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152 » 'cause i know you'll save me
[ They say he'll cure all manner of ailments, if you're penniless and come to him in pilgrimage; they say, if you're more well-heeled, that he can make your problems go away with the right enchantments, and for the right price. They say a lot of things about him, really. That he's vain, a playboy, tempestuous, but also too altruistic, too kind. An eccentric genius. That he can smite his enemies with a wave of his hand — that his onetime friend, the Grand Sage Alhaitham, disappeared because of a curse that he himself weaved.
Rumors have it, if the rumors are true, that the wizard Kaveh lives in a castle by himself, hoarding fine jewels and clothing, and that he eats the hearts of pretty girls who strike his fancy.
Aether figures none of it is true, because such a fantastical figure wouldn't have need of a cleaning lady otherwise.
Anyway, Aether's not a lady. He's not a pretty girl, either, so he figures he doesn't have to worry about that part of the rumors. His twin sister Lumine is a pretty girl, though, and is always batting away her admirers at the bakery — he, on the other hand, has found himself tucked away in a small studio, making hats at the millinery instead. Business for the hat-shop itself hasn't been going well these days, though, so Aether's taken it upon himself to search for additional employment.
The advertisement was an odd thing, and what was stranger was that no one else seemed to have noticed it. Job postings on the local message board often get torn down and taken away by interested parties in an instant, but Aether, despite arriving to it rather late in the day after his hatter's work, found the paper pristine and untouched. It was short, too: didn't say it was from the wizard Kaveh at all. Just said Wanted: Cleaning services. Interested parties may inquire at Kaveh's moving castle.
And what kind of an advertisement is that? How does one find a moving castle? But he'd managed, somehow. The tittering girls in the plaza had told him where it was: There, that's Kaveh's castle! Oh, do you think he'd eat my heart if I asked? Don't be stupid! You don't want that, no matter how he looks!
The castle is all white marble and fantastic moving parts, ethereal in its outward beauty. Flowers adorn the building's walls; cascading waterfalls drop from the palace's roof, never draining, ever-flowing. And yet, when Aether marches to the castle's gates and knocks on the front door... ]
Rumors have it, if the rumors are true, that the wizard Kaveh lives in a castle by himself, hoarding fine jewels and clothing, and that he eats the hearts of pretty girls who strike his fancy.
Aether figures none of it is true, because such a fantastical figure wouldn't have need of a cleaning lady otherwise.
Anyway, Aether's not a lady. He's not a pretty girl, either, so he figures he doesn't have to worry about that part of the rumors. His twin sister Lumine is a pretty girl, though, and is always batting away her admirers at the bakery — he, on the other hand, has found himself tucked away in a small studio, making hats at the millinery instead. Business for the hat-shop itself hasn't been going well these days, though, so Aether's taken it upon himself to search for additional employment.
The advertisement was an odd thing, and what was stranger was that no one else seemed to have noticed it. Job postings on the local message board often get torn down and taken away by interested parties in an instant, but Aether, despite arriving to it rather late in the day after his hatter's work, found the paper pristine and untouched. It was short, too: didn't say it was from the wizard Kaveh at all. Just said Wanted: Cleaning services. Interested parties may inquire at Kaveh's moving castle.
And what kind of an advertisement is that? How does one find a moving castle? But he'd managed, somehow. The tittering girls in the plaza had told him where it was: There, that's Kaveh's castle! Oh, do you think he'd eat my heart if I asked? Don't be stupid! You don't want that, no matter how he looks!
The castle is all white marble and fantastic moving parts, ethereal in its outward beauty. Flowers adorn the building's walls; cascading waterfalls drop from the palace's roof, never draining, ever-flowing. And yet, when Aether marches to the castle's gates and knocks on the front door... ]
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And then, past the doors, he sees a large grey hamster seated at a table, poring through a massive tome. The little creature is fluffy and cute but wears a somehow inscrutably surly expression on its face. Upon reaching the end of its page, it has to use both paws to grab the page's corner and turn it to the other side.
Aether gapes for a moment before the thing talks.
"Took you long enough," the hamster grumbles, in an unexpectedly low, deep voice. "You're here for the maidservant position, I suppose?"
Aether blinks. He finds his feet pulling himself in past the doors as they shut behind him, but he's still trying to process what the hamster is doing and saying. ]
Um. [ He wants to offer to turn pages for the poor creature, but apparently that's not what he needs right now. ] Yes.
[ The hamster sighs. Scampering over to a small dish of shelled Ajilenakh Nuts set beside his magic tome, he grabs one of the green fruits and begins nibbling at its sweet flesh. Mumbling around a cheekful of fruit, he says: "Well, you've got your work cut out for you. There's plenty that you should clean down here, but go upstairs first. Kaveh's made a mess of things, as usual."
