[Open]

[willyousee]

Forgive me, but I am unfamiliar with what liminal space has become this time. Can anyone tell me what it is? What the cultural significance of it is? Are there usually balls of mice which try to run you down? There must be some reason it is what it is this time.

Comments

byerly talks too much

[bypartisan]

[What are you talking about? Alcuin has great priorities.]

Oh no, not at all. Barrayar, originally, and lately of Jackson's Whole. My ancestors were from Earth--much as anybody's are, no matter what planet you're from, unless you're the wildlife--but they left, oh, six-hundred years ago. I'm beginning to suspect, however, that I may be from much further in the future than everyone else.

Ah, I should say, Byerly Vorrutyer, at your service.

And, though I am immensely flattered, please no 'my lord.' I've no title to speak of--that's my cousin the Count and his heir--and as they're the part of my family I like, I'd rather not usurp their privileges. Just Vorrutyer will do--no Mister or Monsieur, the 'Vor' takes care of that--or if you'd care to be familiar, Byerly or By.

Re: byerly talks too much

[willyousee]

[Finally someone who understands. He appreciates this man already.]

Alcuin nó Delaunay de Montrève, Vorrutyer. I am very pleased to make your... mental acquaintance. I believe you may be correct about your timeline in comparison with most other Travelers, though there are one or two I might think of who could be of a similar nature, if not from your home.

If I may go back a moment... you mentioned that there are mazes within the balls of mice?

Re: byerly talks too much

[bypartisan]

Rather tedious ones, yes. Mildly electrified pieces of floor, pools of water, levers to pull to move bits of the walls, a rather taunting odor of fresh baked goods drawing us forward while resulting in no such thing--in short, try to stay out of them if you can, Montreve.

And, ah, I'm pleased to make your mental acquaintance as well.

[He's not lying. The nice thing about Traveling is that the people who do it, by and large, aren't the kind of people he'd want to take down.]

Re: byerly talks too much

[willyousee]

Ah... Forgive me, I was unclear. Montrève is the name of an estate, and while there are those here who are representative of the land itself, I am not one of them. Please, call me Alcuin.

Thank you for the warning - I am in a safe place now and fully intend to remain here unless absolutely necessary. Even if I am curious as to why one might smell bread within a maze. The Hellene myth involved human sacrifice and a monster, though obviously this method is much preferred.

Re: byerly talks too much

[bypartisan]

Well, if I'm to be calling you by your given name, I ought to return the favor: please, do call me 'Byerly,' Alcuin.

I think the smell of rather good bread was supposed to be their equivalent of luring us forward with cheese, were we the rats. At any rate, do you mean the old Earth story of the minotaur? [By read that at university his first year, in a class on ancient literature.]

Re: byerly talks too much

[willyousee]

[Carefully not,/i> broadcasted is the mental sigh of one resigned to being thwarted yet again in his attempts to maintain propriety and the impression that he is of negligible worth in the greater scheme of things. Ah well.]

Yes - you've heard the tale, then?

i'm enjoying making up bullshit headcanons like this

[bypartisan]

At university, when I was nearly eighteen. Ancient literature seminar taught by a fairly ancient fellow himself. A Greekie, actually, and very fond of the mythology of his ancestors.