mes études

[beheld_beauty]

Belle studies magic.

It's tricky. Getting into and out of her rose-sphere is routine after a few days, but she still hasn't uncovered an explanation of how channeling works, though she's been informed that there are three options for how to do it (by herself, through a willing helper, or through an unwilling helper). Unlike the fourfold options for reaching the Dreamworld, this does not tell her how to begin fumbling towards a practical understanding, even though she can rule out the last one just on the basis of its description.

Beast can only do so a tiny bit of reading per day, and her pile of books that she can read shrinks much faster than his. She combs the library for multilingual dictionaries, so she can pick her way through the titles of the foreign-language books and at least prioritize them before handing them over.

Finally something in an obscure language that even Beast can barely read - Belle has to look up a lot of words - explains the channeling in a way she can understand.

Comments

[deslandes]

"Of the forest," he says, "and some land around it. I never paid much attention to the size of the family holdings, and I don't remember our name or the name of the march anymore. I think... the castle used to be at the edge of the woods."

[beheld_beauty]

"I don't remember reading about a local marquis gone missing, but then, maybe you were at the opposite edge of the woods from Les Fourches, or the magic covered for the possibility that someone would go looking for you."

[deslandes]

"I wasn't the marquis when she cursed me. Not in any way that mattered. My father died because I killed him," he sighs. "Killed him and set the castle on fire and ran away. Did you read anything about that?"

[beheld_beauty]

"...I read about a marquis's castle up by the source of the Sequine River that burned," she recalls. "They didn't think there was a surviving heir, though, if I remember right."

[deslandes]

He shrugs. "In a way there wasn't. I hardly think I could claim the title after all this time."

[beheld_beauty]

"Perhaps not. Especially without a way to prove your identity. What did you use to look like? Do you have a portrait somewhere?"

[deslandes]

"I was..." He frowns. "I don't remember."

[beheld_beauty]

"Not at all? Oh dear." She pats his paw again.

[deslandes]

His face relaxes; he purrs.

"Maybe there's a spell," he suggests whimsically.

[beheld_beauty]

"Maybe. I need something to practice with, if I can't send Charlie a message." She tries to remember if she's seen anything like that.

[deslandes]

The Hedge-witch had 'To Look Upon the Past', and the Discerning Enchanter had 'To See True Form or Nature'.

[beheld_beauty]

Hmm. Both promising, but the first looks a little easier.

"You want me to channel this one through you?" Belle confirms, reading through the instructions.

[deslandes]

He nods.

[beheld_beauty]

"Okay. This might take a while, I have to find your mindscape."

She drops into her meditative state and sets about looking for it.

[deslandes]

Not surprisingly, it looks a lot like this castle.

But unlike in the real castle, the climbing plants swarm over every inch of stone.

[beheld_beauty]

She has to be able to send the spell through it somehow. She inspects windows.

[deslandes]

Blocked by thorns and ivy, most of them.

But the castle's front door - apparently, in this vision, the garden doesn't count as in his mindscape; the outer wall just plain isn't there - is clear of green things.

[beheld_beauty]

Poke, poke -

[deslandes]

It shifts slightly.

[beheld_beauty]

It doesn't, she thinks, have to be open far, but it does need to be open -

Push -

[deslandes]

The door swings open, inviting her in.

[beheld_beauty]

She doesn't need to go in. But this is where her spell will go.

She forms the intentions and the will behind Looking Upon The Past, and - sends it, thisaway.

[deslandes]

The power of Will... sparkles. Every shade of grey from black to white, glinting and swirling together in thousands of tiny motes that together make up a fluid similar to the Heart-power she used earlier.

It flows in the door, and away out of sight... and cascades out of a tower window a moment later, spilling around the covering vines.

The spell shows her the Beast as he was, as a human. Tall, handsome, just about her age, with curly brown hair almost the same colour as his mane.

He used to be a very happy person.

[beheld_beauty]

Belle commits that face, that smile, to memory, and she opens her eyes.

"I wish I could draw," she says.

[deslandes]

"Was I pretty?" he asks with a snort.