Catching a Dewdrop (Closed for GypsyGirl84)

[GypsyGirl84]

"You know, goat milk makes a great cheese," Lantern Jack said before Cornflower could respond. "I bet it would taste great on an..."

"Offering," Cornflower interrupted him. "And I see that you wish to be the demonstration, rather than Curlicue. Very generous of you to volunteer, Jack." Lantern Jack groaned while his fellows snickered. "Jason, goat's milk is more than acceptable, and rates superior with some of my brothers and sisters, depending on where they first crossed over from the NeverNever. First serve these three, and then prepare the goat's milk in the cup and plate you used earlier, as well as a bit of bread and honey." Berry Vine, Curlicue and Holly Hat looked expectantly at Jason, while Lantern Jack looked to be pouting.

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Jason had not brought another cup with him and looked around in false hope, then shrugging walked over to the table and offered the glass to the three Faeries as indicated. He hoped the didn't mind being asked to drink from such a large glass or that they had to share the same one.

He offered it to Holly Hat first as he was the closest, tipping it up for him so he could drink from it, then did the same for Berry vine then Curlicue. When they had each had some he bowed to them, then quickly retrieved the small cup he had made the original offering in and poured a portion of milk into it. Setting it down and putting the glass aside he dashed back inside and quickly cut up a slice of bread, making sure there was enough for everyone and pulled down the jar of honey with a spoon and dashed back outside. He placed a piece of bread on the plate and a dollop of honey as well and then put the cup and saucer in the middle of the table and looked expectantly at Cornflower.

 

[GypsyGirl84]

"Now, as I explained earlier, when constructing an offering, it is always best to use natural materials." Cornflower said, her tone taking on that of a formal lecturer as Holly Hat, Berry Vine and Curlicue sprawled on the patio table, a look of contentment on their faces. Lantern Jack still looked glum at being forced to wait for his share of the goat's milk.

"Many wizards will take the wood of certain trees to personally carve out their implements for offerings. It is tradition, and tradition has importance," Cornflower explained. "However, for our demonstration, we will use what you brought. Jason, if you would, put the offerings and their implements on the ground, and draw your circle around it, then try to cover the circle as best you can, so that it will be unseen," Cornflower instructed.

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Jason nodded at everything that Cornflower told him. He was learning a lot and truly appreciated it. He quickly got everything ready and then got out his chalk. It had been the only thing in the house he had to draw the circle with at the time. He had not known any better but now that he did he was already planning what implements he would need to create and from what.

He quickly but assuredly drew the circle around the offerings then checked it over. he noticed a small mistake and quickly corrected it, then looked around. He had to find some way of camouflaging the circle while making it look natural.

He could use leaves but he had just swept up the whole backyard so it would not look natural. He kept looking and then spotted something he thought might work. On the table was a small bamboo place mat that was just a little bigger than the circle and would not look out of place. He thought it would look good,like a natural table cloth for the items.

He placed the place mat under the items and then arranged the offerings back on top and then looked at Cornflower. "I hope this is okay miss Cornflower."

 

[GypsyGirl84]

It took all of Cornflower's willpower not to strut each time Jason used an honorific to address her. Instead, she gave a small nod. "Now, when you last set the circle, you put all of your Talent into it, so that it would encircle whoever stepped into it, whether you were there or no. Naturally, any of my kin would sense this and avoid it." The last two words were said with emphasis as Lantern Jack, who knew he was going to be "trapped" in the circle anyway, moved directly toward the bread, honey and goat's milk. Grumbling, he stepped back and glared at the other three male fairies, who were snickering at him.

"What you want to do," Cornflower instructed, "Is to put the barest trickle of your Talent in the circle and wait. This means that you will have to wait and watch, but you will have a better chance of success in finding one of my kinsmen to barter with. Try it. Remember, just a trickle until you feel Lantern Jack step in your circle."

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Jason nodded to her and then fed the tiniest thread of power into the circle. It was barely enough to activate it, but it would enable him to sense if anything magical entered into it.
He didn't like how the other male faeries were snickering at Lantern Jack. It seemed unfair considering how he was helping him do this and was going to be trapped.

"I appreciate your help in doing this Mr Jack sir. Perhaps afterwards you would be so kind as to take another helping of milk,bread and honey as my way of saying thank you for all of your kindness."

 

[GypsyGirl84]

Lantern Jack drew himself up to his full six inches and gave Jason a small nod before he began circling the offerings. The other three male fairies returned their attention to the remainder of the pizza. Lantern Jack watched Cornflower until she gave him an imperious nod, then stepped into the circle.

"If you can feel him, Jason, close the circle," Cornflower instructed.