Bewildered, Aether does as he is told. The castle is rather messy — not quite excessively so, as areas of it seem to indicate that someone occasionally tries to keep clean, but it gives the blond the general impression that a gaggle of young men who never quite learned to clean up after themselves has just blown through. The castle would be truly beautiful, though, if the corners were dusted, and the odd bits and bobs — books, scrolls, quills, orbs, knickknacks, and baubles — were just tidied up and put away.
At last he reaches a door which seems to be the wizard Kaveh's bedroom. It's closed; Aether tries the knob, but it's locked, too. After a pause, he knocks very politely. ]
Excuse me? My name is Aether... I'm here to provide cleaning services...
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What? Cleaning services? [ oh bother, did Alhaitham invite someone in here? did he forget putting up the poster? ] Surely, it hasn't gotten that bad. Just go ahead and get to work, do what you need to.
[ a home was a sanctuary, but Kaveh's had fallen in disarray since his work had been accumulating in demanding piles. the King of Ardravi wanted a grand solarium to court potential partners, but the funding fell short of his wants, which left little room for Kaveh to miss deadlines. some deep-pocketed merchants in Vissudha requested his services to renovate ancient ruins into modern lodgings, all at the behest of more Mora. their choice in property had been long abandoned, and even Kaveh could feel the affects of the sorcery on that place. well, there were some things even magic couldn't do. despite the hefty compensation, the request dropped to the bottom of the pile. it didn't sit right with him.
the castle itself was like a moving miracle of gears and parts, methodically arranged for both practicality and aesthetics. it was Kaveh's greatest achievement, but it didn't do anything to chase away the troubles in his life. it only seemed to create more, or rather, perhaps he was the one at the center of all of his own difficulties. Kaveh put a lot of effort into his reputation, and perhaps the rumors only fed into the image of himself he wanted to portray.
hours into Aether's work, Kaveh emerges in a maelstrom of drama. he beelines swiftly down the stairs in a short cape and golden-trimmed boots. in a flurry he passes by Aether, stops at the hamster and gives him a look. ]
Don't you have anything better to do?
[ oh, yes, then he notices Aether again. ]
Ah, yes – cleaning services, right? Don't mind him, just move him if you need to, and don't pay attention to what comes out of his mouth. I've got a few previous engagements, you don't mind keeping an eye on things, do you?
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A foolish impulse seizes him before he can help himself. He shouldn't draw this out, and yet — ]
Wait —
[ Why did he call out? What is he reaching out to touch? His hand stops short before it can grasp the wizard's pretty capelet, and the man was already turning on his heel to make the turn down the stairs before Aether gathered himself enough to extend one hand, anyway. What does he want, in the moment? He can't think of any question that is not stupid. ]
Are — are you Kaveh?
[ Stupid question. ]
And he, is he... Did you...
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This is Kaveh's home, so I suppose that would make me Kaveh, yes. [ the pretty man in the flowing capelet certainly looks like something has gotten him all in a tizzy. ] You said you were the new housekeeper? I'll allow you space to do your job.
[ he's not thinking too hard about that one, considering all the places that Aether could get into in his absence. something else is on his mind that its weight pushes everything else out of mind. Aether will get a proper introduction later, if he ever gets one at all, as Kaveh is already gliding down the small staircase to the door. the bell jingles, and the runes at the top turn on an odd mechanism that seems akin to some kind of clock.
then, it's as if his current frantic behavior gives away to a sudden pause, and he turns and gives Aether an airy smile. ]
Don't get into trouble now.
[ off he goes, the door in front of him showing a very different scene then the one that Aether came in from: bustling streets and the oceanside, giant flowers budding on an ancient tree – then the door snaps shut. the bell jingles.
the castle is quiet again.
from on top of the staircase, a young girl sits just on her haunches behind the railing. she can't be over ten, but her hair is folded over in a unique style that makes her look like she may have cat ears at first glance. ]
He's always like that. You might not see him that much, I think he likes not being pinned to one place.
[ she looks a little wary, or rather, shy. ]
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For a little while before he's addressed, Aether merely watches the hamster painstakingly push a page over to the other side, then scamper to the top-left corner of his book to begin reading it — but the little girl's voice stirs him out of his fascinated reverie. He looks up at her, calm and analytical. It's hard to tell with kids that young, but she looks like she might be a little bit of a tomboy. Her spurious cat-ears make him wonder who taught her how to do her hair. It's cute, just... odd.
A lot of things about this castle are cute but odd, he reflects. ]
Hello there. [ He tries to be friendly. ] I guess I'm fine with that, as long as I'm getting paid regularly.
[ The hamster pipes up. "Think of yourself as working for me, if you must. I have the day's wages set aside already, provided your work meets or exceeds basic standards. I'd understand if you feel skeptical, though, given that I am currently a hamster."
There is something decidedly funny about the blandness with which the hamster states that he is currently a hamster, but Aether controls himself and manages not to laugh. ]
I see... What's your name? [ He looks back up at the little girl. ] Yours, too.
My name is Aether. I'm confident you won't be disappointed by my standards of service.
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I'm Dehya. That's Alhaitham, he doesn't usually look like that, but sometimes I don't think he cares as long as he gets to read his books.
[ she slides her butt down one stair, then the next, then the next, looking at Aether through the spokes in the stair's bannister. when she gets to the bottom, she unfolds herself and gets to her feet. she's still a little wary, but Alhaitham doesn't seem to mind the intruder, so she figures she'll try not to mind, either.
keeping her eyes on Aether, she trots across the room to get a handful of fresh nuts. cracking one with a displaced nutcracker (that's definitely not in a drawer and strewn along a table with a few stray shells), she pulls out the inside with her fingers and sets it in front of Alhaitham so he can keep reading. ]
Are you staying here too? We don't have an extra room, but one of the cabinets can be made into a bed. All the sheets are dirty, though ...
[ Dehya seems so accustomed to the mess that she navigates it like a pro. ]
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I see.
[ Aether begins cleaning. Quietly, and without disturbing either Dehya or her hamster friend as she cracks nuts, the new member of their house gently sweeps some of the stray shells and bits of dust into his palm, then looks around for a trash can to put them in. There is one, it seems, though it's already piled high with trash and appears to have entered disuse simply because no one ever bothered to think about how to take the trash out of a mystical moving castle. Pursing his lips quietly, Aether deposits the shells in a spare bag he brought for this purpose from his own pouch of cleaning tools. ]
I don't know. I haven't decided yet. I do have family in town. But it would be a little difficult for me to make the long commute from the city every day, so I suppose I could start staying here if Kaveh and Alhaitham don't mind.
[ A curious peek at Dehya. ]
Would you like me to stay here?
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she stacks three nuts on top of one another for Alhaitham, then tosses one in her mouth. there's not much food around: a loaf of bread in a wrap of cloth is on a stack of books overhead, far too tall out of Dehya's reach; a few choice cheeses are scattered around, nibbled on by unwanted guests; then there's a few pieces of fruit that have certainly seen better days. for Dehya, the nuts will do. she munches and then steps backward out of the way when Aether sweeps away the shells.
oh, he ... really is here to clean. ]
You can stay. [ she sounds a little ... shy, perhaps, but she has been a little lonely. then in a quick, decisive way, she says: ] I'll get the sheets.
[ it's as if she's looking something to do with herself, and she does know where a lot of random stuff is in this mess of a moving house. she's brushing off a few things onto the floor from a large chest and digging inside of it. ]
Sheets, sheets, where did you go...?
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It's not one right now. Not by Aether's standards, anyway, and he already thought that his standards were quite low, given the way that he and Lumine don't always both come home at the end of the day. (Too busy, too many factors of commerce to consider, and sometimes something like resignation in the way.) However outwardly beautiful this wizard Kaveh may be, the inside of his residence is a mess. Nutshells all over the floor and the counters; dust in places that haven't been dusted in years; no room for his roommates to eat properly; worst of all, a child in the mix, one that clearly thinks herself very independent because no one has ever been around for her to depend on them.
Perhaps Alhaitham does what he can? Or perhaps he can't be relied upon, either. From the sound of things, he is a hamster now and he was not always one before, so maybe he, too, is suffering from the same kind of despondence of spirit that results in homes like this. it would be hard to have once been a man and now be a hamster. It's just hard to tell if he's sad because he sounds so calm and collected when he speaks. And also, he's a cute, fluffy hamster.
Either way.
Aether sighs and decides that this isn't the kind of thing he'll turn a blind eye to, even if he's only here to clean, and even if Kaveh might, perhaps, also be able to turn him into a hamster. ]
Before we look for sheets, we should really clean things up first. Neither of you should be sleeping in all of this dust.
[ He brought his own tools because he always comes prepared for a job — thus, Aether at last sets down the bag that's been slung over his shoulder this whole time and opens it up. It's something of a suitcase with cleaning supplies in it; he's taking out a duster and a sort of handheld mop.
Thus far, Aether's been nothing but prim and proper and polite, but — he twirls the duster in his hand with a neat flick of his wrist, and that? Something about that is a threat. ]
I'm starting with your room. It's upstairs, right?
[ Aether is asking for her confirmation, but let's not be confused: his tone brooks no argument, and he's already marching up the stairs. ]
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or how he turns people into hamsters. ]
...
Huh?
[ it takes Dehya a moment, who's digging through a particularly deep antique-looking chest with gold trim for clean sheets (there's none, of course, they're all dirty). she has one in her hand, stained with different colors as she backs out of the chest, her hair a disarrayed mess. ]
My room?
