Patchwork Universe

Jack Frost · Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 7:47 pm Post subject: Frost in the Garden

Leaping like a salmon through the haze to the west came the form of Jack Frost. He looked around and nodded approvingly at the recently-fallen snow.
"Capital!" Jack declared to himself. "Just like home. But what the Deuce could these things be?"
He focused his attention on the myriad roses that peppered the garden. He knelt down to one and tentatively sniffed it, almost leaping in surprise at the powerful scent.
"How delightful! I want it." With a deft movement he plucked the rose and placed it in his buttonhole, a gentle patina of ice, spreading across the flower's surface.

Rose Briar · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 7:04 pm Post subject: The Damask Rose

The damask rose blushed white at Jack's touch, the petals trembling and stilling. On the bush from which Jack had plucked it, a white rosebud of ice bloomed in its stead and then fell with a sharp snap to the ground.

Not far away a strange sculpture of brass tubing chimed a soft echo of the sound and an arrow suspended in the middle wavered slightly, seeming to beckon to the west.

And not far from where Jack stood there was a disturbance in the rose thickets, as of someone approaching.

Rose Briar · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 11:29 pm Post subject:

[ooc note: thread continued from Joy in the Morning]

Two figures appeared out of the thicket Jack had noticed, as yet some distance away. In fact they were accompanied by a third which at this distance appeared to be a dog or animal companion of some description.

The two upright figures were as different as two people might be, The seven-foot tall man in black leather armour, his face hidden by a metal helm, was not exactly the type Jack might have expected to dwell in this scented garden.

But the maiden at his side, half-dancing half-skating across the frozen ground was of a type to melt the coldest heart. Her waterfall of scarlet crimson hair rippled in the pure clear light and as they came close he could see her eyes were a translucent green.
"How beautiful the world is today," she was saying, her voice carrying easily in the cold still air. "As if the sky has wrapped the earth in a blanket and put the flowers to bed."

Jack Frost · Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2004 6:03 pm Post subject:

Jack's response was as quick as the crack of thin ice beneath a skater's feet. He bent at the waist and bowed in an elaborate and extravagant gesture, finally sweeping himself upright.

"An absolute pleasure to meet you." he said. "Jack Frost, prince of ice, sovreign of snowflakes-- don't shake hands!-- I've come from my palace to the east. I must say, I've never seen this place before in the valley. Or the mist, come to think of it. Is it new? Where did it come from? And could you tell me, what exactly"- he gestured towards the rose in his buttonhole- "is this thing?"

Rose Briar · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 11:15 am Post subject:

His bow was matched and reflected by the rose maiden's curtsy, her hair pooling all around her like open petals, before she rose to smile up at him.

"I am Rose Briar, Guardian of the rose garden, this part of the realm in which you find yourself." She turned to gesture to her tall companion and added: "And this is my Godcousin... Lilac Warble."
She pronounced the name without any apparent sense of the incongruity of it as an appellation for the seven-foot tall lord of horrors at her side.

"You have picked the Damask Rose," she added. "The diplomatic flower. He who wears it will seem most affable wherever the power of the rose garden may be felt."

She didn't seem troubled by the removal of the flower, either because of the effect she claimed it possessed or because flowers here were meant to be picked. Her companion remained silent, but that might be friendliness itself from so strange a figure.

"The mist, like many things in this faerie realm is the creation of the Higher Powers. Thou and I, and good Lilac here, are accounted as rulers of parts of the realm in which we hold sway. Others, less fortunate, do not see the mist and thus the other wonders faerie holds are also hidden from them."

She spun in a dancer's swirl of motion.
"But such things are the demesne of the Powers," she said, implying that they were none of her concern.

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 10:21 am Post subject:

Everything was wrong. The prince was a lord of ice, not men, and the maiden knew that she lived in a world of stories. Doomshadow's pseudo hearts spasmed as he realised the truth. "Ivor, we're not in the Hell of Fictions anymore", he murmured.

Everything was strange. Rose Briar held his hand in hers, and to his horror he realised that he did not want to let it go.

He knew one thing. He wanted to see this intruder die.

This capering fool who could not open his mouth without boasting of his princely status. Who had interrupted his time alone with the maiden...

Beneath the mask, he could feel his secondary fangs descending. Slowly, he began to grind them.

Jack Frost · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 11:39 am Post subject:

Frost hadn't met a person who could grind his teeth before, but he recognised the menacing sound and it brought back memories of the bears and wolves that stalked the tundra.
A Prince of Ice is a being of great hubris, though, and Jack had always been able to outrun the clumsy, lumbering animals when they came after him. Which is perhaps why he reacted with a cheerful "Anything the matter, Lilac?"

Rose Briar · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 7:09 pm Post subject:

"Perhaps he is hungry..." Rose Briar suggested gently, looking up at her companion with a quizzical expression. "I think perhaps I can find a spring of cool spring water hearabouts and maybe some sweet berries."

