( she'd gone there a little earlier in the day to help set up, though it hadn't been intentional, trying to look around the castle and then just not saying no when she'd been seen and asked to carry something. but it had been a nice way to spend the afternoon, asking some questions and now that heather was back at the banquet it had come together well.

though she has a plate and some tea with her, heather's attention is easily drawn to the magical displays happening in the centre. it's her first experience with magic, never having seen it before and she's interested. the little bits she'd heard or seen in some of the library books didn't really do well in describing what it looked like, or how people looked using it and whilst she doesn't stop anyone to ask any questions she's a little mesmerised.

which will probably help when later she gets involved with the group meditation and experiences magic in that dipping into the horizon )

( it's after eating a little and watching some displays that she explores a little more, takes the offer to enter the horizon and now ask some questions. and it isn't really any surprise that her first question is a simple-- )

How long have you been here?

( better to save her actual questions after knowing that answer rather than asking something of a "newly summoned" that they likely also won't have an answer to, but even before that first question gets answered she has a very quick follow up-- )

And had you ever seen magic before... this?

( because she'd been told that apparently despite being in a magical world with people knowing magic that many more people also didn't )