So the feet dragging is nearly over, and there's just a couple more bits and pieces to do to make it official? I'm guessing -- a nice barbecue at 3pm in full suit and tie with both boys but no Kat where you're obliged to eat wings and ribs but not allowed to mess up your attire :)
A formality Lord Derby's pen scratched across rough, ivory-coloured paper as he made notes. From time to time he would read out a section of a document to Samual, or direct him to return some papers and collect others. After two hours there was a sudden breeze that rustled his notepaper and caused a single sheet of paper to drift to the floor. Samual pounced on it and picked it up, and when he straightened up again there were two people in the Rose Library. "Lord Vileburn," he said, bowing. Ernest turned his head to see the newcomers, and then stood up. "And Elizabeth," he said. "To what do we owe this great pleasure?" Elizabeth blushed, which Ernest carefully didn't notice, and Lord Vileburn came into the reading room and sat down opposite Lord Derby. "Well Ernest," he said, "most people who aren't demonologists don't meet demons, and yet it seems that you managed to meet two in one day. I thought I should come and check that you've still got all your limbs. And protective wardings." "One of them was your demon, Memnith," said Ernest with a smile. He set the pen down. "I still have the King's Warrant, that was checked already." Lord Vileburn frowned and his fingers scratched at the arm of his chair. "The Magisters invoked it," said Ernest, knowing where the silence was going. "Perhaps I should have wait-" "YES, Ernest," said Lord Vileburn, his tone frosty and his gaze hard. "Yes you should. Although they should have known better as well... I shall have words. But next time, please, use that brain of yours to think of yourself as well as the solutions to impossible crimes and fabulous mysteries." "I am sorry, Andy," said Ernest, dropping his gaze to his feet. "I...." "Fine," said Lord Vileburn, even ignoring the 'Andy'. I shall check your personal protections now, while you can answer Elizabeth's questions. Elizabeth?" "Milord," said Elizabeth, curtseying to Lord Derby. "Don't waste time on formalities," said Ernest, smiling encouragingly. "Ask away." "I've spoken to the Magisters," said Elizabeth, her eyes darting about as she studied Lord Derby's face. "They say that your demon couldn't fly in the place it took you to?" "Not exactly," said Lord Derby. Lord Vileburn's wand passed across his eyes and back. "It sustained itself in the air for a while, but it was clearly struggling. I would say that it was too heavy to fly for long, and that it seemed afraid of touching the ground." "Demons are magical," said Elizabeth. She tossed her hair over her shoulder, and it fell back a moment later, half-concealing her face again. "It can't be weight that's the problem." "It seemed to be flapping its wings very hard," said Lord Derby. Lord Memnith produced a quartz crystal and held it against Ernest's wrist for a few seconds, watching it change colour to a ruby red. "When it finally touched the ground it raced across to the building I was in and leapt onto the roof." "Very odd," said Elizabeth. "It actually ran? It didn't just flow?" "No," said Lord Derby. "I was watching it, in case it tried to get into the building with me." Elizabeth sighed. "This is wrong," she said. "Demons are magical constructs, not animals. Your demon sounds like an animal."
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So the feet dragging is nearly over, and there's just a couple more bits and pieces to do to make it official? I'm guessing -- a nice barbecue at 3pm in full suit and tie with both boys but no Kat where you're obliged to eat wings and ribs but not allowed to mess up your attire :)
A formality
Lord Derby's pen scratched across rough, ivory-coloured paper as he made notes. From time to time he would read out a section of a document to Samual, or direct him to return some papers and collect others. After two hours there was a sudden breeze that rustled his notepaper and caused a single sheet of paper to drift to the floor. Samual pounced on it and picked it up, and when he straightened up again there were two people in the Rose Library.
"Lord Vileburn," he said, bowing. Ernest turned his head to see the newcomers, and then stood up.
"And Elizabeth," he said. "To what do we owe this great pleasure?"
Elizabeth blushed, which Ernest carefully didn't notice, and Lord Vileburn came into the reading room and sat down opposite Lord Derby.
"Well Ernest," he said, "most people who aren't demonologists don't meet demons, and yet it seems that you managed to meet two in one day. I thought I should come and check that you've still got all your limbs. And protective wardings."
"One of them was your demon, Memnith," said Ernest with a smile. He set the pen down. "I still have the King's Warrant, that was checked already."
Lord Vileburn frowned and his fingers scratched at the arm of his chair.
"The Magisters invoked it," said Ernest, knowing where the silence was going. "Perhaps I should have wait-"
"YES, Ernest," said Lord Vileburn, his tone frosty and his gaze hard. "Yes you should. Although they should have known better as well... I shall have words. But next time, please, use that brain of yours to think of yourself as well as the solutions to impossible crimes and fabulous mysteries."
"I am sorry, Andy," said Ernest, dropping his gaze to his feet. "I...."
"Fine," said Lord Vileburn, even ignoring the 'Andy'. I shall check your personal protections now, while you can answer Elizabeth's questions. Elizabeth?"
"Milord," said Elizabeth, curtseying to Lord Derby.
"Don't waste time on formalities," said Ernest, smiling encouragingly. "Ask away."
"I've spoken to the Magisters," said Elizabeth, her eyes darting about as she studied Lord Derby's face. "They say that your demon couldn't fly in the place it took you to?"
"Not exactly," said Lord Derby. Lord Vileburn's wand passed across his eyes and back. "It sustained itself in the air for a while, but it was clearly struggling. I would say that it was too heavy to fly for long, and that it seemed afraid of touching the ground."
"Demons are magical," said Elizabeth. She tossed her hair over her shoulder, and it fell back a moment later, half-concealing her face again. "It can't be weight that's the problem."
"It seemed to be flapping its wings very hard," said Lord Derby. Lord Memnith produced a quartz crystal and held it against Ernest's wrist for a few seconds, watching it change colour to a ruby red. "When it finally touched the ground it raced across to the building I was in and leapt onto the roof."
"Very odd," said Elizabeth. "It actually ran? It didn't just flow?"
"No," said Lord Derby. "I was watching it, in case it tried to get into the building with me."
Elizabeth sighed. "This is wrong," she said. "Demons are magical constructs, not animals. Your demon sounds like an animal."
Greg - somehow this is one of your bizarre guesses at inspiration, despite it being relatively normal...
This is a fascinating line of questioning. You've got me so hooked. So, totally hooked.
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