[ And he should hang up, probably, or make the motions towards letting Julius get back to work, but stubbornly, Marcus would prefer not to. He could probably do better than the topic he picks when he asks; ]
How did Kinloch Hold celebrate?
[ —but then again, not every mention of a Circle, large and looming as it is in their histories, has to be fraught with regret. ]
[As subjects go, he certainly could have done worse. Julius's trauma from Kinloch Hold, to the extent it exists, is centered firmly elsewhere, and his voice is warm when he responds.]
Nothing so lavish as I imagine happened some places. Usually the apprentices were allowed out under supervision to have a good run by the lake: relay races, dancing, that sort of thing. The weather was generally fine enough for a full day of it. In the evening, the adults shared better wine than usual, sometimes a dessert. There was a sort of cake with lemons that I thought quite fine before I was being invited to parties by Orlesian dukes.
We usually didn't do costumes, or even masks. But we did give gifts. Again, nothing lavish, but ... handmade things, or especially rare supplies we knew someone wanted that we'd gotten our hands on, that sort of thing. I remember one year Cian gave me a small music box, which was so unexpectedly fine that I was embarrassed and he noticed and laughed at me for it.
[ In the private quarters of this inn, so identical to other private quarters of other inns, Marcus sits back on the narrow bed to lean on the headboard. It is an active exercise, to listen and quell whatever quick, fast feelings may fly at this sort of subject, and so,
mostly they're replaced by being glad for the fondness in Julius' voice, warm even through this crystal his fidgets with between his fingers. It's another exercise, similar to the last, to locate something to speak of fondly in return. ]
We did do costumes and masks, a little, [ he says. ] The children did, anyway, normally characters out of fables, animals, and perform to readings. The day was given to the holiday, no recitations or lessons or lectures. We shared wine, too, once we had the evening to ourselves.
[ Dry— ] The presents were more lacking. One of the Senior Enchanters thought it a fine tradition to decorate and exchange candles and little else and wouldn't hear otherwise.
Candles. How extravagant, and definitely not a thing you all had access to every other day of the year.
[Dry. He adds, less so:]
Did you ever tell stories? There was one mage at Kinloch, a few years younger than me, who had a talent for them. If it got late enough and there had been enough wine, we could prevail upon her.
[ This first part gets a laugh, subtle and quiet, but there. ]
We had some storytellers, [ he agrees. ] I don't know that we had any of particular talent, but I think most stories met our standards quite readily. Starkhaven, [ a little apologetic, almost, to speak more directly of the ways in which these memories lack ] preferred a sort of imaginative austerity for much of the year.
But after we returned from the Gallows, it was different. Kinder, in small ways, with regards to the children at least. And I remember the young ones would shake Tsenka down for stories, just because she'd always change the way they ended, and more than a few of the adults would listen in.
[ There's a pause, which is actually just a breath let out too quietly for the crystal to pick up. ]
She was close to me, in the Circle, and after the Circle. Powerful, strong willed, as angry as any of us, and still joyful. She was near to my age, and so we shared a cohort. I came to understand all those as my brothers and sisters, but she was the first.
Both of us were fairly average with storytelling, but she was always very capable of surprise, and so.
I think a story that pleases its listeners can roundly be dubbed a success, [he suggests, with a hint of warmth.] But I wish I had a chance to meet her. Guarding joy is, in itself, a remarkable talent. Worth cultivating.
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no subject
[ Obviously, maybe, but as long as they are saying things out loud for the sake of it—
And he adds, with a rare touch of dry humour, ]
Not only because it may require our savings in combination.
no subject
While you're still in the field, perhaps I'll start looking around for some options. We can make proper decisions once you've returned.
no subject
Aye. And I think in the time it takes for its construction, it could be gifted for Satinalia, if that would be good.
[ Yes, he's aware it's mid-Kingsway. ]
no subject
[He's not averse.]
I'll make some discreet inquiries about how possible it might be, while I'm at it. Just so we know going in.
no subject
[ And he should hang up, probably, or make the motions towards letting Julius get back to work, but stubbornly, Marcus would prefer not to. He could probably do better than the topic he picks when he asks; ]
How did Kinloch Hold celebrate?
[ —but then again, not every mention of a Circle, large and looming as it is in their histories, has to be fraught with regret. ]
no subject
Nothing so lavish as I imagine happened some places. Usually the apprentices were allowed out under supervision to have a good run by the lake: relay races, dancing, that sort of thing. The weather was generally fine enough for a full day of it. In the evening, the adults shared better wine than usual, sometimes a dessert. There was a sort of cake with lemons that I thought quite fine before I was being invited to parties by Orlesian dukes.
We usually didn't do costumes, or even masks. But we did give gifts. Again, nothing lavish, but ... handmade things, or especially rare supplies we knew someone wanted that we'd gotten our hands on, that sort of thing. I remember one year Cian gave me a small music box, which was so unexpectedly fine that I was embarrassed and he noticed and laughed at me for it.
[A warm memory he'd not touched in years.]
And you? Any fine Satinalias past?
no subject
mostly they're replaced by being glad for the fondness in Julius' voice, warm even through this crystal his fidgets with between his fingers. It's another exercise, similar to the last, to locate something to speak of fondly in return. ]
We did do costumes and masks, a little, [ he says. ] The children did, anyway, normally characters out of fables, animals, and perform to readings. The day was given to the holiday, no recitations or lessons or lectures. We shared wine, too, once we had the evening to ourselves.
[ Dry— ] The presents were more lacking. One of the Senior Enchanters thought it a fine tradition to decorate and exchange candles and little else and wouldn't hear otherwise.
no subject
[Dry. He adds, less so:]
Did you ever tell stories? There was one mage at Kinloch, a few years younger than me, who had a talent for them. If it got late enough and there had been enough wine, we could prevail upon her.
no subject
We had some storytellers, [ he agrees. ] I don't know that we had any of particular talent, but I think most stories met our standards quite readily. Starkhaven, [ a little apologetic, almost, to speak more directly of the ways in which these memories lack ] preferred a sort of imaginative austerity for much of the year.
But after we returned from the Gallows, it was different. Kinder, in small ways, with regards to the children at least. And I remember the young ones would shake Tsenka down for stories, just because she'd always change the way they ended, and more than a few of the adults would listen in.
no subject
[Possibly for obvious Darkspawn- and Uldred-related reasons.]
Tell me about Tsenka.
no subject
She was close to me, in the Circle, and after the Circle. Powerful, strong willed, as angry as any of us, and still joyful. She was near to my age, and so we shared a cohort. I came to understand all those as my brothers and sisters, but she was the first.
Both of us were fairly average with storytelling, but she was always very capable of surprise, and so.
just another one, for irony