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labyfic2020-09-07 02:06 pm
jalenstrix) wrote in labyfic2020-09-07 02:06 pm
Entry tags:
Challenge #38: An Inconvenience Rightly Considered
Title: An Inconvenience Rightly Considered
Description: Department Chair Sarah Williams deals with an unexpected event. Written for the challenge of “Masks”. This is part of the larger "It's Academic" series at FFnet.
Word count: 812
~~~
I blinked, and blinked again. This was not the department “Welcome” party I had signed off on. For one thing, I was pretty sure we didn’t have the budget for an utterly fantastical masquerade ball. Also, I was pretty sure our departmental conference room wasn’t this big.
I stepped back across the threshold, doublechecked that the room number did in fact say 2214, that we were in the correct building, and that indeed my office was directly across just as it always had been.
Well. When space and time get bent into the opulent shape of a gala fit for a Faerie king, it’s pretty clear who’s to blame. At least, in my life.
I closed my eyes slowly, took a nice calming breath, and enunciated with practiced precision. “Jareth?”
The velvety reply was instant. “You called?”
“What is that?” I gestured vaguely at the conference room doorway. Several clumps of eyeball lichen peeked across the threshold, humming and cooing.
“Oh, that?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Weren’t you complaining about having to wear too many masks the other day? I thought I could at least make all that mask-wearing enjoyable for you.”
Oh, for the love of... “Hats, Jareth. Too many hats. Because I was playing too many roles in the academic bureaucracy.”
He shrugged that right off, and forged ahead with a brilliant smile. “If you’re going to play a role, you ought to have a proper mask. A hat, no matter how splendid, simply won’t do. And fortunately for you, I have a very fine array of masks for you to choose from.” He fanned his hands out in a graceful arc, displaying far more masks than should have been possible to fit in such a limited space. And they were gorgeous, too. Every one.
I shook my head. “You’re a Faerie nut, you know that?”
“Flattery will get you everywhere. And on your way there, why don’t you try on some of these? This one, perhaps.” He held out a black leather mask with what could only be called a Beak of Unusual Size.
I arched an eyebrow. “Seriously? It looks like the ones doctors wore during the Black Death when dealing with plague victims.” I smirked. “Okay, that one might be good at the department chair meetings. The conversations there can get downright noxious.” I leaned forward, running my thumb along the edges of the masks nestled beneath that one. “Do you have anything for listening to useless campus administrative talks I’m obligated to attend?”
A deft flick produced a Greek comedy mask with its exaggerated smile.
“Not bad. What about when an oh-so-distinguished faculty member comes in for ‘just a moment’ to talk about something bothering them?”
Another flick produced a comfy-looking leather mask with eyebrows sympathetically raised and an inquisitive expression.
“Oh, this is good. Okay, I may seriously have to use some of these.” I peered into the erstwhile conference room again. “So what do you recommend for that little fete in there?”
His smile had the best sort of promises in it, glittering and beckoning from silken shadows. “So many options. Especially if you would permit a Faerie interloper to escort you to your departmental gathering.”
I grinned, feeling the buzzing irritations of my work life flitter right away under that crystalline gaze. “I would. I can claim you’re a visiting Vice Provost or something.” I made a gimme motion with my hands. “Whatcha got?”
A gorgeous mask made of white velvet, shimmering feathers, and dazzling crystals materialized, right next to a matching mask with a decidedly more masculine bent. Hello, Winter Queen and Winter King.
I arched an eyebrow. “Inconspicuous, we are not.”
He gestured at the masquerade ball beyond the threshold. “Live a little. No one will remember anything afterwards anyway.” He leaned forward in a conspiratorial whisper. “I spiked the punch with a top notch obliviation spell.”
“You’re the best sort of Faerie nut, you know that?”
“Life gets so boring otherwise.” He extended the mask to me, along with a gentlemanly elbow. “Shall we?”
I fit the Winter Queen mask over my face, letting its cool breath wash through me. Aaaaah. Goodbye, workplace anxiety. “It’d be a shame to let that lovely party go to waste.”
“So glad you think so. You wouldn’t believe how difficult it is to conjure good musicians sometimes.” He placed the Winter King mask over his face with a practiced one-handed gesture, and tilted his head to listen. “Ah, and there’s a delightful waltz just starting. Wouldn’t want to miss it.”
“Of course not. What would the other faculty think? Tsk.”
“Truth be told, not a blessed thing after they’ve had a whiff of the punch.”
“And I repeat: you’re the best sort of Faerie nut.”
“Of course I am. Let’s dance, my lady.”
And with that, we stepped through the threshold, eyebrow lichen humming appreciatively around us.
~~~
Author’s note 1: The title comes from a quote by G.K. Chesterson: “An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered.” Because, really, everything involving Jareth is an adventure.
