Conspiracy Part 2 : Moar Pumpkin Pie!
Title: Conspiracy Part 2
Main Story: Cryptomancy
Flavors: Pumpkin Pie #14: trick or treat
Word Count: 644
Rating: PG
Summary: In which Octavian relays to Chaill practically no information, but a plan of sorts is hatched.
Notes: Be not fooled by my prompt skipping, I still have two more left in this list...but "trick or treat" applies so nicely to pretty much everything Octavian ever does or says and I thought it was a funny interpretation of the prompt in reading it as a deal being struck in which Chaill has no idea at all if he's just gotten helped or completely hosed. In other news, I just love writing Chaill and Octavian talking to each other.
“So, what you’re telling me.” I blinked at Octavian. “What you’re telling me is that all I have to do is go back to Heart’s-Desire, and say her name, and I can go home?”
He grinned and nodded. “It’s so simple really, I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner. It’s why she sent you here, and it’s why she gave you her name before you left. All you have to do is speak it in the White Castle, and it should loosen her connection to the mortal world.”
I frowned. “Well, if it’s that easy, I don’t see what I need you for,” I replied. “I’ll just go with Albion, and I won’t tell him that’s why I want to go back.”
Octavian shook his head enthusiastically. “No, it won’t work like that. We’re in Elspeth’s house now, she’s going to know everything you and I are talking about right now, and she’ll certainly know if you lie to her champion.”
“So we leave Albion here, and then we go. Fine.” The plan made some kind of sense, or at least sense for Octavian, but there was one very important detail he hadn’t yet gotten to. “But what’s in it for you?”
For once, Octavian did not attempt to deny his ulterior motive. “I get to go back with you,” he replied.
“What?”
“To the mortal world. I want to go there and help you actually free the White Lady.”
Again, I frowned. “You mean, you want to tell her you’ve helped. You’re sucking up.”
He shook his head, sending his golden curls bouncing about his face in a way that would have made the ladies of London jealous. “Your mistrust does me a great disservice! I’ve missed the White Lady’s shining face all this time.”
“Missed her parties, more like. Or whatever you were getting from her.” I sniffed. “I don’t care, though. I’m not going to tell you no. I’ll probably need your help, anyway.” It was true. Octavian’s help was likely to be token at best, but it was something. There was no way I was getting into the White Castle by myself. “But there is one thing.”
Octavian was grinning now, in a way that made me somewhat uncomfortable. “Oh?”
I took a deep breath, and got ready for the argument. “Bug comes with us, too.” I braced myself for Octavian’s protestations…
…that never came. “Alright, that sounds fair,” he said. I attempted to keep my astonishment from showing on my face, and indeed if he noticed anything, he kept his mouth uncharacteristically shut.
“You’re not going to argue with me?”
He shrugged. “Why should I? Bug is a resourceful girl, and to be honest I was expecting a lot more demands out of you.”
He was? “Like what?”
“How should I know? But I am asking you to risk rather a lot.”
I decided not to point out that compared to staying at the Red Tower, almost nothing seemed risky. “Fine. But what about Lady Bloodrose?”
“Leave her to me.”
“She’ll never let us leave.” If there was one thing I had learned in Merry-Chase, it was that the Lady did not easily release her treasures.
“Of course she will.” Octavian seemed troubled not at all by my statement. “You’re a tool to her, and tools aren’t worth anything unless you use them.”
He was already turning to leave, and I wanted to tell him to stay. I still didn’t understand his mind on this, and there were far too many loose ends implied in “leave her to me.” Still, I couldn’t seem to open my mouth or find the right words. Besides which, I still had a bird to kill before I fell asleep.
“Besides,” Octavian added, now several paces down the corridor, “you should know I can be very persuasive when I mean to be.”
Main Story: Cryptomancy
Flavors: Pumpkin Pie #14: trick or treat
Word Count: 644
Rating: PG
Summary: In which Octavian relays to Chaill practically no information, but a plan of sorts is hatched.
Notes: Be not fooled by my prompt skipping, I still have two more left in this list...but "trick or treat" applies so nicely to pretty much everything Octavian ever does or says and I thought it was a funny interpretation of the prompt in reading it as a deal being struck in which Chaill has no idea at all if he's just gotten helped or completely hosed. In other news, I just love writing Chaill and Octavian talking to each other.
“So, what you’re telling me.” I blinked at Octavian. “What you’re telling me is that all I have to do is go back to Heart’s-Desire, and say her name, and I can go home?”
He grinned and nodded. “It’s so simple really, I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner. It’s why she sent you here, and it’s why she gave you her name before you left. All you have to do is speak it in the White Castle, and it should loosen her connection to the mortal world.”
I frowned. “Well, if it’s that easy, I don’t see what I need you for,” I replied. “I’ll just go with Albion, and I won’t tell him that’s why I want to go back.”
Octavian shook his head enthusiastically. “No, it won’t work like that. We’re in Elspeth’s house now, she’s going to know everything you and I are talking about right now, and she’ll certainly know if you lie to her champion.”
“So we leave Albion here, and then we go. Fine.” The plan made some kind of sense, or at least sense for Octavian, but there was one very important detail he hadn’t yet gotten to. “But what’s in it for you?”
For once, Octavian did not attempt to deny his ulterior motive. “I get to go back with you,” he replied.
“What?”
“To the mortal world. I want to go there and help you actually free the White Lady.”
Again, I frowned. “You mean, you want to tell her you’ve helped. You’re sucking up.”
He shook his head, sending his golden curls bouncing about his face in a way that would have made the ladies of London jealous. “Your mistrust does me a great disservice! I’ve missed the White Lady’s shining face all this time.”
“Missed her parties, more like. Or whatever you were getting from her.” I sniffed. “I don’t care, though. I’m not going to tell you no. I’ll probably need your help, anyway.” It was true. Octavian’s help was likely to be token at best, but it was something. There was no way I was getting into the White Castle by myself. “But there is one thing.”
Octavian was grinning now, in a way that made me somewhat uncomfortable. “Oh?”
I took a deep breath, and got ready for the argument. “Bug comes with us, too.” I braced myself for Octavian’s protestations…
…that never came. “Alright, that sounds fair,” he said. I attempted to keep my astonishment from showing on my face, and indeed if he noticed anything, he kept his mouth uncharacteristically shut.
“You’re not going to argue with me?”
He shrugged. “Why should I? Bug is a resourceful girl, and to be honest I was expecting a lot more demands out of you.”
He was? “Like what?”
“How should I know? But I am asking you to risk rather a lot.”
I decided not to point out that compared to staying at the Red Tower, almost nothing seemed risky. “Fine. But what about Lady Bloodrose?”
“Leave her to me.”
“She’ll never let us leave.” If there was one thing I had learned in Merry-Chase, it was that the Lady did not easily release her treasures.
“Of course she will.” Octavian seemed troubled not at all by my statement. “You’re a tool to her, and tools aren’t worth anything unless you use them.”
He was already turning to leave, and I wanted to tell him to stay. I still didn’t understand his mind on this, and there were far too many loose ends implied in “leave her to me.” Still, I couldn’t seem to open my mouth or find the right words. Besides which, I still had a bird to kill before I fell asleep.
“Besides,” Octavian added, now several paces down the corridor, “you should know I can be very persuasive when I mean to be.”