five | dictated.

[kethedammit]

[His voice is high-pitched and excited, with each word spoken strongly and clearly. It's the voice of a young boy, one whose voice hasn't yet broken, though it's beginning to; it cracks several times during the span of the post.]

Nikah told me a story about a haunted book, once; he said that's what happens to hocuses when they read too much and then they die in their libraries and nobody finds the body for days and days. And then their ghosts get trapped in the books, see, and the books all start talking and shit, and that's why the Mirador declares a-po-sta-sy sometimes, because then a hocus'll read the haunted books, and his head'll all get turned around. But I think I'm okay, because I ain't reading none of this and I ain't no hocus and my head's too empty to get turned around by magic anyhow.

Zephyr says... oh, um, nevermind about that shit.

So anyways, this one time, Jeanne-Mer told me about her momma, who she said was a princess, but I don't believe her, though she swears it by the Septad Gate and Mélusine’s cunt all the same. Anyway, she said that her momma lived in a big castle, with all the nice wallpaper and paintings and vases, and pretty people in nice clothes all going about their business. I wonder if that's like this.

[A pause.] Okay, bye.

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Comments

[kethedammit]

Oh, for fuck's sake. How'd you know my fucking name?

[lord_wizard]

[For a moment the answer almost comes out catty, but he resists]

Because I know you. Or, will know you. You told me about Zephyr once and I took a guess as to your identity.

[kethedammit]

...Is there anybody in this damn place who isn't a fucking hocus?

[lord_wizard]

Plenty. Though naming Mélusine is a good way to attract us, I suppose. [Anyone who knows him, who are largely magic-users of some sort]

But in any case, that isn't why I know.

[kethedammit]

You wanna spill, or d'you wanna wait a bit longer, maybe get out your magic ball and evil laugh, first?

[lord_wizard]

No thank you. [He has to take a deep breath, because wow is his brother at least twice as infuriating without the obvious handicap of the scar curbing his speech]

My mother's name was Methony. Methony Feucoronne.

[kethedammit]

[Felix doesn't get a reply to that for a long time, and then:]

So?

[lord_wizard]

So? So was yours. Though if you don't know that we're in worse shape than I thought.

[kethedammit]

Okay. Whatever, you got me. What d'you want?

[lord_wizard]

[He sighs] Would you believe that I don't entirely know? It's clear you don't believe me, which I cannot entirely fault you for, but it would help if you talked to me.

[kethedammit]

Fuck, why wouldn't I believe you? I just wanna know what you want. What's your damn name?

[lord_wizard]

[He just keeps fucking this up, doesn't he?]

Felix Harrowgate.

[kethedammit]

...Your daddy was Caloxan?

[lord_wizard]

[How to even explain that. A lie is maybe simpler to pass off to a younger Mildmay, who might have no reason to doubt it otherwise, but he also has very little to hide from his brother in that regard]

Not exactly. It's just a name I was given.

[kethedammit]

Okay. Whatever. What d'you want from me? How'd you know my name? I dunno nothing bout you.

[lord_wizard]

That's harder to explain, but mostly it is because you will know me in the future.

I've been in this place for some time now. I can help you.

[kethedammit]

Uh, okay. Explain about that future stuff first.

[lord_wizard]

The magic here allows for it. People can be from the same place but arrive at a different time.

[the more succinct he can be about it, the better, he figures]

[kethedammit]

Oh, so like in Emille and the Scriveners. Okay, you gotta tell me something you'd only know if'n you met me when I was older. [Which is, if Felix knows the story, exactly what happens in the story of Emille and the Scriveners.]

[lord_wizard]

[His remembrance of old Lower City stories is vague at this point, especially after gradual exposure to other things.]

How would you know if it's true, if it hasn't happened to you yet?

[kethedammit]

Cause I done told you something only I'd know. [Duh, Felix. Now safely in the realm of stories and legends, Mildmay feels much more at ease with the idea of having a weird future hocus brother. Maybe they rob houses together.]

[lord_wizard]

[He has to consider this a moment. He and Mildmay did not tend to discuss their lives in much detail. Usually, any mention of Lower City was fraught with pain. More for him than his brother, he mentally modified.]

Some people call you Fox. [He did no mention one of those people was his Keeper. The less association he had with that woman, the better]

[kethedammit]

Shit. You're for real, ain't you?

[lord_wizard]

No fooling. [He uses the slang intentionally]

[kethedammit]

Okay. So what d'you want? I know this ain't stories where we go off and fight dragons, now. [But his tone suggests fondness. A brother! Family! This cleanly makes up for Felix being a hocus.]