2020-04-20 - Be Careful Bairn

Summary:

Brigid and Fenris seek out Zee

Log Info:

Storyteller: None
Date: Mon Apr 20 00:00:00 2020
Location: New York

Related Logs

None

Theme Song

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zatanna-zatara

Brigid had indeed changed her outfit by the time she and Fenris arrived at The Alhambra Theatre - well the floor that Zatanna has recently taken possession of. It's nicely set out, a sort of caberet, dinner / theatre and tonight it's hosting Zatanna herself.

Well, for the next little while it will be.

The show is just finishing as Brigid and Fenris walk in. It's hard to miss the pair, there's an aura about them. Before they know it, they're being shown to a table and ale from Otherworld being provided.

Not long after that, Zatanna joins them - still in her stage outfit "What brings two such esteemed personages such as yourselves to my club?" She asks as she takes a seat.

"She's confident. I'll give ye that, Fenris. And it seems yer presence isna goin' to get us removed." Brigid says, letting the other God give his greetings before launching in.


"Confidence is a key to her magic. And to her appeal. Hello Zatanna. I did not know that I was particularly esteemed. Certainly I have encountered people tonight who did not think so." Fenris takes a drink of the ale provided and relaxes back into his seat.

"Well. There was an altercation recently. A lackey of a certain king of the dark elves disturbed the peace of the town while looking for you. I was not amused, but I thought it best to escort the lady here and inform you what had taken place."

And the danger she might possibly be in. Malekith is no joke.


"I'm right here." Zatanna chuckles, looking between the two of them. "Notorious would be another word, I suppose. And Lady Brigid, what brings you to New York to begin with? Lackey? Was it Wormwood? He made an appearance the other day as well… "

That will be news to them both, surely.

"Were they looking for me or something in particular?" The question is careful as she looks between the two.

"I came to see you, wee lassie." Brigid answers, taking a long drink on the ale. "To ask about a certain artifact that belongs to Tuatha."


"Same thing that Wormwood was going to ask about." Well 'ask'. The Old Wolf doubts that the keeper of the Black Bifrost was going to politely request it. Hounds are sent for a reason. That he had shown up before gets a quirked brow. That's… quite annoying actually. He may have to pay the god out for that when and if he sees them next. With interest.

"A crown that made it into the keeping of your family, apparently. The Tuatha seem to want it back." Brigid is given a look. "And the Dark Elves do as well which… doesn't usually bode well for anything."


Zatanna sighs and pulls some cards from … the air. There doesn't *seem* to be any magic associated with that but who can tell? As she shuffles them she regards the pair. "A Crown, hmmm? And why would I have a Crown? I've no delusions of royalty. Tell me, did the emissary have those terrible hounds with him? They could use some dental care."

"Choose a card." She tells the pair of them.

"I told ye, Fenris. I doona want the Crown for the Tuatha. I want to return to the Avalonians to protect against those dark elves. It was our gift to them eons ago. The Crown of Command, girl. The Zatara's took it … into custody, if ye like, about a century ago. Someone got uppity and decided to try it out …" Brigid shrugs and gestures to Fenris to choose a card as she watches.


"He did." Fenris says reaching forward to take a card. Hrm. Ace of Clubs. Well at least it wasn't the Queen of Hearts or something like that. He shows it to Brigid but not to Zatanna. She's the magician and he has no idea what she's going to do with it.

"The Crown Of- yes. That. Apparently it was given to your family… at some point." Fenris is unclear when but given the prior conversation he's guessing 'before Zee's time' possibly by as much as a few generations. Most gods are really not very good about keeping track of time on scales less than decades. They move slower. They have the time so why not? Of course this means getting them to act with any urgency is a pain but that is neither here nor there.


"Put it back in the deck, don't show me…" Zatanna smiles, listening to the conversation with care. She shuffles again, and continues doing so for the next short moment. "Yes, that's what Wormwood said. Loki turned up during the fight - to be honest, I'm not sure if he was there to help or hinder. He was certainly quite … charming … when he realised who I was."

Once she shuffles, the mage starts to flip cards over. Slowly, one by one. The smile has faded though as the conversation gets more serious.

"Not given. Taken by. When the Crown was used by one from Otherworld here in this world. The Zatara, it doesn't matter which one, interceded and stopped a small catastrophe but they also took the Crown into their collection. We've been meaning to ask for it back but ye know how things are … one thing leads to another and a century or more has gone by. But now we want it back…"

Zee looks between the pair "I really don't know what artifact you're talking about. We Zatara's, as you so quaintly put it, have collected a lot. Might I ask what it does."

The cards keep flipping and Fenris' card hasn't appeared yet. "And your interest in this Fenris? Did you want the Crown for yourself?"


