The Abominable Tela-Snowman

Log Info

• Title: The Abominable Tela-Snowman

• Emitter: Telamon

• Characters: Ravenstongue, Telamon

• Place: University District / Ravenstongue and Telamon's house

• Summary: Ravenstongue is going about errands when she encounters a group of children in the University District. Telamon emerges from a snowman that the children buried him into, and the two half-elf sorcerers walk home. They discuss their plans for a permanent telepathic bond before they go about the rest of their day.

University District, midday

While winter still holds Alexandria in a firm grip, the weather has abated somewhat for today -- enough that children are out playing in the snow, and people are walking -- if briskly -- to their errands. There's plenty of snow everywhere, enough for snowball fights, snow-construction, and the like.

Across the street, several children are putting the finishing touches on a trio of snowmen -- large ones, at least six feet tall. Each has angry 'frowny faces' made from stones. Across from them another snowman has been crafted, with leaves for pointed ears and a 'smiley face' made from stones. The wind blows a few flakes around, but thankfully the skies are clear for the moment.

Cor'lana is among the people doing errands, but she's not walking nearly so briskly as everyone else is. Her steps take sort of a meandering and whimsical sensibility as she walks through the University District, holding a basket in arm. She's dressed in a long coat tailored to be a rather fashionable silhouette reminiscent of a winter dress, and she's chosen to go without a cloak on this day, as though she's merely daring one of the anti-adventuerer types to come out and harrass her.

She stops to look at the children crafting the snowmen and smiles. "That's adorable," she murmurs, but then her violet eyes catch the snowman with 'pointed ears'. "Is that supposed to be an elven one?" she wonders aloud.

It's at that point that Pothy lands on her shoulder, soaring down from the sky to rejoin his mistress. "Snacks," he says softly, as though to remind her that she does have an agenda of things to do today.

The children put the finishing touches on the snowmen, and then catch sight of Cor'lana. "Hallo, Miss Lana!" they chorus, giggling and running over. "We're gonna do some magic today! Wanna watch?" There's four of them -- all human kids, bundled up against the cold. She might recognize a couple of them from walking in the neighborhood.

"We're gonna conjure up a hero to take care of those baddies!" one declares, pointing at the three frowny-faced snowmen. Her eyes are happy, playful, and just a touch mischievous.

Cor'lana is taken aback at first by how they come up to her, but she quickly recovers, giving them a smile. "Ohh, I see," she says. Obviously, there's probably something else at work here--these are just children, after all--but best to play along. "Yes, I would love to watch. Someone has to make sure your magic spell goes off without a hitch, after all."

"Magic," Pothy echoes, his tail wagging up and down in delight. He'd love to see a magic show!

There's giggling, as the four surround the 'smiling' snowman, and begin chanting nonsense words and what sounds like a hilarious butchering of the old makari song about sweet ball roots. Needless to say, there's not a drop of magic (is that how magic is measured?) in the chant.

Until the smiling snowman suddenly splits open and breaks apart to reveal Telamon! He bashes his way clear of the snow with a showy roar, and points at the 'frowny' snowmen. "We've got you now! ATTACK!" The children charge the snowmen, laughing madly, and begin tearing them apart, as Tel brushes off the snow before realizing... oh. He has an audience.

"Um. Er... hello, Lana. Just having a little fun."

Cor'lana stands by idly and smiles as the children chant. Just some harmless fun, after all. Nothing that the children could possibly do to hurt anyone with nonsense words, except maybe make a sith-makar cringe or fold over in laughter at the clunky way they chant the song--

And then her husband emerges from the snowman.

Cor'lana is the one folding over in laughter now, having dropped her basket as she went to clutch at her sides. There's already tears rolling down her face as she just giggles madly at the whole situation. Even Pothy's joining in, laughing at the absurdity of it in his little nobleman's laugh.

Eventually, she collects herself enough to gasp out, "Aww Tel, that was--that was adorable!"

As the children demolish the 'bad guy' snowmen, Telamon brushes the rest of the snow off himself, using a cantrip. He's dressed warmly, in a wool tunic and trousers, boots, and a short coat over it, but doesn't seem fazed by spending time immured in a snowman. "Well..." He blushes a little, then smiles. "I still remember what it was like to be young."

He goes over to hug his wife, unable to stop his own smile at her merriment. "I take it the errands went well?" He helps her collect her basket again, before petting the giggling Pothy.

"They're still going," Cor'lana admits with a little grin as she briefly settles her head underneath Telamon's chin. After all, Cor'lana needs her happy place when it's presented to her. "I sort of have been taking my time today. Just enjoying the nice weather while we have it."