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

As soon as Lantern Jack had crossed into the circle Jason had felt it. He also knew just how much energy he would need to feed into his circle to trap him without harming him. He fed the energy into the trap then almost tied it off then thought better of it. He may need to feed a little more or take a little out. It was always best to be prepared. Besides he was not really trying to capture Lantern Jack, this was just training. Better he be able to disspell it at a moments notice if needed.

He looked at Cornflower to see what needed to be done next. "It is done Miss Cornflower. Would you care to inspect it."

 

[GypsyGirl84]

"Normally the proof would be my kinsman not being able to escape," Cornflower said, with a reproving look at Lantern Jack, who was dipping the bread in honey, then chasing it with milk.

"Hmmm? Oh, right. Let me out, let me out, or I'll do stuff," Lantern Jack said in a monotone voice around food in his mouth.

"Yeah, like fill your mouth with dung," offered Berry Vine.

"Or make your gate latch fall off," piped Curlicue.

"Or make your cow go sour," offered Holly Hat.

"You know, I never understood that threat," Curlicue said, scratching his head. "If we're trying to get good milk, why threaten to sour the cow?"

"It's tradition," Holly Hat replied sagely.

"Anyway," Cornflower continued in a voice tinged with exasperation, "It is here that the grand game of bargaining begins. Technically, my kinsman has accepted your offering, and the circle is only there so that his attention does not stray during the dickering. It is very important that you do not attempt to compel him against his own will, Jason." Cornflower's voice was very serious and her tiny brow was furrowed as she looked up into his face. "You would run afoul of the mortal Fourth Law, as well as possibly incur the ill will of the Fae, two things to be avoided if possible."

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Jason immediately understood the importance of this information and nodded and bowed in her direction to show that he understood completely. "I don't understand the first part of that warning Miss Cornflower, but I would never wish to have the ill will of the Fae come against me. Besides the truth of the matter is I would hate to compel any creature. That is too much like bullying and I have been the victim of that too much to ever want to do it to anyone else."

He then looked at Lantern Jack and to continue his training decided what to bargain for with him. He was getting instructions from Cornflower so he didn't think he needed to bargain for that, but perhaps he would need someone to fetch things for him and spy things out for him around the village.

"Lantern Jack I offer you this deal. If you agree to be my eyes and ears and spy for me and at times that are needed find for me and get certain items I Jason agree to supply you with one pizza a week to do with as you wish. What say you Lantern Jack do we have a deal?"

 

[GypsyGirl84]

Lantern Jack's eyes lit up at the promise of the culinary riches, as did the eyes of the other three fairy males, but Cornflower merely made a clucking sound. "It is a good thing to make such gestures, Jason, which will put you in good stead with the wee folk like my brothers and I, but tradition holds you are bargaining for a single task only, and not future services. Besides," Cornflower added with a dramatically exasperated sigh, "My fellows might indeed agree to be in your service for weeks or months to come, and be sincere in their pledge, but they will have forgotten that pledge by the next moonrise." All four male fairies shrugged their collective shoulders in agreement, as if this were all common knowledge, before returning their attention back to their food.

"Instead," Cornflower continued, "Thinl of some task you can set Lantern Jack this night, and we shall work from there."

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Ahh now Jason saw how it was. You performed this ritual for a one off task, but what did he need done. He had got what he needed from Cornflower and now he could not think of anything else.

Wait it had to be something a fairy could do and they were small, but intelligent and seemed to have a decent amount of strength. No doubt they had ways into houses and things. That was it. Last week Donovan French had stolen his dead fathers watch, knowing how important it was to him. He took great delight in showing him pictures of it sitting on his mantelpiece at home.

"I have a task for Lantern Jack Cornflower but I do not know if it is within his capabilities. I need my watch recovered from a thief who stole it from me. It is located here," and he took out his phone showing them the picture Donovan had sent him, "At 255 high street. Is that able to be done?"

 

[GypsyGirl84]

Lantern Jack looked up as he finished the rest of his food. "How high is this street again? Is that hands or rods? Not that it matters, height isn't a problem for these," Lantern Jack added, flapping his dragonfly wings.

"I must confess, Jason, I was not aware of an elevated lane in this area," Cornflower said, looking to her fellows. They too shrugged their shoulders, also unaware of a street that was 255 of some undefined measurement high. "Perhaps you could tell us where this house is, and what it looks like."

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Jason almost laughed until he realized that the faeries were in earnest. They actually believed he was talking about a street that was sitting high in the air. He decided he would have to treat this very delicately so they did not feel foolish so as too keep the goodwill going between them.