[ it's as if she can't process what he's saying.
yes, her room is upstairs, and yes it's kinda-sorta a horrible mess, just like the rest of this place, but no one's ever tried to clean it before. Dehya looks like she's in slow motion, her face waxing and waning with emotion: surprise, disbelief, and she's about to be stubborn before she realizes Aether has a feather duster. ]
You ... [ her brain kicks into gear. ] You can't! No way!!
[ she suddenly scrambles up the stairs, two at a time, with a stained pillowcase caught in one of the dangles of her outfight. ]
There's stuff I gotta get! Don't come in yet!
[ a door somewhere upstairs slams hard enough that some stray dishes shake somewhere. ]
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[ It takes some doing. Or rather, it takes a lot of doing, because everything is dirty, and the entire castle is something of a hoarder's pigsty.
But Aether managed. There weren't clean sheets to be found anywhere, so he started with laundry, and then moved on to cleaning Dehya's room. She'd had more than enough time to move her haphazard trinkets into a wooden chest of some sort; it, too, was an absolute mess, but Aether decided to respect her autonomy and ruthlessly cleaned everything else. By the end of it, she'd seemed decently happy to have a cleared table to set her puzzles and toys on.
Somewhere along the way, even Alhaitham seemed vaguely moved. It was impossible to tell by his expression, of course — but maybe he, too, realized that he'd been living in a giant's mess for far too long. Or perhaps, given that he was the one who apparently hired Aether, he realized that well in advance and was simply trying to do something about it. But after watching Aether clean for a few hours, he'd scurried over to the end of his table, and demanded to be put in the young man's pocket. Then, when they'd wandered closer to the wet, hanging laundry, the hamster mumbled a few things, and then suddenly, all of it was dry.
Shockingly, Alhaitham hadn't really had a room of his own. He had a nest of sorts, a den in the parlor where he'd been eating nuts, but it was a little difficult for him to maintain it with his little hamster paws. Given that the hamster was in fact at one point a man, Aether saw fit to move some of Kaveh's things out of a different room, and repurposed it as Alhaitham's room.
The shelves in it will never be hamster-sized, but at the very least, Aether figures, the hamster-wizard should at least have a little bed of his own, and a cushion he can use as a couch, and a little box for a table, and curtains for privacy.
"Kaveh won't like that you've moved his things, though," the hamster rumbles, as he tumbles out of Aether's pocket and into his new, clean bed. ]
Well, he'll just have to deal with it. He's got two roommates to look after, this place can't all belong to him.
[ This is, of course, when the door clicks open. ]
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He's going to be really surprised when he comes home. I don't think he knows what it looks like under all this stuff.
[ it mirrors the sentiments Alhaitham says later, but perhaps Kaveh was due for a change.
it's not until late the next morning that there's a stir from outside of the castle.
the door jingles, the bells on hemp strings creating a sweet noise, but one that demands attention. the wizard Kaveh steps in as if those bells were a royal announcement of his presence, gliding through the door as if he were floating. at first, it's as if he doesn't notice the difference, and then he stops at a clear table top, running a hand over the wooden face, as if he didn't know that it were there at all. ]
Something's changed ....
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Dehya and Alhaitham are both late risers when left to their own devices, so even at this hour, they haven't tumbled out of their beds yet. (Perhaps sleeping in what feels like the comfort and care of a dedicated homemaker, too.) But Aether suspects that they'll be awake before long, so he's mulling over breakfast for the both of them, and also for himself.
What will Kaveh find? The handsome young cleaning-boy, apparently having made himself at home in his home, arranging eggs and produce in front of the stove, apparently a proponent of mise en place kitchen etiquette. He hasn't cracked the eggs yet, but he's heating a pan over the fire as he looks up and observes blandly: ]
Hello, Kaveh. Welcome home.
[ What happened to the awe and nervousness from their first meeting? Well. Going through a man's trash has a way of dispelling the mystique from him. As beautiful as Kaveh is, Aether is now quite confident that the man is also a lunatic and a mess.
The rumors of him devouring the hearts of beautiful maidens no longer intimidate the young man. So what if he eats girls' hearts? He's a slob! ]
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the morning sun peeks through the curtains, and where dust motes used to dance, the beams only highlight Aether's hard work. from the look of it, Kaveh had a long night, but he still regains a certain elegance to his step as he quietly surveys the re-organization of his beloved castle. ]
You even unearthed this gaudy thing ...
[ he turns a little mechanism over in his hands, which seems to be some sort of astrological globe that works by encompassing some sort of spell. it spins quietly between his fingers before he sets it down. ]
Quite the work you've done.
[ it's hard to gauge his emotions as he floats around the room in his own fashion, as if all the anxiety he had before he left had left him in some passing summer breeze.
his footsteps are quiet, and before Aether can react, the beautiful blond man is standing behind him, hovering just in his personal space over his shoulder. long, artists' fingers pluck the egg from his palm and crack it once against the side of the pan. then the next. perhaps he's not as inept at keeping house as he seems. leaning down, halfway close to Aether's ear, he says quietly. ]
Why don't you have a seat? I can take it from here. I bet it's been a while since you've had a break.
