where shall i begin?

[small_magics]

Isibel is without her loves, her mints, her enchannels.

She does have a coin stash. A reasonably large one, in her beloved's shifting geode colors, and a few in the higher denominations imported from Rainbow; she can make small ones herself. And she is still linked to her beloveds - she can still access Ansharil's magic, is still a functional elfmage.

And unlike any other Bell cast adrift without her convenient masochist(s), Isibel can enchant alone. It's the simplest application of hyperfocus: contemplate her spell and wake up again with it complete. Channeling through oneself leaves no lingering discomfort after the initial burst, and she can fail entirely to attend to that initial burst.

And -

She is reasonably well recovered from her earlier breakage.

It seems to her that it is time to do some... Belling, although she has not yet decided how to start.

She teleports from her folded-in-on-itself enchanted village to the town in which Magania resides, and there she looks for the other elf, who has given such good counsel in the past and already knows of the features of Bells.

Comments

[small_magics]

"I am uncertain what the best policy is for managing the details of my - extraworldly friends and adventures," says Isibel. "With the King or otherwise. Some Bells act with complete openness, others with secrecy, others with partial publicity about their power but full transparency about their deeds."

[pythbox]

"A thing that is not known may be told," says Magania, "but a thing that is known may not be hidden. It would be wise, I think, to tell all to the dragons and the King; beyond that, perhaps not yet."

[small_magics]

"...I remember with perfect clarity the King standing over me and my beloveds, suggesting that they die, in spite of my remarks about their benign nature and Liselen's prior words. Liselen's own presence sufficed to stay his hand, but - I have no other personal memory of the King, his judgment, or his... ability to handle the unfamiliar."

[pythbox]

"Then it may be that you will not tell him everything," says Magania. "And it may be that he will be wary of your promised immortality until you do. Perhaps Liselen could be some help to you there as well; I have heard that he was - most persuasive, when last he spoke with the King."

[small_magics]

"I shall speak to Liselen before the King, then, perhaps he will wish to join me."

[pythbox]

Magania nods, and sips her tea.

[small_magics]

Sip. Sip.

Eventually the tea is gone.

"I believe I would do best to seek Liselen sooner rather than later."

[pythbox]

"Perhaps that is true," says Magania. "Good luck."

[small_magics]

"Thank you for the tea and the advice." Isibel gets to her feet, leaves the house so as not to be standing around awkwardly while ensuring that Liselen has no company who will find her unpleasant, and says: [Liselen?]

[pythbox]

[Hi!] says Liselen.

[small_magics]

[Hello! I would speak with you, but do not wish to discomfit any other unicorns who may be in your company.]

[pythbox]

[Good call, I'm kind of surrounded,] he says. [What did you want to talk about? Should I meet you somewhere?]

[small_magics]

[I can go wherever you can appropriately receive me.]

[pythbox]

[Just a minute, then.]

A minute passes.

[Okay, you can come see me now.]

[small_magics]

Port.

[pythbox]

Liselen is quite alone, in the middle of a forest, with a herd of unicorns just barely in earshot to the north.

[small_magics]

"I See you. And would hear your advice on some of my ideas for improving Thilanushinyel, now that I am quite recovered from my previous breakage."

[pythbox]

"Ooh," says Liselen. "My advice, or the Wild Magic's?"

[small_magics]

"I am on the lookout for anything the latter may have to say, but your personal advice could also be relevant. Particularly - you were present on the one and only occasion I have met the King of the Elves. Some of the things I wish to do will be of scope sufficient to - warrant his attention."

[pythbox]

"I could call him a clod again," Liselen says brightly, swishing his tail. "'Cause it worked so well the first time."

[small_magics]

"I am hoping he will not behave in a cloddish manner again."

[pythbox]

"Yeah," he sighs, "me too. Okay. I'm with you there." He brightens a little. "Especially since I can actually have a conversation with him without feeling like my blood is made of ants!"

[small_magics]

"You invariably come up with such colorful metaphors to describe that sensation."

[pythbox]

"Might as well get something good out of it, right?"

[small_magics]

Isibel chuckles. "Magania also advised that I be on alert for notifications from the Wild Magic on the subject of popularizing the immortality research I recovered when I and my beloved defeated the most recent essay of the Darkness."