Pothy leans into Telamon's hand as he's patted, croaking his usual happy Pothy noises. Meanwhile, that basket of Cor'lana's actually feels a bit heavier than normal.

"I stopped by the bookstore," Cor'lana admits. "Wasn't planned, exactly, but a new shop just opened up down the way and I was curious. You know me; I can't really bring myself to just walk past a bookstore." Unless, of course, it's the bookstore that Grandfather worked at, but that didn't need to be said.

And now the 'bad guy' snowmen lie in rubble, and the children run over. Happily, they say, "Thank you, Mister Telamon!" The leader informs the couple with seriousness, "We gotta go now, Mama wants us to come in for lunch." They happily wave, before running away, cheering their victory.

Tel just shakes his head in amusement, before giving Lana a squeeze and letting her tuck in under his chin. "I'm not sure it qualifies as 'nice' yet, but at least it's not dumping buckets of snow on us. I made sure to cast a ward against cold on myself before I let that bunch put me in the snowman."

At the mention of a new bookstore, Telamon's eyebrows rise. "Oh? Anything in particular? I've been looking for a copy of Angvar Ironbeard's 'The Brewer King'. I think it might have some applications in combination with the Libations tome."

"It's nice in that it's not hurling ice and snow down onto us," Cor'lana replies with a grin as she pulls away from Telamon. She gives the children a little wave. "I'm glad you didn't freeze over."

She fishes out a book from her basket and holds it out to Telamon. "It's a book on, well, publishing books," she says. "I think that I'm ready to publish my poems. I know, I know, I could probably talk to cousin Gerald and have a publishing deal instantly, but I wanted to do things my own way--without nepotism." Where's that line been heard before?

Telamon nods slowly, but then smiles. "I think it says a lot about you that you'd rather stand on your own two feet, than rely on someone. Even if they mean well." He gives her a hug. "I won't lie, though. Book publishing can be expensive, and there's always a critic out there who wants to make his bread by trashing yours."

"I'm not saying this to put you off. Only warning you to strap on the armor -- metaphorically speaking -- and brace for any harsh words. Now, that being said, if you need any help from me, I'm all in. Together, after all."

As the children head inside, Tel lets out a breath. "I won't deny that I was thinking about... that dream, a little bit, when I came outside to see what the children were doing. Maybe... I was just looking to recapture a little of that. Not all of it, but just a little."

"That's what I was thinking of, honestly, when I saw you were playing with the children," Cor'lana admits with a small smile. "You didn't get much of an opportunity to play with the girls in the dream, and the little one was too small to go and play..."

Her words trail off as she looks off to the side for a moment, back in the direction of the children where they'd left. She shakes her head and finds Telamon's hand with her own, squeezing it gently. "Maybe we should head home," she says. "It... suddenly feels colder out here."

Pothy makes a handful of concerned noises as he looks at Cor'lana.

Telamon hugs Lana close. "Not a problem. We've both been out and about and I think it's time for some tea." He leads Lana along, carrying the basket himself, as they walk towards their home. "Are you all right? You looked a little... worried there." He brushes back her hair, looking to Pothy and raising an eyebrow. An unspoken query, as they walk up towards the door of the Lúpecyll-Atlon house.

Cor'lana presses her lips together into a small line as they walk, even with Telamon's reassuring gesture. "I... actually had another dream about them," Cor'lana admits. "But not at the castle. I dreamed it was just myself and the girls, and I was somewhere in the Mythwood with them. You weren't there, though."

Her squeeze on Telamon's hand gets a little tighter, and her voice becomes quieter. "I dreamed that the Corpse-Eater came and took little Nadina and Ariana. He had them in his arms and I was begging him to let go of them. And... he asked me to choose between one of them. He'd take one and I'd only get to have the other. When I protested, he pointed out that Grandfather could just decide to take Nadina whenever he wanted--she's the firstborn, after all--so why couldn't he? I woke up just as he said he was going to choose for me if I couldn't make up my mind."

Telamon doesn't say anything until they're inside, from out of the chill. The warmth of their house welcomes them, and a chirping, "Good day, Lady Lúpecyll-Atlon!" Jyndei sits drapes over the back of the sofa, the fireplace stoked and radiating heat.

Tel pauses, as he takes off his boots, to regard Jyndei. "Well, Jyndei, thank you for building the fire back up again." He smiles though, his expression lightening. "You're a good guest."

Tel settles down Lana on the couch, before putting the kettle on. Once that's done, he sits down next to her. "A dream, but one rooted in some truths. I... we, kind of renegotiated things with Grandfather. And there's a certain worry that yes, he will want to cleave to the original pact sworn by the Lúpecylls." He pauses. "I don't think he will -- we've shown him that there's a better way -- but I imagine it's hovering in the back of your mind."

