Shall we really go and get those trinkets ?
~~ Loki ~~
Loki had just returned from a solo mission when he saw her for the first time. Oh, he had been told about her a lot, though! A strange character, by the way. A true living legend, especially at the Great Tree. He had just met for the first time in his life the young Maxi, this merchant magpie who traveled from kingdom to kingdom to exchange what was under her hand.
That day, she was accompanied by her assistant, Bubble. Both had set up their booth near a node in the Tree, a crossroads halfway between the library, the infirmary and the dining hall. The ideal place, which they reserved each season, because it is a place of passage, and therefore of potential customers.
The middle duke, curious, approached them a little. Bubble was busy pulling goods out of their storerooms, hidden in huge bundles of red and green cloth, a vestige of Other's culture, no doubt. The magpie was indeed fond of these treasures of times past, and endeavored to disseminate them in the kingdoms at the price of gold.
Loki only saw unnecessary trinkets, though. He walked over to Maxi. She bawled the deal of the century to every customer she had in front of her. He looked up to heaven. The magpie wore strange gold metal bracelets around its paws, and a large bandana on its head, which made it look comical. Loki smiled and waited his turn. Who knows ? Maybe she'll have something interesting in her trinkets? The average duke was in a cheeky mood today. And very, very curious.
- Hello my ladies! What a success this season, isn't it?
~~ Maxi ~~
Maxi was setting up her display. Her assistant, Bubble, was in a corner cleaning her feathers. What a slacker ... She will never be able to ensure my succession, if she is still in a corner doing nothing!
- Hey Bubble! Help me get the goods out! I'll never make it if you sit around doing nothing!
~~~~
The Guardians were gathered in front of Maxi's large display. This one bawled the affairs of the century to the passing owls and owls. A long-eared owl lingered in front of the magpie, and asked:
- Hello my ladies! What a success this season, isn't it?
Maxi answered:
-Yes! A great success! Say, can't you come see me later? I have something to ask you! And to you too! Yes, you there! Yes, it's you I'm talking about, the owl! Yes, you, the snow-white one!
The owl in question turned and nodded.
~~ Sulken ~~
There was wind that day. A lot of wind, by the way. Sulken's feathers were all ruffled. Oh, she cared, testing her limits on the dalots and rain . The gray owl smelled her gizzard shivering, so much so that the risks she took exalted her little frightened heart. That’s how she really felt free, in the middle of nature, alone. Free to be and act, and think and do.
However, the unusual agitation of the Great Tree caused her to lose her concentration several times. Exasperated, but also curious, the frightened Amazon decided to go see what was going on.
What a surprise it was when she saw her old friend and guardian Loki looking, curious too, at Maxi la pie’s wares. The bird was screaming headlong to exchange its trinkets, and had even managed to lure the half-duke with anthracite plumage. A feat, knowing he was avoiding the crowd, even as he tried to make an effort since his installation at the Great Tree.
Sulken landed on a branch, just above the shop held by Maxi and his assistant, overlooking the stage.
- Hello my ladies! What a success, this season, isn't it?
-Yes! A great success! Say, couldn't you come see me later? I would have something to ask you! And to you too! Yes, you there! Yes, I'm talking about you, the harfang! Yes, you, the show white one!
Sulken raised an eyebrow. it smelled like a full-blown mission there. Was Maxi looking for other guards again to pick up some of her supplies left by the pie in her landmark? The frightened blue-eyed girl grinned kindly:
- Careful guys ... You don't even know what you're going to get on!
She smiled, and undertook to smooth out her left wing, still somewhat ruffled by her aerial cascades.
~~ Aldo ~~
Aldo was flying. He perched on one of the tallest branches of the Great Tree, and gazed out at the Hoolemer Sea. The beacons that Ezylryb threw overboard to find out ... Aldo didn't know what. He was so deep in thought, when old Ryb was saying something about winds he doesn't know anymore. It flew off and dived in a stake, then straightened up just before crashing into a rocky islet. He returned to his hollow, smoothed his feathers, and went to see the flock of owls at L'Arbre. The Magpie Maxi had returned, and roared the affairs of the century to the passing owls and owls. Aldo was not very attracted by this hubbub: he preferred the calm and the gentle sound of the waves of the Hoolemer Sea crashing gently against the rocks near the home of the Guardians. He overheard a conversation between a long-eared owl, and Maxi the magpie:
- Hello my ladies! What a success this season, isn't it?
