Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.

[glass-beddau.livejournal.com]

[Later afternoon of Saturday, June 5 (day 270)]
[The corner of Main and Silk]

Three months back and it'd be growing dark, but summer on and the light's only mild and golden. The air's got a smell like garden dirt, soft and easy, and the blasted llygotwr's managing to take up the entire bed while I'm cleaning up the kitchen afore heading out.

Stop by the General Store, meaning to set hands on thread and needle; one of my shirts has a rip, and if I go by Dorian's I'd not get out without two new dresses and thirty seams that he'd go on about being for shaping. My hand's still stiff, but I can mend a tear. Open the door to the sound of the bell, and glance 'round.

[Open]

Comments

[glass-beddau.livejournal.com]

"Seven," and echo of a child's gesture, and then on about his niece. Younger than Fiona and older then Juliet, and that's closest in age that I know, I suppose. Wonder a little what all about me was and set it aside a moment.

"Manqueller? I don't know who he is, love, but if he has the evil eye or something of the sort, you might consider telling Mab. If for nothing else, than at least to warn her," and that's a practical thought.

"I ought," I agree. "If he does, doubt he'd have cause to turn it to her, but worth passing word along. Dry pinch of a man, smoked glasses, red hair...?" Wonder if Hermia could address the matter any, as well.

"I wish this hadn't happened to you but thankfully, Syl Thorn undid the curse. Was it expensive, love? Perhaps we should send the bill to Manqueller," and sniff amusement at the thought.

"Less'n half of what it cost for Kate," I say, "which I count in part as kindness. Not sure what t'do about Manqueller. Want surety over it being him, and afore that I'm minded not to cross his path." Fall silent a moment, gesturing towards the door of the store. "You hear about the wishes?"

[iago-excolo.livejournal.com]

Glass shares her description of Manqueller and I nod. "I'll keep an eye out for him. Surely there can't be too many like him walking around."

I suggest we send the bill on and for a moment she seems to entertain the notion before practicality wins out. "Avoiding him isn't a bad idea, love. At least until after Mab's assured you that he's not responsible."

"You hear about the wishes?"

I open the door for her, confused as I say, "No, love. I've heard nothing about wishes. What did you hear?"

[glass-beddau.livejournal.com]

"Avoiding him isn't a bad idea, love. At least until after Mab's assured you that he's not responsible."

"You think she could tell?" I say, thoughtful. "Was guessing I'd turn more to Hermia or Syl."

"No, love. I've heard nothing about wishes. What did you hear?"

...well, then. "Town had its wishes granted," I say, "fortnight back or so; lasted three days. Tess'd left Kate sometime in the winter, Valmont was maybe a dozen years younger and his sister ran the Whitechapel, Lucien thinks he may've gotten coffee..." I shrug and there is no gracious way to say it, is there? "My child was a stillbirth," blunt and plain. "And three days later, all was as it was again."

[iago-excolo.livejournal.com]

"You think she could tell? Was guessing I'd turn more to Hermia or Syl."

I shake my head. "Not necessarily. I'm just assuming that she'll consult with an expert of some sort to confirm. Hermia and especially Syl are both sound choices." I give her a curious look and ask, "Do you plan on investigating for yourself, love?"

I'm surprised to hear of the recent wishes and even more so as Glass gives details. Lucien wished for coffee? Perhaps I misheard... I'm about to ask for clarification when she adds, "My child was a stillbirth, And three days later, all was as it was again."

I stop in my tracks, feeling very much like I was just punched in the stomach. She lost the baby but then...didn't? I shouldn't grieve but there's a moment where I do. Fishing out my smokes, I light one, sad but relieved as I open the Miskatonic's door for her. "That was quite a wish, love. I must admit that I liked Lucien's better," I turn my steady gaze on her, asking, "But how do you feel about it?"

[glass-beddau.livejournal.com]

"Do you plan on investigating for yourself, love?"

