lostcarnival | this is no place, but here I am

Entry tags:

this is no place, but here I am

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?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nothing has every truly called Childermass's attention to the hole in his own memory. It's a small one, to be sure, one that simply doesn't come up for much reason. It made more sense to him that he had simply found Vinculus alive, getting him down from the tree in the nick of time, but for some reason he finds himself thinking about that moment as Strange rattles out his description of the Raven King.

It becomes less a matter of seeming so damn serious about it to more like he isn't even paying attention at all. If anything, he looks more uneasy and unfocused now than anything else. Why is he thinking back to that time? That moment? Sure, it involved the Raven King's book, but that has nothing to do with—

Thankfully, the kettle going off jolts him out of whatever his mind must have wandered to and he refocuses on Strange, blinking.

"Ah..." From there, he turns quickly to move the water from one coil to another before flipping the stovetop off.

Pythia hops back some as he does this, chiming in quietly, "Are you alright?"

To which Childermass gives a noncommital answer of, "Why wouldn't I be?" Before turning to go track down a pair of mugs from the cupboards. He carries on like nothing happened since he would rather pretend as such. "And then what? The Raven King answered your summons, but he didn't stay?"

As Childermass goes to get the kettle and Pythia starts up a conversation with him, Siobhan lightly nudges Strange's foot. "We need to—"

"Ask him about what happened while we were trapped," he murmurs in return. "Yes, we do need to do that." Because staring off into space, losing track of the conversation to think about something else? That's a very un-Childermass like thing for the man to do...which only makes Strange wonder why it happened in the first place.

But, Childermass asked a question, so he will answer. Strange nods before he continues talking. "That's correct. Norrell and I tried to coax the Raven King back by placing all of English magic in his hands. Though something went wrong with the spell and we placed English magic in the hands of Sir Walter Pole's butler instead." Yeah! That was a thing! A thing that Strange still has no idea why it happened in the first place and is obviously confused about. What about the nameless slave, the king in the north, caused the spell to latch onto Pole's butler, of all people?

"Everything worked out in the end, though. Norrell and I traveled to faerie, I rescued Arabella, and the butler struck back against the fiend that had captured her." Strange's tone of voice implies that he's ending the story there, despite the fact that there's a few questions lingering about that Childermass will undoubtedly want the answer to.

As un-Childermass like as it had been for him to do, it appears the strange unfocused pause has already passed from his own thoughts. There's no further oddness and, in fact, here's a part where Childermass himself can fill in a little of the story. While he obviously can't answer why trying to call the Raven King back got them one Stephen Black instead of John Uskglass, he does add as he puts the tea together into the mugs he's pulled down, "Their butler had been similarly enchanted, so it at least makes sense why he would want to be rid of the faerie as much as anyone else."

Tea poured, he'll bring them over and take a seat on the other side of the kitchenette table, careful not to step on Siobahn as he does. He'll set a mug down in front of Strange.

"No milk or sugar, I'm afraid," he says as he does so, "I've not yet thought to stock much else in here."

Which is something he should do eventually, seeing how he has so much more space to himself in a supervisor's trailer than he ever did out in the general backyard. That's something to think on for another time, though. As he gets settled at the table, Pythia flits over to join them, taking up a perch on Childermass's shoulder once more. She'll huddle close to him after landing and he'll absently reach up to absently pet the feathers along her neck.

"But I do not understand what you mean by placing all of English magic in anyone's hands, either the Raven King's or the butler's. There's still magic in England. More than anyone is capable of dealing with now, for that matter."

Edited (edit b/c google says english use milk and not cream??? idek man idek i'm not a tea scientist) 2017-10-02 05:37 (UTC)

As Childermass sets the tea down, Strange picks up the mug. He simply holds it for a bit, just wanting to feel the warmth through his hands. As he does so, Siobhan lifts her head up so that she can rest it on the table, keeping Pythia and the magicians in sight.

"It was an attempt at being respectful and trying to get the Raven King's attention again. The spell was for the rocks, the trees, et cetera, to place their magic in his hands as an attempt at showing fealty to their true king. Maybe then he would come back to Hurtfew and we could petition him once more." Because summoning the Raven King was impressive and all, but at the time, that didn't solve the problem of Arabella being trapped in faerie.