-Yes! A great success! Say, can't you come see me later? I have something to ask you! And to you too! Yes, you there!
Aldo didn't know right away that Maxi was calling him to tell him something. After all, what would a magpie like Maxi want to say to an owl like Aldo? Nothing but still a deal of the century.
-Yes, I am talking about you, the owl! Yes, you, the snow-white one!
The owl turned its head towards the magpie and looked at it for a short moment, and nodded in response. The blue-eyed sparrow, Sulken, whom Aldo had only recently known, sneered gently:
-Watch out, guys ... You don't even know what you're going to get into!
She smiled, and began to preen herself neglecting the flight feathers on her left wing, while Aldo watched her, then he flew off towards her hollow.
~~ Loki ~~
The magpie answered him at once, with a rare vivacity of voice and wit, which for a moment disconcerted the mean duke:
-Yes! A great success! Say, can't you come see me later? I would like to ask you something! And to you too! Yes, you there!
Loki turned around. Behind him, an owl passed, quietly. He didn't know right away that it was he who was called.
-Yes, I am talking about you, the owl! Yes, you, the snow-white one!
He finally turned his head in Maxi's direction, incredulous. Then, obediently, he nodded. Loki rolled his eyes for a moment. Sighing, he said in a hoarse, low voice:
- Okay ... I'll come in an hour.
A wing rustle made him lift his head. Above them, half hidden from view, stood Sulken, his young friend, who could observe the scene at leisure. Although wearing a whole lot of accessories, the young barn had often told him how much she hated Maxi, like Utilissa, because the magpie sold bling-blings that were useless, and that she had not even acquired loyally, but only by petty theft in the ruins and abandoned dwellings.
Loki still thought it was a cool concept, although he was generally uncomfortable with the conversation. The blue-eyed fright met his gaze, and smiled. Then she laughed, still smiling:
- Watch out, guys ... You don't even know what you're going to get into!
Loki raised an eyebrow. Really ?
- And do you know that?
The gray barn owl had turned back carelessly to smooth the feathers of its wing. Leaning her head to the left, she revealed the huge blue mark she had on her right cheek. Loki knew that behind that blue paint was a scar that Sulken didn't want to see anymore.
The long eared owl waited for his friend's response, totally forgetting Maxi and the snowy behind him, not even knowing if the latter had left or not.
~~ Maxi ~~
Maxi picked up the rest of her trinkets, and flew off to her cozy hollow. She put down her bag and asked Bubble to please leave her alone for a few minutes.
These minutes lasted only a few seconds. The owl Maxi had asked to come see her was coming back, worn fighting talons on his talons. He landed abruptly in the hollow, and Maxi couldn't help but grumble:
-Oh! Couldn't you land more gently ?! We can't hear each other think! No but!
Maxi stood up, and sighed:
-Sorry. Well. Your friend, where is he? Where is he? Ah hold on! He is coming!
The magpie waited for it to land, and said:
- Your mission will be to get me the objects that I forgot in my hollow, in the forest of Ambala!
~~ Sulken ~~
His friend arched an eyebrow, puzzled.
- And do you know that?
- Of course I know! What do you think ?
She smiles, wanting to keep the mystery away. And yes, she was like that ... Always wanting to play on words, lyrics, intonations. She finally made up her mind.
- Let's say ... I have eyes and ears all over the place ... And that this is not the first time that our dear Maxi has asked for help with her quests ...
Then, without saying anything more, she flew off. Landing in front of the hollow Maxi occupied when she was not selling her wares, she waited for what was to come. A few minutes later, Maxi returned, radiant.