Author’s note 2: The Beak of Unusual Size is a nod to the Rodents of Unusual Size from The Princess Bride, one of the best books ever.
Description: Department Chair Sarah Williams deals with an unexpected event. Written for the challenge of “Masks”. This is part of the larger "It's Academic" series at FFnet.
Word count: 812
~~~
I blinked, and blinked again. This was not the department “Welcome” party I had signed off on. For one thing, I was pretty sure we didn’t have the budget for an utterly fantastical masquerade ball. Also, I was pretty sure our departmental conference room wasn’t this big.
I stepped back across the threshold, doublechecked that the room number did in fact say 2214, that we were in the correct building, and that indeed my office was directly across just as it always had been.
Well. When space and time get bent into the opulent shape of a gala fit for a Faerie king, it’s pretty clear who’s to blame. At least, in my life.
I closed my eyes slowly, took a nice calming breath, and enunciated with practiced precision. “Jareth?”
The velvety reply was instant. “You called?”
“What is that?” I gestured vaguely at the conference room doorway. Several clumps of eyeball lichen peeked across the threshold, humming and cooing.
“Oh, that?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Weren’t you complaining about having to wear too many masks the other day? I thought I could at least make all that mask-wearing enjoyable for you.”
Oh, for the love of... “Hats, Jareth. Too many hats. Because I was playing too many roles in the academic bureaucracy.”
He shrugged that right off, and forged ahead with a brilliant smile. “If you’re going to play a role, you ought to have a proper mask. A hat, no matter how splendid, simply won’t do. And fortunately for you, I have a very fine array of masks for you to choose from.” He fanned his hands out in a graceful arc, displaying far more masks than should have been possible to fit in such a limited space. And they were gorgeous, too. Every one.
I shook my head. “You’re a Faerie nut, you know that?”
“Flattery will get you everywhere. And on your way there, why don’t you try on some of these? This one, perhaps.” He held out a black leather mask with what could only be called a Beak of Unusual Size.
I arched an eyebrow. “Seriously? It looks like the ones doctors wore during the Black Death when dealing with plague victims.” I smirked. “Okay, that one might be good at the department chair meetings. The conversations there can get downright noxious.” I leaned forward, running my thumb along the edges of the masks nestled beneath that one. “Do you have anything for listening to useless campus administrative talks I’m obligated to attend?”
A deft flick produced a Greek comedy mask with its exaggerated smile.
“Not bad. What about when an oh-so-distinguished faculty member comes in for ‘just a moment’ to talk about something bothering them?”
Another flick produced a comfy-looking leather mask with eyebrows sympathetically raised and an inquisitive expression.
“Oh, this is good. Okay, I may seriously have to use some of these.” I peered into the erstwhile conference room again. “So what do you recommend for that little fete in there?”
His smile had the best sort of promises in it, glittering and beckoning from silken shadows. “So many options. Especially if you would permit a Faerie interloper to escort you to your departmental gathering.”
I grinned, feeling the buzzing irritations of my work life flitter right away under that crystalline gaze. “I would. I can claim you’re a visiting Vice Provost or something.” I made a gimme motion with my hands. “Whatcha got?”
A gorgeous mask made of white velvet, shimmering feathers, and dazzling crystals materialized, right next to a matching mask with a decidedly more masculine bent. Hello, Winter Queen and Winter King.
I arched an eyebrow. “Inconspicuous, we are not.”
He gestured at the masquerade ball beyond the threshold. “Live a little. No one will remember anything afterwards anyway.” He leaned forward in a conspiratorial whisper. “I spiked the punch with a top notch obliviation spell.”
“You’re the best sort of Faerie nut, you know that?”
“Life gets so boring otherwise.” He extended the mask to me, along with a gentlemanly elbow. “Shall we?”
I fit the Winter Queen mask over my face, letting its cool breath wash through me. Aaaaah. Goodbye, workplace anxiety. “It’d be a shame to let that lovely party go to waste.”
“So glad you think so. You wouldn’t believe how difficult it is to conjure good musicians sometimes.” He placed the Winter King mask over his face with a practiced one-handed gesture, and tilted his head to listen. “Ah, and there’s a delightful waltz just starting. Wouldn’t want to miss it.”
“Of course not. What would the other faculty think? Tsk.”
“Truth be told, not a blessed thing after they’ve had a whiff of the punch.”
“And I repeat: you’re the best sort of Faerie nut.”
“Of course I am. Let’s dance, my lady.”
And with that, we stepped through the threshold, eyebrow lichen humming appreciatively around us.
~~~
Author’s note 1: The title comes from a quote by G.K. Chesterson: “An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered.” Because, really, everything involving Jareth is an adventure.
Author’s note 2: The Beak of Unusual Size is a nod to the Rodents of Unusual Size from The Princess Bride, one of the best books ever.