#Alert: New Ludinus Nickname Dropped

[rainbowcaleb]

its almost midnight, have a ficlet I wrote in a sprint tonight for fun

“This is so unfair.” Jester pouts, and her duplicate stamps her foot in consensus. “We’ve only just met and you’re already leaving! Why do all the fun people never stay around long enough to party with us?”

“And you haven’t really partied until you’ve invited me.” The faun grins, then she tilts her head in sudden thought. Her hand plays with the flowers in her hair, half-braiding and half-tangling as she thinks. “I have an idea, someone would owe her a big favor if we call again so soon, but she does love me so very much, so maybe…”

Jester watches with great interest as her new friend Fearne trails off. Then suddenly her hand shoots out and a glowing lollipop appears. She wields the spectral handle and bonks the figure on the ground with an echoing smack.

“Ha!” Fearne leaps back and laughs in surprise and mirth. “Shoot, I wasn’t paying attention. Was he trying to escape?”

Jester prods the red robed figure with her stick, which results in a quiet groan. Underneath the layers of brassy chains and fifty feet of rope, there is the extremely defeated body of a former archmage. 

“He was twitching, but I dealt with it.” Jester blows on the top of the weapon, striking a pose like a gunslinger. 

“Oh my goodness, Jester, I love your style.” Fearne claps her hands. “That decides it. I’m going to call my Nana and she can help us out. Have you and your friends ever traveled to the fey realm before?”

Jester lets out a shriek that rivals some nearby birds. “Oh my gosh, oh Fearne, I mean I had assumed from your whole deal you were fey, but it’s always rude to assume you know, but gosh I would love to go back! Artie took me once but it was over so fast and barely a fun trip at all.” Jester grabs Fearne’s hands and they start to spin, trodding over the robed figure with heels and hoofs. 

“This is going to be the *best* party! My Nana has a tiki bar and a skin garden and there’s even slides on the outside of the house! You’re going to love it!”

Jester and Fearne laugh and dance for a couple minutes before a loud cough comes from beside them.

“Jester, light of my life, I hate to interrupt whatever this is…” Fjord waves with his one good arm, the other still in the temporary bandages. The archmage and his ensemble hadn’t been the easiest to take down, even with the Bells help.

“Oh, Admiral Tusktooth!” She skips towards him and leans into his arms. He winces but smiles fondly at her. “We’re going on a honeymoon!”

~*~*~

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Nana Morri slides a second platter of biscuits and finger sandwiches onto the table. “Try the lavender, I pick it locally.” The second Nana gestures its eyes to the purple confection on the plate.

Jester picks one up and eats it whole in one enthusiastic bite. “Whoa, it's so buttery and floral? I thought I had tried every sweet in the world already but this is totally new. It might even be good with cinnamon, have you ever tried?”

Fearne takes a daisy shaped shortbread and puts it on like a ring. “Take a sip of the drink too, you wouldn’t think lemonmilk whiskey would work, but everything Nana whips up at the tiki bar is just so, so good.”

“I know someone who really should take a sip.” She scoots her chair around to face the side better. “Isn’t that right Lewdie Loo? Would Lewdie Loo like a sippy?” She flicks the archmage on the forehead but he doesn’t move, the lump to his head having knocked him unconscious. 

“I still think this is a terrible idea.” Fjord mutters. Caleb hmms in agreement, his eyes not leaving the robed mage. 

Jester and Fearne’s head both snap to look at the recently dubbed 'boy’s table' in the garden yard. 

“What was that, my husband?” Jester asks.

“I said he’s a terrible honeymoon guest!” Fjord holds up his cup, mimicking a clink in Jester’s direction. 

“He’s totally right.” Fearne sighs. “What a party pooper!”

Jester puts the cup back on the table, eyeing up Ludinus. “You think Lewdie Loo would like a slide?”

Fjord hears that and gently knocks his elbow into Caleb’s side. “I know this is probably... a lot. You don’t have to be here for this.” 

Caleb considers this, eyes still narrowed on Ludinus. “How long is the slide, the faun said?”

“The height of the whole house.” 

“And it empties into the swamp behind the house that she said ‘was probably full of faerie poo and leftovers from the skin garden'?”

“That’s what she said if you believe it.”

Caleb nodded once and then stood up. “I have decided I definitely want to be here for this.”