Okay, I just checked and while I can sort of touch the chin and both temples it's not with my fingertips and I have to push on my hand to get the position right. I'm thinking Douglass didn't know where the temples are. (They're the bit that bulges when you clench your teeth.)
The ice tunnel unraveled, invaded by the scent of summer grain. "Come on now, best you wake up," someone said.
Timozel struggled awake, blinking at the tall stranger. "Who are you?" he asked.
"Name for name," the stranger replied. "Who are you?"
"I am Timozel," Timozel answered.
"I am Ceolmund," the other replied. "Tell me, did you encounter two women and a man before dropping off to sleep?"
"Other then my travelling companions?"
Ceolmund thought for a long moment. "I should think it unlikely. Jack, Yr, and Faraday?"
"Yes," Timozel said. "Did something happen to them?"
Ceolmund huffed. "Those two won't have allowed anything to happen. It might cast doubt on their vaunted prophecy."
"The one from the keep?" Timozel asked.
"In Silent Woman? The very same," Ceolmund replied. "Tell me, was ought amiss there?"
"Yes, actually," Timozel said slowly, "It was incredibly dirty, and there were only two brothers. Why didn't I notice before?"
"I wish it were otherwise," Ceolmund said, "but it is likely that those were not brothers at all but instead two more of Jack and Yr's comrades. That lot is both unmannered and impatient, and prefers to subvert wills instead of converting them. Likely because convincing people to do as you ask requires manners," he added with a wry smile.
"Is Faraday in danger?" Timozel asked hurriedly.
"Less so then you are," Ceolmund stated.
Timozel started for but a moment. "Am I bespelled?"
Ceolmund nodded. "Do you wish me to remove them?"
Timozel looked at him warily. "Why would you offer such a thing?"
"Because I hate the prophecy," Ceolmund snarled, "and wish it utterly destroyed.
He looked as shocked by his outburst as Timozel felt. "What does freeing me from enchantment have to do with the prophecy?" Timozel asked bewilderedly.
Ceolmund breathed deeply, running his fingers through his hair, and answered. "As you are now, you would not play the part the prophecy assigned you. The enchantments, which to be fair were not all laid by your travelling companions, would have warped you until you happily performed your role."
Timozel shuddered. "Remove them. Please."
"Gladly," Ceolmund replied, reaching out to pluck at invisible strands. "They may take some time to unravel, perhaps we might converse?"
By the end of that conversation Timozel is a), fully on board with screwing over the Sentinels and b), mulling over the question of why the Forbidden are forbidden.
no subject
The ice tunnel unraveled, invaded by the scent of summer grain. "Come on now, best you wake up," someone said.
Timozel struggled awake, blinking at the tall stranger. "Who are you?" he asked.
"Name for name," the stranger replied. "Who are you?"
"I am Timozel," Timozel answered.
"I am Ceolmund," the other replied. "Tell me, did you encounter two women and a man before dropping off to sleep?"
"Other then my travelling companions?"
Ceolmund thought for a long moment. "I should think it unlikely. Jack, Yr, and Faraday?"
"Yes," Timozel said. "Did something happen to them?"
Ceolmund huffed. "Those two won't have allowed anything to happen. It might cast doubt on their vaunted prophecy."
"The one from the keep?" Timozel asked.
"In Silent Woman? The very same," Ceolmund replied. "Tell me, was ought amiss there?"
"Yes, actually," Timozel said slowly, "It was incredibly dirty, and there were only two brothers. Why didn't I notice before?"
"I wish it were otherwise," Ceolmund said, "but it is likely that those were not brothers at all but instead two more of Jack and Yr's comrades. That lot is both unmannered and impatient, and prefers to subvert wills instead of converting them. Likely because convincing people to do as you ask requires manners," he added with a wry smile.
"Is Faraday in danger?" Timozel asked hurriedly.
"Less so then you are," Ceolmund stated.
Timozel started for but a moment. "Am I bespelled?"
Ceolmund nodded. "Do you wish me to remove them?"
Timozel looked at him warily. "Why would you offer such a thing?"
"Because I hate the prophecy," Ceolmund snarled, "and wish it utterly destroyed.
He looked as shocked by his outburst as Timozel felt. "What does freeing me from enchantment have to do with the prophecy?" Timozel asked bewilderedly.
Ceolmund breathed deeply, running his fingers through his hair, and answered. "As you are now, you would not play the part the prophecy assigned you. The enchantments, which to be fair were not all laid by your travelling companions, would have warped you until you happily performed your role."
Timozel shuddered. "Remove them. Please."
"Gladly," Ceolmund replied, reaching out to pluck at invisible strands. "They may take some time to unravel, perhaps we might converse?"
By the end of that conversation Timozel is a), fully on board with screwing over the Sentinels and b), mulling over the question of why the Forbidden are forbidden.