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9: Boustrophedon

Summary:

Lea asks Kamui for help understanding a commission request.

Notes:

yes i did write it like this because i had no clue what this word was and after i found out i had even less ideas on how to use it

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

Lea scowled at the paper in her hands, the vanity mirror before her reflecting her annoyance as she clicked her tongue and brought her free hand to her ear, activating the linkpearl within. 

After a few pulses, a static click verifies the connection has been made, "This is Kamui Gaeric speaking, if you have enquiries for the Eorzea Library Collective-"

"Don't bother with the rest of the spiel, it's Lea, what in the seven hells does the client mean when they want their mirror etched with the words in a 'boustrophedonic' manner around the edge?"

Kamui's stifled chuckle faintly came through the linkpearl, "I see you're working on Theabul's commission, ever the superstitious one he is. Think of any page of writing - we do so left to right, one line beneath the other, left to right, and so on. To write in a boustrophedon style means once the first line is complete, you write right to left beneath the first line, and the third will be left to right, the fourth right to left, and so on."

Lea's brows furrowed softly, putting the paper down and using her now free pointer finger to follow Kamui's description on the paper itself. "...So instead of being the way we write normally it's like a snake?" 

"Exactly! Now with it being Theabul's commission I doubt he gave you enough text to actually span across the entire mirror's edge. His request for it to be boustrophedonic is likely his desire to have the full text he's given you to be written both normally and from right to left directly beneath it. Since learning of Shards, he's somehow convinced himself it's possible for people of other Shards to look to the Source through mirrors. His wife was fine with his new eccentricities until he broke her vanity by trying to etch the same words inscribed in reverse below them. I assume you've been charged with the replacement?"

A sigh as she knew there was no reason to keep client confidentiality at this point "Aye, and for their eternal bonding anniversary no less."

"Fantastic! I'll make sure to tease him on your behalf at their party, and Henna - Theabul's wife - is well known for tips, so expect a gift of additional coin in the coming weeks after their anniversary."

Notes:

after finding out what the word meant and settling on this idea i then went on a glass etching rabbit hole and use quite literally none of the knowledge gained here

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