"No, I suppose your complaints would be unfounded." She thinks of the way her people 'helped' her, cast out from the only home she had ever known, the peeling feel of something eating at her insides keeping her awake at night. "Not for now, no. They can tell what you are as easily as I can and anyone with half a mind would use it against you."
It's logical. People use you, abuse you, and she has learned that surviving through that means doing the same in return; using people, taking what they offer and lashing out if they ask for too much in return. It's like a diagram, a step-by-step process.
"You may be smart, but you are still claimed. You are tainted by their touch and none would soon forget it."
If she were to explain her viewpoint, Harry wouldn't entirely disagree.
People in power tend to use those with less and that's just how the world
works, but that doesn't mean he has to bow to tradition.
"I know. I see the looks I get, I can hear when people speak behind my
back, and I don't like it, but I can't blame them. Wherever shardbearers
go, things go to pot, and they don't come back to set right what they've
overturned. It's wrong, I think, but there's a lot more in the courts than
just me."
"You are given power you often have no right to claim," her head shakes, her hood sinking lower around her shoulders - baring more of her face for Harry to see. She couldn't talk, she imagines, since her power, the hands she has and the strength she was given given to her through curse, not kindness, but she makes the point still, despite the hypocrisy.
When she speaks again her eyes have lifted to look at him, boring into his.
"You come to this world and turn things upside down, are given things you do not entirely deserve and claim to have ownership over the land, over the power here. You are their pets, nothing more."
"I don't lay claim to anything. All I own, all that's really mine in this
world is my broom and my wand; I don't even have much right to myself." If
he did, would he be in the middle of a forest at night looking for a
magical polecat with a glowing green rock in its chest? Probably not, no.
"I'm not that smart, I know that, and I haven't thought of a better thing
to do."
"I'm good with my magic and when I'm in town, I trade on it rather than my
shard."
"But you do their bidding to keep your bauble in your chest." Shaking her head, she breathes out, tries to reign herself in. Arguing with one of the shardbearers isn't going to get her anywhere and, if she doesn't get back within two hours, Iorveth will likely come to find her and shake her by the scruff for being gone for so long. He doesn't worry, particularly, but he hates being bothered by her existence.
"In that, I'm luckier to be Unseelie." It's the nature of their court that
they've got a little more leeway to do what they want over what they ought.
"And I'm not bad. I'm still learning."
"Why, what do you want to know? What do you need done?"
"It's not luck." That's all she can say, and Lauralae tilts her head, new thoughts crossing her mind as she looks at him, glancing at the shard in his chest. She doesn't trust him, she doesn't trust anyone, but she wants the power she knows twinkles there. Expression steeling, she takes a step back.
"Curiosity. Nothing else. I don't want anything from you."
"Fair enough. If you change your mind, I'll be in the clearing to the
north." It's getting darker and he wants to get himself there before it's
too dark and he ends up tripping over a downed log, falling into a ground
wasp nest, and dying rather ignominiously in a forest.
She shakes her head; if she were the type to trust blindly, as so many do, she might whine rhetoric about her poor, desolate curse and how she needs aid in fixing it. Instead, she steps forward, eyes flickering here and there before she purses her lips. "One question."
"Why does it matter? I asked a question. You answered. That should be all."
But she has information, now, she has answers, the things she has searched for. She doesn't need much else; once Redgate is dealt with she can return North to find more.
"It matters because many of them are my friends. It matters because if
you're looking for someone with a certain sort of magic, maybe I can help."
It also matters in the event that she's an enemy and wants to hurt his
friends. He wants to be kind and helpful, but not at the expense of others.
"Shardbearers are all that matter. They have magic that I cannot possess unless they show me. Power that I require and that I want." She shakes her head. "I am a friend of the Unseelie court, for all that it matters. I ask for assistance, not danger."
"What do you need done? I'm not ...well, I'm not a great wizard, not by a
longshot, but I've been learning that some of the things that are simple
back home, aren't here. And the reverse." Magic as he knows it, is easy,
and without much cost, but often temporary or good just for convenience. He
doesn't think that's the sort of magic she needs, but who knows.
"I do not trust you. I have no reason to think you'd be able to assist me, nor do I want your help." She has a shardbearer already, she thinks, that stands at her side because he has little place else to go. He might not have magic, but he has allies enough that it contents her for now.
"Fair enough, but if you change your mind, I'm easy enough to find. There's
all the usual ways, but if you don't want to come to any of the spires and
you can find an owl, most of them will take a message." He's not entirely
sure that they'll always do the work for non-wizards, but if she feeds it a
little, it might. "They'll want payment in food though."
It sounds so simple, and she pauses. "... Birds often dislike me." For obvious reason. They get the sense that she's not entirely human and don't want to spend too much time hovering around her. "I do not think they will carry a message."
"Then a spire or..." Harry frowns and reaches into the kitbag at his side,
pulling out a little paper packet with just a pinch of powder inside. "Do
you have any magic of your own, if so, or if you can find someone who does,
put this in the fire and call out my name, 'Harry Potter' or 'Akos' and
I'll be able to talk to you through the fire."
