thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
Bella inventories the staff. She uses power from her marble, not because she's drained or needs a lot but because she's hoping to coax the staff into being helpful.

She finds two minimally useful divinations in the hour she's allotted to this project, and she takes an extra hour to wheedle them into knitting together, infusing a spare lens, and accepting power from the marble and only when looked through instead of from the staff and continuously. She puts the new lens - now a dark amber color - on the arm of her spectacles, and tests it out. Yes, she can see the staff calling for magic and her protections and the forest denying it with enough gentleness that it doesn't simply die. She feeds the staff a little personal witchery - she doesn't want it to die before she can really get to work on taking it apart - and then wraps it up and puts it away.

She goes looking for Tony.
allthebrightest: Smiling, fidgeting. (+= daddy's little rocket scientist)
Author: allthebrightest
Tony is working at the forge.
thaumobabble: (illusion)
Author: thaumobabble
...Bella decides she doesn't need Tony's attention immediately. She can just watch for a few minutes, right? Just a few.
allthebrightest: Smirking. (*= it's gonna be awesome)
Author: allthebrightest
Bella can watch as looooong as she wants.
thaumobabble: (divination)
Author: thaumobabble
"Hey," Bella says eventually, at what looks like a reasonable interruption point.
allthebrightest: Smiling affectionately. (*= okay. yeah. okay.)
Author: allthebrightest
"Hey," Tony says cheerfully. "What's up?"
thaumobabble: (cantrip)
Author: thaumobabble
"If you have time, I'd like it if you'd work with me on a new lens for my spectacles. I've been fighting with a dwarf spell intermittently for weeks, but I'd like to have it ready in time to go along with the delegation who's going to check out that wizard colony and get a better look at what's going on there, and I think your help would speed things up."
allthebrightest: Grinning. (*= competitive birthdays)
Author: allthebrightest
"Ooh. Sure!" says Tony.
thaumobabble: (invocation)
Author: thaumobabble
"Do you want to work on it here or someplace else? I don't know if the forge is particularly attuned to your dwarf magic or anything."
allthebrightest: Contemplative, holding a lit match. (+= playing with fire)
Author: allthebrightest
"Well, let's see what you've got so far. Might as well be here."
thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
"All right." Bella pulls out her notes on the spell - she's got a primary source on the original spell she's adapting, lots of material on putting seeing-spells into lenses in general, and then a lot of incoherent ranting at her notebook about the stupid uncooperative dwarf magic. "I recently had the idea of trying to enchant the frame of the lens - the iron bit that wraps around the glass - instead of the glass itself, but I don't even know where to start," she says, pulling a blank lens from one sleeve and putting it on top of the notes.
allthebrightest: Smiling, fidgeting. (+= daddy's little rocket scientist)
Author: allthebrightest
"I'm good with iron," Tony asserts.
thaumobabble: (counterspell)
Author: thaumobabble
Bella nods. "The trouble is, iron's not see-through. So the spell would have to be on the frame, but go through the space that the lens occupies. I could pop out the glass part, maybe, if that would help."
allthebrightest: Wary or unsure. (-= any day now I'm sure)
Author: allthebrightest
"Or you'd have to make the glass and the iron talk to each other," she muses.
thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
"Ooh. There's that," says Bella, grinning suddenly. "That could - ooh."
allthebrightest: Grinning. (*= competitive birthdays)
Author: allthebrightest
Tony beams.
thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
"Okay, what kind of outputs can you give this little twist of iron here?" Bella asks, picking up the lens and its frame that will hook onto the spectacle-arms when it's done. "I think I can get the glass to listen to most anything, I'm good with glass."
allthebrightest: Contemplative, holding a lit match. (+= playing with fire)
Author: allthebrightest
Tony checks Bella's primary source again, and then she picks up the frame and holds it in her hands, humming thoughtfully.
thaumobabble: (bewitched)
Author: thaumobabble
Bella produces her spectacles. "Feel free to have a look at any of these lenses," she says. "Or ask me about them. This one," she taps the wizard lens, "is new, I stole some divinations out of the staff I got."
allthebrightest: Smiling affectionately. (*= okay. yeah. okay.)
Author: allthebrightest
"Shiny," says Tony. "Mmmm. How about..."

