(Untitled)

[vonschwannsee]

There is something that people a thousand years ahead of Odile take advantage of and do not even think about it

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[talkstohats]

It looks extremely valuable, to Sophie's admittedly unpracticed eyes.

Which is part of the reason she's watching, with a good deal of interest; she's still not used to seeing things like that lying around in plain sight, very careful or not.

[vonschwannsee]

Odile would not leave it laying about- and there was some debate about 'good light' vs 'tavern' before she brought it here. But the light won out in the end-

And she is taking a great deal of care as well. So much, that it does take her a while to notice Sophie watching. Odile glances over at her, and raises an eyebrow curiously.

[talkstohats]

"Good evening," Sophie says, unembarrassed to be caught staring. Her voice is friendly, if a little hoarse.

"I was only wondering about the book you have there."

[vonschwannsee]

Odile carefully lifts up the cover and turns it so that Sophie can see it.

Uponne the Stratification of Simulacra in Diverse Ecologicalle Enchantments as Written by Plume Fraimow scrolls over the front of the book.

"The light is better here than at home- at least at this time of the day."

[talkstohats]

"It is a good place to get work done, isn't it?"

Sophie peers at the book with some interest, and finds, rather to her distress, that the title makes absolutely no sense to her.

Except that it's something to do with enchantments . . .?

"Pardon me if it's blunt, Miss, but are you a witch? There seem to be a fair number of us here."

[vonschwannsee]

"Sometimes, if what you're doing doesn't need much quiet and concentration." Odile shakes her head, then blinks, looking more closely at Sophie.

"... I am a sorceress." Carefully, after a long moment. "Not a witch."

[talkstohats]

Sorceress sounds very high and mighty - but then, Sophie remembers, Howl goes by Sorcerer Jenkin in Porthaven, and no one treats him any better for it.

"Is there a great difference?" she asks, eyebrows raised.

[vonschwannsee]

"... I have not met many witches, unfortunately." Or none, rather.

"But usually the difference, at least in my world, has to do with the matter of a formal education in magic and other areas, aside from the skill and ability to do magic." Words picked out very carefully. Odile did not miss the other woman's comment about 'a fair number of us here'.

"But the exact definitions could mean differently, in other worlds."

[talkstohats]

A little wary: "I see."

Well, Sophie's had some years of formal education, she reminds herself, hatter's daughter or not - and even Mrs. Pentstemmon, with all her gilt mittens and her grandness, was really just a witch.

"In my world," she says, with a grand air rather borrowed from that lady, "we don't have such distinctions, I'm afraid. But then, I believe not many worlds take such a personal approach to training as we do."

[vonschwannsee]

Odile raises an eyebrow.

"'Personal approach'?"

[talkstohats]

"Apprenticeships," Sophie explains, "rather than schools. I think it works quite well, myself."

[vonschwannsee]

"I've never heard of a school for teaching magic." Quietly, with a shake of her head. "My father taught me, or I taught myself from his library." Odile motions down to the book she is in the process of repairing.

[talkstohats]

"Oh, your father was a wizard as well! - or a sorcerer, I suppose," she corrects herself.

Does wizardry run in families? She and Lettie both have it, but neither of their parents did. And there's nothing magical about Howl's sister Megan, but -

- are she and Howl going to have magic babies?

That's a nervewracking thought if ever there was one. Sophie gulps, and jumps to another subject. "You must know a great deal about magic, then, if you've been studying it for so long."