Cor'lana sits down on the couch, Pothy landing in her lap and lying down there like the fluffiest lap-pillow there might ever be. "Yes, thank you, Jyndei, it's so nice to come home to a warm house," she says with a smile to Jyndei. She even reaches up to pat the little dragon.

She leans into Telamon as he sits down next to her, and she nods as she listens to him. "I just... I know they don't even exist, really, but I love those girls. I think I understand my father when he said that it felt like a hole in the family when one of his ancestors was taken away by Grandfather--I'd... I don't know what I would do if he demanded one of them."

"Grandfather's different now," Pothy says, looking between Cor'lana and Telamon. Now that he can speak freely again, he seems all the more comfortable. "He's not who he was when he made that pact with his first descendants years ago. I don't think he'd want to hurt either of you like that."

Telamon nods. "Hence why I think this is just... a little fear, brought on by the prospect that yes, someday there will be little girls, and we'll have to work things out." He takes Lana's hand, rubbing it gently. "It's... the Watcher once told me that the potential for something can be just as intense as if it were real. I think this is like that. It's not 'real' yet... but there's the key word: yet."

Jyndei purrs like a cat at the petting, but offers, "Indeed. Consider the nature of dreams, and how they shape you and your world. A man dreams of justice; he becomes a judge and by that, changes the world for the better. Another man might dream of wealth, and damage the world through his predations."

Cor'lana closes her eyes and sighs gently as she leans into him. "I know. Yet. But... Might be more than just three, too," she admits. "In that dream, I was also... with child. It felt very odd."

Pothy just turns and looks up at Telamon. "Four? Really? Am I going to have to pry the two of you away from each other?" he asks, almost exasperated. "I'm sure Grandfather will be delighted, but that means four little ones trying to pluck my feathers!"

Cor'lana can't help but snicker at that. "Did I try to do that, Pothy?" she asks, opening her eyes. The notion of that's greatly lifted her mood. "When I was very small, that is."

Pothy glares at Cor'lana now. "Yes, you did," he says. "It hurt."

Telamon laughs in spite of everything. "Goodness. I ... you know, I wondered if you wanted a large family, but gods, we might as well be farmers at that rate. Still, you know I'll welcome the children, and you won't be raising them alone. I'll cheat if I have to." He gives Jyndei a meaningful look.

Jyndei looks nervous. "My Lord Lúpecyll-Atlon, surely..." The faerie dragon trails off, and sighs. "Of course. But I refuse to change their nappies."

Tel grins at Pothy. "Don't get in arm's reach then, Pothy. That's what stuffed animals are for. You can perch on the cradle and yodel at them if you like, but you should know better."

"I don't know if I really want four children," Cor'lana admits. "I think we'll have our hands full with three girls as it is--assuming that we have three girls and not three boys, two girls and a boy, or... you get my drift. I'm just chalking it up to the strange nature of dreams."

Pothy stares at Telamon. "I do not yodel," he says firmly.

That, for whatever reason, sends Cor'lana into a fit of giggles again, and she pats Pothy's feathers down. "No, but you do beg for snacks. That one's accurate. You're guilty of that hundreds of thousands of times over."

Jyndei's not helping, of course. "Do you not know how, Pothy?" The faerie dragon blinks large eyes at the familiar. "It is a rather interesting form of song. There is a tale I have heard of a khazadi who won a nymph's heart by yodeling to her for four hours without stopping, continually changing his tune."

Telamon kind of looks at Jyndei with a dumbfounded expression, before coughing, trying not to laugh at the mental image. "Ah... alright. No, I don't think it's necessary, I was making a point that Pothy can do what he wishes, but he should avoid grasping little fingers."

He smiles at Lana. "However many we wind up with, they will be loved, and cherished, and raised to know both their parents."

Pothy makes a very aghast noise. "I just have never tried to yodel!" he explains. "I'm very happy for that khazad and for his nymph bride, but I have no need to yodel. None. Nada. No."

Cor'lana blinks at this display of vitriol. "Did... Did a yodeler hurt you once, Pothy?" she asks, smoothing down his feathers again.

Pothy makes a grumbling noise. "I don't want to talk about it," he says.

Cor'lana looks horrendously intrigued, but she just turns to Telamon, seeming to have decided that maybe Pothy's yodeling problems aren't worth... hollering about. "When they come to exist, yes, they will know their parents and be absolutely loved," she says, smiling at Telamon. "And more importantly, they won't know the Corpse Eater."

As she says the last, she looks a tad bit more serious again. "Speaking of which, Tel... I wanted to talk. About something we could use against the Corpse Eater," she adds on a little hurriedly, so Telamon doesn't start sweating instantaneously in the middle of winter.

