THREE HUNDRED THREE: An Art
Next Chapter: July 6 (approximate)
******
“It’s going to be one of the wave symbols, and we’ll make it work by using the phrasing about protecting Matadero’s secrets above and below the surface. The part of the design that represents the cube will be less prominent than the wave, and the functional part of the tattoo will be simple enough that I can add decorative stuff or more contracts near it in the future. You and I will both know it means something about our first meeting even though magically it’s just a Matadero secrecy tattoo. Done. Excellent. I’ve decided.”
Alden clapped his hands together once to emphasize his decisiveness. Then he slumped back into a comfortable lounging posture similar to the one Esh-erdi had been in for the past hour or more while Alden’s brain boiled with information about what the contract had to include and options for what it could look like.
“Which wave symbol?” Esh-erdi asked pleasantly. “The ones from Jatonta aren’t my favorites. Too indistinct. But there are the fingers of the sea, the circle of waters, the <<zig-zag>>, and many more. I’m sure human ocean symbols are similarly varied. We can find one from Earth if you like. And then once you figure out size and placement, we’ll be nearly done.”
Alden groaned.
“Murrghgnooo,” Esh-erdi repeated back. “That’s a noise you must learn to incorporate into your storytelling. What does it mean?”
“It’s the sound a human makes when his brain is being boiled.”
“I thought so,” Esh-erdi said.
“I feel guilty for making you sit out here while I spend forever trying to figure out what I think about squiggly waves versus zig-zags versus spirals.”
“I was impressed that you were choosing everything so quickly, actually. You asked Haoyu’s parents good questions. You’ve rejected hundreds of possibilities, and you’ve learned an important life lesson about ensuring your future tattoos are as striking as my leg. That lesson is…?”
Alden wasn’t sure what he meant. Several things that might qualify as a “lesson” on that had been said. “If it’s going to look bad, just say no. Think about line weight. If someone insists a shape I don’t like is necessary, accuse them of having a weak imagination and ask if their poetry suffers from their inability to grasp metaphors beyond the obvious.”
“You’ve been listening so well! Are you really feeling guilty?”
“I am. A little. The relative pointedness of different types of waves doesn’t seem like a good enough reason for me to be taking your whole night. I’m worried your sister is waiting to have a visit with you, but I already asked you to take me to the pitcherhouse unexpectedly and now this.”
“Do you worry that I’m having an unpleasant time right now? I’m not. I’m enjoying myself and have been since we left Earth.”
“You know what I mean,” Alden said. “Rapport III is your place. And they’re your family. And time isn’t cheap for you.”
He pulled up a batch of wave symbols from the bunch Esh-erdi had sent him earlier and started flicking through them.
He’d hardly made progress when Esh-erdi said, “I agree with everything you said except your first assumption. This is my home. My time is valuable to me. My family even more. But I don’t know what you mean. And I think I’d like to understand it. Tell me why you’re worrying about having my attention.”
“I’m not trying to tell you how you should behave!” Alden said. “I mean… ”
Esh-erdi waited serenely.
“I don’t want to take too much from people. That’s all.”
“I don’t hold my finger on this matter to torment you. It’s because one of the things I’ve wanted to talk to you about is how you view your social position as an Avowed. Trying to guess how you feel about it is a challenge beyond even my brilliance, because you…seem either more careful or more bold than I expect you to be fairly often. I like being surprised, but I can’t settle on what encouragements or warnings to give you.”
“Maybe give me all of them, and I’ll have them as needed.”
“You want me to give you opposite advice on a single breath? It’s the same as telling you nothing. I was hoping to be more of a help to you than that. Especially about this. Perhaps it’s wrong of me. Do your elders on Anesidora advise you well enough that whatever I might say is unnecessary?”
I shouldn’t have complained about the difficulty of picking a type of wave. How could I have known it would turn into questions about this?
He swallowed. “‘I’m not worried about taking time from you because of my social position. If I have to guess honestly, it’s probably some mix of me being extra careful not to bother someone I admire and an embarrassing thing where I notice other peoples’ happy family moments too much. Now that I’m saying it aloud I know it must be ordinary for your sister to be so glad you’re home and for your nieces to shout your name and hug you like that. But it felt more than ordinary when I saw it. Like a special opportunity I didn’t want you to miss because of me and I got more concerned about it as more time passed. That’s mostly me being weird about your personal life, not me being weird about being an Avowed. I think.”
“I give Brim and Droon far more of my time than I give you.”
“I know. That’s natural. Sorry for worrying.”
“Today you are the special one, though. You’ve been doing well! Ask for more. Do you want your own terackerin?”
“The Nine-edged Son is already plenty.” Alden hesitated. “If you want to do something for me, on top of so much else, tell me what everyone hears and thinks when I say that I’m weaving a lifelong friendship with Stu.”
“Their assessment shouldn’t change what you weave.”
“It changes what I can weave with them, not with Stu. I know people are different from each other. I’m not going to hold whatever you say against every Artonan I meet. But if I could firm up my general expectations, that would help.”
He thought of some of the reactions he’d encountered so far.
“Moshk thought I didn’t know what I was talking about. Stu’s parents think this is a season of our youth that’s going to end sooner or later. Hn’tyon Emban-art’h seemed to like me, but when I said that Stu being left out of everything about Welcome End was sad and implied that maybe she could help with that, she immediately pointed at my humanity. You can’t possibly understand Stu like we do. This isn’t your world, and you’ll just have to learn to exist here without truly belonging. That kind of thing. She’s having her own difficulties. I know. But her hands found that low-hanging fruit so fast. It’s probably what she really thinks.”
“Low-hanging fruit is a good thing. That sounds more like rotten fruit.”
“It tasted rotten for sure. I didn’t respond well either. I accused the art’hs of being unable to tell the difference between helping Stu and being cruel to him.”
A hand landed on his shoulder. “May your friendship become worthy of legends.”
“Some legends are about terrible stuff.”
“Not that kind of legend. Shall I tell Jeneth-art’h you called him cruel?”
“You shall not,” Alden said. “Because he was left out of my insult to the rest of the family. He’s Stu’s very favorite person.”
Esh-erdi patted his shoulder before pulling his hand back. “Earlier, when you spoke of having a home somewhere, were you thinking of belonging here rather than on Earth?”
Alden went still.
Whoa. There it is. Said out loud in someone else’s voice.
So that’s what it sounds like.
This shouldn’t scare him. It was only a question about where he pictured his future address. The universe was way smaller than it had been for his ancestors. He could teleport between planets faster than he could walk from his bedroom to the living room if a System would let him. And there was one that would. But putting home where you planned to spend most of your days still made sense.
