Butterfly Sunrider (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
butterfly_sunrider) wrote2010-11-28 12:50 am
butterfly_sunrider) wrote2010-11-28 12:50 am
7 Eleasis 1372 – Afternoon
The market would be open late into the evening. Methrammar was adequately softened up. It was time to spring into action.
I sidled up to my lover and batted my eyelids coquettishly as we exited our suite together. “Methrammar darling, are you practiced at transmutation spells?”
The tall half-elf at my side bowed his head in thought. “Well,” he spoke hesitantly, “my mother enchanted a wand with a few spells of the transmutation school. The great thing about it is that it has unlimited uses.” He pulled the wand out of a pocket on the inside of his cape and pointed it at me dramatically. “I call it...the Transmogrifyer!”
I giggled and Methrammar smiled gently. “Yes, it's a rather silly name, isn't it? Tyresia was actually the one to call it that. Mother meant it for me to use for diplomatic purposes only, but Tyresia was always thinking of more amusing things to do with it.”
I took it out of his open hand gently and felt it crackle with Alustriel's magical aura. The Transmogrifyer was indeed a powerful artifact. I winked at Methrammar and and swished the wand at him playfully. “So, what's it loaded with?”
As we continued down the stairs to the exit, he listed off the stored spells of the wand I now held in my hot little hand:
Disguise self
Polymorph other
Translate languages
Perfect. I frowned slightly and tried to sound unimpressed. “Doesn't sound like much. I mean, only three spells?”
Methrammar stared at me, mouth agape. “Remember Seledra, this wand has unlimited uses per day!”
I bustled ahead of him and out the door. He strode to catch up. I called over my shoulder, “And it can be used anywhere, even here?”
“Oh, yes!” my companion exclaimed.
I chortled to myself and stopped suddenly after we reached the tea house from the day before. “I want to play a game.”
Methrammar frowned gently. “Darling, the locals are uncomfortable with your presence as it is. Best not to force yourself on them. I know you think you can change the world by the sheer force of your will...” he stroked my cheek affectionately,”and sometimes even I believe that you can, but, well, we're on vacation!”
I pouted. “I believe this little excursion was your idea of showing me a good time, yes? You said I could do whatever my heart desires! I want to play. I want to win. There's something I want to buy in the market...”
My lover wrapped his arm around my shoulder placatingly, “Whatever it is that you want, darling, I'll buy it. No price is too high-”
I couldn't make him pay for the amulet. The very idea made my skin crawl with guilt. I held my hand up. “No. You've already been more than generous. This is something I have to do for myself. However...”
Methrammar raised a hopeful eyebrow.
I continued, “I need you to cast a few spells on me. I know that they will never let an elf beat them, even if I am a better mahjong player.”
Methrammar gazed past me at the people swarming in and around the tea house and nodded. “You need to be beyond reproach. You need to look like one of them, and not one of the locals. No one wants to walk inside their favorite tea house only to spot their doppelganger. And I'm sure you don't want someone getting too familiar with you if they recognize you either. That leaves someone who can't possibly be in the vicinity.” He grimaced sheepishly. “I'm afraid I'm not familiar with too many individuals of the Shou persuasion."
I cocked my head to the side. "You should do something about that sometime."
He nodded. "I know."
"Well, who do you know? An ambassador? A diplomat? A traveling monk on a mission to right wrongs where he sees them?" I poked.
Methrammar shook his head. "No country from Kara-Tur has any ambassadorial relationship with any country in Faerun, and that's been making trade with them rather...slippery."
"Well, maybe you should take another trip here, make some contacts, see about building an embassy back in Silverymoon. Your mother would be proud." I said.
Methrammar smiled broadly. "You're right, that's a wonderful idea. I shall let her know as soon as I see her again."
here was a lull in the conversation. We weren't moving forward. So I poked again. "I'm not sure you answered my question, darling."
"Mm?"
I repeated my question from earlier. "Who do you know?"
Methrammar heaved a sigh and mumbled something I couldn't hear.
"What?"
Methrammar said a little sharply, "Magnos."
I must have been visibly taken aback, for my lover softened his expression and continued. "Yes, it's terrible, isn't it? I wish I had someone more...appropriate for you, but there it is."
I stammered. "B-but there's got to be someone else. Anyone else. Not him." The temptation would be too great.
"He is of the Shou persuasion, is he not? He's male, which will give you a bonus in this society. And finally, there is absolutely no chance that he'll come walking through this door. You're not...uncomfortable with the idea, are you?" He raised an eyebrow at me and gazed a little penetratingly into my eyes.
