(no subject)
Following this...
In the end, it was Rabastan's new-found ability to attract attention merely by throwing a tantrum worthy of a five-year-old boy that helped Strahan to find the wizard. He watched as Rabastan told the blonde boy Strahan had met a week or so ago that he should've been left to die; that Asar-Suti and the god's loyal sorcerer should not have rescued him from the monsters that attacked him.
Which, if Scrios were not with Rabastan that night, is exactly what would have happened.
Strahan wasn't about to disabuse anyone of the false assumption that he'd acted out of charity towards the wizard just yet. That would come later. Right now he had other things on his mind. Things like bringing the ring he and Asar-Suti made to Rabastan; the ring that would allow Rabastan to change outside the full moon.
He'd have to wait though; Rabastan wasn't through making noise just yet.
Or was he?
The fury seemed to change direction. Instead of animal noises Rabastan was swearing and swiping at something that was near his foot. And the blonde boy was gone.
It could not be coincidence. Strahan knew too much about magic to know that the sudden change in tack had something to do with the boy's disappearance. That Draco could turn into a fox was unknown to Strahan. That magic was involved wasn't.
No matter. If the boy was gone then Strahan could move in. And he did.
"Rabastan Lestrange," he said to the still-angry man, who jumped in surprise. "I wish to speak with you." And not waiting for an answer, he went on. "It is done, Rabastan Lestrange. All that is left is to turn it over into your care. Follow me."
Rabastan looked like he wanted to tell Strahan where the sorcerer should go and what the shortest route would be.
"Come. I cannot give it to you here," he said, motioning for Rabastan to follow, which the wizard did, after some delay.
"What is it Strahan?" he asked once they were in an out-of-the-way spot.
"I have something to give you," was the reply as the sorcerer pulled a small rune-inscribed box out of a pocket, which Rabastan looked at curiously. The box was decidedly ornate. And Ihlini-made.
Strahan was fond of such boxes.
"What I have is in here," he said, and he pulled back the lid to reveal a square amethyst set into a silver ring. The promised crystal.
Rabastan looked puzzled. "Isn't it a little too soon to be making marriage proposals to me?" he asked the sorcerer, who looked rather cross at the reaction. "I mean, if you intend to propose, shouldn't you wait? And do it on one knee?"
The lid was snapped shut with a click.
"I am not here to entertain jokes, Rabastan Lestrange, nor am I here to propose a wedding of any kind. At least, not to you. Such things I leave to Varien. What I am offering is the stone Asar-Suti and I promised. The stone that would allow you to shift shape outside the full moon, so that you will have some control over your physical form."
"You mean, that thing is for me?"
"I would not be offering it to you were it meant for someone else."
"I meant, that's the stone? You made it? I thought.... I thought it would take a little longer to create."
Strahan looked even more offended. "Do you doubt my magical prowess? Do you doubt Asar-Suti's?"
"No! I just- No."
"This is your ring. Made by the Seker and myself for your benefit. With it you can be a wolf at will. It is not the same as having a lir to serve as your locus but it will do as well as any shapechanger's beast."
The box was handed over to Rabastan, who opened it, took out the ring, examined it. A flawless stone that seemed to contain a tiny spark of purple fire in its core. Unassuming but very powerful.
"And, once you have mastered your wolf-shape you will be given other animal forms to chose from, until you have six in total, including your wolf."
"Six?"
"Aye. Six. A generous number?"
Rabastan seemed to consider protesting such a small number, but then realised he was in no position to barter. The god and his faithful servant had done more than what they should have simply by making this ring. And such gift-horses should never be argued about.
"Six animals," he mused.
"So that you do not have to always be man or wolf."
Rabastan cheered up at that thought. Clearly he was thinking of the eagle's body he wanted. Or some other winged creature.
"Put it on Rabastan Lestrange. See if it will work."
"I haven't taken any wolfsbane yet."
"Then we will train you another day. And we will send you a note to let you know when you are to begin."
Rabastan slipped the ring onto the middle finger of his right hand, since it was too big to fit his ring finger. The stone shone for a moment as it recognised its master, then returned to its original state.
"It is done then," Strahan said while Rabastan examined the stone, the silver, the ring.
"It is."
"All that is left is for you to master it."
"Yes."
"And we will call you when it is time," Strahan said as he placed his hand upon Rabastan.
The wizard's knees buckled.
Strahan smiled serenely.
"-happening-"
Still he smiled.
"-again-not again-"
"We will call you when it is time."
"...yes..."
Strahan turned and left.