"I have my own magicks." Her arms lift as she reaches out and, on the pale skin revealed, scars are littered here and there, different sizes and shapes. It's obvious what kind of magic she practices and she shows no shame for it. The powder is a marvel and she lifts it high, letting the light of the moon shine so she can see better. "Why two names?"
"Oh, wow." He's quietly impressed. "If you'd ever be willing to talk about
how your magic works, the rules of it, I'd love to listen."
"...and the other name is because I went travelling for a while and I was
told it was wise to have two. Most shardbearers will know the first, and
the second was used here and there with native peoples."
"Good advice." Before now, he's never wanted to be called anything other
than Harry Potter, but he'd never been able to pick his own name before. He
doesn't mind Akos and he's on the fence about being a One-Eyed Anything.
(Better an Ally than a Champion, though.)
Her lips purse and she tilts her head, stepping forward and watching him. Her eyes go up and down, as if examining him, before her lips curl into a twisted little smile.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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It's logical. People use you, abuse you, and she has learned that surviving through that means doing the same in return; using people, taking what they offer and lashing out if they ask for too much in return. It's like a diagram, a step-by-step process.
"You may be smart, but you are still claimed. You are tainted by their touch and none would soon forget it."
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If she were to explain her viewpoint, Harry wouldn't entirely disagree. People in power tend to use those with less and that's just how the world works, but that doesn't mean he has to bow to tradition.
"I know. I see the looks I get, I can hear when people speak behind my back, and I don't like it, but I can't blame them. Wherever shardbearers go, things go to pot, and they don't come back to set right what they've overturned. It's wrong, I think, but there's a lot more in the courts than just me."
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When she speaks again her eyes have lifted to look at him, boring into his.
"You come to this world and turn things upside down, are given things you do not entirely deserve and claim to have ownership over the land, over the power here. You are their pets, nothing more."
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"I don't lay claim to anything. All I own, all that's really mine in this world is my broom and my wand; I don't even have much right to myself." If he did, would he be in the middle of a forest at night looking for a magical polecat with a glowing green rock in its chest? Probably not, no. "I'm not that smart, I know that, and I haven't thought of a better thing to do."
"I'm good with my magic and when I'm in town, I trade on it rather than my shard."
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"You're good with magic. Powerful magic?"
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"In that, I'm luckier to be Unseelie." It's the nature of their court that they've got a little more leeway to do what they want over what they ought. "And I'm not bad. I'm still learning."
"Why, what do you want to know? What do you need done?"
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"Curiosity. Nothing else. I don't want anything from you."
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"Fair enough. If you change your mind, I'll be in the clearing to the north." It's getting darker and he wants to get himself there before it's too dark and he ends up tripping over a downed log, falling into a ground wasp nest, and dying rather ignominiously in a forest.
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"Ask and I'll answer." She might not like the answer, but he'll give her something. It's only good manners.
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Harry doesn't back away, nor does he reach for his wand, but he adjusts his stance just in case she comes too close.
"It depends. Some more than others. Those of us that came from a world with magic are at an advantage. Why?"
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"Why does it matter? I asked a question. You answered. That should be all."
But she has information, now, she has answers, the things she has searched for. She doesn't need much else; once Redgate is dealt with she can return North to find more.
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"It matters because many of them are my friends. It matters because if you're looking for someone with a certain sort of magic, maybe I can help." It also matters in the event that she's an enemy and wants to hurt his friends. He wants to be kind and helpful, but not at the expense of others.
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"What do you need done? I'm not ...well, I'm not a great wizard, not by a longshot, but I've been learning that some of the things that are simple back home, aren't here. And the reverse." Magic as he knows it, is easy, and without much cost, but often temporary or good just for convenience. He doesn't think that's the sort of magic she needs, but who knows.
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"I do not trust you. I have no reason to think you'd be able to assist me, nor do I want your help." She has a shardbearer already, she thinks, that stands at her side because he has little place else to go. He might not have magic, but he has allies enough that it contents her for now.
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"Fair enough, but if you change your mind, I'm easy enough to find. There's all the usual ways, but if you don't want to come to any of the spires and you can find an owl, most of them will take a message." He's not entirely sure that they'll always do the work for non-wizards, but if she feeds it a little, it might. "They'll want payment in food though."
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"Then a spire or..." Harry frowns and reaches into the kitbag at his side, pulling out a little paper packet with just a pinch of powder inside. "Do you have any magic of your own, if so, or if you can find someone who does, put this in the fire and call out my name, 'Harry Potter' or 'Akos' and I'll be able to talk to you through the fire."
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"Oh, wow." He's quietly impressed. "If you'd ever be willing to talk about how your magic works, the rules of it, I'd love to listen."
"...and the other name is because I went travelling for a while and I was told it was wise to have two. Most shardbearers will know the first, and the second was used here and there with native peoples."
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Her eyes narrow as she watches him, tilting before she frowns, stepping forward.
"Intelligent."
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"Good advice." Before now, he's never wanted to be called anything other than Harry Potter, but he'd never been able to pick his own name before. He doesn't mind Akos and he's on the fence about being a One-Eyed Anything. (Better an Ally than a Champion, though.)
"What sort of magic do you want to know?"
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"Everything."
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