Jormungand thinks back over his words and suddenly blushes. "Oh dear. Ah didn't mean blessing that way, Ah meant an actual blessing. Ah would chase her to her bed, but that would give the wrong impression as well. Unless... that's what she meant?"
Once I finish my lab, I can easily achieve 14th Magnitude without experimenting. If I experiment, I would predict 16th magnitude without a problem. If you stay here long enough, I can help you learn the art of teaching as well.
On the morrow L draws up the paperwork for the seisins (Int 2 or Com 3, Lex Hermeticum 4), pops to Confluensis and files the paperwork without telling anyone. She pops back and then talks to Korvin to ask whether any Redcaps are travelling on an itinerary such that they can guide her to Atsingani. Also asks if he would be free in summer for the Longevity Ritual. She'll happily lend him the Intellego summa she wrote to study from directly or to make a copy.
Unfortunately, Laetitia runs across Valerian, while filing the paperwork. "You seem to be a bit free with our hospitality, Laetitia."
Also, is she planning to leave the letter at this time, or deliver it via Redcap?
"Valerian!" exclaims Laetitia, and brushes against him inappropriately under the pretense of having been startled. "Oh! Forgive me," she apologizes, smoothing out the Hoplite's robes, while allowing her hands to linger just the tiniest bit longer than strictly appropriate. "Not a question of hospitality; I'm working," she explains. "Proctor wants me to try and extend my stay at Mons Electi, so I just came to pick up this summa I'll be reading, if they extend me guest status. Sit Tibi Terra Levis, it's called. Fascinating read, my colleagues at Magvillus rate it more highly than De Lapii on style and clarity... I've been waiting patiently to get my hands on this for years..." she blushes prettily as she pulls Valerian's text out of her leather case, and coyly looks up at the dark-haired magus through her thick lashes. "I wonder if perhaps you'll autograph my copy? I have a quill and Hermetic Ink back in my office..."
(Charm 2, specialty in magi, Pre 3, and Venus' Blessing... hey, I want a Gifted child before taking a LR :p)
The letter to Proctor, she'll give to Korvin and ask him if he'll send it a couple days after she's left for Atsingani.
"You have charms, to be sure. They are lost on me, my dear." His cold expression changes slightly, when you appeal to his vanity as an author. "I'll sign your copy."
"Oh! Thank you SO much!" Laetitia takes Valerian back to her guest chambers and makes sure he signs with the special Ink of Hermes "...that I was saving for a special occasion."
After he autographs the copy, she gasps with delight, picks up the book and clasps it to her chest, giggling like a giddy teenager clutching her copy of Twilight as she's just caught a glimpse of that tool who played the Cedric Diggory vampire.
"This means so much to me. I can't thank you enough," she gushes. She'll let her breasts rub against his chest as she stands up on the tippy-top of her tippy-toes to kiss Valerian square on the lips. If he responds, she'll become Quite Forward Indeed (TM). If he balks, she'll pass it off as having been too excited to contain her enthusiasm, and babble on about how she had always wanted to dedicate more time to the study of Terram, but how defending Verdi from all their multiple infractions kept her so busy, she never had time to pursue her own desires, blah blah blah.
She mostly wants to give Valerian a reason to be circumspect about having seen her here today, as she doesn't want Proctor to figure out she's stalling.
Valerian returns the kiss, but you can tell he doesn't really want to return it. And then it becomes clear to Laetitia. He's neat, he's thin, and he's obsessed with gardening, not that there's anything wrong with that. You can have some measure of assurance that your interaction with Valerian won't be discussed, period.
She'll chatter a bit more about how excited she is to learn more from him, how she hopes it will give her sufficient ability to learn that laboratory ritual that her mentor gave her a text for, and how she'd really like to be able to defend herself like he does, without having to rely on custodes to look after her.
Then she'll make apologies about needing to return before her pebble ceases to function as an arcane connection, wraps up Valerian's book very carefully into her case, and pop back to Mons Electi.
Close call!
A message delivered by a young female Redcap to Laetitia when she returns to Mons Electi
[i]To Laetitia Guernici, salve.
The Redcap delivering is message is named Concetta. She is a senior apprentice and will soon take her gauntlet. She will also be your guide to Atsingani. Her Latin is passable. Her main language is Italian and she is learning French. Concetta is a nice girl but a bit seriously minded. I'm sure she will warm up in time.
