{ witch at work }

[morvydd]

In her high-ceilinged room, by firelight, Morvydd is arranging her small table with tea, biscuits, and the Scrabble board. This done, she tosses another pinch of herbs on the fire and goes to dig out Gaheris wherever he's hiding.

Comments

[littlebetter]

That would be on the floor in the bedroom, where he is sitting crosslegged with the blankets wrapt around him, turning him into a little mound of fleece and flannel. He's tucked where he can see the door, but he has his eyes closed and seems to be dozing.

[morvydd]

She crouches on her heels beside him, and touches his shoulder lightly. "Gaheris."

[littlebetter]

A flinch and a startled cry. "Lady!"

[morvydd]

"Hush, hush," and she catches an arm around his shoulders. "Awake, coz. Come and have thy tea."

[littlebetter]

Calming, "I'm sorry," and only that; she knows what he mistook her for. He gets to his feet, shaking off the blankets.

[morvydd]

Morvydd smiles at him, standing, and goes back out.

[littlebetter]

He follows her, reaching out to put a hand on her arm as they go. He doesn't mind being touched now, as long as he's aware. He isn't afraid of her at all.

[morvydd]

"I shall best thee tonight," she says cheerfully, pressing his hand for a moment. "Unless thou wilt cheat with the Latin, in which case I am defenseless."

[littlebetter]

"It's not a cheat," indignantly. "Language, words, that's the game--dost thou deny it?"

[morvydd]

"Nay, but the book sayeth, clearly, no foreign words--"

[littlebetter]

"It's not foriegn. Half the men the world over speak it, it's the tongue they use. They speak it in Britain."

[morvydd]

"Only when they cannot make themselves understood in their barbarous dialect," with all the mainland British smugness she can muster. Which isn't much.

[littlebetter]

"Thou dost confess it."

[morvydd]

"Fie, sir!" She pushes him toward his chair, laughing.

[littlebetter]

He laughs back, almost easily, unguarded, and swats at her.

[morvydd]

"Mannerless rogue," batting at his hands. "Sit, sit. Do you play first, since you are so honest."