Three Twisted Knots

From Gwyneth:

I braved the weather in Nu Jyorck to visit the White Witch Shop, because I needed some herb cuttings and a little potion refill. Calendula, who runs that shop, does the most amazing things with flower oils; she’s at a much higher level than I am with potion-making, so I visit her when I need a little refill of Glamour-Aide. It comes in a gorgeous vial and fits around my neck, which makes me happy.

I had the funniest feeling when I entered the shop that someone was watching me. I mean, it’s not unusual for people to watch me. You don’t get to be a Queen of Faerie without being, well, Visible. And I’m lucky that I mostly visit Realms that are not encumbered by that pesky ‘veil’ thing; seriously, that’s ruined more lives than it’s saved, in my opinion. I suppose, after all these years, I finally have attained the kind of presence befitting my station. Even so, I wore a hat, just to be slightly less visible. Ha. There was only one other obvious fae on the street, and she looked a little familiar, but I’m quite sure I don’t know her. Just something about her kind of called to me. So I ducked into the shop quickly, got what I came for, and didn’t stick around for a lot of small talk with Calendula, which is kind of a shame, because she always knows the best gossip.

The other Fae did have a very impressive looking Owl, complete with a top hat and a pair of spectacles! I wonder if that makes them feel smarter somehow. I’d never choose an Owl as a companion, but then I didn’t really choose Kvit, either. He chose not to come with me: something about finding some very shiny rocks near the river in Awenia to use for a nest. Oh, gods—is he going to take a mate and reward me with many little Kvits? One is quite enough! Then again, it’s a bit late in the year for him to be choosing a mate, but we were away for much of January. I’ve never asked him if he has a mate already— I don’t even know how old he is. I don’t think Ravens mate until they are three or four years old, or at least I think I know that from somewhere. I will have to look it up when I get back, if I can get through the other dozens of things on my to-do list…

From Lira:

She was right there! Uggla and I found ourselves on a street in a very busy city, and I looked up from the streetlamp where we materialised, and there she was, Her Fae Majesty, hurrying into a shop that looked very interesting. Why didn’t I say something? I asked Uggla if we should speak to her.

‘No advice on that, Lira’, he said. ‘She looks scary’.

I quirked a brow. ‘Well, she is the Faerie Queen’, I said.

‘Not the only one’, he said.

‘No; just the one who made me’, I replied.

‘Best avoid. She might un-make you’, he said.

I didn’t know if that was good advice, or not.

I dithered so long, pacing back and forth, that she almost hit me with the door when she left the shop. She pulled her hat down and hurried on past the street lamp. I almost, almost called out to her. Could she un-make me at this point? Am I my own fae yet? I don’t know. I need to learn more things.

From Gwyneth:

When I left the shop, the fae girl was still there, though the Owl seemed to have flown, at least for the moment. I continued to feel that I should know her from somewhere, and I almost, almost turned to ask her who she was. But I could feel snow in the air and I wanted to get out of the city, so I shrugged it off.

‘Your Majesty’! someone shouted. I stopped and turned, and there were flashbulbs, so I gave a media-class smile and a small wave, then carried on. I never mind having my photograph taken, as long as that shrew Cherish Gelato isn’t behind the camera.

From Lira:

A photographer shouted at her, just as I was almost deciding to call out. She stopped and turned, gave a smile and a wave— that was enough to make me take Uggla’s advice (he had apparently seen a very large rat and needed a bit of a snack before we went to wherever it was we were meant to go, so he’d flown a moment before she left the shop) and not speak to her. But what if I never see her again? Maybe I don’t want to. Maybe I’m afraid she’d take me back to Awenia and never let me leave again. And… and this year, I want to go back to the Faire. I know she’d never choose me twice. Maybe I’ll find her at Faire and see what she might do then.

Uggla flew back, reporting that the rat had apparently been too good at hiding in alleyways for him. He is not used to city hunting. In fact, cities seem to make him nervous.

