| Details for Creature Camp: Mer-negotiations |
| Summary: | The Creature Campers visit the lake to meet the merpeople queen, and find something surprising. |
| Date: | August 25th, 1941 |
| Location: | Hogsmeade Lake |
| Related: | Day 1: ((Off Screen)) Check in and Tour Day 2: Pet Fair & Petting Zoo Day 3: Owls & Bonfire Day 4: Centaur Meet & Greet Day 5: Winged Horse Race Day 6: This Event. Merfolk Meet and Greet. Day 7: Agriculture and De-Gnoming Day 8: Dragon Day |
| Characters |
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So far, it's been a fun morning of swimming, and learning to swim for any who hasn't tried it before. They've had some time to rest a little, grab some food and let their stomachs settle before it's back to the water. Josie and Camilla wait just a little in the water, as the campers gather. Once everybody is here, Josie calls out, "Alright, please step up here so Camilla can give you a bubble head charm, and then we will be going down under the water, to meet the merpeople and their Queen!"
Lissie has enjoyed the water, and she's wearing a swimming-dress, hand-sewn from old bits of cloth trimming; it looks like calico patchwork. Yet she doesn't seem self-conscious for once; she's having too much fun in the water. After Josie speaks, she splash-bounces over to Camilla, grinning excitedly.
*flap* *flip* *flap* *flip* William stumbles forward in his strikingly baggy swimsuit of navy blue and bold bright orange half covered buy a poorly enflated lifejacket apparently used twice too often. Stumbling because he hadn't quite gotten the hang of his wide powder blue swim fin.
*flap* *flip* *flap* *flip* "Hellloooo! Pray don't leave with out me, please!" He huffs out breathlessly, face reddened. *flap* *flip* *flap* *flip* "Almost have these rubbery beasts tamed!" He stops with a frown and checks his person. "Spindles and Swamp Dragons! I've left my specimen bottles behind." He gives a sad shrug and sallies forth bravely.
*flap* *flip* *flap* *flip*
Aiden runs as quickly as he can to get to the head of the line. "Aye I cannae wait ta meet the Merefolk." He says with a smile. "Im thinkin thith one ith gonna be a load O' Fun don' ye all think?" he asks happily its definitely a more comfortable and self assured Aiden today. His swim trunks of a blueish green hes smiling as he makes his way forward.
"It'll be brilliant," Josie agrees, nodding to Aiden with a grin. Then, to William, she says, reassuringly, "We won't leave without you."
Camilla, then, goes about casting bubble head charms on each of them, including a few other kids who are coming along as well. She gives a short lecture and warning to be respectful before she starts to lead them underwater to start swimming deeper into the lake.
Lissie can't help it, and she giggles when the bubble envelops her head. She grins at Aiden, then waves at Josie and then William before Camilla starts the lecture. After, she takes a few deep breaths, more instinctive than anything, and she plunges into the water, following. following.
"Most kind, M'lady Ranger William says to his former Riding Instructor, "Well done, indeed."
*Flish* *Flish* Wiliam sidles toward some familiar faces. Miss Kier- oh she's already started yes.. Miss Davies, the aptly named Master Merrythought. Well met again, then!"
*Flish* *Flish* He leans in conspiratorially and whispers none too soft. "I thought to bring a feather for the lady queen… from Princess Anne…. one royal to another…"
He winks and jumps in after the red headed lass.
Aiden nods and smiles responding to others with a happy smile and wave. He listens to the instructions and leaps into the water next. He loves to swim after all.
The campers are led down further and further into the water, so deeply seems surrounded by darkness except for the light of Camilla's wand. Soon, though, they arrive in an underwater village, with merpeople coming out of their dwellings to meet them. One of the other children lags behind, and Camilla leaves Josie in charge, as she swims back to make sure he doesn't run into any grindylows. So, it's Josie that's leading the group when the Queen comes out, looking entirely regal with some seashell jewelry and a sceptre made of obsidian… A sceptre that looks very much like part of a bow, decorated with silver stars. Another of the merpeople says, "Queen Gliblibnoo extends a welcome to all of you."
Lissie tries not to stare but she can't entirely help it. Her eyes are wide in the bubble, and her mouth opens wide for a moment. Then she bows her head, pressing her arms to her side. A curtsey is impossible here, but hopefully this gesture shall suffice."
William swallows infront of the amazing creature. He bows awkeard still sorting down from up in the water world. He notes Ms Kier manner of bowing and attempts to emulate it himself with modest success. Words fail as he averts her gaze with bashful smile.
Aiden bows his head in respect to the Queen. Though he cant seem to take his eyes off the sceptre his eyes are wider than they normally are. His snakelike forked tongue flicks out a few times here. But he keeps his mouth shut and looks to Josie.
