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Bella completes her moccasins. They're easy, but tedious; she's putting tiny parts of the spell on each of the hundreds of glass beads that gets sewn on. Last time it took her a couple of days, but by the end of the process she could do the magic and the sewing at the same time; this time it's an easy rhythm and by an hour after lunch she's got them beaded and pieced and a binding enchantment laid on each of them and the pair together to hold all the beads in a coherent whole. She says her cleaning spell - the castle isn't dirty, but any amount of walking around barefoot leaves dirt on one's feet - and slips them on and gets up and walks around experimentally. Success!
She spends the rest of the time before the delegation is prepared to go sitting outside at the Skyvault, looking at it with various lens combinations and taking fascinated notes, and spending time with her fiancée-and-a-half.
She's ready to leave when the rest of the wizard-visiting party is.
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thaumobabble
"If you abide by the laws," says the diplomat, "and take only wisps of magic, the royal family will protect you."
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"All right," says Cantha, rolling up the scroll. "Do we - sign something, or anything of that nature?"
"Not any more than any other properly recognized resident of the forest," says the diplomat, "which is to say, no."
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"Welcome," Bella adds.
Cantha turns back to her. "You're a witch," she says.
"Not exactly."
Cantha's eyes narrow. "Sorceress?"
"Same answer."
Cantha purses her lips. "Magician."
"Yes."
"So you could help us with the witchwells so we wouldn't be so collectively powerless."
"Possibly," demurs Bella. "I'd need to think about it. I have other projects and I'm staying at the castle, which is some days' travel away."
"We would be interested in - exchanging knowledge," Cantha says, "if you happened to have the time for it."
"Thank you," says Bella, noncommittal but smiling.
Cantha turns back to her. "You're a witch," she says.
"Not exactly."
Cantha's eyes narrow. "Sorceress?"
"Same answer."
Cantha purses her lips. "Magician."
"Yes."
"So you could help us with the witchwells so we wouldn't be so collectively powerless."
"Possibly," demurs Bella. "I'd need to think about it. I have other projects and I'm staying at the castle, which is some days' travel away."
"We would be interested in - exchanging knowledge," Cantha says, "if you happened to have the time for it."
"Thank you," says Bella, noncommittal but smiling.
...That seems to be the end of that, really.
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Cantha shakes Bella's hand, and then looks dubiously at the diplomat and offers him her hand too.
The diplomat shakes hands with Cantha.
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Bella thinks to ask, "Are you Reformists in immediate need of anything?"
Cantha shakes her head. "We've been able to find everything we need, thank you."
And that really does seem to be it.
The delegation turns around and starts tromping home.
Bella feels pretty pleased with herself.
Cantha shakes her head. "We've been able to find everything we need, thank you."
And that really does seem to be it.
The delegation turns around and starts tromping home.
Bella feels pretty pleased with herself.
Bella has every right to be pleased with herself!
The dragon representative (who turns out to be somebody's princess) takes the time to congratulate her on their way out.
The dragon representative (who turns out to be somebody's princess) takes the time to congratulate her on their way out.
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"Thanks," says Bella. "I hope the dragons will be happy with the results."
"I think they will!"
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"Are they going to object if I teach a bunch of wizards' wives how to kindle witchwells so they can supply the wizards with spellpower? Even Reformist wizards?"
"If it keeps them out of trouble, I don't see why not."
calendarofcrime
When they arrive, Sherlock is waiting at the castle gate, under the arch of the Skyvault.
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Bella trots right up to her as fast as her moccasins will allow and hugs her.
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Of course. But unless she has a helmet on she is getting a kiss armor or no armor.
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"Everything turned out well," Bella reports. "This wizard faction are Reformists and they don't get along with the Orthodox wizards and they promise to behave themselves."
calendarofcrime
"I am so pleased," says Sherlock. "Let's let the rest of them tell Mother. I would like to reacquaint myself with my betrothed."
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"Okay," says Bella, beaming. "Reacquaintance sounds good!"
