The Mortal And The Wicked-- ONC 2023

Chapter 15; Tune for a dreamer

To aimlessly wander the carnival in search of a tent of dreams would have been a grand waste of time, Lucy thought. For there were countless tents, each with their own properties of magic, not one of which was the same as another.

Once within their investigations, they stumbled to a tent colored deep azure. And though on the outside it couldn't have been much larger than a house, the moment they stepped within its interior seemed to stretch onward for miles.

Above them, a thousand lanterns hung-- casting what lay beneath them in a gentle, golden glow. And to either side of them stood rows of shop fronts as one might see upon any street, their structures impossible within such a tent under the laws of the natural world.

Yet this world that Lucy and the Baron had become trapped within was anything but natural.

"There's hundreds of them." she heard the Baron exclaim in quiet dismay. "We'd never be able to search through them in a week's time, let alone a single night."

"Perhaps we ought to ask around..."

As though summoned by such a thought, from the milling crowds of people came a figure Lucy knew all too well, a fiddle clutched between her front hooves as she played a merry tune.

Mabel.

At once Lucy suspected that should anyone know the carnival best it would be one of the performers, should she be so inclined to answer their questions. Indeed, her expression seemed to brighten as they approached and at once she paused in her merry tune to wave them over.

"Enjoying the carnival thus far?" she asked, "It ought to be quite a bit more thrilling now that you've joined the Game. Tell me, have you any idea as to where the first key might be? I must say, I'm quite excited for the prospect of the both of you leaving through that wretched gate hand in hand." She lowered her voice a bit then, leaning in as though she had a secret to tell. "You know, Oz says that the both of you seem too awkward to be in love, and do you know what I said? I said he was being stupid because I've never seen anyone confess their love for another in front of the carnival master the way you had, Miss Caramonte. Oh, I knew it was true love then!"

Lucy felt the Baron's eyes bore holes into her then and she took special care in not making eye contact as she replied, "Yes of course, Mabel. Though I do wonder if you might be of help to us? We need to find a tent of dreams, you see."

The goat's face fell slightly. "Oh dear... Well, I'm afraid I'm not allowed to give anyone clues or directions. None of the carnival performers are. It makes everything far too easy, you see."

Lucy opened her mouth to reply, though she hardly had any idea what she could say to change the creature's mind; a threat of some sort? A lie or coercion?

Yet before she could do any such thing, the Baron's voice sounded from beside her. "My dear friend, though cautious you may be, would you truly allow a mere rule to come in the way of two people in love?"

Lucy watched as Mabel's eyes went wide, clearly distraught, her front hooves rubbing together in an indecisive manner and she began to prance back and forth in a way one might pace when making a dreadful choice. "Oh goodness!" she wailed, "I can't! And yet... It's true love! I haven't the slightest idea what to do!"

Glancing to her right, Lucy saw the Baron discreetly raise a brow, signaling to her to follow his lead. And thus she took a step forward, placing her hand upon Mabel's glossy black shoulder, the goat's steps stilling under her touch. "Mabel, the Baron--" she winced then at her use of his formal title, certain that was something a lover would not do. "Edward, is right. We are but two lost souls who wish only to be together once more. You cannot deny us that, surely?"