bewitched armor

[thaumobabble]

There are plenty of things to do. Bella orders a carpet to enchant so she can commute to and from Reformist Wizards efficiently and move house. She starts combing through the castle library to find background material on her Minor Technical Issue.

Sometimes she watches Sherlock cook.

Sometimes she watches Tony forge. (Nnnnf.)

Comments

[thaumobabble]

"...I will file this information away! In case it ever becomes useful," says Kanim with affected sagacity, flicking his eyes between all three women on the carpet.

"I would put him out of his misery but I have no convenient explanation tucked away," says Bella.

[allthebrightest]

"What exactly are we trying to explain, here? How it's possible that I'm not gay but I'm still going to marry my sister's eventual wife? Because man, I'm not tackling that one."

[thaumobabble]

"Is the part that's tripping you up," Bella says, "the concept of bisexuality, or the sharing?"

"The sharing," Kanim says. "Definitely the sharing."

[allthebrightest]

"Oh," says Tony. "There's sharing! No one will complain if we make out a little!"

[thaumobabble]

"No one at all, huh?" Kanim asks. One of his ears twitches. "No complaints from any corner?"

Bella giggles.

[calendarofcrime]

"None here," says Sherlock. "Although perhaps you'd like to wait until we reach the castle."

[thaumobabble]

"Why's that? Someone liable to get shoved off the carpet otherwise?" asks Kanim.

[calendarofcrime]

"The fact that I don't object to you kissing my sister doesn't mean I want to watch."

[thaumobabble]

"Oh. I see. Yes, that makes sense," says Kanim. He scratches one of his ears.

Bella giggles again.

[allthebrightest]

Tony also giggles.

[thaumobabble]

The flight is otherwise uneventful, mostly silence punctuated by magician thaumobabble about this and that and good-natured insults directed at each other's educational institutions, and then they cross the border to the Enchanted Forest.

"Oh my," says Kanim, noticing the shift in the air instantly. "Oh I like it here. Oh my."

[calendarofcrime]

"Mother knows we're home," Sherlock observes after a few more seconds.

[thaumobabble]

"Should we land and have you do that tree-shifting thing?" asks Bella.

[calendarofcrime]

"That would be efficient."

[thaumobabble]

Bella glides them to a stop.

Kanim hops off the carpet and decides to hug a tree like it is his best friend in the entire world.

[allthebrightest]

Tony giggles.

[thaumobabble]

"I like this forest," says Kanim. "I think I will keep it."

"You probably don't want to sound so proprietary around its royalty," observes Bella archly.

"I like this forest," amends Kanim, "I think I will hug it."

[calendarofcrime]

"I observe that you are hugging the forest," says Sherlock, amused. "It is adorable."

[thaumobabble]

Kanim eventually tires of hugging the tree. He lets it go, and pats it, and scratches his ear. "What's this non-carpet transportation mechanism, then?"

Bella rolls up the carpet and props it on her shoulder. "You'll see."

[calendarofcrime]

Sherlock leads them deeper into the forest.

[thaumobabble]

"Holy -" breathes Kanim.

"Isn't it cool?" asks Bella as the castle comes into view. "Forest knows who's boss."

"Extremely cool," agrees Kanim.

[calendarofcrime]

"And now we are home," says Sherlock, "and I am going to see about dinner."

She heads for the kitchen.

[thaumobabble]

"Yes, good, I'm starving," sighs Bella, and she takes Tony's hand. "Let me sit you down someplace where I can lay out materials without them blowing away and see about the blue. Kanim, you want to help?"

"Can do," says Kanim.

[allthebrightest]

"Thank yoooou," says Tony, and she kisses Bella's cheek. Then Kanim's for good measure.

[thaumobabble]

Kanim acquires a doofy smile.

Two magicians - even one without her spectacles, a few flecks of blood still on her face as evidence of their demise - make relatively short work of the spell that is suppressing Tony's fire magic and turning her blue. Bella slurps up the spell into her marble.