[ he's got a certain ease, even as he's as close as he is. while the eggs sizzle, he takes a few steps back away from Aether to find a few steaks of ham left out on the counter.
it gives Aether a little breathing room. ]
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...I'm alright. It's my job.
[ Nevertheless, Aether sinks into a nearby chair at the dining table, slightly pink-cheeked but content for the moment to take in the beautiful figure of the eccentric sorcerer performing his domestic duties. He isn't really tired, given that he hasn't been up for that long, but as he rolls his shoulders, it does occur to him that he spent a surprisingly long time cleaning yesterday. ]
Are you tired? You were out all night... Is there anything I can get you?
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Nothing a cup of coffee won't fix.
[ he manages to make everything he does look easy. maybe it's the effortless way he has his arm slung over his waist beneath his jacket, or the way his hair always seems to frame his face without a strand out of place.
the smells come together in something that seems warm, like a house should be. ]
When your boss offers you a reprieve, you should take it. Nothing stays quiet around here for long.
[ he leans back against the counter as everything cooks, as if he were taking just a moment for himself. ]
I wanted to ask you why you answered the ad? I know the rumors about me, and they didn't seem like enough to keep you away.
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[ It's not really proper form to tell one's employer about the need for money, but Aether figures it's not proper form to lie to a sorcerer, either. Besides, it's not as though anyone could expect any other answer, surely? ]
But — I guess I also just wasn't that scared of you. The rumors about you aren't very coherent, so I figured most of them aren't true. Hoarding treasures, womanizing, eating the hearts of beautiful girls...
[ Trailing off, Aether wonders vaguely if Kaveh wants him to make that cup of coffee, but then he was also very authoritative about characterizing himself as Aether's boss, so the young man decides to just stay seated and continue watching Kaveh cook. Absent of other things to do, he calmly rests his hands on both of his thighs, sitting somewhat stiff and upright. ]
I'm not a beautiful girl, so I figured I'd be fine... But I see you really do hoard treasure.
[ A gentle jab at the amount of clutter in the castle... ]
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Hm? [ he tilts his head over his shoulder, brushing a few of the blond strands behind his ear. he's worn a thin, but his face is still bright when he smiles. ] I do like treasure.
[ that's easy to admit, he quite likes all of his little trinkets that he's picked up during the years. some are ancient artifacts, some were built by him, others he paid far too much for at the merchants' markets.
as the coffee brews, he picks up the little device he was holding a moment before, admiring it. for the barest moment, he's lost in distraction, but when the coffee simmers, he finishes the task and slides a cup over to Aether. ]
You're rather hard on yourself, I think you'd make a fine treasure. I'd know, the rumors say I have quite an eye for it.
[ Kaveh serves breakfast, and slides into the seat effortlessly.
before Aether can get in a proper reply, Dehya is already peeking her head around the corner, her eyes wide as she catches the scent of what could only be breakfast. a proper breakfast.
she's already scampering across the room to go collect Alhaitham so he can have some ... too? can hamsters have eggs? he can have some yummy seed bread, at least. ]
Quite the stir this morning ...
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The young blond watches in silence, sort of faintly amused, in the way that one will often be amused by the antics of children. Dehya is cute, running up the stairs in her childish way (children have this particular way of running that is very foot-forward — practically stomping) to go rouse Alhaitham. It's not even a minute before she's stomping back downstairs with the hamster held between both her palms. He's round and grey and fluffy and fat. Well, maybe he's not actually fat for a hamster, but even Aether isn't immune to his cuteness. Vaguely, he wonders what Alhaitham was like as a man. With his relatively deep voice... perhaps he was older? Bearded? Grizzled?
Regardless. Alhaitham harrumphs when he sees Kaveh — Aether surmises that their relationship is as fraught as ever — but he also seems pleased by the possibility of real breakfast. Seed bread, instead of just Ajilenakh Nuts!
(Aether gets up in the meantime, to tend to him and warm up the bread. It is possible that this goes against Kaveh's desire to make him comfortable, but then, the new housekeeper seems most at ease when he is doing something.) ]
Good morning, good morning, good morning. Did you all sleep well?
[ "Well enough," Alhaitham grumbles, in a voice that — if he were human — would be that of a man who has yet to have his coffee. Unfortunatey, because he is a hamster, he cannot have coffee. But a hamster can dream. "Though I see the master of the house has returned from his dalliances. A pity. What did you get into this time, Kaveh? Is the king asking you to go to war again?" ]
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Kaveh leans back, his expression flinching now that there's a hamster in the room. while Kaveh doesn't seem particularly hateful toward the small creature (even he has to admit that he likes him better like this, at least he's cute), Alhaitham's voice is still grating. ]
Insistently. [ Kaveh grumbles into his coffee. ] It's gotten ridiculous. Their war machines aren't enough for them anymore, they have to find more efficient way of promoting suffering. I got correspondence that my engineering skills were required, as if trying to force me to fight wasn't enough.
