Rukh was standing before a cage that contained nothing but a small brown spider weaving a modest web across the bars. “Arachne of Lydia,” he told the crowd. “Guaranteed the greatest weaver in the world – her fate’s the proof of it. She had the bad luck to defeat the goddess Athena in a weaving contest. Athena was a sore loser, and Arachne is now a spider, creating only for Mommy Fortuna’s Midnight Carnival, by special arrangement. Warp of snow and woof of flame, and never any two the same. Arachne.”
Strung on the loom of iron bars, the web was very simple and almost colorless, except for an occasional rainbow shiver when the spider scuttled out on it to put a thread right. But it drew the onlookers’ eyes – and the unicorn’s eyes as well – back and forth and steadily deeper, until they seemed to be looking down into great rifts in the world, black fissures that widened remorselessly and yet would not fall into pieces as long as Arachne’s web held the world together. The unicorn shook herself free with a sigh, and saw the real web again. It was very simple, and almost colorless.
“It isn’t like the others,” she said. “No,” Schmendrick agreed grudgingly. “But there’s no credit due to Mommy Fortuna for that. You see, the spider believes. She sees those cat’s-cradles herself and thinks them her own work. Belief makes all the difference to magic like Mommy Fortuna’s. Why, if that troop of witlings withdrew their wonder, there’d be nothing left of all her witchery but the sound of a spider weeping. And no one would hear it.”
Soft brown and Tyrian purple: dusty clove and blackcurrant.
Gloame –
Ahh blood resin, you tricky thing. Sometimes I love you, sometimes you smell like bubblegum. In this instance, Dragon’s Heart is teasing at bubblegum without actually committing. I really like the black currant and fig in here, but it’s just not coming together for me. Warm, sultry, a hint of dark fruit.
Where I’d wear this: Carnaval
Megan –
The dragon’s blood resin has a certain smokey scent to it, which means I cannot wear this one often or for a very long time. The lovely musks and the background scent of blackcurrant make this such a lovely smell, though, so don’t let the smokey scent hold you back from trying it!
xaglow –
This one is an obviously oriental scent with the black currents and musk becoming immediately noticeable when you open the bottle. It dries very warmly. I think it’s the fig, with its light, light sweetness, reminiscent of burning incense, that adds that exotic tone to the scent.
Sara –
There’s definitely musk accenting the spicy dragon’s blood, but I think it’s mostly black musk. I’m just not picking up any red musk, which is usually so bold and unmistakable. I don’t notice any currant or fig either, so maybe my nose is broken tonight. But the dragon’s blood and black musk are a fine combination on their own. It’s a sweet, exotic, and very warm.