[PRP] Paternity Testing (Silk & Horace)

[The Semblance of Unity]

He'd been dicking about, figuring out what was different and what was the same. (The wargs had some sweet digs in the Library and Horace had already laid claim to his room, sharpie-ing in his name on the placard near the door.) Nugget had almost decided to stay there, but opted instead to cling to him like a bat-barnacle. Horace didn't mind; he could use the company.

Fetches still wandered about, although he didn't see any of the ones he recognized. He did, however, snag one to ask for directions, which were provided grudgingly. The door to Silk's office was ajar and he poked his head in.

"Silk - are you busy?" Horace could always come back later.  

[shibrogane]

"Not particularly," said Silk, though she had a small stack of papers on her desk. "Trying to read through the bylaws of the Court-as-court, but nothing urgent." She tapped the edges of the papers on the desk and set them aside. "What can I do for you?"

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Oh - did you find anything interesting? The court is now... actually a court, I suppose. It feels more neatly structured, though it must be hard to have to essentially re-learn things." Horace leaned forward and set a small box of her desk. The clear top showed that it held about a dozen cookies.

"I was wondering about a few things, really." He sighed. "First thing is... did all the fetches make it through the change safely?"

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"Yes, we're all quite fine," said Silk. "And so far, I've found that the nobles now serve as lawyers--the word used here is advocate--and I am afforded a place as the Court clerk." She laughed. "I have a magic book that updates with cases to be tried. So I look forward to getting to find someone who will speak on the behalf of Lord Ezra, as representing yourself seems to be considered quite gauche."

She sighed. "I noticed you claimed a carrel in the warg library as well. That's good. Let me know if you need anything."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

His lips twitched. "From chatelaine to court clerk. Oddly similar positions, I guess. I can't think of any nobles off the top of my head he hasn't harmed, really, so that might be the hardest part - finding a neutral party. He was... quite unkind to this Melany." Horace's voice had lowered a bit; it was clear he held all the ill-will towards that Ezra. He sighed, then switched subjects.

"Yes, I figured I better claim one before I forget. They're kind of cute, oddly enough." A bat squeak. "Nugget agrees, although he wants me to section off a corner with blackout curtains for him to sleep." Horace rubbed his finger along Nugget's back. Of course he would do exactly that, even if Nugget was being a demanding little thing. Soon, the Nugget Corner would join the Nugget Closet in space solely for his bat friend.

"I know you've been busy with all the knew stuff, but, oh gosh... should I talk about Melany first or Odal?" He took a deep breath. "Do you still want to know some of the basics of Melany's family in this world?"

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"I understand," said Silk, "But he's still permitted due process, and if none will speak for him then we'll have to let him go, according to the laws you yourselves set into place." She shrugged.

"Odal has given me the spell he needs to determine your parentage," she said, "so I suppose the question is, do you want to know if he's your father first. I have the rest of forever to learn about Melany. You may not."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Well, I guess if you mention that to some of the nobles, you'd find a volunteer quickly." He tensed at her next words. Then he sighed loudly.

"Yes, I... if Odal wants to know, then I do, too."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Silk said, "I suppose he must, if he went through the trouble of creating a spell to discover it." She rose and drew something from a locked safe in a higher cabinet. Spreading the paper on the table, it was what looked like a simple binary sigil. There were two circles about the size of her palms; one of them had a largish smudge of dried blood, the other was empty. "If I remember correctly, you need to bleed in the other open circle," she told Horace. "If you are related, the circle will activate and show us how closely through these runes along the inner edge. If you aren't, it won't."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace really didn't have anything to say to that. For some reason, he hadn't imagined Odal would be the one creating the spell. Reaching into his back pocket, he produced a pocket knife.

"Apologies," he murmured, then, with a deep breath, sliced a cut along the base of his thumb. He smeared the blood that oozed up inside the black circle, then withdrew his hand, careful not to bleed on Silk's desk. That would hardly be polite. Horace balled up the bottom of his shirt and pressed it to the cut, almost afraid to look at the paper.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Silk reached out and took Horace's bleeding hand in hers, ignoring the shock in order to--what was she doing?--heal the cut. "That's hardly the most economical place," she murmured as the spell-circle began to react. "What a tangled web pop culture has woven for those of us who work with magic, yes?"

She drew back once the injury was tended to, and looked down at the parchment between them. The neatly-sketched ink lines were glowing a strong, bright gold, the runes along the inner edge glimmering like stars on a night with no moon. "So there you are," said Silk, tracing the letters quickly. "Odal is your father. Not the father of an alternate version of you, either--these runes here wouldn't have reacted if he were--he's your father."

There was a pause. Silk sighed. "It will break his heart that he wasn't there for you growing up."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"H-how is that even possible, with the world split and all?" Horace stared at the glowing lines and swallowed. "And I... I don't think grandma would have let him, anyway..." Though he couldn't help but wonder...

"Where is he, now?"

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"There was a place where your world and the old one overlapped," said Silk. "I never saw it, but I know it existed. Odal spent much of his early years attempting to decipher it. Perhaps before he completed the turn, he spent time in your world, with the magic...

"He ought to be in the basement still," she said. "He decants wine when he's feeling fidgety."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace rubbed his eyes, making his glasses bounce awkwardly. "Uh, I guess I should-" He gestured to the paper. Go and take it to Odal? Say 'hi, Dad, it's me the son you never knew about'? "Oh my god." Was he panicking? Maybe a bit. He told himself sternly to stop thinking about himself and looked up at Silk.

"Thanks. For the hand and.. f-for this. Also, I wanted to tell you... Melany says she doesn't have much family. She was raised by an aunt. I didn't press further."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"I'm glad she's well," said Silk softly, her brown eyes full of sympathy. She carefully rolled up the parchment paper, tied it off with a black ribbon she pulled from ******** Nowhere, and held it out to him. "It's alright to be afraid. Take your time. Do you want me to tell Odal for you?"

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

He hesitated before taking it, as though the paper might be a snake out to bite him. But Horace took it, and gingerly held it. "Should he see this when you tell him? Or maybe I should go... Do you think I could go see him now?"

shibrogane