This is practicalities. Cowboys live near ranches. Superheroes stick to Anesidora and their assigned cities. Knights of the Mother Planet have their Rapports.
The night had cooled off enough to be genuinely comfortable for him. Vatha fluttered around some of the gourd lanterns.
“Here. Eventually. Yes, I was thinking something like that,” he said. “Not Rapport III specifically but…here. How do you think that might go for me?”
“What do you envision yourself doing here for a lifetime? And why do you look like I’ve just asked you a terrifying question instead of the most natural one?”
Alden tried to look more like someone who was answering an easy question. “I would help everyone else who lives here do things to stop chaos. To the best of my abilities. I realize that might not sound like a great offer because I’m an Avowed, and anyone here who wants my help can just have it by summoning me. But I mean it. Well, to be specific, I’ll help Stu first, and then with the best of my abilities that are left over, I’ll be here. Living like other Rapport folk do. I hope.”
“Your words make this night more beautiful, Alden. It’s a great offer. Look at me.”
Alden turned his head.
Esh-erdi’s smile was warm. “Many things will be hard for you if you go that way.”
“I thought so.”
“When you say that you are Stu-art’h’s friend, many people hear youthful whim. When you’re too old to be dismissed like that, those people may finally welcome you, or they may turn out to be types you can’t associate with. Some welcomes will come only because of who Stu-art’h is. I think you’ll value the connections you make through your own efforts more because of that.
“You did well tonight. In a few minds, you’re now Alden Thorn of Earth, who believes he can take fifteen in a game of Three-fingered Thief. You’re that to them as much as you are an Avowed, a Ryeh-b’t, a human, and Stu-art’h’s friend. You have carved a small space for yourself. You may have to carve longer and around more obstacles than others do, but I believe if you continue, here among us or wherever your heart may land in coming years, you’ll find the shape of your home.”
Esh-erdi stood and stretched.
“Are we going somewhere?” Alden asked, readying himself to stand too.
“I’m going to see my sister. Someone made me feel rude for letting her wait. Think of your tattoo, and more questions if you like. Call me or come find me when you want me. You have school on…Monday. If I haven’t heard from you by then, I’ll make sure you get a teleport to your first class.”
Alden blinked at his back as he turned away. “Monday’s a long time from now. It’s only Saturday on Earth. There’s a whole day in between.”
“Ask the Contract for help if you don’t want to ask me,” Esh-erdi said. “I don’t recommend Wathe for a solo adventure, but if you must, it’s that way.”
He’s really leaving me to do whatever for however long?
By the time Alden processed the sudden change of plans, Esh-erdi was gone.
******
Alden knew how to get back to the river. If he went toward it, he’d pass his birth tree and a couple of large houses before making it to the community where Esh-erdi lived along the water’s edge. What he hadn’t seen on foot he’d observed well enough from the flyer.
That direction is safe, he thought, standing at the perimeter of the seating copse, looking the way his host had gone. I could take a walk. Maybe sit on a dock with my feet in the water while I design my tattoo.
Then he looked in the opposite direction, to where a narrow trail led deeper into Rapport III.
The path was well-maintained, but that meant less than it would have in most places. If one single knight enjoyed walking out here a couple of times a year, someone would make sure it was easy for them.
The trail didn’t seem as if it could be frequented by a large number of people. It was too narrow, and there was no obvious destination visible from here. Something dark, straight, and low in the distance was probably just the roofline of another house. It didn’t look big enough to be a gathering spot.
He’s giving me a chance to check out a place I told him I want to have a future in. Chilling on a dock is too shy.
Alden headed for the trail. He expected some sort of lighting to happen when he took his first few steps down it. When none did, he pushed down the temptation to pull his auriad out and looked around for something like the light wands the siblinghold kept by the entrance to the summonarium.
Nothing.
The only oddity at the start of the trail were several poles with nets on the ends. He was fifty-fifty on whether they were decor or tools for catching some type of small local animal that could be found in the grass along the trail.
There are so many lanterns around the copse. I’ll borrow one of those.
They didn’t have handles, but he could string some of the paracord he had in his bag around one.
He completed the little project and set off down the trail with his paracord gourd, feeling like a problem solver. Then, a couple of minutes into his journey, he had an epiphany that sent him jogging back to the start.
He pulled one of the poles out of the ground. It was hollow like bamboo, and the netting was perfect for holding a gourd lantern.
“That’s what you’re for!”
It would be hard to explain to anyone else why figuring out how the lights worked here excited him at least as much as being floated around by Ignacio’s weapon recall had the first time.
He took a picture of himself holding the lantern pole and sent it to Stuart.
******
Alden walked for miles.
The trail’s main purpose did seem to be “a chance to appreciate the landscape,” with an occasional branching pathway that led to so-and-so’s house or, just once so far, to a place that was clearly intended for magic. He discovered that one with delight. Half an hour after finding it, he was still walking around the elevated triangular platform at the center of the grassy mound, trying to sense the elemental alignments of whatever ingredients had left stains in the dimples that marked the platform’s surface.
He didn’t reach out to prod anything with his authority, only crouching over each dimple with his eyes closed, trying to be sensitive.
At first, he’d intended to be quick about this exploration. He’d thought he should reduce his chances of being found here by someone who would think he was behaving the wrong way toward the mystery platform. But the second dimple he’d crouched over had held, done, or been influenced by what he couldn’t help but think of as “big hot”.
That dimple was the same temperature as the surrounding environment, according to his sense of touch. And it was nothing special to look at. But there was a two-inch-wide spot in reality there that wanted to be hot so badly Alden could feel the potential for it. He’d never experienced anything like it, and as soon as he did, he knew he’d be sensing every interesting-looking thing out here until he’d determined there wasn’t another spot with something similar going on. Or until a wizard showed up to shout, “Get away from my casting supplies!”
Whichever came first.
He really wanted to do his new candle-lighting snap over the big hot spot. He thought if he did, a pillar of fire might shoot up and announce his presence to the entire Rapport.
That should be easier to resist than it is.
Eventually, he finished his inspection with no other major discoveries and jumped down to stand on the ground where his lantern waited. There was a flock of brown and white vatha around it. Bugs were the only creatures he’d seen out here. The nearest he’d come to seeing a person was the vision of himself that stood beside his lantern right now, shirtless and in shorts so that Alden could see what he looked like with different tattoos in different places.
The one helping him see himself this way had gotten creative while he was busy. The interface vision had a right arm decorated not only with the Matadero tattoo he was leaning toward, but also with several other symbols. They ran in a mesmerizing line from his shoulder to just below his elbow. A gap had been left at a spot where he liked to wear his auriad on that arm. The tattoos seemed to highlight it.
