Buda meets Ellen
Next Post »
« Previous Post
Permalink

The cafeteria is as described by her mother and, in more detail, Mari’s coach in the enclave. The walk had given Ellen a little mana; she looks around to see if there are any mals she can use it on. No.

Three letters and one small package for children of her parents’ friends, only one of whom she had ever met. A cup of water handed her by a helpful upperclassman. Duty done, she goes looking for Mari, finds her in a cluster of enclavemates.

Total: 16
Posts Per Page:
Permalink

Sandor Balog has already joined the others, greeting a few with sullen nods and the rest with terse words and then sullen silence. Hopefully they won't all get eaten by mals.

Permalink

“This is my friend Ellen. She protected me and Annie from a scratcher in the Körhinta and taught me some spells, and her mother made me a dress for senior year.”

She hopes Budi Sandor doesn't get eaten by mals. János is very good but he won't live forever and Buda could use another artificer. Her job at the moment is to keep herself and Ellen alive. Once she is sure of that and has a better feel for her upperclassmen ...

Permalink

One of the seniors looks up from his letter, turns to look at Ellen.

“Did your mother make the dress you’re wearing?”

Ellen nodded.

“I can see it’s magic. What does it do?”

Permalink

“It absorbs spells cast against me, lets me return them. Some other things.”

Permalink

“The scarf? It’s magic too.”

Permalink

Ellen smiles, reaches up to her neck, says a word under her breath. The silk scarf unwraps itself, one end going around her wrist, the other into her hand.

“Bui is a sling for killing things that don’t burn; I plan to get ammunition from the stockroom. Anything small and heavy works."

Permalink

Works as a child, thinks Sándor. If she's in his graduation alliance and she's still using that, it'll be tungsten-steel ammunition with a little potassium cyanide spelled to come out when it hits a mal. That will work, for an adult.

Permalink

“A weapon made by a weaver. Very clever.” That was one of the juniors.

Permalink

“Father says Catalin is the best weaver he knows.”

Permalink

‘If she is the best weaver the Dominus knows and her daughter is coming in as Mari’s friend instead of a mule or maintenance, why are they not in the enclave?’ he doesn’t say.

Permalink

Ellen remembers one of her other instructions.

“My room number is 512, which makes it easy to remember. What’s yours?”

Permalink

Why 512 is easy to remember she will ask Ellen when they are not surrounded by nine people, all of whom she needs to impress.

“126.”

She writes 512 (E) in her notebook.

Permalink

Mari does not immediately recognize that 512 is 2^9, which is why he is not friends with her. Ellen, apparently, does not think that anyone would not find 512 easy to remember, which suggests that Ellen is sane. She may be the only person on the planet who is, he's reserving judgement there until he meets more people outside Buda enclave.

Permalink

Ellen looks around the hall, turns back to Mari’s clavemates. “Do you know anyone with a weaving affinity? I have some of my parents’ spells for woven fire, but …”

Permalink

She met Mari in the Körhinta so is probably from Budapest; if Mari had given us her long name I would know. Her father is probably fire. What Indie wizards in town are fire?  She’s Mari’s friend so we will be expected to treat her as one of us. Miklos wouldn’t have sent her in with his daughter if he wasn’t sure, but ...

Permalink

Introductions done, the group dissolves. Ellen and Mari go off together looking for a weaver.

Here Ends This Thread
Next Post »
« Previous Post
Total: 16
Posts Per Page: