Ghost and the Writer

Solstice preparations

The time leading up to the Solstice had been complete mayhem - but it had its highlights.

Highlight no.1: August was acting like a fast-forwarded crazy person with sunglasses who typed into mid-air, on a table, on a wall, and kept sending off small slips of paper through Lily. And Mandy was busy with making food and coffee, knowing that every minute for her was 10 minutes for August.

Highlight no.2: Mandy had August all to herself. When she saw his hands slow down over whatever surface he was typing over, she took off his glasses and met him with a kiss. That led to whatever two people in love would do when one takes the initiative.

Veri and Leum had not come home since and Albus with the blood buns trio were likely in the lake house, dealing with the time-travelers and anything else. Mandy was too busy with feeding and seducing August to care much.

Highlight no.3: The times when Lily stepped by, she brought over more haste potions, they had amusing notes on them like 'A gift for my favorite customer' with a heart mark, and 'These are from Bergens, I added a translation, you are welcome.' Mandy couldn't understand the Aheal script, but she did recall seeing it used in Grisham's book. Purple's notes were her best bet and...

It was a love letter.

A very long, romantic, elaborate, and dreamy love letter. Purple had, helpfully, also added. 'Here's a summary, in case you are too busy to read. Bergens dreamed up you to be his one and only based on your aether pattern. He is willing to change his gender, in case you prefer, and promises an endless supply of haste potions, since 'whatever someone of your magnificence needs more time for, deserves all the time in this world.' I said to him right away that 'your magnificence' is busy and adores the patient, so as long as you give a reply within a year, he shouldn't start packing to come to Urea.'

Of course, August was not the dreamy person Bergens dreamed him up to be. He was dreamy in different ways. Mandy knew there was no way August would fall for something of this type, but who knows how he'll respond.

Ian popped in before the said storm like Leum has asked, but rather than being met by Leum, he was kidnapped by Lily at the door before he could even come in. So Mandy could not say 'hi,' but she figured she would meet him eventually. To ask about the transformation and stuff.

Leum and Veri finally returned in the early hours of the day of the solstice event, they looked tired but also accomplished and presented a...

Tiny dumbbell...? It was beautiful, crystalline with glowing silvery flames shimmering within, and two fine overlapping streaks of transparent darker crystals wrapped around the 'handle' part.

Mandy looked confused, and Veri explained. "It's a tongue piercing."

Oh. Okay-- WAIT! Mandy didn't want to get her tongue pierced. Too risque! Too edgy!

"It's a legendary grade artifact, showing it around is like driving a Lamborghini and trying to pretend to be a Joe of the hills," Leum said.

That was an easy to understand example, even if she had not expected Leum to use a normie example of that sort.

Veri disappeared to fetch Albus, and Mandy stuck out her tongue while closing her eyes. She didn't like pain--

"I trust you to serve Mandy well," Leum spoke to the piercing, and then something cold fell on her tongue. There was no pain, and Mandy opened her eyes in surprise. When she drew her tongue back, she felt that there was something on it, in it.

"That was it?" she asked and then wanted to eat up her own words.

There was an older man's voice in her head.