“I like that.”
He recognized the symbol for Earth and its solar system. And at the very top, the one for The Bearer of All Burdens, though it had been a bit simplified compared to the first time he’d seen it.
“I really like that.” His eyes focused on the auriad his twin wore. “Why did we look at so many other options when you know my thoughts?”
“Timing. It’s an art.” A tall Artonan woman appeared in front of him, her brown hair in a ponytail, bare toes wiggling in the grass. “Hello, my Alden.”
“Hello,” he said. “Timing…I guess that’s why we’ve talked since I finished my choosing season, but not really.”
She nodded once and reached to brush a thumb against his cheek. It felt real.
“What do you think of my choices?” he asked.
He watched the other him smile and straighten as his outfit changed. The tattoo was mostly covered by the sleeve of a dark green knight’s coat.
“How did Stu put it?” she said.
“Yes. To everything I am.”
“He found perfection with so few words. I won’t compete.” Her hand fell to her side. “You’ve leveled, as Earth reckons such things. It will tell you so when you make it back to Anesidora.”
He slowed a breath. In and out. “Okay.”
“I know you’d like advice about when to spread your secrets wider. But there is no perfection for you there, only your own readiness to manage what you might gain and lose. As far as that goes, someone else has more than I do for you to consider.”
“Someone else?”
“The one you’ve been torturing unwittingly ever since you arrived here.”
“Who?” he asked, concerned. “Have I been offending a Rapport III person without meaning to?”
She winked at him.
That was all the warning he got before his feet lifted off the ground, and he flew backwards, away from the casting platform and toward the main trail. Tall grass was slapping against his back.
“Shit! What—?!”
His shout was cut short by a collision. Arms and another person’s authority wrapped around him at the same time. If he hadn’t recognized the authority right away, he might have tried to break the arms.
“Stuart!” he said as they staggered together. He wasn’t sure if they were tripping each other more or holding each other up. The levitation wand that apparently worked on humans as well as it did everything else was stabbing him in the ribs.
“Don’t go near a Yatanger triangle while you’re drunk or high or both! You could die!”
“Who’s drunk or high here?”
“And don’t tell Esh-erdi yet! Please, don’t tell him. We’re not ready. I’m not. And you’re too important. Have you already told? I’ll do everything I can, but I’m not— ”
“What are you doing here?” Alden asked loudly, finally getting his feet firmly on the ground and his hands firmly on Stuart’s shoulders so that he could hold him still and make sense of him. “I’m not drunk. And I haven’t told Esh-erdi what you’re worried about. We said not yet, didn’t we?”
Stuart’s panicked expression didn’t fade immediately. He was in his LeafSong uniform. His face was pale above the black cloth.
“Are you all right?”
They asked each other the question at the same time.
“I’m fine,” said Alden. “Having a neat weekend. Sending you pictures of everything I’m doing here in Rapport III.”
“What you’re doing is drinking too many inebriating beverages. I’ve brought reversal potions!” A hand plunged into one of his pockets and pulled out a case that said “humans” on the front.
“Don’t inject me with anything. I used a tiny little tasting spoon to try most of those drinks I sent you pictures of. Esh-erdi was the one who actually had the strong ones.”
“What?”
“Exactly what I said. I’m very sober. Did you think I was crazy enough to lose control of myself in a Rapport?”
He’d rarely seen Stuart look so baffled.
“Oh,” the Artonan boy said finally. “Oh. You haven’t told Hn’tyon Esh-erdi. And…everything is well? You’re safe.”
“I think so. Unless I’m dying a very slow death from being around Yat’s Angry Triangle. I know that wasn’t the name. What was the name?”
“You’re completely fine!” Stuart sounded almost offended.
“Sorry. I’ll try to get drunk and injured next time.”
Stuart’s eyes went huge.
“I don’t really mean that,” said Alden before he realized Stuart was looking past him. He followed the direction of the gaze. The Alden in the knight coat was sitting on the edge of the triangle platform, swinging his feet and smiling up at the stars.
“Is she letting you see that?” he asked, startled. “Through your eyerings? It’s real. Well, no…it’s not. It’s an interface vision I requested so I could see what I looked like with different tattoos. You’re not hallucinating if you see me sitting there in a green knight uniform. I promise. Honestly, Mother! Get rid of that.”
“No, don’t,” Stuart said in a rush. “I know it’s my eyerings. I want to see closer.”
“But he’s sitting on the triangle you thought might kill me.”
Stuart grabbed Alden’s hand and pulled him toward his future self.
Comments (211)
Alden groaned. “Murrghgnooo,” Esh-erdi repeated back. “That’s a noise you must learn to incorporate into your storytelling. What does it mean?” — For future scholars studying the sounds of different characters brains boiling in the Sleycaverse, from a reread on C158: Lexi groaned again. “We all have to get on the same page,” Haoyu announced. “And we’ll make sure we’re saying something other than urghhoooumnooo when someone asks us what Lute knew and what he thinks and what —” “I didn’t sound like urghhoooumnooo!” Lexi protested. Alden looked at him. “I didn’t.” Lexi said.
@Gaffer dangit, I was saving that comparison for use...
You know, I've heard that the longer you cook a Soup, the better it tastes. I heard in China, there's a Thousand Year Broth.
Sleyca, you can sleep if it helps. No rush, no pressure.
I will choose to believe that this soup being extra-approximate means its getting lots of extra flavor. Its steeping! Like leftover curry.
It’s interesting that this Matadero contract is one-sided, but still assumably more fair than Joe’s. The design is pleasant, whereas Joe’s quick sketch is given with no customization possible, and placed in a hidden spot in Alden’s body - the new potential tattoos are visible and designed to be built upon. Joe’s tattoo was Alden’s get-out-of-jail card for agreeing to participate in criminal activity. The designs Mother shows Alden are more akin to affirmations for who Alden is and what his status is. He’s tattooed like someone who’s not a child, a gift from the universe, beast of burden or an existential threat, but like a respectable member of society.
A chance to appreciate the night
Happy to appreciate the morning, especially if soup is being delivered .
It was kinda sweet to see that Stu isn’t the only one prone to panic from worry, from caring about his friend. Because Alden went into near-instant-meltdown when he feared that Stu might think the vision of Alden was a hallucination… even though Stu’s mind hadn’t gone there at all. Alden’s worry was based on his knowledge of Stu, but off base in the specific circumstance. Perhaps not as dramatic or taking as long as Stu’s panic, but still panic when he feared for his friend.