‘All right, all right’, I said. ‘I’ll get us out of the city as soon as I can; I promise. But let’s go into the shop, just for a minute! Maybe I can find out what Queen Gwyneth bought, if the shopkeeper’s not too careful. You’d like to visit a magic shop, wouldn’t you’?

He grumbled. ‘Don’t like shops’.

‘Have you ever actually been in a shop’? I asked.

‘There was that tea shop in Callisto you were so fond of’, he said. ‘They were rude’.

‘I don’t think that’s really indicative of most shops’, I replied. Not that I have Great Shopping Knowledge.

‘Ten mole word’, he said. ‘You don’t have to do that’.

‘You measure my vocabulary in moles’?

‘I like moles. Very valuable little creatures’.

‘You like to eat moles’.

‘Yes’.

‘Look, we’ll just go in for a minute’, I promised.

Of course, the mist decided to rise just then, so I never got to visit the White Magic Shop. I don’t even know what city it was. Uggla held on with his claws: good thing this jacked is reinforced. He always does that. I’m going to have to get some of those leather pauldrons like falconers use. Maybe I’ll find a falconry shop somewhere. Maybe.

Then, there was just the dark of the travel, the sense of everything whirling around us, and then everything went black, as always.

I hope we land someplace soft.

Notes & Credits:

Today is the last day for Enchantment’s Midnight Requiem. Go now! Get all the stuff in this part of the list today at Enchantment before it closes!

• Photo Backdrop: Synnergy Tavis, White Magic Shop
• Gwyneth’s Stunning Blue Gown: Ruxy, Abby
• Gwyneth’s Fetching Hat & Gloves: Antaya, Lace Gloves with Roses & Lady’s Hat with Roses
• Gwyneth’s Glamour-Aide Potion Vial Necklace: Angelicus, Potion Necklace
• Gwyneth’s Paparrazi-Proof Lipstick: Shiny Stuffs, EvoX Sanguine Gloss
• Lira’s I-Went-to-the-Dark-Side-Because-They-Have-Cookies Eye Makeup: Rubedo, Nerina
• Lira’s Not-Scary-At-All Outfit: Art&Ko, Bloody Queen Set (cloak, dress, & shoes!)
• Lira’s Chest Decoration: Fantasy World, Soul

Other Items from the Lovely Beings Who Support This Blog:

• Gwyneth’s Perfect Skin: Lumae (As Moth & Moon), Yvaine, in T1 (Get it at the Lumae Main Store!)
• Lira’s Porcelain Skin: EnLight, Rio (Get it at the EnLight Main Store!)
• Lira’s Flirty Ponytail: Analog Dog (natch!), Ami A (Get it at the Analog Dog Main Store!)
• Lira’s Adorable Sparkly Horns: Rivendale, Dainty Horns (Get them at the Rivendale Main Store!)
• Uggla is expertly portrayed by CKit Falconry’s Magical Snowy Owl Companion (Get it at the CKit Falconry Main Store!)

Other Fancy Stuff:

• Gwyneth:
  • Eyes: Musa, Dian Eyes
  • Wings: Evolved Creatures, Fae Wings 2
  • Cheek Blush and Shimmer: Fontaine Cosmetics, Cheek Blush, Shimmer
  • Hair: Nova, Ethos
  • Gwyneth was styled on a Legacy Perky body and a Lelutka EvoX Gaia Mesh Head. Her ear shape is achieved through the Birth Ear Deformer HUD.
• Lira:
  • Eyes: T’ville, Starry Eyes (Biochrome 4)
  • Glasses: Bondi, Yusuke Glasses
  • Hairbases:
    • Studio Exposure, Pearl
    • Angel Eyes, Alex
  • Ears: Petrichor, Kefira Ears
  • Lipstick: Ladybird, Lavinia
  • Lira is styled on a Legacy Perky body and a Lelutka EvoX Raven head.

Thank you, everyone who reads this blog or even glances at it. You all mean the world to me. Three Twisted Knots is my main creative outlet, and I’m so grateful to spend a lot of my time sharing these stories with all of you.