"I mean I haven't been a king for a while…" Fenris muses. "Unless one counts 'of burgers'. But no. My interest is that someone trespassed onto my city and I disapprove of them doing so. They seem set to trespass onto it again and this may possibly compel me to eat someone. Or at least very seriously threaten doing so."

Most beings don't come back from being eaten so it's a good threat and Fenris is very, very good at it. "But if you don't know what the artifact is, it is possible the Zatara's lost it? Or do you just have it stuffed somewhere in your magical attic in a box labelled 'powerful things we've taken'?"


Brigid considers the younger woman "Ye might ask. It is a relic, as I said. It takes the bearers powers and amplifies them. It was made for the Emyrs to wear in battle against those of Svartalfheim when they came against Avalon. He did indeed wear it and turned the tide of the battle."

The celtic goddess drains her glass and gestures for another one. "Unfortunately, the enchantress Morgan Le-Fey got her paws on it not long after that and tried a working of great magnitude, using the relic so against its nature, it … cursed it."

Zatanna frowns at the story but offers Fenris a small cheeky smile "Probably more the latter than realise. Shadowcrest, the Zatara ancestral home, is a veritable museum and often has a mind of its own - making locating rooms a little … troublesome at times."


"Wait, why on earth do you want a cursed crown?" Fenris says, looking at Brigid suspiciously. "I suspect that's why your people were happy to take their time asking for it back in the first place." And if the curse is strong enough it could affect even gods. Fenris has recent experience in that regard. Curses are one of the gods preferred weapons. Done right they're near impossible to untangle and while seldom lethal they can cause repeated heartache and pain for centuries.

Zatanna must have never laid eyes much less hands on it or she would definitely know of what they speak. "Maybe you DO want to get rid of it, Zatanna."


"The Crown is powerful, Fenris. Even with the Curse and the most disciplined might weather it. If they aren't disciplined, they can still wield the might of the Crown but they will … carry out the will of the thing as well." Brigid sighs "We wan' it back so we can ensure it doesna fall into the wrong hands. If Malekith or his minions get it, they'll … be driven mad. … or madder. The Zatara's are well respected by those in Otherworld however, Miss Zatara is considered very young. It was agreed that with the Hounds of the Hound and the Svartalfheim on the loose, it would be better if we … retrieved it." So yes, maybe they weren't in a hurry for it until now.

Zatanna snorts, still flipping the cards over one by one. "I haven't seen your card yet, have I Fenris? And if I'm not sure if I should be insulted or flattered. I'm not that *young*." Oh, but by the ways of most mages she most certainly is.

"I have started to look through the archives and try and locate it. At the least, I want to know where it is. I'm not sure yet … if I will return it to you or the Avalonians, Lady Brigid. I will read the accounts from my ancestors first."


"Nnnnno." Fenris says. He is still watching the cards and of course she knows she hasn't seen it yet. There's a trick to all of these kinds of feats but such is Zee's skill at sleight of hand that Fenris hasn't seen what the trick is yet. He's sure the cards aren't marked. He'd have seen or felt that. But then the cards don't need to be marked do they? Only a hack magician uses marked cards.

"Are you less than a hundred?" Then she's young. In fact if she's more than a hundred but less than a thousand, she's young. But Brigid probably meant by human standards and in that case no. She's not young. But not 'old' yet either. Humans are odd.

"The Dark Elves are annoyingly persistent Zatanna. If you do not return it you will have to figure out a way to deal with them and even I would think twice before taking Malekith head on." Though his lackeys are not always all that intelligent.

"You know your kind don't really have a good track record with madness Brigid. Are you sure you want it back?"


"Are you insultin' the fair folk, Fenris?" Brigid asks, taking a deep drink when the next ale arrives. "I doonna intend to keep the Crown for ourselves. We will return it to the one that wielded before." She means the Emrys. Or perhaps his daughter. "It's that or leave the fate of the world in the hands of a child."

Brigid hadn't liked Zatanna saying she might not return it. "You are a nothing but a *bairn*, *bairn* and if ye know what's good for ye, yo'll hand it over. Next time, it won' be me doin' the visitin'."

Zatanna sighs and gives Brigid a polite smile. "I will take both pieces of advise, under advisement. If you like, I will permit you both entrance to Shadowcrest and allow you to help in the search."

Permit. For a human mage, Zatanna has spunk. Or maybe she's just cocky.

"Fenris, I'm not seeing your card here …" The woman finishes flipping the cards and looks at the God Wolf. That smile becomes a little cheekier as she leans forward and touches his ear "Ah. *This* is your card." Ace of Clubs. The one he had put in the deck.


Fenris chuckles. He had been watching the whole time and still hadn't seen the trick. Of course he is aware that this is often the point. If you're watching the trick you are not watching the part where they trick you. But even so that speaks well to her skill for misdirection. And that makes it wonder. Is it spunk that is making her sass Brigid? Or is she just waving a hand so the redheaded goddess looks at it.

