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Wanda heads out to stretch her legs and discovers Amanda speaking Rom in the stables. She introduces herself and they talk as Gorgeous keeps trying to steal the spotlight.



Inside was fine, more than fine, but Wanda needed the outdoors, at least for a few minutes at least. Thanking God, or whoever was up there, for clean clothes she had started walking. The lake had been gorgeous and quiet, something the mansion really wasn't, apparently. Not that she minded but her head had been throbbing for a while and she had needed the break. When the stables had come into view she had veered towards them, curious to see if there were any horses housed in them and what kind they were.

Wanda wasn't the only one taking a break from the bedlam of the mansion. Unsettled by the news of Remy's return, restless for the day to be over and her first weekend off campus in a month to start, Amanda had decided to share her lunch with the horses, especially Gorgeous, Alison's horse from Asgard. Feeding him slices of apple, she chuckled as the horse butted her for more. "~Greedy,~" she told the animal in the language Kurt had told her was Rom. "~You'll get a stomach ache if you eat any more.~"

Taken by complete surprise, Wanda stopped in the door to the stables, letting her eyes grow accustomed to the darker lighting inside. The only person inside was a young woman, with her back turned towards her, as she conversed with one of the horses. In Rom. She listened for a few seconds as the girl continued, still a little startled. Finally, she cleared her throat and smiled slightly. "~I do not think he cares one way or another if his belly aches later, it is the now that he cares for,~" she responded back, leaning against the doorframe.

Amanda started, squeaking a little. She hadn't expected anyone to be in the stables this time of day, let alone anyone who understood what she was saying. "~You speak Rom?~" she asked, her accent not quite right by still understandable.

Laughing a little, she wandered further into the stable. "~A little hard not to considering I am Rom~," Wanda responded, tone gentle but slightly teasing. She held out one hand while scratching the inquisitive horse behind the ears. "Wanda Maximoff."

"Amanda Sefton." Switching back to English, Amanda admitted, a little embarrassed. "Guess I didn't put the two together, you bein' Rom an' all."

"I wasn't exactly running around and shouting it from the rooftops, either," Wanda admitted, eyeing the horse when he head butted sharply in the chest. She didn't even budge, simply looked at him. "That was not very nice. You will find me much harder to knock down than a good many other people."

"Gorgeous is a bit on the temperamental side. Like his owner – Ali brought her back from Asgard. He likes t' bite, men, mostly, so I think yer safe for now." She gave the horse a soft slap on the neck. "~Behave, we've got a guest,~" she told the horse.

"Ali...oh, the one with the child?" She grinned as the mare gave them both an indignant glare. "I haven't met that many people, though I did see the boy and his friend fleeing through the mansion at some point." Her gaze flicked back over to Amanda and her eyes suddenly lighted up. "Oh! Where you the one who mentioned that you were an herbalist and a witch in response to my post?"

"Yeah, that'd be me." Amanda looked pleased at Wanda's reaction - enthusiasm was a new one. "You know much 'bout it, then? Magic, I mean."

"Some, I'll admit. The herbalist I mentioned used magic. Not much, grant you, but enough to make sure mischievous children were not stuck with broken arms on a long trip. Healer, herbalist, not much more but she is very useful. And I spent some good deal of time convincing my people and family that _I_ was not a witch."

"Because of yer powers, you mean?" Amanda grinned wryly. "I ended up spendin' a lot of time tryin' t' tell people the magic wasn't a mutation. Well, it sort of is, but that's just the fuel."

"Interesting," she responded, intrigued. "Mine is--well, difficult, to say the least. Hexes, they called it. Simply put, I break things. Difficult version, I make things happen that really shouldn't. Buttlerfly effect, if you will." Wanda snorted softly. "The villagers called me the Scarlet Witch. Nice ring, don't you think?"

Amanda snickered. "If you want t' sound like a really tacky comic book. All yer'd need is the stupid costume an' yer'd be set for a career as a super-villain." She realised what she'd said, and blushed. "Um, I didn't mean... that is, you _aren't_..."

