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Post by demikara on Feb 20, 2021 20:52:05 GMT -6
"I don't actually eat enough normally." He admitted. He was already beginning to get a headache from the probes, and gently but firmly shooed a persistent one away. "So this trip has been nice." One his own, he subsisted on easy to cook freezer meals or sandwiches and cereal. He could, maybe, scramble eggs. For the most part, he ate whatever was put in front of him and it rarely actually met his caloric needs. Monmack had been taking decent care of him of course, but there had been more than one occasion where he had forgotten to pick up his standing order. "Still not sold on the horses though. Hey, do you think I could name her Buttercup? That sounds like a nice horse-like name."
It wasn't too human and wasn't too ridiculous and it wasn't simply naming the horse Horse, which was what he had been referring to the horse as, in between possible names. Technically, the horse was probably Catherine's. Or at least, now it was probably Catherine's and he really wasn't sure how he'd get the horse from the fae realm to his ranch anyway. And didn't have anything set up for her. So the horse was probably Catherine's. But he was still going to name it, if she didn't stop him first.
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Post by Circe on Feb 20, 2021 21:03:27 GMT -6
Catherine sighed, she could tell it was going to be a long night. The curious probes were likely simply because so few Novori had met anyone outside of their own race that was capable of at any degree of psionics. "Tyrus, I do not care what you name the horse." He was not going to let that go, no matter how much she expressed that she didn't particularly care. It had been his favorite topic of conversation since the last stop, and if he continued she was going to stop being polite about it.
"And if you do not eat normally, then you have no room to criticize me." He had at one time in the past, quickly defaulting to a do as I say and not as I do motto of training. Catherine had tried to tolerate it, but there were days when she was lucky enough to even get much past a cup of coffee and stale muffin snagged from the breakroom table.
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Post by demikara on Feb 20, 2021 21:10:44 GMT -6
Well if that was the case, he was going back to Princess High Hoofs if only because it made him laugh. The mage strengthened his shields further and fell silent, rubbing his temples to try and stave off the oncoming headache. This was insane. He had known they were a psionic race but he hadn't expected them all to be quit so pushy about it. Annoyed, he returned the probe, gently, and one of the younger Novori, one barely an adult if he was any judge, squeaked and blushed. Good, they should be embarrassed. Maybe it would slow them all down a little bit.
He was trying to be polite and not bite back at them, but all it seemed to net him was an increasing head ache. He finished off his stew in silence, occasionally rubbing his temples in hopes that would do something. "I'd love some advil right now." He grumbled. Not that it would do too much, but he could hope. He was mostly annoyed though that this was nonstop. If it wasn't one pushing, it was another.
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Post by Circe on Feb 20, 2021 21:22:10 GMT -6
More than likely the horse would get renamed to something a bit more suitable once Tyrus left, and by someone other than Catherine. For now though, they had to concentrate on other matters at hand, like getting Tyrus trained well enough to resist Grigore's onslaught. The man wasn't by any means delicate, and as far as Catherine was concerned a bit of a inept bastard as well.
"No advil. That doesn't exist here." Catherine reminded the other. She had managed to curb her own onslaught finally, by essentially walling herself off. It wasn't pretty and it was certainly a crude and inelegant solution, but it allowed her to finish her meal in relative peace.
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Post by demikara on Feb 21, 2021 11:10:47 GMT -6
"Willow bark tea?" That might exist. Frustrated, he studied what Catherine did for a moment, then copied her. It worked better than what he had been doing at least, and now he only noticed particularly pushy probes. "It won't work as well, but it would still do something." He supposed they'd first have to figure out how to say Willow bark in the local dialect. Or at least, I have a headache, do you have tea for that. Or something similar. The problem was he wasn't catching much of anything they were saying. He sighed and focused on his food. Some sort of pain reliever would be nice, but likely wasn't happening. And he didn't have any potions on him because, frankly, he hadn't been expecting a lengthy stay at all.
Though he was more likely to have packed a first aid kit with mundane medicine than unseen medicine. It traveled easier and weighed less. they had yet to figure out how to make a potion into a pill. He was sure it would be done one day, but for now, it remained a mystery. "They are incredibly pushy."
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Post by Circe on Feb 21, 2021 12:30:55 GMT -6
"Skullcap will work better in this instance." Catherine replied before placing two silver coins on the table to pay for their meal. "I'll ask." She said as she stood and went to find the inn keep, who was currently at the bar across the room filling tankards with ale for other customers.
While she didn't envy Tyrus's headache, she had little sympathy for him. This was a hard road to follow, and they still hadn't anything truly figured out after a year. All they had was a color blind and magically damaged mage to show for it. Catherine could have sworn it would be easier, but instead they chased their tails and kept secrets. Nothing was working.
