It was noon, and the castle was nearly empty; many of its residents, the king included, had temporarily moved to the Oasis, and eager adventurers (or equally eager observers) had followed. Opinions on the quiet were torn, with some enjoying the peacefulness while others missed the constant noise and movement that came from so many people living in such close quarters to one another. Grimbaud - who saw the good in everything and everyone - thought it was all rather fascinating, and had used her increased freedom to harass get to know the castle staff and those residents who stayed behind. Today she limped after Mary, a kind but rather beleaguered maid who was far too kind to tell her off even though she was drastically behind schedule.
"Darling, where is your familiar?" Mary panted, earning a giggle from Grimbaud as Mary stretched out to give the mantle a thorough dusting.
"We're playing hide and seek!" she announced cheerfully. Mary smiled back, in part because she couldn't resist Grim's gap-toothed grin and in part because it finally gave her a way to escape the sweet, but long-winded, little girl.
"Are you hiding or seeking?" Mary asked. Grim, who'd been busily poking at the beginnings of a tooth beneath the skin with her tongue, blinked up at her. Her mouth opened, then closed, and a small frown formed.
"I... can't 'member," Grim said, reverting to a younger speech pattern as she usually did when confused.
"You were seeking," came a stern voice, a voice just a shade or two deeper than one would expect from a female. A sleek black jaglion with a distinctly annoyed expression on her face tromped into the room, her normally immaculate fur smudged with dust in places.
"You're the bestest hider ever! I had no idea where you were!" Grim squealed enthusiastically, snapping arms that were still a shade or two too thin for her age about the big cat's neck.
"That's because your forgot to look for me, Grim," said the creature, with an exaggerated sigh. "We should leave the poor lady alone to do her work."
Mary shot Gisli a grateful look, hurrying out of the room while Grim was distracted enough not to notice.
"But I..." Grim looked around, found her friend had fled, and gave a shrug. "'Kay! Where are we going now?"
Gisli paused a moment, thinking. Where would her little imp be least likely to cause trouble? The idea came after only a moment of thought, and brought a smile to her lips. "The gardens! I hear Danny's General has hatched her chicks."
"BABIES!" Grim squealed, and dashed from the room as quickly as her ill-healed leg would allow. Gisli trotted after at a more sedate pace, keeping up with Grim's limping gait easily. In minutes they'd found a comfortable corner of the gardens, near enough for Grim to watch General feed and groom her chicks but not so near the sparrow felt uncomfortable by their presence. Grim often forgot that, with the Ancient Creature lose in Shaman, animals could no longer understand her, but had finally managed to grasp that running up to new creatures wasn't exactly the best idea.
Gisli let Grim's constant chatter roll over her like waves, staying alert even in the peaceful safety of the castle's shadow. |