She settled into his hollow, and waited for the arrival of the two young males. Sulken soon recognized Aldo in the distance, returning, dressed in blunt combat talons. The young female rolled her eyes.
-Oh! Couldn't you land more gently ?! We can't hear each other think! No but ! Sorry. Well. Your friend, where is he? Where is he? Ah hold on! He is coming!
A few seconds later, the long eared owl also landed in the hollow. The young barn owl unfolded her wings, and spiraled down to land near Loki.
- Your mission will be to get me the objects that I forgot in my hollow, in the forest of Ambala!
Sulken sneered. She didn't like the merchant very much. And even though she had a huge bond with Loki, she didn't feel ready to go with him on this kind of mission yet.
~~ Aldo ~~
Aldo flew to his hollow and took some old fighting talons lying around. He quickly installed them on his talons and searched for Maxi's hollow for a few minutes. He finally found it after a quarter of an hour and landed, apparently ahead in Maxi's hollow. The battle talons made a horrible, noisy clack as the owl landed on the tree wood. Maxi grumbled in his funny voice:
-Oh! Couldn't you land more gently ?! We can't hear each other think! No but!
The magpie stood up and sighed:
-Sorry. Well. Your friend, where is he? Where is he? Ah hold on! He is coming!
The Long eared owl landed and Maxi declared:
- Your mission will be to get me the trinkets that I forgot in my hollow, in the forest of Ambala!
Aldo quickly smoothed out his feathers and responded with a simple "Alright, sure".
~~ Loki ~~
- Let's say ... I have eyes and ears all over the place ... And that this is not the first time that our dear Maxi has asked for help with her quests ...
And she flew away, like that, without giving any further indication, leaving Loki in complete confusion. He pinched his beak in frustration. What was in store for him? For a moment he was tempted to chase Sulken down to spit out clues ... But it was wasted. The young male owl was certainly very agile and powerful in flight, but his friend was that much more agile and quick than him. In addition, she knew exactly where to hide, and how to disappear for hours.
Sighing in weariness and frustration, Loki decided to take a trip to the kitchen. He was in the dining hall in no time, and asked for something to carry. The chef himself greeted him in person.
- Good evening Loki… What tempts you, on this beautiful evening?
- Good evening ... I would have liked something simple to take away.
- Something frugal, after all?
- Which sticks to the body, anyway. I might go on a mission.
- Oh, I see ... Parliament?
- No…
Loki inhaled, before confessing, half embarrassed, half anguished by what awaited him with this doubtful merchant.
- Maxi.
The cook gave him a poor smile:
"Oh, I see," he repeated again. Here, I'll make you a fish spring roll. It’s not messy, but it’s small and convenient.
- Thank you.
Loki took the kind of puff pastry in which a whole fish fillet - sea bream or sardines, perhaps - was stuffed. He greeted the owl, and flew off towards Maxi's resting place, gulping down his snack on the way. He was greeted with joy and happiness by the magpie.
Aldo was already there, ready to go, fighting talons on his paws. Loki looked at his, retracted for a moment. He rarely kept them on him, but had just returned from his mission, and had not yet removed them.
Maxi got straight to the point:
- Your mission will be to get me the trinkets that I forgot in my hollow, in the forest of Ambala!
Nice… Loki thought to himself ironically…
"Alright, sure" Aldo said passively.
- Very well… But you come with us! Loki said.
He gave a victorious little smile, when he added:
- We need someone to guide us to your hollow ... Ambala is a wide place, and all trees look the same.
~~ Maxi ~~
"Alright, sure" Aldo said passively.
- Very well… But you come with us! Loki said.
Maxi looked at him, for a little while. The owl gave a victorious little smile, when he added:
- We need someone to guide us to your hollow ... Ambala is a wide place, and all trees look the same.
- Uh ... I can't. I really need to rest after this hard day. Go go! the hollow is in a big tree. It is one of the highest, but the hollow is very low. Pretty sure you'll recognize it when you'll see it!
The magpie returned to its nest, and motioned for the owls to leave.