"The food was very much appreciated, but would you have any..hm.. skullcap or willow tincture? I am afraid that our journey was a bit strenous and exhaustive on my friend over there." She asked. Hopefully luck was on her side this time, she could stand to have a night without Tyrus whinging about one thing or another. She couldn't believe that she had thought it was a good idea to position him to take the throne, but she didn't want it and never had. Far as she was concerned she held no claim to it, and the legacy she was to follow after lay here in this realm.
For once though it seemed that someone had understood her, which was a relief. This time there were no strange gestures or exchange of words, trying to figure out what the other meant. "I am sorry to hear! It is indeed a long journey to here. I will have it sent to your room." The innkeeper frowned. Sick guests were concerning, but it seemed that this was little more than traveler's exhaustion; easily cured with good food, rest, and at worst a tincture or two.
Catherine nodded and went back to where Tyrus said sulking in his misery. "He'll have it sent to the room." She stated matter of factly before she finished her tea. Having meals interupted by one thing or another was becoming a common occurence, and it was one that she didn't like.
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Post by demikara on Feb 21, 2021 19:15:11 GMT -6
Tyrus finished his meal gratefully. "I'm going to retire to our room then. Maybe if they can't see me, they'll stop with the probing." He somehow doubted it. You could tell if there was a new mind somewhere after all, even if you couldn't see them. He managed to get across, in broken fae and with plenty of charades, his desire to be shown to their room and got an escort to where they were staying. There were two thin sad excuses for a bed, which he was thankful for. A single room, but two beds. Good.
The tea was there when he got there, brewed strong and he downed it before lying down and closing his eyes. The probing hadn't quite stopped and annoyed, now that he was in private, he warded the bed to help prevent any mental intrusions. That would give him at least a little bit of leeway in the mental intrusions and probing. It wasn't going to give him much, and was still easily broken and temporary at best, but he would have at least a little bit of peace. Between that and the tincture, it didn't taken him long to relax, his magic settling into his skin a bit more firmly, pleased to have been used. He'd have to figure out a way to pay for this training, somehow. Catherine couldn't be the one to pay for everything at least.
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Post by Circe on Feb 28, 2021 18:49:53 GMT -6
At some point during the night Catherine came in and crawled into her own bed, not bothering to do much past tossing her things into a corner and pulling the thin wool blanket over her shoulders before drifting off herself. Many telepaths or magic users of some variety had learned some manner of defense for times like these. Sleep was going to be a thing in short supply for awhile, and she had every intent of making the most of their brief stay at the inn.
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Post by demikara on Feb 28, 2021 19:01:43 GMT -6
Spending the night last night had been a good option, Tyrus decided long before they took off for the day. Breakfast had been more peaceful than the night before, probably because there were fewer people to try and poke at them. Maybe he didn't physically stand out as badly as he had thought he would, among this oddly spectral people, but he clearly stood out when it came to mental shielding.
They were almost to their destination now though, having left early in the morning after a hearty breakfast. The horses had been all the better for a night of rest themselves, and Princess High Hoof was in a good mood, demonstrated by her being actually easy to ride today and not fidgeting too much with him on her back. Hands full of the reins, he had nonetheless amused himself by using his magic to braid his horses mane back. She didn't seem to mind it, and it was a good control exercise. Horse hair was not at all the same texture as human hair after all, and he had needed to brush it out first.
The trip was still largely quiet though. He was entertaining himself well enough, and never really knew what to talk about with Catherine anyway. They lived in two different worlds, even when they were technically in the same one. Either way, he was concentrating on keeping his shields up and practicing fine control of his magic. Simple things he could manage. People seen along the way still prodded gently at his shields, but he managed acknowledging them and moving on easily enough.
How the hell was he going to learn from people when he barely spoke a different dialect of the language than they spoke? He wasn't sure at all. A translation spell would only go so far after all. Some words just didn't have an analogous one. A year. They had a year to get him in shape to where he would be able to stand against Grigore and hold the court on his own. It was going to be a very exhausting year. He was going to have to work hard the entire time because his life was quite literally on the line.
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Post by Circe on Mar 3, 2021 20:03:37 GMT -6
Catherine had eaten her breakfast in silence, not quite the one for conversation over breakfast other than to mumble to pass the honey for the toast or cream for the tea. Clearly not quite the morning person that Tyrus was, she mostly muddled through the morning in something of a haze until it was time to leave.
Throughout the entire trip up to the small village in the northern reaches of the land, Catherine found herself second guessing if this was even a good idea. There had been times, albiet few and far between, when even she was unsure of things. Age didn't always bring clarity, and even if she had asked someone like Xiaolian what the future held, the answer likely wouldn't have been anything either of them understood.