The game was only just beginning.
In the end, it was Rabastan's new-found ability to attract attention merely by throwing a tantrum worthy of a five-year-old boy that helped Strahan to find the wizard. He watched as Rabastan told the blonde boy Strahan had met a week or so ago that he should've been left to die; that Asar-Suti and the god's loyal sorcerer should not have rescued him from the monsters that attacked him.
Which, if Scrios were not with Rabastan that night, is exactly what would have happened.
Strahan wasn't about to disabuse anyone of the false assumption that he'd acted out of charity towards the wizard just yet. That would come later. Right now he had other things on his mind. Things like bringing the ring he and Asar-Suti made to Rabastan; the ring that would allow Rabastan to change outside the full moon.
He'd have to wait though; Rabastan wasn't through making noise just yet.
Or was he?
The fury seemed to change direction. Instead of animal noises Rabastan was swearing and swiping at something that was near his foot. And the blonde boy was gone.
It could not be coincidence. Strahan knew too much about magic to know that the sudden change in tack had something to do with the boy's disappearance. That Draco could turn into a fox was unknown to Strahan. That magic was involved wasn't.
No matter. If the boy was gone then Strahan could move in. And he did.
"Rabastan Lestrange," he said to the still-angry man, who jumped in surprise. "I wish to speak with you." And not waiting for an answer, he went on. "It is done, Rabastan Lestrange. All that is left is to turn it over into your care. Follow me."
Rabastan looked like he wanted to tell Strahan where the sorcerer should go and what the shortest route would be.
"Come. I cannot give it to you here," he said, motioning for Rabastan to follow, which the wizard did, after some delay.
"What is it Strahan?" he asked once they were in an out-of-the-way spot.
"I have something to give you," was the reply as the sorcerer pulled a small rune-inscribed box out of a pocket, which Rabastan looked at curiously. The box was decidedly ornate. And Ihlini-made.
Strahan was fond of such boxes.
"What I have is in here," he said, and he pulled back the lid to reveal a square amethyst set into a silver ring. The promised crystal.
Rabastan looked puzzled. "Isn't it a little too soon to be making marriage proposals to me?" he asked the sorcerer, who looked rather cross at the reaction. "I mean, if you intend to propose, shouldn't you wait? And do it on one knee?"
The lid was snapped shut with a click.
"I am not here to entertain jokes, Rabastan Lestrange, nor am I here to propose a wedding of any kind. At least, not to you. Such things I leave to Varien. What I am offering is the stone Asar-Suti and I promised. The stone that would allow you to shift shape outside the full moon, so that you will have some control over your physical form."
"You mean, that thing is for me?"
"I would not be offering it to you were it meant for someone else."
"I meant, that's the stone? You made it? I thought.... I thought it would take a little longer to create."
Strahan looked even more offended. "Do you doubt my magical prowess? Do you doubt Asar-Suti's?"
"No! I just- No."
"This is your ring. Made by the Seker and myself for your benefit. With it you can be a wolf at will. It is not the same as having a lir to serve as your locus but it will do as well as any shapechanger's beast."
The box was handed over to Rabastan, who opened it, took out the ring, examined it. A flawless stone that seemed to contain a tiny spark of purple fire in its core. Unassuming but very powerful.
"And, once you have mastered your wolf-shape you will be given other animal forms to chose from, until you have six in total, including your wolf."
"Six?"
"Aye. Six. A generous number?"
Rabastan seemed to consider protesting such a small number, but then realised he was in no position to barter. The god and his faithful servant had done more than what they should have simply by making this ring. And such gift-horses should never be argued about.
"Six animals," he mused.
"So that you do not have to always be man or wolf."
Rabastan cheered up at that thought. Clearly he was thinking of the eagle's body he wanted. Or some other winged creature.
"Put it on Rabastan Lestrange. See if it will work."
"I haven't taken any wolfsbane yet."
"Then we will train you another day. And we will send you a note to let you know when you are to begin."
Rabastan slipped the ring onto the middle finger of his right hand, since it was too big to fit his ring finger. The stone shone for a moment as it recognised its master, then returned to its original state.
"It is done then," Strahan said while Rabastan examined the stone, the silver, the ring.
"It is."
"All that is left is for you to master it."
"Yes."
"And we will call you when it is time," Strahan said as he placed his hand upon Rabastan.
The wizard's knees buckled.
Strahan smiled serenely.
"-happening-"
Still he smiled.
"-again-not again-"
"We will call you when it is time."
"...yes..."
Strahan turned and left.
The game was only just beginning.