(no subject)

[sythyry]

Outside Darraden's

I carefully arrived two-thirds of an hour before tea, in case ... Levande were to come with an army, say, or Esory were to come with some terrible thaumaturgical automaton.

A sparrow spoke to me, saying, "Good afteroon, Sythyry! I trust nothing dreadful has happened yet."

This is unusual, as sparrows cannot talk, and, if it could, it could probably speak common rather than fairly formal Ketherian. I peered at it with all available senses, and it seemed in all ways an ordinary and usual sparrow. It didn't look unusual, and it had no magic about it.

The sparrow laughed, a high chirpy squeaky laugh. "Didn't recognize me? I'm Esory."

Me:"You are?"

Esory:"Oh, yes. I brought a few of my family's assistances and devices."

Me:"You don't have any magic about you."

Esory:"If one were making a device to become an elusive and swift little animal for purposes of evasion and escaption, why would one allow one's enchantment to be visible to the simple magic sense? Fitted effects, y'know!"

Me:"So, I should come to Darraden's with a sparrow on my head as some kind of ornament?"

Esory:"Well, the word 'ornament' does come from 'bird', doesn't it?"[The actual pun was on 'head', and stretching it even more. -bb]

Me:"A horrible pun, but I do not ordinarily wear birds."

Esory:"You'll see! Or, rather, you won't!" She vanished.

Me:"Now, Esory, was that invisibility, or teleporting, or hiding in a pocket universe, or turning into a gnat, or turning into a breeze, or what? Assuming you can hear me and answer."

Esory:"Veiling. Good invisibility, proof against even a Cani waiter's terrible nose. But I will need you to hold the door open for me to go in and out."

Me:"A customer at Darraden's need never open zir own door! Which is good, because I'm not strong enough."

Esory:"No customer I! Though I do plan to steal some breadcrumbs. I forgot to get lunch."

And with that, she perched on my head. After some negotiation I evicted her to my tailbase, and spent some while rearranging my feathers. And saw Levande's coach clatter up the boardwalk -- the informal one, which Thery had used a few times. And it was time for tea.

Comments

[wave-cannon.livejournal.com]

Why am I suddenly reminded of the story about the gnat who drank weak tea with cream?

[melskunk.livejournal.com]

I think "Ornament is rather like Oriole" would have worked better, but I doubt you're familiar with that Roundworld bird :)

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

You'd think with the veiling she wouldn't *need* to turn into a sparrow as well. Except that a veiled rassimel would need more than breadcrumbs, I suppose.

Does your transformation spell come with its own magic-hiding, or do you need to apply that separately?

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Cloak of Another God isn't a spell for sneaking around particularly. It is a spell for demolishing the caster's romantic hopes in a terrifically roundabout way.

[esory.livejournal.com]

But a full-size invisible Rassimel is easily bumped into!

Oops, did I say that? I meant:

Chirp!

:>

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Besides, the opportunities to show off are diminished!

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

I am sure Esory makes a rather cute sparrow, in any case!

[mmsword.livejournal.com]

Showing off indeed, if my understanding is correct, turning into a sparrow is far more difficult then turning into another prime species.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

It is indeed. I can -- just barely! -- cast Cloak of Another God. I couldn't cast a spell to turn into a sparrow. I doubt that Esory could either, but she's got some sort of device or amulet or talisman or whatnot or knickknack or, perhaps, even a tchotchke.

[tempralisis.livejournal.com]

*incessant laughter*
Oh my... nothing good can come of this. Although you'll have some interesting stories to tell Esory's grandkids.

-Tau