Is this something at work that has triggered this prompt, or is this a gentle complaint about where the characters in Lord Derby's world are? Or a rebuke for sneaking an Ilmatu post in probably when you thought I'd stopped writing about them? :)
[Have to double post, sorry. I guess I'm embodying the prompt today!]
Inconsiderate Tomasz and Szymon found makeshift weapons: a length of pipe with a hole rusted in it and a sledgehammer and stood either side of Grace, ready to hit her if it looked like she was trying to interfere with the spell. Light was finally dispelling the darkness of Carcosa and in the freshness of dawn it was clear how tired everyone now looked. Nonetheless Tomasz swung the pipe with a hint of menace and Szymon, though yawning and scratching, kept his eyes on Grace at all times. Memnith located small piles of crystalline dust around the quarry while the soldiers searched, and placed them at various distances from where Elizabeth was standing. "It's quite fortunate in a way that this woman has been doing these spells here," he said. "I doubt very much that we'd have had much luck finding most of these without a geological survey." "So how did she find them, then?" Tomasz raised an eyebrow. "I would expect she brought them with her," said Memnith. He rubbed a finger under his nose. "Which is quite interesting as well. I do hope she's talkative when we take her back." "You're starting to suspect that there's more than just the King involved here, right?" said Lord Derby. He was kneeling by Elizabeth going through Dignity's satchel. "It would be disturbing if the King in Yellow had brought all these people here itself," said Memnith. "And not in accord with any of the records we have of its activity. So yes, I think there's yet another element of this." "The tenement?" asked Elizabeth. "Yes, but we'll talk about that when we're back. One thing at a time." "Sometimes time does not allow that luxury," said Lord Derby. "Ah, I think this is everything Dignity had. Except the key to the Temple... I think Samual has that still." Elizabeth and Memnith exchanged glances. "It wouldn't hurt that to stay here," said Memnith. "We have enough odd artefacts sitting around in London that we don't understand, without adding another one that needs constant guard as well." "I'm ready," said Elizabeth. "This should be fairly easy. I'll establish the Gate on our side, send through the request to open, London will identify us and connect back, and we'll be able to go through. We'll be back home in about five minutes." She looked over at the soldiers. "Well, back in the normal world, anyway," she said kindly. "Hurrah," said Tomasz. Szymon looked a little more hopeful.
Elizabeth reached for the Power, checking that there was no Yellow Power hanging around, and keeping a partial watch on Grace in case she tried something. The Power came as always, rising like a spring and then flowing like a stream. She didn't need a lot for this, and the minerals Memnith had placed made it even easier: like rocks in the flow they diverted the Power as she needed it, and she took a moment to appreciate how well placed they were, and how effectively they acted. She had worked with far more inconsiderate assistants. The thought of treating Lord Vileburn as an assistant sent a cold shiver down her spine, and she concentrated on the Gate again. She pushed, feeling the Power tighten and then tear reality, and she guided it, seeking a familiar warmth and light. A tunnel seemed to extend outward, reaching for home, and then suddenly something grabbed the end of it and pulled hard. She physically staggered, though she wasn't aware of it, and in Carcosa Memnith started forward, worry on his face. A feeling of being watched by something vast and incomprehensible crept up from her stomach to her brain and she froze, uncertain of what she could do. The pull connected her tunnel to another one, and then the Yellow Power became apparent. She flinched, then reached for her own, opening sluices to increase what she was handling and try and break the link. Too late though, her Power was caught and directed into the link, and the two tunnels connected and a Gate opened. Memnith halted, a sixth sense warning him to stop, and three steps in front of him the Gate opened, sickly yellow and bulging like a stomach ready to vomit. Something, screaming, hurtled out of the Gate and hit the far side of the quarry, a hundred metres away, with a splat.
Greg - nah, was just feeling grumpy after taking Max to a swimming lesson. I think it's pretty inconsiderate that the hotel doesn't close their pool to their guests during lessons, and I think the guests who were using the pool that day were being assh... um, inconsiderate as well, to the kids and the instructor.
Holy jeez. I said I was excited for a return to London. I feel as though that might not be happening quite yet...
