((you're fine -snugs- and the break was only a day--<3 Can't really reply, lol since he didn't see))

(No worries, if he is still drawing Aria can come up and join him, is he still doing art? )

(( yep lol mouse village being attacked by vampire cats :D lmao ))

Aria wandered up towards Magnus and draped her arm around his shoulder. "How are you doing Magnus?" Aria asked him with a quite sincerity to her voice. She looked down at what Magnus was drawing and studied it while waiting for his reply.

( lol ok!)

His scene was nearing completion as Aria came up. "'Ey, Aria. I'm okay... I guess. Getting calmer at least."

Aria nodded to Magnus's reply, though it was brief it did speak volumes to her. "May I draw with you here under the tree?" She asked while pulling out a notepad and pencil from her side bag.

()

"of course," he said looking up at her with a small smile. "Got my mouse village to distroy still." He started erasing some building lines and restructuring it so they looked like they'd been broken in the attack.

Aria giggled, she reached over and drew a mouse wielding a small mouth digger. "There now you have at least one well armed mouse to protect the village." Aria smiled at her addition to the piece that Magnus had been working on.

On her own sheet of paper, Aria began to sketch Dax. She depicted him with huge cheeks stuffed full of brownies. She giggled as she drew crumbs on his beak and on his paws. She leaned over and showed Magnus. "What do you think?" Aria asked.

()

Eirik nodded. "You are right, Merlin, they do think in strange ways..I suppose they somehow think that they deserve to be treated badly when they are. That's sad...but, it's not like I am wanting to open a House Elf psychiatric center," he smiled, and chuckled a little, " I would go broke due to lack of interest. I wish I could make them understand that their situation is unacceptable, but that is wishful thinking."

Eirik shrugged, and looked down. "I had a choice, I knew what I was getting into, I just didn't want to die. I think, sometimes...you do things you normally wouldn't because it's the best choice you have at the time."

He sighed. " I remember, when I was human, how much I couldn't wait to finish up school and get the hell out of the house. My father was..strict...and I just wanted my freedom, to eat what I wanted to, when I wanted to..sleep in, stay up late, all of it. I say I can't understand why others wouldn't want that same freedom...but yet part of me does understand."

Eirik paused, and looked up. "My maker and I share a very strong bond and it's almost like...you just want to do what he wants you to do, even if you originally didn't. That's without being commanded, so maybe...maybe that's what the elves feel to their masters...maybe that's why they are so opposed to listening to anything that is different than how they live their lives, and how they can rationalize how they are treated."

He shook his head, as if to clear it. "Yes, Kyros, we do have a long road ahead, and I think, with the house elves, the direction we need to go is changing the way that wizards think about them. We could be doing more harm than good if we approach it from my original direction. Thank you, thank you both...this is why I need input from the Council, from my friends, from people who care and want to change things for the betterment of all beings."

He looked intently at Kyros for a moment, then stood up. "Merlin, would you mind excusing me and Kyros, please...? There is something I need to speak to him about, " he said, with a small smile. "I will catch up with you back in the pavilion. Thank you, for everything, " he said, and his smile widened.

Magnus gave a laugh. "What about the stake this one 'as?" He pointed to the vampire-hunter mouse. "PLus you ruined the 'elpless nature of the scene." He leaned over and smiled at her drawing. "Excellent. Looks just like Dax."

Aria smiled at the stake that the mouse had, that Magnus had drawn. "Thanks! I really like your lovely vampire hunting mouse," Aria giggled. "If my addition ruins your picture I can always erase it?" Aria offered while holding up her glittering eraser.

()

"Buffy the vampire slayer mouse," the boy said grinning despite himself. "Pft," he said, "I were joking."

Merlin listened and then left the two of them alone so they could talk. "Later, I'm going for a little walk." Merlin felt a desire to fly, like many other times, but definitely not with a broom. He smiled while looking up to the sky. "If only..."

