(no subject)

[astrangebell]

There is debate about the fitness of magic as a subject for a lady to study. As Arabella has never had any interest in studying it herself, she paid little attention, though of course in principle she takes the ladies' side.

But that's in principle. In practice-- in practice it feels very odd to be sitting in the bar with a couple of magical books from the library stacked in front of her, one opened to the very first page. Thanks to the utterly impenetrable prose, the veiled allusions to various incomprehensible magical events, the references to books and individuals she has never heard of, she has not managed to get any farther.

She is determined to try. She has spent a great deal of time (or perhaps very little-- between two magical kingdoms, earthly time has become rather vague) waiting. But now, having found herself in a place with such a vast library, well. It is her belief that if one is given the means to help oneself, than one certainly must try.

Though after making no progress at all for an entire morning, some distraction would not be unwelcome.

Comments

[freedom_is_grey]

Giant brown dog says hello!

Giant brown dog followed by slim white-haired woman then looks sheepish for his forwardness, and whines a little as he gets a glare from his person.

"I'm sorry, was he bothering you? It looks like you mean to be studying, and he knows better, honestly. We've had this talk many times."

[astrangebell]

"No, no, not at all," Arabella says, though she does twitch her hem slightly out of the dog's way. It's a dress provided by the Bar, after all, and she doesn't want it accidentally spoiled.

"I do mean to be studying." Though her inflection suggests that's not quite what's happening.

[freedom_is_grey]

"Ah, one of those days, perhaps?"

Ysalwen's smile is crooked, but warm.

"I've had them, as well. Can I ask what you're studying? I don't mean to be nosy, exactly, but. Well. It's interesting, seeing who wants to know what, and whether it's something their home world has, or no."

[astrangebell]

Arabella turns the book around so Ysalwen can look. It's practically illegible, both the words themselves, made up of a tiny, cramped, and fading type; and the prose, spectacularly esoteric and within the first paragraph seeming to refer to so many unexplained things, one might begin to wonder whether the first half of the book is missing.

"Magic," she says. "I found some books I had heard spoken of at home-- and what the magicians in England would give for these!-- but I find I understand now why magic demands such continual study. I can make nothing of it."

[freedom_is_grey]

"Magic, hmm?"

Ysalwen leans over the book, brow furrowing as she attempts to parse it.

"Is it in code? Not that it looks like any cipher I've seen, but -- "

Hmm.

She looks back up at Arabella.

"How does magic work in your world? If I can ask."

[astrangebell]

Arabella laughs. "No, I believe a code suggests some rhyme or reason. I rather suspect this is impenetrable for its own sake."

She turns the book back towards her and glances down at it thoughtfully, as if the answer to Ysalwen's question might be found there.

"I hardly know myself," she says. "And, well, as with any topic of study, I suppose, no one seems to agree."

[freedom_is_grey]

"That seems rather silly, but I wouldn't put it past people, I suppose."

Her smile is wry.

"No one at all agrees? Are these books for each magic-user alone, then, to keep a record of their studies and have no one at all to share it with?"

It seems possible. Weird -- very, very weird -- but possible.

[astrangebell]

"Oh, no! Though there are very few books left in England-- and fewer that anyone is permitted to see." This last comment has no bitterness at all in it, why do you ask?

"But no-- it is as any other object of study, I suppose. Just as two learned churchmen may disagree entirely on the interpretation of a passage, so the two magicians of England can take quite contrary views on the origins and practice of magic."

[freedom_is_grey]

She might have been about to pursue who it is that serves as a gatekeeper to these books, except her entire train of thought is derailed by one thing.

"Two?"

It's baffling.

"You only have two mages? In your entire country?"

That makes absolutely no sense at all.

[inatownlikethis]

"Excuse me." Helen stands at a polite distance, perhaps a little hesitant, but not very: they'd gotten on fairly well, and they're both more or less married women in a strange place. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

[astrangebell]

Arabella looks up with a smile.

"I would like that very much indeed. Please." She gestures to the empty chair opposite.

[inatownlikethis]

"Thank you. I was going to order from the Bar--can I offer you anything?" It's hard to work out what exactly makes for good society manners here, but there's surely a rule of thumb to fall back on.

[astrangebell]

Arabella is equally happy to seize hold of any recognizable etiquette than can reasonably be applied.

In this case, though, she stands. "I will accompany you, if you don't mind. I feel I have been sitting here for an age."

[inatownlikethis]

"Of course! You look like you are studying something a little heavier than a novel...?"

She has no elaborate plans for her bar order: a cheese omelette, toast, a cup of chocolate.

[astrangebell]

"Attempting to," Arabella says. "Once when I was very little, I went snooping through my father's study. I pulled down the biggest, prettiest book I could find, but when I tried to read it, I couldn't understand a word. This feels precisely like that."

[inatownlikethis]

"And what are you studying now?" She glances at the books, but only briefly, not spying.

She wouldn't call herself a bookish person; she hasn't had many chances to develop a library of her own. But sure, she's curious.

[astrangebell]

Arabella looks a bit sheepish-- she remembers Helen's response on the day she arrived. "Well-- magic."

[heatherandsteel]

(OOC: I thought I'd finally tag her with him.)

Quentin doesn't feel that awake and he knows a lot of today will spent unpacking boxes. When he finds Milliways in the hall, he smiles, he can get some food here now.

His hair is tousled from sleep, but his pointed ears are showing as he heads to the counter in jeans and a t-shirt. When he passes Arabella's table, he glances at all the books and tries to sneak a look at a title.

[astrangebell]

The book on top of the stack is Curiose Observations upon the Anatomie of Faeries. Arabella herself is bent over one of the other books, and does not immediately notice his presence.

[heatherandsteel]

"Anatomy like dissection?"

He asks quietly while he goes pale, its a huge fear and she looks to be from another time but still, that's not right.

[astrangebell]

"What?"

She looks up, then down at the stack. "Oh! I have no idea, as a matter of fact-- I haven't read it yet."

[heatherandsteel]

"Oh, are you researching the Fae?"

Perhaps she's just curious and maybe that book isn't as awful as it sounds. Its not a normal thing to look at here, most people seem to not even believe or care about the Fae that much in Milliways which is why he doesn't worry about a human disguise.

[astrangebell]

"Oh, well-- yes, among other things, I suppose."

Having only encountered one fairy (and, of course, not having read the book yet), Arabella's attention is not particularly drawn to his ears, nor would she know what to make of them if it were.

[heatherandsteel]

"Like what? I'm Quentin,"

He slightly bows to her as he remembers from history class and books that's what was done in her era. Its also good to be polite and helpful so she doesn't start looking for ways to hurt Fae.

[astrangebell]

"I am Arabella Strange," she says, offering a nod in return. "And I supposed I am interested in magic generally, at least to begin with. Though perhaps they are not so easily separated."