It takes a moment for her as well, but Josie eventually takes her own eyes off the sceptre to give a bow of her head to the Queen as well. "Your Majesty, it is an honour to meet you. My name is Josephine Davies-Bates." Apparently, Josie is far too informal when talking to a queen. She gives a wave for the others to introduce themselves as well.
It takes a brief moment for Lissie to understand the gesture, but then she gives a slight kick of her feet and moves forwards. It isn't that she's a great swimmer, but when you're a girl on the shores of Skye who likes nature, you sort of get an idea about how fish and seals move. She bobs a bit, then inclines her head. "Your Majesty. I am Lissie Kier, a second-year student at Hogwarts, and at your service. I am humbled by the honour you give us by your presence. Thank you." She paddles a bit to the side to motion the others forwards.
Aiden swims forward himself giving a deep bow. "Me names Aiden, Aiden Merrythough Im goin inta me firth year at Hogwarths. Itth a pleathure Yer highneth."
William watches the charming Skye lass great the Queen and endeavors to do similar Justice. He gets a bit anxious after the Irish lad says his piece. Swallow is swiggles forward.
"Your Most Elegent Magesty. Willaim Alderton. Forever at your service, Mam."
He almost forgets but then with a clumsy flurry of his water laden hands he pulls out a long white elegant Granian feather tuck in his suit top. It frills swishs in the water like the hairs of the mermaids.
"Pardon, Majestic One. I deliver a gift to M'lady Queen. From a Princess in the Sky Above to the Queen of the Waters Below. A token of esteem." He humble hands over the exceptionally swishing white feather toward the Magnificent Mermaid.
This time, the Queen speaks for herself, inclining her head at the gift as she says, "My thanks, young William Alderton. It is good to meet all of you," she adds. One of her servants swims forward to accept the feather, carrying it back to the Queen, who places it in her dark green hair.
After a moment, Josie speaks up again, "Your Majesty, may I ask where you got your sceptre?" The Queen nods, and says, "It fell from the surface, a gift for us from your world."
Lissie's eyes go wide, and she swims forwards again. "Your Majesty…." She swallows hard, then tugs the hair ribbons out of her hair. They are multi-colored, and have little glass beads at the end. "The… scepter was sent into the lake, but the…. person who made the gift…. dinna hae any right to give the scepter. He stole it. And it being stolen is causing a war. I… I am very, very poor. I don't have many pretty things. These ribbons… and my hair," she adds as an afterthought. "But … if it pleases, your Majesty, you can have the ribbons…. and… and my hair…. if you would be willing to accept them in return for the scepter. And…. I will find a way to make you a new scepter…. I promise… on my honur. Please, madam Queen. Lives…. and the safety of the Wood and Hogwarts…. depend on it." She prostrates herself in a sort of dead man's float, her arm outstretched with the ribbons, and her neck bare, so that they may cut the braided hair if they wish.
Aiden swims forward himself. "Aye your majethty Litthie thpeakth th' truth. Yer beau'iful theptre wath thtolen an' pitched down here. In an attemp' ta keep it from bein foun'." Aiden says bowing. "I have no' ta give ye' wi' me now bu' I promith ye' iffin yer lettin uth take the thepyre back ta where it belongth. On me honor ath a Merrythought ill sen' ya thomethin' o' beau'y back down from the thurfath." He says bowing deeper. At this point he looks over at Lissie with pride and amazement. He smiles at her broadly still in his deep bow.
Willaim looked puzzeled. While the details were unclear, the alarm and danger wasn't. He swished to the side of Skye lass and the Irish lad.
"Your Majesty. I to echo Miss Keir's and Merrthought's Promise. I offer my service or… uh… hair…" Willaim was stuck. What would a Mermaid ever want and he thought of his fairy tales, "Or my voice.! If that would please your Majesty. What ever I can add to stave off the danger to Hogwarts and those above."
The other merpeople look agitated, some of them swimming around and a couple even approaching, but before they can say anything the Queen waves for silence. Then she swims forward, her grey skinned face looking closely into each of those who made their promises. "If we accept, we would expect a gift of beauty rivaling this from you, before your year is out. Do you agree?" A test, perhaps, to be sure they are being honest and not just looking to steal the treasure.
"Aye Your Majesty. On my Honour as a Gentleman…and an Alderton." William spoke quite sincerely.
"Yes, your Majesty, I agree. And I…." Lissie closes her eyes a moment, thinking hard. Thinking on all she's learned and overheard. All the stories her mother managed to tell her. "An' I'll sweer tae it too, if it will suffice. A…" What was the word? What was the phrase? Something when her father had to sell off…. "Binding oath, your Majesty. If you'll accept it." She lifts her head proudly. "Because I love the school an' the students, an' I love the Forest an' all that lives in't, an' I love the lake too, an…. an' if you'll have my oath…. we'll do what you've asked. Or I'll come back here and you may do what you…. have to." Her voice trembles at the end. "Because my brothers are in a war. I'll give myself to stop another one."