“Anyway, now er… I guess we should talk about treatment of ‘ouse elves. Mimsy here Dad inherited from ‘is mother you see. Even before dad inherited ‘er, Mimsy was treated well and loved, but dad took it to another level. Dad is part nymph and when ‘e inherited ‘er he really did think about releasing ‘er… or sending ‘er to somewhere else. But ‘e couldn’t do it, despite ‘ating the idea of ‘owning’ ‘er. ‘E tried not to give her any work and she became extremely depressed and thought it where something she’d done. Finally dad wound up giving ‘er small jobs to do to keep ‘er happy. She has ‘er own room, bed, pictures and everything. We treat ‘er like family, because she is family. More or less ‘e lets her keep the rooms dust free and the rest of the things we do ourselves. It’s the best we can offer as we cannot seem to change ‘er mind about being free.

“Anyway… many elves are not treated well. Some are ‘urt or forced to ‘urt themselves. People ‘ave been known to stuff them after they die—er along with several other unpleasant things. Now, people like Hermione Weasley ‘ave ‘elped to advance the rights for ‘ouse elves and it is something I firmly believe we should be doing—even if Mimsy doesn’t. They are sentient beings that can think for themselves and should be looked after and not mistreated or anything else. Reform, may take time. We ‘ave to get minds changed on both sides. And that can take a long while. Organizations like the Society for Promotion of Elvish Welfare and others are essential for bridging the gap. It can’t be done by one side alone. I know my dad ‘as worked to promote understanding to wizards as well as ‘ouse elves. This is something my family is deeply passionate about. Not just because Dad and I are minority parties who understand what it is like to be misunderstood—mistreated and such by others—but also because our whole family loves Mimsy and would rather see her free.”

((OOC: okay, this topic is going to be a little tricky, I realise this. Please remember this is a pg-13 site. Abuse human or animal isn’t okay—period. We do have to try to keep to subeta rules about this and if there is something that is a little graphic I will smail and ask you to redo. So far this hasn’t been the case and I want this to be a fun workshop—if it gets overwhelmingly depressing or graphic, I might alter our course.))

@/Gaia@/Ambition@/MerlinPendragon@/Nik @/BitterLimeParakeet

After Merlin had walked away, Eirik put his hand on Kyros's shoulder. "If you ever want to talk about, I will listen, " he said, and patted his shoulder gently. "I think, however, break is over," Eirik said, watching the students heading back into the pavilion. "Meet you there."

Eirik walked back into the pavilion and made his way back to his seat to listen to the next part of the presentation.

Eirik listened to Magnus speak, and was happily surprised that his family felt the way that they did about house elves.

"Magnus, do you think that it would be possible for your father to have time for an interview in the future..? I know the Council would love to talk to him about his work in promoting understanding between the species, as well as have a more in depth experience discussion regarding his long relationship with having a house elf."

Eirik was trying to get a schedule of interview times ready, and adding another interview on a different subject would be beneficial overall.

"Er, I think 'e would be. I can send 'im a letter for sure. You'd be welcome to talk with 'im too. 'E'll be up 'ere on the full moon coming up, cos 'e or our auror friend Paul sit wif me whilst I'm under wolfsbane."

Eirik smiled. "Well, I wouldn't want to disturb him when that was going on, so...a letter might be good, thanks. I look forward to meeting him."

Magnus chuckled. "Well other than dad making sure I'm not making sudden movements, or getting agitated, we mostly just play games or I sleep. Paul made a alphabet sheet so I can 'speak' with them and me girlfriend. It makes the shifting less...er... horrific. So, Dad'd probly just bring Paul wif 'im and you could chat with dad. I pass out for an hour shortly after transforming. Mostly seems to be because I'm still growing and the potion makes me sleepy--takes a lot out of me, shifting does."

(ooc I'm dying with love over your avatar right now!. No time to rp...gotta get to work. Will try later if it's slow at the hotel)

Eirik looked surprised. "Are, are you sure you would want me there...? I mean, its a..kind of personal thing for you to have happen...I would feel, weird, interviewing your dad then...unless he is ok with it. I mean, I would like to, but..I don't want to intrude, that's all."