Was a year even enough though? She barely had control over her own magics, much less the ability to teach Tyrus how to even begin to do more than the very basics. Things that were taught to children, it had been so long since she had been a child. The fact that if they didn't succeed and allowed Grigore to remain, with them trapped in an even worse hell of their own doing, was not lost on Catherine in the least.
For the rest of the day, they climbed higher into the foothills and mountains north of the village. Following old and over grown hunting trails and lesser traveled paths. Eventually they came to a small settlement, nestled comfortably high in the apline valley. "We're here." Catherine said matter of factly as she dismounted from her horse.
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Post by demikara on Mar 3, 2021 20:28:08 GMT -6
Some of the paths they had gone down he hadn't been sure where actual paths at all. Still, he decided to trust that Catherine knew where to go and faithfully followed without question. And when she stopped and dismounted, he did as well, looking the small settlement over. This would be where he spent the next year. "It's small." He noted and stretched. He was saddle sore still and had no doubt he was walking a little funny. Man was not meant to be in that position for hours at a time. "How are we going to talk them into helping?" And how would they afford it. Taking on a student for a year was an expensive proposition. He supposed he could sell more magic though. That wouldn't be too difficult to do and it wasn't like he didn't know plenty.
"Also, do you want me to cast the translation spell on us now?" While they were still on the outskirts and relatively private. Though he had no doubt that the minds he could sense ahead of them were equally aware that two new, unfamiliar, minds had arrived at the edge of their settlement and they'd soon have company. The minds here though were very different. He was aware of them, but he wasn't catching every stray thought without an ounce of effort. It was almost a relief.
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Post by Circe on Mar 5, 2021 17:41:35 GMT -6
As Catherine's feet touched the ground, she heard what seemed like thinly veiled complaints from Tyrus's begin yet again. Sighing, she tried to keep her comments to herself, "Very observant there Tyrus." The village was small for a reason, larger townships like the one they had left earlier that morning were a rarity among the people they had elected to stay with for the time being. "There is no talking anyone into anything either. Where do you even begin to get these ideas?" Catherine asked as she reached up and unhooked the reigns from the saddle pommel and led her horse towards the well in the center of the small village.
"No translation spells. You're going to learn like a psionic, not some lofty academic mage." She added bluntly.
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Post by demikara on Mar 5, 2021 17:46:42 GMT -6
He stopped a moment, then in two long strides kept up. "What, exactly, do you mean by learn like a psionic?" He didn't think he was going to like the answer at all. The mage was already a little tripped up by the idea of them not using a translation spell. Neither spoke the language. Your thoughts were in your native tongue. They would need a translation spell, wouldn't they? And why wouldn't they need to talk someone into teaching them. Were they some sort of monks here, or something? He had so many questions right now he didn't know where to begin.
A small blue child was playing at being a knight by the well. He offered the kid and smile and the kid ran off laughing. Well, that was better than screaming at least. He'd take it. They did need to water the horses though, so he focused on finding the trough so they would draw the well water for the horses.
Modern plumbing was a blessing he sincerely wished existed here.
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Post by Circe on Mar 5, 2021 18:30:38 GMT -6
"I mean exactly what I said." Catherine replied dropping a nearby bucket down the well. It landed in the water at the bottom with a splash, and she waited a moment before drawing it up on the rope with practiced ease. This was all familiar territory to Catherine, as she had grown up in what Tyrus seemed to deem a primitive and backwards society. "Psionics don't just use words, but feelings, emotions, images.. the intangible things. It's a step towards illusionary magic." She explained patiently. "You can eventually learn the language, I figure it's a fork or drift off the main language."
What Catherine didn't explain to Tyrus, was that it was easier to pick up the language this way. The telepathy allowed one to somehow get a better feeling for the language, its uses, and ultimately its words. There were also quick and dirty ways to learn the local language, ones that she had no desire to teach Tyrus. There were some things that were best left untaught to fledglings like Tyrus, ones who weren't interested in learning anything past enough to get by.
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Post by demikara on Mar 5, 2021 18:41:34 GMT -6
That sounded very imprecise to him, but he supposed language could be like that. "Alright." He was definitely uncertain and he knew it was reflected in his voice. He would give it a try at least, and he would listen when she said no translation spell. Images, he supposed, could convey a lot after all. Emojis did after all, so full images conveyed even more. This was going to be a very weird year though. "I'm terrible at illusionary magic. I always forget details." He could get the general parts of it, but details illusions weren't something he was particularly skilled at. "I suppose this will help with that as well."
That would be nice. He did enjoy learning new magic. And even if the reasoning was grim, he'd be spending a year learning a new form of magic and getting, hopefully, really quite good at it."
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