Silver Insanity

"Hm. I doubt that would be wise. Exploding runes have a well-known tendency to explode. I believe a visit to the Clock & Weasel shop would be a better idea."

(Willoughby steps into the rain once more with his broad black umbrella.)

"An excellent point, Mr. Willoughby. To the clock shop!"

Willoughby and Amertrine stride through the glass doors of the Aran Clock and Weasel Shop and into the dimly lit, faintly musty interior. At this hour, the shop is lit by shafts of light from high, narrow windows, which glint off the brass of the clocks and annoy the weasels. Willoughby briefly stares at a wall of clocks-- pocketwatches, wall clocks, giant, imposing pendulum clocks, all ticking in perfect synchrony-- before heading up the small staircase to speak with the proprietress.

Ametrine quickly checks to make sure the clock with more hands than a barrel full of monkeys has not yet been sold as they approach the counter.

The particular clock in question is still in residence. In fact, every single clock that was previously present is still here - albeit not always in the same place.

The weasels, being more mobile, are much harder to keep track of; the best you can do is guess that there seem to be roughly the same number of them.

Willoughby converses politely with the store proprietress on a variety of subjects, including the local news, the weather, antique pocketwatches, a local bar, the potential whereabouts of Lauren Greywind, and the health of the weasels. He also inquires about the function of the clock he has observed Ametrine eyeing, which he has mentally labeled the "Omniclock".

"Oh, that one? That's an Omicron-Flanders mark seven special. Wonderful, as long as you don't actually need to keep time with it - I have to reset it every ten minutes just to keep it in sync. But the rest of the functions work well, especially the weasel attack indicator."

Mr. Willoughby deftly retrieves a fountain pen and a small pad of paper from one of his jacket pockets, and transcribes the gist of the shopkeeper's remarks about the Omicron-Flanders Mark Seven Special. He then replaces both pen and pad and courteously asks the shopkeeper whether she has heard anything regarding the location or health of the Lady Greywind.

"Not much, really. She's staying at the castle, these days, trying to convince the King to put more effort into finding her daughter."

"Hmm. I am grateful to you, madam; the information you have provided me has been most helpful, as always. I believe that I should now attend to the Lady, although I expect my visit shall be brief."

Willoughby glances at Ametrine, and turns as if to join the little dragon, but then pauses, distractedly.

"Ah, one more thing-- if you would be so kind--" he pulls out his pocketwatch and sets it almost reverently on the proprietress' desk-- "could you tell me whether it is still working perfectly? You know my fondness for it."