[ he pauses. ]
I won't be able to dodge them for much longer; I'll need to come up with something, eventually. I have half a mind to take us into the rain forest where no one can find us until this nasty ordeal has passed.
[ then he sighs. ]
If you weren't like this, the king would be requesting your attendance as well.
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Aether chooses that moment to turn back and bring the hamster his warm seed bread. To placate his bad mood, the new housekeeper even goes so far as to break apart the bread in front of the man-turned-rodent, so that Alhaitham's little paws can rip at its soft insides. Deftly, Aether also deshells an Ajilenakh Nut and puts some small slices of fruit along the side of Alhaitham's plate. A feast for a king — or at least, one somewhat smaller than the king who is the current subject of conversation. ]
...I didn't know the war was so... bad. The papers only ever write about the kingdom's victories.
[ "It's bad. The situation's been grim for months," Alhaitham quips, visibly less angry about his stubby legs now that he can sit on his rear and consume a breakfast larger than his own body. "Both countries are at a stalemate, and the king's strategists prioritize political sway over sense. I warned the council that they were headed in that direction months ago. Told them to sort their own problems out. Then, since they couldn't get me to play their game, they started targeting Kaveh."
Alarmed, Aether looks curiously over at Kaveh with concern writ into his wide golden eyes. ]
Are you sure you'll be alright?
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For now.
After all, that's the sort of thing the king likes to do. I doubt he'd pull the "victory" headline from the press until the bombs are on his doorstep. It won't be him that would feel the worst of that, of course.
[ Kaveh sighs and drinks his coffee.
(across the table Dehya seems to pause at the conversation, as if something of those words between Aether and Kaveh has caught her attention. it affects her for the briefest moment, where she wilts as if a memory was dredged up with all the cleaning, and then sates herself with a big bite of bacon and eggs.)
against the table, Kaveh taps his fingers in rhythm, thinking. ]
Perhaps I'll take us into the dessert, instead. There are some ruins that looked promising – both as a point of inspiration as well as excavation. Very difficult to get to, hm hm hm ...
[ then he gets up, as if he's been renewed. ]
That's it! After breakfast, we'll be moving.
[ he announces ... just like ... that.
some egg falls off of Dehya's fork. ]
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"Moving," grunts the hamster, slightly muffled, as he's snout-deep in a bit of bread. ]
Moving? [ Their new house cleaner seems a bit perplexed. Poor young Aether just got here, and now he's being asked to relocate for his job?
Well... he is a bit worried about Lumine, but he also knows full well that his sister will be fine on her own; this isn't something that he wasn't prepared to do, all in all. Putting his hands on his hips, the blond young man turns to Kaveh, quizzical. ]
But — where are you planning to move? Not to the desert you just mentioned, surely?
[ Surely that's no place to raise a little girl! (Er, unless that's where she came from? Aether spares Dehya a glance.) How they're planning to move is also a concern, here, but Aether thinks he knows the answer to that... they don't call it a moving castle for no reason, right? ]
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Are you not partial to the heat, the sand perhaps? As unfriendly of a place that it may be, the important part is that it's far enough away that no one will find us there.
[ then he looks Aether up and down, as if something's dawned on him. he smacks his lips, pursing them together and regarding him as if he were some building that needed rework. ]
Did you not bring the proper garments for a desert excursion? That won't be a problem, I can arrange for whatever you'd fancy to be sent here. If you'd like to pick it out yourself, we can take a daytrip to the closest trading post. I'll make the arrangements.
[ the blond man turns on his heels, as if his work here were completely done and he hadn't left his friends and new housekeeper somewhat aghast. there's a small, hidden staircase behind one of the bookcases that Kaveh sinks into, taking the first step down like a man melting into the floor. ]
Oh, yes – Dehya, would you show our new guest how to use the door when you have a spare moment? Feel free to take some coin and get some provisions, as well as new clothing for yourselves.
[ there's a soft hum as he disappears completely, Dehya tilting her head and nodding at the request.
"Don't worry," she says to Aether. "You'll never be too far, but we can be where ever we want."
(tax evasion.) ]
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[ Aether's flustered for so many reasons. One, the possibility of a complete relocation; two, the fact that he doesn't know how the relocation would work; three, the unexpectedly generous offer from Kaveh to, what, buy him new clothes? — and four, is he actually supposed to go with them?
He's made so much progress inside the castle already that he doesn't want to abandon the cleaning efforts, however. Moreover, he also doesn't want to abandon all of them when he has the sense that Dehya's and Alhaitham's well-being now depends on him (Kaveh's just might, too, but they haven't had as much time to bond). Kaveh disappears before Aether can get answers out of him, but it's just as well: Dehya pops up to offer explanations in his stead. ]
What did he mean, "how to use the door"? Isn't a door just a door?
[ A door isn't just a door when it's in a wizard's home, and he knows that. But Dehya seems to know about this, so surely she can explain. Aether will even let her take his hand, if she needs to. ]
Is this one of his spells again?
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"The door can take us a lot of places, even back to the city. Or lots of cities, really. It's kind of like –"
then, the castle begins to slow down, then lurch, and Dehya perks up. if her hair ears were real, they'd be twitching.
"Oh, he's starting it already. Umm – we should hurry. We're really going to start moving soon," she worries her lower lip, and apologizing under her breath she grabs Alhaitham by the full fuzzy body. it's been a long time since he had a breakfast, so she's hesitant to disturb his, but if she doesn't put him somewhere safe, he could possibly go flying and never be found in the mass of junk until they dig him out.
gently, despite looking a little frantic, Dehya lowers the little grumpy hamster into Aether's hand.
"Could you find a place for him so he doesn't get lost? Then find something to hold onto, okay?"
then she hurries off to strap the table to the floor, in some feeble attempt to keep one thing stable once the whole castle starts to move. there are hints of it now: the way the walls seem to move, the roll of the floor, the slight speed that the castle picks up, then slows down again, as if it's testing its legs toward a sprint. ]
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He barely has any sense of what's going on, but the rumbling of the castle soon clues him in. Right. The rumors did speak of Kaveh's moving castle, after all. Aether suddenly understands why the dining table has a number of odd-looking arches and belts at the base.
Acting quickly — it seems that their newly hired housekeeper could have been a mercenary or a soldier in another life — Aether straps the table to the floor in record time, right before the castle picks up enough momentum to send nearly everything else careening to one end of the room.
(Their breakfast, Aether thinks, is unsalvageable — at least up until a very small barrier goes up around the table's surface to, at the very least, prevent their food from crashing to the floor. Alhaitham is still capable of little spells, just nothing that would exceed the limits of his hamster body. Also, his priority is clearly to preserve that proper breakfast he hasn't had in ages. His seed bread! His warm seed bread!)
Quickly, before she can get too far, Aether finds Dehya and pulls her into his arms, protecting her head against his chest. If she protests or wiggles, well, that's her problem — she'll soon find out that a little girl is no match against a grown young man, no matter how delicate or slight he seems at first glance. ]
How long does this last?
[ His tone is sharp and alert. ]
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"Oh – um ..." she starts, the knickknacks jingling and lighting in the castle flickering around them. some have a unnatural predisposition to stay somewhat in place, rocking on their edge and not quite toppling, a few others are forgotten, and roll across the decorative tiles. it is a wizard's castle, after all, and there's a poignant sort of absurdity to the way that the objects within it react.
"Um ... It's like getting out of a chair," Dehya says, sounding unsure. Kaveh said the desert, so they're most likely heading to the desert. "Once it settles down you can walk a little, but getting going is always like this. We'll probably be moving for a bit."
at least Aether has saved her a few moving castle bruises.
then she wiggles in his arms and brightens. "Do you want to see the scenery as it goes by? I have a special place that I can show you. Don't worry, I promise not to throw you over the side!"
(like maybe she's thrown people over the side before?) ]
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He relaxes a little. Looking back down at Dehya, he gives her a smile in response to her own sunny excitement, pats her head a little, and nods. ]
Sure, I'd love to see it. Show me the way?
[ Even if it sounds like she's thrown people over the side before... he adjusts his hold around her body so that he's only holding her hand instead. ]
You might have to guide me there, I'm not sure I could walk right now without falling over. But I might get the knack of it after watching you.
[ He almost goes to unbutton the pocket where he's got Alhaitham stashed away, but the hamster only harrumphs. "Keep me in here," he grumbles. "I'll want to finish my breakfast after the rumbling subsides."
Aether pauses. Ah... right. As a person, all this rolling and bouncing probably isn't so bad, but as a hamster, it must be intolerable. Perhaps poor Alhaitham is a little motion sick... ]
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she somewhat impatiently waits for Aether to collect himself.
"The two of us are closer to the ground! That means it's easier!" she says, like a praise to their shortness. "C'mon, c'mon!"
even while prodding across the kitchen and to the stairs, she keeps a tight hold of his hand, grasping on to the banister and taking the stairs carefully so they both don't go tumbling down in a pile of limbs and bruises. she pads across the hallway, around her room, left of the esteemed wizard's private quarters, and to a balcony barely covered in delicate, embroidered curtains (it must have been left overs from some fabric Kaveh liked).
as if she were unveiling a new piece of art, she boldly pushes back the curtains to reveal the scenery just outside. they're at the edge of one of the rainforest, the wind pricked with drew as the legged castle dashes across the treeline. in the far depths of the trees there are waterfalls catching the light and flashing rainbows as they pass, leaves of great trees towering far above the size of the already rather large wizardly abode.
"If you look in the treetops, sometimes you can see them!" Dehya babbles excitedly, as if she's never had anyone to show or tell any of this before, and someone can finally have the experience with her. "Little aranara! They're real."
it's hard to make out whether or not it's a trick of the trees and the humidity, or if it's truly little plant people scattered above, watching them pass. Dehya waves anyway, her other hand grasping tightly into the banister of the overhang.
they're moving quickly enough that the horizon seems closer and closer, and soon the treeline will become patchy as they head to the desert. ]
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Grimacing (at his shortness), Aether follows along with Dehya's whims as best as he can, meeting her impatience with his own serenity. He holds tight to her hand, but he does his best to support Alhaitham in his pocket with his other hand so that the poor hamster-man doesn't have to be so motion sick. They make their way around the castle, passing mystical artifacts and beautiful, eccentric curtains over to the balcony where —
Oh.
Wow.
For a moment, Aether is stunned. He would have never seen such a beautiful sight if he'd stayed his whole life in the city, toiling over hats and struggling to make ends meet. But here — with the height of the castle to assist him, and the glorious green rainforest spread lush out beneath them, with the sky overhead and the sun casting everything in a dazzling gold lacquer.
It's breathtaking. For a moment, Aether has absolutely nothing to say.
Then he sees the Aranara down in their treetops, and he lets out a delighted laugh. ]
Oh — they're so cute! [ He's breathless, excited. ] And you all live like this? It's wonderful!
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"Huh? You do too now. Home can go where ever you want!"
even if Aether hasn't been here for long, Dehya seems to have decided, already, that he's here to stay.
"It feels good being free. Kaveh said that no one can tell you what to do, and if they do, then we can just go somewhere else."
Kaveh seems to have a bit of an issue running away from his own problems, and perhaps that's just why the castle itself was created: to remove himself from the laws of the nation, the responsibility of being a wizard, and from the debt that follows him everywhere. still, some things loom behind him, and some things get left behind.
the view is spectacular even into the desert, as the root-wrapped legs of the castle gently pry over larger rocks across clay and rocky barriers where the vegetation is sparse. the castle itself seems to adjust naturally from the rainforest to the desert, the vents around them beginning to come to life to allow airflow, mounts outside the windows extending for shade.
the castle begins to slow down as the great anchors of feet slowly walk across the sand, taking much more effort to lift one by one. despite the efforts made for the heat, once the sun dips below the horizon, it begins to get chilly. Dehya goes digging for a few blankets.
"We should get something for Mr. Alhaitham, small guys get cold fast, don't they?" ]
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As they sat and watched the view transition from the rainforest to the desert, the hamster crawled up from Aether's pocket and into his shirt; the blond decided not to mind this in the least, because Alhaitham was fluffy and warm, and the scrabble of his paws against skin, while rather ticklish, was also very endearing. Now Alhaitham is nestled against his collarbone, balancing in the collar of his shirt; Aether has had to resist the urge to lean down and press a kiss to the hamster's head, right between his ears. He's so fluffy! "But you should get a blanket for yourself and for Aether."
It was — it seems like the first time Alhaitham has said Aether's name out loud, and it makes the young man laugh quietly, catching Alhaitham's fluffy body in the warmth of his neckline as he does so. ]
Or we could just go inside and finish our breakfast, no? The seed bread's probably gone cold.
[ Aether gives in to temptation and really does give Alhaitham a little smooch; the hamster harrumphs but does not refuse the gesture. It seems he'll accept anything so long as Aether's body is the thing keeping him warm. Smiling, the blond turns his gaze back to the young girl rummaging for blankets. ]
I'll help you heat it back up again. Don't worry. Your plate too, Dehya.
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[ Dehya babbles excitedly, her voice bouncing off of the walls as she scurries down the stairs quickly to do what she can to help. she backtracks once or twice, cracking open a couple windows open to allow the chilly desert air to fill the now dormant castle, as if it needed to be replaced. curiously, no sand seems to make its way in, and the longer it sits, the greenery tangled over fine machinery getting bushier – greener, somehow.
perhaps the castle isn't just a work of machinations and Kaveh's magic, as it almost seems to be alive in these moments of rest.
Dehya helps to get the plates sorted out as Aether reheats their breakfasts ("for dinner!!" she keeps shouting). after all her shyness, she seems to thrive in company. they eat their fill, and even while Dehya tries to keep herself awake, she's already drifting on her feet an hour after "breakfast for dinner" and a cup of warm milk.
"We'll go over the rest tomorrow," she says with a yawn, her little feet making lazy stomping noises up the stairs as she drags herself to her room.
when she's gone the place is oddly quiet, only filled with the hum of the nocturnal desert creatures that take curiosity with what could be a new home. ]