Telamon leans into Lana. "You have a plan." It's not a question, which is promising. "With everything else going on, I'm delighted to hear it. I ... haven't forgotten him, but things keep ramping up for us, don't they?" He sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I've been trying to probe that totem, then there's this mess with Dolan's parents..." He looks up, staring at her intensely. "Alright, Lana. Let's see what you've got."

"I've been researching spells to use, and I discovered that there's a spell that makes some other spells permanent," Cor'lana replies. "I discovered that it can even make a spell that establishes telepathic bonds permanent."

She grins on the next part, her left hand finding his and playfully putting a finger on top of the marriage curuchuil, still just as vibrant as it was made two months ago. "I know it's a bit of a commitment," she says, "but you and I being able to telepathically communicate means we'll always be able to tell each other apart from any illusions. After all, if you think something and I don't immediately respond--you'll know that's the Corpse Eater and not me."

Telamon snorts. "Yes, because this and this," he taps her engagement ring and curuchuil, "weren't commitments either?" He looks thoughtful. "This is going to be different, though. We won't just be living together, but we'll be living in each other's heads, to an extent."

"That being said, though, we don't dare let the Corpse-Eater get lucky. If it was anyone else but you, I'd hesitate. With you? I know you, Lana. We've no dark secrets. There are parts of our past which we're not happy with, but we've moved on and built a new life together. So the answer's yes. What do you need from me to help?"

"Hence my impish little grin, my starborn king," Cor'lana replies playfully. "I know you're committed to me. But like you said--it'd be a level beyond what even most married couples have to contend with."

She leans in and kisses Telamon on the cheek. "But considering you're almost always on my mind anyways, this won't feel like much of a difference to me."

Pothy bird-blinks. "Smooth," he comments, "but I think I'll let you two reenact the Crimson Pen by yourselves. Jyndei, wanna go raid the kitchen for snacks?" The white raven takes off and flies into the kitchen.

That gets a little snicker from Cor'lana. "The casting is on the pricy side," she admits, "but I've already procured the scroll we'll need for the telepathic bond. I just need a tiny bit more time to learn the spell itself for making magic effects permanent. I... think I could cast it successfully in another day or two."

Jyndei chuckles in his squeaky voice. "No worries, my lord and lady. I think I will join Pothy, though. The magic of such a spell is beyond me, and I doubt I can contribute to the discussion." With that, the faerie dragon wings after Pothy gracefully.

Tel, for his part, kisses Lana softly. "I know I feel the same way. And it'll be nice to conspire in a way no one can overhear at all." His eyes twinkle. "We can even talk to each other and not annoy Pothy when we get too 'mushy' for him." He looks thoughtful. "Permanent enchantments do require some pricy components, now that I'm thinking about it. And they can be dispelled, though it's not as easy as it might seem." He chuckles. "I may want you to teach this spell to me, because I might want to learn it as well. I know our magics don't precisely mesh up, but... I imagine it'll be easier than some might find it, being married. And especially with the bond in place."

Cor'lana blushes a little from the kiss, but she's smiling in that usual lovestruck manner of hers when the kiss is done. "Honestly, annoying Pothy is one of my favorite parts," she admits. "But the potential of the bond is too great to ignore. You and I could communicate plans to each other mid-combat without the enemy hearing a thing, no matter how far apart we are. Incredibly useful if we both happen to be invisible and can't interpret Handspeech, for that matter."

She pats his hand again, looking down merrily at the two curuchuils and their rings with a fond smile. "We'll be even more powerful for it," she says. "That's why I think it's worth trying."

Telamon folds his hand around hers. "Then we do it. Not because we seek power for its own sake, but because we want to make this a better world. For everyone around us. For us, for our friends, for the children down the street and our own children waiting to be born to us." He smiles at her. "And as long as it's with you, I think I can do anything."

He raises her hand to his lips, kissing the curuchuil softly. "Now, as much fun as 'reenacting Crimson Pen novels' is, I suspect we need to talk about how this works. I imagine it'll require some fine tuning -- I assume you'll want to perform the spell here, where it's safest?"

"Yes, it'll have to be cast in the study," Cor'lana replies, blushing a little deeper for the kiss on the curuchuil and his sweet words. "That's the safest place in the house, I think. I'll cast the telepathic bond spell from the scroll, then I'll cast the permanency spell. The diamond dust I'll need will be consumed by the spell and... that's it."

She smiles at Telamon. "It's simple enough, I think," she says. "It's... admittedly still something I'm getting used to, to be able to say that I'm a powerful enough spellcaster to say 'it's simple enough' when describing spells like that. But, here I am."

And then she leans into Telamon. "And here we are."

Life goes on in the Lúpecyll-Atlon home.