Is that level up on free authority? Does anyone know what Alden’s current bound authority level is right now vs his free authority level? Because I think when those two numbers match is when we see Alden start to get antsy and erratic. Then he will have to affix soon. Wait, if he entered Anesidora with level 9 bound, then we need at least 9 free authority level ups, more if his bound authority grows too. So we are just a little under halfway I think. And once all that is bound, it will convert to level 18 bound, so next time his free authority needs to level up at least 18 times until he affixes again? Am I right in thinking that this process is exponential doubling? After that is 36, 72, 144 etc? And if he soul marries Stu, wouldn’t that be over 100 levels in the course of a year!? Am I hallucinating!? Is the Alden power up coming sooner than we thought?
You have strayed into the forbidden realm of Soup Math. This way lies madness!
I want to see Alden snap his fingers and blame Stu for the pillar of flame!
That would make him an awful friend. He should run away, and if they are caught, he can explain that it is a private matter of a wizard house he may not even name, as he is contracted not to speak about anything that could bring shame upon their hn'tyons. If they find the matter of such importance or still need discussing it, they should contact 61st hntyon Esh-erdi to break the privacy contract. (Meanwhile, next to him, Stu is silently turning purple, avoiding eye contact.)
Decisions decisions. Will I take a nap and awaken fresh and relaxed to a new chapter, or will I sip cherry coke all night, wishing, whining, waiting and waning?
Okay, here's a fact while we are waiting for our Soup. In Korean, the word that sounds like soup means forest! How cool is that. It made me think of the Rapport I forest.
Awww that’s awesome!
Next chapter predictions in haiku, or otherwise? Triangle of Boom An Absolute Temptation Alden wants to spark
Would-be knight bonding Big hot teased into skysparks Fire worked into art
Speaking of which... what level is Alden at again? It feels like he still has a couple more months before his next affixation, but level-wise he seem to be well over halfway
He was level 8 when he returned, gaining whopping 7 levels. After that, he received 2 levels in his authority, and one in his skill. So technicaly, he is at level 11, nearing 12 since his skill grows just a tad slower than his free authority. So he is B12. However, only the affixed growth shows on the profile, so he is level 9, nearing 10, with 2 unafixed in free authority. His fake profile should thus still show level 4, if he shows it to teachers.
"Stuart grabbed Alden’s hand and pulled him toward his future self." Awww so many layered meaning...
Super Supportive gave me genuine excitement and life lessons. In a way, it gave me a surprisingly vivid and empathetic glimpse into the subtle experience of living with non-malicious racism and the social pressure of coming out. This work brought me fun, emphathy, and introspection, which speaks to author's passion and storytelling. Such a treat and highlight of the week! Edit: Glad to learn a new word and abbreviation in English lmao
Schutzstaffel?!? It gave you excitement and life lessons? Empathetic glimpse into subtle racism?
“Murrghgnooo,” Esh-erdi repeated back. “That’s a noise you must learn to incorporate into your storytelling. What does it mean?” “It’s the sound a human makes when his brain is being boiled.” If someone insists a shape I don’t like is necessary, accuse them of having a weak imagination and ask if their poetry suffers from their inability to grasp metaphors beyond the obvious. lol Sleyca you are a comedic genius!
I'm not going to finish in the next couple of hours, and I'll need to do the sleep thing at that point. Chapter will arrive tomorrow.
sleep all the best sleeps
Getting excited
Thank you, jg! Hold onto the excitement for a little while. The chapter's going to have to wait for me to sleep before it gets its revision.
A sub plot of this Rapport arc has been "a chance to appreciate", so its nice that Mother gave Stu his chance to appreciate Alden in the knights uniform. I'm sure he forgot to appreciate the sky, river, and trail in his rush to get to Alden. Regarding the uniform colours, have i missed any significance of them or has it been purely personal style? I feel like the colours have always been mentioned, but always different.
You haven't missed anything re: uniform colours. To the best of our knowledge they are based on the personal preference of the wearer and nothing else
A little late, since this occurred to me a couple chapters ago, but although it led to lots of hilarity, it didn't really feel true to who Stu is to have left his eye rings on in an educational setting where he was expressly supposed to have them off.
All is fair in love and war. And I don't think this one is war...
Approximate chapter day has arrived :)
Sometime in the next approximate 10 hours.
Hahahahahahahaha If you can't torture friends live blogging a weekend day trip you just are not trying hard enough to have fun.
The more I think about it the more I relate skills to complex building protein chains. Flexible protein can do a lot but are easily broken. So it’s folded into complex shapes to achieve more stability and accomplish more. You might know what makes up protein chains but figuring out the exact way it was folded to achieve the way it is crazy complex. Like took us to building a supercomputer to figure it out. Now they are handing protein chains to teenagers and saying fold it how you like. Some people have more talent in folding some just have a longer chain but the results even with the same protein can be vastly different when folded.
Non wizards can barely change anything about their skill. It is like a toddler playing with PC's keyboard - technicaly it has everything it needs to program, but the chances of it happening are astrocomicaly low. It is not a typo, I made that word for you all.
leaving this comment here even though it relates to the previous chapter, but boe said he would lose the additional help with his affixation not because of refusing the contract, but because of broadcasting what's up with U-types. from what i can tell it was implied he would still get the additional help with his affixation as a contract refuser so long as he didnt burn the bridge by telling alden the secrets.
Not what I got. My understanding is that if Boe blabs, he will *never* get extra help even if he signs. He still is very low priority for extra help so long as he doesn’t sign.
I actually miss the old feature on mobile where you could look at the comments during every part of the chapter, rather than having them at the end. Patreon puts their effort into changing that, but they still can't manage and automatic or at least easily turned on next/previous post/chapter button on fictions.
all of these companies constantly push updates that make things worse, largely to justify the jobs of their UX designers
> Stuart grabbed Alden's hand and pulled him toward his future self. I love the little phrases like this
While rereading the latest installments of Velra drama & Rapport III visit, it strikes me there's a very elegant resolution to Lute's dilemma: 1) The knights invent a reason to long-term contract his opposite in their training, like a page apprenticed to become an able-bodied assistant or something similar. 2) Once the kid is out of the running, Esh breaks the Velra tattoo. 3) Lute goes onto social media to start a contest on who among his relatives gets the honor to lose an eye so he can be healed. Simultaneously, Esh and Lind, with a vested interest as upholders of the Contracts, publicly run a similar contest on the telling bush among the wizards who set the rules at the Palace of Unbreaking. Selection criteria? The higher your position, the more worthy of a candidate you are to perpetuate this eye-losing miracle. Like Aulia, or the highest ranked head honcho at the Palace. Small fry like Paretath-uur do not qualify, of course ;-) If proper discretion disallows some of the publicity, the contest is private and by invitation only.