Redheads are… rather predictable that way in his experience.

"Brigid when was the last time you dealt with a mortal? How often does that approach really ever work?" Fenris snorts. "And no I am not. I am noting that Lewis Carol might have known a few Fair Folk when he wrote 'we're all mad here'." Actually he was more thinking on some OTHER People who might get their hands on it.

"What did you mean when you said 'compelled to serve it'?" Or something like that. Like the Crown has its own agenda. And drives people mad to further it.

"How very hospitable of you Zatanna. I will certainly come help you look though I'm not sure your house is going to much like me."


"My house … will be hospitable. I'm not sure about my majordomo, Richard. He is rather protective, I'm afraid." The magician flourishes Fenris card and puts it back in the deck. "Got to keep my hand in, you know."

Is she being spunky or she is using smoke and mirrors?

"An' when was the las' time ye told any of ye relatives to leave well enoug' alone, an' they have? I would be remiss if I did no' warn they bairn of what she is courtin'." The redhead shrugs. "Be it on her shoulders if she doonna han' it over. And … the curse on the Crown is somewhat complicated. It was ill used at one point and ye know how magic can be - now the thing has a will and an agenda of its own. A warped version of the reason it was created."


"My relatives are notoriously incautious. Yours at least aren't a highschool locker room one upping eachother whilst swilling ale and trying to impress the ladies." Okay maybe more a college locker room but the image still holds. And Loki is the nerd in that set of jocks. No wonder he's so iffy on his family.

"And why was it created?" Fenris is almost afraid to ask that question because it's not like he needs the extra complications in his life. But he's involved in this so he might as well know. Note to self, never wear the crown. Or touch it, if at all possible.

"I'm less worried about your majordomo. I've had disapproving staff staring at me since the invention of both staff and disapproval. It's the house deciding not to let me into, or out of, rooms I'm concerned with."


Brigid laughs. "Well, the lads are all about impressin' the lassies. Jus' no' as … prolifically as yers are, Fenris. But still, ye get my point. Avalon is threatened again an' they won' let it fall to the likes of that dark elf." So, they might just decide that Zatanna needs more … encouragement.

"The Crown was forged in the time of Avalon's direst need. Malekith had launched his attack on it, unleashed his Hounds and the warhordes of the Svartalfheim. The Emrys, along with the others, stood ready to fight alongside us of the Shining Kingdom. It was then we learnt of the traitor … and had to tip the scales. The Emrys power is legendary, as I'm sure yer aware, bairn. The Crown was forged to amplify that and drive the Svartalfheim from Avalons shores."

Zatanna chuckles. "Ah well, Fenris. Maybe that's why I didn't mind inviting the two of you in. If the House doesn't feel that you have the Zatara's best interests at hand, it will ensure that I am looked after. If you are … how should I say this … pure of heart, I don't think you will have any problems."


"I am a walking apocalypse. It is not entirely clear that I have a heart, much less a pure one." Fenris snorts. And then sighs at Brigid.

"So now instead of protecting Avalon it wishes to rule it. That's why Malekith wants it. If they both want the same thing perhaps he thinks it'll be easier to manage. Or maybe he'll just put it on a patsy's head and rule from the shadows. That'd be a good way to generate another traitor."

What is in Avalon that Malekith wants? Who knows. With an infinite multiverse out there, the gods still find ways to fight over their pocket realms. Maybe it's just that Malekith wants THAT particular realm because, well, he does.

"Just remind your lads, Brigid, that I don't like people stomping around in my hunting grounds and I'm not too picky about enforcing that."


Zatanna packs the cards away and looks at the pair of Gods. "Well, it's been entertaining, I must say. But I should count my receipts for the night and let my manager leave. Feel free to have some drinks, on the house of course and Fenris, I'm sure you can find Shadowcrest."

She's amused. "Lady Brigid, if any of your lads do decide to come calling, please ask them to dress in a way that I might appreciate them." She's sassing the gods again.

"If there's nothing more?"

"Take care, Bairn. That tongue of yours will get ye in trouble." Brigid grumbles and waves an imperious hand. "I will going after the next drink and deliverin' the tidin's to my brethren. I will call on ye again, Bairn, doonna forget tha'."

There's a look to Fenris that sort of says Mortals.


Fenris' answering shrug says 'What can you do?' and he waves to Zatanna before taking a drink. Once he's sure the young mage has left he says. "They'll touch the very stars if they don't destroy themselves first. I've always found it to be dangerous to underestimate them. Mortal heroism, and mortal depravity, are the fulcums around which this tiny middle realm turns." The turn of phrase is deliberate. It is Midgard yes, but it is also in a very Chinese sense, the Middle Realm.

So much of import happens on this little mudball. Plus… they have whiskey.


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