the golden age

[deepest_magic]

When the party has died down, Isabella, for one, is well and truly exhausted. She explores the palace until she finds a room with a bed in it, and into this bed she flops, still in her clothes and holding her staff and carrying the cordial in her pocket. She sleeps late, because the party kept her up so late and she hadn't really slept the night before; but around noon, she stirs, and gets up, and goes looking for James and wherever her backpack may have got to. The backpack she finds in the great hall where the principal mass of the party was; some enterprising creature took both bags from the battlefield at Beruna up to the castle for them, and she only wishes she knew who it was. She takes her bag to her room and carries James's with her and continues looking for her friend.

Comments

[deepest_magic]

Isabella opens her envelope.

[pythbox]

It contains a list of answers to her questions!

1. What should we know about the apples of immortality?
They cannot be safely picked or consumed except at Aslan's own personal instruction. Any who try under other circumstances will find the results more unwelcome than otherwise.

2. What is Winter's problem?
It isn't my business to say.

3. Are there more surprises in Narnia like the dark tunnels?
Not presently.

4. Did Winter omit anything when he marked the tunnels?
You will find his map entirely sufficient to your purposes.

5. Why couldn't Winter go back to Earth?
The way was not open to him.

6. Is there a way to let him die?
No, and nothing like it.

7. Is there in general a reliable way to get between Earth and Narnia and back?
Not that you would call truly reliable.

8. Are there any magic items lying around we could get without having to wait for you to bring them?
You have the means to find out. Enjoy your search.

9. What other questions might it be worthwhile to ask you and what are the answers to them?
It is not in my nature to be an oracle.

[deepest_magic]

Isabella hands the letter to James and opens her other parcel.

[neverbeatme]

Isabella's parcel contains a pair of pretty bracelets, and James's parcel contains a charmingly wrought little compass which is currently pointing directly at Isabella despite her lack of northwardness.

James looks at the compass, and the bracelets, and the letter. "'Enjoy your search'?" she murmurs thoughtfully.

[deepest_magic]

Isabella puts the bracelets on.

[neverbeatme]

James turns the compass this way and that, moves it up and down and around in circles.

The compass points at Isabella. The bracelets tug very gently and subtly in the direction of the compass.

"Hmmm," says James.

[deepest_magic]

Isabella lets her arms be guided compasswards.

[neverbeatme]

As soon as she touches the compass, the bracelets relax. Item found.

"We both got... finding-ish sorts of things, it looks like," says James. "We could follow them around and see what they find us." She stifles a yawn. "Tomorrow. I was up early this morning."

The compass needle swivels. Now it points towards the corridor that James would take if she went to bed.

[deepest_magic]

"I'm going to go see if Winter's awake, let him know what the letter says," sighs Isabella.

[neverbeatme]

"Good idea. Thanks."

She hugs her wife and follows her compass to bed.

[deepest_magic]

"Love you."

And down Isabella goes.

[jackfrostbite]

Someone is giggling down there! It sounds like Winter, but a Winter who is much less unhappy than usual.

[deepest_magic]

That's weird.

Isabella continues down.

[pythbox]

Inside of Winter's cell, there is a picnic blanket spread on the floor and provisioned with an exquisite Christmas dinner for two. Sitting across from Winter at the blanket is Father Christmas.

[deepest_magic]

Isabella is momentarily struck speechless.

[jackfrostbite]

Winter doesn't notice her at first, being too busy laughing, and then as his giggles fade he proceeds to be too busy eating dinner.

[deepest_magic]

"Um," begins Isabella.

[jackfrostbite]

He startles. "Where'd you come from?"

[deepest_magic]

"Upstairs. I was going to tell you something about one of my Christmas presents that's relevant to you but then I was surprised."

[jackfrostbite]

"...What?"

[deepest_magic]

"I asked - you didn't already tell him, did you? If you're going to tell him yourself there's no point in me interrupting," Isabella says, switching to addressing Father Christmas.

[jackfrostbite]

"She asked, if I recall right, whether it is possible for you to die," says Father Christmas.

"And you said no, I'd wager."

Father Christmas nods.

"Wonderful," mutters Winter. "Merry Christmas to me."

[deepest_magic]

"I'm sorry. I thought you'd want to know."

[jackfrostbite]

Winter sighs. "Thank you, your majesty."

[deepest_magic]

"Enjoy your picnic."

And she goes upstairs again to bed with her spouse.