this is no place, but here I am

[kingsroads]

Who: John Childermass & Jonathan Strange
Where: Childermass's trailer
When: day 161
What: Strange got canon updated! as such, he & Childermass are going to actually talk about things for once.
Warnings: none, will edit if needed

It took Strange a few minutes to regain his bearings now that he was back in the carnival. He had gone home, he had delivered that box to Childermass, he had brought magic back to England, helped destroy a fiend of a faerie, and most importantly of all, he had saved Arabella. And? He got cursed for his troubles, trapped in a tower of darkness with his mentor turned enemy turned friend. But the faerie's curse was only tied to his world and apparently not the carnival. Because as soon as Strange arrived back on carnival grounds, he felt something lift. The curse was still there, lingering on his person, but not actively hurting him anymore. And what a relief that was.

He still looks far too tired, though. Almost dying does that to a person!

And it's after those moments where he regains his bearings, checks to see how long he's been gone, and reunites with his daemon (they were still in Greysol? All the better) that Strange realizes there's one person he desperately needs to see: Childermass. How much of all this did he know? How much of all this did Strange need to tell him? Because of course he was going to tell Childermass what happened, even if Childermass was now further behind than he was. Strange wasn't the sort to keep a secret in the first place.

So instantly, he makes his way towards a mirror, intent on just barging in on Childermass's trailer...before Strange pauses, thinks again, and decides no, he should actually knock this time. As such, he makes his way to the supervisor's grove on foot. And once at the trailer, Strange loudly knocks on the door. "Childermass? Are you in?"

Comments

[kingsroads]

Well of course he can't read himself, books don't have eyes. Strange, unfortunately, is still stuck in a 'literal book' mindset, failing to realize that Childermass is talking about a person. As such, he still finds the situation quite funny and that smile still plays on his face.

"I assume you've already got ideas in mind of where to find a key?"

Because of course he would. This is Childermass. The man never did anything rash of halfway thought out.

[atouts]

And that's the mindset Childermass will leave him in until he either asks or figures it out himself. There is some minor humor to it, how Strange must be picturing a literal drunken book. The question about the key, though, now that he's surprised the other magician hasn't figured out yet.

He raises his eyebrows at Strange over it, stating, "Why do you even think I'm here, Mr. Strange?"

[kingsroads]

In Strange's defense, he's known this book existed for all of five minutes. Still, he puts the pieces together fairly quickly, giving Childermass a wry smile as he leans back in his seat.

"How I wish I would be there when you'd have to explain how you obtained the key. I'm sure half of them still have their thoughts poisoned by Norrell's thoughts on the fae. You'll have arguments for days!"

Because that's why Childermass is here: a year and a day to figure out how to translate the damn thing. And yes, Strange will reluctantly admit that Norrell may have been right with regards to certain aspects of the fae...but that little petty part of him doesn't really want to admit it.

[atouts]

Oh, that very thought only gives Childermass a brief flicker of dismay. He hadn't actually thought how how he would explain where the key came from, but now that Strange mentions it, he can only react by shaking his head. No, no, absolutely not.

"If you think I'll be telling them anything about this misadventure, you really are still mad," he tells him. "Mr. Segundus and Mr. Honeyfoot, perhaps, but maybe not even them. Better to let everyone assume I found it while searching the farthest reaches of the Raven King's kingdom than to bring up faeries, of all things."

[kingsroads]

"Then I'll simply tell them myself when I return to England. After all, I plan on telling Mister Norrell about this."

But that's different and Strange knows it. It's best to not hide one's experiences with the fae when you and your friend are possibly going to be dealing with the fae for the next who knows how long. Back in England...he's certainly somebody will end up summoning a faerie. There's too much magic there and too many people who follow his ideas for it to not happen. But at least for Childermass, it's less of an inherent danger than it is for Strange.

"Still though, you should tell them eventually. If only because some of my exploits would serve as what not to do!"