(no subject)

[sythyry]

[15 Chirreb 4261]

Me:"I don't think it's very free in Vheshrame, or anywhere in Ketheria. Not for you, not for me, not for Glikkonen or the Duke or anyone."

Vae:"Why is that?"

Me:"I haven't any quick words for it. Let me bring you a book about it, when I find one."

Vae:"Well, easy let the book be. It's trouble I'm having with learning to read."

Me:"I'll see what I can find."

Vae:"Good right!"

Which, I think, avoided The Conversation, at least this once.

Me:"But there's a specific example of non-freedom around. You remember that you agreed to do some extravagant act of public magic on Vheshrame's behalf?"

Vae:"I remember me that, and an attack of sorts against your enemies! So you've decided what it's to be, then?"

Me:"We have ... we're going to make a huge supply of very nice pastry breakfast boxes, and you'll teleport them to all the people in Oorah Thrassen Mene that you can."

Vae:[Turning back into her true and monstrous self.] "What sort of attack is that?"

Me:"It's not an attack."

Vae:"It's inordinately not an attack!"

Me:"It's properly not an attack. We're not at war with Oorah Thrassen."

Vae:"What is this Oorah Thrassen?"

Me:"Around the main trunk of the World Tree over there, we built a wide sort of skybridge or balcony. Oorah Thrassen is one of the cities along the balcony. They're not very big, but they're exceedingly good at magic. We declared war against 'em a couple years ago, and they won."

Vae:"And now the need is on me to fight them for you??"

Me:"Well, no. This is simply a display of power -- showing what sort of an ally we picked up, is what it is."

Vae:"Oh ... is that an ordinary thing, among primes?"

Me:"No. I gather that the Duke is trying unusual methods, after getting stung so hard. Also we're trying to make you look less scary to our own people."

Vae:"The two of those at the same time?"

Me:"It's a brilliantly inspired and calculated move. Or, perhaps, not."

Vae:"Ridiculous will it make me look?"

Me:"... erk ..."

Vae:"Ridiculous not will I look for the sake of Vheshrame's pride!"

Me:"No, that wouldn't be a good idea, would it."

Vae:"Will you declare to me that it is more of a mighty thing to do, and less of a silly one?"

I imagine that in a few weeks my Nendrai Ethology class will get to the point of covering just what such declarations mean, and just what they are committing their declarer to. It sounded awfully serious to me.

Me:"Well ... make the magic that did it obvious, and it will impress anyone who thinks about it."

Vae:"How will we make sure they think of it?"

Me:"Magically appearing things suggest magic."

Vae:"Not but half-satisfied I am."

So we argued a bit, and now I have to tell Strenata and the Duke and whatever that we're going do some special magical supports or other for the pastry boxes. Special presentation, it is.

I am so sick of nendrai.

But of course after that, I had to go to the first session of Nendrai Ethology.

Comments

[spotweld.livejournal.com]

The power behind the idea of subtlety is a ... well, subtle thing.
After all, it's much easier to snap a reed than to weave a reed into a basket. And much more impressive to hand someone a give of woven baskets than a scattering of chaff.

Of course, how do you get that point across to a preambulatory and rather scary magic-using nation state.

[yotogi.livejournal.com]

So that's a definite no on the 'Nestrune Riding Vae' centerpieces, then.

[gavinfox.livejournal.com]

"Talking strangely she is, hmmmm."

Ask her to turn into an old wrinkly short green guy for us when she talks like that! With a walking stick!

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

I don't know about wrinkly people. One of her grammar rules is, the most important word in the sentence goes first, or as close to first as possible. So your sentence is emphasizing that she's *talking* strangely, as opposed to sitting strangely or dancing strangely.

That rule works a lot better in her other language than in Ketherian, 'cause in Ketherian, there aren't officially so many choices of word order.

I am not gonna correct it though. I'm ambassador to her. Not khtsoyis-smooching tutor.

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Obviously merely making the pastry boxes appear on people's doorsteps is insufficient - they must be *dancing*, *singing* pastry boxes!

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

If the point is to show off Vae's mightyness, should the spell on the boxes not be cast by her and not arranged by the Duke and such?

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Most of the pastrybox magic will be hers. Well, the greatest number of spells will presumably be making spells, but Vae will cast a handful ... tailful ... of spells, which will be the ones people will see.

[niss-the-ai.livejournal.com]

You sure do seem interested in Khtsoyis-smooching lately.