3 comments:
Is this something at work that has triggered this prompt, or is this a gentle complaint about where the characters in Lord Derby's world are? Or a rebuke for sneaking an Ilmatu post in probably when you thought I'd stopped writing about them? :)
[Have to double post, sorry. I guess I'm embodying the prompt today!]
Inconsiderate
Tomasz and Szymon found makeshift weapons: a length of pipe with a hole rusted in it and a sledgehammer and stood either side of Grace, ready to hit her if it looked like she was trying to interfere with the spell. Light was finally dispelling the darkness of Carcosa and in the freshness of dawn it was clear how tired everyone now looked. Nonetheless Tomasz swung the pipe with a hint of menace and Szymon, though yawning and scratching, kept his eyes on Grace at all times.
Memnith located small piles of crystalline dust around the quarry while the soldiers searched, and placed them at various distances from where Elizabeth was standing. "It's quite fortunate in a way that this woman has been doing these spells here," he said. "I doubt very much that we'd have had much luck finding most of these without a geological survey."
"So how did she find them, then?" Tomasz raised an eyebrow.
"I would expect she brought them with her," said Memnith. He rubbed a finger under his nose. "Which is quite interesting as well. I do hope she's talkative when we take her back."
"You're starting to suspect that there's more than just the King involved here, right?" said Lord Derby. He was kneeling by Elizabeth going through Dignity's satchel.
"It would be disturbing if the King in Yellow had brought all these people here itself," said Memnith. "And not in accord with any of the records we have of its activity. So yes, I think there's yet another element of this."
"The tenement?" asked Elizabeth.
"Yes, but we'll talk about that when we're back. One thing at a time."
"Sometimes time does not allow that luxury," said Lord Derby. "Ah, I think this is everything Dignity had. Except the key to the Temple... I think Samual has that still."
Elizabeth and Memnith exchanged glances. "It wouldn't hurt that to stay here," said Memnith. "We have enough odd artefacts sitting around in London that we don't understand, without adding another one that needs constant guard as well."
"I'm ready," said Elizabeth. "This should be fairly easy. I'll establish the Gate on our side, send through the request to open, London will identify us and connect back, and we'll be able to go through. We'll be back home in about five minutes." She looked over at the soldiers. "Well, back in the normal world, anyway," she said kindly.
"Hurrah," said Tomasz. Szymon looked a little more hopeful.
Elizabeth reached for the Power, checking that there was no Yellow Power hanging around, and keeping a partial watch on Grace in case she tried something. The Power came as always, rising like a spring and then flowing like a stream. She didn't need a lot for this, and the minerals Memnith had placed made it even easier: like rocks in the flow they diverted the Power as she needed it, and she took a moment to appreciate how well placed they were, and how effectively they acted. She had worked with far more inconsiderate assistants. The thought of treating Lord Vileburn as an assistant sent a cold shiver down her spine, and she concentrated on the Gate again. She pushed, feeling the Power tighten and then tear reality, and she guided it, seeking a familiar warmth and light. A tunnel seemed to extend outward, reaching for home, and then suddenly something grabbed the end of it and pulled hard. She physically staggered, though she wasn't aware of it, and in Carcosa Memnith started forward, worry on his face.
A feeling of being watched by something vast and incomprehensible crept up from her stomach to her brain and she froze, uncertain of what she could do. The pull connected her tunnel to another one, and then the Yellow Power became apparent. She flinched, then reached for her own, opening sluices to increase what she was handling and try and break the link. Too late though, her Power was caught and directed into the link, and the two tunnels connected and a Gate opened.
Memnith halted, a sixth sense warning him to stop, and three steps in front of him the Gate opened, sickly yellow and bulging like a stomach ready to vomit. Something, screaming, hurtled out of the Gate and hit the far side of the quarry, a hundred metres away, with a splat.
Greg - nah, was just feeling grumpy after taking Max to a swimming lesson. I think it's pretty inconsiderate that the hotel doesn't close their pool to their guests during lessons, and I think the guests who were using the pool that day were being assh... um, inconsiderate as well, to the kids and the instructor.
Holy jeez. I said I was excited for a return to London. I feel as though that might not be happening quite yet...
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