Maybe Lute will try the long game? He could keep his lip buttoned until he's got a LOT of dirt on Aulia. Then release it all at once for maximum effect.
Thank you Sleyca for this wonderful chapter to wrap up a wonderful week! (Just got married last weekend, and the day was beautiful!) Loved seeing Esh, Stu and Mother all in one chapter. I was hoping Stuart would show up after all his freaking out over Alden's photos, and it was even better than I anticipated! Looking forward to the next chapter, and hopefully for Stuart and Alden.
Congratulations!!
“Don’t inject me with anything.” Seems like something humans would need to say often with well-meaning Artonans. And not-well-meaning Artonans.
What the hell humans. Those are magical potions, they are expensive. Say thank you.
Has anyone gotten an Artonan themed tattoo? Id be interested in seeing what that looks like. Maybe an Illustration of Allen's tatto?
My receding hairline is the only thing I need to look closer to artonans.
The Mother, sacrifice, and transformational discovery chapters are the ones I look forward to, and so far the Mother ones have always resonated hard. It's that sense of reaching and pushing against or toward something overwhelming that you're able to convey. I'll admit the last couple big reveals didn't give me the same sense as I'd hoped. I'm still anticipating the same beats everyone else is: whether to reveal to Esh, getting tattooed, more of the tension regarding Knighthood with Stu. So to get this chapter with Esh's focus not on secret reveal, but about welcoming and giving him acceptance even without knowing, was great, then leading into a Mother scene? Completely unexpected, and I felt that surge that draws me to this series, and it was so satisfying. Still sticking with me all day.
Lovely chapter! At a certain point, a bromance becomes queer platonic imo and i think that line has been crossed🤭
YESYESYESYES THIS IS WHAT IVE BEEN SAYING THANK YOU!!
I love the way Alden’s relationship with Esh is evolving… that mischievous uncle vibe from Esh.. only has Alden’s best interests at heart and Alden appears to be figuring that out more and more. “Hello my Alden” had me tear up with joy… Mother is one of my favorite characters in the series and I want more interactions with her but what she gives Alden is always so good in that she is guiding him without telling him what to do and she shows she cares. Poor Stu… rushes from class thinking the worst only to realize he has been trolling himself the whole time.
“I know it must be ordinary for your sister to be so glad you’re home and for your nieces to shout your name and hug you like that. But it felt more than ordinary when I saw it.” Every chapter has some line that hits me right in the heart. Today it was this one. I have two little girls at home, and this is exactly the kind of small moment that is so common it feels ordinary until you realize that it’s anything but ordinary.
Yat's Angry Triangle!!! Love it. ❤️
Mother made me think of Venat in FF14: « Welcome and well met, my brave little spark » this song just make me cry
« Arms and another person’s authority wrapped around him at the same time » They are just friends guys and gals come on now stop those thoughts going around in your heads right now
I’m not crying, *you’re* crying
Alden getting hung up about other people's happy family moments and wanting them to cherish them as fiercely as he desperately wishes he could cling to his own parents again is one of those heartbreaking moments that really remind you that, underneath it all, Alden really is still just a sad lonely child who wants somewhere to truly belong, and have people who accept him for everything that he is. I think the rapport question would have sent his thoughts racing even if it wasn't for the wizardry. No wonder he and Stu held each other so close and so quickly.
“If someone insists a shape I don’t like is necessary, accuse them of having a weak imagination and ask if their poetry suffers from their inability to grasp metaphors beyond the obvious.” Mother already used this on Alden to make him drop the skill-machine metaphor. Young Esh totally got the same advice and weaponized it…
Omg you're right, haha. At least about that basically being what mother said to Alden. Not sure if Esh got the same advice from Mother though, since he probably learned the same thing during his choosing season instead.
Ok, gotta agree the new closing line is perfection! Wasn't sure last night when I only saw Sleyca's comment, but seeing it in context is just *chef's kiss*.
It is heartwrenching to hear Esh give Alden such earnest advice, given it's origin in his experience with Lind. To me it reads: "When I said I wanted to break with Lind, many people heard youthful whim and foolishness. When we were too far along to be dismissed like that, some of those people finally welcomed me and some turned out to be types I won't associate with. Some welcomes came only because of who Lind is. I value the connections I make through my own efforts more because of that, like the one I have with you, Alden."
What, you're just going to show up and destroy our hearts like that? Take an upvote.
I can't approve of this ending change, this is hush all over again. "Pulled him toward himself": ambiguous, implies intimacy. "toward his future self": unambiguous, better fits the author's intent, an excellent capstone for the chapter, does not imply intimacy.
Poor Sleyca tryna keep a lid on the shippers and all the dirty minds on the internet lol
Oh - I like the change at the end, that's clearer: "Stuart grabbed Alden’s hand and pulled him toward himself." got changed to "Stuart grabbed Alden’s hand and pulled him toward his future self."
Thank you SO much for the chapter!
It is sublime. I felt like the last line pulled me forward as well as Alden
I'm loving Alden's progress at adapting to alien magic and an alien culture. I feel like that process won't be complete until he's put his own spin on it though. How does a human knight conceive of chaos? Or fight it? What is human magic? The first human wizard and knight is going to break a lot of traditions, and likely start a few on Earth too.
oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Just so sweet and so splendid! I love Esh. I love Stu. I love Alden and Mother. My heart is full. Sublime chapter. I felt like the last line pulled me forward as well as Alden.
These are some really great people Alden has surrounded himself with. Esh and Stu are just so incredibly sweet. And shoutout to Mother for breaking the levelling news to Alden in the best way possible!
Good mom
now im just torturing myself. 303 chapters in two weeks and now you tell me i have to wait? unacceptable. sacrilege. mean-mean.
Your so lucky to have gotten to binge that much I'm jealous there was less then a hundred chapters when I started.I think I caught up around man on the moon.
Who else thinks that stuart is going to bind at the same time as alden
Certainly possible, but their incentives are different. Alden wants to put it off as long as possible, while Stu doesn't want to keep waiting so long. Per @Terrestrial_Biped's github timeline, Mother told Alden on Wed, Nov 21, 2040, that the longest he could wait before afixing is "Eight to ten months... It’s the most likely window right now", which puts Alden's affixation in Jul-Sept 2041. Stu agreed to the delay his family wanted, pushing back his first binding by half an Artona I year to after Artona I's spring equinox, which per the same timeline as above is approximately August 4, 2041. Based on only that it's absolutely possible for them to affix at the same time. However, Stu has since then decided that he doesn't want to wait that long and will do it sooner once he feels ready, so we may not be able to rely on that at all. There's also an argument to be made that it's better for squadmates to not affix at the same time so that they can better support each other through it, although it seems like squads usually do affix together based on the Ryada-Emban-Bithe squad. It's much easier for one person to support the other if their affixations are spread out, much like with any other form of trauma or acute injury/sickness. When Alden and Stu begin deepening that may also change the decision making, because we don't know anything about how that affects or interacts with affixation. It could also change the timeline since deepening would speed up Alden's authority growth, thus requiring him to affix sooner. So yes, it's possible they'll go together, but based on what's happened in the story thus far we can't be sure at all of when Stu will affix, when Alden may need to affix, or if affixing together would even be a good thing.