Though, Strange can't help but smile wryly, taking a little sip of his tea. "And yes, I know there's plenty of magic in England. I was the one who opened those doors in the first place."

Yes, he would know, because he did, and it's hardly a shock that he would look so smug about it, at that. Childermass refrains from rolling his eyes since he actually is grateful for magic's return. That doesn't mean, however, that he won't point out, "And left me far too many new magicians who also all think they know better than I do, for that matter."

With no great library of books on magic to fall back on or to help teach them with. It's an interesting dilemma, to be sure, though not one he has to worry about for now. The carnival is outside of that time and space, so it'll stay until he can get back to it.

"All the better," Strange remarks. That smug smile fades into a smaller, more gentle smile as he continues talking. "England is full of magicians. Anybody who wants to use magic should be able to do so."

Granted, Childermass is still right: it would probably be better should Norrell or Strange be there in the first place, if only because some of the new magicians would be liable to listen to them than to Childermass. But it's not like they could do anything about it now, could they. After all, Strange doesn't have any idea how to break the curse in the first place.

"You'll do fine, though. You managed to keep one magician out of trouble for who knows how many years, you should be able to wrangle a few less troublesome magicians."

Magic returning to England, the end goal Childermass had always been after. Eighteen years and then some to get there, at least in his case, but he's still a private man. As much as it would be possible, now, to share that goal with Strange, the idea of sharing it with anyone at all is still a new one. No one's ever known what he was after, putting up with Norrell for as long as he did.

So, he won't. Instead, he'll simply point out, "With the help of Mr. Segundus, certainly, but it will be some time yet before they look at me and see an equal."

And therein lies the real problem, but he doesn't actually sound too worried about it. It just is what it is. He'll adapt.

"As it is, I do have more important things to deal with than whatever nonsense they'll undoubtedly get up to."

He takes a sip of his tea as Childermass talks, but that can't hide the small grimace on Strange's face as Childermass mentions one of the banes of his existence: the English class system. Because he's right! Though the two men are both magicians (and, in the privacy of his own thoughts, Strange will admit that he probably thinks Childermass the better magician), there will still be those in England who refuse to listen to a servant, even if that servant has been privy to the ins and outs of English magic.

Despite the nonchalant tone, Strange knows this is going to suck for Childermass. and that grimace acknowledges the fact that yeah, Strange knows this is going to suck. But the other man mentions one conversation thread that Strange can't help but latch onto.

"Perhaps you can tell me about the more important things?" Strange hopefully asks.

This is sheer nosiness on Strange's part. Childermass has always had an agenda, that much is obvious, but maybe now that he's brought magic to England then shunted out of the way due to the curse, Strange would be able to figure out more about what that agenda is.

Considering the threat to Childermass's own point in time is gone along with Hurtfew, Norrell, and Strange all, discovering his agenda is going to be far easier than even the other magician may have suspected. It's something he's struggled with, the idea of sharing what he's found with either Mr. Norrell or Mr. Strange. In the end, though, he had meant to drag Vinculus back to Hurtfew, to them, and now he's left the unbearable drunkard with Mr. Segundus and the other magicians for the time being.

So when Strange hopefully asks, Childermass will lean closer, just what little he can from across a table even though it means putting his elbows up on the tabletop to do so.

"I found it," he says and, while it's somewhat uncharacteristic for him to let anything even remotely like excitement show, he can't help it. It's there. Just a bit of it. He won't grin, but he certainly looks like he wants to. "The Raven King's book. After years of searching, I finally found it, just before you vanished along with Hurtfew Abbey."

And that's likely not to be a coincidence, but what it means exactly isn't something he yet knows.

Well, well, well. So a thing like that actually existed? Strange had heard rumors, whispers, occasional references to it in one of Norrell's books (and he knows that there would be more references to it in Norrell's other books, the ones he never read) but he honestly didn't know the book was real in the first place. And for Childermass to find it? Normally, Strange would write it off as a stroke of luck and leave it at that. But for Childermass to find it just before he vanished...Strange frowns before vocalizing the other magician's faults.

