November 9, 1177
"She does, impatient Pallas strait replies, and, clothed with heavenly light, sprung from her odd dis--disgyuse?"
He'd been doing well, but it seemed that the atypical 'ui' combination was more than he could handle. Not sure whether or not she was frustrated, Rona picked at her laces. "Disguise."
"Disguise?" A little red in the face, Ashe raised an eyebrow. "You didn't even look!"
Did she have to, with that rhyme scheme? Besides, Ovid had been the prime source of bedtime stories so long as Rona could remember. "Just keep reading."
He'd been doing well, but it seemed that the atypical 'ui' combination was more than he could handle. Not sure whether or not she was frustrated, Rona picked at her laces. "Disguise."
"Disguise?" A little red in the face, Ashe raised an eyebrow. "You didn't even look!"
Did she have to, with that rhyme scheme? Besides, Ovid had been the prime source of bedtime stories so long as Rona could remember. "Just keep reading."
He shot her a tired glance, but nonetheless did as he was told. "The Nymphs and virgins of the plain adore the awful Goddess and confess--oh. The fire's dying, isn't it?" He scrambled to his feet and dove for the poker, leaving the book abandoned on the floor.
"You were just waiting for an excuse to stop, weren't you?"
He prodded one of the logs back, a new burst of sparks springing forth from the waning embers like a phoenix. "I've been reading for over an hour, you know."
"And you're getting so much better at it." She gave his shin a playful tap with her foot as he stepped back from the hearth. "I don't know why we're still reading Book Six, though. Book Six is terribly dull. Read from Book Nine; all the best stories are in Book Nine."
Ashe frowned, but remained compliant as ever, flipping through the old pages in search of the more interesting section. As always Rona wasn't quite sure what to do with his dedicated obedience, but she supposed it didn't matter just yet. "You haven't taught me Roman numerals yet."
"You were just waiting for an excuse to stop, weren't you?"
He prodded one of the logs back, a new burst of sparks springing forth from the waning embers like a phoenix. "I've been reading for over an hour, you know."
"And you're getting so much better at it." She gave his shin a playful tap with her foot as he stepped back from the hearth. "I don't know why we're still reading Book Six, though. Book Six is terribly dull. Read from Book Nine; all the best stories are in Book Nine."
Ashe frowned, but remained compliant as ever, flipping through the old pages in search of the more interesting section. As always Rona wasn't quite sure what to do with his dedicated obedience, but she supposed it didn't matter just yet. "You haven't taught me Roman numerals yet."
"Nine is IX. I is one and X is ten--one before ten."
Nodding, he took to flipping forward one page at a time--as if that would get him anywhere any time soon. Rona bit her lip, impatient. Then again, maybe his snail-like progression gave her time to ask. "Ashe?"
Still turning pages, his eyes flitted from the page to her face. God they were such a pretty apple green. She still wasn't sure if she wanted to marry him or not, but she had to marvel at how sweet those eyes would look on a baby. "Mmm?"
"My mother's having a big supper for me some time in the next week or so at my stepfather's castle. She said I could invite a few friends." Ashe blinked. Was that a bit too familiar? She feared it might be. "You can come too if you like."
Nodding, he took to flipping forward one page at a time--as if that would get him anywhere any time soon. Rona bit her lip, impatient. Then again, maybe his snail-like progression gave her time to ask. "Ashe?"
Still turning pages, his eyes flitted from the page to her face. God they were such a pretty apple green. She still wasn't sure if she wanted to marry him or not, but she had to marvel at how sweet those eyes would look on a baby. "Mmm?"
"My mother's having a big supper for me some time in the next week or so at my stepfather's castle. She said I could invite a few friends." Ashe blinked. Was that a bit too familiar? She feared it might be. "You can come too if you like."
A small laugh broke forth from his throat, though Rona didn't see what was so funny. She'd invited him, hadn't she? What more did he want? "Your friends, plus me. I'm not your friend, then?"
Best she could lying on the floor, Rona shrugged. "And that's worth a laugh?"
"Not in itself. Just trying to figure out if it's a bad thing or a good thing." Smirking, he flicked through a few more pages. He was so strange sometimes. He was possibly the strangest person she'd ever met. And she'd met Florian. "Care to help me out here?"
Best she could lying on the floor, Rona shrugged. "And that's worth a laugh?"
"Not in itself. Just trying to figure out if it's a bad thing or a good thing." Smirking, he flicked through a few more pages. He was so strange sometimes. He was possibly the strangest person she'd ever met. And she'd met Florian. "Care to help me out here?"
Rona rolled her eyes at him, then slipped her hand under a heavy stack of unturned leaves and flipped them to the other side. "Just read."
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13 comments:
"He was possibly the strangest person she'd ever met. And she'd met Florian."
LOL!!! I died.
Good book choice. Charles Martin did my favorite translation. My mind leads me to speak now of forms changed into new bodies...etc.
Whether Rona realizes it or not, having such a vested interest in Ashe's education can only mean that they are at least friends.
Not sure what the protocol is for translations of ancient poems, but just to be on the safe side, this translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses can be found here. Credit goes to the translators, plus the dead Roman guy.
Also, I now have a Tumblr, here. I'll probably just use it for previews and maybe the odd outtake.
Pen: Oh wow, that was fast.
XD When comes the opportunity to mention Florian, always take it ;)
I've never actually read any of it until just now (I'm extremely dense when it comes to poetry; even literary fiction is usually more than I can handle), but it does seem like a fascinating collection content-wise. Funny that Rona likes Book IX so much, too XD
Yeaaah, I think Rona's a little fonder of Ashe than she's willing to tell him at this point.
Oh! I think you'd like it but find a good translation-- That makes all the difference, not only for clarity but for aesthetic.
But yes, Rona's choice of story is ironic. :D :D :D
I'll maybe see if the university library has Martin's version; I have a reading week coming up, but I can't go home for it this year and I think the only class I even have a midterm in has the midterm before the break, so I'll have plenty of spare time.
For Ashe's sake, I hope they didn't end up reading quite that far. Talk about awkward :P
Makes you wonder who's granting the wishes over at the sex pond.
Whoever it is, they must be a mythology buff. And maybe kind of a stalker.
You two crack me up! (And it took a while, but I finally managed to find the story referenced. ;))
And so do Ashe and Rona. Not her friend, indeed. She seems to enjoy his company way too much to not call him her friend. Maybe it's because he's already becoming something more? ;) And perhaps Rona doesn't want to admit it, because that would make her brother right. And Searle-the-no-longer-dying as well.
Heheheh :P
That might be part of Rona's reservation--rebellion against Lorn. But who knows how long that will hold out?
Hey Van,
I left you a message over at the keep under the "Painter's Gallery", then looked at the date of your original post and realized that you probably forgot you ever made the thread. :p
Thanks for the heads up! I'll check right away :)
What a lovely and amusing little set of updates to come back to.
Thanks Epi :)
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