"I am afraid there has been a slight misunderstanding Miss Cornflower. It is entirely my fault of course. The street is not upon high but is actually named High. Like Lantern Jack is called Lantern Jack and you are called Cornflower. However I do also have a picture of what the house looks like from the front."

He again searched through his phone and found the right picture and showed it to them.

 

[GypsyGirl84]

As Jason showed the still encircled Lantern Jack the photo of the house, the rest of the fairies gathered around the phone as well. The picture flickered for a moment, then disappeared.

"We know that house," Berry Vine announced. "We were watching them spor---" Berry Vine was interrupted by an elbow in the ribs from Holly Hat, who shook his head emphatically while looking at Cornflower, whose dusky complexion had turned a dark crimson.

"After you have struck a bargain with one of kinsman," Cornflower continued (in a voice that said nothing untoward had been said in her presence, and everyone in her presence would do well to agree with this observation), "which will include releasing him from the circle that had by happenstance appeared around him, you must gain his oath to complete the task before the circle is removed. Although all my kin are honorable, they are sometimes forgetful. So it is best to elicit a thrice-promise from them, to aid their memory," Cornflower concluded.

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Jason heard her but was also trying to puzzle out what Berry Vine could have been going to say that would have been so bad that it would have Cornflower either that angry or embarrassed. What started with SPOR and was dirty? Sport, Sporran, Sporadic, Spore.

Wait a minute Spore. If he was to change that to Sporing remembering that these faeries were creatures of nature and about the size of a large flower, then that would mean.

He did not finish that last thought, instead he got on with what he was supposed to be doing instead. "Lantern Jack. It seems you know of the house I need you to go to and I have shown the item I need you to get and where it is. Do I have your Thrice promise that you will get this item for me and return tonight. If you do there will be Pizza waiting for you as long as you are successful. If you agree then promise and give me your oath."

Jason thought he was getting the hang of wording things right but he would still like to talk to Cornflower about it to make sure.

 

[GypsyGirl84]

"Not bad," Cornflower allowed in an officious tone, "though it's considered bad form to directly ask for the thrice promise the first time around. You only ask for it if the fellow in question is being obstinate in giving it. Then it means the lad in question has some puckishness planned, if you're not careful."

Cornflower was hovering a few inches above the table and held a hand up imperiously toward Lantern Jack, who having finished the offerings inside the circle, looked to be impatient to get on with things. "Since you have already left an offering inside the circle, and Lantern Jack has clearly accepted it..." Lantern Jack happily patted his stomach "...further material offerings are uncalled for." Before the other fairies could object, Cornflower continued, "However, it has always been customsry for mortals to leave small offerings from time to time on their farms and around their houses to solicit the general good will of the smaller folk from the NeverNever, and this would not be a bad practice for a wizard to engage in."

All the male fairies nodded sagely in agreement. "Especially pizza," Curlicue opined.

"If Lantern Jack must solicit the aid of his fellows in his task, that is his business," Cornflower continued. "The tallying of favors among the Fae is not the concerns of mortals. And if you seek information, be sure to remain awake until the fairy you bartered with returns. It's not their fault of their news falls on sleeping ears. Lantern Jack?" she asked, turning to the encircled fairy.

"Huh?" he answered, having fallen half-asleep during Cornflower's lecture. "I give my oath to get your watch. I promise I promise I promise."

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Jason was absorbing a lot of information but he was used to it. He was also a very fast learner and grasped facts very easily so he was soon putting things together. A thrice promise was only to be used as a last resort if a fairy was being obstinate or very rude. This was to make sure that the fairy would actually carry out whatever task they had agreed to perform. If they had already taken the offering he had already prepared he was under no obligation to offer more for the task he was proposing and in fact they had already agreed to it by taking his offering.

It was a lot to remember but he was learning quickly. "I accept your promise Lantern Jack and release you so you may go about thy task." Jason had decided to try to speak the same way Cornflower was addressing him. He did not know if he was succeeding but he was going to give it a go. He hoped at the least it would show her he was attempting to learn.

He allowed the thread of magic he had been feeding into the trap to fade and the circles magic faded away.

 

[GypsyGirl84]

Lantern Jack quickly flittered over to Berry Vine and said, "Come on."

"Why me?" Berry Vine complained.

"Because," answered Lantern Jack, which seemed sufficient reason for Berry Vine. "Don't throw out the pizza," Lantern Jack called out as he and Berry Vine disappeared into the night. "We'll finish it when we return with your watch."

"That's enough for one night," Cornflower announced in a regal voice. "I have to talk to someone about you, Jason. Come along, you two." Holly Hat and Curlicue each snagged a pepperoni from the remaining slices of pizza, then all three remaining fairies disappeared in trails of moonbeams and starlight.

