Three Twisted Knots

From Gwyneth:

Given that our time at the Faire has been so truncated this year because The Author had too much to do and then had to sleep for like 3 days, it’s been somewhat difficult to see everything we’ve wanted to see. We took our time choosing where to go, and I have to say, it’s never easy when you have to pick and choose which Realms you’re going to spend time in. I sent Friðrós straight to Öndheim, because I knew she would love it there. I decided on Whispering Pages, since the name reminded me of how I envisioned the Book Forest when I first began it so many years ago. Kvit came with me, of course: we did meet at last year’s Faire, after all, and he’s been quite vocal about wanting to see as much as possible.

I was particularly entranced by the buildings; they looked like shelved novels, except with towers. The balance of the books, the colours, all so beautifully rendered in the landscape of a forest. It made me wish I had more room in Awenia for the Book Forest.

‘You could always move the Town and expand the Book forest’, Kvit suggested. ‘Maybe put the town in the Book Forest Island, and then you’d have the largest island for the Book Forest’?

I wrinkled my nose. ‘I don’t know. I don’t think so’.

‘I dont’ like it’, I said. ‘That’s a terrible idea. We’d have to move everything. And where would I put … no, I’m going to have to figure something out, because we’re definitely taking some of this stuff home with us. Even if it has to stay in storage for a while, I don’t see how I could live without those buildings, for example. Or—did you see the little bears? The bears are so cute’!

‘Those definitely look like bears’, Kvit said. ‘What makes them so important’?

‘They are bears with books’! I pointed. ‘Don’t you see’?

‘I mean, technically the bears do not have books’, Kvit replied.

‘OK, OK’, I said. ‘They’re bears near books’.

‘You want to bring bears to Awenia’.

‘They have books‘!

Kvit just shook his head.

‘And also, bunnies. Look at the bunnies’!

‘Bunnies on books’, Kvit said. ‘I see that you have an affinity for animals on or near books’?

‘Ooh, raccoons’!

‘So that’s a “yes”, then’, Kvit said.

‘Look, some of these ones are actually reading’! I was incandescent with joy.

‘Yes, yes, yes; I see’. I sensed he was getting tired of this game. ‘Animals and books. Books and animals’.

‘Oh! Look! A birb’! Who cared if Kvit was tired of this? I felt the need to push him just a little more.

‘That is a pheasant’. He preened. ‘I have nothing in common with pheasants’.

‘I wasn’t making comparison’, I promised. ‘But, you know. To the untrained observer, you and a pheasant do have a few things in common. Beaks, wings, that kinda thing’.

Kvit nipped my ear. ‘There’s your lesson’, he said.

‘Ow’! I sighed. ‘You have no sense of — Look! Squirrels’!

‘Please’, Kvit said. ‘Please, no more adorable animals with books’?

‘How about adorable people with books’?

‘I guess everything here includes the tagline “with books”‘, Kvit said.

‘It’s called Whispering Pages, Kvit. Were you expecting things without books’?

‘Well, this at least seems to be a library. Ooh, ooh’!

Oh, no. I know that ooh. ‘Yes, Kvit’?

‘Do you know how library books flirt’?

‘No, Kvit. How do library books flirt’?

‘They check each other out! Get it? Get it‘?

‘OK, no more Internet for you’, I said.

‘But that was hilarous‘! He was still laughing.

‘That was … no. That was not funny’, I said.

He just kept laughing. Seriously, you’ve not lived until you’ve had a loud bird have a laughing fit right next to your ear.

‘All right, I think that’s enough Whispering Pages for now’, I said. ‘And look, Öndheim is right next door. Maybe we can catch Friðrós before she moves on to somewhere else’.

Kvit sniffed. ‘I am really funny, though’.

‘You know, I remember this particular book tree very fondly’, I said, trying to ignore him. ‘I wonder where it got to: I had it in the Book Forest for such a long time’.

‘I’m hilarious’. There was no letting this go, apparently.

‘Why don’t we just go back to our digs in Duskfall Court? You can take it up with the Cait-Sidhe there’.

‘I thought you said we were moving to Hope’s Wish because you liked the crooked houses’.

‘Oh, I did say that, didn’t I’? Hm. ‘Well, let’s check in with Bran and see where we’re staying tonight, then’.

‘But I’m funny, though’.

‘Yes, Kvit; you’re very funny’.

He chirruped. ‘I knew you would see reason eventually’.

Notes & Credits:

Avatar (Sponsored items marked with a *)

• Gwyneth’s Hair: Truth Collective, Tranquil
• Gwyneth’s Skin: Lumae, Yvaine, in tone Ghost* (Get it at the Lumae Main Store!)
• Kvit is expertly portrayed by CKit Falconry‘s White Raven* (Get your own at the CKit Falconry Faire Store!)
• Gwyneth’s Jewellery (Tiara, Bracers, Necklace): Drunken Brokkr, Thyria* (Get it at the Drunken Brokkr Faire Store!)
• Gwyneth’s Dress: Senzafine, Persephone Gown* (Get it at the Senzafine Faire Store!)
• Gwyneth’s Nails: Eventyra, Fae Queen, Vibrant (Fantasy Faire Limited Edition! Get them at the Eventyra Faire Store!)
• Gwyneth’s Eyeshadow: Hexumbra, Gwen* (Get it at the Hexumbra Faire Store!)
• Gwyneth’s Lip Gloss: Ladybird, Clover Lip Gloss
• Gwyneth’s Eyes: Shimm, CXLIII (bonus 4)
• Gwyneth’s Eyelashes: Void, Flutter Lashes
• Gwyneth’s Wings: Quills & Curiosities, Sinistrae Fae Wings (Get them at the Quills & Curiosities Faire Store!)
• Gwyneth’s Shoes: Salt & Pepper, Ballet Pointes
• Gwyneth is styled on a Maitreya Mesh Body & a Lelutka EvoX Billie Mesh Head. Her ear shape is achieved using the Birth Lelutka Ear Deformers.

About The Region:

Whispering Pages is one of 20 regions in the 16th annual Relay For Life of Second Life’s Fantasy Faire. Sponsored by Sweet Revolutions & Telperion Design, region design by Sweetgwendoline Bailey and Mondi Beaumont.

Celebrating its sixteenth year, Fantasy Faire 2024 is the largest gathering of fantasy designers, enthusiasts, roleplayers and performers in the virtual world. From Thursday, April 18 to Sunday May 5, treat yourself to shopping, dance and theater performances, DJ parties, auctions, questing, our Literary Festival, fantasy art, events and roleplaying as thousands of Second Life residents and creators bring their own visions together to support the American Cancer Society’s vision of a world without cancer.