Aiden nods his head bowing and keeping his head low. "Ye' have me word of honor. A Merruthought is only as good as his word an' we're no' oath breakers." He says looking over to Lissie who is older than he. "I can buy her th' thupplies an' such to craf' ye' a lovely lovely gif'. An' I methelf will get thomethin ter a' ta it yer majethty." Aiden says deeply and sincerely. "We don' wan ta rob ye' juth' ta thtop a war tha' donnae need ter be happenin, to try an' thave innothen' lives yer highness. Tha'th all we wan." Aiden says very formally and sincerely. "Though m'lady iffin yer willin' ter acthept our humble gifts we acthept yer terms." He says bowing again.
The Queen grows a little more gentle, and says to Lissie, "We would not require your harm. However, if you fail we will no longer permit Hogwarts students in our Lake." She seems satisfied, and passes the 'sceptre' to Lissie. "Go, now, stop your war."
Josie nods, and says, "Thank you, your Majesty." She turns and gestures for the others to start swimming to shore.
Lissie bows low, then takes the sceptre. She is shaking a little, for her offer was wholly genuine. Yet when she looks down at the sceptre, all she can do is smile, and she looks over at Aiden and Josie and William, then gives one last wave of her free hand towards the mermaids. She tucks the sceptre tight against her, swimming between the others, that the grindylows might not get the precious thing.
Aiden bows his head and if she lets him he takes Lissies hand in his excitement. "Thank ye' again yer majethty, we won' fail ye' ya got me word." he says with a smile and he starts to swim toward the shore. "Ye' were awethome Litthie, I cannae deny tha' I promith ye' ill help ye' in any way I can. Tha' ith iffin yer wantin' me help O' courth." he says smiling at her. "Yer defini'ly earnin' me rethpect an' id be honored iffin ye'd let me call ye friend." he tells lissie with a smile. "Letth go en' thith war yea?" he asks forked snake tongue flicking a few times again.
When the Ginger lass swam between them, William was meant to help guard her flanks. Like a Musketeer from that Dumas fellow or perhaps a valiant knight like Ivanhoe.
He accepted the stolidly and swam close at hand. If he plucked a few plant samples on the way back, he did not let it distract him from due diligence. He noted the other boy's deference to the Lissie, but he thought of her more as the Aramis of their group. The serious leader meant to be followed.
He consider which roles where left for the rest of them. He eyed the Gryffendor girl curiously as he kept guard at the young girls side. Pick a few more plants along the way.
The oldest of them was Gryffendor, Miss Kier a Hufflepuff, Merrythought with his folked toungue was surely Slythen bound, and he had hopes for Ravenclaw. What a curious coincidence.
Soon, they're back on shore, and Camilla returns a few moments later. She looks in surprise to the piece of the artifact that Lissie is holding, and asks, "You found it?"
"Josie…. Josie found it first, actually." Lissie looks at the older girl. "It's only after she asked about it that I realized…." She looks it over, up and down, then shakes her head. "And however am I… are we… going to be able to make something just as pretty…" She looks up at Camilla. "But yes'm. Here 'tis, and we can gie it tae the Starchasers now."
Aiden stands beside Lissie. "Aye. But it wath bonnie Litthie here who star'ed th' negothiathions an' finithed them. All I di' wath add a few thin'th here an' thar." He says proudly of the young lady whom he now calls a friend. "Aye Litthie I promith ye' we will no ma'er wha' Ill make thure of it me frien. An' when I gi' me frien'thip ta thomeone I don' back ou' O' me aor' to'em." Aiden says with a smile. "Ath thome Muggleth thay. A gentlmanth agreement yeth?" He says his hand held out to Lissie and again a bunch of tongue flicks.
William watches Miss Kier and Merrythought as he filled his mask with water to carry back his plant samples in a mositened state. He notes the Ranger's excited over the sceptre's discovery and the young girl's humility as she point it was Miss Gryffendor who spotted it first. "Well played, Miss Kier," he mumbles to himself. 'Starchasers?' he whispers curiously.
He watches Merrythought cement his friendship with the brave lass and nods smiling. He tends his plant samples and watches from the side. Though he made Oath as well he was still an outsider in the matter as he hadn't the foggiest as to what it was all about. Save that perhaps Hogwarts, future peers and even Arkie were a bit safer, then.
Camilla takes the artifact, thanking them all and making promises of rewards to come, before hurrying off to store it in a better, safer place. Josie is grinning ear to ear, and says to Lissie, "Yeah, you did great down there." Then she looks around, and says after a moment, lacking any other ideas, "Does anybody still want to do the canoe tug-of-war?"