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]

"You are," she says, delighted. "D'you want the window or the door?"

[mute_pen]

Etty's pretty sure she can't really walk, let alone fly - though she's definitely going to try flying, soon - and she turns her head in the direction of the door.

[growcrooked]

"Okay."

She walks over and picks Etty up, and then she carries her out of the room and down the tower stairs.

[mute_pen]

Etty nestles comfortably in her arms for this trip. But halfway down the stairs she finds her voice and peeps a soft swan noise.

[growcrooked]

"Mm? What is it?"

[mute_pen]

Can swans give withering looks? This one is going to try. She cannot answer the question. But she can lift her head up and look over the baron's daughter's shoulder back the way they came.

[growcrooked]

"Okay," she says, puzzled, and she carries Etty back up.

[mute_pen]

Etty points her beak at the scroll and ink and pen.

[growcrooked]

"Oh, that," she says, and puts down her armful of swan, and frowns thoughtfully.

[mute_pen]

Etty looks up at her. Surely she can just make two trips if she can make one? But she can't ask.

[growcrooked]

"I'll bring it out to you later," she says, and picks Etty up again.

[mute_pen]

Etty nods and settles her head on her own back for the ride. (It's kind of fun to do that once she's gotten over the concern that she will injure herself doing it.)

[growcrooked]

Down they go.

[mute_pen]

Etty waits to be put down. Not particularly impatiently. The baron's daughter is pleasant to be held by.

[growcrooked]

Just outside another of the side doors, the baron's daughter puts her down, then leans down and kisses her on the beak.

[mute_pen]

This surprises a little sound out of Etty.

[growcrooked]

She grins.

"Can you get in the orchard?" she asks. "I'll leave your things there."

[mute_pen]

Etty is not sure.

She tries walking a step.

It doesn't work very well, and she's not used to catching herself when she's working with wings instead of arms.

[growcrooked]

"...Can you get in there when you're human, though?"

[mute_pen]

Etty nods.

[growcrooked]

She shrugs. "Okay. Then that's where I'll put it. He hardly ever goes there."

[mute_pen]

Etty nods again, then tries walking some more. She's not very good at it; if she thinks through each step in full detail she overbalances halfway through and if she tries to speed up she forgets how her joints work.

[growcrooked]

She giggles.

[mute_pen]

Etty clacks her beak at the baron's daughter. She stumbles over to the water, where at least she can expect to float if she forgets how to work her legs.

[growcrooked]

The baron's daughter goes back inside.

A little while later, she hides pen and ink and scroll in the orchard.