–
His mouth formed a silent ‘o’ as he took in the information, shaking his head with an expression both wry and sheepish. “I… should have guessed that,” he grinned in return. “The simplest explanation, and my mind flew clear over it. Of course such a unique child should have a stable of parents to raise her; Mahal preserve you if you try to do it alone.”
Mitsa’s laugh was delightful; a rounder, warmer sound than he was expecting from such a small frame. It distracted him enough that his giddy smile lasted up until there was a dapping punch pointed at his sternum.
“Woah! Easy friend,” he parried the rod away gently with the back of his hand, “I mean her no ill. Do you really think I’d harbor a vendetta against a child?” His brow furrowed pitifully over soulful, lupine eyes. “What threat do you imagine she poses? These days I am on passable terms with the sea folk, I’d do nothing to jeopardize that; and what is more, she considers me her godfather! I’m saddened you think I would harm a fledgling girl who entrusted me with her confidence.”
“In case you hadn’t noticed I am not the sea folk. Little Storm may be a child now, but she will grow with time. Threat or not will you make the same promises when she is older? That aside you have quite the… history, with her father. Forgive me for being cautious,” Mitsanár said sweetly. “I believe the phrase was ‘better safe than sorry.’” But he slowly lowered the rod and set it aside.
Turning his attention to the offered fluorite, he inspected a crystal curiously. It certainly looked clearer than his quartz, but as he hummed a few soft notes at it he found its song had a vastly different flavor. “Don’t call her harmless until you’ve tried one of her sandwiches,” he added as he shaded the crystal with both hands to better see its glow. Yes… he could work with this, with a few adjustments here…
He set to work fiddling with the clasps around his magnifying device, widening them for the new crystals and then testing the fit. Once everything was in place he tried looking through the lens and noted the improvements. He pulled away with a hum of appreciation and beckoned to Sauron.
“Would you care to have a look, since you’ve been so kind in assisting me?”
“I can’t fault you for being protective of your charge. She must be very precious to you.”
He tried no more to excuse himself; Mitsa knew ultimately where his loyalties lay, and there were no promises he could make for the extended future, should the girl grow and bar his path. He could only hope such a future would not be woven.
Mitsa’s humming stilled his thoughts, seeming to absorb all the noise of the forge until he could hear his own heart beating in his ears. The crystals glowed a greenish hue– easily correctable with a color filter, he thought. The light grew and did not fade, illuminating the stage where samples could be placed.
As he was offered the instrument he grinned broad and beaming. “I’d be delighted. Thank you,” he leaned close to the eyepiece.
“Well, it certainly glows,” he chuckled, “but there’s not much to see yet. I’ll fetch that steel in a moment, but first…” Sauron ducked his head and exhaled a warm puff of breath over the glass plate, fogging it. He touched the plate with one finger, brow knitting in concentration. He hadn’t attempted this trick in a long time– it was counter to his nature, or rather, a reversal of it. The ambient temperature dropped around the work station, though the bronze skin of his hand glowed and began to steam and drip. He watched until ice crystals began to form on the glass, then eagerly returned to the microscope lens, adjusting the focus.
“There we are. Some of Melkor’s fine work,” he purred, pleased with himself. “Look at that. Sixfold symmetry. Natural fractals. Beautiful.” He was almost loathe to look away, but the heat of the forge made short work of the ice and moisture.
MisbehavingMaiar: Tumblr Archive 