housekeeping magic

[marycatelli]

There's housekeeping magic in the castle, I just realized.

Not that it's important in itself, but it's an important piece of  discovery, and foreshadowing, that an event that just happened has more effect that anyone realized:  the magic is picking up and doing a lot more than it used to.  

Which means, of course, that I have to figure out what, exactly, is happening.  Lamps lighting themselves?  Fires lighting themselves?  Dusting occurring on its own?  (Not to mention that might just prove significant in itself later.)

And all told from a point-of-view of someone who neither gets the full meaning of it nor even really understands the reactions of those about her to it.
 

Comments

[vakkotaur]

I wonder, is it "programmed" as a regular event ("every day, at this time" or such) or an as-need basis ("When it's this dark.cold, light a fire... when the ashes reach so high, clean them out.. etc.). Either way, a bit freaky for the non-magically aware to encounter. And Clarke's Law applies, yes.

[marycatelli]

Not really in this case. You have all sorts of magic starting up all over the kingdom, and they realize that their new queen is much closer in blood to the founder of the kingdom that the man she deposed.

[vakkotaur]

Ah, so more like long-dormant systems having power restored, whatever the setup might be.

[marycatelli]

O yes. Some were thought mythical.

[vakkotaur]

That has me wondering if things, in places, might degrade over time. Something like how a long-unused radio might have wires with insulation breaking off, or such and restoring power can give... less than desired results.

[marycatelli]

Not in this story, which is another sign that it's magic.