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Cymbeline doesn't really like boats, but they're the only way to get anywhere in a reasonable period of time, especially when "anywhere" isn't on the mainland. Today he is sailing to Vectis, to oversee the change of governorship; his father the king is needed for courtly matters back home and his mother the queen, despite being the source of his royal blood, declines to involve herself in affairs of state when she can avoid it. Zoyah takes more after Ranae than after Charles in this department. So, it falls to Cymbeline.
Walking on a boat is even more difficult than walking on land, and Cymbeline is no great shakes at the latter to begin with. Unfortunately, neither he nor Kerem, the court magician and Cymbeline's confidante, have been able to figure out how to apply the principles of practicable magic to alleviating princely clumsiness. So Cymbeline is clinging to the railing of the boat, watching the waves, trying to avoid having to walk anywhere.
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aetheling
treasuresuntold
Jade looks around; it's not obvious to her where Cymbeline went or what's going to happen now.
agnatic
The king, queen, princess, and other members of the household who eat at their table - Kerem, a few other court persons - sit around talking for a bit longer, and eventually disperse. Servants take the dishes away; Jade's is the only one that has been licked.
aetheling
Presently Cymbeline returns with the book of signs in his hand. "Jade?"
aetheling
He leads her back to the study, and starts skipping around in the book, looking for the words he needs.
After he's picked up the necessary pieces, including a lengthy detour to explain "if", he says, "You will not eat with me and my family if you lick things."
After he's picked up the necessary pieces, including a lengthy detour to explain "if", he says, "You will not eat with me and my family if you lick things."
aetheling
"My father doesn't like it," he summarizes, since he's at a complete loss for how to define 'manners' in terms of anything he can draw or mime.
aetheling
That's better. Cymbeline smiles, and goes back to where they were in their more linear approach through the book.
treasuresuntold
The book is fun! And she's picking up an understanding of Loegrian very fast. The 'I don't understand' face is getting rarer and rarer.
aetheling
Excellent! Cymbeline will happily pass the rest of the evening teaching her Loegrian.
After that, he shows her - with occasional puzzled glances at her feet - to a guest suite. "You can sleep here," he tells her.
After that, he shows her - with occasional puzzled glances at her feet - to a guest suite. "You can sleep here," he tells her.
treasuresuntold
She nods and signs 'thank you' and kisses him on the cheek, bouncing a little on her toes. (Her coordination is improving already.)
aetheling
He's slightly bemused at all the excess affection but presently unable to ask about it in any useful way, so he just shows her how to douse the candles - the servants prepared this room for her in advance - and then how to re-light them with the available matches.
aetheling
He takes her hand again. "You could catch fire -" No, she doesn't know the words. Uuuum. He's been watching her walk apparently comfortably on cursed legs all day, but those don't spread, and he doesn't have the vocabulary for a proper fire safety lecture. "It could hurt other people," he tries. "If the fire goes anywhere but the candle," (he covered these words when he was showing her how to douse and light it) "it can - get big, grow - fire eats things."
aetheling
He looks around for something to burn, then picks up the discarded match he used to light the candle in his demonstration. He shook it out before, but he relights it, then sets it on the candle tray before the flame can reach his fingers. It obligingly burns into a little line of black ash. "Not really eat. Burn. Fire burns things."
treasuresuntold
Jade stares at the match, then nods slowly.
She taps the candle tray and makes the sign for this-is-a-question.
She taps the candle tray and makes the sign for this-is-a-question.
aetheling
"Small candle fire can't burn this," he says, tapping the tray. "That's why it's under the candle. But fire can burn clothes, wood, paper, people, - most things. If it gets big, it can burn more things."
aetheling
"So - fire stays on the candle, and not other places. Okay?"