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Jason watched the Faeries disappear in different directions and felt all alone again. He hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye. Well suposedly Lantern Jack and Berry Vine would be back with his watch and he would fulfill his part of the bargain. He took the pizza inside and placed it in the oven. It would remain warm in there, but if it took the faeries too long he could always take it out and microwave it for them. However he didn't want to do that as they had a fear of technology and that might offend them.

He left the back door open so the two could fly right in and then sat at the kitchen table and tried to study the diary and magic book again. With what Cornflower had told him, and what the book and diary said, he began to puzzle out a few more things. However he now realized that whoever had written the diary had been much like him, just starting out and feeling his way into things.

He wondered just who Cornflower was going to talk to about him.On one hand he was excited, hoping it was someone who could fill in some blanks in his knowledge and maybe set him on the path to learning a few things.

On the other hand she could tell someone higher up and they might consider him a threat and he could suddenly find himself in a whole heap of trouble. Well that was a risk he would just have to take. He trusted Cornflower and would abide by whatever decision she made.

He sat and studied and waited to see what happened next.

 

[GypsyGirl84]

There was a tap on the kitchen window as Lantern Jack and Berry Vine hovered outside, the watch held between the two of them.

"The pizza's gone," lamented Berry Vine as the two fairies flew back to the patio table and dropped the watch on it.

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Jason hurried out with the still hot pizza and opened the box back up revealing the steaming contents. "I apologize for it not being out when you returned Lantern Jack and Berry Vine, but I thought you might prefer the pizza hot instead of cold. I am sorry if I was wrong."

He placed the box on the table and stepped back. "You both deserve your reward. That was very fast and I am very grateful and impressed. You are very impressive to have done the job so quickly. Please eat your fill before you have to leave."

Jason waited until the Faeries seemed to be finished and then he stepped forward and picked up his watch and examined it. He smiled as he did. It was indeed his fathers watch. He hadn't really doubted it, well not really but maybe a small niggle at the back of his mind.

"I thank you again good Faeries. This was the last piece of my father I had. It is very precious to me and I could not bear to think of it in that bullies hands. I will have to hide it and no longer wear it until I have enough strength to protect it myself but to know it is back with me is something I never thought to have."

Looking at the two Faeries he bowed to them and smiled. "Know that there will always be a slice of pizza available for you here. It may not be the good stuff but pizza it will be."

 

[GypsyGirl84]

"Pizza is pizza," Lantern Jack mused philosophically. Berry Vine nodded sagely in agreement.

"Just leave it on the outside furniture," Lantern Jack added, giving a belch that sounded like a piccolo note. "Once it's marked with your intent, the animals will avoid it. Tradition."

With that, the two fairies flew off into the night, leaving a twin trail of moonlight and stardust behind them.

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Jason nodded. Again this was good to know. He looked down and saw that only about just under a half of the Pizza had been eaten. Quite a remarkable feat for beings who were only 5 inches tall actually. Still from now on perhaps he should only order small pizzas.

He carried the left overs inside and packed them up. There was no use wasting them and he could always reheat them for lunch tomorrow. For now though he had better get to bed. He still had work to get to and more study to do. Plus he had a feeling he was going to be up tomorrow night as well.

He put his fathers watch in a very safe place and carved a rune of concealment on top of it. Hopefully that would keep it safe. Having done everything he could he hopped into bed and fell asleep quickly.

 

[GypsyGirl84]

Name: Donna Redwoman
Age: If you need to know, you'll know
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 57 kg
Measurements:34D-23-35
Description: A tall slim athletic woman who looks to be in her mid- to late twenties, until you look around her eyes, and then you can see the hint of someone who has travelled long and far. Donna's face has the color and chiseled beauty of a daughter of the Plains people of northern North America. Her dark, straight black hair hangs almost to her waist but never seems to be in her way, though she usually wears it loose. Her prominent bustline appears even more so due to her slender form. Most choose not to give her chest undue attention. Most do not choose to look into her eyes, which appear dark brown, unless one is foolish enough to look directly into them, at which point they appear pitch black. Most people instinctively look at a point just over her left shoulder. When she first appears at Jason's door, she is wearing an oversized black and red plaid shirt, faded blue jeans, worn hiking boots and a white straw hat with a blue jay's feather stuck in its brim.

-----

(The afternoon of the following day)

As she walked up to Jason's home, a seasoned walking staff almost as tall as herself in her left hand and an old saddlebag over her right shoulder, she considered the new student she was being asked to take on. The seven back in Knoxville were a handful as it was, and required no traveling on her part. But one did not dismiss a request from the Senior Council and the White Court lightly.

She adjusted the saddlebag before using her staff to knock on Jason's front door.