Oh, my dear Sprink, you're so adorable. *offers some candied nuts* Though you might want a book with the words in it to make sure you get it right.

Sprink: *takes them eagerly* Thanks to you! But keep your books. I does not read. *she stuffs a few of the treats in her mouth* I does not know how to figure out the squiggles.

Would you like to learn?

Sprink: *tail held low and gaze averted* I is not good at learning. I has tried to learn, but I isn't good. I isn't stoopid... I just... *she trails off, unsure how to explain* Is you patient?

Hm, sounds like earth-element beings attuned to the natural world don't think in abstracts, so concepts like letters are going to be confusing. What about pictograms? Can you read those?

Sprink: *listens confusedly* What is pickygrams?

Well, they're like little pictures that take the place of words, some ancient human cultures used them instead of writing. They'd be easier for you to understand because they're less abstract. Do you know what 'abstract' means?

Sprink: Like the Picture People? They is dead now, but I knows their pickygrams. *she draws a Pictish dragon in the snow to illustrate* Ratchet says that word. I doesn't know it. I does know bio-loomy-presents, though. They is nice living lights.

Well, roughly speaking something is abstract when it has a meaning that takes more than just looking at it to understand. A tree... *taps one with his horn* ... you know exactly what it is and how it grows. You can see it grow, over time. But the sky... *looks up* Now, you know what the sky looks like. You know that it's blue, on a nice day. But if you were to ask me how it's blue, or why the sky was there... I could give you a reason to do with science, but you wouldn't understand it as it's not something I could show you. That's because it's abstract. Do you see?

Sprink: *nods slowly* Is like magic. Is there, and you knows it is there, but you is not seeing it is there.

That's a fair way of putting it. You know magic from what it does, which you can see; not what it is, which is the abstract part. I knew you'd understand - you're not stupid, just the way your mind works prefers to focus on more practical things.

Sprink: *puffing up her chest proudly* Yes! I is not stoopid. I is just too busy to ask about the sky.

I am. Though what happens to the words when you try to read them, if you don't mind my asking? Do the letters swim around when you look at them?

Sprink: *surprised* Yes! They is moving too much.

I thought so. Has this happened when you've tried reading other words in the sidhe?

Sprink: Yes. In the sidhe, in human houses, is all the same. Is just moving too much. Pictures is not moving too much. I understands pictures.

... Wow. I had no idea this was even remotely possible. *chuckles* Wow. I can't believe Azura didn't see this sooner. Then again, she never really cared much for lower class fae until after the incident forced her to change her school of thought. Sprink, do you have any other friends here in the sidhe who have the same problem?

I expect it's pretty common, just part of the way things are with the more earthbound fae.

Sprink: *counting on her fingers* Peaseblossom, Midgie, Fubble... we does not like to read because is moving all the time. Peaseblossom says words better because she listens around smart faeries all day. Is lucky, her.

Sprink, I think I may know how to help you and your friends. I'll need to discuss it with Azura and the rest of the council though, to get all the details set up properly. Do you mind if I call on you and some of your friends for an example if I need to when I make my case?

Sprink: Call. I be there. Peaseblossom won't, is too scared of the High Court.

Thank you. Assuming all goes well, we should be able to have you reading properly in no time, or at least find some ways to help you read better than you have previously.

Sprink: *tilting her head curiously* How you does that?

Mortal magic.

Sprink: *eyes wide* You has? Show. Show me. *she grabs your hand and inspects it*

I can't yet. But assuming all goes well with the council, you'll be able to see it soon after.

Sprink: I hasn't see'd human magicks before... well, I see'd Heart Magicks, but humans doesn't know they has that. What color is your magicks?

Well, it's not exactly a magic, per se. We humans like to call it science. I think a certain bird tried to explain a little of what science is to you once, if memory serves. Do you remember what he had to say about it?

Sprink: *rolls her eyes and recites in a bored monotone* "Science is the study of everything we can obserb. It is how we knows the inner mechanismics of nature, matter, and life as a whole." *looking disappointed* I thinked it something exciting. Not even a itty bit of Heart Magic?

Well, a lot of love and effort went into the "magic" I plan to employ. You and your friends aren't the only ones who have this problem. Humans have been learning to deal with it for the last century and a quarter or so.

Sprink: *tilts her head* Maybe we sees magic from you anyway. I hasn't see'd Heart Magic and science put together before.

We'll soon see, I suppose.

Natural innate dyslexia about high-concept ideas. I had a feeling that was it.

Thank you ^w^

That is very kind! ^^ It's nice to hear that my doodles are paying off

Sprink, if I gave you some coins and food, can we find a happy blue deer?

Sprink: Yes! Yes! *holds out little hands excitedly*

Okay, now *searches through pockets for change* I've got some gold coins and some silver, but I made sure that I had some sweets to give you *hands out a whole box of sweets* Take them, they are all yours.

Sprink: *takes all of what is offered eagerly* Thanks to you! *she pops a sweet into her mouth* We go find the happy blue deer! *she resumes her cheerful march through the snow*

*hums along to the cheerful tune that Sprink was singing before* Are blue deers common in the Sidhe?

Sprink: I has never see'd one. *she still speaks cheerfully, not realizing that a blue deer might not actually exist* So, we sees one together!

Where do you think one would be? And what do you think they would do?

Sprink: I doesn't know. I has never met one... never see'd one. *continues happily travelling forward* Has you?

No, nor have I. Do you think others from the Sidhe have?

Sprink: I is not asking. If nobody see'd one, I wants to be the first.

What happens if we get lost though? Surely we could ask for some help, Sprink.

Sprink: *laughs and holds her arms open to gesture to the surrounding foliage* I is the Guardian of the Forest! I knows every rock and tree. Doesn't be scared.

O-Okay. What happens if we don't find one?

Sprink: *pauses and puts a finger to her lips in thought* I... doesn't know? We goes home?

We could do some more fun stuff. How about that?

Sprink: *pausing, looking very excited* Fun stuff?

Yeah, you know, fun stuff! Surely the Sidhe are celebrating something during these holidays?

Sprink: *sulkily* Is sad celebrating. I doesn't like this holiday. Is full of sadness and memory and pain. Singing and looking for blue deers is better.

Memory pain? Did something happen in the Sidhe recently?

Sprink: *shakes her head* Not recently, just many things over time. We remembers the magics of the ones that is dead.

The queen... yes, I remember now. Maybe the Sidhe would like to look for blue deers too?

Here she comes a wassailing,
This song's been mondegreened.
Here she comes a wassailing,
strange lyrics she will sing.

XD Beautiful!

You like waffles?

Sprink: Yes! Is good. Does you like them?

Yes, I do.

Sprink: *tail swishing* I hope you gets them! I singed them for you.

Thank you very much.

Sprink: *grins* You is a good fox. *sits in the snow* You is different, though. Not puca. You is visiting?

*sits down too*
Yes, I'm seeing the sights.

Sprink: You is here at a good time! Is pretty this time of year.

Yes. I love the way snow looks on the tree branches.

Sprink: *cocks her head to one side* Is snowy where you is from?

Yes, we get quite a bit.

It always warms the heart to see new spins on the classics. ^_^ Nicely done, Sprink!

Being the most adorable way I ever decided on my next breakfast is a fine bonus, too.

Sprink: *bows with a jingle* Thanks to you!

(Aw, yay! ^w^)

Waffles are sort of an annual Christmas tradition for me. ^^ With cinnamon and both pancake and maple syrup. I'm still waiting for a happy blue deer to show up.

Sprink: You sees? I knowed it! I hopes a happy blue deer finds you!

Aww, thanks Sprink! I hope so, too!

^w^