xxi. dictated, action

[heloise]

I have a few families and children under my care.

[ She sees no need to specify that they are townspeople. Aren't they all the same? ]

We have enough food, water and other necessary supplies; the castle provides without bounds. But company and songs and stories would help ease their minds, especially the young ones, and I find I have no more happy tales to tell.

You are welcome to share a few of yours: [ insert directions to a white old house in the more preserved side of town.

The windows are broken and many of the doors jammed shut from the quake, but the walls still stand and perhaps that is enough. The survivors have set camp on the floor with whatever blankets and pillows they salvaged and a few of the children are munching on pieces of chocolate eggs. Lucrezia would be nowhere to be seen yet. ]

Comments

[heloise]

[ The other children are positively engrossed in the story, leaning forward as far as the could while seated all about Matilda on the floor. That is the thing with stories, isn't it? One is momentarily transported from the mundane and unpleasant surroundings to somewhere more exciting and wonderful where everything seems more vivid. ]

What of this charming little girl then, what happens to her?

[revolter]

I don't know.

[ she frowns; what happens to the little girl, indeed? ]

I think she kept coming to school and sometimes drank tea with her teacher. She was just happy she could help her.

[heloise]

[ That makes her wonder, when first she thought the poor little girl was Matilda first. Does she want to be a teacher then? She tugs a small boy to sit on her lap, nuzzling his head even as he laughs and struggles, but her gaze is on Matilda as she speaks to him. ]

Did you like the story?

[revolter]

[ From her back, Matilda takes out Lissy Doll, lets a girl hold her for a while. She smiles at the doll, the same one rescued from the house of the wicked aunt by a little girl who loved a wonderful teacher. ]

I think I finally know what it is.

[ she runs to sit by Lucrezia's feet. ]

My loss.

[heloise]

[ She lets go of the boy struggling to preserve some semblance of his pride then, reaching now to trace Matilda's cheek with the back of her hand with a fond smile. It turns sad when she mentions the loss though. ]

Is it a terrible one?

[revolter]

No. Not really - I don't know.

[ she can read the books again if she'll find them but either way it's an odd thing, something missing in her mind that she's rather surprised she hadn't figured it out by now. ]

I can't remember stories I could tell them. Books for kids. I read them all, the whole floor at the library a year ago. I can't remember any of them.

[heloise]

[ She gestures for Matilda to come sit on her lap so she can start dressing her hair. ]

What of stories I tell you now, can you remember those?

[revolter]

[ For a second, she looks confused, never having done this before but a moment later she smiles, climbs into her lap. ]

I think so. I remember what you told me about Daphne and the sun God.

[heloise]

[ She wraps her arms around her and squeezes her tight first, pecking her head with an exaggerated mwah! ]

So we can find you all the stories in this library, and you will remember again.

[revolter]

[ she giggles, cranes her head up. ]

Do you think there's many children books in the library? Maybe I can bring some here. I don't remember them but I can read from them.

[heloise]

[ Well that just makes it easier for Lucrezia to tap her nose and laugh. ]

There should be. If not, I would wish for thousands and thousands for you anyway.

[revolter]

Where do you think they come from? The books and the food and everything else that people can just...ask and get? I don't know if it's magic.

[ a hum. ]

But it must come from somewhere.

[heloise]

[ She chuckles. ]

Maybe the castle can conjure and create them from thin air or do you suppose it steals from other places?

[revolter]

Perhaps both! It steals them from some worlds and then conjure them here.

[ a beat. ]

...I hope it doesn't steal.

[heloise]

Then perhaps it conjures it all.

[ Really, either way doesn't bother her, whatever makes Matilda happy. ]

[revolter]

I hope so -

[ she looks up, smiles. ]

Because it's magic.

[heloise]

Are you fond of magic?

[revolter]

I don't know, I think so. I've never really seen any magic before the castle. I just read about it.

[heloise]

They told me all magic is evil, but now I wonder.

[revolter]

Was there a lot of evil magic where you come from?

[heloise]

No. None that I have ever seen. We can decide that it is good.

[revolter]

Then let's decide it's good, until we are proven otherwise.

[heloise]

How wise. We can certainly do that.