HOME | DD

Description
(Yes, ~Scotticus - I blame you entirely for the title. *sticks her tongue out*)

"You know, where I come from they'd throw you OUT of the library for doing this... then again, where I come from most libraries don't have forests back in the stacks."

My Guide gave me a rather patronizing smile, Buttercream was busy feeding leaves plucked a moment ago from my hair into the little fire she'd built in a brass basin, but Peek at least was willing to share my amusement. Of course, as she was also helping me stir the soapy water in preparation for blowing bubbles (and getting a fair amount of soap flakes all over the carpet) this wasn't too surprising. We kept stirring as Pyre chanted and Buttercream burned shrubbery, long enough for my arms to get a bit tired and my attention to wander to the living shelves.

This library had several huge trees comprising a large chunk of its substance, hollows in their trunks and low, unusually broad, flattened branches becoming shelves and cupboards, books stacked here and there, most of them written on obviously handmade paper, some with carved wooden covers. I wasn't sure why this particular library had been chosen, or how they got the trees to grow on carpet, or for that matter why I'd been given a huge metal wand that was quite obviously modeled on the little plastic bubble wands that I'd used as a kid... I just trusted that my companions had a good reason for it.

My attention was drawn back to the huge wooden tub in front of me when Peek dropped the rest of the soap flakes in, tossing the empty pouch aside and barely missing my head with it. As she announced the level of the suds Pyre nodded, bringing his chanting to an abrupt peak, the unknown words nearly shouted - I couldn't keep from glancing over my shoulder guiltily, it being a library - then sank to a whisper, a few short syllables repeated over and over almost under his breath.

"Now, Kate. Dip, stand, wave... and don't forget to catch the one that starts glowing!"

One bubble... two... three... I flailed the wand about, trying my best to watch each bubble, waiting for one to start glowing. When the flash of light did come it startled me, little more than a faint illumination, a candle's worth, not the huge neon gleam I'd somehow been expecting. Still, I saw it, and reached out hesitantly for the bubble.

It floated down, its light flickering, brightening slightly, taking on an oddly green tone. When it touched my hands I gasped, having to struggle suddenly, surprised again. It didn't weigh MUCH, but it certainly weighed more than any other bubble I'd ever seen, seeming to take on the texture of leaves against my palms.

"A name... a face... anything..."

I glanced up, saw the other three watching as intently as I'd been, all focused on what looked like a fragile bubble one moment, a perfect crystal the next, then a swirl of leaves, then a burst of color, then...

...then, faintly, a girl. A Dryad, if the leaves wrapping her were any indication. She was playing with a huge purple flower, other such flowers blooming from the ivy-leaved plant she was ensconced in, her eyes glittering oddly.

"Dammit, not Tieste. I KNOW her. She wouldn't... dammit." Pyre's voice was low but the tone, regret and denial and a hint of betrayed pride, pulled my gaze away from my handful of soap and magic even as I noticed another face in it, young, perhaps a boy... I locked my eyes on his face as the bubble in my hands burst, a strange scent filling the air around us. He inhaled once before his face blanched.

"No."

"No what?" Peek queried, looking at him as curiously as the rest of us now were. He shook his head, pale, almost angry.

"I know who put the curse on you, Kate. Her name is Tieste, and I would have sworn she was one of us, or as close as a Wilding is ever likely to come. I know who convinced her to do it - she goes by Ketch, and..."

It took Buttercream padding over to him, her hands enfolding his, her understanding gaze holding him, to get him to finish.

"...and I think my..." he winced, "...my brother is with them. My ~dead~ brother."

... ... ...

I'll admit it, this isn't one of my better writing pieces - too much running through my head, too many side plots screaming for attention when I'm trying to focus on something more central - Dai Colere just Will Not Shut Up - but dammit, at least it's a place to start. *wry grin* I promised an Aisha piece this weekend. Hopefully now that I've gotten one done, the next will jump out - my inspiration tends to come in clumps so if I'm right, there may be more soon. *hopeful* Anyway, credits:

Kate is, of course, the lovely * virgin-stock and Tieste is played again by ~Mustang-Chaser . You've ~PeabodyStock to thank for the hint of Boy in the Bubble, and the rest of the stock comes from *barefootliam-stock and stock.xchng... I swear, I've made more use of his various ivy photos than I have out of any other specific images. I can't thank him enough for them. *smile*

Comment, please - suggestions, questions, what do you want to know? Also, a full list of the Aisha pieces, in order, can be found here .

Description
(Yes, ~Scotticus - I blame you entirely for the title. *sticks her tongue out*)

"You know, where I come from they'd throw you OUT of the library for doing this... then again, where I come from most libraries don't have forests back in the stacks."

My Guide gave me a rather patronizing smile, Buttercream was busy feeding leaves plucked a moment ago from my hair into the little fire she'd built in a brass basin, but Peek at least was willing to share my amusement. Of course, as she was also helping me stir the soapy water in preparation for blowing bubbles (and getting a fair amount of soap flakes all over the carpet) this wasn't too surprising. We kept stirring as Pyre chanted and Buttercream burned shrubbery, long enough for my arms to get a bit tired and my attention to wander to the living shelves.

This library had several huge trees comprising a large chunk of its substance, hollows in their trunks and low, unusually broad, flattened branches becoming shelves and cupboards, books stacked here and there, most of them written on obviously handmade paper, some with carved wooden covers. I wasn't sure why this particular library had been chosen, or how they got the trees to grow on carpet, or for that matter why I'd been given a huge metal wand that was quite obviously modeled on the little plastic bubble wands that I'd used as a kid... I just trusted that my companions had a good reason for it.

My attention was drawn back to the huge wooden tub in front of me when Peek dropped the rest of the soap flakes in, tossing the empty pouch aside and barely missing my head with it. As she announced the level of the suds Pyre nodded, bringing his chanting to an abrupt peak, the unknown words nearly shouted - I couldn't keep from glancing over my shoulder guiltily, it being a library - then sank to a whisper, a few short syllables repeated over and over almost under his breath.

"Now, Kate. Dip, stand, wave... and don't forget to catch the one that starts glowing!"

One bubble... two... three... I flailed the wand about, trying my best to watch each bubble, waiting for one to start glowing. When the flash of light did come it startled me, little more than a faint illumination, a candle's worth, not the huge neon gleam I'd somehow been expecting. Still, I saw it, and reached out hesitantly for the bubble.

It floated down, its light flickering, brightening slightly, taking on an oddly green tone. When it touched my hands I gasped, having to struggle suddenly, surprised again. It didn't weigh MUCH, but it certainly weighed more than any other bubble I'd ever seen, seeming to take on the texture of leaves against my palms.

"A name... a face... anything..."

I glanced up, saw the other three watching as intently as I'd been, all focused on what looked like a fragile bubble one moment, a perfect crystal the next, then a swirl of leaves, then a burst of color, then...

...then, faintly, a girl. A Dryad, if the leaves wrapping her were any indication. She was playing with a huge purple flower, other such flowers blooming from the ivy-leaved plant she was ensconced in, her eyes glittering oddly.

"Dammit, not Tieste. I KNOW her. She wouldn't... dammit." Pyre's voice was low but the tone, regret and denial and a hint of betrayed pride, pulled my gaze away from my handful of soap and magic even as I noticed another face in it, young, perhaps a boy... I locked my eyes on his face as the bubble in my hands burst, a strange scent filling the air around us. He inhaled once before his face blanched.

"No."

"No what?" Peek queried, looking at him as curiously as the rest of us now were. He shook his head, pale, almost angry.

"I know who put the curse on you, Kate. Her name is Tieste, and I would have sworn she was one of us, or as close as a Wilding is ever likely to come. I know who convinced her to do it - she goes by Ketch, and..."

It took Buttercream padding over to him, her hands enfolding his, her understanding gaze holding him, to get him to finish.

"...and I think my..." he winced, "...my brother is with them. My ~dead~ brother."

... ... ...

I'll admit it, this isn't one of my better writing pieces - too much running through my head, too many side plots screaming for attention when I'm trying to focus on something more central - Dai Colere just Will Not Shut Up - but dammit, at least it's a place to start. *wry grin* I promised an Aisha piece this weekend. Hopefully now that I've gotten one done, the next will jump out - my inspiration tends to come in clumps so if I'm right, there may be more soon. *hopeful* Anyway, credits:

Kate is, of course, the lovely * virgin-stock and Tieste is played again by ~Mustang-Chaser . You've ~PeabodyStock to thank for the hint of Boy in the Bubble, and the rest of the stock comes from *barefootliam-stock and stock.xchng... I swear, I've made more use of his various ivy photos than I have out of any other specific images. I can't thank him enough for them. *smile*

Comment, please - suggestions, questions, what do you want to know? Also, a full list of the Aisha pieces, in order, can be found here .