Wanda laughed at that. "Actually, it is not all that bad. Anything I can take that was once harmful and then turn it around and embrace it is a good thing." She waved away the apology. "I would make a horrific super-villain, truly. Always laughing. I hear that unless it is maniacal, it is not a trait you wish to have."

Relieved that she hadn't inadvertently offended Wanda, Amanda grinned. "Yeah, it takes away from the whole big an' scary thing if yer giggling like a little girl." Gorgeous whickered at her, apparently agreeing, and she rubbed the horse's nose, murmuring to him. "You know much 'bout the magic community then?" she asked, carefully casual, but itching to know if this woman knew of Romany, or Strange.

"Not much at all, besides what Jeta would show us. She did not practice her skill much, or at least not in public." Wanda grew thoughtful for a few seconds. "There was one time, though. We were in Germany, the Black Forest actually, when the rains came. Horrendous storm. I was five and Jeta was old even then. My brother and I got lost in the dark woods when it started flooding. Not only did the old women find us faster than the dogs, she stopped the water, parted it."

Laughing softly, she shook her head. "Woman is still alive after all these years and refuses to speak of that moment. So, no, I do not know much of the magic community, though I am very curious. I know more of the Rom community, as the last of the Maximoff leaders of my group, though."

"Partin' water? Wow." Amanda looked impressed, as well she would, considering how much trouble that particular element gave her. "Don't know all that much meself, actually, not 'bout the community. I got brought up outside it, an' didn't have a lot of contact with it at all until Pete's sister found me an' took me in hand. Too bad you weren't here a month or two ago, durin' the whole Asgard thing - both Doc Strange an' Romany were here, tryin' t' get us back."

"Ah, yes, Asgard." She shook her head, bemused. "Part of me wishes I was here so I could understand this whole thing better. The rest is glad that I was not." She glanced over at Amanda. "Magic is...interesting. I can see why people thought I was wielding it when my powers manifested." She turned around and leaned against the stable wall. "How long have you been 'in' the community? You said you were brought in rather late?"

"I've been doin' magic since I was five, but the person who taught me didn't exactly frequent the usual circles," Amanda said, skimming over the Rack parts outrageously, but she didn't feel like hashing the story out yet again. "I got out of that when I was eleven, did the foster home thing for a while an' ended up runnin' away when I was fourteen or so. Rom found me in Brighton back in January, introduced me t' some people, an' sent me here. None of the magic types felt up t' dealin' with a kid whose mutation makes her a natural at the supernatural." She gave Wanda an ironic grin. "Tends t' get up their noses, me bein' better 'n them without even tryin'."

A snort of laughter answered the last sentance. "Those are the types of people who are never satisified," Wanda said, shaking her head. "So you are fairly new to the magic community...and to the Rom, it would seem. How much do you know about us?"

Not a lot at all..." Amanda busied herself with untangling Gorgeous' mane with her fingers. "I mean, I didn't even know that was what my horse language was until Wagner told me. I don't even remember learnin' it."

"You were speaking it fairly well, maybe it just came naturally?" Wanda asked. "It is certainly not one of the prettiest languages out there but it's a fun one, that's for sure."

"Could be." Amanda shrugged. "I've got so many languages in me head, who knows where it came from? 'S part of the magic thing," she said, in answer to Wanda's raised eyebrows. "Lots of memory work, weird scripts... I'm good at pickin' up languages. Doin'... three right now, if you don't count the Askani. An' I know about six already. All of 'em pretty much considered dead."

"We must sit down one day and trade languages," she teased, grinning. "I have lost count of how many languages are in my head. By-product of moving slowly through countries. You pick up their language or you do not get to eat. I can curse in a good deal more languages than really should be proper."

Amanda snickered. "So can I, only it tends t' be more literal cursin'. 'May you get a really nasty skin disease an' never have sex again' in old Norse, that sort of thing." She patted Gorgeous' nose and fed him the last of the apple. "'S almost dinner - wanna walk back with me? You can tell me 'bout some of these magic-usin' friends of yers, if you like. Rom might know 'em."

"Is it that late already?" Wanda shook her head and gave Gorgeous a well-deserved skritch behind the ear. "Yes, lets, I'm starving. And are you sure you want me to spin tales? We could be here for ages..."