Utterly beautiful, start to finish.
Esh asked if Alden wanted his own terackerin and Alden said the flying Stroopwaffle was already enough. So is it established that Alden will keep the Nine-Edged-Son even when Esh is gone?
No, it's still only temporary as far as Alden knows.
Can we get the contract byplay when he eventually moves? Earths' personality seems like it'd enjoy a custody battle. "Whadda ya' mean, your Alden?"
Lol no earth is gonna be like “God, yes, please take this fucking snowflake off my hands. Clean up your own mess.”
I feel terrible for Stu having a valuable educational opportunity ruined.
That's a great ending
I just realized that it’s possible the reason Stu is so worried about Alden getting drunk, is because he’s used to his peers at school, who tend to be far more gung-ho about doing drugs.
Artonan society in general seems to be far more gung ho about drugs. They're honestly probably much less of a worry when you can, literally, magically heal bodies and brains.
God I love this story. The characters and world building are so incredibly pleasing to watch develop. Especially the characters. Every new character is a treat and every interaction with established characters feels so satisfying to read. I can’t pick a favorite because it changes half the time someone speaks. Well, that’s a lie. Esh-erdi wins most of the time, but it’s close. God I hope he stays cool. I also liked Joe. Please don’t be Joe 2.
Thanks for the chapter!
Such a cute chapter!
I wonder if telling Esh he wants to fight chaos will send Esh back down the rabbit hole of figuring out Alden’s skill. Of course, he may already know and just hasn’t mentioned it because he’s not a Very Naughty Wizard.
I doubt he did find out because Lind reminded him that he voted for the privacy laws that forbid him from doing that, and he seems the type to follow the law even if he could definitely get away with doing anyway.
This is the second time I can think of where Mother utilised timing as an artistic expression. The first time was when Alden and Stu were throwing paper flyers and Emban(?) got teleported directly into the path of one.
That is a bit on the nose.
Man, Everytime he interacts with mother it hits me right in the feels
During the first part of the chapter I forgot how much Stu was being tortured earlier with all the photos.
Every single time Mother appears in this story I like her character more, it’s so much fun. Looking forward to the next time she performs a traumatic operation on his Authority!
Definately Māori.
It delights me that Esh's contracting safety tips also include important PSAs about not letting yourself get bullied into getting an ugly tattoo. Insult their sense of poetry and aesthetics if you have to! There will always be alternatives and choices to better align with your style. In some ways, tattoos are practice for affixations. Don't affix a skill or other binding that doesn't agree with you. Consider what whole you wish to grow towards.
' Stuart grabbed Alden’s hand and pulled him toward his future self. ' Sleyca this is one of the most romantically profound sentences anyone has ever written and this isn't even an explicit romance(despite what I'll argue) that's beautiful and insane. And God. If we could find a way to bottle how Esh makes me feel, we would have a bonafide cure for depression on our hands
On posting, it was “toward himself.” It's a much better line now.
This might be my favorite chapter :)
Don't underestimate Big Hot.
I feel like this chapters title is a pun about Stu’s last name, but I can’t prove it.
The joke about timing being an art, which was the surface level of the chapter name. Mother is Artona I, personified. art'h is Stu's family name. Mother called Alden 'My Alden', thus he's an art'h.
Thank you, Sleyca. So much in this chapter that I, and Alden, needed. Acceptance from at least Esh of his decision to live on a Rapport, with acknowledgement that it might be hard and encouragement that the hard can change in the future. Even deeper words of acceptance and affection from Mother. Thank you for taking the time to get this chapter even closer to perfection.
Oh my heart. Esh heard the important part of Alden's wish to choose the Rapports - I want to dedicate my life to fighting chaos and make a home here (with Stu) - and he *immediately* affirmed Alden's choice and went out of his way to show trust and encouragement. Telling Esh and Lind that he wants to be a hn'tyon and that he meets qualifications they assume humans are incapable of can come later. The more important thing was trusting them with the desire of his heart to join the Rapports community and have them welcome him and support him in following that path.
“I’m an expert on weak points. Cracks. A lifelong student of the way things <>." [Esh, Chapter 146] My theory: Part of Esh's ability (I call it burden) is to sense weak points/cracks in everything, whether is be a engine, a chaos monster or meta-things.. like a friendship. He can sense the litteral strength of Aldens and Stus friendship, maybe even seeing that it is getting stronger, cracks getting less. Thus, he is super supportive and encouraging.:) But knowing him he would even cheer for them if the odds are against them. Beautiful character writing.
If we’re speaking of art this chapter than i must say that this story right here is art to me. I always feel so so lucky to have stumbled upon it.
I've reread this chapter so many times that I lost track of time and am now running late for work
I have to wonder what Haoyu’s parents were thinking when Alden called them for advise about the Matadero tattoo, when he should have already had it 2 months ago
They'll probably hear Alden mention Esh and will think that this is one of Esh's eccentricities.
😭🥺😌
Now that the rush of reading this chapter is over and I’ve reread it, I’ve got to say that I found this particular line beautiful and painful all at once: “The Alden in the knight coat was sitting on the edge of the triangle platform, swinging his feet and smiling up at the stars.” The most carefree we’ve seen Alden in the entire arc of the story is in this vision the mother creates. Poor kid never gets a moment’s peace. He couldn’t even feed ducks without getting kidnapped.
Also worth noting: Alden as a knight is sitting on the edge of a triangle. The last triangle to matter was the Triangle of Absolute Secrecy. Very thematically appropriate.
The conversations Alden has with different Artonans really drive home how poetic the language is, and how well it is written.
Whooo!! Birthday soup for me!!! 😁
Happy Birthday!
That was lovely. Your poetry does not suffer for a lack of depth nor beauty
The last line is different in the epub. I prefer the one in the post, it makes a huge difference. Edit: looks like it was an edit you made based on the comments. I like the future self version, it was a good change!
TFTC! Magical, as always.
