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Isibel gates the demon and all of the useful books except the parts about summoning Darkness (which she burns) into the cave where they've been sleeping.
She stays there. Their physical presence is a comfort; their mental presence works over arbitrary distances and at least they're not awake to read her.
She reads the books. Just for something to do.
small_magics
The current king of the elves is Andoreniel, named for his mother's father's father, and he is generally considered to be a wise and a just ruler.
He is also standing at the entrance to the cave.
He is also standing at the entrance to the cave.
"I See you, Isibel," says the king. "It would please me immensely to know just when you planned to inform me that you had allowed one of our ancient Enemy to enter the Elven Lands."
small_magics
"I - had not thought about it at all. I have been dreadfully preoccupied," Isibel murmurs. "With saving the world, and - the necessary precursors. We're finished with that now, though."
"I have heard something to that effect," he says. "Perhaps it would please you to tell me more."
"Then it might be best if you told me everything."
small_magics
Isibel shrugs negligently.
She tells him about the expedition and the statues of Tialle and how she first found the demon, how he didn't hurt her, and showed her the dragon, from whom she ran; how he told her about the local poisons, how Magania corroborated his story. How she met Liselen later, and worked to learn hyperfocus, and came back to the island, and joined her Bonded, and how she studied magic, and how they found the summoner and how he has now been stricken from the lists of the living.
She tells him about the expedition and the statues of Tialle and how she first found the demon, how he didn't hurt her, and showed her the dragon, from whom she ran; how he told her about the local poisons, how Magania corroborated his story. How she met Liselen later, and worked to learn hyperfocus, and came back to the island, and joined her Bonded, and how she studied magic, and how they found the summoner and how he has now been stricken from the lists of the living.
Andoreniel listens gravely to this recitation.
At the end of it, he says, "And yet it seems to me that one task remains before the land will be free from Darkness once more."
At the end of it, he says, "And yet it seems to me that one task remains before the land will be free from Darkness once more."
small_magics
Isibel takes a moment to parse that.
"Liselen says that my beloved isn't Tainted," she volunteers softly.
"Liselen says that my beloved isn't Tainted," she volunteers softly.
"Liselen is the son of Kareta, and grandson of Shalkan, and I am sure that when he is grown he will be very wise," says Andoreniel. "But I have not heard that he has met your - beloved."
small_magics
"That would not be a comfortable experience for Liselen. But he received a message from the Wild Magic about my beloved and relayed it to me, nonetheless," Isibel says.
She's still sitting on the floor of the cave. If she had the will to live still, perhaps she'd try to wake the demon and dragon, and gate away. Instead she's sitting here defending the right of a peacefully napping being to exist.
She's still sitting on the floor of the cave. If she had the will to live still, perhaps she'd try to wake the demon and dragon, and gate away. Instead she's sitting here defending the right of a peacefully napping being to exist.
Andoreniel nods regally.
There is a crashing in the underbrush, and Liselen bounds into view. He shoulders his way - twitching already - past the king and into the cave.
"Hi!" he says loudly. "So I heard somebody was trying to argue with a unicorn about who's Tainted, but that's not what's actually going on here, right, because the king of the Elves is really wise and stuff and not a total clod."
There is a crashing in the underbrush, and Liselen bounds into view. He shoulders his way - twitching already - past the king and into the cave.
"Hi!" he says loudly. "So I heard somebody was trying to argue with a unicorn about who's Tainted, but that's not what's actually going on here, right, because the king of the Elves is really wise and stuff and not a total clod."
"I do not say that you lie," Andoreniel says mildly. "I merely say that you may be... mistaken. And that if you are, it is far too high a price to pay."
"Nope," says Liselen.
And he makes his way shakily to the back of the cave, and flumps down next to the sleeping demon, and bends his head to lay his horn across the demon's scarlet neck.
It feels like dipping it in a clear well.
Nothing else happens.
"Nope," says Liselen.
And he makes his way shakily to the back of the cave, and flumps down next to the sleeping demon, and bends his head to lay his horn across the demon's scarlet neck.
It feels like dipping it in a clear well.
Nothing else happens.
"Something probably happened in the intervening ten thousand years," says Liselen, rising awkwardly. "And now I'm outta here."
He gets all four hooves under him and hurries out of the cave.
"...Well," says Andoreniel. "I stand corrected."
He gets all four hooves under him and hurries out of the cave.
"...Well," says Andoreniel. "I stand corrected."
He surveys them for a moment.
"It is," he says, "not my royal command, but my royal suggestion, that you bring your beloved to the house of a suitable clothier. In all other respects, yes."
"It is," he says, "not my royal command, but my royal suggestion, that you bring your beloved to the house of a suitable clothier. In all other respects, yes."
The king sighs.
"Then I suppose he does not need them."
"Then I suppose he does not need them."
The king nods back.
He leaves.
He leaves.
