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

[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.

[mute_pen]

"Maybe I should pay close attention to when the sensation changes."

[growcrooked]

"What for?"

[mute_pen]

Etty decides to summarize the reason as: "Impatience."

[growcrooked]

"What's that supposed to mean?"

[mute_pen]

"If it's giving me useful information about what's helping, with the cursebreaking - then I could do more of whatever helps," shrugs Etty. "If it's smart feedback, anyway, it might not be."

[growcrooked]

"What exactly breaks the curse, anyway? Or do you not know?"

[mute_pen]

"He said that if someone who has never loved before swears to love me forever, then the curse would be broken."

[growcrooked]

"...Do they have to mean it?" she wonders.

[mute_pen]

"He... didn't say. I suppose you could just try reciting a sentence to that effect, to see."

[growcrooked]

She shrugs. "I promise to love you forever," she says.

The curse gives Etty a cold shiver.

[mute_pen]

"...The spell doesn't like it," Etty reports.