Lmao
Oh, this whole chapter was sooooo precious! And first mother, then Stu. I did not see that coming at this point. Thanks for writing it. Also this: “Their assessment shouldn’t change what you weave.” “It changes what I can weave with them, not with Stu.” <3 Oh, and the last line is so beautiful in multiple ways! “Stuart grabbed Alden’s hand and pulled him toward his future self.”
Amazing
Amaze amaze amaze.
I knew he was going to level up sooner! He has had too much growth to not level up. Real question is if it makes him tier up to A.
We've no numbers beyond a coment from sleyca about that, where B40 would be higher than A1, and with other avowed having lvl15 skills and no rankups, then its at least 1 more affixation for Alden before a rankup should be expected. he'll probably be arpund lvl 25 after it.
Oooh, I hope Mother included his and Kibbies future tatoo on his face.
They agreed Kibby gets to design that, Alden chooses size and location. It's far too important for Mother to take away from them. It would also lose her trust before she even can start training to become a Knight.
This story makes me feel warm and happy. Thank you Sleyca. Excited to see where our dynamic duo ends up!
My dreams of Alden riding a Ploomp into battle has gone up in smoke, crushed and tossed into the angry triangle.
I'm thinking that a battle catfish might have limited uses. Maybe a Ploomp-inspired mecha?
Ooooh how Cute Alden and Stu’s relationship is uplifting for both parties and a balance. Im looking forward to when they bond with each other Thanks for the chapter and i cant wait to see what happens next.
And Stuart leaves his fan for his biggest fan!
What a beautiful ending to the chapter. Stuart and Alden together in a Yat Anger Triangle, something I didn't know I needed.
I'm going to rain on the parade a bit here. I wonder if the Mother has an ulterior motive for welcoming Alden. Personally, I see her as an artificial intelligence with a major agenda rather than real feelings. Did Primary use his favor to secure unconditional help for his son, leading the Mother to use that authority to push Alden into stabilizing Stu? I'm also a little disappointed that my predictions were off. I really thought Esh-erdi would admit he knows about Alden's ability to use free authority. Plus, I had a sneaking suspicion Hannah might still be alive in some chaos-ridden region. It would mirror Alden's own experience so well. Esh-erdi only mentioned her Summoner handled the situation properly—he never explicitly stated she died.
I would think that Mother likely has the same ulterior motive as seemingly the rest of the Artonans, the stability of the Primary. Stu's well-being is a major factor in that, so it seems very likely that Mother will try to nudge things in the direction that make Stu the most stable. I think it's very likely that this is part of her motivation. Especially since planetary defense seems to be one of her core functions. That said however, 'ulterior motive' doesn't have to mean 'only motive' or even 'real motive'. It is ALSO very likely she actually already acknowledges Alden as a knight and Declared Stu as an almost knight, which means she has duties to assist them. Assisting knights in their endeavors within the bounds of her capabilities is likely also a core function of hers. I think whether you see what she's doing as pushing Alden in a certain direction to aid the primary, or merely nudging him towards an outcome that wil benefit Alden depends on how heavy you think these motivations weigh in her descision making. My thinking is somewere in the middle. Especially since, considering, Alden reeeaaally has little other choice than coming out as a knight eventually. If he keeps lying about it, he'll be outed as something, at minimum, even more extraordinary eventually. I think people would actually respond to 'a human learned magic' with less confusion and outrage than a B that became a hyperbole before he hit 30.
Mother is the type of character that is so so hard to pull off. I know she is not a Goddess but this is the closest analogy to other stories. Most of the time such characters either do not live up to their power and knowledge differential or the author over corrects and takes all agency away from the protagonist. While experiencing the relationship with Stu develop has been my favorite part of the story the relationship growth with Mother has been a very close second. I continue to be in awe at how brilliant this story is. <3 <3 <3
Personally, I have no hesitation at all over calling Mother an artificial god. She fits the bill.
I continue to dislike Mother. It's the possessiveness and manipulating directed at someone as young as Alden, and she's clearly good at it. It's a sinking feeling. At least pretend to ask before showing Stu that, and don't call Alden yours.
I was recently reading an opinion about how all communication is a form of manipulation, whether you want it to be or not, so the refusal to learn how to communicate as persuasively and effectively as possible isn't a moral high ground, because you are ultimately responsible anyway and so you might as well be knowingly competent. I thought of this because of you disliking Mother's manipulativeness. I see it as fundamentally a part of her nature but don't dislike her for it. Multiple people in Alden's life are attempting to influence him. Should Mother refrain from acting simply because she's good at what she's attempting to do? Attempting to influence the choices of a teenager is often viewed as the natural right of family members, teachers, mentors, and other authority figures. If she was trying to screw him over, that would be bad, but her meddling doesn't appear to be intended for his detriment. (Though obviously there are also benefits to Stu, the triplanets, etc.) I don't see this situation as a big privacy issue, because Alden has already given Mother broad permission to share things with Stu, and she can almost certainly model him well enough to know he won't mind this particular item.
Now I'm imagining wizards with their own sense of style pouting because they have to find a way to make a tattoo that looks good with two generally incompatible pre-existing art styles...
Like one of them has something like traditional Chinese brush art. The other is Art Deco. Both of them are trying to figure out how to salvage their sleeve...
>>> “If it’s going to look bad, just say no. Think about line weight. If someone insists a shape I don’t like is necessary, accuse them of having a weak imagination and ask if their poetry suffers from their inability to grasp metaphors beyond the obvious.” Alden getting quizzed on tattoo design, I love it! Esh-erdi is just the GOAT.
Also, ally of all time!
Thank you for making An Art for us to view and appreciate. :)
The picture of Alden being yoinked off of the triangle is just so funny
Thank you for the chapter. I loved this. The conversation with Esh was amazing and so heartfelt. Especially the part where Alden admitted that other people's family moments are important to him and Esh said he had a lovely dream. Then there was the conversation with Mother which even though it was short had a lot of impact. Then Stu turned up! Just fantastic and it put a smile on my face to start the day 😀
Ohhhhh
Wondering if mother directly or indirectly got Esh to send Alden exploring so he could bump into Stu alone and in private
After all, almost definitely she was aiding Stu with gathering a case of potions and leading him towards Alden
How many sneaky ninja votaries are trailing him right now
I'm starting to look forward to chapters where Sleyca needs a bit more time... The best soup just takes time
I'm glad you liked this one, Eva! I had the worst brain fog for two or three days this week and the writing was very slow, then it finally started coming together the way I wanted it to.
STUDEN LIVES!!
Yes, I know I'm wrong, hush.
😭I don’t understand why I teared up when Stu saw knight Alden, sitting there serenely.