"I wonder...you finding the book before Hurtfew Abbey vanishes. English magic being put in the hands of Sir Walter Pole's butler. Hurtfew Abbey having all the necessary components to summon the Raven King in the first place. And then later, both of us arriving here and signing on to the same faerie carnival, independently of each other. It's all too neat to be a series of coincidences."

But what that means exactly, Strange also doesn't know. He only knows that it's a worrying feeling, having aspects of your life line up in such a neat way. Still, there's more to talk about than just these coincidences which probably aren't. And Strange does want to learn about this book. "What does the book say?"

All a part of the Raven King's spell, perhaps, so Childermass won't scoff at the idea. He also won't suggest such an idea. Neither Strange or Norrell would be able to accept it, he imagines, that their actions were somehow not entirely their own. If it were himself — and at this point, it has been, at least once — he might be similarly annoyed, but only if it was anyone besides John Uskglass. That's the man he has always truly been in the service of, even if he never deigns to meet him. Knowing he can still be summoned... He's still out there...

Childermass won't let his mind wander down that path, though, and Pythia agrees, taking a nip at his ear to keep him on track. He cringes at it, even if it didn't really hurt all that much.

"What?" He complains quietly at the daemon, though she only gives him a beady look and a huff, feathers puffing. Of all the things for a crow to be jealous of, of course it would be a raven. Anyway, he turns back with a shake of his head and a sigh, because he doesn't have good news for Strange's question.

"Ah, that, that I do not know. There isn't a soul left alive who can read the King's Letters."

Siobhan badly represses a little giggle at Pythia's actions. Neither magician nor daemon can figure out what's on Childermass's mind, but the fact that Pythia has progressed from shy and nervous to nipping at Childermass's ear shows Strange just how far the man's gone in accepting her. Which honestly? Is damn reassuring.

Though, the news about the King's Letters is less reassuring. "Damn," he simply states, with a 'what can you do' sort of sigh. "I've no idea when or if I'll be able to actually read the book, so I was hoping for a summary. That is, unless you have it with you?"

He might not be able to read the book but Strange would at least like to look it over before making such a blanket statement. Because, at least in Strange's mind, this is obviously a pen and paper sort of book. And who knows, Childermass is so secretive and so cagey about his personal life that having the book with him isn't exactly a far-fetched guess.

Badly repressed giggles go blatantly ignored as Childermass goes on to, unfortunately (or maybe not, since the idea of dragging Vinculus along is horrifying in itself), give his head a shake.

"I do not," he admits. "I left it behind, safe and drunk in the care of the other magicians." Yes, that's right, not safe and sound. Safe and drunk. Because that man is anything but sound. "Which is for the best, as I'd rather we not lose the book should something happen to me out here. At least that way they might be able to figure it out if I fail to bring a translation key back."

Edited 2017-10-19 20:19 (UTC)

Strange nods—but then pauses because wait, what? The book was drunk? Obvious question here, how can a book be drunk, but then again, it is the book of the Raven King. Perhaps it was a magic book? After all, the menagerie has all sorts of mystical creatures and faerie itself is weird to begin with. Perhaps the library of John Uskglass played host to an alcoholic book!

If so, good Lord those poor magicians. Having to deal with no more books in England was bad enough, but if the most important book they had on hand was capable of getting drunk...visions of Childermass, Segundus, and Honeyfoot chasing around a book that was somehow scurrying around on the floor in a drunken fashion play in Strange's head. The mental image is friggen hilarious and he can't help but smile.

"Does the book have any particular preference to alcohol? Perhaps if you bribed it, it would be more amenable to translation."

Any particular preference for it, he asks. Sure. Childermass has the answer to that and it's—

"Free," he says blandly as if thinking about the situation back home at all is something he's found less and less funny over time. While it was undoubtedly amazing to watch all the newer magicians try and deal with Vinculus, it still came down to him having to keep an eye on the wild and rarely sober man.

"Bribery only does to keep him in one place most of the time, but he can't read himself, so a key is needed no matter what. Anything else would take years."

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.

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?"

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.

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."

"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!"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

this is no place, but here I am

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject