At Somersby-Taking Things Apart and Putting Them Back Together

[makesthings]

Somersby doesn't have that many good places to hide and most of the boys know them all by their last year.

After a few bribes and Nick using his charm, they convinced the groundskeeper to let them use a shed as long as nothing broke.

Over the few years that Nick and Sam have had access to it, its become a fairly serious workshop which at the moment is full of the sounds of metal as Sam waves something that was once a clock at Nick,

"It won't work if you do it like that."

Comments

[wordofa_sayre]

As it turns in his palm, Nick attempts to press the coin flat between his hands.

"You don't say! There may be hope for you yet. Let's try this: tell me, how do you know how much air you need to generate the amount of heat you want to use?"

[makesthings]

"By knowing what I'm doing with it and testing. I've been working around forges for a while, you just learn it."

The coin allows itself to be pressed flat but still wiggles.

[wordofa_sayre]

Nick heaves a sigh and tosses the coin back to Sam.

"This is exactly why you should come to Corvere with me. You need a university education."

[makesthings]

Sam catches it and stills the spell though his smile fades slightly,

"I can't, there's too much to do at home."

[wordofa_sayre]

"There's always going to be something to do at home," he argues. "University will just prepare you that much the better for it."

Nick grins.

"At least, that's what I said."

[makesthings]

"Yes, but no one there can train me to be Abhorsen. It makes sense for you, since you fit here. Also your uncle will be happy for anything to keep you from showing just how much smarter than him you are."

[wordofa_sayre]

"Oh, come on, Sam -- it's not like you have to do this Abhorsen thing for a while yet, right? There's time."

"Besides, can you imagine the trouble the two of us could get into? Wicked fun."

[makesthings]

"I hope not, but I don't want to leave Ellimere having to do too much either. Well, of course we would."

[wordofa_sayre]

"From what I know of your sister, she can handle it."

[makesthings]

"Course she can, but I can still help."

[wordofa_sayre]

"Absolutely you can," Nick tells him -- and then grins, quick and bright.

"After university."

Without waiting for Sam's next protest, he turns back to his workbench and reaches for a small pair of pliers, along with the wire-wrapped wood.

[makesthings]

Sam sighs and picks up a lighter wire,

"Try this if you're not going to actually make something sturdy."

[wordofa_sayre]

"Thanks."

He takes the wire and brings it up close to his face, scrutinizing it carefully.

[makesthings]

"Its lighter but stronger and probably will work better."

[wordofa_sayre]

"If it works at all, that'll be better than what I've got so far," he quips.


Several seconds pass. He's carefully shaping the new wire into a coil when he says,

"You know, Sam, if you're going to be stubborn about not coming to Corvere, maybe I should come with you instead."

He keeps it matter-of-fact. Nick doesn't look up from the wire.

[makesthings]

Sam almost drops the piece of metal he's working with in surprise,

"You'd consider that?"

[wordofa_sayre]

"Why not?"

He glances at Sam with a grin.

[makesthings]

"Things are quite different there, but if you can figure out a way to then you should."

Sam's just looking thoughtful, it would be wonderful and strange to have Nick in the Old Kingdom.

[wordofa_sayre]

"I know." Nick rolls his eyes. "You're always so secretive about it, going on about how dangerous and not like Ancelstierre it is -- frankly, it's enough to drive a chap mad with curiosity."

He carefully slides the wire onto the end of the carved wooden arm, then attempts to suspend it from a spring-coil scale.

"Figure I might as well come investigate, right? Someone with a scientific mind's got to see to figuring what the mystery's about."

[makesthings]

"Not mysterious, its just hard to explain if you don't know it is all. Well if you go then you're just going to have to accept the Charter when you see it in action."

[wordofa_sayre]

"And when I figure out what the scientific underpinnings are for your Charter, will you finally accept that everything has a rational explanation?"

[makesthings]

"If you can find them then I'll concede that."

Sam doesn't think even Nick could do that, no matter how hard he tried.

[wordofa_sayre]

"When I do, you'll be the first to know. Word of a Sayre."

Satisfied with the weight of the wire-wrapped wood, Nick takes it down and tries adding it back to the scales he's building.

This time it stays.

"Ha!"

[makesthings]

"Good since I'll be curious to know."

Now Sam just laughs again,

"Its a good scale, what are you going to weigh?"

[wordofa_sayre]

"Bees."

He looks perfectly serious.

"Probably a few beetles, too, but it's mostly the bees."