"Look how Jack wears the damask rose," she added encouragingly and turned to Jack to smile glowingly. "No one who wears that flower could be anything but likeable. How fortunate you chose that rather than one that would have us weeping. Meetings should be merry, don't you think?"

"But perhaps my Godcousin has also picked a rose..." she said, suddenly, realising a new possibility. "I hope you did not do so unwisely, dear friend, for some of the blooms possess dangerous powers indeed."

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2004 6:31 pm Post subject:

Doomshadow's sensilla twitched. He could smell something... something wonderful. Essence of crushed butterflies, perhaps? No, this was far too subtle, and lacked the characteristic hint of decay. And then he realised. It was the rose. The rose the visitor wore on his coat...

He found himself stepping forward. Why did he hate this man? He could not remember. In fact, why did he hate everyone? He was always angry, and it only made him unhappy in the end. It was all his parents' fault, he supposed. Yes, it was all about Mother...

A single tear leaked from the mask's central eyehole, leaving a trail of corroded metal as it trickled slowly downward.

"Oh, dear friend", he said. "So many things are the matter."

"Let me tell you about my mother. Please. Or perhaps... perhaps you could give me a hug?"

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2004 6:37 pm Post subject:

Ivor was very hungry. Master had not fed him for days, and now he seemed to have forgotten about poor Ivor altogether.

He put his head in his hands, and whined softly. Everyone was ignoring him, so they could talk about big, important things. It was just like home. And he was so hungry...

He glanced round quickly. No-one was watching. Swiftly he grabbed a rose off the nearest bush and gulped it down whole.

Jack Frost · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 3:02 pm Post subject:

"A hug?" Jack started to edge back, placing his hands up warily. "Really, Lilac, you don't want to come that close to me. My blood is snow, and my flesh ice, and I fear that I would freeze that leather skin you wear. If you think it would help, then by all means tell Rose and me about, uh, about your mother. But a brief cuddle with frost? Not advisable."

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:07 pm Post subject:

"I understand", Doomshadow said miserably. "No-one ever wants to touch me."

"My mother... but I must not speak badly of my mother. She loved me very much, you know. She knew how to treat a growing boy. She improved me in so many ways."

A few choked sobs emerged from beneath the mask before Doomshadow resumed speaking.

"How did she improve me? Let me count the ways. She gave me another eye to see with, and an extra brain to understand what I saw. She added all my tentacles, and grew every one of my wonderful new organs. And, at last, she helped me to be Born Again."

Doomshadow paused.

"Do you think... could we invite her here? Ivor should have all the necessary alembics and essences in his pack, I'm sure. And I am certain she would like to meet all my wonderful new friends."

"After all, she may be dead, but she still loves company..."

Rose Briar · Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2004 8:48 am Post subject:

"It's very natural you should feel this way," the rose maiden said, fixing her beautiful eyes on the dark lord. "You must have loved her very greatly to miss her so much."

She glanced at Jack thoughfully for a moment and then turned back to her companion.
"But if Jack Frost cannot give you the simple affection you crave, do not be disconsolate, dear Lilac. We are all friends here and no friend would stint another where the means to ease distress lay so easily to hand."

She took his gauntlet with her small pale hand and smiled trustingly up at him.
"Dear Godcousin, I am sure it will all be for the best. For if my Godmother, your mother, gave you your fine tentacles and spendid third eye, I am sure it was for an excellent reason. Just as I was given the task of tending the rose garden and our friend Jack had been given blood of snow and flesh of ice."

"Be of good cheer, for doubtess the powers have a purpose for us all."

Jack Frost · Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 1:09 pm Post subject:

"Yes," said Frost, removing the Damask Rose from his buttonhole and offering it to Doomshadow. "Chin up, old chap. Here, take this uh, 'rose' thingie. It'd add a dash of colour to your armour."

Lord Doomshadow · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 12:11 am Post subject:

"For me? Truly?"

The hand that took the rose trembled slightly, as if with cold.

"I shall put this in my hair, and wear it always. No longer shall I be Damned Do- Luckless Lilac, for I shall know myself to be the happiest of... entities, one who has found true friends at last!"

Doomshadow thrust the flower firmly into the join between the front and back parts of his helm. He had to crumple it a little to push it into the gap - but surely that would not concern people as warm hearted as these?

And yet... was the Prince truly his friend? After all, he barely knew the man. If he was a man...

Doomshadow frowned. Suddenly, his mind seemed so much clearer. How could he have been so foolish? How could he have forgotten the lessons he had learned from his twin when they fought for survival in the womb, knowing that only one could be born?

Still, it seemed that Frost was willing to trust him. Best not to reveal that anything had changed. After all, as his old strategy tutor always said, "The darker the night, the drier the fish".