"May be," I say thoughtful. "Might be needed to tell for sure where it came from, in any case, so not sure how far I can stay out of it..." Shrug and set the matter aside for the moment.

"That was quite a wish, love. I must admit that I liked Lucien's better," and comes to me that most are taking it for something done t'me at another's will. Feel the corner of my mouth twist up, that he caught it. "But how do you feel about it?"

Make a small thoughtful noise as I sit. "Angry," is what I settle on to start. "Takes a fool to think that what folk might want is what they'd choose, and petty cruelty of a god come walking to force it on them and those wished about." Flick my fingers in dismissal. "Tired, some. It's easier t'remember it's not happened, at least." Funny, almost as if I was exhausted and light-headed and losing blood and dosing myself and... any case. "Other things that happened, it's harder t'keep memory of them out. So suppose that's to the good."

[iago-excolo.livejournal.com]

"May be. Might be needed to tell for sure where it came from, in any case, so not sure how far I can stay out of it..."

"Likely not too far, love." I grin a bit and continue, "Your curiosity won't be satisfied until you know the truth of it." Her inquisitive nature has always been one of the things I enjoy the most about her. That and the fact that sooner or later, she'll ferret out her answer.

She mentions a few of the wishes granted in town and none of it sits well with me. I'm immensely relieved that I wasn't around to experience it myself but fuck, if what Glass' said is just the tip of the iceberg, I can't imagine what's happened to the rest of Excolo. Shit. I need to ask Alessandra about her experiences, and Walter as well. Curious, I ask Glass how she feels about what's happened.

"Angry. Takes a fool to think that what folk might want is what they'd choose, and petty cruelty of a god come walking to force it on them and those wished about." I nod, mentally ticking off Excolo's resident deities. Unfortunately, more than one of them could be responsible but likely none would admit to such manipulations. She continues, "Tired, some. It's easier t'remember it's not happened, at least. Other things that happened, it's harder t'keep memory of them out. So suppose that's to the good."

"I suppose it is," I say. "Especially considering the circumstances. It's a shame we don't know who's responsible." I take a drag, frowning as I say, "Although it's unlikely we could bring one of the gods to justice. I'd not mind a name though. Keeps my scorecard tidy."

[glass-beddau.livejournal.com]

"I suppose it is," he says, and I've rather missed the smell of cigarettes; not too odd, that, I suppose. "It's a shame we don't know who's responsible. Although it's unlikely we could bring one of the gods to justice. I'd not mind a name though. Keeps my scorecard tidy."

"Thing in the tower, may be," I say, "or Tez. Wishes granted, knives to twist." Not the Shuck, at least, and don't particular think it's a trick of that bitch of the moment, so leave off mention of her. Not Azrael nor Nanshe, either-- "Or that thing as took after Nanshe in the dream." Smile thin as Tulzcha comes by, trouble her for coffee and a sandwich. "May be that it was a dream, the whole of it; a dazzle over eye and mind for three days running, instead of a dreaming sleep, raree-show played out and snatched back. Makes no difference now."

[iago-excolo.livejournal.com]

"So one of three then. I'm familiar with the Thing in the tower and Tez as well but not the dream creature." I give my order to Tulzcha and turn back to Glass. "I don't recall meeting it when I was asleep either. I did talk to Ares though, and Benedict, of all people. It was a peculiar dream."

"Makes no difference now."

"No, it doesn't." I sigh, taking a drag while shaking my head. "You mentioned Tess leaving Kate, did they fix that? I can't imagine one without the other anymore." I consider the other wishes she mentioned. "And Valmont had a sister for three days but doesn't anymore? Do I have the right of that, love? Again I say, Lucien's coffee wish seems the best of the lot. It sounds as if the notion if knife-twisting is a common theme. Except for Lucien, of course."

My curiosity's piqued at what else may have happened and I ask, "Did you hear of other wishes, love?"