Bulletin #4 - The Woven Word - NoQu 2025

NoQu 2025

Day 11

Total Words: 18,333

Chapter 4: The Woven Word

"Spider, Spider, what are you spinning?

A cloak for a fairy, I'm just beginning.

What is it made of, tell me true?

Threads of moonshine, pearls of dew.

When will the fairy be wearing it?

tonight when the glow worms' lamps are lit.

Can I see her if I come peeping?

All good children must then be sleeping."

-Anonymous, A Cloak for a Fairy

After your encounter with the unicorn, your travels seemed a bit different. Instead of complaining the whole time, you kept thinking of what she had said, to treat this responsibility as a gift and not an inconvenience. You were so lost in thought that you barely noticed as the trees grew thinner. You're finally yanked from your contemplation when you run face first into what you think is a cobweb. You jump, clawing the material from your face, when you realize it's not spider silk after all— it's some sort of gossamer fabric, that shimmers gold. You look around and realize that there are banners of the stuff are draped all over the summer bushes around you. You feel something tugging the fabric out of your hands and an insistent chirping sound.

Prompt: Have your character see beauty in something they thought was dull at first. 

 You look down and see to your surprise (though why does anything surprise you at this point) a tiny woman with wings. "A fairy?" "Yes, I'm a fairy! I implore you to cease your gawking and relinquish me to my textile disciplines, or I shall regrettably be compelled to cause you significant annoyance, if not grave harm!" "Oh, sorry," you say, loosening your grasp of the fabric. You realize at this moment the now-familiar warmth radiating from the map in your pocket. "Wait— do you need some sort of help?" The fairy freezes in midair except for her fluttering, glistening wings. "My dear human, I fear I must confess, my circumstances are dire, absolutely awful! We are at present incapable of melting the gold for our weaving threads!" 

Ambiance: Fairy Village in Forest

"Show me where your fires used to be," you say with confidence. The fire dish isn't nearly as tiny as you assumed it would be for fairies. "Our breed of fae folk are meticulous artisans, interested in producing only the finest quality, and strictly adhering to the elegance of our craft, whatever it may be. Our village is dedicated to the blissful practice of weaving. The gold makes our finest thread, but the fires must be reignited by one who can begin the stretching process once again." Your confidence falters. "I can start the fire, but how am I supposed to stretch gold?" "It's a magic fire, dear, and you stretch the gold by employing the epitome of craft. I can show you how, but you must be the one to stretch the gold." 

Dare: Light a fire under yourself! Write for 5 five minute sessions back to back and see which one gets the most words. 

She mimics for you the process, and at last, you carefully tear the glowing piece of map with shaking hands. The fire dances up again at once, and the gold pan immediately glows blue. Slowly, hoping you don't mess up, you dip one finger in the gold and lift it up, allowing its cool liquid to stream into the pan in a thin thread. With your other hand, you begin to loop the thread over a spool. Within moments, the gold begins to repeat the process all by itself. "Much gratitude to you, my dear human," said the fairy, curtsying in midair. "As a reward, please take this bag of fairy dust… We know the great Phoenix will need it for his revival in days soon to come."

Question: What is something your character has learned to do well?

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