I will accept your terms for a Longevity Ritual. It would be better to wait until the 3rd season as it will take me two full seasons to find the proper place for my Pallet which aids in my work on Corporis. Even without it in place I can still easily do a 14th magnitude ritual but if you wanted me to experiment I would be less sure about increasing to a 16th magnitude. Please deliver your summa to me at your earliest convenience. I will have our scribe make a copy.
Your friend,
K
[/i]
Laetitia finds Korvin when she returns. "This is my summa," she declares. "I am pleased with how it turned out; please let me know what you think. Fourteenth magnitude will be fine.
"I will leave for Atsingani in the morning. Could you see that this letter getsdelivered in a few days? I would like to stall Proctor as long as I can, without arousing his suspicions. As long as he thinks I'm spying for him, he won't send anyone else for fear of rousing suspicion.
"And if there is any Redcap you trust to lie convincingly... If the bearer of this message can contrive to corroborate a rumours that Apollodorus is going to Atsingani, it would confirm the report I've made within."
Korvin smiles broadly. I'll have my 3rd son Dante deliver it. I think he could convince the Pope that Rome was located in Iberia.
"Wonderful! Thank you so much," she replies, with a kiss on the cheek.
The trip to Atsingani-- this thread or a separate one?
[Do it, here.]
They've setup temporary quarters on a sheep ranch about a half day's trip to the southeast from Mons Electi, actually, just a bit more than that. They will build a formal structure within the coming year. They gave up their previous council chamber and released their former seisin back to the Tribunal. They requested it as a legacy, in the event it was not won as a Tropaea, and so they continue to harvest that source, as a legacy.
The seisin they've declared is 2 rooks of Herbam vis. Registered at this past year's Tribunal by letter. The two rooks are recovered from acorns from a gigantic oak a few hours further to the southwest of Paul-Henri's ranch.
The weather is horrid, and travel takes the better part of the daylight hours. Your escort from Mons Electi takes you to a barn, opening up inside it has been converted into a rudimentary council chamber, and a couple of rooms have been marked walled off and those have sanctum markers. Your brought to a covered wagon, and the escort knocks on it, on your behalf. You hear a lovely feminine voice say, "Enter."
Laetitia takes care to scrape the muddy slush off her boots before stepping inside. "Hello? I am Laetitia scholae Guernicus; I believe I'm looking for Viviana."
"If you'll supress your Parma for a moment, there's a Perdo Terram effect that will complete the task more effectively, it handles mud, too." Laetitia gets the sense that if she doesn't she'll be asked to take off her boots, as there is a rug with boots just inside the door.
Taking in the interior of the wagon, Laetitia notes that it is significantly larger on the inside than it should be. She can actually stand at full height, and there is room to spare well above her head, someone who is taller than 6'6" would probably have to stoop a bit. It is warm, almost a tad too warm, and there is a post with pegs on it near by to take shed cloaks. Inside is a sitting area of cushions in front of a warm firepot in the center of the sitting area. Some bird is being roast over the coals and appears to be almost finished. The sitting area is filled with silk cushions There are three rooms with doors off to the right side as you come in. One of the doors is open, the one closest to where Laetitia came in and she can see that it is to a serviceable, if small laboratory.
"The black sheep arrives with the weight of her House upon her. Can she be the pillar that holds it up as all else falls?" Then acting as if she said nothing, "Would you care for some tea and honey cakes? Or mulled wine?"
She removes her boots and tosses them across the threshhold to allow the effect. (She can suppress her Parma, but not the protection of her familiar's Might.) She sets the clean boots down by the others and seats herself barefoot by the fire. "I would love some tea and honeycakes, thank you. How are things here?"
"Much better than they have ever been for us. Work goes well on making this place a more permanent home. Argyros constructed a new barn for Paul-Henri, and this is becoming a suitable place, until we can build a more robust council hall. What do you seek here, child?"
"Apollodorus seemed to think you had requested my presence. And in the event that your prophecy's ring of truth was simply coincidental, I can also help you register and validate your seisin."
"I know why you're here, child. What do you seek?" She gives Laetitia a long gaze and she feels as if she'd like to shrink into a cushion and hide from it.