I blinked. "No, should I be? Sure, I could use the swagger and the confidence, but...well, I mean, it's just-"
"Yes?" He stretched out the word for an inordinate amount of time.
I flailed my arms about. "He's got man parts! I mean, how-how do you walk around with those bits dangling between your legs? Don't they get in the way?"
Methrammar threw back his head and laughed. "I guess you'll find out soon enough, my love." He grew quiet and caressed my cheek. "Are you sure you want to do this, darling? This will be...quite awkward for me, but I'm willing to do it because I don't believe they'll be fair to you otherwise. And because...I love you so."
I had come too far to stop now, and I'd make it up to him later. I stood on tiptoe, kissed him in the corner of his lips, and emphatically nodded.
Methrammar shook his head gently with a wistful smile, "Willful girl. Come on round back here. We'll need a little privacy for this."
I followed my handsome half-elf around the back of the tea house and braced myself. I half expected it to hurt, but it actually tickled a little. I took advantage of a nearby pond to see the results.
And was promptly transfixed by my reflection. I gazed from all angles. I walked back and forth. Methrammar fell over laughing.
"What are you snickering about?" came Magnos' voice rumbling out of my mouth, which I covered quickly with my hand.
"I never thought I'd see Magnos swish and sashay like that. I daresay it's worth the price of admission!"
I stole another glance at my reflection. "You were...quite accurate." again came Magnos' voice.
Methrammar bowed with a flourish. But then a shadow passed over him as he said, "I never forget a face."
I was beginning to wonder if this charade was going to be worth it. I adjusted my stance, remembering how Magnos carries himself, and walked towards the door. My mimickry must have been convincing because I saw the smile fade from Methrammar's face out of the corner of my eye as he watched me. "I'm going to use the water closet first, then I'm heading to the mahjong table.
"What, you have to relieve yourself?"
I stuck out my tongue at him and turned on my heel, saying "Wouldn't you like to know? Stay close!"
***
Methrammar was kind enough to give me locals' garb so I wouldn't pass out in the sweltering heat, but it took some time finding my way around in it. He had been, now that I could see everything, scarily accurate. I wondered briefly, as I put my clothes back on, whether he'd been spying on me. The thought sent a chill down my spine before I pulled myself together and strode out the door.
I sidled up to my lover and batted my eyelids coquettishly as we exited our suite together. “Methrammar darling, are you practiced at transmutation spells?”
The tall half-elf at my side bowed his head in thought. “Well,” he spoke hesitantly, “my mother enchanted a wand with a few spells of the transmutation school. The great thing about it is that it has unlimited uses.” He pulled the wand out of a pocket on the inside of his cape and pointed it at me dramatically. “I call it...the Transmogrifyer!”
I giggled and Methrammar smiled gently. “Yes, it's a rather silly name, isn't it? Tyresia was actually the one to call it that. Mother meant it for me to use for diplomatic purposes only, but Tyresia was always thinking of more amusing things to do with it.”
I took it out of his open hand gently and felt it crackle with Alustriel's magical aura. The Transmogrifyer was indeed a powerful artifact. I winked at Methrammar and and swished the wand at him playfully. “So, what's it loaded with?”
As we continued down the stairs to the exit, he listed off the stored spells of the wand I now held in my hot little hand:
Disguise self
Polymorph other
Translate languages
Perfect. I frowned slightly and tried to sound unimpressed. “Doesn't sound like much. I mean, only three spells?”
Methrammar stared at me, mouth agape. “Remember Seledra, this wand has unlimited uses per day!”
I bustled ahead of him and out the door. He strode to catch up. I called over my shoulder, “And it can be used anywhere, even here?”
“Oh, yes!” my companion exclaimed.
I chortled to myself and stopped suddenly after we reached the tea house from the day before. “I want to play a game.”
Methrammar frowned gently. “Darling, the locals are uncomfortable with your presence as it is. Best not to force yourself on them. I know you think you can change the world by the sheer force of your will...” he stroked my cheek affectionately,”and sometimes even I believe that you can, but, well, we're on vacation!”
I pouted. “I believe this little excursion was your idea of showing me a good time, yes? You said I could do whatever my heart desires! I want to play. I want to win. There's something I want to buy in the market...”
