World Outside Time: 4 days later

[heartandfire.livejournal.com]

Jubee lay on the grassy courtyard, bathing in the sunlight and feeling happy and content for the first time in a long while.

She was stretched out, laying in the yellow dress with her notebook, torn a little and battered, but fine other than a bloodstain on the cover, laying open in front of her. She'd purposefully ignored the pages before these ones, concentrating on the better times as she described the castle and the grounds, Sir James, Anmut, and everything that had happened so far.

On the ground next to her Steve was curled up, asleep as usual, and behind her Sir James and Anmut sat, also enjoying the day.

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"Here, lass. Let me show ye how t' do this." Sir James closed one eye and looked along the length of the arrow shaft, then picked up a tip and turned to look at her.

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She turned, and grinned.

"OK," she said, slowly getting up, trying to encourage the quick healing her bones seemed to be attempting before she went over to him. "Can we go shooting later? Pretty please?"

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"Accourse." He grinned at her and handed her the pretty pink and silver flint tip, then guided her down to sit next to him. "But not today, perhaps. Yer still not up ta it."

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"Good." He showed her how to fit the flint into the notch at the end of the shaft, holding it in place with a dab of tree gum. "Make sure tis straight, now."

Anmut rolled onto her stomach and watched them languidly, ears twitching slightly.

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Jubee followed his instructions, looking down the shaft again to make sure it looked right and straight.

"Like this?" she said, looking at him for approval.

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He took it and sighted along it, then nodded. "Fine work. Have ye done this before?"

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"Mayhap the morrow." He lifted his head and sniffed, then glanced at Anmut to make sure she was alright before turning back to Jubilee. "An' when yer stronger I'll take ye out t' one 'o the jungles 'n we kin hunt."

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"Really?" she said, looking up at him, her eyes sparkling. "That would be so cool! Can we go after a bear? Or a jungle cat? Or something else big and stinky?"

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"Ah, no, there are none 'o those here. 'N I don't care fer killin' things that ain't worth eatin'. But there's plenty 'o beasties ta chase." He stood and gathered the unfleched arrows all together.

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The winged woman blinked at her, then nodded and let Sir James lower her carefully to the ground.

He hunkered beside her, face dark with a scowl though his eyes showed his concern.

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"You should be careful," Jubee concluded, sitting by her and stroking her hair. "And eat and drink plently. That helps."

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"Ja." Anmut let her face drop to the grass to hide her tears.

"What's wrong?" growled Sir James, then blinked as she flinched. "Anmut?"

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"I think he's angry. I'm only here to keep him company, not to... to fall in love vith him." Her ears drooped.

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"He's not stupid enough to be angry. I think he's just... messed up. I mean, he's loved before, and I don't think he's ever let himself deal with loosing them, so this must be confusing and bringing up old stuff he was too scared to face. It's nothing to do with you, though. I'm sure once he get it he'll find out he loves you too. I know he does, even if he pretends otherwise."

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"I don't vant to hurt him." The whisper was nearly too faint to hear.

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The stove thrummed softly as the pots danced on its surface and a ceramic pie bird pecked at the inside of the window on the oven door. On the table an apron twisted one of its strings into a 'thumbs up' before it returned to crimping the crust on a meat pie.

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"Great," she grinned, then got up and looked around. "Can I help?"

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The apron waved her over to the sink to wash her hands, then beckoned her to the table, where it hung itself around her neck and proceeded to show her how to make meat pies.

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Things saluted all around her, and the glasses seemed to giggle with tinkly laughter. The broom gave another excited twirl, then trotted out off down the halls to get Sir James.

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"Ok, guys, only servers and eating-ware now. I'll see you back in the kitchen," she grinned, almost skipping away down the halls until she finally got out to where Anmut was.

"Hey, Anmut, dinner's ready," she called, grinning hugely.

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The winged woman looked around from where she perched on the railing of a balcony that directly overlooked the nothingness of the sky stroking a small dragon like the ones that Jubilee had seen a few days before. "Alright. I am coming, Leibling. Are ve eating in your room again?"

Into the Library

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Jubee left the kitchens behind and walked into the library, sighing as she moved down the hall, and then went to the library. She'd only seen it once, but she'd wanted to explore it a bit, it was so pretty, and she figured now was as good a time as ever.

Re: Into the Library

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She was met by the coat tree, who eagerly caught at her sleeve and led her inside and over to a place to once side of the fireplace.

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"I'll not be responsible fer yer dyin'," said the ancient warrior gruffly. "'N that wee lass in there has lured my old heart out of hidin'. I'd rather not go back t' what I was before she came once she's gone."

"Gone?" asked Anmut softly.

"Aye. I've seen it in the mirror," he replied heavily. "She's not fer this place."

"Ach." Anmut stood and touched his shoulder gently, then wrapped her arms and wings around him as he began to cry.

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She bit her lip and reached out to touch him to, but only cramped her fingers on the glass and sighed. So she couldn't stay here... but maybe... maybe she didn't have to go for a long time. Maybe she could stay for almost ever.