[LoL] Cacti by Any Other Name

Agrippa positively lit up at the suggestion, barely having the restraint to heartily agree and promise a quick return before nearly vaulting back over the bench and running up the path towards the building. True to their word, it was less than a minute before they were bursting back out the door with a bottle in one hand and two glasses in the other.

"How's this!? I grabbed something red, I hope that's alright?"

They slowed their approach first to a jog, and then a stroll, holding the bottle up proud so Rowan could read the label. They offered him one of the glasses from behind the bench before stepping around and parking themselves on the seat once more. Their fingers tore at the foil sealing the bottle top, revealing a cork underneath. A frown at the discovery turned quickly to glee

"Ah! The cork, my great nemesis- we meet again! Here, watch this."

With perhaps a little too much enthusiasm the unicorn bowed their head, tilted the bottle, and stabbed the cork with their horn. They twisted it a quarter-turn before pulling their head back and, with some strained effort, popping the thing free. They turned back to Rowan, holding out the bottle in a offer to fill his glass, smiling proud at their little party trick.

"Now! Two Truths and a Lie. Just so we're on the same page, this is the game as I know it: we each tell three facts about ourselves, two truthful and one that is a lie. If the other party can guess which one is the lie, they win. Usually there's some elaboration if one of the truths seem wildly outlandish, and generally the prize for winning is bragging rights. Have I got it right?"

Agrippa's brows disappeared momentarily beneath silver bangs as Rowan at once explained the price for failure, and the reason why they had been asked to fetch the second bottle.

"Turning a game of spilling personal truths into a drinking game? Talk about living life on the edge!"

They played at giving the darkling a impressed look and chuckled as they poured him his glass, apparently not realizing that their joke had very nearly pinned the exact trap that Rowan was purposefully concocting for them.

"Works well enough for me! Good thing this is only wine."

The bottle was hoisted back up so the beast could peer curiously, first at the label, and then down the bottleneck at the red within. They hadn't really checked the bottle before now, other than making sure of the colour- red was usually sweeter than white, and Agrippa was somewhat of a sweet tooth. After a moment of assessing by eye and a quick sniff, they came to the conclusion that they still had no idea what it was going to taste like, but wine was wine and it would probably be alright. They shrugged and poured their own glass, nodding for Rowan to continue as he announced he would take the first turn. Brows knitted and lips pursed as Agrippa considered the three claims laid before them.

"Hmm. The third seems suspect, given my time in this freehold. I could certainly believe the second. And the first, though it might not be specifically an officer of summer..."

The unicorn leaned over to place the bottle down on the ground beside the bench, biding their time

"I think I'll have to say... the third. You have either never tried drugs, or have tried them more than a single time."

They didn't look at all sure of their answer.

Agrippa flushed- on most the rush of embarrassment would have been hidden, but the unicorn's pallor provided little cover to the blood that lay just beneath their skin.

"Agh, I'm sorry. Its a danger of attempting a guess with so little to go on. This is our first real conversation, after all."

Apologetic eyes flicked black to their drink. They gestured with it towards Rowan, smiling wryly 

"Well, fortunately for you we have established punishment for my presumptions!"

The glass was floated to Agrippa's face, its lip first resting just beneath their nose to facilitate a last cautionary whiff, then being lowered to meet the beast's own. They savored the taste, holding the alcohol on their pallet a moment and nodding appreciatively before swallowing it down.

"Pleasant, as far as punishments go! Its mild, a little floral, and more sweet than not. Very drinkable."

They smiled, looking back to the darkling to see if he seemed to agree on the positive assessment going by the description alone.

"I suppose I'll have to give you something tricky, so you can try it yourself... let's see."

The unicorn trailed off, searching the stars for the perfect tidbits of their life to throw out and potentially throw Rowan for a loop.

"I was once stuck on the other side of the veil for 48 hours straight, I've won a children's literature award, and I was once paid to go full unicorn so someone could take horseback riding lessons on me."

A smile, somehow both innocently delighted and smug, spread slowly over the unicorn's features.

"It seems you get to try the wine after all! I was once stuck on the other side, but only for four hours."

The last two words were punctuated by victorious gestures with the glass that threatened to slosh the liquid out of it.

"The award I got was actually the one responsible for getting me published. Still surprises me they even considered a horror novel for it, what with all the nice educational and fluffy stories that surely got submitted. Not that I'm complaining. As for the riding lesson-"

The blush came back, accompanied by a guilty grin.

"-that wasn't out in the open. One of the freeholders up north owned a farm with an indoor riding space. One lost had apparently promised riding lessons to another, but she failed to get a hold of the rental horses, so they roped me in at the last moment. I was bribed with money, free food, and a custom saddle and bridal! Those last two items haven't exactly gotten much use, but they are nice enough to work as pretty if nor somewhat eclectic house décor. I convinced them to go all out with fancy tassels and silver chain. If I'm going to be wearing something like that at the very least I have to look good doing it."

They squared their shoulders and lounged back on the bench, confidently pretending that what they had done had no appreciable effect on their dignity.

Any remnant of embarrassment from earlier dropped as Rowan took apparent interest in their writing. It really didn't take that much at all to get Agrippa started

"Indeed I do! The one that got the award was a sort of 'creature feature' in written form, though it isn't my usual fare- most of what I write isn't children's lit. Mind you, most of what I write isn't published either, but that's neither here nor there."

The unicorn hid a grimace and momentary lapse in confidence behind a long sip of wine.

"I am working on that though! I've got a ghost story that I'm shopping around currently, and I'm in the process of writing another novel about a cryptid. Hasn't seen an editor quite yet but I feel its going rather well. If you like stories that wrap up in a nice little bow you might like the published one. Of course its meant for a younger audience, but because of that I felt it was appropriate to have at least somewhat of a happy ending."

The offer was given humble and shy- almost apologetic. The beast knew that people never liked to be solicited, regardless of how earnest a recommendation was.

"My other works are...not quite as neat. I prefer to go vague and atmospheric if I can. Go for the tingling down the spine and the hairs raised on my reader's napes, rather than outright screams."

They couldn't help but make spooky gestures with their free hand as they spoke. It was clearly something that brought them much joy.

The active request to read their work, the hint at possible good will and note among the Autumn court, and the offer to play editor by way of occult instruction... Rowan was singing a siren's song. Agrippa's eyes glimmered with an intensity that rivaled all the stars in the sky above them.

"Would you like to be a beta-reader on my Cryptid novel? I have the first draft of that one done. I do try to keep any occult details less accurate for obvious reasons, but I would greatly appreciate any input you can give me in that area nether the less!"

They couldn't help but lean in, smiling in a way innocently enamored

"And I could get you a sample of my ghost story to share around to your court! Even if no one can help directly, its always a pleasure to cultivate more interest in my writing. Simply hearing that my work is appreciated does help me, in its own way."

The idea of truly spreading terror was clearly the furthest thing from the beast's mind, who's head was currently filled with visions of smiling Autumn courtiers espousing desires for friendship.