03-15-2022, 04:13 PM
Entering the presumed home of Janus Mockingbird, Peggy Powler could see that it was obvious from the look on the girls faces
and the lack of the Pooker-style garb that they weren't part of the teachings from above. The huge Hyder had not asked his new
guest to follow him into his well-decorated abode and busied himself with carefully placing Albert on a 'Hyder-sized' couch that
Peggy guessed the giant had made himself.
Being half-Fae, the lack of greeting into a room had always been a bane to the little necromancer. As many know, certain charms
were often placed around entryways to repel those that many of the new religious-types deem bad influence and wariness became
second nature to someone who was always to be an outsider.
Now standing at the entrance of in this wooden-panelled room, Peggy smiled cautiously at the three young girls standing beside
an unlit fire hearth and in front of a human-sized table with a trio of matching chairs. Two of the timid lassies were around ten years
of age and politely removing her hat, the same-sized enchanter accepted that they were human twins.
Both blue-eyed girls had groomed mousy-brown hair that hinted they were not simply feral children that the Hyder had discovered
roaming the countryside. Their attire spoke of village peasantry and of little income, Peggy could see small patches where repairs
had been made and the fabric of their ankle-length one-piece clothes had certainly not been made for any high-social gaiety. It was
just as Peggy was about to move to perusing the taller female between the twins, that a little candle in her head flickered alight and
its faint glow whispered something about the little colour of the little duo's eyes. Mentally carving a notch on her imagined reminder
-stick, the cordial conjurer moved her focus to the fairer-haired girl.
The third girl was almost a woman and with protective arms draped across the shoulders of either younger girl, the smaller Witch
nodded her head in a language only women can appreciate. "My name is Catherine..." the fair-haired teenager said without any
sign of a smile and indicating which was which, added "....and these are Greta and Gretchen". Peggy nodded to all three and with
a quick glance to see that Janus was content that the only other male in the underground haven was comfortable, she curtsied and
introduced herself.
"I have heard of your exploits Miss Powler..." Janus said with a slightly-stronger tone than back in the hidden beer-stash. "...And I
hold high esteem for anyone who conducts themselves in such chivalrous service...". Accepting the giant's comment , Peggy's
eyes surveyed the room as Janus spoke, all the furniture was large -except for the contrivances near the watchful girls. A tall table,
high chairs and massive oven that gave the Last Witch of Underhill a slight jolt when she considered she would be able to stand up
inside it. Fee-Fye and all that.
"...Hence my tolerance of those who dwell above..." the Hyder continued, "...that was until I found out their scheme of perpetuation".
Janus scrutinised the tiny woman in the well-worn poncho, he knew those who policed the human-world had to be fairly quick on the
uptake to what they encountered, but was he merely dancing around the topic that went against his own sensibilities? Maybe the
gawking Witch needed further orientation on how the Pookers were sustaining their number.
"These young ladies were trafficked, Miss Powler, an act that I loathe and if you're the adroit gumshoe I have heard about, you will
understand my spurn to such behaviour". With deft movements, Janus pulled a small hand-crafted chair from beneath settee Albert
was still lying on and placed it before his latest guest.
"I hope this will suffice?" he asked and showed the same good-natured smile from their first encounter. Peggy noticed that the girls
copied her movements as she sat down on the seat and seeing Catherine lean forward to hear what was about to be said, the Hyder's
newest visitor concluded that reality was finally entering metaphysical mockery that was Pook Hill
...................................................
How does one preserve a conscientious creed that holds strongly to keeping others outside of that group from joining and possibly
infecting the original ideals? How does a religion sustain itself of believers in a place that refuses to welcome fresh faith-seekers?
Pookers worshipped a deity that was not dissimilar from other spiritual forces believed to inhabit this world. In itself, the adherence to
a particular God and the manner of veneration shouldn't make any difference within a religion unless the agreed tenets required more
than usual prayer and respect.
Training from a young age can assist in maintaining a following, undeveloped minds can be convinced of certain social and religious
conduits to follow and with use of the natural trust between parent and child, such belief-structures can seem customary and help to
underpin the loyalty for a group-reliance. However, to obtain such malleable attitudes, one needs to procreate and with that function,
certain natural factors need to be in play along with germane social codes.
Listening to Janus Mockingbird explain what had happened at Pook Hill, Peggy agreed with a nod and recollected that it wouldn't
be the first time that a village had just up-and-died. Many times, the bare-footed Witch had wandered through abandoned hamlets
and decaying thorps and witnessed how the rule-bound running of a community had become the very downfall of that community.
The essence of a family obviously requires good foundations, walls of devout trust and a sincerity of where one fits into the clan.
If a man and woman take on extra burdens above the standard chores of creating a home, safety and income, time has a way of
slipping by quickly. Hence the period of breeding for human couples can be short when within a like-minded group that holds rules
that earnestly place idolatry worship and employment above the natural physical act of creating children and the traditional deed
of constructing a family-unit.
...................................................
"...The simple fact, Miss Powler, is that their God of nature got in the way of what men and women do naturally" the giant said and
poured Peggy another Hyder-sized thimble-full of hop-laced coffee from a pot fashioned from a farmer's bucket. Janus then looked
over at the seated girls and nodded to show he was approaching the crux of the dilemma.
"These poor ladies were abducted, sold and brought here to become devotees to what they above failed to conceive themselves..."
he said softly. "...They were to be given a potion and trained to be what those same dastards acerbically call worshippers" he added
and stared at the little Witch he had heard admiral comments about.
Apart from her introduction, Peggy hadn't said anything all the way through Janus' elucidation and now clearing her throat, she felt
that words might not be enough. Standing up beneath the shadow of the giant, she moved her bare feet across the hand-prodded
clippy-rug and looked at each of the girls individually. Young village colleens, carriers of the fragrance men will kill for and where
hearts melt when encountered.
"Considerin' what yer've been through, Ah'd say yon Mister Mockingbird has been a blessing', would yer' nay' agree?" the serious
-looking sorceress whispered and offered a benign smile. "But with the same fella's help, Ah' think we should have yer' home before
yer' can say Ja..." Peggy's assurance was halted as Albert Hobson moaned his way out of his faint. Slowly sitting up, he sluggishly
gazed around the room until his eyes met the gigantic form sitting on a wooden chair. Like a felled-pine tree, Albert keeled over once
more and dangled over the edge of the couch.
Janus stood up and rearranged the lad so that his blood didn't make his head into a tomato. "Oh and before I forget, please tell me
you've noticed the differences in the eyes of your friend here and the damsels that were stolen from their homes?" the Hyder asked
during his chore. Peggy peered at the back of the giant until he turned around and glared her simmering annoyance at the massive
curious face.
"Yer' mean, Albert isn't originally from the Pooker community?" she hissed and had to catch herself from racing out of the Hyder's
home and wreaking her wrath on Brenna and her unscrupulous gang. Janus' compassionate eyes showed that he understood her
anger and approaching the woman he could pick up with one hand, felt his next revelation would only deliver more fuel for the little
Witch's rage. Still, all of this was about the abuse of trust and who was he to emulate the Pooker's deceitful behaviour?
"I believe the one you know as Brenna is the last of the authentic Pookers, but the rest are just like Catherine, Greta and Gretchen..."
Janus said and turned to retrieve Peggy's empty draught. "...Lost children who don't even know it" he added absently and went to
wash out his sewing thimble.
and the lack of the Pooker-style garb that they weren't part of the teachings from above. The huge Hyder had not asked his new
guest to follow him into his well-decorated abode and busied himself with carefully placing Albert on a 'Hyder-sized' couch that
Peggy guessed the giant had made himself.
Being half-Fae, the lack of greeting into a room had always been a bane to the little necromancer. As many know, certain charms
were often placed around entryways to repel those that many of the new religious-types deem bad influence and wariness became
second nature to someone who was always to be an outsider.
Now standing at the entrance of in this wooden-panelled room, Peggy smiled cautiously at the three young girls standing beside
an unlit fire hearth and in front of a human-sized table with a trio of matching chairs. Two of the timid lassies were around ten years
of age and politely removing her hat, the same-sized enchanter accepted that they were human twins.
Both blue-eyed girls had groomed mousy-brown hair that hinted they were not simply feral children that the Hyder had discovered
roaming the countryside. Their attire spoke of village peasantry and of little income, Peggy could see small patches where repairs
had been made and the fabric of their ankle-length one-piece clothes had certainly not been made for any high-social gaiety. It was
just as Peggy was about to move to perusing the taller female between the twins, that a little candle in her head flickered alight and
its faint glow whispered something about the little colour of the little duo's eyes. Mentally carving a notch on her imagined reminder
-stick, the cordial conjurer moved her focus to the fairer-haired girl.
The third girl was almost a woman and with protective arms draped across the shoulders of either younger girl, the smaller Witch
nodded her head in a language only women can appreciate. "My name is Catherine..." the fair-haired teenager said without any
sign of a smile and indicating which was which, added "....and these are Greta and Gretchen". Peggy nodded to all three and with
a quick glance to see that Janus was content that the only other male in the underground haven was comfortable, she curtsied and
introduced herself.
"I have heard of your exploits Miss Powler..." Janus said with a slightly-stronger tone than back in the hidden beer-stash. "...And I
hold high esteem for anyone who conducts themselves in such chivalrous service...". Accepting the giant's comment , Peggy's
eyes surveyed the room as Janus spoke, all the furniture was large -except for the contrivances near the watchful girls. A tall table,
high chairs and massive oven that gave the Last Witch of Underhill a slight jolt when she considered she would be able to stand up
inside it. Fee-Fye and all that.
"...Hence my tolerance of those who dwell above..." the Hyder continued, "...that was until I found out their scheme of perpetuation".
Janus scrutinised the tiny woman in the well-worn poncho, he knew those who policed the human-world had to be fairly quick on the
uptake to what they encountered, but was he merely dancing around the topic that went against his own sensibilities? Maybe the
gawking Witch needed further orientation on how the Pookers were sustaining their number.
"These young ladies were trafficked, Miss Powler, an act that I loathe and if you're the adroit gumshoe I have heard about, you will
understand my spurn to such behaviour". With deft movements, Janus pulled a small hand-crafted chair from beneath settee Albert
was still lying on and placed it before his latest guest.
"I hope this will suffice?" he asked and showed the same good-natured smile from their first encounter. Peggy noticed that the girls
copied her movements as she sat down on the seat and seeing Catherine lean forward to hear what was about to be said, the Hyder's
newest visitor concluded that reality was finally entering metaphysical mockery that was Pook Hill
...................................................
How does one preserve a conscientious creed that holds strongly to keeping others outside of that group from joining and possibly
infecting the original ideals? How does a religion sustain itself of believers in a place that refuses to welcome fresh faith-seekers?
Pookers worshipped a deity that was not dissimilar from other spiritual forces believed to inhabit this world. In itself, the adherence to
a particular God and the manner of veneration shouldn't make any difference within a religion unless the agreed tenets required more
than usual prayer and respect.
Training from a young age can assist in maintaining a following, undeveloped minds can be convinced of certain social and religious
conduits to follow and with use of the natural trust between parent and child, such belief-structures can seem customary and help to
underpin the loyalty for a group-reliance. However, to obtain such malleable attitudes, one needs to procreate and with that function,
certain natural factors need to be in play along with germane social codes.
Listening to Janus Mockingbird explain what had happened at Pook Hill, Peggy agreed with a nod and recollected that it wouldn't
be the first time that a village had just up-and-died. Many times, the bare-footed Witch had wandered through abandoned hamlets
and decaying thorps and witnessed how the rule-bound running of a community had become the very downfall of that community.
The essence of a family obviously requires good foundations, walls of devout trust and a sincerity of where one fits into the clan.
If a man and woman take on extra burdens above the standard chores of creating a home, safety and income, time has a way of
slipping by quickly. Hence the period of breeding for human couples can be short when within a like-minded group that holds rules
that earnestly place idolatry worship and employment above the natural physical act of creating children and the traditional deed
of constructing a family-unit.
...................................................
"...The simple fact, Miss Powler, is that their God of nature got in the way of what men and women do naturally" the giant said and
poured Peggy another Hyder-sized thimble-full of hop-laced coffee from a pot fashioned from a farmer's bucket. Janus then looked
over at the seated girls and nodded to show he was approaching the crux of the dilemma.
"These poor ladies were abducted, sold and brought here to become devotees to what they above failed to conceive themselves..."
he said softly. "...They were to be given a potion and trained to be what those same dastards acerbically call worshippers" he added
and stared at the little Witch he had heard admiral comments about.
Apart from her introduction, Peggy hadn't said anything all the way through Janus' elucidation and now clearing her throat, she felt
that words might not be enough. Standing up beneath the shadow of the giant, she moved her bare feet across the hand-prodded
clippy-rug and looked at each of the girls individually. Young village colleens, carriers of the fragrance men will kill for and where
hearts melt when encountered.
"Considerin' what yer've been through, Ah'd say yon Mister Mockingbird has been a blessing', would yer' nay' agree?" the serious
-looking sorceress whispered and offered a benign smile. "But with the same fella's help, Ah' think we should have yer' home before
yer' can say Ja..." Peggy's assurance was halted as Albert Hobson moaned his way out of his faint. Slowly sitting up, he sluggishly
gazed around the room until his eyes met the gigantic form sitting on a wooden chair. Like a felled-pine tree, Albert keeled over once
more and dangled over the edge of the couch.
Janus stood up and rearranged the lad so that his blood didn't make his head into a tomato. "Oh and before I forget, please tell me
you've noticed the differences in the eyes of your friend here and the damsels that were stolen from their homes?" the Hyder asked
during his chore. Peggy peered at the back of the giant until he turned around and glared her simmering annoyance at the massive
curious face.
"Yer' mean, Albert isn't originally from the Pooker community?" she hissed and had to catch herself from racing out of the Hyder's
home and wreaking her wrath on Brenna and her unscrupulous gang. Janus' compassionate eyes showed that he understood her
anger and approaching the woman he could pick up with one hand, felt his next revelation would only deliver more fuel for the little
Witch's rage. Still, all of this was about the abuse of trust and who was he to emulate the Pooker's deceitful behaviour?
"I believe the one you know as Brenna is the last of the authentic Pookers, but the rest are just like Catherine, Greta and Gretchen..."
Janus said and turned to retrieve Peggy's empty draught. "...Lost children who don't even know it" he added absently and went to
wash out his sewing thimble.
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe.