(Untitled)

[somanytitles]

Aragorn had not understood the change that had occurred over the island one bit. The magic required to do something like that caused his mind to spin. It was even more awe inspiring than being brought to the island in the first place. The clothes he had been given seemed bizarre, but no more so than the "modern" clothes that he saw most on the

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[other_valentine]

Hester's first reaction as she breezed past was to give the man a look of mild disapproval for having delayed her, and walk on, but a number of things made her stop and stare.

First and foremost, this wasn't just any man, but Aragorn, who had such a regal bearing when he was building his own boat out in the jungle -- back when the Island had a jungle. Second, he didn't look stuck. There was no fence around him, and he wasn't standing in quicksand. However, Aragorn didn't seem like the sort of man to lie so frivolously, or to ask for help for something so small. Then he mentioned magic, and it was clear that something was up.

"How are you trapped?" she asked, through her scarf. "Is something holding you in place? Can you feel it?"

[somanytitles]

"I do not know, Hester," Aragorn said, shaking his head. He was free to move his body, raising his arms and legs, turning this way and that. It did not seem as if there were any unseen walls holding him in place either. His sword could extend beyond the length that he could reach without being impeded.

"But when I try to move from this spot-"

He demonstrated, trying to pull away but it felt as if something was preventing his very core from moving away.

[other_valentine]

Hester peered at the ground near Aragorn's legs. The concept of force fields was well beyond her, but she had seen an Island transform itself into a metropolis overnight, and she was taking nothing for granted. Looking up, she spotted something that looked out of place at the top of the door frame. She pointed at it. "What's that?"

[somanytitles]

"It is some sort of decoration," he said, glancing up at the sprig of something that was located above him.

"I have seen such things around the city, as well as wreaths on the door and dead trees in homes."

[other_valentine]

"Still, I wonder," said Hester, reaching up and plucking the mistletoe from the frame. It came free. She stepped back, looking at it, and was more than a little surprised to see Aragorn stepping forward to stand right in front of her.

[somanytitles]

"Aragorn felt an odd jerking sensation as she moved the plant, as if a rope was tied to his chest and a powerful force was jerking him along.

"I would be appreciative if you... did not do that again."

[other_valentine]

This was not what Hester expected, but it did clearly identify what was responsible for Aragorn's predicament. Without a word, she handed the plant to him, and then let out a squawk of surprise when she felt herself pulled after it as well.

[somanytitles]

"It seems if we have both been trapped by the plant," he said, frowning that she had been trapped with him. He would not have wished this fate on someone else.

[other_valentine]

"It seems so," Hester said, grunting as a shift in Aragorn's position caused her to shift to the right. "All right. This is something the Island has done. I have heard that the Island has tests like this. Maybe it's related to the change in the setting. Maybe this is some puzzle we have to solve to escape."

[somanytitles]

"I have seen similar things before, they were riddles," he said, trying to turn so that Hester wasn't pressing against him too much. It was nearly impossible though with how close they were forced to be.

"I do not know what sort of thing a plant would require of us though."

[other_valentine]

Hester could see why Aragorn had found having the mistletoe in her hand as being such an unpleasant experience. Any little move on his part shoved her in different directions, as if a string yanked on her heart. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and she put her hand on his hand -- the one holding the mistletoe. This, at least, gave her some control over its movements as well.

"Maybe it has something to do with this strange world this Island has made around us," she said. "I've been to London." Back when it was moving around the Great Hunting Ground on caterpillar tracks. "Maybe it has something to do with their customs?"

[somanytitles]

"It is possible, though why such powerful magic should be bound to a custom eludes me," he told her. At least she had been to this city before. Aragorn had never even been to the world that it was from and while he had studied Earth culture a great deal, he had never come across this.

"Was there much magic there?"

[other_valentine]

Hester exhaled through clenched teeth, making the scarf over her mouth and nose ripple. "No," she said, sullenly. "But why change this place to London at all?" She nodded at the mistletoe. "This could be part of that. Maybe some strange tradition the Island is following."

The truth was, Hester had no clue. And though she'd never admit it, she was clutching at straws.

[somanytitles]

"And I suppose there are not many who would be as unfamiliar with such customs as we are," Aragorn said. While he studied as much of modern Earth as he could, there was no possible way to know them all. In the future though, he would certainly be looking up traditions related to any holidays.

[other_valentine]

It was becoming more and more clear to Hester how much of a predicament she and Aragorn were in. There seemed no obvious way out of this trap. But if these plants were everywhere, why weren't there hordes of people trapped? She and Aragorn could spend hours fruitlessly searching.

Just then, a passerby looked over at them and shouted, "You're supposed to kiss! That sets you free!"

Hester blinked. Involuntarily, her hand went to her mouth. Her scarred, deformed mouth under its scarf.

[somanytitles]

Aragorn wasn't entirely ready to believe what had been shouted at them. After all, some stranger had randomly shouted a suggestion to two people who were obviously having difficulty freeing themselves from the plant. It was just the sort of jest he would expect.

"I do not think they meant it," he reassured her.