cy(mbe)l[le|i]ne
+ Show First Post
Total: 912
Posts Per Page:
Permalink

"He likes books and magic and - being generous to random commoners for no reason. Probably magic is easiest for you."

Permalink

I will think on this.  Thank you, Princess Zoyah.

Permalink

"You're welcome! Good luck!"

Permalink

Yay.

 

Her plan was really to tell Cymbeline not too long after this, and then maybe get invited to dinner downstairs, but - she had better take some time to think of and arrange a gift.

There's an issue, which is that she's already been generous with the things it's easy for her to do, and it won't be meaningful as a gift if it's something she's already been giving out freely.  But conversely, the things that aren't easy are hard.  And yet... most of the engagements in the history book seemed to last a while, but at least one of them was only a few days, and if she presents a genuinely nice gift, then even if it delays her asking him, it might not delay their marriage?  She hopes this, at least.

She strums, idly, for a while, trying to think of something...

This would be complicated even if she had her voice, that seems pretty cool and not something she could accomplish in the ocean but then no, she musics at the air for a while and it turns out it just doesn't work like that -

 

Hm.  This.... would not be that complicated in itself, but the trick is in making it neither really annoying nor nonfunctional - this is kind of the same problem as the pans in the kitchen; creating something that changes on its own is not really something her magic is equipped for.  So - how to build this into an inherent state; how to create an object that will do something, sometimes out of a way that it is, all the time.

Permalink

It's time for dinner, and Cyllene eats, and she talks to Jane.  Jane has significantly more knowledge than Cyllene about what sort of objects exist up here, and brings her some!

Cyllene - would really like to adjust to a human sleep schedule, here, but - there will be time to do that.  And lying awake in the verysoft seems way less fun when she urgently wants to be getting something else done.  So she has Jane change her into nightclothes early, and takes a deep breath and walks to bed on her own, and has Jane bring her the lap harp.

She plays, very quietly, late into the night.  Most of it is difficult, and complicated, but the ending is as simple as she wants it to be.  It starts that way; the song was written for voice, and there are flourishes she could add there, with tone, that she just hasn't learned how to replicate on an instrument yet.  But the harp has the advantage that it can harmonize with itself.  On subsequent verses, she adds more and more accompaniment, building things up, pleasingly -

 

She concludes her playing, and tries the object, and it works - it's a little bit louder than she was playing; she muffles it.  No one outside her room seems to react, so she tries it five more times before setting it down and finally committing to try and sleep.

Permalink

In the morning Jane brings breakfast (porridge, berries, and honey, with bacon on the side) but does not wake her up.

Permalink

The sound of her moving around in the room (or maybe the smell of breakfast) does it.

Demonstration of object!

Permalink

"- oh! How does it - oh, I guess it's just magic, that was a silly question. Miss, Princess Zoyah left a note suggesting that you might want a bath today."

Permalink

Cyllene doesn't know what that is, but nod.

Permalink

Then Jane will run off to draw a bath, and when Cyllene has finished her breakfast: wheelbarrow down the stairs with fresh linens to change into afterwards and, behold, a bath.

Permalink

Why do humans have so many small oceans???  - Oh this is actually amazing.  This maybe feels better than her bed??  This is - really good.

Permalink

Oh good, some people hate baths. Jane will wash Cyllene's hair and get it all combed out and clean.

Total: 912
Posts Per Page: