paradisalogs | so full of this adventure;

Who: Henry and YOU
What: INVESTIGATION
When: Sometime this afternoon
Where: Out in the castle courtyard
Rating: pg for fairytale nonsense

[Henry is doing research.

Between all he castle's changes and Arya's loss, he hasn't had a lot of time to do it. But today he's doing it out in one of the castle courtyards, because the library was stuffy, and the pup Robb gave him was antsy. He has books all around him, and a journal separate from the castle's open in his lap, where he's taking painstaking notes. August wanted to rewrite his book, the book the castle took from him, and he's going to make sure it's as complete as possible.

However, a disproportionate number of the books are open to 'Rumpelstiltskin.'

Henry's wolfdog pup, still full of energy, is running about around him, pawing at dirt and sticking his nose into bushes (and occasionally Henry's lap). But he never wanders too far away from Henry himself.

He comes close to nudge Henry's shoulder with his nose, and Henry reaches up to pat his head.]

Don't worry, boy, I'm almost done. We can race after.

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What book is that? [You got her now, Henry. Richard Castle hooked her but you could bring her into this writing thing.]

I have a book that's full of fairy tales. The real ones. The ones that really happened.

[He doodles a small spiral in the corner of his notebook.]

The ones that have my family in them.

[She's quiet for a moment, as she traces one finger over one of the covers of the books.]

...You're lucky. I don't have any stories where my family is in them. I imagine that would be a good way to keep them in my heart, always.

[He watches, quiet for a long moment.]

Yeah. It is.

[He hadn't put the pieces together, never thought much about it, but now....]

That's why the castle took it, I guess. My book.

[She looked up at that, before she touched her lapel. The pin, alas, was still gone.]

Just because it's not with us ... doesn't mean the memories are gone though. And like you said, you can make a new book.

[She rubbed the spot where the pin was, her grey eyes thoughtful.] Maybe even a new life.

[He fiddles with the corner of one of the pages.

He waffles over what he says next. Then he takes a deep breath.]

I found out, um. About my dad. He's in one of these stories, maybe.

[She looked at him, her eyebrows raised in surprise. Then she turned towards him, her gaze serious.]

And? Is he who you thought he was?

I don't know. I never met him. [He reaches down to stroke the pup's head, anxiously.] I thought if-- maybe if I found the story he was in, I could figure something out about him.

So ... what did you find out from his story? [She asked, turning towards him.]

[Morosely:]

I haven't found him yet.

[Her face fell a little at that.]

Henry ... I'm sorry. Is there - anything I can do for you? To help you find him?

[He chews his lip a little.]

Do you know this story? Rumpelstiltskin?

[She thought about it.]

No ... I can't say that I have, honestly.

August said that he's... related. To Rumplestiltskin. [Which is an extra super weird thing to think about.] So I thought, maybe, he'd be in this story. But I don't see anything about a boy in here.

What does the story say, about Rumpelstiltskin?

[She lifted herself up, so she could sit next to him.] Maybe the clues are between the lines.

Well, okay. [He presses the page down, like that will give him a better look at the text.

This is scientific, so he doesn't tell it like a story.]

They call him an 'imp' in these stories. He makes deals with people, deals he doesn't ever let anyone break.

[She frowned briefly, folding her knees up to her chest.]

...So he's not human, then. [Because humans always broke deals. It was practically in the coda.]

[He shakes his head emphatically.]

No, definitely not.

[beat]

Well, probably not.

...should I ask what else you think he might be?

[Because if he's not quite human but not quite whatever else - what kind of mutt was he?]

No, it's just complicated. I think he's human where I know him from. [Maybe. It might be different now that magic's back.] But I don't think he was in his world. Maybe. Probably. I don't know what, though.

Hm. [Katniss's lips curved into a faint frown.] Wait ... if he's sort of not human, and your father is related to him, does that make you not human in some way?

[Henry just shrugs helplessly.]

Don't ask me, I've got no clue.

[His family tree is... complex, to say the least.]

Well, that would be pretty neat. You could have magical powers, like one of the wizards we were.

[She gave him a gentle elbow, and smile.] And maybe, that'll help you find your dad, easier.

[He smiles back up at her, but there's something tight around the edges of it.

He still has no idea how he feels about being related to Rumpelstiltskin.]

Maybe. I could use the magic for good.

[She took in that tight smile, before she touched the books again.]

Maybe you're reading too hard, looking at the foreground and not the background.

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