She tries something.
thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
That doesn't get quite the desired result, and neither do the next fifteen variations, but by the end of a highly fun afternoon spent messing around with the lens, Bella clips it onto her spectacles, gets all the other lenses out of the way, and declares it, "Satisfactory!"
allthebrightest: Laughing. (*= because hell yes is why!)
Author: allthebrightest
Tony beams and kisses her.
thaumobabble: (charmed)
Author: thaumobabble
Eee, kisses! Bella is pleased.
allthebrightest: Smiling, fidgeting. (+= daddy's little rocket scientist)
Author: allthebrightest
Kisses kisses kisses!
thaumobabble: (cantrip)
Author: thaumobabble
Pleasedness pleasedness pleasedness!

"So I'll be going off with the delegation sometime in the next week," Bella eventually murmurs against Tony's neck. "I'm not sure how long we'll be gone. It is supposed to be part of learning politics, though."
allthebrightest: Smiling affectionately. (*= okay. yeah. okay.)
Author: allthebrightest
"Have fun," says Tony, snuggling her.
thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
"I think I will. Do you know who all's likely to be in such a delegation besides me, or do you not pay attention to that kinda thing?"
allthebrightest: Smirking. (*= it's gonna be awesome)
Author: allthebrightest
"I do not pay attention to that kinda thing!"
thaumobabble: (enchanted)
Author: thaumobabble
Bella laughs and kisses her again. "You're adorable."
allthebrightest: Grinning. (*= competitive birthdays)
Author: allthebrightest
"Awww." Snugglesnuggle. "So're you."
thaumobabble: (invocation)
Author: thaumobabble
Further snuggles ensue, then Bella asks, "What were you making when I interrupted?"
allthebrightest: Contemplative, holding a lit match. (+= playing with fire)
Author: allthebrightest
"Enchanted daggers," she says. "Just for fun."
thaumobabble: (counterspell)
Author: thaumobabble
"What are they enchanted to do?"
allthebrightest: Smiling affectionately. (*= okay. yeah. okay.)
Author: allthebrightest
"This one glows in the dark. That one finds water."
thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
"I can see why a glowing dagger would be a useful combination. I'm not sure how a dowsing one makes sense."
allthebrightest: Grinning. (*= competitive birthdays)
Author: allthebrightest
"I was just messing around."
thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
"What usually becomes of the stuff you make, when it's not for Sherlock?"
allthebrightest: Contemplative, holding a lit match. (+= playing with fire)
Author: allthebrightest
"Oh, I guess most of it ends up in the castle armory."
thaumobabble: (illusion)
Author: thaumobabble
"All appropriately labeled, I hope. I can think of situations where it would be bad to be surprised by a glowing-in-the-dark dagger feature."
allthebrightest: Smirking. (*= it's gonna be awesome)
Author: allthebrightest
She laughs. "Yeah, of course. And we keep the enchanted weapons separate from the ordinary ones, anything else is just asking for trouble."
thaumobabble: (hexes)
Author: thaumobabble
"Of course," Bella agrees. "Oh, darn it, I forgot to ask your mother about whether I could have a look at the sword. I suppose once I'm done with my moccasins and I'm ready to leave whenever the delegation does it will be a better time to inquire."
allthebrightest: Smiling affectionately. (*= okay. yeah. okay.)
Author: allthebrightest
"Yeah, probably," Tony agrees.
thaumobabble: (enchanted)
Author: thaumobabble
"I wonder if the fake leather's here yet. He did say it wouldn't be long." Nuzzle. "I'll go check."
allthebrightest: Smirking. (*= it's gonna be awesome)
Author: allthebrightest
"Okay!"

But first, one more kiss.
thaumobabble: (charmed)
Author: thaumobabble
Two more.

Then Bella's off to sew herself a new pair of shoes.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
The leather has indeed arrived!
thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
Hooray!

Bella gets out her moccasin pattern and has just started marking where she'll need to cut when it occurs to her that it's dinnertime, and she's probably allowed to eat with her fiancée's family.

