dictated; action for apple grove

[lightbranded]

 [Will was perched in one of the apple trees, looking down thoughtfully at the large green apple in his hands. He remembered another apple tree, long ago. The last time he had plucked an apple in such a way, it had been in the Lost Land. But he had been with Bran and Gwydion then. 

Will wondered how Bran was doing these days. Even if the boy had forgotten his heritage, Will would hope that something of their friendship had remained. But he did not know, He had been taken to Paradisa too soon to know that,

Inevitably, Will's thoughts turned to what they had spoken of, among the apple trees.]

They taught me my trees once, long ago. Seven trees there are with virtues, and  apples among them. Alder, the tree of fire. Willow, the tree of enchantment. Holly for protection and Hazel for healing and Birch for renewal. Oak, the king of all trees.

And apple. [He is silent for a long moment.]  It is said that the apple is a tree of immortality. 

Comments

Dictated

[sugarwaffo]

Oh? What is immortality?

Re: Dictated

[lightbranded]

The simplest explanation is that it is something that is undying.

Re: Dictated

[sugarwaffo]

Eh? So apple trees don't die?

Re: Dictated

[lightbranded]

No, they die. It is more of a symbolic thing.

Dictated

[sugarwaffo]

So... they die, but people call them undying??

[Now Sugar is really confused.]

Re: Dictated

[lightbranded]

That's right.

[Will sounded pleased at her conclusion.]

Dictated

[sugarwaffo]

That makes no sense at all!

Re: Dictated

[lightbranded]

Doesn't it? I suppose magic can be like that sometimes.

Dictated

[sugarwaffo]

Nuh uh! My magic makes perfect sense!

[lightbranded]

Ah, perhaps it is only the magic of my world that is like that, then.

dictated;

[lord_wizard]

I think I've heard of such things before, although unfortunately Cabalines aren't terribly fond of working with wood, so it doesn't come up often. I'm sure Gideon would have had some opinions on the matter. [There's a slight pause. He'd brought up Gideon without thinking, and it still ached]

I wonder why that is. Clearly apple trees themselves are far from immortal.

Re: dictated;

[lightbranded]

Cabalines?

[Will frowns.]

I do not know why. I just know that the virtues of trees is very old knowledge in my world. I do not think that there is anyone left now who remembers why.

dictated;

[lord_wizard]

The Cabaline school is the school of magic in which I was trained. The teachings attribute virtues to certain materials when it comes to our workings.

There's always a reason. Symbols get their start somewhere, though they sometimes warp and change over time as they are handed down.

Re: dictated;

[lightbranded]

That is true, even in my world.

dictated;

[lord_wizard]

Probably true in most worlds. At least those with human beings.

Dictated (and mildly amused)

[inafadingcrown]

And why the apple, if I may ask?

[lightbranded]

I don't know the reason, really. [Will sounded the slightest bit nostalgic. ]

The virtues of trees is very old. Perhaps even older than the Old Ones.

[inafadingcrown]

And how old is that, precisely? You have told me little of the origins of your people. I must admit that I find myself curious.

[lightbranded]

I don't know, exactly. [Will only knew what had been contained within the Book of Gramarye, and much of that had been more about learning what he could do and what his purpose was.]

We say that we are as old as the hills and older even than that. That Old Ones walked the world in times so long ago that men lived in magic as fish live in water. But as far as knowing where we came from, I think only Merriman would know the answer.

[inafadingcrown]

Merriman is a mentor of yours, is he not? You have mentioned him before I think.

[lightbranded]

Merriman.... You could say that he is the oldest of the Old Ones, just as I am the youngest.

[Will still missed him a great deal.]

[inafadingcrown]

[A thoughtful little hum] You will forgive me if I pry, I hope. It is only that, in some ways, I feel that I know you as well as my own kin. In others, I feel I know you very little.

[lightbranded]

[He shakes his head.]

I don't mind, really. You've told me so much of your world, but I feel that I've told you so little of mine.

[inafadingcrown]

It is a terrible request, is it not? "Tell me of your world." Where does one even begin?

[lightbranded]

And where does one end? There is so much to say.

[inafadingcrown]

What would you say, then? What is nearest to your heart? Or what do you believe I would find of interest?

[lightbranded]

Have I ever told you of my family?

[He sounded slightly wistful.]

[inafadingcrown]

Some. You have mentioned, I believe, that you have several brothers.

[lightbranded]

Five of them. And three sisters. All older than me, of course.

[inafadingcrown]

Your house must be busy indeed. I was the youngest of five and our home was rarely quiet.

[lightbranded]

It does get a bit noisy. [Will agrees cheerfully.]

But not everyone is home all the time. Stephen is away at sea most of the year, and Max is away at art school. Robin has his football games and Paul is always practicing or in rehearsals.

I do miss it though. At home I could always hear the sounds of them in the house, so I was never entirely alone. Sometimes it is too quiet here.

[inafadingcrown]

I understand entirely what you mean. When I was small my brothers were all grown or very nearly so, but I had cousins enough that the house was seldom still for long. I still miss it, some days.

[lightbranded]

[Will nods sadly.]

I think that this is the longest I have ever been away from them.

[inafadingcrown]

[Softly:] It is not easy, I know. And you are quite young still- in one sense, at least.

[lightbranded]

In one sense, yes. [Will made the admission sadly. He knew very well what he was, and that what he was in that one sense could never be important than what he was in the other sense.]