"Stuart grabbed Alden’s hand and pulled him toward himself." Feels like a bit of a double meaning there.
It said "Stuart grabbed Alden's hand and pulled him toward his future" at first but then I thought it sounded corny right before I posted.
Concerning: "But the second dimple he’d crouched over had held, done, or been influenced by what he couldn’t help but think of as “big hot”." To re-open an an old discussion... I can’t help but wonder if Alden sensed this easier than other things because to (a lot of) humans, and unlike for Artonans, 'Fire' is a foundational element? I still wonder if, and if yes how much, Elemental associations of things are affected by cultural perceptions of things. I still feel like something being magically associated with 'Patience' must imply it's a big factor, seeing as if any amount of time is 'patient' is heavily dependent on your frame of reference. I also think it would be narratively interesting if Alden showed an affinity for the magical things that aligned with more human ways of thinking about things. Then again, Alden is integrating so hard with the Artonans, that might actually make less sense at this point...
Nice thoughts, Guys! I enjoyed them
Stuart finally arrives! I’m excited for their interactions next chapter :> Esh-erdi’s still great
Every chapter needs rereading. Drink it in.
And in this case it would be good to drink the full pitchers of chapter juice.
Esh is hiding in the bushes ready to shout, “Kiss!”
You're wrong. He's in the bushes *with his sister* and they're *both* Ready to shout "Kiss!"
Oh my heart
"That should be easier to resist than it is." My new thought bwfore I go do something stupid. Itll be thought fairly often.
Alex, I'm a retired motorcycle roadracer (not retired from my day job yet, but soon). I've had this thought so many times on the racetrack looking at a passing opportunity it isn't even funny. I've called racing "the constant risk-reward/discretion-valor calculation running through my head" since I started the addiction (racing). Nothing else compares, and it is soooo tempting to make risky decisions. Worse, when you're rewarded for it (make the pass) one time, the urge to repeat grows. Give me both of your ears, please: it grows.
Will seeing Alden in a Knight’s uniform encourage Stu towards his binding or further distract him from it?
I keep getting the feeling the last couple months that Stu is going to end up as Alden's votary. He is brave and determined, but also we can see he is scared, and his original goal was to be a votary to one he admired. He only changed his dream to becoming a Knight almost as a way to.... Fill the hole she left in Jeneth's heart? Carry her burden? Take her spot on the battle lines? I'm not sure what the right words are. But I can't help but shake the feeling Stu becoming Alden's votary would fix a *lot* of issues. The rest of Stu's family would love Alden and have his back against the whole of the Triplanetary government lol. Alden can slow down his leveling. Stu can take Alden's place in gym class while he is recovering from his binding and teach Marsha and the other some humility...... Okay, maybe that last one was just some wishful thinking on my part. But seriously I really can't shake the thought that Stu becomes Alden's votary.
I feel like I'm intruding, ngl. Whether it be with Esh or Stu, these private moments are always just so vulnerable
Such a lovely and fuzzy feeling ending. I slightly hope that Stu decides to tell Esh the truth while he and Alden are there together. Fun stuff, thanks again!
I have a sneaking suspicion Stu flunked that special class he was in. :D
I don't see him flunking but I also don't see him being invited to a special class again any time soon!
'“If it’s going to look bad, just say no. Think about line weight. If someone insists a shape I don’t like is necessary, accuse them of having a weak imagination and ask if their poetry suffers from their inability to grasp metaphors beyond the obvious.”' XD '“It changes what I can weave with them, not with Stu' :) 'A hand landed on his shoulder. “May your friendship become worthy of legends.” “Some legends are about terrible stuff.” “Not that kind of legend.' heh 'Whoa. There it is. Said out loud in someone else’s voice. So that’s what it sounds like.' :D 'But the second dimple he’d crouched over had held, done, or been influenced by what he couldn’t help but think of as “big hot”.' :) '“But he’s sitting on the triangle you thought might kill me.”' XD Thank you for the chapter :D
“I know you’d like advice about when to spread your secrets wider. But there is no perfection for you there, only your own readiness to manage what you might gain and lose." Sleycaaaaaa 😭😭😭
It was followed up with "You are going to level when you get home."
’Timing is an art’ and then she drops the level-up heads-up just before Stu arrives to distract him - the wink is just chef’s kiss on top of that.
Mother is indeed a fiend at setting things up Just So :D
That's great soup !!!
This whole story is just so wholesome but the last few months have just been SO DAMN WHOLESOME. GIVE IT TO ME. IT HEALS THE SOUL.
Soup is such life affirming magic 🌱
"My Alden"<3
I was actually wondering if Esh was going to try to snoop on Alden as he has in the past and be told "Esh, don't mess with My Alden."
Scrolling down to get the epub sometimes spoils the ending a bit, since I can't help seeing the last sentence. I really thought of a different set up leading to "Stuart grabbed Alden’s hand and pulled him toward himself." So I'm just a little disappointed now 🥲
Haha, temporary self-inflicted queerbaiting
“Hello, my Alden.” 💕 Mother knows just what to say.
I read that in such a warm and gentle voice 🥹
Yay. Alden is now officially ‘My Alden’.
[my Alden] why must there be so many onion ninjas when I read Super Supportive
Thanks for the chapter. Stu visiting is great. So adorable.
Sleyca has the magical ability to insert entire arcs between chapters that would be a chapter part 1 and part 2 in most stories. My poor poor gremlin theories.
You have such a wonderful way with words.
Esh must be upset that Alden hasn't come out of the closet to him yet about Stu.
What is it you think Esh thinks he knows? I don't think the Artonans are as... volatile... about sexual orientation as humans are, plus they have a wider range of types of recognized and accepted relationships. When Alden says he means to weave a lifelong friendship with Stu, Esh probably understands that to be exact truth, not covering up for some romantic or sexual relationship. Or if you mean that Esh knows Alden is a wizard, I have to disagree with you there. I don't think Esh is capable of leaving that topic alone until Alden chooses to broach it himself. It has far too many implications at too many scales. If nothing else, Esh would be bursting to offer Alden assistance relating to being, effectively, an undersupported outsider knight newling.
MY BOYS
If Stuart meet Boe they will definitely synchronise
The protec Alden army (of two, but they're willing to go war).
Such a tender embrace
Woo perfect timing while cooking, TFTC!
FINALLY discord and my computer weren't cooperating... I need my soup dammit!
What better way to start the day than with soup? Thanks for the chapter
What better way to end my night than with soup?
Hi
Chapter!!!!!Thanks.
It is indeed an art, and I’m glad you’re feeling proud of yourself, but what’s the chapter title?
“Timing. It’s an art.”
Soup!!
Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
tft