My lover wrapped his arm around my shoulder placatingly, “Whatever it is that you want, darling, I'll buy it. No price is too high-”
I couldn't make him pay for the amulet. The very idea made my skin crawl with guilt. I held my hand up. “No. You've already been more than generous. This is something I have to do for myself. However...”
Methrammar raised a hopeful eyebrow.
I continued, “I need you to cast a few spells on me. I know that they will never let an elf beat them, even if I am a better mahjong player.”
Methrammar gazed past me at the people swarming in and around the tea house and nodded. “You need to be beyond reproach. You need to look like one of them, and not one of the locals. No one wants to walk inside their favorite tea house only to spot their doppelganger. And I'm sure you don't want someone getting too familiar with you if they recognize you either. That leaves someone who can't possibly be in the vicinity.” He grimaced sheepishly. “I'm afraid I'm not familiar with too many individuals of the Shou persuasion."
I cocked my head to the side. "You should do something about that sometime."
He nodded. "I know."
"Well, who do you know? An ambassador? A diplomat? A traveling monk on a mission to right wrongs where he sees them?" I poked.
Methrammar shook his head. "No country from Kara-Tur has any ambassadorial relationship with any country in Faerun, and that's been making trade with them rather...slippery."
"Well, maybe you should take another trip here, make some contacts, see about building an embassy back in Silverymoon. Your mother would be proud." I said.
Methrammar smiled broadly. "You're right, that's a wonderful idea. I shall let her know as soon as I see her again."
here was a lull in the conversation. We weren't moving forward. So I poked again. "I'm not sure you answered my question, darling."
"Mm?"
I repeated my question from earlier. "Who do you know?"
Methrammar heaved a sigh and mumbled something I couldn't hear.
"What?"
Methrammar said a little sharply, "Magnos."
I must have been visibly taken aback, for my lover softened his expression and continued. "Yes, it's terrible, isn't it? I wish I had someone more...appropriate for you, but there it is."
I stammered. "B-but there's got to be someone else. Anyone else. Not him." The temptation would be too great.
"He is of the Shou persuasion, is he not? He's male, which will give you a bonus in this society. And finally, there is absolutely no chance that he'll come walking through this door. You're not...uncomfortable with the idea, are you?" He raised an eyebrow at me and gazed a little penetratingly into my eyes.
I blinked. "No, should I be? Sure, I could use the swagger and the confidence, but...well, I mean, it's just-"
"Yes?" He stretched out the word for an inordinate amount of time.
I flailed my arms about. "He's got man parts! I mean, how-how do you walk around with those bits dangling between your legs? Don't they get in the way?"
Methrammar threw back his head and laughed. "I guess you'll find out soon enough, my love." He grew quiet and caressed my cheek. "Are you sure you want to do this, darling? This will be...quite awkward for me, but I'm willing to do it because I don't believe they'll be fair to you otherwise. And because...I love you so."
I had come too far to stop now, and I'd make it up to him later. I stood on tiptoe, kissed him in the corner of his lips, and emphatically nodded.
Methrammar shook his head gently with a wistful smile, "Willful girl. Come on round back here. We'll need a little privacy for this."
I followed my handsome half-elf around the back of the tea house and braced myself. I half expected it to hurt, but it actually tickled a little. I took advantage of a nearby pond to see the results.
And was promptly transfixed by my reflection. I gazed from all angles. I walked back and forth. Methrammar fell over laughing.
"What are you snickering about?" came Magnos' voice rumbling out of my mouth, which I covered quickly with my hand.
"I never thought I'd see Magnos swish and sashay like that. I daresay it's worth the price of admission!"
I stole another glance at my reflection. "You were...quite accurate." again came Magnos' voice.
Methrammar bowed with a flourish. But then a shadow passed over him as he said, "I never forget a face."
I was beginning to wonder if this charade was going to be worth it. I adjusted my stance, remembering how Magnos carries himself, and walked towards the door. My mimickry must have been convincing because I saw the smile fade from Methrammar's face out of the corner of my eye as he watched me. "I'm going to use the water closet first, then I'm heading to the mahjong table.
"What, you have to relieve yourself?"
I stuck out my tongue at him and turned on my heel, saying "Wouldn't you like to know? Stay close!"
Methrammar was kind enough to give me locals' garb so I wouldn't pass out in the sweltering heat, but it took some time finding my way around in it. He had been, now that I could see everything, scarily accurate. I wondered briefly, as I put my clothes back on, whether he'd been spying on me. The thought sent a chill down my spine before I pulled myself together and strode out the door.