She goes down to the kitchen, since she knows where that is.
calendarofcrime: Thoughtful or puzzled. (<= captures my attention)
Author: calendarofcrime
The kitchen contains Sherlock.
thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
"I can join the family for dinner, right?" Bella asks. "And how's the kitchen behaving for you?"
calendarofcrime: Thoughtful. (<= what is my name?)
Author: calendarofcrime
"The kitchen is lovely. I adore the kitchen. Yes, you may join us for dinner."
thaumobabble: (invocation)
Author: thaumobabble
"When is that?" Bella asks.
calendarofcrime: Grinning, amused. (!= not inclined to argue)
Author: calendarofcrime
"Shortly."
thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
Bella leans on the door of the kitchen and watches it behave itself for Sherlock. "It smells good," she observes.
calendarofcrime: Thoughtful. (<= what is my name?)
Author: calendarofcrime
"That it does."
thaumobabble: (cantrip)
Author: thaumobabble
"Do you usually do all the cooking, or just sometimes?" Pause. "Am I distracting you?"
calendarofcrime: Contented. (<= improvising on the violin)
Author: calendarofcrime
"I frequently cook, and you are a pleasant and acceptable distraction."
thaumobabble: (bewitched)
Author: thaumobabble
"I'm going to be going along on a delegation to have a second look at that wizard colony," Bella says. "As a sort of prelude to politics lessons."
calendarofcrime: Thoughtful or amused. (<= what a novel concept)
Author: calendarofcrime
"Interesting notion. I hope it's safe."
thaumobabble: (cantrip)
Author: thaumobabble
"I do too. Anyway, now I have two new lenses on my spectacles to have a better look at the magic around the place. Tony helped with one, saved me at least a week of wrestling with dwarf magic."
calendarofcrime: Grinning, amused. (!= not inclined to argue)
Author: calendarofcrime
"Ah, excellent. Do let me know if you find out anything interesting."
thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
"About the wizards? I will."
calendarofcrime: Sitting back, eyes closed. (== an extremity of idleness)
Author: calendarofcrime
Sherlock takes the time out of cooking to give her betrothed a kiss on the cheek.
thaumobabble: (divination)
Author: thaumobabble
Bella grins and returns the favor in a quick peck, but doesn't attempt to further distract her intended with physical affection. This time.
calendarofcrime: Beaming. (!= like a bolt of lightning)
Author: calendarofcrime
She smiles radiantly and gets back to work.
thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
Bella supervises hungrily. When dinner's ready, she follows Sherlock to the dining room.
calendarofcrime: Thoughtful or amused. (<= what a novel concept)
Author: calendarofcrime
Dinner is served!

Dinner is delicious.
thaumobabble: (spellbound)
Author: thaumobabble
"Mmmm," sighs Bella after her first bite of dinner, and she leans over and kisses Sherlock on the cheek again before falling to in earnest.

Between dinner and desert, Bella ventures to say: "Your Majesty, I was able to get some divinations out of the wizard staff and put them into a lens, and Tony was able to help me finish a dwarven lens as well, so I'm a bit ahead of schedule. After I finish my new pair of moccasins, probably tomorrow midday, I was wondering if there was any chance I could have a look at the sword?"
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"To what end?" inquires the queen.
thaumobabble: (cantrip)
Author: thaumobabble
"With the spectacles I can see a lot of details about magic things," Bella explains. "I just want to look at it and take notes, I know perfectly well I can't touch it now."
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"I see," says the queen. "I'll think about it."
thaumobabble: (spellbound)
Author: thaumobabble
"Thank you," says Bella.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
She smiles.
thaumobabble: (Default)
Author: thaumobabble
"Actually, the original reason I left home was to have a look at the Skyvault. There was no question of anybody marrying me till a bit later," Bella says conversationally with a smile at Tony.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Aha," says the queen. "My daughters do move fast, don't they?"
thaumobabble: (enchanted)
Author: thaumobabble
"The idea came together pretty quickly," agrees Bella.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Things tend to, around the girls."
thaumobabble: (charmed)
Author: thaumobabble
Bella smiles and resumes eating dinner.