forgotten

[mute_pen]

It's past dark, but when you need the outhouse, you need the outhouse.

Isabel picks her way across the yard of her father's house in the moonlight, hoping to sneak back into bed without waking him.

Comments

[growcrooked]

"Breaking bones is nothing new," she agrees.

[mute_pen]

"Why are you dressed like that?" Etty asks next.

[growcrooked]

"I hate wearing my dresses, but it's not comfortable being out here naked."

[mute_pen]

"What's wrong with your dresses?" She has many complaints about her situation, but her white feather dress isn't really one of them.

[growcrooked]

"He makes me wear them."

[mute_pen]

Etty looks down at her own outfit. "I haven't even been yelled at yet, and yet if I were to list the sources of my displeasure the fact that I did not choose this dress would not rate highly."

[growcrooked]

"That's you," says the baron's daughter. "I'm me. We're not the same."

[mute_pen]

"That is true."

[growcrooked]

"And you might not care about wearing dresses, but I care that my father beats me when I wear clothes he doesn't like, so I do it whenever I don't think he'll catch me."

[mute_pen]

Etty nods.

"I thought of some name ideas, today," she says. "While I was trying to learn to work wings."

[growcrooked]

She smiles.

"Tell me!"

[mute_pen]

"My favorite is 'Nona', but if you don't like it I have second and third choices."

[growcrooked]

"Nona's pretty. What are the other ones?"

[mute_pen]

"Verena. Saskia."

[growcrooked]

"I like Nona best," she decides, and she gives Etty a hug.

[mute_pen]

Hugs!

[growcrooked]

Hugs. Cuddly snuggly warm lovey hugs.

[mute_pen]

"That odd feeling is back. Well, it didn't leave, but it's changed," observes Etty. "I think it has something to do with you."

[growcrooked]

"Maybe it's the spell, telling you I love you."

[mute_pen]

"- Do you?"

[growcrooked]

"I've never done it before, how should I know? But I like you plenty," she says, snuggling her some more.

[mute_pen]

Hugs.

"...If the curse tells me, does it tell him, too?"

[growcrooked]

"I don't know. But I think he would've come roaring back here already if he knew."

[mute_pen]

Etty nods slowly. "Makes sense."

[growcrooked]

Nona shrugs.